"I Love You" (and other Sonic & Tails Stories)

Safest Shelter

Original story by oooMarie198

Part I: Home

Night had already fallen in Mystic Ruins when Sonic and Tails finally returned home, with a cool summer breeze whirling through the trees nearby before moving offshore towards the sea, the scent of damp forest clashing with that of the salty mist, continuously switching with the wind's direction.

It always felt like a miracle how one place had two completely different natural environments depending on which side of the workshop one looked.

The workshop that was now their own home.

Though they already had it for almost a year now, Sonic did not think he would ever get used to returning to an actual home after a long day of battles and heroics. Never thought he'd even make an effort to find a permanent one when he used to get by just fine before. Funny how having someone to look after and take care of changed so many things, how having a little brother made life just that much more easier and worthwhile.

Said little brother was currently asleep, gently held by the older hedgehog as he clutched onto the one carrying him, his face buried in Sonic's shoulder as the young blue hedgehog carefully trudged through the grass, little yellow fireflies floating around the tall blades like twinkling blue stars in the dark sky above.

Tails mumbled in his sleep and held on tighter as Sonic shifted him to open the door and stepped inside. He resisted an urge to squeeze back so not to wake him up, knowing the kid had tuckered himself out after a long day of adventuring. 

He was a resilient fox but he was still just seven. He was very much still a child and he needed all the sleep he could get, especially with all the activity he had been doing when he was awake.

Sonic went with running his hand down the fox's back instead, his charge becoming more limp as he fell into a deeper sleep, somehow feeling heavier than before even though it made zero sense for him to have become heavier all of a sudden.

Which was good, Sonic supposed, as it meant the fox wouldn't get disturbed awake too easily when he'd be carried up the stairs to his room. He pushed the door close with his foot before heading towards the steps leading to the upper floor, snagging Tails' blanket from the couch's back on the way there.

Shifting a sleeping Tails into a more secure hold, he cautiously climbed up the steps and made his way towards his little brother's bedroom, trying to slowly open the door so that its knob and hinges wouldn't squeak, which they had done since the day they moved in.

Mentally doing a little celebratory dance when he succeeded, he proceeded to slide off the shoes Tails was wearing and neatly placed him on the side of the bed, shushing him and stroking his back when Tails tried to hold on tighter with a minute whimper as he subconsciously sensed that he was being released from the protective hold.

Tucking the blanket around him when he finally managed to get the younger to release him, Sonic gently rubbed his head, running his fingers through the bangs and fur, letting out a soft smile as Tails' arms and face relaxed, holding back a snicker as he heard the fox letting out soft snores, which signaled to Sonic that he had officially fallen into a deeper slumber.

With one final pat on the head, the hedgehog made sure the blanket was secure and his little brother was tucked in properly before moving to leave the bedroom, closing the door shut behind him.

Part II: Wheel of Time