7A/N: This was my primary giftfic for the FF7Central Fanworks Exchange over on Ao3, for a lovely writer/artist named firenewt. The prompt was - I would like a story about these three (Rufus, Tseng and Cissnei) characters, that could include, for example, how they met, what their relationship is to and with each other, how they got through the events of Crisis Core and the OG/Remake, and what happened to their relationships as a result of all that.
It got a little out of hand, but I enjoyed writing it and hope they will enjoy reading it, along with the rest of you.
Rufus knew from an early age that the Turks were going to be his. His father got Heidegger's army and Anton's SOLDIERs, and all the dangerous machines Scarlet could dream up, but the Turks were his. He knew it just from how Veld talked to him, gentle when he didn't have to be, but never condescending just because he was a child. How he looked at him when he didn't think anyone was paying attention, soft like Rufus was something precious. Something important. And maybe part of it was his job. But Rufus knew there was more.
Veld hated being watched, but he let Rufus trail after him on base like a little blond shadow, even pausing to explain things now and then if he wasn't too busy. No one else got to do that. Even once he was old enough for schooling, Veld made time for him - he wasn't too busy, unlike some people.
He had gotten a little spoiled about it, perhaps. He was old enough to admit that.
That didn't make it any easier for him to make a stop over at Veld's and discover a little girl sitting on the couch, all big brown eyes and messy red curls. Oddly, she didn't make a sound other than a quick, sharp inhale on seeing him, little hands tightening on the couch cushion she was holding.
"Who are you?" Rufus demanded.
She bit her lip, not replying but still staring, tipping her chin up in silent defiance.
"I asked you a question," Rufus said.
"Her name is Tian." Veld was behind him, then, catching him off guard. "She's technically a ward of ShinRa."
Rufus didn't take his eyes off this Tian. "Why is she here?"
"Why are you here?" Veld asked instead, question for question in that cryptic way Rufus hated.
Rufus narrowed his eyes at him, and pointedly ignored the question. "You said 'technically' a ward of ShinRa. How can she only technically be? You are or you're not."
"She's been placed under my care," Veld said.
"…to be a Turk?" Rufus said skeptically. "She's a baby!"
"I'm five," Tian finally spoke, soft but irritated enough to respond. "'m not a baby."
"She's not quite two years younger than you, Rufus, I would be careful saying that." But Veld was smiling now, which somehow took the sting out of it.
"Hmph." Rufus wrinkled his nose. "She's still too young to be a Turk."
"I intend on seeing to other education before starting any training, yes," Veld said. "She's got a long time yet before putting on the suit."
"You're too important to be a babysitter," Rufus said.
"Maybe I like having kids around, hmm?" Veld mussed his hair with a small smile. "Go sit at the table, I'll get you something to drink and you can start on your homework."
Rufus huffed, displeased, but went to do as told.
"I'll see about some hot chocolate." He smiled as they both perked up. Sometimes predictability was a good thing. "With marshmallows."
"The big ones?" Tian asked hopefully.
"The big ones are for toasting," Rufus informed her loftily. "You use the little ones in cocoa."
"Toasting?" she repeated, in the tone of one who wanted details but couldn't bring herself to ask outright.
"You'll see," Veld said. "Cocoa for now, come sit at the table, Tian."
Tian hesitated, likely because Rufus was there, but eventually slipped off the couch and came over to climb up on a chair and watch him. The table sat six, so the kids didn't have to sit directly by one another, and between the displeasure Rufus was radiating and Tian's shyness they clearly had no intention to.
Well. Veld was used to being in the middle of things. He pretended not to notice, since they weren't really doing anything. Though, when he chanced a glance back, Tian had her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands, watching him. He winked at her and she giggled softly, looking away.
"So, what's the homework look like today, Rufus?" Veld asked, stirring the pot of cocoa a bit.
"Boring," he muttered. "Busy work."
"Doesn't seem to be keeping you very busy," Veld said.
"It's not teaching me anything," Rufus complained. "It's pointless repetition."
"Sometimes repetition helps," Veld said. "It keeps your mind sharp."
"Whatever," Rufus said, pushing it aside. "I don't have to do it right now."
"Mmm… cocoa first?" Veld guessed.
"Yes."
Veld smiled and poured three cups of cocoa, topping them all with little marshmallows and brought them over to the table. "Snack break it is."
"Yes please." Rufus took his mug to sip at, watching as Tian did the same with a pleased little sound.
"It's good," Tian said.
"It is, thank you," Rufus said.
"You're both very welcome," Veld said, moving to look at Rufus' 'busy work' with a thoughtful hum. "If you know all this, it should be an easy thing to do."
"But it's boring," he said.
"I'll talk to your tutor later about it, if you think you need more of a challenge, but for now, I suggest you go along with it. It's an easy A, and those never hurt."
Rufus huffed and pretended to pay more attention to his cocoa than Veld's advice.
Veld just smiled and took a seat. "Are you meeting your father for dinner?"
"No," Rufus said. "He has appointments."
"Mmhm… well, we can do dinner here," Veld said. "I'll whip something up after a bit."
"Cocoa first," Tian said.
"Exactly." Veld settled down at the table with them, feeling out the silence. He knew Rufus could hold a grudge, if it wasn't nipped in the bud. It was important to try and get a handle on it now, instead of taking a wait and see approach. He knew exactly what would happen without mediation, and wanted no part of it. "Cocoa, and then you two can work while I make dinner."
"What work does she have?" Rufus asked, blue eyes scanning as if he might find a pile of homework.
"Reading." Tian said. "I know all my letters, so now I'm putting 'em together."
"She's doing a good job of it, too," Veld said.
Rufus huffed into his drink. "Bet you're just reading Stamp books."
"I like Stamp!" she said.
"You would." Rufus caught the look Veld was giving him and fiddled with his mug. "I'm going to get a puppy soon."
"Like Stamp?" Tian asked, excited.
"No, one of the guard hounds had a litter and I got to pick one," Rufus said. "Soon, it's going to be old enough that I can take it home with me."
"Show her the picture," Veld said, certain he was still carrying it around.
Rufus grinned and fished the photo out of his wallet, leaning over to show Tian. "These are baby guard hounds. That one is going to be mine."
"They're cute!" Tian decided. "Have you named it?"
"Her name is Dark Nation," Rufus said. "She's the biggest out of the litter, and very smart."
"Guard hounds are very intelligent," Veld said. "But you'll still have to train her."
"You'll help, right?" Rufus asked.
"Of course I will," Veld agreed. He certainly wasn't going to leave it up to the Science Department or Public Safety to train Rufus' guard; ideally, Dark Nation would grow up to be capable of being an absolutely ferocious guard, but would also absolutely adore Rufus and fill the little boy's need for a pet as well.
"Do Turks have pets?" Tian asked, looking at Veld hopefully.
"It depends on what they do," Veld said. "If they're always in the field on missions, they could only have specific kinds of pets that can either be left behind with someone, or have special training to help them, like a guard hound or a hawk. If they're in the office or the lab, and they're home every night, however, there's more freedom."
"Oh." She nodded. "What kind of Turk will I be?"
"I don't know yet," Veld said. "You're too young to know what you'll be best suited for."
"Oh…" Tian bit her lip, uncertain.
"If you're going to be at Veld's a lot, you can play with Dark Nation when we visit," Rufus said. "She needs to know all the Turks, so she knows who she can trust, right?"
"A very good idea," Veld agreed, pleased Rufus had thought to make the gesture himself.
Rufus smiled at the praise, always eager for it. "And I can bring her down to the office to meet everyone else, too, right? Has Tian met the rest of the team?"
"Not yet," Veld said. "She's met Anya, though, and been told about the others."
"I've seen pictures," Tian said. "I'm really good with faces."
"Just in case you ever have to send someone else to get her?" Rufus guessed; Veld had done the same for him, when he was younger. "I haven't met all your new ones yet. Or any of Anya's."
"There'll be time for that. A lot of them are still in training," Veld pointed out. "Better to wait and see who makes the cut. I'm not passing people just to fill the ranks; I'd rather a small, elite force that will be effective than have a larger force full of dead weight."
"That makes sense," Rufus said. "Are there any new ones that are full Turks yet?"
"A few here and there," Veld said. "The overall department is filling out faster than the Turks are."
"What else is in the department?" Tian asked.
"The Department of Administrative Research is the actual, formal department that the Turks are a subdivision of," Veld explained. "Everyone handles intelligence in some way; we have our own labs so we don't have to work with the Science Department for most things, and another subdivision that serves as a buffer between the other departments and the Turks, taking anything they've reported and verifying it before passing it along to us. It saves time if we can determine what needs to be prioritized ahead of time."
"But Turks get their own information too, right?" Rufus said.
"Of course, but spreading it out so there's another team handling research means Turk operatives can focus on taking action," Veld said. "When we have more operatives, that may change, but for now that arrangement works."
"So… I could do something other than being a Turk?" Tian said, frowning.
"You could," Veld said. "We'll see what you're best at when the time comes, just like anyone else."
Tian nodded, thoughtfully sipping her cocoa.
"Do you do that with everyone?" Rufus asked.
"Of course. Playing to someone's strengths is vital to having a strong team," Veld said.
"…couldn't you train me on purpose to be a Turk?" Tian asked.
"You'll have training that leans in that direction, yes," Veld said. "But we'll see what comes more naturally to you before you take an official position. You've got years ahead before you're going to join the ranks, don't rush it."
"Okaaaay." She sighed, swiping the last residue of marshmallow from her cup with a finger.
Veld smiled. "It'll work out. For now, though, I think it's dinner time, and then a little more homework."
Rufus sighed in frustration, but nodded. "Fine."
"I have reading to do, too," Tian said sympathetically.
"You do," Veld agreed. "And if either of you need any help I'll be in here looking over some of the recruit profiles Anya sent me."
Not a bad way to spend the night, really. And it looked like Rufus' initial grudge was fading already. Good.
A/N: "Tian" is not my headcanon for Cissnei's "real name" but, it is instead a nod to the fact that the developers nearly named her Tian instead of Cissnei.
