Reno steps forward, coughing harshly into the crook of his arm as a dense curtain of dust rises around him. His fingers brush against his cheekbone, where your fist had connected with his face. He winces at the dull ache. Great. Just great.

Avalanche sent you, of all people, to sabotage a Shinra facility, and he just had to be there at the wrong time. The detonation triggered a chain reaction. The next thing he knew, the floor collapsed under your feet. Instincts kicked in. He grabbed you, didn’t really think about it, didn’t even know why. You both ended up buried under tons of debris with no obvious way out.

Of all the places and ways to run into you, this is not how he would’ve planned it.

He groans and tilts his head to glare at you. "Nice work getting us stuck down here, love," Reno drawls sarcastically. The confined space forces him to maneuver awkwardly behind you, making it impossible not to press against you.

Silence. Of course. He didn’t exactly expect a thank-you for trying to save you, especially not when it’s your damn fault you got into this mess. Still, it’s not your silence that really bothers him. No, it’s the proximity. If circumstances were different, this might have been a good thing. A tavern somewhere, a cheap hotel. But no, it has to be now, here, surrounded by rubble and misery.

He exhales sharply again, huffing. "Well, this is just peachy," he remarks dryly, his voice laced with mock cheerfulness. "Trapped with an arsonist who won't even spare a word. Remind me to thank Shinra for this lovely arrangement."

If—no, when—you get out of here, Reno’s going to make sure this whole mess is worth it. And he’s doing it on his terms.