A Return [active]

[nogoodpeople]

Characters: Tseng and Reno
Progress: On-going
Summary: Reno ran off to wait for Rufus at the Iifa. Tseng, quite naturally, followed
Location: Port Warjilis
Date: Not long after this thread
Warnings: Unhappy Reno, tensions running high in general

Comments

[turks_reno]

What a surprise Tseng would get when the airship Reno had finally managed to book docked. For instead of the two that had originally intended upon disembarking, there was only one.

One very quiet, sullen looking red-haired Turk. Quite frankly, 'sullen' was an understatement. The man looked lost and shaken, as though some great foundation to his life had been stripped from him.

However depressed Reno was, it did NOT stop him from being a good Turk. Tseng was easily spotted, and he made his way over to the other man, picking through the crowd with surprising patience. His steps were determined, even, and utterly unlike Reno's normally chipper and light-stepped gait. "He's gone."

His voice actually cracked at the statement, and that pale throat visibly tightened. "He came back from the Iifa tree. I had him right there in front of me. And now he's gone." Not dead. Reno would have said 'dead' if he'd meant it. No. Rufus was simply 'gone

[nogoodpeople]

'Gone.' Not dead, but 'gone'. It was a fine distinction, but a very important one. With gone, one could easily imagine that Rufus had simply slipped sideways back into their own world. And had done so after his rebirth, if Reno's words were to be believed.

Not that that made the fact any more palatable, and he resisted the urge to sigh at the news. He could and would deal with his own feeling later. Right now he had a veritable powder keg in front of him, if he was reading Reno right. Not that he blamed him, of course. He likely would have felt similarly had he had Rufus disappear in front of his eyes.

"Perhaps we should continue somewhere more private?"

[turks_reno]

Private

[nogoodpeople]

It was tempting to take an airship back, and there was a brief pause as Tseng weighed the pros and cons of taking a ship back immediately. In the end, however, he simply shook his head. Best they clear the air before heading back to their base of operation.

"No. There's no need. A room here will suffice."

Not to mention there would be easier access to anything that they might end up needing here and Tseng wasn't about to rule anything out. He was trusting that neither of them would end up needing medical attention, but that was the least of the options that he was willing to admit might occur.

Besides, if they got everything out in the open here, they could then leave behind them when they left.

[turks_reno]

It wasn't quite the phrasing he wanted. Not the open and outward admission that he'd been hoping for - but this was Tseng, he reminded himself. This was as open as Tseng got. Hell, this was MORE open than Tseng ever got. And still, he managed to utter it in a way that was far too clinical for his tastes. Harboring feelings of affection? They were admitting to liking each other. To caring.

And yet it sounded more like Tseng was writing up a report.

His lips actually curved up at that, at the complete and utter 'Tseng-ness' of that statement. It was part of why he'd grown attracted to the man over the years, to be honest. It was adorable to Reno (though he knew better than to say such things to Tseng!!), and it made him ever the more determined to see just what the man looked like when he finally did relax. When he cut loose. Because those that were as collected and in-control as Tseng was often had intense passion bottled up inside. And Reno was very, very curious to see just what that would be like

[nogoodpeople]

Even as open as they were being, there were still things that were hard for Tseng to say. He had been making an effort, but these we hardly things that happened overnight. Or even in a matter of days, for that matter. But he was doing his best to leave the phrasings he might favor behind, bit by slow bit.

It was one thing to want, but quite another to have that want suddenly realized.

Still, he made no move to keep Reno from stepping closer. It wasn't really like he had much of a personal bubble left at this point and now that things had been aired (to an extent) he found that he didn't really mind the encroachment. Something was bound to come of this, and he was more than interested in seeing just how far it might go. There was no place for professionalism here, as odd as it seemed to act without an trace of it.

"It's possible I may have understated things," Tseng answered, with a slight spark of good-natured amusement in his eyes.

[turks_reno]

For once in his life, Reno wasn't completely confident here. While he knew Tseng better than most people it was still a new experience. Uncharted Tseng-y territory, so to speak. Still - as always with his boss, it was in what *wasn't* done that gave him the best cues, rather than what was. For example: there was no backup-step, no motion to deter him from that step forward. There was no 'look', no hint that Reno's proximity was unwelcome.

Which meant it was welcome.

The realization hit only a second before the other man spoke, and despite the loss they'd suffered, despite the confusion and guilt, Reno found himself laughing - just as much at Tseng's expression as his words. "You may have understated things, hm?" he chuckled with a little shake of his head

[nogoodpeople]

It may have been uncharted territory, but if it was it was at the very least uncharted territory that they were exploring together. What the outcome would be? He had no more idea than Reno did, at this point, but he was willing to simply let it happen.

More than willing, as a matter of fact.

Still, it was a slight surprise to find Reno's lip ghosting over his. Not in that Reno would take that step forward, oh no. Reno always had been willing to ignore a lot of things if it would get him what he wanted, and from the sound of things, he'd been wanting this for quite some time. He'd have to remember to ask how long at some point.

"I may have," he answered with a slight smile, after that first exploring contact had been broken.