Shuri Oak sat still, which was a curiosity in his case, and looked at the scenery with eyes like saucers. He felt a bit stupid with the thought that, being seventeen, he could still be surprised, but... He simply hadn't get used yet to the reality of the Black Hawks, that was... different in every aspect. Yes, the Black Hawks kept surprising him, and even Shuri was speechless sometimes and tried not to stick his neck out. It was a rare thing, but still.

Bubble-bubble.

He had been in the Black Hawks for a month now. He had undergone the service on Chief of Staff Ayanami's flagship and the campaign in Antwort. He felt like a veteran who had seen and survived a lot. Now, however, he was under an impression that, even if the military service and war could be comprehensible, the ways that Ayanami and his men, more or less happily, spent their free time in required more effort and imagination. And courage.

Bubble-bubble.

They had come back from Antwort slightly worn, although none of them would admit it. Shuri didn't inform anyone of the nightmares that haunted him almost every night. He was a soldier, he had to be tough. Whatever it could seem to his father, he wasn't so foolish not to realize that serving under the direct command of Chief of Staff Ayanami wasn't a picnic. Regardless of the general reluctance towards him, he could feel that he had been accepted in the Black Hawks - that way or another. As long as it depended on him, he intended to stay in his office. Still, when the next day after their return to the headquarters Haruse announced him it was a bath time, even Shuri was dumbfounded.

Bubble-bubble.

A soap bubble spattered on his forehead, and the ubiquitous smell of the foam irritated his nose. Shuri didn't manage to hold back the sneeze and dived deeper in the hot water, red to the roots of his hair. No-one paid the attention to him, though.

Haruse had been unusually talkative when, within a quarter, he expounded to Shuri the history of shared bath in the Black Hawks. The quarters assigned to the unit had only one bathroom, but it included a small pool instead of the shower. Even the great bathroom in his manor house didn't have anything like this, so, initially, Shuri had wondered how come Ayanami had been granted with such a luxury, especially when the rest of the rooms was rather modest. It was enough to look at the Chief, however, to feel no longer like questioning him. Haruse had told him that it had been the commander's order to share their bath - otherwise the bill would be horrendous and it would be deducted from their pays. Shuri, however, observing the activities the others engaged in, highly doubted that the water consumption really was lesser...

Chief of Staff Ayanami sat opposite to him, comfortably leaning his back against the edge of pool. He looked as menacing as usual, especially that he wore his cap here too. He might as well sit at his desk, for he read the newspaper and ignored the rest with identical frown. Next to him, Colonel Katsuragi delighted in the warmth, lost in reading as well - probably one of the love stories he was fond of so much.

Rest of the scene showed itself less - or more - idyllic. Right to Shuri, Kuroyuri and Haruse played the naval battle, making at least half of the water leave the pool already. Soon, Kuroyuri got bored, which prompted Haruse to the activities more suitable for bath: washing. Major Hyuuga and Konatsu occupied the opposite part of the pool, apparently discussing Major's reports in rather fervent way. Konatsu, now and then, cast a longing glances on the stand, where a fine pile of papers was lying next to his uniform.

All of the sudden, Major choked Konatsu with a candied apple and swam towards Ayanami. "Shall I wash your back, Aya-tan?" he called, his voice joyful and enthusiastic, waving the brush and smiling from behind his sunglasses.

The bottle of shampoo hit his occiput. Hyuuga let the scream of surprise, sank in the water, bubbled and went down. Konatsu sat with his arms folded, clearly sulking. Ayanami didn't even look in their direction, reading his paper. Katsuragi took his eyes from the book, smiled, then returned to his reading. Kuroyuri looked at the water with eye wide open, while Haruse, ever calm, shampooed his long hair.

After a longer while Konatsu opened one eye and looked at the spot his superior had disappeared in. Only yellow duck rolled on the surface. He frowned.

"You killed him, Konatsu," Kuroyuri informed, his voice completely emotionless. Haruse smiled again, occupied in his task.

Konatsu pouted, but his gaze flashed with concern. Shuri felt his eyes went winder. Major Hyuuga was known for his jokes, but this didn't look like a joke any more. Ayanami was sitting undisturbed.

Finally, Konatsu dived in the search for his superior. Regardless of his anxiety, Shuri let himself a cautious thought that had Major Hyuuga really died, he, Shuri Oak, could become his adored Konatsu's Begleiter, for Konatsu would surely take Hyuuga's post. (The other option, supported by typical for Oaks self-confidence that usually went way too far from reality, assumed that he, Shuri, became a major and Konatsu Warren his Begleiter.) Then, however, Konatsu emerged with Major's inert body in his arms. Shuri squealed.

"You really killed him," Kuroyuri spoke in a tone that he could as well ask for a cookie in.

Konatsu blushed gently. Shuri looked at Major's face. His sunglasses got left somewhere in the bottom; without them he appeared younger and almost innocent. Konatsu patted him on the cheek. "Major! Major Hyuuga!"

No answer. No sign of life. Shuri shivered. The memory of corpses on the field of Antwort came back to him. Konatsu slapped Hyuuga across the face with more strength now. Shuri felt faint.

"I suggest mouth-to-mouth," it was the dispassionate voice of Chief of Staff Ayanami, who turned the page.

Konatsu blushed more, but commander's suggest made sense. He got Major out of the water and bent over his face hesitantly. The others - except for Ayanami - observed the scene with more or less shown curiosity. Even Katsuragi peeked from over his book. Haruse, his hands in Kuroyuri's hair, wore an expression of a blissful pleasure, and it seemed that he didn't care for anything else.

It will be okay, Shuri thought. In spite of himself, he clenched his fists underwater and focus only on the thought that Konatsu had to do this. And he had to success.

Ultimately, Konatsu set to the resuscitation. It didn't occur to Shuri that he should have done it much earlier - he had always slept through the lectures of first aid. And now he witnessed a miracle. As soon as Konatsu's lips touched his superior's, Major Hyuuga came back to life. Shuri let out a cry of surprise and joy. Konatsu really deserved to be his idol.

In the meantime, Major Hyuuga caught Konatsu in his embrace and obviously intended to continue with resuscitation. Konatsu wrenched himself free, shoving Major to the pool again. "Post-resuscitative shock," he explained, breathless, though no-one asked him anything.

Kuroyuri looked at the water. "You didn't have to kill him again," he declared. Katsuragi chuckled. Haruse still smiled, spacing into some other dimension.

Hyuuga emerged, grinning and waving with his sunglasses. "I was joking!" he called.

Konatsu was going to hit him with another bottle of cosmetic, but he contained himself in the last moment.

"We have to do it more often, Konatsu," Hyuuga added, although it remained unclear what exactly he was referring to. "I really liked it... Shuri? Shuri! Don't faint!"

Shuri felt the water flow in his ears, but - for some reason - he didn't care. He was sure of one thing: he wouldn't die of natural causes in the Black Hawks.

Bonus

"It's my turn for performing a resuscitation, Konatsu."

"Major... don't use this word in my presence, if you please."

"But you're a great instructor. One time was enough for me to learn. You see? It'll be of use right away. We have to bring poor Shuri back to life."

"Major, he probably just fainted. Look, he's coming around already."

"Then, who will I practise my newly acquired skills on? Well, Konatsu? I think I'll have to ask Aya-tan..."

"Major... I suppose... as your Begleiter... I can't let you down."

"I knew I could count on you, Konatsu. Oh my, Shuri fainted again."

"Apparently, he hasn't got used to service in the Black Hawks yet."