I nearly deleted this entire chapter due to not feeling like I captured the conflicting emotions of Gou, but my sister convinced me not to since I would have been unwilling to rewrite it. So I apologize in advance about the writing and flow of this chapter. I only hope that I have done it justice.

Photographing things, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant they were, was something Gou enjoyed. It was both relaxing and thrilling at the same time, depending on how far he'd go for the perfect shot. But then again, candids were always priceless. With a cheshire cat expression on his face, he leaned against the Tridoron, camera poised and ready for snapping a shot. The Shift Cars and Signal Bikes zoomed around overhead, one almost crashing into his head in its haste to expend built-up energy. Dodging yet another one, Spike, he pressed down on the button of his camera, taking a perfect shot of it while it dove.

SNAP!

Another one to go on the wall! One glance at said wall allowed him the chance to admire his handiwork. It only took a couple minutes to convince Krim – okay more like hours – to allow it, plus it did add some color to the normally plain walls. Anytime he looked at his handiwork, pride always rose within his chest. To know that, even though many of these pictures wouldn't be shown to the world, they still would be enjoyed by those in the Drive Pit always made him smiled. While the boy began to scan through his collection of new photographs, he paused, seeing a flash of purple in the corner of his eye. Gou instantly frowned, glancing over at the Roidmude. He swore internally when he realized he was looking over at him, settling for narrowing his eyes at him and turning away.

Why was it that the other was so insistent on bugging him, even if it was just staring at him? He had made it quite clear that he never wanted anything to do with him, yet it never swayed the other rider. It both frustrated and infuriated him at the same time. With all his anger, insults, and threats, the other still pressed forward with helping him, backing him up, even making sure he didn't get hurt. Why was wanting to be his 'buddy' so goddamn important to that robot? He never seemed to get the message. Why did he act like he cared when all Gou had done was treated him like crap? Fingers clenched his camera, annoyance burning in his breast until he noticed her sister leaning over to scold Shinnosuke who had been laying down. The emotions vanished without a trace, forgotten; this would be a great picture! His normal catlike smirk returned and he tip-toed up to his sister, angling the camera just so it could capture part of her head and shoulder, and the cop below her.

SNAP! SNAP!

He leaped away when his sister turned around, only to snap a picture of her. He watched the surprise and realization mix on her face, dodging her half-hearted swat at him with a chuckle. Knowing Shinnosuke was about to laugh at his sister's plight, he simply grinned and turned, getting a nice close-up of him as he dropped a milk candy into his mouth. Amusement glittered in his eyes as Shinnosuke nearly choked at the sight of him with his camera. Two great shots in only a few seconds, and that wasn't even his best record.

Candid shots were something Gou enjoyed to catch in his lenses, as it was hit and miss. Yet the normality in them, the act of catching someone doing something not planned or staged… It delighted him. One had to be there at the right time, something that he had the knack for. He felt his camera being taken from him as the two crowded around it to look through the pictures. Leaning closer, he didn't protest, simply watching them. It wasn't as if he had anything to hide in there.

However, he couldn't keep his attention on them for too long, feeing the need to do something else. Sure the Cars and Bikes could provide entertainment but after being nearly hit by them several times already, he didn't want to acknowledge them. Krim was silent, most likely fixated on making sure the sentient machines didn't destroy the Drive Pit, Rinna was busy repairing some of them, so that left…

The boy practically groaned in irritation. The Roidmude. Of course he was still sitting in the same stiff position he was known for, blank face, expressionless eyes. A robot. Boring, irritating, and inhuman. Gou's eyes shifted slightly without turning his head, not wanting to bring attention to the fact he was checking up on Chase.

There he was again, staring at the wall of photos with an almost thoughtful expression. Wait, thoughtful? Shutting everything out around him, he focused his gaze on the Roidmude's face, eyes widening ever so slightly. Normally there was a blank expression on his face, yet now… It was a subtle shift, one that no one should have noticed unless they had been observing the other for a while… Gou had been, having hated the other for so long, always watching in case he did something threatening. The small flicker of emotion in his eyes, a concentrated expression that looked far away and contemplating. It was something he wore when no one was looking, when he was trying to figure out the meaning to something he was told and couldn't ask about.

Gou balked at the realization why he could see it so clearly. He had been studying the other way too much lately. He turned away, biting his lip. There was no reason why he even should be interested in the meaning behind his photos.

"Go ask someone who cares." Gou growled at him, lowering his camera. He had been hunched over on a bridge trying to get a skyline picture in the distance when the other had appeared next to him. He resisted the temptation to grit his teeth, lately the other had been asking him more questions than the others. A glance over told him the Roidmude was still standing there, eyes fastened on him. The intensity of his unblinking stare was making him uncomfortable, shifting from foot to foot before he forced himself to be still.

"You are the most logical person to question about this. Although I can ask the others, I believe you would have the best answer." Chase looked down at his camera for emphasis. Gou rolled his eyes at his words, even though he was right. It was one thing to have a picture taken of you and find meaning in it, but as a photographer, capturing the scenes meant finding a special reason, a special moment they want to immortalize forever…

"A Roidmude like you couldn't possibly understand the meaning behind them." His words were said out of spite, hiding the fact that he was curious as to why the other wanted to know about the meaning. It wasn't like he was human enough to understand them. Turning around and only getting a flash of something in those dark eyes, he stalked away from Chase with his hands clenched into fists. The pounding in his chest was strange. It wasn't anger yet… It was the fact he came to Gou first before anyone else, and the fact he said he wanted him to explain.

Why did it feel nice? He hated the other man… Quashing the strange feeling that was rising inside of him, he in turn ignored the small voice that demanded he just man up and explain to him.

It was lucky that he could pull off looking focused when he really wasn't, as he saw his sister point to the picture of Shinnosuke and say they should post that one up. He chuckled, looking over at Shinnosuke with a knowing look. There was no way he'd pass up that chance, snatching the camera away before the other could even think of pressing the delete button.

"Sorry Shin-nii-san, I happen to like that one!" A sound of a Bike revving it engine echoed above him. Frowning, his eyes darted upwards where Danger circled before it dove at him, playing its sound effect. He cursed, ducking and trying to swat it out of the air, nearly tripping on Commercial as it butted Kiriko's heels. Again he let out a swear, moving away from the massing crowd of Shift Cars and Signal Bikes overhead. Before it was funny to see them so riled up, but now that he almost got caught between them he changed his mind. Especially when it came to Danger. Although he loved using that Bike, when it turned on him like that, he felt like HE was a Roidmude. Gou shuddered at the thought. The thought of being chewed up by an angry bullet was not a pretty thing.

"They are not pleased at being cooped up in here." Krim's faceplate expressed his own displeasure at the chaos reigning around him, even more so as Winter began spraying him with frost mist. Considering he couldn't move, it made resisting impossible. Leaving Kiriko to interpret what Commercial was trying to say and Shinnosuke attempting to remove Winter away from Krim, Gou's gaze traveled back to where Chase was sitting, only to find him missing. Eyes widening even more, he quickly looked around before he saw the other at the wall of photos, staring at one particular one. Seeing the twitch of those fingers, he narrowed his eyes, marching over there to tell him not to touch them when… The twitching fingers stilled by themselves.

Feet slowing, he eventually stopped a good distance away, staring at the other suspiciously. Ever since he put those photos up weeks ago, he could tell that Chase had become interested in them, at first simple glances, yet now, he always studied them, as if to unlock the secret behind their meaning – oh… right… That was why he asked him. It was then that he saw it.

There it was, that same thoughtful look. Gou's chest tightened and before he could stop himself, the urge to capture that expression, not just for a photographer's sake, but so he look at it over and over again…. His camera went off, the scene immortalized in time. Yet as soon as he did, he knew he would never show it to anyone around him. Quickly realizing that the other would have heard it, he half-turned away, quickly pressing his gallery button and making it look as if he was simply looking through the pictures he had captured, avoiding the one he took of Chase like it was the plague.

Shit, shit shit.

Why was it that his heart was pounding like that, as if he was hoping the other wouldn't have noticed him taking a picture of him? Was it because he had put up a front of hating the other despite his redemption? He had saved his sister for crying out loud yet… And the license, he had been so happy to receive it, Krim even mentioned that he was feeling more like a human because of it. He bit his lip hard. Why were his feelings more conflicted now?

Hesitantly, he glanced up, only for his gaze to meet Chase's and he froze. The other didn't say anything, only tilted his head slightly. That expression he had seen before was gone; he swore Chase wasn't aware he made it in the first place. Was it an indicator that he was developing human feelings, that he was becoming more human? He treated Roidmudes like they were scum, and they were, they tried to destroy peoples' lives and wanted to overthrow them. Yet Chase… The memories of how he had treated him rose to the surface of his mind in a wave of negativity, reliving every time he tried to kill him, all the insults and snarky remarks, all of the times he refused to accept the fact he was on their side.

Doubt formed in the pits of his stomach. Again he thought of the license. If Chase wanted to become like the humans, then he was treating a possible human being like dirt underneath his shoe. Unable to hold back the wave of mixed up emotions that berated him left and right, he wrenched his eyes away, a thin frown on his lips as he tried to hold his expression together, praying to whatever gods there were that the other didn't notice the conflicting emotions that no doubt flower through his eyes.

Thus he nearly jumped out of his skin when his sister came up behind him and slung her arm around his shoulders. He jerked back, staring at her like a deer caught in the highbeams of a car. Shit. Please don't say that she noticed.

"What are you looking at Gou? Let me see!" She had this look in her eyes and Gou cursed mentally again. Okay, she didn't notice his conflicted look but… Oh crap, she knew he had taken a picture of something! He slipped from her grip and raised his camera above his head, not about to let any of them see that picture. He should delete it, yet he just couldn't! The situation, along with Gou's repeated word of 'NOPE!' echoing through the room, drew Shinnosuke's attention and the man gravitated towards them.

"He's hiding something." The other Rider looked over at Kiriko with a raised eyebrow before both of them went to jump at him. If Gou was hiding a picture, then they definitely wanted to see it! The boy ran around the Tridoron, a huge smile blossoming on his lips, forgetting about the Roidmude in the room. There was no way they could catch him!

"Hunter, stop Gou!"

His eyes widened as he heard the sirens, looking in front of him just as silver barriers appeared. Oh crap, he forgot about the stupid little police car.