"Soliel, get your head out of the clouds!" I turn to see the general coming toward me. I stand at attention, ready for whatever task he has for me. I suppose to be summoned to his personal office, it must be some kind of mission. I'd rather not have to go through with some stupid undercover mission right now. It's not that I don't like them, but I just don't have it in me after the last one he put me through.

"Yes sir, General Ironwood, sir. I apologize, sir." I salute him before he gestures for me to have a seat.

He stands beside a large window that overlooks the academy. Students are in formation and all in uniform. "I've called you here because I have a special assignment for you. I've read your files thoroughly, and I have decided that you are going to infiltrate a Faunus community."

I knew it. It's just another undercover mission. "Why me, if I may ask, sir?"

He turns to me with a serious look in his eyes. "You show the most promise and have successfully completed over eleven infiltrations and undercover projects. That's more than twice the amount of any other trainee in this school."

I take a deep breath. "Yes, sir, but that still doesn't explain why you didn't choose a Faunus to infiltrate a Faunus community, sir. Wouldn't that be more effective?"

He walks over to his desk to stand in front of me. "It would be more effective, but I suggest that you not question orders and just ask how you are going to accomplish such a feat."

I cringe inwardly. "Sir, how can I accomplish such a feat?"

He graces me with a sarcastic smile, something you don't get to see on him most of the time. "You are to become a well-known sympathizer, Soleil. You will be, essentially, working in the Faunus community to gain access to valuable White Fang intel. As soon as you get any information at all, you are to pull away immediately and return here."

I gulp. "Sir, where am I being sent?"

"Vacuo. You leave in the morning. Do not be late." He leaves, then. He leaves me in his own office. What the hell am I supposed to do, say no to my superior officer? That's just not ingrained into me. I couldn't possibly refuse this mission? I sigh heavily and leave the room in a hurry. I have precisely thirteen hours and six minutes until departure. I must get to packing.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Son of a bitch, this just went down the drain. It took me four months of diligent work, and this crazy, monkey boy jumps into the fray to 'save me.' I can't believe that he thought that I'd even need his help. I was perfectly fine taking out those few White Fang members. I was even going to save one to question. Why must things like this always happen to me? For the past few months, I swear to god that this guy is the person that has been watching me. At first, I thought that he was watching me for the White Fang, but now I can't be too sure. He saved me from them. He beat up his supposed allies, or at least that's what I thought. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I practically yell at him as he tries to throw me over his shoulder. I say try because I literally had him on the ground before he could get near me. "Do you know how long I've been at this to have gotten this far, only to fail because of you?"

He looks up at me passively. "Hey, I just saw a lady in need and swooped in to save the day. That's what you're supposed to do, right?"

I let out a yell of frustration. "No! I have specialized training for this! You were supposed to not stalk me for four months only to jump in when you saw trouble."

He stands up quickly, easily standing a foot taller than me. "Hey! How'd you know I was watching you?"

I rub my forehead in annoyance. "I specialize in surveillance and espionage. I believe I can spot such ammatuer efforts easily. If I hadn't noticed you, I would have had to drop out of the academy for mediocre performance."

He rubs his chin. "Oh, so you're from an academy? Me too! Which one?"

I said too much. I sigh. "That's classified."

I get onto my motorcycle, one provided by the general. It was oh so kind of him to give me something I want on a mission he basically forced me on. I feel a pair of arms wrap around me, and a surprising warmth on my back makes me jump. "Chill, girl. It's just me. Where we headin'?"

I roll my eyes. I'm not going to get rid of him, am I? I get the vibe that he'd just follow me anyway, so I take a deep breath before answering. "Home. I am going home, or at least to the house in this location that has been provided to me."

I feel him shift and get comfortable. A blush creeps up my face, but I don't exactly know why. "Cool. Mind if I hitch a ride?"

"You're going to, anyway, so I suppose you may." I retract the kickstand and start the bike in one go. "Hold on." I feel his grip tighten just a hair before I take off at a speed that would have been unimaginable on a busy street. Luckily for me, I have the entire road to myself. This is the time where I like to reflect back and feel the freedom that I'm not allowed elsewhere. I prize freedom because of that, and it's a refreshing thing to feel, especially at such exhilarating speeds, the wind blowing through my hair, but now, there's something else there. The warmth on my back kind of makes me crave something, companionship, love, just someone to share and show the freedom that I've discovered, and I'm pretty sure that it would detrimental to exercise those thoughts. I push it away for now, but I'm sure I'll revisit it later.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"God damnit, Sun, what did I tell you about breaking into my house!" I find him on my couch again. He's made a horrible habit of it since that night. I've been undercover for six months now, and there's been nothing to show for it. I would have been done if Sun wouldn't have jumped in that night, but I can't exactly complain. Sun's actually my first real friend outside of my comrades. I appreciate that about him, but he keeps taking my food. "And stop stealing my food."

I take the plate from him, making him yell, "Hey! I was eating that!"

I sigh. "Yes, but I was saving this pizza for supper tonight. It seems that I'll have to actually cook something instead. Thank you very much, Sun."

He laughs a little. "No prob, Ciel. I know how much you just love cooking. I was trying to help out."

If I didn't actually enjoy cooking, I'd probably kick his teeth in. "Right, well, are you staying the night or are you going to disappear on me?"

He follows me into the kitchen. "Why, do you want me to stay?"

I can feel a blush creep up. I might, but I sure as hell am not going to let him know that. "I just want to know if I have to cook you something, too, where you don't take half my plate again."

He crosses his arms over his chest and pouts. He looks so cute that I just want to hug him, but I refrain. I'm waiting to be pulled from the assignment soon. The new school year is coming up, and I don't want to miss the first day of secondary combat school. Atlas is supposed to be the best structured program on Remnant and takes second in ranking of combat efficient graduates. Right now, I don't exactly want to leave. I've gotten comfortable here. I've gotten used to having Sun around. For all the shit I give him, he's a comforting presence, and I think I might be falling for him. His voice brings me back to reality. "That was, like, one time."

I roll my eyes at him. "It has been six times already. I would have thought that you'd stop after I nailed you to my back door."

He snorts. "That wasn't even a challenge to get out of. You're going to have to do better than that!" He strikes a ridiculous pose, flexing his biceps, coincidently spreading his shirt wider, showing off his abs. I turn away, blushing. He laughs. "Yeah, I'll stay tonight."

"Okay. What would you like to eat, then?" I set to looking through the pantry for something to fix. I feel his eyes on me, and I look back. "What?"

He shrugs. "It's just nice here."

I give him a quizzical look. "What does that even me?"

He stuffs his hands into his pockets. "I... My home isn't exactly ideal. It's filled with kids, and my parents don't exactly have enough money to support us all, so I come and go, steal to support them, and never stay over much. I don't eat there, and I don't sleep there. I like being here. There's a place to sleep, food, and it's not over crowded. Plus, I like you. It makes it a lot easier to be here."

I look at him, clenching and unclenching my fists at the sadness in his voice. "I didn't know. I'm sorry." My voice is a harsh whisper.

He smiles at me. "Nothing to be sorry for. It's not like you were the direct cause or anything." He walks over and gives me a kiss on the forehead before leaving the kitchen. "How about just making something simple? Spaghetti could work." He says it as the door shuts, leaving me in shock. Why did he kiss me? I mean, I know it wasn't on the lips or anything, but it's still confusing. Could he like me like I like him? He did say he likes me, but that could be anything, really. He's so open with affection, that I could never know unless he tells me. Hopefully, I find out before I leave. There's nothing like being left in the dark over something so important.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I take a big breath and repress the tears that threaten to come. Today's the day. I have to leave. School starts in a week, and I haven't been able to get any information. This wouldn't be the first mission I'd failed, but it seems to be the most important, at least to me. I lived for once. I'm not just a military brat following in her father's footsteps. I was my own person for the last seven months. I was me, not Soleil, but Ciel. I found Sun, and even though he might not share my feelings, I feel like I found something special. I may never come back here, and it seems like I'm going to leave a piece of myself here. I'm leaving a piece with Sun, whether he knows it or not.

"Now, now, no crying. I might break into tears. I don't think you want me crying. I'm a messy crier, very messy. I'm pretty sure I got snot in my tail fur the last time I cried." I laugh as Sun comes into view.

I roll my eyes at him. "You just had to break in one more time, huh?"

He winks. "You know it."

I sigh. "I guess this is goodbye, Sun."

He snorts. "Nah. We'll see each other again. I wouldn't let you get away so easily."

I can hope. "Yeah. I'll borrow your optimism on that one." I smile a bit before I hear a knock on the door. I turn to Sun to tell him he's got to leave, but he's already gone. All that's left is a torn piece of paper. I lift it toward the light to see what's on it. "See you in Vale." Vale? What does that have to do with anything? I slip the piece of paper in my pocket in confusion and give it a reassuring pat. Maybe we will see each other again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Vale. I'm in Vale. I reach my hand in the pocket with the piece of paper. He said Vale. I look around nonchalantly. I can't be too obvious. I was sent here on another mission. This time, though, I'm basically babysitting a team of idiots. The general better be happy that I can't refuse an order. I sigh as I look at my primary responsibility. Penny is a very charismatic and enthusiastic girl. I like her, really, but I can only deal with her for so long before I want to start tearing my hair out in absolute frustration.

We make it to the stadium just in time for the next match to start, Team SSSN versus Team INGO. I wonder who they are. I look at the Aura meters. There's pictures that I can reference if I have trouble identifying the ones on the field the first one catches my eye. Sun. It's Sun. I smile at that. He did say we were going to meet in Vale. I just hope he hasn't forgotten me in the semester and a half that we've been apart. I can't really dwell on that, though, as I look down at him. I can't hold my smile, either. Maybe there's a happily ever after ahead after all.