#19

Warm. He was warm and safe. There was a pair of arms around him, holding him tight against the body they belonged to. And when he shifted to snuggle closer to the body, he felt one of those arms move so the hand could brush through his hair.

"G'mornin', Rufus."

It was Reno's sleepy voice that he heard as he cracked his eyes open. Reno. He hadn't left in the night.

"How're you feelin', brat?"

"Mm...tired..."

Reno laughed with that response. "Well, I don't have to be anywhere today, so if you're free, we can stay here as long as you like."

A day to do nothing but stay in bed with Reno. He wasn't willing to pass that particular chance up. Particularly not after the night before. Not after Reno had managed to find every limit that his body had only to push him beyond it. Now he understood why Tseng and Reno had always been so close. Not sappy, couldn't live without each other type close. Just close. It was hard to not feel close to a man that could make you feel like that.

"I doubt anyone would miss me for one day."

Reno pressed a gentle kiss to his temple with that. "Good. I wasn't looking forward to getting up."

He didn't know what made Reno finally give in. The loss of Tseng, perhaps. After all, Tseng was one of the most important people in Reno's life. But when Rufus had tried to ask him why the night before, Reno merely silenced him with a breath-stealing kiss.

Now...

Rufus traced a hand down Reno's chest. "What made you finally want me?"

Reno was silent for what felt like an eternity, and Rufus just lay there listening to the steady sound of his breathing. "Always wanted you, kid. Just figured I better let you know that before the world ended."

Always...

Rufus lifted his head to look at the man he was currently using as a pillow. Reno was looking up at the ceiling, the Mako in his eyes reflecting a range of emotions. Happiness, sorrow, loneliness, bliss.

"You're a jerk. Making me think you hated me..."

Reno laughed, then turned his head to smile at Rufus. "I can show you just how much I don't hate you again if you have the energy."

"Not right..."

They both groaned when Reno's PHS sounded from where it was resting on the night stand.

"Reno."

The greeting was short and to the point like always. That was just how Reno dealt with the interruption that was his phone.

"Rude, it's my day...yeah, I know." Pause. "I know, I know." Pause. "No, I'm not in bed with some girl I found at a bar." Short pause. "No, not her, either! Look, I'll meet you at the landing pad, just don't expect me for a couple of hours. Whatever's down there that Scarlet wants so badly can wait for me to get a shower."

Reno flipped the phone closed before tossing it halfway across the room. "So much for the day off. Rude says they found the Gelnika that crashed in the ocean near Costa del Sol."

"I could order you not to go."

Reno's hand slipped under Rufus' chin, tilting the blond head up to look at him. "We both know you won't, though. Gotta save this city somehow, right, kid?"

Rufus nodded slightly in defeat. "It was nice while it lasted."

"Mmm-hmm...come on, I really do need a shower. Might as well make good use of the time."