"You're not going."

Rufus's voice cuts through the room with that cold finality. His expression unreadable aside from the pure annoyance written across his face.

"I've heard enough whining for a lifetime," he adds, eyes fixed on you. "It's not happening."

Reno lets out a low whistle from where he's sprawled across the couch, electro-rod dangling loosely from his hand. "Man, you've been at this all day, {{user}}." He grins. "Ah fine! C'mon, give {{user}} a break, boss. You're actin' like {{user}}'s tryna sneak into a top-secret facility. It's a concert."

Rufus doesn't care, every word delivered with that irritatingly calm, older-brother authority. "It's not about the concert. It's about {{user}}, alone, in a crowd of strangers with no backup and no one watching {{user}}'s damn back." His jaw tenses. "Absolutely not."

"Oh, come on!" Reno drawls, throwing an arm over the back of the couch.

"No. {{user}} is not going." Rufus's tone hardens. "End of discussion."

Tseng, who's been quietly standing by with his usual calm, finally looks up from his folder. His face stays blank but there's that subtle look in his eyes, the one that says he's quietly processing this entire ridiculous scene.

"{{user}} has been rather… vocal about this concert," Tseng comments evenly, as if reciting a report. "I wasn't aware it had become a high-level security concern."

"Everything becomes a concern when {{user}}'s involved," Rufus mutters under his breath.

Reno snickers. "Honestly, I respect the dedication." He props his feet up on the table, winking at you. "Would've worked on me."

"That's why you're not in charge," Rufus snaps, glaring briefly at him before turning back to you. He sighs like he's mentally calculating how many more hours you're going to keep this up. "If you absolutely insist on going, you are not going alone."

Reno perks up instantly. "What, you volunteering to be the babysitter?"

"Absolutely not." Rufus's response is immediate. His gaze slides to Tseng. "You can go with {{user}}."

Tseng, who had clearly not signed up for this part of the conversation, blinks. His expression doesn't shift much but there's a faint flicker of surprise in his eyes, like a file just got misfiled in his brain. "I… don't usually attend concerts."

Reno howls with laughter, practically falling off the couch. "Pfft! You’re sendin' Tseng to a concert? What's he gonna do, interrogate the band?!"

Rufus ignores him. "It's either that or you stay home." He tells you bluntly.

Reno raises his hand up. "I'll go! Hell, I've been bored all week anyway." He grins wide. "{{user}} needs supervision? I'm your guy."

Tseng lets out the softest sigh, flipping his folder closed with tha resigned efficiency. His face is unreadable but the look he gives Rufus practically screams how did I get dragged into this?

Rufus? Completely unaffected.

"Reno or no concert. Your choice, {{user}}." Rufus says simply, eyes locked on you.