The Perk, Monday

[politely-terse.livejournal.com]

Rude sat in the Perk nursing a coffee and watching the street outside the window.

Yup.

It wasn't proper coffee, of course -- there were all sorts of undertones of high-quality beans, and no hints of the burnt dregs of yesterday's brew. And it wasn't nearly strong enough. Still, it was drinkable, and that was what counted.

(Open Perk is open!)

Comments

[raspberryturk]

"Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude."

Guess who had noticed his most favorite bald-head-shine in the whole wide world through the window of the Perk today.

"Ruuuuuuuude!"

Go on. Guess.

"They let me drive the bus, yo!"

Bet you can't.

[politely-terse.livejournal.com]

Rude raised his cup in greeting. "They have a... bus? Did you hit anyone?"

[raspberryturk]

"Nah, they all scattered," Reno replied, sticking out his bottom lip as he contemplated the menu board. "But I think I probably made a few students' asses fly outta their seats a few times, yo."

Happy sigh.

"I got to drive the rookie bus."

[politely-terse.livejournal.com]

Rookies. It used to be that they'd have a handful at a time, all needing to learn the ropes, back in Midgar.

"...Just like old times."

[raspberryturk]

"Just like," Reno agreed, leaning back against the counter as the barista struggled to decipher his order for 'something cheap and preferably chewy.'

He'd end up with a cup of grounds, at this rate. Perfect!

"Only I'm supposed to be a good role model or whatever, for these ones. Wimps."

He adored his students. He did. And also, he thought they were mostly a bunch of pussies.

[politely-terse.livejournal.com]

"Role... model?" Seriously? Reno was good at getting the job done, and good at not dying. His other qualities... weren't really the sort of things you wanted people emulating.

"Maybe they got you mixed up with... someone else."

Rude raised his cup at the barista and tried to signal that Reno wanted something similar.

[raspberryturk]

"If they did, they been doin' it for a full year now, yo," Reno noted, clearly amused by that fact. "An' that's just the time I spent here as a teacher, yo. Besides, the Vice Principal totally knows me, yo."

He had better, anyhow. Reno's introduction to Deadpool back in the day had involved a lot of Reno's head being smashed against a tree, and some death threats. It had been a grand old time!

"Gotta admit, there ain't many other people who can teach some of the shit I taught around here, though."

[politely-terse.livejournal.com]

Rude nodded. "You're a good teacher. Just not a... role model."

He, himself, wasn't either of those things. It paid to be honest about your strengths and weaknesses.

"Which one is the Vice Principal, again?"

[raspberryturk]

"That'd be Deadpool, yo. Guy in the red... thing."

He'd learned after a few years that the red thing was some sort of cultural Canadian outfit, and knocking it wasn't a good idea or else the Mounties would come after him. Or something.

Canadians loved their red. Weirdos.

[politely-terse.livejournal.com]

"Deadpool."

...Right. Rude remembered him, especially from Reno's reports. Maybe Reno was a role model, after all.

"Compared to him, you're a... saint."

[raspberryturk]

"Yeah an' no. I don't think even he's done like I did all at once like that one time."

That one time that Reno was being vague about, because Rude knew damn well what he meant anyhow, and he really didn't feel like just out and saying that Reno doubted that Deadpool had crushed a whole godsdamned chunk of city all at once.

"Shit. He's helpin' raise a kid, you know? Dunno if I could do that, yo. Not anytime soon, anyhow."

[politely-terse.livejournal.com]

Sector Seven.

There wasn't much there that was left to be said. It had happened. It was the job. It weight on the consciences of all the Turks, but especially Reno.

Rude grunted thoughtfully, to let Reno know that he commiserated, and then ran like hell away from the topic.


"You'd be... good at it," Rude reassured him. "They're like little rookies."

He stared at his coffee for a moment.

"Probably shit themselves less."

[raspberryturk]

"Ain't afraid to make a headshot either, yo."

Jan was adorable, damn it.

"You know... Probably wouldn't mind havin' little rookies around, yo. Never really ever thought about it before here, though."

The job really wasn't conducive to child-rearing.

"For the time bein', I'll make do with breakin' the brains of impressionable young high school kids, yo."

Much like he'd been, oh, two years ago.

[politely-terse.livejournal.com]

"Do their brains break easily?" Rude had to ask. "That's a... shame."

He was more fond of breaking noses, himself.

[raspberryturk]

"Nah, it's kinda cute. But I wouldn't throw most of 'em at anything tougher'n a Deenglow. Most of the Monsters that lived below the plates in Midgar would make 'em piss themselves, I think."

Little totally normal kids versus a level nine Whole Eater. Reno kind of wanted to see it happen, now. So that he could laugh and laugh and laugh.

[politely-terse.livejournal.com]

Rude perked up. You could tell by the way his expression didn't change at all.

"...Field trip?"

[raspberryturk]

"You know, the administration frowns on me gettin' my students killed," Reno laughed, shaking his head a little.

This was exactly why he was totally considering it now, yes.

"... Maybe a whole summer term of trainin' 'em up for a field trip like that, though. Second summer half? I mean, ain't like there's a shortage of fightin' kids around here, either..."

And now the barista was having troubles handing Reno his drink, because he was pacing back and forth, giving this idea some serious consideration.