For how Long will the Red Rose Grow

A Dinner of Roses

Sighing with contentment, Sonic slipped his ungloved fingers through the fluff on his chest, accenting it as best he could. He had little in the chest fluff department, but his peach chest was at least fluffier than it had been a few years past. He fluffed it up with a touch of cold water from the sink, his fur already damp from the quick shower he'd indulged in. He slicked some moisturizer through his spikes, knowing how shiny the moisturizer would make his razor-like quills.

He washed the substance from his fingers after he finished shining each row of dangerously sharp quills. Sonic patted his hands dry with the bath towel he had, hanging it up to dry. He flipped the fan on to dispel the steam, pulling his gloves back on and kneeling to slip on his trusty red sneakers. His chest constricted as he bent over his knee to tug on his socks, and in turn his shoes. He did this part as fast as he could, his chest burning. He rose to his feet quickly, walking out of his bathroom.

Tails was downstairs, brushing out his tails as a last finishing touch. He'd fluffed his chest fur, much like Sonic had, shiny and beautiful. He tilted one ear in Sonic's direction as he heard him descend the stairs, lifting his head with his crystal eyes twinkling.

"Heya Sonic." He smiled. "You ready?"

"Yep." Sonic winked as he reached the bottom of the wooden stairwell. He crossed the living room towards the kitchen in five strides, scooping up the keys to the workshop from the counter and tossing them to Tails. The fox caught them, chuckling as he shifted them around to hold the house key in between his fingers. "Shall we?"

With a deft nod of his head, Tails pulled open the front door and let Sonic exit. He trotted out the door and waited for his fox friend to lock up. The door was locked with a quick insert and jerk of the keys, and they were starting down the path towards the city.

"So, where's dinner at tonight? Did Amy say?" Sonic asked as he greeted the sweet evening air with as deep a breath as his vine-constricted lungs would allow.

"Mexican." Tails replied. "Mamá Tequila."

"Mm." Sonic hummed, already imagining the excessively stuffed burrito he would be ordering. "Sounds delish!"

Tails chuckled, seeming to follow Sonic's train of thought to his bulging burrito. "Doesn't it? I've never been before, but I think that's because it's fairly recent."

"Yeah, didn't it move in where the old Mickey D's was?" Sonic asked, glancing over at Tails as they paused at a busy street to await their turn to cross.

"Mhm." Tails hummed. "In the plaza, near downtown. Off Vine Street."

Sonic smiled, tapping his foot impatiently as a gentle gust of wind threatened to mess his fur up. "Ah, yeah. I remember seeing it a few weeks ago when I came back from the downtown branch library." His companion nodded and groaned softly as the wind succeeded in messing up his delicate fluffing.

They crossed the road as soon as the lights changed and signaled their safe cross. They followed the sidewalk down a few more roads and left turns, arriving at the plaza that held their restaurant of choice. Tails rounded the fountain with Sonic, leading him to the rather large building in the left-hand corner of the rightmost shops. There was a decent sized patio just outside the front door and wrapping around the side, and speakers well hidden in the rocks and plants playing melodic mariachi songs into the evening. There were patio lights strung around the fence holding the patio tights to the restaurant, and a mural of a significant battle in Mexican history painted on the outdoor, windowless wall. Sonic opened and held the heavy glass door for Tails, who sheepishly grinned and chuckled as he thanked Sonic and walked inside. Sonic followed him, and was immediately taken aback at the ambiance.