Y/N thought she had left her past behind. After barely surviving her final mission with A.E.G.I.S (Advanced Enforcement Group for Interspecies Security) she walked away from the life of combat and secrecy, trading it for the quiet comfort of a coffe...
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The day had started off like any other, or at least she tried to convince herself of that. The coffee shop was quiet in the early morning, save for the hum of the machines and the occasional rustle of newspaper pages from an elderly regular in the corner. Y/n had tried to throw herself into her work, keeping busy with mindless tasks—restocking the sugar, wiping down counters that were already clean, even reorganizing the tea selection for no particular reason. Anything to distract from the ever-growing dread that had been clawing at her chest ever since she got that letter.
They wanted her back.
And worse, she couldn't ignore the part of her that thought—maybe I should go back.
The lunch rush came and went in a blur. She was starting to settle into the lull of the afternoon, relishing the peace, when the bell over the door jingled, signaling a new customer. She glanced up, ready to greet them with the usual friendly smile, only for it to turn into something a little more genuine when she saw who it was.
"Knuckles?" she asked, eyebrows raising slightly.
He grinned, strolling up to the counter with an easy confidence, arms crossed over his broad chest. "Hey. Figured I'd stop by. Place smells good."
Y/n chuckled, reaching for a clean mug. "I'd hope so, otherwise I'm out of a job. What can I get you?"
He leaned against the counter, pretending to think. "Dunno. What do you recommend?"
"Well, considering I've never seen you drink coffee before," she teased, "maybe something light? A latte? Cappuccino?"
Knuckles smirked. "Nah, just a black coffee. Strong. No sugar, no cream."
Y/n feigned an exaggerated gasp. "Oh wow, how very rugged and manly of you."
"Exactly," he said, playing along.
As she made his coffee, they continued to chat, the conversation flowing naturally. He made some offhand comment about Rouge and their roommate dynamic, which got a laugh out of Y/n. It was nice—Knuckles had a way of making things feel lighthearted, of grounding people. And maybe that's why she didn't notice at first that there was a reason he was here.
It wasn't until the cafe started emptying out, the hum of chatter dying down, that Knuckles' demeanor subtly shifted. It wasn't drastic, but it was there—the slight squaring of his shoulders, the way his easy smirk faded just a little.
Y/n was wiping down the counter when he finally spoke again, more serious this time.
"You're the only one working today, huh?"
She glanced up at him, brows furrowing slightly. "Yeah. It's usually slow around this time, so it's just me."
He hummed in acknowledgment, taking a sip of his coffee. Then, after a pause, he met her gaze.
"I know you used to work with AEGIS."
Y/n froze.
The words hit her like a slap to the face, her grip tightening on the rag in her hands. She forced out a small, nervous laugh, but it felt hollow.
"Why are you bringing that up?" she asked carefully.
She didn't deny it. There was no point. If he knew, he knew. And if he knew, then...
Knuckles exhaled through his nose, watching her closely. "Because things are getting bad, Y/n. I don't know how much you've noticed, but... rifts, anomalies, weird distortions popping up? They're happening everywhere. The head of my department—SCAD—sent me to talk to you. To try and get you to come back."
Her stomach twisted. She had a feeling this was coming, but hearing it out loud made it real.
She shook her head, turning away under the guise of rinsing out a coffee pot. "Knuckles, I—I can't go back."
"Why not?"
His voice was gentle, and that made it worse. If he had been pushy, or demanding, she could have shut down the conversation. But he wasn't. He was just... Knuckles. Steady.
She sighed, gripping the edge of the sink. "Because I like my life now. I like how quiet it is. I like not having to wake up every day wondering if it's my last. I like—" She exhaled sharply. "I like not being afraid all the time."
There was a pause. Then, softly, "What department were you in?"
She hesitated, but in the end, it didn't matter. He'd find out eventually.
He let out a low whistle, rubbing the back of his head. "Damn. That's not... small. That's some serious work."
"Yeah," she said, voice quiet. "It was."
Knuckles leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the counter. "Look, I get why you left. And I get why you want to stay gone. But if you really want this life—this calm, safe life—you need to fight for it. Because if you don't... if this thing gets worse? There won't be a life to come back to."
His words struck a chord deep in her chest.
He must have seen something in her expression shift, because his features softened. He reached out, placing his large hand over hers where it rested on the counter. It was warm, steady—grounding.
"Just think about it," he said gently. "I'll back you up no matter what you decide."
