Title: The Light at the End of the Day
Author: lostremnant
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Pairing: Rufus/Tseng
Theme: #8 our own world
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Characters and world setting are the property of Square-Enix.

The Light at the End of the Day

Tseng shifted his weight to ease a cramp that felt as though it was going to twist his right calf into a pretzel. But his eyes never left the doorway of a building up the street opposite. He was standing against the wall of an alley keeping as much of himself hidden as possible.

The cramp was beginning to recede and Tseng released his breath. Stake-outs were boring at best and remarkably exhausting especially if there wasn't anyplace where you could sit as the hours passed by. Periodically Tseng would stretch the muscles in his legs so they wouldn't lock up if he had to move quickly. Moving quickly was an absolute necessity for a Turk. Reflexes had saved his life more times than Tseng could count or at least more times than he was willing to count.

Every Turk knew that sooner or later his or her number would be up. There had never been a Turk who had died from old age although Tseng wondered if the hidden former Turk, his mentor Veld would be the first.

Not if Shinra gets hold of him. But Veld is too smart to let himself be taken.

But every Turk did whatever was necessary to keep their number from coming up. Turks could survive injuries that would kill the average person. And Turks had determination.

Now, however, Tseng had an additional reason to keep himself alive. It wasn't the wisest of reasons. Turks were discouraged from having relationships. Relationships got in the way of the job. Yet relationships often rose between the Turks themselves. Despite their training and their ruthless job, they were still human with human feelings and human needs.

Tseng had to stay alive to protect HIM. The Shin-Ra prince, the heir or, as many people at Shin-Ra referred to him, the spoiled brat. Tseng's lips quirked at the thought. Yes, Rufus was spoiled and yes he could be a complete brat, cold and ruthless but there was steel beneath that affluent exterior. And there was warmth although Tseng was the only one to see that. The only one who was allowed to see it. Because the world of Shin-Ra, hell all of Midgar was a predatory one that would descend in a blood frenzy upon any sign of weakness displayed.

Forced to become Vice-President of Shin-Ra at a much too young age, given no real power but thrown into the pit of vipers that was the executive level, Rufus Shinra had only Tseng as an anchor of strength that he could rely upon. Him and lately the other Turks as well. Old man Shinra's purge of the Turks had created resentment. Tseng smiled thinly. Shinra's personal guard wasn't quite as loyal as it was before. Rufus' bid for power had failed but the Turks did not blame him as he had saved their leader Veld and as many of the others that he could.

Tseng's musings came to an end as the door he had been watching opened and the target, after a glance around, stepped out onto the sidewalk. The Turk's eyes narrowed, adrenalin began pumping into his veins. He was once more a predator on the hunt. The target began walking away from the building he had exited. Silently Tseng slipped around the corner out of the alley and began to shadow the man. From some other angle, Tseng knew that another Turk, a large bald man called Rude was also following. The light was becoming dim. One couldn't really call it sunlight because it was so defused from the pollution of the mako reactors but with its leaving it would be easier to follow the target as pockets of darkness would be created between the soft neon lights of the upper plate.

Tseng knew the name of the man. It was Henry Barton. But he preferred to simply think of him as 'the target'. Barton had made the mistake of thinking he could sell Shin-Ra manufacturing secrets. Actually he had sold a mass of mis-information created precisely in order to reveal who the industrial spy was. And now Barton was going to learn that you didn't betray Shin-Ra. Not unless you were tired of living.

The fool didn't even know that he had been exposed. He was making no attempt to flee or even hide. It would make Tseng's job that much easier although Tseng reflected ruefully that had he known that Barton was such an idiot, Tseng could have spent the day more constructively finishing up paperwork at his desk and then paying Barton a visit in the evening at the man's home.

But he had had no way of knowing so he simply followed the man to his townhouse. It was a nice townhouse in an expensive area of the upper plate and owning it was one of the things that had made Barton stand out and had led Tseng to focus on him. Someone with Barton's salary should not have been able to afford a townhouse in that area of Midgar. It was just another indication of Barton's stupidity.

He allowed Barton to enter the townhouse and waited in a shadow darkened area across the street. Rude slipped in beside him. The two Turks waited until it was fully dark then crossed the street and knocked on the door of the townhouse. After a few seconds the door opened and Barton stood before him. The man's face paled when he saw Turks on his doorstep. It was never a good sign to have a visit from Turks.

"Good evening, Mr. Barton," Tseng said smoothly. "May we come in?"

It was empty courtesy of course. They were coming in whether Barton liked it or not. And the man knew it. He backed up, his eyes never leaving Tseng's face.

Rude did a quick check of the place, nodding to Tseng when he was through to indicate that there was no one else there. Tseng smiled at Barton who was licking his lips nervously.

"You have not been a trustworthy employee, Mr. Barton," Tseng said mildly.

"I...I...don't know what you mean," The man was clearly terrified but also was making some effort to pull himself together. Tseng eyed him.

He thinks he can talk his way out of this. He still doesn't realize that judgement has already been given and that we're the executioners not the judges.

Tseng sighed at the man's stupidity. "Rude," he said quietly.

Rude looked around and then picked up a chair and brought it to the center of the room. He walked over to Barton, took him by the throat and slammed him into the chair. While Barton was trying to recover his breath, the large Turk whipped Barton's necktie off and used it to tie his hands behind the back of the chair.

If Barton had been terrified before he was now hysterical with fear. His wide eyes stared at Tseng. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I won't do it again, I promise. Please just let me go. I'll leave Midgar. It was only plans for a small engine. I sold them to Mertcor, you could probably get them back they probably still have them at their headquarters ..."

Tseng gave Barton a contemptuous look.

We've hardly even touched him and already he's spilling his guts. Well at least this should make a short night of it.

"What we want to know, Mr. Barton is who else was working with you from Shin-Ra. I'm sure you're willing to tell us that aren't you? Because if you don't..." Tseng's voice trailed off and his eyes flicked over to Rude who immediately began cracking his knuckles.

It was crude and melodramatic but it was all that it took with a spineless weasel like Barton. Within moments he had spilled the names of three more Shin-Ra employees. Tseng made a note of the names then took his gun out of his holster. Barton gasped.

"No..I told you what you wanted! You said you'd let me go!"

Tseng glared at the man. "I told you no such thing," he responded coldly. "Your own desperation made you think I would let you go. But traitors to Shin-Ra are never let go, Barton. Not alive at any rate."

The Wutaian extended his arm and put a bullet between Barton's eyes. The man's body slumped forward, blood beginning to trickle down from the hole in his forehead. Tseng re-holstered his gun and took out his cell phone to call the clean-up crew to come and get the body. Then he and Rude left as quietly as they had arrived.

On the drive back to the Shin-Ra Tower, Tseng reflected on the irony of a coward such as Barton betraying Shin-Ra. The combination of stupidity and cowardice was a lethal one. Usually there was only one or the other in the people that Tseng had had to take down. People like Barton made him feel soiled. Fortunately his drive to the Shin-Ra headquarters was a short one.

Tseng entered the elevator of the Shin-Ra tower and sighed wearily. As the Director of the Turks he ranked an apartment in the Shin-Ra tower itself and at the moment he was glad of it. Following that fool all day had been tiring and he was looking forward to a long hot bath and a glass of brandy.

When he reached his apartment, he swiped his keycard in the lock and the door slid soundlessly open. Tseng stepped in and immediately stopped. There was a light coming from the livingroom and the Wutaian knew full well that he had not left a light on when he had left that morning. In addition there was soft music also coming from the livingroom.

Tseng was bewildered. If an ambush was waiting for him then why the light and the music? Nevertheless he pulled his gun out and holding it ready, moved swiftly to the entrance to the livingroom and then stepped through.

In an easy chair by the fireplace sat a young blond man with a book in his lap. The man raised his blue eyes and smiled at the Turk standing with combat ready stance, gun pointed at him.

"Are you going to shoot me, Tseng?" Rufus Shinra asked, amusement in his voice.

It was difficult to take Tseng by surprise but surprised he was and for a few seconds he could only gape at the Shinra heir before he lowered his gun and re-holstered it.

"Rufus! I thought you were in Junon?"

Rufus grimaced. "I was in Junon. But then dear father decided he absolutely had to see me face to face for no other reason than to determine if I was truly miserable. And since he has the sensitivity of a pig I was able to thwart him and convince him that I was quite cheerful which annoyed him to no end. Were you on a mission? I stopped by your office but you weren't there."

Tseng took his suit coat off and lay it across a chair. His tie soon followed. Few people ever saw the Wutaian with an open shirt. Rufus was one of the few.

"Some idiot sold plans for a Shin-Ra engine to another company...at least that's what he thought he was selling. Of course it was a setup to determine his identity." Tseng said. "We were dispatched to teach him the error of his ways."

Rufus set aside the book he had been reading while waiting for Tseng. "Did you get pictures? I'm sure father will want pictures. He's so keen on visuals you know."

Tseng shook his head. "You should be careful, Rufus. If you push him too far..."

Rufus shrugged. "He'll kill me? Hell, Tseng if he didn't have me killed after finding out that I was plotting against him I doubt he'll have me killed just for annoying him. He wants to make me miserable. That's his goal. Killing me would be too easy."

There was bitterness in Rufus' voice. Then the blond rose and came over to Tseng and put his arms around his neck. "Let's not talk about that bloated blowhard. I have to return to Junon tomorrow morning so let's make the most of it. Let's not talk about missions or plots or Shin-Ra. Let's just make our own world for tonight."

Tseng's eyes softened as he looked down into the young blond's face. He put his arms around Rufus and drew him against him before kissing him gently. Tseng pulled back and smirked at the murmur of disappointment that came from Rufus.

"Patience, love. Have you had dinner?"

Rufus' eyes open and he smirked at the older man. "Will you make me dinner?" he asked mischievously.

"I could be persuaded."

Rufus pressed his lips just under Tseng's jaw. "And how should I persuade you?"

Tseng brushed a strand of hair out of Rufus' eyes. "You already have. Dinner then drinks and then..."

Rufus grinned. "And then?" he prompted.

"We'll think of something."

Rufus laughed and the two of them went into the kitchen, enjoying each other's company. For this night at least they would set aside the predatory world of Shin-Ra.