Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII, all credit for characters, places and plot points depicted herein goes to Square Enix and their affiliates.
Summary: AU. Post FFXIII; Non FFXIII-2 compliant. Life with Lightning Farron following the fall of Cocoon, told through the eyes of one Oerba Yun Fang.
Author's Note: I started this many weeks ago, but never really got around to finishing it. I was feeling really sick earlier today, but I'm feeling well enough to type now; that being said, the quality may change towards the end, where I added a few haphazard paragraphs because, really, there is no way I was going to ever finish this otherwise. Would have been up earlier, but FanFiction was having trouble with uploading documents.
So, without further ado, bring you a small, observational piece about the changes in Lightning and her life following the fall of Cocoon, told through Fang's eyes. This was written to balance out with the sad and depressing tone of the last fic, Situation; I couldn't resist writing something like this. Dedicated to all my reviewers out there, and all those that can't stand to see an unhappy ending.
Six Feet Under the Stars
A bronze arm wound itself around a slim stomach, tugging the lithe body gently backwards. Lightning's skin was warm, surprisingly, and her skin silky soft, a drastic contrast to the normal rigidity of her spine, a tribute to her days as a soldier, a stiffness that had faded with the passing of daylight. Peeking through the skylight above, the Pulsian moon illuminated the darkened bedroom, bathing the cuddling occupants in a subtle sheen of light.
Fang relished in the way her lover relaxed unconsciously into her, seeking her warmth like a newborn might its mother's. It is something the Pulsian huntress enjoyed, knowing that she's the only one who can get the woman—the stoic, unflappable ex-soldier—to curl against her like that, so blissfully unassuming and blindly trusting. A certain amount of pride fills her each time Light moves closer to her, murmuring softly in her sleep. Fang suspected that it is the most at peace Lightning has ever been, even before the unfortunate incident that caused her to take up her new name.
Head braced on the surface of an upturned palm, Oerba Yun Fang let her eyes wander her smaller lover's face. Normally blank, vaguely irritated features had softened in the glow of the moon; a mouth gaped slightly open, lips curled upwards, muttering something lowly that Fang had trouble understanding. Shuffling slightly, rolling with grumble, the ex-soldier moved to rest her head on Fang's shoulder. Lightning Farron truly looked relaxed, caught deep in the realms of slumber.
So damn cute, Fang thought to herself, a soft smile curling on her lips. Sometimes she truly had to wonder if this was the same woman she'd met on their quest for truth and answers as l'Cie, the same woman that had relentlessly pushed herself and those around her, that had nailed her within an hour of meeting her.
Lightning wasn't the same as she had been back then, she was less withdrawn now, less angry. Finally, the adorable, concerned softness that she had only caught glimpses of in the past had been brought to the forefront in the wake of her return from crystal statis. There was a certain something in her eyes whenever she looked at Hope or Vanille, a motherly instinct that surprised even her. Fang could honestly say, she loved this side of her girlfriend, the side that was slowly being dredged closer to the surface with each day.
It seemed that time stood still whenever she was with Lightning, and yet it passed in the blink of an eye also. Every moment Fang shared with Lightning was another she cherished. Each day, one step at a time, they learned more about each other; like how Lightning had an undeniable sweet tooth, or how Fang had to coat almost everything she ate in salt, or even the fact that Lightning liked to unwind after work each day with a cup of tea. In the wake of their battle for survival, from which they came through in one piece, there was so much to learn about each other, of their little habits and quirks. Things you couldn't learn in battle.
Already, Fang looked forward to the next day, for what new thing she would learn about her beloved, or what strange little thing Lightning would do next. Smiling to herself, Fang laid a soft kiss on Light's temple. Just the day before, she'd learned that Lightning didn't really like to eat in the mornings if there was someone there, a curious thing. Of course, that had been admitted only after they'd finished eating the homemade breakfast of bacon and eggs that Fang had prepared.
There were so many things that surprised Fang about Lightning, things that contradicted the image she had set in her head. Like the fact that she enjoyed sweet things, or that she had a soft spot for children, and how she wore that shy half-smile of hers whenever they kissed.
"I love you," she whispered tenderly, pressing her lips to Lightning's forehead now.
There wasn't much that Fang wouldn't do for someone she loved, something Lightning was learning. It had been hard to adjust in the first weeks to Fang always just being there, having been independent to her very heart, yet it was endearing all the same. After a few hiccups and annoyed tirades, they'd worked out a system. Fang handled breakfast and, if they were home, lunch. Lightning made dinner, and did any chores that needed to be done around the house.
Having had no desire to rejoin the military completely, Lightning had refused a permanent position in their ranks, yet that didn't stop her from working often. With what Fang had taught her of reading Pulsian, and with her own knowledge of the land, Lightning had quickly been roped into assisting in excavation and, alternately, extermination. Every other week she'd trek out into the unknown with a group of researchers and soldiers alike for a few days, looking at ancient ruins, or she'd be out, helping kill of some of the more dangerous monsters.
Though sometimes she joined in on these little quests, which sometimes lasted almost a week, Fang preferred to stay home. She had her own job, playing the part of bouncer for Lebreau at her rebuilt bar, one of the few in the renovated city of Oerba, and subsequently the scene of trouble more often than not. It gave her a chance to bash a few skulls in, yet still lent her many hours to lounge around at home with Lightning, whose own hours were sporadic at best.
Sometimes, they went a whole week without seeing each other. Lightning, off on a mission, and Fang busy entertaining herself with Vanille or some other distraction. The time apart didn't bother them too much, they were closer than that, however the reunions between them were something much looked forward to. Usually, in an effort to reacquaint herself with her partner as much as possible, Fang called sick into work the next day. Lebreau didn't mind too much either, she was friends with them, and she knew how the two of them worked.
When they weren't together, Lightning sometimes spent the night at Serah and Snow's home across town. Having give birth to one child, a little boy they had named Cloud, after Serah's father, Lightning babysat for them a few nights a month, just to give the newlyweds some time to themselves. It was adorable, really, how much Lightning had gotten into the role of "Auntie Claire". She had money to spare from selling the remnants of their components from their l'Cie days, and lots of it. With that in mind, she doted on the one year old like no other; whatever the kid wanted, he got.
Fang wasn't really much for children, but that wistful look that Lightning got when she looked at her nephew sometimes, that quiet yearning, it made something inside Fang churn with sorrow. Yes, though she wasn't much for them, if it made Lightning happy, she knew she would at least try.
Humming lowly in the back of her throat, Fang's train of thought was interrupted when a soft whimper emitted from Lightning's lips, and she burrowed her head deeper into Fang's shoulder. Lightning's whole body buried itself into Fang's side, bare skin meshing against bare skin, legs tangling with Fang's own. Surprised, Fang glanced down. It didn't seem like her lover was awake.
"Light?" she questioned quietly, wondering if she'd woken. "You awake."
The ex-soldier huffed lightly into Fang's neck, breathing deep. Her arms came around Fang's neck, and she could feel the subtle bumps that carried on in a trail up her partner's arms. Realization came to her when she glanced down, over their bare bodies, to the thick blanket that lay pooled at her waist.
"Oh," she murmured softly, blinking. "You cold, are ya?"
Lightning didn't have the constant warmth that Fang always seemed to exude, and as Fang knew, her girlfriend was often freezing in the winter months. Lightning would go around dressed in scarves and thick jackets, meanwhile Fang would be content just wearing her sari. It was great, because it allowed Fang to get away with suggesting 'sharing body heat'.
As if to back up Fang's assumption, Lightning practically forced herself closer, as if she could somehow steal all the warmth that Fang naturally exuded. Smiling at her girlfriend, Fang leaned down, practically smothering Light for a moment with her chest, and grasped the edge of the blanket. Hooking the other arm around Lightning, she drew the cloth over them both, arms tight around Lightning's middle.
The sudden onset of warmth, of fabric sliding up her skin having seemed to disturb her, tired blue eyes flickered open after a moment. Blinking a few times, they moved up to regard Fang, who was looking up through the skylight again at the full moon above, her left arm curled around her girlfriend's waist, chest pressed just above Lightning's. Lightning sighed softly, breath sweeping out against her girlfriend's collarbone.
"Fang?" Lightning's voice was sleepy still. "What are you doing up?"
The Pulsian's eyes flickered down to regard Lightning, expression softening somewhat, a smile curling at the edges of her peach lips. She ignored the question. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?" she asked lightly, fingers drawing small patterns on Lightning's toned stomach. The muscles twitched at her touch.
Lightning shook her head slightly, messy bedhead cascading cutely around her face, only further enhancing the effect of the luminescent blue orbs. It really only gave the illusion of a cute, sleepy kitten that had been woken up too early. "It's fine," Lightning yawned, scooting up a little to rest her face between Fang's breasts, quietly curious. "Weird dream anyway. Why'reyou still awake this late?"
Fang glanced across at the digital clock, the only other light source in the room. It read 3:54 A.M. "Just thinkin'," Fang replied.
"Don't hurt yourself," Lightning teased, eyes heavy.
The Oerban snorted. "Who do you think I am, Snow?"
Struggling to keep her eyes open, Lightning gave a soft chuckle. Though the animosity she'd once held against Snow had faded with time and become grudging respect, that didn't change the fact that he was her brother-in-law now, and it offered her the perfect opportunity to torture him without repercussions. He wasn't a bad guy though, but he could still be as naïve as a small child, a true idealist at heart.
Shaking her head, Fang poked her girlfriend in the shoulder. "Go back to sleep you, or you're gonna regret it," she whispered gently. "Look at you, you're practically falling asleep on my chest."
If there was one thing she had learned about Lightning during the course of their brief, somewhat confusing relationship, it was the fact that Lightning was always most submissive during the early hours of the morning, when she first woke up. It was in the wee hours of the morning that Lightning was far more likely to field her odd requests; when she was tired, truly tired, the soldier would do agree to pretty much anything, Fang had figured out.
Obediently, though with a huff, Lightning rolled off her girlfriend's front, cuddling to her side instead. "You should take your own advice, Scruffy," she murmured, closing her eyes. "We have a big day tomorrow, and we have to be up soon."
Lightning was right, of course. Tomorrow, technically today, they'd be taking an important trip to the newly discovered ruins of an ancient city, Besaid, to see if they could scavenge anything, and to glance through the records; as one of the two Pulsians left, Fang was an important addition to the squad, and her fluent knowledge of the language would complement Lightning's advanced one. They'd have to be up early to meet the rest of the team at eight. Really, Fang should have been asleep hours ago.
Smiling, Fang buried her head into Lightning's fuchsia locks, inhaling the ambrosial scent of strawberries and vanilla. Lightning always smelled delectable, Fang had been delighted to learn, especially after she'd just showered. Her fragrant scent had often nights lulled Fang to sleep, her arms wrapped firmly around her middle. Personally, Lightning thought the idea of Fang smelling her so often a little odd, but enjoyed the affection nonetheless. A pair of toned arms wrapped around her waist.
Leaning into Fang's hold, Lightning sighed. "Go to bed, Fang."
Huffing a laugh, Fang nuzzled her face into the curve of Lightning's collarbone, smirking. She tugged her younger lover closer to her, strong arms tightening around her back. "I love you, Light," she murmured into Lightning's silky skin.
"I know." Lips quirked, Lightning allowed her eyes to slip closed. "Goodnight, Fang."
"Night, Sunshine."