Fictober Day 11!
Original list here, and I’m tracking my progress here.
My OCs are good. This actually ended up being a lot of fun to write. Timber with his old work buddies— a good time.
Day 11: Timber: “I told you so”.
"This doesn't seem like a good idea."
Reno looked over his shoulder towards Timber, who was leaning against a decrepit doorway. He had his arms lazily folded over his stomach, and his eyes were trained on his former mentor. Mentor? Was that a word anyone would use for Reno? Probably in the strictest sense of the word, but—
The redhead scoffed and then looked to Rude. The two shared a look. Reno jerked his head back, acknowledge Timber. "You believe this guy?"
"Might've misheard," Rude said smoothly as he reached a hand up to rub his chin.
Reno spun around with that bizarre grace of his and walked over towards Timber. "I know you abandoned ship on his, but we know a think or two about this region." He stood uncomfortably close as was his wont, but Timber didn't move. Reno reached forward with his baton and tapped the other male on the chest. "Just you watch this."
Timber shrugged both shoulders slowly. "Alright. I'm watching."
Reno huffed, satisfied with that answer and then turned back around again. Timber raised his gaze up high, following the spiraling structure of the building. It was hard for him to pinpoint exactly how old this place was. Meluna was good at things like that, but he presumed that the structure wouldn't be too nice to those who weren't immensely careful. And joke as Timber might, Reno had a bizarre knack for attention to detail. He probably knew how perilous a free climb would be, but the man was also gifted with the ability to live through the more reckless things. Timber listened to a single set a footsteps heading forward. He lowered his gaze down and saw Rude still standing where he was.
"Not gonna join him?"
Rude's head turned a fraction to the right, paused, and then slowly turned in Timber's direction. The silence held, save for Reno's footsteps. After a few seconds, Rude adjusted the ends of his sleeves and looked away again. Timber smiled. He knew exactly what that look meant.
/Not a chance./
"Whoa, this place runs deep," Reno said aloud as he looked over the edge. After a beat, he kicked a sizeable rock by his side down into the yawning space. It took almost a minute before the rock hit the ground.
Timber whistled and then followed that sentiment up with a polite, "Hell no."
In front of him, Rude merely shook his head. "You're not getting comped medical if you fall down there."
"No waaay." Reno, ever confident, stood upright. He retracted his baton and tucked it away. He made his way over to a still standing wall and braced his footing. "I got this in the bag."
"Still saying this is a bad idea." But Timber wasn't stopping him. Neither of them were.
With a huff of effort, Reno began his climb upward. It was impressive how he was able to start his scale. He was in a suit, reasonably sensible dress shoes— his mobility should have been restricted a good deal, but he was moving with the kind of ease that Timber should have expected from him, even after all this time. He didn't tease or heckle the other man, though it might have made the building anxiety easier to stomach the higher Reno went.
"I feel like I should call someone."
"Don't, ha, bother," Reno breathed as he made his way up.
Even as he said that, Rude brought a phone up to his ear. He stepped in a half-circle and turned towards Timber.
"Helicopter?"
"Mhm."
"Sounds right."
They both looked up towards Reno. Rude had a very short conversation, though Timber was hesitant to call it one, and then, he continued watching his reckless partner. To Timber's relentless surprise, Reno made it to the next floor unscatched.
He sat on the edge with a dramatic sigh and let his feet swing. "Told you!" he yelled down.
"Yeah, you did." Timber pushed away from the wall and moved closer. "Now, how the hell are we supposed to get up there?"
"Figure it out, smart guy. You got this."
Timber let out a long suffering sigh. Somehow, this was reminding him of when they used to work together in a different sense. Rude walked towards the blown open hole in the wall. The wind started to shift. Timber took that as a good sign.
"Helicopter?"
"Mhm." Rude idly adjusted his sunglasses. Timber came up to his side.
"Good."