Work Text:
It was festival night! Quite late at night, in fact.
The festival took place in the outskirts of the town, in a designated area just for it. It was surrounded by wire fencing with a red and yellow cloth topped with similarly colored lights covering it for aesthetic. In the middle of it stood a large christmas tree - it may have been a fall festival but it was still organised by the Holidays! Near the fence facing Hometown there was the big attraction - a towering ferris wheel sporting LEDs of the same color scheme as the walls. Next to it, a stand selling various snacks and drinks, caramel covered popcorn, candy corn, licorice, slushies, the sorts. Across the festivalgrounds, at the side opposite to the ferris wheel, there sat a line of classic carnival games such as milk bottle toss, hoop throwing and skee ball.
It was a place of much joy, however most monsters had left the festival by now, its flashing yellow and red LEDs, carnival games, rides and snacks entertaining them for hours before they left.
Except one, a monster by the name of Pizzapants, who was just now, at this hour walking down the lonely street, surrounded by the forest and lit by street lamps on his way to the festival gate.
Once he arrived he was met by a familiar face at the counter: Asgore. Living in such a small town meant everyone knew mostly everyone and their occupations, making seeing the annual festival ticketeer each year was quite chuckle. Since the Holidays organise the festival each year, this responsibility often falls on either their family, or the one closest to them: the Dreemurrs. Last year it fell on Toriel, before that on Rudy.
"Um, hi." Pizzapants said in a tone quite unlike him - he was excited yet at the same sheepish about his night
"Hello there my friend!" Asgore replied "Come for a ticket? Its quite late, i think almost everyone has already left. Unless thats why you come so late of course"
"Yeah that is.. why i came late." A short yet uncomfortably long pause followed before he spoke "Anyways. Id like two tickets please. One for me and one for my girlfriend.. shes, not here yet but.."
"Ah i see i see." Asgore replied, immediately understanding Pizzapant's slight change in demeanor he subconsciously noticed. "Well, here you go! Have fun on your date!" he said, handing over the tickets
"Thanks buddy" Pizzapants replied in his raspy voice with a rare, ever so subtle but still there smile on his face. He took the tickets, left 18 G on the stand and headed inside.
Meanwhile, Blue Ears sat on his bedside in his apartment, a terrible feeling clawing at his sides. "How could i have lied to him for this long?!" "How will he react when he learns its been me the whole time?!" "How will i even reveal its me?!" but most importantly, the question that tore at his mind the most "How do i fix this? I cant let this ruin our work relationship.. and, my chances at more..." The rabbit had indeed grown quite a liking to Pizzapants. This was NOT part of the plan when Bratti convinced him to 'prank him' by catfishing him. But after the two started texting, Blue Ears started to see a more caring, less completely apathetic and wholely defeated side of Pizzapants. He started looking at him differently and in time, thinking about him differently too. But he was too deep now, in a catfishing scenario noone truly benefited from, pressured to continue the scheme by his 'friend' Bratti. "As long as he's happy..." he told himself for a while, but he came to realise one day, hell have to tell him the truth.
And that day, or more specifically night, is now. Deep in the hole he unwillingly dug for himself, trying to figure out a way out. He just kept sitting on his bed, motionless, staring at his blue and slightly darker blue lines painted walls when his phone buzzed, a text from Pizzapants making his ears perk up.
"Heyypretty im here got us ticketss both"
Blue Ears read the message and responded with what he hoped would be the last time he has to be in-character "Hello my love!! I'll be there in just a moment!"
He knew he had to get going. He couldnt afford a 'running late' or 'missed the bus' again, he knew had to be there and tell him the truth tonight. He put on his green jacket, yellow scarf, took a deep breath and headed towards the edge of town.
Pizzapants still simply sat on the bench, waiting for his date. He was looking around the place, his eye catching on the big christmas tree in the center. "A christmas tree? ...In October?" he observed the tree, the rides, the lights still blinking everywhere despite the lack of visitors. He truly wondered why the festival was open 24/7 in a town as small as this. He noticed the scent of the caramel and popcorn in the air, the sounds of the carnival games playing their music slightly audible even from far away.
Before he could get too carried away in thought though, he felt the mass of the bench shift a little. Someone had sat beside him.
Pizzapants shifted to the edge of the bench, trying to be asocial as he usually is.
"Pretty empty this time of night isnt it" Blue Ears said with all his courage, trying to initiate the conversation he oh-so dreaded.
Pizzapants twitched a little at the sound of his coworker, not previously realising it had been him who sat down. "Yeah. Im waiting for my girlfriend to show up" he said with the same bragging voice hed been talking to his coworkers about his girlfriend with, this time with a nervous tremble.
"P-Pizzarina, right?" the rabbit continued, practically shaking with fear for what he knew was to come.
"Uh, yeah? How the hell do you know her name?" Pizzapants asked, flustered confused and irritated at the same time "Have you been searching through my phone or something?"
"No n-no its not that! Its, uh.." Blue Ears was horrified. Not only did his coworker accuse him of spying on his phone, he had to tell him the arguably worse truth. "Pizza, Im.. 'Pizzarina'. Bratti made me make a fake account to text you on and... lie to you"
Pizzapants just stared at him in silence. He felt like he was burning his skin from the inside, his mind wishing he had been anywhere but there in that moment.
After a couple seconds of silence Pizza spoke "You.. what.." His tone wasnt one of anger or resentment, it was one of sadness and the crumbling of his ever so rare happiness.
"So.." He continued "All those messages.. the promises.. they were all just... a prank? A big joke?"
"N-no Pizza I-... It started as one... But i couldnt say i didnt grow to care about you in the process.." Blue Ears tried to explain himself "The cookies..! Those were my idea! I made those just for you.. Pizza I care about you, i promise i do, thats.. why im here telling you this.. "
Pizzapants didnt reply. He just looked at his phone in shock, scrolling through all the messages the two have exchanged. He couldnt belive this would happen to him. He wanted so badly not to belive Blue Ears, but when he sent a message to 'Pizzarina' the buzz coming from his coworkers phone made it impossible to deny. A single tear fell on his phone screen. He wasnt usually one to cry, he would just wallow in his sadness alone. This time however he felt different. He didnt just feel the everyday depressed, he felt as if all joy had been zapped from him.
Blue Ears' heart sank. He wasnt sure what to say. He wasnt sure if there was something to say. "I.." He looked at the screen of Pizzapants' phone, reading their past messages, all the hearts and I love you-s
"It.. it wasnt all a joke.. I meant what i said. I meant it when I said Im there for you, I meant it when i comforted you, I meant it when I said I will come to the festival with you... Here I am.."
Pizzapants looked up at him slowly, tears still in his eyes "You.. did?" He looked at his phone and felt conflicted. He wasnt ready to let go of the person he was talking to but he wasnt sure if he could trust his coworker. After lying to him for multiple days, would he now be genuine? "You really did make those cookies just for me? Edited those memes to be about us yourself? How much of who i was talking to was actually you?" he asked
"Yes, Yes I did!" Blue Ears began "A-and more and more as we talked, i was being more.. me"
Pizzapants thought for a second. The literal person he thought he was talking to isnt real but the personality is, and hes sitting right next to him.
"And I.." the rabbit continued "I still want to spend time with you, Pizza.. That was the truth aswell"
With cautious, brittle hope returning to his soul, Pizzapants wiped his tears with his jacket sleeve. "I suppose we could.. try" He mumbled, unsure of how to truly feel, but with willingness to give this a try. Not like he had more to lose.
Blue Ears felt as though a boulder had been lifted from him, however he knew he still had to rebuild the trust he had just shattered.
The two sat quietly for about half a minute, neither one sure how to continue after that. Pizzapants was still processing things. Not only about the truth of his coworkers words, but the truth of his own emotions. He couldnt deny he still felt something towards Blue Ears, given he really is like how he acted while he was chatting with him online. The rabbit was looking around the festival, trying to find something to start conversation about to break the ice. After a few moments his eyes landed on the towering christmas tree in the middle of the area.
"Quite early to prepare for the holidays" he stated
"Huh?" Pizza replied before seeing him looking at the pine "Oh yeah its odd. Probably something to do with the fact the major is obsessed with 'em for some reason"
Blue Ears stood up from the bench "Wanna go check it out?"
"Yeah sure why not" Pizzapants replied while standing up.
Once he was standing, his coworker extended his hand towards his by the slightest amount, so little in fact that he didnt even notice it. As the two walked towards the tree they passed by a snacks stand.
"I could go for some food" Pizza chimed up
"Of course! Lets see what snacks they have" Blue Ears replied, walking towards the red and yellow stand
Arriving there, they were greeted with the warmth of the popcorn cooker, the sweet smell of caramel, candy corn and the voice of QC "Hello darlings, what can i get for you tonight?" she said in her years-pre-practiced customer service voice.
"Just looking at the selection for now" Pizzapants replied
After a few moments later he had made his selection "Medium caramel popcorn" he said, no please no thank you
QC internally rolled her eyes at Pizzapants' regular lack of respect but this time she could infer he was troubled so she didnt mention it. Insted, she turned towards his coworker.
"And for your friend?" she asked
"O-oh were actually.. um-" Blue Ears began but quickly stopped himself, trying not to create an awkward situation for all three of them. "Ill take a medium caramel popcorn too, please"
"Very well, thatll b-" she began before being interrupted by Pizzapants "In that case well just get one large. We can share right? Cheaper this way."
QC looked over at Blue Ears to see if he agreed. A little flustered, he nodded after which she began scooping their order into a large paper bag.
"Thatll be 6G please"
"Thanks" Pizza replied, taking the bag and leaving 6G on the counter before he walked away, his date following him after waving to QC.
They made their way to the large festive tree, Blue Ears staying close enough to Pizzapants so he could take some from the caramel popcorn, but not as close to where hed be too nervous.
Once they were a few meters away from the tree, they stopped, looking up at it. It was covered in those same red and yellow blinking lights as the rest of the place, a larger light placed on the tip of every major branch, white garlands wrapped around it, imitating snow, and a shining top piece that resembled the angel at its peak.
"Its beautiful.." the rabbit said while gazing up at the tree
"If you say so buddy" Pizzapants replied, mostly dismissing the comment, looking not at the tree but at the ground under it, lost in thought.
"Come on, dont you think its pretty?" Blue Ears tried convincing him while stepping a bit closer
Pizzapants looked up at the pine, where he was met with the colors he hadnt truly taken in yet, simply acknowledged then mentally discarded.
"Youre right, its cool" he said, the blinking lights reflecting in his eyes
One of the two attempted to hold the others hand again, this time, it was Pizza who tried initiating the gesture. Blue Ears, however was too focused on the tree to notice.
They stood for a couple minutes, their faces illuminated by the light of the LEDs, before moving on.
"What now?" Pizza asked
"Im not sure. Theres things all around here right?" Blue replied
"I think i heard some music from the other side of the place earlier. Carnival games, that sorta stuff. If youd like" said Pizza
"Oh absolutely! That sounds like a lot of fun!" Blue Ears happily agreed
They began making their way towards the line of booths. It was starting to approach midnight and a cold autumn wind began sweeping the air. Nevertheless, they walked, passing many other decorations, some snack booths and trivia kiosks, the caramel scent of the popcorn they were carrying surrounding them.
As they approached, the sound of carnival music grew louder and louder before they arrived at a milk bottle toss stand being manned by... noone. The stand was empty, the milk bottles set up but whoever was managing it during the day had likely left, though the lights and music were still plugged in.
Dissapointed, Blue Ears turned to Pizzapants "Man, it seems like we cant play. I could ask Asgore at the tickets booth if someones supposed to be here?"
"Nah ill handle it" He responded, going over to the side of the booth, trying to open the door, but it was locked
"Damn it" He said before realising he can just climb over the counter at the front
He handed his popcorn to Blue, jumped over the counter, and grabbed the balls from the back.
"Uh, are you.. allowed to do that?" his coworker worried
"Nope." Pizza responded in a snarky tone "Noones here though. Its only a crime if youre caught youre caught heh"
As soon as he finished talking and turned around, he knocked over the milk bottles that were set up as pyramids on small tables.
"Shit" He placed the balls down on the counter, then set the three sets of targets up again as Blue Ears giggled at the accident before climbing back over the counter.
"Right. I think this is supposed to be a one player game but noones here to set the rules well just take turns throwing" Pizza stated
"Ooh can i start?" Blue Ears excitedly asked
"Sure, here you go" His date responded, handing him a ball
Blue threw the ball directly at the bottom corner of the middle bottom bottle, causing the entire stack to fall over in a single throw.
"How the hell did you do that??" Pizza asked, his eyes wide open, shocked
"Beginners luck?" Blue Ears shrugged, not sure himself. Hed never done this before either.
"Alright my turn" Pizzapants grabbed a ball, throwing it at the middlemost bottle as fast as he could. This caused the middle and top bottles to topple, but the rest remained.
Annoyed, he threw another ball, this time taking out a single bottle. He threw another and another knocking over one bottle at best each throw.
"You could try jumping over the counter again, you had more luck pusing over the bottles when you were there, haha" Blue Ears giggled
Cracking a slight smile, Pizza rolled his eyes at the banter. "Alright bunnyboy, watch this" He said before throwing a ball at the last three bottles, knocking over all of them
"Im so good. First try too" He joked, much to the amusement of his coworker "Ok, your turn" he said, stepping back to allow Blue access to the remaining few balls on the stand.
"I want to try something silly" Blue said as he grabbed the balls and threw four of them at once. They hit the bottles and knocked over all but two.
"Hey that was cool lemme try" Pizza noted as he too grabbed the remaining couple balls and threw them at the bottles, pushing the remaining ones over.
"That was super fun!" Blue Ears celebrated after all the bottles fell
"I agree, where do you want to go next?" Pizzapants replied, happiness and achievement in his voice
"Theres other games here too we could play them" the rabbit responded before slightly hiding his face in his scarf as he remembered something "Or.. we could go on the ferris wheel.. if youd like?"
Without second thought Pizza replied "Ferris wheel sounds cool"
"A-alright! I think its at the opposite side of the whole thing" Blue responded meekly
They grabbed the bucket of caramel popcorn they had placed on the counter and began walking across the festival once more. As they walked, the sounds of the games grew quieter, the air chiller as the night continued on.
Once they neared the ferris wheel, they saw Catty running the stand.
"OMG hiii!!" she greeted them "Are you two like, going to ride the ferris wheel together?? Thats like, sooo cute!! I overheard from Asgore you two were on a date, thats totally like, sooo awesome and cute!!"
Made mildly uncomfortable by the thought of someone incredibly gossipy like CATTY knowing about their date, Pizzapants responded trying to end the interaction as quick as he could.
"Yeah we uh, are. Heres 10G that surely covers it" he slammed the money down in front of the cat, quickly escorting Blue and himself towards the ferris wheel cabin enterance.
"Hey like, hold on a second yall!" Catty yelled after them "Youre totes like, not allowed to bring the popcorn into the cabin"
Pizza rolled his eyes and threw the popcorn out, since there was very little left in the bag anyways. He then got back into the ferris wheel.
"Alright, have fun!! You should totally like, kiss at the top huhu" She giggled, pressing the button to start the wheel
"Um, t-thanks!" Blue Ears responded, trying to be polite
The two made themselves comfortable on the yellow plastic seats in the cabin as it began moving. They had sat next to eachother, Blue sitting in a polite and orderly manner, meanwhile Pizza had slouched over his side of the bench to be comfortable. They expressed it in different amounts, but both were very nervous to be on this ride with eachother.
The cabin itself was a small, rounded down cube, colored red on the inside with two rows of yellow seats facing eachother. It had windows on each four sides of the shape, providing a view in any direction.
The wheel rotated slowly , making the cooling of the air as they went higher and higher a very gradual process. They looked over the festival, seeing the blinking lights and game stands from above. As the wheel rose higher, they could see farther and farther away, seeing past the trees to view Hometown, illuminated by the not-quite-full moon. They could see the lake, its gentle water reflecting the moonlight serenely.
"The lake is really pretty" Blue said as the wheel approached its peak, mesmerised by the beauty of the waves
Pizza looked over to the window he was looking at "Yeah it is" he agreed
"We should go there, weve been most places in the festival anyway" the rabbit suggested "We could sit down there too"
Pizza nodded as the wheel began moving down once again. Blue was looking out the window, gazing at the wonderful town the two were living in, when he felt Pizza's hand touch his. The rabbit looked over at him, who had averted his gaze to be looking out the window aswell, too embarassed to be seen blushing. Blue however interpreted this as Pizzapants' hand only touching his on accident, not as an intentional gesture of something, so he didnt shift his hand into the other's.
When the ferris wheel arrived at the bottom the two got out of the cabin, trying to rush past Catty as to not be teased. They made their way to the enterance quickly, saying their goodbyes to Asgore before beginning to walk to the lake.
The lakeside was a beautiful, quiet place. The moon lit it bright enough to see but its gentle light was pleasant to the eye. It reflected on the water, the waves casting ripples in its mirror image. Trees surrounded a nice terrace of dirt by the lake, still wet from yesterdays rain, which had two sets of benches on them.
Once the two arrived, they sat down on one of these benches, this time facing eachother.
"You know, I really enjoyed today with you Pizza" Blue Ears began "I know it probably wasnt how you initially thought itd be.. I wasnt who you initially thought id be. But i hope you feel the same."
After a moment of silence, Pizzapants responded "I.. do" he responded "Your right, I wont lie. This isnt how i thought.. anithing today would go, really. But im just happy were here right now"
"Me too" he responded before a comfortable silence took over the air again
They began looking at the lake, the moon, causing Blue to speak up
"Do you want to sit down at the ledge? Looking at the water" he asked
"Our pants would get covered in mud" Pizza responded
"Yeah, i suppose youre right.." Blue ears accepted dejectedly
Hearing the dissapointment in his voice, Pizzapants stood up and grabbed one of the benches from the other set of tables, trying to lift it and move it to face the lake. It was quite heavy but after a couple seconds of trying, he had managed to place the bench in a good spot
"Here, we can -huff- sit now" He said, slightly short of breath from the workout of lifting it
Smiling, Blue Ears happily sat down, Pizzapants sitting right next to him. They sat in the cool autumn night, staring at the moon, listening to the sound of the gentle waves.
Holding hands.