A/N: Dude, I updated this and finished 'Reunited, And It Feels So Good'? WHAT'S GOING ON? And I did not know about Rude's girlfriend until earlier this week. The things you find while researching...
Disclaimer: I own nothing but grapefruit body spray and Zack's sweater. (sniffs said sweater)
"She's sleeping in the IT room," Reno stated, feet propped up on Rude's desk. "I've been watching her. She spent the entire night on the roof of her building the night before last."
If Rude blinked, Reno couldn't tell behind the black plastic lenses. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked, continuing with his paperwork.
"You need to work her harder," Reno offered. "You're being too easy on her."
"I'm working her like a normal trainee," Rude grunted. "She's getting no special considerations just because she's my partner's friend."
"Glad to see my friends and I take such a high priority, Buddy," Reno smirked. He dropped his feet to the floor and leaned forward. "Exhaust her. Make her sleep in her own apartment tonight. She's going to have to start sooner or later."
Rude looked at him over the tops of his sunglasses. "What does it matter if she doesn't?" he asked.
"It ain't healthy, man," Reno explained. "She's gotta get passed this."
Rude reached up and took off his sunglasses and Reno sat back. He knew he was in for an ear full now. When the shades came off his partner, his voice box opened up.
"Reno, keep in mind that though the incident in Nibelheim happened over five months ago, she and you for that matter, have only been coherent for a month," the bald man growled. "Kandi is grieving the loss of her friend. Let her be."
"She's got his cologne or something," Reno told him. Rude blinked. "Haven't you smelled it on her? She's trying to keep him alive somehow. At least in her head. You know as well as I do that she'd be better off forgetting him and moving on."
"Easier said than done."
"What, you've done it," Reno told him. "Pretty well, I might add. When someone isn't coming back, dead or alive, you move on. You get over it."
Rude placed his sunglasses on his face and picked up his pen again. "I'll see what I can do," he grunted.
"What she needs is to get laid," Reno smirked.
"By all means, go for it."
"I'm the last guy she needs right now," Reno commented softly. "I'd just be a reminder of what used to be and can never be again. She needs someone new, someone…bald."
"Get out."
"It'd wear her out at least."
Rude stood up and cracked his knuckles. "Three."
"And you'd be with her, make sure she'd stay asleep."
"Two."
"You need to get laid, too, you fucking prick."
Reno never heard Rude utter the word 'One'. In fact, Rude never actually said it. His fist said it for him and Reno spent the afternoon passed out on his partner's couch.
Turk Training: Day Four
Rude had told her today would be yoga. She was looking forward to it; it sounded relaxing, something she needed. Even though she wasn't all that flexible, she hoped she'd get better in time. She had improved with just the few times she, Lily and Akalara had done it.
Needless to say, she was a little confused when Rude met her at the entrance to the gym wearing gym shorts and running shoes.
He tossed her a black garment and lifted his chin. "Change of plans," he said. "We're taking a run around the city. Throw those on instead of your track pants and lace your sneakers up tight."
Kandi glanced at the garment. Black running shorts. Oh Shiva, she was not good with running. She looked like a lame chocobo that had gotten a hold of some marijuana greens.
"Uh, I thought…yoga…"
"It's Friday and I've been cooped up in the office all week," he explained. "Nice day to get some fresh air."
"Fresh air?" she scoffed. "In Midgar?"
"Meet me out front in ten minutes or you can get yourself another trainer," he said, turning on his heel and walking off.
Kandi stared after him, not really knowing how to describe how his words made her feel. Angry? Furious?
Defeated.
Damn Reno,
It'd been several years since he'd thought about Chelsea. They'd only dated a month, tops; but still, the memory of the way she just left stung. No word, just…she never showed up at the tree and he hadn't heard or seen anything of her since.
He often wondered what happened to her. Was she dead or did she just grow tired of him? Whatever the reason, she was gone.
And then, the red-headed bastard had to suggest that he sleep with Kandi. He knew it had been a mistake to actually say anything to his partner about thinking she was hot after they had ran into her and Akalara while the girls were out shopping. He should have known Reno would throw it in his face the first chance he got.
Maybe, maybe, if the situation were different, he would have asked her out. He couldn't when Zack was still here and now that he was gone…he definitely couldn't. He was in no way in the same league as the First Class and asking the girl out now would just be heartless. Besides, Reno had been right. She had smelled like Zack when she came in that afternoon.
He checked his watch, sighing deeply when he saw the ten minutes were almost up. Maybe she wasn't coming. He'd lived up to his name with the way he treated her back at the gym.
"Sorry! Sorry, I'm coming!" he heard and looked toward the entrance of the ShinRa building as she tripped out the doors, nearly falling flat on her face. Her eyes were wide and almost panicked looking. She was terrified that he would live up to his threat. Kandi stumbled toward him and her eyes held so much pain and confusion, that he wanted to punch himself in the face. She looked lost; like a girl who'd had her whole world ripped apart.
Which she had.
Well, now he felt like shit. He felt worse than shit. He took a deep breath and nodded toward her. "So-"
"I had to go back to the offices," she explained giving an experimental jump, her breasts hardly bouncing in the running top she had on. "They issued me a sports bra and this top. Had to, otherwise, I'd beat myself in the head and give myself brain damage."
He blinked behind his sunglasses, actually looking at her for the first time since he'd started training her. The top was sleeveless and cut in a low V in the front, tight as sin against her body. The shorts were just as tight and short as shit, hugging her body as if hanging on for dear life.
"Uh…"
Kandi placed her hands on her hips and looked down, laughing slightly. "Feels like the old Bee get up. Well, minus the wings and the stinger," she grinned. Cocking her head, she nodded to him. "You okay?"
"Yeah," he said. "You need to stretch yourself out before we get started."
Did that really sound as pervy in real life as it did in his head? He shook himself and turned back to stretching again. "Listen, about what I said earlier," he began.
She glanced over at him, stretching her arms above her head. "Yeah?"
"I'm…sorry."
Kandi gave him a smile that actually reached her eyes. "It's okay," she said. "Thanks though."
"Yeah," he replied, a small smile gracing his face. "Ready?"
She nodded and followed after him as he started a steady jog. After a few blocks, he slowed so that they were running side by side.
"Where all are we going?" she panted out.
"We'll go about five miles," he said, not even breaking a sweat yet. "Or less. We'll see how it goes. No more than five though."
Kandi thought about passing out. Five miles? Five blocks were killing her already and he wanted miles?
"Why do you want me dead?" she laughed out in agony.
He chuckled. "I don't," he said. "That's why I'm pushing you so hard. You'll thank me once you're a rookie."
"If I make it to rookie, you're buying me a beer."
Rude nodded. "You should be okay to drink by then, so sure," he promised. "I'll take you out for a beer after your first mission."
Talking was actually distracting her from her screaming legs and burning lungs. And he was answering her, something everyone had told her was very unlike him. She didn't understand that. He'd always talked to her. Sure, he was a man of few words, but he always answered her. She's never known anything else.
"So, what's a typical initiation mission for Turk rookies?" she asked.
"Always the same," he replied. "Assassination."
She stopped and leaned forward, hands on her knees. "You mean, I'll actually have to kill someone?" she asked when he stopped and turned toward her.
"Part of the job," he answered lowly, not really wanting their conversation overheard. "You'll be assigned a target out of the database and be given the order. Whether you succeed or don't will determine your future with the Turks."
"Who?"
"Won't know until that time comes," he answered.
"What if I know them?"
He started jogging again. "Pretend you don't."
Kandi took a deep breath and followed after him.
Oh, she was so proud of her out-of-shape legs and her barely-good-for-breathing lungs. They had actually carried her the five miles. And she had kept up with Rude of all people. She wasn't even going to acknowledge the fact that he slowed down for her. No, she had done this and she was proud.
Tired as hell, hungry as a bitch and proud.
Rude stopped and placed his hands on his hips and took a deep breath, looking up at a sign. He looked over at Kandi, who had stopped behind him. "You hungry?" he asked.
"Starving," she answered instantly. And she was. She really was.
He gestured to the place below the sign. A little diner that a lot of the ShinRa employees frequented for lunch. "Dinner?"
Kandi patted herself down. "I don't have any gil with me," she said.
"It's okay," he said. "My treat?"
She grinned and nodded. "Sure," she answered. "Thanks."
They walked inside, Kandi shivering when the air-conditioning hit her sweaty skin. The waitress lead them to a booth and they sat, drinking down the water she sat before them an instant later.
"Okay," she said, picking up the menu. "What do I eat? I still don't get this whole 'eat this, not that' stuff. Normally, I'd just get a burger and fries."
"With how we just ran, you'd be puking that up in less than half an hour."
"Appetizing," she said, rolling her eyes. "So what do I get?"
Rude pulled down her menu and pointed to a selection. "That, with low-cal or fat-free dressing," he stated.
Kandi looked and nodded her head. "Grilled chicken salad," she read. "That actually sounds really good."
The waitress came and took their orders, Kandi ordering her salad and fat-free Ranch dressing, sticking with water to drink.
Rude ordered a burger and fries.
Kandi glared at him. "You're a heartless bastard," she seethed, chucking her lemon wedge at him. "How come you get to eat that and I have to eat chocobo food?"
"I've been training like this for years," he explained. "I'm conditioned for it and can pretty much eat what I want. You said burger and fries and it sounded good."
"I hate you."
He smirked. "You'll get over it," he answered, taking a drink of his water. At least he hadn't taunted her with a real ice-cream milkshake. If that had been the case, she would have put his name in the Turk database and assassinated him, performing her initiation mission way early.
Rude watched her through his sunglasses as she sat back in the booth and closed her eyes. Her cheeks were still flushed from the jogging and the late afternoon run. Her hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail, bun thing and wisps of the red-streaked hair were falling around her face. Her shoulders were tinted red from the sun and her skin still had a fine sheen of sweat covering it.
She really was beautiful.
"I feel disgusting," she said, opening one eye. "We should have hit the showers before eating."
Rude cleared his throat and fiddled with his straw wrapper. "You look fine," he told her truthfully. "What are you going to do when you're covered in someone else's blood?"
"Go home and take a shower before consuming animal flesh."
Rude couldn't stop the laugh that escaped his mouth. Kandi's eyes widened. It was the first time she had heard him outright laugh instead of just chuckle.
"You should do that more," she said with a genuine smile.
"And you should do that more," he returned.
She looked at him in question. "What?"
"Smile so that it reaches your eyes," he answered, taking a sip of his water. "I know that'd make Reno happy."
"Hey, I'm trying," she said quietly. "It's hard, though."
Rude just nodded in response. The food arrived after another five minutes and they ate. Kandi was happy with her salad, although she did swipe a couple of his fries.
After they ate and Rude paid for the meal, they walked back toward the ShinRa building together.
"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" she asked. "I mean, there's no work, so…"
"We're still training," he replied. "Legs and back tomorrow."
"Damn, okay," she said with a laugh. "When and where?"
"In the gym," he said as they entered the building. "I'm not sure when. Let me get your cell phone number and I'll call you."
"'kay," she said. "I'll meet you back in the gym after I shower and change. I'll give it to you then."
Rude sat on one of the benches waiting. Clicking heels alerted him to the female presence making her way toward him. He looked up and couldn't help the smile from coming to his face.
Kandi reached in her back pocket and took out her cell, handing it to him and reaching for his. "Give me your number, too, so I know who's calling me," she said, typing her number into his phone.
Rude took her phone and slid it open, smirking at the pic on her wall-paper. Her and Akalara hugging and smiling for the camera. "Nice pic," he said as he typed his number into her contacts.
Kandi grinned and took her phone back. "Gotta love my green girl," she said wistfully. "I just hope she's doing okay."
"I'm sure she is," he said placing his phone back in his pocket. "How are you?"
Kandi took a deep breath. "You know," she said with a smile. "I think I'm doing better. It still hurts, but…I don't know."
Rude placed his hand in the center of her back and started walking. "Can I give you a ride to your place?" he asked. "It's later than it normally is when we finish up."
Kandi looked at her watch and nodded. "Yeah, if you don't care," she said. "I don't live in a bad neighborhood, but I don't want to walk in the dark."
"No problem," he said, opening the door to let her go through first. When she walked passed, he took a deep breath, trying to detect a hint of cologne on her.
All he could smell was grapefruit body spray.
A/N: I'm starting to think he likes her. I wonder if they'll end up together. Hmmmm...