Title: In Every Universe

Rigby begins to feel the incredible weight of futility in the moments before the final battle. some sad/cute Rigleen fluff to get you through the day.

Rating: K

Notes: takes place during s8e27, The Final Battle Part 1.

Disclaimer: curse you, JG Quintel, for making me FEEL.

a/n: this stupid finale still keeps me awake at night. all I ever do is cry about it.

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Battle or no battle, Rigby wasn't too fond of digging holes. Of course, he'd learned a lot about what it meant to be a friend in the past few years of working at the park (or lack thereof, in some cases), and he knew it was important to everyone that Mordecai's plans be seen out. That, and of course, the fact that the entire universe was on the line.

But did the fate of the universe really rest on whether or not he dug that hole? Did his hole-digging skills really matter in the grand scheme of things? Was it really that important for him to dig this stupid hole?

"Yes, dude."

Rigby could almost hear Mordecai's eyes roll up to the sky as he spoke in his usual, sarcastic tone. He looked up to see the latter swiping beads of sweat from his forehead with a tense wing. He was still looking up at the dark sky.

"Yes what?" Rigby pretended not to have realized he'd been complaining out loud.

"You have to dig the hole."

He knew his friend's tone was certain, but that didn't stop the groan from escaping his lungs. He didn't want to dig this stupid hole.

What was the point, anyways? Pops had battled Anti-Pops like a bazillion times and nobody ever won. Why should they even try? It was just going to end in a stalemate like it always did. And here he was, spending his last few hours alive digging a stupid hole.

He pinched his eyes shut tight. A certain conversation from earlier wouldn't stop echoing in his brain.

"Uh, hate to be a downer, but... this sounds kinda..."

"Futile?"

"I mean, this has been happening for billions and billions of years. How are we gonna buck the odds?"

His friends, in various positions of labor across the coliseum, were hard at work. All helping to build a contraption that would hopefully save their souls. It was sort of nostalgic to see the entire park squad breaking a sweat over one final project. But there floated an air of solemnity among the crew. They all knew that the battle had seen so many ties that their efforts were desperate pleas at best. They didn't even know for sure if their plan was going to work. Everyone had their own reason to be unsure, but none were as afraid as Pops. Even if they all wanted to call it quits and accept their fates, they wouldn't. Pops had come a long way, but he was nothing without the support of his friends. That's why they were all busting their butts. For the universe, but also for Pops.

And Rigby was smart enough to know that now. Not that he wasn't smart before. But he had a high school diploma now. He knew just as much as anyone else did, if not more. Actually, he probably knew a lot more. There were so many things he'd done before he even considered going back to school. He set a world record in Broken Bones. He landed a girlfriend. Not just any girlfriend, but the best girlfriend ever. Receiving his high school diploma was probably one of the least interesting things that had happened to him in the past six years.

Okay... so it was actually pretty rad to finally get his diploma. But what good was it now that the world was sure to come to an end? Why did he even bother getting that dumb piece of junk if the universe was just going to reset itself? Maybe hundreds and hundreds of alternate universe Rigbys had gotten their diplomas as well... and never even lived to see a career.

That last thought hit Rigby like a Death Punch to the chest. He dropped his shovel in the bottom of his half-dug hole and scurried up the side to the surface. He heard his heartbeat thump in his ears going a thousand beats per minute, his breath acting in jagged gasps for air.

"Dude, what did I just tell you?" Mordecai's voice sounded faint and distant as Rigby quickly stumbled away from the scene. He fell on all fours and started to run before his best friend could stop him. "Rigby!"

Rigby didn't stop running until he found a small hole in the rubble of the coliseum wall, right behind the Guardian's feet. He burrowed his small body into the hole as he cursed the tears that burned his fur. It just wasn't fair. He'd finally turned his life around. It was finally The Year of the Rigby. And now what? He was going to die, and there was nothing he could do about it.

In the distance, Rigby could hear Mordecai's confused yells to the others regarding his whereabouts, but he kept quiet. It didn't matter whether they found him or not. They were all doomed, forced to die an ironic death at the hands of a tie between Good and Evil. It just wasn't fair. There were so many things Rigby still wanted to do. He wanted to start a hamboning class and teach Death Kwon Do. He wanted to mass produce his homemade video game and make millions of dollars. He still wanted to invent Soda Shoes. He wanted to overcome his claustrophobia and try to get a grip on his anxiety.

The tears were falling in a steady stream now, and Rigby couldn't fight them off any longer. A controlled sob rippled through his shoulders. A few loose rocks tumbled to the ground as his torso shook the boulder he leant on. Shouts of his name echoed in he coliseum.

"Rigby?" Eileen's soft voice barely broke a whisper. He turned and peered up at his girlfriend, crouching just outside the entrance to his safe haven among the debris. He sniffled and blinked some tears from his eyes. "Hey," she said softly, snapping into protective mode and crouching down further to see his face in the light. "Mind if I join you?"

Rigby was desperately trying to get rid of all evidence that he'd been crying. He didn't say anything, but she could tell he really needed a hug just then. She smiled and squeezed into the small space to comfort him. She wrapped her little arms around Rigby's small body and gave him a tight squeeze. Her fingers gently glided over the fur on his cheek as he rested his head on her shoulder with a whimper. Her chest rose and fell slowly, and he sniffled into her shirt.

"I know," she whispered into his fur. "I know."

A silent moment passed, the voices of their friends still faintly prevalent in the background, the two of them lost together in time.

"For what it's worth, Rigby, I'm glad I got to spend the end of this universe with you."

Her voice cracked and he looked up at her with wide, chocolate eyes. She wasn't looking at him. He snuggled closer to her and squeezed her back, burying his face into her neck.

"You'll still be my girlfriend in the next million zillion universes right?" he asked quickly, his cheeks flushing.

She laughed, hollow and nervous. "A million zillion isn't a number," she reminded him, poking a soft spot on his side that was especially sensitive.

"Stop talking," he groaned, trying to wriggle out of her arms to avoid being poked again.

She just smiled weakly and pecked him on the top of the head. "Of course I will, Rigby." He lifted his eyes to meet hers. Gorgeous hazel stars shimmered like they could be their own alternate universe. An alternate universe in which he and she were aligned again and they were together forever and everything was perfect. But she looked away, and the image was gone.

"He'll be here soon." Eileen wasn't very good at hiding her frowns.

"Yeah." He tried to smile to let her know that he was better, not completely fine but he knew what they had to do, but it came out pained and sharp.

The two scrambled out from underneath the debris, hand in hand, and started to walk back to where the others were finishing up.

"Promise you'll still like me in the next universe?" Eileen asked rather shyly, her face flushing a bright pink shade.

Rigby scoffed, but his face was as hot as hers. "I'll think about it," the witty response came, but she knew what he meant and it made them both smile.

"Dude, Rigby!!" Mordecai shouted. "I had to dig your entire hole for you. What the heck man?!"

Rigby opened his mouth to retort, but the enormous voice of the Guardian interrupted all conversation.

"Anti-Pops draws near," she boomed.

The crew locked eyes with each other. Rigby's gaze left Eileen's face for a second to lock eyes with Mordecai. Neither one could bear to hold the stare for longer than a second. Rigby could have sworn he saw tears in Mordecai's eyes, but before he could double take, Eileen squeezed his hand. He took a deep breath. Mordecai put his wing on Rigby's shoulder.

They held their breath, and a small spacecar spluttered to a stop right outside the coliseum.

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