A/N: Soundtrack for the chapter is 'Awake, Asleep' by Remmi. I prefer the Speaker of the House x Remmi version, but either works.
Chapter 11
When Senna was back in the room, she looked around to try and find the clothes Reno had mentioned. She frowned when she didn't see anything and almost went back out to yell at the man some more. She was in no mood for his BS. Although, she stopped when she noticed the big door wasn't the only one in the room. A smaller door was on the side of the room, partially hidden behind a trifold screen.
The door opened to show a huge walk-in closet that was mostly empty. A few skirts and dresses were hanging, and there were a handful of shoes on a shelf along with some accessories. There was also something that looked like a heart monitor with cables and everything. She wasn't sure what that was for, but she suspected the clothing was what Reno had been talking about.
She didn't bother looking at the clothes right away. Not that she wasn't interested in changing, but she noticed there was another door at the far end of the closet that was partially ajar. Her steps were lite as she crept to push it open slowly. However, all she found was a bathroom that was just as ridiculously large as the closet.
A massive tub took up an entire corner of the room, and a walk-in shower took up the rest of the back wall. A counter with a raised sink and a mirror covering the wall was near her door. Across from it was another just like it with another door. That one was closed and locked, but she had a feeling it probably led into a closet. Or maybe not. Who the hell knew what was going on. There were also two smaller doors near the end of the room opposite the tub. Those were unlocked but only held the restrooms, so she moved on.
When she inspected the counter near the door she had come from, she found several types of cosmetics laid out neatly. It was only then that it occurred to her that maybe Rufus wanted her to look presentable after all. She wasn't sure how she felt about that revelation, but in the end, she decided to make the most of it. Presenting a calm and poised front often made the best shield, and she could use all the help she could get. Just getting through the next few hours would likely be the worst thing she had ever dealt with.
With that thought in mind, she walked back into the closet to pick out a dress. She did her best to ignore the sound of voices that seemed to be coming from the other room while she went through the selection. It surprised her that the walls were so much thinner than they looked, but if Rufus was back, she didn't want to be half-dressed if he came into the room. Not that she thought he would. Despite the nightgown, he had always seemed to exude propriety. Well, most of the time anyway. And that was why she would rather be safe.
She ended up choosing one that was simple but elegant, and the pale grey fabric contrasted nicely with her olive skin and dark hair. The sleeves were long and snug, the shoulders were open, and the neckline was scooped, but not enough to show any cleavage. Her legs were more exposed than she was used to, but not indecently so. The skirt was just above her knees. She grabbed a pair of matching heels and headed into the attached bathroom.
Honestly, the dress felt like something she would wear on a date, but none of the other options had been any more professional. Instead of worrying about it, she focused on brushing through her dark hair and pulling it back into a thick braid that fell loosely across one shoulder. She then went through the cosmetics and found everything she needed to add enough color to look good without being garish.
However, before she started applying it, her attention focused on her eyes, and she froze for a moment. Her eyes were no longer grey. The ones reflected back at her were bluish-green with a slight glow. A sliver of panic crept in that she had to swallow down. Did the color mean what she thought it did? She was somehow exposed to mako, or was it something else? Not that she could do anything about it either way and the voices she could hear were a reminder that she didn't have much time to worry about it. Not yet. Somehow she had to get through the next few hours, then she could deal with everything else.
She was still on the fence about whether she was in a coma or not, but it would be safest to assume she wasn't. That thought was hard to swallow, but logically it made sense. If she treated it like a dream, she could unwittingly put herself in danger. She'd rather play it safe.
With that thought in mind, she stopped in front of the floor-length mirror once she was finished. She smirked at her reflection as she whispered. "Oh, Rufus. I hope you know what you're getting yourself into. I'm not one to beg, but I certainly won't pass up something that's offered. The question now is—have you bitten off more than you can chew?"
A dark chuckle left Senna's lips as she turned back toward the bedroom. She was self-aware enough to know that she was only putting off the inevitable confrontation of her situation, but it was a necessary evil. For the moment, she would cling to every bit of confidence she could muster to deal with whatever was waiting for her in the other room. Something told her dealing with Rufus, even if it was a dream, would not be a simple task.
Despite her resolve, her smirk nearly faltered when she walked out to find that it wasn't just Reno and Rufus like she had expected. Rufus and Tseng were standing near the bedroom door with a man in a lab coat and bloodshot eyes. However, as soon as the door opened, the talking ceased, and all eyes turned toward her.
Tseng's eyes had widened, but he quickly got it under control. The doctor wasn't as lucky. His mouth was slightly ajar, and Senna could hear Reno's wolf-whistle from the other side of the room. She ignored them all and focused on Rufus. She had no doubt that he was the one she needed to watch out for. Unfortunately, she wasn't sure if his growing smirk was a good thing or not.
Rufus didn't say a word as he waved a dismissive hand toward the others. It shouldn't have shocked her that they all left without any argument—even Tseng. Though she had a feeling both Turks would be waiting just on the other side of the door. Not that it mattered. For the moment, she had bigger things to worry about.
As soon as the others left, Rufus finally said, "I see you found the gifts I left for you. The doctor did say he expected you to wake today."
Senna ignored the way her heart suddenly decided to try to beat out of her chest at the sound of his voice. She wasn't entirely sure if it was rage or something else, and that didn't help. Still, she was able to smirk back as she said, "Gifts?" She then looked down at herself before she looked back up and cocked a brow at him. "I would say that this is more for your benefit than mine. Although, I do appreciate not having to walk around in that slip of cloth you passed off as a nightgown."
Instead of becoming perturbed, Rufus only lifted one shoulder dismissively. "It was far more modest than the last one I saw you in." His eyes hardened for a moment, and his voice dropped as he continued, "I believe it was in my father's office. Which begs the question—why were you in my dream? Besides, you should be grateful that I am keeping you here instead of a cell. That could change."
Senna had to repress a shiver. He wasn't exactly wrong. Still, his reference to their shared dreams only made the situation cloudier. She had too many things going through her head that needed attention and a bad feeling that she was out of time. She ended up taking a few deep breaths to keep her head clear before she faced him with a slight frown. "Honestly, from my perspective, you were in my dream, not the other way around. I appreciate you not putting me in a cell, but I don't know what you expect to get from me. I'm a lawyer—all this metaphysical bullshit is more than I want to deal with."
Rufus's response was to take a step closer. He wasn't yet crowding her, but he was close to it, and the nearness made Senna uncomfortable. She tried to ignore it and focus on his words instead. "I have a difficult time believing your presence here is a mere coincidence. What is your goal? Why are you here? And before you answer that, know that I have already investigated the information you have given me. You have no history, so who are you really?"
Senna refused to show the fear she felt at Rufus's open admission to investigating her. Even though she hadn't considered it thoroughly, she wasn't surprised. Instead of buckling under his glare, she straightened her shoulders and glared right back. "I've given you the truth. It's not my fault it doesn't make any more sense to you than it does to me. I'm just as clueless as you are. To be honest, I'm not even sure that this isn't some coma-induced dream I can't wake up from."
If anything, her vehement declaration only caused Rufus to give her an incredulous look as he scoffed. "You expect me to believe that you had no part in why you showed up in my dreams for a week straight before you mysteriously turned up on my doorstep with mako poisoning."
His question took her aback for a moment. She had suspected that she had been exposed to mako somehow, if she wasn't dreaming, but to hear it confirmed grated against her already fraying nerves. To fight that, she crossed her arms and gave him a stern look as she said, "I don't care if you believe me or not. The truth is the truth, and frankly, I have bigger issues to deal with right now. Because if this isn't a dream, then the last thing I saw before I woke up in that bed was my own funeral. You probably wouldn't understand what it's like to have to watch your family and friends cry their eyes out as they stood by your grave while you watched. In case you're wondering, it's the kind of thing you never get over."
Senna hadn't expected Rufus's reaction. Instead of pushing her for answers she didn't have, he frowned and took a few steps away. His brow was still furrowed when he turned back to face her, and his voice was far less antagonistic as he said, "You are correct. I would never know what that is like because I doubt any would cry at my funeral."
His words instantly made Senna regret her outburst. Her expression softened, and she took a step toward him with the vague idea of comforting him or at least negating his statement. However, before she could formulate a response, he had continued, "Does this mean what I saw in my last dream was real as well?"
Senna's feet quit moving, and she slowly brought her hand back down to her side as she said, "Your last dream? The one at the Corel reactor?" Just the thought of that dream made Senna's cheeks flush now that she knew there was a distinct possibility that it was far more than a dream, and both participants had been consciously aware of what was happening. However, she did her best to ignore the feeling. Especially when she saw confusion pass across Rufus's face.
She barely heard him as he murmured, "Perhaps it was just a dream after all."
Senna made a frustrated noise and crossed her arms again. "Okay, can you, I don't know, at least try not to be cryptic on top of being arrogant? Things aren't exactly kosher for me either, and I would think we'd be better off working together to figure this out instead of at odds with each other."
Rufus's gaze sharpened, and his eyes took on a steely glint, but only for a moment. As it passed, he gestured toward one of the seats as he said, "Perhaps it would be more conducive to communication if we made ourselves comfortable."
Senna's eyes were wary as she watched him walk over to a comfortable-looking couch. She was anything but relieved. There was no doubt in her mind that his sudden politeness was nothing more than a new tactic to get her to let down her guard. Not that she wouldn't play along for the moment. A polite Rufus was far easier to deal with. Especially since the noise from the other room was getting louder. Honestly, she wasn't sure how it wasn't driving the man crazy.
Once they were both seated, Senna took the initiative. "So, the Corel dream was obviously not the one you meant. So what was it? Wait, you do remember Corel, right?"
Senna had to repress a sudden warmth that flooded her system when his response was a slowly building smirk before he said, "Are you perhaps referring to the kiss we shared?"
That warmth was a lot harder to ignore, but she managed. Although, she had to look away and clear her throat before she said, "Yes. That is the last dream I remember."
It took her a few moments to realize that Rufus had not responded after her admission. She turned back curiously to see that he had been watching her. She did her best not to fidget under his raptor's gaze as he finally said, "No, that was not the last strange dream. I suppose I can understand why you would not remember. Although, I must ask, what city were we in? I didn't believe there was such a place on Gaia, as it certainly wasn't Midgar."
Senna's brow furrowed as she tried to make sense of his question. The harder she thought about it, the more a few spotty memories were returning from right before she turned up beside her own grave. She suddenly felt nauseous as a theory started to form. Her voice cracked when she first tried to speak, but she cleared her throat and managed to say, "Are you saying you were actually there? I thought—I was drunk and—"
She couldn't manage to finish, but Rufus was quick to step in. "Yes, I saw you walking through an unknown city with a brunette man."
Senna only had half her attention on what he was saying, so she didn't think better of it when she interrupted. "That must have been Sam."
Her attention was drawn back when Rufus's voice hardened the slightest bit. "Your boyfriend?"
A scoff came out before Senna could censor it. She still managed to reel in her response a little as she said, "No. A blind date my friend set up for me."
Rufus lifted one brow. "The two of you seemed incredibly close for someone you just met. Is that a habit of yours?"
Senna could feel her blood beginning to boil for a whole new reason. "You have no right nor reason to judge me—but no, it's not. I was blowing off steam. I seem to recall I spent the better part of the week before then dealing with these crazy dreams that I couldn't make sense of."
Rufus's expression did not change as he made a dismissive motion. "That is irrelevant. I want to know the name and location of that city."
Senna opened her mouth to snap back at his dismissiveness, but before she could, another thought crossed her mind. She blanched as she considered the implications of Rufus being there at that moment. She couldn't entirely hide the fear in her eyes as she asked, "Does that mean you saw what happened?"
The expression on Rufus's face softened slightly, and a quiet sigh escaped his lips before he said, "Yes. I do not understand it all, but I watched as whatever that thing was pushed you into the road. There was no time to stop what happened."
Senna shot to her feet as her hand flew up to cover her mouth to keep in the sob that was trying to escape. It was an extreme effort of will to keep her nausea down as she stumbled toward the other room. Tears had sprung up as well, but she ignored them as she tried to get away. She had no idea where to go, but she wanted nothing more than to escape from the strangling pain that was taking over her whole body.
She ended up nearly falling over a small table in her rush. It was only Rufus's quick actions that kept her upright. She hadn't seen him stand, and part of her mind knew it wasn't the wisest course of action, but she grabbed a fistful of his shirt and leaned into him.
Rufus wasn't the type of person to comfort her, but she was satisfied that he didn't try to push her away either. Just having him there with a steadying hand on her arm and another on her waist was enough for her to ground herself. It was still several moments before she managed to get herself under control.
When she was sure there was little chance of her choking up again, she stepped back and looked down. Her voice was barely more than a whisper as she said, "Thank you for telling me. I suspected that might have been what happened when the goddess told me something interfered with our bond."
That was all that she could get out. Any more, and she would have lost it again. She was so caught up in trying to stay calm that she barely noticed that Rufus stiffened before he took a step away. Her attention was drawn to him when he said, "Did you say what the goddess told you?"
It took a moment for his tone and the words to penetrate the fog of despair that consumed her, but when it did, her head shot up, and she looked over with wide eyes. Saying anything about the goddess was not something she had planned on doing, and the calculating look in Rufus's eyes doubled down on her worry. The silence was only broken when her shoulders drooped slightly, and an exclamation quietly left her lips. "Well, shit."
A/N: And the tenseness just went up a level or two lol. Honestly, Rufus is pragmatic, but he isn't stupid. What do you think he'll make of that revelation? There are so many ways this could go, and I'm excited to share. I love the dynamic between them, but part of that is I know what is coming lol. Sorry. Even though you all don't yet, I still hope you are enjoying their interactions. Until next time, thanks for reading, and cheers!