[Open Post]

[plate_builder]

Does it need to be said? You can find this poor civil engineer in any sort of situation you want. Put up a starter and let it run free. No Scarlets welcome, though. He can't stand them.

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Rufus and Reeve Post Meteor

[plate_builder]

After it all played out, Reeve never bothered to go looking. There was absolutely no reason for anyone to believe that President Rufus Shinra was alive. Reeve himself had been in the building when the attack from Diamond struck. He knew better than almost anyone what the building could and couldn't take, he had access to all the information about the building, he'd been in charge of a damn serious number of remodeling jobs to boot. Through the eyes of Cait Sith he had seen the damage to the top of the building. After the fall of Heidegger and Scarlett and he had been left out of the cell he had gone to see the ruins himself.

There was no reason to believe that Rufus Shinra was alive. At least, not until after. After the fall of Meteor. After the Lifestream. After money started pouring in for a NUMBER of small companies to start building Edge. Not that the city itself was done yet, but when Reeve looked around the growing area he started to suspect things were up. More than that, there was a very important lack in the world.

The Turks were missing.

Not that people really were expected to turn up after everything. Not everyone wanted to turn up or needed to. Some people died from the Geostigma disease that came up after the fall of Meteor, after the touch of the Lifestream. But for every last member of the 'Department of Administrative Research' to go missing was beyond suspect. SOLDIER had been loyal to the Shinra company more or less, but the Turks were always Rufus's men and women. That had held even more true for the four members that had still been around by the time of the Meteor incident. Reeve had known many of those men and women through work, though he didn't want to interact with them. Tseng was almost desperately loyal to Rufus, and with Elena in love with Tseng she was likely to go where he went. Throw in the fact that Rude was loyal to Tseng and Reno went where Rude went and...

He sent out his feelers quietly. This wasn't something he was going to run through the men and women of AVALANCHE. With blood still running so hot after the near end of the world, they might act if they found information rather than think. The only one he thought he could send to look into it without them just killing Rufus or doing something more... Well, he'd trust Vincent to do it, but the other might be a bit harder. No, he could turn to Yuffie but he didn't really have the money or materia for that bribe.

Of course here was here now. Send out quiet feelers to find some of the most dangerous people in the world and they might just find you. Which was why he was here now he supposed. His morning had started with him going out to his favorite coffee shop in Edge (because without coffee Reeve was useless). It had changed quickly when he stepped outside and Reno and Rude were there, standing on either side of a car which had back windows tinted a solid black. No weapon actually came out, but the threat was there. In their postures. In the look on Rude's face and the smirk on Reno's. In the suits they still wore even though the company they were employed for was gone, the jobs gone, maybe even the money gone.

Getting into the car was the only real choice. Staying silent during the drive made sense too, because Rude was in the back with him and the man didn't talk. Reno drove quickly and Reeve was left there, sitting, waiting, not seeing anything. When the car stopped Rude got out first and stood by the door, waiting and looking up toward a building. A white building set into a cliff side.

"So he's..."

"Waiting," Reno said as he climbed out of the front and he started forward. Reeve had little choice but to follow. At least the mystery was solved. He followed the man up the stairs and at last into a small cabin. Reno paused just a moment before the door and knocked twice before pushing it open for Reeve. "Boss wants to talk to you."

There was only one boss, and Reeve stepped through the door. He didn't know what to expect. Didn't know what the man would be like. All he knew was that Reno stayed just outside of the door, showing off a cigarette with the implication that he intended to stay outside and smoke for now.

Wonderful. Privacy with a shotgun wielding, white-clad megalomaniac.

"Rufus Shinra, you should be dead," Reeve said as he stepped into the room, waiting what would happen next.

Re: Rufus and Reeve Post Meteor

[afterlaborday]

It was quite the amusing little thing, his escape from the destruction of the ShinRa building, if one took amusing to mean that Rufus had fooled everyone, almost gotten killed and had to admit his father had finally proved useful where if came to his son's interests. After all, it was the former President of ShinRa which had built an escape path no one, even Reeve or the Turks, knew about. The route the blond had taken once he regained consciousness after Diamond's attack had blown him back.

Not that he took it uninjured, as no matter how much luck he had, Rufus was not invincible. He had suffered some burns on his face and neck, even fractured an arm and almost took his legs out trying to get down the escape path's ladder. His luck held enough that he only messed up the muscles and jolted his hips, making it awkward and difficult to walk. All injuries he would unknowingly use later to his advantage, but had mostly recovered from thanks to the Turks.

Indeed,he had counted on that unit to search for him, whether merely to bury him or not, and to find him after the explosion. He was not disappointed. Between Reno's deep knowledge of Midgar, Dude's knowledge of explosives and their damage capacity, and Tseng's stubbornness - the Wutain would never get Rufus to say it was determination without a very good reason - they had found him quickly enough. Elena, not yet a specialist in anything he knew, ended up having to come down and stabilize the president before the guys could get him out, had provided mostly morale.

After that, it was a time before Rufus could consider much of anything, and so it stood to reason he was assumed fully dead. No one expects a snake to stay hidden if he's alive, after all. And that time had worked in his favor, his mind sharp even if his body was weak.

AVALANCHE, for all their bragging of bring the good guys, had ignored Midgar and all the other places people to bed, offering only the barest of help. It was a good time for ShinRa, long a reviled company, to step in; though under false names and anonymity to begin. A perfect way, to all viewing, to come out on top again.

Though quite truthfully, the help was because it was needed, because ShinRa had the money and ability, and because Rufus wasn't the completely apathetic asshole everyone expected...

He was even content to stay where he was, in the shadows, not reveal he was alive for a long, long time. Would have stayed that way, except that someone had decided he was of interest and should be found. Knew, perhaps, by the flow of money that he was alive. After all, it was Reeve looking, and the man had never been a fool. It made hiding useless, and the last thing Rufus wanted was him to keep looking, and eventually tip off his AVALANCHE allies that the blond was not, indeed, dead.

Which is why the Turks had shown up now and brought the man along to Kalm, and Rufus. It was also why Rufus,for the moment still confined to a wheelchair and with a casted arm, merely smirked at the greeting he received.

"I was also supposed to be a good son, but I went and tried to kill my father."

[plate_builder]

Fair point. But that doesn't bring a smile to Reeve's lips. Instead the man stands there, arms over his chest, as he regards his former employer. The man who decided to just let people die, who decided to anger the planet and fight the WEAPONS. Who, wittingly or otherwise, caused the Black Materia to fall into the hands of Sephiroth. This was a man he had no love for, and no loyalty to. A man who hurt people.

A man who, if Reeve was correct, was putting money into Edge.

"If you try to flex your influence with the companies you're using in Edge, if you try and use them to take over that city, to turn it into another Midgar, I will let the others know you are alive. I don't think your Turks can protect you from Cloud for long. Not even remotely."

Reeve wouldn't do the fighting himself. He had never been a physical fighter. That being said, he knew his skills with magic were not something to take lightly. Especially when he had retained a set of mastered materia for his own use.

"So long as we have that understanding out of the way, I can entertain whatever conniving proposition you have for me. But don't hold your breath."

I noticed my phone auto-corrected stuff ><

[afterlaborday]

If only Reeve had spoken aloud, he would have received quite a reaction; ridicule, distaste, anger. Rufus was no grand help to anything which happened, could admit he'd caused some of it, but the man who stood mostly to blame was six feet under, killed by Sephiroth's sword.

Yet Reeve did say enough, and any amusement Rufus may have had faded momentarily, replaced with a look which would speak volumes to a trained eye, before replacing it again with a self-satisfied smile. "Come, now... If I had any intention to use the companies I've been helping, would I be investing in such small-scale, useless businesses, and putting no name to where the funds are coming from?"

Silly Phone

[plate_builder]

"One can claim credit after the fact, after people are pleased with the companies," Reeve countered immediately, not taking another step forward. At the moment he had no intention of lingering here once he had more information. In time, though, he would no doubt seek out a seat.

"In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that was an intention of yours."

In his own defense, Reeve had no positive interactions with the man since he had come to take over the company. The closest thing to a positive was Rufus allowing him to use Cait to 'spy' on Avalanche. Which had, of course, almost gotten people killed a number of times. But it had also put him into the position where he could ultimately help Cloud and his team. Earning their trust, even after the fall of Meteor, had taken a bit more time. Surprisingly he'd had support from Vincent, who rarely had anything positive to say about the ShinRa company. And Yuffie. What a support team to have to rely on.

"After everything that has happened, do you really think anyone has a reason to trust what you say, Shinra?"

Yup. Rude is now Dude

[afterlaborday]

"Admittedly, no." A simple answer for a simple question. "Yet I have no intention to take credit, or use those companies to my advantage. There's no point to it."

He shifts, careful of the casted arm, and uses his good left one to indicate a couch at the other side of the room. "Now, sit. I'm sure you have questions of me, and I myself have things I wish to discuss with you.

"And, please, don't say you're not interested. You wouldn't have put out feelers if you didn't truly wish to see me." A pause, that self-satisfied smirk growing wider. "Correct?"

The Rudest of Dudes

[plate_builder]

Not correct. In fact, the look that passes across his face illustrates that very clearly. Reeve Tuesti was not a man who was very good at sneering, but for Rufus's assumption, he manages to trot one out.

"My intention was to prove to myself that my fears were not correct. I am disappointed to find myself wrong," Reeve corrects his former boss, his voice near icy. "That fear was what kept me from applying Vincent or Cloud to the search for the source of the income going into Edge. Or, for a lot more amusement, Barret Wallace. He has a far more personal gripe with you."

Tifa might pummel the man for her own benefit. Yuffie wouldn't care too much except for the fact that he was a ShinRa and they had hurt Wutai so deeply. Of course, with the company out of power they could start to truly recover. Nanaki was a forgiveness sort of person, so no violence there. but the three in question were the right ones to offer.

That said, he intends to let the man have his say, so Reeve does move to the indicated couch and perches upon it. Lightly. And he makes sure his coat sleeves pull up just enough to show the pair of bangles he wore. One was his means of protecting himself, a mythril bangle studded with materia. The other perhaps more familiar to Rufus, as it was one of a set of custom bangles the Turk had once worn, the Ziedrich stolen from him during a fight against the Turks in the Midgar Subways. Between the pair he was more than adequately protected and armed.

There were people that didn't like his slowly growing WRO, or more likely didn't like that it was him in charge. Protecting himself had become important.

[afterlaborday]

He's not usually one to hold back his laughter, especially when he finds the person in front of him amusing to his arrogant personality, but he keeps from it this time. He's trying hard to not be the bad guy anymore, even if Reeve has no way of knowing it. Even if everything in his history says there is no way in hell he'd be any different now than in the past.

No, he spares the laugh, letting his eyes note the defenses Reeve has decided to wear, before shifting them up to watch the man. "Is that all which spared you sending them? I would think it was more you don't wish to get your friends involved because they have their own lives to deal with.

"Not that it matters. I didn't call you here to discuss that. I wanted to know what your thoughts are on rebuilding, and what should be the next step, because whether you believe it or not, I'm not so interested anymore in trying to rule the people. I actually wish to help."

[plate_builder]

Friends. No, he isn't certain he counts as that to most of them. But he tries. Reaches out and hopes that someday they will take him seriously.

The question, though, is one that makes Reeve's expression soften. So much of his time is spent considering that very question. His apartment, a tiny little thing in Edge, was covered in plans. At his core, Reeve was a civil engineer. He was trained to plan cities, to see to the delivery of power and water and heat. He was an expert on this, and that was why he had been turned to for Midgar in the first place. Maybe he didn't trust Rufus's word at this moment, but he had plans. So many plans.

"You're just having the people that you pay build almost anywhere. It's causing me problems, Rufus. You don't know a single thing about a city. You've been lucky so far, you haven't ruined my attempts at infrastructure work. Right now we need to build stable but short term housing. But it needs to occur out of the intended main area. Streets need to be laid out, power lines put up. And the water systems, both piping into facilities as well as drainage, needs dealt with. I believe you've got contractors out preparing to set up work on a complex in the Northwest quarter of the current city structure. It's going to go right over an area I need to get drainage systems into. I have to get that work done BEFORE the structure goes up."

He has plans. So many plans. If only he'd had a chance to bring any of them with him.

[afterlaborday]

Rufus just listens, noting only the change in how Reeve speaks with the faintest of smiles - an honest one, brief, but there - before his face becomes that of an intent listener. No anger or annoyance crosses his face, even when Reeve's words seem to imply that the young Shinra is inept at city building, and aside from a shift to lean his face on his hands, the blond says nothing until Reeve has finished speaking.

"I may be paying into the city, but I'm not setting up most of the buildings or deciding their locations." This seems to be the only correction he'll give, no denial that he hasn't a clue about any of this on the level the former Director of City Planning does. "Most of that is going through others I've paid to assist. If they are doing a pitiful job, however, I'm more than happy to ask them to work with you."

[plate_builder]

There is no denying that when Reeve speaks about the planning, there is passion in his voice, in his words. Reeve cared. Deeply. Perhaps too deeply.

"I need them to work with me. I don't care where if they can't do anything else, but I need a chance to get the other work done too," Reeve sighs, shaking his head. It's frustrating. But people don't want to work together. They want it done now, not done right. He'll probably have better luck with the areas not near the center of where people live now. But first he has to get people to listen to him.

He's been tainted by trying to work with Shinra back in the day.

"So you'll get them to talk to me. That's all, right?"

[afterlaborday]

This time, he doesn't bother to hide his laughter, or the fact this conversation seems to amuse him quite some bit. Hand raising, he indicates the door Reeve came in. "If I had any intention of harming you, Reeve, do you think I would leave my Turks outside when I was so obviously injured?

"Or are you more concerned I might be trying to get into your good graces, merely to strong arm you later to follow my goals?" He paused, as if to let the black-haired man respond, then spoke again, obviously deciding against it. "Nevermind. That is likely what you think. And it would be a suiting thing for a Shinra. But I'm sorry to disappoint, it isn't my intention."

[plate_builder]

Reeve opens his mouth to respond to the question, only to have Rufus talk right over him. It's annoying, but he knows the man is right anyway.

Truth be told, though, it isn't his only concern. He wouldn't let Rufus strong arm him anyway, not anymore. It would get people hurt and he won't allow that. As for harm to himself, he doubted that Rufus would try. He's not concerned about the Turks at this point. No, his worry is about what ulterior motive Rufus has.

It had never been Reeve's gift to scheme. Or see schemes coming. His plans were made in ideals and with straight edges on paper. Rufus had shown an ability to be subtle and patient in the past. Reeve was afraid the trap he was walking into would come far down the line.

"What is your intention, then?"

TFLN ish verse: scene 1

[circumspections]

He was still not fully used to walking into the office and not seeing Veld behind the desk, not that he'd ever admit that to anyone, Tseng's footsteps quiet as he crossed the room, dropping into the chair. The department was empty for the moment, which gave him time to breathe without having to deal with constant interruptions.

Of course, the reports and information on his desk kept him busy for a few more hours, sorting them into the filing system he'd overhauled recently. People never quite knew how easy it was to maintain information on their activities after all. Eventually though, his desk was clean and he moved to refill the coffee maker.

And sent a message, a request to speak with one of the department heads.

[plate_builder]

It isn't often that other people on par with an executive level ever request to see him. Instead Reeve is used to demands Hojo, collections via brutes Heideggar, summons the ShinRas and invasions of his personal domain Scarlet and Palmer, and the latter is less disturbing about it. Veld? Veld once fell into the latest category, but at least he always started by sending Reeve a warning by email or message to say that he was going to be free at a specific time. Reeve always understood that this meant he was to be free and at his desk, unless a ShinRa had an overriding command. Mayor Dobe tended to plead and wheedle for time, but he was hardly actually high level.

So instead a message asking him for time is definitely a reason for Reeve to pause and be shocked. Even the lower level Turks usually didn't ask, they dropped in vague messages about something that MIGHT have happened that he SHOULD PROBABLY look at.

Tseng tended to be more respectable in the past. Which always left Reeve a bit flustered. Then again there was never a situation where Reeve wasn't flustered by the other man. Or willing to drop things. Once he had the message he popped his head out to see his secretary to confirm that he had some free time. And once that was confirmed he grabbed a mug of coffee, tucked a file under his arm to try and create a nice fiction that he was already wandering the building on other things and NOT just tripping over himself to see Tseng. And with that little polite fiction prepared he headed right to find the new head Turk in his office.

[circumspections]

Of course it's not long before Reeve is at his door, Tseng watching him enter as he stands from his desk. The file is cover, he knows that as well as Reeve does, but it's at least an attempt to appear professional and Tseng moves around the desk, gesturing for him to have a seat as he crosses the room to lock the door.

Because he's not interested in any unplanned interruptions for this meeting, his gaze returning to Reeve once he's back at the desk. "Would you like a refill?" It's casual enough, Tseng gesturing to the coffeemaker.

"Or something a little stronger than coffee?"

[plate_builder]

The thing is that Reeve doesn't know that Tseng doesn't see through it. He likes to think that his reaction to the Turk was rather subtle. Because once, when he was younger, before graduate school, he was a LOT better at being charming and diverting and getting people interested in him. He does move to the chair offered and almost gets to sitting down before his eyes catch the flicking of the lock at the door.

What?

Reeve sits down a bit confused by that. But he does offer the coffee mug over.

"I try not to drink. I haven't in a while. But coffee would be nice."

[circumspections]

"Sometimes it proves useful." He does move to the coffee machine then though, filling Reeve's mug before bringing it back and setting it on the desk in front of him.

"Your department is one of the more interesting ones in the building." Becqause they're surprisingly loyal and close-mouthed as a rule, although drinking does tend to loosen tongues.

"Although the other department heads tend to look past you."

[plate_builder]

Once there is coffee, black and pure like he prefers it, he frowns as he considers the other man.

"Forgive me, Tseng, but that strikes me as a bit of a non-sequitur. What do you mean by interesting department? And I would appreciate it if more heads looked past me."

[circumspections]

"They're very committed to their work." It's mild enough, Tseng picking up his own mug, his gaze turning back to Reeve as he lifts it to his lips to take a drink.

"...Not all of them though, I've heard." It's quiet, Tseng setting his cup down. "Or more specifically, you have a rather intense interest in one department head in particular."

[plate_builder]

"Everyone in Urban Development is committed," Reeve counters. He'd include himself in that listing as well, and he sips at his coffee. Nice quality, Tseng, he approves.

But then he processes that second comment and wonders just what Tseng means. The only thing he can come up with makes him recoil in horror.

"Whatever Scarlet is intimating about us is an absolute lie. The woman thinks that if she suggests that we're sleeping together we will actually do so!"

[circumspections]

"I'm not referring to Scarlet. I wouldn't have called you here if it was related to her." Scarlet was good at her job, but that didn't mean he had any interest in interacting with her beyond the required minimum.

"And I know that's a lie, whoever else chooses to believe it." Tseng set his cup down. "This particular situation isn't nearly as well known as her need to spread gossip around the building."

[plate_builder]

Okay, then what could he...

Oh. Oh. Reeve manages not to blush. He does manage, for the moment, not to blush. Instead he twists the mug in his hand.

"So you're here to discuss rumors with me? That hardly seems like a good use of my time, Tseng."

[circumspections]

"It's only a rumor if there's nothing to substantiate it, Reeve." He shifts to his feet. "And given it's after hours, I'm not using company time to address the issue." Although he does plan to address it, if not in the way Reeve likely assumes he will.

"Are you sure you don't want something stronger than coffee?"

[plate_builder]

After hours for the Turks and after hours for Reeve's department are two VERY different things. He's still planning to go back to work.

"Some people," Reeve says after a moment and another sip of coffee, "do not like themselves when they consume alcohol."