Prologue: No More Dark Storms
"Ah!" Tails shot up in bed like a rocket, panting hard. His body was rigid and straight, his eyes closed tightly. He didn't stop shivering uncontrollably, even when his boyfriend's strong arms encased him.
"Tails…" Sonic murmured, almost incomprehensibly. He happened to be suffering from a fever of 105, and not from a warm meal, either. He shivered himself even as he hugged the fox to him, the covers slipping off his lean body.
"You should be asleep," Tails scolded, knowing that saying this to Sonic was like yelling at the darkness.
"Don't care," Sonic's teeth clacked together like keys on a keyboard. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, dear. Please go to sleep." Tails soothed, hugging Sonic to him.
With green eyes dull from fever, the hedgehog looked up to face his lover. "Come now," he scolded, shivering as he did so. "You'd never do anything like that on purpose." As he spoke, he switched positions so that he could easily coddle the fox to his chest, tucking his head under his neck protectively.
"You're sick." Tails told him firmly, stroking the sweating hedgie. "You need your rest, especially since you're too sick to eat."
Sonic chuckled and held the young one at length. "I'm never too sick to comfort you. You're shivering more than I am, little one, and your temperature is fine. Now," he continued, stroking the three bangs that crossed over Tails' eyes at times back against his head, only to have them spring back up like a catapult. "Why don't you tell me what's up, because I can sense a worried fox from three miles away."
Tails blushed. "How?"
"You smell different when you're scared." Sonic's voice was mournful, as the warm black nose danced across the base of his neck affectionately. Too-warm forehead touched the fox's for a long time, dull green eyes blinking innocently. "It's not a pleasant smell. It makes me worry."
"You need another cold pack," Tails mumbled distractedly, trying to move.
Despite his sickness, however, Sonic's grip was tight, his voice decisive and firm. "You had a nightmare. Tell me what's bugging you or I'll barf."
Tails bit his lip, knowing Sonic was true to his word. Despite the fact he hardly ever got sick, Sonic was practiced at self-torture, which, in turn, tortured the young fox. "Fine," he mumbled, a cute pout crossing his face. Sonic wearily rested his head over Tails'. His fever lowered just a fraction as he breathed deeply against his lover. He was waiting too patiently for Tails to begin, a result of his high fever. "I was afraid of the storm, because Xzero…" Sonic cringed. "I mean…what happened with Xzero…like, it wasn't your fault, but…"
"Yes?" Sonic questioned, shivering wildly.
"…I feel like he's watching me… us! I feel like…he's here, in this room…"
"That's impossible, baby, you know that. I killed him." Sonic purred, vibrating his chest like a cell phone. "He won't come back. Ever. I promise."
"Really?"
Sonic nodded. "It was just a dream," he comforted, wobbling as if he was made of jello and bringing them both against the pillows suddenly.
"Sonic!" Tails cried, then covered his mouth as Sonic recoiled. Sapphire's ears were very sensitive right now, and not at home hearing loud noises. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "Are you okay?"
"Weak," Sonic mumbled into the pillow, turning on his side with care. "And exhausted." A shiver shook his whole body, making him feel like his spine was breaking into a million pieces. A headache plagued him, and he moaned, more because he was vulnerable than because he was in pain.
"Your fever's rising. I'll get you a cold compress." Tails soothed, climbing out of bed and wandering to the small kitchen so familiar to him. The orange walls and pale tiles brought a new meaning to the word "homey" as Tails flicked on the light closest to the doorway, flooding the tiny kitchen with light. The fox opened the freezer and grabbed a towel in one hand and a cold pack in the other just as the sound of a body hitting a piece of furniture sounded.
"Sonic," Tails shook his head, not able to keep himself from smiling, and wandered into the living room to see what his superfast lover had done this time. One bar on the railing was bent slightly out of place and a small stool was knocked over, Sonic sprawled atop of it like a child trying to straddle a chalk drawing. His fur was dull from malnourishment and standing up from the chill the fever created for him, quills sprawled all around him.
Tails couldn't help but laugh softly as he helped the dazed hedgie to his feet and managed to get him over to the couch. "Why did you get out of bed?" He quizzed in a motherly tone as he draped a fleece over Sonic's feet, tucking it under the sides of his legs and spreading the cold compress wrapped in the towel over his forehead. "You could've been warm, but instead you go on a suicide mission and decide to come down the stairs! What am I going to do with you?!" He huffed as he sat beside Sonic, taking a brush and running the bristles through Sonic's belly fur.
"Mmmm," Sonic moaned with pleasure. "Keep doing that, Tails. It feels so good."
Tails yawned and lay his head on Sonic's shoulder, obeying the speedster's commands, until he lay fast asleep beside him.
Sonic sighed and pressed his feverish lips against the fox's, reluctantly giving himself to a sleep plagued with fever dreams.