Author's Note: So a couple of people actually did offer suggestions, and they basically said the next chapter (this chapter!) needed to be a bit different. I must agree, the first two did sort of follow a ''formula" if you will. xD So I tried to mix this one up a bit, I realize that it's not very different, please bear with me, it will get different soon, I promise. I just have to get to that point. xD Anyway, for those of you who offered that suggestion, please let me know if you think this "worked". xD I also want to thank you guys for your suggestions because they really do help. Thanks!
In other news, I just heard about Advent Children Complete the other day. I'm kicking myself for not having heard about it sooner. I'm so excited about it! I saw a couple of the trailers on youtube and I swear, my world will crumble into dust if I don't see that movie soon. Sadly, it's only being released on blu-ray for those of you who don't know, and I DON'T HAVE A BLU-RAY PLAYER!!!! I'm so sad. Anyway, I'm won't burden you all with my troubles any longer!! xD Enjoy the update! Read, review, repeat!
Reno stumbled down the abandoned, ill-lit street. The dizziness kept getting worse, until the ground beneath his feet felt like it was moving. Falling heavily against a brick wall, he watched everything spin around him. The erratic movement was nauseating so he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out. Raindrops fell steadily on his face and neck, soaking his hair and clothes. The cold water helped ward off the drowsiness. He wasn't going to be able to walk much farther at this rate. Luckily he was already on his street. At least I think this is my street. He opened his eyes to briefly look about him, before leaning his head back again. This is actually my apartment. Even though he was so close, Reno didn't want to go in yet. There's nothing in there to get back to anyway. Out here there was the rain. Keeping his face tilted up to catch the cold drops, he sunk to the ground.
Dammit, why'd you get so drunk again? Anger flaring up suddenly, he slammed a fist into the cracked pavement, making a small splash in the puddle that was there. He hardly felt the pain as his hand started throbbing slightly. He never meant to get drunk, just a drink or two to finish off the day. Uttering a tiny, mirthless laugh, Reno looked down, watching the water drip off his face, splashing on the concrete. Who are you kidding? You know you're going to get drunk every time. You want to get drunk. You… What was he thinking about again? His mind was fuzzy, making thoughts hard to form, and even harder to hold on to. That's one good thing. Can't focus, don't have to dwell on anything painful.
Reno pushed his crimson, wet hair out of his eyes. The rain. Now there was something he liked. The rain made you feel…protected. Alone in your own world. A good kind of alone. Not the bad kind. No, Reno could never like anything that made you feel the bad kind of alone. He experienced too much of that already.
He sat in the rain for several minutes, just feeling each individual drop that touched his skin. Eventually, turning his aquamarine eyes up to the sky one last time, he pulled himself off the ground and continued home.
Slamming the door to his apartment behind him, Reno didn't bother to turn on any lights. Tripping over a chair and various other obstacles, he shed his soaked clothes, dropping them at random as he made his way to his bedroom. Pulling on a pair of sweatpants, he fell into bed, barely managing to pull a blanket over his cold body before sleep overcame him.
Elena glanced up at the clock, hardly daring to hope. She hadn't run into Reno on her way into work, and he hadn't come in exactly twenty minutes late as usual. In fact, it had been a whole hour and there was no sign of him. Maybe he's not coming today. Elena got excited just thinking about all the work she could finally get done in the blessed silence. Happily, almost giddy, she straightened up her desk and continued working.
"No," Elena groaned quietly, looking up at the sound of shuffling feet to see Reno just coming through the door, slouching, hands in his pockets. His bright aquamarine eyes were hidden beneath the dark goggles he usually wore on his head. He didn't say a word, and didn't look at anyone as he made his way to his desk and collapsed in his chair.
Elena watched him, surprised and a little confused at his behavior. She had been expecting insulting, smart-ass comments, and childish pranks. But this? Reno leaned his elbows on his desk, supporting his head. With a grumbling sigh, he pulled the goggles off and tossed them aside, blinking at the florescent lights overhead. His eyes were slightly bloodshot with darkish circles underneath. What's wrong with him? Elena's annoyance that he'd actually shown up to work had faded, giving way to a grudging curiosity.
Tseng stepped out of his office and leaned against the doorframe, a tight smile on his lips.
"Well look who decided to join us," the man said, voice dripping with fake cheer.
"Shut the hell up, Tseng," Reno muttered, rubbing his temples.
"You're very late, with no explanation. We would have been worried if we'd cared enough."
"I'm here now, so just leave me alone," Reno snapped. Tseng stood watching the redhead smugly for a moment before going back into his office. Reno mumbled barely audible curses against Tseng, and the world in general. Elena watched, stunned, as he actually opened one of the files from the mountainous pile on his desk and proceeded to fill out the paperwork inside with the scribbles he called handwriting.
Elena turned to look at Rude, who was also watching their partner in astonishment. The two looked at each other. Elena pulled up the internet on her computer and sent Rude an instant message. 'What's up with Reno?'
'Don't know.' Rude replied. 'Hangover?' They both watched Reno take a couple of aspirin.
'Hangover.' Elena confirmed. 'I don't know about you, but I'm going to take advantage of the peace while it lasts.'
'Agreed.' Rude turned back to his work, while Elena gave Reno one more glance before going back to hers.
As it turned out, they were wise for using the undisturbed time to get work done since, several hours later, Reno's hangover seemed to have worn off, at least enough for him to think about being cheerful again. Having gotten through one file, he had apparently decided this was enough work for one day and proceeded to go through his usual methods of driving his coworkers insane.
Whistling well-known melodies completely out of tune and clicking pens open and closed rapidly bored him eventually. Reno resorted to stealing items off Rude and Elena's desks and switching them. Rude had Elena's stapler and her purse on his desk while Elena had his penholder and computer mouse on hers. Neither of them said anything. It was an unspoken agreement that they would ignore Reno's ridiculous behavior in the hopes that he would stop if he got no attention. It never worked, but they could try. Elena only spoke up when Reno tried to take the papers she was working on right out from beneath her pen.
"Reno, stop it! I'm trying to work, like you should be doing," she snatched her papers back from him.
"Who says I'm not trying to work? I'm trying. I just… can't work right now," he grinned mischievously at her.
"Try harder," Elena said through clenched teeth.
"Okay, okay," he said, putting his hands up as if to block an attack, "I guess I could file that…" Reno looked at the paperwork he had filled out earlier. Elena blinked in surprise as he picked up the file and ambled over to the block of filing cabinets that were against the wall.
Smiling smugly, triumphantly, she cracked her knuckles and got back to her work. Reno can be dealt with. All he needs is a firm command. Congratulations, Elena. Extremely pleased with herself, she merrily wrote away, signing her name where required with many flourishes.
"What the…Reno!" Tseng turned around to glare at the redhead, who had finished his 'filing' quite some time ago.
"Yes? What can I do for you, Tseng?" Reno looked up innocently from his chair, where he was sitting with his feet kicked up, fingers laced together across his stomach.
"You can start be explaining why the files are all mixed up," Tseng replied, his voice clearly showing the anger he was just able to hold back as he swiftly flipped through all the cabinets. They were all complete chaos. The neat and organized filing system so precious to Tseng was entirely destroyed.
"Oh, that. I like it better that way."
"Well, I don't, and nobody else will either. Fix it right now," Tseng tossed the file he'd been holding to Reno before stomping back to his office. "Oh, one more thing," he paused in the doorway, "Last night, when I asked you to pick all the paper clips off the floor, I meant for you to put them away where they belong. Not to put them on the shelf in there." Reno smiled and opened his mouth to speak, but Tseng cut him off, anticipating the redhead's statement, "And no, they do not belong on the shelf. Once you're through with the filing, you can pick them up again, and this time put them where they belong. I expect you'll be staying late today as well." Tseng finished his icy speech with a tight-lipped smile and went back into his office.
"You should have made it more clear, Tseng," Reno called after him, "If you'd wanted me to put them where they belonged. You just said you wanted them off the floor. I'm doing my best, Tseng, really I am, it's just so difficult to understand what you want." Reno ended with a grieved, hurt tone.
Tseng responded by slamming his door shut, which was something he hadn't done since the incident with the duct-tape.
Once again, the three other Turks left Reno fixing the mess he'd gotten himself into. Rude said something quietly to Reno as he passed.
"You'd better come in on time, well your version of on time tomorrow."
"Maybe I will, maybe I won't," Reno replied evasively. Rude stopped and shot him a look.
"There's no need to be so late to work if you go straight home after you leave," Rude said pointedly. Elena, intrigued by this conversation, had slowed to a stand still right outside the door, straining to hear every word.
"So that's what you're getting at," Reno's voice had changed, still retaining the almost teasing tone, but with a touch of seriousness, "If I feel like going out for a drink, that's my problem, don't you think?" Silence. "Ok, fine. I'll try not to." A grunt of satisfaction from Rude, whose footsteps headed for the door, causing Elena to hurriedly walk down the hall, trying to look like she hadn't been eavesdropping. "I'm not promising anything! Don't be surprised if I'm late," Reno called after Rude.
Elena turned from where she was, already halfway down the hall, to see Rude sigh and shake his head. So Reno drinks. Heavily. Why am I not surprised? Elena glanced sideways at Rude as they both rode down the elevator, wondering if he suspected she had heard. Now that I think about it, he does come into work with hangover-ish symptoms frequently. Intrigued by her newly found knowledge, but feeling guilty for listening in, she waved goodbye to Rude as they left the building and headed home.
Author's Note: So what did you guys think????? Please leave me a review (even a short one!!!) and let me know! Thanks so much for reading guys!
