Work Text:
Everything has to be perfect as possible. No more mistakes. No more flaws. And definitely no more distract-
"Hey Marie! Ready for our totally awesome day together?! Ooh, it's gonna be so much fun!”
Too late.
“Oh hey, did you hear what Agent 3- I mean, what the Captain said about Agent 8 the other day? It was totally ADORABLE! I wonder what... uh, Marie, what are you doing?" Callie asked as she walked around to a red couch.
There Marie was, minding her own business by herself at her cluttered little house in Octo Canyon, when SOMEONE decided to interrupt her during some very important business.
"Callie, what do you...wait, CALLIE?!" Marie said shocked, as she finally realized that her very own cousin was very rapidly approaching her.
Marie had been sitting in front of her house, struggling with some colorful-looking paper. She didn’t expect Callie to come back to Inkopolis Square until late noon, and yet here she was, walking towards her just as the sun woke up from its habitual sleep. More than that, whatever Marie was making, she did NOT want Callie to know. She needed some sort of distraction, fast. But what?
"Sorry for the late notice, Marie. I got back from Calamari County early and wanted to know if you wanted to eat brunch!" Callie said. "So, what are up to?" She asked while she walked closer and closer to Marie.
Marie picked up her squid-shaped phone. "So, how is Gramps doing?"
"Good! He and the Captain have been thinking about exploring outside of Inkopolis."
"Oh really, where would that be then?" Marie asked while fiddling with her phone.
Callie shrugged. "Low-key, I think he may be planning to visit Splatsville. No promises, though. You know how Gramps is. Speaking of Splatsville, did you know that they have some really fresh-"
Callie's phone buzzed. She quickly picked up her phone, looked at the message she received and smiled.
"Awww, Agent 4 said that she's at the square right now and… she has a surprise for me!? Awww, how sweet of her. She never gives me anything. I'll be right back!" Callie excitedly swam through the black drain back to Inkopolis Square.
Huh, so that's Agent 4's plan? To give Callie a gift? Well, that distraction went better than I had planned. Maybe I'll finally have time to finish this...
———
After an hour-and-a-half later, Callie came back. Marie was still in the same spot as she was before, meticulously crafting something together.
I'm almost done. Just a few more details...
Callie slowly walked to Marie's red couch and sat down. "Sooo, funny story, Agent 4 never showed up. She texted and said she had to leave early to study for some exams." Callie nervously laughed. "Buuuuuuut, the good news is that she said she'd give me a surprise after she’s down with exams!"
Marie momentarily stopped fiddling with some paper. "Why'd it take you so long to get back?"
"Oh, because she didn't tell me she wasn't going to be there until five minutes ago." Callie replied. "Totally… not irritating at all." Callie’s agitated face said otherwise.
Sheesh Agent 4, I know I asked you for a distraction, but that’s a little too harsh. Leaving Callie to sit alone waiting for you for nearly two hours, only to find out you weren’t even there? Cold.
"Enough with the disappointment, how about you come with me to Ye Old Clothes Shoppe to get a new shirt! There was a really cute one that I saw the other day. C’mon, let's go!" Callie walked over to Marie grabbed her arm, trying to move Marie away from her spot.
"Wait!" Marie tugged away from Callie's grasp. She looked over at the unfinished pile of supplies. "I need to finish this now, Callie."
Callie clenched her arms. She looked upset. "But Marie, you promised me! The other day you told me that today would be our day to spend together! We're always so busy. What’s so important that you have waste hours of time here that we could be out having fun?"
"We are going to have fun soon, I promise. All I need is a few more minutes."
Callie crossed her arms and looked away from Marie. "Oh phooey, fine, JUST a few more minutes, okay?"
Marie smiled. "Today's going to be great, just wait until I’m done."
"If you EVER get done, you mean." Callie mumbled as she walked back to the couch to wait.
———
Even though Marie promised her "project" would only take five more minutes, fifteen minutes passed by in a flash. Callie had enough of Marie’s nonsense and lies. This time, Callie would take action.
"Marie... wait a sec... is that... Gramps? No way... the CAPTAIN?!?! Come here Marie, look!"
Marie spun around. "Where? I don't see anyone."
"No, over here!"
Marie walked over to Callie, but the only thing she could see was… the grate. "Don’t be ridiculous, Callie. Is this some new kind of joke? They couldn’t possibly be hiding or someth-"
Before Marie could even turn back around, Callie darted straight towards the item she tried so hard to conceal from her cousin. Marie had grossly underestimated Callie’s curiosity.
"C-Callie no! You can't look at it! Not yet!"
"And why not? Why can’t I see what’s so urgently taking up all your time? Who is it even for? I’m going to find out now, and I’m not taking ‘no’ as an answer!”
No, she can’t find out!
"It’s a secret Callie, please! It’s nothing! Just please don’t…" Marie yelled, though to no avail. Callie found the object.
"Marie..." Callie's eyes were wide open. "What is this? Who is this for?"
Marie walked up to Callie. Hidden among wrapping paper, Marie picked up a small colorful item and handed it to Callie. "This was a surprise for-"
Tears started to form in Callie's eyes. In Callie’s hands was a handmade Squid Sister’s charm, designed by Marie herself. "Oh Marie, it's... it's... such a wonderful gift for the Captain. I’m sure she’ll love it!” Tears now rushed out of Callie’s eyes like a leaky facet.
“C-Callie, don’t cry!” Marie attempted to comfort her cousin. “Besides, whoever said this gift is for the Captain?”
Callie looked at Marie, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Oh yeah? Then who’s is it?”
Marie looked down at the charm and then smiled at Callie. “It’s yours, you doofus! And… I'm sorry I took so long to finish your present. I know we haven't been together much lately, so I wanted to make our one moment together more special. I looked up a tutorial on charm-making online, so if you don’t like how the charm looks, blame the video, not me."
Overwhelmed by the sentiment, Callie suddenly hugged Marie tightly.
“Oh Marie, at first I was mad because I thought you really didn’t want to spend time together, then I was upset that Agent 4 wasted my time, but after you showed me the charm and I thought for sure that the Captain would have loved the sentiment, but… knowing it’s for me? I can’t believe you spent the time to make something so meaningful! It’s almost like you care about me after all!” Callie laughed.
“Of course I care about you – you’re my favorite cousin! And don’t forget either, ‘Squid Sisters forever’, right?” Marie flashed her signature Squid Sister’s pose.
Callie giggled. “Duh, that’s exactly what I said! Even though I was a liiiiiiitle salty at the end of our last Splatfest, I meant every word. After all, once a Squid Sister, always a Squid Sister!”
Marie felt a slight sense of nostalgia, back to her days at Inkopolis News. How long ago had that been? She smiled. “Always and forever. Now, how about we go clothes shopping, just like you wanted?” Marie walked towards the drain. “I heard they started selling a new brand; Emberz, was it? Time goes by so fast, it’s hard to keep track of everything new and fresh sometimes.”
Callie walked alongside Marie cheerfully. “Sure, grandma, whatever you say.” Callie chuckled. “…But really, as long as I get to spend time with you, anything will be fun!” Callie said as added her new charm to the bracelet she was wearing.
And with that, the Squid Sisters left Marie’s little house in Octo Canyon with the afternoon awaiting them.
Sometimes, distractions happen without control. Flaws are okay. Mistakes will happen. Lear from them, life is not perfect.
Most importantly, enjoy the time you are given. Together.