Battle Blush: A Splatoon Fan Fiction

Chapter 8

Chraydor just stares for a while, frozen at the sight of him in person again.

Equinox has a worried-looking crease in his eyebrows, but he's smiling at the people around him, seeming to answer questions they have as he holds his Firefin Splatterscope over his shoulder.

Chraydor just keeps watching from his distance when Equinox just gives him a wave with a smile, immediately causing heat once again return to Chraydor's cheeks. It causes the people around him to look Chraydor's way, and he right away turns around without thinking, now facing the exit again as he heads its way.

"What am I doing?!" Chraydor says quietly to himself. "I didn't make him look stupid, did I?!"

Once he gets around the corner, he uses it to peek back over to the crowd, who now has their attention back on Equinox. Chraydor then seems to sigh of relief, then heads for the bus stop.

Once he makes it to his house, he finds his mom in the kitchen up to some cooking.

"Hey Chraydor, I got to come home early today. We were a bit short on work to do at the office," she tells him once he's approached.

"Uh-huh? That's nice," he replies, looking towards what she's making. When she turns back to him, she smiles.

"You're wondering what I'm making? It's baked pasta with shrimp," she says. "Does that sound okay?"

"Whaat?" Chraydor says, "It sounds great!"

It causes her to laugh. "I thought I'd make you an early dinner. You can eat in a few minutes."

Chraydor takes a seat on his favourite kitchen bar stool and pulls out his phone before placing it in front of him, then watches his mom.

"Hey," he starts, seeming to be thinking of something, "Why is it that you're okay with me ink battling as much as I do?"

"Hmm, you can maybe say it's because it keeps you active as well as earns you money. It'll really help you with your future when you start earning now," she answers, "But I honestly don't even know where all that money comes from, or how they can set up a system with 'spawn points'. That's sometimes why I feel like I can't trust them."

"Hmm," Chraydor says in response, still looking in thought. His phone then buzzes and he checks it to see texts from his friends in their group chat.

"Hey Chray, did you know Equinox was just here?!" Raya's message says.

"Yeah, we passed him and his crowd while they were all asking him questions and such, but he didn't seem to notice us passing," Tyben's message says, "We're taking a break to get some Crusty Sean," Tyben's next message says with a silly face.

"Yeah, I may or may not have seen him while leaving," Chraydor sends back, then adds, "Wow, you're hungry already?"

"Oh, no, lol we're getting drinks," Tyben replies.

"Waitt, you saw him?!" Raya says.

"Yeah, and he smiled and waved at me, but then it caused the crowd to look at me and of course I ran away and most likely made him look silly," Chraydor says next.

"Awh, but it's okay, Chray. You'll see him tomorrow," Raya replies.

It's not that he forgot, but the reminder that he'd really be seeing Equinox tomorrow brings Chraydor's nervousness back.

"Yeah, and I'll be there at the start to bring you over there if you want so you're not so scared. I am the one who asked, too," Tyben says.

"Thanks, Tyben," Chraydor replies, feeling a bit better at that thought.