Loveless

Chapter 13

"Are you feeling better now?"

Zack hadn't received any new missions for the rest of the week, and unfortunately for Eloise, he had decided to stay glued to her side. She didn't appreciate the constant attention. Zack attracted people effortlessly, and the Shinra Building seemed to orbit around him. Everyone knew him as Angeal's optimistic puppy — loud, earnest, stubbornly hopeful, and determined to become a hero through sheer effort alone.

"You don't have to guard me, Zack. I'm fine," she said, already tired.

He ignored her completely. She was always busy with training or missions anyway, sometimes sent out every other day just because Lazard seemed amused by how quickly she progressed. She was expected to rise fast, maybe even reach Second Class sooner than most. Zack had no doubt she would. To him, that future was obvious.

"You promised we'd spend time together," he insisted, eyes gleaming. "Let's do something."

That look meant trouble.

In the end, Zack dragged her straight into Midgar.

"A bar," Eloise said flatly, staring at the entrance. "You brought me to a bar. A place where drunk men forget how to behave."

Zack nodded cheerfully and pushed her toward a stool, already ordering two beers.

"Hey, who knows? Maybe you'll even find a boyfriend~" He wiggled his eyebrows in a way that made her visibly tense.

She bit her lip, fighting the urge to snap.

"What are you planning, Zack?"

His grin faltered just enough to give him away, then returned, bright and innocent. He definitely had something planned.

After her third beer — and after fending off several unwanted attempts at conversation — Eloise decided she never wanted to step into that place again. The noise was unbearable, the stares uncomfortable, and Zack, infuriatingly, didn't seem affected at all. The Fair siblings clearly handled alcohol better than most.

Then Zack suddenly perked up, his attention snapping toward the entrance.

"Oh. Perfect timing."

Eloise groaned. "Is there a reason more people are showing up?"

He patted her head fondly. "You'll like these guys," he whispered.

The noise level rose, her head throbbed faintly, and her patience thinned. Between harsh training sessions with Sephiroth and the bruises she kept collecting, she had very little tolerance left. Her Third Class training was progressing well, but it was exhausting in every sense.

Then she saw them.

Her expression shifted instantly into a smile.

"Reno!"

Her voice cut cleanly through the noise. The redhead turned, eyes widening before lighting up with recognition as he hurried over.

"Eloise! No way — what a coincidence!" he said, stressing the last word as he glanced meaningfully at Zack. "Miss me?"

She actually laughed. "I did, actually. It's more fun when you're around."

Reno's grin widened into something proud and shameless. He straightened a little and glanced sideways at the man beside him.

"Did you hear that, Tseng? I'm fun."

The older man merely adjusted his posture and gave Reno an unimpressed look. His expression was stern, controlled, and clearly unimpressed by everything happening around him.