Chapter Text
The rain outside came down in sheets, roaring across the roof above them as Sonic wrapped a fluffy towel around Cream. It was fresh from the dryer, too, so it was sure to keep her nice and warm.
They were both soaked to the bone after playing in the rain- Sonic moreso, since he didn't have the benefit of a full set of cutesy rain gear like she did. His eldest-brother instinct took over, though, and his focus was entirely on making sure all of Cream's needs were met. Waterlogged quills be damned.
"There ya go, kiddo. Warm enough?" He checked the time quickly. "You want a snack?"
"M'hm! Yes, please!" She skipped into the kitchen, and Sonic followed.
"Animal crackers? Fruit snacks?"
"May I have animal crackers, please?" She asked, excessively polite as always.
"You got it, boss." He performed a tiny, two-fingered salute before pouring them into a tiny plastic bowl. "Your mom should be back any minute now, so what do you wanna do?"
"Thank you!" Cream took her crackers and considered her options as she chewed. "...We could color!"
"Sure, I'm down."
Cream darted around the living room, retrieving her myriad of crayons, colored pencils, and markers before slapping a small stack of papers on the coffee table. Sonic sat cross-legged on the ground across from her.
Cream got to work immediately, so Sonic absentmindedly started doodling. He was no artist, but he liked participating with her. No matter the activity, it was nice to just… play. And Cream was such a well-behaved kid, "babysitting" was really just an extended playdate with his little cousin.
Sonic shivered, his wet pelt finally coming to the forefront of his mind. Before he could even stand, though, Cream had rounded the table and tossed her towel over his head.
"Dry off, or you'll get a cold, Mr. Sonic!"
He chuckled and wrapped himself up. "Okay, okay. S'alright, Cream, I've dealt with way worse than a little cold."
She frowned, and he realized his mistake.
"That's all over, kiddo. Don't worry, I'll be alright."
She soothed herself by fussing with the ends of her ears. "I just don't want anyone to be sick again."
"I know. It was… it was scary. But you were really strong, Cream. We're all proud of you for being so brave."
Cream smiled, but still seemed slightly troubled. "You were very brave, too, Mr. Sonic."
For some reason, he didn't expect that response. "Aw, thanks, bud."
She sat back down next to him and pulled her work in progress closer so they could draw side-by-side.
"Was it hard to be brave when you were sick?"
His face hurt. "I… Promise not to tell anyone?"
She nodded solemnly.
"Yeah. I was really scared. I was worried about everyone else. I didn't really know what to do. I felt like…" - It was my fault. He considered whether it would be any good for her to know that last part.
He wanted to keep being the big, strong Sonic she already knew. She shouldn't have to worry about him or his hangups… She'd already been through enough!
"I felt like I was really small." He'd started scribbling therapeutically, no longer drawing tiny flowers or animals. "It's always hard to be brave- that's what makes it bravery."
Cream was quiet, but Sonic wasn't too concerned. She was a thoughtful kid. She was probably just absorbing what he'd said and processing it. Eventually, she leaned into his side.
"I'm cold."
She could never stand being cold after the infection.
The towel was damp by then, so he abandoned it in favor of scooping her up and rising, sitting them both on the couch. He took one of Ms. Vanilla's crocheted blankets from the back of the couch and covered both of them, holding her nice and close so that she could warm up a bit faster.
Cream quickly became sleep-heavy against him, and Sonic soon felt himself nodding off, too.
He woke to the sound of the front door being unlocked. Vanilla hurried inside, shielding Cheese from the downpour and pulling her umbrella closed. She sighed with relief, wringing out one of her ears. Cheese immediately fluttered over to Cream and sat on her lap, cooing. Only then did she stir.
"Mnn… Mama?"
"Hello, dear. Did you have fun with Sonic?"
Cream nodded, still mostly asleep.
"How'd it go?" Sonic pet the chao and straightened their little bow.
"Oh, well… it could have been worse. They only bit the doctor twice."
Sonic chuckled. "S'okay, bud, I don't like the doctor, either."
"Are they healthy?" Cream sat up, rubbing her eyes.
"They're just fine. They just needed a vaccine, that's all."
"Oh, good. That's good…"
Vanilla nodded, her face subtly falling. As she turned her attention to Sonic, she smiled again.
"Won't you stay for dinner?"
"Aw, thanks for the offer, but, uh…"
That cold, empty workshop, silence that rung in his head until it hurt, the absence that burrowed into him until it was all he could feel-
"Actually, since you're offering, I'd love to."
Vanilla's smile softened, and she sighed, a hint of relief in her breath.
Internally, Sonic cringed.
He felt trapped.
He sipped his tea, warm, comforting camomile and honey, alone in the kitchen with Vanilla. Cream had gone to bed - it was somehow already eight thirty.
After cleaning up (and refusing to let Sonic even lift a finger to help, since he was a "guest," or something), she took a seat back at the kitchen table. She took the chair diagonal from him this time, instead of across the table, boxing him in.
Their home was so cozy. He didn't know how to be comfortable in a place like this, not when he had time to think.
"So, how are the others?" She asked innocently, gently stirring sugar into her own tea. "Have you heard from them recently?"
"Oh yeah, they keep in touch." He leaned back in his chair, fighting the instinct to kick his legs up on the table. "They're doing good."
"Just 'good?' Did they say anything else?"
Why are you interrogating me? His thoughts bit back, but he knew better. She was curious, concerned about Tails, Amy, and Knuckles on their big adventures.
"Yeah, plenty." He felt a rock of nothing fill his throat. "Y'know. All over the place, doing great things."
"It must be hard having them all away at once."
Sonic nearly jumped.
"I mean. I miss them, sure. But it's alright. I go on adventures alone all the time, this isn't any different."
Vanilla simply hummed. He felt nervous. Why did he feel nervous? It was fine. He was fine. Did she not think he was fine?
She sipped her tea from the delicate, fancy teacup. It clinked as she set it back down on its saucer. Her rich brown eyes were trained on the floral centerpiece, red poppies.
Fields of red, endless seas of it, sometimes flowers, sometimes something else. Red, red, all he could see, red. Nothingness wasn't black; it was red.
"I always trust that you can protect Cream when you take her out on adventures."
"Mm?"
"But I still find myself worrying. I'm always worried about her. She's very special to me, so I worry when I can't be with her, or when I can't help if something is wrong."
A few years earlier, he'd have said that she had nothing to worry about, that Cream was perfectly safe, but now…
"'Course you do, you're her mom. Isn't that what you're meant to do?" He forced a lighter tone into his voice.
"Mm, perhaps it is. But that concern isn't just for parents about their children."
Sonic shifted in his chair, bouncing his leg. What was she getting at, exactly?
"If you ever want to talk about it, dear-"
"-I'm okay," he fired off immediately, but Vanilla only drew her brows in concern.
The nervous energy was building. He was obviously not okay. Why couldn't he just say that?
"Don't… don't worry yourself about me, too, you've got enough to worry about." His teacup suddenly became very interesting. His hand started to itch.
She dropped the pretense.
"Have you been a bit lonely since the others left, Sonic?"
He stared at her, but didn't answer. He didn't know how to.
"You've been coming around a bit more often than usual - not that I'm complaining, you are always welcome. And I understand how helpless it can feel."
He was silent. The antique clock on the wall chimed, crickets sang outside the open window. His hand hurt. His legs hurt. Again.
"It's… too quiet, at the workshop." He admitted. That much he could offer up.
Vanilla nodded, trying to encourage him to continue, but the well ran dry. What else did he have to say? What else could he say before the dam broke?
"It's too quiet everywhere."
She hummed.
Being here almost made him feel like a child. It was good when he was just playing with Cream, but sitting at the table like this made him small and trapped.
"I'm afraid."
It slipped out of him, and he regretted it the instant it did. His body tensed. He couldn't look up from the teacup.
"Afraid of what, dear?" Gently, like he was a wounded flicky, she nudged him forward.
He couldn't speak. Even if he'd wanted to. The words died before they could even make it to his throat.
I'm afraid they won't make it back. I'm afraid that everything will change if they do. I'm afraid that they'll leave me behind.
I'm afraid that they don't need me anymore.
His bad hand trembled weakly, his breathing quicker and sharper than it should have been.
She didn't push. She simply waited. She almost put her hand on his to calm him, but thought better of it when his quills raised at her slight movement.
The next thing he knew, she was setting a new cup of tea in front of him, taking the cold, barely half-drunk one away.
At first, he just held it, letting it warm his hands. Then, he was able to sip. He sighed.
Vanilla offered him a tissue. He wasn't sure why, for a moment, before he realized that his muzzle was wet with tears.
"'M sorry." Was the first thing he thought to say.
"No, honey. Don't be sorry."
This wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to break, not here, not in front of such nice people who cared so much about him.
But he didn't know what else to say.
"Would you like to stay the night?"
He scrunched his face at her.
"Just for the company?" She sounded so hopeful.
He didn't want to be alone, for once in his life. It was miserable.
"I don't wanna take up too much of your space…" was his last, feeble attempt at resistance.
"Don't be silly. We want you here, Sonic."
He stared at the tea. At the poppies. Out the window.
"...Okay." Hushed. It felt almost defeated.
That night on the couch was the best sleep he'd gotten in weeks.