#ler!knuckles

Knuckles never really saw himself as being a family sort of guy. He had managed to do things on his own for quite some time now. It’s not like he never had a family. But the family he had originally treasured so close was no longer at the touch of his fingertips and claws. 

Although he had found a new one to hold just as close to his heart. And protect it just as much as he did with the master emerald. Not blood but of connection and platonic love. Something he hadn’t thought he genuinely needed in his life. He was happy however to be proven wrong. 

Knuckles laid on a big and squishy red beanbag chair in the attic he had learned to call home. At least a part of home that is. Now living with Maddie and Tom’s house in Green Hills he hadn’t had much of a reason to be on the move anymore. It was nice. 

He had his arms up and above his hand. Simply looking up and the ceiling…which didn’t last very long as he brought his arms down dramatically down to the floor. Bored out of his mind. 

Rubbing his thumbs at the hem of his light gray/gray tank top that reached his thighs and letting out an exaggerated sigh. Funny how even during winter seasons he refused to wear long sleeves. 

He would have even tolerated Sonic’s teases and annoying banters at this moment over complete silence. 

If Maddie wasn’t busy with work at the veterinary clinic he would have asked to make cupcakes with her. Baking was something he wasn’t very skilled at but enjoyed the fun of it. Especially if he got to lick the spatula and nibble his teeth on the rubber.

He would have joined Tom and Sonic whilst going bowling, but he didn’t want to impose their father son bonding time. He knew how much Sonic insisted on these trips. Which would have left one person. Or well…Fox left in the house for him to accompany.  

He climbed down the wooden steps from the attic to the next floor down. Hearing the mumbles of the two tailed fox that echoed throughout the house. Seeming to have forgotten he wasn’t alone whilst working on something on the kitchen island. His feet dangling above the ground on the stool.

“Hello there young fox!”- He shouted towards said boy at a rather loud volume…

Tails yelped at the sudden voice, almost dropping the screwdriver from his paws onto the floor. Catching it in the air and almost falling off his stool. Causing Knuckles to run up next to him in response in case he were to fall his quills standing on end at the loud noise before softening back downwards. 

“O-Oh!! Hi knuckles, sorry I didn’t mean to startle you!” 

“Startled?- Umm…I definitely wasn’t, your eyes must be wrong. I was simply worried for your safety! ” The echidna chuckled and hopped up onto a stool next to the young fox after making sure he was okay.

“Ooookahay then, Ihi just have been mistaken.” He giggled nervously and smiled softly. Flipping his flogged down and going right back to his project on the countertop. For some reason having a toaster and adding in screws and buttons. All different sizes and seeming to almost be finished.

The echidna was rather confused at his younger brothers actions. Leaning in closer to see it with his purple eyes. Similar to a child wanting to see what their parents are up to at the bank.

“What exactly are you making there, fox?” 

“Hmm? Oh! I wanted to add a few more tempature options to toaster! As well as fix some of the broken coils on the inside…I remember that Tom was complaining about it a few days ago and I wanted to help!” He beamed through his fangs and looked up from his work over to his older brother who had sat up in his stool, fixing his posture to listen in.

“Huh…I don’t understand why they don’t just use the oven. It seems to reach hitter temperatures quicker.” 

“That is true but the proximity of the heat doesn’t reach the bread fast enough to really toast”-

“Okay Okay that’s enough science for me I get it.” Knuckles held his paws out at the fox.

Tails looked back at the metal box and tightened one last screw while his ears slightly tilted downwards. 

“Sorry if I was rambling a bit, I know you don’t like this sorta stuff as much as me.” He looked of to the side and pouted with his lip outwards.

Now knuckles didn’t intend to upset the fox, feeling a little bad. “It’s not that I don’t like all that sorts of stuff. It’s just not my thing like it’s yours. Inventing and such… Like Sonic’s thing is speed…and those comic books.”

“I get that yeah…and yours are grapes and strength!” Tails thought while swaying his feet paws back and forth on the stool. Like a little kid in a way. Which he was through and through.

The red echidna grinned at the mention. “Why yes! You are right there fox!! Oh! And sprinkles…grape flavored ones!”

“You mean purple ones? I’m not so sure they make that flavor, Knuckles…”

“Well they should then, I’d buy all of them!” 

“Wehe know you would, Buddy.” Tails playfully rolled his eyes and plugged the modified toaster back into the wall. Sliding it into its proper place and leaping down from his stool. 

Knuckles followed him to the kitchen tile as they both walked into the living room.

“Hmm…what exactly should we do now, fox?” 

Tails took a bit to respond to try and think of an idea. His tails swishing behind him in thought. “I don’t think my plane needs anymore adjustments…maybe I should add a few more compartments…” 

The mention of that particular red plane brought back some memories. Painful ones…his butt and tail hurt for a few days after that and- wait a minute.

An idea popped into the echidnas head whilst the young boy was distracted. He had never actually gotten him back after that incident. He of course had no intentions of hurting him. He had no reason too…but what else could he do? 

Then he remembered something even better. Something that he had experienced a few times since joining the Wachowski family. A cheeky grin growing on his face. Approaching the fox slowly, his red zig zag tail waging behind him.

“You know Tails…you do remember how you smacked me with that plane of yours a while back?” 

Tails winced at the memory. 

“Y-Yes? I said I was sorry! I promise I am!”-

His speech was cut off by his own involuntary squeak as he felt a gentle finger poke to the middle of his belly. Freezing in place and his ears perked up. A nervous smile growing on his fluffy face and backing away.

“K-Knuhuckles?”-

“And remember how I said I would get my revenge? When you least expect it?” 

Knuckles moved in closer to the fox as he stumbled onto the carpet. Both of his own tails wrapping around himself in an effort to protect himself. Especially around his belly and ribs.

“N-No wait!- Knuhuckles!!”

*Knuckles currled and clawed his fingers in the air over the boy. Towering over the curled up ball on the floor.*

“Well that time seems to be NOW Tails!!” 

Knuckles grabbed onto the boys sides bringing him back and into his arms. A strong hug which the orange fox was unable to escape or squirm away. However still made an effort to as he squeaked and chirped. Similar to an actual fox which was rather cute.

“NOHO!!- KNuhuckles!! Lehet me gOHOHO!!”-

Tails yipped as his older brother’s clawed fingers began to wiggle into side. Throwing his head back against the red echidnas red shoulder with giggles and kicking his feet. Getting an even wider grin to spread across Knuckles’s face. So he WAS doing this right! 

“Wow! I didn’t expect you to react right away! I guess I am that good of a tickler then aren’t I?” He unintentionally teased the squealing fox. Who had hid his face in his hands. 

“KNUHUhuckles!! Youhure beheing mehean!!” 

Knuckles raised an eyebrow and instead had Tails positioned sideways in his lap. His legs outward and pinching at both of the foxes sides ontop of his brown sweater. Another squeak and series of giggles spilling from the youngsters chest and mouth.

“Am I? I thought you actually liked this sorta thing!” 

Tails blue eyes widened and slightly dilated at that claim. An ear twitching slightly. 

“W-WHAHA!!? *yip*!! W-Whoho tOHOLD TOUHU?!??”- 

“Oh so you do!! No one. It was just a lucky guess!” He smiled as poked at the fox’s ribs. A new yip and squeak was rewarded to Knuckle’s ears at every different rib. He would never admit it but every new adorable noise was making his own heart melt. And smile only growing more genuine on his face.

“I can see why everyone loves tickling you so much now! You do sound like an actual fox when you laugh you know that?” 

“THAhats *squeak*!! Behecahauase Ihi ahAHAM!!”- Tails flailed his arms, flapping them up and down and soon gently holding onto Knuckles wrists. Which had worked their way up into his little fluffy armpits. Throwing his head back with laughter Tails squealed and even snorted! 

“Youhu sound like a little piggy!” Knuckles grinned and scratched his fingers along the crevices of the pups underarms. 

“NOHO IHI- *snort* KNUHUCKLES IHI CAHANT!!! **SQUEEEE*!!!- He had curled up in Knuckles lap and rested his head onto the teenagers red chest. Hiding his face and slowly wagging his tails. Which was a pure sign that he was genuinely happy. Which made knuckles purple eyes widened even further. Even soften and sparkle a little. He’d never gotten to see this side of Tails with him before. I’d made his heart warm that he was willing to be like this with him. Reminding him of a dog in a way…

“Your tail wags just like Ozzie’s does! Wait a minite…does your tail wag when you get tummy scratches?”

Tails inner ears had reddened further along with his furry cheeks. The thought alone made his furr fluff up. Making one last attempt to squirm away from the tickle monster trap he was in. 

“I-Ihehe?!- NOHO!?”- he lied. 

Knuckles was not convinced however. Sneaking both his hands underneath his sweater and scribbling into his belly. A girly squeal entering the air from the fox along with a small scream. Followed by happy laughter and fast tail wags. Both of his tails thumping up and down up against the carpeting. 

“EEEEEEHEHEEEKK!! KnuHUCKLES!! IHIT TIHICKLES!! OKAHAY!! OHOKAHAY IHI CAHANT!!!”- 

Knuckles noticed how red his little brothers face was. Removing his hands not wanting to push him too far. “Sorry, Fox! You got a ticklish stomach?” 

Tails rested and let his leftover bubbly giggles spill from his lips into the air. Hiding his face once again and nuzzling into the echidnas side while groaning a soft yes. “Ihits reheally bahad…”

“Good to know then! I’ll have to tell Sonic!” 

“Hehe already knows youhu jeherk…” 

“Ah man…well would you wanna watch a baking show instead now? Maybe that nailed it thing where people cook even worse than me!! Which I didn’t know was possible!”

“Ihis like that…and Ihit ihisnt”- Tails giggled and teased playfully getting a playful pout from the echidna while he rolled his eyes. 

“Yeah yeah…” Knuckles chuckled softly and laughed with tails for a good minute.

Tails was hesitant but hugged onto his big brother tightly under his arms. His two tails wagging again and smiling while squeezing his eyes shut.

The echidna was so surprised by the sudden sign of affection he simply froze. His eyebrows raising in confusion. However slowly returning the hug. Just enjoying this feeling and letting it happen.

The both eventually would have settled on a stupid episode of the baking show. Knuckles had straight up cackled at the dumbest parts that weren’t even that funny…at all…but at least he got to spend time with his little brothers. Which was something they both had enjoyed an awful lot. 

Things were relatively normal in the Wachowski house hold. Well, as normal as 3 “alien” life forms running around the home like it was their personal playground. To be fair, it wasn’t their fault they were trusted to be home alone for so long.

“Aww guys that’s not fair!!” A smaller yellow fox screamed, leading the sprinting group through the living room.

“It’s as fair as I say it is, and I say it’s totally fair!” The blue hedgehog yelled back, trailing close behind.

The two tailed fox dodged every attempt of capture from the blue one, for he wasn’t leading anything but rather avoiding consequences.

See, before this whole fiasco went down, it was actually peaceful for once. Tails was minding his own while Sonic and Knuckles were down the hall playing their own games on the TV.

Tails’ only mistake was that the machine he was tinkering with needed a different power source than what he originally prepared for. The whole project wouldn’t even function correctly if he used what he had on hand.

It was almost as if an angel called to him and guided him to the TV. It had a reasonable power bank, being plugged into the house and all, more importantly it had what Tails needed. Now Tails was no stranger to being sneaky and taking what he wanted, he’s done it hundreds of times, he’s the main reason Tom needs to buy so many alarm clocks.

What Tails failed to realize is that the second he took the source from their old boxy TV, the TV would turn off. He cursed himself for forgetting that obvious fact. As the screen went black, Sonic and Knuckles snapped out of their video game daze and right to the culprit.

“What was that!?” He loudly gestured to the black TV.

“I was about to kick this hedgehogs butt!” The red one furrowed his brows.

“W-weelll!! U-uh-hmm…” Tails looked awkwardly to the side, trying to think of any excuse to get him out of this. He could see this going of two ways, he could tell the truth and get his butt kicked, or he could lie and get his butt kicked anyways. He was working with a lose lose situation.

The two tailed one suddenly dropped the technology he held and sprinted out of the room, making sure to shut the door behind him to slow the others down.

Sonic wasn’t slow to bolt after him, busting the door open and darting down the hall. He raced after him, and while he was in fact faster than Tails, he always liked the chase in things.

And now we are back to where things are, Tails rounded the couch while Sonic stayed on the other side. Like a game of cat and mouse, when the smaller one made a move, the bluer one made an opposite move. He was officially trapped.

“Cmon Sonic! I didn’t mean to mess up your game!” He whined, keeping his guard up and eyes fixed on the hedgehog.

“I know you didn’t mean to! But the angry part in me is telling me that that’s irrelevant!” Sonic paced from the other end of the couch, watching the way Tails mirrored him.

Tailed let out a small fearful whine, finding himself stuck in this position he knew would end in his own demise sooner or later. How much later, he didn’t know exactly but he was hoping it’d be far much later than soon.

Suddenly, Sonic’s expression almost flicked to a small victorious one. He eased and smiled, something that definitely scared Tails. As the yellow one examined closer, Sonic wasn’t even looking at him, he was looking behind him.

Before Tails could whip around, two red arms wrapped around the fox and hoisted him off the ground. The echidna let out a small grunt and he picked up Tails who squeaked once he was in the air.

“I got you!” The red one exclaimed proudly in a deep voice, squeezing Tails and pinning his arms by his side.

“See Tails, you’re only force my hand when you run from me!” The blue one grinned, walking around the couch and closer to him.

Tails kicked and squirmed, “Put me down!” He demanded. Yet the others didn’t seem to listen, Knuckles only hugged tighter and Sonic only laughed.

Tails hated when Sonic got like this, ‘evil and full of power’. He wasn’t really evil, of course it’s all just an act, a bit, a funny role he liked to put on just to raise the stakes of things. He was over all rather playful with the whole thing.

“I didn’t mean to!! I forgot the TV would turn off!” Tails pleaded, shaking his head as Sonic got closer.

“You forgot the TV would turn off the second you took all its insides out?” Sonic raised a brow.

“An honest mistake!”

“Sometimes I forget to take the spoon out the bowl when I use the microwave.” Knuckles reasoned.

“Ok, but I do that too.” Sonic replied.

“We all do!” Tails kicked.

“You distracted me! How could you!” Knuckles poked Tails’ right side with his left hand, earning a yelp from the fox.

Tails started to squirm more, the realization hitting as soon as he made eye contact with Sonic. Knuckles poked again, the yellow one jolted and let a giggle escape his throat.

“Ah! I forgot you were ticklish!” The red one exclaimed, now wiggling a finger into his side.

“NohoHOHO!! Let me GoOHOhohooo!” Tails shook his head.

“Not so fast! You’re the one who interrupted me and knuckles video game time.” Sonic reached out to Tails’ left side, giving a repetitive squeeze that shook the poor fox.

“AHA-HAA! NOhohOHOHO!!” Tails suddenly jolted in knuckles’ grasp. It was like he was being electrocuted by the ticklish sensation.

Sonics hand started to explore, slowly trailing up his side and scratching at his lower ribs. Tails squeaked, tossing his head back into knuckles chest and cackling.

“THAHATS NOT FAHAHAIRR!!” He gasped as the hand started to move upwards. Knuckles kept his hand by Tails side, wiggling his fingers near his stomach every once in a while just to get a squeal out of him.

“Jeez bud I forget how ticklish you really are.” Sonic slowed his attack, leaving Tails to loose giggles.

“Yohou guys are soho mehean!” Tails managed to say through his laughter.

Knuckles held him up before laying him down onto the nearby couch. Sonic crossed his arms and shifted his foot onto his other foot.

“You better know how to put the TV guts back into the TV.” He joked as the yellow ones tails started to twitch.

“… about that…” Tails looked up at them cautiously only to be met with both of their disappointed eyes.

“N-NoNoNONO!! IM SORHEHEEYY!!” The fox managed to say, as both boys came closing in.