Me: Hello, ladies and gentlemen. And welcome to 'Sick of Being Strong' the supposed continuation of 'Once Upon a Nightmare'.
Sonic: Boo.
Me: Seriously?
Sonic: What?
Me: What's with the booing?
Sonic: You do realize that you have like 10 unfinished stories to be working on, right?
Me: Well, I can't help it when I have to answer the call of my imagination!
Sonic: Or you're just lazy.
Me: Says the one who spent the morning napping.
Sonic: Eggman attacked at 2 in the morning! Do you know how long it takes to get back to sleep after that?
Me: All I hear is excuses. Anyway, will you please do the introductions.
Sonic: Sure. We hope you guys enjoy this story and leave behind lots of reviews. Now…
Me: Que the story!
*Note: Sonic and Tails should be around 7 years apart in this story. This essentially means that Sonic should be 13 years old and Tails should be 6 years old.
Sick of Being Strong
"Children are born with unblemished souls; they see only the vibrant blue skies and the bright sunny days of life. Heroes are born with an unforgiving destiny; they see the dark clouds that gather in the distance and the dim rainy days of life. Because of this, heroes become the umbrella that protects the innocent heads of the youth. But umbrellas can only hold up so long against so much rain."
Tails stood up on his tippy-toes and scoured through the top shelf of the medicine cabinet, the tips of his fingers just barely touching the shelf. After a few seconds, the fruit of his labor was rewarded when his fingers brushed against a bottle which, in turn, gave off a small rattle. He leaped a few inches off of the floor and snatched the bottle off of the shelf, turning the bottle in his hand once he had secured it and checked the label. Once he was satisfied, Tails flicked the light switch off and slid out through the bathroom door.
Tails wandered down the hallway, unscrewing the cap on the bottle and shaking out some of its contents into the palm of his hand. After counting out about two white pills, he shoved the rest back into the bottle. He finished screwing the cap back on the bottle as he reached his destination, coming to a halt before a brown wooden door at the end of the hallway. The door itself was decorated with some photos that were taken during or after some of the adventures that both Tails and Sonic have been on; Sonic smiling in an almost wild fashion while Tails smiled, shyly at the camera. Amongst the photos, a large sign that sat in the middle of the door which read Caution: Nerds Enter at Your Own Risk, which Sonic had placed there simply for the act of annoying him.
He raised a gloved hand and knocked twice on the door, both the sign and the pictures jiggling under the force of his knocks. He stood there, patiently, for a second, waiting for some kind of response from the occupant on the other side before he knocked again. "Sonic?" He called, his voice low as he silently wondered whether or not the hedgehog had fallen asleep.
When he had, once again, received no answer, he then tried the doorknob and was relieved when it twisted along with the movement of his hand. With a gentle push, he shoved the door open and poked his head around the corner of the door, surveying the figure that was, thankfully, laying in the bright red race car bed in the middle of the room, fast asleep.
"Sonic?" He whispered, deciding to leave his spot by the door and adventure into the room; his footsteps light in the case said hedgehog was really asleep. "Are you awake?"
His question was answered with silence as Sonic merely remained in the same position. Tails smiled at this, his chest heaving as he gave a small sigh of relief. Even so, he still drew nearer to Sonic, mentally changing his number one priority of convincing some Tylenol down Sonic's throat to checking over him. And with that, Tails plopped himself down in the chair that was located on the right side of the bed, taking note of the fact that his feet had yet to fully touch the ground, and placed the bottle of Tylenol on the small table next to him. Then, satisfied, he turned his attention back to his older brother.
Sonic's body was, seemingly, draped all over the bed in a somewhat awkward and uncomfortable position that Tails knew, without a doubt, Sonic would later come to regret being in, in the first place. Sonic was laying flat on, his stomach, his blue spiked back rising and falling in sync with his low raspy breaths and his face, at the moment, angled away from Tails. His right arm was folded up underneath his head in place of his pillow and when Tails scanned alongside the bottom of the bed, he found the pillow, it's bright white color, dull from one-too-many washes, lying forgotten on the floor. Meanwhile, his other arm hung limply off the bed, the tips of his fingers nearly touching the hardwood floor. Last, but not least, was Sonic's legs which were tangled up in the red wool blanket that Tails had provided him at his request, mostly due to the numerous times that he kicked the blanket off of the bed only to snatch it right back up in a somewhat never-ending cycle.
Tails tsked softly at the sight, considering, for a moment, whether or not he should adjust the hedgehog more properly on the bed before he dismissed the thought with a subtle head shake. It was just short of a miracle that the hedgehog had managed to get some shut-eye in the first place and Tails really didn't want to be at fault if Sonic's much-needed rest was interrupted.
Tails tensed when, suddenly, the low raspy sound that, since he had entered the room, had accompanied Sonic's breathing, stopped and Sonic's back seemed to pause, mid-intake. Seconds later, Sonic's body jerked and a strangled cough slipped through his mouth and out into the open, making a sound similar to choking. Tails nearly leaped to his feet; worry clenched at his heart at the mere thought that the hedgehog might dissolve into a coughing fit and awaken himself from his, albeit restless sleep, but nevertheless, much-needed rest. Fortunately, the cough was nothing, but a false alarm and Sonic's body seemed to relax back to its original position. Some tension leaked out of Tails' shoulders in relief, but he still couldn't help the worried frown that pulled at the corner of his lips, especially at the wetness of Sonic's cough.
Is he getting worse?
The thought took root in his mind, as if it was a small seed, and spreading through to the crevices of his mind. Panic molded into a lump in his throat and Tails struggled to swallow past it as he stared down at the pale form that he had a long since accepted as an older brotherly figure.
This has never happened before.
Tails sighed, shakily, his hands brushing over his face.
Sonic was supposed to be the strong one.
Tails peered through his fingers, glancing at the small brown nightstand that sat near the bed. On its surface laid several different dejected types of medicine that Tails had managed to find in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom after a thorough search and coax them down Sonic's throat through the sheer power of a four-year-old's puppy dog eyes.
Sonic was the one who always knew what to do.
The medicine had little to no effect on the stubborn fever that clung to Sonic's weakened body and refused to let go. The only thing it seemed to truly succeed in was making the hedgehog more tired and sluggish, forcing him to reside in the depths of his rarely used bed, much to Sonic's dismay.
Tails was just a kid.
Tails gnawed, nervously on his bottom lip.
He didn't know anything about caring for Sonic.
Tails stared at the two tiny pills still clenched within his hands and then refocused his gaze at Sonic's quivering back.
They've known each for only about two years.
Although he never liked to admit it, Tails knew very little about Sonic. But one thing he had come to learn was that Sonic was never truly open about himself.
Whether it be about something that occurred deep within the depths of his past, such as how Sonic and Eggman had come to be enemies, or simply how he felt; Sonic never revealed anything to Tails.
Tails managed to convince himself that, of course, Sonic had to have a rough past, seeing as he did end up with an enemy such as Eggman at a young age, and it will simply take some time before the hedgehog was ready to tell his life's story. Just as it had taken time for Tails to get used to having someone who understood him, Sonic would have to get used to having someone he could lean on and trust to back him up.
But still.
Tails just wished Sonic would trust him enough to let him help. To let him know what he could do to make him feel better and what he should do if he wasn't enough.
But no.
For some unknown reason, Sonic kept the doors to his confusing mindset closed and locked tight, the key to unlock it, lost to Tails. It was almost as if Sonic was afraid of letting Tails in; to let him support Sonic when he can't support himself; to let him see Sonic when he was vulnera-
Sonic's breathing suddenly hitched, the action abruptly bringing Tails' thoughts to a screeching halt. Sonic's breathing stopped for a second, Tails counted, and then for another second before it continued, the breaths seemingly more shallow than they were before.
Was he...
Tails' sky blue eyes became glued to the stiffness that, he realized, was apparent in the on Sonic's back. At first, Tails assumed it was just a trick of the light or, maybe the hedgehog was stuck within the grasps of a fever dream. Then, Sonic's body jerked as if the hedgehog had hiccuped, but without making any sound.
Awake?
"Sonic?" He called, quietly, raising an eyebrow.
The only answer he received from Sonic was another shallow breath that was followed by the slight jerking of Sonic's body. Tails quickly stood, carefully from his chair, in case Sonic was still asleep and neared his bedside. Tails stood there, quietly, for a second before he reached out and placed a hand on the hedgehog's back.
He was warm.
Tails furrowed his brow, scowling at the sufficient amount of heat that seemed to seep out of Sonic's body. "Sonic?"
Maybe he should take the hedgehog's temperature aga-
Sonic suddenly jackknifed upwards, causing Tails to reel backward in shock and knock over his chair. Before Tails could voice his surprise, Sonic was caught in the midst of a coughing fit and was hacking over the side of his bed, opposite to Tails. Tails pushed past his initial shock and hurriedly scurried beside the hedgehog, hesitating when he reached Sonic's side.
One new thing that he had managed to learn about Sonic was that the hedgehog did not like physical contact when he was sick.
He stood there uncomfortably for a while, waiting for a break in the fit. When the wet coughs dwindled into rough breathing, Tails closed the small distance between him and Sonic, eyes checking the hardwood floor to estimate the damage the coughing fit had caused. The hedgehog hadn't managed to cough up anything besides a few drops of drool. This made Tails feel both relieved and concerned. Relieved because that meant he didn't have to clean up anything; he cared for Sonic, but his stomach really couldn't handle it. Concerned because that meant that Sonic wasn't coughing up any of the stuff that seemed to be clogging up his throat and lungs. Speaking of the hedgehog, Sonic was currently leaning forward on the bed; his head was pointed down towards the ground and his body trembling as he panted heavily. For a second, he teetered forwards, surprising Tails who instantly moved to support him.
"Sonic-!"
The hedgehog abruptly grasped the edge of the bed, halting himself from falling forward into Tails' waiting arms. Tails blinked, puzzled by his actions. "D-don't-" His ears perked up at the sound of Sonic's rough, worn voice. "W-worry about me, Tails."
Did Sonic just tell him not to worry?
Does he not realize how sick he not only sounds but looks?
Sonic honestly appeared as if he was going to fall to pieces directly before Tails.
The hedgehog was pale, his fur looking to be almost several shades lighter than it usually does. His breathing sounded strained and congested due to the fluid that had filled his lungs. And, worst of all, Sonic's appetite was little to zero, contrasting with his unusually large one which Tails now regrets stating that it was almost "unhealthy".
And Tails had to admit; this terrified him.
Before Tails could notify Sonic on his musings, the hedgehog had loosened his grip on the bed and flopped backward onto his back, the bed wobbling slightly under his weight. This drew a gasp out of Tails who had not anticipated his movement and raced to his side once more. Sonic, apparently sensing his frayed actions, waved a limp hand towards him.
"I-It's okay, Tails." He stated, shakily. "I-I'm just a little t-tired."
Tails paused in his attempt to somehow help Sonic, staring uneasily at him. He was partly comforted by the fact that Sonic, despite it being a weak effort, still felt the need to mother hen him and make him feel as if everything was going to be okay. But, he was also partly frustrated by the fact that Sonic seemed reluctant to admit that this was something more than being a little tired. Sonic was the type of person who, if you looked up the word hyperactive or energy, you would most likely find his picture right beside it. And yet, for the past few days, it seemed all Sonic could do was just sleep. A part of Tails blamed it on the fever that still racked Sonic's body, most likely causing the hedgehog to sleep fitfully with it affecting his dreams. But, the other part of him feared the idea that maybe it could still be something more, but that couldn't possibly be it because Sonic had promised-
A snore sliced through his train of thoughts and causing him to jump. He scoured for the source of the sound, his eyes finally landing on Sonic. The hedgehog's eyes were closed and his body was somewhat relaxed, the same rasp that Tails had heard when he first entered the room, still evident in Sonic's breathing. Tails smiled weakly, a little happy that Sonic was at least getting some rest. He then decided to leave the hedgehog to his rest, moving from Sonic's side and towards his overturned chair. He was about to upright the chair when, as he was gripping the edge of the chair, he realized that he was still clenching the two pills in his hand. Tails turned, mouth open and ready to speak before he saw Sonic's sleeping face. Sighing, Tails picked up the chair and set it back in its original position. He then placed the pills down onto the dresser, glancing back at the hedgehog.
"Maybe later." He whispered, heading towards the door.
Tails laid flat on his stomach on the orange-and-brown themed covers of his large bed, his blue eyes dully staring onto the screen of his laptop which sat a few feet away. The bright light from his laptop illuminated the walls of his bedroom, painting them a bluish color. The laptop was a thick, heavy piece of plastic and wires that Tails had managed to put together in a few short days. It was slow and, half of the time, it refused to connect to the internet at all, but it got the job done whenever Tails needed to search for something on the internet. And, right now, he couldn't help but seek out the endless amount of information that was stored on the internet, if anything to calm his nerves. Tails clicked open a window and immediately begin to type something in the search engine.
Symptoms of illnesses.
Tails pressed ENTER and waited patiently as the laptop sluggishly processed the information. After a while, a list of possible websites opened up and he glanced over a few of them before he chose the one that seemed to be the most legitimate. Once the page loaded, the website instantly asked for the information necessary to make an assessment. Tails took a moment to search through his mental memory banks, struggling to recall the symptoms Sonic had been showing for the past few days.
Cough.
The website took a moment to process it.
Productive?
Tails clicked the YES button.
Other symptoms?
Tails took several minutes listing out all of the symptoms that he could remember Sonic displaying. Finally satisfied that he had inputted everything, he clicked the NEXT button. The laptop slowly loaded the page, struggling to submit all the information. Tails took this moment to look away from the screen, squinting his eyes as he rubbed them. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the light leaking out from underneath his door from the hallway.
Maybe he shouldn't be doing this.
He sighed, dropping his head onto his bed. His sheets smelled faintly of motor oil, mostly from the X-Tornado, and he took small comfort from the familiar scent.
He'll just be putting stupid ideas in his head again.
The first time Tails had been sick, he had developed a nasty chest cold that lasted around a week. At the time, Sonic had banned him from the working on the X-Tornado and anything that basically involved tinkering, concerned it would only worsen his health if he strained himself too much. Left with nothing else to do, Tails decided he should at least pass the time on the internet. He scoured the internet for several hours in total boredom before growing curious on what it was exactly he had contracted. Several hours later, he found that at least two of his symptoms had matched what the internet considered to be the signs of tuberculosis. It had taken Sonic forever to calm him down after Tails was certain that he was going to die. In his defense, the internet had stated that it was/could be fatal. In the end, he was banned from accessing the internet whenever he was sick.
The computer pinged, and Tails jolted upwards, almost forgetting what he had been doing. He rubbed his eyes, tiredly, and eyed the now reloaded website.
Conditions:
Tails' eyes scoured the page before they landed on what the website had decided was the most likely illnesses that Sonic could have. Then, his heart dropped into the pit of his stomach, his blood feeling as if it had run icy in his very own veins.
Pneumonia
Tails laid there, frozen, staring at the computer in a daze. He blinked, childishly believing that if he looked away for even a split second, the words would go away like they were nothing but an illusion. However, when he reopened his eyes, the words remained the exact same spot, the large black letters almost taunting him. Frustrated, he gripped the corners of the laptop and slammed it shut, instantly drowning the room into darkness, save for the slight moonlight lightly flooding the room from the window located on the back wall and the sliver of light peeking from underneath the door. Panting from non-existent exertion, he face-planted onto the bed, this time the scent of motor oil doing nothing to comfort him.
There was nothing wrong with Sonic.
Tails shifted his head until he was staring at the sliver of light.
He was just sick and tired.
For some unknown reason, Tails just assumed that Sonic was all invincible. That anything and everything that could possibly come his way, he could easily overcome with the flick of a hand. That there was nothing in all of existence that could possibly bring Sonic down; that Sonic couldn't possibly get tired because he was always energetic and upbeat; that Sonic couldn't possibly get sick because he was the walking-talking-immune-system and, therefore, he shouldn't be able to get sick.
And yet, here he was, Sonic the-supposed-walking-talking-immune-system, sick.
Tails sighed, the small puff of air blowing his bangs away from his face. He then rolled over until he was facing the wall, staring blankly ahead. Despite the lack of light, he could still make out faint traces of the X-Tornado that Sonic had helped him paint on his bedroom wall.
"I-I just-" Sonic seemed to struggle for a moment. It seemed as if some kind of internal battle was taking place within his mind; whether to spill what he was slowly eating him alive or not. After a while, he groaned in defeat, wrapping his arms around his knees and dropping his head on top of them. "I'm supposed to be the hero, Tails. I'm supposed to be the one who people come to when they need help; when they need someone to comfort them; when they need someone to give them hope. What kind of hero am I, if I have a break down because I'm scared of a little bit of water? What kind of hero am I, if I need comfort for just some stupid insignificant nightmare!"
Tails' hands clenched the covers of his bed, and he struggled to swallow past the lump of emotion that had suddenly appeared in the back of his throat.
If the past few weeks were anything to go by, Sonic definitely wasn't invincible.
Even if Tails had thought so and had believed in it; even if Sonic tried to seem like it and put on every facade he could.
He still gets tired.
He still gets sick.
Heck, he even gets-
Tails' eyes widened, a sudden realization coming to him. He jerked upwards abruptly, nearly throwing his laptop off of the bed in the process.
Nightmares.
Tails almost face-palmed.
How could he have forgotten?
He made a move to leap off of the bed before he caught himself. After all, Sonic may or may not be sleeping, and the last thing he needed was Tails jumping around on the creaking floorboards. Instead, he slowly crawled off of the edge of the bed and lowered himself softly onto the floor. Silently, he tiptoed towards the door, over-exaggerating his steps in order to ensure that he wouldn't make any noise. When he reached the door, he carefully tugged it open and stepped lightly out into the hallway. He immediately hissed at the brightness of the hallway, scrubbing at his eyes vigorously. After he blinked the spots away from his eyes, Tails then proceeded down the hall towards Sonic's room.
Throughout the past few nights after the 'incident that shall not be named', Tails has made it his own personal super-secret mission to check up on Sonic. With worry chasing away all thoughts of sleep, Tails managed to satisfy the feeling by often peering into the hedgehog's room to ensure that he was sleeping peacefully and that neither his illness nor the nightmares that frequently plagued his dreams would disrupt his much-needed rest. Luckily, for the both of them, Tails' late-night shifts never encountered any obstacles such as finding Sonic in the midst of a nightmare or, even worse, entering his room to find that his bed was empty. Despite this, Tails felt that he couldn't fully relax unless he checked in every once in a while on the hedgehog at least once a night. He just couldn't shake the feeling that if he didn't, Sonic would-
Tails paused at Sonic's door, his fingers frozen around the doorknob.
He would-
Tails shook his head, struggling to derail the thought before it finally took root in his mind. He then clenched the doorknob and twisted it, lightly pushing the door open. Tails cringed at the slight creak that resounded throughout the hallway like an echo in a cave, despite his caution, and he peered sheepishly into the room. Sonic's bedroom was dark, except for the rectangular-shaped light that flooded in from the hallway behind Tails. His eyes followed the path of light until they reached Sonic's prone figure on the bed where the light seemed to drape over him like a blanket. The hedgehog was, just as before, laying with his back facing Tails, but this time, he was buried deep into the folds of his blanket. Tails stared at the sight for a moment, taking in the fact that Sonic appeared to be resting comfortably.
Yet, something seemed... off.
Tails furrowed his brow, perplexed by the unsettling sensation. As far as he could tell, Sonic was sound asleep, yet something about the hedgehog was different from all the other times Tails has checked on him. The sudden difference unnerved him, and Tails couldn't help but reconsider the internet diagnosis about Sonic's symptoms. He swallowed thickly and found himself leaving the safety of the doorway to trek further into the bedroom. "Sonic," he called, quietly before he could stop himself. His voice penetrated through the silence of the room like a knife cutting through butter and - wait.
Silence?
When Tails had entered the room earlier, Sonic's breathing was loud enough that he could almost hear it from across the room. The sound was raspy and congested, and Tails recalled himself hating the sound of it. But now, the bedroom was dead silent without the sound, and the only thing Tails could truly hear was his rapid heartbeat pulsing heavily in his ears.
Something was wrong.
Tails quickened his pace towards Sonic's bed, no longer caring whether or not he disturbed the hedgehog's sleep. "Sonic," he called once more, a hint of panic evident in his voice.
This time, he was met with a response in the form of Sonic suddenly shifting underneath his blue blanket. The sight of seeing the hedgehog moving slightly calmed Tails, and caused him to come to an immediate halt a short distance away from Sonic's bed. He waited patiently as Sonic sluggishly twisted over in his bed, disturbing his blanket and causing it to slip down his body. Sonic turned until he was laying on his left side and facing towards Tails. The light from the hallway cast a slight glow on one side of Sonic's face, and, in turn, threw the rest of his face into the shadows, making his features difficult to see. Despite that, Tails could easily see that Sonic was awake as the hedgehog sleepily scrubbed at his eyes.
"Tails?" Sonic's voice was hoarse with fatigue and, to Tails' ears, appeared a little choked. "Somethin' wrong?"
Tails almost laughed at Sonic's question.
Tails forced himself to bite his tongue in order to keep in the hysterical giggles that were bubbling at the back of his throat. Here he was, seconds away from having a total meltdown because he was afraid that something was horribly wrong with Sonic; that Sonic had pneumonia like the Internet advised he had; that he had stopped breathing - yet here was Sonic, asking him if he was okay as if it was Tails laying down on that bed instead of him.
Noticing that Sonic was still waiting for an answer, Tails swallowed the thick lump of emotion that was slowly developing within him and struggling to overthrow the small ounce of calm that he had, and smiled shyly at Sonic. "Sorry if I woke you up, Sonic." That was a lie, he wasn't sorry in the least. Knowing that the hedgehog was at least somewhat okay had loosened up the ton of worry and stress that had settled itself upon his shoulders. "I-I-" He-what? Came in to make sure Sonic wasn't choking in his sleep; came in to make sure that Sonic hadn't taken off without telling him because he had another nightmare? Tails' eyes wondered away from Sonic's face and searched around as if looking for some kind of logical excuse that would suddenly make itself known in the room before they landed on the two white pills still sitting idly on the small table near Sonic's bed. "I came to give you your medicine."
Nice save. He told himself, a hand already reaching towards the pills before he paused.
"Actually, how about I get you something to eat, first? According to the medicine, you're not supposed to take it on an empty stomach. Okay?" Before Sonic could even make an input, Tails was already backing up towards the door. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Tails had been aware of the fact that he was doing the whole rambling thing that always occurred whenever he was excited and nervous about something, and not giving Sonic a single moment to answer, but he found himself too high up on the adrenaline from worrying over Sonic earlier to really care at the moment. "Don't move," Tails commanded, stupidly. Where would Sonic even go in his condition right now? "I'll be right back."
Tails rushed quickly down the hallway, making extra sure to be careful lest he spills the liquid within the cup he was carrying. Within in his arms, he was cradling Sonic's favorite cup, which was a light green color, filled to the middle with ginger ale, the drink still fizzling and bubbling, and a couple of possibly stale saltine crackers that were folded up in a napkin. The items had taken a few minutes to find seeing as they were both questionably shoved into the back of the fridge and the cupboard, which made Tails anxious; the further he was away from Sonic, the more he felt as if something bad was going to happen. It was a childish thing for him to think about; that Sonic was some kind shield from all the bad thoughts and negative feelings, and without him, everything would just come crashing down onto him. They've known each other for only about two years, but Tails had already gotten attached to the hedgehog's comforting presence, and suddenly he couldn't imagine life without Sonic around.
Tails re-entered Sonic's bedroom, his eyes automatically scouring through the optimal light provided by the hallway to check to see if Sonic had followed his order and remained in bed. He was happy to find that Sonic was indeed still in bed, although he could see that the hedgehog had changed positions while he was gone. "I'm back, Sonic." He said, quietly in case the hedgehog had been dozing. He frowned as he juggled his supplies to one hand in order to use the other to scour alongside the wall for the light-switch, noting that Sonic hadn't immediately replied. "Sonic?"
This time, he was met with a muffled sound.
Tails' heart dropped into the pit of his stomach and his fingers searched alongside the wall quicker. They finally brushed against the switch, and without further ado, Tails flipped it down. Light instantly flooded the room with bright fluorescent light, and Tails blinked rapidly at the sudden brightness of the room. Once his vision cleared, his eyes immediately focused on Sonic, and he found his breath catching in his throat.
There was Sonic, sitting upright on the bed with his face buried deep into his pillow.
Tails was standing next to Sonic's bedside before he could even comprehend that he had taken a single step, abruptly dropping the cup and the crackers onto the small table all in one swift motion. His hands hovered uneasily over Sonic's trembling body, unsure of whether or not he should actually touch the hedgehog in his moment of weakness. So, instead, he stood there, his mind fruitlessly searching through some kind of solution. Meanwhile, his frantic blue eyes drank in the trembling image of Sonic, observing the distinct way the hedgehog's body jerked sharply at certain times and, how each time, he would shove his face deeper into the depths of his pillow.
Tails didn't know why Sonic was suddenly like this.
10 minutes prior to Tails' departure, Sonic had somehow kept up the believable illusion that he was, at least, somewhat okay. In fact, if Tails hadn't known any better, he would've thought that the hedgehog seemed to only have a mild cold at best. But now, it was as if the fragile facade that the hedgehog had been struggling to keep up - whether it was for his or Tails' own sake - had suddenly started to wear down like the soles of Sonic's old shoes. Despite that, Tails could easily see that Sonic was still giving it his all to at least maintain some sort of picture of "healthy", and futilely trying to make it appear that he wasn't as sick as Tails assumed he truly was. Once again, Tails found himself unable to decide if he was happy that Sonic had enough energy to try and keep up the "I'll be fine" appearance; frustrated that Sonic still didn't trust him enough to let him see the rare, weak side of him or terrified that if Sonic was struggling this much not to fall apart before Tails, then it most likely meant that the hedgehog had to be feeling absolutely terrible.
A choking sound snapped Tails back to reality, and his eyes refocused onto the same image of Sonic trembling with his face pressed up against the pillow. The only difference now was that Sonic, apparently having sensed Tails' presence near him, had twisted his body slightly away from Tails. He also seemed to be redoubling his efforts to regain control of himself, if the ever-tightening on his pillow was any indication. But, the fight only proved to be fruitless; the more Sonic fought against his body's operations, the more his body fought back.
Tails had to do something.
He couldn't very well just stand there, spacing out and panicking over every little thing while Sonic sat there, silently suffering.
He had to say something to comfort Sonic.
He had to move to help him.
But, he couldn't.
For some reason, his feet were firmly rooted to the hardwood floor, and his fingers itched to do something, anything. To touch the hedgehog's back, to somehow soothe him, or to just snap his fingers and make everything magically better. But, his body absolutely refused to cooperate with his brain's commands and he found that his eyes were also unable to look away from Sonic's trembling form as if he was afraid that if he did, Sonic would disappear or collapse.
Maybe this was why Sonic was trying so hard to keep up appearances.
Here was Tails idly standing by, and mere seconds away from falling into a million pieces right before Sonic just at the sight alone of the hedgehog looking remotely weak. Maybe Sonic knew, as well as Tails did, that if he were to reveal how he truly felt, Tails might not be able to handle it.
Maybe that was why Sonic didn't trust him.
Tails always wondered why, despite living with one another for nearly two years now, Sonic never said more than a few words to Tails about himself; about his weaknesses, fears, or even his past. He even wondered why Sonic never showed how he truly felt; if there was something bothering the hedgehog or if something was slowly eating away at him. But, maybe he knew the answer all along.
It was him.
Tails wasn't like Sonic; he was younger, more inexperienced, and cowardly - heck, he can still recall a time when he used to be terrified of his own shadow. To Sonic, Tails was probably just some scared little kid who couldn't even handle being alone during a lightning storm; who couldn't even handle being on his own; who couldn't even handle seeing a different side of Sonic; who couldn't even be helpful when Sonic needed him the most-
It was always him.
Sonic was trying so hard to retain a firm grasp onto the crumbling pieces of his fragile facade because he knew - heck, Tails knew - that once that facade shattered into nothingness, Tails would lose it. He was already scared because of the apparently consistent nightmares that had plagued Sonic to the degree that the hedgehog practically went off the deep end - Sonic, the one who, Tails assumed, would never let anything get to him. And now, he was terrified if Sonic so much as sneezed more than twice. If Sonic were to get any worse - if the internet was actually correct in its diagnosis of Sonic - then Tails didn't know what he would do next.
Because maybe he didn't know Sonic as well as he thought.
Because he wasn't used to being the one who had to be strong.
For the past two years, Tails had become accustomed to standing within the long, dark shadow that Sonic cast behind him. Tails enjoyed the actual reality of having someone who could be there when he needed them; someone who didn't criticize him for his physical appearances; someone who didn't just assume that he was just some stupid kid. Without him fully realizing it, Tails had gained the common knowledge that no matter what sort of danger he and Sonic faced, the hedgehog would always succeed in getting them out of it. But now it was Sonic that needed him the most, whether the hedgehog, himself, truly accepted it or not. Tails couldn't- he shouldn't- just be standing around, thinking that Sonic shouldn't be allowed to have an off-day or that he shouldn't even be allowed to be sick. Just days ago, Tails convinced Sonic that it was absolutely okay to let him see the hedgehog at his weakest point and that Sonic was permitted to have a moment of a weakness every now and then; All because Tails thought- he promised- that he could handle it.
So, why was now any different?
Tails bit his lip and peered down at Sonic, unsurprised to see that the hedgehog was still in the position. Suddenly feeling determined, Tails shakily lifted his hand and gingerly pressed it between the two sharp quills on Sonic's back. Sonic flinched sharply the moment in which Tails' hand touched his back, and Tails took note of the fact that Sonic's quills stiffened in response. Tails grimaced once he registered the immense warmth that poured off of Sonic under his fingertips, and he couldn't help jumping in fright when Sonic's body quivered with another poorly-hidden cough.
This is bad.
But, he could handle it, right?
Tails raised his other hand and grabbed Sonic's shoulder, the hedgehog, thankfully, too preoccupied with trying to regain some semblance of control over his body to register the touch. Gently, he tried to force Sonic to sit upright and coax the hedgehog to peel his face away from the pillow. He nearly succeeded until Sonic apparently caught on to what he was doing and began to struggle to get out of Tails' grasp.
"Hey!" Tails took a step back in order to avoid getting elbowed by Sonic and re-adjusted his hold on the hedgehog. Thankfully, a slight upside to Sonic being sick was that the hedgehog's usual strength was diminished enough that Tails could actually overpower him. Although, at the same time, it was still extremely concerning to truly see just how badly this illness was affecting Sonic. "Y-you need to calm down, Sonic!"
Sonic shook his head vigorously, stubbornly refusing to give up on his weak struggles against Tails. At this point, they both knew that Sonic's facade - his false picture of health - was nothing more than a mere cracked mask, yet Sonic was apparently more than willing to keep the act up. Despite this, Tails managed to get Sonic to sit upright, the hedgehog trembling in his grasp. Immediately, Sonic's body jerked forward with another strong cough. However, without any resistance from the pillow, the cough clawed its way up and out into the open. Before Sonic could even draw in a breath, another cough followed closely behind it.
And another.
And another.
Tails' blood ran icy in his very own veins as a terrible coughing fit took ahold of Sonic, and the hedgehog would've doubled over if it wasn't for Tails' strong grip on him. Sonic's body heaved and shook underneath Tails' hands, and he found himself struggling to keep the hedgehog upright. Tails cringed as he listened to the thick, heavy coughs, and he awkwardly rubbed the hedgehog's back in small circles in an attempt to soothe him.
It was a strangely comforting technique that Sonic had performed on Tails when he, himself, had been conflicted with terrible nightmares of the past; horrible, twisted dreams of bullies and loneliness that often left him a crying, trembling mess in the middle of the night. Then, Sonic would wander in, his presence warm and inviting, and magically chase away any lingering fear.
Tails kept on rubbing Sonic's back until, several minutes later, the coughing fit finally subsided, leaving the hedgehog quivering and panting heavily under Tails' hands. Tails sighed as he lightly patted Sonic's back, his own shoulders slumping in relief; he was glad that the fit had ended and, along with it, the disturbingly wet coughs. Although, that quickly changed when Sonic abruptly listed forward.
"Sonic!" Tails shrieked, wrapping his arms around the hedgehog in order to stabilize him. To his surprise, Sonic went almost completely limp in Tails' arms, the hedgehog practically putting his entire weight on Tails. Fortunately, with Tails being extremely used to Sonic's weight, he was able to position the hedgehog upright against the headboard of his bed. Once he was certain that he wasn't going to suddenly keel over, Tails reluctantly released his grip on Sonic and stepped back to give the hedgehog some room to compose himself.
This was extremely troubling.
Tails fidgeted nervously as he waited for Sonic to collect his breath, his eyes silently scrutinizing the hedgehog's current condition. Sonic's complexion was still several lighter than Tails was used to, the internal battle against his body seemingly contributing to draining what little color the hedgehog had left. From the warmth that Tails could still feel pulsating through his hands, despite the fact that he was no longer touching Sonic, the hedgehog's fever was also on the rise. At the moment, Sonic was slumped forward with his eyes currently shut as tight as possible, his chest heaving with the slow, deliberate breaths he was taking.
He was honestly surprised by how long Sonic managed to hold on.
Throughout the past two years, Tails had also come to learn that Sonic had a particular issue with revealing how he truly felt; whether it be how he felt about something or how he felt in general. The hedgehog always seemed to take it upon himself to shoulder the weight of the world alone, as if he was afraid to let anyone else, but him, suffer. Even now, Tails could easily tell how hard Sonic had struggled to keep in the true wrath of the illness. But, it was also obvious to him that if Sonic kept doing this - kept holding back and not properly allowing himself some time to rest- his cold would worsen, and Tails really didn't like the idea of trying to force Sonic to see a doctor if that happened. Some way, somehow, Tails had to get Sonic to allow himself to properly recuperate and to think about himself for a change.
With his mind made up, Tails redirected his attention back to the-suddenly-silent Sonic. Tails was glad to see that he seemed to be breathing more smoothly and that his body was more relaxed. For a minute, it appeared as if Sonic had fallen asleep, and Tails was almost content with letting him rest when he remembered why he had initially left the room in the first place. Grabbing the forgotten cup of ginger ale- which was now utterly diluted- and the crackers, Tails gently shook Sonic to get his attention.
"Hey," Tails quietly said when Sonic blearily opened his eyes. Upon hearing his voice, Sonic weakly lifted his head to look at Tails. "Think you can handle some crackers and medicine?"
Sonic closed his eyes, taking a moment to contemplate the question. He finally nodded after a few seconds and accepted the crackers from Tails, his hands trembling slightly. Tails watched as Sonic stared at the several crackers within his hand and, for a second, Tails wondered if he was actually going to have to force Sonic to eat. Thankfully, before it could come to that, Sonic lifted a cracker to his mouth and nibbled on it, his usual ravenous appetite nowhere in sight. After eating about two of them, Sonic handed the rest back to Tails and exchanged it for the ginger ale and the small pills. Tails peered down at the handful of crackers, considering whether or not he should tell Sonic to try and eat more of the crackers before he decided that it was best to not push Sonic over the limit. He patiently waited as Sonic took a small sip from the cup before swallowing the pills.
Tails was honestly shocked that Sonic had easily accepted the medicine with practically no fuss. A few hours ago, he would've insisted to his very last breath that he was "perfectly fine" and that all he needed was "a little rest". Yet, there was Sonic, willingly taking it from Tails without a single word or a single sign of resistance. It was both a relieving and unnerving thing to see that the illness was affecting him so much that Sonic no longer cared to keep up the act.
Sonic took another sip, the cup barely even touching his lips before he was holding it out to Tails. Tails wordlessly took from him, frowning when he noticed that the cup was still fairly full, and placed it onto the table beside him. For a moment, Tails considered leaving and returning back to the kitchen before he recalled the last time he left- of Sonic shivering and moaning into his pillow, using all his remaining strength in order to ensure that Tails didn't know the truth- and decided that it would be best if he remained by Sonic's side for a little longer.
"... Tails?"
Tails jumped, startled by the sudden soft, but hoarse voice that sliced through the silence of the room. It took a minute for him to realize that the sound had come from Sonic, and he whirled around to face the hedgehog. Tails was relieved to see that Sonic seemed a bit more alert than he was previously, although he was still pale and shaky. The hedgehog was currently staring at him, a look of concern starting to develop on his tired features.
"Y-yeah, Sonic?"
"Are... you okay?"
Tails blinked, unsure whether or not he had heard Sonic correctly. "What?"
"Okay." Sonic forced himself to sit upright, his arms trembling under him, and Tails just barely swallowed the temptation to push the hedgehog back down. "A-Are you... okay?"
Tails did hear him correctly the first time.
"I'm-I'm fine, Sonic." Tails stuttered. Sonic was the one who was currently suffering and, despite that fact, all he seemed to care about was whether or not Tails was okay. "How about you, Sonic? H-How do you feel?"
Sonic instantly relaxed at his response, the tension leaking from his posture. Guilt pooled into Tails' stomach when he realized that he was one of the main reasons for the hedgehog's initial worry. "I-I... feel fine, T-Tails."
Something akin to anger burned within him when Sonic said that - when Sonic once again pushed aside his own feelings in order to make room for someone else's and forgoing his own- and before Tails could stop himself, he bitterly muttered, "Of course. You always are." Bright blue eyes immediately widened as soon as the last word left his mouth and he slapped a hand to his mouth, wishing he would draw the words back into his mouth. But, of course, the damage had already been done.
His eyes instantly met Sonic's unfocused emerald eyes, a look of confusion now slowly developing across his features. "T-Tails-"
"I'm sorry, Sonic." Tails profusely apologized, fidgeting with his hands as he backed away from the hedgehog. "I-I didn't mean to say that. I just-"
"Tails."
Tails' mouth abruptly snapped shut at the unusual amount of seriousness within Sonic's tone. It was immensely rare for Sonic to use such a tone on him - a tone that Amy had once declared as Sonic's "Big Brother" voice- unless Sonic either wanted his undivided attention or if he knew Tails was secretly withholding some sort of information and wanted to coax it out of him. And, judging by the hardened expression on Sonic's face, Tails had no doubt in his mind that it was most likely the latter of the two options.
"Y-Yes, Sonic?"
"What... What did you mean by w-what you said?"
Tails gulped nervously, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Despite the negative effect Sonic's illness had on him, the hedgehog still maintained his usual persistence, a fact that Tails was really starting to dread. "I-I didn't mean anything by it, Sonic!" He waved his hands around, wildly. "I-It just slipped out and I-"
"And you-what?"
Tails sighed, biting his lip. "And I...I'm just worried about you."
Sonic's features instantly softened at his response, the hedgehog straightening up against the headboard of his bed as if Tails had suddenly reminded him about his faltering facade. "Tails, you don't have to w-worry about me. I'm fin-"
"You're not fine!" Tails blurted out, the words practically tumbling off of his lips. "You keep saying that "you are", but you're not."
Sonic violently flinched as if Tails, himself, had slapped him across the face. Remorse immediately filled his chest and Tails considered apologizing for his sudden outburst, his mouth opening to say something when Sonic beat him to the punch. "W-What do you mean by "I'm not"?"
Sonic was practically inviting him to explain how he felt, and Tails could feel the words rising and piling up in the back of his throat, patiently waiting to leave his mouth. "I-I mean that you're not okay, Sonic."
"Tails," Sonic paused to clear his throat. "I'm perfectly fine. It's just a cold-"
Tails ran a hand through his bangs in frustration. He felt as if they were just going around and around in an endless circle with no end in sight. "But it's not just that, Sonic!"
Sonic leaned forward. "Then, what is it, Tails?"
"It's everything, Sonic!"
"Everything?"
Tails immediately hesitated, unease stirring within the pit of his stomach. The forbidden words were spilling over into his mouth, eagerly waiting to be expelled, yet Tails gritted his teeth and struggled to hold them back. He dimly realized that by speaking, he risked the possibility of opening - of unleashing - something that neither of them wanted to discuss. Despite that, Tails knew he couldn't hold it back any longer. If he didn't say something now, then he knew Sonic would continue on, pretending - acting - as if everything was okay.
"T-The nightmares, Sonic." Tails clarified, his mouth dry.
An unspecified emotion swept across Sonic's face before it disappeared as quickly as it appeared, and Sonic's body tensed. Tails frowned as he witnessed this, he could practically feel Sonic's stress levels rising again.
This was the topic he had wanted to avoid. After that night, Tails and Sonic had come to some sort of an unspoken agreement - an unwritten contract that neither had really signed - to not talk about the nightmares or the past month in general. It had become a touchy topic that Tails had originally feared bringing up to the obviously distressed hedgehog. And, with Sonic being ill, Tails couldn't bring himself to bother the hedgehog. But now, Tails couldn't see any other way. If he didn't address this now - if he didn't talk this out with Sonic - then Sonic would continue ignoring everything until he completely fell apart.
"Tails," Sonic's face was a crumbling mask, and Tails could now easily tell how truly uncomfortable Sonic was by the sudden topic change. "We've been through this."
Tails shook his head, frowning. "No, Sonic. We haven't! We've barely spoken a word about it before we moved on!"
"Because there's nothing to talk about-!"
Sonic's voice cracked sharply at the end of his sentence and he raised a hand to smother a harsh cough that immediately followed. Thankfully, Sonic didn't lapse into another dreadful coughing fit, and he settled back against the bed with a deep breath. Tails frowned in concern, remorse swirling within him at the sight of Sonic getting worked up again; he disliked the idea of causing the hedgehog so much stress, but he also knew that if he didn't say this now, then he wouldn't have the courage to say it later. Tails gave the hedgehog a brief moment to collect himself before he continued the conversation.
"Sonic," Tails started slowly, "Did y-you have any more... nightma-"
"No." Sonic hissed out between his teeth, the hedgehog hunching forward and purposely avoiding eye contact with Tails.
"Sonic," Tails pushed, "you promised-"
"No, Tails." Sonic closed his eyes, his features suddenly appearing extremely tired. "I haven't had any nightmares."
Tails silently nodded, internally struggling to squash down the impulse to stop the conversation here; Sonic's condition seemed to only be declining, to the point that the hedgehog didn't even try to conceal how he felt anymore. But, he had to - he needed to- do this.
"Sonic-"
"Tails, please." Sonic peeled his eyes open, briefly making eye contact with Tails. Tails was momentarily taken aback by not only Sonic's unfocused gaze, but the unspoken plead that swam within his green orbs. "I really don't feel like talking about this now."
"Then when, Sonic?" He pressed. "When are we going to talk about this? Tomorrow?"
Sonic picked his head up, staring intensely at the fox. "Tails-"
Tails continued on as if he hadn't heard him. "Next week?"
Sonic frowned. "Tails-"
"Or maybe never, huh? I guess we're going to forget about it just like we forget just about everything-"
"Tails-" Tails was abruptly cut off when a warm hand suddenly grasped his wrist, "stop."
Tails turned to Sonic, his own vibrant sky blue eyes colliding with intense green ones. He blinked, panting as though he had greatly exerted himself doing some sort of rigorous exercise. It hardly registered to Tails that he had been in the midst of spiraling; it had just felt so good to let everything out for a change that he had forgotten to pace himself. "I'm sorry, Sonic. I just-"
"I know." Sonic muttered, dropping his hand from Tails'.
"Do you, Sonic?"
Sonic shifted his gaze from Tails and, instead, focused on picking at a stray string on his blanket. "What?"
Tails' face softened. "You had nightmares for several weeks, Sonic. And, you didn't tell me."
Sonic sighed. "Tails, please don't-"
"Sonic." It was Tails' turn to gain an authoritative tone, although his own undeveloped voice made it sound childish rather than someone who was trying to take control of the conversation. But, it still had an appropriate effect. Sonic's mouth snapped shut, a mixture of surprise and embarrassment evident on his face. Tails took his sudden silence as a sign to continue talking. "If I hadn't been awake that night, would you- would you have told me?"
"Tails." Sonic was making one last attempt to stop the conversation; to divert the conversation to something else-anything else. But, Tails wasn't having it.
"Sonic." Tails countered the attempt with his own firm voice.
Sonic sighed, closing his tired green eyes. Tails' own blue orbs couldn't help but soften at the haggard and pale state that the hedgehog was currently in. Tails once again considered dropping the conversation when he heard Sonic murmur something, the word too low for his ears to pick up.
"W-What, Sonic?"
Sonic took a deep breath. "I said, no."
Silence immediately fell between the two of them; Sonic's statement hanging heavily in the air like that of a big, brilliant chandelier on a thin chain or a bright flashing sign. For some reason, the statement had left Tails' mind momentarily blank, except for the distinct feeling of betrayal that made his chest ache. He fought to keep the feeling from spreading to his face where he knew Sonic would see it and question it. It was more for precaution more than anything else, seeing as the hedgehog had yet to reopen his eyes. After a few seconds, Tails' mind finally managed to restart and, along with it, were several burning questions that began to swell and fill his head. But, only one accomplished in spilling into his mouth and sliding out between his teeth before he could even comprehend it.
"Why?"
Sonic's eyes reopened at his inquiry (or was it a demand?), their gazes briefly meeting. "Don't make me answer that question, Tails."
Tails frowned, frustration building up deep within the pit of his stomach. It felt like that with every step they took in the right direction - in Tails finding out why Sonic wouldn't give himself a break - they took twice as many in the wrong direction. "Why?" He found himself asking, his mouth moving quicker than his brain. He was going to proceed with this discussion; he was not going to allow Sonic to back away from this - to seal all the cracks in his facade and mend the large wall that stood amid Tails and the truth. "Is it because I wouldn't like the answer?"
The silence that followed was his only answer; Tails' orbs focused intensely on Sonic, waiting impatiently for the hedgehog to make some sort of response. But, Sonic only bit his lip, his own eyes directed at something that no matter how hard Tails looked, he didn't see. A minute later and Tails was done waiting for a response, deciding to take the hedgehog's unusual quietness as his own personal answer.
It was the answer he knew was currently residing on Sonic's tongue.
Yes.
Multiple emotions tightened around his chest and lodged themselves deep within his throat; anger, frustration, betrayal- then… sadness. Tears abruptly begin to prick at the back of his eyes as the heavy weight of the feeling squished all the others. It even appeared at the back of his throat, making it difficult to swallow around the growing lump of emotion festering there. And, then suddenly, a new question formed in his mind, insistent and loud.
"Sonic," The twitching of blue ears were the only indication that the hedgehog was listening. "Do you - do you not… trust me?"
Sonic's eyes immediately widened at the inquiry and he twisted his head to stare at Tails. "What?"
The tears were working their way to the front of his eyes and now, with every blink, Tails' vision continued to blur. "I-I said that-"
"I know what you said, Tails." Sonic rubbed at his forehead, his eyes roaming over the fox's face as if he was trying to ensure that he was really looking at Tails. "I just want to know why-"
"-because you don't tell me anything."
Sonic's mouth hung open for a moment, the hedgehog looking as if he was trying to decide whether or not to close it or leave it there. Finally, Sonic softly closed his mouth, his jaw moving as if he was silently chewing on his next words. "Tails, you know that's not true-"
"But, it is!" The words were suddenly there, rising and spilling over his tongue. "You didn't tell me anything about yourself; you didn't tell me anything about your nightmares or that you couldn't sleep for several weeks or-or that you were making yourself sick-"
"Tails-"
Sonic's voice was muffled by the blood pounding in his ears and the fractured sentences that were dripping- pouring- out of his mouth.
And, he couldn't stop.
"A-and I didn't see it! Not that you haven't been sleeping; not that you've been having nightmares; not that you've been running off every night while I've just been sleeping-"
"Tails-"
"And, now you're sick. A-and, I don't know what to do; I don't know how to help you; I don't know what it is I should be doing. And, I should've done something; I should've noticed-"
Just like before, warms hands that were slightly larger than his, wrapped around his arms. That jolted out his fractured rambling and brought him back to reality, and caused him to blink. He suddenly became aware of his blurry, wet eyes and the large tears that were continuously sliding down his face where they dripped down his chin.
"Tails."
He could hear Sonic's voice perfectly now, the hedgehog's tone has softened considerably. Tails forced himself to stare at the hedgehog, his vision thoroughly obscured by the tears that were still forming. Sonic, at some point during Tails'... confession, had forced himself in more of an upright position, and he was currently sitting on the edge of the bed. Tails then looked down at his arms, taking note of Sonic's warm hands that gripped around them; the hedgehog's grip surprisingly tender yet firm.
For a moment, nobody moved as if someone had suddenly hit the pause button on a remote. Then, Tails begin to apologize profusely.
"I-I'm sorry, Sonic. I-I just-" the words were tumbling over his tongue, feeling half-formed and incomplete. "I-I didn't mean to-"
The rest of the words were choked back as Tails found himself being pulled downwards by Sonic. He briefly opened his mouth in order to question the action when Sonic's arms suddenly surrounded him and drew him towards the hedgehog's chest. Tails stiffened for a moment, concern shooting through him when felt the impressive heat pouring from the hedgehog's body; this reminded him of the fact that Sonic was still sick and here Tails was interrupting the rest that he so desperately needed-
"Tails," Sonic's voice was unusually soft. "It's not your fault."
Tails laid there for a moment, limp and languid within Sonic's arms. This wasn't the direction in which Tails had wanted the conversation to go; they were supposed to be talking about Sonic, not him. Why Sonic did the things that he does, and why Tails was just so blind-
The tears were there again and, this time, they brought a lump of anguish that, no matter how many times Tails swallowed, refused to go away. Then, suddenly, Tails was burying his face into Sonic's warm chest and crying; about what, he wasn't even certain anymore. They both sat there on the edge of Sonic's bed as Tails cried, the fox just barely acknowledging the hand that rubbed at his back. Somewhere in the midst of his tears and the comforting embrace of Sonic, Tails couldn't help but consider something; that maybe the reason why Sonic didn't stop acting like a hero was that Sonic thought he had to always be strong when others were weak. Or, maybe it was because of the fact that others were weak that Sonic thought that he had to be the strong one.
Eventually, the tears slowed until Tails found himself running dry, leaving the fox a sniffling mess. Noticing the sudden lack of noise from him, Sonic stilled his hand and he patiently waited for Tails to regain his lost composure. After a moment, Tails quieted down, his face still hidden from view in Sonic's chest.
"Tails?" Sonic whispered, a hand ruffling the fox's wild bangs in the hopes of getting a response from him.
Tails shifted in Sonic's arms and weakly shook his head, but otherwise made no move to look up at the hedgehog. "... Yeah?"
"Are… you okay?"
Tails was silent, his head still pressed up against Sonic's chest. He closed his eyes and focused on the hedgehog's heartbeat as it pulsed against his ear. The beats were quicker than Tails knew they were supposed to be, but they were also strong.
No, he wasn't okay.
Sonic's walls were so thick and difficult to penetrate because he assumed that he needed them to be; Eggman was a perceptive madman, and he always managed to expose every weakness that he believed Sonic possessed. In Sonic's mind, he believed that he was the only one standing between worldwide peace and world domination; the only one supporting the world on his shoulders. But, he wasn't, at least not anymore.
Tails was terrified of his newfound position as a hero; he was always terrified that he would mess something up or that he would never have what it takes to live up to what the world - what Sonic - expects of him. And, he couldn't help but be one of the million other people - kids - who often looked up to the hedgehog and just assumed that Sonic could and would do everything by himself, even if it ran him down to the very bone. And feeling his surrogate older brother's body jerk with every restrained cough and the raging fever beneath his fingertips only helped to certify this statement as true.
Tails had to do something.
Tails couldn't afford to not do anything.
Tails shyly peered down at his surrogate brother, mind still reeling from Sonic's earlier confession. Sonic currently had his head tucked neatly between his knees with his arms protecting - shielding - the hedgehog's face from view, and beneath Tails' palm, he could feel Sonic's body shiver.
Was this how Sonic always felt?
Sonic needed him to be brave.
Tails was wrong to assume that Sonic could essentially do everything by himself. He knew that Sonic, as unbelievable as he could be at times, was only one lone hedgehog. Not only that, but Sonic was also a kid, just like him.
"... I used to believe that the definition of being a hero was to never be afraid."
Tails was naive.
He expected Sonic to always be the equivalent of a cartoon hero; never appearing afraid or appearing practically untouchable, but he wasn't.
Sonic shakily raised a gloved hand and gripped a stray root that was sticking out of the ground, struggling to pull his waterlogged body out of the terrifyingly deep water behind him.
Yes, Tails was scared.
He was scared that he'd fail.
He was scared that he would never be enough.
But, he absolutely refused to allow his own fears to weigh Sonic down.
"Now, I believe it means... being there for others."
"Tails?" Said fox blinked vigorously, taking note of the fact that at some point Sonic's hands had moved to his shoulder. At the moment, the hedgehog was attempting to look him in the eye, a light frown decorating Sonic's face. "You good, kiddo?"
Tails regained eye-contact with Sonic, noticing the hedgehog's apparent unfocused gaze. Forcing a hopefully-convincing smile onto his face, Tails nodded. "I'm fine, Sonic."
Sonic's eyebrows furrowed and his frown deepened. "You sure? You were spacing for a few minutes there." Sonic's hand immediately moved towards Tails' forehead. "I hope I didn't give you my cold."
Tails smiled encouragingly, softly removing Sonic's hand from his forehead. "I'm fine, Sonic. I promise."
If Sonic ever got tired of being strong for the entire world, then Tails wanted him to at least know that he'll be more than willing to play the role, too.
Me: Whew! This took a long time to write! With all these natural disasters and finishing up my last year of high school, I didn't think I was gonna finish! Hope you guys enjoyed it!