The Language I Spoke Yesterday

Picture Perfect SMILE

We sat in tense silence for several minutes. I continued to lounge as Shachi began to fidget uncomfortably. When he drew a breath to speak, I interrupted. "What exactly did you hope to gain from that endeavor?"

"I, uh, just got it into my head that it would be a good idea. Like a joke."

"Hah?" I wasn't sure I heard him properly. I watched him out of the corner of my eye. "You thought taking pictures of my little sister would be funny?"

Shachi's eyes widened behind dark tinted glasses as his body withered.

I set the chair and my feet on the floor, continuing as if I hadn't surprised myself. "Is anyone laughing, Shachi-ya?"

He shook his head with a slow, jerking motion. "No, Captain."

"This sort of behaviour will not be tolerated." I reached behind me and grabbed Kikoku. "It wasn't funny when you and Penguin-ya singled out Ikkaku-ya, and it's certainly not funny when you violate Andromeda's privacy."

"Hai..." He hung his head.

I drew Kikoku in a sweeping arc as I activated my "Room.", and I amputated Shachi's hands. He cringed, fingers twitching uselessly on the table in front of him. "You can have them back in one week at the earliest." I turned to leave with Kikoku sheathed over my shoulder and Shachi's hands twitching awkwardly in mine.

"But! I can't get back to work without my hands... How am I going to eat?" He gasped as an afterthought.

I smirked. "That will be funny. Oh, and Shachi-ya. There's no reason for anyone to think I have any... special attachments to Andromeda-ya."

"Hai, Captain..."

/-/-/-/

I sighed and shook my head. The pictures the Cameko printed were blurry beyond recognition. I guess it's hard to aim a camera from around a corner. The thing that bothered me the most about them was the ghostly white glow of Amber Lead Syndrome.

I probably could have just let Shachi have them, and not outted his perverted actions to the crew. I was just being dramatic, like always. It wouldn't have hurt anything but my pride even if the pictures had been clear...

Still, the thick glossy prints made a satisfying shrrrrrriiiiiiik as I slowly tore them to pieces. The cameko let out a small whistle as it snored. In all, my room felt... Peaceful.

Just quiet enough that I felt the need to apologize to Shachi. I had nearly taken his head off with my shoe...

"Damnit...." I whimpered to myself. "I left it in the cafeteria..."

With another sigh, I got to my feet. I could feel the crew settling down, but their energy was dark and suspicious. I could only guess that it was aimed at Shachi.

Weis stopped me very soon after I left my room. "Hey, Andromeda. You okay?"

"Yeah." I couldn't help but smile sheepishly. "Shachi is a terrible photographer. He didn't get me in a single shot."

The large man tried not to grin, but he snorted and snickered. "All that trouble, and he was shooting blanks? Damn, that poor bastard!"

"Yup." I agreed amicably through the guilt that was settling in my chest. "So it turns out that I overreacted. I should probably apologize..."

Weis shook his head and clapped my shoulder. I hardly registered the physical as more than a buzzing in my head. "I don't think you overreacted. Ikkaku use to beat the snot out both him and Penguin on a regular basis, just to remind them she could!"