Did you know you're my hero?

A new angle

It was Eight's turn to wait for Three in the square, and she was not having a good time. She assumed she must've given off some kind of energy that made everyone think she was lost, because that's what people kept coming up to her to inquire about. Most of the people who did it seemed to be doing it out of concern, but that didn't make her any less petrified of each and every interaction.

While it was mostly Inklings that approached her, there were a pair of Octolings at one point that thought she needed help. She was honestly relieved anytime she got to chat with other Octolings. She'd seen a few in turf wars from time to time, but hey were never on the same team as her.

Eventually all the attention made her nervous enough to hide somewhere until her friend showed up, and that somewhere was a secluded alleyway. She could hear the rumble of a subway train from somewhere down below, but she pushed the repressed memories that came with the sound away.

Around five or so minutes later, she got a text.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: Are you here somewhere? I can't see you.

Eight tapped away at her phone.

[Eight]: Im in the back alley by the cafe. Too many people kept trying to talk to me, haha

The agent looked up half a minute later to see her friend had managed to find her.

Three frowned. "Who was bothering you?"

The Octoling laughed softly and got to her feet. "N-no one was bothering me, everyone just thought I looked lost, haha."

"Ok, good. Not that you looked lost, I mean. Just that no one was being rude to you."

She extended a hand, which Eight took eagerly. Three opened her mouth, probably to ask where she wanted to go, but the Octoling cut her off with a question of her own.

"You don't think I'm a coward, do you?"

Three raised an eyebrow. "Why in the world would I think that?"

She scratched her cheek with her free hand. "I don't know, I guess I just....everything makes me nervous, and I'd rather hide in a back alley than talk to strangers. I was just thinking about it and-"

"Well stop thinking it, you're not a coward."

Her ears dropped a little, more confused at the response than anything. "I'm, uh, not?"

"Definitely not. Anyone with as much trauma as you is allowed to be jumpy." She paused at her own phrasing. "That sounds a bit mean, let me rephrase that."

Eight laughed quietly. "Don't worry, I understand what you meant."

"I mean, I'm sure you do, but now I sound like I think people aren't allowed to be shy unless they're traumatized."

"I don't think that."

"Good, cuz I don't. I just meant, in your place, I'd..."

"I get it, Three. And that did make me feel better, so thank you."

The Octoling wrapped both her arms around one of Three's, a bright and happy look on her face.

The Inkling smiled back, but didn't risk looking down at the other. She really didn't want to have a heart attack out in public.

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As Eight nibbled on a snack from Crusty Sean's food truck, she observed Three's body language. She'd had a talk with her maternal housemates before leaving, and wanted to test her theory.

She softly nudged the Inkling with her elbow, which quickly got her attention. She gave a big smile, and held out a bit of her food on a plastic fork. "Are you sure you aren't hungry, Three?"

Three laughed lightly. "I'm fine."

"But you're the one who bought it and-"

"Don't try to make it sound like you need to pay me back, Eight. I've been meaning to use those tickets up for a while now."

"Hmm...ok!" She hummed pleasantly in response, making a mental note as she stuck the fork in her mouth.

They sat in relative silence for a while, but the Octoling's overwhelming curiosity was beginning to get the better of her. She laid her head on the table, staring at the Inkling with big eyes.

Three didn't notice at first. She glanced back for only a moment, only to do a double take when she realized her friend was staring at her. "D-do I have something on my face?"

She smiled a bit, which was quite an amusing look with her cheek squished into the table. "Nothing you don't have normally." She replied, the same kind of wonder in her eyes that Three really should've been accustomed to by now.

The Inkling blushed again, averting her gaze but not turning away.

A few moments later, Eight's smile slowly shifted to a look of concern. She lifted her head off the table. "I'm s-sorry if this is a bad question, but...does that scar bother you?"

Three blinked, the embarrassment on her face quickly turning to nausea. She looked away.

Eight looked down. "I understand. I have one too, you know."

The Inkling slowly turned back, eyes widening in horror. "....you do?"

"Y-yeah, on my back. It's kinda hard to see in the mirror, but I at least know it's there." She frowned. "I'm lucky, I guess. You have to see yours whenever you look in the mirror, but I can't see mine unless I go out of my way to. But I sympathize, at least. It's not fun."

Three's hand twitched, she hesitated for a moment, until she finally held the Octoling's hand in her own. Eight looked up in surprise, blushing just a bit.

"I...thank you for confiding in me. If...if you ever feel like you need to talk about that kind of thing, I'm here, ok?"

The Octoling rested her other hand atop Three's, resulting in her hands sandwiching the Inkling's. "Can you promise me you'd do the same for me, though?"

That made the Inkling pause. She gave the other a strange look.

Eight elaborated. "You always seem to act like you need to solve your problems all by yourself. It makes me sad. You always want to help me feel better, I figure I should at least try to do the same for you."

Three blinked, silent for a moment before a single laugh broke through. "You know what, Eight? I'll take you up on that. If I ever need to talk to someone, you'll be my girl."

She threw her hands in the air. "Yay, I'm your girl!" She cheered, and Three blushed again.

This time, however, it didn't go unnoticed by Eight. Her eyes widened and she held back a gasp. She hastily whipped out her phone and sent a text to Marina.

[Eight]: OH NO I THINK YOU WERE RIGHT

She didn't have time to wait for a response, as Three turned back to her with a raised brow. "Something wrong?"

She hastily stuck her phone back in her jacket pocket. She put on a smile that, lucky for her, wasn't entirely a bluff. "No, not at all! I'm just happy I get to spend time with you!"

Three gave a smile and the conversation moved on.

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Marina grabbed her shoulders the moment she got home. "Are you sure?"

Eight beamed. "90%! Maybe 88% to account for the lingering doubt!"

Marina squeezed the other Octoling tight and swung her around. "This is wonderful! I'm so happy for you!"

Pearl punched her open palm. "Let's get you a girlfriend, kid."