Don't Play With Fire (Turks FFVII)

III) Pizza

I close Tseng's doors slowly, stepping into the Turks' sector of the headquarters. Looks dead in here. Frowning, I peer around the corner. Where'd Reno go? Just as I start to head to his office, I hear him cough loudly from across the room, standing at the glass doors that lead back to the main section of the floor. I huff and hurry to catch up, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jacket.

"Ready to get some food?" he asks, cheerful. "I'm starved!"

"You're always starved," I mutter, slumping against the wall of the elevator and watching us descend from our heights through the windows. I can't forget the edge in Tseng's voice. He really must be needing the extra help if he's willing to take me back—after the President himself gave me the boot. Reno clears his throat to break the silence.

"Rude's on the ground floor. Care if the ol' partner comes along, too?"

"Nope." I step out into the busy lobby of the building. Reno waves to Rude over my head, gesturing for him to follow us. Rude nods at me in greeting, touching his sunglasses habitually. I lead the way to my rusty truck in silence, listening to Reno ramble to Rude.

"I call shotgun!" Reno shouts. I throw an arm out, my elbow hitting his chest harder than I meant for it to. Still, it felt good.

"Rude has shotgun." I shoot him a half-hearted smile. "You're the smaller one, so you're in the back."

"But you're the smallest, Kat. Or did you forget?" he teases, jamming a finger. Rolling my eyes, I push his hand away and unlock my car.

"It's my truck. Could just leave you here. Means more pizza for me 'n Rude."

"He doesn't appreciate the cuisine, yo."

"Cuisine?" I snort, shoving him into the backseat. "You've got low standards for a guy with money."

"Who says I got money?" he retorts, but he's grinning.

"Your urine-scented perfume told me all I need to know."

Rude's lips twitch. Reno kicks the back of my seat, rolling his window down. As we drive out of the parking lot, he sticks his head out the window, flashing his middle fingers to anyone we speed past.

"Reno, for #$%^ sake, get your head in the car before you get yourself killed," I snap, glancing back at him before veering into the right lane. He gives a honking car one last bird before slumping back into his seat.

"Nice blinker."

"Shut up, Re. I'm driving."

"You're going five over," he mutters, digging his sharp chin into my shoulder. When I ignore him, he licks my ear.

"Ew!" I elbow his face and scrub at my ear with my shoulder. Rude sighs, turning to get some fresh air from his cracked window. "Yeah, sorry. It always smells in here."

"It's your smelly, swampy butt," Reno grumbles, sticking his head between ours. "Are we almost—"

"#$%^!" I slam on the breaks, laying hard on the horn as I'm cut off by an idiot in a shiny new car. Rude swings his arm out to the left, saving Reno from flying through the windshield. "What a jerk!"

"You almost killed me!" Reno cries.

"Yeah, well, seatbelts save lives." I glance up at him in the mirror. "Seriously, Reno, buckle up. People out here are crazy. I already had this happen today."

"You're not even b—"

"Quit being a backseat driver." I pull into the nearly empty lot for the pizza place. "Rude, can you hit him for me again?"