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The warm, summer air wafted through the open window of a quiet workshop resting on the outer edge of the Mystic Ruins, the ocean waters crashing against the mountainside below the flat plateau. Save for the rustling of the wind, and the chirping of flickys from the nearby trees, only the sound of pencil lead against paper could be heard within.
With his tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth, Miles “Tails” Prower fluttered his twin namesakes as he carefully sketched a basic schematic for his next project.
Only something wasn’t right.
The orange kitsune reached a gloved paw toward the adjustable overhead light, turning up its brightness against the blue paper below. Twirling his pencil with one hand, and itching his furry chin with the other, he leaned in closer as his eyes adjusted to the added light. Using a curved ruler, he carefully dragged the led across the paper. Pulling his hands away, he adjusted the ruler as he prepared to create another line. Straining his eyes, he squinted as his head edged closer to the desk.
“Owww…” Setting his pencil down, the young fox rubbed a single hand against his forehead, pushing his three locks of unkept hair toward his triangular ears as he slouched back against his chair. “Another headache…it feels like my head’s spinning.” Sighing to himself, Tails pushed the seat back and lifted himself up. “Well, time for some more medicine!” As he headed for the door connecting the workshop with his abode, however, he tripped over a gray toolbox laying on the floor.
Tails fell face-first, bumping his forehead against the ground and scraping his knees against the concrete surface.
“That wasn’t smart, owww…” The orange kitsune kept one hand against his upper face as he peered down at his knees, a few drops of blood seeping through his floofy hair.
“Tails?” The young fox twisted around to find Sonic the Hedgehog standing at the doorway. The blue blur stepped forward and dropped to a single knee, placing a gloved hand against his head. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“I’m fine, Sonic.” Tails brought his knee toward him to better inspect the light wound.
“You’re hurt!” Sonic exclaimed. “Here, lemme get somethin’ to clean that up.”
“I said I’m—” Before the young kitsune could object further, however, his older, adoptive brother was gone, only to return a few moments later with a washcloth, a bottle of ointment, and an adhesive bandage. “I can manage myself, Sonic.” Tails looked up at the blue hedgehog as he brought the damp cloth toward his knee.
“I know,” Sonic replied, giving Tails a warm smile, “I jus’ wanna help is all. Now this may sting a little…”
“Yeoww!” Tails exclaimed, his gloved fingers gripping the floor below as Sonic cleaned the small layer of blood over the wound. Once the blue hedgehog was satisfied, he applied a light coating of ointment to the scrape, causing the orange kitsune to wince. Finally, Sonic unwrapped the bandage and affixed it to the wound, pressing down against the entire strip with his fingers for a few moments before releasing his grip.
“Thanks, Sonic.” Tails looked up at his older brother.
“Not a problem, buddy.” Sonic gave the fox a thumbs up before pulling himself up and reaching a hand down for him to grab. Accepting the assist, Tails allowed his older sibling to pull him up before sitting down at his desk chair and rubbing his temple once more.
“Another headache?” Sonic asked, pulling in a nearby chair and sitting down next to the orange kitsune.
“Yeah,” Tails replied, chuckling nervously as he scratched the back of his head. “I was about to get some pain killers when I tripped over that toolbox.” Miles pointed toward the gray toolkit on the floor.
“You know it’s bright as day in here, right?” Sonic gave his younger brother a concerned look. “And this isn’t the first time, too.”
“I know. I guess I got a little clumsy is all.” He nervously chuckled once more as Sonic folded his arms.
“I know you’re a klutz sometimes, pal, but I can’t even count how many times you’ve banged something up in the last few weeks alone.”
“I said I’m fine.” Sonic looked over at his younger brother once more, slightly taken aback by his terse response. The blue hedgehog observed quietly as Tails resumed rubbing his palms against his forehead.
“I’ll tell ya what,” Sonic rolled his chair closer to the young fox, “I’ll go n’ grab ya some medicine, and then we can run n’ get some ice cream. Maybe that’ll help ya feel better?”
“Oh boy, would it!” Tails exclaimed, jumping out of his chair as his namesake fluttered, seemingly forgetting about the pain emanating from his head.
“Just sit tight while I fetch the meds, okay?”
“All right!” Tails replied with a warm smile.
Sonic returned with a cup of water and a pill bottle to find the young kitsune slouched against his seat once more. Reaching out to grab the contents, Tails shook two of the capsules from the bottle and plopped them into his mouth, taking a quick swig before swallowing them whole. Sighing to himself, he got up and stretched his legs. “I’ll go prep the Tornado.”
“Actually,” Sonic replied with a grin on his face, “I have a better idea.”
“Oh?” Tails stopped midway to his biplane and turned around. Getting down to a single knee, Sonic pointed toward his spiny back. “Ohhhh.” A lightbulb went off in the orange kitsune’s head as he realized Sonic’s plan. Chuckling to himself, he climbed up the blue hedgehog’s back, resting either leg over his older sibling’s chest as he wedged himself behind his neck, clasping his hands against his blue quills for support.
Opening the large garage door leading out to a runway landing strip toward the edge of the mountainside, Sonic ran out and took a sharp right, circling the abode before stepping into the small dirt path leading into the forest beyond.
The blue hedgehog ran through the steep hills of the neighboring zone, clasping his hands around the orange fox’s legs with a wide smile on his face. Tails was equally happy, his arms up in the air as if he were on a rollercoaster as his namesakes waved like twin flags in the wind.
“Hey Tails,” Sonic peered up at his younger brother, whose locks of hair were blowing back over his head, “mind if I step it up a bit?”
“Not at all!” Tails gave the blue blur a thumbs up.
“All righty, then, brace yourself.” Furrowing his brow, Sonic increased his speed, leaving a streak of blue behind as the hilly trail gave way to flat lands. “How’s this?” the blue hedgehog asked, peering up at Tails once more.
“It’s perfect!” A large smile formed across his muzzle. “I feel so alive! It’s much better when someone else is putting in the leg work!”
“Heh, I guess we can agree to disagree there!” He laughed out loud as he shifted his gaze.
“Yo,” Sonic pointed to his right, getting Tails to look down at the mountainside the path was now traveling along, a small city in the distance below, “we could get there sooner if you fly us. What d’ya say?”
“Sure thing!” Tails replied. “Now hold on tight…” Furrowing his brow, he activated his rotary namesakes, lifting Sonic from the ground as he was still running. Turning to the right, the flying fox descended down the mountain as Sonic kept a firm grasp on his legs.
Passing over the winding road traveling up the mountainside, the duo eventually found themselves in a forest just outside the town. Setting the blue hedgehog down, Tails reached up for a high five, which Sonic reciprocated. Turning toward the city, Sonic led the small pack. The elder sibling stopped, however, when he heard a crash from behind. Turning around, he gasped at what he saw.
Tails clasped his forehead, leaves and small twigs raining against him as he moaned in pain. The thin branch protruding from the tree in front of him was still swaying from the impact.
“Tails!” Sonic ran over to his younger brother. “Are you okay, little buddy?”
“Did…someone get…the…number…on that…biplane?” He was in a daze, stepping about like a drunkard before falling against his older brother.
Sonic gently steadied the young fox until it was safe to let go.
“Whu…what?” Tails shook himself out of his daze before massaging his sore forehead as he looked around in confusion. “What happened?”
“You walked right into that branch, little bro.” The blue hedgehog pointed toward the tree standing in front of the young fox.
“…Ohh…well…I mean, of course I did! Clumsy ol’ me!” The orange fox placed a gloved hand behind his head as he chuckled nervously.
“We can turn back if you’re not feelin’ well.” Sonic placed his hands against his hips.
“Nah, I’m good.” Tails waved his arms forward as if to shrug off his concern. “Besides, we have a mission to fulfill. To the ice cream!” The orange fox pointed upward as a look of determination filled his face. Marching forward, passing by his older brother, Miles walked right into another branch, this one winding back with enough force to push the unsuspecting kitsune off his feet. Sonic dove forward, ensuring Tails’ head fell against his gloved palms instead of the grass below.
“I’m not sure I’m very convinced.” Sonic pulled Tails up once more. “Maybe we should go home.”
“But what about ice cream?” Tails’ eyes began to glisten as his lips trembled.
“Ahhh, well…” Sonic turned away as he ran a hand through his blue quills, knowing full well that he couldn’t resist Tails’ iteration of the classic ‘puppy dog eyes’.
“Okay, we can get ice cream if you follow me closely.” Sonic raised a gloved finger forward for emphasis.
“Okay…” Sniffling as he wiped the moisture from his eyes with his furry arm, the orange kitsune nodded his head and proceeded to follow his hedgehog brother out of the forest and into the city. Sonic made sure to use the sidewalk instead of running alongside traffic as usual, and he only crossed the streets when the walk signals turned white. To put his troubled mind at ease, the blue hedgehog clasped Tails’ hand with his own as they walked together through the bustling town.
“Here we are!” Sonic exclaimed, gesturing his arms toward the ice cream shoppe they regularly frequented.
“Ahh, my favorite customers!” exclaimed the Mobian goat at the cash register, gesturing toward Sonic and Tails as they walked through the front door. “Come on in, come on in! We just got done making some new batches.”
“Sounds delightful!” Sonic replied, slowly approaching the front while holding his younger brother’s hand.
“So,” the goat began, cleaning a glass as a smirk appeared across his face, “you’re finally a couple, eh?”
“What do you mean?” Tails asked, bringing his free hand to his chin.
“You’re holding hands, right? That’s usually what couples do.”
“Waita—” Sonic began, but was interrupted by the shoppe owner’s musings.
“It was bound to happen eventually, with how much time y’all spend together and with Amy naggin’ ya all day. I couldn’t be happier for ya!”
“But that’s no—” Tails said but was cut off by the goat.
“And ya made it official just in time for our couple’s special! Significant others get a ‘buy one, get one free’ deal with any purchase of a medium or large ice cream cup or ice cream cone!”
“But ya got it all wr…” Sonic stopped as he processed the goat’s spiel. “So…couples get free ice cream?”
“Yes sir,” The shopkeeper replied, “with the purchase of another treat at equal or lesser value, of course.”
“All right then,” Sonic replied, a grin appearing on his face, “consider us a couple!” Sonic pulled in his little brother with his right arm around his shoulder.
“But we’re no—” Tails’ correction was cut off by a palm against his lips.
“What he’s trying to say,” Sonic said, nudging the oblivious fox with his right elbow, “is that we’d love some free ice cream because we’re such a loving couple, right, sweetie?” The blue hedgehog pulled his hand away from Tails’ mouth.
“Oh, ummm…” Tails itched the back of his head, visibly uncomfortable. “Sure…yes, happy couple right here.” He put on a fake smile, inadvertently displaying his teefies for added pseudo-authenticity.
“Okay, then,” the shopkeeper replied, not at all phased by the brotherly duo’s unusual behavior. “What can I getcha?”
“I’ll take the usual,” Sonic replied, flashing a peace sign.
“Comin’ right up!” The goat scooped a large serving of vanilla ice cream with chocolate chunks and caramel drizzle into a waffle cone before scooping a separate serving of fudge-flavored ice cream and placing it over the first one. The shopkeeper completed the triple-decker cone with a scoop of strawberry ice cream on top.
“Here ya are.” The goat handed the cone to the blue hedgehog.
“Thank you!” He started licking the ice cream as he watched Tails read the sign above. His tongue stopped mid-lick when he realized his younger brother was having a difficult time reading the menu; the kitsune’s eyes were squinted, and his facial muscles tense, as he struggled to read the sign dangling from the wall over the shopkeeper’s head.
“I’ll have the…ummm…let’s just go with mint! Yes, three scoops of mint, please!” The young fox flashed three fingers with a smile on his face. “Can’t go wrong with that, right Sonic?”
“I suppose not,” Sonic replied, licking the ice cream dripping down his waffle cone as the goat prepared the fox’s dessert. Paying with his credit card, Tails collected the receipt as the goat handed him his cone before the duo headed to a nearby table to enjoy their fast-melting ice cream, with Sonic’s mind preoccupied with more than just the treats before them.
Tails sat at his computer desk, typing away as he stared at the bright screen illuminating his dark bedroom. Turning his head away from the monitor, the young kitsune rested his face against his palms held up by his elbows planted on the desk.
“My head…why does it hurt so much?” Groaning to himself, the young fox grew silent when he heard a knock at his door.
“C’mon in,” Tails said, swiftly removing his hands from his forehead and putting on a smile.
“How ya doin’, buddy?” Sonic asked as he stepped toward the bed and sat down.
“Fine.” Tails got up and stretched his arms. “Just gonna get some water.”
“Before you do that…we should have a little talk.” Sonic’s expression grew serious as he patted the side of the bed, beckoning his little brother to join him.
“Sure.” Shrugging, the orange fox sat down next to the blue hedgehog. “What’s up? Is there something wrong.”
“Well…yeah, there is.” Sonic looked away and ran his hand through his blue quills.
“I know when you get nervous, Sonic.” Tails placed a hand against his brother’s leg. “You can be honest with me, it’s okay.”
Gulping, the blue hedgehog continued, “You’ve been acting… a bit strange lately. I think you may have some seeing issues.”
“What?” Tails had visible confusion written over his face. “Are you saying I have a vision problem?”
“Yeah,” Sonic replied in a low voice. “I was unsure at first. It is pretty normal for you to bump your head n’ whatnot in the workshop,” Tails gave a small smile with a light blush over his muzzle as he looked away, “but it’s gettin’ worse, Tails. Trippin’ over large objects, runnin’ into those branches…you couldn’t even read the menu at the ice cream shoppe today.”
“Trust me, Sonic,” Tails replied, patting the blue hedgehog’s leg, “I’m fine. I’ve just…been having some headaches as of late. Totally normal!” Tails put on a fake smile once more as he gave his older brother a thumbs up. Instead of returning it, though, Sonic placed his palm over the fox’s fist and gently pushed it down.
“No, Tails,” Sonic replied, closing his eyes as he shook his head, “this is not normal.”
“What would you know about vision issues, anyway?” Tails asked as he furrowed his brow. “You’re not a doctor.”
“Neither are you, ya know.” Sonic crossed his arms.
“But still! You just don’t know what you’re talking about! I’m fine! Don’t you trust me?” Tears began to form in the fox’s eyes.
“I do trust ya, lil’ guy.” Sonic patted the orange fox’s shoulder. “I just…wanna make sure, for our own sakes.” Jumping off the bed, the blue hedgehog flicked on the light, forcing Tails to cover his eyes from the sudden change in brightness. Sonic affixed a small poster against the bedroom door with tape before turning to face his younger brother once more.
“Now, what I’d like you to do is stand up and face the sign right…here.” Sonic pointed to a spot several feet away from the door, tapping the carpet with his sneaker. “Trust me, I found a guide online. This is sure to work!”
“Okay…” Drying his eyes with his furry arm, the fox jumped off the bed and faced the sign. “Now what?”
“I want you to read each letter, starting with the top row. Think you can do that for me?”
“Sure…” Nodding to his older brother, Tails read the poster. “E…A…T…U…V…W…this is easy!” A smile grew over his face.
“Try reading the middle row.” Sonic folded his arms as he watched Tails’ facial muscles begin to tighten.
“W…A…C…U…4…9?” Tails looked over at the blue hedgehog with a puzzled expression.
“Not even close, buddy.” Sonic pulled the poster from the door. “U, U, B, D, R, T.”
“Oh…” Tails’ eyes wandered to the floor below.
“Tails, I know you’re smarter than this. You knew that you had vision problems the entire time, didn’t you?” Sonic approached the orange fox as he watched his downcast face tilt up, the fox’s eyes looking into his own.
“Mmmhmmm…” Tails slowly nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Sonic asked with his hands against his hips. “We could’ve gone to a doctor together, maybe getcha some glasses.”
“I know, Sonic…” Tails’ eyes began to glisten once more as a small tear fell through his furry muzzle. “It’s just that…well…”
“You can tell me, lil’ guy…” Sonic approached the sad fox and placed a gloved hand against his shoulder.
“I’ll be even more like a freak!” Tails shouted as his arms trembled and his fists clenched. The sudden shout caused the blue hedgehog to step back a few paces.
“A freak?” Sonic asked as he straightened his legs.
“Yeah…” Tails eyed his sneakers once more. “I was already made fun of for my…well…these…” He looked back as he fluttered his namesakes. “And now I’ll have another reason for people to laugh at me? No thanks…”
“Ohhh…” Sonic ran a gloved hand through his quills, remembering the stories Tails told of how he was relentlessly bullied before their chance meeting long ago. “But you know you’ll never see them again, right? They can’t bully you when you’re no longer in contact with them.”
“It’s just…” Tails closed his eyes, trying unsuccessfully to stop the stream of tears pouring down his face, “it’s just so hard, Sonic. Every time I think about getting glasses, I can’t shake those memories out of my head.”
“It’ll be okay.” Sonic approached the distressed kitsune and gave him a hug. Frozen for a few moments, Tails reciprocated, wrapping his arms around Sonic’s back as his tears dripped down his chest. “Sure it’ll be difficult at first, but I’m sure you’ll get used to it, and besides,” Sonic pulled his head back slightly, allowing Tails to look up at him, “when you’re feelin’ sad, I’ll be here to help ya every step of the way!”
“…Thanks, Sonic…” Sniffling as he wiped his nose with his arm, the fox gently pulled himself from Sonic’s embrace and sat down on the bed once more.
“No prob!” Sonic gave him a thumbs up, which he returned in-kind. “We’ll getchu in first thing tomorrow. Sound good?”
“…Yeah.” Tails nodded his head, looking up at the blue hedgehog with a smile on his face.
“Radical!” Sonic’s gaze wandered from Tails’ eyes to the clock hanging against the far wall. “Ah geez, it’s almost past my bedtime! Gotta wake up bright n’ early tomorrow, after all.” Heading toward the door, and resting his finger against the light switch, he looked at the orange kitsune from the corner of his eye. “G’night, Tails.”
“Good night, Sonic.”
The blue hedgehog switched off the light and closed the door on his way out. Yawning, Tails shut down his computer, removed his sneakers, and buried himself under the comforter, wrapping his body with his namesakes for extra warmth as he slowly drifted off into dreamland.
Tails looked up at the morning sky. The sunlight filled him with a sense of vigor and determination as he began his morning chore:
Washing the Tornado.
Guiding the biplane to the runway connecting Tails’ workshop with the mountainside precipice, he stopped the majestic, albeit muddy aircraft in place. Returning to the garage, he brought back various supplies: a hose, a soapy bucket, and multiple microfiber cloths. The orange kitsune aimed the hose against the metal siding and pulled the trigger.
“Ahh!” Water splashed against the side of the aircraft and drenched the young fox’s face.
Releasing the trigger, Tails sighed as he set down the hose and removed his new glasses. Grabbing a towel, he dried them off thoroughly and put them back on, a smile returning to his face as he observed the crisp detail of the aircraft thanks to his new eyewear. The lenses were slim and rectangular, surrounded by a blue frame that matched his eyes.
“I need to be more careful next time.” Tails scratched the back of his head with his wet hand, causing water to drip down his back. He shivered at the feeling. “Second note to self,” Tails grabbed another towel and wiped his back, “I just need to be more aware in general.”
“Your words, not mine!”
“Huh?” Tails spun around to find the blue hedgehog, a picnic basket in one hand and a blanket in the other. “What’s all this?”
“Well, I figured you’d enjoy a bit of a breather, so I made lunch!” Sonic raised the wicker basket to eye level. Pushing his glasses closer to his face from his black nose, Tails nodded with a warm smile.
“Let’s say we take this over there.” Sonic pointed to a patch of grass near the abode.
“Sure thing!” Tails finished drying his hands and left his supplies to sit in the hot sun as they set up their picnic; Sonic unfurled the blanket as Tails plucked out each of the items in the box, laying them neatly against the cloth surface.
“Let’s see…” Tails said to himself. “Looks like you packed…12 chili dogs…” He gestured to the aluminum-foil wrapped dogs. “…4 cans of grape soda…some chips…and…” Tails’ eyes glistened as he pulled out the last remaining item.
“A box of Mobian Scout™ mint chocolate chip cookies! My favorite!” Tails ripped the lid open and tipped the box over his mouth, allowing a few cookies to land within before setting the box down. Happily munching on the delectable cookies, he snagged a soda, cracked it open, and took a swig, allowing the carbonated goodness to clear his mouth of mint cookie residue.
“Hey Tails!” Sonic unwrapped one of the chili dogs and placed it in his palm. “Watch this.” Smirking, he threw the hot dog several meters into the air and caught it in his mouth, chewing with his mouth open as Tails contorted his face.
“Gross…but impressive…eight points.”
“Eimghh Pgnntt?!” Sonic exclaimed, his words muffled by the food in his mouth.
“Yep, judge’s words are final.” Tails crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and nodded his head. Snapping his fingers, the blue hedgehog cracked open a cold one with the boi and took several large gulps, allowing him to better swallow the chili dog before belching loudly.
“…okay, seven points.”
“Seven points!” Sonic exclaimed in faux offense. “What for?”
“You know what you did,” Tails replied with a smile on his face. They laughed merrily as they each reached for another chili dog, devouring several in mere minutes.
“Hey Tails,” Sonic began, looking over at the orange kitsune across the blanket, “I gotta surprise for ya.”
“Oh really?” Tails replied, his namesakes fluttering from behind, his interest clearly piqued.
“Yep! Butcha gotta close your eyes.”
“Okay,” Tails replied with some giggles. Removing his glasses, the young fox placed either palm against his corresponding eyelids. Twitching his triangular ears, he noted the sound of shuffling coming from the blue hedgehog followed by the click of some sort of container.
“All right, Tails. You can open your eyes now.” Tails did as he was told, putting on his glasses to reveal his older brother before him.
“Woah!” Tails exclaimed, pointing at Sonic’s face. “But…why? How?”
“I take it you like ‘em?” Sonic asked, taking off his blue-rimmed eyewear.
“Well yeah, but…do you have astigmatism, too?”
“Nah,” Sonic put his glasses back on and leaned back, propping himself up with his arms, “m’ eyesight is 20/20.”
“Then…why?” Tails asked, a look of confusion strewn across his face.
“It’s simple,” Sonic closed his eyes, a smile on his face, “if you’re ever feelin’ down about your glasses, I’ll always have my own pair to help ya feel cool. We’ll be like glasses buddies!”
Launching himself forward, Tails hugged the unsuspecting hedgehog, who almost lost his balance.
“Th…thank you.”
“Thanks for what?” Sonic asked, removing one arm from behind his back to rub Tails’ head as tears ran from the kitsune’s eyes against his chest.
“For everything…” Tails looked up at his older brother with glistening eyes, tears of joy dripping through his muzzle.
“Hey…that’s what best bros are for, right?” Sonic asked, winking at the orange kitsune below.
“Right!” Tails nodded with a wide smile.
“Now let’s clean up those tears,” Sonic ran a gloved hand through the fox’s muzzle, drying it as best he could, “and get back to those chili dogs! I’m still starvin’!”
Sharing a good, hearty laugh, Tails gently pulled himself away from the blue hedgehog and returned to his side of the blanket.
“Cheers!” The two clanged the ends of their hot dogs together as they took a big bite of their respective meals, enjoying each other’s company as they finished the last of the chili dogs.
Hope y’all liked this short little, fluffy oneshot! I would like to thank Guillotine, Pantalion, Mulberri, Leodragon678, TecMiles, PigSquid, Admiral Miles Prower/Cy-Fox, A Tomato, and TheIncredibleDogBoy over on the r/MilesPrower Discord server for offering ideas, feedback, and encouragement! Special shoutouts to my spouse for proofreading this fic, as they do for all my works. Thanks, sweetie! :D
My two ongoing stories, A Prelude to Chaos Control and Tails and the Abandoned Fox Cubs , are still on schedule. Check out my FFN profile to see my most current posting timeline.
Have any thoughts, comments, or critiques? Feel free to leave a review or shoot me a DM via FFN or Discord!