Hey-oh.
I know it's been a while, but shit happened and I lost my bunnies.
They're slowly coming back now.
Sadly no sex, it'll come back after the story progression, ya know?
Shopping and Subs
It was nine in the morning, barely an hour after Amy had awoken and showered, and yet here they were, on the roads of Station Square, headed for the local supermarket while it would still be quiet. The dark hedgehog was already aware of the numerous G.U.N registered vehicles that followed them through the streets, as well as the security cameras that swivelled to watch him drift past on his motorbike five full notches below the speed limit, not even daring to meander through traffic as other two-wheeled contraptions did in case someone who didn't like him was on watch that morning.
The machine he rode was considered by many a classic bike enthusiast as the pinnacle of past engineering; a heavy metallic frame with driver and pillion seats joined by a padded cover that coated the whole seat, resembling a stretched saddle of leather and stitching. The bike itself was chrome and a deep maroon, two exhaust pipes protruding from the framework below that used to bellow out noxious fumes before it had been upgraded to a concealed Chaos Drive engine. It was cleaner, more efficient, and Shadow could recharge it himself if he wished.
He loved this bike, a present from G.U.N upon his retirement, though he now assumed it was more to keep him busy. The thing had often malfunctioned before the Chaos Drive was installed, giving him hours of oil-coated time beneath it while he fixed it up. Despite this realisation and the frustrations it brought, he had become fond of such machines whilst in their employment. After all, a machine designed not to maim or damage, but instead to assist and transport, was a novel idea to him. It even gave hope to the idea he himself could be whatever he chose, despite what he had been designed for, when he had upgraded the machine to be more ecologically friendly.
Despite the bike, however, he hated going outside.
G.U.N were a paranoid bunch, so acting upon his desire to get some air and gun the throttle on the country roads was always marred by the dispatched patrol car that would follow him. If they got left behind within the city itself, their sirens would be turned on to allow them to catch up, and while they left him alone once he was without the city limits, the joy had already been sapped from the occasion. On his way back, he would often pass the parked car as it waited for him to return to his apartment, and it always followed him back silently, making sure he went home.
Normally, the attention would leave him feeling frustrated, like a hedgehog in a cage running through a maze while its caretakers watched with interest. He would have turned around and returned home by now, not bothering to complete whatever task he had set out to do and resorted to the ongoing daytime television he was slowly becoming addicted to.
This time, though, he had something to distract him, and boy was it a distraction worth noting. As he twisted the throttle and followed the variety of cars along the road, he had to remind himself to remain focused on the traffic around him rather than paying attention to the tight arms around his waist, the head buried in his shoulder, or the warmth of Amy's body pushed up against his back. Thankfully, the speed they travelled at drew her scent away from him, giving a reprieve from the ever-maddening pheromones she was emitting, but his body remembered them regardless. He could feel his heart rate slightly risen above normal, and a warmth in his groin he'd hoped he'd managed to deal with already that morning was beginning to build again.
As he pulled to a stop at the next red light, the lightening of the pressure around his waist signified Amy had allowed herself to sit up again and view the surroundings. Only her hands rested on his hips now as she studied the large, metallic buildings that seemed to rise up into the sky itself, many of which were more glass than metal. Most of the blinds and curtains were already open, showing glimpses into the lives of those who lived there; men and women in suits on phones while they ate breakfast, a toddler human running around in just a nappy, refusing to wear pants, and a man looking out over the city whilst sipping his morning coffee, still in just underwear and an open robe.
Being out this early had been her idea, because Shadow seemed adamant that they would not be leaving the flat for the entire season. She figured this was because of the other hedgehogs in the city but, even though she had spent much of the time it took Shadow to shower watching the streets below, there had been only a single Mobian in comparison to the dozen or so Humans, and that one was not even a hedgehog.
When questioned about the Mobian population, he'd shrugged, stating that most of the Mobian occupants of Station Square were, in fact, those that had moved out of New Metropolis while it was being rebuilt, and he suspected many would move back once Sally made some headway on the project. As such, she still had no idea why he hated to go out so much, but brushed it off simply as his character.
He had never been much of a socialite, after all.
Problem was, not only did she like to get out amongst people, she was also hungry, and there seemed to be very little to eat in Shadow's apartment. All she could find were human-made dried soups and noodles in cups and packets, and the lists of chemicals on the back of the packages had made her feel sick. As such, they had an argument, the event still fresh in both their memories:
Turning back to face him, she watched him slurp noodles from a cup, the strong smell of the flavour packet he'd dumped in it while it cooked in the microwave making her feel nauseous. "There's nothing to eat," she stated in dismay, and he simply grunted, raising the noodle pot he'd made for himself in suggestion that she do the same. "Oh Chaos, no," she retaliated, pulling a face. "I read the label. How can you eat that for breakfast? Does it even have any real food in it?"
Shadow simply chewed and swallowed, twirling his fork in the pot for another mouthful. "If it did not, they likely would not sell them." He didn't believe the statement; he was sure there were more chemicals than actual food in this 'meal', but he couldn't be bothered, nor did he have the skills, to make much else. He had relied upon fast food and convenience for as many years as he had lived alone, and had no intention of changing now.
A moment later, as he fed the noodles into his mouth, the cup was swiped from his hand. He blinked, not expecting the event, and before he could react he saw Amy dumping the half-eaten noodle pot into the pedal bin, a defiant look on her face.
"If I have to live here, we're going to eat properly." A soft growl elicited from his throat, and he stood, moving to toss the fork he still held into the sink with a clatter. "Have you ever even eaten a real meal, Shadow? One you or someone cooked in the kitchen, from fresh ingredients?" He'd set his jaw, a silent admittance that he had not. Even in G.U.N, his meals had consisted of ration packets. "Then I'll show you why they're so much better than that garbage! This is a city, right? There must be a market somewhere that sells fresh produce. Take me there."
He stared at her a moment, then turned, picking up what Amy had learned was actually more akin to the communicators they had used back in the day - a phone, he had called it - from the kitchen counter. "I'll order something, then." He'd stated nonchalantly, unlocking the screen with a series of numbers. Once loaded, he'd clicked a small red square on the homepage which consisted of a burger with eyes and a wide grin, and begun scrolling through the limited delivery options available so early in the day.
Behind him, she'd huffed, folding her arms across her chest. "I know you don't need to eat, so maybe living on this stuff is fine for you, but I need real food; vegetables, fruit and vitamins." He didn't respond, and her expression softened along with her voice. "I'm sorry about your breakfast, Shadow. I won't mess with your food again, but will you at least take me so I can eat better? I can't live on pizza and noodles…"
He had turned to tell her she'd need to get used to it, but her face had been so… pleading. He wasn't even sure she knew what she was doing, but his voice froze in his throat, and a touch of pity seeped into his brain. She didn't want to be there more than he wanted her to be, and she was struggling to adjust to everything that was going on around her - the small apartment, the city below, her inability to leave by herself or return home. He sighed, turning off the screen on his phone with a simple click of a button, and placed it back on the kitchen counter. "I'll need to get dressed."
So here he was, straddling Jasmine the Speed Twin as he waited for yet another traffic light to let them pass, the feeling of being watched boring into his skull as another security camera on the corner of Evergreen and Lester twisted to watch them closely. Yet with Amy there, her body warm against his back in the breezy spring morning, it seemed to bother him a little less. He let out a soft sigh and concentrated on the lights once more, trying to ignore everything but the girl on his bike and the breeze in his quills.
Absently, he wondered what the people at G.U.N thought about him having a female on his bike, and in mating season no less. That train of thought led to a scowl, as the thought they probably had a betting pool going on about how long it would last.
Amy herself was not entirely enjoying the ride; except for Tails' own inventions, most machines with engines or power sources she had come across had tried to kill her. As such, the gentle rumbling of the machine below her made her anxious, and she couldn't help holding Shadow a little too tightly whenever he revved the engine in preparation of pulling away. She did, however, enjoy the feeling of the wind in her quills and the smell of clean air that travelled past them as they rolled through the traffic.
Neither of them wore a helmet as it was not a requirement for a Mobian when the speed limit was so low, but Shadow had been forced to throw on the least ill-fitting pair of hand-me-down Human sweatpants, rolled at the waist a few times to secure them as well as shorten the legs, and an oversized t-shirt emblazoned with the mascot of the local football team. Thankfully, he also wore the only piece of attire he owned that actually fitted - a leather motorbike jacket, adorned with patches he had sewn on himself to pass the time - over the shirt, hiding its affiliation since he did not care for it.
As the light turned green, he reminded himself this would not take long. He twisted the throttle, unable to prevent the grin that curved his lips forming when Amy wrapped her arms tightly around his middle again, before taking off towards the superstore. We will be done soon, he thought to himself. Just an hour or so and I can relax.
oOoOo
Incidentally, he had underestimated how long it could take someone to go shopping, especially if that someone was a fashion-conscious female hedgehog who had been taken from her home town with nothing but the clothes on her back and an especially unstable hormonal balance. It had been almost two hours when Shadow quietly excused himself while she flipped through Mobian attire in the supermarket, handing Amy his bank card and ID whilst reminding her she needed to request home delivery to the address stated on the latter. When queried, he told her he would be over the road at the deli, getting them both some lunch.
And this was true, but in honestly he needed to get out of that store.
Since their arrival, it was obvious - at least to the crimson-streaked hedgehog - that a couple of operatives had taken it upon themselves to follow the pair around the store to keep an eye on them. He had growled slightly under his breath at this realisation, annoyed that GUN seemed to think he wasn't even trustworthy enough to allow into a store without observation. Then again, he pondered, heading outside into the cool spring air. It is unusual behaviour for me…
He headed directly across the road and into the only store he every frequented when he left his home; a small and locally owned deli. The store itself was only as wide as the glass-fronted serving counter, the space to order too small to allow for tables and chairs for patrons. A soda fridge crammed full of the fizzy drinks humans loved, bottles of crisp, cold water and cartons of juice was squeezed up against the far wall, while a rack on the wall behind the counter displayed a number of packets of crisps and chocolate bars - more catering to the human tastes, though Shadow had to admit he had developed a love of dark chocolate over the years - you could get alongside the sandwiches the place was best known for.
The owner was a Mobian himself, a short and stocky pale red hedgehog with a ring piercing through his nose and a gauge in one ear. A bell sounded as Shadow stepped inside, and the hedgehog looked up with a smile, showing a little tooth once he recognised who the customer was. "Shads, my man." He stated, his voice low and level, just a touch of enthusiasm when saying his name. "It's only been a week. What brings you back out already? We still deliver, you know?"
Shadow returned the smile with a nod. "Errands," he stated simply, looking up at the board above the serving counter. At least a dozen different combinations of deli meats were listed there, along with their prices in both Mobiums and Human currency. It was pretty normal for places owned by a Mobian to take both, which often made his clientele extend to tourists as well as locals, and was likely one of the reasons his little store still thrived in such a big city.
"The usual?" Shadow glanced back to the store owner, who had already begun to wash his hands, looking back at him over his shoulder. With another curt nod in affirmation, the red hedgehog got to work, finding the freshest roll he had for one of his most frequent customers and beginning to slice it, humming to himself while he did.
Watching him prepare his sandwich, Shadow studied his appearance. He wore a leather jacket with no sleeves over a bare chest, the sleeves ragged and suggesting they had been cut off to suit the other's taste in clothing. The body of the jacket itself was adorned with a number of badges as Shadow's was, and the dark blue jeans he wore to comply with Human standards were faded in patches, and had a number of holes from years of wear.
He had always been a bit of an eccentric character, from what the former agent knew of him, but the gauge in his ear was new. It was still small, the piercing stretching the hole until a slightly larger one could replace it without too much discomfort, and honestly it made him a little queasy. He didn't understand the desire to knowingly and actively disfigure yourself, and couldn't fathom why the hedgehog he knew as Mac would want to follow the human trend.
Something that hadn't changed was the peculiar style Mac had chosen for his quills. Much like Shadow's, they were long and sharp, and naturally would gather into distinctive spines that could be used to slice open any threats. It was common for hedgehogs in Station Square to style them differently, some even going to the extreme of dulling them down to prevent humans using fear as an excuse to avoid them, but Mac… he had decided instead to adopt the Echidnan style of dreadlocks. His quills had been painstakingly gathered into small bunches and entwined together, forming more rope-like quills that hung from his head down to his shoulders. Unlike an echidna, his quills continued down his back, and these too had seen the same treatment, the thinner and more wiry rope created resting against the waistband of his jeans.
Absently, Shadow wondered if it hurt to do that to a hedgehog's quills.
Ignoring the looks the red and black hedgehog was giving his new ear piece, Mac quickly prepared and wrapped up a pepperoni, salami, pastrami, and cheese, making sure it had plenty of salad and a touch of ranch, just as the older hedgehog liked it. He slipped the sandwich into a paper bag and moved over to the till, ringing up the order with practiced precision, ready to check the quiet customer out. He was used to the lack of conversation from Shadow, but he didn't mind; he had been frequenting the deli pretty much every day, either through online orders or in person, for almost two years now. If he wanted to be quiet, Mac wouldn't argue.
"Uh…" He looked up quizzically as the hedgehog spoke unexpectedly. Normally, money would change hands and he would be back on that sweet ride, headed home in mere moments. Instead, Shadow seemed unsure as he stared up at the deli board now, frowning slightly. "What do… women usually order..?"
The red hedgehog blinked in surprise, a hand still on the sub he had just made, not speaking until Shadow looked back and caught his eye. "Well, they, uh… order a lot of different things, you know? Depends what they like." He paused a moment, glancing up at the board himself. He knew every sandwich he made by heart, but it was a distraction while his mind whirred, going over options. "This time of season, they like lean protein… maybe chicken, bit of pepperoni for iron, and salad?" He waited for a confirmational nod before moving to start making it, looking up at the other as he sliced the roll, voice curious. "Got yourself a girl, Shads?"
There was a snort from the red-streaked hedgehog, who folded his arms across his chest as he glanced out of the window, expression unwavering. "In a word. I am repaying a favour by allowing her somewhere to stay while she… gains control of herself." He looks back to Mac, who has pressed his lips together slightly as he works, and frowns a little.
The stout hedgehog looks up a minute later and chuckles slightly, already wrapping up the sandwich as he speaks. "I'm no expert when it comes to ladies, man, but a girl doesn't just bunk with you during her heat. Before you say anythin', I know she's a hedgie too. I can smell her on you, you know?" He slips the sandwich into a paper bag and takes it over to the other at the till, adding it to the transaction. "All I'm saying is, sounds like your friend is doin' you a favour, introducin' you to a nice girl…"
"I don't need a girl." The statement came out in a growl, more intense than he intended, but the other simply shrugs and requests payment for the sandwiches, waiting patiently for him to fish the money out of his baggy trouser pockets and hand it over. Without another word, he leaves before Mac can count his change, a sandwich in each hand as he strides past the poorly-hidden GUN agent loitering outside the deli.
Back in the store, Mac watches him stop outside and hand one of the sandwiches over to a pink hedgehog, and smiles very slightly as he returns to whistling to himself, hopeful his most loyal customer has finally found something more enjoyable than a good sandwich.
