A/N: These are short stories just for fun and feels. Don't think about them too much. (Possible) light novel spoilers ahead. This fic is also available on Ao3.
"Looks like that damn thing's at it again."
Shin looked up from his papers, slowing his steps. Two men were standing near the front entrance to the base, their heads close together as they discussed. They looked to be part of the maintenance crew that kept the base running. And while they were talking in hushed tones, his keen ears picked up their conversation as clearly as if they were talking normally. They appeared disgruntled, with the man who'd first spoken tugging his mustache in irritation.
"Sheesh. Can't we just call someone to shoot it or something?" asked the second man, scratching his short beard.
The first man shook his head. "Tried that. I think bullets just piss it off. 'Sides, everyone's up to their ears prepping for the holidays. Seems they 'can't spare' anyone. Hmph. Bet they wouldn't be saying that if it was their fields getting wrecked."
"What're we supposed to do, then?" asked the second. "Not like we can march into the woods and do the deed ourselves. We'll need a lot more hands than what we have." The first man merely shook his head again, clearly at a loss. The tag on his uniform said his name was Alfons. The other, Arnfried. They looked alike, and had the same shade of ginger hair, so Shin guessed that they were brothers.
"Is there a problem?" Shin asked, walking towards them.
The men looked up and scrambled to attention upon seeing who had called them.
"Captain!"
"Sorry, sir. Didn't mean to interrupt you with our chatter."
"It's alright," Shin told them, "but if you men are having some sort of issue, I wouldn't mind having someone take a look at it."
The two maintenance workers shared a look of confusion. "Awfully generous of him…" whispered Alfons.
"Holiday spirit?" asked Arnfried.
"Must be. To think even the captain's been turned…"
I'm still here, you know. Shin decided against saying so, though it did irk him a bit. He was plenty generous regardless of the holidays.
"Thanks for the offer, Captain, but it's really nothing we should trouble you over," said Alfons. "Just a little pig problem going on back home."
Arnfried shot his brother a look of disbelief. "Little?! That thing's big enough to knock iron fences down! I know, because it does. All the time!"
"A wild pig?" Shin guessed. They were indeed a nuisance in many areas, especially rural ones.
"Yeah," Alfons had to admit, "but it's more annoying than anything. We've been going back and forth with that one for weeks. It's just that there's less food around now because of the cold, so it's acting a bit more aggressive than usual, and getting closer to the winter crops than we'd like. But we'll find a way to deal with it, don't worry."
"Yeah, it's our problem. So we'll handle it like we do all the others," Arnfried chimed in, though with less confidence. It was obvious that protecting their crops and fending off wild animals was a matter of pride for the two, which Shin did understand. And he didn't say this aloud, but while he had been open to aiding them before, when he heard what exactly the problem was, he couldn't help but feel a little reluctant.
These animals weren't the hairy, overgrown farm pigs many people dismissed them as. They couldn't be dealt with quickly or easily, and even he and his team had their own fair share of issues hunting them back in the Eighty-Sixth Sector. Werewolves weren't infallible, after all. They hadn't been given any firearms or ammunition, and the tusks of a wild pig could cause serious injury if they weren't careful. In truth, Shin was a little worried about the workers, but if they didn't want his help, he shouldn't press the issue.
"Besides," Arnfried went on, "don't you have your hands full enough already, Captain? You guys in the Strike Package are still planning that party in a few weeks, right?"
"That's right," Shin told him. Grethe had brought it to the table, and before he knew it, everyone was on board with the idea. For Shin it mostly meant extra work, but Lena had been particularly excited for the event, so he kept any and all disgruntled thoughts to himself. "You're right, we still have a lot of work to do, so I'll be getting back to it. I do hope that problem of yours gets sorted, though."
Politely excusing himself from the conversation, Shin continued on his way, rifling through his documents. First he had to check attendance, then place orders for the decorations, then finalize the menu, the venue, the seating…
Not to mention his personal agenda.
Soon the gears in his mind were spinning with a number of different thoughts and concerns, and his conversation with Alfons and Arnfried drifted to the back of his mind, forgotten.
–––––––––
"I just think it wouldn't hurt to cut back on it a little, that's all."
"Dustin, it's a holiday party. We can't not have red."
Dustin scratched the back of his head, which was hard to do when both arms were weighed down by shopping bags. "Okay, but don't you think this is a bit much?" Red peeked out of every bag, be it tinsel or streamers or any number of decorations.
Anju's were the same, with only a few hints of white and green here and there. The two of them drew eyes as they made their way down the snow-covered streets, including that of one woman walking her poodle who actually stopped and stared.
It made Dustin feel self-conscious, but Anju didn't seem to mind in the slightest. She looked up at the overcast sky, her keen sense of smell detecting more snowfall on the way. No doubt, this winter was going to be a long one. It had been a few days since they'd been issued this assignment, and while her own task was fairly simple… "I hope everything is going well on their end."
–––––––––
"I said it once, and I'll say it again: We don't need a seating chart for a party. Who even does that?"
In the large, extravagant but still empty ballroom, only two people were present. One was Theo, who stood to the side with his arms crossed, entirely fed up with the situation. The other went about her business, counting the tables and the seats at each one, and making the necessary adjustments on her printout.
"You might not care about it, but that doesn't mean it isn't necessary," Annette told him with equal bluntness. She found that it was often necessary when dealing with Theo, which was apparently part of her job that day. "This isn't a 'party' so much as a banquet, and like it or not, banquets have seating arrangements." She waved her sheet. "You're supposed to be checking the ones on the other side, remember? Come on–the sooner you start, the sooner we both finish."
"...Can't you do me a favor and check them for me?" Theo thought it wouldn't hurt to ask.
"Not a chance."
Theo groaned and trudged to the other side of the room, sheet in hand. Originally, confirming the seating chart was supposed to be his job alone, but he had a sneaking suspicion that Annette had been sent along to keep an eye on him. Come on, I'm not that much of a slacker. Shin had made it clear that this party–banquet, whatever–needed to be a success, and what would happen if he caught anyone not doing their part. After that, Theo knew better than to try and skip out on work entirely.
Besides, the job wasn't all bad.
"Up on the platform, too?" he asked Annette after he was done going over his half.
"That's where the orchestra will be playing, so yes," came her reply.
Theo made his way over and expertly climbed up to the stage, joking as he did, "This thing looks pretty high. One wrong move and I might end up breaking something."
Annette didn't so much as look up from her chart. "Break a limb from something that stupid, and I'll know you're not a werewolf."
That earned a chuckle from Theo. No, this wasn't bad at all.
–––––––––
Raiden had to wonder why his jobs always went smoothly up until when it mattered. He had secured most of what Lena had wanted for the menu, placing orders and confirming shipment dates without issue. Crossing item after item on his list, he allowed himself a small, satisfied smirk. Everything was going as planned.
And then he reached the butcher's shop.
Raiden leaned on the countertop, staring at the man in disbelief.
"...Out of stock?"
The butcher nodded. "Yep. Nothin' I can do about that. Everyone's tryin' to get their shoppin' in early, so my stocks are bein' bought up faster than I can replace 'em. These here," he jerked his thumb up at the smoked hams and sausages hanging on hooks above them, "and everything in the back all have tabs on 'em. Just need to be delivered. In fact I was just about to close up shop when you showed up."
They've all been bought? Every single one? Raiden had a hard time believing that, but the man's face was earnest, so instead he asked, "Has this ever happened before?"
The bald man grunted in dissent. "Not since I opened. My guess is, with the war gettin' worse and winter gettin' closer, people are panic buyin'. Tryin' to make sure they got enough to see 'em through till spring. Nothin' I can do," he said again, turning away from Raiden. "Heads up, though–all the other meat shops'll tell you the same thing, so don't bother."
Raiden scratched the back of his head, thinking. Or rather, mentally bemoaning the fact none of his jobs were allowed to end as quickly as they had begun. What's more, he honestly understood the butcher's explanation. The war was taking a turn for the worse. And the constant chill of winter wore on everyone's nerves, especially the werewolves like himself who made up the majority of the Strike Package.
That was the whole point of the upcoming banquet; they all needed something to look forward to, something big to lift their sullen spirits. And now it looked like they might not even get that. Raiden didn't think about trying to hold the banquet without any meat, even though most other ingredients had been purchased. No one who knew a werewolf would ever suggest such a thing. It wasn't just preference; meat was a large and necessary part of their diet.
This isn't good. These are the only places guaranteed to make the deliveries in time. If we go any further out, we'll have to delay the whole thing. Or worse, cancel entirely. And with the Strike Package scheduled to be mobilized as soon as spring came, there wouldn't be time to make up for it. The undead were slower in the cold, but not by much.
Sighing, Raiden left the shop. He knew what the man told him, but he still tried the three other butcher shops in town. And all three told him the same thing. Seeing nothing else to be done, he headed back to the base.
Someone had to make the report.
–––––––––
"All the shops were closed?" Lena repeated.
"That's what it looks like," Shin said.
"So, at this rate, there won't be any main course."
"Or sides," he added.
Lena tapped the tip of her pen on the stack of papers on her desk. "...I see."
Shin thought he understood her disappointment. Grethe may have been the one to bring it before the board, but the idea for the party had originally been Lena's. She had wanted the soldiers under her supervision, both human and not, to finally get the chance to relax and enjoy themselves for once without thinking about the Legion. She knew how much this meant to them all, and he knew how much it meant to her.
"We'll figure it out," he said, trying to reassure her.
Lena gave a tiny nod, but her downcast expression did not change. "Maybe. But if we can't, we may have to consider...other alternatives." Namely, canceling.
"Understood," Shin said reluctantly. Lena then told him she had some documents she needed to look through, and Shin, recognizing the polite but clear dismissal, left her to it.
Out in the hallway, he pressed his back against the wall. In truth, he was just as frustrated as Lena about their situation, though not for the same reasons. Yes, he too thought his squadron deserved to enjoy a bit of respite after all they've been through over the past year, but the banquet was important to him personally as well. Ever since the plan had first been announced, Shin had been thinking long and hard about this one decision.
First, it had been a fanciful idea, just wishful thinking on his part. But then, the more he thought about the scenario, the more wonderful it sounded, until it became something that bounced around in his head day-in and day-out. Just that morning, he had finally come to a conclusion.
He had decided that on the day of the banquet, at the height of the festivities, he was going to tell Lena the truth about how he felt about her.
Just thinking about it made his face burn, so Shin walked swiftly down the hallway and turned several corners until he was far away from Lena's office and out of sight. There he ruffled his hair as he tried to piece together a new plan. He had to wonder, somewhat dejectedly, if he would have been better off telling her at any point before now. It wasn't as if he never had the opportunity, after all. But at the last moment, his confidence always deserted him.
That was why he'd thought–why he hoped–the upcoming event would give him the opening he needed and set the perfect atmosphere for his confession. But with Lena now preoccupied, it looked like he wouldn't even be granted that much.
After stewing in his irritation for a while, Shin figured the best thing to do was to clear his head and go for a run in the nearby forest. It was there that he ran into Raiden.
Shin blinked. "What're you doing here?"
Raiden cocked his head thoughtfully. "Same as you, I guess. Came out here to unwind." Out here in the forest, feeling the elements on their fur, the two of them could almost forget their troubles. Almost.
The Onyxes idly trotted through the woods, pausing momentarily to drink from a stream. Raiden lifted his head. "Sucks about the party."
Shin kept his head low, though he'd since stopped drinking. "Yeah."
His friend gave him a sympathetic look. "You'll have other chances."
Shin flicked an ear. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Right." Raiden turned in a small circle and settled onto his stomach. "You know, sometimes it almost feels like we're back in the Eighty-Sixth Sector."
"Does it?" Shin asked. He thought it a rather odd comparison.
But Raiden sounded more pensive than scornful. "Yeah. Minus the constant risk of freezing, injury and starvation–and zombies trying to eat your brain–it reminds me of all the times we used to go out in the woods and hunt. We took pride in that, at least."
Shin remembered, and he cracked a rueful smile, a somewhat odd expression for a wolf. "Especially Haruto," he said, conjuring up a specific memory from way back then. "I didn't think there was anyone more reckless than Daiya when it came to hunting."
"Well, Daiya was just showing off for Anju, wasn't he?" Raiden barked a laugh. "But I know what you mean, especially that time he went and caught a boar all on his own."
Shin's smile vanished. "...A boar, huh?"
"Yeah?" Raiden responded with uncertainty, no doubt wondering about the sudden change in mood. "Don't you remember? The thing was huge; kept us going for a whole week. 'Course, he made it sound like he brought it down with his own fangs, but I'm pretty sure he just tricked it into going over a...you okay?"
It was clear Shin was no longer a part of the conversation. He was staring off into the distance, and his tail swept gently from side to side, the way it did when he was chasing an idea. "...There's more of us now, so it probably won't last a week, but for one night, then maybe…"
"Uh, Shin?"
Shin's eyes suddenly fixed on Raiden. "Gather Spearhead and meet me inside. I think I found the solution to our problem."
First, he had to speak to a couple of mechanics.
–––––––––
"So," Kurena surmised, "you're saying we should track down and hunt a fully grown Giadian wild pig out in the middle of nowhere, kill it, and make that our main course for the dinner?"
"That is the gist of it, yes," Shin said, though he thought her version of the plan sounded a little simplistic. It was much more complex and nuanced than that. Surely.
"More importantly," he said, eyes zeroing in on one person standing apart from the others in the room, "I said for the members of Spearhead squadron to meet with me. So what exactly are you doing here?"
Shiden shot him a toothy grin as she leaned on the doorframe. "Hah, as if I'd ever miss out on a hunt just to make you feel better, Li'l Reaper." She stepped inside. "I talked to those maintenance guys too, and it looks like they've got a real problem on their hands. You'll need all the help you can get."
Shin couldn't deny that, which only made him more annoyed, and Shiden more smug. But then she tilted her head curiously in a decidedly canine way. "But y'know, from what I heard, those guys were really set on taking the bastard down themselves. 'We've got our pride' and all that. So what made them change their minds?"
"Honestly?" Shin asked. "I think the situation is more serious than they're letting on. It's only been a few days since I spoke to him, and Arnfried's attitude has almost completely flipped since then. Says he'd be glad for the help now. Alfons was more reluctant, but he came around after I told him he'd be doing us a huge favor by letting us take the pig."
"So we are doing it, right?" Theo asked, eager. "Man, it's been so long since we had a real hunt!"
"It would be nice to sink our teeth into something other than rotting, reanimated corpses for once," Anju agreed.
"And it means we get to have pork roast for dinner!" cried Kurena, completely won over by the prospect of meat.
"It's for the party, Kurena, so we can't eat it right away," Raiden told her. This did little to dampen her spirits.
"I heard Giadian pigs are giant, and they get even bigger this time of year! Who's to say we can't have a pound or two just to lighten the load?"
"I don't think that's how it works…"
Shin watched the five of them laugh and joke around, their eyes alight with the promise of good food and exercise. Werewolves were born to hunt. Finally getting to do what they were made to and not being used as weapons of war–whatever the cause–put them all in good moods. "It's settled, then. We'll head out first thing tomorrow. The six of us should be enough for one pig, plus Alfons and Arnfried will be there to help." This brought more cheers from the group.
It put his mind at ease, seeing them so carefree.
Now, if only someone else would learn to unwind the same way. Fortunately, Shin thought he had an idea to help her do just that.
"Prepare any way you can," he said. "This is still a wild pig, so we can't let our guard down. In the meantime, I'll probably be in town with Lena this evening, so if you have questions, talk to the mechanics."
Silence.
Taken aback by the sudden halt in conversation, Shin looked around. Five other faces peered at him with varying degrees of shock. "What?"
"You're taking Lena to town?" Raiden asked.
"And you decided to do it on your own?" echoed Theo.
"Without any prompting from us?" Anju whispered.
While Kurena said nothing, Shiden actually looked proud, which pissed Shin off.
"Yes," he growled. "Don't act surprised. I just want her to relax and not stress about this. She's done a lot for us; I want to do something for her in return."
The others–sans one–looked almost too happy with this explanation, which only heightened his discomfort, so he decided to beat a hasty retreat. He walked quickly past them, muttering, "I'll see you guys tomorrow."
"Take your time," Shiden called after him.
He shut the door in her face.
–––––––––
"You're going to hunt down a wild pig, then?" Lena asked.
"That's right. We'll be gone for a few days, but that's the plan. With this, we can still host the banquet."
They were in the city neighboring their base, and the sun had already set. The streets, luckily, were bright with scores upon scores of lights, the kind that are only seen in winter. Snow fell lightly in flakes, catching the glow as they drifted down, and as they walked, Lena reached out to touch one.
They were both dressed for the weather, and the large flake came to rest on her gloved hand. She gazed down at it as it started to melt. "I see," she said with a gentle smile. "Looks like we don't have to worry about that anymore. Thank you, Shin."
Shin hadn't done it to be thanked, of course, but he'd be lying if he said her smile didn't make his heart beat a little faster. "It's fine. I know how much this means to you and everyone in the Strike Package."
"And we'd be helping out Alfons and Arnfried, too," Lena added, her smile growing brighter. "Those crops are their livelihood. I can't imagine how devastated they would be to lose them. Hopefully with this, their families can enjoy a bit of peace this winter."
Shin wished she didn't concern herself with other people's issues quite so much, but he was glad to see her in good spirits again. When he had extended the invitation to her a few hours earlier, Lena had been, as expected, stressing over the fate of the winter feast.
They'd had dinner at a new restaurant, toured a few holiday-themed shops, and taken a stroll through the park, but it was only after he told her the plan that Lena's anxiety had truly begun to subside.
And just in time, too. Shops were closing, and the throngs on the streets had begun to thin. Before they went home, though, there was one thing he wanted her to see.
The pair of them were heading towards the center of the town, where a crowd was already gathering. In the middle of the square was a massive pine tree, artistically decorated with thousands of lights and ornaments of every shape and color.
Lena looked up at it in wonder, and even Shin had to marvel at its beauty. They walked until they were standing beneath its lowest branches, and for a few minutes they watched as other people–singles, couples, small families and more–milled around or otherwise gazed at the lightshow.
Lena broke the silence. "Shin?" She seemed tense, as if a sudden thought came to her, and not a pleasant one.
"Hm?"
"Are Giadian pigs dangerous?"
"...They could be, like any other wild animal," Shin said. He didn't mention what Arnfried had told him–that Giadian wild pigs could grow to be his height and taller. And that their tusks grew in proportion to that.
"But it won't be easy, will it?" she pressed.
"No," Shin told her, unable to lie about it.
"Yes, I assumed so," Lena murmured. "And the Strike Package is moving in spring. So if any of you get hurt…"
"Lena–"
"The banquet was my idea," she went on. "It would be one thing if you just wanted to help our maintenance workers, but the main reason you're going is to save the feast, isn't it?"
Well, he certainly wouldn't be going through all this trouble otherwise. He didn't want to say that to her face, though. It didn't matter, in the end. Lena already knew the answer.
The worry had returned, and now it was taking root. "I know it's your choice. I know that. And I would never deny you the right to decide, but if anything happened–"
"Lena." Shin took her by the shoulders, cutting her off then and there.
He didn't want this. He wanted her to have fun and enjoy herself, for them to have a nice evening together. He didn't want to see that look on her face–not here. Not now. They finally had a solution to their crisis. This was cause for celebration, even if there were risks. He had to make her see that everything was going to be okay. That she could rely on him to look after himself and theirs, and that he didn't have to be a constant source of concern for her.
Lena lapsed into silence, clearly caught off-guard by his gesture. That gave Shin the opportunity to speak. "I know you're worried, and I'm happy that you care so much about us, but I need you to do something for me."
Wide-eyed, she nodded.
So Shin said, "I need you to trust me. Trust that I know what I'm doing, and I'm going to come back to you safe and sound with all the others. Just like I trust that you'll see us through battle time after time, I want–I need you to do the same for me." Not once did he look away from her. "Do you trust me?"
Her eyes searched his. He didn't know what she saw in them, but as he watched, her apprehension melted away. "Yes. I trust you, Shin."
"Good."
Lena waited, but Shin didn't let go of her. Her brows knit in confusion. "Shin…?"
"Now, look up."
Truth be told, he had noticed it as soon as they had stepped under the tree, but it appeared that she hadn't yet. He had been conscious of it the entire time, which made concentration difficult, but he'd managed to say his piece without giving anything away. Now Lena looked up into the branches of the pine tree, trying to spot what he was referring to.
And almost immediately, she did.
The evergreen, as it turned out, was decorated on its underside as well. And among those decorations was a small bundle of leaves studded with white berries, tied together with red ribbon. Hanging right above their heads.
Lena narrowed her eyes. "Isn't that a mistle–"
Before he lost his confidence, Shin pressed his lips against her cheek. It was but for only a moment, but to him it could have lasted an eternity. He pulled away and finally released his grip on her shoulders, his heart hammering as he waited–with equal parts hope and dread–for her reaction.
Lena's face was completely flushed, eyes round, her arms hanging at her sides, and she stared at him with a perfectly dumbfounded expression. He found it quite endearing. "Shin, I… I don't know what to…" she stammered.
"You don't have to say anything," he said softly. "For now, let's just make sure the feast goes off without a hitch. We can talk then." He'd made a promise to himself that it would happen there, and he was going to see it through. And she hadn't shied away from him, so he had to take that as a good sign.
Shin held out his hand.
Lena seemed to come to terms with something as well, because she took it without hesitation. "Yes. We'll talk then."
Their evening well-spent, and anticipating tomorrow, the two of them made the journey home together, their hearts lighter than they had been in a long time.
If only they knew.