Ok then, this fic is about Rufus and Tseng, in case you can't tell, but Rufus's father is actually Reeve in this one. Just because he's awesome in that role and much better than the president, who we decided not to reincarnate.

Lazard might be in it later, not sure, he seems like the only other sane-ish person we can reincarnate to be a friend of Reeve's from work, but I'll figure that out later.

For now, please enjoy, criticize, and sujest. (I am crazy and I know it, tho, so you don't have to worry about telling me that. You can if you must, tho.)

Deja vu is stronger when drunk

His father would not be home that night. The old man had been given another project last minute at crazy hours again and wouldn't be home till late the morning of the next day. So he'd borrowed his father's work jacket and headed out to the seedier part of town.

The jacket was worn from use, being the jacket his father wore every single time he tinkered in his workshop, and age had faded it to a light grey. It suited his father, the jacket, that was, more than the fancy new ones he always wore to meet with his 'colleagues.'

But that was beside the point. The reasoning behind taking the jacket had been that he'd stand out to much in his regular clothes and be in danger. This would help him blend in more. Needless to say it bugged him that, in disobeying his father, he was still following his advice.

Why am I here? Rufus asked himself for the fourth time.

Father warned you against coming here, his inner voice replied. It had been a perfectly good reason back at the house, his father being annoyingly clingy and overprotective anyway. He was a teenager, you know. But…

Why am I here? Rufus asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly.

Turning down a sideroad on a whim, and definitely not because it lead back towards the main street, Rufus tripped on a pile of rotting planks dropped along the wall of a dimly lit building. Regaining his balance quickly, he straightened, berating himself under his breath for the stupidity of the whole thing; being here, not looking where he was going, actually wearing his father's absurdly favorite coat. A snap shook him out of his thoughts and he quickly stumbled out of the way hurriedly as a door slammed open next to him and a young, black haired man was thrown out.

Rufus blinked in alarm as the barkeeper forcefully closed the door behind the stranger. The young man staggered across the all but empty street to collapse next to a dumpster, unable to regain his balance. In any other situation, Rufus would have hurried out of there, his father had made sure he knew drunk people were dangerous to get involved with.

Over, and Over, and Over, Rufus remembered, rolling his eyes.

But a strange sadness hit him as he considered the stranger in front of him, a mixture of déjà vu and pity. Curious, Rufus approached softly for a better look. The man was about his age, maybe a year or two older, and wearing the remains of what had once been a cheap black suit coat. The shirt might have once been white, but it was to dark to tell.

"Rough night?" Rufus asked quietly, and the young man startled, looking up at him. Rufus wondered that, even inebriated, the stranger's eyes could appear calculating, intelligent.

"Aren't they all?" the other man muttered quietly, his voice raspy and dry. The same feeling hit Rufus as the other man looked away. This wasn't right, this man shouldn't be here, not like this. It was almost a… nostalgic? feeling. He wasn't sure why, but…

"What happened?"

The dark haired man shrugged, "I fell asleep in there last time, after drinking to much. Told me he'd throw me out next time he saw me." shrug, "He must have meant it too."

He looked up at Rufus. Then he sighed from the effort and let his head drop. It was too hard to think. "Why are you here?"

Rufus started at the question and looked at the man curiously.

"Someone like you shouldn't be down here with us," the other man finished, his words slurring slightly, "Get out of here before you get hurt."

Rufus acted on impulse, "Will you protect me then?"

The man stopped and blinked at him, brain working hard to process that.

Rufus continued nonchalantly as possible, "I'll hire you as my bodyguard from now on. What do you say?"

The other man blinked again. "That sounds… about.. right?"

Rufus held out a hand and dragged the other man to his feet, supporting him awkwardly. "My name is Rufus, remember that."

"Tseng," The other man managed, swaying dangerously close to unconsciousness, "But you knew that."

Rufus groaned, he had to hurry, Tseng was already loosing coherence. Supporting the other as best he could, he started off towards home, wondering what he had gotten himself into, and how he was going to explain this to his father.

Tseng woke slowly and winced slightly at the headache. But, he was, somehow… more comfortable than usual? He groaned, had he fallen asleep in a booth again? That would cause trouble for the bartender and…

He struggled to sit up, managing only a slight awareness of his surroundings before the headache worsened. Thoughts registered slowly for a few moments. Not a booth, a… couch? He glanced around carefully, mindful of his headache, immediately worried about having spent the night in a strange house. He had sworn he'd never let himself get picked up by anyone, but… had he accidentally…?

Thankfully that fear was proved unfounded seconds later by the arrival of a blond young man about his age, maybe a little younger, and the vague recollection of their meeting the night before.

"You're up." The other boy noted, and offered him a glass of water, "Hangover?"

Tseng almost nodded, lost in trying to piece together his memories, but stopped himself in time before injuring his head more, "Yes. Thank you." The water helped his head clear, a little, and he was able to make a somewhat shaky timeline of the night before.

"More?" Rufus offered, indicating his glass.

"Thank you," Tseng murmured again, and Rufus took the cup. "Where are we?"

"My home," Rufus replied from the kitchen, as the water turned off.

Tseng covered his face with one hand, he'd been afraid of that. "I apologize for last night. I was really drunk… and…"

"But you didn't do anything," Rufus pointed out, looking mildly confused as he set the glass down on the table in front of his guest.

"I shouldn't have let you hire me, let alone bring me to your house…" Tseng protested, honesty forcefully reprimanding him as his head cleared.

"Do you have another obligation?" Rufus asked.

"No, but…"

"Then what's the problem?"

"You…" Tseng stammered in quiet disbelief, "You don't even know me. You can't just bring a stranger into your home, especially not from that part of town." He stood shakily as he continued, "I'm sorry, sir, but I have to leave now. Thank you for worrying about me."

"But…!" Rufus protested, standing, as Tseng headed for the door.

Suddenly the door burst open, and Rufus's father, Reeve, strode in. "Good morning!" He exclaimed, seeing Rufus. Tseng lost his balance, having been startled back by Reeve's appearance, and fell.

"Oh my!" Reeve exclaimed, hurriedly putting his bag down and grabbing hold of the younger man, helping him back into an upright position.

"Thank you," Tseng murmured.

"No problem," Reeve replied, steadying him gently with a free hand as he turned to Rufus, "Friend of yours?"

Rufus winced inwardly and forced himself to meet his father's eyes, "I met him yesterday, Father, and hired him as a bodyguard."

Reeve blinked at his son, looking slightly bemused, and Tseng spoke up quickly, his voice barely audible. "I apologize for the inconvenience, sir. I was very drunk when I agreed to this, and not in my right mind when I allowed him to have me stay the night on your couch. If you'll excuse me, I'll be out of your home shortly, and you'll never have to see me again."

He turned towards the door, but Reeve held up a hand to stop him, "Please wait."

Rufus started protesting again, "Father, he doesn't have a job or anywhere to stay, not to mention he's still hung over. I can't just throw him back out on the street. I'll pay him out of my own allowance, just, please, let him stay here."

"Sir, bodyguard isn't even a real job," Tseng argued back, "And you can't just trust your life to some drunk off the street." He sighed, "If you really want a bodyguard, you can do better than me."

"I'm not sure about that," Reeve spoke up finally, startling them both into looking at him. He turned to Tseng, "I have yet to meet a man as ardently against taking advantage of rich fools as you are." Tseng ducked his head, and Reeve continued, "You're a man of honor, which is rare in today's world. You are fighting a job you want to take because you feel you would be taking advantage of my son if you accepted. Even though you have nothing to loose, and everything to gain."

Tseng studied the floor, he'd thought he was hiding his own feeling better than that.

"Besides, I can't believe a former RENA recruit could be a bad man to have on one's side in a fight," Reeve finished, nodding.

Tseng winced at that, "I was kicked out of RENA, sir, for lack of conviction. I was unable to finish my opponents."

"That's not a weakness," The older man said very quietly, startling Tseng into looking at him. "Here is what I think," Reeve told him, looking him straight in the eye, "You're an honest man, and you won't be needlessly violent. You're young enough that my son would be comfortable with you, and mature enough to keep him out of trouble. I would ask you to look after him for me, since I can't be here for him myself."

Tseng stared at him for a few moments, then he turned away, "How you can say those things, and give your trust, to me, is… impossible. I…" He took a deep breath and nodded, "I will do my best, sir." At that last word he glanced up at Reeve again, looking away quickly when the other met his gaze.

Reeve nodded and turned to Rufus, "That will have to do for you. I won't punish you past assigning you a babysitter."

Rufus winced, remembering suddenly that he had broken the rules.

Turning back to Tseng, Reeve nodded, "I'll get the guest room near Rufus's room cleaned out, and you can stay in there. But for a few days, you're going to have to sleep in Rufus's room." Tseng nodded. Reeve looked at him critically, "You should get cleaned up, once you're over your hangover enough. I think you'll be able to wear some of my spare clothes till we can get you some of your own."

"Wait, I…" Tseng began, looking up at Reeve in alarm.

"No, don't argue," the older man cut him off gently, turning to Rufus, "You're paying him out of your allowance right? Then I cover food and clothing." Tseng stared at him, and Reeve nodded at him once, smiling, "Welcome to the family."

And, with that, he turned towards the kitchen,

"Who wants breakfast?"