Chapter Text
The ride back home is quiet, even if most of the passengers are covered in injuries. Tom is patient behind the wheel, trying to not disturb any of the kids present with him. Yet again, he finds himself in a solution almost perfectly similar to when he first found Sonic. There’s a feeling in his chest, almost like nostalgia, and he lets out a soft breath.
In the seat next to him, the fox kid talks, quiet and slow, all while trying to keep his eyes from fluttering close. Tom is surprised to see that Tails is much different from Sonic, and yet they compliment each other perfectly.
The day had been long, too long. The man can see how exhaustion has slowly taken hold of the two tailed fox, noticing how his shoulders have slumped, how his tails have fallen limp, how he blinks much more than before and yawns several times through his sentences.
Sonic is quiet against Tom, head pressed to his dad’s chest for comfort, for warmth and for rest. The sheriff knows the kid’s body is sore, and he is gentle when he pulls Sonic closer to him, keeping an arm around him as the other controls the wheel.
The only one other than Sonic who hasn’t said a word since they left the battle area is the echidna sitting in the back. Knuckles is how the creature is called, and although his own body is marred with bruises and cuts, he is stiff as a rock, arms crossed over a broad chest and cold stare focused on the moving trees around them.
Tom throws a few looks at the gloved echidna, frowning when he notices how Knuckles clenches his jaw whenever they go over a rock, causing the car to sway ever so slightly.
Under him, he hears Sonic let out a noise, raising his head just so he can see the kid’s nose that’s been buried in his shirt since the beginning of their trip.
“Are we home yet?” The kid asks, tongue heavy in his mouth as he blinks away the tired in his eyes. “What time is it?”
Tom doesn’t miss when Sonic sucks in a breath when he tries to shift into Tom’s lap, reaching a hand down to hold his abused side. He pulls him closer, being gentle with the injuries. A quill digs itself into his finger for a second, but he does not flinch and just holds his son close.
“No, we’re still moving.” Tom answers, taking a quick look at the rear view mirror to see if Knuckles has moved at all. At this point, it doesn’t surprise when he finds the echidna in the same spot, arms crossed and eyes distant, almost drifting somewhere he cannot see. “We’ve got about another two hours before we get home. Just get some sleep, kiddo. I’ll call Maddie later to let her know we’re near.”
“Tails.” The hedgehog rasps out, and the kid in question is quick to turn to his friend, ears high in the air in near distress.
“Yes?” His tails sway, eyes moving along Sonic’s body to see if anything is wrong, if the wounds have worsened, but he finds nothing. “Is something wrong?”
Tom feels Sonic shake his head against his chest and also feels how the kid winces when he moves his arms to reach out to his new friend. With a quick look, the man’s heart flutters, smiling as he notices the kit and his son have held hands.
With a yawn, Tails leans against the arm rest, tails curling around him as he slowly drifts to sleep.
All Tom hears is a soft hum from the hedgehog, and he slumps against his father, knocked out cold from the aching pain of his body.
“I wonder what Maddie is like.” Tails whispers, voice wavy with sleep, he’s fighting to remain open, to stay awake and make sure everything is alright. “Do you think she would enjoy talking about the probabilities of the moon becoming our sun one day?”
The sheriff blinks, trying to process whatever kind of theory the fox kit just threw at him, before taking in a breath and tilting his wheel to the left as the road curves.
“Dunno. I’m sure she’d be up for it.” He says, turning his steering wheel so they can drive straight again.
“Maybe.” The fox purrs, yawning and rubbing at his eyes with his free hand. “We could talk about the stars too. About how they form and how long their lifespan lasts.”
Tom lets out a breath, moving his wheel to the right just slightly to avoid a boulder. He goes in straight right after. “Go to sleep, kid. Rest up until we get home, yeah?”
“Home.” Tails repeats, curling his tails tighter around him. “That sounds nice.”
And just like that, the kit is out, hand still intertwined with Sonic’s, who hasn’t budged since he woke up earlier. Tom sighs, relieved that the two kids rest up for the remaining two hours they’ve got left until they get back home.
He hears a sigh in the back, and looks at the mirror to see that Knuckles finally broke his gaze from the window, and this time has closed his eyes.
“Getting some sleep as well?” Tom asks, looking at the road again and following the curve of the road.
The echidna is quiet, and he looks thoughtful, hesitant even, before he sighs again.
“‘M not tired.” Knuckles breathes out, arms stiff over his chest. His purple eyes open, but he doesn’t look up and settles to staring at his feet.
“You haven’t slept since we left. At least a one hour nap would help you, kid.”
With a roll of his eyes, the echidna snorts, looking over to the window again. “I’m no kid.”
“You aren’t much older than Sonic. I’d say you’re about two years older, max.” Tom retorts gently, being careful as to not disturb the two sleeping kids. “You’re mature for your age.”
“Yeah, well, with the world we live in, you’ve gotta toughen up to survive.” Knuckles’ nose wrinkles, gloves pulling as he clenches his fists.
“Sonic believed that running away from danger was the best course of action. He thought that maybe jumping from one world to another would keep him safe. Nine months ago, he was proven wrong.” The sheriff recalls the image of Sonic on the ground, fur messy and covered with grime, body limp and unmoving. It’s a scene he hopes to never see again. Something in his throat tightens, and he holds the blue hedgehog closer all while being careful of the two sleeping kids, the steering wheel and Sonic’s wounds. “Things aren’t always about survival.”
Knuckles keeps looking out the window, before turning to look at the sleeping fox. Something in his eyes changes, and Tom frowns.
“Something troubling you?” Tom tries, voice soft and patient so the echidna doesn’t feel troubled with his presence.
“I thought I would be alone on earth. They’re both like me.” The young warrior lets out, voice wavy. He looks down at his gloved hand, pulling it off his chest and flexing it slightly. “Different, but just like me.”
“Sonic believed he would be the only one. When Tails came around, it was all new to him. He had someone to call a friend, a brother, almost.” The sheriff tells, slowing his pace when they approach a sharper curve.
“They’re good together.” Knuckles points out, lips almost, almost curving into something resembling a smile, until that image falls, replaced by something more sad. “I— I almost got the kid— your kid.”
Oh. Tom’s chest feels tight and he subconsciously pulls Sonic closer, who nuzzles against his chest ever further.
“I’m sorry.” The guardian lets out, looking up to meet the human’s eyes on the rear view mirror. His eyes are tainted with regret and his voice is genuine. “I didn’t— I didn’t think it’d go that far.”
“It’s okay.” Tom breathes, a shaky, low exhale. “It’s alright. Besides, Sonic isn’t the type to hold grudges. I doubt he blames you for any of this.”
“I punched him into the ground.” Knuckles emphasizes, teeth baring ever so slightly. “I tried to knock him down so he wouldn’t get up. How could he not be mad at me?”
“Knuckles,” the human starts, voice gentle. “Trust me when I say that Sonic doesn’t hate people. The only guy he actually loathes is that Robotnik dude, and even then, he would never wish harm to anyone, not even you. You’re a kid, he took advantage of you and manipulated you. You have no one to blame but him.”
The words sink in harder that he would’ve admitted, and Knuckles can only lean back against his seat with a soft sigh, brows furrowed into a troubled scowl.
“He’d have all the reason to hate me.”
“But he doesn’t.” Tom retorts, turning his steering wheel to the left. “He’d never hate you. Neither would Tails.”
And that’s that.
Knuckles is quiet for a while, arms crossed as he sinks into the leather seats, eyes suddenly heavy. He doesn’t notice when the man subtly looks at him with the mirror, and he doesn’t see how there’s a quick smile on his lips before he stares back at the road before them.
“Get some sleep, Knucklehead. We’re almost home.” Tom whispers with a gentle tone, almost humming as they continue to drive the rest of the way.
The echidna nearly retorts, contemplating about punching the man for giving him such an awful nickname, only to give up and lay back, eyelids dropping slowly.
He thinks about it. Home. And just like Tails has said, he figures that sounds nice.
And with that, his eyes finally shut, letting his body give in to the exhaustion and pull himself into a deep slumber, knowing he suffers no danger with the odd trio present with him.
Perhaps, this can work out after all.