Work Text:
He first noticed it with Rouge.
She had asked him to make something that could detect and rid of lasers and other typical security measures. She told him it was for when she snuck into Eggman’s bases, but he knew better.
He went ahead and made it anyway, because it was useful for sneaking into Eggman’s bases. She could be a beta tester, just without realizing it.
He had it done in a day. It was a simple enough thing, but he still had plenty to talk about. He can’t help it. When it comes to technology, especially his technology, he gets lost in talking about it. He rambles on and on about all the things it can do, what it’s made out of, etc.
He was so used to talking to Sonic about his machines, he didn’t think others might not sit there and listen the same way the hedgehog did.
But he learned.
He doesn’t know how long he had been talking for, having lost track of time shortly after he started talking, but he guessed it had been thirty minutes, give or take.
He had just started mentioning the system it used to detect everything when Shadow had entered his workshop, asking if the gadget was done. Rouge had then taken it from him and walked off with the other.
She mumbled ‘Thanks. Pretty sure I would’ve been there for a few hours had you not swept in.’
He doesn’t think he was supposed to hear that. But he did. A downside to having heightened hearing.
The next time it was with Vector.
He had asked for a device that could help with tracking mobians and other things. Something to make his job that little bit easier.
A bit trickier, but still an easy thing to make. It was done in three days. He was able to arrive at the Chaotix Detective Agency the same day it was finished. Vector was thankful he had delivered it, and went to say farewell but he interrupted.
He realizes, now, that probably wasn’t such a good idea.
He timed it, he had been talking for 23 minutes that time. That was when Charmy came into the conversation, saying they just got another job. Quick goodbyes were said, and then the door was shut.
There was a muffled ‘Jeez, that kid’s usually so quiet. But ask him about a machine and he can’t seem to stop talkin’!’ behind the door.
He’s pretty sure it was meant to be in a light-hearted manner.
But that didn’t mean it felt that way.
The next, and last, time was with Knuckles.
He didn’t ask for anything. He wasn’t great with technology, but he still wanted to keep in contact with him and Sonic.
So, he made him a special laptop. Something that should be big enough for him to use comfortably, and strong enough to withstand his strength.
Sonic was with him when he flew to Angel Island to drop off the laptop. Knuckles seemed pretty surprised by the device, but it quickly changed to confusion once he started explaining how it worked.
Sonic had cut in then, saying he could call them on their communicators if he needed help with the laptop. That seemed to satisfy Knuckles.
Knuckles leaned in to whisper ‘I wish he would understand others learn differently than him.’
A few other hushed words were exchanged between them, but he didn’t care enough to listen. He couldn’t stop thinking about those words.
He thinks, maybe he should stop talking about his inventions.
Nobody else understands them anyway. All they care about is if they’re useful.
Sonic asks if he’s okay as they get back into the Tornado, so he fixes his appearance and smiles brightly at his brother.
He’s fine.
He knows how others feel now.
——
Tails hummed along to the soft classical music playing from the speakers in his workshop as he tinkered away with a new device. It was a new attachment for the communicators he had made everyone.
It was a small thing, only meant to be used if a quick exit was needed. It had two separate modes, passive and offensive.
In the passive mode, it would make holographic copies of the wearer to provide a distraction. Leaving an opening to escape.
In the offensive mode, it would fire three separate bullets that created small explosions on impact.
He had just finished programming the passive mode when his big brother had entered the room, just having finished a lap or two around Mobius.
“Hey, li’l bro!” Sonic greeted as he stretched his arms up above his head, walking towards the fox slouched over the workbench, “whatcha workin’ on today?” The teen leaned over the younger’s shoulder to peer at the gadget.
After noticing he was only using a screwdriver at the moment, Sonic brought a hand to the kit’s head to lovingly ruffle the golden fur.
“Communicator attachment,” Tails responded plainly, tightening the final screw of the back panel.
“What’s it for?” The hedgehog asked, dropping his hand from the other’s head to rest on his hip.
“Scapegoat.” Another plain response. Sonic raised a brow at this, watching as the younger scanned over the tiny object with a careful eye.
“What's it do, then?” The teen tried. This behavior was strange, usually Tails would be blubbering on and on about the gizmo by now. Why were his responses so plain?
“It’s to save your life, Sonic,” The kit sighed, setting the device off to the side, “what more do you need to know?”
“What?” Sonic blinked, watching as Tails got up from his chair to walk over to a drawer in a file cabinet. One filled with small projects the fox had scrapped or wanted to recycle.
The hedgehog frowned, “You okay, bud?” He asked as the kit pulled out a tiny mechanical bug, returning back to his chair and slouching over the table again. “You seem off.”
“I’m fine,” Tails muttered, grabbing a screwdriver meant for eyewear, “just tired, if anything.”
Sonic hummed in thought as he watched the kit begin to disassemble the tiny machine. “Well, then tell me how your new gizmo is gonna save my life this time.” He hopped onto the workbench, making sure he was far enough away from the area the fox was utilizing at the moment.
“Why?” Tails’s lips pressed together in concentration as he started separating the parts from the mechanical bug. “It’s not like you understand it, anyway. What’s the point?”
Taken aback by this, Sonic blinked and took a minute to respond to his little brother. “Because you like talking about your tech?” He reasoned, but it came out as more of a question.
“But do you like listening to a whole bunch of nonsense you don’t understand?” The kit countered, pushing the tiny screws and washers from the machine off to the side, he’d put them away later.
“Hey,” The teen’s foot nudged the chair the younger was sitting on, causing it to turn ever so slightly toward him, “where’s this coming from?”
“I just don’t get how sitting there listening to me talk about technobabble is any fun for you.” Tails placed down the small screwdriver, turning his chair so he could face the older fully. “You hate sitting still, yet you do it anyways just to get nothing in return.”
“Buddy,” Sonic let out a sigh and shook his head, “I don’t listen to your talks to get something out of it. I listen because it makes you happy.”
“But what about you?” The younger argued, ignoring the way his heart squeezed at the thought of someone doing something they hate just to make him happy. “You lose hours of your life every time. Hours you could spend saving someone, or traveling around the world.”
“I don’t mind,” The teen shrugged, letting one of feet idly tap the kit’s knee, “The world will still be here once you finish talking. It can wait.”
“What about the people?” Tails countered, eyes flicking down to his communicator for a second before returning to his brother’s green ones. “Can they wait?”
“Tails,” Sonic leaned forward and grabbed both of the kit’s hands, “I’m your big brother before I’m the Hero of Mobius. Everything can wait.” He kept his gaze steady and his voice firm, lightly squeezing the smaller hands in his hold.
“You don’t mean that,” Tails’s voice was quiet and it wavered, but he kept eye contact, “if it came down to it, you’d save the world before listening to me talk about some new invention. And I want you to do that.”
Sonic only smiled in response. If only the kid knew how little he cared about the world when it came down to it or his little brother.
“Besides,” The fox started again taking his hands away from the older, “There’s other ways for me to be happy. I don’t want you to force yourself to listen to my rambling just because it makes me happy.”
“I want you to be happy too,” he continued, missing the way the teen’s eyes softened at his words.
“Buddy,” Sonic laughed lightly, reaching his right hand forward to cup his brother’s left cheek, “Seeing you happy makes me happy. It doesn’t matter if I have to sit still for the rest of my life.”
Tails’s eyes widened slightly as the older smiled fondly down at him from his spot on top of the workbench. “I’m happy when you are. So don’t worry about me forcing myself to do anything. If it’s with you, I don’t mind.”
Suddenly, Sonic’s arms were full of soft, golden fur. A head pushed itself into his neck as his little brother climbed onto his lap.
The teen chuckled and wrapped his arms around the younger tightly, pressing him against his chest. He ignored the growing wetness on his shoulder in favor of pressing his cheek against the kit’s head.
The two of them stayed like that for around five minutes, neither of their hold on the other loosening.
Tails cried silently into his big brother’s shoulder, and he wondered what he ever did to deserve him. When they first met he was a pitiful little thing, covered in blood, tears, and all kinds of dirt and grime.
But the hedgehog still saved him. He didn’t care about the blood or dirt, nor did he care about his mutation.
He thought it was cool.
Cool enough to give him a nickname after them.
Sonic smiled against the younger’s head, turning slightly to quickly kiss his temple. Something he did when they were both younger, and the little fox needed something more comforting than a hug.
“Alright, bud,” The big ear closest to him flicked before standing up to hear him better, “why don’t you tell me ‘bout this communicator attachment?” His left arm lifted away from the kit’s back as his right patted his arms a few times before following suit.
Tails took a deep breath and nodded, quickly wiping his eyes before hopping down to the floor and sitting in his chair once more.
The teen’s smile never left his muzzle as his brother got lost in the world of tech, rambling on about the littlest things as if the previous interaction had never happened.
And Sonic listened to every word.
He still didn’t understand, but he listened nonetheless.
And they were both happy.