"So what you're saying…" Eight mused, "is that turtles are better than rabbits?" Her head was resting comfortably on Three's chest, the inkling sitting just behind her on the couch. The latest splatfest had been announced: tortoise vs hare. The race was on.
Now, Eight didn't actually know what either of those animals were. But Three had shown her illustrations online of what they had supposedly looked like, when such creatures had roamed the planet. It didn't take long to conclude the objective superiority of rabbits. They were so fuzzy and cute!
"That's exactly what I'm saying," Three responded starkly. Her arms wrapped themselves snugly around Eight's waist; an act of intimacy not thought possible by either party until recently. It'd now been two weeks give or take since they had sealed the deal on their relationship, and honestly? Eight couldn't be any happier. Her tentacles swayed joyously at Three's blatant cuddling - though the inkling would die before admitting to being cuddly - it was amazing how quickly the two had warmed up to showing their affection. Especially Three who, let's not kid ourselves, was far from peak sociability. "I mean, it's right in the story right? The hare was an arrogant little shit and he got his ass beat for it."
"Okay, okay, I hear you but consider this…" Eight paused for dramatic effect. "Bunnies are cute."
"That's not a good reason to pick a splatfest team."
Nonsense! Cute rabbits were the best reason to join a team! "Didn't you only choose team wizard cause you liked the ink color?" Three's cheeks warmed up in that oh so adorable way Eight always loved. "And why was that, hmmmm?" The octoling prompted with smug tone of voice. It was no secret that Three had chosen wizard cause the ink color was similar to Eight's. Which was cute as heck, and super duper flattering, but she had no room to talk about bad reasons to choose teams.
"Okay, point taken, Cod." Three mumbled, clearly embarrassed by Eight's comeback. Checkmate, Three. Checkmate.
Eight giggled, shifting around a bit to meet her favorite pair of eyes. "So, what do you wanna do today? We've got like, all day to do something."
The response she got was a thoughtful hum. Three took a deep breath and sighed, "I kinda don't wanna do jack today." Which was fair, Eight thought. It was one of Three's few days off. And for most of the following week, the elder agent had her schedule filled running missions and playing ranked battles to fill the gaps in her paycheck.
Y'know… maybe Eight could look into getting a job? Granted she was an honorary SBS agent or something, she hadn't really done anything since the metro. Three was far from the wealthiest cephalopod out there, so it'd do them both some good to have the octoling employed. Sure, she got whatever she wanted thanks to the celebrities who had all but adopted her. But no way was she going to ask Marina and Pearl to help pay rent. Hm… yeah. She made that a note to self.
Should probably look for a job.
"That's fair." Eight looked back at her girlfriend, taking notice of the small, easily missed smile she wore. It was wonderful to see the her smile. Relatively speaking, she'd done that far more these past couple weeks than in the several months Eight had known her for. "Wanna lay here a bit longer?"
At this, Three nodded.
Eight went to comment on how affectionate her favorite grump was being today but was interrupted by a buzzing in her pocket. Eyebrow raised, she pulled out her phone and eyed the notification.
"Who is it?" She heard Three ask semi-interested.
"Four, it looks like."
"Oh. What does she want?"
"Well, let's see…"
Four: Hey Eight uh… Some lady stopped by my place a bit earlier. I think she was looking for Three. I can't get ahold of the jerk so could you ask her what that was all about? And why she was at my house and not yours? All I got was that she'd been given the wrong address, but that seems like a weird coincidence, right? Just a heads up, I pointed her to you guys.
Eight noticed Three reading over her shoulder, as well as the disgruntled sound she made at what appeared to be something involving her. No doubt because she'd been hoping to shrug off obligations today but… oh well.
"Why hasn't she been able to reach you?"
"Left my phone in my room." Three answered plainly, still studying the text with a suspicious glare. "More importantly, who the hell is looking for me on my day off? I'm not letting anyone get between me and bumming around today."
Eight didn't have a good answer, which was fine cause that was probably rhetorical. Now… what to write back? Her fingers began tapping away at the screen. She still wasn't the fastest texter, but she'd been getting better.
Eight: Three doesn't seem to know either. What did she look like?
Four: Idk? She was kind of old I guess. Old inkling chick with greenish yellow tentacles. She looked like she had a stick up her butt for sure.
Eight: What does that even mean?
Four: A sourpuss.
Eight: Ah. Well… we'll let you know if we figure anything out.
Four: Cool. Cause I don't want her back at my house. She had weird vibes.
Eight put her phone away and turned back to Three, who'd become oddly silent. "Any ideas?" She asked, hoping the physical descriptors had given her some idea as to who was apparently looking for her. But the question was met with further silence.
The room had suddenly grown vaguely tense. And uh… Eight didn't care for it. The octoling sat up and turned around, getting a better look at her partner's contemplative face. "Hey, Three? What's up?"
"I…" Three opened her mouth but immediately shut it. It was impossible to name the look she was making or the many emotions that went into it. "It's uh… It's nothing." She dismissed, though she herself seemed unconvinced.
"You sure?"
Three frowned, her posture losing the comfy, contented air from moments ago. She groaned, though whether it was annoyed or anxious, Eight couldn't tell. "Yeah." She sighed. "Don't worry about it."
Well… okay. Eight wasn't particularly reassured, but if Three wanted to drop it, then that was fine. Time for a conversation change. "Hey so while we're not doing anything productive you want to watch a movie or something? Play video games?" Anything to lighten the mood. "We could watch one of your many spy flicks."
"Well…" Three huffed air through her nose before closing her eyes and taking a slow, relaxing breath. After a couple moments of impromptu meditative breathing, she gave Eight a tiny grin. "I am a slut for spy movies. Sure, why not? Go pick one out, they're all good."
Relieved that the brief though intensely disconcerting unease had come and gone, Eight hopped off the couch and made her way towards Three's ever impressive stack of nerdy DVDs. When Eight told Marina and Pearl about their date night, she had included every detail as per their request (well… excluding the dramatic reveal regarding a certain inkling's troubled past… that would be disrespectful on so many levels,) and it had come to her attention that apparently nobody used these DVD things anymore. And that - in the words of MC princess herself - Three was a total hipster for hoarding the small disks.
She let her hands sift through the options, before she stopped on an oldish looking movie titled 'The Squid Who Loved Me' with the subtitle '007'. The cover featured a burly inkling man holding a gun and looking quite serious. And sure, why not? Looked like as good a choice as any.
Retrieving the DVD, Eight popped open the box and inserted it into the player. Then made her way back to the couch and proceeded to plop down next to Three for continued cuddles.
"What'd you pick?" Three asked, staring curiously at the blinking screen. She wrapped her arms back around the octoling, and lazily rested her chin on the younger girl's shoulder.
"I dunno, something with some guy with a gun."
"Eight, that describes literally every spy movie."
"Well maybe you should stop watching such samey movies." A mischievous grin crept across her lips, and with a sneaky (though somewhat hopeful) voice, she suggested, "we could always watch Blue is The Warmest Ink. If you wanna stop treating me like a toddler."
The response was immediate, firm, amusing, and satisfying as the inkling spat bashfully, "No, fuck you, never, we're watching the damn spy movie."
Someday Three… Someday Eight was gonna watch the heck out of that movie, and then she'd understand why it warranted such a reaction.
Just as the screen flickered to life, and revealed to the peevish little inkling the movie Eight had chosen, there were several loud knocks on their door.
Now then… a choice needed to be made… stay on the couch and remain comfy with Three? Or be polite and go see who had arrived? The decision was a difficult one, indeed. Three was too warm to resist, but what if it was someone they knew?
Apparently the choice wasn't so hard for the elder agent, who continued to sit unmoving on the sofa. "Ignore them, maybe they'll piss off and I can finish enjoying my day off."
Eight chuckled lightly. "I'm tempted to but… I think maybe I should see who it is. Who knows? Maybe it's Cap'n with your agent salary."
Reluctantly, Three released the octoling from her grasp, and mumbled bitterly under her breath, "Damn well better be."
Eight got to her feet and skipped her way to the door. They didn't have one of those peak-y hole things that some people had for their doors. Which was a shame because several times had she opened up to a sales inkling who all but talked her ears right off. And once to a group of creepy anemones in white shirts talking about like… Being cleansed or saved or something? Three had promptly instructed her to slam the door on those people the next time they showed up, so here's hoping it wasn't them again.
Twisting the doorknob gently, Eight opened the door and stuck her head out cautiously— more than ready to shut the door on any off putting anemone people. But what she was greeted with was the stone cold stare of an elderly squid lady.
Huh… okay so… Greenish yellow tentacles… weird vibe… perhaps with a stick poking her anal cavity… or whatever Four had said.
"O-oh… hello there." Eight greeted shyly. "How may I help you?"
"You," the older lady started, "can tell me if there's anyone else here. Short, angry, girl with green ink. It's important."
"Er… yeah, let me get her for you."
Eight left the door open a crack, and turned to gather her girlfriend, but was surprised to find the inkling had already gotten up. She stood a good distance away from the door, but still had a clear visual on their visitor.
And she looked furious.
"Why the fuck…" Her voice came out as a trembling growl. "Are you here?"
And Eight could do nothing but stand awkwardly and watch.