Work Text:
Takona still didn't know how to go about her love towards Ikari, but she figured that she should spend time around her to at least be a closer friend before trying to become something more. Ikari didn't mind the sudden increase in attention, though, as Takona was great at Salmon Run, and while she wasn't a fan of Turf Wars, she was still pretty good. A detail Ikari had learned by spending time with her octoling roommate was that she had a fascination with collectibles. Whenever they passed a gacha ball dispenser, Takona always approached it and inserted a good amount of coins until she had enough she wanted. Ikari ultimately didn't mind, as Takona never took the inklings money to fuel her fascination, and Ikari was already looking to get Takona her own living space in her home instead of her lounging around in her living room. Currently, she emptied out a side of her room and put a small bed and a shelf for Takona's things, plushies are placed on her bed while figures are on the shelf.
The two agents walk out of the door, just finishing collecting Salmon eggs when Agent 4 approaches the two.
"Hey! 3! 8! What's up!"
"Don't use our code names." Ikari says blankly. "But, we just finished up a Salmon Run. What were you up to?" Ikari asked, but Takona just blankly stared at them.
"Just walking around is all." 4 shrugged, "Hey, how about we go for a couple of Turf Wars?"
"Sure, I guess." Ikari nods, "you in, Takona?"
"Um… no thanks. I'm just gonna go clothes shopping." The octoling said, smiling to Ikari.
"Suit yourself." Ikari shrugged and walked to the lobby. While on their way, 4 turned to Takona and saw her clench her fist, exhale, then walk away.
"So, Ikari?" 4 said, looking back at Takona.
"Yeah?"
"Are you and Takona a thing?"
"A thing? What do you mean?" Ikari asked.
"You know… like, are you two a thing thing?"
"What?"
"Are you two together?"
"Um, we live together." Ikari looks really confused.
"... are you dense, or are you joking with me? Do you really not know what I'm asking?"
"I guess not." Ikari shrugs. "Can you try to explain your question better?"
"Are you- okay, you know what? Nevermind. Let's pretend I never said anything." 4 waved her arm to signify the end of the conversation. Ikari just got more confused at the motions. Regardless. They entered the lobby to participate in some Turf Wars.
___
Takona huffed while looking at the clothing selection. She was being irrational, she knew she was, but it made her ink boil to imagine Ikari with people other than herself. It was stupid and normal and perfectly fine for her to do it and she hated it.
"Hello!" Takona heard, turning around to see another inkling, short hair and turned to the side. She has a nametag, so she probably works here. "Do you need help with something?"
"Um… yes, actually." The octoling said, "you see, I'm trying to get this girl to… like me. I don't know if clothes will actually help with that, but I'm willing to try anything. You think you can help with that?"
"Certainly!" The inkling said, "the way you look can really influence how someone thinks of you. Say, how about I take you to the dressing room and you tell me some details so I can help you out." She offered. Takona nodded, and they went to the mentioned location.
"Now, tell me about this girl."
"Well… she and I live together, and I find her to be really cool and pretty and smart but she's also social so she hangs out with someone else a lot and it makes me really mad for no reason and I know it's dumb for me to be angry but it's really hard not to be-"
"Woah, woah. Cool your jets!" The inkling waved her hands defensively. "I meant more as in what she likes in aesthetics, not a romance drama."
"Oh… well, um, she doesn't really show much of what she likes."
"Ah. Well, if I had to guess then…" the inkling tapped her chin a couple of times before snapping her fingers and running away, but quickly returning with some clothes. "A cool reserved girl like her would probably want a cute but still spunky girlfriend!" She hands Takona the clothes.
"Oh? How do you know? By experience?"
"Um, ahaha, well no. But I have a friend who talks about it all the time! When they aren't acting all tough and weird, of course." She chuckles. Takona doesn't see what's so funny, but she figures she may as well try on the clothes.
When she gets herself into her clothes, she checks herself out in the mirror. She has an orange headband that's similar to Marina's white one, a short dress that fades from white to bright pink the farther down it goes, a more dull pink set of shorts, and finally, some dark red sneakers.
"You sure this looks good? Is this 'cute?'"
"Why, you look adorable!" The inkling said. "I'm sure this will put you another step closer to getting the girl!"
Takona checked herself out a bit more. She supposes she did look sort of cute, though the colors did seem a bit of a unique combination. She's never seen it ago, but it does actually look pretty decent.
"You like?"
"Yes." Takona muttered while still looking at the mirror.
"Yeah! Now, as for payments…" The inkling calculated the price of the clothing, and then told Takona an extensive price. Initially, Takona was surprised by the price, but reluctantly paid for it anyway. She knew that she would just have had to make a choice between clothes or toys, and she values a chance to be with Ikari more than cute little figures.
___
"Ugh, I hate the Octobrush." 4 groaned. Ikari didn't really care as much though.
"Eh, it's alright. Everyone loses sometimes."
"Yeah, but c'mon! A 6 win streak lost just because some try hard had to be on the other team!" 4 crossed her arms. "It's not fair!"
"You're one to talk." Ikari chuckled. "Now, if you are gonna keep whining, could you go do that to Marie or someone other than me?" Ikari jabbed at Agent 4, who just glared at Ikari in anger. Before 4 could say anything, though, Takona quickly approached the two.
"Ikari!" Takona called, running over upon seeing them.
"Oh, Hey Takona. I see you got yourself the clothes."
"Mm." Takona nods. "Do I look cute?"
"Cute?" Ikari asked, looking at Ikari from top to bottom a couple times, then answering, "sure, I guess you look cute."
"Heh, didn't know you were such a vocal lesbian, 8!" 4 commented.
"... Les… bian?" Takona tilted her head.
"It means you like girls romantically when you are one. Your colors are often associated with them."
"Oh." Takona felt her internal ink slightly pepper her face. "Um, well I suppose I am!"
"Oh?" Ikari raised her eyebrow, but soon just smiled. "Huh. Never thought you'd also be gay. That's neat."
"Wait, you like girls, too?" Takona felt her ink flare to her face more.
"Actually, all of us in the Squidbeak Splatoon are lesbians if you are one! Except Cap'n, of course." Ikari chuckled. Takona smiled at the idea. Perhaps she has a chance?
"Well, it's getting late." 4 said, "I should probably head home right now. See ya!" She waved, walking away. Ikari and Takona waved back.
"Say, Takona. You hungry?"
"Huh? Sure, why?"
"Well, I'm not in the mood to cook anything, so I was thinking of going to a restaurant. You wanna join?"
"Sure!" Takona said, holding Ikari's hand. Ikari flinched slightly at the contact, but brushed it off.
___
"So, how do you like the clothes you got?" Ikari asked, spinning her fork around in her food.
"Yeah! It's a little awkward, considering I'm so used to the hoodie and sweatpants Pearl and Marina got me, though." Takona said, jabbing a food scrap into her mouth. "Say, why don't you wear that cape all the time? It really makes you look cool!"
"Oh? You actually think that thing's cool? Everyone else thinks it's edgy." She shakes her head, "but if you need to know, it's because it makes me look weird if I wear a cape around in public." She eats the food she was twirling with her fork. "Do you want it or something?"
"Can I have it?" Takona asked, suddenly leaning over with near gleaming eyes.
"Uh, sure, I guess. Just don't stain it or anything." Ikari shrugs.
"Thank you! I can't wait to wear it!" She cheered. Ikari couldn't help but smile as well. In all honesty, she really liked when Takona was happy. Whether she finally said a word correctly in the earlier times she was here, to just laughing about something funny that happened. It was infectious how happy she can get.
"Hm, hey Takona, I have a question for you."
"Oh? Well, what is it?"
"How do you like your life up here?"
"Oh I love it here!" Takona clasps her hands together (guess that's just an Octoling thing?). "It's everything I thought it would be!"
"Really? What would you say is the best thing that's happened to you so far?"
"Hm? The best thing?"
"Yeah. You know, your favorite thing to come out of all of this! If it puts it into context, Pearl considers the best thing to happen to her to be meeting Marina, and Marina considers the same for Pearl. Doesn't have to be a person you met, though."
"Um…" Takona felt her internal ink run to her face once more. "I… can I say… that you are the best thing?"
"I… what?" Ikari, for what must've been the first time in a while, got a bit flustered.
"It's true. All of m-my most nice experiences here have been with you… and if Pearl can say Marina, t-then why can't I say you?"
"Well…!" Ikari raised her hand, but retracted "I… I mean there's nothing wrong with that answer, but… it… implies something." Ikari felt her get even more flustered.
"Is it bad?"
"W-No! No, not bad! It's just, um…" Ikari was fidgeting her fingers. She had no idea how to word this. "... awkward?"
"But isn't awkward bad?"
"I- well, uh… ugh, damn it this is so hard!" Ikari cupped her head in her hands, worrying Takona even more.
___
Despite their embarrassing moment, the rest of the night was enjoyable. They finished their dinner and went home, and they both watched whatever was on TV (though, Ikari was rather hesitant to sit so close to her roommate and swore she saw her sit a bit too close).
After they were done, they cleaned themselves, and went to bed. Or, at least Takona did. Ikari simply couldn't. She tried closing her eyes, she tried adjusting herself, but nothing. Eventually, she sighed and turned her body to Takona's bed direction. It was a bit hard to make out, but she could tell that Takona was wearing her cape to bed, and also didn't have a blanket. Ikari figured it wouldn't hurt, so she quietly stood up and approached Takona.
When she covered the Octolings body with the blanket, she realized that under the cape she was holding something. One of her plushies, a one shaped as a yellow squid form Inkling. Had… had she always had this? How hasn’t Ikari noticed? Wait, Takona did say that being with Ikari was her favorite thing that happened in Inkopolis… Does this mean…?
No! No, it means nothing! Takona must just… like the color yellow, and this plush was probably on sale when she bought it or something! Yeah, that’s it! It’s not like she’s been dropping clues, because nobody else has even picked up on anything-
“You know… like, are you two a thing thing?"
"Wait, you like girls, too?"
"Do I look cute?"
… Ikari shakily puts the blanket fully onto Takona, and stiffly shuffles back into her bed. She stares at the ceiling, mind now racing at her discovery.