Work Text:
1.
Not a second after a loud crack of thunder does the sound of little feet running down a hallway follow.
"Marieeee!" Her voice calls out, as she quickly invites herself into her cousin's room. She had come over for a sleepover tonight as was the usual every Friday and Saturday. The two families took turns at each other's houses. This weekend was at Marie's.
Callie crawled over her own sleeping bag on the floor and into Marie's bed without any hesitation and hugged her close, tears in her eyes. She yelped as another rumble of thunder shook the walls again.
"Its just a storm, Cal," said a sleepy young Marie, who never reacted much to her cousin's antics, especially not when she was about to fall asleep. It was just an average day if Callie was yelling for her or clinging to her.
"It's scaryyy!" She responded, gripping the back of Marie's shirt as she hugged her.
"You're such a baby..." Marie teased, but squeezed the other girl back. She pulled the blankets over her cousin and watched as she quickly relaxed, no longer jumping so badly at the thunder. She made sure Cal was fast asleep before giving in to it herself.
2 .
Even well into elementary school, there were few weekends and even weekdays that the two of them were more than a room apart. This week it was Callie's parents playing host.
The two girls were laying on Callie's bed, accompanied by a dozen stuffed animals. Some TV show was flickering on in the background, but Marie was reading a book for school.
She glanced up from the end of the bed as Callie reached out for her. That was Callie's giveaway that she was about half a minute away from falling asleep.
Marie had only tried a few times to decline-If she still had a lot of homework or had to finish her chores, for example- but she never really wanted to. Callie's arms were much more inviting after a long day of playing and singing and dancing and getting through school. And Callie was bad at taking no for an answer. If Marie wasn't going to go to bed with her, she would stay up and follow her around, not bothering to try and pretend that she wouldn't rather be asleep and actively making that Marie's problem.
But tonight Marie put her book down, dutifully taking note of the page number, and adjusted to settle behind her cousin. She was barely done wrapping her arms around Callie before the other girl was fast asleep. Comforted by the familiar smell of whatever product Callie's mom used on her hair, Marie wasn't far behind her.
3.
"Callie, Callie!" Marie beckoned, as they were at another friend's house for movie night.
Callie smiled as she skipped over to her and sat down right beside her, pulling her in a big hug.
"Scoot over!" another inkling said as she tried to join everyone else on the couch, which was soon holding more children than it was ever intended for. Marie pulled Callie into her lap.
"Ugh, not comfy," she protested, readjusting until she was half on top of Marie, and half sitting on the armrest of the couch, in a much less comfortable looking spot. Well, that was Cal for you.
But like this, the other's tentacles were long enough that Marie could somewhat effectively use them as pillows. And Callie was her teddy bear, perfect to cuddle. Almost as soon as her arms were around Callie did she say "There! Much better!"
They kept each other in a tight hug throughout the movie, sharing popcorn and laughing the night away until they were a part of a pile of sleepy squids somehow perfectly content on a crowded sofa.