Work Text:
It was a random Sunday morning, light gray clouds dusting the sky yet again. It had been months since the last clear weekend without rain or clouds, but the Prower house was managing.
As far as the other two canines were concerned, Tails was still in bed, sleeping in. Kitsunami and Stardust weren't doing much more at all. Kit was just playing Minecraft on his own while Star worked on some doodling.
"I'm gonna go check on him," Stardust says, setting their sketchbook down.
"Ok," Kit just kept playing, which they understood.
The wolf crouched past him, trying not to obscure his vision from the tv.
Stardust carefully opened the bedroom door, seeing that Tails was sitting up, awake. They could almost smell his uneasiness. And he hadn't even bothered to try and put his prosthetic right arm and left leg back on, which further concerned them.
"Tails? Are you alright this morning?"
They walk further into the colorful room, standing towards the edge of the rug and close to the foot of the bed.
The room was rather bright and childish, more like six year olds' live there than older teens, but that was how they liked it, especially Kit and Stardust. The walls had lots of drawings that they had all worked on, as well as some little clouds and even planes with them in the seats. It certainly helped Tails stay in a good mindset when he was recovering.
The fox gave his reply, wanting to hide the uneasiness, but knowing he couldn't fool his beloved mate.
"I'm alright..."
"I beg to differ." Stardust sits on the edge on the bed, still giving their fox some space.
His gaze falters, looking toward the wall-side of the bed, where Star usually slept.
"Well... You know I'm afraid of a lot of things... but this will probably surprise you..."
Stardust gets just a bit closer, acting very attentive with him, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed.
"You know how I've always loved working and being with machines... you've seen me work on them our whole relationship. But... I fear that I'll become one... That another accident will occurr and that I'll need more prosthetics." He bends his remaining full leg up and attempts to hide his face in it. He wanted to hide the tears forming in his eyes.
"Oh, Tails-"
He cuts them off before he realizes it. "I don't wanna become an otimated machine or a sifsticated A.I.! I just wanna be a fox mechanic!" After his exclaimation, he was left sobbing and making the whimpers and pained yips of a wild fox.
His partner's loving arms come around him.
"You're so much more than a machine, Tails. And you always will be." They got an idea. "Do you think you'd be alright for a few moments if I were to go grab something?"
He shrugged, but nodded.
Carefully, Stardust removes themself, heading to the kitchen.
They pop in on Kit, seeing that the blue fennec was not even the slightest bit bothered and didn't seem to have heard the outburst. The wolf just shakes their head and grabs out a... stethoscope, of all things.
The reason why medical instruments were even stored in the kitchen island was because it was probably the best thing they had for an operating/exam table within the home. Whether it's cleaning deeps wounds or Sonic spraining his ankle again, it was a helpful place for such practices.
Stardust returns, seeing Tails' head cock to the side and his ear swivel in the same direction.
They sit back on the bed and places the eartips into his browning ears and then the bell to his chest. His eyes close, focusing on the sound and the words.
"You hear that? That's the organic heartbeat of someone who loves me dearly. Someone who loves his mates dearly, even with our rocky beginnings. No amount of prosthetics or cybernetic enhancements are going to change this."
The wolf could hear his breathing soften and deepen, indicating that it was calming him.
He opened his eyes back up, meeting their gaze.
"Thank you, Stardust... That's what I needed to hear..."
He takes the stethoscope off, placing it on the bed. He then carefully curls up against them, legs in their lap and face to their chest. The deep, rumbling of a motor starts just as he sits there.
"I haven't even started petting you and you're already purring?" They then start actually petting him, scratching under his chin.
"You just have a naturally calming presence..."
He leans into the scritchs the deeper they go. It felt like pure heaven with the way they scratched. His tails started fidgeting with each other, going in their up and downward motion.
Kit sneaks in, Tails and Stardust jumping first, then followed by Kit just from his unexpected presence.
"Sorry, I just drowned in a cave and wanted to see how he was doing too..." He walks up and onto the bed, leaning into Tails' back and Stardust's side.
"You're all good," Stardust says.
Tails continued to pur. The sound appeared to get louder and deeper with Kit's presence.
"I love you guys... Thank you for taking such good care of me through all of this and staying by my side through it all."
"Of course, Miles. We're just returning your favor from a long time ago. You've always tried to be patient with us, even if we both tried to attack you..." the blue fennec says, nuzzling the fellow fox's back and the crook of his neck.
"You've got a big heart for such a little fox," Stardust chimes in.
"Thank you again, guys... I don't know what else to say..."
"You're welcome."
Kit moves to be in front of Tails now, also climbing into both of their laps.
Stardust kisses the top of Tails' muzzle, catching him off guard and getting him to blush.
And then Kit joins in, kissing the ever reddening fox's cheek.
"We love you too, Tails. In all of your minty glory."