Never Comes The Day

Rating: PG
Category: AU
Pairing(s): Tseng/Reno
Warnings: Barf
Summary:Two Turks, one jug
Notes: Commission fic for backstagesins. Hon once again permit me to say how very very SORRY I am for dorking up your fic after you sent me those beautiful choccies. I owe you a fic. Please feel free to request one anytime, assuming you still trust my ability to read simple instructions. I sincerely hope the person for whom this was intended enjoys it.

Work away today, work away tomorrow.
Never comes the day for my love and me.
I feel her gently sighing as
the evening slips away.
If only you knew what's inside of me now,
You wouldn't want to know me somehow.
But you will love me tonight,
We alone will be alright
In the end…
Moody Blues - "Never Comes the Day"

“Hey,” said a soft voice.

Tseng opened one eye and gazed blearily at a familiar lanky form. Reno was swathed in bandages, seated on a chair beside the hospital bed in which Tseng was currently lying. The hospital had to be Midgar General; the only hospital on the planet that looked as if it had been built abandoned.

“Reno?”

“Right first time,” said Reno. He smiled. “You look like shit.”

“Hmm. Played a little game of ‘Who Has the Bigger Dick’ with Sephiroth.”

“Let me guess. He won.”

“Rufus can go get his own damned Black Materia. I quit.” Tseng winced, drawing one hand towards the massive cut that had nearly bisected him from his right shoulder to his left hip.

“Well at least wait until you’re out of the hospital. I would say you can use the benefits package.”

Tseng smiled. “Like I would actually quit. I was born a Turk. What would I do after this, sell flowers?”

Reno moved from the chair to sit on Tseng’s bed, careful not to jar the injured man, or himself either for that matter. He had been dealt a serious butt-kicking at the hands of those dorks trying to save the planet…again. He was getting a little tired of that.

“Yeah being a Turk is the best,” said Reno, picking idly at some stitches on the back of his left hand. He stopped when they began to leak a little. “Doesn’t leave a lot of time for anything else, though.”

“No,” agreed Tseng quietly. He closed his eyes, drawing one hand up to rest on his chest. “But what else is there?”

Reno shrugged. It was a valid question. He hadn’t really known anything else in his life but being a Turk. He had been hired on at a very young age and slowly worked his way up through the ranks to the level he was now, and that was a great accomplishment. But he was not as young as he had been, and lately he had been wanting something else. He just really wasn’t certain what.

“Reno? Can you get me some water?”

“Sure,” said Reno softly.

He picked up the plastic jug and went into the bathroom, filling the jug with cold water from a tap that wobbled, and, out of habit looking for the tea concentrate that Tseng liked to flavour his water with. Then he sighed, remembering that they were in the hospital, and not the coffee room of their headquarters. Reno returned to Tseng’s bed.

“I have bad news, yo,” said Reno softly, putting the jug on the night stand. “Your water tastes like water.”

“Damn. I hate when that happens.”

Reno seated himself on the bed once more, looking out the window at the grey-scape that was Midgar. It was raining, and the air in the room was damp. Reno watched a thread of water slowly worm its way down the glass.

“I don’t like you being here,” said Reno.

“Well I’m not crazy about it either, but what would you like me to do? I’m healing as fast as I can.”

“I know, it’s just… this place is so depressing. This hospital, this city, everything. I was thinking… maybe you could come stay with me when you’re well enough to get out of here. You’re going to need help anyway. You live alone.”

“I’m sure I can find someone to help look after me.”

Reno turned his head from the dullness of Midgar to look at him. “What? I’m not good enough for you?”

Tseng smiled. “Are you sure you want me?”

“Yeah, I mean… why not, you?” Reno turned his gaze once more to the city outside the window. “There’s no rule in the Turk handbook that says we can’t look after each other. We’re not obligated to be alone.”

“It does seem to work out that way, though, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah,” said Reno softly. “There’s just never any time. I always hear myself say ‘maybe tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow.’ But like Janis Joplin said, tomorrow never comes. It’s all the same fucking day.”

“And what would you do tomorrow, if it came?”

“I dunno. Sometimes I think it would be nice to find someone to share my life with. Kinda tired of waking up alone, yo.”

“You’d need someone who understands who you are and what you do.”

Reno nodded. “I know. But it would be nice. I’d like a little pretty-boy to order around.”

“Boy?” said Tseng, his tone mildly surprised.

Reno looked at Tseng once more. “Yeah. Why?”

Tseng grinned weakly, his eyes closed. “There was a time when a Turk mentioning that he liked playing house with other boys would have got him fired.”

Reno shrugged. “Old man Shinra’s dead. Rufus doesn’t care about crap like that. I can love whoever I want and still keep my job. Providing of course they’re not on Rufus’ shit-list.”

“Let me guess. You’re sweet on a certain tall dark handsome man who is bald as a cue ball and rarely opens his mouth?”

Reno laughed. “No. Rude’s my buddy, my partner. Making a move on him would be like hitting on my brother. No. I don’t see him that way. And I don’t want to. We have to look after each other in some pretty dangerous situations, and we already have an emotional bond. Adding sex to the mix would just mess that up.”

“So he’s straight.”

“Like an arrow, not even enough latent homosexuality to get bugged when I sit in his lap. At least if he got mad I’d know I have a chance, yo.”

Tseng laughed quietly. “Poor Reno.”

Reno just smiled. “I’ll live. So what about you, boss-man? What floats your boat?”

“Mostly girls. But I have seen a few really, really pretty men in my life.”

“Oh really.” Reno smiled. “Ever do more than just look?”

Tseng smiled. “No. No idea how to approach them and no time to learn anyway. As you said, tomorrow never comes.”

Reno’s smile spread into a grin. “Well all the more reason to let me look after you.”

Tseng slowly raised an eyebrow. “Ooohhh no. Oh no no no, little Reno….”

“Why not?”

“For one I think we would make each other insane.”

“A little insanity wouldn’t do you any harm.”

“I did not mean in a good way,” said Tseng.

“Tseng,” said Reno, taking his hand. “What does it hurt to try? C’mon. We’ve been friends for years. I’m lonely, you’re lonely, and it’s too easy to sit here and say tomorrow never comes. Well what if we make it come? What if we can have something great together?”

“What if it blows up in our faces?” asked Tseng quietly.

Reno shrugged. “I can transfer down to Junon. I have friends there, we can stay out of each other’s hair and keep doing what we love.”

“It really is just that simple for you, isn’t it?”

“Well… yeah…” said Reno softly. “Why wouldn’t it be? You know relationships don’t have to end badly. It’s not a law that you must despise the person. Sometimes things just don’t work. I don’t… I don’t ever want to… not be your friend, Tseng. But… wouldn’t it be kinda fun if it worked? We could use the time we spend together mending to see how we function. We’re both too battered to… well… get physical.” He grinned and leaned close to Tseng. “We can drink tea and talk about our feelings…”

Tseng gently put his hand on Reno’s face and lightly pushed him back a little, smiling. “Please kill me now.”

“So does that mean you wanna try?”

“Reno I just don’t know…”

Reno gently squeezed his hand. “Wouldn’t it be great if tomorrow finally came?”

Tseng sighed and closed his eyes, and seemed to consider this. “Okay,” he said softly. “But I warn you, I’m not really easy to get close to.”

“Neither am I, yo. That’s why we’re Turks. I get out tomorrow. I’ll get the apartment all ready for you, okay?”

“All right.”

There was an uncomfortable pause. “Do we kiss now?” asked Reno.

“Why don’t we save that for a bit later, when we’re both a little less uncomfortable?”

Reno breathed a sigh of relief. “Yeah okay. Besides, my breath stinks right now.”

“Charming.”

***---***

“Reno…” Tseng’s voice came from Reno’s guest room, the tone a little dry and amused. Reno was currently in the kitchen.

“Yes Tseng?”

“What exactly is this, might I ask? It was under your mattress.”

Reno was making sushi for lunch. He put down his knife and walked into the bedroom, finding Tseng gazing disdainfully at a three foot blue latex python wobbling back forth slowly in his hand. Reno froze, then cleared his throat.

“You uh… may wanna hold that by the tail end there…yo.”

Tseng closed his eyes and winced. “Oh good grief. Reno… is this your idea of looking after an invalid? Hiding your…toys… in the mattress? TAKE this thing!!”

Reno grabbed his snake, tossing it into a bottom drawer full of what looked to be brightly coloured objects and black rubber, then nudged it shut with his foot.

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “I’m uh… sort of… well I like to have fun in bed.”

Tseng stared at him. “Reno… there is fun and then there is hosting your own three ring circus.”

“Oh I don’t do threesomes anymore.”

Tseng slapped his hand over his face, then sighed. “Reno… you’re a big boy. I have no right to tell you what to do with your sex life. Just… please… no more snakes in the mattress. And why is that stuff in your guest room?”

“Well it’s a pain in the ass to change the sheets after a whole night of…”

“That’s… fine, I get it.”

Reno grinned. “You uh… want your lunch now? I made sushi. I thought it would be fun to bring the TV in here and sit together and watch ‘The Old and the Sedentary’.”

Tseng froze, his eyes widening ever so slightly.

“What makes you think I watch soap operas?”

Reno blinked those beautiful trademark eyes. “Tseng… I’m a Turk too you know.”

“Well I only nip in and out. I’m just watching now because Porsche is coming out of her coma and about to find out that her husband was subjected to some Shinra experiment that got him pregnant with her evil twin sister’s baby boy which, through marriage, is now her uncle and her brother’s father on her mother’s side.”

“They can’t blame us for that, yo, Shinra is a family organization.”

“Are you kidding? That family was clearly engineered by Hojo.”

“Which family? Rufus’ or Porsche’s?”

“I’ll get back to you on that. Where’s my lunch?”

Reno went to finish the sushi, returning shortly with a platter of raw fish delights and a pot of tea. He then got his small TV, wheeling it in on its stand, setting it up at the end of the bed. He sat beside Tseng on the wide old bed, and together the two watched the impossibly complex and hopelessly unbelievable tale of poor Porsche Lovelost, billionaire heiress hopelessly trapped by her desire for the butler while in a loveless arranged marriage with a guy who had a gambling addiction and was squandering her fortune on the chocobo races and fast women… and was currently confessing to Porsche and her evil twin sister Ferrari that the child he was carrying was in fact Julio the Pool Boy’s, and they were running away together. Overjoyed, tearful Porsche fan to her beloved butler, only to learn… DUN DUN DUN!! He wasn’t a butler at all, he was, in fact, a Shinra monster who had killed and taken over her lover’s body a week ago.

“They can’t keep blaming this shit on Shinra,” said Reno. “I’m gonna write an angry letter.”

“Don’t worry about it, Rufus bought the station.”

“Does he know what goes on in this soap?”

“Are you kidding?” said Tseng, nibbling some sashimi. “I think he’s on the staff part time as a writer, he loves this show.”

Reno gave Tseng a quizzical look. “And he lets them rip on his company like that?”

“He gets a giggle out of it. They have permission to use Shinra Inc for all their plot twist needs… providing they do not poke Rufus himself. Scarlet and Heidegger however are fair game. Palmer too.”

“And Reeve?”

“No they can’t touch him. Which is kinda funny because there should be all sorts of things they could come up with regarding a man who designs neighbourhoods, and, in his spare time, plays with guns, explosives and animatronic cats.”

Reno raised an eyebrow. “Yeah one would think.”

“Tomorrow Elena is gonna be on. The show’s producers felt a real Turk would be far more scary than an actor.”

“And what’s Elena going to be doing?”

“What she does best; acting like a mindless bubble-brained blonde who is, in fact, a master manipulator and highly efficient killing machine. She gets to eighty-six Tyler Manly, the handsome tennis instructor who is in fact Porsche’s long lost uncle and a notorious diamond thief.”

“Well that should make her happy.”

They watched the show, finishing their lunch, then settled together on the bed for an afternoon nap. Tseng was still weak; the injury Sephiroth had dealt him in the Temple of the Ancients had been no mere paper cut, and Reno too was battered and shaken from battles with Cloud and his friends. It was nice to take time to heal, and to explore their budding friendship.

Reno blinked sleepily, lying spooned against Tseng’s back, one arm around his companion’s waist. He could see outside the large window of his cozy little apartment, looking over the tops of the small houses to the mountains beyond, and the swirling forms of brightly coloured birds.

“Tseng?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you like it here with me?”

“Reno it’s only been a week.”

“I know,” said Reno softly. “I was just… hoping.”

“Hoping for what?”

“Tomorrow.”

Tseng reached down to take Reno’s hand, pulling the arm about himself closer.

“I do like it here. I like the quiet, and how when I wake up in the morning I see mountains and birds and blue sky, not grey steel and mako reactors. I like how you remember to put the cinnamon in my coffee, and how it feels when the pain starts in the darkest hours of the night and I don’t even have to call your name, I know you’re coming. It’s… strange and a bit scary but it’s nice, too. I’ll be sad to leave when I’m better.”

“You could just stay,” said Reno.

“I could. Or I could go poke Sephiroth again so I have an excuse.”

“Don’t poke Sephiroth.”

“If you insist.” Slowly, carefully, Tseng rolled over so he was gazing into Reno’s eyes, reaching up to touch his face. “You know it’s funny but… I never noticed how very, very beautiful you are. You have the most amazing eyes, and the little tattoos on your cheeks… what do they mean?”

Reno smiled faintly as Tseng drew the tips of his fingers over the red marks. “Well every good stray cat should have stripes.”

“I suppose so.” Tseng’s fingers moved over to Reno’s lips, touching their outline. “I think I’d like to kiss you now.”

“Don’t let me stop you.”

Tseng inclined his head forward. Reno closed his eyes, parting his lips slightly as he felt Tseng’s warm, soft mouth meet his own. There was no explosion of passion, no violent rush of want, no sudden painful erection that could only be satisfied by wanton coupling. They were both too battered in body and soul for such nonsense. What Reno did feel was a connection; a gentle binding that whispered of years to come, of a time when they would both live together in a house of their own, surrounded by gardens and a pond, and there was nothing else to do but be together, and life wasn’t just something that happened while they were busy doing other things.

Reno touched Tseng’s face, deepening the kiss slightly, and was a bit sad when it ended. However he understood that they were both still far too damaged for anything more. But that didn’t matter. There was time. They would heal together, lying here, watching the birds and bad soaps, slowly exploring each other as friends, companions, lovers. Reno kissed Tseng gently, briefly, reaching down to take his hand.

“So is it tomorrow yet?” asked Reno.

“Not yet,” said Tseng, closing his eyes, his voice soft with impending sleep. “But soon.”

“I’ll be here when it comes, okay?”

Tseng smiled. “So will I.”

“’Kay.”

They settled together, face to face, brows touching, slipping into a welcome healing sleep, while outside the afternoon crept slowly on towards evening.

***---***

Tseng awoke at about nine pm with the distinct feeling that something was very, very wrong. His highly trained Turk brain had absolutely no difficulty determining the cause of the problem – he was sick. His stomach was a rolling cauldron of impending barf, he was cold, clammy, feverish… and in no condition to get to the bathroom on his own. Oh this was going to be so very…

Tseng grabbed the empty water jug sitting on the night stand beside the bed and tossed up a disgusting concoction of partly-digested raw fish and stomach fluid. He was aware of Reno sitting up beside him.

“Tseng?”

Tseng panted, glaring death at Reno, strands of long hair hanging in his face. “You bastard, you poisoned me.”

Reno’s eyes became large. “I would never poison a fellow Turk! Too many people would suspect.”

Tseng panted, willing his stomach to settle. It ignored him and spewed more vomit. Once the fountain of fish subsided, Tseng looked at Reno, his eyes and nose running, his hair clinging to his face.

“Only you would give tainted fish to a man with a stomach wound.”

“That fish was not tainted. I ate it too, yo. Or have you forgotten that?”

Tseng threw up again. “I’m dying.”

“Not in my apartment, yo. I’m calling a doctor.”

Reno called a doctor, who arrived promptly and delivered his judgement after a cursory exam. Flu, likely contracted during his stay in the hospital.

“See?” said Reno. “I told you I wouldn’t poison you.”

The doctor began putting his things away. “Make sure he gets lots of rest and plenty of fluids. The IV I’m about to connect should take care of the fluids. And I don’t suppose he’ll be up and running around with that belly wound, sooo… he’s in great condition to have the flu.” The doctor chuckled.

“I despise you,” snarled Tseng.

The doctor looked at Reno, ignoring Tseng. “Don’t let him vomit too much, he could rip his stitches. Other than that just… rest, fluids, chicken soup.”

“Yeah I know the routine. Just one question – how do I stop him from vomiting too much?”

The doctor handed Reno a small bottle of red liquid. “This will help his stomach. Give him a spoonful now and another in a couple hours.”

Reno watched the doctor leave, then looked back at Tseng. He walked over to him and plucked the pitcher and its disgusting contents out of Tseng’s grasp, exchanging it for the bottle of medicine.

“Told you it wasn’t my fault. Can I get you anything?”

Tseng was in hell, running with sweat, doubled up on his side in pain, and grey as a Midgar sky.

“Just kill me.”

“No, sorry. That’s frowned upon. Have a sip of that stuff.”

“Blow me.”

“Not until I’m sure you won’t puke on my head.”

Reno carried the pitcher to the bathroom and emptied it into the toilet. He then tossed out the pitcher. There was not enough dish detergent in the world to remove the image of it half-filled with thickish sludge and slowly rolling blobs of fish. He fetched Tseng a bucket he used when he scrubbed the bathroom and placed it on the floor beside the bed, then laid down behind Tseng, gently spooning him, playing with the long black hair.

“I’m sorry,” Reno whispered.

“Why? It’s not your fault.”

“I know but the timing could be better.”

“No it couldn’t. The timing couldn’t be better. It’s absolutely perfect. I’m split open like a cooked lobster, trying to start a relationship with the man who had kindly offered to look after me, and here I am laying in a puddle of my own sweat and throwing up.” He laughed briefly, perhaps a touch hysterically. “It’s brilliant!”

“Shh…” said Reno softly, rubbing Tseng’s back comfortingly. “It’s okay. I’m here. But uh… it is better to be sick with a friend, isn’t it?”

“Oh, absolutely,” said Tseng, his voice dripping sarcasm. “I hate to puke alone.”

Reno sighed quietly. “How about I make you some tea, hmm?”

“With lemon?” came the hopeful little voice.

“Yes, with lemon. You want chicken soup too?”

“Okay but I don’t know how much I can eat.”

“That’s fine. I’ll bring it, you just eat as much as you can.”

Reno brought the tea and soup, and helped Tseng to sit up so he could eat. “I’ve seen you better,” said Reno softly.”

“So have I,” said Tseng quietly. “I feel dreadful. I have the worst headache.”

“How’s the stomach? Did the medicine help?”

“Undecided. Which is better than before I took the medicine.”

Reno offered Tseng a spoonful of soup. Tseng stared in horror at the noodles in broth, then turned his head and was sick. Reno sighed as Tseng tried to barf and cry in pain at the same time. He set the soup aside, and rose to his feet.

“I’ll pour you a bath.”

“I don’t want a bath,” Tseng sulked.

“Yes you do.” Reno went into the bathroom to pour a bath for Tseng, scenting it with aromatic lavender oil, then returning to the bedroom. “Come along. Bath is ready.”

“Reno I can’t get in the bath, in case you have forgotten I have a rather serious sword wound.”

“I know. But I have this spray. It’ll coat the injury so water can’t get in. You can sit and I’ll wash your hair… you’ll feel a lot better.”

Tseng curled his lip slightly. He was in no mood for anyone or anything, but finally he nodded. He allowed Reno to spray the icy-cold stuff on his wound to seal it, then, leaning on his IV for support, he permitted himself to be led to the bathroom. He cautiously got into the bath, closing his eyes in pleasure at the feel of the warm water.

“Better?” asked Reno.

“Yeah. I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

Reno sat on the edge of the bath and ran a warm wet cloth over Tseng’s back. “It’s okay. This hasn’t really been your month.”

“I’m complaining to Rufus about the conditions in that hospital. It’s disgusting.”

Reno let Tseng rant, running water over his long black hair, washing it. He then helped him to wash his body, finally getting him out of the bath, dried and back into bed, but not before he changed the sheets.

“Well aren’t you a good little mum,” said Tseng dryly.

Reno shrugged. “It sucks being sick and it sucks being sick in a grotty bed. Lie down.”

Tseng did, closing his eyes, letting Reno stick a thermometer in his mouth briefly.

“What’s the verdict?” Tseng asked as Reno studied the little glass rod after plucking it from his mouth.

“103. You’re sick.”

“Thank you, I had no idea.” Tseng pulled the covers up and shivered beneath the covers. “I’m cold.”

“You’re not. You’re hot, so you feel cold.”

“That makes no sense at all but I’ll take your word for it.”

Reno settled beside Tseng, slipping an arm around him, holding him close as he shivered.

“It must be midnight.”

“Must be,” said Tseng. He closed his eyes and swallowed. Reno recognized the gesture and drew the bucket closer. Moments later, Tseng was sick again.

It was going to be a long night.

Tseng slept most of it, waking up now and then to spew bile. Occasionally Reno could get him to take a sip of water but it just seemed to make Tseng vomit more frequently. The flu was a nasty one, but with luck it would be short lived. That was small comfort as the night wore on and Tseng’s fever held steady and his stomach didn’t. Reno drank coffee and stayed awake, slowly rubbing Tseng’s back, assuring him of his presence, watching the TV at a low volume so as not to disturb his companion out of whatever fitful rest he was getting. At five in the morning Tseng sat up, looking worse than he had before he went to sleep.

“This has not been a fun night,” he announced morosely.

“Poor baby,” purred Reno, looking not much better than Tseng. “Want to try the soup again? I have some in a container in the fridge I cam warm up.”

“Okay,” said Tseng quietly. “May as well try.”

Reno brought in more soup and more tea, holding the bowl as Tseng tried a little. The hand that held the spoon was shaking slightly.

“How’s the stomach?”

“We’ll know in a minute.” Tseng carefully sipped steaming broth from the spoon. “This is good soup, where did you get it?”

“I make it myself. I make a big pot of the broth and freeze it in little containers, then when it’s hot I toss in dragon-whisker noodles. I like them better than the big egg noodles.”

Tseng let out a weak little laugh. “Where did you learn to make soup?”

“Believe it or not from Zack Fair and his little Ancient, years ago. Before everything went to hell.”

“Yeah I miss those times,” said Tseng softly. “Where did they all go? Spike Milligan was right. Happiness is a yesterday thing.”

“Shh,” said Reno softly. “Have a little more soup.”

Tseng slowly ate the soup. He didn’t eat much, but for the time being it seemed to stay down. He had a little tea, then after his mouth had a chance to cool down from the hot foods, Reno took his temperature again.

“You’re down a bit. Feeling any better?”

“It’s hard to tell. Between the headache and the shakes and the torn stitches…”

“I know. It was a dumb question. I’m sorry.” Reno took his hand.

“It’s fine,” said Tseng quietly, trying to reassure him. “I just… I’m not used to being laid up, and now…”

“I know. Just rest.”

Tseng rolled slowly onto his side, curling into a ball and shivering under the covers. Reno lay down before him, facing him, smiling as he toyed with Tseng’s hair. Normally it hung straight, but after being slept on damp it was a curious array of waves and kinks. Reno decided he liked it. The tousled look gave Tseng a certain rock star charisma.

“You really are a very sexy man you know.”

One brown eye opened to regard Reno sourly. “You have a very strange definition of the word ‘sexy’.”

Reno played with the long messy black hair. “I don’t think so. All right, I’ve seen you look and, dare I say, smell better. But… you’re a very sexy man. I’d love to kiss you after you have a chance to brush your teeth.”

Tseng chuckled weakly. “And after my stomach decides to behave, or the implications are just… far too distasteful. Reno?”

“Yes?”

“I’m glad I decided to stay here.”

“I’m glad you did, too.”

Reno tucked the blankets around Tseng, knowing it was futile. The shivering would not abate until the fever did. Tseng was running with sweat, his cheeks flushed, and when he coughed there was a wet sound. Well it seemed this flu was going to be hanging around for a while. Reno stroked the long black hair, staying close as Tseng shivered the rest of the night away. Then, without meaning to, Reno fell into a dreamless sleep.

***---***

Reno was blasted awake by a violent sneeze that was not his own.

“EYEW!”

“Sorry,” said Tseng sheepishly.

“Oh great, just what I wanted for breakfast, your flu bugs! Sick, yo!”

“I said I was sorry.”

Reno made his way distastefully to the bathroom and had the hottest shower he could stand. He returned after a few minutes, dressed in pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt he liked. He sat on the bed and touched Tseng’s face, checking how hot he was.

“Forgive me?” asked Tseng.

“Eventually. You’re still pretty warm. Want a bit more soup?”

“No, thanks. I’m dangerously close to impersonating a projectile weapon.”

“Charming.” Reno lowered his head to kiss Tseng’s brow. Tseng managed a smile.

“Guess what I noticed,” said Tseng.

“What?”

He reached out to take Reno’s hand. “Sometime while we were asleep, tomorrow came.”

Reno smiled, raising his head to look out the window, laughing as he noticed it was one of the worst summer storms he had ever seen. The wind whipped, snapping trees, tearing off loose shingles, and driving sheets of rain that pounded the window, a few stray drops managing to seep inside.

“Somehow I pictured ‘tomorrow’ more… sunshine and bunnies,” said Reno.

A seagull hit the outside wall with a wet smack, falling to a ledge below the window to recover and ponder becoming a ground-dweller. Tseng rolled over abruptly and threw up into the bucket. Reno just smiled.

“I’ll remember this day for the rest of my life,” he announced happily as Tseng retched.