Lightning for once, was lost. She didn't understand what was happening around her. She didn't know where she was heading; she couldn't survey the area and make a direct hit. Darkness surrounded her every path. And so when he suddenly grabbed her by her collar and dragged her closer she felt scared. Her blade against his neck and their faces so close they could feel the warmth of their breaths.
She held it tightly that it started to shake. It was her chance to save him, set him free but her blade kept on shaking, not moving a single centimetre closer to his skin. She couldn't move; she was too busy looking for the man that was as lost as she was in his eyes, convinced that when she found him he could be help her like old time. She wanted to find him – save him. His grip on her collar didn't loosen; he just kept staring at her cold eyes.
Lightning couldn't understand who was now more bitter and colder out of them both. He was meant to be the warmth of the group, the hope when things turned so sourand be her hero. But he now had live many centuries alone in grief and pain now that hero was gone and now become the villain. Dead – forever lost in a pit of self pity.
Their past memories convinced her to find Snow first, it just felt right. The man that left everything to find her was now staring at her with a glare that could kill if given the chance to. This was not her Snow. The Snow she kept her eyes on had killed him.
She kept her stance strong and her blade still on his neck but it kept on shaking and didn't move a single step still. Light couldn't understand why she didn't let him go and join her sister even for a little while. Did she keep her blade up at his neck because she was scared of the man he had now become or because she was afraid to kill him; hurt him? Tears seemed the only solution that came over her as he blade finally slipped, finally giving her answer.
She was scared to hurt him more than she already had.
Her tears were as light as as her name and were hardly visible but it was clear enough for the blond to see them. Her tears didn't flood her face instead they fell so simply it was hard to believe a strong woman such as Lightning would cry. His grip on her loosen for a moment before taking control once more as the young woman tried to avoid his gaze, even for a second.
He knew Lightning well, in fact the first time she shed a tear at all was at that peaceful time on Grand Pulse. He didn't know if she noticed that single tear that ran down her face but it gave him a sign that she trusted him and now, that trust was gone.
Her pain was his as he finally released his grip on her. That face was just too painful to look at any longer as it only reminded him of his lover, the person he couldn't protect or save. If it wasn't for Serah would they still be fighting like this? Would they still even bother to get to know each other and learn to trust each other. If it wasn't for Serah would Lightning even bother to chase him this far to save him or was she doing her job and after saving his soul she would be gone.
"Why?" His voice was dry. "Why come this far and not finish the job?"
Turning around to face the saviour he saw she was on the ground, fists clenched as a few more tears were seen running down her face. There were no sobbing, no muttering of words. They were silent. Nobody would know that this strong woman had her limit. Lightning's face did not meet his as her sapphire eyes were stuck on her sword and her two clenched fists.
Lightning didn't reply a single word or even give him her usual bitter glares, nothing.
It annoyed Snow; her weakness reminded him of the Serah he left in New Bodhum many centuries ago. She was weak, relaying on others but when they met again she was strong due to a man he just met yet he gave him his whole permission to look after her as if he was asking her hand in marriage.
"Tell me Light!" He yelled.
Lightning cheeks had turned as dry as her personality and just sat there. She convinced herself she could do this, save her friends by releasing their soul to the new world. But when her blade met to Snow's neck fear came over her. The training to hide all emotion as a solider slipped away from her, her strength as a goddess from another realm slipped from her grasp. It all came down to the simple feeling of fatigue. She just want Serah back, the woman didn't understand how things just fall so badly.
"Lightning!" Snow's harsh voice reminded her she came to do, to save him. "Answer me damn it!"
Having enough of talking to a woman that was so confused and was not the woman he remembered her to be, he reached for her collar once more and dragged her back onto her feet. As their eyes met once more they were cold as before.
"How many times must we do this Snow?"
She finally spoke.
"How many times must we fight in order to get what we want? Will ending all the lives in this word make me selfish? Throwing away many lives just for one?"
Snow froze. He didn't have an answer.
"Is this happening to me and everyone I care for because I'm nothing but a selfish bitch?!" Lightning had finally snapped. She was the one now grabbing hold of him. She tried to shake him but her emotions were just pouring out of control. "How do I know that after all of this that Serah will come back at all, what if she says she happy where she is?"
Snow had enough and threw the woman back down. He couldn't take it anymore. The mention of Serah sent him over the edge, just like Lightning was.
"How could you say such a thing?!" Snow spat. "Serah will come back! You are not the saviour if you weren't!"
"When Serah died I saw her in Valhalla." Lightning's face was facing the ground and so were her words. "She was cursed as a seeress and black tears fell down her face. I couldn't help but blame myself and so when I saw Serah reaching out to me, I smiled. But I felt sadness creep to me because I knew the moment was not meant to last. Then she told me she didn't mind being dead as long she was remembered." The young woman started to slam her fists onto the ground. "Those words haunt me, if Serah doesn't mind being gone how can I be sure she wants to alive at all?"
Snow just wanted her to shut up. He couldn't understand where all her doubts and fears were coming from. She was confused, panicking and lost. The Lightning he knew was brave and never doubted her motives. As long she could get her sister back and save Cocoon she was ok. She no longer knew the person he was talking to but he couldn't see her as a stranger as much as he wanted too either. The way she spoke, the way her voice spoke was the way he spoke now, nothing but doubt, fear and confusion.
"What happened to us?" The way he spoke to her now was soft. His words caused Lightning to look up at him. "What made us go this far too only be so disappointed in the end?"
The blond watched Lightning pushed herself, "Love." She muttered but it was loud enough for Snow you hear. "Love drove us here."
The mayor stayed silent.
"It is our love for Serah that drove us to do many things. Your love for my dear sister made you go look for me without the grantee of coming back. My love for my sister drove me to sit on Etro's throne in eternal slumber in order to keep her memories and the future safe." Lightning looked away for a moment, "But love is a foolish thing, following your heart is never logical. Look where it brought us."
"No." Snow took a sigh of relief. "Love is what is keeping us human."
His wall of fear, power and grief just fell the more she was in his presences. For a moment it gave him a reassurance that everything was going to be fine; she always had a way to do so. With her he could just be himself and wasn't always required to put up a smile and acted so cheerful. With her he could have a minute to grieve and take a minute to accept their grime situation.
When she was him, it was the other way around. She could be a little more fragile, a little more emotional, and a little more human. She could be that Claire Farron she thought she had left behind many years ago.
Time didn't seem to be a problem just as long they were together. For a moment it didn't feel like they only had thirteen days left together. It felt like they had returned back to that peaceful field on Grand Pulse and just watch the sun set. Lightning just let the man come closer to her without the thought of reaching down for her blade to protect herself from him. No, she was starting to find her way back home and starting to see the old Snow she trusted, even if it was only for a minute or two.
Lightning never had a man so close to her and she never let too until now. When Snow rushed and reached over to her and dragged her closer to him she could have punched him like before. But now, she let the warmth of his body remind her she was indeed still human and needed to be reminded that she was.
She watched as the young blond ran his fingers through her light pink strands of hair and carelessly threw them off her shoulder. Snow was never use to seeing Light with her hair like that; it gave her a new persona. He picked up her hair and let it rest in his hand before it slipped away from him. As he played with her hair he could feel his body was now against the slim figure of Lightning's and his right hand was just touching her hand.
He didn't know where he was going and neither did she. So they just kept on going, no holding back.
His fingertips just touched hers before feeling them slipped away from his as her fingers climbed up his thigh before holding steady on his waist. He couldn't help but follow her lead like always. With his other he now was holding her tightly but it wasn't hurting her at all. He wasn't pushing her with so much power that it could break but enough to keep her safe.
She was the only family he had left; he couldn't bear to lose her as well.
Nerves were obvious. The way their hearts raced and how still their lips came from touching gave all the signs. Neither could remember who found the courage when they felt their lips pressed against one another.
Love, it was the only thing they held onto that convinced them that they were still human – they felt normal.
It would explain why they were so eager to find one another in the first place.
And why they refused that it had to be each other to see each other first before anyone else.
Their grip on each other went tighter, as if the longer they kissed the bigger the chance they'll slip away. They were desperate to have this feeling- the feeling of being wanted and needed not because of the roles they played but for who they were. Their once cold walls that blocked anyone from coming in melted away as the warmth pushed in. The feeling they had thought would never be theirs came back in one hit, just one giant wave of emotion.
Neither Snow nor Lightning could believe their moment was over when their minds decided their lips to part. But their grip on each other didn't loosen- in fact it only made them hold onto each other even more. This feeling they had; they didn't want to lose it again.
Lightning leaned her forehead on his shoulder and held onto his muscular build and let a minute pass them by. She didn't mind it though, a minute could not be compared to the centuries of pain they felt with nobody to share them with.
"Is this is what it feels to be human again?" Lightning buried her face into his shoulder. "Do I deserve to be feeling like this?" She could feel Snow's hands hold her closer. "After all the suffering I've done to others, do I deserve this. Do I deserve a person like you?"
Light couldn't understand anymore. Did she love him or was it in a moment of desperation to have somebody by her side that caused them to kiss. Could it explain on why she chose him to find first and have the drive to find him? Maybe she was in love with him all this time but with everything happening around her it made her blind. She couldn't see she just didn't accept it was okay to be fragile and human and love somebody besides her sister. Even for a moment.
"I don't have all the answers Light but what I can tell you is that we are all victims here. You're just suffering more than all of us." Light could feel the man run his hand down her hair and down her back multiple times.
Snow was lost in thoughts. Why the sudden drive to hold and treat Lightning with kindness? Simple ignorance and depression was all her could come up with. He didn't understand what he felt towards the older sister of the woman he swore to her and Light he'll marry. But many centuries had now passed and he could no longer tell the difference from both. He was young when was with Serah, life was exciting. They were going to university together and had the best days together at the summer camp.
But when she was branded he was sent on a journey with Lightning. She taught him things Serah could not. He did things towards Light he never thought were possible and before both knew it; they started to care for one another.
"Don't go." Lightning muttered. "Just this once, I want to forget my troubles."
Snow had no more words and nodded as he let the fragile woman stay in his arms for a little longer. Suddenly he felt the woman's grip on him loosen and drop and her legs loosing the motivation to stand, causing him to hold onto her tighter and not letting her drop. Fear came over him.
He couldn't lose any more people he cared for – he loved for.
"Hey Light, come on, don't do this."
He shook on her lightly before seeing her eyes were closer. He readjusted his grip on her before feeling the breathe coming from her mouth. She was alive; it was due to all her fighting and her sudden release of emotions that caused her to fall asleep. Snow couldn't help but smile and produce a small chuckle seeing that Lightning was just fine.
The young man placed the sleeping warrior on her back and watched her fragile self rest in peace even for a little while. After all she had done for him and the others she needed a moment for herself. The future ahead of them was filled more uncertainty as each day went. He could lose her in a few days, tomorrow or even when she woke up.
And he to felt slumber coming to him and laid beside her. He had a whole town to look after but never did he looked after himself for so long and he refused to let the woman beside him be so exposed to fiends. Closing his eyes he soon felt a warm body coming in closer to his.
He couldn't help but smile knowing he was needed. The feeling of being wanted was something they had missed for so long and even if today was their last day on their god forbidden world they didn't mind.
In that world they would feel no pain, their problems drifted away. They didn't care that there were bigger problems ahead of them such as dealing with Serah. With each other, they finally felt safe. They finally felt human. They weren't I'Cie's, a God of Goddess or even a saviour.
They were humans who all they ever wanted in life was to be loved.
A/N: Omg that trailer I swear Square is playing with my ships. You don't just do that even though we all know who Snow is really going to end up with. Sooo I wrote this in response. Although I only used that new scene as reference and made up the rest I still enjoyed writing this. LR is so playing with my feels and it hasn't even been released yet. Ugh.