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"How are you feeling 8?"Marina had cupped the octoling's face and examined it carefully. Checking his pupils, heartbeat and physical health overall. "I-I'm okay," 8 muttered nervously once Marina had let go of him, finishing her examination."C'mon Marina, y'know he's strong. Dealing with that blob of goo was a piece of cake, right 8?" Pearl commented as Marina sat down next to her. She had glanced from Marina towards the octoling asking the question. He sat there, staring back nervously and beginning to crack a smile, 8 nodded. "Y-Yeah."Both Marina and Pearl mentioned how they had a meeting to attend to regarding their upcoming concert, and that they would have to go for the time being. "Don't worry 8, we'll be back soon enough!" Marina exclaimed in a reassuring voice, knowing well that the octoling was nervous about being in the surface. Pearl nodded along, and they gave each other their goodbyes. "Agents 1 and 2 should be here soon to help you adjust up here yo."The idol duo slid the Cuttlefish Cabin door open, stepped out and super jumped away. Agent 8 sat there on a pillow on the floor silently and examined his surroundings. It was strange, seeing the sky beginning to turn a bright orange as the sun set. The breeze in the air felt nice against his skin. "This sure beats the metro..." He whispered under his breath. The area was completely silent, and empty. As 8 wondered how long it would take for the Agents 1 and 2 to arrive, he ended up deciding on stepping out for a bit, picking up his Octoshot in the process.His hand gently pushed the door a little more open to examine the area. All he saw were the three target balloons and a machine (the Ammo Knights Enhancifier), not noticing the inkling standing not far from the cabin's entrance.The inkling turned around to face 8, staring coldly into his eyes. She had orange eyes, and long, almost lime colored hair. "..3..right? H-Hey.." 8 chuckled nervously, his body as stiff as cardboard. The only thing he vaguely remembered about her was that she was strong, passed out and well....Agent 3. Nonetheless, the octoling didn't get much a response to his question. What he DID get was:"Put your weapon down."Agent 8, taken a little back from hearing her voice suddenly, glanced down at his hand holding the Octoshot and back at her. With one arm up, her Hero Shot pointed directly towards 8. "Put your weapon down," She repeated again in a low voice. Her sight was directed away from him, almost as if trying to avoid eye contact with the boy. Sweating nervously, 8 gulped, and gently placed his Octoshot to the side, not steering his eyes away from 3."T-There," 8 attempted to smile. "I put it down."His heart was racing, but calmed down a bit seeing her arm go down and the weapon aim away from him. Still determined to befriend the only other person around (or at the very least make some sort of conversation to steer away from the awkward interaction), he slowly took off his ink pack (bag? container?) and set it aside. She didn't pay attention to him, which meant 3 didn't notice that he was walking up to her.Seeing the sudden motion of a hand going up, 3 jumped in place and faced him with an alert expression. Her eyes dared at him, with 8 only staring nervously back. Was this the same person who looked so peaceful when passed out before him? "Fierce.."He thought to himself."I think we got off on the wrong foot, I'm not trying to hurt you..." 8 stood still, his hand still out to greet her. "My name is Nova."Agent 3 continued to stare at him, almost as if examining him, then at his hand, and back. Nodding, she turned away."W-Well, at least she's not being hostile against me anymore,"8 thought to himself. "..But a response would've been nice..."The octoling stood there awkwardly for a couple of seconds, stated that he was going to sit by the cabin, and turned to walk. 3, knowing that he wasn't looking, stared at him as he walked, examining his body language. He seemed tired from the way he sort of trudged back, but on the edge as well, probably nervous from the fact that a whole new and different life. Agent 3 found it amusing however, the way he walked back."I guess it wouldn't hurt to be a little nice.."3 thought to herself.Slowly, one step at a time and is inconspicuous as possible, she made her way to the same spot the octoling sat down. 3 took a seat, set her Hero Shot down between them, and kept some distance between them. 8 was confused, but noticed the effort to at least show some trust. Without even realizing it, 3's action on joining him sitting down reassured the lost octoling.The breeze continued, slowly shifting her tentacle into her face and adjusted it again with her hand.8 fixed his as well.The pair sat in silence, awaiting for 1 and 2's arrival.
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It was silent.After Agent 3 had taken her seat a distance away from Nova himself, not a single word was spoken. Agent 8 didn't exactly know how to approach the inkling, especially since his initial moves were seen as hostility by her. At the very least his efforts weren't in vain. After all, 3 ended up sitting next to him.The sunset wasn't going to last much longer, and soon enough, the sky will turn dark. It was getting colder, and the clothing that Nova had on wasn't enough to keep him warm. "I wish the sun stayed out a little longer..." He whispered, holding himself as if it were to stop his shivering. 3 had peered over to him briefly but lost attention and faced away again.Both Marina and Pearl claimed that 1 and 2 would be arriving soon, however it doesn't seem like they'll be arriving anytime soon."Hey 3? Do you happen to know when Agent 1 and Agent 2 will arrive..?" Agent 3 turned around once again and locked eyes with Nova. He got a nervous feeling once again and turned away after asking. From the small glimpse he got of her orange eyes, they weren't expressing much. Now that he thought about it, 3 didn't really make many expressions besides the aggressive and serious one. In fact, she hardly talked. Maybe she wasn't very sociable."I'm not sure." Was all that was said from her. "I was told to take care of you until they arrived."Jumping up in his spot, 8 snapped his head to look at her. "You spoke to me! I was starting to worry you didn't like me."Agent 3 bit her tongue and turned around. It wasn't that she disliked him, 3 thought to himself that the octoling was trustworthy. In fact now that the thought crossed her mind, she didn't know why she had acted so aggressively towards him when it came to his weapon. After all, he was just sitting inside the cabin with two idols/agents, with the same weapon sitting next to him and nothing occurred.Slowly, she readjusted her cape and gave a sigh. "I'm sorry."The apology came out suddenly, leaving even 8 confused as to why she said it."I-It's okay."From the distance, a loud whirring began to stir up the air, making the breeze turn into stronger winds as it got louder. Agent 3 had no reaction to the incoming vehicle, well, besides her trying to wipe her hair out of her face. Agent 8 on the other hand, covered his entire face and squeezed his eyes shut.The loud whirring of the helicopter blades slowly stopped once they had landed. The strong winds were stopped and replaced once again by the evening breeze. 8 stared curiously at the side doors, wondering who was about to step out. 3 on the other hand, stood up, grabbed her Hero Shot and moved towards the helicopter. "Ah, hold on 3!"The pair stood silently before the helicopter as the engine died down. "Is this Agent 1 and 2..?" 8 leaned in close to 3 to whisper. Her head moved slightly away as his got closer. She nodded, still not looking at him directly. Nova was happy that their communication improved, but 3 on the other hand didn't think much of it. He was just another person here.Agent 8's eyes widened in disbelief as he watched who stepped out of the doors.Slowly, Agent 2 stepped out first. She wore her grey kimono with her green belt, which flowed almost majestically with her movement. Her red bow rested on top of her grey-white hair. Agent 1 came out a lot more energetically, her outfit being more casual. Her bright pink cardigan contrasted with her black camisole, which matched with her beanie. A cute yellow star rested on top of said beanie."3!!" Agent 1 exclaimed happily, running over and jumping on top of Agent 3. She sort of held her back, but much to Nova's surprise, he managed to spot the smallest smile."How are you doing 3?" Agent 2 greeted, following up behind Agent 1."Good," She nodded.Up to this point, the Squid Sisters hadn't noticed the octoling's presence. 8 on the other hand was completely in shock seeing the Squid Sisters in the flesh. Callie turned around, her beanie slightly shifting atop of her head, and her smile brightened more."You must be 8! We've heard so much about you!" Callie squealed, sprinting up to him and looking at him eye to eye. "My name is Callie, what about you 8? How long did it take you to come up here? Do you like it up here?"Nova a little overwhelmed by her presence and bombardment of questions, laughed nervously. "I uh...""Callie," Marie shook her head, raising her palm to her head. "Don't pester him too much, he's probably already tired from all this." Her golden eyes then shifted from Callie back to 8. "It's a pleasure to meet you 8. We're glad you're here."Agent 3 glanced back and forth between the Squid Sisters and 8, processing the interaction."I'm..very glad to meet you two!" Agent 8 bowed his head innocently. A little too aggressively. The little tentacle above his head flung around. Both Callie and Marie giggled. "Your song," Nova started up again, lifting his head as to meet their eyes. "Your song encouraged me to strike out of Octarian society. I can't thank you enough."Marie grinned at the words."Aw we're so glad!" Callie exclaimed happily, embracing the octoling tightly. 8's face began to warm up from the embrace, not believing that one of the Squid Sisters was actually hugging him."Well, I'll be heading back home." Agent 3 stated, beginning to head away from the group. "Goodnight.""Uhhh 3..?" Callie murmured nervously, her eyes darted to Marie.The group fell silent, the only sound being the wind once more. 8, clueless, stared curiously at the Squid Sisters. "I'm getting a bad feeling..." Agent 3 thought to herself.
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"Hm?" She turned her head to look at them. Callie seemed a bit nervous, but Marie seemed normal. 8 stood there, still seemingly processing what was going on."Did Agent 4 leave already..?" Marie questioned, facing 3 now."Yes. Earlier in the afternoon."Marie and Callie peered at each other, then at 8, then back at 3."Our schedule is packed right now with plans for events, and shows, and whatnot..." Agent 2 started."Meaning we don't really have time ourselves to help," Callie continued, her hands fidgeted. Both Nova and 3 stood, still awaiting as to where the Squid Sisters were going with this. The bad feeling that 3 felt got stronger the more the silence went on for."3," Marie started in a soothing voice, stepping forward so that she was now standing next to Callie. "We have a huge favor to ask of you."Nova turned his head back and forth between Agents 1 and 2, and back to 3.Marie's head slowly bowed, and when she noticed that Callie only stared at her, she quickly made Callie bow her head too."Please help us take care of 8 here. Is there any chance he can stay with you to learn how everything works here."It was a huge favor to ask for, and both 3 and 8 were taken back by it. 3 sweat nervously, still processing the request. Did she really want someone else in her house? She had the spare room filled with with her junk, but she thought she was fine with living alone. Plus, it was a huge responsibility that she would have to manage on top of her regular schedule. Her eyes traced the landscape, and ultimately made eye contact with Nova's orange eyes staring innocently back. Agent 3 gave it some more thought, but didn't give any indication of a yes."I'm aware that it's a big responsibility," Marie commented. "But it would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure 8 here would greatly appreciate it."Her eyes darted back to 8, who nodded along with what she was saying. Nova, despite being somewhat intimidated by the inkling, didn't mind the idea. After all, he's new here so he could really use the help. "Maybe we can even be friends at some point.." However, it was clear to everyone that 3 was hesitant on saying yes to the offer. It didn't help that she just wanted to go home and rest.At the same time however, Nova didn't want her to feel as if she was forced to do this, he wanted it to be her own decision."It would be appreciated, even if it's just for tonight," 8 started taking a couple of steps close to her. 3 didn't move, but only stared at him as he approached. "But I want it to be something you actually want to go through with, not something forced.""Hm..." 3 hummed silently, pondering it more and more. It was purely just a balance if she wanted to help or keep the same schedule she was happy with. Her hands were already full with managing everything."Don't underestimate 8 here," Callie pointed at him. "I'm sure he can figure things out fast, right?""Right, I can handle it." Nova grinned confidently.3 stared at the octolings smile screaming "I got this."Neither of the pair's eyes moved away from each other.~The Inkopolis night sky sparkled brightly with the countless stars dwelling there. Despite the fact that it was dark, there were already countless inklings among the streets, all conversing and living their lives. Nova observed those he focused on, seeing how they behaved and talked. A particular group caught his eye, a group of four inklings, one girl and three guys. It seemed as if they all knew each other, especially with their joined laughing. One of them had their arms around the girl's shoulder."Let's go get something to eat!""You always want to eat!""Haha! She got you there!"Seeing them laughing together made Nova feel something that he couldn't identify. What he did know however, was that he wanted to experience that.Unbeknownst to Nova, he had accidentally stopped in his tracks, the bright street lamp illuminating him from above. Upon realizing this, he glanced around in order to spot 3, failing to do so."Over here!" She called out, cupping her hand around her mouth to make her voice louder. It was the first time for him hearing her raise her voice to call out to him. 8 turned his head around and ended up spotting her near a corner store down the street. A small sense of relief washed over the octoling, irrationally worried that he'd get lost and forgotten by 3. "S-Sorry, I got distracted," He scratched the back of his head nervously. 3 didn't respond, but just turned to make sure the octoling was still behind him, then proceeded to walk their way home.The streets had their groups of inklings, some even by themselves on their phone. Occasionally, Nova would accidentally make eye contact with them, and in response, gave a nervous smile. The inklings on the other hand, would either stare wide eyed or look him up and down, almost as if analyzing him. These responses made him feel a little weird, but tried his best to shake off the feeling.His stomach rumbled softly. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't eaten anything in awhile. Almost as if by coincidence, they walked through a little open square, with two food trucks handing food to customers. The scent flowed through the air and met his nose, ultimately making the octoling hungrier. "I don't have any money though..." He thought to himself, a little upset at the fact. Agent 3 continued to walk forward, ignoring her surroundings, with the octoling beginning to trudge behind her. Nova stared at her hair, her lime tentacles slowly shifting with each step. He considered asking her for something, but ended up deciding against it. He closed his eyes as he stepped, imagining the different types of delicious food that would leave him full. "How could I ask her for more, she's already providing me somewhere to stay," Nova reasoned in his head, his right hand subconsciously holding his stomach.The pair continued to make their way, Nova slowly following behind 3. Neither of them exchanged words within the silence.
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"H-Hey 3, are we getting close?" He asked, his breaths getting heavier as they walked up the long incline. Agent 3 continued, giving a subtle nod but not turning to actually look at him. He sighed, but brightened up a bit recognizing the Squid Sister's voices singing their songs throughout the streets.They walked past another convenience store, it's window having a poster sponsoring a snack brand. The mascot was a little jelly with a mustache with what he believed was a happy face. The product in question was a long can of what the poster claimed was "chips." His stomach rumbled. 8's eyes then looked around inside, seeing another inkling purchasing a beverage from a jellyfish. Another red and white sign caught his eye passing the other window."Help wanted.." He whispered under his breath.After what Nova believed was 3 minutes, they stopped at the front door of a tall, but not so wide building with many windows. It didn't seem old or worn down, and many lights could be spotted on from numerous windows. They stepped in, walked through the halls, took an elevator and stopped at the 4th floor. Agent 3 walked forward, fishing in her short's pocket for something, and pulled out a key attached to a lanyard. A small, green squid hung from it as well. Nova found it amusing, and let out a puff of air as to hold back a chuckle.Her head whipped around and their eyes met. "What's funny?" She asked plainly, but as far as he knew, there wasn't a hint of dislike in her voice. Nova cleared his throat and quickly avoided eye contact. "...nothing," was all that was said.She fit the key into the golden door knob, and slowly turned it. The door itself began to open up with Sarah standing aside as to let the octoling walk in first. Agent 3 carefully observed him as he stepped in and examined the place. His eyes looked around, learning the format at the place and looked back at her with a small grin."Well, this is home," Agent 3 simply stated in a rather monotone voice. "Sorry I didn't tidy up, I wasn't expecting guests."Nova took another moment to look at the place after reassuring her that it was fine. A little bit forward to his right was a small kitchen, a small table in the middle with one side having three seats to eat at and the other side a sink. The sink itself had a small pile of dishes, and the drying rack itself had a somewhat pile up of drying/dried dishes. Besides the randomly stacked plates, everything else was normal. A stove, oven, microwave, and fridge. Moving a little bit more forward, it led to the living room. The living room itself had a pillows scattered between the two small sofas, the tv blared a large "No Input" sign, and there were some stacks of paper on the coffee table. What caught his eye was the pile of weapons Agent 3 had sitting in the corner of the living room."I wonder why she has so many?" Was the only thing the octoling questioned. Agent 3 was in fact, not very organized.Suddenly, Nova's stomach rumbled loudly. His own stomach had revealed what he felt and Agent 3 raised a brow. It was much to her surprise that he never mentioned anything about being hungry, despite the fact that she herself was pretty hungry herself after her long day. Now that she gave it some more thought, her body felt pretty tired, even though she was passed out with no injuries (surprisingly). Slowly, she made her way inside to the kitchen, locking the door behind her, and opening the freezer. The octoling continued to stare at the inkling as she rummaged through said freezer, the icy mist swiftly escaping. Agent 3 then pulled out a red frozen box, which 8 would soon find out to be a frozen pepperoni pizza, and promptly preparing it and setting it into the microwave."N-No, it's okay. I'm not hungry," Nova lied, feeling as if though he was being a nuisance. The microwave hummed softly. "Take a seat," Agent 3 had said in a soft voice after giving a yawn and ignoring his obvious lie. Her finger pointed at the table, more specifically the empty seat in front of her. 8 complied.The inkling made her way to the living room, switching the tv on to some show for background noise. Nova watched her as she organized the pictures and attempted to find a place to put them. Pacing back and forth with the stack, she gave a sigh, then another yawn, gave up and placed them back where they were originally. The microwave's timer eventually ticked down to zero, and Agent 3 had placed it on the table, ready for it to be eaten. Nova stared at the melting cheese and the steam coming off of the slices with an ever growing rumbling."Dig in." 3 offered, taking the seat on the opposite side where Nova had sat, leaving the empty middle chair between them.The pair chewed their microwaved pizza, with the occasional burning of mouths. Though neither of them made a comment about..anything really. Nova wanted to talk about something, he had no idea what, but it'd sure beat the silence."W-What's your name..?" He asked out of the blue."Hm?""Your name, I..I never got it," Nova clarified, now beginning to be hesitant. 3 turned back to her slice, taking a bite, and locked eyes with the octoling. It seemed as if she gave it some thought, as if 3 had never given someone her name before.He started feeling nervous staring into her orangey eyes, and looked back down at the plate. Taking another bite, he got his response."I'll let you know once we get to know each other better."Nova nodded understandably. From what he observed throughout this entire time was that 3 was not very sociable, and kept a lot to herself. He hoped that maybe at some point the awkward silences would turn into comfortable ones. That didn't mean he didn't want to talk either though, but neither did he want to force her out into a conversation if she didn't want to. Taking a bite, a cheese string formed.His eyes curiously looked around once more, still taking in that this would be his home, at least for now. He didn't mind the disorganized items all over the place, Nova himself wasn't the neatest person ever as well. If 3 wanted help to tidy up the place, he wouldn't mind helping her.His head turned back to 3, who was in the process of chewing and picking up her dirty dish, and flashed an innocent smile. 3 had caught the smile out of the corner of her eye, and surprisingly enough, made her want to too. Not a big one though."I got it." 8 declared, stuffing his face with the pizza crust and picking up his plate. The octoling made his way over to the other side of the kitchen table where the sink was. He noted how he was a little bit taller than her as he extended his hand towards 3, and placed both plates in the sink. The inkling nodded thanks, and sat back down across from him.She rested her head on top of her crossed arms and carefully observed the octoling as he washed the dishes. After eating that pizza, she felt even more tired and occasionally would catch herself forcing her eyes open and jumping awake.The tv continued playing in the living room, which was visible from the kitchen itself. Nova's eyes were focused on the soap and low pressured water. 3's eyes stared at the octoling tiredly, no particular thoughts behind her eyes.The show had two inklings, one who supposedly had no where to go for the holidays and the other handing him a cup of hot chocolate. They too sat at a table together.
"Thank you for taking me in."
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"It's getting late," 3 commented, sitting up on her seat and stretching. Her ears drooped and her eyes closed shut as her arms stretched. "I'm almost done," Nova responded, finishing up the last plate that was in the sink. However, it hit the octoling the question as to where exactly he was staying and he perked up."If you don't mind me asking," He started, drying his hands with a little towel. "Where am I staying?"3's eyes widened, forgetting that he was actually staying here instead of him being a guest. Their eye contact broke with her slowly looking at the sofa."Sofa it is." The octoling chuckled.She shook her head no and stood up, motioning with her hand to follow her. Nova obliged, and slowly followed behind. There was a small section of the apartment, turning the corner of the kitchen, with a very small hall with two doors facing each other on opposing walls. The inkling walked up, to the door on their right and turned the knob slowly. 8 peeked over her shoulder, attempting to see inside.It was dark, and a pretty small room. But all he could make out was stacks of cardboard boxes."Are you moving..?" He asked curiously, pointing at the pile of boxes as he looked at her. She shook her head no, "Just old stuff."They both stepped in, and 3 flicked the light switch on. It was made clear that this is where he was staying but there was no real place for him to rest on. No mattress, no bed, no nothing. Just boxes. At least nothing here looked dusty.3 then explained that she recently began remodeling the room, something about a pipe creating a huge mess and damaging the walls, but took it as an opportunity to move things around. She had a temporary bed in the room they stood in.Nova's eyes stared at her with a sort of sparkle in them as she spoke. Something about her voice was calming, soothing even. Maybe it was because she was tired, but it didn't sound as stern as usual, like how she had scolded him to put his weapon down earlier in the day. "There's a lot of boxes though," 3 finished, yawning again and rubbing her eye. "I'll help you take them out."Before Nova could respond, snapping out of his daze, 3 had already walked over to a box and stared at it. It was almost as if she was mentally preparing herself to pick it up. Slowly, she bent down, slipped her fingers under, and began pushing up to bring the box upwards. The wooden floors creaked a bit under each step approaching the small room door. "Is it heavy..?" 8 asked her, watching as she struggled a bit. Shaking her head no, she continued, though it was clear to the octoling otherwise."H-Here," He stepped in front of her, handling the box with care and lifting it off of her hands. "I got it." In the process, his hands lightly grazed hers. Agent 3, caught a little off guard by the sudden action watched him carry it with a little less strain. "Where to?" He asked, maintaining eye contact. 3, cracking the smallest smile with a sigh, pointed towards an empty living room corner.She was thankful for his help, but there were a lot of boxes with junk, and many of them were heavy. 3 truly didn't want to continue, her body was already starting to feel heavy and she couldn't think straight. However, she'd feel bad leaving Nova to sleep in the living room couch..Agent 3 turned back around and walked back into the room for another box, the floorboards creaking a little bit. Nova set the box down, and headed back towards the same room. Though this time he paused in the doorway."3..If you really want to, I can handle it myself.""It's okay."8 scratched his head, "I know you're tired 3."This caught her attention, and she stood straight, meeting the octolings eyes. They sparkled with the innocence she knew since meeting him. Meaning no harm whatsoever with the words he said. 3 attempted to deny it again, but the frequent yawning had given her away."I know you've had a long day," He smiled. "I think you deserve to rest."3's eyes shifted to the boxes, back to 8, and back to the boxes. Giving a sigh, her ears drooped and she slowly trudged her way back to other bedroom door. Briefly pausing in front of the octoling, Nova could barely make out the words "Thank you, Nova."The words gave him a warm feeling, even giving him light goosebumps. It continued to fascinate him how someone so serious still managed to show gratitude. Just earlier today she was just about to splat him, and now they're living under the same roof.He wished her a goodnight, to which she nodded back. "You too," She rubbed her eye, opened her bedroom door and quickly shut it behind herself.Nova spent the following time moving the boxes back and forth, slowly creating a small pile and emptying the room. At one point, he felt that one of the boxes were in fact bigger and heavier than the rest. It wasn't taped correctly, the cardboard flap waiting to be opened. Nova stared at it, curious about the contents inside. After a quick check of his surroundings, he lifted the flap and peaked inside. There were several weapons, more specifically shooters, all broken, dirty and other damages. He quickly noticed the hint of lime coloring on all of them resembling that of her weapon.Another box had opened by accident, surprising the octoling and nearly causing him to drop it, and a small paper had glided out. It landed onto the living room carpet, the opening fold facing upwards to him. "I shouldn't be poking through her stuff anyways," He controlled himself. "I'll just put it ba-"The flap lifted slightly, giving 8 an insight into the first couple words of the note before the flap covered it."Agent 3," It read, followed by a small drawn heart. "I know we've only been dating for a week-"The octoling processed the words in his mind as he settled the final boxes. "Is she in a relationship?"8 fixed his posture when he stood, and faced her door on the way out dropping off the final box."There is so much I don't know about her..."He continued to think about their lack of conversation. "I don't even know her real name. The only thing I know is the remodeling situation really...Hopefully we can get to know each other better."~There was almost no dust once all the boxes were cleared out, and he was pleased to find much less on the bed covers resting atop of the mattress. With an exaggerated yawn, the octoling jumped atop of the bed, the back of his head landing immediately on the pillow with a pomf.The room, empty with nothing but the bed frame and mattress resting atop of the wooden floor boards, was only lit by the moonlight slipping through the blinds of a singular window. The paint on the walls seemed pretty old, some of it visibly peeling. There was no furniture, no anything to consider it a normal bedroom. Agent 8 didn't question it however, "She only intended to use this room for storage.."After he 'relaxed', the newbie's mind raced, thinking about Inkopolis as a whole, the fact that he met the Squid Sisters, and meeting someone who was willing to take him in and help. His mind lingered on Agent 3, pictured her serious, then the soft smile she had when he asked where to move the initial box."I managed to make her smile.."He whispered to himself. "That's a start to this bond.."Slowly, his eyelids closed, shutting out the outside world. 8 was tired as well, but it hadn't hit him until he lied down. Gradually, he fell asleep.
"But maybe she only smiled because she was tired already..."
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With a splat, Nova had landed on the floor, falling off the bed in his octopus form. It didn't hurt, due to their nature of...squishiness? Groggily, he opened his eyes, the sunshine emitting through the blinds making him squint. It was awfully bright, and the noises of inklings conversing filled the streets outside. The octoling sat up, rubbed his eye a bit, then fixed the bed. The covers had fallen off with him. After fixing up his hair a bit with his hands, he slowly opened the door and peaked his head out the doorway. He couldn't make out any sound from within the apartment."3 must still be asleep.."Nova stared at her door, and walked through the small hallway leading to the kitchen and living room. His eyes glanced at the stove clock, reading 10:45 A.M. "We really slept in.."Turing around to look in the living room, he jumped, staring at the silent inkling facing the pile of boxes. 3's back was facing towards him, seemingly reading something that he could not identify. Noticing the octoling's presence, she turned around and nodded good morning."Good morning," He responded, getting nervous and realizing that she was holding the note that flew out of the box. Did he forget to put it away? No, he was sure he put it back under the flaps. Plus it was an accident that it flew out. "Did you..go through this?" She asked in a monotone voice, holding the piece of paper up. He shook his head rapidly, feeling his ears getting hot. "I didn't go through it. When I was moving the box, the flap had opened and it glided out.."Her orange eyes continued to stare at him as he explained. "Why is he getting embarrassed...?" 3 thought to herself, lowering her arm again."I'm sorry 3," He apologized, lowering his head a little bit. "I know it's a private matter, but I swea-"Hearing a puff of air coming from her, he looked back up in surprise. "She's not mad..?"'"It's okay, don't worry." She shrugged, putting the note back in the box and throwing the flap back over. "Let's eat breakfast."Nova wanted to ask the inkling a question out of curiosity, but ended up deciding against it.They both sat down after 3 had prepared their breakfast, frozen waffles. 8 poked it a bit with a fork before trying it. It was good."Do you want to look around Inkopolis..?" She asked, staring at her plate and putting a piece of waffle in her mouth, yawning immediately after she was done chewing. Nova nodded with an excited look in his eyes. "Then let's get changed, and we'll head out. Bring your Octoshot too." 3 watched in silence as he finished his waffle, stood up, and walked to the apartment entrance to pick it up.Nova turned around with a smile, waiting there. 3 stared. "Right." He didn't exactly have a change of clothes besides the all black outfit he had coming out of the Deepsea Metro. Did he end up sleeping in that too? 3 shook her head, stood up, and went to rummage through the mess of a closet, trying to find a change of clothing that would be suitable for him.As she sorted through the mess of clothing, some relatively new, some she didn't even remember buying and others that were somewhat old, she ended up with a sweater she deemed a little too big. It was a grey hoodie, with blue lettering in their language on the front in print. "Here, borrow this." 3 plainly said, handing over the hoodie after walking up to him. Nova stared at her hand and to the sweater, smiled and thanked her for her generosity. The octoling put it on after setting his Octoshot down and 3 walked away to change herself, getting her weapon in the process.~"Let's go," 3 walked past Nova, opening the door. She wore a cream-colored shirt with pink lettering on the front (Ivory Peaks Tee), a pair of leggings and her black and white hi-tops (Truffle Canvas). Nova wore the hoodie he was given, as well as the black pants and boots. It looked strange from 3's viewpoint, but she shrugged it off.Stepping out into the streets, which were much more lively compared to last night when they left the Cuttlefish Cabin, were filled with even more inklings. Agent 3 pointed out a couple of smaller places along their street heading down the incline on clothing and such, some small coffee places, restaurants. Nova would make eye contact, nodding in understandment as she pointed to the locales. However, the way things were shown to him almost made him feel as if he needed to take notes."C'mon, let's head to the square," Agent 3 pointed farther away. "I think you'll like it there."3 continued to have a neutral, yet serious expression. Nova followed behind her, looking around in admiration at the tall buildings, the signs, the balconies and of course, the other inklings. As he did so, two inklings girls had been staring at him, resting their backs against a wall that belonged to the outside of a deli. One had leaned in to the others ear, whispering, and subtly pointing at Nova. He of course took notice of it, and a wave of thoughts flooded through his mind wondering about himself. The same feeling he felt last night returned and he quickly glanced away, trying to focus on following 3, actively trying to avoid eye contact with anyone else. Because of his curious mind, he did so once more, and saw two male inklings also watching him with a strange expression.A chilly breeze softly rustled his hair as he nervously looked down at the pavement he walked on. 3 glanced back, and noticed the couple of inklings staring intently at him. Without even realizing it, she had already met eyes with him, who's eyes stared back nervously. 3 was unsure as to what to say in this situation, but motioned with her hand slowly to continue following her. She rubbed her eye and yawned afterwards.To 3, she found it stupid how they seemed weirded out by his presence. After all, what was so different between him and other inklings? There was almost no difference between them. The only difference was that he was an octopus and the rest squids, but there is no need to start whispering or pointing.Upon arriving to the square, Nova's mood brightened with the liveliness of the place. The different brightly colored signs and shops, the wide spectrum of styles found between the inklings and jellies, alongside the buildings that towered over them all made Nova's heart race. It was almost unbelievable that he was finally here at the surface, never could he had imagined that he'd make it. As the octoling's grin grew looking around, 3 glanced backwards and took note of the innocence that he had. She consistently forgot that what was considered her normal, was 8's new world.Once again, 3 had noticed the weird stares they received as 8 walked alongside her, still taking in his surroundings. After giving them a glare, a nervous face would be made be made by them and quickly turn to avoid looking at 3."What do you think?" She asked, once she was done glaring and stopping in place."It's still even better than I imagined..." He smiled, noting the fact that she was making an effort talking to him more. Yet 3 hadn't even noticed.She nodded, and pointed once again to a corner store not far from them. "We should get a coffee first before we get the day actually started.""A coffee..?"3 yawned again, "Yes."~"Would you like anything?" 3 asked, towering over the table that she chose. Nova took a seat and looked around unsure. He noticed the different drinks that other inklings were drinking at other tables. But due to lack of knowledge on the drink names, went with the safe choice."I-I'll try what you have," 8 chuckled shyly."What can I get for you today?" The jellyfish barista asked."Two talls. Cream and 2 sugars each.""Will that be all?"3 nodded.Luckily by this time, there weren't many inklings around. Especially considering that it was nearing lunchtime anyways. 3 looked around, some inklings were on their laptops working on something, others chatting away with their friends. She turned back, and watched Nova from a distance. 8 was sitting stiff in his seat, glancing back and forth in almost every direction possible, fidgeting with the ends of the drawstrings and looking inside the cafe. It was then where he had caught sight of the inkling and gave a timid wave."Heh," 3 found it amusing and gave a wave back."Here we go. Two talls, cream and 2 sugars each."As 3 started thinking to herself how he should've stepped in to see the options on the menu hovering over the cashier, she picked up the drinks, thanked the workers and stepped out.Nova watched curiously as the inkling walked towards their table, careful as to not spill their drinks. As she pulled her seat back and set the coffees down, Nova said, "Thank you." 3 nodded, and began to sip at her drink after giving it a light blow to cool it down. "Careful. It's hot," She warned.The octoling nodded, picked the coffee up and gave it a light blow. He took a sip. It still scolded his mouth and made him flinch a little bit in a seat, causing 3, and her ears, to perk up in surprise. Chuckling awkwardly (and at the sight of her), he pointed at the coffee in hand, "I..I still managed to burn myself..It's still good though!"3 let out a puff of air, her ears and face relaxing, and gave her signature small smile at the octoling and took another sip.Nova glanced around briefly as he took another drink out of his cup, and spotted a couple of eyes eyeballing him. It made him nervous again and set his coffee down."H-Hey 3?" He started, getting the inkling's attention mid-drink. "Do you mind if I ask you something..?"3 nodded, not actually saying anything. However, she set her coffee on the table and made sure to listen."Do you think I'm..weird?" Nova asked, a little hesitant to finish the question.3 adjusted her tentacle, and shook her head no. "Is it because of the stares?"Nova, a little surprised by how she figured it out so quickly, affirmed her questioned. She took a second, taking a big gulp and wiped her mouth with her thumb. "I think you fit right in, Nova." 3 reassured him, "You're just like anyone else here. Don't worry about the others."The words gave him a warm feeling once again.3 was happy with herself, finding some words of encouragement. In her head, she had placed herself in his position, wondering what words she would've want to hear. Still, the realization of how much she had talked today had struck her odd. 3 hardly talked, and was mostly kept to a maximum of 3 sentences . "I wonder.."The inkling pondered, staring at her arms crossed over her chest. "Is it just easier to talk to him because he's never been here..?"Nova processed her answer, and once he was satisfied, took a huge swig of coffee."Thank you err..?" 8 wanted to say her name, and attempted to get it out of her in a subtle way, but failed to come up with something. "..3."She only shook her head no, meaning she had picked up what he was trying to do. "Once we get to know each other better."The words echoed inside his head. Surely they were already close enough to be on first name basis."If you're worried about what the other inklings think about you," 3 started up again, standing up from her seat as did 8. "How about you show them what you got?"Her orange eyes seemed to have more fire to them as she attempted to encourage him. Nova examined her expression, it was still her resting serious face but it also seemed to have more..energy in a way. Maybe it was the coffee."What do you mean exactly..?"Her hand had suddenly extended out, pointing at the Octoshot in the chair next to him.Nova's eyes widened as he heard the words, "In Turf War."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
They stepped in silence, beginning to walk side by side. 3 only stared forward with a blank expression, keeping her eyes on the entrance of Deca Tower. At the higher parts of the tower, the Great Zapfish rested, occasionally sending electrical currents down itself."Whoa..that zapfish really is huge," Nova commented, not directly saying it to 3.Several groups would walk past the pair entering, all who were done with their battles of the day or taking a break between matches. Nova watched, a little envious of the laughter between the inklings. One even gave another a playful jab. Of course, they were all holding their weapons in hand, the other wiping away the sweat they had built up over the course of matches.As they entered the lobby, 3 had looked to her sides and noticed other people also walking in at the same time as them. Inklings of all different heights, styles, colors all bearing different weapons from the wide selection. In her left hand, she plainly held a regular Splattershot. It wasn't anything special, but she found herself using this one the most out of the pile she had back home. Most of those at home were usually some that she either didn't like or use all that often. "I think some of those are damaged anyways," 3 continued her internal commentary to herself.It wasn't often that 3 herself headed into matches on her own, much less with someone else. Agent 4 had asked her on multiple occasions to play some matches together, to which she declined the majority of them. Most of her time was preoccupied by her job at the Squidbeak Splatoon. The longer, more difficult missions were usually under her care, leaving her pretty exhausted by the end of the day. However, her experience fighting the Octarians that did appear led to her being an actually pretty good fighter against other inklings."Let's see..." 3 whispered underneath her breath, seeing the cycle of different game modes and maps today displayed on a large screen inside the lobby. Turf War involved Inkblot Art Academy and Sturgeon Shipyard. While they wouldn't be able to play together, curiosity got the better of her, and she checked the ranked battles. Splat zones, Manta Maria and Wahoo World. "Actually, while I'm here.." Agent 3 thought to herself, walking over to a small stand with touchscreen, in which she registered Nova into the system. A card was printed right out of the stand with his name and ID number. It was still a basic color, but you can change the design/color if you want to pay extra. 3's was still the original color.8 was still looking around. The upbeat music played somewhat loudly, resonating between the walls, that he instantly recognized as Pearl and Marina's voices. The lobby itself was a cool sight with all of it's bright different colored lighting, dark grey walls, the small snack shops inside (which he would later find out to also be the match xp and coin boosters), and even a small arcade on a smaller second floor. The lobby had also a locker room where one can put their belongings they can't bring into a match, which some inklings were already walking in and out of. 8 would occasionally feel the stares of other inklings once more, but shrugged it off.
"I think you fit right in, Nova. You're just like anyone else here. Don't worry about the others."
3's words echoed each time those insecurities appeared, and held his head high. His face felt warm. However, on the other hand, his heart raced with excitement going into a Turf War match."Are you ready?" 3 asked, turning around to meet his eyes and swinging her Splattershot up. 8, who was still looking around, was caught off guard by her voice. "Y-Yeah!" He exclaimed nervously, a grin appearing. "Don't be nervous," 3 simply stated, beginning to walk to ready the pair up for battle under the same party. Luckily there wasn't a huge wait list, and other inklings consistently left and joined the matches in rotation.Due to their being a high demand of Turf War matches in Inkopolis, some maps have their own replicas in order to accommodate these large numbers. However in this case, they'd actually be battling on the actual shipyard and academy.8 was excited, taking a seat somewhere nearby, his leg bouncing up and down in anticipation. His eyes darted everywhere, finally fixing upon the two screens above the room that determines your team and sends you to the battlefield via launchpad. These screens displayed the teams, including the inkling's usernames playing and their levels, as well as a live display of the actual battle from an overhead angle. As he watched, 3 had taken a seat next to him, not really saying a word or expressing much. She noticed his leg continuously bouncing in excitement as he gripped his Octoshot in hand. "I wonder how he'll do..." 3 thought to herself, steering her sight back to the same screens he watched.~"Let's go," 3 got up, motioning her hand to let 8 know to follow her. He did so, awkwardly tripping over for a second before walking normally again. It was finally their turn, and they stepped into a circular room, a round metallic device with a flat surface resting in the middle. A screen hovering above the same device displayed the same format as the one outside, showing who's on who's team. The benches on either side of the room followed the rooms circular design, and the screen walls glowed with the corresponding color of the teams. "We're on the same team...that's a relief," Nova thought to himself, sitting on the same side as 3, the lime green side. The opposing team was the color plum, a purple.Weirdly enough, 8's hair color changed to the corresponding color of his team once stepping into the room. He turned to 3, who's hair remained roughly the same color, then looked to see his other teammates which consisted of a Kensa .52 gal and a Flingza Roller. In comparison, 3's and 8's weapons seemed pretty tame. However, 3 didn't seem to be bothered much by it. The other team, two inklings using an Aerospray, an Octobrush and an N-ZAP '89.Everyone else seemed to be dressed in a relatively stylish way, the only exception being Nova himself with the strange combination of his hoodie, black pants and boots. Of course, no one said anything but were all excited to begin the battle. He had accidentally made eye contact with a glimpse of an inkling boy who was staring at him, the Octobrush, almost in a confused matter.But before they knew it, the roof above them opened up. It had revealed the clear blue sky of the day and the metallic device had turned on, glowing purple with the corresponding team all rushing to the pad, turning into their squid forms and immediately super jumping to the map, zipping through the sky. The two other inklings in our team, another inkling girl and boy, both laughed excitedly as they jumped in in their squid forms and super jumped away as well. Though, it didn't seem like they knew each other.3 glanced over at him, "Don't be shy."8 watched as she turned into her squid form, plopped on top, and super jumped away.Taking a deep breath, he did the same.~
-Our Protagonists' Team-
(3) Splattershot: Burst Bomb / Splashdown
(8) Octo shot: Splat Bomb / Inkjet
(T1) Kensa .52 gal: Splash Wall / Booyah Bomb
(T2) Flingza Roller: Splash Wall / Splat Bomb Launcher
-Enemy-
(2) Aerosprays: Suction Bomb / Curling Bomb Launcher
Octobrush: Autobomb / Inkjet
N-ZAP '89: Suction Bomb / Ink Armor
~"Inkblot Art Academy huh..." Agent 3 whispered underneath her breath.Agent 3 had spawned slightly more forward than the group, and they could just barely catch a glimpse of the opposing team across the map. Nova, standing a little to her left, gripped his Octoshot tightly, a little nervous about his first Turf War match. "Nova, let's take the center as fast as we can," She snapped him out of his trance. The octoling jumped, then nodded instantly."Is...he an octoling?" The male inkling, the team's Flingza Roller, questioned out loud, not necessarily targeting it at anyone. The inkling girl, the team's Kensa .52 gal, turned her head and locked eyes with 8. Neither of them made a strange face nor gave a dirty look, they just sort of...stared. However, not a single person acknowledged the question nor answered it. "Well, let's rush the middle!" Flingza exclaimed, pointing his roller forward in its vertical position.A silence hushed over the battlefield, acting as the calm before the storm. Very faintly could they hear the opposing team's remarks from across the map.Once the loud whistle blew, it was game time."BOOYAH!" Both the Flingza and the Kensa yelled passionately, already beginning to spray the ink forward to advance. "B-Booyah!" Nova exclaimed nervously as well, unsure as to what exactly the word meant. His heart was beating so fast already. Could it be anything like the challenges from the Deep Sea Metro?"We'll take left flank to center!" The male inkling called out."I'll support him!" The inkling girl followed behind."Just follow me Nova," 3 stated, already shooting a line of ink and swimming through it. 8 noticed how 3 followed a repeated pattern: Rise from the ink. Shoot and move forward a bit. Dive into the ink and continue to accelerate to the middle. It made it efficient to head forward quickly."What about everything around our base?" Nova called out to her as he turned back into his octoling form, jumping out of an ink puddle."Don't worry for now! We'll cover it as we go!" 3 turned her head back as they advanced forward to talk to him, "Now eyes up 8, we're almost there!"Agent 3 hopped of the edge that led into the center battlefield, a large square, pillar like structure in the center. 8 followed behind, and began quickly covering whatever he could. Glancing towards the enemy side, he could spot the two Aerosprays at a distance, focusing on their base first. The Octobrush and N-ZAP seemed to have the same plan as them. The Kensa and Roller had taken care of the left side. One of the Aerosprays seemed to have taken their right side, or at least started covering it down.The adrenaline pumped into his system. His eyes tracked everywhere, locating his teammates, keeping track where enemies and enemy fire are, how much of their areas are actually covered, etc. Seeing the Octobrush jump off the same ledge both 8 and 3 had previously jumped off of into center, 8 quickly calculated where he would land, then threw a splat bomb. With a quick explosion, it had nearly splatted the brush. 3 had begun swimming up the center pillar."3, you're right!" 8 called out. At this point the Aerosprays had begun pushing center, but their team was already providing support. 3 quickly turned and managed to splat the brush before it climbed up to start swinging at her. "I'm going to take care of the right flank!" The inkling girl called out, throwing down a splash wall in front for cover. The Flingza attempted to push the enemy team back, but unfortunately was splatted by an Aerospray. For now, it looked as if 8's team had the game in the bag.Nova quickly found the brush to be a little hard to go up against. He would rush forward, either swinging or using the brush's mobility to close their gap, forcing Nova to move back as to not be hit with its range of attack. However, as he did so, the N-ZAP had used its special, giving the opposing inkling extra hit points. What would've been a splat for 8, turned out to be the enemy's. 8 used this time at base to cover their space up. Though he would end up splatting the Aerosprays a couple of times, as well as the Octobrush.Agent 3 maintained good control of the center, actively staying on top of the middle pillar and spraying around. Her heart was racing, as there was no real way to actual tell how much longer the match will go on for. For all she knew, there could only a minute life. These matches were simultaneously the longest yet shortest 3 minutes of one's life. Occasionally, 3 would be forced out of her spot by the suction bombs thrown by the N-ZAP, followed by her attempting to regain her position. She would keep an eye to see how he was doing, and from what she saw, 3 was impressed.A lot of specials were used, splatting a lot of both 3's and the enemies's side. All the bomb launchers, booyah bombs, basically whatever exploded. Though the Aerosprays were annoying to deal with since they covered so much turf quickly, they were often taken care of by Nova and the Flingza Roller. The Booyah Bomb's used by the inkling girl on their team helped them recover from heavy counter attacks."3!" The inkling heard the number referring to her being called out by none other than the octoling. She looked down at him from on top of the pillar. The octoling grinned once they locked eyes, despite there being ink flying everywhere as well as the loud noises of shooting and expllosions. "I think we have this in the bag!"Agent 3 cracked a small smile, "I'm glad he's enjoying it.""3! Watch out!" 8 called out, quickly shooting at the brush that had snuck past him, and up the wall towards 3. 3, caught off guard, was only able to process the inkling forming in front of her with the brush. However, nothing occurred afterwards, as he had been splatted thanks to Nova."Are you okay..?" 8 said, a little out of breath. His shoulders rose up and down as he breathed, wiping away the sweat from his forehead. Their eyes locked, his showing a concern for 3's state. Both of their hearts were still racing due to the battle. She too wiped away at her forehead, the surrounding fighting and bombs going off almost being tuned out. Ultimately, she nodded. "Thank you."Nova smiled at the thank you, but both of their expressions quickly changed to a shocked one watching a suction bomb land in between them. 3 and 8 turned into their squid and octopus form, respectively, jumping off and back onto ground level.However, before the pair could get back to work, the whistle blew.The 3 minutes were over.~"We won!" 8 called out, raising his Octoshot in the air. 3 only smiled at the screen displaying their stats."Wow, we totally wiped them," The Flingza pointed at the results. "And you two did incredible!"The octoling stopped and took a closer look. Agent 3 had covered roughly 1947p with 10 splats. 8 himself covered roughly 1782p with 13 splats. In terms of Turf War objectives, Agent 3 did really good. This match was only their first in the day, so maybe if they continue, he'll certainly improve and maybe together, they'd be able to get win after win. The octoling was still a little sweaty from all of the running, shooting, climbing, swimming and super jumping in a short amount of time. He was still breathing heavy. However, this same feeling didn't change the fact that he wanted to play a couple more rounds.Agent 8 was happy with himself nonetheless. After all, in the end, 8 had won his first official Turf War.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"You did amazing," 8 complimented the inkling, pointing at her score. 3 shrugged, not thinking much about it. After all, she didn't actually play this kinda stuff 90% of the time, but nonetheless it was still found impressive by 8, especially since it was all under 3 minutes."You did great for your first match," 3 praised him, getting a bright smile back from him. The inkling turned away, a little too overwhelmed by the smile's innocence."I..I couldn't have done it without you."Nova's words made her eyes widen a little bit. It was an unexpected, yet sweet thing to say. 3, a little embarrassed by the praise, turned around to hide her face. It was strange how 8's comments would make her feel a little embarrassment. After all, she often received praises for good work from literal idols adored by practically everyone in the world, yet the words they say just don't hit the same. Perhaps it's because 3 already was aware that 8 just had a pure, innocent heart.8 himself was a little confused as to why she turned away, but had been distracted by someone tapping on his shoulder. The octoling snapped his head around, and met eye to eye with an inkling. 8 quickly recognized him as the brush from the opposing team wearing an Olive Ski Jacket, sweats and Black Norimaki 750s for shoes. He had purple eyes and yellow, slick back hair. He wasn't any taller than 8, in fact, they were probably around the same height. Nova was a little hesitant, worried that he'd point out something or judge him for being an octoling."You were actually pretty good out there. You put up a good fight," The inkling chuckled, sticking his left fist out. He accommodated his brush in his arm in such a way that it wouldn't fall out of grasp with one hand. Nova was a little surprised that he hadn't mentioned anything about being an octoling or given him a weird stare. 3 had turned back around, noticing that he was now talking to an unknown inkling. However, 3's continued to stare subtly, curious as to where this was going.Readjusting his grip on his Octoshot, 8 responded, "You put up a good fight too." 8 extended his right arm out, bumping fists together."We should run some matches together at some point," The inkling started. "I'm sure we'd make a good team!""Y-Yeah!" 8 stuttered a bit, before they both chuckled."Ah, sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Parker.""Nova." He nodded.Parker once again moved his arm around, noticing that the brush had begun to tilt downwards. "I meant to apologize earlier if I looked at you weird. In the lobby I mean," He chuckled. "I just never thought I'd meet and fight against an octoling."There it was. But at least it wasn't a bad thing."And here I thought that I would never play a Turf War battle, but here I am," They both laughed. Parker seemed friendly. He never made any weird faces or anything throughout their entire interaction, and would, in fact, continuously smile. It was a refreshing moment, not feeling the weird stares of anyone else and their judgmental expressions and actually having a conversation with another inkling. However, this didn't mean he was tired of 3."Let's exchange ID numbers to party up at some point, I'm leaving right now, but it'd make it easier to fight together at some point." Parker explained, fishing through his sweats pocket while also being careful as to not drop the brush. His hand held out a card reading "toaster #1652" with a bright green and yellow design layering under the text. 8 stared, unsure as to what it is, looked at the card then back up at him. "What's this..?""It's a splashtag. Helps you to identify yourself and friends." 3 butted in, now standing next to 8. "You insert your card..." 3 fished it out, showing Nova a normal splashtag reading "Nova #1008". "..into the computer thing over there, and registers both of your cards as friends. So when you're both in Deca Tower, it'll show you on the screen if they're here or not to party up. It'll also register whatever cash you get from matches.""Who's this Nova?" Parker chuckled awkwardly, caught off guard by 3's intervention. The inkling turned her head towards Parker after handing Nova his card, and blankly stared. "She's so serious...""This is my friendddd..." Nova drew out the word friend, wanting to continue to say her name before realizing once again that he has yet to be told. He did not in fact want to just plainly say 3. Luckily Peter didn't question anything, an extended his hand to fist bump Agent 3. 3 only stared at his fist and back up at his eyes and nodded, not saying a single word.After the small group had walked towards the mini monitor and registered each other as friends (Nova registered both 3 (3 #1003) and Parker as friends, however 3 did not save Parker as one). 8 waved goodbye with 3 silently standing beside him, watching the Octobrush wave goodbye towards them as he walked out of the Deca Tower's main entrance."Thank you for explaining all of this to me," 8 turned towards her. "I'm glad I have you to guide me."3 nodded, "Of course.""Hey! What if we play a couple more matches?" 8 suggested pointing at the lobby doors. 8 had thought about it some more, realizing that not only could he have fun playing this new game, he could also begin to earn money in some way here to buy things or save it up. 3 shrugged silently, before she was dragged by an excited octoling to the match doors. 3 only let it slide since it was his first time here.~They played roughly 10 more matches with decently long breaks in between.7 won, 3 lost.Agent 8 was having the time of his life despite being exhausted by the constant fighting. The combination of surges of adrenaline and the heated and intense battles of Turf War made it an exhilarating experience. However it was through all of the running around, swimming, climbing and super jumping that was involved often in Turf Wars, the pair had built up quite a sweat. "Something cold sounds nice.." 3 thought to herself, as they both trudged out of Deca Tower and back into Inkopolis Square.The fresh air felt nice brushing up against their hot skin. The occasional gusts of wind would often come by, rustling their hair. 3 would readjust often. Just like in the past, the Inkopolis Square was packed with inklings. There were now lots of groups, couples, friends all chattering about as they walked around eating or playing. The songs lightly playing as background noise only blended with the loud talking between all the inklings. 8 liked how the square looked with so many people, and the varying colors that came with the oh so different styles."We should get you some new clothes," 3 mentioned as she looked at her phone. The inkling was surprised to see that it was in fact almost 3 P.M. Almost the entire day had flown right by. 8 turned, a little excited to update his wardrobe. 8 had never gotten this opportunity, especially since he doesn't even remember for how longs he's worn the same Octarian gear for. It was nice when 3 had let him use a spare hoodie, but even he agreed that he needed to update said wardrobe.They went shopping for a bit, with 3 remaining mostly silent and looking at her own clothing, not necessarily wanting to buy anything for herself. After all, she had that huge pile that she had sorted through already earlier in the day. She did keep some of the clothing in mind for future reference though.Looking across one of the store's racks, she could see 8 sorting through a rack himself, containing a variety of shirts with different colors and designs. He would grab one, lift up to see the entire thing, shake his head, and set it back. Then the same thing for another one. 3 observed, finding it kinda funny, but not actually laughing. At one point 8 turned and accidentally locked eyes with 3. He laughed a little sheepishly, scratching the back of his head and walked over to her."I have no idea what to get.""What do you mean?" 3 asked. "You didn't like anything?""It's not that, it's just..." 8's voice trailed off, seemingly thinking to himself. "What do you suggest?"3 was confused by his question, but gave him the answer she thought he was looking for. "Well, a casual outfit that you can wear, and something comfortable to go to sleep in," she said in a monotone voice while blankly staring at him. 8 smiled, nodded, and headed back.~In the end, Nova got a couple of tees, a pair of dark sweats, a pair of sneakers, and some pjs. Luckily everything was pretty cheap for what it was, which 3 was thankful for. After eating a meal, which consisted of noodles with soy sauce, combined with white rice and vegetables, they stepped out of the restaurant with the sky beginning to darken."The afternoon went by fast huh.." 8 said in a soft voice, his eyes looking up at the sky shifting to an orangish hue."Yeah," 3 nodded along, also looking up.The octoling's eyes glanced over at all the clothing he had gotten that day, everything being paid by 3, and glanced back at 3. "T-Thank you for buying all of this stuff for me. I really appreciate it," He looked down at the floor, his eyes almost looking like they were closed. "I'll pay you back for all of this stuff once I make some more mon-"He was immediately cut off by 3's hand, which she extended to the point where it had almost hit him in the face, motioning to stop."What do you mean? I can't just not repay you for what you've spent.""Nova," 3 began, slowly looking at him. Her orange eyes shone under the sun, almost as if creating an entirely new and beautiful color. "It's okay. I promise."8 blushed a little bit, cleared his throat, and nodded.They walked along the concrete path in silence together. Not much was going on in the streets of Inkopolis this day. In fact, it seemed as if many inklings were heading home earlier than usual. Occasionally, Nova would spot someone with a judgmental look, to which he'd give one back.
"I think you fit right in, Nova. You're just like anyone else here. Don't worry about the others."
The shopping bags rustled with the wind in his hand. The thought that he was actually here in the surface still amazed him. 8 was fortunate enough to be able to live what is considered a luxurious life for an Octarian soldier, with the added bonus of free will. He was having so much fun here with Agent 3 that he didn't even have enough time to think about his past or how he helped the Squidbeak Splatoon stop Commander Tartar from destroying inkmanity.Wondering where they were going next or what were they going to do next, all 3 said was: "Ice cream."After a couple more mintues of walking, they ended up in a small ice cream parlor with a pretty small line. Upon entering, there were a couple of inklings on the side enjoying their sweets and the register rested up front of the store.It had reached their turn after a small amount of time of waiting, to which 3 had asked if he wanted anything. 8 in fact did not know, but randomly pointed at a flavor. Chocolate. The working inkling then scooped it out and placed it on a cone, handing it over to him. It was cold to the touch, making the Octoling jump back slightly."2 scoops of cookies and cream," 3 ordered, putting up 2 fingers with her right hand. It looked as if she were holding up a peace sign.Nova, still attempting to adjust his mouth to the sudden drop of the food's temperature, had several eyes on him. It was clear that they were all aware of him being octoling, some people even pointing at Nova. He still did not understand.~The sky only turned into a brighter shade of orange, the darkness seemingly beginning to take over the light. It was starting to get a little more chilly, ironically. As the pair finished up their ice cream, 3 had motioned him to follow her. He did so, wondering as to where they were going."After a long day, I sometimes like to go to a secret spot to just relax for a moment," 3 stated, not necessarily turning to look at Nova. "I think it'd look nice right now.""Where is it..?""Up ahead," She pointed across to the horizon.It was a park with plenty of trees, even a small hiking route from what it seemed. There were inklings obviously walking around, some exercising with their headphones on, even couples having their picnics on the green grass."This way," 3 led the octoling through a brief walk into the forest, unsure as to what the spot looked like. For a second, Nova thought he had lost the inkling, but managed to find her through the sound of bushes rustling. Going past it, Nova was struck by the beautiful view of a large orange sky, a sparkling lake reflecting the light, lush trees, bushes and grass surrounding them. The winds caused the trees to create a peaceful rustling sound, a couple of leaves falling to the ground.3, with a tiny smile, motioned 8 to sit without a word.The pair sat on the grass in silence, both looking at the sunset. 8 sat down, with 3 being relatively close to him. She didn't move away, nor did she set her Splattershot between them. 3 just sat there without saying a word.The breeze continued, slowly shifting her tentacle into her face and adjusted it again with her hand.8 fixed his as well.The pair sat in silence, neither of them saying a word."3 what are we doing here..?" Nova broke the silence."To relax.""..."They both sat down for awhile in silence, but every once in a while he would try to catch glimpses of the face next to him. The sunset's lit her face up perfectly, and emphasized her orange eyes and lime hair. Her beige and pink shirt was slightly rustled, and her high tops were slightly secluded by the tall grass they sat on. "I wonder what she's thinking about.."Once Nova was about to break the silence to say something, Agent 3 beat him to the punch."Nagi.""H-Huh..?" Nova was unsure as to what that word was, or why she said it so soft, or why she was even saying it."You wanted to know my name right? It's Nagi."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The inkling didn't turn at all to look at him. Her eyes seemed to be too focused on the sky, which gave her eyes that sparkling fiery look in combination with the orange. 3's face remained plain, not thinking too much about it, as she supported her upper body up with both her hands planted on the floor.Nova on the other hand, remained in shock at the sudden confession. "Nagi.." He whispered it to himself. He actually liked her name, despite it being something you wouldn't hear very often. Before Nova knew it, his face began to feel a little warm, and it wasn't because of the setting sun. "Nagi.." He whispered once more, the name resonating in his head. To say the least, he wanted to engrave it into his head as soon as possible."3-" He attempted to start, but cut himself off immediately, already forgetting that she had given her name. "..Nagi..""Hm?" 3 turned her head around to look at him. She wondered where the octoling was going with this, especially seeing his lightly blushing face. Nagi hoped that it wouldn't go immediately to that as it would certainly make things awkward very early."..We should hang out again tomorrow," He grinned sheepishly. "Today was really fun."3 gave a small smile back, and gave a subtle nod. The confirmation made the octoling happy, especially since today had gone so well."Does that mean we're friends..?" Nova asked out of the blue once more. He remembered how she mentioned that she would tell him her name once they got to know each other a bit more. 3 gave it some more thought than she should've, staring back at 8 and back at the sunset. It wasn't that she was thinking about whether or not to say yes to the question, Nagi had already begun to view the octoling as a friend, it's just that that question hasn't been asked directly very often. Friendships sort of just happen sometimes, where neither party mentions it, but they know they're friends."Of course," Nagi confirmed in a soft voice. Once again, she readjusted her hair, the tentacle flopping to the side. "You're right, today was fun."Nagi stopped for a second, remembering that she'd have to go back to Octo Canyon to do a check up on the different areas to make sure no Octarians were trying to attack or something. It was rare for them to actual appear, much more for them to engage in combat. Plus, even if they weren't there, it certainly takes a lot of walking around and gets tiring pretty quickly. Super jumping takes a lot of stamina pretty quickly, so in the end it'd make her feel more tired.Almost coincidentally, she got a message on her phone. Both the inkling and octoling perked up and turned in the direction of the ding. Nagi checked, swiping her phone to unlock it, and seeing who it was. A message from Agent 1, Callie, saying: "Hey 3! How are you doing? How's 8 holding up?" To anyone else, having the Squid Sisters as casual contacts must be a dream come true, yet for 3 it feels like another inkling she talks to. But to avoid any extra unwanted attention, she changed their contact names to something more discreet. Calie and Maria respectively. Surprisingly it works."Who's that..?" 8 asked scooting over a bit. "Just Agent 1."Nagi made sure to keep her updated in case of anything, said they were both fine and that she'd be heading over to Octo Canyon to check up tomorrow."Oh you're working tomorrow?" 8 asked, his ears drooping a little bit. His expression saddened a bit realizing that they wouldn't be able to hangout again like today, but brightened up a little once he remembered they were quite literally roommates. "I'm sorry, I didn't remember until now," Nagi apologized, to which Nova assured that it was ok. "I have to patrol Octo Canyon.""Octo Canyon.." 8 whispered to himself, trying to connect an image of a place with the name. he readjusted his body in a more comfortable way, feeling the nice and cool grass brush up against his skin."Where we had our first actual interaction," 3 added, seeing if the detail would remind him, which it did. However, thinking back it, she did admit she was being too harsh. "Y-Yeah I remember," Nova began to reminisce back to that day, the same day where Nagi decided to shelter him for the time being. However, he also remembered how harsh her tone was when they first met.The sky was now starting to fade to black, with the sun hiding away for the day. Nagi took this as cue to go home, slowly stood up, picked up her garbage and some of the shopping bags. Nova, unprepared, quickly did the same and stood up alongside her. They didn't exchange much words after that, but they did walk side by side with the bags swinging.~Arriving home once more, Nova asked, "Did you have a day off today then..?"Nagi nodded, tossing her keys on top of the kitchen counter. Landing with a cling, the small green squid facing upwards. "They wanted me to give you a head start here.""What would I do tomorrow?" He asked.Nagi shrugged, "You could always play Turf War if you'd like. Or maybe even explore on your own a little bit.""I see," Nova understood. "If I get lost in the streets, I'll try to find you somehow."Agent 3 attempted to hold back a smile, finding the statement humorous. "You won't get lost."3 walked forward, her back facing him and her tentacles swinging subtly. The inkling, a little tired from their walking and running all day, sighed and flopped on top of the couch suddenly. A couple of the pillows fell down. However, the impact of the landing alongside with the shuffling of the pillows had once again shifted the one box flap open. The brief gust of wind had once again sent the note 8 had previously briefly read onto the living room carpet.8 glanced at the paper and back at 3, who had her arms over her eyes, blocking out the light from her eyes. The curiosity ate away at him, after all, would it be too early to ask about this kind of stuff? I mean this would only be his second night living in Inkopolis with Nagi, and it seems like a personal letter. Plus, she has just started talking to her more than before. Their conversations now were a lot better than just silence most of the time. Nova enjoyed her voice. "Is that a weird thing to think..?" He thought to himself, his eyes still darting the note that fell not far from the inkling. The thought had also crossed that if she was in fact in a relationship, wouldn't it be weird for them that another person is living with her?"H-Hey Nagi..?" Nova started, slowly walking over to the carpet and leaning over to pick up the piece of paper. A brief glance to his left showed Nagi, already in her squid form, already dozing off. Nova's voice still managed to wake her up slightly, and an eye groggily opened, the other shut. She didn't say anything, but it was clear she was waiting for him to continue.Gripping the note, he sat on the side of the couch that was opposite of where she was looking, making it easier for them to see each other. Of course, the squid laying on the couch awaited for his question."Are you in a relationship?"Nagi jumped. Immediately turning into her inkling form. She sat criss crossed on the opposite side of the couch. Nova himself seemed a little nervous to ask the question, but Nagi had already started to blush slightly. He even noticed the tips of her ears lightly turning red. To be fair, It was nowhere near what she expecting him to ask, especially since she was practically falling asleep.His hand extended between the two, both of their eyes meeting. Slowly, her hand grabbed the note, took it out of his grasp and opened it. 3 read it for a bit, her face returning back to normal and the blush disappearing. The octoling only stared into her orange eyes as they glided across the paper, her facial expression turning serious again."I'm sorry," 8 apologized, getting up. "I just thought that if you were, it'd be weird for me to stay. I mean, it just hit me right now so I-""It's okay," 3 stopped him, folding the paper into a smaller fold and shoving it into her leggings' pocket. There was a temporary moment of silence between them, with Nagi looking hesitant at the floor. She had swung her legs aside so that she was now sitting normally next to the octoling on the couch. "Should I really be telling him all this stuff?" Agent 3 questioned herself. "But he is showing a valid concern I suppose..He's not trying to be nosy."Nova admitted to himself that the concern wasn't because of what he thought. but because he was just curious about the inkling.With a heavy sigh, she started, "A letter from an ex awhile back. We broke up sometime ago."Her eyes remained glued to the floor, not even looking up at the octoling. However, Nova himself could only look at Nagi with an empathetic look. He felt sorry, even more so since he brought it up. Nonetheless, he was still happy in a sense that she trusted him enough to tell him these type of things." Is he still around..? Are you two on, y'know, bad terms now..?"Nagi shrugged, "Yeah I see him around, we're just sort of in a weird middle.""What do you mean?""Like," 3's voice returned back to its usual monotone tone. "We're not on best terms, but we're not exactly on bad ones either."The octoling nodded at her, not that she saw anyways, maybe out of the corner of her eye. He could sense that she was a little upset, even with her typical serious expression and, a little awkwardly, placed a hand on her shoulder in an effort to provide some sort of comfort. Though, as soon as he did this, he had no idea what to say. The octoling's mind went blank."Uhhh..." He said softly, getting nervous. "Why did I do this??"Nagi's eyes steered to her right, glancing back at his hand resting on her shoulder and back at the octoling's expression. His hand did feel warm when it came in contact, and 3 admitted that it was nice to feel something comforting, despite the fact that she would've slapped the person's hand away in any other circumstance since she wasn't too big on physical contact. Agent 3 already didn't want to talk much, much less physically touch.8's expression was a mixture of a nervous smile, confusion and a little bit of self-reflection, making a funny face overall. 3 whipped her head the opposite way as to hide her expression, covering her mouth with her left hand. Desperately, Agent 3 attempted to hold back a smile and giggle. However, with.a quick clearing of her throat and Nova taking his hand back after not saying anything, she stood up slowly. Nova on the other hand blushed, embarrassed as to what he did."I-I'm sorry," He stuttered, sweating nervously, watching the green haired inkling stand up and begin walking away.Her head turned to look at him over her shoulder, with Nova being able to catch a glimpse of a small smile. "No need to apologize, I understand you just wanted to provide comfort hearing what I had said."There was silence, followed by Nagi continuing."Don't worry about me, I'm fine," Her voice trailed off slowly as she approached her bedroom door. However, she did raise the volume of her voice so that 8 would be able to hear her, though it kept its plain tone. "I moved on. And plus, I wouldn't have taken you in if I was in a relationship out of respect. But.." 3 cut herself off immediately. Surely it was too soon to say something like that. They've only actually known each other for what? Like 2 days."But..?" Nova asked, wanting her to continue. Nagi shook her head no, her hand slowly turning the painted golden doorknob leading into her room, the door clicking. "..Nevermind. Have a goodnight Nova." She gave a little backwards wave, not actually looking at him."G-Goodnight Nagi," He sat there, contemplating whether or not to push the last statement out of her. Nova went against this, remembering that she had to go into work for the Squidbeak Splatoon the next day and that she needed her rest after today.Nagi stepped into her room. There wasn't much to it, it still had the same coat of paint as the day she had moved in. Her bed rested up against one of the corners of the room, with a counter and drawers on another side of the room, a stack of letters and envelopes resting atop. She had another, smaller closet that was disorganized with clothes and whatnot.Her back leaned up against the door behind her, giving a sigh as 3 stared at the floor.
"...But having your company has been nice."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Slowly, 3's eyes opened because of a loud and obnoxious noise, her alarm clock. It glowed with red numbers, 6:00 A.M., almost as if mocking her for having to wake up early. Giving a sigh, her arm reached out from under her covers and shut the alarm off. The room was starting to feel a little chilly, especially considering they were nearing the end in October and the temperature outside was going to start dropping.Groggily, Nagi sat up, rubbed her eye tiredly, and stepped out of bed. The inkling had no memory of what she had dreamt that night, if she did at all, and contemplated this as she rummaged through the closet in search of her Hero Suit. Not realizing it sooner, especially since she had just woken up a couple of seconds ago, it was one of the few articles of clothing still hung up on the rack. Nagi put on a casual outfit as to not raise any suspicion in public in case any inkling or jelly was out early in the morning and saw her in said Hero Suit.Stepping out the door, careful as to not make too much noise to wake up 8, she had begun to walk to the living room."Ah, good morning," Nova gave a timid wave from the couch. Nagi had been staring at the floor rubbing her eye, so his voice had suddenly made her jump with an alert expression. Giving a frown before relaxing her face once again, she sighed, "You scared me..Good morning."The octoling apologized, stood up from the couch and was questioned as to why he was awake so early. "You should probably take advantage of the fact that you can sleep in while you still can," Nagi had explained. Nova then explained that he had accidentally fallen asleep on the couch after their conversation last night, and woke up once she heard her door open.The two shared breakfast, another meal of heated frozen waffles, this time with an added bonus of maple syrup. Neither of them really spoke up at this point, especially since it still seemed to early for Nova to strike up conversations with the inkling. Despite himself being tired, he was sure that 3 was as well, which she was.The inkling went to the bathroom, grabbed a bag in which she stuffed her Hero Shot as well as her Hero Gear, threw a hoodie over her shirt, adjusted her hair a bit, and began heading to the front door. Out of the corner of her eye, Nagi could spot the octoling rushing into his room, closing the door and hearing rummaging of a bag followed by silence. From the bathroom entrance she could see the mini hallway that had their bedroom doors facing each other on opposite sides, which is where the inkling stood confused as she brushed her teeth.It was then that the octoling stepped out in some of the clothing that they had bought together the day before. It was clothing that was meant to be more casual, not on the competitive side of Turf War or Ranked, meaning it couldn't get any abilities added on. He wore the dark sweats, a pair of white sneakers and a white shirt with a little blue squid design, ironically for an octoling."I want to go with you," 8 simply stated, waiting by the front door as 3 put on her shoes. 3 thought about it for a second, but shrugged it off. It sounded nice to have company on her way there. "Yeah sure. It's chilly out right now though.""I can bear it for now," He replied.~Walking alongside each other, the inkling and octoling stepped through the silent streets leading up the Inkopolis Square. 8 was quick to notice that there weren't many inklings out compared to the time they had slept in and stepped out. It was odd to hear the city as quiet as it was, since he had gotten so used to crowding noises from yesterday as they shopped and fought."I have no idea what I'm going to do today," Nova spoke, not directly at Nagi, but out loud for her to hear. 3 didn't respond to it, despite having sometime since she had woken up, 3 wasn't necessarily in a talkative mood. However, she noticed a small look of disappointment in 8's face, almost like he hoped she would respond. Adjusting her hoodie, 3 shrugged, "There's always Turf War, maybe you can try a ranked battle too."8 took her suggestion into consideration, remembering that playing these games, while not being the most effective way to make money especially if you're trying to get some place to live, is still a decent option. "That's right..." Nova thought to himself, glancing over discreetly at the inkling, who stared forward blankly. "I can't just piggyback off of her this entire time. Nagi has been nice enough to provide me somewhere to stay, show me around and even offer to buy me the necessities..."A chilly breeze went through, sending a shiver down Nova's spin- back. Nova's back.The morning sun made her eyes sparkle as they stared blankly forward. The pair walked past the same convenience store they previously passed on the first time to Nagi's place, still having the same ad poster of chips with the little mustached jelly and help wanted poster. The silence between them was always weird before, since Nova himself didn't know whether to speak or not since she hadn't much. He had recently noticed that the girl would speak to her more, even being more open about herself with the conversation they had last night. This made the octoling happy to realize, and before he knew it, made these silences a lot more bearable.They had briefly stopped by at the same coffee spot they had gone the previous day, except this time the octoling stood next to her when she ordered. "A tall, cream, 2 sugars.." Nova repeated in his head as Nagi spoke. Her gaze turned back from the menu to him, pointing up subtly, "Want one?" 8 shook his head yes, thanking her in the process. "Same as yours," He added.With their coffee's in hand, which let out a small stream of steam, they walked silently. "Oh, careful it's hotter than it feel-" Nagi meant to comment earlier since she had assumed he might of forgot.Safe to say he burned himself a little bit. Nova tried to laugh it off again.After a couple minutes, they arrived at the Octo Canyon entrance that Nova was surprised no one had tried to go down themselves. "This is how I started working in this," Agent 3 commented, particularly looking at the grates of the entrance.Nagi looked up at the octoling and gave a small wave. The sun had perfectly aligned with her orange eyes, making them glow more. It also shone on her hair, emphasizing her lime hair. Oddly enough as she stared back at him, Nova felt a strange feeling of nervousness he hadn't felt before. "S-See ya later?" Nova asked, waving too.Securing the bag over her shoulders, 3 nodded before tossing him the keys to the apartment."Don't get lost," Nagi teased with a joking smirk before turning into a squid and going through the grates.Nova chuckled remembering how he had told her that, but then remained silent. His eyes stared down at the keys in his hand and back at the grate, then gripped the keys tightly, wondering to himself what he would be doing while simultaneously thinking about what time he should head home.~Rising from the grate, she stood in the center of Octo Canyon's entrance. To her left rested an old tv, still with the "V" antennas displaying an old show, with two ripped up, singular seat sofas facing the tv. A little bit more forward from that were the 3 balloons used to test aim and damage. The Ammo Knights Enhancifier to the right of the balloons by the ramp leading up to the entrance of the actual Tentakeel Outpost. Immediately to her right was the Cuttlefish Cabin, where she would usually be greeted by both Agent 1 and Agent 2, however they were still out taking care of their business. "I wonder when they're coming back.." Nagi questioned to herself.After a quick change into her Hero Gear and taking out her Hero Shot from her bag, Agent 3 stepped out into the actual area of Tentakeel Outpost. Agent 3 wasn't as familiar with these areas as much as Agent 4 but she had patrolled these areas a little bit in the past. Nonetheless, it was a slow day. Tentakeel Outpost was empty after confirming that there were no Octarians. Time felt as it moved slowly, the shadows of the walls and pillars ever so slightly shifting along with the sun. It was starting to get cold outside, and the chilly breezes made 3 shiver slightly.After a bit more of patrolling the grounds, even going as far as Beaker's Depot, she took a break from the superjumping and looking around. 3 rested her back against one of the metal railings and glanced at her surroundings. Nothing was out of the ordinary, the several moving platforms, inkrails and grapplinks all remained in their same spot. However at a distance, 3 spotted a sprinkler resting against the side of a one of those metal towers that were frozen in construction. It spun at the same pace, still shooting an amount of purple ink that not only identified it as an Octarian's sprinkler, but that it was recently placed.Taking her back off the wall, looking behind her for a second to avoid being caught off guard, she continued to stare at the sprinkler, making the smallest amount of noise spraying the ink in the silent Beaker's Depot. Her hands had adjusted on her Hero Shot, preparing herself mentally and physically in case such an attack occurred. Of course she wouldn't be as worried, 3 had plenty of experience taking down the Octarians, on top of having her Hero Armor.The wind howled ominously with Agent 3 closing her eyes attempting to listen to any rash movement. "There is someone here.." Agent 3 thought to herself, beginning to step carefully towards the metal pillar in the distance. Her Hero Shot had shot the sprinkler, breaking it quickly. However, afraid that the noise alerted the enemy, the inkling turned around aiming her weapon around at the surrounding walls. There was no sign of ink being shot and leaving a trail, the only ink being that from the sprinkler. After the destruction of the sprinkler, silence once again washed over the area.Her heart thumped, being hyper aware of her surroundings. There was an Octarian here, maybe even multiple.Hearing a beep, 3 rapidly turned her head to one of the higher metal platforms.Jerking her head aside, a string of pressured ink zipped past her face, hitting the metal bar behind her. 3's eyes than locked eyes with an Octarian, its goggles glowing red. She called out something 3 didn't understand and caused the adrenaline to begin pumping. With another charge, another line of ink zipped past her, missing.As she attempted to paint her way towards the charger, another Octarian had seemingly appeared from nowhere, catching the Agent off guard. It exclaimed something, pointing an Octoshot towards her. Ink droplets filled the sky. Another charger shot would take aim but then miss. However, due to the upgraded tank she obtained awhile back and Hero Shot, Nagi was able to close the gap between her and the Octoshot with a rush of ink and splat bombs. The Octarian, panicked, rushed back.Swimming to the left. Jump to the right. Open fire briefly. Push the enemy back even more.Before the Octoshot realized, he had backed himself into a corner, yet didn't think about climbing up the wall behind him. It was too late though. Agent 3 was currently in range to splat the Octarian, and before he knew it, was splatted. The charger, still in the same spot, gritted her teeth at the sight, taking aim once again.Beep! Fire. Miss.Agent 3 rushed forward with an orangey glow to her eye, filled with determination.Beep! Fire. Miss.The ink trail that was just shot messed up 3's ink trail leading towards the charger a bit, but the agent had managed to recover her rhythm.Beep! Fire. Miss.Remembering that there was an inkrail leading up to the platform nearing the charger, 3 activated it, glowing lime and an inkrail forming in the air. A couple more shots fired at her as she rode atop of the rail before landing. The Octarian let out a couple of panicked cries as she shot much weaker strings of ink. However, it was pointless. With a couple shots of ink, Agent 3 managed to splat the charger.However, after quickly noting the puddle of purple near the bottom of the pillar on which the charger once stood, a roller had suddenly popped out.Out of pure instinct, all Agent 3 could think of at the moment was to swing her Hero Shot, colliding with the roller part. A little bit of ink had sprayed from the quarter swing, making her flinch. It was a struggle of power, as a whole roller that was held by two hands was pushing down on her, the roller being stopped by a single Hero Shot pushing up, preventing 3 from being slowed down anymore. Her heart thumped, struggling to continue pushing the roller away from her as she was not only fighting to push up, but fighting against the force of gravity as well. Shooting her Hero Shot right now would prove to be useless as it was facing horizontally away from the power battle. Both Agent 3 and the Octarian let out grunts, trying to make the other falter.3 on the other hand, given enough time to think, suddenly stopped resisting and made the roller quickly go down. The sudden burst of momentum threw of the Octarian, and was caught by surprise how the inkling managed to slip forward a bit to the side and hit him with a sweep kick from below. The Octarian yelped, letting go of the roller and fell to the ground, rubbing his head.Another silence fell over Beaker's Depot, now showered with a mixture of purple and lime ink against the floors and walls. Another cold wind swept by, waving Nagi's hair into the sky a bit as she approached the Octarian with a cold stare. All he could do was exclaim something that sounded like gibberish, yet close to what the inklings spoke, as he crawled backwards away from her. He waved his hand in panic, showing distress on his face with a Hero Shot pointing straight at him. The Octarian's back rested against the pillar, and covered his face with both arms, trembling.This was a first for Agent 3, there hasn't been a time where whatever Octarian she fought pleaded like this or trembled. Many, if not all of them, had fought back until the very end, yet never saw one that didn't. 3 was hesitant on the trigger, and was made even more with the words she could make out."..promised land..real?"The inkling's eyes widened, "The promised land? Real?" The Octarian didn't respond, still covering his face and goggles with his arms. 3 stood there, unsure as to whether to proceed with this action. Looking at the Octarian, an image of Nova had suddenly appeared, imagining him as the Octarian trembling in place. Lowering her Hero Shot a bit, the inkling gritted her teeth. If how she interpreted it was correct, was he asking if the surface was real? Or could it be that he was asking if the surface was as good as they say? Nonetheless, she conjured up an image in her mind of Nova, smiling when they said goodbye earlier, compared to what she was seeing now."They really are..just like us.." 3 whispered to herself. Suddenly feeling remorseful, her weapon was lowered, and the Octarian seemed to brighten up a bit. Taking a step back, Nagi was really unsure as to what to do next, yet the Octarian was saying something that she could only interpret as him saying thank you. Lost in her thoughts for a second, she didn't pay attention for a split second to the same gear suddenly appearing next to her."Careful with the enemy," The other inkling commented.With a couple shots, and a painful cry, the Octarian was reduced to nothing but a purple puddle, and a roller now without an owner.Completely in disbelief, 3 snapped her head around with widened eyes, only to realize she had locked eyes with none other than Agent 4.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Agent 4, getting a little nervous at her intense stare, felt as if her eyes were quite literally piercing through his. Her eyes were wide, and her pupils seemed smaller than usual. It was clear that the inkling was shocked, though Agent 4 couldn't quite figure out why. After all, she was just fighting these Octarians was she not? Though as they stared at each other in silence, a frown with a hint of disbelief formed on her face."H-Hey," Agent 4 started, unsure as to what to say. 3 scoffed and turned, her hair whipping around. Dodging the tentacle, 4 chuckled awkwardly and set his Hero Shot aside. His hair was slicked back, and had blue eyes that stared at the back of 3's head. "I didn't even hear you." Was all that 3 mentioned, still not looking back at him."Well, you were so lost in your thoughts when you were pointing your Hero Shot at him," He argued back. "I just helped you finish the job before he got away.""You don't understand." 3 complained, her voice stern yet low.Both inklings stood there in silence, neither of them sure as to what to do. As Nagi thought about it, she wondered what exactly she would've done if Agent 4 had splatted the Octarian. Would she have still gone through with it? Would she have let him get away? Even she was unsure. Maybe, to an extent, 4 did do her a favor. Yet, the same feeling remained inside her, seeing the Octarian's desperate expression, hiding his face and trembling. Her mind would then wander back to Nova smiling. And what was this about "the promised land"? As she questioned what she felt, 4 waved his hand in front of her, surprising 3."Maybe I don't, but if you're upset about me splatting him, remember it's our job," 4 started, shoving one hand into his pocket. "If we don't, we risk the Octarians reaching us over in Inkopolis and start another Great Turf War."3 gave it some more thought. While yes she's been doing this for as long as she could remember, why was it until now that she had begun to feel sorry for doing these actions? Could it be that it was because she got to know Nova once he moved in?3 shrugged, "At least this one showed some emotion at the end of it compared to the others.""Right, once he realized he was on the verge of being splatted, 3."Nagi's frowning expression remained the same, and she adjusted one of her tentacles saying nothing else. 4, unsure as to what else to say, was beginning to get a little bothered by the silence. With a sigh he said, "I see you're as silent and serious as the day we broke up."3 looked at him with a hint of disgust, it was a weird time to take a jab at someone. Crossing her arms, she clarified, "I broke up with you. Not we.""I've changed since then," He rebuttaled."Right, hope that strange obsession with the Squid Sisters did too.."Agent 4 sighed a bit, lifted his weapon, and covered the purple ink up with a different color. Agent 3 watched as the ink splatted over the stain, and asked what he was doing here. Apparently he was asked to check up on Octo Canyon as well and saw Nagi from a distance when he was super jumping from Tentakeel Outpost to Suction-Cup Lookout."Going back to what we were talking about," 4 began. "It's strange seeing the mighty 3 taking pity on an Octarian."Nagi shrugged it off, not letting his words get to him. "I just took 2 down. I was just rethinking things."Agent 4 nodded, almost as if not believing her. However, what 3 found strange was the small smile he had on. They dated for roughly a month at one point during the summer, however 3 had broken up with the inkling due to his strange obsession with the Squid Sisters. To say the least, he was a fanboy. 4 had been upset after the breakup, and found it awkward to talk since. What he did appreciate was that, for the most part, 3 had kept it professional though he did admit that he didn't want to end the relationship. "Ugh, I can't believe I still have this feeling whenever I look at her..." The male inkling thought to himself, looking into Nagi's orange eyes that continued to look away from his. His stomach felt weird, 4 would be lying if he said he didn't feel anything anymore for the female inkling.Setting his feelings aside, 4 couldn't help but then think to himself as to why 3 would even hesitate against an Octarian. After all, he's gotten to know 3 as well as he could, with her being a mute inkling, every since he joined into the Squidbeak Splatoon. 4 even saw her in action a couple times. Just like moments before, she was fast, quick on her feet, and was able to make decisions while in combat almost immediately. Yet she stopped and hesitated now.They both stopped in the horizon, another chilly breeze sweeping through. One of the metal pillars screeched a bit, seemingly unstable on its legs. Before anything could be said, 3 turned around and began to activate another ink rail leading away from the platform they stood on. It once again created another ink rail in the air, and Nagi's boots splashed with every step in the ink. 4 only watched the inkling step away and scrambled his head to find something to bring up in order to talk a little bit more."Can I know why..?" His voice trailed off.Nagi, who was about to turn into her squid form and ride the rail, stopped just before. Agent 3 stood there at the edge of the platform, her back remained facing 4. She thought about it for a second, analyzing what he meant by his question, and, once figuring out, thought about the reasoning.She thought about Nova and his innocent outlook on the world around him. How he smiled brightly despite the fact that he was somewhere completely unknown. 3 shook her head, simultaneously also removing the small smile she had formed thinking about it. Replacing the smile with her signature serious look, her head slightly turned as to meet 4's eyes."Have you by any chance gotten to meet Agent 8?""Agent 8..?" 4 questioned, confused as to who she was talking about. He hadn't heard that they had a new agent in the Splatoon, and if there was, both Agent 1 and 2, or anyone for that matter, had failed to inform him."Well, I'm sure you'll understand once you meet him," 3 finished talking, turned back around and rode the rail back. She moved too fast for 4 to continue questioning her, so he stood there confused, watching the inkling get farther and farther away before super jumping over to the next area.4 sighed, and looked back at the puddle of ink he had previously covered.~Nova sneezed.The octoling had gone and played a couple of matches in a row with varying results. He had won some, and lost some. Yet, Nova still got weird stares from a couple of inklings, and was almost positive some of them whispered between them about him. Of course, this would make a little more self conscious and overthink things. However, there were also inklings who talked to him like any other person, though it was mostly to say "great job out there" as randoms say to each other after the end of a match. It was rare for some to interact afterwards, especially since Nova had noticed that many inklings had gone to the Deca Tower with groups of friends. "That sounds fun..." He whispered under his breath, walking out of the tower and peeking over at another friend group. Another group, 4 inklings, 2 guys and 2 girls.His mind wandered a bit, Octoshot in hand and stepped out with the sliding doors opening automatically. The sun was still out, but it still felt chilly, especially with the occasional wind. In hindsight, the octoling should've at least brought a sweater. For a second, Nova wondered if he could find Parker anywhere, but with no means of contact, he would fail before he started.Instead, he decided to head home with the small amount of cash he had saved up from the matches in his Splashtag. His eyes glanced down to the keys in his palm, revealing a regular key with the small, green squid keychain staring back at him. An image of her flashed briefly, making the octoling smile to himself.~It was dark outside now, and both Nagi and 4 followed the grate back to Inkopolis, which to both of their surprise, no one noticed one they rose from the ground. They had both changed back to their regular clothing, and their Hero Shots remained hidden in their bags. Nagi didn't say anything and only began waking away from 4."H-Hey! Wait up!" 4 cried out, surprised that she would just walk away without saying something. But at the same time, he wasn't too surprised.3 turned, giving him a weird stare. She pointed in the opposite direction, "I'm pretty sure you live over there." 4 watched as her finger pointed away, past the coffee shop in the corner to the tall buildings and roads. She wasn't wrong to say the least.Turning his attention back to Nagi, he shrugged. "I'll accompany you back."Nagi shook her head no."It's dark, and it's almost.." He stopped to check the time on his iSquid, one of the latest phones in the shape of a squid. "..9 P.M."The city lights were shining brightly throughout the darkness. And despite the fact that it was 9, you'd still find plenty of inklings catching a quick bite, and hanging out with friends. In fact, a couple could be seen walking hand in hand not far from them. Nagi had watched as she saw the female inking giggle as her boyfriend had made her laugh. 4 caught himself looking too, and both of their eyes had met again.3 quickly diverted her eyes away from him, not showing any sign of embarrassment. 4 on the other hand had cleared his throat, and tried to hide a very light blush. "..Anyways-" Before he could start his sentence, Nagi had begun walking once again."I'm just trying to get home." 3 commented, facing away from 4. He sighed, and walked along side her. However, through this walk, neither of them would say another word but 4 would try to sneak peeks at Nagi's expression. She remained serious, occasionally turning her head to look at some inklings or stores.After a couple more minutes, they arrived at their front door. Agent 3 patted her pockets down, panicking silently thinking she lost her house key, before remembering that she had given 8 the keys. But was he home..?"Why are you knocking..?" 4 asked confused, raising an eyebrow and darting his eyes back at her and the door. 4 stood there nervously, not expecting anyone to open door. After all, last time he checked, she lived alone, no roommate or anything despite the extra small room she had. His hand fidgeted with his tentacle hair.Almost awkwardly, both Agent 3 and 4 stood there silently in front of the locked door in the empty hallway. Neither of them looked at each other, but stared at the hard wooden door. What alerted 4 however, was the sound of footsteps jumping off of something inside, and slowly approach the door."Who's in there..?" He whispered, nearing his face to her ear. Nagi stepped away, not saying who. From outside, they could hear the fidgeting of the lock inside, the click, and the rattling of the doorknob. The wooden door squeaked opened, revealing the octoling standing in his earlier outfit and socks on.4, taken by surprised once identifying who Nova was exactly, took a step back and into a nervous sweat."Welcome back, Nagi!" The octoling grinned at her, to which she nodded and stepped in. 8's mind had yet to process the fact that there was also another inkling standing by the door, and hadn't realized until their eyes met. 3 watched from the couch, feeling a tense aura from the both of them. 8 was more nervous than anything, unsure as to what to say to the guy in front.With an almost passive aggressive tone, 4 shook his hand with a grin, still trying to process this."You must be 8."
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4's hand shook his aggressively. 8 only stared in silence at the handshake and back up at the smiling inkling, thought he could pick up on the hint of what he could only assume was anger? Passive aggressive to say the least."Y-Yeah, 8. That's me.." Nova mumbled a little bit, unsure as to how to respond to everything going on right now. Who was he? 8 only assumed that he was acquainted with 3, since they were standing side by side when he opened the door.4 had let go of his hand, and took a step so that he stood within the doorway. He looked ahead as 8 stepped aside, and made eye contact with 3 resting on the couch, watching the whole interaction silently."So this is the famous 8 you were talking about," 4 commented, resting his shoulder against the door frame and crossing his arms. Nova stared nervously back and forth between 3 and 4, feeling the tension in the air. The octoling wanted to ask something but held back for a second, what he did ask was, "Who is this Nagi..?" Nova walked over to the living room, sitting on the opposite couch and looking at the both of them. Nagi didn't respond immediately and had instead asked for her keys back politely, to which he tossed her, the little squid on her keys looking like it was super jumping across the room."Nova, this is Agent 4. Aka Draco." Nagi's hand motioned over to the inkling standing in her doorway, eyeing the both of them. 3 could easily tell something was bothering 4, and 8 being nervous. "He's one of our Squidbeak Splatoon Agents."Nagi turned to look at Draco, and motioned her hand towards Nova, "Draco, this is Nova. Agent 8."Both Nova and Draco, who were on opposite ends of the apartment, only gave each other a subtle nod."So..what's this about..?" 4 asked. "..You two living together I mean."Nagi explained how Agent's 1, 2, 5 and 6 were all out for the moment, trying to make progress in their idol careers while also not disappearing for too long as to not arose suspicion. "So, they asked me to help him, so I am." 3 finished explaining. However, 8's ears drooped a little bit hearing that. The way she phrased it made it seem like she only is helping because she was asked to. That was the opposite of what 8 wanted, the last thing he wanted was to make her feel forced to show him around and how things worked."I see," 4 scratched his head a bit. He was a little jealous of 8, in the aspect that he got to see her everyday pretty much guaranteed in the comfort of home. Though 8 was clueless as to what 4 felt, his attitude had given off that he was bothered. "I could've taken him in too you know," He hesitated a little bit. Agent 4 continued to stare at the octoling nervously staring back, with 3 also looking at the both of them.4 was still slightly in shock seeing an Octarian living up here in the surface. It was something that he, alongside 99 percent of Inkopolis, would never imagine seeing happen. But there he was, an Octarian, the same enemy he had been fighting against to protect Inkopolis alongside Nagi, sitting here among the inklings in the city. Especially right across from the inkling he still had feelings for. It was a lot to process, and he reminded himself on what 3 had said earlier as to why she hesitated."I see what you meant about earlier.." 4 sighed, understanding what she meant. Nagi nodded, not necessarily saying anything.Nova knew her name already, meaning that Agent 3 had told him herself. Back then when they first met at a Squidbeak Splatoon meeting, he had talked to Agent 3. Yet, she never once turned around to respond, much less look at 4. Now, Nagi herself had already claimed that they were friends already, with 8 even nodding along to what she had said. 3 had befriended the enemy."They seem close already.." 4 noted. And they were living together? The question rested in the back of the inkling's mind, completely unrelated to his earlier thoughts, but was unsure as to ask it. "Screw it.." 4 thought to himself."Are you two datin-?""No," Nagi responded, almost immediately. Giving a frown, she pointed at herself and back at Nova repeatedly, almost as if wagging her finger around. "We're friends." 3 wanted to clarify this as soon as possible, not wanting to stir up any kind of drama or rumors between themselves. 8, understanding what 4 had asked, felt a little embarrassed and in return made his face feel a little warm. "Y-Yeah.." He stammered over himself. "That's a relief.." Draco would tell himself, and gave a light playful chuckle as to play it off. "I'm just messing with you two."8 gave an awkward chuckle, and 3's eyes once again pierced through 4's. Draco could sense that Nagi knew what was going on here, and attempted to tell him to stop through a blank, frowning look. Adjusting his tentacle hair, he sighed, "Sorry."Nagi yawned, and fished through her bag to double check everything was there. Both 4 and 8 watched 3 as she rummaged through, going down the mental checklist of the things she was supposed to have with her. It was late, and Nagi was too tired to deal with 4's shenanigans alongside this conversation. Draco had made it very evident that he was jealous."Is he your ex..?" Nova asked out of the blue, making everyone sit up stiff in their positions. Nagi's eyes widened, temporarily forgetting that they had talked about it before. 4 could be seen with an embarrassed face and shook his head."W-Well, I'll see you too soon," Draco stuttered, attempting to avoid eye contact with both the inkling and Octarian. Stepping out after locking the door behind him, the wooden door shut closed."Was I right..? Forgive me for asking that out of the blue.." 8 apologized immediately after, Nagi's eyes still wide. Eventually, the inkling had confirmed his question with a nod. With another yawn, Nagi stood up and walked back over to the kitchen counter, slinging her bag over her shoulder. She briefly walked into her room, and walked out, with Nova still waiting in the living room. Stepping towards the kitchen, Nagi asked as she opened the freezer, "You hungry Nova?"Confirming her question after forgetting about his stomach, he walked over as she once again pulled out whatever was leftover from the frozen pepperoni pizza they had a couple days ago and plopped it into the microwave. Neither of them spoke a word after her question, and they both watched the microwave spin the slices in synch. The only thing that can be heard now was the humming of the microwave, and their own thoughts. After what had occurred, Nova could tell that 3 wasn't necessarily in the mood to talk. The inkling had her arms crossed with a subtle frown, which only left Nova to assume that she was upset.Wanting to brighten up the mood, Nova had asked her how her day went."It..went ok," Nagi sighed. "However it did suck a little bit by the end.""I'm sorry to hear that..." Nova trailed off, unsure how to approach this conversation now. "W-What about work..?"Nagi's expression was washed over with realization after processing his question. How could she mention that she had fought and splatted a couple of other octolings, who were essentially 8's people? A feeling of guilt that she never really experienced nor felt before began to build up within her. Agent 3 had no idea what to say, after all, would he take offense to it? Agent 8 seemed like an understanding person, but how would he even react if she did say this? 3 didn't want to mention it, but she definitely did not want to move on from this conversation with this feeling in her stomach."It uh..it went okay.." Nagi stuttered mid sentence, awkwardly avoiding eye contact with 8. Nova, based on her expression, her body language, and the way that she spoke, made it all the more evident that something was bothering her. Nova cleared his throat, "Well, you know you can tell me anything that's bothering you right?" Nagi had turned and met his eyes. "You can trust me, Nagi." The octoling grinned sheepishly.Nagi exhaled, and adjusted her tentacle once more. His grin had made 3 a little more comfortable to be open about it, yet she still worried about offending him."I came under fire by some octolings," She said softly, so softly that it was hard for Nova to hear her. However, he was able to make out what she had said with the few words Nova pieced together, catching his attention all the more. "You did? How many were there? Are you okay?" The bombardment of questions from the octoling interrupted her thoughts a little bit, though she made sure to reassure Nova that she was fine."It was 3 if I remember correctly.." Nagi murmured. The microwave was nearing its final seconds on heating up their slices, soon enough it'll beep ready. "Something bothered me about it." Nagi began bringing up how, despite her fighting against them as an Agent since she started, every Octarian would continue fighting until the end. 3 brought up how distressed the one she met today was, and how they brought up the "Promised Land". "What did they mean by that 8..?"Nova, who had a blank expression trying to process everything he was just told, perked up once the microwave beeped. He understood that Nagi's job as an Agent there was to splat whatever octoling proved to be aggressive, which to his assumption, was each one she faced. It's probably why she found it so strange when one of them showed some sort of remorse. "The "Promised Land", it's here," Nova said, slowly taking out the slices and separating them, one for each. "We refer to Inkopolis as the Promised Land." His expression seemed to soften, almost as if reminiscing of the past. Nagi watched before saying, "Why is it considered that?""Life isn't the best there," Agent 8 chuckled a bit. "Here compared to the Canyon, life is so much better."The octoling turned around, facing the inkling with a plate gestured towards her, "Careful, it's hot." The inkling took it, briefly looking at the slice and back up at him with a nod saying thanks. In unison, the pair walked towards the three seats seats centered in the middle of the kitchen. 8 took the far right one, and to his surprise, Nagi had taken the seat next to him instead of the far left one. There was a brief moment where no one talked, and were instead blowing air onto the recently heated up slices in order to cool them a bit."I hope this doesn't offend you." Nagi said."Why would it?""It's your people isn't it..? I mean, our job is essentially to keep them at bay."8 gave it some thought. "Well yeah, but I don't take offense to it. A lot of them are naturally aggressive due to the propaganda spoon fed to us since we were younger, you know? Inklings are this, inklings are that, all that nonsense. Plus in my time in the Deepsea Metro, I've had to fight some octolings myself."Taking another bite, 3 gulped, nodded, and turned to ask him, "Do you still believe in it?"The octoling shook his head, "I don't. After spending time here, I realized you guys were just living the life I wanted. And then there are those who are genuinely kind, like you Nagi."Nova had said it so casually, not even meeting 3's eyes, but even she knew he meant it. The inkling could spot a glimpse of a smile resting on his lips, and struggled herself to hold back hers."I just want to confirm something," Nova hesitated. "Are you sure you're not only doing this because you were asked to..? I ask because earlier when you were explaining it to 4-""I'm positive Nova,"3 responded, taking another bite of her slice. A small piece of pepperoni fell, splatting on the plate. "I phrased it weird, 4 was getting a little bit on my nerves." She had spoken with her mouth muffled, one hand holding the slice itself, the other covering her mouth as to block 8's view on her chewing. "H-How so..?" 8 tilted his head to the side, raising a confused brow. He had forgotten about his food due to being caught up in their conversation.Nagi stopped and finished her bite, facing him and raised an eyebrow. She even temporarily moved her tentacle behind her ear. "You couldn't tell?" She asked with Nova immediately shaking his head no. "I thought you noticed," Nagi lightly giggled."He got jealous of you."
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Hearing Agent 3 audibly giggle gave Nova a strange feeling within himself. Just earlier, a couple days since they had actually gotten the chance to get to know each other, Nagi was threatening him with her Hero Shot and would hardly converse with him. Now, the octoling was able to have all sorts of conversations with her in such a short time span, with 3 even contributing, though a lot of times she just listened. Regardless, he was appreciative that Nagi would interact with him just like any other person, and didn't treat him as anything less.Going back to her giggle, it was something that oddly reminded him of the first time he had heard the Calamari Inkantation. It was something that Nova couldn't describe it as anything else but a really nice sound. It made him forget of all of his past struggles, especially those in the Deepsea Metro and the fact that he's living a new life here in Inkopolis. At first it was the small smile he had received from her when 8 offered to move the boxes, now it was the small laugh she had given making these comments. Nova chuckled, something he couldn't hold back hearing Agent 3. Even if it wasn't something he directly caused, 8 couldn't help but want to make 3 laugh some more. If anything, it was a sign of how close they had gotten in such a short amount of time.3's face reddened a bit, realizing what she had done, and turned her head away from him. Her green eyes now darted the almost finished slice of pizza on her plate. Nova could notice a subtle red tint on the tips of her ears. 3 cleared her throat, reverting back to her neutral expression.Nova, a little disappointed that she would try to hide her laugh, started up again, "I don't understand. Why would he be jealous of me..?"3 finished whatever was left of her pizza slice, dabbed her mouth with a napkin, all while thinking about his question. "I mean, when you think about it," 3 coughed a little bit afterwards, choking on a piece of crust. "You're a guy, that is suddenly living with me, and he's my ex."8's face felt a little heated up. The way she put it, it did make it seem like they were together. And, after thinking about it some more, it explains why he was persistently asking about the connection 3 and 8 had. But in the end, Nagi decided that to help him out. "I..I understand now," He chuckled bashfully. 3's orange eyes met his as he laughed, and gave a small smile.3 learned more and more about 8 with each day, getting small glimpses into his personality every now and then. There were was plenty of positive things to say about the octoling from the short amount of time she had gotten to know him. 8 was a very curious person, which was emphasized more by the fact that it was his first time here in the surface. However, 3 had also liked that he wasn't pushy when it came to his curiosity, or even when he noticed that she wasn't in the mood to talk. Nagi was used to the people who always brought up how quiet she was, and meeting Nova, it was a nice change of pace as he didn't consistently bring that up, if at all. Overall, 8 was a very polite person who understood boundaries, and if he messed up, would apologize. It was something that Nagi could appreciate and was most likely why she grew as close as they are in a couple of days."Then why was 4 getting on your nerves?" 8 asked, finishing his plate, including the crust. Though he didn't enjoy it as much as the actual cheese part. "I think it was just the fact that he so obvious about it. There was no subtlety in the way he was asking things." 8 nodded understandably, and cleared the plates off the table with Nagi thanking him. As he watched them, he wondered if she would be working tomorrow as well."What did you end up doing today?" 3 asked, scrolling on her phone casually. She didn't necessarily look up since Nova's back was facing to her. The octoling scrubbed off whatever remains were on the plate, feeling the water travel between his fingers. "Not much. Just played a couple matches in Turf War. Saving up some cash, bit by bit." 8 left out the judgmental states he had received throughout the day.3 then asked if he had gotten any new weapons or clothing yet that would help him out, to which he responded no. "I got asked to come back when I'm higher level.." 8 chuckled to himself, drying his hands with a towel that hung out from the top of a drawer door, right below the sink.The clothing they had gotten the earlier day was purely casual, no chunks or any abilities. However this made Agent 3 realize how well he does despite that. Nonetheless, Nagi let out a puff of air with what he saw as a small grin, though her eyes remained on her phone screen. The octoling's fingertips tapped the kitchen counter to fill the silence afterwards. Occasionally a video audio would play on Nagi's phone, and would be immediately cut off after a swipe of her finger only to be replaced by another audio. The inkling would occasionally yawn, clearly tired from her day throughout the Octo Canyon."Are you free tomorrow..?" Nova blurted out, catching the inkling by surprise as she was half falling asleep on her phone. "I..uh..yeah, yeah I am." Nagi fumbled with her words. "I have the afternoon shift tomorrow.""So no?" Nova laughed a bit at the contradictory statement. Realizing why the octoling was laughing, she shook her head, "I mean if you want to do something earlier in the day, I'm down."Nova grinned at her statement. He felt a lot less lonely whenever they did stuff together, and it's a feeling he came to admire more.Agent 3 stood up, her eyes subtly shut, and began making her way to her room. "Goodnight Nova," She gave a small wave, Nova being the only one looking at her. The octoling waved back regardless if she saw or not, "Goodnight Nagi."As her body disappeared behind the kitchen wall and into the small hallway that had the both of their rooms he heard her:"Hope you have enough money to invite me to a coffee," She joked."Heh. I sure hope I do." 8 joked back.~The following morning, the pair would get dressed and have some time of silence between them after saying good morning. Nova would walk past the kitchen to the bathroom and back to his room, and both times would catch glimpses of the inkling laying her head down on the kitchen table. Her tentacle would cover her face from below her nose bridge with her eyes welded shut. 3's head would actually be resting on her arms, crossed over each other. Both times Nova would let out a puff of air as to not audibly chuckle.After waking up and doing their final preparations, they once again stepped out into Inkopolis. 8 would notice that the more he went out, it seemed as though less and less people would turn to stare at him or whisper to each other.3 and 8 would end up changing into some casual clothing with Nagi stating that she doesn't "want to tire herself out before her shift at patrol duty" which was reasonable enough for 8. Though he wondered when it would be his time to start helping out. He is considered an agent for the Squidbeak Splatoon after all. The Squid Sisters nor Pearl or Marina never specifically mentioned when he'd join them on the patrols. "Wonder what they're up to..?" 8 pondered to himself.A feeling of reassurance seemed to wash over him knowing that Nagi was tagging along side him. Before 8 had realized, he had already seemed to develop an attachment to the inkling, unknowingly thinking about what she was up to or wanting to spend time together even if 3 was at work. Maybe it was simply because 3 was one of the very few people he knew well in the surface, maybe it just really was an attachment, or maybe even both. Nonetheless, he took a liking to Nagi despite having a personality, that he admitted, would normally have other inklings want to leave her alone. That alone was not the only thing he learned about Nagi in these couple of days however. Sure, she was serious and made little comments here and there, but the few times he saw her smile and heard her giggle, it made the octoling grateful that he got to know her."Nova? Nova?" 3 repeated, waving a hand in front of his face. Snapping out of his thoughts, 8 realized that he was unknowingly staring at the inkling, which did make Nagi feel a little weird. She had moved her hand back and faced forward as they walked once again once she realized he snapped out of it. Her neutral expression remained. "S-Sorry," He stuttered, kicking a pebble. "I was lost in my thoughts.""Yeah, I could tell," Nagi responded, adjusting her zip up sweater a little bit. "You were staring.""I didn't mean to.""I'm just messing with you 8," She smiled a little bit, yet did not look at him."She's been in a playful mood recently..." Nova thought to himself.A couple more minutes of walking and they had landed at the same coffee shop as per usual. It was the same process, walking up, waiting in line, ordering, and enjoying their drink. However, this time, as they were about to order and before Nagi could speak:"H-Hello, two talls with 2 sugars and cream in each please."3 stared at him wide eyed, surprised that he remembered her order already. "Nova did remember huh.." She whispered to herself. However, as the inkling was caught up in this, she failed to realize that Nova had taken his Splashtag out and paid for their drinks. And before Nagi could protest, the jellyfish barista thanked them for paying and walked away to make their drinks. The inkling made eye contact with the octoling, who smiled sheepishly, and shook her head with a small smile."You didn't have to pay," Nagi mentioned. "I was just joking when I made that comment.""I know..but I wanted to," 8 responded happily. "I even remembered how your order went."With a sigh and her remaining smile, she said, "Thank you."~Nagi sat silently, swirling her finger around the surface of the table. She wasn't necessarily looking forward to her shift later that day, however, was looking forward to her pay day just like whatever other inkling working did. Her orange eyes looked up occasionally to look over at the octoling, who was nervously standing there, looking around as well. Their eyes met, to which Nova gave a nervous laugh and timid wave. He had a small tint of red on his cheek as he did so. Nagi waved back."What do you want to do today?" Nova asked as he walked over with their coffees, lightly tripping over himself before handing her her drink. Agent 3 thought to herself a little bit, but nothing specifically came to mind. Exhausting herself before the job would be a bad idea, and it'd be even worse if she came up against multiple Octarians like yesterday. "I can't think of anything," was all that she said.Nova peered around curiously, there was the Deca Tower with the Great Zapfish still wrapped around the top, the lines of stores selling gear for Turf Wars on the left leading up to the tower, and to the right side..."Hey Nagi? What's that place?" Nova subtly pointed behind her with his pinky as he sipped on his drink. Nagi raised a confused brow, and turned towards the direction he pointed in. "Oh, it's the Shoal," Nagi responded, turning back and taking another drink. "Remember I pointed at it briefly? It's an arcade.""Arcade..?" Nova questioned, he hadn't heard of a place like that. There were many places he hadn't heard of as Nagi had shown him around, the Deca Tower itself being an obvious example. What made it easy was that many other places can be explained with a simple word or two. For example, food or clothing."Games," Nagi plainly clarified."I see."Nova stared curiously at a pair of inklings, both boys, standing on top of a small metal like platform which curved up to flat screen in front of them. The inklings could be seen laughing as they both tapped on the screen and swiped on it and would then stand in the middle, holding the bars behind them. From his angle, Nova would not be able to see the colorful arrows pointing in the four directions, so once 8 saw them stepping quickly in the different directions, he was confused. However, after a couple more seconds of them moving in synch, it clicked in his mind that they were dancing. And, after focusing his hearing more, he could make out what would be Pearl and Marina's voice in the form of a song, Ebb and Flow."Is that a dancing game then?" 8 asked, his tentacle flopping to the side. 3 nodded, taking yet another swig. "Can we check that place out? It looks fun!"Nagi wasn't a huge fan of arcade games such as the ones found in the Shoal. She didn't hate them or anything, they simply didn't catch the inkling's attention. The ones she did not like were the ones were the dancing ones, where you could be seen. All the potential extra attention embarrassed the inkling, and because of that, would dislike it. Her eyes stared at the octoling, who kept looking at the dancing game out in the front of the Shoal. He had that curious look and smile on his face, clearly excited to check it out. "How could I say no..?" She sighed to herself.The pair began to head over to the Shoal after their little moment of just enjoying their drinks. Not many words were exchanged between the two besides what they had talked about, however Nagi found the peacefulness enjoyable. Despite that they didn't talk much, Nagi found it nice to just sit down together and enjoy a cup of coffee on the sunny day. Once again, she admitted to herself that Nova's company was nice.Stepping in, they were welcomed by another jelly wearing a hat with the Shoal logo on it. Giving a wave, he pointed at a matching explaining where to charge a card for the more modern arcade machines, or spare cash for the older models. 8 would end up blindly following the inkling."Since you paid for the coffee, I'll repay with this." Nagi explained, paying for a card which plopped out of the little machine socket as well as some tokens. "W-Where's yours..?" Nova asked."I didn't get one.""How are you going to play?"Nagi thought about it. She didn't necessarily want to play, but didn't want to say it to his face directly. "If I want to try something, I'll ask," 3 would politely explain.They walked around, there were plenty of inklings running around, playing on the machines, some even huddling around some in a group. Overall, the building inside was darker than what one was typically used to, but was brightened up with the game screens as well as the green neon lights on the walls. The floor was patterned with green and purple tiles, and would cut off to a 90s themed arcade carpet once you reached the older arcade games. In one end of the Shoal, a small food court could be found, serving fast food and drinks, which the inklings seemed to enjoy as they sat and ate.Nova would walk around, deciding on a more older game rather than a modern one. Nagi followed behind, watching silently. "Pac-Squid..." 8 muttered to himself. 3 peered from the side, leaning on the machines' side as it played its starting noise. The game itself involved you playing as a little squid in a maze, trying to get all of the little cash coins with..octopuses chasing you? "Yikes.." Nagi whispered under her breath. However Nova seemed to pay it no mind, and a grin was plastered on his face as the joystick was shoved around. The octoling was so focused on the gameplay that he didn't notice the inkling peek at him with a smile and back at the machine.After another hour of Agent 3 watching 8 mess around, with both of them making conversation, the pair decided to move onto something else."What'd you think?" Nagi asked, tucking her tentacle behind her ear as they walked past the lit screens of each machine lined up next to each other. She accidentally bumped shoulders with someone."Thank you for showing me here, it was fun." He nodded appreciatively, lifting his card up for display, chuckling a little bit at her crash. "I still have enough for two more games.""We might as well use it, save some tickets up for prizes." Nagi shrugged. Overall, she did have fun, despite not playing much herself. It was more of the fact that they were just hanging out. Before the two realized, slowly but surely, their connection was getting stronger."Hey!" A cheery voice called out. Both Nova and Nagi looked up alerted, attempting to see who it was. To their surprise, an inkling girl walked up to them. She wore a baggy lilac shirt over a pair of dark leggings and white shoes. Her tentacle hair was in a double bun, which was also in the color of pink, with the same colored eyes. A male inkling seemed to follow close behind, having blue, slick backed hair and eyes, a white shirt, black zip-up sweater, and dark sweats and shoes. His outfit seemed to contradict the inkling girl's look completely.Agent 3 only stared, wondering as to whether or not she was actually talking to them despite the fact that she was right in front of them. Though Nagi noticed that the inkling was more directly talking to 8."Are you an octoling..?" She asked curiously, taking a step closer to 8. It seemed as if though the boy behind her attempted to awkwardly stop her from getting closer. Nova stuttered on his words a bit, "Y-Yeah.."Taking another step closer and reaching out, her hand curiously poked his tentacle, making the octoling a little uncomfortable. "I've never seen an octoling here before.."Nagi frowned from the sidelines, seeing how she touched his hair and seeing Nova's uncomfortable look. He stood stiffly, an awkward smile and blush on his face as she did so, clearly unable to tell the inkling to stop. There, 3 felt a feeling within her she couldn't identify, though it made her feel uncomfortable as well.Taking a step forward 3 clutched the girl's wrist and pulled it away from Nova's hair. Not aggressively, but with the intent that let her know to stop. Both girls made eye contact, and 3's typical stare would send chills throughout the unknown inkling. Slowly, she stepped back, blushing a bit and laughing awkwardly. "S-Sorry about that, my curiosity got the best of me..""It's oka-""It's still weird." Nagi cut him off, still staring at her.For a moment, there was a silence that fell on the group. The only thing that could be heard at the moment was the video game sound effects from the surrounding games. Blasting of pixels, racing and fighting filled the air alongside conversations and laughter from other inklings."You should've stopped sooner," The male inkling muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "He shouldn't be here anyways."Nova froze up, completely caught off guard. He wasn't sure how to respond to the inklings comment, yet for some reason, his mind lingered on the comment. The inkling wasn't necessarily wrong, 8 wasn't from here. Plus there were no other octolings around, so why was he the only one here? It was then that his mind remembered an important fact that honestly shouldn't have been forgotten to begin with, he quite literally saved Inkopolis from annihilation. Well, with the help of the Squidbeak Splatoon of course, but still, point still stands."No one would be standing here alive if it weren't for me or the others..." Nova thought to himself before seeing Nagi step in front of him, surprising the octoling. From 8's point of view, he couldn't figure out Nagi's expression, but she was clearly upset from the tone of her voice. With a finger pointing up to the male inkling, she retaliated, "Why shouldn't he?"The pair were getting nervous from Nagi alone, and thus the guy couldn't respond on the spot. He couldn't even if they wanted to, they didn't have any reasoning. Agent 3's seriousness alone was something that could make anyone nervous, imagine once she got mad."Awfully quiet now." 3 followed up her question after realizing that neither the girl or boy would respond. "Let's get outta here, Nova."3 didn't make eye contact with anyone, not with the guy, the girl or even Nova himself. However, her hand reached out to grab his, and gently pulled the octoling behind her, shoving in between the two inklings."Just so you know, he's just like anyone else here." Nagi called out behind her, making sure the other inklings were able to hear.Nova's face warmed up, this time not out of awkwardness. His eyes looked at the back of 3's head with a sense of admiration.Nagi's hands felt surprisingly soft from what he was expecting. He was sure she had a lot of time working within the Squidbeak Splatoon, so he wouldn't be surprised if her hands were rough from all that time. Yet it was like having a soft cloud in his palm, though he wasn't technically holding her hand back. 8's hand would remain open, with only Nagi holding onto his from the side of his palm. "I-It'd be weird to hold it back anyways...""What am I doing..?" 3 asked to herself, realizing what she was doing. At this point, both the octoling and inkling had stepped through the automatic slide doors, and were once again standing in Inkopolis Square. The same two inklings were still there on the dancing game, playing another Off the Hook song. This time though, they seemed to attract a small crowd as they played a faster and difficult mode."S-Sorry about back there." 3 embarrassingly let go of his hand and turned away from both 8 and the crowd, it seemed as if though she was determined to continue walking. 8, without hesitating, all of sudden reached out to grab her hand back. This of course caught Nagi competent off guard, making the inkling blush slightly with wide eyes."Thank you for sticking up for me," Nova said with what Nagi determined to be the most genuine smile she's seen. The tips of his ears were slightly red, and the sight itself made Nagi feel a little nervous. So much so, it made her throat feel like it was tightening up. "...of course."Nova chuckled at the embarrassed inkling before he pointed at the small crowd and the game. "We should try it for our last two games, the both of us."Nagi glanced at the game and back at the game."I think I've had enough of games today."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It was roughly two weeks later when both Agent 1 and 2 had returned, as did Pearl and Marina, who were now back at making map and mode shift announcements. Nova had gotten used to life in Inkopolis so far, even getting to hang out with Parker some more. Sure, the pair of friends have gotten food together here and there, but they bonded a lot more through Turf and Ranked Battles. This was also where he would slowly level up as well as earn more cash. Their communication between the two was on point in the heat of battle. 8 assumed it was more for him simply through his experience in the Deepsea Metro, which his mind would linger on for sometime."Hah, you're way too good at this," Parker would chuckle, wiping his forehead of the enemy ink and fist bumping the octoling after he saved him from a surprise roller."Of course, I got your back," 8 chuckled along before they both focused their attention back on the battle.Between Agent 3 and Agent 8, they grew closer as time went on. It seemed as if 3 was more open about the idea of conversing with 8, as she would more often talk with him too. Once again, the octoling would remark to himself about how much 3 had changed compared to when they first officially met. From a very serious and silent inkling, to a more expressive and talkative one. 8 had hoped it was because she felt more comfortable around him, since if she wasn't, it'd be weird, as they quite literally live together. Nova would then remind himself about how they had met before, but they were very brief moments, and even then they must've been a blur for her. His mind just repressed these memories as he was blinded by the fact that he was in a new world.That begs the question, however, did she remember anything about it?"That's right!" 8 widened his eyes, staring at the Octoshot in hand as they both watched some tv before they headed for Octo Canyon. Since the Squid Sisters were now back, they had asked for Nagi to bring him along as to show him the ropes. Though, 3 reassured that it wasn't anything complicated to get used to."Not only did she save me now with giving me a place to stay and showing me around.." His mind lingered, his orange eyes subtly glancing at the inking girl sitting not far beside him. Her orange eyes stared blankly at the movie playing, seemingly entertained, with her right cheek resting on her right hand. "She saved me back then too..If she hadn't responded to that distress signal, I wouldn't be alive right now!"The pair both had their bags, Nagi handing him down a slightly older one, with their belongings to bring to the cabin. They were just currently waiting for the time to start heading out. Nagi had accidentally caught the octoling looking at her before 8 quickly glanced away when she peeked at him, prompting her to pick up the remote and pausing SquidFlix. She turned to face him."W-Why'd you pause it Nagi..?" Nova asked nervously, literally unsure."What's on your mind?" She asked, rather intuitive. It was as if she could read his thoughts."It's nothing I swear, I just remembered something." Nova reassured, waving his hand a little bit. Nonetheless, Nagi didn't take that as an answer, made clear with a raised eyebrow. The octoling glanced back at the Octoshot he had set aside and back at her, with a sigh in between."This might sound dumb..but you do remember how we met briefly before..? Y'know like in the Deepsea Metro..?"Nagi, rested her chin on her fingers, clearly trying to remember the events. She remembered..responding to a distress signal in the Deepsea Metro and super jumping through and knocking over something, and then..blank. The inkling scratched her head as the apartment fell silent trying to rack up something. The brief moment where she had woken up and actually made eye contact with 8 at the time, and they watched the sea as they flew back to the Octo Canyon. If 3 remembered correctly, the two didn't necessarily exchange many words whatsoever, if at all.Nagi must've temporarily forgotten these events as a result of her exhaustion, both from those events and the workload after."I think so.." Nagi nodded, her face attempting to polish the memory in her head. 8 could only grin before shaking his head, "I'll tell you later."The octoling stood up from the couch with Nagi watching his movements carefully. "You can't just do that. Is there something I'm forgetting?"Nova reassured her, "It's fine Nagi. I promise I'll let you know soon."Truth be told what he wanted to say for some reason made him nervous.~The octoling and inkling had walked silently towards the grate in Inkopolis Square once more, neither of them commenting on anything. 8 would ignore whatever stares he received, focusing on taking one step at a time on the concrete path. 3 on the other hand, kept her head up, keeping a straight forward sight. Occasionally she'd peak at Nova, who's breaths would turn into a misty cloud in the cold air. Since they were roughly halfway through November now, being a couple weeks since Nova had started his life in Inkopolis, the city had begun to feel colder than usual. Thus, many more inklings could be seen wearing warmer clothes, jackets, sweaters, sweats, leggings, even the occasional gloves and ear muffs. On Nagi and Nova's side, they wore not too heavy coats over their casual clothing, and soon enough Nagi would notice that she'd produce the same misty clouds."Have you seen what's his name..Parker? Lately?" Nagi asked curiously, attempting to make conversation with 8. Nova had turned, still a little surprised that she initiated the conversation in this moment of silence. He rubbed his hands a little bit to warm them up after a cold wind swept by. The octoling chuckled, "Heh, I think it was the day before yesterday. We hung out a little bit and played a couple of Turf and Ranked matches when you went to your shift."Nagi nodded as he continued, "I got lucky I found him. I don't have means to communicate with him, so I've been thinking on saving up on cash to buy a cheap phone, but they're still a little pricey.""Yeah they kind of are," Nagi responded in a tone that sort of lingered on the sentence as her mind came up with an idea."Once I get one, you'd definitely be the first person I'll add," The octoling grinned innocently. "Well, if I figure out how to...""I'll wait for that day then," 3 subtly smiled, still looking forward.~Popping up from the grates, both Agents were immediately greeted by 1 and 2."We're back 3!!" Callie exclaimed in her usual excited tone, running up and jumping on 3, who held her back silently. "We've missed you!"The Squid Sisters' eyes opened and peaked at Nova, who stood behind Nagi as she was being embraced. "8! I'm glad you came too and to see you safe and sound!" Nova scratched his cheek, chuckling sheepishly at her comment."How are you two doing?" Marie stepped up, not far from her cousin. They both continued to wear the same outfit they had last seen them in, Marie's grey kimono with her green belt, and her red bow resting on top of her grey-white hair. Callie had her signature bright pink cardigan with her black camisole, as well as her yellow stared beanie. Even though they were both talking normally, it was almost like 8 could hear the Calamari Inkantation in between their sentences."We're doing good," Nova responded, Nagi nodding along subtly."Getting used to things around here?" Marie asked with a genuine smile. Callie glanced between them with a smile, her tentacles swinging around."Yeah, 3 has done a great job helping me out," 8 smiled, with 3 peering over at him. "She's been nothing but kind and patient."Nagi turned her head."We're glad to hear that!" Callie pumped her fist in the air, before 3 started explaining to them the rundown of the past couple days. 3 had stood next to 8 as she did so, and Callie had caught the octoling's smile and softened expression as Nagi spoke to Marie."Hey, 8? Can we talk for a second?" Callie called him over with a devious smirk. It caught the octoling's attention and he slowly walked over, both Nagi and Marie glancing at him as they conversed. "Callie, I know that face. Please don't do anything to bother him." Marie warned her, pointing a finger. 3 stood silently watching them walk towards the Cuttlefish Cabin, Callie reassuring her cousin."Let me give you your suit so you can try it on in here," Callie commented, sliding the door open in order to allow herself in. "I'm sure we have a spare here somewhere..."Nova stood outside silently, occasionally glancing back at both Agents 2 and 3, waiting for Callie."Here we go!" Callie hummed, stepping back out and plopping a folded Hero Suit into his arms with a piece of headgear resting on top. "Brand-err...new!""Thank you Callie," 8 chuckled from the energy she gave off, though it was clear that the suit given to him was pretty old. Despite how her voice was a little loud, they were ultimately out of earshot from both Agents 2 and 3.A cold gust of wind swept through the canyon, making everyone's hair flap in the air and shiver. Even though the sun was out and shining with little to no clouds in the sky, the wind alone seemed to overpower whatever warmth the sun could've provided easily. 8 was glad he brought a coat with him, but was wondering if the Squid Sisters felt any cold at all with their outfits. Hopefully the Hero Suit was warm too."You can change in there, just make sure to slide the door shut before you do," Callie explained motioning her hand around the entrance. 8 had thanked her and was about to step in before he felt a hand tug his coat and pull him back. "Before you do, I need to ask you an important question," the inkling idol leaned in to whisper in 8's ear.
"Do you like 3?"
Her voice was soft, and 8 oddly felt ticklish, though these thoughts were washed away immediately once his mind processed the question. Without hesitation, he turned to look at Nagi, who was still maintaining eye contact with Agent 2 as she spoke. His heart picked up a little bit before whispering back, "L-Like 3...?""Yeah! You know what I mean right..?" Callie giggled softly as to not alert the other inklings.Nova gave it some thought before responding immediately, "Of course I do. 3 has done a lot for me since arriving here. I consider her my closest friend.." His mind flickered back to the moment that 3 had gone in to break him and Cap't Cuttlefish out from the blender at the brink of death. 8 was aware of what the inkling was attempting to get to, though he attempted to avoid it."You know exactly what I mean," Callie teased, still whispering. "Do you like like her..?"Though the question itself sounded childish, Nova's heart was unsure. From what he could remember from his past life in the Octarian Army, he never really had a love interest nor did he actively seek one. Sure, everything Nagi had done was genuinely nice, in fact, she even treated him just like any other person. It was clear that 3 didn't think anything less of him for just being himself. He enjoyed whenever they talked or went out to places together, getting coffee, playing Turf Wars, the Shoal, they've all been fun experiences. The times she's invited him to eat out or at home, took him to look for the essential, hell even providing an entire room for him. Seeing how much Nagi had changed as a person over the time they met was sweet to see.She had a pretty smile he admitted, though he wished she would smile more. Her laugh was..cute to say the least, the very few rare times he had heard it. Her tentacle hair had a pretty green to it, and her eyes matched his. 8 could feel his eyes staring at 3 as she spoke, nodding her head subtly to Marie. Consequently, his throat seemed to tighten up as his heart raced. The octoling's face felt hot and quickly turned to Callie, to which they made eye contact."Do I..? What if I'm just confusing this for liking this as a friendship?" Nova questioned himself. "..I think...it's too soon to decide on this.."From 8's expression alone, Callie got her answer."Be carefulllll," Callie began to tease. "4 is a jealous type."The both were able to laugh along with each other, though of course, Nova was still a little embarrassed from the conversation prior. Agent 1 had been the second person to let him know about 4, right after Nagi of course."Meet up with us once you're ready 8!" Callie exclaimed with a grin, waving him in. The octoling nodded, and stepped in to change.His mind still lingered on about what they just talked about, with an image of Nagi flashing in his mind.Nova stepped in to change into his Hero Suit.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Though the suit felt a little tight, it was warmer than he expected. The headpiece was a little weird to him, since they were modeled after an inkling's pointy ears rather than an octoling's slightly rounder ones. Nonetheless, it still fit, though was still unsure as to how it worked."There he is," Marie had turned once they heard the approaching steps of both Agent 1 and 8. Clutching her umbrella, she smiled, "I see it fits you well."3 stared at him silently, glancing from the shoes, up to his actual suit and to his headpiece. It looked good on him, thought she did notice it was a little tight on the octoling. Nagi gave a subtle nod, though 8 was a little embarrassed with everyone looking."It's a little tight, but I can make do," 8 commented with 1 giving a thumbs up. Marie giggled, and motioned Nagi towards 8, "You already know procedure 3, show 8 around so he can get to know the different areas. Good luck out there you two!"~"You have your Octoshot right?" 3 questioned, 8 following slightly behind."Yeah, I do," He confirmed."It's strange, they'd usually give you a Hero Shot, but it seems as if though they ran out or something," The inkling shrugged as they stepped into the main area of Tentakeel Outpost.Nova glanced around, taking in the place. It was chilly out, but it wasn't as much as it was in the morning. It was strange however, to hear so much silence. 8 was more used to the bustling city with the conversations of the other inklings filling the air. Here, 8 could only hear whatever Nagi said, his own thoughts, his breathing and the wind howling as it blew."We'll just check around to see if there's any signs of Octarian movement, though we're so close to HQ, I highly doubt there is any.""Has anyone actually gotten this close..?" Nova asked, peeking around the corner of the stone structures found there."Once. They were really bold." Nagi responded.They walked together once again, 8 occasionally looking over at 3, who kept her eyes forward and only occasionally whipped her head around. The lime tentacles would whip around as she did so, which caught his eye. "Whoa, what is that...?" Nova asked himself in his head, paying more attention to Nagi's hair. At the very end of her tentacles, which the sunlight perfectly hit, revealed that she had scars embedded into them, a couple scratches and one big x. Upon closer inspection, he realized that both tentacles had it, yet how did he not notice before after all this time? To be fair, they looked light, and if you didn't stare at them for too long, it wouldn't be noticeable...Would it be rude to ask about it?"H-Hey 3?" Nova began leaning against one of the tree trunks there. The leaves above him rustled with the wind. "What happened to you there?"Nagi had noticed his pointing once she stood in front of him, which was directly at her hair. With one of her hands, she lifted it up to get a closer inspection, trying to come up with a response. 3 struggled to recall exactly what caused it, but her expression slowly changed to a frown, staring at her lime tentacle."Battle scar," She answered, though her eyes lingered on it. It was definitely from a fight but couldn't exactly remember. After all, she's been in god knows how many encounters with Octarians."..Do you remember what or when exactly that happened..?"3 shrugged, "Probably in a fight against an Octarian, yet too many fights have occurred to remember correctly which one."8 nodded understandably, not wanting to push it. Though his mind would still linger on the fact that he hadn't noticed the scars she had after all this time."These smaller ones I'm unsure of.." Nagi pointed at them, though she still subtly turned around so that it was hard for him to see. This of course only made 8 want to see them more, and would end up following 3 as she stepped away. He even noticed her attempts to hide her hair as 8 tried to get a closer look."Quit it," 3 would say coldly, freezing Nova on the spot.The atmosphere remained tense for a couple seconds, the wind and the rustling of the tree being the only noise to be made. Nova apologized quickly, feeling bad for upsetting the inkling. Nagi would end up telling him that it was okay, but in the end not many words would be spoken between the two."I hope I didn't offend her.." Nova would think to himself as they made their way between the different sectors. "There has to be a reason she didn't like that I brought it up.."Super jumping to what Nagi referred to as Slimeskin Garrison, they both landed with the splash. Both of their breaths were getting a little heavy, especially since super jumping did take a lot out of them. It was a lot easier to do it more frequently during Turf War matches, but 3 realized sooner than 8 that it would be because of the rush of the battle, aka adrenaline. It would explain why it was so easy to get tired between rounds, besides the running around and the hyperawareness of your surroundings.8 looked around as he adjusted his Hero Suit a bit, with 3 walking ahead. The place was weirdly cloudy and at the farther distances, you could see the stone tentacles seemingly surround the area. This same area consisted of what looked like yellow trampolines, floating concrete blocks, and of course metal like structures. It all looked abandoned and didn't look familiar whatsoever to him. To 3, it was all too familiar for her, as it felt like she had seen it at least a hundred times. It was the same for Agent 4 as well.Neither continued to say anything as Nova racked his mind to come up with something to say, but was surprised to hear that it was 3 herself to break the silence. "Let's take a break," she sighed, gesturing her Hero Shot towards a metal beam collapsed against one of the previously mentioned concrete blocks. It created a convenient, yet cold to the touch, bench.3 and 8 would end up taking a seat, though this time, her Hero Shot would be in between them. This worried the octoling, as it reminded him about the first time they sat next to each other. Not only that, but it was clear that the inkling was still upset despite 8's apology. He fidgeted with his fingers as 3 would stare into the distance, seemingly lost in her thoughts. It was tempting to glance over at her hair, though it wasn't bright enough to see them well from their space."N-Nagi..," He started nervously. "I'm still sorry about earlier."3 shrugged, "It's fine 8.""I-Is there a reason why you don't want me to see..?""...""Y'know, you can tell me anything," Nova tried to reassure her, their eyes meeting. Nagi could only stare back at his soft smile, but why was her heart racing..? "An adrenaline rush from earlier," Nagi justified the feeling in her head. Apparently when thinking about this, the inkling had frowned while looking at 8 unintentionally, making him feel more tense and therefore, more worried. "I wouldn't betray your trust. You're the person I trust the most, even more than any of the other agents, including Pearl and Marina. And they're the ones who played a part in helping me get here."A little bit of weight seemed to be taken off of Nagi's shoulders. She did admit that she was a little upset about the octoling being a bit pushy on the matter before, however, it was clear that he was sorry, apologizing and trying to set things right. He isn't being aggressive, or even condescending about it all. The octoling was nothing but kind and gentle."You trust me more than them..? Why..?" 3 questioned, slowly steering her sight away from the octoling."Well, we've been living with each other for what? Almost 2 months? We see each other everyday without fail, and we hang out a lot. We have a lot of conversations too. As for the other agents, I hardly talk to them or know them as people. Pearl and Marina, well...I just haven't gotten much of a chance to anyways."3 subtly glanced back at the octoling, who toyed with his tentacle atop of his head, staring at the floor in front of him. While he was talking, it seemed as if though he was getting a little embarrassed. She once again would fight back a smile at the sight after glancing away once more.The silence replaced 8's little monologue soon after, though with a sigh, 3 would reveal the answer to his question."..I just don't like how they look."8's eyes widened at the words, a little surprised at the reasoning."You don't like how they look..?"3, shaking her head, propped up one of her tentacles from below with her left hand, "I think it makes me stand out too much, despite them being subtle. Plus the scars don't even look remotely 'fresh'." It was in the last part where the inkling had put it in quotes, scrunching her pointer and middle finger with a puff of air, almost as if laughing at herself. On 8's behalf, he had felt an eerie sense of relatability to her but also had the urge to bring her mood up."Trust me, I know what you're feeling better than anyone," 8 chuckled. "You've seen all of those stares I've received since getting here, and still do to this day."His heart seemed to pick up seeing Nagi's smile subtly return, though her orange eyes had yet to meet his again."M-May I..?" The octoling scooted over in his seat closer to Nagi, extending his hand and gesturing it towards her left tentacle. He was embarrassed to ask the question, but hoped it would make her feel better. 3, a little embarrassed and hesitant, lifted it up for him to hold, though would face completely away from him as he did so. From 8's perspective, all he could see was the back of Nagi's head and the tips of her ears turning a little red. Nagi felt as though her breaths got heavier alongside the tightening of her throat. This foreign, yet oddly familiar, sensation of nervousness washed over her once again as she felt Nova's hands grasp her hair gently."It's so soft..." Nova thought to himself once he had it in his grasp. His fingers slowly squished the tentacle, surprised to feel that it was softer than his own hair. After just realizing that inklings had the suckers on the inside of their hair and that he had them on the outside, his fingers slowly traced the 'x' scar on her hair, including the more subtle smaller ones. The sun shone brightly over her, emphasizing the lime green of her hair and the battle scars she had. Before 8 had realized, he too would start blushing.Clearing his throat, he started, "I think they're actually pretty cool...'f-fresh' you said?""..You think so..?" Nagi frowned, hoping to drown the embarrassment away."Yeah," 8 chuckled shyly. "I like to believe it shows how strong you are."His words caught the inkling's attention all the more and she turned to face him. The pair of friends were now both blushing as he continued to speak."We've known each other for awhile already, but I have no idea how much you've had to go through before we met. I don't know the hardships or any of the struggles you've dealt with in your past," Nova continued to hold her tentacle with care in his hands. "I'm sure it was hard. especially working this job. But I think that even in those moments where things hurt, these scars show everyone how you persevered and pulled through without fail. That's why I think it shows how strong you are."Anyone else who had noticed previously had made little remarks about them, more specifically about how they weren't "smooth" or "clean" compared to others, to 3, who already didn't want to talk much, much less interact with others. These same remarks would always sound a little teasing, almost as if they were making fun of her for the scars she received attempting to protect inklingkind from the Octarians. But ironically enough, here Nova was, an octoling, calling her strong and complimenting her on them.Nagi's face felt as if though the temperature outside was increasing, which it wasn't, especially with the cold winds. Yet her emotions felt stirred up, not allowing her to think straight, and therefore finding it a little bothersome that she couldn't control herself. "Relax Nagi..." 3 controlled her breathing, shutting her eyes as 8 spoke. "There's nothing to be stirred up for.." Slowly, she shut her eyes and attempted to control her heartbeat."If I remember correctly," Nova grinned to himself. "A wise inkling once told me, "you're just like anyone else here. Don't worry about the others.""Nagi's eyes widened upon realizing what he had said. Did Nova actually remember those words she uttered to him so long ago? What else did he remember about whatever was said between the two..? Nonetheless, she found it sweet that her words remained in his head.Setting the questions aside, both of their blushes faded away a bit, and with a soft giggle, both of their eyes met."I wonder who that inkling was..?" 3 teased, knowing fully well that it was her that had said those words to Agent 8."I wonder who," Nova laughed, setting her hair down gently.Once the two were settled down, the inkling and octoling stood up. 8 watched as Nagi walked up to him, flicking his hair playfully. With a grin, she said, "Thank you for apologizing. And thank you for asking to see and hold my hair.""Why of course," 8 bowed his head down, picking up a fancy tone in his voice, making 3 roll her eyes with a smile."Oh, almost forgot," Nagi changed the mood back to focusing on the job at hand. "I know it's a little late into the shift, but we should synch up on our Hero Suits.""Synch up..?" Nova questioned, watching as she pressed a hidden button on the inkling's sleeve, which was yellow with a black ring wrapped around the wrist. "Yeah," 3 nodded, the button glowing a very small amount. "It's just so that we have the same colors in a fight," Both Nagi and Nova stared at each other, and after a couple more seconds, Nova's hair would swap to the inkling's lime green shade, to which Nagi believed looked solid on him. 3 lifted her wrist up, pointing at the discreet button on the Hero Suit saying, "Same technology as the one that selects teams in Turf War matches."3 thought to herself in the brief moment of silence between them. Over these past few weeks, she had grown incredibly close to Nova, and even she noticed her changes in a more exaggerated manner. Yet with anyone else, Nagi would revert to her old version. The inkling often wondered what it meant, and reasoned with the fact that they were roommates, therefore, would get closer with time.Glancing upwards, seeing his hair match 3's was oddly satisfying, though he preferred his natural red. 8's mind still lingered on the past memories of within the Deepsea Metro, and what he wanted to say earlier in the day to 3."Nagi, about earlier when i mentioned to you about the Deepsea Metro..""Hm?" Nagi turned back around to him after previously turning away. Her hair whipped around."I just wanted to say that-"It was unexpected to the both of them.Nagi's eyes widened in shock as Nova's flinched.The air was filled with a shattering noise.A straight line of purple ink led up to Nova.3 quickly noticed the red sparks floating around the octoling.His body slammed against the wall.Out of instinct, 8 turned in his octopus form in an attempt to swim away in the same color ink that didn't exist. He was extremely slow as a result of the shattered Hero Suit armor."8-!" Nagi exclaimed, reaching out to him and barely dodging another shot fired.Quickly, the inkling was able to grasp the octopus in her arms and find cover behind one of the concrete structures.Crouching down as to avoid the enemy's line of sight, Nagi stared down at the octopus in her arms, breathing heavy with his eyes shut.
"Nova..are you okay?"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The octoling's heart was thumping loudly, so much so that his head felt like it was throbbing. He remained in his octopus form, feeling very startled with the combination of the surprise attack and the loud shattering of the Hero Suit armor."Nova..are you okay..?" Nagi asked, still holding him in his arms. She was whispering as to avoid calling more attention to themselves. The sniper, wherever it was, was aware of their location, further proved by the red laser remained set not far from them on the floor. "This concrete here must be covering their line of fire, but can't actually get to us..." 3 noticed.Nova felt oddly comfortable in the inkling's arms despite the current situation. However, he quickly snapped out of it, hopping out of her embrace regrettably. Her expression as he reverted back to his octoling form remained concentrated as she tried to peek around the corner. His sight was limited a bit, as the red sparks continued to flutter around him. "I'm okay," 8 reassured her, to which she nodded back."Good. If we didn't have this extra armor, we would've been gone a long time ago," She continued, shooting a small puddle of ink near the wall. "Just submerge yourself there in the meantime. The armor should regenerate faster."Nova followed her advice and did so.The inkling continued to peek around the corner from the concrete structure, and must've realized that she was in line of sight, as the laser seemed to brighten with a "Beep!" Another streak of purple ink zipped through the air, luckily missing. Both the inkling and octoling jumped back to avoid the shot, pressing their backs up against the wall."I think it's resting a top of one of the structures. If I'm not mistaken, there's a yellow trampoline that leads up to the charger.""Are you sure?" Nova questioned, gripping his Octoshot in hand."I've been here hundreds of times, I'm sure of it."Nova nodded determinedly at her, before saying that he'll find an alternate route just in case and serve as a distraction, running out of cover. "8-!" 3 exclaimed attempting to call him back.Nova had sprinted through, seeing the laser from the charger lock onto him, though it seemed as if the charger was hesitant on firing. 8 used the tactic of spraying the floor briefly and swimming repeatedly, before jumping behind another wall out of sight of the charger. He checked his surroundings, and saw multiple tall structures, all of them having some method to go up them. Some required to be painted on and swim up of, others had the trampolines and the coiled up platforms that would roll out once shot at. 8 instantly remembered these from his time down in the Deepsea Metro. It was almost as if he was reliving these events, except this time he had 3's support. He never really felt this way through a Turf War, possibly because of the self reassurance that it was just inklings playing for fun, not for splatting someone into oblivion.Here his heart was racing, knowing that if he was too careless, he could lose his life.With a sound that he could recognize anywhere, 8 wasn't able to see that another Octarian appear atop of another pillar, which had a high view of the entire map. As the red sparks flew around him once again with a loud shatter, he managed to catch a glimpse of the Octarian that fired at him. He had locked eyes with their goggles, a glimpse of red flashing on them while they pointed their charger at him. They had dark tentacles for hair, and had what he always assumed were two strings of seaweed atop. "An elite Octarian huh..?" He muttered to himself.Time seemed to slow down in that moment hearing the charger beep once again. He was far too slow to swim away, and since this was an elite Octarian, she would surely be able to hit an octopus swimming through the ink slowly. 8's life seemed to flash right before his eyes, the majority of it being a distant, forgotten memory. Though the rest consisted of his time at the Metro, going through the rigorous challenges that pushed him to the limit, meeting Captain Cuttlefish, Pearl, Marina, and eventually Nagi. Inkopolis as whole flashed through his eyes, almost as if he was walking down the plaza, and turning to his side, there Nagi was, walking alongside him.
"I was too reckless. I let my guard down.."
Shutting his eyes, he tried to take a step away but heard the shot get fired.A sudden force had shoved him to the ground, and after briefly opening his eye with squint, saw the string of ink blast against the wall he was supposedly using to take cover.Opening his eyes fully, red sparks continued flutter around him with his Hero Armor regenerating, and locked eyes with none other than Agent 3.Everything still felt as if it was all in slow motion, 8's head felt like it was throbbing. 3's expression seemed to be concerned yet upset, or maybe it was frustration? 8 couldn't tell, but was surprised to feel the sensation of 3's body weight was on top of his. Both of Nagi's tentacles dangled over him, stopping right on the sides of his cheeks. It felt oddly warm, but maybe it was just because that they were both running on the adrenaline out of fear of being splatted. The octoling had no idea what to do next, though 3 quickly had picked him up by his arm and with heavy breaths, sprinted behind another area of cover. Now they were aware that there were two chargers and their locations more or less. Examining back where 3 had come from, another line of purple ink had appeared, meaning she was shot at while attempting to get at 8. "She must've dodged it..." Nova thought to himself.A feeling washed over him, making him feel as if he was just burdening Nagi in this firefight. This was what? The fourth time she had saved his life? He already couldn't remember the exact amount.8 had dropped his weapon from the sudden tackle, which was still in sight on the floor. Both of the agents were breathing heavy, attempting to be hyperaware of their surroundings."I-I'm sorry," 8 apologized crouching down, behind Nagi, who attempted to scope out the area more. She didn't respond to what he said, but did say, "Are they the only two..? Or is there more..? These chargers are no joke.""I'm not sure if there's more of them.." 8 responded. "But I know those are elite Octarian soldiers."The two lasers remained focused on the agents' hiding spot. To Nagi, these Octarians were a lot better than her usual opponents, and looking back, it is possible she got her scars from combat with them. The inkling's mind was racing and her breaths were getting heavier. She couldn't afford to lose her partner right now, especially going up against two chargers that are actually good, eyeing them down like a hawk. The inkling turned her head around to face him, "Are you okay?" It was difficult to focus on both the enemy and helping him out. 8 jumped into action immediately, not accessing the situation first, and therefore caused these both of these near death situations. To be fair however, the first shot was shot when the both of them were unaware, and the second from a surprise attack from a second charger.8 nodded nervously., his armor regenerating once again. Her signature serious expression seemed to return. "Do you hear that..?"3 perked up once the question was asked focusing her hearing on the surroundings, shutting her eyes in the process. It sounded like..shooting. And it was approaching fast.Before either Nova or Nagi were able to react, a line of purple ink was able to painted, and another elite Octarian had popped up as well, opening fire with their Octoshot. At the nick of time, both Agents were able to get out of the gunfire, the only thing 8 being able to do was dodge the bullets. 3 returned fire and both would eventually exchange splat bombs."8! Watch out!" She called out, attempting to rush in and close the gap between her and the Octarian.Both bombs detonated, and left a large puddle of purple ink on Nova's side, making it hard to walk.8 watched as she attempted to get close to the elite Octarian, getting close enough at one point. However, with a quick switch to its octopus form, she managed to get away from 3 slightly. They were both painting the floor while also shooting at each other, though it was clear that Nagi was beginning to struggle in the firefight.Beep! Fire. Close miss. It zoomed past her face.Nagi rapidly moved around in an attempt to recover a bit of ink in her tank, though it gave the Octarian a chance to get close and the other Charger an open shot.Beep! Fire. Another close miss. The string of ink had zoomed past right in front of her face."Damn it..I can't do anything.." 8 gritted his teeth watching Nagi, "If I step out with no weapon, I'll get splatted for sure. And even then, it'll put a burden on Agent 3.."He clenched his fist as he watched Nagi slowly being pushed back in terms of turf, narrowly dodging the charger attacks zipping through the air. It was almost impressive how she was able to handle all of these things at once and still stand her own ground. However, it was clear that if she kept this up any longer, she'd grow tired from the continuous moving, switching back and forth from her inkling form and squid form, and having to check where the chargers were aiming. The Octarian would occasionally step back, and at one point, kick the Octoshot farther away from 8's location.
"Think 8...How can I help her fight?"
For a brief second, Nagi had whipped her head around, making eye contact with the octoling's eyes. Her tentacle had covered her mouth, but with her eyes alone said that she needed backup."I have an idea..." His fist tightened more. It was risky, but it should help. There was still a small patch of ink where he could submerge and gain ink back. Preparing to launch a splat bomb, holding in hand, the octoling attempted to time the moment he should throw it.As skilled as Nagi was when it came to combat, with two elite chargers and an Octoshot rushing in at her, she was bound to slip up."I'm getting tired..If I continue, I'll get splatted eventually-!" 3 would analyze in her head. She could go back to the corner where both chargers couldn't hit them, though the Octoshot would rush them into a corner and splat the both of them. On the contrary, if she managed to splat or get past the Octarian, Agent 3 could reach the opposite side and get 8's Octoshot so he could help with fighting. Her best bet was to get 8's weapon back and hopefully splat the Octarian she was facing. However, it was much to her surprise seeing a splat bomb nearing the foot of the opposing Octarian. It detonated into a puddle of lime green ink, though the Octarian managed to jump back. The firing continued, as did the sniper shots aiming at Nagi.The turf was a mixture between purple and lime green, every weapon firing with their might. Unfortunately, slowly but surely, 3 was losing ground to stand on as a result of the 3v1 fight."8-! I need your help!" 3 called out, swerving to the right and dodging a charger shot from behind her.It would've been inefficient to just continuously throw splat bombs, especially with the ink recovery time needed to throw another one. Instead, 8 took advantage of whatever turf 3 managed to hold down. Swimming through the ink, fast but unnoticed from any of the enemy sight, he managed to jump forward in between 3 and the Octarian, even dodging the purple ink being fired. It was fast enough so that the chargers couldn't register the fact that he was there, and were in fact, still aiming at Nagi."8, be carefu-!" 3 attempted to call out before having to dodge charger shots.The Octoshot was now pointed at 8, and opened fire. With a few steps left and right, as well as taking advantage of the small puddles of ink, 8 got closer. The Octarian let out a concerned yelp, walking back as the octoling rushed in barehanded. He tilted his head dodging the purple ink pellets. A splat bomb was quickly rolled behind the Octarian, preventing them from moving backwards. It detonated and pushed the Octarian forward to Nova.Almost as if it were a blessing, the Octarian had run out of ink."3! Take care of the chargers! I'll handle this!""I got it!"Just moments before the Octarian was able to submerge themself and put distance between them, Nova bundled up his hand into a fist. Putting as much strength as he could, he swung.It was a battle of life or death, and anything went. Failure on taking care of these Octarians could result in the Squidbeak Splatoon have two less agents.The fist connected with the Octarian's face, causing them to fall over and drop their weapon. Quickly, 8 kicked the Octoshot off the edge, rendering the both of them weaponless. He jumped to his feet, and attempted to sprint to his weapon, but was tackled down by the same Octarian, slamming his head down on the pavement with a bam, ultimately knocking the gun farther. Agent 8 now found himself in a battle of strength with the Octarian atop of him.On 3's side, she rushed up one of the pillars where one of the chargers rested. They were panicking at Nagi's approaching speed, and ultimately missed a few shots. The second charger had also missed theirs. Spraying the wall with ink and hopping on the trampoline, 3 wasted little time in reaching the top and landing on the surface in front of them.Nagi made eye contact with them once more, where she gritted her teeth as their goggles glowed its signature red glow. It seemed as if though she was sweating nervously, reasonably so, as it was difficult for a charger to handle a shooter at close range. 3 opened fire, the Octarian swimming aside, and to 3's surprise, approached her through the line of purple ink from the previous shots. All that 3 could process in time was the seaweed that rose from their hair, as the soldier rose from the ink.Almost instinctively, 3 ducked. The Octarian had risen and swung her charger around full force. Instead of attempting to splat Nagi in close range, they had attempted to use brute force to limit Agent 3's movement with injuries. 3's heart was racing, feeling the adrenaline in her blood. There was no time to waste, and the Octarian continuously swung the charger around in a vicious way. 3 would dodge left, right and under, but slowly realized that pulling her weapon out would lead to it being knocked out of her hand. It was also noted that the inkling was slowly being pushed to the edge of the platform where she just came from. Hearing a beep behind her, Nagi's nerves felt as if they were firing danger signals to her head, and jumped away in squid form to the side.Apparently 3 had caught the attention of the opposing charger once again and had locked onto her back. To her luck, the force of the ink had shoved the same charger she was fighting down to the ground, knocking their weapon aside. Popping back as an inkling, her instinct was to open fire on the Octarian knocked before her."I can't believe they gave me this much trouble.." Nagi complained in her mind. Despite the fact that she had been in combat for how long now? She wasn't shaky or nervous, even with 2 chargers aiming at her while she was in combat with another Octarian. Even in the midst of battle, 3 wasn't thinking about her own life, but had the want to protect 8's. Maybe it was because of the fact that she considered him a close friend after their getting to know each other for weeks now. Nonetheless, she had to cut off these chargers as quickly as possible since they were causing a lot more trouble than expected.What remained before her was a puddle of purple ink, the cry of a splatted Octarian, and a splat bomb.Wait, a splat bomb?
"Shi-!"
It detonated, shattering Nagi's Hero's Armor almost immediately. She couldn't react in time."Damn it, a last ditch effort-!" 3 gritted her teeth. Her movement was greatly hindered, and as the shattering had occurred, 3 managed to hear something from behind her. It wasn't a charger aiming at her, and Nagi's eyes widened once she witnessed what was going on.There, Nova struggled to shake off the Elite Octarian, who held him in a chokehold as they stood. His body shook violently around, even attempting to hit his head against the soldier's goggles, failing to do much. His arms grasped the Octarian's, flexing as he attempted to pull her arms away either to get them off completely or to catch a sip of air. 8's expression was filled with struggle, wincing in pain as the milliseconds passed by. "GET OFF!" He yelled, planting his legs to generate force to budge the soldier. However, as an Elite Octarian, they were able to keep the upper hand in the fight, maintaining her arms wrapped around the octoling's neck."I'm starting to have trouble breathing..!" Nova gasped for air, "She's strong, but I can't do much with a lack of oxygen.."The goggles shone a bright red as they made eye contact. The octoling gritted his teeth at her and went for another headbutt. This time, it would seem to hurt as the Octarian's expression changed from a struggling once to an aggravated one. From what 8 could make out from their sudden speech, the Octarian holding him in the chokehold called out to the charger."Shoot here!"Here, time seemed to slow down once more.8's vision was getting blurry, and felt his body being jerked into a different direction; facing towards the remaining charger. It was hard to make out the figure, but could hear the signature sniper "beep!"For a moment, 8 could see his life flash before his eyes.Surprisingly enough, there were only small memories of him in the Octarian Army, with the majority being from the Deepsea Metro and his time in Inkopolis. He remembered the countless times he had self-destructed, meeting Captain Cuttlefish, Pearl, and Marina. Their voices echoed in his head and an image of their smiles will briefly flash. Things went white again, and what felt like the sensation of opening his eyes, 8 found himself in 3's living room once again. The tv was on, and turning his head, saw Nagi heating up the usual frozen breakfast. Her lime colored tentacles dangled on her sides as she scrolled on her phone. The microwave hummed.Catching the octoling's stare, Nagi would turn and meet his eyes. It was followed by a gentle smile.Nova then remembered his words back from when he was asking for Nagi's hospitality that faithful evening.
"Right, I can handle it...I got this."
Yet here he was, struggling to breath with what he believed was a charger pointing at him.He had no knowledge if 3 was safe. 8 hoped she was, he would hate for her to get hurt because of him.Nonetheless, he was grateful for having the opportunity to live a life up in the surface. Even if it wasn't for as long as he hoped. He had tried a lot of different foods, had new experiences, saw so many views, and bonded with Nagi through it all. He didn't care if the other inklings didn't accept him living amongst them, Nova was happy to be able to. It was just ironic that he was losing this life to his own kind."NOV-8!" She yelled, purely out of fear of seeing. The inkling's body felt as heavy as lead as a result of the shattered armor. Her head throbbed as the red sparks limited her view on the charger pointing the weapon at 8, who was still being choked. Nagi couldn't afford to lose an Agent right now, especially not 8, who had just started his new life.Plus, he was her closest friend. Though of course, she never admitted this to him. How could she just give him up like that?"When you first moved in..I didn't know how to feel," 3 slowly turned into her squid form, and began attempting to super jump."I was so comfortable with my old schedule, that the idea of teaching you about Inkopolis and taking time out of my things to do so seemed undesirable.." Strangely enough, it felt even harder to super jump with a shattered Hero Armor. Super jumping was already a physically demanding action, especially after it being done one after another. Adding the sudden weight on her shoulders made it all the more rough to do so. "But the more I got to know you...I learned that you were a very enjoyable person to be around with."It hurt, but the inkling exploded off the surface high into the air, getting a good view of the entirety of Slimeskin Garrison, the charger and both the soldier and 8. "You think I'm strong, but I think you are too. You've gone through so much to get to this point."Turning into her inkling form midair, her descent accelerated quickly. Right over the charger user.
"So I can't have you lose your life right here."
With a loud slam, 3 landed on top of the Octarian's back, slamming her down to the ground. It ended up hurting Nagi's legs from the velocity she was falling from and landing straight up on the Octarian's back.
"I enjoy your company Nova."
Without hesitation, almost as if she reverted back to her past self, the past self that she was before meeting Nova, her Hero Shot splatted the charger. With swift movements that pushed past the limitations that were caused by the red sparks in front of her eyes, she picked up the charger before it sunk in the Octarian's puddle. With no time being wasted. she fired, hitting the Elite Soldier right in the face with a string of ink. It wouldn't splat her, but would still hurt nonetheless."Ack-!" She yelped, her goggles being blinded by the purple ink and stumbling back. Ultimately, letting go of Nova, who collapsed on the floor with a thud.
"One more time."
3 pushed herself once more, jumping the distance quickly to finish the last Octarian off.With a cry, the Octarian's voice faded away. 8's body remained on the floor face down.~"Nova, Nova!" 3 called out to the octoling, gently shaking him. She had already placed Nova's head on top of her lap as she sat on her heels, his sleeping face facing up to hers. Her legs felt like they were made out of jello, having trouble standing back up once she had knelt to 8's level. It felt really uncomfortable, and was aware that any extra step she took would end up hurting. Soon she would realize that she had pulled a muscle (a tentacle?). "Maybe I should've held back a little.." She murmured to herself, gently readjusting 8's head once he started slipping down to her knees. However, Nagi shook her head, "No..Nova would've been splatted if I had held back."Nagi's heart continued to race, though it slowed down as time went by once the fight was over. Slowly, a wave of exhaustion started hitting the inkling, her entire body feeling sore. It was something about fights like these, fighting on behalf of the Squidbeak Splatoon, that exhaustion hit hard after. You would think that after their experience in Turf Wars and Ranked Battles, they wouldn't get tired so easily, yet here they were. Perhaps the reassurance that you'd respawn without fail in Turf War battles didn't give it that life or death feeling. The inkling then pressed her hand against the octoling's chest in hopes of feeling his heartbeat. She was able to make out his heart from the pulsing of her hand, and sighed in relief as his heart rate began to pick up.In this short period of time, her armor finally regenerated, making it slightly easier to control her breathing and manage the soreness.The wind sent a chilling sensation down her back, yet felt refreshing after the heat of battle. Glancing around, a large portion of Slimeskin Garrison was covered in a mess of purple and lime ink. Not far from them, his Octoshot lied on its side on the floor."He's breathing more now," 3 whispered to herself, glad that the octoling was okay.Nova's eyes opened, meeting Nagi's orange ones staring back with a sense of relief. Grunting, he slowly lifted himself up a bit, Nagi moving back a little to allow him to pass."I'm alive.." 8 whispered, almost cracking a smile. "I can't believe it..""You must've passed out temporarily from the chokehold," 3 commented. "I'm glad you're awake."8 turned to 3 to see the look on her face. She had a smile, though it was clear that she was tired from her eyes. Nova smiled back."You saved me there huh?""Perhaps."The pair chuckled lightly, though 8 choked a little bit on air, placing him in a coughing fit. Once he had relaxed however, he turned to purple ink puddle right next to them, which is where he assumed Nagi had splatted the Octarian that held him in said chokehold."Are you okay?" 8 asked once he adjusted his body standing up. His breathing was a little uneven and it hurt his throat a little, but other than the fact that he nearly just died, he felt fine. His eyes lingered on the ink on the floor. Nagi nodded silently, attempting to get up. Noticing her legs were trembling and witnessing her collapsing back onto her knees, he heard her say, "Never mind, it does hurt."8 stepped forward, grabbing her forearm and helping her up. The inkling would let out a sharp exhale as she rose up, and once Nagi had planted her feet, she stumbled forward into 8. Her head had temporarily bumped and resting into 8's chest, with 8's arms wrapping around her sides to catch her. "My legs are killing me,' She murmured, slightly embarrassed. Nova let go, chuckling bashfully before making sure Nagi had her balance. Her left hand remained glued to her Hero Shot, not letting go of it.The both of them turned to the puddle of ink once again. To Nagi, this was normal and an everyday thing. She had splatted plenty of Octarian soldiers over this course of time, some being stronger or weaker than she expected. As of recently, even more so after the whole "Promised Land" incident and the distressed look on the Octarian's face before being splatted by 4, she had seemed to see them in a different light. Maybe it was because of 8's influence, seeing how he was curious of the world around him, knowing very little of it after being released from the Octarian Army. It was possible that these soldiers had the want for the same thing, supported by the statement from Nova that life was more difficult where he's from compared to his life now in Inkopolis."How do you feel about this, now that you've been in the combat first hand?" 3 asked 8.Nova gave it some thought. Sure they were elite soldiers, and perhaps they even had aspirations as well. To become an Elite Soldier took tons of training, strength and resilience. Yet both 3 and 8 had won against them, though they were on the verge of being splatted a couple times. More so 8, as he was unprepared mentally for the fight. Anyhow, they didn't show much remorse for either of them and were eminent on taking them down. They were his own kind, which 8 hoped would someday be able to experience the life found within Inkopolis, yet he almost lost it to the same kind as him who saw red in the fight."Conflicted a bit," 8 responded plainly. "I sympathize with them a bit, even if they did almost splat me a couple of times. They were probably too deep into the belief that the inklings are the enemy, but are also in a brainwashed state to follow orders. I think it's safe to say they don't know any better."There was a brief moment of silence. Nagi realizing that 8 was seeing himself in their position."But on the other hand, they were fighting brutally. And were attempting to splat both you and I. I don't think I can forgive them for that."Nagi nodded understandably."I..I'm glad I had the opportunity to live here in Inkopolis, even it was hard to get to this point. I believe that they have the right to live a normal just as much as I do, though I hardly doubt that they will have the same opportunity," He sighed, looking away from the ink and up at the sky. It was already the afternoon, and the sun shone somewhat brightly, covered partially by some clouds. 8 had trouble finding a way to convey everything he thought and felt in an orderly way.Nagi shook her head, "I'm sorry for splatting them.""Don't," 8 chuckled lightly. "Like I said, they were about to splat the both us. I'd rather it be them than you..""What?" 3 questioned, turning her head attempting to catch the last part.Realizing what he said, Nova cleared his throat with a light blush, "I'd rather it be them than us." His throat felt like it tightened once more, as his heart picked up the pace. The same feeling he had gotten when 8 was questioned by Callie earlier in the day returned and once again questioned his feelings. He had the need to ask 3 about it, to confirm if what he was feeling was connected to love. But if it was true, wouldn't it be weird for Nagi to hear that herself? Instead, Nova went against the idea. Sure the idea of being together sounded nice, he had seen couples plenty of times during his time in Inkopolis. The inklings together were always so happy, holding hands and whatnot. Subconsciously, Nova didn't even realize that he wanted that until he thought about it more and more. However, would she even want that to start? Nagi was most likely not even looking for a relationship to start with, especially with an octoling of all people. 8 was already judged by so many inklings just by being in the city, how would they react if they saw an inkling with an octoling? Surely the both of them would receive backlash for it. And it's something that Nova didn't want to put her through with, after all, she already had dealt with the feeling of standing out because of her tentacles, so why enhance that?Is a relationship with who he called his closest friend something he wanted to pursue?He shook his head, almost as if attempting to shake the thoughts out of his head. Though just as quickly as the thoughts of his feelings were shaken out, they were replaced by the fact that once again, Nagi had saved his life."C'mon, we should get going," Nagi stepped forward, wincing a bit in pain once her foot planted. 8 watched for a split second as she stumbled a bit in her step before almost falling again. Nova had managed to briefly sprint forward, catching her by her arm and holding her up. "Thank you," 3 sighed, relieved that she didn't just face plant in front of him. "I can't walk properly, it's bothering me a lot.""Nothing a little bit of rest won't fix," 8 chuckled with 3 smiling silently. Their eyes lingered on each others for a good minute before Nagi cleared her throat.Maybe right now was a good point to get it out of his chest."Remarks aside, I...I should be thanking you," The octoling started again, already catching the Agent 3's attention. She raised an eyebrow, which 8 was able to understand it as if she was asking "What do you mean?"8 reminisced back to the blender created by the Telephone trapping both the Captain and himself in there on the brink of death. He remembered the feeling of being trapped in something unavoidable and had almost accepted his death just like earlier when he passed out. Sure, Marina was able to activate the distress signal in his CQ-80, but if no one had responded, which 3 did, it would've all been in vain. He would be an octopus smoothie right about now.8 remembered her crashing through the glass ceiling and smashing through the blender, rendering her unconscious. "It probably explains why she can't remember it too well.." 8 reasoned in his head as 3 waited for him to continue. He had wanted to help her when she was on the floor but had the mission to keep pushing forward."You saved my life. Multiple times actually," 8 continued. "Remember when I tried to bring up the Deepsea Metro twice?"3 nodded."I..wanted to take the moment to thank you for then. I'm sure you have trouble remembering right now, but you responded to a distress signal in the metro when I was close to losing my life, you landed unconscious after breaking the blender I was trapped in.""Blender..?" Nagi rubbed her head, attempting to remember what he talked about.8 chuckled, "It's a long story. But the point is that if you didn't come in then, I wouldn't have been here alive right now. Just like how I wouldn't have had a place to stay here in Inkopolis if you hadn't taken me in. And just like how you saved me multiple times just now in combat, where I would've been splatted from a shattered Hero Armor or being choked.."Nagi's eyes widened, seeing 8's eyes turning a little glossy from what she assumed were tears building up. It was so sudden, and even she felt a little choked up seeing Nova choking up. What had washed over her? Perhaps it was the words he was saying so genuinely or the way he was saying it, maybe even both."T-Thank you, Nagi," He sniffled, a chuckle escaping from his mouth as he wiped his eyes with his forearms.Nagi limped forward up to him, continuously staring at 8 with a touched expression. From the peeks he got at her through his arms as he wiped his tears away, Nagi's eyes seemed to be glossy as well."I.." Nagi started, though she felt hesitant telling him about what she felt yet couldn't identify why she couldn't bring herself to say it, even with 8 staring back at her with a waiting face and teary eyes. The same words that had ran through her mind back when they discussed the note she had received from 4 reappeared once again: "...Having your company has been nice."Nagi's ears and cheeks burned up thinking about saying it, shaking her head. Instead she went to say something different."I'm glad that you're here now with m- us. With us. I don't regret any of the decisions I made."8 laughed, his face a little red. His foot splashed a bit in the lime ink as he took a step back. 3 felt as if she had to say something else, thinking that her response wasn't enough to everything he had just said.The inkling watched silently as Nova walked over to pick up his Octoshot. He wiped it gently with his hand and stared at it, and then back at Nagi. It was almost as if he was looking at his past, and back to his present."I'm glad that we met," 8 grinned, his ears beginning to redden too. "I'm glad that we're roommates and close friends."3 eyes widened as she stood there, unsure how to respond. His words were possibly the sweetest she had heard in a long time with such honest intentions. It almost shocked her that despite everything that 8 had experienced growing up, he still was such a nice person."M-Me too," 3 smiled back, accidentally letting the stutter slip through.The Agent's pair of hearts raced a bit, and Nagi found herself getting nervous from his stare. Agent 3 turned away silently, attempting to hide her reddening ears and face. Her heart beat so loudly, she could hardly hear her own thoughts. "T-This is so annoying...You can't just go ahead and stir my emotions up like that...""Ok, that's enough." Nagi cleared her throat and reverting back to her serious ways all of a sudden. However, inside she desperately attempted maintain her composure. It was so sudden that Nova had thought that he upsetting the inkling, immediately washing away his emotional rollercoaster.~"I just realized I can't super jump." Nagi commented as they stood at the border of Slimeskin Garrison, staring into what seemed like the endless landscape."I can.""That's great Nova, but how am I going to go back home?" She motioned her hands out to the landscape."I'm just messing with you," 8 laughed. "I'll super jump carrying you. We'll both have to be in our squid forms though.""That'd be very difficult," 3 shook her head. "At that rate, jumping from isle to isle, you'd pull a muscle too.""Just trust me," 8 smiled.3 stared into his eyes, sighed and subtly shaking her head. The both of them turned into their respective squid and octopus forms, with 8 slowly getting close to the squid."Ready?" He asked, one of his tentacles wrapping around hers. Nervously, Nagi confirmed his question.In the end, super jump they were able to. Super jump they did.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Nagi opened her eyes.Apparently she could recognize the fact that she had fallen asleep, and was still in Octo Canyon. She had no idea when this had happened, but once her vision had readjusted to her surroundings, 3 figured out that she was now in Suction-Cup Lookout purely from the combination of metal and brick structures. On top of all this, Nagi also noted that she had an annoying pain in her leg..tentacle?Apparently she was still in her squid form. How was she traveling to begin with?"Nova?" She asked groggily, now realizing the sensation that she felt was that of being held in someone's arms."Ah, you're awake," Nova grinned, keeping his sight forward. "How are you holding up?"She shook her head, still in her squid form. Nagi had no intention of walking, even more so with her injury. It was much to each other's surprise that neither one of them were all too embarrassed about what was going on right now, but maybe it was because they were too tired to get embarrassed. "You must be really tired," 8 commented."What makes you say that?" 3 asked, raising an eyebrow."You were still asleep even when I super jumped us to the next isle!" He laughed. Nagi could feel the movement of both his body and hers with each step he took, which was further emphasized by his laughing. She let out a puff of air, amused by his statement.~It took awhile longer before they finally reached the area that the Cuttlefish Cabin rested (8 had to take a little break at the end of Suction-Cup Lookout before jumping to Tentakeel Outpost). At this point of the day, it was starting to get colder with the sun wanting to set. The cold winds were much to the pair's disliking.Sitting on the the cabin's small ledge/porch, sat Marie, Callie and Draco, huddled around what 3 recognized as a sunken scroll. Nova stood there with 3 being cupped in his arms as the group examined the scroll.""The latest research has produced startling revelations about Inkling ink! One thought to simply disappear after a while, Inkling ink is actually rapidly disintegrated by airborne microbes!"" Marie read."Ah so that explains why the ink disappears so fast after a Turf War..." Callie murmured to herself. The idol perked up, sensing someone else's presence and noticed both 3 and 8 looking at them. "Hey 3! Hey 8!" She waved enthusiastically with a huge smile. Both Marie and Draco had turned their heads away from the scroll in front of them and back at the pair. Marie waved as well, though not exactly matching Callie's energy, "Welcome back you two," She smiled as well. "How was patrol?'4 continued to stare back and forth between 8 and 3, processing what he was seeing."Troublesome." 3 plainly responded, still in her squid form. 8 nodded in agreement."We were attacked out of nowhere by three Elite Octarians," Nova stated, taking a couple steps closer to the group. Nagi had almost accidentally slipped in between the crevices of his arms and fallen to the floor, but Nova managed to react in time and catch the inkling once again. "2 chargers, 1 Octoshot," He added, noticing that he had dropped the both of their weapons on the floor.As he knelt down to pick them up again, he had looked up discreetly at them. His eyes had met Callie's, who winked at him. Possibly referring back to the conversation they had earlier in the day. A little embarrassed, the octoling shook his head."They're so cute-!" Callie exclaimed to herself in her mind. "3 doesn't let anyone just carry her like that!""Are you two okay?" Marie stepped up to them, still leaving a bit of distance between them. Nova shook his head, and before he could explain how they were hurt and 3's injury, 4 stepped up to 8. Nova was surprised by his sudden movement, which was oddly swift for him just stepping up to him. 8 had gotten the same bothered aura from Draco from when they met in 3's apartment. With a condescending smile, his arms reached under to scoop Nagi up from his arms. However, it wasn't much to either 3 or 8's liking. 8 because he was actually enjoying holding her, but for 3, it was because the sudden shift had made her wince in pain."Who do you think you are holding her like that?" Draco questioned him in his mind, not actually saying it out loud in front of all the Agents."H-Hey careful! She's hurt!" 8 exclaimed, sticking his arms out in concern. 4 glanced down to meet the squid's eyes, which glared back with a bothered look. He chuckled awkwardly, and apologized to Nagi for not knowing."I was about to explain it.." Nova shook his head. 4's smile remained, though every time he looked at Nova, 8 could feel the jealousy radiating through his stare.On 3's side, the confusion of what she felt arose again. "Now why the hell am I feeling like this again..?"She closed her eyes, opened them again, and hopped out of 4's arms. Nagi popped back into her inkling form, standing in between both 8 and 4. "It's fine," Nagi reassured, not making any eye contact with anyone. "My leg hurts just a bit."Agent 3 explained the whole predicament to both Callie and Marie, with both 4 and 8 listening in. 8 nodded along, agreeing with the details she gave.~The sky darkened all the more as time went by. Both 3 and 8 announced that they'd be heading home. Marie waved goodbye as 4 stayed behind temporarily."Hey, 3! Wait up one sec!" Callie exclaimed, running up to both Agents 3 and 8, who were walking away alongside each other, Nagi limping with each step. After a brief sprint with her standing in front of the pair, who had slowly turned towards her. Nova and Nagi exchanged glances, which was then followed up by looking back at the idol."Nova, is it cool if I could talk to her privately just for one second?"Both 3 and 8 exchanged another look in silence, followed by Nova nodding. "I'll go wait there," He pointed at the little singular seat sofa facing the antenna tv, which played recording of previous Squid Sisters' concerts. Calamari Inkantation played as the octoling headed to the seat. 3 faced back to Callie, crossing her arms. A soft breeze swept by, slowly swaying the pair's tentacles. Callie adjusted hers quickly with a grin, while Nagi raised a curious eyebrow."Just saying," She leaned in a bit, covering the side of her mouth with the palm of her hand. "I think you should reconsider getting back in the dating game."The inkling blushed at the sudden suggestion. She never really gave it some thought every since Nagi's relationship with Draco ended abruptly, nor did she ever question her feelings with anyone in that manner. Maybe 3 did (she's been), but just hadn't realized it. When it ended, all Nagi thought was about moving on, though her mind never went back to her feelings towards 4 after it, even mentioning to Nova that she had moved on, or even the thought of pursuing another relationship.The inkling shook her head slowly, her ears burning up. Callie giggled deviously, attempting to touch the tip of Nagi's ear, to which she swatted her hand away."C'mon Nova," Nagi called out. "Let's head home, I'm exhausted.""Just something to think about!" Callie grinned from ear to ear, waving the pair off."What was that about?" 8 asked, raising an eyebrow at 3."Don't worry," Nagi shut her eyes briefly as a sudden wave of pain hit her from her leg. "It was nothing."~The walk back home was a difficult one to say the least. Though it was much less so for 8 than for 3. The both of them were being hit with a wave of soreness and exhaustion, with Nagi having the added bonus of her injured leg. 8 had offered a couple times to carry her in his arms again, yet she refused each time."It's not going to get better if you keep putting pressure on it 3.." Nova reasoned, nervously looking at Nagi as she winced. Shutting her eyes and shaking her head, her tentacles swung around a bit. "No, I can handle it."Occasionally, Nagi could feel the exhaustion hit her, and would lead to the inking closing her eyes as she walked. Temporarily, it was as if her body went into autopilot, walking as she slowly dozed off moving. The inkling would jump awake, surprising herself that she was still walking even while sleeping. 8 found the sight amusing, and would smile to himself.The sky was now dark at this point of the day. The endless void of the sky was lit up by not only the countless stars found there, but by the city lights of Inkopolis. The store signs and advertisements hung high up over the pair, shining brightly in either regular or neon lights. Lights from windows, street lamps, decors, etc. lit up the dark evening. They seemed to add a particular glow to 3's hair and eyes, which 8 admired discreetly. It was still cold, though it was oddly more bearable at this point of the night, but still chilly nonetheless. Both Nagi and Nova looked forward to resting for the night.Since they walked in silence, Nova glanced at a small advertisement lit up in an open, public area he failed to remember if he saw before. It was a screen, seemingly advertising the premier of a new action movie the coming Friday. It was an inkling, seemingly in spy gear, holding a Splattershot with the colors swapped to black and white. It seemed interesting."Hey, Nagi," 8 started, but saw that she had her eyes shut. His voice startled the inkling, and ultimately made her jump."...hm..?" 3 rubbed her eyes, followed by a huge yawn."Tired?""For sure.""We should check that movie out that Friday," He pointed at the screen, giving the sudden suggestion. Nagi glanced up temporarily, processing it, then continuing to walk alongside Nova. Agent 3 was almost sure she'd seen the ads everywhere online, and it seemed to be catching a lot of attention. Of course, this would mean a lot of inklings would show up to said film. Nagi didn't necessarily like crowds, but 8 seems into the idea, so she'll suck it up for now. "Sure, I'm down. We can go that evening," 3 yawned again, stretching her arms above her head. Though she would let out another sharp exhale from the stab of pain in her leg. "Ow...Are we working that Friday..?""I..I'm not sure," 8 chuckled to himself, even more amused by the fact that the inkling was visibly tired."Let's go," 3 smiled through the pain and exhaustion, though she didn't look directly into 8's orange eyes.~Later that night, after the couple of roommates had gotten ready for bed and said their good nights, 8 had knocked out almost instantly, his door not even shutting completely. 3 limped a bit to her room, shut her door, and lied down staring at the ceiling in silence. There was no other noise in the apartment besides her breathing and thoughts.Attempting to ignore her leg, the sudden thought of Nova thanking her came to mind, as did 4's moment of jealousy once more. Her eyes were shut, and could once again feel herself feeling hot once more. Surely this couldn't be just a mere coincidence.If 4 is continuously jealous of 8, wouldn't that mean he..?"No..no, it can't be." Nagi reasoned in her head. "We split up, and agreed to go separate ways."Though the inking would end up falling asleep briefly not looking too much into depth of the feeling, Nagi would wake up in a nervous sweat in her covers. Apparently, she had shifted weird in her mattress, and triggered her leg. "Ah.." Her breaths got heavier, squeezing her eyes shut.
"I think you should reconsider getting back in the dating game."
The words flooded back into her kind, almost as if being able to picture Callie's grin as she brought it up. It was strange to her, why it was brought up all of a sudden. After collecting herself, 3 lied back down and stared at her alarm clock. In red numbers, if glared back 10:00 P.M. Despite it feeling as though she fell asleep for like five minutes, an hour had passed. Nagi gave herself some more time to fall back asleep, but after a couple of minutes, she realized that she wouldn't fall asleep for awhile.Almost coincidentally with the fact that she woke up again, couldn't sleep, and Callie's words repeating in her mind, her phone went off.With a grunt, Nagi reached over to her charging phone and checked who had messaged her. Much to the inkling's surprise, it was 4, Draco.~Draco:"Hey 3, you up?"Delivered.~The message glared back alongside the bright screen. She winced a bit, sighed and responded.~Nagi:"Yeah, what's up? Need me to cover a shift again?"Delivered.Draco:"Haha, very funny. I was actually going to ask if we could talk a bit."Delivered.~Nagi had raised an eyebrow, confused as to where 4 was going with this. It did catch her by surprise after all.~Nagi:"I suppose we can text."Delivered.Draco:"No, I mean in person."Delivered.Nagi:"It's a little late for that no?"Delivered.Draco:"I'll treat you to a late night snack, or something of your choice."Delivered.~Nagi gave it some more thought, forgetting the fact that her leg was injured. It was a tempting offer, she was hungry and it was free food. Maybe that's why she couldn't fall asleep again to begin with. The inkling couldn't remember when was the last time she ate that day, which was breakfast.However, it was with Draco.In the end, Nagi agreed with another sigh to herself out of curiosity , and changed into something comfortable and warm. Just a baggy pair of sweats, sneakers, and an oversized hoodie with a shirt underneath. Sliding her tentacle out of the hoodie once she placed it on, she stared briefly around her room. It wasn't too messy, it was just her bedsheets ruffled up a bit. She looked down at herself, none of the clothing she put on necessarily matched, but Nagi didn't care. It was nighttime anyways, and was going to talk with Draco of all people.~"Hey," 4 smiled seeing 3 walk out of the apartment complex.Much to her surprise, it was a lot warmer now than earlier the day. It was strange, and sort of regretted wearing so much thick clothing. Nagi, silently waved back, and caught up to him, a slight limp in her step. Oddly enough, her leg seemed to relax in terms of the pulled muscle, but it still hurt, it was just more tolerable. But why did she get that sharp pain earlier then?Despite it being somewhat late into the night, there were still inklings walking up and down the streets. Some seemed to be heading towards Inkopolis Square, proven more by the fact that it was groups of them walking together. Some were just walking, headphones on their head, staring ahead. They even saw a few couples hand in hand. Once again, both Nagi and Draco would stare at them specifically.Except this time, 3's eyes would remain on them, with 4 actually looking over at her. The same feeling he got when they interacted that one time in Beaker's Depot seemed to come back again. It seemed as though his feelings would only heighten with each passing moment they spent together.Looking back at their relationship before 3 had called it off, he definitely made some bad mistakes back then. Being financially irresponsible, spending too much on Squid Sister merchandise. He did admit, his obsession got out of hand, and Nagi had commented that it was even stranger because they were quite literally their coworkers. There were times where he had canceled dates to watch their performances live, which you might've guessed, Nagi didn't like. And reasonably so. He was too much of a fanboy. Normally, it's not anything bad to look up to an idol and support them, but for 4, it was excessive, especially for someone in a relationship.But since they separated, 4 had thought hard about his past mistakes, and felt stupid about what he had done. It was stuff he could've avoided easily, and had since been making the attempt to change. Draco still enjoyed their music from time to time, but he sold everything related to them and actually made a lot of the money back. He worked on himself as a person during the time after their breakup, finding new hobbies, going to new places within Inkopolis, trying new foods, etc. The one thing that just didn't seem to want to change however, was his feelings towards Nagi.They never seemed to go away, sure they faded a bit after they stopped talking or interacting as much as they used to, but as time went on, and Draco kept thinking about them, the male inkling seemed to have another spark within him. At the same time however, his feelings of jealousy grew, but not just to anyone. Specifically towards Nova. It was almost as if the inkling viewed 8 as an obstacle, the only person that would have a chance to ruin whatever opportunity he had to get Nagi back. Seeing how they were roommates, and how quickly they got close to each other, as far as allowing him to carry her, made Draco feel this intense feeling towards 8."I uh..I hope I didn't interrupt you or anything," Draco said, scratching the back of his head."It's fine," Nagi shrugged, not thinking too much about it. "I couldn't seem to sleep anyways."4 nodded as the silence followed the end of her sentence. They weren't heading anywhere specifically, so the pair of inklings were just walking down the sidewalk. Nagi was slightly ahead of him in terms of walking, though just as quickly, Draco had remembered that her leg was injured seeing how she slightly limped."H-Hey, doesn't your leg hurt..?" Draco walked up to her. Their eyes met, his purple ones meeting her lime ones. She shook her head no, denying his question, and looked back ahead.His hand had quickly caught Nagi's wrist, catching the inkling girl off guard mid step. Her eyes widened and looked back at his hand holding her wrist, and back up at his face. Draco had a softened expression, clearly worried about the inkling's injury. 3's heart seemed to pick up the pace, mostly because of the action."I'm sorry.." 4 apologized in a soft voice, still gently holding her wrist. "I just remembered about the news that you were hurt earlier. It was inconsiderate to bring you out here walking."Nagi, noticing that she wasn't attempting to get out of his grasp, sighed, "It's fine, Draco.""Well, not just that. But...I'm sorry about everything else too."Nagi found the last bit strange. Everything? What did he mean by that?Noticing that she stared back with a confused expression, Draco glanced up nervously to inspect the area. They weren't too far from her apartment, but it was a decent walk. Remembering that a new, small local that stayed open late serving goof food was nearby, 4 smiled at her, "Follow me, there's a place not far from here I want to show you."4 gently let go of 3's wrist, and walked a little bit ahead, leading the pair to the place in mind. However, Draco attempted to slow down a little as to not pressure Nagi into catching up. From the small distance the male inkling had in front of her, it was then that Nagi took into account what he was wearing. His hair was still the same slicked back style he's always had. Tonight, he wore simple a simple pair of black and white slip ons, with a baggy pair of sweatpants and a zip-up sweater over a plain shirt. Just like 3, he had prioritized something comfortable.Not long after, 2 or 3 minutes Nagi estimated in her head, they stopped in front of a small local coffee shop that seemed to have opened recently. It looked relatively small in the inside, with the counter cramped with just barely enough space for 3 or 4 small tables.They stepped inside, the both of them taking a seat on opposite sides of each other on a two seat table by the window. A simple menu rested on the table in case you'd rather order at your seat."Are you hungry?" 4 asked, glancing at the small sheet in hand. "The small bites here are good."Nothing in particular seemed to catch Nagi's appetite, as she didn't crave anything in particular. The cookie pie seemed to catch her eye, but the price had quickly diverted it just as fast. It was surprisingly expensive for a small bite as 4 claimed."The cookie pies here are delicious," 4 glanced up at Nagi from the menu, almost as if reading her mind. "They even add ice cream, so it's like a perfect blend of warm and cold food.""What type of ice cream?" 3 asked, a little more intrigued than she'd like to think.Adjusting his hair, he grinned, "Well if I'm not mistaken, they have your favorite flavor, vanilla."The male inkling had said it so confidently, Nagi had snorted from laughter. Instead she had let out a small giggle, avoiding eye contact. "Close, but A for effort. It was cookies and cream.""Damn, I was close at least," 4 laughed. "But yes they can add that too."In the end, they ordered one to share. 3 claimed they were better off sharing one rather than getting two separate ones. "I don't want to make you spend so much," 3 argued despite the fact that Draco insisted.The pair of inklings were silent in the small shop, taking small scoops from the bowl and biting down. 4 would catch himself staring at 3, admiring her like colored tentacles, her orange eyes as she stared down the ice cream, her ears, nose, lips. To this day, 4 believed Nagi was definitely the prettiest inkling he had laid his eyes upon.Taking another spoonful of a blend of cookie and ice cream, the thoughts rolled in for Nagi. "This feels kind of..intimate..?" She felt her face slightly heat up, but tried her best to ignore it. "It feels like a date..""Hey, you okay Nagi?" 4 asked, gesturing to her with his spoon. 3 reddened a little bit more, but shook her head yeah, not wanting to explain herself more.The bowl resting on the table was now empty. Both of the inklings were satisfied with the desert, and were now staring out into the streets of Inkopolis. Behind them, a jelly started wiping down an empty table."You said you wanted to talk," Nagi said softy, now steering her sight from the window to Draco. "What about?"Upon asking this question, it was clear that Draco had a moment of hesitation with his eyes widening. Draco had gotten nervous now, and his right leg bounced under the table."I've been thinking about it for awhile now," He sighed, covering his face a bit. However, he had met her eyes. "But..I miss you Nagi."His voice trailed off at the end, but it was just loud enough for Nagi to hear it. Agent 3 sat up in her seat, feeling her face warm up at the words. "Miss me? You've seen me around all the time.""No, I miss you. I miss us," He clarified, clearing his throat nervously. "I want to get back together...My feelings haven't faded for you at all Nagi since we had separated..Can we, I don't know, give it another shot?"On Nagi's side, she could feel her throat tightened hearing this confession out of the inkling before her. There was no way he still felt something towards her right? Taking a second glance at 4's expression, she noticed the hint of determination within his purple eyes alongside nervous smile. It was increasingly obvious that what he was saying was honest. 3 glanced around nervously, not saying a word before softly saying, "Why should I? You do remember how it went last time right?""I do," He nodded, a hint of regret on his face. "And I'm sorry Nagi, it was stupid of me to not see the issue then and letting a beautiful inkling like you go, but like how I said the other day, I've changed since then. I promise."The pair of inklings at this point were both blushing furiously at this point, especially Nagi with Draco's words. It was then that 3's mind lingered on his question about trying the relationship again, remembering back at the time they were together. If she looked past the issues, besides that, it was actually pretty nice being with him. Draco never actually forced anything onto her and would always make sure to check with her before doing something, physical contact for example. He provided emotional support on days where she found herself exhausted and was overall a really caring and loving inkling. Nagi had originally broken up with him because the issues had started overwhelming the good parts. Plus she had already claimed to had move on, yet why was her heart racing at his question? Was she actually considering it? But how much can she trust Draco's words on the fact that she had changed?"I don't blame you if you don't believe me, but...let me take you out on a couple dates. All I'm asking for is a chance to show you that I'm capable," 4 reassured. "I also don't want to force it onto you or just jump into the relationship right away. I-I'd like to take it slow..."His voice was soft and gentle, and oddly enough seemed to relax Nagi. As Draco continued to explain it, Nagi's mind seemed to be accepting the idea, though there was a part of her that somewhat resisted the idea."W-Well," Nagi murmured, embarrassingly looking away from 4. Her face was red, and if you weren't able to see the blush on her face, the tips of her ears completely gave it away. It was adorable to see 3 in a state like this. After all, as stated before plenty of times, she wasn't someone who was very expressive, so the few times she was, it was a sight to see. On the contrary, 4 had noted that she seemed to be more lively as of lately, though did not know the exact reasoning.
"I suppose I can give you a second shot.."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
3 days after Draco's confession to Nagi...
"We should really get you a phone," Parker commented, staring up at Deca Tower from their seat on the concrete edge. By chance yet again, both 8 and Parker had managed to bump into each other. "It would make it a lot easier to hang out if you did.""I suppose..." 8 shrugged, directing his stare away from Parker's direction and into the square, carefully observing the inklings as if they were insects on the floor. No one seemed to be staring at Nova, which was a surprise on its own, but his mind lingered. "..I've been trying to save up some cash.""What for?" Parker asked, catching the Octobrush from slipping down the wall.Marie's words to Nagi the day he arrived at Cuttlefish Cabin echoed in his mind: "Please help us take care of 8 here. Is there any chance he can stay with you to learn how everything works here?"Surely that implied until he got the hang of things?"My own place.." He murmured. 8 had thought it through some more after sometime, though for the most part, this idea had been in the back of his mind. As much as he enjoys 3's presence and friendship, 8 had felt as he'd been relying too much on Nagi, so he figured that it'd be best to get his own place and allow her to revert to her old schedule that the octoling had interrupted. Of course, he would still want to see Nagi and hang out with her, even if he was somewhere else. His goal had been to get somewhere near hers, even if it's within the same apartment complex, not that he told Nagi yet.The way that 8 had interpreted the question was that he'd stay only for a bit until he got onto his feet. He had been already for weeks now, he just doesn't have the funds currently to move out.8 didn't necessarily have anywhere to look for said apartments though, especially since Nova didn't have easy access to the internet. The only rare times he did was when Nagi allowed him to search something up on her phone. Maybe Parker's idea wasn't so bad."Your own place? Who are you staying with Nova?" The inkling asked, clearly curious."Remember Nagi? The inkling that was with me when you first approached me after the Turf War match?""I never knew her name," Parker shrugged, slinging his Octobrush over his shoulder. He ended up chuckling, "You never actually told me."Nova chuckled with him with the realization, "Don't tell her I told you then."Parker nodded with a grin, and stared out into the groups of inklings in the square.A cool wind swept through, ruffling his slicked back tentacles lightly. It was currently early in the morning, about 8:30 in the morning last time Parker checked. On 8's side, he had gone out for a bit on his own, since Nagi had fallen into a deep slumber, still recovering from their fight the other day and the extra shifts she worked. To his knowledge, he was still unaware of the fact that she was going out with Agent 4.Throughout the time they had known each other, they had hung out whenever they found each other in the city, and without means of communication, this of course left the hangouts up to luck. There would be days where Nova and him wouldn't exchange words for awhile because of the reasons previously stated.Nonetheless, the male inkling and octoling had grown a strong friendship. Parker found it surprisingly easy to talk with 8, as did Nova with him. They shared interesting things that had passed throughout the days they couldn't find each other and catch up, which would usually follow with laughter. And on Parker's side, he greatly admired Nova, not only for his strength in Turf War, but his resilience every since he arrived in Inkopolis. He was both a reliable friend and teammate, with a strong mental fortitude. Plus, Nova was chill.With a sigh and shake in the head, Nova spoke. "They're staring again."Parker perked up and looked around in the octoling's line of sight. Turns out, he was right. It seemed like a group of 3, huddled around each other with them occasionally glancing at the pair of friends, whispering."Eh, don't pay attention to them man!" Parker bumped his arm playfully after turning his head back. "Those inklings don't know you, so they should mind their business."8 chuckled, "You're right.."
"You're just like anyone else here. Don't worry about the others."
3's words seemed to suddenly come to mind, remembering the moments before his first actual Turf War match. The same warm feeling he felt then returned, feeling a faint blush creep onto his face. 8 could almost hear her voice in his mind, causing him to smile all the more."You're gonna drop your Octoshot," Parker commented, gently shifting the weapon closer to 8. "...Who got you smiling like that Nova?"8, slightly embarrassed from his teasing tone, hopped off the concrete ledge and back down onto the floor. Explaining that he was told something similar by Nagi in the first couple days he was there, with Parker nodding along understandably. The pair of friends walked down the square, their weapons in hand. Nova's gear consisted of a Gray Mixed Shirt by Zekko and a pair of N-Pacer CaO's, stuff he had bought recently with the cash he had saved up for personal things. Parker wore a Chili-Pepper Ski Jacket from Inkline with a pair of Red and Black Squidkid IV's from Enperry. To Nova's knowledge, his gear was a bit too pricey for him, especially since he had been trying to put himself on a budget."What do you think of these?" Parker asked, scrolling through his phone and pulling up an image once they started walking again. Nova glanced to it, trying to decipher what he was showing him, made all the more harder with the movement of him and the phone. It was a sweater, titled "Negative Longcuff Sweater" by...Toni Kensa. The octoling remembered that name, as it appeared one time when he had gone shopping with Nagi. He had liked a coat for the winter, but the price tag quickly deflected him away from it. It was pricey for clothing.To be fair, it was also kind of a similar story for weapons. Now that he thought about it, how did Nagi afford so many?"Well, I think it's nice," Nova nodded. "Don't you think it's a little too much cash though..?"Parker shrugged, and pointed his Octobrush to the sky, "Perhaps. But I've been working hard to get that cash. I've been wanting it for awhile now! I swear it's calling my name.."Nova chuckled and glanced around the square, with Parker ranting about how many more games he'd have to win in either Turf or Ranked in order to achieve his goal. Though he wasn't thinking of anything specifically, he felt an elbow nudge his arm, knocking him out of his mind."Hey, isn't that her Nova..?"8 glanced around to see what he was talking about, not thinking initially that he had said "her". Eventually, a lime haired inkling had caught his eye who had a blank expression he could recognize anywhere all too well, standing outside of a small phone store with..Draco?From the distance that they were, they could see clearly that 4 was talking with her about something. 3 would smile very softly and nod along to what he said, before motioning him to follow her into the store with her hand. The sunlight of the morning sun gave the glass an awful glare, making it hard for the octoling to see what they were doing inside. It was strange to 8 to see this, as he had yet to actually see them out in public together outside of a work setting. "Could it be that..? No, I can't just assume," Nova shook his head. "I'll ask her myself soon.." Something about the sight seemed to give him a strange sensation in his stomach, an unpleasant one for that matter. For whatever reason, his heart began to pick up the pace and felt as though he'd start to sweat.Parker on the other hand, continued to stare at the store, and discreetly peered over at his friend. Witnessing his stiff posture and nervous expression, he was able to almost immediately pick up what he felt. Attempting to clear his friend's mind a bit, the inkling nudged him to continue walking and to follow him. Nova complied, shaking the ugly feeling within himself off and pushed through a group of inklings, who cursed at Parker specifically for starting the shoving through. It made Nova laugh as Parker exclaimed, "C'mon let's queue up for some Turf War!"
"The extra cash couldn't hurt.."
~With a splash of neon green ink, both Parker and Nova had landed in the middle of the battlefield. The current map in cycle was Arowana Mall, and were thus shooting ink (or swinging in Parker's case) surrounded by stores and shopping inklings, who stared curiously at the fights."Hey! Watch behind you 8!" Parker exclaimed, quickly throwing a splat bomb behind the octoling. To his surprise, he hadn't seen the roller on the opposing neon pink team sneaking up to him. It was a lot to process all the firing going on, and therefore made it hard to keep track everyone. With an explosion of neon ink, the roller was splatted. 8 exclaimed a thank you to the inkling, as a fellow teammate, an Tentatek Splattershot user, and him focused on covering over the pink that covered the center of the map. 8 was unsure as to how much time had actually passed by as he continuously swam and sprayed.Hearing an inksplosion in front of him, it made 8 stop in his tracks, before realizing it was his team supporting the push into the enemy side of the mall. In the brief moment he had turned his head, Nova was able to process that it Parker hovering over the land with his inkjet, his hair flailing around as he seemingly seemed to glow. The inkling laughed, clearly having fun as he shot the cannon in his hand. 8 chuckled at the sight, then resumed the push. However, what they failed to see were the side paths, where a charger resided, and quickly took care of Parker in the middle of the sky. Before Nova could process his teammate being spotted, 8 called out for the rest to continue, beginning to glow and his flailing around as well.Agent 8 brought out his own inkjet, beginning to rise with the neon green ink spraying below him. "A07, Maverick Station," He whispered to himself. Taking another shot, the charger barely missed, but had barely managed to dodge the inkjet's splash radius. But before the inkling with the Splat Charger was able to shoot another shot, 8 had quickly turned into his octopus form, descending temporarily. This quick descent threw off the charger and making him aim downwards, allowing 8 to rise and get a clear shot on the charger, splatting him.Respawning, Parker had managed to quickly rush into battle. With a quick super jump to his 4th teammate, who was at the halfway point of the map, seemingly defending their territory from an opposing inkling who managed to slip through their defenses. Parker assisted to cover up with a few swift swings, and began to swim towards the main action. From the distance, he saw Nova get splatted, as did the other inkling with him. It was followed immediately by heavy firing and bombs detonating. As Parker attempted to fight back the pink push back into the center, Parker himself was being slowly pushed back and before he knew it, was being overwhelmed."We'll have to fall back a little!" The female inkling, an Aerospray, exclaimed out to Parker, before getting ambushed by a Splat Roller. Caught off guard with the roller being awfully close to him, he jumped backwards in his squid form before quickly reverting back to his inkling form. With a few quick swings, he managed to get a couple of hits with the neon green ink, yet the roller managed to push through, and ultimately splatted him again.It is then that the whistle blew once more. Once again, the fastest yet slowest 3 minutes of one's life.The match would result as a loss."C'mon, let's play a few more, we're bound to win some!""Right!" Nova agreed with a cheerful grin.~Win some they did not, as the pair went on a losing streak that took a detrimental blow on their morale to keep playing."Ugggghhhhh," Parker groaned dramatically, stretching out on a chair and closing his eyes. Nova chuckled at his somewhat silent complaints, and stared out at the Deca Tower and the Great Zapfish. "At this rate, I'll never be able to save up enough cash for that sweater!""Today just wasn't our day," 8 rested his back on the back of the chair with a shrug, directing his stare back where he had initially seen Nagi with Draco. The octoling's mind reverted back to analyzing the whole thing once again. If he remembered correctly, she had stated they were on neither bad nor good terms, and that they had separated as 3's decision. Plus, she mentioned how she had gotten over 4. Maybe it was safe to say that they weren't dating, but regardless, 8 found it strange nonetheless."Damn, I need to cheer up," Parker commented, sitting back up in his seat and leaning into the table. "Let's play 8 ball.""I hate 8 balls," 8 scoffed with a raised eyebrow. He could almost hear the ink bomb detonating behind him."I'm just playing with you," Parker laughed. 8 chuckled with him, though it was noticeable that it faded rather fast as did his smile. A silence followed the pair, the only noise of course being the general public. One could still hear the mess of voices all having different conversations, the sounds of arcade games seeping through the automatic doors of the Shoal, and the general music being played outside."Hey Nova?" Parker started. "This Nagi girl..""Hm..?""Do you like like her, like love her?"The question seemed to suck out whatever noise there was, and for a second 8 froze in his tracks. Parker's Octobrush fell to the ground with a slam."O-Oddly enough, you're not the first inkling to ask me that," He stated awkwardly, trying his best to hold back his nervousness. "I'm still..figuring it out.""Figuring it out..? You're unsure Nova?""It's just..hard to tell," The octoling shook his head, avoiding eye contact."You can always talk to me man," Parker grinned. "I might not look like it, but I can keep a secret. Now spill it."8 smiled nervously and nodded, placing his trust into his inkling comrade."She's done a lot for me," 8 started. "She's honestly an amazing inkling that I have a lot of respect for. Nagi had saved my life in so many aspects that it makes me so glad to have her as a friend. She even gave me a place to stay, showed me everything I needed to know here in Inkopolis, and even became my friend when it seemed as though no one else wanted to..."Nova took a second to collect his thoughts, and gripped his Octoshot tightly. His eyes stared intensely at the weapon, almost as if he was reflecting on the octoling he used to be."..I think of her as one of my best friends. But..I've never actually experienced love so I don't know if I can identify it as such...And it's weird because I see all of these inklings in relationships, and it seems like a nice thing to be in, yet the only person I can imagine being with in that type of thing is with her...""..do you think she's pretty?" Parker asked.Lightly blushing, the octoling nodded. "..y-yeah..""Well, if you ask me," Parker crossed his arms with a confident grin. "I think you're in love with Nagi, Nova. You should totally go for it man!"Straightening himself up almost immediately, Nova blushed furiously, "Don't say it so loud! Other inklings could hear you..what if she hears you??"Parker laughed before shaking his head. Adjusting his hair, he looked back at the phone store and back at 8. Picking up his Octobrush and standing it up against his chair, he looked at Nova in his eyes as 8 muttered, "..I can't go for it anyways...""Why not?""There's a lot to it, like she's probably back with her ex-""Was that him earlier? Even so, I think you might be jumping to conclusions there.""..and well, I'm an octoling. She's an inkling." Nova continued."Nagi has already had a history of experiencing backlash already from strangers, imagine if she got together with someone like me? It'd be worse than before. And what if she doesn't even like me like that in first place? It's-"With a single finger motioned towards him, Parker had asked him to stop talking."Listen to yourself Nova, you love her right?""S-Straightforward, don't you think?" 8's ears burned up even more."Well if you love her, and if she feels the same way, you shouldn't worry about what other's think. It'd be your relationship, not anyone else's business. I'm sure even if someone said something to either you or Nagi, you'd have each other's back regardless no?"8's mind reminisced to the different moments in the past weeks where they have had each other's backs. There were so many times that she had had his, even before they officially knew each other, from the blender, to giving him a place to stay, to getting him the essentials in the surface, to the incident at the Shoal, and even in the midst of battle, whether it was Turf War or on behalf of the Squidbeak Splatoon. Parker was right. Even if they were to hypothetically get to be together, Nagi would end up having his back just like all the rest of times. And, when it came to it, he wouldn't hesitate to stick up for her's either.8 nodded with determination to Parker's comment. The inkling smiled, though it faded a little bit into a more serious expression."..I don't much about your past Nova, but I know your life here is something completely new compared to what you're used to," Parker started up once again. A strong gust of wind had suddenly blown through, messing up their tentacles completely. "Do you by chance feel alone here?"The question was rather hard hitting, as Nova had never really considered it. He never thought about it like that. 8 had always seen Inkopolis in a positive light, and often admired seeing the groups of inklings hanging out, same going for those inklings in relationships. Maybe he was actually seeking that out frequently, and to get to that point, meant to get the approval of others socially, which was rather difficult with the many backhanded comments that he had heard in the past and present just for being an octoling."A little bit, I suppose..." 8 shrugged, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "Though I'm sure it's because I'm the only octoling here in Inkopolis. There's no one else of my kind here, so maybe that's why I'm so worried about what others think.."Parker smiled. "Everything will be fine Nova. But to give you my opinion, I think you should still give it a shot, as long as she's not actually in a relationship again like you think she is, though I highly doubt it. And hey, if she doesn't feel the same way, then you could always remain friends afterwards.:.but I don't know, that's just my advice on all of that.""Thank you for hearing me out, Parker," Nova smiled genuinely at the inkling, before laughing to himself. "You seem like a totally different person when you talk like this."It was true. It was interesting seeing how the inkling could go from a rather fun person to a philosophical one and back in the blink of an eye."Of course man, anytime!" Parker grinned enthusiastically. Pointing towards the many stores around the area, he teased, "Here's an idea: Squidmas is around the corner, so you should find a gift for her! Nothing like a thoughtful gift to swoon the heart."Nova rolled his eyes with a smile at his idea, ultimately agreeing to it. He had thrown away the idea of saving up cash for his own place temporarily to pick out a nice gift for Nagi. As Parker walked slightly ahead of him, watching the back of his ski jacket, 8 thought about how he managed to get another great friend."You should still play me in 8 ball," Parker chuckled, turning his head slightly to meet his eyes."I just told you I hate 8 balls..."Nevermind."Eh..to be fair, he isn't aware why," Nova chuckled to himself silently.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
That same evening, Nova remained slouched on the couch, mindlessly watching whatever it was that was playing. After learning a little bit more about Squidmas from Parker from their little hangout session, he had thought long and hard what to get Nagi, as well as his fellow agents in the Squidbeak Splatoon. Especially for Pearl and Marina."We haven't talked in awhile huh...?" Nova thought to himself, raising his hand in the air to change the channel.He managed to come up with something nice for Nagi, which he hid underneath his bed in his room, but still had yet to get the others their presents. As he flicked through the tv's channels, a brief black screen would take place in the interval of the change and allowed Nova to see himself. He was slouched over the couch like a starfish, and quickly repositioned himself which just ended up him turning into his octopus form. Now he was just an octopus slouching over the couch with a remote in one of the tentacle's grasp.To his surprise, Nagi had been home before he had, since Nova expected the inkling would've been out for longer since she woke up later in the morning. But then again, maybe she was still tired. The octoling's mind had then suddenly shifted to the fact that he had seen her and Draco together outside. 8 couldn't remember a time that they hung out outside of work, as he was only informed by 3 when 3 was partnered with Agent 4, so he found it strange. He had meant to ask her earlier about it, but Nagi was locked in her room, and the octoling decided to not disturb her.The apartment was dark, mainly because it was already dark outside, with the only light outside of the rooms being the blaring of the television. The living room was lightly organized besides the couch Nova rested on. In actuality, that was a lie, since the boxes Nova had initially moved out from the guest room that first night were still there in the corner, alongside the pile of weapons that Nagi owned that had rested next to said boxes. There were a couple of dishes still resting in the kitchen sink, and some still had yet to be dried, which Nova had told himself he'd get to in a bit. But after today's search for his present had made him tired, all the more from his walking.Nova, popping back into his octoling form, sat up in the sofa, staring at the bright screen. Before him played another advertisement of that one billboard he had pointed out a couple days before, showing some footage in action. The same inkling had the signature black and white Splattershot from the advertisements everywhere, and was displaying an action sequence followed with explosions in the background. Remembering that he heard inklings left and right talking about it as he walked around with Parker in Inkopolis, it peaked the octoling's excitement to go see the film, especially with Nagi.Hearing a door creak open behind him, Nova jumped curiously and glanced backwards. There, Nagi stood, adjusting a hoodie over herself and adjusting her Studio Headphones, lightly tapping on the sides of them. After muttering something about the audio failing on them to herself, she had met eyes with the octoling in the dark living room."Where ya going?" Nova asked curiously, noticing that she had her sneakers on."To the convenience store." She responded, tilting her head a bit. The inkling eyed the boxes in the corner and back at Nova. "The one we always walk past to and from work," 3 clarified."The one with that one chip ad with a mustache-wearing jelly?""Yes, exactly." Nagi confirmed, though found it strange how they both remembered such minuscule detail."Snacks?" 8 asked with a visible smile, beginning to stand up. The inkling nodded in return, her eyes only made visible with the brightness of the screen. "Can I..come with..?"Their orange eyes stared into each other's silently, before a small smile had developed on Agent 3's face. Nodding, 3 said, "Just get a coat, it's chilly tonight."In a matter of minutes, both Nova and Nagi had found themselves outside of the apartment complex. Much to Nova's surprise, it was much colder than he expected. His time on the couch was rather warm compared to outside."Chilly? It's straight up cold," Nova chuckled, lightly shivering under his sweater. "But then again, it'll be December already huh..?""This Friday actually," Nagi smirked at his earlier comment, taking her headphones off and placing them around her neck, "I could've used a different word I suppose."Once again, the Inkopolis night was filled with the shining lights found throughout the city. Even if Nova had already been here for a few weeks, the octoling already knew he'd never get tired of it. A strong wind swept through the streets, making both the octoling and inkling squeeze their eyes shut as their hair flapped in the air. 8 chuckled after, with 3 only letting out a puff of air."You have to remind me to figure out what to do with those boxes in the living room," Nagi commented, shoving her hands into the hoodie pocket. "The weapons too.""How come?""Cause," She started to explain. "I always tell myself that I'll take care of it on an off day, and I still have yet to actually do something about it."Nova nodded understandably, mentioning that he could always help with anything if she needed.The cold remained throughout the rest of their night, and Nova failed to bring up the question that was burning within him. Nonetheless, he shoved it aside, and enjoyed the moments he spent with Nagi. Luckily there weren't as many inklings out tonight, and the streets remained empty to an extent. Glancing to her side, she side eyed the octoling. His eyes remained forward, and a misty cloud formed in front of him with every breath. Nagi shook her head lightly, realizing that she was staring a little to long at Nova. However, even Nova was guilty of this, as he was just doing it moments prior to when she did. The female inkling clasped her hands together, rubbed them a bit, and attempted to heat them up with her breath."What is all of that stuff anyways...?" Nova asked. They were now getting close to their destination after a couple of minutes."Eh, a bunch of old gear, weapons and clothing." 3 shrugged. "Most of it is worn out and damaged, just like these headphones."Nova watched as her hand tapped the sides of the white headphones, and back up at her orange eyes. It's been going on for awhile now that Nagi had been complaining that the headphones were failing her.Soon after, they arrived at the convenience store, with Nova holding open the door for Nagi. She thanked him, and the pair went ahead to get what they wanted. Nagi ended up getting a bag of BBQ chips, alongside a small bag of Sour Patch Squids and an blue raspberry Icee (and a couple of napkins in case she spilt it on herself). Nova got a small box of Mike and Inks, and a can of Cola."It's on me today," Nova offered, beginning to take out his Splashtag once they were ready to pay. However, before he could actually take it out, Nagi had quickly reached out towards the Splashtag reader with her own tag and paid."Ha." The inkling teased, flicking the octoling's hair playfully. "Thank you but no thank you.""I'm paying you back y'know!" Nova called out to her as she quickly sprinted out the store's doors, the plastic bag with their things wrapped around her wrist. Nova stepped back into the cold, meeting up with Nagi close to the entrace. Maybe getting cold drinks was a bad idea, but whatever.Originally, Nagi had planned to go out by herself, hence her headphones. But in the end, she was actually happy that Nova accompanied her. It was nice having him by her side, especially on a snack run in the evening. It's been a feeling that stuck with her in the end. Before Nova, B.N. for short, she would do these runs often by herself and, as beautiful as the nights were in Inkopolis, it didn't drown out the feeling of loneliness she was aware of but didn't want to admit to herself.Setting that aside, what was that sloshing noise?Nagi snapped out of her thoughts, and looked over at Nova, who was in the process of shaking the can of Cola."D-Don't do that. It'll explode," She frowned at him. "Why did you even do that?""I wanted to see how much was actually in the can," He reasoned, slowly realizing how stupid of a reason that sounded like out loud. "Y-Y'know how they don't fill up the chip bags...I just thought-""Are you serious?" Nagi raised an eyebrow, trying her hardest to hold back a giggle. It was clear to 8 that she was holding back on making fun of him, making him embarrassed and therefore making him blush lightly. "Y-Yeah.." He nodded his head. Taking a sip from her Icee, making Nagi feel even colder than she already felt, 3 warned him, "Just don't drink it anymore. It'll make a mess on you."Nova glared at her and back at the can, not believing her at all. He already had Cola out whenever they ate something quick, though they were often served in the plastic cups with straws, not in a can. Plus, it had never exploded in the plastic cups, even when he did shake it, so why would it do so now?Both the inkling and octoling now had an eyebrow raised at each other."You bought it for me technically," Nova began to reason with a shoulder shrug. "It'd be a waste to not drink it.""Don't do it," 3 turned to face him."I will do it," 8 responded, stopping in his tracks as did 3. "And it won't explode.""Well, don't say I didn't warn you," She softly smiled with a hint of confidence, placing her lips around her straw once again for another sip.Nagi had her eyes shut, only being able to hear her surroundings, but in the end decided to subtly keep her left eye open to see what would happen. With a click, the can opened, and with a sudden loud fizz and pop, the gas and liquid exploded into the octoling's face. Nova had yelped in surprise with the sudden reaction of the can, and jumped backwards, dropping said can onto the floor. His face felt a weird sensation of both stickiness combined with the feeling as if water was splashed onto his face.A moment of silence fell between them, with Nova embarrassingly looking down at the floor and up at Nagi, who faced away from him. Her eyes wouldn't meet his, and noticed that she silently trembled with her hand covering her mouth. The octoling had heard her make a weird noise with her mouth, and before he knew it, Nova heard it.Nagi's laugh.It had echoed and traveled through the empty, cold street. Nova remained standing there, completely forgetting the corn syrup on his face almost immediately to take in the sight before him. 8 was in awe, seeing how hard the inkling laughed at the can exploding on him. It was at this point that she turned towards him, still laughing, with a huge smile on her face. One of her eyes was still squinted shut, with the other orange eye of hers, sparkling, attempting to take a look at him and the disaster that had occurred. Her hand covered her mouth a bit, but 8 could spot a blush on her face as she laughed. The tips of her ears were burning up, and Nova could feel his heart thumping through his chest.This was a once in a million opportunity to witness something like this, and Nova was almost positive that no one else had gotten to see what he was currently seeing.Her laugh, it was a sound that sounded even better than that of the Calamari Inkantation and the first time he had heard Nagi's giggle. Once again, it made him forget everything, the cold, the past events, the time he spent with Parker gift shopping, the fact that a can of Cola just blew up on him, and even that question he had meant to ask Nagi all this time since seeing her with Draco. It was something so...beautiful. It was so contagious. Before the octoling knew it, he was laughing just as she was.The empty street wasn't just echoing Nagi's laugh, but Nova's laugh now too."I told you!" Nagi laughed, still trying to catch her breath in between each word. "I told you didn't I??""Y-Yeah, you did," Nova continued to laugh, beginning to blush a little harder.Nova was able to calm down before she did, and couldn't help but look at the lime haired inkling as she laughed, Icee still in hand. 8 couldn't identify what he felt here, it was so weirdly complicated seeing this sight before him. He felt so happy, yet, why was his vision getting blurry? In the moment he had realized that he was tearing up, but why? 8 was confused, and continued to watch as the inkling he met and knew as the most serious person he knew, laughing hysterically before him. Nagi clutched her sides a bit with her free hand as she began to slowly calm down, a little out of breath. With a swift swipe under her eye with her finger, she stepped close to Nova, fishing for something in the plastic bag. "Here let me help with that," Nagi stated after giving a satisfied sigh, taking a few steps forward after revealing what was a napkin in her grasp. Her body was nearly pressing up against his, and made the octoling blush furiously as the giggling inkling gently cupped the side of his face to clean off as much of the residue as she could. Nagi's hand felt incredibly soft up against his face, ultimately leading to the octoling wanting this moment to last forever.His body tensed up, his breaths got heavier. Nova was so nervous, he was sure that he had begun to sweat, even in this cold. His throat was so tight, Nova couldn't even properly thank her for helping him. His heart continued to thump furiously, especially since Nagi had never been this close to him before. Her face wasn't far from his, and seeing her orange eyes, lime hair, her nose, her lips, her smile, all so close to him, made it incredibly hard to keep his cool. The octoling could feel his face burning up even more, more than he thought was even possible, more than any other time up to this moment. Even his ears felt incredibly hot. It was so tempting to just turn into his octopus form and swim away, but he didn't want to at the same time.His eyes stared at hers, which examined his face as Nagi gently wiped whatever extra soda was left over. And, eventually, the inkling's and octoling's eyes met once again. 3's hand remained cupping the side of his face, and once the realization of what she was doing had hit her, her eyes widened and began to blush furiously.Quickly, Nagi stepped back, apologizing to Nova profusely in a soft voice. Much of what Nova had felt, was the same thing Nagi was experiencing in this moment. A sudden wave of nervousness and embarrassment hit her, her heart was racing, her breaths felt heavier and faster, her face and ears felt incredibly warm, and what was meant to be a cold evening felt oddly hot.There was a brief moment of silence where the pair just stared at each other, unsure as to what to do or say next.Whipping her head around, her tentacles swinging around to hide her face, Nagi extended her arms nervously towards him. "H-Here, you should probably do it yourself," 3 muttered softly, handing 8 the few napkins left."T-Thank you," Nova responded, taking the napkin for himself. Before using it though, 8 had hesitated briefly, saying, "..I didn't mind you doing it y'know.."The words had caught the inkling off guard, making her eyes widen even more. "..Pretty straightforward don't you think?" Nagi smiled bashfully, though it was out of 8's sight. "Y-You're gonna have to take a shower when you get home, heh.."The misty clouds formed with each breath taken by the pair, and slowly faded away into the sky. Each passing moment, Nova's mind kept replaying every moment that had just occurred, over and over like a broken record. From Nagi's laugh, her expressions as she laughed, how close she was to him, her eyes as she observed him, the smile that rested on her lips, the gentleness of her hand, all emphasized even more under the city lights. 8 couldn't possibly believe this was the same inkling girl that he had met on his first day in Inkopolis.As Nova's eyes stared into the napkins in hand, both Callie's and Parker's words repeated in his head:
"Do you like like her...?"
"...Do you think she's pretty?"
"Listen to yourself Nova, you love her right?"
His breaths were shaky, and his hand trembled as 8 covered his own face."The inkling girl who had saved my life over and over, time and time again? The one who doesn't care if I'm different compared to everyone else in Inkopolis? The one who provided me with something to eat, somewhere to live? The one who showed me around when I was lost? The one who wouldn't hesitate to step up for me or risk her life for me? The girl who smiles at me and converses with me when no one else would?" Nova's eyes peered from between his fingers towards Nagi, who's head was now slightly turned away from him, allowing 8 to see a bit of her orange eyes, her blushing cheeks and red ears.
"After all this time, after what just happened, I...I think...she's the most beautiful inkling I've rested my eyes on. I....I do like like her..."
Frowning to himself, Nova shook his head, and finally came to terms with his feelings.
"I do love Nagi..."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The rising sun began to shine through the living room windows, and onto the inkling's face specifically. Though, it wasn't exactly the sun that had woken Nagi up.Her Studio Headphones were apparently on, and even though she couldn't recall when she had placed them back over her ears, her alarm still loudly beeped into her ears. The sudden noise made Nagi jump up, before processing the fact that she was on the living room couch. Rubbing her forehead, she attempted to remember what had happened the night before, before she knocked out of course.That's right. Nova had accompanied her to the convenience store, they talked, they got some snacks, they even went back home to watch a movie or something on the tv. That's when she probably fell asleep. Though, she could remember that neither of them talked much throughout the movie. There was an odd tension in the air that neither the octoling or inkling knew how to approach, so instead, they didn't speak about it. Nonetheless, something still bothered the inkling's mind, knowing that there was something beforehand that didn't sit right with her.Nagi's tired eyes widened, remembering what exactly it was she couldn't identify.She laughed. In front of Nova. She had approached him very closely, and even held his face.3 began feeling her face burn up, her mind already replaying the moment over and over. The thumping of her heart echoed within her head, and she so desperately tried to calm down. It is to be noted that her alarm was still beeping in her ears loudly throughout this.
"Why did I do that...?"
Her emotions have been stirred up too much these past few days, a lot more than she could handle.With a sigh, 3 picked up her phone after rummaging for it in between the couch cushions and stared at her home screen. It was the default one for the squid shaped phone, and the time glared Friday, December 1st. 6:01 A.M. After calming down and swinging her legs over and down, she looked on the opposite couch. There, Nova slept peacefully on his side, one of his arms hanging over the edge of the cushion. 8 wasn't snoring, but you could hear his breathing from the silence in the apartment. The middle of the table was filled with the snacks that they had gotten, all spread out.Nagi was scheduled that morning for an early parole, which she found odd since 3 was always scheduled for all day. That would mean she'd be off by noon if she was lucky. If she was especially lucky, nothing would happen on her parole through Octo Canyon, which she heavily hoped for.Rubbing her eyes and yawning, 3 had begun to start her morning routine of getting changed, getting her gear, brushing her teeth, fixing her tentacles, and skipped breakfast. Not only because she wanted to avoid waking up the octoling from the noise she'd make in the kitchen, but also because 3 had simply woken up without an appetite. Later on, on her walk towards the grate, she would curse herself for not eating something as the hunger hit her.~Propping up from the grate, and looking around the Octo Canyon entrance, everything remained the same as she remembered it. The only thing that surprised Nagi a little bit was that the Squid Sisters weren't already by Cuttlefish Cabin since they'd typically be there to greet them by now. With another quick glance, sitting on one of the ripped up, singular seat sofas, was none other than 4, who scrolled through his phone, already wearing his Hero gear. Almost immediately, a strange feeling of nervousness swept through Nagi, though she tried her best to hide it.Noticing someone's eyes on him, 4 perked up from looking at his phone, and glanced around. In the end, both 3 and 4 had locked eyes, and a small grin had taken shape on Draco's face."Good morning, Agent 3" 4 gave a small wave, before motioning to the other remaining seat in front of the antennae tv. "Take a seat." 3 nodded silently as her response, before explaining that she'd change first and then take his offer."Well, I'll wait for you here."It didn't take long at all for Nagi to change inside the cabin, and she stepped back out, Hero Shot in hand. Slowly, the inkling plopped herself onto the old couch, and glanced over to see that one of his arms were reaching out to her. Agent 3's eyes met 4's before they started tracing his body, down his arm, and to his hand. There, a coffee cup was being held, vapor still seeping through the drinking hole and into the sky."Cream and two sugars. Just like how you like it," 4 smiled gently at the tired female inkling as she reached for it. Grasping the warm cup, feeling the vapor rise to her face, it gave her a fuzzy feeling."You...You remember?""Of course I do, plus it's not a complicated order," 4 chuckled to himself.Blowing a bit of air as to cool it down, she took a sip."Thank you," Nagi thanked in a rather soft voice, avoiding eye contact with 4. "I'll pay you back for it.""No need, it's just that I've been in an awfully good mood since Monday."Letting a puff of air slip out, 3 had begun to smile softly before she even realized that she was, "I wonder why.."The male inkling couldn't hold back the grin he had watching Nagi gently smile as she drank the coffee he had gotten her. Though in his head, he could still picture how 3 blushed when he had asked for the second shot. It was an adorable sight for sure, and Draco couldn't get enough of it."Oh wait, where's Agent 1 and 2..?""They're running late, though they didn't give me a reason why.""You texted them?""No, Marie texted me to let me know."A silence followed, the tv occasionally making a loud static noise as it struggled to get a signal. The morning was surprisingly even colder than those prior, backed up with stronger winds. Their tentacles flapped as they scrunched their necks into the Hero Suit collars in an attempt to avoid the wind.As 3 continued drinking her coffee, her heart continued to race thinking about the night Draco had confessed to her again. Her mind then went on to yesterday, where they met up to shop for a little bit. Throughout the entire time, Agent 4 had been nothing but respectful and sweet. Offering to go to different places, asking about her day, making jokes, 4 was definitely putting in the effort. Nagi blushed to herself reminiscing about it before the male inkling knocked her out of her thoughts."I..I was thinking Nagi, well if you're free that is..." 4 seemed to blush a little bit as he spoke, with 3 almost being able to tell where he was going with this."Maybe we could, I don't know, go out to eat together, you and I..?" He asked. Sure they had hung out for a bit yesterday, and they already went to eat the day he confessed, but to be honest, Draco only wanted to spend more time with her. "I'm thinking like a nice restaurant, maybe just walk around Inkopolis after? If there's anything else you'd like to do, we could do that too.."Nagi's eyes widened at the proposal, and once again, she began to visibly redden. "It..It doesn't sound like a bad idea at all.." Nagi found it hard to find the right words to say, made all the more harder to actually say them due to a tightening throat. Subtly, Agent 3 attempted to hide her facial expressions with her tentacle, feeling more embarrassed from 4's stare. On Draco's side, as much as he loved her lime colored hair, he wanted to see her pretty face and her orange eyes that hid behind."It's a date then," He sighed happily. "If it's fine by you, maybe I can stop by your place around 6 to pick you up?"3 at this point had felt as though she could melt any second now, and it wasn't because of the warmth of the coffee. Slowly, she was learning that when it came to sweet things like this, her serious demeanor would falter almost immediately."..Sounds good." Nagi agreed, not sure as to what to say next. However, the image of Nova covered in the soda he shook flashed through her mind suddenly, and instead of making her smile, it seemed as if though her expression slowly returned to a neutral expression. Nagi had definitely felt happiness during the moment, though just as quickly, embarrassment washed over her. As she attempted to continuously think about the moment, it was obvious 8 himself was embarrassed about the whole situation as well. After all, 3 had never shown that much emotion around Nova since meeting him, though it wasn't this feeling of embarrassment that saddened 3, if anything, it was more of the fact that they hardly spoke a word to each other afterwards, even up to present time. Her mind lingered on the weird tension 8 and her had at the moment and how it seemed to get in the way of their friendship."Why did I do all of that...?" Nagi questioned herself again. "I probably scared him off like that...""Everything okay?"Nagi snapped out of her thoughts, mid sip from her coffee, and met eyes with none other than Agent 1. She stared curiously at 3, who with widened eyes, nodded nervously. Callie held her own chin, her tentacles slightly waving from the wind, almost as if 3attempting to read 3's mind. A quick glance to her left confirmed that Draco had gotten up and was already talking to Marie, with her handing 4 a small stack of papers."Hmmmm..." Callie hummed, still staring into Nagi's orange eyes as she nervously stared back. Her body stood in front of hers in the seat, blocking her way in getting back up. After not getting a word out of her, Callie giggled and moved aside to allow her to get back up."Good morning," Agent 1 smiled, with Nagi nodding good morning back. Callie, smiling to herself, took a quick glance around them afterwards, making sure that no one was nearby. Her tentacle had whipped around quickly and had accidentally smacked Nagi lightly."Did you take my advice..?" 1 leaned in, practically whispering into her ear. It was clear that idol was both very interested and very curious.Callie noticed Nagi's reddening face as she subtly attempted to avoid eye contact. However, 3 hadn't realized that she snuck peaks at Draco as he spoke with Marie, still holding the small stack of papers. "You and 4 huh..." Callie glanced back and forth between the two agents. The cup of coffee remained in 3's hand, though it was slowly losing its warmth. Her legs felt cold, though it made sense since she was wearing shorts with her Hero Suit, sweatpants or something would've been nice. Nonetheless, Nagi never gave Callie a proper response to her comment."Are you two you know...dating?""H-Huh?" Agent 3 stuttered, trying her best to avoid the question.Jumping in place, Callie gave a soft squeal, knowing very well that she hit the mark with her comment. 3 attempted to shush her as to not make any noise."F-Fine, yes. Yes we are technically." Nagi crossed her arms, looking down at the floor embarrassed. "He asked me out again a couple days ago.""Aw that's so cute!" Agent 1 exclaimed, giving a quick embrace to the inkling before she pushed her off respectfully and in a subtle manner. "I'm happy for you two!""T-Thanks..." Nagi muttered, still eyeing the floor."It's a shame though," 1 closed her eyes, nodding to herself. "You and 8 would've been cute together too."Nagi's eyes widened at the comment even more than she thought possible. It was so out of nowhere, as if she was hit by a truck. 3 had no idea how to respond to that, she couldn't even if she wanted to. Her heart was thumping loudly at the comment, so much so, it echoed within her head. Nagi attempted to shake off this embarrassment, but couldn't seem to do so, and Callie continued. At the moment, 3 couldn't think of anything in specific, and focused her sight on the little star resting on Callie's beanie."Y'know, sometimes I wish that I wasn't so famous," Callie's smile softened, almost as if reminiscing about her past. "If I wasn't, maybe one day I could experience love like you do.""Hm..? What do you mean like I do..?""Well," Her yellow eyes saddened, and stared out at both Draco and Marie. "I don't know...it's just that...whenever I made a connection with someone I thought I had feelings for, it seemed to always turn out that their only interest was my status as one of the Squid Sisters. It's like they don't see me as my own inkling, but just as a popstar and nothing else.."Nagi lingered on her words for a little bit, and was able to quickly see the issue behind it. Imagining herself in a situation like that, it did make her feel bad about it. After all, she always assumed that it was easy to get with anyone when you're as famous as Callie, yet hadn't seen the perspective of people only using you for one's status. 3 scratched her head a bit before subtly laying her hand on Callie's shoulder. Agent 1 was surprised by her action, and turned her head back, meeting eyes.The lime haired inkling's eyes were soft, completely different from her usual look. The idol even noticed the reddening on her face disappear. In Nagi's mind, all she could think about was the time where Nova attempted to comfort her after learning about her breakup. Looking back at it, it was funny thinking about how Nova had also placed his hand on her shoulder without preparing any words and failing to say anything. Nonetheless, a soft smile appeared on 3's expression."I'm sure you'll find someone soon," Her eyes shut. "You'll just have to give it some time."Callie's heart picked up, nervous hearing such words from Agent 3. Her golden eyes widened a bit with each word and her fists clenched. With a grin, Callie jumped onto the inkling, catching her completely off guard and stumbling backwards."You're so sweet 3!"For a brief second, Nagi had considered to respectfully take her off, yet decided against it and instead let out a puff of air. Callie's arms were wrapped around her neck, and her tentacles waved around as she happily shook her head."What's all this about?" Marie walked up behind the pair with a curious look, holding her green parasol in hand. Draco stood a little behind her, still holding the papers given to him earlier, smiling at Nagi. Both inklings cleared their throats as Agent 1 stepped away from her. Putting a finger as if she were to shush Marie, Callie grinned, "A private conversation."~"What were you two talking about?" Draco asked, setting his Hero Shot aside.At this point, the pair were sitting across from each other on the Cuttlefish Cabin deck, looking through the documents given to 4 by Marie. They both sat with their legs crossed, neither of them really making eye contact, but 4 persisted on a conversation."Eh, nothing important." 3 responded plainly, attempting to shrug off the question as to not go too in depth. It would be a strange thing to bring up after all.4 stared at her orange eyes and back down at his hands, going through a small pile of documents in hand. "This is oddly peaceful, doing all this with Nagi outside..""Something on that paper amusing?" 3 asked, looking up at him from a sheet, though one of her lime tentacles partly covered it."I'm happy, being with you and all."3's jaw tightened, and felt a slow blush creep onto her face. "Mm," was all that she was able to say."When I confessed to you the other day.." Draco started, setting a paper aside. "I mentioned that I had changed since the last time we were together.."His words caught the female inkling's attention, and prompted to her stopping what she was doing to listen. 3 silently wondered to herself where Draco was going with this. 4 chuckled to himself softly, before looking up to meet Nagi's eyes. His blue eyes had a soft stare to them. It didn't make 3 feel uncomfortable or anything as she waited for him to continue."Well, it just seems that you changed too."A wind swept through, the both of them scrunching their necks into the Hero Suit in a synchronized manner. Once again, their tentacles flapped in the wind as their eyes squeezed shut."H-How so?" Nagi raised an eyebrow, catching a paper that had drifted in the air. Agent 3 couldn't come up with anything that would be considered a "change", nor anything about herself that stood out more than usual."I've noticed how much more expressive you've been as lately," Draco smiled to himself, counting a couple documents with his fingers, flicking each page. "It's been so much easier to tell what you're feeling.""You really think so..?" Nagi frowned to herself, thinking back at any moment that could possibly be considered as "more expressive".It was then that her eyes widened. She laughed just last night. She's been getting so much more flustered too."I guess you're right..""It's not a bad thing at all," Draco chuckled. Looking up at the sky briefly, then at the coffee resting beside her and back up at Nagi, he scratched his cheek. "Is there something that might've caused that?"3's eyes widened at the question. She never even gave it some thought before, much less noticing how much more her emotions were visible as of lately. Why did she change this way? it didn't necessarily bother Agent 3, but the curiosity as to why she felt such a way got the better of her, her mind racing trying to come up with a cause."Even before I realized, I had also noticed that day you were hesitant on splatting the Octarian.""Octoling," Nagi corrected, surprising Draco. "Octarian makes it seem as though they're a completely different being y'know.."4 nodded. However, Nagi realized that it was a hypocritical thing to say. Even after the incident with the octoling that 4 splatted, Nagi had caught herself saying octarian as well. She wanted to get out of the habit for personal reasons."Plus, I had realized that..they're just like us anyways. There's no difference between us inklings and octolings. Well, I already knew that before that encounter anyways," Nagi explained herself, scribbling something down on one of the documents before setting the pen back down. "They're just trying to live a normal life like us, but I also can't blame you for believing that they're trying to takeover Inkopolis and start another Great Turf War. That's what we were told anyways.""..They've been trying to splat us this entire time as well though."Nagi nodded, "Agent 8 and I were under fire by some octolings the other day too, remember? I've fought plenty in my past as well, but slowly...I'm wondering if there's a better way to handle things..."Draco nodded understandably, and looked down after noticing her saddening expression. His eyes then traveled discreetly from the top of her head, down to the ends of her tentacles, where he saw the scars she had. Up to now, 4 had never questioned her about them, and doesn't plan to. It's safe to say they were caused by Octaria- octolings. Octolings.
"I'm wondering if there's a better way to handle things..."
Nagi's own words echoed within her head. Has she gotten soft with time? After all, inklings have been noticing that she had been more open about what she felt, even speaking more. Well, at least only Agent 4 for now, possibly 8. As Nagi evaluated her seriousness from back then, her disliking of physical contact, her aggressiveness towards octoling soldiers, and the disliking of her schedule being switched up, something popped into her mind.In her head, Nova was smiling, chuckling even, looking around Inkopolis happily. It was then that her mind suddenly shifted back once again to the moment 3 and 8 had the night before. She remembered his facial expression, his reddened face, his nervous eyes. Nagi could remember the texture of his cheek on her palm, almost feeling it in the current moment. The inkling reminisced about the feeling she got there, asking herself, "Do I feel something towards him..?"Without even realizing it, Nagi had begun smiling to herself as well, and just as quickly caught herself staring at the spot where they stood. Where Nova had asked to stay with her, even if it was just a night. She could remember clearly his confident grin, saying that he could handle it. And handle it he has been, to this day.Why was her heart beating loudly once again? Why did that creeping warmth on her cheeks slowly return?"No," She concluded, still attempting to reason in her head. "It's just because we haven't had any physical contact like that before, so it was embarrassing for the both of us. Plus..""Nagi..are you okay?" Draco's hand waved in front of her eyes, snapping the female inkling out of her trance."Y-Yeah, I'm okay...I was just..thinking.""Right," Draco chuckled a little nervously, his sight slowly drifting back to the papers at hand.Nagi sighed, picked up another sheet, and temporarily glanced up at Draco, who's eyes scanned left to right reading the words."..I'm dating Draco," Her thought concluded with a soft smile on her lips."Is it because of Nova, Nagi?" Draco questioned, still scanning the words on the paper he was holding. Nagi could hear a tiny bit of jealousy through his tone, and reassured him that it wasn't him, though the more 3 thought about it, the more it made sense.Afterwards, a silence washed over the soon-to-be-couple inkling's, the strong winds sweeping through every couple of seconds."I'm looking forward to later," Draco heard in front of him. The male inkling looked back up at Agent 3, who smiled to herself, "The food better be good."Agent 4 chuckled, brightening up from the earlier conversation."You won't regret it."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Nova's eyes opened.There he was, standing on a white platform. With a quick glance around, he noticed that he had the same outfit that he had on once arriving to the surface, Octoshot in hand. It felt so...familiar.The octoling's eyes widened as he overheard both Pearl and Marina's conversation as to whether or not they should use the helicopter, slowly realizing where he was. This white platform was clearly an elevator, clinking as it rose the up through the middle of the structure. Overhead, windows allowed sunlight to shine through, but were merely obscure, not allowing 8 to actually see it. The surface.His heart raced, and gripped his Octoshot tightly in his grasp. The elevator continued, until it had abruptly stopped. 8 had stumbled a bit, and glanced around nervously. If Nova remembered correctly, this place was where..."It stopped!" Marina exclaimed."Who's up there?" Pearl questioned immediately after.Nova glanced around, and up at one of the pillar like structures, seeing a ripped up cape flowing in the air. As his heart began to race and his mind confirmed that he was experiencing this moment again, Nova whispered under his breath, "..Nagi...""It's Agent 3! But...""GYAHHH! Agent 8? Help meeee!"Cap'n Cuttlefish's voice exclaimed, as he attempted to wriggle out of the rope that he had been tied up in. It proved to be pointless, as 8's eyes widened seeing 3 in the same state he had seen her before. Slowly, the inkling turned, revealing the goo that seemed to have taken over her head and body. It was Nagi yes, but it also didn't look like her. Her eyes were a very bright green, a color that didn't match her natural orange ones whatsoever, and her expression felt..completely different. It was Nagi, but it wasn't too."Agent 3's mind was hijacked by that crazy phone!"However, before 8 could even attempt respond to the Cap'n, Agent 3 had already begun to free fall down to the same platform as 8.For some reason, Nova's body failed to respond in the way that he wanted it to, not reacting at all to the initial splashdown. "3-!" The octoling thought to himself as the force of the lime ink had pushed him back. He began shooting instinctively, covering both turf and attempting to hit 3. He would fail, as it seemed that 3 had suddenly obtained the ability to not only use a large amount of bombs and specials, but the ability to dodge roll too. The bombs detonated, and after a couple more landing hits, 8 had managed to knock down 3.Before he could actually stop her, she super jumped onto a floating platform that floated around the white platform itself. Failing to react, a stingray pierced his body, shattering the armor he had almost instantly. Slowed down, the octoling attempted to take back a bit of turf to swim in. As he tried to dodge the long stingray attack, he attempted to simultaneously toss splat bombs over to her.Nova's heart raced. This would be their first conflict technically, though this isn't her fault at all. He was worried for her, a lot more since 8 had known her for so long now. He was aware that this was a dream, but it didn't feel like one. It genuinely felt like..he was re experiencing everything once again.However, this fight would end differently than what he would remember.His orange eyes widened suddenly, seeing 3 come down to the platform with such velocity once again. Another splashdown. Another strong wave of lime ink. Dodge right, swim left, shoot back. Throw a splat bomb. Predict her dodge rolls.Sweat dripped on the side of the octoling's face, still attempting to put up a fight.Go backwards. Avoid her shots. More splashdowns.Turf around him was quickly being taken over by 3, completely overwhelmed with her aggressiveness. It was being taken over at a rate much faster than what 8 could recover.
"My ink tank is empty-!"
With a lack of red ink below him to swim in and recover, he was unable to get away from 3 briefly. With another full powered splashdown, Nagi came down once again. The ferocious special had knocked back the octoling, shattering the armor immediately, and making him hit a small platform. Nova's head banged hard against the wall.His head felt dizzy.His breaths were heavy.His heart raced.His sight was getting a little blurry.Red sparks danced in front of him.For a brief moment, everything sounded quiet.Choking on his words, the octoling was barely able to mutter, "N-Nagi...stop this-!"Slowly the inking stepped up to him, making sure that his surroundings didn't allow the octoling to escape swimming. Her piercing stare was strange to Nova. Those green piercing eyes seemed to look right through him, almost as if he was being looked down upon."Please stop-!" 8 pleaded, tears beginning to swell up in his eyes. "S-Snap out of it-!"Slowly, the inking lifted her Hero Shot."Nagi.."With a click, the ink was fired.~8 yelped.Rolling off the edge of the couch and landing face down on the living room floor, his heartbeat echoed within his body.Why did the dream play out like that? He was already aware as to how those series of events played out, so why was his mind messing with him?After taking a deep breath, Nova took in his surroundings, the sun shining through the living room windows which illuminated the majority of the apartment. Popping back into his octoling form, he shook his head with his hair swinging side to side. His eyelids still felt incredibly heavy, though it made sense from last night. Rubbing his face as to wake himself up more, 8's mind reminisced back to last night.Nagi's laugh. It echoed within his memory, making the octoling get the same flustered feeling he had been getting recently.However, after rubbing his eyes, he had felt as though they were tearing up. It could have been from the yawn he took, but this felt the same as when he had thanked Nagi after their incident with the Elite Octarian soldiers. Even the same as yesterday, seeing how much Nagi laughed alongside him. It was hard to imagine the dream he had turn out to be the real, which could possibly explain why he was so moved.The apartment fell silent, except for the creak he had heard behind them. Nova jumped a bit in surprise from the sudden noise, and whipped his head to spot what had caused it."Nightmare?" An all too familiar voice asked.There, Nagi sat at the kitchen table, staring at 8 curiously with widened eyes. It seemed as though she was concerned yet nervous, though Nagi attempting to hide it with her serious expression. From the looks of it, she had been on her phone scrolling for a bit, and was caught off guard by the octoling yelping and falling onto the floor."N-Nagi...H-Hey..." 8 tried to lighten the mood, though seemed to have caught himself in an embarrassing position. The inkling gave a light wave, not saying a word after. "Y-Yeah..It was a nightmare...""What about?"Nova scratched his head, wondering himself. He had just woken up, so why couldn't he remember his dream already? As he struggled to come up with the details, Nagi pointed to his eyes in a concerned manner, "You were tearing up..?""A-Anyways, I didn't think you'd be back so early!" The octoling added, quickly wanting to change the subject while simultaneously wiping his eyes with his arms.Glancing quickly between her phone and back at 8, Nagi shook her head."It's almost 5 P.M."Nova's eyes widened at the words. Had he really slept that much since last night? "I mean..that's almost a whole 24 hours!" He already knew that they stayed up late, but 8 was positive that he would've still woken up at reasonable time. Disappointed that his day was almost practically over, Nova still gave a light laugh in an attempt to cover up him falling off the couch."Have fun trying to sleep tonight," The inkling commented, turning off her phone and beginning to stand up. "Anyways, I better start getting ready.""That's right..the movie is today.." 8 thought to himself as he began to pick himself up from the floor. "I'll start getting ready as well."Nagi, who had already begun making way to her bedroom door, froze in her tracks. Slowly, her head turned, and their orange eyes met. Something felt off in the air, making the octoling nervous for whatever reason. With 3's silent raised eyebrow, it was clear that she was asking him why he was getting ready."I have a...d-date to get ready for," She cleared her throat, quickly steering her sight away from Nova. The clarification shocked him to say the least, I mean, a date?"W-With who..?" He asked curiously, also taking a couple steps towards their bedroom doors."..Draco. We're going to a nice restaurant. He's stopping by at 6 to pick me up."His eyes widened, and he subtly clenched his fist. If he remembered correctly, they had both agreed to hang out this Friday, so where did this come from out of nowhere? Would it be a bad idea to remind her now about the plans they had together? Though after closer inspection from the small amount of her face that he was able to see, Nova could spot a subtle hint of a smile as she gave her explanation. Even if she didn't show it in an obvious way, it was clear to 8 that 3 was looking forward to it. The octoling's heart raced, as did his eyes darting all over the place before sighing quietly.8 felt a little upset since the plans he had made with Nagi were dropped, with Nagi not mentioning it whatsoever herself. While he could technically remind her, Nova would feel bad for possibly making bringing her mood down, maybe even going as far as canceling her date. An unidentified feeling washed over Nova that made him feel uneasy, and tried to come up with something to say."I..I hope you two have fun," Nova grinned, though his eyes clearly gave away that the grin wasn't as genuine as it usually was."Thank you, Nova," 3's voiced reached his ears, before the shutting of her bedroom door did as well.~Nova had sat back down on the couch after eating a bit of food, his head now leaning over his interlocked hands."..Does she not remember that we made plans? Or did she choose to go with Draco instead...? How long have they been dating...? Is this their first date..?" Nova's eyes would widen, remembering last night, the moment where Nagi had laughed in front of him. His facial expression saddened as the feeling dwelling deep in his heart grew. He could picture the moment perfectly, down to every last detail. From her lime tentacles, to her sparkling orange eyes, her pretty face, the way her laugh sounded, the way she tried to muffle herself. How could he forget something like that after all? When they first met, 3 practically pointed her Hero Shot at him as if he were a threat with such seriousness. Now...they lived together, she talks with him a lot more, and they've grown closer to the point where Nagi was able to truly show how she felt around him.But then again, they haven't talked much since that night. Neither of them did, as the awkward tension in the air seemed to splat whatever chance there was at a normal conversation like the ones before.But what about the moment where she held his face and got close?Did that mean something? Or is he just over analyzing things..?He shook his head, "She...She probably only sees me as a friend right..?"His heart raced, as his face burned up imagining the inkling's hand cup his face once more.Nova was already aware that he was in love with Nagi, but what was the point now? Even if 8 shared what he felt towards the inkling, he'd get in the way of Nagi's and Draco's relationship. It was something that he had been wanting to avoid since he learned about 3's relationship history, even before that. Plus, Nagi even confirmed that 4 was jealous of him, especially since they lived together. What would come of that? Should he actually go through with his plan of moving somewhere else? Does he even have enough cash for something like that?As his eyes stared at the floor, with his mind running rampant with all of these emotions and thoughts, his vision began to blur. Nova couldn't just suffocate these strong feelings for her in an instant, it would take time. Her bashful smile, her laughter, the gentleness behind her actions, the blush on her face and ears kept flashing through his mind, emphasizing this feeling of love within the octoling. It would be impossible to suffocate these emotions, especially if they were living together."Relax Nova..." He whispered to himself. His hand gently wiped his own watery eyes as he attempting to ignore the loud thumping of his heart. "I can't be overthinking like this..""Hey, Nova? Are you okay?"8 jumped up, surprised to hear Nagi's voice suddenly. As a reddish tint began to form on 8's face, he locked eyes with her orange eyes. Though, his would begin to widen immediately after processing what he was seeing. It was as if the water in his eyes had evaporated immediately.A silence washed through the apartment. The temperature inside felt as though it was getting hotter. The octoling had begun to sweat nervously.3's face had begun to get nervous seeing the octoling staring at her. "D-Does it look bad..?"Agent 3 stood there, wearing a beautiful, decently long enchanted black robe with sparkles at the bottom of it, a pair of matching boots, and a white hairclip. The entire outfit emphasized her lime hair and orange eyes, as her natural colors are what stood out. It was something that you'd never see her in, something that she would put only for special occasions. Was this really the same inkling that had saved his life on multiple occasions? The same inkling that had the deadliest stare in the past? Nova couldn't believe his eyes. His heart thumped so loudly he couldn't hear his thoughts."Nagi...She looks so..." Nova desperately attempted to calm himself down to no avail. "...beautiful."It was in this moment that Nova realized it would be extremely difficult to NOT fall for her. And after some more reconsideration, he was positive that he didn't want to just smother the flame lit within him.However, instead of saying anything, the octoling could only shake his head no as his face flushed.~"Well, I'll be back soon Nova," Nagi waved timidly, taking a few awkward steps through the doorway. She felt oddly tense, and was unsure why to begin with. It was no big deal, it was just a dinner date at a nice restaurant. "It'll be nice," The inkling told herself. Nova nodded, and waved back in a less than enthusiastic way that he usually did.As the door shut behind her, and her keys jingled in her hand, Nagi's thoughts scurried on. Something was off with Agent 8, yet couldn't put her finger on it. Besides the brief conversation they just had, not much else had been said since the previous night, 8 had a look of what she only assumed was disappointment, yet had the same flushed expression throughout. The inkling had a pretty clear answer in the back of her mind that continuously lingered and popped up, yet she desperately tried to ignore it and reason against it. Though the inkling was still unsure as to what exactly was off the octoling in the moment they just had.Stepping through the door, the night was a lot colder than she anticipated. Nagi shivered briefly, before noticing that her breath turned into mist in the air. Way colder than she anticipated."Hey," A voice followed the tapping on her shoulder. A bit startled, the female inking turned to meet an inkling's blue eyes and slicked back hair. There, Draco stood in the Inkopolis night, wearing a shirt and tie, covered with a dark bomber jacket. Nagi noted the Kensa logo on the left sleeve. His smile was nothing but sweet and gentle, making Nagi a bit nervous. "Hey.." She responded, giving a gentle smile in response as well.The pair walked alongside each other under the Inkopolis lights once again, which were slowly starting to illuminate the sidewalk as the sky softened in color. They were both dressed for the occassion, and ultimately made them stand out when it came to crowds. A lot of inklings were still out at this point, many having their weapons, shooters, rollers, chargers, you name it. It wasn't completely surprising, after all, it was a Friday. Nonetheless, Nagi didn't give it much thought, and kept her sight forward."How far is it..?" Nagi questioned, turning her head to meet Draco's eyes. His eyes had met hers, and subtly began to take off his coat for her after noticing a light shiver. Mist filled the air with each passing breath the pair took. Agent 3 shook her head, adjusted her tentacle, and awaited a response. Now awkwardly holding his jacket, he shrugged, "Eh, not far to be honest. Just a little past Inkopolis Square."After accidentally bumping into another inkling and knocking down their blaster, Draco apologized, and continued walking with Nagi. Though the pair could hear the inkling mutter something subtly under his breath. She felt as though she wanted to smile, yet something lingered within her that prevented her from doing so. She couldn't identify it, but tried to set it aside to enjoy herself for the night.~The pair had made small talk, though a lot of it included things revolving around work. Draco would make a few jokes here and there to which Nagi would smile to, but not exactly giggle or laugh."Y'know, it's funny," Nagi started, looking up at the darkening sky past the several skyscrapers of the city. "Agent 1 had suggested that I got back in the dating game not too long before.""Really? When?" Draco raised an eyebrow, grinning at the comment, believing it instantly. It sounded like something Callie would do."The same day Nova and I came back from that one patrol, when I was injured?""Right, right," Draco remembered, holding his chin and shutting his eyes. Subtly, he inched his body a little closer to her side. Nagi failed to notice this, and continued anyways, "It was strange, especially with how out of nowhere it was. I bring it up because, just look at us now. We're going on a date."Draco admired the inkling walking by his side as she spoke. He realized that he had focused so much on what she said and her lips, that whatever background noise of inkling's chattering and horsing around were muted. Her orange eyes sparkled under the city lights, as she stared forward. Without a doubt, 4 genuinely found 3 beautiful. The soft expression of happiness resting on her face made his heart pace just a bit faster and with a bold move, reached out.Draco's hand wrapped around 3's.Nagi's eyes had widened feeling the sensation in her hand, and whipped her head down to it. "D-Draco??" As her lime tentacles whipped around frantically, the inkling's face flushed with a red tint. It was obvious to anyone with a pair of eyes that the inkling was embarrassed, yet she never attempted to pull her hand away. All she did was face away as the tips of her ears burned up.4 chuckled to himself, amused with the legendary 3's reaction, "I hope you don't mind this, I just figured that since we're going on a date-""It's fine," Nagi regained her composure quickly, the redness now fading away with each passing second.However, something strange was definitely happening to her.Why was the octoling flashing through her mind right now? Shouldn't she be thinking about Draco here?The Shoal, where both 3 and 8 had interacted with those two inklings. This, for whatever reason, reminded her of when she dragged 8 away by his hand.After the Octarian incident a couple days ago, she was carried around by Agent 8 in her squid form, cradled in his arms.Hell even last night flashed by, where she had gently held Nova's cheek as they laughed."Your face is burning up again, heh," 4 poked fun at Nagi once again, before looking up and down at her, analyzing her outfit. Though of course he was completely oblivious of the internal turmoil Nagi was going through, "You look beautiful in that robe by the way."It was so casual, yet Nagi...didn't react as much to it. What was going on?
"Nova didn't say anything about it..."
The sentence rested in the back of her mind once again.Why would she care about what 8 thought about what she wore? It shouldn't matter whether or not he said anything specifically, yet her head wanted to think about it no matter how much it was attempted to put aside. "How can I be thinking like this..?" Nagi pondered, beginning to feel frustrated with herself and frowning subconsciously. "I'm literally on a date with Draco, I should be enjoying this...Just earlier today I shrugged off this feeling and said that I was dating Draco happily. So why? Why am I switching up so fast?""Thank you," was all that was said, followed with a polite nod.Her hand hardly held his back.~Overall, the place that Draco had chosen proved to be really nice. Apparently it was located on one of the top floors of skyscraper, not far from Inkopolis Square. While it wasn't a rooftop restaurant exactly, it still gave whoever sat inside of it an incredible view into the city, even being able to see the Great Zapfish resting atop of Deca Tower. Inkopolis on its own looked beautiful at night with all of its lights, but getting to see the view from high above was a whole different experience. Inside, as the sky had gotten darker and darker, the overhead lights seem to dim slightly, as the lights on the tables illuminated the entirety of the restaurant more. It was then that Nagi had noted the decorative vines and plants found along the roof and walls of the restaurant, with different colored flowers visible in between. It was a visually appealing place, and with the place being filled with both music playing in the speakers hidden overhead and the overlapping conversations of the other inklings sitting down and eating, made the area much more lively."Everyone looks so tiny from up here, heh," Draco commented, eyeing outside the window and down at the inklings from above as he opened the menu. Focusing more on the inklings walking on ground level, you can see plenty of groups shopping in the stores around in the area. Plenty more exiting and entering Deca Tower with their weapons. "I'm glad they had this table available, it's the best view in the house!"Nagi agreed, subtly adjusted her hair, and opened up her menu as well, "I've only seen pictures of this place on Squidstagram online. I've never been here in person.""Do you like it?" Draco asked with a curious smile, slowly adjusting his hair as well after noticing that Nagi had as well. The nod she gave proved to be a satisfactory answer for the male inkling.As time went on, Draco couldn't help himself but consistently admire the inkling girl right in front of him. Agent 4 was 100 percent sure that he was in love with her, even after the time they had spent separated. Now, here they were, dressed up all nice in a place that seemed to set up a romantic mood as they ate. 4 had attempted to hold her hand across the table, with Nagi showing clearly she wasn't exactly ready for the physical contact, despite the fact that she let him hold her hand earlier. Nonetheless, Draco would chuckle to himself.It wasn't until a good 20-25 minutes in which they were able to obtain their food, the inkling waitress setting down their plates, a salad of Nagi's choosing and a pasta of Draco's. The inklings conversed as they admired the view, though 3 would get flustered feeling 4's eyes on her. The clinking of silverware filled the establishment as did the overlapping conversations. Though they seemed to get louder the more people that walked in. This of course, included both Nagi's and Draco's.They spoke, occasionally taking sips from the beverages of their choice. Both Agents actively reminisced about the past, moments that they had shared together that brought a smile to both of their faces. "I do remember that," Nagi giggled, thinking about the time where Draco had almost fallen off the edge of Octo Canyon in one their first shifts together. At the time, 4 was energetically going around and attempting to get female inkling's attention, who only stared back with a glare that sent a shiver down his back. After a slip up, Agent 4 had dropped his Hero Shot, and consequentially fell over the edge of Octo Canyon. His hands gripped tightly over the edge as 3 had walked over with a sigh and helped him up. At the time, Nagi wasn't amused by this as he had given his awkward chuckle. However, looking back at it now, she admitted that it made her laugh a bit. "You were practically yelling for my help."Draco let out a puff of air, still a little embarrassed of the memory, "C'mon now, you can't blame me for being scared of falling to my death." 4 continued to take a bite of his pasta, which still proved to be hot, as he desperately attempted to get a sip of his drink. Nagi watched silently as she took a sip of her strawberry lemonade, and witnessed him spilling it over himself.Seeing this sight, it reminded her of the other night. Of 8.Desperately attempting to hide her smirk behind the palm of her hand, Draco jokingly told her to stop making fun of him."I'm not making fun of you," Nagi corrected, still trying her hardest to hold back her smile. "It just reminded me of when Nova had a can of soda explode on him the other night. Here."Thanking her for the napkin, Draco attempted to process what she had said."It was really funny," Nagi giggled. Her eyes seemed to stare at the huge wet stain on his shirt, not showing any signs of acknowledgment to the male inkling. Nagi was currently in a different world, and her smile seemed to grow with each passing second thinking about the memory. Draco attempted to shake off the uncomfortable feeling within him, and with a nervous chuckle, pointed outside subtly with his fork, "Any idea if there's a special event today..?""Hm?""Look. There's a lot of people gathering by the theaters right now," Draco stuffed his mouth with pasta once more. Her orange eyes had met his blue ones, before she steered her sight out into the night. He was right. There were lots of inklings outside of the theater, which had open space in the front of it, filled up slightly by a couple of benches and small sections with trees. It was pretty much a much smaller square, though it looked packed, with more inklings on the way."I heard that there was new movie coming out today, something about a spy movie I believe..?" Nagi commented, following it with another bite of salad. "It seemed to attract a lot of attention, and Nova had-"The female inkling froze up completely, her eyes darting nervously at the plate in front of her. This rose concern within Draco, asking her continuously if she was okay. However, on Agent 3's side, every outside sound seemed to muffle. The conversations within the restaurant from all the inklings, the clinking of forks and spoons, the outside music and noises, even Draco's voice seemed to be muted as her mind ran through its thoughts."You've got to be kidding me.." Nagi whispered under her breath, feeling a cold sweat suddenly hit her. What should she do? Was it already too late to realize?"Hey, Nagi," Draco gently shook her hand. Once he managed to get the inkling's attention, with a concerned look, 4 asked, "Are you okay?"Agent 3 could only stare silently, a worried expression slowly developing on her face as her breaths quickened. With a soft shake, she shook her head no."I...I completely forgot something important," Nagi stated, slowly starting to stand up from their dinner table. She felt like a complete jerk doing this, but no matter what side Nagi picks here, she felt as though either party would end up being hurt. "I..I had made plans with Nova prior. I completely forgot until now.""Nova huh..." Draco could feel his jealousy grow with each mention of his name. However, 4 did attempt to suffocate this feeling. "W-Wait what do you mean? Were you guys going to the movie..?"The inkling girl nodded determinedly , her lime hair jumping lightly alongside the nod. Upon closer inspection, Draco could notice her pupils trembling."I'm sorry, Draco. I swear I'll make this up to you."That would be Nagi's last words on the date before she began making her way out of the restaurant, and out of the building. Everything happened so fast, Draco was hardly able to process it. So there he remained, watching as Nagi made her way out of the restaurant. The suddenness had caught the attention of those drinking and dining there, to which they promptly resumed their activities once Agent 3 had made it out.With a sigh, he placed down his fork and called for the waiter to receive his check. 4 could only stare outside at the Inkopolis lights as he waited, and was barely able to catch the inkling running out of the building they were in, and towards the direction of the theater.Whatever music and voices he heard in the background muffled as the male inkling remained in his unwavering trance.
"It was going so well too..."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The whole sight might've looked crazy. Imagine just having a good time with your friends in Inkopolis Square, only to see an inkling girl, dressed up with a determined yet concerned look in her eyes, burst through the front entrance of one of Inkopolis' skyscrapers. It had caught the eyes of many inklings, and Nagi could feel her face warm up sensing it all."Whoa, where is she off to?""Hey, check out those scars on her hair..""Her robe is pretty."The voices were loud enough within the groups of inklings for Nagi to make out the comments. However, she tried her best to not think of it too much.
"No wonder he seemed off when I was going out...but why didn't he say something if he knew?"
Eagerly, she excused herself as she squeezed in between people. As she made her way to the theater, with the faint music from Off the Hook echoing within the streets of Inkopolis, Nagi had suddenly stopped in the middle of a sidewalk.Was this okay in the first place? She did just left Draco behind suddenly with the bill to search for Nova. But at the same time, she had already agreed to the plans Nova had suggested previously. 3 felt the need to apologize, to both the inkling and octoling, however, she prioritized 8 first. Nagi never canceled on plans with anyone unless she had something else going on. 3 rarely forgot too, so how did she let this slip by? Was she that flustered at Draco's request that it slipped her mind? Or was she just too tired from her shifts at the Squidbeak Splatoon to remember throughout the week?Nagi sighed, gently shaking her head as if to clear her mind. "Just find Nova for now, I already committed to this.." The inkling whispered to herself as other inklings walked around her on the sidewalk. 3 got a couple stares from a few inklings, all curious as to why this girl was only standing there looking into the distance.
"I wonder where he is..?"
Though her heart thumped loudly as she sprinted in the direction of the theater, she was able to keep up the pace as a result of her experience in the Squidbeak Splatoon. It isn't to say that the injury of her leg from that one battle against the octolings didn't leave its mark. It gave her a strange, almost muffled pain, as if it was hidden in the background. It didn't hurt enough to the point where Nagi felt as if she had to stop, but it still bothered her slightly, especially right now of all times.Upon arriving to her first destination, the inkling's shoulders would rise and fall with each respective breath, glancing around rapidly in hopes of spotting the octoling in the crowd. She disliked crowds for the simple matter of the lack of open space, as well as the possibility of physical contact (shoulders bumping, occasionally arm/hand grazing, etc). Even just the noise itself was enough to dislike them. There were a lot of inklings everywhere, almost every bench spot was taken up, and there was very little room to squeeze in between the groups. Nagi figured it would be faster to just turn into a squid and go between people's feet, but after figuring that she could get stepped on and that it'd be slower since there was no ink, she went against the idea.Nothing in particular seemed to run through her mind at this moment. Nagi's only focus was to find the octoling. After failing to spot him in the huge line that led outside the front entrance of the theaters, she was however, able to spot someone familiar. Parker.The purple haired inkling stood in line, not particularly talking to anyone as he was surrounded by conversations. Hesitant to approach him, 3 did so anyways in hopes that he had knowledge of 8's whereabouts."Oh what's up? Nagi right?" Parker would strike up conversation first upon making eye contact with Agent 3. How did he even know her name? 3 had never mentioned it to Parker, since they've never really interacted since the day he had met 8. Whatever, she didn't have time to worry about it.Nagi nodded in response as she approached him, "Yeah, Parker right? It's been awhile."She did remember his name from the time Parker introduced himself."A long time," He chuckled, moving slightly with the line. The male inkling was able to see the nervousness in her orange eyes, unsure as to why exactly. "You here for the movie? You can cut me if you'd like, looks like the wait is gonna be long time anyways. Better get ahead right now while you can.""N-No, it's fine," she shook her head, even glancing around rapidly. Her lime tentacles whipped around. The hair clip shifted a little bit in position."Everything okay..?" Parker asked, a little concerned over the inkling's behavior. She was clearly sweating, and based on her heavy breathing, it was easy to note that 3 had been running. Did she just finish a Turf War or Ranked Battle? No, she was too dressed up for something like that. Nagi didn't even have a shooter or roller on her or something.Regardless, he had also noted how much more expressive Nagi was now. The way her eyes darted around, how her body leaned side to side only to be followed by her standing on her tiptoes to look overhead. Remembering when he had first met the pair, she was so serious compared to Nova's personality. It was much easier now to tell what the inkling was feeling now, which was concern over 8."About that..." Her voice was a little louder than usual, simply because of the huge amount of noise filling the small square. "..Have you seen Nova by any chance..?"The question caught Parker off guard, unsure if that implied that he was here. His eyes darted around the small square, scanning each individual to the best of his ability in hopes of spotting the octoling. 3 did so as well again, regaining her breath. It was much harder with the darkened sky, with only the illumination of the city lights to help."I'm sorry... I haven't seen him. We don't have any means of contact, so we usually meet up by chance.""Right.." Nagi whispered to herself.Parker chuckled, "I told him to consider getting a phone, but he had mentioned he was trying to save up cash for his own place as well."Nagi's eyes widened in surprise despite the fact that she stared out into the groups of inklings. His own place..? What..? Since when? He hasn't mentioned anything to her about that matter whatsoever. Sure, 8 had brought up concern over the matter when he thought Nagi was dating 4, but wait. Wouldn't that mean he would be considering it more now? 8 is already aware that her and Draco are dating currently because she brought it up, and 4 is definitely the jealous type, which 8 is aware of, so maybe..."W-Wait, what do you mean 'his own place'?" She scrunched her fingers into quotes, making eye contact with Parker. Her mind was in denial"H-He...hasn't told you about that...?" Parker questioned, just as surprised as she was. "I figured he would've shared that with you."Nagi breaths seemed to get heavier processing the information, unsure as to what to think. Her head felt dizzy, yet she continued to glance around in hopes that she'd spot Nova. However, inside the both of them, they just knew he wasn't here.No way he was actually considering it. ...right?"I shouldn't be so worked up over this.." Nagi reasoned in her mind, attempting to ignore the loud beating of her heart. Yet she felt her face and ears warm up the more she thought of it. "...Just relax, Nagi."As her hands clenched tightly into her hands, she said, "Sorry Parker, but I really have to find him.""R-Right go ahead, if I see him, I'll let him know that you're looking for him.""Thank you."Once again, the inkling began racing down the Inkopolis streets, avoiding bumping into other inklings.As Parked watched from the distance, he whispered to himself, "Damn it Nova, where are you? Your girl is looking for you, heh.."Though he had no idea that Nagi was officially dating Draco.Nagi's first assumption was that Nova would go to the movie anyways, but after not finding him there, the other place she could think of was simply home. 3's apartment was on the other side of the Square from where she was, meaning it was a slightly longer walk. She was running, so it would technically be a shorter amount of time.It isn't to say that her emotions were getting the inkling worked up. From remembering Nova's laughter on their little snack run, how he was smiling when he invited her to said movie, to completely abandoning Draco on the meal he took the time to reserve and set up for them. Nagi felt completely heartless, and it felt as though every action she had taken up to now had been wrong. Was their even a correct way to handle all of this? Maybe there was, and she just wasn't thinking logically.Her keys jingled as she stumbled to find the right one, the little green squid swinging around as Nagi did so. In the end, it didn't take as long as she thought to reach her apartment. However, if Nova was actually here, what would she even say? Up to now, 3 had been driven to find 8, but never even planned or thought about what she would say to him.
"I wonder...is he upset with me..?"
The door creaked as it swung open.Nagi stood there, silently examining the area. Her breaths were heavy once again, as her shoulder rose and fell. Did Nova organize the place too? It seemed much more tidier and organized than it was when she had left, from the cushions to the disappearance of the snacks from the table (she would confirm that they were, in fact, put away in the snack cupboard)."Nova?" 3 called out into the apartment, her throat tightening up. She felt nervous, unsure as to what expect in return from calling out to him. Visibly, there was no sign of the octoling in the open, and with the bathroom door opened, it could only mean that he was in his room.Adjusting her robe and pin slightly, she made her way to 8's door. She eyed it, the dark brown of the old wooden door and the dwindling shine from the doorknob. 3 hesitated on knocking or even saying anything as her hand rose. Nagi wanted to knock, but what would she say?
"Now or never...You didn't run across Inkopolis for nothing..."
The inkling's face would burn up upon the sound of the knocking echoing in the empty apartment. There was no sound or response from the room.Nagi knocked again. Still no response."Nova.." 3 choked up, wincing a little bit at her words. "I..I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you hanging like this..."After a couple more seconds of silence lingering in the air, Nagi shook her head and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. If 8 was here, she was almost positive that he would've responded in some way, shape or form. Nova wouldn't just leave someone apologizing just to not say anything, she was sure of it. Her breath was shaky, and yet decided to push her ear up against the door in hopes of hearing something anyways.Once no sound seemed to rebound, the inkling had a feeling of hopelessness.Not only did she initially just abandon the plans she had confirmed with Nova to go on a date, but she had also abandoned the date as well. 8's cheery smile seemed to haunt her, as his half hearted one before she left continued to flash by.
"He must've felt hurt.."
It was here where she reflected her relationship with the octoling.From where they first interacted, where she had pointed her Hero Shot towards him initially.To the little moments they had from shopping to eating to the Turf War matches they played together.The coffee runs they always have. How Nova remembers her order.The countless movies they've watched at home.The struggles they've been through socially, and through combat.The convenience store, where they both shared a laugh.Nagi could picture the octoling's bright and genuine smile with ease.
"T-Thank you, Nagi."
Nova's voice echoed from the moment after they had their encounter with the octolings.Though her eyes saddened thinking about it all, her mouth seemed to want to smile regardless. However, that is where it had hit her. She wasn't sure if it would actually be in this exact spot Nagi was thinking of, especially since they had hardly gone there since the first time. However, something in her gut urged her to check there, and trusting her instincts, the inkling ultimately decided to make her way there.The place where she finally acknowledged their friendship, where she told Nova her name.~The stars sparkled brightly in the night sky, as if glitter was spilt all over the dark canvas. A full moon seemed to have emerged as well, painting the surface with a beautiful tint of moonlight.The streets were still filled with plenty of inklings, though a huge number of them had gone to watch that spy movie 3 and 8 were supposed to see. However, as Nagi approached the park, sprinting mind you, there seemed to be less and less inklings she came in contact with, which was reasonable enough. It could be dangerous going by oneself to a park at night after all.Nagi's breaths were heavy still, hesitant to approach the spot she knew all too well. When she had first shown Nova the place, Nagi had mentioned how after a long day she would go to this spot in order to relax after a long day. But what about now? If he was there, how would things turn out? Would he forgive her?Agent 3 stepped into the forest bit of the park once again, a branch snapping underneath one of her boots. It made 3 jump nervously, especially with the combination of the darkness and the rustling of branches around her. Her hands would lightly graze the trunks as she carefully took each individual step, overthinking each one. Nagi felt as though she was all over the place tonight, unsure as to how to feel or think about anything. 3 almost wanted to pull her tentacles off from the subtle frustration she felt.Right before her remained the bushes one needed to get past in order to get to the spot she had shown 8. Nagi's chest would expand with each breath, unsure as to whether or not go through with this, but...she did make a mistake.3 had no reason to be nervous whatsoever, after all, they're just friends right..?Subtly, and as quietly as possible, Nagi spread the bushes apart to squeeze through, in hopes that it wouldn't tangle and rip her robe.There, the same view remained. The small, hidden spot surrounded by the trees, bushes and grass, overlooking the sparkling lake under the moonlight. The spot gave whoever crossed upon it the perfect view of a centered moon over the lake, however, from Nagi's point of view, it was obstructed.The moonlight outlining his back from the front, Nova was seen sitting on the grass."There you are.." Nagi whispered under her breath. A combined feeling of relief yet worry washed over her seeing him, who seemed to be hugging his legs and resting his head on his knees.For a moment, neither of them said a word. Neither even knew how to acknowledge the other.3 stood there silently, in hopes that she would just disappear for a brief moment, without making a single noise."I know you're there Nagi," His tone was a little deep, but 8 hadn't even turned around to meet her eyes."You heard me...?" She attempted to lighten the mood a bit with some playful banter, though the tension remained in the air."That first branch was loud under your boot, heh.." 8's voice trailed off.Nagi's face reddened slightly."I...I've been looking for you."Slowly, with some space between the two, Nagi had also taken a seat.She too would end up hugging her legs.The pair's eyes admired the night sky in silence.Uncertainty remained in the air.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
A gentle breeze swept through, rustling the bushes and trees around them. Leaves would end up falling as well, slowly gliding alongside the wind currents. It was enough to lightly make the pair's tentacles flap. The grass underneath them seemed to be a little cold to the touch as a result of the temperature outside, which Nagi found refreshing, especially after running around out of worry in search of Nova.No words were exchanged in the moment, which made the tension all the more uncomfortable. Both 3 and 8 were just sitting in silence, unsure how to approach the current situation. What should be said first? What should they do? Nagi's heart began racing, and unbeknownst to her, Nova's would be too.Her hands clutched together over her knees, and slowly peered over to Nova. His head was slightly turned in the opposite direction of her, hiding the majority of his face even in the moonlight. It raised concern within the inkling."N-Nova, are you upset with me...?"Her tone was gentle. 3's voice seemed to have a soothing effect to it, making Nova's tense body relax a bit. "A little bit.." 8 whispered, still facing away from 3. He wanted to turn around to meet Nagi's orange eyes again, but couldn't, no matter how much he wanted to. Nova's heart was already thumping loudly, but didn't know if he should acknowledge the things he wanted to. Why did he feel so nervous right now? Nagi is his closest friend, they've been living together for awhile now, so why was it so difficult to talk right now?Was he upset over their plans falling through?Or is there another reason?Could it be he was just jealous of the fact that Nagi was going out with Draco?Nagi's laughter resonated within his mind again.Is it because he had no idea how to deal with these types of emotions?Nova couldn't remember a time before where he felt intense envy towards someone, but couldn't remember a time he had fallen for someone before. So how was he supposed to know how to deal with these conflicting feelings, besides talking about them. However, while he trusted Parker with these types of things, something inside him made 8 gravitate towards 3 with these feelings instead. Nova preferred to hear what she had to say about it instead, but knew that it would be awkward as his feelings for the inkling would be released from the box he kept them in for her to see.Nova knew that he loved her. He just couldn't stand the thought of getting in the way of their relationship despite his feelings."I'm sorry..." Nagi whispered, her orange eyes staring mindlessly into the glistening lake. "I'm sorry I overrode our plans, I swear it wasn't intentional."Nagi's head whipped around alongside her lime tentacles, hoping to meet 8's eyes. She truly felt sorry for the whole situation she had caused as a result of forgetting the initial request. So much so, she literally abandoned the date she had gone on to find him."Can my eyes stop..?" Nagi thought to herself, wiping whatever tears that seemed to want to form.Nova did not turn around to look at the inkling. 8 felt bad hearing her apology with a sympathetic feeling welling up inside him, and based on her shaky voice, Nova knew she truly meant it. But deep down, he also knew that technically she shouldn't need to apologize."It's okay, you don't have to apologize," 8 responded gently. To 3, there didn't seem to be a hint of anger or resentment of any sort, which she was happy to note."But I..I didn't even acknowledge it, I just went through with this date..."Nagi's orange eyes would continue staring at the grass, remembering the moment where he had asked about seeing the film. As her mind went on, the memory unfolded more and more, from his chuckle to her asking if they worked that Friday, to her excessive yawning and eyes closing. "Let's go," Her words had repeated inside her head, answering Nova's request at the time."No, I'm not blaming you," Nova half smiled. "You were half asleep when I asked, and were already exhausted on top of being injured from fighting earlier. I...I didn't mention it again after that anyways. So it's really on me if anything. I am sorry.""But if you knew...Why didn't you mention it before I left?" Nagi whipped around to face him. His face was still hidden, but 3 continued anyways, "You know I would've canceled to go with you, especially since we made the plans prior and I agreed to them."Nova sighed, shaking his head, "That's why I didn't mention it. I didn't want to make you cancel your plans or make you worry. P-Plus, you looked excited to go, who was I to stop you? I'd rather you be happy.."3's ears would droop a little, still feeling sorry. "So he didn't say anything so I wouldn't feel like I had to make a choice...he just didn't want me to worry.." Noticing that Nova clutched his legs closer giving an awkward chuckle, burying his face in between his knees, Nagi stared back out at the lake. It continued to glisten under the moonlight and stars, and despite the chilly winds sweeping through every now and then, her face felt warm. A faint red tint forming around her cheeks. Unsure as to what to say next, Nova had suddenly asked, "How did your date go by the way..? What'd you guys do?"3 did remember letting him know what they were going to do prior to leaving, but maybe 8 forgot too. Nagi shook her head, knowing that he wouldn't turn to look at her even is she spoke. Had 3 really upset 8 so much so that he wouldn't do so?"We went to eat at a restaurant, and well, we ate..." The second part of her sentence sounding a bit redundant. "As for how it went, we never made it to the end of it."The last part seemed to catch the octoling's attention, making him lift his head up. Though, of course, his face would still face a certain angle where Nagi couldn't see."Wait, what do you mean you never made it to the end of it..?"Embarrassed, Nagi steered her sight away from 8."...I remembered our plans too late. I..I left in the middle of it to find you.."8, who's orange eyes had also been staring at the night sky, only widened with Nagi's words. She left to look for him..? 8 was flattered yet, he felt as though Nagi shouldn't have done that, it didn't sit right with him."I would've been fine you know," 8 sighed. "You should've stayed with Draco until it was over, what will he think now?""H-Huh..?" Nagi, confused, raised an eyebrow at the octoling. Of course he wouldn't see this, but she did so anyways."I'm just worried," He explained himself. "You left in the middle of a date with 4 to go find me, and you even mentioned before that he gets jealous of me, so what do you think he's thinking of this right now..?"Nagi's eyes would zip to the left and right, processing 8's thought process. He wasn't entirely wrong, and Nagi was already aware it technically wasn't right to leave all of a sudden, but what she had done to Nova wasn't fair either."I'm sure he'll understand," Nagi reassured 8. "I was more worried about you.""But it's not just that," 8's voice seemed to crack a little. "I..I really don't want to cause any problems, or even be the problem between you two."Nagi's heart thumped loudly. Problem? Him? No, he wouldn't be. He hasn't been, at least up to now.
"I just thought that if you were, it'd be weird for me to stay. I mean, it just hit me right now so I..."
8 had been mentioning this every since he had found out Nagi had history within a relationship. And now that she was, would it mean that he's considering it more through this conversation? Parker even mentioned 8 wanting to save up cash for his own place, and the same overthinking that had happened then, happened now.On Nova's side, it was a struggle to determine what he was even feeling. The octoling was already aware his heart belonged to Nagi, but he couldn't do anything about it since she and 4 had started dating again. They've known each other for much longer anyways, before 8 even stepped into the scenario. A dark cloud of uncertainty seemed to wash over the octoling as he rambled on to himself. Despite the fact that Nova already knew he was in love with her, that he didn't like how she started dating someone else, Nova didn't wish anything bad on either of them. 8 wished 3 nothing but happiness, and Draco himself didn't seem like a bad person. The rare interactions he's had with him, which made all the more sense once 8 found out they were together again, and his underlying attitude and tone was only him being defensive over the person he cared about most: 3.8 knew this was reasonable, after all he would be the same. Sure, it sounded like 4 could be a little excessive and unreasonable at times , but still.Who knew feelings could be so complicated?Upon arriving to the surface, Nova wasn't sure what to expect. He didn't expect to face people against his existence, or even developing feelings for an inkling. If he had remained in the Octarian Army, it would be unheard of for an octoling to fall in love with an inkling, and because of how strict everything is from the propaganda practically fed to them 24/7 that inklings were the enemy, would have most likely resulted in Nova being splatted there. However, in an odd sense, 8 was happy that he went through the struggles of the Deepsea Metro in order to even get the chance to feel these things. Nonetheless, these feelings were complicated for the octoling to process with certainty."Nova, you wouldn't be a problem," Nagi stated without hesitation.With a sigh, the inkling had broken the quick silence after a silence with a giggle. Though this one was out of disbelief more than anything."..This is the first time we've had a dispute huh..?"Nova's eyes widened at the statement. He immediately knew the answer to the question, but had also reasoned that this wasn't a dispute, and more of a misunderstanding. Agent 8 had already forgiven the inkling genuinely, and whatever upset feeling he had felt before was already fading away."I don't consider this a dispute," His fingers scrunching up at the word 'dispute'. "But well...it's funny that you mention that, cause we technically have had one before...""Huh..?" Nagi, surprised once again by his statement, turned to actually face 8. "What do you mean..?""It was in the Deepsea Metro, after you had saved me and the Captain from that blender," Nova explained. "Your mind seemed to have been hijacked over by that crazy telephone after I had been told to go ahead.""I..don't remember that at all," Nagi whispered underneath her breath, attempting to rack up some sort of memory of the event, but failing to do so anyways."You were out cold after the fight," Nova explained. "I wouldn't be surprised if you couldn't remember something like that afterwards. I had a dream recently about it, and I jumped awake from it."As Nova recalled the memory, his mind had also begun to replay the fight from the dream he had mentioned, despite the fact that he had forgotten the moment 8 had woken up."..How did it end?""I think you were about to splat me," 8 let out a puff of air out of disbelief. "It's why I fell off the couch that morni- well, afternoon."His tone didn't sound upset about it, or even worried, which surprised Nagi. You would think something like that would make someone feel worrisome."Well..did I win..?" 3 attempted to lighten the mood once silence smacked the pair again. Nagi shook her head, realizing how she probably shouldn't have said something like that in playful manner at a time like this. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-""No, it's okay," 8 chuckled to himself. "If you had won, I wouldn't be here right now, now would I?"Nagi's head had nervously turned to face him, and much to her surprise, Nova's orange eyes would face back to him. Without even realizing that her face felt tense, the inkling's face seemed to soften as they both gave each other a light grin. With a puff of air, a light tint of pink seemed to appear on her cheeks as did 8's, made further more visible with the moonlight."I suppose you're right then," 3 smiled.To 8, it felt as if though a bit of weight had been lifted off of his shoulders, even if he wasn't able to actual say everything he felt in his octoling heart. Nonetheless, Agent 8 was happy that they were able to resolve this and were able to talk again. Even if there was an odd silence between them at times after their moment at the convenience store. Hearing Nagi's giggle alone seemed to make Nova's heart race.But..why was her smile fading?Why were her eyes widening in shock upon examining his face more?
"Damn it! I turned around and forgot about-!"
With a developing frown, Nagi's hand reached out to his shoulder. Though the octoling had quickly diverting his stare away from the lime haired inkling, and had begun hiding his face once again, praying that Nagi hadn't actually seen it (though it was too late at this point).With a shaky voice, Nagi's question would resonate within the 8's head.
"Nova...what happened to your eye? Why is it bruised up...?"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
For a second, Nova had felt as though he wanted to disappear. After trying so desperately to hide it, why did he just reveal it like it was nothing? To be fair, he had lost himself in the moment, and had faced the inkling without even realizing it.Her giggle, her soft grin, her sparkling orange eyes under the moonlight, her beautiful lime tentacles, the cute hairclip, her fancy robe...Nagi looked as beautiful as ever. How could he not turn to look at her? How could he not fall for the inkling more? Hell, she even ran across Inkopolis in order to find him just because she was worried. Could you really blame him for turning around to look at her? This wasn't something that you could see everyday. Maybe that's why he had forgotten about his eye there."Nova, what happened?" Her stern yet gentle voice reaching his ears, which felt as if they were burning up. The inkling had scooted closer to 8, feeling the blades of grass underneath her, in hopes of being able to take a good look at his eye. From the brief moment that her mind was able to process it, it looked as if it had shades of light purple surrounding his eye socket. Nagi's head seemed to be in denial, hoping that she hadn't seen it correctly, and began to actively ask Nova.Though the octoling had remained silent as he tried to come up with something to say in response."I-It was just a small accident," Nova let out a puff of air in order to paint it in a better light. "There's nothing to worry about-"Suddenly, the octoling had found himself reliving the night Nagi had laughed.Her soft hands had once again reached over, and whipped the octoling's head around to face her. His tentacle seemed to whip around as well, as his eyes widened with the sudden action.3's hands were as surprisingly soft as the time she had held his from the time they went to the Shoal, and the time where she had gently held his face as she wiped the cola off of him. It wasn't to say that Nova could hear the thumping of his heart echo loudly within his chest, and almost immediately felt his face rise rapidly in temperature. Despite the cool sensation of the grass on his hands and lower body where he sat feeling refreshing, all of a sudden it felt as if it was noon on a hot day. Nova had been missing this feeling since the last time she had done this, and came to realize that he actually loved it when Nagi did these things. Only emphasized all the more with the contradiction of her avoiding physical contact if possible and the seriousness behind her eyes.On the contrary from the snack run they had that night, instead of a laughing and smiling inkling, Nagi had found herself examining Nova's expression with concern."Nova, what happened?" She asked once more, cupping the octoling's face as she nudged his head side to side. 3's heart was racing, worried over the octoling's state and thinking about what could've possibly happened in the moments that she was eating with Draco. "Did someone do this to you?"The octoling lifted his hand, and held the outside of hers, making Nagi's eyes widened."I-I'm okay," 8 chuckled brightly, still blushing. "I only was walking by someone with a roller over their shoulder, and well, they whipped around suddenly and hit me in the eye. I-It was an accident though! You don't have to worry."Noting that his eyes seemed to sadden a bit with the ending of his statement, as well as his right bruised eye wincing a bit,With a determined frown, Nagi simply stated, "Don't lie to me."A strong wind had suddenly swept by, blowing the pair's tentacles into the sky. The both of them would attempt to cover their face and adjust their hair once more as Nova attempted to come up with something to say. Currently, Nagi seemed to be very intuitive. The chuckle and grin didn't seem to change her unwavering expression either."..You knew I was lying..?""No I didn't," A brief smile managed to crack through, but quickly disappeared. "But it got you to admit it, so now tell me the truth."Nagi immediately knew that 8 was lying to her, but played it off as just a hunch, knowing well that he'd enjoy the lighthearted comment. Nova sighed, amused just like how Nagi expected, by Nagi's tactics, and how quickly she managed to smother her brief smile. His eye felt as though it throbbed in pain briefly, making 8 lightly flinch. For a second, Nagi had reacted a bit, swiftly shifting a little closer to the octoling out of concern.
~ Earlier... ~
The octoling let out a rough sigh, his entire body slumped over the couch once again despite the fact that he had only woken up not long ago. The tv blared a show 8 had shown little interest in, some sort of sitcom involving a pair of inklings moving to a new city. The sky outside was already beginning to shift into a bright orange with very few clouds hovering over the city, illuminating the dark, yet chilly, apartment.Nonetheless, Nova couldn't help but continue to picture Nagi in her mind. She looked beautiful in that black robe and her hair clip and boots. 8 had never seen her so dressed up like that for anything, and was only limited to seeing her in either her Hero Suit or her casual clothing she wore around the house (usually consisting of an oversized, yet comfy, shirt). He still thought that the inkling looked pretty in the other outfits regardless, the things love do to someone, but this time it seriously felt like the octoling had fallen down another flight of stairs harder for the inkling.The same feeling of dread kept washing over the octoling, as his mind raced overthinking the whole situation. Uncertainty lingered in the air, unsure as to what the octoling should do, especially now knowing that 3 had gotten back together with 4. 8 still didn't want to be an issue between the two, especially after seeing how defensive Draco got when they first met within Nagi's apartment, and if they're together again, then it isn't a good idea to stay. Plus, he still believed that he was only meant to stay until he got back up on his feet, and with the money he earned from both the Splatoon as well as his matches, 8 was nearly there.What if he was burdening her..?Perhaps he was actually relying too much on her...After all, she's saved him countless times (except the time she had tried to splat him that one time her mind was taken over, though that wasn't her so it doesn't count).But Nagi had never said anything about it from what he could remember.His mind had already had these thoughts before, just like the time he explained to Parker that he was saving up cash for his own place. It's just that they were only reinforced by the fact that 3 and 4 were together again."No, don't be too irrational..." He whispered to himself, shutting his eyes in hopes of fading into his dreams once again.Once again, the octoling only told himself to relax and to just wait.After realizing that no matter how hard he tried, whether in octoling or octopus form, 8 couldn't sleep again in hopes of making time fly by faster, he stood up, made sure to bathe (he'd been sleeping for a long time after all in the same clothing), and changed into something comfortable. Your typical hoodie, sweats and sneakers. He debated for a minute to do a couple matches of Turf War or Ranked, eyeing the weapons and boxes in the corner of the living room that Nagi had yet to organize, but went against it last minute, leaving his Octoshot behind, and ultimately decided to just take a walk around Inkopolis.Walking down the same path he always walked down with Nagi, passing the few small businesses and apartments along the way, he noticed that there was more inklings per usual along the Inkopolis streets, who some still gave their questionable stares, and that it was much colder than he had anticipated. As his breaths let out its mist, the octoling cupped his hands to his face and attempted to breathe out some hot air to warm up.Passing by the same convinience store of that night, he stopped for a minute, peaking into the empty store through the window. The only inkling there was the cashier, who scrolled on their phone with no worries. Nova steered his sight away, not far from the entrance of said store, and almost as if having an out of body experience, he saw himself and Nagi interacting from the time they got their snacks. Everything played out just as he remembered, from the shaking of the soda after the small talk that they had, to when it actually exploded, followed by Nagi's laughter. There, the memory seemed to linger as he confirmed once again what he felt towards 3, and two began laughing together. Lastly, she approached him, her body lightly pressing up against his, and her gentle hands on his face.Nova shook his head, which might've looked weird from any outside perspective, and continued to move forwards. Chattering surrounded the octoling as he made his way to the Square, even though he had no set destination. His hands were cold, despite his shoving them in either his hoodie or sweats pockets, and continuously tried to warm them up. "My jacket would've probably been better," 8 reasoned in his head, taking a look around. "Did Nagi seriously go out in that outfit with this cold..?"As the stares continued as he approached the Square, a feeling of loneliness had welled up within. Even though he was surrounded by inklings, with the sound of the hustling and bustling of the city filling the air, the octoling continued to feel oddly alone. Even Parker's questioned repeated in his head, "Do you by chance feel alone here?"He glanced around, a friend group of inklings just horsing around next to him as he walked by laughed. They were shoving each other playfully, two inklings, one boy one girl, seemingly bashing each other from their performances from a Turf War. The other 2 inklings continuously instigated the conflict, though Nova knew they were all just messing around, as they were all laughing."You could've just splatted them and I don't know, maybe have my back?" She teased, flicking one of the guys tentacles with her finger, lightly adjusting the roller over her shoulder."You can't rely on me to get every single inkling out there in battle," The male inkling chucked, slinging his charger over his shoulder. "You gotta fend for yourself sometimes, y'know? Cause to me it, it just sounds like a skill issue."The other two male inklings laughed at the comment, while she socked the charger user's arm lightly."Shut up," she giggled, setting one of her tentacles behind her ear. "I got the most splats that match anyways."The pair were very lightly blushing as they teased, even for Nova, who was an outsider of this group, could tell the two liked each other. This would come to fruition as one of them spoke:"Ugh, can you two just get a room at this point?"Both inklings, now suddenly blushing furiously and ears burning red, whipped their heads around to the other two inklkings."Shut up!" They shouted in unison.Nova laughed a bit to himself hearing the whole thing go down, but as the group walked past, the lonely sensation took into effect once more. He didn't have a group of friends, and seemed almost completely unattainable at this rate, the only inklings he was truly close to were Nagi, Parker, and well, the Squid Sisters plus Off the Hook, which that alone actually sounded pretty cool since they were all idols. But Nova knew that, even though this fact was one of the causes of this feeling, it was also the fact that Nagi had begun pursuing a relationship with someone that truly emphasized this feeling.If it wasn't clear yet, the octoling seemed to have a hard time balancing what he should feel. He was almost in denial about it, but also accepting of the matter. But then again, this was the first person that he had genuinely built a bond with, someone that had actively helped him out with everything. Someone 8 loved.After another minute or so of walking, Nova found himself in the Square. Of course, as per usual, there were lots of inklings outside, enjoying their Friday evenings, all wearing their warm clothing to combat the rather cold night. He stepped around, not particularly focusing on anything, before passing the Shoal. There, another group seemed to be huddled around another inkling, who seemed to be dancing a pretty difficult song and getting cheered on. With a heavy breath, Nova steered his sight to the Shoal sign, the intertwining green squid arrows illuminating brightly within the Inkopolis evening.Nova then caught himself reminiscing about that whole situation from the one time he had gone with Nagi to the Shoal. Remembering how that one inkling had stated that he shouldn't even be here, Nova's eyes saddened a bit upon realizing that it'd be difficult to ever fit in here in Inkopolis amongst all the inklings. It was clear that those who noticed that he wasn't an inkling, were clearly not very accepting of him in any way, well, besides Parker and the entirety of the Splatoon."Well, I for one think you should be grateful," 8 whispered to himself. "Inkopolis would've been wiped out if it wasn't for our contributions to the fight against Tartar."
"Just so you know, he's just like anyone else here."
Nagi's words echoed within his head. The city noises seemed to muffle at the same time, and once again, Nova appreciated the words. Though his facial muscles felt stiff from the cold, Nova had cracked a smile, still being able to picture Nagi say those words back then. He remembered her upset face on his behalf, and could still feel her hand hold his. A blush crept onto 8's face, staring down at his stiff hand, and slowly scrunched it up into a fist.
"Maybe..I should've held her hand then.."
~Sitting down at a nearby bench, the octoling wasn't doing much. He wasn't talking, walking, or even shopping/battling. 8 only sat, observing his surroundings, before noticing the large amount of inklings that were heading in a certain direction. Upon a quick glance past the buildings, it was obvious that many of these inklings were heading to watch the movie Nagi and Nova were originally meant to watch."I wonder how many are actually going to get to see it..?" 8 questioned himself, before considering going to the film on his own. Shaking his head no, he decided to just wait until the time came that he'd be able to watch it. "I'll go, but just out of curiosity to see how long the lines are...I won't actually watch it without her.."The octoling silently pushed through the cold, his hands getting tense as he lost feeling in them. His breaths had continued to produce a cloudy mist with every exhale.Standing by the small square, where he can clearly see the line already extending outside of the main theater entrance, 8 sighed. "Even if we did go..I don't think we would've gotten the chance to go in."Nagi's little tired smile flashed through his mind, picturing the moment where she had accepted his suggestion. Butterflies in his stomach developed within him just thinking about 3.Unknowingly walking past the theater and the little square in front of it, 8 had begun making his way through a much quieter street, only noting the 3 inklings walking ahead of him. However, 8 must've sped up his walking, or they had stopped without realizing, as he bumped his head into the middle inkling as he was lost in his thoughts."S-Sorry.." He apologized immediately, receiving an awfully intense glare from the middle inkling, as if Nova had just disrespected him and his ancestors. The guy's other two friends, who were laughing just a couple seconds ago, had fading smiles staring at 8. The middle inkling, who had his purple hair slicked back with yellow eyes, sneered at his companions before meeting Nova's orange eyes once again."Of course man, no problem," He chuckled, Nova sensing a hint of aggression behind his tone. The octoling took a step back, gave a nod, and attempting to walk past the three of them.The one standing to slicked back, yellow eyes's right, pressed his hand hard against his chest, telling Nova to stop in his tracks."Just hold one second," He grinned, and flicked Nova's tentacle. "You're new here aren't you..?"8 sweat nervously, unsure as to whether or not it'd be wise to answer them truthfully. The one that just spoke had lime hair in a topknot, before the one on slicked back's left, an inkling with mush-cut, chuckled."He's that octoling everyone's talking about," He commented, grinning as if it was the funniest thing. "I thought it was just a myth.."Nova was starting to get an unwelcoming feeling radiating from all three of them, and desperately tried to get away. Even if they were smiling and chuckling, his sense just screamed danger within 8."Yeah, this hairstyle is kinda odd.." Topknot laughed, sneering at 8 while flicking his hair. "I just thought it was some poor kid just trying to stick out."Nova's face flushed. They had begun to open up in a circle, blocking the path ahead to head towards Nagi's apartment. Nova did not want to resort to fighting, but didn't want to turn back around. "It'd be a pain to go around completely again just to head home...If these three get out of my way, I can get there faster.."Slicked back stuck his palms out, signaling the other two to stop, "Guys, guys, take it easy on the guy. What's your name man? How long you been here..?"His pointer finger dug into his chest. Even though it sounded as though slicked back was trying to sound polite, it was getting increasingly obvious that that wasn't the case here. Nova's breath got heavier, thinking of the different outcomes that could result depending on what he decides to do."N-Nova. I've been here for a like two months...""Two months eh? How does your kind feel about the surface?""..it's nice." Nova muttered, no smile or anything. Despite his conflicting feelings earlier, he very much preferred this life over the Octarian army any day of the week. "..My kind..?""Make sure you don't try to take over the surface again!" The mush-cut inkling teased, sticking his tongue out before laughing along topknot."I'm sure he's itching to just take this over right now!" Topknot added, getting a small chuckle out of slicked back.Nova frowned at the three of them. He wasn't thinking of that at all, thoughts like those had never crossed his mind. Was that their interpretation of octolings? How was that fair to him? He fought hard in the Deepsea Metro to obtain this life. Plus, if it wasn't for the Squidbeak Splatoon and 8 himself, Inkopolis would've been wiped out by Tartar."W-Whoa he's getting mad guys!" Slicked back called out, pretending to be intimidated. "Watch out! He might splat us!"They laughed, Nova did not."..I'm not going to do that." 8 shook his head, trying to push past them and just head home. However, it seemed as though this small group had other plans. 8 stepped forward, but was suddenly stopped by slicked back, who seemed to be the ringleader of the group the longer this interaction progressed."Whoa there, not so fast my friend," The inkling sneered, feeling 8's heartbeat begin to race. The street was oddly empty, despite the large number of inklings Nova had seen earlier by the theater and even before that. Another cold wind swept through in between the buildings and alleyways, sending a shiver down Nova's back. Even so, the lights overhead shone over the group."..Let me go," Nova gripped the inkling's wrist, and took it off his chest. He still felt the strong emotions from earlier, from his love for Nagi, to the living situation, the feeling that maybe he was over relying on her. However this also began to well up a feeling of injustice within the octoling, as the remarks being made here were...not the kindest things to say the least."You're not going anywhere. Not yet at least," his yellow eyes glanced at his other two friends, a grin continuing to put his hand up against the octoling's chest. "..I'm not even gonna lie to you man, seeing you here pisses me off, but I can't quite put my finger on it..."8's eyes widened, his mouth beginning to dry up."W-Well, if you let me go, it wouldn't be an issue anymore right? We both get what we want...""Why are you here?" Yellow eyes glared at him, his hand beginning the grip the collar of his hoodie, slightly pulling at the drawstring.The question was a bit sudden, and Nova's fight or flight would begin right about now. He could feel the thumping of his heart get louder, as the inkling's grip on his shirt tightened, clearly not letting him go. What should he do? If he fought, which wouldn't be much of an issue if he kept his training from his past in mind, but their already twisted views on octoling's would be backed up with an act of aggression from him. He'd only be heading right into their trap. His best bet was to play this as calmly and passively as to not agitate them anymore, even if it seemed like they were worked up for seemingly no reason. His presence alone had that effect on them.Going back to the question, Nova already knew why he was here. It was the biggest chance of his life to break free from the control of the Octarian Army and its horrible state of living within it. It was an even bigger chance to be able to get the opportunity to head to the surface. Nova was aware how lucky he was to get said chances, which seemed ultimately impossible at the time of the Deepsea Metro challenges. Here, he can experience so many things that normally wouldn't be common within his previous life. From Turf Wars and Ranked Matches, to places with good foods, music, games, a bright and beautiful city and.......Nagi.A small sparkle seemed to light up within his orange eyes, but it quickly went away upon the realization that she was currently on a date with someone who was her ex."..I just..want to live a nice life here..." 8 murmured, his throat choking up a bit. His right hand gripped the inkling's wrist, attempting to shove them off. "..just like all of you."For a second, it seemed as though slicked back's eyes widened at Nova's words, and quickly glanced back at the other two inklings, who stared back intensely. With a scoff, slicked back shook his head, "After what you guys did in the past? You really think you deserve it?""E-Even so...it doesn't have anything to do with me! That was in the past!"What happened next, came completely out of nowhere. It was so sudden, Nova still had his body on the floor with widened eyes out of shock. His eye stung, yet felt numb at the same time. It seemed as though his surroundings muffled as the shock settled in. 8's heart raced rapidly, thumping loudly up against his chest once more. Shakily, his hand covered the eye hit, and stared up slicked back.A disgusted glare stared back, and with a scoff, he put his fist away. Walking away, the inklings followed behind him.Nova's eyes watered slightly, trying to calm himself down. He could've fought back, however, Nova didn't want to fall into their stereotypes, but it still ended up in violence anyways. It was clear that they only saw him as a joke, even 8 was being honest about his wants here in Inkopolis.As he sat on the border of the sidewalk, the sound of chattering inklings echoed in his mind and his eyes steered up to the starry night. His sight was only temporarily blocked with his misty breaths.~"And well...that's what happened.." Nova shrugged, lightly smiling. "I wanted a private spot, but didn't want to go home yet. I remembered about one of my first days here where you showed me this spot, where you came to relax."Nagi stared, no change in expression. No change in position. But it was clear her breaths were starting to get heavy."You weren't wrong," 8 chuckled. "This is a really nice spot."The octoling stared down at the grass below them, Nagi's eyes staring intensely at him in silence. Their breaths were somewhat synchronized, the little of clouds of mist going into the air before disappearing. His ears never caught a response from Nagi, and was starting to worry as to whether or not he should've told her. Her body wasn't far from his, and while both her hands curled into fists onto her lap, Nagi's head fell. Her lime tentacles seemed to make it hard to make out her expression, and Nova curiously stared.His hand had reached out in concern, before taken aback by her words."I'm sorry...Nova..."But was that sniffle he heard?The octoling's jaw tightened. He had the confidence earlier to talk, but now he was at a loss of words. Did 8 make 3 cry? Surely not right?"..I...I should've been there with you...just like how I said then...""...Nagi..You already apologized...I told you it was okay-""If I was there with you...maybe I could've done something to help...maybe that wouldn't have happened at all!"Nagi had rapidly lifted her head up, and her face was completely visible to 8.Nova's heart raced. His face reddened, but his expression was washed over with worry and concern as he processed what he was witnessing.Her orange eyes were sparkly under the moonlight, but it was clear that it was only being reflect more because of the water welling up under her eyes.A tear slowly streamed down her cheek.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"N-Nagi, please don't cry..."The inkling sniffled softly, and although she felt embarrassed shedding tears in front of 8, 3 couldn't exactly help it at this point. 3 had apologized already enough, with 8 forgiving her each time that it was okay. Ironically enough, 8 was comforting Nagi more than she was to him, and Nova was the actual victim here.On Nova's side, seeing the tear flow down her face with an expression of concern within her orange eyes, made him choke up a little. He didn't know what to do right now, a hand on her shoulder? A hug? No, that would be weird wouldn't it? 8's jaw tightened as his mind scrambled to come up with something to help her. Words alone could work, but he felt as though something different would work better.Instead of a hand on her shoulder or embracing the inkling like he initially thought of, his hand nervously held the side of her face, and with his thumb, wiped the underside of her orange eyes gently. To his surprise, Nagi didn't say anything nor did she try to swipe his hand away to avoid physical contact. Her eye winced as he wiped her tears away. A small blush crept onto the inkling."...I'm sorry if I worried you. I didn't mean to upset you like this by telling you that." 8 apologized.Nagi's eyes widened as they stared into Nova's, who smiled softly and reassuringly at her. Agent 3 shook her head, adjusting her balance on top of the rather chilly grass."I...I was and I am worried. But I just...I just think if I had gone with you, none of this would have happened, maybe I could've been there to stop those who hurt you." She stopped for a second, as Nova had taken his hand away from her cheek. Her eyes stared at his injury, though Nova tried to subtly block it. Adjusting her tentacle behind her ear, Nagi started once again, "H-How did that whole thing even make you feel..?"Nova's eyes widened at the sudden question, and his gentle smile slowly disappeared. For Nagi, if she ever had to face something like Nova did, she'd feel frustrated, angry, upset. Nova showed little to no signs of this, so could he be hiding what he felt? Nagi wanted to know. She never understood why inklings always seemed to be staring and talking about 8 behind his back, and had always continued with the mindset that 8 was just like anyone else here in Inkopolis. Did Nova still believe that? Or did that change?Nova stared into her pupils. His heart raced, but it was clear to the both of them that Nova was hesitant on speaking his mind, even more so about his heart. There were a lot of things on his mind as of now, so much so that he felt as though he'd contradict anything he's thought of in the past or things he had already stated that he felt."Y-Y'know you can tell me anything, right...?" Nagi's face reddened a bit, staring down at the scars on her tentacle, reminiscing about the time Nova had said the same thing when the topic came up. 3 knew that she trusted him, but Nagi wanted him to know that he can do the same too. "Just like how you told me the time we talked about my scars."Nova's face flushed a bit, hearing his own words repeated back from her lips."..Of course I trust you, it's just...I don't know, it feels like I'm feeling too many things at the same time.."Nagi looked back up from her tentacle, and inched a little closer to the octoling. It was obvious to 8 that she really wanted to know what he felt about it all. Taking a deep breath, Nagi attempted to build up confidence within herself. Slowly, her hand rested on top of his, as her ears began to burn up. Nova's would end up doing the same, and would glance rapidly back at their hands and up at 3's eyes."You told me then that you could relate to me," With her free hand, she lifted her other tentacle, the hair clip slightly shifting and putting the scar clearly in moonlight. Nova's throat tightened with every passing moment, remembering what they talked about as clear as day, and everything he had told her then. "..I know my story wasn't as bad as what you had just experienced, but we both experienced that same feeling, no..?"Nova shook his head yes."Your words then...and all this time," Nagi trailed off occasionally mid sentence, attempting to connect her thoughts in a coherent way. "They've all made me feel better about things, and about myself. You've given me a lot more confidence since I've met you, and I can see the changes within me..""You can..?"I don't think I've ever shed tears like that until now, or smile as much as I do now, or even speak as much as I am right now."Nova's expression softened, the smallest smile developing at the corner of his lips."I want to help you too Nova. Just like how you do with me, even you didn't even realize it. I'm always here to listen when you need me to."The pair lock eyes, the both of them breathing heavy under the dark, starry night. Despite the winds that swept through occasionally, and the fact that their breaths turned into mist in this cold, the two felt oddly warm in the presence of the other.Hearing Nova take a deep breath and exhaling, Nagi slowly took her hand off of his. It wasn't to Nova's liking that she did so, but he continued anyways. The octoling shrugged, and almost wanted to just turn into his octopus form in hopes that he'd hide away."...I felt a little alone. But I don't know if that sounds selfish just because you went on a date with Draco, I mean we always hang out anyways," 8 attempted to clarify, though it was clear he was still trying to come up with a good way to explain it all. "I feel as though I shouldn't have gotten upset that you went with him, after all, we could always just hang out some other time no..?"Nagi nervously nodded in silence, staring at the octoling as he spoke. "..I can see what you mean. So you felt alone because I went with Draco...?""Is he jealous...?" Nagi questioned in her head immediately after, watching Nova's face burn up a bit with the question."N-No! Well technically, yeah, but not in a weird way!" 8 exclaimed, clearly embarrassed. His heart was racing, and it was getting difficult maintaining eye contact with 3 as her beautiful orange eyes stared back. "I was looking forward to the movie and watching it with you is all, p-plus, it's not just that...""Then..what else is there to it..?" Nagi questioned, her face lightly tilting out of curiosity.With a heavy sigh, Nova stared up at the moon, reflecting off his eyes. "...I don't think I'll ever fit in. Even though it's been a couple of months, I'm still getting plenty of stares from inklings everywhere. Some even acted upon their judgement, and now I have this bruised eye. There's no one else like me...an octoling I mean. So maybe it explains why I get worried over what others think of me... Plus the only people that are close to me is you..."Realizing how that sounded, Nova immediately jumped, "..and Parker! And those in the Squidbeak Splatoon.."Nagi's eyes widened at his words, another blush creeping onto her cheeks as her ears burned a light red. Her heart skipped a bit, yet she shook her head once 8 had clarified what he meant. Nova himself can remember explaining something similar to Parker as well."And from the sound of it, it sounds like those octolings who participated in the Great Turf War then left a stigma on the current octolings. I'm very disliked, even if I try to act passive and avoid problems...It's why I didn't fight back when they were shoving me around. I would've just fallen into the category that octolings are viewed as."Hearing these words, Nagi could feel her expression sadden, and she too looked up at the sky with 8. Oddly enough, even she felt bad admitting it, Nagi could see both sides of it all."I..I was something like that too. I always just saw octolings as a threat because well...they were always a threat to me every since I worked in the Squidbeak Splatoon," With an embarrassed sigh, 3 questioned 8. "Do you remember our first interaction..?"A soft smile cracked onto his face, which was illuminated by the bright moonlight. 3 caught herself staring at 8, admiring the way his tentacle swayed in the wind, the way his orange eyes sparkled under the night, and ultimately turned away in hopes of stopping her heart from racing."You looked so peaceful when you were passed out before, I had no idea you'd be so fierce and serious with me once we actually talked.." 8 chuckled, which the sound alone almost made Agent 3 crack a smile. "You thought I was threat then, even if I technically helped before.""I'm sorry, about that time" 3 apologized. "It's just that after fighting against them for so long...I wasn't used to an octoling that was just trying to be nice. But to be fair, I tried to be nice back after realizing you meant no harm. You...you changed my whole perspective on octolings as a whole."Her mind reminisced back to the octoling who kept asking if the surface was real, moments before being splatted by 4. To this day, it lingered a bit on the back of her mind, alongside the words that Nova had told her. The words that explained how they didn't know any better under their brainwashed state, and how he believed that they deserved to live a regular life as much as Nova was able to.Nova smiled softly, unsure how to respond, and had looked back over at 3."Don't worry, it's okay. I don't hold anything against you. You were probably more of threat to me if anything."Nagi whipped her head around, her lime tentacles also swinging around in surprise. Her eyes stared into his, almost as if asking "What do you mean?" without actually saying anything."Remember when I told you a couple minutes ago that you almost splatted me when your mind was taken over? You also pointed your Hero Shot at me when I wouldn't put my Octoshot down.."8 was trying to hold back a teasing smile as he poked Nagi's shoulder. Nagi's eyes repeatedly darted from his finger to his facial expression, and smiled, understanding that he wasn't serious."Yeah? Well to be fair, I don't remember the me being brainwashed bit, and you said it was okay if I didn't remember. The other thing was paranoia."Her hand playfully shoved 8, tipping him over a bit and messing with his balance. 3 giggled softly as 8 chuckled. Though before he could mention anything, 3's face slowly faded back into a serious expression."In all seriousness Nova, I am genuinely sorry that you have to go through all this. I don't think it's fair to you at all. Like you said, you've gone through challenge after challenge trying to make it to this life, only to be discriminated by those around you. From our incident at the Shoal and even before, to now, where you got hurt as a result of this same reason..."Nagi's voice trailed off, before an idea popped in her head. It would be incredibly risky, but if what Nova mentioned to Agent 1 and 2 before was true..maybe it could work. Agent 3 would have to confirm with both 1 and 2 to see if it would be possible to go through with the plan.Nova fell silent, his face warming up with a smile. It felt nice, the way Nagi had been worrying over him but also listening to what he had to say. Would she still listened if...?Nova could begin to feel a nervous sweat build up. His heart raced faster than before from the thought of what he wanted to say. His mind could only fall in love with Nagi more throughout this conversation, and there was so much more he wanted to say to the inkling next to him, but there was no way he could. At least not for the time being."I still think you're just like anyone else here..." Nagi looked away.Nova's eyes widened, remembering the first time 3 had uttered the words to him when they went to get coffee together. How could he forget such words..? They had given him the reassurance he needed in the past, but this time, he couldn't remember Nagi's words, possibly from the lonely feeling overpowering his thoughts before and the shock of the sudden punch."..."Don't worry about the others.."" Nova quoted her back.Blushing, Nagi turned back around to look at him, and with a scoff, asked him, "..you remember that still..?""Of course," Nova shrugged it off. "Those words of yours meant a lot to me. They always help me not linger on the staring or the things said about me.""I'm glad..." 3 smiled up at the sky. Her heart had still been racing this entire time, and 3 had continued setting the thoughts in back of her mind aside, not wanting to acknowledge them for reasons for the time being. Eventually, she'll share these thoughts with Nova, but who knows how long it'll be until then."I feel..really lucky we met." Nova blurted out suddenly, immediately wincing at his words from embarrassment. Though it did hurt since he squinted his bruised eye. The same smile 3 had when looking up at the sky, only widened, before letting out a puff of air seeing how embarrassed Nova was for blurting it out.Seeing the puff of air, turn into a giggle, and then into a temporary laugh, caught the octoling completely off guard. This time, he could only stare as Nagi laughed brightly at his embarrassed expression. This sight...it seemed even better than the first time. How was that even possible...? Maybe it was the way that she was dressed beautifully in her black robe, the hair clip, her boots., or just her expression overall, the blushing on her cheeks as 3 smiled brightly, with the tips of ears also having a shade of red.The ambiance of the beautiful night sky, with the rustilng of the trees and vegetation around them only added to the moment. Nagi was still close to 8, and hearing her brief laughter at a close distance sounded like music to his ears. Even better than the first time he had heard the Calamari Inkantation...The last time this happened, Nova had finally admitted to himself that he was in love with 3.8's breaths would get shaky, as his hands lightly covered his eye.Nova knew he loved her. He loved every moment, including now, that they spent with each other. He loved how beautiful the lime haired inkling was. How her smile and laughter was the best thing he could experience. 8 wanted nothing but happiness for her, and felt bad for making Nagi worry and tear up to begin with, making her go around Inkopolis in search of him. His heart ached for her. How he wished Nagi knew the feelings he felt for her....But, she's in a relationship with 4. There was no way he'd disrespect their relationship like that. Plus in the off chance that 8 did tell her what he felt for her, would the inkling even consider the idea..? After all, 3 had already faced her share of shaming as a result of her battle scars on her tentacles. 8 did too for just being an octoling. Imagine if they were together..? It would cause more trouble for her...And what if she didn't feel the same way? Wouldn't it just make things weird anyways?...Should he just risk it all..?"I shouldn't...but I want to tell her...!" Nova eyed the inkling, who rubbed her eye gently after taking control of her breathing again."Huh..? Is something wrong Nova..?" Nagi asked, her orange eyes shining beautifully as the moonlight reflected off of her lime colored hair. Combine this with her cute smile, and the slight blush on her face ON TOP OF what she was wearing, it was lethal to say the least."Nagi..I wanted to tell you that I-!"Unfortunately, before Nova was even able to actually start his sentence, Nagi's phone would ultimately ring loudly. The octoling could feel his heart racing, the thumping of his heart in his head. What were the odds of that happening..? Is this a sign...?"S-Sorry Nova for interrupting you.....Draco is calling."Her smile softened a bit from the wide one she had before.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Hey Draco, what's up?"Nagi picked up the phone, as Nova, in a defeated expression, sighed and turned around. Hopefully she didn't catch what he was trying to say. Due to how close the inkling was to him having the conversation with Agent 4, he could make out a lot of what they were saying.
"Is everything okay? Did you find Nova..?"
"Yeah, I found him. Everything's okay."
"...That's good."
There was definitely a hint of jealousy within his voice."Listen," Nagi's voice softened, though the reddening of her face slowly disappeared. "I'm sorry for bailing on our date all of a sudden."
"Don't worry, I understand you had made plans prior to me asking you."
Nova, glanced back up at the moon, and with a wince from his bruised eye, gave a small yawn. Internally, Nova smacked himself in the head. Moments ago he had just told himself that he wouldn't get in between 3 and 4, only to almost confess what he felt towards the inkling immediately after. Maybe it was a good thing that 4 suddenly called, almost as if acting as a wake up call for Nova, bringing him back into reality.Once again, he heard Draco's voice.
"If you'd like maybe we can reschedule for something different next week..? Maybe you can come over or something."
A face of uncertainty washed over Nagi's expression, and she subtly glanced at Nova and back out at the glimmering lake. "S-Sure," 3 visibly nodded, even though 4 himself wouldn't have been able to see it through the call. Nagi's face wouldn't redden or show any signs of excitement about the rescheduling, which Nova found odd considering 4 was her boyfriend. However, 8 truly didn't know what 3 was feeling exactly or thinking, so he wouldn't jump to conclusions.
"Alright, sounds like a plan! We'll talk later..?"
"..Yeah."
"Ok then, I'll see you later Nagi. Text me when you get home safe."
"Will do," Nagi's expression remained unchanged. She pulled the phone away from her ear for a second, examining the phone screen that automatically turned on. 8 would catch a glimpse of it, and would notice that the male inkling's name on her phone was..not even his name. It was just a plain "4". Both the inkling and octoling jumped once they heard Draco's voice again calling for her."Y-Yeah? Sorry I didn't hear you calling out to me."There was a sound of deep breath on the other side of the call.
"...I love you."
Nagi's eyes widened at the words, as 8's heart felt as though it sunk a bit more within his chest. A heavy sensation rested on his shoulders hearing what 4 had told 3. Nagi's response would make it feel as though his heart sank even lower, not expecting at all to hear something like that come out of her mouth."I..do too," 3 responded hesitantly, before the call ended. With a sigh, and a slight adjusting of her tentacle behind her ear, Nagi racked her mind as to what exactly she was feeling about..everything. Earlier in her date with Draco, he had held her hand, yet 3 didn't feel a single skip in her heart, or seemed to be touched by the action. Sure, she felt embarrassment from it, and even then 3 was able to suffocate the feeling quickly.In that moment too, she recalled, Nova had flashed through her mind. Even after Draco had complemented her robe did she think about Nova.Though the thought itself embarrassed her and caused 3 to blush lightly, a soft smile crept onto her face. However, to Nova, it seemed as though she was happy the way her conversation with Draco ended. Quickly, Nagi shook her head, as if to ignore her thoughts for awhile longer and turned to look at 8."We should head home before it gets any later," Her orange eyes briefly met Nova's before she turned her head to look at the time on her home screen. "We should put some ice onto your eye so it can help you speed up the healing process."Nova was a little upset within but definitely made sure to not make it visible this time as it wasn't a problem concerning Nagi. He looked back up, smiled, and nodded, "Sounds good."Even if it was silent between the two, and both of their breaths continued to create a mist, Nova couldn't help but sneak some glances at Nagi. Her sight was forward, ignoring her surroundings completely, yet Nova continued to admire the inkling's beauty. Even though Nagi was in a relationship with 4, 8's heart continued to race for her. Slowly, his hand held the injured eye, and looked up at the city lights. His breaths were heavy, and with each step, the octoling simply grew more and more exhausted."Nova, I'm sorry that we didn't get to watch the movie together," Nagi started."Nagi," 8 chuckled, getting knocked out of his own thoughts. "I already said it was okay."The inkling shook her head no, her lime tentacles swinging a bit with the motion of her head, "I know you did, but if you'd like, we can make some popcorn at home and watch a movie just me and you."Nova's face reddened, not only just because of what Nagi suggested, but the way she phrased it too. The inkling caught on, clearing her throat and turning away from 8 as they walked, "..Like in comparison to a full theater.""...Right."~Stepping into the dark apartment, Nagi flicked on the lights, and tossed her keys once again onto the kitchen table. Nova, unsure as to what to do with himself, was motioned towards Nagi with her hand as she approached the fridge. Opening the freezer itself, 3 had slowly placed an ice pack into his palm with a smile, "Here, just press this up to your eye. It should help the stinging and bruising. I'll start making the popcorn."Nova, already starting to move on from the conflicting feelings he'd been dealing with earlier, started to enjoy the moment."I'll see if I can find something.."Pressing the ice pack up against his injured eye, controller in the opposite hand, 8 searched for something on cable. Once he failed to find something interesting there, 8 had moved towards a streaming service in hopes of finding something. The apartment was quiet, except for the humming of the microwave and the popping of the kernels, as well as the brief talking sounding from the tv between each switch of channel/show. Besides that, 3 and 8 hadn't exchanged any words until Nagi had walked over with the bowl of popcorn. A quick glance of the bowl with the only eye Nova had available, showed that they were warm, and perfectly yellow from the butter. With her other hand, Nagi had pulled the living room table closer to the couch that Nova sat on, and interestingly enough, plopped herself down next to him.3 hummed to herself what 8 could just barely make out as a Squid Sister's song, before popping a piece of popcorn into her mouth."Someone's in a good mood," Nova chuckled, adjusting the tentacle atop of his head. However, he was unsure if it was because of what Draco had said or something else. Nonetheless, Nova noted that in comparison to the night that Nagi had laughed in front of him for the first time, the same night Nova had confirmed his feelings for her, she sat on the opposite side of the room in silence. Even before that, they would still sit on opposite sides, so for her to just end up sitting next to Nova like this was a surprise. "..Won't say who though."Nagi perked up, amused from Nova's comment before nodding herself, "I am. We fixed things between us, and well, we're talking normally again.."Remembering that they had that weird tension the same night he had previously recalled, and for some reason, had trouble talking with each other since, 8 nodded in agreement."What was that about..?" Nova questioned out loud, steering his sight on choosing a movie. "It was kinda out of nowhere...Plus we never experienced something like that."Nagi had also stared at the tv, and noticed their faint reflections on the black screen. Popping another piece of popcorn into her mouth and motioning Nova to the bowl, to which he said in a bit, 3 shrugged."I don't know..." Nagi responded, staring down at her hands. "Well...I think I was just embarrassed a bit from that night..I don't remember the last time I laughed like that with someone."Nova's eyes widened, and glanced over at 3. Her eyes continued to stare deeply into her hands, almost as if examining each crevice and digit carefully. The way she blushed was just as adorable as ever."R-Really?""Y-Yeah," She attempted to bounce back from her embarrassment by flicking his tentacle playfully. "You looked funny having a can of soda explode on you after all."Nova felt his face warm up, and with a slight shake in his head, turned back to the tv. Giving a soft chuckle, Nova commented, "..Maybe I should explode more cans on my face more often.""It'd be a waste of soda if you did that," Nagi audibly giggled next to him, and although Nova's eyes remained locked on the television in hopes of finding something, a smile rested on his lips. The inkling playfully shoved 8's arm immediately after commenting, "Your reasoning was a little dumb, I'm not gonna lie to you Nova."Noticing that his ears were burning up, Nagi giggled a bit more."L-Like I said! I just thought that maybe they weren't filled completely," Nova responded rather passionately on the topic. "..So I shook it to determine the amount of soda in it. Sue me."His tone wasn't harsh in any sense, and much to Nagi's interpretation, it sounded as though he was just holding back his laugh too. 8 was only playing along with 3."Let's watch that one," Nagi tapped his shoulder after the selection rested atop of a certain show. "It seems as though you can't pick.""Well, I was gonna pick that one anyways.""Really now?""Y-Yeah."Both the inkling and octoling remained in the living room together, talking about work and whatever else came to mind. Half the time the two weren't even paying attention to the thing they had selected. Nova was so caught up in Nagi's words that all he could do was look into her beautiful orange eyes as she talked, stuffing his mouth occasionally with a bunch of popcorn. The other free hand continued to hold the ice pack up against his eye."And well I- Hey!" Nagi called out halfway through her story, watching Nova get a handful of popcorn and shoving it down his mouth. With a developing smile, 3 pulled the bowl a little closer to herself, "You're not gonna leave any for me at this rate.""Sorry, but they're good." The octoling explained himself, reaching for another handful, not even finishing chewing what he already had in his mouth.Though, Nova had gotten chills running down his back alongside his body tensing up immediately. Glancing up to meet Nagi's expression, her eyes darted him in a serious manner. It seemed as if though he was pierced with her glare alone. The serious expression that Nova remembered from the first time they met at the Cuttlefish Cabin flashed through his mind, and just as quickly, pulled his hand back."S-Sorry."Nagi's expression softened quickly, and a giggle slipped out."I'm playing with you," She shook her head, her lime tentacles also swinging around briefly. Nudging the bowl towards him again, she said, "I can always make more anyways."Nova nodded along, and watched as she stood up to prepare another bag. His eyes examined her from head to toe, as she was still wearing the outfit she had on earlier in the afternoon. The robe swayed almost majestically, and her boots made a slightly louder noise making contact with the floor. In Nova's mind, he couldn't get enough from how pretty 3 looked alongside her hairpin, which, while a little out of place, still looked amazing. 8 had been wanting to say something about it since he saw it, but the embarrassment had gotten to him each time."..You weren't cold in that Nagi? I was freezing and I had my hoodie and sweats." Nova questioned, quickly glancing away as to not be caught staring at her. 3 turned her head back, "Hm? Yeah I was actually, but I endured it."Nova's jaw tightened hearing her response, and continued to face the movie playing. They had both lost sight of the film, the only thing 3 and 8 knew about it was that it was in fact, an action series. But what exactly was going on in the story and in between the characters? No idea. 8's heart thumped loudly within his chest, unsure as to whether or not go through with what he wanted to say."..Well..uh..I-It looked amazing on you regardless..."Nagi perked up from in front of the microwave, and rapidly turned her head to look over at Nova, who still sat on the couch pressing the ice pack on his eye. From the distance, Nagi could spot the red tint burning up on 8's ears. Nagi's heart thumped a little faster, and a warm sensation seemed to spawn on her face."..T-Thank you," Nagi let a stutter slip out by accident. Nova didn't have the guts to turn to face her, but 3 was visibly flattered by his compliment regardless.It was immediately after that Nova once again remembered 3's relationship with 4. The same conflicting feelings still played their role.Nagi walked over, still a little quiet after Nova's compliment. A quick side eye from the octoling confirmed that she was in fact blushing lightly, staring at the center table with her orange eyes. He had no idea what 3 could be thinking, and although she still had a subtle smile that she was holding back, Nova could still see a glimpse of her serious side."Nova..?" Nagi began questioning again, steering her sight from the center table to her lap. Her hands slowly turned into fist. "..What were you going to say earlier?"His eyes widened."You were going to say something before Draco called," 3 explained herself, adjusting her lime tentacle and hair clip. "What were you going to say..?'Nova's heart thumped loudly. He very much knew what he wanted to say then, but it just wasn't the right thing to do, at least in his mind. 8 knew that he loved the inkling, a lot more than he initially thought, especially after everything she had done for him. However, Nagi was in a relationship, emphasis on the fact that it's with someone she has had more history with. Draco calling in that exact moment only highlighted this manner. 8 shouldn't say it, instead, he should just wait and see what goes on from there. At the same time, Nova just couldn't bring himself to get rid of these feelings."...It was nothing." Nova smiled, yet 3 saw right through it."Tell me the truth. We just went through this," Nagi half giggled. "You were practically gonna exclaim it right there.""...""How did you say it..?" Nagi tapped her chin, attempting to recall the octoling's exact words. "Oh I got it. 'Nagi...I wanted to tell you that I-!' And then I interrupted you."Nova blushed at the further recreation of his voice, which made Nagi smile, clearly humoring him. 8 didn't respond, and despite being a little embarrassed, he let out a soft chuckle."Believe me, Nagi. It wasn't anything important," Nova grinned again, responding as he scratched his cheek shyly. "..I don't even know where I was gonna go with all of that anyways."8 knew he wasn't telling the truth there. He knew what he wanted to say right there and then, in fact, it almost seemed dumb to not say it in a moment like that. His moral compass had failed right there and then, reinforcing the idea that he shouldn't."..Alright," Nagi smiled reassuringly, getting the hint that the octoling didn't want to tell. "I won't pressure you anymore to tell me if you don't want to."Nova's jaw tightened. To 3, there was an obvious face that showed that 8 was having his internal conflicts, and instead fixed her lime tentacle once again as she faced the tv."Let's just relax for now, I'm sure we're tired after a day like this.""..I slept for almost the entire day." Nova laughed."Right. Well, I'm tired after running around trying to find you."Her finger poked his cheek playfully. 8's eyes met hers, and a gentle smile rested on her lips. Reaching over to his face, her gentle hands had helped readjust the ice pack, causing both of their hearts to race a little faster. Neither of them spoke during this interaction, the only sound being that of the microwave and tv once again. Except this time, Nova had found this silence to be comfortable."Does it hurt?" 3 questioned, lowering the ice pack off of his face and examining it closely. "Here, I'll get you a colder one. This one warmed up too fast.""No, not as much as you think. T-Thank you." Nova responded. "My face feels so warm, maybe that's why it melted."As Nagi dug through the freezer in search of the other ice pack. Nova's mind reevaluated his feelings towards her.
"I know she's my closest friend I got here. We do pretty much everything together here. She's saved me time and time again in so many different ways. Nagi doesn't shy away when it comes to sticking up for me. She's always open to conversation with me. She doesn't make me feel like I don't belong here. She sees me as an equal rather than something below. 3 turned out to be so much more kind than she visibly seemed to be in the end. Even now, she's so much more energetic and expressive...Nagi even mentioned how I played a part in this change within her. And then there's her cuteness. I already know I think she is pretty, from her lime hair to her eyes..."
Nagi walked back over and took her seat next to the octoling. Gently she pressed up against his eye for just long enough for Nova's hand to hold it. Their eyes met, and the inkling could only smile back.
...I love you, Nagi."
~Time Skip: A Week Later~
After a whole week, most of it being spent at home, it seemed as though 3 and 8 had gotten even closer. While the pair had a few inconsistent shifts within the Squidbeak Splatoon , inconsistent as in Nagi would go in the morning and then Nova in the afternoon and vice versa, whatever free time was spent, was usually spent together. Nagi hadn't gone out with Draco since the movie incident (but still remained talking through text and the few moments they saw each other). Of course, whatever time Nagi spent with 8, 3 felt as though her heart raced in these moments but wouldn't, or more like couldn't, admit to herself what these feelings were."Alright, I better get going," Nagi sighed, wiping the sweat off of her forehead after finishing an intense match of Rainmaker. It resulted in a victory for the pair, and both the inkling and octoling were currently running on adrenaline from the match.The day, although cold, remained sunny with very little clouds. The cold winds that swept through the city seemed to contradict the warmth of the sun, almost as if either or was struggling to take control of the climate. Both Nova and Nagi, who had their respective layers, felt as though their bodies couldn't decide if they were hot or cold, though now they certainly felt hot after running and swimming around.Just earlier in the morning, 3 had worked her shift on patrol within Octo Canyon, and although by herself, Nagi couldn't help but think of what she was feeling. Her mind kept reevaluating her relationship with Draco, but still remained troubled as to what exactly she wants.Nagi pulled out her phone, silently scrolling on her screen as they stepped out of Deca Tower. Nova peered over at her, and looked back out at the Square."You're going..? Where to..?" Nova asked curiously, already forgetting that both 3 and 4 had rescheduled their date to her going to Draco's place. Nagi gave her answer, and Nova nodded along, though he steered his sight down to the floor. Once again, from the brief moment he saw her expression, there didn't seem to be much excitement or interest behind Nagi's eyes.Examining his Octoshot carefully after falling silent, Nagi's hand waved in front of his sight. The lime haired inkling smiled tiredly, "You okay? You seem out of it.""Y-Yeah! I'm fine," Nova jumped up to attention, a light tint of pink developing on his face. "I was just thinking, and well, recovering from our match earlier.""Mm." 3 nodded, before continuing the conversation. "You did great out there. I think you got the most splats out of everyone.""Did I..? I wasn't paying attention to the results after seeing that we won.." Nova scratched his cheek, flattered by Nagi's words. "You were doing amazing back there too, you practically pushed the rainmaker all on your own to the enemy side."Nova's words weren't a crazy compliment, yet the inkling's heart once again felt stirred up, and as a result, 3 was unsure as to how to respond after failing to maintain her composure. She whipped her head away, and Nagi's grip on her Splattershot tightened."Well, you and the rest of the team were backing me up as I pushed ahead," 3 cleared her throat afterwards. "It would've been impossible otherwise.""I always got your back," Nova nudged her arm with his, giving an innocent grin.Letting out an amused puff of air, her orange eyes met his. Nova's injured eye seemed to start clearing up, and if he continued with the ice, the bruising should be gone completely by next week. Her mind had still lingered on the fact that this even happened to Nova at all, and therefore, still felt bad that she wasn't by his side that night."H-Hey, are you okay..?" Nova questioned with a hint of concern in his voice. Nagi concluded that a saddened expression had slowly appeared on her face, with 8 noticing. 3's eyes widened before reassuring him, "Y-Yeah, sorry."Nova, a little unsure with the response, ended up deciding on a method to cheer her up a bit."How about we go get some ice cream? I think we could use a break."Nagi, amused with 8's statement, shook her head no to the question."I can't. Draco's, remember?"A light blush crept onto 8's face, the octoling a little embarrassed that he had already forgotten so soon."R-Right. My bad. We should get going home then so you can head out."~Both 3 and 4 silently sat down in his living room, letting the respective show play on the tv. The center table had the snacks Draco had prepared prior to Nagi's arrival, alongside a couple of different drinks.Compared to Nagi's apartment, it was slightly smaller, as it accommodated only one inkling rather than two. He always wondered how 3 was able to afford a much larger place for herself, but as an agent that has been working there for much longer than he has, Draco could only assume her pay was much more. Nonetheless, Draco's apartment contained the essential commodities needed for one inkling, a small kitchen, living room, a bathroom and a single bedroom, which only had one closet in. However, in comparison to 3's place, his was much more organized and had very little mess anywhere. Nagi had meant to organize the boxes in the living room for the longest time, and despite asking 8 to help her remind her, Agent 3 had yet to get around it. In fact, whatever was organized in their apartment came more from Nova rather than Nagi. Of course, she acknowledged his efforts often, and continuously thanked him for cleaning up, though she tried her best to help as well."..This place has changed a lot since the last time I can remember." Nagi had commented, glancing around. After eyeing all of the furniture, the walls, and 4's Hero Shot resting against the side of couch, she continued, "You used to have Squid Sister merch in every corner here."Fidgeting with one his tentacles before readjusting his slicked back, blue hair, he commented embarrassingly, "I got rid of a lot of it awhile ago. It hit me how embarrassing it really was anyways. Especially after you know...we broke up."3, who sat on the opposite side of the couch, only stared blankly with a gentle smile. Her legs were crossed and her hands were placed under her hoodie to conserve body heat. From outside to inside, it was still cold. Draco had offered to turn up the heater earlier, but 3 refused."Yeah," 3 nodded, inhaling sharply. "It was a little uh...yikes. Anyways, I've been able to tell that you've changed for the better since, and kept your word."Draco's eyes widened a bit, happy that 3 acknowledged his efforts. With a light blush, he looked away and nodded, "I uh, I tried my best. You've changed for the better too, remember when I mentioned it to you?"Nagi nodded, remembering the time they were sitting by the Cuttlefish Cabin sorting through the documents they were assigned. 4 had mentioned how the inkling girl had become much more expressive. Even 3 was able to notice after it was mentioned to her, allowing her to accept it."How's 8..? Was everything okay after you know..?" Draco asked curiously, taking a sip of the energy drink he had gotten for himself. Nagi on the other hand had remained with a relatively simple apple juice. His eye had darted towards the lime haired inkling as he drank. "His tone is hard to interpret again..." Nagi stated to herself, unsure if he was genuinely asking or if it was just his method to bring him up."Y-Yeah, I found him afterwards and well, I apologized..." Nagi explained briefly as if trying not to linger on the topic for too long. A light tint appeared on her face. Draco nodded along, examining her carefully as her hand fished for something in her pocket. After a brief second, Nagi shyly extended her hand with an open palm, revealing some physical cash in her hand. "For leaving in the middle of the date," She explained. "This should cover both of our meals that day. I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly."Compared to her apology with Nova, this one was much more tame.Draco gently pushed her hand back, and shook his head with a gentle smile, "It's okay Nagi. You don't have to pay me back. I know that I already told you this during the call...but, I understand that you had already made plans before, it's not a big deal." He chuckled in the end, scratching the back of his head."Are you sure..?" Nagi questioned, looking back and forth from her hand to his eyes. "I really think you should take it."Draco chuckled some more before pushing her hand all the way back to herself. "I promise, it's okay."Within himself, 4 had begun to doubt himself at this very moment. The recent events regarding Nova had raced through his mind, from finding out that 8 lived with her currently to how she left in the middle of their date to find him. Draco knew it wasn't technically right to feel jealous over this, but Nagi was only trying to do something nice for him no? As an octari- an octoling, he had nowhere to live so it was only logical for him to stay with someone who knew for now right? Both Nova and Nagi had confirmed immediately that they were only friends when he asked if they were dating anyways.. And as for the date part, it was fine because she was only trying to fix her mistake right? Though this was his way to suffocate the envious feelings within, he couldn't help but feel a looming threat washing over him as a result of 8.On the other hand, Nagi chose on her own will to get back together to begin with. From him sharing his feelings once more with the inkling, to inviting her out to different places each time, 4 was almost sure this would work out a lot better in comparison to last time. 4 had already fixed the error of his ways, and it's clear that Draco's efforts have been reflected through Nagi's words. On top of all this, there hasn't exactly been a time where she had said no to a date proposed by him, and from how flustered she'd get, it was clear to Draco that she was still into the idea."W-Well, should we watch something else..?" Nagi questioned, awkwardly reaching for the remote on the table without getting off of the couch, which was placed just barely out of her reach."Here," 4 chuckled, distracted from his thoughts temporarily. Effortlessly, his arm extended for the remote and handed it into Nagi's palm. She nodded silently as to give her thanks and flicked through it. "Squidflix..?" Nagi questioned, her orange eyes still darting at the screen.The apartment was completely dark, other than the tv blaring at the both of them. As the crunch of Draco's chip eating echoed in the living room, the sound of Nagi opening a bag of Sour Squids seemed to muffle the dialogue from the tv for a brief second."I watched this series with Nova briefly one night last week," Nagi explained, finally selecting the action series they didn't technically watched. Neither of them really paid attention to whatever was going on in the story, and so, Nagi had lied to Draco, as it was the first time she had actually focused on the film.However, while Nagi's orange eyes were locked onto the screen, she wasn't technically wasn't watching it again. Instead, her memory jogged once more. This time, back to the same moment in when they were watching this series together, and the octoling's words.
"..Well..uh..I-It looked amazing on you regardless..."
Nagi's heart thumped as her mind replicated the sound of Nova's voice in her imagination."With Nova...?" Draco questioned, his eyes locked onto the screen as it went through the series' opening. He tried his best to suppress that feeling welling up in his chest once again, yet it was getting harder and harder to fight it back each time. There was something in his gut, telling him something that he so desperately attempted to ignore. 4 still believed it wouldn't be true.Should he ask? What if she answered in the way he hoped she wouldn't? How would he even feel about it all? Nagi is here with him, so she wouldn't answer the question the way he was thinking of right now..right..?Perhaps 4 was just overthinking things right now, way too much suddenly.Nagi sat up, her ears burning a little bit. The lighting from the tv revealed her eyes had widened, clearly out of surprise.Draco stared at his drink, and swirled it around. His face softened, almost as if thinking deeply."Is everything okay, Draco..?"He took a deep breath, and locked eyes with Nagi. Her heart thumped nervously, unsure as to what expect."Do you...have feelings for Nova..?"For a second, it felt as though everything had frozen.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Do you...have feelings for Nova..?"As if time itself slowed down, Nagi had immediately felt as though she had sat there in silence at the question for so long. Her heart thumped loudly, almost as if muffling whatever background noise there was around her. A cold sweat washed over the female inkling, and with shaky hands, her palms stuck out, waving aggressively."I..I..." Nagi stuttered, trying her hardest to find the right words. Her face flushed completely at the question, and the tips of her ears burned an aggressive bright red.No, she didn't have feelings for the octoling right? They were close sure, but they were only friends, nothing more, nothing less. Plus, she had initially agreed to go out with Draco instead anyways. The night he confessed to her at the little coffee shop, Nagi had reciprocated 4's feelings. Hell, she was even blushing and painting the past in a much more positive light in order to further consider going back with 4. Within Agent 3's mind, she reasoned in her head in order to give Draco the benefit of the doubt. But..surely these thoughts were false...? After all, Nagi was blushing just as much as she was right now from Draco's confession, so it could be wrong.Draco nervously stared at the inkling, unsure as to how to approach the current situation. Instead, as he held his own hands with his fingers interlocking his own, he awaited for Nagi's response. In his mind, all these changes he saw within Nagi and her personality seemed to stem ever since 8 had come into the picture. Nagi had never hesitated to splat a hostile octoling until the moment 4 had to do it for her. Granted he didn't understand in the moment either as to why Nagi held back. However, everything from her brighter personality, an expressive attitude and becoming more conversational, all of these changes that Draco had noticed...they all came after Agent 8 had moved in with her. With a sigh, the male inkling weakly reached over for the remote, and paused the series on his tv.Nagi's jaw felt incredibly tight. It felt as though she couldn't open it even a crack to mutter a single word. Her ears still felt hot, and though she fidgeted with one of her lime tentacles, the inkling could not answer the question directly. Her orange eyes could only stare at the paused screen, carefully analyzing what it was that she felt.Her mind wandered off briefly, attempting to suffocate the awkward silence both inklings were currently experiencing. The sofa seemed to grow more and more uncomfortable with each passing second, and therefore, Nagi would shift in her seat frequently. Her heart would race more and more, realizing that if she wasn't denying it immediately then...maybe..."No..." Nagi whispered to herself. "Draco, I-"Once again, 3's throat tightened, making it harder to release the words lodged inside. It was growing increasingly obvious with her flustered expression and hesitation to say no to Draco as to what his answer was.Her mind went on racing.Thinking about the times they spent working together, playing Turf War/Ranked together, eating, their little moments shared throughout their time in Inkopolis. Noting that 8 too remembered the little details about her, it felt as though her heart fluttered. 3 had caught herself thinking about Nova, even when she was on a date with Draco. Her orange eyes then steered down to stare at her palm, lightly closing it and opening it once more, picturing how not only did she boldly hold his hand leaving the Shoal, but had cupped the octoling's face as well after attempting to help him clean the soda.That's right. There was that night as well, where she openly laughed in front of the octoling. Their bodies had pressed a lot closer to each other than expected, and Nagi's blush only deepened in real time at the thought of it. She could almost picture the whole scenario again, how close their faces were to each other, and the same intense feeling within her that occurred once their eyes met. Agent 3 remembered his words too when she had stated that Nova should probably do it himself:
"...I didn't mind you doing it y'know..."
It is then that many more of the things he had said to her began flowing through her head, as if though her mind was storing all of these memories for this exact moment.
"I think they're actually pretty cool...'f-fresh' you said?"
"But I think that even in those moments where things hurt, these scars show everyone how you persevered and pulled though without fail. That's why I think it shows how strong you are."
"A wise inkling once told me, 'you're just like anyone else here. Don't worry about the others.'"
"..Well..uh..I-It looked amazing on you regardless..."
Nagi's heart raced incredibly fast, in which it got to the point where it started feeling overwhelming. She remembered how stirred up she felt within, and always attempted to reason it in every way except the one way she so desperately trying to hide...Draco could only stare with saddened eyes, watching Nagi slowly rest her forehead on her palm as if though she had a headache.It was almost effortless the way she was able to replay Nova's grin, and his laughter inside her imagination. It was almost as though it haunted her, in a non-scary way of course. They've spent pretty much whatever free time they've had together for the most part, with Nagi attempting to reason that she was just helping him adjust to his life in Inkopolis. But..Nova already is used to everything here. It was just that 3 couldn't yet admit to herself that she loved being with 8 more than anyone, from his entertaining demeanor, to the way he's so gentle and kind with things. Nagi loved his company, and had yet to admit it to him. The fact that he's planning already on moving out made 3 all the more regretful that she didn't utter those words the night they talked about Nagi's failed attempt of a relationship with Draco.It was crazy. She had switched her mindset from worrying about the disturbance of her old schedule from giving 8 a place to stay with her, to Nagi actually wanting 8 to stay.But what about Draco?She would feel horrible to accept his initial offer, only to end it herself not even a month later. It was already made clear to her that Draco truly changed his ways to grow as an inkling, from abandoning his obsession to finding new things to enjoy. From his kindness and chivalry, Draco had been nothing but sweet to 3, and even then he wasn't a bad boyfriend setting those avoidable mistakes aside, he had always respected her boundaries, especially at a time where physical contact was more foreign to the lime haired inkling, and was always there for her when days were rough.However..Nova was too.Upon the realization that her heart had swayed away from Draco after their first breakup, and that she was, in fact, lying to herself about what she felt, Nagi finally accepted that....she did end up falling for the octoling."All this time," Nagi told herself. "I was only making up excuses to avoid what I truly felt towards him, but why..? Was it out of disbelief..?"3, with a nervous look, had accidentally locked eyes with Draco. The inkling was no longer smiling, and upon closer inspection, it seemed as though his eyes watered a bit."...I got my answer." 4 half heartedly chuckled. "Your face has it written all over it."Nagi clenched her fist, attempting to suffocate temporarily her feelings for Nova, failing in the end. Even if she knew this feeling was love for Nova, the other half of herself felt bad about the whole predicament. As stated previously, he had made the whole effort of taking Nagi out, fixing his past mistakes, and actually developing the courage to ask her to give him a second chance. Nagi had given this second chance, only to realize now that in the end, her heart was elsewhere, or more like, her heart was with someone else.With a heavy breath and a light shake of her head, Nagi's lime tentacles swayed lightly, "I...I'm sorry...It's just..""No no," Draco shook his head. "It's fine, I understand. I don't have to hear an explanation."His face seemed to twitch lightly, and combined with the sound of light sniffling, Nagi's jaw tightened at the sight. Letting out a frustrated sigh, 4 had begun to wipe at his eyes quickly with his forearms. This only seemed to create the opposite effect, as it only created more and more tears. A blush began to form on the inkling's face, and with an embarrassed gesture, he whipped his head around as to hide his face. "Not again..." Was all that ran through 4's mind. "Should I have done more...? Was I not doing good enough...? I thought I was..."Nagi stared back at her hands, which interlocked each other nervously. Her vision too felt blurry, and the sight of Draco being so moved hurt her in a way she never felt before. For some reason, this whole predicament was much harder to deal with than the first break up, partly because Nagi knew it was also her fault to an extent. If she had only accepted her feelings earlier and figured out where she stood in her heart, then maybe she wouldn't have had falsely lead him on into the fact that the relationship would have lasted longer.Nonetheless, she still smiled around him, and one of her excuses to deny her feelings for Nova included the fact that she was in a relationship with 4. However, this begged the question, was Agent 3 happy with this because it was with Draco specifically, or just because she missed the feeling of being in a relationship? It was a troubling question for the inkling to answer.Another glance up, the sniffling continuing, noticed that 4 had turned into his squid form, curling up into a ball into the corner of the couch. The apartment remained dark, and with the paused screen just barely illuminating the place, Nagi could hardly make out an expression on his face."Draco...""..."There wasn't a response to Nagi's calling.For a second, her eyes examined his place once again, attempting to figure out what to do or say. The only thing that could really be heard was the heavy breathing both inklings were dealing with. 3 wanted to provide reassurance and wanted to properly apologize, yet found a hard time to show 4 these feelings. Instead, with a saddened expression, her arms reached out and cupped the squid into said arms. Draco's eyes widened at the action, temporarily forgetting about tearing up, and attempted to control his breathing. Although it felt nice, 4 wasn't expecting much occurring in his favor."I'm sorry," 3 stated immediately. "I...It's just that...I don't think my heart is here anymore. Not after the first one.""B-But...why did you say yes initially..?""I was lying to myself then about what I truly felt, and was blinded by the whole confession...""It's true then huh..." 4 muttered. It was clear to 3 he was jealous, which she couldn't exactly blame him for. Draco continued, "...I didn't do anything wrong at least..Right..?"3 inhaled deeply, attempting to maintain her composure, and shook her head no. Once again, her lime tentacles would sway along with the motion of her head."I..I'm proud of you actually," 3 simply stated. "I can tell you worked hard to improve yourself after the last time..And I really appreciate it.."Suddenly, 4 had jumped out of Nagi's arms, popping back into his inkling form. There, the male inkling stood with his slicked back hair lightly ruffled, staring back with a confused expression. His eyes still glittered with the very small amount of light in the living room, still clear that he was emotional about all this. While 3 may not have actually reciprocated with 4's feelings entirely, Draco truly did love 3. In fact, as he stood there in front of her and with slightly blurry vision, 4 couldn't help but admire the female inkling's beauty once again, even in a moment like this one, where he knew he had already lost her."If that's true, then..?"Before he could finish his question, Nagi stood up as well, and responded."I know, it's a weird thing to understand. But...feelings aren't exactly the simplest things to comprehend. It can be a weird mess from time to time, but when I tell you that I did I enjoy the moments we spent together, I mean it. I'm really sorry about all this Draco. I really am."Slowly, she stepped away from 4. Walking past the male inkling, her hand had carefully placed the cash she had previously offered on the living room center table. And as Draco watched from his position, 3 had begun her way to unlocking the front door to the apartment.Her head had turned slowly, as if to look back at 4 yet her eyes glued to the floor. All Draco could see from his perspective was a little bit of her orange eyes, her lime hair, and her pointy ears."I'm really sorry Draco. I know there's someone out there who will appreciate your efforts a lot more than I could.""W-Wait, are you sure there's no chance we can actually make this work?!"Nagi's jaw tightened at the sound of Draco's voice cracking behind her. With the smallest head shake, all Nagi could say is, "I..I'm positive as to what I feel now, I just don't think I can keep going with this."Slowly, the front entrance door creaked as Nagi shut it behind her.Draco could only stare at that door, attempting to process everything that had just occurred.An empty feeling washed over Agent 4.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Nothing ran through Nagi's mind.Well, that was a lie. The lime haired inkling had no idea where to even begin with her thoughts as she scrambled to find her keys to the apartment. She didn't want to knock because, although 3 had already confirmed her feelings for the octoling, Nagi wasn't in any mood to interact with anyone particularly after everything that had occurred. Agent 3 only wanted to be alone for the time being.It was clear that she did not feel good about herself, having to subtly break up with 4, this time with her actually having a fault in the matter. Looking back at their whole interaction in the dimly lit apartment, had 3 done the right thing? Even if she did, had she let him down gently? Was she too mean or too blunt with her words? Perhaps Nagi could've tackled the question in a different manner as to make it easier on Draco.Adding on, just the simple matter of Draco shedding tears during their whole interaction, so much so, he had previously turned into his squid form as to hide the fact, made 3 more emotional. Embarrassment must have gotten to him as well, as Nagi could feel her jaw tightening seeing how Draco desperately tried to wipe away his tears, only to cause more. Nagi's heart was beating fast, and her breathing was a little uneven thinking over and over about what had just happened, and slowly turned the key in the doorknob.Sure, Nagi can seem serious, but she was just like any other inkling who could feel bad for making someone else feel bad.With a creak, the door had slowly swung open, respectively to the amount of force Nagi put behind it. The lights were still on in their apartment, which wasn't much to her surprise as it technically wasn't that late anyways. Sure it was dark out, especially since they were now in winter and therefore would darken earlier, but 3 would've found it weird if Nova had actually gone to sleep this early. Stepping in, 3 noted in her head the sound of the kitchen sink running with the sound of clattering of plates in cupboards following after. Overall, their apartment was tidied up once more by 8, which 3 would show her appreciation later for once again, and besides the boxes that she STILL had yet to touch in the corner of the living room, everything looked nice."Nagi! You're back," 8 called out with an innocent grin developing on his face. Though upon examining his roommate's expression, seeing how it almost looked like she had reverted back to her old ways, Nagi looked way more serious with a cold look in her eyes, and 8's smile slowly faded out of concern for her. "..H-How did it go..?"The question knocked 3 out of her trance, and after simply nodding to his greeting, all 3 could respond was, "I don't really want to talk about it."8, unsure as to what to do, placed another plate he had washed and dried in the cupboard overhead. His jaw tightened nervously, and his mind attempted to come up with some sort of reasoning. However, Nova would stop this rather quickly, as he would prefer to not make any assumptions.On 3's side, the tone of excitement 8 had had subtly made her heart race, but the thoughts of what happened with Draco just now seemed to spawn in her mind once more, nullifying the effect. Nova's grin was just as innocent as ever despite the trouble he had gone through, and as much as Nagi wanted to return the smile, she just..couldn't. She felt as though she was a horrible inkling, as though she had only accepted the dates as to lead 4 onto something that wouldn't progress more, even going as far as making him believe that his efforts weren't going to waste. But they did, they did once Nagi had realized where her heart stood, and Nagi could only feel regret for having 4 waste his time, energy, and cash on her. To her, it seemed as though 4 was really serious this time, if it wasn't already made clear with how he tried to stay together.
"W-Wait, are you sure there's no chance we can actually make this work?!"
Draco's words haunted the lime haired inkling, Agent 3's mind being able to replicate the sound of his voice breaking. It felt as though an apple was lodged in her throat, and made it difficult to maintain her composure."..but are you okay..?"Nova's tone was soft and caring, and without even realizing it, 8 had stood in front of her, locking eyes together. His orange eyes examined hers carefully, and seeing that the female inkling before him shifted in the spot she stood uncomfortably, he stepped back a bit. 3's heart would race some more, yet she managed to resist the reddening of her face, steering her sight to the floor again. From the brief moment the pair's eyes met, 3 couldn't help but notice that his bruised eye seemed to have healed some more in the time that she was gone. Although it wasn't a drastic change, Nagi could still notice."..Yeah." 3 nodded, and stepped past him. "Have you been using the ice packs...?""Just before I started cleaning and drying the dishes, I had it on my face for a couple minutes. Is it looking better?"Nagi turned her head to look at the octoling, who now had a gentle yet small smile on his face. Nagi nodded, struggling to make herself smile. A silence followed, where the inkling stood at a distance facing away from him, and the octoling facing her."..Yeah, it is." Nagi nodded in agreement before stepping toward her room. "I'm really tired, so I'm going to go to sleep a little earlier."Clearly this contradicted the earlier thought of it being weird if Nova were to fall asleep. Now it was 3 who actually went to bed. The octoling could only watch from a distance with a concerned look in his eyes.
~Later That Night~
3 couldn't sleep.Spread out like a starfish on top of her bed, Nagi's eyes carefully examined every crevice and bump on her room's ceiling. It was extremely dark with no light illuminating the bedroom, the inkling's eyes had only adjusted to the lack of light, only that of her alarm clock with its bright red numbers.With each passing second, Nagi's heart seemed to thump louder and louder. She quite literally did not know how to feel, whether it was bad for earlier with Draco, or flustered after finally accepting they fact that she had feelings for Nova.Subconsciously, her hand had reached over to the side of her bed for her phone. Nagi let out a grunt, unplugging it from its charger, and stared at the phone screen. Since her eyes had adjusted from the darkness of her bedroom, the light from the screen seemed to blind the inkling. It is through the squinting that she noticed nothing of interest in her notifications, not even a message from 4.3 glanced left and right in the dark room, as if expecting someone to witness what she was about to do. Nervously, with the sensation of her throat closing up, she opened up 4 and hers' messages. Slowly, the clicking of each button on the virtual keyboard echoed in the room.~Nagi:"I'm sorry."Send?~Nagi's orange eyes stared at the bright screen, squinting. Hesitantly, Nagi's thumb hovered over the send button, unsure as to whether or not to go through with hitting it. It's true that Nagi still felt bad for the way things went, even as far as feeling guilty, and it's still true that her heart had swayed for 8 instead. Yet, 3 still felt the natural feeling of wanting to apologize. However, at the same time, maybe if she only slightly distanced herself, maybe it'll push 4 to move on from her...Another frustrated sigh escaped from 3's mouth, and tossed her phone back on her nightstand."Dealing with these conflicting emotions..." Nagi whispered to herself. "..It's troublesome."With a frustrated sigh, she aggressively grabbed a pillow and slammed her face up against it. After letting out a slightly muffled yell, she tossed the pillow aside once again."Relax Nagi..." 3 told herself, rubbing her eye gently, still spread out on her bed. Popping into her squid form, she curled up under the covers and shut her eyes. Nagi had yet to obtain the feeling of sleepiness, though that didn't stop her from trying some more to knock out.
"Just saying, I think you should reconsider getting back in the dating game."
Callie's words blipped into her mind, and once again, her eyes shot open."Clearly it's not going well..." Nagi muttered to herself, still in her squid form. "...But then again, this time it was my fault.."But...was that exactly what Callie meant by that..? With Draco specifically...? Nagi's orange eyes widened some more under the darkness of her blankets, remembering the other words Callie had uttered as well.
"It's a shame though, you and 8 would've been cute together too..."
The now-reverted-back-to inkling hiding under the covers could feel the burning sensation appearing on both her cheeks and the tips of ears, imagining a world where both 8 and her were together. There it was again, the flutter in her chest. The same one she got whenever Nova would say something thoughtful, or grin, or laugh, or...anything really at this point. She shut her eyes slowly, carefully attempting to calm herself down.3 remembered justifying this feeling as anything other than love, but with each passing hour of each day, the idea of being in a relationship with 8 seemed to appeal more and more to Agent 3."I wonder...does Nova feel like this about me too...?"
"..Well..uh..I-It looked amazing on you regardless..."
Nagi's blush deepened more and more, reminiscing about his words. It's definitely possible...Even when they were talking in their secret spot that night, when 3 and 8 were discussing about what 8 felt. His embarrassment from the question regarding if he felt alone with 3 going with Draco.
"N-No! Well technically, yeah, but not in a weird way! I was looking forward to the movie and watching it with you is all..."
A gentle smile rested on the inkling's lips. Her hand slowly pressed up to her beating heart."I hope..I hope he does.." Nagi whispered to herself. "Maybe I'll question Callie about it..."Slowly, the inkling's eyes will close, and would peacefully drift away into a deep sleep.
~ December 9th, Saturday Morning. ~
A loud knocking echoed within her room, obviously coming from the other side of her door.Groggily, the inkling slowly opened one eye, her ear lightly twitching. The room felt incredibly cold, and with the warmth Nagi felt under her covers, the inkling definitely did not want to get out of bed. Her mind, still waking up, had no thoughts running through her head and therefore was not processing the loud knocking or the sound of her alarm going off."H-Hey Nagi?!" Nova's voice pierced through the door, as the knocking of his continued. "Are you awake?!" Nagi's face warmed up at the sound of his voice, still attempting to process what exactly was going on. "Y-Yeah?" Her voice sounded just a bit deeper than usual, as she had woken up only mere seconds ago. Sitting up in her bed, the covers only going up to her waist, the inkling shivered lightly with the cold air from the room. The alarm continued to blare."Aren't you scheduled early today??" He called out, stopping the knocking.Nagi's eyes widened at his statement, a cold sweat washing over her, contradicting the earlier shivering from the cold. Agent 3 was, in fact, scheduled for an early morning shift today that would end up going through the whole day. As per usual, Nagi was meant to wake up at 6 in the morning to get ready and arrive at Octo Canyon a little before 7. Right now, it was..."8:30???" Nagi exclaimed in her mind, not believing her eyes processing the red numbers glaring from the loud device. Almost instantaneously, the inkling had jumped out of bed, not caring about how organized the covers were, and ripped her the charger out of her phone. Agent 3 couldn't remember exactly where she had left her Hero Suit the last time she wore it, before realizing it was already in the bag she usually takes to work. In a panic, 3 took off the oversized pijamas she had worn (they had little green squids around them, Nova had chuckled to himself the first time he saw her in them with Nagi getting embarrassed) and threw on a combination of warm clothing that did not match whatsoever."Y-Yeah!" Nagi exclaimed, finally responding to Nova as she threw on some sweatpants. "I..I accidentally slept through everything!""I just woke up right now, and I heard your alarm going off so I just thought that-"Nova took a step back in surprise as her bedroom door swung open suddenly. There, Nagi stood, her tentacles messed up as she rubbed her eye tiredly, clutching the bag in which her Hero Suit rested. Her breathing was heavy and fast, further emphasized by the way her chest expanded with each breath. Her orange eyes seemed a little shocked with everything as they stared into his, and Nova could feel himself getting nervous at the sight."C-Cute.." Was the only thought that ran through his mind.Without hesitation, Nagi had sprinted past the octoling, only lightly shoving him aside. Nova stood in the same spot, respectfully shut her bedroom door for her without glancing in, and watched as 3 rushed in the bathroom. 8 could hear the sink run, and the aggressive brushing of her teeth going on.On Nagi's part, her heart raced rapidly as her mind desperately attempted to wake up. Checking her phone, she noted the several calls made by Maria, aka Marie, on said phone. Nagi's heart only raced faster, purely in disbelief that she had slept in so much and that she had forgotten that she had work. Immediately, Nagi had attempted to call back to no answer."What time are you exactly meant to be there?" Nova questioned out loud, just enough volume for the female inkling to hear him."7!" Nagi exclaimed in a panic. The number alone made Nova nervous, and he wasn't even the one that was late. Running out of the bathroom, 3 made her way through the kitchen and to the front door, after stuffing her Hero Shot in the same bag of course. The squid shaped phone pressed up against her ear with the inkling's shoulder as she continued to call Marie back."B-Breakfast?!" Nova called out, concerned as to whether or not the inkling would eat."No time! See you later, Nova!"And with that, the front door slammed shut loudly.~Turns out Marie was a lot more understanding than Nagi expected, even though she was almost two hours late from her scheduled time."Just don't let it happen again, 'kay?" Marie smiled gently at the inkling before her, who was breathing heavy and sweating after running towards Inkopolis Square to go through the grate. 3 nodded in agreement before heading towards the Cuttlefish Cabin in order to change into her Hero Suit. However, before she would actually go through with swapping outfits, the lime haired inkling turned back."Is Agent 1 here by any chance...?"Marie, who wore a rather fluffy jacket that looked like it could pass as designer clothing and cost an average inkling an arm and a leg, looked back at Nagi with a curious look."Callie? Oh she's at a fan meet up currently in Arowana Mall. I think she'll be there until they close to be honest.""Why didn't you go?""The mall is already packed as it is," Marie smiled softly. "If the both us were to be there, it'd be WAY too packed."Nagi nodded along, giving Marie a gentle smile in response. The Squid Sister would end up questioning Agent 3 as to why she asked, however, 3 would only reassure her that it wasn't anything urgent.The morning felt very long. It was cloudy out today, meaning there was little to no sun. Sure, the shifting of the clouds would allow for some sunlight to slip through, but it wasn't nearly enough to warm up the area. Today felt a lot colder than the previous nights, and as they approach the end of December and Squidmas, it'll most likely get colder. Perhaps they'll even get snow. Tentakeel Outpost was empty as per usual, however, it felt as though Nagi had been patrolling it for an eternity.Her mind, although still a bit tired, still lingered on the conflicting feelings between Draco and Nova. To clarify, it wasn't because she felt unsure as to what to feel, 3 knew what it was that she felt, but it was the fact that it was two very different emotions contradicting each other. Nagi's body, on the other hand, felt oddly tense as she gripped her Hero Shot closely.Sluggishly, 3 turned into her squid form nearing the edge of Tentakeel Outpost, took a deep breath as to physically prepare for it, and super jumped on over to Suction-Cup Lookout. For what felt like hours again, the inkling had patrolled the area, making sure to check every crevice an octoling can hide in. The last thing 3 would want to deal with was an ambush like the other times, and with no partner with her, 3 believed it would be impractical to fight on her own like in the past. It wasn't that she couldn't do it, but it's a lot more difficult to handle a fight against two or more octolings compared to when she is fighting alongside someone. Occasionally, purely out of boredom, Nagi would fire her Hero Shot at the floor."I could sleep some more to be honest.." Nagi told herself in her mind, her orange eyes looking up at the cloudy sky. Immediately following this thought, Nagi's stomach rumbled, obviously getting hungry after all the patrolling with no breakfast. Debating as to whether or not going back to Inkopolis to get lunch, Nagi ultimately decided to stay and plopped herself down, leaning up against one of the brick structures.Fighting back the way her eyelids felt heavier, 3 would eventually shut her eyes, and would've drifted to sleep if it wasn't for the sound of something ripping through the air. It sounded oddly like someone super jumping.Immediately, Agent 3 jumped awake, took her stance and pointed her Hero Shot in the direction of the sound. The color looked oddly familiar, and with a splash, it seemed as though an octopus landed down. Nonetheless, 3 kept her determined expression, pointing her Hero Shot in their direction."Ah-! I can't believe I didn't drop them!"He exclaimed happily, staring at a cup with a lid and something wrapped in what seemed like tinfoil. Nagi's eyes widened, noticing that it was none other than Nova standing here."N-Nova?"8 perked up, hearing 3's voice, and glanced around. They locked eyes, and while her Hero Shot lowered immediately, Nova's orange eyes met hers. With a grin, he waved at her timidly before starting to approach the inkling."There you are.""What are you doing here...? How did you even know I was here..?" She questioned, glancing at her surroundings and back at 8."I didn't know where you are," 8 chuckled bashfully. "I pretty much did my own patrol in search of you."Nagi's eyes widened at his response, and nervously, 3 steered her sight away from 8. Before doing so, it seemed as though Nova was out of breath with the way his shoulders rose and fell.
"He was looking for me...?"
"Here, you haven't eaten have you?" Nova grinned as the pair sat down. A gentle wind swept by, but it didn't stop the pair from feeling the cold. The octoling's hand had reached out towards the inkling, the round object wrapped in tinfoil not far from the inkling's face. "W-What is it...?" Nagi questioned, shyly taking the food out of his hand. "A bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. I got it recently, so it should still be warm. Oh! And a coffee for you too, cream and two sugars, just the way you like it."3 slowly grasped the cup of coffee after letting go of her Hero Shot by her side. The warm vapor already told Nagi that the octoling had gotten the drink recently too, and as the small wave of warmth hit her face, it sent little shivers across her body. Amidst the cold, the warm sensation was very much welcomed. 8 on the other hand, had his eyes locked on 3, who carefully examined the coffee lid with heavy breaths. The tips of her ears would burn red, and it seemed as though Nagi's eyelids would loosen up a bit. Slowly, a wider smile developed at the sight."...Thank you, Nova."Nagi's heart fluttered a bit, staring at both the drink and sandwich at hand. After the rumbling of her stomach had continued, Nagi found it difficult to meet Nova's eyes as they sat next to each other briefly in silence."Anytime. I saw that you didn't eat breakfast on your way out, and I assumed that you wouldn't have gotten anything to eat here, so I just figured.."Nova's voice trailed off slowly, and his eyes widened with a sparkle. Nagi's soft expression and her widening smile as she took a bite out of her food seemed to entrance the octoling. Knowing why, he cleared his throat, and steered his attention out to the horizon in hopes of avoiding being visibly red. This feeling would quickly subside, as 8's concern washed over once again."Nagi..Is everything, y'know, okay..?"Nagi stopped chewing, her orange eyes still staring at the sandwich, though widened at the question."You seemed off last night..Did something happen..?"The inkling stopped chewing and pondered to herself for a bit. Telling 8 that they had technically broken up didn't seem like a bad idea, however, 3 was almost positive that Nova would question as to why they had actually done so. If it came to that, what would she even say? "Oh yeah, it's because I realized I love you"? The inkling couldn't just suddenly burst that out, and making up a whole new reasoning that'll add up would be difficult. On top of this, 8 had already stated multiple times in the past that he never wanted to be a problem between 3 and 8. Wouldn't saying the exact reasoning contradict with his beliefs? Feeling as though both 3's heart and mind were overheating, she slowly shook her head.For now, she'll stay quiet about it. Plus, immediately moving into a relationship with Nova would only make 3 seem more insensitive. It was simply out of respect...but soon, the inkling hoped she could tell Nova about what she felt about him. Would 3 even be capable of doing something like that..?"...If you don't want to talk about it, I'll stop pushing it. I'm..I'm just a little worried, is all.""...Thank you for your concern," Nagi responded, looking over at 8 with a gentle smile. "But I promise I'll be okay."A faint blush had appeared on the octoling's face, and stood up, his back still against the same brick structure."Well, if you say so then," He chuckled brightly, the same innocent grin 3 has ever known still remained on his face. 8's eye was healing too, just a little bit at a time. Soon enough, it'll be gone.With a quick adjustment of the singular tentacle that got blown on his head by the wind, the octoling gave a small wave and stepped away."I'll see you later..?""..."Nagi's orange eyes, which drifted to the floor, had looked back into his. Although her heart seemed to pick up the pace just a tiny bit more, the inkling fought back an embarrassed blush. Nova took note of her expression, almost as though she wanted to say something, and therefore stood not far from her, awaiting for the inkling's words.3 had wanted to be alone after last night, and shut herself off from everyone, yet after getting some rest and eating something, 8's company didn't sound too bad."S-Stay a bit with me, please?"The request that was uttered from 3's lips made 8's ears turn bright red. Quickly, he glanced around, and looked back into her beautiful orange eyes in disbelief. It was clear that the inkling was embarrassed as well, but that she too just needed some company after all. Nova was willing to comply."Y'know, if I'm gonna stay, I should've just clocked in..." Nova chuckled, attempting to make light of the embarrassment the pair felt. Nagi let out an amused puff of air as he chuckled, definitely making her feel much more secure."Here," 8 added, fishing in his pockets and pulling out some napkins. "Just in case you spill something."3 thanked him with a more cheered up grin, almost as if she had forgotten everything that had happened with Draco, even the fact that she was late today. As for Nova, everything had slipped his mind as well. It didn't matter how bad it was, from the physical assault he had faced from the other inklings that night, to the stares he got publicly everyday. Even the feeling of loneliness and uncertainty seemed to be washed away with Nagi's presence.The feeling remained mutual, though neither of them spoke about it.The coffee tasted as good as ever.The sandwich was fulfilling.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
~ December 11th, Monday Morning.~
As time went on, the pair's feelings seemed to grow more and more. Nova's injury was now much more visibly better, as 3 had continuously pushed him to put ice on it. It was still common for 8 to get his stares in public, despite the amount of time he already had in Inkopolis, but no one else had laid their hands on him since the previous incident. Nonetheless, 8 couldn't help but still feel as though he was alone in the city, although he had someone like Nagi to call his friend.Even though Nova had already accepted his feelings for the inkling, 8 didn't want to step in and make a very obvious move (even though some of the things he had said and done could have already been seen as such), as to avoid getting in between 3 and 4. The same issue as to whether or not to move out out of respect as well as a feeling of overrelying on 3 and avoid weighing her down.However, it was alongside the smooth passage of time that 8 would be able to pick up on subtle things that oddly reassured him. 8 had always been searching for ways to spend time together and asking 3, and it seemed as though Nagi too had picked up the habit. Perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing that 8 was there after all, even if their close friendship wasn't evident enough for the octoling. 3 never made it an issue regarding the fact that 8 was staying there until he was on his feet. Nova had been used to his life here in Inkopolis for awhile now, slowly moving on from his history in the Deepsea Metro and in the Octarian Army. 8 was able to grow in so many ways during this time period, emotionally and mentally to be exact, that otherwise would've been impossible in stressful conditions in the previously mentioned army or metro. Nagi was never and never had been consistently questioning when the octoling had moved out, nor ever made him feel as though he needed to.This feeling only arose with each time Agent 4 had been mentioned, and out of respect for their relationship, would step out. 3 always reassured him that it wasn't an issue, and the fact that Nagi had willingly decided to take him in out of her own free will. All of this further reinforced the feeling that 8..didn't want to move out if at all possible. Even if he did feel as though 4 would see 8 in a negative light as a result from this, as he had already felt the vibe coming from the inkling when they first met, Nova still wanted to be close to Nagi regardless. Sure, the feelings were contradictory between what he wanted and what 8 felt as though he should do.Nova already knew the lime haired inkling already had his heart, and still had that sliver of hope that he'd be able to have hers in return. The feeling of hope was small as Nova reminded himself that the inkling was, in fact, in a relationship.That same morning, both the inkling and octoling had woken up early for their shifts at the Squidbeak Splatoon. However, it wasn't as early as 6 in the morning like how Nagi wakes up. This time it was 8 in the morning. While normally this would've been considered to be already late as seen before, oddly enough, both Agents 3 and 8 were scheduled for 9. Neither of them complained however, as more sleep was more than welcomed."Good morning Nagi," 8 yawned, stretching arms out over his head. The both of them had simultaneously opened their bedroom doors and had met at their respective doorways. Nova wore a baggy shirt over a pair of baggy pajama pants, while Nagi wore an oversized shirt that kept her warm funny enough. "Good..morning.." Nagi murmured with a yawn in between her words. As a result, the inkling's eyes had teared up, and she proceeded to rub them gently. Once again, her tentacles were all messed up which Nova found adorable."How'd you sleep..?" 8 questioned, as he started to help prepare their breakfast. The apartment felt cold despite the heaters being on, and both 3 and 8 would occasionally give a small shiver. The warmth of their bed covers were much warmer, and neither of them had wanted to get out of said bed."Pretty good," 3 shrugged, eyeing out the window. "It looks like it's gonna be really cold today. Don't forget your jacket today.""Can we even wear it while having the Hero Suit on...?"3 thought about it for a second. Nagi couldn't exactly remember if there was a time where she had, especially with the fact that the inkling had only just woken up. Silently, Agent 3 shook her head. Nova nodded along silently.The roommates would go through their usual morning routines, getting dressed, finishing their breakfast, brushing their teeth, etc. and were heading out the door."Nova, where's your jacket?"8 stood there silently, before giving a subtle nod, "...Right.""I don't want to hear any complaints about being cold," Nagi sneered, watching as Nova turned back around to grab his jacket. "Hurry."With a grin, his orange eyes met hers as his head had turned around to face 3, "You'll be hearing them anyways."~As their hands slowly lost any sense of touch, and the cold winds swept in between the buildings in Inkopolis, their breaths quickly turned into the same cloudy mist. It was abnormally cold that morning, even if it was nearing almost 9 in the morning. As they walked down the same path, from the convenience store they had their little snack run and passing several other small businesses, 8 noted the amount of inklings rushing past them and ahead on the sidewalk."Hey...what's going on with everyone this morning?" Nova questioned. "So many of them seem to be in a rush.."Nagi caught wind of what was going on, and whipped her head around to see what Nova was talking about. Turns out, he was right. Plenty of inklings were rushing down the street and ahead of them, seemingly rushing to make it to the Square. Some were in groups, while others were on their own, but a feeling of excitement seemed to wash over the general public, making everyone seemingly forget about the frigid wind.Seriously. Some inklings were still running down the streets in just shorts and short sleeved tees."I'm..not sure actually," 3 shook her head, exhaling warm air into her palms before turning back to the wave of inklings. "Something pretty big must be going on then."Both 8 and 3 would end up continuing their walk down to the Square. However, the closer they neared, the sooner they realized how packed it truly was, so much so, there were crowds of inklings packed together like sardines. One couldn't even technically step foot into the Square from how many inklings there were. Excited chattering filled the air, and plenty more were looking up at the screen that rested above the entrance of Deca Tower."We're not gonna be able to get through into work huh..?" Nova leaned over, whispering into Nagi's ear. With a tightened jaw, the inkling could only shake her head no.
"I mean...we can just turn into our respective squid and octopus forms, and well, subtly travel in between everyone..."
"We could get stepped on though.." Nova scratched his cheek, though the same cold made it so he couldn't actually feel his fingers."It's worth a shot." Nagi shrugged, before plopping on the floor in her squid form. "We'll be late if we don't move now..."Nova stared for a minute, chuckled in an amused way, and plopped on the floor in his octopus form too. The concrete floor felt cold on its own, and sent shivers down the pair's tentacles. Since there was no ink for them to swim through, the squirming on the floor not only looked a little silly, but was also slower than just walking. Both Agents would end up moving between inkling's feet, trying their hardest to avoid being stepped on or noticed. 8 could hear both Pearl and Marina's voice overhead, loudly announcing whatever it is that got everyone gathered today."Ya'll know what time it is!""It's Off the Hook, coming at you LIVE from Inkopolis Square!"Someone had moved their foot, and accidentally stomped on one of Nova's tentacles. He wanted to yelp in pain, but tried his absolute hardest to suck it up and move forward."You okay Nova?" 3 called out, just barely audible from the large amounts of chattering surrounding the pair. "...Y-Yeah!""Yo, Marina! Tell the people the good news before we introduce the stages!""Huh? Like, right now?! Um...What was the good news again?"Nagi threw herself slightly aside to avoid being stepped on from another inkling's foot. Everyone's eye sight was pretty much glued to the large screen in which both Pearl and Marina were being presented, making this process much easier for both Agents."You know...The single most important celebration of our culture? The Spla-""Come here Nova!" Nagi called out, grabbing Nova's tentacle with her own and dragging the both of them through the metal grate before anyone could spot them.However, as they slipped in between the metal bars, Nova could just barely make out both Pearl's and Marina's voices:"OHH! THE SPLATFEST!""Ding ding ding! We've got a Splatfest coming up quick!"Marina's voice would be immediately inaudible as a loud, excited roar erupted from in between the crowd. The packed square was filled with nothing but sound, which echoed down the grate in which both 8 and 3 had gone through. Funnily enough, it sent excited shivers down 8's tentacles despite not knowing what a Splatfest was exactly.~Popping up from the other end, both Nova and Nagi returned back to their inkling and octoling forms respectively, almost instantly greeted by both Callie and Marie."3! 8! Hiiii!!" Callie waved enthusiastically from the Cuttlefish Cabin. Marie gave a silent wave, though an excited smile also seemed to rest on her lips. "Did you two hear the news?!"Agent 3 shook her head, "I didn't catch it since we were rushing discreetly to get here. I can only assume what it was.""I-I heard it.." Nova raised his hand slightly, catching the attention of the Squid Sisters. "What is-""A SPLATFEST!" Callie exclaimed with a huge grin, throwing her fist into the sky."Callie, quiet down a bit..." Marie murmured, holding back a giggle before turning her attention back to Nova. "A Splatfest is one of, if not, the most important celebration held here in Inkopolis besides Squidmas. It's when we inklings answer a divine question given to us by the Voice from on High, and we answer it by choosing our sides and fighting in Turf War matches to...well, answer it. Inkopolis celebrates it with a huge festival, and the streets are packed with both inklings and shops selling goods, it's really fun."Nagi turned her sight over to Nova, who's eyes sparkled with such innocence at the explanation. 3's heart fluttered lightly at the sight. Callie grinned, observing 3's behavior around 8, yet was just as confused."Whoa.." Nova murmured, glancing back and forth between the Squid Sisters and back at Nagi. "When does it actually start?? What's the question??"Callie, who had already begun to aggressively scroll through her phone, smiled just as excitedly as 8. Since the announcement, every corner of the news, whether online or on paper, spread like a wildfire within the city. No matter where you scrolled, inklings were already posting it all over social media, small and big influencers alike. It isn't to say that inklings were heavily excited for the upcoming event."Ah! It's socks or sweaters!" Callie jumped, her pink spotted tentacles bouncing along with the inkling. The little beanie atop of her head had almost fallen off in combination with the wind. "I think I'll choose ugly sweaters as Christmas gift! I find them oddly cute," Callie giggled with Nova peering over her shoulder and at the screen."I think I'll do ugly socks, should be much easier to hide," Marie sighed with a smile, holding her signature umbrella tightly so that it wouldn't fly away with the wind. "What about you two? Will you be participating..?"Nagi's orange eyes widened at the question. Like before, Nagi wasn't the biggest Turf War player, and the only reason she had played more was to accompany Nova (which wouldn't be exactly true, she wasn't forced to go with Nova, it's just that 3 wanted to go with him). Plus, the crowded streets and loud noises that would result from the Splatfest would be highly disliked by the lime haired inkling. All the close contact with everyone else irked her. She was only barely able to tolerate it earlier on their way to Octo Canyon.3 had begun to speak, "I don't think I'll-""I'm definitely participating!" Nova had interrupted, a metaphoric fire burning within his orange eyes.8 looked so excited, despite never experiencing such a thing. Even his bruised eye seemed to be symbolic, that despite being seen as an outsider by other inklings, 8 still wanted to participate in their customs as equals. 3 was happy to see that all the stares and the physical damage inflicted onto him didn't stop him from being the Nova she knew since the beginning."I'm sorry, I interrupted," 8 chuckled bashfully, motioning his hand to both the Squid Sisters. "Go ahead, 3."Callie and Marie's golden eyes stared curiously back at 3, waiting to see what she'd respond. No one had previously heard her previous statement since the inkling had been cut off by Nova. Nagi turned to look at her side, seeing Nova smiling gently at her, and slowly, she too developed one."..I'm participating too."~"Hey Agent 3! Let's get going!" Nova called out to 3, all while waving his Octoshot in the air in hopes of catching the inkling's eye."One sec!" Nagi exclaimed back, cupping her hands around her mouth in order to make her own voice louder. Quickly, the lime haired inkling turned her attention back to the Squid Sisters, who briefly had turned to look at Nova calling out to 3. "...I need to ask you something important, Callie."The idol's ears perked up, and her golden eyes seemed to sparkle with interest, "I'm all ears!""What's this about?" Marie questioned, stepping a little closer to both 3 and Callie. Her hand still held her umbrella tightly as another strong, frigid wind swept through the canyon."Do you..." 3 could almost instantly feel herself getting embarrassed, only further emphasized with the burning on her ears. Nagi's eyes couldn't look up at either Callie and Marie, and only stared at her Hero Shot in hand. This was meant to be asked to Callie, yet 3 didn't mind hearing letting Agent 2 hear it either (oddly enough). "Do you know what..N-Nova feels about me...?"Almost as if their brains had been linked together, both of the Squid Sisters had a shocked expression washed over them immediately. For a second, they both made eye contact with each other before steering their sight back at Nagi. Callie's smile only widened even more upon hearing the question, excited to hear where this was going to go. Perhaps the excitement from the Splatfest was getting to 1 as well."Wait- Do you have feelings for 8..?" Marie questioned, lightly pointing at 3."Wait- But I thought that you and 4 were together..?" Callie questioned herself, her finger resting up against her cheek. It was clear that Callie was more confused, with Marie being more lost."They were together??" Marie whipped her head back to 1, a shocked expression growing on her face. The idol's hairpiece and tentacles flapped aggressively from both the wind, and the rapid head movement. "Is this true 3??"Nagi nodded, desperately attempting to avoid eye contact as the inkling only grew redder and redder. 3 felt as though she wouldn't be able to utter any more words, as the question itself already took a lot of her."Y-Yeah! I didn't tell you..?" Callie leaned back, a little nervous."No!""Well, apparently 4 had confessed to 3 about getting together, and they were dating..." Callie's voice trailed off before her eyes met Nagi's. "Did something happen..?""Wait there is a lot going on here, and I need to be caught up." Marie stated simply, shutting her eyes and guiding both Callie and Nagi to the front of the Cuttlefish Cabin. Quickly, Agent 2 had turned around to give 8 some orders, "8! Stay right there!""O-Oh, okay!" 8 responded out loud obediently. Silently, Nova stood there, waiting to see when Nagi would return to start their patrol. From his perspective, 8 couldn't exactly see anything in front of the Cuttlefish Cabin, and could only see the side of the building. Instead, his mind wandered to thinking about the Splatfest, imagining what it would be like to participate in it."Ok so, explain." Marie stated curiously. Though it was clear that Nagi wasn't going to explain anytime soon out of pure embarrassment. Instead, after giggling about Marie's interest, Callie took over."So basically, in the past, I had spoken with 3 privately and slightly nudged her to get back into the dating game after she and 4 had split up earlier. And well..it looks 4 and 3 did end up together again," It was a brief explanation, and Callie's attention to 3. "Is everything okay?""...I..broke up with him," 3 practically whispered, still looking down at the wooden deck they sat at. Callie and Marie's eyes widened once the information was processed, and after glancing back at each other and back at Nagi, it was only natural to follow it up by asking why and what had happened."Well uh, it's just that he questioned me about my feelings for Nova, and well...""..You realized what you felt?" Marie finished the inkling's sentence, raising a curious brow.With a heavy blush, she nodded. "I didn't want to continue pursuing something that I knew wouldn't feel genuine. Draco didn't do anything wrong, it's just that my heart..just wasn't there anymore.""EEEE!" Callie squealed jumping up, "Is that why you're asking me that?? Because you love No-?!"Almost immediately, Marie's hands had quickly covered Callie's mouth in a desperate attempt to make her stop talking.
"SHHH! You're being too loud Callie! Nova is like, right there! Plus, shouldn't you be more considerate about the fact that they had just broken up??"
"R-Right, sorry."
"It's okay," Nagi commented. "I'm trying to move on from it anyways."3's mind had still lingered on the matter, Draco occasionally flashing by. Since that moment, they haven't talked nor seen each other, raising worry within Agent 3. However, just like Nova's bruise healing, she too was slowly but surely moving on from the breakup living through her daily life. One could even argue that through her feelings for 8, this whole ordeal seemed much more easier to go through. Still, what exactly was 4 doing? Regardless, Nagi's blush had deepened simultaneously with her heart thumping. She could feel her grip on her Hero Shot tighten, accidentally firing it, and made everyone jump briefly."Well, if I'm going to be completely honest," Callie spoke in a much softer voice, just loud enough for both Marie and 3 to hear. "I've spoken to him privately before and asked him what he felt about you. The same day he was being fitted for his Hero Suit.""Was it really that day?' Both Marie and 3 questioned in unison, though with different influxes in their voices. Clearly, Agent 3 would be much more embarrassed in comparison to Marie."Yes," Callie giggled."..What did he say..?" 3 peered up, locking eyes with the idol."Curious are we?" Callie teased, making the lime haired inkling blush more. It looked as if though she would overheat at any moment, fry herself and convert into some tempura squid despite the cold winds sweeping through every once in awhile. As their tentacles flapped in the wind, Marie nudged her cousin, "Don't tease her so much.""Fine, fine," Callie continued to grin. "But as I was saying, when I asked him, 8 had looked over at you, but never actually answered my question. Though, his expression already told me what I needed to know."Marie and Nagi glanced at each other, with 3 desperately trying to hold back a smile."I definitely think he feels the same way, Nagi."Callie grinned happily, "I'm willing to bet all of the Squid Sister's cash on it.""O-Okay, let's not go that far," Marie sweat nervously at the statement, knowing very well that Agent 1 was fully capable of such a thing. As the cousins bickered in the background, it seemed as if the noise in Nagi's surroundings were slowly being muffled, the only thing being audible was her own heartbeat.
"Nova feels the same way about me...?"
"Ok so, can I chill here with you guys for now if I'm gonna wait?" 8 smiled, suddenly walking around the corner into everyone's field of vision. At the time of their conversing, 8 had not caught a single word that anyone had said, and had only arrived within earshot distance only seconds after Callie's betting comment."WE TOLD YOU TO WAIT!" Callie and Marie exclaimed as 3 attempted to hide her face subtly. Nova didn't notice this, but nervously nodded and ran back to his initial spot.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Upon watching the octoling run back to his initial spot, both Agents 1 and 3 had begun to giggle in an amused manner. Nagi, on the other hand, could only smile to herself upon revealing her embarrassed face once again. 8 had spoken so casually, yet it was still feared that he had heard what they were talking about."Anyways," Callie started again. "Are you planning on telling him soon? Or are you waiting to see if he does it? Cause I can definitely push him in the right direction for you."The idol had given Nagi a playful wink, suggesting that she'd convince Nova to confess. However, it wasn't exactly what she wanted. After explaining that, even if her feelings for Nova were strong, 3 didn't just want to jump right into another relationship since she had just recently broken up with 4, with the Squid Sisters nodding in understandment. "Plus, I want it to come naturally instead of being nudged to do so, y'know?""Then it'll seem more from the heart..." Callie pondered to herself after 3 had finished her sentence. With a quick snap of her fingers, the inkling grinned, "I won't push it, but we'll be rooting for you two! We think you'd be adorable together."3's face burned up some more, and with a quick glance from her surroundings, she slowly had begun to stand back up. The lime haired inkling's hand seemed to hold onto her Hero Shot tightly, imagining an image of the both of them together at some point in the future. Her heart had temporarily skipped a beat, and it felt as though her stomach had begun turning with a mind of its own. However, suddenly, a thought had crossed her mind that 3 had been meaning to tackle with both agents."...I want to bring something up to you two. It's just a suggestion, but hopefully we can implement it," 3 started, her nervous voice still recovering from her previous feelings of embarrassment.~"Hm, we'll have to go over with Gramps and see if we get a green light to go through with it," Marie's eyes met 3's. "It sounds a bit dangerous, but it seems as though it'd benefit us as well in a different way.""We got this!" Callie smiled brightly. "I think it's really sweet that you're doing this for him too, Nagi. We'll give you updates whenever we get them!""Thank you," 3 smiled gently, stepping off of the Cuttlefish Cabin deck. "We'll be heading out now.""Good luck!" Both Squid Sisters grinned happily at the inkling they've known for so long and waved her off.Readjusting her kimono, Marie continued to hold her umbrella tightly as the winds swept through Octo Canyon. Her golden eyes slowly studied Agent 3 as she walked away with a hint of proudness. "3 has changed a lot in these past months huh?" Marie questioned, looking back at her cousin who had also been looking at 3."Mhm! It's been really nice to see how much more expressive she is." Agent 1 nodded before crossing her arms. "I really hope they end up together, they would be really cute.""Mm. Can't say I don't feel bad for 4 though, how has he been?" Marie questioned, glancing back over at both Agents 3 and 8. They both were smiling each other, seemingly talking about something that was out of earshot of both idols. 3 seemed happy with 8's presence and vice versa, and with the chuckles Nova gave, it was even more obvious from a distance that the octoling was definitely in love with Nagi. "I don't know actually," Callie shrugged, a worried expression washing over the both of them. "He apparently called the week off. Maybe he's just upset and needs the space?""Probably..."
~December 16th, Saturday Morning.~
Rapidly, the octoling had stood up in his room after plopping on the floor in his octopus form. It was the morning of the Splatfest, and 8 could already hear the music thumping out in the streets through his walls. Quickly, the octoling had thrown on some gear that would prove to be both warm and useful in the heat of battle. Despite the long amounts of training Nova had done throughout their week whenever he had an ounce of free time, his body had still yet to feel tired. In fact, Nova felt as if though he was full of energy. Nagi had accompanied him on these training matches whenever she could or wanted to (which was pretty often), and although she felt tired at times, Nagi had continued to push through in hopes of making this as much of a positive experience for him as she could.Earlier in the week, both the inkling and octoling had chosen their team shirts within Inkopolis Square. Obviously, as the days led on to the actual day of the Splatfest, the Square itself had grown more and more packed. Overflowing with inklings, it felt as though it was near impossible to get your team shirt, and ultimately took up a lot more time than expected.
~Earlier...~
"So, what team do you want to join..?" Nagi questioned, as they stood in front of the table that rested in the middle of the Square. Both Nova and Nagi were smooshed in between a bunch of other inklings, but were aware that it was, in fact, their turn. It was troublesome to move around as a result and Nagi hated every second of it. Behind the table were two jellies, waiting to hand out to inklings their respective shirts and wristbands with mountains of boxes behind them to make sure everyone got one."I think...sweaters? It's technically more cloth to receive in a gift." The octoling explained himself, slowly receiving his respective shirt from the jelly. As their tentacle extended and plopped the shirt in his hands, Nova's orange eyes turned and faced her with an excited smile, "What about you Nagi?"Before 8 had even finished his explanation as to why he chose sweaters, the lime haired inkling had already made her decision. The inkling had temporarily ignored the feeling of uncomfortableness from within the crowd too and with a smile, turned to face the jelly before the two. "Sweaters," 3 simply stated.Following the shirts, the same jelly had given the pair a set of bracelets, which made it all the more clear that they were participating. Nova found them strangely cute, as it was made to look like a squid wrapping around your wrist."Y'know, you didn't have to pick the same one as me," Nova scratched his cheek, looking out into the busy Inkopolis streets. Walking through, there was a lot of construction all of a sudden. Cranes lifting platforms and decorations, some more rising platforms that lifted other inklings in charge of preparing the city for the event. Even if it wasn't in the main square, the construction and preparation had stretched out even past Nagi's apartment. Now, it wasn't just the noise from all of the other inklings, but the sounds of machinery had also been echoing between the buildings. A grin rested on his face, and although 8 mentioned this, it was clear that the octoling was relieved to hear that 3 had joined the same team. Especially since it was his first Splatfest."Don't worry, I chose it out of my own free will," Nagi smiled softly, also beginning to stare out into the street alongside the octoling. Since the sidewalks were packed from everyone walking back and forth, both the inkling and octoling were walking rather close to each other. Occasionally, the outside of their hands or shoulders would bump together, and although the other saw that they behaved normally, both 3 and 8 felt their hearts beat faster.~Even with the excitement of the Splatfest occurring right around the corner, 8 couldn't help but continuously wonder about 3. Ever since the day Nagi had gone over to Draco's place for a date and came back, it seemed as though she was off. Despite the fact that he had continuously asked her if everything was okay, 3 would always shrug it off. Yet, something inside his gut told him that something had definitely occurred. These feelings were only reinforced every time he saw her expression sadden out of nowhere, to which she'd immediately shrug it off. Even if 3 smiled at the octoling, her orange eyes only told him that she was struggling with something."Did they fight...? Did they split up...?" Nova whispered to himself, still looking out the window and into the streets. He shook his head. It still wasn't safe to make any assumptions just off of one thing, and continued to go with the mindset that it'd be better off not to mention any of these topics unless Nagi confirms it herself with her words. "...But then again, they haven't been seeing each other at all, at least to my knowledge...""..Good morning," Nagi's voice had suddenly sounded not too far from behind him. The octoling had jumped from surprise and turned to meet her eyes, one of them being rubbed by her hands. The lime haired inkling had her signature oversized shirt and shorts that Nova had grown accustomed to from the time period he had lived with her. "...I see you're already dressed," She giggled tiredly, followed by a brief yawn and stretch."G-Good morning," Nova responded with a smile, still recovering from the little jumpscare. He hadn't heard her bedroom door open, nor her steps approaching the living room. "How'd you sleep?""Eh," Nagi shrugged. "I think all that training fatigue is catching up to me. I don't know how you're up and ready.""To be honest, I don't know myself," 8 chuckled, and looked back outside. "I guess I'm just really excited to experience something like this."The inkling walked up next to 8 at the same window. Outside, the surrounding buildings had numerous decorations from the bottom to top, from banners to posters reminiscent of inklings and squids and ink. The city seemed to be drowned in both bright, vibrant colors and the thumping music from various inkling artists playing on speakers that were spread out within the streets. If you were someone like 3, who didn't particularly loved hearing loud sounds from the comfort of your own apartment, Splatfests were rather dreaded. Crowds of inklings were heading their different ways, and from the bird's eye view Nova and Nagi had, they couldn't even spot the sidewalk underneath them.Normally, Nagi wouldn't be particularly excited to go out during these days. However, after a quick glance at Nova and his sparkling orange eyes, 3 realized that maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. She even noted how his injury was also practically gone, though she couldn't help but continuously feel sorry for the octoling.3 smiled to herself, a faint pink blush appearing on her face."Well, it'll be a lot of fun I'm sure," 3 added, giving one more stretch. "Just give me some time to get ready and wake up some more."Nova smiled softly, and after a quick adjustment of the single tentacle upon his head, he said, "Don't worry, take all the time you need. Y'know I'll wait for you...I'll make breakfast for us."3's face felt warmer, and perhaps it was the fact that she was oddly excited for the Splatfest this time around, but it seemed as though her heart wouldn't stop beating fast with the octoling's words. With a slightly embarrassed laugh, 3 continued, "We only have cereal and frozen waffles right now. It sounds as if though you're going to be preparing some gourmet breakfast." Nova would blush in response to her teasing, and after a quick glance around and walking towards the freezer, his eyes met hers."You already know I'm a culinary expert. Look," Putting the waffles on a plate and tossing them in the microwave, Nova started up said microwave for the required time. "As you can see, I'm the most refined chef known in the industry."Nagi giggled tiredly, still attempting to wake up, and headed back into her room in order to change properly. Nova set out the plates on their kitchen table, poured themselves some orange juice, and sat himself down, awaiting for Nagi's arrival. After a couple of minutes, the female inkling would step out, a gentle smile resting on her face as she processed the fact that Nova had already set up their food. The inkling gave her thanks, and took the seat next to the octoling.~"There's so many inklings out today," Nova grinned, looking around happily. Though it was hard to catch exactly what Nova was saying amidst all the noise and music, Agent 3 was able to understand him. The female inkling nodded along, smiling because he was too, and was shoved accidentally aside by the stream of inklings walking by. "H-Hey, Nagi!" Nova called out as 3 attempted to look overhead of the groups walking in the middle of the sidewalk. It had split the area into two, with both sides heading towards the Square, and the middle part heading away from Deca Tower. After a quick blink, she had noticed that Nova had disappeared from her line of sight. Rapidly, 3 glanced around, hoping to catch sight of the octoling's hairstyle from within the crowds. "Was he swept away by everyone?" Nagi questioned, as inklings attempted to squeeze around her as she stood in place.Feeling something grab her free hand from within the stream of inklings in the middle, the other holding her Splattershot, 3's face warmed up almost instantly, and attempted to pull her hand away. 3 couldn't separate herself, seeing that the other hand was holding on tightly. With a quick pull, the same arm that had reached out dragged her through the middle crowd of inklings and was pulled back to the side both 3 and 8 initially walked through."Hey, watch where you're going!""Excuse me," Another inkling had stated prior to Nagi making it through."I got you!" 8 exclaimed proudly. "I thought I lost you for a second. I can't afford to get separated right now."Slowly, much to Nagi's disliking, 8's hand had let go after realizing where exactly he had been holding onto. "S-Sorry," the octoling apologized as the pair lightly blushed. "I had to pull you back in somehow.""No, it's ok," Nagi reassured with a smile, before motioning her hand towards Inkopolis Square. "I was only pulling back because I hadn't seen you trying to get me. Now, let's get going. I can't imagine how long queue will be if we're trying to get our matches in.""What?" Nova had exclaimed loudly as the music blasting in the streets seemed to only rise in volume. He had, in fact, not caught what the inkling was talking about.With a playful rolling of her orange eyes, Nagi giggled, grabbed his hand once more, and dragged the octoling in between all the inklings. This action had made the octoling blush, ultimately making his heart pick up the pace just a tiny bit more. As the pair sprinted down the streets, just barely holding onto their respective weapons since they had kept on bumping into others, Nova couldn't help but admire the inkling holding his hand. Once again, 8 could only focus on the sensation that wrapped around his hand. Hers had a certain soft quality to it, one that continued to be similar to any other time he had felt them, from the Shoal when he was dragged away in a similar manner to when they gently held his face after the cola had exploded on him. "I wish...I wish I could hold her hand whenever like this..." Was all that ran through the octoling's mind, clearly obsessed with the feeling that it gave him.Occasionally, Nagi would continue to turn back to look at Nova, almost as if to make sure that his hand was still the one she was dragging along. The inkling would find it amusing each time their eyes met and would giggle, though the actual sound of her little laughs would only be drowned out by the thumping of what Nova could identify as both Pearl and Marina's voices in one of their songs. Although the excitement of the whole event was already getting to 8's heart, he already knew that it was the fact that he was falling for Nagi with each passing second that was spent with her.As previously mentioned, their eyes would meet every so often in the midst of their light sprinting, and through their heavy breaths, Nova couldn't help but admire Nagi's beauty. Sure, Nova admitted that he loved it when 3 dressed up, such as the black robe and boots she had worn that one day, but even just Nagi's natural beauty was enough to make him falter. From the way the sun overhead seemed to highlight her naturally lime colored hair, while simultaneously highlighting her orange eyes, making it seem as if though the inkling stored two personal suns within. Even if her outfit was meant to be both warm and comfortable to battle in, Nova couldn't help but find the inkling adorable. With a light jacket as to shield herself from the wind, to her black leggings and cute furry-looking boots, topped off with a hat that had a little cotton ball hanging off the top, Nova found it almost impossible to hold back a smile.With another blink, Nova stopped his thoughts about the inkling and took a quick glance around. Yes, the pair were still rushing through everyone in hopes of getting a decent queue time, however the octoling couldn't help but analyze his surroundings.The different buildings seemed to tower over everyone as what seemed like confetti sprinkled down. Nova checked out the decorations throughout the city, and then the hustle of the inklings in Inkopolis. Sure, Nova was still receiving looks from those passing by him with the same judge mental stares he had known for a long time, but with Nagi's hand pretty much holding his, 8 was able to ignore it. Even with these stares 8 received, Nova could only smile to himself, seeing how all the inklings were interacting happily, way more excited than your average day. The temperature seemed to slowly drop, only made evident with the hundred of misty clouds releasing into the air by all the inklings. Some would joke around and pretend as if though they were exhaling fire, or even taking a quick smoke, followed by the laughter of their inkling companions.To see a whole community, no, a whole city gathering together to celebrate this one event felt rather touching to Nova. After all, something of this scale, this exciting, was practically unheard of within octoling society. There were no such events to look forward to, and yet here he was, standing amidst hundreds of inklings, every single one of them excitedly waiting to start their day, to duke it out on the battlefield in the name of either socks and sweaters.Briefly, 8's eyes examined his Octoshot in his left hand, as if reminiscing about the past. This Octoshot was the same one that got him through the Deepsea Metro, and the same one that continues to fight within Inkopolis. The countless amount of 8-Ball's he had to take to the goal, the inkrail target missions, facing other Octarian soldiers in this grueling process, and more seemed to flash past his eyes as his left hand gripped the weapon just a tiny bit more. 8 remembered the mental struggle of reminding himself that he only had so many chances to complete a challenge, with the almost traumatic beeping of the bomb strapped to him going off if he were to fail something. The entire journey had taken its physical toll too. There were times where Nova had nearly been splatted or fell into the void, but survived, not out of pure skill, but sheer luck. Up to now, even through the training both 3 and 8 had gone through, these missions would occasionally flash through his mind in the midst of battle. 8 would prefer to forget about this, but at the same time, fighting that glob of goo was probably the best thing he could've done.Now he gets to experience everything the inklings get to instead of, you know, everyone's existence getting wiped out.The moment in which the three other inklings had surrounded him flashed through Nova's mind immediately after this thought, and 8's eyes would sadden just a bit. He remembered their words, words that he believed he didn't deserve even though 8 was just simply existing.
"Two months eh? How does your kind feel about the surface?"
"Make sure you don't try to take over the surface again!"
"I'm sure he's itching to just take this over right now!"
His bruised eye, which one could say was pretty much healed, almost seemed to store these words figuratively and reminded him about that very moment. However, instead of lingering on this for too long, 8 instead decided to just shrug it off. Their words shouldn't matter, 8 did nothing wrong to get where he was right now. But just as Nova remembered about his grueling time in both the Octarian Army and the challenges faced throughout the Deepsea Metro, 8 reminded himself that he fought hard to get to this moment. He had fought hard to release himself from those struggles and finally get to enjoy this life in the surface. Nova just had to keep pushing through, and never stop.Though, Nova was aware that he wasn't just fighting to stay in Inkopolis and amongst the inklings. Through his position as an agent in the Squidbeak Splatoon, there was that continuous battle that still lingered. It is during those patrol missions that Nova metaphorically fought against himself. In other words, Octarian soldiers, the same thing he was considered to be in the past, yet, found out that they were still just like him in a sense. Even Nagi had mentioned it, how the idea of the surface, Inkopolis, was still viewed as almost a paradise with it being dubbed as "the Promised Land." As much as Nova wanted the rest of his people to get to experience these joys with such freedom, something that the bright lights, music and confetti only heightened, he knew that it would be very difficult to do so. After all, 8 had a little trouble integrating himself within inkling society, and even that was with Nagi's help. Then again, it was only one octoling. This isn't hundreds, if not thousands of them. So many inklings were already judgmental of him, imagine if there were so many more octolings? It's even made clear that there were still some stigmas within those around him about who he was as an octoling.In the long run, all these little stares he received from the public, all the little comments and remarks made about him to him, all of the actions taken by others upon him, wouldn't matter.Throughout all this, Nagi continued to lead them to Inkopolis Square."Hey, want some hot chocolate? Should warm us up before we head into our matches," Nagi smiled, though she didn't particularly look over at 8 as they continued to walk. Her hand continued to hold onto his, clearly with no intention of letting go anytime soon, and with the combination of both this and the inkling's voice knocking him out of his little trance, Nova could feel his face warm up out of embarrassment.Focusing once again to the city and the tons of inklings in his surroundings, 8 had noticed up ahead the closed streets. It was within this area inklings were able to roam both the sidewalk and street as they pleased with no danger of an actual vehicle hitting them. Alongside the closed stores in the nearby buildings, little tents were seemingly set up in front of them, each one selling something different to those who passed by or were interested. There were lots of food stands, each one releasing a bit of steam into the air that mixed with everyones' breaths, and the one Nagi had pointed to seemed to have had gathered a particularly large crowd. The upside was that it was on the larger side compared to the stands around them, and therefore had multiple inklings working behind the tables preparing hot chocolate for those who wanted some. From the distance, both Nova and Nagi could barely make the callouts that they made regarding how many cups of hot chocolate they needed and if they were running low on certain ingredients amidst all the voices and music blasting within the streets."As long as I get to invite us," Nova chuckled, following the inkling as she claimed their place in line."Nope, I'll pay."The octoling sighed, not in a bad manner of course, and smiled as they progressed in line.~Upon arriving to the main area of Inkopolis Square, it was quickly noted that it was, in fact, PACKED. Never had Nova and Nagi struggled so much to squeeze in between people, and just like before, they were pretty much guaranteed to be stepped on if they were to shift into their respective squid and octopus forms. It was still early in the day, and it was clear that with the massive amount of inklings already here, that number would only increase as the evening approaches. However, despite these facts, Nova still felt that same excitement he had felt when the Squid Sisters had both explained the concept of a Splatfest and when he first saw the city in its new altered state.Compared to the streets before, such as those nearby Nagi's apartment complex, the music in the Square was much louder. A song Nova couldn't exactly identify or recognize had begun to play, and yet the crowd around them seemed to let out their excited cheers. Many of them even hopped in place, fist pumping the air. 3 and 8's heads had looked up in the same direction that both the crowd of inklings were facing and where the increased noise was coming from. Much to both of their surprise, they hadn't noticed the way that the entrance to Deca Tower was extended with a flat roof overhead, which had also acted as a stage for any performers. Currently, there was a band playing that Nagi was somewhat familiar with but wasn't a huge fan herself.Her green eyes would turn to face Nova, almost as if to see his reaction to everything going on. Nagi would end up not being surprised about what she saw, but couldn't help but get that flutter in her stomach at the view. There, Nova stood with a wide grin, his eyes seemingly spawning in sparkles, and Nagi couldn't help but smile as well. The octoling turned quickly, also wanting to see Nagi's reaction, only to find that she had whipped her head away immediately. Nova noted the small tint of red at the tip of her pointy ears and chuckled to himself.For 3, seeing his excitement with everything continued to make her heart fluttered. Although Nagi believed that her mind should've still lingered a bit on the fact that she had just broken up with Draco, with each passing moment, this feeling felt more and more distant. It wasn't a matter of worrying about whether or not she did the right thing in that moment or about the relationship as a whole, but was purely out of concern for 4, especially since he hadn't even gone in for work in the time period of their breakup. Sure, this made her sound like a bad inkling, and yes, Nagi still felt bad about the whole breakup. Draco even shed tears then, how could she not feel sorry about causing all of it? Instead, 3 shook her head, and concluded to just set it aside for now. "I just hope he's okay..." Nagi thought to herself, before trying to shrug it off. "I..I want to enjoy the Splatfest with Nova."The couple (of friends) had pushed through the packed area and under the stage in hopes of arriving to the actual entrance of Deca Tower. Before they could even arrive to the actual Turf War battle, just getting into Deca Tower was a battle of its own. Stepping in, music continued to blast from within just as it was outside, and every spot where one could sit was taken up by practically everyone. Just like before, the noise created by all the talking and laughing, especially within a closed area, seemed to actually completely overpower the previously mentioned music."Do you think Parker is here?" Nova questioned, going on his tippy toes in order to look over the heads of any inklings in his path. This would prove fruitless however, as it was definitely hard to spot Parker in this crowd and only made more difficult with the raised brushes, rollers, and chargers. Even the occasional brella here and there."I'm not sure, I mean you guys still only see each other and hang out by chance right?"Nova chuckled bashfully, lightly scratching the back of his head, "W-Well yeah...I mean the chances of him being here are pretty high at least, right?""I guess so," Nagi shrugged, taking another look around at their surroundings. "Let's check the computer thing. I mean, you two registered each other as friends the day you guys met right? It'll tell you there."Nova smiled at the inkling, nodded, and once again had pushed in between the hordes of inklings in hopes of arriving to said computer. In the end, there was a line of inklings already waiting, but it was surprisingly not too long despite the event that is currently going on. Looking over to his left, there Nagi stood and stared down at her hand, her left thumb lightly scrolling on her squid shaped phone. From what the octoling could tell, they'd be in line for a good amount of time."Hey, Nagi? You don't want to take a seat somewhere..? We're gonna be here for a good minute. We'd probably get tired before we even start a battle." Nova chuckled to himself before turning his head back to look at the line ahead of them. They were making relatively slow progress, but progress nonetheless. "Eh, it's fine. I don't mind waiting on line with you. Plus with all the patrolling we do at work, this is nothing in comparison.""But I thought the fatigue from all the practice Turf War matches were catching up," Nova teased lightly, receiving a small jab at his arm."Fine, since you're clearly pushing the idea of me sitting down, I'll go find a spot," Nagi shut her eyes, and began turning to walk out of line. Almost instantly, Nova realized that he did not want to wait all by himself in this long line, and had initially only mentioned it to Nagi out of concern. However, 3 still looked a little serious. Is it possible she had taken offense to it? There's no shot, she had to be messing around. Gritting his teeth out of worry, Nova reached out and had suddenly held onto her wrist. Catching Nagi off guard, her lime haired tentacles had whipped around as she simultaneously whipped her head around. 3's orange eyes widened at the action, and before 8 could say anything in return, she snickered. "That's what I thought," 3 giggled lightly before flicking the single tentacle resting atop of 8's head as to tease him back. The pair could only blush lightly as they laughed together.Funny enough, Nova had grown to love Nagi's teasing behavior, which seemed almost non existent since they first met. It wouldn't be as frequent as one might think, but with the rare occasions she did, it still made his heart skip a beat. Especially that flicking motion of his hair. Or just any touch of hers in general seemed to send electricity coursing through his body. Each time he heard her giggle or laughter, just like that one time during the soda incident, 8 just couldn't help it but fall in love more and more with the inkling. Each time she let out one of her snickers, it almost seemed to Nova as time itself slowed down, as if everything went by in slow motion and the only thing he could hear was 3's laughter.His heart continued to race for the lime haired inkling, yet...her relationship with Draco persisted. It continued to act as an almost imaginary force, a chain that held him back from even attempting to confess his love for her. The one time 8 had said screw it and was about to, 3's phone had rung and ultimately brought him back into reality. Since then, little comments would slip out, enough for someone to start considering the fact that they might be getting flirted with, if that's the right term. And although 8 had only a hunch as to what could've brought Nagi's mood down from the other day, he had persisted on not just assuming things and continued to keep these feelings to himself.~"Parker's not here," Nova sighed with a hint of disappointment after getting to the front of the line. Toaster #1652 was nowhere to be found, especially not on the online section of the computer thing. "He could be anywhere in Inkopolis right now..""I'm sure we'll find him eventually," Nagi reassured him, gently patting his shoulder. Her orange eyes stared into his, which focused heavily on the screen before him, and attempted to interpret what he was feeling. 3 could completely understand why Nova would be upset with something like this. It was his first Splatfest, and the way 8's past was, it was most likely he had never experienced such an event at this scale. Of course he'd want to spend it with the people he was closest to, but with no method of communication between Nova and Parker, it would be extremely difficult to find him amongst all the inklings in Inkopolis, impossible even. "However, we can't let this time go to waste, I'm sure some Turf War matches will cheer you up a bit!"Almost instantly, Agent 3 had pulled Nova with her, once again by his hand. The octoling would let out a surprised yelp from the action, strengthening his grip on his Octoshot in hopes of not dropping it, and even received a few stares here and there. Nonetheless, Nova still found it sweet how she seemingly knew what he felt, and still attempted to cheer him up.
~ Many, many, many Turf War matches later... ~
"You've saved me with that technique more times than I can count," Nova chuckled bashfully, a little embarrassed by the amount of times he'd been saved. "I've never seen someone use their Splashdown before completing their super jump..."Nagi, who had been walking alongside the octoling this entire time, smiled to herself. After a quick readjustment of both her hair and fuzzy hat, she responded, "Really..? I feel like it's pretty common, though it's rare for me to get any splats with it."Nova hummed to himself, wondering if it was truly as common as Nagi claimed it to be. "Even with all that practice, you've still had to come to my rescue multiple times..."Nagi perked up, her eyesight initially examining the concrete floors as they walked, and playfully shoved his arm. "C'mon, you're acting like you haven't saved me several times too. You're really good handling the inkjet y'know."Nova developed a light tint of pink on his face, happy to receive a compliment from her, and couldn't find a way to temporarily steer his embarrassment away. "M-Maybe it was all of those inkjet challenges in the Deepsea Metro? I mean, I had to really master it if I wanted to survive.."For a second, setting aside how cute 3 found it whenever 8 got embarrassed, Nagi's mind couldn't exactly help but linger on his past. Nova wasn't exactly quiet about it, or pretended that it didn't exist, but the octoling also never particularly went into detail about it. Sure, 8 acknowledged it here and there, but it wasn't enough detail to allow Nagi to wrap her head around it. Even she couldn't remember the events regarding the Deepsea Metro, even after Nova had mentioned it to her. The whole topic had suddenly peaked her interest, especially since it'd give her a deeper insight into who Nova exactly was. In other words, what did he go through that turned him into the 8 she held so dear to her heart?"You've..you've never really told me much about your past.." Nagi started up, as they continued to push through the heaping crowds. "You've mentioned very little about it."8's eyes would widen a bit at the statement, surprised that 3 had shown some more interest. "Well, to be fair, you've never really told me much either," 8 chuckled, immediate apologizing briefly to an inkling he had bumped into after focusing too much into Nagi's eyes."There isn't much to say on my behalf to be honest," 3 shrugged with a rather blank expression. It was a little true, she had grown up in a relatively safe neighborhood with a caring family. The reason she had moved to Inkopolis was to get a fresh start and begin her life as an independent inkling, and therefore began taking care of herself on her own. It wasn't until joining the Squidbeak Splatoon that it made her feel...bland. If that's even the right word. All the splatting and constant conflict with the Octarians and octolings was most likely to blame for her deteriorating behavior..."Well, we are pretty close I suppose..." Nova's voice trailed off slowly, putting his cold hands into his pockets. His voice had knocked 3 out of her rambling thoughts."You suppose..?" Nagi raised an eyebrow, clearly catching on to what 8 was attempting to do."Alright, alright fine. We are close already," He corrected himself after clearing his throat. 8's smile remained, and continued to speak, "When you ask again, I'll tell you anything you want to know. After all, I know I can tell you anything."3 stopped to process what he had just said, and ended up remembering those words. The same words he had uttered to her when it came to the topic of her hair. The same words 3 had brought up to 8 after shedding tears about Nova not telling her. Her mind had flashed back to that specific moment, where the both of them were in their secret spot they now shared, and could almost feel the chilly grass brush up against her skin once again. The moment she had shed tears in front of 8 after the combination of what 8 had told her and how bad she felt for ditching him, and Nova's hand reaching out to wipe them away...Nagi's fuzzy feeling had returned once more, which only heightened after seeing the sincerity behind Nova's orange eyes and gentle grin. Every since 3 had warmed up towards him, she knew how sweet and genuine Nova could be, and even blamed this factor for being one of the major contributors as to why 3 fell in love with him. Even to this day this feeling continued, and 3 had yet to find a way to relax whenever it came."Don't worry, I'll ask you again eventually," Nagi smiled softly, letting out an amused puff of air. "I don't know how soon though, but let's just focus on the present for now."Both agents had spent the majority of the day in their Turf War matches, so much so that by the time they had stepped out of Deca Tower, it was almost late into the afternoon. With that being said, the sky darkened slowly, taking with it the bright orange the sun left behind. As time went on, the city lights illuminated brighter and even more beautifully, giving Inkopolis a whole different vibe compared to the day time, especially within the context of the whole Splatfesr. The excitement amongst inklings only grew as performances continued and Deca Tower remained opened. Plus, there was so much more to do now with all the stands that had opened within the streets. From the different foods and drinks one could try, to different overpriced games one could play for prizes that one could probably obtain for cheaper through just buying the item rather than playing to win it. It was still fun nonetheless.The day remained cold, and though the sun in both the morning and early afternoon did provide at least some warmth to combat this temperature, with nightfall, it was bound to get chillier. With the darkening skies, it had become even more visible each breath someone took. Coats had begun to be zipped or buttoned up. You saw a lot more hats being worn to keep heads warm. However, smiles persisted. Amongst the groups of inklings, laughter was a pretty common occurrence. Everywhere you looked, inklings remained smiling. Nova even noted the amount of couples there were as both Nagi and him walked together."I wonder if Nagi and I look like a couple right now.." His mind lingered on the thought as his head continued to look around. "No, no, no. Stop it, Nova. She's taken by Draco.."Going back to that thought, Nova had begun to blush a tiny bit. What if they did...? How he wished that was reality, getting to call the person he was so close to, the inkling that had saved his life in more ways than one, his partner. And not just a work partner. It is through this brief moment that, after a quick glance at him from Nagi, she had questioned what had 8 blushing with Nova only playing it off as the cold getting to him. "Yeah, it is pretty cold," Nagi giggled, hiding the lower part of her face underneath her all the way zipped up coat in hopes of conserving body heat. Nova noticed how the tips of her ears had begun to phase into a bright red, as well as the tip of her nose. The sight was adorable to say the least.Nova admitted to himself that he was having an amazing time experiencing this Splatfest, everything from the battling to just exploring what Inkopolis had to offer at a time like this, made his heart beat happily. With Nagi by his side, everything was just a hundred times better to see and do then if he was by himself. However, even throughout the entire morning and up to this point in the afternoon, even before the Splatfest had occurred, where both 3 and 8 had spent every ounce of free time together, Nova couldn't shake off this feeling...8 had been looking at the inkling couples, who walked hand in hand, wearing matching clothing and whatnot, going as far as imagining both him and 3 in that same position. Yet...was this really okay?"H-Hey Nagi," Nova started up once again as they both approached a large area with a bunch of mini games. The laughter of both younger inklings and older ones echoed from within this area. Music continued to thump between each building of the city. "Are you sure it's okay for you to be with me here...?"The question confused 3. Not only was it completely out of nowhere, but it seemed illogical to her. Nagi had just spent pretty much the entire day with the octoling, enjoying food together, battling for team sweaters alongside each other, and now walking within the vibrant streets of Inkopolis together, so why ask something like that? Was he doubting something...?"...What do you mean, Nova?""It's just..this isn't a common event, is it? Are you sure you should be spending it with me?"Nova's orange eyes had drifted away from hers, and up at the starry night sky. Almost instantly, Nagi could recognize Nova's expression saddening just a bit."I'm confused...I mean, it's the first Splatfest you get to experience, so of course I want to spend it with you," Nagi clarified, rubbing her hands together just a bit to warm them up. "Why shouldn't I be spending my time with you here...?"Nova smiled a bit at the comment, happy to hear that she too wanted to spend her time with him, and turned to look at her with an almost hesitant expression. "I don't know, it's just that I thought you'd want to spend it with Draco, you know? And with the whole jealousy thing, I'm surprised that he hasn't tried to meet up with your or something. D-Does he know I'm with you right now..?"The bluntness of his question caught 3 even more off guard, which was clearly visibly to 8 given her widening eyes and freezing in place. For a second, amidst all the surrounding conversations and sounds going on, 3 fell silent, unsure as to what to respond."I only ask because I don't want to spark anything bad in between you two. I want the two of you to be happy after all," Nova smiled, though it pained him a bit to say such a sentence. It wasn't a lie at least, as much as 8 wanted to be the one that got to call Nagi his partner, it was Draco who had that privilege. Even if they are dating, Nova would still want 3 to be happy in her relationship, and simultaneously Agent 4. The last thing he'd want was to get in between them, which is why he had always asked 3 whether or not it was okay for him to live with her, to which 3 would always reassure that it was okay. "No...You seriously gotta stop thinking about these things Nova," The octoling argued with himself in his mind, sort of regretting bringing this topic in the first place. "I should just be grateful Nagi is hanging out with me throughout this Splatfest."However, while it technically, and it really wasn't, Nova's fault for their breakup, Nagi knew he was the main factor behind it. After all, Nagi gave up her relationship with Draco because she realized her heart was now with Nova, and not with 4. It does sound bad in retrospect, especially the more Nagi thought about it. As sorry as she is for it all, for the way she had left in the end and made 4 cry, Nagi just couldn't picture herself in a relationship where she knew her heart just wouldn't be completely in. But how was 3 just supposed to bring up a breakup right now out of nowhere? They were in the middle of enjoying the Splatfest together. Agent 3 didn't want to bring up a topic that still made her feel upset and end up ruining the vibes of the night. Plus, what reasoning could she even give for why they broke up? "Oh yeah, it was because I realized I was actually in love with you and didn't have feelings for 4 anymore." That wouldn't work, and was far too casual to admit. Sure, Nagi could lie about it and make up a reason, but felt as though it wouldn't be fair to both Nova and Draco. After all, Nova trusted her, even if she insisted that nothing was wrong when she was clearly upset after 8 had asked several times.But why bring up the negative topic right now?Truly, and much to her own surprise as well, Nagi had been...enjoying this Splatfest. 3 had been self aware about how much she disliked physical contact, loud noises, Turf War matches, crowds, etc. All things huge events such as Splatfests had. However, with Nova, 3 seemed to forget about all of these dislikes. It was oddly fun pushing through everyone in a crowd together to reach their destination, it was fun experiencing the exhilaration of fighting alongside each other in a Turf War match knowing that everyone is fighting for their side made her heart beat faster. Hell, even 3 had reached out to hold his hand, guiding them towards the Square, and he even held hers. Nagi's feelings for the octoling definitely played a huge role in whether or not she enjoyed it, but the lime haired inkling wasn't complaining.Before 3 knew it, the already pre-existing blush on her face intensified."L-Look, it's a sensitive topic right now," Nagi shrugged, taking a step ahead of the octoling to avoid the eye contact. "I want to focus on this Splatfest with you. C'mon, let's try out some of the games over there.""Are you sure it's okay..?" Nova called out from behind her. Nagi stopped walking and slowly turned her head around with a genuine smile."I promise."~"Are you having fun...?" Nagi questioned the octoling as they stood around one of the stands, Though a few inklings covered their view, it was one of those simple games where you toss a fake yet tiny splat bomb at a few stacked squid bumpers and knock them over. Do that, and you win your prize. Simple as that. Except these games were also sort of designed to drain some cash out of inklings. What made this one even more interesting was the fact that you could actually select the distance between you and the squid bumpers. The farther you are from the target, the larger the prize you could get."Yeah, I'm having a lot of fun actually," 8 chuckled, releasing a heavy breath into his palms to warm them up. "This is easily one of my favorite days.""One of them?" Nagi raised an eyebrow as they moved up a step in line. "What are some of your other days?""When we went to the Shoal, when we went out for the snack run that one night, all the times we've hung out...""Nova, we're always hanging out," 3 giggled, noticing how all of the days listed were days where they were together. "We literally live together.""Exactly," 8 smiled confidently. "Any day with you is one of my favorite days, it's just that today is even more special because of this Splatfe-"A loud cheer from the surrounding inklings had caught both 3 and 8 off guard, and after quickly whipping their heads around, they noticed that the current thrower had won. The male inkling had blue, slicked back hair with yellow eyes, and was currently fist pumping the air as he chose his prize. To 3's surprise, he had selected the prize to accommodate for his girlfriend's preference and gifted it to her in the end, a medium sized squid plushy. The inkling girl, another girl with long pink tentacle hair, blushed happily with a wide grin, hugging the male inkling lovingly with the squid in hand. The sight alone made 3's heart flutter lightly, as did Nova's."Cute.." 3 whispered underneath her breath. The plush alone was cute, and 3 could already picture herself having the jumbo one to cuddle with at night.However, it seemed as though Nova could read her mind."Do you want one?" Nova questioned suddenly, locking eyes with lime haired inkling. "I can totally win you one."Agent 3 jumped a bit in her spot, surprised by the sudden question, and could feel her ears burning up a bit despite the cold going on. With a heavy yet hesitant breath that released a misty cloud into the air around them, she said, "N-No, it's fine, Nova." The offer alone made her smile uncontrollably, but still insisted that she'd be better off without it."Alright, who's next?!" The inkling running the game announced to the crowd circling around the stand. There was a good amount of them surrounding the area, many of who were simply entertained by watching the inklings who went up to throw, and whether or not they succeeded."Are you sure...? " Nova persisted, his eyes glancing back and forth at the assortment of squid plushies above and behind the game runner. 3 found it amusing how persistent he was, especially since Nagi hadn't technically asked for the plush on her own. His eyes seemed to sparkle, not just because of the vibrant lights around the city, but what Nagi could recognize as his determination shining through. 3 already knew there was no way she was going to be able to convince 8 out of this, and instead offered a compromise with a growing blush on her cheeks."F-Fine, but one of the small ones, so the lane with the closest bumpers," 3 clarified, pointing at the squid plushies hanging overhead. "It's fine if you don't get it though, okay? Here, let me give you the cash-""No, I'll pay," Nova grinned, slowly pushing Nagi's hand down as to prevent her from pulling out her own money.The lime haired inkling's heart had begun to thump loudly from within her chest watching Nova walk to the frontline of the crowd. With his own cash in hand, inklings had already begun their ruckus, excited to see what Nova would end up doing. After focusing her hearing to her surroundings, she could make out a few comments amidst the cheering and music.
"No way is he an...?"
"You're probably just imagining things..."
"I've never seen one of them in person.."
"What is he doing here..?"
These comments were completely unnecessary, especially within the context of the situation. Nova was only going up to have some fun, yet was still receiving all these weird stares and words. It made Nagi feel sorry for the octoling, especially since it was something he had endured every since his arrival in Inkopolis. 3 was always aware that he had fought hard to make it to this point in his life, and was lucky to do so. In fact, Nagi could even go as far and say that he truly deserves it.Nova was nothing but a sweet, thoughtful, and caring guy. He was so genuine at times that Nagi couldn't even believe it, times such as when Nova had reassured her about her tentacles. 8 remembered the little details about her, the little changes within her, and always checked up on her. His sense of determination and positivity was admirable, which revealed itself even now as he handed the game runner the cash needed to play. His eyes continued to have that sparkle to them, the same sparkle as earlier when 8 had asked her if she wanted a squid plush, the same sparkle even after the physical assault he had experienced. That eye was practically healed up at this point, but 3 knew of its existence before, and it bothered her. It bothered her that there is always inklings out there looking down on him just because he was an octoling, and not an inkling. Even now, where some within the crowd made their little remarks, he is continued to be viewed as such.But that was one of the things that she loved about Nova too. No matter what happens, he always gets back up. He keeps pushing through it, even if it hurts either physically or emotionally. Not once, even after all the stares, after the jab at his face, did he attempt to flee from Inkopolis. 8 truly doesn't fear inklings nor sees them as an enemy, he merely wants to reside in the same living quarters as them and lead a happy life, and he'll keep fighting for it if he has to. Nagi couldn't exactly say for sure what had he experienced in the Octarian army, nor from the Deepsea Metro, but she couldn't help but think how strong he was. The same thing he had said to her.8 claimed to her that she had saved his life multiple times, in multiple ways. But...she felt as though he had saved her too. When he had first moved in, 3 worried about having to ruin her old schedule, that she'd have to spend so much time showing him the ropes, that having a roommate was undesirable. Yet, 8 somehow found a way to flip her whole world upside down. His smile alone was enough to do it, but with the combination of his personality only reinforced this. All of her insecurities seemed to get washed away instantly, just the sound of his voice had her heart beating happily, the way her name sounds coming from his mouth was always oddly pleasing to hear, his touch turned out to be something 3 didn't dislike, his grin could turn the darkest days into the brightest ones. Even now, every bit of free time or days off that she got, Nagi preferred to spend them with Nova, instead of alone like before. She pushed herself out of her comfort zone for him, with this Splatfest being the biggest sign.A part of her felt as though she should thank the Squid Sisters, for developing a song that fueled his will to escape the brainwashing. Off the Hook and Cap'n Cuttlefish on assisting him on his journey throughout the Deepsea Metro and making sure that he made it safely to the surface. If they hadn't, perhaps she wouldn't have ever gotten to meet the octoling boy before her.The same octoling boy now moving into the aisle where the squid bumpers are the farthest.Wait..what?"...I told him the closest one-!" Nagi exclaimed in her head, her eyes widening at the sight."Oh! It seems as though he has chosen the aisle with the farthest target! Just like our usual procedure, he has 3 throws to win big or go home!"~"AND WE HAVE A WINNER!"You couldn't make this up. First throw too."Did you see that Nagi?! I told you I could do it!" Nova exclaimed proudly, pointing profusely at the knocked squid bumpers as the crowd behind us cheered loudly. 3's face would end up reddening deeply as 8 asked which one she wanted, almost hiding her face completely behind Nova."So which one Nagi..? I won you a jumbo one of your choice!""...That one." 3 pointed slowly at a giant lime squid plush shyly.Both the game runner and Nova turned to look at it, almost as if admiring her choice, and smiled happily."Great choice young lady," The game runner chuckled, beginning to reach for the jumbo lime plush. However, before he could actually take it off the shelf it rested on, Nagi corrected herself, "The one behind that one.."Nova stared confused at the area she pointed at, wondering if she had changed her mind, and noticed something interesting. Behind a bunch of the jumbo plushes rested a reddish one, one that Nova was immediately able to identify as the same natural color as his. But there was no way they'd have one of an octopu-"The octopus one huh? I couldn't get enough of them on time to have a bunch, so this is my only one. Still a great choice regardless!"Nova's eyes widened at the sight. It really was a jumbo sized octopus. No way.His heart raced rapidly. Despite the chilly night, Nova felt oddly hot, especially around his face. And Nagi chose that one? 8 was almost sure she would've gone with the lime colored squid...he didn't even see the octopus plushie.Another cheer had risen from the crowd, alongside the large amount of clapping. At this point, both Nova and Nagi blushed furiously, with 3 burying her face into the plush as to drown out the embarrassment. Very faintly in the distance, the both of them could make out a few remarks from a few inklings. Except this time...they were different.
"Aw, they're so cute!"
"Do you think they're dating??"
"She picked one of him!"
"They definitely like each other..."
The entire feeling felt euphoric for Nova. Being cheered on like this to this degree by those who already held the fact that he was an octoling against him, on top of winning something for Nagi, it almost brought tears to Nova's eyes, yet he couldn't stop from furiously blushing just like Nagi."H-How about we head home for the night?" Nova stuttered, slowly guiding the embarrassed inkling away from the crowd. Agent 3, who avoided eye contact at all costs for the moment, only nodded silently. The tips of her pointy ears were still fire engine red, and Nova could feel his burn up alongside hers. Though from the small peek he was able to get of 3's expression, he managed to catch a glimpse of a little smile.~"How am I supposed to carry this all the way home?" Nagi laughed happily, attempting to hold the giant octopus in a comfortable manner. The plush was definitely jumbo size. For size reference, it reached from her head to about her (bone-free) knees. Hearing her laughter once more, watching Nagi carry the jumbo octopus Nova had won for her, 8 just couldn't help but love her more and more. So much so, it felt as if though it genuinely hurt. Hell, even time itself seemed to slow down once again, just like many times before, and his surroundings seemed to have been manually muted, just like many times before. She could've picked a squid, any other squid, but decided on the one octopus that was reminiscent of him.The sky had gotten darker, and from a distance, it seemed as if though the lights from the Square only shone brighter and even more aggressively. The music seemed to get louder, and after a couple minutes of walking, it was recognized that the voices were both from Pearl and Marina, which explained the massive roar of excitement coming from the Square. The night seemed to get colder and colder, and it seemed as though every inkling they walked past shivered with each step they took. Even 3 and 8 were shivering from the cold despite the coats and layers they had on, only shown more with the misty clouds released from their breaths. 3, who was literally holding the giant plush, ironically seemed to be even colder than Nova."H-Hey Nagi...? Why did you choose that one specifically...?"The pair had agreed on going back to Nagi's apartment, and therefore, as they headed closer to the apartment complex, the streets got lonelier and lonelier. Before, they would have to fight in order to push through the crowds to even have a chance at getting to their destination. Now, they were walking with ease, not even having to worry about bumping into another inkling. Of course, the streets weren't completely empty. There were still plenty of others heading towards the Square's direction, and plenty more heading the same way they were heading.However, Nagi seemed to slow down in her walking."I...It's just that you insisted on winning me one of these," 3 murmured, continuing to hide her face behind the giant plush. It's white, yet adorable, round eyes stared back at Nova as they walked slowly. "..So I just picked one that matched the person who won it for me. It's a sign of honor."In response, all Nova could do was snort, trying his best to hold back his laughter."A sign of honor huh?""Mm. I told you to get the small one though," She giggled. "Now we're taking turns carrying this back home.""Yeah well, I couldn't exactly settle for less for you," Nova smiled to himself in an amused way, before turning his sight back down watching the concrete below him. From the way Nagi's behavior has been lately around him...is there a chance that maybe...? No, something like that couldn't be true. 3 was only being nice to him as a friend, and, on top of that, she's already dating someone. Still..."..Nova?"Nagi's voice was soft and gentle, and although 8 had heard her tone like that already before, something about this time felt...different. 8 quickly fixed his hair out of nerves."Y-Yeah?""I enjoyed today..a lot," Nagi said softly, squeezing the plush. Nova stared, finding it adorable yet also being in complete disbelief of everything that had just gone down. Slowly, the lime haired inkling that he loved so much finally revealed her face again."Let's do this again tomorrow."It was genuinely the sweetest smile 8 had seen.From her winter outfit with her little hat, to the fact that she was literally holding a giant octopus that was reminiscent of him, the blush she had on both her ears and cheeks, and the way her eyes sparkled happily under the Splatfest lights, sent butterflies within Nova's stomach. He thought he already knew that 3 was, in fact, a beautiful girl, yet even now, this surpassed whatever he knew. 8's heart couldn't stop racing, no matter what he tried to think of to distract himself, and he could feel himself getting more and more nervous with each passing second.However, effortlessly, he returned the grin he received, unknowingly giving the inkling girl butterflies back."I'd like that a lot actually," 8 nodded along as they continued their path back home. "Maybe we can even check out Off the Hook's concert later in the evening tomorrow.""Mm, that sounds good too," Nagi smiled, turning the plush awkwardly because of its size to face her. Nova side eyed her to see what she was doing, before quickly directing his eyesight head."I'll have to win myself a jumbo lime squid tomorrow too," Nova teased, making 3 blush a bit more. However, to 8's surprise, she gave her own remark back, "No, it's only fair if I win it for you back.""Alright then, deal," Nova chuckled, giving a small shiver from a cold gust that swept through. 3 gave her shiver too."You know, I've never really participated in a Splatfest before," 3 commented. "Is it too late to say that?""Wait, what?""...I never liked the crowds and all the noise. Plus, I already didn't do much Turf War on my own time...""I...I didn't make you feel uncomfortable or forced, right..?" Nova questioned, completely taken aback by Nagi's statement. Was it really true? So was this technically her first Splatfest too?"No actually. Like I said," 3 turned to smile at 8 once again. "I had a lot of fun, Nova.""...I had a lot of fun too, Nagi."
~ Later that night ~
After saying their goodnights, both 3 and 8's doors shut and locked respectively.Almost immediately, the lime haired inkling tossed herself on top of her bed, right next to the giant octopus plush. Her eyes, to the best of their ability within her dark room, examined it closely. The round, black dotted eyes and its tiny tentacles compared to that of a squid were a lot cuter to Nagi than she thought. It was safe to say that 3 definitely loved the not so little prize that 8 had won for her.Without even realizing it, her entire body seemed to wrap around the octopus, her face burying into it aggressively.Just earlier, when they had first entered the apartment since leaving it in the morning, Nova had sat on the couch toying with the plush. From 3's perspective, it seemed as though he too grew attached to the plush from the way he tossed it around and lied down on it to rest his head temporarily. However, as a result and much to Nagi's surprise, it seemed as though the octopus had obtained some of Nova's scent.Nagi's smile grew some more in the dark room, and felt herself almost instantly drift off into sleep after the realization.Nova's smile flashed through her mind. His laughter and voice echoed within her mind.It was safe to say the octoling had taken over her heart completely.The following words thought up felt as though a completely different person resided in the inkling's mind:
"...I love him so much."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
~December 17th, Sunday Morning~
Nagi's eyes slowly opened. There, another pair of eyes would be facing her, making the inkling's heart accelerate suddenly as it caught her by surprise. However, 3 was able to relax almost instantly, realizing that it was only the giant octopus Nova had won for her the night before. Briefly snuggling into it for just a bit longer, 3's smile widened. Though even this quickly diminished after the soreness of her body had suddenly hit.A lot of her body, especially the muscles in her legs, ached. Most likely from all the walking and battling the pair had done the day before. After all, they were already running their practice matches before the Splatfest had officially started, and on top of the actual battling that occured, it turned out to be a bit much for Nagi. Her body already struggled to recover from the long, and sometimes grueling, shifts through the Squidbeak Splatoon, so with the added activities the lime haired inkling wasn't particularly conditioned with, it finally took its toll."Everything...aches," Nagi thought to herself, attempting to sit up on her bed. The octo plush lightly rolled to her side. Taking a second glance at the plush with the natural sunlight spilling through her window blinds, Nagi couldn't help but think about the time she had spent with 8. The quality of the plush was pretty good too surprisingly, and incredibly soft to the touch. A tired yet amused giggle slipped through Agent 3's lips, and almost instantly forgot the soreness in her legs.~"So, how did you sleep?" Nova questioned with a just as tired smile. A fork with a piece waffle drowned in syrup was slowly lifted up to his mouth. "Cause I know that I slept like a baby.""Yeah, I knocked out almost instantly as well," Nagi responded, staring at his plate of unfrozen frozen waffles. "You put way too much syrup. No wonder we run out of it so often."The octoling's ears seemed to redden at Nagi's words, and couldn't fight back the urge to chuckle, "I like sweet things you know."Just like the day before, while both 8 and 3 didn't wake up necessarily early this time, they were still awoken by the thumping of the music outside. It didn't seem as loud as yesterday, but it was still just enough to wake anyone up anywhere nearby. "I wonder how well the inkling's near Inkopolis Square even sleep..." Nagi murmured to herself, as both she and Nova looked out of the living room window form her kitchen. "I can just barely sleep through this even though we're somewhat distant from the actual square. Imagine being near it?"Nova, who nodded along, responded with a yawn, "Mm. I mean I woke up from excitement yesterday morning, it's a little bit of the same reason for today, but to be honest, I'm feeling kinda sore today."The inkling, surprised to hear the same thing she had been feeling, turned to face him. With a smile that developed as she turned her attention back to her food, she too nodded along.Despite the heaters being turned up within the apartment, it still felt rather cold. Even more than last night. A quick double check on Nagi's weather app confirmed that it was, in fact, colder than yesterday.Perhaps it was this realization on how cold it was, or the combination of that with the aching of her body, but 3 was suddenly washed over with a feeling of demoralization. It wasn't that Nagi didn't want to make the most of this time, especially since it was in fact Nova's first Splatfest. However, walking around Inkopolis in this climate didn't sound like the most enjoyable thing at the moment. Yes, the music could still be heard from within the apartment complex, but Nagi wouldn't pay it no mind, especially since the Splatfest itself would end this very same day.Giving a rather aggressive yawn, one that lasted longer than it should, Nova couldn't help but chuckle at the inkling. As her jaw dropped lower as the yawn progressed, her pointy ears had drooped slightly. "Cute.""Tired?" Nova questioned, finishing the last bite of his breakfast. "We don't have to go right now you know. We can go later if you'd like."Surprised by his comment, Nagi whipped her head around in surprise."N-No, it's fine," Nagi contradicted her inner feelings before continuing. "I want to make sure we make the most of it."A fuzzy feeling washed over Nova once again, realizing how much effort Nagi actually put in regarding him. Even from the beginning, despite it not being shown as much, the octoling knew all along that 3 wanted to help, even if he did have his doubts at times. However, given that Nagi gave another decently long yawn, Nova knew what he wanted to do."Look, it's still super early," His orange eyes glanced at the stove's clock. "It just turned 7:40.""...So...?" Another yawn from the inkling. At this point, Nova was surprised the lime haired inkling hadn't fallen asleep headfirst into her nearly finished waffle.Gently, Nova held at first her hand until he got embarrassed, and instead grabbed her wrist, leading 3 off her seat. Nagi blushed lightly at the action, though tried to not let it get to her, and followed obediently as the octoling led her away. Temporarily, 3 was able to ignore the soreness in her legs. They now stood in front of her bedroom door slightly."..Why did you bring me back here?" 3 questioned as she so desperately fought off another yawn. Nova's hand had already let go."Please, just get some more rest," 8 smiled sweetly, making 3's heart race just a bit faster. "It won't splat you to just sleep a little longer." Her eyes lingered at her bedroom door knowing that if she were to turn to face Nova any longer, 8 would certainly notice the reddening of her face."You're stubborn, you know?" Nagi giggled softly as a reply, before stepping inside."I like to think of it as 'determination'," Nova chuckled, indulging at the sight of her smile. "Now go to sleep, we'll get going once you're ready. Just let me know, okay?"Agent 3, who had initially found the apartment cold despite the heaters being on, began to feel the warmth slowly wrap around her body as she gave Nova her nod in agreement. Everything...everything from his kind yet innocent demeanor, his concern over her health, his words...How could her heart not race for him?Funny enough, 3 was looking forward towards the extra sleep, and snuggling up to the giant octo plush.Though of course, as time went on, the lime haired inkling couldn't help but wish it was Nova.
~Later...~
Parker gave his excited exclamation upon seeing his team win yet another battle. Perhaps it was the rush of a long, hard-fought battle, but nevertheless his heart raced happily at the sight of the victory. Sure, he wasn't the top inkling on the team, but he definitely pulled his weight as did the rest. Satisfied with ending his several Turf War matches on a victory, the yellow haired inkling stepped out of Deca Tower.Making a quick time check as he pushed in between the hordes of inklings, Parker came to realize that it would soon be noon and was simultaneously hit with hunger. It was both cold and hot, with the cold air smacking him in the face only to be warmed up by the thick coat and scarf he had on. It helped too that the crowd of inklings was extremely large in numbers, as it unironically helped everyone maintain body heat as if they were penguins in the Arctic."What should I get to eat...?" Parker muttered to himself, readjusting his Octobrush over his shoulder. His head rapidly looked around the Square, analyzing his options amongst all the stands. The music continued to blast within the streets, and with the performers not far from above his head, it made it harder to hear the voice in his head.Instead, Parker would end up deciding on just walking around briefly, seeing his option much closer. Nothing particularly seemed appetizing to him despite being hungry, but at the same time, Parker wasn't craving much either.Scanning the Square once more, something caught the inkling's eye out of nowhere.A singular tentacle resting atop of one's head.No other inkling has that hairstyle, at least to Parker's knowledge, and spotted him with someone familiar as well. Nagi.From the looks of it they were both having a hot cup of some beverage. Probably coffee.Since Parker could not remember the last time he was able to hang out with or see Nova, he took this chance to approach them in hopes of not ruining their little moment. As he walked swiftly, Parker's eyes remained locked on the pair knowing that if he glanced away for even a second, he could lose sight of them. However, with this intense focus came with the fact that he had smacked a couple of inklings with his Octobrush, to which Parker apologized almost immediately."I always find the tiny marshmallows amusing," 3 stared at her cup, letting the warmth of the cup assist her body in regaining feeling in her hand. Her expression remained neutral, however Nova could spot the corners of her mouth wanting to smile. "I can barely feel my hands right now," Nagi added."You should've worn some gloves at least," Nova responded, blowing a little bit of wind into his hot chocolate before taking a sip (and ultimately burning his mouth again)."I don't know how you're not freezing to be honest," Nagi giggled at the sight of the octoling flinching. "But I did tell you to dress appropriately, what if you caught a cold?"While Nova did have the same coat as yesterday with a shirt underneath, he did not wear any hat, or gloves, or even a scarf to help him warm up. Even if 8 were to play it off that he wasn't cold, the reddening of both his ears and nose easily gave it away (though she did admit, the sight was cute). Nonetheless, 3 already knew that she had warned him about how frigid it would be outside."In that case..." 8 stared at the inside of his cup, swirling it around gently with his right hand. "I guess you'd have to take care of me."Nagi's ears reddened immediately, and it wasn't from the cold."..As if," She protested, locking eyes with the octoling. "I already gave you my warning before we left our apartment."Nova could only give a sly chuckle before taking another sip, "I'm kidding Nagi, I'm not gonna get sick anyways."Leaning back on her chair, 3 too took a sip and extended her pinky as to point at 8, "That's what you think, but jokes on you, I'm gonna be here all warm and cozy while you're having your coughing fits and a runny nose."8 couldn't help but laugh at her comment before feeling a hand suddenly rest on his shoulder. Jumping in his spot and with a rapid whip around of his head, his orange eyes immediately recognized the grinning inkling before him. Nagi's eyes had also widened once she saw who it was."Yo!" Parker greeted. "Long time no see!""Hey man, what's up? It's been forever!" Nova returned the energy, giving the yellow haired inkling a fist bump."Hey, Nagi! What's up?" He greeted the female inkling briefly."Hey," 3's greeting was rather bland.A temporary shock had hit the lime haired inkling once again before realizing that Parker already knew her name. However, she had come to the quick conclusion that Nova had probably let it slip at some point. Nagi could technically have him refer to her as '3', but she didn't want to explain why she chose that nickname specifically due to her being in the Squidbeak Splatoon (even though it's her splashtag name anyways).For a brief moment, a silence fell between the trio. However, it wasn't a complete silence as they were quite literally in the heart of the Splatfest. Music continued to blast and the yelling and talking of all the inklings didn't exactly allow for a complete silence."...I hope I'm not interrupting anything..?" Parker questioned, quickly glancing back and forth between 3 and 8."No, you're good," Nagi reassured him as did Nova, and the blushing she had felt before during her's and Nova's conversation quickly faded. Another cold breeze swept by, making everyone shiver in their spots. "How's the Splatfest going for you guys? What team did you guys join?""Sweater," 3 and 8 responded in unison."..But it's been going good actually! We've been having a lot of fun, right Nagi?"3 quickly realized that Nova had turned to face her with a grin, giving her a subtle fuzzy feeling within, "..Y-Yeah, yeah. We have actually.""I joined team sweater as well," Parker explained, searching for a free chair to drag to their table before ultimately getting lucky and placing it. "I've been battling all morning, but it was back and forth with winning and losing. A couple of mirror matches too.""We haven't battled at all today," Nova explained, taking another sip from his hot chocolate. "We're still recovering from yesterday."The trio would continue their conversation, though the conversation was more between Nova and Parker as Nagi didn't particularly want to contribute much. After all, she knew that Nova had been wanting to hang out with Parker as well, though they didn't have any luck in finding him yesterday. Nonetheless, as Nagi finished her hot chocolate, 3 couldn't help but admire the way 8 smiled or chuckled whenever he conversed with someone. Perhaps it was the fact that he looked so...genuine. As if he wasn't hiding anything or as if he didn't have a care in the world. His bright smile could easily light up a room if he desired so, and it continued to make her heart race."You okay, Nagi...?" 8 questioned, tilting his head curiously after realizing that 3 had fallen silent while simultaneously staring at him. Immediately, Nagi stood up, slightly embarrassed, and gave a quick nod, "Y-Yeah! I'm gonna go get another chocolate..."Before either Parker or Nova could make a comment, 3 had already stood up and left, leaving her Splattershot on the chair. For a second, neither Nova nor Parker would say a word. However, it was 8's friend that would end up breaking it this time, lightly elbowing him in the arm."So..have you told her?"Nova perked up in his seat, "..Told her what exactly...?""Dude c'mon. Seriously? Y'know exactly what I mean!"His tone was only playful, but it was clear that what he had asked was meant to be answered truthfully."You don't remember what we talked about that other time when we spotted her out?"Nova pondered on the question for a little bit, feeling Parker's eyes melt holes in the side of his head from all his staring. However, slowly, 8's orange eyes would widen upon the realization with his cheeks and ears simultaneously turning redder. "O-Of course I haven't!" Nova exclaimed back, quickly shushing himself and glancing around to make sure Nagi wasn't in the vicinity. "..She..Nagi was already back together with her boyfriend by then, so I couldn't exactly say anything about it.."Parker stopped for a moment, thought over Nova's words, and begun speaking once again, "Well, as an FYI, not too long ago Nagi approached me asking for you. She was breathing heavy and looked nervous, as if she had been running for so long in hopes of finding you, Nova. Does she do that kinda thing often? What even happened that night?"The octoling, who was mid sip into his hot chocolate, placed his drink back down on the table. Crossing his arms and shaking his head, "..That night, it was a long story really..but to answer your question, not that I know of..."'"Well, she looked really desperate to find you. When I had first seen her, Nagi seemed like the type of girl to never do such a thing for someone...so for her to be doing that, it seemed to me as if though you're someone special to her, maybe even in that way...?"Nova eyes stared back into Parker's, though the octoling's friend quickly noted the way they saddened. Slowly, 8's orange eyes would stare at the hot chocolate in his hand, feeling it slowly turn cold within his grasp."Even if I am someone special to her, in the end, she's still with someone else," Nova started up, staring at the singular floating marshmallow in his drink. "I don't want to step in between them. If it's what the both of them chose, I'll respect their decisions and boundaries no matter what. The last thing I want to do is leave a bad impression on either of them, even if we have known about each other for so long now...But...there are times where I just can't help but feel so flustered around her. I get so happy around Nagi that I can't help but fall for her more. There are even times where I get a little hope that she might feel the same way, but then I instantly remember that she's with someone, so I try to suffocate those feelings again. I try to reason them away."Parker, processing the words that Nova had uttered, glanced around, making sure that Nagi wasn't within earshot. Sure enough, 3 didn't stand completely out of sight, waiting in line for another cup of hot chocolate."You live with her, right? Has she said anything to you about that?" Parker questioned curiously, resting his elbows on the table."N-No...I've brought it up to her a few times in the past, asking her if it was really okay for me to stay with her both before and after she was in a relationship. I want to stay, but I also want to avoid causing any problems between her and her boyfriend, especially since he gets jealous easily. Then there's the issue as to whether or not I've been relying on her too much. It's getting complicated.."Parker smiled."Well, that same night when she was searching for you, I uh..I accidentally brought up the fact that you were trying to save up cash for your own place...""Huh?!" 8's eyes widened with worry."I'm sorry," Parker quickly apologized. "But at least hear me out. She...looked visibly concerned and worried about it. Although it could've been because she was already in a rush to find you, but to me it looked as if though Nagi truly didn't want you to leave."Nova's jaw tightened at his words. He still remembered that night clearly, how visibly upset Nagi was over the whole thing, how much 3 had apologized, their whole conversation..."I mean, she even left in a middle of the date to see me...""Look, all I'm saying is that to me, it seems as though you hold a special place in Nagi's heart," Parker grinned, lightly shaking the octoling after resting his hand on his shoulder. "Regardless if she has a boyfriend or not. You mean a lot to her from what I could tell."8's eyes, which continued to stare down his drink, closed temporarily. His face reddened lightly."I'm back," Nagi's voice ripped through the temporary silence between the two. "What'd I miss..?""T-That was faster than expected!" Parker exclaimed, desperately hoping she didn't hear anything they talked about. "Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease."Nova too jumped in his seat, surprised to hear the female inkling so soon, and quickly averted his sight, "W-We were just coming up with battle strategies for Turf War!" However, he too hoped that she hadn't heard anything they talked about. "Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease."The lime haired inkling, who after resting her Splattershot on her lap, squinted her eyes at the both of them. It was obvious that 3 didn't believe either of them, though her mind couldn't imagine what they could've been talking about. In the end, the topic had changed, distracting both Nagi and Parker. Nova on the other hand, lingered on what Parker had just told him.
~Some time later...~
"Man, that was fun!" Parker exclaimed with a grin, wiping the sweat off of his forehead.The now trio had stepped out of Deca Tower, finishing their latest match of Turf War. Once again, it resulted in several back and forth results, some resulting in victory, while others in defeat. Even though it seemed to get colder by the minute, and their breaths turned into an even more visible mist as the sky slowly began to darken, the inklings (plus the octoling with them) felt extremely hot from all the combat. The lime haired inkling in particular, although admittedly had fun with the matches, found it rather difficult to keep going and fight through her muscle soreness. It even got to the point where her performance in their matches only worsened, as could be seen through her dwindling numbers in both splats and turf coverage. She was grateful that the two decided to take a break.After all, 3 didn't want to be the one to stop the fun."Yeah! We were totally getting into the zone there," Nova chuckled, receiving a fist bump from his friend.Inkopolis continued to thump with the music echoing within its alleyways, and the vibrant lights continued to illuminate the darkening city. It seemed as though the inklings around them never got tired, as seen with the several friend groups rushing each other into Deca Tower, while tons more poured out of said tower. Nothing about the volume around them changed, it even seemed as though the conversations held all around them only got louder with each second. Nova would be surprised if he would be able to hear perfectly fine after the Splatfest was over. Nonetheless, despite the large crowds, the land's cold winds continued to sweep through. Even though the three of them had the appropriate attire and were warmed up from all their fighting, it would only last so long.Nagi readjusted her scarf in hopes of stopping her body from lightly shivering.Her legs ached, but after a quick glance at Nova, who continued to converse with Parker despite the loud noise all around them, his wide grin only made 3 want to continue to push forward. Her body continued despite how tired she felt in hopes of making it the most enjoyable experience for the both of them. Most notably, for Nova.As inklings walked and sprinted past them in both directions, Parker brought up a stand that sold some really good pastries not far from the Square itself. Nova immediately said yes to the idea, reasonably getting hungry after the several matches they had gone through. On the contrary, Nagi was a little more hesitant with her agreement, but followed them anyways."It's right there!" Parker pointed at a distance over the heads of the inklings crowding around the little area. Both 3 and 8 glanced over, witnessing a wooden stand with a white sheet resting overhead and decently long line. From the same distance, you could see the fresh pastries inklings walked out with, each individual piece releasing its warmth into the air. Admittedly, both 3 and 8 thought they looked good."Let's go," Nova turned with a smile to Nagi, who awkwardly stood before him. "H-Hey, is everything all right...?""I'm fine," 3 reassured 8 almost immediately, returning the same smile he had given her. "I'm just a bit tired, so I'll just wait for you guys over there."Not far from them or the stand, was a concrete ledge from a building's front stairs where several inklings could already be seen sitting alongside it. From what Nova could see, there was more than enough room for the three of them once they had gotten their little desserts."You mentioned how you were sore right?" Nova questioned. "You don't have to push yourself too hard, Nagi. After all, we're here to have fun right?""Y-Yeah.." 3 murmured, getting a little rosy in her cheeks."Do you want anything from there? My treat.""No, no, it's okay," 3 let out a puff of air before gently shoving him playfully. "Go get your dessert."Nova chuckled at her action, and continued to step away. Occasionally his head would turn as if to confirm whether or not Nagi still stood in the same spot.3 now made her way towards the concrete ledge, gripping her Splattershot close to her side. Each step seemed to make her muscles ache more, and with anymore walking or standing, 3 knew it would get worse with time."Why am I feeling like this...? I really shouldn't be..." The lime haired inkling questioned herself, keeping her head down as she walked. "I mean, I'm having fun and all, but..." It was within Nagi that although she felt as if she was having fun walking around with both Parker and Nova, there was this feeling in the background, persistent. It lingered throughout the day, ever since she got back from getting her second cup of hot chocolate, and hadn't acknowledged it since.Lightly, with her free hand, Nagi massaged the area in between her eyes."This is so unreasonable of me. It seems like each thing I do or feel is wrong," She murmured to himself.3 knew what this feeling was, and she wasn't talking about the aching in her legs. No, it was the simple fact that Parker had joined the both of them. Now, 3 didn't think anything bad of Parker whatsoever, and in fact thought that he was a good friend, reinforced with the way he treats Nova just like any other inkling.In reality, Nagi had hoped to spend the entirety of the Splatfest together. Just the two of them.Agent 3 had, surprisingly, been enjoying the Splatfest more than she has ever had in the past. As mentioned, she didn't particularly participate in these events since it emphasized many of the things the inkling disliked. With each passing moment she spent with the octoling, it felt as their bond only got stronger with the shared conflicts, food and experiences, and the want for this to continue for longer made 3 wish the days never ended. Reflecting back on yesterday, it almost felt like a date, the way they had gone out and done so much in in just a single day, just the two of them. Yet, Nagi wondered as to why any other time they had hung out it didn't feel as such. However, it boiled down to one simple matter: the excitement behind the Splatfest.It was a huge event, clearly with the countless inklings flooding the streets and the Square. All of the loud music and idols performing and bright lights despite the darkening sky. It was something that didn't occur everyday. It was something that every inkling made the most of whenever it occurs. Whenever you stepped out outside, you can always see the infinite groups of friends that were already formed, sometimes even seeing the friendships forming right before your eyes. The atmosphere of all the positive vibes of the Splatfest seemed to have unknowingly take an effect on Nagi, and with the person she had feelings for walking alongside her experiencing everything she was, 3 couldn't help but feel her heart beat harder and harder. The more time Nagi had spent with Nova, she found it increasingly difficult to hide her feelings for the octoling. It couldn't be helped, though. Even if she still felt bad regarding the whole breakup with Draco, her heart still raced at just the sound of Nova's voice, there wasn't anything quite like it.3 loved the little conversations they had here and there. She loved 8's little jokes and remarks. She loved how thoughtful Nova is, how he was always looking out for her. She loved how he compliments her, how he goes to her for support, how he trusts her with anything.She loved his resilience. His perseverance.The Octarian Army. The Deepsea Metro. The need to adjust to a whole new life that was so much different than your previous one. The need to ignore everyone else's judgments in order to live happily.3 stopped in her tracks, turning her head again to check the line and where the both of them were. Her orange eyes immediately spotted him again, grinning happily and clearly excited to get something to eat.Time and time again, Nova complimented her strength with a sense of admiration. He had thanked her several times for saving him over and over again.Nagi could effortlessly remember him holding onto her tentacle, feeling the sensations of his finger tracing her scars. Though it was his words that really stuck with her.
"I like to believe it shows how strong you are."
Though 3 experienced something similar to what Nova has had to deal with all throughout his time here in Inkopolis, it wasn't nearly as bad as 8's experience. The constant stares. The constant whispers. And, well, the physical assault he had dealt with.3's eyes examined Nova from a distance. Slowly, she took in his smile, and steered her sight up to his eyes. You couldn't even tell he had gotten a bruised eye. It made her happy."You think I'm strong Nova," 3's mind wandered on. "But look at you. Look at everything you've dealt with. We've even fought before in the Metro, yet, there you are smiling without a care in the world..."Nagi silently turned back around, her head still hanging low, and scrunched her hands as to somewhat regain feeling in them.3 had wanted to spend it just the two of them, but perhaps that desire was a bit selfish in a huge event like this. Plus, she was acting and feeling this way as if they don't live together, as if they don't already hang out together pretty much everyday. So, seeing as happy as he was, from yesterday to right now, 8's happiness made 3 happy.That was when she bumped into an inkling by accident."S-Sorry," 3 murmured, immediately snapping her sight up to meet eyes with the inkling.That was when she froze up. When she felt an ever growing guilt immediately well up from the deepest part of her stomach. Almost instantly, the feelings she examined so deeply for Nova were overcome by this sensation, and her face consequentially felt a cold sweat.There, with a saddened pair of eyes, Agent 4 stared back."No worries," He said in a rather hesitant voice, and made the effort to continue walking. His stare had lingered on Nagi's face as if examining her, yet he behaved as if they didn't know each other.3 had no idea what to even do or say upon realizing who it was.Instinctively, her hand had reached out for his wrist, forcibly making him turn to face her."Draco-! I'm sorry!"The words spilt out of her lips suddenly, so fast that even 3's mind couldn't process it in time. It wasn't too loud, and it certainly wasn't loud enough to overpower the music and the voices of inklings around them, but it was definitely loud enough for 4 to hear.His eyes widened at Nagi's words, and watched her carefully as her reddening face only grew a more worried expression. What part exactly was Nagi apologizing for?Slowly, his hand pulled away as she let him go, and both inklings stared at each other amidst the Splatfest.Agent 4 tried, but failed, to respond to what 3 had said. Despite it being a couple of weeks since the night they had separated, it wasn't nearly enough time to wrap his head around it and accept it. Since that night, Draco couldn't help but feel restless. He's had trouble sleeping. He's had trouble fighting off the feeling of not being good enough. He's been trying to accept the fact that it wasn't him that 3 had feelings for anymore. An overwhelming envy swallowed him whole over Nova, yet was diminished with the feeling that Nagi was no longer his girlfriend. Needless to say, a lot of tears had been shed since.What felt all the more detrimental to 4 was, not just the fact that this is their second breakup, but that it still happened regardless of how much he had worked on himself. 4 had gone out of his way to fix the problems they had after their first breakup, only to meet the same fate in the end once more. It hurt, and it made him feel as though it just wasn't enough, even if 3 acknowledged it.Nonetheless, it's been through this time period that Draco made the constant effort to distract himself, and distance himself from both Nagi and Nova as a result, going as far as calling the week off from work. Though, as clear as it could be seen, he still has yet to get over his feelings for the inkling girl before him.Even now, her unmatched beauty still made his heart race.Which begged the question, what exactly should he be feeling right now? Draco knew that he still had feelings for 3, so what exactly should it be? Anger? Sadness? Denial? Ashamed? Glad? Embarrassment?"I'm sorry..." Nagi whispered again, taking a step back. "I..I should've found a better time to tell you something like that, instead of your place like that. I'm sorry for hurting you and your feelings."4's jaw tightened, took a glance around, and gave a subtle nod as if to say 'it's okay.' However, his mind lingered on something completely. Despite everything he's been feeling, everything that he's been going through, he couldn't help but feel a sliver of hope...3 stared silently as she awaited for some sort of official response, her orange eyes carefully analyzing 4's expression. His head would turn left and right, not particularly to look for someone or something, but purely because he wanted a break from the eye contact for a second. Finally, his eyes settled at looking up at the now darkened sky, which wasn't illuminated just by the artificial lights of Inkopolis, but by the natural stars across space too."Is there..." His voice finally started, though it had a hesitant tone to it. "..Is there any chance me and you...could get back together...?"The question lingered in the air once again. Their breaths continued to transform into the cloudy mist with every second. The last time he had asked her this, she gave her response almost immediately. Right now, it wasn't immediately. However, much to Draco's dismay, the reasoning as to why she hadn't responded in the last 30 seconds was purely out of surprise. Nagi didn't particularly expect to hear that question, not right now at least, so hearing it now put the third agent in a frozen state.Almost immediately however, Draco followed up his previous remark, "S-Sorry..sorry..I know you made up your mind, I just thought that...""It's okay," 3 responded reassuringly, also beginning to glance up into the starry night. "But...my response is the same."Draco gave a subtle, yet disappointed, sigh. His eyes saddened once more."It...was worth a shot I suppose."Clearing her throat, as if it were to reset the conversation, Nagi stole a peak at Draco's side profile, "So, are you accompanying someone tonight for the Splatfest?""No...just taking a walk is all," Draco responded rather quickly, trying desperately to delete their last conversation from memory. "What about you...? I remember you weren't too fond of Splatfests after all, heh.""I'm with Nova and a friend of his," 3 replied. "A-And well, that was...in the past."4 squinted his eyes at her, knowing very well her reasoning almost immediately."If I remember correctly, you disliked the majority of what makes up a Splatfest: crowds, close quarters, lots of Turf War matches, the noise..." Draco shrugged. "Has that changed too? Cause of Nova I assume, right?"3's face reddened a bit. The female inkling readjusted her scarf to allow to hide her face just a tiny bit, "Y-Yeah..but, it's his first Splatfest, so I wanted to be by his side..."4 tightened his jaw, "..right."A synchronized ding went off on both Agent's phones. Following the quick stare they gave each other, both inklings whipped out their phones in order to see the message. Apparently, all the agents within the Squidbeak Splatoon were gathered within a singular groupchat. All of their contacts were shown grouped up at the top of the screen, the word "Splatoon" just underneath. There, Calie typed out a message.~Calie:"Hey everyone! We're doing our annual gathering before Squidmas this year on the night of the 24th starting at 6:00 PM! It'll be outside of Cuttlefish Cabin in Octo Canyon just like last time!"Delivered.~Almost immediately, another message came through. Though, this time it came from Marie.~Maria:"Please let us know if the date and time works for everyone! It's a lot more fun if everyone goes."Delivered.~3 and 4 glanced at each other."Are you going?" He questioned, unsure himself as to whether or not he's going. "You missed last year's gathering right?""Yeah, I paid my family a visit early that year," 3 explained herself, her phone screen making her orange eyes glisten. "But are you going...?""...Are you going?" 4 reflected her question. It was him repeating the question that allowed Nagi to pick up on what the inkling before her was doing. He intended on basing his answer on whatever way she answered, the question was whether or not Draco wanted her there. If she were to say yes, would he decline the invite? Even if they broke up, 3 didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable at such an event. Sure, they weren't together anymore, but it wasn't as if though Nagi disliked Draco all of a sudden. He didn't do anything wrong, or hurt 3 in any way. It was just that Agent 3 couldn't lie about her feelings to neither herself or to Agent 4 anymore.~6:"Pearlie and I will definitely be there!"Delivered.5:"Fo sho."Delivered.~Once again, both 3 and 4 stared each other, waiting for the other to respond. A strange tension hovered over the both of them."We're back!" Nova grinned, suddenly stepping into the scene with Parker standing next to him. 3 and 4 both jumped from the sudden voice, blushing lightly (each of them with their respective reasons). The inkling next to 8 was gobbling up what appeared to be a freshly baked cookie, the other one in his opposite hand slowly rising to his mouth to start chowing down on it too."H-Hey, Draco..." 8's voice trailed off, completely getting thrown off by the 4th agent's presence."Hey," He responded rather coldly. 3 could see the jealousy taking over his expression.Turning his attention to 3, 8 smiled, "I-I know you said you didn't want any, but I bought a bunch of cookies for us to share...y-you too, Draco. I didn't know you'd be here, hope I didn't interrupt anything..."The cookies, which had a bit of what seemed like steam slowly disappear in the air, clearly signaled that they were recently baked. It was a small stack, only 5 or so, resting on top of a thin napkin on his palm. It gestured towards Nagi, before trying to gesture to the both of them. 3 and 4 awkwardly glanced at each other, and Nova could feel the tension."I can't tell...They're here together, so I suppose they didn't break up?" 8 tried to examine their expressions, seeing that they weren't at their happiest for sure. "Maybe...it really just is an argument.""Thank you," 3 responded with rosy cheeks, picking a cookie out of his hand. "You really didn't have to."Nagi was still touched by the action."I'm good," 4 stared away from everyone.He almost couldn't stand the octoling's presence. Especially since 8 was the reason why they separated (as phrased by 4).The group of inklings (+ the singular octoling) were all silent, each one chewing their cookies, respectively. Parker seemed completely unphased and completely concentrated on his baked good. 8 had no idea what to say as to not risk making matters worse. 3 chewed silently, also unsure as to where to go with the conversation. 4 stood there, ominously.In the end, 3 cleared her throat, finally deciding to take action."The Splatoon is having a little celebration before Squidmas at the Canyon," 3 explained, leaning into 8's ear as to avoid Parker from hearing. There was a soft tone to the way she was saying it, accompanied by the fact that it sent shivers down Nova's back. Simultaneously, the octoling blushed a bit. "Do you want to go...?"8 nodded with a small smile accompanying it. The corner of Nagi's mouth turned slightly upwards.Still whispering, Nagi turned her attention back to 4, "We're all going. What about you..?"Even though 4 felt as though he should avoid spending any amount of time with 3, her sparkling orange eyes under the city lights seemed to make his heart race once again. With a small blush that even Nova noticed, Agent 4 nodded subtly, "I-I suppose..."He really shouldn't be getting...happy like this around her. Not after all that time in solitude, struggling with his emotions. Not after shedding tears like that. Not after not speaking for who knows how long at this point. 4 felt so many different things about everything, his mind running rampant on so many different thoughts, but never lingering on one for too long. 4 knew he needed to move on. It was for the better. Yet...his heart continued to race for 3."Okay, good." 3 readjusted her scarf and scrunched up her hands. "It'll be more fun that way if everyone is there."A smile developed between the two, Draco's face turning a slightly darker shade.The octoling continued to stand there, quickly glancing with just his eyes between the two. With what he knew, how upset Nagi seemed when she had come home from his place paired with the fact that, to his knowledge, they hadn't seen each other, Nova really couldn't tell their relationship status. I mean, he had continuously asked Nagi as to whether or not everything was okay, and each time she'd dodge the question somehow. But right now, the two shared a small smile, with Draco's shade of pink turning slightly brighter. How long has he been here with her for? Were things okay between them now?As much as Parker pushed it, maybe 8 shouldn't confess his feelings for the lime haired inkling.8 furrowed his brows, looking at the concrete floor underneath his feet. There was that slither of hope within that he maybe had a chance after knowing about their relationship together. Seeing them like this right now however, made Nova have his second doubts."Alright, let's get going and sit down. My legs are killing me," 3 started up again, becoming aware of the soreness in her legs again. "See you later, Draco.""Y-Yeah," He nodded, not entirely confident himself. "See you later."Nova said his goodbyes. Parker did too, although he didn't know 4 as a person but knew what he looked like from before.The three sat on top of the concrete ledge. Parker scrolled on his phone happily on Nova's right side. 8 stared down the cookies in his hand, analyzing what he witnessed. However, his thoughts were interrupted, seeing Nagi's hand reach over to his (to grab a cookie of course) on his left side.Nova turned. Their orange eyes met. Nagi blushed lightly and froze mid cookie grab."I know I said I didn't want anything and all," She cleared her throat, readjusting her tentacles behind her pointy ears. "But these are good...""Well, I did get them for us to share," Nova smiled softly, feeling that fuzzy feeling from within once again. "So help yourself, Nagi."Nagi's smile widened just a bit more, and scooted slightly closer to 8. "Risky thing to say. I might finish them all," She joked, taking a bite out of a chocolate chip cookie.Still, Nova continued to feel a little lost.
~ A Bit Later... ~
Nova stood in the crowd, watching Off the Hook give their performance from the heart of Inkopolis. Of course, that meant that inklings were pretty much taking up whatever free space there was, plus lots of cheering and yelling. Those who knew the lyrics to the songs sang along, many more danced. Even Parker was doing the both of those actions, Octobrush still slung over his shoulder. Both Nova and Nagi laughed between the two as he continuously smacked people around him.Nevertheless, the combination of all the lights, the Deca Tower literally towering over everyone, the brilliance of the Great Zapfish, the blasting music, both Pearl and Marina's voices, it all seemed to make Nova's heart race with excitement as the Splatfest neared its end slowly.Even if he was confused as to what to make of his feelings, the beat of Color Pulse continuously knocked him out of these thoughts. Nova didn't particularly know how to dance, nor knew the lyrics, nor could sing good. Instead, the octoling nodded along to the song. 3 did the same apparently, a small smile resting on her face."Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Heyhey!" The crowd chanted and clapped in the background along with Pearl.Everyone else seemed to be in their own world, the music taking over completely. No one was staring at Nova, or making remarks, which he found interesting given how large this crowd of inklings was.The octoling enjoyed himself regardless."I'm so glad I can experience this," Nova grinned, sort of shouting it to Nagi in order to overpower the crowd's chants and singing."Yeah, I'm enjoying this too actually...more than I thought," 3 smiled softly back to 8, developing light rosy cheeks.The songs continued to progress, each one revving up the crowd and only further raising the excitement. It seemed as if though everyone knew the lyrics by heart. Each dance move 8 saw seemed so perfected yet so casual. The slower parts of songs involved inklings collectively swaying their Turf War weapons into the sky, some even using the flashlights of their phones.Eventually, after another 30 minutes or so, it was nearing the end of Off the Hook's concert."Thank you so much for joining us everyone!" Marina excitedly grinned from behind her DJ set."Are ya'll enjoying the Splatfest Inkopolis or what yo?!" Pearl exclaimed into the mic passionately.The duo received a roaring cheer that echoed throughout Inkopolis' streets, including Parker and Nova. 3 let out an amused puff of air seeing the excitement on Nova's face, "I'm glad he's having fun...""For our next number, it's a slower song that ya'll love!" Pearl's voice echoed throughout both the Square and city."So grab your partner, and take them on a slow dance that they'll never forget, as we head into the end of both the night and the Splatfest.." Marina's voice softened as she spoke into her mic.Both 8's and 3's eyes widened at what the idols had just said. A loud cheer came from the fans once again, and slowly, Nova watched as inklings turned to one another all around, very few sitting the song out. From the looks of it, it seemed as if though many inklings were blushing as if they were confessing their love. To be fair, asking someone to dance can be nerve wrecking depending on how close and comfortable the two of you are."Hey, Nova? I'mgonnasitthisoneout," Parker said extremely fast, much faster than what 8 could process.The track, Into the Light, began to play its opening notes.Before Nova could respond, he felt a strong shove from Parker."Hey, Nova? Let's sit this one ou-" 3 had started, slightly embarrassed with all the couples around them starting to dance. However, she too felt a strong push. This was not someone pushing her, but someone pushing into her.Catching said person, Nagi's and Nova's ears burned up immediately seeing each other at such close proximity."N-Nova?" Nagi blushed, her eyes widening."I-I..." The octoling had become a stuttering mess, pointing his thumb backwards as if to say that Parker had shoved him into her, but failing completely in doing so.Quickly, the pair glanced behind the other, trying to see an opening in between all the pairs of inklings slow dancing together. Failing to do so with the combination of more movement around the two, it seemed as if though both 3 and 8 were forced closer to each other.Pearl and Marina's voices had already begun singing. It seemed as if time slowed down.For a second, it felt as if though Nova couldn't hear anything but his thumping heart.Seeing that there was no escape as the song progressed, Nova and Nagi stood there awkwardly close to each other, blushing furiously. Neither of them had felt such tension like this.
"Yeah you there, be a star~"
They remained quiet. Neither dared to make eye contact or speak."I'm so going to splat Parker when I see him again!" Nova cursed in his head.3 glanced around nervously. Then their eyes met. Seeing how the other blushed intensely."....S-Should we...dance...?" 3 asked embarrassingly, clearly hesitant on the question. "I-It's probably weirder if we just s-stand here..."Nova scratched the back of his head, his face feeling incredibly hot, "...I-I don't even know how to, you know, dance...""I know...a little bit," 3 stated, squinting her eyes as if trying to calm herself down. The lime haired inkling failed, not being able to believe what was happening right now. Her heart was racing, faster than anything before...but at the same time, does she really want to pass up the opportunity...?
"So am I, we'll shoot for the sky~!"
"H-Here, I'll guide you..."Slowly, Nagi's left hand took his right. The other just barely rested on his shoulder.Nova's face seemed to get redder by the second. Could his heart even take this much? He couldn't possibly handle this without his heart exploding.Her hands felt incredibly soft despite the countless battles Nagi had been through. As her fingers just barely intertwined with his, Nova could feel his hand get shaky. Much to his surprise, so were Nagi's."Y-You p-put your hand h-here..." 3's free hand took his left hand, slowly placing it on waist. The inkling girl had become a stuttering mess, something Nova had never experienced.For a second, the agents froze once more. Desperately trying to not melt on the spot, Nagi took a deep breath, trying to relax and maintain her composure.
"I've been through so many challenges before, literal life or death situations. So what's one dance with Nova..?"
"I've got this. I've been through the Octarian Army and Deepsea Metro, fighting to make it here. So what's one dance with Nagi...?"
"Take two steps this way," Nagi instructed, watching their feet move in synch. "...A-And then back the other way.."
"Cause I know you, you're the morning dewwww~!"
Neither of them made eye contact, just making sure they got the steps correctly. Nova could hardly concentrate, stumbling over himself, and almost tripping the both of them over time and time again. His face felt hotter by the second. His ears felt as though they would melt off."I..I can't concentrate! W-We're practically holding hands! My hand is on her w-waist...!" Nova's thoughts ran rampant."Our hands are interlocked...I can feel his hand holding onto my waist...!" Nagi's thoughts ran rampant.
"We need you both to stay, so we'll fight for you all night~!"
"At this rate...I'll just fall for him/her more!" Their minds synchronized.
"Falling through the light, we'll shoot for the skyyyy~!"
Nova started to get the hang of it. Nagi followed his lead.
"We know what you owe~! Star shine~!"
You can hear the crowd sing along.
"Come into the light, I'll shoot for the skyyyyyy~!"
"You're getting the hang of it," Nagi giggled bashfully, continuing to follow his lead."I-I'm trying my best," Nova chuckled, trying to focus his attention to where he stepped.There, 8's eyes stared into 3's, who returned the stare. Looking at her this close, Nova couldn't help but admire her beauty. Everything about her seemed perfect to Nova. It would be impossible to find a flaw in Nagi. Was this seriously the same inkling girl that pointed her Hero Shot at him on his first day in the surface...?The way she blushed furiously was adorable.Nagi too couldn't help but admire Nova as well. Up this close, she admitted that he was..actually good-looking. Nonetheless, 3 too found 8 to be flawless. There wasn't anything that she could say that would be a flaw about Nova. If this was the past, 3 would've hated every second of this, but after all this time she had spent with 8, the feelings she developed...Nagi was loving every second of this. The fact that the Splatfest was ending saddened her. 3 wanted this moment to never end. "Come into the light, I'll shoot for the skyyyyyy~!" Marina sang the final verse in unison."Come into the light, I'll shoot for the skyyyyyy~!" Pearl sang the final verse in unison. Nova tripped a final time with the song's abrupt ending, falling to the floor this time with Nagi.The idols had exclaimed something, something that neither the octoling or inkling focused on.The crowd roared with a mixture of applaud, yells of adoration, etc."N-Nagi! Are you okay?? I'm so sor-!" 8 instantly turned to look at her, blushing furiously.But there it was.It was as if though he was blasted to the past again.There, sitting on the floor, Nagi laughed. She had the biggest smile Nova had ever seen.Nothing else ran through his mind, hell, he even forgot about apologizing for knocking them over. 8 could only watch in admiration, seeing how the inkling he had fallen for try her hardest to catch her breath, clutching her sides. 3's eyes were squinted shut, yet occasionally they'd open, revealing the beautiful orange eyes he had always known. The multicolor lights reflected perfectly off of them, making them see as if though stars resided within. Her cheeks and ears were burning red, and her hand now tried to cover her mouth as if to silence herself. It even seemed as if though Nagi's eyes were getting watery from all the laughter.All the octoling wanted was to burn this image in his memory. So much so, that even if he forgot everything else, he'd always remember this here.Nova's heart fell too hard for the inkling girl before him. All the octoling COULD feel was love for her.Nagi's eyes then met his, the both of them still on the floor, with the biggest grin on her face. For a second, she attempted to speak, but could only burst into laughter again.It was here that Nova couldn't hold back his laughter, completely forgetting about how red his face was or how fast his heart raced.8 helped her up, laughing together as they stood in front of each other.Wiping her watery eyes with her finger, she laughed again, "T-That was fun, you timed that fall perfectly!""I try my best?" Nova continued to laugh."Oh my cod..." Nagi muttered, finally being able to catch her breath after a minute or so. It seemed as if though it'd hit her again, and she would desperately try to fight off the urge to laugh once more.Though they were both still blushing, Nagi's finger flicked the singular tentacle atop of Nova's head teasingly."...L-Let's go find Parker, Nova..."Though they walked in silence together, pushing through the crowds with beet red faces, both Agent 3 and 8 knew that it was a night they'd always remember.Getting home, Nagi knew that she'd hold onto that giant octo plush extra tight, dreaming of them dancing on the final night of the Splatfest.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
~December 24th, Squidmas Eve, Sunday Evening~
The pairs lips connected.Slightly embarrassed, Nova looked away."You okay?" Nagi questioned, glancing up and over at him. A soft smile rested on her lips.Anytime Nova saw any couples in the streets, the octoling couldn't help but imagine that same scenario but between Nagi and himself.Nova nodded, still a bit shy.The days leading up to Squidmas Eve were rather exciting, considering the fact that the Splatfest itself had ended. If you were trying to shop casually during this time period, good luck with that, as every commercial store was bombarded with inklings shopping for gifts to give. Nova and Nagi on the other hand, had already gotten each other their Squidmas gifts (though neither are aware of the other's) with due time. Though the week following the Splatfest was still filled with their usual shifts in the Squidbeak Splatoon, the pair would still hang out in their downtime, and they found that their feelings for each other would continue to grow.However, Nova's doubts would return again. Both 3 and 4 seemed to be back on good terms from the way they interacted on the second night of the Splatfest, so 8 was pushed to believe that maybe what Nagi was upset over, was just a quarrel between them. Then came the more conflicting thoughts again, about how whether or not it'd be good if he were to stay roommates with Nagi, about the fact that technically he had overstayed his visit as Nova had already gotten a good grasp in the way things worked in Inkopolis. How Draco's jealousy was well known, with even Callie mentioning it awhile ago too, and how 8's presence alone could cause issues between them.But maybe it was time to leave the nest anyways, no? He had already stayed there long enough anyways, so much so that Nova even felt as if though he took advantage of 3's kindness. However, time and time again she would reassure him, that it was fine, that it didn't bother her. On the contrary, even if Nova felt that he should find his own place now, he didn't want to leave.When your roommate is both your best friend and your love interest, who would actually want to move out?It wasn't like they despised each other's company, proven by how much time they spend together. To add on, Nagi had never made it a big deal ever."It's chilly tonight," 8 shivered lightly. "...It's so weird seeing the streets this empty, especially after the Splatfest..."Each word that was spewed only turned into its usual mist. The sky seemed surprisingly dark, and the pair quickly realized that the clouds covered what would've been a starry evening/night. Although Inkopolis streets were practically empty, ignoring the several inklings that walked past them, those few that roamed the streets continued to give Nova a strange glare. It was clearly meant to be subtle, though it was completely obvious to both Agents 3 and 8."You've been saying that for the past week already," Nagi giggled lightly, readjusting the scarf around her neck. "I still can't believe it though..."3's voice trailed off slowly, the lime haired inkling rubbing her hands together and breathing hot air into them. 8 wondered where she was going with this."You've already been here for so long now," Nagi continued, her orange eyes meeting his. "And yet, some inklings continue to give you those weird stares as if you were someone bad."Nova, who attempted to hide the lower part of his face into his coat as to warm up, only shook his head, "I learned to ignore it to be honest. It doesn't bother me as much as it used to...I prefer that over the actual fighting honestly."3's expression softened in response, having trouble maintaining eye contact after realizing what he referred to."I'm just glad you don't let them get to you."A silence fell over the pair, though what neither knew about each other was the fact that their minds lingered on that night. The night they shared a dance under the Inkopolis city lights. The last night of the Splatfest.Nova could feel the sensation of their hands pushing up against each other, almost on command.Nagi could still remember the feeling of Nova's hand on her hip, how she could sense the octoling's nervousness.The laugh they shared afterwards.It all continued to run through their minds.The victory that team sweater had obtained seemed minuscule in comparison to those moments."Are we staying late..?" Nova questioned curiously, trying to ignore the reddening of his face."No, it shouldn't end too late actually," 3 explained. "Everyone leaves early to spend time with their families and whatnot. It's just a little get together to spend time with one another. Y'know, without the working aspect. It's nice, I promise."Surprised that Nagi could sense the small amount of nervousness he felt, 8 felt a bit of reassurance. "Right. Well, what about you, Nagi? Are you going to visit your family too..?"A little surprised about his question, their orange eyes met. Readjusting her lime tentacles, she gave a shrug, "...I usually do. Normally, I catch a late night train and arrive at my hometown and spend a night or two there, though I'm not sure about this year."Nova continued to stare curiously. It sounds nice being able to spend a huge holiday such as Squidmas and Squidmas Eve with the family, so it made 8 wonder why she wouldn't take advantage of that and go again this year."You're staring," Nagi let out an amused puff of air, blushing lightly."S-Sorry...""No, don't worry," 3 smiled. "I can tell you want to know why.""...Is it that obvious..?""A little," Nagi shrugged. "I mean, every since you started living here, you always had that curious look since you were learning about everything. I know that expression too well."Nova chuckled, digging his hands into his coat pocket as to regain feeling in them.Another silence soon fell between the two. You could hear each individual step, the crackling of the concrete pebbles underneath their shoes. The usual street they always walked on their way to work was empty at this particular moment. It made sense, as it was Squidmas Eve."I just.." Nagi hesitated a bit on her words. 3 even went as far as making sure her face wasn't visible to Nova. "..I just thought it'd be nice share your first Squidmas together too.."Upon hearing her words, Nova had slowly begun to freeze in his tracks. It caught the attention of Nagi, and she too stopped to turn around. Her blush faded a bit, but her heart continued to race."B-But shouldn't you still spend it with your family? It's meant to be spent with those who are close to you right..?"8's butterflies returned, seeing how Nagi smiled at him once more."By that logic," She began. "You fit that criteria too, no? Or is it that after all this time we've lived together, after all the times we've hung out, you still don't think we're close?"The octoling's jaw tightened before being able to muster a grin from the heart, "O-Of course we are.""That's what I thought," 3 teased lightly, turning back around and continuing to walk. "Now come on, we'll be late."The female inkling walked slightly ahead of him, and Nova couldn't help but reflect on how much Nagi had changed since when they first met. It was difficult to make any progress on a conversation with her, especially since she kept to herself so much. Now, 3 pulls her own weight in any interaction she has with him, which made 8 happy. It showed the octoling that she too was putting the effort for his behalf.But overall, he's loved how she's developed as an inkling. Nagi is much more expressive with what she feels, actively shows interest in the things Nova does and says, looks out for him even if it puts herself in danger, how much more she smiled and giggled...Then there's the fact on how 3 quite literally saved his life...more than once.Nova sighed quietly to himself, watching as Nagi's tentacles swung lightly with the cold air that swept through.If only she knew how much the octoling loved her.~The Square, which was surprisingly empty, was lit dimly within the darkening evening. Before them rested the same drain grate they've always been using to get to Octo Canyon and, simultaneously, the Squidbeak Splatoon."I wonder if any progress has been made about the thing I suggested to Callie and Marie..." Nagi pondered, watching Nova dive in in his octopus form."...His octopus form is...cute.." 3 smiled to herself. Every since getting to know Nova, she's grown to love Nova's other form.~Upon arriving and rising up from the opposite end of the drain grate, the pair were already being greeted by the group."You too made it!" Callie squealed happily, sprinting up to the both of them and embracing them in a tight squeeze. 3 smiled lightly, 8 grinned."How are you two doing?" Marie called out from her seat.After taking in their surroundings just a little bit longer, both 3 and 8 realized that they had put quite a bit of effort in setting up this little event. Overall, everything remained the same, same old tv, same two couches. This time however, the squid bumpers used to damage test weapons were wrapped in lights, flashing in your typical Squidmas colors, red, green and white. Right smack in the middle of the area rested a couple of those camping chairs circling around a somewhat small, yet controlled, fire. Callie, Marie, Pearl and Marina were already seated, with only 3 more seats empty to accommodate the missing Agents. Not far from them was a canopy, also wrapped in Squidmas lights, and a table underneath with a gallon to dispense hot chocolate, little marshmallows, cookies, and other baked goods underneath. Of course, there were cups and plates to get such things. The table had lights as well, and it seemed as though they had placed fake snow over the canopy and around the floor around them. A small speaker can be heard playing music on a decently loud volume."Yo! 3, 8! Come sit down!" Pearl too exclaimed from her seat, giving them all a waving motion towards them. Marina gave them a small wave, but a wide grin, also happy to see the two."We're doing good," 8 waved back, making his way towards the rest of the agents. Nagi on the other hand, was stopped by none other than 1."Any luck yet...?" She whispered in the lime haired inkling's ear.Immediately realizing what she meant, 3 only shook her head no, trying to extinguish her light blush as soon as possible.In the end, 3 and 8 had taken a seat next to each other. 8 had taken a seat to Marina's left, with Pearl being on her right. On the contrary, Nagi had sat on Marie's right, with Callie sitting to her cousin's left. In between both Callie and Pearl was the last open seat, which was meant to be for Draco."We were worried the rest of ya'll wouldn't show up," Marie started up, holding a recently poured cup of hot chocolate. "Pearl and Marina were the only ones who confirmed that they were going."3 and 8 exchanged a look before Nagi ended up responding, "W-We had agreed on coming, but it must've slipped my mind to respond to your guys' message...""Don't sweat it. All that matters is that ya'll were able to make it," Pearl grinned, turning to Marina, who also nodded in agreement.After what was a couple minutes of small talk between everyone, with topics such as the Splatfest results being brought up (Pearl and Callie were both going for sweaters, while Marie and Marina were going for socks). Pearl was clearly excited about the topic, with Marina being less so. Though, no one took it too serious, and everyone knew it was purely to have fun.Apparently Cap'n Cuttlefish was already with the family, celebrating. He had apparently helped set up the whole event."Do you guys know if Draco will show up..?" Marie questioned after a quick glance around and confirming that he was, in fact, not there.The rest of the agents had all whipped their heads around, seeing if he had arrived at some point."I'm here," 4's voice echoed throughout Octo Canyon as he emerged from the drain grate, catching everyone's attention. "Sorry I'm late."Everyone had given their greeting once again, and Draco had joined the party, sitting down on the last chair.Nothing seemed out of the normal, though Nova would end up catching some glares from Draco every now and then. Especially whenever he spoke with Nagi."Maybe he's getting jealous already..." 8 reasoned in his head, and would end up slowly distancing from 3 and their conversations as to avoid any conflict. The octoling could see Draco's eyes past the flame locking onto his. Nova took a nervous sip of his cup."C'mon let's go get some more chocolate," Callie grinned ear to ear, motioning for both 2 and 3 to follow her to the snack table. It seemed to have caught 4's attention as well, and he too followed them. 8, Marina and Pearl remained."Ah! It's been so long since we've had an actual conversation...Work has been so busy," Marina began, excited to talk to the only other octoling within Inkopolis. "So tell us Nova, how'd you end up liking Inkopolis?"Locking eyes, Nova could see Pearl leaning over as to also join the conversation."I-It's been great actually..." Nova's voice trailed off with uncertainty. He wanted to avoid talking about all of the stares and physical damage done to him during the time. "I've been roommates with Nagi for awhile now, and I think I've gotten the hang of everything...""And what do you say? So much better than the Army, huh?" Marina questioned, her voice getting much quieter and her eyes softening.Nova's eyes widened, realizing how Marina was sympathizing with him."..Yeah. So much better," 8 sighed, content as to where he is in life right now. "So much better than the Deepsea Metro too.""Yikes, that was a whole ordeal," Pearl inhaled sharply through her teeth, getting a giggle out of Marina."Well, we wouldn't exactly be here if Nova wasn't up to the task," Marina complimented with a sweet smile.Nova stopped and processed the words. He felt a bit of embarrassment from hearing such a thing, and smiled softly. Steering his sight from Marina and Pearl, he took in the sight of the other inklings not far from them. There at the table, Marie could be seen placing some cookies on a plate for herself, with Nagi, Draco and Callie all conversing around the hot chocolate. 3 smiled softly as Agent 1 spoke, with 4 chuckling along. They seemed happy.His sight returned back to the Off the Hook duo."I...I wanted to thank you guys too," 8 began, trying to warm up his hands with the fire. "If it wasn't for you guys' help, I wouldn't have made it very far either. From your help with activating the distress signal and letting 3 save Cap'n Cuttlefish and I, and your hyper suction bombs when fighting that piece of goo..And Pearl, if it wasn't for your vocals and that one special of yours, Inkopolis would've been blown to bits...So thank you both from the bottom of my heart, for helping me obtain this new life.""Of course, man!" Pearl grinned alongside Marina. "That's why we're here. We're always helping each other."The octoling smiled, and nodded.Nova's eyes steered back to Nagi from a distance, admiring her scarred, lime tentacles, her cute smile, and even her entrancing orange eyes. His heart fluttered again, thankful for the opportunity to get to know Nagi.Feeling a certain someone's eyes on her, 3 had steered her attention away from her convo with Draco and Callie, and caught glimpse of 8. They (accidentally, on Nova's part) made eye contact, and 3 gave him a gentle smile and a tiny wave. 8 too smiled back, and returned the small wave. Pearl glanced back and forth between the interaction. Draco distracted her once more, and Nagi had returned to their conversation. Once again, another look from 4.Nova, who initially felt the butterflies, was starting to feel as if though Draco was trying to subtly spray pesticide. It was clear that he intended for 8 to keep away from 3."Ahh...I see..." Pearl's voice was filled with thought, catching even Marina's attention. "So you and 3, huh?""W-Wait Pearlie, are you implying...?" Marina's face reddened as she gave an excited smile. "Is it what I think it is Nova?!"Agent 8, who had already begun to blush furiously, began to wave it off, "N-No, it's not like that...L-Like I said, we're just friends..""You two seem really close though, yo," Pearl stated bluntly, subtly pointing at the both of them. "3's a touch cookie to crack too. She seems really open with you though."Nova's jaw tightened."Mhm," Marina agreed. "I've only gotten to work a few shifts with her. I thought she was super serious at first, which was admirable, but she's been a lot more open about things as of lately.""S-She has.." Nova responded, still blushing but not as hard as before. "It was rare to have a conversation going when I first arrived and moved here. Nagi talks to me much more now. W-We get along pretty well actually..""Aww, look at you Nova! You made it to the surface and you found a girl you love!" Marina exclaimed, though was immediately shushed by 8 and Pearl."I-I don't love her-!""You don't..?" Pearl questioned, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow, clearly not convinced."...Ok..w-well, I do.." Nova murmured, getting an excited, yet quiet, squeal from Marina. "B-But she's dating Agent 4, so...can't do much there..""..But it doesn't bother you to keep all those feelings bottled up? You should just tell her!" Pearl exclaimed, pointing at 8 rather aggressively."Pearlie, it's a lot more complicated than that.." Marina murmured with Nova nodding along."I almost did one time actually," Nova explained in between sips. "They were already dating then, and I was going to say it anyways, but..Draco had called at the perfect time, and I ended up not saying anymore. It was as if it were a sign to not do it, and it snapped me back into reality..."The pair of idols listened in intensively, nodding along to the octoling's words."..It just seems too risky. I don't want to make things weird just to 'get it off my chest,'" Nova quoted, shaking his head in the process. His singular tentacle swayed with the cold wind, and the three of them shuttered."Plus, there's just so many things pushing against me confessing to her..""Like what..?" Marina questioned."I've been considering...moving out. So I've been trying to save up cash for it, since I feel like I'm over relying on her and taking advantage of her generosity.." Nova trailed off in the middle of his sentences, but would pick up again. "..Then there's her whole relationship with Draco, and since I'm living with her and 4's a really jealous type, I don't want to cause any problems..."Their conversation would go on, with both Marina and Pearl giving their thoughts on his situation. They were pretty reasonable for the most part, and despite the aggressive energy Pearl gave during the map announcements, she too was pretty understanding.8 had also brought up how he worried that, even if they ended up having mutual feelings, an inkling and octoling being together was unheard of. An octoling living within inkling society was already unheard of and definitely still not normalized, clearly. They both had a history of social criticism, Nagi with her visible scars and Nova with his mere existence, so what would people think if they saw them together? 8 would hate to be any inconvenience for the inkling.Though, her words repeated in his head from one of his first days in the city:
"You're just like anyone else here. Don't worry about the others."
Would it still apply IF they ended up together?"It sounds to me like Agent 3 really does care about you though," Marina smiled sweetly as Nova finished his cup of hot chocolate. This wasn't the first time Nova had heard such a thing."What's up 3?" Pearl greeted loud enough to catch both Nova's and Marina's attention. In synch, both octolings blushed, hoping that Nagi hadn't caught anything of what they were talking about.
"Pleasepleasepleaseplease.."
"Noticed your cup was empty," Nagi commented, extended her hand holding a freshly poured cup of hot chocolate. "I added extra marshmallows."Letting out an amused puff of air, Nova extended and took the cup out of her hand, "Thank you, Nagi."Pearl and Marina gave each other a look, grinning and nodding in unison."Marina and I are getting some cookies too," Pearl said, taking hold of Marina's hand and leading her away. "We'll be back!"Nova and Nagi remained alone at the seats. The lime haired inkling plopped herself down on Nova's left, clearly comfortable."Having fun?" 3 questioned, finishing up a cookie she had in hand."Y-Yeah.." 8 smiled, glancing over at the group by the food and drinks. There, he could see 4 shooting glances at the pair. Subtly, Nova had begun to look away nervously and lost the confidence to speak."..what's wrong Nova? You're acting strange," Nagi flicked the tentacle on top of his head playfully. 8 moved his head away slowly, though it was noticeable enough for 3 to stop. "S-Sorry..""N-No, it's okay! It's just uh..." Nova stuttered, glancing back and forth between Draco and her. Slowly he leaned into her ear as to whisper, "It's just, Draco keeps shooting me dirty looks, so I'm...I'm not trying to do anything to cause you guys problems..."3 glanced over as well, and a feeling of frustration welled up within her. They weren't dating anymore, and had been sometime since she had broken up with him, so there was really no reason for him to be protective like that. 4 was aware that she had feelings for the octoling too, so this was definitely on purpose."..Don't worry about him," 3 clarified. "Let's just have fun, it's Squidmas Eve after all."Nagi's grin had given Nova a little bit of his confidence back.The fire seemed to grow just a tiny bit more in front of them, despite the cold winds sweeping through.~The night progressed. The entire Splatoon had gathered around the fire, with Marie occasionally kindling it, talking and laughing amongst each other. At one point, a game of truth or dare had went on, though nothing of interest particularly happened then. Except for Callie almost burning her tentacles with the fire. An arm wrestling tournament was held, and much to Nova's surprise, was actually really close amongst each other. Though he had almost lost against Marina, 8 had made it to the final as did 3.Nagi just barely won that one.As they all returned to conversing with one another, Nova couldn't help but steal some glances over at Nagi discreetly.She had curled herself up into a ball, still in her inkling form, hugging her knees. Her smile was just barely visible as it hid behind her scarf. Her skin seemed to glow with the flame's luminance. It emphasized her orange eyes beautifully.The night only seemed to get colder, and soon enough, people were leaving one by one. Draco had taken his leave first, saying his goodbyes, thank you's and merry Squidmas' to everyone. Though, he left without Nagi, which Nova found strange. Pearl and Marina were next to go, with Marina apparently celebrating it with Pearl's family.A silence fell on the four of them. It would soon enough be 10 P.M. Even though the night was getting colder, Nova was starting to get hot from the flames being so close, so he took his coat off and rested it on his lap, wearing a long sleeved tee underneath.The only thing now that could be heard was the howling of the wind, the crackling of the firewood.Both Callie and Marie kept their eyes locked on Nagi, a smile resting on both of their lips. Though no words were exchanged, 8 was curious and he too glanced over at the female inkling.There she was, nodding off. Her head was doing the thing where it'd fall slightly and would twitch back up, meaning Nagi knew she was falling asleep but was trying to fight it back.Nova too had begun to smile.Though the fact that 3's head had now suddenly rested on his shoulder caught him completely by surprise.Almost immediately, Nova tensed up with a developing blush on his face. Not knowing what to do, he made eye contact with the Squid Sisters as to seek guidance. Though, neither particularly helped. Instead, Marie held back a giggle, with Callie already whipping out her squid shaped phone and snapping a picture."I don't want to wake her up..." Nova pondered to himself, looking at Nagi's sleeping face. It was safe to say that he thought she looked adorable. "I mean...I wouldn't want to move her either..."Truth be told, as nervous as he was, Nova was enjoying this moment.Occasionally though, Agent 3 would give a shiver, and a misty exhale. Her head would snuggle into his shoulder a bit, making Nova blush all the more."Looks like someone's comfortable," Callie whispered, teasing the octoling. Marie giggled quietly next to her.
"W-What if she hears you?"
"I doubt it," Marie shrugged, still smiling. "Though Callie and I are going to start heading out now, since we have to meet up with Gramps and all."Nova nodded, beginning to get nervous."If the fire goes out and you still don't want to wake her up, the cabin is open," Callie suggested, beginning to readjust her jacket. "You guys can stay for as long as you need to.""Good luckkkk," Marie waved goodbye, making Nova's ears burn up even more. "Don't worry about cleaning up, we'll take care of it when we come back.""Merry Squidmas!" Callie waved goodbye.~The octoling sat silently, staring at the dwindling flame before him. Nagi's head continued to rest on his shoulder, still giving her occasional shiver.The wind continued to howl, and before Nova even realized it, it had begun to snow lightly.Everything looked so..entrancing. Although the sky itself couldn't be seen due to the clouds, the falling snow made up for it. It wasn't falling very fast, but the sight alongside the Squidmas lights made Nova appreciate the sight all the more.Eventually, the fire would go out. The only light illuminating the area being the Squidmas lights. Granted, they didn't provide much luminance, and it got colder immediately. So much so, it got Nova shivering again, and Nagi even more.Feeling bad, Nova decided to transfer Nagi over to the inside of the cabin. Though it was easier said than done without waking her up. The octoling moved slowly, not wanting to disturb her slumber. Nova carefully lifted her up in his arms, a bridal carry if you will, and had begun moving her over to said cabin. Trying his best to ignore the fact that he was literally holding Nagi up to his chest, who still slept peacefully in his arms, the octoling barely managed to slide the cabin door open.It got stuck for a second, making him have to exert more force. Upon opening the sliding door, he stepped in, careful as to not bump Nagi into anything. Inside, though a relatively small cabin, they were barely able to fit a small couch inside, which was just hardly big enough for two inklings to sit in. It looked pretty old, but cushiony. It even had two small pillows. How convenient.Gently, Nova lied the girl down, who continued to shiver from the cold. It was definitely warmer inside than out, and Nova had returned to the chairs outside to get his coat. Upon returning to the curled up inking, Nova spread out his coat as much as he could, and covered as much of Nagi's body as he could.Soon enough, she stopped shivering. And a small yet subtle smile developed on her lips.Nova's heart thumped at the sight before him. Seeing the inkling he loved so dearly, the same reason why he's even alive and here today, sleeping so peacefully on a snowy Squidmas Eve underneath his coat only made him develop more butterflies.Nova couldn't help but think of everything. Every significant moment he's had with her, good or bad.Her answer to the distress call down in the Deepsea Metro, single-handedly saving his life.The day she agreed to take him in.The day he moved in.The days where Nagi showed him how everything worked in Inkopolis.The evening she shared her name with him.The Shoal.Fighting alongside each other against the hostile Octarians.The countless conversations they've had.The countless times they've spent time together.The time they talked about the scars on her tentacles.That other time she managed to save his life from the chokehold the Octarian had him in.All the Turf War matches they've played together.The night she laughed in front of him for the first time.The time she had shed tears in front of him after feeling bad.That same night, how they sat together in the grass in Nagi's secret spot.The same evening where she had that gorgeous robe on.The time 3 had asked him to stay with her when he dropped off food for her.The Splatfest.Winning her a prize, and Nagi ending up choosing the only octopus plush there.The dance they shared under the Inkopolis lights.The laughter they shared after.Squatting down to her level, Nova examined her sleeping face."Even now," He thought to himself. "She looks beautiful..."One of Nagi's tentacles had fallen over and covered her face, as she had turned to sleep on her side. Gently, Nova's hand moved it out of the way and tucked it gently behind her ear, his fingers just barely caressing her cheek.Agent 3 was already in a deep sleep.Nova stopped. He took a deep breath, and let out a heavy, yet quiet, sigh.Immediately, a burning sensation returned to the tips of his ears as well as his cheeks.With a whisper that was nowhere near loud enough and his face only inches away from hers, the words escaped from his lips.
"I...I love you, Nagi."
Worried that he was looking like a creep combined with the embarrassment of saying those words to a sleeping Nagi, 8 stood up. The octoling stepped out of the cabin for a couple minutes, forgetting that he had given 3 his coat.
~30 minutes later...~
Nagi's eyes fluttered open.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Nagi's eyes fluttered open.Because she had just woken up, it felt as though everything was disorienting. It took her a minute to figure out that she was actually inside the Cuttlefish Cabin and had trouble remembering what happened. Nagi couldn't even recall falling asleep when she was with the group. How did she even end up on the couch?"I was pretty comfy though," Nagi admitted to herself, grabbing the coat that was spread out over her and layered up.Clearly, 3 didn't know that it was Nova's coat she wore on top of hers now.Where even was Nova? A quick look around in the cabin confirmed that the octoling was not with her. Perhaps he was just sitting outside with the rest? "No..." Her mind went on. "I can't hear anyone talking or anything going on outside...it's quiet."Well, quiet wasn't the right word. The wind howled lightly outside, and though she couldn't see the snow slowly piling outside, the inside was illuminated with a lantern and burning candle.Was it possible that Nova had already left without her?Giving an audible groan, she sat up, two coats on and her scarf still around her neck. However cold it was outside, it was definitely much warmer inside the cabin. 3 glanced to her left and right, as if to see if her giant octo plush was next to her. "Right...I'm not home.."Giving another yawn, she slid the cabin entrance door open and examined the area. Intrigued that it had begun to snow, all she saw at that moment were the three target balloons, still wrapped in their Squidmas lights, and the Ammo Knights Enhancifier, which had also been covered in lights, not noticing the octoling standing not far from the cabin's entrance.The octoling turned around to face 3 upon hearing the sliding door open, staring sweetly into her eyes. His orange eyes, and long, singular tentacle on his head seemed to stand out amongst the falling snow. "H-Hey...There you are, Nova," 3 whispered, feeling the snow lightly fall against her face. "I thought you just deserted me here, heh." Nonetheless, the inkling didn't get much a response to her comment. What she DID get was:"Here, I got you a coffee," The octoling smiled. "Cream and two sugars, just how you like it.."Agent 3, who's heart raced just from the sound of his voice, glanced over at her hand and back at him. With one extended hand, the steaming coffee faced directly towards 3. "You already know I wouldn't leave you behind. Who do you take me for?" He stated with some lighthearted banter. His sight was directed away from her, almost as if he was nervously trying to avoid eye contact with the girl. With an amused smile, 3 giggled, and gently took the drink out of his hand, not steering her eyes away from 8.The area was completely silent. The only thing that could be seen clearly through the snow falling was one another and well, the Squidmas lights. For a good minute, both 3 and 8 stood in the snow, looking out into the distance with 3 sipping from her coffee."Nova.." Nagi's voice whispered, being just barely audible for 8. "...Where's your coat..? You're seriously going to get sick.""Like I said," Nova grinned to himself. "You'll just have to take care of me.""Nope," The female inkling responded almost immediately. "..Even if I did, what would I get in return?""A healthier Nova.""Rightttt..." Nagi laughed lightly. "In all seriousness though, you're not cold Nova?"The octoling smiled, and shook his head no, amused by the fact that she had still not realized she had his coat over hers. In all honesty, 8 didn't want to put any attention to it, as he thought she looked adorable in his clothing. Even if it was a size too big on her. The octoling did in fact feel a bit cold."No," He stated his little white lie, smiling sweetly at the inkling before him.Their breaths only turned into a more visible mist as time went on, the snow piling up slowly but surely underneath them. It had gotten to the point where each step would make an almost muffled crunch-like noise.Staring at the drink 8 had gotten her without asking for it, Nagi's mind lingered onto her thoughts. Parker's words only echoed once again through her mind:
"...but he had mentioned he was trying to save up cash for his own place as well."
Despite her feelings for the octoling only growing with each passing day, this thought had lingered in the back of her mind the entire time. After all, why would she want Nova to move out? Even if she didn't admit to him out loud frequently, if at all, Nagi truly enjoyed the octoling's company. 3 even went out of her way constantly now to spend time with him.Nagi even found herself doing things she normally wouldn't do on Nova's behalf and, funnily enough, 3 started to enjoy. Turf War matches, frequent visits to the Shoal, shopping, checking out new places and trying new foods. Even Splatfests, which were a combination of all sorts of things Nagi didn't previously like, were starting to become more enjoyable.Her memory of their time together during those days flashed past her eyes. The moment Nova had won her the giant octopus plus, sharing the pastries they had gotten, the dance they shared under the Inkopolis lights...Nagi shook her head. She was getting side tracked.Was Nova still thinking about moving out..? And if he was...why?"Nova..?" 3 started up. "Can I ask you something..?"The almost worried-like tone in Nagi's voice caught the attention of 8. Upon turning back to face 3, he quickly realized that 3's expression seemed to sadden out of the blue. Her entrancing orange eyes stared down at the snow piling up at their feet, and her free hand readjusted her scarf as if to cover her mouth. The icy breaths were still visible regardless. Her lime tentacles had shifted in their position as if to cover her face, but failing to do so.Nova, who's worry grew from within with each passing second, said yes to her question and simultaneously shoved his hands into his pockets as to preserve some sensation in his hands."Are..." Hesitation got the better of Nagi, before continuing through with her question. "Are you really planning on moving out at some point...?"The question lingered in the air, and it seemed as if though Nova hadn't processed what she had asked, because after a few seconds, the octoling's eyes widened."P-Parker let it slip out, huh...?" Nova chuckled, a bit embarrassed. However, he only tried to lighten the mood as if to cheer up the lime haired inkling.With a puff of air, she nodded, "Yeah. I accidentally found him the day I was searching all over Inkopolis for you, and well, in our brief interaction he had mentioned that...But, is it really true, Nova...?"His fingers, pushing through the numbing cold, scrunched up into a fist, "W-Well, I've only been thinking about it..."3's expression softened once again, and observed the octoling as he seemed to get progressively nervous. She did admit, the curiosity within her only grew with each moment, as did her worry. Was it possible that he just wasn't comfortable? No, he's been looking more comfortable than he did when he first made it to Inkopolis. There had to be something on his mind, and the way that Nova hesitated in his sentences, made it all the more evident to Nagi."Why..?"The question was simple, but it made Nova freeze in his spot. It proved a bit more difficult to admit the reasoning to her with eye contact, more than he had thought, and therefore had turned his head away from her gazing eyes. Admittedly though, Nova found himself getting more and more flustered the more Nagi stared back at him.To be fair, despite the topic of the conversation, Nagi looked...beautiful.The contrast of the dark night and falling white snow with Nagi's lime hair, her orange eyes, her clothing, only made her stand out more. It caught Nova's eye more, and was only emphasized with the fact that she still looked a bit sleepy, which he found adorable. Her face was lightly illuminated by the blinking and alternating Squidmas lights hung up from their little party, making her eyes glimmer all the more.3 noticed the reddening of the octoling's ears, but didn't think much of it as her assumption was that he was just cold."It's just..." Nova scratched the back of his head. "..Don't you think I overstayed my welcome..?""Overstayed his welcome...?" Nagi questioned in her mind, curious as to what he was going on about. "What..exactly do you mean, Nova?""It's just...originally when you had accepted both Agent 1 and 2's request to take me in, the condition was just until I got back up on my feet essentially, no? A-And well, it's already been a few months so I've been adjusted to life here in Inkopolis..." 8 shrugged, before continuing. "I don't want to make it seem like I'm relying on you for everything so I just figured that-"He felt the singular tentacle on his head get flicked lightly.Nagi now stood in front of the octoling, still in his coat, and slightly frowning."How long have I been telling you this?" 3 questioned, a small smile breaking through the serious expression. "I've told you that it's perfectly fine time and time again."Nova half smiled. 3 quickly noted that he didn't particularly believe her, and that there was something else on his mind."...There's another reason right...?" Nagi questioned, taking a step closer to meet 8's eyes."Am I really that readable?" The octoling let out an amused puff of air."Like I said before, I know you too well," 3 smiled again, flicking his hair once more playfully."...""Just trust me.""I do, Nagi," 8 smiled softly as she took another sip of her coffee. "More than anyone or anything else..it's just hard to phrase it."For a second, they fell silent. Nagi silently had been looking up and over at him from the coffee lid, giving Nova some butterflies again. Though, where the conversation was heading, these butterflies would soon go away."Y-Y'know, it's more about you and Draco," 8 muttered after taking a deep breath. "It..It just doesn't sit right with me...I don't want to be a problem between the both of you...And like how you said, 4 is a jealous type..."3 took a deep breath, sighed, and began walking over to the Cuttlefish Cabin in silence. Plopping herself down on the little porch, Nagi stared at the coffee in hand, watching out of the corner of her eye Nova slowly following."...I know I keep bringing it up," Nova started up again in a gentle voice, sitting down next to the inkling. "But..I really just wish the best for the both of you."Nova winced at those words from the inside. It was the truth after all, he really did want them to be happy and wouldn't wish anything bad upon them, but it's hard to say such words when the octoling already knew he had strong feelings for Nagi. Right now, 3 was silent, and her face seemed as if though she was contemplating something."...You said he was shooting you glares earlier, right?" Nagi stared out into the abyss. "I guess, he still didn't get the message...""Huh?" Nova perked up, looking over at 3. "W-What do you mean, Nagi...?"Another deep breath released from the inkling, and her eyes slowly met his."We broke up..." She hesitated for a moment before correcting herself. "...Actually, it's more like I broke up with him..."If you could only feel how Nova felt hearing that sentence. It was as if a heavy weight was lifted off both his shoulders and chest simultaneously. Suddenly, the cold didn't bother his now shivering body. As if he was in a dark void, a shimmering ray of hope broke through, making him realize that...maybe he could finally get together with the inkling of his dreams.However, Nova shook his head, trying to remain calm in the face of the news. Even though Nagi didn't particularly look upset over the announcement, smiling right now would definitely make him look weird. Just because he wanted to smile, it didn't mean it was because he had hoped for the both of them to separate or that he was happy to hear the news, Nova still genuinely felt bad for both inklings, more so for 3."..I'm sorry to hear that..," 8 sympathized with the lime haired inkling, his expression naturally softening. "If you don't mind me asking, since when...?""W-Well, it's been awhile really. Do you remember that time I had gone over to his place, and I came back upset...? Since that day really," Nagi explained so casually, readjusting one her tentacles behind her reddening ear. "I never actually told you whenever you asked just because I didn't want to particularly linger on it too much...I've gotten over it..""..And I kept pushing it despite you not wanting to focus on it..." Nova's voice softened. "I'm sorry, Nagi.""No no," 3 waved him off, her cheeks reddening a bit. "It was fine really. Spending time with you...distracted me from it, so I feel much better with you around. I'm happy."The octoling's eyes widened and looked over at the lime haired inkling. There, what was once a serious inkling with a stare that could splat someone, the same girl faced him, the sweetest smile resting on her lips. It was then that his mind reminded him of that night, the same night where he realized his feelings for 3. The sound of her laughter echoed in his head, going against the brief silence between them."I'm really glad we met, and well, that I decided to take you in when you first arrived here in Inkopolis..." Nagi broke the silence once more, her hands fidgeting with one another. "I..really enjoy your company actually.."Though he felt his face rise in temperature, the octoling let out an amused puff of air, "I sure hope you do, we're roommates after all."3 smiled, nodded, and diverted her attention back to her fidgeting hands. The lime haired inkling looked...conflicted in a way."...I enjoy your company too, Nagi," Nova spoke.Nagi's smile only seemed to get sweeter by the second. Oh how he loved the way she smiled, how she giggled, how her eyes sparkled even in the darkest of nights.For a second, the pair could only watch the snow fall. At this point, it had fallen pretty fast, made evident by the entire floor being covered in snow by now, not allowing you to see the original surface before.It was in this silence that Nagi had some internal reflection. Initially, her plan was to just let it come naturally between the two (if a relationship were to occur between them anyways), since 3 had just recently gotten out of a relationship with Agent 4. However, the more she thought about it, the more it seemed unreasonable. I mean, Nagi had already explained herself and her reasoning in the breakup, which was the pursuit of mutual feelings between her and 8. Sure, she still felt a little bad, but eventually she'd have to move on from those thoughts too.3 was happy with Nova, and much more comfortable than she had expected. In fact, 3 kinda regretted being so silent around the curious octoling within their early friendship. The more time they spent together, the more she could feel their connection strengthen, so much so that 3 was much more comfortable expressing her thoughts and feelings with time. Nagi was aware she was serious about things, but with Nova, it was hard back to fight a smile. It was hard to fight the butterflies she got from him. It was hard to fight the back the feelings she had for him.The pair were still looking out into the dark, snowy night. Each breath continued its repeated icy mist.Agent 3, who was once oh so serious, was now sitting alone with Nova on a snowy Squidmas Eve, blushing furiously."Cod..." Nagi's mind went on. "...I really do love him, huh...?"Her orange eyes subtly glanced over at Nova, who seemed to be smiling to himself also in thought."I definitely think he feels the same way, Nagi." Callie's words echoed in her mind. "I'm willing to bet all of the Squid Sister's cash on it."Tonight. Tonight would be the perfect night for it. Right now."But...I..really want to hear it from him first..." Her thoughts rambled on. "I want to tell him, but I want to hear how he feels about me first..."
"...Maybe if I nudge him into that direction...? It sounds embarrassing to do though..."
3, taking a deep breath, attempted to relax and ignore the rapid thumping of her heart.Before Nova, how long has it been since her heart raced like this?8's mind on the other hand had been reminiscing about their first actual interaction. How at first she had threatened him with no hesitation, and only sat with him at a distance, separated by her Hero Shot. It was clear that 3 wasn't very trusting of him, yet, looking at the way they were now, it made 8's heart race.The inkling he loved, sat right beside him, wearing his coat.The memories continued to flood in. Including the recent one of their dance. If he really wanted to, Nova could feel the sensation of his hand against hers, his other on Nagi's waist, and her other hand on his shoulder. The moment felt like complete bliss, and every sensation of Nagi's touch immediately gave the octoling butterflies.What did catch the octoling off guard was the sudden feeling of someone leaning on his shoulder.Turning his head, both his cheeks and ears burning a bright red, his eyes witnessed Nagi leaning her head on his shoulder.Now, normally this wouldn't be such a huge deal. After all, Nova had carried 3 in her squid form before, even held hands and danced close to each other. But just like the dance they shared on the last moments of his first Splatfest...the atmosphere felt rather...intimate..?Nova's breaths got heavier, both because of his embarrassment and the increasing cold of the atmosphere. Nova's body couldn't decide whether to focus on the shivering cold or the warmth that he got in this particular moment."Then..stay with me," 3 whispered, just barely loud enough for 8 to hear.Right now, Nova was wondering to himself if his ears had melted off from how hot they were starting to feel. 3's words had reminded him of the same time where he went on his own patrol to find Nagi and hand her her breakfast.
"S-Stay a bit with me, please?"
The same feeling remained, and out of continued disbelief, he tried to see Nagi's expression.Though Nagi's face was lightly covered by her scarred, yet beautiful, lime tentacles, he could just barely catch a glimpse of her face as she leaned on him. Her cheeks were bright red, yet her eyes were soft and stared into the piling snow. Though her head leaned on the octoling's shoulder, her hands remained fidgeting with themselves.Surely all of these signs are pointing him in the direction Nova wants to go, right? Surely the stars are all aligned in his favor, right?Nagi and Draco had been broken up for awhile now.She mentioned how she's gotten over it.Nagi is currently resting on his shoulder with his coat on.3 is showing concern over the fact that Nova is considering moving out.She's even asking him to stay with her.......and she's blushing like crazy. Just like he was.For a brief moment, the only thing Nova could hear was the loud thumping of his heart and his heavy breaths. Any wind that swept by or the rustling of any material was muted out. Similarly to when they were in their little secret spot in the park, Nova slowly gained some newfound confidence. This time, nothing was holding him back, Nagi was no longer in a relationship, and they were alone once again.
"..I want to go for it..."
"Okay then, I'll stay with you if you really don't mind.."With a puff of air, 3 shook her head, "Of course I don't mind, Nova.""...Look at us," Nova lightly chuckled. "Our first interaction...it was just like this, but we both were hesitant about the other.""Y-Yeah..." Nagi responded softly, a smile resting on her lips. "We've gotten pretty close, much faster than I anticipated."Almost in unison, the pair had gained just enough confidence.Enough confidence to admit their feelings to one another."N-Nagi..?""N-Nova..?"They had both simultaneously looked over at each other, with Nagi sitting up to make eye contact.Their orange eyes met each other, both blushing profusely."S-Sorry. You go first, Nagi.""No no, I didn't mean to interrupt you. You go, Nova."Nova's left hand clenched up, out of sight.Nagi's hands lightly shivered, not from the cold, but anticipation. What exactly was he going to say? 3 could only guess and make her assumptions, but Nagi could only hope it's what she thought it was. Secretly, that night where she had gone all over Inkopolis to search for Nova, the words that Nova was going to exclaim right there lingered in the back of her mind: "Nagi..I wanted to tell you that I-!"She could still remember the cold grass against her skin. Thinking about it over and over again...was he really going to confess at that moment?It's possible. He's just as red as she was.His words echoed again in her head from back then, making the inkling blush all the more."I love you...Nagi."Hearing the words suddenly spill out of Nova's mouth made it feel as if though someone threw a splat bomb straight at her face, except said splat bomb didn't detonate.3, almost out of reflex, leaned back out of shock. Her wide eyes starred at the octoling, and almost immediately, her heart raced faster than she had ever felt."N-No way...I heard that correctly, right?!" Nagi's mind went rampant, desperately trying to process the words that Nova suddenly spilt. "That was faster than I thought it'd happen-!""W-W-What..?" Nagi's stutter slipped through, still in complete disbelief.Agent 8's face was completely red, and although Nagi found the sight adorable, hers was just as red. His orange eyes squinted shut, almost as if he was desperately trying to fight off the embarrassment."It's cruel that you're going to make me repeat it again, y'know," Nova laughed to himself, giving Nagi all the more butterflies in her gut. "I said that I...l-love you, Nagi."His words were drowned out from the thumping of the inkling's heart. She could hardly handle it the first time, much less the second time. At this rate, she's going to melt into a puddle of green ink if this continues.After all, Nagi thought she'd be able to handle it when the time came that Nova would confess.However, at this point, all Nagi did was stare at Nova in complete disarray. Her face was completely red, including her ears, and couldn't find the right words to say whatsoever. Logically, the next words that should've been said by 3 would have been that she loves him too.For a brief moment, still blushing furiously, 8 stared at the shocked inkling. "D-Did you hear me, Nagi? I love y-you-""I heard the first two times!" Nagi's face turning to a deeper shade of red. "I..just can't believe I'm hearing this...""Is it..that surprising...?" Nova half smiled, though it was still clear that the octoling was still embarrassed. "T-Truth be told, I was worried that it was taboo for close friends to develop feelings for the other, but the more that I thought about it, it didn't seem unreasonable... And I for one couldn't help it when you've saved my life over and over again. From the Deepsea Metro, to just giving me a place to stay...I wouldn't even be sitting here right now if you hadn't come my way when an Octarian soldier got the better of me. You're the first inkling to make me feel like I belong here. You never had anything against me, and seeing your actual personality shine through the more we got to know one another has been amazing. I was already so happy to be able to arrive here in Inkopolis, and having you by my side made it even better...and well, before I knew it...I was already falling for you..."Nagi continued to stare, her mouth running dry. On the contrary, her eyes seemed to tear up, obviously touched by the octoling's words on a night like this."I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you tear up," Nova apologized quickly, still blushing but with a concerned look. "I just rambled on and-""Nonono, it's okay," Nagi sniffled. "I'm very happy actually."The lime haired inkling took a deep breath as if to maintain her composure and gently wiped at her eyes. Nova continued to blush furiously, still unsure as to how Nagi felt back, but quickly got his answer.3 rested her head back on Nova's shoulder, content with everything he had said. She could feel his body tense up as a result, which made the inkling giggle quietly."I...love you too, Nova..." 3 declared, just loud enough for Nova to catch. "To be honest, I always thought that you were very sweet and thoughtful..You're always looking out for others, and despite the fact that a lot of inklings judged you for just being here in Inkopolis, I admire your persistence. I'm sure the Octarian Army was difficult to be in, I know the Deepsea Metro was rough, and starting a whole new llfe in an unknown land isn't easy..yet here you are. You've been through so much, yet your personality doesn't reflect the hardships you've been through at all. Looking back, I'm glad I was there that evening when both Callie and Marie requested me to take you in, otherwise we probably wouldn't have been as close as we are...You might've even been roommates with Draco..."Nova, his heart still racing, laughed at the last comment."I like to think that, because of you, I've become a better person, Nova..I...I really do love you..."The octoling's breathing got heavier by the moment. Hearing those words come from 3 was a dream come true to say the least. It was still snowing, possibly more than before, and only got colder as the night progressed. Yet Nova's face felt extremely hot...Was it hypothermia?Turning his head, 8 was surprised to see Nagi looking up at him, her orange eyes looking into his alongside with the her sweet smile. The inkling's cheeks were red, as well as the tip of her ears, but she seemed extremely happy at the moment. After seeing a sight like this, Nova was once again entranced by her beauty.They stared silently at each other, the snow landing on their faces before melting almost immediately. Their breaths continued creating their misty clouds."I want to...but, is it too soon?" Nova questioned himself. "I've seen others do it, but I don't want to make Nagi uncomfortable..."The octoling's eyes widened.All of this happening during one night, hearing 3's confession and now this, was so much more than what Nova could process. He had never had a love interest until meeting 3, and yet all of this was unfolding right before his eyes.It was a bold move on 3's part, and was her counterattack to 8's sudden confession."C-C'mon, let's go home, Nova..." 3 stated, standing up rapidly from their seats on the Cuttlefish Cabin's porch. A huge smile rested on her lips, in disbelief with herself that she actually did it. Nagi's face was completely flushed red, and her back faced Nova, who sat in shock."W-Wait! You're just going to pretend like you didn't just-!""I didn't do anything," Nagi responded plainly, her back still facing towards the octoling. You can hear the shy tone in her voice. "I don't know what you're talking about."Before he knew it, 3 had already started walking towards the grate that led you back to Inkopolis Square, not letting Nova process what had just happened."H-Hey! Wait up, Nagi!" 8 laughed, getting up and sprinting towards her, still blushing happily.."Keep up then!" 3 laughed, her lime tentacles whipping around as she witnessed Nova slip on some snow.Catching himself, Nova watched as 3 gave a small wave before turning into her squid form and plopping through the grate. 8 followed.That night on Squidmas Eve, the pair ran together through the empty Inkopolis streets.Much to Nova's surprise, Nagi was much faster than he had anticipated.His upper body was both simultaneously warm yet cold, and running in the cold wind certainly wasn't helping. However, seeing the way Nagi laughed watching Nova's attempts to catch up made him forget about whatever sensation on his body. Just like that late night where 3 had laughed in front of him for the first time, the same night where the octoling realized his feelings for the girl, it felt as if though he fell in love with Nagi all over again.As 8 laughed alongside the lime haired inkling, the sensation lingered.How 3 had lightly pecked 8 on the lips earlier.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"I...I caught up.."Nova chuckled in between heavy breaths. Sprinting the entire time in this cold, this late at night, was definitely not on his agenda...but neither was the confession or a peck on the lips.Nagi stared up at him with a gentle smile, noticing how red his cheeks and ears were before shaking her head. She too was breathing heavy. "Too slow."Opening the apartment door, her keys still having the same lime squid keychain Nova has known for so long now, the newly found couple stepped in. 3 tossed her keys to the side on the kitchen counter."It's much warmer in here than out there," she commented, beginning to take Nova's coat off of her. The lime haired inkling stood there, for a second, a bit confused as to why she still had a coat on after already taking one off."W-Wait, is this yours Nova?" 3's face warmed up immediately."You just noticed?" Nova raised a brow, holding back a chuckle. "You've been having it on since you woke up back in Octo Canyon.""You're kidding," Nagi blushed, but remained smiling. "You mean, you knew and you didn't say anything? Why was that?"The octoling nervously readjusted the singular tentacle on his head, "W-Well, I just thought that..uh..you were cold..so I let you use it.."Nagi raised an eyebrow, still blushing and smiling, already knowing that he's bluffing. Nova took wind of this, and quickly corrected himself, "Ok well, that's partialy true...Y-You looked cute..."The inkling's cheeks reddened at the words, responding with a nervous thank you. Hearing Nova say such things made her heart race, and with everything that had happened only moments before, 3 was surprised that she hadn't been overwhelmed by it all at this point. Even before, she never remembered a time where she behaved like this with someone. It's easy to say that Nova had Agent 3 completely head over heels, much more than she even anticipated."L-Look, it's still Squidmas Eve," Nagi commented afterwards, turning her head to read the stove clock. "It's only 11:10, we should watch some movies or something until we get tired. What do you think, Nova?"8, who still lingered on the fact that he called her cute face to face, perked up. "Y-Yeah! That sounds fun. Don't get mad at me if I end up falling asleep though...""You're tired...?""Let me remind you that you got both a nap and a coffee when you woke up," 8 teased, chuckling lightly. "I didn't get either of those."3 nodded in, her heart still racing from how happy she felt.As the pair took turns taking their showers (which was relieving for Nova to feel the warm water against his skin after not having a coat for a while outside), the wind howled from the exterior. The snow continued to pile on the Inkopolis streets. The tops of the street lamps had tiny piles of snow already, as well as whatever exposed surface. At some points, you'd be able to hear the laughter of inklings on the empty streets, presumably already having a mini snowball fight. What Nova failed to notice on their run however, was the fact that even now, Inkopolis continued to be decorated, despite not being a Splatfest. Little strings of flashing red, green and white lights would hang from buildings and signs, some lampposts even having little LED snowflakes illuminating alongside the actual lamps.By the time Nova stepped out, already in a comfortable pair of flannel pajama pants and a slightly too big t-shirt, the apartment lights had already been switched off. The octoling could hear a kettle of hot water already whistling from within the kitchen, the tiny stove flame barely illuminating the counters around it. In the living room, the same boxes that Nagi referred to as 'junk' continued to sit in the same corner of the room, untouched. The tv was already turned on, the homepage of the Squidflix already being displayed. Amusingly, 3 had already brought out the giant octopus plush he had won her the day of the Splatfest, and tucked it underneath a blanket spread out on the couch. 8 let out amused puff of air before turning his attention to the inkling, who was already taking out a pair of mugs."Want some hot chocolate?" 3 questioned, looking up at him after realizing he had finished showering. "They come with tiny marshmallows.""I'll take you up on the offer," Nova grinned, giving a brief stretch and yawn. "Maybe it'll keep me up longer."In the end, the pair sat on the same couch, sharing the large blanket that 3 provided them. The octo plush remained on Nagi's right, with the real octoling on her left. The entire apartment had darkened, and with the wind outside being barely audible with the visibly falling snow, the couple sharing a nice, thick blanket, and now watching some Squidmas movies, it truly did make it feel like Squidmas.The tv screen blared, the only light source in the apartment at the moment, and the only thing one could hear were the sips that both 3 and 8 took out of their mugs. Throughout their movie watching, Nagi continued to steal glances at 8, almost out of disbelief that this was, in fact, reality. A smile remained on her lips as the night went on, happy to be spending it with Nova.8 was very content with where he was in life right now. I mean, who wouldn't in his shoes? After getting out of two very difficult chapters of his life (three if you're counting his adjustment to Inkopolis), becoming close friends and roommates with the girl that saved his life over and over again, and finally confessing their love to one another after realizing one's feelings for the other for so long now...The octoling couldn't have asked for a better life.Yet, as cute as the animated movie of the red nosed reindeer was, and the fact that the lime haired inkling he loved so dearly sat next to him, something lingered in his mind. It had remained in the back of his head, even during their confessions to one another, and couldn't seem to shake it out. Instead, 8 figured it'd be better to talk with Nagi about it."Are..you sure about this...?" Nova questioned, setting his mug on the table they had scooted closer to them. "About us, I mean."Nagi, who seemed to be daydreaming, snapped out of it, and turned his attention back to Nova, "W-What do you mean 'us'?""I mean...us. The fact that I'm an octoling with an inkling...I'm worried that if...if others see you with me, you'll be talked about in ways you've lightly touched on before when we talked about your scars. I don't want to end up burdening you, whether it's socially or-!"The inkling quickly put a finger on his lips, telling him to stop talking."Y'know, you're overthinking it Nova," 3 smiled reassuringly at the octoling. "If I was so worried and cared about being 'burdened socially' by you, do you think I would've been actively going out with you and whatnot publicly this entire time? And even then, it's just the other inklngs being closed minded anyways, they see something slightly different than they're used to and they're quick to judge. I'm sure we're both aware of that, right?"Nova nodded, beginning to sigh in a content way."Whether it was because you're an octoling in Inkopolis, or because of my battle scars on my tentacles, everyone else is quick to point fingers," Nagi smiled to herself, scooting over closer to 8 and leaning on his shoulder again. "You're just like anyone else here, so don't worry about others. Other inklings can trash talk all they want, but this is our relationship. I won't let their words affect my feelings for you.""So you don't mind that you're dating an octoling..?"3's orange eyes stared blankly looked up again, almost out of disbelief. Suddenly she let out a laugh."I've been best friends and roommates simultaneously with an octoling for months now, you think I'm worried about whether or not I'm dating an octoling?" 3 managed to question, after her laugh faded away. Nova's heart thumped in his chest loudly, hearing the rest of what Nagi had to say, "...You could've been an inkling for all I care, and I still would've fallen for you."Who knows where all this confidence came from for the inkling, though it isn't to say that her ears were burning hot.8's heart raced some more, hearing the words spill out of Nagi's lips. It was reassuring to hear, and immediately, the octoling got comfortable once again. Feeling Nagi's warmth on his shoulder made him blush alongside her words. 8 was hesitant about it, he'd never been in a relationship before, but went through with it anyways.Nagi's eyes widened, surprised to feel that the arm she rested her head on, now wrapped around her shoulders, holding her into a tight embrace. 3's head would now be resting up against the area between his shoulder and chest. Looking up at him with wide orange eyes and a bright red blush, Nagi noted the stiffness of his face even if it was just barely illuminated by the tv light. His face continued to blush, clearly nervous about making any physical moves.3 giggled, "You don't have to get so nervous, Nova. Just relax..""...I'm s-sorry, I've never done this before so...""It's okay," Nagi reassured 8, getting comfortable herself in the octoling's embrace. It surprised her how fast she got used to everything with Nova once she found out their feelings were mutual. Even in a relationship with Draco, 3 never behaved in such a way, so what was so special about Nova that prompted her to behave like this? The lime haired inkling was never a fan of physical touch to begin with, but here she was, letting 8 wrap his around her and embrace her close.To be fair, it was possible that Agent 3 had only gotten so comfortable because they have lived together for what's felt like forever now."...I love you, Nova," She whispered softly, her hands nervously tracing the pattern of the blanket covering them, one that consisted of several ink splats spread out."I..do too," Nova smiled softly, his eyes slowly moving away from Nagi's face and back to the tv, which continued to play your usual classic Squidmas movies.The night progressed, and as it neared 12 in the morning, Nagi tried to call for Nova, whom she hadn't heard from for a few minutes. Rubbing her eyes and readjusting her lime tentacles, she looked over at 8, who's head rested on the back of the couch, sleeping peacefully.
"I didn't even realize he fell asleep..."
3 stared for a moment, before feeling her face burning up again with her smile."..M-Merry Squidmas, Nova."For the rest of the night, or morning if you will, Agent 3 would end up falling asleep in 8's arms.Cuddling up with the real octoling totally beat the octopus plush.~The following morning (it was 11:50 AM at this point), the noon sun was just barely shining through the clouds. It was still rather cloudy, not to mention cold, with what could only be described as a light flutter of snow. Speaking of which, it had definitely piled up enough since last night.8 gave a light stretch, his eyes squinting from the sun's rays.
"That was possibly the best dream I've had in awhile..."
Apparently, the octoling had convinced himself that the events from last night were all made up by his mind, ignoring the weight he felt on his chest. It couldn't have possibly gone that smoothly after all, right...?"Hmm..?" He heard the inkling's sleepy voice whisper, feeling her head lift off of his chest. "Ah...Good morning, Nova..."Almost as if it was completely normal, Nagi went back to resting her head on his chest, beginning to doze off once more. 8 on the other hand, remained dumbfounded, yet pleased to see that everything that had happened was real.Just like the night of Squidmas Eve, Nagi looked adorable sleeping.Apparently they had fallen asleep together on the soft couch, the blanket becoming a tangled mess between the two. Nova couldn't help but realize that, amidst their sleep, his arms had subconsciously wrapped the inkling in an embrace, which is why she even rested so close to him.A tired grin had been plastered on the octoling's face, happy that this was reality.He too dozed off alongside Nagi once more.~"How long have we been asleep for...?""Hm..?" Nova groggily responded to the sound of 3's voice. He had yet to even open his eyes.Feeling a finger flick the singular tentacle atop of his head in a playful manner, 3's voice was heard once again, "C'mon, Nova. We're gonna sleep through Squidmas at this rate.."At this point, Nagi had already gotten up and off of him (much to Nova's disliking), and had begun to head to the kitchen to prepare them something to eat. Nova, on the contrary, had found it a struggle to get up at all. Thank cod that they weren't working today.However, the sound of the stove clicking on filled the air, catching Nova's attention immediately. Neither of them had really attempted to make something homemade, and a lot of their meals had consisted of eating out or ordering delivery to the apartment (they made a good amount of cash with their jobs as Agents, more so 3 from her time there). However, the times they did eat at home without buying something, it mostly consisted of frozen foods. Pizza, sliders, pasta, etc. Sure, it got unhealthy at times, but whenever they went out, they often did their best to eat healthy (mainly salads). Of course, they also had their cereal and signature frozen waffles.All of that being said, it is why 8 had been surprised to see Nagi actually preparing something."You look surprised," Nagi smiled after giving a brief yawn and stretch, her sight still focused on the ingredients she set out. "It's a little late for this, but I figured it'd be a nice treat.""I didn't even know you knew how to cook," 8 commented, walking up to his partner and standing next to her."Well, after working in the Squidbeak Splatoon, I grew tired quickly, so I had gotten out of the habit of preparing myself meals. P-Plus, the cleanup after was a pain, especially since I lived alone. Though I'm a little rusty now as a result," 3 let out a puff of air, as if she was a little embarrassed by the fact. "I always help back home whenever there's a holiday like this though."The octoling nodded along, watching 3 finish mixing the batter with a funny looking machine that spun rapidly, and pouring it on a pan, forming a circular shape. 8's orange eyes were fixated on each movement the inkling made, as if taking mental notes to learn himself."It smells really good," Nova grinned."I guess I still got it," Nagi gave a light giggle."...Are you sure you're okay with this...?"The lime haired inkling perked up, locking eyes with 8 again. His expression had reverted back to a serious one."Is this about you being an octoling? I already told you last night that-""N-No," 8 quickly corrected her, a smile breaking through his lips once again. "You've already made me feel confident about that. I just mean, are you sure you're okay with spending Squidmas here instead of visiting your family...?"A loving smile developed on her lips, her orange eyes staring into his, effortlessly giving him butterflies from within.3 wouldn't say anything in response, but her expression alone gave Nova his answer.~"These pancakes look and smell amazing!" Nova complimented, clearly excited to try something Nagi had conjured up.The couple now sat next to each other at the kitchen table, a plate with a stack of steamy pancakes resting in between. They looked fluffy, so much so, it looked like it came out of a commercial."Dig in," said 3, already placing a pancake on both of their plates. "There's some syrup or strawberry jam if you'd like."Watching Nova nod with a happy expression, 3 had yet to poke hers out of anticipation of 8's reaction. Would he like it..? She had an unreasonable worry that it came out tasting funny. Now that she thought about it, in the time that he had lived here with her, 3 never made anything for them to eat (unless heating up frozen waffles counted).Nova's eyes widened mid chew. Was that a good sign...?"Oh yeah, these beat the frozen waffles by a VERY long shot," Nova muttered to himself, aggressively devouring the first and grabbing a second.Agent 3 couldn't exactly explain why, but hearing those words come from Nova made her heart flutter. Before she knew it, her ears had already begun to burn up."Mmm, these are so good, Nagi!" 8 chuckled, getting close to finishing up the second. "I didn't know you were able to make food, especially this good! Do you know how to make different things too?"Resting her chin on her palm, Nagi's head whipped away from 8, trying to hide her blush."M-My mom taught me a variety of things a long time ago..." Her voice muttered, slowly fading into a whisper. "B-But if you enjoy it so much, I don't mind cooking up meals for us too..."Nova smiled, his gaze softening, "Well, I wouldn't make you do it by yourself. I'd help in any way I can.""Well, that's awfully sweet of you," She let out an amused puff of air, readjusting the folds of her oversized shirt, and began eating her first pancake. "You don't have to rush, if you want more, I can prepare some more. There's still some batter left over."~The pair ate their very late breakfast (which probably would've been considered late lunch at this point in time anyways) and were left satisfied."Wait here," 3 got up from her chair, temporarily resting her hand on 8's shoulder. "I'll be right back."The octoling complied, curious as to what exactly Nagi was doing. He watched as she walked through her bedroom door, leaving it just barely cracked open. The sound of her rustling through her things escaped out and into the entire apartment, with faint curses coming from the lime haired girl as she struggled to find the item in question.Eventually, 3 stepped out, smiling softly to herself as her hands were held behind, clearly hiding something.The inkling plopped herself down next to Nova once again, gently placing the wrapped up box in front of her."Is that for me?""Who else?" She giggled.Taking her time, she picked up the gift, and extended her hands towards Nova. They made eye contact, the pair lightly blushing as Nova took the gift gently out of her hands and into his. It was funny seeing how the octoling handled the box with even greater care than she did, as if he was afraid that it'd shatter in his palm.Well, it could've shattered if dropped, but setting that aside, the octoling seemed to be careful about ruining the wrapping. 3 giggled."Just rip it off," 3 gave him a reassuring smile. "..Merry Squidmas, Nova."8's face seemed to redden some more, and after tearing off the wrapping, his orange eyes widened at the realization of what was given to him."I tried getting you the latest model that came out this year," The inkling commented. "Yet it seemed to be selling surprisingly fast. I just barely got it."His palm, a little shaky, held a white box. The image of a squid shaped phone and its screen printed as an image on the lid. Its color was black, and was much to Nova's liking. Yet the gift felt touching as a whole."N-No way," 8 whispered underneath his breath, beginning to unbox the phone. "W-Wait, this means you and I can keep contact even when we're apart now, right?!"His orange eyes seemed to sparkle at the thought, making Nagi's smile widen a tiny bit more. It was adorable.Giving a small nod, Nova continued, "I can finally keep in touch with Parker too! It wouldn't be by chance anymore!""Well, there's more to it then just calling and texting," 3 rested her cheek on the palm of her hand, satisfied with the octoling's excitement. "But yes, essentially. I honestly am surprised you've been here in a huge city such as Inkopolis without any way to contact someone.""...I mean, they are pretty expensive...Especially the newer ones," 8 smiled, holding the fragile phone in hand. "H-How much was it..?"3 shook her head in silence, her lime tentacles swinging, "That isn't your concern, Nova.""I actually got you something too, but I'm not gonna lie, I did have trouble choosing something," 8 explained himself, getting up from his chair after setting down the phone and its box on the counter. "I've never really gotten someone a gift before.."It was only a few moments, but 8 had also stepped out of his room, with what seemed like a box wrapped up (poorly) as well. In comparison to hers, Nova's present was much bigger.After a cute stutter wishing Nagi a 'Merry Squidmas', the inkling had begun to open the poorly wrapped present, her eyes widening at the sight."I've been hearing you mutter about how your headphones had been acting up for awhile now, so I figured that-""H-How did you even manage to get these, Nova?" 3 questioned, staring at the Studio Headphones box in mint condition. "These always seemed to have fly off the shelves whenever I've attempted to buy one, and you managed to get one of the more modern models too!"Nova had begun to chuckle proudly, happy to see the smile on Nagi's face widen by the second. Her orange eyes sparkled, and quickly gave the octoling a brief hug."They got noice cancelling too," He laughed, embracing 3 into a tight hug. "So, good to know in case if you ever get tired of me.""How could I?" 3 giggled in his arms.~With a bit of help from Nagi, Nova's phone was up and ready to go. Paying attention to the lessons on having a smartphone and how to use it, Nova nodded along to her words, carefully watching where she pressed for what."Not that hard, right?" Nagi asked him, noting how he still had that excited look in his eyes."N-Nope, not that hard actually," Nova sighed, content with being an owner for a smartphone of this generation. "...Hey, N-Nagi?""Hm...?""Can we take a picture...? T-Together...?"Nova couldn't quite put his finger on it, but asking something like that felt a little embarrassing. For Nagi, it too was embarrassing, but for her different reasons. On top of not particularly enjoying crowds, loud areas and whatnot (which she's been able to tolerate much better since being with the octoling), pictures was another thing. It was a reflection of the self consciousness that she has about herself, particularly how scarred her tentacles are, and the fact that she wouldn't really smile for them.But for Nova...? Sure, she'd do it.Giving a timid nod, and after confirming where to turn on the camera, Nova had begun to lift his new squid shaped phone into the air."If I remember correctly," Nova muttered to himself. "This is how I see inklings do it all the time in the Square...."The front facing camera had now captured the couple in the frame, Nova having a wide grin and Nagi with a shy smile. The inkling's face would only turn to a brighter red upon Nova wrapping his arm her shoulder and bringing her in closer.
Click!
"H-How'd it turn out..?" 3 curiously peered over his shoulder, attempting to take a glimpse on his screen."How do I make this my phone screen?""W-Wait, I look weird!" Nagi complained trying to snatch his phone out of his hand. In response, 8 had attempted to reassure her while simultaneously extending his arm so that she wouldn't reach."What are you talking about? Y-You look cute, Nagi!"3's ears burned up immediately at his words, her orange eyes diverging away from him."Y-You can't just compliment your way out of everything..."Confused as to where all his boldness came from, Nova wouldn't catch her last comment, already muttering to himself."Was it here...? Yeah, I was right!" Nova whispered under his breath, his fingers tapping along the screen.Extending the phone towards her, Nagi's eyes examined the screen and back to his face. Her mind hadn't processed what exactly it was that Nova was showing her."Can I have your number?""Where did all of this confidence come from??" Nagi questioned, blushing furiously. "Cod, you're unbelievable."3 tried to play it off as if she was bothered, but in reality, her heart thumped loudly in her chest. Nova would laugh in response, but 3 would end up putting her info into the octoling's phone."Y'know, maybe I will use the noise cancelling," 3 teased, flicking 8's hair.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Nagi's sight lingered on the sky, watching each individual cloud pass by.It was cold, and as per usual, mist would be exhaled with each breath."..agi..nagi..naGI...NAGI!" A voice faded in.Shaking her head, her lime tentacles whipped around. There, standing before her, was none other than the Squid Sisters."Someone seems out of it.." Agent 2 teased, covering her mouth while giving a light giggle."Is something up?" Agent 1 followed up, taking a seat next to Nagi.It's been 5 days since Squidmas, with tomorrow being Squid Years Eve. 3 had gotten a morning shift, and was supposed to be working with Nova...if he was able to go in anyways."Actually, isn't Agent 8 supposed to be here today?" Marie pondered, wincing to herself. "I thought you had scheduled him, Callie-""I did! I swear!" She blushed, waving her hands as if to dodge the accusation. "You two are roommates, so what happened to him?"3 sighed, a developing a soft smile, "He caught a cold. I had warned him the night of Squidmas Eve, but he didn't listen. I guess it hadn't hit him until today..""Are you sure it's okay to just leave him home alone like that..?" Marie questioned, now taking a seat next to Callie. Simultaneously, she had whipped out her phone, presumably texting someone to come pick up a shift."Yeah," 3 sighed again. "I had told him I'd call off to stay with him, but Nova insisted that I went.""Really? He can't be too bad in a state then, right?""No yeah, he's fine. Nova said something along the lines of 'got to get your cash up' to me," Nagi giggled to herself at the thought of it.The Squid Sisters would share a brief laugh between them, before Callie resorted to her usual love talk antics."Sooooo..." Callie's words overly extended, poking 3's shoulder briefly. "Any updates on you and 8...? Have you dropped any hints on him...?"Marie, although silent, stared at Agent 3 with curious eyes. Clearly, she too was eager to know, but was not nearly as obvious as her cousin. Nagi shyly tightened her grip on her Hero Shot."W-We've actually started dating..." 3 whispered, just barely loud enough for Agents 1 and 2 to hear."Huh?!""What?!"3's ears reddened by the second, when did she get so gossipy with these two?"This is a joke right?!" Callie practically squealed. "You're just messing with us!"Nagi, jaw tight, gave a nervous head shake no. How red was her face right now?"W-Wait when did this happen? Who confessed first??" Marie interjected, wide eyed and pretty much shoving her cousin out of the way."S-Squidmas Eve," Agent 3 was just barely able to get the words out before pushing on to continue. "...H-He did first...""EEEE!" Agent 1 squealed, giving an excited jump before locking Nagi in a tight embrace. "I'm so happy for you!! You two have always been sooo cute together!""C-Calm down, Callie! You're embarrassing Nagi!" The Squid Sister protested, attempting to pull 3 out of 1's grasp."Oh! That's right!" Callie let go of Nagi, to which Marie presumed that her cousin had listened to her. Alas, she did not. "Check this out!"Before any of the other two inklings could process it, Agent 1 had already whipped out her phone, practically shoving the illuminating screen into Nagi's orange eyes. Her blush deepened. There it was, the picture that Callie had snapped at the Squidmas Eve party, the one where 3 had already fallen asleep on 8."I forgot about that," Marie stepped forward with a brief giggle, setting Callie's hand down. "You looked pretty cozy."It had hit her yet again how fast 3 had gotten comfortable with Nova in such a short time since confessing. When they first met, such physical contact would've been detested, and although she led it slide slightly with Nova, it hadn't gotten to the point where the lime haired inkling didn't mind. Subconsciously, much sooner than Nagi had thought, grabbing his hand after the Shoal incident, even being held in his arms in her squid form after being attacked that one time, his touch had begun to make something switch up in her mind. Don't even get her started on the dance they shared at the Square."Cod..." 3 thought to herself, covering her face out of embarrassment."We held hands...he held onto my waist too...I even initiated it..."Why did it take so long for this realization to settle in?
"We even fell asleep together on Squidmas morning..."
"I-I suppose I have gotten pretty comfortable with him," Agent 3 scratched the side of her cheek nervously.A sudden voice had called out from the entrance side of Octo Canyon, startling both idols and 3."I'm here." 4 called out in a rather monotone voice, slowly walking over to the cabin. "Hope, I'm not interrupting anything..."3's eyes widened at the sight of him, but quickly came to the conclusion that Draco was probably the only one who could pick up the shift. Granted, 3 felt as though she could go through patrol by herself, just like she did before any of the other agents came along. However, this was most likely just a safety precaution to ensure that, in case one were to be attacked, the other would be able to back up.For a brief moment, Draco's eyes had met hers, making Nagi's heart race. Though, not in a good way. Quickly, his diverted away from Agent 3."This is awkward..." Both inkling's minds synched."Oh...this wasn't the brightest idea..." Both idols' minds synched once the realization hit.It's been awhile since the two had shared a shift together."A-Ah, 4! That was surprisingly fast!" Marie tried to lighten the atmosphere. "We hope we didn't interrupt anything either."4 gave a bland thumbs up, reassuring that nothing in particular was disrupted. His blue eyes seemed oddly tired, and although he still wore some casual clothing, his Hero Shot remained in his hand by his side."I didn't have anything planned today," Draco shrugged, beginning to slide open the door to the cabin. "So I figured I'd pick up this shift."Moments later, after Draco had changed into his Hero Suit and pairing up their ink colors, both Agent 3 and 4 were sent to do their daily patrol.The atmosphere was rather tense, and neither 3 or 4 had made any attempts to communicate, despite the fact that they were able to do so during the Squidmas Eve party. Perhaps it was the fact that Nagi already knew she's been in a new relationship with Nova, pretty much shifting Draco aside.Nonetheless, with the occasional clasping and rubbing of palms to generate heat, Tentakeel Outpost was cleared in silence.It wasn't until Suction-Cup Lookout that one of them spoke up."I'm surprised Agent 8 isn't accompanying you this morning," 4 commented plainly. "Did he call out of work? Is that why Agent 2 had texted to see who was available?"Giving a heavy exhale, 3 shook her head yes, "8 caught a cold, so he's staying home for the time being.""Ah."It wasn't a very long conversation, but it remained silent once again for awhile. Nagi was unsure as to how to interpret all of this, as even Draco's expression seemed plain in the midst of everything going on. Her grip on the Hero Shot's handle tightened.Beaker's Depot was next. Nothing out of the ordinary. Silence remained between Agents 3 and 4. Occasionally, 4 would give a random cough.Upon super jumping to Slimeskin Garrison, a sense of stillness remained between both inklings. Before they knew it, the day had already reached noon."Let's take a break," 3 sighed, plopping herself down up against one of the steel beams of the structure. Reluctantly, 4 followed, leaving space between them. The gap between both inklings was filled up with the both of their Hero Shots.Draco cleared his throat, staring out in the abyss. Here we go."So, how's it going? Between you and 8 I mean.""Y-Yeah well, it's...going.."Why was 3 even hesitating to begin with? Nagi was certain that she had no romantic feelings for Agent 4, but the only thing she could reason why in her complicated little head is the simple fact that...3 didn't want to make him feel any worse than she already had. So in an attempt to steer away from that topic, Nagi herself made different small talk."W-What about you? Did you do anything for Squidmas? Visit family?"4 nodded, "..Yeah, I've kept close contact with them as of lately. Couldn't not pay a visit."They both gave that subtle nod, almost as if acknowledging that strange tension that lingered between them."What about you, Nagi? I remember you'd visit too, even if it's just for a day or two.""...I stayed home this year actually.""Oh? Why's that...?""...""..Nova, right?" 4 gave a heavy exhale, scratching his slicked back hair. "...Have you told him yet?"His blue eyes would face away from her, not wanting to see her expression as 3 revealed the truth. The male inkling had no idea if he was even prepared for the answer, much less if he wanted to hear Nagi's response. Would his heart be able to take another blow hearing that 3 was, in fact, officially with another guy?Since their breakup, Draco has been trying, and when he says trying, he means REALLY trying, to get over his feelings for the female inkling. But, there was something, something that prevented those feelings from dwindling.Nagi was his first love. The first inkling that Draco had gone steady with.Every time he saw her, the mere mention of this girl's name could make Agent 4's heart race rapidly. The butterflies practically exploding from within.It had gotten to the point where his feelings for Nagi were comparable to that of an inextinguishable flame.Something that just wouldn't go away no matter how hard he tried. He's tried everything, from avoiding the thought of her as much as he could, avoiding seeing her at all, distracting himself, talking with family, attempting to work on himself once again. He could use a theoretical slosher on the figurative flame as much as he wanted, and while it would dwindle a little bit, it was nowhere near enough to put it out. In fact, the more he tried to progress, it only seemed as if though he'd head backwards.The silence between the two as they patrolled the areas within Octo Canyon felt as if though it'd splat him at any moment. He thought he'd be able to handle it, but Nagi was just too perfect in his eyes, she was something he'd fight for to the very end.
"I'm sorry. I...It's just that...I don't think my heart is here anymore. Not after the first one."
Her words were harsh, not because she was being particularly mean or rude about it, it was purely the weight behind it. Regardless, 3 could say the worst things imaginable to him before or during or after the breakup and 4 would still have a part of his heart love her.This wasn't good for 4, he was aware. It wasn't good for 3 either. It wasn't good for 8.
"But...feelings aren't exactly the simplest things to comprehend. It can be a weird mess from time to time..."
3 was right. It was a mess, a huge mess even.After all, Nagi had absolutely made it clear that her feelings for him just weren't there for him anymore. Knowing this, knowing that he shouldn't be behaving like this, whenever he saw 3 and 8 interact at the Squidmas Eve party, Draco couldn't help but feel jealousy, envy even. Hell, he had even asked what was what? Twice? If they had any chance of getting back together. Denial nibbled away at him.Still, even throughout these conflicting feelings of loving the lime haired inkling and needing to let her go, 4 was absolutely sure that he respected her greatly. 3's a strong inkling girl, doing a tough job like this, fighting, obtaining scars, and although Nagi wasn't a social butterfly for the majority of the time he'd known her, he knew she had a way with words when it came to sentimental stuff. When it came down to it, Nagi was nothing but honest that night when they broke up at his place. She made everything clear as day, but even in between her lines, it was clear that 3 meant to let him down gently.
"I'm sorry...I..I should've found a better time to tell you something like that, instead of your place like that. I'm sorry for hurting you and your feelings."
Despite it all, 3 found it in her heart to apologize to him.Nagi took a deep breath, also avoiding eye contact."...To be honest, I really wanted to avoid this topic and telling you but," 3's voice was nothing but gentle. "...but, you would've found out someway or another..."Draco's eyes widened at the words. The sensation of his throat closing up followed. His vision was getting blurrier and blurrier. His hands clenched up, desperately wanting to fight the tears. His nose sniffled, trying hard to maintain his composure."..We've confessed to each other. We've been dating since Squidmas Eve..."Another sniffle.
"T-Take deep breaths...You already knew she had feelings for Nova...She told you..she told you...None of this was hidden from you...Nagi didn't lie to you...You already knew this was bound to happen sooner than later..."
To be completely honest, Draco had no idea how he was able to maintain his composure for so long after their second breakup. How during the second night of the Splatfest he held up. 4 thought that maybe he had healed from it, but perhaps the wounds had reopened."...Do you want a moment..?" Nagi whispered, placing a soft hand on his tense shoulder. Locking eyes for a second, her expression was nothing but sympathetic. There were no ill intentions hidden behind her fiery orange eyes, and the gentle touch on his shoulder had provided a subconscious calming effect, though 4 had yet to realize so.Draco couldn't put his finger on it, on how almost immediately after struggling to do so, went into his flow state. Giving one last sniffle and rubbing his eyes with his wrist, he shook his head no to her query, grabbed his Hero Shot with one hand and pushed himself off of the other one to stand up.3 took note of his expression. It was clear that the male inkling was hurt, but knew that there wasn't any hidden undertones in the following words that spilt out of his mouth."..I'm happy for the both of you. I wish you nothing but happiness."3 gave a gentle nod, "T-Thank you, I appreciate it."The inextinguishable flame that Draco had previously stated as uncontrollable, while it wasn't put out completely, had diminished a good amount.~"...Are we still friends...?"The question lingered in the air after finishing up the patrol. Because at this point of the year, the sun had been setting much earlier. It was strange seeing the sunset anywhere between 3 to 5 P.M."Y'know, just as long as you respect my and my relationship boundaries. I think it'd be nice if you and Nova got along too.," 3 shrugged, letting out a puff of air. "Other than that..I don't see why not."4 examined the area around them both, before giving a somewhat satisfied sigh, "I'll agree to the terms and conditions."His heart would continue to race for Nagi, but 4 knew he had it in him to get over 3.It was just going to take much longer than he had anticipated.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Agent 3, aka 3, aka Nagi, would end up receiving two calls within the span of 2 days, both that would end up causing major shifts in her life. One more so than the other, however, one could argue that both were pretty big deals.~After a successful, yet brief, convenience store run to get some chicken cup noodles for Nova and some cough syrup, 3 walked the surprisingly empty Inkopolis streets leading back home.It was still the day before New Squid Years Eve, and while there was still a good amount of inklings sitting around and playing Turf War matches, it wasn't unsurprising to say the least. A lot of the city's population were teenage inklings, all moving out to start a new independent life and spread their wings, therefore many, many of them were headed back home. You should see how packed those train stations got. Like sardines in a can. Nagi argued it was the worst part about traveling back home."Thank Cod I'm not dealing with all of that.." Nagi whispered underneath her breath, before jumping up at the sound of her phone receiving a text message. A soft smile developed, seeing who it was from.~Nova 🐙❤️:"Hi! Just making sure you're safe? How was work?"Delivered.Nagi:"I'm safe, just making my way back home now. Stopped to pick up some noodles and cough syrup for you. Patrol was boring without you though..."Delivered.Nagi:"Btw how are you feeling?"Delivered.Nova 🐙❤️:"Aw you missed me? Also thank you for the medicine and food, I am feeling much better than I did this morning!"Delivered.Nagi:"Don't get so confident 🙄, but yes. I missed you."Delivered.Nova 🐙❤️:"Haha, what does btw mean again?"Delivered.Nagi:"By the way."Delivered.Nova 🐙❤️:"By the way what?"Delivered.~Nagi let out a loud enough giggle to Nova's obliviousness texting, loud enough to catch the attention of the few inklings walking by her. It reminded her of that one time a long time ago where both Callie and Marie had tried desperately to teach Cap'n Cuttlefish how to use his phone. Nonetheless, it was cute witnessing Nova get used to his.Of course, Nagi did explain herself to the octoling. The thought about how affectionate she had suddenly gotten with Nova had sent shivers down her back. If the past version of herself had seen the way Nagi was now with Nova, she was almost positive that there'd be accusations that the current self was an imposter of some sort.In the end, 3 picked up the pace. Although Nova had grown adjusted to his life in Inkopolis (minus the occasional staring and whispering, that one was still a tough battle), his immune system had not. When 3 had first moved into Inkopolis, within the first month, the lime haired inkling was bed ridden for a week, needing her parents to drop stuff over. It fascinated Nagi that Nova had not gotten sick sooner.Approaching the front doors of the apartment complex Nagi had lived in for what feels like forever now, the phone in her pocket had begun to ring. It caught 3 off guard, and automatically assumed that it was one of the Squid Sisters calling her to inform 3 about something or to call her in (again). Or perhaps it was Nova already calling so soon?Upon seeing the contact name displayed on her phone, her heart raced. Nagi could already imagine how the following conversation was going to go, especially since it consistently slipped her mind to shoot them a call/text or two throughout the year. In her defense, they hadn't called or checked up on her either, so it was fair game.Nagi sighed and took a seat outside in the cold air. The lime haired inkling let the phone ring, letting the screen illuminate her face as her surroundings darkened. Slowly, her thumb clicked the answer button."...Hey, mo-"
"Nagi! I can't believe you answered! Your dad and I were worried that you wouldn't pick up the phone! We meant to call you during Squidmas, but it slipped our mind with all of the celebrating and whatnot."
"No yeah, I understand mom. I hope you guys had a Merry Squidmas."
"I hope you did too sweetie. We were worried about you since you never surprised us with your arrival!"
"A-Ah..about that...I have a roommate that recently moved to Inkopolis, and so it's their first time celebrating such big events like these, so I had decided to stay and experience it together.."
"That's sweet of you, Nagi. How long have you been roommates with this inkling girl?"
"...J-Just a couple of months. A-And well, it's a guy-"
"A guy??"
Nagi's throat tightened, worried about the way her mother had responded.
"Oh my cod, wait...did you finally get a boyfriend, Nagi??"
3's face reddened."W-What do you mean, 'finally'??"In the end, 3 had cut her voice off, the realization that she had never told her parents about her previous relationships with Draco (both the first and second breakup). Therefore, Nagi's parents could only assume that she'd been single for the entire time she's been in Inkopolis. Not that there was anything wrong with that of course."So, is he?? I'd love to meet him," Her voice seemed to get louder through the call, despite the fact that 3 had not put her on loudspeaker. "You two should come over to celebrate New Squid Years Eve with us back home!"Nagi's jaw tightened.During her relationship with Draco, her parents were never aware of it. Therefore, neither 4 nor her parents had gotten to know each other as a result. The first time, 3 had made a deal with herself that if they had lasted until December, she would've definitely introduced 4 to them during the holidays. However, because of the fact that they had separated twice, the second time where Nagi had concluded that she just couldn't see herself with him anymore, 3 didn't have a need to do so anymore.On the opposite end of the coin, her mother was inviting the two of them, the excitement behind her voice to meet 3's partner echoing in her mind. Wasn't it too soon for such things? I mean, Nagi was sure about her feelings with 8. She knew that she loved him wholeheartedly, and that their feelings are, in fact, mutual. However, the reality is that they've been officially together for what? Technically not even a week? Was it smart to introduce Nova to them so soon in their relationship?Then there was the realization that Nova was an octoling. Now, Nagi clearly had no problem with this fact whatsoever, but as made evident throughout his time here, others aren't so accepting. Her mother had already made the assumption, while she was right that it was a guy, that her boyfriend was an inkling. Naturally, this wasn't the case. But how would they even take that? Her parents were particularly smart, which rubbed off of on Nagi as a result, and would immediately notice the difference between an inkling and octoling. Sometimes, the general public in Inkopolis wouldn't even bat an eye that Nova was an octoling, excluding those who whispered and stared of course. Whether or not they'd be open minded about it was unknown.The only reason why this was a problem with her parents in the first place was the simple fact that, well, they're her parents. Although Nagi had moved out to live in Inkopolis, it was out of her own choice and by no means was it out of bad blood between them. Nagi had a lot of respect for her family, therefore, she cared a lot about what they had to say.Adding on, there was the risk that neither of them could accept their relationship. Though, she supposed her mom didn't sound upset about it...That said, Agent 3 came to quick terms with all of this, knowing that worse comes to worse, she'd argue for Nova and her on their behalf. Especially since Nagi knew 8 was nothing but sweet, caring, and was much more passive with other inklings regardless if they thought bad of him or not. Even when they swung at him and gave him that swollen eye, Nova didn't fight back. He was hard working, and most likely worked harder than any inkling she knew of just to get to Inkopolis. 8 always found a way to make her smile, to make her laugh even in the most serious of days. He always made her heart race, and could easily make her turn red with the most innocent compliments.3's getting ahead of herself. Point is, she could easily go on and on for hours on end about great of a guy Nova was.
"Look Nagi, I am warning you though. You're still young, and your mother isn't ready for any grandch-"
"Okay! So about what you said earlier!" The lime haired inkling exclaimed while simultaneously blushing furiously, covering her face with the palm of her free hand. That wouldn't even be biologically possible anyways.
"Ah, right! So, does the idea sound good to you? About you two coming over, I mean."
"I-It's just, y'know, it's his first New Squid Years Eve in Inkopolis...and I don't know how comfortable he'd be with such a sudden thing..."
"We'll pay for the both you! We miss our daughter too, y'know. During Squidmas, a lot of the family was asking about your whereabouts as well..."
With her blush dwindling, Nagi sighed, and stared up at the star-filled sky."I'll...I'll talk about it with him."~"M-Meeting your family, huh...."Nova's tone was soft, his orange eyes practically piercing through the broth of his cup noodle."We don't have to," 3 quickly added. "It's just...my mother specifically was asking about you..."8, who's cheeks turned to a light rosy color, began to question his partner, "..Do they know that I'm an octoling...?"With a sigh, 3 shook her head, "N-No...but I'm sure they'll be accepting of you, Nova. If they aren't, I'm not afraid to fight for us..."8 watched as her hand gently rested on top of his, her thumb gently caressing the side of his palm. The octoling could only feel his love for the lime haired girl before him grow, and seeing how reassuring she was made 8 all the more comfortable."You...You want to see them again, right?" Nova questioned, a gentle smile developing on his expression. "I'm sure you miss them too."This time, it was 3's turn, feeling the warmth of his hand gently holding hers at the table."...I do," 3 nodded along, returning his sweet smile. "Ah...but I completely forgot that you have a cold as well...""To be honest, I feel much better now," Nova explained himself, slurping up another noodle after taking a sip of the broth. "It seems like throughout the week I felt bad, but the worse of it just passed, so now I feel much better.""..I was bedridden the first month I got here, I'm surprised you're much better off than I am," 3 giggled, playing with his hair lightly as he ate. "Maybe you have some sort of special where you can just adapt to anything quickly.""I guess that'd explain how I got so used to life up here quickly," Nova chuckled, enjoying the sensation of Nagi's hand on his head. "I'm still getting used to the all the stares I get and whatnot...even after all these months.""...We'll push through together."~Later that evening, Nova and Nagi stood close to each other within the crowd, luggage at hand.The temperature had dropped significantly, and the stars that were once visible earlier during Nagi's call with her mother, seemed to disappear behind the darkening clouds gathering. It could be rain, it could be snow. Worst case scenario, hail.As promised, Nagi's parents had sent the cash to purchase the last minute tickets back to her hometown. Because it was the night before New Squid Years Eve, such train tickets were very expensive, especially if you're paying for them last minute. Although it was the one thing Nagi was glad she was able to avoid, fate had other plans, and placed her in the one predicament she didn't like. At least Nova was by her side.Nonetheless, the station was flooded with inklings wanting to head home for a bit.The couple held hands, but it was clear that Nova was nervous about it. His eyes darted around, and once Agent 3 had paid attention to her surroundings, she quickly realized the surrounding inklings' comments and stares.
"Whoa...is he an octoling..?"
"Are they dating..?"
"No way, I've never seen an octoling here in Inkopolis..."
"An inkling and an octoling dating? That's crazy!"
"Shh! You're being so loud!"
Nova's jaw visibly tightened, 3 feeling his hand grip loosen within hers. Her orange eyes examined the ever growing nervous octoling as his sight seemed to be anchored down to the floor. His face reddened from embarrassment, and if it wasn't for Nagi holding his hand a little tighter, Nova surely would've let go."It's okay," 3 smiled softly underneath her scarf. "Just ignore them."8 held her hand back more confidently. ~It wasn't until the arrival of the aforementioned train that the first snowflake fell from the sky. "I hope there's no delay or something..." Nagi worried in her mind, walking through the aisles of seats within the train. Nova walked slightly ahead. "It'll be a three hour ride without any interruptions..."It wasn't anything crazy, but in comparison to the usual train found in Inkopolis with its benches on opposite sides that extended throughout the length of the cart, this one was much more like those of airplane seats. Three chairs, six in a row total with a middle row splitting. A shelf overhead to store whatever luggage you need to put away. "Want the window seat?" 8 offered, though Nagi was quick to give it to him. Nova protested for a moment, saying that she should take it, but resulted in Nagi sitting in between him and whoever would sit next to her. The couple sat there, beginning to get comfortable. Or at least try to. As the train conductor went through the rows, verifying the tickets of those inklings on board, a third inkling had approached the same row as both 3 and 8 for the empty seat. "Is this seat taken?" The female inkling asked, seemingly sweating from running late. "I'm sorry, I almost missed this train.""No, it's free," 3 nodded plainly, gesturing towards the open seat. "Don't worry about it." The female inkling gave her thanks, putting her luggage in the overhead shelf. Plopping herself down on the open seat, she turned to 3 and 8, "So, visiting family I presume?"3 quickly noted that this inkling in particular was very extroverted. 8 was checking out the view outside the window, though he was only able to see the station lights and the Inkopolis lights in the horizon. "Mm," Nagi nodded, attempting to maintain eye contact. "Well, my family at least.""Oh, I see! Is he your boyfriend then?" The female inkling gestured towards Nova, who's head turned around to meet the stranger's eyes. "That would be correct, yes," Nova stated proudly, simultaneously making 3 blush the tiniest bit. "Aw! Now that I think about it, I heard whispering through the crowd about an inkling and octoling dating as I pushed through here," She explained herself, shrugging almost in a disappointed manner. "Other inklings were saying it as if it were a bad thing, but it's nothing like that at all. In fact, it's cute! Inklings can be so rude sometimes.." The couple blushed, giving a small thank you. 3 was much more surprised about the fact that she noticed how Nova was an octoling and paid it no mind whatsoever. "I know right?" Nova interjected, shrugging as well. "Very rude."Both inklings gave a light giggle, before 3 turned her attention back to her. "I assume you're in the same boat as well? Visiting family I mean." "Mhm! My brother and I have been trying to visit my family all year, and we finally were able to obtain the funds for it!""That's nice," Nagi nodded, feeling the train now slowly accelerate. "..Where is he now?""He's already back at our hometown, I had to work a part time shift at Mako Mart this morning though..." She gave a light sigh. "Our mother is sick, so we're both trying to raise funds for her medication.."The news, much like a sudden Splashdown, came out of nowhere. Neither 3 or 8 knew how to respond in the moment. "S-Sorry! Didn't mean to bring the mood down!" She giggled, trying to play off her embarrassment. ~Nova, groggily, opened his eyes. The sudden stop of the train had woken him up. Apparently he had fallen asleep without even realizing it. A robotic like voice echoed overhead in the cart's intercom:
"Now arriving at Station J03/D08."
The octoling, with a heavy sigh, stood up. Glancing down at himself, Nova noticed that he had on his black attire from before, his Octoshot in his right hand. The train cart was dark, only illuminated with bioluminescent blue-green lighting. What Nova could only identify as denizens of the deep sat along the old looking benches that stretched to the length of the cart. To Nova, it all seemed...natural. Perhaps he had gotten so used to the Deepsea Metro that he just saw it as a tedious task, not that he wanted to be there anyways. Just collect all of the thangs or whatever they were called and head to the Promised Land, right?"Oh this one huh?" Nova questioned himself, blinking once and finding himself standing in front of the gate. "This one was a pain..."It hadn't crossed his mind that he had already beaten in the past and already knew what to expect. In the distance, he could hear a faint thumping of someone's heart within the void of the station. 8 stood in front of the glass doors, being able to see the cans of main weapons to choose from ahead. Pulling out his CQ card, his orange eyes glanced back and forth from the gelatinous CQ Cucumber to the card reader, waiting to take his CQ points. "Let's get this over with..." Nova sighed, about to swipe. Though, he stopped himself.His hand trembled.His heart began to race.The heart thumping he heard before only got faster and louder. His breaths got heavier. The CQ card clattered on the floor.This wasn't right. He's already done this before. Nova wouldn't do it again for fun.
"Where's Nagi?"
He blinked again.Once again standing standing in another train cart, whatever light source there was had begun to flash on and off, plunging the vicinity into a temporary void.A sudden thud, had landed far behind, but with the intense trembling of the cars that moved rapidly throughout the Deepsea Metro at impossible speeds, it was obvious that whatever it was, the thing that had landed was huge.His throat tightened. His vision blurred. The heartbeat got progressively louder. His eyes widened at the sight.Much faster than the octoling had anticipated, a large 8 ball had begun rolling towards him. Before he knew it, 8 had already begun sprinting away from it. Though, something had suddenly stopped him. Something was putting pressure on his forehead. Standing there was none other than Agent 3, Hero Shot pointing directly onto the octoling. Those very bright green eyes of hers pierced his.~Sitting up aggressively, 8 felt his heart pounding up against his chest from within. He had broken out into a nervous sweat, finding himself taking short yet fast breaths. "...Hm..? Are you okay, Nova..?" A recently awoken Nagi questioned, before her face washing over concern seeing the octoling's behavior. "N-Nova? Hey, what's wrong?"8 wouldn't respond, but was clearly shaken up.The train gave its occasional rumble as it moved along its tracks, and going underneath a tunnel, their cart had plunged into darkness. Nagi had fallen asleep with her head resting on Nova's shoulder, however, had woken up when 8 jolted up in his seat.Still awaiting a response while asking the octoling, the train went under a tunnel, plunging all the carts into darkness. Nova's hand held onto Nagi's, feeling a slight squeeze from him."...Does it remind him of the Deepsea Metro..? I had completely forgotten about his experience," Nagi concluded in her mind, gently squeezing his hand back as to reassure him. "It's effects must still be lingering without him even realizing it.."Ignoring whatever background noise there was, their orange eyes met. Nova's expression was full of concern and worry, though the sight of her sweet smile caused his demeanor to soften."We're almost there," 3 gently cupped the octoling's face. "We'll be out of here soon."~Their hearts raced.Nova was still a bit shaken up from the train, with Nagi feeling the looming tension.It almost seemed as if the front door towered highly over them, something the female inkling had yet to feel until today.With a heavy breath, she rang the doorbell.Their hands interlocked a bit tighter. The snow gracefully fell from the sky. Footsteps approached the door.There was no questioning as to who was knocking, purely due to the peephole the front door had. It creaked open, almost sounding like something out of a horror movie. The octoling gulped nervously.Piercing red eyes stared back at them. Nova could see immediately where Nagi's original personality had come from.As nervous as 3 was, the lime haired inkling stared back plainly. That was until her dad's expression softened, a gentle smile appearing on his face. He was happy to see his daughter again."Welcome home," His deep voice whispered, gently embracing Nagi. "How's Inkopolis treating you?""H-Hey dad," Nagi blushed a bit, nervous to introduce Nova, though still returning the embrace. "It's been good."The octoling stood aside, a little awkward, but felt heartwarming to see their interaction. After all, Nova couldn't exactly say he experienced the same. Their conversation went on for a few more seconds before Nagi turned her attention back to the octoling. She stepped over, lightly hugging his left arm, making his face flush a bit."This is nice..." His mind thought."D-Dad, let me introduce you," Nagi took a deep breath, yet her nervous blush remained on her face. "This is Nova, my boyfriend..."His attention turned to Nova. Being slightly taller, he looked down at him a bit, observing as if he was waiting for his next move. HIs stare was as, if not more, intense than the first time Nova had actually interacted with Nagi following his arrival to the surface. The Promised Land."Nova," Her orange eyes sparkled at the pronunciation of his name. "This is my dad.""I-It's nice to meet you," The octoling attempted to wear his most charming smile, though his stutter slipped through. "...sir.""It's a pleasure to meet you," He stared back. His grip on Nova's hand was pretty strong. "Please, come on in."~"I think he likes you," Nagi whispered.
"You think? I hope so.."
"Oh! Is that my Nagi?" A voice called from across into the living not even a second after taking the first step in.An older, shorter (in comparison to her dad, but just as tall as 3) inkling, came down the stairs in a hurried fashion. She had yellow eyes and blue tentacles cut short, and when seeing her dad's yellow hair and red eyes, it's clear why Nagi ended up with her respective natural colors.Before Nagi can say her greetings, the lime haired inkling had already been squished into a tight hug."I-It's nice to see you too, Mom," 3's cheeks flushed a bit, a bit embarrassed about Nova seeing this side of her family."We missed you!" She exclaimed happily before turning her attention towards Nova. "Is this your boyfriend that you mentioned?"Agent 3, a little shocked that she couldn't even explain anything fast enough, witnessed as she already introduced herself to the octoling."I-It's very nice to meet you," 8 cursed himself for stuttering yet again. "My name is Nova."Nagi smiled softly, relieved to see how welcoming they were behaving despite everything happening so suddenly. However, 3 still couldn't tell if her parents had noticed about how 8 wasn't an inkling. Though her gut gave her a feeling about it.~They spoke for a bit before Nagi's mother let the couple go to unpack and settle for the days ahead. The house was obviously bigger than their apartment back in Inkopolis, and certainly looked newer. With two floors, the top having only her bedroom and a guest room (with a bathroom of course), the bottom floor had everything else that you'd expect. The kitchen, living room, a few closets here and there, even a laundry room. But most importantly, her parents' bedroom."Nice place you got here," Nova commented, walking past a small piece of art. "What do your parents do for a living..?""Mm..my mom works from home as an accountant for some company," 3 explained, though forgot for a second what occupation her dad had. "...My dad is...a weapon inspector for smaller brands outside of the main ones in Inkopolis. Nothing huge like Tentatek or Toni Kensa.""That's actually pretty cool," 8 smiled. "Does he have any say on coming up with any new weapon classes or something?""Not that I know of," 3 shrugged. "He just makes sure the weapons are up to code."There conversation died down for a brief moment. Only silence was left between them, until Nova spoke up again that is."I don't know if they noticed that I'm...you know what..." Nova brought it up on behalf of 3's thoughts. "...They seem really nice though.""I..can't tell either," 3 shook her head slightly. "Here, let me show you to the guest room."Even if they had fallen asleep on the same couch together, sharing a bed was something fairly new to the octoling and inkling. Though one could argue if there's even really a big difference between the two scenarios. The mind is weird like that.Bags dragging behind them, they stood in front of the entrance door. However, Nagi's eyes widened in surprise as Nova let out a chuckle simultaneously.Once again, history repeated itself, and just like the first night Nova stayed in 3's apartment, the guest room was filled to the brim with random boxes, furniture and decor."I see some things don't change.""B-Be quiet," 3 shook her head, feigning frustration. "I guess they were using the guest room as extra storage too..""Does that mean I'll get to see what your old room used to look like?"3 exhaled heavily, amused to see how excited he got with something so simple. A trait he's been having since his arrival to the surface. Her response was simple, a nod, but quickly explained herself that it was potentially really embarrassing (that is, if her parents hadn't changed things since she moved out). A few steps later, some jingling of keys, immediately followed by the creaking of her bedroom door, Nova snickered."You sure this is your room, Nagi?""Don't say a word," Nagi avoided eye contact, throwing her luggage on her twin sized bed. "I already know it's embarrassing."Oh how he wanted to.3 shot a glare, being able to read how he was holding back. And while normally it would've made the octoling slightly nervous, the way her face reddened took away from it.The room in question was a bright pink, a tint that completely contradicted Nagi. Posters were plastered all over the walls from bands and artists that were typically associated during one's tween years. Of course, Nova wouldn't know it, but found it humorous nonetheless. The bed was covered in countless different stuffed animals. Apparently there were even princess dolls standing up on a shelf, which Nova would come later to find out they were known as "Inkney Princesses" or something like that. It just didn't match her. Though it reflected her love for music through the passage of time.Giving a content sigh, the octoling walked up to the inkling, who was already opening her luggage. 3's ears would burn up all the more, the sensation of melting out of embarrassment returning once more."I'm sorry. Don't be mad with me, please?" He whispered with a light chuckle, immediately followed up with a quick peck on the cheek.3 pouted, continuing her act of feigned frustration, "...I'm not."Although she seemed upset, it was clear to 8 that this was all an act. Her ever intensifying blush gave light to this fact."She's much easier to tease than I thought," 8 smiled to himself, stepping away from the girl. "I'm not in a position to make fun of this anyways, I don't know what it was like. Because of the Octarian Army...I couldn't really experience much. I'm sure that's been made evident through my time here, huh?"Nagi's expression softened, turning her head to lock eyes with 8. He smiled sheepishly, but her orange eyes saddened at the sight. Simultaneously, the burning up died down."Does...that not bother you, Nova?" 3's hesitation slipped through, worried that she'd come off as too pushy. "Not being able to experience much of a childhood, I mean."Noticing her concern, his smile too died down. Fidgeting with the tentacle atop of his head, he sighed, "I try to not let it bother me, can't really change the past after all. Though sometimes it does hit me, just like when I had that dream in the train earlier."Even though 8 gave another chuckle, 3 knew the octoling was playing it off."..I'm sorry if I'm being too pushy.""No no, you don't have to apologize. I'm sure you must be curious," 8 spoke softly. "Back when the Splatfest was going on, I said I'd tell you anything you wanted to know when you asked again."8's hand gently swept her lime tentacles behind her ear once more, taking a moment to admire the inkling girl he was so lucky to call his partner. It felt warm, the way it lightly brushed past her ear.He spoke. He spoke about the grueling hours of training required once you were of age. From early in the morning, to late at night, only to do it all over again the following day. How the food there was nowhere near the standards found here in Inkopolis, where there were times where the amount wasn't sufficient. The dreams of escaping to the Promised Land.When asked about why did so many Octarians even continue to stay or live in those conditions knowing how bad it was, Nova answered simply, but would elaborate.Propoganda.Brainwashing.Survival.The octoling have a melancholic smile, something that the inkling had yet to see.Whenever he talked briefly about his experience before, his expression remained the somewhat more lighthearted, even when Nagi brought up the Promised Land for the first time.Perhaps it was the extra details?Or perhaps the train had shaken him up more than anticipated?Nevertheless, the octoling continued.The Deepsea Metro.The fight against both 3 and TarTar.All of a sudden, time felt as though it froze in her bedroom.All of a sudden, Agent 8 became a fountain of emotions.Feeling alone, seeking companionship in a new world.The same new world looking down on him because of his difference.Befriending Nagi, someone he can consider his best friend.The comments everyone always had of him. The stereotypes spit at him.Experiencing his first Turf War.Meeting Parker, another close friend.Almost losing his life in conflict with his own kind, only to be saved by 3.The first conflict they both shared.The glares, the hands thrown at him.Falling in love for the first time.Experiencing jealousy for the first time.Experiencing a Splatfest in the lit up Inkopolis night."..I'm..sorry," 8 sniffled, wiping his eyes with the side of his palms. "I..I said too much..."A chuckle would slip through his cracking voice. A smile kept trying to break through, and Nagi knew it was a front so that she wouldn't worry.On her side, her vision blurred.When was the last time she wanted to cry?Nagi's palms cupped his cheeks, the warmth of her hands giving the octoling goosebumps. Their orange eyes would lock together for but a moment, taking the time to process everything that's been said."Y-You've...you've been through so much," 3's voice cracked a bit, giving 8 a light sniffle herself. "You don't have to apologize for everything you've said...you've made me so happy opening up to me like that, Nova."There was no response from 8, though his face continuously scrunched up and relaxed, fighting back the urge to cry."I'm so proud of you, Nova."The brief peck they shared back on Squidmas Eve gave the pair a rush unlike any other.Nova had no idea that that feeling could be topped.His heart beat rapidly within his chest, with Nagi's thumbs gently wiping at his tears. Instinctively, he grasped her waist.There, standing in the middle of the pink room, 8's mind was flooded with all the different memories with Nagi.Meeting on the helicopter ride. Their first interaction. Moving in together. Nagi giving her a tour of Inkopolis, followed up with ice cream. Nagi revealing her name to him. The shifts they worked together. The nights they spent watching movies. Watching how much she softened up with him over time. The first time she laughed in front of him. The moment where Nagi had let him inspect her tentacle scars. The sensation of her hand leading him out of the Shoal. The talk after their mini dispute. Winning her the Octo plush she picked. Sharing a dance under the Inkopolis night sky on a Splatfest (thanks to Parker, of course). Spending Squidmas Eve with the rest by a campfire. Confessing their feelings to one another."I..don't know how I got so...lucky," Nova closed his eyes, his forehead pressing up lightly against hers.The line haired inkling blushed at the act and words, before wrapping her arms around the base of his neck."I don't know how you could've liked someone like me," She giggled softly, followed by a sniffle. "My behavior wasn't...the most appealing...""I think it would've been harder to not fall for you," Nova sniffled. "You've saved my life over and over again...""...I love you, Nova.""...I do more, Nagi."Taking her head out of the crevice between his shoulders and neck, they locked eye once more, awaiting the next kiss.As their eyes slowly shut, ready to go in for one more, they-"Nagi! Nova! I'm sure you two must be hungry, so I prepared you two something to eat!"3's mother's voice had called out suddenly from downstairs, startling the inkling and octoling.They shared a laugh, embarrassed from having their intimate moment interrupted in such a way."C'mon," 3 let out an amused puff of air. "Let's eat.""..I guess I am feeling a bit hungry.."8 tagged along, agreeing, though not until after she had playfully flicked the tentacle atop of his head.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Her father spoke.
"Nagi, a word with you please?"
~Despite how late it was already, almost nearing midnight, Nagi's family was kind enough to prepare them something to eat."You should've called me earlier," 3 stared at her bowl, picking at the soup lightly with her spoon. "I would've helped, Mom."Nova, a still a bit nervous in the presence of her father, sat stiff. It was only until Nagi gave the octoling a light nudge with her elbow that let him know to relax."You always do," Her yellow eyes sparkled alongside her cheery demeanor. "But I couldn't have asked for your help so soon when you're trying to settle down."The couple sat next to each other, and across from them, is where her parents would settle down too. Nagi still felt a bit nervous, considering that neither of them had brought up the fact that Nova was different compared to the rest of them. You could hear Nova's nervous slurps on the spoon. At least the food was good.Everyone else's eyes were locked onto the warm vegetable soup in front of them, Nagi's mother's hums filling the silence in the house. It was only her father that carefully observed the two."He keeps staring," 8 thought to himself. "Is it because of me? Because of us? What could he be thinking about?""So," His spoon clinked, setting it down. "How long have you two been dating?"Nagi's ears burned up, her eyes darting between her mom's intrigued expression and her dad's indifferent look.What exactly should she say? That, yeah, it's only been a few days and I'm already introducing Nova to you guys? It's so soon, barely a week."I-It's only been a couple of days," Nagi managed to squeeze between her teeth, worried about their response. The inkling girl couldn't bring herself to lie about her answer."S-Since the 24th of this month, sir...""Aw! Well isn't that adorable!" Her mother chirped, gently nudging Nagi's dad. "Right on Squidmas Eve!""Mm," He nodded, taking another spoonful of soup. "And just on the whim like that?"8, a little perplexed by the question's meaning, glanced over at Nagi."We've been close friends for a couple months prior," 3 explained. "We met through work."The conversation progressed from there. What led to them being roommates? What do they do for work? (They lied on the whim, not wanting to reveal THAT secret regarding their occupation.) Nagi's mom seemed to be fond of their relationship, her cheery smile backing up the claim. Nagi's father, on the other hand, seemed to be developing a skeptical look as they spoke.Eventually, dinner concluded, and Nova excused himself to shower and change. After briefly pointing Nova in the right direction and washing the dishes quickly (Nova had offered to do so, but was quickly shut down by 3 and Mama 3), Nagi's eyes widened.
"Nagi, a word with you please?"
Her father's voice seemed to freeze everything in time. Very rarely does he say something like that, and when he did, which was usually during her youth whenever she caused trouble, it most likely was not a good thing. It's been awhile since Nagi had heard that.Without responding, she set the last plate on the drying rack, dried her hands and headed back to the table. Standing at a distance with her arms crossed, her orange eyes stared into his.
"Your boyfriend...Nova, was it? He's not...an inkling, is he?"
The question lingered in the air, making Nagi's heart race just a tiny bit. Simultaneously, so many questions rushed through her mind.For how long had he realized? So what if he was? What do they think about it? Would they judge her? Think less of her because of it?Taking a deep breath, Nagi kept her cool and rampant thoughts at bay, "...He's not.""..An octoling huh?" His hand stroked his chin, eyes deep in thought."It's not a bad thing, Dad.""It just worries me. What I was taught during school was that they're a ruthless bunch, living in the underground and all after the Great Turf War, preparing for the day they can take over the surface. If I remember correctly, they even almost won," Nagi's dad sighed, massaging the area in between his brows. "Though I'm sure it's not as common information today since plenty of the youth right now have been skipping class to indulge in Turf Wars and whatnot...""Yeah..they almost did," Nagi responded plainly, ignoring her father's remark about skipping school. "But, Nova isn't the 'ruthless' octoling you think he is. He has dreams. Aspirations of a brighter life, he's just like anyone else here in the surface. And I'm positive many more are like him."Adjusting his yellow, slicked back hair, he spoke once more, "And what if he double crosses you? What if all of it was some act he's been putting on?""Dad.." 3 squinted her eyes, more so out of frustration if anything. "Like I've said, I've known Nova for long enough to know the type of person he is. He just..isn't like that at all!"3's father, who's stare seemed to intensify as he gave an unconvinced grunt."Well, Nova doesn't strike me as 'ruthless'," 3's mom chimed in, walking over to 3's father and wrapping her arms around the base of his neck, simultaneously resting her chin on his slicked back hair. "He seems like a polite and respectful young man.""Nova is," 3 agreed with her mom, happy to see her visible support. "But Dad, Nova has zero intentions like the ones you think he has. He's been through so much just to make it to the surface to start a new life, and even now, plenty inklings still make it hard for him because of the stigma that surrounds octolings as a whole."Her dad's red eyes softened, seeing how passionately Nagi spoke about the octoling. Her octoling.Nagi subtly fidgeted with her hands, her fingers tapping rhythmically against her palms. Her orange eyes locked on to her father's red ones, not daring to break eye contact with determined fashion. "Be grateful that she didn't bring home some delinquent of any sort, dear!" 3's mom giggled, placing a peck on his cheek with Nagi herself noticing the subtle flush on her father's cheeks. "As long as she's treating Nagi with respect, I don't see an issue, which it seems like he is!"It seems as though his affection for her remained strong, even during the time 3 had moved out into Inkopolis."I'm happy with him," 3 spoke. "Just please be happy for me. For us.""...Very convincing. I suppose it is unfair to judge a book by its cover, and your mother is right..." A tender smile broke through, putting emphasis on the word 'is'. "Nagi..you're a bright, young woman, and I trust you've picked a partner that treats you well. Don't let him treat you any less than you deserve.""H-He treats me very well..." The lime haired inkling's embarrassment shone through at the last moment, her ears burning up once again. "..You don't have to worry, Dad.."~"That went...surprisingly smooth," Nagi's mind concluded, stepping out of the bathroom after finishing up her shower. Perhaps everything she was worried about prior to arriving was just her being unreasonable. "Thank you for the assist, Mom."Opening her bedroom door, Nova lied flat on his back over the fluffy carpet centered on the floor.8 perked up immediately, smiling at the sight of the inkling, "The carpet is comfortable.""Is it?" 3 raised an amused brow, sitting on the edge of her bed, hovering over the octoling. "I'll get you a pillow and an extra blanket in a minute."Nova nodded, prodding his upper body up now with his arms. A hint of rosiness reappeared on his face, finding the inkling's outfit cute. An oversized white shirt that could pass as a short dress, accompanied by a logo of a tiny green squid, and some shorts. Nova hadn't come to the conclusion sooner, but her resting face was surprisingly...sophisticated? Despite her seriousness, her orange eyes stood out, catching Nova staring at them after looking up from her phone."Y-You're staring," The inkling stuttered, trying to hide her flustered look."S-Sorry, you just look..pretty.." The octoling whispered the last part, scratching his cheek sheepishly.Nagi's heart would race again, seemingly unable to handle Nova's compliments. Ever since he arrived to the surface, 8 had always been so genuine. So, whenever she hears him say these sots of things, 3 already knew that Nova was saying it with genuine sincerity."...T-Thank you.."~"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" Nagi whispered, her body shifted over to the edge of her bed to speak to the octoling on the carpet.The night was young (even if it was almost 1:30 in the morning) and the full moon seemed to be extra luminous. It shone through her windows and clouds, despite the snowing, illuminating the couple's faces in what was once a dark room. Orange stared into orange as Nova processed the question."A little bit," Nova responded, tossing his body on his side to face 3. "I wonder what they'll think...""I think everything will be fine," 3 smiled. "My parents took a good liking to you. Especially my mom, but I think she's just excited to find out I'm dating someone."A silence fell between the two, and Nova, who had a conflicted expression, spoke up, "..You never told them about Draco...?"Her head shook no, a singular green tentacle hanging off of the bed, "I..never told them because of how unstable the relationship was...And well, when I realized that I had feelings for you and just couldn't see myself with him...It marked the second breakup."Nova's eyes diverted away from hers, recalling how Nagi spoke of the first time they had separated. Taking note of Nova's solemn expression, she sighed and reached over with her hand."..You wouldn't leave me...right, Nagi?"Gently toying with the tentacle on his head, 3 continued, "Of course not. I love you, Nova."The octoling was satisfied with such a simple response, putting faith in his partner. Her subtle yet sweet smile kept him entranced. The couple spoke for awhile longer under the moonlight, reminding them of their conversations they've had in Nagi's secret spot back in Inkopolis, where she had revealed her name to 8 for the first time. Both 3 and 8, 24 if you will, would share a few brief laughs like children at a sleepover not wanting to alert the parents."..Goodnight, Nova..." 3's voice would trail off slowly, 8 witnessing how her eyes slowly shut.Moving his tentacle out the way, his grin grew at the sight of the sleepy inkling, who's hand hung off the side of the bed. Taking it within his grasp, the octoling placed a soft kiss on the backside of her palm.~The following morning, Nagi's eyes opened, feeling the warmth of the blankets and a certain someone's embrace.Nagi herself was in her squid form, a rare sight overall, pretty much curled up into a ball. Her heart raced, shocked to find the octoling sleeping peacefully in the same bed as her suddenly, before relaxing after remembering why exactly this was.Last night, the pair had woken up one more time, and were having trouble falling asleep. 8 had suggested her to come down to him, with 3 reversing the offer, suggesting that the mattress would be much more comfortable. Of course, the pair found themselves blushing, but also found more than enough comfort to drift off once again.They awoke to the sound of Nagi's mom knocking on the bedroom door, alerting them about breakfast being ready. 3 and 8 would take turns changing out of their sleeping clothes, and proceeded to get their day started. Apparently, it was a long one ahead of them and rightfully so, it was Squid Year's Eve after all. Per 3's mom's request, the house was to be decorated to put it in a festive mood, making sure there was more than enough food for their guests, and just tidy up the place overall.Nagi went ahead to help her mother prepare the food while her dad had asked for Nova's help with the more maintenance jobs. 3 would give a teasing smile from the kitchen as he was dragged left and right, 8's ears burning up from the inkling's look. Not that he wasn't happy to help of course.The small, tedious jobs consisted of moving around a lot of boxes in their basement to find the goods, something Nova was used to since the first day he had moved in with Nagi. Hanging up streamers, blowing up balloons, banners exclaiming 'Happy Squid Year!', setting up a little station with confetti poppers, party hats, those funny little glasses that have the year spelt out, noisemakers, etc. Putting festive table covers, sprinkling glitter and confetti by the center, a few extra fold-up tables and chairs to accommodate the large number of inklings. Sweeping the wooden and tiled floors, vacuuming carpets/rugs, dusting countertops and any other piece of furniture. Going out to buy plastic silverware, plates, cups, sodas, juices, booze for the adults, and any other thing they needed. Nagi would actually help out too whenever there was little to do in the kitchen with her mother.Once the afternoon rolled around, they were happy to say that the house was ready.~"Wow..." Nova muttered under his breath, standing on the staircase overlooking the living room and kitchen/dining area. "There's a lot of inklings...""You think?" Nagi smiled to herself, also looking out into the crowd that was her family. "It's much less than the Splatfest..."The house was filled with a cheery atmosphere. So many conversations occurred at the same time that it just sounded like a jumble of words. Inkling's were sitting down on the couch, the extra chairs set up, while a whole bunch of others stood around to have their conversations. Laughter can be heard echoing throughout the house, alongside the music playing on the speakers. Younger inklings, who weren't exactly in their adolescent phase yet, ran in between the adults, most likely playing tag. Nova noted how curious they looked when they were still young."Is this more of your mom's side or dad's side?""Eh, more of my mom's I'd say," 3 shrugged, taking a sip of her red cup filled with soda. "...Are you still feeling nervous? It seems everyone has taken a liking to you."It was true. Whenever Nagi had walked up to welcome her family in, Nova would stand by her side, also introducing himself in the process. Hardly anyone gave an offensive reaction, and he'd even receive a few hugs and handshakes. If anything, the kids were more curious about him, though their questions would be silenced immediately by their parents saying that it was rude and followed up by a personal apology on their behalf. Nova would chuckle, waving it off. 3's hand never seemed to let go of his, almost as if trying to prove that they were in fact together."I'm really gla-"A splat of ink went off between the two, causing the couple to jump and 8 to almost fall down the stairs. After a quick catch from 3, they stared at the splotch of lime ink on the wall.This has happened way too many times for their liking."Dante! No inking in the house!" One of Nagi's aunts scolded their kid, dragging the little inkling boy wielding a Splattershot. "I'm sorry Nagi and Nova! Are you okay?""It was an accident!" The boy protested, nearly shedding tears."It's okay, really!" Nova called out, the inkling girl by his side nodding along.~"UNO!"The word called out had sent shivers down the rest of the groups' backs. Nagi's cousin Fia, who was about the same age, was nearing victory.The octoling, a little confused as to why she even exclaimed that, was quickly informed by 3. A flame of determination flared up from within for the octoling.They sat around in Nagi's old room with some of Nagi's older cousins following the incident of being almost splatted by the little inkling running around earlier. Much to Nova's surprise, it seemed as if though 3 was the favorite cousin. The way everyone always turned their attention to her or try to spark up conversation frequently had reinforced the idea.After some light teasing of the childish room from her relatives, the group of five had moved on to play the card game currently being played, sitting atop the carpet. 3 was almost sure this game transcended from human history...but couldn't remember if it was true or not.If it was true, Agent 3 was sure it broke bonds.Of course, Nagi had introduced the octoling to the other three, and just like before, received no negative feedback. Once again, Nova felt welcomed, even more so included whenever they spoke to them.Fia and Grace were sisters, both around the same age, sharing short lime hair with light pink eyes. Their other cousin, Noah (not to be confused with Nova), was only a year younger, sporting slicked-back lime green tentacles, with light red eyes."Draw four!" Grace would exclaim, slamming down a +4 to Noah, who would also follow up with the same card."What's your move, Nova?" He grinned behind his hand.After a few whispers from Nagi, Nova nodded, and placed a random +2, followed up by another +2 from Nagi."Draw 12, Fia," 3 would give a subtle, yet confident smirk to her relative."H-Hey! That's cheating! You can't just play a +2 over +4s!"Fia was known to be a very competitive player, so of course she'd find any means to deflect setbacks if it means winning the game."Ooooh sounds like someone is mad they're gonna lose the game!" Grace teased, elbowing her sister."It's house rules," Noah pointed. "You already know that's how we play here!"Reluctantly, Fia would pick up her cards with a pout, "Y'know if it weren't for that rule, Nova would've been the one to pick up 8!"The flame of determination that 8 previously had smothered a bit, being slightly intimidated by how competitive everyone got over a card game."A-Ah sorry, I had no idea," Nova scratched the back of his head. "I've never played this game before...""Don't apologize, Nova," Nagi butted in. "Fia is just upset she's going to lose.""Please, the only reason that's going to happen is because you made up the rule!""I didn't make it up.""You're just trying to defend your boyfriend!" Fia responded in a mocking voice, getting a laugh out of the rest, even Nova himself."That...that has nothing to do with it!" 3 blushed, her ears visibly turning red."Y'know, you'd be surprised as to how close those three are," With a whisper, Noah leaned over to the octoling. "When they were younger, they'd call Nagi their third sister."In the background, Grace would give her snarky remarks, aggravating the two just for fun.
"They really do get along, huh...?"
Feeling a sudden weight on his shoulder, Nova's eyes widened from shock."Whoa! You're not an inkling right??" A young, curious voice spoke from over his head. "Your tentacle is so much different than ours!"The young boy, still not in his matured inkling form, hung from Nova's neck, reaching over to flick his hair. Surprised to feel another small hand tug at his wrist and hold on, Nova looked over to his side to see yet another small inkling, this time a girl, looking up at him with wide eyes."Where are you from??""What does your squid form look like??""He's an octopus!"Where did the kids come from? Who knows. All Nova knew was that suddenly there was a pile-on on him, being bombarded by questions. This of course, caught the attention of Nagi and the sisters."H-Hey, don't pile on him like that," 3 sighed, attempting to take her younger cousins off of her octoling one by one. "You need to give him some space.""Aw, no fair!" One of the little inklings exclaimed. "We just wanted to play!""Yeah!" Another one protested. "You just want him all to yourself!"Sticking out their tongue, another kid added, "It's only because you want to kiss him or something!"If only you could see how red Agent 3's face had gotten in that moment. It didn't help that she could hear Fia, Grace and Noah in the background snickering amongst themselves.Furiously blushing, 3 could only stand there in shock.Nova laughed, though found himself also embarrassed from the predicament.~"You've changed, huh Nagi?" Fia smiled as they walked past the adults to get something to drink. "The last time we saw you, you were so serious we thought you didn't enjoy being with us!"Grace, adjusting her tentacles, nodded in agreement with her sister."D-Did I...?" Nagi murmured. "I feel as though everyone has been saying that.""It's definitely because of Nova, isn't it?" Grace smirked, leaning in to get a better look at 3's ever so reddening expression. "All of a sudden, the serious lime haired inkling is the happiest girl I've seen!"The night was only getting closer and closer to midnight, and thus, you could feel the anticipation in the air. The crowded home reminded Nagi of how packed Inkopolis got during the Splatfest...The memory of the Inkopolis lights.The countless Turf Wars they had fought on behalf of their team.The music blasting through the streets.Nova winning her the giant octopus plush.The dance they shared in the final moments of the Splatfest.Feeling their hands interlock, his other resting on her waist."S-Shut up," Nagi stuttered, receiving the playful shove from Grace as Fia handed her a cup with some more soda. The more she thought about the octoling, the more shy 3 would find herself. Truly, she had fallen for 8. She face planted for the boy.His grin flashed through her mind once again, making 3 smile to herself before her thoughts were interrupted once again."In all seriousness, it's nice seeing you so happy again," Fia sighed, occasionally moving out of the way of those trying to get by. "It looks like you two are happy as well."3, not particularly responding, gave a simple nod with a plain expression. She was still on cooldown, though her free hand tucked one her tentacles behind her ear. Grace had actually caught glimpse of the scars Nagi had on said tentacles, but went against asking her about them."So...are you going to do it?" Grace questioned, wiggling her brows with a teasing smile."...Do what exactly?""Oh come on, y'know the New Squid Year's tradition between couples, right?"Nagi shook her head, her tentacles slightly swaying in the air."It is believed that on New Squid Years, a couple can bring good luck to their relationship and a stronger bond!" Fia butted in, immediately picking up on Grace's lead. "That is, if they kiss at the stroke of midnight..."Trying her best to not get all flustered again, Nagi commented, "It's just superstition, isn't it?"In synch, the sisters nodded.If it wasn't obvious from her serious demeanor in the past, Agent 3 didn't particularly believe in the tiny superstitions that other inklings believed in. Whether it was something like carrying a lucky talisman of some sort, or walking under a ladder resulting in bad luck, or even something as simple as a lucky number, 3 just couldn't get behind it. Well, if she were to pick a lucky number, I guess she'd go with 8...On the contrary, it seemed as though Callie was an adamant believer of such things, with Marie also trying to convince her out of it.~"The only exception I have are those of cats being bad luck," Callie pointed out to Marie one morning. "Judd is too cute!""I think that only applied to black cats..." Marie murmured, giving a brief sigh. "I don't think there's even other cats besides Judd and Li'l Judd."~"A kiss at midnight huh..?" 3 blushed to herself when she got lost in her thoughts.Why was she even getting all nervous about the thought of it? They've already been together for almost a whole week. They've shared a bed to sleep, they've even shared at least two kisses before, the most recent being yesterday.Perhaps it was the thought that it would have to occur around her entire family, in the sense that they all gathered around for the countdown. Plus, 3 wouldn't want to be in a whole separate room from the rest of her family on a night like this."So?" Grace gently nudged the inkling's arm, peering at her cousin curiously. "Will you do it?""...I'll think about it."~"Maybe you were right, there are a lot of inklings..." Nagi murmured as she was squeezed up against 8's shoulder. "It hadn't clicked how many family members there actually were."Currently, it felt as though the new year couldn't arrive any slower.It neared midnight, and the entire family had begun to crowd around the living room where the countdown was to occur. Many of the younger inklings were already rushing and fighting over the glasses, confetti poppers, hats. 8 even grabbed a hat for himself and glasses for Nagi, who lightly teased him for doing so. The decorations seemed to sparkle under the lights. A few family members would strike up a conversation with the couple, asking them casual questions as the new year neared. In the distance, across the crowd of family, 3 could see the sisters and Noah bickering about something while simultaneously looking around. Could they be looking for her?With how many family members there were, the inkling and octoling couple were pressed up against each other's side, not that either of them were complaining of course. In reality, their backs were pressed up against the border of the kitchen counter that allowed you to look into the living room. Plus, there was only a few minutes until the countdown had actually begun.After a quick explanation to Nova regarding about the countdown, the octoling too felt nervous for different reasons. Well, was it even nervousness? Or was it excitement? He had never celebrated something like this, just like Squidmas or the Splatfests. Now here he was, surrounded by Nagi's family, anticipating the countdown.The octoling hadn't spent the entire year in the surface, in Inkopolis, yet it felt like he's spent an eternity since his arrival. He wondered, what does the new year have in store for him?His heart thumped, watching the clocks turn 11:59. It'll only be a few seconds until then.Whatever it was that awaited him, he'll be okay. If the inkling of his dreams was by his side, then it'll be even better.His orange eyes widened feeling the sensation of someone's arms wrapping around one of his, and the warmth of their body pressing up against his. It sent a warm rush throughout his body seeing Nagi look up at him with a flustered look."T-There isn't a lot of wiggle room," 3's orange eyes quickly diverted from his once eye contact was made."..You sure you just didn't just want to cling onto me..?""S-Shut up," Nagi protested, trying her best to hide the smile that developed seeing his cheeky expression. Her finger playfully flicked the plastic hat he wore having the new year number on it.Mere moments before the first number in the countdown was called, Nagi's mind seemed to still piece together a plan for the midnight kiss. Would she just go for it? Would she hint at it? Just hold onto him? Why was she even overthinking this? Why did she even care about such a superstition anywasy? This wasn't like her...or was it? The few kisses they've shared before came so naturally to them, why was it any different now? 3 could already hear the remarks from the family surrounding them if she were to do it..."Ten! Nine! Eight!"Nova had begun to countdown alongside everyone else. Seeing the excitement sparkle in his orange eyes gave the inkling girl butterflies.It reminded her of one of the many reasons she fell for him."Seven! Six! Five!"Despite the growing anticipation, a newfound confidence welled up inside of Nagi as she too joined the countdown."Four! Three! Two!"What Nagi didn't expect was for Nova's swift movement, one arm pulling her in closer by the waist. Her grasp on the octoling's arm had loosened."One!"Taking off the silly plastic hat, he raised it to the sides of their face, providing cover."Happy New Squid Year!"Nova leaned in, and kissed her softly.The confetti poppers went off simultaneously.Instinctively, 3's arms had rested on his shoulders as if to hold on. It was instantaneous the way both her face and ears burned up feeling his show of affection. After all, 3 was the one who was decided on pulling a move. 8 was the one who threw her completely off.However, even with widened eyes, it didn't take long for 3 to ease into it once more, shutting them and gently cupping the octoling's face.Amongst the hugs and wishes being exchanged between her family, Nagi could hear the cheering and whistling from their surroundings, clearly teasing the couple.But who cared about what they said about them? Both agents were in their own world, their hearts racing in synch, happy to spend another special day such as today together.As they pulled apart, Nagi's cheeks were flushed with a rosy glow. She looked into Nova's eyes and saw the reflection of her own happiness. "Happy New Squid Year, Nova," she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.8 beamed a smile, proud of his timing, "Happy New Squid Year, Nagi.""Awww!" FIa seemingly appeared out of nowhere, shaking Nagi by her shoulders from behind, bringing her out of Nova's grasp. The ends of her short, lime tentacles shaking alongside the inkling as she continued to speak, "That was so cuteeee!""Very!" Grace exclaimed not far behind Fia, embracing 3 alongside her own sister. "Looks like you two are going to have good year now!""Nice timing, Nova." Fia added, to which the octoling scratched the back of his head bashfully with a chuckle.3, a bit overwhelmed from the two, the surrounding noise, confetti raining down, the embarrassment, and her phone vibrating in her pocket, excused herself from the embrace.Wait- her phone was vibrating?Fighting with her pocket for a bit, the contact name illuminated on her screen. This time it was from Marie.Glancing at Nova, their orange eyes locked nervously, unsure as to what the call would entail.A happy new squid year wish?Good news? Bad news?Or something else..?"Who's 'Maria', Nagi?" Fia peered over her shoulder, though 3 quickly twisted away to hide the screen. Thank cod she switched the contact name to something slightly less recognizable, not that anyone would assume she was working with the Squid Sisters anyways."J-Just a coworker!" Nova butted in, providing his inkling with a chance to answer.~3 closed the door behind her with a lock, not wanting to risk anyone walking in on her conversation. You could hear the party continuing in the bottom floor.She felt bad about leaving Nova behind like that, but was reassured that he understood with the way he stepped in.It was strange seeing how quiet her bedroom was in comparison to when they were playing the card game as a group, yet here she was, the phone still vibrating in her hand. Agent 3 almost didn't want to answer, worried that it'll be something that would kill her mood after the celebration.It didn't help that every time the phone stopped ringing, Marie would call once again. It seemed urgent.Taking a deep breath, she answered and pressed the phone up against her ear, "Hello?""Happy New Squid Year, Nagi!" 3 could barely make out the bubbly idol's voice amongst the music blasting in the call's background."Happy New Squid Year, 3!" Marie also giggled. "How is it going with your family?""H-Happy New Squid Year to you guys too...I'm- I mean, we're doing fine," 3 wondered where the conversation was going. "..Is something up..?""We have great news for you actually," Marie spoke. "Here, let me go somewhere more quiet."Nagi tapped her phone case, waiting patently as she heard the rustling on the other side of the call. Eventually, the background noise was muffled, and Marie's voice was much more audible.3's orange eyes widened at the words that would spill from Agent 2's mouth."Gramps approved of your idea, Nagi!"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Gramps approved of your idea, Nagi!"
Her orange eyes widened. There's no way it actually passed through.
"W-Wait, are you serious??" 3 questioned pressing her ear up against the phone more as if to make sure she heard it correctly. "The Cap'n really approved of it??"
~
~ December 11th, Monday Morning. ~
"...I want to bring something up to you two. It's just a suggestion, but hopefully we can implement it," 3 started, her nervous voice still recovering from her previous feelings of embarrassment.
The inkling cousins, caught a little off guard from 3's sudden demeanor switch, took a quick glance at each other. Where Nagi was going with this was a complete mystery to the two.
The inkling glanced around, as if making sure the octoling's presence wasn't near. It wasn't, and after a gentle yet chilling breeze swept through the Canyon, her orange eyes seemed to burn up with determination.
"Rather than fighting and splatting the Octarian soldiers," 3 started, her grip on her Hero Shot increasing. "..What if we try to break them free from the influence they're under?"
Both 1 and 2's eyes widened at the statement. While yes, it has been thought of to do something regarding that matter, no ideas have been created to efficiently and safely do such a thing without losing the lives of any of the agents in the Squidbeak Splatoon. The only thing they had come up with was forcefully removing the goggles they wore, though of course, such a thing wouldn't come without conflict. Plus, it's uncommon to see Octarian forces going out on their own, with the only real exception being the one Nagi had encountered talking about 'the Promised Land.'
Actually, that was a lie. That octoling was accompanied by another as well.
"Hmm..." Marie pondered to herself, shutting her eyes and rubbing her chin. "...It's not a bad idea of course, but there's just so much to it one has to think about...How are we breaking them free in the first place? What do we do after? Are we just going to just throw them into inkling society without teaching them a thing?"
3's jaw tightened. Marie was right. Although the answers were obvious about what they wanted to do and what the end goal was, it was much easier to say those things than actually thinking about the hows. Doing it by force would be out of the question, as it most likely would result in injury or being splatted.
"Is this because of Nova, 3?" Callie smiled, swinging her legs off of the Cuttlefish Cabin porch ledge.
With a hint of pink on her cheeks, Nagi gave her nod and her mind seemed to bring up Nova's words out of nowhere.
"I..I'm glad I had the opportunity to live here in Inkopolis, even though it was hard to get to this point. I believe that they have the right to live a normal life just as much as I do, though I hardly doubt that they will have the same opportunity."
3 blinked, "He's mentioned it a couple times...how he feels that they deserve to live a normal life as well. Plus, I'm sure he feels alone being one of two known octolings here in Inkopolis."
Marie, taking a seat next to her cousin, sighed contently, "They do, and when you see Marina and Nova, it makes you think that all the more. But..what made them break free in the first place? If we can figure that out, it'll be a step forward."
The question left both Agent 1 and 3 perplexed, thinking thoroughly. They were rarely able to see Marina, as her job as an idol in Off the Hook took up the majority of her time, and, as a result, haven't been able to get much information out of her regarding that topic.
It was in that moment that a memory buried deep in their head was refreshed. It was something that Nova had said when they've all had a proper interaction for the first time:
"Your song...Your song encouraged me to strike out of Octarian society. I can't thank you enough."
Nagi started, "Your so-"
"Our song!" Callie jumped up, bringing Marie up with her. "Our song encouraged them! Er, well at least Nova!"
"..But which one...?" Marie pondered, briefly grabbing onto the inkling as to not fall. "And don't exclaim so loud, Callie..."
Once again, the trio went on to brainstorm, ink storm if you will, and attempted to come to a logical answer. Though Agent 1 would once again beat the other two to an answer.
"Actually, didn't Gramps mention how 8 was apparently humming the Calamari Inkantation not too long prior to waking up in the metro?"
It was frightening how smart Callie could be sometimes, despite how air headed she was.
Nonetheless, it gave Marie the jump start she needed.
"Hm, you're right actually. It's all coming back to me," Her golden eyes seemed to study the floor. "Gramps even mentioned tales of that song being etched into the octoling's souls..."
"Then that's that, isn't it?" 3 blinked curiously. "We can set up some sort of system to get this going, I just don't know what exactly..."
"I love performing the Calamari Inkantation," said Marie, though it was followed up by a sigh. "But to consistently be performing it over and over in an empty space? Sounds exhausting..."
"Yeah..." Callie's ears drooped, but her cheery smile rested on her lips.
Nagi gave it some more time to think, as did the inkling idols before her. However, it seemed as though Agent 1's mind was elsewhere as she had already begun to hum the Calamari Inkantation to herself as she sat back down.
In those brief moments, everyone was drawing blanks, until Marie spoke up once again.
"Hm, we'll have to go over with Gramps and see if we get a green light to go through with it," Marie's eyes met 3's. "It sounds a bit dangerous, but it seems as though it'd benefit us as well in a different way."
"We got this!" Callie smiled brightly. "I think it's really sweet that you're doing this for him too, Nagi. We'll give you updates whenever we get them!"
"Thank you," 3 smiled gently, stepping off of the Cuttlefish Cabin deck. "We'll be heading out now."
"Good luck!" Both Squid Sisters grinned happily at the inkling they've known for so long and waved her off.
~ Present Day ~
"Yup!" Marie exclaimed, sounding seemingly happy as well on the other side of the call. "We'll meet again soon to discuss the details, 3."
From the inkling's assumptions, it sounded as though Agent 2 had locked herself in a room of some sort. This only arose due to the fact that you could soon hear Agent 1's knocking on the other side of the door, exclaiming her name and asking what she was up to.
"I'm on the phone with Nagi, Callie!" Marie exclaimed away from the phone's microphone. "We'll talk soon, Nagi."
"T-Thank you so much," The lime haired inkling's hand trembled lightly, still completely shocked this was actually happening.
"Anytime!"
Before she could say anything else, the call was disconnected and 3 once again stood in her room by herself. The party was still going strong downstairs.
Nagi's heart raced. She wondered how Nova would react to such an idea? Would he get excited? Happy? The girl was positive he would, as she could remember him frequently bringing this topic up.
The lime haired inkling gave a satisfied sigh, and took a glimpse at her phone screen. Recently, she had changed it to the same selfie Nova had taken of the both of them during their Squidmas present exchange. Her gaze remained fixated on the octoling's wide grin, a smile that could turn even the darkest of days to the brightest. Slowly, she had begun to focus on herself, seeing the shy smile she had while blushing in Nova's embrace.
There's no way this was the same inkling from so long ago.
Nonetheless, she could feel the butterflies flutter in her stomach.
"...When should I tell him...? Should I keep it a surprise? Or should I just let him know immediately..?"
Her mind went on and on, attempting to formulate some sort of plan while her body moved on autopilot. Despite the racing of her heart and her eyes looking ahead, none of it was being processed by her brain.
Therefore, she was very surprised to see 8 standing behind the door, knuckles ready to knock on the door.
"N-Nova, you startled me," 3 sighed, but it isn't to say that it was accompanied by a smile.
"...Is everything, y'know, okay..?" His voice was timid, filled with uncertainty. "It was so sudden."
Taking a deep breath and gently flicking the tentacle atop of the octoling's head, 3 shook her head.
"It's honestly nothing to worry about," Her lime green tentacles swung around as she shook her head. "C'mon, let's go back out, Nova."
The octoling's orange eyes stared curiously at the inkling, wondering what it really was. While 3's voice showed no signs of insecurity, intuition told Nova that something wasn't exactly true. Nevertheless, 8 shrugged it off, happy to go back to the festivity.
~
Within the next hour, a large majority of Nagi's family had begun to leave. All the aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. waved their goodbyes to the couple and the daughter's parents, thanking them for a good time.
"Goodbye, Nagi!" Fia embraced Agent 3, squeezing a bit too hard to her liking. In the background, Grace gave her goodbyes. Noah had left a few minutes earlier with his own family.
"You better be here for Squidmas next year," Grace gave a slight nudge to 3. "You owe us some presents!"
The octoling chuckled by 3's side hearing her response (accompanied by a blank expression), "You two didn't get me anything either."
"Touché," Fia nodded approvingly. "It's even then!"
"Treat her right, Nova!" Grace waved tiredly at the both of them. "Or else we'll come back to splat you!"
8 chuckled nervously again, waving the pair of cousins goodbye alongside his girlfriend before leaning over to her.
"Was that a threat??"
"Probably," 3 shrugged, fighting back a smile. "You'll be fine...I think."
~
Groggily, the octoling slowly opened his eyes.
His sleep had been interrupted by the fact that he couldn't breathe, and was surprised to feel something covering his face. The octoling's hand reached over and gently nudged the object off, being able to see Nagi's childhood room in all its glory, bathed by the midday sun rays.
How long had they been asleep for? Nova couldn't tell. He couldn't even remember what happened past the last guest leaving. However, what he could tell was 3's lime tentacle suffocating him.
Even if he wanted to pretend to be upset about it, 8 couldn't muster up the act seeing a peaceful 3 snuggling up against his side underneath the covers. It certainly explained why he didn't feel cold throughout the rest of the night.
Nonetheless, 8 had no reason to complain anymore, and closed his eyes once again in hopes of falling asleep until Nagi woke up.
~
"I don't wanna."
3 stood up from the side of her bed, processing the response of the octoling who only further wrapped himself tighter in the covers.
"We have to start packing up again to get back to Inkopolis, Nova," The inkling gave a playful eye roll. "Otherwise we'll miss our train back and have to pay again."
Her orange eyes glanced around to look at the clock in the room. It was already 1 P.M., and yet the house remained quiet. Soon enough, her parents would have to wake up (and most likely have to deal with a hangover).
The inkling smiled to herself, remembering how her idea was approved by the Splatoon, and was, ironically enough, excited to head back to work. The excitement to reveal such a thing to 8 made it hard to be contained, yet 3 continuously fought back the urge.
~
"Text us when you're back home safe," Nagi's mother pleaded for during her embrace of 3. "Don't forget!"
"Yes, yes, I know, Mom," 3 rolled her eyes, a bit embarrassed about being treated like a child in front of Nova. "I'll let you two know."
The octoling, holding the both of their luggage, stood there awkwardly on the side. He wasn't quite sure how to properly say goodbye through the moment that was happening before him.
Turning his head, the tracks were still empty, their train slightly falling behind schedule. A surprising amount of inkling's were also waiting for the same train, standing around the platform with no rush to go back to their day to day lives. In fact, upon taking a closer inspection, Nova could tell that many of these inklings were just as tired as they were, if not more.
"They definitely have jobs they have to get back to tomorrow..."
The octoling hadn't realized it yet, but Nagi's father had already begun to extend his hand out to him as a way to say goodbye. Nova tensed up, but still went through with giving a firm handshake.
"Take good care of Nagi, Nova," he stated in a stern tone, as if it were a command. "I trust you can do that, correct?"
As a father, he just couldn't help but worry for his daughter. What was once his little inkling, the three of them living together, who then moved out to start her own life, is now currently dating someone. And that someone just so happened to be an octoling...
Her dad shut his eyes,
"No, this isn't right to think."
"I'm happy with him. Just please be happy for me. For us."
3's words lingered in her father's head.
However, the question itself was a no-brainer for 8.
While previously having a posture of a tense meerkat, he adjusted himself, emanating a more confident look.
"Of course," A gentle smile developed on 8's face. "I promise I'll keep her happy."
Satisfied with his answer, 3's father would let go of his hand, give a nod of approval and turn his attention back to his daughter.
~
The train carts shook as the locomotive sped across the tracks. While it wasn't as full as when they boarded to get there, it was still a somewhat packed train. Unsurprising, as it was heading to Inkopolis after all.
3, innocently scrolling through her phone, caught a glimpse of Nova, who was staring intensely at the palm of his hand. She didn't say anything, but gave the octoling a gentle nudge with her elbow and accompanied it with a puzzled look.
"Your dad shook my hand goodbye," Nova smiled. "He asked me to take good care of you."
"..Did he really?"
"Mhm. So I promised I'd keep you happy."
Amused, Nagi let out a puff of air. Simultaneously, she'd rest her head on his shoulder.
"I hope so," Nagi murmured, satisfied with feeling the warmth of her partner.
"You hope so? What, don't think I can?" 8 chuckled.
"It's not that," 3 shook her head, one of her lime tentacles resting on his lap now. "It's just...it's nearly impossible to
always
be happy in a relationship, you know?"
Nova's eyes widened at her words and stared at her, trying to piece together where she was going with this.
"Relationships aren't a perfect, smooth road," 3 stared out at the window, watching nature and civilization zip by every second. "Actually, this train would be a better analogy-"
The octoling too began to stare out the window, 3 still resting her head on his shoulder.
The cart shook violently for a second, shook one more time much less aggressively, and began to glide smoothly on its tracks. Soon enough, it'll shake again, but it was reassuring to think how the locomotive would move along frictionlessly yet again.
"I'm sure we'll make mistakes, get upset at times, even argue with each other, and that'll be the bumps we're feeling on the ride," Nagi murmured, just loud enough for 8 to hear. "It's not a bad thing, as long as it's not consistent."
"I see..." 8's orange eyes saddened a bit at the thought of such a thing.
"We just won't let this train get derailed, right, Nova? As long as we still love each other."
Her hand interlocked with his.
"Plus, we d-did kiss at midnight," 3 added, accidentally letting a stutter slip through. "I'm not sure how true it is, but I'm willing to believe it."
A confused Nova raised a brow at her, asking her what she was talking about without saying a word.
"Oh, you didn't know? I thought you did given that you..." 3 murmured, cutting herself off from finishing that sentence. "A-Anyways, if a couple kisses at the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve, it's meant to bring a stronger bond and good luck to their relationship…I swear I thought you knew what you were doing."
"A-Ah, I see," Nova's cheeks flushed a bit red, still picturing their kiss again on that night. "I had no idea that was a thing. It just...felt right at that moment."
3's heart picked up the pace a bit, feeling her face warm up a bit. Nagi wouldn't end up responding to Nova's comment, but still smiled, closing her eyes and snuggling up to her octoling's shoulder once again.
Her mind lingered on the news Marie had given her. Such a thing would mean a potentially huge shift in the inkling society, and she couldn't wait for it to be revealed to 8.
~
Having both fallen asleep for the remainder of the journey back home, they had no idea how much time they had actually spent traveling. Upon hopping off at their stop, with Nova offering to help with 3's luggage, they immediately made headway back to their apartment. Every now and then, a cold wind would sweep in between the buildings, sending shivers down the inkling and octoling's backs.
Given that it was already the evening, and the day after such a huge festivity, the couple wasn't particularly wanting to go out and do something.
Nova sat on one end of the couch, his inkling resting her head on his shoulder while also lying across the entire couch. Having eaten whatever they had in the apartment, they weren't particularly hungry, though they certainly wanted something to nibble on.
"Hey, I kinda want to go to the convenience store for some snacks," 3 said, looking up to meet 8's orange eyes. "Wanna come with?"
"Is that even a question?" He grinned as they both slowly stood up once again. "We can come back and watch a movie or something."
~
It didn't take long to just throw on some warm clothes and step out. Though they weren't looking forward to the cold winds smacking them in the face, the couple found warmth in each other's company.
8, still trying to grow his confidence outside of their humble abode, slowly reached over, interlocking his hand with hers. Nagi didn't think twice about it, and had already closed her hand into his. The lime haired inkling's gaze continued to stare forward, but underneath her scarf, Nova could see the corners of her mouth rise into a smile. Content, he did as well.
The streets weren't busy whatsoever, and the few inklings that were doing their own thing surprisingly didn't give Nova any strange looks.
Both agents stepped into the small store, the same one that had that one chip ad with a mustache-wearing jelly, and began picking out a few small items and beverages. It wouldn't take long, five minutes max, and the pair had only ended up with a bag of chips each and a drink. An Icee for Nagi, and a Cola for Nova; their usuals.
After a brief argument about who should pay, with Nova rising as the victor, they walked out while still being hand in hand. The crunch of their shoes in the almost melted snow was the only sound between the two, aside from 3's sips on her Icee.
Though they were still hand in hand, Nova couldn't exactly open the can with only a few fingers, and the octoling obviously didn't want to let go of his inkling's hand to do such a thing. However, his mind lingered on a certain memory as his orange eyes examined the red can in his hand. The memory of when he heard 3's laughter for the first time.
"I kinda...I kinda want to recreate it,"
Nova thought to himself, a smile beginning to form on his lips.
Glancing back towards his partner, the lime haired inkling innocently took another sip of her drink. Her gaze remained fixated on their path back home, her thoughts a mystery to 8. Yet, all he could think about was her laugh on that night.
The initial shock of actually hearing the oh-so-serious inkling laugh like that, the way she clutched her sides as it echoed through the street. He could still remember how his heart raced, how he choked on his own words, the way his eyes watered up at the sight. Surprised to see her wiping the tears developing from her laughter and ultimately cupping her face in her soft and warm hands. The sensation was burned into his memory, something that could never be forgotten even if he tried.
The memory tied in with so many more that they had made together in their time since meeting in Inkopolis. Their dance under the Splatfest lights thanks to Parker, when she saved his life over and over again emotionally, mentally and physically. When she managed to bring comfort in his darkest moments whether it was recalling awful memories or nightmares. When she took care of him after his eye injury, going out of her way to search through all of Inkopolis in order to apologize when she made a mistake, winning her that giant octoplush, Squidmas Eve with the Squidbeak Splatoon, and well...their confession. The first peck on the cheek that she had given him.
So much has happened since his arrival to the surface. It's been nothing but a mess of emotions and experiences that he never could've imagined, yet here he was, experiencing everything in person. Everything experienced alongside the inkling that had pulled him from the depths in his life, quite literally and figuratively, and into the light.
8 loved her. Nova truly loved her.
He quite literally couldn't have asked for a more perfect inkling.
"I want to re-experience it again,"
His mind continued, seemingly getting more determined.
"I want to shake the can and open it to relive it..."
Psst!
8's eyes widened, seeing the inkling's hand let go of his and crack Nova's can open so he could drink it. Immediately, her hand interlocked with his, a smile plastered on his face.
"I'm sure you can let go of my hand for a second to open your drink, right?" Nagi smiled, cheekily. "Or did you not want to let go that badly?"
Nova's shoulders tensed up for a second, getting a bit flustered, and shook his head slightly, "...I think I'd turn into a puddle of ink and splat on the ground if I did."
She rolled her eyes playfully while muffling a giggle, her gaze returning back to the path ahead. However, the octoling noted the small blush she had under her scarf.
"How'd you know I wanted to open it though?" He asked, squeezing her hand just the tiniest bit tighter.
"You were eyeing it like crazy," 3 shrugged. "Thought I'd give you a hand."
"I see," Nova sighed, content with his interaction with her, yet a bit dissatisfied that he couldn't go through with the original plan. "Say..."
Nova's last words caught the attention of 3 once again, turning her head to face him. What was he going to say?
"Do you remember that one night when we went on a snack run just like this one? Before we started dating?"
The question remained unanswered in the cold Inkopolis air, Nagi's orange eyes staring up into the sky as if the memory would drop down to her.
“There were lots of those…”
"The one where I shook the can...?"
A second passed. Then another. Then it dawned on her, her pupils dilating.
And yet there it was again.
It wasn't as exaggerated as the first time, or the time they fell after sharing their dance during the Splatfest. Nonetheless, the octoling couldn't help but be mesmerized at the sight. A cheesy smile rested on his face.
"Yes, I do remember," 3 smirked underneath her scarf after catching her breath. "That was hilarious to say the least."
Her gaze softened ahead. Nova could only assume the inkling was reminiscing happily about the past memory, however, her expression slowly began to distort into a more embarrassed look. Confused, the octoling stepped forward, trying to get a better look at her face. Her orange eyes widened upon seeing her octoling in front of her again, and would whip her head away as a result.
"Why are you blushing so much..?" 8 couldn't help but let a chuckle slip through.
"S-Shut it," 3 attempted to cover her face a bit more with one of her lime tentacles, the scar that she had previously let 8 see up close being more visible to him now.
"..."
"...?"
"...It was embarrassing."
Satisfied with getting an answer, he lightly pecked her forehead.
"Why was it?"
The question was simple, yet 3 was hit with the realization that she had never thought so deeply about that feeling for so long now. She clearly knew why, as it was due to how drastic of a change it was from her usual serious-like demeanor at the time. The agent was also made aware of her changes in expressing herself from how often it's been brought up by others.
Well, there was that and the fact that perhaps she had already fallen for the octoling. Of course, she had steered away from this realization as much as she could, that is until 3 had finally accepted it during her talk with Draco regarding their breakup.
"I mean, there's a lot to it. Well, not really, but yes...?" 3's confusion was shown as she spoke, ironically intriguing Nova more than pushing him away.
8's smile continued to be visible to 3. Yet, it didn't feel in a teasing way either. The gentle expression was something that he often had whenever she spoke, radiating the fact that he'll always listen to her, that she could talk openly to him without judgment. With a sigh, she continued to hold 8's hand.
"Around that time, it was...so different from the way I usually behaved around you," Nagi hesitated. "Showing that side of me to you felt…weird..."
"I think being showered in a sticky soda might be a tad bit more uncomfortable," He joked, giving a slight shiver when the wind blew past them. "But...I understand."
As they walked, the lime haired inkling leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Can I admit something?" 8 asked with a hint of hesitation to his voice. "It might make you feel better about it."
Her orange eyes continued to look ahead, watching as they neared the entrance of the apartment complex. She took a brief sip of her drink, once again wondering where he was going with this.
The octoling smiled, "That same night, when you laughed like that in front of me. I think it was the same night I fell in love with you."
Nagi's eyes widened again, and despite getting that same flustered feeling, the butterflies in her stomach wouldn't calm down.
"S-Seriously?"
"Seriously," Nova chuckled, taking another drink of his can. 3 noted the reddening of his face as he tried hard to play it off. "The way you got close and cupped my face afterwards is what really sold it."
Nagi's jaw tightened, desperately trying to calm down her now heating up ears. Unknowingly, her hand tightened her grip on his.
~
“Goodnight,” 8 pecked Nagi’s forehead as he stepped towards his bedroom door, hand already on the doorknob. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Despite the display of affection, Nagi’s expression remained unchanged. Deep in thought and her orange eyes only gazing deeper into his, Nova could only stare back in confusion.
“H-Hey, is everything oka-?”
“Just stay with me tonight.”
Her tone wasn’t stern, it wasn’t overly excited. In fact, it sounded more like she was stating something, commanding him. Nonetheless, the ends of Nova’s lips began to curl into a grin.
“Do I have a choice?”
“Do you want to or not?” Nagi raised a brow, a pink tint already emerging on her cheeks.
Ah, so it was an act.
“I’m confused, we live together already. I’m already staying with you, no?”
She furrowed her brow, “...You know exactly what I mean.”
“I’m clueless here,” Nova shrugged his shoulders, letting go of the doorknob and taking a step towards the lime haired inkling. “Explain please.”
“Nova.” Nagi’s voice warned, the tips of her ears burning up now.
“Hm?”
“...You’re annoying,” 3 huffed, suddenly turning around where she stood. Her tentacles swung around, though Nova knew she didn’t actually mean what she said.
Calling after her to wait, Nagi was pleasantly surprised to feel Nova’s hand grab her wrist. Once again meeting gazes, the octoling could only give a guilty smile.
“I’m sorry,” He apologized. “I want to stay with you.”
The octoling’s plead lingered in the air between them, and though 3 wasn’t particularly amused with his teasing at the moment, she couldn’t help but soften her expression at the sight of his growing worry.
Nova, still confused with her look, pleaded once more, “…Please?”
Without saying a word, the inkling would let go of his hand, take a step forward and gently cup the octoling’s face. His heart almost immediately began to race, and though the embarrassment was getting the better of him, Nova couldn’t stop smiling. As her gentle hands held onto him, his instinctively held onto her waist, reminding them of their night under the Splatfest lights.
The pair closed their eyes, Nova more so out of anticipation, and…felt nothing.
Confused, Nova would slowly open one eye. Much to his surprise, Nagi stared back, trying her hardest to fight back a giggle.
Once it clicked in his head, all Nova could say was, “You’re evil.”
The inkling let out the held back giggle, getting enjoyment out of his ever reddening face.
“Seems to me like you can dish out the teasing, but can’t handle it yourself,” 3 grinned, pressing foreheads together.
“You’re just not playing fair,” 8 chuckled, enjoying the proximity between the both of them. “You took advantage of what I told you earlier.”
In the end, Nova would end up receiving the kiss he anticipated (only because Nagi ended up feeling bad about it), and the both had made headway to her room.
“Y’know, I don’t think I’ve ever even really seen the inside of your room,” Nova commented, following behind his inkling. “Even though I’ve lived here for awhile no-“
Taking a glance around the room, Nova was shocked to see how…plain the room was. Granted, his wasn’t much different, but comparing it to her room back at her parents’ house, it was surprisingly bare. The room color was a light beige, her furniture having a matching brown hue. The closet had some jackets and sweaters hung up, a few scattered weapons resting underneath, cabinets that had some extra articles of clothing hanging out. A small vanity that had a small mirror accompanied by an arrangement of different things; even makeup that Nova was positive she had never even touched. A singular Squid Sisters poster rested on one of her walls, one of its corners already peeling off of the wall. Right next to her bed was her nightstand, where her alarm clock and headphones he had gifted her rested. His attention turned towards 3’s bed. With the bed covers tidied up, the jumbo octopus plush stood out the most.
It appeared even more squished, like it had been hugged too tightly and laid on far too often. Its innocent white eyes and black pupils looked back at Nova, as if pleading for help.
Taking a peek at 8’s expression, she noted the smile beginning to form.
”Have you been cuddling that plush ever since I won it for you?” He pointed, eyeing the inkling girl. “Any more of that, and he’ll probably get splatted.”
The octoling let out a chuckle feeling his girlfriend’s light jab at his arm. It was probably time to give up the teasing for the night.
”Well?” 3 questioned after flopping on top of the bed, locking eyes with Nova. “Are you getting into bed..?”
The octoling for whatever reason, felt his heart flutter. It was no big deal, they’ve shared a bed before, fallen asleep on each other and on the coach, what’s different now? Just because it was in her room?
Maybe it was just the fact that he was hearing her say such a thing.
3 continued to stare at him. Confused as to why he was so nervous, she raised a brow, “You don’t have to make this awkward, y’know? C’mon, it’s getting cold.”
”Oh, right…right…” His voice trailed off, also flopping himself down next to her.
After throwing the covers over them, the couple lied facing each other. In the void that was Nagi’s room, the octoling could still make out her orange eyes.
There was literally no need to feel flustered, but why couldn’t he just shake it off?
Their eyes danced around, going from each other to the roof, to the side, and even to the pillow. No words were being exchanged, though both of them felt as though something should be said.
Finally, Nova had settled on examining 3’s natural beauty. He’d catch himself examining the hues of orange in her eyes, down to her lips, circling back around towards her lime tentacles, which had shifted over and blocked her face.
“What are you staring at?” 3 said, almost shyly.
“You.”
”…”
Gently, his hand had shifted said tentacle, tucking it behind her ear to see her full face. The action, though small, made 3’s heart beat a bit faster. She even noticed his eyes fixed on her battle scars, gently tracing them with his thumb.
“You’re so..beautiful,” She could hear the shyness in his voice.
“S-Stop,” Nagi muttered a response, almost whispering. The inkling shifted her weight forward, pressing up against his chest.
8 responded, wrapping one arm over her waist, and the other curling behind her head, keeping her close. The softest chuckle being heard from him.
“…Thank you, again,” Nova whispered, just barely loud enough for even Nagi to hear. “..I can’t thank you enough…”
”..You don’t have to thank me, y’know,” 3 held on a bit tighter, letting the warmth between them and the covers wrap around them.
“Thank you for giving me this life,” He began again. “I don’t know where I’d be without you.”
The inkling pulled her head back, meeting the octoling’s eyes again. With one hand, she cupped his cheek, a soft texture that had a certain roughness to it. Nova’s expression relaxed as he shut his eyes, focusing on her touch, her thumb gently massaging his cheek.
“I don’t know where I’d be without you either,” She whispered. “But I’m so happy we met…even if I didn’t show it at first.”
The octoling chuckled, reminding himself of her initial hostility towards him, how she’d hardly exchange any words with him.
8 wanted to ramble again, and again, and again. About how she had saved him once, and once again, and again. About how much love he held in his heart towards her. About how much she means to him, about how much he cares about her. If he could, 8 would give 3 the world if that’s what it would take.
However, no matter how many times he said it, it never felt like 8 had shown enough gratitude. The octoling could smile or shed tears, yet the feeling that 3 could never understand how much he truly felt towards her could never be conveyed.
Instead, he’d settle on showing her his love throughout the span of their time together. Maybe, just maybe, she’ll understand one day.
As for Nagi, his proximity, his heartbeat, was one of the most soothing feelings she had experienced. It’s why, ever since they’ve ended up together, she couldn’t help but want more of that feeling. Feeling secure. Feeling safe. Feeling comfortable even in times of vulnerability. Something that was the complete opposite of what she’d felt in all her time working as an agent with the Squidbeak Splatoon.
Perhaps, it was Nova that made him feel like a regular inkling girl, just like how she was when she first arrived in Inkopolis. Seeing how excited he was to always try something new, the look on his face experiencing new experiences, all reminded 3 of her first time in Inkopolis.
Truly, it made her happy that she was able to help Nova out in his new life. Looking back, she doesn’t regret it at all when the Squid Sisters had mentioned the situation when 8 first arrived. In fact, if she were to do it all over again, she wouldn’t change a single decision.
But right now, she has with him. Wrapped in each other’s embrace, feeling the love for each other grow with each passing second.
The octoling and inkling could get used to this life. Their daily schedule of waking up together, having breakfast, getting ready for work together, maybe even a cup of coffee every once in a while getting their classic two talls, cream and two sugars each. In their free time, they could always go shopping, eating, playing Turf Wars, all things Nagi wasn’t particularly a fan of before but became enjoyable with Nova’s company (besides the eating, she kind of had to do that to survive). Taking their walks back home after a long day, hand-in-hand, sharing laughs, stories. Relaxing at home, watching new shows and films, going on late night snack runs, then going to bed together to end the day.
Truly, Nagi had no idea how she survived living on her own with no company for so long. As she reflected, 3 had felt content living that life before, but after experiencing all of this with Nova, how could she go back to that? In her mind now, this was the ideal life.
The couple had grown in their own ways, though, it couldn’t have been done without the support of each other’s words and actions.
Exchanging a loving ‘goodnight’, 8 had placed a gentle kiss on the inkling’s lips, but was surprised to feel it linger on for a bit longer.
No complaints came from either of them, of course.
~
Nova groggily opened an eye. No alarm had gone off, but the sunrise shining through her window blinds and directly on his eyes was the main factor.
Noticing how much more room there was on the bed, he took a look at himself, realizing that he had fallen asleep and woken up in his octopus form. Looking to his right, Nagi too had fallen asleep in her squid form, eyes still shut.
Still tired, Nova just couldn’t help but admire the lime colored squid curled up and wrapped around him. They had become a squishy ball of cephalopods overnight, leaving 90% of the bed free.
8 wished he could see her in this form more frequently, since she somehow looked cuter like this. Her scars were more visible in this form, which Nova was sure as to why she didn’t like being in that form, though he couldn’t help but feel as though it added to her beauty.
“…morning,” 3 murmured, twisting a bit in bed.
“Good morning,” 8 let out a quiet puff of air, accompanied by an amused smile. ”What do you think about getting started with our day?”
”..I still want to sleep,” 3 mumbled, her eyes still shut and tentacles wrapped around him.
“Alright, I’ll get a head start on breakfast then,” Nova popped back into his octoling form, taking the covers off of him. The sudden cold air made the octoling shiver, and even Nagi sank deeper into the covers.
They weren’t working today, so all Nova could think about were the things they could do today. Perhaps run a few Turf Wars? Maybe they could do something 3 would enjoy? Try a new activity?
Reheating their house special, frozen waffles, Nova could only stare at the kitchenware device, noticing how all of this felt so…natural. It was second nature now, muscle memory. It’s finally been feeling like this ‘new’ life is just becoming his ordinary.
A bustling city with so many things to do and explore, a nice place to come back to, a pretty stable job, friends such as the other agents in the Splatoon as well as Parker, and even a loving girlfriend. What more could he possibly ask for? It’d be greedy to ask for more after everything that had happened in his past.
“Breakfast ready?” 3’s voice derailed his train of thought in her broken Inklish. You could still tell she was tired by the sound of her voice, as if it wasn’t obvious enough with the fact that she stood next to him with a whole blanket over her shoulders. A standing inkling burrito.
8 looked over with a smile, feeling her head rest on his shoulder, “Almost.”
”We should get some coffee from that one place,” 3 muttered, following it up with a yawn. “My treat.”
”I might just take you up on that offer.”
~
To no one’s surprise, it was even colder out in the city than it was inside their apartment.
Nagi would give a shiver, “Maybe this was a bad idea…”
”No, I think it’ll be worth it,” 8 remained optimistic.
The couple walked hand in hand, the snow below them slowly melting away and turning into the muddy color that always occurs. The day was surprisingly nice despite the somewhat cloudy sky and chilly winds. Though the couple had only walked out of the apartment in just sweatpants, sneakers and hoodies, 3 was beginning to reconsider not bringing a jacket.
Silently, the lime haired inkling judged those who continued to wear short sleeve shirts and shorts. How?
Passing down through the streets, the stares they received seemed to be less and less noticeable. No one particularly lingered on them too much, nor were whispering to others and pointing. Of course, there was a straggler or two who witnessed the sight of an octoling and inkling walking hand in hand as if it was some sort of war crime. Nonetheless, it didn’t bother either of them.
Eventually, they reached the main section of Inkopolis Square, bustling with countless inklings as far as the eye could see. The melting snow seemed to add a nice touch atop of the stores as did the Squidmas lights that haven’t been taken down. The Deca Tower continued to have its usual influx of inklings going in and out to run their Turf War or ranked matches. It had hit 8 that if they wanted to play any matches, they wouldn’t have been able to. Neither of them had brought their weapons.
What Nova would also notice is that 3 was awfully quiet, even by Nagi standards. Her gaze remained fixated on the path in front of them, autopiloting towards their usual coffee shop. Her even breaths manifested into misty clouds, though she seemed very lost in thought.
“Seems like something is on your mind,” Nova commented, fixing his sight ahead as well. An invitation to open up.
“Hm?” She blinked, getting knocked out of her concentration. They met eyes again, and Nova could note the subtle smile she tried to hold back. “I’m just on autopilot right now, really.”
This, however, was a lie. Despite everything that had happened since she had received that phone call from Marie, Nagi just couldn’t shake the news out of her head. Constantly, the inkling girl wanted to just blurt it out, get it off of her chest, to see how Nova would react. Though every time that urge came up, the inkling was able to successfully suppress it. 3 didn’t even want to hint at a surprise, knowing that Nova would continue to pry until she finally just admitted the news.
After a few more seconds, the couple had finally made it to the little shop, though they were surprised to find the place having a long line that almost extended outside the front doors.
“Want to save us a table quickly while I get our coffees?” Nagi questioned, eyeing a table that was currently empty. It was the last one too. They would’ve preferred to sit inside, but it was obviously too packed to have that luxury.
“Yeah, I’ll wait for you there then,” 8 complied with a smile, letting go of 3’s hand and pecking her lightly on the forehead. Nagi blinked twice, trying hard to not show the flustered smile developing, and turned to head inside.
Plopping himself down on the seat, the metal seat had sent a shiver down his back despite the layers he had on. Pulling out his phone, he stared at his lock screen of him and Nagi, a smile plastered on his face.
”No way. Did I just witness that?”
The sudden voice had startled the octoling, quickly sitting up and shutting his phone off. Looking up, it was none other than Parker himself.
8 smiled shyly, happy to see his friend again, “...See what?”
“I know you’re not beating around the bush right now,” Parker grinned, fist bumping the octoling and taking a seat next to him. “Are you gonna explain that?”
Trying to come up with a snarky response, Nova glanced at the inkling’s apparel. Despite the cold weather right now, he only wore a light black sweater with a red and white logo he recognized all too well on his left sleeve, the Toni Kensa sweater he had talked about so long ago. 8 reached out, tugging on Parker’s sleeve.
“Are you gonna explain this?” He chuckled.
“I finally had the cash saved up, is all,” Parker smirked, resting his back on the chair and crossing his arms, a cocky expression on his face. “Nice, right?”
8 nodded, “Yeah, it really is.”
Their conversation continued, asking each other how they’ve been since they last saw each other during the Splatfest, how their holidays went (Nova didn’t go in much detail), just small talk. For a brief moment, Parker had gone on his phone, responding to a message as his purple eyes scanned across the screen. Nova silently glanced around the city, seeing if he could spot something he hadn’t noticed before. It was nice reconnecting with a friend.
Distracted, the sound of a phone being placed on the table and the touch of someone’s finger digging into his chest caught him off guard. 8 locked eyes with Parker, who’s expression turned scarily serious.
“Tell me,” He tried to stop the smile from cracking through.
With a sigh, Nova raised his hands in surrender, “..We’re dating.”
“No duh,” Parker chuckled, satisfied with the answer and sitting back down. “Now was that so hard to admit?”
“I guess not,” Nova chuckled bashfully.
“So,” the yellow haired inkling started again. “Are you gonna give me the deets? Last thing I remember between you two is that I shoved you into her for that one dance.”
That last sentence was said with a weird amount of pride, as if he was proud of setting up his friend with his crush.
Parker was, in fact, proud.
“I really wanted to take my revenge on you someway for that, but I decided to have mercy,” 8 commented, his ears burning up replaying the scenario in his mind. Though, he was careful to pick his words wisely. After all, 8 didn’t want to inflate his ego any more than it already was. “Though that might’ve been one of the final pushes we needed..”
“Well, aren't I an amazing wingman? I should give you an invoice for my services, honestly.” Parker chuckled, lightly jabbing the octoling’s arm. Nevermind. Nova’s choice of words wouldn’t change a thing. “But seriously though, how? When?”
Not wanting to leave his friend in suspense, 8 had explained everything to him. From the dance they shared, the trip and laugh they shared, the ‘staff’ party and what went down there, his initial confession, how she had pecked him on the lips first right after, their Squidmas gift exchange, how he already met her parents and family, etc.
“That’s like…the craziest 10 days…” Parker raised a brow, still smiling though. “..And you already met her parents? Did they like you?”
“Now that you mention it, yeah it has been,” Nova scratched his cheek. “And, yeah? Is it too soon? Though, I like to think that they did end up approving of me..”
”Nah, I don’t think it’s too soon,” Parked relaxed back on his chair. “Everyone’s relationships move at different paces. In fact, I think you and Nagi were inseparable pretty much for the entirety of your time here, so I really can’t blame you if your relationship goes faster than others.”
In his mind, Parker’s words made sense. It’s probably why they were able to beat the awkwardness after getting together so quickly. They had practically lived together for all of his time in Inkopolis, and did almost everything together. It was no wonder.
“Man…I need to get a girlfriend myself,” Parker ruffled his yellow tentacles, but quickly fixed them again. “I can’t believe you beat me to it, and I’ve been here in Inkopolis longer!”
Nova knew there was no ill intent behind his comments, and could only laugh at the sight of his playful frustration. “I guess I was just lucky, is all.”
Lucky indeed.
“I’m happy for the both of you though,” Parker grinned after calming down, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You guys deserve to be happy together.”
The octoling smiled. Touched by his words, he thanked his friend, and looked up at his significant other approaching the two boys.
“Hey, Parker,” 3 greeted casually, sitting down on Nova’s opposite side and handing him his drink. “What brings you around here?”
“What’s up, Nagi?” Parker gave his signature smile and nodded, acknowledging her greeting, “I spotted Nova here and walked over since we hadn’t spoken since our time at the Splatfest. Plus, he was updating me on what’s been going on between you guys.”
Her orange eyes glanced from Parker’s to Nova’s, a light pink hue developing on her face, “..I see.”
”Like I said before,” He grinned. “I’m happy for you both. You had this poor octoling wrapped around your finger, y’know that right, Nagi?”
This was the first time he had gotten 3 to let out an amused puff of air with an accompanied smile, and her attention turned to 8, whose ears had begun to burn up from embarrassment.
“Is that true?” 3’s eyes focused on his, though his gaze seemed to actively avoid hers. The octoling’s shoulders tensed up.
“I won’t confirm nor deny it,” 8 grinned, taking a sip of his coffee while ignoring the heat of it. Parker would end up giving a lighthearted chuckle, but jumped at the sound of his phone going off.
Despite the visible embarrassment Nova was going through, 3’s smile softened. Little did he know, the opposite was true as well. The entire time Nova had thrown her into a series of emotional rollercoasters as she desperately tried to figure out and confirm her love for the octoling.
“Alright, I got to head off. I promised some friends I’d join them in some Turf War battles,” Parker stood from his chair suddenly, his eyes zipping between his phone screen and maintaining eye contact with the new couple. “I’d invite you guys, but neither of you have your weapons on you…”
”Eh, I don’t think we intended on playing today,” 3 shrugged, 8 nodding along in agreement. “But, thank you for the offer.”
”Bummer,” Parker scratched the back of his head. ”We should exchange contact info Nagi, just in case Nova is free to hang…or we can hang out with the three of us too.”
Nagi glanced over at her octoling, seeing his nod of approval, and hesitantly pulled out her phone and allowed the inkling to add his information.
“Here,” Nova added, also giving Parker his own device.
“Dude, no way!” Parker exclaimed, flipping the phone around his hand to check it out. “When did you get this?”
”It was a gift from her,” He nudged his head towards 3, who returned a gentle smile.
“That’s crazy,” Parker chuckled. “Let’s make a group chat then and keep in touch.”
In the end, the three exchanged contact information and created the aforementioned group chat.
“You don’t mind third wheeling?” Nagi questioned, raising a brow.
“No no,” Parker wagged his finger matter of factly. “I already mentioned the idea to Nova, but I too will acquire a partner soon. I can feel it.”
3 and 8 exchanged looks, rolling their eyes at the sound of his sudden formality in the way he spoke.
They said their goodbyes, and Parker fled off to join the Turf War matches. The couple, content with their interaction, enjoyed their coffees in each other’s company.
~
“What do you mean Callie and Marie called us in for an ‘urgent emergency’??”
It was almost nearing 11 P.M. and the darkness outside would’ve swallowed Inkopolis whole if it wasn’t for all the building lights.
Though 3 and 8 should’ve been in bed resting for the next day already, they both made the irresponsible decision to stay up late. The couple had put on a movie, and Nagi had shared the news after checking her phone about halfway through.
“I don’t know,” 3 responded, lifting herself up from the couch, already moving to get her bag ready. “That’s all they told me.”
8 sighed, “I guess I’ll start preparing my things too.”
“The movie was just getting good too…”
Little did Nova know, 3 was lying. This was all planned. She in fact DID know why the Squid Sisters were calling them in.
Earlier in the day, while Nova was on a bathroom run, the inkling had texted both agents asking if they could break the news for Nova. Nagi had been getting far too excited and knew that at any given moment, she’d slip up and ruin the surprise for 8. Both cousins had agreed, also excited to let him know and that they’d text later when they were free from handling their idol business. It just so happens to be now that they had texted.
3 moved quickly, selling the idea that it was in fact urgent.
“Ready?” Nagi called out to the apartment, standing by the front entrance and already turning the doorknob to open the door.
“Yes, going!” 8 called out from the corner, having his bag stuffed with his Hero Suit and trying desperately to shove his Octoshot on top. His bag was currently struggling to even close, especially with the added rush.
Practically sprinting through the apartment halls, down the stairs and rushing outside of the building, both of their breaths were becoming heavy. Despite the cold of the night, their bodies were hot from the sprinting through Inkopolis, and Nova could just barely keep up with Nagi as she transformed into her squid form to go down the drain.
Nova morphed into his octopus form as well, continuing to follow behind as close, and as fast, as possible.
Popping out into Octo Canyon, they were both greeted with the same view they’ve known for so long. Except…this was supposed to be an emergency. Everything seemed to look far too chill to be anything of urgency.
“Huh…?” Was all 8 could mutter, relaxing his stance and giving 3 a puzzled look.
Nagi didn’t meet his gaze, and continued walking towards the Cuttlefish Cabin as if they weren’t sprinting the past couple minutes.
The octoling could only follow behind cautiously, occasionally catching himself staring at the way 3’s tentacles swayed with the wind and questioning what exactly was going on. It only seemed to get colder by the second.
As they approached, a candlelight was visible from within, casting a hardly visible shadow from the sliding wooden doors. Nova tensed up, slowly reaching over for his Octoshot. It was only then that he noted how eerie the canyon was in the dead of night.
From what he could interpret, it sounded as though whoever was in there let out a cry of frustration, a really bad cry. Nova’s body tensed up at the familiar voice, being none other than Agent 1.
The sliding wooden door slammed open with a bang, revealing a frustrated Callie and a Marie that sat innocently by the low table. Agent 3 noted the familiar deck of cards from her time back home.
“Don’t you think four +4 cards are enough?!” Callie exclaimed, pointing at her cousin rather aggressively.
“It’s just a game, Callie,” Marie half-smiled, trying her hardest to not seem cocky.
It seemed as though neither Squid Sister had noticed the presence of the other two agents.
“We’re here,” Nagi stated simply, an innocent expression remaining on her face as she knocked on the door.
Both idols blinked twice, processing the fact that both 3 and 8 were already there. Stealing a glance at each other, Marie rested her cheek on her palm, “You guys arrived much faster than we anticipated.”
“Yeah!” Callie smiled at the sight of the inkling and octoling standing next to each other. However, she tried so very hard to play off the fact that she was genuinely getting upset over a card game like a child. “We only managed to get one game in! I see you guys are in your hero suits as well.”
Nova blinked, glancing between Nagi and the Squid Sisters. Needless to say, he was lost, and couldn’t figure out exactly what was going on.
Before Nagi could get a word in, the octoling interrupted, “I thought something urgent was going on??”
3 shook her head as Callie had bashfully scratched the back of her neck, “Well you see…funny thing is…”
”There’s no emergency, 8,” Marie smiled. “We actually wanted to talk with you about something. The three of us.”
”Three..?” Nova lingered on the number, examining the three inkling girls, his gaze resting particularly on Nagi more.
“Come on,” 3 smiled subtly, motioning him to follow her into the cabin with a shiver. “It’s getting colder by the second out here anyways.”
At this point, Nova’s heart raced, though not as much as before when he was running behind 3 on their way there. Were they in trouble or something? That doesn’t sound likely, especially since neither agents were showing any signs of frustration (aside from Callie with their card game). Plus, Nagi was in on this from what it looked like.
Nova sat there in silence alongside Nagi, who fidgeted with one of her tentacles, the first time he had ever seen her do something like that. Briefly, both Callie and Marie held a conversation between the two of them, just quiet enough for neither 3 or 8 to hear. His orange eyes could only examine the mess of cards that lay on the table, the stack of +4s that Callie had yelled about earlier top and center of the discard pile.
“Were you pretending earlier about it being urgent..?”
Nova leaned over, whispering into her ear. His voice sounding so close gave her light goosebumps.
“I wouldn’t say it was 100% pretending,”
3 shrugged, whispering back.
“It really was urgent.”
Nova furrowed his brow, his internal questions still remaining unanswered.
~
“Now for the reason we called you two over,” Marie sat up, fixing her posture. Her golden eyes examined both agents.
The Squid Sister’s words made Nova perk up, his attention ever growing. Callie hummed quietly as Marie continued, “Thank you, Nagi, by the way. For playing along I mean.”
8’s orange eyes met 3’s out of surprise, who glanced over at Marie with a small nod, acknowledging her appreciation.
“8,” Marie began, her golden eyes locking onto him. The air in the room shifted, and Nova could feel the tension rise. He straightened up, his heart thumping harder as the usually laid-back Squid Sister spoke with seriousness. Nova’s heart raced, his finger now lightly tapping on the white tank of his Octoshot.
Nagi, who was unusually nervous, was fidgeting beside him, playing with the ends of one of her tentacles, tracing her finger lightly over one of the scars. The sight of her nervousness alone was enough to make the octoling feel uneasy. Nagi had been in on this from the start, and now the weight of whatever was about to happen loomed over them.
“We’re moving forward with a new policy in the New Squidbeak Splatoon,” Marie continued, her words calm but layered with reassurance. “This directly involves you, Nova, and… it’s a big change for everyone.”
Callie, who had been unusually quiet while Marie spoke (something rare for the Squid Sister), leaned forward, unable to contain her grin. “We’ve been thinking, and Nagi here brought up a pretty great idea—one that Gramps agreed on.”
Nova’s eyes darted between them, his confusion growing. “What idea?” His voice was soft, almost hesitant.
Marie folded her hands on the table, leaning in slightly. “Remember when you told us how the Calamari Inkantation freed you when we first met? On your first night here on the surface? You said it encouraged you to break free from the control of Octarian society. Even Gramps heard you humming it prior to you two meeting”
Nova nodded, vaguely remembering such a small detail, yet remembering how big of an impact it had on him. It was the sole reason why he was freed from his brainwashing, the sole reason he was able to get to and through the Deepsea Metro. Why he was able to reach the surface. Why he was able to meet Nagi.
“Well,” Marie continued, “that’s where it all started. Nagi had an idea—an idea to help more octolings, just like you.”
Nova blinked, his chest tightening. “Help… more octolings?”
The octoling’s question lingered in the air for a bit, a smile growing on both idols. Helping? It was such an odd thing to hear, given that their whole purpose was to battle against the Octarian forces. 8 almost got splatted on one of their patrols, and if it wasn’t for Nagi being with her, he was sure he wouldn’t be standing in the spot he was now. Nonetheless, those same enemies, even if they were Nova’s own people, are the ones they’re going to help now?
Callie jumped in, her excitement clear. “Yup! We’re gonna find a way to break the Octarian soldiers free from their brainwashing without fighting or splatting them. Just like how you were freed by the song, we’re planning to do the same on a much bigger scale!”
Nova’s eyes widened, the words hitting him like a tidal wave. “Wait… what?”
Nagi finally spoke up, her voice soft but filled with conviction. “I wanted to find a way to give them a chance, Nova. Like you had. So that you won’t be the only one here. So that others can live a life outside of the Octarian forces. You’ve spoken to me about this before, remember?”
Her question hung in the air, and Nova could only stare at her, speechless. His heart pounded in his chest as the enormity of what she was saying sank in. All Nova could do was give a nod.
“We’re going to use the Calamari Inkantation,” Marie continued, breaking the silence. “We’ll set up a system to broadcast it, a speaker network that can reach Octarian soldiers and break them out of their influence.”
Callie beamed, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “We’ll help integrate them into society, teach them how to live here—just like you’ve done. This is a huge opportunity for everyone, and it’s all thanks to Nagi.”
Nova’s gaze shifted to Nagi, who looked away, her cheeks faintly tinged with pink. “You… did all this?” he whispered, still trying to process what he had just heard.
She nodded, her eyes meeting his with a mixture of determination and vulnerability. “I did it for you,” she said softly. “I know how much it means to you. You’ve talked about it before… how you wished more octolings could have the same chance. You won’t have to feel as lonely anymore.”
Nova felt a lump rise in his throat. His mind raced, trying to comprehend the enormity of what was happening. Nagi had taken his deepest wish, something he had only dared to dream about, and turned it into reality. She had gone to incredible lengths to give him something he had never thought possible: a future where octolings like him could live freely in Inkopolis.
“I… I don’t even know what to say,” Nova managed, his voice thick with emotion.
“You don’t have to say anything,” Nagi whispered, her hand gently reaching out to grasp his. “Just know that it’s happening. And I’m glad I could do this for you.”
Nova’s heart swelled, overwhelmed by the love and effort she had put into this plan. It wasn’t just a grand gesture—it was a promise. A promise that he wasn’t alone in this world, that there was a future for him and others like him.
“Thank you,”
he whispered, his voice barely audible.
“Thank you, Nagi…”
Nagi smiled, her orange eyes soft with affection. Though seeing the tears build up in his eyes made hers water, and she gently reached out to embrace her octoling in her arms. There wasn’t an exchange of words, but the couple could feel their love for each other grow stronger by the second.
”Awwwwww!”
Callie squealed as quietly as possible as to not ruin the moment, simultaneously elbowing her cousin. Marie would roll her eyes, but couldn’t help but admire the growing relationship between the both agents.
Truly, even the Squid Sister’s couldn’t help but feel a sense of joy for both Nova and Marina. They now had a chance to make possibly one of the greatest changes in inkling society since the Great Turf War so long ago; to create a society in which both octolings and inklings could coexist.
The idea alone was known as a good thing, but in the back of everyone’s mind, they knew the challenges that would arise from it. However, now wasn’t the time to worry about it. Right now it was time to relish in the good news.
~
“I can’t believe you’ve been hiding this from me,” Nova tried hard to hide his excited smile. “Does this have anything to do with that phone call you got from Marie when we were at your parents’ house?”
Nagi blinked for a second, and shrugged, “Perhaps.”
Seeing the smile wanting to tug at the ends of her lips, the octoling rolled his eyes playfully, already knowing the answer.
It’s been a week since the news was broken to Agent 8 that fateful night. Since then, 8 was filled with mixed feelings of excitement, nervousness, joy and of course, love for none other than 3. This day in particular, however, was finally the day they’d begin the setup for the plan, the method in which they’d knock out any Octarian soldier out of their brainwashed state.
The plan was surprisingly simple: a sound system blasting the Calamari Inkantation that would have to be manually set up through the different areas in the Octo Canyon. The reason it had taken a week to even begin was simply because Marina wanted to develop speakers that were not only efficient in terms of power, but also had crisp audio as if the Squid Sisters were actually performing the music.
“Eeeeek! I’m so excited!” Marina exclaimed when the news was broken to her, with Pearl only looking at the octoling, happily. “I’ll start development right now!”
“These speakers are heavy,” 3 huffed, setting it down temporarily. “How are we meant to super jump from one place to another with this?”
“Not sure,” Nova hummed happily, also setting his respective block of a speaker down as well. “They’re like cinder bricks.”
Sighing, the lime haired inkling sat on the edge of Tentakeel Outpost, looking out into the horizon. The morning sun shone brightly on her face, her orange eyes seemingly glowing alongside it. Her lime colored, scarred yet still beautiful, tentacles swayed almost elegantly in the air. A light blush crept onto the octoling’s face, and it wasn’t from the cold either.
This inkling before him, had changed his life for the better. Way better than anything he could’ve possibly imagined. From saving his life over and over again, to guiding him through his new life, and now pushing to include more octolings in inkling society…How could he not fall for this inkling?
“You’re staring,” 3 stated softly, side-eyeing him with the faintest pink blush. “...Any particular reason?”
Nova shook his head, sitting on the very edge next to his partner and feeling his legs swing freely with the open air. “No particular reason. You just look beautiful.”
“Shut up,” Her blush deepened, giving a playful shove to the octoling’s shoulder. “You should be thinking about how we’re going to super jump with these speakers across each sector.”
“And these cables,” Nova pointed on the bundled up extension cords hanging off his opposite shoulder. “But be careful, you might knock me off into the void.”
3 rolled her eyes, though her smile remained on her lips.
~
“Thank you again. For everything.”
“Don’t mention it, Nova,” 3 gave a gentle smile, her orange eyes looking deep into Nova’s. “Let’s stay on track and get this operation on the way, okay?”
The octoling gave a salute, not until after giving her a sudden peck on the lips that is.
As if he hadn’t just done that, 8 went back to struggling a bit holding one speaker with one hand, the heavy cables on his opposite shoulder. Upon further thinking, both cephalopods came to an agreement that they’d lose the equipment if they were to super jump to the next sector.
“Here, let’s try this,” Nagi stepped forward, turning Nova around and somehow quickly tying the speaker on his back using the same cables. “...That should be better.”
“Still heavy though…” Nova murmured with a smile, his hand still holding onto his Octoshot. “But I’ll give it a shot.”
“Don’t splat yourself,” 3 smirked, flicking the singular tentacle on his head.
The octoling turned into his octopus form, the sight looking a bit silly with the huge comparison between the size of the speaker and the ball of ink that was currently charging up his jump.
In the end, Nova was able to successfully super jump from Tentakeel Outpost to Suction-Cup Lookout without losing or damaging any equipment. He’d jump back to Tentakeel Outpost to meet with 3 again, and ready to take the next few speakers back and forth. Despite breathing heavily and sweating from the overexerting, the octoling insisted on not bearing 3 with the heavy lifting.
“I can help you know,” Nagi raised a brow, trying her best to convince the octoling. “I didn’t clock in just to make you do all the work.”
“It’s fine,” Nova grinned in between breaths, which turned into a mist in the cold morning air. “You already planned this huge opportunity. The least I can do is put in the effort to push it into reality.”
A sparkle of admiration was visible in her orange eyes, and almost immediately, her expression softened,
“Seems like I can’t change your mind.”
Nova, now in his octopus form, stared into the clear blue sky. His heart raced with anticipation, wondering what exactly the future held for them, for Inkopolis, and he couldn’t wait to see the day. He’d no longer be the only one of his kind, aside from Marina. Though the thought still lingered in the back of his head, how those who manage to integrate themselves into inkling society would have to face the same new challenges Nova had to deal with upon his arrival.
The unknown customs.
The unwelcoming vibe many inklings gave him.
The stares. The comments. The whispers.
But, being alone would no longer be one of them. There would now be other octolings to support each other. However, that isn’t to say that there wouldn’t be any other inklings willing to help.
After all, if Nagi—an inkling who, at the time, kept to herself and wasn’t very social—could help on such a scale, the octoling was sure that plenty of other inklings had that similar kindness in their hearts.
~
“Go Nova!” 3 exclaimed, wincing through the red sparks flying around her.
The octoling complied, quickly sprinting over to his partner, who tackled one of the resisting Octarian soldiers down in Slimeskin Garrison.
As the 3 held down the soldier’s wrists and maintained her down with 3’s own body weight, Nova quickly moved to carefully remove the goggles off of them. Nagi’s hero armor would soon repair itself.
It was strange, hearing the grunts and struggling between both 3 and this unknown soldier while the Calamari Inkantation blasted on speakers around the area; an effort that took roughly two weeks to set up carefully.
8 gently maneuvered his way around at removing the goggles, and slowly, the Octarian soldier stopped fighting back, succumbing to the music and the now gone goggles. 3 stared into their reasonably scared eyes, which darted left and right in rapid succession, trying to process what exactly was going on.
Upon locking eyes with Nagi, the soldier’s pupils dilated, fearful of the inkling now restricted her movement.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay…” 8 tried to say in a soothing tone, gesturing with his hands that they meant no harm. “3, I think you can let go now.”
There was an expression of uncertainty on his partner’s face, but she obliged anyway, putting her trust in Nova. Of course, there was a hint of hesitation upon letting go of their wrists, but Nagi stood up and off of the female octoling, who then suddenly scurried on the floor away from the both of them and pushed herself up against the wall. The sudden movement made both agents stick their guard up, consequently making the now free’d octoling also put her guard up.
The Calamari Inkantation continued to blast in the background, and though this female octoling tried to keep her eyes on both agents, they continued to zip around, trying to find the source of the music; the inklings who were performing such a piece of wonder. The cold winds had also sent shivers down her back.
“..We’re…We’re not here to hurt you,” 3 sighed, kneeling down to set her weapon down and looking over at 8, who had already done the same.
“That’s right-”
Both agents should’ve grabbed back their weapons, seeing how the female octoling pulled out a special can that they both recognized, though neither drew their weapon. As the octoling’s tentacles flapped around and glowed from activating their special, the twin Tenta Missile launchers on her shoulders immediately locked onto the both of them.
“8…” 3 hissed, the tension growing between the three of them.
“It’ll be fine-” Nova stayed calm, staring deep into their revealed yellow eyes. “We’re not going to hurt you.”
A look of confliction flashed on her face, almost showing some sort of understanding. However, those Tenta Missiles were still locked on, and without a weapon and with armor, both agents were either at risk of getting splatted or would have to resort to splatting the octoling. Either of those scenarios would mean an end to the current mission. All it would take is the press of a trigger.
“The promised land.” Nova stated bluntly. “We can take you to the promised land.”
Those words were definitely understood by the octoling, who’s shoulders and hands on the trigger relaxed a bit at the words.
“It’s true,” 3 stepped forward, trying not to scare her. “I’m from here, from the promised land. From Inkopolis.”
“Me too,” 8 gave a gentle smile. “And I’m just like you. An octoling. See?”
Her yellow eyes seemed to sparkle with hope, and slowly, her hands let go of the trigger handles. Seconds after, the special would run out, reverting the octoling back to a weaponless state.
She took an unsure step forward, her hands fidgeting.
It was at this moment that she spoke her first word to them.
“...Promise…?”
3, seeing the same innocence she saw in 8 when he first arrived, couldn’t help but give a smile. The inkling stuck her hand out, an invitation for the octoling to take it.
“Promise.” 3 simply repeated, glad to have earned the octoling’s trust.
Nova followed behind Nagi as they guided her back to the Cuttlefish Cabin, successfully freeing their first octoling in this operation. His heart raced with excitement, seeing that if it was possible with Marina, himself, and now with this female octoling they have yet to know anything of, it would be possible to do so with many, many more others.
8’s orange eyes could only stare in admiration as 3 carefully explained things to her as they awaited for the Squid Sisters to actually arrive. Simple things. Describing the city, what it’s like, as much as 3 could off of the top of her head. His jaw tightened, and could feel his eyes water a bit as they sat there in the cold afternoon, taking in the sight.
“8..? Are you okay?” Nagi stood up, concerned and now stepping over to him. The female octoling leaned over to look at the two, also seemingly showing some silent concern towards them.
“Y-Yeah, I’m fine,” He managed to chuckle in between sniffles, wiping his eyes. “I’m..I’m just very happy right now.”
Nagi’s expression softened, and gently wiped his tears away as she cupped his face. She just…didn’t know what to say to him. She’s been not knowing what to say to Nova’s thank you’s.
It was so obvious how much more this impacted Nova than she had anticipated, and though she was glad that was the case, 8 continued to express his gratitude over and over. Because of this, 3 just didn’t know what was the proper thing to say aside from some variation of ‘you’re welcome’.
“I love you..”
Was all that she whispered to her octoling.
“..So much.”
Contrary to their first interaction, there wasn’t any space between the two, and much less a weapon. 8 had embraced her tightly, feeling the warmth of 3’s body pressed up against his in the cold of the Octo Canyon.
The unknown octoling could only stare at the interaction, unsure as to what exactly she was feeling witnessing this. Was it comfort? Safety? Reassurance that she was now in the hands of an inkling and octoling who meant no harm? Worry? Concern?
Regardless, she couldn’t shake off the warm feeling she felt seeing the two, and awaited for what her new life was going to throw at her.
Thus, the cycle began again. One of many to come.
~ Roughly 1 Year Later ~
“...”
Nova chuckled at Parker’s silence, sitting back on his chair and sipping on his soda.
“Remind me again who had the great idea of going so late to play ranked matches?” 8 smirked.
“I didn’t think it’d be more competitive! Others should be more tired around this hour…” He sighed, wiping his face down out of frustration. “I lost my rank up match and then went on a losing streak!”
“Been there, done that.”
The pair of friends had bumped into each other one late night where neither of them had work. As per usual, the city lights illuminated the night sky, and for a Friday night, the square was packed with inklings and octolings alike.
Since Nagi had revealed the suggestion she had given to the Squidbeak Splatoon to Nova, they had been working full time to free as many octolings from the brainwashing of the Octarian Army. Where, afterwards, they’d be given the basic rundowns of how everything works, working alongside the city to actually include and welcome the octolings. Surprisingly, there were plenty of inkling volunteers who bore no discrimination towards them, and gladly helped out in any way. Of course, it was all done with no mention of the Squidbeak Splatoon and their positions being compromised through the thorough thinking of Nagi, the Squid Sisters and Off the Hook.
It gave Nova a fuzzy feeling, seeing so many octolings and inklings interacting in the Square. Many had their Turf War gear on, while many others had just their winter clothing to combat a different thing: the weather. It was now the following winter, and despite everything that had happened, it still felt as though the year flew by in the blink of an eye. Squidmas and New Squid Year had just passed again recently, where Nova and Nagi had left again to visit her family, where he was welcomed once again with open arms. Yet another year with Nagi by his side, where their relationship had only grown stronger since.
“Hey, Nova? Do you remember one of our first interactions?”
The question lingered in the open air, and 8 could only glance at his friend with a puzzled look.
“When we were discussing your feelings about Nagi. About here, I mean.”
The last thing was able to jog his memory a bit, recalling that it was the same day they saw 3 and 4 outside together. “A little bit…why?”
“...Do you still feel alone?”
Parker’s eyes didn’t meet his, but a smile slowly crept onto his face, staring into the mixed crowds of inklings and octolings. Nova picked up on what he was looking at, and he too smiled.
“I did feel alone around that time,” He sighed, content. “But…in the end at least I had you and Nagi. I had some good company, but now, I really don’t feel alone. My life here in Inkopolis since I arrived has only been going uphill from here.”
“I’m glad.” Parker stated simply, though still clearly showed support to his friend. “At least you’re not on the verge of ranking down like I am.”
The pair of friends shared a laugh. “Sucks to suck,” Nova added. “How’s the girlfriend hunting going?”
“Shut up,” Parker chuckled. “When are you and Nagi getting married then, huh?”
The octoling was silenced, taking a sip of his drink while his ears burned up a bit. Parker laughed once more.
“Setting that aside,” Parker pulled on the end of Nova’s sleeve. “What’s with the fancy get up? Are you going on a date or something?”
Nova pulled his arm away playfully, and looked up at the Great Zapfish that was wrapped around the Deca Tower’s peak, “Yeah, something like that.”
Parker’s gaze rested on Nova’s expression, carefully examining the way the octoling froze up. His eyes looked straight ahead, no longer up to the Great Zapfish, as if his sight was trying to slip in between the groups of inklings and octolings. Confused, the inkling looked in the same direction, though began to smile again, seeing none other than Nagi.
Parker remembered the outfit as the same one she wore when she apparently was looking for Nova all over the city. The day he was waiting in line for the movie. It was the same exact enchanting black robe, hair clip, boots.
“Ahh, so that’s what it is,”
Parker put two and two together in his head.
“An anniversary date. Cute.”
“Well, all of a sudden I have a non-specific excuse to attend to,” He sneered, giving the octoling a fist bump and quickly disappearing before Nova could even process it.
It was just like when Parker had shoved Nova into Nagi for that one dance during the Splatfest…and disappeared then too. What a wingman.
“H-Hey...” Nagi murmured, tucking a strand of lime-green hair behind her ear as she adjusted the tentacles framing her face. She took a small step forward, her cheeks already tinged pink. “Sorry I’m late. I thought I had another nice outfit but apparently this is all I have…”
But Nova couldn’t find the words. He could only stare at her, his mouth slightly open, taking in every detail: the way her black robe hugged her frame, the faint shimmer of her makeup that highlighted her eyes, and the soft blush spreading across her cheeks.
The octoling recalled this outfit as the same one she wore when she apparently had a date with Draco, however, 8 shrugged the thought off. She looked beautiful in it then, and she still does now. 8 wasn’t going to correlate the outfit to the events of that night since there was nothing to worry about. Nagi, 3, was no longer with him. She was his partner now, and they were here together at the moment under the Inkopolis city lights. That’s all that mattered.
She looked different, but also exactly like the Nagi he’d always known, except…
“...W-What?” Nagi finally asked, her voice a little defensive as she fidgeted under his gaze. “..You’re just going to keep staring at me like that? ”
Nova blinked, snapping back to reality. “Sorry!” he quickly said, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish smile. “It’s just… you look amazing.” His voice was sincere, almost breathless.
The pink on Nagi’s cheeks deepened, and she crossed her arms, her gaze shifting to the side. “I-It’s not like it’s a big deal or anything,” she mumbled, though the way she toyed with the hem of her robe made her embarrassment all the more obvious. “I-I just thought I’d… you know, try something different. It
is
a special day, after all.”
Nova’s smile grew as he stepped closer, his chest warming with each word. “You look beautiful, Nagi,” he repeated softly, this time reaching out to gently cup her cheek. His touch had sent a shiver down her back but didn’t end up pulling back, her orange eyes glancing up at him as if searching for something.
“Stop saying stuff like that,” she gave a huff followed by a shy giggle, though the way her voice softened made it clear she wasn’t actually upset. The way she behaved right now reminded Nova of Nagi during their earlier stages of their friendship, when she tended to hide how she actually felt about things. “You’re acting all weird…”
He let out a small laugh, lowering his hand to take hers. “Weird?” he echoed, giving her hand a light squeeze. “A poor octoling can’t be happy anymore in Inkopolis…”
“...I never said that,” 3’s smile began to breakthrough.
“I kid, I kid,” 8 gave another heartwarming chuckle, giving her a light peck on the forehead. “I just can’t believe it’s already been a year.”
Nagi’s gaze softened, her fingers curling around his in response. “Yeah… a year,” she echoed, her voice quieter now. “So much has changed since..” She glanced around the crowded square, where inklings and octolings mingled effortlessly, laughing and chatting. “The city, us… It all changed so fast.”
“Yeah,” Nova agreed, looking around as well. “But you know, none of this would've happened without you.”
The couple continued to stare into each other's eyes, and with Nova’s gaze softening by the second, the way he stared at her with such endearment in his eyes made her heart flutter.
“You’ve pulled me out of the darkest moments in my life,” His hand squeezed hers once more. “Had you not been there…I really don’t know where I’d be. I’d probably still be roaming around these streets searching for my purpose..”
Her orange eyes lingered on Nova’s expression, who almost looked as if it saddened a bit. As if he were imagining a world without her.
“..But I know I found mine.” He turned his head, locking eyes with the lime haired inkling with a smile.
Nagi’s breath hitched slightly, and she took a step closer, her eyes locked on his. “I…” She hesitated. “I’m sure you would’ve been fine if I wasn’t here. But… I don’t think you know how happy I am that we met, that we got so close. That we got together and now you’re by my side. I don’t think I have the words to really express it in such a way that you could understand.”
Nova’s heart swelled at her words, and without thinking, he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her in a warm embrace. For a moment, Nagi stiffened, surprised with the sudden action, but melted into the hug, her own arms wrapping around his back.
“I’m proud of you too, Cap’n,” he murmured against her ear, once again making her heart flutter but also causing her to freeze slightly.
“Don’t call me that,” she mumbled, burying her face in his shoulder to hide her embarrassment. “
Nova chuckled, his hand gently stroking her back. “Sorry, but am I wrong?,” he teased lightly, pulling back just enough to look her in the eyes again. “This isn’t just a celebration of our year together, but for your promotion too. You really deserved it.”
She met his gaze, her expression softening again as she took in the sincerity of his words. “You really think so?”
“I know so,” he said without hesitation. “You’ve done so much, Nagi…You’ve been fighting for so long to keep everyone here in Inkopolis safe, bearing the weight of the scars so that others don’t have to..”
Nagi’s face reddened, more so when his hand lifted one of her tentacles, his thumb lightly tracing one of ‘X’ scars she had.
“You’ve put so much time and consideration to suggest freeing the octolings from their influence, even for my behalf. Taking the risk of putting it into action, and helping so many inklings and octolings live together in Inkopolis. The way you took responsibility to make things better..It’s amazing. Seeing your growth as an inkling has been amazing.”
Nagi wasn’t sure if it was possible to be any more flustered at this point, considering her ears were now a fire engine red.
“You’re an amazing person, Nagi.”
“W-Well, I didn’t do it alone, you know.” She raised a brow, her face still clearly flushed. “I had help.”
Her finger lightly rested on the octoling’s shirt, implying that it was him. The root of it all.
“If anything, I’m only this ‘amazing’ person because of you, Nova,” 3 smiled sweetly, her voice seemingly getting softer. “You talk about my growth, but look at you. From the Octarian Army, to the Deepsea Metro, to having to adapt to your new life…it’s been hard on you. You too have been bearing the weight of your past, the weight from the feelings of loneliness and isolation, and despite that..you never stopped being you. You never stopped being thoughtful, persistent, curious, caring. You never let it hold you back. And I can’t help but love you for that reason.”
“I..uh..” The octoling was at a loss of words. His heart swelled, feeling as though it’d burst should she continue. His vision blurred, knowing that if he didn’t maintain his composure, he’d probably shed a tear. Over and over again, Nova attempted to clear his throat, and Nagi could only continue to look at him with love in her matching orange eyes.
Temporarily pulling away from the embrace, she took her finger, and gently wiped Nova’s eyes.
“You’re the strongest person I know, Nova,” She said, practically whispering it to him. “You make me feel like the most loved inkling in the world.”
Nova laughed through the battle against his swelling emotions, his love for her only growing by the second.
“I really am the luckiest guy…” he murmured, his voice trembling with the depth of his emotions.
They shared yet another tight embrace, feeling the warmth of their bodies pressed against each other despite the cold of the city at night.
“...You’re surprisingly sappy, you know that?” he muttered with a held-back chuckle, his voice tinged with a playful edge.
She laughed softly, music to his ears, leaning in until their foreheads touched. “Guess you bring it out of me,” she replied, her voice low. “You’re acting as if you aren’t always sappy.”
“Hey, hey, hey, I’m allowed to be sappy.” 8 grinned. “It’s our anniversary after all.”
Nagi, readjusting in the embrace, now reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer until their lips were just inches apart. “Then make it a good one,” she whispered, her voice soft but daring.
Nova didn’t need any more encouragement. He closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss that was tender, warm, and full of everything they had shared since they’ve met.
The couple could feel the gaze of other inklings and octolings on them, but could hear no whispers or any judgements. Even if there were any, neither 3 or 8 wouldn’t have cared.
When they finally parted, they stayed close, their breaths mingling in the cool night air.
“Happy one year, Nagi,” he murmured.
She gave him a small, genuine smile, the kind she reserved just for him. “Happy one year, Nova.”
With her hand still in his, they turned and started walking into the square, where inklings and octolings mingled under the city lights. For the first time in a long while, Nova felt like he was exactly where he belonged.
As if he had finally felt adjusted to this new life.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Hey!
I'd like to start off by saying the following:
If you're reading this now, and read every chapter beforehand from start to finish, and copied the entire story in a Google Doc without changing the format, you have just read:
37 chapters (technically 38, but it was numbered 26.5).
A whopping total of 150,075 words.
546 (Google Doc) pages.
Damn, you guys are better than me.
Anyways, this has definitely been my longest work yet, probably more so than a few stories combined on my old account, and I'm proud of how it turned out. I'm glad that I was able to create something that so many people were able to sit down, spend their time on, and enjoy.
I'd like to thank all of you for joining me on this journey, both in writing and in life. For your continued support and love. It really motivated me to finish this story at times when I had zero motivation.
So much has happened since I started writing Adjust. I was in my senior year of high school when I started.
Applied to colleges to study architecture.
Struggled in coding class.
Graduated high school.
Couldn't afford to go to the school I wanted.
Forced to go into community college as a last minute decision, dealt with isolation until I found out my best friend and I had the same engineering physics class.
Flunked engineering physics.
With that same friend, had begun typing up a concept of a story for a future webcomic. 3 Google Docs, and 2 Excel sheets at the moment.
I ended up changing my major to accounting.
Had midterms and finals.
Went on several vacations, both with family and friends.
I've made friends, lost friends, kept in touch with aquaintances and lost contact with others.
Got a PS5 for Christmas and got obsessed with Elden Ring.
Got promoted at my job.
My girlfriend and I will be hitting 6 years together this December (sort of reflected through Agent's 3 and 8 lol).
Literally just got hit with midterms a few days prior to uploading this.
Opened a savings account and got my first credit card.
What I'm trying to say is that life throws a lot of crap your way, whether it's good things or bad things. What's important is that you hold those good things close to you, keep those happy memories, cherish those around you so that when you're going through the lows of life, you have someone to lean on, you have something to keep you going and eventually prevail, and come out stronger than you were before.
As I'm growing older, it gets tough. There are so many things to worry about now at once, and it can feel overwhelming. Whether you're in the same boat or not, just know the following:
You got this.
It'll all work out.
I say this not just for you guys, but as a reminder for me as well. It's easy to forget, and hard to believe, especially in those rough moments, but it's true.
Once again, thank you for the continued support throughout this story. It truly means a lot. Not sure when my next work will be, or what it'll be about, but I hope you'll be there for it.
A million thanks.
Much love,
GoingDark_