Chapter Text
Solid laid on the floor of the newest crack in the wall apartment he and Otacon were holed up in; it was too small for two people and a dog but when you're trying to lay low out of the Patriots radar, small and hidden is best. The duo were currently staying in a Canadian port city on the east coast; earlier when they arrived in the city, Otacon quickly noted how bad the place stunk and mocked the local claim of a waterfall that reversed; Solid just did his best to drive through the city without the road tearing their rental apart or hitting any of the seemingly endless amount of bad drivers out and about. Now Solid found himself with nothing to do while Otacon was busy hacking into whatever it was exactly that he was hacking into, Solid never fully knew. Solid was pulled back into reality when large paws landed on his chest and all the air in his lungs left him, Scooter, the last of Solid’s huskies looked down at him with bright eyes and a tongue out; he couldn't part with the youngest of his sled dogs and luckily Otacon was more than pleased with having a furry partner-in-crime. He reached up and pet the dog when oxygen returned to him and listened to muffled grumbling coming from behind the closed bedroom door.
“This place doesn't have wifi…” Otacon huffed when he opened the door.
“Since when is that a problem? Steal it from someone else.” Solid closed his eyes as the dog laid on top of him.
“I would but no one around has wifi.” Otacon started grumbling again as he stepped over Solid to get to the kitchen. “I fear I might have to use dial-up.”
“I shudder at the thought!” Otacon didn't have to look at the other man to know there was a smirk on his face, he heard it in his voice.
“You may think this is funny but it's really not good Dave… I need wifi here.”
“You’re gonna make me go talk to the landlord, aren't you?”
“I'll love you forever if you do.”
“You already do…” Solid nudged the dog off him and stood, he was barely settled on his feet when long, thin arms wrapped around his middle.
“I can think of a few other things I could entice you with.” Otacon breathed into Solid’s ear. “Quite a few things actually.”
“Mm, I bet you could.” Solid turned and tilted his head up to quickly kiss Otacon. Thin hands started making their way down Solid’s back, heading towards his ass and he groaned before pushing Otacon off him. “If you want me to go butter the landlord up then you and your probing fingers better cool your jets so I'm actually able to leave without looking like I was molested by a malnourished beanstalk.”
“It's not my fault you've got the world's greatest ass.” Otacon grinned as he watched Solid fumbled his boots and jacket on.
“You say that as if it's something I can help…. I'm taking Scoot with me, we'll be back in an hour or so with supper and hopefully your precious wifi.” Solid hooked the sable-coloured husky into his harness and kissed Otacon again before slipping out of the apartment. Solid walked quietly to the car, unlocked it, let Scooter climb in and slid in after. He spent a few minutes fiddling with the radio until he found the classic rock station and pulled onto the street, the day before they scoped out the city and spoke to a kind waitress at a nearby coffee shop about the area, she informed them the city was divided into four sections: the north end, eastside, south end, and westside, and they were staying in the latter. She had also mentioned knowing their landlord and that he lived on the south end. She had written out directions for them, stating the man always forgot to give them to new tenants. The building was relatively easy to find, mostly thanks to the out-of-place brightly painted shop down the street, he was definitely gonna have to check that place out when he was done talking them into getting free wifi for his dear nerd. After parking and telling Scooter to guard the car, Solid headed into the older apartment building, stopping to scan over the names till he found the proper one and pressed the com.
“Yeah?” The speaker crackled at Solid.
“Hey Mr. Hachey… um it's Robb, the guy that just moved into 204 over on the westside.” Solid hated the name Otacon gave him but it was plain enough for this sort of place.
“Yeah? Whaddya want kid?”
“Uhh my roommate and I were wondering if you could call to have the internet hooked up at our apartment?”
“What? Kid, there's alre-… listen when you get back, go to 205, bang on the door and tell that bitch Janey to turn the fuckin’ modem back on.”
“Ah… okay thanks Mr. Hachey.” Solid rubbed the back of his neck and started walking away.
“Oh and kid… never fuckin’ show up here without calling again.” the speaker crackled one last time in finality. Solid sighed and decided to head over to the shop he saw when he arrived. Getting closer to it he saw tons of movie paraphernalia in the front window, a large sign hung above it that read “Freak Lunchbox”. Weird… Solid thought as he entered the store; the smell of sugar and sweets immediately hit him as he crossed the threshold and he was suddenly face-to-face with gaudy decor and walls of candy from all over the world and seemingly different eras. He walked around the store for a bit until a girl as brightly coloured as the rest of the place walked up to him.
“Hi! Can I help you with anything today?” She practically beamed with every word. Maybe she's been dipping into that sugar supply. Solid thought to himself with a small smile. Hal would love this place...
“No no, I'm just looking.” Solid replied and watched as the girl looked a little dejected. He thought about Otacon again and smiled a bit more. “Wait actually, do you have anything from Japan?”
***
Thirty minutes in the candy store and almost fifty dollars later and Solid had left with three bags full of treats for Otacon, he opened the back of the car and carefully set the bags in one of the milk crates sitting in the trunk; closing it and getting into the car, he was met with a flurry of kisses as Scooter greeted him.
“Hah, hey boy! missed you too.” He gave the dog a pat and started the car. “Scoot, you remember where that Chinese place we passed was...?”
Solid had wasted another half hour trying to backtrack through one-way streets and dead end roads, getting lost more than once. He knew he was back on the westside just not where exactly, as he started down another road he noticed yet another slightly obnoxious building and pulled into the parking lot without as much as a second thought. He looked at the lit up “Gamezilla” sign and then over to Scooter.
“Never let Hal forget how much I spoil him…” He laughed when the dog barked at him. Once in the store he decided this was his partner’s wet dream come to life, he definitely had to bring him here. Board and video games lined the walls along with comics, figures, manga and every other type of geeky merchandise Solid could think of was everywhere. He wandered aimlessly around the store until his eyes fell on two things, the newest harvest moon game Otacon refused to shut up about not having and a small figurine of an anime character from one of the few series he remembered watching with him. He quickly scooped up both items and headed to the counter. He paid, left, and climbed back in the car to return to the dinner quest he halted his search for.
Eventually he made it to the small takeout restaurant he spotted earlier, unfortunately for him; he had to fight with the owner five time in strained Mandarin trying to explain he didn't want onion in any of the food he ordered, apparently he didn't believe he had an allergy to the vegetable until the owner's daughter came from the upstairs half of the building and yelled at him to stop fighting with customers. Solid was starting to wonder if all the people in this city were this standoffish or if it was him. The owner's daughter apologized for her father's rudeness and told him that his order was on the house and even threw in a double helping of everything he ordered. Once back in the car, he all but sped back to the apartment just wanting to be done with people outside his partner. He gathered all the bags and Scooter and headed to their apartment as quick as he could. He just got his key shoved in the lock when Otacon opened the door for him.
“Did you get the internet sorted out?” Otacon asked before Solid could even greet him.
“Jeez Hal, give a guy a minute would you?” Solid snorted and pushed the bags into his boyfriend’s arms so he could step over to the door next to theirs and started knocking on it. “Janey, Mr. Hachey said turn the modem back on!”
“Tell Hachey to go suck a fuck!” A muffled shrill voice yelled back at him.
“Janey just turn on the fucking wifi!”
“I ain’t turning it on until ya give me a rea-...” The door swung up to reveal a short, thin woman whose pissed off attitude suddenly disappeared on seeing the soldier’s face. “I’m so sorry… I’ll go turn it on for you right now…”
“Thanks.”
“Say handsome, why don’t you come in and we can chat?” The woman went to touch Solid’s arm but he was yanked away.
“Sorry, he has plans already.” Otacon snapped as he dragged Solid into their apartment and slammed the door shut. Before Solid was able to form a sentence, his partner had pulled him into a kiss and started groping him feverishly.
“Mm.. Hal… Hal. C’mon Hal… Stop for a second please…” Solid said between kisses but Otacon ignored the request and started attacking his jaw and neck. “Look as much as I love possessive Hal, I’d like to eat first and give you the gifts I bought you.
“Gifts?” Solid heard from around his collarbone.
“Yeah, I found some stores today you’ll flip your shit at when you see them and I decided to get you a couple things from them.” He made a vague gesture at the bags sitting on the counter where Hal left them. “Though if you want them, you’re gonna have to stop the lamprey impression and let go of me.”
“A very difficult decision…” Otacon mumbled against Solid’s skin but released him and straightened himself out, Solid grabbed the bags and handed four of them to Otacon while he started digging the takeout containers from the others. Otacon looked into the bags and practically squealed with excitement at the contents.
“So I take it I did good?” Solid grinned as he opened a box of lo mien.
“Good? You did great! Holy shit… How did you even find all this!?”
“The candy and junk food is from a place called Freak Lunchbox and the game and anime thing from Gamezilla. I swear I gotta take you there, you’ll die.”
“I might die now ohmygod…” Otacon leaned down to kiss Solid again. “Thank you so much Dave.”
“Mm, you’re welcome. Oh and by the way…”
“Yeah?”
“Happy Valentine’s day.”
“What!?”
Solid laughed as Otacon started freaking out and apologizing; he watched as he raced into the bedroom, Scooter hot on his trail, to go make Solid something for the day. Solid didn’t bother telling him that he already had just what he wanted.