Work Text:
Blackrock was a bad place. A place that exuded the energy of an efficient utopia, but it didn't take any digging to see the horrifying truth just beneath the surface.
Hyperlaser had never pretended to like Blackrock. He'd never had to. The mercenary division didn't waste their time trying to talk around the restrictions of a government that had a vendetta against its citizens. If they said anything to each other it was the bare minimum needed to get the job done. He usually didn't mind the silence, but occasionally it was suffocating.
That was his train of thought as he sat and waited for the bus to Crossroads at the very least. Katana couldn't have picked a better night for dinner. Hyperlaser was getting tired of his coworkers.
After a few moments, a woman sat on the bench next to him. He was pretty sure she was from the science division, or as most of the mercenary division liked to call them, Inpherno's best example of stupid geniuses. She didn't say anything to him as she sat down criss cross on the bench. A pink floating robot that Hyperlaser was pretty sure was her gear floated beside her. Hyper's own gear was held carefully across his chest, making him look more intimidating than usual.
Her legs fluttered as she sat, making Hyperlaser think she'd had too much caffeine. A BRSD classic. That division was the reason he avoided caffeine, and rightfully so. He was wondering if he should say anything when the bus to Crossroads pulled up. She didn't get on it. Must've been going somewhere else.
Thieve's den was a calm place. Well, usually calm. Occasionally Katana's neighbor's came to his door with some new flavor of chaos. Still, he preferred it to the constant disarray of Lost Temple. Here there were trees, and rain, and people who had an incentive to live and work other than just money and power. The lack of cults was also incredibly nice.
Katana and Hyperlaser were both punctual, nearly to a fault, which meant that as Katana made his way to the bus stop, he could see Hyperlaser's bus screech to a halt. They reached each other at exactly the agreed upon time.
Hyperlaser was wearing the same thing he always did, and Katana had to admit he admired the man's consistency. Katana himself had on a simple floral kimono. The warm pinks and reds of the fabric comforted him, and separated him from the reason he so frequently avoided coming to Crossroads. Part of that very same reason was tucked in an alleyway trying to shill whatever scam he had come up with this time. He took a deep breath and pushed the thought away.
Hyperlaser sighed as they entered the restaurant, likely preparing some kind of complaint. He usually used these visits to vent his frustrations about Blackrock. Katana didn't mind. He had every right to be frustrated, and Katana so rarely had something to talk about anyways. He was more than content to sit and listen to the mercenary's smooth voice.
"I've heard talk that the science division is working on something big. Some new kind of weapon. Subspace seems pretty excited about it." He rubbed his temples as the two were sat in a booth near the back.
"Interesting. Doesn't Subspace usually do crystal work?" Hyperlaser nodded.
"I'm pretty sure the crystals are involved somehow. I'm not supposed to know details."
"Ah."
They sat in silence for a while. It was not awkward. The very opposite. It was the comfortable silence of being around a person you trust. Katana let his thoughts flow but did not latch on to any of them. A rushing river, but in the moment he needed no fish.
Quiet moments with Katana were Hyperlaser's favorite things. Unlike the choking gag rules of Blackrock, there was no reason for Hyperlaser to be quiet. If he wanted to speak he could. And Katana would listen and respond. And Hyperlaser would do the same for Katana. It was a comfortable balance they'd enjoyed for quite a while.