You are my home
A/N: Hey everyone! I know I should be updating the actual story to this but since it's still the month of love and the release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is just around the corner, I thought I'd treat you guys to a little one shot that ties in with the main story.
This is just a little sneak peak into the future of what Lana and Rufus's life will be like when it gets closer to the main story line of the game. I was tempted to make this M rated but I'll do a G rated one for now and if you guys want to see the M rated one I'll do a version of that. You guys just have to let me know.
So without further ado, let's get on with the story!
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7; I just own my characters.
Enjoy!
/
3 year after the events of the main story.
I remember when I was little, dad made sure I never knew who my grandfather was. He didn't want him near me. I remember him having serious fights with him on the phone over it. He knew what kind of man he was and he didn't want me to be exposed to such a toxic person. While grandfather was more concerned about protecting his image, dad was more concerned about protecting mom and I from the ugliness of the world and what Shinra was doing. Then again, he would have done anything for us since we were his only source of happiness.
Rufus tried so hard to keep his composure as he held the phone. He was fighting every fiber in his being to not throw the cursed object out the window right this very second.
You would think after moving to Junon, his father wouldn't be harassing him every day since he wasn't causing a scene in Midgar. Oh no, the harassing escalated tenfold after he had his kid. While most grandparents would want to see their grandchildren because they adored them, President Shinra saw this as the future heir to the company. He was pissed off that his son wouldn't let him see his grandchild but Rufus was not budging. He treated his wife like crap when they were dating and after they got married. He grew up being near this toxic man and he was not going to expose him child to him either. He might have done crappy things in the past to piss off his father, but now that he was a dad himself, he wanted to show that he was a better parent then his own was.
And if pissing his father off more that usual did the trick then so be it.
"If you have nothing to talk about regarding work, I'm getting off the phone" he said.
"Amazing. For once you actually give a damn about this company"
"Well, considering I said I wouldn't talk to you unless it was work related why else would you want to hear from me?"
"Come now, Rufus. I do like to check in on my son every now and then"
"If you're so concerned about your son, why not just go down the Lazard's office and see how he's doing?"
"Here we go again with this! I can't have one decent conversation with you without you being a smartass"
"You've had over 30 years to have a decent conversation with me. That ship sailed a long time ago" Rufus snapped.
"Now since we're done talking, I'm getting off the phone so I can go home"
"Just wait a minute. I just wanted to let you know that I was planning to come down to Junon for a meeting next week. Since it's been a while I-"
"No" Rufus said firmly.
"Don't pull that crap with me. You've never come down here for the monthly meeting. I've told you before you are not seeing Riley"
"Damnit Rufus! You cannot keep me away from seeing my granddaughter! I have a right to see her!"
"Not after that shitty stunt you pulled behind our backs. I do not trust you period"
After Lana gave birth to their daughter, the president did the cruelest thing by getting a DNA test behind their backs to make sure Rufus was really the father. Rufus didn't think it was possible to hate someone so much but his father surprised him.
He regretted his past actions by dating trashy women to embarrass his dad. Because of that, it put Lana in a bad light. It didn't matter how many times she proved to the president that she was decent person, he would always see her as a Slum Rat.
That was one of the many reasons he decided to cut familiar ties with him father.
"Send Reeve for the meeting next week. If I see your face in this building, I will have Dark Star turn you into a new chew toy. This is the last time I'm going to say you are not seeing my daughter. Do not ever bring her up again"
He slammed the phone down and shoved it away from his desk. Burying his face in his hands, he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. His father wasn't worth it.
Pulling his hands away, he took a moment to look at the gold band on his finger. He immediately started to calm down as he looked at the piece of jewelry. This was proof that someone loved him for him and saw past the rich boy persona. That someone wanted to share their life with him. That not only did Lana worm her way into his heart, but he had done the same with her.
Who knew that such a basic object could hold such power?
His cell phone buzzed, signaling someone sent him a message. He pulled it out and saw that Lana texted him.
"Dinner is almost ready. Just a heads up, Riley refuses to eat until you get back. So if you have to do overtime, bring it home so your daughter doesn't starve"
Rufus chuckled as he read the message. For a two year old, Riley was a force to be reckoned with. Lana claimed she got that trait from him but he felt that she got that headstrong attitude from her mother.
He quickly messaged her back and left his office.
His father always cared more about his business while he cared more about his family.
/
He could already feel his mouth watering the moment he stepped inside of their home and smelled Lana's cooking. He never had the desire to eat out after he had his wife's cooking for the first time. Then again, she was a chef with two restaurants in her name so why would he eat out?
The tiny pitter patter of little feet could be heard as his daughter ran to him.
"Daddy!"
Rufus knelt down and pulled her into a hug when she crashed into him. He just held his daughter and let the day's stress wash away from him. How could he stay angry when he was holding a little ball of sunshine?
Lana leaned against the wall with a small smirk on her face.
"Hey, you got home early" she teased.
Rufus smirked as he stood up with Riley in his arms.
"I had to. My daughter would have starved if I stayed late. What kind of father would I be if I let that happen?" he teased.
Lana snorted and went up to him. Standing on her toes, she gave her husband a small kiss on the lips. She pulled back and looked at his tired, stressed face.
"Long day?"
Rufus simply nodded.
They made it a rule to leave work problems at work. Home was their safe zone and that meant unless it was something super serious, anything to deal with work didn't come back with them.
Lana cupped his cheek and brushed her thumb across his smooth skin.
"Well you're in luck cause I made a few of your favorites. That should put you in a good mood"
"I help!" Riley said.
Rufus acted surprised as he propped her on his hip.
"You did? Well then that means it's going to be extra good!"
The small family made their way to the dining room. The rest of the evening was spent with smiles and laughter. They may have been part of one of the richest families in Gaia, but at this moment they were just like any ordinary family.
When Riley finished her dinner, she yawned and rubbed her eyes with her little hands.
"Alright, young lady. It's time for you to go to bed" Lana said.
Riley protested and tried to stay awake.
"I'm not sleepy" she said tired.
"Yes, you are"
"No I'm not"
Rufus chuckled and pick her up from her seat.
"Come on, missy. Listen to mommy"
Riley yawned and snuggled into her father's embrace. Rufus carried her to her room and gently set her in her bed. Pulling the blanket over her body, he brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. He kissed the top of her head.
"Sleep tight, sweetie"
Riley snuggled in her bed and held her stuffed Moogle.
"Love you, daddy" she said quietly.
Rufus felt his heart melt a little. How could this sweet little angel be his?
"I love you too" he whispered.
He stayed for a tiny bit, making sure his daughter was sound asleep. Moments like this, he was amazed that he and Lana created this little life together. He was wrapped around her fingers the moment he held her for the first time.
He promised himself that he wouldn't let her have the same childhood as he had growing up. He was going to be a better father than his was.
Dark Star hopped on the bed and curled up near Riley's feet. Ever the devoted pet, he would make sure Riley was safe as she slept. Rufus scratched the hound's head.
"Keep an eye on her" he whispered.
Dark huffed and propped his head on Riley's feet.
Knowing his daughter would be ok, he left her room and went to help his wife out in the kitchen.
Since he was on 'house arrest' with his father, he really didn't have a lot of staff that took care of their manor. They had the usual maid help with the cleaning and someone to drive them to places, but for the most part, they took care of everything by themselves.
Lana preferred it this way. She might have married into the Shinra family but she never forgot her roots or where she came from. That was something Rufus grew to admire when they started dating.
Rufus found his wife in the kitchen washing the dishes from dinner. He went over and hugged her from behind, propping his chin on her shoulder.
"Care for some help?"
Lana smirked and leaned into his embrace.
"You know I could never say no"
Rufus smirked and grabbed a towel to help dry the dishes. He oddly looked forward to these little moments. Doing simple domestic things with his wife always helped him relax after a long day. They didn't need to talk or say anything at all when they cleaned up the kitchen. Just being around each other was enough for them. It showed that they felt safe and that it was ok to let their guard down. They would have moments here and there where they bickered about something, but they never let it get to the point of them being angry with one another. They were a unit and they always made sure they were on the same page and understood where the other was coming from.
When they put the last dish away, Lana wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and gave him a kiss.
"Since you were so nice to help me after a long day of work, I think I should give you a reward" she cooed.
Rufus smirked against her lips and rest his hands on her hips.
"Oh? What kind of reward are we talking about?" he asked.
"Follow me to the bedroom and you'll see" Lana said.
Rufus let her pull him by the folds of his jacket as she lead him to their bedroom.
/
"So what did your father want this time?" Lana asked from the bathroom.
Rufus sat at the foot of the bed as he got ready to go to sleep. His usually slicked back hair was slightly ruffled.
"What makes you think I talked with him today?"
Lana came out of the bathroom and leaned on the doorframe with her arms crossed.
"I can always tell when you have to talk to him. You usually look more drained and annoyed than usual when you come home from work. He's the only person in the world who puts you in that kind of mood"
Rufus smirked weakly.
"Sometimes I feel like you know me a little too well"
"Well, I am your wife. I'd like to hope that I know you by now" Lana teased.
Rufus chuckled and held his hand out for her. Lana went over to him and let him pull her into his lap. He held her tightly while she hugged him and propped her head on top of his.
"So what happened?"
They agreed to never bring work stuff home unless it was something serious. But since this was dealing with a family matter, they always made that the one exception.
Rufus sighed as he stared off into the distance.
"He brought up about the meeting that's being held here next week. Said he was planning to come to it as an excuse to see Riley. I saw right through his bullshit and chewed him out"
Lana flinched a little. Even though it was three years now, she was still hurt and torn that he did what he did when Riley was born. She expected it, but it still hurt.
"That man is an expert at pissing people off" she sighed.
"I feel like that's his company motto. If money won't get him what he wants, annoying them constantly will" Rufus grumbled.
Lana hugged him tightly. She knew his relationship with his father was painful. He couldn't cut ties with him because he was the Vice-President of the company. Being forced to stay in Junon was a blessing in disguise for the both of them.
"What are you going to do if he actually shows up for the meeting?"
"I'm bringing D with just in case. If he's stupid enough to come it might be a good idea to take Riley into town so she's not in the manor or office"
"I could always take her to Costa Del Sol. I need to check up on the restaurant that's there anyway. Plus she's wanted to go to the beach for a while now"
"A day at the beach sounds like a nice idea. I'm sure Riley will force Rude to make sand castles with her"
"He can never say no to that girl"
Rufus pulled her down for a kiss. He always felt safe with her. He always had to put on a mask whenever he was in Midgar because everyone only saw him at the President's son. He could never let anyone see how hurt and broken he really was. But when he met Lana, it was as if his mask slowly cracked and chipped away. He was able to bare his fractured soul. He could let his real self appear because she wanted to see the real him instead of what everyone wanted to see. She wanted Rufus, not the Vice-President of the Shinra Company.
Their kiss slowly deepened as Rufus pulled her in and had her straddled his lap. Lana wove her fingers into his hair as his hand slipped under her nightgown and touched her soft skin.
"So about my reward" he said as he nipped her neck.
Lana smirked a little and suddenly pushed him into the bed. His back hit the soft mattress as she smiled seductively down at him.
"Oh don't worry. I never forget my promises" she cooed.
She pulled the nightgown off of her and let it hit the floor. She crawled over him and traced his face with her fingers.
"Now let me reward my good little helper" she purred.
Soon Rufus let himself get swept away as Lana rewarded him the rest of the night.
/
When things finally settled down, the two of them held each other as they caught their breath. Rufus nuzzled his face into Lana's hair and just let her scent wash over him. While most women smelled like florally perfume, she smelled like the herbs and spices she used for her dishes. He thought that was more sexy then smelling like tacky perfume.
Lana was dozing off a bit but smiled when Rufus pulled her closer. She looked up at him and cupped his face.
"I love you" she said quietly.
Rufus placed his hand over hers. The moonlight coming from the window dancing off his ring.
"What a coincidence cause I love you too"
Lana just looked at her husband. She always thought he was handsome but he appeared more handsome when he let his true self show.
"Don't let that asshole get to you. He may think he has everything in the world and can get what he wants. But there is one thing you have that he'll never get no matter how much money he throws out at people"
"Oh, and what's that?"
Lana pressed her forehead against his.
"People who truly, genuinely love you. That's something money can't buy"
Rufus pulled her in for a kiss and entwined his fingers with hers. She was right. His father could pay people to be loyal to him, but once that money ran out they wouldn't think twice of leaving him. He on the other hand, had people who actually wanted to be near him. His wife, his daughter, the turks. As long as he had them, he was set for life.
Sleep finally took over the couple as they fell asleep in each other's arms.
His father thought he had everything and made it big by having so much money. But he was wrong. Rufus had it all. He had a wife and daughter who would always be there for him when he got home. He had companions that would always have his back in the company.
That's what would keep him going when a year later his father decided to show how cruel he really was by taking his anger out on Sector 7. But that was another story for another time.
For now, Rufus was just glad that he had it better off than his father did.
He family was his home. Something you couldn't put a price on.
/
A/N: There you go! Just a little snippet of what's in store later down in the future. And we got to see who our narrator is in the main story.
If you want to see the M rated version of this one shot, let me know and I'll post it.
Please review and tell me what you think!
Take care!