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It's Riley's first big win in the Firehawks and she feels she's riding on Cloud 9.
Val has invited her to the local diner after, a team tradition apparently whether they win or not, and she sits next to her, insisting Riley to try the sugary monstrosity of pancakes that she got, feeding her a bite from her fork and grinning brightly when Riley makes an embarrassing noise of delight.
"Okay, yeah," Riley says, licking her lips with a smile. "Those are good."
"Do you want one?" Val starts to scoop it off of her plate.
"Oh, no, I couldn't—"
"Believe me. I cannot possibly finish this myself. Seriously. Take it." She puts it on a plate for Riley and slides it over to her.
Inside Riley's mind, Joy squeals with joy. "Oh, look at that! Val sharing her pancake with Riley?! They're totally going to be best friends!"
"But what about Grace and Bree? Riley's already pulled away from them before for Val—"
"Oh, don't worry about that, Anxiety," Joy says. "You can have more than one best friend. I mean, Grace and Bree are literally Riley's best friends and they are two separate people."
"I remember when Riley first became friends with Grace and Bree..."
"And that's enough, Nostalgia! We all know the story."
Anxiety lets out a shaky breath. "You're right. Riley can have three best friends. But—"
"Don't worry about the hypotheticals," Ennui says. "It's such a hassle to worry and gets you nowhere. There is no way to satiate a hypothetical. I would know. I am never satisfied."
"And neither should Riley!" Envy says. "At least, uhm, when it comes to making friends. She should always strive to gain something new from a relationship."
"Actually, contentment is as important as keeping things fresh," Fear says. "It's scary for things to change but it's also scary to lose something good that you continue to have."
"Ugh," Disgust says. "Want to know what I want Riley to stop continuing to have? These pancakes. I mean, I feel sick just watching her eat it."
"She's going to have a stomachache later," Sadness says.
"And Val knew that when she gave Riley the pancakes!" Anger says. "I bet she just wants an excuse to make Riley do extra laps at the next practice."
"But it'll be worth it!" Joy says. "Because she clearly is enjoying them."
"She's enjoying it because Val likes them," Envy says.
Embarrassment peeks out from his hoodie, trying to eye everyone around Riley to see if anyone is judging her but sees that the only thing Riley is zeroed in on is Val, like the rest of the world is blurred out and the one thing that she's focused on is Val. "She likes Val."
Everyone's heads snap to turn to Embarrassment and he shrinks in on himself.
"Of course she likes Val!" Joy says. "She's Riley's soon to be best friend!"
"Oh no," Anxiety says.
"Oh no, what?"
"Riley likes Val." Anxiety buries her hands in her hair with impending panic. "Like, like likes Val."
Back in the diner, it hits Riley as she watches Val snort with laughter at Riley's attempt at a joke, pushing the red streak that has fallen in front of her eyes away and her brown eyes meet Riley's.
She has a crush on Val.
Inside Val's mind, her emotions dreamily sigh as they watch Riley's face scrunch up in a smile, warmth blooming inside their console room as it blooms in Val's chest.