Chapter Text
It's been a few weeks since the whole gravity-floor-nearly-crushed-by-a-boulder situation, since the entire London and moon situation and he's been trying to shake off the lingering soreness since flying back home to Green Hills.
At first, he figured it was nothing. Just some post-battle stiffness. He'd stopped a cannon that had been about to destroy the world, and fought another hedgehog who had wanted to fire said cannon at the world.
He's fine.
At least, that's what Sonic keeps telling himself over and over.
But now, with every deep breath, there's a sharp twinge in his ribs that won't go away. He shifts on the couch next to his dad, trying to stretch it out, but the movement sends another pulse of pain through his chest.
He flinches, exhaling through his teeth.
The TV is on, but Tom isn't really paying any attention. He wants to get up and do things he normally would, like make another creepy lookalike dummy, but Maddie won't let him. He wishes he could try getting some more sleep, but it still hurts to lay down. He's jealous of his two other sons sleeping away in the attic, but he knows they all still need it.
He might be getting better himself, but Maddie still wants him to take it easy.
Sonic is curled up against him and he wouldn't have it any other way. After London, there's no way he's letting any of his family out of his sight for the foreseeable future.
Ozzy is sprawled out on the floor next to the couch. He lets out a deep, content sigh. The steady rise and fall of his breathing is almost comforting, like a reminder that at least one of them is truly at peace.
"You okay?" Tom asks when he hears a sharp gasp beside him.
Sonic straightens up like nothing happened. "Yep. Totally fine. Just, uh, thinking about chili dogs."
Tom gives him a look. The kind that says, I have known you long enough to know when you're full of it.
Sonic quickly averts his eyes, but he knows that Tom isn't going to give up easily.
"Alright, spill it."
Case in point...
Sonic huffs. "There's nothing to spill."
But even as he says it, a sudden tightness seizes his chest. It's like all the air gets caught halfway down, refusing to go any deeper. His heart jumps. He tries to take another breath, slower this time, but it catches again, and suddenly the room feels a little smaller.
Okay. That's new.
He presses a hand against his ribs, shifting uncomfortably. His muscles feel stiff, his body sluggish. It's like the soreness has been lurking, waiting for the perfect moment to remind him just how much he's been through in the last few weeks.
Tom has been through just as much...maybe worse.
He notices the movement immediately. "Sonic."
Sonic exhales sharply. "Alright, fine. Maybe I'm a little sore."
Tom arches an eyebrow.
"...Okay, maybe more than a little."
Tom leans forward, concerned. He's going through the same thing and knows how bad it feels when he can't breathe right.
"Where?"
Sonic gestures vaguely at his torso. "I dunno, like...everywhere? But mostly my ribs." He shrugs. "No big deal. Just a little leftover battle damage from fighting Shadow. Or maybe it's from trying to stop the cannon."
Tom frowns. His son never should have had to do something like that. GUN never should have come to their house while they were camping, taking their boys away to fight that other hedgehog.
Being attacked by Shadow had been a big misunderstanding. He'd been disguised as Commander Walters to get the key to the Eclipse Cannon as he had explained after waking up in the hospital.
It makes Sonic even more glad that he hadn't done what he almost did.
"Can you take a deep breath?" Tom asks.
Sonic does his best not to hesitate. "Of course I can."
He tries. The second he inhales past a certain point, a sharp, stabbing pain flares in his side. His chest tightens again, and the air catches in his throat like he's trying to breathe through a straw. His ears twitch backward as he clenches his jaw, fighting the instinct to double over.
Tom doesn't miss any of it.
"Yup, that's it," Tom declares firmly, standing up and trying not to cringe from leftover pain himself. "You're done pretending. Maddie needs to check you out."
Sonic waves him off. "Pfft. No need for that. I mean, sure, it kinda hurts to breathe, but that's probably normal, right?"
Tom gives him a deadpan stare. "No, Sonic. It is not normal for breathing to hurt. Trust me, I know."
He definitely knows.
Sonic groans lightly and flops backward on the couch, draping a hand over his face. "Ugggh. I knew you were gonna say that."
Tom doesn't budge.
Before Sonic can protest further, there are footsteps from the hallway, and Maddie appears, already tying her hair back like she's sensed someone needs medical attention. She glances between them, instantly reading the situation.
"What did he do?" she asks Tom.
"I haven't done anything like you told me to do," Sonic murmurs. "It's been weeks. Dad's fine, and I'm fine."
Tom crosses his arms. "He just admitted it hurts to breathe."
Maddie's expression shifts from mild curiosity to full-on veterinarian mode.
"Sonic," she sighs, walking over. "Why didn't you say something sooner?"
The pain honestly just started, but he doubts they would believe that explanation.
Sonic peeks at her from behind his hand. "'Cause I really don't like making you guys worry?"
Maddie sits on the edge of the couch. "Can I take a look?"
Sonic groans dramatically but doesn't fight her as she gently reaches out to press against different areas of his ribcage. The moment her fingers press near his side, a sharp bolt of pain shoots through him. He sucks in a deep breath, but that only makes the pain worse and all he can do is let out a pitiful whine that he hadn't meant to let escape.
"Yeah, that's definitely not just soreness," Maddie says, taking her hands away so she won't cause him any more pain. "It's been weeks, but your body might just be catching up to feeling any pain or exhaustion."
Sonic makes a face. "Ugh. Lame."
Maddie gives him a sympathetic smile. "It's not the end of the world, but you do need to take it easy like your Dad. No running at supersonic speeds, no high-impact moves, and definitely no throwing yourself in front of any more boulders. All of us need to keep resting."
"But what if another boulder needs to be stopped? What if I have to run from it like Indiana Jones?"
Tom smirks. "Then Knuckles can handle it."
Maddie smacks him lightly on his shoulder. "None of our boys should be stopping anything like that ever again."
Sonic opens his mouth to argue, but honestly? He's too tired.
"Absolutely," Tom quickly agrees. "If GUN ever comes back asking for you and your brothers' help, we'll tell them to get lost."
Sonic grins, almost wishing that GUN would come sooner rather than later so he could witness his parents tell them off.
But then his whole body feels like it's made of lead, the exhaustion is creeping in fast.
"Rest. Now," Maddie orders. "Both of you."
Ozzy lifts his head, ears perking, and gives a low whimper, nudging Sonic’s leg with his nose. Tom gives in to his wife's demand, sitting back down on the couch.
"...Fine, Mom," Sonic mutters, moving back into his former position on the couch next to Dad. "But only 'cause I'm feeling generous."
He sighs, feeling another painful twinge as he lets his eyes close and snuggles deeper into Tom's side, clutching his shirt with a glove.
Tom wraps an arm around him protectively. He's so glad that his arm sling is off now. Maybe he's finally starting to feel a little better, but his son is only just starting to notice something wrong. For once, he seems to be ahead of Sonic.
But maybe, just maybe, taking it easy for a little while longer won't be so bad.
Sonic allows himself to drift off.
If only the persistent sharp pain in his side would let up.