Welcome Back

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WHO: Reeve, Poe Dameron, Rufus Shinra, Open
WHERE: Temba Restoration Coordination
 (Yellow 5), The Deep End (Orange 13)
WHAT: Event Fallout for Reeve, His Boss Arriving, Hiding Out at the Bar
WHEN: June 7th to 12th
WARNINGS: CW: Implied past sexual situation in thread with Rufus; Drinking at the Deep End

1. Talking About What Happened Closed to Poe | Evening of the 7th, Reeve's Office
Reeve hadn't really been big on the idea of sticking around in the Waiting Room when they had awoken. His memories of being stuck in Calibrations were not hte greatest, and he had decided he wasn't going to risk sticking around there. He had grabbed Mini up and headed right out, not daring to question, not waning to linger. There were memories and a life to process and he didn't much like it.

It wasn't until later that night that he reached out to Poe with a message. After quite a bit of thought he had known what the truth was. They had to talk. So he'd sent a message, asking for Poe to meet him in his space. They had to figure things out. He had to figure whether Poe might forgive him for what he'd apparently said and done there.


2. Welcome To Temba, Your Timing Sucks Closed to Rufus | Morning of the 8th, Reeve's Office
The meeting hadn't been a bad one, in Reeve's estimation. Poe was a wonderful companion and he quite liked his time with his boyfriend. A nice talk, a lazy morning afterward, and Reeve had been happy to send the other man off in the morning. He had happily watched Poe slip out after morning coffee together, sitting at Reeve's work table in the front room. Reeve hadn't even bothered to put on much more than his long coat that morning, hadn't bothered to make his bed yet, hadn't even begun to work on the final stages of Mini's upgraded form. Instead he'd sat smiling at the table, his hair ruffled, sipping at the final dregs of his coffee as the door closed, not even paying attention to Mini as the doll worked on sorting through papers on the table top, making sure nothing had been lost in the change of the last month.

So Reeve, most definitely, wasn't expecting someone to show up at his door.


3. Just A Little Drink Open To All | Evenings of the 8th through 12th, The Deep End

Well, that was a thing that had most definitely happened. Reeve didn't know what to do with himself with Rufus here. With Cloud nad VIncent he had known what to do, what his place was with his companions and friends. It was enough for Reeve to just, well, fall into a habit he hadn't had in a very long time. Though he supposed it was hardly a habit if he didn't sustain it. Reeve sighed and settled himself at a chair at the bar, sitting down and looking at the counter. So what was the etiquette here, how did one even go about getting alcohol?

"Um, hello?"

Maybe he didn't want to be as alone as he thought.

Comments

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Reeve leaned over when he heard Cayde's voice, lifting Mini up to the counter. The doll was waving eagerly, happy to see his big brother. Reeve offered a nod to Cayde and Sundance, and Mini just came over to look over him.

"I need a drink," Reeve answered.

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"There he is!" Cayde grinned, offering Mini a fist to bump. By the time Sundance had come back up from behind the counter with a bowl balanced over her, the Exo had torn open the two packages of snacks, removing the bowl to set on the counter so he could dump the contents inside. They were slightly pretzel like, just in squiggles than half-pulled knots.

At Reeve's answer, Cayde chuckled a little, nodding as he turned to peruse the selection of bottles behind him. "Well, you've come to the right place. Preferences?"

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Mini offered a bounce and then bumped Cayde's fist. Nice. The bowl Reeve smiles at in appreciation. He could use a bite. Then he shrugged at the question.

"I admit, I don't know what you have or what might be best to someone who hasn't had a drink in a very long time. Recommendations might be needed."

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The Exo gave Mini a pat on the head as he considered Reeve's admission.

"Right then. We'll start you off with something light." He ran a finger across the row of bottles, backtracking to pick one with a lighter gold liquid. "Of course, being that I am a robot I am not the best to say how strong a drink is since I've only been able to gauge by reactions or opinions."

Taking up a small glass, he poured a bit of the liquor, sliding it over.

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"I'll have faith in reactions or opinions for now," Reeve offered, taking up the glass. He swirled the liquid, considering it.

"If I may ask, why is it that you run a bar? If you cannot partake of the alcohol, it is the socialization?"

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"Oh, I can partake just fine! Doesn't affect me is the thing. Which isn't all bad, really." Especially if he had to drink anyone under the table.

As though to prove a point, Cayde brought up another glass to pour himself a drink. "The socialization isn't bad. Honestly when I figured on putting this together I wasn't aiming to take charge of anything so much as provide a gathering place. I was surprised there wasn't already one, really." He shrugged, lifting his glass for a swig. "So. People can come by whenever, help themselves if I'm not around. Kick back. Soak things in. Whatever."

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"There's the kitchen, but I suppose not everyone talks over meals. Alcohol makes for talking," Reeve observed before taking a sip.

Still, he is glad to have what he can have. And this? This was what he needed now.

"Well, I thank you for it being here."

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Cayde nodded, raising his glass at that. "Indeed it does," he smiled.

"Oh, you are very welcome. Glad you decided to stop by."

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"I find that sometimes the hardest thoughts are easier with harder spirits," Reeve answered with a shrug, touching his glass. This was the best he could do to compare to the bourbon he had enjoyed. "And I've much thinking to do."

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"Guess that makes sense. Well, we've got harder if that's what you want," Cayde said, gesturing back at the shelf behind him with a wry grin. "Too much and your thoughts just get away from you though." He tilted his head. "So what's on your mind?"

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"A new arrival to our community," Reeve admitted, and gestured for the stronger. "Someone from home."

And for Reeve it was complicated.

"Not Vincent or Cloud, though I miss them still."

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That'd do it. Cayde nodded slowly as he leaned against the countertop.

"Someone...from your memories?" he chanced. He didn't get to know Vincent that well, but he did miss Cloud.

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"A bit more than that. We worked together. I served his father's company. And, for a time, he was my boss as well," Reeve said.

Which was, of course, a tricky thing. Some people knew about Shinra from Reeve or Cloud after all.

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"Ah, I see." It was a long time since Calibrations, and the memory of those dream-memories hadn't been too clear, but still there, at least in some cases. The Exo remembered a board room, a meeting of unpleasant people.

"Better question- this someone we needa keep an eye on?"

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Oh yes, those memories were relevant here. In fact, Reeve looked up at Cayde, realizing the man might even recognize Rufus from Reeve's own memories.

"Rufus? I don't know. I assure you I'll be watching him, to be certain of his behavior here. I might ask Mini and some others for help, but..."

He sighs, and finishes the drink.

"In my memories, do you remember the one with the board room meeting? There was a young man there, little more than a child. Rufus Shinra, heir of the business. He's here now, though older. From after the fall of my city. Once I would have considered him as bad as Sephiroth, but in the time since Meteorfall he's done so much to redeem himself and try and redeem his family's name. And..."

And he doesn't know if that will last.

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"-wait, him?" The way he voiced as much made it apparent he'd already run into the man. There aren't many people by name of Rufus around here, after all.

Cayde tapped his fingers on the counter. "Yeah, think I remember something about the kid. So he's all grown up, huh?" His optics narrow slightly at mention of Meteorfall, but Cloud had only briefly touched upon that event and without too much detail aside from the obvious. His frown held more in regards to the mention of Sephiroth.

"Well, if he's been trying to make good on things, then let's hope he stays the course."

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"Yes him," Reeve agreed, chuckling to himself. The boy had grown up and arrived here. "Very grown up. He is a business partner back home now, and used to be my boss."

Staying hte course, though... He imagines Rufus will fall through some sudden sinkhole any moment. And what if Tseng or Veld showed up after that? Reeve would feel guilty.

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Cayde stroked his chin, watching Reeve. "You doubt he will?" he asked, smiling crookedly. Given he'd only met the guy once, he'd hold on his own reservations. He wasn't sure what all there was to gain around here by making any enemies. Thinking of Kaz and whatever game the kid was playing at made him shake his head. Well, at least things would be interesting.

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"I think he can bring things to complication even without meaning it," Reeve answered with a shrug. "He's a complicated person all in and of himself."

He's a very interesting person who can make his own trouble. Reeve didn't think it was always intentional.

"You must understand, he was raised a certain way, and to take a certain role. He's still just learning to be something beyond the box his family name forced him into."

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"Nah, that makes sense. So let him learn."

Rufus had seemed likable enough when he'd chatted with him at the bar before. Cayde still wasn't sure what to think about the guy's possible hand in the things he'd learned from Cloud, but he wasn't about to hold things over a person who was making an effort to redeem himself. It wasn't an easy path, and people didn't change overnight, but if you didn't let them have a chance, that could just make things worse.

"He's made a choice for himself to fix things. That's already a big step."

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No, it wasn't an easy path. Reeve himself had been walking that path for a while. Or trying to. HE hoped he'd made progress.

"There are people back home, people I care about, who would expect me to watch out for him. Is it letting them down to give him space, and possibly let him get hurt?"

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Cayde laughed. "Well now you sound like you're his dad or something. Just 'cuz you're giving him his space doesn't mean you can't check in on him or offer him support, you know?"

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"I suppose in some ways I am more his... Warden."

He was the one who watched Rufus most closely of all Avalanche back home. Sure, he wasn't the man's caretaker or guardian, but he was the man's watcher.

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"Is that right? Well then, you probably already know what to do," Cayde said. "Just don't overstep things. We're all strangers in a strange world, after all."

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Of course he wouldn't want to overstep things.

"I assure you, I've been schooled before in keeping myself from being too active. This isn't my first, well, rodeo comes to mind. But really it's interdimensional kidnapping I suppose."