Red Wine
Stella x Noctis
Author Notes/Disclaimer: The fic didn't go quite as I imagined it would be, considering it turn out to be more of a friendship piece than a romantic one. Also Stella isn't a princess in this particular oneshot. I also don't own Final Fantasy Versus XIII
Summary: A bottle of red wine and a confession between two people
She knows that Cid keeps a variety of wines and other forms of alcohol on his airship.
She will admit that she never been a beer type person, and most of the time will usually drink a glass of wine to relax before going to bed.
She silently knows that Cid doesn't necessary mind if they get into the alcohol cabinet. All of them are pretty responsible when it comes to alcohol anyway.
She instantly grabs a bottle of wine from the cabinet along with a crystal glass, before moving to sit down at one of the wooden tables.
Pouring the rich red liquid in the crystallized glass before taking a sip of it. She honestly found herself enjoying the taste. Tasting the fruity mixture of the wine. She will admit that she has a soft spot for red wines compare to the white ones or even champagne.
"I thought I heard someone up," a familiar voice says, instantly causing her to glance at the male recognizing that he was dress in a black vest type jacket with deep blue short sleeve shirt with skulls on it underneath.
"Couldn't sleep," she questions watching him grab a wine glass from the cabinet before deciding to join her at the table.
"I don't sleep well," he comments.
"Nightmares?" she questions. Understanding lace through her voice. After all she has them as well. One of the curses of being able to see the light.
He nods pouring a glass of the red wine, "And yourself?"
She nods resting her glass on the wooden table, "One of the curses of being able to see light of Etro."
"How did it happen?" he questions lifting the glass to take a small drink of the alcoholic beverage. Despite his semi straight forward question. She can hear the slight hesitant tone in his voice. Almost as if he is afraid to pry in her past.
"It happen when I was five," she replies raising the wine glass to her lips. "But I barely remember it. Except that it had something to do with the Cold War, and my adopted parents didn't tell me much."
He nods in understanding. Remembering his advisors telling him the details of the Cold War that had finally ended five years ago after ten years of fighting.
He knows that many battles took place on Tenebrean soil. He supposes that is only natural that many civilians get caught in the crossfire and were killed because of it.
It was a bloody war.
"And yourself?" she questions.
"A car crash," he answers. "I was five at the time as well, my father told me about it when I woke up. I was the sole survivor, my mother, and the driver died in the crash."
"I'm sorry," she says softly to him, having a feeling that his parents probably died during the crash as well or at least one of them. She gently raises the crystalline glass to her lips taking a small sip of the wine before gently resting it on the wooden table.
He shrugs lightly, taking a decent sip of the red wine.
"So how did you gain King Nox favor?" he questions pouring a bit of the bottle into his wine glass watching the crimson colored wine refill his glass.
"I was blessed with Lady Etro's powers," she remarks. "Since then I was treated like Tenebrae's little princess regardless of the fact I have no royal blood flowing through my veins."
He nods in slight understanding, and realize why she was bold when she talked about the Light of Etro and the legend surrounding it. In Tenebrae, the people probably saw those people as blessings, not cursed or outcast individuals.
Some may even go as far and call them saviors.
"After the king took me in, I studied under Naru Tian to become an ambassador, learning different languages, the customs," she says softly. "Although I supposes I enjoyed a lot of aspects of it mostly learning about the different customs, learning about the different customs. Learning about the different languages was a pain and truthfully I only manage to learn about two other languages out of ten successfully."
He chuckles lightly at that remark, "Sound's rough."
"It was," she replies lifting the half full wine glass to her lips. "Although I suppose if I never became an ambassador I would never gotten to meet you, or other interesting people."
"You think I'm interesting?" he questions.
"Of course," she replies atomically. "The most interesting person I know."
"Why do you say that?" he questions.
Her lips curls into a teasing smile, "It's a secret," she replies.
"Very cruel of you, Stel," he remarks. She stands up grabbing her empty glass and the empty bottle, and starts to head to the kitchen.
"Maybe I will tell you someday."
His lips curl into a sincere smile as he finishes the rest the alcoholic beverage in his glass. "I'll hold you to it."
-the End