Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, scenery, or towns; Square Enix does.
21 – Admission and Home Decor
Briefcase in hand, Tseng stepped out of the elevator and onto the 58th floor with a sigh. While it was good to be back to work, even better to have all charges against the Turks dropped and have the situation with Cissnei and Genesis resolved, there was a seemingly endless amount of paperwork for him to deal with. He was probably going to have to ask Reno to help him with some of it tomorrow whether he wanted to or not. The Wutain was efficient, but not that efficient.
To make matters worse, due to the vast amounts of tiny print, the stress of trying to assert his new authority, and the tension of being so far behind, a headache was building right behind his eyes. His eyes felt swollen and tired, his brain fuzzy. At the moment it was tolerable, but if he let it go much longer the ache would spread to his temples and begin to pound.
The really annoying part was that it was his own fault and he knew it. Being so far behind he hadn't even wanted to take the smallest of breaks, let alone go clear to the infirmary for medication. He had taken breaks when he'd had to, but the second he got back he typed and scribbled like a madman. That only made his hand cramp and his fingers ache. Veld once told him he was too consumed by his work and that he needed to learn how to relax, even if only a little. He was starting to think his mentor had been correct. It was only a little after 1500 hundred and a night with an ice bag on his head didn't sound ideal. Had he taken Veld's advice he probably wouldn't be worrying about his head at all right now.
As he approached the apartment marked 4, two SOLDIERs focused their attention on him. Their presence wasn't entirely unexpected since he knew the Vice President was still under house arrest. He rather thought the VP's confinement was ridiculous but it wasn't his decision to make. Thank Leviathan for that.
"May I help you Sir?" the SOLDIER closest to him asked.
"I am Tseng, Director of the Department of Administrative Research. I have been cleared to speak with the Vice President."
"Badge and paperwork please, Sir," stated the same SOLDIER. "We'll also need to search your briefcase."
Tseng used his right hand to reach into his inner jacket pocket for the paperwork. Documents in hand, he unclipped his brand new badge from his left breast pocket and handed the two over. He held his briefcase out to the other SOLDIER, who took it with a nod.
"One moment, Sir." The SOLDIER took a few steps away, never taking his eyes off Tseng. He made a brief call before retuning and handing the documents back. "Sorry Sir, had to double check."
"I understand," Tseng nodded, re-clipping his badge in place. The second SOLDIER handed his briefcase back with a nod.
"You are clear to visit the Vice President for as long as you wish, however there are a few things I must advise you of."
"Yes?"
"The apartment is soundproofed, even to us, and there are no guards inside. As a result President Shinra has issued an order that any persons entering must carry one of these."
The SOLDIER handed Tseng a disc two inches wide and as thick as a gil coin. The disc was completely black on the bottom, but the top was clear with a flashing green light in the center. "A panic disc?"
"Yes, Sir. Just a precaution, Sir. Please keep it on your person at all times. In the event that we are needed, give it a squeeze."
"Very well," Tseng nodded, slipping the disc into his pocket. Wonder if it is also a tracking, listening, or recording device?
The SOLDIER who had spoken pressed a button, which Tseng knew to be the doorbell. The two SOLDIERs then shifted sideways and away from the door. About two minutes later the door slid open and Rufus Shinra poked his head out.
"What the hell is it no-, Tseng?"
"Vice President Shinra," Tseng replied, inclining his head.
"Please come in," Rufus said, quickly ducking back into the apartment.
Tseng did as he was asked and entered the apartment. He watched Rufus close and lock the door before moving into the living room. The ash blond looked terrible. There were dark circles under his eyes, his clothes were wrinkled, his hair was disheveled, and it looked as though he'd lost weight. The latter bothered him more than anything as Rufus was already a bit skinny in his opinion.
Rufus's apartment was very modern. The walls were a light grey color with abstract art; splashes of black, silver, red, gold, and blue served as accents along with metal and glass shelving units containing glass pieces of all shapes, sizes, and colors. The only wall not containing shelving or art, aside from the wall of windows, held a large flat panel television with two smaller ones underneath it. A silver and glass entertainment center sat below the TVs and held a stereo, multiple gaming devices, sound system, and some type of movie player. Tseng knew there were speakers hidden throughout the apartment in the ceilings and walls. In addition to a few rice paper floor lamps, the lighting was recessed and hidden into the ceiling as well.
Fitting the modern theme the three-seat couch was a dark red with black and grey throw pillows. There were two oversized medium grey chairs with white throw pillows positioned around a black and glass coffee table. The floors were carpeted in a grey so light it was almost white. While the color scheme was basic, it somehow made the apartment appear even larger than it was.
"Have a seat," Rufus said, gesturing to the various pieces of furniture in the living room. "Can I get you anything to drink?"
"I am fine, thank you," Tseng replied, sitting on the couch.
"Can you give me a minute?" The Wutain nodded and Rufus quickly bolted down the hallway. Out of boredom he'd fallen asleep on the couch and knew his hair and clothes looked like shit. Great way to make an impression! he thought, yanking open his closet door. He had expected Reno to accompany Tseng and the redhead would have made a joke out of it and put him at ease. Tseng alone, well, he just felt like a slob.
After a quick shirt change and running water through his hair he went back into the living room and sat in a chair across from Tseng. "Wanted to freshen up. I fell asleep on the couch," Rufus said, wondering where the admission came from. Tseng nodded and he nervously crossed his legs adding, "I heard all charges were dropped against the Turks."
"Yes," Tseng stated, shutting his briefcase. "Everyone went back to work today."
"How are they doing?"
"All things considering, very well."
"I'm glad to hear that," Rufus smiled. "Where is Reno?"
"Flying SSC Hewley and two Thirds to Junon with Elena."
"Something wrong there?" Rufus asked curiously. It was going to be his new home after all.
"No. The SOLDIERs are taking a ship to investigate a disturbance in the Western Continent around the Golden Saucer." After a pause Tseng added, "Would you like me to return tomorrow with Reno?"
"No!" Rufus exclaimed, his voice a notch higher than he liked. He cleared his throat before saying, "I mean, no." Tseng merely raised an eyebrow, but he wanted to throw himself out the window. Get a hold of yourself Rufus! "Sorry, I'm ju-, I'd like the company and I'm sure you can fill Reno in."
Tseng nodded. "As you wish. These are the Directives Reno and I have established. We need to have them cleared through you before making them official," he said, handing a set of documents to Rufus.
For the next hour and a half Tseng and Rufus went over the Directives with a fine toothed comb, making changes and corrections based on Rufus's suggestions. As they came to the end the VP mentally sighed in relief, feeling as though his head was going to explode. Better get used to it.
"Reno agrees with everything here as well?"
"Yes."
"Then other than what we discussed I see no problems with anything here." Tseng nodded, opened his briefcase, and began putting his copies away, causing Rufus to panic. "Ca-, wo-, ar-, will you s-stay for dinner?" Fucking idiot!
Tseng wanted to raise an eyebrow at the VP's uncharacteristic stuttering but refrained. He mentally struggled with wanting to get back to his mountain of paper and needing to eat. In the end he decided that if he stayed he could make sure Rufus was eating and food might ease his headache. "If you would like."
"I would." Tseng nodded and the VP stood. "I'll order something from the executive dining room. Is there anything in particular you'd like?"
"Whatever you are having is fine."
My ass, Rufus thought. He didn't see Tseng as being a burger and fries kind of guy. On the other hand he had no idea what the man actually ate either. "I have a menu, though they'll cook just about anything," he said, going into the kitchen to get the menu. He returned to the living room and handed it to Tseng.
Tseng scanned the menu and was surprised by the array of choices. He was aware that there was an executive dining room, but since he'd never been an executive he had no idea what they served. Few had access to it so he didn't hear much about it either. Since he was now the Director of the DoAR he was able to use the executive room, but it was unlikely unless he were meeting someone. More times than not the Wutain simply ate in his office. The rest of the time he accompanied the Turks whether they decided to eat. To him, so long as the food was at least edible the location didn't matter so much, the company did. "The tuna will be fine," he said, handing the menu back.
"Ok," Rufus said, going back into the kitchen to place their order. He ordered the grilled yellow fin tuna for Tseng, a grilled lemon pepper chicken for himself, a fruit platter, and some grilled wild mushrooms. The VP knew Tseng wouldn't drink since he considered himself to be on duty and the Turk disapproved when he did, so he told them to send up some bottled water as well.
"It will be here ASAP," Rufus said, returning to the living room. Tseng nodded and he wondered what to talk about. Whenever he was alone with Tseng he felt like a complete idiot. Given that, he had a hard time coming up with a topic he felt worthy of discussion. Thankfully the Turk saved him.
Tseng held a finger to his lips and pulled the panic disc from his pocket. He still wasn't sure if it was more than that and he was tired of wondering. On top of that they'd discussed business and whoever might be listening didn't need to know more. He reached into his jacket and pulled a small device out, grateful the SOLDIERs hadn't searched his person, only his possessions. The Wutain then scanned the disc and found nothing. "Solves that mystery."
"What the hell is that?" asked the ash blond, pointing.
"A panic disc."
"What the fuck for?" Rufus indignantly exclaimed.
"Language," Tseng said with a scowl. Rufus immediately glared and he inwardly chuckled. "To keep me safe in your presence, apparently."
"What?"
"It is rather strange. You would think they would be more afraid of me harming you, not the other way around. I thought perhaps it served some other purpose as well, but it does not."
"Maybe you're machine isn't calibrated to check it."
"Trust me, it is."
"I trust you."
"Now that I know we are alone, we may speak freely." Tseng smiled and paused. "I hear they are moving you to Junon."
"Yeah, the basta-, I'm not happy about it."
"Nor I since you are now my direct boss."
"Sorry," Rufus said, somewhat disappointed though he wasn't sure why. "I've no choice in the matter."
"I understand. I wish I could do something but I cannot."
"It's alright. I did it to myself after all."
"You are only partially responsible Rufus."
Rufus shrugged and shut his eyes, suddenly depressed and angry. There was no question he was angry with his father, but he was angrier with himself. Regardless of what Tseng said he'd put himself into this position. He still wanted to take his father down, but he seriously needed to go about it differently and be smarter about his actions.
The VP's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Before he had time to get up Tseng was already halfway across the room. "You're not my bodyguard anymore," he called through a smirk.
Tseng stopped for a moment, only then realizing what he'd done. "I had forgotten, though technically I still am since you are my superior," he replied, continuing to the door. "Yes?" he said as the door opened.
"Your order, Sir," said a chipper waiter pushing a rolling cart.
Out of habit Tseng lifted the cloth and looked under the cart before allowing the waiter to enter. He heard Rufus chuckle and smiled. At least I am providing him amusement. His new position was definitely going to take some getting used to though.
"You really need to stop doing that," the ash blond said as he tipped the waiter and the guy quickly exited.
"I doubt I ever will."
Rufus's heart sped up and he almost dropped the platter lid in his hand. Tseng probably meant it would be hard to break his training, yet he hoped it was more. Maybe he did care. Yeah, you're his boss, would look bad if you got killed with him present. The VP mentally sighed and placed the lid on the table before picking up a slice of melon.
"While I am pleased you like fruit, you will eat more than that," Tseng said, sitting the food on the coffee table and kneeling on the floor.
"I'm the boss, remember?" Rufus shot back, placing the fruit tray on the table and sitting down on the floor across from Tseng. He poked at a red fruit he'd never seen before and only just yanked his finger back before a pair of chopsticks snapped the air where it had been. "Hey!"
"Do not play with your food, eat it."
"What is it?" Rufus asked, resisting the urge to poke the red thing again.
"Wutain persimmon."
"What's it taste like?"
"Wutain persimmon."
"How helpful," the VP sarcastically scowled.
Tseng snapped up a piece of the fruit with his chopsticks and held it in front of Rufus's mouth. "Try it."
"I'm not a child."
"Try it."
Rufus continued to scowl but opened his mouth. Tseng fed him the piece then picked up another one and ate it himself. He knew the action didn't mean anything, but once again his heart started to pound and his pulse sped up. Thank Gaia he's not a SOLDIER. He fantasized for a moment about all the other things Tseng could feed him before picking up a fork and knife to cut his chicken.
"Well?" Tseng questioned.
"It's good, I like it," Rufus replied, spearing his chicken with his fork.
"You are not cutting that properly."
"I never do," grinned the blond. "How the hell can you eat that fish with just chopsticks anyway? Don't you have to cut it or something?"
"No, years of practice," Tseng replied, taking the knife away from Rufus.
"I can cut it myself!"
"Poorly perhaps."
"I get the job done. Besides, I'm just going to chew it to pulp anyway," Rufus replied, amused. He could cut the chicken properly himself, but it was so much more enjoyable to watch the Turk do it. Tseng flexed his fingers and he relented, letting go of the fork and sliding the plate toward the Wutain. "I wish you'd stop treating me like a child."
"You are a child."
"For Gaia's Sake Tseng I'm 16!"
Tseng stopped his cutting, realizing he'd forgotten Rufus's birthday due to the recent events. I should purchase him something before he leaves, he thought, cutting once again. "You are still a child."
"No, I'm not. I'm old enough to be the Vice President of the biggest corporation on Gaia and be the lead over your department to boot. Besides, if you're old enough to join the army, you're not a child anymore. For that matter, if I was anyone else and lived anywhere else, I'd probably be married with two and a half kids by now, if not more."
Tseng continued to cut Rufus's chicken as he thought about what the VP had said. If Rufus lived in his village he would be married with kids by now since they were expected to marry no later than age 14. There were exceptions, but not many. As for the army, one could join when they were 13. "You have valid points, however there is more to age than a number."
"Did you just call me immature?" the VP chuckled, unable to help himself.
"In some ways you are, in others you are not."
"So you did," Rufus chuckled again.
"Yes, I did," smirked Tseng.
"I don't know whether to be offended or not."
"I would prefer not since I did not mean to offend," Tseng replied, handing the knife and fork back to Rufus. "I am immature in some areas as well."
"Yeah right," snorted the blond, taking a bite of chicken.
"What makes you so sure?"
"You're 'Mister Perfect,' Tseng. Polite, well educated, self-disciplined, hard to piss off, mentally and physically strong, highly skilled in combat, hard working, you don't complain, and you do what needs done not to mention you're very attractive." Did I just say that out loud? Rufus thought, quickly taking another bite of food so he wouldn't have to look at Tseng.
Tseng briefly froze with his chopsticks on his fish, ready to break off a piece. "Thank you," he finally said, snapping off a piece and bringing the bite to his mouth.
"You're welcome," Rufus replied, engrossing himself with his chicken. To his relief Tseng simply took it as a compliment, didn't get it, or was letting it slide. But that's not what you want. Even after all his worry and everything that had happened it seemed he was still too much of a coward to say how he felt. The Wutain's PHS rang, briefly interrupting his thoughts and he looked a question at the man.
"It is Reno," Tseng said before answering. "Tseng."
"We're back yo."
"Any problems?"
"Other than Elena's crappy flyin'? Nope."
The Wutain shook his head as he heard, 'my crappy flying!' in the background. "Good."
"My new PHS in yet? This loner sucks."
"It is on your desk. There is a new firearm in the safe for you as well."
"Thank Gods. Anything ya need me to do?"
"Test Elena to make sure she knows how to take care of the helicopter post-flight."
"Anything else?"
"No. Unless something happens tonight, I will talk to you tomorrow," Tseng replied, raising an eyebrow as he heard, 'the hell… don't do that!'
"Alright. Gotta go. Some dumbass grunt is tyin' my blades wrong."
The call disconnected and Tseng sighed in relief, happy Reno hadn't been yelling at Elena. He'd hate to find out she wasn't doing as well as he thought. "Reno and Elena are back from Junon," he said, returning the PHS to his inner breast pocket.
"No problems then?"
"None," Tseng said, taking his last bite of fish. There were a few mushrooms left and he ate those before stacking the dirty plate on top of his, then Rufus's. He transferred the pile to the cart and kneeled back down. "What is on your mind?" he asked, noticing the way the blond was picking at the fruit platter.
"Nothing."
"I know you better than that."
"Not well enough," Rufus muttered.
"I cannot learn what you will not tell."
"Never mind," sighed the VP, eating a piece of wild berry.
"Rufus, please tell me what is wrong."
"I-, no. Just forget it," Rufus said, standing and taking the fruit tray to the kitchen. He pulled open one of the cabinets and wrapped the leftovers in plastic before placing them into the refrigerator. As he straightened, a hand landed on his shoulder and he whirled and jumped. Knowing who it was didn't keep him from being startled. "Gaia Tseng you scared the shit out of me!"
"I am sorry," Tseng said, dropping his hand and taking a step back. Rufus shut the fridge and leaned against it, crossing his arms. "I will go," he said at the VP's stance.
"What, no!" Rufus exclaimed.
"I am making you uncomfortable."
"No, you aren't. It's just… I can't. If I tell you what's bothering me I'm afraid you'll leave; permanently." Rufus growled in frustration and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Tseng and burying his face in the Turk's chest.
Tseng froze as the blond enveloped him, but after a few seconds he tentatively circled his arms around the VP, locking them together. He wondered what could be bothering Rufus so much. What in Leviathan's Name would make him leave permanently?
Rufus was so mad and depressed he wanted to kick his own teeth in. He was acting like a child and he knew it. The VP also knew that if he continued to act like this, Tseng would never see him as anything but a child. Yet it was all he could do to keep unshed tears from falling from his eyes. As a result, he borrowed in deeper and inhaled Tseng's smell, something he'd long ago linked to safety and comfort.
"Please Rufus, speak to me," Tseng said, resting his chin on Rufus's head.
The concern in the Wutain's voice made Rufus's heart ache and caused the tears to fall. He yanked himself away from the Turk to go hide in his bedroom and sob. Fuck acting like an adult. At least that was his intention, but Tseng grabbed him by the upper arm, stopping him in his tracks. "Let me go."
"No."
"Godsdamnit Tseng you're fucking pissing me off."
"I do not care," replied the Wutain, tightening his fingers and proving the point.
"That hurts!"
"Then stop trying to get away."
Rufus had no doubt that if he was able he would have decked the Turk, or at least tried to. The problem was Tseng held his left arm with his right hand, so any fist attack would be difficult, as he would have to cross himself and Tseng since they were facing in opposite directions. Also any attack would be weak and the Wutain knew it. He could kick him, but that didn't fit somehow. The Turk shifted slightly to face him and he did the only other thing he could think of that might make him to let go. He went up on tiptoes, leaned forward, and pressed their lips together.
When Rufus kissed him, Tseng's mind went completely blank. For a moment he forgot that the blond was upset and that he was trying to get him to talk. Leviathan, he forgot where he was and what his name was. Upon remembering, his first instinct was to pull away, but his body wasn't listening to his mind. Matter of fact, it did the exact opposite and leaned forward instead of back.
Rufus almost jerked back in surprise when Tseng leaned toward him. The only thing that stopped him was the knowledge that he would probably never feel these smooth lips again. Hell, he might never see Tseng again period. He was positive that if the Turk went to his father with this, he would be sure to keep the two far away from each other. Even without his father, Tseng may try to steer clear of him from now on. With that thought reality came crashing back along with all the thoughts that had temporarily vanished. Gods what did I do?
The VP abruptly broke the kiss. The tears that hadn't yet fallen began to flow and he lowered his head in shame and embarrassment, knowing he couldn't quiet them. The Turk's hand was still clamped onto his arm so he couldn't run away either. "That… wasn't the reaction I expected," he chuckled, trying to make light of it.
Tseng took a deep breath to steady himself. His mind was in complete chaos, as were his emotions, though he quickly regained most of his composure. "I am sorry to disappoint you."
"I'm not disappointed," whispered the blond.
"Then what are you?"
Rufus knew he was trapped and much to his annoyance, the tears came even faster than before. Tseng used the pad of his left thumb to wipe them away and a sob escaped. He was well beyond caring what the Turk thought of him. Must be what emotional overload feels like.
Tseng let go of the VP's arm and placed his left arm around his shoulders. Without a word he began steering them back into the living room. Rufus went without comment or struggle and before long the two were seated side by side on the couch. Given the ash blonds' reaction after their brief encounter Tseng had a good idea of what was weighing so heavily on his mind. "Rufus, what is troubling you?" he asked, needing confirmation.
"My feelings for you."
"What feelings?"
"I love you Tseng," whispered the blond.
"It is probably just infatuation Rufus."
"No, it isn't," Rufus replied in a louder, more confident voice.
"It is not?"
"No. It's not misconstrued feelings for a mentor either." Tseng opened his mouth and Rufus added, "Or a fatherly figure." If I thought of you as my father I'd seriously need to see a psychiatrist, he mentally added.
"How do you know?"
"I just do ok?" the VP snapped, scooting away just enough that he wasn't leaning on the Turk. Tseng was watching him intently and he sighed. "It's not a crush Tseng. At first I thought it was, but it's not."
"Explain it to me Rufus."
"Alright godsdamnit!" Rufus growled. He sighed, paused, and then began, "At first I thought I was just attracted to you, plain old lust. Then I realized that whenever you were around, I was calmer, stronger, and more rational. When you're around I'm a better person, a better me. I love all the little things you do, like how you smooth your hair down when you think no one's watching or brush the dust off your impossibly clean uniform. On days when you were clearly upset I wanted so badly to make you feel better, but knew I couldn't. It didn't matter that you didn't notice or return any sort of feeling for me."
"That seems to have changed."
"Not really. It still doesn't matter if you don't return my feelings. I'm content to just have you around. That's why I'm terrified to say all this."
"Then what has changed?"
"I thought you were going to die Tseng!" exclaimed the blond, standing and pacing. "The thought that I might lose you, forever, made my chest ache to the point I couldn't breathe. Kind of how I feel right now actually," he said through a weak smile that quickly dissolved. "All I could fucking think about was how much of a coward I was for never telling you how I really felt; a soul crushing regret so deep that when Reno shot me, I almost hoped he'd accidently kill me."
"Rufus…" Tseng whispered, completely at a loss. It was clear that Rufus had given his feelings consideration. He was proud of the boy for not blindly following emotions, but he had no idea how to respond.
"I… just leave Tseng," Rufus said.
"Sir?"
"Forget everything I said and leave. If you don't want to return tomorrow I understand. Send Reno and I'll sign off on everything after review," Rufus stated, walking toward the hallway. His stomach was in knots and he wondered if his lemon chicken would make another appearance.
Part of him was immensely relieved for finally vocalizing his emotions, but it seemed the bigger part was petrified of the consequences. In a way he hoped Tseng would try to stop him from leaving and make him talk, but it was overshadowed by the need to run, to lie down and cry somewhere. He didn't care if he was acting like a child or not, he just wanted to be alone.
Tseng sat stunned on the couch. For the first time in quite awhile, he didn't have to suppress his emotions; he was totally devoid of them. He picked his briefcase up, slipped his shoes on, and walked out the door.
"Everything alright Sir?"
The Turk knew one of the SOLDIERs had spoken, but for the life of him he didn't know which one. He nodded, retrieved the panic disc, and held it out. "Everything is fine, thank you," he replied, amazed at how normal he sounded. The SOLDIERs nodded and he headed toward the elevator.
"Konbanwa Tseng-sama," came a smooth voice from in front of him.
"Konbanwa Genesis," Tseng replied. He had no idea where the SOLDIER had come from, but he was sure he hadn't been there ten seconds before. "Reno has returned from Junon."
"Thanks for telling me."
"Are you visiting someone?" How can I have a conversation when I can't even think?
"Yes, Sephiroth."
"I see. That is his apartment there," said the Wutain, pointing.
"Arigato," Genesis said, thinking he no longer needed to be formal. He nodded and moved toward the door Tseng had indicated.
Arriving at the elevator, Tseng pressed the down button and waited. His mind was still completely blank. Even his headache had mysteriously vanished. As the carriage arrived he stepped inside, having no idea where he was going, just knowing he couldn't stay where he was.
Genesis knocked on Sephiroth's door as the elevator doors slid closed, concealing Tseng. He waited for perhaps three heartbeats before the apartment door opened. "Hello Sephiroth. Aren't you ever out of uniform?" the auburn said. He had changed into jeans, a white undershirt, and a long sleeve white button down shirt that remained unbuttoned and was for appearances alone.
"No," Sephiroth replied, standing aside and allowing the STC to enter. "It is best to always be prepared."
"You don't own anything else, do you?" Genesis asked, raising an eyebrow.
"How did you know?"
"A guess," shrugged the auburn.
Sephiroth stared at the auburn for a moment before retreating to the kitchen. Was he that transparent? As much as he wondered he kept it to himself, fearing he would look stupid.
"Smells good," Genesis called, taking his shoes off.
"Behemoth steak and pasta salad."
"Wonder if Reno and I killed its relative," Genesis chuckled.
"If you get heartburn, perhaps," replied the silver, deadpan.
A smile split Genesis's face before he burst out laughing. Some might not appreciate the silver's dry humor but he certainly did. Still chuckling, he sat down at the kitchen table and looked around the apartment. It was a combination of Reno's and what he had pictured Tseng's to be before he'd actually seen it.
The apartment was as big, if not bigger, than Reno's. The living room and hallway were carpeted in dull grey with white walls. While he couldn't see the bedrooms he suspected they were the same. The couch and two chairs in the living room were black leather. The end tables, coffee table, and one floor lamp were also black. There were no personal touches on the walls or on the built-in black shelves.
Genesis focused on the kitchen and found it pretty much matched the living room. Though the floor was linoleum, it too was a dull grey with no pattern. The two-seater kitchen table was black, as where the matching chairs. The countertops were a shade darker than the floor and all the appliances were black. The overall affect was like being thrown into an improperly developed black and white picture.
Sephiroth finished the steak and watched the STC out of the corner of his eye. Though it had been days since they'd been alone or talked the auburn seemed at ease and he was pleased, which surprised him. He forked the steaks onto plates and took them to the table before retrieving the pasta salad from the refrigerator. "What would you like to drink? I have water, soda, and juice. There is flavoring for the water as well."
"A soda would be fine," Genesis replied, cutting a piece off his steak. "Gods that's tender."
"I needed to release my aggression."
Genesis laughed, almost choking on the piece of steak he'd placed in his mouth. He couldn't tell if Sephiroth was joking or not, but it was funny nonetheless. Getting the wayward chunk of meat under control, he chewed and swallowed while Sephiroth placed a soda in front of him.
"Is it alright?" Sephiroth asked, taking a seat.
"Delicious."
The silver SSC suppressed a pleased smile and placed pasta salad onto both of their plates. Little was said for the rest of dinner, though the silence was not uncomfortable. Once finished Genesis rose and carried his plate to the sink. He was rinsing it off when Sephiroth joined him, dirty dishes in hand.
"I can take care of those," Sephiroth said.
"You cooked, I'll clean. You will have to put them away though," smiled the auburn.
Sephiroth nodded and began drying the dishes, putting them away when he was through. Dishes completed, the pair moved into the living room. Sephiroth sat down in his favorite chair. It allowed him to see any point of entry and was quite comfortable. Genesis made himself at home on the couch, placing his soda on the coffee table.
"You seem to be controlling your imbalance well," Sephiroth stated.
"If I'm controlling it, I'm not aware of it. I think it's stabilizing."
"No incidents then?"
"Nope. Well except for the not waking up thing anyway."
The auburns face suddenly looked puzzled and concerned. "I told you that can happen to any SOLDIER, regardless of an imbalance."
"It's not that," Genesis replied. "For whatever reason I'm handling it now, but what happens after my next treatment?"
"Clarify."
"Won't the imbalance either return or get worse as a result of more Mako?"
"Not necessarily. I have seen SOLDIERs suffer an imbalance after the initial treatment, but not after any subsequent treatments."
"So this might be a onetime deal then?" Genesis asked hopefully.
"Yes."
"If it isn't?"
"We'll deal with it."
"You still think we can keep it from the Science Department?"
"Yes. This isn't something that is new to me Genesis," sighed the silver.
"You've hid things from them before?"
"I have." The auburn snorted and grinned, causing a silver eyebrow to rise.
"You're not perfect after all."
"I never implied that I was."
"True, but others think you are," Genesis replied, thinking of Tseng.
"They are mistaken."
The SOLDIERs fell into silence. Genesis was processing what Sephiroth had said while Sephiroth contemplated the fact that people thought he was perfect. He was so far from perfect he found the notion laughable.
"Let's go out!" Genesis abruptly stated, grinning and standing.
"Out?"
"As in out of the apartment and building. The outdoors?"
"I know what you meant," Sephiroth scowled. "Why?"
"Why not?" replied the auburn, walking to the SSC, grabbing his hand, and giving it a tug. "There's more to life than Shinra HQ."
"There is?"
Genesis was unable to tell if the silver was joking or not so he frowned. "Yes, now get up before I yank you out of that chair."
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. It was unlikely Genesis could displace him from his chair and he almost sat there, thinking it might be entertaining to watch him try. In the end he sighed and stood, earning a beaming smile from his shorter companion.
Genesis turned and started toward the door before a thought occurred to him. "Do you have any gil?"
"What do I need gil for?"
"It is always best to be prepared," grinned the auburn, tossing the SSC's words from earlier back at him.
Sephiroth chuckled. "Follow me," he said, heading for the hallway.
Genesis followed the silver silently down the hall and into what he assumed was a guest bedroom. The room was large with the same grey carpet as the living room. There was a short twin-sized bed with a white blanket and pillow pushed up against the wall across from the door. The head of the bed was underneath the room's only window. A black desk and basic office chair were just to the right of the door. The only other furniture was a four drawer, upright black dresser and a short three-shelf bookcase. The bookcase was to the left of the door and the dresser was on the same wall as a closet.
"Sephiroth?" the auburn called as the SSC opened the closet door and disappeared inside. Must be a walk in.
"Yes?"
"Is this your room?"
"Yes."
The auburn raised an eyebrow, wondering why on Gaia the tall lanky man would sleep on such a tiny bed. The room was more than large enough to support a queen-sized bed, if not a king! The white blanket on the bed looked like something a hospital would hand out, not something found in a home. The pillow was the same.
Sephiroth emerged from the closet with something in each hand. "I have this and this," he said, approaching the auburn and holding the items out.
Genesis raised an eyebrow and took both items. His other eyebrow shot up at the weight of the pouch. "Is this all gil?" he asked, holding up the bag with his right hand.
"Yes."
"Ifrit's Horn Sephiroth, how much is in there?"
"I stopped counting."
"What was it the last time you counted?"
"236,843."
"That was…?"
"A few months ago," Sephiroth shrugged. "Is that not enough?"
"Son of a…" Genesis muttered. "It's enough alright. More than enough. Have you ever spent any gil you were given?"
"No. I am given everything I require."
"There is more to life than what you require," Genesis sighed.
"For instance?"
"That bed over there. Isn't it a tad small for you?"
"A little."
"So why not purchase a bigger one?"
"I… never thought about it," the silver replied, looking away.
"Is there anything in the other bedrooms?"
"No."
Genesis looked at his PHS: 18:45. "That's it, we're going shopping," he said, knowing most stores didn't close until 2300 hundred. "Do you have a smaller pouch? Many people would kill or die for this much gil." The SSC nodded and moved to the small dresser as he added, "We're taking this too."
Sephiroth looked up, but quickly looked away again as though embarrassed or ashamed. "I… do not understand what that is."
"They didn't tell you?" The silver shook his head and he said, "It's an account card Sephiroth. You can go into some stores, pick out items you want, and pay for them with this instead of coin."
"How?"
"The store clerk writes down the number on the card, the information on the back, and then sends a bill. In this case, the bill would go to… President Shinra?" Genesis exclaimed, eyeing the card.
"He said it would be easier than giving me gil I don't need."
"Hmph, next month he'll probably think otherwise," Genesis muttered as Sephiroth stopped in front of him with a coin pouch.
"Why?"
"Whether you use it or not you should get your own gil. He's about to find that out," Genesis snickered, taking both pouches to the bed.
Sephiroth watched as the STC dumped some of the coins out on the bed and pick through them. Some were placed back in the large bag while some went into the smaller bag. He leaned against the wall and watched the auburn expertly work. "You've done this before?"
"Sort coins?" Genesis asked, briefly looking up. The silver nodded and he said, "Yes. Before I came to Shinra I did this quite a bit actually." The auburn left it at that and was glad when the SSC didn't ask questions. "Put this back in the safe," he said a few minutes later, holding the large bag out. "We have what we need."
Sephiroth glided over, took the bag, and returned it to its place. He sealed the safe before exiting the closet and shutting the door. Genesis held the small pouch out and he shook his head. "You carry it."
Genesis raised an eyebrow but didn't comment, simply inclining his head and slipping the pouch into his pocket. He motioned for the silver to leave the room and followed. Sephiroth refused to leave without his sword and Genesis relented, knowing it was a losing battle. The two placed their shoes on and were soon standing in the hallway waiting for the elevator.
10 minutes later, Sephiroth and Genesis walked out of Shinra HQ. Sephiroth looked somewhat nervous and Genesis flashed him his most disarming smile before grabbing his hand and yanking him down the stairs. To his surprise the SSC didn't try to pull out of his grasp or argue.
Genesis led the silver into the Sector 8 shopping district. While Below Plate might be great for food, some things were better purchased Above Plate, like mattresses. One never knew exactly where some of the furniture Below Plate came from, which was fine for tables, dressers, cabinets, shelving units, etcetera. It wasn't fine for anything stuffed. Maybe it just creeps me out, he thought, dragging the silver into a furniture store. Besides, it wasn't as if Sephiroth didn't have the gil and he probably wouldn't know any better one way or the other.
As they entered the furniture store the auburn finally released Sephiroth. Against his usual instincts, the silver almost grabbed a hold of the STC again, but managed to fight the urge down. Watching Genesis move away, he momentarily wondered where the urge had come from before following his companion.
"How about this one?" Genesis asked, pointing to a queen sized bed.
"What of it?"
"Do you like the frame?" questioned the auburn, crossing his arms in a thoughtful manner.
Sephiroth walked closer to the bed and examined it more closely. The frame was simple: one large piece for the footboard, one large piece for the headboard. It was a brown so dark it was almost black and smooth to the touch. He trailed his fingers across the footboard and nodded once.
"Do you like to sleep on a hard mattress, a soft mattress, or something in between?" The silver stared at the bed and shrugged as he came up beside him. Genesis raised an eyebrow, grabbed each of his upper arms, and pushed him toward the bed in front of them.
Completely caught off guard, Sephiroth fell onto the mattress and was quickly pinned down as Genesis practically landed on top of him. "That was unnecessary," he said, scowling at the auburn as the man slithered off of him and lay down on his side.
"Perhaps, but it was funny," Genesis grinned. "I was expecting more resistance." He grabbed the silver again as he tried to get up. "Relax will you? Lie on your back and see how this mattress feels."
Scowling, Sephiroth uncomfortably obeyed, feeling like everyone in the store was watching. His eyes roved over the patrons and found no one was paying them a bit of attention. He wiggled a few times as the auburn flopped onto his back. "It's a little soft."
"Can't do much with'em when they're all soft," sighed Genesis.
Sephiroth had a suspicion Genesis wasn't just talking about mattresses. He raised an eyebrow as the auburn hopped off the bed and grabbed his wrist. "Where are you dragging me now?"
"There are more mattresses back here," replied the STC, watching the silver stand.
Sephiroth once again let Genesis drag him, this time around a corner. He froze as he took in the large expanse before him. The store didn't look remotely this big from outside! There were more beds as well as couches and chairs of all shapes, sizes, and colors. The silver could see bookshelves, end tables, lamps, coffee tables, and other decorative items as well.
Genesis's forward momentum was halted and he jerked to a stop. The momentum shift pulled him backward and to the right and he barely managed to spin before he fell on his ass. Sephiroth had stopped and he opened his mouth to snap at him for not giving a warning, but the look on the silver's face made him change his mind. "Do you like this one?" the auburn asked, waving at the bed in front of them. It was ebony with a short footboard and a taller three-slatted headboard.
"Yes," Sephiroth replied, yanking the auburn toward him and then throwing him onto the mattress with ease.
"Hey!" chuckled Genesis, bouncing onto the bed. He fell onto his back as the silver sat beside him.
"I like this mattress as well," Sephiroth said. It was not as soft as the previous one, but not as hard as his current one. He leaned backward and sighed contentedly.
"Guess we found a bed," Genesis chuckled. The two lay there for a moment before he sprang upward. "One item down, several more to go," he said, pulling the silver upright.
Three hours and several stores later the pair headed back to Shinra HQ. With Genesis's help Sephiroth had purchased two beds, one full sized for the guest bedroom and one queen for himself. He had also purchased a completely new living room suite, two dressers, several bookshelves of varying sizes, a desk, dishes, various bathroom items, two sets of bedding for each bed, towels, nightstands, table lamps, and floor lamps. After the furnishing spree Genesis had managed to drag him into a clothing store and forced him to purchase a pair of jeans, two pairs of black casual dress pants, several shirts, a pair of casual dress shoes, and a pair of black running shoes.
"Where do you want this?" asked the auburn as the two finally made it back to Sephiroth's apartment, slightly raising the six bags he was carrying.
"I will take them," Sephiroth replied, adding the bags to his own load. Though not heavy, it was awkward carrying 10 plus bags down the hallway and into his bedroom, but he managed.
Genesis sighed wearily and plopped onto the couch. As he considered everything that had happened today he suddenly realized he hadn't gotten in touch with Reno. Shit! He yanked his PHS out of his pocket and checked the time: 23:13. It was then he realized he didn't even have the Turk's number. Not once since he'd known the redhead had the man had a working PHS so the topic had never come up. Double shit! He smacked the back of his head onto the couch, growled, and closed his eyes in frustration.
Half an hour later, many of the purchased items were put away and Sephiroth headed toward the living room. He stopped where the hallway opened up and listened to Genesis's breathing. A smile curved one side of his lips as he discovered the STC was asleep. He went into the bedroom, grabbed one of the new blankets, and quietly approached the auburn. Gently removing the PHS in his hand, he laid the blanket on him and put the device on the coffee table.
With the auburn taken care of the silver found his sleep pants and went into the bathroom. He brushed his hair and teeth before slipping out of his uniform and into his nightwear. Before returning to the bedroom he peeked at the auburn one more time. Genesis had pulled his legs onto the couch and now lay on his side with the blanket tucked firmly under his chin.
Satisfied, Sephiroth headed into his bedroom, quietly closed the door, and got into bed. To his surprise his outing had been enjoyable. He didn't know why, but people had left him alone instead of hounding him and that had made a world of difference. Being with someone as enthusiastic as Genesis certainly hadn't hurt either. Snuggling under the blanket and wiggling into a comfortable position, his thoughts turned to the sleeping auburn on his couch.
It was strange to have someone in his apartment, but much to his surprise he wasn't on edge about it. He decided it didn't bother him because it was Genesis and he wondered why one person didn't annoy him, but others would. While they had spent time together he felt there was more to it than that, though he couldn't figure out what. It went beyond Genesis's apparent zest for life or his enthusiasm. Beyond his knowledge about things he himself knew nothing of. He was still thinking about the STC and his feelings as he drifted to sleep.
Side Note: Konbanwa means good evening