Eclipse is soon going to hit Wade with I want you to be my dad and of course Shadow is my brother. But I don't want HIM as my brother
Wade had always been a creature of habit. No pun intended. He had his morning routine, a routine that had been interrupted as of late, but one that he apparently couldn't shake.
As such, he now found himself staring into the bathroom mirror, shaving cream lathered over his face and snout.
Wade laughed. "Dumbass..." he began splashing water into his face, removing the cream that he very much did not need to use any more. Soon enough his new red and black colouring showed strong, framing his glassy black eyes and white muzzle. He stared at himself. Monster.
He was never, ever going to be used to this.
Released a resigned sigh, Wade reached now for an electric device he'd bought the previous week and activated it, running it over the elongated claws extending from his fingers.
Wade looked to find a smaller mirror of himself, crouched in the doorway, tail swishing as black and yellow eyes met his. Eclipse cocked his head, scanning between Wade and the device in his hand.
"Trimming these," Wade wiggled his fingers, displaying three long and sharp claws. He might as well have told Eclipse he was cutting off his arm with the face the Darkling made.
"But why??" the alien gasped, ducking away and wrapping his tails around his feet, "you need those! For protection!"
"Buddy, I'm not Freddy Kreuger. I don't want knives for hands." Wade replied, staring sadly at his own. "They're dangerous." He sighed. "I don't want to be dangerous."
Eclipse opened his mouth to respond but watched as Wade's tail went limp, resting against the floor and wrapping around an ankle. He noted the adult's miserable disposition and decided to make himself scarce as Wade went to work at his claws. The Darkling mooched through the house, wondering why the Earthling was so sad. He was a Dark now, a much superior species in every way. Surely that must have been preferable to being a squishy, weak human? Most individuals would never even be considered for such a gift.
Eclipse kept wondering to himself the oddities of his... guardian, reached a closed bedroom door and standing to his feet as he twisted the knob. On the other side he found two hedgehogs, the same size as himself, busy exchanging brand new Pokemon cards.
"Oh, hey Eclipse." Shadow greeted his biological brother, while Silver plain ignored him. Shadow frowned. "What's the matter?"
Eclipse sat cross-legged on the floor. "Nothing..." he said quietly, still puzzled at Wade's behaviour. He looked Shadow in the eyes. "What do you think is wrong with dad?"
Silver's world went upside-down. His head snapped to face Eclipse, and he glared at the Darkling, mouth flapping open. "What did you say?"
Eclipse scowled at the hedgehog. "I wasn't talking to you, Silver."
Silver felt an anger he'd never before experienced, flaring hot in his chest. Tears sprung in his eyes and he shrieked, lunging toward the Darkling and punching him square in the face.
Eclipse yelped and fell back, green blood exploding from his snout.
"HE'S NOT! YOUR!! DAD!!!" Silver screamed, voice shrill, angry tears falling from his eyes as he rained his fists down on the Darkling. Eclipse curled up defensively, all five limbs wrapping around himself as he suffered under the blows. Shadow squealed, looking on in horror as Silver beat his brother, the grey hedgehog consumed by anger at the intruder that had invaded his home.
"Silver you're hurting him!!!"
"I WISH YOU WOULD GO AWAY! I WISH YOU WERE DEAD!!!"
The door slammed open and there was a cry of alarm, and suddenly Silver was hoisted off of his feet and held tight in his father's arms, kicking his legs and wailing incoherently. Shadow was instantly at his brother's side, while Wade was all but snarling at the grey hedgehog.
"SILVER!?!?" The adult's teeth were bared, tail whipping like an angry snake, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING???"
"I HATE HIM!!!!" Silver shrieked, ember eyes filled with tears as he yelled at his father, "I DON'T WANT HIM HERE!!!"
Wade had to force his lips closed, though he was unable to stop his tail slashing about from anger. "We don't HIT people!!! After last time?? I thought I raised you better than this!!!" The adult whipped around and glared at Shadow. "Is he okay??"
Shadow was kneeled next to his brother, glaring angrily at Silver. The Darkling himself remained curled up, clutching his head and whimpering pathetically. "He just hit him! And he wouldn't stop!"
Wade hissed and turned back to Silver. "S... Silver..." the former human seemed to be having a hard time keeping his composure, not physically threatening but clearly very angry at his son's behaviour. "Go to the kitchen. Now."
Fresh tears sprang in Silver's eyes, the grey hedgehog unable to comprehend the unfairness of it all. "I hate him!" he repeated, quivering in his shoes, "he turned you into a monster and now he's taking you away from me!! You don't even like me any more, you like him more!!!"
"That is NOT true!" Wade hunched, claws biting into his palms as he stared his youngest son down, "now go to the kitchen and WAIT THERE!!!"
Silver's mouth flapped, the grey hedgehog seemingly ready to continue the argument, but the dam finally bust and Silver turned and fled, wailing with tears as he ran away.
Wade watched his son flee, feeling the urge to give chase but knowing he had a hurt child in the room with him right now. He turned to Shadow and Eclipse, lowering himself swiftly to the floor to inspect the injured Darkling. "Hey... hey, let me look..." he gently turned Eclipses' head in his hands, inspecting the Darkling's face. Tears and blood streaked the kid's face and snout, the white flesh of his muzzle completely covered. "oh jeez... let's get you cleaned up, okay?"
Wader physically felt like he was going to deflate. He packed Eclipse off to the boys' room, leaned his back against the door of his bedroom, and stared into space.
His composure lasted five seconds before he slumped to the floor and placed his face in his hands. He might have been a monster now, but he was still human enough to cry.
