[Locked to Rufus, RT]

[tyki_tock]

Though Tyki had promised Zechs that he wouldn't leave him until he was recovered, babysitting a five-year-old in a twenty-year-old body was more wearing than the Noah could possibly have imagined. He had nothing but affection for Zechs as a man, but he was more than relieved when he saw the overwhelmed man drifting off to sleep on his bed

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[tyki_tock]

"Rufus," Tyki called quietly, seeing the blond nearby but with his back turned. It didn't look as though he'd noticed him yet. He had his shirt off and seemed to be examining something on his own person. Tyki itched to see what Rufus was looking at. What did he have under those bandages? He'd mentioned scars, but what kind?

He shoved his glasses up a little higher, then stuck his hands in his pockets and rocked onto his heels, like an underling waiting to be acknowledged.

Unassuming. Trustworthy. Harmless.

[tyki_tock]

Tyki's eyebrows rose at Rufus' reaction and he nearly laughed in the younger man's face. But that wouldn't exactly fit the image he was trying to project, now would it?

He turned aside obediently, keeping Rufus visible out of the corner of his eye, but averting his gaze. "I'm sorry for scaring you," he said earnestly. "I told you I was coming for you."

Despite looking away, he struggled to try to catch a glimpse of the scarring under the bandages, but Rufus had fled too quickly. Well, perhaps later.

[tyki_tock]

Being a few inches taller than Rufus, the effects of the ShinRa scion's attempt to intimidate Tyki was spoiled slightly as the Noah was forced to look down in order to be nose-to-nose.

He licked his lips, though, trying to look appropriately intimidated. "Of course," he said, his lips quirking a bit in a nervous manner. "I didn't see anything at all. Certainly not the scarring under those bandages you always wear," he added, spreading his hands and shrugging.

"Are you ready to go now, sir?" He added that last for good measure. Rufus really was quite pompous at this age. "I don't want to wait too long or I might lose my window." He gestured behind him at the jagged slash in reality that he'd come through into this world.

Of course, there was no chance of the doorway closing if they waited, but Tyki was curious what Rufus might try to do in the future, believing Tyki had a limited timeframe or might be trapped.

[tyki_tock]

"About what?" Tyki asked innocently. He noted Dark Nation's entrance, but only cast a casual glance at the guard cat before holding his hand out in offer to Rufus.

"If you want to go, we really do need to go now. I'll answer all your questions when we get to where we're going, sir, I promise," he said earnestly.

[tyki_tock]

Tyki bowed politely and turned away, walking to the rift and stepping through it, then stepping aside to wait for Rufus. He intended to close the door as soon as Rufus came through, and not allow Dark Nation through if Rufus were trying to bring the animal along, so he stood by the door.

The white city was calm and breezy, warm sunlight seeming to shine down from above, though no sun was visible. A couple of teases emerged from Tyki's body and hovered around him, one of them responding to his murmured instruction to lead them ahead, once Rufus had come through.