Never Say Never - 01 - The Deal
This was why he hated bringing her along with them. He and Rude made an awesome team to go to bars. They could get drunk and not care about anyone starting a fight with them because they were highly-ranked, they were feared by just about everyone, they were Turks. His quick moves and sneaky attacks and Rude's stature and intimidation, they were always a great team of two. But now…she had to tag along - the rookie, the new girl, the third-in-command now that they were all that was left.
He and Rude sat watching as she paid for their second round of drinks and attempted to figure out how to carry the three mugs back to their spot. "Maybe you should go help," Rude suggested.
"Why? The rookie can handle herself," the redhead retorted, lazily leaning back in his chair.
"Yes but she does seem like she needs help Reno," Rude commented.
"Then you go," his friend replied drowsily. Although they'd had plenty of time to do nothing in the past couple of days, Reno hadn't gotten much sleep, seeing as how he was up late on the phone with Reeve all the bloody time, discussing plans for Midgar and other various Presidential duties Reeve had to deal with. It had been about six months since the whole "end of the world because of Meteor" had ended and still, problems kept rearing their ugly heads.
"More fun if you do," Rude pointed out.
"More fun if I don't," Reno drawled, half-closing his eyes as he folded his arms behind his head.
"Have it your way then," Rude sighed, shaking his eyes and rolling his eyes behind his shades. He glanced back towards the bar and noticed that their third party member had successfully found a way to carry the three beer mugs, but had gotten her path blocked by a tall and fairly muscular man. A man that looked sleazy and that was hunched ever so close to her.
"Uh Reno, problem…Elena…," Rude began with a hint of nervousness. This change in tone caused Reno to bolt back to normal seating and look around wildly. He spotted the same guy hanging over their fellow Turk and groaned.
Reno rolled his eyes. "She'll kick his ass the moments he gets within range. Wake me when there's actual trouble afoot please…or when the beer gets here."
And with that, he leaned back again, closing his eyes.
Rude stared at his partner blankly through his sunglasses before glancing at Elena and noticing the man had managed to edge her backwards to a two-eater booth where she leaned dangerously against the table, able to fall backwards if he pushed her anymore.
"Reno, we kinda have to do something," Rude commented and Reno sat upright again. He glanced in her direction, expecting her to still be at the bar either beating the crap outta the guy or happily striding past him. His eyes widened in concern when he saw the predicament she was in.
"Fuck," he stated simply before getting up and walking over towards the booth where the guy was now surreptitiously trying to take the beer from her to push her back.
As he walked over, the redhead calculated many different plots and plans to do this. He smirked as he found the perfect solution – one that would not only make the guy look like a complete ass, but also embarrass the hell out of Elena and make her mad, despite the fact that she'd be owing him one for saving her.
He reached them and surreptitiously pushed past the larger guy, turning his back to him as he faced Elena. He grabbed two of the drinks she held and gave her a kiss on the cheek, causing her to turn a light shade of pink.
"Sorry about that Babe, got here kinda late," he smirked, winking at her as he was sure the man could not see him.
"Yo, what you think you're doin'?" the guy barked, his speech slightly slurred.
Ooh boy a half-drunkard, I'm gonna have fun with this one, Reno thought to himself. He smirked and whirled around, covering his face with a cocky yet confused look.
"Coming to meet my girlfriend at the bar like I promised," Reno stated simply. He eyed the man up and down, noting his large muscular appearance and five o'clock shadow.
"Girlfriend?" the guy asked, glancing over Reno's shoulder at Elena, who held only one mug now and smiled innocently. "Didn't say nothin' 'bout you when I was flirtin', must not think o' ya."
"Oh did she now?" Reno asked with obvious sarcasm, making Elena smile a little. "Well maybe it was because you were towering over her and intimidating her, Caveman. Now if you'll excuse us, we have a date to attend to."
He grabbed Elena's hand and pulled her away, leaving the tall guy to stand there, confused and brooding. He quickly recovered from this odd conversation and wandered over to another table, where two girls sat gossiping and laughing.
When they reach their table and sat down, Reno let go of Elena's hand and used his own to ruffle her hair slightly. She wrinkled her nose, combing it back with her hand.
"Y'know that was easier than I expected it to be, with him being half-drunk and all, yo," Reno laughed, getting a very slight smile from Rude and an annoyed glare from Elena.
"As nice as the rescue was, did you really have to use the whole girlfriend approach? Complete with the stupid kiss on the cheek and lame "showing up late" excuse?" Elena asked wryly, taking a small gulp of her beer.
"Aw c'mon it was fun going by the book, and the idiot fell for it, right?" Reno asked. Then, his cocky smirk returned as he took a swig of his beer and leaned closer. "Besides, I know you liked it babe."
In response, she wrinkled her nose again and narrowed her eyes. "In your dreams Reno."
"Make that our dreams, since it would involve you wouldn't it?" he grinned impishly, making her roll her eyes.
"You're sick you know that? You're a totally twisted mind," she told him.
"That's what you love about me right?" Reno asked, earning himself another eye-roll and nose-wrinkle. "Anyway it saved you from that creep, that's what's important."
She look down into her beer and sighed knowingly. "…I thank you for helping me…," Elena stated calmly and Reno smirked again, laying off the comebacks and comments. A few moments of silence later, Elena pushed her chair back lightly and stood up. "I'll be right back, ladies' room."
The other two nodded as she left and once the door to the impeccably clean women's lavatory closed; Rude took a swig of his beer, chuckling slightly.
"What's so funny, yo?" Reno asked, looking away from Elena's departing path to frown at his buddy.
"Nothing, just you Reno," Rude replied.
"I've got my lines right sure, but I ain't no comedy act buddy. The hell you talking about?" Reno asked in confusion.
"You whine and whine about having Elena around when she's not, and yet you seem to enjoy every moment when she is, whether the two of you are arguing or not," Rude told him.
"Your point?" Reno inquired, taking another swig of beer.
"I think you enjoy annoying her because of how close to her it gets you," Rude answered.
"The fucks that supposed to mean?" Reno asked, bewildered and Rude merely chuckled again.
"You do it because you like her, and I don't mean friend-wise I mean the other way, the more serious way," the bald man calmly stated before taking a swig of his own beer. It was now Reno's turn to chuckle.
"Excuse me? Did I just hear you correctly? Me liking the rookie…as more than friends? Check your drink buddy, someone fucking put something in it," Reno laughed.
"And you sure that's not denial talking?" Rude inquired smugly.
"What planet are you from? Me falling for the rookie is about as far off as pigs fucking flying! And yes, I do mean without the help of experimental devices, tests, Materia or other shit like that," Reno stated, still amazed his friend would even suggest such a thing.
"Oh really, you sure Reno, because we've known each other a very long time and I've learned to read you like a book. I think I can tell when my own best friend-"
"Shaddup will ya? I do not like the rookie and that is final," Reno stated firmly.
"Do so," Rude replied.
"Do not."
"Do so."
"Do not."
"Do so."
"Why the fuck are you being childish all of a sudden?" Reno asked suspiciously.
"Because I know I'm right, so it doesn't matter what I do," Rude replied simply. Reno frowned.
"You seriously think I like the pipsqueak?" Reno inquired and Rude nodded.
"Yeah, I'd bet on it too," he explained, taking a swig of beer.
"Oh really?" Reno asked, finally hearing something that he did like – gambling.
"Yeah I'd bet that if I left now, you'd probably end up doing something stupid in the right direction, or something right in the right direction," Rude mused and oddly enough Reno understood him. "Either that or you simply admit you've got a soft spot for her that's turning deeper."
"I'll go with your first suggestion as a bet, how'sa 'bout that?" Reno smirked, fully confident that he was right and his friend was wrong. "Five hundred gil."
"Alright, it's a deal," Rude said, getting up from his seat as Elena came out of the washrooms.
Lannie: random story idea from nowhere, it's now two in the morning, i wrote this in and hour, goodnight!! R&R please!