What Could Have Happened Haunts Only Our Nightmares
Sometimes, when she laughed, Pearl snorted and wheezed, but those were cute, pleasant sounds that made Marina's many hearts flutter. The way the corners of Pearl's lips and eyes crinkled showed the fullest extent of her amusement. Whether it was Judd chomping down on Agent 8's hand when she coarsely scratched through his fur or watching an inkling get splatted by falling into water during a Splatfest, Pearl's laughter was the truest music to Marina's ears.
Yet, if Pearl's laughter was the light of Marina's day, then Pearl's other sound was a sneak attack in the dark. Pearl made a deep, guttural hocking noise that pierced through the night. Her octaves rose and then sputtered out like the engine to Crusty Sean's food truck. With drool leaking out of her mouth, Pearl snored and kept Marina wide awake.
Marina vacantly stared at the dimly lit wall, her eyes hollow and lips pursed. Next to her in the bed, Pearl continued snoring and smacking her lips together, her free hand absentmindedly scratching her stomach. Marina squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore the migraine pounding behind her retinas. They had a long day of recording in the studio, and all she wanted to do was sleep, but Pearl's snoring, once again, interfered.
Oh, Pearl, you said you'd work on this, Marina thought, scowling. She had made it clear that Pearl snored in her sleep and kept her awake, but when she glanced over at Pearl, she sighed.
Pearl was face-down in her pillow with a small puddle of drool collecting underneath her cheek. While it might have been cute to see Pearl in such a position when she woke up, it was not a pleasant sight at 3:17 a.m. with Marina running on two hours of sleep. She knew Pearl slept like a log, stiff and sturdy, unbothered by the passage of time, so Marina sighed.
Marina sat up and smoothed back her tentacles. Flexing her fingers, she gently gripped Pearl's shoulder and began nudging her on to her back. Marina read that fixing Pearl's posture would cure her snoring or at least open her nasal passages, allowing for more muted breathing during her slumber. With Pearl on her back, Marina was graced with silence and smiled. She could already feel the tension in her head lessening, lifting from her mind like an evaporating intrusive thought. Settling back down, Marina slowly shut her eyes and expected sleep to swiftly come, allowing her to drift off to dreamland.
A sharp, piercing grunt jolted Marina upright, and she slapped her hand over her mouth to quell her startled shriek. Pearl's lips wobbled as she snored, her nose wrinkled and eyebrows knit together. Marina's hunched shoulders slowly slumped, and she fixed the loose sleeves of her shirt to cover herself. She leaned over Pearl, listening to her girlfriend's quivering breathing, and all of her irritation melted away the second she saw Pearl's contorted expression.
A nightmare again, Marina thought, and she lied down, gently wrapped her arms around Pearl.
She cradled the smaller inkling to her chest, feeling Pearl twitch and mumble obscenities as her nightmare played out. Marina stroked slow circles on her back and hummed the chorus of one of their tunes. She pressed her lips to Pearl's head, coaxing her to relax.
"It's okay, Pearl. I'm here," she whispered, and Pearl stiffened, her fingers tensing like icicles. Marina rubbed through Pearl's short tentacles, massaging the back of her neck. "I'm right here."
Pearl hiccupped, and dampness trickled onto Marina's collarbone. Marina pulled Pearl closer, and Pearl nestled against the crook of Marina's neck. Their limbs tangled together, and Pearl gripped t the hem of Marina's shirt, her snores becoming quieter as the nightmare passed. Pearl sunk deeper in Marina's grasp, her lips puckering and subconsciously, she pecked Marina's jaw with her chapped lips.
Marina smiled. She nestled against her fluffy, cotton pillow and made sure Pearl was comfortably leaning on it, too. Once again, it was over.
Imagining what would have happened to Inkopolis if they failed was something that had haunted them. They would have lost everything. No one and nothing would be left, but in their dreams, they could still watch the chaos and destruction play out while that monster's laughter assaulted their ears. Piercing lights and shrill wailing filled their heads, and soon, they were next, blinded and burned into nothing but soupy ingredients for the next beings to walk the planet.
Pearl was strong, and Marina loved her courage. She was boisterous and amicable, tough and resilient, but even she had her moments of weakness. The terror plaguing them of that fateful day still lingered within both of them, but Marina kept holding Pearl to her chest and whispered reassuring sentiments. She wouldn't let the past hurt Pearl even if she was certain she would have to do it again, and it was something Marina would gladly do to protect her dear Pearl.
Everyone lived, and no one suffered. Even if Pearl's dreams turned into nightmares, Marina would always be there to hold Pearl as it faded away, forgotten by the morning sun. When Pearl opened her eyes, she found herself smiling at Marina curled up against her. Feeling as if she had gotten the best sleep of her life, Pearl cuddled closer to Marina and listened to her demure breathing, happy to be alive.