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There were many reasons to hate Agent Four, her big self satisfied grin, her over confidence, her lame jokes. Right now Three couldn’t really pick one individual thing to be mad at Four about when her every existence was an affront to her.
The incident happened just a few moments ago
While the agents had finished another long day of work they were resting at Cuttlefish cabin when Four said, “I’ve known both of you guys for a little while now and I think you’re both really fun and exciting inkfish, I want to see if we would work together.”
Three couldn’t believe what she was hearing, Four couldn’t be serious. “You mean like a date?”
That idiot without a moment of fear or hesitation said. “Yeah like a date. Dating is all about getting to know someone on a more intimate level, so I would like it if you two would consider wanting to get to know me on a more intimate level.”
“I am still new to inkling customs, is that normal?” Eight tilted her head to the side, her brow furrowed.
Before Three could speak Four spoke.
“Going on dates, yes, asking two inkfish out at the same time, eeeeh, no,” Four looked away and rubbed the back of her head. “I like you both and don’t want either of you to think I’m cheating on you, so the best solution is to ask you both out at the same time.”
Four’s body sifted, becoming more rigid; her eyes held a fire in them. “I really think both of you are wonderful and want to get to know you two, if you’d give me the chance.
With that the tornado in squid form left the two agents to their own devices.
Three and Eight watched her leave. The air was tense as neither knew what to say.
“She is an odd one, correct?” Eight said.
Three nodded. For the past two months agents, Three, Four, and Eight had become a team working half as a reconnaissance unit and a refugee transport unit working to protect Inkopolis from threats. In that time Three had become friends with her fellow agents.
Four was a bolt of energy. She was funny, always able to tell a joke to lighten the mood. She was ambitious, chasing after her dream of being a doctor. She was also dangerous under that vaneer of light heartedness there was the Wizard of Octo Canyon able to splat another living creature.
Eight was like the ocean calm on the surface, but she could turn turbulent in a moment. She was so infatuated with the surface and life trees, birds, the beauty of nature, that Four and her took for granted seemed so much more when Eight was around. She was always open to trying new things. Her fear of rejection was something Three wanted to protect her from.
Three had begun to see them as her friends. Their happiness was infectious and it warmed her hearts. Sometimes she’d hold on to Four’s hugs longer or want to be the one to hug her first. Sometimes she’d think about how cute Eight’s accent was, and want to reassure her that she shouldn’t try to erase one of her most endearing feature. Sometimes she wondered if they might like her as more than just a friend.
Three looked to Eight. They were at one time enemies, then coworkers, then friends. Things had been awkward for Three, she didn’t know where she stood with Eight and now she had to deal with this bull shrimp.
“Are you going to take her up on her offer?” Three asked. It was cowardly asking Eight indirectly if she liked Four, but a part of her had always felt jealous of Four and Eight being the same age, it was less weird to date someone your own age. She felt left out of them being in the same grade, in the same school.
Eight fiddled with her hand. “I don’t know. Dating is like Four said it was, a way to judge compatibility, yes?”
“Yeah.” Three said, Four always seemed to just vibe with everyone, compatibility was never an issue for her unlike Three.
“It’s also true that asking two squids out at the same time is bad, because of love triangles, correct?”
Three didn’t really know. She might have gotten more sociable because of Callie, but interpersonal relationships were still hard for her. “Kinda, I think you can get away with it if you tell both girls at the same time, like she did. We can’t say she’s cheating or leading us on if we know she’s going on a date with another inkfish.”
Eight nodded taking in the information provided to her. Her face had a pensive look to it. “I see.”
“And will you be taking Four up on her offer?”
“I don’t know,” she said, she liked Four, but would they work out?
“Do you like her?”
There it was the question she’d been avoiding. She liked Four, she was great, but she also liked Eight. She couldn’t ask two girls out at the same time.
Unlike that idiot!!!!
Three looked at Eight.
Eight looked at her.
That idiot, that cute, funny, loveable, idiot, got to ask her and Eight out just because she had no concept of shame.
Three could feel her competitive nature flare up. That idiot just stormed in and took whatever she wanted whenever, well two could play that game.
The green inkling smirked, spreading her arms out. “Well, it’s like Four said, dating is all about trying to see if you are compatible with another so, I don’t see the harm in a date.” Three could see a twinge of emotion flash in Eight’s eye. “But, I don’t see why she’s the only one who gets to ask two girls out.”
Eight looked curiously at Three, the octoling’s eyes were so shiny. Were they always so bright?
Three could feel her cheeks hurt from how big her smile was. “Hey, Eight wanna go on a date with me too? He he he.” Three laughed, doing her best Agent Four impression hoping her false confidence would work.
Eight covered her lips trying to hold back a flurry of giggles, and said something Three would remember for the rest of her life.
“I would love to go on a date with you.”
Three smiled like a fool. “Great, wonderful, I will go on a date with you and Four,” she said, her hands flailing about. “Not at the same time. Separately. I will go on a date with you and Four separately.”
Eight smiled the same coy grin she had when she apologized to her on her face. “Yes, I will go on a date with you and Four, separately.”