Surprise
Reeve was sitting in his room, attempting to tidy his desk. It's no good. Why do I bother with all this work?. I'm about as used as Palmer. They never read any of these papers. I could sign them all Donald Duck and those spoilt executives wouldn't notice.
Sadly, this was all too true, but it didn't bother Reeve. He was just as calm as always. He got this serenity from his father - a great Turk of many years before. This man, when in his prime, looked the grim reaper in the face and laughed at him. Reeve was as calm and collected as anyone, but the shock awaiting him was enough to make even his father jump out of him grave.
The door burst open. "Reeve. I. just. saw. him. kissing." It was Tseng, panting and sweating. He looked as though he had just seen, and ran straight through, a ghost.
"Calm down! Come and sit down over here." Reeve beckoned the young Turk over to the new sofa he had just been given for waiting 'clients', but there were none so in effect the lovely people at the top floor had just given a more comfortable seat. "Have a drink." Reeve said, handing over a cup of steaming hot tea to the other boy.
"Thanks."
The couple sat quietly for about ten minutes - until Tseng had re- established a regular breathing pattern. Then he started to speak:
"Reeve," he began "I just saw Vincent, in Sephiroth's room, barely clothed, with Seph, kissing him."
At this Reeve felt a singular feeling in his gut that made him believe he would have needed to seat himself, were it not he was already on the couch. "Are you trying to tell me what I think you mean?"
"Yes, ok I give in," Tseng paused to sigh and then continued: "It is Sephiroth I like. But please don't tell him. Please"
"Your secret's safe with me." Reeve reassured the boy, who promptly smiled. "Vincent you say?"
"Yeah, he was just sitting there with Sephiroth when I walked in. I couldn't believe it either."
"But there must be like, ten years age difference between them." By this point Tseng had broken down into tears, his friend try to comfort him. "I could never work."
"I know," Tseng sobbed. "But it just came as a bit of a. Surprise."
***
Reeve was in his room alone. Sephiroth? That's a shock on its own. And Vincent too? What about Lucretia? It was a lot to take in, but he couldn't tell anyone. Not a soul.
He heard a knock at his door. "Come" Standing in the doorframe was the tall, dark figure of Vincent Valentine. "Ah, well do come in."
The large man strode in to the executive's room. Slowly and quietly the pair sat down on that same sofa Tseng was on earlier.
"I understand you are a dear friend of my apprentice, Tseng." Vincent trailed off as if his mind was somewhere else.
"Yes, that is right. And yes, he has told me all about what he saw." Tseng confirmed, but when Vincent looked disheartened he added: "But don't worry, I wont tell anyone."
"Thank you , I see my young trainee chooses his friends well. I am in debt to you Mr. Long"
"Please, call me Reeve."
"And you call me Vincent. Now it is a pleasure to have met you, but I must bid you a due as I must locate Tseng himself. He did not turn up for training this evening." Reeve felt his muscles tense. It was a worrying thought if Tseng had gone missing in the state he was earlier. "He doesn't happen to be in here does he?"
"Oh, no, sorry Mr. Vala. I mean Vincent. I haven't seen him since about 11 o'clock this morning. I'm glad to have met you though."
"Thank you anyway, Reeve, I am sure we will me again. Good bye"
***
Dawn broke and an image of the outside skyscape caught Reeve's eye. The early rays of the sun danced in the dust and smog that perpetually hung over the city that was Midgar. That was the only advantage of the industrialised city- the beautiful sunrises and sets.
Reeve peered out of the window of his high-rise office. The Shinra building towered above the plates that excluded the 'slums' from the outside world. As he sighed Reeve thought - everything he had proposed since the city had been built had been quashed, either by Heiddegger or the president. How he hated them. That pair was most definitely a match made in hell.
Reeve's intercom buzzed. "Long get your sorry arse up here." Speak of the devil. President Shinra's voice ripped through the air like a rasp.
"Right away sir." Reeve released the button on the box. ". you arrogant pig"
***
Well that was fun for a complete waste of time. Having just sat through a meeting that didn't either concern or involve him at all, Reeve was rather bitter. However, "the ever knowing nod" seemed to have kept his bosses happy. I should leave. If only someone would kill that Shinra, then maybe this whole company and all it stand for would tumble out of existence and the world would be better. If only.
Reeve was sitting in his room, attempting to tidy his desk. It's no good. Why do I bother with all this work?. I'm about as used as Palmer. They never read any of these papers. I could sign them all Donald Duck and those spoilt executives wouldn't notice.
Sadly, this was all too true, but it didn't bother Reeve. He was just as calm as always. He got this serenity from his father - a great Turk of many years before. This man, when in his prime, looked the grim reaper in the face and laughed at him. Reeve was as calm and collected as anyone, but the shock awaiting him was enough to make even his father jump out of him grave.
The door burst open. "Reeve. I. just. saw. him. kissing." It was Tseng, panting and sweating. He looked as though he had just seen, and ran straight through, a ghost.
"Calm down! Come and sit down over here." Reeve beckoned the young Turk over to the new sofa he had just been given for waiting 'clients', but there were none so in effect the lovely people at the top floor had just given a more comfortable seat. "Have a drink." Reeve said, handing over a cup of steaming hot tea to the other boy.
"Thanks."
The couple sat quietly for about ten minutes - until Tseng had re- established a regular breathing pattern. Then he started to speak:
"Reeve," he began "I just saw Vincent, in Sephiroth's room, barely clothed, with Seph, kissing him."
At this Reeve felt a singular feeling in his gut that made him believe he would have needed to seat himself, were it not he was already on the couch. "Are you trying to tell me what I think you mean?"
"Yes, ok I give in," Tseng paused to sigh and then continued: "It is Sephiroth I like. But please don't tell him. Please"
"Your secret's safe with me." Reeve reassured the boy, who promptly smiled. "Vincent you say?"
"Yeah, he was just sitting there with Sephiroth when I walked in. I couldn't believe it either."
"But there must be like, ten years age difference between them." By this point Tseng had broken down into tears, his friend try to comfort him. "I could never work."
"I know," Tseng sobbed. "But it just came as a bit of a. Surprise."
***
Reeve was in his room alone. Sephiroth? That's a shock on its own. And Vincent too? What about Lucretia? It was a lot to take in, but he couldn't tell anyone. Not a soul.
He heard a knock at his door. "Come" Standing in the doorframe was the tall, dark figure of Vincent Valentine. "Ah, well do come in."
The large man strode in to the executive's room. Slowly and quietly the pair sat down on that same sofa Tseng was on earlier.
"I understand you are a dear friend of my apprentice, Tseng." Vincent trailed off as if his mind was somewhere else.
"Yes, that is right. And yes, he has told me all about what he saw." Tseng confirmed, but when Vincent looked disheartened he added: "But don't worry, I wont tell anyone."
"Thank you , I see my young trainee chooses his friends well. I am in debt to you Mr. Long"
"Please, call me Reeve."
"And you call me Vincent. Now it is a pleasure to have met you, but I must bid you a due as I must locate Tseng himself. He did not turn up for training this evening." Reeve felt his muscles tense. It was a worrying thought if Tseng had gone missing in the state he was earlier. "He doesn't happen to be in here does he?"
"Oh, no, sorry Mr. Vala. I mean Vincent. I haven't seen him since about 11 o'clock this morning. I'm glad to have met you though."
"Thank you anyway, Reeve, I am sure we will me again. Good bye"
***
Dawn broke and an image of the outside skyscape caught Reeve's eye. The early rays of the sun danced in the dust and smog that perpetually hung over the city that was Midgar. That was the only advantage of the industrialised city- the beautiful sunrises and sets.
Reeve peered out of the window of his high-rise office. The Shinra building towered above the plates that excluded the 'slums' from the outside world. As he sighed Reeve thought - everything he had proposed since the city had been built had been quashed, either by Heiddegger or the president. How he hated them. That pair was most definitely a match made in hell.
Reeve's intercom buzzed. "Long get your sorry arse up here." Speak of the devil. President Shinra's voice ripped through the air like a rasp.
"Right away sir." Reeve released the button on the box. ". you arrogant pig"
***
Well that was fun for a complete waste of time. Having just sat through a meeting that didn't either concern or involve him at all, Reeve was rather bitter. However, "the ever knowing nod" seemed to have kept his bosses happy. I should leave. If only someone would kill that Shinra, then maybe this whole company and all it stand for would tumble out of existence and the world would be better. If only.
