The Escalation
Knuckles and Vector were still talking by the time the two groups stopped at the food court for lunch. The echidna sat with the crocodile while Sonic, Tails, and Amy sat at the next table over. Espio and Charmy went to get their food.
"Oh my God, are you serious?" Knuckles said through laughter.
"I swear it happened, man!" Vector replied. "As soon as the perp knew we had him, Charmy tried to go all 'cop' on him. He yelled 'Freeze!' and pretended to shoot at him. He was going all-" The crocodile shaped his hand into a pistol and mimicked gunfire, coaxing a laugh from Knuckles and himself. "And when we caught him, Charmy tried to negotiate with him. He was questioning him way too intensely, like he was trying really hard to make a show of it. Espio and I had to pull him off of him twice!" More laughter.
"Sounds like they're having fun catching up." Tails said.
"I'm glad they are, but I wish they'd quiet down just a little bit." Amy said with annoyance.
Just then, Espio and Charmy were returning with the groups' lunch. Charmy struggled to balance the tray carrying tall cups of fountain drinks in his small hands, as well as hold up under its weight. Vector noticed this.
"I better go help Charmy with those." he said, and got up from the table.
But what he failed to notice, and what Knuckles did, was a spilled cup on the ground, the drink inside of it seeping out and making the floor slippery.
"Vector, watch out!" Knuckles called, rushing to stop his friend's upcoming mishap.
But he was too late. Vector stepped on the cup, and it slipped on the spilled drink pooling around it, making the crocodile stumble back. Knuckles tried to catch him as he was falling, only to drop to the floor with him.
The impact stymied them both for a moment, so they were still recovering while their friends saw with shock the position they had landed in. Now the unfortunate pair saw it, too, and they both blushed.
Knuckles was laying on top of Vector, his hands pressed to his chest, his legs brushing against his sides. They remained in the awkward position for a moment, both of them too shocked to say or do anything, then Knuckles shook his head as if snapping out of a trance. He quickly got off of his friend and helped him up.
"Sorry." he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.
"No worries, man." Vector said. "I should've watched where I was going."
"Can we eat now?" Charmy asked, as if their little incident never happened.

"Tell me that wasn't awkward." Sonic said as the groups were eating.
"Oh, Sonic, it was just an accident." Amy said.
"Yeah. But that aside," Tails started laughing, "it was pretty funny to watch."
Sonic thought about it, then laughed as well. "Yeah, it was, Tails!" he said.
"I can hear what you guys are talking about!" Knuckles called to them, a grumpy look on his face.
"Ah, let it go, Knux." Vector said good-naturedly. "Amy's right, it was an accident."
"Well, I hope you'll be more careful, Vector." Espio said.
"Yeah, Esp. No problem."
Vector reached over to grab a napkin out of the dispenser, unintentionally brushing his hand against Knuckles'. It wasn't anything serious or notable, but for some reason it made Knuckles blush, and a warm feeling begin to stir inside him. He clasped the back of the hand Vector just brushed against in his other, hiding it beneath the table so no one would see.
"You okay, Knuckles?" Charmy asked.
"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine." Knuckles said with a dismissive wave. "Just thinking. Not about anything important."
To cover, Knuckles continued eating until the Chaotix's looks of interest were gone and they went back to discussing other things. All the while, he thought about what it was he was feeling, about Vector.
They had always had a good, balanced friendship, but what was different now?