"Rude," a voice laced with lust moaned loudly. "Oh god, Rude, please!"

The lanky redhead wrapped his slender fingers around his partner's neck as Rude continued to lick and suck his way down Reno's torso through his unbuttoned shirt. Skillfully, Rude dipped his tongue in all of the places he knew would make Reno writhe in ecstasy. Reno gasped with delight at every movement of the bald Turk's tongue, and he was soon panting wantonly under the man's touches.

Teasingly, Rude brushed a calloused hand against Reno's throbbing cock through the fabric of his pants. This action elicited a carnal moan from the slighter man, and he spoke through excited breaths, "God, Rude, I need you."

Those words of pure desire from the redhead sent Rude over the edge. Rude vehemently removed Reno's pants without bothering to unbutton them, and the bald man amusedly noticed that his partner had chosen to go commando that day. Reno's cock was fully erect and craving stimulation, to which Rude more than happily obliged.

Rude ravenously took Reno's member into his mouth, alternating between hungry licks and fierce sucks with familiar proficiency. Noisy screams of concupiscence escaped Reno as his fingers sank deeper into the taller man's flesh.

"Reno," Rude purred slightly as he removed his mouth from Reno's cock, a sticky line of saliva and precum dangling from his lips. "Reno, I need to fuck you."

Reno smirked mischievously as he brought himself to face the bald man, and he quickly pressed his rosy lips against Rude's. As the kiss deepened, Reno's hands deftly undid the buttons of the bald man's shirt, which he soon discarded to the ground. The two Turks' tongues continued their fervent kiss passionately as the lithe red-haired man removed Rude's lower garments.

"God," Reno spoke cravingly as the kiss broke, "I love tasting myself on you." Reno giggled slyly into his lover's shoulder as they indulged in the fiery feeling of flushed flesh-on-flesh. With a sloppy kiss on the bald man's body, Reno growled, "Fuck me, yo." The pale-skinned figure positioned himself beneath his partner's darker-toned body, and Reno added, "Oh, one more thing." With a silky hand, the redheaded man removed Rude's sunglasses with the utmost care, and placed them on the nightstand while retrieving a near-empty bottle of lubricant.

With an expectant grin, Reno handed the bottle to the man atop him, who dutifully slicked his cock and fingers. After locking lustful glances with the Turk beneath him, Rude gently inserted a digit into Reno's anticipative hole, which educed a grunt from the redhead. Reno's porcelain arms tightened around the bald man's neck as he continued his ministrations with an added digit, and he soon felt that Reno was sufficiently prepared for his dripping cock.

Rude crashed his needy lips against Reno's as he slid inside him slowly. Both of the men moaned with the sensation, and they began rocking their hips in unison, quickly developing a rhythm. Reno continued to moan loudly with his partner's cadenced thrusts, and his pale hands slid sensually down the taller Turk's back.

"Oh god, Rude," Reno hissed delightedly as his partner's hand wrapped around his cock, jerking it forcefully in rhythm with his own fervid thrusts. Reno's arms tightened around his partner as he trembled with ecstatic eagerness, and he soon came violently against Rude with an intense yell of his name, his sticky seed dripping between them.

Feeling the redhead's pulsations beneath him, Rude felt the oncoming sensation of orgasm, and he pressed his lips against Reno's in a final kiss. The bald Turk shuddered as he came inside of Reno, and the two remained uncomfortably still as the kiss broke.

Rude slid out of Reno without as much as a glance, lifted himself from the bed, and silently collected his clothing from the ground. He dressed briefly without any acknowledgement of the redhead, and he left the bedroom with faint creaking on the wooden floor and a soft close of the door behind him.

Reno laid quietly in his bed, a feeling of coldness engulfing him because of Rude's absence. He curled himself tightly in a comforter, his pale face resting on a pillow, and his closed blue eyes wetting it with tears.

-

Rude's polished shoes echoed faintly in the emptiness of the night as he made his way to his car in the parking lot of Reno's apartment. With a sigh, he unlocked it, opened its door, and sat himself on the upholstered seat. He shut the door beside him and rested his face on the steering wheel momentarily, tumultuous thoughts storming within his mind.

He pushed his sunglasses against the bridge of his nose, despite the ebony night sky littered with stars. He soon composed himself enough to start the car, and as he drove along vacant streets blanketed in darkness, thoughts continued to drift in his head, though with less ferocity than previously.

His eyes narrowed as one nagging statement kept repeating itself in his thoughts: We're just fuck buddies, nothing more.

His thoughts continued to collide as he drove down the streets, his heart ringing with the question of how exactly their relationship came to be. The answer became apparent within his mind as his thoughts pieced together, and memories pooled within his conscience as he remembered how he and his feisty, red-haired partner became friends with benefits.

There had always been some tension between the two in the workplace, as well as when they spent time together, idly downing alcohol in rundown bars.

After their initial arrangement together as partners for a standard Turk mission, they developed a bond and realized their skills complemented each other; Rude was calculating and cool, while Reno was dauntless and headstrong. With their paired abilities, they downed many foes with ease.

The two quickly became regular partners, and throughout the years, they became inseparable. Their rapport in their employment spilled over to their personal lives, and they became best friends with common interests in drinking, gambling, and having a good time. They could depend on each other without any doubts, and their trust was indestructible.

But their relationship had never been sexual until a stressful night in the office, with stacks of empty reports piling up and the two Turks fed up. They gave into carnal desires without a semblance of romance, and their relations repeated themselves with greater frequency throughout the weeks. Yet they made it clear to each other that their acts were solely for release, and that they were not romantically involved.

Romance in the workplace is often discouraged, but the two Turks decided that detached sex was fine.

Rude arrived to his own apartment with images of Reno swirling in his mind, from his lithe figure adroitly attacking enemies on the battlefield, to his mischievous grins when he was teasing or joking, as well as his perfectly sculpted form nude beneath his body, squirming with each touch from the martial artist.

The bald Turk arrived at the door of his apartment, swiftly unlocked it, and walked to his bed with a heavy heart. His last moments of consciousness consisted of thoughts of Reno, and a burdening belief buried within his heart.

I think I've fallen in love with him.

-

Reno glided into the Turks' shared office the next day, his eyes lacking their ordinary luster, and his fiery locks more unkempt than usual. He slinked to Rude's side speedily, the bald man lost in numbers and figures on a piece of paper in front of him.

"Hey, partner," Reno managed drowsily, an eyebrow raising with his statement. A slight smile graced Reno's lips at the sight of his fellow Turk, and his blue eyes sparkled expectantly at the taller man's side.

Rude slowly turned to face the redhead, and he gave a stoic, "Hey." Upon realizing the disheveled appearance of Reno, he added, "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah," Reno answered lethargically, his half-lidded eyes meeting Rude's through his sunglasses, "I just didn't sleep very well last night, that's all." A sad smile crept over the red-haired Turk's lips as he mentally added, …because I missed you.

"I'm sorry," Rude responded flatly, his attention averting back to the papers in front of him.

Reno sighed through his nostrils as he realized that Rude wasn't in the mood for socializing, and the redhead made his way to his own desk. A look of dismay crossed his features as Tseng dropped a pile of paperwork on his own desk, and Reno groaned in an annoyed manner. He was not fond of paperwork in the least, and as Tseng turned to leave, Reno stuck out his tongue.

As Reno doodled absentmindedly after attempting to fill in forms for ten minutes, he envisioned Rude and the night they shared the day before. A light blush caressed Reno's cheeks as he thought about Rude's strong arms and his muscular form, and the redhead's pale face laid against the sheet of paper, a sketch of a pair of sunglasses upon it.

-

Rude continued to work on the paperwork he had been assigned, but he was finding it difficult to focus, which was a rare occurrence for the usually-collected Turk. He kept fumbling over his words as he wrote, and he eventually decided to set his adorned ballpoint pen on his desk and take a moment to think.

As soon as he took his attention away from the sheets of text on his desk, an image of Reno appeared in his thoughts. Rude grimaced as he thought about his relationship with the slighter Turk; their routine was formed on the basis that they didn't love each other, yet Rude couldn't help feeling the way he did about the lively redhead.

The bald Turk gave a small sigh as he adjusted his sunglasses. With a solemn face, he came to a decision, and he continued his work with a racing heart.

-

As the work day ended, Reno waited around restlessly as Rude continued his work diligently. After Tseng and Elena left, Reno stepped to Rude with a wide grin plastered on his face.

"Hey, Rude," the redhead spoke playfully, leaning over the bald man's shoulder, "are ya almost done? Jeez, man, I swear you're gonna work yourself to death one of these days." Reno laughed cheerfully beside his partner's face, but he soon pulled himself away and stood by Rude patiently.

"Reno," Rude's velvety voice began as he lifted himself from his chair, "We have to talk."

There was such graveness in the taller Turk's voice that Reno's grin wavered for a second. "Sure, man, what's on your mind?" Reno looked to the man with nervous anticipation while running his fingers through his red tresses.

With slight hesitation, Rude spoke, "We need to end this."

Reno's face fell as he immediately realized what 'this' referred to, and his aquamarine eyes widened. "Okay, pal," he stammered in response, "I understand."

Rude looked to the carpeted ground, his eyes obscured by his sunglasses. He soon turned back to Reno with a nod, and left the redhead in silence.

Reno stood in the office alone for minutes after Rude left, feeling completely crushed and numb. The bald Turk's abrupt decision tore something within Reno, and he soon felt his eyes stinging with saltiness. The redhead gave an annoyed yell as his vision blurred, yet he remained petrified.

With a quiet string of curses, Reno regained control of his limbs, and he stormed out of the building in a delirious daze.

When he arrived at his apartment, he gnashed his teeth furiously; Rude's scent lingered everywhere in the home, and Reno's blue eyes could remember his partner's presence clearly within his apartment.

With angry tears sliding down his porcelain features, Reno collapsed to the floor with choleric shouts. He was broken by the idea of never feeling Rude's figure against him again, or tasting his full lips upon his.

Reno scoffed at himself; he couldn't believe that he became so attached to Rude during their meaningless flings. He buried his face in his slender arms as his demeanor became more calm. Reno bit his lower lip with narrow, ashamed eyes, and to the air around him, he weakly asked, "What do I do now?"

He shook his head sadly as the air remained silent, and a feeling of being trapped engulfed him. He could not simply tell his ex-fuck buddy that he had feelings for him, and he feared he could jeopardize the two Turks' relationship further.

Lifting himself from the ground unsteadily, Reno shook off his jacket and retrieved his cure-all for whatever life managed to throw at him: booze.

-

Reno didn't show up at work the next day, and he didn't give any notification; despite his laid-back and seeming-careless nature, it was uncharacteristic for him to forsake his job. The three Turks were left worried, and with knowing eyes, Tseng asked Rude to check up on him.

Upon arriving at Reno's apartment door, Rude opened it without warning, and walked slowly through a mess of discarded beer cans. He noticed a slovenly, red-haired figure lying on a tattered couch, wearing only an unbuttoned, wrinkled white shirt and red boxers. A can of beer rested limply in the figure's hand, and when he realized the presence of the bald Turk, he spoke, "I'm not here."

"Reno," Rude responded in a near-whisper, "what are you doing?" The bald man walked over to his comrade on the couch, and he was stricken by Reno's tear-stained, tightened cheeks and his dull eyes.

"Drinkin'," Reno answered nonchalantly, taking a sip from the can in his hand. "I think a better question is what're you doing." Reno looked to his partner with a dismal expression, and he slid into a sitting position to allow Rude to be seated next to him.

"We were worried about you," Rude spoke coolly, sitting next to the redhead. "And for good reason." Rude eyed his partner, noticing that his vibrant red hair was not secured by a band, and was instead flowing wildly down his back. "Tseng sent me to check up on you."

"Huh," Reno replied apathetically, haphazardly throwing his empty can to the ground. "Well, I'm fine. You can go now." Reno ran a hand against his unshaven face, looking to Rude with expectance of his departure.

"We need to talk," Rude spoke with a sigh. Reno's blue eyes narrowed at his statement, and Rude continued, "Reno, what's going on?"

An unexpected laugh escaped Reno. "Oh, partner," he began with a sardonic smirk. "I don't wanna lose you. I enjoyed fucking you too damn much, and I know that it was dumb of me, but I don't wanna give it up." The redhead paused as he closed his eyes and shook his head, strands of his hair falling into disarray. "I love you, man. I know we had a no-strings-attached relationship, but, fuck, I ended up turning into some goddamn puppeteer."

Rude met Reno's gaze with incredulous taupe eyes. "Reno," his voice began with an anxious swallow, "I… didn't want to continue our relationship because I had developed feelings for you, too."

"…oh?" Reno's eyebrows raised curiously, and he crawled onto Rude's lap, facing him with an inquisitive expression. "Do you… love me?"

Rude looked to the vulnerable redhead on his lap; his cerulean eyes were wide as he stared at the bald man with a nervous expression.

"Yeah," Rude spoke assuredly, removing his dark sunglasses, and setting them on the adjacent coffee table. "I love you, Reno."

A bright smile spread across Reno's face, and responsively, Rude smiled as well.

Reno's smile quickly lost its innocence as he pulled the bald Turk's lips against his, engaging in a passionate kiss. Rude ran his gloved fingers through Reno's unrestrained red locks, and the redhead managed to wriggle out of his shirt, leaving him clad only in boxers.

"God," Reno spoke softly after the kiss broke, "I love kissing you knowing that you love me, and I'm not just some slutty whore to you." Reno wrapped his bare arms around Rude, grinning against his suit.

"You were never a slutty whore to me," Rude responded, embracing the smaller man warmly.

"Oh, really?" Reno responded with a cocked eyebrow, looking to the bald man seductively. "Even while you were poundin' my ass with that huge dick of yours?"

"Yeah," Rude answered with a matching expression, "I always thought of you as a prize." He held the redhead in his arms firmly, planting a single kiss on his flushed cheek.

"Ohh, Rude," Reno spoke with a lick of his lips, winking playfully.

"As much as I like having you sitting on my lap in your underwear," Rude began, a warm smile on his chiseled features, "I believe you ought to take a shower and get dressed. Tseng's waiting for us."

A disdainful look spread across Reno's face, and he spoke, "But god, Rude, he'll just have us doin' lame ass paperwork. That's not what Turks are for." The redhead pouted wryly, but a conniving smile soon crept across his face, and he continued, "But that shower does sound enticing…"

With a smirk, Reno took Rude by his hand and quickly led him to the bathroom, laughter echoing behind the two inseparable partners.