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The Hunting Dogs.
A Grade-A squad built for special tactics and suppression duty. Also the strongest military unit in the military police.
Yet..
"Jouno! Give me a piggyback ride!"
It's just..
"Six hundred and seventy two.. six hundred and seventy three.. six hundred and seventy four.."
What did he do to deserve this..?
Jouno sighed. "What's that sigh for, huh?!"
Teruko's wails and the acrid smell of Tecchou's sweat attacked his poor senses from left and right.
Haa.. am I allowed to murder these people?
Since they just finished their monthly preservation surgeries, they decided to go to the training grounds– excluding the commander who had some other business, and Tachihara who had to return to his Port Mafia infiltration mission.
They finished their training with ease, adjusting their bodies back into their own comfort.
It was all fine– until Jouno had to become the disciplinarian of the three.
Jouno halfheartedly approached Teruko who was lying on the ground to his right. Bringing his hand out, he wordlessly signaled her so he could pull her up.
The girl took his hand with a satisfied smile, using her strength to nimbly jump on Jouno's back.
Jouno let out a brief sound of surprise as she settled herself on his shoulders. Right after she got herself comfortable, she pointed towards the field and exclaimed with the bright excitement of a child, "Now let's go!"
He let out a gentle sigh, his eyelids flattening into an expression of irk and slight fondness, along with a silent smile before obeying his superior's orders, "Alright, alright."
Jouno fixed the other's position to make himself feel more comfortable, hands moving to position itself on her legs and began to walk in strides with his vice commander on his shoulders, moving around as if trying to entertain a child.
Teruko was smiling joyfully, eyes crinkled with bright exhilaration.
His mind wandered to the mumbles of Tecchou counting his push ups, taking note that he was nearing a thousand.
"Nine hundred and ninety eight.. nine hundred and ninety nine.. one thousand."
As soon as he said that, he effortlessly got up as if he didn't just finish a thousand push ups– only the tangent odour of sweat proving that he has been working out.
With the help of his sharp hearing, he heard Tecchou finally realising that Teruko is no longer complaining on the ground, now being on the top of his partner's shoulders instead.
Tecchou tried to catch up with the two, all while Jouno was quickening his own pace to avoid the brunette.
And so, they ended up entangled in a game of tag.
Jouno began to dart away from Tecchou, pivoting through sharp turns with Teruko still on his shoulders, holding onto him with an overenthusiastic expression.
The taller man skillfully sped up towards them, not even questioning their current predicament.
This game of tag continues for a concerningly long time, with the sound of Teruko's laughter and the screeching sound of shoes against the ground echoing in the air.
At long last, Tecchou slowed down– the fatigue of training finally catching up to his body.
The sound of Tecchou's tired muscles and heavy panting caused him to unconsciously halt his running as well, taking deep breaths as Teruko swiftly jumps off his back with a cheeky smile.
"That was fun! We should do it again!" She eagerly spoke with eyes full of stars.
"I'd rather not, Teruko-san–" Teruko cuts him off with a huff.
"Well would you kindly give me another piggyback ride?" She requested with a bright smile, yet a menacing aura lingers underneath her tone, making it sound more like an order rather than a request. His expression slightly shook under her intimidating presence.
Jouno's smile was back, even though it was a thin one– about to reply until Tecchou butted in their conversation, "I could carry you instead, Teruko-san."
Their heads snapped towards the man who was just approaching them, holding a towel on his arm.
"I just cleaned myself while you were talking, so there's no need to worry about any sweat." He said with a shake of his head, motioning at his clean clothing and the towel to prove his point even further.
"But aren't you tired, Tecchou-san?" Jouno replied before letting his superior respond with her bright eyes, which earned him a glare in return. He ignored the glare. "You've been running for a while if you aren't aware of it. In addition, didn't you just finish a thousand push ups a while ago?"
Teruko began to nod aggressively, as if she wasn't just going against the talking man mere seconds ago.
"It's alright." Tecchou stated with shining determination in his eyes, "I'm strong enough to handle a piggyback from Teruko-san."
The both of them stared at him in a confused and exasperated silence.
"You idiot." Jouno muttered with distaste, which caused a hum of agreement from his superior, although her mood rapidly changed into childish excitement as she skipped towards the brunette.
Tecchou got down into a squat, allowing the girl to climb onto his back. As he got up, he instantly adjusted the girl's position to make them both comfortable.
"To the meeting room!" She shouted, as the commander had previously requested them to meet there at 3 pm sharp.
Tecchou began to walk towards the meeting room as per request, with Jouno trailing in their backs with a fond smile plastered on his face.
—
Tachihara walked through the military building with a slight skip in his steps. He hadn't met any of the Hunting Dogs in a long time!
The mafia has been considerably busy these days, causing him to have less time to be able to visit the Hunting Dogs. Finally, after a long time, the mafia has finally solved their issues– enabling him to take a free day that he would usually use to visit them.
The redhead greeted the government officials with a smile, making his way towards one of the meeting rooms, where it is the location that has been previously notified by the members in their group chat.
He halted his steps as soon as he arrived at his destination, taking a deep breath and clearing his throat before he opened the door.
"Good morning– ah."
Tachihara froze in his steps.
At this point he should've gotten used to the shenanigans of the Hunting Dogs but this..?
Jouno is lying down on the back of his partner, Tecchou, who is currently holding a plank.
"Tecchou-san..?" Tachihara asked bewilderedly, only for Tecchou to raise a finger in front of his lips, motioning at the sleeping man and wordlessly telling Tachihara to stay silent as to not wake the other up.
He quietly approached the two, squatting down so he could comfortably talk.
"How did this happen?" He whispered, adjusting the volume of his voice to be quiet enough to not wake the other up, but loud enough to be heard.
Tecchou looked back at the sleeping man for a moment before answering in the same volume, "The usual. I was working out before our meeting would start, but Jouno suddenly sat on my back and fell asleep after a while. I'm worried that he isn't getting enough sleep."
Tachihara blinked at his explanation.
"That's nice and all, Tecchou-san, but why is that the only thing you're concerned about..?" He responded with a baffled look, motioning at their peculiar position.
With a deadpan stare, Tecchou nonchalantly replied, "I didn't want to wake him up."
"So you stayed in a plank instead..?"
"Yes."
The both of them kept their silence right after that.
Tachihara stayed there, looking at the other with confusion and acceptance at their strange behavior. He will never be able to fully understand their abnormality..
"So," Tecchou started, making Tachihara perk up from his own thoughts. "How was your day? I've heard that you've been busy in the mafia."
"Oh that." He answered, bringing his hand up to his chin in a thinking pose. "It's been busier than usual, there was a slight issue– but it was more of an annoying issue rather than a serious problem. Then again, the boss wouldn't want to take any type of issue lightly." He shrugged.
Tecchou nodded at his explanation and began to listen to Tachihara's rambles about his week. It was a normal day for them.
They were just on the topic of the peculiar behaviors of some mafia members when Teruko slammed the door open, immediately making her presence known by everyone in the room.
Unfortunately, by 'everyone', that includes Jouno as well.
The loud slamming of the door instantly woke him up, leading him to fall off Tecchou's back with a loud thud– "Ow!"
All of their attention instantly moved from Teruko to Jouno, each one of them expressing concern in different ways.
"Oops."
"Jouno-san–!"
"Jouno–"
Tecchou was the first to physically react, grounding Jouno who was half-sitting on the ground by putting his hands on his shoulders. "Are you okay?"
Instead of a proper reply, Jouno retorted with punches of his own, "Well what do you think?!" The irritation was clear on his face and obviously laced on his tone.
Jouno's usual violent behavior soothed their worries even though there were almost no reasons to be worried– he wasn't a Hunting Dog for nothing.
Tachihara's worried expression relaxed into his awkward and exasperated one, which has probably become a norm for him whenever he spends time with his superiors and their unique personalities.
Teruko broke the one-sided argument between Jouno and Tecchou by speaking with a teasing manner, "You two really act like an old married couple."
Jouno instantly snapped his neck towards Teruko's direction, a pained smile on his face as a result from holding in his temper.
"With all due respect Teruko-san, our relationship is nothing like an old married couple."
"So you're saying that I'm wrong?" Teruko replied in the same tone, daring him to speak against her.
"Yes, what about it?" Jouno pressed, determined to deny her words.
"You dare go against me?" Teruko daunted, suddenly moving her attention to Tachihara who was feeling kind of terrified at the tension.
"Tachihara!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
He abruptly straightened up, fearing for his life at that moment.
"Is Jouno and Tecchou acting like an old married couple?" She demanded, also determined to prove Jouno wrong.
"Uhm..."
Tachihara was tied down between two choices.
Either to be under the wrath of the vice commander, or under the wrath of Jouno.
He wouldn't want to be under the wrath of any of them, but if he had to pick then..
He shot an apologetic look towards Jouno, which immediately earned him a look full of daggers from him.
I'm sorry, Jouno-san.. but none of us would like to be under the vice commander's wrath.
"Yes, Teruko-san."
"See?" Teruko said with a face full of satisfaction and mischief, cherishing the look of betrayal and rage from the other.
"You'll pay for this Tachihara-kun– Tecchou-san!" Jouno yelled.
"Yes?"
"We're not acting like an old married couple, right?" He asked with a threatening demeanor.
Tecchou simply stared at him for a while, the silence loud as the gears in his mind were working.
Instead of an actual reply that they were expecting, Tecchou began to slowly move his gaze away, pretending that he wasn't listening to Jouno.
"Oh! Is that a flustered Tecchou I'm seeing?" Teruko teased even further, giggling yet holding herself from outright laughing.
Even Tachihara was close to laughter, but was holding it so as to not meet his demise earlier.
"Ugh.. Tecchou-san!" Jouno scolded, ears turning red out of embarrassment.
They couldn't hold it in anymore and began to laugh.
Jouno was filled with embarrassment while Tecchou had his composed expression, a small smile slowly growing at their behavior.
—
"Ugh.."
They all felt like zombies, tired from the mission that they had recently finished. The mission required them to stay up for a few days straight to complete it– even the Hunting Dogs aren't invincible, they need rest.
They were tired, too tired to even muster up the energy to go to their own sleeping space. So at the moment, they're all sitting down on the seats in one of the military rooms.
"Ah.." The girl grumbled under her breath, face planted on the couch which was causing her voice to be barely audible, "I'm so tired that I can't even move.."
"Then you should go to sleep, Teruko-san." Jouno responded, obviously tired as well yet forbidding himself from falling into sleep.
"Shut up, Jouno."
Tachihara yawned and wiped a tear out of his eye, "Jouno-san is right, Teruko-san. You should go to sleep if you're as tired as you said."
"...no."
"Teruko-san.." He sighed at the stubbornness of his vice commander.
Even Tecchou was close to unconsciousness, dozing off every few seconds before instantly snapping back awake.
Every one of them groaned altogether.
The atmosphere remained drowsy for a while, with nobody bothering to speak with the exception of silent murmurs of complaints once in a while.
The redhead yawned before finally addressing the elephant in the room with a confused manner, "If you're all tired, then why are you forcing yourselves to stay awake..?"
"Why don't you ask yourself that, Tachihara-kun?" Jouno refuted in between yawns.
"Um.." Tachihara was left with no words. Fair enough. He sighed
"Well," Teruko started, all the attention half-focused on her. Her words slurring as she was half-asleep– probably not even aware that she was speaking. "It's because I want to make sure you're all.. safe and–" Her voice turned nearly inaudible in the end, although they noticed the way Jouno's expression softened, tenderly chuckling at her older-sister-like behavior.
"What did she say?" Tecchou queried, which earned a light chuckle from the other.
"Let's just say that she won't sleep until the rest of us do." He explained with a smile.
"Then you should sleep, Jouno." He responded with heavy eyes.
"And who are you to order me around?"
Tecchou focused his gaze onto the other.
"Jouno."
"No."
"Saigiku."
The mention of his given name spoken with Tecchou's tired and raspy voice made him shiver involuntarily, lips thinly pursed before finally giving in with a sigh.
"Fine, fine." He mumbled something in the end, most likely some sort of insult that Tecchou has chosen to ignore.
The redhead watched as his two superiors made themselves comfortable. Jouno placed his head on the other's shoulder, their hands lightly intertwining with one another.
Tachihara let out a quiet snicker. They really act like an old couple.
"Ah also, where's the commander?" He questioned, looking left and right, just realising the absence of their commander.
"He mentioned earlier that he wanted to drink some sake." Tecchou responded with an eye cracking open, which was quickly closed when he saw the nod of understanding that Tachihara gave. "You should sleep as well, Tachihara."
"Alright, Tecchou-san." He said with a smile, moving to sit on his right.
Teruko ultimately got up and let herself fall on Tachihara's lap, allowing herself to go to sleep after hearing a chuckle from the redhead.
And so, he let himself be lulled into unconsciousness by listening to the steady breaths of his friends.
The door silently cracked open.
A foot stepped in, to be met with the brash presence of their commander, Fukuchi Ouchi.
Thankfully, he was sober enough to stay silent in the presence of his sleeping subordinates.
Tecchou's eyes opened by a tad, making eye contact with his commander and faintly nodding at him in acknowledgement.
Fukuchi mirrored his movement and gave him a grin, hand moving towards the switch to turn off the lights, leaving without a noise to make their well-earned rest as comfortable as it could be.