SNAP

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By: Albedosreqium / Soyna Setting: After Dirge and Advent are said and done. Rating, Genre and Warnings: PG. Loyalty/hurt.  Some swearing and moody Rufus.  There is some cuteness as well. Characters:   Tseng, Rufus and of course, another favourite character of mine is here, only able to mention the character though, as Cloud killed her. Disclaimer All related Final Fantasy names and characters are copyrighted by the almighty Square Enix©.  I do not profit from this endeavour.

Summary and Additional Information: For the tsengxrufus contest with the theme memories.

Sometimes, you don't have to tell someone your memories for them to know that you are having them.  Actions speak louder than words.  

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Tseng had offered to be the liaison for the new negotiations that were occurring with the WRO and Wutai.  Tseng knew that it would be hard on Rufus as he easily became irritable and distant when under stress.  Rufus insisted that he be involved with a lifted chin and a stern tone of voice.  "Quit treating me like I'm made of glass, Tseng," Rufus had said, "I would have broken long ago if that were the case."

Tseng relented, despite his concerns for his health, and he had made the arrangements to travel to Wutai.

The first issue to arise was that Rufus didn't want to use his wheelchair.  He wanted to present a stronger front and pronounced that 'they won't take a cripple seriously'.  He wanted to be more than a ghost in charge of an empire that was now only existing in the shadows.  Tseng understood why he wanted to show strength, but the only way that Rufus could walk for any length of time was to don his leg braces.

The President would wake in the morning and look at the braces with disdain, but go through the process of donning them and hiding them under the baggy pants of his white suit.  Rufus had bruises and sores from the few places where the braces rubbed against his skin.  The President kept up his façade for the first week, but the second week Rufus' nerves and fatigue showed through.  

Rufus loathed the braces and he let Tseng know at every opportunity how much he truly detested them.  Rufus hated walking with a cane, as he needed the extra balance when the bindings did not move as freely as he would have liked.  Rufus complained about how antiquated the braces were and would often pester the poor doctors as to why they didn't have anything better.  Rufus would often spout off how it would have been better if he had lost is legs completely because then, he could at least have a replacement.

It was an argument he left for Rufus to talk to the doctors about.

Rufus had been doing well despite the fact that he was in quite a bit of discomfort most of the days, and it was the second week that he would show it more.

It took Tseng a few days to understand that it was more than just the leg braces that were making the President become extremely and easily irritated.

When Reeve walked into the room with Cait cradled in his arms after a break in the meeting, Tseng thought that Rufus was going to break the pen that was in his hands, as his knuckles went absolutely white.  Cait proceeded to sit by Reeve on the table for the rest of the day's precedings.  Thankfully Cait only commented every now and then, only to be silenced by Reeve scratching under the mechanical cat's chin or stroking his back.

These actions would cause Rufus to clench his fists under the table and his tone to harden.  Tseng observed the action and wondered the cause.  Most people were annoyed by the robotic Cait, but this was a little more than usual.

He observed and tried to see what else was bothering Rufus, because it couldn't just be the annoying robot.

It was when Yuffie decided to barge into the meeting announcing in her loud and high-pitched voice, "I am supposed to be here as I am the princess of Wutai, so deal with it!"   She then promptly sat beside her father and asked what was going on.

Rufus grinded his teeth together as she sat there with a large bandersnatch that had followed her in, and it put its paws on the table, slobbering over the food that was there for everyone.  "Get your pet under control," Rufus growled.  

The argument was loud and Yuffie left, snapping her fingers over her shoulder.  The large bandersnatch followed, but not before taking some more food off the table, and it followed its master out of the meeting.

It was an action that Tseng had observed in the past at various other meetings.  Tseng couldn't suppress the smile at the old memories.

He could see that Rufus was not pleased and demanded that the meeting end for the day.  Everyone else easily agreed as the day was nearly over as it were.  Tseng watched the rest of the week as Rufus' eye would always wander to Cait or to Yuffie if she brought her bandersnatch, or to how the two would often, without thinking, run their hands over the fur when they were talking.  Rufus would focus on that action and stop paying attention in the meeting altogether.

When the meeting was over and the arrangements were made to leave, Rufus was trying to suppress a pout and not quite succeeding.  Tseng didn't blame Rufus.  He didn't like to travel with Reno all that much either, but he had made arrangements to make a stop before he joined them back at Healen.

"I can fly just fine, yo," Reno said as he dealt with the cranky President.  "We got yer chair, so ya can take off those braces now, ya know."

"I will walk to the helicopter, like how I walked off the helicopter.  You can keep the damn chair in there," Rufus snapped and then turned his anger to Tseng.  "What the hell is so important that you are not returning with us?"

Tseng just tilted his head slightly and looked at the annoyed President.  Rufus' anger did not faze him, as he was used to his moods and flashes of anger.  "There are some matters that are better left unsaid until they are completed."  Tseng started to walk away as he had other things to get ready before he departed in his own helicopter.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Rufus complained but couldn't follow after him as his leg braces stilted his walk — something that Tseng had counted on.

"Ensure that his bruises are tended to, and that he takes those braces off when he returns," Tseng said simply to Rude who was pulling the cart with the baggage.  "And make certain that Reno doesn't toss him around in the helicopter to 'give him something to complain about'."

Rude just nodded and joined them at the helicopter, and Tseng went to finalize his plans.  He could hear Rufus and Reno fighting, but he knew Rude would keep them in line.

---

The barn was almost like it was the last time Tseng had visited.  The red that painted the sides was a little faded from before, but the fence was freshly painted.  The place was hardly changed; even the old farmer sitting on the porch of the pale blue house was unchanged. Instead of smoking a cigarette, he was chewing on some grass and he had a little more grey in his hair and wrinkles on his face.

Time had moved forward for the farm, but it seemed to be struggling to stay as it had been in the past.

"Yer early," the old man on the porch said as he stood with ease and walked towards him.

"Traffic was favourable," Tseng simply said as he stood in front of the farmer.

"Well, let's get down to business then.  This way," the farmer said and led him to the barn.

Tseng followed in silence.

He had not been a Turk for very long the last time he was here.  He had come here with President Randal Shinra and young Rufus.  Rufus had been nothing but a boy then that was pretending to be a man.  Forced to be older than he was, due to the expectation his father had lain upon him.  They had originally come to the farm to check out his father's racing chocobos.  The boy was bored out of his mind as the adults all talked about the latest attributes of the blue chocobo and how it was sure to win at the Gold Saucer.

Tseng had followed behind Rufus as he kicked at the straw with his hands in his pockets, grumbling about how dirty it was there and how boring chocobos were.  Everyone else was on the track, watching how well the bird was running, and Rufus had decided that he wanted to be miserable in the barn.

"Do you have to follow me?" Rufus said and glared at him.

Tseng didn't say anything in response.  He just kept his distance from the boy and followed.  It was better than to get in an argument with him; Tseng had seen how he interacted with the others and reacted to those that he confronted.  He already knew how to behave around the boy.  He could see the frustration lit around his features before Rufus turned his back on him and traveled deeper in the barn.

"Nothing but big, lame chickens," Rufus muttered as he looked from pen to pen, only glancing at the birds that were as bored with him as he was with them.

That was until they reached the last pen.  Rufus' stance changed completely as he pulled up so that he could see over the gate of the last stall.  Tseng heard the repressed exclamation of delight.

He followed behind the boy and looked over the rail, and was slightly alarmed to see two small guard hounds there.  These creatures were not listed in the security briefing they had before they came to the farm.  They were curled up against each other and sleeping peacefully.

Not a threat, at least not yet.

"Guard hounds!" Rufus said in an excited voice before he could stop himself.  He cleared his throat and tried to sound more like an adult.  "Black ones!"

Tseng nodded as he looked down at them.  Yes, they were black ones.  His understanding was that they were rare in guard hounds to be of that colour.  The ones that were in the lab were often brown, reddish, or had spots.  One of the dark creatures opened a white eye and blinked at them, but did not move.

"I'd be careful there, little one."  They both turned to see the farmer walking in carrying a chocobo saddle. "They are a little temperamental since they lost their mother.  Wait until they wake up and see what kind of mood they're in."

Rufus' eyes grew wide.  "They lost their mom?  How?"  Rufus seemed horrified at the prospect.

"Some monsters got 'er," the man said as he looked over the stable wall with him.  "She was a good mother to them, but she was protecting my herd and these two from the horns that attacked.  It was a shame.  She was a good hound."

"That's horrible!" Rufus said and he looked back down at the two puppies.  One was starting to stand.  It stretched out its front paws and pushed its butt in the air.  For a moment there was an illusion of a tail as her tentacle twitched down her back before it swayed to the side, showing that it was connected below its shoulders.  

The hound looked up at them and gave a small little jump and yip.

The farmer laughed. "I think she likes you."

Rufus smiled.  "Do you think so?  Can I pet her?"  Rufus was nearly leaning over into the pen before he was given permission.  The hound bounded right to him and jumped against the stall door, demanding attention.

The farmer turned to him. "She's a kind one and won't bite."

Tseng nodded.

He couldn't have stopped Rufus, even if he tried.  Rufus' smile had been so genuine and innocent as he eagerly opened the door, and the small hound bounded against him, giving him sloppy licks of appreciation.  It was seldom that Tseng had ever seen Rufus so uninhibited than when he first handled the puppy.  Tseng did not stop him from begging and pleading with his father to take home the guard hound; the guard hound that would eventually become his loyal companion and confidant.

Dark Nation.

Tseng had not thought of the absence of her for quite awhile.  There had been so many things that had occurred since he had lost her to the battle with Cloud.  He did not remember Rufus ever mourning the loss of her.   Maybe he never allowed himself.

It was not something they talked about.

"We don't have a black girl like ya were askin' 'bout on the phone, but we do have a girl with some grey spots," the man said, bringing Tseng out of his memories.  He looked down at the three puppies that were jumping around an adult guard hound that looked like she needed to be rescued from her children.

Tseng looked at the puppies and remembered the young, unrestrained laugh as Rufus' father gave in and allowed him to keep the young puppy.  It was one of the few times that he had ever seen Rufus hug his father.

"What is her temperament like?" Tseng asked as the farmer reached down and lifted the puppy up.  She wiggled and struggled in his grasp as he pulled her to his chest.  The farmer let out a laugh that was deeper and raspier than in the past, evidence that the man had smoked and lived a harsh and rugged life.

"Feisty," he said as he held her firm.  The puppy wiggled and licked the man's face nearly viciously.

He watched her wiggle for a moment and sighed, "I'm afraid that Rufus is not as young as or as agile as he used to be.  I would prefer one that had a calmer temperament."

The farmer grunted and let down the squirming puppy that quickly bounded and attacked another one of the puppies who quickly flipped her and sent her yipping to her mother.  "What about that one?"

"Oh, he's a brute," the farmer said, shaking his head.  "Doesn't like much of anyone or anything."

Tseng smirked.  "I'll take that one."

---

Tseng carried the box into the villa at Healen.  He ignored Reno who promptly stood and started to complain about the black eye that he had gained.  Rufus had very good aim and tended to throw things when he couldn't retaliate any other way.  This was not the first time that Reno had a black eye, and it was most likely for something that he deserved as well.

Reno stopped complaining. "What's in the box, Bossman?"  The box wiggled and growled, answering the question.  Reno's eyebrows shot up.  "You brought home a monster?"

"Something like that," Tseng said as he walked past Reno and into the room where Rufus stayed.

Rufus turned, looking briefly annoyed at being disturbed.  He was sitting in his wheelchair, the blanket was not covering him and his hand was pressing against his eyepatch.  Tseng could see that he was trying to hide his fatigue.  Rufus moved his hand from his eye before he glanced over at them with an annoyed look.

Tseng could feel Reno following him and didn't stop him.  He noticed that there was a dent in the far wall and Rufus' leg braces had been thrown carelessly earlier.  He wondered if that was what hit Reno to have cause him the discoloured eye.

Rufus glanced up.  "Are you going to tell me where you went?"  His one clear eye focused on the box in his hand.  "What is that?"

Tseng set the box down and opened it.  He pulled out the puppy that growled as he picked him up and its tentacle whipped around slightly.  He put the creature on the floor.

He looked to Rufus and saw that he had frozen in his chair and there was a shocked look on his face.

"Great, another fuckin' mutt," Tseng heard Reno mumble.  Reno never got along with Dark Nation, and Tseng ignored his remark.  Reno's opinion didn't matter.

The guard hound walked forward, towards Rufus, with a slow and tentative walk as it looked around the room.

"Why?" Rufus said as he watched the puppy a little nervously.  Tseng could see his hands gripping his knees.

"I know you miss her," Tseng responded and moved to stand at Rufus' right side.

Tseng snapped his fingers, causing the puppy to jump but walk towards him.  Tseng bent down and picked up the hound.  The puppy grumbled and growled as he picked it up and placed it on Rufus' lap.  Rufus gave a small gasp and seemed unsure if he should touch the monster.  "I cannot replace her but I can give something close."

Tseng took a single step back.  The puppy grumbled and looked up at Rufus, as though assessing him before he pushed his head against his chest.  Rufus' hand went to a familiar spot at the base of the tentacle and scratched.  The puppy made a small yip and leaned into the touch.

Tseng was pleased to see that there was a smile forming on the President's face.  The puppy settled in on his lap, resting its head on its paws as Rufus continued to scratch.

"What's his name?" Rufus asked.

"That's for you to decide."

Rufus seemed to contemplate it for a moment, becoming more comfortable and more relaxed as he petted the hound on his lap.  "I think I will name him Snap," Rufus said and as tension seeped out of his shoulders.  "What do you think, boy?" he asked of the puppy.

The puppy grunted.  Rufus actually laughed.  It was a small snort but it was more than Rufus' had done in years, since he had lost Dark Nation, who had been nearly the only reason that Rufus had ever smiled.  "I think he likes it."

"I agree," Tseng said.

"Great.  As long as I don't have ta clean up its shit, yo," Reno grumbled.  Snap turned its small head towards the redhead Turk and gave a small growl.  Reno sneered back at it and left the room.

Rufus still had a smile on his face as he now scratched behind its ear. "That's a good boy."  It was as soft as he heard Rufus' voice in a long time.  

"I shall leave you two," Tseng said and started to walk out of the room himself.  There was always more work to do and it was time to let them bond.

"Tseng," Rufus called.

"Sir?"

"Thank you," Rufus said and looked at the black ball on his lap, his hands shaking slightly as he did so.

"Of course, sir," Tseng said and was glad to see that there was a smile on his face; an uninhibited smile that had always been reserved for Dark Nation.  A smile that Tseng had discovered at this moment that he had missed seeing on his face, and was grateful that he was able to cause it to return.