Did you know you're my hero?

A good plan(?)

The three of them sat around the table, exchanging looks as a Squid Sister's track plays softly in the background. It was Tide Goes Out, if Eight was remembering right. On of her favorite tracks of theirs.

Pearl drummed her fingers against the table, grinning. "Ok ok, what if, stay with me here, you run at her to see if she catches you."

Marina raised a brow. "How would that prove anything?"

The Inkling smirked. "Come on, you know you'd catch me if I did that to you."

The Octoling rolled her eyes. "I mean, I would, but we're already together. This is about their relationship, not ours."

"Yeah, but like, it'd be cute. And she'd have to be an idiot to pass up an opportunity to hold Eight."

The Octoling in question covered her face in embarrassment.

Marina ignored her and nodded at Pearl's statement as if it was some sage advice. "True, true. But I don't think it's a good starting point, I doubt catching Eight would get her to confess her feelings."

"Oh yeah, I forgot that was the point. Oops." The Inkling replied, tapping her fingers together thoughtfully.

"Um, what if I just ask her? I-isn't that an option?" Eight inquired softly.

Marina regarded her with kind eyes. "I'm sure it is, but you're incredibly shy, sweetheart. Are you sure you'd be able to just go up to her and ask?"

Eight thought about it, tried to imagine herself doing so, only to turn bright red and avert her gaze from the others at the table.

The older Octoling gave her a sympathetic pat on the back.

"Ok, what about a love letter then?" Pearl offered. "You're pretty poetic, aren't ya, Eight?"

Eight smiled. "Though sometimes my words come out wrong, I like to think I can write verse. Even though I need to rehearse..."

Pearl clapped her hands together proudly. "See? That there slaps yo."

The Octoling laughed and scratched her cheek. "I-it's not my best, I-I kinda came up with it on the spot..."

"Either way, it's good! You're a good poet, Eight. You can totally sway Three with a love poem."

Eight considered it for a moment....and then continued to blush. "I-I don't know if I'd be able to get through writing s-something, something so embarrassing." She already had a few rhymes in mind, but she was getting scared again.

Marina rubbed her back. "That's ok, Eight," she reassured, "I'm sure we can come up with another idea."

As Marina and Pearl got lost in plan after plan, Eight found herself losing focus. She didn't feel like anything they were saying really made much sense for her to do, and could only bring herself to reply with a noncommittal noise or two.

She pulled out her phone. Scrolled through her contacts...and proceeded to do something stupid.

[Eight]: Though once in darkness I did roam
[Eight]: A place you gave for hope inside
[Eight]: My heart, deep within, found its home

She sent the messages....and moments later realized the gravity of her existence. She was bright red, the color of her tentacles when she didn't have anywhere to be, and said tentacles were curling spastically in on themselves.

She wondered if she'd be missing anything if she died on the spot.

And then Three replied, and just about splat herself.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: .....? What's that, some kind of poem?

She grabbed a particularly excited tentacles and squeezed it, making extra sure she wasn't just having a nightmare. Ow. Nope, definitely awake, this was apparently her reality now. Oh carp.

[Eight]: yeah, uh, yeah! Is it, uh, good?
[Eight]: just had inspiration hit me I guess

She looked up from her phone to see Marina and Pearl staring at her, concerned and curious expressions respectively adorning their faces.

"Guys the next time I act on impulse I want you cut off all my tentacles." Eight informed them, eyes wide and filled with existential dread.

They looked at each other, then back to Eight. "Uh, we are definitely not doing that?" Pearl replied, she and Marina wearing matching looks of confusion.

Three replied again.

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: Uh, yeah, I like it.
[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: What's it about? I'm not very good with symbolism.

She glanced up nervously at her guardians, who stared back at her, before swallowing her courage and replying. She was tired of having her thoughts drowned out by the sound of her own heartbeat; time to do something about it.

[Eight]: where are you right now, out of curiosity

[🏅🏅Three🏅🏅]: Huh? I'm in Octo Canyon, out by Cuttlefish Cabin. Four and me just switched out for patrol, so I was just taking my break before I head back to the Square. Why?

[Eight]: Can you do me a favor and not go anywhere
[Eight]: I need to talk to you in person

Eight very much had no idea what had come over her, only that she had a fire in her chest that would not go away.

She stood up from the table.

Marina regarded her with increasing concern. "Uh, Eight, are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Or got a sunburn? It could go either way." Pearl added.

Eight turned around and headed for the door. "Never mind all these plans, I'm j-just gonna go talk to her. She said she's in Octo Canyon. I can do this, no more beating around the bush." She clenched her fist. "I-I can, I can do this, I can do this..."

Pearl grinned, standing up from her seat as well. "Woot woot, go get her, tiger shark!" She cheered.

Marina was a tad less excited. "Are you sure you're ok? You were so nervous a moment ago."

Eight turned around slowly, taking a few deep breaths and staring at Marina with pinpricks for pupils. "Wh-what in the world gave you the impression that I'm not nervous anymore?!" She yelped, shaking a little. She'd stopped moving forward now.

Marina got up and grabbed Eight's hand. "You don't...you don't need to do this, you know. If you aren't ready-"

Eight took another deep breath. Then another. She managed to stop shaking after a few more. "No, I'm...I'm ok. Once I see her, I'll be fine. Seeing Three always makes me feel safe." She said the last part a bit quieter, mostly to herself.

Marina heard it anyway, but chose not to comment. "Are you sure you can do this, Eight? It's really ok if you aren't."

The other Octoling gently removes her hand from Marina's, smiling at her. "I'm ready. I promise." She turned back to the door, retracing a path in her head to the grate that lead to the canyon. She'd only ever used it the one time...

Pearl and Marina watched her leave with mixed expressions. Pearl looked eager. "Man, I hope this works out. It'd be a real shame if I had to splat an agent for breaking Eight's hearts."

Marina whipped her head around. She had a small frown on her lips, but hearing that caused a corner to turn up to form a slight smirk. "What, is she our kid now?"

Pearl blushed, turning away stubbornly. "W-well, I mean..."

Marina went over to her, smile only growing. "Awww, Pearlie!"

"L-look, she's cute, and small, and I just want to protect her and junk...th-that doesn't have to be a mom thing..."

The Octoling poked her girlfriend's nose with a chuckle. "I don't know, I think it's cute."

Pearl smirked a little herself. "Pshaw! I'm not cute, I'm intimidating!"

"You keep telling yourself that, Pearlie."