Work Text:
8Track was walking through the town square. No particular destination in mind, just taking a nice stroll while looking around. Suddenly, they bumped into someone from behind.
"Whoops- Sorry!" ...this felt familiar. They heard the familiar voice and slowly turned around.
Oh god. Not her.
"Wait a minute- are you..?"
"NOPE. I am NOT doing this again." 8Track sternly said before walking another direction.
"Hey! Wait up!" Alni called out, following them.
"No. I am not taking you for another 5 star meal that takes two hours and potentially ruins my life. Go away."
"Acctually, about that..." Alni started. "I'm... Sorry. For all of that. That was a very stupid thing for me to do. I was being immature and I really should've listened to you. I really really really deeply apologize."
8Track stared at them for a few seconds and sighed. "It's... It's fine. That was a year ago. I... It doesn't matter." They said, trying to end the conversation as quickly as possible.
"...Do you acctually forgive me, or do you just want me to go away? Or both."
"Well, to be honest, both. But more wanting you to go away."
"Oh. Well, shedang. Byee!!" Alni said before flying off.
8Track sighed. They did have... A rough past with Alni. Through their competition show, he had been unbearably annoying. When they met again about a year ago, that didn't go well either with her stupid manners causing 8Track to lose their only shot to be in that competition. They thought back to the ending of that incedent. Alni's past words echoed in their mind.
*'Sorry for putting in the effort and acctually trying to be your friend!'*
They pulled out their phone and looked at the screen. It was no longer cracked since they had got it fixed all those months sgo, but the memories remained. They put their phone back up and kept walking.
They spotted a waffle house on their walk. They stopped and realized waffles didn't sound too bad right now.
They walked into the waffle house and immediately spotted Alni again.
Great.
She was with one of her friends, seemingly a belt. They were currently getting a table, so he couldn't see 8Track was behind them. 8Track wished they could just turn invisible.
The waffle house employee escorted Alni to her seat, when he noticed 8Track was in the resturaunt with him. They definitely made eye contact, even if it was just for a moment.
Eventually it was 8Track's turn to get a table, which they quickly did. Concidering their luck today, they shouldn't have been suprised to see they had to sit right to a table occupied by, you guessed it, Alni.
They tried not to listen in to what Alni and their friend were saying, but they did pick up a bit of their conversation.
"Yeah, I ran into them earlier. I made sure to apologize, like- SUPER apologize, but I don't think they forgave me..."
Oh shit, she was talking about them, weren't they?
Alni must've noticed they were near because they quickly heard their conversation topic switch to be about axolotls.
8track ordered their food, wait until they got it, ate it, I don't wanna write this part, ect. Time skip until Alni finished their food and was about to leave.
Part of 8Track really wanted to talk to him again before she left and try to make amends. They thought about it for a moment.
Well, its now or never. 8Track took a deep breath before finally walking up to them.
"Hey, Alni?"
"Huh- oh. Hi."
"So uh... I'm sorry for brushing aside your apology earlier. What you did back then was still a bad move on your part, but I do genuinely forgive you. I know it's been a year, but... Are you still intrested in trying to be friends again?"
Alni's eyes lit up at that last part. They had the silliest, most genuine smile you could imagine.
"Yes! Yes yes yes!! I'd love to be friends with you again!!" Alni shouted excitedly.
8Track smiled back. "I'm glad."
"Can you give me like- your phone number or some sort of way to contact you?"
"Sure!" 8Track said while getting out their phone.
8Track told her their phone number and they typed it into their phone. They typed "Hello :D" and sent it. Alni got the message and saved them as a contact.
"Thanks!!" Alni gleefully shouted.
"Alni! Hurry up! We got places to be!" His friend called.
"Ah! Sorry!" Alni apologized. "Thank you again!! I'll text you laterrr!!"
Alni and her friend quickly left the store, leaving 8Track (and the other random people also in the building but they aren't plot relevant).
They stared at Alni's contact on their phone. I guess Alni really did want to be their friend. I guess its true what they say. Time really does heal wounds.