status complete
background set somewhere during the game
warnings language, suggestiveness
pairings slight reno/elena
disclaimer i do not own ffvii
TUESDAY MORNINGS
She had been pondering for a while; why didn't Turks have lives outside work? Last time she checked, neither Rude, nor Tseng, nor Reno, nor herself had a wife or husband, and especially children. What was it that kept them from having families? What it some code of Shinra? 'Thou shalt not have families'? Or perhaps was it their own concience that kept them back? Were they able to raise healthy and happy children or their job demanded full-time loyalty that left no room for families and children whatsoever?
"Why don't Turks have lives?" Elena asked out of the blue, while sipping her hot coffee.
It was simply another Tuesday morning at work, with the rain pounding again the windows. The two of them, Reno and herself, were alone in their shared office. Rude was nowhere to be seen, which meant Tseng had probably called him in his office. Rude was never late.
Elena wasn't fond of the rain. It made her gloomy and upset. Reno, on the other hand, didn't care about anything but sleep and slacking off. Rainy days at work weren't a big deal for him.
Reno didn't seem to move from his current position; legs placed on top of his desk, body leaning back on the office chair and hands supporting his red head. "Speak for yourself."
The blonde raised an eyebrow at him mockingly. She didn't know why she had asked him. She knew he never took anything serious. Any attempt of trying to start a serious conversation with him would end up down the drain. "You have a life? Very funny, Reno. What does it consist of? Drinking like a fish and screwing random girls?"
She saw him shrug, still not tearing his gaze from the ceiling. "That's the main idea."
Elena rolled her chestnut eyes. "My point is, why aren't we married? Why don't we have families?"
This time, Reno jumped out of his seat, his famous grin plastered on his face. "Whoa! Hold your horses, Laney! If you think this is a nice way to propose to me, then I decline! I'm a romantic, ya know?" he exclaimed loudly.
"Idiot," Elena blurted out, though a slight blush was visible on her pale cheeks. She knew he knew she didn't mean that.
"But if you want so badly to propose, it's okay. But just let me call my mom and tell her I'm getting married, okay?" Reno replied and sat back down on his chair.
Elena glared at him. "I was serious."
Reno shrugged casually. "Me, too. But, no need to worry, Laney; you'll love my mom. She's great."
She sipped her coffee. "Well, she has to be. I'm sure it would have taken a lot of effort to not strangle you when you were a kid."
Reno frowned. "Don't attempt humor, Laney. You're not into it."
Elena stuck her tongue out at him. "Whatever you say, Reno," she said and browsed some reports on her desk.
Reno rested his left elbow on the desk in front of him and rested his chin against his fist. "And to answer your question, we don't get married and have families because it's dangerous and risky, not because we don't want to. Screwing random girl, as you say it, is what I do because I can't commit. Get it, Laney?" he explained slowly.
It took Elena's brain a good ten seconds to register his words and, in the end, she found herself confused. "So, you're practically saying that you would like to settle down and have a family."
"At some point, why not? Kids are fun. Besides," he smirked, "my legacy would live on."
Elena laughed teasingly. "What legacy? Red spiky hair, laziness and pranks?"
Reno nodded. "Yeah, that stuff. Wouldn't you love a red-haired brat running around in the house, making it look like a hurricane just passed?" he asked suggestively, although Elena missed his tone.
"Hardly frightening."
He smirked at her. "You know you would."
Elena sighed and threw the now empty mug in the trash and began working on her reports. "I'm not having a kid with you, Reno, if that's where the conversation is going."
Reno laughed softly and leaned back on his chair, placing his feet on his desk once again, atop of old and new untouched paperwork. "It was worth the shot."
Elena shook her head and let out a low chuckle. Reno was a crazy person. His answer was quite convincing, though she disagreed. If a Turk wanted to have a family, they would have one and nothing would stop them, not even their job. She wasn't planning on having children, because she was very dedicated on her work.
However, she would later reconsider the possibility of having a kid with him one day. Red hair weren't so bad, after all, especially when they were sprawled all over the pillows of her bed. As for laziness, she could tolerate, because, apart from work, Reno wasn't lazy at all in any other sector. And as for pranks, you really don't wanna know.
After all, rainy Tuesday mornings were the absolute matchmaker.
