a/n: sort of an au (but not really)
inspired by this prompt: "please put me down it's just a sprained ankle"
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Riley could not tell you when Maya Hart and Lucas Friar began to develop feelings for each other, but she could pinpoint the exact moment she realised it.
Whether they were aware of their own feelings or not was questionable but it became painfully obvious to Riley. So obvious that she often wondered how she never picked up on it earlier. Being blindsided by her former feelings for Lucas would have easily allowed her to miss it but, really, there was almost no excuse.
It finally slapped her in the face in their sophomore year of high school.
Maya had decided to join girls' soccer (no one had seen that one coming) and she began training with the team on Tuesday afternoons. Riley, Lucas, and Farkle picked up the habit of looking on from the bleachers during practice to support her. That was what they were doing when, in the middle of practice, Maya was tackled by another girl on the team and toppled to the ground.
Lucas responded quickly, immediately getting out of his seat as soon as Maya fell. When she showed no signs of getting up, he began moving towards the field, Riley and Farkle in tow. He gently pushed to the front of the group of girls that had gathered around Maya. She was holding her calf, a look of discomfort on her face and Riley could hear the alarms ringing in Lucas' mind.
He stooped down next to her, his concern apparent in the way his brow was creased. "What's wrong?"
"It seems like a sprain. I'd go check with the nurse just to be sure," the coach replied from Maya's other side as she examined Maya's ankle. The coach then got back up and said, "Someone help Hart get to the nurse!"
Riley was just about to drop to her knees and help Maya get up when Lucas took her arm, draped it across his shoulders, hooked his arm under her knees and proceeded to carry her bridal-style.
Maya immediately protested by squirming around in Lucas's grip. "Whoa, easy there, Sundance. There's no need for all this. It's just a measly sprain."
"Quit moving around like that, unless you want me to drop you," Lucas said, as though she hadn't said anything. He was trying to keep a firm grip on the blonde and she wasn't making it easy for him.
"Actually, that's exactly what I want. Your southern chivalry is appreciated but I am quite capable of getting to the nurse's office on my own, thank you," Maya said, continuing to resist.
"Maya," Lucas said, coming to an abrupt stop. The utterly serious tone of his voice was enough to get Maya to stop moving about and look him in the eye. A heavy silence thick with tension settled over the pair as they looked at each other. Riley felt as though she may as well have not existed in that moment. The quick glance she shared with Farkle told her that she wasn't the only one to notice. "Just let me do this for you," Lucas said, his voice taking on a low tone Riley had never heard him speak in before.
"Fine," Maya grumbled, although not with much vigour. Lucas gave a short nod, cleared his throat, and the moment was over. Maya gripped onto Lucas a little tighter as they continued the trek to the nurse's office.
Even though she had tilted her head into Lucas' shoulder and was trying to hide behind the curtain of her hair, Riley didn't miss the rosy blush had spread across her best friend's cheeks as she bit her lip, trying to fight off a smile.
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idk what this is i am shipper trash