Revelations

by Zororise17

Summary:

"Of course Rude had to realise his feelings too late, but even so he’s not sure it would’ve made any difference - there’s no way Reno would like him in that way or he’d have told him years ago."

When Reno asks Rude for his blessing to start dating Tifa, Rude's overwhelmed by the jealousy that hits him. But what's the most surprising is he's not jealous of Reno, but of Tifa.

A fic where it takes Reno going on dates with someone else for Rude to realise his feelings for his partner, but there's no way Reno could ever feel the same way, right?

Chapter 1

“Are you sure, man? I know how much she means to ya.”
“I’ve moved past that now. Besides, she never meant as much as you being happy means to me, Reno.” Rude answers honestly, and they’re not just empty words - he means it.
“Man, I’m starting to think I should date you instead,” Reno chuckles, nudging his partner playfully in the ribs, his turquoise eyes twinkling mischievously as he does so. It’s just a joke, some throwaway line, but for some reason Reno’s words awaken something in Rude, and for the first time ever the penny drops; all these years of being by Reno’s side as his partner and friend in the deadliest of situations, Rude saving Reno and Reno saving Rude time and time again, and it’s taken a lighthearted joke for Rude to realise - he has feelings for his feisty red-headed partner. The realisation hits him like a punch to the face, and it takes all of his Turks training, along with his sunglasses given how well Reno knows him, to not outwardly react to it. Instead, Rude does what he does best and puts his partner first, brushing the comment off with a chuckle before giving Reno some advice,
“If you like her, go for it. If you avoid telling her, you’ll regret it sooner or later.”
He’s aware of how much of a hypocrite that makes him, but the wide grin on Reno’s face as Rude gives him his blessing makes the pain in his chest just about bearable.

The next few weeks for Rude are painful to say the least. Reno comes racing back over to Rude’s after speaking to Tifa saying that she’s willing to give things a go with him, and although the sparkle in his eyes is a beautiful sight, Rude wasn’t expecting the jealousy that hits him - as much as he’s glad Reno’s happy, he wants that sparkle to be there because of him. He’s never been a jealous person, not even with Cloud when he had feelings for Tifa way back when, so he has no idea how to cope with these new feelings. It gets even worse when Tifa picks Reno up from work one day and they head off together on a date, Reno’s arm slung around her shoulder as Rude watches on and the image burns itself into his mind in such a way that he sees it every time he closes his eyes for the next few days. He busies himself with even more training than usual, heading to the gym in every spare minute he has until he’s in the best shape of his life, but all the muscles in the world couldn’t lift the weight that’s laying heavy on his chest. During their time as Turks, before Meteorfall and the fall of Shinra, they never had time to date anyone (well, except for Chelsea all those years ago, but that was really the only exception and it didn’t exactly end well), and although they both had the occasional hookups here and there, there were never any emotional commitments, never any actual dates or relationships, but now? Of course Rude had to realise his feelings too late, but even so he’s not sure it would’ve made any difference - there’s no way Reno would like him in that way or he’d have told him years ago, so he’s going to have to overcome these feelings sooner or later, if he could only figure out how.

About a month after Reno first confessed to Tifa, he and Rude get a rare full day off and, much to Rude’s surprise, Reno asks him if he’d like to spend it together. Rude of course says yes, and can’t ignore the little flutter in his chest when Reno’s eyes sparkle happily, for Rude this time.
“But don’t you wanna spend it with Tifa?” Rude questions, but Reno shakes his head with a shrug,
“Nah, I wanna spend it with you, partner,” he grins, “Been a while since we did something together just you and me and I wanna get that quality time in, ya know?”
His words fill Rude with more happiness than he’d care to admit, and although he simply nods he fails to stop the smile that tugs at his lips,
“See! I knew ya felt the same way big guy,” Reno chuckles, nudging Rude in the ribs in very much the same way he did when he made the joke that led to Rude realising his feelings, and he has to try very hard to stop a blush rising to his cheeks at the reminder. Luckily, Rude’s always a man of few words, and Reno’s become very good at effortlessly filling any silences left by his partner, so it’s easy to hide the fact that this series of events has left him tongue tied. The redhead goes on to suggest some crazy golf and food, followed by a movie back at his place. To Rude, that sounds remarkably like a date, but he’s not about to complain. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with spending some quality bro time with your partner, even if you do happen to have feelings for him.

The day is even more fun than Rude expected. He’d forgotten just how great spending time with Reno outside of work is - the way he lights up a room as soon as he enters, his ability to make every activity even more fun with his witty comments and one-liners, and just… him being him. Rude knows he shouldn’t, but today he actually lets himself appreciate his partner in a way he never has before (subtly of course, out of fear of being spotted - thank god for his tendency to wear sunglasses everywhere he goes); he takes in just how amazing he looks in his skinny jeans, the way he wiggles his hips before every shot he makes at the crazy golf, tongue sticking out in concentration before his inevitable celebration as he makes a great shot because of course he’s good at crazy golf too, his little victory dance and smug grin when he beats Rude after hitting a hole-in-one on the last hole. The way he leans on the table and smiles at Rude as they’re chatting at the restaurant later on, how he bobs his head slightly without even realising it when one of his favourite songs comes on while they’re waiting for their meals, his indignant yelp and far-too-adorable pout when he burns his mouth on a bit of cheese after he’s too impatient to wait for the pizza to cool down, the scent of his cologne that seems to envelope Rude in a way that’s both comforting and - oh - arousing… the list is endless, and as the night goes on Rude’s having a hard time keeping his emotions in check, especially after having a couple of beers with their meal.

Time absolutely flies, and before Rude knows it they’re back at Reno’s house and he’s carrying a crate of beers that they picked up on the way back from the restaurant while Reno’s carrying a bag of snacks they also bought, all ready for their movie night. Once inside, Reno immediately flops down on one side of the 2-seater sofa, putting the bag of snacks by his feet and glancing across at Rude, who puts the crate of beers down on the coffee table and grabs one each for him and Reno. He hands the redhead his beer and goes to sit on the chair across from his partner, but Reno stops him in his tracks,
“And where do you think you’re going?” Reno asks with a smirk that makes Rude’s stomach feel like it’s doing flips.
“I- uh…, um…,” Rude tries and fails to formulate an answer under the warm yet piercing turquoise gaze as a flood of thoughts rush through his head.
“View’s better from the sofa, and it is a two-seater,” Reno chuckles, before adding with a raised eyebrow and a teasing glint in his eye, “Unless ya wanna sit separately of course.”
‘NO,’ Rude almost blurts out without thinking, but mercifully stops himself before he does. Of course he wants to sit with Reno, but with the mess of emotions in his head right now he’s not entirely sure what the proximity will do to him. But then, he’s literally just sitting next to his friend, nothing more than that, and to refuse would be weird, so he covers his confliction up with a joke,
“Was worried you’d take over the whole sofa and kick me off,” he smirks, causing Reno to gasp in mock indignation as he places a hand on his chest,
“Ouch! I’ll have you know I’m a very considerate sofa sharer,” he insists, and this time Rude laughs properly, and is quickly joined by Reno laughing too. It’s weird, Rude realises, taking a seat by his friend as he’s still trying to catch his breath again, but Reno really is the only person who can make him laugh like that, the only person who he’s comfortable enough around to let himself laugh like that. He can’t help smiling to himself as Reno puts the movie on - it’s some cheesy comedy action movie that Rude’s never heard of, but when Reno is in hysterics at the first action sequence that leads to someone getting blown up by an explosive rubber duck, Rude knows he’s going to enjoy it.

Watching a movie with Reno is always an entertaining experience for Rude, as he gives what is almost a running commentary on the events of the movie, reacting to and commenting on every little thing that happens, which only becomes more frequent as they work their way through the snacks and the crate of beers.
“Shit, is that a fucking popsicle? Rude, he’s gonna whack him on the head with a popsicle!” Reno cackles, and Rude’s breath catches as Reno grabs his arm and gives it a squeeze to get his attention (which in all honesty has never been anywhere but on the redhead for the entire movie). Before he can say anything, Reno bursts into laughter again as the protagonist does indeed hit his opponent across the head with a popsicle, which must be made of rock or something as it manages to knock him out cold.
“Rude! Didja see that? Fuckin’ brilliant. Over the head. With a popsicle,” Reno howls, wiping away tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes. They’re at least 4 or 5 beers in now, on top of what they had at the restaurant, and judging from his hysterical laughter Reno’s clearly feeling it. Rude’s definitely feeling it too, as he finds himself stealing more and more looks at his partner and noticing over and over again just how damn attractive he is. Despite this, he still has enough brainpower to tease his friend,
“I did. I am watching it too, you know.”
Okay so that’s a lie. Rude hasn’t watched anything but Reno for the last two beers, but the redhead doesn’t need to know that.
“Hey!” Reno protests, before lightly punching Rude on the arm, “Livin’ up to your name there big guy.”
Rude lets out a mock grunt of annoyance and gently bats him on the shoulder in return, which is the catalyst for a full on wrestling match between them on the sofa, the film completely forgotten as they descend into laughter and a drunken play-fight.

Their tussle ends with Reno, still lightning fast despite the alcohol in his system, pinning Rude down against the sofa by his wrists, and leaning over him with a smug look on his face. It takes him a moment, but suddenly the reality of their situation hits Rude; he’s being pinned down by Reno, who also happens to be straddling his hips to get a better angle to hold his wrists down, and the arousal hits him so hard that his brain short-circuits. Somewhere during their fight, Rude’s sunglasses were knocked off, showing his eyes in full view and leaving him unable to hide any emotions that pass through them. He’s desperately trying to focus on preventing any signs of arousal from rising up and poking Reno in the leg, but when his partner leans in and locks eyes with him he feels the atmosphere shift. Much to Rude’s absolute astonishment, Reno’s pupils are blown out to the point where his stunning irises have been reduced to tiny blue-green rings, and he doesn’t seem to be able to tear his eyes off Rude.
“I win,” he murmurs, his eyes flicking between Rude’s eyes and his lips as he leans in even closer until his face is mere centimetres from Rude’s and the bald-headed Turk feels like he could explode. Emboldened by the alcohol, and Reno’s surprising forwardness, Rude can only think of one reply,
“Come and claim your prize then.”

Reno apparently needs no further invitation, and Rude feels like electricity is coursing through his body as his partner’s lips hungrily meet his own. Working on instinct given that the soft warmth of Reno’s lips and the way he’s still pinned down have caused any form of coherent thought to leave his head, Rude lets out a soft grunt before nipping at the redhead’s lower lip. The resulting moan that leaves his partner is quite possibly the sweetest sound he’s ever heard, and as he slips his tongue in teasingly Reno grinds down against him, an action that Rude bucks up to meet as their hips move together in what is one of the best feelings of Rude’s life. He’s had hookups, sure, but shit they’re nothing like this. Turns out that the way they so easily complement each other translates over into this too, as Reno seems to know without hesitation just how to push Rude’s buttons, how to make his skin tingle and awaken nerve endings he didn’t even know he had with the gentlest touch from his slender fingers until he feels like his entire world is Reno with the way their bodies are pressed together as they still don’t break apart from the kiss.

It’s only when Rude feels a tug on his waistband as Reno releases his wrists and reaches down to unbutton his jeans that reality hits him like a bucket of cold water; although not yet exclusive, Reno’s still seeing Tifa right now. Oh, fuck. Rude immediately reaches down and wraps his hand around his partner’s, and as Reno blinks down at him in confusion at the sudden interruption, face flushed and eyes shining with lust for Rude in a way that makes him want to say screw it and just carry on with whatever this is, he intertwines their fingers in reassurance, marvelling at just how perfectly their hands slot together - as if they were made for each other. He sighs, really not wanting to bring this up but knowing it’s the right thing to do,
“Probably gonna hate myself for this, but what about Tifa?”
Reno tilts his head for a split second, almost like he’s forgotten about the girl he’s been dating for the past few weeks after making out with his partner for all of 10 minutes (that should not fill Rude with as much satisfaction as it does), but suddenly the realisation washes over his face as his eyes widen and he lets out a string of curses.
“Shit,” he huffs, “I know Tifa and I ain’t official or anything but I should probably fucking tell her about, uh, this, shouldn’t I?”
Rude nods, before tentatively adding, “What exactly was this, partner?”
It’s a question he wouldn’t dare ask anyone else in this situation, but he needs to know. Does Reno actually have some sort of feelings for him too, or was this just a spur of the moment thing fuelled by alcohol and a lustful need for human contact? Surely it has to be more than just lust, with the way Reno was kissing him like he was the only thing in this world that mattered just moments ago, but that’s just based on subjective speculation and Rude wants to be sure. Reno pouts slightly as he thinks things through, the alcohol seeming to make his thought processes sluggish as he looks at Rude and his gaze drifts down to his lips again in a way that gives Rude butterflies.
“I… uhm…,” Reno begins, stuttering uncharacteristically as he seems to try to mull things over in his head. Rude notes that Reno still hasn’t moved from his position across his hips despite the revelation that they probably really shouldn’t be doing this right now, but he can’t find it within himself to move - not when the contact feels so incredible. Reno eyes drift back up to Rude’s, and his expression is probably the most open that Rude’s ever seen it,
“Not gonna lie, that was, uh, the best fucking kiss of my life,” Reno admits, his pale cheeks flushing pink. Rude can’t stop the gasp that escapes him at the admission. The best kiss of his life? So he does feel the same, or at least feel something for Rude. Or maybe Rude’s just a good kisser (he knows he is, but still, surely it’s not just that). As if reading his mind, because of course, Reno adds,
“And it ain’t just because you’re a good kisser, partner,” he smirks, before his expression turns a bit more serious as he breaks eye contact, “I guess… I dunno, it’s weird.”
Rude recognises this - Reno’s getting overwhelmed by whatever thoughts are going on in his head right now, and he’s about to clam up. Not on Rude’s watch, not right now. Rude gently cups his cheek and runs a thumb across one of the red tattoos just underneath his eyes. They really help to bring out their beautiful turquoise colour, but right now Rude has other priorities than admiring Reno’s eyes - as pretty as they are. Reno leans into the touch with a satisfied purr and Rude feels the tension leaving his body, his comforting gesture doing the trick.
“It was the best kiss of my life too,” Rude admits, and it’s true - he’s never felt anything anywhere close to what he just felt kissing Reno. The redhead’s eyes widen almost incredulously at this, before he lets out a wry laugh,
“Huh, looks like I really do need to talk to Tifa.”
“Apparently so,” Rude nods sympathetically, before a thought crosses his mind as he realises just how much they’ve both had to drink, “But… maybe wait until we’ve sobered up? Not because I have doubts,” he quickly adds as a look of panic flashes across Reno’s face, “But this is a decision you shouldn’t be making when you’re drunk.”
“Yeah yeah, you’re right I guess,” Reno sighs, finally lifting himself off of Rude, who immediately feels empty without the contact. Rude sits up too, gives his drunken brain chance to catch up with the movement, then stretches and stands up,
“Should probably get going,” he says, even though he really doesn’t want to, “How about meeting for breakfast tomorrow? We could talk things through then?”
“Sure, sounds good,” Reno nods with a soft smile, before pouting at his friend with absolutely irresistible puppy dog eyes, “One more kiss before you leave? Pretty please?”
Rude never has been able to say no to that face, which has led to him doing stacks of paperwork on behalf of his partner countless times in the past, and although he knows they probably shouldn’t until tomorrow, when Reno’s looking at him like that and it’s something he wants this much, he knows there’s only one answer,
“Come here,” he chuckles. Reno lets out a yelp as he wraps an arm around his waist and pulls him closer so their hips are flush against each other once again. Rude immediately feels a telltale hardness against his own growing arousal, and he almost caves to the temptation to pick Reno up and take him straight to the bedroom here and now, but he manages to control himself, instead cupping Reno’s cheek once again as he leans down to press his lips against his. The kiss is slower and somehow even more sensual than before, and by the time they break apart Rude finds himself weak at the knees.
“Woah, partner…,” Reno murmurs, and there it is - that sparkle in his eyes that Rude loves so much, all caused by kissing him.
“You’re one to talk,” Rude chuckles, slipping his shoes on and pulling out a spare pair of sunglasses rather than bothering to find the ones that got flung somewhere in their play-fight, before pulling him into one last tight hug and kissing his cheek, “I’ll pick you up first thing tomorrow, gives us plenty of time before work then.”
“Bright and early, I’ll be ready,” Reno smiles, and there’s no hint of a smirk - just a soft, gentle, open smile that has Rude almost melting, “Night, partner.”
“Goodnight, Reno,” Rude replies, resisting the urge to kiss him yet again and instead heading home to what he knows is likely to be a sleepless night.

As predicted, Rude gets very little sleep, but the rest in bed is enough time to sober up and process everything that happened the night before. The hangover starts to set in in on his walk over to Reno’s, but it’s nothing compared to the all-consuming worry that it was just a drunken impulse and that Reno is going to say as much when he sees him, that they’re great as friends and partners but that’s all he sees Rude as despite the kiss, and Rude finds his palms sweating as he knocks on the door to Reno’s apartment.

Those worries are almost immediately dissipated, however, by the wide grin on Reno’s face as he opens the door to greet him, his suit just as scandalously unbuttoned as ever and the scent of his expensive cologne enveloping Rude like an embrace, which Reno follows up with an actual embrace. It catches Rude off guard, and he freezes in surprise for a moment before happily returning the hug.
“Morning, partner,” Reno grins as they move apart, “Guess we’ve got a lot to talk about, huh?”
It’s strange to see Reno acting nervous around him - acting nervous at all really - but Rude can tell from the way he keeps fiddling with the cuffs of his shirt and adjusting his gloves that he’s just as nervous as Rude’s feeling about this whole thing. To Rude, the most baffling thing is that being in this situation with Reno should be weird, but it isn’t. Sure, he’s nervous and antsy, wondering what’s going to come out of this conversation and what all of this means going forward, but the concept of romantic stuff with Reno doesn’t seem strange at all, it just feels natural. He wonders if Reno feels the same, but it’s a very blunt question and he doesn’t want to freak him out, so he doesn’t ask, and instead leads the way to their favourite coffee shop to grab a coffee and a pastry. Rude gets a black coffee and an almond croissant, and Reno, ever the sweet tooth even first thing in the morning, gets a mocha and a cinnamon roll. Since it’s a nice morning, they decide to get it to go and head to a nearby park to chat - that way they’ll also have more privacy and less chance of anyone overhearing their conversation.

They drink their coffees and polish off the pastries on the way to the park, the caffeine giving Rude a boost and definitely perking Reno up. Once they’re there, Rude spots a bench overlooking a small pond without another person in sight and leads the way over to it. He sits down, heart starting to race, and Reno sits to his left. The way the redhead is jiggling his leg is another dead giveaway that he’s nervous, but as Rude turns to make eye contact Reno holds it steadily.
“So…,” they both say in unison, before chuckling. Reno nods to Rude to go first so, taking a deep breath, he gets straight to the point,
“I know we were very drunk last night,” he says, trying to stop his brain from running away with the memory of just how incredible it felt to be pinned down and kissed to within an inch of his life by Reno, “And some stuff was said. Just wanted you to know I meant it.”
Rude’s heart is pounding now - how, as a Turk, is this the most nerve-wracking thing he’s done in a long time? The pause between him finishing speaking and Reno speaking up is probably no more than a second, but it feels like an eternity.
“I meant it too, Rude,” Reno replies, his cheeks flushing pink, “That kiss… shit I never woulda thought a kiss could feel that fucking good.”
Rude smiles with the satisfaction of knowing Reno enjoyed the whole thing just as much as he did, but it still doesn’t answer the question he needs to ask. Luckily, Reno asks it for him,
“As great as it was, we ain’t here just to talk about how good it felt, right?”
Rude hums his agreement at this, his nerves building as Reno continues,
“I mean, I’d sure as shit do it again, but… If I’m honest yesterday made me realise a lot of stuff that I shoulda realised a long time ago, shit that I’m almost scared to admit in case we ain’t on the same page.”
The redhead bites his lip as he glances across at Rude, who is almost certain about what Reno’s implying. He hesitates for a second, scared that he’s misread the situation entirely, but then decides that enough’s enough. This whole time since realising his feelings he’s regretted not being able to tell Reno about them, yet here’s a perfect opportunity to do just that. All cards on the table and all that, and he’s sure that if he has misread the situation then their bond is strong enough to move past it. So, taking a shaky breath, he decides to just go for it,
“I like you, Reno. Not just as a friend and partner. Took me until you started seeing Tifa to realise it, but now it’s all I can think about. You’re all I can think about.”
“Thank fuck for that because I feel the same way,” Reno admits, letting out a sigh of relief, and it’s a sentence that makes Rude’s heart feel as if it could burst, “Think it took me trying to date someone else to realise it, but yesterday was the best fucking day I’ve had in a long time. Tifa’s great, but she ain’t you, partner. I’m gonna call things off with her - it’s for the best. I’ll see if she’s free to talk after work today.”
“Does that mean…?” Rude tries to ask, but he’s too nervous to finish the question.
“After that, I’m all yours,” Reno grins, and Rude feels a rush far greater than any mission could give him at the sound of Reno saying those words.
“In that case… want to come over tonight and finish what we started yesterday?” Rude asks, emboldened by Reno’s openness and the horny part of his brain that wants to experience the thrill he had last night and more.
“Sheesh, at least buy me a drink first,” Reno teases, nudging him in the ribs once again, just like before, but this time there’s no jealousy, just a pure happiness that Rude hasn’t felt for a long, long time.
“I bought that coffee you’ve just finished,” Rude deadpans, raising an eyebrow at his partner who laughs, and Reno’s laugh is so contagious that Rude is quick to join in.
“Well shit, guess I ain’t got no choice then,” Reno shrugs, grinning from ear to ear, before his eyes darken and he leans in closer to murmur, “Can’t wait to see what happens when we don’t gotta hold back.”
His words go straight to Rude’s dick, and it takes a deep breath and some very intense focus to stop himself from popping a boner in the middle of the park - a detail that, of course, Reno notices,
“Oooh, feeling alright there, partner?” Reno teases, and Rude flushes red, much to Reno’s apparent amusement as he lets out a cackle.
“Gonna make you pay for that cheek later,” Rude retorts with a smirk as Reno’s eyes light up,
“Ooo yeah, gimme,” he replies hungrily, with so much enthusiasm that it catches even Rude off guard and he realises that they’ve definitely just figured out who will be doing what later on.
“Tonight,” Rude insists, “Don’t tempt me into fucking you on a park bench.”
“I don’t think that would be such a bad idea…,” Reno purrs, leaning into Rude’s space and sending his senses into overdrive. He might have taken forever to realise just how attracted to Reno he is, but his body seems determined to make up for lost time now.
“Reno…,” Rude warns, not sure how long he can control himself if Reno keeps this up - he hasn’t even laid a finger on him and he’s already rock hard just from the teasing.
“I ain’t sayin’ we gotta do it today, just that I’m not gonna complain if you decide you wanna do it in future,” Reno grins, before his expression turns into a pout and he leans impossibly closer as he adds, “But right now… surely a little kiss won’t hurt?”
“Never could say no to that face,” Rude grunts as he cups Reno’s cheek, looking into that intoxicating turquoise gaze that makes his head swim.
“Maybe that shoulda told you something,” Reno murmurs with a smirk before closing the gap.

Rude spends most of the day at work feeling antsy, and he can tell Reno is the same from the way he’s even less able to sit still than normal. Not to mention, their hangovers hit them like a train on the way to work once the adrenaline of sorting everything out between them wears off. Reno especially looks worse for wear, alternating between cradling his head in his hands and nursing countless cups of coffee, and when Elena comes over looking primed to start teasing him about it he shoots her a death stare that has her turning on her heel and rushing back to her desk without another word. At lunchtime, Elena and Tseng head out to eat together, so Rude goes to a nearby restaurant and brings back bowls of ramen for both him and Reno.
“I know you like sweet stuff, but this will help your hangover way more,” he explains as he sets it down on Reno’s desk, “Got this electrolyte drink and some painkillers too.”
“Thanks partner,” Reno smiles, his expression openly grateful now that they’re alone, hungrily tucking into the ramen and gulping down the drink and a couple of painkillers as Rude turns to grab one last thing from the shopping bag,
“Might have got you this too,” he says, handing over a warm chocolate chip cookie from the nearby bakery and smiling as Reno’s eyes light up excitedly.
“Shit, thanks man,” he grins, with that sparkle in his eyes that Rude adores so much, “You’re the best.”
He goes to grab the cookie, but frowns as Rude moves it out of his reach,
“After you’ve had the ramen,” he says firmly, “You need the nutrients after last night.”
“Nooo please, gimme the cookie,” Reno says, making grabby hands and flashing Rude his trademark pout. It’s too adorable, and makes Rude want to give in and hand him the cookie there and then, but the only time he can ever resist The Pout is when he knows he’s doing something to help Reno’s well-being, and this is one of those times.
“Sorry Reno. Ramen first, then cookie,” he insists, and to his relief Reno relents,
“Okay fine,” he huffs, “It better still be warm when I’m done though.”
Rude chuckles to himself, turning his attention to his own food, drink, and painkillers as Reno practically inhales the rest of his ramen before looking at Rude expectantly. He sighs and gets up, walking over to Reno and handing him the bag with the cookie inside. Reno’s fingers lingers against his for a moment as he takes the bag, and Rude can feel his heart flutter slightly as the redhead looks up at him with a grin that says he knows exactly what he’s doing.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” he says innocently, and the nickname causes Rude’s stomach to do somersaults as he feels his cheek flushing bright red, drawing a cackle from Reno. Rude frowns at him slightly, but there’s no force behind it and the frown quickly turns into a small smile as he realises he could definitely get used to this. He’s battling with the thought of whether or not to give into the temptation to kiss Reno right there and then, but at that very moment Tseng and Elena return, so Rude adjusts his sunglasses with a light cough, straightens his tie and heads back to his desk as Reno tries to suppress a laugh. Tseng and Elena eye them suspiciously but, much to Rude’s relief, they don’t question it and instead return to their desks to get back to work.

The wait after work to hear the outcome of Reno’s talk with Tifa is excruciating for Rude. He knows it’s not going to be an easy conversation and he wishes he could be there with him to help him through it, but he knows this is one thing Reno has to do alone - it wouldn’t be a good look sitting in on it given the topic of conversation and Rude knows his presence would only make things worse for Tifa, which he’s absolutely not okay with. As it happens, the worrying is for nothing, as is revealed when Reno comes over about an hour after finishing work.
“Hey there, partner,” he grins, looking far less stressed than Rude was expecting.
“Conversation went well then?” Rude asks as Reno follows him through to the living room.
“Yeah, ya could say that,” he chuckles, “Let’s just say we both found ourselves in similar situations.”
“Meaning…?” Rude asks, confused as all hell about what he could mean.
“Well, Strife’s back,” he begins, and what he's implying hits Rude almost instantly before he even says any more.
“Don’t tell me…”
“Yep. She said she’s realised that although we’re great together and have a lot of fun, there’s really only one guy for her.”
Damn. Rude realises some things really are just meant to be, as cheesy as that is. But also…
“Shit. Even more glad this whole thing between us has happened now, then,” he muses, thinking just how hurt Reno could have potentially been if things had been different. The thought fills him with rage, which is completely unfounded given that the same could be said for Tifa if Cloud hadn’t come back, but he’s always been fiercely protective of Reno and although he’s usually calm and level-headed, the thought of anyone hurting his partner is one surefire way to make him angry.
“Yeah, but that ain’t really why I’m glad it’s happened,” Reno grins, taking Rude’s hand in his and unfurling his clenched fingers before intertwining them with his and squeezing Rude’s hand reassuringly. It’s definitely intended to calm him down, and thankfully it works - Rude feels the tension flowing from him as he feels the squeeze and stares into those stunning aqua eyes as Reno continues, “I just so happen to be completely single now. You and me partner, I reckon we’d be damn perfect together. I’m all yours, if you’ll have me.”
Rude could almost burst with happiness at the sight and sound of Reno uttering those words. He knows he’s right - they’re made for each other and the only crazy thing is just how long it’s taken for them to realise it. He feels a rare wide, genuine smile pass across his face as he repeats his line from that morning,
“Never could say no to that face,” he says with a chuckle, and Reno grins like a cat that’s got the cream as he lets go of Rude’s hand to wrap his arms around his shoulders and rest their foreheads together,
“Guess it’s time you show me what you’ve got, partner,” Reno smirks as their lips brush.
“I hope you’re ready,” Rude murmurs in return, all his senses alight and arousal flooding his body as their lips meet.

Chapter 2

Notes:

Time for some NSFW content😎 Let’s see what Rude has in store for his partner…

Rude’s almost overwhelmed by the arousal that hits him as soon as they kiss, but he’s determined to keep that in check; if they’re going to be together, he wants to do things right, and that includes being the perfect gentleman that he is with all of his romantic interests, even if he has known Reno for years. He cups the redhead’s cheek with one hand and feels him shiver enthusiastically under the touch before slender arms wrap around his shoulders as Reno pulls him closer with a soft, giddy laugh. Rude can empathise with that - despite his determination to take things slowly, his head is spinning just from one kiss, from knowing Reno is all his, that this is allowed and there’s nothing stopping them from doing whatever the hell they want together tonight. He feels Reno nibbling at his bottom lip, asking for entry, and even though he parts his lips to let him in, he keeps the kiss at a leisurely pace as he glides his tongue delicately along Reno’s, trying to put aside all the desperation and urgency from the night before as he gives him the most respectful treatment he can.

Soon, Reno breaks the kiss with a soft huff,
“You sure you’re still feeling it?” he asks with a slight eyebrow raise as he gently traces Rude’s stubble with a finger, a concerned glimmer in his eyes.
“Sorry. Didn’t wanna rush it,” Rude admits sheepishly, terrified he’s somehow managed to ruin everything before they’ve even started. But, much to his shock, he suddenly feels a hand cupping his dick through his trousers and sees a look of realisation pass those beautiful turquoise eyes. He flushes bright red and pleasure shoots through him as Reno gives him a gentle squeeze and he feels himself starting to stand to attention under his partner’s skilful little touches.
“You don’t gotta be a gentleman with me,” Reno practically purrs, leaning in to nibble on Rude’s ear as he whispers, “I want you to put me in my place, sweetheart.”

His words flip a switch in Rude head, and his nerves are washed away as he’s suddenly hit with an almost feral arousal at Reno’s bratty tone. Well if that’s what he wants, that’s what he’s gonna get.
“Better be careful what you wish for, partner,” Rude replies huskily, a not so subtle threat in his voice. He delights in the moan that escapes the redhead as he slams him back against a wall and promptly traps him there, easily wrapping one hand around both of Reno’s wrists and pinning them above his head as he roughly bucks up against the smaller man.
“Ruuude,” Reno groans, and the whiny, breathless way his name leaves those beautiful lips causes Rude’s last bit of self-restraint to snap. He lets out a growl and leans in to suck hard on Reno’s neck, making sure to leave a mark and show the world that this beautiful man is his, before nibbling along that tantalising sharp jawline and crashing their lips together, this time without holding back. He grinds his hips against Reno’s, pinning him even harder against the wall as he’s determined to rise to his challenge.

In mere minutes, Reno is writhing underneath him, shirt half off and breathless whines and moans escaping him as Rude pinches his nipples before sliding down to cup his crotch through his slacks. He’s already rock hard, and the redhead thrusts into the contact in sheer desperation for some stimulation.
“Look at you, so desperate for me,” Rude grunts as he watches Reno’s eyes squeeze shut and his face contort in pure pleasure, “Gonna make you beg for it. Beg for me.”
“Like fuck am I gonna beg- ahhh,” Rude cuts off Reno’s bratty response by giving his cock a firm squeeze through his trousers.
“You say something, baby?” Rude teases, but Reno simply pouts, apparently determined to stand his ground - for now. That’s fine, Rude can deal with that; he would never expect his fiery partner to make things easy for him anyway. However, he needs to remember who’s in charge here. As Reno tries to buck his hips into his hand again, seemingly unable to control himself at this point as he chases any sort of contact, Rude slides his hand across to his hip and pins him there against the wall. With his hands still above his head and hips now firmly held in place, Reno can do nothing as Rude moves to take his nipple in his mouth. A full body shiver passes through his lithe frame as Rude leisurely circles the nub with his tongue, and soft moans turn into a howl of euphoria when he sucks, hard, before tracing nips and kisses across his delicious pecs. As soon as Reno starts trying to wriggle free, Rude stops and moves back up to lock eyes with his partner. Reno is fucking stunning like this; his eyes are now half-lidded and hazy, and his mouth is parted slightly as he gasps for breath and looks at Rude with so much desire that the bald-headed Turk almost gives into the desire to carry him through to the bedroom and fuck him senseless. But that can wait - he needs to hear Reno beg for it, to put this beautiful brat in his place and make him earn what’s coming to him at some point tonight. Despite now being a complete and utter mess, there’s a stubborn glimmer in Reno’s eyes that tells Rude he’s still not going to do as he’s told, so he decides to step things up even more. He releases Reno’s wrists so he can hold him up under his arms and reach both thumbs around to circle his nipples as he grinds up against Reno at a painstakingly slow and teasing pace. It’s almost enough to make Rude beg for it, but he perseveres, revelling in the thrill of the challenge of making Reno fall apart. The redhead is completely gone now, head tossed back in bliss and nails gripping Rude’s broad shoulders as he holds on for dear life and moans Rude’s name over and over again.
“You can have what you want, if you ask nicely,” Rude rumbles.
“In your dreams,” Reno says breathlessly, a defiant smirk tugging at his lips.

Suddenly, Rude gets an idea. He resumes his slow grind against Reno, himself becoming desperate for more as their cocks press together through their slacks, and once he’s distracted and completely lost in the pleasure once more, Rude spins him round in one smooth movement so he’s facing the wall. Reno lets out a gasp, breath catching in his throat as Rude presses his still-clothed erection to his ass and leans in to whisper in his ear,
“Look at what you could have, if you could just be a good boy,” he chastises, lightly taking Reno’s ponytail in his hand as he does so. Reno glares back at him over his shoulder, but the defiance in his eyes wavers slightly. Seeing this, Rude has no doubt that if he kept this up for a few more minutes Reno would crack, but he wants him now. So, just as he opens his mouth to retort once again, Rude tightens his grip on Reno’s ponytail and gives it a harsh tug. It does the trick, as Reno lets out his loudest and most delicious moan of the night as he finally gives in,
“Ahh, fuckin- please Rude,” he groans, much to Rude’s delight.
“Please what? Use your words, baby.”
“Please, fuck me, oh my god fuck me please Rude, I fucking need you~”
The sound of the stubborn redhead begging for it is absolute music to Rude’s ears.
“Good boy,” he murmurs proudly as he picks his partner up bridal style and carries him through to the bedroom before gently placing him onto the bed. He hastily removes his suit, but when he sees Reno scrabbling to do the same with his he stops him in his tracks.
“No baby, let me take care of you, since you’ve been so good.”
All of the defiance from earlier is gone as Reno submits completely, glancing up at Rude with wide eyes,
“Please. Please take care of me,” he begs, and at the same time as Rude is filled with satisfaction at taming such a feisty brat, he’s also hit with such an intense wave of affection that he can’t help but chuckle and gently kiss Reno’s cheek as he quickly relieves him of his clothes, revealing the breathtaking body underneath. It’s no secret that Reno’s pecs are gorgeous, with him permanently having them on display for the entire world to see, but everything about Reno is gorgeous. His toned arms and shoulders with muscles that ripple with every movement, the contours of his abs, his deep v lines down to, oh god, his cock. It’s fucking beautiful - rock hard and already weeping with precum as Reno stares eagerly at Rude’s equally hard cock with flushed cheeks and hazy eyes.
“You’re fuckin’ huge,” he murmurs in awe as Rude reaches into his drawer and grabs some lube and a condom. He smiles; he’s well aware he’s above average in the size department, but he’s also aware it’s not about how big you are - it’s how you use it that counts and he’s determined to give Reno the ride of his life. He slips the condom on before flipping Reno onto his front. Turns out he still has some attitude left in him as he lifts his ass up off the bed and wiggles it expectantly at Rude. His ass looks even better now than it did in his skinny jeans back at the crazy golf, so tempting now it’s laid bare in front of him, and at that moment the older Turk decides they’ve both waited long enough. He squirts some lube on his fingers and teasingly traces around Reno’s opening for a moment before slipping a finger inside as Reno tosses his head back in a breathy moan.
“Fuck, you’re so tight, baby. Gonna have to loosen you up before you can take this cock,” Rude groans, pushing a second finger in and gently working Reno open as he lets out a slight grunt from the stimulation.
“Shh, it’s okay, you’re doing so well for me, such a good boy,” Rude praises as he pushes his third finger in, tenderly rubbing the small of Reno’s back with his free hand to help reassure his partner. The praise does the trick as Reno lets out a pleasured hum and Rude feels him completely relax around him after a few more thrusts. A shiver of anticipation rushes through him as he realises it’s time. He’s about to fuck Reno, his best friend and partner who he cares about so fucking much, and nothing has ever felt more right than this.

“You still okay with this?” he murmurs as he turns Reno over and lifts his legs onto his shoulders. Call him romantic but he wants to be able to make eye contact as they do this.
“Hell yeah, fuck me Rude,” Reno breathes, eyes wild with desire and anticipation as Rude teases his entrance. He needs no second invitation, but Reno is still quite tight so he thrusts in slowly, absolutely relishing in the feeling of being inside his partner. Reno’s eyes widen and his abs ripple with tension as Rude presses into him, and he moans his name as if it’s the most beautiful sound in the world. Rude can’t help but think that, coming out of Reno’s mouth like that, it might well be the most beautiful sound in the world, but he doesn’t ponder on this for too long. Instead, he pulls out almost all the way before thrusting in again and again, each time deeper and with more force until a wild cry leaves Reno’s lips as Rude hits his prostate. He adjusts his angle slightly before thrusting in again and again until Reno appears to lose all coherent thought and Rude almost sees stars at the feeling of the redhead contracting around him.

He knows he won’t last long, and by the look of it Reno won’t either, so he leans down to capture those perfect lips once again. The kiss is messy, sloppy, and desperate, with more teeth and nipping that should be comfortable, but combined with still being inside Reno it’s the most exhilarating thing Rude has ever felt. He reaches down to take Reno’s cock in his hand, stroking hastily to help him near his climax as Rude’s approaches at a lightning pace. It only takes two or three strokes before Reno finishes - shouting Rude’s name so loudly that he’s sure anyone within a five-mile radius could hear, and that’s fine by him. Right now, Reno is his, and only he can draw these sounds from him. The thought of that combined with the feeling of Reno contracting around him is enough to push Rude over the edge too. His vision whites out and he hears someone that must be him cry out Reno’s name as euphoria rushes through him like never before and he releases again and again into the condom before flopping down onto Reno with a grunt.

They lay there for a couple of minutes, still joined together and basking in the afterglow as Rude tries to stop his head from spinning, before Reno pushes against his chest,
“Hate to ruin the moment, but you’re kinda squishing me here, partner,” he chuckles.
Rude hastily props himself up on still shaky arms and pulls out, shivering slightly at the feeling of Reno’s cum now sticky on his abs,
“S-sorry,” he apologises, but the way Reno is smiling up at him tells him he really doesn’t mind,
“I’ll get some stuff to clean us up.”
Reno smiles gratefully, Rude revelling in this post-sex tenderness from his partner as he slips off the condom and bins it before grabbing a couple of towels. He carefully cleans Reno up first before wiping himself down as the redhead slips under the duvet. Once he’s completely sorted, Rude gladly joins him, holding out an arm in an invitation that Reno eagerly takes as he snuggles up against his partner and rests his head on Rude’s chest as Rude plays with his trademark red hair. They sit in silence for all of two seconds before Reno speaks up,
“Shiva’s tits, that was the best sex of my entire life,” he says as if in awe.
It takes Rude’s still foggy brain a moment to process what’s just being said, but when he does he feels an unfamiliar warm happiness spread through his entire body, showing through the slight pink hue he can feel dusting his cheeks,
“Likewise,” he murmurs honestly, leaning down to place a tender kiss on the top of Reno’s head.
“Sooo,” the redhead continues, turning to look up at him. Those eyes will never fail to take Rude’s breath away, just like pretty much everything about the man lying next to him. The only wonder is just how long it took him to realise how amazing Reno truly is.
“Mhm?” he hums in response. He has a feeling he knows where this is going, but this is a part of the evening he wants Reno to lead. He needs to be sure his partner actually wants this too, and if he has any doubts at all then there’s no way Rude will pressure him into making a decision tonight.
“I… I really really like you, Rude.”
The admission combined with the way Reno shyly bites his lip and fiddles with his fingers as he breaks eye contact almost makes Rude melt. How is he lucky enough for this man to have feelings for him?
“I really like you too, Reno,” he replies, and the certainty in his voice seems to give Reno the boost he needs.
“‘Course ya do, I’m amazing,” he jokes with a smirk, back to his usual self in a way that Rude knows full well is to hide his nerves more than anything, before adding, “So since we’re both on the same page… are you still up for giving things a go?”
“I’d love to,” Rude smiles, his heart warming as Reno’s eyes sparkle happily, completely and utterly for him. The significance is too much, and all Rude can do is lean down and meet Reno’s lips in a kiss. It’s tender and brief, a far cry from the rough and desperate kisses earlier in the night, but it conveys everything that they both need to say but can’t yet put into words. It might be early days, but as they break apart and Reno looks at him with open adoration, Rude has a feeling this one is going to last.

Notes:

To finish I just want to do a shoutout to everyone on the Discord server - our discussions on there definitely helped inspire a lot of this so thank you! You’re all amazing🫶❤️