He doesn't thank Tseng aloud, only lets out a breath as he sets his now empty mug aside on the table by the bed. It's not something he particularly wants to go into detail about at the moment so he appreciates that Tseng is willing to let it go for now until Rufus can put together a more solid plan of what he wants to do.

Rufus closes his eyes until he feels Tseng's fingers on his throat, his entire body tensing up once more. He doesn't pull away though and Tseng moves his hand away before he could make any protest. "Sephiroth held his sword to my throat. I don't know why he left me alive- I know it wasn't any kind of sense of mercy. This was about making a point that he could kill me any time he wanted."

He wouldn't deny that he's afraid of Sephiroth but his blue eyes are cold and angry. He couldn't spend his life cowering in the Shinra Building nor was he going to ever consider it. But Tseng's hand massaging his shoulder keeps him still and he even shifts closer against him without thinking about it.