Work Text:
Nickel: Hiiii, TB!
Now, TB would rather literally anyone else be around. Especially today. Because today is Valentine’s Day, and he’d rather be eliminated in a landslide than anyone assume he’s in a relationship with Nickel. Oh, and also there’s the fact that HE LITERALLY JUST WOKE UP.
TB: Hi.
TB tries to ignore Nickel for a bit, until something particularly catches his eye.
Nickel: Ooh, I see something!~
TB walks after Nickel as he invades TB’s bedside desk, fidgeting with the parts on the inside. Until…
TA-DAAAA! Nickel holds up an envelope addressed to TB.
TB: Oh my tennis ball factory did you—
Nickel:What? No. Why would I like you?
Nickel was, admittedly, right. If he were lying, he’d probably give off a "Nooooooooo…" kind of tone, instead of the flat no he ended up saying.
So, TB reluctantly opens the letter and…
Dear Tennis Ball:
I really am not sure what to say, but throughout our companionship, I have started to develop feelings for you, as much as nobody said I could feel. As much as everyone said I was crazy.
I am not sure if you will turn up, but if you want to… meet me at the fountain over in Yoyle City at 18:00.
-Signed, Anonymous
OMTBF. He had a secret admirer?!
Nickel: Ooh, someone liiikes you? Whod’ya think it is, Tennifer??
TB: Uh, well, it’s probably not Golfie… I can basically tell she’s not into me.
He weighs his options.
Pen and Eraser have absolutely got a thing going on, if not an official relationship. Fries is probably straight. Puffball is probably a lesbian. He really just can’t figure out who it is…
TB: Okay, I have no clue.
Though, if… uh…
TB’s mind blanks.
Private Messages: nickley & TB
nickely: so teebee can i help u prepare for the date with ur seecret admirer?
TB: uh welll uhmmm maybe i can get golfie to help!
nickely: you and i both know shes just gonna give you a nigh-permanent coffee bean odour
TB: dude why does that even matger
nickely: cmonnn they’ll think you smell like shit all the time!! this is your first date with them remember
TB: okay fine… (Read)
TB puts away his phone. He can’t believe he agreed to let NICKEL help him with this… but it’s too late now. And he was right, GB would probably make him smell of coffee beans for the next fortnight or two.
Nickel: Sooooo, jiggle boy, how do ya wanna look for the date?
TB: Oh my tennis ball factory i have NO idea!
Nickel: Okay! Why don’t we try some nostalgic looks then?
TB: …Sure.
From some looks he’d had in the past, Nickel was sure he’d find one TB would like.
First was TB splattered in pink paint.
TB: Too pastel.
Then frozen with freeze juice. No response.
Then what looked to be normal TB from the front, but the triangle-shaped hole he saw on Nickel in the mirror made it clear what this was.
TB: I don’t want any of you with me going to this..
Then with glass shards in him.
TB: Nickel, I look severely injured. Plus, isn’t this what Book looked like then?
Nickel: Oops.
And last, with his old growth ray stuck on his head. Whatever TB was going to say couldn’t be made out over him asphyxiating.
Nickel: Oops. Did I not grow it back enough?
Nickel: Welp, TB, this is my last idea. Nothing you’ve worn before, though.
Tennis Ball looked in the mirror, to see he had nothing on him. Say, for a black bow tie. No chunks, no growth rays, no paint or cake stains (due in part to being freshly recovered). It looked… nice.
TB: I… like this.
Nickel: Yay for me!
6:00 PM
Here they were. The yoyle fountain was just a couple streets away. TB had put on a nice perfume, gotten his fuzz brushed, and was even forced to ingest Nickel’s chunk as a "good luck charm".
But he can’t muster up the will to take another step.
Nickel: Oh my mint, TB! We’re literally right there!
TB: I know, but like, what if they, like, uh, like…
TB was panicking.
Nickel: Tennis Ball!
Nickel referring to him properly by name caused him to snap out of it and look at him.
Nickel: We’re right here! Just a short walk away, y’know. Plus, THEY were the one to ask YOU out! You can’t just chicken now!
…Nickel was, for one of the first times interacting with TB, right. He was already here. They did ask him out. He can’t just quit now!
TB: Alright! I’ll do it!
Nickel immediately reverted to his goofy self upon hearing this.
Nickel: Great t’see it, Tennisey Wennisey! I’m just gonna explore the science museum for now. Seeya!
Nickel immediately dips, as TB goes to meet his date.
His heart is pounding. Who even is this? What if it’s someone who hates him looking to prank him? What if GB finally liked him? What if… that doesn’t matter.
Tennis Ball sees an open flame on the fountain, and a picnic blanket laid out with some of his favourite treats. There’s also a television playing some nice music.
Wait, that’s not just any TV. That’s… his teammate TV. He turns to meets him face-to-face, seeing them just as nervous. Seeing him just as nervous.
But, i-it can’t be. Mechanical minds aren’t supposed to… but… the letter. He said he did anyways, so…
TB: TV…?
TV immediately turned his eyes to face TB, a little bit of steam coming out of his air vents.
TV: Tennis Ball?
TB walks over, taking a seat on the picnic blanket.
TB: I— I didn’t think it’d be you, but… I…
TB looks away from TV, and he can’t help but blush a bit.
TV did this all for him, despite everyone probably telling him he had no chance. Because TV was a robot. Because TB was likely busy simping for GB.
TB: Thank you.
TV: I’m… glad you appreciate it.
Tennis Ball digs into the carefully prepared platter, as him and TV share a conversation.
The two of them sit beside the fountain, on the blanket, looking at the moonlight.
TV: The stars look quite nice, don’t they?
TB: Yeah.
The stars light up the sky, looking very pretty as they do.
TB: I— after all this, I can’t help but…
TV: Is something… the matter?
Tennis Ball takes a breath in, and out.
TB: I love you.
…He said it.
TV: I love you too.
The newfound lovers stare at each other. TV turns up his internal heating a bit, to give TB some warmth as they drift off to sleep.
The two of them wake up by the fountain, as they were the previous night. They take in the morning view, but not for long…
Nickel: Wakey wakey, lovebiiirds!~
Tennis Ball and TV get up, and prepare to head back to the hotel.
Nickel: Oh my jeebies, you two looked so CUTE together!
Nickel shows the duo his phone, having a photo of them sleeping on his camera roll.
TV: Oh. You should send that to us soon.
Nickel: Oh yeah, I literally just sent that to the rest of Just Not. Book says it’s nice.
TB: I— c’mon, let’s go.
TB mounts onto TV, as he rolls across the water back onto the yellow grasslands.