Eva POV

Eva had been sat worryingly looking at the depressed man who simply laid in the bed facing right against the wall.

She was worried about his well-being as when she got back to her house yesterday, he seemed to have regressed into an even worse state.

He hasn't wanted to move from the spot he's been in, not even wanting to face away from the wall despite her trying to convince him otherwise.

Eva: Y'know, I bet you're hungry right about now. We can go get whatever food you like. But you have to get up to enjoy it.

She said plastering her face with a smile to try and hopefully convince him to no avail.

Eva: Is there nothing else I can do for you? I know you said you had nowhere else to go, but I assume if you were willing to come to me, some part of ya must've wanted my help...

She said with her head resting on her crossed arms that rested atop her knees.

Eva: I won't give up on ya, so I'm letting you know now, I can get a lot more annoying until you break and eventually move away from that wall to shut me up.

She said with a teasing smile, hoping she could get an instinctual laugh out of him, but was only met with failure.

Eva was worried that she couldn't reach him right now, which was probably the worst thing possible for him right now considering she was the only one he had left. If she wasn't there for him now, she didn't know what he would do next.

Little Buddy popped out from her drawer and hopped down onto the floor in a playful manner.

She gave a bittersweet smile to her faithful companion before petting him.

Little Buddy looked over and noticed (Y/N) on the bed and made a squeaky sound as he hopped onto the bed, expecting some attention before being shut out.

Little Buddy looked at him puzzled before curling up beside (Y/N) and lying with him.

Eva: I guess you've got the two of us here for ya.

She still didn't see any reaction from him, but she hoped the Smallfry's actions helped him in some way at least. She had read online before that therapy pets were a thing and hoped it might work like that.

Just then her phone's notification went off and she reached over for her phone and she read the notification that had appeared.

She contemplated what to do about it for a moment before looking at him, shutting her eyes, and gaining a determined look.

Eva: (Y/N), I've got to go somewhere really quick. I'll be back, but I'm gonna leave Little Buddy with you. I'll be back in no time, so just... take care of yourself for a bit... If you get hungry, I can grab something for you on the way back, just text or call me.

She left hurriedly, hoping to accomplish what she set out for quickly and return to help her hurt friend.

~~~

Elizabeth POV

Elizabeth was exhausted as she sat down, taking a moment to stretch her back.

 Cuttlefish: You done with your work today?

Elizabeth: Yeah, but-

Cuttlefish: No buts! I keep tellin' you you've been overworking yourself for a while now. If you ain't careful, you'll end up like this old timer with an achy back and in need of a cane.

Elizabeth: I don't know, you've been living it up ever since you've just been able to float around as a squid.

Cuttlefish: Yeah, it's a big relief- hey, wait a minute! As your predecessor, I order you to take a break.

Elizabeth: Cool it, gramps, I will. I was just messing with you. I don't want to make you worry, I just like to make sure my work's in order so I've got more free time to do the things I want to do later.

Cuttlefish: Good, 'cause it's about time for my afternoon nap anyway. Go on, git!

Elizabeth chuckled as she got up and stretched before making her way to leave.

Elizabeth: Okay, take care.

She said with a wave that Cuttlefish returned.

~~~

She returned home, happy to be out of the smelly old darb she called her Captain's uniform.

She sat on the edge of her bed, sighing at just... everything.

She went to lay down on her bed and rest with her eyes closed and instantly heard her phone start ringing the moment she rested her head on the pillow causing her to jump up annoyed.

Elizabeth: Just when I was about to get some sleep!

She grabbed her phone and saw she was receiving a video call from Pearl.

Elizabeth was confused by the sudden call from her but answered to figure out what was up.

Pearl: Yo yo!

The small squid appeared on the other end of the video call as Elizabeth was just sitting upright on her bed.

Elizabeth: 'Sup, it's been a while.

Pearl: Yeah. Look, I'm not gonna harp on you right now for not telling us about (Y/N) being missing.

She said with a glare that caused Elizabeth to look shocked and buckle a bit, feeling guilty.

Pearl: Yeah, you're lucky day. Marina convinced me to let you know about him.

Pearl's words started to make Elizabeth's thoughts rush at the ideas of what she could possibly have to tell her, causing her to sit up straight.

Elizabeth: Did you find him?

Pearl sat silent for a minute causing Elizabeth's mind to not know how to interpret it.

Pearl: No...

Elizabeth was disappointed, having gotten her hopes up.

Pearl: But-

Elizabeth looked confused on what else it could be.

Pearl: -I found out he's in Splatsville. Or at least that's where he's been. He's been chumming it up with some people there.

Pearl said the last bit with an emotion on her face that Elizabeth couldn't figure out how to read.

Elizabeth was taken aback by the sudden release of new information. Elizabeth was right to guess where he probably was. He had been so close and she had missed him.

Pearl: But I don't know where he's at now.

Elizabeth: Is he still in Splatsville?

Pearl: I don't know... Maybe? That's where he's been this whole time, but something bad happened. I was too late getting there, and... I'm worried he might've ran away again...

Pearl's eyes looked like they were watering up, but she turned the phone's camera away from herself to hide it.

Elizabeth: Pearl, what happened to him? How did you find this all out?

Pearl: I-... If you find him you can ask him yourself. I failed, but... just bring him home if you can find him.

Pearl ended the video call having said everything she wanted to.

Elizabeth put her hand on her face trying to collect herself.

Elizabeth: First things first.

She switched to her text messages and found Eva's messages.

She texted her, telling her that she now knew he was in Splatsville and that she needed her help to not just keep an eye out anymore but actually help her look for him now as she knew he was there now.

Elizabeth waited for a reply, but instead, she was just left on read.

She didn't understand what was going on, but she couldn't afford to miss her chance right now due to whatever was going on with Eva.

Elizabeth was thinking about what she could do right now before realizing there was only one thing she could do right now.

Elizabeth: And I was looking forward to getting that break too... Sorry, gramps.

She put her shoes back on and ran out the door.

~~~

Shiver POV

Frye still wasn't doing well, but Shiver and Big Man were still trying their best to try and be there for her. However, Shiver was also looking for an opportunity to come clean about this whole situation.

Right now, they were watching her favorite show while she ate some strawberry ice cream.

She still wasn't stuffing her face when eating, but at least she was taking occasional spoonful bites of the ice cream now.

She had reached the end of the ice cream tub she was at and just stared into the empty tub causing Shiver to spring into action.

Shiver: I've got it! Don't you worry!

Shiver exclaimed while snatching the empty tub as she got up to the kitchen to get her another one.

She threw away the empty one and sat there for a moment, resting herself on the kitchen countertop.

She was thinking about this whole situation. Frye was a mess still and Shiver was getting eaten away at by her guilt. And that wasn't helped by the fact that she kept thinking about (Y/N), worried over what he must be going through.

It hurt Shiver to think about how upset Frye was yesterday when Pearl asked about him, causing Frye to lash out. Shiver then imagined how much worse it must've been what she had said right to his face when he told her the lie of what happened.

Shiver: Why couldn't you have just told her the truth, idiot...?

Big Man walked into the kitchen without Shiver realizing it.

Big Man: Ay? (How are you doing?)

Shiver: Terrible.

She stated without even lifting her head.

Big Man placed a fin on Shiver's back.

Big Man: Ay... Ay. (Shiver... I think it's time you told Frye.)

Shiver shot her head upward and looked at him.

Shiver: Already? Do you think she's ready to hear it?

Big Man: Ay. Ay. Ay. (She has to be. And you need to do it. You both need this.)

Shiver knew he was right and wanted to do it, but it still scared her to think of how this would go down. She knew he was right though, and she had to listen to his advice right now.

Big Man: Ayyy. (I'll grab her the ice cream and give you two a minute to talk it out and intervene if it gets bad.)

Shiver: Okay, Big Man. If I die though, you're paying for the funeral. It'll be a big fancy one with overdone decorations that make people remember how much better I was than them.

Big Man: Ay, ay. (Sure, sure, I will definitely make sure of that.)

Shiver went back out to the main room by herself to Frye, ready to confront the consequences of her actions finally.

Shiver: Frye...

Frye looked over to Shiver limply.

Shiver: I've got something I need to tell you that you're not going to like.

Frye looked down disheartened.

Frye: We're out of ice cream, aren't we...?

Shiver: No, no, we've got some. Big Man's getting it for you now. This is a lot worse, but I need you to be prepared to hear it.

Frye kept looking down with a growing concerned look on her face.

Frye: Is it about... him?

Shiver: Yes...

Frye: Is he okay...?

Shiver: I... don't know about that. But what I have to tell you is something else much worse.

Frye looked over at Shiver with a concerned look that told Shiver that Frye was afraid of what could possibly be this bad to warrant a warning such as this.

Shiver: It's about... what happened. There's something you need to know about the whole thing.

Frye turned her head away, not wanting to hear it, but having no choice but to listen.

Shiver: Frye..... It wasn't him that kissed me. I was the one who kissed him.

Frye slowly turned her head toward Shiver upon hearing this with eyes wide of horror.

Frye: You-...

Shiver: I didn't mean to! He pushed me away after I did it too! It's not his fault.

Frye: You-... You. You. Y-You... You let this all go on..?

Shiver: I didn't tell him to lie about it to you! That was all him, and I originally came here to see you thinking he had told you the truth.

Frye was now sitting up straight looking right at her with anger as tears began welling up.

Frye: How could you do this to me?! You didn't tell me this whole time?!

Shiver: I was going to tell you yesterday, but then Pearl interrupted us! I wanted you to know the truth, believe me!

Frye: BELIEVE YOU!?

She had stood up to yell at the Octoling.

Frye: Believe you?! After you've done all this to me?! You ruined my relationship and lied to me about it! After you, my best friend, kissed my boyfriend! The things I said to him, I-... The things I said to him...

Frye covered her mouth as she looked off, calling back to the things she had said.

Frye: Oh my cod, I yelled at him. I- I-

She got angrier and was baring her teeth at Shiver.

Frye: You let me do it!

Shiver stood up with her to plead with her.

Shiver: I didn't want to hurt you!

Frye: All you do is try and take everything from me! I knew you would do this eventually!

Shiver: Take everything? I tried my best to support your relationship! I do everything for you!

Frye: Ohoho, whatever you say boyfriend kisser!

Frye sarcastically yelled through her angry tears.

Frye: All I ever am is the girl next to Shiver! You get everything! And I'm always left to just follow after you as you take everything for yourself!

Shiver: What're you even talking abou-?!

Frye: -EVERYTHING! Every Splatfest, it's such a FUNNY joke how I have to lose every time! "We gotta let Shiver win"! While I have to be the joke every time that everyone makes fun of! Shiver's so beautiful! Look at that gremlin next to her!

Shiver was on the receiving end of Frye's anger. And Shiver could tell it wasn't even just the situation at this point. This is all of her anger she had toward Shiver all at once, and it hurt Shiver to hear this. She knew how some idiots treated her online, but didn't think that got to Frye, nor did she think Frye was this angry over the Splatfests.

Shiver: You care that much about what idiots online say? About losing the Splatfests?

Frye: NO! But when that's all I have to deal with. Every. Single. Time. I'm sick of that being all I am!

Frye took a second to wipe her eyes a bit even though she kept crying.

Frye: For once... someone chose me over you... And you ruined that for me too!

Shiver: What?! Is he a prize to be won now?!

Frye: You tell me! You're the one who couldn't be happy with me having something for once!

Shiver: I didn't- I would never have tried to hurt you! I already told you I didn't mean to do it.

Frye: And yet you did! That's exactly what you did!

Big Man: Ayy. (Frye, I think you should tell Shiver what you did too.)

Big Man spoke from the direction of the kitchen area he was entering from. His statement left Shiver confused.

Shiver: What're you talking about, Big Man?

Big Man: Ayy? (Frye, she took the strength to tell you her secret, can't you do the same?)

Shiver was looking back and forth between the two now, confused as to what he was talking about that was causing Frye to look worried now.

Big Man: Ay. (Frye.)

Frye: OKAY! I overheard you telling Big Man how you felt about (Y/N) and asking for Big Man's help on how to ask him out!

Now it was Shiver's turn to look aghast at Frye.

Frye: I heard you scream, which caused me to go check what was going on. I then listened in and heard you were planning on asking him out! That's why I got worried and quickly invited him out that same day so I could tell him how I felt first!

Frye was now the one looking worried as Shiver was grasping what it was that Frye was revealing to her.

Shiver: You're talking about me trying to steal your boyfriend, but you only got with him in the first place, because what? Because you asked him out to stop me from getting with him?!

Frye: Well, what was I supposed to do?! Who would ever have chosen me over you? When would someone else do something dumb like choosing dumb ol' Frye over the beautiful, perfect Shiver?! I had to tell him how I felt first!

Frye was throwing her hands around trying to justify why she did what she did.

Frye: You get everything! All I wanted was this one thing! I thought you wouldn't even care since you've never cared that way about a person before! How was I supposed to know you actually liked him that much?!

Shiver's eyes had begun to water up now, hearing her best friend treat her feelings so lightly.

Shiver: I get everything?! Why? Because I win some dumb splatfest?! It's just a game! You think my feelings matter so little you thought they were some kind of joke?!

Frye: No, I care about your feelings, but-

Shiver: But you didn't care enough that you just completely disregarded how I feel?!

Frye: W-Well what about you?! You didn't care to hurt me by doing all of this?!

Shiver: Of course I did! I tried so hard to ignore my own feelings because I cared about you being happy! I tried so hard to do that for you! I'm sorry that I accidentally kissed him, I really am! I would never have done that on purpose, unlike you who purposefully ignored my feelings!

Frye: I didn't ignore your feelings! I thought you had gotten over your feelings by how you didn't act badly about it ever, so I thought you were okay!

Shiver: Because I was pretending to act happy for your sake!

Frye: Then how am I supposed to know you were hurting over it?!

The two were both screaming at each other right after the other, both with tear-filled eyes until Big Man cut them both off.

Big Man: A-Ay? (G-Girls?)

Shiver & Frye: WHAT?!

They hounded on which caused him to cower back from the two.

Big Man: A-Ay? (H-Have you two heard what you each said?)

Frye: She's a cold-blooded shark who will ruin her friend's relationship!

Shiver: She's an eel in the seagrass who will snatch anything and everything away from her friend!

They both yelled to answer Big Man's question as they had their arms crossed while facing away from each other with a pout to go with their teary eyes.

Big Man: Ay... Ayyy. (No... You both said you cared about each other and wanted to make sure the other was feeling well.)

The two slumped their arms a bit.

Shiver: Yeah, well...

Frye: That was before I knew-...

Shiver & Frye: She was such a jerk!

Big Man: Ayy. Ay. (You both did something bad to the other, but neither of you did it to try and hurt the other. You two both care about each other too much to ever do something like that on purpose.)

The two both looked over their shoulders at each other to see how sad the other looked from their own actions.

Big Man: Ayy? Ayyy? (You two have said the bad things you did now, but can't you talk it out now without screaming? And try to hear how the other person felt about it without just getting blindly angry at each other?)

Shiver: Maybe a little...

Frye: I can try...

Shiver & Frye: But I still might hit her...

The two looked at each other as they said the last part in tandem, causing them each to let out a short laugh.

The two sat on the couch together, facing right at each other.

Shiver: I'll go first...

Shiver started.

Shiver: Frye, I never wanted to hurt you. That day... I was trying to get a grip on how it felt to like someone... that way. It felt so strange and weird; you know how I've always been about that stuff before. So, it took Big Man almost the whole day to convince me it wasn't bad and it was good how I felt about (Y/N)... just to immediately have that ripped away from me and told I could never have that happy feeling.

Shiver's eyes began watering as she explained the story to Frye, remembering the pain she felt and hid for the better of her friends.

Shiver: I remember crying myself to sleep that night...

Frye looked guilty and as if she was going to cry for doing that to her best friend instead of crying over her own feelings this time.

Shiver: But even so, I never wanted to try and steal him away from you. It hurt to see you two act so... familiar with each other, but I wanted you to be happy. So, I tried to support it and help you out even in spite of the feelings I hid deep down inside me. So, when it comes to what happened over the break...

She started on about the incident that caused this whole mess.

Shiver: Those feelings I had only such a short time to try and understand before I forced them to be ignored within me wanted out when enjoying my time together with him. We had a great day, one I originally planned to have with you two.

She motioned to Frye and Big Man.

Shiver: The only friend I had to hang over the holiday break with was him, who gave me all his attention. And we went to that special spot we all went to before at the end with the beautiful city in the background where he told me how much he cared about me and all that, and... I was just suddenly kissing him in the next moment...

She spat out trying to tell of the betrayal she had made to her friend.

Shiver: I didn't think of doing it, I was just suddenly doing it, and for a moment I forgot about how I had suppressed those feelings until he pushed me away from him. The way he looked at me after... I felt terrible and angry. I felt like the worst friend in the whole world, especially with how it had been something I had wanted before... But I never would've actually done it with you two together. I care too much about you for that.

Frye looked hurt having to hear the details of the specific event, but nodded.

Frye: Okay, my turn...

She began prepping herself to follow her friend's lead and admit her shame.

Frye: I know none of those things matter, but when I'm always barraged by all of those things that feel like they put me down, it can just be a lot... And then there's your attitude of how cocky you act too.

Shiver: I think my speech was more heartfelt than this.

Frye: LIKE THAT! You always act like you're better than me!

Shiver backed down instead of refuting that, giving Frye a chance to keep explaining without cutting her off.

Frye: I know you're smarter than me. I know you're more beautiful than me. I know you're... better. But can't I ever have anything? You're my friend and I care about you, nothing will ever change about that, but do I really gotta just be the second pick for my whole life with you?

Shiver let Frye air her grievances without butting in.

Frye: I had already liked him, but the only reason I didn't say anything was because I didn't want it to become weird between all of us if... he rejected me. So I thought, "Why ruin this friendship for my besties just to get rejected anyway?" But, when I heard you were planning on asking him out yourself... I couldn't let that be taken away too. Even if I get rejected, at least now I felt like I could at least try with a hail mary before he knew he had the better option available...

Frye let out a little chuckle.

Frye: But then he actually said yes! To me! Someone finally wanted me... Maybe he didn't think he had a chance with you...

She had tears coming out as she tried to find some excuse for it, but eventually just shook her head.

Frye: No, he liked me. I know he wasn't faking it.

She said, not wanting to make his feelings seem as if they were so cheap and detached.

Frye: I was worried how you were taking it, but you acted as happy as ever and weren't really acting any different, so I thought you didn't really care that much about him... So, I thought I had made the right choice for all of us... or maybe that's just what I wanted to think...

She finished, letting the three sit in silence now. The two girls understood their friendship and feelings toward each other, but that didn't make it easy. They knew the other cared for them and wouldn't have tried to hurt them, but they still had done something that hurt them and was hard to forgive.

However, they did know one important thing above all else.

Shiver: Frye...?

Frye: Shiver...?

The two hugged.

Shiver & Frye: You DO care!

The two cried it out a bit more.

They broke up the hug and wiped away their tears.

Shiver: I'm not sure how we'll move past this, but I know no matter what, I want to do it with you.

Frye: One step at a time?

Shiver: One step at a time.

Big Man: Ay, ay? (I guess now we're all guilty of a Big Betrayal, ay?)

Shiver & Frye: You're still way worse than us!

Shiver: You've betrayed us on such a large scale multiple times!

Frye: Don't lump us in with you! You're probably already doing something else behind our backs!

Big Man nervously sweated a bit from the two pressuring him.

Big Man: Ay. (Geez, you two make me feel like I've got it worse than even (Y/N) right now.)

Frye: OH MY COD, (Y/N)! Where is he?! I said such hurtful things to him! He must feel terrible right now! Do either of you two know where he is?!

Big Man: Ay. (Not me.)

Shiver: I haven't seen him since... you know. I've been so worried about what could possibly be going on with him now though.

Frye was nervously pacing back and forth.

Frye: And now Pearl knows he's here too, this is not good...

Shiver was reminded of the situation the other day.

Shiver: Why is Pearl knowing he's here bad? Which also reminds me, what was the deal with Pearl's entrance about that yesterday? I don't think you have to worry about her hurting him for you if that's the issue... Unless it's financially.

Frye nervously thought about something in her head before deciding to spill.

Frye: Okay! (Y/N) came here to Splatsville because of Pearl and Marina from Off the Hook! The three of them were friends, but something happened between them which caused (Y/N) to end up here in Splatsville with us to get away.

Shiver: Frye, I think you've got a screw loose. (Y/N)'s here because he was friends with boss Marie and Callie. Something happened between them which caused him to end up here in Splatsville with us to get away.

Frye raised an eyebrow about to say something before they were all interrupted.

Eva: You're both wrong! He was friends with the Captain and Agent 8, but something happened between them to cause him to end up here in Splatsville with you to get away.

Shiver and Frye turned to each other expressionless.

Shiver: Well, at least we can both agree that she's the dumb one.

Frye: Mhm.

Frye nodded.

Eva: Excuse me? I'm the one with the information! Especially since now the Captain knows (Y/N)'s in Splatsville too and wants me to "find" him for her. That's why I came to tell Frye the truth of what happened between Shiver and (Y/N) so that you can forgive him and each other and help me fix everything going on right now!

Shiver: I already told her that and we've come together again.

Frye: It was pretty heartwarming.

Big Man: Ay. (Pretty sure you can scroll up to see it.)

Eva: Oh... Well, I'm still right about it being the Captain who's the one looking for (Y/N) right now! I've got the text message to prove it!

Frye: Pearl literally showed up here yesterday looking for him. I'm clearly the right one.

Shiver: I don't have any proof, but I'm always right, so it's me with the correct information straight from the squid's mouth.

Frye: Well, clearly two of us are wrong!

Big Man: AY! (YOU'RE ALL RIGHT!)

The three girls turned to Big Man.

Big Man: Ayyy! (I didn't think you three wouldn't have just come together to realize he was friends with ALL of them and something happened between ALL of them to cause him to end up in Splatsville here with us to get away!)

Shiver: Wait, huh? Then why didn't he tell us each the full story?

Big Man: Ay! (Because you three didn't ask!)

Eva: Wait, but he told you about all of them?

Big Man: Ay. (Yes.)

Shiver: Well then why the shell did he only tell you?!

Big Man: Ay. Ay. (We dem boyz. You wouldn't get i-)

Frye: -HE DID HAVE ANOTHER BETRAYAL ON THE BACKBURNER! I KNEW IT!

Big Man: Ay-? Ay-! (Wha-? No-!)

Shiver: BIG MAN!

Shiver raised a fist letting Big Man know he'd regret this later.

Eva: So, then it's the Captain and Pearl who both know (Y/N)'s here and looking for him?

Frye: Probably Marina too since I doubt Pearl wouldn't have told her homie somethin' like that.

Shiver: I'm just happy that this means I was the one that protected his secret the best of the three of us since boss Marie and Callie didn't figure out he was here.

She said smugly.

Eva: Yeah, enough smugness out of you, it's still a problem.

Shiver pouted after being shut down.

Eva: Unlike you two, (Y/N)'s still in an absolute mess of a state. He won't eat or anything. I couldn't get him to even move!

Shiver: Wait, you know where he is?

Eva: He came to me for help after what happened, so he's been staying with me.

Frye: That makes sense- LET'S GO GET HIM! I need to tell him it wasn't his fault and how sorry I am!

Eva: Thank you! That's what I came here to do. We can deal with the Captain and Off the Hook issue lat- Wait, so he's friends with three of the most popular idol groups ever? What kind of odds are thos-

Frye: NOW. IS. NOT. THE. TIME. TAKE ME TO HIM! NOW!

She said while shaking Eva.

Eva: Right! Right! Yeah, come with me!

~~~

Eva POV

She had rushed back to her apartment with the three troublemakers behind her. Frye was dragging Big Man along as he got tired along the way.

She got to her door and quickly opened it, happy she could finally fix (Y/N) out of his funk.

When she looked at the bed spot where he hadn't moved from before to stare at the wall... laid just a pouting Smallfry.

Little Buddy noticed Eva at the door and hopped up happily to her, but Eva was too confused by the situation to give him attention immediately.

Eva: He-He's gone. He was there in the bed, not moving. He must've left while I came to get you...

Frye rushed into the room and started checking the whole room for him, which was pointless considering the small size of the apartment that left no real place to hide.

Frye: Nonononono, where is he? Where could he have gone?!

Shiver had a face of self-loathing.

Shiver: Is he-

Frye: -No! Don't say that! He wouldn't leave us!

Big Man: Ay...? (But what if he was told to...?)

Frye had fallen back onto the floor, beginning to sob as she remembered her own words she had screamed at him.

Eva was left looking at the empty room that was filled with the three sad idols, missing their friend along with her.

Eva: I told him I'd be right back...

5141 Words

May 23, 2024 - 5:35 A.M.