plate_builder | [Open Post]

"I'll have to teach them some manners later, then." Reeve will recognize the tone as one which means Rufus won't do squat about his operatives' invitations, even as he then falls silent for a moment.

How much should he tell the man? After all, there was much which was never spoken of regarding the past and his actions. Things he had been loathe to admit in the past, and of which his father surely wished never to speak of. But here and now, with his father gone, as well as basically everyone but the Turks who would recall that incident... If Reeve believed the story, he wouldn't tell anyone, and Rufus badly wanted Reeve's help.

"A long while back, about the time I took my 'extended vacation,' I was causing a great deal of trouble. I wanted my father dead, and took great lengths to attempt to make that happen, even going so far as to support an Anti-Shinra group called AVALANCHE, with the hopes they'd get close enough to take my old man out.

"Sadly, I underestimated the Turks and their sense of work ethic, and every attempt failed. They really didn't have much love for my father, so far as I know, but they were loyal to their commander at the time, Veld, and he'd instilled in them that the company and the President were important... If even just to help the people."

Here, Rufus pauses to give Reeve a vague smile, one that asks if Reeve will disbelieve the truth, before continuing, a look which Reeve has probably never seen crossing his face; an honest amusement brought about by memories slowly turned cherished.

"Eventually, I found what AVALANCHE was doing to be a little much, and went to try and speak with them at Corel. Naturally, my movements didn't go unnoticed by the Turks who were following AVALANCHE, and they found me. I tried to get AVALANCHE to take the Turks out, but instead they turned on me. Those guys, they still protected me, despite the trouble I had been causing. In part because of my father, but still - they could have said they arrived too late, or something along those lines, and let me deal with my own consequences.

"After that, I became a permanent resident at the Turk compound. Father's idea of house arrest. And a Turk windfall, as with me in hand, they had a bit of leverage over my father. Glossing over the more boring details, though, Veld had sort of defected and my father wanted him dead. I warned the Turks Scarlet had a line on him, and they went to do their thing. But failed.

"Veld was caught, and Scarlet and my father decided he should be executed... Really, that woman's solution to everything was execution. It's no wonder she ended up dead..."

And thank god for that. he muses internally, a cold smile playing on his lips. He never liked that hag of a woman. At all.

"But I digress. I gave the Turks the information they needed on Veld's whereabouts, and they broke him out. Of course, I'd made a small deal beforehand, but nothing terrible; basically just asked them to keep me abreast of things, kind of act like a secondary information source considering I was still their guest, things of that sort.

"Veld 'died,' at least according to official reports, by Tseng's hands. Although offered a pardon if they killed their leader by my father, Scarlet decided the Turks should be eliminated for their insubordination in protecting Veld in the first place, among other things. I spared them, by convincing my father they were still useful.

"Of course I say all that, but..." He looks a faint bit tired, drinking what's left of his water with a sigh. "I was with the Turks for several years. I got to know them, and them me. I'm no Boy Scout, but the group of us became a sort of dysfunctional family. So they stay. And I'm glad to have them with me."

"That was you?" Reeve asks, frowning. He hadn't known. But he almost has to laugh. Interesting. "You don't know do you? I knew Tseng not that long after he got involved with the Turks. He's the only one you've got who is bearable, and I hope Reno's listening at the door. There's a reason Tseng suggested Cait and myself to you."

There was also a reason they had known that Reeve might not be loyal. When the Turks had worked against he company, Reeve had been there to try and help. Too bad they hadn't won. Maybe the world might have been a touch better off.

"But I wasn't aware of the fact that you were... that experienced with them. In that manner at least." There had been a very different story circulated around ShinRa at the time when Rufus had gone away for a while. Just like there were rumors about Lazard before he was removed. Sometimes Reeve had thought the company ran more on rumors than on Mako.

"Which part do you mean 'that was you'?" Settling the empty glass between his legs momentarily, Rufus brings his wheelchair over to a table to deposit both the glass and the empty bottle he'd placed between his hip and the arm of the chair earlier onto it. "And I know, actually. Tseng and I talk frequently."

He sort of laughs as he says the last, an actual amused laugh, even as he turns the chair back so he can look at Reeve once more. He may say he and Tseng talk frequently, and they do, but getting the Turk to divulge personal details of his life can sometimes be like pulling teeth; and all depends on the man's mood at the time.

"But, yes, I know the Turks quite well. Can tell you that even Reno has his charms, and can be quite tolerable. I would probably have been dead more than once if it weren't for them." He lifts his right hand, turning it so he can look at where he knows the Stigma is hidden mostly from sight by the cast on it, a look of sadness on his face. "Your mother had the Stigma, so you know sometimes one has attacks... Even when I was knocked unconscious from the pain of this thing, none of them ever walked away from me."

"My mother died almost immediately after contracting the Stigma," Reeve informed the former President, his voice very low, very pained. "Before we even had a name for it. It is my hope she never suffered such attacks."

But he still wishes she had survived longer than Rufus, who probably deserved the suffering more. Definitely deserved it more. So at least the man got to live with that suffering. Still, he supposed he could understand the position the Turks had. Once he'd had loyalty too. Now he just tried his best to get people to follow him. Which was hilarious, he knew he had very little charisma, little to offer people other than a hope for a greater future.

"I suppose we've said our peace. I have work that needs done," Reeve decided. This whole thing was... strange. Hard to process. So instead of letting himself get caught up on it he just moved for the door of the lodge.

And opened it to find that neither of the Turks were standing guard outside of it. Plus the car that had brought him wasn't in sight. So Reeve stood there in a moment of disbelief before looking back over his shoulder at Rufus.

"I don't suppose you expected this meeting to take longer, because it seems your loyal men aren't around."

"Perhaps it is fortunate for her." He remarks, setting his hand down on the arm of the chair. "I often lose two or three days, unless I take the medication. And considering what it is, that has its issues too."

He then watches Reeve move, not bothering to stop him, nor seemingly surprised by the disappearance of the Turks, though he sighs a faint bit. "They're probably behind the lodge, actually. Screwing around, I'm sure. I'll call them."

He draws his phone out from his jacket, flipping it open and scrolling through a few numbers, before finally hitting the dial button and placing the phone to his ear. It won't take long before he begins a very short conversation with what he's sure Reeve will be able to tell is Reno, if the whining on the other end is any indication.

Once done, he tilts his head a bit. "They'll be right around. You are welcome to return whenever you desire."

Reeve huffs at that last bit. Really, free to return? Just what he wanted, recurring rendezvous with the VERY recognizable Turks. Brilliant idea, Rufus, way to look to undermine his power.

"Given the... courtesy with which I was invited, I will pass. I've learned not to go places I can't get to and away from myself, Rufus. Too dangerous. Someone might choose to lock me up again."

Would Rufus even know that had happened, what had happened to him when Scarlet and Heidegger had taken over? Gwahaha and Bwahaha hadn't been gentle back then, and Reeve had hardly come to appreciate being manhandled since that day.

"Besides, I don't even know where I am."

The reaction gets another of Rufus' amused chuckles, and he plays idly with his phone, voice suddenly dropping to a dangerous tone. "Really, Reeve... If I desired to lock you away, I would have done so already... Would not have knelt at your feet...

"You aren't worth enough for me to debase myself for a scheme such as that."

"To be frank, experience with the ShinRa family has taught me one very important thing, Rufus," Reeve said, turning fully to regard the man. He looked so pathetic there, and he still thought so highly of himself as to think kneeling was beneath him. "I'm worth nothing."

Easily used, easily discarded. That was all he had been, and all he would continue to be like as not. But his ideas? Yes, those the ShinRa family had been glad for. Redesigns of the mako reactors for both Midgar and other cities so they could draw more power but still charge the same amounts? Reeve could do that. Helping maintain their monstrosity of a city? Another point for Reeve. But actual value as a person?

"Besides," Reeve says, turning away from Rufus again, ready to step outside. If the Turks didn't come he'd find another way out of here. And probably not a way back if Rufus was so defensive of his little hiding place. Reeve didn't care, but he would not be brought here again by Turks. If he were to come Rufus would have to arrange it on Reeve's terms. "I don't truly think your arrogance could handle such acting. It's truly a shame, the way you used that. Powerful men should always kneel before others. Their first and most sacred duty in what little time we have before returning to the Planet should always be to serve those who are less fortunate. Put ourselves at their power so they can live free of suffering."

It was an idealistic, even romantic way of looking at the world, and Reeve would fight for it to be true one day. Even if he had to make use of a man like Rufus ShinRa.

"How little you actually know." The tone with which these words are spoken is strange. A mixture of anger, contempt, and perhaps the faintest bit of pain, though far be it for Rufus to acknowledge any of it. "But you are free to believe what you wish, Reeve."

He turns his chair as the Turks finally pull up, moving towards the bedroom. "I'm sure I'll hear from you again. And, by the way, this is Healin Lodge."

There was something to be said for the fact that Rufus was putting himself in Reeve's power in ways. Letting Reeve know where he was? Reeve sighed and shook his head. Before he left he paused inside the door.

"Rufus... Perhaps if your assistance in this manner was truly meant, if this helps people, then I might find a reason to come and seek you out again. But I won't let Reno drive."

He doesn't trust the man. Maybe that will change. With a sigh he moves down the stairs and toward the waiting car. He would of course make certain that there was a way Cloud would know where Shinra was if something bad happened. For now he makes his way to the car. He's been given the power to work with the people he needs to help people. And if it played out properly, he would indeed be back to see Rufus Shinra.

People deserved a chance to redeem themselves.

He meant what he said, and even though he didn't respond directly to Reeve as he left, aside from the faintest of laughs at Reno being disallowed to drive, he also didn't stop him.

The man would even find that when he returned, several documents had been left for him where he had been staying, containing valuable information, as well as the numbers for anyone he might need to contact; including Rufus' number.

There would also be no direct contact by Rufus or the Turks, leaving everything in Reeve's hands for what would come next.

Reeve almost shredded the papers the moment he walked into his small apartment and saw them. Because, really, there was nothing creepier than having Turks break into the abode of a potential business partner and leaving them notes. Once the message would have been clear. 'I can get to you any time I want.' Now Reeve didn't know what to make of it. Except he had to make something of all of it. Something to support people.

The contacts did what he needed them to. Before the end of the night he had agreements to keep the new building project delayed so he could put in the support structure that was needed. It cost a lot of promises and allowances that he didn't want to give, but he was able to sleep that night knowing the projects could proceed properly.

And, of course, before he slept, he sighed and did send off a message to Rufus. A text, because he had no intention of speaking to the man.

Breaking and entering is illegal in Edge. Keep your dogs out of my home.

Meager as it was, it didn't feel... safe anymore. Not that Reeve, of all people, had any chance to find the time and look for something else. Space was space and he was going to use the space the way he needed to, which meant he slept despite his concern, and the next morning he worked himself harder than needed as well. That was his style. Work so hard that no one could dare say he wasn't giving it his all. With the new contacts there were certainties he could get to make sure that things worked in the right ways. Lines on papers would become roads, become power lines, become the base of the new lives these people would live.

And, a month later, when he was faced with one particular contractor demanding more money than Reeve could get his hands on to start work on a vitally needed hospital rather than the small and scattered clinics, Reeve knew what answer he could offer.

Which meant getting the phone out again. Meant digging out the piece of paper with the number and dialing.

"When would you be available to talk," he asked rather than offering a greeting. He knew the man would have an answer.

Old habits died hard, and there was perhaps just a little bit of a threat behind breaking in and leaving the documents for Reeve, but not so much as there might have been in the past. Honestly, leaving the documents the way they had was mostly for ease and to limit their exposure in town. Even if the Turks were suspected, or known to be alive, if they were seen too often one might begin to suspect something about Rufus himself.

Which meant that Reeve would not receive a response back to his text, for all the wanting of a certain red-head to send emoji, nor really any contact from Rufus and his. Occasionally, a few documents might be sent along, data seemingly on the stigma or suggestions from Rufus, but nothing which would have given Reeve any reason to doubt his former superior.

Perhaps once or twice he would catch sight of the Turks if he was in the right place at the right time, Reno always seeming to be goofing off when he was in town, while Rude kept an eye on him, and Tseng and Elena seeming to be surveying the progress of Edge. Never did they approach Reeve, and they seemed careful to avoid drawing attention or cause any sort of trouble. Nothing, Rufus hoped, that would draw Reeve's ire.

When Reeve did finally call, he would get a response, though perhaps not the one he might have expected in full, as the voice on the other end sounded exhausted and barely awake. Even the usual amusement that the next words might have was missing.

"I knew you'd have to call me eventually, Reeve. If you wish to speak, tomorrow morning should be fine."

Oh, waking him up? Reeve smirks at that one, and he wants to laugh at that. Instead Reeve huffs to himself. No jokes, wasn't appropriate. Don't mock the sick man when you want him to help other sick men. Interesting.

"Is there anything I can fetch for you from Edge?"

Not that he would try and win Rufus's support through bribes. He would spent tonight creating a case. This was something he intended to treat like preparations for an investors meeting. If Rufus wanted taken seriously, then he would take the man seriously. Present this to Rufus like he would present it to other backers. Which means he wouldn't get too much sleep that night.

Rufus makes a small sound of interest at the offer, perhaps vaguely amused, before responding. "No, it's alright. I have what I need here.

"Will you make your own way, or do you wish me to send anyone but Reno to pick you up? I could spare Elena or Rude for a time."

Someone spare him Elena. She babbled too much. And Rude would be awkwardly quiet. "Better that I handle the drive myself."

That way he can leave at his own pace. And start at his own. Which was something. The morning will come, though, and he'll have to face the man in that time. But he intended to do it with a lot of caffeine to help himself.

"I'll be there early."

With that he hangs up and turns his attention to the task at hand. So much work to do, so little time to do it. His whole night became the research, the paper writing, the arguments for why Rufus should do this. In the end he almost falls asleep over his printed out folder. It was only with a very, very large thermos of coffee that he headed out into the world and started up his car. He wasn't too much more composed when he parked his vehicle hours later and walked up the steps to the lodge, thermos in one hand and folder in the other. But business was business and business didn't wait.

He laughs a little bit at the response, remembering Reeve's seeming lack of care for any of his Turks, perhaps excepting Tseng. "Very well. I'll try to be presentable."

He'll leave it to Reeve to try and determine what he means by that, and will say no more even if the response does earn anything, instead allowing the call to end and setting about preparations for the next day, so far as those went.

This meant that Reeve would find no Turks to greet him on his arrival, though Rufus was sure he wouldn't be fool enough to believe they weren't nearby. The door has even been left unlocked for him, a note telling him to enter on his arrival.

There was something to be said of Tseng, of course. While he might not have had a fanclub like Sephiroth or Genesis or a few others, he definitely had a following. People who appreciated the looks of the Wutain. Reeve might have quietly been a member of that group. But Tseng was beautiful so it was just something like that.

The note, interesting. Reeve leaves it on the door and enters the building. Once he's inside he's quiet, frowning. Greeting Rufus, how should he do that? Call him sir, call his name? Nope that won't work. Instead he paused and stood there, frowning.

"Rufus, I'm here."

The fan clubs of ShinRa would have been quite a topic to bring up to Rufus, as it would have made him almost howl with laughter; almost. If it had been a few years prior, before he'd been taken into the Turks' custody, before the Weapons and his time dealing with the fallout of Meteor, including another bout of being held in someone else's custody, he might have even outright scoffed at the idea.

Fan clubs like those made for Sephiroth, Angeal and all the others? These were just pitiful excuses by the populace, nurtured by ShinRa, to bring about heroes they could believe in. A way to pretend ShinRa was on the way to creating a bright new future. To heap praise on beings they didn't understand, and who were set apart from them, because they couldn't fathom the depths of their misfortune and unknown slavery to the very thing that gave them life.

Useless things now, that served a purpose then, but which he still struggled to understand. Although, certainly, he would have agreed with Reeve's description of Tseng as quite a beautiful being; and then turned around and pointed out that Reno could also be quite attractive, when he kept his mouth shut, just to see the response.

Not that it's communicated, or matters to the current time or situation, a response coming to Reeve's call from the bedroom of the small lodge. "Then come this way. I'm not very mobile right now."

Reno was not attractive. Though if the fanclub thing had lasted until Rufus's return, he would have had one. And Reeve would not be the one to point that out.

The bedroom? Reeve sighs and straightens himself up before heading to said room. There was a deal to offer, and he wanted to do that, even if it meant being in an awkward position.

There is no intention to make the architect awkward, and it will be quite obvious this is so when he enters the bedroom, for even though Rufus is in bed, he's taken the time to fully dress and has concealed a now un-casted arm under bandages so the Stigma on his hand isn't visible to Reeve, sat up and obviously expecting the man, though he is covered from the waist down by blankets. He looks perhaps a bit pale, the medication Reeve gave him before on the dresser, along with a handful of bottled waters, some empty and some full, and his hair down like it was when he was younger.

His wheelchair has also been moved out of the way, settled to one side of the room, while another chair has been brought in for Reeve to sit on, an unopened bottle of water set on the seat. The chair has been placed in front of the bed for now, a position meant to mimic being in front of a desk, perhaps, though it is light enough it could be moved.

"Good morning." A normal, harmless, greeting is all the blond gives. "Please sit down if you'd like."

Didn't mean to make him feel awkward? Too bad it was working. Reeve hesitated before taking the chair, and he did hand over the folder. He had to keep himself composed right now. Too bad it didn't feel like this was a proper meeting. He didn't intend to ask, though, because it wasn't his business.

"I have a proposal for you, detailed herein. Edge needs a hospital, more than minor clinics."

Rufus doesn't look good, and it made Reeve uncomfortable. He shifted nervously in his seat, looking anywhere but at Rufus.

Their last meeting wasn't much better, though at least Rufus was mobile in most senses of the word. And honestly, he probably would have told Reeve to wait a day or two, if it hadn't been for the fact he didn't want the man to think he was lying about being accessible as soon as problems occurred. Which meant they got to meet in this position.

So while Reeve pretends he can't see what's going on, Rufus is taking the folder to sort through its contents, speaking as he did. "I don't see an issue with building a hospital, and I doubt you'd bring an idea like this to me unless you had some issue getting it built...?"

Reeve nods, looking at his hands folded carefully in his lap. This wasn't good, he couldn't handle this. He was never good with people who needed help and he couldn't help. How could he help? Sick, bedridden.

"I can't get funding. It's a good cause, better than good. If we don't have proper facilities we won't be able to lure back competent physicians. Which the city desperately needs. Some of the clinics we have are run by what is little more than someone with potions or skill with materia. Doctors, Rufus. A city needs doctors and they've moved to Junon and Costa and so many places. I need facilities. I have a full plan already made. The file contains blueprints, and I've got a number of companies willing to donate the electronics and beds and any other supplies. But I need money for the building itself."

He keeps flipping through the schematics, almost seeming as if he would memorize them, or is looking for something. He idly even remembers doing this before, when the ShinRa building was being built, and his father called him a loser for suggesting an escape hatch; something the idiot had actually put in, and which had saved his ass after Meteor.

He also listens, and when Reeve finishes, he gives him a curious look. "Money is no issue. I may even be able to send out some feelers to locate good, licensed doctors... Not related to ShinRa in anyway, in case that worries you. What else do you need?"

tl;dr mode, go! You asked, Reeve

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