| b u g s | MCYT(OC)

~Tickets~

"So," Fern mumbled, yawning silently as the others ate. "Anyone planning on telling their fans?"

"I think we almost have to," Tommy spoke up. "Or at least let them know we're busy and won't stream while we're here."

Fern raised a brow. "You guys aren't planning on streaming?" They asked, taking a sip of their shake. "I thought that was like, something you always did when you met up."

"Usually, yeah, but this is kinda a special case, innit?" Wilbur laughed. The waitress stopped by, getting quick nods when she asked if they were enjoying their food. "You and Dream are both faceless."

"I don't mind you guys streaming," They rolled their eyes.

"We're not gonna come all this way to meet you and then spend our time streaming without you," Tubbo snorted. Niki giggled quietly, taking another bite of her food. "Don't be stupid."

Dream and Sapnap had been quiet all morning. Fern had taken notice, but it felt wrong to ask what was going on. They'd been talking to each other after all, so they figured they just weren't supposed to know.

"I'm not gonna win this battle, will I?" They slumped over, resting their chin in their hand and watching as Niki and Tubbo both grinned like idiots. "Alright, then. Any plans for today?"

"Markus brought up Midway," Nine's voice was muffled by the food in her mouth, but Fern lit up when they heard her words. "I agreed it would be fun."

"Midway?" Tubbo muttered, brows furrowed.

"Midway lanes," Fern cut in, fiddling with their straw. "It's a bowling alley and an arcade. One of Markus' teammates bowls competitively so we don't usually go in case they might be there, but I doubt there's a comp on a Monday."

"Plus," Nine spoke up quickly between bites. "It's Monday. People are at work or sleeping in. Barely a chance y'all get recognized."

"I'll bring my mask though, obviously," Fern muttered, again more to themselves than those around them. "And- Dream, do you need a mask, too? Obviously you don't need one, but just in case, you know?"

Dream smiled, meeting their eyes for what Fern thought was the first time that morning. "That would be great," He spoke softly. "Thank you."

"Sure?" Fern shook their head. They'd just shake it off. People acted strange for a lot of reasons, and not all of them were bad. Dream was an adult. He could handle himself.

~

Dream could indeed handle himself; that is, in most everything except bowling.

The American's played on one lane while the Brit's (and Niki) played in the one next to them. Dream was currently getting his ass handed to him by Fern but held a strong second place above Markus. Nine was putting in no effort at all, giving Sapnap an easy fourth place.

"You can't beat 'em," Nine had muttered at the beginning, clapping a hand on Dream's shoulder. "They bowl right handed."

"No handicap," Markus shivered, eyes wide.

"They can't be good at everything," Sapnap had scoffed.

"Considering how long we've been playing these lanes, they can be," Nine snorted back. Fern was talking with Tubbo and Tommy as they got their shoes on, eyeing the balls behind them and already picking which one they'd use. "We've al got our things. Markus can do team sports, Fern can do one-on-one, and I can do sitting."

That's how they'd gotten to this point, with Fern at 87 and Dream not far behind at a 79. Sapnap was at 68 as Markus sat comfortably at 69, explaining how he'd be throwing gutter balls for the rest of the game. Nine, with an astounding score of 13, sat back in her chair and watched as Fern was up to throw again.

"I told you," She'd grinned at Dream, watching Fern bowl yet another strike.

Dream wanted to be annoyed, he really did. He wanted to be salty that he lost, especially to a kid in a shoulder brace, but Fern turned around with the widest smile he'd ever seen on their face and jumped like a puppy finding out they'd be going for a walk and he couldn't find a reason to be mad at them.

Slowly, he was becoming more and more sure of his, Sapnap, and Wilbur's plan.

~

To add an extra bit of fun to the trip, Dream and Wilbur had snuck off as the rest were finishing their last game and filled a card for everyone with $100 each. The pair walked back smugly, handing a card stuffed with money to everyone as they came sitting back down.

Fern shoved theirs back at Dream, but he let it drop to the ground.

"I don't need that much," They'd gawked. "I hardly use 50 on an expensive day."

Dream only shrugged, hands on his hips and giddy smile plastered on his face.

"My treat, then."

"Dream, no," Fern huffed.

"Too late, Bud," Fern, who was horrible at saying no to everyone but especially the people close to them, did not take a lot of convincing. The intrusive thoughts would be harsh either way, they'd reasoned, and Dream had insisted on it.

To make it up to him, Fern won Dream everything he even considered glancing at.

His arms were stuffed full of plushies and plastic balls and even ticket wads that Fern had won him at a game he'd taken an interest in learning.

He'd tried three times to get a wad of tickets from it, huffing when it didn't work. Fern, who'd been watching him like a hawk once they'd entered the arcade, stepped in and won him two 500's and a 150.

They had fun just winning things for their friends. Tommy and Tubbo got a lot, too, but nobody left empty handed. Everybody got at least three prizes from Fern; except for them, of course. They didn't need anything.

Through it all, they were careful to avoid one game in particular. Markus and Nine giggled like children every time Fern averted their eyes and walked straight past it, but they were apparently the only ones who noticed.

"Fern!" Wilbur called, gesturing for them to meet him over at the game they hated most. He was sweating, but Niki and Tubbo were still going. "You should try a song!"

And Fern, forever horrible at saying no, swallowed their nerves and agreed to a singular song on Dance Dance Revolution.