MulticolourInk

It had been a long day of fighting robots and just general hero stuff. Sonic was very tired; but in the middle of the night, he heard his little brother crying. Concerned, Sonic carefully got up, stepping over anyone else sleeping in the vicinity, and reached Tails, who was curled up in his sleeping bag; his face buried into the pillow and his ears flat. "Tails?", said Sonic, gently shaking the kit's shoulder. Tails stiffened, his eyes now wide with shock. Once he saw it was just Sonic, he immediately became lax. "Hi Sonic", said Tails meekly. "Bad dream?", asked Sonic. Tails shook his head, but they both knew it wasn't convincing. Sonic didn't say anything, and instead opted to just lay down beside Tails, his arms wrapping around the fox and stroking his back. Tails' breathing evened out. Once he felt calmer, he took a deep breath, then began to let out soft little chirps. "Sorry" Sonic was startled. "Why?" The language of their ancient ancestors may have sounded primitive, but to them it felt right. It was a comfort. A way to communicate on a deeper connection. "I messed up", chirped Tails. "I did bad. I need to be better" "What?!, Sonic replied shocked. "You did great. You were our support" "I got hurt by that robot" "And you are ok now". Sonic glanced over Tails for the umpteenth time that night, just in case. Tails shook his head again. "But in doing so I endangered others. I made a mistake, and I failed" "No", Sonic said again, this time with more gusto. "You did what you thought was best. You used your wits and saved others. They would be dead if it was not for you" Tails went quiet as he hung onto his every word "The only thing upsetting me", continued Sonic. "Is that the bucket of bolts hurt my little brother. Big brother was pretty mad about that" Tails giggled this time, feeling a bit better hearing that. "Always remember", Sonic tilted his little bro's head up and looked him deep in his eyes. "Big brother is always going to put little brother first. This tribe needs him. Especially me" Tails looked down, an overwhelming feeling washing over him. Suddenly there was a larger mass laying down at his back, another arm draping over him. "I also need the little fox", Knuckles' voice rumbled. His chirps coming out like deep thunder. "If anyone hurts little brother, I will slay them all" Tails giggled again and Sonic huffed in amusement. Prompting himself to just raise an eyebrow and smirk. With Tails more settled, the two older brothers wrapped their arms tighter around him, and drifted off to sleep.