Reno sidled down the hallway then slammed into the apartment, throwing his jacket off and to the floor. His tie followed, as did his gun, which he threw violently against the nearest wall, hearing it go off and the bullet making a hole in the other wall. It wasn't the first bullet embedded in that wall. He ripped off his shirt, the buttons showering all over the room. His belt unclacked and fell to the floor, taking his trousers with it.
He stormed into the bathroom and yanked at the shower control, sending the scalding water down in torrents. He stepped, naked, under the spray, feeling it against him, feeling it almost burn. He rested his forehead against the cold tiled wall and waited as the water slowly sloughed his sins away. This was routine now, the searing shower followed by the hit flowing through his veins again, and the drink to numb the pain.
When he judged he had spent long enough under the spray to be sufficiently clean, he stepped out, spluttering. He pulled a towel around his waist, his flame red hair hanging in loose rat-tails around his shoulders.
There was a soft knock on the door and Reno ignored it. He knew what – or rather, who – it would be. It was almost a routine.
The noise came again. Reno turned his back, still wrapped in his towel, and poured another measure of whisky, downing it again, almost smiling as it burned his throat. Pain was the cleanser, pain made up for everything he had done, all those innocents. Pain was his penance, it made everything okay again. And alcohol chased away the ghosts.
Rude didn't knock a third time, he just opened the door. He could always tell how rough the mission had been by the difference in the level of the whisky bottle, and how many times he had to knock – or the responses he got to the knocks. This had been a bad one. He hadn't seen Reno this bad in a long time.
Reno didn't even turn around. "Rude..." he said softly.
Rude, for his part, said nothing. He just walked over and gently wrapped his arms around Reno, turning the redhead into his body, stroking the scarlet hair. He felt the tears start soaking into his shirtfront and almost smiled. The release would do him good. He just played his part as always, and whispered the only words he knew which could possibly bring comfort.
"I love you, Reno..."
