Loveless

Chapter 12

"I know it's very sudden, but I have a mission for you, Eloise."

After Genesis left, Eloise received a call from Lazard. His tone was unusually enthusiastic, which immediately put her on edge. There was a good chance he had his own plans for her—especially if he suspected she had hidden the file related to the Jenova Project.

Or, in the unlikely case, this could have been a normal mission. She didn't know, and she didn't want to.

"It's simple," Lazard continued, pressing a few buttons as the screen in his office lowered. "After what happened with your team last time, I decided to pair you with a higher-ranked SOLDIER."

"You're giving me a mission? Just me?" Eloise asked, emphasizing what struck her as strange.

"And a higher-ranked SOLDIER," he repeated, smiling brightly.

She was about to press him for more answers when the door opened, and Lazard's attention shifted instantly.

"Angeal! I'm very pleased you accepted this mission!"

It might have been childish, but Eloise let out a quiet sigh of relief. When she heard higher-ranked SOLDIER, her thoughts had immediately gone to the worst possible outcome—and she had completely forgotten about Angeal.

Angeal stopped beside her and offered a gentle smile. It was nothing like Genesis's sharp expressions or Sephiroth's distant calm. Angeal didn't hide his emotions behind cold eyes. He was warm, open, reassuring.

"As I said, the mission is simple," Lazard continued. "You are to recover a package from Sector 8. I know it's not what you'd expect—that's why I chose the two of you. Shinra needs this package, and I'm counting on you."

His gaze lingered on Eloise just a second longer.

Angeal nodded, collected the files, saluted, and left. Eloise followed, but Lazard stopped her at the door.

"Yes, sir?" she asked.

He smirked, already knowing how this mission was likely to unfold.

"I want that package retrieved as quickly as possible. I don't care how. Take it at any cost."

Eloise nodded without comment and stepped into the hallway.

"Isn't this exciting, Eloise?"

As always, Zack was tagging along behind his mentor. The moment he heard that Angeal and Eloise had been assigned a mission together, his enthusiasm only intensified, as if the whole thing were happening just for him.

"Can you stop following me?" she muttered. "Go follow Angeal or something."

He only shook his head and slipped his hands into his pockets. Walking side by side, the resemblance between them was impossible to miss: the same black hair, the same mako infused eyes, even the same way they carried themselves. It was strange how alike they looked, and yet how different they felt.

"You're my beloved sister, whom I barely get to see anymore," he said, his voice earnest. "You became a SOLDIER, we live in the same building, and somehow we keep drifting apart. I want us to grow closer, not further away."

The sincerity in his words caught her off guard. Guilt settled in quietly, and she realized how often she had neglected him without meaning to, choosing instead to spend time with people she had only recently met.

"I promise," she said softly, smiling as she hugged him from the side. "After this mission, we'll spend some time together."

Even then, Zack followed her all the way to her room—and, briefly, into the bathroom. Laughing, she pushed him back outside while he stared at her in confusion. It had never been an issue when they were children, but things were different now. She needed her space, and she made that clear. Zack pouted after she explained, then wandered off toward her bed, looking vaguely offended.