Chapter Text
Fredbear’s Family Diner was moderately crowded at this time: After lunch but also after children had been dismissed from school.
Adults were at the tables eating greasy food. Teenagers were loitering at corners trying to appear above it all. Children are all over the place, hanging with friends or “supervised” by parents. Though one child was notably alone.
A boy sat at a table with no food or drinks, just plush of the diner’s bear mascot. His body hunched slightly, hands wringing the grey stripe of his black sleeveless. He looked around, at the other kids who were eating pizza or walking around the tables. He thought about going to them and greeting them.
The idea was quickly dismissed. Who would want to be with someone like him? Not at school. Certainly not in the neighborhood. Even his own house felt… lonely.
Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, but he quickly brought his forearm to his face. Stop it. He berated himself. Stop crying. Don't make things worse. He rubbed the moisture from his face, lowering his hand with a sniff.
“Hey! Davey!”
He rotated, turning over his left shoulder to meet the source of the voice. A reminder that someone did like his presence.
A girl, blue shirt covered by black overalls. Two hair ties, each adorned with a pair of golden orbs, kept a bunch of her black hair in short pigtails. Her brown eyes, short and narrow, met his wide, stormy green ones.
Dave gave a small smile, “Hey Cass.”
Cassidy hopped onto the seat beside him, “I had to clean my room first.” She raised her hands in the air in outrage, “Which is a bunch of crap! The room's going to be messy again anyway, so why even bother?!”
Dave raised his own hand up, giving it a little wave, “If you keep your room nice and tidy, it wouldn't be so bad.”
Cassidy gave him a playful shove, “Ew, you sound like my mom.”
Dave sways slightly from the push with a chuckle. A waitress notices his raised hand, to which Dave takes out a few coins and dollar bills when she approaches.
“O-One medium pizza and t-two drinks please.” Dave winced at his spoken order, but a grip on his shoulder prevented him from dwelling further.
The waitress took the money and inquired, “What would you–?”
“Pepperoni,” Cassidy interrupted. “The big ones that aren't shitty.”
The waitress froze, probably at the language coming from a girl no older than eight, but Cassidy continued, “Faz-Cola, that red raspberry one. Two of them.”
“Actually, I-I would like some iced tea.” Dave amended. Cassidy’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “One tea and one cola, thank you.”
The waitress stared for a bit, at the two children and the stuffed bear that stared back. She opened her mouth, then remembered she's not paid enough for this.
“Would you like some dessert?”
“No thank you.” “Nope.”
The waitress left, leaving the two friends alone. With her hand still on Dave's shoulder, Cassidy gave him another shake.
“Iced tea? Seriously?!”
“Soda makes me gassy!” Dave defended his choice of beverage, “And the tea has a really nice flavour.”
“Sure, if you like the taste of dirt water.” teased Cassidy. Dave pushed her, both children wobbling with laughter.
Cassidy leaped off her chair, grabbing Dave's hand in her own, ready to bolt towards their activities for the day.
“Wait,” she paused, turning back to her friend, “We need to stop any idiots from taking our spot.”
Dave slides down from his chair, his right hand still entangled with Cassidy's left. “Fredbear can help.”
Cassidy gazes at the bear, “Won't it just follow you like always.” She remembers the flashes of yellow in places it couldn't possibly be in.
Dave gave a reassuring nod, “He promised.”
Cassidy looked at the plush again, “Fine.”
She then pointed an accusatory finger, “But if you teleport and lose our seats, I'm going to shove you down the drain outside!”
The stuffed bear tilted slightly to the right, its usual blank gaze directed fully at Cassidy.
Creepy little thing.
Dave giggled at Cassidy’s threats and tugged on her hand, “C’mon Cass!”
Fredbear watched as the two best friends sunk deeper into the diner, their hands still intertwined.
+++
They were aimless at first, moving from game to game. They’ve waited, watched, and eventually partook in the machinery meant for entertainment. But after a string of lucky high scores and a yield of tickets more prosperous than their usual earnings, they've settled on getting something from the prize counter before the day is over.
*THUNK!* *Thu-Thunk!*
Their latest stop was the basketball arcade, token already inserted, balls rolling down into the grabbing zone.
*THUNK! THUNK! THUNK!*
Cassidy was an efficient, if slightly spastic machine. The basketballs barely settled in her hands before they were launched, a stream of orange spraying into hoops.
*thunk!*
Dave held his projectiles close to his chest, then launched them into the hoop. A much slower process, but his basketballs went into their targets more accurately than his best friend's.
Together? It was a surefire way to get big numbers.
*Boing*
“Cass!” Dave exclaimed as he watched 2 basketballs bounce off each other and away from the hoop, “You knocked my ball away!”
Though there might be a few complications.
“You should have thrown faster Davey!” Cassidy’s eyes were still on the hoop, though she raised her left elbow to nudge Dave playfully.
The game continued, the noise of basketballs bouncing and laughter drowning out the rest of the diner for the 2 best friends. It was just them.
*Dingdingding!*
The basketball machine rang out the finishing sound, signalling the end of their minute of fun. The LED screen starts flashing their highscore, the seven-segment display showing a 43. From below, the tickets dispensed out of the machine.
Cassidy brought the basketball she still had above her head and flicked it forward with both hands. The ball went into the net without a bump; a clean shot.
“So how much did we get Davey?”
Dave yanked the ticket from the machine, pulling one end away from him. His eyes tracked each time the face of the bear passed his palm.
“Twenty-one.”
Cassidy crosses her arms, glancing at their newest batch of tickets while mentally adding them to all the tickets they've accumulated so far, “So we got about a hundred in total. Should be enough to get the Fazerblaster.”
Dave began folding the tickets on top of one another, the line of tickets snaking upwards towards the pile in his palm and shortening in length, “The blaster is actually ten thousand tickets.”
Cassidy’s fingers halted their rhythmic tapping on her arm, looking at Dave with wide eyes, “You're joking.”
Dave wordlessly nodded, putting the pile of folded tickets into his stuffed pockets.
Cassidy’s face was quickly morphing into disgust. How long would it take to get that stupid toy? A month? 3 months? A year??
“I won't believe it till I see it.” Cassidy huffed, her pigtails shaking a bit with the movement.
“I doubt you would even if you did.” Dave replied. He walked forward, ready to lead his friend to the sight of a number with so many zeros.
“Beat it, twerp.”
Dave heard the voice at the same time he felt the shove. He stumbled backwards, falling on his backside with a Thud. He would have had an unfortunate collision with the arcade games with his momentum, but a steady, protective hand on his back stopped the crash from happening.
Cassidy was already kneeling beside him, her eyes taking in his shocked expression and wide eyes. She barely heard Dave's thanks when she straightened her back and glared at the person who had slighted her best friend.
“Watch where you're going, you ASSWIPE!!!”
The offender, a moody teenager in a grey hoodie, twisted his body to face Cassidy. The condescending gaze his eyes gave under his hood made her scowl harder.
“Why should I? Little crybaby shouldn't be blocking my way.”
Cassidy’s fists clenched tightly, growling as a retaliation formed in her mind. Before she could convert her thoughts into actions, the sound of a jingle chimed in the diner.
“Attention! The Fredbear and Spring Bonnie show will start in five minutes!”
The announcement jingle rang again, though the tension between the girl in overalls and the hooded teenager remained. Dave wrapped his hand gently around one of her fists, interrupting Cassidy's train of thought.
“I-It's okay Cass.” said Dave, his voice impeccably soft. The contrast between this wobbly smile and the worry in his eyes, the unspoken plea for her not to get hurt or get into trouble, almost took the fight out of her.
“Yeah, listen to your boyfriend, brat.”
Almost.
Gently wiggling out of Dave's hold, Cassidy made a beeline to the hooded teenager, who was already walking away. She lifted her left foot up and, with a growl, stomped on the corresponding calf.
At the moment of impact, the teenager was forced down, his left knee rushed to kiss the floor. A shout burst out of his throat as a jolt of pain shot up from his leg. By the time he turned around, those two brats were already gone.
+++
The price for the Fazerblaster was indeed priced at a ridiculous 10000 tickets. They could try to save some tickets every day. But they were still kids developing their self-control.
“We’d like th-that prize please.” Dave’s hand pointed to the middle shelf on the wall.
“The stupid looking bear.” Cassidy added unnecessarily.
So the two best friends hauled back a Freddy Fazbear squeaky toy, with its wide eyes and oval-shaped mouth giving the dopiest expression.
The crowd of the diner has mostly settled down, children chatting excitedly while parents ate in relative peace.
Dave and Cassidy’s spot remained miraculously untouched, their order of medium pizza and 2 drinks planted on the wooden surface. The Fredbear plush had not only fulfilled his duty, but had oriented himself to face inward, as if to check all the food and beverages are accounted for.
The two hungry children quickly climbed onto their chairs, with Dave giving his plush a “Thank you.”. They consumed their cooled down pizza, drank their sugary beverage, and chatted in between.
“Still can't believe you chose tea.”
Dave took a sip of the aforementioned iced tea, the cool liquid washing down the grease from the pepperoni, “It's really refreshing though!”
Cassidy took a bite of her pizza, continuing to speak through a mouthful of cheese, “Bullsish, thas musd be the Brit in shyou talging.”
Dave blinked, “Pardon?”
Cassidy swallowed and pointed at him, “See, that’s exactly what I’m talking about! Only British people would use strange words and like crappy food!”
Dave turned his body to fully face her, arms crossed and putting on his blankest face, “What I do isn’t that strange.”
“Rilly?” Cassidy teased, “You sure you won’t do something like this?”
She tilted her head slightly upwards and did a haughty sniff, “Hello good sir, how are you doing this delightful evening.”
“Hey!” Dave exclaimed. Her accent was so exaggerated; Not even dad spoke like that!
“This fine establishment would be 100 times better if it served crumpets with the tea!” Cassidy picked up her soda and raised it high in the air. “Cheerio!”
She tilted her cup and proceeded to drink in the most obnoxious slurping sounds possible. Dave’s mouth was a wobbly line, his facial muscles straining to retain his unamused look.
Chugging the whole drink in one go, Cassidy put her empty red cup on the table, opened her mouth and…
*BUUAAARPP!*
The adults around them turned, disgusted by the rude gesture. The other kids either vocalised an “Eww!” or “Gross!”. Cassidy didn't care, her gaze was on the reaction of her best friend.
And he was losing it.
“Pffftt!!”
A vigorous laughing fit bursted out of Dave’s mouth, forcing him to hug his aching stomach to stabilise himself. His shoulders bounced with the rhythm of his laugh, that lock of brown hair that always stood between his tearing eyes swayed side to side. The laughter itself was loud, yet still retained the soft, melodious quality he always had in his voice.
The mischievous aura around Cassidy softened, as a warmth bloomed in her core. She adored seeing Dave like this, proud that she was the cause of such joy.
The lights in the diner dimmed, the darkness sucking out the colours of the surroundings. A spotlight flashed onto the stage where the two golden animatronics stood. On the left was the bear, and he was straightening his posture, his eyelids retreating upwards to reveal his blue irises.
“Hey everyone! Are you having a good time at Fredbear's Family Diner?”
A chorus of answers roared from the crowd. Cassidy covered her ears with a slight scowl, Dave adjusted his Fredbear Plush so it could have a full view of his animatronic counterpart.
“Well golly! It looks like a happy crowd today!” Fredbear's free left hand clenched into a fist, with a thumb still out and pointing to himself. “For any new friends present, my name is Fredbear, and beside me is my best bud—”
The yellow bear swiveled to the right, expecting a response. But the rabbit remained slumped over, a snoring track coming from his voicebox.
“Oh dear,” Fredbear groaned, “It seems Bonnie is fast asleep. I told him not to eat a large pizza before bedtime.”
Giggles surrounded the diner as Fredbear slowly rotated his head left and right.
“It looks like we have to wake Bonnie, kids! Now, when I count to three, everyone says ‘Wake up Bonnie!’ with me. Ready?”
Fredbear brought his mic near his face, jaws moving as the countdown began.
“1, 2, 3!”
The stage area was once again bombarded with sound, with Fredbear's robotic voice drowning in the shrill wakeup calls from the youths. Dave didn't participate in the shouting match, though he laughed a bit when Cassidy threw out a word that was very obviously a swear.
“Cass, you can’t just say that.” he admonished, though not really meaning it.
“Watch me,” she whispered back, her usual grin back on her face, adding a more vulgar word to the racket.
As the noise level reached its peak, the yellow rabbit jerked with movement. The Spring Bonnie animatronic shot up, green eyes now wide open and ears going from a curl to being as straight as a stick.
“YEEOWCH!” screamed Bonnie, voice shrill as he turned to his bear buddy. “What's the big idea Fred! You know how sensitive my hearing is! These ears aren’t just for show, you know?!”
“You need to wake up, you silly rabbit!” chortled Fredbear. “The show’s about to start! Our show!”
“Whua?” Bonnie rotated around, his eyes scanning the crowd like Fredbear did before.
“Well goooolly! It seems we are really packed!” Bonnie turned back to Fredbear, “But I'm sure you can entertain the kiddos on your own Fred!”
“But it wouldn't be the same! I’d always wanted to perform with my best pal.”
“Aww, you big softie!”
The animatronics continued their preprogrammed back-and-forth on stage, Dave and Cassidy soaking every second of it, their food forgotten for now.
“Hey Cass?”
His soft voice cut through the noise around them. Cassidy glanced at Dave; his face was facing forward, but his eyes darted between the stage and her.
“Will we always be best friends?”
The question filled the space between them and Cassidy remained quiet, even though she's usually quick to respond.
Dave felt anxiety rise in him. Had he said something wrong? Did she think he was stupid?
A faint touch on his hand snapped Dave out of his panic. Without looking, his hand went to envelope hers, their fingers already in the process of intertwining. Her fingers exerted a strong pressure all around his hand, and he squeezed her back.
“Forever.”
Fredbear cleared his throat, the golden animatronics finally ready to sing. Dave and Cassidy watched their favourite performance, in their favourite place, with their favourite person.
Together.