Warning: slightly anti-maya (I'm sorry I got carried away)
-lucas-
It was a week after Riley and I got together in the ski lodge. It has been nothing but perfect and we've been so happy and content. And everything's just been so good.
One day, Maya and I were in the one class we had with just us, geography, and she was joking around with me while we were supposed to be doing work.
"So why did you really choose Riley? Is it because I told you to? I knew you listened to me, Huckleberry!" She lightly pushed me and laughed.
"Why would you say that?" I said, a little offended with her joke and her face turned into a confused frown.
"Well, I basically told you that you chose her while I was going through that.. phase and then told you to find her at the lodge."
"I made my choice before we all talked at the bay window, Maya." She scoffs.
"Yeah, sure. If I didn't tell you I was basically Riley, you wouldn't have realized it. And only hours before you were literally weighing your options and getting confused. Zay told me about it."
"I didn't need to know that you were acting as Riley. And I made my decision straight after Topanga's. I waited at Riley's bay window right away to tell her and you but she was helping you figure out your problems." I said with a little annoyance in my voice. Maya was taken aback by my tone.
"Okay, Huckleberry. You don't need to talk to me like that." She masked her nerves with a chuckle.
"Is that what you've been thinking all this time? That I chose Riley because of you?"
"No, of course not-"
"Did you tell her that?"
"No, of course not! Why would you ask that? I would never say that to her!"
"Good, because it's not true. It's always been her. It's always going to be her."
"That explains why it was so hard for you to decide." She scoffed.
"It was hard because I knew that either way she would feel bad. If I decided to end the stupid triangle, it would hurt her because that would mean I've given up. And if I told her it was only ever her in my mind, she'd be hurt because of you. Whatever I do you'll always be her number one priority so I had to find a way to make sure you'd be okay too. Then you go telling me my choice didn't matter after months of us all suffering because we're all trying to spare your feelings. And now you're here telling me I chose her for you?"
"Look, I didn't mean it okay? I was just joking around. I know how much you mean to each other." She brushed it off.
"See that's the problem with you, Maya. You always say things you don't mean. You don't think before you speak. And I know you think Riley's this oblivious, innocent, girl, but she hears every condescending comment you say about her. And she would never say anything to you, but I'm her boyfriend and I don't like hearing them, so you need to stop."
"Just because you're her boyfriend, you think you get to say things like that to me?" she spat with angry tears welling up in her eyes, "I'm her best friend and I would never do anything to hurt her. I've known her way longer than you and you're always just going to be a boy in her life."
"It doesn't matter how long you've known her, you've obviously been oblivious to the fact that things you say offend her. I'm not saying this to bag on your friendship, Maya, because I have no right to. I'm just telling you to think about what you say around and about her. Because some of it is actually pretty mean."
"You're right," she started to stand and take her books, "you have no right to say anything about our friendship." She takes a seat at the other end of the room and I regretted everything I've said.
«after school»
"Lucas!" I hear Riley's voice coming from the end of the hallway, but an angrier version of it. And I've never heard it like that before.
I turn around reluctantly and she stood in front of me with her arms crossed and her eyes glared at me.
"Is what Maya said true? Did you really say those things to her?"
"I did. And I didn't mean for them to sound so rude, but I was just getting angry. I didn't mean to hurt her feelings."
"Why would you say that to her?"
"Riley, don't think I don't pay attention to you. I see your face every time she says something mean about you in a joke or something. I'm not just going to let her do that if I know it hurts you."
"Lucas, I'm fine, it doesn't hurt me. We're best friends and sometimes we say things like that about each other. Yeah, maybe sometimes we take things too far, but it's okay. I'll make sure that we both realize what we're saying isn't right. We can talk about it."
"I'm sorry. I just had to draw a line. You have to understand I never meant to hurt her feelings, Riley." I reached for her hands and held them.
"I know. And I know you're always there to protect me, and I appreciate that, but sometimes I don't need protection. Especially not from Maya, okay?" She held them back and looked at me with softer eyes.
"I'm sorry. I'll apologize to her and buy her some food or something to make up for it." She nods.
"Thank you for protecting me, Luke. I don't know what Maya said to make you do that, and I don't want to know, but I'm really grateful to know you're here."
"Of course, Riles. It's always you. And I'm always here." I take her face in my hands, she immediately holds them and I kiss her forehead with her smiling up at me.
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thank you livvi123 for the prompt! I'm sorry, I know this isn't exactly what you asked for, but I got pretty carried away with the lucas×maya scene (sorry not really sorry lol)
also headcanon that riley and lucas call each other riles and luke in private (along with like 100 other cute little nicknames like sunshine and BABE!!!!!!!)
