How to Tread Water Chapter 2

How to Tread Water
A Sonic the Hedgehog Fanfiction
Chapter 2: Coffee and Life Jackets – Sonic's Two New Best Friends
Warnings: Curse words.
Notes:  Sorry about being so late.  I've been working rather diligently on a large 20th Anniversary fic I'm writing with a friend and haven't much time for anything else.  (Info on the profile, if you're interested. )  Please excuse the end of this mess, it's not up to par with the rest of the chapter and I apologize.
ENJOY!

o0o

The night that followed was a rough one, blue hedgehog dreams plagued with images of quivering masses of cobalt comically sinking to the bottom of small oceans and having to live down there without oxygen, constantly gasping for air that didn't exist, but unable to die.  Twice he woke up during the night, gasping and clutching his chest, and twice he forced his heart rate back down and his eyes to close, hoping that the nightmare wouldn't resurface.

So it was with great resignation that the speedster hauled himself out of his bed in the morning, eyelids weighing heavy and dark circles coloring around his green eyes.  His mouth was set in a firm line, exhaustion hanging off his frame so thickly that one could practically see it in tangible waves.  When he sat up, he literally stayed in that position for two minutes, attempting to figure out when exactly the room had started to spin.  Once he had managed to catch up with his head and the room had ceased its endless rotations, he slowly slipped on his shoes, fumbling with the buckles long enough for him to curse audibly and just kick them off again.  He sluggishly pushed himself fully off the bed and lumbered his way out of the room and down the stairs.

He took the steps one at a time, deliberate and with purpose, as if going down the stairs was one of the hardest things he had ever done (which, at that point in time, it may very well have been).  Once he was on the bottom landing, he sighed to himself, running a gloved hand through his disheveled quills and trudged towards the small kitchen off to the left.  All was silent in the house, and for that he was grateful.  He didn't think he could handle loud sounds this morning.

When he crossed the threshold into the kitchen, he wasn't surprised to see Tails already there, wide eyed and bushy tailed – literally.  He was puttering around the small room, randomly mixing things on the stove, grabbing things out of cupboards, opening and closing the fridge, and placing things on the table.  To Sonic's sleep deprived brain, it all looked a little too complicated and he groaned inwardly, feeling too shattered to actually vocally express his discomfort.  With a thick and heavy sigh, he ambled across the room, walking in a straight line and not caring if he ran straight into the little fox.  Luckily, Tails had the hindsight to pay attention, and he dodged the hedgehog with ease.  

Sonic's destination was one almost unknown to him.  He headed straight toward the furthermost corner from the doorway, sluggishly opening the topmost cupboard and reaching a hand in, groping fruitlessly for something.  He scowled when his hand didn't immediately grab what he was looking for, and his eyes narrowed.  

"Where is it? Damn it, I need it!" He mumbled to himself, getting on his tip toes and attempting to see into the too high place.  When his eyes barely broke the bottom shelf, he cursed roughly again, yanking his hand out and slamming the door, wincing when the loud sound cracked across the room.

"What'cha looking for, Sonic?"  Suddenly, Tails was there, looking as cute as can be with his hands clasped in front of him and his blue eyes wide in innocence.  

The hedgehog scowled again, this time in reaction to the fox's general chipperness.  In his opinion, if he was miserable, everyone around him shouldn't be so damn happy.  "Coffee," came his one word response.  Roughly, he pushed past his friend, marching to the table and plopping down in the first available chair.  His head hit the wood seconds later, making a painful sound.  "Need caffeine."

Tails clucked low in his throat, reaching under the sink and producing the coffee maker.  With a flourish, he set it down, plugged it in, and filled it with the appropriate amount of water and coffee beans.  Sonic's ears pricked as the unfamiliar clinking sound rang through room and he turned his head to the side so he was staring down the machine, silently begging it to do its job faster.  

"Sonic," Tails began, grabbing a small apple out of the fruit basket hanging from the window, giving it a wash, and walking towards his brother with it held out.  The hedgehog reached up and grabbed it, visible effort showing in his movements.  "Are you feeling okay? It's not like you to drink coffee.  You know how it speeds up your heart."

"Tired s'all." The hedgehog answered slowly, picking up his head and biting into the fruit.  He chewed methodically before continuing.  "Water. Nightmares."

A guilty look crossed the fox's face and he fell into the chair across from Sonic.  "'m sorry, Sonic.  But, I'm worried about you.  Your phobia has gotten out of hand."

The hedgehog hunched his shoulders and ran a hand down his face, a deep breath racking his frame.  "I know, Tails."  He paused to stare down his red fruit, searching for the words to continue with.  However, before he could continue, a timer dinged and the fox was across the room in a flash.  The stove was turned off and a large skillet was yanked away from the hot surface.  One of his tails wrapped around a drawer handle and yanked it open, a hang grabbing a hot pad seconds later.  He swept to the table and placed the pad down first, then the pan on top of it, the smell of hot sausage wafting towards the hedgehog.  

Next the kit dashed across the room, grabbing the coffee pot and a mug before heading back.  He handed his friend the cup, pouring in the dark liquid after he made sure Sonic had a good grip on it.  The older one stared at the black surface for a few seconds before bringing his nose to the rim and sniffing appreciably.  He hadn't tasted coffee in almost a year, not needing that extra boost because his natural energy had always kept him going. Now though, he needed it if he wanted to face the day.  He always had to be alert, he told himself as he stared down the cup, in case Robotnik attacked.  It wouldn't do if he was deep asleep when the good doctor attacked.

Heaving another sigh, he pressed his lips to the cup and took a small sip, not noticing the fox kit staring at him.

To say Tails was worried would've been an understatement.  He could count the number of times Sonic had drank coffee on one hand, and it was always troubling when he did.  It signified that his life had been turned helter-skelter to the point that he needed something to help calm his mind or to give him energy.  To think that he was part of the reason this time was disconcerting to the young one because he prided himself on being the one calm thing in Sonic's life.

"So Tails," the hedgehog began as he took a big gulp of his drink before grabbing a sausage from the pan set on the table.  He already looked more awake.  "What does today's swimming lesson entail?"

Tails was blindsided.  He had expected sharp opposition to their deal, even if Sonic would end up cooperating in the end.  He had been ready to have to drag the hedgehog out of the house by his ankles, forced to fly him to the small lake and dump him in head first.  

This was new to him.

"Uh…"  He trailed off, looking for small changes in his friend's face that suggested that he was only joking and would – in reality – start begging and pleading not to be thrown into the water.  "Well, first we have to get you used to the water and able to lie on your back."

That seemed to get the hedgehog's attention.  His eyes widened for half a second before his features were schooled back into their proper position, making

Tails think he had just been seeing things.  "How long, uh," he gulped, "do you
think that'll take?"  

The fox shrugged, getting up from the table and walking out of the room.  "No idea!"

He called back, grabbing something off the couch.  "Depends on how much you struggle."  He came back in, carrying something orange and not inviting looking.  "I looked up swimming lessons online, and they all said that the first thing to do is to get the learner some floatation device. I thought you'd enjoy wearing a life jacket."

Sonic stared down at the orange monstrosity with something akin to hatred.  That small piece of material represented everything he hated about his fear.  It showed him that drowning was a trivial fear, that one could easily float with the help of a simple scrap of clothing.  He resented life jackets almost as much as floaties, simply because they enabled people with stronger wills than his own to swim around without fear.

He snatched the thing from Tails quickly, glaring it down before slipping it over his shoulders.  "Okay." The word was forced through clenched teeth, spat out with venom.  With on last swing, he finished his cup of coffee and set down the mug, finally ready to face the day.

"Let's get this over with."

o0o

The walk to the lake was a silent affair, with Sonic trudging and Tails lost in thought. The duo could've been ambushed by badniks and neither would've realized it until after they had been captured.  Sonic led the way with thinly veiled glowering, daring any unsuspecting forest creature to cross his path.  The whole forest was quiet, as if in anticipation of what was to come.  

They arrived fifteen minutes after their initial first step, and Sonic was twitchier than Knuckles when Eggman was within seeing distance of the Master Emerald.  He eyed the water with contempt, his newly sneakered feet becoming heavier the closer he got. Yards from the pool, he froze, forcing Tails to knock into his back. The fox hissed as he stumbled backward, nearly taking off an ear on Sonic's sharp quills.

"Tails, I changed my mind."

The fox groaned, rubbing his head and grumbling under his breath.  "No going back now, Sonic." He answered sternly, dropping to the ground and pulling off his shoes and socks.  "You agreed. Plus, orange is so your color."

A sharp breath was taken, arms crossing.  "Impertinent fox."  Mumbled opposition was let out by the hedgehog and he planted his feet roughly.  "I will not be getting into that water, Tails.  You'll have to teach me right here, where I can keep an eye on it."

"Sonic, this isn't a surfing lesson… and the water's not gonna rear up and eat your face, I promise." Suddenly, Sonic's leg was pulled out from under him and he was in the air. Loud curses filled the clearing as the small fox towed his newly captured prey towards the blue body of liquid. "Besides, I've found that you learn more from application than from lecture."

The hedgehog was at a loss as to how Tails had managed to sneak up on him, but he was too shocked to do anything about the assault.  Instead, he just dangled there in silent protest, sighing inwardly since he knew what was coming.  

Tails didn't disappoint as Sonic went hurling into the water, helped along by gravity.  He splashed in without a sound and stood easily, crossing his arms once he got his footing and staring down his so called 'little brother'.  "You're so grounded."

"Uh huh, yeah."  Tails answered flatly, copying the other's pose.  "And you promised to learn to swim."  He glanced towards the sky, waving his hand with a limp wrist.  "Let's try not to make this an everyday occurrence, Sonic.  You're really heavy and I'd rather not have to dump you in here every day."

Sonic didn't answer, just launched himself onto the fox, submerging them both.  A play fight developed after they had both resurfaced, lasting a good ten minutes as the water-adept Tails swam circles around the sluggish hedgehog.  

"You're still grounded."  Sonic mumbled as they both caught their breath after their impromptu splashing battle had ended, neither one the definite winner.  

Tails groaned.