Notes: I actually ended up spending this whole week working on a Sonic fangame with Katiemonz and Yamiii. (Check out my profile for a link!) But, because of this, I didn't get anything big written for Sonic's bday. Instead, I decided to do something a little understated, and I rewrote a oneshot I posted a while ago, "Equilibrium." I wanted to streamline it, change a few of the themes, and switch the POV to Tails, so here we are.

Disclaimer: Happy birthday Sonic. You're older than me. :P

Forward!

Aviator

8. re: Equilibrium

(In which Sonic stares out the window on his birthday, contemplating, and Tails needs to get him out of the house.)

Sonic's birthday is usually what you'd expect: fun, laughter, parties, and cake—at least in the afternoon. The morning of Sonic's birthday is reserved for quiet reflection, on another year of world-saving and close calls. Sonic usually finds his favorite spot in or around the workshop—it changes often, so sometimes Tails has to really hunt for him—and he thinks. It seems antithetical to Sonic's normal behavior and active, loud personality, but it also makes just enough sense that Tails doesn't question him when June 23rd rolls around and he goes missing for a few hours.

It's that Sonic doesn't really believe that his birthday belongs to him. He hasn't said as much to Tails, but the fox knows Sonic better than Sonic knows himself sometimes, and the way he contemplates things reeks of selflessness. Perhaps it's just because Tails recognizes the signs, the long looks, the deep breaths, but he knows when Sonic is thinking about all the people he's influenced or saved. It exhausts him, acknowledging the sheer number of people, because he also knows that there's a fraction that he couldn't save.

The birthday morning also acts as a sort of vigil for these lost lives. Sonic never really takes credit for anything, the good or the bad, always shrugs off thanks with "No problem!" because acknowledging those would also mean acknowledging where he failed. And if there's one thing he'll never do, it's think about Station Square's flooding or Westopolis's almost total destruction at the hands of Black Doom.

At least, on any day other than his birthday.

It's exhausting to watch, so Tails lets him stew for about an hour and a half before forcibly ripping him from his thoughts if he has to. Sonic has a habit of spiraling if he sits and thinks for too long, so it's up to Tails to save him from himself. Often, it's with a "C'mon Sonic, don't do this again" and a cup of hot cocoa, but today they're on the last of the cocoa and Tails doesn't have enough spoons to give Sonic what he wants.

He finds Sonic curled up in the kitchen's bay window, staring out across the plateau, toward the water. His gaze is unfocused so he's lodged firmly in his own head and Tails approaches quietly but obviously, letting his feet make tell-tale sounds on the tile so Sonic can hear him. A blue ear flicks in his direction, acknowledgement enough, and Tails hands him the single cup of cocoa he managed to wrangle out of the tin without a word. Sonic accepts it just as silently and takes a tentative sip while Tails clambers up on the seat next to him.

"What'cha doin'?" Tails asks as he watches Sonic watch him through the mug's steam.

"Thinking," Sonic grunts back.

"About morality or how great the party's gonna be?"

Sonic rolls his eyes and takes another sip, this time with more gusto. "The first."

"Mm, I figured. This is a nasty habit we need to break."

"It helps me."

"I know." Tails sighs and reaches for the cup. Sonic pulls it closer to his chest. "We've only got one. You gotta share, Mister Hero."

Sonic wrinkles his nose. "You backwash."

"I do not."

"Used to."

"When I was six."

"Aren't you still six? Pretty sure you haven't—"

"I'm twelve. Give me some hot cocoa."

Sonic chuckles and passes the cup over. Tails makes a big show of wiping the lip off and throwing back a swig.

"I know you think you need to categorize all the little things you've done wrong over the past year, but this can't be healthy," Tails says as he swirls the liquid around.

"You think I should ignore it?" Sonic sounds incredulous, as if he can't believe that Tails, usually full of wisdom Tails, is suggesting such unhealthy behavior.

"No, I think you should face it when it happens instead of bottling it up."

Sonic sniffs and pulls his knees into his chest, wraps his arms around them. "If I do that, it'll slow me down."

Tails hands the mug back over to make Sonic open up his little ball some. "Not if you take it in pieces. Being depressed on your birthday isn't good, y'know. This is supposed to be your day, and you're spending it thinking about everyone else."

Sonic sighs and looks down at the mug. It's half empty now, and slowly going cold. "When'd you get so smart?"

"Born that way."

"And you're humble too."

Tails grins at him, wide, without a second thought. "I learn from the best."

Sonic rolls his eyes and stretches his legs out, nearly kicking Tails in the process. His double-jointed knees pop easily, which makes Tails's ears twitch. "Yeah, I guess so. If only the best could learn from you."

"He can. He's not a total lost cause yet."

Sonic chuckles. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably get lost or blown up or something. Or, Chaos forbid, stuck in your own head for you whole birthday. Can you imagine? Sonic, that's depressing."

Sonic swings his legs off the bench. "Maybe, but I'll never know, because I got you to keep that from happening. C'mon, let's go somewhere."

"Like where?"

Sonic shrugs and downs the rest of the cocoa. "Wherever the wind takes us."

Please go check out our game! It's a little text-based, choose-your-adventure game where you play as Tails. Tails wants to plan Sonic's birthday party without Sonic knowing, but Sonic is a suspicious bean, so it's up to you to help keep Sonic distracted and juggle any emergencies that come up in the party planning process. We've spent a lot of time and put in a lot of effort, and we'd really appreciate it if you gave it a look!

Reviews are cherished.