Wachowski Family ONE-SHOTS (Sonic the Hedgehog SCU)

Going shopping

"Mother." Knuckles tugged on Maddie's arm, pulling her attention away from the book she'd been reading on the couch. "We have run out of grapes."

"Oh?" Maddie sat up a little, closing her book and flashing the echidna a quick smile. "Sounds like we need to hit the grocery store, then. I think we need more cereal, too."

"What has the store of groceries done to deserve our hitting it?" Knuckles demanded as she stood up and headed into the kitchen to find Tom and their other two boys.

"Figure of speech, hon." Maddie reached down and gently squeezed his shoulder. She glanced up again as she approached the kitchen and called through the doorway, "Hey, babe?"

She heard him call back, "What?" in something of a distracted tone, and walked in to find him rummaging through the cupboard, apparently searching for something. Sonic was sitting at the counter nearby, talking his ear off about his most recent baseball practice.

Tom looked over at her as she walked in, then immediately looked back at the cupboard. "I think we're running low on coffee. I can't find another bag."

"That works out, actually," Maddie replied with a grin, and he glanced back to her with a raised eyebrow. "I've been informed we're also out of grapes-" she flashed Knuckles a knowing smile- "and I know we definitely need more cereal. We up for a shopping trip? Or is it too close to dinner?"

Tom glanced at the oven clock, which read 4:02. "Nah, I think we can make it. Shouldn't take too long to just grab a couple things and go."

Sonic jumped off the stool he'd been perched on and was at Maddie's feet in an instant. He'd done this so many times now, Maddie no longer jumped when it happened. It was . . . a new normal, and one she didn't mind one bit.

"Can we pleeease get some more chili, too?" he pleaded, eyes sparkling. "Oh- and pizza! And guac?! Please please please please please!"

Maddie rolled her eyes with a laugh. "We'll see, sweetheart. For now, we're just gonna get what we actually need."

"Tails?" Tom called to the living room, startling the little fox from his fixation on the mini helicopter toy he'd been tinkering with. "We're all heading out. Make sure you put your stuff away where it's not going to get broken."

"Coming!" Tails scooped up his things and flew them upstairs to the attic, then flew back down a moment later to grab his shoes from one of the cubbies by the door (a more recent addition). Sonic had already put his shoes on, as had Knuckles.

As Tom locked the house up, the boys and Maddie headed for the car, with the trio making it a race of who could get there first. From what she could see, Sonic had definitely won, but then Tails protested something about they were supposed to touch the car door handle, not just the car, and Knuckles was demanding a rematch. With an amused smile, Maddie pressed the button on the key fob to unlock it so they could get inside.

By the time she and Tom had climbed into the drivers and passengers seats, Knuckles, Sonic, and Tails were all in their seats and buckled- Tails had to ride in a booster seat still, but he had no trouble buckling himself in. Occasionally he had trouble with unbuckling, but that was usually when he was rushing.

"Do you have, like, an actual shopping list?" Tom asked as he pulled out of their long driveway and started the five minute drive to the nearest grocery store.

"I'm pretty sure it's just those three things I mentioned." Maddie stole a glance in the rear view mirror to see their boys. Tails was fidgeting with something Sonic had left in the car from the other day, half listening to whatever Sonic was telling Knuckles. Or . . . telling himself. Knuckles was staring out the window.