plate_builder | [Open Post]

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.

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.

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?"

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."

"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."

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."

"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."

"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!"

"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."

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."

"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?"

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."

"A valid point." Tseng concedes quietly before he exhales a breath, gaze on Reeve a moment longer before he moves. "I limit my intake to one to two drinks at a time when it's called for, so I do understand the need for self control."

But self control isn't exactly why he's called Reeve here, either, and while this isn't something he makes a habit of, for obvious reasons, his observations of Reeve have given him enough reason to trust his discretion.

So when he leans in to kiss Reeve, he's relatively certain it won't be something everyone in the building knows by morning.

Well, if the building knows anything in the morning it is that a very young, and relatively healthy young man passed away in the night of a heart attack. And this was definitely a possible cause. Good thing his brain and body have disconnected here. His brain is just like 'uh what'? And his body? It knows what to do when being kissed. Which in this case is his hand coming up to curl in Tseng's hair, keeping the man close as he presses back against that contact.

The response is encouraging, Tseng taking the invitation to deepen the kiss, tongue slipping past Reeve's lips as he shifts into a more comfortable position, adjusting the angle, one hand settling on Reeve's shoulder.

And when he finally breaks the contact. "Does that clarify matters for you?"

Oh dear, this was a thing that had happened. Tseng pulls back and Reeve licks his lips and looks anywhere but at Tseng.

"That sort of behavior could get you a report to HR. Not that they can do much about men in your department."

What is even going on here? His heart is racing and he should be pursing the man, but he can't.

"If I thought there was a risk of that, I wouldn't have even attempted it." Not a total lie, but they do tend to operate outside the bounds of the standard HR protocols. Still, Tseng straightens, gaze returning to Reeve's face.

"And I was relatively certain you wouldn't be averse to the attempt, although if you're truly uninterested, you're of course welcome to leave. I don't pursue relationships with anyone I deem untrustworthy though, Reeve."

Relationships? his heart skips a beat. That doesn't... Is that a thing? He wants to, so bad, but, can he trust it? Oh dear.

"I don't understand. I mean, not that I'm not flattered. And intrigued," his eyes even flicker to Tseng's lips because he wants those again. "But you're just a very... distant man?"

"In my line of work, I have to be. You know the kind of people we work and what my department does, Reeve. Likely better than anyone else here, if we're being honest. What happens in my office, stays in my office and the same goes for anything that happens when we're away from the Tower." Tseng leans against the desk, watching him.

"Are you interested or should we pretend this meeting never happened?"

He's interested. Beyond it. Reeve licks his lips briefly and looks at Tseng. And then away. This was something he'd wanted. But not something he'd expected to have a chance at.

"And here I'd thought we were both the sort of men who barely existed outside of the Tower. That our mistresses were the work."

"That's the image we project, yes." There might be the faintest hint of amusement behind the words. "There are no standard working hours for my department and I'm aware of the fact you tend to sleep in your office more often than not." There's a reason he kept spare clothes in his office, beyond the rigors of the job, after all.

"..So is that a yes, then?"

Okay, Tseng can't know that Reeve's couch is actually a fold out bed, right? Maybe? Right? Please don't know that.

"My apartment is really far away from here, and it's not like I have reasons to go back there often."

Is it a yes? Of course it is. But he's still... trying to process this.

"Why?"

"I know exactly where your apartment is, Reeve." Tseng counters quietly before picking up his coffee to take another sip.

"As for why, maybe it's because you're so different." He sets his cup down. "Does the why matter so much?"

Okay, that is slightly creepy and he doesn't know what to do with that information. At all. Except for wonder if Tseng's every been in there when Reeve wasn't.

"It matters when I've been fli-" oh no, don't say that. "No, I suppose it doesn't."

"..Finish the first thing you were going to say, Reeve." Because he wants to hear it, even if Reeve doesn't want to say it.

TFLN ish verse: scene 1

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject