Cells at Work belongs to Akane Shimizu.

Talking With Your Frenemy

Cancer cell continued to pace around the tumour, he had tried so hard to befriend the neutrophil but nothing he did worked. He had tried to give the neutrophil some tea but the neutrophil remained suspicious of him. He had tried being in his disguised form and pretending to be a normal cell yet the neutrophil seemed to see though the disguise and avoided him as much as possible. Nothing Cancer cell seemed to do worked on befriending the neutrophil and trying to create a positive bond was what he was after. If he solely wanted to possess his friend, he'd create the container and force the immune cell inside and closed it. He would have total dominance over what happened then, he would be in full control of the situation but…while that would be better it wouldn't be building the friendship he craved. It would create tension between the pair of them and the rift between the pair of them would only grow larger. If he wanted U-1146 as a friend he would have to stand in unfamiliar territory and dive into the unknown.

Cancer cell stared up at the ceiling of his tumour, the pulsating and vibrating walls that surrounded him, the safety of his home would have to change if he was going to befriend his kind-hearted killer. Leave the safety of the tumour and find himself a cell to live with, he had one in mind but he wasn't sure if the cell was going to accept him. He was a cancerous cell and proliferated rapidly and if he saw a cloning machine his natural instinct was to use it to create more cancerous cells. It was coded into his DNA and a struggle to ignore. No, rooming with a common cell wouldn't be the best idea but he didn't want to remain in the tumour. There was too much negative association for U-1146 and Cancer cell was determined to start to build a positive bond with him. Getting up, Cancer cell slipped into his disguised form and started to venture out from the tumour to find his friend and to hopefully start to form a friendship with him.

Cells at Work – Talking with your Frenemy

U-1146 patrolled through the blood vessels, his receptor has been quiet all day. He was happy that the body wasn't threatened by any pathogens while he was patrolling but at the same time he found that the day had been rather…uninteresting. He didn't want to jinx the day by saying anything so instead headed towards somewhere he knew he could relax for a while. Changing direction, U-1146 headed towards the nearby tea station. This particular station provided the cells with green tea, his personal favourite so this was the station he visited the most. Taking a nearby cup, he placed it under the nozzle and watched as the steaming, green tea filled it. He watched the steam rising from the tea and smiled happily. His fingers curled around the cup and he picked it up, inhaling the aroma he loved so much.

"All tea is good tea, but my person favourite will always do best," he spoke happily before taking a sip, feeling the warm fluid running down his body and settling in his cytoplasm and warming his whole body. It was a pleasant feeling but now it was time to leave the station and continue on his patrol. The body wasn't going to protect itself from any pathogens wanting to make the body its home.

As he patrolled he felt a pair of eyes on him, a familiar feeling washed over him. Just from that feeling did he realise who was watching him. He mentally sighed as he glanced over towards the owner of the glare and saw a common cell watching him. Cancer cell was playing disguised huh? Not one of the best methods but it was a method to avoid detection from the other immune cells, unless NK decided to show up and kill him. For now, Cancer cell was safe from the others. U-1146 was sure that he was the only cell who would recognise Cancer cell in his disguised form. He sighed and looked over towards the cell.

"You don't have to hide, come on," he spoke in his usual tone as he didn't want to give anything away. Cancer cell slowly came out and towards the neutrophil.

"Was I that obvious…?" He asked quietly and got a nod for a response. He pouted before he felt a smile grow on his face. It was only natural that his kind-hearted killer would pick him out from the crowd, they had been dancing and fighting with each other often enough that it was possible they could sense each other. "Do…you mind if I walk with you?"

"I wouldn't have called you out if I wasn't fine with it," U-1146 spoke before he took another sip of tea. Feeling the liquid once more he let out a happy sigh. It really was good tea.

Cancer cell walked beside U-1146, he could smell the tea from U-1146 and smiled. It was a dominating scent that lingered around the neutrophil along with the scent of cytoplasm and the cleaning solution he used. Sometimes he used a scented cleaning solution which could be any fruit or strange scent he favoured this time. It was nice to see that his kind-hearted killer was starting to look after himself somewhat more than how he was before. Cancer cell hadn't seen U-1146 use himself as a shield as much anymore…there were still moments but it was something U-1146 was doing less and less, instead U-1146 was happily using his own weapons to protect instead of his body.

The pair walked in silence before U-1146 decided to break it. He turned towards Cancer cell with a smile. "Shall we go somewhere more private? There's some things I want to talk about which isn't liked by the others…" He spoke quietly, Cancer cell blinked in surprise before he smiled happily.

"I'd like that, know of somewhere safe?" He asked the taller cell, the cell that stood next to him that has seen many battles and still walked and waited for more.

"I do." U-1146 looked around and nodded, knowing the safe place they could go and talk that wasn't owned by either cell.

Cells at Work – Talking with your Frenemy

Cancer cell gently pulled U-1146 over towards the nearby bench after the number of erythrocytes and common cells had depleted. Occasionally a neutrophil or other white blood cell passed by but other than that they were alone. He sat down first and waiting until U-1146 sat down next to him on the bench too, he wondered what the neutrophil wanted to talk to him about? The curiosity was demanding him to ask but he didn't want to look to be over excited or push U-1146 into something he wasn't ready to talk about just yet.

"You really know your way around the body," Cancer cell commented as he looked around.

"Of course, it's my job to know the body…" U-1146 spoke in response to Cancer cell.

"That's true…"

"Just like it's your job to proliferate and try and take the body…but that's not why I wanted to talk," U-1146 started before he stopped himself from saying anything else. Cancer cell shuffled on the bench and shuffled closer to U-1146. He waited for U-1146 to continue. "I just…don't understand you."

"You…don't understand me?" Cancer cell asked confused.

"There's a lot I don't understand when it comes to myself and you, we're supposed to be enemies yet…it doesn't feel like we are enemies," U-1146 admitted to Cancer cell. He wasn't sure how he should feel about Cancer cell. Cancer cell was an enemy after all, he wanted to take over the body and viewed him as nothing but an object…or how it felt anyway. While feeling like that, he also felt that Cancer cell seemed to know him and understood him. While it was his job to defend the body and kill any pathogen he could there were times when he just wanted a chill day. A day or time when he could just be himself instead of what was expected of him.

"How come?" Cancer cell asked.

"Outside the neutrophil division and my sibling friendship with AE3803, you're someone I'd consider a friend…but at the same time I know I'm supposed to hate you. I just…can't bring myself to hate hate you, like how you hate Killer T or Memory T, depending on what hat he wears."

Cancer cell continued to watch U-1146 with a neutral expression on his face. The neutrophil looked torn as to how he should feel about this and it made Cancer cell feel guilty for causing this confusion. He wasn't wrong, he was supposed to be killed and the neutrophil should be the one doing it…but here they were just chatting on a bench. While it was more U-1146 talking while Cancer cell was more doing this listening for now but it made him happy.

"I hate him because he threatens my life along with NK cell. Why do you think I put you in a container and allowed Regulatory T to handle Memory T and NK cell?" Cancer cell asked. U-1146 looked over towards Cancer cell as he debated what he should say.

"I assumed then it was because you wanted me on your side so had me somewhere I couldn't hurt you or be hurt so we could talk?" He admitted.

"I just wanted to talk but had to hurt you to try and get you to listen to me," Cancer cell pouted at U-1146 before he spoke once more. "How long have you been feeling this confused?"

"It started during our second battle when you spoke and I angrily listened," he admitted.

"You know I won't stop until I have you working with me but I'm aware on how short your lifespan is."

"Even when I reach the end of my life cycle I think the body will reincarnate me but I don't know."

"How about before that happens, we just become friends? If…you can teach me how to be friends with you…I don't think my methods is the 'correct' way." The cancerous cell offered his hand to U-1146. The neutrophil looked down at the hand before he shook, a small smile on his face. Cancer cell took the opportunity and moved quickly to kiss the neutrophil's cheek. He smirked as he watched the cytoplasm rushing to U-1146's face and making him blush.

"C-c-cancer cell?!" U-1146 stuttered.

"Teehee~"

Thanks for reading~