46/50: camaraderie
Title: Camaraderie (46: author/artist's choice)
Characters: Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong
Rating: G; 580w+3pic. ←somehow, it is a picture book.
Notes: Modern AU. Back in college, Zhuge Liang had devoted himself to the Business disciplines-Marketing, Human Resources, Management-while Pang Tong had preferred straight Economics. Macro, investment, stocks and securities. Less plebeians involved. (And besides, a little insider trading was always fun.) These days, not so much has changed.
The door clicked open before Pang Tong even raised his hand to knock.
"Shiyuan," Zhuge Liang greeted, stepping back.
"I heard your pimp was out of town," Pang Tong said, playfully irreverent as he entered his friend's apartment without preamble. "Thought I'd come keep you company."
"You needn't have," Zhuge Liang chuckled.
"But I felt like it, didn't I?" Pang Tong smiled and toed off his sandals. "Where's the lady gone this time?"
"Away," Zhuge Liang replied, and pulled a couple of drinks from the kitchenette. Mineral water and sparkling mineral water. "You know globetrotters. I couldn't keep her tied down even if I wanted to."
"All these years and your type's never changed," Pang Tong teased.
Zhuge Liang didn't deny it. "Last I heard you were climbing Uluru, Shiyuan."
"I like that place," Pang Tong said practically. He took a seat on the couch and put his feet up. With no television in the minimalist Zhuge apartment, he looked out at a floor-to-ceiling city vista. "Arid, serene..."
"Rock-like."
"Much more agreeable than this bustling madness."
"I can imagine." Zhuge Liang passed Pang Tong a water and sat beside him.
"I propose a toast to Mother Nature," Pang Tong said, lifting his glass.
Zhuge Liang smiled. "That's a little ordinary, Shiyuan, even for you."
"Did you know that over seventy percent of Australia is desert?" Pang Tong said.
Zhuge Liang raised his glass. "To Mother Nature."
*
"What is it like? The biggest solitary rock in the world…"
Pang Tong laughed. "Rather impossible to get along with."
"Sounds somewhat like a man I know," Zhuge Liang smiled.
"Mm, but only somewhat."
*
"So, when's your contract up?"
Zhuge Liang said dryly, "I suspect approximately the same time my soul expires."
"Hm. How slightly concerning."
"Only slightly."
*
Zhuge Liang set Pang Tong's concern aside. Managing Liu Bei's fledgling entrepreneurship paid the bills; moreover, he had grand plans for Shu-Han. Negotiations with Sun Limited to bring a joint legal action against Cao Corporation's anti-competitive practices were coming to a head, and when those were through Shu-Han would gain solid entry into the market.
All for the long-term benefit of the common consumer. Tomorrow an oligopoly, and from there Liu Bei's dream of monopolistic competition would be one step closer.
But now was not the time to think business. It was rare for Pang Tong to be local.
As amusing as Liu Bei's employees tended to be, strong characters them all, they were by and large not the sharpest consultants at the bank. Zhuge Liang lifted a chess set from the coffee table. "Feel like indulging me a little entertainment?"
Pang Tong took a deceptively delicate sip of his mineral water. "I'm not much good at these games, I'm afraid," he said.
"And a terrible liar to boot." Zhuge Liang offered white, but was unsurprised when Pang Tong shook his head. "We'll play for the bed."
Pang Tong made a noise of amusement. "I must say that isn't much of a wager on my part."
Zhuge Liang smiled. It was true. Pang Tong was a small man and slept well on the couch whenever he visited. But Zhuge Liang was hardly intending to lose. "As I said, just a little entertainment."
Pang Tong smiled in return. "Well then, Kongming. Please bring it on."
*
"Hm. Rather the conundrum isn't it."
"Another stalemate."
"Indeed, and it's getting late."
"You know, Shiyuan, my bed does ordinarily sleep two."
"But won't the lady mind?"
"Only if the sheets aren't changed."
Characters: Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong
Rating: G; 580w+3pic. ←somehow, it is a picture book.
Notes: Modern AU. Back in college, Zhuge Liang had devoted himself to the Business disciplines-Marketing, Human Resources, Management-while Pang Tong had preferred straight Economics. Macro, investment, stocks and securities. Less plebeians involved. (And besides, a little insider trading was always fun.) These days, not so much has changed.
The door clicked open before Pang Tong even raised his hand to knock.
"Shiyuan," Zhuge Liang greeted, stepping back.
"I heard your pimp was out of town," Pang Tong said, playfully irreverent as he entered his friend's apartment without preamble. "Thought I'd come keep you company."
"You needn't have," Zhuge Liang chuckled.
"But I felt like it, didn't I?" Pang Tong smiled and toed off his sandals. "Where's the lady gone this time?"
"Away," Zhuge Liang replied, and pulled a couple of drinks from the kitchenette. Mineral water and sparkling mineral water. "You know globetrotters. I couldn't keep her tied down even if I wanted to."
"All these years and your type's never changed," Pang Tong teased.
Zhuge Liang didn't deny it. "Last I heard you were climbing Uluru, Shiyuan."
"I like that place," Pang Tong said practically. He took a seat on the couch and put his feet up. With no television in the minimalist Zhuge apartment, he looked out at a floor-to-ceiling city vista. "Arid, serene..."
"Rock-like."
"Much more agreeable than this bustling madness."
"I can imagine." Zhuge Liang passed Pang Tong a water and sat beside him.
"I propose a toast to Mother Nature," Pang Tong said, lifting his glass.
Zhuge Liang smiled. "That's a little ordinary, Shiyuan, even for you."
"Did you know that over seventy percent of Australia is desert?" Pang Tong said.
Zhuge Liang raised his glass. "To Mother Nature."
*
"What is it like? The biggest solitary rock in the world…"
Pang Tong laughed. "Rather impossible to get along with."
"Sounds somewhat like a man I know," Zhuge Liang smiled.
"Mm, but only somewhat."
*
"So, when's your contract up?"
Zhuge Liang said dryly, "I suspect approximately the same time my soul expires."
"Hm. How slightly concerning."
"Only slightly."
*
Zhuge Liang set Pang Tong's concern aside. Managing Liu Bei's fledgling entrepreneurship paid the bills; moreover, he had grand plans for Shu-Han. Negotiations with Sun Limited to bring a joint legal action against Cao Corporation's anti-competitive practices were coming to a head, and when those were through Shu-Han would gain solid entry into the market.
All for the long-term benefit of the common consumer. Tomorrow an oligopoly, and from there Liu Bei's dream of monopolistic competition would be one step closer.
But now was not the time to think business. It was rare for Pang Tong to be local.
As amusing as Liu Bei's employees tended to be, strong characters them all, they were by and large not the sharpest consultants at the bank. Zhuge Liang lifted a chess set from the coffee table. "Feel like indulging me a little entertainment?"
Pang Tong took a deceptively delicate sip of his mineral water. "I'm not much good at these games, I'm afraid," he said.
"And a terrible liar to boot." Zhuge Liang offered white, but was unsurprised when Pang Tong shook his head. "We'll play for the bed."
Pang Tong made a noise of amusement. "I must say that isn't much of a wager on my part."
Zhuge Liang smiled. It was true. Pang Tong was a small man and slept well on the couch whenever he visited. But Zhuge Liang was hardly intending to lose. "As I said, just a little entertainment."
Pang Tong smiled in return. "Well then, Kongming. Please bring it on."
*
"Hm. Rather the conundrum isn't it."
"Another stalemate."
"Indeed, and it's getting late."
"You know, Shiyuan, my bed does ordinarily sleep two."
"But won't the lady mind?"
"Only if the sheets aren't changed."