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Tails was not stupid.
In fact, he considered himself pretty intelligent. A lot of people likewise have praised him for his high intellect. He was always one they could count on when they needed more brains in their plans, and he was happy to oblige. Knuckles, Amy, Cream, Vanilla…he would help them all whenever they asked.
However, there was one particular person that he wanted to help the most- but was too stubborn to admit it to the fox himself.
“Sonic!”
The hedgehog smoothly slid to a stop in front of the fox, ears perked up with eyes wide and attentive. He had just come running back from helping with Restoration efforts, as shown by his unkept fur coat and the bits of debris Tails could pick out from his position. His normally shiny shoes were caked in dirt, and his pristine white gloves were a few shades darker than they’d been when Tails last saw them this morning. Most importantly, the bottom of the hedgehog’s eyes were rather dark. Darker than usual.
Tails didn’t like that. Not one bit.
“Hey, Tails!” His brother greeted him, arms out and welcoming. His incredibly nonchalant posture and attitude were definitely being played up. Sonic usually masked his exhaustion quite well, but he underestimated how attentive his young brother could be. The subtle wobble in his stance after losing balance for a split moment. The shakiness of his arms as he gestured. The subtle droop of his ears. All very telling signs that Sonic the Hedgehog was not at his prime.
“What’s going on? Did you need something?” His brother pressed, his wide green irises now jumping, studying Tails intensely. Sonic was quick, though that was to be expected. Tails hadn’t even uttered a word and yet he was already suspicious. He knew this game like the back of his glove. Sonic knew full well that he was pushing himself harder than he could handle, and also knew full well that Tails would be keeping an eye on him. He was guarded, watching the fox carefully, waiting for the inevitable song and dance to occur. He was in position, and Tails hadn’t even spoken.
Unluckily for him, Tails had devised a plan.
“Nah, I’m good. I actually just made lunch!” Tails carefully stated, skirting around his position in the dance. It wasn’t a lie, Tails knew that it was approaching lunch time and that the Restoration would have a break at this hour for all its volunteers. Sonic usually took that time to have a refreshing run or to catch up with a friend he hadn’t spoken to in some days. Maybe grab a bite from a chilidog stand. Some days he would even visit Tails. Though, unsurprisingly, he’d been avoiding contact with the fox. Not enough to make it suspicious to anyone else but the kit himself.
It wasn’t out of maliciousness, Tails knew that plenty. Sonic was a stubborn hedgehog and Tails was well accustomed to it by now. He had it in his head that he had to be helping whenever possible, always on the move. Whether it be running errands in an hour when they’d usually take days for anyone else, or by cleaning up a couple of badniks antagonizing volunteers attempting to rebuild homes. Sonic would preach to Tails that it was never shameful to ask for help whenever you needed it, but Tails would only look on with skepticism as he’d watch his brother go on and never practice what he preached in everyday life.
Sure, Sonic totally would accept someone’s help if it came to a showdown between him and some sort of giant universe eating ever-existing god or whatever. But the smaller stuff? A cereal box is too high on the fridge or he can’t quite lift a heavy object? He’s got it. He can manage. He doesn’t need anybody . There’s nothing Sonic the Hedgehog can’t do.
Eventually, Sonic does manage to accomplish whatever he’d refused help for. Tails had to applaud him there. However, watching his brother needlessly struggle for much, much longer than necessary was funny at best and actually embarrassing at worst.
“Did you want to join me? I can whip one up for you, too!” The fox offered, dishing out a peppy offer mixed in with slightly wider puppy-dog eyes than usual. Subtle enough that Sonic couldn’t call him out on it, but it was there.
The hedgehog glanced away, clearly tempted. Tails had his foot in the door.
“Classic PB and Jayyy…” Tails sang enticingly, doing some small jazz hands. He watched Sonic cough while still looking away, hiding his laugh behind a fist. It was all going to plan.
“Alright, alright.” His brother relented a short moment after, stepping closer with the wave of a hand as he chuckled. He somehow looked even more tired with the fond smile on his face, eyes unconsciously going half-lidded as his guard slipped for a few short seconds.
This only fueled Tails’ resolve.
“Right this way, sire.” Tails gestured toward the front door of his house, picking up a mock posh accent. “Your dinner will be prepared by only the best of chefs.”
Sonic only shook his head amusedly as he headed inside. “I’ll be sure to send my regards when I finish it.”
Tails chuckled, heading indoors himself.
“You won’t regret it.”
They were both seated at the table in the kitchen, chewing at their sandwiches in comfortable silence. Normally, one of them would have been leading the conversation. Whether it be Tails hyping Sonic up with an invention not scheduled to exist for a few hundred years, or Sonic animatedly going on and on about an Eggman base bust that he and others pulled off recently. However, once in a blue moon it’d just be this. Quiet.
However, that did not mean it was lackluster. While Tails was enjoying his sandwich he put so much effort into making, he also would steal occasional glances at Sonic. Trying to subtly tell if he was winding down or losing energy. Trying to see if there was a possibility that Tails could convince him to do what he wanted. Likewise, Sonic was doing the same thing. It was a silent battle, waiting to see who would crack first. Neither of them were willing to back down.
Until-
Sonic unconsciously brought a hand to his mouth, trying and failing to stifle a rather large yawn. His eyes squinted shut and his ears pinned back as his body fought against his will, emitting the most tired sounding yawn Tails had ever heard from the hedgehog. Almost as quickly as it came- it was gone. And Sonic was pretending it didn’t happen, quickly snapping back to his sandwich and slouching a bit in a too casual position.
“Was that a yawn?” Tails poked, hiding a knowing grin behind his half-eaten sandwich. He knew his giddy mood shined in his eyes, however, because Sonic looked up at him- thoroughly unimpressed.
“Don’t know where you got that idea. I’m not tired. I feel fine, actually.” There he went, adding too much information that implied so much. He knew he was sleep deprived. Consequently, his sleep deprivation likely aided in his involuntary admittance that he was sleep deprived. A vicious cycle.
Tails shrugged, appearing to disregard the statement. “Didn’t say you were.”
“Well, I’m not.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.”
And they went right back to eating. Sonic was right under the box. All Tails had to do was carefully pull the rope to make it fall.
But he had to wait for the right moment, and that opportunity wasn’t now.
Eventually, Sonic finished his sandwich and quickly made an excuse about how he had to get back to the Restoration. All Tails could do was smile and nod, happily waving from the door as his brother zoomed off. He knew he wouldn’t have been able to catch him just yet, but that was fine.
All he had to do was wait.
It was only two hours later that Tails heard a large bang at the door from his place in the workshop. The sudden sound caused him to jolt, but thankfully he wasn’t working on anything important. Just drawing blueprints for an invention he’d been thinking about. The design was nowhere near finalized, but he felt like he was onto something with the current layout.
Nevermind that.
With his namesakes gently swishing behind himself, Tails rose from his chair and headed to the door. Upon opening it, he wasn’t surprised to see his totally awake and not at all sleep deprived brother standing there, nursing a new bruise on his forehead.
“I know what you’re thinking-”
Tails cut him off. “You ran into my door face-first, Sonic.”
“Yeah, well-” Sonic puffed up his chest, trying to appear bigger and more awake, “-maybe you should’ve left your door open.”
The fox could only barely manage to subdue the incoming eye roll. He placed a hand on his hip almost sassily, a habit he’d adopted long ago. “Did you want ice or not?”
Sonic slouched, all fight escaping him. “Yeah. Please.”
And that was how the two of them ended up in Tails’ living room, Sonic seated on the couch and holding a pack of ice to his forehead. He was putting a decent portion of his weight on the armrest, eyelids lower than usual. One could chalk it up to him just getting comfortable, but Tails knew better. Either way, he pretended not to notice.
He held up a small light, standing in front of the injured hedgehog as he prepared to examine him. “Here, try to keep your eyes open.”
With only a small groan, Sonic adjusted his position to allow Tails a better look at his eyes. It was a groan Tails knew all too well- the two of them having done this little routine plenty of times amidst all of their adventures. With a quick shine of light into both of them it was clear that Sonic managed to evade a concussion this time, thankfully.
“Looks like you’re okay.” Tails sighed with relief, moving to place the light on a nearby shelf. Yes, a concussion would have allowed him to make an excuse to force Sonic to rest. But he didn’t like his brother injured no matter what, even if it would somehow benefit him.
“...Thanks for the ice, Tails.” He heard Sonic mumble from the couch, voice low.
Tails looked back toward his brother, watching quietly as the hedgehog began slowing down bit by bit. His ears- normally rotating at every second and responding all possible sounds- were near still. His leg- normally bouncing impatiently whenever he was seated- was completely relaxed. His hand pressing the ice pack to his forehead- it was slowly moving down. Down, down, down…
Then the ice pack fell.
Sonic snapped back up with a shriek, kicking wildly until the ice pack that’d comically landed right between his legs had been launched across the room. It skidded across the wooden floor until it came to a sudden stop, ice inside clinking without a care.
There was a pause.
“Stop laughing.”
“I’m not laughing.”
“You’re laughing! I can see it on your face!” Sonic yelled, glaring at the fox that was definitely not laughing whatsoever.
Tails hid his wide grin behind a hand, but knew it was to no avail. He tried to suppress the giggles that were shaking his body, but broke out into pure laughter when Sonic rose from the couch and rushed him- playfully ‘attacking’ him by ruffling his hair and trapping him in a loose headlock. Tails of course fought back, wrestling himself out of his brother’s grip and launching himself at him, knocking them both to the floor. There they laughed and kicked and fought like mad, the two of them giddily giggling and poking at each other all in the sake of fun.
When they began to wind down, Tails spoke through his panting as he laid on the floor. “It’s been a bit since we’ve hung out…”
“Has it?” Sonic wheezed.
Tails shifted his head to look at his brother, who was staring up at the ceiling with half-lidded eyes. He was panting a bit harder than he normally would, but Tails already knew why. Still, he felt happy seeing the large grin on his brother’s face, knowing that while he hadn’t slept he at least wasn’t spending every hour of the day working. If he wouldn’t sleep, then he at least would be someone he could go to for a bit of fun amidst all the labor.
Speaking of fun…
“Yeah, it’s been a bit.” Tails admitted, rising to a sitting position. He glanced over to his right, spying the television and the latest console he’d managed to nab, with plenty of games that hadn’t been thoroughly played yet. “What do you say? Did you wanna play for a little while?”
He watched hesitation cross Sonic’s face for a moment. “I don’t know…”
Tails came prepared. “Come on, Sonic. Please? Just a couple of rounds? Then you can get back to work.”
With the cherry on top, Tails unleashed his big winner- classic puppydog eyes. He made them as big and as glossy as he could manage, pinning his ears back and sticking his bottom lip out with a fake tremble.
“ Ugh. Tails…” Sonic tried to avert his eyes, but based on his body language Tails could tell that he was succumbing. His brother fought against the eyes with gritted teeth once, then twice, then a third time (a rarity) before he gave in with an overexaggerated sigh.
“Fine! Just a couple of rounds, okay? Then I gotta get back out there. I promised Vector I’d help him out with something.” Sonic reluctantly yielded, sitting up himself after a moment with a groan.
“You’ve got it. Just a couple of rounds.” Tails repeated with a chipper tone, happily rushing to the television and booting up the gaming system.
It didn’t take long for the two of them to be yelling at each other over the game, cackling maniacally when one would die or when they would intentionally sabotage each other despite the game supposedly being cooperative. However, it was all in good fun, the two of them sharing laughs and huddling closer together on the couch when they would finally beat a boss after several tries. That is, until Sonic tossed Tails off a cliff toward the end of a level.
Tails swore. Sonic gave a loud, fake gasp and placed his hand over his chest in feigned offense.
“Miles ‘Tails’ Prower! Where ever have you learned such language?” He loudly questioned, other hand carefully moving the joystick to make his character stare at Tails’ in game.
Tails gave an awkward chuckle, grinning right back at him. “Only from the best.”
Sonic huffed, immediately tossing Tails off another cliff. When faced with the inevitable protest, he only replied with a menacing chuckle.
They kept at it for a little longer, until they managed to clear a world. As the television displayed congratulation messages and transitioned toward the next world in the game, Tails peered curiously to his right. Sonic was right beside him, holding the controller in his hand and blankly staring at the screen. A smile had been present on his face a minute prior, but now it had drooped to a sleepy frown. His energetic thumbs that would dance across his controller were now sitting slack. His eyes that would easily pinpoint incoming projectiles from the bosses were starting to squint. Just like before, Sonic was starting to slow down.
Now, Tails thought with a small frown, If only I can get him to stay still .
He just needed a bit of time to get his brother to not snap awake and bolt for the hills. It was about time that Sonic would jump up and declare that he had to get a move on. However, with how little he’d slept in the past several days- no, weeks… It was getting concerning. He needed to sleep. It wasn’t healthy for him to constantly be helping with Restoration efforts. They could wait a couple days.
Tails stood up from the couch, snapping Sonic from his sleepy stupor. He turned to his brother and waved a hand, trying to discourage him from standing up himself.
“I’m going to the kitchen to get a snack real quick, did you want anything?” He asked slowly, taking deliberately quiet steps toward the kitchen doorway.
Sonic rolled his neck, offering a sleepy smirk up to his brother. He unconsciously nestled further into the couch. “Surprise me. I’m up for anything.”
Tails shrugged. “If you say so.”
Admittedly, Tails wasn’t that hungry. He just wanted to leave Sonic by himself for a little bit. With very little stimulation to remind him that he had to get up and go. It was a risky move, since the hedgehog was known to have a quick mind. At the same time, he was forgetful, and sleep deprivation could increase that tenfold. It was a risk that Tails was willing to take.
Still, he surfed around the kitchen for a bit, spying anything he and Sonic could potentially munch on. Finally, he laid eyes on several bananas on the counter. He remembered hearing a tip somewhere that bananas were fruit that helped with sleep, though he couldn’t verify that claim at the moment. Nevertheless, they were a good enough snack for the moment. Sure they had some spots but nobody was perfect.
Picking two bananas from the bunch, Tails quietly made his way back to the living room couch, spotting a much slower Sonic than the one he’d left just minutes before. His droopy eyes, for one, were near shut. His head began resting on the arm rest beside him, though it didn’t seem like he’d noticed. Finally, his chest rose and fell a lot slower than before. All telltale signs of a tired hedgehog.
Tails held out one of the bananas in his grasp to Sonic, allowing him to take it after a much longer pause than he’d anticipated. It was like Sonic was struggling to process that he was even there. Was he that tired?
The fox gingerly sat down next to him, watching Sonic carefully as he peeled his own banana in a few seconds. He took a small bite, chewing idly as Sonic was still peeling his banana, bit by bit. One side…then another…then another…
His hand moved slowly and shook ever so slightly as it navigated from one side of the peel to another, finally reaching the last one hanging on after nearly two minutes. With a weak grasp, Sonic managed to peel the last side at a lethargic pace, finally exposing the entire banana.
Then, it toppled. As with Sonic’s last fighting bit of consciousness.
Luckily- Tails saw it coming. With a quick arm, he managed to snag it before it could splat onto the couch. Cool, now he had two bananas.
Once again Talis rose from the couch, glancing back at his now sleeping brother. Based on the open mouth and the uncomfortable position he was bound to be in, Tails knew he was absolutely down for the count. And he couldn’t be happier.
“Rope has been yanked, and you’ve fell for it yet again.” Tails snickered under his breath with a fond smile, taking the extra banana back to the kitchen. Since it was still good, he planned to just cut it up and place it in a container for later.
When that was accomplished and Tails had finished his own banana, he went further deep into his house to find his bedroom. From there, he managed to snag a spare green blanket that he himself didn’t utilize too often. One he didn’t mind getting dirty, considering it was going to be placed on the dust coated fur his brother had.
When he reentered his living room, Sonic was slouched over, long snores rumbling his chest. A clear trail of drool ran from the corner of his mouth onto the armrest his face was squashed on. The game controller that once rested in his lap had fallen to the ground, having landed at an awkward angle upside down. Though the hedgehog was clearly knocked out, it definitely wasn’t a good position to remain in long term if he wanted to avoid a crick in his neck and an ache in his back.
Thus, Tails had to do something about it.
“Hey, Sonic.” He gently shook his brother’s shoulder, trying to stir him awake without making him awake awake. It took a couple of shakes before Sonic eventually rose from the heavy depths of sleep.
“Mmmn.” Sonic mumbled incoherently, eyes squinted shut. He waved off his brother’s hand multiple times, burrowing his face into the armrest even further.
“C’mon, Sonic. You’ve gotta change your position or you’ll get aches.” Tails chastised, “Just- move a little. Please?”
It took much more coaxing from Tails, but Sonic eventually got the message and chose a better position to lay himself in, opting to lay somehow both on his back yet also on his side with his arm draping off the side of the couch. It took almost no time at all for him to fall back asleep, peach chest rising and falling in a calm rhythm. A huge contrast compared to the frazzled hedgehog he saw just hours prior.
Carefully, Tails reached over and slid Sonic’s shoes off his feet, leaving his much less dirty socks in their place.
He draped the blanket over his snoozing brother, careful not to disturb him from his everdeepening slumber.
“‘Night, Sonic.” He joked fondly, smiling as he turned to his workshop doorway. He stepped in, hyper aware that one wrong move could snap his brother awake and send him flying for the hills.