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

Ch.20 Thinking

Rider and Goggles waved goodbye before they went their separate ways again.

(Mostly plays during Chapter 17-19)
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Rider went to meet with his teammates for some casual training and turf wars. He had a bad feeling about leaving Goggles though. Actually, he had a bad feeling about Goggles in general. He was acting out of character in an unsettling and worrying way. „But maybe he always acts like this when nobody's around or maybe just with people he trusts?", the lime boy thought to himself. Does Goggles trust him...?

Since when did he gain his trust? Wasn't he always mean and annoyed towards the blue inkling? Rider remembered the last couple days. He wasn't all that spiteful to him lately, so maybe the lime boy was out of character as well? He shook his head to get his mind back to reality, he was almost at the Plaza and could spot his teammembers waiting for him.

„Hey Rider!", Stealth exclaimed. School Uniform and Bamboo Hat also greeted their team leader. „Hi", he said the way he usually does and the team went to the lobby to begin.

They started out by occupying different stages and training by fighting in 2v2 battles. Rider and Stealth VS School Uniform and Bamboo Hat in the first round, Rider and School Uniform VS Stealth and Bamboo Hat in the second round and so forth. All was going generally well, but Rider didn't feel as though he was 100% focused and did stupid beginner-level mistakes. He was sure his teammates noticed but kept quiet probably so they wouldn't anger their team leader.

After they felt like they had trained enough, the Yellow-Green Team continued with actual turf wars against other people. The first team they went against was actually Aloha's Team Pink!
The turf war went well for Team Yellow-Green and they had the lead throughout the entire battle and eventually won.

Aloha didn't seem like his usually sassy, cocky and to Rider also annoying self but rather gloomy and disoriented. It was kind of sad to watch. „What is up with everybody?", Rider murmured and once again thought back to Goggles similar but more drastic shift in character.

———— Time skip ————

After spending the remainder of the afternoon and early evening with turfing, Rider's team was finally content for today and they walked out the lobby to say goodbye and go home. The lime boy looked up to the sky. The sun was just setting, but some stars were already faintly showing. He thought back to when he found Goggles leaning over the railing staring up at the stars. They were pretty, he had to admit. Rider really wanted to see him again soon. The yellow-green inkling blinked, confused by his sudden change of attitude towards Goggles.

„Rider?", Bamboo chuckled, lightly touching her team leaders arm to get his attention.

„Ugh..!" Rider flinched. The girls giggled, Stealth tried to hold it back. It was already too late to try and pretent he wasn't startled. Was he really that lost in thoughts?

„Tsk...", the team leader tried to brush it off but couldn't prevent some light blushing. „We're going home, right?" The others nodded.

„Well see you tomorrow then? Oh and can we fight against Team Blue again sometime?", Rider asked his team.

„Uhm... sure?", Stealth said hesitantly and looked a bit confused.

„Really? Team Blue?", School Uniform asked back curiously.

„Yes?! Why not? They're a strong Team", Rider scoffed back and tried to sound convincing. Of course they were a strong team, but his newly forming friendship with Goggles might contribute to his desire to see them again. But for some reason he didn't quite want them to know yet.

Rider's team left it at that, waved each other goodbye and went their ways. The lime boy texted Goggles on his way home and asked when they could battle again but he didn't get a reply. This made the lime boy feel weirdly disappointed but he figured Goggles must've already gone to bed, remembering how tired his blue friend was these last few days.

———— POV change ————

Army unlocked the door to his apartment. He spent a long day practicing and continuing his manual with his team. The orange inkling always enjoyed the quiet moment at home after a long and planned out day, usually trying out some new recipes or watching a show. But this evening was different. He was exhausted from last night and still suffered from what the orange boy suspected was a hangover. Army wanted to go to sleep so desperately.

The orange boy closed the door and lazily threw his parka on the floor his head was killing him, so he didn't even hang it up. He went straight to his bedroom and got dressed.
Army gazed through the perfectly tidy room, bookshelves organized, always neatly made bed, clean and clutter-free floor; the polar opposite of what Aloha's room looked like, that much he could remember. With a loud *sigh* he let himself fall on the bed and closed his eyes for a moment, he still had to shut the blinds and turn the lights off.

Army tried all day to sort his thoughts about yesterday. He cringed everytime he remembered how much he drank and how he lost his temper with Mask, almost wrote him an apology for it but figured the cyan inkling wouldn't care anyways. When the orange boy realized he was drifting into sleep, he quickly heaved himself up and got everything ready for bed and went to brush his teeth.

After he was finally done, Army snuggled into his beds blanket and tried to get comfortable despite his headache. Even though he was drop dead tired, the orange inklings mind was racing, desperately trying to fill the remaining blanks about what happened after going to Aloha's room. Thinking back to the state they both woke up in the party animals room, hangover and clotheless, Army feared the worst. He started blushing imagining things he probably shouldn't. Maybe not so bad afterall?
Maybe he was even a bit mad about not being able to recall any of it. But Army had no idea of what actually happened, it's just a blank in his memory he couldn't fill. Unless he asked Aloha if he can remember anything...?

He might consider it... but for now, he should sleep to hopefully be in a better shape tomorrow.

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Rider and Army's perspectives were pretty much requested the same amount, so here y'all go!! <3

Sorry for the wait (i rlly say this too much-)
I think I'm just going to try and upload once a week! Or at least give y'all some updates on how far I am.

1.08.2020
1130 words (new record!)