"Fuck." Reno smacked his head into his hands with an almighty thwacking sound.
"That was a profound statement," Elena commented, spooning cereal into her mouth. "Did you make it up yourself?" She wiped her face off on her napkin, and regarded him out of big, brown eyes.
"Oh, shut up," Reno muttered back. "Got a fucking headache." He eyed the eggs on his plate warily, poking at them with his fork, as if they might jump up and attack him. Elena chuckled darkly, and pushed her bowl away from her, standing to deposit it in the sink. Over the sound of the rushing water, she clicked her tongue at Reno.
"I told you not to have another drink last night, didn't I?" Turning off the faucet, she dumped the dishes into the drawer, and turned around to look at him. "How many did you have, anyway?"
"Dunno. A lot. Spent a whole month's paycheck at the bar..." A slow grin spread across his face as he recalled the outcome of last night's partying. "'T was fun though. You'd never think such a skinny girl would be such..." Elena cleared her throat, pointedly. Apparently unabashed, Reno jabbed his co-worker in the ribs as she passed him. "And where did you get to last night?" He asked, teasingly, catching her arm so she couldn't run away. "You left awfully early..."
Elena pushed ineffectually at him. "I was tired," she retorted, bodily removing his hand and snatching his plate out from in front of him. "I went to bed." Reno raised an eyebrow at her.
"Oh?" He asked, maliciously smiling. Elena was about to reply in kind, but was prevented by Tseng, who entered the kitchen at that moment, sitting down across from Reno.
"Good morning." He nodded briefly at Elena, before turning to Reno, who now had his feet up on the table, obscenely twitching bare toes, his headache apparently forgotten. Tseng coughed, but Reno pretended not to notice.
"Mornin' Boss," he acknowledged, inclining his head slightly. "Want some coffee?" Lowering his voice, he leaned in closer to the head of the Turks, a conspiratorial note in his voice. "It ain't great, though." He jerked his head at Elena. "Better than nothing."
"Yes, coffee...that would be welcome." As Elena bustled around pouring it, Tseng crossed his arms over his chest and surveyed the room. Frowning, he turned back to Reno. "Where's Rude?"
Elena snorted. "Sleeping, very likely. He had as much action last night as Reno did, or so I'm led to believe." Her eyes danced as she served Tseng his coffee. Taking a sip of the drink, Tseng almost choked. Swallowing which as much dignity as he could muster, he ignored Reno's obvious amusement. "Shall I go get him?" Elena asked, unaware.
"I wish you would," Tseng managed. "I've got to say something, and I'd like it if I only had to say it once. Although with you three, it's unlikely." He turned his glare on Reno, who was now grinning foolishly. As Elena obediently retreated, Tseng followed with his gaze in such a manner that Reno poked him, harder than he'd intended.
"So, something to say to us?" He asked, pouring the rest of his coffee into the trash. "Good news, I hope?"
Tseng shrugged. "It depends entirely on how you look at it." He paused for a moment, then looked back up at Reno. "Elena made this coffee?"
Reno nodded. "Yup." He was still grinning.
"Ah." Tseng bit his lip. "Er, would you mind...?" Reno took the cup, and, as he'd done with his own, dumped the contents into the trashcan. "Much obliged," Tseng thanked him, nodding.
After a few moments, Elena returned with a rumpled looking Rude in tow. He was shirtless, apparently having been roused from bed by the over-exuberant Elena. "Back," she caroled, seating Rude at the table. "More coffee?"
"No, no," Tseng assured her, too quickly. "It was lovely. Thank you. I'm full." Elena looked skeptical, but Tseng gave her no time to contest the statement. "Now that we're all here," he began, getting to his feet, "I've a message for the three of you. From President Rufus." He coughed. "He says for us to attend the conference hall in one hour. He'll be waiting for you, there. Don't be late."
"That's it?" Elena was disappointed. "That's all we get?"
"So I was told, so I tell you," Tseng replied, shrugging. "Eat up. I'll meet you in an hour." Standing, he pushed in his chair, and strode quickly from the room, his bootheels clicking across the polished floor. Reno and Elena shared a look behind his back.
"Poor boring old fart," Reno murmured, shaking his head regretfully. "You know what he needs? A sense of humor."
"Tseng is a wonderful man," Elena retorted. "You should be more like him, instead of mocking him." With that, she followed in her leader's footsteps, and departed the room. Reno snorted.
"D'ya hear that, Rude? Be more like Tseng. Feh. Who'd choose him over me, anyway? No one in their right mind, that's for sure. Hey, Rude?"
Rude was snoring peacefully, asleep on the table.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Rufus Shinra stood near the windows in the conference hall, hands clasped behind his back, eyes closed in thought. So, he thought, resignedly, this is what is has all come to. In the long run, I'm following my father's footsteps anyway. I'm running. It was almost funny. It would have been funny, he thought, if it wasn't so ironic. Hypocritical. Well, no matter. It would all be over soon, either way. Although, he liked to think that, maybe...
The door creaked open behind him, snapping him out of his reverie. He spun around, to see Reno and Rude standing side by side in the doorway. As they stepped into the room, Elena came running up behind them, rushing and breathless from her haste. Tseng followed, at a statelier pace, closing the door behind him. Nodding at them to take their seats around the table, Rufus stood at the head of it. There was silence in the room for a few moments. Rufus enjoyed the silence. It was so odd to have silence in this mass of noise and chaos. He waited until they began to fidget nervously.
"Sir?" Reno finally asked, cautiously.
Rufus looked over at him, an expression of innocently mild inquiry on his face. "Yes, Reno?"
"Er..." Reno subsided in confusion. Rude, as usual, seemed unperturbed, but it was hard to read that man's thoughts. Tseng looked mildly worried, twitching at his tie. Elena brushed back a stray lock of hair in a quick, nervous gesture. She was very pretty, Rufus thought, giving her more of a keen scrutiny. A bit of a klutz, but very pretty, and very bright, too. A real gem, that one...
Startled by his own thoughts, Rufus cleared his throat. "Yes, I'm glad you're all here." He paused for a moment, watching them sigh and lean forward in relief. Well, be relieved while you can, he thought. It's only beginning. "I've something to say, and you aren't going to like it. That's tough. You're going to have to deal with it." That hadn't come out the way he'd wanted it to. Oh well. "I'll cut straight to the point." Snaking one leg out, Rufus wrapped it around the leg of a chair, and drew the chair towards him, seating himself. "We're leaving. As soon as possible. Probably tomorrow, but today if we can manage. Just the four of you, and me. We won't be coming back. Pack. Quickly."
"What?" Reno looked mildly shocked. "Where?"
"I'm afraid I can't tell you," Rufus replied, calmly. "It would be unwise. Indiscreet. Now, meet me here at-!"
"Hey, wait a second!" Reno was on his feet, now, looking peeved. "Indiscreet? Sir, how long have we been working for you? Two years? Three years? Have you ever known us to be indiscreet? I don't believe so, sir. This is what you got us for. This is why we're here. But we can't do shit if you don't tell us how to work. You've got to give us the data. Don't worry about us blabbing to anyone."
Rufus was a bit impressed. Still, insubordination couldn't be rewarded. "Sit down," he snapped. Reno sank slowly into his chair. There, Rufus thought. Much better.
"That was a profound statement," Elena commented, spooning cereal into her mouth. "Did you make it up yourself?" She wiped her face off on her napkin, and regarded him out of big, brown eyes.
"Oh, shut up," Reno muttered back. "Got a fucking headache." He eyed the eggs on his plate warily, poking at them with his fork, as if they might jump up and attack him. Elena chuckled darkly, and pushed her bowl away from her, standing to deposit it in the sink. Over the sound of the rushing water, she clicked her tongue at Reno.
"I told you not to have another drink last night, didn't I?" Turning off the faucet, she dumped the dishes into the drawer, and turned around to look at him. "How many did you have, anyway?"
"Dunno. A lot. Spent a whole month's paycheck at the bar..." A slow grin spread across his face as he recalled the outcome of last night's partying. "'T was fun though. You'd never think such a skinny girl would be such..." Elena cleared her throat, pointedly. Apparently unabashed, Reno jabbed his co-worker in the ribs as she passed him. "And where did you get to last night?" He asked, teasingly, catching her arm so she couldn't run away. "You left awfully early..."
Elena pushed ineffectually at him. "I was tired," she retorted, bodily removing his hand and snatching his plate out from in front of him. "I went to bed." Reno raised an eyebrow at her.
"Oh?" He asked, maliciously smiling. Elena was about to reply in kind, but was prevented by Tseng, who entered the kitchen at that moment, sitting down across from Reno.
"Good morning." He nodded briefly at Elena, before turning to Reno, who now had his feet up on the table, obscenely twitching bare toes, his headache apparently forgotten. Tseng coughed, but Reno pretended not to notice.
"Mornin' Boss," he acknowledged, inclining his head slightly. "Want some coffee?" Lowering his voice, he leaned in closer to the head of the Turks, a conspiratorial note in his voice. "It ain't great, though." He jerked his head at Elena. "Better than nothing."
"Yes, coffee...that would be welcome." As Elena bustled around pouring it, Tseng crossed his arms over his chest and surveyed the room. Frowning, he turned back to Reno. "Where's Rude?"
Elena snorted. "Sleeping, very likely. He had as much action last night as Reno did, or so I'm led to believe." Her eyes danced as she served Tseng his coffee. Taking a sip of the drink, Tseng almost choked. Swallowing which as much dignity as he could muster, he ignored Reno's obvious amusement. "Shall I go get him?" Elena asked, unaware.
"I wish you would," Tseng managed. "I've got to say something, and I'd like it if I only had to say it once. Although with you three, it's unlikely." He turned his glare on Reno, who was now grinning foolishly. As Elena obediently retreated, Tseng followed with his gaze in such a manner that Reno poked him, harder than he'd intended.
"So, something to say to us?" He asked, pouring the rest of his coffee into the trash. "Good news, I hope?"
Tseng shrugged. "It depends entirely on how you look at it." He paused for a moment, then looked back up at Reno. "Elena made this coffee?"
Reno nodded. "Yup." He was still grinning.
"Ah." Tseng bit his lip. "Er, would you mind...?" Reno took the cup, and, as he'd done with his own, dumped the contents into the trashcan. "Much obliged," Tseng thanked him, nodding.
After a few moments, Elena returned with a rumpled looking Rude in tow. He was shirtless, apparently having been roused from bed by the over-exuberant Elena. "Back," she caroled, seating Rude at the table. "More coffee?"
"No, no," Tseng assured her, too quickly. "It was lovely. Thank you. I'm full." Elena looked skeptical, but Tseng gave her no time to contest the statement. "Now that we're all here," he began, getting to his feet, "I've a message for the three of you. From President Rufus." He coughed. "He says for us to attend the conference hall in one hour. He'll be waiting for you, there. Don't be late."
"That's it?" Elena was disappointed. "That's all we get?"
"So I was told, so I tell you," Tseng replied, shrugging. "Eat up. I'll meet you in an hour." Standing, he pushed in his chair, and strode quickly from the room, his bootheels clicking across the polished floor. Reno and Elena shared a look behind his back.
"Poor boring old fart," Reno murmured, shaking his head regretfully. "You know what he needs? A sense of humor."
"Tseng is a wonderful man," Elena retorted. "You should be more like him, instead of mocking him." With that, she followed in her leader's footsteps, and departed the room. Reno snorted.
"D'ya hear that, Rude? Be more like Tseng. Feh. Who'd choose him over me, anyway? No one in their right mind, that's for sure. Hey, Rude?"
Rude was snoring peacefully, asleep on the table.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Rufus Shinra stood near the windows in the conference hall, hands clasped behind his back, eyes closed in thought. So, he thought, resignedly, this is what is has all come to. In the long run, I'm following my father's footsteps anyway. I'm running. It was almost funny. It would have been funny, he thought, if it wasn't so ironic. Hypocritical. Well, no matter. It would all be over soon, either way. Although, he liked to think that, maybe...
The door creaked open behind him, snapping him out of his reverie. He spun around, to see Reno and Rude standing side by side in the doorway. As they stepped into the room, Elena came running up behind them, rushing and breathless from her haste. Tseng followed, at a statelier pace, closing the door behind him. Nodding at them to take their seats around the table, Rufus stood at the head of it. There was silence in the room for a few moments. Rufus enjoyed the silence. It was so odd to have silence in this mass of noise and chaos. He waited until they began to fidget nervously.
"Sir?" Reno finally asked, cautiously.
Rufus looked over at him, an expression of innocently mild inquiry on his face. "Yes, Reno?"
"Er..." Reno subsided in confusion. Rude, as usual, seemed unperturbed, but it was hard to read that man's thoughts. Tseng looked mildly worried, twitching at his tie. Elena brushed back a stray lock of hair in a quick, nervous gesture. She was very pretty, Rufus thought, giving her more of a keen scrutiny. A bit of a klutz, but very pretty, and very bright, too. A real gem, that one...
Startled by his own thoughts, Rufus cleared his throat. "Yes, I'm glad you're all here." He paused for a moment, watching them sigh and lean forward in relief. Well, be relieved while you can, he thought. It's only beginning. "I've something to say, and you aren't going to like it. That's tough. You're going to have to deal with it." That hadn't come out the way he'd wanted it to. Oh well. "I'll cut straight to the point." Snaking one leg out, Rufus wrapped it around the leg of a chair, and drew the chair towards him, seating himself. "We're leaving. As soon as possible. Probably tomorrow, but today if we can manage. Just the four of you, and me. We won't be coming back. Pack. Quickly."
"What?" Reno looked mildly shocked. "Where?"
"I'm afraid I can't tell you," Rufus replied, calmly. "It would be unwise. Indiscreet. Now, meet me here at-!"
"Hey, wait a second!" Reno was on his feet, now, looking peeved. "Indiscreet? Sir, how long have we been working for you? Two years? Three years? Have you ever known us to be indiscreet? I don't believe so, sir. This is what you got us for. This is why we're here. But we can't do shit if you don't tell us how to work. You've got to give us the data. Don't worry about us blabbing to anyone."
Rufus was a bit impressed. Still, insubordination couldn't be rewarded. "Sit down," he snapped. Reno sank slowly into his chair. There, Rufus thought. Much better.