Skinned Flick

Amy slipped through the front door of her and Sonic’s shared apartment and went to the kitchen to put down the covered paper plate of fresh muffins.

“Hey Ames!” Sonic called and waved a hand from the couch. He was laid out, sock feet propped up on the cushions, headset on and game controller in hand. “Hey guys, this is my last one, okay.” His eyes were back on the tv screen. “Ames, your takeout is in the fridge! Can you make the popcorn?” He called.

“Sure thing.” Amy said as she approached and placed her camera bag beside the couch.

“Thanks, Ames!” Sonic returned to talking into his headset. “Is your name Amy? Didn’t fucking think so.” Sonic continued to banter with his friends as they fragged newbs or whatever they were doing behind all the sounds of gunfire and bright flashes. “Ha. Ha. Ha. Don’t threaten me with a good time, Mighty.”

Amy started the popcorn in the microwave and then turned on their electric kettle. She retrieved Mrs. Vanilla’s bundle from her bag and sorted through the packets. She selected one labeled ‘For calm and tranquility’.

“Oh, really?” Sonic’s voice was laced with derision. “You better watch yourself, dude. I will wear that ass out! I’ve got stamina to go all night!” Amy blushed but pushed away the thought.

The popcorn finished in the microwave and Amy dumped it into a large plastic bowl. She tapped a little of the ‘calm and tranquility’ into a reusable tea ball and poured hot water over it in the mug Sonic gave her for her birthday years ago. You’re Picture Perfect! Sonic’s chicken scratch scribbled in glaze along with what could generously be described as a camera.

He’d made it himself in a pottery class his mother made him take. Art therapy to get his mind off losing the track scholarship to City University. The one he’d been a shoo-in for before he got disqualified at the National finals because he’d…

Amy cherished the mug. If it was reduced to dust, she’d find a way to put it back together.

“Alright, that’s it for me tonight, guys. I hope you feel better, Ray. I’m sorry about your dad, man. Hit me up if you want to talk about it an’ junk.”

Amy brought the bowl of popcorn and cup of tea over to the living room and placed both on the coffee table. Sonic sat up to make room for Amy. She sank into the cushions and placed a throw pillow between them. Her best friend regularly got animated while watching a movie and a little extra buffer helped avoid unintended contact.

“I’m out, later gators.” Sonic pulled off his headset and leaned forward to grab a handful of popcorn and the television remote. “How’d it go at the clinic?” Sonic asked as he chewed, bringing up Petflix on the screen.

Amy sighed. “About as expected. Nothing’s wrong, except that I haven’t got an Alpha. Apparently, that’s the cure for everything.” She picked up the mug and took a slow inhale of the vapors. The tea smelled divine.

“Fuck em’, what do they know?” Sonic slowly typed out ‘fast’ into the search bar with the arrow keys on the remote.

“Half the day and a co-pay and nothing to show for it.” Amy took a sip. Alightly bitter with earthy undertones. Mrs. Vanilla had very specific temperature and steep times prescribed on the packet…but Amy wasn’t in the mood to get a thermometer and timer out.

Sonic turned and gazed at her over the pillow with his brow pinched. “I’m sorry, Amy. That blows.” He huffed. “They seriously gave you nothing after everything you went through yesterday? That was seriously nuts.” He leaned back, a grimace marring his face. “Not gonna lie, Ames, thrice is not nice for this hedgehog.”

Amy’s grip on the mug tightened. “I’m sorry, Sonic.” How many thousands of times had she said that over the years?

Sonic sat back up and leaned against the pillow. “Don’t apologize, Amy. It’s not your fault. Its just shitty for you to go through all that and they just tell you to get fucked by some rando. Like, what kinda’ medical advice is that? That’s some shit bedside manner if you ask me.”

Amy recognized the early stages of a Sonic ramble. Much like Rouge, once he got going, it was hard to derail him. And unlike Rouge, Sonic could not hold a plot. All topics were free game. “I went to visit Mrs. Vanilla afterwards.” Amy said, trying to segue him.

It worked. “Oh? How’s the old witch doing?”

“Sonic…” Amy snorted.

“The lady deals in potions and stuff. Total witch vibe.” He leaned forward to grab more popcorn.

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“Uh-huh. And what did she give you, pray tell?”

Amy smiled and tried to cover it with her tea mug. “An assortment of herbs and powders.”

“Totally a witch!” Sonic laughed.

“It’s always such a contrast, that’s for sure. I wish going to the clinic was like going to Mrs. Vanilla’s.”

Sonic shrugged, back to navigating the television. “Her whole deal isn’t scalable. Most of the stuff she gives you was used to make the stuff they prescribe at the clinic.”

“How do you know that?”

Sonic looked sheepish. “I might, ah, have had a peek at some of the wrappers you tossed. Just to make sure you weren’t getting swindled,” His face hardened, “Or poisoned.” The brightness returned. “Any way, the witch is legit. Regular meds are all artificially manufactured now, but they’re the same compounds. Less witchery though for sure.”

“I feel like everybody knows more about this stuff than I do…” Amy complained ruefully.

“BS in Bio-Sci, baby!” Sonic flicked his nose and gave her glowing grin.

Amy closed her eyes. “I’m so tired after all that.” The tea was helping.

“Oh.” Disappointment laced Sonic’s voice. “We don’t have to watch this if you don’t want to.”

Her eyes flashed open. “No, I need this, Sonic. I just want to not think about…” She motioned at her lower abdomen. “All this for at least an hour and half.”

He winked at her. “Well, mindless distraction is something I can provide.” Sonic got up to dim the lights but stopped “Ames, you remember what happened in the last one, right?”

Amy laughed. “They were fast and furry?”

“Ames!” Sonic feigned offense. “This is important! How can you expect to follow the story without an encyclopedic knowledge of all prior texts?” He spread his arms out in disbelief.

Giggling, Amy shook her head. “I think I’ll be okay, Sonic.”

“No, you won’t, Ames!” He grinned, struggling to maintain the bit. “Don’t worry. I’ll just have to give you the cliff notes version for all eight proceeding movies and one spin-off so you are adequately up to date on the FNF cinematic universe!” He took a large, exaggerated breath.

“That’s so not necessary!”

Sonic ignored her. “Movie one! The Fast and the Furriest- Pay attention because the naming convention is not consistent!” He waved his hands over his head in a wide arc. “Scene opens at night on an underground illegal street race somewhere between two warehouses in Lost Angles. Cars, tits, and ass for days!”

“Sit down!” Amy threw the pillow at him, snickering laughs shaking her.

Sonic dodged the pillow effortlessly and continued. “Golden retriever of my heart Brian O’condor is there to make a name for himself against reigning champ, more muscle than man, the main mole rat himself, Dominion Tornado!”

Amy stood up and retrieved the pillow. “We don’t have time for this!” She swiped the pillow at Sonic, who leapt over the coffee table and ran into the kitchen.

“Yadda yadda car race, yadda yadda hit the nos, yadda yadda oh shit it’s the feds!” Sonic babbled out, desperately trying not to laugh as Amy chased him. “Flagrant beer ad placement.” He expertly slipped under the table and dashed back to the living, jumping onto the couch in his sock feet. “More short shorts and strategically placed cleavage!”

Amy flung the pillow, finally catching Sonic in the face right as he turned. He released an exaggerated oof and fell backwards into the cushions. “Dom emerges from a fatal explosion completely unscathed!”

Amy approached and plucked up the pillow once. “They race a tank, a submarine, and jet plane and none of them compared to good old purring steel!” She loomed over Sonic, pillow held high and eyes wild as if to ask ‘any last words, punk?’

Sonic waved his hands in defeat. “Okay! Okay!” He gave Amy an exaggerated look of disgust. “Fine, remain ignorant, philistine!”

Amy smiled smugly and Sonic scrambled out of the way so she could sit. She leaned forward and hit play on the remote.

Movie night was a tradition that dated back to their freshman year in college. Sonic had been assigned a quad room and made quick friends of all three of his roommates. They would arrange ad-hoc movie nights and Sonic would invite Amy. Unfortunately, the close quarters and gaggle of rowdy young men left Amy more frazzled than entertained.

So, Sonic showed up at the security desk at the Omega dorm with a package of microwave popcorn and a roughed-up DVD of Velocity from the library. Every week they piled onto Amy’s tiny single bed and traded picking the movie. Sonic fell asleep almost every time it was Amy’s turn, but he’d snap awake suddenly and claim he’d been watching rapturously. Amy would stoically endure any action or b-movie horror flick Sonic chose, more engrossed in Sonic’s enjoyment than anything on the screen.

A nice punctuation to every week. A throughline stitching them together.

Yeah…it comforted Amy knowing there was more tying them than the Promise.

“Why is the series called the Fast and the Furriest when the lead guy has no hair?”

“Well, originally the series was supposed to be anthology that changed cast each movie and that lasted for the first three and by then they were stuck with the name.”

“Mmmm,” Amy hummed, “Got it. It’s ironic.”

“Amy!” Sonic “Don’t make me rewind this movie, young lady!” Amy laughed so hard she started choking on her popcorn.

Amy had been surprised to learn that almost all actors were Betas, even the ones typecast as Alphas. This led to some wildly inaccurate portrayals of Alpha and Omega dynamics. Amy and Sonic loved pointing out every wonky detail as they watched. Amy’s favorite was when an Omega’s claim mark was either really strangely shaped (heart shaped was popular) or located anywhere not on the nape of the neck (secret Omega revealed I the third act). Sonic’s was when an Alpha could smell an Omega from long distances away, like across a whole frickin’ city, or when the slightest drop of Omega blood would start a rut riot.

“Wait,” Amy gestured at the screen, “how can he be Dom’s brother? He’s not even a mole rat!”

“Don’t be racist, Amy.” Sonic chided.

Halfway through, the popcorn bucket ran out and Amy paused the movie to make some more and reheat the takeout container of shrimp fried rice. Sonic called out, “Oh, hey! So, my parents are renting that cabin again, you know, the one on the lake from when we were kids.” Amy’s spine straightened. The cabin. Another poisoned memory. “And I was gonna go. You want to come too?”

“When?”

“For Winter Solstice. The lake’s supposed to be iced over really good so we could go skating. Uh-“ Sonic’s brow knitted at Amy’s expression, “No pressure or anything though.”

“I’ll have to think about it.” Amy answered. “Can I get back to you?”

“Sure, it’s not for a while yet.”

The microwave chimed. Amy pulled the paper bag open and refilled the bowl. Settling back onto the couch, she said handed Sonic the popcorn bowl and sat down with her fried rice, “Vector’s got a new job for me.”

“Oh sweet! Who’s cheating on who this time?”

Amy’s words caught in her throat. She couldn’t tell Sonic the truth, he’d go ballistic with worry. “Its, ah, actually a runaway case.” What was she saying? “This guy’s parents want to keep an eye on him after he ran off with a woman they didn’t like. Target is over twenty-one so they are paying Vector to keep eyes on him.”

“Talk about helicopter parenting. Poor dude.”

“Well, anyway, I should be able to cover my half of the rent this month.”

“Amy, don’t worry about that.” Sonic leaned forward and hit the play button. The sound of explosions and rubber screeching against asphalt refilled the room.

Part of the movie did, in fact, involve launching a car into space. Sonic leapt to his feet as the rocket blasted off, muscle car hanging off the side, duct taped to be airtight. “Let’s goooo!” Amy watched in awe at the sheer ridiculousness as the muscle car then ‘drove’ through the bad guy’s satellite.

“Did you see that?” Sonic’s massive grin sparkled down at her. “Absolute Cinema right there, Ames. You’re witness the equivalent of the Renaissance.” Amy fought hard but couldn’t fully keep her snickers in her throat. Sonic eagerly ate each one up and just kept going. “This is the Birth of Venus of action movies, Amy! The Creation of Adam of car-based media!”

Amy laughed until she thought she was going to pass out.

Once the credits started to roll, Amy hit the power on the remote and stood. “Man, I really want a beer now.” Sonic commented. Amy snorted as she stretched and yawned. She checked the time on her phone and groaned. It had been a long day, and she didn’t really have any business sleeping too late into the next morning.

“Goodnight, Sonic.” Amy said as she went to grab her bag from beside the couch.

His eyes lit up. “Aren’t we gonna look at your pictures first?” Amy froze. Oh right. Damn it. He smirked at her, “Oh, you thought I forgot, didn’t you?”

“Sonic…”

“Come on, Ames. I just want to appreciate your art.” He grinned his big stupid toothy grin that got her every time, the bastard. “I’m your biggest fan.” It was both sad and true.

With a big sigh that was only a little bit performative, Amy set her bag down and fished out her laptop. It was almost dead so she had to clamor over the couch to plug it into the wall socket hidden behind the couch. Sonic crawled out of her way quickly, avoiding contact.

“You have to promise to not share any of these with anyone.” She lectured. “If Rouge finds out, I’m so fired and not only that, no one will ever hire me again.”

“Oh, come on, Rouge can’t be that nasty. Wait, she’s both a lawyer and a politician…scratch that.”

Amy twisted back to sitting. “It’s a matter of professionalism, Sonic. If I get fired for breeching trust, no one is going to want to have anything to do with me.”

“Yeah, okay, I can see that.” Sonic rubbed the back of his neck, but the seriousness only lasted a moment. “I super, duper, double-dog, cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye promise not to share any of your amazing photos with anyone.” He leaned towards her. “I’ll even pinky promise.” He proffered said pinky finger.

Amy rolled her eyes. She placed the computer on her lap and opened it. Sonic placed the pillow between them and scooted as close as he could without pressing into her. “Most of them aren’t any good.” Amy sighed as she navigated to the ‘rough touch up’ folder and lifted the laptop for Sonic to take.

“Don’t sell yourself short, Amy.” He grinned as he carefully received it. Settling it in his lap, Sonic began rapidly tapping the arrow keys, flipping through the photos at a blistering rate. Amy watched in awe as his eyes darted across the screen as if he was actually looking at each one.

Amy hadn’t told Sonic about any of her trouble from the previous night. He’d just feel guilty for not being there for her and she really didn’t feel like talking about her the Alpha who helped her. Sonic was fiercely protective of her, to the point of giving the stink eye to any Alpha that got close to her when they were out and about. It was better for everyone if she just pretended it had been a normal night. Just a regular gig. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Amy watched Sonic speed through the photos for a minute then shook her head and took out her phone. With a frown, she saw she had a missed call from her mom and a text. ‘Hello Dear. How are you? Tomorrow is your father’s birthday. Do you think you could give him a call? Give my regards to Zephyr and Maurice. Have you been eating well? I heard there’s been trouble in the City recently with Omegas. Maybe you could come home for Winter Solstice? Love you!’ Amy sighed. She set an alarm for the next day to call her dad.

Just as she was about to type a reply Sonic jumped. “There!” He pointed at the screen. Curious who could possibly get Sonic’s motor running this bad, Amy looked over and froze, her veins running with ice.

No! No, it can’t be!

“He’s not in a tux, but still, nice!” His gloved finger tapped the screen prominently displaying the picture of Rouge with Amy’s that Alpha. Blazing crimson eyes, sleek black quills immaculately groomed, perfectly tailored dark suit outlining all the right parts. “Damn, Amy. Great shot! He looks like a snack.”

No…that means he’s-

“That’s the guy. Shadow Kintobor. Dude’s richer than god. Damn, I bet he smells nice.” He does. Amy bit her tongue to try to gain some focus. Shadow. The man’s name was Shadow. Suddenly having a name for the man who’s haunted her thoughts all day was jarring. As if naming the beast made it more real somehow. But those feelings were quickly brushed aside by the wave of panic and shame that rushed in.

Oh, god. How could she have been so stupid?

Sonic took out his phone and held it close to the laptop screen to snap a picture. “I might even get to meet this guy sometime, you know? Like in real life. Maybe I’ll get a proper whiff then.”

That’s why he wasn’t in that many pictures, he wasn’t attending. He was the host!

“Dr. Prower says the KLS contract is long term and almost certainly going to be part of a lawsuit. He gave me this whole lecture about keeping my lab notebook current and clean because it’s probably going to be turned over during discovery. Pain in the ass ‘cuz I have to get every page viewed and signed same fricking day.”

He knew where to take her because it was his house!

“Shit, do you think I’ll have to testify, Ames?”

“W-what?” Was all Amy could to stutter.

“Dr. Prower normally handles all the ‘expert witness’ stuff. I don’t think I’d do good in cross-examination. I mean, a client once told me to shut the fuck up during a presentation once. He’d been such a nice old koala until then.”

Rouge had been so mad when Amy described Shadow because she was close to him. Close enough to have him lend her his house for an event.

Amy’s ears were ringing. Rouge knew Amy fucked Shadow! Oh god, she was going to be sick. She tried to swallow the knot growing in her throat.

Sonic tapped the screen. “And if you’re going to be a pain in my ass, mister, I’m going to be a pain in yours.”

And if Shadow was such a larger donor for Rouge, then he would surely be at more of her big events. The debate, the election night party, any number of fundraisers, or appearances. Amy wouldn’t be able to avoid him. Should she quit? Run? Hide?

“I did get to meet this really cute paralegal. The guy is in the lab like twice a week picking up and dropping off stuff. I think I might ask him out…Do you think that’s a good idea, Amy?”

There was no way Shadow didn’t know who Amy was by now. She signed those documents for that lynx woman. He knew her face and name and blood type and weight and probably everything else about her. What if he wanted to see her again? There was no way for her to stop him. A man with that kind of money could do anything he wanted.

And yet the tightness in her throat eased. Replaced with something…something-?

“Wait, would that be a conflict of interest? Wait, shit! I’m not supposed to be talking about any of this! Forget I said anything, Ames. Except about Silver. You think I have a chance?”

Amy should have been horrified. She knew she was supposed to be revulsed, ashamed, catatonic with fear. But she wasn’t. The idea that Shadow might be out there coming for her, this big, strong, powerful Alpha on the hunt for her, excited her. Filled her with a fluttery, tingling sensation and stoked a fiery tightness deep in her abdomen. Roiling, sucking need! Why did he make her feel like this? This confusing sensation delicately balancing on the line between pleasure and pain. Desire and repulsion. Control and submission.

“But for now it’s just me and this guy. With as hard as I’m working for his company, I think Shadow owes me a little something something. Don’t you handsome?” Sonic ran a finger over Shadow’s face.

With a sudden shattering clarity, Amy realized she wanted to see Shadow again. Her fur raised at just the thought, the very notion, of Shadow’s fingers (touching her! she wanted to be touched!) running along the curves of her chest and waist all the way down to-

“I mean, just look how fuckable his mouth is.”

Amy choked.

“I don’t know which would be better. Choking him with my cock or cumming all over those pretty boy quills. I mean, he’s probably got a real rich boy voice. I think I’d like to hear that while I’m crushing his uvula.”

“S-sonic!”

“No, you’re right. Bent in half with his ankles on my shoulders would be so much better. That way I can really see how much he likes it while I rail that ass. Amy, how tall you figure he is?”

Amy’s voice took on a desperate shrillness. “Sonic!” He turned and beheld her horrified face.

“Oh fuck, oh shit, I’m sorry, Amy. I d-didn’t mean to make it weird. Forget I said anything!” Sonic had the grace to look bashful. “It’s just…well, yesterday really messed with me a bit. I have no idea where my head is right now.” The corner of his mouth quirked as he obviously capped the statement with something lewd in his mind.

Amy looked down. It was her fault. “I’m sorry, Sonic.” What was she doing to him? How could she keep asking this of Sonic. Expecting him to be there for her. She hated it, but every month she called on him.

“Amy, don’t be. Yeah, it blows, but it’s not your fault.”

“It’s my responsibility.” Amy sighed and stood.

For once, Sonic appeared to be speechless. He looked up at her, his shinning emerald eyes dimming, “Amy…” He closed the lid of the laptop and handed it to Amy.

She took it and turned to head into her room.

“But what do you think about Silver?” Sonic asked in a rush.

Amy blinked and pivoted. “What?”

“Normally I just don’t look around any, cuz’, well,” Sonic waved a hand between them and Amy clutched the computer tightly against her chest, “But like, Silver’s super cute and funny and sweet and I want to see if maybe he, I dunno, felt the same about me.”

“That’s great Sonic. I’m happy for you.”

“You think it could be okay if I ask him out?”

Amy squinted, unsure of what to make of the question. Sonic was asking her for permission? “Why are you asking me?”

“Well, ‘cuz, you know. If I’ve got somebody else,” He frowned sheepishly, “I might not be there for you when you need me…like I said I’d be.”

Oh.

The Promise.

Amy looked at the floor, holding her laptop so closely as if to hide behind it. “Sonic…If you like someone, you shouldn’t be thinking about me at all. I’m so thrilled for you and I want you to be happy.” She looked up to meet his gaze. His glittering green eyes implored her, release me. “That promise you made…we were just kids…I am so grateful, but…Sonic, I…You shouldn’t limit yourself on my account. Please don’t!” Amy didn’t have the words.

Suddenly, Sonic was in front of her and she took a step back. “Amy.” He said softly and turned, exposing his back to her. Slowly, Amy turned and backed into him. The contact sent shivers through her as his back quills pressed into her. The heat of another body there but not threatening. She was in control. The contact lasted only as long as she wanted it to. She gritted her teeth, willing the burning to stay away!

Amy couldn’t stand hugs. They made her want to scream, to tear herself away and run. This was the compromise she and Sonic had developed over the years since... No eye contact. No entrapment. No encompassing, crushing arms. He’d stand still and she’d press in as long as she could. This was how they hugged. This was their thing.

“Thank you, Amy.” Sonic said, remaining still.

Amy pulled away, but didn’t turn around. “Goodnight, Sonic.”

“Goodnight, Amy.”

Amy fled to her room and closed her door. She sank down on the cheap carpet. She couldn’t hold Sonic to his Promise. But without him she was thoroughly lost. Except now…

Her heart raced.

Her abdomen throbbed, constricting involuntarily.

Her dark gentleman, with his touch and his words and his smell and his…

Shadow.

Amy felt her face. It burned! But not like…not unpleasantly. Her heart was racing. Her legs clenched together. She needed-! She wanted-! Please, if he could only-!

Could she dare to dream that there was a solution?

Amy bit her cheek. If she had Shadow, Sonic would be truly free of the Promise, of any obligation to her.

Sonic would be free.

However, Amy would be trapped permanently, at the mercy of her Alpha, in the embrace of dark arms. Holding her, binding her, wrapping around her, smothering her! Shadow encompassing her! Shadow devouring her! Shadow loving her!

And Amy found herself shuddering uncontrollably with desire…