How do you know how to make drinks?
This is a fic about the Characters, not the real people.
Pairing: c!Fundy & c!Quackity
Word count: 1.6k
Summary:
"Fundy where did you learn how to mix drinks like that?", Quackity asked his interest piqued as the fox hybrid just placed a beautiful yellowish drink in front of him.
Tags: Developing Friendship; Hurt/Comfort; Neopronouns for Fundy, Quackity, Jack Manifold, Jschlatt; Fundy-centric; Bartending; Fox Hybrid Fundy; Duck Hybrid Quackity; Sheep Hybrid Jschlatt
TW: mentioned alcohol and past alcoholism
Pronouns:
Main Characters:
Fundy: he/yip/jump/fo* (you just read/say it as fox, but write it with a *); ber/berry; prank/prankster
Quackity: he/she/gold/coin/ace
It was a late rainy night, well it could hardly be called a rainy night, it was barely drizzling from the sky. The windows plastered with many droplets that reflected the artificial lights from the streetlamps outside like stars. To be honest Fundy would have preferred to look at the sky rather than the rain slowly falling down through the window. Looking at the droplets racing each other on the glass like that did remind him of a better time when he was huddled around the vans window with Wilbur putting bets on which droplet would end up on the edge of the window the fastest, but that was then. Now yip has to wait for Quackity, since she arranged a meeting with jump.
As Fundy was playing with his hands waiting for the duck hybrid to finally start the meeting by arriving, it was obvious that the fox was deep in thought. Why was fo* called in past yips working hours? Well they didn't have working hours quite yet, because Las Nevadas wasn't open yet, but still it was so late that any normal person would be already asleep.
Thankfully for Quackity Fundy was an insomniac.
Rarely did sleep come easy to the fox, most often than not boxing berryself in pranks hole trying to distract himself from falling asleep. On rainy nights like these, the sound of the rain hitting yips trapdoor was enough to keep him awake.
Maybe yip did something wrong? Is this the moment Quackity realised that he was of no use? That jump only means troubles? Or even worse his flag design wasn't going to be accepted?
The last few days Fundy spent, hours designing it. Finding the perfect materials, collecting, dying them by hand and most importantly sow them together. It was a lot of work, which helped ber from falling asleep, but jump enjoyed it a lot. So if his boss was to dislike the design he doesn't know what prank would do with yipself.
Before Fundys thoughts could escalate even more thankfully Quackity entered the diner only a little bit wet from the current weather, but ace didn't seem to mind. Does coin still like the rain like back in the days of L'manburg?
Those were good times, Fundy wasn't really supposed to spend time with Quackity back then, but once jump saw the duck hybrid with exposed wings and all just happily spending time in the rain just letting it drip upon her. Fundy couldn't relate back then and couldn't relate now. How one could be this happy on rainy days?
But now on the duck hybrids expression was nothing left of the past joy.
Quackity quickly made his way over to Fundy and the fox hybrid couldn't help but use yips bosses words against him. "So much for time is money." Fo* grinned cheekily as the duck checked the time running golds hand through her wet hair. "Yeah, yeah I know I am late. Still I am not starting this meeting until i have something to drink.", Quackity remarked not really amused by the pranksters comebacks, but not sounding annoyed at the foxes words either.
Fundy thought that was a success.
The indirekt request of a drink reminded Fundy of Schlatt in a way, but before he could start thinking about the ram hybrid any further prank shook his head to clear his head.
So with that being said the both decided to move to the bar table, Fundy moving behind the bar as if it was second nature. Quackity was thankful for the fox hybrid pouring the drinks, coin didn't know if gold had enough energy to do it herself.
Who knew that building and managing a city could be this draining?
Fundy doesn't know why, but something in yip, long lost, ignited as soon as he entered the mixing area. Different tools and drinks on display for him to use. It was a childlike cheerfulness, a nostalgic one but one nonetheless. Jump didn't know what it was, but looking at all this inspired him to make a cocktail fo* wanted to try to make a while ago. So he did just that.
It wasn't anything fancy just a simple classic Gin Fizz. Quackity looked confused when Fundy started pulling out a cocktail shaker from the shelves. Coin wasn't expecting anything fancy, rather thinking that the fox would just go for the easy way out and just pour him a glass of whisky
Fundy started by pouring in a shot of alcohol into the shaker. Looking up to his boss he quickly asked "Do you want lemon or lime?" For a second Quackity felt like he was on a night out at a bar instead of a meeting with Fundy, but he didn't comment on it just answered curious as to where this was going "Lemon."
As per request the hybrid behind the table took a lemon and squeezed it into the shaker after cutting it. Luck seems to be on jumps side as no seed fell out this time. Usually fo* would just use a lemon squeezer but he didn't want to keep his boss waiting any longer. Not wanting to anoy the other. With that finished prank added agave instead of sugar syrup, because he is fancy like that and after adding ice he skillfully shook that shaker for around a minute.
With two glasses ready on the bar table he poured the drink into both of them, adding ice cubes and a slice of lemon on the rim. With that Fundy took one of the two glasses and put it carefuly closer to Quackity for ace to taste it.
The duck was not trying to hide her amazement, but waited for after coin drank for the judgement, bringing the cool drink into his mouth. A very light sour citrus flavour hit his taste buds witch allowed the gin to shine against the sparkle. It was more than delicious. With coins curiosity peaked, "Fundy where did you learn how to make such drinks?"
Suddenly ber became a little more shy and answered coyly, "I mean back in L'manburg days Jack was a fan of drinks and alcohol generally, he wanted to open a pub even or a bar. And the curious fox that I am I just asked him if storm could teach me a few things." The fact that yip might have ended up working there was left out, not wanting to break the good mood of the other.
Quackity listened and nodded along to show he was listening. It made sense that the energetic man, which was Jack, had a passion for drinks. If ace was recalling right, there was indeed an unfinished pub building near the Tommyinnit Hotel.
With a deep sigh Fundy yip was reading jumpself for what he was about to confess, it already felt as if a heavy weight has been finally lifted from the foxes shoulders, "Later on after Schlatt became president he let a party be thrown in his name and I mixed a few drinks for it. He was impressed and continued to ask me about them so I obliged. When I made drinks for him, he would always be nice to me, thank me and even-" Fundy felt embarrassed to admit this, "and he even gave me head pats sometimes. It was a nice feeling, those were the few times where Schlatt actually felt like,,,,,At those moments I could pretend like it cared for me, like he was family."
It was not a smart thing to do, baring himself open like that for berries boss, but he will probably blame it on the heat of the moment when jump will look back on this moment and tear prankself apart for opening up like that, leaving yipself vulnerable. By now he should know better than to do that.
Fundy looked down to his untouched drink, not able to look at Quackity without shame visible on his face. Fo* might as well have told gold that fo* was responsible for Schlatts alcoholic problems. It wasn't true, the fox might have fulled it, which was bad enough, but jump certainly didn't start it. Still it felt like it.
Quackity just let out a hum of acknowledgement and took another big sip from aces glass. Without a warning she stood up and started walking out, Fundy was about to ask why he was going, or that he was sorry for what yip did, but Quackity beat berry to it when she said "You got the job."
Fundy just seemed confused at that, letting fo* head tillt to the side, so Quackity elaborated, "You got the job as bartender. You will be working here when Las Nevadas opens." The duck turned around facing the other again with a smile and continued "So you better start practicing some more, i need your at your best on opening day, I expect no costumer unsatisfied."
That seemed to be the end of the conversation it seemed as the duck was halfway through the door, but stopping one more time and adding "Also, good work with the flag. I like it a lot."
What?
Berry just couldn't believe what has just transpired in the bar.
Well yip could figure it out later, something in him seemed to be overjoyed. A stupid grin plastered on yips face, tail waging behind him like crazy. Feeling like a little kit again, the fox hybrid felt like fo* could just start jumping in the air, but prank didn't, still feeling like he had to go against yips instincts to appear more professional, more human.
But there was no time to waste thinking about the conditioning, which Fundy has put himself on as a pup, to get his dads approval.
Fundy was born into a loving family. He had a mother who would travel seas and a father who would fight nations for him. He was deeply loved, and for the next few years, that was all he knew.
When he took his first steps while travelling the seas with his parents, his mother had actually almost stopped the ship just to go watch him. He was down on the dock with the other sails-men while his father stood opposite of him with arms open wide to catch him in case he fell. Thankfully, he managed to walk all the way into his fathers arms before finally falling.
Even if he was too young to realize, the other sails-men could tell that the young boy was loved. As his father carried him and his mother pressed a kiss onto his forehead, they knew he was loved.
Fundy needed a family.
Fundy was 5 when his mother died. A disease had taken over her health and she was bedridden for months before the day she didn’t wake up finally came.
A death on the sea for a person born in it. How poetic.
He was still a child but this time, as his father held his hand as he cried into his mothers chest, he couldn’t help but think about what would happen next.
The sails-men stood around them with hats held against their chest as they bowed their heads in respect of their captain. They tried to not cry, they really did, but how could they not when the little boy they had watched grow up who had a permanent smile finally break.
Fundy needed a family, but at least he still had his father.
Fundy was 16 when his father left with his uncle. They were exiled, but with the lack of effort to even see him it might as well have been leaving. He was 16 when his father left and 17 when he watched his grandfather push a sword through his heart.
Falling to his knees, he watched as his grandfather's blood stained hands lost grip of the sword and wrapped themselves around his fathers dead body. His blood stained his grandfather's clothes though he paid no mind, there were more important things right now. Fundy stood there frozen, mind racing with far too many thoughts to even comprehend anything else.
Fundy needed a family, but at least he still had his grandfather....right?
It felt like the cruel world was piling on top of him one by one. Not even giving him any time to try to move on, Phil had rejected him. Refusing to take him in and even choosing a friend over his own family when Fundy had thought he finally found somewhere to belong. “You’re dead to me.”
Fundy needed a family.
It felt like years had passed since he last spoke to Eret. Though they had some arguments and grudges held against each-other, Fundy was over the moon when the monarch approached him asking if he'd like to be adopted. Was this what it felt like to be wanted? To finally be loved and accepted by someone?
Fundy was quick to accept the offer, but perhaps he had gotten his hopes too high and God knew that only led to disappointment. Fundy sadly learnt this the hard way when the day of adoption came, and he was the only one there...
Fundy didn't need a family, did he?
Despite telling himself multiple times he was perfectly fine being alone, his dreams seemed to tell him otherwise and waking up in cold sweat with the words "Mama" and "Dad" leaving his mouth had become a nightly thing. Much to his dismay.
But Fundy needed a family, and with everything he once had now stripped away, what harm could joining an old friend really do?
Perhaps family wasn't meant to be blood. Perhaps he could find family elsewhere—and that was what he did in a place called Las Nevadas.
