Finding Pluto {riarkle} [completed]

A 2022 Update/Revision

Hello everyone! Here is a rewrite of the lucaya hospital scene because I absolutely hate how I wrote it the first time and I think it's because I (for some idiotic reason) was not a lucaya shipper back then and I felt uncomfortable writing deep/cute moments between them. It will obviously not change the plot in any way but it will give more substance to lucaya's story within this fanfic.

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Previously on: Finding Pluto

Lucas was thrown from a bull and is now severely injured in the hospital. Riley and the gang are finally able to see him, but only one at a time. Riley went first and told Lucas that she has decided not to go out with him. In tears, she flees the hospital room.

Maya

Riley comes flying around the corner and out the door with tears in her eyes. I go to follow her, but Farkle holds up his hand and says, "I've got her. You go see Lucas."

I hesitantly do as he says. Whatever Riley said to Lucas, it wasn't good. I walk down the hallway and into Lucas' room.

"Hey huckleberry. How're you doing?"

"I've been better."

"What happened with Riley?" I say as I take a seat in the chair next to his bed.

"I don't really want to talk about it."

"You sure? You know you can tell me anything."

He turns and smiles at me. "I know." He sighs, closes his eyes and slightly clenches his fists before continuing. He looks back at me. "I told Riley that I chose her." He says hesitantly, his eyes wary of my reaction.

"I already know that."

"You do?"

"Of course. Riley tells me everything. I'm the one who told her to go for it. Which is why I don't understand why she's crying."

"Well, she told me no."

"What?"

"Yeah. She said that she couldn't deal with me possibly dying, that she would support me but she couldn't care for me like a girlfriend would."

"Wow." I say. I cant believe Riley said no. The reasoning sounds exactly like her but I'm still in shock. This is Lucas, the boy she's been obsessed with since that day on the subway. I'm pulled from my thoughts by Lucas' voice.

"She also said... To give you another chance."

"She did?" I look at him, dumbfounded.

"Yeah."

In shock once again, all I can do is mutter random syllables. This is what happened last time we were in Texas. Riley setting aside her feelings for me. How could she do this? We said we wouldn't let a boy come between us.

Lucas' voice takes me away from my thoughts once again. "This whole time I couldn't get past the fact that Riley just happened to land in my lap at the subway. I mean what are the chances of that?"

"You'd be surprised." I say under my breath.

"And she turned out to be this amazing girl."

"Yeah, she's pretty amazing isn't she?" I say, looking at my hands.

"Of course she is. We both know that, and it's because of that that she's done this. That she's pushed us together again."

I slowly ask my next question, fearing for what his response might be. "So what are you thinking, then?"

"I don't know exactly. I know I chose Riley but I also know that I did have feelings for you. That maybe I still do."

"Look, I don't want you to feel forced into something you don't want to do-" I say, not holding back the venom in my voice.

"Maya, nobody is forcing me to do anything." He pauses. He plays with the IV tube going into his hand. "Look, I don't want you to feel like a second choice, because I care a lot about you." He says as he looks back up at me. "And it's because I care a lot about you that, if you'll have me, I'd be willing to explore our feelings for each other more."

I look up at him and I can tell by his eyes that he truly means what he says.

But this is crazy. He literally just got rejected by Riley and now he's saying he wants to explore his feelings for me? How can I truly believe a word he is saying? How can I know he won't just leave me when he discovers i'm not what he wants?

So I hesitantly say, "If we do, you have to promise me— promise me that—"

"I know what you're thinking, and I will never leave you Maya. I promise. I will never make you go through this past month again, I swear. We can take it slow, so that I can prove to you that I'm worth it. No matter what happens, i'll always be there."

I have to look away from him so that I can think straight. Is he worth it? Can I really go through all of this again?

It's worth a shot. I mean, Josh doesn't seem to be coming back anytime soon. And Lucas has always meant something special to me.

I look back him and smile. "Alright, I guess I'll give you another shot."

He smiles.

"Stop smiling. You're making my cheeks hurt." I roll my eyes and he just laughs. Then his face turns serious.

"Thank you, Maya. For giving me another chance."

"Of course, huckleberry."

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I hope this version gives lucaya a bit more justice. Obviously this changes none of the events but it's makes Lucas look a little more thoughtful in his decision (although still brief decision) to try things with Maya.

It has been quite a long time since I finished this story but I just finished re-reading it and... wow. The memories of writing this story came flooding back, it was one of the most enjoyable experiences ever! Re-reading it there are things that I love about the story and things that I cannot believe I actually wrote down for thousands of people to read😂

Reading it all in one sitting I realize that my timeline was all over the place, a total mess that I can't believe you guys just went along with! Also, despite being severely injured in the hospital I made no mention of Lucas' injuries whatsoever for the rest of story. Must've been a very good hospital. And the biggest one of all — how did I ever think Farkle cheating, multiple times, was a good storyline? I feel like I did a pretty good job of redeeming him but now that i'm older I realize just how naive I was to think it was okay to make Farkle a cheater and still get the girl in the end. If I were to write it now, there probably still would've been a kiss between Farkle and Blake, but it would've been a one time thing and Farkle would own up to it instead of trying to hide it. Blake would still come to the states to win him but she wouldn't be such a "manipulative, psycho bitch." I would also try to include Zay more, I really did him dirty in this fic. I wasn't the Zay stan I am today when I wrote this. But i'm glad you guys enjoyed the original story, even with all the drama and the cringe and cheese-y moments. Y'all were truly the best readers ever! Love ya!