Oh and when he tells Rude that he’s been sleeping with you? He thinks it’s the worst thing Reno could’ve done and he’s not looking forward to how he’ll act once he realizes that he’s only getting more attached to you.

Eventually you basically act like a couple outside of work, but Reno is still hesitant about being in a committed relationship. He feels comfortable without the pressure of a label, scared of what might happen if it gets “too real.”

And when you’re on a mission together, professionalism takes over again (except for when Reno decides it’s time to tease you because your reactions are obviously so fucking funny). A real consummate professional or whatever he calls himself.

Sometimes Tseng does have to remind him not to get carried away when seeing Reno smirk after being assigned on a mission with you…

Elaborated on this here!

Rude is secretly a romantic and very obviously a gentleman.

Or at least he tries to be. He is very polite and respectful but he can be so incredibly awkward at times. You might think he’s just being his usual quiet self or that he’s not interested in you in the slightest, but he’s just flustered.

You could be telling him about something and he’ll just respond with a quiet grunt, completely forgetting that he still needs to answer your question. It’s not that he wasn’t listening, he’s just a little nervous. Especially when you’re sitting next to each other in the helicopter, just the two of you…

But he remembers what you tell him, especially if you’re talking about something you’re passionate about. Who knows when that knowledge might come in handy to make you happy?

Reno gets so much second hand embarrassment and tells you to just make out already or something. It’s seriously painful to watch Rude being so awkward.

Whenever you’re on a mission together a part of his focus is always on you. He admires your strength and knows you can handle it yourself, but he is very protective.

His eyes are on you a lot more than you might think, his shades don’t just look cool but are also pretty useful. If you weren’t wearing the same uniform as him, people would probably assume he’s your bodyguard with the way he’s always watching over you.

Eventually he gathers the courage to ask you out (after a lot of teasing and complaining from Reno). But he’s so relieved when you agree that he just leaves before telling you the time and place.

Tseng and you met as rookies, both of you new at Shinra. As two young people with a dangerous occupation you grew closer, and Veld assigning you to go on missions together made you naturally gravitate towards each other.

But as he rose in the ranks you noticed how he became a lot more distant and closed off. A lot more professional. The day he became second in command there was already a tiny shift in your relationship.

He didn’t mind the power imbalance at work but bossing you around eventually came unnatural to him. You’re his equal and you always have been. He still saw you outside of work, but his mind seemed to be elsewhere and he became more distant.

And once he became the leader, he officially ended things. He is responsible for all of your lives now and there is no way he can still make enough time for you now and letting his emotions interfere with his work is dangerous, he needs to remain coolheaded at all times. This was the best decision for both of your sakes.

But he obviously can’t just make his feelings disappear, no matter how big of an emotional wall he builds up between you. And if you pay enough attention to how he treats you compared to the others, there might still be a little bit of unconscious favoritism.

He is still very conscious of your health and well-being. If you get injured badly he is the first person you’ll see at the infirmary. As soon as he notices you waking up, he removes his glove to turn your face towards him, caressing your cheek before you pass out again. The second time you wake up he’s no longer there and he won’t ever mention this again.

Sometimes he wishes your relationship wouldn’t have turned out this way. He would love to tell you how lonely he feels sometimes, sitting alone in his dimly lit office and writing reports into the late evening hours after everyone has already left. You used to always be there, the headquarters is like a second home to the turks after all.

Despite everything, you still have a special place in his heart. You were there when he grew, not just as a person but within the ranks of the Turks. A connection like yours is not easily forgotten and he’ll always be grateful to have had you at his side from the beginning.

Elena always tries her hardest to impress you, especially in battle. She asks you to do those synchronized moves she did with Tseng every single time.

She’s always around you at HQ. A break between meetings? Immediately at your side the moment you walk out the door. Training?? Those sync moves still need to be perfected!

Gets so happy wherever you compliment her skills. Being one of the newer Turks, reassurance coming from someone she admires means so much to her even if she already knows she’s good at her job.

Probably wouldn’t tell you if she got hurt. Instead of complaining she toughs it out to impress you but it’s so obvious that there’s something wrong and her pain tolerance is not actually as high as she makes it out to be.

Please go check on her when she’s off wallowing in self pity somewhere. She’d be terrified to disappoint you or even worse, make you mad at her because of a simple mistake.

Reno and Rude thought you might just make her a like less cocky and more pleasant to work with if you’re all on the same mission. But they’re wrong. She needs to show you just how great she is after all!

Cloud Strife

↳ Masterlist

Tifa Lockhart

↳ Masterlist

Aerith Gainsborough

↳ Masterlist

Zack Fair

↳ Masterlist

Sephiroth

sephiroth realizing his feelings for you too late - headcanons

a taste of heaven - oneshot

we're not done - drabble

yandere sephiroth with a darling who loves how obsessive he is - headcanons

Barret Wallace

barret as your adoptive father - headcanons

love triangle with avalanche - headcanons

Yuffie Kisaragi

Vincent Valentine

surprise visitor - oneshot

Cid Highwind

the room next door - oneshot

Jessie Rasberry

meeting the parents - drabble

love triangle with avalanche - headcanons

Biggs

love triangle with avalanche - headcanons

Wedge

love triangle with avalanche - headcanons

Rufus Shinra

rufus as your ex-boyfriend - headcanons

rufus as an older brother - headcanons

Scarlet

Reeve Tuesti

Heidegger

Tseng

yandere tseng - headcanons

friends with benefits with tseng - headcanons

Reno

all that matters - drabble

love triangle with reno & rude - headcanons

Rude

more than a kiss - drabble

love triangle with reno & rude - headcanons

Elena

Angeal Hewley

angeal with a weak soldier s/o - headcanons

Genesis Rhapsodos

genesis with a jealous s/o - headcanons

Cissnei

cissnei with a s/o who has abandonment issues - headcanons

Tseng also knew you were so sweet to him, honest and genuine in your words and actions toward him. Your favorite dessert, even. Yet sometimes he wondered if he really knew your real name. It was no question about who you were as a person, but on the facts.

Still, no matter what, this love between you two felt real, realer than covering up the crimes of Shinra. And it would not be the first time he would give a fuck about the commands when it was about a person he truly liked and who truly deserved not to get in trouble.   

And when we say trouble, we mean potential death or ending up as a Hojo experiment. He would not let that happen to you.

So how would everyday life unfold under all of that?

First off, over coffee, both of you go through your day.

"You know I got an appointment with the hairdresser in Sector 7, behind the reactor. I really need to trim my ends," you said, looking down at your hair before you took a sip of coffee.

"Is that so, my love? You look wonderful no matter the occasion," he replied, looking down at his tablet for the missions to come up.

Aware this meant you had a mission to interrogate a target there. Of course there was no hairdresser behind the reactor in Sector 7. He knew that.

Subtly giving a hint. So he could give the target a reason to move from that place today so you could say the mission couldn't be completed. The same went for him.   

"I would need to send Reno and Rude to 5 for that Cetra girl. It looks like they got a more important mission to hold on to today; no one's going to look after her," telling you as if this wouldn't be a chance for you to talk with her. Aware you wouldn't harm that girl. Not Aerith. And Aerith wouldn't and couldn't give you war related details. Yet enough information so your people would be satisfied.

I also could totally see when both of you were on your very own missions and an alarm was called. Someone was seen in the Shinra building; he went himself, not the guards. Besides the fact the guards never stood a chance against you. When he caught you grabbing documents. Never out of his office. You couldn't backstab him like that. And you wouldn't. You already would wait behind a door with a weapon, just for him to enter. "It's me; you should really watch out, darling," he sighed, the stress already manifested in his shoulders.

You breathed out and came out still grabbing the documents. "Maybe I just wanted to see you during work, you know. I mean, no one gets you to face you when you're buried in all the mission planning." You smiled. Looking up to see the cameras here were down. Of course he would shut them down. Blaming it on you to cut the wires even when it was not true at all.

"Then come visit me as my girlfriend and not as this. I would make time for you. Perhaps my lunch break the next time," he meant brushing some dust from your cheek. "I want you unharmed, you know that," he whispered then. You kissed his cheek.   

"I know, and I don't want you to get in trouble," you replied, looking up a little guilty. He knew you needed to. "As thanks for my cover-up, I'll cook something tonight. Your favorite," you whispered in his ear with that real smile you flashed only for him.

"And then we take a long, loooong bath together to get that tension out of you, sir," you teased before going backwards and using your descender to jump out of the window.... He was more than occupied with your mess, but for some reason he didn't mind cleaning yours...

Reno ~ The flirty smirk

So with Reno, I believe he would love it at first. It's the thrill, and it's low-key hot for him to date a fucking spy. Not that he just dated you because of that. That man was chaotic but smart enough to know the troubles that came with it. But for you? Oh, he would take those troubles any time.

All teasing and smirking, just waiting for your appearance just to act all serious and to cuddle you at home later. Perhaps he is being all playful. He is always playful in his defense. And his men know that. So no one asks questions when he is literally flirting with the hooded and masked woman that tried to steal some Jenova Cells.

"I can't let you go with those, sweetheart. You know that, hm? How about that? You lay them down; let me cuff those grabby fingers, and in exchange you get one of the better cells. Scout's honor." He smiled like a fox when saying that.

But you knew he wouldn't let it get that far. Perhaps some little fight without a serious attempt to hurt each other. Just so he could grab the cells and then let you run away. He actually would love to start a fight with you. Because he knew how you scowled behind your hood.

How you would complain about it at home when being all yourself again.

Because this was little stuff. Not the big stuff, at least in Turk measures.   

But I also think at some point he would be more worried, masked by some wits. Especially at night. He would spoon you; he liked to be the big spoon. Although on some nights he was the little one because you liked to tickle him from behind. Breathing you in, maybe holding you closer in a still manner. Reno was fun, yes. But Reno also was deeper than it seemed sometimes. A side you liked on him. A side that made the whole relationship possible.

"I know you can't tell me about the details, sweetheart. But when you don't need to, don't go in the reactors anymore, ok? Can you promise me that?" He asked it so quietly, so still. Not after what happened in Sector 7.

You turned around to them and looked in his turquoise eyes. "What happened?" you asked him then. He sighed; this would be a matter you two agreed not to talk about since both of you were cunning. No details, so no one would try to compete. "I want to know it because of you. Not because of some mission. I don't care about that as much as I care about you, Reno." you made clear. 

"The explosion in Sector 7..." he started, and you knew it was made up by Avalanche. At least you thought you knew. "The bomb and the explosion wouldn't have to be that bad. But we got the task to make it worse. That's why the platform actually would crash in the slums. So media would paint Avalanche as terrorists, not as the planet-saving idiots as they are," he finally told you. And you knew he had been part of that. He and Rude. You hugged him closely.

"I'm sorry, baby," you murmured, your hand going through his red hair.

"You know, when I first came here, my mission was to cut the Turks shorter. I ignored that since I met you," you confessed then. So here both of you were, having a relationship that usually was never meant to be but happened anyway. And was stronger than any duty could have been.

Because when it meant he could hunt you in your missions, those would never end up in a heavy feeling on his chest....  

Rude ~ Got the romantic sunglasses

That man is all cool and smooth, hard-working and serious, but you crack that. Indeed, you cracked that faster than he usually goes with women.

You were a Wutai spy but not really in the fighting game, not when it could be avoided, so you had tried to sneak in. Although Rude didn't catch you in Midgar. Actually outside, so when did he catch you? Gods, you were amazed by this man. How he came out of the helicopter. You crashed his sunglasses when he just pulled out a new pair after he cuffed your hands. "Oh you already got a new one? That's low-key hot. It's giving you THE look, you know?" your voice sweet but honest. And well, in the helicopter, this time without his partner, you two sat there.

And he knew you were the enemy. But you were nice, sweet even. Amazed, and spoke it out loud. So at the next platform he could land, he sighed. "You're sure you're not just a girl being lost?"

Rude asked you as if he could hope to unsee what you have done in a reactor outside Midgar to gather information. "I mean, I can be for you," you said with that damn smile. Gods, it cracked it. Even when his face stayed stoic as ever.

He frees you from your cuffs then and lets you go, but he collected the documents you sneaked out. Fair is fair.

But this wouldn't be the last time he saw you.  

When you were in Midgar, he recognized you from the start. And well, somehow you two ended up dating. This man was stoic but romantic. He took you out to restaurants, always picking you up from "work". You had a fake identity here, but he knew your real name. The topic that you were a spy was avoided.

Because sometimes you seemed anything but that. Charming and too natural in what you did, he ended up forgetting it.

Yet you swore, and he believed you, that you would never take information from him. He cared about the people he liked. He fought hard, and he earned his place. You wouldn't take that from him. You made this clear when you two had sat in the helicopter he showed you as a date. Telling Reno he just would want to impress you. It was calm there, and on the high platform you could see the stars...it was sweet of him.

Yet Rude would make you promise to really just sneak into things and avoid fights. He was low-key afraid when he would need to pretend that he actually would hurt you because he is far stronger than he looks and is usually not used to not fighting with all he's got. That poor man never would have forgiven himself when he left a bruise on you that was not actually from pleasure when you urged him at night to spank you. I don't know why this guy gives me vibes that you need to tell him more than one time that you're ok with him being rough with you.

When you had a hard day, even when you couldn't tell him about it, he just had you on his lap at home and brushed his lips to your temple while you looked up how many sunglasses this guy had in his pockets. Rude is very protective and just hoped one day he would not need to hide your real identity from the world since you were everything to him...

Rufus Shinra ~ The specific observer

Soooo with Rufus I get such subtle vibes. It's also a setting that you sneaked your way into. But not by actual sneaking. You got a fake ID for everything, a fake personality that you sometimes played way too well. So you ended up being his little assistant. And why? You were adorable. Even when you tried to be all smooth and serious. But in moments when you thought you were unseen...a clumsy girl peeked through. And I don't mean clumsy in stealing information. Just indeed being clumsy at all and talking to yourself. You were just excellent at pretending one of the reasons why you even got this high. He saw it by accident when you wanted to bring coffee. And Rufus was specific, to say the least. Not overly specific, but he had standards. So coffee from the office? Gods, no. Some fancy coffee shop? Too trendy and too sweet. No, it would need to be the coffee from an old-ass coffee roasting company. And you just dropped it in front of his door. He could hear your mumbling. Tilting his head and simply wondering. You sounded not like the assistant he got.

"Are you always this clumsy?" he asked you after you returned later than intended. "I'm sorry, sir. An inconvenience, it won't happen again," you said, eyes serious and no smile on your face. Even when moments before you panicked:"Oh no, there are at least 30 Gil for wasting. Why do I always need to have such bad luck."

He observed further, you were endearing, especially when you just tried to take copies of documents that he never ordered to get a copy from.

So he knew you were a spy. A pretty one, and so different from those he had encountered before.  

"You're pretty when you try to sneak it out, sweetheart. We can play around further, but I consider you drop it, hm?" Everything froze when you turned around and he finally saw the real expression on your face. The real you that always peeked through when you thought no one was looking. "W-What?"

"Wutai really thought a cute one would be able to sneak things out. I let you get the information about the Jenova cells, nothing that is new to them. But I would like it when you don't give them the plan for the upcoming things in Sector 4," he said as if this never would have been a big deal.

Because when you and Rufus had a relationship. He made it smart. You stayed as an assistant, and well, you had two options. Go on a date with him and let him convince you to stay. Or he would fire you and let you go, just without information. You were too sweet to kill or to let go to waste in a cell. So you actually took the date, since your boss probably would fire you anyway when you were back in Wutai. He did not give you false information, aware that you just wanted what was best for your people.

Tseng is a busy man, his schedule is chaotic and changed frequently. This means he doesn’t exactly always have time to be with you. He does try to make it up to you though, his pay as a Turk is damn good, so he’ll happily buy you things you like but he’s also the type to thoroughly believe in make up sex. You can expect him to show up to your home in the middle of the night, using the spare key you gave him to come in while you sleep. He’s carrying a gift box and a few flowers (wonder who he bought those from…)

Rude is a sweetheart. You can fight me on this but this man feeds birds and is part of a bald club. He’s done bad things, and for that he believes he should be alone. It might be hard to get him into a relationship due to this insecurity, thinking he has done too many unforgivable acts to have someone love him. Once you get past that though he absolutely is the best, he’s strong and always insists on helping you with anything you may need. If you have ear piercings he might let you borrow a few of his rings (after being cleaned of course).

Reno is a tougher one to decipher. He smokes and drinks pretty frequently, like Rude he has the same feeling of undeserving. It’s mainly from the plate drop, what Tseng said didn’t help him in the least and it made him fall a bit deeper into his self destructive behaviors. He’d resist your help at first, thinking you were pitying him and that he didn’t deserve to be healthy. After a while though he would open up some, rely less on his destructive tendencies and instead focus on some healthier habits. He still struggles with smoking sometimes, especially after rough assignments, but with you around he doesn’t feel as trapped, as undeserving of happiness.

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."

...