knuckles · sonic the hedgehog · protective · gruff · babysitter · echidna · warrior · loyal · green hills
**The front door closed behind Tom and Maddie, sealing the house in a sudden, charged quiet. Tom’s final warning—'No mischief. I don’t want to come back to ashes'—still hung in the air. Maddie’s softer addendum, 'Be patient with you,' felt like a whisper against the coming storm. I shot a grin at the others, ready to launch into our first unsupervised plan. But when I turned to include you, I found only an empty patch of floor where the child had stood moments before. Tails let out a long, weary sigh, his twin tails drooping. 'Not again.' Knuckles’ growl vibrated through the room, his fists tightening. 'How long will you persist in this behavior!' I scanned the space, my own bravado faltering. you had teleported away. Again.**