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Tom lays down to the soft couch, letting out a sigh once his head hits the pillow. He lazily zaps through channels, just searching for a good background noise for his quiet Sunday afternoon, which has been a rare treasure to experience ever since Sonic crashed into their lives and brought Tails and Knuckles along shortly after. Now, don’t get him wrong, he would die and kill for his sons, but boy do they tire him sometimes. So, he closes his eyes, half listening to the documentary about foxes.His sleep is almost lost when he hears foxes eat hedgehogs and echidnas, and he decides it’s enough nature documentary for today and shuts off the television. He is quick to slip into a peaceful slumber after that.
Tom doesn’t know for how long he could sleep, but the muted whoosh filling his ears wakes him up with a terrible headache. He still keeps his eyes shut, hoping that Sonic just came to check on him, and maybe he’d be kind enough to place some covers on his good ol’ dad and quietly leave.
As expected, Sonic does the exact opposite. Hovering over him like Ozzy does at times of his morning feedings, Tom can practically hear his dorky grin. Still trying to defy fate, he turns his back on the boy, who gasps and snickers.
Then comes his son’s unmercifull fingers digging on his shoulder.
“Tom,you’ve been sleeping for hours! Those hours could be used for family bonding!“
Sonic knows how to play his cards right, Tom has to give that to him.But Tom’s well aware that all the electrical devices in Sonic’s possession must have run out of juice, and with Tails probably tinkering and Knuckles meditating,only Tom is left for Sonic to bother.
No, he isn’t going to fall for that today.
“Sonic, unless Tails tried to munch on you, I wanna keep napping, ‘kay?”
“What?! Why would Tails-“
“G’night Sonic.”
“But dad,first, it’s evening, and second, you didn’t even ask why did I come here!” Tom whips his head to him, both of them can practically feel the magic word doing it’s job, Sonic has a huge grin on his face and Tom berates himself for granting such power over himself to Sonic. He can’t help it, Sonic knows he can’t.It’s a wonderfully terrible dilemna Tom finds himself enjoy getting wrapped into. Joys of fatherhood, as they say.Tom sits up straight, Sonic celebrates his little victory and flops down near him.
“So, why did you come wake me up?”
“I thought you’d never ask! I’m challenging you, Tom Wachowski, to see how much you know your kids!” Sonic declares, then zips to the kitchen. Tom has to admit that the action got him curious enough to abandon his comfy couch and it helps that he has never been one to back down from a challenge. So he makes his way to the kitchen, and to his suprise, entirety of the family welcomes him. His eyes meet with Knuckles’ who nods with a smile. He approaches Maddie, who is sitting and trying to adjust her phone’s camera, and leans in to plant a kiss on top of her head. She giggles, and reaches up to cup his cheek.
“Good morning, sleepy head!”
“C’mon, I didn’t sleep that much!”
“You slept for two hours.” Sonic deadpans, and Tails snickers. With a look at them, or rather, the task at their hands, Tom is very confused and scared, because Tails is dropping some ice in a bowl of water and Sonic is trying to convince him that it’s enough ice already.
If there is one thing Tom learned from living with three alien children for months, it’s that if Sonic is the voice of reason in a situation, they are screwed. And the evil glint in Tails’ eyes comfirms that the one who is screwed today will be Tom.
“Tell me, who corrupted my sweet summer child?” Sonic ends up right near him in a flash, and snorts.
“No one. He came that way.He was just too shy to show his true colors.”
“Hey! I have always shown my true colors!”
“Yeah, Tails, tell that to the bite mark on my arm!”
“So he tried to eat you! Maddie, I heard foxes eat hedgehogs…”
“Tails, we’re not eating each other in this house, okay?”
“I didn’t try to eat him! Maddie, we were just fooling around and Sonic pulled my tail!”
“For the love of- That was an accident!”
“That’s why I advised you to stop it before someone got hurt, hedgehog.”
“Boys calm down! It’s completely normal for brothers to have some playful fights, no need to escalate it!”
“But I wasn’t gonna eat him…”
“We know, Tails. We are just joking, bud.” Tom says as he takes Tails into his arms, and sees the fox kit’s pout wavers in a cute giggle.
“So, Sonic, what is the challenge?” With this question, he is ushered to take a seat before the ice cold bowl of water, and Sonic climbs the chair near him. He places Tails to the one on his other side, who gratefully smiles up to him.
“Alright, now that we are all settled, I can explain the rules. Each of us will ask you questions about ourselves, and you will meet the vicious, freezing cold water if you don’t know the true answer!”
“And what do I get to do if I know? Dunk you in the water instead?”
“Nope, just the satisfication of avoiding your cruel fate.”
“How is that fair though? You should be answering questions too!”
“No, Tom, only the father answers the questions in the trend, right, Maddie?” Tails asks, smirking once Maddie nods with a smile.
“Yes, dear. You might be the first father to risk his sons dunking their heads into ice cold water, though. You disappointed us.”
“You dishonored the tick tack trend, father.”
“Dude, for the last time it’s called Tik Tok! And yes, Tom Wachowski, how could you suggest that we should join in, too?! We are your children, your sons, your pride and joy, your-“
“I get it, it is quite enough, Sonic.”
“Fine, let’s begin! Maddie, is the camera ready?”
“I’ve been recording since Tom came in!”
“Okay, Tails, you ask the first question!”
“Alright… Hmm, what is my favourite color?”
“Red!” Tom shouts and Tails reluctantly nods while averting his gaze.
“Red like me!” Knuckles boasts, and Tom giggles. Sonic and Maddie exchange knowing looks.
“Tails, we both know red is not your favourite color.” Sonic says gently, and Tails bows his head slightly.
“Wait, it isn’t?” Tom asks, and Maddie shakes her head.
“Tails, dear, what is your favourite color?” Maddie gently asks, and Tails starts looking at his hands.
“It’s blue… But red is a close second! Dad doesn’t have to-“
Before he can finish his sentence Tom dunks his own head in the freezing bowl of water.He loudly exhales, and Sonic whoops, his fist on the air.
“That’s our dad for ya, Tails! And take that, Knuckles! He likes blue the most!” Sonic wiggles his brows at Knuckles, who frowns in response. Tails cheerfully laughs when Tom gives a thumbs up.
“Keep ‘em coming!” He says, facing Sonic with a playful look.
“I’m up next! What is my favourite thing about myself?”
“Your favourite thing…” Tom hums,and exchanges a look with Maddie, making her giggle.
“Your heart?” he asks, and Sonic coos, and before Tom can celebrate he dunks his head into the bowl.
“Well, that was unexpected.” Tails says, giggling.Knuckes hands a towel to Tom who smiles at him.
“The answer was my speed! And I thought I was going easy on you!” Maddie giggles and Tom groans.
“You didn’t have to coo before dunking my head though, it was a pretty low move!” Tom teases, ruffling Sonic’s head.
“It’s all about presentation, Tom!” Sonic says, opening his arms wide.
“I believe it is my turn to ask a question.What percentage of my body is muscle?” Knuckles asks, making Tails and Sonic groan. Maddie and Tom start laughing.
“Million percent!” Tom says, thankful that he got to pass the cold water.
“Oh, c’mon, you gotta make it a challenge!” Sonic says, folding is arms agains his chest.
“You said to simply ask a question, and I did. I do not understand what is wrong.”
“Nothing is wrong honey. This isn’t a competition, Sonic.”
“If it was though Knucklehead would be losing.” Sonic says, making Tails giggle while nodding.Knuckles grins and fakes annoyance.
“I never lose, hedgehog.”
“Round two!” Maddie announces, clapping her hands to distract them.
“Fox goes first!”
“Okay, um…My favourite movie?”
“Oh! I know this! What was the name…. There was a fox in it too… Zootopia?”
“That’s right!” Tails says, and Sonic’s mouth falls open.
“Even I didn’t know that! Am I failing as a big brother?!” He dramatically goes down to his knees.
“Yes.” Knuckles is quick to answer, making everyone laugh.
“As if you knew the answer!”
“Of course. I just didn’t remember the name.”
“The name is what really matters, buddy!”
“Sonic, you’re next, sit down.” Tom pats the seat next to him, effectively diffusing the argument. Sonic climbs up the chair and dramatically clears his throat.
“So… Who is my favourite actor?”
“That’s easy, Keanu Reeves!” Tom says, then holds up three fingers and closes them as the seconds pass.
“Yes! He is a national treasure!” Sonic says, Tom mouthing the words at the same time while replicating Sonic’s body language flawlessly. Everyone else burst out laughing, making Sonic look around.
“What is the matter?”
“Nothing, buddy! Just satisfied that I got to avoid my cruel fate.” Sonic squints his eyes at him, getting close to his face as he points an accusatory finger at him.
“You are mocking me, aren’t you?” Sonic leans back to his chair once Tom tickles him, yet keeps uo his side eye, plotting his revenge already.
“Last question!” Maddie exclaims, and Knuckles hums.
“What is…something I want to protect the most?”
“Still so easy!” Sonic groans, sticking his tounge at Knuckles, but Knuckles shakes his head with a smile.
“I know this, the Master Emerald!”
“Close.”
“What do you mean close-“ Tom doesn’t get to hear the answer because Sonic proceeds to enact his revenge plan. Tom lifts his head, coughs, Tails hands him a dry towel with a worried gaze. Tom ruffles the top of the fox’s head, making him giggle.
“What is the answer, Knuckles?” Tails says, tilting his head.
“My tribe, of course.”
“Ah honey, I’m tearing up!” Maddie says, quick to embrace Knuckles.
“That’s so sweet, big guy!” Tom says, joining in on the embrace, and Tails wastes no time squeezing into the pile.
“Yeah, Knux, never took you for sentimental words, dude.” Sonic teases, also rushing in.
“That is your mistake, hedgehog. I’m sentimental. And complex.”
“Yeah yeah. No need to boast.”
“Also the champion of this competition!”
“It wasn’t a competition, though!”
“Yet I won by asking the best question, fox! Victory is mine.”
“You certainly won over us, baby.” Maddie says, and slowly they all tear themselves away from the tight-knit hug.
“After all that cold water, I think I need some warmth. Who wants hot-chocolate?” Tom says, and all hands shot up accompanied by cheers and yells.
Yes, a quiet Sunday is a rare treasure nowadays ,and yes,he is still trembling from the cold water he had to dunk his head in for several times. Sometimes the kids are too loud, too energetic, or they leap head-first into messes they can’t get out by themselves, but it’s all worth it. Because his family is the rarest, most precious treasure of all.
“Tom! C’mon, hot chocolate won’t make itself!” Sonic says, giggling while he hands Tom the milk.
He chuckles, joys of fatherhood, indeed.