The two worked in silence for a while. Eventually Tails started to ramble.
"Amy gave me this recipe. She's a really good cook. I tried it and liked it, so she taught me how to make it. It's pretty simple."
"You've never gotten to have a friendly interaction with Amy. Or Knuckles. Or with Shadow. Although Shadow isn't exactly the friendliest. I should probably give you something to work with when they get here. Um. Well, Amy is really sweet and cheerful. She likes adventures as much as she likes girly things. She can be a little…intense sometimes, but she's been a big help since she joined us. Sonic met her on an adventure on Little Planet. Do you remember that or was that a different Metal Sonic? Anyway, after a while she found us again and wanted to join the team. Knuckles used to be Sonic's rival and they still don't get along sometimes. He's used to being alone and he has a short temper, but he'd do anything for his friends. Shadow is… an enigma. He's a loner. He doesn't say much about himself. He can be pretty stubborn and harsh, but when it comes down to it, we can trust that he'll do the right thing, even if it takes a little pushing. I think you'd like him. For some reason. I guess because he understands what it's like to make mistakes and how hard it is to fix them. And his teammate Omega is a lot like you!"
"They might be a little…concerned…about you at first, but I'm sure they'll warm up to you. It'll be nice. We'll have fun."
Metal quickly became lost in thought, considering what Tails had said. When Tails finally brought him back to reality, he found himself absently stirring a pot of boiling noodles. He looked around, wondering how he got here.
Sensing his confusion, Tails explained, "You chopped all the vegetables and just stayed there staring at the cutting board, so I put a spoon in your hand and put you in front of the stove and let you stir."
Metal shook his head a little, trying to clear his mind. Tails took advantage of the pause in his stirring to fish out a noodle. He nibbled it, nodded, and slurped it down.
"Almost done. I'll give it a few more minutes. By the way, I just realized that you can't eat. I don't know if you feel like you're missing out, but I feel bad about making you watch us eat. You can sit at the table if you want, or you can go upstairs and read. Whatever you prefer."
Metal considered how to express his thoughts to Tails and decided that his best option would be to get the Miles Electric. He handed the spoon to Tails and rushed out, leaving Tails to wonder if he had hurt his feelings that badly.
When Metal returned, the message was already on the screen. "Food has no meaning to me. If your teammates like me, I will stay. I will go to the loft when I am done."
"Fine with me! Let me know if you need anything. I want you to have a good time too, Metal."
Metal was grateful for the support. Especially when the guests began to arrive, and his anxiety began to increase.
He hadn't even finished draining the noodles by the time Sonic showed up at the door. With complete familiarity, Sonic let himself in. He beelined to the kitchen and started to ask how to help. He absently glanced at Metal as he spoke, but he stopped mid-sentence when he took a double-take at Metal.
"What is he doing here? Is he…cooking?"
"Yep! He wanted to help. He's doing great!"
"Seriously? Wow."
"If you want to help, you can set the table. Metal can move the serving dishes to the table. I'll finish up the last few things."
When Amy and Knuckles arrived, Metal was helping tidy up the kitchen while Sonic and Tails set up the living room.
Amy saw Metal through the window and stopped in her tracks.
"Uhh…Knuckles? Is-is that Metal Sonic?"
"Looks like it. But how?"
"We can worry about the how later. Right now, we need to help Tails!"
Amy produced her hammer and readied it as she snuck through the door and into the kitchen. With Knuckles prepared to back her up, if necessary, she prepared herself to give Metal a solid smack over the head. But the realization that Metal was washing a pan made her hesitate. She was bewildered by the sight, even more so when Metal's only reaction to noticing the incoming attack was to defensively shield himself with a lid. She blinked and burst into laughter, stumbling backward and dropping her hammer.
The commotion sent Sonic and Tails rushing to help. What they found was Amy laying on the floor, overcome by giggling, Knuckles peering uncertainly around the corner, and Metal cringing behind a sauce splattered pan lid.
All Sonic could say was, "Woah. What is happening?"
Amy gasped for a breath and stifled her laughter long enough to explain, "I-I thought he was gonna hurt you. But he was just standing there! Washing dishes! I was about to smack him! And he was just washing dishes!" She sucked in another breath, but her face shifted to confusion. "Wait, why is Metal Sonic washing dishes in Tails' kitchen?"
"It's a long story," Sonic said wearily.
"And I can't wait to tell you!" Tails piped up.