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“Another night and I’ll see you
Another night and I’ll be you
Some other way to continue
To hide my face.”
-My Chemical Romance, “I Never Told You What I Do For a Living”

Consequences
Chapter One

By: Sweet Valentine Vampire

The glass of water stood undisturbed where it rested on the table in front of him. The window was open just a crack, and he could hear the traffic far below. Honking horns and screaming men and women . . . The lot of them just getting through that problematic thing called ‘life.’

So many damn consequences . . . Everything had so many goddam consequences . . . !

Clutching at his forehead was giving him a headache, but it was all he could do to keep his security-blanket coolness. His air of apathy (or being ‘carefree’ as some said) was his only defense against the tumultuous emotions spinning like an insane washer-machine on crack.

His hands trembled. The cars kept honking. And the water silently asked if he’d like a sip to calm down.

It’d been asking for the last two hours.

The water was beginning to ponder on giving up on him.

“I’m such . . .” was as far as he got, before shutting up again. The water trembled, like scared, when he slammed his fists to the table. “The . . . conseque . . .” he finished this fragmented sentence in a growl. “Dammit.” He pounded the table, the water shook harder. “Dammit.” He said with a stronger conviction, slamming the table and terrifying his drink. “God damn it all!” He screamed, making the table creak when he put his fists to it.

Trembling and trying to calm itself, the water stood in its glass . . . Waves of tension passing from the center and to the edges of the glass.

He looked into the center of the water, no lights to reflect his image in the liquid. He heard the door’s lock click, and he knew instantaneously Tails was home. After unlocking the front door, Tails entered the shared apartment, flicking the switch on his way in.

At first, the light shocked both the water and the young man sitting in front of it. “Dammit . . .” he whispered, voice wavering fiercely.

“Oh,” said Tails, surprised to find his roommate and best friend sitting alone in the dark. “Hey there, Sonic. How’d the visit with Amy go?” The fox was asking innocently enough, bobbing about the apartment, picking up the magazines his roommate had thrown against the wall. “How on Earth did all my Science Journals get on the floor again?” Tails muttered, before he’d given Sonic enough time to answer.

With his namesakes fluttering behind him, Tails moved into the tiny kitchen where Sonic sat at the four-chaired table, grabbing up his own glass and filling it by the tap. “Anyway, Amy,” Tails returned to his subject. “I’m still shocked about, you know, you guys.”

“We grew up,” Sonic half-snapped.

“Well, gosh, I know that, Sonic. Don’t get snippy about it,” said the fox, turning off the water, gulping down a swig and moving to the freezer quickly - setting down his lunch-bag along the way - and opening the door, enjoying that first burst of frozen air. “It’s just . . . I never thought you guys were gonna get together.”

“Yeah,” Sonic said miserably.

Tails didn’t seem to notice the awful note of Sonic’s voice, and just pulled out two frozen dinners. “Anyways, you’ve been really protective of her since you rescued her from Robotnik a couple weeks back.”

“He almost killed her that last time, Tails, how else would I be about it?” Sonic said, circling his index finger around the untouched mouth of his glass. He watched the water quiver. “I don’t know what I’d do without . . .”

Tails stopped where he was, slitting open the cardboard boxes keeping dinner captive, and watched Sonic, wondering if he’d pick up again. How desperate he sounded as he trailed off . . . Tails sighed, and pulled the plastic wrap off the microwavable plastic container holding his dinner. He put Sonic’s tray in the microwave first. “Is that why you’ve been so testy? ‘Cause Amy’s been distant?”

“She’s been distant ever since, like, a couple days after I rescued her . . .” Sonic said, eyes seeming vacant. His mind was somewhere else, and Tails knew it. The microwave was the only sound while both boys contemplated. Sonic broke the silence, “I thought maybe she was upset about how protective I was getting . . .”

“You did seem a bit shook up over the whole thing,” Tails added, maybe trying to take Amy’s side but not really sure about the prospect.

“He almost killed her this time, Tails,” Sonic repeated, eyebrows knitting but eyes still distant. He’d picked up an agitated undertone in his voice though, Tails noted.

Beep! Sang the microwave, and Tails popped the door open with the appropriate pressing of buttons. Satisfied with the hotness of the tray, Tails removed it and slid in the second frozen dinner. He set the time again and pressed ‘start.’

It began.

“I know, Sonic,” Tails finally spoke again. “But, it’s not like she was actually upset about you being clingy - -”

Sonic shot Tails a very dirty look.

“Hey-hey, don’t make that face at me,” Tails laughed sheepishly. Waving his hands in defense. “I didn’t mean it to sound like that, besides - !” Tails quickly veered the conversation in another direction. “As a simple phone call to Amy’s like I suggested only, I don’t know, a billion times . . .”

Sonic rolled his eyes, sighing irritably.

“Why don’t you ever listen to me? If you’d only called sooner - ” Beep! The microwave attempted to interrupt Tails. “ - You’d learn she’s been sick all this time. Knowing Amy, she probably just didn’t want you to come over and see her with snot all hanging out her face and throwing up and all that business. Girls can be odd like that,” Sonic wore a tortured expression while Tails prodded the meal and decided it was warm enough. He closed the microwave door. “They hate guys seeing them without make-up on, so just imagine if they’re sick?”

“But, I don’t know anything for sure,” Tails shrugged airily, carrying both trays to the table. He kicked off his shoes and pushed them away with his toe before sitting roughly down at the table, making Sonic’s water jump. Putting down the trays and sliding Sonic’s toward him, Tails examined his friend again.

Sonic had been quiet, cranky, and darkly contemplative in appearance all since Tails came home. On top of sitting alone in the dark with an un-sipped cup of water before him.

There were two times when Sonic was in such a state, and the hedgehog was by all standards quite sober. So that ruled out the most common reason for Sonic’s being in this condition.

“Sonic,” Tails waved his hand halfheartedly before his best friend. Sonic looked up, eyes rimmed in red like either he’d been crying for however long he’d sat there, or he’d been fighting incredibly hard not to. “What’s bothering you?”

Sighing, Sonic took up the plastic fork inside the plastic tray and took up a piece of his dinner, examining it without interest before biting it and swallowing it without chewing, seeming.

“Did . . .” Tails tried again, eyes flicking up and down over Sonic’s form. “Sonic,” he said quite firmly, making the hedgehog watch him. “I know all I’ve done is blabber since I got in, but I know you’re upset. So, what’s wrong? Did the visit with Amy not . . . go right?”

“She wanted to tell me something in person,” Sonic answered, still quiet. His eyes glistened in the kitchen lights. “That’s what she said on the phone. She told me it had to do with her, um, flu. Or, sickness, I guess . . .”

“Oh, Sonic,” Tails’ eyes softened. “Is she really sick? She didn’t catch something real awful when Robotnik held her prisoner, did she?”

“Tails,” Sonic cut in, snapping without any fire in him. “Stop, okay? She’s not really sick at all.”

“But, Sonic,” Tails sounded confused. “You said so yourself that she sounded awful on the phone. You said she sounded sick as anything, so . . . Hey, was she faking that, too?”

“No, she’s sick, but she’s not sick,” Sonic tried to explain, suddenly gripping too tightly to his glass of water. His hand trembled on the glass, and he growled, because he’d never been too good with explaining his feelings. “I’ve become too attached, Tails. I always told you I’d never get involved with Amy Rose because Robotnik would use her against me. Robotnik uses anything he can against me,” Sonic ranted, one hand trembling around the glass, the other hand clutching at his forehead again. Watching the table, Sonic never saw the concerned look in Tails face.

“Sick, but not . . . ?” Tails repeated, puzzlement and gripping concern making quite the odd look on the fox’s face.

“It’s a very female-specific kind of sick,” Sonic grinned ironically, the smirk dark and uncharacteristic on Sonic’s face. He waited and smiled wider when dawning realization lit Tails’ eyes. “Exactly. Think about it. Me and Amy . . . We’ve been pretty tight, you know?”

“Oh, Sonic,” Tails shook his head and gave Sonic a mixed expression. Sonic nodded back, retaining his grin. “Oh, Sonic!” Tails cried, slumping against the table. “Morning sickness?” He asked, already knowing the answer.

“Yeah,” Sonic breathed, staring down into the glass. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her.” He choked out, looking on the edge of tears. But, he was Sonic. Sonic never cried.

Never.

The water watched Sonic, trembling and afraid for itself just as much as it was concerned for Sonic.

“How far along is she?”

“Two and a half weeks,” Sonic clutched tighter at his forehead, staring hard into the water. Glaring.

“Oh, Sonic . . .” Tails slowly began shaking his head.

“I’m in way over my head,” Sonic confessed, eyebrows twitching. “If . . . If Robotnik ever knew,” Sonic choked, hand sliding down his face to cover his mouth. His vision blurred in front of him as he imagined all the different scenarios. Losing Amy. Losing a child? His own child? He shut his eyes, refusing to think of it anymore. “I don’t know what I’d do without Amy . . . I’m too attached . . . Does Robotnik know that?”

Neither of the two friends said anything at the way Sonic’s voice broke at the end of his sentence.

Tension filled the silence as the boys plotted out the future. Both were grim expressions. Their dinner was getting cold, and the water was certainly lukewarm.

“What are you going to do?” Tails finally ventured, touching Sonic’s forearm where it held the glass. The muscles tensed under Tails’ fingertips, and Tails watched Sonic’s fingers begin to crush the glass cup.

“How should I know?” Sonic shot off, angry. Tears remained at the very edges of his eyes, but he refused to let them go. Iron will til the end, Tails would only figure. Even while Sonic was threatening to kill it, the water felt bad for Sonic. “I can’t do anything about this, can I? It’s all my fault, and I just have to live with the,” he choked again. “You know, the consequences.” He shut his eyes a moment, shaking once and finally slammed the glass down against the table. “Damn consequences!”

“Sonic, chill out!” Tails shouted, jumping when the glass shattered and the water sprang away inches in all directions.

“I’m sorry,” Sonic quickly apologized, pulling away his now cut hand. He looked at the broken glass, all the pieces lying there forlorn and disappointed. The water reflected the kitchen lights and Sonic repeated, “I’m sorry.”

“We’ll figure this out, okay? You, me, and Amy.” Tails assured his best friend, moving around the table and rubbing one of Sonic’s shoulders in an attempt at comfort.

“If you say so,” Sonic mumbled, trying to smile. He failed, and just watched the broken glass with an equally broken expression. Tears threatened to drown his face again. “I’m sorry, okay? I overreacted. I’m just so . . .” He groped the air for words, but nothing came to mind.

“Scared?” Tails offered, watching Sonic with a soft expression. This seemed to break Sonic’s resolve and the hedgehog just started crying. Arms folded on the table in front of him, face against arms and shoulders heaving. Sonic’s blood fell from his hand and into the water of the broken glass.

Feeling just awful for the sole person to care for him all these years, Tails bent down beside Sonic’s chair and just rubbed Sonic’s back while he sobbed. How many times had Sonic done that for him, after all? That’s what friends were for and all that.

Humiliation and a natural instinct to cover his emotions were battling this need to cry it out, and Sonic feared the tears won out in the end. Sonic felt that maybe if he left Station Square, Robotnik would follow and leave Amy alone so long as she stayed away from Sonic. So long as Sonic and Amy never spoke again. The urge to protect Amy in that way, and to selfishly stay at her side and raise their child battled. Sonic feared he didn’t know which instinct he’d follow.

“It’s okay,” Tails whispered.

The hedgehog wondered if Tails knew all the comfort he provided.

Probably not. It wasn’t like Sonic to express how he felt about anyone. Tails probably didn’t know he appreciated him so much. Did Amy know how much he loved . . . ?

“It’ll be okay,” Tails whispered, more urgent this time, stroking Sonic’s back. Sonic hoped the fox was right about this one.

They stayed like this awhile.

The broken glass stood undisturbed and represented Sonic in many ways. The window was open just a crack, but no one heard Sonic’s heart-wrenching sobs over the traffic below. Honking horns and screaming men served to drown out Sonic, as he cried over the idea of making his way through that problematic thing called ‘life.’

If only there weren’t so many damn consequences. . . .

To Be Continued . . .

Would you read more of it, though?

Thanks for commenting. =3

I'm a Sonamy fan. I really liked this.