A/N: I've got an idea going through my head for a story taking place after the events of XIII's ending, following NORA as more problems arrise for Cocoon citizens as they are forced to adjust to a word without the Fal'Cie's protection. It will be LightningxLebreau, not written in 1st person like this one, so it all depends if people want that or not, or would prefer a different couple, so reviews are rly important. Oh, and seeing as we aren't given much information on Lebreau's personality, I kinda injected her with a part of me. If she's annoying, that's just because I am, okay? :)
This is only a one-shot atm. :c We totally need more Lebreau love though, best side-char ever.
"Hey!" cradling a bowl of sticky cake mixture in my arms, stirring it as best I could, I called across the beach to the kids. Yeah, kids included Snow. He was chasing Maqui and Hope around as if they were all still in pre-school. That's why we loved Snow though; he was a giant and loveable teddy bear. "You guys feel like helping me in here?" My voice griped a little, but it wasn't as if any of them could blame me, I was rushed off my feet with things to do.
Sazh waved his hands about in the air, he seemed happy for an invitation to escape the children's playtime. Hope's dad, Bartholomew – whose name I could not pronounce – seemed happy to help, too. I felt sorry for them, they were the two eldest here, by a long shot.
"What you need help with?" Sazh asked, scratching his head as he looked down at the mess surrounding the bar. Okay, so there was a lot of stuff to finish before the ceremony, but I was totally on top of everything—okay, I was completely behind schedule, but at least I had help now, right?
"Hmm," I said, thinking for a moment, I could make them do all the really heavy stuff, but then I knew that'd make me feel bad, "you two could set the tables while I put this stuff in the oven." They nodded, getting to work immediately. That's why I liked adults; the others would have complained and put up a fight.
I poured the thick cake mixture into the tin case, licking the last of it off the spoon as I shoved it into the oven. I should have made it earlier, but fixing Serah's hair had distracted me. She looked so beautiful in her long wedding gown, her bright pink hair tied up in a stack above her head. Snow and Serah were perfect together, and after everything they had gone through that year, a perfect marriage was the least they deserved.
I'd asked her if she was nervous, but she replied confidentially, saying no. She told me how it didn't change things for her; she said how she couldn't possibly love Snow anymore than she already did, and that she didn't need marriage to officialise how she felt. It was romantic; I wished I had that kind of love. In fact, I wished I had any kind of love at all.
"—what now, boss?" Sazh's voice came bellowing in from the bar, breaking me from my daydreaming.
"Hang on!" I called back, collecting a tray of triangle sandwiches as I ran. I managed to catch a glimpse of the enormous clock hanging above the kitchen's door; it told me I had ten minutes left to prepare. I know food and drink was the last thing on everyone's mind, but it was really did matter. I mean, what kind of wedding is it if there was no reception to follow afterwards? Plus, I was kind of hoping everyone could get drunk—giving me the perfect opportunity to approach Lightning without chickening out, how I always did.
I slapped Sazh's hand, stopping him from helping himself to some of the sandwiches on my tray. He rubbed his hand, mouthing ow. He was over reacting; either that or I was a lot stronger than I thought I was.
"Okay, so what's left?" I asked, thinking aloud.
Sazh shrugged his shoulders at me, looking curiously around the messy bar. "Well, I ain't the owner of here, but surely you can't leave it looking like this."
I nodded, "Yeah," disappearing back into the kitchen to bring through more cold foods, "you better get cleaning it up." I grinned to myself, imagining his sigh in response. Yeah, I felt kind of guilty for giving them the bad jobs, but I couldn't entrust him with the food, it'd all be gone by the time we finished.
Snow looked on edge, as we waited out on the pier for Serah and Lightning to arrive. I'd never seen him look so nervous; in fact, in all the time I'd known him, I'd never saw him nervous, not even once. He'd shouted me over, while I was losing in a game of rock-paper-scissors against Dajh – damn, that kid was clever – asked me to go see why they were taking so long. I didn't want to go upstairs and interrupt their sisterly bonding time, but they were running a little behind. Besides, my food might have spoiled if they took too long.
I ended upstairs, stood behind the door leading into the room where they were getting ready. I could hear Lightning's voice, although it was nothing more than a mumble. Gingerly I entered the room, holding a bouquet of bright white carnations.
"Snow's ready downstairs," I said, walking in on them hugging each other. That, I didn't expect to see, coming from the queen of all things cold, "he told me to come up and check on you guys."
Serah tilted her head slightly and smiled towards me, retracting from her sister's tight embrace. Lightning didn't even look at me. I guess I wasn't anyone important to her; we'd barely spoken a word to one another since meeting. Well, okay, we had, but it wasn't anything important. More like just my nervous ramblings and poor attempts at grabbing her attention. I was great with people behind the bar, where it didn't really matter, but with people I actually wanted to speak to, I turned into a useless wreck. Lightning intimidated me; yet she intrigued me at the same time.
"We're ready," Serah took Lightning's hand. My heart raced insanely as Lightning's taller frame brushed past me in the doorway, I could even smell the heady and sweet scent of her perfume! Oh L'Cie, I sound like a stalker or something.
At first, when she started spending more time around us, helping to organise the wedding and things, I had managed to convince myself I watched her because of admiration. She was a strong and very powerful woman; I was bound to look up to that kind of prowess. Then, the watching turned into staring, and I just gave up trying to convince myself I wasn't attracted to her. I think the best conversation we ever had was when I was complaining about the re-introduction of the sanctum, and she interrupted, saying how soon everything will just be back to how it used to be, unless people speak up for themselves. I agreed with every word she had said, of course.
Snow couldn't stop smiling when we arrived; he hadn't seen her all day. It was a pretty untraditional marriage as far as ceremonies in Cocoon were concerned, so they decided to stick to the conventions wherever possible. Because everyone in Cocoon was busy adjusting to the changes, they'd decided to keep the wedding small and quiet. Booking a temple of some sort would have been difficult. It felt right to have the ceremony on the beach anyway, and I don't think anyone objected it, either. Even Lightning had agreed it was a good idea.
Snow looked so smart in his grey suit; I never knew he could scrub up so well. He even managed to shave off that stubble and gel his hair back, though I don't think it suited him to look like that. Actually, everyone looked beautiful, if I do say so myself. I picked out my black dress hoping it would catch Lightning's eye, or at least provoke some kind of reaction. Yup, that's how smitten I was; I was planning outfits for her. In fact, she was the only one who hadn't dressed up for the occasion. She was wearing her Guardian Corps' uniform, as she always did. I just imagined her wardrobe to be full of the same grey jumpers and white mini trench coats, all sapping down off the hangers with a sad little expression across their clothy faces.
"What can I say? I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you," Snow said, bending down on one knee, Serah's hand cupped in his, swamped by enormous size, "I've given my life for you and I'd do it again, without a question in my mind," Gadot clumsily rushed to his side, searching around in his pockets for the rings. Just wait a little longer...
"You're kidding, right?" Lightning grumbled under her breath, but I heard her.
Everyone watched anxiously as he ruffled every fold of his suit, searching desperately for the two gold rings. Unable to control myself anymore, I stepped out and handed them the pair of rings. I had found them while cleaning up and thought to myself that it'd be funny to play a trick on Gadot. I felt bad afterwards, but everyone laughed and cheered so I think it was worth it. It certainly spiced up the love fest, anyway.
"Thanks Lebreau," Snow laughed throatily, "I'm so gonna get you back for that!"
Much later at the reception, after everyone had eaten up most of the food I prepared and got some alcohol into their system, Snow did get me back. He set me the task of recruiting Lightning to operation NORA. He must've seen the way I was looking at her, because it would have made more sense if he or Serah had been the one to try to get her to join us in protecting Bodhum.
Arming myself with a drink, I made my way towards the empty table Lightning sat at. Everyone else was busy dancing on the beach, watching the small fireworks display Gadot and Maqui had created using a complicated system of—some kind of mechanical thing I didn't understand or care about.
"Vodka on the rocks," I said, slamming the drink down in front of her, "your favourite, right?" I knew because she always asked me for one.
"Not my favourite," she corrected, taking a sip nevertheless, "but thanks." I felt disappointed with myself for getting it wrong, though I have no idea why.
"Okay, so what is your favourite?" I asked, genuinely curious. "I bet I can make it."
"A Nautilus dream," she retorted, grinning as she wrapped her lips around the edge of the glass pitcher. She thought I couldn't see her smiling as she drank, but I could. "Have you heard of it?"
I nodded, "Of course I have, one of the best cocktails known to man." I wasn't lying, either. It was a good cocktail; it wasn't for the faint hearted, but I liked it. I stood up, the world was a little dizzy, I'd knocked back a few more drinks than I had initially remembered, and headed for the bar. If I couldn't impress her while she was sober... Well, I may as well get her completely wrecked.
"Are you trying to get me drunk?" she asked, watching me as I slipped a bit of extra rum in. Damn, she sussed my plan already, was I that obvious?
"Yes..." I said, gingerly. She'd have stormed off if I had said that at any other time. She was so hard to deal with, though according to Snow she had gotten better over time. She fell silent, time to hurry up with the drink so she still stays with me!
I handed her the cocktail, a cinnamon pod sticking out the top; it was something I'd discovered during my many years of experimenting. She placed the glass to her lips cautiously, and then took a sip. Her face reluctantly lit up, telling me it was a good cocktail. I didn't have any doubts anyways.
"Not bad," she whispered, taking another sip, "not as good as the ones on Nautilus though."
"Why lie?" I asked, watching her lips move as she laughed slightly. This was why I was falling for her, because there was so much more to her than she'd like. I just knew her mind would be racing with thoughts at that moment, hopefully something similar to what I was thinking.
"Fine," she shrugged, "it's the best I've tasted, happy?"
"You joining NORA would make me happier," I grinned toothily, "Snow wants to get things running again, no one trusts the sanctuary."
Lightning's grin disappeared; she was probably thinking it through. "You're a bunch of inexperienced kids playing at being heroes," she said, sternly.
I thought she'd have learnt by now that we aren't, we were just as experienced as she was. Back in Eden, we were the ones holding back the monsters and helping the people who were forgotten about. "Why do you always use that as an excuse not to trust us?" I asked.
She sighed, tilting her eye contact away from me, "I don't use it as an excuse, I just don't trust any of you."
"You trust Snow," I took a sip of her cocktail, she didn't seem to mind, "and Serah trusts us."
"Well Serah doesn't need my protection anymore," she folded her arms. This was like watching her retract into her usual self, trait by trait.
"Find someone else to protect then," I leant across the table towards her, extending a hand to place atop hers; she looked at me, wondering what I meant, "protect the people of Cocoon," I said.
I don't know why she said yes.