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“She what?!” Hachi stifled her giggles while looking incredulously at a beet-red Marina, covertly employing the flawless camouflage of hiding behind her tentacles.
“Yeah, it gave me a real shock the first night I found her sleepwalking,” Pearl chuckled, looking over to the humiliated Octoling and giving her hand a friendly squeeze. “It’s honestly kinda cute, most the time.”
Hachi laughed at the squeal Marina was making, equal parts embarrassment and infatuation at her partners flirting. She enjoyed the jubilation, the light atmosphere, and the joy at seeing her friends so deeply infatuated with each other, even if something about seeing them act like that hurt a little.
“Dunno when it started happening,” Marina sighed, dropping her tentacles so she wouldn’t be muffled. “Maybe it was back in the Domes and it just never came up, but it usually seems to happen due to stress, like if I stay up all night working on a project…”
“Or, if we’re doing a show,” Pearl continued. “Like, for example,” she waved her hands around her to gesture to the large tour bus they were currently riding in, “a World Tour.”
“Which is why we’re giving you a heads up,” Marina seemed to have fully regained her composure, for the time being. “Embarrassing as it is to mention, we’d rather people be prepared for when it happens, and so people know what to do and what not to do.”
“So, for starters,” Pearl began counting off her fingers, “the big one, numero uno; do not wake her up! I did that when I first caught her and she kinda knocked my lights out.” Marina’s freshly regained composure crumpled at the memory of learning what had happened the morning after.
“Hey, why’re you getting embarrassed, girl?” Pearl laughed, only serving to make Marina’s face flush a darker hue. “Think you unlocked some shit in me that night.”
“Pearlie, please!” Marina begged, claws grasping her tentacles desperately. “This is already mortifying enough!”
“Okay, seriously, don’t mess with her,” Pearl affirmed. “No grabbing, shouting, none of that. Just sorta gently coax her around if you see her, make sure she doesn’t go somewhere she shouldn’t, but hopefully that shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Okay,” Hachi nodded tentatively. “Is it going to be hard to get her to go back to bed?” Marina twisted her tentacles, shooting a glare at Pearl, who was returning the smuggest of grins.
“Well, tell her?”
“Nah, I think you should,” Pearl teased. Marina groaned, dragging her claws down her cheeks.
“So, apparently,” she sighed, “During my sleepwalking, I’m inevitably drawn to… the smell of those I’m very fond of. Which means, I usually find my way into bed with Pearlie.”
“Oh my Cod!” Hachi cried, a joyous smile splitting her face, much to Marina’s chagrin. “That’s adorable! She just subconsciously needs to be close to you?”
“I know, right?!” Pearl agreed enthusiastically. “Cutest shit ever!”
“Point is,” Marina groaned, hoping to divert from the matter entirely, “if you see me walking around unresponsive, now you know why, and know not to get loud. Most the time I’ll be able to find my way to where Pearl and I are bunking.”
“Got it,” Hachi nodded. For as much as Hachi had been teasing Marina, she guessed she was a little jealous; she didn’t think she’d ever had anyone care about her so much as to seek her out. Relationships back in the domes weren’t frowned upon, so long as it was remembered the Empire came first. But while she’d had friendly relations with some in the domes, it never went beyond ‘casual friendship’. No one went out of their way to find her, and why would they?
She wasn’t an exceptional soldier, she wasn’t the fastest or the strongest or the bravest. She didn’t have the prodigal academic prowess and radiant beauty of Marina, nor the unwavering confidence and sharp wit of Pearl.
“Well, that should cover everything,” Pearl announced with a clap of her hands, before checking her phone. “We should be a ways out from Sailine City, so get comfortable for a bit.”
============
Hachi was exhausted when she got to her bed; the performance would be tomorrow, so Off The Hook had taken Hachi to go poke about the city for a bit, enjoy the sights, and some of the local foods. Still, the day had to come to an end, and Hachi felt a wave of relief when she got back to the place she was staying, and not just because of how tired she was. She was way more interested in getting that jealous streak out of her head.
She was kinda used to the pain of seeing her friends so in love, normally it was drowned out by her happiness for the two people she cared about the most. But lately, that little voice of longing was getting louder and louder! Catching glimpses of their kisses, the whispers they kept to themselves, the little moments she thought they were looking at her, a desperate and traitorous want for them to see her the way she saw them beating in her chest… it was all becoming too much to bear!
She even worked up some courage to break away from the girls for a bit - “give them some alone time” - so she could do some barhopping and see if she clicked with someone; even if it was just a casual fling, or something long distance, she’d be happy to try. But though she chatted with a few cute girls, even some that might’ve been interested… she couldn’t bring herself to pursue anything. Something blocked her, a wall’s worth of emptiness sprung up around the thought of her dating any of them, and even the burn of alcohol provided not enough fuel to push any further distance than ‘just friends’.
She groaned into her pillow; maybe she’d have better luck in the next city? It would’ve been easiest if she could date someone from Inkopolis. Shell, she’d had a small crush on Four for a while, and she might’ve tried to ask her out if she didn’t see Callie Cuttlefish herself planting a big kiss on Four’s lips a couple days after Hachi had first moved in.
With a sigh, she rolled into her duvet, and closed her eyes, trying to push out stinging thoughts from her mind…
============
Fish danced and raced around her sandals in the shin-deep water. The chill of the sea breeze tangoed with the hem of her sundress, spattered with tiny diamond droplets. The warmth of the sun wrapped all around her, despite the sky being pitch black. Not like it mattered; Hachi wasn’t looking at the sky, or the fish, or anything except the two girls kissing not a few metres away, seeming to rock in motion with the waves.
Hachi’s claws grasped at the skirt of her dress, her beak clenched as she watched Pearl and Marina’s hands glide across shoulders, backs, hips, eyes closed in unquenching passion. She screamed at herself to look away, to gaze upon anything that would hurt to witness so much less, the diamonds of the sea spray turning to tears running down her face. Pearl’s hands wandered down the small of Marina’s back and- Hachi tore herself away, squeezing her eyes shut and whirling on her heel, refusing to watch any more. They were her friends, they loved each other, she shouldn’t… she couldn’t keep watching, not when it hurt so-
“Hachi?”
A voice, cool and inviting, from just in front of her. Hachi’s eyes shot open, shocked to see Pearl in front of her.
“We’ve been looking all over for you,” she smiled, voice like honey in her ears. She squeaked as she felt arms and tentacles wrap around her shoulders, feeling a warm body press against her back.
“Come on, Hachi,” she heard Marina’s sing-song voice behind her, “We wanted to spend this tour with you.”
“I-I-I d-didn’t want to get in the way,” she stammered. “Th-this is your tour, you wanted to take it together!”
“Together,” Pearl agreed, stepping closer, a hand rising from her side to rest on Hachi’s hip, “with you.”
“You’re a dear friend of ours,” Marina giggled, and heat rose in Hachi’s face as Marina’s hands slipped down to caress her waist, “and you’re so close to both of us.”
“And maybe,” Pearl added, her voice a husky rasp, “we could get closer.”
“Wh-wai-no!” Hachi panicked, hearts drumming a staccato in her chest. “Y-you two love each other! N-not-”
“Shhhh,” Pearl’s finger gently pressed against Hachi’s lips, and she swore she could stay drowning forever in that gorgeous stare Pearl was giving her. “Stop following your guilt.”
“Listen to your hearts,” Marina chimed in, electricity jolting through her being at the feeling of her breath on her ears. Heat rose in her cheeks, as Pearl brought her face closer to hers, and Hachi closed her eyes…
… and as she opened them again, she stared across the hotel bedroom out the door, left ajar.
She frowned bitterly. What a cruel joke her brain was making at her expense, teasing her with fantasies of being loved, of having someone love her…
Of having Pearl and Marina love her.
Tears burned in her groggy eyes; there was that spark in her chest, now burning bright as a star. She wasn’t just looking for love; she was looking for their love. Love that they had already offered to each other. Really, how selfish, to pine for those who already have someone to love. They’d been clear on that since day one; Pearl and Marina were made for each other, there was no way either of them would throw that away for her. There’s no way Hachi would let them.
And so her mind had deigned to torment her with dreams and wants, things she knew she’d never experience for real, all to leave her with a burning want for what couldn’t be. It would almost be enough to make her cry; even now, she could still see the desire in that dream Pearl’s eyes, hear the dream Marina’s breath in her ear, feel the weight of-
Hold on. She actually could still feel-
“Mrmmm…”
Whatever warmth of longing and heartache had dwelled in Hachi turned to ice in her veins as she snapped awake. And now awake, she couldn’t mistake it as the fading imprints of dreams; there wasn’t mistaking the strong arms cradled around her belly, the gentle, tender curling of tentacles tangling with her own, the content mumbles of…
“... Marina?” the whisper out of her mouth was so soft she almost didn’t hear herself. Marina didn’t respond, not in anyway that suggested ‘awake’ or ‘aware she wasn’t Pearl’. Hachi was preparing to shift around and wake her up, when she remembered exactly what she’d been told on the tour bus.
Was Marina… had Marina been sleepwalking?!
This was bad. Hachi’s hearts began to thump in her chest as anxiety flooded her system. This was really bad. Cods, what was Marina even doing here?! What would she say when she woke up? What would Pearl?! Oh Cod… what if they broke up over this?! What if-
She didn’t know how she didn’t scream at the sound of the gentle rapping on her door, the high-pitched squeak that emerged instead did not seem to rouse Marina.
“Hey… hey Hachi?” a hesitant whisper emerged from a voice Hachi would never associate with whispering. “You awake in there?”
Pearl. Oh Cods, no.
“I’m sorry, I gotta come in.”
“Wait, Pearl, don’t-” Hachi’s hearts sank into the floor as the door creaked open softly, and the alabaster head of one Pearl Houzuki emerged slowly, an uneasy expression across her face. Too late; it’d all be ruined now.
She just hoped Pearl didn’t hate her too much.
Soft footfalls, like a cat, approached the side of the bed, and suddenly, Hachi was face to face with Pearl. But… in the pale moonlight, it was strange. She’d expected rage, tears, betrayal. Instead, Pearl seemed… not quite relaxed, but not upset?
“Hey Hachi,” Pearl muttered hoarsely, a cautious smile creeping across her face. “So, see you’ve made a friend there.”
“I’m sorry, Pearl,” Hachi whispered desperately. “I- she didn’t- this-” A finger found its way across her lips, and Hachi fought hard to not think about the look dream Pearl had given her.
“Hey, don’t worry, girl,” Pearl shrugged. “Ain’t no one in trouble, least of all you. This is just… I dunno, prob'ly gonna be an awkward talk… If not now, then tomorrow…”
Hachi was so confused.
“Well, how do I put this,” Pearl fidgeted. “I figure I got a good guess as to what’s happened here. Y’remember what I said about gettin’ Marina back to bed?” Hachi frowned as she wracked her brain, remembering the instructions she’d gotten…
During my sleepwalking, I’m inevitably drawn to… the smell of those I’m very fond of.
Well, that didn’t help; Hachi didn’t smell anything like Pearl, so there’s no way Marina would mix the two up, so why was she-
Oh. Oh, no.
“Drawn to those she’s fond of,” Hachi breathed in horror.
“And turns out,” Pearl giggled quietly, “‘those she’s fond of’ includes you.”
Hachi winced at the revelation. “Wh… why aren’t you upset.” Pearl, again, shrugged.
“Kinda already knew.”
What?
“Kinda shared the opinion.”
What?
“Kinda wanted us to talk about it with you,” Pearl concluded. “Y’know, when we were all awake, and not just springing something on you out of the blue, and not…” Pearl paused to gesture wordlessly to the sleeping Marina, who only seemed to pull herself closer.
“So, now we get to the awkward part,” Pearl’s usual confidence seemed to wane a bit, “where I say ‘sorry’ coz- yeah, it feels like this is prob’ly the worst way to spring it on ya. Didn’t want you to feel any pressure, or trapped or- and now-”
“B-but,” Hachi stammered, “y-you guys… I thought you loved each other.” Pearl blinked incredulously at her. Then, a hiss of a laugh, a wince that told Hachi exactly how painful it’d been for Pearl not to burst out laughing, and a comforting smile.
“We do, Hachi, ya silly,” a hand lightly tousling her tentacut. “We always have, and we always will. We just wanted to see if… you’d let us love you too? No pressure.”
It sounded too good to be true. Pearl saying they wanted to date her - not Pearl, not Marina, but both of them - while Marina all but confirming she wasn’t lying.
“B- Why? I’m just… just Hachi…”
“‘Just Hachi’, she says,” Pearl scoffed, shaking her head. “Yeah, you’re ‘just Hachi’. Just ‘the girl who took down an entire metro of zombies to reach the surface’. Just ‘the Dynamo who saved Inkopolis from a death laser’. Just ‘A woman whose ferocity, tenacity, and determination has been something both me and Marina have admired since the day we met her’. Y’know… ‘just Hachi’.” Tears were welling in Hachi’s eyes as Pearl reached up to swipe them away.
“You’re amazing, Hachi. Anyone’d be crazy not to know it. Marina and I sure know it. So, whaddaya say? Wanna give it a shot?”
A tearful grin spread across Hachi’s face. “Yeah,” she nodded. “I really do.” Her hearts soared at the way Pearl beamed, darting a kiss to her forehead.
“So, uhhh,” Hachi looked behind her, “how do we disentangle Marina and get her back to bed with you?”
“Hmmm, got an idea, if you’re open to it,” Pearl grinned, then leaning in closer to whisper in Hachi’s ear, as the Octoling flushed bright red. A pause, and Hachi nodded. With a grin, Pearl crawled into bed with the two Octolings, curling up against Hachi’s chest.
“Ohh, boy,” Pearl mumbled, “tomorrow’s gonna be fun. Marina’s gonna freak, probably. Y’think she was embarrassed on the tour bus? Nothing compared to what she’s gonna wake up to.”
“Yeah, sorry,” Hachi agreed sheepishly.
“Hey, don’t you worry about that,” Pearl poked her nose. “We were gonna cross this bridge one way or another. Just… weren’t expecting to cross it this way.”
“Maybe… I’m glad, though, y’know?” Hachi smiled. “I was… kinda jealous of you two, kinda jealous I wasn’t with you two. Spent half the evening worried I was being a bad friend for feeling like that.”
“Well, lucky you, y’get to love both your friends,” Pearl giggled, nestling into the pillows. “G’night, Hachi.”
“See you tomorrow, Pearl.” Then, with a cheeky grin, she whispered to Marina.
“G’night, Marina.”
Marina mumbled in response.