Loveless

Chapter 21

"This feels and looks so awkward."

Eloise was looking at her reflection in the mirror: her hair was curled and tied up in a stylish bun, and she wore grey and red makeup that pointed her eyes out and pale lipstick. The dress was complimenting her body well and she was weirded out by that. She didn't want to know how Sephiroth knew her measures.

"Are you ready, date?"

Eloise looked at her brother's reflection and smiled. Zack looked really good in a black suit. He actually looked decent enough to get a girlfriend.

The days flew by really fast. One day they were training and almost killing Angeal and then, the formal party came. No one asked Eloise to be their date, which made her feel both grateful and disappointed.

She asked Genesis if she was pretty and his response was probably what every guy was thinking. Her mate was right, being around Sephiroth for so long made her take some of his traits and she ended up intimidating everyone.

"You look amazing, Eloise." Zack bluntly told her what she wanted to hear.

"Even if I were to look hideous, you'd still say I look amazing."

Zack gasped playfully and touched his chest, as if he were offended, "That is not true."

She scoffed and gave him a pointed look. He gave up and chuckled.

"Yeah, you're right. But you can't blame me. I love you." He was a sentimental blackmailer.

With how much time she spent with cold and unapproachable people, she got used to ignoring emotional things. Zack was an emotional thing all the time.

Everyone had to meet in the lobby downstairs and leave at once. That wasn't the case for the three best SOLDIERs, who left earlier at President Shinra's insistence.

Eloise' teammates were surprised how different and feminine she looked since they knew her only as the sweaty and playful little fighter. It was certainly nice to see her like that.

"I'm scared to enter."

Her heart was beating fast and her hands were trembling. She wasn't that nervous, actually, she didn't really know why she was nervous in the first place.

Zack grabbed her hand and squeezed it. He smiled cutely at her and pulled her closer, entering the room last. Truthfully, if they didn't look so much alike, people would have thought they were a couple; they looked very cute together.

The first to notice the Fair siblings was Angeal. He saw Zack's hair from a few feet away and smiled when his eyes caught sight of Eloise.

"You look amazing. Both of you. There might be a chance for you left." Angeal joked, which for Eloise was a weird moment.

Zack rolled his eyes and grabbed a glass of champagne. Angeal raised an eyebrow bemusedly.

"Are you allowed to drink, Zack?"

The puppy stopped midway and sighed, "Am I?"

Angeal shook his head and chuckled. Zack took that as a good sign and gulped down the entire glass.

"I think I'll need a few more to survive until the speech." Zack mumbled before venturing into the crowd.

Eloise rolled her eyes and turned her back to him. She scanned the room for familiar faces but could only see Genesis and Sephiroth, each talking to different people.

It took around three more hours and five more glasses of champagne for Zack to loosen up but time was ticking too slowly for Eloise. She followed her brother for most of the time while Angeal disappeared in the crowd.