Splatoon Coroika: Goggles/Rider

Don't hate me, I was in a sad mood.

Gloves was a boy of alot of necessities. Trying to find the greatest and best trends really does it for you. He’s faced many difficulties in life and prided himself on being controlled in the worst the times and better yet being friendly to even the worst of people. Perhaps that’s why he’s in such a predicament now.

When he first met him, he was a loner. Sure he had a team but that was all to him. He didn’t talk to anyone no matter how hard they tried and always came off as never wanting to be there. It made Gloves wanted to get to know him all the more because of his sour attitude. He would sit with him during events and offered to train with him. He would always say no and of course get annoyed and scoff, but he would go with him anyways. Little by little, he broke down his walls, learned his interests, weazled into his life and made him open up (the horror, he knows).

It wasn’t his fault that he fell in love with his laugh, the way he would smile just barely when he cracked a joke. Even making fun of his style didn't even hurt him. It wasn’t his fault that he strived to become a better shot to impress him during ranked battles. He wasn’t even sure that he liked boys, but it didn’t stop his heart racing whenever he saw him. He cursed himself and told himself not to like him but then he would tell his own joke or do something affectionate towards him and he would melt. He was so in love that it hurt his heart just thinking about him.

But then someone else started hanging out with them. He told his jokes to the blue boy. The blue boy known as Goggles from the idiot blue team was the center of his affections. Gloves found himelf growing smaller and smaller in his love’s life, and he couldn’t do anything about it. The friend in him was happy for him, truly (all
he wants is someone to understand), he was glad that he found someone to love. But he also hated it. He was jealous and fuming that the blue boy was all that he wasn’t and he loved Goggles instead of him. The lover inside of him cried and screamed that he was the one, the perfect one only for him! But he knew it was a lie. It was all a lie. It pained him to think it and know it, but it was a big fat lie. It hurt less when he told himself that he just didn’t like boys, but then he would remember all the times they had together and the smiles that he saved just for him.

But now that smile was for Goggles too.

Was it just jealousy holding him back? Could he like Goggles the one that stole his lover's heart? Goggles was an idiot, and how they would win was beyond him. So why couldn’t he love Goggles also? He was nice enough; a bit too dumb to be honest but they got along well they both would annoy and anger Rider and even to the point of Rider strangling both of them but they had an unspoken understanding. Maybe he should at least try to be happy for them. Happy for him.

So he did. Whether he wanted it or not, he butted into his life again and started talking to the boys with new vigor and sense of understanding. He seemed happy to talk to him again annoyed but happy. So despite his aching heart, he remained an important part of their story together. Of course, he was obviously the third wheel in their relationship, but he found himself unable to care as he spent time with the love of his life and his boyfriend.
He laughed with him and do turf wars with him. He let Goggles into his life, he found himself hating him less and less as he saw how much he loved Rider.

And so when he asked him to be their best man, he couldn’t help but cry and agree. He felt like he understood now. He understood and it hurt but he knew. He wasn’t Goggles. He’ll never be loved like he loved Rider. No matter how much he would try to be his, he never was the one he wanted. He wasn’t Goggles and that was just it. He was Gloves. He couldn’t be anyone else but Gloves He didn't have pure dumb luck like him. Goggles was an idiot but so happy and outgoing always wanting to have fun and Gloves wasn't. Everything he didn’t want was what he couldn’t live without.

And maybe that was okay. Maybe he was fine with that. He was still his friend, after all. One of his closest friends, in fact. He gave him friendship and the ability to open up. He made him laugh when no one else did. Yes, he began talking to other people and seeked friendship and comfort without him, but isn’t that what people do? He can’t be his only friend, after all. It’s unhealthy. He didn’t want him to be unhealthy; he wanted him happy. And he was happy, walking down that aisle. He was happy watching as Rider takes Goggles hand and getting ready for their vows.

“Do you, Rider, take Goggles as your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do.”

“And do you, Goggles, take Rider as your lawfully wedded husband, now and forever?”

Gloves found himself closing his eyes, some part of him wishing to interrupt the ceremony in a selfish act of heartbreak. He felt tears run down his face, but this time not from happiness as onlookers believe, but from his final show of love for him. He was Gloves, not Goggles. He would never have him as Goggles does. Now and forever.

“I do.”

Gloves smiled.