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Three warned Callie, inviting Four over to be in the same room as Marie, for hours would only result in problems. And oh boy were there problems.
For people who spent months working with each other, you’d wonder how they did it. They bickered nonstop. It was a miracle Marie didn’t end up strangling her in those few months. Honestly even Callie didn’t know how Four made it out alive.
“Not even 30 minutes in and they’re already glaring at each other.” Three sipped the fruit punch she had gotten from her cup, looking at the two inklings.
Callie eyed the two, she made sure to hide Marie’s chargers just in case of emergency. The pair observed the squids, it was like watching two predators ready to pounce.
“Why do you think they hate each other?” Three mumbled.
Callie shrugged “Sexual tension,”
Three squinted her eyes at the squids in front of them “eh yeah.”
“50 G’s one of them cracks?”
“You’re on, I bet Marie will.”
“Nah Four will.”
Three hummed disapprovingly, placing her cup on the counter. She walked towards the two squids who were still glaring at each other from across the couches. The agent looked between the two, then back at Callie who was still hiding in the kitchen. Three smirked, grabbing a package from the table.
“How about a game of Uno?”
—————————————————
Marie Cuttlefish was one of the most competitive squids in Inkopolis. Without fail, every time she made it her goal to dominate and destroy. Once when Callie and Marie were young inklings Callie suggested a game of tag, and it ended with Marie tackling her cousin to the ground. Another time Three jokingly suggested an arm wrestle between them, her arm was in a sling for months.
For Marie Cuttlefish games weren’t for fun, they were for war.
Marie glanced across the room, glaring at all of the squids, clutching her cards tightly. Three gulped, deeply regretting suggesting to play Uno in the first place. So far nothing too heated had happened. Shockingly everyone was playing nice, including Marie, aside from the casual glaring here and there. Don’t get them wrong, Callie and Three are competitive too but they’ve both learned their lessons when playing with Marie.
Callie placed down a red card, red six, the previous card was blue six. Three placed down their own red card matching Callie’s. Four went next placing down her red card as well. Then Marie placed down hers with a proud smirk on her face.
“Uno.” She grinned, showing off her last card.
Collective groans came from the squids.
Three grunted, looking down at their collection of cards, admitting defeat. She sighed placing her card down.
“Might as well start waving your white flag Four.” Marie snickered, watching her cousin place down hers as well.
Four scoffed in response. She grabbed a card from her deck and slammed it onto the pile
A draw four card.
Three and Callie braced themselves.
“Eat shit Marie” Four smirked at the idol.
Marie snarled “Fuck you” she husked, picking up all four cards, with a bitter expression.
Four raised an eyebrow, leaning closer “Do it then”
Marie squinted her eyes at the squid, gravitating towards her “Maybe I will, depending on which color you pick?”
“Blue.”
”Perish.”
————————————————
Marie won in the end much to their dismay. And once again the two squids were bickering. The tension was driving Callie out of her mind. She really thought Four would’ve died after the Uno stunt she pulled but much to their surprise she was still breathing, heavily at least.
Three scratched her chin and she watched the two squids barking nonsense at each other. The agent didn’t even know what provoked it. Maybe it was just their sheer presence.
“Why don’t we watch a movie?”
Both squids stopped their argument to face the purple idol. “What movie?” They asked simultaneously, then glared at each other.
Callie scrunched her nose “I found this old racing movie?”
“Well-“
“We’re watching the movie Four.” Three smiled through gritted teeth, leaving no room for arguing. Four rolled her eyes and sat up leaning against the armrest.
Callie shot Three a grateful smile, placing the disk inside the old-timey DVD player. It took a couple of seconds and some dust blew but it finally turned on.
The screen flickered due to its age of it, but Callie managed to get it to work.
For the next hour, it was pure bliss. They had watched the movie in silence and even Marie was being kinder to her agent. They both made small comments about the movie, discussing it in hushed whispers as if Callie and Three couldn’t hear them.
Three smirked, giving Callie a high five.
Finally some peace and quiet.
Callie sighed constantly, sinking further into her seat as she watched the final race that would take place. It was the one that would determine the winner. Would the octoling protagonist win? Or would the old squid win?
All these hours watching the character build-up led to this moment. Although Three wouldn’t admit it she was very invested. Before the engines even started whisper shouting started to develop from the other side.
Three turned her head in their direction.
“The octoling isn’t going to win. The old man is gonna be a symbolic type of thing.”
“You’ve always been such a philosopher Four.” Marie gritted, her old tone starting to return.
“Not as wise as you grandma.”
“What did you just call me?!”
“G-r-a-n-d” Four emphasized, leaning closer to whisper the last syllables “M-a”
“HEY! The race is starting” Callie squealed, watching as the car's engines started running.
Marie shifted her attention to the screen, Four doing the same as if their heated dispute never happened. The idol let out a sigh of relief.
For a movie that was produced decades ago, the production wasn’t that bad. Sure the screen would glitch sometimes but all in all the quality was pretty good. Callie thought the cars looked realistic, Three revealed to her they were actual cars.
Mind-blowing.
It was the last lap. The final lap. Some cars had been destroyed, others burst into flames but there were two cars remaining. The old squid and the octoling. The camera panned in on both of them as the last lap commenced.
Same track, with a different tension.
Callie clutched the pillow into her chest, anticipating who would win.
“The octoling is going to win,” Marie smirked, watching as his car sped up.
Four snorted “Yeah right, it’s obviously going to be the old man.”
Marie raised an eyebrow “Why would it be him?”
“Because!! The rookie doesn’t win. It’s his last match which once the rookie loses he’ll be motivated to never give up and all that Hollywood crap.” Four ranted.
“No, the rookie will win and prove everyone wrong,” Marie argued
“You know I’m right, admit it.” Four poked the idols nose, sending Marie’s blood boiling
“No, you’re not.” She slapped Four's hand away “Don’t touch me.”
“Awww someone’s upset.” Four teased.
“here we go again.” Three muttered
“Shut up,” Marie growled
“Make me, Cuttlefish.”
Callie’s eyes widened as she took her eyes off the screen to face the two. Her eyebrows shot up when she noticed how close they were.
Three snickered to herself, hoping they would just kiss already. It would be the perfect blackmail. Not to mention get rid of the constant arguing between them.
The squids inched closer to each other, but not close enough. And just as Four was about to make a move her ears perked up.
“AND RICHARD HEARD WINS AGAIN!!!”
Four slammed the table with her palm, celebrating her victory.
“Who was right? I was right. Who was wrong?” Four pointed a finger at the green squid “Marie was wrong- ouch.”
Four rubbed her now bruised arm, whilst Marie sat back down with a smirk on her face.
Callie and Three both knew they had to do something.
————————————————
“Remind me, why’d you lock us in the bathroom?” Three raised an eyebrow. Callie leaned on the back of the door, smiling. This only caused Three further suspicions.
“They get close when they’re competitive!” Callie whisper-yelled “Or when they’re mad and I know exactly how to make Marie mad.”
Three furrowed her eyebrows “I don’t know Cal…Marie might break our limbs if we pull a stunt like this.”
Callie placed a hand on Three's shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile before it turned into one of the evilest smirks the agent had seen. If Marie’s smirk was bad, Callie’s was just twisted.
“My dear agent. She’ll never know.” Callie unlocked the door “Until the wedding.” She giggled like a mad squid.
Three quickly followed her friend, who was already putting on her coat. Three reluctantly followed suit, only for her friend's sake.
Callie opened the door, attracting the squid's attention “We’ll be back.” She interlaced her fingers with the agent, pulling her closer. Three looked away from the smug eyes of Four.
“Where are you going?” Marie eyed her cousin, not liking the idea of her leaving.
“We’re going to get pizza!”
“Oh…okay then just make sure no pineapple. ” Marie glared at her cousin “I’m serious Cal.” She warned
Callie smiled as if she wasn’t just threatened “Whatever.” She stuck her tongue out, blowing a raspberry.
The pair slammed the door shut, walking towards the elevator. Ready to get exactly what they wanted.
Three sighed, looking at her friend's expression “you’re totally buying pineapple pizza aren’t you?”
Callie squeezed their hands “You know it.”
—————————————————-
Meanwhile, the two squids were busy buying distasteful pizza. There were two agents left behind, two that weren’t very fond. Naturally, it was awkward. None of them really hated each other it was all just a show for the others.
Four squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. Marie turned to face her, they held eye contact for a while before Four spoke up.
“Maybe we should play matchmaker for Three and Callie.” Four commented, trying to relieve the tension between them.
Marie chuckled “We should although they’re very dense.”
Four rolled their eyes “So dense, you wouldn’t believe the amount of how Callie’s eyes shine like stars in the sunlight from Three I’ve gotten.”
“You wouldn’t believe the amount of fawning Callie does over them. And to think, they’re worried about us.” Marie shook her head.
“To be fair, we are very good actresses. Not to mention” Four flipped her tentacle for dramatic effect “moi.” She shot the idol a toothy grin.
“How did this even start?” Marie leaned on her palm, admiring the squid in front of her.
Four relaxed in her seat “I’m not sure at first I thought you really hated me until you know…the incident.”
Marie blushed a bright lime “Um yeah, sorry about that.”
Four shook her head dismissing the thought “No no don’t worry…I kinda liked it.” She smiled, sharing her own shade of yellow.
Marie scratched her arm nervously. It was very clear how they felt but they had just started getting along. She didn’t want to ruin that.
Fortunately for her, her phone had buzzed at that exact moment giving her an excuse. It was her manager, ever since Callie’s return, they had been bugging her more and more.
Marie refused each time but it was getting more hassling to manage when they called on a daily basis. It was stressing the squid out and Four could tell.
“Is it your annoying manager again?” Four asked
Marie sighed placing down her phone. “Yeah…” she pressed the button on the side to silence the incoming notifications.
She was tired of his carp.
“Do you need me to beat him up for you again?” Four chuckled, fond of the memory.
Marie snorted out a laugh, shaking her head in denial. “There’s a difference between scolding and beating up.”
“The difference being I didn’t end up in jail so…” Four shot Marie a grin that sent butterflies swarming inside her.
“But still, he could’ve sued you.” Marie leaned against the armrest making her far more adorable.
Four shrugged “That's a risk I’m willing to take.”
Marie chuckled softly at the inkling “You're never one to think things through.”
“And you’re always thinking things through. Guess that’s what makes us such a good team.” Four replied with a soft expression on her face. Marie shares the same one as her.
They took a second to admire each other not wanting to disturb the atmosphere they created. What they didn’t notice was the distance between them which slowly became very little.
“We’re backkkkk!!!” Callie shouted, opening the door, and startling both squids.
Marie quickly panicked, noticing how close they were, in an act of instinct she quickly slapped the inkling's cheek.
Four widened her eyes, shocked by Marie’s changed demeanor. Marie gave her a look, motioning her head towards the door.
Four mouthed a ‘right’ to her.
“I can’t believe you Four!!” Marie yelled, her eyes drifting to the newcomers entering the room.
Four growled at the squid “Don’t touch me.”
Three deadpanned “Seriously, we were gone for less than thirty minutes.” The squid sighed.
Marie glared daggers at the agent, Callie smiled amused, placing the boxes of pizza down on the coffee table.
Callie smiled sitting down and putting her hands on her knees. Four-eyed the girl suspiciously.
“What are you doing…” Four raised an eyebrow at the pop star.
Callie shrugged and even her own cousin noticed her suspicious behavior. “Yeah Cal…what did you do?” Marie muttered slowly.
Three placed her palm on her chin, covering her evident smile. Four leaned closer to the pizza, catching a whiff of the pineapple.
Of the pineapple.
Pineapple?!
Four lifted the box quickly revealing many, many slices of pineapple pizza. If looks could kill, Callie would have been six feet under.
“You bought pineapple pizza?” Marie smiled wickedly.
Callie nodded “Yep! Pineapple pizza.”
“I told you no pineapple. Pineapple pizza is a menace to society. Anyone who eats this carp has no taste” Marie glared, shutting the pizza lid shut.
Three smirked, “I guess Four has no taste.” Callie smirked as well, mentally high-fiving herself. Three gave Callie a wink.
“What.”
“what.” Four squeaked.