Author's Note: Prompt suggested by Bandit.
H is for Hugs
Windlifter was having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Blade was currently out of the park at a fire chief's conference, which of course meant a certain superintendent had decided to choose that moment to try to force through some major changes to how the Piston Peaks Air Attack Team worked. The biggest of which was the decision that he wanted their budget trimmed again…but this time by 40 percent. Cad had even provided the Skycrane with some helpful suggestions on how he might 'trim the excess weight' from the budget. All of which were about as likely to fly as a rock resting at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.
"He actually thought that we could move to a less expensive worker's comp insurance rate?" Maru scoffed as he read over the list of suggestions.
"Yes." Was Windlifter's reply as he tried to drown his frustration in the chili that the team was eating for dinner. "His argument is that worker's comp insurance for the other departments is substantially less expensive."
"Of course, it is." Cabbie snorted. "Accountants and interpretive rangers aren't fighting fires so they don't have as high of an accident rate."
Windlifter turned a mournful look towards Cabbie, in hopes that he might guilt the older plane into rescuing the helicopter from his responsibilities as acting chief.
"No." Cabbie said flatly between bites of chilly.
"I didn't say anything." Windlifter didn't even bother hiding the edge of pout from his voice. "But you do forget that I am acting chief until Blade returns, so I am allowed to give you other duties as assigned. So, Cabbie, I am assigning you to create a budget reduction plan that we can present to the Superintendent by the end of the week."
Cabbie groaned but didn't protest…which, in hindsight, Windlifter realized should have been a warning. As the team meal drew to a close, the helicopter noticed that one of the big aircraft's elevator's twitched slightly and his eyes narrowed slightly. The old plane spoke, and while Windlifter knew he had won this particular battle, Cabbie made it clear that he wasn't completely out of the fight.
"Drip…don't you think that Windlifter looks like he is feeling a little bit down?" Cabbie asked the little smokejumper, who looked up at the plane with curiosity. But Avalanche sitting next to him started to get a slag-eating grin on his face. "I suspect he might benefit from a good cuddle."
Drip's eyes got big at Cabbie's suggestion. He glanced over at Windlifter, whose control surfaces were already starting to raise, then back at Cabbie. He started to bounce happily on his treds. "You are totally right." And before Windlifter had a chance to make a comment of his own Drip was already on the move. "Snuggle Pile!"
Windlifter of course attempted to evade the approaching vehicles, but the smokejumpers were well-practiced and skilled in the art of corralling large aircraft having honed the skills through generations of Cabbie cuddling. They moved with a level of grace that would make a pack of Sno-Cats hunting a Deere jealous, and soon Windlifter found himself completely surrounded by the smokejumpers with their bodies gently but firmly pressed against his skin.
The little vehicle's engines purred with their achievement, and Windlifter couldn't help to find the rhythm soothing. With his tank full with dinner and the comforting vibration, the Skycrane could feel his eyelids starting to become heavy…but then he saw Cabbie quietly trying to escape out the hanger door and any thought of a nap evaporated.
"Wait…" Windlifter blurted out. "Where are you going?"
"To go get the paperwork you assigned me done." Cabbie said with a low chuckle.
Windlifter tried to give the plane a proper glare…but that glaring had never been one of his skills and the effects of smokejumpers' snuggle fest was starting to drain him of tension once again. The Skycrane was pretty sure that the C-119 said something more. He wasn't sure what it was though, because by the time those words hit his ears, he already had one tire in sleep.