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"Goddammit, I feel that these antigens were a pain in the Golgi apparatus" U-4989 grumbled while phagocytizing pieces of pneumococcus freshly disemboweled by the troop in the esophagus area. He straightened to stretch his numb arms when he noticed something interesting:
It was his sempai U-1146 with nothing more nor less than that Red Blood Cell with which he was always (absolutely always) stumbling, even against the absurdly small odds of being trillions of cells inhabiting and working in one body. The murderous rage on the albino's face when they had started to fight with the bacteria had turned into a soft and almost (almost!) loving expression when engaged a conversation with the erythrocyte, which made a strange movement that left him (And 4989 himself) perplexed: The redhead had embraced him, even in his uniform splashed with red cytoplasm, and she wasn't disgusted!
"It was for a moment I thought I had lost you when that monster threw you away towards the vocal cords, I was so scared!" He heard her whimpering while hugging him while he, after a moment of hesitation, had returned the hug, he had returned the hug! 4989 was enchanted to see him, so much so, that he forgot the piece of tentacle of Pneumococcus that he was eating a couple of seconds ago.
"They look so cute together" he thought with a smile. It really surprised him and at the same time he was glad that the taciturn and distant 1146 had a friend as loyal and as sweet as the redhead was, however clumsy and clueless she was. At the same time, it gave him a little envy: "Man, 1146 had to be the first of the battalion to have a girl behind, and I'm the handsome and popular one here" he thought arrogantly as he pushed aside the bangs of his hair, splattered in blood, trying to imitate those anime characters that he had seen through The Eyes on one occasion. Then he noticed that the erythrocyte had moved away to continue her journey, apparently completely ignoring being stained with blood too, but this time with a VERY noticeable blush on her face... And that was also evident in his sempai!
You had to be a fucking blind to NOT see that. Even Killer T Cell (Now better known as Memory T Cell), who openly hated all that he called, in his florid and broad language: "Shitty weaklings’ nonsense", knew. It was practically the topic of conversation between blood and immune cells... He was even 1000% sure that Dendritic Cell would have a thousand photos as devastating and irrefutable evidence in one of his embarrassing folders.
It was undeniable already: U-1146 and AE-3803 liked each other... Wait: What the fuck did he just thought?! No, they loved each other! They wanted to be together and show their love, despite the strange and unusual nature of their relationship as a Red and White Blood Cell! A sparkle came out in U-4989's eyes imagining it, as a good shipper.
"I really envy you, 1146. How I would love to have a girlfriend to congratulate me every time I kick an antigen's butt" he said cheerfully to his superior, who had approached him. This one remained of stone, watching him bewildered.
"Girlfriend? You are imagining things, 4989. Erythrocyte and I are just friends."
Now is 4989 who looked at him with bewilderment. How can he continue to deny it?! They loved each other! L-O-V-E-D! He wanted to scream that at his sempai's face to see if he can react with that. He just shook his head and murmured:
"If you were really like that, you both wouldn't end blushing all the times..."
"Did you say something?"
"Nothing, nothing sir!" 4989 said quickly, making the military salute. 1149 grimaced, shrugged and walked away, dragging the corpse of the germ. The neutrophil was thoughtful.
"He was blushed, I'm sure of that! By the Holy Penicillin, 1149 is in love with that little redhead, it's fucking obvious, and even then, he will continue to deny it... Unless..."
Wild idea appeared.
"...He may just be shy and not know how to take the step! I could help him!"
With a mischievous and playful smile that made a strange contrast with his current savage appearance filled with the blood of bacteria, he went in the other direction.
…
"You say we should help 1146 to declare his affection for AE-3803?"
"Exactly!" 4989 had answered to U-2048 while patrolling the kidneys, "you also notice that those two exudes love even through the cell membrane, but neither of them wants to take the step, and as his team and battle colleagues, it's imperative to help our partner with this mission!"
"And do you have a plan? Knowing 1146, he will continue to deny it to the very end of the body."
"Unless..."
"... That suddenly..."
"...Something happens that forces them to admit their feelings."
2048 looked at him with raised eyebrows. "That doesn't seem so difficult. With the reputation of "magnet of problems" that is that Erythrocyte, I'm surprised that something like that doesn't happen yet... But you are forgetting an insignificant detail, Captain Matchmaker: What would that "something"?"
At the corner of 4989’s lips, a slow smile was appearing.
…
"Well, this is... Unexpected. I must say it."
AA-5100 swallowed nervously as she watched the three neutrophils looking at her with an avidity and expectation that was almost shocking. She couldn't deny that the white blood cells terrify her, even though she was conscious and grateful for their hard work of protecting her and the other red blood cells. Now these three had completely surrounded her in the middle of one of her nutrient deliveries.
"We regret having scared you," U-2626 apologized, raising his cap with in a gallant gesture to the nervous erythrocyte, "we just wanted to ask you one thing and in passing, ask you a small favor. Then you can continue with your work."
"Oh yeah? And what is it about?"
"Is about your pupil, AE-3803" That's when AA-5100 started to sweat cold; She knew that the little redhead has a lot of problems since she was constantly lost in the way, but at the same time she admired her optimism and her indestructible desire to continue and never give up despite her many mistakes. But now... Something must have happened for the merciless and bloodthirsty neutrophils to get involved. 4989 quickly clarified:
"Don't worry, it's not a bad thing, in fact, just the opposite." He took a pause so that the red blood cell could take a good breath of relief; "but it's not just about her, but with one of our partners."
"No... Don't tell me that it's about of..." And again, the cold sweat. Like neutrophils, she knew about the palpable affection between her pupil and that white blood cell that she always walks with, U-1146.
"Exact. We believe that, being sooo dense and denied the two as they are, we could give them a "nudge", you understand me, huh?"
"...And how are you so sure that...? That... That they two... You know, that?" The erythrocyte replied.
"It's because is something obvious, Miss Red Blood Cell," U-2048 replied with a smirk of sufficiency, "you should have seen that coming."
AA-5100 bit her lip. No. She couldn't deny it. At first, she tried to make herself believe that it was a rather eccentric friendship by its very nature, but over time and many incidents she ended up thinking that it was something else. Yes, it certainly was. And most of all was proved by that special shine in the amber eyes of the redhead whenever she finds him, whenever she was rescued by him or just talking with him while he was helping her to find the right path... And that expression so gentle and sweet in the only visible black eye of the neutrophil whenever he was with her. It was so strange, so rare... And yet, they looked so happy...
"And why are you so interested in doing this for your comrade? I mean, it's not just common for one of us to be too long with one of you, it's... It's something... well..."
"Rare? Oh, don't worry, we already think it is," 2626 started with a broad smile, “but we also believe that, odd as it may be, it has been beneficial for our comrade."
"She has change him (we still don't know how), as you have no idea, and we really want him to be happy... Something that, taking into account our dangerous life and work cycle, is necessary, not to mention vital." 2048 continued.
"And that's why we have a plan," 4989 ended. "And we would like you to help us. What do you say?"
Seeing the (again) expectant expressions of the neutrophils, AA-5100 pondered her words, knowing that she has just received a new vision of them. She made a nervous smile.
"Just tell me what nonsense you guys have in mind."
…
The redhead advanced with some doubt on the sandy roads that bordered the tear lake of the Left Eye. She wasn't sure why her sempai had told her to go there, without oxygen or nutrients or anything, but as her superior had insisted that she had to do it... she was there. She took her time to contemplate the crystalline waters of the channel of tears, so still and peaceful that for a moment she felt the urge to put her feet in water...
"If you lean more you will end up falling headfirst into the water."
Red Blood Cell let out a squeak of surprise at the sudden voice behind her. She turned quickly with her whole coreless being trembling, to notice the calm and at the same time confused look of her favorite White Blood Cell. "Ah, it's you! Don't scare me like that!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” Leukocyte said softly, secretly amused with the adorable pout of his favorite Red Blood Cell "You were so focused on the water that you didn't notice that you were bent forward. By the way, why are you here? Are you lost again?"
"No, not exactly," Erythrocyte murmured, looking at the other side of the tear round lake, "my sempai only told me to go here to do 'something'. And why are you here too?"
"...You won't believe it, but they told me exactly the same thing as you: 'You must go to the lachrymal lake of the Left Eye to do something'. I guess that "something" was meet us again."
A soft and notorious blush covered AE-3803's cheeks at his words, something he also noticed. "May-maybe was that" She looked at several angles, nervously noticing that they were alone all around that perimeter, "Ehm... Would you like to take a walk in the lake? If... If you are not busy with any bacteria, if you are, there is no problem!"
A few seconds later, U-1146 sketched a smile "I have time."
The smile of the little red blood cell widened.
"...That’s right follow the bait. Follow it... Follow it... Follow it!
"4989, stop talking so loud. They would hear you."
"I cannot help it, 2048; this is getting interesting~"
"I only hope that 1149 don't end phagocyting us for having lied about the "something thing" in the lake."
“Relax. I bet you he will thank us in the end."
The three members of the neutrophil battalion watched closely the pair of cells behind low branches that surrounded the tear lake, with the help of binoculars. From there, they saw that AE-3803 and U-1146 seemed to converse normally, although with the evident brushstroke pink in both pairs of cheeks, with the albino's being the most notorious. U-4989 was like he was going to explode of joy to see them like this, he was impatient to see the consequent hesitation, the uncomfortable taking of the hands, the hug and, finally, as sour cream adorning the soup of germ, the kiss...
What was happening? Why was nothing happening?
Red Blood Cell and White Blood Cell just looked uncomfortably, as if they both feared to take the much-needed step. Erythrocyte was holding hands and looking at the ground. Leukocyte just grabbed his cap and tilted his head to avoid looking at her... And still with cheeks burning and affectionate tension gushing out like an invisible aura.
4989 felt a twitch in the eye. As if he was dreaming, and a thousandth of a second before he knew what he was doing, he had taken out his walkie-talkie, turned it on and hit a scream that not only surprised up his two companions at his side, but precisely the two cells he was trying to unite:
"ALREADY STOP SO MANY NONSENSES AND TELL HER YOU LOVE HER, 1146!"
Silence.
More silence
Even more silence still.
"..."
"..."
"...Ooops" [Strong blow] "Ouch!".
"You were supposed to be silent, so they would not hear us, stupid!"
"I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist!"
During this exchange of screams on the albino's intercom, he had observed, totally disturbed, the intense red that now had the face of his friend and now extended up her neck, while opening and closing her mouth when trying to compose a phrase fairly consistent, looking like a fish out of water. She swallowed hard and looked at the floor, totally ashamed and at the same time feeling an overwhelming sense of happiness spreading through every molecule of her body: Was this true? Her beloved White Blood Cell really love her? Wasn't it another of her foolish fantasies? She had to know, se had to know now... She looked up once again and lifted her lips to speak... but then she felt U-1146's gloved hand against her mouth, preventing her from speaking. Her amber eyes searched anxiously for the usually cold and ruthless left black eye of White Blood Cell, who motioned her to remain silent. Still holding his hand against her lips, the neutrophil took his intercom and lit it, finishing the concert of shouting and insults that was still there.
"Listen very well, you three: If they don't go off to patrol the liver in less than three seconds, you'll regret it. I mean it." An unusual silence followed with exhalations that only meant that the three neutrophils had run. U-1146 turned off the walkie-talkie and looked at her. "I'm sorry about that, sometimes they can be a little... Rare."
The Erythrocyte nodded, still feeling the pressure of the hand of White Blood Cell, wondering when he was about to let her go. Then, a gasp came out of her "muzzle" when she felt the free hand of Leukocyte surround her small waist gently, bringing her closer to him. She looked into his eyes once more, with a silent question that the antigen killer interpreted brilliantly:
"I pushed them away, so you don't get scared when I do this..." And he began to gently brush his lips against hers, placing his other hand against her flushed cheek. The redhead had been catatonic for a couple of seconds, but her entire body responded to wrap herself in the strong arms of White Blood Cell and feeling like a warm cocoon, happy and protected as she had always been with this sadistic and at the same time gentle immune cell, resting her hands on his chest and simply letting herself be carried away by the feelings she had for a long time metastasizing in her being. She would never have imagined, even in her wildest dreams, that something like this could be happening now. But it was happening, it was a kiss so sweet that now it was having more passionate tints with their tongues and fingertips tenderly caressing the other's back in search of more affection and love seeking to emerge without further delay or traces of remorse... And she couldn't be more grateful to that exasperated howl that 4989 had shout that had made it possible.
Oh! And speaking of that...
"We must admit: We screwed up."
"No, you screwed up," 2048 corrected him as they entered the liver area.
"Whatever. Do you think that 1146 is very upset with us?"
"No idea. He sounded very serious about what we would "regret" if we didn't leave."
"What do you think he would have done to us? Phagocytize us?"
"No, worse: Ask Dendritic Cell some of his "photos".
A chill ran through the small patrol.
"Let's just hope he doesn't try... Oh, wait!" He pulled out his intercom, which was ringing, "U-4989, neutrophil division, over."
"Over."
"1146!" the white blood cell stammered with amazement and a hint of terror, "we are in the liver just as you ordered us!" We-we want to apologize to you for the lie that we said and...!"
"What lie?" It was really "something." Thanks for the report, I will be on an "escort" mission." And he hung up.
4989 stared at the transmitter with stupefaction for a moment. And as he looked up, 2048 and 2626 stared at the little stars in his eyes and the satisfied face of the neutrophil... Like a good shipper. "Mission accomplished, comrades. I told you that he will thanks us."
"So, what can we do now?"
"Wasn't 1146 clear with the order? Patrol the liver, of course. Specifically, hepatocyte cells. My sources say they are very cute."
"Not as much as Kupffer Cell, dude! She literally takes your breath away!"
"He, we'll see that! Just hope there is no antigen warning at this time, I wouldn't want that the happy moment of our 1149 and that beautiful Erythrocyte be ruined."
"...Neither OUR happy moment..." 2626 pointed with a naughty smile and 4989 and 2048 couldn't agree more.