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All in all, it could have been worse.
At least, that’s what Tails’ friends had said when they saw Kit’s sorry state. He didn’t recognize their voices anymore, but, although his eyes were long gone, his ears still worked just fine.
“Are we sure we can trust him?” That was the hedgehog named Sonic, Kit recalled vaguely. The one who had found his worthless body and brought him back to Tails.
“Sonic, he’s harmless.” Tails sounded sure, and Kit allowed himself a moment of relaxation. Just a moment. He wasn’t allowed any more, but for that moment, he savored what he could. The heavy blanket cocooned him, and he could’ve fallen asleep if not for the hushed conversation from the kitchen.
“He might seem that way, but remember-“
“Sonic, he’s blind now. He barely remembers me, let alone you.”
“And what if he starts acting like his old self? After all, he and-“ Sonic’s voice drained from his ears, and, mildly panicked, he fought through the haze of painkillers to pick up that name. That name, or lack thereof, was driving him insane. He knew he had a purpose once. Someone he could live for, maybe? He got flashes here and there, of a time before the darkness, but it hurt to remember, and his head was so foggy. He could just make out the end of Sonic’s sentence as he swung his good arm haphazardly for the crutch at the end of his bed.
“-she’s gonna be so pissed that Kit got hurt.”
She?
He thought he knew only three girls. None of them would be angry on his behalf. Why would they be? He was… words flashed through the forefront of his mind, one after another in a half-forgotten voice.
Drippy, Kid, Little Man.
He was Kitsunami. He was not something to be angry about. The very notion was absurd, but if they said that someone would care, then would that not make him beholden to someone yet again?
Clinging to the crutch, he dragged himself to the hall, then to the wagon that Tails had rigged for him, which, unprompted, dinged and pulled him from the bedroom to the kitchen.
“Who’s ‘she’?” His voice felt small as strong hands- so much bigger than his- helped him to his chair.
“Sorry, Kit, did we wake you?” Tails asked.
He shook his head. It would not do to admit that he rarely found sleep now. If he said so, then it would trouble Tails. If he said it, then it would mean that he was once again being a burden.
“Who’s ‘she’?” He asked again, and again, and again, voice rising as his ears buzzed incessantly, not letting him hear her name. He wanted to hear her name. Even once. To hear who would be angry for his sake. To hear the name of who might save him.
But as Sonic and Tails tried to tell him that all would be well, and that, soon enough, he would remember, all he could hear was static.