Ok, new chapter. It's been a while, certainly longer than I wanted it to be, and I apologise for that...A lot. After getting back from Spain I thought I'd be able to continue writing without allowing myself to get distracted with the presence of my boyfriend, guess how that turned out. Doesn't help that I had to start my college stuff out etc (blah!).
So yeah, very slow update (again I apologise) and probably not very exciting for the wait. It is a little shorter than the other chapters because I wanted to get it out quicker, hopefully it won't matter though.
Never fear though, I've had ideas running in my head that'll hopefully spice things up soon. However I can't promise updates faster than this one in the future since I'll actually be trying to do well at college this time around ^^"
For the third time, I apologise ^^" Now on with the fic!
A week had passed since Lena had started work. Usually she would have complained about it sooner but there was something about spending the day at Shinra headquarters that delayed it. She assumed it was because she'd made friends so she was rarely alone. Despite that it was one of her friends that got her in trouble.
Rior had taken it upon himself to try and make Lena's workdays as fun and interesting as possible. She wouldn't deny that they were interesting but a lot of the plans involved her as she could easily access the residential rooms without being questioned. Rior's favourite targets seemed to reside in the building too, so more often than not she found herself being bugged for long periods of time.
One such plan involved sneaking into a room, Lena assumed that the pink-haired male was friends with whoever stayed there, and finding whatever they could that would embarrass them for some revenge. She didn't listen to the whole story; she just wanted her friend to leave her alone. She had already refused countless time but when he began to cling to her and get in the way of her work she had to relent.
So they'd gotten into the room and were about to start searching when a huge flaw appeared in Rior's plan, the occupant was home. That was the day she met Zack Fair. She hadn't seen him since but she could tell why the two young men were friends; they were both cheerful although one was more restrained than the other - she couldn't see Zack clinging onto someone in a childish fit. The two were also opposites in appearance, while Rior was pale and had vibrant hair, Zack was slightly tanned with hair as dark as night. Zack's hair was Lena's favourite feature for the time being, although she knew something would replace it soon enough.
While she was working Rior would try to drag Cloud or Zack along with him as he followed her, he seemed to fail mostly with Zack though since she was yet to even see him around since the failed raid on his room. It wasn't often that Cloud was free from his duties for Rior to drag him around with him. Lena always did enjoy it when the blonde was around; she found that he balanced the hyperactive male's behavior perfectly.
Today however none of her newfound friends, or friend since she wasn't sure if she knew Cloud enough to add him to her list of friends, would be able to bring her up from her slump. She'd finally realized that what she'd been doing all week is all that she'd be doing, and that bored her. She didn't mind a routine but it had to be new and exciting every now and then. Apart from Rior's little plans and conversations nothing would change. She just knew Faro would laugh and look at her with that smirk of his if she told him.
Sighing, Lena leant against the elevator panel after entering the compartment. Luckily Rior would be on duty today so she'd be able to start her work without his energetic chatter in her ear for hours. She doubted it would do anything other than annoy her anyways.
She stepped out of the elevator as it arrived at its destination. Looking around Lena found that the floor was deserted. Not trusting her sight alone she listened for any activities that might be going on in the nearby rooms. Rior had once startled her when he tumbled out of a room with a comrade when she was about to enter; she'd been wary ever since.
Collecting her trolley automatically Lena set herself into work mode. To be able to get through the three floors she was assigned she would need to be focused. She didn't doubt that she would get bored or slow down if she didn't. Rubbing her hands together she drove herself forward, adrenaline fueling her.
Lena had managed to be Rior-free until the forty-third floor. She'd finally relaxed and was about to finish the last stretch of her work when the pink-haired male slapped his hands on her shoulders, causing her to jump. She'd used her mop in revenge but hadn't forgiven him yet despite his complaints of bruises since she'd arrived.
Now that Rior had broken the focus she'd maintained for the past two floors she could feel the slight burning in her muscles. Even though the burn was less intense than it was earlier in the week she still felt it, and now Rior had made her aware of it before it was time for her to head home. She made a mental note to hit her friend again before she left.
Looking closely at her friend she noticed that he was in his uniform. She'd seen others in it during her time in the building but Rior had always been in casual clothing while around her before. She couldn't understand the scarf type part of the uniform but couldn't help but feel that it suited him. Trailing her eyes up and down the tall male she found that it all suited him. She couldn't help but wonder though why he was wearing it.
"Going somewhere?" Lena asked, her curiosity getting the best of her. She headed for the storage closet for her trolley, not in the least bit surprised when she heard Rior's booted feet following her. She was surprised however when they didn't follow her far. Turning around she found that he'd only moved a short distance away from the elevator, one foot still in the air as though he'd caught himself from his new habit of following her.
"Rior?" Watching her friend Lena raised an eyebrow. This behaviour was a first from him and she couldn't guess what had caused it. She knew she hadn't known him long enough to know what he did and didn't do all the time but it wasn't often when he restrained himself from what she'd seen.
"They're sending me and some others to accompany a few SOLDIERs out on a mission. You didn't hear that from me though." The grin on the pink-haired male's face told her that he shouldn't have told her anything and he knew it. Somehow that made him proud. She didn't see why but she wouldn't question it.
"How long will you be gone?" Lena knew it would be quiet without Rior and she would miss the company. Despite how much she complained she would miss him completely.
"Just a few days, before you know it I'll be back." Giving one final grin that was unique to only himself he continued on his way to the elevator. Lena was left staring in silence. She'd expected him to go overboard on his farewell considering how he'd behaved when she tried to leave on her first day. As the elevator doors blocked Rior from sight the brunette snapped back to her senses.
Without her friend there to help pass the time she'd need something else to take his place. Even though she was yet to have a conversation with Cloud without Rior there, she hoped he was around. If not she would have to suck up her courage and make some new friends or just deal with the situation.
Wiping the slight sweat from her face Lena sighed in relief. The forty-third floor had been tougher than usual. Whoever was off-duty and relaxing in their rooms put up more of a fight when faced with being kicked out. She had won in the end when she'd brandished her mop but she liked to keep that as a last resort. It was times like those that she appreciated the effect that Rior had on his teammates when he was around.
Wheeling her trolley back to its home the brunette looked over the supplies. A couple of the sprays were running low and she'd discovered that the varnish had dried up. Today was the first time she'd felt brave enough to use it and when she'd found that the lid hadn't been put back on properly she'd nearly flipped. She hated when lids weren't closed properly.
Maneuvering the trolley back into the storage closet Lena locked the door behind it. She'd managed to scrawl what she needed on her hand and was thankful that she'd remembered to do so. If she hadn't she knew she'd end up using something that'd destroy what she was working on, never mind cleaning it.
Looking down the now clean corridor as she made her way to the elevator the brunette pondered on how quiet it was. She knew why Rior was absent but she didn't know why everybody else was. Not once had she cleaned her assigned floors without encountering a single person, even Cloud wasn't there.
Pressing the call button Lena watched the numbers above the door. It seemed like someone had used the elevator while she was working which wasn't surprising. It was annoying though that she had to wait for it to arrive from the first floor. She wouldn't say that the thing was slow; it was just that she was impatient, and she wanted to finish up and go home.
Yawning as she stepped into the elevator, cheering mentally that it'd finally arrived; she pondered her sudden bout of tiredness. She'd had more than ten hours sleep and felt as energetic as a child that'd just eaten a whole bag of sugar. Lately she'd tried not to think of sleep as much though because once she started to trail off from sleeping she'd always end up back at the 'dream' she had. It felt more like a nightmare but no matter what it was it haunted her. Never before had she remembered a dream so vividly and that scared her. Anything out of the ordinary for her had that effect.
Shuddering in remembrance of the pain those hands brought she almost missed her intended destination. It was thanks to the high pitched 'ding' that dragged her away from her memories. Although she knew she'd go back on her word at a later date, she swore that she'd never curse at an elevator again.
Stepping out of the compartment Lena mentally followed the directions she was given by a colleague to find the cleaning equipment. Angela had only showed her the floor on the way to get her 'uniform' and had failed to say which specific room would have what she needed. She knew it was partially her fault for not asking but she just wanted to pin the blame on someone that wasn't her. She had almost run herself into a wall when she thought that, she hated pinning the blame completely on someone else when she knew that she was to blame too.
Rushing to the room she needed the brunette gathered everything that was written on her hand. The quicker she got the job done the quicker she could get home and sleep. Sleep meant she was comfortable, happy, sleep meant she could forget. Sleeping was all she had been doing once she was finished at work and she knew what it was doing to her.
She was more lethargic than she'd felt in a long time and her contact with Faro had become scarce. She never meant to push him away or make him think that she had forgotten about him, whatever he was thinking. She just... never had the energy to make an effort anymore.
Shaking her head Lena made a mental note to at least call Faro when she got back to her apartment. He deserved more for putting up with her for as long as he did but she couldn't see herself being able to do anything more worthwhile. Happy with her compromise she followed her footsteps back to the elevator. She felt that her job was a waiting game with the piece of machinery but she had no choice, unless she wanted to take the stairs. There was a reason she avoided the stairs though.
Moving into the compartment as the doors opened she pressed a button blindly. She felt confident that she had selected the floor she needed simply because of how many times she had to push the thing. Her attention was forced from her legs to the panel of buttons as the elevator lurched upwards. She'd come from below so why was it moving upwards? What button had she pressed? Looking at the panel she spotted the illuminated button which she had pressed: sixty-seven.
She didn't know what was on floor sixty-seven and she didn't want to know. Heading to places she wasn't meant to without someone there to reassure her was something she rarely did, especially when it was in a building that could fill a book with its own horror stories. Jamming her finger onto the button for the floor she needed she pressed herself against the back of the compartment. There was nothing she could do now until the elevator stopped and started for its new destination.
The 'ding' that indicated that she was at her unintentional destination made her jump, dropping all her items in the process. Looking out of the open doors she hit herself in the shoulder. In front of her was a simple corridor, nothing to be scared about. Knowing that there was nothing to be scared of she began to relax and laughed. She should give Faro a piece of her mind about telling her those stories and at the same time hit herself again for believing him.
Cheering mentally as the doors began to close Lena looked back out into the corridor. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest and continued to beat erratically. There was someone at the end of the corridor. She was able to distinguish that they were female before the doors closed in front of her. Where had she come from? She hadn't heard any footsteps to indicate that she had just walked there. She was just...there.
Lifting a shaking hand to her face she let out a heavy sigh. She was beginning to believe that Faro was telling the truth but just in case he wasn't she was ready to sort out her new habit of sleeping. There was no way women just appeared randomly without there being something wrong in the head, or so she believed.
Taking a deep breath the brunette began to pick up the cleaning items she'd left on the floor of the compartment. There was a slight shake running through her arms but she could feel herself beginning to calm down. Thinking back to the woman she tried to pick out any specific details that she might have seen, although she doubted she had. She'd been too freaked out by her simply being there.
Conjuring up the image she remembered she tried to look closely. Her memory of the event had faded fast and all the rose into her mind's eye was a blur of blue, white and a sharp red. She wouldn't be able to make any sense of what she remembered if it was just a blur. However judging from where the blinding crimson was she guessed that it was the woman's eyes. If they were then she definately needed to cut back on the sleep. Sighing she focused her mind on the last task she had to do, if she could finish it with no more distractions then she'd be able to visit Faro.
There was no chance she was going to be staying in her empty apartment, not after the scare she'd had. She felt it was time to tell someone about her dream as well. She hoped that Rior would be back soon and causing mischief, she knew she needed it.
So there you are. Creepy ladies sneaking in yer corridors ._.
Please give feedback if you have time and thanks for reading.