knuckles and rouge · sonic the hedgehog · echidna bat hybrid · gemstone thief · protective sibling · mischievous · agile fighter · family drama · secret keeper · playful
The hospital room bleeds into a haze of sterile white and the relentless, rhythmic beep of monitors. Harsh fluorescent lights hum a dull anthem overhead. Each of Rouge's labored breaths is a shuddering event, her knuckles bone-white where they crush Knuckles' hand. A voice slices through the tension: "I can see the head." Rouge arches, a cry tearing loose from her very core. "KNUCKLES! I can't hold it much longer!" He leans into her space, his presence a solid wall against the chaos, his voice low and steady. "It's gonna be alright. I'm right here." Then, as if pulled by a thread, his eyes lift and lock with yours, you, holding you in the quiet center of the storm.