#007

[storm_pulse]

My squad, report in. Now. If you're not recovering in the Fourth - and I know who is or isn't - then you're here. No, I don't care what else you're up to; this isn't a request.

Comments

[Private to Okada//voice]

[fearnotdeceit]

I had some help. Abarai-taichou and Hinamori-fukutaichou had a hand in it.

[Private to Hitsugaya-taichou//voice]

[storm_pulse]

[Long pause, and if blinking were audible, we'd hear some right about now.]

Abarai-taichou? Uh . . . wow. I mean, Hinamori-fukutaichou I'm not that surprised about, but Abarai . . .

Hm. Anyway, you sound pretty surprised about me thanking you, Captain. Is it really that weird?

[Private to Okada//voice]

[fearnotdeceit]

I asked for help. They volunteered. So?

Never mind it. It's done with and don't try it again.

[Private to Hitsugaya-taichou//voice]

[storm_pulse]

It's just . . . well, he has quite a low opinion of me, to put it extremely mildly.

Don't try what again? Thanking you? I'm not trying to set you up here, you know. Or was it trying to help that you have a problem with?

[private]

[howls_at_stars]

Just because you're a gargantuan pain in the ass doesn't mean I'd leave you to die, you idiot. You've got to be at least a halfway decent gofer or else Hitsugaya-taichou wouldn't put up with you... Don't assume I'm so petty that I'd let a personal gripe with your attitude get in the way of saving the life of an officer.

Also don't try anything like that again. People might think I'm a nice guy or something if I keep getting roped into rescuing folks.

[private]

[storm_pulse]

Trust me, I know exactly why Hitsugaya-taichou puts up with me. Look, I'm sorry, all right? Foot in the mouth as usual.

That's two votes against trying to help the captain, then. And no, it wasn't because I think he's incapable of taking care of himself; he just seemed to need it in that instant. Judgement call, and all that. Whether it was necessary? Well, I didn't want to gamble on the chance that it wasn't.

[private]

[howls_at_stars]

That was me being facetious, Okada. I wasn't trying to be a dick, and you really don't have to apologize. I could have guessed why you did what you did, and frankly there's a lot of folks who wound up in the Fourth for the same reasons you did--they got in over their heads. None of us knew what to expect with these guys. All I'm saying is, try not to get in over your head again. We've got enough manpower down for the count.

You are a gargantuan pain in the ass, but as much as I'd like to strangle you sometimes, we're still on the same team, so if you do get in trouble again, I will help you out if I can, and I hope you know that.

[private]

[storm_pulse]

Yeah, I'd made every effort before to keep it long-range with that thing so I wouldn't get smacked down like that; I'm better at long range combat, anyway. But hey, when you've exhausted your kidou and your zanpakutou can paralyze . . . Well, whatever. It's done, now.

Yeah . . . I got that.