Fang was not around the block.

And she wasn't picky.

Its just that she had some trouble with men these days. They were strange or just too... colorful. She knew well enough that courting here would be much different on Cocoon and that she would struggle with it; but damn, everyone she met just turned her off.

Some were just too... colorful, either in appearance or personality. These were usually civilians, eager to flaunt said colors. And most wound up intimidated by her appearance, her deep voice, attitude, and even interest. One man had the balls to call her a barbarian. She wound up arrested when she tried to show him just as much of a barbarian she could be. Sunshine had to come bail her out after she gave her captor a good wallop.

Then there were the "normals". Specifically, not as colorful citizens and they didn't work out much better. Some were too quiet, and some were too shy. As soon as she sat down across from them, some ran out of their seat, their face pale as crystal. They would even call the police on her. The cowards. She knew since Sunshine would drop by to tell her that they got a call about some strange savage woman living amongst the people.

"When I see that little snitch again-"

"You will do nothing," Sunshine said in a patient, but strict voice. Making a face, Fang remained quiet. There was no denying in their odd family, Lightning was the head of it. She took care of everyone and watched out for them. Currently, their head was the only one she was hanging out with the most. Not because they adored each other (they truly did, Fang was sure that Sunshine considered her to be her best friend, as she did with Sunshine); but everyone else was getting caught up in their lives, leaving the two behind.

Chick and Nil had something going on. Everyone could tell. They giggled around each other all the time, blushing, and both taking an interest in their hobbies. Nil was starting to help Chick with tinkering and he, somewhat reluctantly, was helping her dances and tours her around Cocoon. Neither of the two older women knew how to feel about this developing relationship. Sunshine was fine with it, her adopted younger brother was growing and she liked Nil, she'd be happy and fine with them getting together.

Fang on the other hand, didn't quite know what to think. She liked Hope, she did, but this was her adopted younger sister, the last of her clan, her partner through the stasis. It almost felt like Nil was drifting away. One slightly drunken night, she admitted to her sober friend, "I know how ye feel now."

Sunshine simply hummed as she got up and brought Fang a glass of water. "It never really passes," she warned as Fang downed the whole glass, wincing at the cold sensation running down her neck.

And then there was Old Man. He was getting caught up in his job and getting Squirt ready for school. And making arrangements for him to stay with someone when he had to pilot people away for a good couple of hours to days. Usually, Squirt stayed with Sunshine.

Either way, the father figure of the group and his son were becoming busy and had little time to spare for them.

And then Little Rose and Oaf. Fang hasn't seen the oaf or Little Rose for a while now. Sunshine comments that the two are starting to have problems with their relationship. Oaf is horrible at cleaning, or is just too lazy to do it; Little Rose has little time to cook each and every meal; blah, blah, blah. Things were just setting off between the two, leaving them stuck hovering around each other as they tried to figure out how to make things work. Oaf still wanted to be the leader of NORA and was gone for hours, Little Rose wanted to get her degree in college and was exhausted. Neither two had time to see Sunshine or anyone else.

Again, just leaving her and Sunshine alone.

"I'm starting to get lonely," Fang lamented aloud, sulking in her seat. "I try to make things work with guys but it just... never works."

"Why bother then?" Sunshine asked. She never had an interest in men, or at least, dating anyone. She accepts that she doesn't have the time or patience for them, unlike Fang, who didn't have much patience but was bored and open with her life. She wanted to try spending time with someone. But she got what Sunshine meant. Men usually had a hard time accepting fierce independent women, particularly like them, the much more, bolder and wilder kind. It was frustrating to say that their sort were so rare that it was hard for them. Most soldiers were men, and even back on Gran Pulse, most hunters were men as well.

Though then, back on Pulse, they were usually allured by the prospect of a huntress. Someone just as fierce and powerful as them, it wasn't uncommon for her to have many suitors. They saw it as as a challenge, one Fang was eager to take. Now on Cocoon, a hundred years later, its almost funny how different this situation was. She sighed loudly at her fate. "Perhaps I should look into becoming a soldier too," she mused aloud.

Sunshine hummed, neither a sign of approval or disapproval, while a thought clicked in Fang's head.

Soldiers.

Soldiers seemed like her best bet.

Most that she knew were in the GC, working alongside Sunshine. There weren't many women in the military, but there were some. They understood equality among sexes. They'd sooner accept her than anyone else. A big broad smile bloomed over Fang's face. It was brilliant! She jumped from her seat, catching Sunshine off guard as she met Fang's excited stare. "Sunshine!" she bellowed, "Introduce me to some hotties!"

"...What?"

"What do you mean you don't know any hot men?!" Fang bellowed out, swearing a few words in Pulse as she paced crankily around the den. Sunshine rolled her eyes from where she sat.

"Because officers there aren't supposed to care about how 'hot' a soldier is. There are actually quite a few that aren't as hot or as fit as you think there are. You're probably thinking more of a bodybuilder Fang."

"You mean to tell me that there aren't any hot officers in the GC? None?" Fang pressed.

Sighing, Sunshine relented. "There are some."

Fang grinned.

"But I don't think you should look into them. I met a few, they're usually the ones that go out and patrol around for monsters that wander too close to cities-"

"That's perfect!"

"They don't like company, even if you can handle yourself. I got into a fight with one of them, we broke each other's noses because he said a woman shouldn't and couldn't keep up with him in the wilds." Snorting, Lightning grumbled darkly under her breathe, "Couldn't keep up my ass. I'd like to see how long he'd last on Gran Pulse."

Huffing, Fang slouched back down, frowning.

Eyeing her, Sunshine asked, "Why do you think you need someone in your life?"

"I'm lonely Sunshine, I want... someone more than a friend in my life. And you know Nil is moving on without me, maybe I should look too, you know?"

By Lightning's stare, she didn't quite get it. Fang wasn't too surprised. She didn't look into anyone at back when she was working and taking care of Little Rose, she has no reason to look now either. "Someday you're going to find someone Sunshine," Fang decided, "we both will."

While Lightning just arced a pale brow at her, Fang slouched back, a little frustrated. Should she bother?

"What's wrong with me?" Fang bemoaned as she slouched at the bar table.

"Absolutely nothing," Little Rose's friend Violet assured her, pouring Fang a glass. "It's just a matter of finding the right guy. Just be patient, he's out there."

Fang sighed, taking the glass and downing the shot in one gulp. Licking her lips, she mentioned, "Sunshine thinks I should just get a different job, something more productive, or takes more of my time..."

Violet rolled her eyes at the suggestion. "You shouldn't take advice from Lightning, well not too much. She does have some good advice, but in matters of the heart... she's not an expert you know." Violet adds, "I don't think she's had any real interest in anyone really. Ever. Well... maybe there was one guy."

Fang perked. "Sunshine had a maybe man in her life?"

Violet smiled as the gossip started to play out. Checking the door to make sure Sunshine wouldn't be coming out anytime soon, she lent forward as she told Fang. "Back in the day when I first met Serah in high school, Lightning was that scary older sibling you tried your best avoiding. Cause she scary. There were rumors flying everywhere about her, like how she had beaten up a whole gang, leader included; and this was way before Snow formed NORA.

Occasionally when Serah was able to host sleepovers, Light would have guys over, these two boys that were apparently her bunkmates and friends, well closest to friends."

"Any idea who they were?" Fang asked.

"Oh yeah, I remember them very well. Cid and Rygdea."

Fang blinked in surprise. "Sunshine knew Cid and Ryg? She didn't mention anything about that, neither of them did."

Violet shrugged. "I don't know the whole story, and probably never will. I do know that there might have been something going on between Light and Cid, then. Maybe it was just Cid since Light made it clear that she had no interests in dating; but they were close. I think Light only saw him as a friend then. Anyway, they all kinda just got cut off after graduating. Light stayed here in Bodhum to watch over Serah, Rygdea and Cid moved up the ranks and out of Bodhum."

"Huh, never knew." She could see that though.

"Not a lot of people do, and believe me, that's the most I know about it. I think Cid was the closest to being someone in Lightning's life. Either way, just don't take love advice from her. You don't need a job that takes up more of your time, you have a right to pursue someone if you want too."

"But it's taking too long!" Fang huffed.

"You'll just have to be patient," Violet lectured, moving away as someone waved her over.

Grumbling a few curses in Pulse, Fang reached over the counter and poured herself another shot, stopping when someone asked, "Think you can pour me a cup?"

"Sure," Fang bid, not glancing over at the person that sat next to her and pouring him a cup. She did absently note that his hands were huge. "That's a cool ascent," the guy went, picking up his drink and drinking it slowly, enjoying it. "Where you from?"

Fang downed hers, licking her lips as the alcohol buzzed down her throat. "You wouldn't believe me," she commented, silently adding, you wouldn't like it either. The last thing she needed was the cause a ruckus in Violet's bar.

The man snorts, "You should try me, the end of the fal'Cie a year ago, people moving down to Gran Pulse; I think I can believe anything."

Fang glanced at him finally, and blinked a double take.

Oh dear Etro have mercy on her soul this man was hot.

He was huge. Oaf huge. He easily towered over her, and was packed with muscles, and on man, he was actually slimmer than Snow, even with all those muscles. And his arms, they were covered in awesome black tattoos that nearly made her drool. Back on Pulse, tattoos were given to the worthy, something to represent their ferocity or strength. She got the tattoo of a roaring bahaumut to represent her, which was a little ironic since that became her eidolon later in life. Moving up his broad body, she was going weak kneed when she saw the long scar on his face, fromt he brow to the jaw. Fang will admit, men with scars always been a weakness for her.

They were just so sexy.

And his hair, it was nostalgic and so pleasing on the eyes. Somewhat spiky and combed back to lay across his shoulders, it reminded her of a mane. And back home on Pulse, hunters, men and women both, wore their hair like manes, long and thick, laying around their shoulders. It was a representation of their power. It also spoke volumes about each hunters' character on how it was worn and looked. Fang had added some highlights to hers to show the flare in her personality. Back home for how he wore his, it would have shown that while powerful, he was also tame; not tame as a push over, more like... gentle, patient.

She was finding this suggestive detail a little appealing, though she had no way of confirming at the moment.

Absently she wondered if this was just her being desperate; but she didn't think so. She didn't react this way with all the other boys she met.

When his brown eyes eyed her back, flickering up to her and swelling with a little amused but enjoying her ogling him, she found that maybe she, a little, as flustered warmth flashed through her. Grinning, he asked, "Like what you see?" A slight blush crossed his cheeks but over all he kept a pretty straight face. Fang couldn't help but snicker. That was so cute. "I do," she admitted, catching him off guard.

"You do?"

She smirked, "Scars are sexy, and I love a man with long hair."

"Oh," he said, a smile growing to his face. "That's cool, most women are put off, well, by the scar at least."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh I know," she scoffed, "a lot of people are. They see some painful looking scar on you and instantly think you're a savage that just goes about picking fights."

He sighed as well. "You too huh? I get stopped all the time, being asked if I'm in the mafia or I run one. I just got this in a training accident!"

"I get most of mine while hunting."

"You hunt?" he asked, interested.

"Oh yeah, I love hunting, why? Do you?" she asked, hopeful.

"I do, though I never have too big a chance to go out hunting, usually always a bit busy. Not as busy as my friend, but busy enough."

Fang quirked a grin, "Sounds a bit like my friend, but she likes to be busy; she's mean when she's bored."

He chuckled, before holding a hand out to her. "Gladiolus."

Grinning, she clasped his, tightly. "Fang."

"Fang," he repeated, "I like it."

fang and nicknames, so much fun

Sunshine: Lightning

Little Rose: Serah

Oaf: Snow

Nil: Vanille

Chick: Hope

Violet: Lebreau

Ryg: Rygdea

i'm a little surprising that there aren't any fangxgladiolus fics out yet. these two seem to be just as much fun and made for each other as lightis.