It was his birthday.
A fist slammed into his jaw causing his entire head to spin and barely take in the shouted question.
"What's the code?"
If it wasn't against the rules he would probably make some joke about how they stopped doing birthday punches a long time ago and these guys should grow up.
He spat at his oppressors feet. On them, actually.
Which was why he wasn't surprised to feel the flurry of straight rabbit punches that the guy spread all over his head, chest, abdomen, and even groin.
Not that being prepared made it hurt less.
It was his birthday. He knew that back at the base Rude had probably left a small unmarked box in the first drawer of his desk next to his keys.
He knew that Elena had probably left his preferred choice of coffee on his desk this morning and he knew that she also would have went to his favorite bakery a couple miles out of the way and picked up his favorite dessert. He also knew that both things sat on his desk all day cooling while no one attended to them.
"What's the damn code you piece of shit?"
Tseng. Well there was actually a tricky one. Tseng had a habit of making sure that his gift surprised Reno every time. Last year it had been an entire day off all expenses paid. Which meant that Tseng had basically handed over his credit card, with a look that clearly read how he knew he was going to regret it later. Two years ago it had been the apartment he was looking at in Sector 7 bought and paid for in full with a small bow hanging on the doorknob. Three years ago it had been-
Reno's lungs hurled air out and left him breathless as he came back to the present. A crowbar. He looked up at the guy holding it and found the strength to roll his eyes.
What? Antagonizing the enemy was fun.
"GOD DAMNED ASSHOLE! WHAT. IS. THE. CODE?"
Each word was emphasized with a strike from hard unrelenting metal.
What was that shit that the old guys always said at the dojo?...Oh yeah, pain is only in the mind.
Well FUCK THAT. He was pretty sure that the broken ribs he was pretty sure he had could attest to the fact that that was a lie.
There was a clang as the crowbar was thrown to the side and Reno felt the guy stare down at him chest heaving from the released anger and adrenaline.
Reno found the strength to look up, still as silent as he was three hours ago when they had first caught him. The view surprised him. Which was not good; him being a Turk and all. He should be doing the surprising.
The guy was staring down at him with intense grey eyes.
Reno leaned back against the wall behind him and cautiously shuffled back to aleve some of the pressure in his chest.
The guy was still staring at him.
It was his birthday.
He kind of didn't want to be in this position right now.
"What is your name?"
Now that the guy wasn't screaming into his ear Reno could see that he had an accent. A very sexy accent. Probably South Junon or Mideel.
"Tell me your name"
Nah, it was definitely Mideel. The guy from Mideel squatted down in front of Reno. The red head watched warily as the guy reached a hand out to his face.
A hand gently wiped the blood soaked red hair away from his face and caught it in a semi hard grip.
"You are Reno of the Turks"
Well shit.
