Armblast glanced up from his book and spotted Sinistra.
"Took you long enough," he said.
Sinistra shrugged.
"So, this is about-"
"Éclair," Armblast said.
Sinistra's smile vanished.
"What? Did something happen? Is she okay?" Sinistra asked.
Armblast crossed his arms.
"She's fine. For now."
"For now?" Sinistra inquired.
His eyes narrowed.
"Are you threatening Eclair?"
Armblast laughed.
"I'm no threat to Eclair. You and I both know that. But you're a higher ranking officer than her. Your enemies will go after her."
"Eclair can handle herself."
Armblast rolled his eyes.
"You better hope so because if anything, ANYTHING, happens to Eclair I will make sure you pay the price."
With that, Armblast turned sharply and walked away. Sinistra sighed and leaned against the wall.
"I won't let anything happen to Eclair."
"So, how was your night out with Eclair?" Ricki asked Lumiere.
Lumiere looked at her in surprise.
"My night? Eclair said she was going to a club with you," Lumiere said.
"She told me you two were going out to do something fun as partners," Ricki said.
Lumiere crossed her arms.
"Something's going on with Eclair. I don't know what it is but I plan to find out," she said.
Eclair was suddenly leaning over the counter.
"Hey, girls. Look, I have to admit, I didn't tell you the truth. I wasn't out with either of you, I was actually doing a little cleaning and rearranging," she admitted.
"Excuse me, where might I find the technology department?"
Eclair spun, facing the tiny little man behind her. He barely reached Éclair's knee. She gulped back laughter, seeing the mustache that was so large it covered most of the man's face.
"Uh, allow me to show you. The new halls can be very tricky," she offered.
"Alright," the man said.
Eclair smiled, leading the short man away. Lumiere watched them go, chuckling to herself. The man was so tiny. He beat her in the short department.
"Sinistra!"
Sinistra looked up from the computer screen, spotting Eclair. He smiled.
"Slacking off?" he asked.
"No," Eclair said, flushing.
Sinistra pulled her into his lap.
"Sinistra! I'm still on duty!" she cried.
Sinistra kissed her, silencing her protests. Eclair melted in his arms.
"You do know how to get to my apartment?" he asked.
"No," she answered honestly.
Sinistra chuckled.
"I'll draw you a map," he promised.
"Oh, you don't have to break out your colored pencils for me," Eclair joked.
She kissed Sinistra on the cheek.
"Directions are fine," she said, sliding out of his lap.
She went to the door, pausing and glancing back at him.
"Until tonight," she said, leaving.
"So, you're sure?" asked Mar.
He was tall, as tall as Sinistra and Dextera, and his hair was a dark violet. He glanced at his short partner, Kels.
"I saw 'em with my own eyes! Unless GOTT policy says that all ES members are to make out with receptionists while they sit on your lap," Kels snapped.
Mar lifted the picture of the red hair receptionist again, his eyes studying her. He could see her appeal.
"Find her name and her address. I want it no later than tomorrow night."
With that, he turned and left.
Eclair sighed as she stared out her window. She was glad the chief had let her leave early but she was also a bit, well, bored. She sighed.
"Maybe I should get a new dress," she mumbled.
Her other dress had ripped the night before when she fell on the curb. Damn heels. She stood, walking to her door, grabbing her coat on the way. She opened her door, finding TweedleDee. TweedleDee was smirking.
"Eclair, you've finally done it. You got a boyfriend."
Eclair gulped a little.
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
"Eclair, I'm not stupid. No matter what, you never clean for the heck of it."
Eclair sighed.
"Well, while you delude yourself, I'm going out," she said.
With that, she walked past TweedleDee.
"I bet you need a new dress and shoes and you really need feminine help," TweedleDee challenged.
Eclair stopped. She turned a bit.
"No questions. Got it?" she asked.
TweedleDee smiled, following Eclair out.
"This one," TweedleDee said.
Eclair studied the dress. It was hot pink and it seemed to glow.
"Um, TweedleDee, I want to look nice. I don't want to look like a hooker!" Eclair cried. "Well, maybe I'd know what to look for if I knew who you were-"
"NO!" Eclair cried, making a few people look.
Eclair sighed while TweedleDee threw assuring looks at those staring. Eclair sighed, crouching.
"Eclair?"
Éclair ignored TweedleDee's concerned tone, thinking. Sinistra wasn't the kind of guy that one would think of as loud. He was quiet and she knew she was his exact opposite. But they both accept that fact. So, instead of looking for a dress for Sinistra- Eclair burst into laughter at the image of Sinistra in a dress. TweedleDee tapped her on the shoulder.
"Eclair, look."
Eclair looked at where TweedleDee was pointing, the redness of the short cocktail dress so bright that it should have been illegal.
"No," was all she said.
TweedleDee sighed.
"Perhaps we should've just -"
"May I help you?"
Eclair and TweedleDee looked back to find a tall guy with dark violet hair standing behind them. He smiled at Eclair and kneeled in front of her.
"Perhaps something a bit dark but not too dark," he suggested.
Eclair stood.
"You're hired," she said to him.
She turned to TweedleDee.
"You're fired," she said.
"Do I still get paid?" TweedleDee asked.
"Ha ha ha no," Eclair said.
TweedleDee crossed her arms.
"Alright, fine," she said, turning and marching off.
Eclair turned back to the guy.
"So, what's your name?" she asked.
He offered her a charming smile that drew her in the same way Sinistra's did but for different reasons.
"Call me Mar," he said.
Sinistra opened the door, revealing Éclair in a short, royal blue cocktail dress. Instead of heels, she wore ankle boots with a slight heel.
"Surprise!" she said.
"You're late," Sinistra said.
Eclair wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Can you ever forgive me?" she asked.
Sinistra smiled.
"I'm not really sure," he teased.
Eclair smiled.
"Ha ha," she said, dryly.
Sinistra shook his head and led her inside, closing the door behind them.
"I'm guessing you went out to find a new dress? Because you probably ripped the other one falling in your heels."
"No!" Éclair denied quickly.
She blushed.
"Alright, how did you know?" she asked.
"Well, you're wearing a new dress and you're also wearing boots similar to the ones you fight in," he said.
Eclair crossed her arms.
"You're too observant," she complained.
"Don't forget my charming good looks, my higher intelligence and -"
"Alright, alright. I get it. You are the perfect man in every way," Eclair joked.
Sinistra wrapped his arms around her waist.
"And you are the imperfect woman," he teased.
"I'd rather be imperfect than perfect," Eclair said.
"Good thing too. If you were perfect it would be boring," Sinistra remarked.
Eclair rolled her eyes, pulling away.
"You say that but I still don't believe," she said.
"You're a tease, you know that," Sinistra said.
Eclair sat comfortably on his couch, crossing her legs.
"That's the plan," she said.
Sinistra smiled. He sat beside her, kissing her.
"Wait. Does Dextera live here?" she inquired.
"No. Though he has keys," Sinistra answered.
Eclair shrugged.
"I'll accept that," she admitted.
She grinned seductively at him.
"Now then," she said, curling her fingers in Sinistra's hair.
"Sinistra, I'm here," Dextera announced, walking in Sinistra's apartment.
The kitchen was empty and so was the rest of the apartment.
"Hm?" he muttered to himself.
The door to Sinistra's bedroom was firmly shut.
"Yo, Sinistra, do you-"
Dextera froze upon walking into Sinistra's room. He saw Eclair and Sinistra together in the bed.
"What's going on?!"he cried.
The two looked at him.
"Dextera," they said as one.