Chapter 8

'Hum, Lightning,' Fang starts, tugging on her sleeve. 'I, uh, I got you a little something.'

She even has thought about getting me a gift? Like, a real date gift? Okay, this is definitely the best date I've ever had. It's like she can read me like an open book, she knows every little thing I like, every little detail that makes it all perfect. I sit on the edge of my seat, waiting impatiently to find out what it is, when she speaks again.

'The thing is…' she says, rearranging her tie as if it's stifling her. 'Well, just don't freak out, okay? I chose something that I think looks nice, you know, but… I didn't know what it meant here to give something like this. I've been told about that when it was already in my pocket and there was no way I could return it. So I'm going to give it to you, but promise me you won't freak out. This gift only means what you want it to mean, okay?'

I nod quickly and grasp the edge of the table as she reaches for the thing in her pocket. I know what it is – no, I think I know what it is, but maybe it's not, it doesn't have to be necessarily what I think it is – and when she takes out a tiny velvet box my breath gets caught it my throat. She slowly opens it and presents its content to me with a bashful smile, and my heart just bursts - with joy, happiness, love, and whatever feelings that take over me. I stare enviously at the beautiful silver ring mounted with a delicate silver rose, its petals shining brightly in the light of the candles. She carefully takes it out of the box and she takes my hand, and she slides the ring down my finger. I can't take my eyes off it. Why did she she even asked me to not freak out? The last thing I'll think about doing right now is freaking out. If she hadn't said this wasn't supposed to be an engagement ring, I honestly think I would have said yes. Without hesitation. I know I love her more than anyone else, I know she's the one and I know I want to spend the rest of my life with her. It's true that we've been together for a week, that this is our first date, that we don't know half of what we should know about each other. And yet, this is enough. I don't need more than this. I have the conviction that I'm going to spend my entire life either with her or alone. I've never felt this eager to commit myself to someone and now is the perfect opportunity.

'It's beautiful,' I whisper softly, caressing the rose with the tip of my finger.

'I knew it would look good on you', she says softly, planting a kiss on the back of my hand. 'I saw the rose and it…'

'Fang,' I cut against my will, knowing that if I don't get it out now, it'll be stuck inside me forever. 'What if I want it to have the meaning it's supposed to have?'

She looks at me a moment, mouth agape, as if she's trying to understand. I clench my teeth, thinking that I've pushed it too far. I know I'm more than ready for this, but is she? Could it be that, once again, I haven't thought about her feelings? I suddenly realize that I've just suggested a marriage. A goddamned marriage. As if that is a decision you can take without giving it too much thought. That possibility have probably never crossed her mind. I can see it in her eyes. She's shocked, surprised, I can imagine too well in how much trouble I've just thrown her into. Etro, I've just ruined my perfect date… I'm such an idiot. Or maybe I have the superpower to completely annihilate, in just a second, every hope and precious moment of my life? I tend to do that a lot lately.

'You mean…' she begins slowly, and I can see she struggles to express what she want to say. 'Like, the marry me thing and all?'

'I'm sorry,' I apologize, feeling my cheeks burn. 'I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have, I know it's…'

'Is that what you mean?' she asks, putting her index across my lips.

I nod slowly, and I just know this is it. I've just asked for too much. I want to slap myself for always asking for more. Can't I just enjoy what I have? Everything was going so well, I had every single thing I could hope for, and even much more than that. Why do I always have to ruin everything? I know she's going to leave now. She stands, drinks a last sip of her wine and carefully wipes her mouth. She seems to hesitate a moment, and finally she makes a sign, as if she's asking me to wait. She pats my shoulder lightly, without looking at me, and goes away. I burry my face in my palms and try to fight the tears I feel coming. I don't know where she's gone, and in my head I'm starting to believe she just went to call a cab for me so that I can go home without her. Of course, that's it. She has enough heart to not let me walk home alone – and that's still too kind of her. She should have taken back her ring at least. I don't deserve it, not anymore. For long minutes, I wait, as she instructed. There's not much to do anyway, apart from cursing myself and slowly dying of remorse.

But then, I hear a soft sound of clothes rubbing, a throat being cleared, and suddenly Fang is kneeling beside me. I cover my mouth with my hands, unable to breathe, wide eyed. This is beyond imagination. She reaches for my hand, and I seal my lips, because I know I'll squeal shamelessly if I keep my mouth open. Is she really doing what I think she's doing?

'Lightning,' she starts, obviously thinking about what to say next. 'I know I haven't been there for you lately. I know you suffered because of me and I know that this moment of our lives has been really tough on the both of us. But I would like to believe what you and I went through was not entirely bad. I think it brought us together, in a way. We have learned things about each other and we have seen the love we share for each other in its purest form. I have never felt like this before. It scares me somehow. I feel like I have the responsibility and the duty to make you happy, and I'm terrified I might fail. But that fear could never take over the utmost felicity I'm certain to feel whenever you'll smile, or laugh. There's nothing I want more than seeing you happy. It would be an honor if you were willing to give me the chance to try and make your life better. So, Lightning Farron, will you let me love you as much as you deserve to be loved, and marry me?'

My throat is so constricted, there's nothing I can say. If I open my mouth, I'm sure to burst into sobs. I have no idea how she came up with this, but that has to be one of the most romantic and beautiful and charming and sincere proposal that's ever been formulated. I look at her, and I realize she's lifting her eyebrows hopefully, still waiting for an answer. I nod hastily as I stand up, taking her hands in mine. She finally gets back to her feet and smiles at me brightly. This is not just my perfect date. It's the most perfect day of my whole life.

'Yes,' I breathe heavily, as she wraps her arms around my waist. 'Yes.'

A rain of tears rolls on my cheeks when I close my eyes. She kisses me deeply, drawing me into her, and I know this is the last time I'll feel like this. The situation is so unique, the occasion is so special, there's no way I can ever live something as intense as this in the future. After a minute – a single minute, it feels like it's been half a second since her lips found mine – she draws back a little, and I bury my face against her shoulder. I realize my whole body is shaking because of my cries, but it doesn't matter. I know I won't have many reasons to cry after this, and for once, I'm not ashamed of my tears. My heart is beating loudly against my ribs and my cheeks feel hot, I can't hear anything and I can only see those emerald eyes piercing through me. It only lasts a heartbeat, but I feel it. True happiness.

'It's okay, sweetheart,' Fang whispers softly, patting my back and rocking me in her arms. 'It's okay.'

'I know,' I laugh through my tears, releasing a breath I didn't know I was holding. 'I know. It's just… crazy.'

'It's real, though,' she smiles, her fingers sliding down my arms to catch my hands. 'Better than your dreams, yeah?'

'This doesn't even compare to my dreams, Fang,' I answer lowly, mechanically smoothing her jacket. 'This is perfect. This is… Thank you.'

'No,' she shakes her head, caressing my cheekbone with her thumb. 'Thank you.'

We exchange one last kiss before I finally see the waiter waiting behind Fang with the desserts in his hands. I feel a bit embarrassed – this isn't the kind of place you display your emotions, like this, in front of everyone – but then I understand he's doing his best to hide his smile. He seems to be a nice guy and nods kindly when I apologize softly. We go back to our seats and he puts the desserts in front of us, and I notice the wink Fang and he share before he takes leave.

'He kinda helped me with the whole thing', she explains, already attacking the innocent strawberries with the edge of her spoon. 'You know, I'm not good at this and I wanted to say something decent.'

'He did a good job,' I say, biting in my own pie. 'What you said was perfect.'

'Well, I think I can even do better than this,' she says with a grin, planting a little strawberry on the top of a small portion of ice cream. 'I'm going to share this divine dessert with you. This is worth ten slushy speeches.'

I've never really liked chocolate, nor strawberries, but when the spoonful hits my tongue, it tastes like the best thing I've ever eaten. Of course, this is not rational, I know it's just because right now I'm compelled to love everything, but I don't mind. I'm engaged to Fang and I'm starting to enjoy life again.

We finish eating in silence – the atmosphere now is quite different. Still comfortable, but the way she looks at me now is just… I don't know how to put it, but there's something in her eyes that wasn't there before, something primal, and it's troubling. After she puts her spoon across her empty plate, she bends toward me and whispers in my ear.

'I hope that won't be the last thing I'll eat tonight.'

I blush madly when I realize what she means by that, and I slap her arm with a worried look behind me, hoping nobody heard that. So, that was what the weird looks were about… On the outside, I look outraged, but she perfectly knows how to get to me. She drinks the last of her wine with a smirk, and then suggests leaving because she wants to take me somewhere else before we go home. I agree with a nod, and we head back to the reception to pay. She takes out a credit card, exchange the usual polite phrases with the receptionist, and we finally go back to our car. The ride is peaceful, especially as there's not much traffic at this time of the night. She stops in front of a huge barrier that blocks the way toward what seems to be a tiny, private beach on the boarder of a huge lake.

'Fang, we can't go there,' I inform her sternly, rubbing my cold hands together.

'Yes we can,' she smiles, unbuckling her belt. 'I met the owner this afternoon, a nice old lady. She told me I could come here whenever I want.'

She gets out of the car and rummages through the trunk, while I go lean against the barrier. The place looks beautiful. There's not much light, but the moon shining brightly on the surface of the calm waters is enough to see clearly. I take a few steps onto the sand and inhale deeply the fresh air of the night. Fang catches up with me, a box of some sort in her hands – I have no idea what it is, this time – along with a blanket. I shiver deeply against my will when the cold breeze starts to brush against my skin and through the wool of the thin black pullover I took with me. She immediately puts her things down on the ground and takes off her jacket before draping it on my shoulders. This feels so cliché, but it's a lovely attention nonetheless. Her warmth envelops me all of the sudden, her perfume invades my nostrils, and I am quick to slide my arms in the sleeves.

'What about you?' I ask softly as we make our way to the middle of the beach.

'Don't worry,' she answers, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. 'I like cold.'

We stop right in a ray of moonlight, and she spreads the blanket on the sand, putting the box down carefully. I sit next to her and bring my knees close to my chest, realizing why she has chosen this particular place. She told me she wanted to look at the stars, and this is definitely a good spot. The sky is clear, and thousands of them are sparkling above us. It looks eerie, almost unrealistic, like a painting. I watch as she takes out a bottle of champagne from the mysterious box.

'I promised to myself,' she says, her voice barely above a whisper, 'that I would open this only if our date met my expectations.'

'And?' I whisper, putting my chin her shoulder.

'And I should have brought a case of six,' she says, half joking, half serious. 'Lightning, you don't seem to realize what this means to me.'

'What does it mean?' I enquire, wrapping my arms around her waist and resting my head on her shoulder.

'Everything,' she breathes, looking up at the stars. 'A new life. A revenge. I finally exist. My father… He knew about my preference for women. He never missed an occasion to remind me that I would never be a respected Yun and a honorable wife. For him, I had no future. He resented my very existence. Every day, he would ask me what he did to deserve this burden sent by the Gods. If only he could see me right now, I'd show him. I'd show him I'm a real Yun. I'd show him my beautiful fiancée. I'd show him I've become everything he wanted me to be. I wish he were here and proud of me. He was a good guy you know. It's just… When you live in a village where everyone knows everything about their neighbors, sometimes it's hard to cope with the truth. I'm sure he loved me, but it was easier to despise me than to face the disgust of hundreds of villagers.'

I listen to her slow breathing as she stops in her story. I become aware that this is the first time she mentions her past, and now I understand why. It seems that, apart from Vanille, she's never been loved much back then. She must have felt so lonely, it must have been so hard to pretend to be what she wasn't, just for the sake of a family that didn't even try to help her. But I'm not surprised. I've always known there's a generous and kind woman hiding underneath the rough and tough warrior. That's what I first liked about her. Maybe because I needed someone to remind me what it meant to be nice to others. I know I'm not one of that kind. Nice is definitely not a word to qualify me. And even though her presence has a positive effect on me, I know I'll never have her spontaneity and humanity. We are too different. She's kind-hearted, I'm not. She has done so much for me, and I have done so little for her, when it should have been the contrary. I feel like I took her for granted while she still was struggling to try and get my attention. Because she had nothing to lose when I could lose everything at once, I should have been the one to make everything could to deserve her. She was trying to win my heart when all I could focus on was the desperate need to not lose hers. She's too good and I'm too selfish.

'Now I have you', she speaks again, smiling warmly. 'I love you, and I swear I'll do my best to be the most perfect wife that's ever been.'

'You'll have to be second best, Fang', I whisper against her cheek. 'Because I'll be the perfect wife for you. You deserve it more than I do.'

'Oh, really?' she asks, brushing her nose against mine. 'What if we tried to be perfect for one another?'

'That's fine with me,' I smile lightly with a soft kiss.

'Let's drink to that, then.'

She hands me two flutes and pours carefully the golden champagne – she's trembling because of the cold wind that's now blowing softly, and despite her previous assertion, she obviously is cold, but she's too proud to admit it. She takes her own glass from my hand, and stares at me with a troubling intensity. We clink glasses, without a word, without a breath, her eyes never leaving mine as we bring our flutes to our lips. I don't know what kind of sorcery this is, but the magic is working. I can't feel the wind on my skin anymore, I can't hear the sound of the tiny waves of the lake breaking on the shore, and I can't see anything but those two sparkling jewels piercing through me like a sharp knife.

'Tell me about the stars,' I breathe after I swallow with difficulty a little sip of the fizzing drink.

She nods slowly and settles behind me, so that I'm between her legs, my back on her chest, my head resting on her shoulder. She wraps an arm around my waist while her other hand takes mine delicately. Cheek against cheek, she starts pointing my finger at different luminous points shining brightly in the sky. Acubens, Diphna, Scheddi, Meissa, Caph… She seems to know them by heart, and also know everything there is to know about them. I've never really wondered about the stars – I've never understood why we should care about things so distant, that are of so little relevance to us – but now I think that it's more fascinating than boring. Of course, Fang is the one making all of this interesting. Every constellation she's talking about has a story, about war, family, love, story about heroes and Gods, kings and princesses, and it doesn't take long before my mind is filled with images of warriors defeating monsters, men ruling over the world from their fluffy clouds, and Fang and I on our wedding night… I smile when that image springs in my mind, and I unconsciously tighten my hold on the arm around my waist. At some point, I stop listening to what she's saying, and let myself be lulled by her deep, soothing voice. She never stops talking, she always have something to add about a particular star, she always finds a new one that magically appears behind a thin cloud. I know she could go on forever if she wanted to, but I feel the irrepressible need to yawn and I long for a warm bed.

'Fang,' I interrupt softly, turning to face her. 'I… Can we go home? I'm a bit tired.'

'Oh,' she says, taking a look at her watch. 'I'm sorry, I had no idea it was this late already. You should have told me sooner. Okay, hold on tight, sweetheart.'

I cry out of surprise when she rises to her feet and lifts me up as well. I quickly wrap my legs around her waist and my arms around her neck as she bents to pick up the blanket and the box. She heads back to the car, supporting my weight a best as she can with her full hands, and I can't help and kiss the exposed skin offered to me. It's not much yet, but I'm planning to kiss every inch of that perfect skin once we get home.

'You should keep the blanket to keep you warm', she offers after she drops me near the car. 'It's a bit cold.'

I shake my head. It's true that it's rather chilly, but her jacket is enough, and from here, my house is not that far. I'm sure I can survive this ten-minute ride home. And indeed, ten minutes later, I'm still alive - despite the trembling and the goose bumps. I wait for her to turn off the ignition, but she doesn't. She just gets off the car and comes to my side, hiding her hands in the pockets of her trousers.

'Well, thank you for the night, it was… Really great,' she simply says, rocking on her feet.

Okay, the whole chivalrous thing was funny at first, but now, it's getting ridiculous. Really great? That's all? Really? And now she want to leave? The woman proposed to me, that has to be a bit more than just great. I lift my eyes to the sky, bend towards the wheel to turn off the ignition, pick up my purse on the backseat and slam my door. She seems to want to protest, but this time I'm taking the lead. I grab her hand firmly and leads to my front door. I fumble with my keys a moment and finally find the lock, and we stumble inside because of my haste. She closes the door behind us, and even takes the time to pick up my purse I've dropped on the floor and put it on the coffee table. I sigh loudly and refrain from throwing it back on the floor out of frustration. We're home, alone, I want her like I've never wanted anyone in my life... And she wants to go - whereas she supposedly lives with me. There has to be a problem here. I mean, isn't it obvious that ending a night like this with just a goodbye and a kiss would be totally lousy? She wanted to wait for the right time, well if that isn't a right time, I don't know what kind of opportunity she's waiting for. And she is the one who clearly said she wanted to eat something else tonight, and she definitely wasn't talking about ice cream, so why does she looks so hesitant?

'What is it?' I ask her, putting my hands on her hips.

'I…' she stutters, scratching the back of her head. 'Well, you know, you look, huh, super hot right now. I mean, you're always hot, you know. But with that dress and everything, you're… Oh come on sweetheart, you know, you…'

'Do you want me?' I say, grazing the skin of her jaw with my teeth.

'Yes,' she promptly answers, holding my waist. 'No, I mean, no, now is… I've been told that's not something you wish for on a first date. I don't want to ruin the whole thing, that's all.'

'Have you been told that you usually don't propose on a first date either?' I whisper against her cheek. 'Have you been told that you should do as your date tells you to?'

'Nope,' she lets out in a ragged breath as I pull her shirt out from her pants.

'And have you been told that if your date has wanted you for days,' I breathe against her lips, staring into her eyes, 'it would be a crime to refuse them the pleasure of your company after such a wonderful night?'

'Hmhm,' she shakes her head, her lips parting to let a puff of hot breath escape. 'So... What do you want?'

'Be a good girl, Fang,' I slur in her ear as her fingers clench tighter on my hips. 'Come and get your dessert…'

Notes:

Okay, I know this is a bit exaggerated, but it wasn't my intention at first to do such a OOC thing.

The thing is, thanks to this, I'll be able, in a few chapters, to fill F-F prompt 127 (the wedding night thing).

However, as I do not wish to make this story too slushy (which is actually already the case...), I'll definitely have to return to more serious plots in the future.

I promise it won't be too angsty, but it'll have some darker themes.

The next chapter will be rated M, but you'll be able to skip it as it is not relevant to the whole of the story!

Thank you for reading, and also big thanks to roxyroxas1313 who's been following this story from the beginning, it's really appreciated! :-)