Chapter Text
Rouge is in love.
And if it wasn't so already, painfully obvious; she was in love, with Knuckles.
She never thought her schedule cleared any room or time for that kind of thing back when she first became an agent-- but now, with all of her experience, she decided she could do what she wanted now that she was effortlessly perfect at her job. Especially since she's learned how to balance everything between work and her relationships so easily.
She didn't think she could ever fall for such a knucklehead like Knuckles the echidna himself. Yet, she found him....alluring.
He was cute whenever he would get all bashful and shy at Rouges flirty and teasing remarks. He was so interesting, whenever he wasn't trying to swat her away like a fly whenever she got a little too close to the master emerald. Hasn't he ever heard of sharing? She was sure they could come up with a compromise, no?
All of those times she's harassed Knuckles, and all of those times they've actually found themselves getting along with each other. Rouge wondered if it ever meant anything too him. I mean-- they've saved the world together a couple times with team dark and Sonic's other pals! Thats got to mean something.
She wondered if it meant anything to him. Those times she helped keep the master emerald safe instead of taking it for herself-- surely he's noticed her very heroic gestures.
No matter, it's high time she finally made a real move. She'd have Sonic call him over from angel island, then she'd talk to him. Her plan was flawless! Knuckles would be begging for her hand in marriage in no time.
Sonic and Rouge knew each other like you knew the back of your own hand. The call over was a piece a' cake! Though she had her doubts, what kind of calculated spy would she be if she just jumped the gun right away? Maybe she should talk to her other right hand man.
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In the apartment G.U.N fund's for team dark, Shadow and Omega sit on their nice couch, watching whatever slop came on the TV. Just as Omega was about to switch to Rouges streaming services, she struts in.
Walking through the door, she stops in front of the TV to catch the boys (mainly Shadows) undivided attention. "Shadow, honey, I'm thinking of finally confessing to Knuckles today!"
"You what?"
"You heard me."
"Are you out of your mind? You can't involve yourself into that kind of thing as long as you work for Gun." Shadow crosses his arms, giving her a disapproving look.
"Of course I can! Who's Gun to care, so long as I get my jobs done. They've never even mentioned or specified being against the idea!"
Rouge was totally off her rocker, falling in love?! Shadow wouldn't allow it to interfere with her work.
"You can't do that, Rouge."
"And why not?"
"You don't know the first thing about love." Shadow didn't mean to say that, the words came out wrong, but it was something along those lines she nonetheless needed to hear.
"Excuse me? Like you're one to talk, Mister lonely-hog!" She didn't mean to call him lonely, her words came out wrong, but she was just fuming after that comment.
Both of them flinched at each other's stinging little insults, they've never fought like this before, especially over something like this, it was weird. One would say something hurtful, then the other would respond with something just as worse.
"Rouge, this is bound to end in heartbreak, I know what Im talking about. That fool has no idea how to even spell the word 'love'."
"As if! Watch me!" She hissed back, who was he to have a say?? Shadow didn't know the first thing about a crush! She was going to carry out her plan regardless of his opinion.
"You know, as my work bestie, I thought you'd be a little more supportive, or at the very least, not even care!" How dare he, how dare he! Some nerve he's got! "Ugh, seriously!" Rouge stormed off in a squeaking fit.
Omega silently watched the two duke it out, Shadow being the only one brave enough to tell Rouge she was being ridiculous.
"You are brave, Shadow. Even I would not dare."
"She is completely in over her own head. Who's to say that muscles for brains even reciprocates her feelings." Shadow tossed his hand out in a 'tired of Rouges shit' gesture, rolling his eyes. Omega agreed, but only with a stiff nod, not talking, just in case Rouge was still in audible vicinity. He wouldn't want to push over her temper and get his head kicked clean off.
Needless to say, Shadow was way over annoyed. He didn't have my time for this. Nonetheless, that was his partner, and it goes both ways when it comes to looking after each other. So, he swallowed the huge groan threatening to escape his throat, sucked up his last remaining patience with a deep breath, and followed her.
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There he was! Big and red as ever. She wouldn't pay any attention to Shadows hateful speech she gave her back at the apartment, she'd follow her heart! After that little chat with Sonic she had before, Rouge had set everything into its place. She would start by confessing to him in the Chao garden, giving him a medium sized, yet valuable jewel from one of her treasured gem collections. Not to mention it was one of her favorites.
The Ruby. It was almost the size of her palm. She's always liked it's juicy red color, and it's meaning. What better to give him the gem that reminds her so much of him while it's meaning holds that of passion and prosperity? This was fate, she was sure of it!
Then, she'd take him to a cafe nearby, then he would invite her over the Angel Island so they could both bask in the master emeralds glory together! It was perfect.
Not far away from where Knuckles was waiting, a hero trio lurked, asking Chaos to bring them shrubs, sticks, and chunks of leaves to form some bushes, or at least a little camouflage. Sonics head poked out of the middle, Amy to his right, and Tails to his left. After shuffling into comfortable positions in their makeshift bush fort, they watched.
"Do you guys really think they'll become a thing..?" asked Tails, he tried to squeeze himself into the bush as much as possible. The only problem being his two big, fluffy tails that stuck out of the other end, oh well. That just made the Chaos attempt to cover them with more leaves and sticks. He'd be picking that out of his fur later for sure.
"All I know, is that I'm pretty happy for Knuckles! All that time he spends cooped up on angel island-- he could use some company." Amy whispered from within the leaves, and may I add, very giddy at the confession about to take place.
"It'll be good for him, maybe she'll help his temper a little, you know how Knuckles gets sometimes." Sonic shrugged.
"Or make it worse..." mumbled Tails. He rested his palm in his cheek, waiting for some action.
She scoffed, "Oh stop it Tails, I'm sure it'll be fine." Amy made herself at home in the shrub, and waited patiently.
Another rustle from within the green home. Suddenly, the group heard a deeper voice that definitely didn't belong to any of them. It was familiar, mumbling, a little raspy, yet very soothing.
"This is going to distract her, it's a waste of her time..."
Sonic, Tails and Amy almost felt their hearts fly through their mouths. As another pair of ears poked out of said bush.
"Shadow??" Amy said with a gasp, "what in Gaias name are you doing here??!" Everyone tried their best to stay quiet. The show was just about to begin. He shuffled into a spot between Tails and Sonic.
The yellow fox and blue hedgehog exchanged astonished looks at how Shadow just shuffled his way into a spot, careless at what they thought.
Sonic chimed in, "Ive got a better question. Why are you here?! Go find your own bush, dude!"
Sonic was complaining, but wanted to completely to ignore the fact that the Chaos made the bush a little too roomy, insinuating that there was indeed, enough room.
"Quiet faker, I'm simply watching Rouge make the worst mistake of her life." Not only was Shadow annoyed at her welcoming distractions, of course she had to persue that red dumbass.
"What?"
"Quiet, I'm trying to listen."
"Fine, you can share the bush with us, but you have to explain what your deal is after!" cried Amy. Shadow replying with a dismissive grunt while the confession was just about to start.
They were in pretty audible distance, everyone knew those two get way too animated around each other anyway.
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Rouge stared at Knuckles with a cheeky grin. She did exactly as she planned-- giving him the shiny jewel would make him fall head over heels for sure! "Hey red, I got somethin' for ya." She approached him with eagerness.
"Yeah? Sonic told me you needed to tell me something. Make it quick, Ive got the Chaotix watchin' the emerald while I'm away." Knuckles stood in front of her, chest puffed out with his arms crossed tight against it. Eye brows furrowed, and looming over Rouge. She forgot that this was reason number 789 on why she had become so attracted to this echidna fellow. He was huge.
And no, not like that, you freaks.
While he waited impatiently, Rouge snuck something out from behind her back. The Ruby. It sparkled in the daylight, and shined as bright as it could. She hoped, the worst he could say is no, right? I mean, who would? This was the Rouge the bat we were talking about.
"Oh calm down, will you? It's important." She offered the gem in her hands, and poured her heart out. It he accepted it, it would mean her feelings were mutually shared, it not, then it was a no go. Well, here goes nothing.
"Ive had my eye on you for quite some time, and I was wondering if you wanna chat over dinner? Maybe come to a cafe nearby with me?" Rouge looked confident, when she was really freaking the hell out. She was dying to hear his answer, but he looked frozen in place!
"Here we go! Come on Knuckles, go get your girl!" Amy squealed from the bush in excitement, but, the exact opposite of what those sneaky four expected to happen, happened. Knuckles froze, his face going pale before exploding in a harsh red color. Almost as red as himself! If you could believe it.
"Wh-What?! N-no way you gem-napper! How do I know you didn't steal that one either!? Like it would ever happen!" He nearly squealed, waving his hands in all sorts of directions and knocking the jewel right out of Rouges gentle grasp. She gasped, along with the gaggle of furries that resided deep within the bush.
The Ruby hit the grass with a light thump, and so did Rouges jaw. Her hand limped back down to her side. Knuckles just kept going. "A-and I wouldn't even have time for you! There's no way, n-not a chance! D-Dont just confess to me like we were friends, bat!"
When he finally stops talking, Rouge explodes, clutching her pearls and tossing him an absolutely astonished and offended look. "Excuse me?? This is all you have to reply with?? Insults?? Insults, directed at ME. Do you talk to Sonic and your friends with those kinds of words? How dare you, how absolutely dare you! That is no way to speak to a lady!"
She carried on her lectures, and absolutely chewed Knuckles into the dirt. Hearing words come out of her mouth that not even Shadow could find the meanings of. I mean really giving it to him.
"You can keep that stupid gem, and you can keep this!"
As soon as those words came out of her mouth, nothing happened for a brief moment. That was, until she began hovering over the grass. Sonic flinched, Amy gasped, and Tails' mouth went agape. It even caught Shadow by surprise. The bush, and even the tiny Chaos, erupted into painful, dragged out sounding "oooooos".
Knuckles was on the floor, cheek red and steaming. Rouge had given him one of her infamous powerful, and not to mention, graceful kicks to his muzzle. She couldn't help but do it in style, it was well deserved anyway.
"Guess you liked me just enough to let your guard down, huh." Sighed Rouge. She was disappointed, but under all that anger, lied sorrow. "Maybe Shadow was right about you...!..maybe he was right about me.." Just as she was about to fly off, she looked back one more time.
"We both don't know a thing about love."
Rouge took her leave the opposite direction, she passed by the bush, visible tears forming. She tried to wipe them away as best as she could, she would cry over no man! She was used to when Knuckles would wave away her nagging with a light shout or two, but not this.
When Knuckles finally sits up to press his palm to his cheek, he wastes no time immediately running away. Sonic and the others couldn't see the look on his face, all they could do was watch him leave.
".....What. Just. Happened." Said Tails. Nobody could even speak for a good minute. That went.....terribly left.
"I don't know, but even I was offended at the way Knuckles handled it, I feel so bad for Rouge! And Knuckles is a tough guy, so he deserved that kick to his face, sorry, not sorry! He needed a lesson." Amy shut her eyes and shook her head. Then Sonic finally snapped out of his shocked trance to speak. "Woah....really expected that to go way different....oh man, Knux did it now."
"And that fool got what he deserved." Shadow would be lying if he said he wasn't angry for Rouge. Everyone looked at him, remembering how he still had explaining do. He could practically hear all of their thoughts, he groaned and finally decided to speak up.
"Rouge had told me about this, her whole plan, how Sonic had helped her execute it. She doesn't know I was here yet, nor did she realize any of you were."
"Man, if I knew things were gonna turn out like this, I wouldn't have helped at all." Sonic scratched the back of his quills, wallowing in his guilt.
"Exactly, this is why you should keep your big nose where it belongs."
"Chill out dude! You don't think I already realize that now?"
"And you don't think this is exactly what I was afraid of? She's probably back at the apartment..." Shadow shook himself out of his spot. "I need to go find her."
"Stop meddling in our lives like this, look what happens when you do." Shadow spat out his worlds like he was keeping a bad taste in his mouth as he left.
Sonic's ears flattened on his head. He actually believed a little bit of his words. Rouge was his friend, how could he do this? Amy put a hand on his shoulder. "Sonic, don't think that for a second this is any of your fault. You know Shadow just likes to say things."
Tails chimed in, "Yeah, and with the way he sounded when he was talking, I think he was just trying to stick up for her. Believe it or not, he's got people he cares about too."
"What Tails said! Nobody blames you, Shadow was just.....angry on her behalf." Amy shrugged. "Wouldn't you be the same way?"
Sonic looked up from his hands. They were both right. "So Shadow still has some heart inside huh? It's refreshing to see." The blue hedgehog snickered. "Yeah, I gotcha. Not my fault, still feel a little bad though, I definitely should've thought about it a little harder."
Amy rolled out of the bush military style. "Maybe you can apologize later, right now, we've gotta find Knuckles!"
"Oh crap! I totally forgot about him, you're right!" Tails followed, his two tails covered in leaves, ugh.
"Can't lie, so did I." Sonic laughed before spin-dashing to catch up with the rest of his friends. As they chased to wherever Knuckles went, Shadow headed back to the apartment, and ready to shove back whatever "I told you so's" that bubbled in the back of his throat. For now, he'd bite his tongue.