~ Watch Me ~

Orders

"Trainings really taken it out of you today, huh?"

Rose looked up from her burger, she'd been eating it for the last twenty minutes, and had only managed half. She frowned at Zack, ignoring the noise of the cafeteria.

"What do you mean?"

"You look like a zombie. Hey, don't sweat it. It's your first day back since all the hospital stuff, you'll get it."

Rose managed a nod. Zack was right. Training had really taken it out of her today, and yes it was only her first day back, but staying up into the early hours with Sephiroth probably hadn't helped either.

She smiled.

To her right, Kunsel snorted. "You planning on marrying that burger?"

Her gaze snapped up. "What?"

He shrugged. "Just never seen anyone stare so lovingly at food."

She rolled her eyes. "It's a good burger, what can I say?"

Inside her pocket, her phone buzzed, and she silenced Kunsel's smart retort with a finger.

"Hello?"

"Hello Rose, it's Lazard. I need you to come to my office; bring Zack and Kunsel with you."

"Okay, sure." She nodded, then, horrified, she remembered herself. "I mean – yes, sir."

A light chuckle. "Thank you. Talk soon."

Rose pocketed her phone.

"C'mon." She said, getting eagerly up from the table. "Lazard wants to see us."

Kunsel frowned, following suit. "All of us? Me to?"

"You were mentioned." She replied flatly.

"Wow. Didn't know he cared."

Rose scoffed. "Just move, will you?"

Contrast to Kunsel's small tremor of emotion, ahead of her, Zack was buzzing, and they set off.

"Do you think we have a new mission?" He said quickly, his excitement setting him almost five steps ahead. "You think they're sending us to Wutai?"

"I dunno, maybe?" Rose bit her lip thoughtfully, a small bubble of excitement inflating in her own belly. She looked at Kunsel. "What do you think?"

He shrugged. "These days it could be anything. There's just as much trouble in the city, as there is out in Wutai. It's probably something along those lines... unless we're getting fired."

Rose paled and he laughed.

"I was kidding."

"Yeah, I know that." She said awkwardly, brushing the few loose strands from her ponytail back behind her ears.

Suddenly, guilt had tugged at her excitement, pulling at the loose thread until it completely unravelled. In a sudden epiphany, she'd wondered whether her relationship with Sephiroth would get her into trouble. Could even lose her, her position in SOLDIER?

Sensing a downward spiral, Rose quickly pulled herself together, all too aware of the weird looks Kunsel was suddenly giving her. She reminded herself, that they'd slept together once, that hardly constituted a relationship. Besides, it wasn't anyone else's business, and as far as she was aware, no one else knew, so she could hardly be in any kind of trouble for it.

Somehow, her reasoning didn't help.

The journey to Lazard's office was not a quiet one. Zack's level of enthusiasm only grew the closer they'd got to the Director's door, and Rose and Kunsel were forced to bring him into check, levelling with him sternly in the corridor outside.

Zack raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry, sorry. I'm cool."

Kunsel rolled his eyes. "You do this every time. Don't let your hopes get too high. This could just be about drill, or something equally as dull. Wait to hear what he says, before you explode like a baby firework."

Zack nodded, clearly apologetic. "I know, I know, I'm calming it." He looked at Rose. "Guess this is what Angeal means, when he says I need to learn more control."

Rose smiled, amused. "Ah, don't worry about it. He's controlled enough for all of us – trust me."

Zack laughed. "Can't argue with that."

The three of them, now holding themselves to a professional standard, went inside. To Rose's surprise, Lazard's office was far more crowded than she expected it to be, and it was with sizeable effort, that she managed to keep that surprise from her features.

Beside the Director, Angeal and Sephiroth stood dutifully side by side at his shoulder. Their faces characteristically unreadable, as Rose and her friends cautiously entered. She threw a curious look toward Angeal, but Sephiroth's gaze was trained firmly to the floor, a slight that elicited a sinking sensation deep in Rose's chest.

Don't be stupid, she told herself, you're supposed to be playing it cool. He can't exactly serenade you in front of everyone, can he? She fought a frown. A small acknowledgement wouldn't have hurt though.

Her disappointment turning quickly to annoyance, she fumed silently where she stood.

"You wanted to see us, sir?" Zack questioned smoothly, his emotions now completely in check, and eager to hold his superior's attention.

Lazard nodded. "Yes. After careful consideration, I will be sending the three of you to support Sephiroth and Angeal in Wutai. The mission will need trust, and as you are all acquainted in one way or another, I see this being the perfect fit."

Rose felt Zack stiffen beside her.

Lazard continued. "You will be accompanied by a handful of Troops too, of course, but this is more of a good-will gesture. I have no doubt that the five of you could handle this all too well on your own." He glanced at Sephiroth and Angeal. "Some of you completely on your own, but it will be good experience, and one-hundred percent vital to the war effort on the ground."

Beside Rose, Kunsel nodded, his mind clearly deep in thought. "What will we be doing?"

"For security reasons, you will not be briefed until you are in the air to go. You'll be setting off at 0300 hours Monday morning. You've got a day and a half, I suggest the three of you spend it preparing."

Slowly allowing the information to sink in, Rose opened her mouth to probe it further, but decided against it.

Any reservations she had about being ready, now wasn't the time to share.

"If there aren't any questions?" Lazard wondered airily, his light gaze travelling lazily over their little trio, before settling on her. Met with silence, he inclined his head. "Then that's all for now, you can go. Unless, there's anything either of you wanted to add?"

He raised his brow pointedly toward Sephiroth and Angeal. The former merely shook his head, but Angeal folded his arms, his aqua gaze narrowing pointedly toward a strangely silent Zack.

"Zack, don't think this gets you out of training. I still expect to see you in the VR rooms tomorrow at 0600. Clear?"

"Yes, sir!" The young Third Class grinned eagerly, his puppy-like energy already beginning to trickle out. "I won't let you down!"

Spinning on his heels, he all but bounced out of the room, Kunsel following calmly behind in an effort to look controlled. Rose quickly nodded her goodbyes, sharing a fleeting glance in Sephiroth's direction, before she followed suit. To her annoyance, she found him flicking carelessly through his phone, his face almost bored as he continued to ignore her.

She swiftly exited the room.

"Rose! Hey, Rose!"

Behind her Zack and Kunsel were yelling. So blinding was her rage, that she hadn't even noticed that she'd stormed straight passed them.

In an effort to save face, she stopped.

"What's up with you?" Kunsel half laughed, the pair of them finally catching up with her. "You came out of there like a tiny angry hurricane! We'd only been gone two seconds!"

Rose shook her head. "Sorry, I just remembered that I, you know, needed to be somewhere."

She dropped her gaze. The lameness of her excuse sounded painful even to her own ears.

"Yeah, of course..." Raising an eyebrow, Kunsel shared a playful look with Zack. "We better hope she doesn't get taken hostage in Wutai. A lying ability like that, she'd have us sold out in seconds."

"I'm not lying!" She pressed, ignoring Zack's boyish sniggers. "I do have other things in my life, you know. It's not just you two."

Smirking, Kunsel nodded ironically. "Right, right. So I guess it has nothing to do with Sephiroth treating you like you're suddenly the invisible woman?"

"I..." She stilled, suddenly terrified. Was she that obvious? "What do you mean?"

Kunsel laughed, putting a friendly hand on her shoulder, and giving it a squeeze.

"I know you're eager to train, but like Zack said, you've just gotten out of hospital. It would be unethical of him to push you back into it too quickly. Zack's been training with your brother for the last year now, they have a routine. Sephiroth's probably just trying to ease you back into things, you're not being dropped. Besides, he's not long been back from Wutai himself, has he?"

Rose blinked. So that's what they thought it was. That she was worried about her professional reputation. That Sephiroth's supposed lack of interest was a dark omen, and warned of future dismissal from his training. The relief almost made her laugh.

Concentrating hard, Rose slowly nodded her head. "You really think so?"

"Of course. Now cheer the hell up. We have drinking to do." Kunsel grinned, clapping her lightly on the back. "Above plate or below?"

Zack, ever the professional when it came to SOLDIER business, quickly shook his head. "No way, Kunsel. You heard Angeal, I've got an early start, and it's already nearly eight. We should all get an early night."

Kunsel rolled his eyes. "You realise being this boring doesn't suit you?" He turned to Rose. "You're not going to leave me hanging too, are you?"

"I..."

Against Rose's hip, her phone vibrated. Apologising, she quickly pulled it out, turning on the screen to find a message waiting.

"VR rooms. Ten Minutes. - S"

Despite her previous anger at the silver-haired SOLDIER, Rose found a small smile tugging annoyingly at her lips.

She looked up, immediately apologetic.

"Sorry, Kunsel. Something's come up – for real this time."

Sharing an outraged look toward Zack, he open his mouth to argue, but Rose quickly skipped between them, waving happily over her shoulder as she headed eagerly for the escalators.

"Have a fun night though!" She called back at them, ignoring Kunsel's predictably rude hand gesture.

Despite her sudden enthusiasm to see Sephiroth, once out of Zack and Kunsel's eyesight, Rose slowed her footing. Her anger compared with her excitement, was dull, but it was still fresh, and if Sephiroth thought he could have her at his beckoned call, after barely even noting her existence, he had another thing coming.

Rose glanced at the time. She could always grab a soda.

R&R!

Guys, I apologise! I'm back at work, so chapters may take longer. I'm hoping one a week. More if I'm lucky? Hope you're all okay. Thank you for all my reviews, I'll reply to the ones I can. Rielle, thanks so much, your review was lovely. Sorry I can't reply properly.

Hope you liked this chapter? Wasn't sure if it flowed okay? But I can't keep re-writing lol. Might edit after, if you do have any pointers.

Take care. Reviews may be replied to tomorrow, as it is very late here XD xx