Kicks landed on the other side of the desk. Covering my head, I giggled. Straw still in my mouth, I sat up and whacked my head on the underside of the desk. Still giggling, I poked my head up from behind the desk.

"Hey, boss!" I grinned around the straw in my mouth, which was violently yanked out and thrown at me. Tseng paused, stunned, and stared at me, his rage temporarily quelled. It occurred to me that I probably look like shit, after electrocuting myself into unconsciousness and then proceeding to get royally wasted. His deadly-calm was dropped as he studied me. I just stared at him.

"Rude!" He said sharply. Rude stepped up beside him.

"Take Reno to the gym and deal with him. Then bring what's left of him to my office, immediately."

I gawked as Tseng walked out and Rude came around the desk.

"Deal with me? Deal with me!" I squealed as Rude walked up to me with a sigh and hauled me off the ground. I did what all Turks do when confronted; I threw a hissyfit. Kicking, flailing and biting, I tried to escape the iron grip Rude had me in, to no avail.

Rude just rolled his eyes and flipped me up and over his shoulder, pinning my arms to my sides. As he carried me unconcernedly down the hallway towards to the workout gym, I saw Elena walk out of her office to see the source of the commotion.

"Elena, help! He's gonna deal with me!" I shouted. The blood rushed to my very drunk head, and dizziness swamped me. Elena looked at Rude questioningly, but he shot her a grin and a wink I couldn't see, and carried on down the hall. Elena smirked knowingly and sauntered back into her office.

I couldn't believe she abandoned me like that. Shock and alcohol kept me from yelling for help to everyone I saw until I realized we were in the locker room. Rude dumped me unceremoniously on the tile floor of a shower, and pulled out his infamous gloves.

Everybody knew what the gloves meant. Fear poked me in the ribs a few times, startling me out of the drunken stupor momentarily.

I tried to scramble away, but I did another face plant as Rude simply stepped on my retreating foot. I turned around, fully intending to spit a vicious curse at him, but simply gaped when he removed his shirt.

Rude tossed his sunglasses down on top of his discarded shirt and suit-jacket. I was still gaping. My eyes slid up from his belt, taking in the defined hipbones, the 6-pack adorning his flat stomach, his pecks and broad, strong shoulders. Tawny skin shone softly on muscular arms as he flexed, preparing to 'deal with me.'

Through the whiskey, I managed to think that I would at least die happily, looking at him as he stepped towards me. I nearly fainted as he leaned me against the wall and yanked my shirt off over my head. I couldn't even push out my customary, "What the fuck?"

Rude raised an eyebrow at my expression.
"What's your problem?"

I stared, weaving slightly.
What do I say to that, I wonder hazily.
"Well, gee. You have a great body, and I'm having homoerotic feelings towards you at this particular moment,"? Or how about "Well, you're about to kill me, your best friend. Why would I be distraught?"

I gave up and sniffled drunkly as Rude grabbed me roughly by the shoulders. I waited for the neck-snap that would end it all –

and screamed like a little girl when Rude turned the faucet on full-cold and shoved me under the spray. The liquid ice hit me around the head and shoulders and shocked the fog of whiskey from my brain. I flailed around, gasping for air.

"You're drowning me, you fucking moron!" I shouted

Rude worked hard to keep the grin out of his voice.
"Just one more minute."

When the torment stopped, Rude stepped back hastily in case of flying limbs. Grinning broadly, he surveyed me as he tossed me a towel.
"You're a damn sorry sight, I have to say, but at least you can stand."

I stared at him, annoyed that the blissful cushion of whiskey had been washed away, confused at my obvious attraction when Rude removed his shirt, astonished that he didn't kill me as I had been expecting.

Rude dried himself off , and glanced up at me.
"Need help?"
The light of mischief in his eyes, he walked over, grabbed my towel, and scrubbed my hair to hell with it.

I sputtered and swatted him away. Glancing into the mirror, I almost cried again. My hair was a disaster. A mess of wet, drooping red fell into my eyes. I felt like a redheaded Kadaj. Pushing my emotions out of my head for now, I eyed Rude as he shrugged into his shirts. I huffed, averted my eyes, and tried to repair the damage to my poor hair. Failing that, I got dressed and sauntered towards the door with Rude.

RUDE'S POV

While we walked down the hallway to Tseng's office, I could feel Reno's tension from a few feet away, which wasn't normal. Generally when he got chewed out, he just grinned and rolled his eyes. Obviously something was up with him, and he clearly though I was too stupid to notice; which surprisingly pissed me off. He was too drunk to realize that I could clearly see scorch marks and scars all over his chest and body.

He still hadn't fully regained dexterity in his hand since his EMR malfunctioned and shocked him, but unless he "accidentally" fell onto a livewire a few times a week, I figured that someone had been harassing him. We all knew something was up anyways. Reno being pale, Reno losing his sense of humor, Reno coming to work hung-over every day? Yea, right.

I stepped up to Tseng's door, rapped my fist on it. I heard a muffled, "It's open!" from inside, and shoved it open. I turned, realized that Reno was hanging back from the door. I rolled my eyes and yanked him bodily inside.

Tseng closed the folder that was in front of him and tossed it into a desk drawer. He looked Reno over once, then nodded at me. I walked to the door, closed it, and stood silently.

"Sit." He said abruptly to Reno. Reno sat uncomfortably, perching on the edge of his seat, as opposed to his usual slouch.

"Reno," Tseng began, with a baffling edge of concern in his voice. "You've been with us for a long time. I consider you a friend, as do everyone else you work with, minus certain members of Avalanche."

He paused as Reno shifted and looked down at his feet. I could sense what was going to happen, and I felt like someone has rammed me, hard, in the stomach. I tried to keep up a professional front as Tseng tried to explain.

"And, as a company, we just feel that.. we.. or, you.. Oh, hell."

Reno blinked and looked up at Tseng.

"Look, Reno. Let's cut the bullshit. You're messed up, do you get me? It's not that we're going in a different direction, or we're not in need of your services, but you've been voted unstable by none other than the President himself, and I have to say that I agree. Go home, Reno. Elena's packed up your things for you already. ShinRa… thanks you for your service."

Reno's brows came together, and for a moment he didn't do anything. Anyone who didn't know him as well as I did would have though it was carelessness in his eyes, but it was pain. He covered it well. He stood, snapped his gum, and grinned over at me.

"Hey, buddy, looks like I'm suddenly free for the evening. Let's get together later and toss a few back. Later, Tseng."

He strolled out, but paused by the door when Tseng spoke.

"Reno."

Reno glanced back over his shoulder to see Tseng studying him intently from behind his desk.

"I'm sorry."