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It had been a while since they left on their own. Tails had learned more about his older companion since then. The biggest thing he noted was that Sonic didn’t talk much. In fact, he hardly talked at all. It was weird, if he was honest. Sonic didn’t seem to mind when Tails filled the silence with his own chatter.
The other thing Tails began to notice was that Sonic tended to be very… irritable? He wasn’t sure if that was the right word he was looking for, truthfully. He definitely had an attitude of some kind that even shone through his muteness. He was also easily upset or annoyed. Very often, people would come to him asking for help against Robotnik’s forces, and where he would agree (whether on his own accord or by Tail’s’ insistence) he was never particularly happy about it.
Tails was quite confused and even a bit in awe of his new companion. Sonic was a mystery to him and seemed to have no interest in answering very many questions. Another thing he had noticed was people’s reactions to him. The closer they were to the big inner cities, the more people ignored him. Some even actively called him out or chased him off. However, the farther out they went, the outskirts of the kingdoms or on smaller islands that barely saw the touch of the empire, welcomed Sonic with excitement and open arms.
The stark contrast fascinated Tails. He was able to talk to some of the latter on the topic. They’d cheered him as a hero. Explained how their towns or homes would have had the same fate as the Kingdoms were it not for Sonic’s help in the past.
It surprised Tails. But it also made him realize; Sonic made a front about not wanting to get involved. About only helping others if it was easy or small and wouldn’t put him in the spotlight of the empire’s path. He gave off the air of ‘not my problem’ to most things. But Tails had begun to realize, that wasn’t the truth. Sonic did help people. He did risk his name and hide for those in need.
Of course, this only gave Tails more questions. If Sonic secretly did want to help people, then why not join the Freedom Fighters? Why was it that every time his amulet sounded off with music he would shove it under grass or dirt to quiet the sound. Tails wasn’t stupid. He’d realized that amulet was in some way a communication device. He didn’t know exactly what it was. But he knew that was at least one of its abilities.
Sonic seemed to chase seclusion, Tails realized one day. For what reason, he really had no idea. Which only made him question why he allowed, and even kept Tails around this whole time. At first Tails wondered if it was because of his prodigy-like abilities. But that couldn’t have been the case either. Sonic knew how to fly his own plane if he wanted to. Tails wasn’t sure how much the other knew about the mechanics of the craft as a whole, but it was clear the older knew enough to get by on his own.
Sonic also never left the other behind. He always waited for Tails whenever the fox wanted or needed to stop anywhere for a period of time. He listened to Tails when he cried about needing to help people or when he had a plan for a bad guy they were facing.
Sonic, at his core, cared. Tails realized this. Maybe he even realized this subconsciously long beforehand. Maybe that was why Tails always felt so safe around him. No matter how ambivalent or apathetic he acted, Sonic cared so much about others and about the planet and all the life that lived on it. Tails saw it in how he treated animals or bugs. In how upset he got over pollution or even littering. (He’d once watched Sonic pick up litter and shove it into the guy’s pants. Tails had to break up that fight before it got too out of hand.) He saw it in how he helped every single person who ever asked him for help, even the people who slighted him or were untrustworthy. He still did it. He still helped. Tails also saw it in the way Sonic treated him.
Sonic was quiet and had sharp edges, not just on his back but within his personality all the same. But he was also kind and caring and had the heart of a hero big enough to hold the whole universe in it. Well… maybe Tails was being a bit of a romantic there. But his point still stood.
That was why Tails decided he wanted to be just like Sonic.
He wanted to be cool and kickass but also kind hearted and loving. He started to mimic the other. If he were to look back on these times as an adult he might have felt the slightest embarrassment, but never any regret. Tails began to parrot Sonic’s body language and moves in fights. Though he had to improvise some of them in his own way. Of course, by paying so much attention to the other he also got much better at understanding him and learned much more.
He also began to realize that Sonic never asked for help. He very rarely would deny help and would accept if freely given to him. But he almost never asked for it. No matter the situation. So, of course, when Sonic got sick this became a bigger problem.
Tails didn’t realize he was sick at first. He’d honestly just thought Sonic wasn’t having a very good day. That happened sometimes. Some days Sonic would need more space than usual and would request Tails keep silent on their journeys. Once Tails picked up on the tells he knew what days he needed to stay quiet and a little farther back than others. So, that’s what he did. He kept his distance and stayed relatively quiet throughout the day.
However, it wasn’t just one day. The next morning Sonic was giving off the same tells as before once Tails woke. Only it felt off, he now realized. Sonic seemed tired and sluggish. Tails wasn’t even sure if the other had slept at all the night before.
When they got up to start off again, Sonic wasn’t hardly paying attention to, well, anything. He kept running into things or falling off branches. Tails would ask if he was okay but the only response would be an angry hiss before picking himself up and walking off again.
It startled Tails. Sonic often used sounds to get his point across along with heavy body language. Tails had even picked up some of his gestures and would do them as well these days. But hissing was rare, even for Sonic. Little growls or annoyed noises were fine but even then. Any hissing Sonic ever did would be towards an especially nasty badnik or if he was too stressed or overwhelmed. But even those were never at Tails. Something was definitely wrong.
Tails spent the rest of the day keeping a closer than usual eye on his older companion. He noticed the other was actually slower than normal. Which was still relatively fast, but nowhere near his usual speed. He was also keeping much lower to the ground. Sonic tended to like jumping through trees and lounging on branches. But all day he had kept his feet firmly in the grass.
It was later that night that Tails really realized what was going on. He was getting ready for bed when he heard a very upset noise and what sounded like scratching. He got up and looked around, only able to see the smallest of movement from the hedgehog a few feet away from him.
“Sonic?” hHe questioned out. He cautiously walked towards the other, not wanting to jerk him away from what might be a nightmare or something. However, as he got closer he realized the other was very much awake.
Sonic had his face pressed flat against the ground. Occasionally he would dig his hand in a spot and shove his face there instead.
The action was baffling to watch. But it was a very pained whine that really brought it home. Tails snapped to with realization. Sonic was sick. That had to be it. It was why he was so sluggish and why he sounded so upset and uncomfortable this whole time. Tails would even take a guess that he was trying to cool down a fever with the cool dirt and dew soaked grass under their feet.
“Sonic, why didn’t you say you were sick?” hHe asked, reaching out.
The hedgehog snapped up, back to his feet. He looked to the other in surprise and even some alarm. His quills were stood up and his back slightly hunched.
Tails recognized this easily. He put his hands up defensively. “Sonic, please just let me help. You’re not gonna get any sleep or any better if you don’t properly cool down.”
Sonic didn’t move at first. But when the fox stepped closer he stepped back. Tails wanted to let out an annoyed groan. He didn’t understand why the other was so on edge. If he was sick he would want help wouldn’t he?
“Sonic,” the little fox whined out. “Let me help! I know how!”
His words didn’t seem to do much. Sonic, instead, let himself fall to the foot of a tree and laid curled in on himself. His quills on edge, clearly in threat.
Tails frowned at that. Well, if Sonic wouldn’t let him help then he’d just have to do it anyway. He scurried back to their bags and rummaged through his own pouch to pull out a washcloth. It was small but it did what it needed when he needed it. He remembered a small pond a little ways back where they came. He took one last look at Sonic before flying off back in that direction.
When the rag was properly soaked he quickly flew back to the sick speedster.
Tails looked at the other with a frown. He really wasn’t making caretaking very easy. Even the quills on Sonic’s head had separated and stood on end making a complete wall of spikes all along his form. The little fox let out a calming breath. He just had to be brave. And careful. Very, very careful.
He took the rag and gently moved his hand to a small spot on the back of Sonic’s neck to try and place it. Unfortunately, the sudden touch shocked the blue blur into high defense and he jerked just enough for his quills to painfully scratch against Tail’s’ hand.
The fox dropped the rag with a cry of surprise and pain as he jerked back.
Sonic snapped to look up, clearly surprised by the sound. He looked at the other, seeing Tails holding his injured hand to his chest, crying. Fever forgotten, Sonic rushed to the other and took the injured hand in his own. Thankfully, there were no actual stab wounds. Just little scratches and a nick.
He looked around before grabbing the cloth and patting it to the tiny wounds. His eyes flicking from the hand to Tails’ face worriedly as he worked.
“I-I,” Tails could hardly get the words out through his tears,. “I w-wanted to-to help you.”
Sonic’s ears flattened in shame. Clearly he didn’t really think Tails would touch him when his quills were like that. He reached up to push his hand against Tails’ cheeks, wiping at the tears. He checked over the injuries one last time. They weren’t bleeding anymore, the only blood really just being the smallest of drops that had dried up almost instantly. He reached to grab Tails’ gloves that he’d discarded earlier for bed to hand to the other.
Sonic always slept with his gloves on. Tails was starting to understand why. Sal did always warn him about how vulnerable paws were. He’d just have to get used to sleeping in them.
While the fox pulled them back on he watched Sonic. He was sitting and just… staring at him. When their attention was fully on each other, Sonic slowly dropped the wet, though now grassy, rag in his hand.
Tails perked up at this. He couldn’t be sure but he believed he knew what was being communicated. Just in case he was reading it wrong, he went as slow as possible and never broke eye contact. He reached up and placed the rag on Sonic’s head. The hedgehog didn’t move or jerk back.
Tails took this as a good sign and scooted closer to him. He ran the rag over his features slowly, making sure to press it in as much as he could without being too rough, so that the coolness seeped through the fur protecting his skin.
Some of the grass fell off the rag and into Sonic’s face, causing the other to sputter in an attempt to brush it away.
The younger watched with giggles bubbling out from behind his hand.
Sonic gave the other a pout before flopping back down to the ground with a huff.
Tails laid down next to him, giving the other some space, only for Sonic to reach over and pull him closer into a hold. The fox let out a small sound of surprise but quickly curled into the hold happily. He took a moment to reach up and lay the rag back on Sonic’s head before laying down fully.
“Sorry,” came out the quiet, almost unrecognizable voice.
Tails blinked at the other, meeting his eyes once more. The younger only gave a bright smile and pushed his head into Sonic’s chest, covering them both up with his tails.
Neither of them got much sleep. Sonic was still wracked with pain and the fever had begun to give him chills through the night. Tails worked to combat this as best he could, happily surprised that Sonic no longer rejected his help or comfort.
The next day they didn’t leave their spot in the forest, deciding rest and recovery wereas more important than continuing their journey for the time being. After two days to make sure both of them were healthy and well rested, they began again.
Tails noticed that Sonic acted differently after that night. Not extremely so, and not noticeably if you weren’t looking for it. Maybe he trusted the fox more. Whatever it was, Tails was glad. He hoped they would keep growing closer. Yeah, he would like that, he thought.