Rufus Shinra stood on the roof watching Cloud with his Mako blue eyes. Cloud's eyes were narrowed slightly.
"Why do you wanna fight me?" Rufus asked shrugging.
"To prove a point I suppose."
"Now that's just stupid."
Cloud Shrugged.
"Why fight?" Rufus asked. "Fighting only makes enemies."
Cloud rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, his eyes flaring. "We are already enemies, aren't we?"
Rufus shook his head. "Why would we be? I didn't even like the old man."
"You're still ShinRa."
"So? I was coming here to kill him, but Sephiroth beat me to it."
"Sephiroth, I have a score to settle with him too."
"Yes, so why have the ShinRa after you when we could help each other get Sephiroth?"
"You'd just get in the way."
Rufus shook his head. "Working together, no. Against each other, yes."
"I'm sure my goals are different than yours."
"And what are your goals?"
Cloud shifted on his feet, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "I won't discuss them with the likes of you."
Rufus grinned slightly. "Oh really?" He flicked back his hair, "And what am I?" He looked at Cloud with his Mako blue eyes shinning. The glow was some what hidden by the dark circles around his eyes.
"If I told you what I thought of you, you would probably crucify me."
Rufus chuckled. "You're probably thinking of my old man."
"Probably not."
"I hate people thinking I'm anything like him. I really didn't like him. He was a fat, stupid, and cruel man."
"Actually, what I would probably say wouldn't be an insult."
Rufus looked at Cloud and grinned. "Ok then." He watched Cloud finger the materia in his armlet. "Well?"
"Nice, uh, pet you have there." Cloud indicated Dark Nation who had settled down in a dark corner of the roof.
"Yeah, I've had him for a while."
"Never had any pets..."
"Now, what was it you were gonna say about me?"
Cloud shook his head and put his hand on the hilt of his sword again.
Rufus chuckled. "You are one strange person." He locked eyes with Cloud.
"Talking about strange, look at yourself."
"Oh? What about me? Why am I strange?"
Cloud shrugged and seemed to relax. The bottom of Rufus's long white suit coat whipped about his legs in the wind. He flicked his strawberry blonde hair back again.
"It's kind of chilly up here," Cloud told him, "And I should be after Sephiroth."
"Hmm, it is. Why don't we continue this discussion inside?"
"Sure."
Rufus led Cloud into the warm office. Dark Nation followed after.
"Lucky you." Cloud told him.
Rufus eyed the dead body of the President and grinned.
"I get to live in the slums," Cloud continued, "And you get all this posh stuff."
Rufus turned to Cloud. "Trust me, I paid a huge price for it."
Cloud took off his sword and handed it to Rufus. "I expect that back."
He took it. "Of course."
"And I expect you to be honorable and not attack an unarmed man."
Rufus laid the sword on the desk. "I'm not the type to do that." He turned and looked at the dead body. "Him though, he loved to attack an unarmed and helpless little boy."
"It's gonna be a bitch getting that blood off of the carpet too."
"From him? It'll be worth it." He turned back to Cloud with his arms still folded.
"So, you're going to hunt Sephiroth down as well? What's your motivation, the Promised Land, right?"
Rufus flicked back his hair. "No, to show people that no one messes with the ShinRa and lives."
"I messed with ShinRa and seem to be breathing." He grinned impishly.
Rufus chuckled. "I meant, get away with murdering the president."
"Like you care he's dead. Knowing you, you'll have him mummified in that position so you can laugh every day."
"I don't care, I'm happy. But, you don't know me."
"No, I don't."
"So why do you say that?"
Cloud blinked. "Just the way you are acting. Are all your guards cowering in the basement?"
"Why do you say that?"
"I haven't been drug off to some cell to rot in for the rest of my life."
"Well, I sent them away."
"You know, you don't know me either, so perhaps we are even."
Rufus nodded. "Yes." He found a chair and sat down. He offered Cloud a chair and watched him sit.
"What would you like to know?" Cloud asked.
"You say you were in SOLDIER?"
Cloud nodded. "First class."
"First class is hard to make."
"Not really."
"What is it that you have to settle with Sephiroth?"
"He burnt down my home town."
Rufus nodded slowly. "How did you wind up in Midgar?"
"After he burned down the town?"
"Yes."
"I came back, as was required to file my report. According to their records I was dead, so I was sent away as an imposter."
Rufus nodded and his Mako eyes flashed.
"Were you in SOLDIER?" Cloud asked, "You have Mako eyes too."
Rufus blinked. "I was not in SOLDIER."
"Course not, how silly of me."
"My eyes have been this way as long as I can remember."
Cloud leaned back in his chair. Rufus Flicked back his hair again.
"That a nervous tick there sir?" Cloud asked.
"My hair..."
"Or do you just need a haircut?"
"No, I love my hair the way it is."
"It does look kinda cute..."
Rufus grinned. "Cute? Yeah, I am."
"What's with the circles under your eyes sir?"
"My eyes? A concussion I suffered at age eight." He sighed.
Perhaps I should stay away from questions about your physiology."
"Why?"
"What happened if I may ask?"
"I tried to run away from home. The guards caught me. The old man got pissed."
"Why would you run away from here? You seem to have it good."
Rufus shook his head. "Only seem."
"Scratch away the gold paint at there is only lead eh?"
"Acid." He sighed.
"Acid sir?"
Rufus took off his coat and laid it on his chair back. He rolled up his left sleeve. His arm was cover with scars.
"Who did that to you?" Cloud winced.
Rufus motioned his head behind him. "Him."
"Why?"
"He was cruel, and he said it was to toughen me." He sighed.
"You seem pretty tough."
"I had to be, or I would have died."
"I think I would rather be on your good side than your bad. Well sir, is there anything else you would like to know about me?"
Rufus rolled his sleeve back down. "I don't like being called sir. My name is Rufus."
"Sorry. It's a habit from SOLDIER. Addressing those higher in rank and all you know."
Rufus nodded. "I know." He noticed Cloud giving him an admiring look and grinned. "You seem tired." Rufus told him, after seeing Cloud yawn.
"It's been some time since I've been someplace warm, comfortable, and relatively safe."
Rufus stood up. "You need your sleep then. Come."

Cloud followed him to a guestroom a few floors down. "I'm guaranteed safety?"
"Did you know there was places to sleep in this building?" he nodded.
"Not really Rufus, I thought it was just one massive business complex."
"Well, considering the old man had, tastes so to speak..." He sighed.
"Ah, I see."
"Gods I hated him."
"Everyone did, at least down in the slums."
"And me."
"They'll probably have parties when they find out he's dead."
"I wish I could go, but everyone assumes I'm just like him. That, I'm hiding in his shadow."
"You know, you shouldn't care about what people think of you."
Rufus leaned on the door and sighed. "I'm the president now, public image..."
"Barret, he thinks I'm just in this for the money. Tifa, well, Tifa has the hots for mw. I don't know what to tell that girl. Aeris too. They just don't interest me at all."
Rufus grinned. "Oh really?"
"Yeah." Cloud sat on the bed and swung his legs. "You see, I'm not, well, I don't like girls."
Rufus grinned some more. "Hey, neither do I."
Cloud smiled slightly. "I thought you would be completely disgusted when you heard that line."
Rufus chuckled. "No way, why?"
"Most people are."
"Most people are stupid. I want to whip them into shape."
"You tell someone you're gay and poof, they want nothing to do with you."
Rufus laughed. "When people act that way around me I glare at them, and they are instantly afraid. Then again, they don't know." He laughed again.
"I'm not much to be afraid of."
"You were in SOLDIER."
"I'm surprised I've even got this far. Yeah, I got there because I was determined."
"Hmm, yes. Looks only get you part of the way."
"I wasn't blessed with good looks. Although, Tifa and Aeris think so."
"They are not the only ones."
"Are you insinuating?"
Rufus grinned. Cloud yawned and grinned back.
"You're tired," Rufus noted, "Maybe I should let you rest."
Cloud nodded and Rufus hovered in the door.
"Rufus?" Cloud asked, "Would you like to..."
"Yes?"
"...Stay?"
"It's been lonely for me."
"Why? Having Tifa and Aeris all over you?"
"Especially since, the others, would just blow me off, if I brought home a guy. I need their help."
Rufus nodded and shut the door.
"Ever had anyone before?" Cloud asked him.
"Yeah. I figured out how to pick people up on those times when I could escape my father." He shuttered.
"You don't have to worry about him any more, But I know, it's been a hard past."
"I haven't had to worry about him since I was 16. That was 10 years ago."
"You're that old?"
Rufus nodded.
"Ech, sorry." Cloud told him. "I didn't mean that to sound bad, but you look younger."
"That's ok, I look young."
Cloud patted the bed next to him. Rufus grinned and sat down. Cloud looked into his eyes.
"Yes," Cloud said, "I can see it in your eyes. Has anyone ever loved you?"
"I don't know."
"I am loved, but, not by who I want it from."
"I wonder if that is better or worse. To be unwantingly loved, or not to be loved at all."
"It's something I don't question cuz, if you ask too many questions, you may not like the answers you get."
"Yeah."
Cloud kicked off his shoes and took off his armor. Then he stretched out on the bed. Rufus looked down at Cloud's sleek form.
"The guys," Cloud said, "Are probably sleeping on some dirt somewhere."
"Maybe."
"Either that or waiting for me."
"You don't really have any scars."
"No, not really."
"My skin feels smooth to the touch, but it's covered with scars."
"When you're as scrawny as me, you're kinda agile I guess."
Rufus took off his black turtleneck.
"I'm kida glad we didn't try to kill eachoteher." Cloud looked over at Rufus. He winced. Rufus torso was literally covered with scars.
"Good, I really don't like fighting, and making enemies."
"That's all I need right now, more enemies."
"There are better things."
"The Turks, they just love me. Sephy, him too."
"Ahh, the Turks love me, heh heh heh."
"And I'm sure my friends would hate me, if they saw me now."
"I went around with the Turks for a while." Looks at Cloud, "If your friends hated you for this, they would not be your friends."
"Tifa and Aeris, they'd be scrubbing themselves with bleach."
"A true friend would like you no matter what you were."
"Narrow minded. Yeah, I've never had any true friends. Well, perhaps one, but he's a mental case now."
"I've never had any."
"Sephiroth, ... off chasing down the Promised Land with that icky Jenova thing."
Rufus blinks slowly and flicked his hair back. "Hmm, Jenova, his mother. I sort of grew up with Sephiroth."
"Well, I guess if I found out my mother was a big alien thing, I would be a little crazy."
"I used to play in Professor Gast's lab, back when Gast was still alive. Sephiroth was there too. Gast used to give us games to play. It was strange."
"What kinda games?"
Rufus shrugged. "Something he made. They involved reflexes and motor control, as well as speed and intelligence."
"He didn't run you through mazes or anything though?"
Rufus chuckled. "Well, sort of, but in a game, not actual moving." He watched Cloud start to doze off.
"I'm sorry. Infiltrating this building took a lot out of me."
"It's ok." He watched Cloud slip beneath the blankets.
"Hmm, do you sleep?"
"Only when I need to."
Cloud nodded. "Well, you're welcoming to join me if you wish. It's been about, 5 years I think, since I've slept with anyone."
"Really? That's a long time. I know the old man would have never been able to do without." He shivered again.
"It's a long time to wait, but he's not coming back.
"Who?"
"Sephiroth. I have to get it into my head, that he's a nut and wouldn't give a damn about a stupid kid like me anyway."
"You actually slept with him?" Rufus was a little amazed.
"We were short a bed, in the inn at Nibelheim, he crawled in with me."
"Ahhh."
"He was watching out the window, and everyone else had claimed a bed."
"Heh heh heh, better then nothing."
"I woke up in the middle of the night with him next to me, his arms around me. It made me realize what I was."
"How old?"
"Uhh, I was about 16."
Rufus nodded. "I was 13. I think I knew before then but..." He shuttered again. "I thought it was because of what was being done to me."
"I don't think Sephiroth knew how much that meant to me, just him, holding me like that." Cloud sighed. "He went nuts after that, but, I managed to confess to him before it."
"What did you say?"
"I told him I enjoyed his company, that.. That he was the most perfect thing I had ever seen. And that, I thought I loved him. He smiled and kissed me, and promised we would have time to talk more on it after our mission."
"Awww." He looked at Cloud.
"Then the guy burnt down my home town, killed my family."
"That must have been bad."
"I feel kida guilty, even though I know I didn't cause it, but well, it's always nagging me that telling him helped him go nuts. I guess I'm paranoid."
Rufus looked into his eyes. "I bet it was not your fault. There are so many books in the ShinRa mansion, and he read all of them non stop."
"It wasn't, but a part of me always blames myself, telling me that maybe, if I had been there, instead of being too afraid to go down there. He told me to leave him alone, I shouldn't have."
"I bet if anyone found that out about themselves, they would have reacted the same. Why worry about the stuff that you cannot change?"
"True. That was my first kiss. The one Sephiroth gave me."
"Sounds like a good first kiss to me."
"Yeah, wonderful."
Rufus sighed, then shuttered. Cloud rolled onto his side and looked at him.
"Something wrong?" Cloud asked.
Rufus shook his head. "Bad memories is all."
"You know, it's been some time since I've just sat and talked to someone who understood."
Rufus lay on his back and looked up at the ceiling. "Yeah, I've never really had anyone to talk to. I ... never told anyone I had been abused. And that I hated the president."
"I won't share anything that we say within these walls. You can trust me. I'm very good at keeping things to myself."
"Good, as am I."
"You know, Tifa and Aeris would be fighting about who got to sleep closest to my side of the fire, or which bed was closest."
"Yeah."
"Crazy women."
"No." he grinned.
"Hmm?"
"They got a good reason to fight over you."
"What's that?"
"But the poor girls are fighting in vain." He turned on his side and looked at Cloud.
"It's gonna crush them when they find out.
"Yeah. Maybe they think I killed you by now." He chuckled slightly. "Since you have not left."
"Reason for me to stay? I gotta go after Sephiroth though."
"What reason do you have?"
"It's the only way the guilt will go away."
"Tomorrow sounds like a good time."
"Yah."
Rufus lay on his back again and stared up at the ceiling.
"You can leave if you like." Cloud told him.
"Do you want me to leave?"
"Not really, but, you seem to have some places you might rather be."
"No, why do you think that?"
Cloud reached out his hand and traced his hand along Rufus's chest lightly.
Rufus smiled. "It's hard for me to find some one who knows how to be tender."
"Hmm." He slipped close to Rufus and cuddled against him.
Rufus smiled more and felt the warmth of Cloud's body.
"We can ease each other's loneliness?" asked Cloud.
"Sounds good."
Cloud draped an arm across Rufus's chest and drifted off to sleep. Rufus rapped his free arm around Cloud and closed his eyes. He felt good with Cloud sleeping there. Soon he too was asleep.