Brace yourselves! This is quite long in comparison to last time... Sorry... I'm hoping that this fic will contain some little light chapters as well, but at the moment I am scene setting so muchas apologias! Shadow will play a much bigger part in future honest promises, it's just Tails has a little momo here so let him have his limelight eh?

Thanks for reading by the way guys! I appreciate and hope there is some fun in this chapter for you but I promise it will get better, I'm just kinda getting into it myself :) we can do so together... should you want to continue reading... yeah, please do! Without further ado-

Disclaimer: I don'ts owns thems :p they belongs to SEGA :)

Tails watched with a sense of trepid amusement as Shadows normally starched facial features morphed into the ugly child of utter disgust and fear induced horror. It was as though the expression was feeding on the vision through his eyes, as these were wide and darting over the form (who remained blissfully unaware) between the hedgehog and fox.

The afore mentioned fox gave a rather obnoxious sniff, successfully catching the attention of the others right ear, which flicked t'ward him in response. That was good enough for him. After silently nodding his head, slightly in the direction of the child who was slightly smacking his lips in his sleep, Tails dictated that now was as good a time as any, given the circumstances, to voice his... what would one call it? Proposal? Preposition? Plea?

"So..." Tails began, eyebrows so high they had to fight for space with the bangs and lips pulled tightly to his teeth in an attempt to form a smile that was not out of place in the current atmosphere. It was a lost cause really.

Shadow was at a loss. In all honesty this was not what he was expecting. True, this kind of thing was to be expected considering the house he was in and the two mobians he was presented with. That didn't make it any less weird. Or easier to comprehend.

'I should of paid more attention when the fox was rambling on. I might of at least had some idea...' Though Shadow doubted there was much one could do to mentally prepare themselves for such-such-!

It moved. Ugh! He felt sick! What would happen if it woke up? Scream? Cry? Spontaneously combust?

Shadow had began to perspire, the beads of sweat were worming between stands of fur, making his statuesque form more uncomfortable than before. Shadows sharp rightmost ear twitched, the fox spoke. "So..." He died off, why did he die off? What was he hinting at? The black bottom lid of a left eye twitched at any number of visions flashing through their owners mind.

"So." The dark tan muzzle replied brusquely. Wielding a tone that dared the other to even think about suggesting what he was thinking about suggesting. Unfortunately for our lonesome friend, Tails was rather used to that tone from Sonic, and thus had no qualms in wiping that tone and all it suggested from the bottom of his shoe on the welcome mat to inappropriate and unwanted conversations. Whether it was the sore subject of not-as-impressive-as-Shadows chest hair, or the forbidden topic of Amy Rose and the numerous 'what ifs' that came as part of the deal, Sonic had become accustom to using that tone before watching helplessly as Tails made a mockery of his quest for privacy.

While Sonic had always seemed so open and sociable, Tail knew better. Yes, he was those things, but he was a lot more. There were subjects that rarely entered the foxes head to broach upon because the blue hedgehog had subtlety prevented him from doing so, directing his attention or skipping certain details to do it. So it was that the young kit had learned to study his brother as to properly know how to get answers to questions he deemed necessary to their relationship. It wasn't as easy as saying "How do you feel?", there was an instant concrete wall to that kind of thing. You had to be just as subtle with Sonic as he was with his own feelings.

Tails likened Sonic to an open book, the kind you look at online where the first few pages are free for you to scour as you please, but to read deeper is impossible. The website would shut you out from anything but the cover and sample pages. Unless of course one bought the book. Which would require some sacrifice on your part, some time and effort to read and understand. In the end though it was all worth it.

And that was what Tails was still, after all these years, in the process of doing. The kit treat each uncomfortable look from his pal as a brotherly bonding success and as such grew to know quite a lot about his big brother. 'Well that's quite inaccurate now, isn't it?' Tails thought wryly, looking away from the bed to the second more uncomfortable hedgehog.

He was not about to let Shadows reluctance deter him.

"So, what do you think we should do with him?" The fox questioned. 'Let Shadow think this is aaaall his idea.'

A quilled head shot up in the direction of the voice. "We?" Shadow was more intelligent that Sonic, Tails hadn't counted that into the equation. 'Busted-!'

"Hey, I called you round for help, remember!?" The yellow fur ball retorted with hands on hips. 'Try the desperate look tails, works every time.'

"I am yet to formally agree to anything." Standing up tall, the fox noticed Shadow had a sudden air of grace and authority. "It would appear that you definition of 'help' differs greatly from that of my own..." An air that, Tails conceded, he did not himself possess.

"Please, Shadow! I'm only 13! And you over 50, your like a pensioner now..."

"Exactly. I am too old to be dealing with a child, ask one of your 'young mature' friends." That fact that Shadow doubted any of those friends were mature was a moot point as he was not going to sway the argument in his favour should he voice that little nugget. Even though not snarling at the 'old' jab and in fact agreeing with it was indescribably painful for the old hog, he could not loose to the fox today. Not over something like this.

"Oh, come on! I came to you in our time of need! It'll only be until I can fix-"

"NO"

Angry voices, now considerably louder than before, had disturbed the peaceful slumber of the blue ball of fur currently scrunching his face up wishing the voices would go away. And that waking up wouldn't be so hard! He balled his fists tight and dragged them into his eye sockets. Rubbing his closed lids as though that would frighten the sleepiness away.

"Mmnnughrrr... humf..."

The battling duo noticed the frustrated kicking of legs beneath sheets, before they heard the mumblings.

"Nnughwer haugh ugh ahugh grran nuh aoughin!?"

Indecipherable mumbling at that. The two tail squinted in thought as he tilted his head, trying in vain to decipher the words so distorted that they could hardly be classed as words at all. The eldest hedgehog in the room reverted back to the silent, positively horrified status as seen mere minutes earlier.

The moppet upon the bed found himself in some sort of limbo; awareness beyond his stubby little arms reach, wanting to let sleep take it's comforting hold but sleeps arms were hurting and didn't want to hold him any more. It was uncomfy. Releasing one more indignant little cry the hoglet thrashed his limbs in an uncoordinated fashion, eyes still clamped shut. It became apparent to Tails that the bed linen was constricting itself around the round form, more so with each twist. As the boys movement was getting more restricted, his panic levels increasing and more thrashing and the whole cycle started again.

Deciding to intervene before the 'duvet monster' from his youth made a return (though this time not through the blue hedgehog intending to chase a duel tailed 4 year old around the house roaring nonsense about him tasting good on toast) Tails stepped carefully closer to the mass, slowly getting denser in the middle of the bed, bending down to where he was hoping a little face was.

"Sonic... you all right?" Patiently Tails waited, there was a huffing noise, shuffling and some heavy breathing before a high pitched "Noowuh-" sounded it's way through the cloth barrier. Hearing what the fox prayed was not sniffling, he began the tedious task of untangling his brother. Once the hedgehogs torso was out in the open, Tails stopped for a rest.

Reporting on what Shadow had done in this time was pointless, it mainly involved breathing exercises and gawking.

Sonic panted, eyes drooping and sweat running from his forehead down chubby red cheeks. When that duvet grabbed him it was scary, it wouldn't let go and he thought he'd be stuck in it forever! It was a good thing... Sonic looked straight at Tails, eyes blank, and the elder fox started to feel concern flooding through his system. Once the buckle on his wrist strap was undone, Tails could pull the glove off with his canine teeth, leaving a bare hand to swamp the smaller mammals forehead. The fur and small quills there stuck to his paw with that salty sweat that covered the boy from what seemed like head to toe.

Fortunately Sonic didn't fight the teens touch. Unfortunately, Tails deduced, this was more than likely due to disorientation and confusion than recognition and trust. "He's far too hot, Shadow can you- Shadow! Could you get me a cold damp cloth?" Shadow jumped at the sharp tone that dragged him from his daze, grunting an affirmative he raced out of the room only to return moments later, skates ablaze, with exactly what the Dr. Fox ordered.

Mumbling a thanks in the adults direction, the golden boy began patting the compress on the child's forehead, neck, and wrists in an attempt to cool him down. "Sonic?" No response. "Sonic." Slowly frightened eyes tracked the voice to it's owners face and stared wide eyed at him. "Sonic, how are you feeling? A little better?" A nod, which looked to Shadow as though it took far more effort than should have been necessary, was Tails only reward. "Okay, that's good, now can you tell me what's wrong?" Speaking clearly seemed to be working, Tails hoped his voice came across much calmer than he felt. What was wrong with his big- little- brother? And where was Shadow when you needed him!? If he wasn't gawking uselessly he was pulling a disappearing act!

'Jerk.' A sour look crossed Tail face, then thinking about the hedgehog in front of him, still geeing up the confidence to talk, he quickly sweetened his expression. "Come on, Sonic, you know you can talk to me."

"Hot."

It was said like the very word burned his mouth. Tails nodded appreciatively and gave a sympathetic smile which for some reason set the pup scrunching up his muzzle. A slam on the wooden set of drawers sent shock through the two brothers, causing them to jump simultaneously. The reverberating sound of glass connecting with wood was the only noise Shadow made upon his return to the room. The glass, a large bowl used for many a 'salad' as Sonic would have Amy believe, was filled with water that contained a few ice-cubes and a faded pink cloth.

It was either the sense of foreboding emanating from the translucent bowl or from the ominous black and red hedgehog with the permanent frown whom had caught the attention of the blue child for the first time since his rude awakening, regardless, whatever it was earned an almighty gasp.

Tah dah! Thanks for sticking it out!

Should anyone care to know, Sonic is saying (or trying to) something along the lines of 'No, why are you both all shouting' not that that makes sense but the poor hedgie was just trying to wake up ;)

Well, there should be a fun start to the next chapter, hopefully, please review and let me know what you like and what you would like to see (or what you don't and you'd prefer I leave out). I'd love to get you POV and try to make my writing and fics better, I can't guarantee I can or will full fill your request but I 'll do what I can, regardless it's nice to get opinions :)

Thanks again for reading, take care till next time :)

Bletherskite