[ Report I ] Hearts and Stars

[plotdeviceturk]

Tseng smiled thinly as he watched the surprisingly large group gathered in one of Shin-Ra's ballrooms, he'd never realized quite how many people considered him family whether they were actually related or not. There was a smattering of brothers and sisters along with their kids, people he couldn't remember seeing but were somehow actually related

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[waterfell]

"Congratulations." There wasn't much warmth to her smile, but that seemed to just be her way; there was no lurking resentment, either. No, what mattered here tonight was the pride of the family - and retiring honorably after a long, full career counted towards that pride.

She was one of the faceless relatives, a distant cousin or something (it always seemed to take awhile to work out how those relationships went). Though young, perhaps late teens or early twenties, she was dressed professionally and carried herself as such.

[waterfell]

"It's considered appropriate," Ami acknowledged. There might have the faintest teasing in her eyes. "People want to be remembered during the holiday season. Besides that, it builds morale among employees."

[plotdeviceturk]

"I was refering to our family. I... follow the Shivan traditions, gift giving on the first snowfall of the year. It's a bit outdated, I know, but as you've likely been informed I was raised with them. I know what some of them would probably appreciate, but not everyone."

He was asking for help, but wasn't going to do it outright. "I suppose I could make do with general gifts."

[waterfell]

If she takes the hint, it must be subconscious, because she looks vaguely huffy.

"Get something more personal," she says finally, almost as though scolding him. A personal present means the giver was really thinking about the recipient.

It's important, somehow.

[plotdeviceturk]

"What would you suggest then?" He asked, smiling thinly. "You know them better than I do."

An admittance, he wasn't sure he wanted to dothe whole family thing. Not after seeing the worst of what they could do to each other. Fathers turning their sons in to monsters for no reason other than they could.

[waterfell]

"Even if that's true," Ami argued, "you'd be throwing away your own honor if you forget your relatives." Especially parents, but the others as well. This was important, even to someone like her.

"If you're saying you can't do it, we'll go together."

[plotdeviceturk]

Tseng kept quiet about his thoughts on 'honor', he'd seen where it brought people and as far as he knew it wasn't anywhere good. By Angeal's standards he'd left it behind long ago, but he'd tried to preserve his dignity.

"I would appreciate that."

[waterfell]

Some people might argue someone like her has no business talking about honor. They'd be wrong; she is still concerned with it, perhaps even more so now. But with no protest, she makes no further issue of it, either, and only nods.

"We'll arrange a time shortly."

[plotdeviceturk]

"That sounds agreeable, I should probably go make polite conversation with everyone else." He sighed, "I can find you later in the evening to make solid plans, or I could give you my number. I'm not listed in any phonebooks."

[waterfell]

He might even be more guarded than she is. "I'll take your number," Ami decides. It'd be useful to have such a carefully kept one. Besides, they were, albeit distant, family.

[plotdeviceturk]

It's an unfortunate side effect of his former occupation.

He took a card out of his coat pocket and held it out. "I always answer." He stated simply, and any of the Turks would know it to be true.

[waterfell]

Ami stared at the card a moment. Always? Of course it was just business, professional, accessibility as a means to keep informed and make the best decisions for his success. But 'always available' meant something to her. She nodded. She wouldn't use it lightly, though a tiny part of her was tempted to test it.

"I'll phone within a few days. It will take some time to arrange the time away from the hospital."

[plotdeviceturk]

"Alright." He nodded, "I'll keep my schedule open for you."

He'd answer, old habits had him waking up at the slightest noise from the device. He never knew what it was going to be when it went off, who he'd have to go after for whatever reason or what he'd have to get ahold of.

"If there are complications don't hesitate to say something, I can pull strings in quite a few places."

Or make veiled threats.

[waterfell]

"The same for you." There was no need to get emotional; the family was a network as well. Contacts, and the benefits of those contacts, trickled down and sideways from the ones, like her and him, who had connections in high places.

She knows what it's like living to a pager and a cell phone anyway; she's on call essentially always.

[plotdeviceturk]

"I'll leave you to it then." He nodded before making his way off to the rest of the people he recognized.

She was certainly interesting, and of the family he'd met so far she seemed the best off. He was reserving judgement on them, he knew that some people would claim to be a relative to get something from him. He was a Turk, and Director at that.