When Tseng got back to his office, he placed two bags on his desk and, without even sitting down, used the phone to announce his arrival to the captured Rufus Shinra. Rufus picked up right away and invited him in. Tseng left his gun on the desk as usual and picked up the two bags. Having had some time to think in the afternoon, he had begun to look forward to having a little time with the vice president, even if it was just to teach him how to use chopsticks and relay to him all that he had learned from Reeve Tuesti today.
Before he entered, he stopped for a moment and reconsidered. He put the bags down again, pulled his hair tie out of his hair and placed it next to his gun. Tseng always paid attention to his looks and kept his hair in a ponytail for purely practical reasons, not necessarily because he preferred the way it looked. Wearing his hair down was not something he could reasonably do in everyday life, but just today, for a few hours, he would favor looks over practicality. He brushed through his silky black hair with his fingers and let it fall naturally around his face down to his shoulder.
He finally picked up the bags again and entered Rufus' cell. As he stepped through the second reinforced door briskly with a light smile, the bags swinging from his hand, Rufus, who had been reading again, looked up. "What're you up to?", he commented. Tseng, who was known in the upper echelons of the company for his reserved and composed nature, only smiled and said "Nothing much", as he closed the door and put the bags down.
Rufus put down his tablet and studied at the Turk with folded hands and a puzzled expression on his face. "Smells like dinner", he surmised. Tseng handed him the department store bag first. "A blue feather boa. I hope you like the color." Rufus pulled out the feather boa and chuckled, wrapping it around his neck twice. "How terrible does it look?" he asked. Tseng's eyebrows twitched. "Terrible enough to scare them, I hope." Rufus hummed as he took it off to stuff it back into the bag. "Don't forget to pack it." He pointed at the suitcase sitting by the door. "Get your things ready tonight. We'll leave at 9." The vice president nodded expressively, tapping his thighs with his fingers.
"Are you nervous?", Tseng asked as he observed Rufus, who slowly shook his head. "Excited is more like it." He stretched. "I can't believe I get to go outside tomorrow." This drew another smile from Tseng. He then opened the other bag and pulled out two food containers and two pairs of chopsticks, which he placed on the table, asking: "You've been to Wutai a few times. How familiar are you actually with Wutaian customs?" Rufus pursed his lips. "I won't be angry, even if you tell me now that you don't actually need me to teach you anything", Tseng reassured him. "You got me", Rufus admitted. Chuckling, Tseng took off his suit jacket, sat down on the armchair and began to untie his shoes. "Go on", Rufus encouraged him with an inviting gesture when Tseng looked up. "Not today", he declined as he took off his shoes.
He got back up and sat down cross-legged on the floor at the long side of the low table. "Not perfect, but better than nothing." He took one of the containers and folded it open. "What're you waiting for?", he asked Rufus, who was simply watching him without stirring. Rufus finally stood up and sat down on the floor next to Tseng. "I don't think I will ever understand why anyone would rather sit on the floor than at a table", he growled as he took the other food container and opened it. "Do you actually live like this at home?" Tseng shook his head. "I grew up in Midgar" After a moment's hesitation, he continued: "Though, at times, people sit on the floor because there is nothing else to sit on." Rufus looked at him from the side, but before he could ask anything else, Tseng said: "Doesn't matter", to close the topic.
He took the other pair of chopsticks and studied the food indecisively. As he did so, he could feel his stomach turning into a knot. Instead of eating, he observed Rufus from the corner of his eyes. Just as he had thought, Rufus was perfectly capable of using chopsticks. The Avalanche cell Rufus had supported had operated, and possibly still was operating out of Wutai. Rufus had been a semi-frequent visitor there while officially on an extended business trip. He must have gone to significant lengths to keep these trips a secret. And learning the basics of the culture would have been one of the first steps a Turk would take to prepare for a mission of this kind. Being able to conceal his activities for so long, Rufus may even be superior to a Turk in some ways.
"Are there any news from Wutai?", Rufus inquired as he was still eating. Tseng put down his chopsticks, and turned slightly toward him, almost glad to be distracted. Tseng had purchased the food he usually ate and did not feel revulsion at being confronted with it, but being watched while eating still made him anxious. "They haven't found the materia, but apparently they have a lead." Rufus' eyebrows twitched. "Let's hope it leads somewhere." Tseng nodded. "It's more than we were able to find out before." Rufus poked around in his food. "I heard that Reno and Rude are a really good team." Tseng nodded again. "The two of them together are our most reliable team. But neither of them is really able to work with anyone else at this point."
He could have picked up his chopsticks again and started to eat, but instead he changed the topic: "I met with Reeve Tuesti today." Rufus scoffed and Tseng could not blame him. "I think we can use him to buy us time, but I don't think his idea of negotiations will go anywhere. He doesn't even seem to understand that we're going to lose the war if continues on much longer." Rufus shrugged. "I didn't expect anything else, really. He thinks that, as long as he's reasonable and rational, he can convince anyone to do anything. But reason and rationale can only get you so far."
Tseng could not agree more and continued on: "I tried to check on Sephiroth today, but he was out training at the time." Rufus shrugged again. "As long as he keeps his act together while we're over there." Tseng nodded. "I think him leaving his room at all without being forced to do so is a good sign."
Rufus put down his chopsticks and leaned back, supporting his weight on his arms behind his back. "Is something wrong with the food?", Tseng asked. Rufus merely sighed and looked at the ceiling in apparent discontent. Finally, he said: "It makes me a little uncomfortable for you to just watch me eat like that. I won't eat anything either." Tseng's eyes wandered back to the food container in front of him. His throat tightened at the thought of having to eat. Nevertheless, he picked up the chopsticks and wanted to make at least an attempt to appear as if he was enjoying the food.
Before he touched the food with his chopsticks, Rufus's fist closed around Tseng's trembling hand. He stared at their hands in surprise. "It's fine. You don't need to force yourself", Rufus said calmly as he gently took the chopsticks from Tseng's hand. "I'm sorry for being so selfish", he said softly as he brushed back Tseng's hair. His heart skipped a beat when he felt Rufus' lips on his neck just below his ear. He closed his eyes and slightly leaned into the kiss, which sent shivers down his spine.
His eyes flew open with a start when he felt a finger sliding under his collar and pulling it down a little, touching the sensitive love bites on his neck. He pulled away and covered the side of his neck with his hand. "Is this how you cope with stress?", Rufus wanted to know. "Sometimes", Tseng responded as he readjusted his collar and tie. "Does that bother you?", he inquired with a side glance. Rufus smirked. "Are you kidding? You should have seen yourself sitting in that chair this morning asking me who I want killed like you're the king of the world." He interlaced his fingers with Tseng's. "Haven't you noticed? You are always like this after you got laid." His nose snuggled against the crease of Tseng's neck, softly brushing it with his breath. "I like this side of you. Too bad you're so shy around me."