Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

  It wasn’t late at night, but dark enough to warrant a dim lit home movie. Marina was out in the garage, probably working on her motorcycle. Eight, meanwhile, was watching the aforementioned movies with her aunt/godmother/actual mother, Pearl. She figured she could learn alot about inkling culture and lingo with this experience. 

  However, there were far more unfamiliar words than Eight had thought. So many in such a succession, that couldn’t even use their context to decipher their meaning. And so, she went to her second option, ask Pearl!

  “What does that mean?”

  “They’re uh… complimenting his appearance.”

  “What did she call her?”

  “It’s like… I guess in this situation, another word for friend.”

  More of this strange vocabulary came up,

  “And that?”

  “Asking why they’re so quiet.”

  It just kept coming up, without end. Eight points to the screen, Pearl responds,

  “Another way to say you don’t like someone.”

  At this point, Eight would just look in Pearl’s direction with slight confusion on her face and the other would know the question,

  “Someone who dresses scandalously.”

  After the movie was over, Pearl quickly yawned, walking in the direction of Marina so she could retire to bed. 

  Eight, on the other hand, had learned a lot tonight, and she just couldn’t wait to take these words for a test drive.

But for now, she also must succumb to sleep. In fact, she and Three were going to hang out at the Square tomorrow, and Eight just couldn’t wait.

Chapter Text

  As Eight rises, her moments of drowsiness are cut off by her innate excitement for her rendezvous with one of her favorite people. She hops from her bed side and almost dances down the stairs, catching Marina and Pearl in the kitchen.

  “Good morning Eight, sleep well?”

  “Indubitably!”

  “That’s good, oh, uh, when’s your little get-together with Three today?”

  As Eight takes a seat at the table, she puts her finger to her chin. 

  Her voice whistles a bit, “Twelve o’clock to five o’clock!”

  “Oh okay, make sure to call me when you’re done so I can pick you up.”

  The girl nods before scarfing down the waffle breakfast oh so lovingly made by Marina. Though tired, Pearl is definitely side-eyeing her while eating her pancakes. 

  Quickly, the teen deposits her silverware and plate into the sink before making work of cleaning it and setting it in the drying rack. Without a beat, she briskly makes her way to the stairs and into the rest of her routine. After her basic hygiene is taken care of, a quick slide of the closet door and what awaits her; decision. 

  Plucking and scanning through the multiple articles of clothing, she cannot seem to make up her mind on what would be the most strategically stylish and tactical of her garments. She makes a peddle back down stairs to seek the opinion of her aunts/godmothers/actual mothers.

  Putting the two sets of clothing to and fro’ her body, she urges them to make a comparison,

  “Should I go with this B-ball jersey or this hula punk shirt?”

  Both idols unanimously purse their lips for about twenty-thirty seconds before piping up,

  “Yo, I think the B-ball would go hard with your head bandana.”

  “I’d think I’d have to agree with Pearlie on this one.”

  Back up she goes, and Pearl and Marina were certainly right; the black and white bandana went great with the jersey. Packing a couple snacks, extra cash, water and her phone into a tote bag, this octo is ready!

  Marina dropped Eight off at the entrance to the Square before going with Pearlie in the sidecar to find parking, they still have to run the news.

  Her eyes scanned the crowd, aaaannndd… aha, there’s Three! An aloha shirt, how characteristically them.

  Time to test this new lingo out, “Hey bitch!”, she practically screamed.

  Three looks around confused to herself as if saying ‘me?’. From her perspective, she definitely heard Eight’s voice, but would Eight say something like that? No, that can’t be correct.

  “Hey bitch, I’m over here!”

  Three looked in the direction and to her disbelief, Eight was there waving with the brightest smile to crest the Earth, second only to the Sun. She jogged over to her friend, unsure of what exactly to say, at this point, Eight had caught on. Seeing that Three wasn’t as talkative, not saying she usually is;

  And with genuine sincerity, she asked, “What is wrong? Dick in your mouth?”

  If Three wasn’t speechless before, she definitely was now, where did that even come from? No, she just must have misheard the other, there’s no way sweet, little innocent Eight would ever say something like that.

  To clarify, Three rubs her ear before asking, “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

  In a half yell, Eight repeats herself, “What’s wrong, dick in your mouth?”

  Three quickly shushes the other, “Sh, why are you saying that so loud?”

  “I do not understand what the issue is, my bitch.”

  “You know what, never mind, let’s just… go to the arcade or something.”

  The two walk in silence. For Eight, this was pleasant silence. For Three, it was awkward as hell. Where did she learn that language?

  When the two finally got to the arcade, they went to find a game to play together. Another halt was made in Three’s thought process when Eight pointed to a character on a cabinet and asked curiously, “Who’s this whore?”

  Three tries her best to answer nonchalantly, “That’s Cammy from Squeet Fighter…”

  The other looked into the screen with much interest before dropping a coin into the machine. Of which, after a couple minutes of intense losing, she calmly says,

  “This game is going to make me lose my fucking shit.”

  Looking from side to side, Three says, “Ookaay, do you want to go play a different game?”

  Eight sighs, “Sure,”

  After a little bit more looking around, they settled on the claw machine. Not very gamer-like but the plushies were cute. Eight especially eyed a green squid, the plushie, not the actual.. You know what, nevermind, she was eyeing them both.

  Three saw Eight’s eyes linking with the plush’s, and pursed her lips.

  “You want that plush?”

  Eight was caught a little off guard but smiled at the suggestion.

  “I’ll get you that plush.”

  When Three said she’d get Eight that plush, she meant it. Perched over the machine brows furrowed, biting her tongue, pure unadulterated focus. And Eight had taken notice.

  But just as Three was about to go for the perfect grab-

  “Hey Three,”

  She bit her lip, “Mhm.”

  “Nice ass.”

  It totally threw them off, totally missing. They turned, the ink in her face didn’t rise, it exploded.

  “Excuse me?!”

  “I-is that not a compliment?”

  The inkling buried her face in her hands, face still burning, “I mean, kinda?”

  “I am sorry if I-”

  “Don’t worry about it,” 

  And like that, she was back on the machine, trying to ignore Eight’s hand on her shoulder as she leaned over the Three, staring into the plastic display with curiosity. It’s especially hard to focus after that last comment Eight had made. However after a few attempts, the plush came down the chute.

  First, Eight hugged the real squid, squealing with excitement. Second, she hugged the fake squid, squealing with excitement. Three’s lips perked slightly into a smile. Upon checking the time, Three realized they should probably go somewhere else lest they be trapped in this arcade all day.

  But on the way out, she had accidentally flat tired Eight. 

  And with perfect joy in her face, “You really got to stop fucking me over.”

  The oxymoron of her bright and cheery expression and tone contrasted by the harshness of the vocabulary is least of all jarring.

  However, as the statement was made, they had spotted the window to the Off the Hook broadcast. Eight promptly ran over to say hi. And just as promptly, Pearl ran to open the door, inviting them into the studio.

  As their conversation began, Marina was pulling out an extra bean bag and chair.

  “How’s your guys’ days so far?”

  As Three was about to speak, she was cut off by Eight’s excitement, “Amazing, we went to the arcade and walked around and, oh, I’m sorry for interrupting, please continue!”

  Three patted Eight on the shoulder whispering, “You’re fine,” before continuing, “Yeah, that’s basically all we did.”

  Pearl cuts to the chase, “So, the Squid Sisters called, y'all wanna grab lunch and hang out?”

  Three shrugs, “Sure.”

  “Those whores are the best!”

  Everyone went silent, leaving Eight confused once more.

  Eight’s tone became snarky, “Well, Three, don’t act like you’re not a whore sometimes too, you vapid slut.”

  Three can’t take it anymore, so she half yelled in an annoying whine, “Eight, why do you hate me!”

  “What?”

  Marina interjects, “What was that, Eight?”

  “She’s been saying stuff like that all day.”

  Pearl thinks to herself before saying, “Oh, wait guys. My bad my bad.”

  Everyone looks at her.

  “I think the movie me and Eight watched, I think I forgot to clarify-”

  Marina squinted her eyes, “Clarify what?”

  “That you probably shouldn’t say some words.”

  Marina sighs, putting a hand to her temple, “What all did you say Eight?”

  The proceeding conversation is entirely in Octarian with the exceptions of Eight recounting the words she had used. And even though neither Three nor Pearl could understand Octarian, they could definitely see that over the course of the exchange, Eight’s expression went from confused to horrified. The ink practically drained from her face.

  After this interaction, Marina makes a sigh of relief and Eight turned to her friend,

  “Three, I am so very sorry for my behavior,” she bows her head, “please forgive me!”

  “Hey man, I assume you didn’t know what any of that meant-”

  “I didn’t!”

  “So you didn’t mean any of it, right?”

  “Yes! You are not a bitch! The Squid Sisters aren’t whores! You’d never fuck me over! And I didn’t mean to make such a crass statement about your rear!”

  “Don’t worry Eight, I accept your apology.”

  “Thank you.”

…

  “Wanna get ice cream and forget about it?”

  Eight looks to the floor before vigorously nodding.

  Pearl piped up, “We still have to do stage announcements for a bit, we’ll catch up though!”

  Marina adds on, “Yup don’t forget the hangout with the SS today!”

  They all exchanged waves and byes, and so the non-idol inkling-octo duo are down the street. Three figured they’d make some playful banter,

  “You didn’t deny your ‘crass statement’ though.”

  Eight flushed, gripping the plush harder, “That’s not what I-”

  “I’m teasin’ you.”

  “Oh okay, are you implying that you do not  hate it?”

  “Shut up.”

  An awkward air.

  “Y’know Eight, this reminds me of that time when we were playing turf and there were those bomb spammers, you remember that?”

  With absolute venom, Eight mutters, “Those cunts.”

  In an exaggerated tone, Three chided, “Woah Eight, that was a bad word.”

  “Oh really? I’m sorry.”

  “No no, it’s fine. You can curse if you want, just know when to.”

  Eight thinks for a moment.

  “Okay… bitch.”