Business As Usual:

Chapter 10

By Miyamashi

Miya's Note: My writer's block got better! I wrote Ch. 9 and then went straight to this one. I have some interesting ideas for what's to come. I think that this ultra-fast update makes up for the last one, too…right?

…Poor guys. In case you can't tell, the first section is Rufus' thoughts. This is also my longest chapter. I guess it's to make up for the last one, which was the shortest! I, personally, don't think that it's my best, but I'll let you decide for yourselves what you think. Beware of language, especially in the sections with Reno. The guy's not a happy camper.

I can't say it enough. I hate President Shinra.

To Kuro Yokai: [looks at date] Yup, it's before the 16th! Happy? I think that's the same day that I go back to school…[grumbles]

Roxi: Feel free to hug all you want. Just don't suffocate them, okay? ;D

Kuja-46: Yesssss…angst is good. Thanks for the compliment!

To Mashimaro-Byul-012: Yeah, I was cringing when I was writing that part…that would hurt so much, especially with something dull like a letter opener. Rufi's obeying his father because he doen't want to risk Reno being killed. Oh, and if you've read White Flag, you should know the answer to your last question…or I'll just say that what kind of romance fic would this be if they didn't get back together?

'It was what had to be done…'

'It was the only way…'

'Right?'

'He'll be better off this way…'

'It's better than losing his life…'

'But…why…?'

'Why does it have to be this way?'

'It hurts…so much…'

'Why?'

The crimson tears ran from Reno's cheeks down onto his chest. They burned him. He had been such a fool…such a trusting, ignorant fool.

He thought that he had actually felt something for Rufus…but it was all a game.

Just a sick, twisted little game.

He had to talk to somebody. He had to tell somebody before the pain tore him apart.

But why? It was nothing but lust. Sure, he felt something, but it was lust. It was hunger, and he was starved. Nothing more.

So why did it hurt so damn much?

Reno knocked on Tseng's office door, hoping that his boss hadn't already left for Costa Del Sol. Luckily, the black-haired Turk was taking care of some last-minute paperwork. Tseng opened his door to find a very disheveled, bloodied Reno.

"Reno…...lords, what happened to you?"

"That bastard….that fucking bastard…" Reno's true tears mingled with the blood on his cheeks, the salt stinging the fresh wounds.

Tseng ushered the redhead into his office. "Who did this to you?"

"Rufus Shinra," Reno hissed slowly.

"Is what the President said about you true?"

"What did he say?"

"That…you and Rufus have……had…a relationship."

"I thought that we did…sort of."

"What do you mean?" Tseng asked gently, sitting down in a chair and looking at Reno empathetically.

"He was playing a game with me. He wanted something to annoy his father, so he used me…"

"And he did this to you? He made those cuts?"

"…No. I did."

"…What?"

"I told him that…these are my tears…"

"What's gotten into you, Reno? Why would you even think of doing something like that?"

"I. don't. know," Reno growled angrily. "Do you think that I came to you to have you criticize my actions?"

"Reno! Calm down…I'm asking you because I'm worried about you! I need to know what exactly happened. I'm beginning to think that it's impossible to trust any of the authority around here, and I need to know what's going on." Tseng paused for a long while before continuing. "…Did you…love him?"

"No. Something about him made me want him…but it wasn't love."

"I…see."

"He used that fact to his advantage. The guy can read minds or something, I swear. He acted like he wanted me, too. Told me all these secrets about him…probably all lies. Then, he just came into his office and told me to get out. Told me how he been playing me, how I'd been such a fool to trust him. He was right. He's always right…just like fucking Pulitz…"

"I hate to tell you this, but it's probably just as well…"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"The President gave us strict orders that if you continued your relationship with his son in any way, shape, or form, that we were to kill you on the spot."

"…What? But…Rufus said…" Reno became suddenly quiet, staring down at his feet, blood dripping from his face onto the carpeting.

Tseng was silent.

"Sorry to…waste your time…and sorry about the carpet." Reno rushed out, leaving Tseng staring sadly at the door.

"I talked to Reno," Tseng whispered to Rude outside of the entrance of Shinra's Costa Del Sol villa.

"It's another one of Shinra's lies, right? Reno wouldn't be…involved with Rufus Shinra…"

"I'm afraid Shinra was telling the truth."

Rude stood silently, letting the fact sink in.

"I'm worried about him. He wasn't acting at all like himself," Tseng murmured, shaking his head. "Can you believe that he cut himself…said that the blood was 'his tears'?"

"What? What the hell was he thinking? Has he gone nuts?"

"I don't know…but I think that there's something seriously wrong with him. The conversation also gave me reason to believe that Reno may have been wrong about Shinra being the one to have killed that doctor. He said that Rufus had been lying to him, so I don't know if we can trust the Vice President's word."

"Shit…this isn't good. I hope Reno doesn't do anything stupid while we're gone…"

Rufus sat at his desk, fiddling idly with the broken sunglasses that Reno had left. There were dark bags under his eyes that were left from his sleepless night, and his normally smooth hair was frizzed and oily. He sat with a pen at his fingertips and a half-finished letter in front of him, dreading what he had to do next.

He had to keep both parts of the bargain, or Reno would be in danger.

He had to find a wife.

It wasn't like there was a shortage of women lined up to marry him for his money and his looks, and it wasn't as if it made a difference which one he picked, as Rufus didn't have feelings toward any of them, but he still found it difficult to decide which woman he would take as a bride.

He turned the sunglasses around in his free hand.

The door to his office opened slowly, and Janice the secretary walked in with a cup of coffee. Rufus didn't look up.

"Sir, I brought you some coffee. You look like you need it."

Rufus still didn't flinch.

"Sir, are you alright? You don't seem like yourself today."

The blonde finally left his reverie and turned his gaze from the cracked lenses of the shades to his secretary, who was giving him a worried look.

"Thank you, Janice. Just leave the cup on my desk."

Janice set the cup on the wooden surface, but continued to stand in front of her boss. "Do you need anything else? You look like you could use something to get your mind off of whatever it is that you're thinking about."

"Why do you care?"

"Well, it's my job, for one. Plus, I don't like seeing anybody like this, Sir."

"I appreciate your concern." Rufus had a sudden idea. "Janice, are you married?"

"Why do you ask?"

"It has come to the point where I must find a wife, and your concern for my welfare has proved that you would at least care for more than my money. I understand if you do not wish to marry a man whom you do not know, much less have feelings for, but…" Rufus went completely silent and stared back at the sunglasses, wondering what had gotten into him.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I already have a husband, and am quite happy with him."

"Very well," Rufus said without looking up. "Thank you for your time, Janice, and I wish you and your husband many years of happiness."

"…Thank you, Sir." And Janice walked out, leaving Rufus again with the problem of having to pick a wife out of the mass of women that his father had picked. He finally just decided to pick one and not worry about it. It wouldn't make a difference either way, so why beat himself up about it more than he had to?

He finally settled on the last name that he could remember.

High up on the sixty-first floor of Shinra Headquarters, a letter arrived, wrapped beautifully in an envelope of fine parchment. It was short, but it nonetheless caused the woman who had received it to flush brilliantly.

Dearest Malita,

My most sincere apologies concerning our last meeting, and I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me and consider giving me the honor of taking your hand in marriage. I eagerly await your response.

Sincerely,

Rufus Shinra

"Can you believe it, Leiza?" Malita squealed. "The little asshole is actually apologizing to me."

"He's very eloquent, isn't he?" Leiza mused, reading the letter over. "I, personally, think that you should forgive and forget. There are certain advantages to marrying the Vice President, after all."

"That's true, but it's kind of tempting to tell him 'no'. Make him beg for it."

"You can make him beg all you want once you've married him. Too much risk if you do it now."

"You're right. I think that I'll go tell him."

"No, Malita. At least make him wait. A little torture is still good."

Malita was shocked and a bit annoyed to find that Rufus was remarkably patient regarding her reply. When she arrived in his office two days later, he was sitting at his desk doing paperwork. Everything seemed very normal to Malita as Rufus folded his hands on top of each other and gave her a demure look. The only thing that was strange about the whole ordeal was the assortment of objects on the blonde's desk. Broken sunglasses? Empty coffee cups? A bottle of vodka?

Does that letter opener have blood on it?

"Ah, so I see you got my letter," Rufus stated simply, staying remarkably calm.

"Yes, and I accept," Malita replied, although she was suddenly nervous.

"Wonderful."

When President Shinra returned from his vacation, he was very pleased to find that his son had finally chosen a wife. He called the boy into his office to discuss the matter.

"So, I see that you took my advice and broke contact with the Turk," Shinra stated triumphantly.

"Yes, Father." Rufus' gaze was icy.

"And you have chosen a suitable wife?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Malita Cunningham."

"Who?"

"The barmaid."

"Ah. She is quite acceptable."

Rufus was silent, and the ice in his eyes was sub-zero.

"Stop your insolent glaring immediately."

Rufus stood stock-still, his frigid gaze unwavering.

A wedding. He was being invited to a wedding.

And it was Rufus'.

Reno ran a finger over one slowly healing gash.

That bastard.

But Reno would go to the wedding, if only to show that he was over Rufus Shinra. Even the lust had begun to subside, being replaced by disgust. Each night, Reno showered longer than he ever used to, scrubbing his skin raw and feeling dirty for ever touching the blonde. Even worse, he had almost gotten to the point of fucking him.

He liked women better, anyway.

What Reno didn't want to admit was that, after Rufus, the women that he had slept with seemed sub-par, although he had never actually slept with Rufus at all. Just the taste of the man's lips and the feel of his body pressed against his own was enough to tell him that it was true.

But he would go to the wedding. He would go to the wedding and be sorry for the poor wench who had to be the wife. He would go and he would prove that he was stronger.

He would go and he would laugh in Rufus Shinra's smug, pretty-boy face.

Miya's Note: So? What do you think? The next chapter is going to be the wedding, and--let me tell you--it's going to be interesting.