Tails gasps for air as he hooks his arms around you, his tails spinning weakly as the oxygen made it's way back into his lungs. You spit and sputter as you cough up water, the lake unrelenting in it's attempts to drown you. On the horizon there seemed to be a mass of land, the fox's eyes squinting with anticipation as he picked up the pace a bit. The water was calm thankfully, but that didn't make the trek much easier as he battled exhaustion while dragging you along. Without the added pressure of the underwater your arm ached horribly, each movement feeling like someone twisting a knife in your wound. You were used to regulating pain and this was no different... but if you hadn't learned to endure you certainly would've passed unconscious a while ago.
Just on the horizon... Just a little bit longer and we'll be home free... Just a little bit-
Tails' brow furrowed with determination, his breaths heavy and aggressive. The potential of drowning had kicked him into a feral mode, his eyes beady while his thoughts were scattered. His tunnel vision could only see the horizon, and he knew he wouldn't stop til you made it there.
You kick your legs, trying to help him along. Glancing up at him you could see how desperately he was fighting to get you both to safety, his eyes longing for the distant shore. "Let me push for a while, my arm is useless at the moment so it's all I'll be able to do anyways."
His expression softens as he hears your voice, his grip getting a little tighter as his tails spun slightly faster, "We can both do it, we're partners now after all. I can't leave you to do all the work." he huffed between breaths.
It was too much work to argue, either way it was going to be a struggle to get to safety. Perhaps this time speed was better than caution. The sun remained in overcast above, beaming down on both of you. The water kept you cool enough but the exhaustion of the intense swim was quickly adding up.
"Let's get there as fast as we can then, dawdling too much will be the end of us..." You begin kicking harder, gritting your teeth as you poured all your energy into paddling forward.
Tails also picked up his pace, his tails spinning like a motorboat as the two of you shot through the water. The shore started getting bigger, each wave of exhaustion a new promise of drier land. You just had to keep moving, the second you stop you knew you wouldn't be able to get going again. Your legs burn in the water, a terrible numbness setting in as you instinctively kicked. It was hard to tell if you were still going not long after the numb sets in, your muscles moving and tearing as they fought through the vast watery abyss. You feel Tails' grip loosen gradually, the rest of his body beginning to shut down as he gave all he had to his tails. Water splashes onto the both of you, getting up your nose and in your eyes, burning your various injuries but neither stops. In that moment only one thought circulated in both of your minds-
'We're getting to the shore.'
...
After what feels like an eternity you come back to reality to see that at some point you had made it. Did you black out? How long had it been? You look around to see the sun beginning to set. It was hard to say how long it had been as you gaze into the purple-blue sky. Clouds had started to roll in, though you couldn't smell any rain in the air. Your head falls limply back down, greeted with a soft thud as white fur pressed against your face. Your eyes glance up, Tails breathing quietly with his arms splayed out to the sides. You could hear his gentle heartbeat in his chest as your body relaxed and you used him as an emergency pillow.
He looks down at you with a tired hood over his eyes, "We made it, East- we made it..." He rests a hand on his forehead, gently chuckling to himself. You could hear the odd mixture of exhaustion and relief in his voice, a tone that said this was a good thing but there was still so much more that needed to happen.
You nod, not bothering to move from his chest as you heaved a sigh of relief. "We made it, fox..." You feel your eyes getting heavy as the sound of the waves crashing in the distance was heard. It was easy to get lost in the moment: The breeze, the water, the pastel sky, the soft and albeit wet pillow under your head. For the first time in a very long time you feel a moment of peace, the exhaustion forcing you to finally slow down for a second. You nuzzle into Tails' chest absent minded, closing your eyes and taking in the calm after a stressful afternoon.
Tails looks down at you warmly, seeing that despite the glass sticking out of your arm you were at least able to enjoy this moment of peace. His head tips back as he also closes his eyes and breathes deeply. It smelled like lavender on the breeze, a chill moving in but only helping your aching muscles feel a little less pained.
Did Vigil really need to exact some grandiose punishment on them? They're fighting Eggman as much as the rest of us... It doesn't seem fair to punish them for doing something to get rid of injustice...
He glances down at you again from under his arm. It was hard to tell if you were sleeping or not, your body too still to make out meditation, rest, or unconsciousness. His brow furrows at your peaceful form.
It's not fair that they get punished...
He reaches a shaky hand down, gently resting it on your head with a sad expression. It moves down the back before returning to the top again as he continued petting you. "It might be weird to say but- I'm really glad we didn't end up staying on opposite sides of the whole.. Eggman situation.."
You listened quietly, your eyes peeking open. There wasn't a single thought in your head as he spoke, the words themselves having nothing but their meanings which remained outside of your comprehension at the moment. You wanted to respond with any statement but the calm and gentle caress of his hand on your head rendered you docile.
He looks up at the clouds, tracing over their shapes with his eyes. "One day, if it's alright with you I wanna hear about what lead you here... I was bullied a lot because of my twin tails so I think that my drive to help people came from that.." He paused as he thought quietly, "If I didn't have my friends then I don't know how I would've turned out... I was really sad for a while but they helped me feel okay again...."
His hand stopped for a moment.
"I... want to be there for you the way they were for me... I think.. Even when we were enemies I still never really thought that you were on the same level as Eggman." You can hear his heartbeat pick up a little. "I was scared of you for a while but... I think that you're just misunderstood. I think you're trying your best to do something good all by yourself."
Your expression softens as you bite your lip, trying not to let any of your feelings out as your body starts tensing up again.
He resumes petting you gently again, "Honestly I really admire that about you. I'm kinda jealous of how capable you are in a pinch, and how much I can believe in you despite us not working together long at all. I think it goes to show how reliable you are, East..." His hand rests on your head as he hesitates... "I hope... That someday you'll be able to consider me your friend.."
You move his hand off your head as you sit up, looking off into the distance. "We are allies and nothing more. You shouldn't get involved with me, it will only bring trouble. Once this business with Eggman is over I'll disappear again and move on to my next objective."
The words feel false in your mouth. You wanted to stay at least a little, and with how gentle he was being with you it felt so safe to let your guard down. You hadn't realized you did til you thought it over, your eyes glossing over as you continued to avoid his gaze.
He sits up as well wearing a pensive frown. "Well when you decide to do that maybe we can team up again, who knows right?" He waits for a response but is met with silence as you continue staring off into the distance. His expression falls a little bit more, a quiet sadness radiating from his bleeding heart.
You stand up and turn to walk past him, pushing your emotions down once more, "I'm going to find some firewood, night will be here before we know it. Until we can get antibiotics getting sick in the middle of nowhere will prove to be too much for us." You dig into your glove pockets, wincing slightly as your bad arm was forced to move.
Thank goodness...
It seemed that none of your food pills got washed away from the swim. You take one out and hand it down to him. "Take this, you'll need to get your strength back up if we're going to figure out our next move."
He nods and takes the pill but doesn't look up at you, swallowing it quietly and keeping his gaze fixed on his shoes.
Your eyes narrow as you look down on him, a tinge of guilt welling up in your chest as you walk away. "I'll be back in about 10 minutes, try to stay warm til I return." You wait for an affirmation but Tails instead reclines back and looks off toward the water, his mind a pool of thoughts and now some newly added insecurities.
You retreat into the thin brush, the forested area here rather sparse as you came to see that this was more of a swampy marsh than a proper forest. The twisted tree roots jut through the soil and attempt to trip you as you advance deeper in. Most of the arbor seemed to be wet, any signs of dead branches difficult to spot as you grab and gather what you can under your good arm. After looking for about 8 minutes you finally turn back and advance toward the beach with a sad, small kindling in tow. It would get the job done for the night but the fire certainly wouldn't last til morning. Hopefully it would be enough to keep both of you warm...
Your mind traces over Tails, his deflated demeanor haunting you as the sky started turning a brilliant red. Was this guilt or regret? You couldn't tell as you went back over what you had said in response to him trying to just be there for you. It wasn't his fault that you had so much baggage but it always turned out the same with everyone. He would get hurt because of you eventually, and you would get hurt if you got close to him.
It happened every time.
This was for the best. It didn't matter that he treated you nicely or that he took the time to reassure you... Or try to get you medical attention after seeing your wound... Or push himself to exhaustion after paddling all the way to shore...
You shake your head trying to get rid of the thoughts. It was getting harder and harder to push him away, your own heart beginning to react when you were allowed to be close to him. Thinking about laying on his chest made it flutter, and when he was petting you?
Geez...
You could stay in that moment forever... But that wasn't right! You had your own priorities and you needed to keep your goals in the forefront... This wasn't the time to get.... distracted like that..
A figure comes into view as you advance back through the brush, Tails' form leaning beside a tree, his shoes upside down beside him as he stood on the soft grass. You look pensively, approaching cautiously. "Fox, what are you doing in here? I thought you were waiting on the shore."
He shrugs, "It started getting cold so I came in. The trees are better at blocking the breeze."
You furrow your brow momentarily before kneeling down and depositing the twigs onto the ground. "I found a few branches we can use, it's not much but it'll get us warm and dry." You attempt to rub the sticks together and start the fire, but it's proving to be much harder without both hands.
You try again, the branch snapping as soon as you stared working it into the other.
And again. But you cant keep a grip on ether branch, the top one causing the bottom to slide out.
You furrow your brow quietly as you continue, Tails looking down at you with a sad expression.
Is this what their life is like?
He watched you try and fail over and over, your expression vacant and distant as you kept on picking up your kindling and trying again. It looked like the only thing in the world you had left was this stack of sticks and you were trying desperately to turn this pile of junk into something useful...
He couldn't help but feel pity for you as he got down on his knees and took the sticks from you, gently and precisely rubbing them together rhythmically. At first there was nothing, but after a few passes a trace amount of smoke.
Then a spark of flame as the friction forces a fire to burst from the wood remains.
Your eyes widen as you watch on, "I didn't know you knew how to start a fire, I'm surprised."
He turns back and slides his shoes closer to the fire, "I've done it before. It's nothing special.."
You look on pensively as silence occupied the space again, Tails facing away from you as his tails lay limp beside the fire. You cozy up beside the fire and start warming up, tossing a few more branches in as it crackled. "Tomorrow we can scout the area and figure out exactly where we are. With any luck we're nearby a town of some sort."
Tails nods in agreement but doesn't say anything.
You can feel your heart sink a little more as you watch him, regret sinking into your chest. Laying down you keep your eyes on him, the grass softer than the stone as you laid on your back.
"Goodnight, fox."
You wait a few moments for a response but are met with silence again, Tails already clearly deep in thought about who knows what.
You close your eyes, a pensive frown on your face as you drift into sleep.