Love's Foolish Gift
Rating: Mature for sure contains what might possibly be considered Shota in some countries
Warnings: Does contain yaoi so please be aware of that. Also contains much drama, hurt feelings and misunderstandings.
Pairings: Don't kill me but this chapter is Tseng/Rufus with hints of Reno/Rufus and Rude/Reno. Just read it alright, everything is explained at the end, I promise.
Timeline: Tseng is in the hospital remembering his entire 18 year relationship with Rufus Shinra
Thank you to everyone who reviewed, faved and watched before waiting for three months for me to finish this chapter. Hopefully the next chapter will be finished quicker, I really do hope so!
Crimson Vixen - I am so glad that you are enjoying my story so much, it means a whole lot to me! I am so sorry about the wait so much has been happening in my life that prevents me from writing. Boo Real Life!
Saki Inazuma - I know I love Reno, he's amazenly fun and complex not to mention gorgeous! I'm glad I could feed your Rufus x Reno addiction, hopefully this chapter will give you another dose!
Ares - Thank you very much for the compliment! I do try quite hard to make my characters as close to how Square would have them as possible.
Sqifer-Fan - I'm so glad you liked it! Rufus and Reno bounce off each other so well that they are a joy to write. We get to see a lot more of Tseng this chapter obviously as it is all about him. I'll work on my grammar, I do promise.
Kitsune Shinra - I really like your screen name! Oh and I am delighted that I made you that happy with my writing. When life gives me lemon's I write them! Yay! Great saying, thank you so much.
Miyamashi - Wow, I am completely thrilled that you like my story. That is such high praise coming from you as you have the best and most well known Reno/Rufus story around. We will get back to Rufus and his stubborn denial next chapter but it's time for a new main character right now. I know my chapters tend to me to long but I always have so much to cover! Thanks for bearing with me on that.
S - I know, I know, I'm horrible, so sorry about the wait. Please don't cry, I hope you like this new chapter.
bood - Everything will work out in the end but before that angst is part of the game! I am so glad you loved this story, thank you for telling me so!
TheOneYouCallWe - Yes you kicked my behind this morning, got me moving on this. It was almost done, just needed a few more touches. Thank you for that! I'm glad you enjoyed my last three chapters, hope this one finds favor as well! At fifteen you are not allowed to feel old. If you only knew how old I was you would feel really young! Enjoy it.
The smells of the hospital were nauseating, nauseating but obviously necessary. As was that constant beeping that coldly informed him every second that he was still alive. It was hard to tell sometimes, as he lay practically immobilized the middle of his body wrapped so tight that any movement was very difficult. The doctor's were optimistic though and they expected a full recovery from the stab wound that had nearly cleaved him in two. As well they should have been; with the very best potions and elixirs topped off with most incredible materia at their complete disposal, for the wealthy optimism had simply become scientific fact. It seemed that Rufus had made sure of that, insuring the very best care possible for his discarded lover. It didn't matter; Tseng didn't care about any of the special treatment all he wanted he apparently could never have again.
The Turk leader sighed and rolled his eyes up to the clock above his bed. It was still early morning and would be hours before Elena made her daily visit to him, so at this moment his own mind was his only company. He could only think and at times even fall into a pipe dream imagining that this time when the doors to his hospital room opened that standing there wouldn't be the usual bubbly happy blond girl, but instead would hold a self assured absolutely gorgeous blond boy. Tseng wasn't one that was given to flights of fantasy but here in the lonely antiseptic room he allowed himself to dream about what was never to be.
In this highly unlikely daydream, Rufus would walk over and sit down beside his bed and cross his legs flipping his hair in that gesture Tseng knew so well. He would say something cutting but concerned at the same time, "Well, I did tell you to be careful, Tseng." Tseng would then respond somehow in such a clever and witty way that it would cause Rufus to laugh and smile. He would then become right before Tseng's loving eyes the very same boy who use to chase him down as a young child of 6 in order to hold his hand. That was the boy whom he adored beyond all common sense. This was the boy that ran straight into his arms at the age of 16 on one of his rare return trips to Midgar from his university in Junon. This was the very same Rufus who had frequently crawled into Tseng's bed at night as he cried from his father's frequent beatings to his body. The very same body that grew and matured into a strikingly handsome young man who held the power of his position and legacy in every last pore. Still Tseng was able to play him like a violin running his hands over the perfectly taunt flesh causing Rufus to make that sound deep in his throat and twist in his arms in way that was so much more satisfying to Tseng then his own pleasure.
It was a simple truth that Tseng loved President Rufus Shinra and had loved him since he first laid eyes on the bratty three year old when he was just an underfeed and eager to please 14 year old.
It seemed so long ago yet so recent when he had stood awkwardly in front of the mighty President Shinra in a suit that was a size to big for him, hanging on his skinny frame. He was trying to present his case for a position in the legendary Turks of which he had dreamed ever since he ran away from the orphanage where he had been all his life.
"Give me any assignment, and I will do it. I know that I can do a good job serving you, sir."
The President wasn't buying his spiel, he could tell. The large man shifted in his chair causing the metal to give a faint groaning sound from the abuse. A fat cigar sifted from one side of a greedy mouth to the other and dull blue eyes enclosed in wrinkles and fat were glazed over as they regarded the room practically ignoring the olive skinned boy in front of him.
A sudden sound from behind him gave Tseng a start. The President moved his lazy gaze to over Tseng's shoulder looking at the door of his office. Tseng childishly following the gaze in curiosity mixed with caution.
There stood a flashing angry middle aged women, her twisted gray hair hanging haphazardly about her face, who appeared to be hanging on to her self control by a mere thread.
"Permission to approach sir?" She hissed and when the President gave a nod, she stormed up to the desk and stood beside Tseng but didn't even give him the common curtsy of a passing glance. "He's … I can't … ungrateful …" She took a deep breath and fixed her stare on the President's labels. "I request permission to leave my post as guardian to your son as he is unable to respond to my teaching as he should."
The head of Shinra appeared to be holding back a smirk from his broad face as he listened to this.
"You have my permission. Where is he now?"
"He's in his crib where he hopefully won't be able to hurt himself or others, for the time being."
"Very well, please see my secretary to meet the terms with your pay. You are dismissed."
Tseng heard her mutter, "nothing could help that brat," as she turned to leave.
Though he had been visibly amused by this, the president's demeanor shifted as she left the office; he leaned back in his chair puffing on his cigar. He pulled it out of his mouth and blew a couple of smoke rings into the air.
Tseng tried not to fidget, as he stood in the silence, unsure whether he should continue trying to convince the President of his merits or should just stand still and wait for permission to speak again.
"That's the third this week." The President muttered under his breath as he regarded his cigar.
"Pardon?" Tseng asked not quite understanding.
The President glanced sharply up at him as if he had just realized that Tseng was standing there. "That was the third nanny this week that has quit suddenly. I'm running out of options."
"Yes sir?" Tseng answered unsure of what the proper response was to such a declaration.
"You!" President Shinra said abruptly pointing at Tseng with his burning cigar. "You just said that you would do any assignment, correct?"
"Yes …" said Tseng, not completely liking where this was going.
"Then why don't you take on what is obviously the most difficult job in Midgar and get my son to do his lessons. If you can do that, then perhaps I will talk to Heidegger about getting something for you to do around here."
As Tseng lit up with joy the President shook his head at him with a sneer and put his cigar back into his mouth talking around it. "Don't be so quick to assume you can do it. My son, Rufus, is only three years old, I think, but he is already not much more then a pain in everybody's ass, particularly mine."
"Yes sir." Said Tseng eagerly thinking 'really, how hard could it be'. He had dealt with all sorts of difficult and depraved children when he had lived in the orphanage and just another one would hardly put him out.
The President chuckled slightly to himself and nodded. "You should find the lessons in his nursery. As for how to get to there, well ask my secretary about that. You are dismissed."
"Yes sir." Tseng turned to leave the office and head off to his fate.
He heard the President laughing at his back as he left his office. "I want those lessons done by the end of the day, if you expect to be hired into my company. Go ahead and try."
With those ominous words ringing in his head Tseng made his way to the secretary's desk outside the President's office. After receiving the instructions from the brassy secretary, Tseng began to make his way to his charges room. Shinra is those days was a bit smaller then it was due to be later on, but still very impressive to a dirt poor orphan such as Tseng.
Starting at the directions Tseng walked along the wide and winding hallways of the Shinra Company building. He tried not to gape in wonder at the various men and women in different colored uniforms that he passed by in the hallways, wondering if he could ever be one of them. His sweeping gaze accidentally met the eye of one young solider who wore a blue uniform and carried a helmet under his arm. The boy, who was at least 3 years his senior, openly leered at him and nudged his similarly dressed companion nodding towards Tseng as if he was a colossal joke.
Tseng froze and deliberately lowered the scrap of paper he held. He stared down the solider, even though the solder was quite obviously larger and without moving mutely challenged him to a fight right here and now if need be. The solider raised his eyebrows and then put up both of his hands along with his helmet in a gesture of surrender as he peered at Tseng with shocked bemusement. Satisfied; Tseng continued on his way towards his assignment, which was right around the next corner. He heard the solider mutter to his comrade, "Who was that? General's son you reckon? I can't believe he wanted to fight me," as he went and couldn't keep a self-satisfied smile off his tanned face. Let them wonder, if all went as planned, he would out rank them soon enough. He had learned long ago that the worst thing one could do was back down from a fight. Thus confident Tseng punched in the password to Rufus's room and opening the door, he walked inside.
He soon stopped short as he beheld what was the most glamorous room he had ever seen. In fact every single detail of the room from the taffeta satin maroon curtains to the deep white plush carpet under his feet was undoubtedly the most luxurious thing Tseng had ever experienced in his so far depraved life. The strange and surreally unsettling thing was that it hardly looked lived in and not any way like a children's nursery as it was completely pristine. The only thing that suggested a child's presence was the large almost obscene crib that stood in the middle of it all (if that ungainly and boxy structure could even be defined as a crib at all.) The thing looked almost more like an opened top cage, a magnificent and quite costly cage, but a cage nonetheless. Large ornately decorated brass bars framed the enclosure and white satin draped it. It seemed cold, hard and detached from the joy and laughter that childhood was supposed to represent.
Cautiously Tseng approached the silent crib wondering just what sort of demon it must contain. As he got closer he could make out the vague form of a small child on his back through the bars but they were too broad to see through clearly. Taking a deep breath, Tseng peered over the top of the crib and down at the monster it held.
All his breath went out of his lungs with a gasp as Tseng took in with surprise the most beautiful child that he had ever seen. It was remarkable and unexpected especially considering his beast of a father and the grim way he had been repeatedly described. The milky white skin was pale and perfect with only a slight blush on the cheeks and mounds of soft almost iridescent blond hair framed two deep blue eyes. The child looked up at him face blank without surprise at the stranger looking down at him or seemingly any emotion at all. To Tseng it seemed that he was just a breathing porcelain doll so fragile and pure. In wonder the young teen slowly reached in his hand to touch the sweet unmoving face.
Rufus casually moved his eyes to watch the finger approach his cheek without concern. Still, right before fingertip to skin contact was made the beautiful vision was shattered like a rock to a stain glass window as he opened his sweet mouth and screamed. Tseng jerked his hand back startled and as soon as he did the screaming ceased and the child was looking at him with a smug knowing expression.
"Um," Tseng was amazed at the sudden change and uncertain what to do next.
Not bothering to rise from where he lay, the child kicked his knee-socked legs on the mattress and pointed at Tseng with one chubby finger. "Cookies!"
"What?"
"Cookies!" Rufus said again starting to sound angry as he began to pound with his fists. "You get me cookies!"
"I don't have any cookies."
The young eyes grew wide with anger and the perfect mouth opened as once again the high-pitched shriek filled the air and Tseng's head.
"Oh don't!" Tseng clutched the top of the crib watching the toddler stare straight ahead shrilly proclaiming his wrath. "I can get you cookies!" He said frantically willing the piercing sound to stop.
It did just as abruptly as before and Rufus turned to regard him with cold calculating eyes that didn't belong in a three year olds face. He then spoke slowly and carefully, pronouncing his words remarkably well considering his age. "Then do it."
"I will." Tseng promised, wondering just how he was going to keep such a pledge when he himself had never even had a cookie before.
"Now." It was an order.
"How about later, after we do this." Tseng grabbed Rufus's lessons off a nearby desk and showed it to him.
Rufus sat up surprisingly cooperatively and smiled at Tseng for the first time. There was something behind that innocent smile that Tseng found slightly off though. Some sort of manipulation that once again didn't belong to a three year old and his still chubby checks. What had caused this child to be so crafty at such a young age?
"OK", said Tseng slightly uneasily and opened up the textbook to the page that was marked and looked at it. It was a basic vocabulary lesson complete with phonemic script for pronunciation.
"Well let's start with …" Tseng began but stopped when he saw Rufus shaking his head at him.
The toddler smiled the same unsettling smile and held out his hand for the book.
Not sure what to do, Tseng handed the book over to its owner as requested.
Rufus took the book and seemed looked at his lesson carefully for a second as if he could read it. Tseng was starting to wonder if maybe he could when suddenly Rufus slammed the book close with both hands and using all his young strength throw the book hard at Tseng's head.
It hit him squarely between the eyes and it hurt! "Ow!" Tseng hissed stumbling back away from the crib as the book that had just been turned into a weapon landed at his feet.
Rufus burst into laughter as if causing pain was the funniest thing he had ever seen.
"Why you little brat," Tseng growled clutching the top of the crib glaring down at the occupant in anger.
Rufus stopped his laughter just as suddenly as he was able to stop his screaming and looked at Tseng steadily. "Cookies, now."
"I don't have any cookies." Tseng snapped his short teenage temper rising. "Why do you want cookies so bad anyways? I bet you get them all the time. I've never even had one and here you are demanding them as if it's some sort of right." He stopped suddenly, feeling foolish, no matter how old his eyes seemed, this was only a young child, practically a baby and he couldn't possibly understand what he was saying.
"Never?" The toddler actually looked surprised for a second as he looked at Tseng.
"Um, No." Tseng answered slowly shocked that Rufus had understood. The high intelligence coming from this young child was quite unsettling. He bent down slowly to pick up the book at his feet and opened it back up. He told himself that it didn't matter how he felt about Rufus, all that mattered was getting this task completed so he could join Shinra. If he got this finished hopefully he would never have to see this strange child again.
"Why?" Rufus ignored the book in Tseng's hand for the moment as he looked at his face.
"I can't afford such things. Now we need to do this lesson. Why don't I say a word and then you can try to repeat it."
To Tseng dismay now it appeared that Rufus was ignoring him. The child had turned his face away from Tseng and appeared to be staring off into space as his crossed his chubby arms over his chest. The teacher in training tried to get his attention but to no avail. Tseng couldn't help but roll his eyes and considered throwing down the book here and now and stomping out. Then again, he had nowhere to go. He was sure that the orphanage wouldn't take him back as they hadn't cared when he had run away, probably thrilled to have one less mouth to feed. Getting another job outside of Shinra was extremely difficult in these times of rampant unemployment. The odds would be even worse for him as he was so young and possessed no special skills along with the simple fact that he didn't have a single gil to his name. He was intelligent, he knew that, but so were so many others that were slowly starving to death. No this was his only chance, so he just had to make this work that was all.
With determination, Tseng turned his attention back to Rufus, who was looking again at him. In his infantile features Tseng thought he detected a squint of sympathy. No surely that had to be a trick of the light a child this age couldn't have empathy, could he?
"All right," said Tseng ignoring the bewilderment inside of himself, "now say, 'row'".
"Row," said the toddler and began to recite preciously and clearly, "bow, window, fellow, town, clown, crown, flower."
Tseng eyebrows nearly reached the tilaka on his forehead as he almost dropped the book once more to the ground in renewed shock. Rufus has just successfully recited from memory the entire first line on the page. "How did you know that?"
"I read it." Rufus said simply as if it was obvious.
"You can read?"
"Yes. Can you read?" The toddler said slowly pronouncing the words carefully looking at Tseng with something close to a teasing smile on his delicate features.
Tseng nodded his answer to that with a smile finally beginning to warm up to the boy. They did have something in common after all; they both were missing one very important thing.
"Lesson all done, now cookie!" Rufus said once more turning bossy again as it seemed to be his automatic reaction.
"Rufus," said Tseng, "I don't have any cookies, but if you do these lessons with me, then I'll give you something better then a cookie."
Rufus looked at him suspiciously for a second. "Better?"
"Yes better. I will be your friend and you will find that a friend is better then anything else on this planet."
Rufus cocked his young head slightly to the side and regarded Tseng for a second before flopping back down on his back in the crib as he sucked his thumb in thought. After a moment or two of adorable contemplation he rose again and nodded back solemnly.
"Yes my friend." Rufus replied and suddenly smiled at Tseng and this time the upturn of his sweet mouth didn't have a hidden agenda it was just simply content and Tseng was touched by the simplicity of it.
At that moment, seeing that flawless child happy was good enough Tseng and now, 18 years later, he knew that it never did change. Tseng would spend the rest of his days trying to make that beautiful boy happy.
Eleven years that was the age difference between the two of them. Now Tseng was wounded and barely alive at the age 32 and Rufus was just beginning the prime of his life at age 21. Not to forget of course, that little Ruffie was now the President of the most powerful company on the planet and no longer considered a boy, by anyone wanting to keep their head. Rufus was a man not a child but Tseng was having a hard time thinking of him as an adult. He had been to close to Rufus as he grew up, so full of parental love mixed with maybe just a touch of forbidden desire, for that unbelievably attractive young man. Tseng had only really known and had only ever sought the companionship of women such as Aerith and others, but Rufus was the exception to this rule. Rufus was the exception to every rule. Tseng had known that Rufus was gay from the time he was very young and not just because he wanted to anger his father but because he just was. So when Rufus came of age and had wrapped his thin but strong body around Tseng, there was no way Tseng could refuse him.
The forbidden and unthinkable had happened on the day of Rufus's 15th birthday party. Tseng had walked into Rufus's large and still overly glamorous room to find the teenager sulking lying down on his bed. He was on his side stroking his sleeping black panther, Dark Nation, who was curled up obediently next to him. President Shinra had given the unusual pet to Rufus two years prior stating that he hoped the cat's natural ferocity and predatoriness would rub off on his effeminate son. It appeared to have worked so far, but Tseng was pretty sure that it would have happened with or without an animal guide.
Rufus didn't look up as Tseng approached the bed to require if he needed anything before he turned in for the night. It had been a long day with the huge and extravagant birthday party and the teenager had been positively showered with every glamorous luxury known to man. Now it was time for him to sleep, because after all, Rufus was still growing and needed his rest.
"Is everything all right, your highness?" Tseng asked with a smile in reference to the party and to see if he could make Rufus smile in return.
There was no response from the bed except the slight movement of Rufus rubbing his face in his pet's silky black neck. Tseng stood uncertain unable to figure out the reason for the bad mood his charge was in. After a party like that he should have been happy or at least somewhat content not wordless and grumpy as he appeared now.
"Well good night then?" Tseng said and turned to leave when Rufus spoke from behind him.
"You didn't give me a present." The tone was accusatory in nature and Tseng turned back to see Rufus watching him with angry blue eyes through his blond bangs. Tseng was surprised that Rufus even noticed that in light of the hundreds of other beautiful gifts he had just received.
"No, I didn't, simply because I got you something special and I wanted to give it to you privately."
Rufus turned his head back to Dark Nation and scratched behind the wild cat's ears and appeared to consider that. Pushing up to a seated position on the bed he patted the space on the blanket in front of him. "Fine, then I want it now."
"Rufus, it's late and you should be getting to sleep. I can give it to you tomorrow." Tseng stood patiently in front of the bed known that there was no way he was going to win this battle, because what ever Rufus wanted; Rufus got, but there was no harm in trying.
"Tseng, I want it now!" The spoiled brat snapped his fingers and looked pointedly at his guardian as he gestured forcefully towards the space in front of him.
"Then I'll give it to you, if you give your word that you won't let on how I let you stay up to late." Tseng responded with a smile, as he was well used to Rufus's domineering attitude. He moved over to the ornately carved closet in order to retrieve the present from its hiding place.
"If my father ever saw fit to talk with me, the last thing I would mention would be you." Rufus responded with a pout as he watched Tseng closely.
Tseng put his gift in front of the adolescent who was coddled by everyone but his father and stepped back to watch his reaction. It was nothing more then a simple white box tied with a thick gold ribbon. Rufus looked curiously at the present giving his undivided attention to the box, as if it was the first and only he had received all day. He lifted it up and held it to his ear, shaking it to see if it might make a sound. It didn't, but he smiled at Tseng and undid the ribbon slowly. He lifted the top of the box and peered inside.
"What is it?" The birthday boy lifted the long white garment out of the box to better examine it.
"It's a coat; I think it might suit you."
"It's awfully long, isn't it?" Rufus remained seated on his bed and snapped the coat out to its full length, which was pretty much the length of the youth himself.
"Yes it is," Tseng, agreed with an indulgent smile that he gave to Rufus only. "Why don't you try it on?"
Rufus contemplated Tseng silently for a second and then jumped off the bed and did as suggested. "How do I look?" He turned slowly in front of Tseng looking over his shoulder at him stretching his arms up so to show off the coat better. He finished the last steps of his circle with a snap of his young body causing the long coat tails to flap out behind him. Throwing his arms down he grinned at Tseng and twisted his shoulders back and fourth in glee.
Tseng knew his judgment had been perfect on this. Rufus looked fantastic in the coat, as if it had been made just for him; white was the ideal color for this aspiring ruler. "You look very nice Rufus. You look like a President," said Tseng, pleased with himself on a good selection that his charge was apparently enjoying.
Rufus hummed happily to himself as he clasped his hands in front of his supple body rocking back and forward on his heels. He stopped suddenly and looking up in Tseng's eyes he proceeded towards the full-length mirror at the front of his room. As he passed in front of his nanny he caressingly ran his hand across Tseng's stomach as he held the gaze into his eyes. Tseng jerked a little in surprise at the touch because although it naturally wasn't the first time Rufus had touched him, it was a bit more intimate than what could be expected given the set rules of their relationship, though not wholly unpleasant. He looked sharply at Rufus who was by now preening in front of his mirror.
"I do like it, Tseng. Thank you!" Rufus said as smiled at Tseng in the mirror smoothing his hands down the long coat on his tight lithe body.
"I'm glad you like it."
"You are?" Rufus turned around and looked directly at Tseng. He tilted his head slightly with a grin. "Then I'll wear it all the time and I'll think of you every time I do."
"Thank you sir," said Tseng a bit uncertain as to what Rufus thought he was doing with the touching and compliments.
Rufus smiled once more then biting the corner of his lip slightly; he turned back to the mirror to once again to contemplate his reflection. He shook his head slightly causing his soft blond hair to fall in front of his eyes. Pushing it back with an already practiced flip of the wrist, his eyes caught Tseng's once more in the reflection.
"Maybe I should cut some of this off. It never seems to stay put."
"No I wouldn't recommend that. Your hair is so beautiful." Tseng responded before he thought it through. The creeping realization that giving compliments of that nature to the only son of the most powerful man on the planet may not be the best idea was firmly ringing bells in Tseng's mind. It was true though Rufus had the most glorious light reflecting hair and Tseng would hate to see any of it go.
"It's beautiful?" Rufus raised his eyebrows in surprise. He turned away from the mirror and looked at Tseng closely. "Is it as beautiful as all the ladies that come through here for you? You know the ones that you seem to give all your time to these days?" His young expression had become serious as he looked at Tseng.
"Rufus, we both agreed that you were too old to have me checking in on you all the time at this point. Besides you are at the university most of the time these days."
"That's true, but sometimes I miss you." Rufus responded in a matter of fact manner. "How do you feel about all the women that seem to like you so much? Is there a possibility of marrying any of them at any point?"
"Well I miss you too and the good times we had but Rufus you're fifteen years old and too grown-up for a nanny now." Though his words didn't reflect it Tseng was happy that Rufus had apparently missed him as he did. "As for your next question; no I don't plan on getting married any time soon. You know as well as I do that my job doesn't permit it and my commitment to your father and you is absolute."
"Yes I know that." Rufus smiled again, slightly wistfully it seemed. He stretched his arms above his head and yawned deeply, probably half in a theatrical show for Tseng's benefit.
"Remember how you use to carry me when I was young, singing to me before bed? Well I'm so tired right now, that I just might collapse right here on the floor so I think I need you to carry me again." Rufus stretched out his arms uncharacteristically sweet towards Tseng with a small fetching downward smile.
"I think you can make it the 10 feet to the bed," said Tseng returning the smile. Then his expression changed to concern and he moved quickly to the young teen's side as Rufus began to dramatically sway on his feet as if he might hit the ground at any second.
"No I don't think so." Rufus turned towards Tseng and hooked his hands around his nanny's neck behind his black ponytail. "Carry me, Tseng." He moved his blue eyes to look up enchantingly into Tseng's dark ones.
Tseng shook in his head in bewilderment at the strange game that Rufus had taken to playing but this boy always got his way and it was pointless to fight. He put his hands around the slender waist and hosted him up into his arms. Rufus immediately put his legs around Tseng's waist and in response to the sudden weight not to mention the shock of feeling Rufus's thighs gripping him, Tseng lost his balance and they both feel against the wall beside the mirror.
Rufus was trapped between Tseng and the wall behind him but made no move to free himself. Instead he only tightened his legs grip around the other's waist.
"Rufus, what are you doing?" Tseng could ask that now because at this point it was getting to be very obvious that Rufus was most certainly doing something.
"I think about you all the time." Rufus whispered into his ear. He moved his head to look into Tseng's eyes right in front of him and kept his tone low. "I look at you and wonder how you would feel. I look at your hands and I want them to touch every part of me. I want it so bad Tseng, please."
"Rufus, no!" Tseng was completely horrified but kept his tight grip on the lovely boy pressed up against him, why hadn't he seen this coming?
"I can't stop the way I feel. If it's not you, then it will be someone else, but I want it to be you. I want it to be only you."
Rufus twisted slightly in his arms and Tseng gasped as lust started to hit his brain, the floodgates that held back his verboten desire beginning to spring a leak. He wasn't actually considering this was he? If the father of this increasingly desirable youth found out he would lose a lot more then his job or even his life, he was certain of that.
Not quite getting the reaction he hoped for Rufus frowned slightly and sighed closing his eyes. "If you want me to beg, I'll beg, but please touch me Tseng. I ache for you so." He moaned and pressed the back of his head against the wall behind him, arching his neck. Almost as if someone else was controlling him Tseng felt his own mouth finding that neck and moving his lips kissing up the smooth warm skin to Rufus's slightly opened mouth.
Rufus's lips were dry in their child like way as Tseng lightly brushed against them, lightly tasting as he tried to decide the best course of action for this horny lad. He felt the unpracticed though surprisingly sensual lips moving over his own with a slight awkwardness but it was the open eagerness behind the kiss that caused a tremor to go through Tseng. Almost without him realizing it his body and desire were responding potently to the solicitous intent in Rufus's immature but shapely form as the kiss deepened between them.
Tseng wanted more, he needed more and certainly there was no harm in a simple kiss. Opening Rufus's mouth more with his own he pushed his tongue into the yielding but still innocent soft wetness. At the oral penetration, his hands developed a mind of their own and ran down the youthful strong back until they arrived at the juvenile and perfectly formed behind, which Tseng cupped keenly. Tseng loved a good derrière and this was an exceptional one; comely rounded and firm. Forgetting everything but the moment and the feelings going through him, Tseng caressed that sweet rump hungrily shifting it into a more desirable position against his swelling need. His mouth pressed to Rufus's as it became demanding in its urgency pushing the blonde's head back hard against the wall as his ardor over took his senses. That was until Rufus's small whimper against Tseng's overly impassioned mouth shocked the aggressor out of his trance causing him to pull back.
Rufus was panting heavily, his pale cheeks rosy, blue eyes wide, and on his sweet now swollen mouth there was already a sign of the discoloration Tseng had just carelessly inflected on him. This was hardly the first kiss Rufus deserved or probably expected. Tseng stared back stunned at how quickly and how strongly he had become aroused. In those few seconds, he had completely forgotten who Rufus was.
"Oh god, I'm so sorry." Tseng moved as to set Rufus gently on his feet to make a hasty retreat out of there before he could damage this absolutely luscious boy any further.
"No! Don't stop, I forbid you to stop!" Rufus pulled Tseng's mouth back to his own and shifted his backside in Tseng's flexed hands so that their individual covered needs rubbed up hard against each other.
Tseng groaned in near agony mixed with panic as his entire body burst into flames of pure want. He froze and tried to pull away from Rufus's eager hands pulling at his head. "I don't want to hurt you baby, please."
"Then don't hurt me, just touch me." Rufus replied not quite understanding just how close Tseng was to ripping off his trousers or even ripping through his trousers in the quest for the tight warmth that he now desperately wanted. Without even knowing it, Rufus had just hit on Tseng's favorite method of sexual pleasure. Male or female, it hardly seemed to matter at this point. Tseng closed his eyes tight as he struggled to control his urges pushing his face into the blond hair, smelling the clean soapy scent. He became aware of a tug at his wrist as Rufus tried to direct his hand without upsetting the position they held against the wall.
Shaking from the internal struggle within himself, Tseng bent his knee and pushed it against the wall so Rufus was essentially sitting on his thigh with his legs still wrapped around the Tseng's waist. A strong arm was passed around the boy's own slender waist to keep him steady. Tseng passed one hand up between the front of Rufus's long youthful legs and pulled at the buttons that were locking Rufus's passion away from him. Looking into his enormous and glorious blue eyes Tseng freed the need of the future ruler of the planet to the air and began to stroke him slowly between them. He just had to focus off those eyes and hopefully he could control his natural instincts.
Rufus face twisted in pleasure and clenching his teeth he pushed his head back against the wall his hands reaching down to grip Tseng's arms.
"Oh Ruffie, you're going to kill me." Tseng whispered as he tried to keep his pace slow and steady in order to prolong his tempter's enjoyment. He bent and began to shower the perfect porcelain skin of Rufus's face and neck with many caresses from his hungry lips.
"Ohhhhh." Rufus gasped his eyes closing, "Oh go faster." Tseng panted and pressed his forehead up to Rufus's and did as requested as a sweat started to break out over his charges brow.
Suddenly Rufus jerked away his eyes opening wide. "Stop!" He tried to stop Tseng's hand as his body twisted almost violently as it began to prepare itself.
"No you're almost there, its okay." Tseng soothed as he picked up the pace even more as Rufus's hips began to involuntarily thrust up and down. At this point, Tseng's need to see Rufus come had absolutely pushed aside all of the various rules in their relationship.
"No you've got to stop, something, oh something." There was a rising note of panic in the young voice which changed completely into a long tuneless cry as the virgin boy tensed and the first orgasm of Rufus's short life pushed hard through his youthful and inexperienced body.
Rufus's entire form went completely limp and Tseng gently lowered him to the floor. He pulled him warmly into his arms as Rufus breathed heavily into his neck, managing to ignore his own demanding need for the time being. The natural build up in Rufus's body had soundly splattered both of them and Tseng gently cleaned him up with his own sleeve and buttoned him back up. Easily standing up with the small and slender adolescent Tseng carried him to his bed and laid him down gently beside his silky black pet.
He removed the long white jacket Rufus had just recently received from him and rubbed his slender back until as his breathing grew steady and slow. When Tseng assumed he was asleep, he whispered "little sweetheart," into the back of the blond head and tucked him cozily in. Turning with some reluctance he walked softly out of the room of the President's son.
In the nearby spare bedroom, which was very close to his charge's room, Tseng contemplated the shocking turn of events as he stared at the ceiling. Tseng had given Rufus exactly what he asked for and a lot more besides and now he didn't know quite what to do or think. His perplexity was deepened, as his senses were aflame with a desire that he couldn't deny. He wanted even more from that young teen and his undoubtedly tight body. Now acting on that desire would even be worse then what had just happened and if it did come to pass it would very well mean the end of his life and severe punishment for Rufus as well. So Tseng came to the conclusion that he would have to just control himself around Rufus from now on. He just couldn't let that happen, he would make sure that it didn't happen because he could never risk that precious one. Intertwining his fingers under his head, Tseng wondering with a slight cynical smile, just what he had got himself into. Then suddenly there was a small motion as the blankets at the foot of his bed were disturbed and a lump moved up to him. Rufus slowly crawled under the covers into his new lovers arms and in that wonderful instant all of Tseng's worries melted away.
Tseng would have given it all up and more for Rufus, but as Rufus grew older it turned out that he had other ideas about that. He viewed Tseng as just an extension of his childhood, which was a time that he would have otherwise rather forgetten, as he moved on towards adulthood. Though Tseng had tried his best to be everything to Rufus, he wasn't his father and that was the love that the blond beauty needed the most. Rufus's mother had died not long after giving birth to her blond son under mysterious circumstances that everyone was afraid to discuss. It was thought, but not said, that she had been disposed of because of her views on raising a child contrasted sharply with her husband's views on how to create a successor for his company. To the first President Shinra, his infant son was simply something that he could mold no matter how cruelly or forcefully into the shape he wanted him to be without any regard for his feelings. It was with much anger that his father watched him develop into a slightly feminine slender young man and not the burly rugged adult that the President was and had wanted in his successor.
So Rufus grew up with Tseng's complete support but without his father's love. He proved to be incredibly intelligent and quite adapt to learning all of the different strategies needed to run a successful business in such trying times. Still no matter how quickly he learned and how hard to tried nothing broke the coldness of his father. He stopped the fruitless attempt for approval not long after Tseng had finally given in and made Rufus his, a whole four days after Rufus's initial seduction.
At 16, Rufus tried unsuccessfully to play both sides and finance the enemy behind everyone's back in order to force his father out of his position but was unsuccessful. Still he watched and waited for an opportunity even as he continued to attend the most prestigious university on the planet. Cracks began to appear in the relationship between the two of them, just small at first but as Rufus got older and warier they became larger. One of the cracks had a name and that name was Reno, Tseng secondary but that hardly seemed to matter. Tseng was certain that as long as he remained at Shinra that Rufus and Reno had never been together but both had most likely wanted to. Reno unable to step outside his position to do so and Rufus getting whatever physical satisfaction that he might require from Tseng was too focused on his political aspirations to try and pursue another relationship. Now that Tseng wasn't available to Rufus's frequent whims he knew that the spoiled blond had no intention of waiting for him to heal. Rufus was a very lustful young man with plenty of sensual desire that wouldn't or couldn't wait. Not that he would see the need to, with Reno so available and willing. Tseng felt a physical pain that went deeper then the sword through his stomach had. They were undoubtedly together, probably right at this very moment, Reno running his hands over Rufus's beautiful skin and all Tseng could do was lie here wishing his eyes would close on this miserable planet for good.
They didn't though, nothing could accomplish that it seemed. Unknown to the rest of the Turks, and especially innocent little Elena, Tseng had known were Sephiroth was. Figuring that he would either find the promise land, so to impress Rufus and win him his affection, or die trying, Tseng had sought Sephiroth out alone. Unfortunately neither of those options had come to pass now and all he was left with was his reflections of the past. As Tseng lay contemplating this, the most painful memory of them all fought to rise to the surface. It was of the one moment when he could have turned the tide but didn't. Rufus had been eighteen and Reno twenty and it was the first time that they had actually noticed each other. It also marked the start of the agonizing time when Rufus stopped considering Tseng his lover and started to view him only as a means to an end.
Memories both good and bad assault the mind when one is alone in a sterile relentlessly beeping room and this one was no exception.
Back then, when times were good and Rufus loved him, Tseng was a businessman, he felt so suited to the task, and the answers to the questions that others might find difficult to understand came completely natural to him. It was all a matter of looking at it from a logical standpoint and figuring out the best course of action. He was attempting to do that now but something kept on getting in the way. With a slight sigh of annoyance and without looking up he pushed the black shoe off the paperwork he was trying to work on. He managed to get a few more lines written before it was back and sliding its way over his work again, sole towards him, smoothly covering up the page. After a few more repeated attempts to deal with the organization of various sectors and being thwarted out it, Tseng stopped trying. He clicked his tongue in annoyance but also with a small chuckle of mirth and dropping his pen he bent his head down resting his forehead on his fist, staring down at the offending shoe.
Shaking his head slightly into his fist he began to move his head as his eyes went past the black shoe up the bent leg of the white trousers to the lean strong body and finally up to Rufus's face. The blond prince was lounging on top of Tseng's large desk, one leg bent up with the knee in the air left foot flat down, the other bent flat on the desk with his right foot repeatedly getting in the way of Tseng's pen.
"Rufus, what are you doing?" Tseng asked with small exasperation looking at the teenager who had rested his perfect blond head on his hand.
"I was thinking, Tseng, I am only going to be on holiday from school for a week so it would be advantageous to take advantage of the situation." Rufus was studying him steadily with only the slightest smug smile playing lightly at the corners of his mouth.
"Take advantage of what situation, sir?" Tseng asked teasing, for of course he knew the answer to his own question. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back and waited for the answer from the Vice-President of Shinra.
"This situation right here where you have amble opportunity to do as many depraved and utterly perverse things to me as possible in the shortest amount of time." Rufus said pragmatically as he rolled his head slightly on his hand and began to caress Tseng's chest with the toe of his shoe.
Tseng looked down at the shoe poking at him with a smile and uncrossed his arms to give it better access. "Rufus, Vice-President, sir, I might remind you that we've been doing nothing but that since you got off the plane last night."
Rufus looked down and smiled shrewdly at the quickly becoming over do paperwork. He smoothly pushed himself up on the desk and sat back on his heels, spreading his knees far apart in front of Tseng. "Yes that is true but strangely enough, I'm not quite satisfied." He ran his hands tactilely up his thighs as he spoke.
"Not all that strange, you are after all, eighteen years old." Tseng replied mesmerized as usual at the sight of Rufus's extraordinary beauty up close as he looked into the silver blue eyes.
"No, I believe the fault lies with you." Rufus replied as he rested his hands on his hipbones and bent his upper body forward keeping his legs folded under him so his face was slightly above but very close to Tseng's.
"Oh?" Tseng asked as he tilted his head up and opened his mouth slightly to give Rufus access to do whatever it was he wanted to do.
"Yes," Rufus said in a low tone not moving, "though I did enjoy being rammed against the wall two minutes after I alighted from my flight due to your impatience, I am sure that it needs to be done a lot more before I can rest easy."
"How is that my fault?" Tseng questioned matching Rufus's husky tone as his body began to quickly respond to the memory of what had happened at the feel of Rufus in his arms after the long absence of over three months.
"Now, Tseng, you should know better then to question me. It's your fault, because I say that it is." Rufus said easily and drew back slightly with slightly narrowed eyes still smiling on his face. His legs rumbling the paperwork under his knees as he held his erotic position on the desk.
"Yes, I can see it's my fault and I am so sorry." Tseng responded playing the game obediently as his arousal grew surprisingly fast, or not so surprisingly, after all this was Rufus, his love. How he had been able to concentrate on paperwork with this incredibly desirable creature so close was now a mystery. Rufus loved to play games like this once he had figured out that Tseng passion for him matched or even exceeded his lust for Tseng. It was easiest just to give Rufus what he wanted, or he would draw it out forever, keeping him right on the edge.
A smile of smug victory touched Rufus's face and in reward, he pushed his hands into Tseng's straight black hair. Tseng drew a sharp inward breath of air of pleasure at the feeling of Rufus's young smooth hands on his head. Holding Tseng's head steady, Rufus moved to kiss him, but right as their lips meant they both froze. Unmistakable heavy footprints sounded right outside the door followed by two sets of lighter ones.
Rufus threw himself backwards while still managing retain a great deal of his natural grace and he captured Tseng's eyes for a second as he slid off the desk scattering the paperwork everywhere. He quickly picked up a few sheets and sat down backwards into an easy chair beside Tseng's desk and pretended to study them. He watched through the paper as Tseng fell to his knees on the floor and gathered up the remaining sheets as swiftly as possible not caring if they were upside down or right side up.
Tseng shot up and straightened his assignment out on the desk as he looked over at the blood teenage coconspirator. Rufus looked back at him with an expression of amusement and Tseng noticed maybe just a touch of concern showing for his lover behind the steel blue eyes.
The doors to Tseng's office were opened by a young redhead Turk by the name of Reno followed by an older more serious skinhead called Rude and they both moved with great speed to open the double doors for their boss. President Shinra walked his overly thick body through them without a glance at either of his bodyguards. Tseng watched as Reno made a funny sneering face at the broad back of his boss and then turned his head slightly to grin at Rude, who responded by clinching his jaw in an effort not to laugh. With his nerves as frayed as they were at Rufus's and his close call, Tseng almost grinned himself at Reno's mocking antics. It occurred to him that Reno most likely wasn't enjoying his job very much and might try to leave soon, even though that was forbidden because of his access to company secrets. That was fine, as the President didn't treat those who worked for him as much more then cattle and Reno was a remarkable young man, still just twenty, who could probably find a good life outside of here. Tseng knew that he could easily sneak him away to where Veld remained in hiding with the others if Reno expressed a desire to leave.
Tseng tried his best to keep his focus safely on Reno and off of his teenage lover. As he knew, from bitter experience, that the less President Shinra saw of his son, the better for all involved. The sad truth was that Rufus was quite lucky on the days his father didn't notice him at all.
"Tseng!" The President snapped as stopped in front of the desk Rufus had just sensually crawled around on just a minute or two before, flanked by his two minders, Reno at his right, and Rude at his left.
"Sir!" Tseng responded standing even straighter at attention, clutching his hands behind his back.
"I want to know about your progress on sector 12."
"Yes Sir! I am working on it now; it will be done by the end of the day, sir." Tseng noticed out of the corner of his eye that Reno wasn't listening to the conversation; in fact he was starting at something to the right of desk with an expression of amazement. What was he looking at?
"Good. So we can carry ahead with the demolition then?"
"Yes sir, but there are many families there, sir." Tseng broke eye contract with the President for a second in an attempt to follow Reno's gaze. It was, as he feared, Reno was gaping at his Rufus as if he had never seen him before, but then he probably hadn't, at least not this close. "It's the slums Tseng, they bred like rats out there and like rats they will find new holes easily enough."
"Yes sir, very good sir. What should be told to them during the eviction?" Rufus wasn't looking back at Reno, thank the planet, he was contemplating his father who hadn't even spared him a passing glance since he walked in the room. What Reno did think gave him the right to look at his teenage superior with such awe in his eyes. Only he himself was allowed to look at Rufus like that. Suddenly he was having doubts about Reno being such a remarkable young man after all.
"Tseng! Did you hear what I said? Attend to me now!" The President's sharp voice jerked Tseng out of his budding jealousy for the time being.
"I'm sorry sir. It was a late night, last night sir." Tseng quickly covered. Look at what Reno was causing him to do.
"When I take the time to pay a special visit to your office that created just for you, your complete attention is required. Is that clear enough for you?"
"Do you know what's strange?" Rufus's young jeering voice startled everyone in the room when he unexpectedly spoke. "Even as rich and powerful as you claim to be you still feel the need to have two bodyguards with you where ever you go, even in your own building."
Tseng closed his eyes in briefly with alarm as he drew in a breath. Why did Rufus always insist on antagonizing his father? It was as if he wanted the punishment that was sure to follow.
The President of Shinra Electric Company swung around to look at his only child sitting relaxed as if only a casual observer to the events around him. Pushing Reno roughly out of his way the President lumbered over to stand above him. "What are you saying boy?" He peered down at his son as if he wasn't much more then an insect.
"On the other hand, since you don't seem to mind throwing people out of their homes on a whim, it's not improbable someone might try to do the same to you."
The President slammed his hand into the chair right above his son's left shoulder and kept a strong grip as he leaned down into the vulnerable teen's space. Rufus didn't even flinch under his father's intense gaze but the three Turks who were the unfortunate observers to this did. "Are you suggesting that there is a threat to me from the slums of Midgar? I hardly view those peasants as a threat. They appreciate me and the promise of a better life I give to them."
"You mean the Mako lie that you continue to pour money into. Someday they will wise up and then you will have nothing but your broken promises, an empty bank account and a whole host of homeless hostile 'peasants'." As he spoke, Rufus looked around the room despite the President's proximity in a perfect imitation of boredom not coming even close to the rapt attention his father insisted on receiving from those who presumed to speak with him.
On seeing that he wasn't having the intimidating effect he was after, President Shinra grabbed Rufus harshly by the upper arm and haled him to his feet. He kept his grip tight on slender teenager's arm and twisted it in a way that must have hurt, but the defiant youth gave no sign that it had. As he always did when he observed Rufus and his father fighting Tseng gave a quick prayer up to the goddess, and the planet and whoever else might be listening, that it wouldn't go to far. It just wasn't his place to interfere between father and son as he had no authority to do so. The President was the law, the judge, the jury and sentencer all in one and there was no higher power then him. To be completely truthful though, it was more then that. Tseng was quite leery of revealing even a hint of his relationship with Rufus and jumping in like a conquering hero most certainly would. The President hadn't risen to the position he was in on threats alone, though those had helped, he also had a keen mind to back it up. At the slightest clue all would be revealed and then may the goddess help them both.
The President continued to hold his son's arm in a twist so tight that the strain in Rufus's young muscles was visible even through his clothing, but still not on his face. As he spook his words dripped danger almost like venom, "Do you know of any threat?" Helpless, Tseng squeezed his fists so tight that the nails on his fingers pushed hard enough into his palms to break the skin. 'Back down, Rufus, god please baby, back down.' He tried to mentally transmit that plea to the captive who was looking not the least bit intimidated at his father's furious red face.
"Boss!" There was panicked whisper to his right and Tseng turned away from the disaster unfolding before his eyes to look at Reno's worried and slightly perplexed face. He had forgotten about him and Rude both, he couldn't even imagine what they were thinking right now. As horrible as it was, Tseng was use to the President's treatment of Rufus but the other two Turks who were under him in the chain of command were not. Tseng tried to show with as little movement as possible that everything was fine, they were just having a little argument and it would end just as quickly as it began. That seemed to pacify the restless redhead for the time being especially when he glanced over his shoulder at Rude who responded in accord with Tseng with a prohibitive shake of his head. Tseng's response to that was a small raise of his eyebrows; surely Reno wasn't thinking of stepping in between Shinra and his son, was he? He had to know that was suicide and not just for his career.
Rufus spoke slowly and deliberately to the man who was getting perilously close to breaking his arm. "The danger always comes from within, does it not, Father."
"You ungrateful little brat, I would have been so much better off if I had just drown you at birth." The President's tone was so low at this point in his utter fury, that it was nearly a whisper.
"But then you would have to fuck again in order to breed and from what I hear you are not very good at that, if you can do it at all." Rufus responded sealing his fate.
The sound of the slap sounded like a shot in the shocked quiet of the room. Rufus head flew back from the force of it and Tseng hissed in pain as what was done to Rufus hurt him as well and deeply. The President kept his tight tortuous grip on his son's arm so Rufus didn't fall completely down only slumped slightly. In a moment though he returned to the position he had held before despite the blood running out of his nose and rapid swelling of half his normally perfect face. His expression held a sneer of complete contempt so pure in its hatred that it was unsettling for everyone in the room, including the one it was directed at.
Rufus suddenly grinned as if happy showing his blood soaked teeth shockingly clear as he proceeded to spew a bloody spray all over his father's face and clothes. His terror now complete Tseng's version went white as he realized that Rufus had just gone to far and now he was going to die, right before Tseng's eyes and there was not a thing he could do to stop it.
Shaking his son like a damaged rag doll as the blood flew from his wrecked face; the President raised his heavy fist again most likely intending to bring it down on Rufus's head in what could very well be a deathblow. Tseng watched that fist rise as if in slow motion frozen in fear terrified to watch the death of the unthinkably beautiful boy that he adored with every fiber of his being but unable to look away. His vision tunneled to consist only of the fist and Rufus's vulnerable head that was about to be shattered and still Tseng could not move. It was over, he would never look into Rufus's blue eyes again but then with the sound of a piercing cry, the world unexpectedly opened up again revealing the unexpected. With a shout, Reno sprang forward his young wiry body moving with remarkable speed and caught the President's arm as it descended towards the possible murder of his heir.
President Shinra froze his face showing utter astonishment as he stared at the hand that dared to stop him. As if he had sudden realized what he had just done, Reno stopped in shock staring at his own hand holding the arm of the most powerful and vicious man on the planet in wonderment. Tseng remained immobilized and useless but turned his head to observe Rufus to confirm that he was indeed still on his feet and alive. The blond teenager pulled easily away from his father's grip as it had loosened quite a bit from his dismay at being defied. Breathing heavy Rufus moved a hand up to wipe at the blood oozing out of his nose and with what could only be called admiration his eyes sought out his deliver. Reno moved his eyes away for a second from his hand on the President's wrist when he felt the Vice-President's eyes on him. A winsome smile broke out over his face despite the predicament he had gotten himself into as he looked into the blonde's eyes. Rufus looked startled before smiling back and almost self consciously as if he was flirting, pushed his blond hair back out of his eyes. With a sinking feeling in gut Tseng realized that in this small moment of time that that there was a spell being subtlety woven between the two of them, one that wouldn't be easily broken. Reno wasn't gay though, he was so well known around the company for being anything but gay. Then again neither was Tseng, Rufus had changed that with a simple twist of his hips.
"How dare you." The President wrenched his arm away from Reno's grip and turned his outrageous anger away from his son towards his red head employee. Reno had the good sense to look uneasy and began to back away when his arm was grabbed by Rude and he was pushed behind the larger Turk.
"Sir, you are hurt, we need to get you looked at." Rude said directly as he worked imperceptivity to carefully keep Reno behind him hidden from view.
"I am not hurt and you have not the right to tell me if I am or not." The President countered sternly but he did seem slightly unbalanced from all that was unfolding in the room. Tseng suddenly found his tongue. "Yes sir, you are, look you are covered in blood, and you should visit the informatory." He nodded at Rude, who having received the order, turned so to lead the President towards the double doors of Tseng's office without touching him. Rude could cut a rather imposing figure if he so wanted and after hesitating for a moment the President agreed to be lead out.
Reno managed to get away from the protective shield of Rude and started to move towards Rufus. "Reno, remember your duties." Tseng commanded sounding perhaps a bit testier then he strictly intended but that was his mindset at the moment. Rufus shot Tseng a look of wrath, which did wound Tseng through his surprise quite strongly. Once Reno was reminded of his job, he did fall back into line and followed Rude and the President towards the exit. As he reached it though he turned around and grinned once again at Rufus, who responded by angling his head in acknowledgment with a slight smile, before going through the double doors leaving one slightly ajar.
It took all of Tseng's self control not to run up to that door and slam it in Reno's wake as a warning, as a declaration that Rufus belonged to him only and that Reno had no right to mess up his world. Instead like the gentleman he had always been, he walked over to the door and closed it softly. He turned and looked back at Rufus who was standing there watching him with his penetrating blues eyes, though one was swollen. "Now you really are hurt so let's try to fix you up." He said speaking lightly to cover up the seriousness of the situation. Walking over to the small refrigerator that was used to hold chilled alcohol, Tseng collected a hand full of ice cubes in a linen handkerchief and tied it to create a little pouch.
"This should help." He as he walked over to Rufus who was doing a remarkably good imitation of the ice Tseng held in his hand. The steady probing stare of his eyes were empty of the mirth and the lust they had held before his father possibly more importantly Reno had invaded Tseng's office. The unwavering look was starting to tell on Tseng's nerves, what did he expect, did he expect him to throw himself into the line of fire? He would give his life for Rufus, of course he would, but if his father found out the true nature of their relationship then it wouldn't be just him who suffered. Rufus was remarkably intelligent and had to realize that.
"Here you are." Tseng move gingerly to place the ice bag on Rufus's bruised cheekbone but Rufus moved his head back avoiding him. He reached out and took the ice from Tseng and placing the ice on his own face, he moved back further away from Tseng then ever as he held that steady barren look in his eye. "I don't need your help with this. Also please address me properly when you speak to me." Rufus said clearly sitting down on the same chair he had been in before and crossing his legs as he continued to hold the ice to his swollen face.
"Yes, sir." Tseng said rebuffed with an angry pang wondering what it was going to take to break Rufus out of this mood he was now in.
"Did you know," Rufus said in a disdainful and sarcastic tone, "no one has ever bothered to stand up to him before for my sake. Now one of his bodyguards does it without ever even speaking to me much less sleeping with me. That's very interesting don't you agree? Tseng."
"Sir, what Reno did was reckless and disrespectful to his position. I highly doubt that he will have a job at the end of the day, or anything else for that matter." With the fury slowly building in him Tseng was certain that if he was called upon again to maintain the security of Shinra by taking out a risk he would most certainly do it this time.
"Oh and whose call would that be?" Rufus hissed his one visible eye narrowing as he continued to study Tseng. "So Reno is his name. I trust that you will do everything in your power to assure that Reno continues here undisciplined at Shinra, for if you don't then I swear right here and now on the planet and my mother's grave that you will never touch me again."
Tseng drew in a deep breath as he looked at still utterly desirable teen despite his wounds. There was only one thing he wanted more then forcing Reno down to his knees and putting a bullet in the back of his head and that was Rufus's glorious body pressed to his. Not to mention the unthinkable alternative Rufus would turn to if he no longer had Tseng to satisfy his endless lust.
"Do you know what loyalty is Tseng? I mean true loyalty not just the word, but the idea?"
"Yes sir, of course I know what that means." Tseng couldn't believe he was being questioned on this; there was no one more loyal then him. He had dedicated his life to Shinra who was more steadfast then that? Surely not the red headed whore who was more likely to mess about then do his job properly. Though to be truthful, the job always did manage to get done somehow.
"No I don't think you do, Reno has loyalty and you do not." Rufus said resolutely looking into Tseng's eyes as his words burned his former guardian's soul. "Now leave and go assure him that he will keep his job and will not mysteriously disappear."
"Rufus, I'm so sorry, please ba …" He stopped at his felt the cold blue eyes on him again, Rufus was becoming less of a child and more of a man by the minute. "Sir," he corrected, "I couldn't do anything, don't understand that?" He fought to keep the desperation out of his voice, how could things change so completely in the space of less then an hour?
Rufus chuckled slightly to himself as he moved the ice bag to another space on his face. "Are you worried about me finding solace in the arms of the one that did dare to help me. Don't worry Tseng, I'm not about to start another affair with another one of my subordinates. At least not right now. Now leave and do what I told you to do."
"Rufus you have to know that I l …" Tseng began but stopped as Rufus jumped up furiously to his feet, flinging the ice down. "You of all people should know that the use of that word will not grant you any special favors with me just the opposite in fact. This is your last chance to do as you are told before I will have no choice but to call for reinforcement."
"Yes sir," said Tseng with a small bow having run out of options that might work to fix the damage to the relationship of the one he loved the most. He left his office turning around as he went through the door to look at his beautiful Rufus standing up and staring out the window behind the desk deep in thought, now and forever lost to him.
Tseng walked down the hallway holding on to his professional domineer like a cloak used to disguise the real him and his natural human emotions. He could hear the tense voice of the normally calm Rude drifting out from the closed door of the Turk conference room obviously directed at Reno.
"You have to leave right now, just go. Leave Midgar go as far away as you can and stay there."
Reno's voice surprisingly calm answered the fear in his partner's deeper voice. "Oh are you trying to get rid of me? If I leave then it just puts you in danger and that's hardly the best thing to do to a mate, yo."
"Yes I want to be rid of you! I'd rather have you far away, then not at all."
With a sigh, Tseng pushed open the conference room door and the two occupants of the room turned around to look at him, Rude stood in a display of aggravation and Reno lounging in a fold out chair. Rude visibly tensed looking prepared to do whatever it took to protect what Tseng was quickly suspecting was his love. Perhaps Reno wasn't quite as hetro as Tseng first suspected, but then maybe he was, as he seemed to be immune to Rude's near frantic worry for him. This of course was none of Tseng's concern; his concern was for Rufus and the order he had been given.
"Rude, I need to speak to Reno alone for a moment, would you please excuse us?" Tseng said with the custom authority in his voice that he used when speaking to his employees.
Rude set his jaw and walking up he stood directly in front of Tseng blocking his way to Reno. "I'm afraid that I can not allow that, boss." Tseng looked up at the sunglasses that obscured Rude's eyes completely and wondered just why he had never been disciplined for wearing them all the time. It just wasn't right that he couldn't look his subordinate in the eye if he so wanted. To much could be hidden if you couldn't see another's eyes. "Rude, I know what you suspect here but trust me when I say that everything is fine. I'm just going to talk to him. Look I don't even have my gun with me." Tseng lifted the sides of his jacket up to show that his holsters were empty. "This will only take a minute, so please leave. Go get a drink, I don't care what you do but make sure you put enough distance so you can not hear what is said in here."
"Don't be such a fuss bucket Rude, everything is fine." Reno said from his chair as he leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees and folding his hands under his chin with a convincing smile. Rude glanced over at Reno and then back at Tseng who gave what he hoped was a reassuring nod. Deciding that the situation was safe enough for the time being Rude walked past Tseng to the conference room door and went out but not before throwing another worried look back at Reno, Tseng couldn't help but notice. Smoothing down his jacket Tseng went to grab another chair in order to sit with his traitorous employee trying to hide his annoyance at the whole tangled situation. If there was one thing more exasperating then office politics, it was office love triangles and it looked like he had just got himself firmly caught up in both. He could have avoided all this he had just said no three years ago to Rufus, but then again that would have been impossible for more reasons then one.
Tseng set the chair down in front of Reno and sat down facing him.
Reno sat up and patted his knees with a touch of nervousness. "So boss, am I in trouble?" He asked raising his eyebrows watching Tseng's face closely.
'No' Tseng wanted to say before he jumped up and grabbed Reno by his ridiculous red hair and wrenching his head back. 'Not yet, but if you ever go any where near him, if you ever breathe on him, I will find you and I will rip your fucking head off before going after Rude and doing the same to him! Do you understand me!'
Instead of that Tseng said outwardly calm but inwardly seething with anger, "No you are not in trouble Reno. I just wanted to let you know about a position that just opened up recently that I think might suit you."
"I'm not in trouble?" Reno looked startled crossing his arms over his chest and peering at Tseng quizzically. "You know of course what I did today. Putting hands on the head of this soulless company would normally get someone in quite a bit of trouble."
"Yes I know what you did. Now this new position offers a much better salary and it is an exciting but decidedly less dangerous line of work. I think you are perfect for it. It's a great opportunity and you should take advantage of it."
Reno chuckled slightly in bewilderment shaking his head. "Would that mean that I wouldn't work under you any more?"
"That's right. I think you will find your new boss firm but fair"
Reno was watching him closely, to closely. "I don't know about this boss, this new position seems to have come up suddenly."
Tseng took a deep breath, he wasn't going to let Reno get the best of him here. "I believe observing you that you might realize your full potential in another part of this company."
"Oh but boss," Reno responded in a singsong voice, blinking at him with big eyes hiding just a hint of malice, "you are the best one to help me realize my full potential. Why would I ever leave?"
Tseng pursed his lips in his effort to keep down the flames of hate that were burning up his insides. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity Reno, it would be very foolish indeed to pass it up. Although if you don't want it then I am sure that someone else would be happy to have it." He finished hoping that card would catch the red haired thief's eye.
With a satisfied smirk Reno leaned back into his chair. "Then that's what you will have to do boss. Though I thank you for the offer I am just not interested."
Tseng was unable to formulate a response to Reno utter rejection of the generous out he had just given him. If this is the way he wanted to play it, then fine, this particular opportunist bastard was about to learn the meaning of backbreaking labor.
Reno spoke again before Tseng could once again regain his tongue. "I think I've heard that you are an orphan, boss, is that true?"
"Yes," Tseng retorted annoyed, "I don't see how that is relevant though."
"It's only that you may not know it, but I'm an orphan as well." Reno leaned forward slightly into Tseng space with a smirk. "We should stick together, don't you think?" Tseng looked steadily back, if Reno thought he could blackmail him, with whatever information he thought he knew, then he was about to find out that he was very much mistaken.
"Fine, that's your loss. Now I think should discuss your highly unprofessional behavior back in my office."
"Oh I thought I wasn't in trouble for that?" Reno asked with another low chuckle.
Ignoring Reno's mocking tone, Tseng said. "I would highly advise against any more overly friendliness with the Vice President of this company. You have no reason to be in contact with him at this point as it is not him who signs your pay stubs and it might hurt your chances of furthering yourself if his father was to find out."
"Maybe that's true, but it seems that I was needed today boss, don't you agree." Reno paused and cocked his head with a sly smile in Tseng direction before saying, "I mean in didn't seem like anyone else was protecting him." He finished pointedly not even bothering at this point to hide the implications of what he was saying.
"So it is your choice to stay and play hero rather then take advantage of an opportunity that will never arise again." Tseng hissed, his anger leaking out beginning to spoil his falsely calm professional demeanor.
"Yes you have that right. Boss. As of right now I have decided that I will never leave him." Reno said spreading his arms in his complete and simple conviction.
At that moment, Tseng came very close to risking everything as he nearly gave Reno an excellent source of blackmail by making the spectacle of jumping to his feet and screaming that Rufus was his and his alone. He could protect him, he had protected him all his life. Reno had no clue what he was messing with here.
His clung to professional demeanor saved him just barely. Tseng didn't know how much Reno knew or thought he knew but openly declaring his relationship with Rufus simply not done as from force of habit he had kept it hidden pretty much the entire length of it, starting with Rufus was just a toddler. Not that it was any of this detestable person's business anyways.
"What makes you think he will ever even notice this huge sacrifice you are making? Or even notice you at all for that matter?" Tseng hissed out from behind clinched teeth in an effort to hold in his emotions, but he was doing a real poor job of that at this point.
"It doesn't matter if he notices me or not. On the mere chance that someday he will, it's enough for me. It's just important that I will be there for him, if and when he ever does need me." Every inch of Reno declared that what he spoke was the truth and Tseng had reached the end of his rope. One more second in the redheads presence and he would do something that he would end up regretting as it would end up hurting Rufus. Tseng didn't need a gun to kill Reno, that was for sure his bare hands would do just fine, but he couldn't do it as his beautiful blond love had expressly forbidden actions of that sort, so there was nothing more to do or say.
Without another word Tseng stood up and left the room. As he walked slowly back to his office where hopefully Rufus still waited, it suddenly occurred to him just what the planet's successor had meant when he had spoken about loyalty and Reno before. Reno had the uncanny ability to be dedicated without the requirement of a reward but Tseng didn't. It was a highly unintelligent way of being, but was it what Rufus required? Tseng didn't quite know or want to know but one thing that Reno had said did ring true for both of Rufus's lovesick admirers.
On mere chance for a second Rufus's affection he would do anything. Tseng hadn't known it at that point, but Rufus was completely lost to him. Of course his presence was still available as well as his body, but what Tseng lost was access to the most precious and rare of all, Rufus's soul. As time marched on Tseng wondered in despair at Rufus's coldness if the tight relationship he had before with his blond lover would ever return, but he could never quite give up all hope. So it was on the mere chance that Rufus would once again look at him with love that kept him going. Would it ever happen, most likely not, but the smallest possibility is what kept him alive in that cold temple even though he had gone there to die. His heart simply would not accept that there wasn't any more hope so it stubbornly kept on beating even as his mind screamed for it to stop. To stop the pain of being so close to the one he loved, but so far away at the same time. To being able to touch his body, but never being able to touch the soul that held who Rufus really was, the boy he loved.
Author's Note: Yay you finished, even though it wasn't strictly a Rufus / Reno thank you so much! I will get back on track next chapter I promise. Wipes away tears for Tseng, sigh.
I am still waiting for my bata writers on the second part of this chapter so if you saw a lot of mistakes, that was why. Still if you feel the need to get mad, I accept all reviews both good and bad, so let it loose! Thank you once again for reading!