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“u4989,” u2001 yells, eyeing the myelocyte as he attempts to walk along a balance beam. “Watch where you put your feet or you’ll fa- god damn it.”
The band cell trots over to the younger boys quickly, pushing through the small huddle they had made. u4989 sits on the floor, cradling his knee. “Ow, ow, ow, ow” he cries, rocking back and forth as u2048 pats his back.
u2626 makes a clicking noise with his tongue, shaking his head in a way that makes his bangs swish around his face.
“See, we told you u4989,” he reprimands, placing a hand on his hip. He bends over slightly, wagging his finger in the other boy’s face. “But noooo, you just had to walk along the stick of wood.”
“Slab,” u1146 corrects slightly, and the face u2626 gives him makes the band cell snort. He gestures for the mop haired boy to calm down. “It’s fine, u2626. We can just take him to senpai,” he says, trying to smile to ease the little one’s stress.
He relaxes slightly, nodding. “To senpai,” u2626 says, marching away with u1146 and u2048 on his heels. u2001 picks up the little myelocyte, and u4989 covers his cheeks.
u2001 bites the inside of his lip to prevent him from frowning. He’s being serious right now, isn’t he, the white haired boy thinks, jogging after the others.
I don’t know, is he? Someone asks, and u2001 flinches violently.
u4989 squeaks, tightening his hold on the band cell, and the children ahead of him come to a stop. He smiles shakily, dismissing their concern. “C’mon, let’s go,” he mumbles, overtaking them.
When they can’t see his face, u2001 frowns. How are you in my head? He asks, and the feminine sounding voice snorts.
I think I should be asking the questions here, she says, and u2001 can feel the irritation pouring off her in waves. You’re the one that’s been projecting all day!
He scoffs outwardly, and u4989 looks up at him curiously.
You were reading my thoughts, he complains, and there’s a thoughtful hum. Then a laugh. Yeah, so what?
u2001’s jaw drops in disbelief, and he then notices the strange expression u4989 is giving him. Maybe he should keep his expressions and internal emotions to himself.
What do you mean “so what?” You. Were. In. My. Head. He clicks his tongue as they near u110’s office. That’s highly unethical.
She sighs softly, and u2001 watches as u110 and Ms. Macrophage assess u4989’s knee scrape. I actually have to pay attention to my teacher now, so can you keep your complaining to a minimum? She asks, and u2001 nods even though she can’t see him.
Yeah sure, miss.
…
He pinches his lips together, hissing as he pulls the bandage across his wound.
I told you to be careful, she chastises, and he knows she’s disappointed. It doesn't matter to him, though. As long as he completed his task, which he did despite his injuries.
I’m fine, miss, he reassures, wincing as he lifts his leg to see see how bad it is. Could’ve been worse, u2001 mumbles, and she hums.
After a beat, there is silence on her end, so he busies himself with getting ready. When he climbs into his bunk, eyes drifting shut, she speaks again.
Are you… doing anything right now? She asks, and u2001 wants to tell her that yes, he is doing something, but, that wouldn’t be very honest.
So he says no instead, sitting up slightly as he does. He rests his head on the wall, listening to her ramble.
She laughs numbly. I’m excited to graduate but, when you’re out in the body there’s no time for jokes, no time for games. He hums to show he's paying attention. It’s the real thing.
I’m not too stressed, just, overwhelmed? She says, but it sounds more like a question to his mind. u2001’s eyes fall to the neutrophil band cells walking into the bunkers, loud and laughing as they begin to retire for the day. He lies down then, pulling the cover up to his nose.
Just stay calm. Graduation comes and goes. He says numbly, and she chuckles, causing u2001 to frown.
Have you graduated already? She inquires, and u2001 shakes his head again. (as if she was right there in front of him.)
No. He says softly. Soon, though. A little more training and I’ll be ready to defend the body.
She’s quiet, and then her presence fills his mind again.
You’re a white blood cell, she asks, and he can hear the mild interest. Yeah… are you not? He counters, and he thinks she’s smiling right now, but that’s a matter of opinion.
No, I’m a red blood cell.
He snorts, suddenly infatuated with the idea of teasing her. That’s boring, u2001 mumbles, and when she scoffs, he finds himself laughing quietly. To be an erythroblast is a big job you know, she exclaims, and he smiles.
Yes, yes, I’m sorry miss.
She doesn't respond for the next while, and u2001 falls under the impression that he’d annoyed her or offended the erythroblast in some way. He doesn't understand why he feels… almost disappointed. Miss? He tries quietly.
There is a pregnant pause. Then her voice filters through his mind once again.
Call me me0808, please. “Miss” makes me sound old.
He doesn't understand why his lips are tugging at the corners, but he nods, closing his eyes.
Of course miss me0808. She groans at this and his smile widens, threatening to hurt his cheeks if they expand anymore. And you can call me u2001.
…
He doesn't notice the tears until they’re cascading down his ashen coloured face.
u2001 was writing a test, hand gliding across the paper in an effort to finish before the Body’s clock struck noon which would be the third hour.
His hand flies to his cheeks, stiffening at the unfamiliar wetness. He feels… sad… but he was fine only moments ago. Soon, u1110 is walking towards him, a troubled expression marring his senpai’s face.
“What’s wrong u2001?” He exclaims, and the band cell can’t help but remember the conversation they had a few weeks prior. He smiles weakly, ignoring the other boys that send him fleeting glance.
“Nothing, senpai,” u2001 says with ease. “I'm fine,” he lies, adjusting his cap. u1110 gives his shoulder a knowing squeeze, as if to say ‘come see me later.’
u2001 knows he won’t go. He is sure his teacher knows too.
…
“u1110-senpai,” he says, fists tightened by his sides. u2001 fiddles with the fraying ends on his shorts. He then notices the small macrophage with the neutrophil, short brown hair cupping her face.
She smiles sweetly at u2001 before turning her gaze to his teacher. The male returns it, and the band cell feels as if he’s interrupting something.
u1110 comes over nonetheless.
“What's wrong, u2001,” he asks, smiling his signature smile. The neutrophil in training looks over at the macrophage, deflating when he realizes she's gone.
He returns his gaze to his teacher. “I… it may sound weird but, I- I hear someone's thoughts in my head,” he mumbles, and he knows u1110 may be surprised with his stuttering.
But instead, his teacher smiles again, rubbing the back of his neck warily. Then he sighs.
“I didn't think I'd actually have to explain this,” he chuckles, and the myelocyte looks at him confused.
He gestures the younger white blood cell, patting the seat to the desk he sits on.
“That bond you have in your mind,” he says, tapping the side of his head, is what we call a soul bond.”
“You share it with your soulmate.”
u2001 frowns. “A soulmate?”
He nods, signature smile decorating his pale features. “Everyone has one,” he explains, exposing his neck to the band cell. “Some are more obvious than most, while others take a bit of getting to know to realize.”
u1110 thinks for a moment, and u2001 takes this time to observe the neon blue line that runs across his teacher's skin.
A soulmark like that wouldn't be hard to miss. Shouldn't be hard to miss.
“You're so lucky, u2001,” his teacher says, breaking the younger cell out of his reverie. “Not many cells have the opportunity you do.”
u2001 pauses, attempting to ignore me0808's presence in their shared mind space.
Is everything alright, u2001, she asks, curiosity laced in her voice. Yeah, he says in response, pushing her away from the forefront of his mind.
“So she's my soulmate,” u2001 mumbles under his breath and u1110 nods. “Have you tried looking for her yet,” he asks, and u2001 freezes.
He blinks. “...no?”
u1110 smiles. “That should be your first step.” His teacher laughs. “You shouldn't wait out like me, wasting so much time you could've spent together.”
“The macrophage,” he asks, curiosity spiked. u1110 hesitates before nodding. “I call her Lily because I first approached her while she was admiring those flowers.”
u2001 hums. “So she's your soulmate? For real? Not just some macrophage?” He huffs. “I didn't see the same blue line on her neck…”
His teacher laughs, smiling happily.
“You've still got a lot to learn, u2001.”
…
He waits for her nervously on graduation day, trying his hardest to maintain a decent composure.
The two cells had never arranged to meet up, perfectly content with knowing they both abided in the bone marrow of the left forearm.
Except today was different.
Where are you, she asks, presence fluttering around his mind. I just finished my enucleation and I’m heading over to the big tree.
A pause. That’s where you are, right? me0808 voices again, and he nods, holding the little box in his lap a little tighter. The smile in her words is evident. I’ll be right there.
And so u2001 waits. Waits patiently for the soulmate he had never seen… patiently for the soulmate that has never seen him. He hesitates. What if she doesn't like him? What if she thinks he’s ugly? What if she sees him and wishes she never spoke to him?
What if she doesn't show up?
He shakes his head, scolding himself for entertaining such thoughts.
She’ll show up. me0808 never lied to him. She never would.
…
She doesn't.
…
He decidedly blocked her from his head since then, practicing on the best ways to keep her out of his thoughts.
At first it hurt him. me0808 was his closest friend; his confidant. She was in his head every single day for christ’s sake.
So it hurt. Hurt when he felt her brushing his mind. Hurt when he felt her sadness and pain. Hurt when he felt her joy and couldn’t share in her accomplishments.
But he didn’t care. She hurt him first.
…
He isn’t surprised when he’s assigned the same rowdy group of boys from when he was a band cell. Well, u1146 was fine on his own, it was the other three he was more concerned about.
They were good soldiers, though, always willing to shove aside their fun and games when work was calling.
He was proud of them too, happy even, knowing they all found their soulmates and were living on with their lives happily.
Sometimes his heart clenches as he sips his green tea, watching the neutrophils gather around u4989 as he explains what each flower on his hand is for.
(sometimes he feels her in his head; sometimes he wishes he’d let her in.)
…
When the Body goes into hypovolemic shock, u2001 barely escapes with his life.
He serves to the fullest anyway, fighting alongside his white blood cell comrades in a vague attempt to make sure the blood keeps flowing; to make sure the red blood cells don’t stop moving.
But the numbers were dropping rapidly, and suddenly he didn’t know what to do.
u2001’s practiced calm and cool facade was cracking, and he didn’t know what to do.
It was then did he wish he could call on me0808, but she disappeared from his head a long time ago. He found his mind to be a quiet place, with an eerie echo of her presence in the back of his thoughts.
He starts screaming at the other neutrophils when they drop their weapons, the biting cold finally getting to their bones.
He yells at them even though he’s going down too; yells at them to keep going.
The world is dark, he realizes, dropping to his knees. He envies u1146 as the white blood cell struggles to stay on his feet.
So u2001 wills his eyes to close, trying his hardest to ignore his pounding heart.
…
“u2001,” a voice calls, and he opens his eyes to see u4989 and his red blood cell. “He’s okay!” The younger neutrophil calls, and the rest of his gaggle of friends trot over.
u2626 grabs his hand, pulling him up quickly. “You sure blacked out there, didn’t you senpai?” He scoffs at this, dusting off his pants. “Don’t call me senpai. It makes me sound older than I already am.”
The neutrophils laugh, and u2001 opens his mouth to scold them when he freezes.
The youngest gives him a curious look. “Are you okay, u2001?” u4989 asks, and he shakes his head, placing an open palm over his heart.
“What is this?” He inquires to no one in particular, frowning at the ground as if it has the answers to all his questions. “What’s what?” u2048 adds, making his way over.
u2001 pounds his chest as if to get his heart to relax. “It’s racing and I don’t understand why…”
There is a heavy pause, and then u2626 snorts.
“Do you have a soulmate?” The mop haired male asks, folding his arms over his chest. u2001’s eyes narrow. “What’s it to you?”
u2626 shrugs, and u2048 rolls his eyes. “For most cells, when their soulmate is around, it seems as if their heart picks up in speed, when it’s really just their soulmate’s heartbeat echoing in their chest.”
u2001 stutters. “What?”
“Your soulmate is closeby, u2001,” u4989 offers, picking at a small flower in between his thumb and index finger. “They probably weren’t before, but who knows. They could’ve came through the transfusion.”
u2001 scans his vicinity, eyes widening at all the red blood cells.
“She’s here,” he mumbles, and the neutrophils around him hesitate. u2626 speaks up for them. “You should probably go look for her, senpai.”
The white blood cell is too tired to send him a glare, shaking his head. “I couldn’t. Not after blocking her out of my thoughts for so many years.”
u2048 sputters. “You did what?”
“I stopped talking to her after I thought she stood me up,” he groans, pinching the bridge of his nose. u2048 scoffs. “Go make it right then. She’s right here.”
u2001 looks at the young neutrophils, sighing when he realizes they’re right.
“Fine.”
…
“u2001?” She says, voice filled with disbelief.
The white blood cell stares at her in shock, taking in the red blood cell that he ignored after all this time. He allows himself to stare just this once, observing her brown hair that reaches her shoulders and the black glasses that frame her face.
“me0808,” he echoes, too lost to make a coherent sentence.
A hoard of emotions flicker across her face before it settles into a frown. He mimics her expression, walking towards her slowly.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck. “For blocking you out… I thought you stood me up on graduation day…”
Her frown deepens before surprise mulls it over. “What?” She says. “I thought I was the one apologizing, because when I didn’t see you at the tree, I blocked you out too…”
His eyes widen. “But I always felt you in my head…” he says confused, and she nods. “Of course. We were always there. It’s no surprise that I felt you sometimes.”
They stand in silence before she starts laughing quietly, causing the neutrophil to chuckle. Her smile is small when she looks up at him.
“I would ask to hug you, but that would be extremely awkward,” she states, and he smiles with her. “I think just this once would be fine.”
She was very small compared to him, with her head almost brushing her chin, but it felt as if she fit perfectly in his arms even though he had to lift her up just a bit.
When he puts her down, he freezes at the indiscreet whooping that belonged to none other than u2626. me0808’s eyes sparkle. “Are those that little cells you were always upset with,” she asks, and u2001 looks at her.
The shimmer in her irises is contagious, and soon he finds himself walking on cloud nine.
“Not that I’d imagine anyone else, miss.”
FIN