Second Chance

Kagura Kyo Shinra

Warning: This story has shounen-ai. So if you don't like homosexual males, you shouldn't read it.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I take no responsibility for these characters or Final Fantasy or anything except this story.

Part Five: Drunken Conversation Confirmed

"Where's Tseng?" Rufus asked as he entered Reno's office.

Reno was sitting on the couch extremely close to Rude with a coy smile on his face. Rude looked irritated but at Reno not at Rufus' intrusion. When they spotted Rufus, Reno moved away and shrugged.

"Rude, you're so boring," he said and then looked at Rufus. "Tseng is in his office, isn't he?

"He isn't," Rufus said quickly.

"What's the matter?" Rude asked.

"I'm not sure . . . . I found Marie snooping around in the main office of the old laboratory."

"Why's she allowed in there!" Reno shouted. "I'm not allowed in there!" He looked at Rude. "Are you allowed in there?"

"Nobody is allowed in there except for me and Tseng!" Rufus barked. "Forget that for now. I think she was looking at the computer in there. The only one that has the mako reactor information on it."

"What? Why would she be looking at that?" Rude asked.

"I don't know, but I really don't trust her anymore, and it's not just jealousy or anything like that. I really think she's up to something. She won't find that information on that computer again. I made a copy and deleted the original."

"You need to tell Tseng," Rude said.

"Tell me what?" Tseng asked as he entered the office. "Did I hear somebody mention me?"

"I . . ."

Rufus stopped. He didn't know how to tell Tseng about Marie. Tseng always thought of Marie as a sort of idol for him to strive to be like. Even after all these years, Tseng still respected her and tried to achieve her greatness.

"Rufus said he found Marie snooping around on the computer in the old lab," Reno blurted out.

Rufus and Rude glared at him.

"What? That's absurd. What would she be doing in there?"

"Are you saying I'm lying?" Rufus asked. "I saw her in there. I spoke to her."

"I'm not saying you're lying, but maybe you're overreacting. You're imagination probably got away from you, and I'm not going to indulge your childish fantasies by punishing her."

"What the hell's the matter with you?" Rufus demanded.

Reno and Rude exchanged uncomfortable glances and backed away, trying to gain interest in what was happening outside the window.

"I thought I already told you," Tseng said firmly.

"Oh, you mean that drunken blabbing you did. That was complete nonsense."

"It wouldn't have been nonsense if you weren't so wrapped up with yourself."

"Just stop speaking in riddles!" Rufus screamed. "You keep talking about the old me, the me two years ago. If you haven't noticed I've changed."

"I haven't noticed."

"Well, maybe you're the one who's only thinking of yourself then. Because I am not the same man I was when I took over ShinRa Inc."

"You are," Tseng whispered.

"How dare you! How dare you judge me when you refuse to accept that I've changed!"

He couldn't be saying any of this. Rufus had shrugged off most of what Tseng said that night because Tseng was so drunk, but now he was dead sober. How could the person Rufus cared for the most see him as nothing?

"Why can't you understand that I can't do that because I've been fooled before!"

"What?" Rufus asked, stepping back. "When did I fool you?"

"Never mind," Tseng said.

The anger Rufus had felt moments before dissipated and was replaced with concern at Tseng's bizarre behavior. He wanted nothing more than to be able to understand what was going on in Tseng's mind, but he couldn't see anything in it's shadowy depths.

"What's going on with you?" Rufus asked.

"I have to go," Tseng said. "I'll question Marie about her actions."

TBC . . .