Title: Denial
Author: NexustehULF0o
Description: When Rouge finds a distraught Knuckles on a rooftop, she wills herself to go comfort him. Oneshot. TDB-centric.
Rating: K
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTERS MENTIONED IN THIS FANFICTION. SONIC THE HEDGEHOG AND ALL OTHER CHARACTERS ARE PROPERTY OF SEGA. SONIC CHRONICLES: THE DARK BROTHERHOOD IS COPYRIGHT BIOWARE AND SEGA.
Nexus: So I started playing Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood and I found that they didn't do Knouge enough justice. I mean, the whole thing was about Knuckles and…well, I don't know. But I thought I'd share a little tidbit that I thought should be like…an extra or something. Enjoy!
Twitching one of her ears ever so slightly, Rouge the Bat's vision shifted quickly from her left to her right, stopping when she realized that the abrupt scuff on the ground she'd heard was her foot brushing a can some bum had left on the rooftop.
She knew Knuckles the Echidna liked high places. That was how she knew to look for him up here. He sat on that floating spit of land day and night, and probably got used to…well, the wind patterns and stuff up there.
He also probably got used to the quiet.
Central City was quiet, too. Well, at least at this time of night. Normally she liked that quiet. Gave her the rush she felt when she hosted a jewelry store heist or crept around amongst the crickets while closing in on another victim of robbery.
Unfortunately for her, the quiet was always more willing to reveal where she was - should she accidentally, y'know, kick a can and slip up.
But luckily, she was easy to recover when he swirled around to face her, fists clenched and ready to fight until he realized who it was.
"Oh, it's you." He started gruffly, relaxing his fists and returning his gaze to the open sky. "I don't have the Master Emerald right now. That Ix guy's got it. Go steal it from him."
"Oh, what a warm welcome." She muttered in reply, her steel-toed, high-heeled boots clicking against the cement roof as she moved adjacent to him. "No, 'Hello Rouge, how are you doing?'s, then?"
"Cut it out, Rouge." Knuckles shook this head while mumbling. "I'm not in the mood."
She smiled shrewdly, folding her arms and looking skyward as well.
"All right, all right." She agreed, trailing off.
A long silence ensued after that.
C'mon, Rouge! She mentally chided herself, looking over at the pensive red echidna and frowning. You know what you came up here for, now get on with it!
"Uh, listen, echidna…" She started, a bit more sheepishly than she liked.
Knuckles looked over at the mention of his species, a questioning look donning his face.
She vaguely remembered a similar look when she gave him the remaining pieces of the Master Emerald. Well, then it was more of a confused questioning look, and right now, his face seemed to show more interest…
Oh, what are you thinking about this for, Rouge? You're just stalling! Get it together, why don't you -
"What?" Knuckles asked politely, snapping her out of her mental tangent.
The bat looked up at him, then away for a moment, clearing her throat.
"Well, you know, I can't know what you're going through, but…" She managed, trying not to make eye contact.
She might just get tangled in it like she did the last time.
"But well…I wanted to let you know that…you don't have to worry. We'll get your Emerald back. Even if I have to do it myself." She smiled weakly up at him.
Okay, that's enough! Revert, revert!
"I'll even let you keep it for a little while before I come and try to take it off your hands again." She quipped, nudging him playfully.
She internally cringed and waited to be verbally thrown off of the building's edge.
To her surprise, he simply smiled at her.
Wait.
She made him smile.
For the first time ever.
Snap out of it, idiot! You're still talking to him!
"And you're expecting me to thank you for this?" He retorted – although the words sounded it like they should have come out of hotheaded Knuckles' mouth, not this new calm and collected echidna she was currently experiencing.
She couldn't say she hated it, though.
The white bat shrugged while looking over the side of the building they were standing on. A streetlight flickered off, transforming a safely-lit street into a dangerous dark alleyway.
"Well, I mean, it couldn't hurt…" she trailed off suggestively, watching him out of the corner of her vision.
He stifled a chuckle.
"Yeah, well…" He mumbled, looking upward at the stars once again.
Their words faded into the harmonious clamor of crickets chirping in the outskirts of the city, the world closing in around them the longer they stayed so.
I mean, it wasn't like she cared about his feelings or anything. Pfft. It was just that…it was affecting her - she couldn't have someone so off-kilter from the person they normally were. It put her off her game. And well…he was acting so…well, quiet and somber recently…she couldn't help but notice and…
"I just found out that I'm not the last echidna. That should make me happy, right?" Knuckles began out of seeming nowhere. Rouge looked up; she'd be snapped quickly from her thinking, but was eager for him to say more. It wasn't often that Knuckles had anything to say about himself, personally. It was a good chance to see what he might really be like…
Not that she, you know, wanted to know or anything. Pfft.
"It would make anyone happy, to know that they're not gonna become, y'know, extinct." She admitted softly while managing a weak smile and shrugging a bit.
"But the Nocturnus clan…The Nocturnus clan is evil. I've been alone for such a long time, and when I finally find out that I'm not, they turn out to be evil. So in the end, I'm still alone." He clenched his fists, shutting his eyes tightly and lowering his head, shielding his face from her with his long red dreadlocks.
Before she knew it, she'd grabbed his arm.
"Hey, hey, hey now. Knuckles." She hushed him comfortingly, and he looked up slowly in return. She smirked crookedly at him, moving closer. "If I remember right, you have never ever been alone. Ol' Big Blue, cute little fox boy, obnoxious pink hedgehog, and that little bunny rabbit girl…and, and me…we'd never let you rough it yourself. You're never alone, Knuckles. Never."
Amethysts she was sure could see right through to her brain watched her intently, a stern, yet still soft air about them. And as before, she was unable to correctly gather her thoughts as she returned the gaze.
It was he who finally broke the meaningful stare after a few long minutes, looking downward to notice his gloved hand gently gripping hers. He, of course, let go quickly, a noticeable blush dusting his cheeks as he took a step away.
"Uh…" he babbled, hiding his face for a moment. "I'm sorry…I…" Looking over at her smirking at him, his eyes quickly darted away again, looking to hide his face from Rouge's normally malicious intent.
The bat sighed in defeat.
"Still don't trust me, eh, knucklehead? Well…maybe one day…" She mumbled, placing one hand on her hip and turning up her nose.
Will you stop your chattering and get OFF this godforsaken building before something happens that will make you both sorry? She thought harshly.
"Well, I'll be going now. Girl needs her beauty sleep, am I right?"
Sliding her hand off her side, the batgirl heaved a sigh and started looking for the fire exit ladder to take her off the rooftop.
She had only taken a few steps when her hand was once again enveloped in a large white glove.
Too late.
"Rouge, wait." His gruff voice barely reached above a whisper, and she turned, looking back at him with curious turquoise pupils sparkling.
He was quiet for a moment, but then quickly pecked a kiss to her cheek, a dark, obvious blush still scribbled across his own.
"Thank you. That…means a lot." He mumbled, watching her carefully.
She smiled affectionately without stealing a glance his way. "Anytime, tiger." She replied.
He slowly let go of her hand.
"Good night." He half-whispered, then turned and walked back to his original place – watching the stars.
Rouge stood there motionless for a good minute, recollecting exactly what it was that made them both so daring tonight. Alignment of the planets, perhaps? Or maybe it was that pesky Master Emerald that was always getting in the way…
Either way, she would sleep soundly tonight.
With that in mind, the bat stepped forward, carefully avoiding the disturbance of a certain can a hobo had previously left her to hit with her foot.
She grinned.
Mission accomplished, Rouge, ol' gal…
Nexus: Well, there you have it! :D Reviews are always appreciated! Thanks for reading!