Wachowski Family ONE-SHOTS (Sonic the Hedgehog SCU)

Going to the Pool

Summer had been in full swing when Knuckles and Tails had first joined the Wachowski family, and even though it was beginning to wind down, school hadn't started yet, and the hot weather had yet to cool down. So, in an attempt to find something fun and together to do on a free weekend that both Tom and Maddie had off work, they decided to take the kids to the local pool for the entirety of Saturday.

When they'd called their trio together and announced the weekend plan, Tails had gotten excited and started cheering, saying things like "I saw kids go there for so long, it looks so fun, thank you guys so much!"

Knuckles had seemed interested, not excited per se, but interested in going. He'd smiled at his youngest brother's eager anticipation and decided that it would be beneficial to their bond as a tribe (which was what he'd taken to calling their family).

Meanwhile, Sonic had just stood there, silent for once, his eyes wide and . . . troubled?

As Tails flew back up the stairs, still happily rambling, Tom had knelt down beside the hedgehog. "Is everything okay, bud? You don't seem all that excited at all for this."

Sonic had tried to brush it off, insisting he was fine, that he'd just spaced out and was distracted by homework. He'd made it clear he didn't want to talk about whatever was bothering him, so Tom hadn't pushed too hard, but he privately informed Maddie about the odd situation later and asked her to help him keep an eye on their middle child.

Sonic was a good kid, a great kid. But he did have a lot of troubles from his past, troubles that were sometimes impossible to get him to talk about and help him with. And since they didn't want to force him into uncomfortable, possibly triggering conversations, they just let him know they were there for him and that he could come to them with any problem he had.

So here they were, 10 a.m. on a hot Saturday morning, pulling into the parking lot of the public pool. The boys didn't technically need swimming trunks, but they'd thought they looked cool, so they each had gotten their own pair. "Group of five, please," Tom informed the guy at the front. "All three under age 17. We'll be here till 4."

The guy glanced at the three alien boys, the younger two of which were bickering over whether or not zombies still biologically counted as humans, and chuckled. "I believe it."

While Tom paid for their visit, Maddie reached back and flicked both Sonic's and Tails's ears playfully. "Come on, guys, it's not that important. Don't argue."

"It's very important!" Sonic insisted. "What if we ended up in a zombie apocalypse one day? We'd have to know so that Tails could possibly make a cure! But like, if they're not human, then I don't think that'll work. Because . . . that would be like giving cold medicine to a . . . giraffe. Wait— do you think cold medicine would work on me and Tails? And Knuckles? What if—"

"We're in, boys!" Tom called back, cutting off Sonic's ramblings. "Let's-a go!"

Knuckles sighed. "Mother, he is copying the Italian construction worker again."

Maddie snickered, then nudged him and his brothers through the gate to the shower room for the men. "I'll see you guys on the other side."

Once they were all on said other side, Tails immediately made a beeline for the nearest bit of pool and jumped in with a whoop of glee. Knuckles smiled and followed him, calling, "I will make sure you stay safe, little fox!"

Maddie headed for the beach chairs, wanting to heat up in the direct sunlight before getting in the water. Tom was just about to follow his two newer boys in when he realized Sonic was still lingering back by the door, his arms pressed up to his chest, eyeing the water with a glint of . . . was that . . . fear in his eyes?