Title: Kissing you
After a hedonistic misadventure in Bass Vegas, it's turns out that our well-loved Bikini Bottom gang went a little overboard (it's all Mr. Krab's fault!). Sadly, they've cut the cards way too much at the honky-tonk. So in a nutshell: the 'underworld' is after them. Five encrypted letters have been sent. Sandy's the first to receive the threat. After encountering Patrick, she discovered that he's in the same boat as her. Strangely, SpongeBob wasn't home, but Squidward seemed to be. Before the star and squirrel knock on Squiddy's door, shockingly, it's smashed open...
The sorry state Squidward was in stilled her to her spot, Sandy declared without a doubt, "Holy Guacamole! Patrick, he's havin' a panic attack!"
"Panic attack?" questioned Patrick, confusedly, "All because of a stupid clarinet?" not yet realising his words caused the cephalopod to breathe even harder.
"Don't say that!" she scolded, "Come over here and help me calm him down." returning her focus to the panic-attack-victim, her voice turned silky, soft. "Squidward, this is me and Patrick here, okay. You're worrying us right now. We need y'all to breathe slowly."
"Listen to him, Squidward. Breathe slowly and calm the heck down. We're all in this together."
"Yeah, she's right. You're not alone in this, Squiddy." supplied the star, firmly grasping the cashier's shoulder.
"Listen to him, Squidward. Breathe slowly and calm the heck down. We're all in this together."
Patrick expanded on that, "Look, just be like me and forget the fact that: one of the most dangerous people in the entire ocean are hot on their heels for us." the cashier's eye's widened to the size of a SeaBear. "Forget the fact that we're all done for. Forget the fact that they're holding for ransom your clarinet, pure-bred snail, life insurance and your art work that hasn't sold in-"
"-Patrick." the squirrel interjected, her tone rendering the star petrified from his soul to his spirit. Trembling, Patrick shut up. Especially when he saw Sandy's two eyes transform into trumpets. He knew then he'd pushed too far. "Don'tcha have to be pessimistic somewhere else?"
"N-n-not u-until 18:00 but," he interjected himself, drawing new batteries on his poorly drawn watch. "I'm flexible, you see. I can re-schedule if you want, Sandy."
Sandy huffed, "No need, Patrick. Instead can y'all go through some of Squidward's stuff and find happy stuff—things that'll raise his spirits."
"Can do, Sandy!" declared the pink star, rushing out out the room, only to return to offer a salute.
'Golly, sometimes I wonder', she thought to herself, 'whether the batteries were ever included in that st-'
Distracted from her thoughts, raspy breaths fill all the space in her mind. Instantly, the squirrel felt the overwhelmed cephalopod tightly clutch her shoulder, his strength so visibly seen for once, and also his red pupils unfairly fearful.
What exactly did the underworld write in his letter?
"Help me," was his plea, "I can't...Barnacles! Sandy, I can't...every time I think of-" halted, in a matter of seconds, Squidward began hyperventilating.
Sandra seized in utter panic. She opened her mouth; her mouth clamped shut. She could say no more now since encouraging somebody to calm down had the chance to escalate the situation. They were passed that now.
'He's getting' worse and worse. I am a scientist but, even I see the symptoms. Too boot, he looks as bad as Aunt Betties' rainbow-coloured bridesmaids dresses.' Sandy held onto Squidward's shoulder's too. 'Think! Think, Sandy! What was it you saw on Teen SeaWolf once...what did the red-head do when...I can't do that! We're not even...' bearing witness to the tears which cascaded down the cashier's face, Sandy knew she was up the creek.
She had no choice.
With both her paws on either side of her head, the squirrel took a large gulp of air, recklessly and bravely removing her air helmet, encasing herself temporarily in water. Afterwards, Sandy held the cephalopod's face in her hands, quickly lifting his head at an angle approachable – appropriate.
She reminded herself again that – there was no other way.
. . . .
"Hiya, SpongeBob!" greeted the unemployed star, meanwhile rummaging and ransacking items from Squidward's fridge. "What brings you round my beautiful kitchen?"
"Oh, Patrick." said SpongeBob, exasperated. Still, he did grin. "We've been through this seven time now. This. Isn't. Your. Home. Anyway, sorry Pat but, I've got no times for pleasantries."
"Well, that's just rude."
"I know, forgive me. But seriously, I'm worried about, Squidward. I need to see if he's all right. Methinks he received one of those scary letters like we all did."
"Oh he did." says Patrick nonchalantly, leaning against the wall with an apple in his hand.
"Really? Boy, he must be scared to death. How's he taking it?"
"Quite badly. He's having some panic attack."
Presently, SpongeBob's fear-stricken face looked as deep as the trenches and abyss' of the unspeakable district near Shell city.
"You're kiddin', right?"
"Nope..." Patrick's eye's widened comically. Isn't he supposed to be doing something? "Holy seacow, SpongeBob! While you've been distracting me, I done a thing on my part to save Squidward's life!"
"OH MY GOSH! Then, what are we waiting for?!"
"I dunno! Follow me!"
. . . .
If only the two Goofy Goober's had better timing.
In a furious panic, the two burst into the room with the same shock as Jacks-in-a-Box, inadvertently having broken a door. Frozen in their spot (especially one of them), the two bear to witness a light, lingering embrace – a kiss to be exact, exchanged between two opposite barely even friends.
Patrick murmured, "Didn't see that coming," as the two adults, (reluctantly perhaps), pulled away from another; yet, their eyes couldn't follow the order to do so too.
"What's going on here, Sandy?" the sponge's voice was surprisingly quiet, whereas his pounding heart was not – it was reverberated with a roar and beat erratically yet, no one else but him could hear it. "Am we i-i-interrupting?"
A few seconds later (when the prolonged staring became tense), Sandy cast her eyes elsewhere, only to discover SpongeBob had arrived. "SpongeBob? Boy howdy! Am I glad to see you! Why, me and Patrick went to your house but, y'all weren't there."
"I see. Well, I'll have you know that I was occupied." Like you were yourself, SpongeBob did not let escape out hastily. "Um, since you two are...I-I'll take Pat and leave now." the sponge grips tightly on his Best friend's arm (earning a yelp from him). "Please meet us at Mr. Krabs house."
"Sure, we'll be there!"
. . . .
Sooner than later, the atmosphere became tense – stifling – and painfully awkward. Once could easily grab particles of the absolute quietness around. Moving on, as it was in her nature, being one to dive into danger first, Sandy broke the silence.
"H-how're are ya feelin' now, Squidward?"
Squidward answered, "Better. Much better." while avoiding eye contact with the squirrel. "Thank you, Sandy. That was...clever of you."
Flattered, Sandy (fruitlessly) fought a blush, "Don't mention it. So...uhm...Squidward, I-" grounding herself to a stop, the squirrel attempted coherent speech again. "I didn't do it just to-"
"I know."
"Oh," her facial features relaxed immediately. "that's good—darn tootin' fine even. It's just that y'all did have me worried sick for a moment there."
"Sorry, I guess was really out of my mind there."
"No problems." there was one problem though. "So, um, Squidward...we're both adults here, so I'm hoping this won't change-?"
"Don't be silly! I mean, of course not! I mean, NO. This won't change anything."
'Why is she fooling herself? We're not close – nothing would change! We aren't even friends; nevertheless, the number of times she's saved me is higher than the calories in a heart-stopping Krabby Patty' he pondered, inwardly.
"Phew, that's darn tootin' fine."
When his mouth opened, she halted hers.
"Hey, um, Sandy," he said, hesitatingly, placing a tentacle on her shoulder. "O-out of those two barnacle-heads...you've got no idea how glad I am that you kissed me instead." Squidward may have shuddered at his upcoming morbid thoughts.
Humbled, she slowly smiled, "Golly, Squidward," silently agreeing with his little jab made at the two. "seein' that's coming from you, I'll take it as a compliment. Now, come on! We've gotta head down to your boss' home and get ourselves out this sticky situation."
"That he caused." quipped Squidward, immediately grabbing his bearings.
"I can't argue with that."
A/N: Squidward and Sandy. Sandy and Squidward. Squandy OR Squindy is apparently the term. Their portmanteau. PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong. Moving on, their ship is not one which I'm not sailing on but, I am inspecting it from far, far away on my telescope. Bottom line: I'm curious. Curious as to how they'd function as friends or more since there isn't enough Squandy/Squindy fic around (but enough for me to have read some and become curious) Thanks for reading! Please REFLECT on what you've read then, REVIEW by typing your thoughts or/and criticisms.