A/N: This is something I've been thinking about writing for a while, sorry about the spacing again, is deciding not work, ever, because they clearly need a better system for this, but this is the best I can do. This is chapter one, so I do hope you enjoy, as much as you can. Reviews help, so don't be to leave a few heh. Any who, enjoy...
This Letter I Write to You...
Chapter 1: Question Mark
"Where can I find you, if not where I need you most."
Dear Fang,
I know, that you are not one for surprises, but in all honesty, you are the most beautiful person I've ever seen. Though you don't know me, I know you. I want to meet you, find you.
You are the one person I will fight for no matter what. The vision of you alone is burned in my brain, and I want you to know, this is the first time I've felt like this to anyone. You should be shown how much you are worth. You are worth so much to me.
I'd care for you, and kiss you, every hour, of everyday. You need that. You need someone who wants you, and not what you can give. I want you, and with each passing day, I grow more hungry to see you.
This letter I write to you, is one I want you to cherish. You might not take regard to it, but, I want you to at least see it. I will write more, and try to make my way to you. I know at least this much, you are worth every struggle to make it there.
Love,
Question Mark
-.-
Unable to explain her emotions, Fang looked up from the paper with elegant penmanship. The words now, embedded in her mind. Who could have written such an amazing letter? Who was this "Question Mark' character. Yun wasn't one for secret admirers, but, this one turned her interest for sure. She wanted to find out who this was.
Twiddling her tongue, she looked back at the letter, and looked back up. The person must have seen in her person, enough to even know her name. It bothered her so much. With a knock on her bedroom door, she quickly folded the letter and hid it under her pillow.
"Hey, Fang..." A little cherry haired girl opened the door and walked in, "You coming out yet? We have visitors." It was Vanille who had popped in. Her expression gave all the details needed. The current 'visitor' was Cade, a former hunter, which was extremely competitive with Fang. Both of them clashed all the time. But since he was "family", he constantly gave daily visits.
"Cade?..." Fang looked into green cheery eyes smiling into her own sharp piercing emeralds.
"Yeah, at least just come out to say hi. He'll be leaving soon anyway." Vanille reassured, trying to be as easy as possible. Giving one last glance to her older partner, she popped her head back out, closing the door behind her.
This day was going to be long, now with her mind wandering around who wrote the letter, who was this 'Question Mark'? Fang stood up, without taking a second look back, giving fair time to collect herself, collect her emotions, if she dare let them escape her now. As she left the comforting aroma of her room, she slowly made her way across the hall, into the main room peaking at Cade who was sitting down making small conversation with Vanille. One breath, just one, then three steps...just three.As she approached, Cade turned his attention to the tall Pulsian warrior woman.
"Ahh, she's alive!" Approaching bellowing out his deep voice, that sent shivers with a low rumble of it, in your chest. "And in due time. What took you so long, been waiting out here for an hour. You know it's impolite to leave guests waiting."
Of course it was impolite, but either way, if it wasn't for the fact he'd stay all day until someone came out, Fang would have just left him there, until he went home. "Yeh, how rude of me. How could I forget a bloke like y'self?" Fang replied, teasing as well, no way was she letting Cade here have all the fun. "Why're you here anyway?"
Vanille could see the piercing growl in her eyes, and elbowed her for the rude comment. "Fang, be nice" She insisted, smiling back at Cade. As much as Fang hated Cade, loathed him even, she had to be nice, for Vanille anyway.
"Right...my bad. What brings y'to our lovely abode dear friend?" Fang mocked, in uncaring tone. Cade only smiled, and patted Fang's shoulder taking a seat on the sofa.
"Jus' commin' to see a dear ol' pal yeh? No harm in it." He mocked back. Kicking up his feet, and placing his hands behind his head. "Besides, gotta have my daily tease to you. Can't live without it."
If Yun wasn't thinking about something else today, she might have snapped back his wrist. But clearly her focus was not here.
"Is that so?" Fang replied, but before she could come up with something clever to say, her phone went off, and Lightning was calling...Lightning, calling me? Well that's a first.She opened it, quickly excused herself outside and answered, "G'day sunshine, I see you called me for a change."
The phone was silent for a few seconds, before there was a quiet answer, but enough to pick out, it was indeed Lightning who had called.
"Heh...yeah, guess so." Replied Light meekly. Which only, in turn, made Fang grin.
"What's your desire t'call? Is there an emergency?" Fang pushing her buttons, teasing the poor distraught soldier as it was.
"No..." Then, silence again. Something was indeed strange about this phone call. It wasn't the usual call from Light.
"Ahh, I see, Jus' called t'say hello. How thoughtful of you Light." Fang chuckled to herself, and what sounded like to her, even made Farron chuckle on the other end. "How are you t'day?"
"Uhh...good. Hey I was wondering. You...busy at all?" Shakily the soldier girl replied. Strange for her to be unsure of her own words.
"At the moment yeh. I'm tied up with a visitor, bloody hell. Why y'ask?"
Some more silence. This indeed was awkward, but, it only drew questions in her head at why Lightning was calling her in the first place, and why she sounded so nervous.
"Uhmm...nevermind. Just checking up. Also wondering if you seen Serah up around that area, she told me she went to see Vanille for a second." Still unsure of her words, Lightning quickly spat out.
"Oh, okay then. Well no, I haven't seen Serah yet. But I'll let y'know if I do."
"Thanks Fang..."
But before Fang could respond, Lightning had already hung up the phone. Which just left Yun looking at her's. Questions running around in her head, unable to grasp this strange event that just happened. She eventually shut her phone, and re-entered her residence, sitting down to try and hold a conversation with Cade. With no such luck.
-
Flash Back
~The sun was setting down, Pulse was quite a sight indeed during one. Glancing up from their little camp, Fang had seen Lightning, starting a fire over what looked like remains of a kitchen set. They would need warmth for the cold harsh Pulse nights. Observing the rest of the gang, Fang could pick out strange funny things. Hope sitting down watching Lightning with amazement. Snow telling some ridiculous story to Vanille, and Sazh just resting on a rock, it maybe even appeared that he was sleeping. The Pulsian woman observed each action that everyone was doing, and it was quite amusing. How long now have they left Cocoon? Has anything changed?
Later on that night, Fang couldn't recall who had slept first, but one by one, they all dozed off, while she herself remained awake. Lightning argued with the Pulsian beauty with who would be doing the guard shift. Some how or another, Fang had won, which only ticked off the soldier, who stomped her way to a nice place to lay down.
Fang noticed well, keeping an eye on the fire, that it took three hours for her to finally slip off to dream land. She knew Light might have been a light sleeper, but, not knowing it was so hard for the soldier to fall asleep. When Lightning had fallen asleep, Fang didn't know why, but she couldn't take her eyes off the sleeping beauty. Sure, beautiful she was, but it was something about her slumber, than tantalized Fang farther to watch. The sleeping Farron was much different than the awake Farron. Her slumber made her look peaceful, and maybe even a little happy.
Yun couldn't remember if she had slept at all during that lapse of time where she observed Farron sleep. Her body looked so, relaxed for once, as though this may be the only time the poor soldier had a chance to. What she could remember was when Claire had woken up a few hours later, peering over to Fang. Quickly turning her gaze away, afraid Light might have been tipped off of her long stare, only to notice Lightning returning a stare. Her face looked somewhat sleepy, but soft toned. Not angry at all.
Lightning stood up from her resting spot and made her way smoothly over to the confused huntress. Her stride had swing to it, her steps had bounce, meaningful bounce, as if she knew where she was going, even when she had no clue at all. It was something Fang had admired about the soldier, the way she kept her head held high, and showing it.
"Hey, need release?" The voice echoed in her ear, and Fang dropped her jaw. Had she just heard what she thought she heard? No way, it has to be the sleep deprivation getting to her thought process.
"What?" Fang in returned replied, still unsure herself, if what she heard was right.
"I said, need relief?" With the stoic reply from the soldier, Fang felt relief already from the correction of the words spoken. But at the same time, felt disappointed.
"Oh, hahaha, right. Uuh, nawh, I'm good. Don't worry 'bout me." Fang, smugly trying to hide her fatigue. Trying hard to stifle a yawn that slowly clawed it's way out.
"Right..." Lightning replied, unconvinced, as she sat down next to the sleepy Oerban. "I'm not stupid Fang, nice try. Come on, get some rest."
Fang wasn't sure what made her smile, or laugh, because nothing funny had been said or done, but she did. She looked into the soldier's eyes, and for that flash of a moment, her eyes were not sharp, or blank, but they were dreamy. As if, Lightning had a sudden change in demeanour from Lightning to Claire.
"Well? You can stay up, but don't expect me to tuck you in if you fall asleep." Lightning spoke, word's breaking Fang of her current seduced stare.
"Right, right...I'm off. Keep us safe y'hear? G'night." Fang then replied, standing up, and waving back at Light. She walked over and lid down in Light's spot, still feeling her warmth and fresh sent. It lingered in her nose, and soothed down her throat. It aided in helping her sleep, and slept well she did that night.~
End Flashback
After Cade had left, Vanille let out a sigh of relief, plopping herself down on the sofa.
"Thank Etro! I thought he'd never leave." Vanille said stretching and dangling her legs and arms off the side of the couch. Fang looked at her relaxed fellow Oerban, taking a seat next to her.
"So much for leavin' soon. I swear if I didn't remind him about dinner, he'd of stayed all damn day." Fang poked Vanille's cheek, playfully, but still out of frustration. "Next time...we're not here, understood?"
The cheery girl sat up, nodding her head in agreement. Another replay of this, and both might surely go insane.
"So, what did you hide under y'pillow hmm?"
Of course Fang new it was bound to come to this. So of course, the older Pulsian had to tell the truth. Eventually Vanille would discover the letter and it's contents regardless of Yun's efforts to hide it. She was a ferret in so many ways of being able to find anything.
"Well...I might as well show you in any case. Here." Fang stood up, heading towards her room, while Vanille follow suit. Gently striding in her room, she sat down on the edge of her bed, lifting the pillow, and taking up the letter into her hands. She looked at it for a moment, admiring it once more, before handing it to the eager Dia waiting to see what this piece if paper was.
In astonishment, Vanille read, her eyes shifting along the paper, left to right, eating up the words that floated across the paper so smooth, it left the tongue jealous. As she finished reading her emerald eyes looked up at Fang, who had a sort of, smug grin on her face.
"Question Mark? Who do y'think could've wrote this? I mean, the person knows your name. Do y'think, that maybe the person has met you?" Vanille was blurting out question after question, confusing Fang as it were, but leaving her brain with whiplash.
Yun snatched the letter possessively, folding it, before placing it back under the pillow, then she spoke, "Alright alright, one question at a time. Geeze, what do I look like? A teacher?"
"Well...y'could be." Vanille giggled, her sweet smile which dare showed less than she meant to show. That smile that could hide an elephant behind a mouse.
"Not funny. Anyway, t'answer your questions, no, I don't know who wrote this, yes, I do like the letter, and no, I am not writing back-"
"Why not?"
"Because Van, I dun even know who sent it. So how could I return a letter? Whoever wrote it clearly doesn't want the attention." Fang snapped, standing up, defensively. Unsure of why she even felt that way. She looked into her vanity mirror, looking into her own beryl eyes. They even seemed to pierce through her own being.
"Right heh. Well, at least, don't you wanna know who wrote it? I mean, I know I do." Vanille also stood up, excited of course. Fang shifted her gaze from her own eyes unto her little companion smiling again, so willfully.
"Well, I mean, of course I wanna know, but the person isn't exactly dropping any hints". Fang folded her arms, turning around now, observing the way Vanille's slender body sat and curved on the bed. "Where would I even start?"
"Dunno, but we gotta start somewhere, maybe we could even get someone t'help us?"
Spacing out between sentences that Vanille was saying, Fang couldn't stop thinking about the flattering words, or who could have written them. Oh how she wished she knew.
"Hello...Pulse t'Fang! Can you hear me?" Vanille beckoned Fang, waving her hand and snapping her fingers.
"Oh...heh. Yeh, uh, who help us?" Yun responded, trying to catch up on what was going on.
"We could get someone. You weren't listening were you?"
"No...sorry. Well, who'd we get t'help us?"
The younger Pulsian paced around the room, tapping her chin pondering on someone to help. Fang watched closely, relying solely on Vanille for an answer to her predicament.
"Hey! I got it!" Vanille then quickly turned around, grabbing her older companions hand as she blurted out.
"What?"
"We could get Lightning t'help us! Maybe she could do a better job at trackin' this guy than us."
Lightning...the beautiful Cocoon soldier. Would she have thought about her before? It could be some excuse to get Light to spend time with her, as of late, the Cocoon warrior had been avoiding Fang. For some unknown reason.
"Van...I'm not usin' Light t'stalk some guy. That wouldn't be right." The raven-haired beauty walked to her door leaving her room. Vanille chased after her impatiently.
"I didn't say stalk, I just meant, help us in finding him. It'd never hurt t'try."
Story of my life... Thought Fang. So many things, she wanted to "try" but never got around to doing. How could this be any different than another time she was offered help? Or another time faced with an ultimatum? Lightning...of all the people...