Oasis

Rated: T

Summary: Zack Lives AU. Zack and Aerith make the most of a beach day in Costa Del Sol before continuing on a desperate mission to help save the Planet. A swimming lesson, angst and lots of kissing occurs.

This literally came out of nowhere.

I had no plans to write anything for this Zerith beach picture I finished last week but somehow, an hour later, this happened. It got kind of angsty at points but Zerith will forever be bittersweet. I'm still hoping for a reunion in Remake! Please, that's all I ask for. T_T These two need to see each other again that isn't in the damn lifestream but until that time (if it happens), I'll be here writing Zack Lives AU's to make myself feel better. XD

I'm also kinda sorta thinking about making some kind of series out of this…maybe.

Zack still had a difficult time accepting his new reality.

Costa Del Sol's white beaches and crystal waters were all that filled his vision. The sensation of the silken sand between his toes still didn't feel real even as he felt the small bite of cold water nipping at him from the rising foamy tide. Waking up to the face of his beautiful lover, showering in blissfully warm water that didn't go cold, and his belly full from a wonderful buffet breakfast with his friends still felt like a dream he never wanted to awaken from.

A dream that had been going on for months now.

Waking up every morning since that day was a blessing for he knew deep into the very marrow of his bones that he shouldn't be alive right now. Three months to the day, he was at the wastes overlooking Midgar and into the barrels of a thousand guns and the reverberating echoes of helicopter blades churning loudly overhead.

A day Zack Fair should have died.

The SOLDIER First Class who barely reached his 23rd year of life should have fought until his body simply couldn't take it anymore. The bullets too numerous and foes too many, by all accounts, he should have fallen. His blood should have been nourishing the deadened, dry soil as he used the rest of his energy to pass on his heavy legacy, dreams and sword to his mostly comatose friend before meeting Angeal in the clouds was how it should have went down…

But it didn't.

Somehow, someway, he survived that day and even after months of still being among the living, he still couldn't believe it.

Making it back to Midgar with Cloud. Finding Aerith in her church, where, miraculously, the gorgeous flower girl was still waiting for him like she promised. Tearful reunions, long-awaited kisses, resting, recovering from weariness, wounds and Cloud's mako poisoning filled the following weeks. Zack, wanting to ease the financial burden him and Cloud put on Aerith and her stepmom, became a mercenary like he and Cloud planned. Odd jobs, monster hunting and deliveries in the slums somehow lead up to him finding Tifa (fortunately still alive) in a bar that Zack had named Seventh Heaven what felt like a lifetime ago.

That's how he (and later, a recovered Cloud,) officially became part of AVALANCHE.

It wasn't until just a month prior where this new life he was steadily building from the ground up seemed to shatter again. The Sector 7 Plate Fall, Aerith getting betrayed by Tseng, breaking her out of Shinra HQ with AVALANCHE at his side all lead up to finding out that Sephiroth was indeed still somehow alive was where their story began anew, but this time, Aerith refused to be left behind.

…Even with another job to do, doubts still plagued him and all of it still left him wondering why…

"GAH! The water's freezing!" Aerith's voice exclaimed to his right and his somber expression immediately faded upon seeing his beautiful girlfriend wearing nothing but a bright flower-pattered pink bikini. Her excited expression, bounce of her braid and the ribbon he gave her that she still religiously wore in her hair drove away the rest of his sullen recollections with the greatest of ease.

Zack chuckled warmly at her flushed cheeks from where he caught her staring at his bared tanned chest and abdomen. His Flower Girl turning her reddened face away as she rubbed her hands along thin arms covered in goosebumps.

"How are you not cold standing in this water?" she asked as a cover for her oogling which Zack thought was the cutest thing ever considering she already saw him naked multiple times (this morning for instance).

He took pity for her embarrassment and answered, "You know me, babe. I'm an ex-SOLDIER, I never get cold. As for the water, it's still early and it doesn't really warm up 'til later in the day, especially this time of year."

"Really? Oh no! B-But you promised me you'd teach me how to swim!" Aerith pouted at him, her dainty hand reaching over to gently grab hold of his bicep. Zack's lips curved up in a smile at her eagerly grasping and squeezing at the thick muscle. This for sure was not the shy timid flower girl he left behind…

"I still plan on it!"

Aerith's brows furrowed cutely, "…How?"

Zack's wolfish grin breaking out across his mouth was all the warning she got before he swooped in and picked her up. The Flower Girl flailing and twirling in his strong arms before Aerith even could let out a gasp at his brazen move.

"ZACK!" Aerith screeched, face pinker than her ribbon even as her legs wrapped tightly around his waist and her arms encircled his neck. The digging of her tiny toes and heels pressing into his thighs tickled.

The ex-SOLDIER First Class just threw his head back and laughed. When his uproarious laughter faded into soft chuckles, he looked into Aerith's face to see her forced sullen expression. Zack just smirked and kissed her pink pouting mouth, nipping playfully at the soft bottom lip until she dropped the act. Giggling, Aerith kissed him back briefly before pushing him away by his bare shoulders.

"You're lucky that you're cute, Mr. Fair," Aerith huffed but there was no heat detected in her airy voice or bright green eyes.

"And you're absolutely beautiful, Ms. Gainsborough," he couldn't help but continue shamelessly flirting, the actions easy and familiar even after all this time and he knew Aerith felt the same as the tenseness completely left her and she eagerly melted into his warm arms.

Zack's hands gentle as always as they brushed soothingly over her cool, ridiculously soft silky skin to push away the early afternoon chill that still filled the air. Zack was begrudgingly thankful for the overdose of Mako that made him pretty much impervious to cold temperatures. It made cuddling with Aerith all the nicer as she loved burrowing as close as possible to him (usually ending up with both of them naked in a shared sleeping bag) when they camped in the cold dessert during their journey.

Aerith lowered her head to rest on his shoulder as Zack slowly made his way through the lapping waves. Taking his sweet time purely enjoying the tropical sun on his skin, the tickle and suction of the silky sand under his feet as it gave way to the tide, the cool crisp water, and the utter perfection that was Aerith resting so comfortably in his arms as if she'd never want to be anywhere else. How lucky he was that she waited for him and still wanted him and only him even after five years of radio silence still astounded the ex-SOLDIER to no end…

As if sensing his inner thoughts, Aerith began running her hands along his shoulder blades, nails gently scraping hearts and other patterns into his skin as he pushed those thoughts away and continued deeper into the crystal clear water.

Further and deeper he went until Zack was knee deep and the water grew calmer. The waves that lapped on his blue Cactuar swimming trunks stopped slapping against his thighs and merely soaked into the fabric as he continued surefooted into the water. Zack looked beyond her thin shoulders and saw Aerith's legs cautiously unwrapping from his waist before testing the cool ocean with her toes, seemingly happy just to feel the water that way than jump right in it seemed.

After a moment, his Flower Girl pulled back reluctantly from her burrow of warmth against his shoulder to peer at the water where Zack was now nearly ass deep into it. The ex-SOLDIER watched Aerith's expression carefully as she dipped her legs further in the water, her sudden shiver and how she wrapped her legs tighter around his waist told him all he needed to know. Given he was a foot taller than Aerith, the water would be nearly up to her ribs.

In short, Zack wasn't letting her down.

There was a contemplative look on Aerith's face as she stared at the water than suddenly lifting up to gaze upon the beautiful white clouds overhead. Zack knew that a part of her would always be afraid of the expansive sky but another deeper part of him lay a profound fear that he wouldn't always be there with her to make her less afraid…

But before his mind could run with that, he felt Aerith's hands wandering.

Left hand gingerly brushing through his raven locks before grasping a fistful of the longer ends near his nape and making a ponytail with closed fingers. The gentle tug of her hand a comfort as she brushed her other palm over the scar on his cheek and drawing her attention to herself as if she knew he needed a distraction.

This girl was such a treasure…

"So, how are you enjoying your first-ever swimming lesson?" Zack asked cheekily, showcasing his white teeth and playfully moving his hand from the grip he had upon her waist to gently grabbing a handful of her ass. His teasing smirk and mischievous action meant to ease her worries about him for the last thing he ever wanted to do was cause her more grief.

It worked.

Aerith giggled sweetly, her cheeks a soft rosy hue as she leaned forward to gently press their foreheads together. "Hmm… Well, I'm not learning much but I think I can deal with that…for a price," she whispered, teeth biting at her plump bottom lip as her ethereal green eyes grew heavily-lidded as she stared into his violet blue.

"...Oh really? What would that be?" Zack asked, brushing his lips over hers teasingly; his voice deeper and huskier as he wondered how he ever got this fortunate to find someone like her…

"How about we go back to the hotel room…" Aerith whispered, pressing her silken lips to the corner of his mouth as her thumb slid along the cross shaped scar on his cheek.

"...Really?…"

"Mm-hmmm…and once we get back in there, we take off these wet bathing suits…"

"...Y-Yeah?" Zack swallowed thickly, "…And…?"

"...And then..." Aerith pulled her tempting lips away from his before flashing him an wicked smirk, "We order a huge tub of ice cream and eat ourselves stupid!" she exclaimed, playfully pulling on the ponytail she made of his hair and giggling cutely when he yelped.

Zack was tempted to dunk the cock-tease into the cold water like the shower he was probably gonna have to take after all this but her beautiful bell-like laughter and adorably flushed face just had him sharing her contagious joy right alongside her.

In retaliation for her teasing, Zack spun them around in the water, the splashes of prickling icy droplets against her warm skin making her squeal and it made the raven-haired SOLDIER laugh harder. Their infectious joyful sounds lifting up into the perfect blue sky and embedding this moment in their hearts forever.

"Alright, alright, you minx," Zack chuckled, growing still in the water once more as the echoes of laughter calmed in his chest. "It's too damn cold for you to swim so what the hell? Let's go get some ice cream." Aerith's giggling continued for a moment and he took the time to appreciate his girlfriend's beaming smile.

"Really?" she asked cheekily, bopping the tip of his nose with her dainty finger.

Zack was tempted to nip at her finger but instead replied, "Sure. It's a date," he promised with a winning grin.

Aerith gazed at him, eyes echoing an age much older than her twenty two years, when her exquisite smile suddenly fell. Emerald irises growing misty as she stared so effortlessly into his soul but before Zack could even voice a single concern, Aerith was cupping his face so tenderly as if he would shatter before abruptly kissing him for all he was worth.

With the firm press of her lips to his, all else faded.

Instead, Zack took the time to savor her warmth, her softness, her taste, her love like a man left adrift in the desert with nothing but the clothes on his back (he knew that feeling intimately). Aerith was an oasis for all the hell he had endured and even made it worth it in the end. Despite all of Hojo's tampering, the pain of four years lost as a lab rat and another one on the run all leading up to the moment he should have died in a barren wasteland a mile from his destination somehow didn't matter now.

Whatever reason he survived that day didn't matter… Not now. Nothing mattered but protecting this and he would do anything to make sure they survived whatever Gaia had in store for them.

Zack was in too deep, and this time, there was more than himself to worry about.

There was Cloud who was still struggling with who he was but the best honorary little brother a guy could ask for; someone he trusted fully to always have his back. Tifa with her shy confidence and unyielding kindness; oh, the joy he got by teasing her and Cloud who still danced around their mutual attraction for each other like lost little baby Chocobos. Barret with his booming voice but incredible love for his daughter. Red with his intelligence, fierce loyalty and dry wit and hell, even the ever-annoying Yuffie who he knew in a past life but still remained the same materia-obssessed brat he remembered.

Zack wanted to protect all of them; protect this ragtag group of maybe-heroes against not only Shinra, but seemingly, the entire world.

For once in his life, Zack didn't care about being a hero anymore.

All he wanted to do now was protect those he loved, made sure they made it out alive as well as get his much-needed revenge against Shinra, Hojo, Jenova, the Calamity from the Skies or whatever the fuck it called itself for it's part for Genesis and Angeal's degradation. For being the catalyst that destroyed the Silver General. Sephiroth… For turning a powerful yet heart-breakingly lonely friend he admired and fondly called 'Seph' into the monster that threatened to destroy everything he held dear...

...Then there's Aerith...

Zack tilted his head, deepening their kiss as their lips slotted together perfectly again and again with lips pressing, tongues brushing and shared breath mingling between them.

Zack kissed Aerith like she was the last breath of air he would ever take in this world. So fiercely and completely did he love this woman. This angel who he didn't deserve yet wanted him anyway. Zack scaled and crossed continents to make it back to her and she was worth every second, every step, every wound, every sleepless night on rocky ground and he would gladly do it all over again for her.

Would do anything if it meant spending the rest of his life by her side as long as she'd have him.

Aerith pulled back from his mouth with a wet pop, her soft pert breasts heaving in the pink triangles of fabric as she panted from lack of air. This beautiful woman slowly opened her misty eyes and looked at him as if he was the one to hang the stars in the night sky. There was a slight lingering sorrow in her gaze but it disappeared when she smiled at him, her silken palm tenderly cupping his jaw. Zack knew he didn't deserve such a look, or this love given from this perfect angel, but perhaps he deserved to be selfish sometimes.

Suddenly, the beautiful Flower Girl he fell in love with seven years ago leaned forward and kissed him again. A tender brush of lips lingering on his before she broke off once again only to press her face into his throat. Her thin arms wrapping around his neck and hugging him tightly as if she never wanted to let him go.

Zack was perfectly okay with that.

As much uncertainty he felt against the whispers and tides of fate that continued to haunt him, Zack knew he would continue to fight because he worked too damn hard to get to this point. No one, not even Gaia herself, was taking away this girl away from him. Zack would make damn sure he would continue to fulfill her 23 tiny wishes and any more she came up with. Determined, that no matter what, Aerith would have all the happiness she deserved at the end of this journey…

"…I love you, Zack…" Aerith whispered like a prayer against his neck and a tingle echoed along his spine from where her lips tenderly brushed his racing pulse.

…or he would die trying…

"I love you too, Aerith…" he promised firmly before eagerly capturing her lips again.