insusurro | NO DATE ONLY DINNER (ft the junon scrubs)

NO DATE ONLY DINNER (ft the junon scrubs)

_{[The days following the gala had been relatively uneventful, save for the morning after. There was a necessary visit to the slums - Sector 5 to be exact - and it had gone off without any major hitches. Was it a little awkward? Sure. It had been the first time Roche had gone searching for flowers in Midgar, and the first time he'd actually bought any for something. For anyone. He doesn't count the times he'd been involved with flowers in Junon. Those moments never involved being crouched over a bed of flowers being "relentlessly" teased by the very florist he'd been sent to, prompting Roche to actually look sheepish. Especially after he'd described them and the realization kicked in as to what they were.

Did Reno realize that they were the same ones that were part of the Gnole's motif?

It'd only become worse when she'd started telling him about the best colors to pick, and the meanings behind them.

Turning up Friday afternoon to pick them up had been even worse, and only cemented the fact that this girl - as lovely and as sweet as she is - was a menace. And right up his alley once the overall mortification passed. Yeah, Reno absolutely knew what he was doing when he sent Roche to her. (Note to self: payback.)

Fortunately the rest of the day was going by smoothly, and by the time eight o'clock rolls around? He's ready.

Roche can't remember the last time he'd actually been able to dress himself up the way he wants. In the past, other people had already had things in mind and the gala had been no exception. This time however, it was in his hands and his alone. The jacket and vest went together just fine all on their own with the white dress shirt underneath it all, and while it was tempting to be a little Extra, the tie itself is a simple, plain black one. He already knows they're going to be right menaces, but that doesn't mean you can't look nice while doing it. The real effort came with his hair. He didn't mess with it often, but this time... It's special. The red streaks would wash out easily and while it's not exact, he did his best to match it to the shade Reno wore in the past. The flowers? Now that was the selling point - a not so big, not so small bouquet of red, orange, pink and yellow Amaryllis, accented by a sparse collection of Forget-Me-Nots and smaller wildflowers. The latter weren't his idea, but who was he to complain? Aerith was the flower expert, not him. (Surely she didn't do it to make it weird.)

Even with the car parked on the street behind him, he doesn't look too out of place at Reno's door in Sector 8. One last peek at the time on his phone - ten to eight. Taking a deep breath, Roche straightens up, and knocks.]}

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Eight o'clock on the dot and Reno has a half a mind to change out of everything and just go in his god damn uniform. Dressing up for a Proper Night Out has never been difficult in the past, when he was doing it for undercover missions or Shinra-sanctioned functions or whatever, so why is this so complicated? He must spend an hour fussing with his hair, pulling half a dozen strands out from how many damn times he puts his hair up and takes it down again, undecided on how to wear it. If he could, he'd call Rude over to braid it for him. Rude always does the best braids. Maybe give him a cute, fancy fishtail. He's no damn good at it himself, his braids always come out lopsided. But just a plain ponytail is too typical, right? He always wears it that way. But wearing it down and loose just looks messy, and augh, he hates how his forehead looks without the goggles, but he definitely can't get away with wearing those, and—

Ugh.

In the end, he whips out the ol' egg whites and slicks his bangs back, tames the spiky bits down, and ties his hair back at the base of his neck with a ribbon rather than an elastic. There, now it's elegant and classic.

The suit is easy enough. Black, three piece, red accents that totally aren't a planned match to the red accents he has no idea Roche is about to bring to the table. Unlike the chick attire, that's all there really is to it. Wash up, look sharp, try to be satisfied with it and not constantly pull at his tie. He's not used to being buttoned up to the neck, y'know? Makes him feel itchy. Gotta have those tits out.

Oh, and the cactuar, he winds that around his wrist just the way he had before. It may not be formal, but fuck off about it. It means something, he... guesses. (Gulp?)

Man, what if he doesn't show? What if this is all just a big joke? Haha, that'd be fine. Not It is just a big joke, that's the whole schtick. Then they can laugh about it, lol, you little shit, you stood me up! Something something jilted woman, something something revenge something something knife. Ha ha.

Then the knock comes, and Reno trips over himself on the way to the door, pulling it open with the grin already plastered on his face. One that goes kind of slack at what's waiting for him on the other side. He's quick to slap it right back on there again before he gets caught looking too stupid, but it'd be hard to miss the few moments where Reno just gawks. ]

Oh, shit. Hiya, hot stuff. You here to make all my dreams come true?

_{[He's not entirely sure what reaction he was expecting, but it wasn't that. Were he anyone else, Roche might find himself feeling self-conscious - the whispers were there, and he'd second guessed himself no less than six times over something as simple as the dye. At least the look on Reno's face picks those same worries up and throws them all into the void.

He'd chosen correctly.

Roche doesn't know why he was worried over it considering this was just for fun. Just a silly, fancy little night out for fun and no other reason except to treat Reno to something that some other poor soul had never thought to do before. Which, in his eyes, is still a goddamned crime. Everyone ought to do it at least once in their life, right?]}

As many as I can, handsome. Speaking of which...

_{[The flowers! There's no way they'll keep through the night if they bring them along, so Roche offers them up with the slightest nod of his head.]}

Part one, as promised. Your friend from the slums gave me a bit of grief about it, but I suppose I had it coming when I told her my intentions.

[ Very correctly. Makes him kind of glad he decided to pass up on the braid, since Roche has more than got it covered, and man, those dress blues look like shit compared to what he's chosen for himself tonight. Even after Reno wipes the stupid look off his face, he's not about to pass up the opportunity to let his eyes travel all the way up and down to take in how nicely his choice of attire fits him, how complimentary the colors are. How complimentary their colors are, in fact. They just about matched.

He'd go right on staring if not for the flowers that pop up in front of him, and that, at least, he doesn't have to boggle about. He knows Roche went to see her. He had eyes on the building, just in case something should happen. Listen, it'd be a total fucking dereliction of his duty if he hadn't had the church watched. Tseng would have an absolute fucking conniption fit, too, besides. He just didn't have eyes or ears on the inside, so the end result is still a surprise. ]

Heh, would you look at that. Coughed up the goods. Man, I wish I coulda been a fly on the wall for that conversation. She really knows how to get under a guy's skin, huh?

[ What did Roche say??? He's so curious??? But oh well. Reno takes the flowers and a step back in the same motion, gesturing with a sweep of his hand to let him inside. ]

C'min, I got a vase ready and everything. 'Cause I believed in you that much.

[ It's true, he does: it's empty and sitting on the fancy glass-top coffee table, waiting for the bouquet. He takes the time to smell them before he places them in, since it seems the appropriate thing to do when you're given flowers. And... yeah, it feels pretty nice, not gonna lie. Even if he orchestrated his own gift here, still. Roche followed through. ]

These are the ones. She used to put 'em in my hair.

I can see why you like her. She's got spirit and fire in her eyes when she gets going.

_{[That's the best way he can describe her from the short time he spent with her. Still, for as badly as Roche wants to know the connection between her and Reno, it's not his place to ask. He could've even asked Aerith, but he was more focused on making that good impression and all that over anything else.

And you know, trying to deflect a lot of the embarrassing things. She had teased him asking if he was going to make an honest man out of Reno, and that had left him sputtering because what do you even say to that?]}

I can see it, though. A few girls at the beach did that to me after they braided mine, but they used different flowers. These ones are nicer, I think.

_{[Hibiscus flowers were cute and all, but the ones he'd brought Reno? Those meant something.]}

She, ah... picked the colors. Said they meant different things depending on their colors, but she just winked at me when I asked what they meant.

[ That smile persists as Reno fluffs the bouquet in its vase, taking it past to the sink to fill it partway with water. Never done anything like that before, although he'd watched Aerith do it a few times at her place. She'd take cuttings straight from her garden and place them in various vases throughout the little cottage, just as bright and colorful on the inside as on the out. It's not often he was welcome to be there, but when he was, he couldn't help but take notice of it. There's something weirdly... nice about it. ]

Oh, oh. I remember. Red's romantic as fuck, I know that one. I think pink is, too? Somethin' dumb and gay. Yellow is for happiness, and orange... ah, shit, it's somethin' else happy. I forget what exactly.

[ He turns that pleased little expression on Roche after he's satisfied with the vase, bringing it back and setting it down in the center of the table. He'll have to remember to take this with him when he heads to his other place. It'd be a shame not to appreciate them before they die, even if they'll probably look weird and out of place in his trashier apartments. ]

You really came through. Got the goods and lived to tell the tale. Just outta curiosity, what'd you tell her?

_{[At least one of them knows what they mean, though it doesn't do much to calm his emotions. That's... She really does know how to get under someone's skin. Yeah, he's going to have to pay another visit for another batch. Maybe not as many, but something to keep the charm going. A flower or two delivered anonymously wasn't too strange these days, was it? Plenty of people did it in films and in other parts of the world.]}

Oh, you know.

_{[Roche slips his hands into his pockets, his posture slumping forward into something much more casual. There's no need to be straight as a board around Reno. God, this wasn't like that. This was just a normal, harmless, casual thing between two guys. Two... friends? Friends.]}

I told her that I was taking someone out for dinner, and that this person means something to me. I don't know him well, but I'd like to know him better. He's a little rough around the edges, loud, and has a charming laugh and beautiful eyes. I have fun with him, and he's one of the first friends I've made in a long time.

_{[Too much sap? Yeah, maybe a little, but Reno did ask. He didn't tell Aerith everything he wanted to of course, because that would've been giving her way too much ammunition to use against him if he turned up again later. And it'd probably give her something to tease Reno with too, which, come on. Roche would rather tease Reno himself.]} She scolded me when I told her how we met, though. Called me "reckless and irresponsible" for letting you screech like a banshee into the night while standing up on Delilah.

[ Whoof. Maybe he shouldn't have asked? He's got precisely himself to blame for everything here, although really, this doesn't quite fall into the category of some things are better left unsaid. It's not that he regrets hearing it; what Reno regrets is not being ready for the answer. And what an answer it is! A real gutpunch, except, uh, more north? Like in the chest? Fuck. Even if Roche is just giving him BS and hyperbole, it's very nice BS and hyperbole. ]

Ah, man... you said all that? Way to not bury the lede.

[ Is he blushing? Not really sure. (No, not really, the color doesn't come through to his face.) He rubs the back of his head where it isn't starched down with eggs, showing his teeth when he grins. And then even more of them at the rest. Yeah, fuck, he's so screwed. Aerith is going to torment him forever after this. That's alright, though. He wouldn't have allowed Roche anywhere near her if he didn't know what he'd be setting himself up for. He just lets out one of those "charming" snort-laughs of his and shakes his head. ]

Surprised she didn't slap you on the back for a job well done. I guess if I'da fell off and got run down, maybe she would've.

[ Aren't they supposed to be friends? Yeah, listen, it's complicated. ]

You are reckless and irresponsible, though. Two particularly sexy traits I look for in a... dinner... friend.

[ can't say date and can't say partner so Dinner Friend it is. (is this vore) Reno's slouching, too, as he comes over to nudge Roche in his well-dressed side. ]

I don't suppose I can entice you into telling me the other qualities you look for in a dinner friend?

_{[The jab to his side prompts him to offer his arm, but he doesn't wait for Reno to take it. He straight up hooks them together, patting the top of his hand. Is this a little cliche too? Absolutely it is, but it's all part of that Ritzy, Flashy Not-A-Date Experience. It's almost a damned shame that there isn't someone here to take their picture like in the movies. The ones where two teenagers are ready for the big prom night, and their parents fuss over them and say all that silly nonsense and get a dozen or so pictures...

Man, that'd be hilarious.]}

You can tell me on the way over. A man I know from Three owes me a rather big favor, so he'll drop us off. And he's not to breathe a word of this to anyone. One, he's not a big talker. Two, even if he was, no one would believe him and I made it clear that I wouldn't stand for any rumors to start floating around.

_{[Not that there's any real worry about rumors regardless. If he blabs (he won't), all Roche has to do is point Security's noses towards all those illicit parts that he has stashed away. It's all company property and smuggled goods from other parts of the world that have no business being in his hands. It'd actually be a shame if he had to do it, because he's gotten his hands on some choice bootlegs and a few collector pieces from vehicles they no longer made.]}

It has a sunroof, by the way.

_{[He made sure of that. It took some promises to pick up some of the dirtier jobs, but he'd even managed to score one of the brand new luxury rides from the company. Why he needed it? Business.]}

[ My, how proper. Reno snorts again as they hook their arms together, and he takes Roche's forearm the way he took many other arms the night of the Gala. Like a lady, only this time he's not at all angling for any sort of feminine vibe and doesn't give a damn about not slouching and looking like a mug even if they are dressed to the nines and fancy as can fuckin' be. ]

You don't gotta entice me. The fact that you planned ahead for the Super Top Secret shit we'e up to is enough to deserve a reward. Look at you, gettin' Turky.

[ I mean, really, it's got all the proper elements, doesn't it? Working his sources, making good on favors that really, quite frankly, are just blackmail, keeping it hush-hush, little bit of intimidation and a little bit of intrigue. It's real good. Reno's real pleased. With nothing else for it, and his phone, wallet and keys already in his pocket, there's nothing else to do but head out. He slips his skinny self through the door first so they can still walk side by side to the elevator. ]

Sunroof, huh... so what I'm hearing you say is that we're gonna stick our heads out the top and scream real loud, is that right?

Scream, howl, anything you want. Tonight, this city is ours.

_{[Without realizing it himself, Roche squeezes Reno's as he emphasizes the last word. Between the two of them, they had control over... pretty much everything in the city. Turks and SOLDIER can get away with quite a bit with their credentials. Not that they'd really need it tonight.

Once they're in the elevator, Roche reaches out and smacks that button to the ground floor, and just sort of leans against Reno for the ride down.]}

...Though if I'm getting Turky, I suppose I have you to blame for it. The more time I spend around you, the more you rub off on me.

_{[Ha. See what he did there?]}

[ ahuhuhuh. He does see. And he laughs, grinning wickedly, leaning his weight as heavily as he pleases into Roche's side as they head down to the first floor since he knows he'll hold him up just fine. Wasn't part of the gag supposed to be that they're just pals and that he wasn't gonna put out, or whatever...? Yeah, fat chance of that happening, probably. Listen, he can't help the electric attraction here, a little bit of raw madness and a little bit of... eh, something else. Heart? Whatever lmao. He's certainly never really bothered to be discerning before in his life, why start now? Why even pretend to start now? ]

Uh-huh, I'm getting my Turk-stink aaaall over you. Just fuckin' scent marking you with it like a cat. Maybe if I rub just right, you'll start mixing poisons and tapping wires like a pro next.

[ He doesn't even like cats (yes he does) (no he doesn't) (shut up it's complicated), but he still drives the joke home by rubbing his face all over Roche's nice, sturdy bicep and nyahs at him, then cackles. The elevator dings and they're set loose upon the world at last. He's still kinda giggling as he pulls them out of the building and onto the street. ]

_{[Any other night and he'd easily drag Reno under his arm for an old fashioned noogie. It's only the fact that this is Just Dinner and that Reno made himself look all nice and snazzy that makes Roche stay his hand, settling for a gentle hipcheck as they approach the car. Any "nerves" and doubts he had during the previous days were gone.]}

Watch it, or you'll never get the stench of SOLDIER out of your clothes. You know how dogs like to carry the scent of their pack on them.

_{[Roche may not be an official Turk by any means, but he feels more at home with their ilk than he does among SOLDIER itself these days. And hey, he's already worn the suit once and has proof of "ownership" under everything. What's a little Turk-stink? Never in his life did he picture his life heading in direction, but he's... strangely fine with it. More than fine.

Pulling open the back door, he offers a mock bow.]}

Your chariot, sir.

[ Ooh, so fancy. He's been in limos before, but never before the Turks. It was quite a few years into his career before he began to see the big ticket shit like fancy cars and hundred thousand gil champagne. Truthfully, this kind of thing isn't common for people like him. Only when you're undercover or on some kind of job, really. The Investigation Sector of Administrative Research has no doorplate, no label on the elevator buttons. They don't get treated to the same pomp and extravagance as the executives and overpaid suits. They're the skeletons in the closet, and if they want to do something nice, they pretty much have to do it all by themselves out of town someplace, because Shinra Inc. sure isn't going to allow for some ostentatious party for the shadows that lurk in the dark.

Either way, it's been a long, long time since he's ridden in one. Not since before the Troubles began in Midgar, and considering that Midgar's always been troubled, you can imagine how long that might be. He grins as he slides onto the seat, ooh, top notch, leather seats, mini bar and everything! and scoots all the way aside so Roche can get in next to him. ]

Woooow, nice! Damn, this is plush as fuck. And this juice, niiice. It's a shame I quit drinkin', I'd be all over this...

[ That doesn't stop him from snooping anyway. It's quite tempting, and what reason is there, now, to stay dry? He's already established that sobriety wasn't the issue he was having with all his wild behavior. That was a symptom, not a cause. Not a cause at all, in fact. Here we have a thousands-gil bottle of dom perignon, and isn't this shit probably just so gross? ...I mean, fuck, they've got crystal glasses in here to drink it out of and everything. ]

But they got even more expensive shit at the restaurant. Speakin'a which, where are you taking me, anyways? Or is it a surprise?

Denny's.

_{[He says it with such a straight face that he almost seems serious as he slides in next to and behind Reno, leaning forward to press his chest against his back and rest his chin on his shoulder. They really took his requests seriously, didn't they? Damn. Some of this stuff is leagues above his paygrade. And look! There's even a bottle of that very same tequila that met an unfortunate end to the back of a moogle's head.

Reaching out to pull it from the little shelf, Roche flips it over in his hand a few times. Then he tosses it (gently) over to the seat. You know, just to take home later, because he's not the one paying for all of this. This is allllll part of another favor someone owed.]}

It's some place named after Alexander. Judgement? They just opened up a few months ago and everything I've seen screams pretentious, high class society. They said they didn't have any openings, but when I dropped the name Shinra they started singing a different tune. I'm not sure if they think we're turning up with his highness, or if one of us is him, but they say we've got the best seat in the house with our names on it.

_{[Try as he might, he can't help but giggle at the thought of their faces when they realize there's no actual President Shinra visiting their little establishment. They'll have dealt with their antics for the whole night, and for what? Absolutely nothing.]}

They've got just about anything your fiery little heart could want on the menu.

[ That's obviously a joke, and Reno gives it a big cackling laugh, mostly because of Roche's deadass expression, and reaches for the corkscrew to pop this bitch open while he leans back into Roche's arms. He'll be at this awhile, he doesn't exactly have the wicked strength to just snatch that cork right out. You gotta fuckin finesse it awhile with these fancy expensive goddang bottles. Whether he drinks it or not, he just wants to pop bottles in the back of a fancy limo, is that so much to ask? ]

Hey now, ain't nothin' wrong with Denny's. We'd show that place the fuck—up.

[ POP. Tssssss. Oh, that's nice. Reno wafts the bottle around under his nose, then holds it up in front of his face and just slightly above so that Roche can do the same where he's resting on the top of his head. Oh no. Don't crunch his eggwhite gel job. ]

That is nasty. And oh, fuck, I've heard of that place! Never seen the inside, though. Never had any good reason, at least not like some'a the other high-class places around here. Isn't that the one with the gold fountain full of swans? Black swans, I think, or somethin'... maybe it was peacocks, actually. Or both, I don't fuckin' know. What I do wanna know is why you'd have those fancy fowl walking around at a place people are eating at. That's fuckin' morbid, man.

[ God, he just. Hates birds. Anyway, he's pouring them both a glass of that disgusting-ass champagne, and it looks like pure liquid bubbly gold in the crystal. The crystal with diamonds at the bottom of it to make them heavy. Jeeeeesus. He's not sure he actually wants to wet his tongue on this shit after being dry for months, but fuck it. ]

Here, you first. If it's poison you'll die slower than me.

_{[There's no crunching to be had here, but his nose does wrinkle at the smell of the bottle. Jesus, that's a potent one, isn't it? If there's one thing Roche never understood, it's how those fancy folks in their nice suits could drink only this during a party. There's a good reason why he started hanging around the bar around the halfway point of the night at the one Rufus threw just the other night, and it wasn't to find someone to go home with.

Roche gives the glass a look, brow arched as he takes it. There's no stopping those Turk instincts, is there? Not that he's complaining. They're handy, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't understand the reluctance. Still, he readily complies with the request and takes a sip of it. With how much shit they mix in with the mako, it's a wonder they don't use SOLDIER as poison checkers more often.]}

Best case scenario I start hallucinating and spilling my deepest, darkest secrets to you, or I let it slip that the code to my garage is 8-0-0-8-1-3-5-- Ah. Oops.

_{[It's not, but it's funny. The real code is something much worse than that. Maybe one day he'll divulge it to Reno, purely so someone else can suffer with him. And maybe so if shit ever went south anywhere, he'd have an easy way in to his place that didn't require picking the lock to his door or climbing in through the window.]}

But the only way that could get worse is if it's one of those choose your lobster scenarios.

_{[Only with... expensive ass swans and peacocks. God, it'd make sense though. Terrible, but sensible.]}

It's not poisoned, by the way. It tastes different than what Highness had for us, but it's... not awful. I think whatever they've got in the bottom did something to it.

Ooh... there's an idea.

[ Get Roche all drugged up on that wicked shit and see what happens? Just for funsies? Hahaha, just kidding. Maybe if they do it together or something, like a small dose. It's better than smoking up, fucks you up less than coke does the next day, and doesn't make it impossible to function like heroin. That'd be a blast. But, eh... nah. They already had their truth serum moment. Anything they say, they should say it in their right minds. Or like, drunk at best. That's still in your right mind, right?

Guess they'll find out. Reno watches Roche give that a sip, laughs at his silly jokes, and then goes ahead and breaks the seal on his sobriety with a nice solid swig of his own. And how does the lady find his champagne this evening? ]

Haugh—fuck!

[ NASTY!!!

He knocks the rest of it back in a solid gulp that leaves but one single glistening drop of nectar that rolls down his chin and the side of his neck, head tilted back. Once it's gone, he takes that glass full of diamonds and smashes it on the floor of the car. Just because he can. ]

Fuck this nasty trash! Only rich bitches get drunk on this. We're gonna order us a whole-ass bottle of the Dalmore 62 and plow through it with our roasted peacock and swan soup, and that'll loosen up your tongue sure as anything. Not that I need it; I could guess your code using numbers logic if I really wanted to.

_{[Points. That's bait. That's bait and Roche, ever the opportunist, takes it with only the faintest of second thoughts. It's not in the way he thinks about doing and just licking it, oh no. This was c l a s s y. So classy in fact, that he ducks down to kiss that stray little drop away before it can reach the collar of his shirt. No one said anything about this being "against the rules", and really, isn't necking in the back of a limo part of the experience anyway?]}

Or you could just ask. Can't promise I'd give it to you right away, but what's that phrase they use in those Costan films... Mi casa es su casa? Something like that.

_{[It goes without saying that the offer extends to all the Turks as well. You can't have one without the others after all. Though if he goes that route, he's going to have to take a page from Reno's book and get another place of his own that's away from the company's eyes.

But that's something for Future-Roche to fuss over.]}

Just don't go too wild on me, Hotshot. It'd be a shame to forget about half of this come morning, wouldn't it?

_{[Meaning that just like with the Saucer, he's going to do his absolute damndest to keep an eye on him. They can save the crazy for when they're not in some high class establishment.]}

I won't, I won't. Promise. I'm a good girl, remember? And I'm on my best behavior tonight.

[ A good girl, he says, and struggles desperately with the impulse to chase Roche's mouth when he leans away again. God, he really is probably the easiest person in the world to rile up. It can't be helped, really. In general, and in this case, because he wouldn't know how else to act if he wasn't pretending to act otherwise. I mean, it's not his god damn fault Roche is so god damn attractive, is it? No. No it's not.

No kisses yet. He looks away, stretching his leg out to toe through the shards of glass on the floor with his shoe, snagging one of the diamonds underneath it and dragging it over. He bends down to pick it up and turns it around in his fingers appraisingly. ]

Fuck, how many carats you think this is, two? Sell one of these and half the slums could eat for months. —Pop the sunroof, wouldja?

[ Throwing diamonds out of the sunroof? Throwing diamonds out of the sunroof. ]

That's assuming whoever was in charge of the funds from it didn't go mad.

_{[Money did things to people. Sometimes they'd be fine and do good things, but in Roche's experience it turned them paranoid and vicious more than anything. And with Wall Market being, well, Wall Market? It'd only be a matter of time before the unsavory sorts came sniffing about.

Roche blindly reaches for Reno's hand as he awkwardly moves across the back, the other going for the switch to open the roof up. He's hit with a gust of wind almost immediately, but it doesn't bother him in the least. Why should it? He sticks his face into winds much faster on a regular basis. A little highway breeze was nothing.]}

Watch your head-- You know, I've actually heard talk about there actually being bottles encrusted with diamonds. Imagine taking that to the saucer.

_{[Hey, how'd your weekend go? Oh, you know. Broke a bottle of tequila worth over three million over some poor unsuspecting fool's head.]}

Hahaha, fuck. You wanna beat down a moogle with a bottle made of spacerocks, baby?

[ Now that'd be something. Just completely brain a dude in a moogle suit with a diamond bottle. Reno's cackling as he gets up, taking not just the one diamond he's found, but several others (but not all of them) from the floor. He has to stand on tiptoe for any real height, but soon he's got half his body wriggled out of the sun roof. Fortunately, those egg whites hold his hair down just fine, although his rat-tail does whip dramatically in the wind, the loose ends of his ribbon flying along with it. ]

Damn, that's nice. It's a step down from flyin', but I'll take it.

[ Speaking of take it: take that! Reno hucks one of those big honkin' jewels open-hand off the side of the highway rail, where it will no doubt sail right down to the bottom and land on some poor bottom-dweller's head. ]

Look, we're practicing altruism. We're good people.

_{[Well, when he puts it that way...]}

With you? Absolutely.

_{[What would be better? Getting beaned upside the head with an ordinary bottle and picking glass out of the suit, or getting beaned with a fancy ass bottle like that and picking diamonds out of it? Surely they could retire off of that, and wouldn't that be the good deed of a century? Rescuing someone from a lifetime of kupo this, kupo that and get your kupo nut balloons?

They'd be bigger heroes than the big shots in SOLDIER.

When Roche looks over to see where he's throwing, he almost wishes he could freeze time in this moment. Now this would be prime advertising material for all these limo companies. Part of him is almost disappointed there's no camera (save for the traffic cams), but if he really stops and thinks about it... This is a moment that he wouldn't want plastered in the papers under a lousy advertisement.]}

Here, you want to aim...

_{[It's luck that the vehicle slows - it has to for the exit ramp, which gives him ample time to point at the space between it and the main drag. There's a spot right... Roche takes Reno's wrist, lining it up.]}

There. You hit it right, and that baby goes straight to Sector 4.

[ Reno leans back into Roche as he had in the car, his arm cocked back, and waits until he's been aimed properly before he lets that moneybomb rip. Just as the car starts to change lanes that diamond goes sailing up and over the railing and then plummets like a sparkling meteor to the world below and then, right after it, he hucks a second one the same way. That one hits the rail and bounces, looking for a second like the wind might take it right back into the street, but fate gives it a gentle nudge and sends it down into the slums the same as the first two. ]

That'll make someone's day. Concussion or a windfall, it all depends on your perspective.

[ Right? Life's full of hard knocks, no sense bitching about it. The last diamond in his hand he turns and slips into Roche's pocket, patting his hip where the bump of it shows through the material. ]

That last one we're gonna give as the tip to whoever's unlucky enough to serve us.

_{[And how could he ever forget it? It'll be a relief to get it out of his pocket by the time they're finished in that part of town, both because he'll be feeling it digging into his hip and because of the invisible flame against his skin. This is by far the most expensive thing he's had on his person in his entire life. Second most, if he counts The Sword.]}

Sounds like I'll have my work cut out for me between keeping an eye on the slums and wherever our waiter lives. Remind me to sniff them out tomorrow morning.

_{[Roche isn't stupid - people talk, and boy it's going to be a dogfight if any gangs find those sweet little nuggets. On the other hand if some ordinary person gets their hands on it first and the gangs come sniffing? He's no guardian angel, but someone needs to look out for the underdogs, and the slums are as under as anyone can get.

Waiting is going to be the worst part of it.]}

No matter what happens, I think we'll make quite an impression with them. Two stunning, wild dogs with appetites and hearts to match... Who could resist talking about us for the next couple months? Maybe even years?

Heh heh. You're such a good boy.

[ Tracking down and following the ripples he's just made in the slums to make sure nothing goes horribly awry? Good shit. Reno slides his hands back from Roche's pocket to feel him up, curling both arms casually around the width of his hips to squeeze his ass right there in the sunroof, their upper halves whipped with wind and the rest a naughty little secret. That their driver probably gets to see, but whatever. He trusts that Roche has him on a tight leash. He... trusts, isn't that something? Like genuinely, without reservation outside of the common sense ones that leave him never truly unprepared for a coup, but isn't that just how all regular people live? That's different. ]

Mm, yeah, I think I'm ready to be famous. We can be the new "IT" couple. Like what's her face with the whore lips and what's his face with the stupid facial hair.

[ They've already got both of those going for both of them. Reno indicates by pecking Roche's stupid chin.

And would you look at that, they're in the city proper now. It doesn't take long to go from close-to-the-highway rundown housing to the ritzy shit, mansions and high-class establishments and lights for days, as if the entirety of their mako production was made specifically to light up this area. It's stunning, really, absolutely gorgeous. The architecture, the layout of the streets and buildings, everything. A real testament to Reeve's work. And it's honestly nauseating to Reno, but that's why this is going to be so fun. Because they're gonna make a joke of it tonight and have a blast doing it. ]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject