Bloodguilty // FIVE HARGREEVES

1. a Loathsome New Start

Time never stops, but Elisa wishes it would.

It hasn't been a week since Herb contacted Elisa, and she's already in the handler's office—her office now. Elisa enjoys the last moments of silence before Anne comes bursting in the room. All has been so busy and noisy; Elisa wishes she could just lay down and sleep. But yes, even her sleep has been ruined by the Commission's existence.

The door gets thrown open, and Anne comes running in. A huge grin is spread across her face when she approaches Elisa who's back is leaning against the desk. Not even bothering to close the door, Anne says, "Miss Brookle, you've got to let me dress you for your first day!" Elisa doesn't have time to answer because Anne is already looking her up and down. "I'll make sure you'll look exquisite!"

"I don't need clothes to look exquisite," Elisa scoffs, causing Five to choke on his coffee, almost getting up out of the seat he's sitting in. Immediately, he starts to cough. This makes Elisa turn her head. "What?" she asks, sounding truthfully hurt. "You think I need clothes to look exquisite?"

"No!" Surprising both Anne and Elisa, Five's cheeks actually redden. It seems he's taken aback by it, too. "You look exquisite with clothes and . . . without. But please, love, do wear clothes while you work."

Now, it's time for Elisa to chuckle. "I will," she tells him afterwards. "I think I'll put on jeans and a simple T-shirt.

"You will most certainly not do so," Anne exclaims as she presses a hand against her mouth in pure shock. "That's not something a handler would do."

"I'm not a handler." Elisa shrugs. "That name died with the woman who raised me. I'm Elisa Brookle, and I will be called by that name."

"The old handler would have worn something spectacular." Anne pouts, looking down at her own very peculiar dress. It is a flashy yellow piece of clothing that reminds Elisa of the sun lighting up and caressing every blossom in spring. Anne could practically be a sun, though, with those sparkling eyes and her excited mood.

Smirking, Elisa glances at Five before her eyes fall on pouting Anne again. "Maybe I should go naked after all." Again, Five's eyes widen, but Anne, on the other hand, gives Elisa a face that tells that she's really challenging Elisa to do so.

"Just put Anne out of her misery and allow her to create you something," Five tells Elisa, still blushing a little.

"All right." Elisa rolls her eyes at him. Then she turns back to look at Anne, who's eyes are still sparkling, but even more now, after having heard Five's words. "Anne, can you please make me something to wear?"

Immediately, Anne screams in delight. She's now grinning immensely. "Of course!" She throws her hands in the air, and for a moment, Five and Elisa think she might just explode from happiness, too. "I still have your measurements. Would you like a showing dress? Oh, I think you'd look amazing in another gown!"

"Can't it be a simple dress?" Elisa pouts.

"Simple?" Anne echoes, laughing. "You've just asked me to make you something to wear, Miss Brookle. There's no way it's going to be simple." Elisa knows this, and while she wants to ask Anne to make it something simple, she can't get herself to. The woman sparkles with excitement, and Elisa can't take such pleasure away from her, even if that means walking around in one of those gowns that the handler used to wear every single day.

"Please don't make it too showing, though." Elisa shrugs. "That's not really . . . me."

"Yes, please." Five turns to Anne again, not wanting Elisa to walk around just like the old handler did, too.

This causes Anne to stick her tongue out at Five. A playful action, almost childish like, but Elisa can't help but giggle. Oh, how is she ever going to rule the Commission?