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If one were to ask Tendo Choi what his favorite thing about jaeger pilots were, he'd likely answer with a smile, and a previously thought-out(and quite convoluted) speech about how each of his pilots had their own charms, and how he couldn't possibly be asked to decide on a specific one to favor.
Of course, that would be his front. He'd never admit to finding the greatest pleasure in the simple way each of the pilots would call out to him. The triplets would bark his name happily when they saw him, thick Chinese accents to their 'Tendo!' and excited 'Mr. Choi!'s that addressed how much of a good guy they thought he was. The Russians each had their subtle greetings, Aleksis would smile and nod to him which Tendo would have to admit was adorable for the silent giant, while his wife would grin and sling her arm around the shorter man's shoulders, pull him to her and offer a jovial “Mr. Choi” as if he were prey, but also in a way that subtly asked 'when are we getting in trouble next, commander'. Whether she outright asked him or not, he'd audibly reply with a soft, “Soon, ma'am. Keep your schedule clear on Friday night.”
Stacks addressed him with nothing less than the respect he deserved and, while it was appreciated, the LOCCENT officer couldn't help but find it charmingly stuffy of him. Mako learned from him, but at least she would smile when she bowed, revering him with a soft “Mr. Choi.” He'd smile and incline his head politely, wanting to tell the girl she didn't have to be so formal with him but then again, it was always adorable how her eyes lit up like that. Chuck addressed him firmly most of the time with shout of 'Tendo' from far too far away, but it was endearing to receive his “Hey Elvis!”, even if the young pilot tried to use it as somewhat of a tease for him. Who couldn't appreciate being called by the King's name? He tried not to look too happy every time the younger Hansen called him by it, but could easily turn the tables by addressing the young man as 'Charlie' and watching as he grumped about it for a while, but with scarlet cheeks that screamed how much he honestly felt about the nickname.
Then came the Beckets. Raleigh would take his adorable, puppy dog route and charmingly call him 'Tendo' in that way that made the high caffeinated man feel like he could never be replaced. That tone that simultaneously showed how the younger of the two cared for him like family already and made him feel at home no matter where they were or what they were doing at the time. Then there was Yancy. The man he was shamelessly most intimate with out of the lot, but despite this, would call him a formal “Mr. Choi.” in his endless respect and adoration for the smaller man. The way the syllables rolled off that American's tongue in that flirtatious purr made Tendo squirm in his seat every time, each time remembering the last times those lips were against his own, or murmuring against his skin, making him feel like the most precious person or thing in the entire world. The man was just beginning to realize just where Rals had learned it in the first place.
But even with the appealing way everyone would address him, there was always one that trumped all the rest. As much as he probably would have preferred giving the honor to one or both of his usual lovers, the Beckets, they sat second and third to his superior, Hercules Hansen. How could he even begin to describe what Herc's voice did to him at all, let alone just what feelings the low, chest-rumbling voice with the thickest Australian accent inspired? No matter if he was expecting it or not, the way the older Hansen slowly, carefully murmured his respectful, “Mr. Choi,” sent the LOCCENT commander's heart racing, the sound pounding in his ears as he let the subtle invitation in the man's tone sink in. That ingrained, yet oh-so-delicious come-hither inflection in his cadence that made the smaller man's blood turn to lava, and left him only hoping that there were no visual effects playing on his features from it. He could listen to that man talk for hours on end and still be turned on by just how smooth everything he said sounded, no matter what he was saying. And this got him in trouble occasionally. Right at the moment, in fact, since he was in the middle of a meeting with Stacks and the Australian in question who'd been going on about something for at least ten minutes now, and had lost Tendo to his thoughts about five minutes in.
“Am I boring you, Mr. Choi?” The words broke through after a moment of silence that the officer noticed all too belatedly, unfocused eyes snapping to the larger men that were both staring at him quite incredulously. The commander cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, licking his lips and tilting his head a little.
“My apologies, gentlemen. Little out of it today, I suppose. Not enough coffee yet being my best guess,” he nodded a little, and the words seemed to stay Pentecost's concerns a little, but the man couldn't bring his gaze to meet the strawberry blond's own that he'd so far refused to let leave him. He could tell that Herc seemed to know that it wasn't coffee that was the problem in the slightest, and could only hope the man was feeling less inclined to call him out on it than usual. How was he supposed to explain that he'd drifted off into a daydream because of said man's timbre caused his chest to tighten and stomach to jolt and a range of other bodily reactions that were commonly frowned upon as response to one's superior. If he'd have even glanced over, he would have been able to note the subtle narrowing of the Australian's clear blue eyes, and would have been at least a little more prepared for the ensuing question that followed it.
“Perhaps you should go and fetch a refill then, Mr. Choi?” Tendo would have sworn on his grandfather's grave that the man's voice was far more pointed by the time he'd spoken his name; that the man was gauging his reactions, but then again, that may have just been his paranoia considering the entirely sinful thoughts he'd just been having for the other. He swallowed a little hard and attempted to hide his deep inhale with the breath one needed to take before speaking.
“Maybe you're right, sir,” he said softly, shifting to get to his feet, clipboard held almost conspicuously close to his crotch as he rubbed at the back of his neck. His pants didn't feel any tighter than usual, but he didn't even need the risk of something that embarrassing. “If I may be excused for a few minutes?” the second half of his statement was pointed to the marshal who offered a short, stiff nod in affirmation before he sat back in his chair, looking as though he was more than accepting of a break himself.
“You can step out for a recess too if you'd like, Herc. We've been sitting here too long already.” Pentecost offered and, out of habit, Herc almost dismissed it but hesitated at the last moment. Tendo's stomach rose to his throat, the idea of the man deciding to step out with him almost petrifying considering the previous situation. He tried not to assume anything as he took a couple steps towards the door, having technically already been dismissed.
“I think I will, mate. A little coffee sounds right up my alley today,” he chuckled as he got to his feet, heavy boots making audibly thuds as he took a step back from the chair but waited for orders.
“Let's say thirty minutes then, gents,” he nodded to the both of them before Herc finally turned, eyes on Tendo as he pulled on the vest he'd taken off near the beginning of the meeting due to the temperature of Stacker's office.
“Don't mind me escortin' ya to the breakroom, do ya, Mr. Choi?” the taller man asked as he stepped out of the room behind the LOCCENT commander. Tendo hoped to distract the other from his subtle shiver and eyebrow quirk by making a point to close Pentecost's door behind them. He failed simply because of the soldier's all-too-keen eye, but he'd pretend that he didn't know that.
“Not at all, sir, it'd be my pleasure,” he tried to remind himself to keep it professional but as Herc fell into place beside them as they headed down the hallway, all too close to be unintentional, he was quickly failing his own pep talk. Gently biting the inside of his lip, he sucked it back a little in a little act of resolve to keep quiet. The Australian didn't seem all to bothered to make up for the silence, though.
“So, Mr. Choi,” Herc glanced to the shorter man in the corner of his eye just in time to witness the silent, but sharp inhale, and the subtle ways his eyes twitched to close just a fraction at the feelings before they returned to rest. The shorter man felt minutely bullied at this point, but still was quite convinced the other man wasn't trying to do this to him, and just happened to be doing so accidentally. He didn't need his hopes getting too high for the contrary. “What has ya a thousand miles away today?” the man stuck a hand into his pants pocket and gestured the other, but once more the distinct Australian drawl went straight to Tendo's head and any response he could have come up with faded away into the far reaches of his memory.
“I, ah,” was put together intelligently as he fished for any reason he could give the man to have been so absent. “It's hard to say,” he settled on for the moment, licking his lips a little before almost fabricating a lie. “A mix of things, I guess,” he offered a smile at the fact that he wasn't actually lying. He felt clever until he was greeted with a a rolling murmur of,
“Is that so...” and Tendo had to tilt his head a little to keep himself in line, causing that subtle eye twitch of a mischievous smirk that tempted to crawl onto Herc's features but was held back. They walked in silence almost the entire rest of the way to the breakroom until the Hansen to pause to politely hold the door open for the shorter with a smile and a soft, “After you...”
Tendo distracted himself with preparing a coffee pot to run for a fresh pot, rubbing at his face a little as he waited for the machine to do it's magic--an action that could easily be read as the man being tired to the untrained eye.
“Long night?” interrupted the gathering of the officer's composure, head lifting from his hands when he realized then man's question didn't end in his usual polite suffix. Maybe he was imagining things.
“Ah, I guess...” Tendo laughed softly, though he was just laughing at himself, if he were honest. “Maybe not long enough,” passed his lips before he'd stopped to think, thankful his back was turned to the attractive man as he closed his eyes and silently prayed he'd let that one slip.
“I see,” came after a moment, just barely softer in volume and the LOCCENT commander was thankful that enough coffee had brewed to fill his mug so he could keep his hands busy. “Suppose you'll have to find some way to take care'a that, won't ya?” Good god, it sounded almost foreign without the polite name drop, Tendo's face contorted into a slight frown as he brought his mug to his lips and turned to half-face Herc. What the man hadn't realized that it seemed equal parts frown as it did pout, and that the Australian just slightly quirked an eyebrow at the reaction. “Can't have ya drifting off in the middle'a LOCCENT, after all.” Was he drawing this out on purpose? No, no, he wouldn't bother. “Can't imagine it'd be all togetha bright idea, could wind up with some dire consequences on that one.” He was just making small talk, Tendo assured himself as he took a long sip of his coffee. He nodded a little as he lowered his mug to show he registered his superior's words before speaking again himself.
“Yeah, wouldn't be too good at all,” he reaffirmed, trying to focus on anything other than the fact Herc had taken a few steps closer while he'd spoken. He couldn't even bring himself to address that one.
“My advice?” the pilot started with a little gesture of his hand and both his eyebrows raising for a short moment. “I'd say find yerself someone nice to settle in with tonight, someone who can help clear your mind for ya, ya know? Lay ya down and really take care'a ya,” if what he was saying didn't affect Tendo, the fierce eye-contact and suggestive expressions certainly did that trick. The head of LOCCENT closed his eyes a moment, licking his lips briefly before sipping at his coffee like it was his career. Was he doing this on purpose?
It was two more steps until Herc was pressed unnecessarily close as he leaned to reach a mug down from the cabinet above the coffee pot that Tendo hadn't moved away from yet. You know that when you're breathing comes less naturally around someone, you were doomed. He might be doing this on purpose.
“That kind'a thing will always calm ya down, if ya've got a willing partner,” the rumble in the Australian's voice as it lowered and came more from his chest more than confirming it for the officer. He was doing this on purpose. Hercules Hansen was really flirting with him in the empty breakroom and it was almost too hard to believe. His head cocked to the side a fraction, eyebrow drawing up in question before he allowed himself time to hesitate.
“And...do I have a willing partner?” his fingers tightened around his mug a little as he spoke, volume low and tone almost coy. It was all to thrilling to think he was actively flirting with the pilot.
“I'm sure you've got at least one,” the man smiled almost too softly as he leaned close again to fill his cup from the pot directly behind Tendo. The lack of the come-hither namedrop was starting to frustrate him. It was pointedly out of character for conversations with the Australian and was getting hard to ignore. “You're a good lookin' guy, after all,” Why aren't you saying it? “Firm but not too fakely buffed up, good face, and'a personality to boot,” Come on, say it... “Must have quite a few people willing ta lay down with ya.”
“And yet here we are,” the officer mused, gesturing with a small lift to his coffee, and the chuckle that followed from the other in response—the low, short sounds that gathered in the man's chest but caught in the back of his throat—made the smaller shiver and Herc almost missed it as he lifted his own coffee mug to take a sip that was just less than interested in it. “I suppose it wouldn't matter anyway,” Choi continued when he deemed it necessary to break the silence that ensure before the other could torment him again. “I'd probably only be interested in a specific offer, and would end up letting down aaaall those potential suitors.” he clicked his tongue on the edge of his teeth in a pointed jest at his words, taking another occupying sip of his liquid caffeine.
“I know you've at least got one.” Why were you still adamantly not saying it?
“Oh yeah?” Tendo didn't mean for his voice to sound anything like that confused mess of incredulous and all too flirtatious tones, but it happened and he had to force a short smile in disbelief at himself before once more pretending to be focused on his coffee. He knew he very likely wasn't fooling Herc, but what did a little hope ever hurt, right?
“Oh yeah, for sure. Probably someone pretty close that ya may not'a considered before,” Was he just testing him now or something? It was certainly getting harder to deny.
“I suppose so...” he said softly, brows furrowing just a little at his superior's game. What was his end game here? He could only think of one thing, but he felt that was because his mind was a little biased on the matter, but he did have to consider it a second time when the taller pressed just a touch closer, his arm brushing up against his own, subtly drawing his attention in that direction.
“At least, that's how it always ends up happening, huh?”
“Please,” Tendo injected before he could stop himself, missing the glint in Herc's eyes as he closed his own to silently curse himself.
“Pardon?” came in an undeniably pleased sounding voice that made the hair on the back of Choi's neck stand up as he wanted nothing more to turn and grab the other, maybe shake him a little, but definitely lock lips with him. Feverishly. Without remorse.
“Please say it,” he murmured against the rim of his coffee mug and wished he didn't know what look the other man was giving him just then. He couldn't stand getting an eyeful of that predatorial grin on him like that. He'd never last.
“You'll need to be a touch more specific,” How was it so easy for this man to make him shiver? He knew that Herc was just toying now, no way he could possibly not understand what he meant, but that only made Tendo's heart race faster.
“Say...” he hesitated, swallowing hard as he lower the mug about waist-height, and closed his eyes again. “My name...please...” he trailed off in the embarrassment he felt. His superior smirked wide and nothing could have been more flawless.
“Mr. Choi,” Tendo tried and failed not to bite his lower lip, a short groan as soft as a breath pushing from his throat and passed his lips. Herc wore the grin of a cat about to eat a canary, and they both knew the shorter would not protest to his superior making that less of a metaphor than a reality.