Chapter Text
The Regime was eerily silent, as usual now. Ash was walking around the pantheon, dragging his hand across the quartz walls. He was unusually bored that morning, usually he'd have some activity for the day, whether it was to spend time with Katie or Don(and sometimes Tubbo if he managed to get him out of the factory) or go and talk to people at Spawn, but today he had nothing.
He let out a quiet sigh as he slumped into his purple chair, tapping his feet against the floor deep in thought. Then, like lightning, an idea came to him; The amusement park! Of course!
Sure, seeing the face of the 'person' that ruined your entire life everywhere wasn't exactly pleasant, but it's not like he had any other option, it was either that or pacing around his room until something happened (which most likely wouldn't).
But there was just one little problem... Amusement parks aren't really fun if you don't have anyone to go with. First he thought about inviting Katie, but she was probably busy with her (seemingly) infinite jobs. Maybe he could go with Tubbo? Nope, also busy with... He's actually not sure, he hasn't seen Tubbo in days.
Ash groaned in frustration, since when was everyone in The Regime so employed?!
He didn't even want to think about Haiper, he was still deeply upset about whatever was happening with him.
That left just two people, or three if he decided to count Molly despite the fact that she was probably sleeping. Ewron was... Doing Ewron things? And the last thing he heard about Juan is that he apparently got really drunk and was going to sleep until Wednesday...
Seems like he's going to go alone, huh?
That is unless he talks to a certain someone... A certain someone he very much dislikes.
That certain someone was Aldo. The manchild, stupid and lovely slug that was one of the princes of the North (and the one that came to his mind in the weirdest times). He grimaced for even thinking about him. It was stupid, it wasn't like he wanted to talk to Aldo or anything, not like every time they were at the same place at the same time he was hoping he would approach him to talk, not at all.
It's not like he couldn't get him out of his mind most days and nights, why would you think that.
Ash dragged his hands across his face (or lack thereof), was it really that bad of an idea to invite Aldo? The worst thing he could do was deny it and insult him... That or explode the pantheon for taking it as a threat, you never know with that guy!
He sighed and, against his better judgement, decided to open his communicator and hope that Aldo was online. He totally didn't sigh in relief when he saw him online, not at all.
Ash hesitated for a few seconds, was he really going to invite him? Was there really not anyone else he could go with?Before letting himself overthink any further, he typed a quick message and threw his communicator away from him.
—
Ashswagg whispers to you: hi. are you busy.
Aldo was sitting against one of the walls of his castle, taking a break from nonstop building for hours when he received the message.
As expected, he was immediately alarmed by the text. Was this some kind of trick to kill him? He re-read the message over and over again, overanalyzing it for any hint of whatever Ash had planned.
Obviously he couldn't find anything, since it was only 4 sentences. A frown made its way into his face, what was this even about then?
He didn't answer immediately, instead he took his time to see if Ash would send any following messages. If he did that'll prove that he was in fact looking to harm him, right? Yeah, that sounded logic.
For the time being, he thought about something to do to avoid answering for at least 20 minutes. Coco wasn't there so it wasn't like he could talk to him.
Maybe he could go to The North?
Nope.
Definitely not.
He had been avoiding them like the plague except for Roier. And perhaps Molly, but he hasn't really seen her these days...
Doesn't matter. He doesn't need anyone anyways, he was okay by himself. He didn't need anyone.
.
.
.
His communicator buzzed again.
ashswagg whispers to you: answer. it's not like im going to kill you or something.
That sounded exactly like something someone who is trying to kill you would say.
But— Perhaps because he didn't have anything else to do (or because he was already losing it), Aldo decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, if anything he could just avoid him just like he always did. Always.
You whisper to ashswagg: what do you want.
The seconds ticked by, it must've been almost 3 minutes until Ash answered.
ashswagg whispers to you: nothing much, just wondering if you were free to visit the amusement park
What?
Was he actually being serious?
You whisper to ashswagg: are you being for real
You whisper to ashswagg: you're asking ME of all people?
ashswagg whispers to you: you think i want to see you?
ashswagg whispers to you: I'm just bored
There's no way this guy wasn't planning something, he wanted to kill him for sure!
He probably had a trap prepared to kill him, or was going to jump him as soon as he got there...
But he wasn't a coward. If Ash had prepared something to kill him, he would prove that he was smarter than he thought. He wasn't a coward.
You whisper to ashswagg: fine. I'll be there in an hour
After that, he threw the communicator in his backpack, not caring in the slightest if Ash answered or not.
His heart totally wasn't beating faster after sending that, totally not.
.
.
.
It could be fun, couldn't it? As long as it wasn't a trap...
Aldo shook his head at the thought, there was no way in hell that this was not a trap. It had to be, no one is stupid enough to invite the person you clearly share a mutual dislike with to hang out. No one.
—
Ash was officially the stupidest human (?) on earth.
Well... Maybe behind Ewron.
He didn't think he'd get that far, he assumed Aldo would just ignore him or just reject him, not that he'd accept! He wasn't ready at all for any of this!!
But there was no time for regrets now, he had a hangout (could you even call it that?) with the last person he wanted to be with. And hell be damned, he was going to spend a good time even with that.
.
.
.
He was regretting that choice. There was no way in hell this was going to go well, if anything the only thing that he was getting out of this was disliking Aldo more.
Why didn't he just ask Tina?! That would've been a much better choice!
Whatever, what was done is done. He was going to go to an amusement park with a manchild, if he even decided to go and not just leave him hanging. To say he had little hope Aldo would actually show up would be an understatement.
But still, a small, really small part of him wanted to believe he would show up and then maybe- just maybe, they would have a nice time together. And who knows? maybe they'd grow to not dislike each other as much after today.
...
What a useless thought.
What a silly, pointless and useless thought.
He should stop thinking about useless hypotheticals, it was just pointless to think about stuff that wouldn't happen ever.
Now...
What would he wear?
He considered wearing his usual Regime uniform, but he'd probably be overdressed (as always).
But why would that matter? He'd always be overdressed next to Aldo, last time he saw him he looked like a homeless person... No offense to homeless people.
Perhaps he should go a little more casual, otherwise they'd have a problematic aura gap and he's already humiliated Aldo enough.
Then, before even daring to step into his room he remembered something... He didn't really have any "casual" clothing besides his sleeping clothes.
Well, seems he never had a choice in the first place, what a surprise.
Doesn't matter, doesn't matter at all.
...
He should probably wait in him in the amusement park before he regretted it.
—
Aldo was pacing around his castle, rambling to himself out loud while organising his backpack when the (seemingly inevitable) fight broke out between him and that code.
Everything was so suspicious... The last time he saw Ash was at the courtcase, and even then they hadn't even talked at all, so why was he suddenly interested in inviting him to spend time together?
Was he overthinking this?
No!! Totally not!!
It was very racional to distrust the person who not only humiliated you and the people you cared about, but he also made fun of The North!! And even though he was not a part of it anymore, that's not something you forget so easily.
Perhaps he should ghost Ash and claim he was actually really busy.
But that would just make him a coward, wouldn't it?
He wasn't a coward.
He wasn't.
... What was he talking about again?
Oh, the meeting with Ash, right.
Could he even call whatever this was a meeting? If anything it sounded more like a date of sorts...
Why was he thinking about that?! This was definitely not a date!! It was just a little, innocent hangout between not-friends-but-also-not-enemies. Nothing more, nothing else
He checked the time and, to no one's surprise, he was already 5 minutes late to his definitely-not-date. Looks like he got too caught up in his own thoughts.
"Whatever, it's not like that guy is gonna care or anything."
With a sigh, Aldo grabbed his warpstone. "Here goes nothing." He thought to himself as he teleported to spawn.