Chapter Text
Maurice “Sonic” Needlemaus was many things. Fast, handsome if he did say so himself, a great older brother if you talked to Miles, egotistical if you asked Knuckles.
Right now though, he was late for band practice.
With the wind running through his hair and music blasting into his ears, it’s safe to say Sonic wasn’t the most focused as he used a streetlamp to whip himself around a corner. Mind you, Sonic not being focused is never the most shocking. Which is mildly concerning considering skateboarding normally does take a lot of focus.
Anyway, he slammed into a guy.
“Oof!” Flyers went one way, Sonic and the guy went the other. Sonic quickly scrambled to grab his board before it rolled into the road. He was up first, tumbles and falls second nature to him now, immediately shooting his hand out to help the other guy up.
Pretty, honey gold eyes looked back up at him before taking his offered hand. Their hair had been shaped up into a star, corners tinted a cold silver by temporary dye and the same light stars covered their outfit. Sonic pulled them up, noting their almost head of extra height. Starboy blushed before glancing down to the stack of paper he'd just dropped.
“I- um, sorry, could you-”
With a nod, Sonic helped scoop up as much of the flyers as he could, stopped by the pink text and heart gem logo in the top corner.
“Oh my god, Club Rouge has open mic?” Starboy laughed a little awkwardly before reaching for the flyers Sonic had picked up.
“Well, kinda! There's, um, there's a music showcase. You have to sign up in advance, winner gets a cash prize and, you know, possible future gigs on weekends.” They shuffled their feet, not meeting Sonic’s eyes properly.
Cash prize and gigs? The ringing echo of Amy reminding him that the band is a joint effort is washed out by the sickening reminder that he still needs to cover the water bill. Sonic nabs the top flyer before scribbling out the first band name idea that comes to mind along with his email for contact with his cheap eyeliner.
“Sorry if that smudges, it was the only thing I have on hand.” Starboy looks at him incredulously and Sonic feels his stomach give a weird flutter.
“I have a pen-”
“Gotta go, late for practice!” The words slip out before Sonic has even realised, mounting his board and leaving Starboy with his flyers. He kinda felt bad but also he could already see Amy freaking out on him.
He knew his best friend well. Amy looked over as he opened the door to the Roses’ garage, visibly relieved to see him. Sonic knew for a fact that his phone would have at least 5 messages and a missed call, even if he was only 15 minutes late. In the 10 years they’d known each other, Sonic had been late like twice maybe? And once was the day his uncle kicked the bucket so…
Knuckles just looked grumpy as usual.
“Sorry, ran into a guy! Had to stop and help him pick his stuff back up.” After propping his skateboard up on the wall, Sonic jogs over to his amp. Checking that Knux hadn’t messed with his set up as payback, Sonic started unpacking his guitar bag.
It was just an afternoon of running through some numbers, cleaning up the ones they have ready to go. Endless Possibility was their most solid, Amy even commented that it was pretty much ready to go, but the Fist Bump chorus was still off in a way none of them could actually put their finger on. A couple of hours in, there was a gentle knock on the backdoor as Mrs Rose dropped them off some lemonade and some cookies. The band took a breather, Sonic perching on his amp. The little reprise was the perfect moment for Sonic to mention his (incredibly smart and well thought out) decision.
“Oh, by the way, I signed us up for a music showcase thing at Club Rouge.”
“You what- Sonic!”
“Whaaaat? We’re plenty good enough! Endless Possibility is done and It Doesn’t Matter is good to go-”
“We don’t even have a name yet!”
“Well, I gave us one anyway.”
“Sonic Needlemaus, if you wrote Dudeitude on that sheet, I will fucking-”
“Chill out, Ames! I dropped that one after the last name argument.” Sonic threw up his hands in surrender, letting his response hang in the air for a second. Both his bandmates looked at him expectantly. “I named it Sonic Boom.”
“You self-obsessed fuck.” Knuckles finally chimes in, deadpan as he grabs the neck of his bass. “Dudeitude would have been better.”
“Nah, I’m with Amy, it does sound like we’re a boyband. It was Sonic Boom or Sonic Underground, Boom was easier to write.”
“Why would we be Underground?” Amy taps her sticks on the edge of her snare absentmindedly.
“Because we literally are Ames?”
“I guess it’s a bit on the nose then.” She leans forward towards Sonic, resting her sticks on top of her tom. “Anyway, when did this sign up happen? It was why you were late, wasn't it?”
“Nooo….”
“You're a shit liar, Sonic Needlemaus.” Knux says deadpan as Amy nods. Looking away from them, Sonic takes a noisy sip from his water bottle.
“Okay, the guy I ran into had sign up sheets and I felt bad.”
“Sonic…”
“That is my name, yep.”
“You’re being a cunt.” Knuckles says bluntly as Amy looks at Sonic unamused. “Wind your neck in and shut it so Amy can yell at you.”
“Could have toned it down with the language but thank you, Knuckles.” Knuckles grunts in acknowledgement as Amy sets her sticks down and steps around her drums so she can scowl at Sonic properly. Sonic at least has the decency to dusk his head a little at her glare. “Do you know when it is?”
“Next month.”
“When next month?” When Sonic shrugs, Amy tosses her hands in the air with a sharp tut. “Okay, fine. I’ll check Club Rouge’s socials later. They’re better at planning and announcements than you are.”
“Scathing critique, Amy Rose.” Sonic laughs as Amy flips him the bird on the way back to her drum kit. They fell back into the same easy rhythm, working their way through their finished songs so Amy could start putting together a set list.
A month was more than enough practice time, they got this.
They got this.