Chapter Text
The sound of stomping boots echoed along the corridors as the Roosters marched toward their destinations: the infirmary, the area outside the meeting room, the hallways, and so on. Yet today felt different; at least to one peculiar rooster. Rooster 1 marched to his usual spot beside Rooster 2, in front of the nurses' office. Upon arriving, they would typically fall silent for a moment before striking up a conversation. Today, however, Rooster 1 immediately turned toward his colleague and started a ‘conversation’.
Rooster 1: .. / .-- --- -. -.. . .-. / .. ..-. / .... . / .-- --- ..- .-.. -.. / ...- .. ... .. - / .- --. .- .. -. .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.-
(I wonder if he would visit again...)
Rooster 2: -.-- --- ..- / ... . . -- / -- --- .-. . / - . -. ... . / - --- -.. .- -.-- -.-.-. / .. ... / - .... . .-. . / ... --- -- . - .... .. -. --. / ... .--. . -.-. .. ..-. .. -.-. / --. --- .. -. --. / --- -. ..--..
(You seem more tense today; is there something specific going on?)
Rooster 1: .. / -... .-. --- ..- --. .... - / ... --- -- . - .... .. -. --. / ... .--. . -.-. .. .- .-.. / ..-. --- .-. / - .... . / .-- .... .. - . -....- .... .- .. .-. . -.. / --- -. . .-.-.-
(I brought something special for the white-haired one.)
Rooster 2: --- .... ..--.. / ... --- ..- -. -.. ... / ..-. ..- -. ..--..
(Oh? Sounds fun?)
Rooster 1: -.-- . ... --..-- / ... --- -- . - .... .. -. --. / ... .-- . . - .-.-.- / ... ..- --. .- .-. / -.-. --- --- -.- .. . ... .-.-.- / - .... .- - / .--. --- ..- -.-. .... / --- ..-. / -.-. --- --- -.- .. . ... .-.-.-
(Yes, something sweet. Sugar cookies. That pouch of cookies.)
Rooster 2: .-- --- .-- --..-- / -.-- --- ..- / .-- .- -. - / - --- / - .-. . .- - / .... .. -- / - --- / .- / ..-. .- -. -.-. -.-- / -- . .- .-.. ..--.. / .... --- .-- .-.-.- / ... .-- . . - .-.-.-
(Wow, you want to treat him to a fancy meal? How. sweet.)
Rooster 1: -.-- --- ..- / - .... .. -. -.- / .. / -.- -. --- .-- / .... --- .-- / - --- / ..-. .-.. .. .-. - / .-- .. - .... / ... --- -- . --- -. . / .-- .. - .... --- ..- - / -- .- -.- .. -. --. / - .... . -- / .-- . .. .-. -.. / --- ..- - / -... -.-- / -- -.-- / ... - .- .-. .. -. --. ..--..
(You think I know how to flirt with someone without making them weird out by my staring?)
Rooster 2: -.-- . .- .... --..-- / -.-- --- ..- .----. .-. . / .-. .. --. .... - / .- -... --- ..- - / - .... .- - .-.-.-
(Yeah, you're right about that.)
Rooster 1: .. / .... --- .--. . / .... . / .-- --- -. .----. - / -... . / - --- --- / ... .- -.. / .. ..-. / .. / --. .. ...- . / .... .. -- / .- / --. .. ..-. - .-.-.-
(I hope he won't be too sad if I give him a gift.)
Rooster 2: -.-- --- ..- / ... -.-. .- .-. . -.. ..--.. / -- .. --. .... - / .... . / -. --- - / .-.. .. -.- . / .. - ..--..
(You scared? Might he not like it?)
Rooster 1: -. --- - / .-. . .- .-.. .-.. -.-- .-.-.- / .. / -- . .- -. --..-- / .-- .... --- / -.-. --- ..- .-.. -.. / .-. . ... .. ... - / -- --- .-. . / .----. . -.. .. -... .-.. . .----. / .-. .- - .. --- -. ... / .. -. / - .... .. ... / -.-. --- -. -.. .. - .. --- -. ..--..
(Not really. I mean, who could resist more 'edible' rations in this condition?)
Rooster 2: .... -- -- --..-- / -.-- . .- .... .-.-.- / -.. . ... ... . .-. - / .. ... / .-. .- .-. . / ..-. --- .-. / - .... . / .-.. --- .-- . .-. / .-. .- -. -.- ... .-.-.-
(Hmm, yeah. Dessert is rare for the lower ranks.)
Rooster 1: .-- .- .. - --..-- / .... . .-. . / .... . / -.-. --- -- . ... .-.-.-
(Wait, here he comes.)
Those familiar, hesitant footsteps. Sounds Rooster 1 had memorized and truly savored in the quiet of the morning. Rooster 1’s smile widened slightly, hoping to ease the soldier’s tension as the tousle-haired figure paused in the doorway. They knocked on the door while the voice of a nurse could be heard from inside the room, and then entered. Mophead stepped inside and closed the door. Rooster 2 glanced slightly at his friend:
Rooster 2: .... --- .-- / .- .-. . / -.-- --- ..- / --. --- -. -. .- / --. .. ...- . / .. - / - --- / .... .. -- ..--.. / .. - .-..-. ... / -. --- - / .-.. .. -.- . / .-- . / -.-. --- ..- .-.. -.. / -... .-. . .- -.- / - .... . / .-..-. .-. ..- .-.. . ... .-..-. .-.-.-
(How are you gonna give it to him? It’s not like we could break the ‘rules’.)
Rooster 1: -.-. --- .-. -. . .-. / .... .. -- --..-- / .-.. --- --- -.- / .... .. -- / .. -. / - .... . / . -.-- . --..-- / .--. .-.. .- -.-. . / - .... . / .-. .- - .. --- -. ... / .. -. / .... .. ... / .... .- -. -.. ... --..-- / - .... . -. / .-.. . .- ...- . .-.-.-
(Corner him, look him in the eye, place the rations in his hands, then leave.)
Rooster 2: .... --- .-- / .-. --- -- .- -. - .. -.-. .-.-.-
(How romantic.)
Rooster 1: --- ..-. / -.-. --- ..- .-. ... . --..-- / .. - / .. ... .-.-.- / .. - / .-- --- ..- .-.. -.. / -... . / . ..-. ..-. . -.-. - .. ...- . .-.-.-
(Of course, it is. It would be effective.)
Rooster 2: .. / .-- .. ... .... / -.-- --- ..- / .-.. ..- -.-. -.- --..-- / -- -.-- / ..-. .-. .. . -. -.. .-.-.-
(I wish you luck, my friend.)
Half an hour had passed since that last ‘conversation.’ Finally, the door opened again after the wall clock had ticked 1,800 times. Rooster 1 was always counting. The soldier with the beautiful, messy white hair walked away. Their step seemed lighter; perhaps they were in a good mood today. As soon as the nurses' office door closed, Rooster 1 glanced at his companions and gave a brief nod:
Rooster 1: .. .----. .-.. .-.. / -... . / -... .- -.-. -.- --..-- / -- -.-- / ..-. .-. .. . -. -.. .-.-.-
(I'll be back, my friend.)
Rooster 2 nodded and wished his friend luck with the plan to lure the unique soldier. He hummed softly, imagining how the scene would play out in the hallway. From Rooster 2’s perspective, it would surely be a funny sight: Rooster 1 approaching Mophead, staring at him for a few seconds, setting down the gift on the soldier’s hand, and then simply walking away.
The sound of Rooster 1’s boots, or rather, his quickened footsteps, echoed. He followed Mophead in silence, observing and committing the plans to memory. Fortunately, the corridor was quiet, or at least, there were few others around. He quickly hastened his pace to catch up with Mophead, who spun around in surprise at the sight of Rooster.
Mophead’s eyes widened as they seemed taken aback to see one of the colorful guards in front of the nurse’s office was now in front of them. Mophead fixed their posture as they then spoke slowly, almost cautiously, thinking they might be in trouble. Maybe they accidentally dazed off too much? Making Lieutenant Kelly mad because of their habits of always being on their mind instead of listening to the mission.
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Mophead: “Sir… Is there something you need, sir?”
Rooster 1: “…”
Mophead: “…”
Rooster 1: “…”
Mophead: “Uhm… sir”
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Mophead feels both paranoid and a bit annoyed because the guard keeps giving the same stiff, faint, and artificial smirk or half-smile that they always see every time they walk toward the nurse’s office. Mophead was planning to walk away, but then the ‘Rooster’ moved his hand. Revealing something hidden inside his pocket, a small pouch.
Mophead looked confused as they started to say something, but the colorfully dressed guard gently used his free hand to lift Mophead’s hand and place a small pouch into the amnesiac’s grasp. They locked eyes for a moment; he blinked toward the beautiful eyes of the amnesiac. Before the guard slowly walked away. Confident. Acting as if nothing happened.
The ‘Rooster’ boots could be heard echoing as he walked back into his station, but his steps seemed lighter, almost… happy. Making the confused Mophead look back into the pouch in their hands, and they could smell the delicious sugar cookies. Mophead felt their cheeks heat up as they slowly looked around before walking toward their room and feeling rather flattered that someone gave them a gift, and an actual edible gift.
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Rooster 2: ... --- --..-- / .... --- .-- / .. ... / .. - ..--..
(So, how is it?)
Rooster 1: .. - .----. ... / ..-. .- -. - .- ... - .. -.-. .-.-.- / .... . / ..-. .-. --- --.. . / .-- .... . -. / .. / --. .- ...- . / - .... . / --. .. ..-. - ... .-.-.-
(It's fantastic. He froze when I gave the gifts.)
Rooster 2: .... . / .. ... / .--- ..- ... - / ... .... -.-- .-.-.- / .. .----. -- / .... .- .--. .--. -.-- / ..-. --- .-. / -.-- --- ..- .-. / -... .-. .- ...- . .-. -.-- .-.-.-
(He is just shy. I'm happy for your bravery.)
Rooster 1: .. / .-- --- -. -.. . .-. / .-- .... . -. / .-- . .----. .-. . / --. --- -. -. .- / .... --- .-.. -.. / .... .- -. -.. ... -....-
(I wonder when we're gonna hold hands-)
Rooster 2: -.-. .- .-.. -- / -.. --- .-- -. / -. --- .-- --..-- / -... .. --. / -.. --- --. .-.-.-
(Calm down now, big dog.)