FicWad

“Do you know you talk in your sleep sometimes?” Sonic asked.

Manic stopped working on his skateboard. “Sorta. Close the door.”

Sonic got up and closed the door. He sat down beside Manic.

"I'll explain, but don't tell anyone." Manic said, moving his skateboard off of his lap. "It happened at the foster home that had the drums. That picture with me playing the drums was taken on my first day at their home. Looking back, I should've seen just how weird it was that my foster mom kept playing with my head spines and going on and on about how cute I was."

Sonic nodded.

Manic sighed. "I didn't think anything of it at first." He said. "Everyone liked my spines. A lot of older ladies will tell you you're cute, you know?"

"Yeah, I would've thought the same thing at first if I were you." Sonic replied.

"Then the weirdo started touching me when it was just us at the house." Manic said, curling up slightly. "I didn't like it and I said so. No one believed me when I complained. That doesn't happen to boys and I was already the problem child, so they figured I'd lie."

Sonic reached to put his hand on Manic's shoulder, but stopped himself.

Manic pulled his knees to his chest. “The first time, I knew I should've gone to the stupid soccer practice with my foster dad and siblings, but I didn't because I wanted to stay home and watch Rise of the Machines.” He said. “I never saw the movie. I stupidly believed she wanted help putting up laundry.”

“Was that the only time it happened?” Sonic asked.

Manic drew a shaky breath. "No, it happened a couple more times. I finally ran away after the third time." He replied. “That got me sent to a group home for a bit when a couple of police officers caught me picking pockets so I could buy food."

Sonic hugged Manic. "I'm sorry, bro. I would've kept you safe if we hadn't been separated."

Manic broke down crying on Sonic’s shoulder.
*
Manic's crying finally slowed down to soft, shaky breaths. He pulled away from Manic.

"Did you ever have one good home?" Sonic asked.

"Yeah, when I was four. This guy named Farrell and his wife had me for a few months." Manic replied. "I had hoped they'd adopt me. I was shipped out after a couple of weeks for some reason."

"Did you ever try to contact them again?" Sonic asked

"Yeah." Manic replied. "They don't have any social media. Or they died. I don't know. I've done a lot of searching when I'd go to the library, but I couldn't find anything."
*
Sonic and Manic took their turn to go to the grocery store.

The two had wandered around the store for an hour.

“I'm glad you don't complain.” Sonic said. “Sonia whined nearly the entire time we shopped here the last time.”

“Can't blame her.” Manic said, stepping closer to the shelves to keep from getting hit by a cart. “The people here are rude.”

“Yeah, we should've gone to Aldi.” Sonic replied.

Manic raised his spines and eased behind Sonic while hyperventilating.

“What's wrong with you?” Sonic asked.

“That's her.” Manic said, subtly motioning to Mrs. Caldwell. “The weirdo.”

Sonic looked over and saw Mrs. Caldwell looking at the fresh fruit. “Stay here.”

Manic grabbed his arm. “Don't say anything. They can't prove it now.”

“I don't care if they can or not.” Sonic said. “I have to do something.”

Manic let Sonic go, but followed him at a distance so he could back his brother up if he absolutely had to.

Sonic approached Mrs. Caldwell.

Mrs. Caldwell looked at him as if she was trying to figure out who he was. “Were you one of my foster kids?”

“No, but my little brother was.” Sonic said, crossing his arms. “You remember, Manic? Green hedgehog with long spines who constantly drums on anything nearby?”

Mrs. Caldwell bit her lip. “Oh, him. He… he had a lot of issues.”

“I wonder why.” Sonic said sarcastically.

Mrs. Caldwell hesitated. “I don't know what you're talking about. I never touched him.”

“That was an awfully long pause and an oddly specific denial after you just said you didn't know what I was talking about.” Sonic said, raising his spines.

Manic noticed Sonic was getting ready to spin dash her, so he rushed over and grabbed Sonic's arms. “You'll wind up in prison, bro. Come on.”

Sonic lowered his spines. “I wonder how you sleep at night, lady.” He said. He turned around. “Let's go somewhere else to buy groceries.”

Manic nodded.

Sonic dragged Manic out the door as he ran out.

“I appreciate you standing up for me.” Manic said. “I don't want to see you go to jail though.”

“Thanks, bro.” Sonic replied.

After they got in the car, Sonic noticed Manic was still shaking and breathing heavily.

“You okay?” Sonic asked.

“Panic attack.” Manic replied. “Make sure I can't sneak out tonight.”

“That's why you got on drugs, huh?” Sonic asked.

Manic nodded. “Pretty much.”

“Do you want me to take you home and ask Sonia to take our turn?” Sonic asked.

“No, she'll ask questions.” Manic replied.

Sonic drove the car to another grocery store ten minutes away. He parked the car in a space near the front.

Manic got his MP3 player out and put his headphones on his head.

“If you need to listen to that, keep the volume down.” Sonic said. “Are you sure you don't want to go home?”

“I'm sure.” Manic replied.
*
Sonic set an arm load of groceries onto the counter while Manic dumped his arm load of groceries onto the table and started to walk away.

“What's wrong, Manic?” Aleena asked.

Manic shook his head and headed to his room.

“Can you and Sonia put up the groceries?” Sonic asked. “Something triggered a bad memory. He needs someone watching him so he won't sneak out to buy drugs.”

“Go on.” Sonia replied. “It seems like he's at least opening up to someone.”
*
Sonic made sure the windows were locked and set up some old motion detection spy toys he had by the window.

“Sally teased me when I said I still had these.” Sonic thought. He turned the motion detection monitor on. “I can't wait to tell her they wound up being useful.”

Sonic settled into his bed and pulled the blankets up.

Manic whimpered, kicking his sheets off in his sleep. “No, stop it.” He muttered. “Leave me alone.”

Sonic got up and nudged Manic. “Bro, wake up.”

Manic jolted awake and slid away from Sonic. He exhaled slowly. “Oh, it's just you.”

Sonic sat down beside Manic. “You need to talk?”

“I already told you the whole story.” Manic said. “Just hand me my MP3 player.”

Sonic picked up the MP3 player off of the nightstand and gave it to Manic.

Manic put on his headphones and turned it on. He found the song he wanted and laid down again.

Sonic glanced at the screen. He only saw the words ‘save me’ scroll across the screen.

“Are you sure that helps?” Sonic asked.

Manic relaxed and fell asleep.

“I guess it does.” Sonic said. He got up and crawled back into his bed.
*
Sonic woke up to Manic getting up and taking the headphones off.

“Are you feeling better?” Sonic asked.

Manic nodded. “I slept through the night.” He replied. “Didn't have another nightmare.”

Sonic followed Manic to the kitchen since it was their turn to make breakfast.

“I kinda feel bad about trying to get you to open up so much.” Sonic said.

Manic glanced at him. “Why? It's not like you forced me.”

“I'm sure it's hard for you to talk about.” Sonic said. “I don't like talking about my first foster family.”

“Are you wanting to talk about it or are you just saying?” Manic asked.

Sonic got out the waffle maker. “We lived out in a rural area.” He said. “The house had faulty wiring and started a fire one night. I smelled the smoke, opened my window because my bedroom door was hot, and then I ran to the neighbor’s house to call the fire department. I thought, because I was fast, I could get them help in time. The fire engines aren't as fast as me. The fire started in our kitchen and our smoke detectors were messed up. The firefighters said I barely got out alive.”

Manic touched Sonic's shoulder. “I'm sorry, bro.”

Sonic pulled his right glove off and showed Manic the scar on his hand. “I should've touched the door instead of the doorknob.”

“At least you didn't open the door.” Manic said.

“I almost did until I remembered the fire safety thing in preschool.” Sonic replied. “I just wanted to make sure they were okay. They said my foster mom opened their bedroom door. I guess she panicked and was trying to check on me.”

Manic nodded.

“I kept wondering if I forgot to tell them what I learned at school about that.” Sonic replied. “I thought it was my fault they didn't know that for a while.”

Manic watched as Sonic plugged in the waffle iron. “Are you still afraid of being burned?”

“A little.” Sonic replied. “I'm more afraid of water. I nearly drowned in a pond once at a birthday party for a friend. Sally called for Uncle Chuck to help me and she got me out on her own before he reached us.”

“Is that where you met her?” Manic asked.

“No, we met at preschool.” Sonic replied. “That's what started my crush on her though. She could've drowned trying to help me, but she jumped in to help while the other kids acted like it was a joke.”

Aleena came into the room. “Sonic, let me get that. It gets ridiculously hot.” She said, “I know you're probably afraid of being burned.”

“Did you overhear us?” Manic asked.

Aleena shook her head. “No, I-”

“I never told you; Uncle Chuck and Sally wouldn't tell anyone.” Sonic said. “How'd you- you're the nurse that treated me that night.”

Aleena nodded. “I'm sorry I couldn't take you home or tell you who I was.”

“The story you told me was about us, huh?” Sonic asked.

“Yes.” Aleena replied. “I had to try to get you to think I do love you somehow. Legally, I couldn't get you back, so I didn't know how to tell you.”

“We're here!” Sonia called.

Manic raised his spines. “She’s still with that punk?”

Sonia and Knuckles walked in.

Manic raised his spines and opened his mouth to say something.

“I'm sorry, Manic.” Knuckles said. “I didn't want my parents in trouble and that really is our culture.”

Manic shook his head. “It's not mine or any hedgehog’s culture.”

“Manic, he was eleven at the time.” Sonia said. “He didn't know how badly you'd be treated in other homes.”

“I'm really sorry.” Knuckles said. He weakly offered his hand for Manic to shake it. “If I could go back and redo things, that would be at the top of the list.”

Manic thought it over for a moment, then reached out to shake his hand. “I forgive you.”