tear in my heart

three|| third wheel.

"hey, goggles. prince. what brings you two here?"

prince smiled awkwardly before goggles smiled with confidence. "we're hanging out," he began, "on a-" prince started coughing out of nowhere. "yeah, w-we're hanging out," he insisted, giving goggles a look. "well, can i tag along?" rider asked with a nonchalant smile. prince started to make up an excuse but goggles just smiled and said, "of course you can tag along, rider!"

prince let out a small laugh. "uhm, goggles? can i talk to you for a sec?" goggles let out a small 'hm?' before being pulled into the back of the cafe. "you do realize that dates are only supposed to be between two people, right?" prince questioned. "pffft, headphones never mentioned that. ever heard of a double date?" prince stared at goggles for a few seconds with a dumbfounded look. "goggles. a double date is when two couples go out on a date. rider isn't with anyone so if we let him tag along, he'd be third wheeling." goggles raised an eyebrow. "what's third wheeling?" prince sighs, suppressing his frustration. "a third wheel is a friend that tags along on dates because the couple is too nice to turn them away."

goggles gave prince a blank stare. "what's wrong with that?" prince sighs. "never mind. let's go hang out with rider, i guess." prince was, of course, pretty upset. not only because they had to hang out with rider now, but also because goggles was obviously too oblivious and dumb to realize that third wheeling is definitely not the best thing to do.

prince also noted the fact that this all might be pretty emotionally damaging for rider.

🦑💙🦑💚

prince and goggles laughed at something stupid goggles said while rider sat back, slurping on his strawberry banana smoothie. the couple kept having a normal conversation with a few flirtatious comments heading goggles' way, which had rider clenching his teeth.

goggles blushed every time prince found a way to turn a humorous joke into a flirtatious one. prince glanced over at rider, causing rider to force a smile. prince looked down worriedly, "uhm, rider? i-"

"well, well, well. if it isn't my little brother. hello, prince," a cocky voice from behind him said. "hm. i see you're hanging out with low level scum. again." prince winced. "h-hi, emperor." the older chuckled. "surprised to see you two here. i figured you guys are always fucking since i rarely ever you see you guys out," emperor sneered at goggles and rider. gloves laughed next to him. "and i'm surprised you guys aren't fucking in prince's room at this very moment but y'know. what's new?" rider shot back. emperor rolled his eyes. "whatever. what are you doing here anyway?"

"actually, about that," prince began but was interrupted by goggles. "prince and i are on a date, and rider is third wheeling," goggles explained. prince looked at him frantically. emperor and gloves laughed and rider sat there, a pained look on his face. "wait, what?" rider asked with a look of disbelief. "uh..." prince looked down. "are you serious, goggles?" rider asked, his voice cracking a little.

"yeah. why? what's wrong with that?" goggles asked. rider stood up. "bye." he left the cafe quickly, refusing to let any anger show. he grabbed out his dynamo roller from outside the cafe (they didn't allow turf war weapons inside the cafe) and flicked the roller, causing a long trail of ink to lead out of arowana mall. he turned into a squid and swam through it.

"wow, you really fucked up there," emperor said after he calmed down. "wait, what? why did he leave?" goggles asked standing up. "he's prolly fine-" prince began but goggles was already running after him. "rider! wait!"

"wow. that might've been the saddest thing i've ever seen. that's why you don't go on dates with morons, little brother," emperor said, patting prince's back. "well, gloves and i have 'errands' to run," emperor said with a smirk. "have fun with your little situation, prince."

"will do."

🦑💙🦑💚

"there you are!"

"what are you doing?" rider asked. "you seemed mad. i wanted to check up on you," goggles said. "you're a moron, you know that?" rider asked with a scoff. "i think i do know that," goggles admitted. rider stared at goggles for a while. they were sitting on the roof of one of the apartment buildings of flounder heights. "you didn't have to tell me that."
"tell you what?"
"that i was third wheeling on your date. you could've just said you and prince were on a date."
"yeah, but i wanted to hang out with you."
"you were on a date, goggles."

rider looked at goggles. it was hard for him not to. he's had a crush on him for a few months, after all. "i like you, dumbass," rider admitted. goggles blushed. "but, prince likes me too." rider sighed and looked up. "well. isn't that a coincidence." he stood. "i'm heading back to my apartment. text
me when you've decided," rider said. "decided? decided what?" goggles asked.

"look. i hate to be that guy. but when it comes to this kinda stuff, it's either him or me. you can't date two people at a time, it's emotionally damaging."

rider opened the door leading downstairs. "bye, goggles." the blue tentacled boy was dumbfounded. "but, how am i supposed to choose..?"