#tseng ff7

Reno and you had been quite a lovely couple even before he joined the Turks. You understood each other, got along surprisingly well, and, for a while, everything seemed perfect.

That was until Reno became a Turk.

The moment he started working for Shinra, he became insufferably arrogant- and far too flirty with the women he encountered during his missions.

Except Elena.

He knew better than to try anything with her, considering her hot-headed personality.

Eventually, you had enough.

You broke up with him and ended things for good.

Or at least, you thought you did.

Three years later, you ended up getting promoted into the Turks yourself.

Honestly? It was a huge achievement. You had worked your ass off for it.

Unfortunately, one of the downsides was having to work with Reno again.

You tried your best to avoid crossing paths with him, but apparently, fate had other plans.

Not that it was entirely a waste of luck.

You were partnered with Elena, and the two of you instantly clicked.

Elena was also a rookie who had only recently transferred into the Turks after graduating as one of the top students from Shinra Military Academy.

She was excellent in combat, while you specialized in strategy, making the two of you an unexpectedly perfect team.

Then one day...

⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄

"(Your name)!!"

Elena excitedly exclaimed as she appeared beside you while you were working on your paperwork.

Well... your paperwork and hers, since you had lost a bet earlier.

"What is it?" you asked, continuing to type on your computer.

"Have you heard? You're going on an undercover mission aboard a cruise ship!! We all are, but you're one of the main leads."

"Leads? More than me?" you asked, finally giving her your attention.

"Yes! You and that jerk, Reno," Elena scoffed.

"Good luck dealing with his annoyances," she sighed, plopping herself onto your desk.

You playfully smacked her arm.

"Move."

She laughed and hopped off.

You smiled, but deep down, you were panicking.

You weren't ready to work with Reno again.

Not yet.

⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄

The day of the mission finally arrived.

You kept trying to maintain your composure as you slipped into the dress Tseng had prepared for you.

Apparently, it was specifically chosen to match Reno's outfit.

Of course it was.

You entered the connecting suite between the girls' and boys' rooms, ready to go over the mission details.

Their room was surprisingly larger than yours, but it made sense considering Tseng was the leader and all three of them were staying in the same suite.

As you approached Elena, you immediately noticed something unusual.

Reno looked... stressed.

Which was rare.

Why?

Because apparently, he had no idea how to tie a tie.

He had been bothering Tseng and Rude for the past several minutes, asking them to help him, but both were far too busy to care.

"Go look at a tutorial, Reno," Rude sighed as he tried to gain access to the cruise's security cameras.

Reno groaned and lazily grabbed his phone from the bed.

"The video's too long," he whined. "I'm already getting impatient."

You rolled your eyes.

And then, without thinking, you walked over.

Before Reno could even react, you took his tie from his hands and started fixing it yourself.

A few seconds later, you finished.

"There."

You released the tie and casually walked back to sit beside Elena.

As if nothing had happened.

Deep down?

Your heart was beating ridiculously fast.

You immediately regretted every single decision that had led you to that moment.

But you told yourself it was only for the mission.

You were simply making sure everything went smoothly.

That was all.

Meanwhile, Reno remained completely still.

He stared at you while holding the tip of his newly tied tie, looking as though his brain had completely stopped working.

⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄

The mission went smoothly.

Tseng and Elena successfully retrieved the key they were looking for, while your job with Reno was to distract the target by keeping him occupied.

Luckily, the man was a huge fan of romance.

"Well, how long have you two been together?" he excitedly asked, resting his face against his palm.

"Seven years," Reno answered with a polite smile.

You froze.

You slowly glanced at him.

Reno simply rested an arm around your waist, pulling you closer.

Seven years.

That was exactly how long the two of you had been together before everything fell apart.

Not two years ago.

Not five.

Seven.

"What a lovely couple!" the target happily exclaimed, clapping his hands.

"Not exactly lovely~" Reno chuckled. "We fight a lot. We even went on a break three years ago because of a misunderstanding."

He paused, his smile softening.

"But we reunited five months ago."

Your eyes widened slightly.

Five months ago.

That was exactly when you had been promoted into the Turks.

The target seemed completely convinced.

"Misunderstandings are the real spice of romance," he giggled.

He then raised his glass toward the two of you.

"I wish the happiest love for you two."

You forced a smile.

Reno's arm remained comfortably around your waist.

⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄

Once you both entered the helicopter to escape the cruise, you awkwardly sat beside each other in the back while Tseng and Rude handled the controls, with Elena seated behind them.

You sighed.

You could feel Reno staring at you.

Eventually, you couldn't take it anymore.

"What?" you muttered.

"You look beautiful today."

"I always am," you arrogantly replied, pretending to scroll through your phone despite there being absolutely no signal in the middle of the sky.

Reno couldn't help but chuckle.

"What I said earlier is true."

You didn't dare look up.

You didn't ask what he meant, either.

So Reno continued.

"Our relationship ending was a misunderstanding."

You finally glanced at him.

"Yes, I became more arrogant. I'll admit that. But I was never actually flirting with those women."

"You were," you scoffed.

"I wasn't."

"You were."

"Okay, maybe I was a little charming."

"A little?"

Reno laughed under his breath.

"But still..."

His voice became quieter.

You sighed and looked at him.

"Stop."

You glanced toward the three people sitting in front of you, hoping none of them had heard a word.

Reno leaned closer.

"Give me another chance."

Your breath hitched.

He moved his face closer, his eyes watching your reaction carefully.

You couldn't bring yourself to answer.

Reno's lips slowly curled into that familiar, annoyingly cheeky smile.

"I'll take that as a yes."

You immediately shoved his face away.

"Don't get ahead of yourself."

Reno laughed.

But the smile never left his face.

And for the first time in three years...

The moment the door clicked open, Tseng's shoulders tensed, almost imperceptibly. He didn't look up right away. Instead, he finished reading the line in front of him with deliberate calm, giving himself a second to compose his expression.

Only when her footsteps reached his desk did he finally lift those dark brown eyes.

And there she was, (Y/n).

Pretty as always. Perfect as can be.

For a heartbeat too long, he just looked at her, and then cleared his throat softly and straightened in his seat.

"You can put them down on my desk," he said quietly, with that measured tone everyone associated with him, professional.

She stepped forward and gently placed the stack of reports on the corner of his desk where she knew he preferred them, organized by priority, color-coded subtly so they were easy to distinguish at a glance.

"Here's everything," she said softly, keeping her voice low and steady. "The mission debrief is highlighted in yellow... and there's also that meeting request from headquarters."

Her hands smoothed down the front of her skirt once more out of nervous habit before she folded them together behind her back.

"Thank you." Tseng reached out and picked up the top file, flipping it open with practiced ease. His eyes skimmed the first page of the debrief quickly.

She always did more than required. And yet she never said anything about it. Just quietly took care of everything like this was routine for her.

A faint warmth flickered in his chest again, that familiar feeling he'd been fighting since she started working here months ago.

(Y/n) stood quietly in front of his desk, watching as Tseng absorbed the details of the report.

There was a long silence while Tseng read. (Y/n) didn't mind waiting, it gave her time to steady her breathing and calm her nerves slightly.

But standing there under his quiet scrutiny still made warmth creep up the back of her neck despite herself.

After a moment, Tseng closed the file and set it back down, his eyes flicking up to hers. He leaned back in his chair, arms folding over his chest. For a moment, he simply studied her. Her quietness was almost irritating. She never spoke unless spoken to, never seemed even vaguely comfortable. It was impossible to read her, he didn't know what she thought of him..

"Sit," he finally said, gesturing to the only other chair in the room, across from his desk.

(Y/n) felt a small flutter in her stomach when he looked up at her, eyes penetrating and almost unreadable. Her heart rate spiked slightly, she didn't know what to expect from him.

Was she in trouble?

When he gestured to the chair, she didn't hesitate. She took the few steps around the desk and sank down into the seat, her hands clasped so tightly together in her lap, knuckles turning white.

Tseng watched her move, noting the way her hands clutched tightly together in her lap. He couldn't help but notice that every time he spoke to her directly like this, she seemed to get... anxious.

He wasn't sure if it was because she was intimidated or because she hated him. He hoped for the former, but he had a feeling it was the latter.

Leaning forward, he propped his elbows on the desk and rested his chin on his intertwined fingers, not taking his eyes off her.

"You've been here for a few months now," he said quietly.

(Y/n)'s stomach clenched, she had a feeling this could be bad. She'd been careful to stay out of his way as much as possible during her time here. She'd thought she was being professional, doing her job and nothing more.

But sitting there under the weight of his gaze, her shoulders felt like iron, muscles tense with barely suppressed nerves.

"That's correct, yes," she replied, she forced herself to relax, to keep her voice even.

Tseng exhaled slowly, his breath barely audible. He didn't want her to feel uneasy around him.

It made him feel... guilty.

"You're doing well," he said simply. The words felt stiff coming out of his mouth, praise wasn't something he gave often.

(Y/n)'s breath caught in her throat. Her wide blue eyes snapped up to his face, searching for any sign that she'd misheard. But no, those dark brown eyes were still fixed on hers, and he wasn't taking it back.

"Th-thank you." She stammered.

Tseng nearly smiled at the look on her pretty face, but he kept his expression neutral. He was silently pleased with himself for getting that reaction out of her.

"It's the truth," he said simply. He shifted in his seat, tilting his head slightly to the side. He was studying her again, as he often caught himself doing lately. Her eyes, her delicate frame, she was the picture of beauty.

(Y/n) couldn't help but feel a bit flustered. She'd expected criticism, or at best indifference. But she'd never anticipated a compliment coming from Tseng. It felt like a crack in his usually stoic veneer.

"I... I try my best," she said quietly, her fingers still fidgeting together in her lap.

Tseng watched her fidgeting fingers, and something like fondness flickered in his eyes. He didn't know what to say to that.

Suddenly, he felt an intense urge to reach out and touch her hands, to still her nervous movements. But he reined in the impulse by gripping the edge of his desk instead.

"(Y/n)," Tseng began, voice softer now. He hesitated for just a fraction of a second, something uncharacteristic for him.

"Do you... like working here?" The question was simple, but it carried weight. He wasn't asking about her job performance this time. He was hinting at if she liked being around him.

(Y/n) blinked, surprised by the personal nature of his question. She took a second to think before answering honestly. "I... I like the work," she started carefully. "And everyone treats me professionally. Especially you."

"Professionally," he repeated quietly. There was something in his tone... disappointment? Resignation?

He didn't blame her. He'd made sure to treat everyone with strict professionalism. Maybe too strictly. A silence stretched between them, heavy and awkward.

(Y/n) shifted in her seat, the awkward silence weighing on her like a physical force. She wracked her brain for something to say, before finally settled on.

"... You don't like me very much, do you?"

Tseng's eyes widened slightly, before he cooled his expression.

"(Y/n)." He leaned forward suddenly, his voice losing its usual measured tone. There was something urgent in it now.

"No. That's not true at all." He looked her directly in the eyes, dark brown meeting soft (e/c). "I like you very much."

The sudden intensity in Tseng's voice caught (Y/n) off guard. She'd never heard him sound so... Well, emotional, for lack of a better word.

Her heart thumped hard against her ribs, her hands gripping each other tightly as she tried to process his words.

"Y-You... you do?" she whispered, half afraid she'd imagined it.

Tseng couldn't help but stare, she was so damn beautiful. He wanted to reach out and comfort her, pull her into his arms. "Yes," he said quietly. His voice held a raw sincerity that surprised even him. "I do."

(Y/n)'s lips parted slightly, her face turning pink. She had no idea how to respond to this.

Tseng... liked her? He'd been so distant since she started working here.

"Oh," she said dumbly.

Tseng's eyes darkened as he watched her reaction. She was flustered, blushing, speechless.

It was... adorable.

He tried to remind himself that he was her superior, that he needed to maintain boundaries. But every time she fidgeted in her seat or bit her lower lip like that... he felt his self-control starting to slip.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to regain composure. "(Y/n)," he said quietly. "Come here." His voice held a subtle command that he rarely used, but this time, he wanted.. No, needed her closer.

(Y/n) hesitated only for a moment before obeying. Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest as she got up from her chair and walked around the desk towards him.

Her feet felt almost too loud on the hard floor, but she forced her steps to stay steady and even as she came to stand directly in front of him

The moment she was within reach, he couldn't wait. Tseng reached out, grasped her by the hips, and lifted her easily into his lap, settling her down to straddle his thighs. He wrapped his arms around her loosely, holding her in place.

"I've been thinking about this for weeks," he admitted, his voice low and steady.

(Y/n) gasped softly as Tseng pulled her onto his lap, the sudden movement making her grip his shoulders for balance.

She was completely frozen now, this close to him, she could see every detail of his face.

"S-sir..?"

Tseng gazed into (Y/n)'s wide (e/c) eyes, his dark brown ones filled with quiet longing. "Can I kiss you?" he asked softly, voice barely above a whisper. He would wait patiently, giving her every chance to say no.

(Y/n)'s breath hitched, her lips parting slightly. She hadn't expected him to ask. She thought he might just... take it. She nodded quickly before hesitating and whispering.

"Yes."

Tseng cupped (Y/n)'s face gently with one hand, his thumb brushing lightly against her cheekbone.

Then, he what he'd been itching to do all damn month. He moved his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her head down, capturing her lips in a kiss.

(Y/n) melted into the kiss. Her first thought was how warm his lips were, softer than she'd imagined. Her hands instinctively rose to rest against his chest as she kissed him back, hesitantly at first.

Tseng's arms tightened around her, pulling her closer. One hand slid into her hair while the other pressed firmly against the small of (Y/n)'s back. He kissed with surprising tenderness for someone who seemed so stern. It was like he was trying to convey every ounce of suppressed feelings through it.

"I can't live with the thought of you being scared of me," Tseng murmured when they finally parted for air. He didn't go far, just looked into her beautiful (e/c) eyes, breathing unevenly. His fingers were still tangled in the soft strands of her (h/c) hair.

"I wasn't scared of you," (Y/n) admitted quietly, her breath still uneven from the kiss.

"Just... nervous. You're so intimidating." Her fingers gently curled into his shirt as she spoke, not pulling away yet.

"And I heard rumors..."

"I see," Tseng said quietly, understanding dawning in his eyes. "Rumors about me being cold? Strict? Unapproachable?" His voice held a touch of bitterness now, he knew exactly what kind of reputation he had.

"Yes... all of those." (Y/n) nodded slowly, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little.

Tseng brushed his thumb along her jawline. "I didn't mean to make you nervous."

She lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug, though the gesture was hardly casual considering her position in his lap.

"You're not exactly... friendly," she said carefully, not wanting to offend him even though it was the truth. "And I'm frankly quite surprised you like me in this way..."

Tseng chuckled softly, a wry sound. "Friendly is not a word I'd use to describe myself," he admitted. He was quiet for a moment, his thumb tracing a slow circle against her back, before he continued. "But there's something about you," he said softly. "You're irresistible to me..."

"Really?" (Y/n) asked, her voice small but laced with disbelief. Her cheeks warmed further as she studied his face, the usually unreadable Tseng was actually looking at her like this...

"Really," Tseng confirmed, his voice low and steady. "You're beautiful," he said simply. No hesitation, no awkwardness, just stating a fact.

"And kind." His hand slid up to gently tuck a strand of her (h/c) hair behind her ear. "And smart."

He was listing all the things he admired about (Y/n) now that she was finally in his arms where she belonged.

(Y/n)'s face was completely flushed now, her heart skipping a beat at each of his words.

"Shut up," she protested weakly, averting her eyes. She wasn't used to such praise, especially not from someone like Tseng. "You don't have to flatter me," she muttered, trying and failing to sound nonchalant.

Tseng smirked slightly at her reaction. "I'm not flattering you," he said honestly, his dark eyes holding hers again. "I mean every word." He leaned in slowly, he kissing (Y/n) again, softer than before, slower and sweeter like an apology for making her nervous all these weeks without meaning to.

(Y/n) melted into the second kiss, her earlier fluster giving way to quiet contentment. She kissed him back with more confidence as she got used to the feeling. Her hands slid up from his shoulders to rest lightly against his jawline, her fingers brushing along his clean-shaven skin.

Tseng sighed softly into the kiss, savoring the way her hands touched his face. When they finally broke apart for air after a long moment, Tseng rested his forehead against hers and exhaled quietly, happy just holding her like this.

"Be mine?"

Wow..

Be his...? For a moment she didn't respond, her mind racing with implications, dating him meant seeing him outside work hours, kissing more often... being his.

A part of her, the part that had been wanting to be with him, even when she tried to suppress the feelings, was screaming yes immediately.

But she took a slow breath, considering her answer before nodding. "Yes," she said softly, her fingers tracing the sharp line of his jaw.

"On one condition."

Tseng's eyebrows lifted slightly at her condition, but his expression remained patient. "Anything," he said calmly, giving (Y/n) his full attention.

"No teasing me at work," (Y/n) said seriously, looking him straight in the eyes, "Or in front of others. I..." she took a breath to calm her racing heart.

"We need to keep it professional in the workplace," she stated quietly.

"Understood," Tseng replied immediately, his tone serious and respectful. "I'll be completely professional at work," he promised without hesitation. His expression was sincere. he genuinely meant to honor her request.

"..but after today..."

Then he kissed her again.

(Y/n) kissed him back eagerly this time, her lips moving against his with more confidence now that she knew he wanted her.

She could get used to this, Tseng's kisses were warm and steady, making her feel safe despite how overwhelming it all was. When they parted again for air, she found herself smiling.

"Stubborn man."

Tseng grinned faintly at the label, a rare smile from him. He leaned in to kiss her nose lightly, still holding her firmly in his lap.

"I just know what I want."

...

B = Bed-sharing (Do they hog the covers? Do you have any personal space left?)

No problems at all! If you’re not in a cuddly mood, he is very conscious about not lying on your side of the bed in order to give both of you enough personal space because he does need it himself sometimes.

Other times he’s turned towards you, laying close to the middle of the bed. That’s your sign to cuddle up to him. Most of the time, he will hold you from the back and fall asleep like that. But as someone with a leading position at their job, he likes to free his mind of all the stress and occasionally lets you hold him instead. Feeling you run your hands through his hair and caressing his back is one of the best ways to calm him down and relieve the pressure of responsibility in the comfort of your privacy. Even if it’s just cuddling, he likes the feeling of relying on someone else for a change.

C = Comfort (Should you come to them for comfort?)

Tseng remains cool-headed and logical when you’re in distress. Whenever you’re panicking, he waits until you’ve calmed down to ask about whatever it is that has you stressing, a firm and reassuring hand rubbing circles on your upper back to slow your breathing. Training rookies has made him pretty resistant to the anxiety of other people and he stays calm himself. But that doesn’t mean you’re not worrying him, you very much are.

Giving you advice is his go-to solution, but he won’t coddle you. He’s never had someone to comfort him with affection and doesn’t know how to appropriately give it to you in difficult times, outside of reassuring comments, of course. He’s good at pulling you out of a bad headspace by remaining rational.

But not every problem can be solved with words—if at all. He’ll offer to spend some time with you, to simply exist in each other’s presence because he’s scared to leave you alone in your state. But he’s a little lost on how to help you and keeps thinking of solutions instead.

D = Date (What type of date would they prefer?)

He’s a typical gentleman, picking you up personally and already having the perfect place for a romantic dinner in mind. It doesn’t matter how fancy it is, he already walks around in suits on the daily and Shinra pays him enough to have money to splurge on you.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

The thought of breaking up would be in the back of his mind for a long time before actually bringing it up. Then one day, he started contemplating about what to do. Is the issue in your relationship fixable? Perhaps he shouldn’t even be in one in the first place. Maybe he just can’t make a healthy relationship work with his job?

He eventually comes to a conclusion and decides to make it quick: Showing up at your place, he says you both need to talk. It immediately dawns on you that this must be it, he’s been talking to you less in the past few days anyway.

He seems distant but does still tell you he’s sorry. To anyone else he would sound heartless and cold, but you know him well enough and can see that this is just his typical defense mechanism, cutting himself off emotionally to stay detached from overwhelmingly emotional moments.

F = Flustered (How easily flustered are they? Is it obvious?)

Not visibly to the point of blushing, but he sometimes needs to avert his gaze while letting out a flustered chuckle. Remember that scene in crisis core where he covered his mouth? A bit like that, just to hide that you caught him off guard. He somehow always finds a smooth answer tho…

G = Government Name (Would they tell you their real name? What name do they want you to call them by?)

Good luck asking him in the beginning of your relationship because there will be things he’ll stay secretive about at first. And don’t even bother trying to find it out yourself, there’s not a single document accessible to you that has his real name on it. He doesn’t mean it in a bad way but he can’t help being extremely thorough when it comes to keeping his past a secret. But he doesn’t want to hide any important parts about himself from you so the deeper your bond, the closer he is to telling you. When he eventually does, it’ll likely just be a comment he makes in passing to not make a huge deal out of it. It feels relieving and surprisingly pretty good to tell someone he trusts about his secrets.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Doesn’t initiate them often himself. If he does, it’s either to cheer you up or because he needs comfort himself and pulling you into his arms is the best way to get it without outright asking for it. His arms are firmly wrapped around you and he’ll stay that way for a while. You can’t see it, but his eyes are closed to fully focus on you, trying to distract himself from all the thoughts running through his mind.

I = I love you (How do they say the L-word?)

Tseng says it rarely to preserve the importance of the phrase and saves it for important or emotional moments when you either need to hear it most or he simply wants to express his feelings properly.

For example when he’s about to leave on a dangerous mission. He won’t tell you about how likely it is that he won’t return home anymore because you don’t deserve to be burdened with those worries. Instead, he tells you how much you mean to him before he leaves. Not with a grand display of love, a simple “I love you” suffices to reassure both him and you and not make it seem suspicious.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

He doesn’t get jealous that often. Tseng is a confident person, but if he does, he tells you that he doesn’t like whoever he’s jealous of. He might even add that they’re not good for you because admitting to his jealousy is uncomfortable and he would rather emphasize his point this way. It might not even be true, but he gets his point across and you can feel his slight annoyance. He can be a bit possessive.

Most of the jealousy comes from the way others treat you, maybe you like that they’re more affectionate than him? You can expect him to be around you more often when that happens.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

His kisses are firm and slow, kept to the privacy of your home. The only ones you’ll get in public are forehead kisses with his hand to the back of your head and his lips discreetly pressed against you for a quick moment. If he’s at work, he’ll keep a neutral expression on his face, look past the top of your head if he’s taller than you and meet the eyes of anyone who is looking, almost possessively. But this will most likely only happen in front of his most trusted Turks because he’s not big on public displays of affection.

L = Long distance (What are they like when away on a mission?)

You likely won’t hear that much from him. He wants to avoid worrying you as much as possible because he knows you already are anyway, so he’d quickly let you know that he’s okay when he’s already on the phone to report back to Rufus, for example. He’s got your number saved on his work phone but told you to only contact his private phone, just to be safe and avoid enemies of Shinra finding out about the connection between you two.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

If you don’t have to get up with him, you likely won’t be woken up anyway because he’s very silent. Just because he gets up early in the morning doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get to sleep in. He quietly leaves the bedroom to get ready for work but comes back to give you a gentle kiss on the forehead. Not to wake you up of course, although the sudden proximity startles you awake sometimes. Your sleepy confusion is so adorable to him and he sometimes wishes he could call in sick to stay with you a bit longer. But his work ethic is strong and he ends up reassuring you that everything is fine and that he’ll be back later.

If you do get up with him, he’ll be very pleased to have your company. That’s probably also the only way to get him to eat a proper breakfast, a healthy life style is important to him but he does neglect it sometimes in favor of sleeping in with you a little longer…

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Poor thing has a horrible sleep schedule and comes home tired after long days at work, his usual calm demeanor is even more apparent now with how slowly he’s moving. Nights with him are quiet and relaxing. The little energy he has left is reserved for late night conversations over dinner or cuddling before you eventually have to chase him into bed because he would absolutely stay up even longer just to get more time with his lover.

O = Occupation (Would they prefer their partner to be a Turk? Would they want you to be unaffiliated with Shinra?)

After becoming the leader of the Turks, he probably wouldn’t want to date one of his subordinates to keep things professional. Fearing for the life of his partner frequently also isn’t exactly pleasant to say the least.

But sometimes there’s that one special person who you just can’t help getting attached to…

It’s just that you’re around him so much and you’re so very charming that you’ve piqued his interest. Especially if you’ve worked together for a while and there’s already a certain level of that trust that he values so much, your connection seems to have formed naturally.

P = Protective (How protective are they? How would they protect you?)

He’s very protective and tries his best to prevent anything from happening to you in the first place. For example if you’re both out on a date, he’d notice immediately if anyone has bad intentions. It’s like a little instinct he has developed over the years. Most of the time it’s enough for him to give that person a stern look before they even make their way towards you. But if they do, he tries to discreetly remove you from the situation, leading you away from them with a hand on your waist as to not alarm you.

Other than that, the Turks excel in surveillance, so if he’s not around you and worried about your safety, he’ll know where to look for you.

Tseng ensures your safety whenever he can, for example when he drives you back home. He’s the type of person that would wait in the car and watch until you’ve safely made it inside the building.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

He remembers more than you think he does. Sometimes it seems like he might not be paying a lot of attention, for example when he’s occupied with something and just hums in agreement while you’re telling him something. But he is listening and if you bring it up again some time later, you’ll see how much attention he was actually paying, despite having seemed absentminded. You’ve probably asked him if he remembered what you told him about a couple of times, preparing to freshen up his memory and then being surprised that he actually did. However, the finer details occasionally slip his mind.

To make up for that, he easily picks up on things you might not even notice about yourself, like tiny mannerisms or behaviors you’re not aware of. And he makes mental notes about things you’re particularly passionate about or interested in. That knowledge will come in handy to make you happy one day.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

Not very exciting but honestly? It’s the moments where he can simply exist in your presence. When he can be himself without the title of ‘Turk’ or ‘Boss’ and just be Tseng again. The Tseng before everything the Turks went through, before the organization started keeping them on a tight leash. The moments in which he allows himself to simply feel and be vulnerable because he knows you’ll be understanding. Although he does tell you not to worry about him, it absolutely warms his heart if you do.

S = Secrets (How fast do they open up to you?)

At the beginning you barely know anything about his past but as your relationship goes on, he slowly starts telling you tiny details about his family, why he joined Shinra and his childhood. Just little on-topic comments that you’ll have to piece together to get the full picture.

You’ve tried asking him to tell you more but he only gave you short answers that weren’t much more insightful than the little comments he makes sometimes. Tseng prefers taking his time and opening up whenever a suitable moment comes.

He doesn’t show too much emotion while talking about these things but if you pay close attention there’s a hint of melancholy and nostalgia in the tone of his voice.

T = Texting (How do they text you?)

Short messages mostly, quickly gets to the point. He loves to spare a moment of his time to text you in the middle of doing paperwork because he’s already seen your message pop up on his phone earlier anyway. Despite always trying to quickly write all the mission reports, your messages always stay in the back of his mind and distract him because he can’t stop thinking about answering you. He hopes you don’t take it personally whenever it takes a while and that the replies usually come late at night when he’s done for the day.

U = Under the weather (What are they like when sick?)

Since his body is strong enough to withstand basically any injury, it’s barely noticeable when he’s sick because he can handle it well.

But once in a blue moon he gets the flu. Head aching, fever dangerously high but you know who is sitting in his office chair, scribbling on paper despite shaking from the cold? Yes. At least he knows that going on a mission would be too dangerous in his state, but who said he couldn’t use this as an opportunity to get the paperwork out of the way?

He greatly appreciates you coming in to bring him a hot tea to drink, the office really is cold today, isn’t it? No Tseng, it’s not and you’re just sick. And despite all your protests, the only way he’d stay home and rest is probably if you tied him to the bed…

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

As the leader of the Turks, a professional appearance comes with the job. A suit tailored to his exact measurements, not a single strand of hair ever out of place, and eyeliner always immaculate. He takes great care of his hair and has been letting it grow ever since he got his position, only ever cutting the dead ends off to keep it healthy.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

As someone who doesn’t really have anyone to rely on emotionally in his personal life, it would be very apparent that something is suddenly missing. Maybe he didn’t realize how much he actually needed someone to help him mentally escape his daily life until you weren’t there with him anymore. He won’t feel emotionally fulfilled any longer.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

He never officially tells anyone about your relationship but he makes it obvious. Everyone knows that there’s something going on between you two because of the way he behaves around you, looking from you to the faces of those with prying eyes with a subtle smirk. If they’re so curious to know he might as well make it obvious that you’re his, right?

Y = Yearning (Is it obvious that they like you? How long does it take them to make the first move?)

It’s not obvious in ways he would be oblivious to because if he likes you and is sure that he wants to be with you, he doesn’t mind showing how his eyes light up when seeing you or how his smile is warmer when you’re the cause for it. Other ways you would notice is if you compared the way he speaks to you to how he talks to others. There’s a more caring tone to his voice and he’s more curious about mundanities if they’re related to you. Like asking about your day isn’t just regular small talk but a genuine question.

Tseng will not start a committed relationship until he’s at least a 1,000% sure that it would actually last. He wants to avoid as much additional stress as possible and he can’t afford the pain of going through a breakup.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)

He wakes up very easily because all the stress keeps him from fully relaxing. But when he does actually get some rest it’s really nice to watch him sleep. Not even in a creepy way, but it’s nice to see how his features soften and how his usually slicked back hair frames his face. He’s a quiet and pretty sleeper.

Crisis core chuckle/giggle I meant btw! Such a cutie. Little ponytail Tseng was so precious, and the way he looked at cissnei while telling her to save Zack because he’s got 88 letters for him was so sad :((

It’s so difficult to describe kisses and not make it sound weird because I always have a picture in my head that I can’t quite put into words??