Legend of the juwels (Sonic Monster AU/ Knuxadow AU) [English]

Chapter 7: Color and Flag Game

After the school bell rang and the students headed into the forest, Rouge and Knuckles decided to linger a moment longer with Miss Evergreen. The wise vixen, with her snow-white fur and gentle, wise eyes, examined the bright green elixir that the two students had carefully prepared. Her gaze was penetrating as she gently swirled the liquid in the small vial. Finally, she nodded in approval, and a warm, encouraging smile spread across her face.
"This looks really good, you two," Miss Evergreen said, her voice like a gentle breeze whispering through the trees. "I'm sure it will help Sonic." With this reassurance and a sense of relief in their hearts, the two set off for the infirmary. The hallway was quiet, and the light streaming through the large windows cast long shadows on the floor. Neither of them spoke a word as they walked side by side. Rouge felt a slight nervousness growing in her stomach. She glanced sideways at the red echidna, who was walking with a determined stride, his brows furrowed in concentration, his focus entirely on the task ahead.
Rouge took a deep breath before finally breaking the silence. "So... Knuckles..." she began, trying to lighten the mood. "What do you do for fun? Do you have any hobbies?"He glanced at her briefly, his expression calm, almost stoic. He didn't take long to respond, answering simply. "Training."
Rouge raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by the simplicity of his answer. "Oh really? How much do you train? And what kind?"
"Full-body training," he explained, his eyes still fixed ahead. "Two or three times a week, with two days of rest in between."
Rouge couldn't help but bite her lower lip slightly. "That's really... hot," she blurted out before quickly correcting herself. "I-I mean, that sounds pretty intense!"
Knuckles frowned slightly and looked at her curiously. "Uh...? It is, but it's worth it."Rouge swallowed, her heart beating faster. "How about," she continued, her voice softening, "we hang out sometime after your training and all the school stuff, maybe grab something to eat?"
Knuckles stopped as if she had said something completely unexpected. He turned to face her, his expression blank, but his eyes showed a slight interest. "Grab something to eat?" he repeated slowly.Rouge nodded, trying to flash a flirtatious smile. "Yes, you know. Dinner. You and me. Just the two of us~."
His gaze narrowed slightly, as if he was weighing the idea. "I know what you mean..." he finally said, glancing down the hallway as if searching for the right words. "Mhm... when exactly?"
Rouge felt her hands tremble slightly. She quickly hid them behind her back to conceal her nervousness. Her wings fluttered a bit.
"Whenever you're free, handsome~," she finally replied, her voice taking on a sweet, playful tone as she gave him a teasing wink.
The taller one seemed to notice the wink, but he didn't show any reaction. "I'll see when I'm free. But we are not going to visit a fast food restaurant. Greasy food is bad for your health." he finally replied, giving her a brief but forced smile.
Rouge couldn't help but internally cheer at the sight. "That makes me happy," she said, her voice now warmer and more confident. "What else do you do besides training?"
Knuckles took her question seriously, his gaze becoming thoughtful. "Meditating," he finally answered, "but lately, I can't find peace for it. Everything here is so new."
Rouge nodded understandingly, trying to make her voice sound soothing. "I get it... but you'll get used to it quickly." She gave him a warm smile that made him pause for a moment.
Knuckles returned her smile, this time a bit wider, and Rouge felt a comforting warmth spread through her. For a brief moment, the world around them seemed to stand still, and all that mattered was the unexpected smile they shared. However, she had no idea how uncomfortable he actually felt.
Everything was so new and awkward. Without knowing how Tikal was doing, he felt bad.

As Rouge and Knuckles opened the heavy wooden door to the infirmary, a soft beam of sunlight filled the room. The light streamed through the tall window, shining directly on Sonic's dark blue fur, which had nearly blackened in his tense werewolf form. He lay in the large white bed, his shoulders slumped as if the weight of the world rested upon them. The usually lively, sparkling eyes of the speedy hedgehog were now tired and dull, lacking their usual energy.
Rouge quietly approached the bed, each of her steps deliberate, as if she didn't want to disturb the room's silence. Her light boots made barely a sound on the polished floor. With a gentle smile on her lips, she sat on the edge of the bed and leaned slightly toward Sonic, her eyes searching for her friend's gaze. "Hey, Blue," she began in a warm, almost whispering voice that filled the room. "How are you feeling?" There was deep concern in her words that she couldn't quite hide.
Knuckles, on the other hand, remained near the door. He leaned silently against the doorframe, arms crossed, eyes closed. His normally sharp, determined face appeared relaxed, yet his posture betrayed a certain tension. He listened, thinking as he absorbed every word exchanged between Rouge and Sonic.Sonic slowly sat up, his movements sluggish as if every muscle ached. A faint smile crossed his lips, but it was little more than a pained mask. "I'm fine, Rouge," he replied in a quiet voice, barely more than a whisper that seemed to dissipate in the room. "Thanks for asking." But despite his words, there was an obvious fatigue in his tone that could not be ignored.
The red one slowly opened his eyes, just a sliver, enough to gaze at Sonic intensely. His darkening purple eyes scrutinized his friend, as if they could peer into the depths of his soul. He sensed that Sonic wasn't telling the truth, that the hedgehog was hiding his true pain and worries. A heavy, indeterminate feeling settled in his well-built chest, seeming to choke the air out of him. Yet he chose to remain silent.Rouge noticed the inner turmoil of her crush but didn't let it show. Instead, she carefully opened the pouch at her hip and pulled out a small, shimmering vial, which she held delicately in both hands. "We brought you something," she said gently, holding the potion out to Sonic, the glass glinting mysteriously in the warm light. "It will help you regenerate your wounds."
Sonic lifted his trembling hand and took the vial, his eyes examining the greenish liquid inside. It shimmered mysteriously, as if it were a source of light itself, and exuded a gentle, soothing scent reminiscent of fresh herbs and morning dew. "Thank you, Rouge... thank you, Knuckles." Sonic murmured in a muted voice before carefully taking a small sip.
The moment the liquid touched his lips, Sonic felt a gentle warmth spread through his body. The tense fatigue that had plagued him for so long began to slowly ease. A faint glimmer of hope flickered in his eyes, and he took a deep breath, as if the weight pressing on his chest had lightened.Rouge watched him closely, observing his every movement with keen eyes. When she saw the color slowly returning to Sonic's face, she nodded in satisfaction. "Rest up, Blue," she said with a soothing smile, leaning back, crossing her legs, and relaxing a bit. "You'll be back on your feet soon."
Sonic looked at her, his eyes now a bit brighter, more grateful. "I hope so, Rouge," he said softly, letting his head fall back against the pillow in exhaustion. "I just want to attend class again."
Rouge smiled gently, her hand resting reassuringly on his. "You will, Sonic. I'm sure you'll recover faster than you think."
Meanwhile, Knuckles had closed his eyes again, but he could hear the conversation between the two. He sighed softly, uncertain of what exactly was making him so uneasy. "Rouge," he finally murmured, his voice deep and slightly strained. "We need to go."Rouge glanced over her shoulder at him, her eyes searching for his gaze. She sensed that something was bothering him, but she couldn't quite grasp it. "Alright," she replied, slowly standing up. She leaned down to Sonic one last time and gently stroked his hand. "Rest up, Blue. We'll see you later."
Sonic nodded weakly and closed his eyes as Rouge pulled away from him and slowly walked toward the door. Knuckles had already turned and taken a few steps ahead as Rouge looked back one more time. A faint smile played on her lips as she looked at Sonic before finally turning away.As they left the room, Rouge felt a certain heaviness in the air, an unspoken tension hanging over them. Knuckles' steps were firm and determined, but his silence was louder than any words. He didn't want to be late for class, yet something told Rouge it was more than just that. Something was bothering him, and she made up her mind to find out what it was as soon as the opportunity arose.