Mask Or Menace - IC Contact

[looking_sharp]

[The sound of silence for a measure of five seconds. Then a beep.]

Comments

[electroburst]

Yeah, no. Please don't.

[ that... would be bad. he's got faith in his partner, but he's no match for a soldier. especially not sephiroth. ]

Nah, he was cool. Probably would've had better luck going home with him. He took off when shit started getting crazy, though. That place was packed.

[looking_sharp]

[Sephiroth probably isn't fire resistant. Rude could mess him up. Maybe. Probably not. But he'd try. For a while he's silent, though, his fingers slowly working the braid into Reno's hair. It's not as impressive as it would be if Reno let more of his hair grow to real length, but it's nice enough.]

Don't have sex with Sephiroth.

[electroburst]

No?

[ reno laughs a little. well, now that you've said it........ that'd be a serious conquest. ]

I think it'd only help the cause, but alright, I guess.

[looking_sharp]

No.

[Because he's jealous enough as it was. But that had always been the case. It was just... Rude didn't know how to compete with someone like Sephiroth.]

You deserve better than a murdering fiend.

[electroburst]

[ do i? Reno just snorts. alternatively, a good answer would have been i am a murdering fiend, but he's not really in the mood for that one, either. ]

He's not a murdering fiend yet. Just a normal guy, remember?

[looking_sharp]

There never was anything normal about Sephiroth.

[The backs of his knuckles brush lightly over Reno's neck as he works. Which isn't an accident at all. These little touches are the few things he can steal over the years.]

[electroburst]

[ Reno hums, soft and content. What Rude doesn't know absolutely can hurt him: he'd rather a single stolen moment like that than any hookup with anyone else. He just relaxes completely while Rude works. ]

No doubt. But be nice. If I can do "nice," so can you.

[looking_sharp]

I've always been the nice one.

[Which is the absolutely correct statement, and surely they both know it. His fingers keep twisting the strands of hair together.]

Still worried about you.

[electroburst]

Yeah, you're the big sweetheart. And the worrier. I'm always okay, in the end, right?

[ that in the end specification is actually kind of an accident, but he decides not to amend himself. whatever, rude knows what he means. probably. ]

[looking_sharp]

My job to worry about you.

[In the end isn't good enough for him. But he keeps his fingers moving, slow and steady.]

Would be lost without your recklessness in my life.

[electroburst]

[ What Reno doesn't (entirely) know can't hurt him, also: this is what he really called Rude here for. He thinks it's for the "normalcy," but honestly, it's that. The kind of things Reno usually says, well... this kind of thing to: ]

Psh, stop.

[ He might not think that part's normal, but it is, and it's what he needs after the dumb shit he's done. Whether or not he deserves it nonwithstanding. ]

What's that say about me, then, huh? That I'd go off the rails without you to pull me back?

[looking_sharp]

Perhaps you would. Don't intend to find out.

{because what is he without Reno anymore?]

[electroburst]

Oh, I don't either. But that's a given.

[ There's no such thing as one of them without the other. That's just not a thing. He's not even worried about it... y'know, aside from that really close call on the plate, a few days ago still in his mind. ]

There's no "without you" in this equation, partner. So don't worry about it.

[looking_sharp]

And yet, you get yourself hurt when I'm not there to watch your back.

[Yep, going ot keep coming back to that. He can't help it.]

[electroburst]

Uuuughh. Rude!

[ it's always a great time when he can use Rude's name in a way that sounds equally like scolding him by name and also like he's just calling him impolite. ]

It was the fun kinda hurt, okay? Well, fun at the time, anyways.

[looking_sharp]

[Rude's hands freeze, and he almost drops the braid. When he manages to speak, it's with an edge of anger in his voice. Just the slightest edge. No one but Reno and maybe Tseng would pick up on it.]

Someone hurt you for that?

[electroburst]

I told them to.

[ geez, don't kinkshame. except this was, uh... less kinky and more just batshit insane, but whatever. blame it on the shots. ]

[looking_sharp]

[Definitely kinkshaming.]

Don't care. Don't do it again. I'm supposed to protect you. Next person that hurts you like this gets burnt.

[electroburst]

Hey, I'm a grown-ass adult, I can do whatever the hell I want. Especially in the bedroom.

[ He'd held still until now, but he turns his head just a little to glower over his shoulder at that. Without any real heat or anger, but annoyance at least. ]

I don't tell you how to fuck your hookups.

[looking_sharp]

If I had any, I'd want you to tell me to stop if it was hurting me.

[He meets Reno's annoyance with a perfectly level gaze.]

[electroburst]

Well, maybe you should get some and quit bagging on mine. If you're into that type of shit, all you'd have to do is say so.

[ And looking away again, his chin up. Nose up, really. That's a lie and he knows it, and he really doesn't have a leg to stand on with the "not meddling in Rude's affairs" thing, but listen, there's a difference between sex and relationships and this whole topic is a bit complicated considering the subject, so just—whatever. ]

[looking_sharp]

It's not that simple, Reno. It's never that simple.

[Because he doesn't want someone else.]

Keep your head level. Almost finished here.

[electroburst]

It kinda is that simple, but alright...

[ ugh!! lowering his chin again, arms folded. ]

[looking_sharp]

It's not for me.

[He's not Reno, and he never will be. Nor will he ever be with Reno. It's an old feeling he has to let fade. He's been terrible at it though.]

[electroburst]

Why?

[ He shouldn't ask, but Rude's irritating him, so he's irritating him right back. ]