[Open Video]

[plate_builder]

[The video starts awkwardly, as if whoever is starting it isn't used to using the communicator device. Perhaps for some that might have a very clear reason behind if if they recognize a few details. First of these was that the room the video was being shot in was clearly the Restoration Committee building, also known as the large room for organization that one Reeve Tuesti had set up for rebuilding and improvement plans. Second of these was the fact that there was clearly one Mister Reeve Tuesti sitting on a less than comfortable looking stool facing a table with a surface tilted some thirty to forty degrees up from horizontal, hands moving with a ruler and pencil as his voice mumbled indistinctly to himself and he drew lines on it. And, thirdly, there was the fact that the video was clearly shot from only a few feet above the floor, as opposed to a height that would make sense for anyone that lived here save perhaps the droids and the actual culprit: Mini-C.

The video of Reeve continues for a moment before turning away to face the feline's face as he turns and walks away, a door soon closing behind him and leaving him standing with the communicator camera pointed at himself, still recording, while he sat just inside Reeve's room.]

D'ye ken wha tha was? One ah tha most pathetic sad sack sights me wee eyehs hae evah seen.

[The cat shakes his head and then takes a deep breath. He talks more slowly from then on, clearly struggling to suppress his accent to talk more like his creator's more 'refined' tones. Really, the point is to sound more easily recognizable, he gets that these humans don't always get him]

That's been the sight ah've had of him for two days now. All mah efforts ain't managed to get him to eat regular or sleep enough. Most days it's a mite hard to get him ta take care o'imself. It's a good thin' he made me, cause I take care of him. But ya see, he ain't been all right since a thing happened.

[How weird, that it would be a little robot cat to announce this sort of thing.]

Poe. He be gone. Gone gone this time, ain't no listing on the ships or comms. When Reeve found out, well, ah could not keep him from tryin' ta distract himself. Which meant more work. And less sleep. And less food.

Ah need help. Used ta be ah was a good influence on gettin' him to be careful and healthy and all them wee things that make the big thing that is living as a person. Cept he ain't listening to me no more. What do ah do? Ah need help getting him ta sleep and eat.

Annae advice? Or perhaps can some ah'ya lads and lasses help me haul him inta being himself agin? Or at least gettin' him ta take serious the whole 'food and sleep make humans run' thing?

Comments

[ambitiousblond]

It will be fine, don't worry. I've done this before.

I'll be over in 20.

[plate_builder]

Ay? weith whio?

[ambitiousblond]

That's a long story, especially when sober. Tell Reeve I'll be there shortly.

[plate_builder]

Ii thiunk if i warnm hium he wont open up.

[ambitiousblond]

I'm nearly there anyway. Is he still working?

[plate_builder]

Ya thinnk ye wouild Stop?

[ambitiousblond]

Not really, I suppose. I'm almost there.

[Which is soon followed by the sound of a dog barking at the door, eagerly pawing to get inside with excitement before Rufus can even knock. He doesn't wait for an answer before opening the door.]

Reeve?

[plate_builder]

[Well, that's a relief. The barking makes Mini go to hide under the bed with the communicator though.

Reeve, confused, looks up from his work. And looks even more confused with Rufus and the hound entering. He looks... more frazzled than Mini could catch given Mini had been looking at his back. Tear streaks on his face, dark circles under his eyes, hair clearly tugged well past out of being neat and composed. Nothing about him is neat and composed.]

Did I miss a meeting, Rufus?

[ambitiousblond]

No, but I decided to schedule one anyway.

[Dark Nation sniffs around, pausing to peer under the bed at Mini but moves away to greet Reeve once she's determined there was no threat.

Rufus sets two bottles of vodka on the table before going to find two glasses. He's not surprised to see Reeve in such a state, he remembers how Reeve talked of Poe at the party.

If they were going to be friends then he was going to do his best to do the things that friends should do.]

I bring an offering, though. Temptation to step away from work for a bit.

[plate_builder]

[Mini hissed at Dark Nation and then moved to shut himself back into the bedroom, because he didn't want to deal with the dog. Reeve sighed at the doll's behavior but looked more to Rufus.]

And to what do I owe the honor of the temptation? I doubt it is so cut and dried.

[ambitiousblond]

[Dark Nation huffs at being hissed at, looking at Rufus for guidance but he only gestures for her to lay down which she does with a sad whine.

Rufus turns his attention to pouring out glasses for them both, sitting down at the table as he slides one towards Reeve.]

Our agenda during this meeting is straightforward- we drink these bottles and see what happens.

[plate_builder]

Why?

[Reeve took the glass because it was given, but he definitely didn't look sure. He just held the glass for a moment, considering it and the liquid inside.]

[ambitiousblond]

Because it's what Reno did for me when I needed it. Or well, something similar but since we don't have a bottle of 7,000 gil scotch I'm improvising.

[Even as Reeve hesitates Rufus downs the glass, blinking for a moment at the sharpness before looking at Reeve.]

[plate_builder]

[When he needed it? Reeve was frowning at the other man, then at his glass, then back at Rufus.]

Why are you doing this? I'm just working. I'm fine.

[oh such a lie to give when there were tears tracks on his face.]

[ambitiousblond]

[Rufus looks Reeve up and down slowly before meeting his eyes again, eyebrows raised.

He sees the exhaustion, the tear tracks and while he's not as adapt in these kinds of situations he can at least try to make Reeve feel better for a bit.]

You're not fine, don't lie to me. At the very least you can sit down and have a drink with me.

[plate_builder]

[Fine, whatever. Reeve sighs and throws back the drink quickly. There, he had a drink.]

I don't understand what you're trying to do, but I think I know who put you up to it.

[ambitiousblond]

Don't be hard on him.

[Rufus doesn't ask before refilling Reeve's glass before refilling his as well. He's not good at getting emotional so getting drunk it is.]

I'm helping. Well, at least trying.

[plate_builder]

[Oh. He... gets it now.]

I shouldn't have expected to get to keep him, you know. It never works that way for me.

[ambitiousblond]

I can't give you any assurance that you'll find someone to keep, unfortunately. [Just booze and after taking another shot Rufus refills their glasses before looking at Reeve.]

You got time with him, at least. Supposedly it's better to have loved and lost than...whatever, have another drink.

[plate_builder]

Speaking from copious experience, Rufus, bullshit.

[That wasn't a line he'd liked before.]

I had a serious boyfriend when I was in school you know. Little prodigy Reeve Tuesti, falling for the older student. He encouraged me to apply for Shinra you know, told me he understood that the rising star of my life had to come first. Ended up hiring him years later, when I needed help with Edge. He was married. To a woman he had started dating while he was dating me. Bullshit on loved and lost.

[And yes, he's drinking again.]

[ambitiousblond]

That was pretty much my reaction when Reno told me that. I don't think he believed it either, was just trying to be nice in his weird way.

[There is plenty to get them drunk tonight and Rufus just slides the bottle over his way. No need for manners or anything like that right now and he takes the second bottle for himself.

He laughs, not being able to stop himself from snorting softly.]

Rising star of your life? So telling you to apply to Shinra was just a way to break up with you? At least you got to be his boss later, I wouldn't have been so gracious.

[plate_builder]

[Reeve snorted at the idea of Reno being able to comfort someone in loss of love. For him it sounded ridiculous. And he reached to refill his glass]

I didn't want to ruin his wife's happiness. But I stopped working with him as soon as possible after we finished that joint project in Edge.

[ambitiousblond]

Was it that contractor you hired to help with that sewer project in the northern part of Edge? If so, bullet dodged.

[Rufus had never actually really been to Reeve's office since it was best that the public didn't know that Reeve was working with Shinra funding but he got updates from the Turks...or in Reno's case, rambling commentary or gossip.]

[plate_builder]

Sadly no. I think, in your time, we're working on some new apartment spaces. The one that Bahamut Sin destroyed. That was his project.

[So he'd been stuck with the guy a bit longer]

[ambitiousblond]

Hmm, I don't think I know him then. I just wrote you a check for that project and trusted you with the details so I don't know who you're working with there.

Either way, you're probably better off without him still. [Rufus is glad he bought two bottles as he pours himself another glass, looking over at Reeve.]

Not much consolation though.