FicWad

Manic woke up as Nikós started playing with his long spines. “Aww, you’re ready for breakfast too, little guy?” He asked in a baby talk tone.
Sonia giggled. “What is that?”
“What?” Manic asked.
“Don’t ever baby talk again.” Sonia replied. “You sound weird.”
“Fair enough.” Manic said, holding the baby as he sat up. “Where’s Sonic?”
Sonic came in with bags of supplies. “I got some things for Nikós until-”
“Until what?” Manic questioned.
Sonic sighed. “Nothing, bro.” He said. “Come on. Let’s make breakfast.”

*
Manic gave Nikós his bottle.
“So where’d you say you found him again?” Sonia asked.
“The gutter near our hideout.” Manic replied. “He didn’t even have a diaper until I made him one with the grody blanket he was wrapped up in and one of my button pins.”
“Kinda like you?” Sonic asked. “Though I’m sure Mom would’ve made sure we had clothes when she sent us away.”
Manic half smiled.
“Mom’s not heartless, bro.” Sonic said. “I’m sure she would’ve kept us if she could’ve. I think the Oracle only told her to send us away so that we’d be safe and get training and she couldn’t travel around with under a year old triplets anyway.”
“She could’ve stayed around to make sure we were taken in.” Manic replied. “Farrell told me one of his friends in the thieves’ guild snatched me off of a door step in the poorest part of town after a female hedgehog wearing a hood, which had to be Ma, set my basket down and ran off.”
Sonic and Sonia grimaced and pushed their breakfast plates aside.
“So either Ma did that with all three of us or only me because I’m her least favorite kid for some reason.” Manic said.
Sonia looked at Sonic. “Do you have anything to say about that?”
“I was hoping you would.” Sonic said, shrugging.
Manic got up. “Pour me another cup of coffee.” He said. “I have to change his diaper.”
Sonic watched for Manic to walk away. “Tell him I’m on a mission.” He whispered. “I’m gonna talk to Trevor about Sanctuary.”
Sonia nodded.
Sonic got up and raced out of the hideout.
*
Manic sat down on the floor and set Nikós on the blanket he spread out on the floor. He handed Nikós a toy hedgehog.
Nikós laughed as he hugged the toy.
“Aww, you like it?” Manic asked. “Tell aunt Sonia thank you.”
Sonia sighed.
Manic raised an eyebrow. “Let me guess: Sonic’s not really on a mission, is he?” He questioned. “He’s trying to find a home for Nikós, isn’t he?”
Sonia cleared her throat. “Manic, it’s-”
Sonic ran in.
“So what was that mission, bro?” Manic asked.
Sonic’s eyes widened. “Uh… you’re not cleared for it….” He said, grinning nervously.
Manic huffed. “Dude, you two didn’t even try to come up with a cover story.” He said. “You could’ve said you were going out for chili dogs.”
Sonic slapped his hand over his face. “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Manic got up, scooped up Nikós, then stormed off to his and Sonic’s room.
“Manic, how are you gonna go on a mission with a baby?” Sonic asked. “You want to risk dropping him or something like you dropped-”
Manic whipped around. “Hip fell out of the basket!” He yelled. “I didn’t-”
Nikós started crying.
Manic slowly rubbed Nikós’ back. “I’m sorry, little dude.” He said softly. “C’mon, let’s put you down for a nap.”
Sonia elbowed Sonic.
Sonic winced and rubbed his arm. “What was that for?”
“That was uncalled for.” Sonia said. “Manic didn’t drop Hip, though I admit the makeshift carrier was flimsy and also was Dingo in disguise. Then again, it was dumb on our part that it took us so long to wise up and immediately spot Dingo in disguise.”
“You’re right.” Sonic replied. “I’ll talk to him.”
“You do that.” Sonia said, picking up a fashion magazine off of the coffee table.
*
Sonic walked into his and Manic’s bedroom and stood at the door, watching Manic and Nikós.
Manic was sitting on the floor and holding Nikós while gently rocking him. He finally looked up. “Oh, how long have you been standing there?”
“Not long.” Sonic replied. He walked over and sat down in the old bean bag chair near their bunk beds. “I’m sorry about what I said about Hip. That wasn’t fair. You actually are a pretty good dad.”
“Thanks, bro.” Manic said, grinning. He looked at Nikós. “You’re still going to make me send him away, huh?”
“Well, I got in touch with Trevor earlier.” Sonic replied. “He said that the workers at Sanctuary would be happy to babysit Nikós while we’re on missions. You can drop him off with the rings Tails made.”
“Thanks, that means a lot to me.” Manic said.
“You’re welcome.” Sonic replied.
Manic got up and laid Nikós down in the carrier and covered him up. He laid the toy hedgehog beside Nikós and kissed his forehead. He sat down beside the carrier Sonic bought and gently rocked it.
“Are you okay?” Sonic asked.
“I kinda understand that Ma thought she was doing what was best for us.” Manic said. “I get that we had to train and have different perspectives on things. But she didn’t even see us for a minute on our birthday. If she can contact us in a hologram for a few minutes, why can’t she talk to us for a few minutes in real life or at least give us a hug?”
“I see your point.” Sonic replied. “But she doesn’t hate you. She saved your life once, remember?”
Manic nodded. “I don’t believe she hates us, I don’t think she’s that great at being a mom.”
“You don’t like Mom, do you?” Sonic asked.
Manic dipped his chin to his chest. “I don’t even know her well enough to say I do or not.” He replied. “Sonic, think about how she left us for a minute.”
“Oh, I know what you’re getting at.” Sonic said, easing onto the floor. “Maybe there was a reason why she had to run away instead of making sure we were taken in.”
“Yeah, but if there was a reason she had to run away, she left us in danger.” Manic replied.
Sonic bit his lip.
“Let’s say swatbots were nearby.” Manic said. “They could’ve heard us crying and came over to us to investigate. They’d scan us, realize we’re the royal triplets, then kill us and we wouldn’t have had a chance to defend ourselves. The families she left us with could’ve easily left us there, handed us to Robotnik, or killed us themselves. Do you think she did background checks on them?”
Sonic sighed. “That… I hate to say you’re right.”
“Nikós isn’t even my kid and I’d take a laser blast for him.” Manic said. “I can’t honestly say Ma would do the same. I have a lot of questions for her if we ever find her, but I’m probably not sticking around to try to rebuild anything with her.”
“So we just go our separate ways once the war’s over.” Sonic replied.
“I’ll still keep in touch with you and Sonia, but… Ma’s made it clear that I’m not a priority in her life.” Manic said. “I’m just the backup heir that she was obligated to have.”
Sonic nodded.
“I know you don’t agree.” Manic said. “It’s okay, you don’t have to. I wish I didn’t feel this way either.”
Nikós whimpered.
“Oh, you want me to sing?” Manic asked. “Okay… uh… you seemed to like ‘Would it Matter’.”
Sonic got up. “I’ll leave you two alone.”