Chapter Text
“L’manburgs way bigger than I thought it’d be, I knew the DSMP territory was huge but if they call L’manburg a small town I can only imagine how much land this place has conquered.” Five marveled. “But, for as big as this place is, it's not very advanced. Didn’t you mention they still just use redstone items? Do they just not use andesite alloy? Why power everything with redstone if there are much better alternatives?”
“I know! When I first arrived I had asked why they don’t just use a mechanical drill instead of mining things themselves, they looked at me like I was mad!” Fundy spoke, “And when I had told them about the inventions and contraptions I had built back at Cogchamp they called me a liar, or told me what an imagination I had.”
This seemed to cause Five to pause turning to look at Fundy with a perplexed look. Why was he looking at him like that?
“Fundy, do they always-”
“My ice cream shop! Oh, I forgot to show you this, look.” Fundy interrupted, grabbing Fives hand as he rushed towards the front of the aforementioned store.
“W-what?” Was all Five could say before being dragged away.
“Oh its been so long since I’ve been able to be here. Me and Ranboo built this place together.”
“Ranboo?” Five questioned.
“Ah, that's right you probably haven’t met him yet. He’s a friend of mine, an enderman hybrid. We scammed so many people here.” Fundy sighed nostalgically only to hear Five burst out laughing. Why was he laughing? He hadn’t said anything that would cause him to-, Fundy felt his face heat up and grow red as he realized what he had just said.
“I- I mean, I-”
“I guess some things really don’t change!” Five laughed out, “Remember when we were kids and we would always steal the adults’ equipment? You always took the blame when we got caught! Or when you would pick pocket money from strangers to be able to buy food for those stray cats? You really have barely changed!”
“Sh- Shut up! God I was such a brat back then,” Fundy felt his face grow even redder in embarrassment, “Why did you never stop me?”
“Don’t blame me! You're the one who always did it no matter what I said!”
Fundy tried to defend himself more but couldn’t stop himself from laughing any longer, erupting in laughter alongside Five as he reminisced about his childhood. Where had all the years gone by?
It had taken another moment before they were both able to calm down.
“God we were morons back then.” Five laughed out and Fundy couldn’t agree more. “Shall we continue the tour now?”
“Right! I have to show you Niki’s bakery! Its nearby here, come on.” Fundy quickly turned towards the directions of Niki’s shop.
“W-wait Fundy- We’re still-” Five attempted to stop Fundy, staring at their linked hands.
“Hm?”
“A-ah, nevermind.” Five felt his face heat up as he gently tightened his hold on Fundys hand.
-
As they entered Nikis they heard a small ding as they entered followed by a voice, “I’ll be right with you!”
Fundy gestured towards the counter, finally letting go of Five’s hand, as he checked out the sweets on display.
“Hello, how may I help- oh. Fundy.” Niki murmured before her eyes landed on Five, attitude changing almost immediately, “And the traveler! 5up, right? How may I help you?”
Five, having caught on to this attitude change, felt his smile strain as he wondered why people seemed to look down on Fundy.
“Niki! I was just showing Five around L’manburg and I just had to take him here, your hand made cakes are the best in the whole nation.” Fundy explained, either unaware or purposely ignoring the shift.
“I see, well, feel free to pick anything! It’ll be on the house since you are new here, next time though, you're paying full price!” She joked before gesturing towards the display case.
Five wanted to comment, wanted to ask if something had happened between the two. Wanted to ask why everyone in L’manburg seemed to doubt Fundy. He wanted to know why when he saw Fundy opened the halls he looked so alone and desperate. And why hasn’t he bumped into Wilbur yet? So many questions and yet he couldn’t bring himself to ask. Not here at least. He would, he had too, but not here.
“I’ll just take the strawberry one.”
“You sure? Nothing more? This free stuff is a one time thing so are you sure?”
“Yeah, its all good. Besides, it’s better for the business if I just take one right?”
She laughed, “I suppose your right. Well then, here it is then.” She gently pulled out and packaged the cake before handing it over to Five. “Have a nice day, please come back soon!”
They both nodded, Five muttering a small “Thank you, you too” under his breath as they headed towards the door. Fundy gave a small wave goodbye while Niki looked away.
They continued to walk in silence as Five pondered his thoughts trying to connect the pieces that just wouldn’t fit. Fundy watched his friend trying to solve some unknown puzzle before sighing.
“You’ve got questions,don’t you?”
Five startled as he turned towards Fundy. “If you want to talk about them, I don’t want to overstep.”
“Its fine, don’t worry about it. If you wanna talk we can go to the forest, its a lot more quiet and with less people. Plus we can eat there too, I wasn’t joking when I said Niki’s handmade cakes are amazing.”
Five nodded following close behind Fundy as he let him take the lead, heading towards the forest.
-
“So, what do you wanna know?” Fundy asked, as they entered the forest. Sitting under an oak tree, patting the space next to him inviting Five to sit next to him.
“Wow, going right into it, huh?” Five paused looking towards Fundy with a worried look, “You sure you wanna talk about this? We can always talk another time.”
“You're worried about me though, and I don’t want you to hate my… friends just because they act weird around me.”
“Well, that settles one question. You do notice it.”
“I’d have to be either really dumb or stupidly oblivous to not notice how they change their attitude when they talk to me. I’m surprised you caught on when you had just only met Niki.” Fundy laughed out, leaning even more onto the tree.
“She doesn't really try to hide it if I’ll be honest. She seems like a good person, so why doesn’t she like you?”
“I’m… I’m not a good person Five. You’d hate me too if you knew what I did to her, to everyone.” His voice felt so quiet, he felt tears threatening to spill.
“You don’t know that Fundy. You haven’t even told me what you’ve done. Please, Fundy, I just want to know why they treat you like that. I- I don’t want to push but, you don’t seem okay. You look tired.” Five begged, reaching out his hand to gently cup Fundy’s cheek, staring at him with worried eyes.
“You're stupidly analytical, you know? Can’t hide anything from you.” Fundy spoke as he leaned into the touch grabbing Fives hand as he felt the tears finally spill. As he finally let himself tell his tale to another.
He spoke of a horned man who drove his father far away from the land he had created. The way the man had given him a purpose. A journal full of insights that would be turned away when he had spent so much time collecting and moving up the ranks just for that information. The smell of a burning flag and the screams of anguish that his friend screamed as he let the flag burn under his feet. He was a traitor to everyone and a hero to none.
He let out sobs as he held onto Five. He cried out how he had watched his friends turn away from him. How even his own father had turned him away.
His story was far from finished yet he couldn’t bring himself to continue, crying out, asking if he had been a bad friend, if he had been in the wrong. Why had his friends left even when he was trying to help them?
Five held tightly onto his friend as he cried. How long has his friend been keeping this in? He would not let him go, they were just children when this happened, why did so many people fail to see this? How could they make a child bear a sword and fight a war? He never wished more to go back and stop him from leaving, to prevent the pain from ever happening.
This time, though, he would not fail to protect him. He would not let him suffer in silence any longer.
Soon the tears began to dry and the sobs quieted down but their hold did not lessen.
“Fuck- sorry I- I got snot and- and-”
“Fundy, Fundy, its fine. I can always wash it later, its fine. You just- just rest, you're probably exhausted from all that crying. I’ll keep you safe while you rest, and wake you when night falls. Don’t worry about it. We’ll talk about everything you told me when you feel better. Deep breaths Fundy, I’m right here. I won’t let you go.” Five said, trying to soothe the fox, beginning to hum a song in hopes of getting the fox to rest. Soon enough he felt the figure in his arms go limp and his breath began to even out.
Five turned to stare at the blue sky as his hands began to play with Fundys hair, letting the information Fundy told him fully sink in.
“Oh Fundy,” He whispered, “How long have you kept all this in?”
He sighed as he let his eyes close, listening to the rhythm of Fundy's breathing.
“You won’t be alone anymore Funds, I promise.”
-
The sun was beginning to set by the time Fundy woke up. Slowly prying himself from the hold Five had him in. Looking around his surroundings trying to remember the events that had happened.
He felt a groan escape his lips as he recalled what had just happened. ‘How embarrassing’ He thought. Of course he’d break down in front of Five right when they barely had just rekindled again. He felt the body next to him stir slightly.
“Fundy?” The body slurred out.
“Hey there sleeping beauty. Thought you were supposed to be the one to wake us up.”
This seemed to cause the masked man to jolt up, “What time is it? It can’t be too late right?,” Looking around to see the remaining rays before the sun fully sets. “Oh god, I hadn’t, I hadn’t meant to fall asleep. I just-”
Fundy began to laugh, “I was joking! I don’t mind!” He said through wheezes. Laughing harder as he saw his friend still in embarrassment.
“Stop it! I thought you were going to be mad! Not make fun of me!” Five pleaded, picking himself up, turning to the laughing figure extending a hand towards him. “Please stop laughing, it's getting late and we have to get back to your place.”
He continued to laugh as he grabbed Fives hand, lifting himself up. Eventually quieting down once they began their walk back to Fundy’s house.
“Damn, we were out for a while, huh? Hopefully Dream didn’t get worried or something now that he's here.”
“You know, I’ve been meaning to ask,” Five said in a light tone, “Who exactly is Dream? Pretty sure you two met when we weren’t able to write to each other so that leaves me in total darkness. You two roommates or something?”
“Oh, Dreams my fiance”
Five froze as he processed what Fundy said in his head. “W-what?”
“Me and Dream, we’re engaged.” Fundy paused turning towards his friend, “Is everything alright, Five?”
“O-oh, Yeah everythings cool just- nothing, nevermind. Dream a lucky guy to have scored someone as amazing as you, I’m happy for you.” Fundy couldn’t name it but he felt as though something was wrong with Five as he spoke. “Guess he came back to take you on a uh, erm, a- a date. Sorry for ruining that.”
Worry began to settle in Fundy, “Five, are you alright? Is something the matter?” Reaching out towards his friend.
“Its fine, don’t worry about it!” Five waving his hands in an attempt to calm his concern, “You must be really happy to marry him, huh?” As Five began to move again, walking slowly to get Fundy to walk by his side.
“I- Yeah, I suppose I should be.” And as silence took over Fundy had one single thought in his head as they made their way to the house.
Why wasn’t he as happy to marry Dream as he was before?
Why didn’t he feel the warmth he once had at the thought of Dream by his side?