Meggy x Tari One-Shot Collection

Having Your Voice Heard

Tari sat alone in her room. It was quiet, calm, and....empty. The room was clean, tidied up. Games were on their shelf, sorted by console. Computer and keyboard were clean and dust free. The bed was made, and Tari was even dressed in her usual clothes.
But it wasn't the same. There was something missing. Or perhaps...someone.
The faint noise of an inkling's joy rang through the air from pure memory. Woomy...woomy...
Even the sad inkling noises from the tough times meant something...
Woomy...woomy...
All that jealousy and anger...fear and ecstacy...it meant something.
It may have meant nothing to an outsider, but to Tari, those noises made her the happiest woman in the world.
So much joy, love, and ecstacy brought out by one woomy. Truly a feat of a relationship.
And yet all of that was missing.
Tari stared at the floor, waiting for someone. She had been lonely for a while recently. She didn't know what was going on.
She wanted her orange squiddy back.

For no understandable reason, Meggy hadn't been coming over. She's only been texting, and any attempt to call her ended in a voicemail request.
This had Tari concerned. Meggy was the one thing that turned small talk into conversation. A smirk into a smile. A giggle into a laugh. A hug into a cuddle.
And that goodness was now gone..

Tari stares into nothingness. She still worried about her girlfriend. What was causing this isolation?
Just looking at her profile picture wasn't enough for her. Tari wanted to see all of her. All the joy on her face and all the movements of her body.
Tari tried messaging her again, wanting to be sure everything was ok. She looks at the screen and starts the conversation with a simple question.
After a few moments of back and forth messaging, Tari rereads the conversation, hoping to find any clue in hindsight on what's going on.
She stares at the screen

"💖Blueberry💖: Hey Meggy...feeling alright?"

"🦑 Orange 🦑: Yep! Third time you've asked. Is something up?"

"💖Blueberry💖: Well you've been...isolating yourself lately. I told you this. You've been...not visiting me. I'm concerned."

"🦑Orange🦑: It's nothing, sweetheart. Just needed some space like we all do."

"💖Blueberry💖: A few days of space? Usually when you say that your back within a day or two..it concerns me"

"🦑Orange🦑: I'm fine. Ok? No need to worry? I just...lost some of my woomy. Heh."

"💖Blueberry💖: Your woomy? You mean your mojo?"

"🦑 Orange🦑: Whatever you adorable humans call it. I just don't wanna talk about it ok?"

"💖Blueberry💖: Alright but if you decide to talk about it please come to me immediately."

"🦑Orange🦑: I will. Don't you worry. I'll always go to you first."

"💖Blueberry💖: Alright...I love you...bye"

"🦑Orange🦑: I love you too ♥️, bye"

Tari put her phone down, realizing this might just be too personal to ask about. She leans on the wall and sighs, looking at a picture of her and Meggy on a date to see a Splatfest live.
Tari chuckles at that memory, remembering hugging Meggy tightly when the team they were rooting for won. And the memories of Tari towering over and scaring away any cephalopods who insulted Meggy and her for being human. It was a fun time.
And yet those are gone, and Tari doesn't know why.
It kept bothering her, niggling at her mind like a parasite.
Tari gets up and puts her jacket on, walking outside her room. She grabbed her fingerless gloves and slips them on.
Tari walks outside and started walking to Meggy's home. She wasn't moving on without a fight. There's such thing as too much space.

---------------------------------

Meggy held her mouth closed, her cheeks a bright pink. She didn't like what had happened to her. Or rather, she liked it...but was self conscious. She realized Tari had thought it was temporary. Oh what a big mistake in judgement..
Meggy sighed, putting a mask over her mouth to pretend she didn't have one. She didn't wanna dissapoint her girlfriend, especially this far into the relationship...
Meggy just went on Twitter, scrolling through whatever. Anything to get away from the thoughts.
She saw all the rest of the crew tweeting about their little activities when not filming. And interacting with fans. Saiko and her chill, Axol and his anime, and Tari...and her beauty.
Meggy stared at her tweets, sighing. She smiles "gorgeous woman.."
She hears her new voice, fully in English. She rips off the mask and throws it to the side.
"This voice thing is bullshit...."
Meggy tries to make inkling noises, but they were broken. She couldn't make them anymore.
She stares back at the phone, trying to avoid her voice. She didn't mind it but the reaction from some fans made her feel bad about having it. And the fact that Tari assumed it temporary felt like she didn't like it.
Meggy puts her phone away, not wanting to be reminded of the hate she probably got.

She heard a knock at the door. Meggy got up to answer it, slowly opening the door.

She nearly got a heart attack seeing who it was. There she saw it. 6 and a half feet tall, beautiful blue hair, and shining metallic arm.
She saw her wave, staring up at her. She smiles it off, waving back.

"Hey...how are you feeling?" Tari asks, leaning a bit to meet her precious girl's height.

Meggy shrugs, trying to communicate nonverbally. She holds Tari's hand and brings her inside, sitting her down.
"Why aren't you talking? Does your throat hurt?" Tari asks, worried.
Meggy freezes and nods.
Tari stands up "I know what'll fix that! C'mon. Let's get some soup down your throat. I'm sure it'll soothe the pain. Then we can get some pain meds into you and some cold or flu meds."
Meggy shook her head immediately and pulls Tari back to the chair.
"But Meggy you need to get better..." Tari whimpers.
Meggy tries making hand motions.
"...honey I'm not...understanding.." Tari tried to understand the hand lingo.
Meggy continues, writing letters with her fingers.
Tari couldn't keep up. She just stared at her palms in confusion.
Meggy sighs and holds Tari's hand.
"I'm sorry...I just don't wanna dissapoint you with my voice..." Meggy finally admits.
"Your voice...? No...no it's gorgeous...I love it..." Tari giggles.
"I knew i- wait what...?" Meggy took it by surprise. "I thought you hated it since you thought it was temporary.."
"Temporary? I knew it was permanent, silly. SMG4 told me. Of course I know it's lasting forever." Tari kisses Meggy's forehead.
"But...you like it?" Meggy asks.
"Yes! Of course I do. It's gorgeous, like an Angel's. It's perfect for you. Besides...who cares what you sound like?" Tari giggles "I'll still kiss you and love you the entire way through."
Meggy blushes, looking down and realizing her flaw in judgement.
Tari squeezes her cheeks "c'mon..I'll make you some ramen. I'll even sleep over."
Meggy gets excited "really? For me??"
Tari nods "I'd do anything for you.."
Meggy smiles and hugs her tightly "I love you..."
"I love you too.." Tari whispers, getting up and going to make ramen for the two of them.
Meggy rushes after her to watch eagerly, talking comfortably knowing her voice was heard...and accepted.