Sonic yawned and leaned close to his boyfriend, Knuckles, both sitting on a recliner as the two watched TV; Sonic'd gotten it for the sake of comfort when the two didn't fit well on the hammock. It'd been a while since the whole game show incident with Eggman, but Sonic couldn't help finding himself a little curious about something.
"Hey, Knux?" he asked, looking up the echidna.
"Yeah?" Knuckles replied. "What's up?"
"I've been wonderin'… what was with you getting all jealous when that one guy paired me up with Eggman for the game show?"
"O-oh, um…" Knuckles had hoped that Sonic had forgotten by now…
"I-it was nothing," he said quickly. "H-hey, um, how about some nachos?" he added, hoping to change the subject.
Okay, now Sonic definitely wasn't letting Knuckles go on this; he was hiding something. "Knuuuux," he said in a slightly stern tone.
Knuckles whimpered slightly. "I-it's not important," he said, fidgeting nervously.
Sonic frowned, "Hey, bud…" He turned and got up on his knees so they'd be closer to eye level. "Seriously, what's up?"
Knuckles averted his gaze. "I-I don't wanna talk about it…" he said quietly.
He tried to keep a neutral face expression, but the sadness in his eyes was obvious.
Sonic turned Knuckles' head back to him. "It's botherin' ya. Don't lie to me," he said strictly.
Knuckles sighed. He'd really been hoping to avoid this conversation…
"W-well…I-I guess I just really wanted to do that show with you…it would've been kinda special for us, a-and…I dunno, m-made us closer, I guess?"
"Made us closer?" Sonic laughed. "We're already dating, dummy," he said.
"I-I know…I-I just…" Knuckles sighed.
Sonic instantly stopped laughing, noticing Knuckles' still sad face. "Just what?" he asked.
Knuckles gazed down at the floor. "I…I guess sometimes I get scared that you'll dump me or something…"
"Dump you?" Sonic gasped, flabbergasted. "Knux, no way…" He lightly cupped the echidna's cheeks in his hands. "C'mon, we're bros, right?" He winked.
Knuckles sighed again. "But is that all we are? Just 'bros'? Is that all you think of me as–just the guy that you hang out with and do stupid things with?" His voice sounded strained, almost as if he was about to cry.
Sonic's ears perked. "N-no, no! I didn't mean it like that…"
Sonic let out a small nervous noise, then sheepishly kissed Knuckles' cheek. "I know we gotta act like bros 'out there', but we're more than that here, aren't we?"
Knuckles blushed at the kiss, but his sad demeanor didn't change.
"Are we?" he asked quietly.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sonic asked, almost offended but keeping his voice tender.
"I-I dunno, I just…" Knuckles paused for a moment. "…sometimes it just feels like I drive everybody away from me…even if they like me at first, I'll end up doing something stupid and suddenly everyone hates me. That's how it's always been…"
"Always?" Sonic tilted his head, frowning. "What do you mean?"
Knuckles hesitated. "I…I've never really told anyone about this before, b-but…r-remember how we first met? When you and Tails found me all alone on Angel Island?"
Sonic nodded. "Yeah, I remember…"
"W-well…did you ever wonder how I got there in the first place?"
"I–" Sonic paused. "…No, guess I didn't…"
"W-well…" Knuckles took a deep breath. "…I was abandoned, Sonic! My mom and dad didn't love me at all, and they made sure I knew that every single day! And then one day they just left me on some island in the middle of nowhere, knowing that I could barely fend for myself!"
He sniffled, wiping at his eyes as they began to sting with tears. "I…I tried so hard to forget…I just kinda blocked everything out and pretended like I was as stupid as everybody thinks I am, and I act like it doesn't hurt when people say that, and I pretend to be confident, b-but…"
Tears were streaming down his face now. "I-I'm just a f-faker…"
Sonic jerked back, shocked at the sudden tears. "K-Knuckles…"
He suddenly started glaring, pulling Knuckles close. "What right did they have to treat you that way!? Man, that makes me so mad!"
He hugged Knuckles tightly. "Don't listen to anything they said, all right? I'm not dating you for nothing, got it? I wouldn't be if I didn't…" He blushed, embarrassed and lowering his voice to a mumble. "…r-really love ya and stuff…"
Knuckles blushed. "Y-you…you really love me?"
Sonic nodded. "'Course I do. Why do ya think I got so mad at Eggman for callin' Amy my girl?" He huffed, reaching a hand up and stroking the side of Knuckles' head. "She's not. I only love you, Knux…"
Knuckles blushed even harder. "A-aw, shucks…" He managed a small smile.
Sonic grinned. "So what's there to worry about?" His stroking turned into a light scratching. "I'd never leave ya."
Knuckles turned his gaze to Sonic. "Y-ya mean it?"
"You love me, don't cha?" Sonic asked.
Knuckles smiled. "More than anything," he answered softly.
Sonic blushed; ugh, Knuckles was so cheesy… but it was really sweet. "Then I'd have no reason to leave, and I won't."
He sealed the promise with a soft kiss.
Knuckles' face flushed brightly. "T-thanks, Sonic," he giggled.
"No problem, heh." Sonic smiled softly, sitting back down on Knuckles' lap as he went back to watching TV.
Knuckles wrapped his arms around the hedgehog and pulled him even closer, nuzzling him gently.
"I love you…'Bro'," he whispered, grinning.
"A-ah, Knux…" Sonic stammered, still not used to all the affection Knuckles gave him once they'd gotten together; then again, to be fair, he was pretty affectionate too just a few seconds ago.
"Hehe, I know." He leaned into the embrace, relaxing.
"A-and…you love me too, right?"
Sonic chuckled. "Do you even need to ask?"