I wrote this as an AU request a few months back and at first, I had no intentions of publishing it here. My friends convinced me to do just the opposite and here it is.
I run a small blog on tumblr by the name of Fairron, dedicated entirely to Lightning and Zack Fair and we're always cranking out new AUs like this one. Anyways, I hope you enjoy.
Lightning plays her songs at the Gas Light on Wednesdays; the Hideaway on Thursdays; the Broken Bulb on Fridays. If you're lucky enough to catch her show on Saturdays, in Zionga Strip (which is, as everyone knows, the only red light dsitrict for miles), then you're one of the few who've wandered down the South end of town a little after curfew.
They say it's worth it, to see her bare skin glowing in the low light. They say its worth it, no matter how much trouble you're risking with the Authority, to hear her play just one song.
"And she'll never play the same song twice." - that's what you'll hear someone say, some adoring fan who's been to one too many shows. That's what they all say.
And tonight just happens to be Saturday but for some reason Lightning doesn't feel like going to the crosswalk at Sixteenth and Mara. She has her guitar, of course, but the idea of all those soft pink lights and coffee drinking perverts makes her want to throw it away. So she takes an unexpected left turn and keeps walking.
She gathers her black pee coat around herself and stops at the corner as cars roar their engines and speed on through. It's almost Christmas and the air bites with a mercilessly cold grip. The fake Santas ring their charity bells and the shops are the most lively buildings in town. It's funny because Lightning used to like Christmas back when it meant something.
She won't be going home tonight either, she knows that much. It's poker night at that fancy penthouse she's been staying in all on account of her sister, Serah. Lightning's open mic music extravaganzas and part time job at the corner liquor store kept them fed after their parents died. Too bad it didn't take long for the city life to take her sister from her and hand her directly to some rich pimp she found at a nightclub last New Year. Go figure. That innocent face of hers is probably the only thing keeping her out of trouble.
So instead of Zionga Strip, she found a small bar and hibachi to hide in for the night. The music was light, somewhat jazzy with an undertone of hip-hop, and as she sat at the bar stool farthest from the door, she found herself tapping her nail on the counter to the beat.
"What can I get ya?" Said the man behind the bar. He was a bit older than her father had been with silver streaks in his blonde hair and a white t-shirt hugging his muscular figure. Lightning ran a gloved hand through her hair so she could look him in the eye.
"Rum and cola..with cherries"
"Gotcha."
There weren't a lot of people willing to risk staying out after curfew but here no one seemed too worried about any unwanted Authority rats that might be lurking; The two women across the room seemed cozy enough in each other's company; the young man and his three friends seemed content playing pool in hushed voices and sighs. The bartender lit up a cigarette as he sat her drink down gently in front of her and leaned on the counter as he spoke.
"I know your face, girlie." He said with a smile, blowing the smoke behind him out of courtesy. "Why is that?"
"I couldn't say for sure. I guess it would just depend."
"Oh? On what?"
"Where you like to hang out I guess." He looked contemplative for a moment before nodding his head.
"Gotcha."
And when the door opened and the little bell overhead jingled cheerfully, the bartender left her alone with her rum and cola to throw his arm over the newcomer's shoulder. Lightning plucked a cherry between her teeth and sucked it dry before chewing it up and spitting out the stem. When he came back behind the bar he started making something for the man who sat down right beside her, save for the empty stool in between them.
"It's funny you should sit there." he said with a smile.
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yup."
"And why's that?"
"Cause that's my usual spot." His eyes were so blue they nearly glowed in the low lighting but she shrugged her shoulders and took a sip of her drink without caring. He laughed.
The young man ordered something off the hibachi and drank a bourbon blend on the rocks. They sat without talking for a long time and in fact he'd taken to conversing with Cid, the bartender, as if they'd known each other for years. Lightning picked at her cherries some more, trying not to care about him in the least bit: trying not to notice the things she began noticing.
His hair was the darkest black she'd ever seen which may have been the reason his eyes seemed to glow unnaturally in this low light. His lashes were a flattering feature as was the slight stubble on his chin and the way his canines seemed sharper than normal man's. The thick build throughout his arms and chest or the way he held himself, not slouching, with a gentle smile that seemed warmer than any flame. The more she looked at him, the prettier he was, and she started imagining what he looked like without that leather bomber jacket, or those dark wash jeans.
"Hey, Cid?" She said as she made up her mind. "Can I get another one of these? Make it a double."
Cid nodded, taking her glass filled with cherry stems and ice and turning it into another rum and coke. She thanked him and drank it in seconds before turning to the handsome young man with a coy smile.
"I think I'd like it if you'd take me home."
His bike is a mint condition, 1989, Hardy-Daytona. The seat has a long enough diameter to accommodate the both of them flawlessly and, once she takes her place behind him, they instantly look like something out of a photo shoot. There's a tiny bell ringing in the distance and a cold wind rising up through the fabric of her clothing as Lightning presses herself into this thick framed, bomber jacket wearing bad ass- never questioning her resolve.
And the ride isn't nearly long enough before they're standing in the lobby of an expensive apartment complex and waving a cheery goodnight to the young man behind the host's counter. The floor is a polished sort of stone, with pillars scattered about in an aesthetic attempt to hold up that immaculate ceiling; Even the buttons on the elevator are clean enough to eat off of. When the doors slide open, he lets her go first before pressing the 22nd floor and leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and a small smile playing on his lips.
They've both taken to leaning on the opposite sides of the compartment and Lightning has contented herself with her hands in her coat pockets. She can't help but stare him down across the small space they've created for each other. Every second she watches him, the handsomer he gets.
"You know, I don't even know your name?" he says with a coy slip of the tongue. His voice sets her heart on edge and puts a fire in her thighs like she's never felt before. Thinking back on it, she knows she never told him her name, or asked for his for that matter. For some reason this doesn't bother her at all.
"It's Lightning."
"Lightning?" he says with an amused laugh. "You don't expect me to believe that, do you?"
"Yeah. I do."
"Alright.."
"And yours?"
"I'm Zack."
"Zack..."
And the elevator chimes as they come to a halt in midair.
I originally had a large amount of smut after that last line but realized that not everyone enjoys reading that, so I deleted it. I'd like to have a wider audience to present to and this way I can change the rating from M to T. Feedback would be much appreciated. ^_^