Chapter Text
"Happiness starts with an H. But for me, it starts With U"
Niki laughs in utter delight at another set of cheesy pick-up lines appearing on his wrist this time even cheesier than the last one his soulmate wrote to him. She stares at Fundy with a large grin painted on their face patting his shoulders in a sorry attempt of comfort while holding down a laugh of her own at the words written in glaringly red marker still visible on his left wrist, god knows how much Fundy wants to erase that off of her face right now - he hates it, makes him feel like the butt of the joke.
It's embarrassing enough that he constantly gets bombarded with pickup lines every morning he works here in Dulce Est, it's even more difficult to keep calm and hide his flustered state from customers who visit their little bakery shop tucked in the corner of the street. To be greeted by the sight of a pouting tomato faced cashier combusting on the spot complete with the imaginable sounds of a tea kettle going off is downright hilarious and would just be another reason why Fundy is close to committing alivent the next time Niki tries to read the pick-up lines his soulmate writes to him.
"Shut up! Niki. They're trying okay and we have another incoming customer, go back to your station" Fundy barks back at his friend slashed boss at the ridicule he was forced into, defending his soulmate for giving their best at complimenting him despite deep down inside he knows just how bad of a flirting technique it is. He grabs a few pieces of napkin on the dispenser next to their cash register attempting to wipe away the red marker that's still glittering in his eyes, mocking him at the embarrassment it caused. But he can't help give a light smile at his attempt of flirting with him, eagerly awaiting for another set of pickup lines he'll get when the shop closes which would be about.... - Fundy swivels his head to the far right corner of their cozy little shop next to a door painted in black and gold linings that leads to the staff room, sitting atop of it in all their glory is their one and an only gallery wall clock that's still somehow functioning even with the numerous times it had fallen off of its pedestal.
The Roman numerals written in blackcaps lock glint under the fluorescent light of the shop glares at his ways taunting him of its swiveling hands tricking him into thinking closing time is close by and snickering at the hopeful look crossing on his face only to quickly turn sour at the fact that it's still 3 hours before the shop closes.
"ooooooh~ Someone's getting desperate here. Looking forward to your prince's next note to you huh" Niki jeers at Fundy's direction from her station, jabbing him with another set of teasing at the furrowed looks he's giving the clock sitting there all nice and behave for once atop the door doing nothing whatsoever to Fundy only doing their job which is to tell the time. She raises her right hand to cover her smug smile but it does little to no help for Fundy at all rather it keeps egging him on especially the small sounds of a barely contained giggle accompanied by the rhythmic sound of the clock mimicking a laugh as well towards his predicament.
"Oh come on, Fundy. The clock didn't do anything to you and what's 3 hours' worth of waiting. You know what they say about suspense"
"I don't. Please enlighten me"
"They say suspense is what makes things spicy in a relationship."
"I-.... I can't believe you"
Nike dared to laugh even louder than before at the reaction she got. They haven't even met at all and the only time they were able to communicate is through writing doddles or notes on their wrist as a sign of their presence. To think that they would use it for something far more... sensual is beyond Fundy's understanding. Maybe he's just too much of a virgin to even do something like that to a soulmate who he doesn't know beyond pickup lines and being a sap for romantics.
"Just because this is what you do with Captain in your spare time doesn't mean it's the same for Us. Yeah, I saw those messages she writes on your cheeks during our break time. Gosh, Niki, I'm shocked! "
This time it was Niki's turn on being a flustered mess at the comment. Scrambling desperately to keep her composure calm and light as the bell to the front door of the shop dings loudly in a way to remind them that they are still working but that doesn't stop her from sending a death glare towards his direction before finally facing the customer with a tight-lipped smile. Fundy secretly snickers at Niki as she greets the customer standing in front of her, a cheeky grin appearing on his face, his mind still reeling in at how her supposedly boss got caught in 4k by her employee about the state of their relationship.
"Uh... I'd - uh like to pay for this"
Fundy shakes himself out of his reverie as he gazes in wide eyes at the massive height of a guy towering over him completely overshadowing him and the cash register. He's not short - far from it actually, he stands at about a solid 6 ft 3 tall though not as taller as Ranboo who's 6 ft 6. He holds himself in high regard for his height amongst their friend group along with his brothers Techno, Wilbur, and Tommy who's heights are 6ft and above but... this guy's height could outmatch the Burj Khalifa in a matter of centimeters. If he stretches his arms he'd be able to catch clouds on his hands.
"Wou-would that be all sir?" Fundy gently but slowly reaches for the bag settled near the cash register opening it to see and calculate the number of pastries the guy has ordered from Niki. He takes note of the abundance of fruit tarts and pretzels in their order - two of his most favorite pastries by Niki and he can't help but chuckle a little at the customer's taste buds someone who has taste far superior to the others. He closes the brown bag with his delicate fingers folding them nicely in a neat manner for presentation, tilting his head in concentration to see to it that the bag is secured and looks as aesthetic as possible to match with their shop's theme when he deems that the creases are all fair and kempt he pushes them towards the customer lifting his head in the process to compliment him for his taste.
" I love your taste in pastry. Didn't think I could find anyone here who loves fruit tarts as much as I do."
" A close friend suggested it to me so I wanted to try it out but if you say it's delicious then I'll trust your word for that"
Fundy hums in agreement as he punches in the code to the cash register to give the customer their change but instead they raise their hands shaking their head at him.
"keep the change. I'd come back here just to see you again"
The customer takes the bag into his hands and makes his way to the front door ducking through lamps and sidestepping chairs to accommodate for his height before awkwardly standing there for a few seconds when he reaches the bronze handle of the door as if in an internal debate but he ends up swinging his head aggressively instead, opening the door quickly and making a dash for it the minute he steps foot outside. Fundy gapes at the retreating lime hoodie, his hand still outstretched with the customer's change on his grip not believing for a second at what just happened.
A round of applause echoes once the ringing bell silences in their shop, Fundy scowls at the only other person in the room who had seen everything unfold with a cocky grin stuck on their pretty face.
"Damn Fundy. If I had known better that guy was flirting with you, why don't you leave that cheesy soulmate of yours and settle for that hunk of a guy."
"Shut up" was the only comeback Fundy was able to retort back to Niki's snarky comment about his soulmate. As much as how he developed some sort of feelings for that guy in a lime hoodie a few seconds ago, he's forever loyal to his one and only. All these things about soulmates were hogwash for Fundy but he was an exception to the rule. His Soulmate was and is a sap for pick-up lines that's cheesier than the restaurant next to them that lives and breathes everything cheese-related.
A warm glow emits on Fundy's left wrist where his forgotten task laid bare to the world. He stares at it in shock for a second, not comprehending that he had just unconsciously bared it for the world to see how dorky his soulmate was - oh god, the customer must have seen this then maybe he was too shy to tell me. I'm an idiot, I can't believe I did something stupid again. Niki - her boss who was stationed a few feet away from him quickly makes her way to his side in a matter of seconds jumping up and down on her feet as if the message was for her or something, she rolls down his peach Crayola sweater to have a clear view and shot if the next pick up line his soulmate has prepared for him. The red marker on his left wrist was erased with a different shade of color this time with a deeper shade to it - it was magenta, Fundy sighs in resignation for his soul mate's ties to trying to be creative with sharing notes.
They even tried doing calligraphy once with all those ribbons and curls into the letters and alphabets complete with the shades and shadowing in them. The first few words seem to be written with shaky hands before the rest eventually turns into something incoherent to read unless you squint your eyes hard to make out each of the letters and phrases to fill the in the blanks.
"Your parents must be bakers. Because they sure made you a cutie pie"
Niki howls out in absolute laughter, clearly dying from the lack of oxygen entering her lungs at the number of times she's laughing. She grips tight on his shoulders trying to keep herself standing upright as she looks towards Fundy's blank expression before proceeding to die out of laughter the second time today. Small punches of breath leave out of her mouth as Niki attempts to compose herself, wiping some tears at the corner of her eyes to be more dramatic and taunt Her only employee furthermore. Fundy stares ahead at the message written on his wrist in magenta color - okay so maybe his soulmate can be a sap but this... This was far more than being a sap.
This was someone who's a blockhead, a fool, and an absolute idiot who's down bad for a soulmate they barely know off. Another light glow radiates on his still outstretched left arm, Niki swiftly grabs on it in eagerness and mock gleaming in their eyes saving this for blackmail material again. Unlike the past message, this one was given more effort but no thought into it the more Fundy sees the words written in cursive writing still in the color magenta if he was given a chance or a wish for something, he'd wish for his soulmate to just completely perish. This is making him more flustered and embarrassed rather than sweet and cute - he does appreciate their pick-up lines I swear he does but sometimes his soulmate goes overboard with everything. It's like the only thing constantly running on his head was Fundy.
" I sentence you on being with me for a whole life because of stealing my heart"
It's confirmed.
His soulmate is an idiot that's bad with pick-up lines