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

Ch.7 Flipped

Goggles removed his headgear and placed it on Rider's bedside table, who turned the lights off and layed down to his friend's right.

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Rider woke up to birds chirping and the sun shining through his blinds. He groaned and sat up, expecting Goggles to lay beside him, but no. Rider felt some sort of sharp pain; disappointment, as it turned out to have been merely a silly dream - or so he thought.

„Morning, Rider~", Goggles chimed, sitting on the floor with his signature bright smile.

„Morning", Rider responed hesitantly, eyes widened. He gulped, something made him have butterflies in his stomach, resulting in a faint blush and a hunch of... relief?

„Why are you... on the floor?", the taller boy continued and started to get up, trying to brush this unusual feeling off.

„I didn't want to bother you", Goggles responded, keeping his smile.

„Tck... you're not", Rider said softly but keeping an annoyed undertone. Why would Goggles think something like that?

The lime green boy walked next to where his guest was sitting and could now see the bags under Goggles' eyes, as he stared up at him.
He probably didn't get any sleep... Rider noticed, that he was just staring at Goggles and knew it'd be awkward if he didn't say anything now.

„Uhh what do you wanna eat?", Rider asked.

„Oh, I don't eat breakfast", Goggles answered while getting up quickly. He then lost his balance and tumbled forward, with Rider ultimately catching him in the process.

„Uh...! Sorry", he muttered, his face turning a dark shade of red as their faces haven't been this close before. „I get dizzy if I stand up too fast"

„That's...okay", Rider said under his breath and let go of Goggles' upper waist, noticing to have blushed himself.

„What did you say about not eating?", the taller boy asked, stepping towards the door.

„I don't eat breakfast. I never have enough time and I'm not really hungry anyways", Goggles response sounded a bit off. Huh, weird.

They were now in the kitchen, the cold floor tiles made the boys flinch, as they were still walking barefoot. Rider prepared a sandwich while Goggles flung himself up the counter tops, just sitting there, watching his friend.

„And you're really not hungry?", Rider asked again.

„Nope, I'm good", the shorter boy answered with a blank expression, not bothering to smile the way he usually does.

„He looks so extremely tired...", thought Rider and glanced over, „so thin as well..."

„Well that's why look like a toothpick, huh?", he said teasingly.

„Hm", was all Goggles said that could resemble a response, now looking down at the floor, kicking his feet. Did he take me seriously?

Rider finished his sandwich and took the first bite. Who wouldn't wanna eat breakfast?

The lime boy looked at Goggles, who was just staring into nothingness. „He lookes so different without his usual turfing gear", Rider concluded, „...so tiny and vulnerable."

He continued to think about Goggles, and how the turf wars might be what gave him the confidence to be so loud and annoying. Or maybe this was Goggles' true self and we just never saw it? No... Rider shook his head, trying to get rid of those thoughts. He's probably just too tired to be an annoyance.

„What time is it?", Goggles said quietly, still looking away.

Rider quickly swallowed to resond.
„Around 10, I'd guess" As the boys both left their phones in Rider's bedroom.

Goggles turned to look at Rider, his face deriving of any color, as he went even paler.

„What?", Rider asked confused.

The blue boy sighed. „I missed practice again", he said defeated and chuckled, despite not seeming happy at all.

„So.. you wanna text Specs you're not coming or are we gonna hurry over?"

„We?", Goggles asked surprised.

„Tch... as if I'd let you roam the streets in the state you're in. You can barely stand up by yourself", Rider said firmly, trying to make sense of why exactly he wanted to go with him.

Goggles smiled softly and jumped off the counters. „Let's go then! Specs will kill me if we don't hurry up now!~", he giggled.

The two teenage boys wasted no time getting ready and walked out the apartments front door. „You wanna go by foot?", Rider asked as he locked the door behind them.

„Yeah", Goggle answered and Rider just shrugged. „Alright"

They hurried through the streets, Goggles getting visibly more anxious the closer they get to the Plaza.

„Is everything alright? You seem unnerved", Rider said, weirdly worried about Goggles.

„It's just... I'm tired...", he answered. What else is new? Rider let out a frustrated sigh.

„Just be honest, for cod's sake"

„I'll try" He also sighed.

The mood worsened, as awkward silence followed. Rider was worried. What's going on?
The two finally arrived, spotting Team Blue by one of the tables at the back of the Plaza.

Goggles closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath and started to smile, squinting his eyes just right so it would look genuine. He ran towards his friends, waving Rider goodbye. The yellow green inkling watched him start a conversation with them, getting annoyed looks from Specs. It was as if Goggles just flipped a switch as soon as his friends were present.

Headphones gazed over to where Rider was standing, who then turned around and left feeling awkward.

Why didn't he want to leave him behind?

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I'll make some changes to the prologue soon, as I'm not particularly proud of it.
17.06.2020
931 words