Ah - I've never tried a song-fic before. Heard this on the radio today, and a story came with it.

Not my characters, not my song!

Bob Dylan: It Ain't Me, Babe.

Go 'way from my window

Leave at your own chosen speed

I'm not the one you want, babe

I'm not the one you need

You say you're lookin' for someone

Never weak but always strong

To protect you an' defend you

Whether you are right or wrong

Someone to open each and every door

But it ain't me, babe

No, no, no, it ain't me, babe

It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

x

Go lightly from the ledge, babe

Go lightly on the ground

I'm not the one you want, babe

I will only let you down

You say you're lookin' for someone

Who will promise never to part

Someone to close his eyes for you

Someone to close his heart

Someone who will die for you an' more

But it ain't me, babe

No, no, no, it ain't me, babe

It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

x

Go melt back into the night, babe

Everything inside is made of stone

There's nothing in here moving

An' anyway I'm not alone

You say you're lookin' for someone

Who'll pick you up each time you fall

To gather flowers constantly

An' to come each time you call

A lover for your life an' nothing more

But it ain't me, babe

No, no, no, it ain't me, babe

It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Ain't Me You're Lookin' For

Reno curses when the limo hits a bump in the road – scrape of teeth; Rufus' indrawn breath and whispered don't stop. But Chie should be doing her job better than that, or how can he do his – which, this morning, consists of guard duty, surveillance, and a bit of stress-relief on the side.

Not that he's complaining as such – VP's hot, Reno's always liked this kinda gig just fine, and Rufus is young enough, or keen enough, that it's not exactly a big deal time-wise.

Reno's mind flips images negative – bright white suit turns dark blue, blond hair black, light eyes dark – and he thinks about youthful impatience replaced by supreme control. A shudder goes through Reno that has nothing to do with Rufus', but he can't do anything about it now.

As Reno moves to get back on the seat, Rufus abruptly runs a hand over Reno's hair and touches his cheek. Reno's eyes narrow: Rufus jerks his hand away.

When they near the hotel, Reno glances at Rufus who ignores him. Is the kid sulking? For someone who only has to ask to get whatever he wants, Rufus is one hell of an ungrateful bastard at times.

x

Tseng has been at the Midgar Arcadia since dawn. He meets the car, opening the door for Rufus before Reno has rounded the trunk. Rufus says, "Are we all set?"

"Yes, Sir."

Reno escorts Rufus to the meetings room Tseng has prepared. Tseng waits by the car – asks Chie, "How's the Vice President?"

Chie's too new to have learned to hide her hesitation or her blushes. "I… couldn't say, Sir. They had the privacy screen up the whole time."

Tseng nods, once, and heads back to the hotel. Chie already has her orders.

x

On his laptop, Reno's watching live camera images, hidden in a large linen cupboard across the corridor from the meetings room. His gun, safety off, rests on a pile of laundered towels. Place smells a lot better than usual – he's done this kind of work in back alleys, broom cupboards, musty cellars…

The receiver in his right ear relays the negotiations, which aren't going too well. Rufus is fractious, growing angry – so much for stress-relief – and Linderman is pushing; his demands getting less reasonable as he thinks he senses a weakness.

Behind Rufus, Tseng is still and silent, and it's only because he's used to watching him that Reno can sense his tension.

Linderman's guy is huge and hard-faced, but he's not following the argument, Reno can tell. He grins. That's what sets Shin-Ra muscle apart – comes with additional brains.

Rufus shouts, loud in Reno's earpiece, "Then this deal is not fucking happening!"

Tseng still makes no move, but there's a flicker, maybe. Reno's hand is closer to his gun. Chie's watching the same feed from the car, and Rude, armed with a sniper rifle on the roof opposite, has audio and a telescopic sight.

Linderman's big thug is glaring at Rufus who takes as much notice of him as he does of the desk or the leafy pot-plant in the corner where the camera is hidden.

Tseng waits – motionless – poised – and Rufus seems to sense that controlled presence behind him, because Reno can see him relaxing, regaining his confidence, calming down. Rufus' mouth curves upwards fractionally, and Reno breathes out.

Linderman senses the shift, too, because he nods. "All right. Agreed. But we'll say fifteen percent."

Rufus shakes his head. "We'll say twelve."

"You're bleeding me dry, Shinra." But it's spoken with new respect.

"It's a fair deal."

Linderman makes a show of sighing before he signs the paperwork.

Reno watches Linderman leaving with his dead-eyed guard. He hears their footsteps heavy in the corridor a meter from where he's sitting. The mission's all but over. Reno's eyes are still on the screen, though – still on Tseng. Rufus leans forward, elbows on the desk, and just for a moment allows his shoulders to slump with exhaustion. Because he's watching Tseng – because he can't help watching Tseng – Reno notices the slight, involuntary movement of Tseng's right hand – as though he intends to touch Rufus' shoulder – wants to – never will. This is only the latest in a series of tiny clues that Reno has gathered over the months. Every time he tacks a new fragment to his mental evidence board the pins prick more sharply, even though the case is long solved.

"I nearly fucked that up," Rufus says to Tseng.

"Yes."

Reno wonders whether he would ever dare to take that uncompromising tone with Rufus.

"But you pulled it back," Tseng adds.

Reno knows Rufus won't take that as the compliment it is. Yeah, ungrateful, he thinks. What the hell would satisfy you, if not that?

x

Rufus has reclaimed the sanctuary of the bulletproof limo, and Chie has the engine running. Tseng taps Reno on the shoulder before he can enter the car, and his voice is harsh with quiet fury as he says in Reno's ear, "What the hell happened on the way here? He was wound up like a spring! I thought we'd lost it in there."

Reno doesn't turn, because Tseng is so close – too close – but he's good at faking casual. "Beats me! Gave him what he asked for. What else can I do?"

Reno knows the images that are spreading their poison through Tseng's mind now. He's sure revenge used to bring him more satisfaction.

"Try giving him what he wants," is Tseng's parting shot.

Reno shrugs, because he knows it annoys the hell out of Tseng, and murmurs, "Not a fucking mind reader," as he enters the car.

Not a mind reader – not quite – but Reno picks up signals better than almost anyone – it's why he's so good at his job. He's read Rufus over these last few months; the glances, the body language, the subtle gestures, drawing close and moving away.

Rufus is watching him now, through lowered lashes, pretending not to.

Can't do it, kid, Reno thinks, lighting a cigarette, knowing that Rufus won't reprimand him for it – knowing that in a few minutes Rufus will ask for one too.

He'll get it. He's Rufus Shinra, after all – anything he wants, he only has to ask.