Thanks for the memories

“Thanks for the Memories”
A Reno fanfiction
Chapter 11: “Cover up”
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*Disclaimer: The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.*
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I remember what I was doing when we got the news. I was in Mideel with Rufus and Rude. The boss and I were in bed, talking about—if you can believe it—dragging Rude into bed with us. When the phone started ringing I didn’t answer it, ‘cause I was busy trying to compromise a deal between the three of us, yo.

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“How precisely do you think this would work, when both Rude and I have a preference for being on top?” Rufus questioned between kisses.

“Come on, boss…take one for the team,” Reno quipped with a mischievous grin.

“Oh, I don’t think so,” Rufus chuckled.

“Well then, you could take turns doing me, and giving head doesn’t have anything to do with who tops who, yo.” Reno nibbled the VP’s earlobe and teased his nipple, making him groan softly.

“I suppose that could work, if he’s interested in trying it out.” Rufus honestly wasn’t sure about that, but Reno seemed to think he could draw him in.

“If I didn’t think he wanted it, I wouldn’t have asked you about it, Sir.” Reno licked the blonde’s parted lips briefly, drawing back teasingly when Rufus tried to deepen the kiss. “He’s a little easier to read than you are.”

“Come here and stop teasing,” Rufus demanded, cupping the back of the Turk’s head and drawing his mouth to his. Reno submitted and let his tongue slide into his mouth to explore. The blonde slipped his hand under the covers and began to massage his erection, making Reno moan.

The phone rang and Rufus ignored it. It stopped after a bit and he relaxed and rolled Reno onto his back, his excitement growing. They’d already had sex earlier but he was ready to go again. Rufus reached for the condoms and lube, kissing Reno hard with lusty vigor. The Turk’s lithe body writhed beneath his as his stroking brought him closer to climax. Rufus had to temporarily stop to put the condom on and apply some lube, but Reno was still stretched from earlier so that was one less thing to slow them down. The redhead’s hungry whimpers were distracting and Rufus was so eager it took him a moment to get positioned properly once Reno was spread out beneath him.

“Unh…great angle,” Reno complimented with a sharp gasp as Rufus thrust home and hit him just right inside. The Turk’s cellphone began to ring and he groaned in frustration. “I’ll call ‘em back later,” he murmured, cupping his boss’s ass encouragingly.

Rufus thrust again and the redhead cried out. The VP smiled with prideful arousal as he watched his lover’s expressions and started up a slow, steady rhythm. Reno’s teeth worried his bottom lip and Rufus kissed him demandingly. The phone kept ringing until the answering service picked up and the couple thought no more about it. Reno angled his pelvis to give the other man greater penetration access and combed his fingers through his sandy blonde hair, admiring his handsome face as he rocked over him.

Rufus’s phone rang again and the blonde glared at it as if it were an irritating child kicking the back of his seat. ~Why do people always want to call me when I’m in the middle of sex?!~ He didn’t cease his lovemaking and he did his best to ignore it, vowing to turn the damned ringer off after he finished taking Reno. The Turk began to pant heavily and buck under him, driving his thrusts deeper with each pump. Rufus groaned softly in response to the moans bursting from Reno’s lips—which were growing louder and louder.

Someone began to knock heavily on the door and Rufus groaned in frustration. “What is it?” he snapped.

“Sir,” Rude’s voice drifted in from the other side of the door, “The Company’s been trying to reach you. There’s been a serious incident in Nibelheim.”

Rufus paused his pumping and met Reno’s eyes. Both of them thought of the mission that Sephiroth and Zack were on and the number of phone calls they’d both received in such a short time took on a horrible new meaning. “How serious is this incident?” Rufus called out.

“I really think you should talk to Tseng, Sir. There’ve been…casualties.”

Rufus groaned and swore softly. “Give me a moment and I’ll call Tseng and my father.”

“Yes, sir.” Rude replied.

“Sounds like we might have lost some grunts or something,” Reno said.

“Worse than that,” Rufus guessed. “There wouldn’t be this much fussing over it if it the casualties were only cadets.”

“So you think one of the First Class Soldiers…?” Reno couldn’t even comprehend it, after the things he’d seen Zack and Sephiroth do.

“I doubt that, but it’s possible there was an accident with the Mako reactor or the monsters reported at the site killed some civilians.” Rufus kissed him lightly as he pulled out, half-expecting the redhead to sulk over being left unsatisfied. Even Reno recognized the seriousness of the situation and he didn’t complain. Rufus got out of bed and disposed of his condom, then started getting dressed. Reno followed suit and he got his phone out of his blazer pocket when it started ringing again.

“Yo, Reno.” He said.

“Reno, it’s Tseng. We’ve got a disaster on our hands and I need you to stop whatever you’re doing and get the Vice President on the phone with his father.” The Wutaian’s voice was unusually tense.

“Yeah, he’s getting ready to call him now. What’s up, man?” Reno glanced at his lover and his expression must have shown how concerned he felt. Rufus paused in buttoning up his shirt and frowned at the redhead, who shrugged in response and listened to what Tseng was saying.

“The town has been burned to the ground,” Tseng began.

“No shit?” Reno interrupted, “Was it Genesis again, like in Banora?”

“No, let me finish,” Tseng said tightly. “It was Sephiroth. Something happened in that reactor and he went insane during the investigation. He slaughtered half of the town and set it on fire. Zackary Fair and the surviving grunt assigned to the mission both attempted to stop him and they were fatally wounded. From what we’ve gleaned from the investigation, one of them killed Sephiroth before they were overcome by their injuries and he had Jenova’s head with him when he fell into the reactor.”

Reno’s mouth dropped open and Rufus stared at him as he finished dialing his father’s cell on his phone. “What’s going on?” Rufus asked.

“Uh…Sephiroth decided to go on a killing spree in Nibelheim and ended up falling into the reactor with some chick’s head.” Reno answered in confusion. He had no idea who Jenova was or what in the hell Sephiroth would have wanted with her head—all he knew about SOLDIER was that they were exposed to high levels of Mako and the Jenova project was as yet a mystery to him. “Zack laid the smack on him but he got poked good himself. Hey Tseng, are they ALL dead?”

“I don’t know,” Tseng answered truthfully, “professor Hojo showed up with the clearance orders to take both Fair and Strife into the research lab of Shinra mansion—I assume to attempt to save their lives.”

Reno winced. “If that spook took them downstairs it probably ain’t just to stitch ‘em up and send ‘em home, man. Gives me the shivers to think about it.”

“It’s out of my hands,” Tseng replied in a frustrated tone. “The President gave him autonomy to conduct whatever endeavors he’s getting up to.”

Reno was growing more confused by the minute. He heard his lover speaking on the phone with the President and he thoughtfully went into the bathroom so that their conversations wouldn’t overlap.

“There’s a lot about the First Class Soldiers—particularly Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis—that was kept top secret. Jenova isn’t just ‘some chick’; she was found in a geological strain. Hojo insisted that she was Cetra and Sephiroth was his prized experiment, injected with high doses of her cells. That’s what made him so unique and powerful. Hojo used to work with a man named Dr. Gast, who disappeared while attempted to protect a woman called Ifalna. She was herself the only living Cetra ever found. As for Genesis and Angeal, they were both Hollander’s experiment.” Tseng paused and took a deep breath.

Reno stood dumbfounded, trying to work out all of the information he’d been given. He didn’t know what was stranger—the story he was hearing or Tseng’s anxious tone. “Wait a minute…you said Jenova was a Cetra, but then you said this Ifalna chick was the only living Cetra. Are you saying Hojo put cells from a corpse in Sephiroth? This whole thing is a big pile of weird, yo.”

Tseng tried to make it less confusing. “From what I understand, the Jenova specimen isn’t dead so much as in a form of stasis. There’s been speculation from the science team over Hojo’s conclusion that Jenova is Cetra. Some believe she was an alien life form that infested the true Cetra like a virus and caused their demise, but interestingly enough, a lot of people pushing that theory have disappeared over the years.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” Reno finally asked. “I mean it’s really interesting but I’m not a scientist and wasn’t it you that said the Turks don’t need to know details…just do as we’re told?”

“I’m telling you this because it’s a need to know basis,” Tseng explained. “I’ll explain it to Rude and other selected Turks as well. Something is in the works and out elite members need to know what we’re dealing with, Reno.”

“Yo, I’m ‘elite’?” Asked the redhead with surprise.

“You’ve risen quickly through the ranks and proven yourself more than capable, not only of doing your job but also having the capability to think quickly and improvise. In fact, I’ve been considering assigning you as my second in command—despite your abysmal grammar.” The last sentence was spoken with a touch of fondness.

Reno blinked. “What about Rude? He’s been with the Turks longer than I have.”

“Rude is most comfortable reacting, not acting,” Tseng explained. “He would have no desire to take on the leadership role even if he were cut out for it.”

~Hell, what makes you think I’m cut out for it?~ Reno thought silently. Aloud, he said: “I guess I’m your man then, if that’s what you want. So what’s going to happen now? Are we going to try to find out what happened to Zack or what?”

“You’ve grown attached to him,” sighed the Turk leader.

Reno shrugged uncomfortably. “I ain’t mooning over him if that’s what you’re worried about, but he’s a decent guy.”

“Of course, he is,” Tseng agreed. “I just want to be certain your priorities are straight and you don’t take it into your head to break protocol. At least, not until I say so.”

Reno frowned. “What are you planning, boss?”

“I don’t know, yet,” Tseng answered guardedly. “With the condition he was in, we may as well assume that Zackary Fair didn’t make it. Soldier or no, his wounds were extensive when they took him into the mansion. For the time being, we have to concentrate on cleaning up the mess in Nibelheim and abiding by the Company’s decisions regarding the crisis. The President wants Rufus back at Headquarters for a board meeting. Something’s going on with Hojo and I’m certain it has something to do with the incident. Pack up your things and bring the VP home.”

Reno lowered his eyes and frowned. “Sure thing, yo. See you soon.” He hung up and replaced his cell in his pocket but he didn’t leave the restroom right away. He shut the lid on the toilet seat instead and sank down on it, putting his head in his hands. “Bunch of shit, is what this is,” he muttered.

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The whole way back to Midgar, we were all quiet—even me. I kept thinking about the lab in the basement of the ShinRa mansion and wondering why the hell they’d put one there, when thee was a whole department dedicated to science at Headquarters. The only reason I could think of was there were some projects Hojo didn’t want the other scientists knowing about. It made me wonder how much I really knew about the Company I worked for, yo. It gave me the shivers, to think of Fair laying there in that basement with that creep Hojo doing Gaia only knew what to him.

We were called to the board meeting as soon as we got there. All of the high ranking Turks and employees were there and so was Hojo. I kept looking at the freak and trying to read his face. We found out what he was doing when the meeting started—he was trying to recreate Sephiroth and by that, I mean he was going to use the same process on “specimens” that he’d used to get the results that made Sephiroth what he was. He said something about trying to breed the last Cetra with the result…which confused me until I found out he was talking about Ifalna’s daughter; who happened to be the girl in the ruined church that Zack liked to hang out with. I had a bad feeling that Zack was one of the “specimens” but I couldn’t do anything about it if he was, so I just blew it off and made myself think of the guy as dead, like Tseng.

This new project of his was being carried out in the ShinRa mansion in Nibelheim and the President ordered the town to be rebuilt and Company employees to be assigned there to keep things hushed and under control. I don’t think a single one of us were comfortable with that but orders were orders, you know? Tseng flat-out asked if the deception was really necessary and you should have seen the way the President and Hojo looked at him; like a bug they were thinking about crushing.

After the board meeting, Rufus had a private meeting with us in his office. He didn’t want us getting too involved in the Nibelheim issue until he could dig up more information about why Hojo was doing this in the first place. That was fine by me, yo. He noticed how tense Tseng was and he told him to take some time off and let me take charge for a little while. That was when even more shit hit the fan, because the President found out about it and he came to Rufus’ office before we even finished our meeting. I thought we were going to end up with at least one dead body, man. I didn’t realize ‘till then how much Rufus really meant to me.

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“I’d like to know what you think you’re doing, leaving the Turks leaderless at a time like this,” President Shinra said as soon as he was buzzed in. Reno and the others wisely kept their mouths shut as Rufus stared up at his father coldly.

“You appointed management of the Turks to me,” the VP reminded, “and I’ve made the decision I feel is best. They won’t be leaderless—Reno is quite capable and my employees are no good to me if they’re overworked and overstressed. This is simply a therapeutic, temporary leave of absence.”

The President studied Reno with scorn and beneath the desk, Rufus’s hands clenched into fists. “You want to put him in charge of an elite branch of agents?” he snapped incredulously. “You’ve taken leave of your senses!”

“My decisions are several times more solid than yours, Father.” Rufus said the word “Father” with unmistakable derision and the President’s jowls quivered with rage.

“I’m warning you, Rufus,” the older man said.

“What will you do?” Rufus demanded bitingly, “Make me disappear, like Mother? What did she do, I wonder? Show me too much affection, or was it that she didn’t show you enough?”

Reno and Rude both looked at Rufus with sharp surprise, wondering if there was any truth to the accusation. Tseng didn’t express any surprise but he was adept at holding a mask of stoicism in most situations.

“That’s a dangerous accusation you’re making,” The President said. “Too dangerous, for most men.”

“Oh?” Rufus shot back. From his vantage point, Tseng saw him reach for his concealed gun so smoothly the motion was undetectable from the front. The Turk Director tensed slightly as his lover shot another challenge at the President. “Why don’t you show me how dangerous it is, rather than talk about it?”

Both the President and his son moved at the same time and Reno muttered a startled curse as they pulled guns on one another. Rude automatically drew his gun as well and aimed it at the President before he could even think about it. Reno held up his EMR and looked back and forth between his lover and the President, ready to throw himself in front of Rufus. Tseng started to reach for his gun but he stopped at the last minute, his jaw tense as he considered other options that wouldn’t lead to body bags.

“Don’t do this,” Tseng reasoned in a voice that sounded much calmer than he felt. “The Company has suffered enough needless casualties without the leaders killing one another in a moment of rage.”

Father and son stared unblinkingly at each other and the President said; “Do you really think you have the nerve to do it, Rufus?”

Reno began to step between them to shield his lover and Rufus noticed. “Don’t, Reno. Stay where you are.”

The young Turk swallowed and reluctantly stopped inching over. Rufus kept his attention on the man he’d learned to hate so much over the years and he smirked coolly at him. “If you think I’m lacking the nerve to do it, Father, make your move and find out.”

“Please, stop this,” Tseng reiterated, coming up behind Rufus’s chair to lay a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Rufus.”

President Shinra narrowed his eyes at Tseng when he saw the intimate touch and heard the way he spoke his son’s name. Up until now, the Wutaian had kept his affections for Rufus so well hidden in public that they were virtually undetectable. The President had mistakenly believed Rufus had only taken the lanky redhead as his lover but now he realized that he had at least two. Judging by the way the bald Turk had aimed at him instead of his son right away, it was possible he was in on the unsavory relationship as well—though the President never would have thought he was gay. The only thing that redeemed the situation was the icy, calculating look in Rufus’s eyes as they stared into his. Gay or not, the young VP was properly ruthless and the President was pleased for the first time since he’d found out Rufus’s appetites.

“Now you’re acting like my son,” said the President as he took a gamble and put his weapon away. For the space of two heartbeats, Rufus kept his gun trained on him and the President wondered if he was really going to shoot him. It was obvious that the Turks were all his now, at least in loyalty.

“Koibito,” Tseng murmured to Rufus. The soft, Wutaian endearment cut through Rufus’s haze of anger and soothed it away. The blonde slowly raised his gun and allowed the black-haired Turk to take it from him.

“You can have it your way,” The President said when the danger was gone. “I expect you to deal with the consequences if your decision causes further erosion of the state of this Company, Rufus. Remember though—I am still the arbitrator of what goes in this organization. I want that to be made perfectly clear to yourself and your Turks.”

“Of course. Good evening, Father,” Rufus said curtly.

The President smirked ever so slightly and took his leave. When he was gone, Reno breathed a sigh and put his EMR away with trembling hands. He’d had visions of a red bloom spreading over his lover’s navy blue suit when the encounter happened and it had scared him so bad, there was no doubt he’d fallen harder for Rufus than he thought he had.

~I never thought I’d be the kind of guy that would take a bullet for someone, either. Shit, my legs feel like rubber!~

“Sir,” Reno said as he tried to work moisture back into his mouth, “Did he really do that to your Ma?”

Rufus was staring at the office door, his hands clenched in his lap while Tseng rubbed his shoulders. “I’ve never had solid enough proof, but I’m almost certain of it,” he said tonelessly. “Rude, you can put the gun away now.”

The bald man was still standing like a statue with his gun pointed at the spot where the President had been. He shook himself out of it and cleared his throat, slipping the weapon back into his jacket. A drop of sweat rolled down his forehead and Reno was strangely comforted with the knowledge that his partner was just as shaken as he had been by the incident.

“I think perhaps a relaxing night in would be helpful, for all of us,” Tseng suggested.

Rufus nodded mechanically. “I agree. Let’s just go straight to my apartment when we leave here tonight. This incident doesn’t get repeated outside of our circle, is that clear to all of you?” He looked straight at Reno as he said it and the redhead spread his hands innocently.

“Got it, boss. My lips are sealed.”

“Not too tightly, I hope,” Rufus said, with a faint smile, his tension fading a bit.

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“Yo, this is one sweet pad,” Reno whistled as they walked through the door and Rufus turned on the lights. The lounge area was huge, with a sunken den area with expensive leather furniture, a widescreen television set into the wall and cherry wood end tables. By the large-paned windows there was a full bar and a stereo system and against the eastern wall was a grand piano and a heavy bookshelf.

Rufus seemed pleased with the compliment and he turned on the stereo system and found a mixed station for them to listen to. “Make yourselves comfortable and help yourselves to the bar.” With that said, he went to the long lounge in the center of the room and plopped down on it in a way that showed he was much more exhausted than he’d let on before. It had been a grueling twenty-four hours though—and Rufus wasn’t made of stone, contrary to popular belief.

Moments later, they all had their favorite mixed drinks and they were seated in the den and sipping quietly at their beverages. Rufus still had a glint of ice in his eyes as he stared at nothing and relaxed beside Tseng. The Wutaian looked more emotionally drained than Reno had ever seen him. Reno almost contemplated coming up something to get their minds off of the chaos, but all he could think of were drinking games and he’d had quite enough of that the last time.

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A couple of hours and a few drinks later, Rufus finally opened up a little more to his Turks. “I wish the old man would just die,” he said abruptly, swirling the ice cubes around in his glass. His tone was dry and he seemed more relaxed. The tension lifted in the room with his statement—not because he’d said he wanted his father to die but because he’d come out of his lethargy and he was being sociable.

Tseng and Rude stayed respectfully silent, intending to let their superior vent if he needed. Reno, however, had a mild buzz and his mouth wasn’t fully connected to his brain anymore. “Well he’s old, he’s out of shape and you know his heart can’t be that good. We could always rent a hooker to bang him ‘till he keels over.”

Tseng unexpectedly pinched the redhead firmly on the arm, making him yelp and sobering him up a little. “Yo, what was that for?!” Reno rubbed the smarting spot and stared at his superior with sincere confusion.

“President Shinra is our primary employer,” Tseng reminded him firmly, “we don’t make crude jokes about killing him with prostitutes, regardless of our feelings toward him. While he gives the orders, you’ll give him proper respect.”

Reno puzzled over this and glanced at Rufus, who was finally smiling a little. “He doesn’t look like he minds.” He nodded toward Rufus.

“As the President’s son, he’s entitled to badmouth him,” Tseng shrugged.

Reno huffed a sigh at Tseng. “You’re way too stiff sometimes.”

“More insubordination and disrespectful talk?” Tseng questioned, raising an elegant black brow. Reno was starting to catch on that Tseng was playing some sort of weird cat and mouse game with him. The dark, velvety eyes were calm and the expression on the handsome face was neutral, but something in his tone was subtly teasing.

“Yo boss, are you flirting with me?” Reno asked the Wutaian bluntly.

Rude was drinking his beverage quietly beside Rufus and Reno could tell he was trying to figure out what was going on, too. The Vice President watched with interest, meeting Tseng’s eyes with a knowing curve to his lips.

“You find it flirtatious for one to correct bad behavior, Kitsune?” Tseng pinched him again and made him nearly jump off of the couch they shared.

“Yo, cut it out!” Reno cried, though in truth he was intrigued. In his own subtle, unique way, Tseng was trying to make their troubles into a mild game and unless the redhead was mistaken, he was interested in pursuing something more intimate than their current arrangement. He grinned at hearing Tseng call him the Wutaian word for “Fox”.

“When you behave,” Tseng insisted, and he finally smiled at him.

“Can’t,” Reno shot back. The Wutaian started reaching for him and he agilely dove off the couch. “Sorry boss, this ‘kitsune’s too fast for ya.”

“You clearly suffer delusions of grandeur,” Tseng responded. He looked at Rufus and the VP nodded ever so slightly. The black-haired Turk’s eyes met Reno’s and his intent was very clear.

“Oh, sh—” Reno didn’t even bother finishing the swear word as Tseng vaulted off the couch. The redhead made tracks for one of the hallways and Tseng was close at his heels.

“Maybe running in the boss’s place isn’t such a good idea,” Rude called after his partner with a faint wince as he heard the stomping footsteps in the hallway.

Reno’s voice floated back with a note of alarm and there was the sound of flailing limbs. Rude sank into the couch, imagining all of the expensive, fragile things his partner and Tseng could easily break in their impromptu wrestling match. There was a little yelp from Reno that suggested Tseng was either pinching him again or tickling him.

“Yo, that’s gonna leave a bruise!” Reno protested.

Rude cleared his throat and looked sidelong at Rufus, who had crossed his left ankle casually over his right knee and was listening to the ruckus with interest. “Sir, do you want me to put a stop to this?” The bald Turk offered.

“That won’t be necessary, but thank you,” Rufus assured him. He called out; “If you break it, you buy it.”

The sounds of struggling eased a bit and the VP smirked at Rude. “I’m sure Tseng can keep him in line,” he said.

~****************************************~

Indeed, Tseng was keeping Reno in line. He had the redhead pinned on his stomach in the hallway, with his arms trapped behind his back and held there by Reno’s jacket, which he’d skillfully tugged off enough to bind the limbs in place. The Wutaian was sitting on the back of the redhead’s thighs to keep him from using his legs for leverage. What was worse, he was tickling him as Rude had suspected. Reno huffed and fought humiliating giggles as Tseng’s hands reached beneath his shirt and the fingers teasingly caressed his ribcage.

“Okay…I give,” Reno panted. “Come on…this ain’t…cool, Tseng!”

“What did you call me, Reno?” Tseng inquired, goosing him lightly in the sides.

“Sir,” Reno groaned.

“Much better,” purred the black-haired Turk.

Tseng pulled off his jacket the rest of the way to free his trapped arms and he rolled the panting redhead over before helping him to sit up against the wall. Reno banged his head against the wall and the Wutaian winced and reached out to rub the spot.

“That was careless,” Tseng said with a soft, sympathetic smile.

Reno winced lightly but he was grinning mischievously at the older Turk. “You’re a little strange…Sir.”

“Aren’t we all?” Inquired Tseng lightly.

Reno thought about the things he and his associates got up to—things that most normal people would never dream of. He thought about his open relationships with Rufus and Rude and he thought about the things he’d done before he ever even joined the Turks.

“Yeah, I guess I don’t have room to talk and let’s face it, the life of a Turk is anything but normal.” He closed his eyes as the pain faded from the back of his head. Tseng’s fingers felt good on his scalp and he looked at the other man with heavy-lidded eyes and mumbled his appreciation. Tseng leaned closer to him and Reno was suddenly hit with a surprise attack of uncertainty and shyness. The Wutaian was so mysterious and while Rufus and Rude were difficult to read, Tseng had a way of misdirecting and tricking people into thinking he was doing one thing when he was actually doing another.

~Normally, this is where I’d be trying to kiss a guy or make him kiss me,~ Reno thought as he watched Tseng draw nearer. ~He’s got that look on his face, yo. Problem is I might be confusing friendly play and affection for something else, with him. I’m never fucking sure what he wants!~

He decided to wait, rather than risk the humiliation of rejection. Tseng’s dark eyes stayed locked with his and his fingers steadily massaged his scalp as his mouth drew closer and closer. Reno didn’t part his lips until their breath was intermingling and he didn’t make a move to draw him closer. Tseng’s mouth pressed against his softly and the redhead’s pulse quickened. He finally reached out and cupped the back of Tseng’s head as the other man’s lips moved against his gently. It was slow, tender and just as enthralling as the more aggressive kisses Reno was used to.

Tseng pulled Reno onto his lap and deepened the kiss, keeping the motions of his mouth patient and gentle. The redhead made a sound that caused his blood to burn and Tseng reminded himself forcefully that there were still boundaries that had to be maintained. When Reno’s hands tried to get a bit too familiar with his body, Tseng gently disengaged them and shook his head.

Reno broke the kiss and looked at him in confusion, breathing heavily with passion. “What’s wrong?” he asked, figuring the two of them had known one another for long enough that they shouldn’t have to play courting games.

“You aren’t for me, just yet,” Tseng murmured, kissing him lightly.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Reno sighed with frustration. “Don’t tell me I’ve got to pass some kind of test, yo.”

“No, you merely have to reach your twentieth birthday.” Tseng stroked his companion’s vivid red hair and silently asked with his eyes for him to understand.

“I don’t get it,” Reno said with a frown. “I’m a legal adult, so what’s…oh, wait…that’s some sort of Wutaian thing, ain’t it? Eighteen isn’t the magic number for you, twenty is. Am I right?”

Tseng nodded and caressed the redhead’s lips with his fingertips. “Yes. Or at least, that’s the case for my spiritual beliefs. I hope you understand, Reno.”

Reno sighed and blew some stray wisps of hair out of his eyes. “Man, that’s rough.”

“Isn’t this enough, for now?” Tseng murmured as he brought his lips to Reno’s throat and nuzzled the sensitive skin.

Reno tilted his head back and resisted a moan. “Yeah, I guess it’ll have to be,” he agreed. He’d waited for Rufus, he’d waited for Rude…now that he knew Tseng wanted him too he could wait for him. “A few months won’t kill me,” he said as he lowered his head again and stroked the Director’s hair.

Tseng tilted his head back and they kissed again. Reno behaved for a little while but the gentle thrust of the other man’s tongue got him hot before long and he unconsciously began to shift against him, letting the friction of their clothes do what their hands were apparently forbidden to. Tseng embraced him more tightly and the kiss became more intense—which provoked Reno’s hands to start getting busy again as if they had a mind of their own.

“Does someone need another pinch as a reminder?” Tseng murmured against the redhead’s mouth.

Reno groaned and held his hands up as if at gunpoint. Tseng smiled and continued kissing him.

~*********************************~

Some time later, Reno and Tseng stopped making out—not because they really wanted to but because it was getting to the point where they were both growing too excited by it. They straightened their clothes and returned to the lounge, expecting to get some knowing looks from Rude and Rufus. Reno was in front of Tseng as they exited the wide hallway and Tseng nearly ran into him from behind when he stopped in his tracks. Before the Wutaian could ask what the matter was, Reno whirled around and clamped a hand over his mouth.

“Shhh,” the redhead hissed softly, putting a finger to his lips. His eyes were wide and frankly ecstatic as he jerked his chin in the direction of the hallway opening.

Curious but already suspecting what had gotten his companion so bouncy, Tseng peered around Reno’s shoulder and looked into the lounge room. Rufus and Rude were kissing, of course. Reno grabbed Tseng’s arm and shook it for emphasis.

“Check that out! I knew it!” He whispered. “Damn, I’m good!”

Tseng smirked with amusement at the redhead’s excitement. “I suppose you are,” he whispered back. The Wutaian quietly observed his lover and Reno’s partner, further amused by the faint awkwardness he detected in the kiss. Tseng had experience with both roles, so his first real kiss with Reno had come more naturally than what he was witnessing on the couch. Two semes trying to dominate each other’s mouths and figure out where to put their hands was a somewhat comedic situation. For a while it seemed to be a stalemate but neither Rufus nor Rude appeared dissuaded from exploring their interest in each other. Finally, it appeared that Rude won the battle and Tseng’s eyebrows went up with surprise.

Reno noticed it too and he saw the look of faint surprise on Tseng’s face. He pulled the Wutaian’s head down to whisper in his ear; “Trying to wrestle Rude’s tongue would be like trying to arm-wrestle with him, yo. Trust me.”

“So I see,” Tseng huffed a soft laugh, unused to seeing Rufus kissing that way. “Perhaps you and I should retire to the spare bedroom and leave them be.”

As much as Reno loved the thought of more kisses and cuddles from Tseng, he was torn. He loved the thought of watching his two current lovers get it on just as much. “Just a minute,” he insisted as he watched one of Rude’s big hands slide over Rufus’s shoulder and down his chest.

~I’m salivating, here. This shit is hot! That’s it baby…grab his package. Oops…his hand got in the way. That’s all right…nice and easy. NO, don’t try to push him onto his back! Damn, now it’s awkward again.~

“Reno,” Tseng whispered again, grinning softly at the way Rude and Rufus were starting to basically wrestle with each other, “We really should give them privacy. They’re trying something that’s new and rather intimidating to both of them.”

“And they suck at it, yo,” Reno shot back with a smirk. “We’re gonna have to teach them.”

Tseng stared at him, feeling his blood stir at the thought. “Not tonight,” he said firmly.

“Someone’s going to wind up hurt,” Reno warned, glancing at the two men that were doing their best to overpower each other. Rufus was holding up surprisingly well even though he’d lost the tongue battle. “I mean, look at that! Don’t tell me you don’t see something wrong with the way Rufus is pawing like an ape trying to put the butt-hurt on a rival—and Rude is practically choking him trying to hold him down!”

“I’m sure they’ll settle down on their own,” Tseng insisted even as he coughed a laugh. He had to admit it was odd to see a man he knew very well to be an excellent lover using such clumsy, rough tactics. It wasn’t their business, however. He tried to reach out and physically draw Reno away, but the other man had seen enough and started forward. “Reno,” Tseng hissed, “get back here!”

Reno boldly walked into the room and over to the couch, crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head sadly at his embattled lovers. Rufus noticed him first because he was on his back.

“Yo, you’re doing it all wrong,” Reno announced.

Still half-hidden in the hallway entry, Tseng groaned and dropped his head in his hands.

~As if there haven’t been enough catastrophes in our lives.~

~**********************************~

-To be continued