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"I give up." His tone is childish in some ways, almost as if he were speaking to a parent who refused to listen; amusing, given his life so far. And just like a scorned child, Rufus moves away as quickly as he was on Reeve, heading to the single room in the lodge to slam the door.

Maybe it was out of character, but he didn't really care, and Reeve won't have much time to consider before the front door opens and a certain red-head shows himself.

"Pissing the boss man off, huh?" Even worse for Reeve than Reno poking his head in? The shit-eating grin on his face as he speaks next. "I can tell you what's eatin' him, but you gotta join me for some of this wine."

As if to make his point, Reno dangles the bottle a bit by the door, and watches Reeven expectantly.

"Your boss, not mine," Reeve reminds the Turk. He seriously considers Reno for a long moment. All the history of pranks, the rumors around the building, a number of different things. And then he considers the wine. He brought it, he knows it's got a bit of quality to it. And with the head and heartache he's going through, it sounds like a perfectly good idea to him.

Not without some provisos first, of course.

"Clean glasses, and you sip out of both first, so I can make sure you didn't lace it with something," Reeve agrees cautiously as he moves to Reno. It's not like it would be the first time he drank with a Turk. There were holiday parties and Rude was agreeable enough when Gwahaha and Mwahaha were being annoying and attention seeking. He does remember more than a few tales of things like tranqs and powdered locoweed ending up in company punch bowls.

Reno would admit to nothing. Probably was responsible for only 80% of it.

Yet he seems to agree, moving out to the balcony area to call for Rude to bring up some glasses; obviously Tseng was not in, and then sat down to wait on Rude and Reeve.

Well at least he will have a sensible Turk around. And no Elena. The young woman irritates him with her clinging to Tseng. Which is probably just a personal issue when it comes to it. Soon enough Reeve is pouring. He could care less about the supposed answers Reno is offering. More about the wine. There's a chance Rufus will get testy if he leaves so soon after the younger man stormed off. Give it time and he can make sure he gets home.

"Rude may have to drive me back. Probably best he doesn't drink too much."

Rude probably won't say much, but he will at least keep Reno from getting too sloshed.

"He won't!" Reno grins, enjoying the drink, even if it's not his usual hard stuff, and indicating the cabin as if to imply someone has to keep an eye on Rufus. "Now, you want an answer?"

"I want a glass of wine," Reeve counters. And with Rude now there to offer glasses, Reeve takes one and holds it out to Reno. Pour it and then he'll get Reno to take a small sip. Don't ask him to think about things, Reno. He's a bit too upset for that.

Reno shrugs and pours the liquor for Reeve. He will even be nice enough to play his taste tester, seeming to wait as patiently as he can for Reeve to cool off a little.

It's now been tested and Reeve waits a few heartbeats to confirm there is nothing untoward about his previously untampered wine. That one he nods and takes the glass himself to drink. Not a sip. He doesn't care to savor it. Instead he throws it back in a single motion and then holds the glass out again. This one he will sip.

Reno fills it, raising a brow. Downing wine seems weird. But, whatever. He's mad, let him do what he will,

After a sip of his second glass, Reeve looks to Reno.

"Well then? Clearly you intended something by inviting me to drink the wine I brought for you. Be done with it."

"Was gonna translate, actually." He seems to be enjoying his own drink well enough. "The boss is great and all, especially at speeches, but he's pretty bad at being straight up sometimes.

So, long story short, what he was trying to tell you in there is that he's worried about you because he does actually care. 'Course you keep calling him a monster. Can't make him happy."

The look Reeve gives Reno at that is one that no doubt shows just how unimpressed he is. He takes another sip to fortify himself before he speaks.

"Your 'boss' does not care about me. He cares about what I can do to help with his own guilt issues. And he earned that guilt. More than I ever did. He worries about me because other than you Turks, I'm the one who knows he's alive. I'm the one he can prove himself to, so he needs me for that as he needs me to actually make up for what he's done."

Another sip, this one actually more of a gulp really, because he's on a roll here in his own mind. Misery loves company. This isn't like Reeve, he doesn't lash out like this, he doesn't. His passion is for building up, not tearing down. But Rufus hurt him too. It was easier to just ignore his feelings. Easier to distance from them. He doesn't like having that wound torn open again.

"Caring about people isn't that. It's... something else." Which isn't true. He was gearing himself up for a rambling tirade about what caring is about, because how could a Turk recognize it when it came right down to the point. But before he can speak he keeps himself from that comment, and not just because the Turks have shown a lot of caring when it comes to Rufus and each other. No, it's because Reno's right, caring means doing what Rufus is doing. Trying to make you reasonable. Trying to make you take care of yourself. All of that. But Reeve is angry. Has been for a while. Since his mother died. And Rufus just prodded at that again. Took away his nice little attempts to hide from his grief behind being so busy that he can barely sleep at night.

"And I am not his business to care about either."

It's a weak protest, as weak as the wine. But it's what he's got. "I'm not his concern."

Reno could not look any more bored than he did while Reeve spoke, swishing the wine in his glass as he waits for Reeve to be done. He even manages to mimic that unimpressed look right back at Reeve.

"Don't sound so sure 'bout that."

"Perhaps I am someone's concern," Reeve relents with a heavy sigh. "But it isn't his. We aren't even friends."

Let him have what little he has left, Reno.

"Don't mean he can't worry for ya." He finishes his glass of wine, pouring another one. "And you know he's got a point. Wouldn't be so mad if he didn't. Also doesn't change the fact he's concerned for you."

"It's not his concern," Reeve notes again. "It is not his place to lecture me on my well being. If I work myself to death that is my problem, not his. He has no reason to care about me."

The people that should don't. Those that shouldn't do. This is a messed up world they are in.

"Got no reason to worry bout those random people, either, but he does. Honest, he's not the same person as before. Hasn't been for a while now. Or maybe it's better said he's got some real-world experience now and so can empathize a little easier than before."

"Cooping him up here like this hardly counts as real world experience. All his life people have kept him pinned in. Is it really all that surprising that when he got out in the world he did it with far too many grand gestures?"

With that he sighs and puts his empty glass down. "I do not apologize for what I hold him responsible for. Were it not for his actions, much would be different now. There is a chance my mother would be alive. And the project that brought me joy would not have been weaponized. You can tell him that. But..."

Again Reeve pauses, shaking his head. How to put it?

"But let him know I'm trying. Which is why I am pleased to have an old friend coming to Edge. To help me. To make sure I take care of myself. So he doesn't need to be concerned with me."

Oh, the things Reno could say. Thankfully, he's not an idiot, and Rude would be there to stop him if he tried, so instead Reeve just gets a dismissive wave from the red-head. "Yeah, yeah... He's gonna worry anyway, so get used to it.

"Nowwww..." He grins, sitting forward. "We've got some stronger stuff than this wine downstairs. Want to join us?"

"I am not fond of growing too inebriated," Reeve answers. He knows what he's like when he's tipsy. And frankly, he doesn't need to find himself presented with Tseng and saying something stupid. Or lacking that, appreciating Rude out loud. It's best he doesn't. "And I didn't bring stronger stuff because I believe you're on duty."

"Boring." He may seem like he's pouting. Maybe. But it's Reno, so it's not to be trusted. "Well, whatever. Just quit giving the boss a hard time so much? For me?"

"Why would I do that for you?" Reeve asks Reno. Because frankly, Reno is the member of the Turks Reeve likes the least. Tseng is his favorite 'modern' Turk, then Rude, then Elena. Reno is a distant last due to messing with him so much.

But he does get to smile a bit at how Rude huffs a breath of amusement.

"What are the chances he's going to make another appearance?" Reeve asks, looking at his watch. He'd allotted a lot more time for this, but... well, he could go now.

"Not high." Rude remarks simply.

"Yeah," Reno sits back a bit, leaning on his hands. "Rufus in a mood is never a good thing. So..." He tilts his head to look at Rude. "Guess you should take Mr. Boring here home for the day."

"Seems a good idea," Reeve agrees, rising to his feet. "By all means, see me out. I have a lot of work to do."

And possibly a lot of moping. Throwing himself into his work to avoid the pain of today, because yeah, this has hurt a touch. His concern now is licking his wounds.

Reno stands, lifting up the cups they were drinking from and nodding at Reeve. "Well, see ya next time. I'll go make sure the boss doesn't need anything, and hope I don't get a gun in my face."

Bedtime here... ignore Rufus, he's pms-ing xD

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I am learning enough about Drunk Reeve to know it's a bad idea here

lol Reno would just whine at being on bottom - then ask Reeve where Rufus sits I bet

Reeve would point out Rufus isn't a Turk

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