𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 || A Paw Patrol Fanfiction

N I N E

Ryder was tidying up their basement with the pups for spring cleaning. The lookout has a lot of clutter, including Ryder's equipment and the pups' old toys. Their basement is huge. Bigger than the city hall so, it's a big task for all of them.

It's not that messy, just dust and they most likely need to rearrange some items; like items that needed to be placed in the back and the ones in the front. That type of stuff. Who knows, to might find thing interesting.

Skye was cleaning the dust off from one of the boxes and noticed a shiny material at the corner of her eye. "Guys!" She called out. "I found something!" The males then approached the cockapoo and they looked around. "What is it, Skye?" Chase asks curiously.

"I found something! Up there!" She pointed out as she looks at the top of a shelf. No one is tall enough to reach in and grab it but, Ryder found a stepstool and goes to reach for the said object. It was a small green box decorated in metallic cut outs of shapes and letters, making the other pups gasp while the others just looked at the box, confused.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"What do you think is inside?"

"Is it still there?"

"Ooooh! I can't wait!"

The boy opened the box to find a photo album in a maroon colored cover, a polaroid camera a bunch of film. The pups began to crowd around the boy to look at the contents and their tails wag in happiness.

"What's that?" Rubble asks curious as he watched Ryder pull the book out of the box.

"It's our old scrapbook... Before the PAW Patrol started, me, Katie, Chase, Marshall, and Skye made this scrapbook as a memory." The boy started. "We decided to keep it safe in a box and look back at it when we're older." He added as he flipped through the pages. The pages were filled with photos of their young selves, most of the photos being the pups and Katie.

"You don't have a lot of photos with you included here, Ryder. Why's that?" Rocky asks. The boy paused for a moment and scratches the back of his head.

"Well, you see, I'm actually camera shy. I don't have any good photos of myself other than the one my dad took from my fourth birthday." He began to speak. "I don't like getting my photos taken so I hide in the shadows."

The other pups nodded and they all looked at the photos with amazement. Ryder was happy to see his pups smiling but, was a little disappointed when they asks about him being camera shy. He isn't very comfortable talking about it. But, he let it slide this time. He doesn't want to get the pups upset.

×

Darius decided to visit Ryder after he was confined in a hospital in Flappington for full recovery and the brunette couldn't come and visit him since he was handling missions during that week. It was a tough week for the both of them so they couldn't really squeeze their time together in there.

The pups saw Darius walked up the hill and they all barked happily, overjoyed to see the duke visiting them after a few days or so.

"Hello pups! How have you all been?" The duke greeted them and they all bombarded the boy with questions and greetings of finally seeing him. He noticed the box and he looked at it with curiosity. "What's inside?" He asked. "Oh it's Ryder's old memory box. It's filled with stuff that he has when he was younger." Rocky explained as they all looked at the old photos.

The Duke looked at the photos as well and noticed that Ryder wasn't shown in the pictures that much. He got an assumption that the boy must be shy around cameras and doesn't prefer his photo taken due to facial dysphoria, which is valid.

The royal then noticed an old polaroid camera in the box and took it out. "This looks vintage." He uttered to himself. "Didn't know that Ryder's into old stuff." He added. He looked at the camera and thought of an idea. He wanted Ryder to have his little spotlight. And what could be better than taking photos with him.

×

"Darius~ I really don't like where this is going~"

The younger boy whined as the royal leads him to the park for a moment. Darius missed hanging out with Ryder so much, so having a little photoshoot and going to places was the royal's only hope of getting the brunette out of the shadow and into the limelight. He got to be Ryder's reminder that he needs to be recognized for his efforts every once in a while.

They sat down in Mr. Porter's restaurant for a quick snack before going to a different location and Darius looks at the boy with admiration.

"Don't worry, it isn't going to hurt you, or get us in trouble, I promise~" the royal reassured as he grabs the camera out of his messenger bag and sneakily took a photo of the brunette looking at the distance; possible fascinated by the cars passing by. He took the film out of the camera and shook it to reveal the final product.

Ryder heard a camera click and he turned his head to where he heard it from. His eyes widened when saw the royal with his old camera. "Where did you get that?" He asks. "Oh. I borrowed it from the pups." The duke casually replied. "They said it was yours." The brunette took it away from the royal, making Darius playfully pout. "Come on, Ryder~ let me borrow it~" he whined.

Ryder took a picture of Darius in one swift movement and out came the film at the bottom of the camera. He took it and shook the piece of paper carefully. "Take a picture, it'll last longer they said." He says while looking at Darius and gave the picture to him.

Darius looked at the younger boy then to the photo. 'wow, he really captured a good side of me I didn't even think existed...' the royal thought. He chuckled. "You know your stuff when it comes to photography huh? I thought you were into mechanics and architecture..." He told Ryder. The younger boy looked at him. "I mean, I do know a few photography skills in my field, I just thought people wouldn't noticed it that much since they call me a 'golden child' and all..." Ryder replied.

The duke nodded. He has a lot of things that he still doesn't know about Ryder just yet. So this little date they have will give him all the time he needs to get to know the younger boy; all from about his interests, to his favorite colors.

×

Once both boys got to know each other little better, they both realized that they like the same things. They both like cold evenings, building gadgets, looking at maps; almost everything they like are the same. Darius looks at the camera and to the photo he took of Ryder earlier while they were at the restaurant.

"I noticed that you don't show up in pictures that often... Are you camera shy?" The royal asks. Ryder then looked at Darius with a straight face, he was panicking inside but he kept his nerves together to avoid being laughed at. It's embarrassing for a person to be camera shy, in Ryder's own opinion. He was never a person to live in the limelight.

He began to speak, hesitating for a little while. "Yes. I am..." Ryder started. "I wasn't used to being in pictures and just seeing myself makes me barf, for some reason... So I just, try my best to avoid getting my photo taken..." He trailed off as he placed his hands on his thighs, gripping his jeans as he looked down, preparing for the royal to laugh at him but, nothing seem to be happening.

Darius holds Ryder's shoulder, reassuring that it's alright. "It's okay if you don't like getting your photo taken, some people do. But, please know that you're just as amazing as everyone thought you are~" the royal shared and that placed a small smile on the younger boy's face.

"How about we take one picture, you know, for a little memory. You can hide your face in my chest if you wanted to, but, I'd prefer to see you smiling~" Darius chuckled, making Ryder's face flushed with pink. He couldn't really refuse the offer if it's the duke speaking softly to him so, he nodded.

"Madam, can you take our picture with this camera please?"

And that very photo stayed in Ryder's photo album ever since.