notes

Agent 8 he/they, 18, shy but expressive, likes the outdoors, plants, manga, and anime
Agent 3 he/him, 20 quiet, cool, knows a lot, likes company
Agent 4 she/her, 18 very expressive, competitive, and a bit mischievous
this takes place between octo expantion and splatoon 3, It shows the rise of deep cut

Agent 8 was cleaning his room wearing an oversized white t-shirt and black shorts. He was trying to clean but keep on getting distracted by thinking about Agent 3.
He couldn't stop thinking about him. How nice he looked, how heroic he was, everything about him seemed so cool. He pulled out his phone to text him,
"maybe this will get me to stop thinking about him' Agent 8 told himself, fully knowing he was lying to himself. it took him 20 minutes of redoing the message and overthinking to send him a message.

8 "Hey 3, What are you up to?"
Agent 8 layed down putting a pillow under him, Agent 3 texted back quickly.
3 "nothing much, just reading"
3 "but I did want to talk to you" Agent 8 tilted his head in curiosity
8 "what is it?"
3 "So we never have hanged out, we only talk when we are on missions. Do you want to hang out at a coffee shop or arcade tomorrow?"
Agent 8 sprang up a bit at the sight of the text, blushing a little.
8 "yeah sure"
3 "what would you want to do?"
8 "the arcade, we can get coffee from vending machines!"
3 "is 12:00 at inkopolis square good?"
8 "yeah! Can't wait! (^u^ )"

Agent 8 put his phone down slowly and buried his face in his pillow, blushing extreamly. He was gonna spent time alone with Agent 3. a couple minutes later he started plan out what he was gonna wear for tomorrow.

He went to his room and pulled two sets of clothes out and placed them on the bed."Should I go with black jeans and a red hoodie or should I go for jeans with a gray/white striped sweater?" Agent 8 asked himself while looking at both sets. He took turns putting them on and practicing talking to agent 3 in the mirror. It was about 9 pm and he was still trying them on. Even though he thought both options were great, he wised he could wear something else. And he knew exactly what.

He sighed while looking into his closet, he knew what was in there. He pulled out a box that was hidden in the corner. The box had skirts and leggings. Agent 8 bought it because it felt more like him. He was always a bit jealous when seeing the Squid Sisters or Off The Hook in their pretty clothing. Even though he didn't think of himself as a woman, he liked to put it on. It made him feel more prettier, more cute, more himself. But he knew he couldn't wear it outside, he knew how people were treated when openly part of the lgbtq. And even though he knew his friends would not be like that, he was still scared about anyone finding out.

He put on a long white skirt and the gray/white striped sweater. He felt so happy in the skirt. He spun around making it twirl through the air.
He imagined him and agent 3 in a grassy feald, holding hands, basking in the sun. He imagined telling him how he felt and how much he cares for him.
He stoped and looked in the mirror again. Looking at how nice he looked. He clenched his hands together and started to practice speaking to agent 3 again.
"H-Hi, Agent t-three" He said in a nervous and higher-tone of voice "I k-know that t-t-this is a bit unexpected but I ne-need to tell you t-this. I-Im gay, a-and I l-love you"
He didn't even notice, but realized his eyes starting to water. just the thought of them having this time brought tears of joy. "I h-have loved you for s-so long now. A-And I want to a-ask y-you, C-Can I-I-I b-be y-your b-boyfriend?" He stood there thinking about it. Imagining how nice it would be Agent 3's boy friend.

He layed down on his bed and wraped himself in a blanket. All he could think about was tomorrow and spending time with him. And as he drifted off to sleep,hugging his pillow. He told himself that he will confess his love for agent 3 one day.

After a good nights sleep he woke up, took a shower, brushed his teeth, and made some butter toast. It was a nice morning, it was when winter was wraping up. It was still a bit chilly. Agent 8 looked at the time, it was 8:41. "walking to to inkopolis sqare is about 20 minutes so I still have 3 hours left." Agent 8 thought to himself.
He spent the time cleaning his room, doing some exercise, watering his plants, and reading some manga. After a while, Agent 8 chose to wear the red hoodie and jeans

While walking to inkopulise He started to realize what he was doing. He was gonna be spending time alone with Agent 3! Whenever they were on missions the squid sisters always had them on radio. And whenever hanging out at Octo Canyon, everyone else was also there. Even though it was fun with everyone, he just wanted to spent alone time with him. He sat down at one of the tables at the crust bucket and started to text agent 8. But before he finished his text, he felt someone poking his sholder, trying to get his attention. He looked back to see agent 4 right behind him.

"Hey! whats up?" Agent 4 said in a very cheery mood

"o-Oh, Hi 4, im ju-just waiting for agent 3. Were gonna hang out." He said with a little shyness in his voice, he did not expect her to be here.

"Nice, I was just gonna fight up some salmon at grizzco! Im planing to get a least a hundred eggs!" Agent 4 said with excitement, Hyping herself up.

"What are you guys gonna do?" She said

"Um, we were just gonna get coffee and go to the arcade."

"Oh, I know a amazing Arcade place! It's in Splatsville close to a store called Hotlantis!"

"I have never been there, isn't it far away?" 8 asked while tilting his head

"No, It takes only like, an hour to get there by train... ok, yeah it's a bit far away." She said while laughing a bit to herself, flusterd by her mistake

"Me and 3 will probably go there some other time!" 8 said while laghing a little

"Well I can see 3 coming up" She said while looking across the street "I'll leave you two be, I've got some salmon to fry up anyways , catch you on the flip side!" She said while walking away

Agent 8 looked across the street to see... Agent 3. He was wearing his cool hero headset while wearing a black & yellow striped sweater and black jeans. Seeing him in casual clothing. He looked so cute and yet so handsome, His green hair and eyes glistening in the sun. Agent 8 felt himself blush a bit.

"C-Catch you later" Agent 8 said to agent 4 while looking at him, not realizing she was already to far away to hear him. He started to walk towords agent 3. Agent 3 was looking at his phone, probebly texting him. "H-Hey! 3!" he said while waving at him. He looked up from his phone and gave a slight smile back "hi 8." He said in his deep, monotone, and yet comforting voice.

"I um... Hey, you look very nice today" 8 said while looking at agent 3's sweater. "you look nice too, the black and red mix well togeather" Agent 3 said back. "Well, any c-color pairs well with black!" Agent 8 said while calming down and smiling. "Anyways, lets get going to the arcade!" He said while starting to walk.

They walk over and enter the arcade. It's filled with bunch of rhythm, fighting, and competative games. There is also a row of claw machines by the wall.

"It's nice to come here. I don't come that often " Agent 8 said while admiring the sounds and lights from the machines.

"me too, the missions kinda drain me of energy. but it's nice to be back," Agent 3 said while sitting down at one of the fighting games "you wanna play?"

"S-sure!' Agent 8 said while sitting down next to him. It felt nice being sholder to sholder with him. He let himself blush a little "I haven't played that many fighting games so go easy on me." 8 said while choosing his character. "ok" 3 said while choosing a stage. After a couple games of 8 losing, there was a game where both health bars were low. "Oh, im close!" he said in excitment as he put his all in fighting, "im close also, you wont defeat-" 3's words stoped as he saw his health go to zero. "KO, player one wins" The game wrote out on screen. "i didn't think you would be this good." Agent 3 said with a bit of surprise in his voice. "Well you were going easy, you were realy good too!" Agent 8 said with happiness with his voice.

After they played a few more games and a bit of air hockey they were heading out, but agent 8 stoped when he saw a pink octo plushie in one of the claw machines. He gasped under his breath when he saw it. "Ok, before we go I have to get this" he said while walking towards it. He put 2 quarters in and tried to get it, and failed. "ok, that was a fluke" He said while trying again, and failing again. "Ok, third times a charm" He said getting a bit angry while failing for a third time. "um, should I try for you" Agent 3 said. "Sure" He said while backing away to give him control. but I doubt that your gonna get it, it's probebly rigged or som-" His words cut out as he heard the plushie fall. He turned around to see 3 pulling it out. "H-How did you do that?" He said in amazment. "I got two in one go actualy" 3 said while pulling out a smaller white inkling plush. Agent 8 stood there in awe of how effortlessly he did that. "Y-you should keep the, y-you won them." 8 said while slightly looking away, blushing a little. "nah, I got them for you" Agent 3 said while holding out the pink "W-well at least keep the other one" 8 said while grabing the octo plush. "hmm, ok then."

They both left the arcade to see that it was past noon. "we were there for a while" Agent 3 commented while checking the time. "a bit over 2 hours".

"Wow that long, it didn't feel long. But I guess time flies when your having fun with your friends!" 8 said while looking at 3, and he looked back at him. Agent 8 felt himself blushing intensely, he instantly covered his face with the plush "S-sorry, so sorry. That was so cheesy, oh my god" He said flusterd, not knowing what to do. "it's ok, it was nice hearing that" 3 said back. "I had a lot of fun, we should do this more often" Hearing that made 8 look back at him, he felt warmth in his chest. "Y-yeah we should, I k-kinda want to go home n-now, i-is it ok if we get coffee at a later date?" 8 said while slowly looking back at 3. "sure, text me whenever you want to get coffee. I'll see you later" 3 said. "I-I'll see you later too!"

When agent 8 got back home he went to his room and closed the door. He thought about the evening he had with 3. It was something out of his fanticies, and in the moment he wasnt freaking out about every little thing that they did. It just felt normal. It just felt natural for them to be so close. He hugged the octo plush close to his chest and leaning aganst the door, "i-i-i just l-love him so m-much" He whispered under his breath.