Reno was sore. His entire body ached and he bit back a groan as he settled himself into bed as comfortably as he could. He had fought every Turk except Tseng and his last fight had been against Rude, something he hadn't enjoyed. He had only been able to win the fight against Nasira and he had held his own for most of the others but in essence, his ass was truly and thoroughly kicked. Rude hadn't done much better, but he had at least been able to hold his own against Matt for more than five seconds and hadn't been shoved face-first into the matt quite as hard.
After the fighting had ended he and Rude had been given their uniforms and shown to their apartments. Reno had no clue where Rude's was but he figured it couldn't be too far away. He stared at his blank white ceiling and sighed. The white that Shinra seemed so fond of was starting to anger him and he decided that his first paycheck was going to go towards red paint. Lots of it.
He tossed and turned for a while, to tense and sore to sleep. He laughed as he realized that this morning he and Rude had gotten an apartment and it was his first time in his own room, and now he had an apartment all to himself. Tseng had sent someone down to the slums to get their stuff and Reno had thrown it all in a pile near the door to his bedroom. He silently rejoiced at his first mess in the place and determined that it would take several more for him to feel truly comfortable.
He sat up after an hour of trying to sleep. He had never slept in a room so quiet and the silence bothered him. He could sleep through a train wreck but he couldn't sleep when it was quiet. He winced his way to a standing position and walked out of his apartment. He figured that Rude's apartment would be nearby and he would knock on doors until he found the right one.
He started with the apartment next to his and knocked loudly. After pressing his ear to the door and listening to the sounds coming from the room he determined that that was most definitely not Rude's apartment and walked away blushing slightly. He knocked on the next door and grinned as he saw a light flick on. His smile faltered a little as he saw Gareth open the door.
"What's up Reno?" Gareth leaned against the doorframe and rubbed his eyes.
"Lookin' for Rude." Reno shrugged.
"His room's on another floor Reno. You probably should be sleeping you know that?" Gareth yawned.
"I can't." Reno shrugged again.
"Too tired to sleep or something?" Gareth laughed and opened his door wider, beckoning for Reno to come in.
"Somethin' like that yo." Reno laughed and went in, Gareth shutting the door behind him.
"I did the same thing when I came here. Just started knocking on random doors. I wasn't looking for anyone in particular though, I just wanted to piss someone off." Gareth grinned and led Reno into his kitchen. "Need a drink?"
"I'm fine." Reno dismissed the offer with a wave of his hand. "Why were you trying to piss people off?"
"For shits and giggles." Gareth threw him a wide grin as he shoved a glass of water in front of him. "Drink up you look like shit right now."
"I don't think water'll fix that yo." Reno grinned and drank anyways, "Bourbon might work better."
Gareth laughed, "Drinking is for Friday night Reno. You go into work with a hangover this early on and Tseng will flay you alive. Hell you might not even have to go in hungover you might just have to show up." Gareth laughed harder, "I have worked here for years and I've never seen the commander so eager to watch someone get his face pounded."
"How the hell could you tell? That man's face is as blank and lifeless as the wallpaper in my room." Reno laughed and drained his glass, Gareth filled it again and got a glass for himself.
"He barely even gave you a breather between rounds Reno. You notice he let Rude have more than three seconds to catch his breath." Gareth lifted his glass in a mock toast, "To getting your ass kicked."
Reno laughed and clinked his glass against Gareth's as they 'toasted'. "I'm just hoping I don't have to do that again tomorrow. By the way, can you teach me that kick thing you did to my face?"
"Sure thing. Might have to find a different face to show you on though." Gareth chuckled and drained his glass.
Reno laughed, "So what's up with Nasira yo? She seems pretty damned pissy."
"She is pissy. But she's hot as hell so she can get away with it." Gareth winked, "FYI: I tried tapping that once, don't even go there. I'm lucky I escaped with only bruises."
"Ooooh bruises, kinky." Reno stretched his back out and winced.
"Not really." Gareth moved to stand behind him, "You're sore as hell aren't you?"
"Hell is an understatement." Reno chuckled and winced as he tried to stretch out his tired muscles.
"I can fix that." Gareth laughed and placed his hands on Reno's shoulders, making him jump.
"The hell?" Reno started to turn around but Gareth stopped him.
"Sit still this'll help I promise. Matt did it for me my first day. It will definitely make you feel better." Gareth began to pull and press his hands into Reno's sore muscles.
"Promise?" Reno grunted.
"Promise. Now sit still." Reno did as he was told and let Gareth rub the kinks out of his back.
"By Shiva!" Reno moaned and hung his head as he felt Gareth skillfully unknot his back.
"Told you didn't I?" Gareth laughed and pushed harder, earning another moan from Reno.
"Hmph, how did you get so good at this?" Reno's voice was slightly muffled by his shirt as his head dipped lower.
"It works wonders on the ladies. Unless that lady is named Nasira. Then you need to be wearing a suit of armor if you want to try something like this." Gareth laughed.
"I'm guessing she's just a bitch all around?" Reno asked as Gareth moved his hands lower.
"Yep, she's the biggest bitch we've got but she's also one of the most skilled. She was taking it easy on you Reno, you have no idea how lucky you were to even lay a hand on her. That's a pretty good sign that she likes you. If I remember correctly she knocked me out in about three seconds the first time I fought her." Gareth continued to chuckle at Reno's poorly muffled moans.
"Good to know she only tried to rip my head off because she likes me." Reno jumped suddenly, "Don't do that it tickles!"
"You shouldn't have told me that, you're gonna get it now!" Gareth began to tickle Reno mercilessly.
Reno tried to push Gareth's hands off him as he twisted around to stop the onslaught. He laughed as Gareth continued to poke and prod him while he slapped at his hands. Reno yelped as Gareth brushed a particularly sensitive spot on his waist and he fell off his chair, pulling Gareth down with him. They landed in a laughing heap, Reno pressed into the floor as Gareth continued to tickle him.
"I give I give stop stop!" Reno cried out as he gasped for breath.
"If you give stop hitting me!" Gareth pinned Reno's arms above his head and laughed.
Reno laughed and blushed lightly as he noticed the position they were now in. "Topping already are we?"
Gareth laughed and let him up, "Only if you like that."
Reno laughed nervously and sat up. "Maybe some other time yo, I don't think I'd be a very good lay right now."
Gareth laughed and helped Reno stand up, "Feel better?"
"Yup, thanks yo." Reno straightened his clothes. "I think I have a beefy bald best friend to pester now. Any idea where he is?"
"Next floor up, room 148. How long you two known each other?" Gareth grinned and led Reno to the door.
"I honestly don't know. I'm not even sure how old I am to be honest. It's been years though, I've know him since my ma died." Reno ran a hand through his hair.
"You don't know how old you are? You don't even have a rough guess?" Gareth raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"I've got a guess but I'm not sure yo. I know I'm not older than twenty though 'cause Rude's older than me and he's only eighteen." Reno shrugged as Gareth opened the door.
"You're probably about seventeen or eighteen then. Veld probably knows or at least has a better guess. How do you know Rude is older than you if you don't know how old you are?" Gareth asked from the doorway as Reno began walking towards the stairs.
"No idea, I just know." Reno saluted and walked up the stairs three at a time.
When he reached room 148 he pounded on the door. He saw a light flick on and he grinned delightedly as he saw a shadow under the doorframe. He almost squealed with happiness as Rude opened the door.
"I figured you'd find your way up here eventually." Rude smiled as he opened the door.
"I woulda been here sooner but I knocked on random doors and got caught up talkin' ta Gareth." Reno grinned delightedly as he entered Rude's apartment.
"He seemed like a good guy. I especially like the nice bruise he left on your face." Rude smirked and poked the bruise that was swelling just above Reno's eyebrow.
"Ow! Knock it off yo! He said he'd teach me that kick thing anyways." Reno grinned and flopped onto Rude's couch. "I couldn't sleep."
"I figured you wouldn't be able too. I can't either, too damned sore." Rude rolled his shoulders and sat down beside Reno.
"I can fix that!" Reno grinned and dug his fingers into Rude's shoulders.
"The hell?" Rude jumped and started to turn around but Reno stopped him.
"Sit still this'll help I promise." Reno grinned from ear to ear as he pressed into Rude's shoulder.
"Promise?" Rude looked at Reno over his shoulder.
"Well I can't exactly guarantee since I've never done this before but I know it feels damned amazing when it's done right." Reno tried to mimic the movements Gareth had made on his own back minutes before.
"So far so good. I'm guessing Gareth did this for you?" Rude chuckled dryly.
"Yep, hopefully I learned a thing or two from that. Sit still and shut-up yo, you're moving to much." Reno pulled at Rude's tired muscles and laughed as Rude groaned lightly and slumped forward.
Authors Note: Yup, massages. How manly of them XD I know this chapter is super short compared to the last one but oh well, at least it's up right? the last chapter was almost ridiculous long. Read and review please! :D