Falling for Secrets | Goggles x Rider | Splatoon Manga Ship Story

Ch.2 Lies

„Oh. Well I better get going now, huh?", Goggles tried to walk past but Rider grabbed onto his jacket's sleeve, ultimately holding him back.

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Goggles eyes widened as he stared up at Rider.

„I just want to make sure you're okay, okay?", Rider looked down, almost as if he was embarrassed?
Goggles opened his mouth to say something, but he didn't know how to respond, so he simply closed it again after a few seconds.
Since when does Rider care so much?

„Tch! You never talk about your actual feelings, so how are we supposed to know when something's up, Goggles?", Rider now looked directly into Goggles' eyes with worry.

„You... actually care...?", he responded quietly.

„Of course, idiot! I wouldn't ask then, would I?" Was Rider really serious about this? Goggles couldn't believe that he was the only one who noticed or even cared.

„Sigh I'm okay, really. I just have some things on my mind, that's all.", Goggles forced a big smile but he figured that Rider would look right through him.

Rider let Goggles go: „Well let's go then. Your teammates must be worried sick."

„Oh carp! The others!", Goggles yelped and started shuffling through his pockets, frantically looking for his phone. „Six missed calls and 24 new messages?!", he read on the lockscreen.

Rider and Goggles started walking back down while he went through the messages, quickly texting everyone back, saying that he had mistakenly muted his phone during training and got lost in the never ending alleyways of Inkopolis until Rider had found him. He knew it was a blatant lie, but what would sound less suspicious?

Goggles couldn't hold a relieved sigh back and put his phone back in his pocket. Bobbles texted that she wasn't going to be home tonight and he feared to have forgotten his keys again.
„What if I can't get inside??", Goggles thought while looking for his keys, once again digging through his pockets.

„You... need help with anything?", Rider asked sarcastically.

„I'm just looking for my keys. Bobbles said she isn't home"

„I know, I overheard it before I came here. Do you know who she's at?"

„No. I don't really care, she do her things, I do mine. It gets lonely sometimes though... haha", Goggles ended on a forced giggle as to not worry Rider furthermore.

„Hmpf, alright...why don't you go to Specs or Headphones?", Rider suggested.

„Oh... well I kind of feel like a third-wheel without Bobbles", he admitted and looked away from Rider to the right, although Goggles could almost feel Rider's eyes piercing through him.

„Yeah, I feel you. You know you can talk to me, right? You never mentioned anything being on your mind during practice. Do the other teammembers know about anything?"

Rider kept asking questions, but Goggles stopped listening. He didn't know if Specs, Headphones or Bobble Hat noticed anything, although he strongly doubts it. Goggles knows who Bobble Hat was secretly visiting, he knows how badly Headphones wants to find the one and how Aloha and Army were acting weird around each other.

He is oblivious sometimes, but he's not stupid.

„Goggles? Goggles!", Rider repeats his name once more and looked blankly at Goggles.

„Uuhh, yes, sorry! I spaced out, I guess...", he answered, trying to remember what Rider was talking about.

„Tss... I wonder what's constantly on your mind?", Rider said teasingly, „Is it a girl?"
Goggles could feel his face getting red.

„No, no girl. Haha...", he giggled nervously.

„No girl?" Rider was clearly getting curious. Ahh carp!

„I don't... you know, like girls in... particular..." Goggles started playing with his fingers, getting redder and more nervous every passing second.
„It's weird, I kno-"

„What!? Don't say that! Tch, don't worry about those things" Goggles was visibly relieved and let out a long sigh. Rider looked up at the nightsky, it was getting late.

A few moments of awkward silence passed when Rider asked:
„So it's a boy?" Goggles shrugged as a response and looked away again. He couldn't answer directly or Rider would ask for a name next. If only I knew myself...

„You don't have to tell me anything, don't worry. Does anybody else know?"
Goggles shook his head, now staring at the ground. A moment passes.

„You know, you can stay at my place if you don't want to be alone", Rider suggested.

„I don't want to be a nuisance... it's okay", Goggles lied and put on a fake smile but it somehow felt horrible to face Rider at the same time. It's not like he has never done this before, quite regularly actually. But he somehow feels worse than ever.

„You're not, trust me. You can just say that you don't want to", Rider reassured but seemed frustrated at the same time. Goggles had to decide quickly, he was torn between not being a nuisance or not being alone. At least that were the options to him.

„I'll... I'll go with you then", Goggles said and tried to sound enthusiastic to outshine his nervousness.

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Thanks for reading! (Although I doubt anybody will ever read this mess)
14.06.2020
854 words