plate_builder | [Open Post]

"Why help me?" Reeve asks. There, getting it out of his system. He wants to get up and pace, it's something he does a lot, but he can't. "I can't see how it immediately serves you, though I suppose I could understand how it might serve you in the future. But it seems like you and the men that attacked me are on the wrong sides of this issue. They would likely benefit from improved stability from an organization as the one I would establish. Of course they don't understand the goal would be independence, politically and economically, for every nation and city that seeks it. Then there is you..."

The man that clearly wanted his company back in some form. Reeve raised his eyes to Rufus's and he watched quietly for a moment. More than once the man had demonstrated he wouldn't interrupt a thought in process, so Reeve had the time to prepare it now that he had it lingering. "You want Shinra back. I don't know how extensively or to what end other than it's own end. I'm still trying to puzzle out why you would go about that by effectively supporting what would be a rival. What is your goal, Rufus, and why not use a man that was easier to guide to your will rather than one like me?"

The younger man puzzled Reeve, as much now as he had on the day he had returned to the tower and ultimately to power.

As Reeve speaks, Rufus closes his eyes and listens, almost looking as if he were bored by the whole thing, though this is far from the truth. His mind is taking in everything Reeve says clearly, trying to figure out how to explain, how much to say.

Which means that when Reeve is done, Rufus' eyes remain closed and the man remains quiet for a time, before very carefully choosing his words. "As I have said before, my intentions are not to use you, and are very much like your own. I wish to help, not hinder, so of course you can't see a discernible advantage for me.

"However, if you need one to suit whatever trepidation you are feeling, then perhaps the advantage for me is two-fold. To begin, and I'll return to this later, if ShinRa is to rise again, it needs to shed at least some of its reputation as only being trouble; something it has become said to be even if some small good came from it. Two, I have the stigma Reeve..."

He opens his eyes now, holding up his right hand, which has again been covered so as not reveal the offending blackness, and once more his eyes seem distant like he is not fully there.

"I don't know if there is a cure, Reeve, but I hope there is one. There was at least a man who thought there was, but someone killed him. Perhaps if there's enough minds together, a cure can be found, but... Will it be enough in the long run? Will I live through it? Or will I die?"

His eyes focus again, a small sadness in them, his smile faint.

"What I want for ShinRa is for it to exist, to be something that says I existed, somewhere the Turks can return to even if I'm not here. Somewhere, if I survive, that I can call home."

Well... that he supposed he could understand. Making a home for them to return to. Interesting. He supposed he could respect that. But he didn't think he understood this man any better.

"Okay," Reeve said softly, moving to stand. It hurts, but he doesn't care. Because he needs to go. "Why the water?"

"On your head, you mean?" And now Rufus is standing, moving to press Reeve back down if he has the strength. "For the same reason I will have the Turks watch you 24/7 if you don't lie back down. You are in no way well enough to get up."

"You're not my keeper," Reeve counters. "I presume there is no signal dampeners here. I could call for a car to come and collect me. I can go home. There is work to be done."

While Rufus doesn't have the strength normally to push Reeve around, Reeve wasn't exactly at full strength. Even the light press is enough to mess up Reeve's balance and he struggles with his balance for a moment before toppling to the couch. Damn that's pathetic.

"Your pushiness is wonderful. Sure it gets you all the ladies."

"You need to rest, not work." He watches as Reeve falls to the couch, and then seems to find amusement in what Reeve says. "Never tried it on the ladies, but the men don't protest."

The words come long before Reeve can help himself. He's tired, he's overworked, and he's more than a bit loopy from all of this.

"People like being manhandled by gorgeous men," he said to himself, mostly because he knew he did. And the second the words are out his cheeks are scarlet and he's definitely paying more attention to folding that blanket on the couch. Look at this important thing he's doing. Meanwhile his brain is screaming because 1) that part of office gossip was right, 2) why did he just say that, and 3) geez Rufus Shinra definitely didn't just say that.

Edited 2017-11-06 01:47 (UTC)

Well, that isn't the response Rufus was expecting. Usually, such a statement would draw the dropping of a jaw, a skeptical look or vague disgust; but, this, well... Rufus maybe expects it from men like Reno, who had reacted with a pump of the fist and asking Rude for his $20, before trying to proposition his boss jokingly, but from Reeve? No, he'd expected to be accused of a joke, or given a pure look of disgust, not what appears to be a full-on admission that Reeve likes men.

Which means Rufus can't help but begin to laugh, amused so thoroughly at the reaction, that he actually doubles over.

Edited 2017-11-06 01:55 (UTC)

Damn the temptation to kick Rufus in the leg was pretty extreme. But he didn't. Instead Reeve took the blanket he had folded up and threw it at Rufus's head. Talk about rude. Dear lord he wished he hadn't opened his damn mouth.

"If you and Tseng were involved I would have made money in the office pool," Reeve says, trying to get away from his own accidental admission.

He really can't help but keep laughing, blocking the blanket with an arm. It's obvious he hasn't had this much fun in a while, and Reeve just has to give him more ammunition. "Who says we aren't?"

Of course he would be, but Reeve isn't going to press because his cheeks are hotter now than they were then.

"Glad you're having a good time. I'm going to rest, as I was advised to. So why don't you go back to your book. I heard it was sufficient."

"You sure? I'm worried you might try to get up and leave as soon as we take our eyes off you." No, he's not moving yet, still amused as well as trying to make sure a certain person does rest. He's also badly resisting something, if his eyes are any indication.

"And where am I going to go without a vehicle?" Reeve countered. How was he supposed to sneak past Turks for crying out loud? But more than that, when he looked at Rufus he saw there was something more. "Just say whatever you're going to say because I'm ready for this conversation to end."

"Oh, I wasn't going to actually say something." He's choosing to ignore the remark about the vehicle, since it was obvious Reeve intended to try to run away regardless just a moment ago, and instead focuses on having the last bits of amusement he can, all at Tuesti's sake, of course.

Which means, unfortunately for Reeve, Rufus is moving to start to straddle the man, grinning like a wolf who's caught itself something to eat, and leaning near his ear to whisper, "I was actually going to suggest a way to wear you out enough you'd stay, since you were so full of energy just a moment ago."

Wait... what was happening? Reeve's eyes widened with disbelief as Rufus moved, and were he not now effectively pinned to the couch, he definitely would have fled that predatory look. Part of him wanted to shove the man away, but really, that wasn't something he could do either. Push Rufus away and he got hurt? The Turks would kick his ass. Now the man was sitting in his lap, leaning close, whispering. Reeve was leaning as far back from the man as he could, looking away from Rufus. This was not happening.

"You weren't," Reeve says, trying to stay very, very still. It was almost like trying to hide from a predator who hunted by sight. If he didn't move, Rufus wouldn't get closer. He'd tire of his game and stop tormenting Reeve shortly. "And you're being rude."

The look away, as well as the obvious discomfort, only serves to amuse Rufus even more, and were he a different sort of man, Reeve might find things becoming even more uncomfortable. Thankfully, he's only playing, has no real sights on seducing the architect, even if it were to suit his needs; he could play such a game if he wanted, rumors had likely spread that he had - and he wouldn't deny them - but they didn't suit him. Rufus could be cruel and sadistic, but he had his limits, and they included not doing something sexual with an unwilling partner.

So he laughs, carefully moving to get back to his feet, only responding playfully to the remarks. "You're the one who said people like being man-handled by attractive men. But relax, I'm not going to do anything like that. I just couldn't resist picking on you."

"It was an observation," Reeve noted, trying to defend himself, which was ridiculous because they both know what the comment had actually meant. "And you operate under the assumption that you're attractive to me."

In the past his preferences had run toward me his own age or older, Rufus was neither. Not that he'd had anything resembling a proposition in a good long while, but he wasn't here to play games. He was here to recover. And now that Rufus wasn't in his lap, Reeve was even more prepared to leave. That had been highly uncomfortable for him, in part because if it had been just about any other man--excluding Reno--he might have played along for a while. As it was...

"Besides, I don't entertain young men who haven't grown up enough to stop playing jokes on others. I happen to prefer grown men who know how to follow through."

Edited 2017-11-06 03:40 (UTC)

He chuckles softly, taking a seat in the chair again with a small wince - that movement hadn't been the best for his aching bones - and regarded Reeve with continued amusement. "If you hadn't found me at least mildly attractive, that remark would never have been made. And don't tempt me, I'm quite capable of following through if I so desire."

Yet the fact he doesn't move, and the look on his face, says otherwise. He doesn't find Reeve unattractive, per se, but he also has no real interest in him in such a fashion. He had his preferences, and they generally ran toward people he knew well, or those who could give him something he needed and all other methods of getting it were out. The latter, honestly, was not even a preference, but more of him knowing how to use everything he had as a weapon. The former? Well, he didn't know Reeve well enough to count him anywhere near that level.

Brushing some hair away from his eyes, it having shifted when he straddled Reeve, Rufus moves to grab the book he was reading. "Either way, rest. Once your wounds are a little more healed, we'll get you back to Edge. I also owe you a scolding or two."

"I almost think I'd prefer to have Reno watching over me," Reeve grumbled under his breath. Who the hell even did things like that? What a terrible little brat he had the displeasure of dealing with on a regular basis.

He speaks louder when he regards Rufus. "I am not ungrateful for your kindness in letting me stay here as long as I have, Shinra, but I'm not staying. I need to get back to Edge. I was expected there previously, and soon people might think me actually dead. And I have no intention of being scolded by you."

What he wants is his apartment, cramped as it was. His bed, his pillows, his blankets. There was a lot he could coordinate from his bed. And, when his fingers idly ran over one of his bangles, he frowned. He would also appreciate his materia back.

He pretends not to hear the remark, but whether Reeve wants it or not, Rufus does intend to give him a scolding. And since the man seems intent on leaving, he puts the book back down, looking directly into his eyes.

"You may go, when we are done. But for now, you will hear me out, because you are not a fool. Your anger at me earlier, you do know why it was there, don't you? Not because I was wrong, or because you were sure that I was just concerned because you still had a purpose to me, but because you know I am right.

"I'm young, Reeve, but I'm not inexperienced. I know how the mind of those who wish power works, and on some small scale, I know how the mind of the fearful works. A plan such as yours, to build a small policing army, will scare the fearful and irritate those who desire power. Both will come at you, because they do not wish you to succeed. And you are only assisting them."

"I don't want an army," Reeve countered immediately. "Barely even a police force. And I will live to see it done. You read too much if you think I've got a death wish, Rufus. But I know what people think of me. They believe that once you are Shinra you are always Shinra. But they only reserve that for people like me. For visible former executives, and I happen to be the most senior member of the company that is known to be alive. They paint me with the same brush they do you, and I understand the inherent dangers. But I do not intend to die. That doesn't mean I haven't planned for what should happen in such an eventuality."

He believed the work was more vital than his life, and so there were precautions. Simple as that. The work was more valuable, but his life was precious to him. Just because the work was the only thing he had didn't mean he wouldn't fight to see the day when the WRO could be dismantled for it was no longer needed. He had just thought he had more time before he would need such protections.

Apparently he was going to have to start dealing in ways of keeping himself safe sooner than he'd anticipated in his plan.

"I take it back, you are a fool." Rufus shakes his head slowly, and gives Reeve a look he doesn't know is remnant of his own father's when the former President used to scold his son, but at the minimum, it is more gentle. "You just said yourself, people will see you as always ShinRa. So they will see any congregation of people as an army, and they aren't going to concern themselves with your nuances unless given a reason otherwise; something they aren't going to give you because their fear overrides their senses.

"And don't tell me you don't have a death wish. You're injured severely, and all you want to do is go home and work until you drop. The world will survive a few days without you while you recover.

"And one other thing," This he says with a look that implies Reeve is free to try and deny what he says is true. "You don't have an protection right now, so in your injured state, you're easy to pick off. Here, at least, in my company you have the Turks to guard you. And if you don't wish to be pestered, I will find you a room and order them to steer clear other than to treat your wounds."

Okay, so... maybe Rufus is a bit right about what Reeve intended to do. He was going to go home, he was going to work. Or those were his intentions. He sighed as he twisted on the couch and stretched out. Maybe Rufus was right.

"If I'm going to be forced to have bed rest I need something to do. Someone to talk to or paper and pencils to draw. I'll go crazy otherwise. Better I stay on the couch, ruin less of your furniture."

There's a strange little pleased look on Rufus' face, and perhaps even a little bit of relief, before he replies. "I have plenty of books you can borrow, as well as paper and pencil.

"Company is limited though, I'm afraid."

"Any detective novels?" Reeve asked, but he doesn't much believe it's possible. "And the company is nice when he isn't being too presumptuous or trying to scold me."

Don't bother him about the admission. Rufus wasn't always the worst company. There were times that it was almost comfortable to be around the man. Almost.

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Nope - Not totally an asshole....... /headdesk/

He is a huge asshole

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