urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nishi_shinji 西園 伸二 西園 伸二 2038-01-19T03:14:07Z urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nishi_shinji:23117 2038-01-19T03:14:07Z 2038-01-19T03:14:07Z <b>Title:</b> Adaptation<br /><b>Fandom:</b> Final Fantasy VII<br /><b>Pairing:</b> Hints of Rufus/Reno<br /><b>Rating:</b> PG<br /><b>Warnings:</b> Reno + tequila = unrepentant butchering of classic rock lyrics.<br /><br /><b>Summary:</b> “No, Sir. This is a relatively tame night, all things considered. It’s much worse when he’s had whisky.”<br /><br /><b>Notes:</b> A short apology for not having updated with any real substance for awhile.<br /><br /><a name="cutid1"></a><br />“No one knows what it’s like—“<br /><br />Rufus tried to dodge Reno’s sideways fall, but to no avail. Reno’s surprisingly heavy arm fell across his shoulders, and the next lyrics of the song Reno was singing came in a puff of hot, tequila-scented breath against his jaw.<br /><br />“—ta be th'bad man—“<br /><br />“<i>This</i> is what your team does every night after work?” Rufus snapped at Tseng, annoyed with having Reno’s stumbling weight suddenly resting squarely against his shoulder.<br /><br />Tseng, who looked completely sober despite having shared an entire bottle of vodka with Rude, shook his head. “No, Sir. This is a relatively tame night, all things considered. It’s much worse when he’s had whisky.”<br /><br />“Ta be th'sad man,” Reno added a mournful, off-key slur.<br /><br />Rufus huffed and wrapped an arm around Reno’s waist to guide him away from the trash can he’d almost staggered into. After having seen the way his employees represented ShinRa Electric while off-duty, he had half a mind to tell them that they were no longer allowed to imbibe alcohol. But then he realized that doing so would more or less be akin to asking Reno not to eat or breathe, and he abandoned the thought with a sigh.<br /><br />“Behind blue eyes,” Reno warbled, head thrown back as if his inability to carry a tune was as agonizing to him as it was to everyone else.<br /><br />Rufus watched with equal parts irritation and disbelief, then arched an eyebrow at Tseng and asked, “And it never occurs to you that most people would be ashamed to be seen with him in this state?”<br /><br />Tseng gave a slight shrug and glanced at Reno before looking back at Rufus. “We adapt, Sir.”<br /><br />“Hey, you’ve got blue eyes,” Reno drawled, gazing up at Rufus with an expression of utter adoration. “You’ve got real pretty blue eyes.”<br /><br />Rufus blinked, then scowled and looked away. But when Reno burst into the next verse of the song with renewed energy, he couldn’t quite keep the corners of his lips from twitching.<br /><br />“But my dreams, they ain’t as empty,” Reno crooned, “as my conscience seems to be…”<br /><br />“You’re going to wake the entire neighborhood,” Rufus grumbled under his breath.<br /><br />“Don’t matter, boss,” Reno replied, and more or less twined himself around Rufus. “Anyone fucks with ya, they gotta answer to me, yo.”<br /><br />Rufus had an acerbic remark ready on the tip of his tongue, but it dissolved along with his annoyance when Reno beamed up at him. <br /><br />When he finally looked away, he caught Tseng watching. Their gazes met, and Tseng gave him a slight nod. “As I said, Sir: we adapt.”