One of Those Nights, Final Fantasy IX (Zidane/Freya)
Title: One of Those Nights Author/Artist: catdevigri Rating: PG-13 Warnings: Innuendo, drinking Prompt: Freya/Zidane - sex without strings - "I hope you don't expect me to swoon into your arms like a lovesick peasant girl." Word count: 719 Summary: Zidane and Freya meet in a bar and decide to have some fun. Freya's heart was filled with an unspoken sigh. It was no surprise. There was no use in lying to herself. She was worn down, worn out, and just plain depressed. She gazed down into her glass. This was her third drink of the night. The yellowish lights lit up the clear liquid and filtered through the slowly melting ice. Her whole drink had turned a pleasant shade of sunshine.
She lifted up the glass and took a sip. It still tasted like dragon spit. Strong as Hell too. She took a long gulp of the biting alcohol. Just how she liked it.
Zidane hopped up onto the stool beside her. Freya saw him out of the corner of her eye, but did her best to ignore him. Perhaps he had come to the bar in search of her, perhaps he had come merely for a drink. It was obvious what outcome she would prefer.
"Hey barkeep!" the thief shouted cheerfully. He had good will to spare as was evident from his wild grin as well as his tone. "I'm thinking about a Queen Brahne on the rocks."
"Of all the stupid names for a drink..." Freya thought. Of course, she was curious to see how this concoction would live up to its name.
Served in a short, fat, glass, the unknown mix of liquors was blue. The bartender sprinkled a handful of thick-grained rock salt on top. Zidane grinned. His tail twitched in anticipation as he raised the glass and glanced around at the assorted patrons of the bar. The joint was not exactly jumping. Most of the motley bunch taking up seats there wouldn't even make eye contact with him. One dirty, shirtless bum raised his glass in response and grinned back, revealing several messing teeth. Freya wondered what she had done to deserve falling into this sort of company.
"To many happy returns!" Zidane made his toast. A few people clinked glasses in agreement. Freya nodded stiffly as the goofy youth smiled at her.
"So what's all this, Freya? You look even lonelier than usual. ...Assuming that's possible," he noted. There was a sparkle in his eye that suggested he was purposely baiting her. It might be fun for Freya to go along with it for once...but tonight was not going to be that night.
She looked away, brushing him off with her disinterested gaze. Freya didn't want to play his games, whatever they might be. Of course, she had underestimated Zidane's tenacity, stupidity, and general horniness.
"I get the feeling that you are as lonely as I am tonight," he turned up his roguish charm. Freya wasn't buying into it, but he did have something right- she was missing Fratley more than ever. In the past she would never have spent her evening like this, making a fool of herself in some rough dive in Lindblum.
"What do you want, Zidane?" she gave in at last. She might as well ask.
"I was thinking of some kind of fun that involves waking up in a warm bed with a soft body beside me instead of face-down in a cold gutter tomorrow morning. I was thinking that you might want the same thing." He shrugged, "If nothing else, it'd halve the costs of the room."
The alcohol must've gone to her head, because for some reason, Freya found herself saying, "Yes. Why not? I'm getting sick of being stared at by this filth. And it'd be disgraceful to imbibe much more. I can't be seen staggering down the street in the wee hours like a woman of ill repute."
Zidane drained his glass and hopped down from the stool. "Then it's settled. Let's hit it."
"...Wait," she stopped him, "I just have to make sure of something before I leave with you. I hope you don't expect me to swoon into your arms like a lovesick peasant girl."
"No, no, this is just sex. You know me, Freya. I don't have to create any pretenses for this. It's just one night of fun."
She paid her tab and, grudgingly, his too. "Well, it has been a long time... I suppose I could use some fun every once and a while."
"That's the spirit!" Zidane threw his arm around her shoulders as they marched off into the night.