Work Text:
Breathe. Just breathe. You've been through this before. You've seen it all before. So why...?
Agent 8 awoke abruptly with half her body on the floor and the other half dangling from a couch. She noticed a slight sweat on her forehead and a bit of heavy breathing. She wiped her brow and took a second to calm her nerves. Vague images were going through her head, but were quickly fading. Weird.. dream. No more OJ with pulp before bed, she told herself. She looked around the room to the sight of boxes on boxes on boxes, and sighed as she realized she and Agent 3 had still yet to start unpacking their things. Although, it was mostly just Agent 3's things, plus some housewarming gifts from some certain popular idols. She looked across the couch to see a still asleep Agent 3. She remembered they'd planned to wake up early to finally get on with unpacking, but decided to let her roommate sleep a bit more. 2 days of living together and several weeks of being in each other's company in general and, as far as 8 could see, 3 wasn't really one for punctuality.
Agent 3 awoke to the sound of running water and slight clanging. The first thing she noticed was significantly less boxes in the living room. The second, 8 washing some dishes. She looked at the clock on the wall, which she swore wasn't there before she fell asleep last night. 11:30 A.M. 3 internally shrugged, then brought her attention to the cephalopod doing house chores.
"Already had breakfast?"
"Mmhm."
"What'd you eat?"
"Last night's leftovers."
"Wait, you had takeout for breakfast?"
"Yes...?" Agent 8 looked at 3 with a confused look on her face. "It's food, right?"
"Right..." Agent 3 made a mental note to focus on teaching 8 more about the specifics of Inkopolis society. Fortunately, she'd already gotten the ride-or-die attitude of Splatfests down. "You started unpacking? You could've woken me up."
"I wanted to let you sleep. It's been busy for you." Agent 3 thought about the past few days and found that 8 was right. Whatever time wasn't spent meeting with the Squid Sisters and/or Off The Hook to celebrate moving into Inkopolis was spent either figuring out the housing situation or going turfing to insure a secure budget for her and 8. She took note of how considerate 8 was before replying.
"Thanks, but these boxes are still almost all mine. I should do most of the unpacking." She pulled some food out of their fridge and started eating. She then looked at 8, who stared back with a tilted head. "But... since it is your home too, you can help." 3 almost wasn't ready for the smile 8 shot back. She was happy to let 8 live with her, but it was both a blessing and a curse how attractive her roommate is.
"Don't worry, I made sure not to open anything personal." Agent 3 gave her a quick look of thanks. "But... I did want to ask one thing."
"And that would be...?" Agent 3 looked at her with mild curiosity. In response, 8 held up an ink-stained tee, with the word KING written in big bold letters on the front and a crown symbol on the back.
"King...?" 8 tried to stifle a giggle. 3's face flushed with red.
"It was what I went by back when I started turfing." 3 stood reminiscing for a moment. She then crossed her arms and mock proclaimed, "I'd say the name was well deserved."
"King, eh? Not a queen?" 8 softly giggled in reply.
"The kings get cooler crowns. Plus, a queen was more in line of what I was looking for." 8 just stared back, prompting 3 to realize what she just said. "Hey, I was still a kid, cut me some slack. Life was all about ink and love."
8 just stood for a second. There was that word again. Love. She already had basic knowledge of most natural behaviors and was taught even more by everyone in the New Squidbeak Splatoon, but the one thing she could never really get the grasp of was love. She's heard "I love you" said before as a sign of affection, but never understood the idea. What made it so different from just enjoying someone's company? 8 had yet to figure that out.
"Oh, but that reminds me." 8's thoughts were cut off. Another time then, she thought. "We're gonna have to get you licensed to turf somewhere along the line. What name are you planning to use?"
Agent 8 stood puzzled. "Would Agent 8 not work?"
"I mean, it would. I just imagined you might like something of your own choosing." 8 stared back blankly. "Agent 8, do you... have a name?"
"I suppose... that I don't," she replied after a few seconds of contemplation. "Not one that I can remember, at least. I'd never really thought about it before. What's your name, Agent 3?"
"Oh that? It's um..." 8 tilted her head at her. 3 sighed. "It's Morgan. I tend to not use it that much, though, and just end up going with King or 3. It's just, names like these are all kind of given to you. "King" is something I like because I chose it for myself. And Agent 3 is impersonal enough for me not to mind being called it."
"I... see. I suppose I'll have to make a name for myself then."
"You don't want to remember?"
"Well after hearing what you said, I'll admit I agree with the sentiment. And..." Blurry images of ink-covered weapons too dangerous to be called blasters flashed through her mind, followed by her own stained hands. She subtly shook her head. "This is my life now."
"Then okay. Just let me know when you've decided on a name, then we'll sort everything out." 8 then nodded in response.
The two proceeded to unpack the rest of the boxes, 8 being careful to ask if it was okay before going through 3's belongings. They were a good way through most of it, when 8 started unpacking a box labeled 'Old Turf Gear'. It wasn't even before she picked up the first blaster that she froze. She started shaking, the ink shooter still in hand. Images flashed through her head, more rapidly and clearly than before. Zapfish being tortured, failed Octarian soldier experiments, eliminating the failures, all clear in her mind. She dropped the blaster to the floor before feeling her legs give out.
"8!" 3 heard a fall from the other side of the room and shot her head in 8's direction. She ran to her roommates side, lifting her upper body off the ground and trying to calm her down. " Stay with me. Breathe. Just breathe."
The flow of images in 8's brain slowed, then stopped. All she had were fragments of the memories of her past life, but those alone were abhorrent enough to her. She stared up at 3. The inkling's face was calm and attentive, but her eyes flushed with worry. 8 sighed shakily.
"...I'm okay, 3. I just..." She stared at the blaster on the floor beside her. "I don't think I'll be turfing anytime soon, haha," she said, forcing a smile and a laugh. 3 picked up on the general idea of what was wrong.
"I don't know how to do this well but..." 3 started to say.
"Hmm?" 8 looked curiously at her roommate.
8 didn't expect a warm embrace. Sure, she knew about the action and understood that in this instance it was meant to be comforting, but she was, more than anything, surprised to see the hug coming from her usually slightly abrasive roommate. It took her a second to process, but she eventually closed her eyes and hugged back, more tightly than she realized. The two stayed there in silence for the next few minutes in each other's embrace, before 8 picked herself up and continued packing. 3 took a second to do the same.
"You..." 3 started, prompting 8 to look in her direction. "You can talk to me if you need to, alright? I'm not the most comforting, I know but... I'm always willing to try."
8 looked to her feet, feeling a mix of embarrassment and gratitude. "Y-yeah. Thank you."
The two went on to finish unpacking and eat some dinner, completing it all just as night fell. They stepped back to look at the now completely furnished apartment. 3 noted the coffee machine, gifted to them by the Squid Sisters. Her coffee addiction wasn't stopping anytime soon.
"Looks like home, hmm?" 8 started, smiling a bit easier now.
"Yeah. Ready to sleep? We still only have one bed, so I'll take the couch again."
"You don't... have to. The bed's big enough for the both of us. And I..." 8 looked bashfully at 3. "I might like another hug."
3 was wide eyed for a second, then nodded. The two freshened up to sleep, 3 climbing in bed last. She awkwardly settled in next to 8, even more awkwardly putting her arm around her. 8 felt herself ease up at the embrace. She didn't quite understand why the contact made her feel more relaxed, but she was just glad it did.
"Don't hesitate to wake me up if you need anything or can't sleep," 3 reminded her. 8 slightly tensed, a bit roused from having 3 say that almost right next to her ear.
"Yeah..." She turned around slightly so she and 3 were facing each other in embrace. "Is this okay?"
"Yeah." 3 ignored her usual physical reservations. She ignored the slightly uncomfortable position her other arm was in. She ignored how her unfairly attractive roommate was lying in the closest proximity she's ever had with another person. 8 wanted comfort. 3 was going to try to comfort her. That was that. "Good night, 8."
"Good night, 3. I..." 8 stopped herself there, and neither she nor 3 would come to question it, the latter falling asleep while wondering whether or not it was just her hearing something. 8 stopped and thought about what she was going to say. She figured out that she had the impulse to say "I love you." But what she didn't figure out was why.