Chapter Text
Crush.
The word rang and echoed inside her mind, crush. Alongside it she heard things that split and cracked apart, flatten and crumble. Crush, she's felt it before, in her mouth as she chewed food, even a fleeting memory of a warm embrace. The hugs were different significantly though, those were squeezes that told her everything would be okay. Then it was something comforting, like home.
"Could you help carry some bags for me, 8?" Marina stood holding open a compartment on the motorcycle, already holding several bags in her free hand. The younger octoling nodded and took the remaining two grocery bags, and Marina, after muttering a small thanks, let the compartment fall shut.
She had taken 8 with her to the grocery store, knowing her own fridge hadn't been restocked since she'd been at Pearls' place for the last few days. Not to mention the fact that she had also wanted to cook something nice for 8 as well. Ordering food for the last few days wasn't too bad, but Marina sometimes preferred to make meals with her own hands from time to time.
Especially when Inkopolis had left much to be desired when it came to choices in Octarian cuisine. Perhaps 8 would have dwelled on if she could remember anything about it herself if only her mind weren't so wracked with that one little word.
On the way to Marina's apartment building from the parking garage, she heard Mira's voice in her head. Excitedly teasing "...crushing on 3!" With each step, she only became more and more confused. Maybe it was better to think of something else, something that wouldn't leave her desperate for the answer to a question she didn't even understand in the first place. Something that made sense, like 3. A new friend, someone so cool and endlessly caring for her. 3, who without them, she would've never met her, hopefully, other new friends. The Inkling who cared so much that they went out of their way to help her again and again. The more she thought of the other agent the more they were so glad at least they had made sense to her.
Or that would be the case, for it was inevitable that they would find the one and the only thing about three that didn't make sense. 3 made her hearts pound hard and fast effortlessly, but not in a way where she was afraid or anxious because of them. It was something entirely new, 8 just wished she understood it. Why did it have to be this one thing that got her confused about her friend when literally everything else made sense. She huffed in frustration and closed her eyes for a moment.
"8!" Finally she saw that Marina was no longer ahead of her. "Where are you going, hun?" She called from behind.
8 turned around to find the woman standing beside the and holding open a door to a tall apartment building. She sped on over with a not-so-graceful skip that nearly tripped her, she made her way to the door Marina held open. Together they moved into the elevator, and Marina clicked a button on a panel beside the door.
"I live up on the seventh floor," with a sigh, she leaned against the back of the elevator with a sigh. "I have to warn you, it's nowhere near the size of Pearl's mansion." 8 nodded with a hum in response.
That was the only noise she had made throughout the entire ride up as she tried returning to the thoughts racing in her head. Thinking back, 8 was not the most talkative person, but seeing as Marina had been the only other person she could speak with in octarian, the two had their moments. Both being introverted didn't help much, however, the silence they shared had always been one of comfort and peace. But then there was the fact that not speaking more than a few words at a time or even asking questions about the grocery store as they shopped, the whole thing made Marina eye her suspiciously as they finally made it to her floor.
"Marina, I have a question..." 8 piped up as Marina unlocked and pushed the door open.
"What is it?" The teen stepped inside and tried taking in the whole apartment. "Actually, before you ask, can you put the backs on the table in the kitchen please?"
It wasn't a particularly large place, but there was a living room with a small kitchen to the right. The left side had a small hallway separating three doors from the rest of the space. It did feel a lot more like Marina than the mansion had felt like Pearl. It was warmer, perhaps not as neat, but then again it's not like such a smaller living space called for maids or butlers. There was a dark soft looking couch facing a tv on the wall, and in the kitchen had a small white table with just two chairs, the space wouldn't fit much else.
8 took off her shoes at the entrance and walked in, adjusting her eyes as Marina flipped the light switch. After shutting the door behind her, she extended an arm out to point to the humble abode with a bright smile and slight jazz hands.
"There we go~! Welcome to my place! Now, I'm gonna put things away, but why don't you tell me what's bothering you?"
"Today, something was said and I don't quite get it..." She stepped further into the kitchen, suddenly very aware of her stillness as Marina opened the fridge and loaded in the new groceries. "Can I help with that?"
"Oh, uh- sure! Thank you!" From behind the fridge door, she curved an arm around and pointed to where the table was. "Can you hand me the bag with the eggs in it?" Wordlessly she did such, then went on.
"The others I met today, my friends-" it felt right calling them that- "they seem to think I am 'crushing on'-...someone....'' She finished in inklish. "Does crush mean something different for inklings?"
"Hmmm..." Now finished with the bag she crumpled it up and threw it under the sink. "It mostly means the same thing, but I'm fairly certain they meant something else." She motioned for 8 to hand her another bag and started working on that one. "When you have a crush on someone, it means that you might like someone-"
"Well, I do like 3." She heard the fridge shut before her but turned her head downwards to her tapping hands. "Why would they make such a big deal about it? Finni and Mira like them, are we all 'crushing on them' too then?"
"So this is about 3?"
"...Yes? Or, at least, I think so..." Her hands found a bag that only had spices and a bag of rice within. "Can I help with this one?"
"How about you leave that one there, I wanna use the rice for dinner. But 8..." Finally, she looked up and only saw Marina staring wide-eyed at her, hands clasped together. "It's more than just how you like your friends. Like perhaps you like them more than friends-" 8 opened her mouth to speak but Marina caught on quick- "And I don't mean best friends either. Rather, you may feel romantic towards them..."
"Oh." Oh. Now she felt a little stupid. Especially with how the others were teasing it felt crystal clear, and transparent. "A little like what you and Pearl and you feel for each other, right?" The older octoling nodded, a ghost of a smile on her lips.
Silence overtook the room as 8 tapped a little harder into her hand, pursing her lips and shrinking in on herself. Her shoulders sagged further down into the dining chair. Not that she could even see, but her cheeks went bright pink. hearts picking up the pace for what must've felt like the thousandth time today.
"Is that how you feel about them, if I may ask?"
"I don't think I've ever felt that way before..." 8 sits down at the table as Marina takes all but one of the final bags to the fridge. "Do you think I am?"
"Well, hun. I don't think I know enough about how you two are together to really get a good idea of it. And on top of that, this isn't really something for me to figure out. That part's all on you." 8 sagged in the seat, looking a little defeated while Marina quickly finished putting away everything else. After that, she approached the younger octoling and put a hand on her arm. "Why don't I help you figure it out while I get started on dinner? would you like that?" The girl nodded again, Marina gave her shoulder a squeeze and got to work.
"You had a crush on Pearl right?" Like music in the air, the woman laughed brightly.
"Big-time crush..." She sighed with a big smile as she pulled out a pot from a cupboard. "I was crushing on her from the moment I first heard her singing on that mountain we met on.”
"What was it like?"
"Well, it's different for everyone, but for me, well, she was always on my mind. My hearts would race whenever she was near and I got all clammy and nervous. But I always wanted to be around her despite that..." The laugh that comes out is softer this time as she washes the rice, letting the water run over the grain. "I thought at first it was because I was desperate for a friend or just someone to rely on up here. Then we became friends, got closer, and it just never really went away."
"That almost sounds uncomfortable. Especially since she was your friend, how did you deal with that?"
"Hmmm..." Marina leaned against the counter with her arms crossed, looking somewhere above herself. "I had to be as honest as possible with myself. We were- still are, best friends first and foremost. And even though she's gorgeous and fiery and funny and so cute, it wasn't like I could just kiss her out of nowhere and get it all over with-" she stopped to smile for a moment at the now giggling teen- "so, I made the best out of what we were. Sometimes I would try to subtly let her know how I felt or had these elaborate plans for flirting and pseudo-dates, she never caught on but that's beside the point. No matter what happened, I was finally where I'd so desperately wanted to be, I had music, and I had this whole new world to experience. But best of all, I knew we would have each other at the end of it all. It didn't make all the awkward things go away, but it helped me through it."
"I hope 3 and I are like that..." 8 didn't even catch onto the way that Marina's entire face went from calm to something more akin to bewilderment. Green eyes wide and green-tipped fingers covering her mouth. "But being around them is very...conflicting..." The older octoling coughed and shifted her face quickly once more as 8 turned to face her.
"Conflicting?"
"Yes. In some ways I'm so happy, 3 is so cool, and to think they're my friend is amazing. But then there are times when I'm afraid of them, where it feels like I'm seconds away from going back to when the Captain was captured..." Marina slowly approached her, crouching down to get somewhat to 8's eye level while she put a hand on her shoulder. 8 reached up, putting a hand over the one on her shoulder while exhaling deeply. "So easily they're able to remind me that it isn't like that anymore, that I don't have to be afraid. They're patient and a lot more caring than they seem at first. My other friends are the same way to some extent, but it's different with 3. It feels different."
"Do you like how different it feels?" The teen began to tap on Marina's hand with an index finger, slowly and just in one spot at first. It translates over to her wrist before 8 starts to reach out for her with both arms. Marina's hearts flipped over in her chest, just as it usually did when the young girl would go to hug her. She returned the gesture without a word and just let her hold on to her.
A few seconds later, 8 slowly nodded her head.
"8, hun?"
"Yeah?"
"I think you have a crush on 3." 8 chuckled.
"Yeah, I think so too."
Marina couldn't see it, but 8 was smiling. For at least a single moment before-
"Uh... Marina!" She immediately turned back to the rice in the now heavily boiling pot.
"Ughh! Not again..."
"Okay so the knight is actually-" Marina adjusted the reading glasses on her face and breathed in to slow herself down- "wait. First, do you mind if I tell you what happens?"
8 stared excitedly into the cover of the manga before her, taking in every single detail she could without actually opening the book. The girl practically bounced on the couch beside Marina.
"No, keep going!" Realizing that was said a little too loud she apologized before going on. "I'll still read it anyway."
At that Marina lit up like a squidmas tree. Baring her beak in a wide grin and almost vibrating with her own anticipation. 8 laughed as she even tied her tentacles back, she thought it made her look like she was preparing herself for some race or sport.
Dinner was enjoyed in quiet peace between the two of them, and still delicious too, even with the slight rice mishap that left the stove in quite a state. The teen had started to wind down then, yawning every few minutes or so, but not daring to have Marina set her up with a place to sleep before being offered one. It wasn't so late just yet so she honestly didn't mind that much. In fact, it was almost as though the older woman tried to keep her awake for some reason or another. Then as she took care of cleaning up after the meal, 8 asked if she could look around.
There was a TV stand under the TV itself despite it being on the wall. On top of it was some console with a red and blue controller, wires leading up to the hanging flatscreen. To the side opposite of it was a small cactus, which 8 thankfully resisted the urge to touch it. There was a shelf directly below it, holding cases of video games and several books. Surprisingly some were in octarian too. She took a closer look at those books, finding that they held fairy and folk tales for younger octolings. Some of them felt familiar to a frustrating amount. Try as she might, she just couldn't really grasp a single memory of such stories.
There were other, more colorful books too. It was several mangas, and the moment that 8 held one up to inquire about it, Marina put everything immediately down to tell and share her vast knowledge.
"Alright, so the undead knight actually is the childhood friend of the wizard princess. But Before the knight had died, she and the princess were in love with one another!"
"Really?!" 8 suddenly furrowed her brows and held the manga tightly to her chest. "But wait, doesn't the knight not remember anything from when she was alive?"
"Yes."
"So they both travel together with the other wizard for multiple volumes, not knowing who the other is?"
"YES."
"That must be so sad..." She pouts for a moment before giggling wildly. "I can't wait to start reading!" 8 put the book down on her lap and started to flap her hands back and forth.
"Oh, it gets even worse, because when she does get her memories back, she doesn't tell her." Marina squeals with excitement, just glad to introduce someone to one of her own little worlds. She sighed and sank into the couch as she continued, "I love this series, but if you wanna keep going with it I just about have all of them. So feel free to ask for the next one whenever~!"
"Thank you so much-" she cut herself off, she nearly said it again. Her grin became pursed lips and she put both hands on the book. "Marina?"
"Yes?"
"I was talking about you to some of my friends today-" Marina put a hand up.
"Wait, before you continue, if you'd talked about me then why was it that one boy had acted so shocked when I came around?"
"Oh, well Finni is a big fan of yours, a really big fan. Also, I don't believe I ever actually mentioned you or Pearl by name much." 8 chuckled to herself, nervous and the older octoling motioned her hands, telling her to go on. "I was talking to them and I made a mistake," Marina tilted her head and leaned forward a bit. The teen pressed her hands together, sitting a little taller too. "I called you my mo-"
Just then there was a knock at the door.
"Hold on hun, I'm gonna just answer that." She got up, gave 8 a little squeeze on the shoulder, and went to the entrance of her apartment.
8 turned to sit backward on the couch to face the apartment entrance. It gave her a full view of Marina opening the door to her girlfriend who practically tackled her in the doorway. Reminiscent of when Pearl had just blasted away the NILS statue and Marina had taken her partner down in the biggest of hugs. She was a lot stronger than Pearl though, so it was more like Pearl jumped at her, got caught in her girlfriend's arms, and just held on like a sentient backpack as her partner laughed along.
"No fair!" Pearl pouted and lightly bumped her head against Marina's. "My scheme has failed! Put me down!" In truth, she was the one holding on tighter.
"I could do that or I could just..." She leans her head in and catches Pearl's lips with her own.
"Hello Pearl!" 8 called out, suddenly reminding the couple of her presence.
They pulled apart swiftly with a quick peck on the lips before Pearl threw aside some bag slung across her body, practically ran to the couch, and hugged the octoling from behind it.
"Heya kid!" After another squeeze, she pulled away and let her body hang off the couch. "How was today? Did you make any friends? You kick some butt?"
"Today went really nice, I met some really cool kids and we all kicked some butt."
"Atta' girl!" Pearl jumped up and flung her body to the opposite side of the couch.
"You're gonna get yourself hurt one day doing that."
"You bought the softest couches in the whole world, it's impossible not to throw myself onto them. Right, 8?"
"They are comfortable." She nodded along with her statement.
"See? 8 knows what's up!" She let out a big sigh and settled into a more comfortable position as Marina sat beside her. That comfortable position just happened to be splayed out with her limbs absolutely everywhere. 8 smiled at the sight, for she looked like a starfish.
The smile didn't falter as she continued to look at the pair. Off The Hook sitting and sharing a space on the couch in some small city apartment after a long day. Quietly whispering to one another as they scoot closer together. She may have met them as the legendary pop duo they were on the road to becoming, in silly chat rooms that had given her hope, guiding her through tests, making sure she was never alone. They promised her that nothing but a world of color and light was all that had awaited her. Then they made it come true.
Her mind brought her back to some mere moments ago. A line of thought she discarded earlier as Pearl had entered.
Just as 8 started to catch that the two of them were glancing back at her, she yawned. It was dark outside, and getting really late. opening her mouth to speak, she was cut off by the inkling flipping onto her stomach to face the teen.
"Soooooo, 8! I heard you got a crush." Marina gasped and lightly shoved Pearl. "Hey, what was that for?"
"You don't just go ahead and ask that, Pearlie!"
"Well, you're the one who texted me about it-"
"PEARL-"
"Actually you heard right." Both of the women looked towards 8, a mixture of relief and unbounded excitement. 8 took a deep breath, "I have, or at least believe, that I have a crush on Agent 3..."
Pearl's mouth dropped slightly, eyes wide. Meanwhile, 8 felt as though something had begun to flow through her. Something that made her want to go into her swim form and disappear into ink, but also to jump around with the absolute brightest grin on her face. It was this rush that fired her up and yet it crushed her on all sides, threatening to make her cave in. Maybe that's why it's called a crush, she thought. A soft smile appeared on her face as she decided that perhaps the rush was worth the crush.
"The little brat?" Marina shoved her girlfriend again. "Hey! I'm just joking! I gotta keep our rivalry strong!"
"Your rival? Pearlie, they're a 16-year-old. Not to mention the one that our-..." She took a moment to gesture to 8 with a slight jerk of her head- "8 has a crush on!"
"Fine," Pearl groans and suddenly lifts her torso from the couch in a dramatic display raising a hand with her fingers pointed upwards all fancy-like to the ceiling, "for the sake of LOVE, I shall set aside our differences... FOR NOW!" 8 laughed on the border of nervousness as her cheeks turned a little pink.
"I appreciate it, but I'm not too sure about this love part..." She tapped her thumb against her palm and stared at the ceiling. "It is... overwhelming feels like the right word, mostly a good feeling, but still new. I don't think I ever felt like this before..."
The inkling settled from her pose and entered a sitting criss-cross position, looking straight ahead at 8. Her face followed suit of her body as the expression upon it relaxed into something that made her feel a little more serious.
"I'm just playing it up, but for eel as long as you're happy n' safe, then that's all I need out of whatever comes from you. So if you end up needing anything, like advice or whatnot lemme know. I got your back, always!"
"That's good to hear-...?" 8 looked to Marina who just gave a nod in approval, she wanted to start getting more comfortable with some common inklish phrases. She smiled. "Thank you so much..."
Another yawn escaped 8 and the couple looked at one another. Marina mouthed: it's getting late. Pearl nodded, kissing her on the forehead as she got up and went to grab her bag as Marina scooted a little closer to 8. She made sure to leave a good amount of space between the two of them. With a deep exhale and equally deep inhale, she straightened herself out, her height apparent even as she sat.
"8, hun..." Pearl returned, sitting next to her girlfriend and fishing out a small bunch of papers stapled together from her bag, which surprisingly was just a simple pink backpack. "I'm sorry to have kept you up so late, it was actually the intention... But, Pearl and I wanted to bring this up to you together."
"Is this the other gift you guys were talking about this morning?" The look on their faces was all the information she needed, wide-eyed and maybe a little guilty. It was the same look they'd adopt just as they realized they'd started kissing and forgot that 8 had also been with them. Which happened just a few more than several times since 8 started staying with the two of them. "If so, I want to remind you that you already have given so much, you really don't have to."
"It's a bit different than just the things we've given you, hun." She took the papers from Pearl, and the pair's eyes locked together for an instant before the smaller of them placed a reassuring hand on the other's shoulder. 8 could see the papers shaking in Marina's hands. "We first want to let you know that this is something you can refuse."
"Yeah there's no pressure, and if it's too much, it won't change how much we wanna support you. No matter what, we've got you, at least for as long as you'll want us to."
8 nodded but before she could ask anything, Marina extended the papers with both her hands to her. Once the papers passed hands, Pearl interlaced her fingers with those green-tipped digits, her partner squeezing back tight as the teen before them began to look at the paper.
The text upon the first paper was in Octarian: " Application of Joint Custody Between Non-Legally Bound Individuals " it read. She stared at it for something more than a few instants longer than a moment. It was crystal clear exactly what this meant, 8 just couldn't find the right words within to respond. Her silence was thick as it flooded the room. Unable to bear it any longer, Pearl attempted to wade through it.
"...Just to clarify some of the way things work up here, sometimes kids your age go out and try their hand at living on their own. But since you're from underground, you may have some further processes to get done for you to be able to register for all the boring stuff like school, healthcare, yada yada yada..." She chuckled, hoping it held up a cooler facade. Giving two squeezes to her hand, Marina signaled that it was her time to tap in.
"Adoption," in all honesty she wasn't doing all that better than Pearl, "it can make that process much simpler for you. But It is a very big commitment to take on just to get you sorted out legally. Pearl and I understand that completely, it's a tall order. A Lot. And we know your mother is probably still out there somewhere. But at the same time, we know staying up here is exactly what you've wanted."
"So, till' you're reunited, and everything, we want to do everything we can to make this feel like home. Rina' and I think this could be another step in the right direction to make that happen. But it's not up to us, it all comes down to you, what you want, feel cool with..." 8 had begun to look through more of the pages, grey eyes darting across each page, rather quickly too. "We got those documents in both octarian and inklish so that you can look 'em over and understand exactly what this would all mean for you..."
It was as though their entire world had started to creep ever so slightly slower and slower. Seconds ticked on past like each and every single one was a whole minute long. Hearts threatening to beat so hard they'd burst from their chests. But nothing came but the occasional turning of the page. No doubt 8 would actually take that time to read through all she could, she was thorough like that. Instead of telling her that it could be read later and to get on with it, Pearl and Marina just let her, 8 was worth that patience to them.
After what had seemed like forever had passed: she started to laugh softly to herself from behind the papers.
"What I was trying to tell you before, Marina..." Her voice became muffled and smaller as she rested the papers against her forehead. "I had accidentally called you mom ..."
Marina couldn't keep the little gasp from escaping her. Seeing her partner begin to tear up Pearl immediately moved to comfort her until 8 repeated the word in inklish. Once she understood, the inkling froze up where she sat.
"I felt guilty about it at first, I have a mom. And I can't even..." She sniffed, still behind the papers. "I-I can't even remember her all that well." 8's voice began to shake, crumbling apart as she went on. "A brother too... I don't even know his name anymore..."
As slow and gentle as her body would allow, Marina wiped away her own tears and moved forward. Off the couch and to just before where 8 sat, with a finger, she pulled the papers down to reveal the crying girl. Tears streamed down her own face and still, Marina knelt down just so she could look up at her.
"Hun," 8 stared at the paper as she cried. "It's not your fault, I promise you." The girl shook her head.
"I know it isn't. But there's some- something else..." her words further broke as sobs tried to intercept her breathing. Pearl now came beside Marina before 8, extending a hand to land right on 8's shoulder, gently rubbing. It helped a little as she continued. "I love the surface, meeting new people, the sounds, the light. At the same time it can be so scary, I thought I'd be left with nowhere to go, no one to have, trying to figure out my feelings towards 3." Her hand met the one on her shoulder and she squeezed. "And then there's being able to stay with you too..."
They all gave it a few seconds. Working on breathing a little deeper, collectively calming down.
"And is that one of the scary things?" Marina's voice betrayed her, making her smaller than ever before.
"Yes, and no." 8 lifted the papers slightly. "Because I want this, so badly, I want this..."
The words hung in the air, reverberating within Marina and Pearl's minds. They were most worried the whole thing would be too much too fast too soon, and although this was always a possibility, that 8 actually wanted it too, hearing it made it real. But there was still more to be said.
"It almost felt right to call you mom, but I just can't stop thinking my family would be upset or hurt if they knew that..." Pearl thought for a moment.
"Hey kid..." 8 squeezed her hand to let her know she was listening. "I told you something similar that night by the pool, but, if your family cares even the smallest bit about you like you do for them, it should mean they want nothing but the best for you. Maybe some other time I'd toot my own horn and say that the best would be us, but really? I don't know. And it sucks because we can't know what they'd think now. But I know this-'' she puts her free hand upon Marinas' shoulder- "you have us. Whether you choose to go through with this or not, come what may, whatever you want to call us, through whatever you have to face... You will always have us." Pearls' eyes now stung with the threat of tears. "That, I can promise."
"We promise," Marina added, fire tinting her words.
8 loosened her grip on the papers, letting it sit on the couch beside her. The now free hand went to wipe her face. Then she closed her eyes, inhaling and exhaling deeply as Marina's sniffles went on. When she opened them again she saw that the pair now both stood before her, hands interlocked, nothing but sheer determination emitting from them. A smile appeared, miraculously upon the octoling girl's face.
"I want this." A nod accompanied her statement. "You two want to adopt me?" The women before her chuckled a little incredulously.
"We do," they spoke simultaneously.
"...For eel?"
Pride shone brightly on Pearl's face in the form of the widest grin she could possibly give. Which lasted for what must have been less than even two seconds before she suddenly erupted into thunderous laughter as she broke apart from the rest of them. Meanwhile, the octolings kept it a little and followed suit with their snorts and giggles all around.
"She's already taking after you Pearlie~!" Marina let out when she could finally form words again.
"HA Ma-Mar-Marina!" She pointed at her girlfriend, "now you have two little jerks to deal with! HAHA!"
"You're a terrible influence!"
"And you wouldn't have me any other way!" Pearl looked at Marina, took her face in her hands, and planted a big ol’ kiss on her lips.
They laughed wildly together as they broke apart and just held on to each other. 8 chuckled along just watching the two of them. She got to wipe her eyes one last time before she was suddenly pulled off the couch and into the embrace. Once she stopped laughing she returned the hug the best she could while sandwiched in between the both of them.
And just then, in a moment of pure adoration and bliss, 8 wasn't afraid anymore.