PERFECTLY FLAWED 3.
Tseng stood at the helipad, watching his Turks walk across it to get to the waiting helicopter. ”Listen up,” he said, looking over them as they all stood at attention in front of him. ”Your mission is to get our agent out as quick and as you can. In the helicopter there is a bomb, and you,” he pointed at Rude, ”Will place it at the main structure so it will cause as much damage as possible. Once activated, it has a fifteen minute clock, and by then you all better be far away from there, with our agent.”
”Maximum intolerance, sir?” Reno asked.
”Maximum intolerance,” Tseng said, ”Just get the team back in one piece.”
The helicopter started up and the rotor blades slowly picked up pace. ”SIR?” Reno asked as he walked past Tseng, ”WORKED LATE LAST NIGHT, HUH?”
”WHAT?” Tseng yelled back.
”WORKED LATE?” Reno repeated.
Tseng stared blankly at Reno, ”GET IN THE CHOPPER RENO,” he yelled.
He watched the helicopter take off, and as it disappeared in the horizon he turned and went inside again. He knew that today Zack had been requested by Angeal to accompany him on a mission. Tseng was glad that Zack was being given the more high profile jobs for Shinra, which in turn meant that he would probably get his promotion soon, the promotion that Tseng knew he wanted so much. It was not his job to brief Zack, so he went directly to the president, to announce that the Turks had left for their mission, and if all went smoothly, they would be back sometime around midnight. /Worked late?/ Reno's words rang in Tseng's head, had he seen him? If so, what was he doing out at that time?
Turning a corner he was so lost in thought that he didn't see that someone else had rounded the same corner, and as a result walked straight into the taller man. His eyes flew open as he smelled leather and patchouli. Genesis! He slowly looked up at the satisfied smirk of the redhead. ”Tseng,” Genesis cooed, ”I always knew you'd come running back in my arms.”
Tseng cleared his throat, ”Sorry, I didn't see you there.”
Genesis arched a perfectly trimmed brow, ”And who might it be preoccupying the leader of the fearless Turks to that extent?”
Tseng frowned slightly, but didn't move, ”Who said it was a person? I just sent my team off on a mission. That's all.”
”The rookie too?” Genesis asked softly, like he was genuinely interested.
'Cept Tseng knew he wasn't, ”Reno? Yeah, the rookie too.”
”Bold, I must say,” Genesis said with a smile. Leaning casually against the wall, blocking the way for Tseng. Genesis pushed down his immaculately white shirt collar, and smirked, ”That my friend, is a massive love bite. I wonder who dared mark you.” Tseng grew flustered much to his own grievance. Genesis laughed amused, ”Well, I know it wasn't me.” He looked down on his slender hand with perfectly manicured nails, ”Besides, I would never leave such a vulgar display of my special attention.”
Tseng resisted the urge to roll his eyes, special attention indeed, they had fucked, just like he had fucked others, nothing special 'bout that. ”Why do you care?” Tseng finally said, ”Anyway, its none if your business whom I allow in my bed.”
Genesis looked from his hand up at Tseng, ”More like your desk, I heard. Naughty, naughty, Tseng.”
He should have lied, he should have kept his poker face, but instead he just stared wide eyed at Genesis, ”What? Who told you that?”
The red haired man smiled overbearingly, tenderly brushing a stray lock of Tseng's hair back in place. ”Maybe because I know you're a kinky little thing?” he said innocently.
”Maybe you shouldn't believe everything you hear,” Tseng stated sourly, crossing his arms over his chest in childish defence.
Genesis laughed in earnest, loud and merry, ”Gods Tseng, is it so hard to admit?” Tseng didn't answer, he just glared daggers at Genesis. Genesis smiled and ran a thumb gently over Tseng's cheekbone down to the corner of his mouth, ”Very well little kitty, you keep your unkept secret for now.”
As Tseng opened his mouth to answer, Genesis slipped his thumb inside the moist cave, forcing Tseng's lower lip down. ”I already know, I just wanted to hear it from you,” Genesis whispered softly, tilting Tseng's head upwards, and slowly leant in for a kiss, a toe curling long kiss.
As they broke apart, Tseng just stood and stared at Genesis all cross-eyed like a young boy, ”What did you do that for?” he whispered, clearing his throat.
”'Cause you're a good kisser?” Genesis said with a innocent smile.
”Liar,” Tseng pouted, feeling twenty years younger than he was, and half expecting them to embark in a 'Is too, is not' game in a second. ”Alright!” Tseng exclaimed, ”Alright!”
Genesis just looked at Tseng, still with that obnoxious knowing smile on his lips.
”Zack Fair, okay? Zack made that mark. Now leave it alone Genesis,” Tseng said, and to his annoyance felt a slight burning sensation in his cheeks, closing his eyes embarrassed, knowing he blushed like a damn girl.
”I hear he has a massive... you know...” Genesis leered, ”Is that true Tseng dear?”
”Shut up!” Tseng hissed, ”I told you alright, now let me pass.”
Genesis patted Tseng's head with a nod, ”I thought you guys were trained to withstand white hot pokers and truth serums, and here you are spilling your beans over a kiss?” He shrugged, ”I'll be sure to let him know you blushed.”
”What!” Tseng's head snapped up.
”I have a session with him in the Hologram room, in...” Genesis tapped his lip thoughtfully, ”Uhm, I think it was ten minutes ago actually.”
”Don't you dare!” Tseng was mortified, not sure how to react.
”Come on, little kitty...” Genesis laughed as he brushed past Tseng towards the exit and the elevator, ”I could teach him a trick or two.”
”Genesis,” Tseng growled, but his warning was ridiculed by the last ten minutes of behaving like a flustered teenager.
Genesis stepped inside the elevator, holding the door open with a booted foot, ”I'm your friend Tseng, but I have to admit, he is a hot little piece of ass.”
Tseng took a step towards the elevator and Genesis withdrew his foot. Tseng could swear he could hear him chuckle all the way to Sublevel 5. Bastard.
-*-
”So,” Reno said, reaching over the table to get some sauce for the dinner that had been reheated for them upon their arrival home. ”Quite the impressive tattoo you have, Sir.” His lips crept up in a good mannered smirk.
”Why thank you Reno,” Tseng said flatly, sipping his coffee. He had eaten earlier, and was just here to see his team, and of course celebrate a mission well done.
”You have a tattoo, Sir?” Cissnei asked leaning in over the table looking at Tseng, ”I never picked you for being tattooed.”
”Well, I do,” Tseng said, ”Now, can we let the matter rest?”
”What is it?” Cissnei asked, not Tseng, but Reno.
”A tiger of some sorts, I think,” Reno said, laughing nervously as he realised he had just given himself away.
”A panther,” Tseng sighed, ”I have a panther tattoo.” He stared at the Turks with narrow eyes, deadly serious, ”Now can we please return to the subject?”
-*-
Tseng was still scribbling down some notes as the Turks got up to leave the dinner. ”Where is it?” he heard Cissnei whisper to Reno.
”His back,” Reno answered, winking at her.
Tseng cleared his throat. ”Reno? Would you kindly stay, I need to have a word with you in private.”
”Sure thing, Boss,” Reno said sticking his hands unceremoniously in his pockets as he nonchalantly sauntered back to Tseng.
Tseng put down his pen, which echoed throughout the empty dining hall. ”So you saw me.”
”Saw you? Sir?” Reno asked. As Tseng just gave him a pointed look, Reno nodded with a wordless 'oooh', ”In the window yesterday, yes Sir, I did.”
Tseng cleared his throat and laced his fingers under his chin, staring at Reno, ”Which would have to mean that you were still outside past your curfew.”
Reno squirmed and nodded, ”Yeah well Cloud wanted something that we had to walk across town to get, Sir.” Tseng rose an inquisitive eyebrow, ”A special dish, unique to his outback village apparently, and you can only get it in one damn diner here in Sector Five.”
”Is that so,” Tseng said, overbearingly.
”As a matter of fact it is,” Reno stated, and then smiled, ”It was not on purpose we noticed. It's just... eh, just...”
Tseng waited on Reno with mock patience, 'cause all he wanted to do was to slap that little idiot across the face, and tell him to mind his own business.
”Just that I never thought of you as... someone who... had... err,” Reno's voice dropped to silence. He looked down at his hands on the table, fidgeting helplessly, and Tseng had no intention what so ever of helping him out. ”Romantic affairs,” Reno finally mumbled.
”So, you thought I was born without a libido?” Tseng smiled amused, ”Surprise! I'm not. And as I said, it is none of your business. Remember this for the future, kid.”
”Yes, Sir,” Reno mumbled. Looking up at Tseng as he was about to get up from his seat, his smile widened to a grin, ”I know it is not my business, Sir, but when I was leaving I saw him in the hall aiming for the elevator, he was carrying a laundry bag, so I can only suppose he went to Sublevel 2.”
Tseng clipped the pen to his block with a superior expression, ”Laundry?”
”Soldiers do that you know,” Reno said with a smile, ”Their own laundry.”
Tseng nodded, he actually didn't know that. ”Very well,” he said with a slight smile, ”You're off the hook this time Reno, but for the future, don't miss curfew.” And with that Tseng turned on his heels and went straight for the elevator, not to go upwards to his office, but to go down to Sublevel 2 and see if he could catch Zack. He didn't really know why, he just felt it was important to see him before he left with Angeal.
-*-
He stepped out into the dim light of the corridors of Sublevel 2. Signs pointed in different directions, 'bath', 'laundry' and 'kitchen'. He turned left and went for the laundry, but on the way he passed the bath. The door was open and curiosity more than anything else made him peek inside, it held room for at least fifty people here. Impressive. He walked down to the laundry, the only sound here was a washing machine slowly rotating, and Tseng's hard soles on the concrete floor. He opened the door to the laundry, and grinned like an idiot as he saw Zack only wearing a towel, tongue poking out his cheek while he tried to fold some clothes.
”Hey,” Tseng said grinning as Zack looked up in complete mortified horror.
”Tseng! I mean... how did you?... Sir!” Zack blurted out, surprised.
”I have my sources,” Tseng said secretively, circling a hand in the hair, hinting at hidden cameras or microphones, this was Shinra tower after all, and there was no doubt in his mind that they were there, even if he was just trying to pull Zack's leg.
”Oh...” Zack said, and a crimson blush rose in his cheeks, ”Even in the showers?” Tseng nodded a matter of factly, and Zack coughed nervously, ”Were you watching?”
Tseng had to control himself from not just bursting out with laughter, most of all because of Zack's expression. Clearly he had done something in the shower he was ashamed of if Tseng had seen it. Tseng could really only come to one conclusion. ”Sadly there is no sound on the feed,” he said, smirking. He fucking loved this!
Zack glared at Tseng, but more childish than angry in his defence.
”Relax, Zack,” Tseng chuckled, ”It's natural. I will tell you what ain't natural though, not being able to fold your laundry.” He laughed out loud when he came to a halt next to the folding table, looking down at the crinkled mess that Zack apparently considered folded laundry.
”It's a women's thing,” Zack said shrugging.
”Just my thing then,” Tseng said batting his eyelashes, he playfully pushed Zack aside and started to neatly fold Zack's laundry.
Zack just stood and stared at Tseng, this was a side he had never seen of the normally stoic Turk. Tseng was always serious, always in a hurry. And not really the most approachable person he had ever met. Which of course all added to Tseng's strange frail and deadly charm. But this new laughing, playful Tseng, Zack didn't really know what to do with, but he decided he liked it. ”You, Sir, are a lot of things, but a woman ain't one of them,” Zack stated.
”Really?” Tseng said with a dirty grin, ”Just proves that you never looked inside my closet then.”
Zack roared with laughter, which stifled as he gracefully jumped onto the folding table, careful not to lose his towel.
”Zack,” Tseng said seriously, focused on his folding task, ”I know you're flying out with Angeal tomorrow.”
”How long have you known that?” Zack asked.
”Since this afternoon,” Tseng admitted, finally looking up at Zack, ”So to answer your question, I wanted to see you before you left, that's what I'm doing here.” There he said it! He had actually hinted to Zack that he would like to see him again, and what he had said last night had not just been fuelled by alcohol and afterglow, he had meant it.
TBC-