Title: Cruor
Author: acoustic_clouds
Pairing: Shadow/Knuckles
Rating: M
Warning: Violence, bloodplay, and lots of touching.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic or any of its characters.
Summary: The pain was excruciating. But Knuckles would take on any pain that Shadow wanted to inflict on him, as long as he was able to protect Sonic in the process. (Shadow x Knuckles)


The pain was excruciating. The jagged wires that restrained his wrists, the deep, burning welt on his chest, and the hard impact on his skull almost reduced him to an incoherent, unintelligible mess. Sparks crackled and Knuckles felt like he was seeing stars.

But regardless of his injuries, he never forgot what he had to protect.

"Where's Sonic?" The voice was the sound of death that rang in Knuckles' ears. His headache amplified and he screwed his eyes shut. It was silent except for the faint whir of the engine.

Knuckles hacked when Shadow plunged a fist into his stomach; a wordless demand for an answer. Knuckles stared back at him resolutely, his vision swimming in red. Warm blood trickled from his forehead – a deep crimson that Shadow found quite suiting for the temperamental red-haired boy.

Shadow captured his neck in an unyielding grip, the wire bounding Knuckles' hands only wound tighter. Knuckles opened his mouth in a soundless scream, but bit his lip when he saw that despicable smirk on the other's face. He would bear the pain, even if he bled endlessly from his wrists.

He would take the pain, for as long it took for Sonic to escape.

Sonic…

Knuckles flinched when he felt gentle fingers ghost on his face; a hand pulled his head back until his neck was exposed and sharp teeth bit hard on the sensitive flesh.

"What the hell—"

Knuckles didn't falter when he felt warmth trickling down his neck, didn't falter when Shadow licked his blood with the eyes of a savage beast—but inhaled deeply when he felt Shadow's hands on the waistband of his pants.

"Stop it," Knuckles said dangerously. He would prefer unrelenting punches and kicks over the unnervingly tender treatment.

But he didn't stop. Shadow stroked and licked and touched every sensitive spot on Knuckles' body that made him squirm and pant, and he let out groans that were more of pleasure than pain.

Shadow stopped when Knuckles was hard and ready, looking up with a bright flush and a half-lidded gaze. His very expression was one of want and the need for more. Despite that, the determined, unwavering light in his eyes never once disappeared. It made Shadow's desire burn, but he knew when to restrain himself. He wasn't a wild, primal animal that could be swayed by a few caresses in the right places; he wasn't like weak humans.

But the one before him was not weak, and he would acknowledge that.

Knuckles didn't question when Shadows walked away after a moment of contemplation, in spite of his own longing to ravish the redhead.

Only when Shadow left did Knuckles force his arms forward and out of their bounds in frustration, ignoring the sharp spikes of pain and dripping blood.

When he wrapped his hand around his cock, Knuckles felt the greatest humiliation, closing his eyes and only seeing Shadow as he pumped himself to orgasm, his hand slick with his own blood.