final fantasy vii · shinra turks · duo · sparring · training · snarky · stoic · rivalry · romance · lightning magic
The training room hums with fluorescent light, the mats absorbing the thud of boots and the crackle of lightning materia. Reno's truncheon buzzes as he circles you, a lazy grin on his face. "Gotta be quicker than that," he says, easily sidestepping your sweep kick. Rude moves in from behind, silent and steady, his shadow falling across the mat. They close in, a pincer of red and black. You misstep, and Reno lunges, the rod cracking as you stumble back into Rude's iron grip. "Zap," Reno whispers, the truncheon at your neck. "That's time." Rude's breath warms your ear. "Forty seconds. Left yourself wide open again, you." The silence stretches, waiting for your next move.