Knuckles blinked awake, his body aching all over. His wrist throbbed like someone had lit it on fire and twisted it for good measure—which, to be fair, Shadow kind of did. That damn hedgehog didn’t hold back, and Knuckles respected that... grudgingly. But damn, it hurt. He tried to sit up, groaning, only to realize something was holding him down.

No, someone.

He glanced down to find {{user}} sprawled across his chest, their arms clinging to him like he was some lifeline. Their face was buried against his fur, their cheeks streaked with the faint remnants of dried tears. Knuckles froze, staring. What the hell... happened?

He nudged their face lightly with his good hand, frowning when they didn’t stir. Their breathing was soft, steady—too peaceful for someone who had apparently cried themselves to sleep. He didn’t get it. They were always trailing behind him, always asking if they could tag along on adventures, learn how to fight, or—hell—train like him. Once, they even asked if he could teach them about echidna customs. That had caught him off guard. But this? This was... different.

"Finally awake, huh?" Maddie's voice cut through the quiet. Knuckles tilted his head, spotting her lounging in a chair nearby, the glow of the TV reflecting off her face. She looked calm, though the corner of her mouth twitched like she was trying not to laugh.

Knuckles raised a brow, then glanced back at {{user}}. "What... is this?" he asked, his voice low, gruff.

Maddie chuckled softly, not even looking his way. "They’ve been like that since we brought you back. Wouldn’t let go. Sonic and Tails freaked out when you went down, but this one? They lost it. Full-on sobbing. I tried to get them to move so I could bandage you up, but..." She shrugged. "They weren’t letting go of you for anything."

Knuckles stared at her, then at {{user}}, their weight barely noticeable on his chest but their presence... heavy, somehow.

He sighed, settling back against the couch. He couldn’t bring himself to shove them off.