An Inkling of Sympathy Ch. 6
Author's Note: Hey everyone, sorry for the late update. Thanks a bunch for watching our Twitch stream the other night. While we didn't get to finish the cover, we'll be doing another Twitch in the near future to finish it up. Thank you everyone for all of the questions, I had a blast streaming with you guys. Without further ado, here's the next chapter. Thank you for your continued support, and I hope you enjoy! -Kiba
"No." I whispered, causing her breath to catch in her throat. I wrapped my arms around her drawing her closely. "I won't forgive you." My words rested upon her ear, and I could feel her hearts pounding in her chest against mine while I embraced her. "Did you really think I'd let you do this? Just, shift all of the blame over to yourself so I could pretend like it'd all go away. I won't do that, Callie. I won't allow it."
"Why are you doing this?" She asked again, beginning to stir. But instead, I drew her even closer to me, the warmth in our bodies growing from the natural closeness. She let out a pitiful whine of protest, trying to comprehend what was going on. "I'm so confused."
I swallowed nervously, trying to think how to explain. "I won't let you take the blame for that man's death today." I finally stated. "It was my hand that held the weapon when I killed him. There are no excuses for that, I went looking for him to kill him. I did it because he hurt you, and that's not your fault either. I told this to your cousin, and she doesn't believe me, but he was the first man I've ever killed Callie, and with luck he'll be my last."
I'd gotten her attention, and she ceased to squirm in my arms. I released the tight grip on her, my hands finding hers in the area between our hips. "But…" She began.
I interrupted her. "It wasn't your fault you were in jail. You were right, it was mine. For multiple reasons. I should have disposed of the tentacle after I cut it off for you, a stupid demonstration in itself. I even saw that cat taking it. I tried to stop him, but...I couldn't get out of the generator in time. And before you say that it was your fault because I was sick, because your act caused the fan to try to climb in the window, it was my fault because I instinctively placed my hand to his chest to keep him from getting to you." Now I was in tears as well, as she leaned her head against my chest. "It was my fault that you became this hurt." I continued, whispering to her. "You showed me sympathy, and I tried to repay your kindness, but everytime I do, I feel like it only becomes worse."
The door began to rattle as the panicked voice of Marie came through the wood, having realized that Callie was now locked inside. "Callie?! Callie, open the door!" Callie looked to the door, but I quickly turned her back towards me.
"You feel guilty Callie, because you blame yourself for everything that's happened. But you can't feel guilty anymore Callie, because it's not your fault. None of it is. You can feel sad for whatever you want, and anything you want can make you happy too. It's nobody else's business to tell you what can or can't, but you're not allowed to feel guilty anymore." The rattling had stopped, which I knew meant they intended to break it down. "You have to go now, Callie." I whispered into her ear. "I can't promise you that I can fix everything that's happened, though I'll try. I can only promise you one thing, which is that when you come back, if you come back, I'll be waiting right here in this room. I'm not an Octoling anymore. I'm not an Inkling either. But I'm here."
I heard the sound of the door splintering under the weight of whatever was being thrown against it. Having noticed the blood on the badge, I had no doubt that Captain Cuttlefish assumed I was trying to hurt his granddaughter. This time, she turned me to face her. "Listen well Mr. Octoling," she whispered back, in a stern voice like a mother scolding a child, "all the pretty speeches in the world won't undo what you've done." A soft smile crossed her lips. "So that means, you'll have to stick around until you've made up for everything. Understand? I won't allow you to shirk your responsibilities."
"Yes ma'am." I replied with a smile, only for her to place a quick peck on my forehead. As the two of us parted, she wiped her eyes of tears and walked to the door, unlocking it.
"It's alright everyone." She called through the door, causing the sounds to stop. "I'm coming out now, he's laying on the bed." As the door swung open, and she stepped foot from the small room that was now my world, a sadness rolled over me, but at the same time the residual feeling of her lips on my forehead managed to save just a glimmer of joy. I held on to it tightly; it would serve as the beacon for the dark days ahead.
That night, Callie and Marie sat in their Grandfather's living room, huddled around the coffee table swapping ideas on what to do. "We could turn him in." Marie suggested. "If we did that, then it'd prove our innocence."
"We can't do that." Callie stated plainly. "He rescued us, there's no reason to betray him."
"Umm...hello? Callie, he killed a man, remember?"
"And you kissed him for it." She replied glibly. "Speaking of which, don't think I didn't notice the sand you tracked in earlier. What were the two of you doing down by the pier, I wonder?"
"Shut up." Marie grumbled, looking down at the table. "And what about you? I never locked myself in a room with him."
"I just wanted to talk." She explained. "It was...enlightening." Despite her words, she couldn't hide the smile that had been plastered on her face since they're discussion. "But you're right, we have more important things to do than bicker about boys."
"Who's bickering?" Marie asked. "I'm certainly not bickering."
"You doth protest too much." Callie teased, setting up the map of the city. "So here's the plan, I think. They said we canceled the concert because we're not able to sing, right? So we prove them wrong. We have the free concert, like we offered, and we go acoustic so we don't need electricity. Then they won't be able to prove that we aren't the real Squid Sisters."
"That's great." Marie replied. "But what are we going to do about Lusca? I think it's obvious he can't be trusted on his own."
"What makes you say that?"
"The parts for an Octarian communication device scattered around his bed?" She scoffed. "Seriously, Callie. We need to get rid of him, and I mean get rid of him."
"Well don't you sound bloodthirsty?" Their grandfather's voice interjected, sitting beside the two of them with a tray of tea. "I know the young man lied about the parts, but in fairness I was the one who suggested the idea to him."
"Gramps?!" Marie bursted as he calmly sipped his cup of tea.
"He thought I wouldn't recognize those components. But funny thing is, radios ain't changed as much as he expected. I bought them, because I was sure that when he did get back he would simply throw them aside...I was right." He added.
"You'd honestly gamble with our lives like that?" Marie asked dubiously. "There's no way you could have known he'd not go through with it."
The Captain just chuckled. "He's a good man Marie, I just wish you'd see it."
"It was kind of hard when she was looking so closely." Callie commented, causing her cousin to shoot her a glare. "I mean, she was so close to him they were practically…"
"Enough!" She cried, clamping a hand over her cousin's mouth. "Yes, I kissed him. Okay? Stop teasing me about it and find us a way out of this mess!"
"We could claim we were framed." Callie finally replied after pulling Marie's hand from her mouth. "Say that someone planted that tentacle in our limo and we had no idea."
"Not a bad idea." Her cousin agreed, taking the cup her Gramps had set in front of her and sipping it. "Though that does prove that we willingly took part in a jail break. One that, as has been mentioned multiple times, involved the death of an officer."
"Ah, so that explains the blood!" Captain Cuttlefish cried in understanding. "What?" He asked, noting the way his granddaughters were staring at him.
"Grandpa, are you sure you've been feeling okay?" Callie questioned. "You seem a little...uncaring."
"Hogwash! If I was uncaring, I wouldn't have given him my Electrozapper." He paused for a moment, looking around him. "Where is that thing anyway?"
"I think he still has it with him." Callie replied, causing Marie's eyes to widen.
"You let him keep a weapon?" She gasped. "Am I the only one who is concerned about the safety of our family?"
"If you're so concerned, why don't you keep watch on him?" Her Grandfather suggested. "I'm sure he'd be grateful for the company."
"Absolutely not!" She protested. "Right now, I can't even stand to look at his face."
Callie had to bite her tongue to prevent poking fun at her cousin again. Despite her teasing, she felt conflicted about what had happened between Marie and Lusca. Marie hadn't ever really had a boyfriend to speak of before, which was what made her behavior for her rescuer so strange.
"Fine." Marie surrendered, causing Callie to blink in confusion. "You clearly have a joke, just say it before you explode or something."
"Why did you kiss him?"
Her cheeks burned red as she thought about the answer. "Prison...changes a girl?" She tried, with a sheepish grin. The doubtful look on Callie's face must have been observed, because Marie quickly stood up and snagged her coat from a hook. "Look, does it matter? It's not going to happen again. I'll see you both later."
"Where are you going?" Cap'n Cuttlefish asked, causing Marie to freeze.
"I was going to visit Mom." She explained quietly.
He frowned. "You know that they're looking for you. How do you plan on visiting her if they'll be out there combing the streets?"
"They think we're Octarians, they won't suspect imposters to actually live their lives." Marie protested. "Please Gramps, you know I have to visit her."
He thought about it for a moment before solemnly nodding. "Fine. But take Lusca with you."
"What?" She snapped. "You can't be serious."
"Deadly." He replied, his eyes becoming fierce. "Say what you want about him, he knows how to move about unseen. He'll help get you to your mother, and then once your business is concluded, he'll get you back."
"Yeah, but…" She began to protest, but seeing his expression she gave a sigh of surrender. "Fine." She muttered, walking to the door and knocking on it.
Hearing the knock, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and went to the door. When it opened, I was surprised to see Marie standing there, Callie and the Captain watching her expectantly. "Yes?"
I could see the struggle in her features as she looked down at the ground, unable to face me. She murmured inaudibly, before I requested that she repeated herself. "I said, 'I need your help'." She whispered again, with shame in her eyes. "I need you to smuggle me through the city. Please."
"Sure." I shrugged, grabbing my mask again and wrapping it around my face. "You'll be needing a disguise though."
"Really? That's it?" She asked skeptically. "No, 'screw off' or anything?"
"Of course not." I answered, tucking my gun in the back of my pants. "I figure you wouldn't ask me if it wasn't important."
"Fair enough." She agreed, putting her beanie and shades back on before walking towards the door.
Following after her, I flashed Callie a soft smile, one that she returned before waving farewell to the both of us. "Wait, you'll be needing this." The Captain called, tossing me his badge. I glanced down at it confused. "I don't really much care what you say, but once that badge is given away you can't go giving it back."
I swallowed nervously, before nodding. "Alright. Thank you, again."
"Go on, have a good time."
Marie just rolled her eyes, and after shutting the door behind me, the two of us began walking down the dark streets. For the first few minutes, we kept silence between us, until I realized I wasn't entirely sure where I was taking her. "So…"
"Hospital." She interrupted plainly, continuing to walk. "Please, don't even bring up the piers.
"I wasn't going to." I muttered grumpily.
"Why not?"
I looked at her confused. "Why are you asking that?"
"I mean, it's not like it's not noteworthy to bring up."
"Okay…?"
"But don't talk about it."
"I wasn't…"
"Look, if you're going to keep bringing it up…"
I stopped. "Marie, what on Earth is going on with you?" I finally huffed. "Everything you've been doing lately hasn't made much sense. I mean, kissing me when I first rescued you, our talks at the piers…"
"Didn't I just say not to bring it up?" She argued, walking past me.
"What you say and what you do, don't seem to add up." I commented, causing her to give pause.
"I know." She finally admitted, turning right down an alley-way with me hot on her heels. "I just...even I'm not sure what's going on with me, okay? So please, don't tease me about it."
"I'm not teasing you, I just don't understand what you want from me. Would you really prefer me dead?"
"I never…"
"That door is not as thick as you think it is." I interrupted, causing her to fall quiet. "Look, if it means that much to you I'll leave as soon as I see you back to the shack, just as I'd planned. I'm not going to hurt anyone, I'm just going to go back to my Kettle and call it a lifetime. I've had enough of this conflict, I don't want any more of it."
"No." She stated flatly. "You're not allowed to leave."
"Why not? What is it that makes you think I'm such a danger to everyone that I can't possibly ever have my freedom again?"
"Because I kissed you, okay?!" She snapped angrily. I was stunned by her sudden outburst. "Look, I've never kissed anyone before, alright? I'm still trying to sort out what it all means, and why I even did it in the first place. I can't let you leave until I figure it out, because if it turns out that it meant something and I let you go, I don't know what I'd do."
"Then, why not just say that?"
"Because that would mean admitting to myself that I'm not strong."
"You're not making any sense."
"I know that!" She protested. "I know it doesn't make any sense...can you just...I don't know...do something?"
"Like what?"
"I don't know! Something! Something that can help me make sense out of these last chaotic days."
"Ugh, you're so tsundere it hurts."
"I am NOT dere." She argued bitterly.
"There's the tsun tsun." I pointed out, pausing to glance around the corner to the entrance of the hospital. This late at night, there were only a few people on the streets. "Alright, take my hand. If we walk close together, it will seem less suspicious."
"You want me to what?" She asked in surprise, but I just let out a frustrated sigh. Grabbing her hand, I began to tug her along behind me. "Ugh, you're such a creep." She muttered, though she pressed closer against my arm.
"Why is this such a conflict for you?" I asked. "It's not as if I have expectations of you, we've barely just met. Your cousin knows you far better than I do, so why don't you ask her to make sense of it."
"I was curious, okay?" She muttered. "That's why I kissed you."
"You mean like…"
"Not bi-curious you jerk!" She snapped, before her voice softened. "I was curious what it was like for Callie, to be the one that someone else cleans up for."
"Is that really how you see her?"
"Of course! Her ditziness is always getting us into trouble. Everyone else thinks she's so cute, but all it does is make me have to pick up the pieces when she finally breaks something. I can't even get mad at her, because she doesn't even realize that she's doing it! It's just like the limo thing, all the time! She does something absolutely adorable, only to find out later that it's causing us more stress than before."
"Sounds like you have a bit of a chip on your shoulder." I commented, causing her to squeeze my hand tightly. "Ouch, sorry. Ease up, I'm just saying."
Her grip weakened slightly. "You don't get it, Lusca." She muttered. "I've always had to be the responsible one. You wouldn't even guess it, but I'm actually younger than Callie is. But still, I've got to be the 'big sister'. So when you came to rescue us, I thought, 'Finally, here's my chance to let someone else be the older sibling'. So that's why, okay?"
"Do you want to know what I think?" I asked, just as the automatic doors slid behind us, leaving us in the almost empty hospital hallway.
For a few moments she didn't say anything. "Fine. What do you think?" She asked.
"I think you're far too concerned about your dynamic with other people." Scanning the hallway ahead, I noticed an officer patrolling down the hallway, probably making sure no one was stealing medical supplies. Quickly, I pulled Marie behind me into a supply closet and closed the door behind us, waiting for the footsteps to recede. "You only think of things in the way you are connected to other people, and because of that you've lost touch with yourself."
"What are you talking about?" She questioned.
"You say you're tired of being the big sister, but no one said you had to be her. The two of you could just as easily both be irresponsible, and it wouldn't make much difference."
"Of course it would, if I didn't, then everything would go to Hell in a handbasket."
After a brief moment, I cracked the door and finding the hallway empty, I nodded for her to come out. "Maybe, maybe not." I replied, surprised when she took my hand once more. "But the truth is, I don't have any siblings. I've never had to concern myself with what another person is doing, I've only had to worry about me. This…" I indicated, holding up our hands, "it's all new to me, but I'm finding that I don't mind being relied on so much. But it seems to really bother you, so why do you seek it out?"
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"At the end of the day, what I'm trying to say is you should just be yourself. If you're one of the reliable types, than embrace that. Let people rely on you if it makes you feel better. If it doesn't, say so. But don't be so indecisive, otherwise people will distance themselves from you because they can't tell how you're feeling."
"We can't tell how you're feeling often." She pointed out.
"You also lock me in a room."
"Fair point." She tugged on my hand, taking me down a side corridor. After a moment, she spoke again. "Thank you...for talking about this stuff with me. I'm not entirely sure who else I could have this conversation with. Callie would probably go overboard, trying to be a 'big sister' and end up making a mess of the kitchen before realizing it's not her thing. Gramps would just give me a lecture on how family watches out for one another."
"It's hard to keep an open mind after knowing a person for so long." I explained. "Can I ask, why are we at the hospital?"
"To visit Mom." She replied, causing an awkward silence between us. How could I keep forgetting about these sorts of things? "If you have something to say, say it." She blithely stated.
"Would you like some privacy?" I asked, causing her to look at the ground in thought. She seemed to struggle with her answer, so I cleared my throat. "How about this? I'll stand in the room, but I'll stay completely silent. If you want me to leave, just give me a signal and I'll stand right outside the door. That way if you need me, I'll be right there."
"How can you do that so well?" She asked.
"Do what?"
"Be okay as the supportive one or the responsible one. How can you possibly let someone else choose so easily?"
"I'm an Octarian." I commented. "Our species was designed for the sole purpose of fitting wherever we need to be. We can change the color and even the texture of our skin. When you can be anywhere, it's hard to pick where you want to be. So I let others do the choosing for me."
"That's actually kind of sad." Marie muttered, pausing outside of the room. She looked at the door hesitantly, unsure of what to do. "You deserve better, you know that?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You shouldn't have to be what everyone else wants. Even if you can be anything, it doesn't mean that you should let others decide your fate. That's a bit like giving up, don't you think?" She smiled softly, opening the door and walking in. "Come on. I want you to meet her."
I hesitantly followed Marie inside, where she took off her hat and went to the silver tentacled woman who lay in the hospital bed. "Mom?" She asked, the woman's eyes staring blankly ahead at the ceiling. "It's me, Marie. Sorry it's been so long since I've last visited. Callie and I have been super busy with our missions."
The woman said nothing, and I knew then that she wouldn't be responding anytime soon. Picking up the chart by her bed, my eyes flowed over it, and I understood. Her brain patterns were normal, save that her body wouldn't respond to her signals. She was completely aware of everything around her, even if she couldn't react.
"We tried to play that concert. The one I told you about last time, to help other people like you. We...uh...didn't get too far with that. The power faded after the first song, so we didn't really get to sing very much. But, I know you would have liked it anyway. We sang your favorite song." She sat in the chair beside the bed, placing her hand over the woman's. "Anyway, we decided to do another show later, a free one. We haven't performed it yet, there's been a lot of setbacks. Some people think we're Octarians in disguise. Can you believe that?" She chuckled, though her eyes held a certain sadness in them.
With massive effort, her mother's eyes moved to me and she let out a raspy moan. The act sent shivers down my spine, and I suddenly began to feel very uncomfortable. I went to leave, but Callie's hand shot out and took mine.
"Right, sorry Mom. This is Lusca...I know he is probably pretty scary looking with that mask on, but I promise, he's a decent guy." Her breathing immediately calmed, as Callie nudged me with her elbow. "Don't be rude." She whispered.
"S-sorry." I muttered. "Ummm...hi, it's nice to meet you." I wasn't entirely sure how to act in this situation. I'd never been around someone so sick, yet unable to do anything. Even still, Callie beamed at me. "I'm s-sorry if I scared you." I stammered, "But I'm worried you'd be even more frightened if I took off my mask."
Her mother let out a gentle sigh of understanding. As her eyes returned to her daughter, Callie released my hand with a grateful nod. "Don't worry, Mom. I thought he was hideous or something too when I first saw him with his mask. He's not though, it's just that...well he's not like us."
"I'm really sorry." I whispered. "Please excuse me." I still felt very uncomfortable, and I had to leave, but something stopped me dead in my tracks.
"Lu...sca…"
Marie's face became very pale. It'd been decades since her mother uttered a word. "Mom?" She sobbed. I could see the strain in the woman's eyes when I turned back to her. It took all the effort she had to turn her head to face her daughter.
Marie could scarcely believe what she was seeing. The doctors had told her that it was impossible for her mother to ever recover, and yet she was moving her head and even speaking. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, followed by the sound of an officer's voice. "I don't care about politeness right now, someone saw suspicious characters entering this room and I want in to investigate."
"We need to hide." I told Marie, who snapped out of her daze. My eyes went to the window, and I knew it was the only place we could go.
"We're too high up." Marie replied, having seen my gaze. "We can't go out there."
"Watch me." I muttered, running to the door and tossing it open as the sound of keys jingling informed me we were short on time. Grabbing Marie about the waist, I heaved us over the ledge, my hand grasping on to the window sill and keeping us there. I wouldn't be able to stealth my clothes away, but I could still turn my flesh invisible. "Shh." I warned her as the door burst open.
"See?" The impatient nurse asked. "There's no one here. You're disturbing the patient."
The cop walked closer, looking under the bed and behind curtains. "I doubt I'm disturbing her much. If she can't move or speak, then what difference does it make, anyway? It's not like she can complain."
"Oh, she can speak. Not tomes, mind you, but just the other day I heard her say her daughter's name. She must really miss her. She usually comes to visit once a week, but she hasn't been able to come by this week yet." The nurse lectured, before she noticed the window and frowned. "This window isn't supposed to be open. The poor woman could catch cold on top of everything else." If she closed the window on my hand, there was no telling what could happen. I may drop Marie, or worse my fingers would be severed and we'd both fall.
"N-no." A raspy groan came from the room. The nurse paused her movement, turning to look back at the woman in the bed.
"Alright Mrs. Cuttlefish." She replied. "I'll leave it open for a little longer. But you need to understand, your daughter will have my hide if she finds out I let you get sicker than you already are. I'm sure she can't wait to hear the sound of your voice again." Turning back to the police officer, she placed her hands on her hips. "Are we done here? Mrs. Cuttlefish needs her rest, and I'm sure that she finds you pretty annoying, even if she can't say so. Lord knows I do."
The officer growled but nodded. "Fine. Thank you for your time ma'am." He muttered sarcastically to Marie's mother before storming out. The nurse followed behind him, and when the door closed I lifted Marie back towards the window sill to help her climb back inside.
"Thanks Mom. I can't really explain everything right now, but I'm really happy to hear you're finally starting to feel a little better." As I clambered back in after her, I also nodded to show my gratitude for her assistance. It may have been my imagination, but I could have sworn she flash a slight smile. "Lusca, check the hallway to make sure it's clear." Marie instructed.
Moving there slowly, I glanced through the crack in the door. Neither the officer nor the nurse were anywhere to be seen. "Coast is clear." I informed her. "Are you sure you want to go? I don't mind waiting for you to finish."
She looked back at her mother longingly and walking back to her side leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Sorry Mom, I know it was a short visit this time. I promise, once this whole thing blows over, I'll come back again. Who knows? Maybe you'll get to see what Lusca really looks like next time."
I waited patiently by the door, watching in silence. "Ma...rie…" Her mother wheezed finally, and I could see her eyes tearing up.
"That's right." Marie whispered to her. "It's me, Mom. I've got to go now, but I promise I'll visit again soon. I love you so much." It tore me up inside to see Marie so sad, but underneath it I could see the glimmer of joy from hearing her mother speak her name to her. After giving her mother one last hug, and returning to my side she slid her hat and shades back on. "Let's go." She whispered to me, her hand once again seeking out mine.
Soon we'd managed to return to the alleyway we'd come from. Despite the silence between us, Marie tugged on my hand to stop me. "What's wrong?" I asked.
"I just…" She began, stopping and taking a breath. "Thank you, Lusca. I'm glad you were there with me. And I'm glad you gave me that advice. I didn't understand what you meant then, in fact I still don't completely know the answers to the questions you asked me...but even though I know it's not the case, I still can't help but feel you were the reason my Mom spoke." I took a deep breath as she stood on her toes to place a grateful kiss on my cheek. "Last one. I promise." She whispered to me, before flashing a grin. "But I'm still keeping you locked in that room. I can't have you blabbing to Callie about how much of a softy I'm starting to become, now can I?"
I chuckled. "I promise, I won't say a word."
To be continued...
