Eyes on Me
It was a quick and tragic love story. They were from two different worlds. He was a soldier, she was a singer. They met in a seedy little bar in the slums of Sector Five. If anyone asked her afterwards, she'd say – with a fond but sad smile on her face – that he fell into her life from the ceiling and walked out again through the front door. If anyone asked him, he'd say it was destiny that brought them together, and cruel fate that tore them apart.
Aerith had her regular routine. Every week night from seven to nine, she'd stand up next to the piano in that sparkling red dress – the only fancy item of clothing she owned – and belt out sweet, crooning melodies to the various inebriated patrons of the Silver Wolf. She had plenty of admirers, regulars who'd stop by just to hear her sing, seedy men and soldiers and rich youngsters who promised her the world if she'd let them whisk her away. Her answer was always the same – a gentle smile, a shake of her head, and she'd turn her back away.
And then one night her routine changed ever so slightly. There was a platoon in town on leave, back from a long and difficult tour in Wutai and awaiting their next assignment. The men were boisterous and rowdy and not yet readjusted to civilization. Something of a scuffle broke out in one of the rooms of the inn upstairs, and the floor gave way, spilling half a dozen large, loud soldiers into the usually peaceful bar. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. But most of the soldiers were kicked out and banned from ever returning.
Except for one.
He was tall and well built, with a mess of unruly raven hair that he apparently tried to keep slicked back away from his face. His smile was infectious and his eyes were the color of the sky. ShinRa military's First Division, Sergeant Zackary Fair. After a liberal degree of begging and pleading, he'd convinced the owner to let him stay and help clean up the mess, along with earnest promises to find another establishment to spend the night.
Aerith could have sworn she caught him smiling at her as she picked back up in her song, a cheerful glint in his sky-blue eyes.
After that fateful night, Zack became a regular at the Silver Wolf. Though plenty friendly, he was quiet, and usually took a seat in the corner to watch her performance. He was always alone when he came in, though that didn't last long. He had an easy demeanor and friendly charm that attracted many of the other regulars to gravitate toward him night after night. But no matter how relaxed he was with the other patrons, there was a sort of shyness in the way he would glance over at her periodically. It seemed like he was always aware of her, and that no matter how sociable he was with everyone else, she was the only one who held his full attention.
She found it endearing. And she found herself captivated by his cerulean gaze.
It was a whirlwind romance.
Goodness only knows how and where he found the courage to finally approach her. The other men watched, waiting for the response she had given them all, watching to see the young soldier get shot down. To their surprise, she smiled and leaned in close, breathing soft words for his ears alone. Then she turned, her long brown braid whispering against the shimmering red of her dress, and glided gracefully out of the bar, her green eyes sparkling.
Being the perfect gentleman that he was, standing there in the entrance to her room made him edgy. He lingered by the door, his bright eyes darting about his surroundings as if looking for an escape – though escape was the farthest thing from his mind. She smiled fondly at him, gently pulling him further in. Their eyes met in a silent moment of exquisite emotion before his face erupted into a lopsided grin. "Pinch me, I must be dreaming," he breathed, seeming almost afraid to break the spell of the moment.
Aerith shook her head, leading him by the hand until they stood at the center of the room. She stood close, the toes of her fancy red heels just touching his large black combat boots. Close enough that she could hear his anxious heart thumping loudly next to her ear. The sound made her own heart flutter. "Dreaming?" she asked, cocking her head playfully to the side. "Silly, your eyes are open."
"So they are," he agreed, a slight chuckle coloring his tone. His blue eyes sparkled.
She felt herself getting lost in them again. "Your eyes," she murmured. "So pretty…"
"So are yours," he whispered, his face drawing closer to hers.
With a bright and sudden giggle, she spun away from him and seated herself gently on the edge of the bed. "So, Zack," she said airily. "Tell me about yourself."
And so he did. Night after night for the next several weeks they spent in each other's company, pouring out their hearts and their pasts. Sometimes they laughed together, eyes sparkling with delight in the shared merriment. Sometimes she held him while he cried, relating stories of the friends he had lost on the battlefield. And sometimes they would just sit in somber silence after a dark reminiscence of the horrors he had seen.
One moment between them would always stand out in her memory, though. He had unexpectedly grabbed her, pulling her close and holding on like his life depended on it. His voice shook as he gently stroked her long hair. "I've met a lot of singers in my travels," he explained, his voice coming out muffled against her shoulder. "A lot of women, a lot of dresses, a lot of voices. But you… You are so much more. I need… I just needed to make sure you were real."
"Zack…" she breathed softly, her arms slowly moving to wrap around his trembling form.
"They're redeploying us," he went on, his voice recovering slightly. "I ship out to Nibelheim tomorrow. I don't know if or when I'll be back…"
"Don't talk like that," she cut him off, pulling away just enough so she could look him in the eye. A playful glint passed through her green eyes as she reached out and gently pinched his arm. "See? I'm real. And I'll still be here when you get back."
That trademark smile came back to his face once more, his previous uncertainty nothing more than a ghost. He nodded, returning her lively gaze. "But how will I know for sure? When I'm out there, all alone, how will I know this wasn't all just a dream?"
After a moment's thought, she reached up and untied the thin pink ribbon that adorned her long braid, snaking it around his left arm where she'd pinched him and tying it in a delicate bow. "To remember me by," she told him.
"Sing for me one more time," he asked gently. "The song you were singing when we first met. The song you sang earlier. It doesn't matter. I just want to hear you sing one more time."
So she did. The private audience made her a little nervous, but he didn't seem to care. And when she was finished, she walked him down to the lobby where his bags were waiting. He was all smiles on his way out the door, completely oblivious to the hell that awaited him. She'd never forget watching his back as he walked out, his shoulders broad and proud, as she wondered if she'd ever see his smiling face come sauntering back through those doors.
A/N: Hi. My husband recently introduced me to the Final Fantasy series, beginning with VII. I'm now somewhere in the middle of VIII, and this oneshot popped into my head and just wouldn't leave me alone. So here it is. Heavily inspired by the song Eyes on Me from FFVIII, as well as the scene where Julia invites Laguna up to her room.
And for those who are still waiting for the rest of Dance with the Count, it's coming. At some point. As soon as I get my inspiration back.
Leave me some reviews?