Happy Birthday Mr President
Sorry this is so incredibly late. I hope I still have people who give a crap. I got myself a real writing job you see. Takes up a lot of time. But this story, even though it's now AU thanks to the onslaught of FF7 media, is still a joy. This chapter is dedicated to Sitara Lukyan.
Today is Rufus' Birthday. Today is the day I hate more than anything else, because rather than doing anything constructive like killing people to numb my soul the way I signed up to, I have to attend a birthday party.
Now I say birthday party, but this isn't getting drunk with friends over a game of poker. This is business. This is making sure Rufus doesn't kill himself on one of his drugs fueled rampages. I'm on guard. Reno's here too. And Tseng is there at the helm, eying every damn move the kid makes. Reno's watching pretty closely too, but I bet you anything that's because of the pretty young things Rufus has draped over him.
You see, despite everything, I can't hate Rufus. Sure, he's a fucked-up little step-mommy's boy who fucks every thing he can fuck and fucks over everything he can't, but he is what he is because that's all he's really allowed to be. And the kid ain't dumb. No way. I watch him now, snorting something out of some 'bee's inner-thigh, and suddenly he catches my eye. He smiles at me. It's a smile of a man who knows what he's doing. Who knows what he's playing. There's more going on there than we know, and it's certainly more than I care to think about.
"Troubled mind there, stranger?"
I turn to see those sharp, cold eyes that I adore. My one regular fuck.
"No more trouble than usual, Felice."
"Oh, too bad. You tend to fuck for longer when you're pissed."
Any other mug would think that was sexual appetite, but I know Felice is only in it for the money. And you know what, that's exactly what I like about her.
"I feel bad about the other day. With Violet."
"With who? Oh, forget it. That kid needed some sort of income. Just never had you as a white knight or anything."
"I'll make it up to you." I reach into my pocket for a money clip, but she cuts me off.
"Help me get on Rufus' good side and I wont ask anything else from you. I know you're busy."
I frown at her. "I'm not sure you want to go there." Foolish as it might sound, I have an affection for her. I've treated her well over the years, and I'm not about to hand her over to that sick-
"Look, the kid's nothing I can't handle," she says wearily, taking a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. "Ever wonder what sort of clientèle we get when you boys are out of the picture? We can handle ourselves. Even Amora."
Felice can handle herself I know, but Amora... I look over to her. I couldn't believe she could hurt a fly. Little dainty Amora is sitting there with a teeny-tiny glass in her hand, sucking on her straw, her legs slightly parted...
Maybe she's craftier than I thought.
I look for Deanna. Surely she wouldn't want a part of this scam... but sure enough, she's over there with Rufus already, on the outskirts, tousling her bleach-blonde hair and sitting astride Rufus's chair like a tigress waiting to pounce. They're cats. They're all vicious, sexy, damn-ruthless cats.
"Ok." I whisper to Felice, and she kisses me chastely on the cheek. There's no joy for me tonight. She doesn't want Rufus to think she's anything but his. She nods at Deanna, who moves away and alerts Amora. They gather, and they watch me. The pack is waiting.
I walk over to Rufus slowly, trying to think how to put this. He could have any girl he wants tonight. Why would he want those three? They're gorgeous, no doubt, but in the end they're 'bees and there's real prizes here- the virginal daughter of the Mayor is here, and she's surprisingly quite the looker. Imagine the mayor's reactionif Rufus gets to defile her in every way he can, with her consent... that would be a victory.
"Sir?"
He looks up at me languidly, high on so many things I'm surprised he's still functioning. I better make this good.
"Sir, I was wondering-"
"Rude, I need to speak to you," he sighs, standing with only the faintest sign of difficulty. "Lets go somewhere quieter, shall we?"
I nod dumbly. Could it really be this easy? I doubt it. My throat goes dry. When Rufus has asked me for a favour it's generally not good... The girls watch me intently as I go past. I nod at them. Don't want them to realise I might not be coming back.
He takes me up some stairs and leads me out onto the balcony. He's going to push me off, I know it. He'll say I attacked him and he did it in self-defense. I feel in my pocket for my gun. I don't know why. It's not like I could use it.
"Lovely night, isn't it?"
I nod. He's standing by the railings, a strange smile on his face. He takes one big inhalation. He grins and slowly breathes out.
"Life is pretty amazing, don't you think? So many little events, so many coincidences."
"Yes sir."
"Like the other day. I was just edging my way through the slums and ended up at our favourite little establishment. None of the quality girls were in at that time though. Not like the lovely creatures we have tonight."
Maybe there's some hope for the girls after all. I open my mouth to speak and then-
"- And you know, the darndest thing happened. They did a line, you know, when they line up all the girls for you to see. Nothing special, not looks wise anyway..."
I feel my heart hit my stomach. Hard.
"Funny thing when people come back from the dead, isn't it Rude?"
I don't know what to say. I'm amazed he remembers her. But then I remember. Reno used to say Rufus had a 'thing' for Ianthe, though I wouldn't believe that for a second. But she used to say he creeped her out. "It was like... I dunno... he'd look at me like a dog looks at a bone." she used to tell me. Hell, maybe he did have a thing for her. Maybe he just liked the fact that she's a freak. Freak attracted to freak.
I realise I haven't said anything. He's grinning at me now.
"Everything ok, Rude? At work? At home? Nothing you want to tell me?"
"... ... ..."
My throat is stuck. I can't say a thing. Silence was my strength, but now it could end everything.
"We all have secrets, Rude."
I can't breathe. He's so ambiguous. What does that even mean?
"She could tell you things. Maybe she already has. I should kill you just to be sure. You, and her. I could do it easily. But for some reason I don't want to."
He doesn't want to. Why...
"Why, you ask?" he says with a little tinkering laugh. "You're a solid man Rude. You're good to have on side. And you know true loyalty to the people you like and who like you. I like you Rude. I hope we can be friends."
"Yes, sir."
I find something. Not much, but a little something. He's blackmailing me, but I don't understand why. Maybe he just needs someone he knows will work for him. Maybe I'll be disposing the dead bodies of hookers. Maybe even the ones who are my dearest friends.
"I'm glad we've had this talk," he exclaims, leading me back towards the stairs and the party. "Now, tell me about that lovely 'bee you were talking to. She seems delightful. And her little friends..."
I don't know what I'm telling him, but I sell their meat well. As soon as we hit the room he goes straight for them, and they start to consume their prize.
I need to call her.
As much as I wish I was focusing on Elena, I know at this moment what I have to do. I frantically search for my PHS and dial the number. I might be hidden out of sight in my apartment, but I don't trust Rufus not to have bugged me.
"Violet here. Calls are ten gil per minute for the first-"
"Ianthe, you have to tell me something."
"Oh, hey Carol! Jeez, it's been a while, ol' Fiancée!"
"Ianthe, listen to me. Tell me-"
"Jeez, what's wrong, you sound tense!"
I pause. I breathe. Or at least I try to. Sometimes I wish I'd shot her.
"Ianthe, what did you steal from Shinra?"
A pause.
"Ianthe, tell me. Now."
"I told you, I never stole-"
"We don't have time for this. What was it?"
Another pause. I hear her breathing, trying to find the words. Oh, what did you do...
"A briefcase."
I can barely contain my anger. Briefcases are only taken around Shinra with very sensitive material, and that would mean...
"But I didn't steal it! Someone left it there and I only opened it to see who it belonged to-"
Must be Rufus. Damn her stupidity.
"But it didn't have a name. Only-"
She stops. There must be more. "Only what, Ianthe? What did it say."
I can't bear her silence, but I think I know what she is about to say. And true enough, she says it.
"AVALANCHE."
