Hey! Hope you're all well, enjoy the next chapter!
See chapter one for the disclaimer.
The next morning Tom and Maddie went down to breakfast with bags under their eyes. Turns out that for Knuckles and Tails the idea of 'sleep' was quite strange. They had been shown to there rooms [it was decided the two of them would have their own rooms.] and the first thing they needed explaining was the concept of beds.
"They're soft." Tails had noted, running his hands along the sheets.
Knuckles looked at his bed like he thought it was going to get up and attack him. "We're meant to sleep in these?"
"Yes." Maddie said, brightly. "They're really comfortable, way better than outside." She didn't know, but she assumed that's where the two had slept before.
Knuckles frowned. "I am used to sleeping under the stars."
"Just give it a go, hey Bud?" Tom said, going to pat him on the shoulder. The enchidna turned sharply and glared, stopping Tom in his tracks. "For me?"
Knuckles's eyes got narrower. "We do not know each other well enough for me to do anything for you."
Tom nodded. Okay, that was fair enough. With that Maddie and Tom left the two boys, with the instructions that if they needed anything they were to knock on their door.
Sonic was in with them. Apparently the hotel manager had suggested the boys have one room and Tom and Maddie have another but Maddie had swiftly shut that down, foreseeing the issues that could arise with three unattended teenagers in one room together, so Sonic was in with them.
"Alright now, Buddy." Tom said, as he switched the lights off. "Go to sleep-"
"Are you kidding!? I can't sleep! I'm stoked!"
Tom groaned and sank back into the mattress. It was going to be a long night...
The next morning Tom and Maddie awoke to find that Sonic had the TV in the bedroom on low and had been watching it the whole night.
"What? I told you I was to hyped-up to sleep." Was their son's defence.
After getting dressed they went and knocked on Tails and Knuckles's door.
The fox opened the door, his fur all over the place, making him look a bit like someone had rubbed a balloon on there clothes then held it near him.
"Hey, Sweetie." Maddie said, smiling warmly. "How'd you find the bed?"
Tails nodded sleepily and rubbed his eyes. "Good..."
"Alright, let's go. Knuckles!" Tom called into the room. "Knuckles!"
"Oh, he's not here." Tails said, as he walked into the hallway.
Huh.
"What do you mean, 'he's not here?'" Maddie's eyes went wide and she looked at her husband with an expression of. 'Oh god, we can't have mislaid one of them already.'
It transpired that after trying out the beds for about half an hour Knuckles declared himself unable to sleep on one and had moved to the floor and that was the last Tails had seen of him.
Tom and Maddie searched all the floors, including under the beds, but no four-foot red alien was to be found.
"I'm going to call Commander Walters." Tom announced, getting his phone out.
Maddie smacked his arm. "No! We can't admit we've lost one of them, it's not even been two days! C'mon, we'll ask the staff if they've seen him-"
"I've got a better idea. Sonic -"
"On it!" Their son shot off.
Tom smiled at his wife. "If anyone can find him, it's Sonic."
"I agree" Tails said, suddenly, rocking on his heals a little. "Sonic's the best!"
Maddie smiled down at him. "You're really fond of him, aren't you?"
"Oh, yes! I've been watching him for ages!"
Well...that was creepy.
"Shall we go?" Maddie said, with forced brightness.
When they got down it was to see Sonic standing in the middle of the foyer arguing with Knuckles.
"You can't just run off! It's not safe."
"Anyone who dares challenge me will soon be acquainted with my fists!"
"Morning boys." Tom said, raising his voice to ensure he could be heard. "Good to see you Knuckles, I thought you'd done a runner."
The red one looked at him in a manner that indicated he didn't see the problem. "I have done no running." He said, cocking his head to one side. "I have merely been outside."
"He's been sleeping outside." Sonic clarified.
"What was wrong with the bed, sweetie?" Maddie asked, looking concerned.
"It was...strange." Knuckles said, frowning slightly. "As I said I am used to looking up at the stars. There are no stars in the hotel room."
'We might as well have stayed in the house.' Tom thought. 'For all account from the two holes in it you get a lovely view of the stars.' Then he remembered it wasn't them footing the bill.
"Thomas!"
He blinked back to reality to see his new family heading into the restaurant. Maddie was just explaining to Knuckles that sleeping in beds was considered normal for humans and actually the majority of them were designed to be quite comfortable when the manager of said restaurant smoothly intercepted them.
With an air of embarrassment the manager explained that although she was very pleased to see they were all enjoying the food it had been brought to her attention that the amount they were eating was causing the kitchen staff to feel 'increased pressure' and maybe if they could just stick to having seconds or thirds of things instead of 5 or 6 plates then might that be acceptable?
"That's fine." Tom said, instantly, not wanting to get on the managers bad side. "C'mon boys, seconds only."
"But I was told it was 'all you can eat'." Knuckles complained as they headed towards a table. "Why are they going back on their word?"
"Because their word doesn't extend to your bottomless stomach." Maddie said, teasingly.
Knuckles didn't look happy but didn't complain further.
"So, how much are we allowed to eat?" Tails asked, nervously.
Tom and Maddie exchanged a glance, picking up on his wording.
"Here you are allowed to eat three platefuls maximum and don't stack the plates to high. It's not a competition to make the highest tower." Tom said, after a moment.
"Here-" Maddie held her hand out to the young fox. "-let's go have a look, shall we?"
Tails hesitated a bit and looked at Sonic who gave him a thumbs up. With a shy smile Tails took Maddie's hand and the two of them went to get food.
Sonic turned to Knuckles only to see he had already gone. "Hey! Wait up!" He called dashing after him.
Tom groaned and lightly ran his fingers through his hair. He could practically feel his hair turning grey.
