Chapter Text
"Ah excuse me, Mister Sonic!"
A gruff voice hollers out from across the busy assembly area, causing an unmistakable pair of triangular blue ears to perk up at the summons. Sonic quickly turned at attention, politely dismissing himself from the banter he'd found himself roped in to with a few of the local mail couriers as the small crowd of assorted mobians quickly dispersed to finish their incomplete work. The current hustle and bustle of the fall delivery season appeared to be unfolding around the blue blur as he presently found himself smack dab in the middle of the delivery room’s organized chaos. It wasn't exactly a pre-conceived plan for the world renowned hero to volunteer at the post office today, but the opportunity to stretch his legs and lend some assistance to the currently struggling staff wasn't a job he particularly had any qualms lending a hand to.
Let's scratch our first bit of exposition and rewind just a little bit: The day had begun as close to average as Sonic could expect. With Doctor Eggman's most recent humiliating defeat, the would-be world conqueror had once again made himself scarce - likely to sulk and recuperate after once again losing swathes of his badnik minions. Tails had been working on a pretty hefty personal project back in his workshop, and with the current lack of world ending threats, the little fox was gleefully free to pursue some creative endeavors he'd put on the backburner earlier that year. Sonic had been awoken by his younger brother energetically shaking him awake just a mere few hours after the sun had chosen to make its grand appearance over the horizon, the blonde vulpine quick to remind him of the promise he'd made the night before. A pretty large shipment of tools and gizmos far too complicated for Sonic's understanding had failed to arrive at the workshop on time, and helping his adoptive brother check up on the packages was the least he could do to show Tails a little gratitude for always offering him a hot shower and a soft bed to crash on whenever the free spirited hero needed a place to rest his head.
After the dynamic duo had completed their morning routine, (which usually consisted of sleeping in just a little too late, cramming down bowls of sugary breakfast cereal, and scrambling to make their fur and quills looks presentable for the public) they eventually departed the workshop and managed to arrive at the post office just a hair before noon. The original intention of Sonic and Tails' itinerary was merely to check on the status of their mail and carry back any of the parcels that they needed, but upon entering the post office the scene that presented itself to them could only be described as a massive heaping dumpster fire. For every panicked mobian worker the brothers could count in the local office, at least a hundred packages lay piled up behind the counters and along the walls, row upon rows of deliveries lay unfulfilled as a throng of residents lined up in front of the counter as they impatiently waited their turn to drop off additional mail. The space was undeniably overwhelming from their view of the front office alone, and it was suddenly made extremely obvious just why Tails' package had failed to arrive on time. It was just as they watched a poor red quokka nearly get sandwiched under a particularly large package that the two resolved to jump into action. Assisting the poor employee in safely placing the shipment down, Sonic and Tails had then approached the most decorated employee they could identify out of the postal staff - a haggard old cheetah who looked to be trying his hardest to direct the few staff members that he could round up.
"I just want to thank you and the young Mister Prower for your unrivaled assistance today!"
We now find ourselves rolling back to the current timeline, where that very same cheetah allowed a heartfelt smile to grace his greying muzzle, "Flu season has been rough on the staff this year, but thanks to your generosity, I haven't seen a single package leave this building with such urgency in years! At least... not since I retired from being a courier myself!" The old cat chuckled, the moustache adorning his upper lip bouncing lightly as he enjoyed the good mood that had finally settled over the work environment.
"That's a big compliment to take, coming from one speedster to another!" Sonic replied with a jovial finger gun to accommodate his words, "but if I'm really honest - it was Tails' gadgets that take most of the credit, those huge piles of mail would never have gotten sorted without his help!" He exclaimed, not wanting his adoptive brother's hard work to go unsung.
"Oh most certainly indeed!" The postmaster responded with a genuine smile, "I wish there was more we could do at the moment to commemorate all the good you've done for us today, but we'll be sure to be in contact with you both! I'd heard a few murmurings among the staff that you were planning to head out soon, so I just wanted to see you off myself and confirm with you that the delayed packages are currently en route to residence as you requested!"
"Oh man, you're the best old-timer!" The cobalt hedgehog responded lightheartedly "I'd stay longer if I could, but I don't wanna miss the excitement on Tails face when we finally get that delivery."
His energy elicits a light chuckle from the postmaster as they exchange a few more words. Following one final goodbye from the postal veteran and flourishing his exit with a signature smile, Sonic was quick to remove himself from the musty walls of the post office as he stepped out into the crisp afternoon air. Tails had already been urged home a solid half hour ago at the speedy hedgehog's insistence - but he himself didn't have any such plans to regroup at the workshop until a little bit later, at least not before he got a chance to swing by his favorite chili dog stand for a well deserved post-work snack. A brisk mid-autumnal wind teased the tips of his ears and snout, sending an electrifying shudder through the speedsters body that just begged his legs to move. It wasn’t unfair to mention that the current weather only did more to make the idea of hot chili dog all the more enticing, with mental imagery already beginning to swim through the cobalt hedgehog's mind - a vision of hot steam rolling off savory the helpings of slow roasted beef, cheddar, and onions that awaited him, masterfully layered atop a classic dog and nestled within a warm seasoned bun. He rubbed his gloved hands together in a cartoonish display of greed before readying himself into a crouch, bending his knees in anticipation to take off in an iconic blue blur.
Or at least he would have if a sudden frantic shout didn't interrupt his preparation.
"Ooh.. Sonic please hold on!" a familiar, elderly voice wheezes out as the postmaster throws the doors open behind him.
"I'm so glad you haven't left yet. I'm so sorry to ask this, but I have one last urgent request." The aged feline hunches over to catch his breath as he presents a package to the hedgehog. "It appears there was a major mistake, this box of perishable goods somehow got mixed up with the regular deliveries. It's a priority that needs to be delivered as quickly as possible, but I'm afraid none of my couriers could even make it remotely close to an address all the way across town within such a short amount of time. Would you be willing to make one last stop for us and have the recipient sign for it? You'd be forever in our debt!"
"Whoa, hey no need to beg or anything, of course I can do it!" Sonic reassures the haggard old man as he gingerly takes the box out of his grasp. Internally he was a little bummed his trip to the chili dog stand was gonna be delayed, but a long distance sprint to the far edge of town wasn't an outlandish request for someone with super speed. On top of that, half of the time he'd spent working at the post office had just involved helping Tails organize the boxes. Since he wasn’t an official employee of the depot, Sonic was only allowed to run out to deliver a few of the more urgent deliveries with the old cat’s permission. Even then, most of them were within 15 miles of the office and didn't really give the blue blur the room he truly desired to stretch his legs and get a good run in - creating an insatiable itch that had been gnawing at his calves for a good while now.
With one final salute to the ever grateful postmaster, Sonic re-assumed a sprinter's position before taking off with the package safely secured against his body. Despite the wind whipping past his ears, the echo of the cheetah's voice shouting a heartfelt 'Thank you, Sonic~!' still remained audible in the wayward distance. Sonic takes a quick glance down at the package in his arms, taking note of the address and the colorful company logo printed on the package. He can't help but roll his eyes a little at the delivery contents potentially nestled within. 'Ugh is this one of those exotic dinner planning companies that's always putting out ads? I'm not gonna judge someone for their spending habits but these things are such an overpriced scam'. He mentally laments as the crowded downtown apartments around him begin to give way to more specious suburbs and tree lined roads. The cobalt hedgehog takes a few wrong turns, but he can't really find himself to worry or care much as his legs carry him comfortably onwards - his lungs taking in strong steady breaths of cool wooded air supplied courtesy of the nearby forests bordering this portion of town.
It isn't much longer before Sonic begins to take note that the nearby home numbers have begun approaching the unit listed as the package's final destination as he finds himself facing a small dead end street. Semi-secluded from the rest of the town, a row of quaint 2 story townhomes borders the edge of a heavily wooded area. He slows down a little further to take an investigative glance around the neighborhood in an attempt to discern the location of his destination. Each townhouse in the neighborhood appears to be fairly similar in size and aesthetic, exhibiting a simple cozy charm that blended modern architecture with more rustic, natural coloration. While not having much in the way of a yard or garage space, each home along the street follows the natural curvature of the forest's edge, seamlessly blending the little cottages in with the majesty of the wooded landscape just beyond it.
"Huh, not a bad lil' place to live." Sonic whistles his compliments as he begins to check each address, his mission to deliver the package taunting him with its near completion.
"1906 White Lily Way?" He confirms the address aloud as he stops in front of the home with the corresponding number, a brow raised in curiosity as he inspects the building in front of him. Compared to some of the other nearby cottages, this one looks... in all honestly a little drab? At least in contrast to the neighbor’s exteriors which are all dotted with potted plants, personal flags, and other small touches each homeowner chose to add to their personal space - the only thing adorning the outside of this home appears to be a protective tarp covering the owner’s motorcycle.
"Jeez, bad taste in food AND no sense of whimsical home design?" The hedgehog laments. Not particularly intending to be rude about the homeowners financial situation and/or lack of creative skills, but the fact that he hadn't eaten yet today was finally starting to catch up to him a little and sour his mood. Stepping up to the front door with full intentions of seeing the delivery through as well as finally freeing the rest of his day's schedule up, Sonic knocks on the door and raises a fist to his mouth. Clearing his throat and preparing his pre-rehearsed customer service line as the door swings open in front of him.
"Heyyy package delivery! Just need a quick signature from you Mr - uh..."
The words die on his tongue the moment his gaze drifts upwards, emerald eyes locking with a pair of unmistakable crimson irises.
"SHADOW? Wait, you live here??"
Sonic says incredulously. His eyes dart back and forth between the equally shocked face of his rival and the name of the recipient on the box. Taking in a quick confirmation that, yes indeed the package was truly addressed to none other than the self proclaimed ultimate life form that stood before him. He was in such a hurry to get the final delivery over with that he can't believe he missed such an important detail as the recipient’s name.
"Why did I always just assume you lived in a cave or something?" He immediately opted to tease his darker counterpart.
Shadow meanwhile had appeared to blink away any previous trace of incredulity from his expression, his face almost resetting itself back to his all too familiar factory default scowl. If Sonic had to guess, the hybrid had likely just deduced the fact that his sudden presence on the doorstep meant that the blue blur now had his home address committed to memory - putting Shadow at risk of any number of shenanigans the mobian hero was willing to commit upon his property. (Well, at least any provocative activity Sonic felt was worth risking in exchange for the inevitable chaos spear that'd be hurled at his head)
"Why the hell would I live in a cave?" Shadow growls, finally seeming to take note of the package in Sonic's hands "- And who gave you permission to touch my mail?"
He makes a move to grab the box out of Sonic’s grasp, but comes up empty handed as the mischievous hedgehog quickly yanks the box backwards and out of his reach.
"Aw, happy to see you too" Sonic quips "but I'm afraid the mediocre snack package is gonna have to wait until I see some ink on this paper."
Speaking of the contested parcel delivery in question, a hint of curiosity poked at the fringes of Sonic's brain. Something about the prospect of Shadow ordering a scammy food box sat at a weird place in his mind. He'd casually heard Rogue mention that the guy had a nose for coffee, but as the ultimate life form… was food even a necessity for Shadow? Sonic genuinely couldn't think of any reason why anyone would willingly order up-charged produce like this unless they somehow missed the invention of the grocery store - but considering the circumstances of Shadow’s birth that was also entirely within the realm of possibility.
The thought of this whole situation was simultaneously as endearing as it was hilarious. The mental image of Shadow doing something as normal as cooking painted a funny picture in Sonic's mind, and he had half a thought to just straight up ask the hybrid if he could request an invitation to dinner if the audacity didn’t land him within the danger zone of receiving Shadow’s fist to his nose. Regardless, there was no way Sonic was gonna pass up finding a way to push his rival’s buttons over this encounter. With a cheeky smirk stretching across his face, he opted to let his mouth continue to run.
"I gotta say. Never took the ultimate lifeform to fall for a cheap internet scam - you know the portion sizes in these are a joke right? and they NEVER taste anything like the real cultural dishes they're based on."
He eggs the ebony hedgehog on as Shadow disapprovingly complies with the signature verification (with some admittedly graceful and well mannered handwriting, might Sonic observe. Not that he was invested or anything). With the most important legal part out of the way, Sonic bequeaths his possession of the box to Shadow. His rival's ears swivel downward in displeasure, the prior comment likely striking a nerve with the hybrid.
"What I spend my income on is none of your business, hedgehog." He sneers as he turns his back defensively, preparing to retreat into the safety of his personal space. "Besides, what do you know about real cultural dishes?"
Sonic raised a brow at the ebony hedgehog’s questioning.
"Dude, you're talking to a world renowned traveler. I might be a lil mediocre when it comes to cooking anything that doesn't involve chili, but I've picked up more than my fair share of authentic recipes and cooking tricks during my adventures”. Sonic puffs out his chest slightly at the boast, but his sense of pride just as quickly withers away when his stomach decides to enter the conversation with an audible grumble - all the hard work of running packages and the sudden mention of chili seems to have caused his hunger to finally catch up with him.
Shadow looks disgusted as he rolls his eyes with an audible 'hmph', before going to slam the door shut again. However, the barrier of the home catches mid-motion and refuses to close as Sonic’s foot blocks the space between the wooden entryway and its frame.
"Wait Shadow, hold up. I think I have an offer that miiight just pique your interest" Sonic teased, his brain suddenly lighting up with a brilliant idea. Was it shameless? Maybe a little, but to be able to partake in not one, but two of his favorite activities in a single afternoon wasn’t an opportunity Sonic was willing to sacrifice his perceived sense of dignity for.
"Ugh, well spit it out. If you haven't noticed I have belongings to pack if you insist on violating my personal space" The hybrid voiced with displeasure. Coming from anyone else, Sonic would have assumed the retort to be a joke - but he wouldn’t put it past Shadow to actually consider vacating his own home to regain his privacy. The thought was… strangely disappointing in the hedgehog’s mind, but he quickly shook the nagging emotion away.
"What do you say about a lil race between you and me? If you somehow win then I promise I'll never set foot within a mile of this street again - buuuut on the more likely chance that you lose, then not only do you have to promise to let me show you the proper way to prepare whatever's in that box, but you also forfeit half the spoils."
Shadow scoffs, clearly unamused by the speedsters' shameless attempt to demand ownership over half his grocery order. However, from what little Sonic can perceive of the ebony hedgehog’s muzzle, he can’t help but recognize the smallest hint of a smirk. Bingo. His plan to appeal to Shadow’s competitive nature had clearly landed its mark, flooding the blue blur’s chest with a well of excitement.
"Fine, but once I win then you better go find someone else's front yard to terrorize.”