It was a slow, gentle croon that spurred images of a lonely late night cafe, curled in the back of a red leather booth watching wisps of smoke dance of the end of long cigarette. It was the caress of hands brushing hips and shoulders as partners swayed and danced at midnight, the soft swishes of cloth as they brushed in their steps. It was contemplation as he counted time in his head before the next phrasing, slowly tapping his foot against the cool wooden floor. It was this slender, rich music Reno had come to covet. Rufus had told him about this place, a quiet little back alley lounge where he often came to unwind when the demands and the stresses of Shinra began to wear him down.
Reno stared down into a cup of thick black coffee, wrapping his hands around it. It felt good, this burning against the cool of the evening, spreading that luscious warmth through him as he drank from coffee down. It didn't wire him this late at night, instead he'd begun to use it as an intoxication, a sedative of sorts. He lifted his eyes to the man seated on the stool across the cafe, a bald man with dark skin holding a shining gold saxophone in his hands that spewed forth this music. He recognized the player as one of the Turks, Rude he vaguely recalled his name being. He hadn't been with the company that long and names were always a bit sketchy to him.
"Hey, partner." he ventured when the man finally stopped playing for his break.
Rude nodded in recognition and set down the instrument, waving over the barista for another steaming cup of java. Reno rose from his booth and ventured closer, running his long fingers over the smooth countertop littered with stray grains of sugar. Rude's eyes traced up the man's arm to rest on his steel blue eyes, a low chuckle rumbling in his throat.
"You're Reno, right?"
"Yeah." he sipped at his own coffee.
"Nice to meet you." Rude chugged down the steaming liquid, this time Reno finding the amusement.
"Damn," Reno winked at his new partner, toying with the long strands of red hair in his fingers, "not thirsty are you?" Rude eyes Reno appreciatively, immediately catching on to the man's advances.
"Mnn.. Maybe." He leaned back, loosening the tie around his neck and undoing a button on the black shirt.
"Maybe." Reno leaned closer until he could feel Rude's hot breath on his face rich of caffiene, "I could quench it for you?"
"Maybe.." Rude whispered, letting their lips just barely ghost before pulling away, looking back over his shoulder in invitation as he took his leave. Reno slid off his own chair and threw down the payment on the counter, strolling out into the midnight chill enraptured by the fragrance of dark coffee.
