Disclaimer: I don't own any of Turks, Rufus or Wutai but I do own Itova and the stir-fried vegetables with toasted cashews feel free to have some.
P.S. - I proofread twice so if you find any typos my bad I tried to catch them all
Tseng watched Elena as she lined up her shot, even though her hand to hand to hand skills needed work she was turning out to be a great markswoman. Taking a step to her left he softly spoke "Try a little to your left anticipate where he might go not where he is now."
Seconds ticked by before Elena took her shot hitting the man in the next building dead center, "How was that sir?" she said getting up from her position and stretching which caused Tseng to look away.
"Great you're improving" he said taking a small device from his pocket and ending the simulation, he was about to say something else but unfortunately his phone rang. "Tseng speaking, yes sir I'll send her up to your office at once. That might be a little hard they're across town on assignment but I'll let them know." he said quickly before turning to look at Elena trying to suppress a small pang of unwarranted jealously "President wants to see you in his office immediately and there's a meeting this afternoon at 3 he wants you to attend." He watched as Elena's facial expression from worried to confuse. "You should hurry you know he hated to be kept waiting. I'll put everything thing away" She nodded and hurried out the training room and headed for the nearest elevator that would take her up to Rufus' office.
Inside his office Rufus looked out of his window watching the construction crew construct the new sister ray cannon, his thoughts were interrupted by the voice of his secretary "Sir? Elena of the Turks is here." Rufus smiled his little cocky devious smile "Send her in please and hold all my calls until I say otherwise." he said before wheeling himself back to his desk watching Elena intensely as she waked in. "Sir you wanted to see me?" she said a small bit a fear in her voice. The elevator ride to his office was one of the longest ones of her life as she contemplated what she could have done that would have annoyed or anger Rufus and how she could make amends.
"Have a seat Elena." he said pointing to the chairs in front of his desk. "It has come to my attention that you have feelings for someone who works for the company is that correct?"
Elena knew she has two options lie and risk being fired and being flung out of his office window or tell the truth and accept a less gruesome fate such as being demoted or having her pay cut. "Yes…yes sir I do. I know it's against company rules, and as Tseng says Turks do not fall in love it's a liability for us. I promise sir it will not get in the way of my work." she said wrapping her arms around herself. "Besides I don't think this person is even interested, I think they are at times but I don't know but then well it never quite pans out. Sometimes I think I should honestly just give up" she confessed sadly.
"Elena could you hand me that green book on the shelf over there?" he said he knew he was a lot of things people called him cold and heartless and he would be the first person to admit at times that he was in fact those things, but he was never cold and heartless with the four Turks who cared for him, even thought he would never admit it he enjoyed their company especially Elena's she could be flighty and overzealous but she took excellent care of him when he was sick, he thought of her as a little sister and it hurt him that she was pining over someone who was refusing to act on his own desires. Rufus was secretly doing the exact same thing but no longer this morning he had decided to seize the day and go for it and why should he do it alone when someone else could benefit also?
"Sir is there something you're looking for maybe I could help?" she said interrupting his skimming of the book she handed him.
Looking up from the huge book "nope it's not in here" he said his devious little smile creeping across his face. "Nowhere in this book does it state that interoffice relationships are prohibited Elena." he said closing the book.
"I thought it was an unspoken rule sir." she said not quite getting Rufus' point.
"If it's not on paper then it doesn't exist, even if it is we both know nine times out of ten Reno will ignore it, so why not tell Tseng how you feel?" he said leaning back a little " we know if you wait on him you have a better chance of being voted queen of Gaia."
"Sir how'd you know!" Elena nearly shrieked her face turning a bright shade of red.
"I make it a personal point to know what's going in the lives of the people I care about, that and I heard Reno and Rude talking about your three year crush. So my dear Elena carpe diem."
"Seize the day?" she said way more than just a little confused.
"Yes I think both of us should." he said handing her a stack of papers then dismissing her. "please give those to Tseng, I'll see you at the meeting this afternoon, oh and please tell Reno doodles aren't daily reports"
"yes sir, sir do you want me to grab you something from the cafeteria? I heard they have beef noodle bowls today you need to eat before you go to physical therapy you know that." she said cheerfully suppressing a giggle as she saw Rufus perk up a bit. "I'll be back in a bit then"
Once outside of his office she out a long sigh, carpe diem huh? She pushed the thought aside for the time being she couldn't really take Tseng rejecting her she had loved him for so long but she knew something had to be done before Rufus or big mouth Reno intervened.
In his office Tseng tried to suppress the feelings of jealously, he didn't know why he felt that way, it wasn't like they were a couple the most they had done is gone out to dinner as strictly friends but why Rufus of all people he thought. He was pretty sure that they were having sex right now 3 floors above his office she had been gone for nearly a hour what else could they be doing up there. "Why am I so upset I want her to be happy with someone who cares for her." He said a loud just as there was a tiny knock at the door before a tiny blonde head popped through.
"Sir I'm back I brought you lunch. I was downstairs getting the president lunch when I noticed that they had stir-fried vegetables with toasted cashews; you always order it when it's on the menu." She said her voice shaking a bit. Tseng smiled and gratefully accepted the take out box & folder from Rufus, he was 100% sure something had happened between her and Rufus her face had a slight bit of pink tint from whatever was done, he closed his eyes at least she was with someone who cared about her he kept telling himself.
"Sir are you ok? Headache" she said looking at him with concern she knew even if he were close to passing out Tseng would stay at his desk until it was time to clock out for the day.
"No I'm fine would you like to join me for lunch," he motioned to the tatami mat "Reno and Rude called and said they're on their way back and once they put Bastien into one of the interrogation rooms they'll meet us in Rufus' office." He said feeling his heart constrict a little as he pushed his feelings out of his mind watching her react to Rufus' name. The rest of their lunch hour was spent going over the details that Reno gave him about Bastien and her performance in the training room.
Half way through their meal Tseng's phone began to ring. "Yes sir we're on our way" he said briefly. "Let's go Elena everyone is waiting for us upstairs" he said wiping his mouth then reaching out to her with a gloved hand to help her up from her kneeling position on the floor which caused Elena to blush.
Once in Rufus' office Tseng took a seat next to Reno who had made himself quite comfortable in one of the office chair.
Rufus looked at them. "The past 3 years have been rough for all of us deepground has become a persistent threat but the WRO is handling them without a problem" he said as Tseng interrupted "we believe they have many hideouts around the world, an expedition team is preparing to look at mako reactor 1 in the ruins of Midgar." Rufus nodded "good but that's not why I called you here, I've noticed that all four of you have accumulated nearly a year in vacation time, Tseng you have almost 3 years worth of vacation." Reno, Rude, and Elena looked at him with a shocked expression.
"Damn now you need a vacation and to get laid" Reno said giving him a smirk.
Rufus smiled a little leave it to Reno to say aloud where everyone was quietly thinking "So we're going on vacation I've made reservation, we leave for Itova, Wutai tomorrow at 10 am sharp. I'd like to thank you personally for all the hard work you've put in, you've all earned it. Tseng I'd like you to put someone in charge in your place for the next 2 weeks. Rude if you like you may invite Tifa but if you'd like a more family friendly vacation let me know but I believe you'll find the object you're looking for in Itova." Rufus' smirk grew a little bit more. "you may clock out early if you need to."
"I'll file a flight plan at once" Reno said sitting upright for the first time since the meeting started.
"No need to Reno you're on vacation I've arranged for a pilot. Now, if there aren't any questions you're dismissed I'll see you in the morning. Oh Rude would you stay behind I require your assistance and Reno you will be escorting to physical therapy today, but until then you can work on your daily report." Rufus smiled his plan was working perfectly.