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“Everyone up!” Ushijima’s loud voice boomed into the room. He had a different sleeping area because well, he was the boss. Yamagata mumbled something causing Taichi to snicker. Reon cleared his throat in the direction of the two boys laughing and the three of them made their way to get ready for the day. Tendou was already up and out, probably done getting ready. That kid needed about an hour of sleep for him to have all the energy he had. That left Semi and Shirabu.
“Hey, Bu?” Semi asked quietly into the room. Shirabu rolled over, facing the wall, pretending he didn’t hear Semi. “Shira, I know you’re awake. Don’t try that with me,” Semi said, a little sterner than before. Shirabu let out a low, audible sigh and rolled over in his bed, facing Semi from across the room.
“Something on your mind?” Shirabu asked, not really caring.
“Yeah, actually,” Semi admitted.
Shirabu waited a minute for Semi to continue speaking but when he didn’t, he rolled his eyes and said “Okay, what is it?”
“You think there’s something going on between the Boss and Tendou?” Semi wondered, earning a groan from Shirabu.
“You keep asking me that and how many times can I tell you that I don’t give a damn about it,” Shirabu informed, getting a side smirk from Semi. Why did he always do that when Shirabu was sarcastic and short with him? Why was he always so cute when he- Shirabu shook the thought from his mind as he stood up to get changed.
Semi grabbed Shirabu’s wrist, his thumb feeling the fast pulse in Shirabu’s wrist, making Semi’s head swim ever-so slightly. Semi was sitting on the edge of his bed, legs spread slightly and Shirabu had walked by at the perfect time so he was held by Semi… in between his legs .
Semi had forgotten to speak until Shirabu said “you need me or are you gonna hold me hostage?”
Semi laughed again, making Shirabu blush deeply. “No, I had a request. But… I don’t mind holding your wrist either,” Semi whispered. Shirabu exhaled heavily. He didn’t like Semi like that. He couldn’t like Semi like that.
“What’s your request?” Shirabu asked quietly, willing his voice not to crack. It did.
“Just… can you keep an eye out for anything interesting going on between the Boss and Tendou? I’m just so curious. Something needs to be going on with them,” Semi said, his grip not loosening on Shirabu’s wrist. Shirabu thought for a minute.
“Fine… but only if it means you’re going to leave me alone,” Shirabu quipped.
“That’s always a demand with you, isn’t it?” Semi laughed. Shirabu narrowed his eyes.
“You’re just so damn annoying,” Shirabu responded. At that Semi licked his lips slightly, pulling Shirabu by the wrist onto one of his legs. At this movement, Shirabu blushed deeply, trying to keep his cool.
“What happens if I say no?” Semi cooed into Shirabu’s ear, his hand still around Shirabu’s wrist. Semi gently ran a hand through Shirabu’s hair and Shirabu closed his eyes slightly but then snapped them open.
“We can’t do this, Semi,” Shirabu hissed, pushing Semi’s chest slightly with his free hand.
“But why not, Bubu? I want you. You want me ,” Semi pleaded. Shirabu clenched his teeth.
“It’s against the rules,” Shirabu countered. Semi chuckled.
“I told you that you’re a kiss-up.”
“You’re ignoring me, Semi-”
“I’m not. I respect your request and if that’s what you want… that’s what you’ll get,” Semi responded, bluntly. Shirabu nodded.
“Yes, that’s what I want. Um… thank you,” Shirabu said slowly. “Y-you can let go of my wrist now,” Shirabu said after a minute of the two boys just staring at each other, Shirabu sitting on Semi’s lap and Semi’s strong grasp around Shirabu’s wrist.
“O-oh!” Semi gasped, letting go of Shirabu’s wrist quickly and looking away, running a hand through his hair. Shirabu bit his lip and blushed again.
“Um… I’m going to go get ready,” Shirabu murmured.
“Uh, yeah. You do that,” Semi responded, awkwardly. Shirabu briskly walked off, leaving Semi the last one in the room. Semi thought for a moment. If Shirabu wanted him to leave him alone, that’s exactly what Semi would do.
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“How was breakfast?” Ushijima asked everyone once they reconvened in the main room.
“Bland, per usual,” Tendou spoke up when everyone else just grumbled. Ushijima nodded, seemingly not caring about that fact.
“What’s on the agenda for today, Boss?” Reon eventually asked. Ushijima smiled, a low, dark smile at that question, sending a shiver down Goshiki’s back. Everyone else knew what that smile meant, but since he was new, Goshiki had no clue what he was in for.
“Tsumotu, you’re new. Every once in a while, I do this thing called ‘training simulations’. I basically assign you a partner and you each go through these ‘simulations’ all at the same time. They’re pretty hard,” Ushijima informed bluntly.
“C-can you get hurt from them?” Goshiki stuttered.
Tendou smirked, his devilish grin. “Duh, that’s the best part.”
“What do you do if you get hurt? Semi’s the medic, he can’t help us all… right?” Goshiki inquired.
“You deal with it and hope the bleeding is internal,” Tendou shrugged, still smirking. Semi furrowed his brows and Shirabu gaped at the boy.
“Did you just-” Shirabu asked.
“Oh, god, I’m ashamed we know each other,” Semi scoffed. “No, that’s the whole point of the simulations. You learn how to do each other’s jobs from a certain standpoint just incase that’s needed at some point,” Semi explained to Goshiki who was quaking.
“I… may need to re-think these partners,” Ushijima mumbled.
“Why?” Taichi asked.
“Well, I had Tendou with Goshiki but I’m starting to think that’s not the best idea,” Ushijima said. Tendou crinkled his brows.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m not sure if I can trust you with the new recruit. He may end up dead in your hands. That’s all.”
“On second thought, I’m team Tendou and Goshiki!” Shirabu piped up, earning an eye roll from Semi.
“Don’t get too comfortable, Kenjirō. You’re doing this simulation too,” Ushijima informed. Shirabu’s eyes widened in fear and Semi openly burst out laughing, earning a smack on the head from Shirabu.
“But who’s running the simulation?!” Shirabu argued.
“Me,” Ushijima said bluntly. “And Tendou,” he added. Tendou smiled.
“Yeah, I’m fine now!”
“We were all so concerned,” Taichi murmured, getting a laugh from Yamagata. Tendou narrowed his eyes but didn’t snap back.
“So, who’s the pairings, Boss?” Reon questioned.
“Ohiro, you’re with Tawanishi. Hayato, can I entrust you with Tsutomu?” Ushijima asked.
“For sure. You’re with me, kid,” Yamagata told Goshiki, who smiled slightly.
“Does that leave me with-” Shirabu mumbled.
“Am I with-” Semi continued. Ushijima raised an eyebrow.
“Is that an issue?”
“No, sir,” Shirabu responded and Semi just violently shook his head.
“Perfect. Suit up and gather your gear you think you’ll need with your partner . We reconvene here in ten and you’re all off to your simulations. Your ten minute timer starts… now,” Ushijima said and each pairing rushed off.
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“I hate this!” Shirabu complained as he slipped on some black pants that were easy to move in. Semi wore the same pants.
Shirabu also wore a long-sleeved black shirt and black combat boots. He started bandaging his fingers, a thing he did (A/N: I can’t be the only one who thinks it’s really hot… right? It’s so hot though-), then pulled on a leg band, and in it were two daggers. He slipped a small pistol up his sleeve and finished off the look by putting an earpiece in so him and Semi could communicate if they got separated.
Semi put on a dark gray, short sleeved shirt that hugged his chest, showing off his muscular figure. He had arm bands on with throwing stars and daggers in them. He also slipped on combat boots. He pulled on gloves and slipped in his earpiece along with Shirabu. Lastly, he put on a belt with small pouches, slipping in a few small important medical gear.
“You think we need anything else?” Shirabu asked. They were at minute five, five left before their first timer ended. Semi thought for a moment.
“We need to make sure everything we have is needed, nothing extra because we know we need to move and keep things light, but we need to make sure we aren’t under prepared,” Semi explained.
“I’ve never done this before so you’re the one in charge here,” Shirabu pointed out.
“Okay, sounds good. Do you have some back up communication things or technology stuff?” Semi asked. Shirabu furrowed his brows, confused by that.
“Um… no?”
“Okay, do you feel prepared?”
“Sure,” Shirabu said. Semi nodded. Shirabu was confused. Normally Semi would make a comment or try to flirt or just not take the situation all that seriously. But, he was being… uncomfortably professional… just like Shirabu had asked. He shook his head to scratch the thoughts away.
“Okay, I think we’re all set then,” Semi said, slipping a few last minute things into a pocket on his pants. They then rushed out, realizing they had one minute to get back to the command room.
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“How you feeling, Goshiki?” Yamagata asked as he buttoned up his short sleeve black shirt (A/N: for explanation purposes and my laziness, everyone’s basically wearing similar things to Shirabu and Semi. Lots of black exercise vibe clothing, haha.)
“Yeah,” Goshiki mumurmed as he slipped a gun up his sleeve. He was worried if he spoke anymore, he’d throw up.
“You sure?” Yamagata laughed slightly. Goshiki nodded.
“Okay then. I’m going to be honest, I’m not the best at these. I mean, I’m not Tendou who has insane combat skills. I’m not Semi and could practically magically heal you if you got hurt. I’m not Taichi who has a skill with weapons. I’m not Shirabu who can do anything with technology. I’m not Reon who has incredible strategy planning. And god I’m not the Boss. But, I’m fast and agile, good finding a way out of situations. So, don’t let that fool you. I got you as long as you got me,” Yamagata explained. Goshiki thought for a minute then smiled, finally put at ease.
“I think that’s great. And you know what, I think we’re gonna win… if it’s a competition,” Goshiki said. Yamagata laughed at that.
“It’s timed so technically the lowest time is the winner.”
“Cool, then we’ll get the lowest time,” Goshiki said, smirking.
“I like you, kid,” Yamagata said, nodding approvingly. “Let’s head out. We’re gonna run out of our first time if we don’t.” And the two boys rushed back to the command room, fully confident in themselves and the mission ahead of them.
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Taichi was elegantly polishing a gun and Reon scoffed. Taichi raised an eyebrow in question.
“Nothing, it’s just, I don’t think we’ll need a perfectly polished gun for our simulation,” Reon informed.
“You never know.” Taichi shrugged. Reon just smiled low at that and continued to get dressed.
“You think it’s going to be easier, harder, or the same as last time’s simulation?” Taichi eventually asked. Reon thought for a moment.
“To be honest, I have no idea with the Boss. Plus, Tendou’s in on it and everyone knows how much of a sadist and a masochist he is,” Reon pointed out. “Plus, the new kid’s here so I wonder if Ushijima is going to make it easy for him or hard to warn him.”
“Who were you with last time?” Taichi asked after another beat of silence. Reon rolled his eyes.
“Tendou.”
“I bet that was eventful.”
“Always is,” Reon laughed. “How about you?”
“Yamagata.”
“That’s not too bad,” Reon admitted. Taichi just nodded. “You ready?”
“Yup, let’s head out,” Taichi responded. Both boys had lumps in their throats but they had no clue why…
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“Everyone made it on time… the first part of the simulation has been passed. Is everyone ready for the second?” Ushijima announced. Everyone glanced at each other, too scared to say anything or argue. For some reason, these simulations frightened the group more than an actual mission.
“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’,” Ushijima continued. “Kawanishi, Ōhira, room seven. Hayato, Tsutomu, room three. Eita, Kenjirō, room five,” he assigned.
“W-what do the room names mean?” Goshiki stuttered. Tendou raised an eyebrow.
“A room is assigned to a group and each room has a particular simulation which Wakatoshi and I will be monitoring,” Tendou explained. Ushijima just nodded approvingly.
Shirabu kept stealing glances at Semi. Something was off. Semi never once had looked at Shirabu since they left the room, he wasn’t winking or smirking in the middle of the stern conversation with the Boss. He wasn’t licking his lips or making a snarky comment or anything. Shirabu was confused but… this is what he had asked of Semi. It was. It was what he wanted too. It was.
Shirabu shook his head and turned back to the Boss.
“Your time starts… now. Go! Get out!” Ushijima ushered and the partners rushed down the halls to their respectful rooms.
Tendou smiled and leaned against the wall, eyeing Ushijima longingly, which he always did to be fair. Ushijima typed at the computer, setting up some of the simulations then glanced up and made eye-contact with Tendou.
“Satori… we need to talk,” Ushijima said slowly. Tendou frowned for a split second, then immediately put his smile back on his face.
“What’s up, Wakatoshi-kun?”
“Um… how about you call me ‘Boss’ from now on…”
“Why?”
“Well, I’ve been thinking ever since you kissed me-”
“First of all, that was last night. Second of all, you kissed me,” Tendou pointed out.
“Okay, true, but you told me to do it.”
“Sure… but you wanted to… right?”
“Well-”
“What do you mean, ‘well’?” Tendou snapped.
“I just don’t think it’s beneficial for the team. What if something happens between the two of us and it tears apart the team or something.”
“Well, it’s sorta too late for that,” Tendou murmured, running a hand through his hair. “Also, who the hell cares about what the team thinks is beneficial. I care what you think!” Tendou practically shouted. “ W-what do you think… Boss? ” Tendou then whispered.
Ushijima wasn’t looking at Tendou but Tendou was staring intently at him. A lot of things had happened in Tendou’s life… a lot. But he had made it a point to let nothing get to him ever and even if it did, he wouldn’t show it. But this… this was shattering to Tendou. He was hurt and hadn’t been this upset for a long time.
“No, I just-”
“No, Boss, ” Tendou spat the name out like it tasted gross and Ushijima cringed at it. Ushijima missed Tendou’s nicknames.
“Please, let me explain, Satori-”
“Uh, not to be ‘rude’ or ‘talk back to my “boss”’ but I don’t care. Can we please just… focus on the simulation and then talk about this…-”
“Sometime soon?” Ushijima offered.
“-Never,” Tendou finished. Ushijima cringed.
“Um… sure,” Ushijima responded meekly, turning to his computer and trying not to regret everything he just said.