The Time We Spent Together

Spirit of the Wolves- You think so? I thought it was a good way to end it too. Well, it is going to continue. Thank you for your comment. :D

VioletIsInPain- Continue? I am. XD I'm glad that you're starting to like this pairing. I didn't like it at first and truthfully, I have no idea when I started to, but I did and now I love it! There simply isn't enough fanfic's for this couple in my opinion. Most are one-shots. :( Anyway, thank you for the comment!

ForsakenRealms- You like the Sephiroth parts? Seriously? I just figured I should add him in the chapter cause I don't much like evil Sephiroth plus I like how he would rather being training SOLDIERs then be in the meeting. lol. Thanks for the comment! :D

nennedominas- It made your day? How? The boys? Like Tseng and Rufus? Oh! Don't sob! I am going to continue! Thank you for the comment! It made my day and motivated me to finish the chapter. Thank you. :D

Someone touches my shoulder. A gentle shake. My name is called gently. I try to move, but my body is a lot heavier then I remember. Wow, what happened last? I got back from two meetings... then found out that Tseng pushed my other meetings back and then let me sleep on the couch with one of his fantastic back rubs.

Ohhhhhh.

"Rufus," Tseng says gently. "you are awake now." he notes.

"Yes, I am." I mumble sarcastically. I open my eyes slowly to see Tseng staring over at me, a neat pile of papers next to him. I sit up slowly and roll my shoulders, a satisfying series of cracks reach my ears. I flip around and climb to my feet, stretching my legs, pops reach my ears as well. I smirk and walk to the bathroom right inside my office and turn on the light.

There are still bags under my eyes, but a lot less noticeable and will only be noted if looked for. My hair is slightly mused, but easy to fix. I spot Tseng in the mirror and I give him a light smile.

"How long have I been sleep?"

Tseng fixes his suit dutifully. "Approximately two hours."

I make a face. Woah, seriously? I feel a lot better with just that. Awesome. Tseng and his magical fingers.

I splash water on my face and keep my head bowed. What in the world did I just think? Why did I think that? Is it me or does that sound-not only completely inappropriate- but something that shouldn't be thought of by a best friend and boss of said person?

I shutter and splash more water in my face and take a deep breath. "Okay," I pat my face and then grab a towel to dry my face and hands. When the towel is back on the rack I turn to face my Turk who was straightening up my coat that I had discarded earlier. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he inspects the coat.

His deep black gaze flickers to me and then back to the coat. After a moment more of inspection he aids me in putting it on. He smooths out the shoulders. I fix my tie and turn back to the mirror and everything looks to be in order.

"Okay," I say again but this time to my black haired Turk. "What's next?"

Tseng's eyes gleam in amusement but his face is now in Turk mode. "A quick meeting with the secretary staff and then paper work til five thirty were you and your father will be going out to dinner."

I raise an eyebrow. "He wants to leave the building? With me?"

Tseng blinks, unfazed. "Yes." Plain, simple, and to the point.

I look away. What could this mean? My dad must be happy with me because he's gonna be seen in public with me... but what did I do to make him happy?

I shiver and I can feel Tseng's eye burning holes in my back. I swallow my confusion and tuck it into the very corner of my mind and wave my hand around as if to shoo away the questioning look.

"Whatever. Let's go to this meeting so I can get some real work done."

I head to the door with Tseng as my shadow.

I walk along side my secretary on our way back from our joint meeting. She was very timid and was incapable of speaking for herself, but I liked her. She was nice, quiet and got everything done on time. She didn't make me sign every little paper that came her way. If it wasn't important enough, she would put it in a separate pile and let me read it of my own accord.

She was short- shorter then me, big surprise!- a brown bob cut with gray eyes that hid behind thick rimmed glasses. She often addressed everyone with her head bowed and her voice low.

"S-Sir? May I request something?" she asks quietly. Tseng ran to his office to get some work so it was just me and her. If it wasn't I have no doubt she would never of made the request.

"Alright, what is it, Llinna?" I answer, glancing sideways at my secretary. Her head bowed, but she was looking at me in the corner of her eye, a clipboard clenched tightly in her hands.

"U-Um w-would it be o-ok if I got Wednesday and Thursday of next week off?" she asks, tilting her head up slightly. "M-My brother is getting married and I have to travel all the way to C-Costa Del Sol for it after work on Tuesday... s-so I was hoping..." she trails off, no intention of finishing with her request. Her cheeks beat red.

I smile lightly. "Sure. Take the Regel project reports with you and get those done over the ride there or whatever and be in work on Friday morning, 'kay?"

Llinna looks up at me surprised, a large smile passing over her face. "O-Oh yes! O-Of course! Th-Thank you, sir!" A large blush passes under her eyes and she looks away from me and mummers a low "thank you sir" before rushing to her desk in front of my office. I give a little wave as I walk by.

"Oh and Llinna, let Tseng right in when he gets here, 'kay?" I peak out at her from my office. She looks up at me and nods.

"Y-Yes sir."

"Thank you."

I close my door and head to my desk, there is a stack of papers on it. Two piles. One of Important papers. The other is of Read If You Want papers. There was a small basket on my desk as well for the papers I'm done with.

I grab the top paper on the Important paper pile and start read.

The quiet sound of paper rustling is the only sound that I have been hearing for the past hour and I'm getting a headache from it. I finish the last line of the paper I'm on and sign on the bottom before putting it in the collected pile of finished papers in the basket.

I glance up to the Turk that was stationed on my couch with a pile of papers next to him, his deep black eyes read the paper carefully taking everything into consideration. My attention goes to the Jewel on his forehead. I wonder what it means. I've never seen another Wutainian with such a thing- then again I haven't met many Wutainian people.

That reminded me of my childhood with Tseng. I was a very... closed child. Spoiled. And kind of a brat. Maybe snark is a better word to describe me. Either way, for the first like, month all I did was try to piss Tseng off or get him fired. I was terrible and yet he never said anything bad about me and still defended me when I needed it but I mean still. If it were me, that was being treated like how I treated Tseng that first month, I would of slapped him around a little.

Tseng never did.

"I was a real brat, huh?" I ask suddenly, unaware that I was thinking aloud. Tseng was looking at me.

"Pardon?"

I shake my head and lean back in my chair, I give Tseng a lazy grin, one I learned from Reno- Tseng does not look amused by that. "As a kid- that first month with me? Yeah, that must of been hell. I was just thinking about it for no real reason. I guess I'm just having a moment of nostalgia." I shake my head again. "I was terrible. I tried to get you in trouble or fired and now that I think back... that might of been the stupidest thing I could of possibly done."

Tseng is quiet for a moment. His paperwork aside and forgotten. "Terrible." He agrees finally.

Leaning forward I lace my fingers on my desk. "If I was treated like I treated you; I'd of slap that kid around a little and teach him some manners- but you didn't." I make a face and look into the black abyss that was Tseng's eyes. "Why?"

Tseng considers my question for a moment. "Because... you were at a fragile state. Your mother was sick, so I cut you some slack. Besides, I don't mean to sound prejudice but when I first got to Midgar I knew that those people hated my own so I decided to let it go. You can't change everyone's opinion of you. Only hope that it improves as they get to know you."

I stare at him for a moment. "So... you waited?"

"I waited."

"To see if I got better?"

"Yes."

"And I did?"

"You did."

I stare at him for another moment before shaking my head again. "You are the most patient person I have ever met. How did you know I would change? What if I stayed that evil brat even to this day? What would you of done?"

Tseng shrugs."Nothing. Like I said, I can't change someone's opinion of me. Thank Minerva you did change, though. You were relentless in trying to get rid of me." Tseng says monotoned, then a spark of interest passes through his eyes. "Why? Why did you want to get rid of me so badly? Was it because of my heritage?"

I blink stupidly. "Wha... no! No, it had nothing to do with you being a Wutinian. I think I was in... a delicate state and you were just there and were just someone that my dad hired to watch over me. So I guess I took my frustration and sadness out on you. I'm sorry about that, Tseng, I must of been a headache." I explain looking into my Turks eyes to show him that I am sincere.

Tseng thinks about that for a moment before nodding in approval. "That does sound like you." he comments.

Heat rushes to my face for no reason at all. I spin around to face away from him before my blush can form. I pout to try and hide it. "No cool, Tseng."

I hear a light chuckle from my black haired Turk. "My apologies, Mr. Vice President."

Somehow, I don't think he was all that sorry.

I met my father, Legendary, Reno, Gun and Rod in the lobby with Tseng by my side. When my father spots Tseng and I his eyes narrow slightly but it doesn't stop the pleasent smile from spreading across his face.

"Ahh, Rufus, my boy. Right on time. Let's go." He turns and leads the way out, not giving me time to respond or ask any questions as to why I am here.

The Turks go through their silent language and move into positions around my father and I. Reluctantly, (with a light nudge by Reno) I move closer to my father so their circle of promised protection could close tighter.

"Good luck, little boss man." Reno whispers in my ear as I move closer to my father. I snort but don't respond knowing my voice wouldn't be low enough for just Reno to hear.

We get into a pure black limo. All our Turks sat near us- besides Legendary who was being a badass in the corner looking out the window and Reno who was just being an ass.

I look to my father. "So dad, why are we going out again?"

The President did not approve my common language so I try again, "What's the occasion, father?"

He seem to accept that question more for he answers, "It's about your school."

I raise an eyebrow. "School?" Uh oh... what did I do?

Tseng must have heard the subtle fear in my voice for I feel a (somehow) comforting tap on the palm of my right hand. I gain a bit of strength from that-enough to look into my father's eyes and await his answer.

"Yes, Rufus. I got a call from your Principal. Fredrick says that you have been doing exceptionally well in school compared to all the other students and that all your teachers have agreed to let you graduate early." My father explains to me. I stare at him for a moment in complete silence. My voice is caught in my throat.

Graduate early?

Graduate early?

Did I hear him right?

"Early?" I ask softly, my ears humming.

My father smiles, something he rarely does, and pats my left hand. "That's right, my boy! And we are going to celebrate. Not even I graduated as early as you are going to. You bring good name to the ShinRa family."

I don't know if I should be afraid or happy that this is a basic garentee that my time left here is going to be a lot more pleasent then I thought it would be. Happy seems to be the more likely choice... but I can't help but feel this aching feel or fear that only my father can strike through me. I feel as though I am in my childhood again. Confined to the house unless I have permission from my father to leave but must have supervision at all times.

I force a pleasant smile. "Thanks, pop."

Dinner was nice. My father and I stayed on stable ground. Neither of us asked the wrong questions nor did we answer anything incorrectly. It was one of the few good dinners we can have together. Our Turks stayed stationed around us in the dinning hall. We were at one of those fancy shmancy places that my father likes to go to.

I found myself not needing to have an emergency retreat to the bathroom. Which in my case is a very good thing. That system was created so I could get out of spending time with my father or other people I was not found of.

Our check arrives and I reach out for it. It's in my grasp when my father insists that he'll cover it. He did "take me out so it's only proper" so he took the check from me.

A tiny sharp pain attacks my hand as the paper is taken by my father. He is busy looking over the bill to notice me inspect my finger.

"Rufus?" Tseng whispers, leaning over me, gazing at my finger as a tiny line of blood appears. I squeeze it and watch as more blood seeps out. I make a face and answer his unasked question.

"Papercut."

I wipe the blood away and look up to my father as he gives Legendary the check and his card who gives it to the timid waiter. The waiter scampers away at a break neck speed only to return at record time with my dad's card.

With that, we depart and head back to the tower.

"Goodnight Rufus. Get more sleep, you look half dead." My father grumbles.

Thanks dad. "I'll try my best." Asshole.

I turn on my heel and head to my room with Tseng in toe.

"How is your hand?" Tseng asks monotoned.

I turn to look him in the eye. "Tseng, I love that you really care for my well being... but it's a paper cut. I'm sure that I'll live."

"Unless you have haemophilia." Tseng says seriously.

I stare at him a moment longer before saying, "I'm sure that if I had Haemophilia... I would be dead by now. I was not a calm child nor am I a calm and gentle teen. Trust me I have had many paper cuts and have lived through all of them." I hold up my pointer finger for him to see. "See? It's already healing."

Tseng nods, reassured. Sometimes, he is a little too protective. Which is kinda sweet in a weird clingy kind of way.

A/N: How was that? I enjoyed all of the comments and the more that I get, the more I am willing to write. Thank you for reading! Please rate and review! Have a great day!