Tails had never been more relieved than he was now that Sticks had finally dressed herself after trailing behind him dressed only in her jewelry. Granted it was her usual three piece ensemble of stitched together patchwork oddities it was a far cry better than seeing her casually sauntering around him in the buff. She'd even taken the time to redo her hair back into that boomerang shape he was so fond of, it definitely made her look a lot less crazy.
Well, less crazy for Sticks at least.
Regardless of her tumultuous psyche, Sticks and Tails were back at her burrow where they were currently undergoing step six of the mating ritual, known as the meal between mates. Just as step five was more or less taking a bath together, step six was simply having dinner together. A totally ordinary dinner amongst two good friends whose relationship is completely platonic.
"Oh, who am I kidding," Tails mumbled to himself quietly. "If I couldn't have a normal bath together without freaking out every two seconds who knows how dinner will go?"
Tails sighed, resting his head upon his hand. He was seated by Sticks's table, a large wooden slab that had been cut straight from the trunk of a large tree. Much like everything else in her home it had been crafted by hand. Nearby Sticks was preoccupied with cooking, preparing a meal with fresh ingredients she'd foraged herself on a crude stone oven.
As he waited for the food to come, his mind wandered to her burrow.
He'd only been at Sticks's home a handful of times before. Most everyone would either spend time at Amy's chic house, Sonic's cozy beachside shack or his utilitarian workshop when it came to hanging out. Knuckles didn't have a permanent residence, mostly because he was the outdoorsy type and because the village couldn't handle him bringing property values down. Amy was the only person who he could think of that spends time at Stick's burrow regularly.
He noted how drastic the difference was from his own workshop. Apart from the fact that it was a huge dugout carved into the hillside, most if not all of Stick's furnishings and personal effects were made by hand. From the chair he was sitting on to the decor hanging on the walls she had crafted it all using primitive tools, natural materials and quintessential ingenuity. She was a regular artisan with skill and technique born of necessity.
Staring at the furniture only served to reinforce the disparity between their outlook on technology. It was no secret that he and Sticks were polar opposites, what with him being a gearhead technophile and Sticks being a technophobic sylvan. He'd just never known how profound the difference was now that he had gotten to be a bit more intimate with her.
However, a part of him couldn't help but acknowledge their similarities.
They were both clearly skilled with their hands. If they wanted or needed something they would build it. He built wondrous, if occasionally faulty, machinery. Sticks crafted mundane but otherwise effective tools and traps. The medium may have been different, Tails worked with metal and synthetics while Sticks used wood and plant fibers, but the mindset was the same. If anything they embodied the principles of invention, and were two sides of the same coin.
The similarities didn't end there.
They were also inquisitive in their own way; Tails with his avid sense of curiosity and Sticks with her unreasonable line of questioning.
They were intelligent; Tails had his calculating logic and Sticks had her survival instinct.
They both had blue eyes, loved good jokes, taking on challenges, fighting Eggman, spending time with their friends, complaining about Meh Burger's appalling lack of food safety standards, dealing with the unknown, breaking the fourth wall. The list goes on and on.
Perhaps they were more alike than he was willing to admit.
Tails shuddered involuntarily.
Somehow his thoughts segued from Sticks's home to Sticks herself. He mentally kicked himself for seeing Sticks beyond an amicable light. He kept telling himself that she was unwell, that her actions and thought process were dictated by a chemical imbalance in her brain. This perceived affection towards him wasn't genuine and he shouldn't take advantage of that fact.
However...
"-you're a real trooper, Tails. That's what I like about you. I honestly can't picture myself being with anyone else." She blushed, something that caught Tails completely off guard.
"Y-you don't really m-mean that," stuttered Tails, his twin tails having gone twirly with embarrassment. "S-Sticks, listen to me. You're not well. It's the 'it' that's doing this. You don't really have feelings for me like you think you do. You're acting entirely on instinct and I just happened to be the unlucky fool caught in the middle of it all. If it were Dave or Fastidious Beaver that had crashed through your roof instead of me you'd act the same way."
"That's not true," Sticks whispered, coming to a stop. Her expression was unusually pensive for someone so impulsive, irrational and paranoid. "I've... I-I mean... You see..." She shook her head, and continued walking. "It's not what you think it is. Let's just leave it at that."
Tails snapped out of his focus when a tantalizing aroma tickled his nose. His thoughts became one with his growling stomach and everything else became moot.
Turning to the source of the wonderful smell Tails watched as Sticks tended to the flames, maintaining a keen eye over it as she idly turned over a plethora of kebabs roasting atop the stone oven. While she was by no means a professional chef, Sticks could tell from experience when to act to achieve the best possible results. The smell of roasted vegetables and herb crusted rabbit meat made his mouth water and his tails twirl in ravenous anticipation.
"Stop that," Tails grumbled, restraining his excited tails.
"Your body betrays your true feelings, Tails," quipped Sticks, placing the kebabs on a large banana leaf. She set them down on the table along with some flatbread where Tails took a big whiff of it, smacking his lips in response.
"I can't help it. I'm starving." Tails smiled sheepishly.
"Well then, let's get step six started!" Sticks proclaimed.
Tails chuckled. "Don't mind if I do!" He reached over to grab one of the kebabs, only for Sticks to quickly swat his hand away at the last second. "Yeowch! What was that for?"
"Uh, uh, uh!" tutted Sticks. "So impatient, Tails. We've got to complete steps properly."
"Hmph," Tails harrumphed, crossing his arms. "Now I feel dumb thinking something was gonna go right for once. Alright, enlighten me, Sticks. What are we supposed to do for step six?"
Sticks grinned and tore off a piece of flatbread. She then picked up one of the kebabs and wrapped the flatbread around it, pulling off an appropriately sized chunk before holding it up to Tails's muzzle.
"Say, ah!" She cooed.
"A-ah!" Tails nervously complied, opening his mouth as Sticks gingerly fed him. He partook the victual with more enthusiasm than he would've liked to show, savoring the tenderness of the meat and the crispness of the vegetable with relish. When he swallowed his eyes lit up to the flavors that tingled his taste buds. "That was... amazing!" he exclaimed. "You eat like this everyday?"
"Mmhmm. One of the benefits of living off the land. Well, that and hiding from the government and their mind control rays," replied Sticks, preparing another kebab chunk. She held out the chunk as Tails happily chowed on it, drinking in the sight of his gastronomic bliss. Seeing him enjoy her food made her happy knowing she could satisfy her chosen mate's hunger.
"It's leagues better than the drek they serve down at Meh Burger," said Tails. "Then again, the bar isn't set very high to begin with."
"I thought we ate there to take pity on Dave?" said Sticks, raising an eyebrow.
"No, we eat there because Meh Burger is the only fast food franchise on the entire island. If you wanted something other than a grease soaked heart attack on a bun drier than the desert you'd have to sail over to the other islands."
"It's a conspiracy I tell you," uttered Sticks, frowning.
"With you, when isn't it?" Tails casually inquired.
"Hmm... Good point," replied Sticks. "By the way, how're you liking dinner so far?"
"Oh, it's been phenomenal! The meal, the company, the cozy atmosphere. It's all great. You know, I wouldn't mind eating like this with you everyda-" Tails caught himself at the last second, his expression of joy morphing into one of silent panic. He's fallen into her insidious trap like the fool he was. "Uh, oops?" he drawled dumbly.
"Eh, what was that, Tails?" Sticks teased playfully, cupping a hand to her ear. "For a moment it sounded like you wouldn't mind being together with me. Is that what I'm hearing?"
"No! I mean, yes! I mean, er... Wow, I'm not used to being put on the spot like this. Ahem. What I'm saying is, um, a-aren't you going to eat too?" Tails stammered out, his heart thumping vigorously against his chest. "I-it seems a bit unfair for you to be f-feeding me like this and not get a chance to eat."
"Heh heh, how considerate of you," Sticks cooed, running a hand along the side of his cheek. She stared at him with half lidded eyes, watching him fidget uncomfortably beneath her heated gaze. "Go on ahead." She leaned forward and closed her eyes, opening her mouth.
It didn't take Tails very long to understand her not so subtle cues. "Why do I keep acting surprised?" he murmured, taking a piece of flatbread and pulling off a kebab chunk for Sticks. His hand shook as he timidly fed her. It was no surprise that she enjoyed her own cooking, though she took pleasure in having Tails personally take care of her. "G-good?" He stuttered.
"Good," she whispered airily. Tails grinned nervously at her elation. As he fed her by hand he maintained their conversation to keep things from getting awkward, or at the very least, less awkward than things already were.
"S-so, Sticks. I never pegged you to be such a great cook," started Tails, popping another kebab chunk into Sticks's waiting lips where she ravenously wolfed down the dainty delight. "Was it something you picked up in the wilds?"
"Tails, I know what I'm talking about when I say that you get tired of eating raw foods after a while, meat especially," stated Sticks. "Even after building up a strong resistance to e. coli, salmonella, parasites and various other foodborne illnesses you want something with a bit more excitement to your meals, you get what I'm saying?"
"Sort of," replied Tails. "The best thing I can cook is grilled cheese, or grilled cheese with ham, or grilled cheese with ham and pickles, or grilled cheese with ham and pickles with one of those little olives stuck on top with a toothpick. And even then Amy tells me that using my blowtorch to toast the grilled cheese is a fire hazard."
"That's what she tells me about using the lava flows for boiling soup!" blurted Sticks, stifling a chuckle. "Anywho, after a while I learned that if you combined fire with food you end up with something really delicious."
"You don't need a masters degree in cooking to know that," quipped Tails.
"Since then I've been experimenting with whatever I could find to make dinnertime more enjoyable. It took a lot of tries and first degree burns but before long I was eating like a democratically elected leader of a totalitarian banana republic. After that I met you guys and it only got better from there with Amy teaching me." Sticks's expression softened at the memory. "I... I know I don't say it often, but... I'm really glad to have you all as my friends."
"Sticks..." Tails breathed. He'd never seen her this forthcoming before, not when it didn't involve her insane conspiracy theories. The 'it' must be affecting her more than he initially thought to be pouring out her heart like this. Although perhaps the reason why she was doing so was because she trusted him specifically. He still didn't know exactly why. What made him so special?
"Um, there's something I've been meaning to ask," he continued. "Back in the jungle when you had me tied up over your shoulder-"
"Oh, how could I forget," interrupted Sticks. "Seeing you squirm like that was definitely something."
"-Ahem, yes," Tails cheeks were dusted pink. "What I wanted to say was, you seemed real adamant about me being your mate. Why is that? I mean let's face it, you could do a lot better than this scrawny little fox." He didn't expect Sticks to freeze up like a deer in headlights when he finished talking. He was quite taken aback by her reaction. "Uh, Sticks?" his voice was full of concern. "You okay?"
"Oh, what? Who, me? Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine! Fine! Why wouldn't I be fine? What kind of question was that? What are you, a cop?" Sticks snapped, looking trepidatious. Tails reeled from her sudden outburst, fearful that he touched a nerve.
"I-I'm just saying, there are other guys out there that-" Tails didn't get a chance to finish as Sticks shot up from the table and swiftly gathered up the scraps from their meal.
"Oh, look at that, we're all done eating! It's getting pretty late anyway, I should probably clean up so we can turn in. Hey, look!" she pointed elsewhere. "Is that a good mainline Sonic game in the current year!"
"Where?!" Tails immediately turned around as Sticks stealthily ducked out of the burrow to get rid of the garbage. "Wait, why would Sonic have a game? Sticks, you're talking nonsense again." He turned back to find that Sticks was gone, yet the sound of her shuffling outdoors could be heard within earshot.
He frowned. It looks like for all the things she was willing to share in her unstable state, her opinion of him wasn't one of them.
Back at Eggman's lair, a battle of titanic proportions was underway.
"Aha! I've got you now you blue pineapple!" Eggman exclaimed as he moved his piece across the game board, relishing in his victory as his peers looked on in defeat. He pushed one of the plastic contraptions that made up the game's wildly convoluted set piece and set forth a series of tiny colorful Rube Goldberg machines that entrapped his opponents pieces in a plastic cage. "Tonight, Eggman reigns supreme!"
"Must you gloat over every victory, Dr. Eggman?" asked Orbot.
"For a supervillain, every victory over their nemesis is a pageant," Eggman replied coolly.
"Hey, hey! That's not fair! This game is rigged!" Sonic complained, standing up from the sofa.
"Nuh, uh! You're just mad that I beat you fair and square. Me! Doctor Eggman! Your eternal nemesis and superior!" he proclaimed to the Heavens.
"I didn't mind losing. I just liked it when the plastic parts moved around and did all that neat stuff," said Knuckles. "Let's set it up and do it again!"
"I'm all for that!" added Cubot.
"Guys, what are you doing? Shouldn't you be getting ready to turn in? We've got a big day tomorrow" said Amy, crossing her arms.
"Oh, we're just all discussing a way to trap Sticks," said Sonic, grinning sheepishly.
"By playing Rat Trap? The board game for children ages six and up?" Amy raised her eyebrow, looking down at the childish board game they were playing.
"Come on, just one more game before we turn in for the night," Sonic begged. "I was so close to beating Eggman that time."
"Bah! I'll just win again, Sonic," taunted Eggman. "The luck balance of the universe has turned its favor to me just for this one night of tabletop gaming. And I intend to use it to my benefit!"
"We'll see about that, Egghead!" Sonic retorted.
"I guess we're all yelling stuff now!" joined Knuckles.
"I don't know what we're yelling about!" shouted Cubot, wildly flailing his arms. "Loud noises!"
"Ugh," Amy groaned. "Fine, just one more game. Then it's off to bed with the rest of you."
"What are you, my mother?" quipped Sonic.
"...I could be the mother of your children," Amy swiftly muttered.
"What?" Sonic blinked in bewilderment.
"What?" Amy parroted, acting as if she hadn't let slip her deepest desires.
"...Okay, this is getting kind of weird," said Knuckles. "Let's set the game up again!"
Tails couldn't help but ponder about Sticks's outburst as he laid on her bed. Whether or not her defensiveness was genuine or neurological in nature he didn't know. It was always difficult to tell with Sticks, and it wasn't any different now. It bothered him. One moment she was fussing over him as he was the center of her universe, then the next she was at his throat for overstepping his boundaries.
That woman was a mystery. A mystery wrapped in a riddle and dipped in crazy sauce.
"Does she hate me?" Tails murmured. "No. We've had our differences before but she doesn't hate me. Maybe a mild distaste or paranoid apprehension on occasion, but never hate. It was definitely something I said though, something about me..."
He racked his brain trying to think of what it was that Sticks was keeping secret. She'd been nothing but teasing and coy with him the whole time they were together, he couldn't get a bead on her true intentions. Her spontaneousness was overwhelming. It definitely didn't help that he was out of his league when it came to girls.
"Come on, Tails. Think! You're smart. You've built lasers out of household junk! Why is this so hard?" Tails's musing was interrupted by the sound of the burrow door opening. He turned his head to see Sticks walking towards him, no longer agitated. Rather she'd adopted the same seductive attitude that had him on edge throughout the day. "S-Sticks, you're back." He grinned, swallowing the lump that'd formed in his throat.
"I couldn't be far from you for long," replied Sticks, slipping into bed with him. She slowly crawled towards him on all fours like a spider approaching an ensnared fly. Tails didn't resist as she hovered atop him, staring deeply into his eyes. "I'm sorry about before. I didn't mean to act that way," she whispered, resting her head against his chest, tracing small circles below his neck. The sound of his thumping heart put her at ease.
"I-it's okay. I probably said something I shouldn't have," replied Tails, tensing under her touch.
"No. No you didn't." Sticks nuzzled into his fur, wrapping her arms around his chest. "I'll talk about it when I'm ready... I... I... promise..."
"...Sticks?" Tails looked down and saw that Sticks had already fallen asleep. He observed her in quiet disbelief as she snoozed the night away in his embrace. "I can't believe it. She's already asleep!" He groaned, throwing his head back. She'd left him with more questions again and it was beginning to aggravate him. Sighing, he pulled the fur skin blanket over them and closed his eyes.
He needed sleep.
He was tired. Oh, so tired.