Tom leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, eyes unfocused, his mug of tea cooling on the island in front of him. He wasn't normally a tea person, but it seemed the better choice in the middle of the night than his preferred coffee. Silence drummed in his ears, the only sounds in the quiet being the occasional hiss of the ice maker, and the cricket symphony outside.
Today had been a close call. It had happened so quickly, but he supposed most accidents do. Being a cop was supposed to give you some sort of superhuman ability to stay calm and know just what to do in times of crisis, but today, when his own son had been the one in trouble, it didn't matter. Today he was just like any other father, momentarily paralyzed at the scream of his youngest in danger.
The family had been outside, doing various outside things. Maddie and Knuckles sat on the deck doing some yoga, and he and Sonic worked on getting the grill ready for supper. Tails was tinkering with the lawnmower in the new shed—the starter was acting up and the little kit was certain he could repair it.
The sheriff cursed himself now. He had let the boy work on it. Given him permission. If he had just told Tails no, they'd have it serviced in a few days by one of the local fixit guys, everything that came after would have been avoided.
But the fox was a smart kid. He was really good with electronics and machines, and usually the most careful of the three boys. Tom had been confident he'd be okay.
He rubbed his eyes. The kit's scream still echoed in his ears.
Soft footsteps on the stairs. Tom blinked and turned to see his oldest round the corner and pad down the hallway toward the kitchen.
"Hey big guy," he called, keeping his voice soft. Sound seemed to carry further in the dead of night, and he didn't want to risk waking anyone else. "Can't sleep?"
Knuckles shook his head. "I heard movement downstairs. I am glad it is just you."
Tom nodded, a smile curling his lips. "Yep, just me."
The echidna nodded, his eyes flicking between the cup and man. "I thought only Mother liked tea."
"She claims it helps her sleep." Tom shrugged. "I figured it wouldn't hurt to give it a try."
"Why are you awake?"
Rubbing the back of his neck with a hand, Tom uttered a shaky sigh. "Same reason you are, I'd guess."
"Hmm."
His son furrowed his brow, flexing and clenching his hands into fists. The large, over-sized mitts he arrived on Earth with sat in a chest upstairs, as he typically only wore them when he sparred or trained. These days he usually wore finger-less sports gloves around the house, but now his hands were bare. Charred fur patches dotted his forearms, the skin beneath red, but thankfully not blistered.
"Pull up a seat," Tom said, pulling another mug down from the cabinet. "I'll make you a cup."
X~X~X
Knuckles nodded, climbing onto the bar stool at the island. He watched as Tom filled the mug with water and placed it in the microwave. They didn't speak as the cup spun on the glass plate inside, and Tom opened the door on the last second before it could beep. He dipped a tea bag inside and slid the cup toward the echidna.
"Here you go."
"Thank you."
Silence returned to the kitchen, as the two settled back into their thoughts. Knuckles raised and lowered the tea bag, as he had seen Maddie do, watching as the water pulled the flavoring from it, turning a deep golden color.
The herbal scent of the chamomile tea wafted up, and Knuckles inhaled deeply. It was reminiscent of some flowers from his home as a boy, similar enough to trigger memories. But they were fragmented and faded, like a discarded photograph.
Most held visions of his father. His mother had passed when he was quite young, her memories reduced to little more than a smiling face, a snippet of song, or a soft touch on his muzzle. More emotions now than full-fledged moments in time etched in his mind. But still, he treasured what he retained of her.
His father had taken the full-brunt of raising the boy onto his shoulders when his mate died. Normally the entire village came together to care for a child who'd lost a parent, but Knuckles' father had stubbornly devoted himself to the task almost in its entirety. Sure, he still trained and went on raids and missions with the other warriors, but he was always available to his son when at home.
The other warriors would sometimes laugh—what man would want to stay at home with a child instead of training more? But his father would simply shrug, giving Knuckles a little smile and saying, "Why would I spend more time with them than I need? I am already a formidable warrior, and could easily defeat any who challenge me. And they have only battles to speak of. I have my boy, and when he looks up at me with his mother's eyes, I feel as though our family is still whole."
Knuckles tasted tears in the back of his throat and he swallowed them down, focusing on the cup in front of him. Despite everything, he still missed his tribe. His father. Yes, life on Earth was calmer, and softer, and let him breathe instead of living on constant adrenaline, and this new family he had found were welcoming and caring and helped him feel like he was never alone. He loved his new life, and his new tribe.
But he missed the feeling of his father's love. Warm and comfortable, like a firm hand on his shoulder, guiding him and offering encouragement. Like a heavy blanket, keeping him protected and safe. Whenever his father was near, Knuckles felt perfectly at ease. He felt vulnerable, but in a good way. As though no matter what happened, his father would always be there to watch over the boy, and keep him from harm.
A more recent memory surfaced now, and a chill ran down the echidna's back. The fire. The kit's scream. The panic in his own mind, replaced with a single thought—MOVE. Your brother is in danger. Protect your family.
He had followed that order without hesitation.
X~X~X
Tom watched his son. The eldest of his three, and the most mature. The most sensitive, in some ways. The loss of his tribe at such a young age not only forced him to grow up before his time, but also deprived him of important social interactions. Even now, after being on Earth for so many months, the boy still had a hard time understanding how to interact with others.
But his warrior instincts were as sharp as ever. He's usually the first awake in the morning, and the first to leap forward to protect his family when he detects any danger.
Which was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, Tom wished the boy wouldn't be so quick to jump into situations that may be dangerous. He was still just a kid, and shouldn't shoulder the family's safety all on his own.
On the other hand, it was Knuckles' quick action that meant today's accident hadn't been worse.
That Tails hadn't . . .
Tom's not exactly sure what happened, but after, when everyone was okay, he had put his 'cop hat' on and inspected the 'scene' for clues. From what he could gather, this was the chain of events:
Tails had been tinkering with the mower's starter, using his trusty screwdriver to inspect the various wires and such. Somehow, either by a loose or frayed wire or an accidental touch with the tip of his tool, he had caused an electrical spark from the battery. This spark caught the fur on his arm on fire, and he let out a yelp, jumping backwards off the mower and landing in a pile of dirty rags Tom was always meaning to clean up. (And hadn't that given him a good kick in the guilt department?) The fire quickly spread, leading to the high-pitched, terrified scream that froze Tom in place as he watched flames grow, and smoke pour out of the little shed.
The little shed where his youngest son was now trapped.
Tom hadn't had time to formulate a single thought, hadn't had time to blink, when a red blur zipped across the yard and into the shed. A split second later and that blur was back outside, carrying a crying fox. The kit sobbed out apology after apology as Knuckles batted the flames on the boy's arms, his own charred fur ignored as he cared for his younger brother.
Time after that moved quickly. Tom's paralysis broke, he sent Sonic—whose face had noticeably paled—into the house for a fire extinguisher, and together they rushed over to put out the quickly catching shed. Maddie came running to care for her boys, and Knuckles had brushed off her concern to stand back and give her room to check on the fox.
Thinking back on it now, Tom realized Knuckles' expression had changed from focused and determined, to fearful and worried. The boy rubbed his arms, which trailed thin tendrils of smoke. The realization of what happened, and what could have happened, seemed to hit him just then.
Aside from being a little blistered, and rightfully terrified, Tails had been okay. He still tripped over himself to apologize, but Maddie hushed him right away. She wrapped his arms in bandages, and carried him around most of the night. The boy had gotten more hugs and kisses this evening than he probably had in the whole time he'd been on Earth. Even Sonic seemed more protective of him. And Maddie had insisted on snuggling with him in their bed.
Tom hadn't fought it. He saw the way her hands shook. The scared look in her eye when she ran a finger over his bandages.
So close. They were so close to disaster.
If not for Knuckles.
The boy was still dunking the tea bag in and out of his cup. The water inside was almost orange now, so saturated with chamomile flavoring it was. He looked lost in thought.
"I think we need to talk about today," Tom said, his voice soft.
Knuckles blinked, finally releasing the tea bag's tag and letting the string hang outside the cup. He nodded. "The fox will need to be supervised from now on."
"That's not what I mean, but that's not a bad idea."
The boy raised an eyebrow. "Then what do you mean?"
Tom sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. "You ran into that shed without a second thought, didn't you?"
"Tails was in danger." He said it matter-of-factly. As though there were no reason to question it.
"You could have been hurt."
He shrugged. "That was not a concern."
"It is to me."
"My family's safety comes first." Annoyance edged the boy's voice. "I don't understand. Are you angry I acted quickly?"
"No," Tom said, his voice harsher than he intended. If Knuckles hadn't acted as quickly as he did . . . He forced his shoulders to relax. "No, Knux. It's because you reacted so fast that things weren't worse."
The echidna released a long breath, his shoulders dropping. Seemed Tom wasn't the only one holding tension in his shoulders. "Then what is there to talk about?"
Tom let out a sigh, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. How to make the boy understand he didn't need to shoulder the entire family's safety on his own? That he shouldn't have to think about being the protector of everyone, every minute of every day? That it was technically Tom's job to be the one to take care of the family, even though he had been too slow to respond when his youngest son was in danger?
With Sonic it was easy. He was enjoying just being a kid, and letting the adults worry about everything else. That's not to say the boy didn't have his own brand of 'protection' urges, but generally speaking, he was happy to let Tom be the one to look out for everyone.
But Knuckles . . . well, he was different. In so many ways, he was different from Sonic. More mature. More disciplined. More aware of larger threats and of the dangers that await, seemingly around every corner. The kid was cautious and alert, always on the lookout for anything that posed a threat to those he loved. His instincts were well-honed to his life on the move in a dangerous galaxy, and Tom supposed they wouldn't go away in just the relatively short time he's been on Earth. If they ever did.
Knuckles had spent most of his life watching for signs of danger, and reacting to them quickly and efficiently. And it was unlikely he would stop, even if Tom ordered him to.
He thought back to his own life, as a boy no older than Knuckles. His dad was the sheriff at that time, and Tom had taken it upon himself to watch out for the house and his mom whenever his father was on duty. Was that really any different than what Knuckles was doing now?
"Knux," he started, choosing his words carefully. "Was there any hierarchy to the warriors of your village?"
The boy raised an eyebrow, in the ever-familiar look of confusion. "Hierarchy?"
"Yeah, like were there warriors who held a higher stature than the others? Ones who maybe were older, or more experienced?"
Understanding cleared the echidna's face, and he nodded. "Ah. Yes. They were most respected and honored. They were wise and kept a watchful eye on all who lived there."
"And did they have roles or responsibilities that maybe the other warriors didn't?"
The boy nodded. "Only the highest warriors were tasked with protecting the elders of the village. The chief, scholar, healer, and priestess."
Tom nodded, resting his elbows on the island and leaning on his forearms. "So in our tribe, our family, would you consider me to be a higher warrior?"
Knuckles narrowed his eyes, his brows furrowed. After a moment of deep thought—that Tom decided not to take offense at—the boy raised a single shoulder. "While I am confident I could best you in a true warrior battle," he said, before nodding, "I do consider you a competent warrior. And as my elder, you are owed respect."
"So that's a yes?"
The boy nodded, a small smile on his lips. "It is a yes, Tom."
The sheriff smiled at that. Knuckles tended to call people, especially adults, by a descriptor title when speaking with them—Elder Carl, Scholar Callie, Sheriff Tom—but would drop the title once he was fully comfortable and trusting of that person. He had started calling Maddie 'Mother' before he dropped her title, but had dropped Tom's a little over a month ago. It was still nice to hear the boy refer to him in a less formal manner.
"Okay, so as your competent elder warrior," Tom said, a smile curling one side of his mouth, "I really want to talk to you about your . . . shall we say, tendency to jump straight into danger."
The boy looked confused again. "But you said it was good I reacted quickly this afternoon."
"It was good, but I'm not talking about that. I mean during other times, like when the raccoons knock over a trash can in the middle of the night and you're flying down the stairs to protect the rest of us."
"It could be an intruder."
"Yes, and if it was, and that intruder had a gun, you could be seriously hurt. You guys are tough and can handle a lot of knocks, but I don't think you're bulletproof."
"Am I to cower instead?" Knuckles asked, his brow furrowed and lip curling. "Hide away while the enemy freely roams the house?"
"No, Knuckles," Tom sighed, running a hand down his face. "Bud, this isn't an all-or-nothing thing. Just because I don't want you running headlong into danger doesn't mean I want you to hide under your bed." The boy seemed to consider this, his furrowed brow now a thoughtful look. "What you did today shows just how brave you are and how much you love your family. I am so thankful you were there, and helped your brother so quickly. I really am. You saved Tails' life. But it scares me that you didn't seem to give a single thought to your own safety. And you do that a lot."
The echidna lowered his head, casting his eyes to the side as he thought. After a moment of silence, he spoke, his voice soft. "I simply want to keep my family safe. I stayed behind when my tribe marched on that day, and they never returned. I was just a child, and most likely couldn't have changed the outcome, but that feeling of helplessness remains. It haunts me. If anything happened to any of you, and I did nothing to prevent it . . ." He dropped his head lower. "I would never forgive myself."
A sudden thought occurred to Tom then, as the boy's past flashed through his mind. Left alone at a young age. Losing his father suddenly. Never having a home, or loved ones, for a good portion of his life. Always running, always fighting, always surviving. This was the first real home he's had in a long, long time, and his attachment to everyone in it was stronger than he let on. He so desperately wanted to keep everyone safe, so he wasn't all alone anymore. So he didn't lose anyone else he loved.
Tom reached forward and took Knuckles' hand. The boy wasn't as comfortable with physical touch as his brothers were, but he did not pull away. Instead, he gave Tom's hand a squeeze, without looking at the man.
"Knuckles," Tom said, his voice soft and kind. "You are a great warrior, who has a lot of love in his heart for those he cares about. I am honored you have chosen us as your family, and am so proud of you for wanting to protect us. But that's not your burden. As the father and head of this family, it's my job to take care of you and keep you all safe. Because I love every one of you—my wife and sons—and would fight until my dying breath to protect you. You have my word on that."
Now the echidna looked up, his violet eyes meeting Tom's blue. A change passed over the boy's face, and it took a few seconds for Tom to recognize it.
Knuckles' face had completely relaxed. There was no hint of a furrowed brow or wrinkled muzzle or curled lip. His expression was one of youth, of innocence, of a boy finally understanding something that had been evading him.
It was a look of peace. Of vulnerability. Of open, unguarded emotion and timid hope. See me, the expression said. Accept me. Want me. Love me. Take care of me. Keep me. Above all else, never leave me alone, because it scares me to be alone, I never want to be alone again.
He'd seen the echidna wear it when sitting with Maddie, peeking at her when he should have been meditating during their yoga sessions. The look of longing, of wanting to be loved, to be accepted. He never dared speak, but somehow Maddie always knew when he wore that look, because she would smile and say something, making him blush. Then she would look down at him, running a hand down his quills and giving him a look so warm, so loving, that he would blush hotter and pull his shoulders up in embarrassment.
And usually, she would pull him in for a rib-crushing hug. His arms would wrap around her, clutching her as a drowning man would a life preserver.
He was a different boy around Maddie. They shared a bond just as strong as the one Tom and Sonic had.
So Tom had seen this expression, but it had never been cast in his direction before. He supposed it was because Knuckles remembered his father, and that made any feelings for him somewhat complicated. Tom didn't take offense—it was completely understandable. He wasn't trying to replace the boy's father, after all.
"I am . . ." the boy started, his voice soft. "You see me as your . . . son?"
The sincerity of the question took Tom aback. Did the boy really never realize that? They were a tribe, a family, he called Maddie 'Mother' and the others his brothers, but he had never realized Tom saw him as a son?
"Knuckles," the sheriff said, his voice just as soft. "You are the eldest of my three boys. My sons." Tears pricked his eyes and he blinked them back, with limited success. "You are brave and strong and kind and I am so proud of the person you became, despite how hard your life must have been. Yes. You are my son."
The echidna dropped his gaze then, his muzzle burning hot. He still held onto Tom's hand, however, and now gave it a tight squeeze. "Thank you." A pause, and when he spoke next, his voice was hardly a whisper. "Father."
When Sonic had called Tom 'Dad' for the first time all those months ago, it had made his heart swell to the point of bursting with pride and happiness. Tails' first 'Dad' was sweet and shy, and Tom had nearly crushed the boy in his arms afterward.
But now, with the last of his sons finally comfortable enough to call him 'Father', he didn't just feel happy. He felt honored. That Knuckles would feel close enough, comfortable enough, to see him in that role, it nearly brought him to tears.
"Thank you," Tom said, giving the boy's hand a squeeze back. "I am honored you accept me as your father. I will do my best to make you proud."
Knuckles looked up, and Tom could have sworn the boy's eyes were shinier than normal. A small smile curled his lips. "You are an honorable warrior. I am already proud to be part of your family."
The two sat that way for a moment more, before pulling their hands back after one more squeeze. Silence descended upon the kitchen once again, and Knuckles finally took a sip of his tea. His muzzle wrinkled immediately.
"Mother drinks this? Willingly?"
Tom laughed softly in his throat, bringing his cup to his mouth. "Apparently." He took a sip and reacted almost the exact same way as his son. "I don't see the appeal."
The echidna pushed his cup away. "I have been thinking."
"What about?"
"Mother says a shared burden is a lighter burden," the boy said, looking up. "There are many times you are not here. Could I perform the role of protector in those times?"
A smile curled one side of the sheriff's mouth. "I don't suppose there's any way I could really stop you, is there?"
The boy smiled. "No."
The man sighed. "Well, based on what happened today, you have proven yourself to be one hell of a good protector. Okay, when I'm not here, you're the man of the house. So to speak. You keep an eye on the rest of the family, and make sure they're safe. But," he held up a single finger, "you need to stop rushing into unknown, possibly dangerous situations. Sometimes a full frontal assault isn't the best course of action."
Knuckles furrowed his brow. "Hmm. Those are the kind of assaults I'm best at."
"I know, so we're gonna have to work with you on more stealth and danger assessment."
The boy lowered his head. "Hmm."
"But that's something we'll work on another day," Tom said, pulling both mugs to him and dumping the hardly drunk tea into the sink. "Why don't you head back to bed. It's pretty late. I'll be up in a minute."
The echidna nodded, hopping down from the bar stool. He walked toward the hallway, before stopping and turning back. "Father?"
A wide smile spread across Tom's lips. That wasn't gonna get old for a while. "Yeah, son?"
The boy pulled his lips tight, dipping his head in a slight bow. "Thank you for your trust. I will not dishonor you."
Tom moved to the boy and knelt before him. "Knux, there is no way you could dishonor or disappoint me. You are a great kid, and I'm really proud I get to see the man you grow into." Without thinking, he pulled the echidna into a hug. Knuckles stiffened for a second, then curled his arms around the man and completed the embrace.
"I love you, Knux," Tom said, his voice soft. The boy's arms tightened slightly, before relaxing.
"I . . ." Knuckles said, his voice hardly a whisper. "I love you too, Father."
A moment later and the two separated, finally heading back upstairs to get some more rest before the sun came up. It took time for sleep to come for them, this time their minds occupied with less worrying thoughts.