HM2: Ink-Covering History [SplatFic]

A Hut Gathering

Last Ep Recap: The Squid Sisters discussed secretive stuff about the relationship of inklings to humans, and scanned some island plants with tech that Ash, Victo, & Peru don't even know they have. 🌱
They meet Jun on their way to his family's hut and all go together. Behind them, some village people speak in hushed voices about their current distrust of the inklings:

"Do their parents really approve of them hanging out with the new-comers?"

"I know, I'm still quite a bit concerned myself.."

"I've been telling my kids not to go near them for now."

"What if they're only acting nice?..
.
.
.

What then?"

◻▪▪▫ We continue ... ▫▪▪◻

Peru's P.O.V.

After a bit more time just chatting in the cottage, it occurred to me:
"July, where's your brother? Is he at today's meeting?"

"Oh, not this time." she nodded.

"Really? how come?" Victo asked, voice muffled 'cause she was munching on a mango.

"He claimed he didn't go as a 'favor to me', considering how often I complain about it.."

"I see.. haha" I replied.

Victoria spoke, as expected, "Cause yer still too young, righ-?"

"YeAh, I'm still too young!" July snapped back, having loudly pounded her fist on the low table.

Victoria erupted into light laughter.
"HaAhhg-hahaha.."
and soon calmed down.

Poor July covered her face in the embarrassment, before putting her palms back on the table.

"A-haa," Victoria exhalled a sigh while wiping a tear, "Oh, I'm sorry girl I just.. (ha) found it hard to resist cause pfT-" *coughs instead*



The rest of us looked kinda like this whilst this was happening ⤴️

"No, no" July said with somewhat a worried tone, hands holding on to the sides of her head, around the temples, also calmed.
".. It's my fault, I'm the one who's not mature enough to stay clam even though I'm almost old enough to attend meetings and I-" she continued to rant this way for a bit.
...

Ash looked over to his distant cousin, practically facepalming with his expression,
"Victoria,.. were you trying to break her?" he asked with a raised but somehow not judgemental eyebrow. A hand had assumed a place on his face; the side of his pointer finger and thumb rested on his upper forehead, near his ear.

"Um, no..?" she whispered in reply ..O.o

"I never hear the end of it from Jun, man I hoped my immaturity wasn't that noticable to you all, too, it-"

"Hey,.. July, dear,"

"-Erp,  she flinched a bit, out of her thoughts, "..yes?"

"I didn't mean it too seriously, it was a joke. I mean it wasn't very nice, though, so I apologize, okay?" she smiled hopingly (sweat-dropping a lot internally).

"Oh.." July rubbed her face.
Yeah.. sorry for snapping at you, Victo-ria," she bowed a bit, not used to using her nickname,
"I know.. that it was a joke but.. It's one of my biggest character-flaws, I think, so I'm exceedingly self-conscious of it.."