Author's Notes: Rude wasn't behaving alone. He wasn't behaving with Reno. He wasn't behaving as the damsel in distress that my buddy LadyBiggs wanted. Damn Rude was being… well, if you'll excuse the pun, quite rude. So I put him in distress some other way. So instead of just Reno meeting Irvine and all that, I made it a bit deeper. It might make you cry. I'm not sure. Got ya a nice fancy quote to go with this one.

Originally I was going to go with a 'ha ha the characters died and met up in the after life which is actually a nightclub that is Reno's personal hell because it's filled with everyone he's ever killed and Irvine doesn't understand it until Reno reveals that he lost Rude to this place and is slowly losing himself and then Irvine wakes up and finds out it was all just a horrible dream except the fate of FF7's world depended on them beating Ultimecia' approach. Decided it was a little over done. … What? Okay so I wasn't getting far with it. But it's an awesome idea isn't it? I was all 'listen to Mad World and make Irvine emo' but it turned all dialogue, which SUCKS. So I did this instead, meditating over a sink of dishes. I hate dishes.

Tears

'There, but for the grace of God, go I.' –John Bradford, Martyr

Tonight was the night, the night that everything would be laid upon the table between them. That is, tonight was supposed to be that, if everything went according to plans. What plans they were too. Really, you couldn't find anyone at Shin-Ra as capable of making a big deal out of something so private quite like Reno could. Hell, the man considered it to be his special people skill. In fact, he so totally should have been in public relations so that he could do it for a living. The look on people's faces tended to be as great a thrill as shooting someone…

Okay, so shooting someone was better, but who was checking?

--------

Tonight was the night, and Rude was not going to be there for whatever it was that Reno had planned. The invitation had been on his desk when Reno had slipped out early, and the second he had opened it his heart had started to beat erratically. Yes, it was true, he did want to try, want to know what Reno wanted to say, but he couldn't. He just couldn't do it. Call him a coward if you wanted, but he just couldn't face Reno like this. Because, somewhere inside part of him knew that all of this just might be another attempt of Reno's to get him to go out for beers and pick up girls. Rude couldn't take it anymore.

And really, could he be blamed when the one he'd loved for so long didn't want him?

--------

He was five minutes late, but Reno wasn't much worried. While Rude wasn't the sort to be late, he also wasn't the sort to stand you up. It was the things like that which made Reno so glad to know the big guy. Rude was dependable, and handsome, and strong, and… all those things that Reno wanted and needed. Everything he'd been looking for all of this time and he was finally ready to lay claim to it. Lay claim to Rude. Lay claim to the one thing in life that made him happy. Now if only Rude would show up so that this could get started.

With each passing moment though, Reno got more and more worried. Each moment was longer and longer than needed, more time that Rude should not be missing. This wasn't like Rude at all, but Reno couldn't bring himself to believe that Rude might have stood him up. So he continued to wait in that quiet bar, even though it was nearly nine now and Rude was supposed to have been there thirty minutes ago. It was amazing how much time flew when you were worried.

--------

He was a coward and he knew it. Never before had Rude backed down from anything in his life, and here he was, hiding out in the park. There weren't many parks in Midgar so the man had to go quite a ways out of the way to hide here. Imagine, Rude, big strong Turk, hiding out under a tree staring at the lights of the city. Yes, it wasn't right. Yes, it wasn't fair to Reno, but what else could he do? Talking had never seemed to work after all. Not just because he wasn't fond of words either.

Half an hour had already passed wit him trying his best to justify leaving Reno behind. To justify this needless fear, the gnawing at the pit of his stomach, and Rude was failing miserably. All he could think about was Reno. The gentle eyes, the fiery hair, the undyingly optimistic attitude. Everything Rude had ever needed. The storm to his rock, the trees to his cabin, the sun to the beach. A rock didn't need a storm, a cabin didn't need scenic trees, and a beach didn't need sun, not to be what they were. But a rock was stronger against the storm winds, a cabin worth more in a forest, and a beach more enjoyable with the sun shining down. Like he was stronger, more worth while, more fun, but only with Reno around.

--------

"Hey," came a voice from Reno's left. Someone had come to sit on the bar stool next to him. Instantly the young Turk could tell this kid's type. Because it was his own type. Energetic, outgoing, always where the action was… Hell, slap a navy suit on the kid and get rid of that ridiculous hat and he'd be Turk material. Dressed better too.

"Yo," Reno responded, lifting his pint just the slightest in greeting. He wasn't sure when he'd ended up with the drink, but now that it was here he wasn't giving it up.

"Waitin' for someone, or is this chair free?" the auburn haired youth grinned. He'd already taken the seat was what Reno didn't point out. He also didn't mention that it was supposed to be for Rude.

"I was waitin'," Reno confirmed, frowning.

"What kinda lovely lady would stand a guy like you up?"

"Oh, I don't know. The 6'5", bald, sunglasses, kick as muscular body, talks in elipses type." Reno smirked. Yeah, that would sum Rude up.

"Oh," the youth responded. He seemed to think a while before holding his hand out to Reno and grinning. "Name's Irvine. How 'bout you?"

"Reno," the red-head responded. "Of the Turks."

"Ooo… I should watch myself. Don't want on the bad side of a guy like you."

"You wouldn't be the first tonight to make it there, yo…"

--------

Their greeting was in a comfortable silence. Neither said anything as the teen plopped down under the tree. No need to talk just yet, not with their backs to each other through the gnarled trunk. Both knew it would come eventually. The kind of thing you knew from seeing someone a split second and knowing you were kindred souls. That you were going through the same thing.

It was the youth that broke the silence. Rude couldn't help but thing about how much the kid looked like a young Tseng. That distinctly Wutain tilt to the eyes, the dark hair, the pale skin, all Wutain to the bone. Even his voice had the smooth delicateness of one who had been raised speaking the far gentler language. Far less of those hard sounds in there. A good Wutain accent could make even a 'k' sound soft.

"Beautiful night is it not?"

Rude nodded, "Depends on who you ask."

"Got the time?"

The Turk looked down at his watch. "Quarter 'til."

"I… see."

Silence for a few minutes before the young Wutain spoke up again. "Nida."

"Rude."

"Who you hiding from?"

For a while the man tried to think up a good response, but could only manage, "The only one I shouldn't… You?"

"Same here…"

--------

"Must be some kinda guy for you to wait this long for him," Irvine said as they went upon hour two of their wait. Off, for two people who claimed to be impatient, they sure were waiting quite a while.

"He is," Reno said, smiling into his third beer of the night. "Big, strong and always looking out for me. Hell, he's been around me since I joined, and never once forgot my birthday or to get me something. He's quiet, yeah, but he's always been there when I needed him. Except now… I guess it really was just a friend thing."

"Sounds a bit like Nids. And if he is, trust me Reno, it ain't just a friend thing. Those quiet types, they've got the whole world in their heads, but you won't hear a word about it from them."

"Yeah, well if they were the people we thought they were, they woulda been here now wouldn't they? Maybe we just fell too hard, yo. I mean, I've done it before, but I didn't think he would… That he could…"

"Yeah," Irvine agreed, sipping at his own beer.

--------

"It doesn't do any of us any good you know," Nida said at last. They'd spent the past few hours just talking about the ones they cared about. About Irvine and Reno, school and work, about being undernoticed and underappreciated. About nothing and everything and the things between.

"What doesn't?" Rude asked.

"All this hiding. What is the worst that can happen? They could let us down. Or they might not. Maybe… Maybe this time…"

"How many years have you been telling yourself that?" Rude asked.

"At least three now."

"You'll be telling yourself it for thirty more. In the end it's always the same. They find a pretty girl with a big rack, and you're just the wingman for their ugly friend. You go out to clubs and all you do is make sure the unsavory types don't touch them. You go to a bar and make sure that they don't get their head bashed in so that you can have one more chance at hoping…"

"Yeah, but are you willing to stop hoping?" Nida asked.

"Not really. You?"

The youth frowned to himself. "I stopped really hoping last year. Now… It's all going through the motions."

"Maybe you're a better person than me for it."

--------

"They aren't coming are they?" Irvine asked. It was nearly midnight now, and the youth in cowboy getup looked to be on the verge of tears.

Reno shook his head and slowly stood, placing the gil they owed the bartender on the counter. "No kid… We blew it. Big time."

"How… how do I face 'im in the mornin'?"

"You just try to be yourself. Cause that is all ya can do. Get up and keep living and such. You'll find someone new easy enough."

"I hope you're right Reno."

"I know I am, yo," the Turk responded. He moved to help Irvine to a standing position, only to find that his feet could barely hold him as it was. Apparently he couldn't manage himself and the cowboy in one go. So down they went. Reno was expecting to hit the floor, but it wasn't until some time had passed with his eyes closed and no smacking of head on dirty tile before he realized what was going on.

Green eyes opened and glared up at a pair hidden by sunglasses. "You're late yo."

"So are you," Rude responded, slowly lifting Reno up and tossing him over a shoulder so very casually.

"Hey! Pumme down! I'm mad at you!"

"I'm sure," Rude responded.

"Pumme down Lady Kill-Buzz," Reno snarled. Rude just smiled and held a hand out to Irvine. He didn't know who the youth was, but tonight he was feeling helpful.

"So 'sthis your friend Reno?" Irvine asked, accepting Rude's offer and letting the large man haul him to his feet despite his desire to stay down.

"Yeah. This is Lady Late. Miss Mishap. Empress of Tardiness and picking my ass up off the floor… ness."

"You've had too much to drink Reno," Rude said. He was in no way a woman. It was interesting to see that Reno had picked himself a guy this time.

"Shuddup. Rude, this is Irvine. He kept me company while you were busy standing me up. His guy did the same thing. You two ain't nice."

"Irvine?" Rude asked with a frown. Wasn't that the guy that Nida had… Shoot.

"Yeah. What of it?"

"You know a Nida?"

Irvine nodded, his attention now fully on Rude and all signs of drunkenness gone. "What of it?"

The bald headed man turned away. "Don't wait up for him. I don't think he's coming."

"And why do you say that?"

"He said he was tired of hoping for no reason…"

Irvine's face fell and tears returned to his eyes. "Oh…"

"Reno's got a tab here. Feel free to use it," Rude said, finally carrying his unconscious partner out.

All he could think was that, but for the fact that Reno had to be in for work tomorrow, that could have been his little red-head in there crying. Instead he had the younger Turk slung over his shoulder, pinching his ass. For some reason Rude couldn't decide which one he would have preferred…