Rude grabbed Reno by the front of his jacket and slammed him back into the wall. The resounding thud echoed throughout the stairwell.
“What the fuck was that for, man?” Reno asked. He stared defiantly back at Rude.
“You screwed up the assignment. All you needed to do was keep Dr. Elah alive and now he’s dead,” Rude answered, the words hissing through his clenched teeth. Rage made his hands tremble.
“Not my fault,” Reno grumbled. “I was taking a piss when the guy blew up.”
Rude’s hands tightened around the fabric he was clutching, knuckles flashing white. “It was your duty and responsibility to make sure he didn’t blow up.”
“How exactly was I supposed to do that? It’s not like I put the bomb there in the first place,” Reno retorted with an edge of anger in his voice. “Damn blast knocked me on my ass. If it had been any bigger, you would’ve been scraping me off the wall. So don’t get in my face with that duty and responsibility shit. No one planted a bomb on my watch. It must have been there all along or somethin’.” He shrugged.
“Always an excuse,” Rude muttered as he slowly unclenched his fists and released his hold on Reno’s clothing.
Reno cracked a smile and tugged on the hem of his suit jacket, straightening it. “Yeah, well, you know me. C’mon, Rude, let’s go write up our report then get out of here. I wanna get drunk and you seriously need to relax.”
Rude watched Reno turn toward the door, watched him take the two steps needed to reach it, watched as he put his hand on the latch. Suddenly, his partner’s words soaked into his mind and the reality that he’d been so close to losing the one person he cared for above all else became clear. If the bomb had been larger… If Reno had been standing near Dr. Elah when it exploded… If…
There were too many ifs and too many chances for things to have gone wrong. Reno was always taking unnecessary risks, was always being reckless. He never considered the results of his actions and how they affected others. Never considered how the glibness of his words sounded to those who valued him. He never took anything seriously, but it wasn’t fair of him to stand there and act like what happened meant nothing.
The irrational anger that held Rude in its grip grew out of proportion. Rage threatened to swallow him whole. Before Reno could open the door, Rude seized him by the shoulders and spun him around. Reno’s face reflected surprise.
“You should think of others,” Rude snarled and yanked Reno close. He silenced Reno’s protest with a ferocious kiss that lasted until they were both gasping for air and Reno was leaning willingly against him.
“Damn,” Reno panted. “I forget how intense you become when you’re really worked up. Maybe we should just knock off and head home. I can help you get rid of some of that excess energy you seem to have.”
Rude slowly shook his head. “Why waste time going home? Here’s as good a place as any, don’t you think?”
Reno’s reply was lost under the bruising pressure of Rude’s mouth, but Reno’s body, with the way it writhed against his own, gave Rude all the answer he needed. Not that he expected Reno to be anything other than acquiescent. After all, when did Reno ever pass up a chance to fuck?
Thoughts of Reno’s wantonness only fueled Rude’s anger and he drew back from the kiss to nip harshly at Reno’s bottom lip, earning a moan of pleasure and pain intermingled. One of his hands fumble inside Reno’s jacket, finding the inner pocket and the small bottle of lube the man always kept there. He pulled it out and growled low in his throat, “Slut.”
Reno’s eyes widened briefly and a smile curved his kiss-abused lips. “Your slut,” he purred.
“Yes. Mine.” Rude pressed the bottle into Reno’s palm then grabbed his wrists, turning him around to face the wall with his arms above his head. “Stay,” Rude ordered, knowing Reno would obey him, knowing it turned Reno on to do so.
Impatient hands unfastened Reno’s pants, tugging them and a pair of black briefs down to his ankles before those same hands hurriedly opened the front of Rude’s trousers and pulled out his hard cock. Leaning close, he rubbed his erection along the cleft of Reno’s ass, wordlessly teasing and taunting him with the anticipation of what was to come.
Reno spread his legs as far as he could manage despite the binding of pants and underwear around his ankles. He pushed back against Rude, trying to entice him. Reno liked testing Rude’s limits, liked knowing that Rude couldn’t resist him any longer. It was a game they played; one of many games that Reno played. Rude realized he was tired of the games. He’d thought, foolishly enough, that their relationship would change, would mature after they both admitted their love for each other. Only, in Rude’s anger muddled mind, nothing had changed at all.
He slid a foot between Reno’s legs and swept it sideways with a fast, hard motion, knocking Reno off balance enough that he had widen his stance or fall. There was the sound of fabric ripping, but Rude neither knew nor cared which garment had given way.
“Hey,” Reno protested, glaring at Rude over his shoulder. “I gotta put those back on, ya know.”
Rude answered Reno with a grunt and grabbed his hair, pulling Reno’s head back as he leaned forward and once again claimed his lips in another punishing kiss. He felt Reno trying to pull away, but Rude persisted until Reno grew pliant and breathed out a low moan. He moved his mouth to Reno’s throat, tracing its curve with lips and tongue as he reached up with his hand to pluck the bottle of lube free.
Releasing Reno’s hair, he leaned back and heard Reno make an impatient sound low in his throat. Knowing his partner’s eyes were upon him, Rude opened the bottle and poured a generous amount of the liquid into his palm before coating his cock with it. He made a show of covering every single inch until the hard, heated skin was slick and beads of precome glistened on the tip. He then poured more over his fingers before capping the bottle and putting it inside his own jacket.
Two slick fingers rubbed along the seam of Reno’s ass, unerringly finding his tight opening and circling it, spreading the lube quickly before Rude pushed the fingers inside, thrusting deep as Reno moaned again. Rude stretched his lover with a quick efficiency meant more to ease the impending entrance of his cock than to pleasure Reno, although from the noises his lover was making, it was obvious that some pleasure was being experienced. A third finger briefly joined the other two before Rude deemed Reno ready to be fucked.
He spread the cheeks of Reno’s ass with one hand and guided his cock with the other, taking it slow only long enough to slide the head of his cock inside before thrusting the rest of way with a sharp snap of his hips. Reno sucked in a breath as his muscles clamped down on Rude’s cock, causing Rude to groan at the incredible tightness clutching him. He knew he wasn’t going to last long.
His fingers dug into the flesh of Reno’s hips, pulling Reno onto his cock and pushing him off as he relentlessly drove into Reno’s body. Rude’s breathing was shallow and harsh to his own ears as he fucked the man beneath him hard and fast, the sound of skin slapping against skin mingling with the litany of moans and obscenities falling from Reno’s mouth.
His mind, fueled by anger-driven lust, conjured images of his lover with others, countless others, using the same words and the same movements of his body to make them feel the same pleasure. Rude growled as jealousy overwhelmed him, and he gripped Reno’s hips tighter, bruising the pale flesh beneath his hands as he pounded into Reno at a furious, uncontrolled pace. He came with a shudder and a loud moan as his cock emptied deep inside Reno, his vision dimming for several seconds as he rode out the intensity of his climax. Rude was only vaguely aware of Reno as he found his own release with a shouted, “Oh, fuck!”
The anger Rude felt melted away as his cock softened; it was gone completely by the time he slipped out of Reno’s well-used hole. He staggered back a step, briefly balancing himself with a hand against the wall as he pulled a handkerchief from its front pocket and used it to clean himself off. He held it out to Reno who took it without a word, using it as best he could. Rude tucked his cock back into his pants and straightened his clothing.
A moment after he’d finishing buttoning the last button on his jacket, Reno’s fist hit him, catching him by surprise and knocking him on his ass. Rude stared up at Reno, sunglasses sitting askew on his face.
“What the hell was that for?” he demanded, rubbing his throbbing jaw.
Reno stood over him, shaking the hand with which he’d just struck Rude. “That’s for ripping my pants, asshole,” he spat. “Just because I let you fuck me, doesn’t make me your bitch. Got it?” Before Rude could reply, Reno threw the soiled handkerchief on the floor in front of him and turned away, yanking open the door and walking out of the stairwell.
Rude rose to his feet and straightened his sunglasses before rubbing his fingers over his bruised jaw. He stretched his mouth open until he heard it pop back into place, grimacing at the twinge of pain that followed. Smoothing the front of his suit jacket, he headed for the door, pausing long enough to pick up his handkerchief and shove it into his pants’ pocket before departing in search of his pissed-off partner.
The common work area was devoid of people. Hardly surprising considering the late hour, but Rude was relieved not to have to deal with any questioning looks as he made his way to the space he shared with Reno and sat down at his desk. He spared a quick glance at the desk opposite his, taking mental note of the scattered papers and the missing electro-mag rod, Reno’s weapon, which always became a paperweight whenever they were out of the field. It was obvious to Rude that Reno had come and gone quickly.
With a heavy sigh, Rude removed his sunglasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to ward off the headache that was currently vying with his sore jaw for most intolerable source of pain. He closed his eyes and attempted to will away the budding annoyance as his mind slowly played through recent events. He regretted his behavior toward Reno, but, at the same time, he still felt a pang of the anger that had been the catalyst for his actions in the stairwell.
“Has the wife been abusing you?” a masculine voice asked, causing Rude to jerk his head upright and stare at the sight of his boss, Rufus Shinra, sitting across from him at Reno’s desk. How long the man had been there, he had no idea.
“Excuse me, sir, but I don’t see how it’s any of your business,” Rude carefully replied, unable to gauge Rufus’ current mood. The man was smiling, but Rude knew him well enough to know that his smile could mean almost anything.
“Considering yours and Reno’s little escapade in the stairwell was caught in its entirety by the security cameras, I would say that it is most definitely my business,” Rufus answered. “I found the whole thing rather stimulating to watch; you and Reno put on a good show. However, I must say that I agree with Reno and, had I been him, I would have shot you rather than punched you for your behavior.”
“While I respect your opinion, sir, I still don’t see how it’s… wait, did you just imply that you not only saw us but heard us as well?” Much to Rude’s chagrin, he felt his skin flush in embarrassment at the thought of his boss watching and listening to him and Reno. He’d completely forgotten about the security cameras.
“Yes, I most certainly did, Rude. I’m pleased to know you were paying close attention when I spoke. The security system has an audio function for all the cameras, although only I have access to the code that turns it on. As President, I must be aware of all aspects of my company. Perhaps watching two of my top Turks rutting like animals isn’t exactly high priority, but it does prove to be visually interesting. Especially when one of those Turks is Reno. He’s a good fuck, isn’t he, Rude? I’m rather surprised you held out as long as you did. I’d expected Reno to get you into his bed long before the night of Tseng’s party.”
Rude’s eyes widened at Rufus’ words. He already knew that Rufus and Reno used to fuck before he and Reno had started their relationship, but he hadn’t known that Rufus was aware of what happened at Tseng’s party. Reno once told Rude that he’d never told anyone how he and Rude had fucked for the very first time in Tseng’s bathroom. He’d said it was too good a secret to share, especially since he didn’t want Tseng ever finding out.
Rufus folded his hands atop Reno’s desk and leaned forward in the chair, a hint of amusement in his tone as he asked, “Surprised that I know? Do you think it was Reno who told me, Rude? Do you think he told me all about how you fucked him in Tseng’s bathroom while I had him bent over my desk and fucked him myself?”
Rude sat back in his chair, hands falling to his lap where they balled into fists, unseen by Rufus. “No, sir, I don’t think Reno told you anything, and I know he stopped fucking you after he and I started,” he said, finding it difficult to keep his growing irritation from seeping into his voice.
“He told you that, did he?” Rufus waited for Rude to nod before continuing, “And you believed him?” Rude nodded again. “Good. That means you aren’t a completely jealous idiot. I find jealous idiots far too difficult to deal with. Now Rude, I want you to listen to me very carefully because I don’t usually interfere in the romantic lives of others and I certainly don’t like to repeat myself.”
Once more, Rufus paused to let Rude nod his head in understanding and affirmation. “While I have no objections to your relationship with Reno and, in fact, approved of it when it began, I do have several problems with this current trend of behavior on your part. For one thing – and I want to be very clear about this – Reno was in no way at fault for Dr. Elah’s unfortunate and messy demise. The post-mortem indicates that the explosive device was inside the doctor and had been put there surgically at some point prior to yours and Reno’s assignment. If Reno had been in the same room with Dr. Elah at the time of detonation, I would be looking for a replacement Ace and you would be minus one lover.”
Rude unconsciously shuddered at the thought.
“That’s what set you off, isn’t it?” Rufus narrowed his gaze at Rude, causing Rude to shift in his chair. “You disguised it by claiming you were angry over Reno’s supposed failure to do his duty, but the fact is that you were scared by the idea that Reno could have died.” Shaking his head, Rufus clucked his tongue. “Why do these things always become so complicated? I expected better from you, Rude.”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand your meaning, sir,” Rude said with a frown.
“No, of course you don’t. You don’t even realize it yourself, do you?”
“Realize what, sir?”
“That you’re in love with him,” Rufus stated.
“I’m already aware of that fact, sir, as is Reno. Again, I don’t see how this has anything to do…”
Rufus interrupted him, holding up a hand to indicate that Rude should stay silent for the time being. “You’re letting your feelings blind you, and that is something I simply cannot and will not stand for, Rude. Reno’s had your back for years and he’s never let you down. The two of you are a strong team. You balance each other. But now you’re letting your private life interfere with your professional life. If that continues, I will reassign both you and Reno without hesitation. Is that what you want?”
“No, it’s not. Of course it’s not. Reno and I have been partners for the better part of eight years. We’ve always worked best together,” Rude replied, forcing himself to keep his voice quiet and steady. “Your point, however, is taken. It won’t happen again, sir.”
Rufus arched an eyebrow at Rude, obviously not convinced by the Turk’s last words. “If only it were that easy, Rude. I believe you will soon learn otherwise.” He pushed the chair away from the desk and stood, scrutinizing Rude for several moments. “You are correct in saying that you and Reno have always worked best together. Up until now. I have, however, said what I came to say. The rest is up to you. Remember, I will not tolerate any more personal disruptions on company time. Keep your disagreements with your boyfriend private.”
Before Rude could say anything else, Tseng walked into the room, holding a coat over one arm. “Mr. President, we need to depart soon. The reception is scheduled to begin in less than fifteen minutes and you are giving the opening speech.”
“I was just finishing up here, Tseng,” Rufus replied as he walked away from Rude, joining Tseng and slipping into the coat held out for him. Rude watched as Tseng buttoned Rufus’ coat with practiced care, watched the way Rufus’ gaze followed Tseng’s every movement. He now knew Reno was right about the two men being a couple, although he wasn’t sure how he had failed to notice before. It seemed so obvious.
“Ah, Rude, one more thing,” Rufus said as he and Tseng turned to regard Rude, but it was Tseng who spoke next.
“Reno informed me before he departed that he would be staying with Elena should I need to contact him. I thought you should know. Goodnight, Rude.” Rude inclined his head at Tseng, acknowledging the imparted information. Together, Tseng and Rufus left the room.
==========
Rude let himself into his apartment, closing and locking the door behind him. The headache he’d been battling in the office had exploded full force in the car, making his eyes ache with the pain of it. His jaw still hurt and his already sour mood had turned completely foul after listening to Rufus. Shrugging out of his suit jacket, he tossed it to the back of the couch then loosened his tie and unfastened the top button of his shirt. He was tired, but sleep would be a long way off tonight.
Heading into the kitchen, Rude opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of beer. Twisting off the cap, he downed half the bottle’s contents in one gulp, relishing the cold slide of liquid down his throat. He had a feeling this beer would not be his last. For a moment, he toyed with the idea of getting completely drunk. A hangover would prove the perfect excuse for calling in sick tomorrow.
Only that wasn’t Rude’s style. It was Reno’s. Rude was the one who always made sure Reno dragged his ass out of bed each morning. Made sure he and Reno made it on time – mostly – to work each and every day. But Reno wasn’t here, Rude reminded himself. According to Tseng, he was staying with Elena.
Rude finished off his first beer and reached into the fridge for a second, opening it and tossing the cap to the counter before leaving the kitchen and heading into his bedroom. Making his way to the bed, he turned on the lamp beside it. A glance around the room was enough to convince him that Reno was planning on staying at Elena’s indefinitely. The floor was devoid of his clothing and shoes and a quick peek into the adjoining bathroom revealed that all of Reno’s toiletries and hair grooming products, of which there were several, were missing.
He sat down on the edge of the bed, took another swig of his beer and thought back over the day’s events. There was no doubt in his mind that he had behaved badly in regards to Reno. At the same time, part of him still felt his reactions were justified. Hadn’t he proven that Reno was only after a good time regardless of repercussions?
Reno didn’t care that the man he’d been assigned to protect was killed. Reno didn’t care that he nearly died as well. All Reno cared about was having fun and getting fucked. Rude was the one currently doing the fucking, but sometimes he couldn’t help wondering how much that fact mattered to Reno. Yes, Reno had told Rude he loved him, but in the more than eight years Rude had known Reno, this was both Reno’s first exclusive relationship and his longest. Of course, his own track record wasn’t much better. He’d been in a few short-term relationships, but before Reno, Rude had never cared this deeply about another person.
He took a long pull from his beer and wondered when and how the situation between him and Reno got so complicated. One thing for certain, sitting there and brooding wasn’t going to fix it. He needed to talk to Reno. Getting up from the bed, Rude set his bottle down on the nightstand and pulled his phone from the front pocket of his pants. Flipping it open, he hit the speed dial number for Reno and waited for him to answer.
“Yeah?” Reno asked, impatience clear in his voice.
“It’s Rude.”
“I know. What do you want?”
Rude frowned at the curtness of Reno’s words. “I thought we should talk.”
He heard Reno sigh. “Look Rude, it’s been a long day. I’m tired and my ass is sore. I don’t feel much like talkin’ right now. We’ll catch up at work tomorrow, okay?”
Rude wanted to say more, but sighed and agreed instead. “Okay, tomorrow. Do you need a ride in to work? I can come…”
“No,” Reno interrupted, “I’ll ride in with Elena. Night, Rude.” There was a click and the call ended.
Rude closed his phone, put it down and picked up his beer. He finished it off and placed the empty bottle back on the nightstand. Slowly he undressed, leaving his clothing on the floor in an untidy heap. He slipped between the sheets and reached up to turn off the light. Alone in the dark, Rude realized how strangely quiet the night was. With Reno there, it was rarely ever quiet. If Reno wasn’t watching the television, playing some video game, or talking about something he heard about at work, he was usually moaning as Rude fucked him.
But Reno wasn’t there; Rude was acutely conscious of how cold the bed was without him. He tugged the blankets up to this chin and closed his eyes, trying not to think about how alone he felt. Both his body and mind were well aware how empty the bed was without Reno’s warm presence, making sleep difficult.
Rude tossed and turned restlessly, unable to get comfortable. Sitting up, he grabbed one of the other pillows and piled it on top of his own before he flopped back against them and closed his eyes again… only to find himself completely inundated by Reno’s scent. It clung, spicy with a hint of musk, to the pillowcase beneath his head. He breathed in and out slowly, letting the smell fill his senses as it comforted and relaxed Rude until sleep finally claimed him.
==========
Without Reno there to encourage him to sleep in or to distract him with a lazy bout of morning sex, Rude found himself going into work earlier than usual. He wasn’t the first one in the office, but he was one of only a few. Rufus and Tseng were already ensconced in Rufus’ office having a meeting, but that wasn’t out of the norm. Rod and Mica arrived together shortly after Rude and headed down for a workout in the gym before their shift started in another hour. He considered joining them, but didn’t want to miss the chance to talk to Reno.
Another hour passed before Reno finally arrived with Elena. Rude heard their laughter long before he saw them. Pushing aside the half finished report he’d been working on, he stood and waited for the pair to come into view.
“You’re incorrigible, Reno. You’re also a blanket thief. I froze my butt off last night, thanks to you,” Elena complained, unable to keep from smiling.
“Yeah? Well, you snore. Not going to get Tseng into your bed if you’re sawing logs loud enough to wake the dead, Elena. Not very ladylike, ya know?” Reno teased back.
“Fuck you, Reno,” Elena retorted in between her giggling. “I don’t know how Rude puts up with you.”
“Ask him yourself. He’s standing right over there,” Reno pointed out, his smile broadening as he glanced from Elena to Rude.
Elena blushed brightly. She stammered a quick, “Sorry Rude,” before she retreated toward her desk, leaving Reno and Rude alone.
“Hey,” Reno said as he approached his own desk and rested one hand on the back of his chair. “You been here long?”
“Not long,” Rude lied. Deep down he knew that there was nothing going on between Elena and Reno, but at the same time he couldn’t help reacting to the sight of them together or to the knowledge that Reno had shared Elena’s bed. “I thought we could talk before our shift started.”
Reno shook his head. “Sorry man, it’s gonna have to wait until after our shift. Tseng called Elena’s and said that he wanted us to run some errand for him outside of Edge. How about we meet up at your place later? I gotta do a couple of things right after work, but I can stop by after that.”
Rude frowned and voiced his confusion. “Tseng’s put you on assignment with Elena?”
“Guess so,” Reno replied with a shrug. “In fact, I need to get going; Elena’s waiting. I’ll see you later, okay?”
Rude could do little but nod. “Yeah, see you later. My place, right?”
“Right,” Reno said, giving Rude a half-wave as he walked off.
He stood staring at the empty space Reno had left, still frowning and confused by the fact that Reno, his partner, was out on assignment with someone else.
“It’s not a permanent situation, if that’s what you’re concerned about,” Tseng said as he stepped up beside Rude. “After being informed of yours and Reno’s infraction yesterday in the stairwell, I felt it was necessary to temporarily reassign you two for the current shift. Since Rufus will be in meetings here for the entire day, you will be assisting me in the completion of several overdue reports.”
Turning to face Tseng, Rude inclined his head briefly. He wasn’t pleased with the situation, not one bit, but Tseng had every right as leader of the Turks to deal out such a punishment. All things considered, he knew he was getting off with a light slap on the wrist for his behavior, at least professionally. Personally… well, that all depended on his talk with Reno later.
==========
Rude jabbed the up button of the elevator and waited impatiently for it to arrive. Tseng kept him busy with paperwork for over nine hours straight. By the time Tseng had announced they were done for the day, the place was devoid of everyone save Rufus who was still in midst of a meeting. Worried that Reno would get to his place, find he wasn’t there, and leave, Rude drove home at a reckless speed.
A loud ding heralded the arrival of the elevator. Rude stepped in, pressing the button for the seventh floor. The doors closed and the elevator rose smoothly upwards, depositing him on the correct floor without interruption. When the doors reopened, he was relieved to see Reno standing outside his apartment.
“Hey, there you are,” Reno said as Rude strode down the hallway.
“It was a long day,” Rude replied. “Filled with a lot of paperwork. Why didn’t you let yourself in?” he asked. Pulling his keys out of his pocket, he opened the door and walked inside.
“I don’t have the key. I left it on the table before I went to Elena’s. Guess you didn’t notice,” Reno answered, following Rude into the apartment. “Besides, I have my own place now. Just rented one of the empty apartments on the fourth floor.” He held up a set of keys and jingled them.
“You rented an apartment? Why? Are you breaking up with me?” The anomalous words were out of Rude’s mouth before he could stop them.
Reno chuckled. “You sound like a woman when you say that kinda shit. No, we’re not breaking up. I just figured if you didn’t really want to be in love with me, then you probably didn’t really want to live with me either. So I needed somewhere to crash.”
“I never said…” Rude began, then fell silent as he thought over what Reno had just said. He wanted to refute Reno’s conclusions, but at the same time he realized he couldn’t. Not fully and not truthfully. His relationship with Reno had been far less complicated when they were simply fucking each other and not confessing love. A sigh escaped Rude’s lips and he rubbed a hand along his brow, trying to ease the sudden build-up of tension there. “So what happens now?”
Reno shoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged his shoulders. “You tell me. We’ve been partners for a long time, Rude. That’s not gonna change. As for the rest, that’s up to you. You already know how I feel.”
“It’s not that I don’t care about you, Reno. I do. I just… I don’t know about the rest of it. I wish I could tell you that you’re wrong, but I think you may be right. I’m sorry I hurt you,” Rude replied.
“Nah, I’m fine. Well, other than my ass still being sore. It felt good at the time, but I don’t like the idea of sex as a punishment unless I specifically ask for it, got it? Same goes for spanking, whipping or any of that other kinky shit. Time and place, you know?” Reno flashed him a smile.
Rude blinked back at Reno. “Are you saying you still want to…”
“Fuck? Of course. You don’t?”
“I do. I just thought you wanted the rest of it, too.”
“Look, if you’d prefer to just keep things at the fuck buddy level, then that’s what we’ll do. I figure I’m still getting what I want, and that’s you. You still want me, right?”
Rude nodded.
“Cool,” Reno said. “That’s all settled. Anyway, can I stay here until my new place is ready? Elena’s couch is a bitch to sleep on and her bed is too small. And damn if that girl doesn’t snore loud enough to shake the walls.”
“You don’t have to ask permission to stay, Reno. You never do. Take your key back.” Rude reached out to brush the knuckles of one hand along Reno’s cheek. “I’ve gotten used to sharing the bed with you.”
Reno leaned into the caress. “Yeah, me too. I’m keeping the apartment though. I always did like having my own space.”
“But you’ll stay here most of the time?” he asked.
Reno nodded. “Sure. I just need to grab my stuff out of my apartment. I didn’t know how our talk was going to go, so I left it all there.”
“Alright. How about we order takeout when you get back?” Rude suggested.
“Sounds good.” Reno closed the gap between himself and Rude, looped an arm around Rude’s neck and pulled him down into a toe-curling, cock-hardening kiss. When it ended, Rude found himself already breathing harder. He reached for Reno, intent on claiming another kiss, but Reno stopped him with a hand on his chest. “Sorry big boy, but that’s all you’re getting tonight. I meant it when I said my ass was still sore. Besides, you were a real prick to me yesterday.”
“I’m sorry I hurt you,” Rude repeated. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I want to make it up to you, if you’ll let me.” His fingers skimmed over Reno’s jaw, thumb briefly tracing the line of his bottom lip.
“I think giving me a blowjob would be a good start. We’ll go from there,” Reno quipped before tugging Rude into another hungry, breath-stealing kiss.