A story that was inspired by a picture I saw of Reno, Elena and Rude, Its also in the spirit of February because its Almost Valetine's day

It was another day, another easy mission, so much to kill and such little time to do so. But Reno made the days go faster, I'll admit that. But today seemed different, something… something was in the air, I didn't like to think like that. Maybe I was just a little nervous, or worried.

"Rude snap out of it already, you're being more quiet than usual. Yo" Reno hit me the chest to 'snap me out of it' "I'm telling you, there are plenty of fish in the sea."

Yes, I was worried about this Friday; the Turks Valentines' dance. Year after continuous year I was actually excited about it, a chance to just be loose and have a few drinks without being in trouble for it. But I was always secretly hoping to get a dance, with an employee from higher up in the offices.

I've asked her at random times, but just like the higher ups, they don't care for the working class. I considered myself as that anyway. Seeing as I seemed to be the only Turk to get anything done, that was including Reno's paperwork as well as my own!

"I think you should still come with us, it'll be a blast, have a few drink-"

"Drinks… get 'wasted' and wake up with your puke on my floor" I finished his pep talk for him, it was the same every single year "Not this time Reno, No-one really wants me there apart from you."

"Tseng wants you there." Reno received a nod from Tseng. But I didn't mean guy friends, I meant girl friends. "Oh I see" He cottoned on as I shook my head at him.

"Well I bet I know someone who's free!" Reno gestured towards a certain blonde walking past with her hips swaying purposefully; she was holding an envelope with the Shin-Ra logo on the seal. Something that was for the president himself, I looked away from the package to one of a different kind but looked away again. No, even if I did ask she wouldn't have me because I'd be continuously looking at her in an inappropriate way.

"Hey Elena!" Reno yelled at her, she stopped and turned in a kind of twitch with a sight blush to her cheeks.

"H-Hi Reno, what's the matter?" She held the package close to her and seemed to be speaking from behind it. Those were obvious signs of a school girl talking to her crush. See? I knew she wouldn't have me.

"Do you fancy Rude?"

Reno! I couldn't believe this; I just couldn't believe that he would shamelessly ask like that!

It appeared that she couldn't either, the package had been dropped and she clenched her fists together.

I felt my face fill up as she began to shout at Reno, her own face about the same colour as mine.

"I do not fancy him!" She yelled as if I wasn't here, every insult she threw at me made me feel smaller until I was pretty sure I shrunk down to about 3 inches. "He's bald and he's got piercings in both ears! He dresses like an idiot outside of work, he has a beard!"

It went on until I couldn't take anymore; everything she said about me was an insult. I was who I was, I felt like shouting back and playing her childish little game, but I didn't…

I ran away from it. I adjusted my glasses so my eyes weren't showing my feelings and bolted back to my temporary bedroom, where the Turks lived if they had nothing else to do whilst on shift.

I slammed the door shut and let my legs fail under me, my back against the door I sat there and rubbed at my forehead with a frown. Why was I responding like this? I was a grown man dammit!

But all those things, I liked me for me after all. But did everyone else hate that. I understood Reno's complaints about me being 'too quiet' and 'too serious for my own good'. But that was because he was my total opposite. The president said we'd do well as a team because of this.

Even so, now… Now I hated myself.

A gentle tapping coaxed me from my thoughts as I listened to the owner of that tapping shifted their weight on to one leg. I swallowed and closed my eyes. 'Just go away… I'm not here.' Why was I thinking like this?

"…Rude…?" The voice was female, it was her voice. The voice of the one who brutally tortured me so. "… Rude I'm really sorry… Reno was, he makes me feel uncomfortable and I- I didn't mean any of it. I didn't want to answer him… I thought he was just making a joke…" I didn't answer her at all, I didn't want to see her, or hear her annoyingly high-pitched voice.

"Rude!" Her voice gave an elaborated sigh, like I was the one who should be apologising to her or something like that!

"Go away!" I replied at last, a fierce tone and attitude surrounding me and rebuilding the little walls she had knocked down earlier, I didn't want her to be near me, despite the door.

"Rude hear me out. I do fancy you... I like all the piercings, really I do!" She seemed to be sincere. However, I didn't seem to like her now. I don't think I ever will after this. "Rude?" Her tone was softer, she wanted an answer from me.

"Rude are you there?" I took out a pen from my pocket and threw it at the vase on top of the television. It shattered on the floor and heard her scream. "RUDE!"

I got up silently and watched with some amusement as she tried to kick the door in. A dent appeared next to the handle and I widened my eyes in shock. I knew she was tough for a girl Turk but I had never dented in a door!

"Rude please be okay!" Another dent and another, until finally the door gave-way and she found me safe. She practically threw her self on me and hugged my waist until I couldn't breathe.

After she had done this she looked at me with sadness through her wide eyes into my sunglasses, but before I could react to it a hand I hadn't noticed slapped me!

My glasses went flying and I hadn't noticed it because I was too busy looking into those wide shiny orbs of hers. She trembled as I returned her hug and placed my head on hers. I never realised how short she was before, but then again I never seemed to take in her whole appearance before.

"Rude, why did you do that?" She asked as I swayed her slightly, There was music from the streets below the company coming through the open window, and I felt like dancing to it.

"I don't really know, I was just unhappy, and angry… I just wanted to take out my rage on something." I let the words leave my mouth without really thinking about it.

One. Two. Step, one, two. She laughed as I spun her around at the dance as I recalled the same moves I had made in my room, the music was the same at the dance, and so was Elena. Apart from the beautiful dress she wore. It was so very revealing, and I liked that best about her. She straightened out my collar on my newly bought shirt as the dancing slowed; I had asked her to go shopping for this dance night with me. She had thought it was the strangest thing I had ever said but politely accepted anyway.

So I was wearing dark blue blouse, with the standard black Turk tie and trousers. But I hadn't tucked anything in this time. I stayed 'loose' as Reno had told me too and it seemed to be working.

The dance had finished, so I repeated the one thing I had also done in my room. I leaned in and kissed Elena so passionately, that even the people she hated would have felt loved. I was happy to report that she returned it with the same amount of enthusiasm and passion that I had given. Maybe there wouldn't be an awkward moment at the water fountain tomorrow…

So what did you think? R&R