Summery: Life isnât fair, Miles knows as such. But maybe, with an act of unexpected kindness, it doesnât have to be.
Please be aware of following warnings: Child abandonment, hinted child abuse, hinted child neglect, the fear of death/thinking oneâs going to die, child distress, kidnapping, and a slightly unhinged Sonic which kinda leads to some possessiveness (I like my blue hedgehogs unhinged, what can I say?). You have been warned.
(Also a hint of Sonadow at the end cause why not? But other than that every other relationship in this fic is platonic.)
[AN: I literally need a certain version of this kind of au and I havenât gotten any so of course, Iâm making it myself. Desperate times calls for desperate measures people. I would say I hope youâll enjoy but yaâll Iâll be honest this is literally crafted and planned just for someone like me and I made peace with that. But if you do end up enjoying it thatâs great! Means more people might make content like this that I can read that or see! Either way itâs a win for me folks, have a good night, peace.âïž]
Thatâs the only thing Mile could think about when he saw the empty streets, riddled with chaos, an aftermath of panic. Everyone has long since abandoned the city, escaping to the safety bunkers down below.
Everyone, except for him.
It all happened so fast, one moment everything was normal. His brothers were playing, his parents were happily chatting, and for once he was left alone to work on the multi-tool he had been tinkering with. All was quiet, until the tv began blaring. Warnings of a danger so unheard of, so unyielding, that it was able to take down Dr.Robotnikâs forces.
Not just a couple fleets mind you, it was nearly the entire army. All of it gone and scraped like they were nothing. That alone made Miles sick to his stomach. But what really brought in the dread was that the doctor had not only been defeated, but he even seemed to be panicking, which was the first time Miles ever witnessed it.
Dr.Robotnik has long since been a huge inspiration of his for as long as he could remember. The doctorâs inventions and grand intelligence showed him that maybe there was a point to his own tinkering. That maybe someday he could make something big enough that he could not only help people but finally theyâll look past his two tails and just see him, even for a minuteâŠ
âŠBut that dream seemed to have ended before it could even start; because he knew for a fact heâll most likely die before ever making it out the city. He missed the evacuation period. He was supposed to be with his familyâŠbutâŠbut they locked him in his room. They not only left him behind, but made sure that he would never escape in time. It was no accident, and he just couldnât understand why.
He never did anything but read and tinker. His brothers stole, hurt, and cheat; yet they never got in trouble, at least not from their parents. No, every bad thing that ever happened to their family they had blamed it on him. Worst of all was that their reasoning didnât make any sense; that being his second tail was cursed; but that simply wasnât true.
The librarian said that it was just a mutation; a simple yet rare anomaly that can happen to any tailed Mobian. They even told him that he was special, that it was rare for a mutation like his to be so functional. And after reading up on the medical history of extra limb mutations he absolutely understood what they meant. But when he tried to tell his family thisâŠwell, letâs just say they didnât believe himâŠand he had never corrected them since.
Though he started to regret that decision as he frantically did everything in his power to break out of the apartment, listening to the words blaring from the TV:
Warning Warning: Imminent threat approaching. Evacuation is demanded. All who fail to reach evacuation zones in the designated time will be refused entry. I repeat-
Over, and over, and over again.
He tried to be fast, he really did. But he could only do so much with the resources and time he had. He rushed his completion of the multi-tool and used it to break out of his room. But of course with the rush it broke, so he was forced to use anything else in the apartment to break out. He did leave a huge mess but with his heart drumming in his ears he couldnât bring himself to care.
It wasnât like he would be returning anytime soon, there was no way he wouldâve been able to make it to the evacuation zones in time; so his next best shot was to escape the city and hope for the best.
It was far from a fool proof planâŠbut it was all he had. So he took a backpack and filled it with as much food and building supplies as he could fit and carry. Slinging it over his small shoulders he made a mad dash out the apartment complex. Only slowing down when he finally registered the disarray the city was left in, and the threat didnât even attack yet!
Though he couldnât blame anyone for the mess, he did the same thing not too long ago. But a small part of him said that his was more justified, that leaving a huge mess was the least he could do for what his family has done. But that wasnât important right now, all he should focus on was escaping.
âŠBut it still felt so unfair. He barely even been on this planet for three years and already he was fighting for his life. He could already feel his lungs burning as he forced his legs to keep moving. But he couldnât stop now, not when the threat could be just about anywhere. Meanwhile he knew his family were most likely secured by now, scared but sure of their survivalâŠand his death.
Well, he wasnât gonna give up, there was still a chance. A small chance but it was still a chance either way. He just had to make it to the city limits and towards the rotted forest. Thatâs all he had to do. Then he would be allowed to rest, he just had to get out.
So he kept on running, even when his body begged him to stop he kept going. Though eventually his body couldnât take it anymore, and with just one misplaced crack he quickly found himself falling face first into pavement.
He bit back a cry, pushing the pain to the back of his mind as he forced his body up with a stumble. He limped his way over to a wall, leaning against it as he caught his breath. He knew he couldnât stay, he needed to keep goingâŠbut, maybe a small break wouldnât hurtâŠjust a minuteâŠ
Miles slumped onto the ground, his legs finally giving out. He looked up at the smog filled sky, the smoke gently floating across itâŠthoughâŠstrangely he swore that he could see touches of blueâŠit was kinda pretty if he was being completely honest.
In fact the longer he looked the clearer the blue became, to the point that he could barely see any smog at all. Not only that, he swore there air hurt way less to breath in too. He even started to feel a little bit better; well, at least he felt like he could move again.
Closing his eyes he took one, slow breath of the new air. He held it in his lungs for as long as he could before slowly breathing it out. That felt nice, he didnât know where this new air came from but he was truly grateful for it. Opening his eyes he stood up once more and continued moving. He was going slower than he wouldâve liked, but at least he could still walk. Besides he had to be close to city limits by now, he ran for so long he just had to be-
âJeez, theyâll really use anything to muck up this planet. Dude thatâs so wasteful.â Miles froze, he felt his heart stop at the booming voice coming from right above him. He let out a shaky breath as he slowly turned his head up, morbid curiosity getting the better of him. What he saw left him shocked.
What he thought was an air pipe was actually a leg, a giant leg, a leg connected to one giant blue hedgehog. Despite his fear only one word came to mind when he looked upon the towering hedgehog, beauty.
Their fur was blue like the now turned sky, bits of golden light shimmering through their quills with some of it even flaking off and orbiting their head like a halo. Though their eyes were the most striking, they were like gemstones with the way they glinted in their own light. He believed that emeralds were the closest to their radiant hue, though their eyes were far more vibrant than any he ever seen.
And even though they wore simple clothing, they more than make up it for the unworldly designs. A cloak that seemed to be made out of pure light draped over their shoulders, glowing even in the middle of the day. Their boots were a deep, glittering indigo with stars acting as the buckles; and Mile swore that they were even twinkling like the stars he saw online. Even their gloves shimmered brighter than the day itself, light cascading off of them like embers.
Though as beautiful as they were, it was no doubt that they were the threat that was warned about. And looking at them now Miles could truly understand how they were able to decimate Robotnikâs army. Even ignoring their size, the fact they didnât even have a scratch on them spoke volumes about their strength. The machines Robotnik built has the power to level mountains, cities, heck maybe even Mobius itselfâŠyet here the giant stood, unaffected and even bored.
He felt a shiver ran down his spine. He had to get out of there, who knew how long their calm would last. They already looked two seconds away from chucking the car in their hands. And he did not want to be there when they do.
So with careful steps he slowly turned around and began making his way from the grumbling giant. He so badly wanted to run, to get away as fast as possible. But running made noise, and the last thing he needed was to get caught when he was so close to escape. (he had to be close.)
Still that didnât stop his heart from racing, from it pounding in his ears. It felt like that right now he was walking the thin line between life and death. One wrong move and itâs over. And he didnât want it to be, he wanted to live, he doesnât want go, not yet.
But really all things considered he was doing good, great even. Just up ahead was an alleyway. Those always hold a gateway to the sewers. He wouldnât be safe per se but itâll keep him hidden while he finally made his escape. He was so close, just a little bit further and-
âWoah youâre still out? I thought all of you hid underground.â
ââŠ,â Miles didnât want to turn around, he could already feel the giantâs eyes borrowing into him. He had been caught, but he wasnât giving up yet. Despite his shaking legs he pushed himself into a full on sprint, racing towards the alleyway with all his might.
âHey wait where you going? You know itâs rude to ignore people,â The giant called out. He expected to hear booming foot steps but was shocked to be met with near complete silence. Though one quick glance back proved that the giant was indeed following him. This just pushed him to run faster, nearly missing the alleyway entirely, only darting in at the last second.
Skidding to a stop right beside a manhole cover he reached down and tried to pull it openâŠonly for it to not even moving an inch. He felt his throat close up, his eyes blurred with barely restrained tears as he kept tugging and tugging.
ââŠnoâŠno no no no no no no no no please open please! i-i canâtâŠi canâtâŠâ He begged the metal covering, voice barely a whimper. But it did not yield to heâs desperate pleas, leaving him trappedâŠjust like his family had.
Before he could even began to process his inevitable death, he felt a set of large fingers pressing into his sides. All rationality flew out the window as his ears pinned back and a loud cry finally escaped his throat; he struggled to escape the giantâs grip, thrashing about for even a slimmer of hope that he could break free.
âHeh, got ya,â The giant chuckled, most likely amused by Milesâ useless squirming. They easy wrapped him up in a closed fist, cutting off any chance of escape, âA slippery little guy arenât you? Canât say I saw someone youâre size yet, like come on youâre so tiny.â
He could only whimper in response, his brain too frayed to even think straight let alone respond. It wasnât fair, why did this had to happen to him? He was a good kid he promised. He didnât do anything wrong, he tried his best, he really didâŠso please, please donât make him go. He doesnât want to yet please heâll be good he promised heâll be good!âŠ.pleaseâŠplease mamaâŠdonât leave him like thisâŠ..pleaseâŠ.
âAww come on keed, I ainât that scary am I? Though I guess that Egghead mustâve whined about me already,â The giant said lightly. Miles didnât bother to listen, instead he tried to wiggle free from their grasp. He didnât know if he was still determined to escape or if it was just his body being driven by fear; but no matter the reason his body kept pushing.
The only thing that made him stop was when he felt something warm rub against his tear streaked cheeks. He tried to flinch away, fully prepared for the expected pain, but the appendage didnât relent. Instead it lifted his head up, forcing him to make eye contact with its owner.
Calm emerald green eyes stared right into quivering blue ones. Whimpers and hiccups racked his body as he tried to blink back tears. He wanted to speak, to beg for his life, but he couldnât even utter a plea. But he didnât need to, his fear spoke louder than any words could.
The emerald eyed hedgehog lets out a soft coo as they began to pet his head, âHey itâs alright sunshine, itâs not like Iâm planning to eat you or anything. Though canât exactly let you run around an abandoned city all by yourselfâŠ.â
The giant hummed, using their free hand to tap against their cheek as they looked him over. Miles shrunk under their gaze, shivering despite the warm hand enclosing him.
Suddenly the hedgehogâs eyes lit up, their grin stretched wider, âOh yeah that could work,â they mumbled to themselves looking back at Miles excitedly, âI mean, how hard could it be right?â
âŠ..He didnât like the sound of that, he didnât like the sound of that at all. What were they planning to do with him? What kind of torture were they planning to put him through? It wasnât like he could do anything to stop it, he could struggle and fight back all he wanted, but itâll just tire him out.
If the greatest machinery in history couldnât even leave a scratch on the entity; then what hope did he have? None, thatâs the answer. He was completely at their mercy, and it terrified him.
The giant mustâve seen the despair on his face, they let out a soft huff as they stood up to their full height,âHey have some faith in me kiddo. Iâm not that bad. Trust me weâre gonna have a blast together, just you wait!â
They began to walk, just like before their footsteps were completely silent, it was almost like they were a ghost. Which would explain how they got so far into the city without him noticing. Despite their dazzling appearance theyâre surprisingly stealthy, and Miles wouldâve found this extremely cool⊠if he wasnât currently being carried to his death.
He wilted at the thought, he really did his best, he really didâŠbut it wasnât enough. He lost and now heâll be nothing but another statistic on the death toll. His family would probably celebrate, now they could blame him without needing to worry about an extra mouth to feed. Heâs sure with how few people even knew about him they wouldnât have to pretend to mourn him for longâŠwell, other than maybe the librarian.
Heâs gonna miss them a lot, they always let him stay at the library and even kept his bullies at bay. He wondered if theyâll miss him too, he hoped they didâŠhe didnât want to be forgottenâŠhe didnât want to die.
ââŠâ A quiet sob broke out of his chest, then another, and another until he found himself completely breaking down. His dread finally caught up, and as smart as he was he was still a child, and a young one at that. Thereâs only so much he could keep in before it all spill back out. He only sobbed harder when he felt the giant stop moving, having heard his cries. He tensed but no matter how hard he tried he couldnât stop. So he did the next best thing, he muffled his voice with his hands, praying that whatever punishment he was about to endure would be as quick and painless as possible.
âHey shhh shhh shhhhhhh, itâs alright sunshine, itâs alright. Iâm not going to hurt you,â The giant hushed, their voice lacked the bravado it held earlier, now it softened into something a bit more tender.
They once again brought their finger up to his cheek, gently brushing off his tears before bringing him to their chest. Their voice vibrated through it as they continued to speak, âLook, I donât know what Robotnik has said about me, but whatever it was is just between me and him. Youâre safe with me kiddo, I promise.â
They loosened their grip a bit, not enough for him to squirm free, but enough that he could lay comfortably against them. Confused and still a bit frightened, he chanced a glance back up at the hedgehog. He was met with a closed eyes smile before his head was very gently pushed back onto their chest, ruffling his fur in a soothing manner.
Despite the circumstances he couldnât help but lean into it, taking any comfort he could get even if it was from someone he was scared of. They continued to hush and soothe him until his sobs died down into small sniffles. They rubbed away the last of his tears before addressing him once more, âSee? Told ya Iâm not that bad. Trust me things are gonna get much better from here on out, I got you now.â
They continue their walk, humming as they went. The vibration only served to bring him further away from his earlier panic, now only leaving him confused on what just happened.
Did the giant just comforted him? Not only that it also worked?? Though he had no personal experience to compare this too heâs still surprised that it worked so well. But most of the shock came from how gentle the hedgehog treated him the whole time, even when he was being difficult.
Actually, now that he had calmed down, he realized that theyâve been gentle with him the whole time. It was like they knew exactly how fragile he was compared to them and treated him accordinglyâŠit was nice, very weird and confusing, but nice. Though he doesnât know how to feel about an unknown giant entity being the second person to show him this kind of behaviorâŠmaybe itâs best that he doesnât think about it.
Instead he tried to figure out where they were going; only to be shocked once again when he realized they were leaving the city. Miles strained his neck to watch the gravel pavement make way for brown grassâŠwell, what was once brown grass.
With each step the giant took the grass below transformed from stale brown to a soft green. Miles mightâve been too high up to fully see, but he swore it was like the grass was healing from the hedgehogâs mere presence.
It was amazing to say the least. He never seen grass like this before. Just like he never seen the sky so blue. Both things happened when the giant was nearâŠbut werenât they a threat? Had Robotnik made a mistake?
From what he heard all the giant did was take out the doctorâs army. Maybe Robotnik mistook them for a threat when really they were quite passive? Though the doctor was right about one thing, the hedgehog was dangerous. But they werenât bad, they were just a person, just like himâŠ.Maybe, maybe he wonât die after allâŠ
Relief soon filled him as he allowed himself to relax just a bit. However, with the threat of death gone, an old problem arise as the adrenaline began to ebb from his veins. His body started to ache, badly. His strained muscles and scraped skin finally made themselves known sending shocks of stabbing pain through his systems.
Try as he may he couldnât ignore it much longer, he no longer had the energy for it. So against his better judgement he let out a pained whine, begging for help form his discomfort. He waited a bit, but the giant didnât stop walking. Maybe they didnât hear himâŠitâs probably for the best; he should try harder to suck it up and behave, he could always sleep it offâŠ..
Before he could curl up in pain however he felt the giantâs hands shift around him. He let out a small yelped as he was once again manhandled (guess he should get used to that, he was being kept by a giant after all.) He soon found himself being held on his back, having been laid snugly in the crook of their elbow. This allowed him to look up at his gentle captor. They were looking over him again, brow furrowed and a small frown on their muzzle, almost like they were worried.
The giant let out a soft breath before placing a finger on his forehead. Curious, Miles reached up to the appendage, only gasping when he felt it warm up with a glow. That warmth slowly seeped through his body, soothing the aches and pains that litter his tiny frame.
He immediately felt himself relax, feeling all the tension finally leave his body. Before he knew it he found himself snuggling into the giantâs chest; with the pain and fear gone, all that was left was exhaustion. The hedgehogâs steady heartbeat only making it harder and harder to stay awake.
âThere we go, all better,â Their captor moved their finger from his forehead to his side, rubbing it soothingly as they continued to walk. The giant turned their eyes from him to the setting sun, its radiant colors finally able to show itself to the world unrestricted, âYou can rest now keed, Iâll take care of you from here on out. I promise.â
ââŠâ He felt tears well up in his eyes again, but instead from fear or dread, they were from relief. He really thought he was done for, but maybe this world wasnât so cruel after allâŠmaybe he just had to wait for the right person.
He smiled as he nuzzled into his new friendâs fur, soaking in the warmth as he began to fall asleep. He soon felt a soft rumbling vibrating through the hedgehogâs chest; their hand still gently yet firmly holding him close as they stroked his fur.
But before he could succumbed to slumber his, ear picked a soft whisper coming from the glowing hedgehog,
âSleep well sunshine, Iâve got you now. They wonât ever touch you againâŠâ
Not unless they want to answer to me.
___________________________________________________
Sonic was a simple guy, at least he liked to think he was. Really all he needed to feel content was a good blitz across the universe and to see the sights. He experienced many things on his exploration of the cosmos; from shining empires to enteral hellscapes, heâs seen it all. Though he would admit this was the first time he ever experienced a planet so close to dying from such unnatural causes before.
He could understand why he was called as soon as he landed. As soon as he touched the ground his star dust began doing its thing and healed the surrounding area. And the more he healed the planet, the more of its beauty shined through the grime and the muck. He had to admit that his new partner made one great wish, heâll give them that.
Whatâs more is that his partner decided to keep in contact with him, which he thought would be annoying (he hated back seat drivers.) but to his pleasant surprise theyâve been nothing but helpful ever since he landed on Mobius.
Instead of ordering him around they seemed content to tell him about the local fauna that he was healing. It turned what was meant to be the slower part of his job into something a bit more exciting, and he was more than happy for the change of pace.
But other than fun facts, his partner also gave him a lot of good advice. Especially when it came to taking care of his new baby. Oh yeah, he had a baby nowâŠ.okay actually he was a toddler but same difference.
Anyway he first spotted the little guy wandering around an abandoned city all on his lonesome. Poor kit looked so scared and tired, way too tired for someone his age should be. So of course being a responsible adult Sonic obviously scooped the keed up to gage out what to do next. And after a ton careful consideration he came up with the only logical conclusion, he was keeping him.
It made sense in all retrospect. The keed was wandering alone after a evacuation (He could literally see the whole thing going down a mile away earlier.) clearly abandoned. Plus with the heavy bag and the direction he was going it was obvious that he was trying to leave the city, Sonic was leaving too! So it only made sense that they leave together!
Yeah the kit was spooked but they were able to talk things out. Not like he could blame the poor keed, having there been an evacuation and then being abandoned the same day could be scary for anyone, let alone someone so small. Well luckily for the kit Sonic doesnât back out of promises. He said he was going to take care of the keed and he meant it.
Though he should figure out a better thing to call him than just âkeedâ or âkiddoâ. His partner did say that thereâs a possibility for the kit to speak so he might tell him his name, but that might not be for a while. And even though Sunshine did fit it seemed way too personal, he needed something he wouldnât mind calling the kid with other people around.
Sonic hummed in thought before he picked up the sleeping kit and brought him to eye level. The keed curled up in his palm, soft whimpers coming from the sleeping kit at the loss of the warmth.
âShhhhh, itâs alright Sunshine. I just need to get a better look at you,â He soothed, rubbing a thumb down the keedâs back. As he did so his eyes noticed something swaying behind the kid, well more like two things. What he thought was just one huge tail was actually two. Both still being way too big for the tiny kit they were attached to though, it was absolutely adorableâŠâŠâŠhuh, Tails, thatâs a good name. Simple yet cool sounding, it was perfect!
Well thatâs one problem solved, this left him with just one final issue. Where should they go from here?
He looked out at the horizon, searching for anything for the pair to do. Thatâs when he noticed another city farther away. And seeing how long the skyline was he had a feeling that it was huge.
He smiled sharply, well since itâs so big that must mean it would be a big priority if he mosey his way over. He wouldnât mind crushing some bots while getting some shopping done. You buy things when you get a new kid right? Like clothes, food, toys, and stuff. Plus it would be a great bonding exercise: he got to learn what Tails like and they can trash some bots, itâll be great!
And who knows, maybe a certain Doom hybrid might even pay him another visit. They had so much fun when they first met, with that teleporting ability of his making snatching the hybrid all the more satisfying. Oh! And the shock and anger on his face when Sonic had him trapped, it was priceless. He would love to fight him again and see what new tricks heâd have in store. Heâd even get down his level to make things moreâŠpersonal.
He chuckled to himself, already envisioning the potential fightâŠonly to have his eyes trailed back to Tails. The little guy shifted a bit till he was hugging his own namesakes, ears twitching at any little sound that reached them. His face softened a tad, rubbing a thumb over the kitâs back once more. This awarded him with tiny rumbles that vibrated from the kitâs chest.
Maybe he should wait till Tails wakes up. He already went through all the trouble to get the keed to sleep, it would be a waste to undo it all so soon. He could always explore the surrounding area for a bit; heal some things and maybe even check on his fellow stars before the nightâs through.
But first he needed a safe place to keep his new ward, and he knew just where to put him. Carefully, Sonic curled his fingers around the snoozing fox as he lowered the collar of his cloak. He gently plopped Tails inside the crook his neck; only raising the collar back up when he saw the kit subconsciously cling to him, melting into the warmth. Satisfied with his new wardâs safety and comfort he gave Tails one last rub on the back, âHang on tight kiddo, weâre gonna hit the juice.â
The light that danced around him began to spin rapidly, pure star dust surging through his veins, filling him with power. He got into a running stance, eyes narrowing and grin widening as a mental countdown went on in his head.
And with that, he was off. Running through the rotted countryside like a comet. Everywhere he ran the land below him began to heal: Grass sprang back, Trees woke up, flowers bloomed, and the sky cleared. His personal race lead him up top a mountain, turning a barren giant rock to a thriving ecosystem for any future critters to call home. Proud of his work he decided to take a short break and check out on what he did so far.
His smile widened when he saw almost nothing but green for miles. With just one short run years of pollution has been undone within seconds, machines included. That Egghead must be throwing a fit right now, man he wished he could see his face.
He snickered under his breath as he sat down on the mountain top. He took the time to look up at the freshly clear sky; he could see the others twinkling above him: some were friends, some were foes, most were strangers. But no matter what they all made up the night sky, a place that they all return to one way or another. Itâs a beautiful cycle: someone dies, their soul becomes a star, the star dies,their star dust latches onto an infant, rinse and repeat.
Subconsciously Sonic felt his hand covering the tiny lump in his cloak; the feeling of soft little breaths muffled by the cloth. He wondered what kind of star Tails would become. Maybe heâll become a sun as golden as his fur, though selfishly he hoped that the kit would become a shooting star so they could travel the universe together. A guy could hope, but hey, thatâs at minimum 87 years from now. Thatâs more than enough time to hang out together on Mobius; so thereâs no point in worrying about what could be, all he had to worry about was the here and now.
And right now heâs gonna do what heâs always done, live out his best life, tiny two tailed kit included.
[AN:Woah, made it to the end huh? Well I want something special form anyone who read through this so far; your input! This is my first time making a G/T story and I would like to hear what you have to say about. You donât have to of course but it would be nice to get some pointers or even some questions if you have any. Either way this will be a fun AU that Iâll be coming back to, I hope to see you guys there when I post again. Thatâs should be all for now, make sure to indulge in your passions. Bye!âïž]
