Better Left Forgotten

A Kingdom Hearts/Final Fantasy XIII Crossover

"I can't believe I seriously let you guys drag me into this."

A bar was up ahead, decorated in neon lights and advertisements for the best beer in town. Riku, of course, didn't care. He was sulking due to his recent break-up, so his friends dragged him out to Bodhum to get some drinks. They acted as if all of his problems would disappear at the sight of a keg.

"Riku, lighten up!" His friend clapped him on the shoulder, grinning at him. "You've been able to drink since what, last year? Live a little!"

"You call this living? I'd rather not suffer from a hangover in the morning, if you don't mind," he said, frowning. "My day would consist of throwing up and cursing you three to hell."

"Hey!" One of Riku's friends, a brunet with spiky hair, turned around to glare at him. "You're not serious, are you? That would be a little over the top, don't you think?"

Riku sighed, rolling his eyes. "Sora, we know you're an engaged man and all, but I've got to be especially sober so I can keep an eye on you tonight, and keep my promise to Kairi."

"You what?" Sora yelped, his eyes narrowing. "I'm perfectly responsible for my own actions. Tell him, Wakka."

"He's right, brudda." The fourth member of the group looked over in Riku's direction. "Twenty-one years old and still hasn't made a mistake worth losing Kairi over? I say he's set."

Riku rolled his eyes and continued walking. They approached the bar, clinks of glasses and murmurs of voices coming from the inside. "If I hate this, you're all walking home," he threatened, opening the door and holding it for his friends.

"Don't be so sure," Tidus piped as he passed. "You might be joining us!"

I wouldn't be too sure of that, Riku thought, following his three friends inside. The music was louder from inside the bar, which included more than just barstools and counters; there was a dance floor and DJ not too far off. If anything, it was considered a club. Riku knew what this meant. Desperate girls looking for a boyfriend. Ironic that they would bring me here tonight.

They approached the bar, where Tidus and Wakka immediately offered to buy drinks for some girls. Riku only rolled his eyes, sitting on a barstool next to his best friend. They sipped at a few alcoholic beverages for some time, discussing Sora's wedding plans and his relationship with Kairi. Riku was up for anything but discussing his social life.

He was left alone, however, when Sora left to find the restroom in the place. Riku stared at the liquid in his glass, tuning out the loud music and buzz of voices. All he focused on were his thoughts, which revolved around his ex-girlfriend, Xion.

She said things weren't working out, though she blamed it all on him. He was too serious and mellow, which didn't suit her tastes in men. They were together for six months, and she hadn't figured that out sooner. It blew Riku's mind to know how blind she had been. He'd told her as much, as well as the fact that he was his own person, and he wasn't about to change for anyone. A person needed to accept him for who he was, not who they wanted him to be.

Doesn't matter, I guess. Not planning to meet anyone here, anyway.

"Apple martini," someone said beside him. Naturally he turned his head to see who it was, though he caught himself looking for longer than he intended. The pink-haired maiden noticed as well. "Problem?"

Riku blinked at the accusation and harsh greeting, his eyebrows furrowing. "Nope," he said as he turned his head, taking another sip of his beer. "Bad day?"

"Worst day ever," she replied, putting emphasis on every word to draw out her feelings.

"Boyfriend?"

"Ha," she laughed bitterly. "Yeah, right. Guys are the last thing on my mind. Well, except my ass of a boss."

Riku smirked slightly, nodding a little. It was a bad day at work, then. He wasn't sure what she did for a living, but she clearly pursued a career that required strength and stamina. She was fit.

"What brings you here? Haven't seen you in this bar lately."

"Oh, so you come here often? You must have bad days all the time," he countered, glancing over at her to see her smile a little.

"Something like that," she replied with a nod. "But, same question."

"My friends dragged me here against my will. I'm kicking their asses if I don't have a good time."

Her smile turned up at one corner, forming a smirk instead. "I take it you don't drink often."

"Not really. It's not how I sulk," Riku said with a small shrug. "I have a feeling that tonight's going to change that, though."

"What happened to you?" she asked. "Now that I look at you, there is something wrong with you."

"Thanks?" Riku looked over at the woman beside him, lifting an eyebrow. She only rolled her eyes and took a sip of her martini, so he continued. "Anyway, recent break-up with a girl. Unlike you, the opposite sex is the first thing on my mind tonight."

"That's sad."

Riku took a drink of his beverage before turning his head to look at the young lady next to him, silently questioning her reasoning. How was that sad?

"Pathetic, really," she continued, staring down at her glass. "The guys around here aren't so tough anymore, not like they used to be. They used to man up and move on. If it didn't work out, it didn't work out. They just took out their frustration on a punching bag." She released a small "hmph", tapping her glass with her finger. "Guess that's not the case anymore."

"So what do you suggest I do—get a punching bag, or find someone drunk enough to beat around like one?" Riku asked.

She laughed then, her eyes finding his. "I like the way you think," she said with a small nod. "What's your name?"

"Riku."

"I'm Lightning," she said, holding out her hand. He shook it, realizing that she had a firm grip, unlike most women. When they released each other, she took another sip of her drink. "So, who are the bastards that dragged you here?"

Riku turned a little on his stool, resting one arm against the counter as he searched the crowd for any of his friends. He spotted one and pointed him out to Lightning. "That's Tidus, the desperate one. And over there is Wakka. He's a little more down to earth than the other." He then let his eyes find hers, shrugging. "Sora's the engaged one, but he disappeared somewhere."

"Interesting bunch," Lightning acknowledged with an arched brow. "Who's watching out for the fiancé?"

"I'm supposed to be doing that, but I'm not doing a very good job so far." He ran a hand through his silver hair, glancing to the side slightly.

"Good work, Romeo. Remind me to never have you watch my sister for me," Lightning commented with a small smile.

"Sister, huh? How much younger is she?"

"Three years, but don't get any ideas. She's engaged to a stubborn fool." The woman rolled her eyes before finishing off her drink, immediately ordering another. It was clear to Riku that she wasn't a fan of the fiancé, so he didn't bring it up. "Regardless, she's in good hands, which gives me the time to do things for myself. Like this, for instance—talking to a stranger in the middle of a bar and spilling all my worries on them. Classy, if I do say so myself."

"Don't sweat it," Riku said with a small shake of his head. "Not bothering me any."

"How about a change of pace, then?" Lightning turned her head, her pale blue eyes finding his aqua behind her bangs. "Who messed with you badly enough to bring you here?"

"Ex-girlfriend." He didn't do anything to cover up the bitterness in his voice, his eyebrows furrowing as he glared at his half-empty glass. "Six months together and she kicks me to the curb. That's classy."

There was silence for a short moment before Lightning snapped her fingers at the bartender. "Hey, two tequilas," she ordered, causing Riku to blink in shock. When she saw his expression, she shrugged. "It's on me. After all, somebody's got to help you forget your troubles. Why not something strong?"

Riku smiled ever so slightly, then nodding. "Right."

The drinks appeared seconds later, and he reached for his before knocking his shot glass gently against Lightning's. "To overworked soldiers and curb-kicked dumpees," she toasted. Her lips formed a faint smirk before they swallowed their shots.

It was then that Riku was actually thankful his friends brought him to the bar.

"Good morning, Bodhum! It's seven o' clock on this beautiful Saturday morning, and the weather outside is nothing but sunshine and—"

The slam of a fist only briefly registered as Riku continued to sleep, the voice from the radio disappearing as there was movement on the mattress. Home already? he thought drowsily, releasing a gentle breath. Sora must have brought me back. It was the only conclusion he could come to, since he forgot exactly how he made it back. Despite his lack of memory, he fell once more into another light slumber, though it didn't last for long.

He grunted when he felt something hit him on the back, his skin beginning to tingle. His eyebrows pulled over his closed eyes as he exhaled a heavy breath, then feeling a massive headache pound his head. Riku slowly opened his eyes, everything blurry before he blinked the vision clear. He saw the skin of someone's arm. His aqua eyes trailed the skin until he saw a hand pressing covers to a person's chest.

Someone was in his bed, naked?

Riku finally looked up at the person's face, registering the pink hair and the angry-yet-frightened pale blue irises that were looking back at him.

"Oh shit!" he cried, pushing himself up quickly. However, he only ended up falling on the hard floor, the covers coming with him. Riku clutched them to his lower half, sitting up in time to see his companion pull on the shirt he had been wearing the night before. It covered her almost too perfectly, not leaving anything exposed.

"Is this yours?" she suddenly shrieked, turning around to glare at him. When he could only stare, mouth agape, she grew impatient. "Well?"

"…Lightning," he said, his voice shaking with uneasiness. "What did we do?"

"What does it look like we did, genius?" The woman whirled around, pulling at her hair as she groaned. "I slept with you last night?"

"Just—just calm down, okay? We'll figure this out." He pushed himself to his feet, though he made sure to wrap the blankets around him so as not to expose himself.

Lightning turned around to glare at him, but upon seeing his position, she looked around the room. She disappeared behind the bed before throwing something at him. "Don't be naked!"

He caught his boxers before they hit him in the face, catching her turn her back to him out of the corner of his eye. He then scrambled to put them on, succeeding in only a matter of seconds. Riku then sighed, kicking the blankets to the side as he looked back to Lightning. "I'm decent, just in case you're wondering."

Her eyes were blazing with fury when they found his again. "What the hell happened last night, Riku? Why were you just in my bed naked?"

It was then that he finally looked around the room, recognizing that she was right. He was at her place—in her bedroom and away from his own. "How should I know? I-I only remember being at the bar last night," he said quickly, running his fingers through his silver hair.

"Oh yeah, that's right. You were partying with your 'buddies'," she spat. "Some good that did you."

Riku frowned. "In case you don't remember, Lightning, you were the one that bought the shots of tequila. Not me."

"Whatever," she mumbled, starting to search the room. He watched her silently and wondered what she was looking for, though he didn't ask. She seemed on edge enough already.

Sheesh, what happened last night? The last thing I can really remember is having a shot with her, he thought, crossing his arms over his bare chest. Everything was a blur, and it aggravated him that he was so careless. Clearly he and Lightning had been on the same page as far as drunkenness went, considering what must have happened in the bed right in front of him.

His cheeks began to burn, and he was sure they would turn rosy. Don't go there, Riku.

He snapped back to reality when a ringtone sounded off the white walls. Lightning ducked under the bed and mumbled to herself before reappearing, answering her phone.

"Fang," she said in relief. "Tell me what happened last night. I'm seriously hungover."

That makes two of us. Riku turned, walking a few steps to find his jeans sprawled carelessly on the floor. He picked them up and pulled them on as Lightning's voice rang in his ears. She sounded angry, not that it was any surprise. She seemed like a woman with a short fuse.

Lightning was clearly picky as well, given how her room was spotless apart from the clothes thrown on the floor and the covers where he left them near the bed. Includes in those clothes was something black and lacy, which he bent down to pick up. He held it by the straps with his thumbs, staring at it as he held it in front of him. Lightning's bra.

It was suddenly snatched from his grasp and he blinked. Looking up, he saw the woman standing at a slightly taller height than him, balancing on the mattress as she held her phone to her ear. She glared at him mercilessly. She threw it behind her and out of his reach before speaking. "Yeah, got it. I've gotta go, Fang. Talk to you later." She dropped her phone onto her mattress before stepping down onto the floor, staring up at him. "So, remember anything more about those tequilas?"

"Not particularly," Riku replied calmly despite the sharpness of her stare. Daggers.

Lightning's eyes rolled. "Figures. Too hungover to remember, huh? Well, turns out that you bought a majority of the ones we drank last night." She jabbed a finger at his chest. "You're just as responsible for this as I am, pal."

"I wasn't about to back out, you know. Not my kind of thing."

"Good, because we're fixing this—now."

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Riku lifted an eyebrow. "All we know is that we drank too much, obviously had sex, and are now too hungover to do much of anything else but scream at each other."

"Ugh," she groaned. "Don't say it like that. This isn't just something so casual, okay? This is…worse than that!" She lowered her gaze to his shoes, which were kicked off with obvious urgency hours ago. A sigh escaped her, a hand finding her forehead. "I would have never done this if I was in my right mind."

Riku crossed his arms, looking to the side. "Yeah, well, the thought's mutual. This clearly wasn't intentional," he said lowly. "So, what do you suggest we do?"

"…Forget everything," Lightning whispered, closing her eyes. "This is all better left forgotten."

His eyes located her once more, a sliver of hesitation washing over him for a brief moment. The reason why, he wasn't exactly sure. "…Right."

Lightning glanced up at him before walking away, approaching her closet. She grabbed her silk robe from inside. "Turn around," she ordered. He complied without a word, looking out the window to see people already waltzing around the city outside. A minute passed before he blinked. "Riku."

He turned around just as she threw his shirt toward him, the young man lifting a hand and easily catching it before pulling it on. He started to button it up wordlessly, not wanting to start a conversation that was bound to be awkward.

She escorted him to the door after he found his shoes. When he hesitated by the door again, she lifted an eyebrow. "What?"

Riku opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. "…Better left forgotten, right?" he checked softly.

"Mm. Forgotten."

Riku nodded once and then left the apartment, hearing the door shut with a click behind him. The feeling that washed over him at the knowledge, however, confused him. Did he actually want to stay with her? Impossible, he thought as he ran a hand through his hair. It was a mistake, what happened between us last night. I'm still too hungover to think rationally.

But for some reason, he second-guessed himself.

A/N: Due to be a two-shot. Stay tuned!