Chapter Text
Ever since Sonic has entered his life, Tom has gotten used to strange things just happening on a whim. He feels like he should be more alarmed at the fact that a strange man was standing on his front porch, but this isn’t the first or even second time this has happened since he met the little blue hedgehog, so all he can do is mentally sigh and ask what he wants. The man at his door looks terrible. He has dark bags under his eyes, and the dress shirt he’s wearing is wrinkled while his tie is loosened and askew. Tom’s eyes dart down and he notices that he has slowly healing, thick, jagged slashes on his arms as well.
“Can I help you?”
“I need to talk to Shadow.”
The voice was vaguely familiar, but Tom wasn’t quite able to place it. Which puts him on edge.
Sometimes Tom feels like he’s a different person now than he was a little over a year ago. His priorities have shifted like crazy and he’s doing things he never ever thought he would. He also feels like he’s become a lot more defensive, or maybe it’s more protective.
“You’re not a different person, you’re just a parent now. That’s parenthood you’re feeling.” Maddie had told him when he voiced this late one night. He turned his head on his pillow to look at her, and not for the first time he wonders how he got so lucky.
“I feel it too. I think you"re struggling with it because it was just kind of thrust upon you, upon us. It just kind of happened without us meaning for it to.”
He suddenly felt guilt wash over him, realizing that he didn’t just throw himself into the deep end of all of this, but threw her in as well. “But you’re okay with it, right?”
She scoffed at him, “Of course I am! I love Sonic, and I love what we’ve built together.”
She sounded like she meant it, and looking in her eyes he could tell it was the truth.
Tom loves his boys, he loves his wife and his dog, he loves his life and his job, and he feels powerless to protect any of it. He thought when Robotnik had gone the first time that they were safe, that there wasn’t anyone or anything that had any interest in this small family in Montana. But Robotnik came back, and then came back again, nearly getting Tom killed in the process.
Which brings Tom’s mind to Shadow.
He knows that Shadow didn’t mean to hurt him, very clearly upset with Walters and not Tom himself. Tom wonders how that interaction would have been different if Tom had turned off his cloaking earlier, if Shadow had seen Tom for Tom.
Who knows.
Not that Tom has an overly strong investment in what Shadow thinks of him, instead he is much more interested in how he thinks of his son.
Finding out that Sonic had been sneaking out in the middle of the night to meet Shadow had been a shock to say the least. After everything everyone had been through because of him, partly at his own hands, Tom was surprised Sonic even wanted anything to do with him, let alone date him. Though, as odd as it sounds, Tom was kind of relieved it was Shadow, another alien hedgehog, and not some random boy Sonic knew. Tom wonders how differently that conversation would have gone, though it might have still ended with the other boy’s guardian at his door.
Tom just never thought Sonic or any of them would ever date, and it was something Tom was kind of relieved about. It’s one of those parts of parenthood no one really wants to talk about, and no one has the foolproof answer on how to deal with your teenage kids dating, especially when they’re not even high school age. After Sonic had run off, Tom and Maddie had a long and serious conversation.
“It’s not like we can stop him. He’s his own person, Tom.” Maddie said.
“I know.” Tom said into his hands. He had his elbows on the table, his entire body feeling heavier than it had in a long time. He didn’t want to stop Sonic from seeing him, not if he made him happy, but he couldn’t help but worry about him. It’s not like anything he’d ever felt before, and it was eating him up inside.
Sonic had grown a lot, both as a person and just physically. When Tom first met him he was so much smaller, his features rounded out and soft. Sonic was slowly growing, maturing and coming into himself. He’s more confident, and his heart has grown along with him. Tom trusted him to make the right call.
And after getting to know Shadow a little bit, Tom realized he’s just as much of a lost kid as Sonic. There was a voice in the back of his head telling him to keep him, to wrap him up and add him to the household so Tom would always know he was safe and cared for and loved. As scary as he can look, Tom can’t help but see a grumpy teenager.
Which was why seeing them sleeping in the same bed sent Tom’s stomach into his gut. He only knew to come up because Tails had told him. Tails was an early riser, not quite as early as Knuckles, but he and Tom got up around the same time, so they’ve taken to eating breakfast together, Tails becoming Tom’s early morning buddy. Sometimes they talk, sometimes they don’t, but that morning Tails was as chatty as ever.
“...and I don’t think Shadow likes me very much.”
Tom put down his toast, “I’m sure he likes you plenty, he’s just…a little prickly.”
“Did you do that on purpose?” Tails said with a slight smile. Tom laughed.
“No, but my point stands. I hope he slept okay, do you think he sleeps in like Sonic?”
Tails hummed, “Well, he’s still sleeping, so I doubt it.”
Tom’s smile had gone a bit crooked as he looked at his youngest, “How do you know he’s still asleep?”
Tails jerked his head backwards, “He’s still asleep with Sonic upstairs.”
Tom’s smile had faltered completely by then, and he opened and closed his mouth a few times before actually speaking again.
“What do you mean ‘with Sonic’?”
“Like Shadow fell asleep in Sonic"s bed last night, and he’s still there.”
Despite having three in his home, Tom is no expert on how their culture or biology works. Maddie has a better understanding of it, with the help of her background veterinary knowledge, and outside rudimentary first aid, Tom was clueless. Maybe it’s normal for them, and even if it wasn’t, sharing a bed isn’t a bad thing and it doesn’t mean that anything untoward happened. But suddenly Tom was being put in the position of ‘dad who wants to protect his kid who is dating the scary bad boy’ and he got a little worried.
Shadow’s a good kid, and if he had bad intentions they would have noticed. But his dad brain kicked on and he stood from the table, telling Tails he would be right back. He thought maybe Tails had misremembered, maybe seeing Shadow on the floor next to the bed instead of actually in it.
But then Tom got to the top of the stairs, and he saw exactly what he was told he was gonna see. So Tom got fully into the attic, seeing Sonic and Shadow cuddled up and facing each other, still sound asleep. Tom shoved his fist into his mouth, and he took a couple deep breaths. There was no need to over react. They’re literally just sleeping.
They looked comfortable, and Tom almost felt bad waking them up. But he needed to talk about it with Sonic, though this was one earth custom/idea that Tom was less than keen to talk about. But it had to be done, and after getting the boys up, he tried to be firm.
He could do this.
“Sonic you can’t, you guys can’t be sharing a bed, especially one this small.”
“Why not? That’s not fair.”
He couldn’t do it.
He talked around it a bit, hoping that he could make this a problem for his future self, a future self that wasn’t being stared down by Shadow the Hedgehog, but Sonic would not let him get away with it. So he called in some backup.
“What’s going on?”
Tom ran her through the situation, and he could immediately see the wheels turning in her head. They’d talked about these kinds of situations before, though it was mostly just them saying how lucky they feel that they would probably never have to deal with something like this. But here they are, staring down at their kid while his boyfriend sits beside him.
Tom then felt Maddie grab his shoulder and turn him. They huddled together, and Maddie whispered, “What should we do?”
“I, I dunno. I mean, it’s not like they were doing anything, and I don’t wanna have the talk with him with Shadow here.”
“I agree.”
Tom sighed, “I really don’t want to have the talk at all but, at this point it’s probably inevitable. But in the meantime, what should we say?”
“Just let them know they can’t share, house rules.”
“Okay.”
“Do you think this is like, a normal Mobian thing?”
Maddie gave a half shrug, and Tom returned the gesture before they both turned around.
Tom tried to appear stern, wanting to make sure this conversation ended as quickly as possible, “Okay. Like I said before, you guys can’t be sharing the bed like that. If Shadow really wants to be up here, we’ll get something temporary set up, but no sharing.”
Sonic frowned, hands on his hips, “Why not? You guys share, so why can’t we?”
The last thing Tom wanted to explain to him at that moment was why Tom shared a bed with his wife and why Sonic couldn’t share one with his boyfriend.
They both started speaking at the same time, “Because we’re-”
“Married,” Tom said at the same time Maddie said “Adults.”
They looked at each other for a moment before Maddie said, “We’re married adults. It’s different.”
Thankfully Sonic dropped it, though it was reluctant. During that entire thing, Shadow remained eerily silent, though that seemed to be the theme when it came to him. The whole thing only made him think about the whole situation a little harder; Shadow is Sonic’s boyfriend. Sonic has a boyfriend. Sonic is an alien creature with an extraordinary power, but Tom can’t help but see the little kid he found in his garage. But he was still in his early teens then, even if his baby face didn’t give that away it doesn"t make it any less true.
So Tom had to quickly get himself right with it. Which included a short come-to-Jesus moment where Tom had the sudden and brilliant realization that Sonic was gay, or at least partly, and he wondered if any of those forums parents of gay kids go to would even be able to help him support a hedgehog. Then there was the horrifying addition to that realization that as much as he loves Green Hills and all the people living here, he knows there are some less than kind people mixed in to the population, and he’s not sure he would trust his own actions should someone say something to Sonic or Shadow (or any of his kids should Sonic not be the only one).
It was kind of a frightening thing to learn about yourself that you’re willing to punch an old lady if she said anything to your kid.
All this to say, Tom wasn’t overly trustful of the disheveled man asking to talk to one of the kids residing in his home.
Tom looks over his shoulder, seeing a couple of colorful heads looking around the corner. Tom can see them whispering to each other, and Tom sighs before turning to the man again.
“Let’s talk outside.”
The man’s face settles, his jaw tensing for a moment before speaking again, “I need to talk to Shadow.”
Tom lowers his voice, not quite whispering, “Well I’ll have to ask him if he wants to talk to you, but I need to figure out who you are first.”
The man breaths out of his nose, and then steps backwards. Tom steps outside, softly closing the door behind him.
Tom crosses his arms as he settles his gaze on the man in front of him, “Okay first things first, who are you?”
The man raises a single brow, “You don’t know?”
Tom looks off to the side for a brief moment, but when his memory comes up empty Tom slowly shakes his head, “Sure don’t, pal.”
The man looks Tom up and down, a slightly smug smile settling on his lips, “I used to live here, you know.”
Tom’s brows come together, “What, here in Green Hills?”
The man nods, “That’s right.”
“When?”
“Handful of months ago.”
Tom frowns now. He’s not gonna say that he knows every single person in town, but he’d at least recognize them if they showed up at his door.
“For how long?”
“Oh, at least six months.”
Tom now had to know why he didn’t know this guy, or why he’s never seen him before. At least, he doesn’t think he’s ever seen him before.
“Did you work around here?”
The man gestures to the side of him with his head, “Down at the Mean Bean on the corner of Main.”
That’s why Tom didn’t know him. Tom never went in to the Mean Bean, always preferring to brew his own coffee at home or down at the station. Wade really liked it though, and he moaned about its destruction for a couple weeks at least.
Tom snaps, “Yup, I’ve never been there.”
The man’s jaw tightens again, “Yeah I know. Can I talk to Shadow now?”
Right, he’s here for Shadow.
“Well hold on a second. I don’t even know your name.”
Now he seems to hesitate, as if unsure he wants to say. The several moments it takes for him to answer immediately raise Tom’s heckles.
Eventually, he answers, “Stone.”
Stone. Tom has heard that name before, and it only takes a moment to remember the name Shadow had said the first time he came to dinner. Stone. Robotnik’s henchman.
Tom pulls his shoulders back, “What do you want with him?”
Stone leveled Tom with an annoyed look, “It"s really none of your business.”
“I think it is my business because he"s been staying with me for the past two weeks because last I heard you kicked him out. So you kind of gave up any right to access to him.”
Stone’s expression turns a bit wounded at that, which suddenly makes Tom curious about the exact nature of Shadow’s ‘removal’. He"s never really asked, though frankly Tom doesn"t think it"s any of his business. The only thing he needs to know is if Shadow is safe going with this guy. God only knows what this guy is capable of.
Stone sighs, hands on his hips and hanging his head, “I know, I know. But I just, at least let me apologize to him. Please.”
Despite his almost hostile attitude before, Stone’s demeanor has now become one of almost desperation. Tom’s immediate reaction is to give in, but if there"s one thing he"s learned about Robotnik, it"s to never get too comfortable.
Tom sighs, tapping his fingers against his bicep, “Alright, I"ll ask him, but I can"t guarantee anything. And if he says no, you get off my property. Understood?”
Stone looks up at him, his tone flat as he says, “Understood.”
Tom holds up a finger, “Okay just stay right here.”
With that Tom goes back inside, shutting the door behind him. Once the latch could be heard, three aliens come towards him, “Well? What did he want?” Sonic asks
Tom looks above all of them and at Shadow, who was sitting next to Maddie at the table.
“He wants to talk to you, bud.” Before a Shadow could respond, To, adds, “But you don"t have to. I told him to beat it if you say no.”
Shadow looks between them all before sighing through his nose.
“I"ll talk to him.”
“Are you sure? You really don"t have to.” Tom says.
Shadow slides off his chair, “Yeah, it"s fine.”
He walks towards the door, stopping next to Sonic.
“What do you think he wants?” Sonic asks.
Shadow looks at the door, “Not sure.”
“Well whatever happens, we"re here for ya.” Tom says. Shadow looks over at him, and gives him a single nod.
Shadow then heads for the door, opening it and stepping out, and then closing it behind him.