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 Nine: Rufus' Memories

Without looking around, Rufus stormed into Rude's office and slumped onto the couch. He stared at the wall in front of him, only seeing the image of Tseng's angry face in his mind.

"What up?" Reno asked awkwardly.

Rufus looked at him and suddenly turned red, forgetting all about Tseng. Rude was sitting in his chair with Reno on his lap. Reno's shirt was on the floor on the other side of the room with Rude's jacket. The perhaps most disturbing thing was Reno's belt in between Rude's teeth.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Rufus blurted out. "I didn't realize. I'm so sorry. When did you two . . . Never mind, it's none of my business. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Reno said, leaping off Rude's lap.

He grabbed his shirt and threw it back on.

"Did you want something specific?" he questioned.

"It's Tseng," Rufus said. "I told him."

"You mean, you told him how you feel about him?" Reno asked.

"Interesting. What did he say?"

Rufus sighed. "He pretty much yelled at me."

"What?" Reno and Rude exclaimed simultaneously.

Rufus explained the entire encounter with Tseng, and when he was done, they both looked a little uncomfortable.

"What's wrong?" Rufus demanded.

"Well, I never really thought about it before because I didn't know Tseng liked you, but you did used to kinda flirt with him."

"What?" Rufus said. "I never flirted with him. I was too afraid to do anything about my feelings for him."

"You didn't do it all the time, and most of it was right before you became president," Rude added.

"Oh, my God," Rufus breathed. "I know what he's talking about now. I know why he's mad. It was that time. I didn't mean to flirt. I was just amazed at him like a star struck boy."

"What time?" Reno asked.

Rufus closed his eyes. It had been only about a year before Rufus became president of Shin-Ra Inc. He was alone with Tseng in the kitchen. Both of them had wanted a midnight snack, and they had ran into each other.

"Actually, now that I'm here, I'm really not that hungry," Rufus laughed.

"I know what you mean," Tseng said. "Maybe I just wanted to take a little walk."

"Good job on that mission yesterday," Rufus mumbled. "I heard all about it from Reno and Rude."

"It was nothing really."

Rufus leaned into him, his eyes sparkling. "Whenever I see you fighting or even hear about your fighting, I just wish I could do those things. You're magnificent, Tseng. I mean, perfectly brilliant. Everything you do. I think about it a lot, all the time."

"You do?" Tseng asked.

"Yes. I . . ."

A creak sounded in the hallway outside of the kitchen, and Rufus jumped, grabbing Tseng's hand tightly.

"What was that?"

"Probably a maid," Tseng said.

Rufus looked up into Tseng's face and leaned a little closer.

"Anyway, you're just really fantastic, Tseng," he breathed. "I think . . ."

This time, the door opened, and the maid entered. Startled, Rufus decided to escape.

Soon after that incident, Rufus became obsessed with the company and stopped thinking about Tseng so much. He figured that there would always be time to get him later, after he'd become a success.

"That's why he must be mad at me," Rufus said quietly.

"Huh?" Reno and Rude uttered since they hadn't seen the same memory Rufus had.

"I did do it. I started to show him how I cared for him, and then I pulled it away, but he thought I was only teasing him. Everything he said I was, I really am."

TBC . . .