From "Friends" to "Parents" (Sonic the Hedgehog)

Found Family

Baseball. A family game of baseball. This was it. Sonic had to tell them now. It was the perfect opportunity.

Over a year ago now, this was the very place he'd come and ended up having a breakdown at due to his overwhelming loneliness. It felt like some kind of significance to find himself back here, only now he had a family to play with. A couple of parents. Two friends who already felt like brothers; an older brother and a younger brother. Leaving him right smack dab in the middle of them.

He wouldn't have had it any other way.

The game was surprisingly short-lived, because with Knuckles on the mound, the one and only ball they had ended up getting punched clear across the field and straight through the scoreboard. But there were no hard feelings. Instead of getting mad that they'd lost their ball and basically caused minor property damage, Maddie just suggested that instead they go out for ice cream. The mood didn't drop, not even for a moment.

Sonic answered Knuckles' questions about the earth dessert, while Tails glanced excitedly back and forth between them. As Tom and Maddie approached, Knuckles lifted Tails onto his shoulder and carried the giggling little fox to the truck. Sonic smiled after them, glad to see them getting along so well. As Maddie followed them with Ozzie, Tom hung back and knelt down beside Sonic, his eyes also trained on the other two alien children.

"I'm happy for you, pal," Tom chuckled, as Tails flew himself into the back of the truck and Knuckles considered it for a moment. "You've got your wingmen! Perfect friends to grow up with."

Sonic watched them for a moment longer, snickering a little at Knuckles exclaiming, "Ah, my victory chariot!" and heavily flopping into the back along with Tails. His heart was full, so full, and his smile was uncontrollable.

With a quick deep breath, he lowered his eyes, then turned them to meet Tom's directly. "I've got a lot more than that," he replied softly, then added, ". . . Dad."

He had so much more than just some friends to grow up with. He had brothers. He had parents. He had a home. A family. And he wasn't sure if he could express all that without tears. So he started small.

Tom stared back at him for a moment, surprise momentarily overtaking his expression, but then his eyes started glistening with joy, and he turned his face away, as if to hide tears of happiness from Sonic. "Race you to the truck," he finally replied, his voice cracking a little on the words. Sonic's smile widened at the silent acceptance, and he spun around, excited, as his father shouted "One-two-three GO!" and jumped up to make a beeline for the truck.

He gave him a couple seconds to think he had a chance, and then— just as Tom was calling back, "No, don't go easy on me, I want your best!" he sped ahead and slid stylishly onto the top of the truck. His cool pose was kinda ruined when he ended up sliding off and falling into the back with Knuckles and Tails, but that was more than okay.

Tom pretended to be disappointed at losing, but his smile was still glued to his face as he climbed into the driver's seat and pulled out, heading for the nearest ice cream parlor.

The truck drove much more slowly than Sonic or Knuckles could run, or Tails could fly. But none of them minded. Even though they could've got there so much faster, they preferred to ride along with the people who had loved them, accepted them for who and what they were, and given them a home.

After they got their ice cream, they relaxed in the outdoor booths; it was too nice of a day to spend indoors. Tails had begun explaining every fact he knew about ice cream to Knuckles, who listened with interest. As they remained preoccupied with that, Sonic slid over to where Tom and Maddie were sitting together on the other end.