BLACK AND WHITE
By: Albedosreqium / Soyna
Setting: Advent Children ish
Rating, Characters, Genre and Warnings:PG. Tseng and Rufus. Angsty and Hurt/Comfort.
Disclaimer:All related Final Fantasy names and characters are copyrighted by the almighty Square Enix©. I do not profit from this endeavour.
Summary and Additional Information
Easter Egg Exhange thingy thing thing…. I got puerdemon. She had the character, Tseng, which I love so much, as you know.
Tseng is always looking out for Rufus.
The car slowly backed out of the driveway, rumbling down the road to disappear behind the trees; leaving behind a deafening silence. Tseng stood in the door of the villa that had become their home for a moment longer, soaking in the silence.
He had sent the other Turks away today. He wanted the silence; comforting words from the others would not be welcome. They would not voice their pity but it would be in their eyes and Rufus did not want or need that in this moment. They iboth/i needed the silence to collect their thoughts regarding the news they'd been given. Tseng wanted to ensure that Rufus slept, and the blond was still stubborn enough that he was trying not to show weakness in front of the others, even if they would have understood.
Tseng slowly closed the door, flipping the lock with his thumb before he walked to the kitchen to make Rufus some tea. It was the only thing Rufus would drink anymore and also the only way Tseng could get him to take his medicine.
He placed the kettle on the stove and gathered the other supplies to make the drink. He brought out the loose green and peach leaves; placing them in the tea-ball along with the ground up pill he'd received from the doctor.
Rufus would refuse to take the pill when it was offered, trying to be strong, but Tseng knew that he needed the medicine or else he would be in pain when he slept.
Rufus was not good at hiding the pain when sleep forced his guards down.
While he waited for the water to boil, he took off his suit jacket and placed it on the kitchen chair. Tseng was no longer the head of the Turks when he was taking care of Rufus, so he removed his guns in order to perform the task more easily. He also removed his tie and unbuttoned the top of his white shirt to be more comfortable.
The kettle started to whistle, signalling that the water was ready.
He returned to the small kitchen and filled the tea pot; placing the diffuser inside. Rufus always liked strong drinks, but he also liked them sweet; so Tseng made sure the tea had plenty of sugar. It was the only energy Rufus ever got in his system anymore.
He placed the pot on the tray along with a plate of graham crackers. He doubted Rufus would be able to eat anything after the news he received today, but it was worth a try.
Tseng slowly entered the room with the tray in his hands; Rufus had not made a sound since he'd escorted the doctor out. Rufus was exactly where he had left him. He was still sitting in the bed without his shirt or bandages and looking quite young and frightened.
What the doctor said had shaken the President to his core. His multitude of injuries from Diamond Weapon were barely recovered when this new affliction attacked him. The geo-stigma was consuming and slowly degrading the strength Rufus had only recently rebuilt.
Tseng walked toward the linen draped bed and placed the tray onto the small end table. Rufus didn't move as he poured the strong tea into the cup. He held it out, but Rufus didn't move to take it.
Rufus' hands were shaking and Tseng understood he didn't trust himself to take it in his current state. Rufus' one good eye focused on the cup.
Tseng sank into his usual place on the bed and moved the cup to the blond's lips. Rufus would normally protest such treatment, but did not fight him as he took a sip from the offered cup.
"Would you like a bath?" Tseng asked softly.
Tseng knew Rufus was afraid to move; afraid to risk the pain causing him to convulse and twist again.
The white sheets on his right side showed the familiar black stain that came with the geo-stigma. The stain would become larger every day, no matter how often they changed the sheets. Rufus' entire left side was covered by the black taint now. This morning he had woken with the markings crossing his throat, looking as if someone had tried to strangle him. Rufus' normally bright blue eye swirled with the same darkness and Tseng could see the shadow of the illness creeping down his pale cheek.
Rufus was getting worse every day; his steady decline noticeable. It was why Tseng had called the doctor to take another look at him; in the hope he would be able to tell them something different.
"After you finish your tea," Tseng whispered as he held the cup to Rufus' lips again and forced him to take another sip; noting the quiver there. Rufus was trying to hide how scared and nervous he was.
"It looks awful, doesn't it?" Rufus whispered as the cup moved back from his lips. His voice was so sad; sounding as if he was on the verge of tears.
"It's no worse than yesterday," Tseng lied as he brought the cup back to his lips.
Rufus almost choked on the tea. Tseng quickly brought a napkin to his lips to catch both the spill and the taint that came up from his infected lungs. He moved the tissue out of Rufus' sight so he would not see the black stain and worry more.
Rufus brought his affected hand to his chest and took a couple of deep, ragged breaths before he was able to speak. "The doctor was not very helpful."
"No, he wasn't," Tseng agreed and brought the tea back to his lips again, almost forcing him to drink more. He'd known the doctor wouldn't be able to help, but there was always a glimmer of hope for some new breakthrough.
Rufus swallowed and turned slightly away from the cup. "The tea is bitter today," he said with a scowl. "You let it brew too long."
"Forgive my transgression," Tseng replied. "Finish this while I draw you a bath." He caught Rufus' hand and wrapped the fingers around the cup, watching as the blond rested his tainted hand upon the stained sheets.
He noticed how Rufus would not look at the discolouration.
Tseng rose to prepare Rufus' bath. He went about filling the tub with tepid water and bath salts. He even lit a candle beside the sink to add the relaxing scent of lavender to the room.
When he returned to the bedroom, he was glad to see that Rufus had finished his tea and the medicine was starting to take effect; Rufus was looking a little dazed. Tseng was grateful that it still worked, even if it was not as effective as it used to be. The quiver in his limbs remained, whereas the pills would usually have taken it away.
Tseng pulled the covers back from the young man. The undersides of the sheets were blackened from the taint that consumed his legs and feet. It always alarmed Tseng how quickly the discolouration spread in a day.
"Ready?"
Rufus nodded.
Tseng helped him out of the bed. He tugged and lifted the blond, supporting his weakened form as he escorted Rufus to the tub awaiting him.
"Lavender?" Rufus sighed as they arrived. "How quaint."
"You need to relax," Tseng replied as he fiddled with the string of Rufus' sleep pants and let them fall. He had already lost too much weight and couldn't afford to lose any more.
"I'm not a girl."
"Lavender is not just for girls," Tseng said as he lowered Rufus to sit on the edge of the tub, still supporting him as he did so. "It promotes relaxation."
"As you say."
Tseng moved Rufus' stained legs with practiced ease; positioning the frail, thin body within the tub.
Rufus gave a heavy sigh and closed his eyes as he finally settled. "Thank you, Tseng," he whispered.
"I will change your sheets and get you some new sleep clothes," Tseng replied, briefly running his fingers through the blond hair.
Rufus nodded.
This was routine, after all.
Tseng always left the bathroom door open when he changed the bed. He had to make sure he could hear if Rufus ever had a pain attack while in the tub. He disposed of the tainted bedding; replacing everything with freshly washed white linens and pillows. He then pulled out a new set of sleep clothes and a roll of bandages before returning to the bathroom.
Rufus had sunk down a bit in the tub and looked as if the medicine, tea and relaxation were just about lulling him into sleep. His eyes were heavy and he seemed relaxed, a state which was hard to achieve anymore.
Tseng knelt beside the tub and began to bathe him, trying to soothe and wash away the black. It never worked, but there was always hope.
He took great care in his task, saving his face for last. He told Rufus to close his eyes and relax as he gently tried removing the stain that covered his cheeks and eye.
"Tseng?" Rufus voice shook as he spoke.
"Yes?"
"There has to be something that can be done."
"We are working on it," Tseng replied as he moved the cloth down the side of his face.
"I really don't want to die," Rufus said. "I have come too close before and I didn't like it." His voice cracked a bit and a black tear fell from his murky eye.
"You know I will never let you die," Tseng soothed.
Rufus breath hitched and the water shifted around him as he tried to control his emotions and the tears that were filling his eyes.
"Promise?" Rufus said in a small, broken voice.
"Of course," Tseng said as he leaned forward and kissed the quivering lips. "Let's get you back into bed."
Rufus nodded and closed his eyes, causing the remaining tears to fall. Tseng wiped them away before he went through the process of letting out the water. He then lifted him out of the tub and carefully and gently patted him dry.
Tseng prepared him for bed, reapplying the patch to his eye and the bandages around his throat before easing him back into sleep clothes. It was getting harder to move his slight weight as the medicine began affecting Rufus more profoundly.
He had to carry Rufus back to the bed; he could no longer lift his head and his feet would not hold his weight. Tseng tucked Rufus into the bed as if he were a child; bringing the freshly laundered blanket up to his bandaged throat.
Tseng was concerned with the other's ragged breathing. The doctor had said that it was going to get worse and that the geo-stigma was progressing more quickly now despite all the medicine and techniques to control it.
The black was already seeping through his bandages and staining the white again. Tseng gently caressed the bandage over Rufus' eye and brushed his blond hair away from the growing stain.
He didn't have the heart to tell Rufus how bad it truly was. It was best not to say anything; even if everyone knew the dark truth. He sat beside him on the white sheets and watched him sleep.
Tseng contemplated crawling in beside him to offer his warmth and comfort while Rufus slept. He was tired, but there were things he had to do first. He walked back into the kitchen, buttoning up his shirt and smoothing it out properly before replacing his tie. He then placed his gun holsters over his shoulders and the jacket over top of that.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialled.
"Yo."
"Are the helicopters ready?"
"'Course. Ready to go as ordered, Bossman."
"Send Rod and Knife back here. They will need to be here when the President wakes up." Tseng shut his phone, gave one last look to the bedroom before he undid the lock on the door and firmly closed it behind him. He waited for the car to arrive.
He was tempted to go back inside, just for a moment, to assure himself Rufus was still resting comfortably in his bed of white, but he refrained. Tseng had a duty to perform, the only option remaining; that of protecting him. Rufus didn't have much time left and drastic measures were required.
It was the duty he took on whenever he donned the black suit.