A/N: sorry I'm no lazy everyone :s I've actually had this story done since May, but I haven't been typing it up. Also, I need an editor for this and Yesterday (since I reviewed them and was amazed at the dumb mistakes I've made. (See 'cars' to 'cats' in the last chapter of Yesterday, boy was that bad). So, anyone who's interested and knows what they're doing! .; (Of course, it's best if you're actually interested in the stories! )

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His heels tapped and clicked against the metal frame of the too-small cot, gaze shifting between his cold electromag rod and the dusky neck that belonged to his boss. The man was bent over who-knew-what, the thing in his fingers firmly away from his line of sight. Reno sneered to himself and turned back to his weapon, methodically shining its surface.

He looked back quickly when Tseng turned around, but there was nothing unusual about his appearance at all. What the hell had he been looking at, his nails? He growled under his breath and repressed a wince, body screaming at him to stop moving so much.

There was something very strange about going on a mission with anyone but Rude, especially with the inexhaustible tension between him and the man that had helped invade his home. He knew Rufus had made a strong point contesting Reno being out of sight of either of them- if he could be apart from them then he could release his frustrations and therefore the problem would not be shared nor removed. He still didn't like it. Didn't they realize they were making things worse?

Reno watched surreptitiously as Tseng removed his jacket, shoes and socks, loosening his tie. The first three buttons of his shirt were opened and he stretched back on the bed, folding one arm behind his head as he stared at the ceiling, feet crossed at the ankles. Dark hair, though still brushed back in a low ponytail, splayed across the pillow; he brushed some aside with long, white fingers, slipping his cell out of his pocket. He pressed the first speed-dial without tearing his gaze away from the pattern of bumps on the ceiling, exotically-shaped eyes finally flickering closed as he drawled into the speaker. "Just talk."

Head rolled to the side, Reno watched the man with greedy openness- bright green flickered over a sharp cheekbone and a strong jaw, the man's straight nose (with just the faintest upward curve at the end), even the pulse point in his wrist, barely exposed by an unbuttoned cuff. He held his breath as Tseng talked to someone who could only be Rufus, shutting his eyes with the finality of surrender when he saw the faint but definite smile that curved the man's thin lips as he listened to the blonde's voice.

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It had been a week since their last mission and a good month and a half since his place had been overrun. A fucking month and a half. He was going completely stir-crazy; it was completely impossible to sleep. The covers were too hot, the moon too stark through the naked window and the red numbers of his alarm clock were burning into his retina. Silence pressed all around him, a faint buzzing caused as his ear strained towards the room on the other side of the wall. He couldn't get Tseng's smile out of his head- nor the fact that it had never been intended for him. He'd never really thought he had the barest shot for Rufus, but Tseng had been almost there. It had been slim, but there had been a chance; not anymore. He was completely taken in by Rufus. Completely.

"This is completely useless," he muttered sullenly, almost wincing at the startling loudness of his voice compared to the emptiness a moment ago. He sat still, afraid of the sudden change he had caused before shaking the feeling off. He threw the tangled covers to the floor and slid out of bed, padding towards the kitchen. He gritted his teeth as he moved quietly, feeling as though the slightest noise more would wake on or both of the men in the other room.

He settled down with a bowl of dulce de leche (his rocky road seemed to have conveniently vanished) and a glass of water (Scarlet and Reeve wouldn't believe it; probably not even Elena.) He stared vaguely into the air as he ate, though the frequency of his bites left him more drinking the odd caramel-cream residue more than eating ice cream, and wondered what he'd ever done for his life to turn upside down like this.

He sat still for quite a while, glancing at the oven time ever so often. At the latter end of the 2 o'clock range, he was joined by a faintly haggard-looking Wutaian. Aquamarine watched the handsome man with a sort of hazy, detached interest, Reno making no move to greet him nor ask and yet wondering repeatedly why he would be awake, and even then, why would he leave Rufus and his sanctuary?

"I can't sleep as well as Rufus," the man told him without being asked, setting a kettle to boil. A thin red brow went up and Tseng glanced back once before finding the necessary ingredients for a calming tea. "Stress-tied insomnia," he clarified quietly.

The hazy edges of Reno's late-night world were thrown into relief and his eyes narrowed dramatically. Jaw working almost angrily, he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest defensively. "So sorry I'm stressing you out," he gritted out, highly insulted, as he had a right to be.

"I'm worried about you," he told the scrawny man gently, almond eyes fixed on the counter as he waited for the water to boil.

"Because you're afraid I'll get President Shinra killed?" he sneered, head jerking to the side. Tseng shifted to face him, leaning against the counter to hold gazes with Reno. He was not impressed, and yet nothing in his stance and expression showed anger nor resentment.

"I'm afraid you'll get yourself killed." His voice was not elevated, and yet was just as painful for Reno to here, the words cutting through him. He sunk in his seat, shoulders slumping as his arms hung limp beside him. He felt dumbfounded and cheated. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Tseng could care, but just not quite enough. It wasn't fair that Rufus had gotten there first and it wasn't fair that day and night (though perhaps not all night if this said anything of their typical behavior) they could be- and were- together. It wasn't fair that (one of) the object(s) of his dreams was standing in front of him in the middle of the night/obscenely early morning, telling him that he was important when he knew he wasn't nearly as important as he wanted to be. It just wasn't fucking fair! "Don't say that," he muttered quietly, wishing that he had been able to control the pathetic, pained edge of his voice a little better.

"Reno?" The man frowned, stepping closer. The redhead watched a long, pale hand brush the surface of the table lightly as he moved forward.

"Don't talk to me like I matter," he continued with a firmer tone, though he disliked how it sounded still

Fingers brushed against the smaller man's shoulder and he winced instinctively, trying to withdraw. "But Reno-"

He jerked away, stumbling out of his chair, using it as a sort of safety bar between them. "I said-"

"Reno."

He slammed his hands down on the table, effectively cutting off the man's words. The room was dreadfully silent as they stared at each other, black locked on aquamarine. Something cracked in Reno and he shot forwards, clinging to Tseng's shoulders as he kissed him with heartbroken abandon. After the split second it took him to return to his senses he stumbled back, darting away into his room. He slammed the door and fell against it, sinking against the wood, aware that he had probably just make the worst mistake of his life- and he'd made plenty.

Tseng watched after him thoughtfully, touching his lips lightly. His concentration was broken by the sputtering of the kettle and he withdrew it just before it could gain the strength to whistle with a quiet smile. This night would require a different tea.

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By morning, something indefinite had changed. An intangible feeling floated between Reno and Tseng; the redhead had been nervous at first- certainly understandable, considering how clearly spoken for Tseng had already been. He left his room cautiously, finding them in their usual position. Rufus sat in a white leather chair, bent over some paperwork. Tseng sat on the left armrest, his arm stretched across the back of the chair; he watched, occasionally injecting his opinions.

He sighed and tugged nervously on his messy shirt as he passed them, moving to the fridge with steps a might quicker than they should have been. The types of food inside annoyed him so he opened the freezer- and paused, thunderstruck. A bright yellow box of chocolate chip waffles was hidden there amongst frozen vegetables and ready-to-fry dumplings, a small note attached instructing him to 'eat it quick or hide it before Rufus takes it away'. He shuffled his feet, glancing at Tseng; he was looking back with a note of childish curiosity hidden beneath adult benevolence. The redhead pulled four out at once with a dashingly gleeful grin, wandering over and plunking them in the large toaster in an odd sort of waltz. He glanced back at the older man- dark, angled eyes were fixed on the paperwork once again, but there was something decisively warmer about Tseng's expression.

Reno sat on the marble island in the middle of the kitchen for a while, working absent-mindedly on the crosswords he'd taken to stealing from Rufus's newspaper. About half the words later Tseng passed to drop an empty cup off into the sink, mixing a small bowl of yogurt, granola and nuts for his lover. A hazy half-thought later he fixed a second, added small marshmallows and placed it beside Reno with a clink. Quizzical aqua shut up to meet amused black and Reno noticed the building of an affectionate patience in Tseng's eyes he could not remember ever having seen. "Just try." He wrinkled his nose suspiciously but grinned brightly a heartbeat more, holding his hand out childishly for a spoon. Tseng slid a silver one into the man's nimble fingers, ruffling his hair as he moved back to Rufus.

Reno wondered for two steps if Tseng was trying to get him to try Rufus's food for ulterior motives. Seconds later he realize that had been completely silly; there was certainly an ulterior motive, he simply wasn't sure which one Tseng was operating with. Was he trying to make him eat healthier for his own livelihood? So he would be more fit for his job? But Tseng had also gotten him silly, childish breakfast foods, obviously after he had ran off to his room the previous night. Maybe he was trying to get him used to Rufus's food so the three could-

No, the chances that Rufus, along with Tseng, accepting such a type of affair were minimal.

Somehow, though, he couldn't help but hope for the best.