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Tendo grimaced as he took his sixth shot of tequila, putting the small metal shotglass on the small round table between himself and Newt. His friend was kind enough just to smile and refill it for him. Or maybe that wasn't kindness...
"It's just getting frustrating now," the LOCCENT commander almost growled as he took a swig of the iced coffee he had in his other hand. Newt chuckled and pushed the next shot back across the table.
"I can tell. Been a while since you went at it this hard. Why don't you just tell him, dude? I mean, he's obviously not getting it..." It made Tendo nervous when the short scientist actually made sense, but at the moment, he truly could not deny it. He was here, in the lab, taking shots trying to figure out what he was supposed to do. Herc Hansen had been subtly flirting with him for what seemed like ages but, months and months down the line here, hadn't actually made a move. It /seemed/ like Herc was in to him, why wouldn't he try? Tendo would have melted right into without issue and they could have one of the best nights either of them had ever had, but no. Nothing had happened.
"How do you even broach that conversation, brother? 'You want me, I want you, why the fuck are your hands not on me, lips slotted with mine'??" Newt snickered, shaking his head at the man's tone of desperation. He loved moments like these. Pure schadenfreude. That statement had also sounded like a bad fanfic he read once, but...
"I can't see that going badly, at least," he offered to his friend as the mathematician hobbled over, leaning heavily on his cane when he came to a stop next to them, a lop-sided smile in place. Hermann had been in the lab with them the entire time, but had been trying to finish up the last of his work before letting himself engage in the socializing. Tendo groaned and brought his free hand to his face to rub at it. "What, man? What's wrong with trying it that way? Just tell him!"
"I think that's hardly the point that Mr. Choi is trying to make here, Newton," Hermann commented as he leaned forward, scooping up the shot that Tendo hadn't knocked back yet. "I believe he's saying that he doesn't want to be the first to make a move. That he feels Mr. Hansen should be the one to do it," Tendo gestured at him in a 'yes, what he said' sort of way as he looked to Newt. Neither of them witnessed Hermann take the shot of tequila without hesitation or grimace, but as he set the empty shot glass down, they both looked up at him in surprise.
"How often do you drink, brother?"
"Is this going to be alright on top of your pain meds, dude?" The two awkwardly said at the same time, drawing a smile to the other's features.
"Pour me another, and don't change the subject," was all he said on the matter as he pulled up a chair, plopping into it and resting his cane between his legs, hand folded on top of it. Newt's eyebrows shot to his hairline and he fumbled to quickly pour the man another shot, clearly not complaining with the idea of Hermann wanting to get drunk. That would be the literal best thing in the world to see and deal with. And with tequila being the beverage of choice here, his hopes were raised for a completely different reason.
"That being said, however," Herms turned his attention back to Tendo who was still looking at him in surprise. "Pilots are notoriously dense on matters such as these, and you know that very well, Tendo. They're either in it for sex alone, or they actually want to do it properly but have no clue how to start anything. Especially for one such as Mr. Hansen. What I suggest--" Tendo was thankful for Newt pushing another shot at the man because he was still stuck back at where the man had called him 'Tendo' instead of 'Mr. Choi' and it made his pleasantly buzzed self ridiculously happy. "Thank you," the scientist smiled pleasantly at his colleague and took the shot, once more reacting as one would to a swig of water as he set the shotglass down again. He turned back to Tendo. "What I suggest," he repeated with another smile. "Is trying to broach the subject in a manner that will help him feel like he was the one who initiated it. Let him keep his ranger's pride, if you will."
"And how does one go about that, brother?" he watched Hermann closely but could see Newt pouring another shot out of the corner of his eye. Well, these two had plans for the evening--or atr least, Newt did. Hermann gestured at Newt before actually looking at him.
"Say, Newton," Newt glanced up curiously as he finished filling the tiny cup, pushing the cork back into the tequila bottle for now. "You've wanted to be intoxicated with me for a while, am I correct?" his pleasant smile was really starting to unnerve Tendo as he watched the exchange. Herms picked up the next shot and lifted it a little in emphasis. Newt stared at him, a little wide-eyed, but nodded in response. The other scientist said nothing as he closed his eyes and took his third shot. It was then that Newt was scrambling off his stool to dash over to his work station, digging around in his drawers. Hermann glanced to Tendo rather slyly as he slowly set the shotglass down again. It was only a matter of forty seconds before Newt was back with another shotglass, filling it and gulping it down. The other smirked and Tendo bit his tongue to keep from laughing, handing his friend his coffee for a chaser when the smaller scientist coughed and tried to shake it off.
"I feel like that wouldn't work as well with him, though, brother." Newt handed his iced coffee back with about half left, a little confused face as he realized he may have missed something here, having not put two and two together just yet.
"Yes, but would it hurt to try?" he asked, taking the bottle from Newt to fill the small glass again, but pushed the shot to Tendo. The officer nodded gratefully and took the shot, grimacing, coughing and hurrying to take a swig of his iced coffee again. Just as Hermann refilled it for himself, and Newt's as well, the sound of heavy footsteps in the doorway's direction caught all of their attention. Herc was strolling over, one hand in his pocket and a sly little smirk on his face just as soon as he realized what the three were doing.
"Don't let me interrupt the festivities, gents. Just that a little bird told me Mr. Choi was down here," Tendo shifted in his seat, facing his friends a little more as he swallowed hard. Ah, tequila. He didn't need the alcohol's help to want to climb the ranger like a tree, honestly. It was just going to be harder to resist now. Why did he have to come looking for him tonight? Newt and Hermann alike stared at him quite knowingly, though Newt wore a shit-eating grin at his expense and boy, did he want to punch it off that little dork's face.
"Yes, but not for long. That last shot was number seven," Hermann informed the pilot, much to Tendo's chagrin, as he touched glasses with Newt and they both took their shots together. Tendo shook his head and got to his feet, sliding his coffee back to Newt as the other's face contorted in disgust and he started coughing again. He was still disturbed that Hermann was having no visible reaction. It raised so many questions...
"I'll leave you guys to it," he said softly, vaguely pointing to Newt. "Remember that you're two behind him now, brother." Newt nodded as he took the bottle back from Hermann to pour himself another shot, selfish holding the bottle in the other direction as Hermann tried to take it back. Tendo shook his head as he took a step away. "I'll bring bagels in the morning, cats. Thanks for the advice," he clapped a hand onto Hermann's shoulder and then walked away. He caught Herc's gaze as he jerked his head in gesture to the doorway and started for it.
"Have a nice evening, gents. Don't get in too much trouble, mn?" he smiled a little at Newt, nodding his head towards Herms in encouragement before turning and following after Tendo, eyes not leaving the other's small frame once they'd landed on it. Newt stared after him in surprise, but quickly turned his attention back to the task at hand. Once they were a safe distance down the hall, the pilot spoke. "Didn't figure Gottlieb for a tequila type."
"He knocked back three shots without hesitation. His face didn't scrunch and he didn't cough or anything, and it was almost terrifying, actually," Tendo chuckled, shaking his head as he tucked his hands into his pockets. Herc fell into step beside him rather than behind.
"So... did you really take seven, Mr. Choi?" he asked a little softer, though his voice was less concerned and more devious. Tendo nodded. "How are you feeling?" That one was concern and the tech smiled.
"Fantastic." he emphasized as they rounded a corner, entering the general barracks area. "Just what I needed after today, I have to say."
"Long day?" the pilot sounded genuinely curious, but this was definitely not what Tendo wanted to talk about. The only reason it had been a long day was because of a bout of flirting and teasing far earlier that day had been riding on his mind and driving him crazy. It'd been far too long for this damned pilot to be teasing him and not giving him the satisfaction after.
"Something like that," the officer said after about a minute of silence, shaking his head a little as he stepped up onto the stoop outside his door. "It's a bit of a long story, brother. Maybe another time, hm?" he chuckled softly as he pushed the door open and stepped inside, Herc following him in without the need for invitation. He knew he was welcome there as he'd been several times previously, though sadly, not for any fun reasons.
Tendo collapsed to sit on the edge of his bed, groaning a little as he leaned forward to take his shoes off. The pilot hung back by the door, slowly closing it behind himself as he watched the other man closely, gauging just how drunk he was and the situation they were in . If Tendo had seen his eye darken that way, he would have melted with even being touched, but alas, his attention was on his shoes. After yanking them off and throwing them, he settled his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hands, rubbing at it to keep his composure. He wanted to pounce on the pilot who crossed the room to sit down just next to him, thigh pressed to his too firmly to not be intentional, but at the moment that seemed like it really wasn't going to happen.
"Did the tequila help at least, Mr. Choi?" he asked as Tendo sat up a little to tug his bowtie off, toss it toward his desk and undo the top three buttons to his shirt. He nodded a little as he rubbed at his neck, willing away the slight itch of having the collar there, rubbing against him all day. Hansen leaned a little closer under the guise of resting his weight on his hand, pressed to the mattress just behind the tech. "Bet you're pretty drunk..." He sounded almost disappointed, and Mr. Choi could appreciate the man not wanting to do anything while he was drunk out of morals, he supposed, but that was the last straw.
"Herc, if you want to kiss me, then just do it," that was not how that was supposed to come out at all. He didn't have the courage to look at the other just then, but as the man stayed quiet, the tech anxiously spoke again. "The flirting and teasing has been killing me, and I've been waiting for you to make the first move to be sure it wasn't just--" his words trailed into a soft groan as the pilot cut him off with a firm kiss, rough hand sliding around the back of his neck to ease him forward. Oh thank god. Now, he may have been waiting for the initial invitation, but once it was given, and well, thanks to the tequila, Tendo was almost immediately moving. With a soft groan, but without his lips pulling from the ranger's own, he carefully stood, turning in place as he went, hands on the other's broad shoulders as he straddled him and pressed close, drawing an almost feral grin from him, only then giving them an inch to breathe.
"I didn't mean to keep you waiting for so long. I just wasn't sure you were really interes--" Tendo pressed his first two fingertips to Herc's lips and shook his head.
"You are talking when you could be making me scream," he lowered his hand again as the other smirked, eyebrow raising. "So... stop talking."