Blue Silk Suit

by RedCakeband

Tseng's story. A chance meeting will change his life forever. Much, much longer than my previous fics. Tseng x Rufus if you squint.

Disclaimer: I do not own FF7, but I wish I did...

I have chosen my path.

Yet not a day goes by that I don't question my decision. The pain I feel now is dull, ancient. A pain born of many years of desertion and loss. I am not one prone to sentimentality, however I have been caught at a vulnerable moment. As a result, I feel the need to divulge my story.

It began on a night like every other. The stars were visible but veiled, as if they held such secrets that the likes of I was never to know. I was in my night clothes. A simple robe of white cotton. Around my waist hung a belt of soft leather. It was just tight enough to emphasise the curve of my hips. My hair, much shorter than it is now, hung loose and danced casually in the cool night breeze. Despite the stark whiteness of my robe I was invisible to the people who casually passed my way. They mistook me for a ghost due to my lack of expression and stillness.

I sat in the grass at the foot of the Dao Cho. I looked up at the awe inspiring sight. A curious sense of peace flooded through me. I often escaped my house at night. The sounds of my mother beating my father senseless, then forcing him to succumb to her every physical need made it difficult to sleep. My mother was a high ranking official with the town, one of Godo's father's advisors in fact. Our country, surprisingly has a wonderful track record in the field of women's rights. As such, her existence was one of careless action coupled with undeniable presence. She had little time for anyone, although I suspect she may have treated my with less respect had I been female. Regardless, my mother tutored me in the ways of our people, in the ways of the Shinobi. She taught me to steal, to purge, to kill. Above all she taught me to revel in these acts. I suppose she got as much pleasure of these acts than everything else she had ever experienced in life. I respected her teachings, after all, they made me what I am, but I could not -would not respect her.

As I mentioned, my father was at the beck and call of my mother. How and why he stayed with her I could never understand. She brutalized him. He had been striking when he was younger, not handsome, but he was imposing. I guess that's what had led to his eventual slow, brutal death at the hands of his so called wife.

In any event. My childhood was not so different from the rest of the unfortunate wretches that are spawned between people who by all rights should be dead. I reflected on this at the base of the statue.

I was too young to enter the temple un-chaperoned and at this late hour my parents would be sent for. I imagined the punishment for sneaking out at night would be nothing compared with bringing shame on the family by sneaking in for private worship un-chaperoned. If I caused my mother to lose her vile liberties that she enjoyed so much, I surmised she would kill me and it would not be a pleasant death.

The moon peeked out from a large grey cloud. Rain on the way I expected. I had no desire to return to the house. Lately my parents never noticed whether I was there or not. My mother had changed her treatment to my father, she was not quite so brutal. True, she emotionally abused him as she always had, but the physical abuse had become rarer. Still, old habits die hard and night after night, I still snuck out to visit Dao Cho and reflect.

Suddenly, a figure appeared at the foot of Dao Cho. It was widely whispered throughout the country that to climb Dao Cho by oneself and at night was sacrilege. If anyone was caught, they were taken to the remote temple of Leviathan, at the island's northern tip, and made to fast for 29 days whilst begging for forgiveness. Naturally this discouraged everyone, so I deduced that the figure who was approaching me must be a visitor.

The figure approached, painfully slow. It looked as though they were drinking in the entire scene; the moonlight, the grass at the foot of the mountain, everything in sight.

Suddenly, it stumbled. It had seen me.

With a speed that caught me by surprise, the figure ran over to me. I did not react. He flopped down in front of me and stared into my eyes.

'Aren't you cold? Your robe is thin and the grass is damp.'

His accent was one that I had never heard before. It was refined and powerful, like the sake we served in the temples to celebrate the birth of Leviathan. I eyeballed him stonily.

'What business is it of yours?'

The boy smirked. He seemed completely at ease. Only then did I notice that he was dressed oddly. He was dressed in a blue suit. It was the same colour as his eyes. I had never seen anything like it. In my country, we dressed in loose fitting robes with sandals and belts. We regarded tailoring as useless and stoutly refused to adopt it in our own culture. I had never wanted anything in my life, but I wanted that suit. The power the boy was radiating was extraordinary. All because of his clothing.

'Oh it is none of my business, but I notice you people lack all manner of social refinements. I was merely showing you how it is done. If you wish to be left alone this night then I shall take my leave.

But your rudeness to a stranger will stay with me forever.'

The smirk never left his face for a moment during this peculiar speech. I decided to talk with him.

'Wait, don't leave. My apologies for the offence. You see, not many wander out this far or indeed this late. Forgive me but I was startled by your sudden appearance.'

The boy had not moved but now he leant in close to me. I could feel his breath on my face. All the while I was lost in my desire for the power he radiated. His eyes had captured my soul so completely I almost forgot to breathe. His smirk had left him and we stared at each other for a long time. Eventually, more to clear my head of these confusing feelings than anything else, I turned my head to the mountain and initiated conversation.

'Why do you climb Dao Cho at dark?'

My companion turned and gazed at Dao Cho, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. Then he turned back to me with such a blazing look I almost recoiled.

'As is customary for a male of my age, I should climb because only after I complete the climb and spend three days at the peak in deep contemplation of the will of the Gods then I will be considered a man.'

Blank shock registered in my face.

'I see your disbelief. You believe that because I am not one of the people that I am ignorant of the customs of the Shinobi? Has it ever occurred to you that this community of yours is not as secret and insular as you think?'

Finally I had found my voice.

'I did not think it was so easy to discover our traditions. How did you manage?'

Part of me was intrigued and wished to find out everything about him. The other part was seething with injustice. The elders had executed people who divulged our secrets to others.

'My father. He is the richest, most powerful man in the world. He spares me no time, no affection but any resource I require is mine. I long to be rid of him. However, being related to a man of influence has it's uses. I see you have been eyeing my suit for quite some time now. I don't blame you. It is of superior quality and far surpasses anything that you will ever own.'

He didn't speak with any obvious cruelty. His words were precise and his eyes never left my face. He held his hands clasped round his knees which he had brought up to his chest. He did not rock like so many adolescents do, he was calm and still. I found my voice again.

'Evidently, one such as you, who knows so much, will surely be aware of the penalties?'

He didn't reply, but quirked an eyebrow.

'Penalties?'

I explained to him the punishment he would face if he had been discovered un-chaperoned and climbing Dao Cho under cover of darkness.

'Also, you're not even a native. I have no idea of what they would do to you. The elders would see it as a gross parody of our customs and traditions. One thing is for sure though. It would be painful.'

During my explanation, his face had got whiter and whiter. No other movements betrayed his obvious fear. Clearly this was something he had not factored into his original plan. He dropped his gaze and looked at the ground. His left hand stroked his right in a futile attempt at comfort.

I felt for him at that moment. He was perhaps, two or three years younger than me and for all his privilege, he knew that his father could not help him in this instance.

At that moment, I realised that I was standing at a precipice. I cared about no one in my village. I figured that my parents would eventually kill each other and I had no friends. The only thing that was keeping me here was the fact that I had nowhere else to go. Now, however, I was looking at a young boy, paralysed with fear of the unknown. He had set out to become cultured, but in the process he had involuntarily made himself a marked man. We still had no idea if anyone had seen him violate the custom, but instinct told me he was not safe in Wutai. I had to get him out of there.

'What is your name?'

He momentarily stopped his hand stroking and looked me in the eye. His gaze dropped to my feet and then travelled back up my body. Under his scrutiny I felt my resolve to rescue him slacken a little, but then he spoke.

'Rufus. Rufus Shinra.'

I feel it appropriate to note that Shinra had not yet entered into the war with Wutai yet. That was still a few years off. It was still manufacturing weapons and providing electricity. Mako energy had been discovered but it was not yet being used for profit. Thus, the name did not strike any fear into my heart.

'Very well. You have violated our custom and as such you should no longer consider yourself safe in this country.'

His eyes got wider and wider throughout my speech.

'If anyone has witnessed your un-chaperoned climb up Dao Cho, we shall assume that the appropriate elders have been informed. The elders at this moment will be plotting a suitable punishment for you. Therefore it is in your best interests to flee immediately.'

I stood up and started to pace involuntarily. I only paced perhaps five steps, then turned round and repeated the process. I was always close to him. I could sense his fear. His rash hope that someone would step in to save him. I could feel him cursing his foolishness for speaking to me in the first place.

I turned to look at him. He was so crumpled. All the power that had been radiating from him in the first instance had been completely wiped out.

I crouched next to him and looked him dead in the eye.

'Do not despair. I shall help you.'

His eyes were the only feature to display his surprise. They questioned my decision.

I laughed.

'I daresay I will tell you in time. But for the moment we must be swift in our escape. I must firstly know, how did you get here.'

He told me of a small fishing boat that he had stolen from his father's marina in Costa del Sol. It was currently resting on the Southern beach. Few villagers dared to linger near the beach. Such monsters had made their home there and few were willing to sacrifice themselves to them.

The boy Rufus noted my disbelief in his ability to travel from the southern beach to Dao Cho and still be alive.

He smirked.

'I believe this may have aided my journey.'

Resting behind him on the grass lay a shotgun. This was not the first firearm I had seen. My mother kept a revolver in the house in the hope that one day my father may shoot himself, but it was not as fine a weapon as this. I delicately ran my hand over it. It was smoothed and polished and Rufus clearly looked after it.

'You are skilled with this?' I asked.

'My skill with this weapon is unmatched.' The smirk had returned.

In that moment I realised that we had to get to the boat before dawn. If we were discovered here, two teenage boys with a weapon we would both be punished and if I shamed my family my mother would kill me. Literally. Homophobia was rife within the community, despite the fact that the elders and chief council could have sex with whoever or whatever they wanted. Despite the fact that nothing had happened, I couldn't risk our capture. I pulled Rufus to his feet and briefly explained that we had to flee immediately. He agreed.

He grabbed my hand and we ran.

We reached the beach just as first light was breaking the sky. I had imagined a small boat, perhaps rusting that stunk of fish. What I did not expect was a compact luxury yacht big enough to hold at least twenty people that gleamed with fresh paint and polish.

Rufus climbed up on to the deck and disappeared into what I presumed was the bridge. If he had sailed here, surely he could sail away. Fatigue has started to creep into my consciousness. As you may recall I had not slept. When I thought about it, I could not remembering having slept for a while. I had planned to explore the deck and the inside of the yacht but my tired eyes limited my progress. I noticed a sun longer with a blanket hanging over the back. For some reason it was in the shade. I realised that if I were to sleep on the longer I would not risk any burns. Gratefully I sank onto the green cushions, pulled the blanket over me and rushed into the waiting arms of oblivion.

Many hours later I awoke. The stars were out again, only this time not so veiled. They looked more alive than I had ever seen them. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a figure striding toward me with a steaming bowl in his hand.

Before he had reached me I was standing. Rufus smiled at me and handed me the bowl. Noodles and tofu. I looked at him questioningly.

'I'm afraid this is all they had left in the kitchen. I had meant to procure more supplies in Wutai…'

There was no need for him to finish.

'Thank you. I am hungry.'

I sat on the longer and ate whilst Rufus stood and watched me. Eventually he sat on the longer too, staring vacantly into the distance. When I had finished my meal I turned to him.

'Where are we?' Even as I said it, I noticed that, strangely we were not moving.

'Currently we are floating in the shallows, next to a delightful place called Rocket Town. We forgot the dinghy in Wutai. As soon as you feel up to it we must swim to shore so I can arrange for us to travel back to Midgar. There must be a telephone in the damn place.'

'Midgar? You live in Midgar?'

'Certainly I live in Midgar. And as my saviour I ask only that you come with me and live with me.'

As he said this, a slight blush came to his cheeks. If you had not been studying him intently you would never have noticed but I did.

This is a boy who has never been indebted to anyone in his life, yet he feels responsible for making me flee my homeland. Here he is, offering me a new life. I'd be foolish not to accept.

Instead, I handed him my empty bowl which he lay down on the deck. He looked into my eyes with such intensity I figured for one crazy moment that he was on fire. I noticed that his suit remained the same but that the topmost button was missing.

'Tell me,' I said neither accepting his offer or betraying my desire to accept, 'of Midgar. We heard nothing of it in Wutai other than it is the city of cities- a vast and encompassing network of human dwellings all coming together in the one place.'

Rufus tossed back his head and laughed. As he did so, he flicked his fringe out of his eyes. In that moment I knew that I would be with him until I died. His power was intoxicating, his laugh enriching and his haughty demeanour demanded respect. The connection between us was paralysing just as it had been when I encountered him at first.

'Your way of speech is captivating my friend. I could listen to you for hours.'

I smiled.

'However before we leave the boat I will tell you of Midgar. Truly it is the city of dreams. My father had visions of a super city and his vision came true. The city is constructed of an Upper Plate and a Lower Plate. Understand this- Midgar is Shinra's city. Our employees all work and live there.

On the Upper Plate, the wealthy dwell. The houses are constructed well and the shops and restaurants are frequently visited and restocked. It is easy to travel on the Upper Plate. If you have wealth, you are never questioned.

The Shinra building is located directly in the centre of Midgar. It is seventy stories high and is the epicentre for this vast city. My father lives there.'

I interrupted.

'Just your father ?'

'Be patient my friend, we shall get to that part of the story eventually.

As I was saying. The Shinra building is the epicentre to the city. From his office, my father can see the whole city and even neighbouring towns too.'

Rufus then rose from the lounger and walked over to the side of the deck. He stared into the ocean for some time before continuing.

'I realise I haven't told you of the Lower Plate. Unfortunately it is nothing but slums. The poor and retched live there, constructing a living out of anything they can find. Usually any uprising starts in the slums, then the army gets sent in to wipe it out.

Death is common in the slums. It has conformed over the years to the concept of mob rule. Of course my father has installed a police force but really they are as much use to keeping order as an empty wooden bucket is to fire fighting.

In any case, the people of the upper plate secretly despise the people of the lower plate. However it does not stop them visiting regularly. Debauchery is rife in the slums. People will sell whatever they can for Gil. Male, female, children. It does not matter. There is always someone from the upper plate willing to trade Gil for your services. And if they happen to be carnal, well that's just the way it is. City of dreams indeed.'

During this speech I had not moved. I listened to Rufus and the changes in his voice. When he spoke of the slums it was with a quite resigned detachment, however when he spoke of the Upper plate he couldn't quite disguise the disgust in his voice.

He was still staring at the ocean when he spoke again.

'You know, one day I will inherit the company…'

He was almost wistful in his speech. Then he realised where he was. He looked back at me and flicked his hair again. The sun was beginning to rise. I smiled at him.

'In any case, I feel we should perhaps head to Rocket Town?'

I thought this a good idea and told him so. So we jumped off the yachts' deck and swam to the beach.

We arrived in Rocket Town just after lunch. The sun was high but it's heat was not as strong as it had been in Wutai. It was fairly pleasant actually.

Rufus thought differently. He insisted that we stop and eat immediately. A hint of the spoiled child rose in him but only for a moment. The last time I had eaten was on the yacht and that had been about six hours ago at least. Our journey to Rocket Town had been straightforward but both Rufus and I had underestimated the distance between the town and the beach. Also we had got into a few fights with some savage wolves. Rufus made short work of them with his shotgun, but after our last battle, he was running low on shells.

I on the other hand was little help. I could wrestle with the wolves but I had left all my shruiken back in Wutai. I could kill a man with my bare hands but I could not do the same to a wolf. In all my years as a Shinobi I cant recall every killing anything that wasn't human.

Eventually though, we reached Rocket Town. I had decided to purchase a weapon as soon as possible.

Rufus led the way. It seemed he had been here before. He led us to the inn and demanded the finest rooms and best room service they could provide. The proprietor sneered at the young boy and his companion. He made a derogatory comment about us, assuming we were a couple.

No sooner were the words out of his mouth, Rufus has casually flashed his Shinra Identification card and cocked his shotgun, aiming right between the proprietor's eyes.

'You were saying?'

The innkeeper begged for forgiveness. He had not recognised the President's son. Would sir forgive him and sit with his companion in the bar whilst he had the best rooms made up. Drinks of course were on the house.

Rufus flicked his hair and smirked.

'Yes. We would like that. Call us when our rooms are ready.'

Smirking, Rufus strolled casually away in the direction of the bar. I followed him just as coolly. My outward appearance suggested nothing out of the ordinary had passed, but my mind was awash with excitement. To think how people would obey if you were important enough. The thought captured my mind and was not to leave it for a long time.

We chose a discreet table and ordered drinks. Rufus ordered the inn's best sake. It somehow seemed fitting. Even more fitting when we discovered each bottle cost 250gil.

Rufus proposed a toast.

'To Rufus and…'

He smirked and flicked his hair again.

'You know friend, you haven't once told me your name.'

He seemed amused by it all.

'And you have never asked.'

I hadn't meant to say it. It was instinct, not rational though that made the words fall from my lips. Inwardly I cursed, but I could not take them back.

Luckily, instead of painting the carpet with the contents of my head, Rufus laughed.

'Your charm is wonderful friend. And you are correct. Information such as this should never be offered freely. Therefore, I ask you, what is your name?'

'My name is Tseng.'

'Just Tseng? Do you not have a family name?'

At this point, I thought to myself, I have no family anymore. Therefore what need have I of a family name?

'No. My family are dead to me, so I have no family name.'

Rufus licked his lips and looked satisfied with my answer.

'Do not despair Tseng. One day, you and I will have a family far beyond the families that we were unfortunately saddled with from birth.'

I smiled. Yes, I would like that. A family to be proud of would be an achievement.

I looked at Rufus and saw my desire mirrored on his face. He flicked his hair again and I felt an inward sense of peace similar to that I had experienced on Dao Cho the previous night.

I realised then, that I would follow him to hell and back. We had the connection that people spend their whole life searching for. I would happily die for him because he was everything I had ever wanted only I hadn't realised it and I could not bear being away from him for any substantial length of time. I knew that he would look after me financially but as far as physical prowess was concerned I was more than willing to protect him within and beyond the limits of my own abilities. Ours was a relationship of subtle nods, piercing gazes and few words. But, when words were used they were weighted with meticulous care. Rufus and Tseng. We would conquer the world.

Years have passed.

Rufus and I have watched the experiments of Hollander and madness descending on the 1st Class SOLDIERS from a distance. We have witnessed Wutai's defeat at the hands of the Shinra Army. We have seen the awesome power of Sephiroth after his discovery of Hojo's experiments and the razing of Nibelheim. We have been involved in the search for Sephiroth, the promised land and the fight with AVALANCHE. We have watched the planet teeter on the brink of destruction. I have dug his body out of the ruins of Midgar. I have nursed him back to a shadow of his former self. I have been captured, tortured and brought back from the abyss of death. I have killed, betrayed and been impaled on a sword bigger than I for him.

And I would do it all again in a heartbeat if it meant he would remain safe.

Rufus was true to his word when he promised we would have a family to be proud of. He gathered a group of highly skilled individuals and gave me a job within the organisation. This organisation was named the Investigation Division of the Department of General Affairs or the TURKS. Over the years I rose to become the leader of the group. As the years passed, our numbers diminished, but our core remaining members became even more important. In fact they became like family.

Rufus and the Turks are my family. They always have been and always will be. I love them all deeply and would kill anyone who threatens there existence.

Yet sometimes I have brief moments of doubt. Sometimes I wonder if I made the correct choice. Sometimes I wonder what happened to my birth parents. Did my mother kill my father or did he finally have the balls to kill her himself? I have never troubled myself to find out. As I say, it is only briefly I am plagued by these thoughts.

I have never returned to Wuati.

Occasionally Rufus and I will pass over it in an Airship as we head to the North Continent. I will glance out the window and Rufus will look at me with that hard blazing look he did so many years ago. I will meet his eyes and smile.

His look convinces me that I do not regret my choices for one minute. The pain of the unkown will always be with me but I reason with myself that I had no choice. I have everything I ever wanted. I have money. I have power. I can have whatever the hell I want.

But most importantly- I have the family I always longed for. And apart from Rufus, we all wear blue suits.