Sunlight blinked through the blinds covering the windows, peeking into his eyes. The bright patch shining through even his shut eyelids.
Blinking awake, Sonic the Hedgehog sat up on his messy bed. The sheets had been kicked off while his blanket was barely staying on. His room was just as untidy as posters, comics, and other things were strewn about on the floor.
As he sat up, the teenage blue hedgehog stretched out his arms until he felt his bones pop, a yawn spilling out of his throat.
Smacking his lips, Sonic shook his head rapidly, tidying up his quills which were in shambles.
Getting up from his bed, Sonic gingerly stepped through the door and out into the hallway.
The air of the house was warm as the morning dawn light shined through the open windows. In the distance, Sonic could flickies chirping to each other. The palm trees basked in the sunlight outside while the waves crashed against the beach of the Mystic Ruins.
He was about to head downstairs when he noticed his little brother's door cracked open.
A smile spreading across his lips, Sonic quietly tipped over to the room, gently creaking the door open slightly.
Miles 'Tails' Prower lay face first on his bed, his mouth slightly open and drool leaking out as he snored cutely. His namesakes swished slightly behind him as it was clear that he was dreaming. His blanket had seemingly been knocked off by his tails as it lay in a crumpled heap on the floor.
His room was just as messy as Sonic's, with several tools and mechanical parts scattered around, both on his desk and on the floor. The lamp at the edge was still on, likely indicating that Tails had forgotten to turn it off the night before. Even though Tails prided himself on keeping his room neat and tidy, there were occasions where he would let his room devolve into this less than ideal state. Chalk up to him being raised by Sonic.
Sonic smiled fondly at Tails; his little brother, his pride and joy, looking as adorable as ever. There was not a single day where Sonic regretted taking him under his wings. He had practically raised the young cub since he was a toddler.
And as tempting as it was to let the kid sleep in, Sonic didn't want him to miss the whole day.
"Tails? Little bro? It's time to wake up." Sonic whispered, the teen kneeling down and lightly shaking the fox cub.
Tails raised his head from his pillow, blinking his crusty eyes open. "Mmm… Sonic…?" He yawned, revealing his smaller fangs which Sonic always found adorable.
"Morning, buddy." Sonic smiled, gently scratching Tails behind his ear, earning a pleased purr from the kit.
"Morning…" Tails murmured, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he sat up.
"Morning to you too." Sonic quipped.
"No, morning to you." Tails quipped back, now smiling a bit.
"No, morning to you!" Sonic smirked, lightly ruffling the kit's bangs.
Tails giggled as playfully pushed his big brother's gloved hand away, standing up from his bed in his socks.
"You go brush your teeth while I get breakfast ready." Sonic told him.
Tails pouted, crossing his arms stubbornly. "Why can't I make breakfast today? I can cook just as well as you can!"
Sonic chuckled. "Oh yeah? Well, our old stove and oven says hi." He remarked.
Tails' cheeks blushed red as his ears folded in embarrassment. "That only happened one time…" He muttered.
"Go." Sonic said with playful sternness, pointing to the bathroom.
Tails sighed in defeat, scampering over to the restroom and locking the door behind him.
While he was busy, Sonic headed downstairs and into the kitchen, starting the oven while he got out the ingredients for some breakfast chili dogs.
As he got out the pans and put them on the stove, Sonic set to work as he began chopping the onions and shredding the cheese.
While it would be easier to simply go down to the grocery store in Station Square, Sonic often tended to prefer doing things himself. Call him old school all you want but hey, he liked to challenge himself.
Once the cheese and onions were chopped up, Sonic quickly put the meat and bacon into the pan, letting it sizzle a little bit before mixing it in the onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt.
As he stirred, he also reminded himself to take out the sausages and let them cook on the stove.
Once he finished cooking the chili, Sonic checked in on the dogs, finding them nicely cooked and well-prepared for eating.
Coincidentally, Tails came down the stairs and into the kitchen, holding a book in his hands as he went over to the coffee maker and poured himself a cup.
"I still say you're way too young to be drinking coffee." Sonic teased as he put the dogs in the buns and laced them with chili and cheese.
Tails shrugged. "Yeah, and you eat way too many chili dogs a day, so go figure." He said, sitting down at the kitchen table and sipping his coffee.
"Says the kid who also keeps a secret stash of mints under his bed." Sonic said, putting the chili dogs on the plates and carrying them over to the table.
Tails nearly spat out his coffee. "You found that?!"
Sonic smiled knowingly. "You know you can't hide anything from me." He said, already taking his first bite into his chili dog.
Tails sighed, placing his coffee mug on the table. "I really can't, can I?"
"Nope!" Sonic smiled, his mouth popping at the end of the sentence. "Eat up, bud, I know you're hungry."
Tails didn't argue as he picked up his chili dog and took a bite. "Mmmm…" He hummed pleasantly, the taste of the dog washing away his negativity as a smile spread across his lips. "Your chili dogs are always the best."
"Yeah, because I didn't use a spork to cook them." Sonic teased, earning himself a faceful of napkin from the kit.
"Soniiiiic!" Tails giggled embarrassingly. "That only happened one time!"
Sonic laughed as he pulled the napkin out of his face. "So, you got any plans today?"
Tails hummed as he finished his chili dog. "Well, I was planning on doing some routine maintenance on the Tornado, but we can do something together." He smiled, more than happy to spend time with his big brother.
"Rocking!" Sonic grinned. "We could have a picnic with Amy, actually, wait, maybe not that." He grimaced, to which Tails giggled. "Maybe tea with Vanilla and Cream? Oh! Maybe we could see if Knuckles is up for anything? Oh, or what about meeting Tangle, Whisper, and Jewel at the beach?"
"Sonic!" Tails laughed, holding his stomach a bit. There was just… something about his big brother's enthusiasm that never failed to bring him joy. "That's going a little too fast, even for your standards."
"Well what do you want to do, little bro?" Sonic questioned.
Tails thought for a moment. What should they do today? There wasn't anything in particular that came to mind at the moment. "How about… we just see where this day goes?" He suggested.
"What do you mean?" Sonic blinked in confusion.
"I mean, we just do what we want because we feel like it." Tails clarified.
"Oh, I see." Sonic nodded before he smirked. "Well, right now, I feel like going on a run." He stood up from the table, putting his dish in the sink. "You're welcome to come with me, ya know."
At first, Tails considered declining, but then thought about how he and Sonic hadn't spent that much time together recently. With him being so focused on his projects and Sonic being busy stopping Eggman, the two hardly ever had time to relax and spend time with each other, which made Tails a little sad.
"You know what, sure. Let's go!" Tails exclaimed eagerly, putting his plate into the sink as well before rushing over to the front door to meet his big brother.
Sonic, though initially surprised, was happy at his little bro's decision. "Alright!" He cheered, opening the front door and allowing him and Tails to step outside and take in the fresh morning air.
"Want to race?" Sonic asked.
Tails nodded with a smile. "Sure! Where to?"
"How about… the first one to Station Square buys lunch and ice cream?" Sonic suggested.
"Oh, you're on!" Tails grinned as the two shook hands, agreeing on the bet.
"Okay then!" Sonic smirked as he and Tails prepared themselves. "Ready?"
"Set!" The two tailed fox cub counted down.
"GO!" The brothers shouted simultaneously as they took off via running and flying.
It took only a few minutes, but the brothers eventually reached Station Square, just stopping on one of the sidewalks.
"Aaaaaaand, I win!" Sonic said triumphantly.
Tails panted heavily behind him as he lowered himself to the ground. "Oh… come on…!" He groaned in dismay.
"Still not as fast as me, little bro!" Sonic smirked, sliding his arm around the fox cub's shoulders and pulling him close. "But you are getting there."
Tails perked up. "I am?" He asked eagerly, his earlier exhaustion forgotten as he smiled excitedly at his big brother.
"Yeah!" Sonic smiled, a sense of pride swelling up in his chest. "But, you are still paying for lunch."
Tails let out a playful growl as he pushed his brother off him. "Fine."
As they walked down the sidewalk streets of the city, Tails couldn't help but slip his hand into Sonic's.
Even though he was eight years old and had been becoming more independent, he always felt safe and at ease whenever he was around his big brother. The world could be crumbling to dust all around them, but as long as Sonic was by his side, he knew everything would be okay.
A smile spread across his lips as he and Sonic walked together into a nearby restaurant, being seated down at one of the tables outside.
"Welcome, sirs." The waitress serving them smiled. "Are we ready to order?"
"Yeah, sure!" Sonic smiled as he and Tails looked at the menu. "I think I'll have… the pasta dish with breadsticks."
"And I'll have the beef stew, please." Tails added.
The waitress wrote down their orders before taking the menus, leaving the two brothers alone to themselves.
Tails sighed, leaning back comfortably in seat. "This was a really good idea, Sonic." He said softly, looking out at the city in the bright noon daylight. "It's so beautiful today."
"It really is." Sonic agreed. "Maybe after this, we could go to the park."
Tails beamed joyfully. "I'd love that!"
Sonic chuckled at his brother's cuteness just as their food arrived.
"Here you are, boys." The waitress smiled as she deposited the food on the table. "Hope you enjoy it."
After thanking the waitress, Sonic and Tails dug into their lunch.
"Mmm! This is really good pasta!" Sonic said with a mouthful of pasta. "We'll have to come back here sometime!"
Tails slurped up a spoonful of his beef stew. "I wonder if they have a recipe here?"
Sonic sucked up more of his noodles. "That's something for later, bro. For now, let's enjoy this awesome food!"
"Yeah!" Tails smiled as he and Sonic continued to chow down.
Once they had finished their meal and Tails paid the check, Sonic and Tails headed for the Station Square park.
Walking down the park trail, Sonic and Tails admired the nature of the vibrant green grass and trees, the sky a bright blue as soft white clouds pass through the sky.
Sonic smiled, taking in all the scenery. It was moments like this where Sonic really loved mother nature's natural beauty. Free of all the troubles of the world and just enjoying the peace.
Looking down, Sonic's smile widened as he saw Tails looking around the park with a sense of awe and joy. His sapphire blue eyes filled with stars of innocence that outshined even the brightest sun.
Feeling his heart warm at his little brother's adorableness, Sonic suddenly grasped Tails' hand and pulled him off the trail.
"Whah!" Tails exclaimed in surprise as Sonic pulled him through the trees. "Sonic?"
"Don't worry, buddy. Just follow me!" Sonic grinned, flashing the kit a thumbs up and a wink. A sign of reassurance.
A sign of trust.
Tails smiled as he put his trust in his big brother, grasping his hand and running along with him through the forest of trees.
Soon, Sonic pulled Tails through a patch of tall bushes, leading them from the comforting cool shade given by the trees and giving way to light.
Tails blinked his eyes to adjust them to the sudden brightness. But once they did, they instantly widened as the fox cub let out a soft gasp.
In the clearing was a massive clear lake, with the water so calm that it was flat as it reflected the sky above. The grass around it was smooth and trimmed, like a soft blanket covering the land.
Tails' mouth hung open at the utter beauty of the scenery. "Sonic…" He murmured softly. "What… how… when…?"
Sonic chuckled at his little brother's speechlessness. "Found this place during one of the times I visited here. It's like my own little sanctuary." He then sat down in the grass. "And one that I'm happy to share with you."
Tails, overwhelmed by the radiance of the area, sat down next to his hedgehog brother, not taking his eyes off the lake. "... You really know how to pick a spot." He finally said, smiling happily.
Sonic laughed, pulling Tails into his lap, earning a stream of giggles from the two-tailed fox cub.
Tails sighed, pressing his back to Sonic's chest, his namesakes wrapping around the hedgehog's waist.
Sonic smiled, affectionately petting Tails' head as he held the kit in his lap. "Remember when we used to live like this? Before we got our house?"
Tails nuzzled his head into the crook of Sonic's neck. "Heh, yeah. Those were the days. We'd always be on the move, sleeping under the stars, going wherever we wanted whenever we wanted."
Sonic chuckled. "I remember back then I was always worried about not being able to feed you since we didn't have any money." He sighed. "We were lucky I was famous enough to get enough free food."
"I also still remember those times when you tried to win us more money at Casino Night Zone." Tails remarked. "You'd win tons of rings from the first few games, I'd tell you we had enough but no, you just had to keep going. And then the next game, you'd lose all your rings."
"I'm telling you, I was on a winning streak those times! Those games were rigged, I swear!" Sonic protested indignantly.
"Uh-huh, sure they were." Tails smirked up at his big brother.
Sonic rolled his eyes fondly before he suddenly frowned, looking a little down.
Tails quickly noticed this as he sat. "Sonic?" He asked, now a little worried. "What is it?"
Sonic shrugged. "I don't know." He admitted. "I just… I really wish I could've done better by you, Tails."
Tails tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, I should've taken better care of you." Sonic said solemnly. "I should've made sure you had a home, a real home. A real family…"
Tails placed a finger on Sonic's lip, shutting him up. "Okay, I'm gonna stop you right there." he said sternly. "First of all, you did a great job raising me. There is not a single person, human or mobian, that I can think of who could've raised me better than you, Sonic. No one."
"Second, you are my real family." Tails said, now sitting on his knees in front of Sonic. "Because you're not just my brother. You're my mom. You're my dad. And you're my picket fence."
He then enveloped the hedgehog in a tight, loving hug as he snuggled into his chest. "I've been on so many amazing adventures, with so many amazing memories and friends because of you, Sonic. You're the best thing that ever happened to me."
Sonic smiled softly, hugging the fox cub back. "Aw, bud. I love you too."
The two remained that way for a while, Sonic laying back on the grass with Tails curled up on his peach-furred chest.
As he lay there, Sonic felt Tails' breaths slowing and becoming more even. Lifting his head, he noticed Tails' eyes were closed, with his triangular ears and one of his namesakes occasionally flickering.
Sonic smiled at the adorable sight, tightening his grip on the little fox cub as he closed his eyes, succumbing to the warm embrace of sleep as well.
Rousing from his slumber, Sonic blinked his heavy eyelids open. The sky above had gone from a beautiful afternoon blue to a warm dusk orange.
Still laying in the grass, Sonic raised his head to see Tails still lying spread-eagled on his chest, letting out cute little snores with each breath.
Sonic smiled softly as he raised his hand, affectionately scratching Tails' ear. Tails let out a content purr as he snuggled further into the hedgehog's chest, his arms wrapped around his waist and hugging himself close to his big brother.
As comfortable as he was laying here in the grass with his precious little brother atop him, Sonic knew that it would be dark soon and they had to get home before night set in.
So, with some reluctance, Sonic sat up on the grass, causing Tails to slide into his lap. "Tails. Tails, it's time to go home." He whispered into the little fox's ear.
Tails let out a cute little whine as he blinked his eyes open, still clinging to his big brother.
"I know, bud. But you're not gonna have your beauty sleep tonight well tonight if you sleep here now." Sonic told him. "Think you can make it back on your own?"
"Mm-mm…" Tails tiredly shook his head, burying his face in Sonic's shoulder.
Sonic, in turn, shook his head. "Alright." He said, still smiling as he stood up while carrying Tails in his arms. "Tuck your tails in and make yourself comfortable because here we go!"
With that, Sonic shot off towards home while clutching Tails tightly to his chest, exiting the park and going past the city limits of Station Square.
Following the train tracks, Sonic eventually reached their house at the Mystic Ruins by the time the sun had set over the horizon.
Tails yawned, rubbing his eyes as Sonic deposited him on the ground, now feeling more awake.
Typing in the passcode on the keypad, Sonic unlocked the door, allowing him and Tails to enter their house.
"So, is there anything you want in particular for dinner?" Sonic asked as he closed the door behind him.
Tails shook his head. "Nah, I think a chili dog will do." He said, plopping down on the couch.
Sonic chuckled. "And earlier this morning, you were complaining about how I eat too many chili dogs."
Tails grabbed a pillow from the couch and lazily lobbed it at Sonic. "Shut up!" He smiled, a laugh evident in his young voice.
Sonic chuckled, already walking into the kitchen to start up the stove.
While he was at that, Tails reached for the remote on the table, turning on the TV as he began to surf the different channels.
Eventually, Tails landed on a random action movie with lots of explosions and car chases. While he usually preferred sci-fi or even the occasional fantasy, Tails had also grown to have a soft spot for big dumb action movies like his big brother.
The smell of cooked meat filled the air, drawing Tails' attention as he looked over the coach towards the kitchen, where he could see steam most likely coming from the stove pouring out.
Soon enough, Sonic emerged from the kitchen with two plates of chili dogs in hand.
"Dinner is served, little bro!" Sonic said, sitting down on the coach next to Tails and handing him his plate.
"Thank you, brother-o-mine." Tails said with a posh-accent, taking the plate.
"Your welcome, dear brother." Sonic replied, giving a mock bow before digging into his chili dog.
The two brothers sat there on the couch, watching whatever dumb action movie was on while they ate their dinner.
As he finished his meal, Tails scooted over slightly, leaning against his big brother and snuggling against his shoulder.
Sonic, seeing this, wrapped his arm around Tails' shoulders, pulling him closer and allowing the two to cuddle.
The loud explosions and gunfire from the movie was drowned out into background noise as Sonic and Tails lay there together in silence for several minutes, neither one feeling prompted to speak for a while.
"... Sonic?" Tails finally spoke up, his eyes droopy with exhaustion.
"Hmm?" Sonic stirred, raising his head slightly to look down at the little fox. "What?"
"Do you think we'll be friends forever?" Tails asked innocently.
The question gave Sonic pause as he stared into his little brother's innocent blue eyes, so full of childlike wonder and pureness.
It reminded Sonic that even though Tails was a prodigy with a 300 IQ and had helped him save the world so many times, he was still 8 years old.
"I think we will." Sonic answered, nuzzling his forehead against Tails'.
Tails giggled at his big brother's affection. "You really think so?"
"I do." Sonic smiled warmly. "Taking you in was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life."
Tails smiled tearfully at his big brother's words. He remembered how for the longest time, he thought he'd be alone forever. His parents weren't around and everyone hated him because of his two tails.
But then he met Sonic.
Someone who showed him kindness and warmth. Someone who appreciated his gifts instead of scorning him for them. Someone who treated him like family instead of an outcast.
It was almost like he had learned to live for the first time.
Tails pulled himself into Sonic's lap, nuzzling into the crook of his neck, a few tears of joy leaking out as he beamed happily. "Thanks, Sonic. You're the best thing that ever happened to me."
Sonic chuckled, his heart warming at his baby brother's words as he wrapped his arms around the two-tailed fox cub and hugged him tightly.
"I'm really glad you're here, Tails." He whispered softly, affectionately resting his chin on Tails' head.
"I'm glad I'm here too, Sonic." Tails whispered, hugging Sonic back.
The brothers remained in their tight embrace, feeling everything else in the world fade away except for their love and care for each other.
Eventually, Sonic let out a tired yawn. "I think it's time we hit the hay, bud." He said, pulling away from the hug as he stood up and turned off the TV.
Tails let out a silent whine at the loss of contact. "Okay." He yawned as well, his tails spinning and lifting him off the ground as he followed his big brother upstairs towards the bathroom.
After brushing their teeth, Sonic and Tails were about to go off to their separate rooms when Tails suddenly grabbed Sonic's arm.
"Sonic?" Tails spoke up.
"Yeah?" Sonic responded, turning to face his little brother.
"... Can you… tuck me in, please?" Tails asked timidly, his cheeks blushing in minor embarrassment.
Sonic smirked, gently ruffling Tails' bangs. "Sure, buddy."
Sonic then guided Tails into his room, the little fox kicking off his shoes and climbing onto the bed before Sonic gently draped the blanket over him.
"Goodnight, Tails." Sonic smiled softly, leaning in and kissing Tails on the forehead between the ears. "I love you."
"Love… you too… big bro." Tails murmured, already drifting off to sleep.
Sonic chuckled at his little brother's cuteness as he was about to exit the room when he noticed Tails twitching and turning in the bed.
The little fox's face was scrunched up while his eyes were tightly shut, a whimper escaping his throat as it was clear he was having a nightmare.
Knowing what he had to do, Sonic quietly tip-toed over to Tails' bed, climbing up onto it and pulling Tails into a cuddling hug.
Tails immediately relaxed as his breath evened out. He sighed contently as he snuggled into the hedgehog's warm, comforting embrace.
Sonic smiled warmly as he curled protectively around the fox cub, making sure that no one would be able to touch his sweet, innocent little brother.
He only felt truly relaxed once he felt Tails had finally fallen asleep peacefully.
Sonic lovingly kissed Tails on the forehead once again before he too fell asleep, with his little brother, his kid, safe in his arms.
Another day come and gone.
