Content warning(s): Major Character death, Hurt/NoComfort, depiction and description of death, war.
Special thanks: I would like to thank my friend lemon for brainstorming this idea with me, and listening to me yap about it. As well as the Fanfic Author who came up with the idea of Octavio being shot during war infront of Craig. I have not read it personally and i dont know who it was, but Lemon told me about it so i thought it would only be appropriate to at least mention the original source of the idea.
Octavio and Craig finally had a day off within their busy schedule to spend some time together at their faveourite little place. It isn’t often they are able to spend thier days like this because of their important roles in their respective land and country. For once, Craig is one of the most important lieutenants serving the squidbeak splatoon, while Octavio controls the regime of the TAKOWASA shogunate in OCTO Valley. Both of their words weight more than gold when it comes to political and military decisions.
One would believe they were each others greatest enemies, yet again others will see a beautiful relatio ship between two men. Many had said they have not seen a better couple since decades and to come.
Craig and Octavio were looking forward to this day for weeks now, exchanging letters for thier shared organization to make this special day just perfect.
„You got everything?“ Octavio asked while his son, Wasabi, yanked at the sleeve of his kimono to hurry up and get moving. The little man wants to snack on the candy he was promised by Craig.
„Of course, I have. Got an inkling brain but it is still functional.“
„I doubt it. All the cigarettes and alcohol made you dumber.“
Craig gave Octavio a playful-hurt look before they fall into laughter and moved along.
The little takowasa was an eager one to get to the grassfield. You cannot blame him however, he is just a small little cute child (and Craig promised him some of hissing faveouite candies. He may be the future shogunate heir of the TAKOWASA clan but he is nothing but a child at heart still). He was so impatient Octavio and Craig both took each one of his hands to keep him in place as not for him to run off.
Meaningless gossip started between them two, talks and discussions about work and their shared friends had them giggling and going back-and-forth naturally. Although being away for some months, their talks flow as naturally as if they weren’t ever parted for longer than a few hours.
Craig brought the blanket and beverages to the little pick-nick while Octavio brought the food and a parasol. The sun can be pretty harsh, and knowing Craig he wont ever bring sunscreen with him. It would be a miracle if he doesn’t dry up by the age of 50.
Craig kneeled down when he found the perfect spot on the grassfield. Setting up the blanket and the parasol Octavio brought, he began to also drink his favorite beer.
Cannot be a middle-aged man and not drink his well deserved beer while going out. He may be an inkling, but he is not an animal. He needs his beer to start the day, as he would say.
While Craig set up the spot and drank his beer, Octavio watched wasabi play in the grassfield. It is a wonderful and cute sight to behold because Wasabi is Octavios pride and joy. Seeing his son happy makes him happy, no matter what situation Octavio himself might be in.
Wasabi ripped out the grass and threw it into the air, twirling and laughing with a childlike lilt to his voice.
Octavio clapped his hands enthusiastically with his playfullness and encouraged him to play more.
After a few passing moments and Craig’s trying to understand the manual to set up the parasol, he finally got the spot ready to sit on. Blanket? Ready. Food? On plates, and served. Drinks? Of course! Craig got it all finished.
„You did a great job.“ Octavio praised his partner.
„Yeah, i know“ Craig grinned and lit up at Octavio cunningly. His toothy smirk and lucious eyebrows making Octavio blush a little. He slap his arm lovingly to stop being as flirty.
Wasabi didnt mind his fathers one bit ignored their playful little snickering, and dived right into Craig’s jacket he left on the blanket. Finding what he was searching for, his beloved snack: CRABBY CAKES with extra sugary filling.
„OH NO! YOU DONT!“ Octavio yelled out, and reprimanded his son for simply going into Craig’s jacket without asking, and trying to snack before he ate an actual meal.
Wasabi pouted and took the chopsticks Octavio held out as he sat down on the blanket.
Craig just laughed wholeheartedly and invited himself to them as well. Wasabi sat in the middle of them two.
Octavio brought many different kinds of food , both, his son and Craig, would like. He had a hard time preparing them a day prior because they are actually very grotesquely picky when it comes to food items. Depending whether it has acceptable texture or taste, both of them will either Love or hate it.
Snacking away at their food and enjoying each others presence, the atmosphere was wonderful. Sharing food and letting wasabi talk about the most none-sense things brought a smile on both of the males.
„And then I played ball with the kid from the nice servant lady. I forgot his name but he was really nice and we played all evening!!“
Wasabi told them about his little adventures while eating and drinking vigorously. He spilled a little of his juice on his kimono and as Octavio was about to pick a napkin and clean it off of his son, Craig already beat him to it without even needing to ask him to do it. It is truly the little things that make Octavio love Craig a lot.
„Need to be more careful, sunny. It will stain.“ He said as he cleaned Octavios son off of any spilled drinks and left over crumbs from the delicious food.
Octavio looks at Craig as if he would fall in love for the first time again. Even though Wasabi isn’t Craigs biological son, he still treats him as if he was his own. Looking at both of his favorite people on earth, on the little grass field, made him feel so much content his tentacles tarted to curl in itself.
When they were finished eating, Octavio allowed his son to dart off but still be close so if anything happened he would be able to dart straight to him. Wasabi took his own little play-bag and ran off to do what children always do, play and be a little mischevious.
As Wasabi ran off, Craig and Octavio made themselves comfortable, enjoying each others presence and careessing each other lovingly.
Talking about the most mundane and unimportant things known to man, they could not be happier than in the very moment in their shared embrace.
Craig laid his head on Octavios lap and started making noises Octavios loves a lot about him. The growl like purring noises emitting from his partner gave him a feeling of pure contentment and love. It reminds him of Rottweilers.
Octavio talked about his palace life and how everything is getting way too boring, his time being swept away from spending with Wasabi, and barely sleeping if at all. Craig reincorporated and told him about his problems at work back in squid county.
As they talked about their problems, complained and gossiped away, Octavio combed Craig’s hair with his sharp nails. It felt so good on Craig’s skin his tentacles turned a rather orange hue. He knew Craig only took this color when he felt blissfully happy. It made Octavio feel proud to make his lover and hopefully soon future husband. Caressing his cheeks lovingly as he spoke, Octavio cut between his speech.
„Your eyes are beautiful.“
It caught Craug off-guard and made him feel squeazy. He blushed hard his so his tentacle stripes became ever so visible, and his color became much more vibrant. If he could he would hide away. It is rare for a man like Craig to be treated with so much care and tenderness since he works in the military. Barely, more so none at all, would ever say something like this to him unless they want him to beat him up.
With Octavio, it is very much different. He loves it when Octavio calls him pretty, attractive or any more so feminine compliments. It is a wonderful change of pace. It makes him feel wanted, love and needed. He loves Octavio and so did Craig him.
Craig reached out his hands to touch Octavios cheek as well. Octavio leaned into the touch and looked at him with so much love.
„And i think your ass is sexy-„, while he used his hands to make grab motions as he maintained a serious face.
Octavios mood was instantly soured. Craig laughed hard and loud, he even had to hold his belly because it started to ache from the excessive laughter. Octavio stood up and let Craig fall on the soft cushion of grass and the blanket. Hitting his head didnt hurt at all through the laughter.
Wasabi in the background could not give one care in the world. He was busy digging holes and playing with the insects.
„Awww dont be like that, Tavi. You think im so romantic, and you luv me <3.“, flashing puppy eyes up to Octavio.
The shogun cannot be angry at his lover for long, and quite frankly, it was very much funny. He would be dead before he would admit it, however. They both started giggling and getting sitting on the blanket again. Craig on Octavios lap, they stayed like this for a while. In pure silence, they found comfortablility.
Octavio slowly put his forehead on Craigs forehead and closed his eyes. He loves to be in the presence of Craig, and so does Craig with Octavio. Their breaths became calmer and their mouths got closer and closer.
Their shared kiss was soft, it was full of love, it was perfect. Smiling against each others lips, Craig searched for Octavio’s hand to hold dear and close to him. It was a magical moment between the two of them.
Holding each others hands, Wasabi suddenly appeared and hopped right onto Craig, aughing hysterically. Craig took Wasabi and started to playfully wrestle with him, pretending to be knocked out cold by him, too. He loves Wasabi as if it were his own.
Although the moment between them was cut short, it was one of the most heartfelt they had ever had, and the last one they will share.
The sight before Ocatvio shock him to the core. His men fallen, soldiers hurt or dead, murdered by the inkling troops as if they were obstacles to get rid of, laying on the ground. One can barely count the dead soldiers that faciate the grass field under Octavios feet.
Blood, misery, sadness and rage everywhere his eyes lay upon.
Octavio lead his troops since weeks throughout their territory close to the inkling borders. Barely any water or supplements. Medics were called on their way but he doubts they will come in time to help the hurt.
He felt like he was fighting for centuries, but were nothing but minutes of combat Intervalls between each fight. He was heaving heavily, injured and his heavy armor seemed to weight a few tons more each second. He was growing tired and the situation at hand still has not stabilized. The soldiers he had aided were lucky and were able to stand on their own as of now.
Octavio swings his katana around him as if it was nothing to him, fueled by adrenaline and worry for his people he stayed on the battlefield despite his wounds the inkling inflicted on him.
Half his armor is broken, his left arm heavily injured, and yet his people are still in need of help he simply cannot ignore.
As Octavio was running to aid his people on the grass field, his eyes stood still on a familiar body laying on the ground. It was not any of his soldiers he personally trained, neither any octoling as far as he remembers. No, it was the one person he could never forget the face of.
Octavio stood in shock, barely processing the sight before him. Craig trying to claw himself away from the motion around him. The gunshots and screams of the people were barely audible As he watched Craig pathetically move across the battlefield.
The distressed shogun yelled across the other side of the grassfield. But he was too far away for Craig to hear him in anyway. Aftrer nearly straining his voice, he began to run past through the enemies troops, ignoring gun shots completely, and ignoring all his injures and blood gushing from his wounds.
Craig was still clawing the ground, his nails bleeding from trying to move his body away.
„Craig, oh god. Craig, what are you doing-„
Octavio quickly yanked on Craig’s clothes, turned him around and ignored his flimsy attack. Craig didnt know it was Octavio holding him against his chest, so he tried to protect and defend himself with one of his still functioning hands.
Craig still couldn’t hear Octavio through the pain inflicted by Octavio’s solider troops. He had a slit abdomen, countless wounds around his torso and his arm. Even his face is full of cuts, dirt and blood. It looked disgusting. His clothes beyond recognition, aside from his medals which early give away that he was part of the enemy.
Oh, Craig loves his medals, Octavio knew oh so well.
„Shush, I am here. It’s Octavio, I am here. Im holding you.“ He whisper-yelled into Craigs ear. He held Craig as tight as he could to calm him down. When he figured that Craig would stay still and stop moving frantically he let him down gently, while still holding him firm in his arms. His head close to Octavios chest, he opened his tired eyes and looked up to his face.
Octavios eyes quickly lit up when he heard his hoarse voice.
„YES! Yes, its me. Im here.“
„Stay with me, please. Everything hurts. I want to go home.“
Octavio couldn’t hold back the pain in his face as he heard Craigs pained voice emitting from his throat. It hurt to speak.
„Shh, everything is okay. I will get you home. But, first we need to attend to your wounds. They are horrible“
Craig nodded along, and let Octavio put torn clothes around his most deadly wounds. The kimono cloths Octavio ripped from his clothes took on the color of blood much quicker than he had hoped. They dripped with Craigs blood in an instant.
Octavio shielded his lover. Towering over him, using his broad stature with the help of his heavy armor so no one can see what the two of them are doing. A little bubble of privacy was created which nothing in the world was able to break.
Craigs heavy and pained breathing distressed Octavio immensely. He di not know what he was supposed to do at the moment. His lover and most beloved person he has ever met bleeding out in his arms, and his own people of the octo kingdom dying around like flies.
He didnt know how to wager this situation. What was he supposed to do, why cannot someone come to him and decide for him? Why does he always have to choose what to do, what others are supposed to do? Why is every existing responsibility depended on him?
He looks at Craig’s face contort in a grimace. He is losing blood quickly. The shoguns hands are full of blood trying to still the flow, so he can save more seconds to think what he can do.
„I.. I-I, i dont know what to do… please help me,,, anyone.“
He held onto Craigs wounds more tightly, holding him closer to his chest and breathing frantically, till a piercing thought came to his mind.
The more seconds pass the more it dawns on Octavio what he needs to do. What he is supposed to do and fulfill as the head of the OCTO kingdom. He is acting selfish by sitting here, and explicitly tending the wounds of the enemy.
The more he thinks this through, the more absurd it sounds to him. The Shogun tending the wounds of the enemy, crying tears and worrying for his health. What a joke. Octavio Takowasa, nothing but a joke to his nation. His people died for nothing. Enemy sympathizer and traitor.
The thoughts kept spiraling in his head, echoing through his mind like an echo-chamber. The thoughts keep running, sprinting and screaming inside his head till he concludes what is best to do. He knows what he has to do. Octavio needs to fulfill his duty as the protector of his people, as a king, as a SHOGUN of OCTO VALLEY.
Wasabi, his one and only son died months back. Devastated by his sons death he was brought back once again to the pitiless feeling of despair after seeing Craig suffer so much. His son died through the inklings hand, politic excecution, they say. He was a child, he had no part of any political disagreement the takowasa shogunate has with the inkling government.
Driven by grief, he came to the conclusion.
The death and suffering of one person is no greater than the suffering of a whole nation.
The shogun slowly loosened his grip on Craig, and looked at him through tears in his eyes.
Octavio slowly put his bloodied forehead on that on Craig’s. Closing his tired and worn eyes, tear droplets falling onto Craig’s scarred cheeks.
„Please let me be selfish… Just this once.“
As he uttered those words his lips touched those of Craig. They were chipped, the kiss was unconventional, uncomfortable and desperate. But, it was the softest and most loving kiss Octavio had ever given to Craig in all the years he had known him.
Octavio unsheathed the bloodied katana from the shaft and angled it at Craig’s most vital point. Slowly sinking in he made sure to cut through the most important muscles. Craig felt nothing of the blade immersing itself in him due to the heavy wounds and adrenaline keeping him barely awake.
„When we… are back home. I will give you thousands of these“, he said tiredly. he looked at Octavio through half-lidded eyes. Oh, how lovely those eyes are to Octavio.
When Octavio heard this he started to cry uncontrollably. His make-up dripping from his face as he kept looking at the face Craig made.
He expected a face of hatred, betrayal or sadness, but all that was on Craigs face was what could be described as pure love. He looked at Octavio as if they were on that grass field all the many years ago.
Craig began to cuddle up to Octavio even more, closing his eyes as he muttered one last thing. Through the turmoil and emotions wishing the shogun he could barely make out what his lover has said. He didnt catch his lovers last words. The grip on Craig made his knuckles turn white, He didnt want to let him go.
„I love you.“, Craig whispered as he took his last breath.
He started to panic when he realized he could not make out what Craig had said to him before he died. It made him cry and scream into his dead, and slowly cold turning body. Octavio begged Craig to please say it again. That he will listen this time, that he will shut up and listen.
He shock Craigs limp body.
Octavio looked at him pathetically and desperately. Leaving wet snoot and tears all over Craigs soft and emotionless face. It looks like as if he is sleeping soundly.
„Please, say it again. I am sorry, please. I will listen.“
Craigs expression was void of any pain. He was laying there in Octavios arms, just like the many years ago and the many times they shared before the beginning of war.
It looked like as if he was simply sleeping. Ready to wake up at any moment and spend the day with him in the palace. It is as if they were back home, cuddling before starting their shared day. Craig going to his office, Octavio taking his duties as the Shogun, and little Wasabi taking along with whomever he feels like it at the time.
They would annoy each other each morning but still end up hugging and kissing nonetheless throughout the lazy morning. Craigs expressing lighting up each time he would see Wasabi and welcome him with a big hug under their warm covers.
It would be the perfect morning to wake up to.
It wasn’t meant to be, was it?
Octavio held onto him as long as he could. Feeling as if its just the two of them in the world he slowly puts Craig’s limp body on the grass field. Taking his captain hat off, combing his hair with his hand and caressing his cheek as gently as he could, Octavio started to falter into a sobbing mess. Meeting foreheads he cried uglier and uglier till Craig’s peaceful face was full of tears tainted by Octavio’s make-up even more. It looked like a mess.
He wiped off Craig’s face with his ragged kimono one last time before he stood up and left him to rest. Taking Craig’s beloved scarf, hiding it in his wielding hand, he went into the battle once more. This time not as Octavio Takowasa, but the Shogun.
The fight went on for quite some time, but the victory laid clear in the octoling favour.
He realized what he had done, but there was no going back now. He has a duty to fulfill as the Shogun of the octolings and octarians, to protect them at all costs.
Octavio goes up to his people on a higher ground to properly address all the soldiers which are still present, and so everyone can listen to him and his preach. The inklings loosing the battle indefinitely and returning to their bases with many casualties and loses. He announced that the ocotlings are the victors.
„The days of inkling rule, the misery ended. No more false promises.“
„I have led us all to victory and a beautiful future of freedom. Our freedom shall rule over others, and we shall now live in prosperity and peace.“
Yelling into the battlefield with a voice he didnt know he had himself, he made his new stance as the righteous ruler of octo kind clear. His everlasting regime and rule will shine upon those slimy inklings. He looked into the distance in disgust when he thought back to what the inklings would had done to his people he deemed as close as family if they were to lose the Great Turf War.
„Follow me, and you will never fear of being discriminated against, to be put underground like vermin’s, like PESTS.“
He remembered when Craig had warned him of the plans the inklings put into motion. They tried to put them underground as if they would survive or thrive in anyway, If it were not for Craigs kind-hearted nature Octavio would have never found out otherwise. The day Craig told him about their plans he was enraged, disgusted and quite frankly speechless. He couldn’t believe they would be as evil as to lock them away like dying working animals. Even less than animals, rats, monsters.
The rage filled him with so much emotion, the sentences just flowed out of his mouth naturally. Mirroring how he felt, his speech became the pillar for his people.
With determination, grieve and hatred he built himself up. His eyes filled with hatred unbeknownst to mankind. His hatred fueling his speech into an emotional and heartwrenching speech which makes the blood of those inklings who heard it run cold.
The octarians cheered and celebrated. Shouting with Octavio in agreement.
With one last deep breath for his speech, Octavio struck his fist into the air. So did his people, and his army. Flags were hissed and the celebration of the Great Turf War has come to an end. The TAKOWASA sigil was seen everywhere. It was the most prideful display of the TAKOWASA clan since centuries, and to come.
Octavio clutched the stolen, bloodied scarf from Craig in his other hand and began to shout loudly to his people.
„I. AM. OCTAVIO TAKOWASA. RULER AND SHOGUN OF THE VICTORS, OCTARIANS AND OCTO KIND.“
Celebration all across the battlefield was heard. Yelling, bickering, screams of happiness, brothers and sisters holding onto one another crying for a more beautiful future without fear of death from the inklings penetrating offense, and everyone looked at their savior, their shogun and light.
Octavio simply never knew he had to kill the love of his life with his own bare hands to achieve it.
Thank you so much for reading! <3
