Since it's been too long (so sorry), here's a summary of the last few chapters:
Tails, after having a nightmare, catches Tom moving their beanbags to the attic, discovering, in the process, the surprise of him and Sonic moving in together (Tails promises to keep it a secret). At the same time, Tom has a heart-to-heart with Tails. Then, Wade suggests Sonic and Tails play Minecraft anonymously with Green Hills in his cousin's group. Although Sonic was unsure and apprehensive at first, he eventually decided both of them would join (Sonic and, especially, Tails needs it ðŸ˜ðŸ˜)
A few days pass, and, as a way for Sonic not to find out, Tom and Maddie decide that, while Tom would bring Sonic and Tails to a nearby park, in Green Hills at night (so no one would find out), Maddie and Wade were going to bring everything to the cave. However, (Crazy) Carl finds them at the park, and Sonic ends up full-on panicking, goes to the cave, and is considering leaving Earth, while Tom is ready to explain everything to Carl, and he can only hope he will understand...
This chapter starts right after...
Hello everyone, how is it hanging? I'm finally back 3
I apologize for taking so long, but school really kicked my butt lol. The happy news, tho? I'm finally fully done with school :D So that's great 3
Still, I hope you enjoy this chapter :3
Sonic ran immediately to the cave, as his son covered one of his ears awkwardly.
He needed to go to their cave and calm down.
He should have been honest with Tails from the start. Maybe then Tom and Maddie wouldn't have been wrapped in this mess because of him.
Why did he keep messing things up? Why couldn't he barely do anything, right?
He didn't even know if they had to go to the Mushroom Planet… There was no way he wanted that to happen…
He didn't want to leave everything behind.
Especially when things were finally looking up.
What kind of childhood would Tails even have on that… disgusting planet?
Would everything be okay? He didn't know... He just needed to sit down, talk with his kid (maybe with Tom and Maddie, too), and make a decision…
After a few seconds, which felt like hours, he was in their cave, except . . . everything was gone. His eyes scan the familiar surroundings, now filled with scattered remnants.
"Where is everything? Does-does anyone else know about us?" Sonic panicked, as he ran away, at an impressive speed, across the cave, looking desperately at any spot that could give any kind of glimpse of something remaining at their cave.
Who could've stolen their stuff?
Sonic's eyes widen in shock as he realizes who could've done it.
"What if Crazy Carl was the one who did this?! He must have the rings, Tails! We ne—"
"Dad," Tails interrupted, placing a small hand on Sonic's arm.
Sonic looked down at his son, frustration melting into concern when he saw Tails' downcast eyes.
He was looking down in a way Sonic knew all too well.
Tails felt like he had something bad… and it only made sense for it to be related to whoever took their stuff away.
But how could his kid even know?
"What is it, lil' buddy?" Even if it had nothing to do with it. Tails needed him. He could spare a few minutes of his time… even if they were in danger...
Sonic was going to protect his kid with his life. Tails was his kid, and Sonic would be damned if he let anyone or anything tear him away from him.
"It wasn't Crazy Carl…" His kid looked so guilty.
His son was a good kid, but he sometimes feared Sonic would get mad and leave him, a lingering anxiety from his time in that awful village (especially with his… biological parents). Sonic sometimes wanted to teach the whole village a lesson, but not only would it be dangerous, but it would also be against what Longclaw told him to do and against his morals.
"Why do you think that?" Sonic asked gently, as he pushed aside the possible danger they could be in. Tails' emotional well-being was more important, after all. And, besides, he was fast, after all. He could get out of the cave in no time.
His kid really helped him calm down and think more rationally, without even trying, didn't he?
"I think you're going to get mad if I tell you…" Tails replied quietly, as he looked ashamed, while Sonic got closer to his son.
The emotional wounds all of those… creatures inflicted in Tails were still so present…
But as those parenting books had said, with time, Tails would get better and better. He had already improved so much. When Sonic first found him, Tails would always flinch whenever Sonic approached him from behind without warning.
Now he never did that.
"Buddy, look at me." Sonic suggested it kindly. His son looked up as Sonic held Tails' hands gently. "I'm sure I'm not going to be mad, lil' buddy. Whatever it may be. In fact, I never get mad at you, and I ain't planning on changing that, alright?" Tails nodded, as he gave a brief but sincere smile. "And I'm never going to leave you, alright? Don't ever forget that."
"I know… Thanks, dad." Tails smiled sincerely. Sonic will repeat time and time again how much Tails means to him, until his kid doesn't need it anymore.
"So, what was it that you wanted to tell the coolest dad about?" Sonic joked slightly. When he did it, It always helped Tails to relax and chill.
"Uhm…" Tails looked down briefly, rubbing his hands slowly to distract himself. "It was Tom and Maddie, with Wade's help, who did it... I promised Tom I wouldn't tell you… it-it was a surprise."
What? Did Tom and Maddie… want them to live at their house?
At least, Crazy Carl didn't actually know their cave, so that was a relief.
But did Donut Lord and Pretzel Lady want them in the family way or in the roommate way?
Nevertheless, Sonic would be lying if he said that didn't make him happy—ecstatic even. But a small part of him wondered if, somehow or in some way, he (and Tails) would lose them…
What if, one day, they were just... gone? What if he and his son would become alo-
"… please don't be mad." Tails said, after a moment of silence, Sonic hadn't even noticed... Of course, his kid thought he was mad. Like his kid could ever actually make him mad.
The worst thing he ever did was forget to say 'thank you'... literally. He had the best and coolest kid ever, (and a small part of that was thanks to his village… which was definitely more bitter than sweet. Sonic genuinely wished Tails was a bit more 'rebellious', since it meant Tails would have to have a better past)
"I'm not mad, kiddo, really." Sonic said, breaking the silence as the little kit let out a breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding. "It's just . . . why did they do it?"
"So we could live with them, Dad!" Tails replied excitedly, his tails wagging as if they had a will of their own.
Cute.
But, wait, they wanted him and Tails… to live with them… in the same house?
Sonic, deep down, had denied and doubted the possibility of them becoming a family, of them living together because…
He was afraid Tom and Maddie would be gone… just like Longclaw.
That it would've been him and Tails all on their own again.
But now... this overshadowed his fear.
That wasn't going to happen… He, somehow, or in some way, wasn't going to let it happen, and, maybe, just maybe, they were going to become a family...
"They actually want us there! Isn't that cool, da-"His tails stopped wagging, immediately. "it… would be if Carl hadn't found us…"
Now that Sonic was calmer, he could see things more clearly. Carl tried for more than a decade to prove Sonic existed…
Yet, Carl never convinced anyone of the truth.
He was called Crazy Carl for a reason (which he definitely didn't deserve, though neither did Sonic with Carl's, to be fair, easy-to-escape traps).
But Carl trusted Tom… And, perhaps, Tom could convince him they were trustworthy…
Carl knowing about Tails made him uneasy… and maybe he was being a bit overprotective, but the kid was four. There was no way he wasn't going to protect his kid with his life.
But the thing is, he has powers that weren't fully explored because of his necessity of hiding (one of the few cons of Green Hills). He hadn't even realized he had untrained power, until his kid, one night at the cave, pointed out his quills sparking slightly, after Tails told him about his… village, and the anger and sadness he felt triggered his powers.
His kid was really curious. So, after a lot of persistence from Tails, they decided to experiment with his powers a bit, going into 'Shazam' mode, but not completely. Sonic couldn't risk anyone discovering their secret.
Nevertheless, his speed was the only thing he was an expert at. So, if anything ever happened… he would just run.
Like Longclaw told him to...
But, at the same time, Sonic couldn't imagine what kind of childhood Tails would have on a planet full of mushrooms.
So the Mushroom Planet… would be the last thing he and his son would go to…
He had no idea if Longclaw would agree with everything he had been doing. But, deep down, throughout all these years, he had always wondered if she had been wrong. If he could have more than a life of solitude and isolation.
But then Tails appeared. And his life got way better. But he still yearned for something more. He just hoped that he and Tails wouldn't bother them...
But if that were the case, then why would they want to live with him and Tails?
But he had to go back to Tom and M, no… their house and talk with Tom and Maddie before they even decided anything.
Especially since Tails and he were finally going to interact with other kids—something he had wanted for so long.
The blue blur just hoped and believed he wasn't letting Longclaw down… She had been wrong about a few things, after all. There were humans who were trustworthy…
He just hoped Carl could become part of them…
Sonic, with Tails, sped up to their house, the wind whipping through their quills and fur as they approached the familiar sight.
As they reached the porch, they were met by Maddie, who waved at them with a reassuring smile. Sonic slowed to a stop, and Tails, clutching his father's hand, looked up at Maddie.
"Hey, Blue," Maddie greeted, her voice calm and steady. "How are you holding up?"
Sonic took a deep breath, glancing at Tails before replying. "A bit nervous, to be honest. Carl knowing about us… it's a lot to take in."
Maddie nodded, understanding evident in her eyes. "Tom called and told me he had a long talk with Carl. He gets it. He knows how important it is to keep this a secret. He promised he wouldn't tell anyone."
"Thanks, Pretzel Lady." Sonic's shoulders relaxed slightly at Maddie's words. "That makes me feel a bit better."
Carl now knew about him and his son, which was truthfully quite scary. Even though Carl promised to keep it a secret, he still worried if Carl would honor his word. The thought of anyone else knowing, besides Tom, Maddie, and Wade, made him incredibly anxious.
"Oh, and I…" Sonic rubbed his back softly. "... already know about the surprise." Maddie's eyes widened slightly. She was obviously surprised. But she didn't interrupt him. "I was already kinda freaking out when I got to our cave, and then, when I saw nothing there, Tails had to tell me about it." Sonic stopped for a second, before looking more serious. Something rather rare for Sonic. "Thank you. I-we appreciate it a lot." He smiled, gratitude evident on his face.
"You're welcome, boys." Maddie's smile widened. "How about we head inside? Wade is still finishing up some stuff in your attic."
At that moment, Tails' ears drooped as he looked up at Maddie, guilt shadowing his usually bright eyes. His shoulders slumped, and he seemed to struggle with the weight of unspoken words.
Did his kid feel guilty for not keeping it a secret?
Tails was too good for this world.
Maddie kneeled down to his level, her expression soft and kind as she offered a genuine smile. She assured him with a calm voice that she wasn't mad, and that Tom would feel the same (with Sonic agreeing, of course).
Tails' eyes brightened a bit, and he sighed with relief as the tension in his small frame eased.
Eventually, as Wade and Maddie made the final touches to their attic (they were actually going to have an attic, oh my gosh), Tom and Carl came home, with Ozzy barking as he heard Tom's car park.
They had a long conversation. They apologized and thanked each other. And one thing became clear: Sonic was no longer afraid Carl was going to reveal them to Green Hills.
Sonic believed with all his heart that Carl meant it.
In a strange way, allowing Carl to be aware of his existence helped Sonic maintain some sanity and happiness before Tails came into his life. It wasn't… ideal, but it made him feel like he actually existed. At the same time, it helped Carl cope after his wife passed away, even if it wasn't exactly for a good reason.
And, by the end, they were on good terms and actual friends. Who would've thought?
"Aren't you a little too young to be a dad?" Carl had asked him during their conversation when they were getting on better terms, with a mixture of genuine curiosity and bewilderment.
"Maybe…" Sonic had chuckled, enjoying the old man's presence. "But aren't you a little too old to be catching hedgehogs?"
"Touché, kid.." Carl had laughed, shaking his head.
Once the attic was prepared, Wade departed for his work shift and Carl went home to sleep, Sonic and Tails climbed up the ladder to the attic.
Now that everything was resolved, Sonic's worry transformed into one of extreme excitement.
Tom and Maddie wanted Sonic and Tails to live with them…
But was it in the roommate way, or in the family way? He had no idea. But he was very much excited.
Although, he felt a lingering worry in his mind and heart… What if something happened… and Tom and Maddie were… gone?
That didn't matter right now.
He wasn't going to let anything ruin this moment of excitement.
As Sonic and Tails reached the top, their jaws dropped in astonishment.
Everything—all of their possessions—was just… in the right place. And there was new furniture and decorations filling the room.
They… bought new stuff for them? Sonic couldn't help but be incredibly touched, and hopeful for the future (he just had to fully believe he wasn't going to lose them like he lost Longclaw).
There were two beds now. He… he couldn't believe it. One that was a… race car… for him! That looked awesome, and amazing. And he was so happy, oh my the other was Tails' favorite airplane (which had the same color as his fur—blue). His kid loved those kinds of things.
Wait, so that's why they asked Tails a few days ago what his favorite airplane was.
This is… what he has always wanted…
It became reality… and he couldn't be happier.
"Oh, my- Are you kidding me? I can't believe it… This looks amazing!" Sonic was the first one to break the silence, after a few seconds of both assimilating the whole room. He then ran around the room, excitement present in his and his son's expressions, while touching everything and smiling widely.
"This looks so much better than our cave, Tails!" Sonic stopped for a second, then ran all over the attic for a bit more, before jumping on his beanbag and sinking into it.
"Look at my bed, dad! It's my favorite airplane! It's so cool!" Tails' eyes sparkled with joy, his tails wagging furiously.
Tails was totally starstruck.
"It sure is, bud." Sonic smiled warmly at his kid as he got out of his beanbag and got closer to the smiling kit. His kid was so cute.
Tom and Maddie really went all out. Not only did they bring their fixed TV, Tails' toolbox, his books and his aircraft models (that Sonic discovered during the two years with Tails), their radio, their beanbags, and... well, literally all of their stuff!
But what impressed him the most was how… clean and fixed everything looked. Those models of planes that were slightly broken and with the color coming off were fully back in their glory days.
How did they find time to do all of this?
Sonic and Tails, after the initial excitement, thank them tremendously. Both of them were incredibly grateful for all the help and love they had been giving them.
"We thought you guys would like it," Maddie said warmly. "We wanted to make you feel at home."
"You guys are Wachowskis, after all. You deserve more than sleeping on a couch," Tom added, smiling softly as he and Maddie joined them.
He... did he hear them, right?
Were they… actually an agreed-upon family?
"Really? You consider us family?" Sonic couldn't help but ask. He just hoped he had heard things right.
"Of course, blueberry." A name Maddie had been using lately, that he was growing more fond with each passing day. "But if you guys don't consider us family, that's alrig-"
"No, no. I see you guys like that, too." This was actually happening. He couldn't believe it. They didn't consider him just friends…
Tom and Maddie thought of them as family.
It wasn't wishful thinking. They were family, now. Legitimate, agreed-upon family. The feeling was mutual.
It was actually mutual… He couldn't believe it!
Sonic smiled ear to ear. He was so so happy. "I… just didn't think you saw us like that. But I would really like it for us to become a family—love it, in fact!"
Tom and Maddie wanted them to live with them—not just as roommates, but as family. His heart could just burst right now!
"I would love it, too!" His son added, happily, that his two tails were dancing around. Sonic felt a bit guilty for not even considering if Tails felt the same, but he suppressed it at the moment.
To be fair, Sonic wasn't actually expecting… all of this to happen.
Maddie and Tom smiled, and Sonic could swear he saw a glimpse on their faces that screamed: 'Crisis averted'
How was he sure they were thinking that?
Sonic was pretty sure he had made that same expression multiple times. It came with the territory when you had a traumatized kid.
Not that he would have it any other way, of course.
After a minute of them chatting, and Sonic fully internalizing that, yes, they were actually family, Tails asked with a tilt of his head with a mixture of wonder and excitement.
"Wait… does that mean our last names are Watchowski, now?"
"Of course." Tom smiled. Sonic was 99% sure they had 'Watchowski' as their last name, but it still made his heart rejoice even further. "Our last name isn't that bad, is it?" Tom joked with a small grin.
"N-No, not at all!" Tails replied nervously, his tails subconsciously becoming hidden—something he did whenever he got nervous or scared (which, once again, was the fault of that awful village). Tom was obviously joking, but his kid, although a genius, with his insecurities and his work-in-progress self-esteem, sometimes blinded his intelligence. "In fact, I-I love it."
"Kid, I know." Tom said before Tails could go any further. "I was just joking." Tom smiled, reassuringly, making the kit relax.
Thank you, Donut Lord.
"Tails Wachowski does have a nice ring to it." Sonic smiled, looking directly at Tails, letting his love for the kit shine through his green eyes.
His kid smiled, giving a small but full laugh. "Thanks, dad. Sonic Wachowski does sound pretty good, too!"
Sonic smiled as he took in, once again, their attic. This was what he had always wanted.
It had become real. It was reality. It wasn't a dream, a fantasy, or fiction. It wasn't a game of pretend, a twisted, fake play that only existed within Sonic's mind.
It was true. And Sonic couldn't be happier.
But one question remained: What kind of relationship did they have as a family?
Did they see Tails as their son? And if so, how did they view him?
Sooner or later, he would find out, but for now, he was just happy with the life he and his kid had now…
In the next chapter, Sonic and Tails are finally going to be talking to the Green Hills' kids. Look out for that 3
Also, it came to my attention from a comment made in one of my fics that, from the commenter's perspective, my use of italicization was excessive. Obviously, italicization is part of my style; nevertheless, on a technical side, it could definitely be too much. So I was wondering what you guys think about it. Do you think it's too much, or is it fine as it is? (I did tone it down a bit on this chapter, tho)
Oh, and since this fic is gonna make a year in June 25th, I was thinking of updating a new chapter on that same day. I do have some stuff to do, until the start of July, so no promises on that happening, but I'm going to do my best, ofc :)