OwO

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Okonogi switched the channel on her mic until she was on Estella’s direct line.  “Hey Stella, welcome back.  The Vice-Captain is out at the moment.”

“Yeah, yeah.”  Estella playfully sang back.  “The jerk-offs at the front gate told me.  No worries.  I actually have another engagement I’ve been negligent on that I need to tend to.”

Okonogi’s brows arched and she couldn’t resist joining in on teasing, “Oh?  You’re cheating on your time with vice-captain and sharing it with someone else?  With who?”

“Think he’ll forgive me if it’s Captain Ashiro?”

“The only person he would.”

Which is how and why Estella found herself standing in Captain Ashiro’s office, waiting with a salute and a smile while she finished typing up whatever report or email she had.  Without looking up from the screen, like everyone else, she teased Estella, “You usually come by just to distract Hoshina for a while and then leave.  It’s nice to see that you’re addressing your other obligation for once.”

Estella’s face quickly paled as the passive-aggressiveness of her Captain sank into her very bones.  “I uh... I’m really sorry... It’s not that...”

“You were playing favorites.”  Ashiro’s voice was ice cold as her eyes finally turned up from the computer screen to lock with the officers on the other side of her desk.

Estella straightened up and scratched at her cheek as she looked anywhere else in the office she could.  “I mean... well... you know...”

“How do you think it would make him feel to know you were constantly choosing Hoshina over him?”  Ashiro stood on up, shutting her laptop and maintaining direct eye contact with an increasingly flustered Estella.

Estella backed up until her trembling back was against the wall behind her and she started to wiggle her index fingers together.  “It’s not that... I was choosing him over the other or anything... it’s just...”

Ashiro crossed her arms.  “This is your first time coming to see him and you’ve come to see Hoshina how many times?”

Estella was visibly sweating.  “A-a few times...”

Ashiro went back for her laptop.  “How about I just check your badge history and – “

Estella waved her hands emphatically and shrieked, “No that’s okay, I’m so sorry!  But that’s why I’m here to see if you had time while Shi-Shi’s on patrol!”

Captain Ashiro’s entire face flattened into a completely blank slate for several moments.  After a solid two seconds of silence, Estella realized her expression was growing expectant, like she was waiting for her to react to something.

Like an outdated browser, she slowly combed back through her last sentence, trying to figure out what she had said to warrant such a face from her Captain.  Then all at once she heard it and straightened up with a tight-lipped smile.  “S-sorry... I meant to say Vice-Captain Hoshina.”  It sounded so weird to say it so formally now.

Which was probably why Captain Ashiro then asked with disbelief, “Is that really your first time getting scolded for that?  He really does play favorites doesn’t he?”

Estella looked away but her face and ears were as red as the lines of the suit.  “Hmmm... m-maybe.....”

Ashiro fanned her hand and her expression finally warmed into a gentle smile as she dropped the façade, “I’ll let Hoshina you know us some laps when you get back to Tachikawa.  But in the meantime, why don’t we go fulfill your other obligation?”