Chapter 14
----- one week-----
"Sonic if you do not let me leave this bed, I am going to bite you" growled an annoyed Echidna as he sat on the edge of the bed, sending a death glare at the blue hedgehog, who had been assigned to look after him as Shadow had gone off to help finish building the link between Morbius and Angel Island.
"Please Knuckles you should rest" said Sonic gently.
"I've been stuck in this bed for a week, I've never stayed that long in bed in my life. Now I want to get up and go outside" stated Knuckles standing up walking towards Sonic darling him to do anything, Sonic glared at him.
"Sorry Angel but if your not in that bed when I come in again there'll be trouble" he said sternly before closing the door. Knuckles stood in shock before anger. He was not injured anymore it had shut and even Sarah had said that he could leave the bed as long as he was careful. Growling he turned to the window and stared out of it, before he noticed a tree not far from the window, he judged that with his weight and the wind he could reach the lower branches when he glided, no-one would find him for a while giving him some free time, he pushed the window fully open before turning back to the bed, stuffing Sonic's and Shadows suites into the shape he made curled up, placing a red ribbon at the top to look like some of his hair, satisfied he walked back to the window before gliding out and running into the forest that surrounded the village, shooting up into the top of one of the trees and relaxing to the sounds of nature.
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Sonic walked back into the room, seeing the lump on the bed which looked like it had its back to him, he concluded that Knuckles wasn't speaking to him, so opted for shutting the window and leaving the Echidna to sulk.
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Shadow looked at the road that lead to Angel Island, it had taken months but it was finally had been finished and it would be easy access for anyone, but it had guards on it to stop just anyone going up and down. The moon had started to rise so the work crew had decided to wait for tomorrow to open it officially so the Dark hedgehog made his way home, walking through the front door he noticed the silence that surrounded the house, a noise in the kitchen got his attention he walked in to see Sonic walking around, putting food in the fridge looking down.
"Sonic?" he asked announcing his presents.
"hey shad" said Sonic with a small smile.
"What's the matter?" asked Shadow drawling Sonic into his arms.
"I think I've annoyed Knuckles enough that he's not even acknowledging my presents" said Sonic sadly leaning on Shadows shoulder, the black hedgehog held Sonic kissed his forehead, anger blazing in his eyes. Once Sonic went back to his cleaning, Shadow stormed to the bedroom.
"Knuckle" he said sternly sitting on the bed. "you will talk to me" he said.
The lump didn't move, Shadow became angry and tore the covers back ready to shout at the Echidna only to find a lump of clothes, he stood in shock for a moment before.
"WHAT THE HELL" rang through the house, causing Sonic to run to the room, seeing the clothes.
"that would explain him being so quiet" he said looking into blazing red eyes. Shadow marched out of the room out into the streets, Sonic followed.
"Where do we start?" said the Blue hedgehog, his shock was now turned into anger.
"Where would the tallest trees be?" stated Shadow
"Around the town" said Sonic following the black hedgehog as he started to run around the edge of town.
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Knuckles opened his eyes, they widened when he saw that it was nearly dark. He climbed down the tree and went to walk towards the house when he noticed a wave fury over his bond.
"shit" he moaned, he realized he had been discovered and now didn't know what to do. If he went home he would be in trouble but he was in his rights to leave but maybe he should have told them he was going in a note, he knew they both we're protective and he was carrying their children but he needed time to himself to get over the incident with Rico. He started to walk realising that he didn't know where he was going, the paths looked so different than when he got here, he walked about for a couple of hours before realising he wasn't going in a direction he recognised, every thing was so different, so strange. He was tired and his stomach had began to hurt, he was hungry and now scared and to top if off he felt tears filled his eyes.
"Oh man" he shifted before curling up between the roots of a tree, deciding to ride out his emotional wave before going home and dealing with the other two.
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Shadow's anger had dulled to worry as the night drew on and they still had not found Knuckles. Sonic turned to the black Hedgehog.
"I'll go back, see if he gone back" Sonic said putting a hand on Shadows shoulder "he's probably at home asleep"
"We'll have to see" mumbled Shadow hugging Sonic.
"if u find him, don't be two hard on him. I'm sure we where smothering him" reasoned Sonic as he ran off towards the house. Shadow got his bearing before he started in a different direction about 45 minutes later he turned a corner, faint whimpering caught his attention so he stared towards it. Shadow followed the sound until he saw a small shape curled up in the gab between the roots of a tree crying. He moved forwards and in his haste trod on a branch, his heart sank at the sight of a tear streaked face of his husband looking at him.
"Sh...Sh…Shadow" said Shadow rushing over and gathered the Echidna into his arms holding him tight as he continued to cry, the Echidna clung onto him for a while before he went limp in the hedgehogs arms and his breath evening out, lifting him up Shadow ran quickly home.
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Knuckles woke when they entered the warmth of the house, wishing he hadn't when he saw the worry in Sonic's eyes.
"is he alright?" asked Sonic.
"He is at the moment" said Shadow angrily as Knuckles started to struggle for Shadow to put him down. Shadow walked over and put Knuckles down on the settee, glaring at him when he tried to get up.
"What in the hell you think you where doing?" yelled Shadow grabbing Knuckles shoulders, scaring him. Knuckles struggled to get away, he could feel the rage through the bond and it really frightened him.
"Let me go" said Knuckles pulling back, his voice shaking slightly. Shadow released Knuckles' shoulders when he heard the fright and walked into the kitchen to calm down. Sonic looked at Knuckles who was rubbing his shoulders and curling up in the chair avoiding looking at the blue hedgehog. Sonic sat next to him touching his arm gently.
"Why did you run away?" he asked disappointment in his voice. Knuckles looked side ward's at Sonic before turning away.
"I needed time alone, just me and the kits" Knuckles started "I'm so used to being alone and being outside, I was feeling claustrophobia mentally and physically, I just needed to be on my own, to make sure I could still make it on my own"
Sonic pulled Knuckles to lean against him. "we where so worried about you, sorry for smothering you, but it doesn't excuse today"
"What's your excuse for that?" said Shadow from the doorway, leaning against the frame.
"I was so angry at you for not letting me go out not even into the garden, that I used the window to get out, originally I was going to sit in the park when I got slightly lost and didn't realise that until it came to coming back" said Knuckles.
"Just never do that again, we'll talk about anything before it gets this far. Yes?" said sonic. Knuckles nodded his head before peaking up at Shadow, who had come to stand in front of him, looking down at him.
"you do it again and there will be trouble, the only reason I'm not putting you over my knee is because of the state you are already in, any other time I wont hesitate, but I think you scared yourself enough tonight so we'll leave it at that" he said sternly before pulling Knuckles up " bed now" he ordered with a small tap on Knuckles backside. Knuckles jumped before nodding and walking dejectedly upstairs into his room.