#idk if this is any good but. djdjdjfn

[steeltwigz]

Here's. That thing I did

I don't usually write so. Sorry if it's ooc! Also it has no title. (the plot is that Sonic is really upset and Tails is the only one who notices, which makes TAILS really upset. But it's mostly abt Tails. Takes place shortly after the end of the Metal Virus arc, slight divergence from canon becuz I didn't reread the comics beforehand)

Tails watched Sonic out of the corner of his eye. They were in a meeting with the rest of the Resistance, something about the clean-up efforts. The Metal Virus had just been eradicated, but they still had a lot of displaced Mobians and humans to relocate, and even more debris to sift through and clear out before they could really relax.

The meetings were really only trivial for Tails at this point since his task was always the same- build temporary shelters and help create or restore homes in areas G.U.N still refused to touch- and as such he wasn't really paying attention. He almost missed it then, when some volunteer rookie stirred at the far end of the room. They slammed the table, interrupting Amy's speech with a loud BANG that ricochetted through the large meeting space. The jolt of surprise caused Tails' fur to fluff up, and silence to fall as the rookie started shouting, how they were tired of cleaning, how the Resistance should be out there fighting, how Sonic had ruined everything by not "taking care" of Eggman when he had the chance, and look what good it did them. Tails' ears flattened against his head, and he stood up, too, to defend his brother (who repeatedly saved countless Mobian lives!), but Sonic deterred him with a hand on his shoulder and a gentle push to get him back into his seat. Amy then dragged the rookie out by the arm and the meeting was over.

"It's ok, Sonic." He whispered, almost conspiratorially. Because Sonic wasn't supposed to need help or have big, complex feelings. His foot tapped faster and he didn't quite meet Tails' eye.

Some volunteers shot a glance at Sonic as they walked by, equally split between those who seemed to agree with their upset teammate, and those who pitied their high-speed hero. Sonic, trying to save face, only stared at the far wall, reclining back and scratching his nose. His hand hadn't left Tails' shoulder yet, though the grip he was using was almost feather-light, as if Sonic was forcing himself to relax, something the fox kit mentally added to the list of tells slowly building in his mind. Only once everyone had filed out of the meeting room, bar Sonic, Tails, and their friends who had stuck around, did Sonic's grip tighten ever so slightly, his eyes narrowing for just a moment before returning to half-lidded annoyance. Tails' noted the rigid posture, the way Sonic had tucked his hand behind his head to try and smooth down his raised quills, the way his foot tapped under the table. Anyone would have assumed Sonic was simply annoyed. Maybe even a bit bored. But there was a small tremor- a crack only Tails recognized, through years of learning Sonic's mannerisms, and to Tails it was as glaring as the red alerts that he had programmed in his machines. Tails sighed through his nose, willing his fluffed up fuzz to return to normal. He rested his hand on Sonic's and leaned in so he could talk quietly.

"'Course it is." He shot back, only slightly louder than he needed to. Amy, who had wandered back into the room, glanced over at them, clearly worried. Sometimes Tails wished Sonic would be as easy to read as she was, if only so he had someone else to notice and help him.

Dodging her gaze with an ease learned from years of experience, Sonic cleared his throat and lowered his voice again. "Why wouldn't it be ok?"

Tails' breathing stuttered. Wasn't that the question of the century. That wasn't exactly what Tails would have described it as. How could he possibly say that it was ok that Sonic had been missing for six months, only to be thrust back into the midst of a global war, to think that he could have ended it all with Mr. Tinker but chose not to and be forced to watch the consequences build in real time. How was it ok that Sonic had to run from everyone, that he couldn't do anything but watch as Eggman polluted the planet, that Sonic couldn't even take a minute to rest, that it had been that way for months, relentlessly, and that they only barely stopped it. They were used to skin-of-their-teeth escapes, but nothing like this. Tails would sometimes lie awake at night knowing how Sonic must've blamed himself, and- worse- how many people, Mobians and humans alike, blamed him almost as much. And sometimes, when he really couldn't rest, Tails was left wondering if Sonic really kept believing that the virus wouldn't have won as it got worse. But sure. Of course it'd be ok.

Sonic noticed Tails' mind racing and nudged him out of his stupor. "C'mon, lighten up." His voice lacking any of the usual pep or energy.

Tails turned and met Sonic's gaze, cold like steel. It sent a shiver down his spine. "Sonic-" he started.

But Sonic had already stood up. He stretched, ruffling Tails' hair. He spoke louder this time, voice carrying through the room and dripping with false emotion. "Good talk, bud. But really, don't worry about it, 'kay? Amy'll show that punk a thing or two for me, right Ames?" He turned to her and smiled, to which Amy rolled her eyes and laughed, muttering a 'yeah, sure' that Tails barely heard over the pounding in his ears. Sonic winked then backed towards the door, glancing away when Tails lightly shook his head. "Well," he said, stretching again, "I'm gonna head out. Go for a jog, see if I can't find any leftover bots while I'm at it. See ya!" He said, before racing off.

Tails jumped up, shouting "Wait!" and reaching for his brother, but his hand only passed through the afterimage Sonic left in his wake. His fists clenched at his sides and he breathed harshly out of his nose.

The silence in the meeting room stretched on as Tails watched the dust settle back to the floor, Sonic's titular blue blur fading from his vision and his own namesakes beating the air in tandem. He suppressed an urge to growl, instead scrunching his nose and furrowing his brows. He could feel the eyes of his friends staring at him and it made the fur along his spine raise.

"Sooo," Amy said, after a minute of silence broken only by Tails' fluttering, "he seemed to take that pretty well!"

Tails' fur fluffed up again and he shouted, throwing his arms into the air, before hunching in on himself and storming back to his lab.