Publishing only to annoy a friend who doesn't think it's right to ship pairings from the sonic franchise :)

This has no valid explanation, it's really a violation of all that is good and pure but since no one else has written for this really weird pairing, I felt obligated to.

I haven't wanted Sonic X the Tv series in ages so plot and situation details may be off but if it helps, this doesn't have much "plot" anyway so :)

I don't own sonic or any of his little furry friends.

Espio was in love with Knuckles.

It was the only thing he'd been sure of for the past month and it was driving him insane. Everything else seemed rather distant when the Echidna boy was in the same room as him, he found himself unable to look away from him, as though he were addicted. All of it of course was ridiculous, yes he'd known he was gay since he was six but that didn't mean he had to act like some love sick girl. He was a Ninja: well-trained, serious and level-headed, three things that certainly didn't show whenever he became distracted by the red-head, which was becoming more and more often lately. To make matters worse, Vector had noticed it.

Their last little group meeting had been rather overly focused on that subject for a 'group meeting'.

Pushing open the door to their usual crew hideout room, where Vector had a very professional desk to sit behind to make him feel important and Charmy had been allowed to put a padded chair in the corner for when he went through one of his moments of needing to be surrounded by comfort. However unlike Espio had expected when vector had called him for this Group meeting, Charmy wasn't sat in his chair as usual, nor was he hovering annoyingly anywhere else in the room. The hyper, annoying bee kid was missing. More directed to Espio's attention was the chair that was sat out in front of Vector's desk. It was the three-legged wooden backed one that they used to interrogate people because the back spindles made your back ache if you sat in it too long, which when you were tied to it was a really, very long time.

"Espio, come on in." Vector called him in, using his serious business voice whilst giving him that corny everything will be alright smile which no one had the heart to tell him was terrifying. Of course when he dared use it on you, that was a different matter.

"Sorry to have to point this out to you now but that smile you do when you want to try and comfort someone, it's the scariest thing on this planet with the only exception of Charmy's tantrums." Espio replied crisply, unable to stop himself being a little snippy. He'd been told this was a team meeting, not his own personal interrogation.

"Yes well, sit down." Vector continued stiffly, dropping the smile. Watching him all the time, Espio cautiously lowered himself into the chair. He would sit, he would not however under any circumstances allowed Vector to tie him up with rope.

"Espio my buddy," Vector began in his important voice, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table as he looked over at him, "We've been business partners a long time, so you know I have to ensure I get the best performance possible out of all of my crew. You understand this, right?"

"If this is about the other day when I dozed off I already apologized." Espio reminded him tightly, his body tensing as he waited for the obvious to be pointed out.

"Well Espio it's not just this incident though is it? Lately you've been a little bit... vacant." Vector hedged in a casual yet awkward tone, the terrifying comfort smile appearing back again.

Sighing heavily, having known this was going to come sooner or later Espio put his head in his hands and tried to focus, but discussing this only made him think of Knuckles all over again. God, how could he be so attracted to someone he hadn't even kissed? Pausing and catching that thought Espio looked out from between his fingers. Perhaps that was it. He was so caught up in Knuckles because he knew he could never kiss him so that denial only caused him to fantasize about it so much more. If he simply kissed him, perhaps this would all lighten up. After all he'd had crushes whom he'd kissed and on occasion that had put him off them because he didn't feel the spark. This thing might all go away if he just kissed Knuckles.

Grinning uncharacteristically, something he found himself doing more and more often lately, Espio sat up and nodded seriously at Vector to show he meant business.

"I know and I understand. However I think I've thought of a solution." Espio announced, a look of grim and admittedly excited determination on his face. Vector looked him over warily and sighed.

"If you think it will get you back to normal." He allowed, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs over each other.

"Thanks Vector." Epsio thanked him, nodding gratefully as he went to the door.

"Just don't get too caught up in this Esp. I've never seen you this hung up over someone in your life." Vector warned him as he held the door with his hand. Smiling sadly to himself Espio smirked. He should have known Vector could see straight through him, after all they were best friends. He looked back and smiled grimly in thanks then gently shut the door behind him, the determination snapping back onto his face.

So that was why he'd come up with this ridiculous idea that he would just walk up to Knuckles and kiss him. He'd learnt the details of tonight's plans for Sonic's team and he knew exactly when to catch Knuckles alone so he if he did freak out and chicken, no one would be there to point out to Knuckles how obviously he was in love with him. So he stood there feeling flushed already with his back pressed up against the wall as he counted the seconds until Knuckles was due to walk past him. He wasn't one for using his Ninja talents inappropriately but with the panic of nerves he took a deep breath and disappeared entirely against the wall. Now if he really did chicken out at least he wouldn't have to explain himself to Knuckles.

As expected, Knuckles walked right past wearing his ever serious face as he did his strange little march like walk down the corridor, muttering to himself as he recited what he needed to do to himself. Then just as Espio was about to step out he turned around, eyes narrowed slightly as he checked behind him curiously.

"Hello?" He asked in that voice which implied he was pretty sure he was going mad. Naturally he received no response. Sighing to himself and returning to muttering he continued his walk down.

Espio had frozen, his heart hammering at an inhuman pace as it caught in his throat and made him feel so ridiculously hot. Yes, he was freaking out, whilst also swooning because Knuckles had known. It was rather cheesy just to think it but he'd actually felt his presence. Espio had definitely felt his pulse jump at that realization. Peeling himself away from the wall he bit down on his lip hard to focus himself. He had to do this now. This insane crush was costing him his sanity, he was standing there blushing with a fluttering heart just for being noticed. It was completely and utterly insane. He needed to think about this in a different way to do it. He couldn't be the blushing boy who stuttered and shied away from this. He had to think sexy if he was going to stand a chance of somehow walking up to Knuckles and kissing him.

So he leaned back against the wall and allowed himself to do what he'd never dared at any moment incase someone caught him. He fantasized. Uncontrolled and unashamedly he let himself sink into the warm thrill of imagining having Knuckles kissing him, imagining Knuckles in all his serious yet fragile brilliance panting beneath him with their lips tearing into each other passionately as- okay, that was definitely enough. Riled up to a point where in front of anyone else he would be invisible with embarrassment, Espio chased after Knuckles, the red head quickly coming into sight.

On a wild impulse Espio reached out and caught his shoulder, smiling blissfully when he felt Knuckles jump beneath him. Nothing turned him on like Knuckles acting vulnerable. The red head twisted around, tensing in defense as he looked to see who had caught him. The way in which he relaxed and smiled warmly when he saw it was Espio made his whole body melt. So then it happened. Espio could feel that dark desperation, the pure lust in his body take over as he pinned Knuckles against the wall. Wide eyed and opened mouthed, Knuckles stared at him, his breathing coming fast as it brushed his face and his lips trembled slightly in the most adorable way.

"Espio, what are you-" but he was cut off as Espio leaned into him and caught his lips, emerging himself into the reality of his fantasy.

He'd expected there to be no spark, that he would finally realize that he wasn't insanely in love with this serious, vulnerable and entirely adorable Echidna boy and that he could go back to being calm and in control. God, he had been so, so very wrong. He could feel himself melting into Knuckles as the confused lips beneath his struggled to function, unable to resist as Espio pulled at them and was shocked too feel Knuckles' lips tugging ever so gently back at him. Placing an arm solidly on the wall Espio deepened it, gracefully sliding his tongue between the two soft lip's he'd only ever fantasized about and exploring Knuckles' mouth, all whilst feeling his chest rise and fall beneath his, brushing their bodies together teasingly. Then as he felt himself loosing control and going dizzy, Espio had to let go, pulling away from the boy.

"Espio." Knuckles panted, looking at him with pained eyes. Espio knew he should feel guilty for pouncing him in such a manner, knew he should be terrified of the endless fear and hate that Knuckles would now feel towards him and utterly petrified of the act that he was now irreversibly in love with this boy, but all he could do was smile and half laugh ecstatically. Gently he leant down and kissed those lips one more time and then he disappeared.