Unspoken Words

Okay so I just beat FF13 the other day, and watching the ending cutscene, after reading a gratuitous amounts of Fang/Lightning before this, *glares particularly at morbiddiva* I was inspired to write this little one-shot. It's very angsty, but I had to get this off my chest. Enjoy :D

Her heart clenched as she watched them fall farther and farther from her grasp. Her cerulean eyes glimmered in unshed tears as she watched them intertwine their hands. Their gazes were locked on one another. Even as everything began to fall apart around them, and everyone was calling out to them, she being the loudest, they were lost in their own world. Fear coursed through her heart realizing the possible meaning of what was happening. She didn't know what, but in her heart she knew she had lost. Fang had chosen Vanille to wall through hell with. Regret and pain joined her fear as she understood what was going to happen in a matter of moments.

As the light engulfed the Pulsians, Claire cried out in desperation. "FANG‼!"

And then nothing…

"Wake up…"

As she arose from her crystal slumber, her eyes were fixated upon the massive tower that now supported her home. Surprise and wonder filled her as she realized what they had done. They had stopped Cocoon from falling. They saved the world. They'd done it. They'd fulfilled what they had set out to do.

She turned when she heard voices. Her eyes darted back and forth searching for them. Fear, panic, dread, pain, it all flooded her very being as realization dawned upon her. "No…" she shuddered in pained understanding. Unbridled tears stung the corners of her eyes as she fell upon her knees. "You're…this is…Fang…" Her head shakily reached out. Out towards the massive crystal that sat between the tower itself and Cocoon. Somehow, just somehow, she knew deep within her heart Fang was there, forever trapped.

"DAMN IT!" she screamed. Her hands slammed the dirt beneath her. Hot tears dripped down her cheeks before falling and splattering on the soil. Her hiccups were the only thing that could be heard as her heart ran rampant. It screamed out in heart-rending pain as the weight and gravity of losing another person she held dear. First it had been her mother. And then Serah had met Snow, and was even proposed to by him. And now…now lost Fang…to Vanille. She didn't know what to do. She just knew that everything hurt. It all hurt so badly. She had never felt such pain before in her life. Her chest burned. It constricted. It wanted to explode. Her eyes stung, and her head throbbed. She could feel her hands starting to bleed but she didn't care. Anything, anything, just make it all go away!

Everyone else could only look on sadly. What had supposed to be a joyous moment was shattered the moment they watched the unflappable Lightning fall upon her knees and wailed to the heavens above. They all had their suspicions, but this had confirmed it. Lightning Farron had fallen in love with Fang who had chosen Vanille in the end. There just weren't any words they could say that could make it any better. All they could really do was be here for her, much like how she had been for them. Off in the distance, their eyes widened in surprise watching two familiar silhouettes approach. If the situations were different, they'd most likely have whooped for joy and ran for their loved ones. As it was, they waved them over, where Serah received a shock seeing her older sister on her knees crying her heart out.

"Damn it…" the elder Farron hiccupped having finally calmed down enough to regain some semblance of control. Falling down upon her haunches she back up towards Cocoon. Bloodshot eyes stared up sadly at the construct of their miracle. Despite knowing that it had ultimately saved their world, she felt that all that pain, all the fighting, all the sacrifice, they had paid far too much to achieve this. Her heart continued to pound painfully in her chest.

"Sis…" Serah sadly sighed. Falling to her knees she pulled her sister into a tight hug, tucking her head into the crook of her neck. "I'm so sorry…"

She said nothing. She didn't even seem to acknowledge Serah's presence or the fact she was being held. Without a thought, her hand raised up again reaching up towards where she knew they were hidden, deep within its core.

"I should've said something," she said hardly above a whisper. Everyone visibly winced hearing just how deeply the pain was laced within her voice. Even Dajh, who didn't even know of the elder Farron, was silent. They could only watch sadly as she suffered through the heartbreak. Their hearts went out to the broken soldier, who, much like glass, was scattered before them in pieces. They weren't even sure if they would ever be able to put back together the woman they had all known throughout their crazy adventures.

"Fang…" she choked on her words, but forced on through. Even though she'd never be able to say it to her face…Claire had to say it. Even if only for her own sake.

"Fang…I love you."