#rufus x oc

[incaseofart]

I have been working really hard on this piece since May, and it's finally done!!! The most characters I've ever had in one art piece but HEY! I did it!!!

Consider this the cover for The Best Laid Plans, my ff7 Rufus x OC fan fic, but as you can see it's so much more than that one ship, with a mix of canon characters and OCs!

[the-blind-geisha]

Lost Dreamers at the Mercy of War and Love

Pairing: Rufus Shinra x OC (Sheepy)

Rated: NSFW

Words: 5,256

Description: Rufus didn't care that Sheepy was an undercover spy for AVALANCHE. He knew what to do to keep her under control. But all that time together... he thought it meant something.. up until the failed assassination attempt at Junon, that is.

Now, Sheepy has a lot to answer for.

A/N: Had a lot of fun with this, and writing Cait Sith was an absolute joy now that Rebirth showed me his mannerisms and speech patterns! Writing that delicious angst with a Romeo and Juliet vibe is my life! I loved writing to this OC! ♥♥ So much fun!

It was a dangerously close call. If Heidegger hadn't been there to act as swiftly as he had, Rufus would have been killed. The whole ordeal was running through the president’s mind, an anger that was hard to describe bubbling within his chest.

“She has a lot of nerve to dare try…” Rufus muttered to himself, glaring out at the sea surrounding Junon from the Shinra office. “I refuse to be made a fool of.”

Having been summoned in with the director of public security, Reeve couldn't help but feel how thick the air had grown all around them. He was worried about where this could all go, but did his best to hide the desire to guide this all in another direction.

“Mr. President,” Reeve began, “If I may: it would be in your best interest to talk with Sheepy a bit more personally on the matter instead of suggesting she’s been planning everything from the start.”

Heidegger grumbled at Reeve’s passive response, especially with the injury he received in place of Rufus. “So you would willingly allow a traitor to continue to linger in our midst? Be sensible, Reeve!” The director of public security waved off the notion.

Reeve ignored Heidegger’s wish to see someone in prison over a simple slip up in return, if it was even that to begin with.  “It would be one thing if there were constant attempts of assassination or even information getting out to our enemies to show she was possibly not kept in line. But this has been one instance, and even then, it was a verified Wutai member, judging by my intel.”

Rufus scoffed, not wishing to believe such a thing. The man was determined to keep his walls up. “What intel would you be speaking of, Reeve? Is it merely her word you trust?” His back remained to the two, hands gripped tightly behind him as he kept a close watch on the seas beyond the glass. Every thought that raced through his mind in regards to how to handle this made him hiss in disgust.

Nothing made him happy.

Reeve had to bite back his desire to insist the president be more trusting of others. He knew now was not the time for being so honest. “Beyond just her word, sir. My… other creation was in the crowd and happened to take notice of it. I ran a background check on them, and they are originally from Wutai.”

For some reason, Rufus couldn't be satisfied with that. 

Taking a seat behind the ornate desk, he slouched in his chair while his fingers tapped impatiently upon the armrests, wanting better answers. “This does not dissolve AVALANCHE of any crimes…” He rested his cheek upon his knuckles, staring Reeve fiercely down. “...Least of all, Sheepy.” Rufus shut his eyes, letting his mind wander before he opened them once more to motion at Heidegger. “Escort them to me. I have a few words to say to her.”

Heidegger saluted. “Certainly, Mr. President.” And with that, he left to do so.

“Mr. President, please,” Reeve begged, hoping to speak up in Sheepy’s case.

Rufus raised his hand, halting Reeve. If there was anybody he wanted to hear the most from, it would be from Sheepy herself. “Having all these extra voices in my ear does little to sway me. In fact, I find it quite annoying.” The president motioned towards the doors. “Go. Leave me.”

Sighing in defeat, Reeve thought on the best way to approach this situation. Knowing that standing there would only make it worse, he nodded and with a slight bow, left.

Sheepy was shocked to be treated in such a way. Having Heidegger’s men pointing their guns at her as though she were a common criminal was far from what she would have imagined would be happening on her way to The Gold Saucer with the group.

“But I didn't do anything!” Sheepy insisted, flinching in annoyance the moment the barrel of one of the SOLDIER’S guns pushed into the middle of her back.

“Tell it to the president!” Heidegger snapped, the doors opening to reveal Rufus sitting at the desk still looking just as unimpressed as he was when last left.

When her eyes met with Rufus’ she couldn't help but slowly shake her head before the forceful push of Heidegger brought her back to herself.

“Enough!” Rufus commanded, not appreciating how Sheepy was being handled. While he was furious that he was possibly betrayed, this wasn't something he wished to see without answers. Taking to his feet, his fingers caressed the priceless marble of the desk before motioning to the men and Heidegger. “Leave us.”

“Of course, Mr. President.”

“And, one more thing, Heidegger,” Rufus added, his tone threatening as he spoke. It caused the head of public security to flinch, wondering if he had said or done something wrong. “If you so much as speak to anybody about what you’ve heard prior, I will see you terminated.”

He was content to only have select staff members know about Sheepy’s original alliance. While he could trust Reeve to remain quiet, given how weak he saw the man, Heidegger was something completely different.

“I, y-yes! Wouldn't dream of it, Mr. President!” With a unison salute, he and his men left the two alone in the Junon Shinra office.

Having been told the minimum of what was going on through Rufus’ mind regarding that attack, Sheepy shook her head with a furrow of her brow as the president ominously approached her. “You know I wouldn't do that,” she insisted, her voice almost shaking in disgust that he would dare incriminate her.

“I would like to believe you wouldn't.” He was soon inches away from her, his eyes looking her over to make certain that not a single breath betrayed her. “But tell me…” His fingerless gloved hands toyed with one of the curly strands of hair that had found freedom from Sheepy’s ponytail. “...what encourages you to remain at my side?”

She could hear his tone was hardened, rife with anger and resentment as if just one wrong word could cut the small bond they had.

“Is it fear?” Rufus asked, almost annoyed she didn't answer right away as he had hoped she would. “I refuse to believe it would be any duty to my company, let alone me, that binds you, all things considered.” His lip seemed to curl as he said such a thing.

Boldly, Sheepy removed her face from his grasp as she flinched in emotional agony. “What would make you believe I would ever betray you?! After everything I’ve done to show my support for you!” In all honesty, it wasn't his company she cared for. It was the man behind it.

If she could remove him from the harmful Shinra Inc label, so much of this would feel a bit easier. But he was blinded by what his father had instilled within him—what was ‘best’ for the people and their futures.

Rufus stifled a low growl of disappointment, removing his grasp at Sheepy’s command. “You are hardly loyal to my company.”

“Of course I am not,” Sheepy protested, her hand upon her chest as her eyes remained locked onto Rufus’. The moment such a thing was said, it was there she noticed the president was fueled by hurtful anger that she would dare say such a thing. “I don’t care about something that cannot care for me in return! What I care about is you!”

The president stood firm, as if wanting to retaliate angrily at such a warm and honest response. Rufus shook his head, turning from her as he stormed back to his desk. “I will see to it that you’re under close watch. The Turks will be the ones to have a tighter grip on your movements, as I refuse to have this happen again.”

“But I—!”

“Leave. Me.” Each word seethed past his teeth when he spoke them, prompting Sheepy to falter in disbelief.

There wasn't much else she could add. Rufus wouldn't listen, much to her dismay. The moment she left the room, men from SOLDIER were waiting to escort her to where the Turks had gathered only to have a Scottish accent pierce the tension in the room.

“Pardon me, lads! But may I have a moment?”

Everyone’s confusion eventually led them to a cartoonish looking black and white cat with a golden crown, brown boots, white gloves, and a little red cape. He gave a smile, hoping to sway the guards in his favor.

“I believe I can take it from here. Why don't ye head on about yer duties, eh?”

The two guards looked at one another, confused on how to even act. They were hardly told that this toy was made by and often controlled by Reeve. It felt like a trick.

“Go on, now!” he urged a bit more forcefully. “I was made by Shinra, so ye can trust me! Was even made by one of your superiors, might I add.”

The men tensed at hearing that and instantly surrendered Sheepy to the talking animatronic. “Sir! Yes, sir!” the two said in unison, allowing a confused Sheepy to walk alongside this sentient creature.

“Sorry ‘bout that! Guess ye donnae know my name, eh?”

“Yeah… and who made you…No less,” Sheepy added.

“Name is Cait Sith!” In the blink of an eye and the snap of his finger, a giant fluffy moogle with small bat wings was summoned, allowing him to at least become tall enough to look her in the eye. “I was listenin’ to everythin’ going on in there,” he whispered, hand covering the side of his mouth as if to comically make sure nobody overheard them. “I must say, the man is not what he used to be—and I mean that in the best way possible.”

Sheepy’s brow furrowed in confusion, still trying to subdue the pain in her heart from the earlier talk with Rufus. “Really? That’s a good thing?”

“Very much so, lass! His heart was always set on the Promised Land and other things of business, but I can gladly say, with ye around, he hasn't been focusing nearly as hard on all of that!”

She couldn't help but be hypnotized by how this cat moved. He always had to motion his hands about as if he were in a stage play of some sort. The thought of asking who made him slipped her mind during all of this.

“You sound weirdly gleeful about it; especially for someone who works for him.” She didn't forget that part. In fact, she wasn't even paying attention to the fact that Cait Sith was seemingly guiding her to Reeve’s office.

“Oh, it’s more that it’s nice to take yer mind away from business, ya know? Have a little fun here and there.” The moment Reeve’s office door was in sight, Cait Sith moved to the side, motioning joyously for her to open it. “As for who made me—ta da~!”

Seeing Reeve’s name near the door, she found it almost difficult to believe. He hardly felt like the type to make an animatronic to dazzle the crowd.

Cait Sith stepped to the side, motioning for her to go onward and through the door. “I am sure he’d like to talk with ye. So go on ahead now. I got other things to be doing!” The giant moogle hobbled off with the talking cat upon its head.

Sheepy sighed to herself, not sure what Reeve of all people could want with her after all that transpired. Knocking first, she heard a muffled response from the director of urban planning to encourage her to come in. She peeked into the room before finding the courage to come inside. 

“You asked for me? Or rather your…cat did?”

Reeve stifled a laugh. “Indeed, and forgive the little white lie I had to spare the others. I just wanted to be certain you would make it to me first.”

“I had no clue you could make such a thing, Reeve.” Sheepy noticed him gesturing towards the empty chair across from his desk, urging her to take a seat. “Is this what you do in your spare time? Make robots?”

“Sometimes.” Another small chuckle escaped him. “He was a little project of sorts, requested by the former president himself. President Rufus just has other ideas for Cait Sith at present.” Reeve raised his hands, stopping the conversation from getting off track. “Anyways, I am well aware of his feelings right now and how he wishes to proceed with things moving forward.”

Sheepy rubbed her face, trying to be rid of the sorrow that was no doubt evident upon her. “You have to believe me when I said I didn't do it… I swear!”

“I know. I know.” Reeve reclined back in his chair, sighing as he hated the direction everything had taken. After a few moments of silence, he found the courage to speak candidly. “He is battling with himself. That I can assure you.”

Sheepy’s brown eyes locked with Reeve, wondering if he was actually speaking about Rufus or mentioning somebody completely different. Hardly could she believe the president would fight with himself. Rufus always acted as though he knew exactly what he wanted or intended to do.

“We’re talking about the same guy, right?” Sheepy asked, trying to find humor in the miserable scene. “Or are you talking about your cat still?”

“The president,” Reeve corrected, giving her a playful scolding look. “He’s going to be heading to The Gold Saucer soon with the Turks. I will be there… in spirit, but I am certain he is going to drag you along for the ride as well.”

“And what are you getting at? Is there any reason why the president is heading there?” She scoffed to herself. “He doesn't really strike me as the man to want to enjoy himself or unwind with a few rides.”

“He’s looking for a Cetra artifact. We don't know for sure if it is there, but the best thing we can do is hunt for it given the leads we have.”

Sheepy’s hands clasped tightly together, wondering if she should be a bit open and honest with Reeve about her allegiance. As far as she was aware, he didn't know. “You really are very trusting…”

Reeve shrugged. “Mm, if you are implying I should be more cautious about an AVALANCHE spy working for the company—.”

Her head shot up, feeling her heart squeeze in worry the whole company knew at this point.

“—well,” he continued, “I will just tell you to not worry so much about it at current. If the President demanded Heidegger’s silence, just be aware that you have mine as well.”

Words were difficult to come by. As though a spell of silence had cursed her, she struggled to even speak. “H-How did you know about—?!”

“—I have my ways,” Reeve interrupted. It was there he motioned back towards the door. “I am sure he’s expecting you to meet with the Turks first and have them keep tabs on you over myself. I just wanted to tell you that I can help out the best I can.”

Sheepy wasn't sure what he meant by that. The whole conversation was vague, as though he were alluding to something that was far bigger than she had expected. “Umm, sure. Thanks for the talk and all.” She took her leave of the room after waving briefly to the Shinra employee. “That was the weirdest conversation I’ve had with anybody. And that’s saying a lot seeing who else I usually got direct orders from in AVALANCHE,” she muttered, heading down the connecting hall to find her way to the Turks.

Hearing the knock at his office door, Rufus was hardly in the mood to entertain anybody. His lip curled in frustration, asking for whoever was there to come in.

The black and white animatronic cat peeked into the room atop his trusty moogle. “Why ‘ello there! I came to drop by that information ye requested.”

The president leered at the toy. “Now is hardly the time.”

“I disagree, sir.” The stuffed toy joyfully sauntered in as Cait Sith was able to access Reeve’s personal files to grab the data he needed. “Ye be askin’ about the Keystone relic, aye?”

Rufus tried to find joy in that, as he needed something to bring his spirits back up after everything that happened with Sheepy. “All I care about is if you know where it’s located.”

“I can say we do,” Cait Sith gleefully responded, clasping his hands together as he brought up the file regarding the item.

The moment he saw an image of the Keystone and several words jotted down along side it, Rufus leaned forward to get a better look at the information that was soon passed to his own screen. “So it actually exists.” His tone purred with content at this news.

“Appears to be a part of Dio’s collection,” the animatronic cat explained. “We can certainly try our luck in talkin’ to the lad ‘bout it. Or the other cat can, given where ye stationed him.” It was there he curled his gloved hands and began to paw at his own face, acting out the part of a cat.

“Then see to it,” Rufus demanded.

Cait Sith snapped his fingers, standing proudly upon the moogle at that demand. “Of course, sir! I will give this warning to ye though from my research up top: there be rumors that Dio might take a wee bit of convincin’ to do so. Might not be such an easy task as it is such a priceless relic of the past n’ all.”

Hearing that, the president was hardly phased. “Then convince him. I am certain I don't need to elaborate on what I mean by demanding you do so.” Rufus turned from the talking doll, looking back out at the sea to distract his mind once more from the thought there might be a roadblock.

“I, umm, can certainly try,” Cait Sith insisted with a chuckle. “But how ‘bout this though: you and Sheepy attend The Gold Saucer as a date out to distract from whatever shenanigans I can cause to grab this Keystone of yers, eh?”

Hearing such a suggestion, Rufus wanted to grab the toy and shake him around. “I am hardly in the mood, cat…” The fury could be heard rumbling in his words.

“Sir, I must ask what ye be wantin’ more…” Cait Sith opened one hand to one side of his body. “Do ya want yer Keystone or…” he opened the other, moving both hands up and down. “...do ye want Cloud and his group to get it? If it’s the Keystone, then I hate to say ye’ll be needin’ to play along for a wee bit till I can get to it or at least plot a means of doin’ so!”

Rufus sighed, running his fingers through his blond hair as he felt this would all be awkward after the fight they just had. In the past, he would have gladly embraced this idea, but now he needed a moment to think—alone.

“Dammit all,” he muttered quietly, knowing he couldn't pass up this opportunity. “Fine. I’ll talk with them once we dock at Costa Del Sol.”

“That there’s the spirit!” Cait Sith cheered, pointing at Rufus with glee. “I’ll notify the other ‘bout what has been said here! Ye can trust the cat!” With much relief, Cait Sith turned and scurried out of the room to do as he had been asked—among other things.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

The whole talk at Costa Del Sol felt like a business exchange that Sheepy couldn't refuse. It was still so awkward… After having her ‘boss’ get onto her about the slipup she wasn't even responsible for, he was willing to try and put it all to the side for a moment to go on this fictional date?

The helicopter ride over to The Gold Saucer was equally difficult as she twitched in her seat, wondering how to even feel about any of this. “Do you want me to dress up as something special or…?”

Rufus’ eyes caught hers, his cheek resting on his knuckles as he appeared lost in thought. Only her voice seemed to lure him back to the present. “What you’re wearing is fine. We’re just here on business. Keep that in mind.”

Sheepy did her best to stifle her exasperated sigh but to little avail. “Yeah. Right.”

The president caught onto her actions, not certain if he should even engage with it. His fingers clutched the white trench coat he wore, fighting with himself as well on how to say what he wanted.

All this time together, all this time even keeping everybody around him at a distance, and it had failed. He never thought he would feel heartbreak over the thought he was betrayed in some manner. Yet, here he was, mourning over the loss of something that hardly even started in his mind.

He gazed at the bright and joyful colors of the amusement park that was built so high within the sky, it might as well have appeared to be floating there. When the helicopter landed, he exited first before turning to offer his hand for Sheepy to take.

She was shocked by that. Given how upset he was towards her, she wouldn't have expected him to remain so gentlemanly. The second she hesitated, she saw him giving her a curious look—almost painful, in a way.

“I, uh-sorry!” Her hand slid into his, wishing the embrace didn't feel so rigid and cold.

The flashing lights and the loud, joyful sounds became background noise as she felt as Rufus’ hand slipped from hers with a hesitant thought of doing so. Even staring up at him, he was focused outside of her, and it brought a horrible pain to her chest.

The president sighed, rubbing his thumb against his forehead. “I need to find Dio. Or—.”

“Why, ‘ello there!”

The Scottish voice that interrupted Rufus made both search desperately for the source. It was there they found Cait Sith, sitting like a stuffed toy upon a bench not far away. He sat in such a way that he was able to kick his feet back and forth with a small hum.

Sheepy froze up, remembering that Reeve said he would be here in spirit. She didn't think he would actually have this animatronic stationed at The Gold Saucer of all places. “Hello,” she answered with a nervous wave, wondering where this would be heading.

“We need to speak in private,” Rufus ordered, closing the distance between him and Cait Sith.

“Of course, sir!” The cat hopped down from where he was sitting, summoning his moogle to hop upon this time. “If ye like, we can head on down to The Ghost Hotel and talk there. I made some reservations earlier, so they should be expectin’ us.” 

Sheepy kept quiet, not certain if Rufus should know or not that she was aware that was Reeve’s toy. Her lost expression gave the president the assumption she had no clue what was happening, urging him to explain the bare minimum.

“He’s an ally. Come on.”

His hand gripped hers once more. The once icy cold grip was far more firm, making her heart drop as it only reeked of business. Felt as though all those steps the two took together to try and move past the business barrier had been destroyed.

The ghoulish appearance of The Ghost Hotel was far more realistic than Sheepy had thought it would be. While she heard rumors about this elaborate amusement park, she never had the gil to bother going.

Admiring the animatronics, holograms and well-hired actors along the way, the three were escorted to the Tonberry Suite. Just as the outside was, the interior design was above and beyond, feeling as though they all walked right into a haunted mansion.

“I know the Turks had this place reserved, but we can borrow it for a moment,” Cait Sith insisted, hopping off of his moogle and standing upon the table near the window. “Now then, I’m gonna do my best to talk to Dio about the Keystone, see what he says. If all else fails, Cloud’s group will do for a lovely distraction of sorts as well. That I promise!”

“Seems you actually thought ahead.” The praise was backhanded at best, making Cait Sith flinch a bit from the remark but still doing his best not to take offense.

He nervously chuckled. “Aye, that I have, sir. Now then, why don't you two wait here, and I’ll get together a plan for ya both, eh?”

Sheepy felt her cheeks burning in embarrassment that Reeve would go this far just to see the two alone in a hotel room together. “Now, wait a minute, I—!”

Cait Sith hopped off the table and scurried towards the door like a regular house cat. “Remember! Stay here till I say somethin’!” Hopping back up on his moogle, he grabbed the door handle and escorted himself out.

Rufus was hardly phased by anything Cait Sith said. His fingers drummed on the table, looking from the door back to Sheepy. “Are you that displeased with having to share a room with me for a moment?”

Hearing him say such a thing, she flinched. The words hurt worse than any attack she could take in battle. “N-No! Of course not! I just…” Fingers curling into a fist, she grabbed for the courage she needed to remain strong. “I just know how you feel about me lately.”

“Oh? Do tell.” Rufus’ voice sounded unenthused, making her wonder if she should even bother.

“I know you don't want to believe me, but you have to when I say I would not command an assassination on you.”

The chair he was sitting in moaned against his weight as he leaned back to take in every word she uttered. Whether before others or in private, there was nothing that would have her plea this hard for innocence. Not unless…

“Then everything you said prior to this mess,” Rufus began, thinking back on their moments working together, “they were not a lie?”

“No!” The answer left Sheepy so swiftly that there was hardly a single thing that caged her honest emotions. Still, she felt helpless and it was there she turned and headed for the elaborate bed display not far from the table. Her back to him, she embraced herself as she slouched forward. “I’ve said it all in many different ways how I care about you, but I guess it all falls on deaf ears, huh? Do you really care more about your company than anything else?”

There was a heavy silence that filled the room before Rufus took to his feet and headed towards her. “What of yourself? Do you care so much about the planet that making the lives of others easier means nothing?” His hand rested upon her shoulder, squeezing her there tightly. “Do I mean nothing?”

She shook her head, their hands joining before turning to face him. “I care about you, but I feel your desire to see what you want through to the end is corrupted.”

Rufus nearly recoiled from her honesty, but he didn't feel completely wounded by it.

“But I will stay,” she whispered. “Till the bitter end, even if you make the dumbest choices…” Her palm moved boldly to his cheek to cradle him there. “...I will stay. And if it’s every move AVALANCHE makes that will make you happy, then I will tell you about it without pause…” Still, she froze, hating to say this to rat out her own team, but she knew there was something underneath Rufus that wasn't sinister as everybody thought. Besides, this was part of their original deal. “...Whatever shows I am not a traitor to you, I will do it.”

His grip coiled about hers, and it was there she worried he would deny her.

But he didn't.

Moving her hand to his lips, it was there he kissed her with a breath that ignited life within him once more. No matter what she thought of his choices, just knowing she would still remain beside him was enough to have the thorned barrier about his heart wither once more.

It encouraged her to fall into his embrace, her body feeling as though it were the first time in a century since she had done such a thing.

Rufus’ fingers toyed with the band that kept her curly hair up in the ponytail she often had it styled within. The moment it was let free, he found himself envious of the curls that kissed upon her skin in place of him. To sate his greed, his lips met hers and it was there the breath of her filled his lungs and enthralled his heart.

Her own raced with his, as she boldly worked on removing his coat in need to feel of him in some form. She wanted to be a part of him beyond simple words, and even his own actions would show he too desired her.

It was that fraction of him that felt caged, finally let free to explore the soul of the other he had grown closer to beyond a mere business transaction. Like a flawless dance, he escorted her towards the bed the moment he was able to remove the dress that dared mock his advances.

Sheepy sat upon the side of the bed as Rufus’ lips journeyed about her body. The mere flash of her throat when she moaned enticed him to move his lips together to gently pluck at her skin before they found their way to her breast.

Her eyes closed, leaning into his advances. She felt as his hands gripped upon her as though he worried she would dare try to get away. But now that once stone cold and emotionless grip had turned into something of wanting. Something desiring more, as it had built up over the past few years of the two working closely together.

Her mind went blank the moment she felt his fingers caressing her underwear. Even Rufus paused in doing so, his eyes catching hers as he asked without words if she wanted him to continue. Even if greed raked through every inch of him, he wasn't going to take what he wasn't allowed.

Sheepy nodded, her breathing having hastened and it was there she felt as the fabric kissed her thighs in a seductively slow manner before they soon laid to rest upon the floor along with her shoes. The warmth of his breath caressed the lips of her entrance, making a sharp cry quiver from her body.

“F-Fuck…!” she swore sweetly, fingers buried within his hair to encourage him onward.

Rufus’ own moan added to the wet warmth of her womanhood, his tongue flicking across her petals to taste of what he could only envision in his wildest dreams. To him, it was sweet like honey. He desired more. With one last slow and steady flick of his tongue against her clit did he remove himself from between her legs and motion towards the bed.

“Lie down,” he insisted, using his fingertips to dab away his saliva and her own essence that mixed with it.

Doing as he asked, she watched as he removed the rest of his own clothing. The intoxication of the moment was so strong, she could only think to open her arms and beckon for him back into her embrace. 

He soon held her body close, clasping her in a sort of hug that felt far from erotic in nature. Sheepy couldn't help but be a bit caught off guard by it. It was a hug that she least expected from someone such as him—as if saying ‘don't go’ without a single word being uttered.

“R-Rufus…?” She didn't mean to sound so informal with him, but the moment coaxed it out of her.

He closed his eyes, shaking his head to the best of his ability as his fingers dug into the small of her back. “It’s nothing,” he whispered, but those words held a lie of sorts that she didn't bother to probe about.

His hands guided her to find comfort on the covers of the bed. His own grip trailed upon the length of her arm before having his fingers rest between the divide of her own. The head of his cock kissed her entrance ever sweetly to where Sheepy’s toes curled and her back arched in desperate want of him.

As though he were greeting her for the first time, he brought the back of her hand up towards him where he kissed her there as he slowly—inch by inch—pushed himself within her. The tight warmth was spirituous for him, causing his other free hand to grab at her thigh to keep himself steady. Her body in kind kissed every inch of him, encouraging Rufus to near madness he would have embraced, but he would not see himself harm the one he had grown close to.

Never would he see himself as heartless as his father.

Sheepy’s heels dug into Rufus’ lower back, trying to encourage him onward as her moans grew louder and closer together. Odd to say for a spy, but she could care less how obvious she was being behind those walls. “G-Gods… damn…!” she whimpered, her body moving to meet every rhythmic thrust he offered. As the welcomed, merciless minutes passed on, the walls of her body throbbed upon him, giving an early warning she would climax. “I-I’m going to cum…!” Her nails pricked at his skin best they could given their length, and it was there she felt him steady himself.

“Then do so,” Rufus whispered near her mouth, tasting the warmth she breathed and acting as though it were as intoxicating as any wine he could sample. His palm cradling her warm cheek, he urged her back into a deep kiss.

Just as before, it gave him life—chasing away his worries that weighed him down.

Sheepy’s body shook, her moan muffled by Rufus’ desire to swallow her wish to be far more vocal than she was. The moment he felt her body clamp firmly upon his length, he grunted and even steeled himself before his lips parted from hers.

Breaking the string of saliva that connected them, he moaned with a grunt to follow as the warmth of his release soon bloomed within her body.

She whimpered, the erotic temptation swelled within her and urged her to embrace the president in a duplicate manner that she felt from him earlier. Burying her face within the nook of his warm neck, she sighed heavily in relief that all her feelings weren't just delusions of grandeur. That they were indeed reciprocated. 

Rufus found rest beside her under the covers, as he cradled her hand back to him once more where he kissed her there again and again. His brow furrowed before his eyes looked at her. “I pray you know I still aim to stop AVALANCHE every step of the way.”

Sheepy hesitantly nodded, her fingers toying with the rogue strands of his blond hair that fell from place.

“But if there is one thing I will not tolerate, it is heartache.” He murmured it rather gently, but there was a small form of a threat buried within it. “No matter the ‘dumb choices I make’—Well, I am holding you to that, Sheepy.”

She didn't curl up in fear. If anything, she only moved closer to where she nuzzled against his bare chest. “Don't take my words for lies. Even for a spy, I speak honestly to those I care about.”

[incaseofwriting]

Silver Lining

Chapter 28 - Spiraling

The Turks and Aura do their best to cope with the new situation, but things are far from ideal.

word count: 3.6k

content warning: setting typical violence

[demialwrites]

Rufus's Sister

You, Rufus's Sister, don't care for meetings or most of the board, so you have some fun.

"Watch this," you whispered, subtly elbowing Palmer.

"Oh!" Your fellow director wiggled in his seat, getting worked up that someone was paying him some attention.

You didn't like the creepy man that much but he would make for a suitable partner-in-crime for the moment. You pulled a resealable bag out of your suit jacket pocket, revealing your partially-eaten snack of peanut butter smoothed into celery sticks.

Palmer watched in rapt, but confused, attention.

Rufus was droning on about Weapons. Again. Giant materia whales had nothing to do with your department, and the details were beyond your understanding, anyway. He was turned to the other side of the table, answering a question from Reeve, so you began the game by unzipping the bag without attracting giving yourself away.

Sliding open the first half of the zipper gained you Scarlet casting a confused glance down her nose at you. She considered you the lesser Shinra sibling. One day you'll show her she's wrong, but that day was not today.

The second half attracted the attention of your real target. Not your boring brother but the dog behind him. Long and thin pointy ears sprang up at the sound of the plastic zipper. You could see his red eyes fixed in the direction of your seated figure but it was hard to tell because they were naturally crossed.

That one flaw in his best friend was a sore point for Rufus. You only made fun of it sparingly for maximum effect.

Darkstar ambled undetected behind his pet parent to sit under the table in front of you. It was an awkward squeeze but he desperately wanted what you had. Peanut butter. Palmer leaned back in fear but you quietly repeated the command to watch, drawing a celery stick out of the bag. The monstrous dog scooted closer excitedly, and you pushed the celery into his hungry mouth, snatching your hand back before his fangs closed together.

Palmer squealed, finally understanding what the game was.

It was noisy work, making sure to suck down every last morsel of peanut butter. You marvelled at how the dog didn't slice his flapping tongue to shreds licking in between his teeth. Scarlet unintentionally did you a favour just then with the timing of one of her outbursts, focusing Rufus's attention on her. You briefly pitied him, toddlers had better self-regulation skills than some of the adults in this room.

One of those toddlers, Palmer, clapped in joy.

"What are you doing?" asked Rufus.

You looked up at the unimpressed question to find the entire board watching and waiting for your answer. Palmer was still wiggling obliviously. Rufus glanced down at the tentacle wagging from under the table, the tip patting the side of his thigh.

"Director?" Rufus asked again, using his best 'president' voice.

"Nothing," you replied innocently.

He wrinkled his nose because you were a liar. He knew that because he was a practiced liar, too. He called Darkstar out from under the table. Rufus immediately noted the savoury scent of peanut butter on his dog's breath. You slipped the now-empty bag into your pocket before he looked up.

"Nothing?" he repeated.

The minute movements of his eyes searched you for what he wouldn't find. Knowing each other from early childhood allowed you to be relaxed about hiding any tells or signs of guilt. Your lips twitched into a smile for the briefest of moments. You were betting on him letting this slide. No one was paying much attention to you during the presentation, and they paid even less to Palmer. Rufus risked making a big deal out of nothing if he reprimanded you in front of everyone.

"Hmph."

Rufus turned and walked out, signaling the end of the meeting. Darkstar trotted to catch up, chops still wetly slapping together. You high-fived Palmer, then immediately regretted it, wiping a greasy hand off on your thigh.

[the-midgar-blues]

Been having fun writing Diana into Rebirth's story and being friends with the cast. Part of her story is she hasn't seen Rufus in a couple of years so the Junon chapter gave me all sorts of ideas for reunion scenarios. This being one example!

[angelfangs-666]

i finally finished the desing for my male wife.

[casterixe]

I've decided to try my hand at this cute Mistletoe kisses prompt. And who better with than Rufus Shinra and his Bodyguard Cas cx #7 was a strong starting point I think ^^

[starcrossedspirit]

A Carrd for the FF7 fanfiction, As Above, So Below designed by the wonderful @koiscarrds ! After all of this time I'm finally getting it together so it can be shared and enjoyed by others! Thank you so much Koi! Even after all of this time I still love what you have made! ♡

[crystallinechaos]

Hello, all you lovelies! I have been writing this little fiction for a few months now. I figured I'd start sharing it here as well, one chapter at a time, that way others could see and may e enjoy. Ff7 situation of a modern woman falling into the world of Midgar, before it all went to hell. Hope you enjoy! Of course, I'll post the link to the main story as well, in case you want to just read it all.

Here is the link to Death was only the Beginning

Chapter 1

For anyone curious about the whole "do you feel it when you die" question, I can answer you. Least about my specific death. I felt it. But in all honestly, I "felt" it in a somewhat impersonal way.

I more remember the way the windshield cracked, like a hundred fine spider webs inside it. I remember the noise of the car too. Metal grinding and crackling. I'm honestly glad I don't remember the way it all felt. I don't really consider myself a masochist. I wouldn't have enjoyed knowing or cataloging broken bones or gushes of blood.

It was bad enough what I do remember. The most terrifying was the fact I was there… or had been there. And then I simply wasn't. I didn't have a form anymore; I couldn't see the red tinted world of my shattered vehicle anymore.

You know how you aren't aware of your physical body until you are? Until something jogs your brain into hard-core thinking. Like being randomly hyper aware of your hands, or how you move when you dance? Or how you get a little too up in your walking ability when you're walking by a hot guy?

Okay, I admit the last one might just be me. Anyway, I lost all that in a single second. Talk about eye openers. I couldn't feel my physical body. I couldn't see anything. I reached and reached but there wasn't anything there.

I'm not too big to admit I was terrified. It took a long time to calm down after that. Especially when I realized my terror had no noise. I felt such fear, yet couldn't make a single actual noise.

All I can explain it as is… was a warm kind of darkness, if that makes any sense. At the time I had no idea what I was or where I was. Was this seriously death? Absolutely nothing? Boy, did everyone back home have it all wrong. Maybe my brain wasn't dead yet, and that's all that was happening.

Such thoughts were my comfort zone. I wanted an explanation more than I wanted it to end. Like I said… the dark was warm somehow, and at times I felt a pressure, like something was pressing on me. This happened more and more frequently. They were a guarantee when my thoughts had me in a panic. Slowly I began to regard that pressure as a kind of friend. It was really the only difference in my dark death.

Really, my heaven wasn't great. And if I was in the other place, where was my torture? This place had an ambivalence I both clung to and loathed. Sure, death was weird and I wanted something, ANYTHING, to happen. But I was also terrified about what it would be.

So, the days passed, slowly. I didn't know which way was up even, always just assuming I was in an upright position. I thought fancifully that I could feel my body again at times. I would feel an urge to roll over and would follow through, until I remembered I couldn't do that anymore.

Phantom limb pain, maybe? I brushed it off.

Until it kept happening. The thing is, it didn't feel like my old body. It felt foreign and wrong, and I didn't like it. I wondered then if maybe I wasn't dead. Maybe I was in a coma. That could explain the disconnect but not my blank world. I could rationalize the dark, but couldn't help feeling ripped off. In the movies, a coma patient wandered the hospital or some shit. Though in the end I'd be grateful when I woke up.

Coma was a hundred times better than dead, after all. Sure, my friends and family would be worried but damn! Least they wouldn't need to plan a funeral or mourn a bloodied caricature of who I was in a coffin.

I thought about that car, my cherry red Honda, and felt bitter. I'd loved that car. It had little stuffed turtles on the back windshield and a golden snitch hanging from the mirror. Geeky sure. Worse was I was still paying on it. I wondered bleakly if it'd been totaled or could be salvaged if I sunk myself into a hole of debt.

Light started flickering across my dark little world. Not often, and that was how I became acutely aware I had eyes. I couldn't blink for some annoying reason, so my relief was not easily won. When it flashed by again, I felt indignant and put upon, to the point I imagined I kicked out. Call me crazy but at the time I was confused as hell when it felt like I had legs and feet, and that I connected with something. Something soft and somewhat pliable.

The pressure returned right over my newly discovered feet and it blocked out the light so I was grateful. The pressure was almost… stroking? It shifted side to side and I was curious. Suddenly more curious than I had been since my coma or death. Fingers crossed for coma.

I pressed back for the first time knowingly and felt almost… something lighter. Like happiness was suddenly dumped in on me, and maybe I heard light laughter.

I began to interact more. Sue me, I was bored. Curiosity could kill this cat, since I was already sure I was either dead or incapacitated. I needed some fun.

Things started happening rapidly after that. Whenever I felt the pressure, I made sure to press back. Finally, another development. I began to realize the varying pressures were different pressures. Different… entities?

I found my favorite was the smallest one, pressing so lightly as though nervous, then firming down when I responded. The next best was the most frequent, that would be accompanied by laughter or what I thought were soft words. I found myself straining to try and understand. Sometimes it sounded almost sleepy, the soft little murmur, others happy and nearly singing.

It seems stupid, but I really believed these were my family members and friends, come to visit during my comatose state. More and more I became more accepting of this body I had, rolling and tumbling through my dark world with occasional shimmers of light. More and more I began to realize my darkness wasn't endless. The cushy limitless dark that I thought I'd been rolling through seemed to become smaller and smaller.

Finally, it was too tight almost. I began to feel suffocated, and couldn't help pushing against it more vehemently. I wasn't some acrobat that could fit in tiny spaces for fuck sakes!

Then… there were screams. The dark suddenly started contracting against me, squishing and releasing for what felt like hours. I couldn't stop myself as I slid forward and found myself stuck. I don't think I'd ever felt so scared. When I felt more persistent pressure against me, I fought, pushing away and wriggling about. The screams continued for a while before weakening.

More time passed and I couldn't tell what was happening. The small space continued to contract and I felt what might have been a small opening so I tried to shift forward and go through it. Anything was better than staying in this dark claustrophobic place.

The next phase I honestly wish I could forget. To say being reborn is an experience isn't a lie at all. There were a lot of… fluids, and an embarrassing smack along my bottom that frankly, enraged me. It hadn't clicked I was now a literal baby yet. I was more freaked by how everyone was so tall and there I was… a seeming puppy being held by giants.

Then the red tint was cleared from my rapidly blinking eyes by a soft cloth and I was placed in the arms of a tired, yet still radiant woman. I can't explain the immediate connection I felt to her. Her hair was like spun gold and her blue eyes danced with emotion I found I couldn't trace out.

A tall man of imposing disposition was standing beside her bed, his piercing gaze boring into me. His large hand was firmly gripping a slender shoulder, a younger but near carbon copy of the man. I blinked as much as I could in order to bring them sharper into focus, but baby eyes just aren't reliable.

I realized quickly and with horror, that's what I was. A literal ass baby. I was horrified. Especially when the woman cradled me tighter and shifted, squeezing my baby head into her bosom. My wriggling didn't stop the injustice.

For some reason, I couldn't understand their words. I stared with growing awareness as the woman gestured and the little boy came closer, his hand reaching out to poke, what I imagined, were puffy cheeks. I slowly brought him into focus and vaguely felt a sense of familiarity.

When the woman deposited me into his arms I felt some alarm. We were really trusting a kid to hold a fragile baby now, are we? I began to fuss a little, trying to convey my dismay in the only language I could, gibberish.

"What do you think, Rufus? Your own little sister." The woman said it so softly. Her hand reached out to brush the golden hair from his face and he allowed it. My alarm grew.

"President Shinra, sir." What I assumed was a doctor called to the man and he turned. Oh, shit.

"What is it?" Oh, no. Oh absolutely fuck no.

This is a dream; this absolutely can NOT be real.

"The birth certificate, sir."

The man took it in his hand and made a small noise. "I suppose she needs a name. I was hoping for another boy. However, I suppose this will be fine. You name her."

Oh shit, no thank you, really. I already have a name. One that I'm quite attached too. And really, a whole life that I'm happy with so really… no need.

The woman looked a bit dissatisfied with his disinterested tone and I almost felt bad. Her eyes softened when she looked at us. She thought we were her KIDS. Well, the boy… Rufus was, but I most certainly was not, by any means, an effing baby!

And I didn't want to be, if my stirring memories were right. I was screwed with this family of dysfunction and greed.

"Hmm, what do you think, Rufus?"

The boy looked almost innocent. But every time one of them spoke I felt nothing but dread. I stared at him while he looked back at me. This was the guy who was going to continue his fathers stupid quest to suck the planet dry! If I was right. Maybe I was wrong. Surely, maybe they were just the victims of some Final Fantasy obsessed nut job.

Well, at least my brother would grow up to be a domineering but classically hot anime guy. God's, this couldn't be real.

"Sophie," he muttered finally.

The woman lit up while the man snorted. "From the book I read you a while ago. Of course, it's perfectly splendid."

Before today if someone had said I'd be faced with a chibby Rufus freaking Shinra I'd have been curious enough to look up the Google for it. Now, I was faced with chibby Rufus actually blushing. Nodding as the woman beamed.

"Little Sophie. How wonderful." Compared to Rufus and the still unnamed woman I'd come out of, Shinra senior was laconic and bored. Well, excuse you, you definitely aren't getting any father of the year mugs from me.

My life was over. I started to cry as the emotion crashed into me and I couldn't stop it. Damn baby body. Even as I tried to hold back the noises, they escaped my unwilling mouth and tumbled around piercingly through the air. Rufus looked alarmed and the woman took me swiftly.

"Perhaps she's hungry already." Her voice was almost drowned out by my cries.

Nothing could drown out the intent though. She unbuttoned her gown and oh my God, you've got to be kidding me!

I was going to die. I was dead, and now I'm gonna be double dead. Fuck no I wasn't going to be breastfed to top off my impending doom.

[incaseofart]

Rufus and Aura in jammies 🥰 well, Rufus is just in a t-shirt and boxers, but Aura has proper silk jammies he procured for them of course~ Just wanted to draw something soft and then I got carried away with textures and now it is here :D

[braveclementine]

Chapter 3

Warnings: None. However, future chapters will contain sexual content so readers that are under the age of 18 may have to skip those chapters (Please keep note of the warnings).

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. I also do not condone any copying of this.

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

Uncle Moody's funeral was only a day later since the wedding was also very close. I didn't go down with the crowd, instead watching from the bedroom window, holding Remus in my arms. 

I would've gone down, except I had a strange, almost psychopathic response when I got around people who were crying in a depressed atmosphere. I always started to laugh and I hated it. Especially since I loved Uncle Moody so much, it felt disrespectful. So I had stayed inside to avoid it. 

Dad came in later and told me that Uncle Moody had left his house to me in his will since I was the closest thing to a relative that he had. That sent me over the edge with the tears I had been trying so hard to keep in. 

Sirius had left me a house. Uncle Moody too. I already knew that it was in Dads' will too. Severus might've as well, if he had a will. 

And I would give all of it up to have them alive. 

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

The days leading up to the wedding were full of work, getting the house ready for the Delacour family. Trang and I mostly worked together around the house after Mrs. Weasley discovered that we weren't going with the other three. But Harry, Hermione, and Ron on the other hand were kept separated at every possible moment. 

There was a lot of Order members coming in, which was always nice because I enjoyed seeing Kingsley. The others I didn't care all that much about. 

Dad and Tonks weren't staying at the Burrow like I was, because they had agreed it was safer for me here and I couldn't apparate every day with Remus. You weren't really supposed to apparate with young children and he wasn't even six months old yet. 

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were all rather in a bad mood when Mr. Weasley set off to go and fetch the Delacour's. Trang was only slightly annoyed and I was mildly annoyed. I liked house work for the most part, but my fingers were hurting from the scrubbing I'd done. 

"Yeesh, I almost wish I was going with them." Trang complained under her breath. "What are we-" 

But she didn't get to finish her question as an unnatural laugh rose on the air. I shuddered a little, shaking my shoulders, even though I knew it was just Mr. Weasley. 

"Maman!" Fleur ran forwards to embrace the adults. "Papa!" 

Madame Delacour was a beautiful woman with long blond hair, wearing leaf-green robes. Mr. Weasley was laughing at whatever she had been saying. 

Monsieur Delacour was not handsome, but made up for his looks with his good nature. He came up to Mrs. Weasley, kissed her twice on both cheeks. "You 'ave been to much trouble." He said in a smooth, deep voice as Mrs. Weasley flushed, "Fleur tells us you 'ave been working very 'ard." 

"Oh it's been nothing, nothing! No trouble at all!" Mrs. Weasley flushed. 

"Dear Lady! We are most honored at the approaching union of our two families! Let me present my wife, Apolline." 

His wife glided forward, kissing Mrs. Weasleys cheeks too, which started setting of Trang's giggling. She bit on her palm to make it look like she was just hiding a yawn. 

"Enchantee, Your 'usband 'as been telling us such amusing stories!" 

Mr. Weasleys' maniacal laugh set off my own struggles not to laugh. And after Mrs. Weasley threw him a look, he set his face gravely, like he was standing by the sickbed of a dear friend. I bit hard on my bottom lip while Trangs' giggles started to become more audible. 

"And, of course, you 'ave met my leetle daughter, Gabrielle!" 

Gabrielle looked exactly like Fleur and batted her lashes at Harry while hugging Mrs. Weasley. Ginny cleared her throat loudly and Trang started to cackle, ducking back into the house to hide. 

I snickered, following. Trang was cackling and I shook my head, amused. "Grow up Trang. Yeesh, you'd think Gabrielle would realize the age gap is to large." 

That set Trang off again until she managed to say with a grin, "And what was the years between you and Sevy?" 

I flushed. "Shut up." 

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

Waking up on my birthday felt weird. I had never been good at following the no magic rule, especially when I was in a wizarding house where the Ministry couldn't register the difference between normal and underage magic. But knowing that I could freely use magic wherever, whenever I wanted was strange. 

"Happy Birthday." Trang said as I sat up. She was already up and dressed, pushing over a present. 

"Thanks Trang." I grinned, picking up her package. It contained two art journals. One was leather bound and about the size of an average book. Complete with a book mark and a strap to keep it together. The other art journal was pocket sized, meant for smaller sketches. She had also paired it with a new pencil set with different graphite darkness. 

"This is great." I grinned at her. 

"Well, I thought you'd like it." Trang smirked. "Anyways, I can smell the bacon from here. Let's go." 

Downstairs, I found that Mr and Mrs. Weasley had gotten me a gift, which was a small necklace that they were handing down to me. I nearly cried. 

The Delacours had gotten me roses and chocolates. Hermione had gotten me The Subtle Knife, the second book in the Golden Compass series; The Shining, Cujo, and Doctor sleep which were Stephen King books. 

Ron had gotten me Sugar quills. Fred had sent me charms to add to my bracelet. 

I handed Harry my present for him. It was a journal, not unlike the journal Trang had given me. I had filled half of it with notes about Voldemort, curses, jinxes, offensive and defensive spells. I had drawn wild plants and labelled which ones were safe to eat and which ones were not. I had drawn the Horcruxes in it, though I had also written a note that he should memorize them and then burn the pages in case it fell into the wrong hands. 

Half of it was also empty, just in case he wanted to write in it himself. 

Later, when Dad and Tonks showed up, Dad gave me a watch. It had a purple band and the outline of the face was purple, though pearl coloured inside. "It was your mothers." He murmured in undertone. 

"Thank you dad." I murmured, already putting the watch on as tears pricked my eyes. Tonks pulled me into a tight hug. It was really only then that I noticed dad seemed stressed, because Tonks was beaming with happiness. 

I already knew, of course, that dad was feeling very uncertain about the baby in Tonks stomach. I knew that he would run after some time, but Harry would rebuke him and he would go back. Since it worked so well, I wasn't going to interfere. 

Hagrid gave me a journal that was not unlike the one that I had given Harry. Inside were watercolour drawings of all sorts of magical creatures, with paragraphs about them. But the other half of the book was empty for my own drawings and notes. 

Harry and I were sharing a cake, which Mrs. Weasley had baked and made. It was the size of a beach ball and was in the shape of a golden snitch. Half of it was vanilla and the other half was chocolate. There were actually 34 candles on the cake, seventeen of them being red and the other seventeen were purple. 

It was the first birthday that I had really shared with Harry. Truly. I wondered if Mrs. Weasley had her suspicions- as Hagrid and McGonagall and Dumbledore had- that we were truly siblings. It was like the adults that I knew, knew that we were, but no one said anything. 

I wished Kingsley could've been here, I'd asked him if he could come. But the Muggle Prime Minister was definitely more important. 

Charlie and Hagrid were talking as I made my way to sit down between Dad and Trang. Trang was listening in attentively to the discussion about Norbert, pardon- Norberta . 

"They're a lot more vicious." Charlie was saying, before looking over his shoulder and muttering, "Wish Dad would hurry up and get here. Mum's getting edgy." 

"He's been held up by Scrimgeour." I explained, setting Remus down in my lap. Dad tensed next to me at the name. "The Minister will be coming. And you don't have to leave Dad, there's nothing to worry about when he comes here." 

The Ministry was very anti-werewolf at the moment. Partly on the Death Eater side since they were half-breeds and not considered pure-blood wizards. Partly on the Ministry side because of Greyback and also the long prejudice against them. 

Mrs. Weasley hadn't heard me as she came back over saying, "I think we'd better start without Arthur. He must have been held up at- oh!" 

 The Patronus of Mr. Weasley, which happened to be a weasel, stood on its hind legs as it ran across the garden and then stood at the table. "Minister of Magic coming with me." 

Dad became fidgety, but I squeezed his hand in reassurance and he stayed where he was. The Minister and Mr. Weasley appeared very soon after it. Scrimgeour looked much older and I felt a stab of pity. I might not like the man, but he was better than Fudge and I had seen his future. He was a good man at heart, truly. 

"Sorry to intrude. Especially as I can see that I am gate-crashing a party. Many happy returns." 

"Thanks." Harry and I said together as he looked at both of us. Now, I was wondering if he too was seeing me as Harry's sister. Then I realized that I didn't really care. 

"I require a private word with the both of you. Also with Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger." 

"Us? Why us?" Ron asked. 

"I shall tell you that when we are somewhere more private. Is there such a place?" 

I got up, handing Remus over to Tonks and patted Trang on the shoulder as I walked into the house first. "This way, Minister." 

I moved through the house to the living room, perching on the arm of the sofa while Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat on it. 

"I have some questions for the four of you, and I think it will be bets if we do it individually. If you three-" He pointed at Harry, Hermione, and I, "can wait upstairs, I will start with Ronald." 

"We're not going anywhere. You can speak to us together, or not at all." Harry decided. 

"Very well then, together. I am here, as I'm sure you know, because of Albus Dumbledore's will." 

I kept my face stoic, only slightly surprised. Not about the will, but the fact that I had been included in it. Though, perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised. 

"A surprise, apparently! You were not aware then that Dumbledore had left you anything?" 

"A-all of us? Me and Hermione too?" Ron asked. 

"Yes, all of-" 

"Dumbledore died over a month ago. Why has it taken this long to give us what he left us?" Harry demanded. 

"Isn't it obvious?" Hermione asked. "They wanted to examine whatever he's left us. You had no right to do that!" 

"I had every right. The Decree for Justifiable Confiscation gives the Ministry the power to confiscate the contents of a will-" 

"Which was created to stop wizards passing on Dark artifacts." I interrupted now. "While also having powerful evidence that the deceased possession are, in fact, illegal before seizing them. I find it hard to believe that the Ministry thought Dumbledore would pass onto us, something cursed." 

"Are you planning to follow a career in Magical Law, Miss K-" 

"Lupin. Miss Lupin." I said firmly. "And no. Law bores me. But that doesn't mean I don't know it. You have to know what the law is to break it." 

Ron smirked but Scrimgeour just looked annoyed. 

"So why have you decided to let us have our things now? Can't think of a pretext to keep them?" Harry asked. 

"No, it's because the thirty-one days are up." Hermione and I said at the same time. She continued, "They can't keep the objects longer than that unless they can prove they're dangerous, right?" 

"Would you say you were close to Dumbledore, Ronald?" Scrimgeour decided to ignore the both of us. 

Meanwhile, Ron stupidly replied with, "Me? Not- not really. . . It was always Harry and Elizabeth who. . ." 

"If you were not very close to Dumbledore, how do you account for the fact that he remembered you in his will? He made exceptionally few personal bequests. The vast majority of his possessions- his magical instruments and other personal effects- were left to Hogwarts. Why do-" 

"Hold on." I interrupted, frowning. "What about his private library? In the vision I saw of this conversation he left the library to Hogwarts too." 

"In good time Miss. . . Lupin." Scrimgeour said, eyeing me. "Well, Ronald?" 

"I. . . dunno. I. . . when I say we weren't close. . . I mean, I think he liked me. . ." 

"You're being modest, Ron. Dumbledore was very fond of you." Hermione said, trying to fix the situation. 

Scrimgeour pulled out a scroll and read from it. "'The Last Will and Testament of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore'. . . Yes, here we are. . . 'To Ronald Bilius Weasley, I leave my Deluminator, in the hope that he will remember me when he uses it.'" 

I perked in interest, seeing the object in Scrimgeour's hand, before he handed it over to Ron. I remembered Uncle Moody using it when we were returning with Harry to the original Order of the Phoenix headquarters. I felt a swoop of sadness flow through me. 

"That is a valuable object. It may even be unique. Certainly it is of Dumbledore's own design. Why would he have left you an item so rare?" When Ron didn't answer, Scrimgeour continued, "Dumbledore must have taught thousands of students. Yet the only ones he remembered in his will are you four. Why is that? To what use did he think you would put his Deluminator, Mr. Weasley?" 

"Put out lights, I s'pose. What else could I do with it?" Ron asked. 

Scrimgeour turned back to the will, "'To Miss Elizabeth Kane Lupin, I leave to her my private library in the hopes that she finds it enjoyable and explorative. I also leave Fawkes, in the hopes that she puts him to the best of uses.'" 

My heart soared, hearing both of those, the memories brought back as well. 

"And why do you think he left you these things?" Scrimgeour asked. 

"Well. . . I always told him I enjoyed his library." I said with a small smile. "And I've inherited them before so I suppose this is no different. But with Fawkes. . . I told him something in the future that I cannot explain to any of you. Fawkes is to help me with that. He told me he would help me before he died. This is the only thing I can think of." 

Scrimgeour seemed a bit please to get an answer out of me, even if it wasn't a straight one. With a wave of his wand, Fawkes was there, sitting in a cage. I opened it immediately and he flew to sit upon my shoulder. "The private library has been moved with his specific instructions to your art studio." 

I only nodded. 

"'To Miss Hermione Jean Granger, I leave my cop of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, in the hope that she will find it entertaining and instructive.'" 

I zoned out a little, admittedly. It helped that I already knew what the rest of the possessions were. Dumbledore had given me Fawkes, whose tears were an antidote to Basilisk poison. Was it possible that Dumbledore believe Fawkes tears could be used to save Severus' life when Nagini bit him?

I wasn't sure. It was hard to hope for that. And it wasn't like it could be tested out first. I had made other plans, of course. Brewing Felix Felicias first of all. Carving protective runes into the skin above his heart and on his neck so that Nagini would be deterred and would have to bite him somewhere else. 

"This is not a joke, Potter!" Scrimgeours angry voice cut through my thoughts. "Was it because Dumbledore believed that only the sword of Godric Gryffindor could defeat the Heir of Slytherin? Did he wish to give you that sword, Potter, because he believed, as do many, that you are the one destined to destroy He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" 

"Interesting theory. Has anyone ever tried sticking a sword in Voldemort? Maybe the Ministry should put some people onto that, instead of wasting their time stripping down Deluminators or covering up breakouts from Azkaban. So is this what you've been doing, Minister, shut up in your office, trying to break open a Snitch? People are dying- I was nearly one of them- Voldemort chased me across three counties, he killed Mad-Eye Moody, but there's been no word about any of that from the Ministry, has there? And you still expect us to cooperate with you!" 

"You go too far!" Scrimgeour shouted, standing up and Harry and I were on our feet in an instant. Scrimgeour pointed his wand at Harry, a hole burned in his T-shirt. My wand was pointed at him in seconds. 

"Oi!" Ron jumped up. 

"No! D'you want to give him an excuse to arrest us?" 

"Remembered you're not at school, have you? Remembered that I am not Dumbledore, who forgave your insolence and insubordination? You may wear that scar like a crown, Potter, but it is not up to a seventeen year old boy to tell me how to do my job! It's time you learned some respect!" 

"Insubordination." I snorted, lowering my wand an inch. "God all you Ministers are all the same. First Fudge, now you. You're not Kings." 

"It's time you earned it." Harry said at the same time while footsteps came running down the hallway. 

Mr.  and Mrs. Weasley were first, followed closely behind by Dad and Tonks. 

"We- we thought we heard-" 

"Raised voices." Mrs. Weasley finished for her husband. 

Scrimgeour took a few steps back while I lowered my wand completely, putting it in my pocket. "It- it was nothing. I. . . regret your attitude. You seem to think that the Ministry does not desire what you- what Dumbledore- desired. We ought to be working together." 

"I don't like your methods, Minister. Remember?" Harry asked, raising his hand to show the 'I must not tell lies' on the back of his hand. 

Scrimgeour left without another word, Mrs. Weasley hurrying after him. I strode out of the room and outside, leaving the others behind, wandering more into the garden. Fawkes cawed softly and I stroked his head. "Yeah, that was stressful, wasn't it?" 

I watched something flying towards me in the distance. An owl?

It was a smoky, midnight black coloured owl with large orange eyes. It had a small box in its talons and flew off immediately after I took the small box from him. 

It really wasn't big and I wondered what was inside of it. I opened it up and pulled out the Elizabeth Magnolia flower inside. It's white-yellow petals were soft and waxy, the inside was a soft red. In the very middle of the flower- the pistil- was the smallest black heart, burned by a wand. 

I smiled, closing my eyes, putting the flower against my heart.

⬅️➡️

[nezuko-kamad]

Rogue: Has anyone seen Frosch?

Orga: No I didn't seen him!

Rufus: Not me either I remember.

Yukino: No Rogue-sama I didn't seen Frosch-sama...

Minerva: Uh no I didn't seen Frosch anywhere!

*Rogue feels desperate Frosch missing*

Sting: I have seen Frosch Rogue!

Rogue: *Jumps into the table grabs Sting jacket closes him in anger*

WHERE'S FROSCH IF YOU SEEN FROSCH YOU BETTER TELL RN STING!?

Sting: Hey take it Easy Man!? I saw Frosch with your Boyfriend!

Rogue: I TOLD YOU STING HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!?

*Kai arrived in Sabertooth hears all the Commotions*

Kai: Oi what's going on why is Rogue yelling about?

Rogue: Oh Kai you son of a Bit-

*Rogue sees Kai holding Frosch into his arms with Cute Smile hugging Kai*

Frosch: Kai-kun thank you for playing with me! I'm so happy to have a Dad like you!! Frosch wants to play with you again!

Rogue:

Kai: What's up with him now?

Frosch: Rogue?

Everyone: Don't ask us Kai!

[the-midgar-blues]

A sketch of Rufus and my OC, Diana. Heavily inspired by @demialwrites Sparring fic! 👌👀

[angelfangs-666]

ok so i might be late to the party but here have spiderverse rufus bc my brain is literally rotting. :)

[crossroadsofchaos]

A little family tree thing with some OCs. Dark blue lines indicate bio family, pink lines indicate partnerships.

Zac may or may not end up having a brother.

[casterixe]

For all the time in the world, tenderness is a luxury we can't afford. And even still, I find myself believing that all souls deserve comfort.

...

I find my comfort in you.