Well, this one is weird. I don't have much to say about it though. I did... before...
Ah! There it is. I apologize, in a lot of this Zack acts weird. I like to say he's just confused. But he seems out of Character in this Chapter. I apologize for that.
But a Special Thanks To: Sololight Who reviewed again. You make me very happy. And very Hopeful.
6/12: I came back to fix this chapter up as I have a tendency to do every so often. Pretty intense in my opinion.
Words: 2,930
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all parts of the contemplation go to Square Soft or rather Square Enix. I own Evelia and the things based around her.
Huffing and breathing deep, Jack and I walked off the dance floor. I couldn't believe how tired I was. I stopped and put my hands on my hips to settle down. He grinned at me and walked away breathing deeply. He returned with something to drink and I nodded my head in thanks as he pulled my outside. The Sun was past the horizon of our view but the sun was still setting. We were silent as we regained our breath. But we were smiling the entire time.
I put my drink down on a nearby table and straightened out my blazer, pulled down on my skirt and pulled up on my socks. I turned to see Jack watching me. He seemed to have something on his mind. He didn't say anything so I stood and took a deep breath. The smell was normal and smelled cleaned. Something in my enhanced body could pick out the differences between the real air and the car exhaustion. Realizing this I stopped my second deep breathe.
It was cool outside and the pulsing of my body stopped as I cooled down and calmed, but a different pulse ran through my body. I stiffened locking my limbs as I tried to remember this familiar pulse. Every once in a while I'd feel a similar one but it was never as strong. It hadn't felt this strong since I had joined SOLDIER three years ago. Is this the pulse I felt when I thought I sensed Eric?...Eric? I searched the yellow sky to only find a helicopter fly over head. I forgot Jack was there and jumped when he touched me.
"You alright?" I nodded quickly pulling down my blazer to look at my arm. There was a burning feeling there. It went away as the helicopter flew farther away. I sighed tired from a long day. "You aren't normal are you?"
My eyes widened and I looked at Jack. He didn't seem scared or surprised, but rather calm. I didn't say anything hoping he'd explain what he was talking about. "You… you don't go to school in Midgar do you?" I didn't say anything unsure of how to respond to something like that.
"I… what gave you that impression?" he looked at me and walked towards me.
"You just seem different…" My mind race calculating and figuring out probabilities. I was going on the assumption that he felt this way and didn't know for sure if I wasn't normal.
"So I feel different to you compared to other girls?" He shrugged but his hand lifted up to touch my face. I didn't flinch away but I didn't move at all. I waited wondering what he was going to do. He brushed his finger across my cheek and smiled. His head snapped to look inside for a moment. He bent down to kiss my cheek before waving and walking away. I let my body slump over until I hit the railing of the balcony with my forehead where I slammed it four times.
The fifth time was stopped by a warm squishy thing. I looked up to see Rufus with his hand where I was smashing my head. "You'll hurt yourself if you keep doing that. You're supposed to be here to protect me." I let my chin rest on his hand and he grabbed my face gently pulling me up. "Afraid that Jack almost figured you out? He's smart, but oblivious to many things…" Rufus paused for a moment. I figured he would keep going but he shook his head of short strawberry blonde hair and walked away waving his hand towards something inside. I followed the waving to see a familiar head stuffing his face. I walked over, a grin spreading on my face and tapped his shoulder.
I doubled over with laughter at the face I was greeted with. Half eaten spaghetti and sauce all over his face. He had bread in one hand and more spaghetti in the other. When I calmed some, I beamed heartily and he slurped up his food.
"Nice to see you too Zack. May I ask why you're here…eating that food…" He grinned childishly and didn't wipe his face.
"I'm here for some Shinra…. Business. Or whatever." I rose my eyebrow in question.
"Well you've been gone all day so I've been doing missions all day. A mission popped up about you or something… I decided to take it. It brought me here where I can eat for 3 hours. All I have to do is keep an eye on you… which is easy enough." I blinked confused as to why Shinra would want to keep an eye on me and on top of that send Zack to do it.
I nodded slowly absorbing the information slowly. I turned to look in the distance to see Rufus chatting with another girl. His eyes glanced at me and turned back to the girl as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. I gave the gesture an odd look but Rufus just smirked. I turned back to Zack who was stuffing his face. Despite his eating habit he looked good in uniform. It was a nice change of clothing. I hardly ever saw him in his pajamas. I always end up waking up after him. On the few occasions I did wake up before him he wears just some long pants to bed. I had been graced with a lightly tanned chiseled body.
The first time I had just a crush on him and my face turned a deep shade of red.
I smiled gently to myself at the memory; watching him eat made me grin despite myself and I just stared holding myself with a grin. I waited checking my invisible watch once in a while, waving randomly to people as I rolled back and forth on my heels and balls of my feet. He got the hint eventually.
When I pulled him away he whined about how he was still hungry, "you are such a little kid!"
"I am never! I've just never seen so much food in one place." I turned to look back at the table to see he clear at least half of it. My face fell dramatically.
"You are a black hole Zachary." He grinned gently.
"So I was talking to Cloud…" my eyes snapped to his instantly. He knew I was protective of our Chocobo.
"And?"
"Nothing it seemed like a good conversation starter." I glared at him smacking his arm.
"That is very unprofessional."
"We're high school students now, so bite me." And bite me he did. I elbowed him out of reflex and he barely flinched. I glared at him before slapping him in his stomach again.
"At least it tickled, if nothing else." I growled angrily.
"hey, Evie, who's this?" I stopped moving to turn around to see Jack smiling and I couldn't help it a grin crossed my face and I twirled some of my hair absently. A habit unbefitting of me.
"This is Zack-" I stopped as I felt Zack tug at my wrist. He pulled me behind him as he stepped up to talk to Zack. I watched silently as Jack smiled warmly and Zack scanned him in seconds.
"I'm from her…. I'm her boyfriend." My heart stopped and my eyes widened in surprise. "Now if you'll excuse us for a moment I need to talk to her."
Jack's face had fallen and his eyes were sad as I looked at him while being dragged away.
"WHAT ON GAIA WAS THAT?" I whisper-yelled.
"Look Evie, there's something about him I really don't like. Has he been the only guy that talked to you?"
"No… others have tried before him. But that's not the point Zack, why did you tell him we were dating?"
"It'll get him off our backs. You couldn't have told him the truth? You couldn't have just said we were best friends?"
"Why does it matter?" Zack asked lightly.
"It doesn't…"
"Obviously it does if you just whisper-yelled at me."
"Whisper-yelled? What is that?"
"What you just did… wait don't distract me! Why does it matter? Do… Do you like him?"
"Excuse me?"
"Look Evie, he seems like a bad guy, you shouldn't talk to him so much." My mouth gaped open. Something Zack would say had never made me so Angry.
"You talked to him for all of what? 5 minutes?" Zack's shoulders fell for a minute before he nearly growled. I drew back a bit. He was acting strange.
"Don't talk to him Evie. I don't want you to."
"Excuse me! I forgot that you owned me, Fair." I said poking him firmly in the chest.
He grabbed my hand, "Don't Reinhardt." I glared at him before ripping my hand from him and marching to Jack angrily.
Jack seemed genuinely confused but he followed as he was pulled to another part of the building. It was barely lit inside of the building but I just walked anything to get over the fact that Zack and I had an argument. A small argument, but an argument nonetheless. We never argued… ever. We just… didn't do it. We never had anything to argue about, but still…
"Argument with your boyfriend?"
"He is not my boyfriend Jack."
"Oh," he stopped turning me with a pull so that I faced him. "Is that so?" He asked slowly. I stared into his chocolate colored eyes confused as his smile turned into an odd grin. I tilted my head confused as he backed me up into a wall.
What the hell is he doing?
Rufus had watched the entire scene with an amused face, but he walked up casually to the male SOLDIER 1st Class. Zack said nothing to him. He said nothing back.
"The best traps have the prettiest faces," mumbled Rufus. Zack snapped his head up to look at Rufus. "We would know… wouldn't we?" a black eyebrow rose in confusion and a blonde rose in response. "Evie."
"I don't-"
"Why are people so oblivious? You had a feeling that guy was trouble. He is. I can feel it too." Zack stood up slowly watching Rufus wondering what he was talking about. "Just go get her." Zack nodded as Rufus watched him run away before rolling his eyes.
"He'll realize how much he cares for her eventually," murmured the son of the Shinra president as his shoes tapped gently against the floor.
Zack was running full speed to only hear a ring from his phone. He skidded to a halt to open it and answer.
"Zack, here."
"Missions Over early. Head back to headquarters you're coming with me on another mission." Zack opened his mouth to respond. In the distance he heard something thump against the wall.
"Not now." He shut his phone as the Silver haired General went to respond. But as quietly as possible while constrained to a school uniform he moved quietly towards the noise. Then there was a thump again.
I huffed against the wall confused at how this guy was totally kicking my ass. "What the hell are you?" he grinned and I watched his eyes cautiously. But they flashed to the door before he grabbed my arm to pull me to his chest and smash his lips against mine. I was ready to pull my arm back and knock the lights out of Jack, but my energy was draining and I felt the power in my legs give out the longer he kissed me. I noted how soft his lips were. When he let go I couldn't catch myself with my legs my energy was drained and I fell to the floor my head slamming against the floor of tile.
I felt Zack's power nearby but I couldn't place it as I lost consciousness.
"…Ev…Evie…Evie!...Evie! Evie!" I heard Zack calling for me. My eyes fluttered open slowly and I smiled gently to a blood stained Zack.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine… are you okay?" I nodded slowly.
"Tired and something else…" I mumbled I could feel as his arms lifted me up and we were walking out of that building. Sephiroth's voice reached my ears but all I could do was stare at Zack's eyes from below him.
He has such a nice jaw line. Then a light was flashing in my eyes. I cringed away
"Her eyes… they're brown with blue at the center…" I heard Zack mumble.
"Zack… make the light go away…" I groaned and the light was gone. I clung to him tightly as I was jostled lightly. I closed my eyes and fell asleep against him, his scent enveloping me helping me sleep.
My head was pounding and there were loud noises everywhere. The only comfort I found was with his hair tickling my arm, his arms cradling me, his scent around me, and his heart beat against my ear.
When I felt that go away and me be enveloped in a liquid thing a little later, I was going to complain until my energy failed me again.
Maybe I'm just not strong enough to be in SOLDIER… Maybe I'm too girly… Maybe I'm just at a disadvantage… Nothing is gonna be alright with me being in SOLDIER. I could go the easy way out… I heard a voice say in my head. Another voice mentioned something about being in Mako. Another voice was telling me to be strong.
I don't know how long I was in what I assumed was Mako until I opened my eyes in the Mako Tube. It was weird being able to Breath in it. I could never get over the feeling. It was like water… but you didn't drown in it. I looked around a bit and noticed I was still in the uniform I remember last being in. in the fuzzy distance people were running around. I closed my eyes and fell asleep again.
Then it was cold and I was being moved around. Something warm was touching me and I opened my eyes to see Hojo standing with a few people. I looked around. Hojo, Sephiroth, Zack, Rufus, A couple of assistants and… Jack.
Sephiroth spoke but to Hojo and not me. My hearing was dull. Hojo walked to me to stick something in my arm. I groaned and he huffed.
"She should be fine within a day or two," he wheezed out, "I'll need to run another Physical then though." Talking to Sephiroth more than anyone he left his assistants following. I looked around properly. It was like that first day I woke up so long ago.
A white room, but I was in my clothing from before.
"It's good to see you're alright then." I nodded to Sephiroth who looked at Jack waiting.
"I… I'm sorry…" He mumbled. I glared and looked away. He left with a long stare at my face before leaving defeated.
"Well you're alright. I'll go tell father." I smiled gently at Rufus. He left with a smirk. I turned lastly to Zack, my ray of sunshine in my darkness. A warm feeling spread through me as he grabbed my hand gently. He was in uniform, The Buster Sword on his back.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice a whisper. I blinked, his eyebrows furrowed in worry. I stared for a long time long in each of his eyes back and forth. His grip grew tighter and his face more concerned.
"Yeah, I'm… I'm fine. Are… Are you okay?" He pulled closer smiling gently.
"Now I am. I was worried about you."
"You've been acting really odd lately Zack… are you okay?"It was silent as he gathered himself for a minute.
"Yeah…Fine… Rest up. I'm gonna go see Aerith, She's been worried about you." I sat back against my pillows as he stood up.
I bit my lips gently, "Yeah…Tell her," I paused a wrenching feeling in my heart as I spoke, "Tell her I said Hello." He backed up nodding with a smile. He turned and left at a run. I watched him leave the room and sighed.
Thinking about him just… makes everything terrible and amazing. I…I can't control this feeling of hate towards Aerith… I started breathing faster as my thoughts ran around in my head. I played with my hair to distract me. Nothing worked. My head was filled with thoughts of him. It just kept getting worse and worse. I thought of all the things that made me smile, but when I remembered he felt more towards Aerith than me… I just… couldn't sit there. I hated it knowing that he wasn't mine. That he made his decision and it was for Aerith and not me. I turned to my side and stared aimlessly at my sheets.
How is it that the only female in SOLDIER would be the one that would deal with this? How is it that I would fall apart so easily? "Why?" I mumbled to myself. I started shaking knowing that the clenching in my chest was my emotions. I flipped over again, unable to sit still. I needed to walk around, to do something and for the first time I realized on the list of things I needed to do nothing had to do with fighting Monsters. I didn't know what the feelings inside of me were. There were so many and for the first time in what seemed like ages I just wanted to sit here and cry, in my white room. Forever.