plate_builder | [Open Post]

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.

He would be the first to admit that he could be terrible company. Often, he was. Much of him blamed his father, who seemed to think showing any sign of compassion or humanity was weakness. The other part? That was purely him, and the reasons for it... Well, he never wanted to admit to those, though if he had, he was sure everyone who had been involved in AVALANCHE would have done a double-take. Well, except maybe Aeris, who he had never actually met, but knew much of through Tseng.

Right now, at least he isn't going to rub too much in, only pointing out the obvious before responding to the question. "You needed a scolding. And I have a handful, yes. I'll bring them out when I can move again."

Well, that was interesting, but there wasn't much he could do. He had to let himself work around the man, survive around the man. And maybe he was right about needing time to heal. Which might be why they had taken his materia, to keep him from just applying a cure spell and walking away in a bad state.

"I suppose food wouldn't be remiss. Or water. Can your Turks provide that?"

"Of course." The question earns a confused look, as if it were ridiculous to ask such a thing in the first place, and without even thinking about it, a snide remark falls from Rufus' lips. "I'm not a demon who feeds on human souls, you know? I do have to eat."

"I didn't think you fed on human souls," Reeve was quick to say. "Just whatever it is that animates Hell Houses."

Which was probably mako, but it was a good line in his opinion, and he wasn't going to back down from it. But that didn't mean the Turks cooked so much as ordered takeout.

"I do believe I don't run any Hell Houses. We can leave that to Hojo." Even if the man was dead, his creations were not; this was something Rufus could be sure on, above and beyond the fact he knew about Vincent. "Either way, Rude and Tseng are rather good cooks."

"Tseng is loyal, has good looks, and he cooks? Quick, Rufus, best marry that one before he gets away from you," Reeve says, the words half playful.

Mostly, though, he just looked up toward the ceiling. Stranded with Rufus Shinra for a number of days. Perhaps it was time to try and get to know the young man a bit better. Through all this time they hadn't really gotten to know one another.

"Tell me something about yourself, Rufus. Something that a person would never guess."

Reeve earns a small chuckle for his remark about marrying Tseng, and he can't help but sound a little bit like he shouldn't admit to the next words he says, but will say them anyway. "Somehow, I doubt he would go for such a proposition. He's always been very much in love with Aeris, you know?

"And I'd say that right there is actually something people wouldn't guess. You and the office may have suspected something with the good Tseng and I, but what exists..." He shrugs, a sign he doesn't actually know what's there between them, and smiles wryly on his next words. "Or, more simply, there are things Rufus Shinra wants which he can't have and won't take by force.

"Though if you want something more light-hearted, I'm actually rather fond of cats."

"Well, I suppose we share two things," Reeve shrugs. Wanting Tseng and not getting a chance at that, and the fondness for cats.

Wait... What?

"You struck me as a dog person," Reeve said after a moment, frowning up at the ceiling. Dark Nation had been something he associated with the man, and that was definitely more dog than cat. And the loyalty that came with him, the moving in a pack? More dog person than cat person.

He kindly ignores that first part with a small smirk to himself, the part of him so used to filing away information for later use finding that little tidbit to be very amusing, though at the same time he can't really say he'd use it; He can't blame Reeve, or anyone, for finding Tseng an attractive man. Even Reno had admitted to it once, when Tseng was no where nearby, or his clingy fangirl Elena. No, it was a fairly normal reaction he felt, but it was still interesting.

The other part he does choose to react to, however. "I like both. Or, I should say, I like most animals. Unlike humans, they are easy to understand and want so very little. But can you imagine a man with the personality I put on having a cat as a pet? Although the girls would have ate it up, which they honestly didn't even need more reasons to want to get near me, I could see those back-stabbing fools thinking I was soft.

"I already had enough trouble with Scarlet acting as if I should be just as interested in her as my idiot old man was. Damn hag thought she was attractive to all men and tried to use it to her advantage any chance she got."

"I have a kitten myself," Reeve admits. A tuxedo cat, of course. But not named 'Cait Sith'. Mittens (yes he wasn't too original) was just a wonder. He hoped Tifa really had lived up to her promise to feed and care for the little dear while he was away. Marlene, at least, had seemed excited to have a cat running around the place. "But I think you could do with one. A persian. Long hair, impeccable breeding, and just as sour of an expression as you have."

What? He doesn't mind making some jokes. And then there was that woman that got mentioned. The very mention of her name made him shudder.

"If you do rebuild your company someday, make sure you have a good HR department. To deal with the sorts of lawsuits that are bound to pop up if you have another woman like her. And I was well aware of her harassing nature. I was on the receiving end at a few company parties. And boardroom meetings. Then again, making sure the doors to my level 'malfunctioned' whenever she tried to come down was a good way to avoid it."

"Now, now," He sounds amused as he speaks, even as he somehow manages to retain a straight face. "I never have a sour look on my face, Reeve. You must have me confused for that ex-Turk friend of yours, Vincent. How is he, by the way? Hopefully celebrating Hojo's death."

That said, he makes a snorting sound at Reeve suggesting an HR department.

"One, I don't intend to hire any other women like her, if you can call her a woman in the first place. Two, if the HR department is too good, Reno and Rude are going to be out of a job awfully fast; especially Reno at said company parties, if what I've heard of him dropping his pants freely is true."

"Reno should never be allowed to parties," Reeve shrugs. He has been to those parties, Rufus. He has too much awareness of what Renk's pasty White ass looks like.

As for Vincent... there was a problem if he has ever had one before. The man refused to interact with the world. He could not celebrate. It would likely cause him to melt.

"I have not personally met Mister Valentine. The others, yes, but Vincent is... elusive."

"So that rumor is true, huh? Why am I unsurprised?" He chuckles, and a devilish look comes to his face. "You don't happen to be one of the few who still has pictures, do you? Tseng is such a great bore, he's managed to delete or purge them all, claiming it isn't appropriate for such media to exist on the Turks."

He will ignore the topic of Vincent for a moment in lieu of something more interesting; potentially embarrassing Tseng.

"Why in the world would I take a picture of something like that?" Reeve asked, genuinely confused. "Nothing like that specific instance... But there are other pictures. I was part of the annual holiday cheer committee. I might be able to dig up pictures of Tseng being forced into seasonal hats or masks. Or Rude with chocobo shades. And Reno when he accidentally climbed the tree in the lobby and couldn't get down."

Yes, he has blackmail on the Turks.

Reeve must have said something right, if that purring tone in Rufus' voice is any indication. "Now, that sounds like something I'd enjoy having. Though Rude can be conned into such things by cute girls."

It's honestly a well-known fact, that last bit. Rude was a big man, always looked so serious, but he was rather gentle. Liked kids, so far as Rufus knew, and really liked women with long hair. If he'd been asked, the guy would probably wear a bow or play Santa Clause. Then there were the other rumors, about he and Reno... Those were amusing, and Rufus and the Turks were the only ones with the answer to them.

"Tell me, did you ever give our hag of a woman devil horns for Halloween? And the fat man, he'd have to certainly be a pumpkin; at midnight, he becomes entirely useless."

That earns a scoff from Reeve. "By saying such you imply that he was ever useful. Which is, of course, highly unlikely."

As for Scarlet, he would have preferred to just throw a sheet over her and walk away. The woman was worst when she was drunk. Which she always got at parties. Reeve's secretary earned her yearly bonus by helping him avoid her at parties. He was certain it made Scarlet think he was involved with the poor woman.

"I found a few uses, though he was too stupid to ever realize it. And a sheet would be an offense to ghosts." Sometimes, he did regret the fact he could not attend cooperate events after he was supposedly sent away for business those many years, if only because he wanted sometimes to see the shenanigans his Turks could get up to, and with more than just a camera which wasn't always working on those nights.

Of course, then he'd see the woman they were discussing, and how she hung off his old man and any other man she found with power, and he'd decide he was fine where he was. He'd internally joked, more than once, that it was her who had turned him off to women; if there had actually been a choice, which their hadn't. Actually, she had once told him she could change his mind, which was disgusting on multiple levels, not the least of which he seemed to recall her first pass at him was before he even turned eighteen.

But that wasn't a pleasant thought, and so he let go of it for now, and decided it was a good time to find another tack, another topic. "What about you? Considering Cait Sith, I could see you having some amusing costumes."

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