☆-- a place to lay your head. (Closed) - COMPLETE

[stray_redbird]

WHO: Rude (expert_stoic), Reno (stray_redbird).
WHAT: Hitting a bump, thanks so somebody's big mouth.
WHERE: Reno and Rude's apartment.
WHEN: After Reno's proud declaration.

Comments

[expert_stoic]

The moment Reno's hands touched his face, Rude knew what was coming, but he didn't even try to resist. Instead, he just sighed and gave in to Reno's coaxing and bent slightly so that Reno could reach. This was something else he'd grown used to ever since he started shaving his head. Even so, the feel of Reno's tongue against his scalp sent goosebumps creeping down his nape. He reached around Reno and grabbed his ponytail, using it to tug Reno's head away.

"..." He shook his head, then lifted a hand to wipe away the spit on his head before he finally released Reno's ponytail. "I get the point, Reno."

Then Rude reached up and pulled off his sunglasses before loosening his tie and pulling it over his head. It was rare for anyone to see Rude without his sunglasses or his tie, but Reno knew Rude since before he started shaving his head and even before he started wearing a tie, so when it was just the two of them it didn't matter as much. He slipped the sunglasses into the inside pocket of his suit jacket, then stepped past Reno so he could access the hall closet where he was keeping most of his clothes for the moment.

"...Think I should start looking for an apartment?" he asked as he slipped off his jacket and hung it neatly in the closet.

[stray_redbird]

Reno only gave a light sound of complaint when his face was forced from Rude's head by a firm grip on the tail of his wild hair, though the brief sulk was mostly for show. Inwardly, he was happy. It showed in eyes that were mako-bright-- not with nervous energy, or anger, but with the boundless energy that defined Reno in his best moods.

Mischievous, he tagged along with his best friend to the closet, waiting until both of Rude's hands were occupied with hanging up his jacket before fast fingers snuck around him to steal his sunglasses out from the inner pocket. Reno gave a cheeky little grin, tugging his goggles down around his neck to slide the stolen shades into his hair.

One casual question wiped the grin right off his face.

"What the fuck, Rude?" he demanded immediately, not waiting for an explanation or giving the inquiry a second's chance. His expression was open, speaking of temper, anxiousness, and surprise. "What the hell are you talking about, you bald motherfucker?"

The words held little malice. In fact, there was a subtle something that was suspiciously like bewilderment, and maybe even a touch of hurt. Cocky and carefree Reno gave a shit about so few things-- but, without a doubt, his best friend was one of them.

"Jesus, you're not still mad, are you? Come on, for fuck's sake Rude, I wasn't serious when I said that shit," his voice made his words pushy and he spoke a little too fast, his hands finding Rude's sleeve as if to say: don't go.

[expert_stoic]

"Reno. Reno," Rude nearly shouted as Reno continued to babble out questions without giving him a single chance to respond. He hadn't expected that kind of reaction from Reno at all, since he had only planned on staying here until he found a place of his own. After all, Reno's couch was hardly a comfortable place to sleep since it was much, much too short for his height.

"What does this have to do with being mad?" Rude asked as a crease formed between his eyebrows. When Reno grabbed his sleeve Rude blatantly stared, but without the protection of his sunglasses Rude soon forced himself to look away. "Hell. Reno. You..."

Rude dropped his gaze to the hand holding his sleeve and, seeming oddly nervous, he shook off Reno's grasp. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he slammed the closet door shut with his free hand. Hadn't they just made up?

"...You're expecting me just to stay here? There isn't even a place for me to sleep, Reno." He managed to keep his tone bland, but he was completely confused and no matter how he tried to disguise it, Reno would likely be able to tell.

[stray_redbird]

"Why the hell shouldn't I expect you to jus' stay here?" the redhead asked back a little sharply, his anxiousness making him visibly irritable, "If you don't like the fucking couch, there's room enough on the bed, yeah? I swear I won't kick. I mean, fuck, you're walkin' out on me 'cause you don't like my damn couch?"

Obviously, the fact that they'd agreed Rude was only staying until he found a place of his own was of little relevance to Reno, who had long decided he liked having his best mate on hand and in his apartment. Maybe it was making up for the two years work had taken Rude away from him, or just the naturally possessive part of his personality that so often decided to make him publicly call Rude "his" all the time.

His expression was stubborn, as if he thought if he wasn't pushy about it-- if he didn't put his foot down about this-- then Rude really would go. Reno was selfish enough that it didn't really matter to him if Rude wanted to go or not. Maybe he was missing the point, but it sufficed to say, he honestly didn't care.

[expert_stoic]

Rude fell silent in the face of Reno's offer and accusation; however, it wasn't because Reno was right about him 'walking out.' He hadn't even thought of it like that nor had he expected Reno to be quite this possessive. He stared at Reno, bemused, as he fumbled for the words to say. Although, he wasn't going to go anywhere near the bed sharing issue.

"Fuck. Reno," he looked away as he reached up to rub the back of his neck, "...I won't go then."

Aside from the constant mess, Rude did enjoy living with Reno and after this it was clear that Reno still needed him around. He wasn't devoted to the idea of leaving, it had just seemed like the most convenient option given the size of Reno's apartment.

Rude glanced at Reno one more time before he pulled open the closet door again and fished around in his jacket pocket. After a moment, he found his pack of cigarettes and tapped one out of the carton for himself before holding out the pack towards Reno, wanting to replace the cigarette he'd broken earlier.

[stray_redbird]

Reno opened his mouth as if he had expected Rude to protest and had already prepared a verbal counter attack, but stopped, backtracking. His expression could be summed up in one syllable: oh. It was like he had built up fire and temper for another argument, then had been abruptly deflated with a single sentence. But, then again, Rude always could manage to do that to him.

"You wont?" the redhead asked a touch suspiciously. For the second time that night, a potential fight had been oddly averted with little incident. Maybe they were getting better at this. After a second, Reno repeated himself, though the words were made into a reassured statement, rather than a question. "You won't."

Relief, again. A rare quiet fell between the pair as Rude offered Reno a cigarette from his pack. Reno eyed them for a long moment, then quirked a wry smile, reaching out instead to snag Rude's for himself. He dug out his lighter and lit up with all the practiced ease someone who thrived in vice.

Blowing a mocking, smoky kiss at his partner, he let his wry smile linger, the sharp edges of his voice smoothed out by the poison curling warmly in his lungs. "Thanks, baby."

[expert_stoic]

Rude gave Reno a disgruntled look as his cigarette was taken right from his fingers, but he refrained from commenting and just took a new one from the package. He caught it between his lips, slipped his light from his pocket and flicked it open, the metallic click unnaturally loud in the silence between them. After sliding his lighter back into his pocket, Rude took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled slowly, the smoke drifting from his lips. He didn't smoke even half as much as Reno did and while in Russia he'd stopped altogether, but he'd quickly fallen back into his old habits once returning to Italy.

The silence stretched on with only the smoke drifting between them, but the moment was lost when Rude made to step past Reno. He clapped his hand on his partner's shoulder, then continued off down the hallway. Peanut yipped from another room, but Rude didn't bother going to investigate just yet.

"...Should put ice on that," he said as he paused in the doorway leading to the living room. He was relatively content now that things were settled between them and it was relief to be able to relax with Reno again.