Arknights: The Misadventures of Leonhardt and Ayerscarpe

My Drink | One-shot #3

"Oh, come on!" Leonhardt shouted. He tapped the button on the vending machine again and sighed. "Been here for nearly ten minutes but this stupid drink just doesn't want to fall down, hmm?"

Poor Leonhardt had been feeling thirsty. Not wanting to go get some water, he decided to check the options available in a vending machine a few feet away from him. He now considered it a mistake, as his drink was now stuck in between a shelf and the glass.

"Perfect..."

Leonhardt tapped on the screen. Tentatively at first, but he soon began to tap on the screen aggressively, to the point where he's nearly slapping it.

"If this is Closure's idea of a joke I'm gonna get her back..."

She had been known to mess with some of the operators in Rhodes Island as a joke, whenever she found some free time. While it hardly ever happened, she always made sure her pranks were frustrating to laugh at the recipients of them afterwards.

Leonhardt decided to smack the side of the vending machine. The drink tilted. His eyes closed in on the drink.

It tilted.

It finally moved.

"Heck yeah! Finally!" Leonhardt exclaimed.

He began slapping the machine again, but no matter what it didn't move.

He let out a few strong swear words he definitely shouldn't be saying, until he noticed the familiar splash of dark brown making his way towards him. Leonhardt gave the Cautus an exasperated grimace.

"Hey, Ayer! Gotta wait for a drink if you want one. I've been here for nearly half an hour and it still hasn't come down."

Ayerscarpe took a moment to look at him, then turned his attention to the vending machine. Suddenly, he made his way towards it, making sure his frame covered most of the front of the vending machine. Leonhardt sighed, certain that his friend would fail just as he did. Then, Ayerscarpe gave it a light slap.

Clonk! The sound of a drink falling down rang through Leonhardt's ears, as sharply as the sound from his staff whenever he used it in battle. He whipped his head over in less than a second, watching as Ayerscarpe bent down to pick the drink up and opened it.

"H-Huh?" Leonhardt gasped, his eyes wide in shock. Ayerscarpe looked at him with his usual blank expression and took a sip from the can.

"Hey! That's mine!"

"Is it really? I got it from there."

Leonhardt glared at the other Cautus, his eyes showing a hint of glee at how mad he was. Ayerscarpe took another long sip and smiled.

It was more like a smirk, the more Leonhardt looked at it.

Ayerscarpe tapped on the vending machine. "Thanks Blaze, and sorry you had to wait so long. You can come out now."

Blaze?!

Ayerscarpe stood to the side and pulled Leonhardt with him. Right after, the vending machine suddenly moved forward as if it was pushed, its legs grating against the floor. Behind it, Leonhardt saw the elite Feline operator behind, with a phone in one of her hands.

"No problem! His face was the perfect price for this. Though, never ask me to do it again. Until he pulls off another one of his pranks. Then call me any time! In fact, I'll just offer my services again!" Blaze roared, laughing at Leonhardt's dumbfounded expression.

"I'll take you up on that offer," Ayerscarpe replied.

He definitely had a smirk on his face.

"Y-You... you two-"