Real men let their drinks do the talking. [CLOSED]

[thewarisover]

Characters: Gintoki and Roy
Location: Some random noodle/sake joint in the Shopping District
Rating: G
Time: December 30, evening
Description:

Comments

[silvershamurai]

There was hardly any surprise when Gintoki saw that the verbal salutes were directed to Roy Mustang. The man had accomplished much for the city, and so the fact he was so well received even by regular citizens spoke volumes for his standing. His hard earned, well deserved standing, of course.

Gulping down his mouthful of noodles, Gintoki waved casually.

"Evening, boss."

[thewarisover]

"Gintoki."

A blink, then a smile before he walked over. Then he was peering curiously at what the other man was eating.

"That looks good. What is it?"

[silvershamurai]

By the time Roy had walked over, Gintoki had gone for another mouthful of noodles.

"Mm? This?" He swallowed. "Tonkotsu ramen. Sometimes you just crave the stuff from back home, you know?"

[thewarisover]

"Yeah, I can relate to that."

Roy slipped into the stool beside Gintoki, and smiled at the waiter. "I think I'll have what my friend here's having," he said to the man, with a brief nod in Gintoki's direction.

[silvershamurai]

"And another round of sake." Gintoki added before the waiter wandered off too far. He'd gone through one jug already, but he had company now.

"So you come around here much?"

[thewarisover]

"I used to, although I ordered take out more than anything else."

Back when Hughes had still been in Death City. That felt like such a long time ago, all of a sudden.

[silvershamurai]

"Take out? S'no fun." He nodded towards the other patrons, talking, laughing, generally enjoying themselves. "You've gotta immerse yourself in places like this every now and then. Can't stay cooped up in an office all the time. That's no way to live, Boss."

[thewarisover]

"What can I say? I'm married to my work."

That did not mean, though, that he liked having moments like these. A change of scene always helped.

"How were the holidays for you?"

[silvershamurai]

Rather pleasant, actually. It was... dare he even think it, nice to have people over to make some noise.

"Loud and expensive." The smile on his face indicates he's not all bitter about it, however. "But not bad. You get up to anything?"

[thewarisover]

"Not much, beyond hanging out with the family and my partner. It was... peaceful."

And Roy wasn't complaining. Things could have gone much, much worse.

[silvershamurai]

"That mean you manage to get some rest in then? Good." Gintoki took another mouthful of noodles, chewing thoughtfully for a moment or two before what Roy actually said managed to sink in. He raised an eyebrow.

"You've got family here?"

[thewarisover]

Ah, how does he put it...

"Yeah, sort of."

Congratulations, Sakata Gintoki: you've managed to make the leader of the Watch look sheepish.

[silvershamurai]

The expression on Roy's face is, dare Gintoki think it, priceless, and he finds himself grinning. It's relieving, per se, to know there's still a man under all those mountains of work.

"Sort of? It's one or the other, Boss."

[thewarisover]

Was Roy studiously avoiding the gaze of his companion? Nah, not at all. His meal's just arrived, and damn, this water tastes great!

"Dojima, my old partner, used to have his daughter around here... she's been sent home already and I've got a new Weapon now, but we're still staying together. Her old partner lives with us." A beat. "Dojima's nephew Souji is also in Death City, so he drops in a lot."

Of course, one had to wonder WHY they were still living together, but... well.

[silvershamurai]

Souji? The only one Gintoki actually knows of is Okita Souji, but that one obviously wasn't who Roy was referring to.

"Sounds cozy." Spoken with a rather warm smile. "Shouldn't you be living with your actual partner though?"

Not that Gintoki really had any sort of power over Roy, but that arrangement seemed safer in emergencies.

[thewarisover]

"Nah. Lady likes being on her own."

That and well, it might have been a little awkward, staying with a girl.