Chapter Text
With just 15 seconds left in the match, Goggles is in Team Blue’s base, having just remembered to paint it. All of a sudden, out of some nearby enemy ink, Rider pops out, holding his gold dynamo.
“So, this is where you’ve been hiding?” He grins.
“I’m not hiding! I’m painting the base.”
“Yeah, well so am I, fucker.” He swings his dynamo, inking over part of Team Blue’s base. Goggles jumps down to stop him, but right before his shots hit Rider…
A drop of rain falls on his nose. Then another on his hand. He freezes, and Rider seems to as well. Only a moment later it’s raining lightly, getting heavier by the second. They hear the announcements blare in the distance;
“Due to sudden rain, this match is canceled! Go- go find something to hide under.”
Rider and Goggles glance back at each other.
“Aw, really? At the end of the match?” Goggles whines.
“Shut it. Let’s just find somewhere to wait out the rain.” Rider looks away, scanning the area for somewhere to go. His eyes eventually settle on an empty bus stop.
“There. Follow me.” He doesn’t wait for a response before picking up his dynamo and quickly walking over to the bus stop, and Goggles dashes over to him a moment later, catching up quickly.
“So, what do we do now?” He’s grinning widely, the way he always does. Rider doesn’t respond. He pulls out his phone, and when Goggles peeks over his shoulder, he sees that it’s his team group chat.
“Oh, yeah, where is your team?”
“That’s what I’m trying to find out, dipshit,” Rider grumbles, sounding annoyed. Goggles is still looking over his shoulder, making them awkwardly close.
Or at least, awkward for Rider.
The rain has gotten much heavier, and neither of them have an umbrella, meaning that they’ll be stuck at the bus stop until the sky clears. They’re in silence for a moment while Rider waits for his teammates to text back.
“They’re on the other side of the stage, so we’ll be separated for a while. Where’s Team Blue?” He looks at Goggles, who sits down on the bench.
“Well… I might’ve forgotten to charge my phone last night, so… I’ve got no idea.” He laughs nervously, and Rider sighs in exasperation.
“Seriously? Ugh… fine, I’ll ask for you.”
“Wait, do you have their numbers?”
“Only Specs. He’s your team leader, so I need it for scheduling matches and practice,” Rider states matter-of-factly, sitting down next to Goggles on the bench. He’s staring at his phone, trying to type.
But it’s a little difficult, because Goggles is leaning over his shoulder again, and it’s sort of nerve wracking.
“Move over. Why are you sitting so close to me anyways?” He snaps, glaring at Goggles.
“It’s cold! And I wanna see what you’re texting him!” Goggles makes no attempt to give him space, instead scooting closer. If it weren’t so dark and dreary, he’d be able to see the faint blush on Rider’s face.
“…Fine.” He lets out a sigh of resignation, and Goggles giggles softly.
Rider shows him the phone screen. It’s a message to Specs, simply saying, “Where’s Team Blue? Goggles and I got separated from the others.”
“You text in perfect grammar?” Goggles snorts with laughter, earning a soft shove from Rider.
“Ugh, shut it… Jeez, this rain isn’t even close to stopping, huh?” He mutters the last part just loud enough for Goggles to hear.
The rain is heavy and loud against the pavement and the bus stop roof. Goggles glances at him, smiling.
“Think we’ll get a rainbow?”
Rider only shrugs in response. His phone goes off, and Goggles quickly grabs it before he can.
“Hey- wait- give it back!”
“I’m just checking what he said! Here, let’s read it together!”
Goggles leans on his shoulder, putting the phone in the middle so he can see. Even in the dark, the bright lime blush on Rider’s face is visible. Specs replied, “We’re at the weapons store. mind walking Goggles there when the rain ends?”
Rider sighs.
“Aw, aren't you so glad you get to spend more time with me?” Goggles laughs. Rider responds with a gentle shove, not wanting to admit that he’s right.
“No, I’m not,” he grumbles, “And it’s not like this rain is ending any time soon.”
“Yeah, that's fair! Well, at least we’re together!” He has an affiliative smile on his face, looking into Rider’s eyes.
Rider, however, is avoiding eye contact, just glaring at the ground tensely.
“Think we’ll be out here all day?”
“I hope not! You’re being a grump and not talking to me, so I’ve got nothing to do!” Goggles complained, laughing slightly.
“I’m not a grump.” Rider mumbles indignantly. He pauses for a second, then speaks again.
“So… what now?”
Goggles looks at him, eyes wide.
“I dunno!”
Rider stands up from the bench, setting his dynamo where he was sitting next to Goggles. The blue inkling glances over, and immediately jumps up.
“Oh, crap! I left my weapon on the stage!”
“Seriously? How the fuck- never mind. We’ll go get it when the rain clears up.” Rider sighs loudly. “You really need to take better care of your weapons,” he grumbles.
“Hey! I’m not taking advice from you! I bet you gave your dynamo its own bedroom!”
“Shut up! I did not.” Rider looks away in embarrassment.
“Come on. You love that thing more than anything! I bet you love it more than me!” Goggles fake pouts, but is unable to hide his grin.
Rider chokes on his words, “I- what- huh- I don’t love you! And- and I don't love my dynamo! It’s just… important.” His face is flushed a bright lime green, visible even under the dark, stormy sky. Goggles laughs, clearly amused at his reaction.
“Hah- whatever you say!” He smiles affably at Rider, then looks up at the sky.
“You know, maybe this isn’t so bad.”
“Huh? What do you mean? We’re trapped at a fucking bus stop, our teams don’t know where we are, and you lost your weapon. Oh, and there’s rain. How the hell is it ‘not so bad’?” He glares at Goggles, who then looks at him grinning.
“Yeah, but look how pretty the rain is! And everything will sort itself out, so let’s just enjoy what’s going on now.”
“Your optimism disgusts me.”
Goggles snickers loudly.
“Come on! It could be worse. I mean, at least you’re here! I’d be so bored if I were alone.” He sits back down, swinging his legs happily.
A moment later, Rider hesitantly sits down between his dynamo, which is still on the bench, and Goggles. The rain continues hitting the pavement loudly as they wait in silence.
A few minutes later, Goggles speaks again.
“That rain was really sudden, huh? Like… the sky was so clear and now it’s storming! And wow it got colder.”
Rider just nods in response. Goggles shivers slightly and scoots closer to him.
“I- wait- what are you doing-?” Rider’s blushing bright lime green, and Goggles grins at him.
“It’s cold! And you’re warm. Sooo… deal with it!” He grabs Rider’s hand, intertwining their fingers tightly, causing his blushing to get even worse.
“I’m only doing this cause it’s cold…” Rider grumbles as he holds his hand back, badly hiding his accismus and getting another soft laugh from Goggles.
“Sure you are,” Goggles teases, and Rider glares at him, his face flushed with embarrassment. The rain hasn’t seemed to slow down and the sky flashes with lightning.
“It’s storming pretty bad, huh…” Goggles mutters, “Welp, at least I’ve got you!” He glances at Rider and squeezes his hand, grinning widely.
“Uh… yeah, I guess so,” he mumbles, staring at the pavement sheepishly. Now really wasn’t the time for him to come to terms with what he felt about his best friend, and, being completely honest, he doesn’t really want to anyways.
It takes a while for the rain to clear up enough for them to leave, but after what felt like ages of tense, awkward silence, the storm seems to be letting up.
“Looks like the rain is getting lighter! Maybe we’ll be able to go soon!” Goggles looks at Rider, who’s staring at the sky.
“Oh, finally…” he mutters.
“That’s too bad, cause I was having fun hanging out with you!” Goggles laughs and stands up, stretching a bit and letting go of his hand. Rider feels oddly disappointed at this, but isn’t quite sure why.
He totally doesn’t enjoy holding Goggles’ hand at all. And the realization that he likes Goggles of all people definitely isn’t hitting him like a sack of bricks. Not that he likes him or anything. His face feels hot even thinking about it, but that means nothing, right..? Goggles’ voice interrupts his train of thought.
“My team’s at the weapon store, right? Come on, let’s go!” Goggles looks back at him, grinning, as he starts walking.
“Yeah. Finally, you’ll leave me alone,” Rider grumbles in badly feigned annoyance, grabbing his dynamo and following the other boy.
“Goggles! There you are!” Specs yelps when they walk into Sheldon’s shop. Headphones walks up to them.
“We were so worried! Why didn’t you respond to our texts?”
“Sorry! My phone was dead!” He laughs awkwardly, and Headphones sighs.
“Thanks for walking him here, Rider… sorry if he was a hassle!” Behind her, Goggles and Bobble are chatting loudly.
“Uh, it’s fine. No problem. And Goggles-“ he starts, speaking tensely, and the blue inkling looks over when he hears his name, “-I’ll go get your weapon for you. You can have it back the next time I see you, just wanna make sure nothing’s wrong with it.”
“Oh, thanks! I guess I’ll see you soon, then!” Goggles grins.
“Yeah… see you soon.
After getting Goggles’ splattershot, Rider walks to where his teammates said they’d meet him.
“Rider! There you are! Is everything okay? How’d we get separated? Why do you have a splattershot?” Stealth walks up to him quickly, hitting him with rapid-fire questions.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I was in their base, so we had to find somewhere more nearby.”
“‘We’?” Bamboo tilts her head, and the other two stare at him.
“Oh, uh, Goggles was there too,” Rider explains quickly, causing Blazer to giggle quietly.
“Oh, I see how it is!”
Bamboo laughs when she hears her teammate say this.
“Ugh, will you stop saying I like him?! I don’t!” He objects defensively, but the blush on his face says otherwise. He’s trying (and failing) to dissimulate his opinion on the blue inkling, but his teammates can see right through it.
“But you- let’s just get home, alright?” Stealth has his hands in his pockets.
“Yeah, I’m done being outside.” Bamboo nods in agreement.
“Same here… alright, let’s go.” Rider sighs with an affectation of annoyance, then the four of them start walking to their apartment building.