Another day, another meeting at Shinra. Meetings were one of the things Reno hated the most, boring, long; his ass usually turns one with the chair, his back starts aching, and his head even more. Reno was sure Rufus announced one just to ruin his day.
As the long and monotonous meeting drones on, he struggles to maintain his focus. The information being discussed seems unimportant, and Reno find his mind starting to wander. It's clear that he's not the only one feeling restless; Rufus himself is clearly only half paying attention, his eyes occasionally drifting towards his Turks. He notices Reno's struggle to focus, a small smirk on his lips.
"I feel how my hair is growing, dude." Reno complaints...
"Mine too," Rude says and three of them burst into laughter, quickly covering it.
Chairman cut his speech in the middle.
"Excuse me, what is so amusing?"
As Reno, Rude and Elena break into giggles, trying to stifle their laughs, the meeting comes to an abrupt pause. Everyone turns to look at them, their expressions a mix of annoyance and confusion. Rufus, though trying to maintain his usual composure, can't help but bite his lip, hiding a smirk.
"Don't mind us. He mixed coffee with antidepressants." Elena says, with which Reno almost lay on the floor, laughing, which makes her start again.
Chairman: "This is a serious meeting. Can we have a modicum of professionalism, please?"
A suppressed snort escapes Rufus as she mentions Reno's mix-up. He hides a smirk behind his hand, trying to maintain his cool demeanor. The Chairman, not finding the situation amusing at all, shoots a glare in their direction.
Feeling a pang of seriousness, Elena apologizes to the Chairman. Rufus observes your response, his expression softening slightly. The Chairman grunts in acknowledgment, and the meeting continues, albeit with a hint of tension in the air.
Elena forces herself to be serious and stay bored again, but those two are like magnets for trouble. She suppresses her laugh and takes a fast cautious look at Rufus, who doesn't look at them at this time, but seems suspiciously amused.
As they try to maintain a serious demeanor and focus on the meeting, Rufus can't help but notice your occasional glances. Seeing the poor girl trying to stay serious in the midst of Reno and Rude's antics entertains him.
"Dude, stop it," Rude grunts seeing Reno make an airplane from the paper on the table, with a mischievous grin on his face, and seems to be preparing to launch the plane at someone. Rufus suppresses a chuckle, knowing well that Reno's antics could derail the meeting even further. He feels obliged to interfere.
"Children, settle down. I think we have more important matters to discuss than paper airplanes... unless they're part of our new plan to take over the world?"
Rufus's authoritative voice cuts through the hum of the meeting, his gaze shifting between Reno and Rude. There's a hint of annoyance in his tone, but also a hint of amusement.
"Fun murderer" Reno mumbles, leaving the plane.
"Oh, I'm the fun murderer now? My apologies, Mr. Life of the Party. Let's try to keep our playful tendencies outside the meeting room, shall we?"
Reno's mumbled comment and the surrender of the paper plane make Rufus raise an eyebrow. He can't help but smirk slightly, those meetings are hell for him too and he'd gladly find himself a better occupation.
Turks can't help but find all this hilarious. Rufus suddenly cracks the ice after a long time, it feels like four of them are plotting among the boring crowd.
Rufus, Reno, Elena and Rude continued to maintain a semblance of seriousness as the meeting went on, but there was a subtle sense of secret amusement being shared between them all.
Despite the boredom of the gathering, there was a certain thrill in knowing that the four of them were engaged in a silent game.
When the meeting is already over, Turks crawl out in the corridor, mentally drained...
"How dare he offend my plane," Reno complains. "It was a masterpiece."
President just gets out of the hall and hears his complaint.
"Your skills in paper aeronautics are truly impressive, Reno. Perhaps we should consider adding it to your official resume?"
"Ha-ha," he says. "My brain cells died during the meeting. That meeting was a true test of our commitment to boredom."
"Dude!" Rude scolds him.
"Hey, chill out, Rude. I'm just expressing the pain we all feel from that mind-numbing meeting."
Rude's stern glare and scolding tone bring a quick end to Reno's dramatics, at least for the moment.
"You think I like it?" Rufus asks. "I'd spare a lung to get out of that room. It's a business and it requires meetings like this."
"I spared mine already," Elena says.
That makes them all start laughing again. Rufus stays in front of them, shaking his head, but a smile stays for too long on his lips. He rarely affords himself moments like this.
"Well, I'm glad you all find humor in the suffering. Perhaps now we can focus on actual work?"
The sound of collective laughter once again fills the corridor, a release from the tension and boredom of the meeting. President tries to maintain a stern expression but can't hold back a smile. His eyes darted between Reno, Rude, and Elena, taking in the carefree moment.
"Aah, give me a break!" Reno says.
"A break, you say?" Reno's plea for a break draws a chuckle from Rufus, who raises an eyebrow at his complaint. "Well, if the great Reno can't handle a bit of meeting boredom, I suppose we can allow a short break."
Even Rude burst with that, three of them supporting each other not to fall on the floor.
Rufus shakes his head.
"Alright, alright, settle down. I can't have my Turks collapsing from laughter in the corridor."
The collective laughter continues to fill the corridor as Elena, Reno, and Rude support each other, struggling to stay upright. Rufus can't help but join in the laughter, amused by the sight of the four of you in a comical display of laughter.
"Where do you suggest collapse, then, sir?" Elena asks.
"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps the President's office?" He hints at a lecture about their behavior. "Or maybe the reactor core itself? I hear those places are quite comfortable for a good collapse." his tone laced with a hint of sarcasm.
Reno can't hold it and falls on his knees, Elena supports Rude who is also laughing.
President could hardly be seen in a good mood, so such moments are so precious.
Rufus with a serious tone:
"Careful there, or you'll create a laughing pile in the corridor."
As Reno falls to his knees, overcome by laughter, he can't help but chuckle at the sight. Rude steadies Elena, trying to maintain composure amidst the hilarity. Reno slowly picks himself up off the floor, still catching his breath from laughter.
"Well, it seems we've had our daily dose of entertainment." Rufus said. " Shall we get back to work now?"
As the laughter subsides and the group regains their composure, they make their way back to the office. Rufus leads the way back to the office he sits behind his desk, returning to his stoic and cool demeanor. He addresses the group, still trying to keep the mood light.
It's already evening when all the meetings and work are all over. Three of the Turks are exhausted and make their way to their rooms despite the late hour, corridors and halls are never empty.
Every one of them has a shelter under Shinra roof, meant to keep them safe and to rest after long days like this. Sometimes they couldn't go home, sometimes they wouldn't. Building was not only a working place and boring meeting halls, but a home for them three.
