FicWad

"So this is it?"

"This is it," Rude sighed, glancing at the evidence laying spread across the coffee table.

"This is why you wouldn't ever let me spend the night? Why we couldn't move in together?" Reno rubbed his forehead. "Shiva, Rude!"

"How do you think I feel? You know what'd happen if word got out what Rude the Turk does in his spare time? You think Tseng wouldn't make my life a living hell? Never mind what Rufus would have to say!"

Reno winced. "It's not like you're doing anything illegal, man. I mean, okay, it's not the sort of hobby you can tell just anyone about, but I'm your partner, yo!"

"And you sometimes have trouble controlling that mouth of yours. Especially when you're drunk. You remember what happened to Atherton?"

Reno shuddered. Oh yeah, he definately remembered what'd happened to Atherton.

"You think I wanna end up like that?"

For a long minute they stared at each other. Then Reno reached down and picked up the doily nearest him. "Ya know, this is actually kinda pretty. Where in the hell did you learn to crochet, anyway?"

"My Grandma taught me." Reno would've laughed if Rude hadn't been blushing. "I'm nowhere near as good as she was, though. We used to make doilys and shit like that and sell them down in Wall Market to make a little money on the side."

"She raised you, didn't she?"

Rude nodded. "After Mama ran off. Thing is, I found out I liked doing it. It's relaxing."

Reno walked over to the couch and carefully moved the bundles of crochet thread aside. "Rude, I love you. I would never ever tell anyone you know how to crochet. I mean, it's not like you're collecting kiddie porn or dressing up in women's clothes, right?" He looked at his lover. "Please tell me you're not dressing up in women's clothes."

Rude just glared at him.

"So okay. I'm cool with this. It's not the kinda thing I'd do myself, but to each his own."

"So you're not going to tell Tseng or Elena?"

"Wouldn't dream of it, man."

"Cause if you do, you know I'll have to kill you."

"I know. Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Can you, like, buy a footlocker to keep this stuff in when you're not doing it?"

Rude motioned at the intricately carved Wutain sea chest sitting at the foot of his bed. "You think I'm just gonna leave it lying around when I'm not here?"

"Good enough." Reno leaned over and kissed him. "Just one more thing."

"What?"

Reno eased himself up off the couch, holding up a crochet hook. "Watch where you leave these lying around, yo! They're sharp, dammit!"