Requested by Pinkiewish33. 

Sonic's POV:

"Knuckles is going to flip," I snicker, twirling in front of the mirror with an enormous grin. "I can't wait to see his face when I show up in this." I check that all the straps of my outfit are tied before strutting towards the door, evilly thrilled to go embarrass ol' Knucklehead.

I zip through the town and countryside, enjoying the beautiful weather as I head towards Angel Island. It fell a week or so ago; normally Knux would be all over the thieves who made him shatter his emerald, but he hasn't been feeling well lately.

Hence my nurse's outfit.

I smirk, unable to suppress the expression at the thought. Knuckles made the mistake of asking me for help while he was feeling sick, so I decided I'd dress the part and show him he's being a big baby.

He's not actually, of course. I know he's legitimately ill. But, what kind of rival would I be if I didn't tease him about it anyway?

I switch over to traveling on water as I cross the strip of ocean between the mainland and the island, taking care that I run fast enough to avoid any risk of sinking. The trip doesn't take long, not with me being the fastest thing alive, so I'm soon at the guardian's makeshift house by the Master Emerald shrine.

Opening his door, I saunter in and immediately locate him--it's a one-room house, after all. He's lying on a bed in the corner, surrounded by a mountain of used tissues, cough drops, and blankets. Wanting to get his attention, I clear my throat loudly, jolting him from the shallow nap he appears to have been taking.

"Sonic?" He asks blearily, blinking his reddened, royal purple eyes at me. "When did you get here?" He shifts up in bed, managing to sit, and I feel slightly worried as he makes to stand up.

"Why don't you stay there, Knux?" I suggest, zipping over and gently pushing him back onto the bed. "Whatever you need, I can get it."

"Huh, thanks," he sniffs through a stuffy nose. "I apprecia--Wait, what the hell are you wearing?" The second part is asked with clarity, my choice of dress apparently enough to wake him up fully.

"A nurse's outfit," I say, grinning cheekily as I rest my hands on my hips. "Figured I ought to since I'm your caretaker. Give you the ol' hospital experience, you know?"

"Uh..." Knuckles stares at me for a moment before shaking his head, making his dreadlocks swing. "Sure."

"Why, you like it?" I chuckle, getting him a glass of water from the tap and playfully sweeping my tail to the side, giving him the full rear view of my costume dress.

Behind me, he doesn't reply, and I turn around, concerned.

"Knux?" I question, carrying the glass back to his bedside table. "Don't tell me you're so sick you lost all your banter."

"What? No, no, I haven't," he protests, and I raise a skeptical eye ridge as I fluff his pillow, replacing it behind him.

"Sure seems like you have. You're all red--are you feverish?"

"Red? I'm always red," he responds, confused, and I roll my eyes.

"Your face, Knucklehead," I say, poking him in the forehead as he settles back on his pillow.

"Well, how am I supposed to know?" He grumbles, and I suppress a snort. "Hey, before you leave, can you get me something to eat from the fridge? I haven't eaten all day."

"Leave? I just got here, didn't I? I didn't make this trip for nothing," I tell him as I head towards his small, generator-powered fridge. Opening it, I whistle softly. "Woah, Knux, this is a lot of food. What do you want?"

"Eh, I don't really care. Can't taste much of anything, anyway," he mumbles, blowing his nose loudly.

"You can just have what I'm having, then," I reply, piling a plate high with pasta, mixed vegetables, and chicken and tossing it in the microwave for a few minutes.

"Hey, don't clean me out," he responds from his throne of tissues. I grab a trash bag from a haphazard box by the sink and head over to start picking them up, wanting his sickbed to be hygienic. Since so many are on the floor, I have to bend over a lot, and I glance back at one point to see Knuckles watching me, clearly red-faced.

A sly thought forming in my head, I stand up as the microwave beeps. I was going to make another plate for myself, but who says we can't share? Smirking softly, I pop the plate out and grab two forks. Then, moving with my trademark confidence, I plop myself right down on Knuckles' lap and spear a piece of chicken.

"Here comes the airplane," I tease, and his eyes take a moment to return to their normal size, shocked at my actions.

"Sonic, what are you doing?" He queries uncomfortably, glancing down at where I'm sitting on him and quickly raising his gaze.

"I figured it'd be fun to eat together," I purr, and he swallows. "I did get a flu shot, after all. What do you say, Knux...? Want to eat with me?" I add a small wink, and he flushes.

"Sonic, you don't have to tease me," he grumbles, frowning. "I know you don't like me."

"Who ever said that?" I query, still flirting with him.

"Well, you have," he mutters, and I blink.

"I did? When?" I ask, legitimately surprised. "Ah, Knux, I didn't mean it, whatever I said. Can't you tell when I'm joking?"

"Not always, no," he mumbles, looking down, and I frown. Great, now I just feel guilty. How do I cheer him up?

"Okay," I say half to myself, getting an idea. "Well, let me tell you... I'm being very serious right now." I lean closer to his face with the words, and he doesn't pull away, which makes me happy--I never thought Knuckles liked me, but I'm not complaining.

"You, serious? I must be hallucinating," the red echidna says, shaking his head. I snort, sticking my tongue out at him, and nearly bite it off in surprise when his head suddenly lunges forward, capturing it in his mouth. I grip his shoulders, letting out a very surprised noise, but the sensation isn't unpleasant. I start to relax into his rhythm as he continues tugging on it, the suction making the sensitive nerves there tingle with delight.

Eventually, he works his way up my tongue to kiss me, and we transition into a brief, full-blown make-out session. He grips my waist, tugging me aggressively towards him, and I struggle to keep from spilling the plate as he works our mouths together. Thankfully, though, his stamina isn't what it could be with the sickness, so I don't have to worry about the plate too long.

"Gee, Knux, didn't know you had it in you," I pant as we pull apart at last, feeling flushed.

"Neither did I," he replies, sounding surprised himself. Then, he blushes, looking down at the plate of slowly cooling food.

"...did you like it?" He finally asks, and I smirk.

"It was great, Knux. But, next time, take a cough drop. You have sick breath." He glares at me, and I poke him playfully in the chest. "Come on, take a joke, Knucklehead!"

"Sometimes, I don't know how I like you," he mumbles, and I give him a pretend offended look.

"As if! Teasing is half my game--you wouldn't like me at all if you didn't like it," I huff, throwing an exaggerated haughty look to the side, and he snorts.

"Yeah, yeah... I suppose you have a point," he says, and I turn back in genuine surprise to see him smiling.

"Aw, Knux, how am I supposed to tease you looking like that?" I ask, pining.

"You're not," he replies, raising a weak arm to knock my shoulder. "Now, I believe I was being fed... Or, are you a shoddy nurse?"

"Going after my medical training, are we? It's on!" I declare, spearing some pasta. "Here comes the fighter jet."

He laughs, accepting the bite, and we proceed to slowly demolish the mountain of food. Then, I spend ten minutes trying to get Knuckles to take his fever reducer, which he playfully resists just because he can. Eventually, he agrees to let me give it to him, but only if I straddle him as I do so.

Not backing down from the challenge, I do, waving the spoon teasingly as I settle on his lap in my new position.

"Is Knuckie ready for his medicine?" I ask, grinning at him. He shifts slightly, adjusting the pillows I propped behind him, and I let out a nearly inaudible sigh of pleasure. I'm glad I'm wearing leggings to go with this outfit, even if they are dreaded pants; otherwise, there'd be nothing separating me from him. And, it's hard enough to resist Knuckles as is.

"I think I am. I know you are," he smirks, and I let out a mildly embarrassed 'heh' as I realize he somehow heard that. "But, you need a different kind of medicine..."

"Mmh, not until you're well, thank you very much," I note, lifting up the spoonful. "Now, you gonna take this and get better soon, or what?"

"I suppose. No chance I could get you to share it with me, is there?" He questions slyly, and I scoff.

"This is for you, not me," I reply, and, right as he opens his mouth to respond, I jab the spoon in. I'm careful not to hit his throat, but he still chokes slightly in surprise, and I wait for him to swallow before removing the spoon.

Or, trying to, anyway.

He keeps it firmly in his mouth, half-lidding those dark purple eyes to give me a seductive look. I tug a little harder for giving up, and put my hand on my hips, feeling stern in my nurse's outfit.

"Let me guess," I deadpan, leaning close. "You'll give the spoon, but only in exchange for something else?"

He smirks, nodding.

"Yeah, alright," I say cheekily, pecking him on the cheek and kissing lightly as I make for his lips. As I brush my lips onto them, I slip my tongue into his mouth and coax him to release the spoon, placing my hands on his chest and letting him hold me close.

The spoon falls, forgotten, as we kiss more gently this time, welcoming each other into this new relationship. I still feel a bit guilty that Knuckles has spent all this time thinking I didn't like him, but I'm also surprised to hear he didn't pick up on my interest in him. Our rivalry has always had a fire in it, striving to best each other in the most embarrassing ways possible; I can't count the number of times we've pinned each other to the ground with no room for a breath, much less dignity.

I smile as I sit up on Knuckles again, looking at him with a happy expression. He returns it, though with a touch more wickedness, and I poke his muzzle playfully.

"What do you think? Are you feeling better?" I ask teasingly, and he grins, letting out a satisfied breath.

"So much better," he replies, settling back into his pillow with a pleasant sigh.

"Aw, looks like I'm working wonders on my most stubborn patient," I grin, and he snorts through his stuffy nose. "Is there anything else His Majesty of Tissues desires?"

"You," he says matter-of-factly, and I laugh.

"Anything he can have while he's still sick?" I question, leaning forward onto his chest to look into his royal purple eyes.

"A movie?" He asks hopefully, and I raise an eyebrow.

"Knux, that entirely depends on whether you mean watching a movie or 'watching a movie,'" I say, stressing the symbols for clarification.

"Well, you said not until I'm well, so you answer that," he replies, shrugging. I pretend to think for a moment, but there's not really any question as to my answer.

"In that case, movie it is," I declare, hopping off of him to set up his pathetically old tv.

"Ah, man, I didn't think you'd get up," he complains, and I smirk, bending down deliberately to check his DVD collection.

"Oh, like you're not enjoying the view," I banter back with a grin, wagging my rear so he catches my meaning.

"I wish you were my movie," he says, chuckling, and I give him a wink.

"That's more like it, Knucklehead," I approve, picking a well-worn action classic. I want a movie we've both seen before, as, despite my rules for my sick boyfriend, I figure we'll be somewhat... occupied.

Sure enough, after I pop it in and return to the bed, Knuckles tugs me back to lay on him, kissing my neck with notable enthusiasm.

"You've been waiting for this, haven't you," I ask him, suppressing another pleasured sigh as he works his way down to my collarbone.

"For far too long," he breathes, and I smile as he clasps his hands around my waist, feeling him relax as his tiredness gets the best of him. He rests his chin on my shoulder, and, before our movie can even begin, he's out like a light, snoring softly through his stuffy nose.

"Guess that cough syrup isn't non-drowsy," I joke quietly to myself, carefully extricating myself from his grasp so I can make sure he's tucked in and warm. Seeing him asleep brings out something affectionate in me, a type of love that doesn't need teasing or fighting to flourish, and I gently pet his head as I cuddle back in bed with him.

"Ah, Knux, you sleep as long as you want," I tell his sleeping form kindly, giving him a tiny poke on his cute muzzle. "I'll nurse ya' back to health." I turn down the volume of the movie, settling back to watch it, and snort as I have a thought.

"Not that I'll benefit from that, of course..." I snicker, then sneeze unexpectedly, putting a surprised hand to my mouth.

"Aw, dang it, Knucklehead. You've gone and done it now," I complain, sighing, and I rest my head on the pillow as I snuggle up beside him for warmth. "Guess you'll have to take care of me next..." I yawn, eyes slipping closed in tiredness, then frown slightly as I readjust my clothing to get comfortable. Since when did I wear clothing? It's almost as if--

...

"...why am I still wearing this dress?"

Author's Note: So, I have 14 one-shots published in this book right? Counting those, I have 37 either in progress or in the queue. Thirty-freaking-seven. Dear Chaos, amiright? When I say you'll be seeing more of this book... I mean it! Hope you enjoyed the chapter, if you have a request for #38 then go ahead and comment it. xD Also, all the one-shots in this book have Shadow, Eclipse, or Sonic thus far (though some requests don't), so apparently you all like them a lot. I do, too! We get along great! xD