text, un: gautier, cw: some references to alcohol use and sexual content

[laidtocrest]

[Specifics tbd, but there's a drunk Midnight involved and he doesn't have a shirt and might've lost his pants. he's fucking naked.

But for now.]

a guy lost his clothes to the washer. anybody saw a pink shirt?

[Attached is a picture of Midnight. I have no fanart, so you must imagine this guy: no shirt, Jojo-posing, wearing a pink feathery thing, drunk, fly open.]

and here's the guy who lost his stuff

Comments

[broca]

[😔]

...

I'm not the one without a shirt on right now.

[unrequite]

i'm going to interpret that as you accepting both your abs and mine. good. acceptance is the lasy step. you skippedcso many in between steps. progress

[broca]

[ ....................... ]

Where are you? I'm going to bring you clothing.

[unrequite]

the laundromat!!! thank you for the offer, operator, i appreicate it.

[ Why is he ignoring the fact that Broca would now like to cover up his abs? Well, when one is stupid, one can engage in what is called "selective reading"... ]

I do have something on now, though. Behold:

[ A picture of his current outfit. He definitely drunkenly bullied Sylvain into taking the picture for him. He is so fortunate to be as hot as he keeps saying he is because otherwise the look is hideous. ]

[broca]

[ You know, Broca's not exactly a fashionista. He doesn't have strong clothing opinions, but even he can recognize how unfortunate that one is. ]

I'll bring you better clothing. Stay there.

[unrequite]

yes sir :)

[ And Midnight will stay at the laundromat, probably with Sylvain puttering around in the background. He is sitting in one of those plastic chairs, still in that godawful outfit, looking completely content to just watch the world pass him by. ]

[laidtocrest]

[Yeah, occasionally he'll look up and ask something like, "You doing okay?" Or, "You need me to get you anything?" But right now he's having a small existential crisis and is busy sorting through feelings.]

...

[And occasionally fishing out something like a terrible three wolf moon shirt and holding it up for Midnight's thoughts and feelings. He's keeping that shirt. He'll never wear it but it reminds him of a friend.]

[broca]

[ And here is Broca, walking in without a word, a plain black tank top in hand (expected...), scanning the laundromat for Midnight.

If he notices Sylvain there he gets a nod of acknowledgment, otherwise it's a beeline over to where Midnight is sitting and shove the shirt out at him. ]

Here.

[ They can just skip all greetings and pleasantries, right? Well they're going to be doing that either way. ]

[unrequite]

[ ! Midnight's in the middle of giving Sylvain a passionate thumbs up to just about every decision he's making because he is too wasted to engage the modicum of good taste he has, but he brightens to see his fellow Operator come through the door. He really came. Midnight takes the tank top from Broca's hands, the absolute picture of drunken gratitude. ]

Thank you, Operator. Quite kind of you. I truly am grateful.

[ ... He starts pulling it over everything he's already wearing I'm sorry I'm so sorry he's just very drunk and too filled with warm feelings to leave room for a single critical thought. God. ]

[laidtocrest]

...you're not gonna take off the- you need help, Midnight?

[Look. Look. Being responsible for this Arknights reunion, he feels a certain obligation to try to make things work, in part because if Broca walks back out the door that means he'll have to drag Midnight somewhere, and contrary to certain advice he's gotten, if he knocks Midnight out he's still got a very heavy body to carry around which just changes the problem.]

Might be easier if you take off the...

[...]

...thing first.

[broca]

[ Sometimes knocking a guy out really does seem like the easier option.

Broca should know, because he used to do a lot of that kind of thing for his old boss. That's neither here nor there though. Right now they're not talking about random guys (likely not intended to live long) getting bashed unconscious for a bit. They're talking about this drunk mess, who... might pass out all on his own soon, judging by how far gone he looks.

Broca's sigh is heavy as Midnight starts to pull on the tank over what he's already wearing, and he shakes his head at Sylvain in a silent "don't bother". He'll eventually sober up, and he can make better fashion choices then, at which point he's got a nice new shirt to wear until the wash decides to spit back out the one he used to have.

If it ever does. ]

[unrequite]

No, lad, look, it fits perfectly.

[ It... it looks lumpy, but okay dude. Sure. It's not too stretched, at least. Broca has a bit more meat on him than Midnight.

And one would think this would be an excellent way to end the interaction, but Midnight's feeling very grateful with the only other representative from Terra, so he just goes in for a hug. Thaaank yoooou Brooooca. ]

Lovely gift. I'll give you something in return.

[broca]

[ A little stretched out probably isn't a bad thing right now, considering Midnight is opting to wear it over other clothing anyway. There's extra bulk on him right now that helps make up for not being as broad as Broca in the chest or arms department.

Which, speaking of arms, one is shooting out and planting itself on Midnight's chest to keep him out of proper hugging range. It's a real generous gift there, but Broca's tail fluffs up and his ears pin back in mild horror as he realizes what's happening here. ]

Don't.

[laidtocrest]

[Like a very tired dog, Sylvain stands up and walks over and puts his arm around Midnight's...whatever seems safest, giving him a half-hold half-hug half-tug away from Broca.]

If you need to hug it out with someone I'm here, alright?

[unrequite]

[ ??? For why no hug for cat???????

But Midnight is very happy to be pulled away, and turns to redirect all that hug energy to Sylvain. There's even a mildly awkward headpat thrown in for good measure! ]

You're skipping the line, Sylvain. Never fear, though, I've enough for everyone.

[ subtext: You're next, Broca. ]

[broca]

[ Appreciative looks are hard for Broca to pull off even when he's not busy looking disgruntled at drunks trying to hug him, but he's attempting to give Sylvain one right now, even with those ears still flat against his head.

He'll be stepping back out of hugging range now while he has the chance. ]

No you don't.

[ This isn't a challenge. This is a command. ]

[laidtocrest]

[Years of combat training mixed with years of...being a whore...bad life choices...terrible life choices, really, these life choices? Terrible. Anyway, they're paying off now. Sylvain is giving Midnight the best hug he can give, a nice and reassuring one with slightly brotherly undertones but nothing too weird, nothing that assumes but gladly supports.]

Let's give him some space, yeah?

[Punctuated with a nice and reassuring backrub, even, as he stalls so Broca can get some distance in. Teamwork! Or something.]

[unrequite]

[ Whore to whore communication... Anyway, Midnight will make the hug snuggly, because of course he will, even if he's a bit resistant to the idea of dear Operator Broca never getting a hug, ever. For!!! Why??? ]

Well, for now, yes, but I want him to know that the offer is on the table at all times. Open. Operator, if you would like to redeem your hug, all that needs doing is a simple message via the network. I will welcome you with quite literal open arms.

[broca]

[ The almost funny (almost, but Broca's not laughing) absurdity of this situation does land with Broca. Sylvain is clearly the youngest here, but he's talking to Midnight like he's a child, which... fair given his drunken shenanigans.

Drunk or not though, Broca doesn't feel the need to coddle as he decides to respond to that offer bluntly. ]

I won't.