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Gonna let me finish what you started? What a bro

I'd better hustle before it cools, so keep it hot for me, okay?

[ are they even talking about food anymore good lord ]

It won't get cold, do not worry.
>I think I'm going to switch careers to a noodle photographer by the way.

>Very artsy.

[ what are you talking about this is absolutely normal ]

Forget heroism, you're doing the work of the Six right now

Don't stop I'm almost there

I don't know what the Six is, but that sounds very impressive indeed.
>And you're almost here, so why would I continue?

[ stop immediately ]

[ It's at that moment when the door rattles as he shoves the key in and he practically kicks it in. He's really psyched for noodles, Genji. Surely you can tell by how he rushes in, muscles rippling! ]

I'm ready, I was born ready! Where are they?

[ FULL STEAM, HE CHARGES INTO THE KITCHEN! ]

[ And Genji is just sitting at the kitchen table, legs crossed and holding his device up to take more pictures of said noodles. ]

Uh— Here?

[ And that's when he reaches his limit and collapses onto the kitchen floor. Right next to the table. So close, and yet so far. ]

...Ugh, today kicked my ass.

Genji can you just - [ Gladio, don't ask him to feed you. ]

[ Genji just sort of... stares at him. Then nudges him with an LED cleat in the shoulder. ]

The chair is literally two feet in front of you, I think you can make it.

[ Gladio makes a disgraceful, sullen sort of growling noise. He doesn't move. He knows he's better than this and can get up, but he's just fooling around at this point. It's a luxury he actually has these days. ]

Hnnngh.

[ Genji fakes a dramatic sigh and puts the back of his hand to his forehead. ]

Here lies Gladiolus Amicitia, we knew him well. His poor noodles were left cold and alone.

RIP me. Remember me as I was. Awesome in every way.

[ Gladio lays there for a moment longer before he decides the floor isn't really his style and finally grunts as he gets on his hands and knees, climbs into a chair. He grins at Genji. That was fun. ]

So... [ He pulls the Cup Noodle towards him and starts helping himself. ] How was your day?

[ Genji snorts and finally puts his device down and goes back to eating his own as well. It's a little cool now but it doesn't really matter to him, since he can barely taste it in the first place. ]

Uneventful until you had me taking pictures of my food.

[ He manages to pull some noodles to his lips and shoots them into his mouth with a slurp, then gives a muffled groan as he chews. Oh yeah, that's the stuff. He chews for a moment before grinning. Yeah, that was hilarious.

Genji's a good bro. ]

After this and a shower, I should be good.

[ Another mouthful is slurped up. ]

Hey, did you still need some maintenance?

[ It's hard to not roll his eyes, but it isn't really a mocking feeling. It's honestly kind of delightful how much he enjoys it. ] Well, I'm glad.

[ Genji takes a bite as well, meeting his gaze again when he speaks. ] Ah, yes actually. It got a bit worse when I was out but I wanted to wait until someone was back as it's in a hard to reach place.

[ Hence why only his visor was off, not his full helmet. He's noticeably only really using his right hand too. Genji gestures to his left shoulder. ] Something is off here, I can't even raise my arm over my head.

[ Gladio pauses mid-bite, lowers his utensil to peer over the table down at this other arm. Yeah, now that he mentions it, he is kinda holding himself in a different way. Not quite 'well-oiled machine' and slightly off. ]

More like overdue, then. Okay.

[ The Shield starts eating with more gusto - these aren't the big sized cups he's used to, so he downs it in no time and then savors the broth before he finally drains it. Gladio sighs and leans back in his chair. ]

Oof, that helped loads.

[ He feels a little more revitalized now, nothing like treating a craving with your favorite guilty pleasure. ]

Thanks, Genji.

Give me 20 minutes to get cleaned up and I'll join you.

[ He chuckles a little bit and nods. ] No problem, my friend. I'll get everything set up then.

[ Genji cleans up his minimal trash quickly and goes to grab the little tool kit he has stashed away in his room. He heads back into the living room and sits on the couch and slowly takes the time to try to remove his helmet.

It's easier with two hands but not impossible with one. Once the airlock is undone, he slowly lifts it off his head with his good arm. At least the inside is ventilated enough that his freshly dyed hair wouldn't get damaged or dirty easily.

Come to think of it, has Gladio even seen it yet? Their schedules haven't seemed to line up much lately. Genji starts to undo armor pieces on his shoulder as he waits, debating putting the television on for background noise. ]

[ Gladio emerges in fresh clothes - tank top and loose track pants - toweling off his hair. Nothing quite like a snack and a shower to revitalize. He's thinking of this as he strides into the room, notes that Genji's already arranged himself on the couch, made himself comfortable. Let his hair down, so to speak.

Green hair.

Gladio's smile freezes, his hands slowing the brisk movements as he shook water from his hair with the towel, lowering it until it rests around his neck. He's always prided himself in his ability to see through meager disguises - a necessity in his line of work, to recognize the telltale signs from bone structure, mannerisms, the way one carried themselves. Genji's body has changed so much that he never thought him to be anyone than the cyborg he's befriended.

But that green reminds him too much of another man whose face Genji could have, but the scars... ]

That's new. Decide you'd had it with the grey?

[ Gladio also prides himself in deflection. It too is a useful skill. He crosses the floor with a practiced, casual air. ]

[ That gets a snort out of him and he looks up at him, smiling just slightly. Genji has long since settled on the apparent fact that Gladio did not remember their encounter, despite still waffling on whether he should tell him. (It was why he put the breaks on their kiss on the balcony, after his temporary moment of indulgence.) So he doesn't think anything is amiss. ] Yes and no.

[ He removes the last pieces of armor on his torso and shoulders, exposing the remaining organic bits of his skin on his shoulder, chest and back on his still working side. Genji rolls the one shoulder on his good side. ] Hana was going to dye her hair and she asked me to join her. There was no reason not to.

[ Ah yes, Gladio understands that Hana is to Genji like Iris is to him, except not related by blood. Other than that, their story gets murky and Gladio hasn't pressed them with questions. ]

Nothing wrong with that, unless you're about to tell me Hana went green too. [ There has to be a 'green with envy' joke hidden in there. Gladio lifts a corner of the towel and scrubs at the shorter hair at his temple as he reaches the corner of the couch. ]

So, not new. You've dyed it before?

...Turn around, I'll get the back plate.

[ That gets another snort out of him. ] While she would manage to pull it off, no. She just did a strip of pink in her hair.

[ He nods and adjusts his position on the couch to give Gladio easier access, lifting up his legs and crossing them like his meditation pose. ] I have, when I was younger. It's been about ten years since the last I did it though.

[ Genji tries to lift the malfunctioning shoulder and there's an audible little click. He hums. ] That usually means something is where it shouldn't be. [ Probably some debris, or a loose screw or bolt. ]

[ Gladio slides onto a space near Genji on the couch, knee first, turning around to face him. He seizes hold of the armored plate on his back and starts releasing the locks that hold it in place. He grunts as he hoists them off him and puts them out of the way and to the side, pausing only a moment when he hears Genji's reply. ]

Ten years.

[ Ten years. He was probably in his... uh oh. ]

Yeah, I'll get it. [ Whatever's blocking it. He starts removing the other pieces from his back and then stops when his eyes fall on the faded marks of a tattoo. He's seen that tattoo. Gladio runs a hand over the tattoo as he inspects it more closely.

No way... ]

Is this a green dragon?

Yes, I'm quite ancient and all that. [ Genji just assumes that's more of the teasing and lets Gladio do his thing, the faint beeps in his ears alerting him that pieces had been removed.

Although the hand that suddenly ghosts across his skin makes goosebumps dither his flesh for a moment as he suppresses a shiver going down his spine. Uh oh. Maybe he should have waited for Hana to get home...

He clears his throat. ] Ah, yes. That's the only part of it still visible.

[ You know when a film plays a flashback, but they want to make it extra titilating, showing you only a brief glimpse of something benign and yet clearly erotic, like lips parting to sigh with some kind of fuzzy filter over everything? That's pretty much what goes through Gladio's mind right now.

His mouth on a tattoo that's not so faded and scraped away with scarring. These two Genjis are one in the same. Gladio drops his gaze away, suddenly pissed at himself. It's so obvious! He's careful to keep that anger pointed internally, keeps his voice neutral. ]

How did I miss it?

[ Gladio says mainly to himself, then seizes the malfunctioning limb and starts to unfasten it from Genji's body. Ports hiss as various pressure points are released, allowing him to start investigating the cause of his lack of mobility. ]

...Hand me that canned air. [ He needs to make sure nothing is lodged in some of these parts. Blow out any dust or sand. ]

[ Having a limb removed is always an odd sensation, because he feels it until he suddenly doesn't. His phantom limb syndrome had almost entirely vanished since his mental state had improved. It did happen extremely rarely however, usually in moments like this, Genji feels a little off kilter for a moment until his body seems to right itself. ] Hm? I don't believe you missed anything.

[ Oh, if only you knew. He reaches over with his other arm and hands him the canned air. ] It's probably some plant debris from that last mission I was on.

[ It's arguably weirder for the man removing said limb, who eyes the cyborg carefully for signs of discomfort before awkwardly hefting it's weight onto his lap. Taking the canned air in hand, he peers first into the shoulder socket and applies a sharp hiss of air into various nooks and crannies. It leaves the metal cooler to the touch with each application, but he's pretty sure he's seeing results. ]

Pretty sure I missed the part where you and I first met.

...When you were younger. And me older.

[ Gladio says in a low voice, between blasts of air. He straightens up and starts non-chalantly attending to the limb next. ]

ic contact

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I'm cracking up

someone save these idiots

No it's too late for them; action

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