[Even in a haze Rufus notices that Tseng doesn't just drape the comforter over him but also adjusts his pillows, that little gesture that he doesn't know what to make of tonight.
He's glad that Tseng can't see his smile in the darkness as Tseng heads to the door, sinking into the pillows comfortably with a yawn. He's asleep before Tseng closes the door as he leaves the room.
It only seems like a moment had passed from when he closed his eyes until the blaring sound of his morning alarm goes off, the sound like a hammer to his head.
It takes him a moment to fumble around to turn off the alarm, things slowly coming back to him as he pulls himself up. There is no sign that Tseng had been there last night
The sound is like a hammer to the head but he still manages to pull himself out of bed, taking a moment to try to piece together what happened last night. As the pieces come together he smirks as he picks up his phone, not pausing to think if Tseng is getting some sleep now that he's off duty.]
( there's very little sleep to be had, after he leaves rufus' suite at the shift change; by that time, it's nearly dawn, and rather than pull an all-nighter, he decides to tuck in for a brief cat nap in the office. gratefully, it's a day that reno has off so there's nothing particularly noisy to stab at him, and peacefully, he enjoys the few hours of rest he can before swinging by the showers to clean up and change.
once he's tidied up, it's back to the office for a well-needed cup of coffee. blowing off the top of it, gently, he feels the phone vibrating in his pocket and draws it out, squinting faintly at the contact--and then at the time, surprised. then again, rufus had mentioned something about needing to get up earlier than usual, so perhaps it isn't too shocking.
his lips pulled into a wry grimace, playful, he brings the coffee to his lips for one small swallow. still hot. )
By that you mean you have no memory of it?
( he remembers most of it. the liquor had hit hard, but somehow, he always feels a little more awake after a night of drinking. rufus may have been hit with a bit more of a hangover than he had been. )
[As soon as Rufus pulled himself out of bed he realizes he was too confident in how steady he was feeling. There is a delay in responding to Tseng as he manages to get to the bathroom. He hopes that a few swigs of mouthwash will be enough to cover any smell since there is no time to do anything else as he glances at the time on his phone.
But in the middle of changing clothes, nearly falling over in the most undignified manner with a oof, he still takes a moment to send Tseng a text with a grin.]
I definitely remember you calling me a prince.
[A lot of the night is pieces that he has to put together, he's not sure if that really happened or if it was just something that he had imagined. He's not sure how much Tseng remembers either so he's not sure how Tseng will respond.]
Don't worry, you don't have to call me highness, that may get awkward.
[He has to steady himself again so he didn't have to run back to the bathroom, feeling bile in the back of his throat but he has to pretend to look fine at least for a few hours, ignoring the queasiness and headache that makes the lights feel more intense.]
( immediately, his eyes narrow at the screen--it's a relief that they're not face to face, since he can't say that he would be able to control his expression quite so easily against such a statement; another message pops up, even more infuriating than the last, and he clicks his screen to lock it.
he considers his response, over another long pull of hot coffee, and decides that it would be worst if he ignored rufus' messages entirely--then he would know that it's affecting him.
begrudgingly, he unlocks his phone again. )
Is that so? Perhaps I prefer it. Better to show my respect.
How are you feeling this morning, your highness?
( smug, he takes another sip of coffee. )
I would suggest you eat something before your meeting. That is what you have to do this morning, is it not?
[Rufus can't help but let out a laugh at Tseng's text. The thought of eating something wasn't that appealing but breakfast had been left for him when he came out of his bedroom so he figured he might as well try to take Tseng's advice to eat something.]
I feel perfectly fine, don't worry, darling.
[He's not going to give Tseng the satisfaction of telling him that he felt so bad.
And he's definitely not going to admit that he'll try to eat something because of Tseng's advice, opting for a piece of toast to try to settle his stomach.]
I do, it's going to be exciting. What about you? What are your plans for the day?
[He doesn't care about being nosey, if he's going to be stuck in a board meeting all morning and then pretend to do important things during the day while actually doing pointless busy work during the day then he wants to hear what Tseng gets to do outside the Shinra Building.
He reaches down to scratch between Dark Nation's ears idly as he abandons a half-eaten piece of toast, the last thing he needed was to throw up during the board meeting.]
( in most cases, it's better not to acknowledge rufus' words: better not to let him know that they've affected him at all. correcting the use of that pet name again would surely be telling, so he tries to ignore it.
instead, he wars with the thought of whether to be honest, or not--it doesn't much matter, given that rufus could very easily ask veld or anyone else in the department for his schedule for the day. )
Paperwork, to start. It may be a bit of a light day, given that I was on guard duty last night.
( --which, of course, rufus knows very well. )
What's the topic of your exciting meeting, your Highness? Anything I should know about?
[Rufus can't help but smile as he imagines Tseng's reaction to the pet name even if Tseng doesn't react over text. He likes to assume that he got a reaction and chuckles to himself as he reads the texts.
He was still feeling hungover but at least now he had a little distraction.]
Budget propsoals. The quarterly ritual of humiliation as everyone puts together their department budgets to grovel and pretend that Hojo and Scarlet aren't going to get most of the money.
[He lets Dark Nation finish his toast along with the bacon that came with his breakfast, kissing her on the top of her head before rushing to get dressed.]
At least last night's guard duty was uneventual so I'm sure you will have an easy time with that report.
( after all, he had learned a great deal about rufus otherwise; yet out of respect for both his own job and rufus' reputation, he definitely will not be including any of it for anyone to read.
like always, he keeps those things in memory only. )
Do let me know if you encounter any difficulties in your day, sir. And keep the coffee to a minimum, or at least balance it with water.
[Rufus pauses to read Tseng's messages as he gets dressed, trying to make himself look passably presentable before grabbing the leather folio with his copies of the paperwork for the meeting.
He can't help but smile at the last bit, glad that Tseng isn't able to see him now.] If I encounter any difficulties will you come personally to help me?
[He knows Tseng isn't on duty today but part of him selfishly wants to take Tseng up on that offer if today is yet another day that leaves him frustrated and angry from having to deal with his father.]
( this is what he wanted, isn't it? there are benefits to being trusted by the son of shinra, benefits that could help him, or even the turks as a whole, in the long run; is this why veld seems to have little problem with them interacting together? he might not be particularly fond of rufus, but he has to keep this going for the sake of his future.
maybe. or maybe he's finding it harder and harder to dislike him, in the end. he brushes that thought aside.
instead, there's a low, soft breath--shaking his head, he continues: )
If it's after my afternoon nap.
( a bit of humor? from him? stranger things have happened. )
You would have a more comfortable afternoon nap in my rooms.
[And before it crosses his mind that maybe he shouldn't cross this line he hits send. He's not sure what he's opening the door to, especially with someone who was probably manipulating him on Veld's orders.
It was a bad idea but the text was sent, there is no undoing it even if he wants to.
Rufus barely registers anyone around him as he takes his seat at the boardroom table, not even Hojo sitting by him distracts him as he waits for Tseng's response. But before there is any response his father clears his throat, giving Rufus a pointed look as the meeting starts.
It's hard to focus through the meeting, especially when he hears the soft vibrating of a received message. He knows his father notices he's distracted and barely focused, he doesn't have to look at him to see that.
It's not until after a long meeting that is pretty much a blur and another fight with his father about how Rufus was a disappointing heir, not worthy to take the throne, so to speak.
When he gets to his office he finally takes out his phone, placing it face down on the desk for a moment. He's not sure what answer he's going to get but finally, he turns his phone over.]
( what a precocious thing to say--and a terrible thing, at that.
it's precisely the sort of thing he would expect from rufus, in the end, which is why it nearly makes him laugh: luckily, he's still alone, without anyone to witness the once in a lifetime act. he lingers on it for a long time, considering what to say, how it might be best to react. he knows his gut reaction all too well: which is a little terrifying, when it comes down to it.
still, there's nothing too dangerous at risk here. not yet, anyway.
pursing his lips, he sends a reply: )
Not if you aren't there to accompany me.
( with some surprise, he doesn't get a message back. it hangs there, pending, and after a few minutes, he resolves not to check his phone again. stuffing it into his pocket, he goes about the day in a caffeinated haze, tending to only a small, short nap before finishing up the paperwork for the day.
veld doesn't seem to take any issue with him, or his usual reticence; the day passes by relatively quickly, in the end, bleeding into late afternoon, and he's almost at a loss for what to do with himself. a rare evening free is bewildering--especially with no answer from rufus. )
[Rufus tries to shuffle papers around to at least make an attempt to be busy- he hears his phone vibrate but he knows it would be a terrible idea to give in so easily, especially letting Tseng in. He is certain that Veld's motives are to use Tseng to control Rufus, it would make sense.
But even with that suspicion he finally turns his phone over to look at Tseng's message. He doesn't care about the risk now as he sends his response.]
( it's ridiculous, isn't it? this isn't akin to the way that reno literally flirts with danger, or rather, with the enemy: it's more like climbing a tall ladder, one slippery with oil and ice, and expecting not to miss a rung and pivot down to the ground. nothing about this is particularly safe, and nothing about it nets him more than rufus shinra's potential trust, and more information, if needed, for veld where necessary, but it isn't as though he's going to make some huge breakthrough, or be able to take any credit for anything he discovers.
he wants to tell himself that he doesn't have any feeling, other than annoyance and the required amount of respect, for the other man--but messages like these are difficult, especially when he's tired, worn out, and struggling to make it through the long afternoon hours. rufus' bed is surely much nicer than the relatively standard one he has in his apartment; he isn't there often enough yet to even begin to make it more his own.
so perhaps his fingers type without his permission: )
That's surprisingly gracious of you.
An hour?
( if rufus really means it, he's about to find out. )
[He had expected Tseng to decline the offer but he can't stop himself from smiling as he reads the text. Letting Tseng close was dangerous, he knew he should know better but he doesn't stop himself from sending a reply.]
1 hour.
[There is no point in playing pretend and sitting in an empty office doing exactly nothing father could notice him leaving early but he doesn't care as he shuffles papers into a neat stack before getting up.
No one stops him on his way to his rooms, Dark Nation is sent to her bed where she settles down without protest when he gets there. It's quiet despite it being the middle of the day and he kicks his shoes off before laying out on the bed to give himself a chance to gather his thoughts.
Normally his room was his sanctuary away from everything, away from his father, the scheming, the board room politics, but he had invited Tseng here anyway, had let him in so openly. He shouldn't trust Tseng so much but he's found himself wanting to despite that.
He glances at the clock, watching the minutes tick by as he waits.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2023-03-06 06:25 am (UTC)[Even in a haze Rufus notices that Tseng doesn't just drape the comforter over him but also adjusts his pillows, that little gesture that he doesn't know what to make of tonight.
He's glad that Tseng can't see his smile in the darkness as Tseng heads to the door, sinking into the pillows comfortably with a yawn. He's asleep before Tseng closes the door as he leaves the room.
It only seems like a moment had passed from when he closed his eyes until the blaring sound of his morning alarm goes off, the sound like a hammer to his head.
It takes him a moment to fumble around to turn off the alarm, things slowly coming back to him as he pulls himself up. There is no sign that Tseng had been there last night
The sound is like a hammer to the head but he still manages to pull himself out of bed, taking a moment to try to piece together what happened last night. As the pieces come together he smirks as he picks up his phone, not pausing to think if Tseng is getting some sleep now that he's off duty.]
Last night was truly unforgettable.
no subject
Date: 2023-03-12 02:47 am (UTC)once he's tidied up, it's back to the office for a well-needed cup of coffee. blowing off the top of it, gently, he feels the phone vibrating in his pocket and draws it out, squinting faintly at the contact--and then at the time, surprised. then again, rufus had mentioned something about needing to get up earlier than usual, so perhaps it isn't too shocking.
his lips pulled into a wry grimace, playful, he brings the coffee to his lips for one small swallow. still hot. )
By that you mean you have no memory of it?
( he remembers most of it. the liquor had hit hard, but somehow, he always feels a little more awake after a night of drinking. rufus may have been hit with a bit more of a hangover than he had been. )
no subject
Date: 2023-03-20 06:12 am (UTC)But in the middle of changing clothes, nearly falling over in the most undignified manner with a oof, he still takes a moment to send Tseng a text with a grin.]
I definitely remember you calling me a prince.
[A lot of the night is pieces that he has to put together, he's not sure if that really happened or if it was just something that he had imagined. He's not sure how much Tseng remembers either so he's not sure how Tseng will respond.]
Don't worry, you don't have to call me highness, that may get awkward.
[He has to steady himself again so he didn't have to run back to the bathroom, feeling bile in the back of his throat but he has to pretend to look fine at least for a few hours, ignoring the queasiness and headache that makes the lights feel more intense.]
no subject
Date: 2023-03-29 12:58 am (UTC)he considers his response, over another long pull of hot coffee, and decides that it would be worst if he ignored rufus' messages entirely--then he would know that it's affecting him.
begrudgingly, he unlocks his phone again. )
Is that so? Perhaps I prefer it. Better to show my respect.
How are you feeling this morning, your highness?
( smug, he takes another sip of coffee. )
I would suggest you eat something before your meeting. That is what you have to do this morning, is it not?
no subject
Date: 2023-04-01 05:57 am (UTC)I feel perfectly fine, don't worry, darling.
[He's not going to give Tseng the satisfaction of telling him that he felt so bad.
And he's definitely not going to admit that he'll try to eat something because of Tseng's advice, opting for a piece of toast to try to settle his stomach.]
I do, it's going to be exciting. What about you? What are your plans for the day?
[He doesn't care about being nosey, if he's going to be stuck in a board meeting all morning and then pretend to do important things during the day while actually doing pointless busy work during the day then he wants to hear what Tseng gets to do outside the Shinra Building.
He reaches down to scratch between Dark Nation's ears idly as he abandons a half-eaten piece of toast, the last thing he needed was to throw up during the board meeting.]
no subject
Date: 2023-04-30 03:03 am (UTC)instead, he wars with the thought of whether to be honest, or not--it doesn't much matter, given that rufus could very easily ask veld or anyone else in the department for his schedule for the day. )
Paperwork, to start. It may be a bit of a light day, given that I was on guard duty last night.
( --which, of course, rufus knows very well. )
What's the topic of your exciting meeting, your Highness? Anything I should know about?
no subject
Date: 2023-05-01 03:09 am (UTC)He was still feeling hungover but at least now he had a little distraction.]
Budget propsoals. The quarterly ritual of humiliation as everyone puts together their department budgets to grovel and pretend that Hojo and Scarlet aren't going to get most of the money.
[He lets Dark Nation finish his toast along with the bacon that came with his breakfast, kissing her on the top of her head before rushing to get dressed.]
At least last night's guard duty was uneventual so I'm sure you will have an easy time with that report.
no subject
Date: 2023-05-16 01:16 am (UTC)( after all, he had learned a great deal about rufus otherwise; yet out of respect for both his own job and rufus' reputation, he definitely will not be including any of it for anyone to read.
like always, he keeps those things in memory only. )
Do let me know if you encounter any difficulties in your day, sir. And keep the coffee to a minimum, or at least balance it with water.
no subject
Date: 2023-05-18 03:21 am (UTC)He can't help but smile at the last bit, glad that Tseng isn't able to see him now.] If I encounter any difficulties will you come personally to help me?
[He knows Tseng isn't on duty today but part of him selfishly wants to take Tseng up on that offer if today is yet another day that leaves him frustrated and angry from having to deal with his father.]
no subject
Date: 2023-05-26 01:40 am (UTC)maybe. or maybe he's finding it harder and harder to dislike him, in the end. he brushes that thought aside.
instead, there's a low, soft breath--shaking his head, he continues: )
If it's after my afternoon nap.
( a bit of humor? from him? stranger things have happened. )
no subject
Date: 2023-05-28 11:27 pm (UTC)[And before it crosses his mind that maybe he shouldn't cross this line he hits send. He's not sure what he's opening the door to, especially with someone who was probably manipulating him on Veld's orders.
It was a bad idea but the text was sent, there is no undoing it even if he wants to.
Rufus barely registers anyone around him as he takes his seat at the boardroom table, not even Hojo sitting by him distracts him as he waits for Tseng's response. But before there is any response his father clears his throat, giving Rufus a pointed look as the meeting starts.
It's hard to focus through the meeting, especially when he hears the soft vibrating of a received message. He knows his father notices he's distracted and barely focused, he doesn't have to look at him to see that.
It's not until after a long meeting that is pretty much a blur and another fight with his father about how Rufus was a disappointing heir, not worthy to take the throne, so to speak.
When he gets to his office he finally takes out his phone, placing it face down on the desk for a moment. He's not sure what answer he's going to get but finally, he turns his phone over.]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-16 11:42 pm (UTC)it's precisely the sort of thing he would expect from rufus, in the end, which is why it nearly makes him laugh: luckily, he's still alone, without anyone to witness the once in a lifetime act. he lingers on it for a long time, considering what to say, how it might be best to react. he knows his gut reaction all too well: which is a little terrifying, when it comes down to it.
still, there's nothing too dangerous at risk here. not yet, anyway.
pursing his lips, he sends a reply: )
Not if you aren't there to accompany me.
( with some surprise, he doesn't get a message back. it hangs there, pending, and after a few minutes, he resolves not to check his phone again. stuffing it into his pocket, he goes about the day in a caffeinated haze, tending to only a small, short nap before finishing up the paperwork for the day.
veld doesn't seem to take any issue with him, or his usual reticence; the day passes by relatively quickly, in the end, bleeding into late afternoon, and he's almost at a loss for what to do with himself. a rare evening free is bewildering--especially with no answer from rufus. )
no subject
Date: 2023-06-18 02:39 am (UTC)But even with that suspicion he finally turns his phone over to look at Tseng's message. He doesn't care about the risk now as he sends his response.]
I'll be there then. I'll even let you use my bed.
no subject
Date: 2023-11-27 02:13 am (UTC)he wants to tell himself that he doesn't have any feeling, other than annoyance and the required amount of respect, for the other man--but messages like these are difficult, especially when he's tired, worn out, and struggling to make it through the long afternoon hours. rufus' bed is surely much nicer than the relatively standard one he has in his apartment; he isn't there often enough yet to even begin to make it more his own.
so perhaps his fingers type without his permission: )
That's surprisingly gracious of you.
An hour?
( if rufus really means it, he's about to find out. )
no subject
Date: 2023-12-03 12:02 am (UTC)1 hour.
[There is no point in playing pretend and sitting in an empty office doing exactly nothing father could notice him leaving early but he doesn't care as he shuffles papers into a neat stack before getting up.
No one stops him on his way to his rooms, Dark Nation is sent to her bed where she settles down without protest when he gets there. It's quiet despite it being the middle of the day and he kicks his shoes off before laying out on the bed to give himself a chance to gather his thoughts.
Normally his room was his sanctuary away from everything, away from his father, the scheming, the board room politics, but he had invited Tseng here anyway, had let him in so openly. He shouldn't trust Tseng so much but he's found himself wanting to despite that.
He glances at the clock, watching the minutes tick by as he waits.]