Title: Five Life Lessons

Author: CrisisChild

Summary: That Rufus Shinra learned from his mother.

Rated: K+

Beta'd: Nope

Editted & Remastered: Yeap.

Diclaimer: I do not own Rufus Shinra or any part of the FFVII Compilation. I just write bad fanfictions. Yeap.

Life Lesson #1

Don't Let Them See You Cry

There were a lot of kids who didn't like Rufus at school. Every day they would pick on him and called him names until he ran away crying to his mother, when school was over. His father would tell him to 'suck it up', however Rufus couldn't help the awful way he felt after being mercilessly bullied. Worst part was, he hardly knew the reason why he was being antagonized so much. Eventually, his mother couldn't stand to see him this way and sat him down with her while he was having another sob into his pillowcase.

"Rufus, baby, you can't let them see you cry," she told her son softly, wiping his tears with one of her handkerchiefs. Rufus' mother's hands were rough, rougher than any woman's who had ever touched him, but the boy loved those hands. They were his mother's after all. Though careworn they were the most tender things that had ever touched his face.

"Why not?" he demanded, sniffling as she continued to wipe his face. Curiosity and indignity made him wish to know and to understand. Why. Why...why?

"Because it means they can make you do what they want. Do you like that?"

Someone make him do what they want? No. No, he didn't. Rufus shook his head. The child barely did as he was told by his father, so why would he want to do as anyone else would want of him? Except for his mother, but there were exceptions to every rule, right?

"Well, then, baby, you can't let them see you cry. It means they can control you. Make you do things you don't want to. They're just mean bullies. It'll pass. Be brave. For me?"

For his mother, Rufus would have moved the stars, if he could. He took her words to heart and strove to never ever cry for anyone's sake again. It was hard and, as a consequence, those weathered hands were never to touch his face again. A sad trade. Was it worth it? Who knew. Time would eventually tell.

Years later when his old man was murdered, Rufus did not shed a single tear. Instead, he laughed at the news. He was now no longer under the old president's thumb. He would never have to do anything his tormentor ordered him to do ever again. He was free.