It wasn't like Fang to play hero. She was never one to care what others thought of her. She didn't care about damsels in distress, she didn't care about fame and fortune. Going out of her way to help another person wasn't something she was against, but she didn't go looking for the opportunity to help someone either. She honestly never cared about anything other than having a good time. Being in Bodhum for the fireworks display was just one of the many things Fang did for that exact reason. So when Fang was punched in the face for trying to help someone, she was shocked! Lightning had one hell of a punch, and it was unfortunate that Fang had only tried to return the dropped wallet rather than steal it.
Rubbing her cheek tenderly, Fang handed the wallet the other woman had dropped over. In her decking, Lightning had knocked the taller woman completely off her feet. The two piss water beers that Fang had purchased for herself and Vanille spilled on both her and everything around her, pooling on the ground and trailing into the gutters. Lightning was apologizing profusely, her face red with embarrassment. To be honest, Fang was surprised that the woman whose face was so red with bloodthirsty rage, could blush so easily. Seeing a woman who was as strong as she was, as flustered as she was, was turning out to be the highlight of her night. So much in fact, Fang had almost completely forgotten that her clothing was soaked with beer.
"I am so, so sorry," Lightning helped Fang to her feet, pulling her off the sidewalk and out of her spilled beer. Fang just chuckled as she rubbed her cheek.
"Don't worry about it, really. Got an iron jaw, and that's not my first whacking." The taller woman joked lightheartedly, her pride gleaming.
"No," Lightning fidgeted uncomfortably, wanting to help clean the other woman up but also not wanting to invade the personal space of a complete stranger any more than she had. Fang watched as the woman would outstretch, and then reclench her fingers. Her arms would start to reach out, and then find it's way wrapped around herself again. "I need to..." the woman paused, biting her lower lip and clearly uncomfortable and struggling for words. "Let me take you out to coffee, uhm."
"Coffee sounds good. And Fang. Name's Fang. " Fang responded through her chortles.
"Lightning." the other woman responded flatly, almost timidly in her bout of shame for hitting someone who was not in fact mugging her. Seeing the light shade of pink, lighter than even her hair grace the woman's cheeks sent Fang into a dream. Suddenly, Fang's regretful act of heroism wasn't all that bad. Do good things, good things happen. Or something like that.
After that, there was just the awkward interactions of exchanges of information and plan making. After Fang pointed out that there was no guarantee that the stranger who plowed through her face would indeed show up, Lightning offered her collateral; her entire phone. Obviously the other woman was still flustered, and Fang had to remind her that the appropriate thing to do was to offer her phone number instead. Fang joked, "you don't do this much do you?" while Lightning fumbled around for paper to provide Fang with her phone number, rather than her actual phone. The pinklette joking back sarcastically that she punched people more than any average person should.
The pink haired woman eventually succeeded in providing Fang with a location, time, and her cell phone number. Holding the scrap paper in her hands, Fang completely forgot that she was supposed to bring back beers for herself and Vanille. Thankfully the red head was easily excitable, and spent the rest of the night prying for information rather than complaining about Fang not bringing drinks back for fireworks.
The following day, Vanille insisted that Fang cover the now purple welt that covered her cheekbone and eye, but Fang refused. Something told her that the sheer power behind the punch was going to be a hell of a conversation piece. Vanille also insisted on tagging along; she wanted to see this pink warrior for herself. Fang also denied Vanille this, staying she was going alone but would tell her all about it when she returned. Practically having to tear Vanille off her arm, Fang eventually made it to the coffee shop written on the legal pad paper scrap. The smeared black ink against torn yellow paper that no one used already said so much about the woman, and Fang found herself growing more and more intrigued by the woman by the minute.
This interest doubled itself when Fang found that not only had Lightning showed up, but she was waiting for Fang. Once she stepped into the shop, Fang could spot the pink beauty without even trying. That same awkward, socially uncomfortable woman who had found a secluded table for two in the back corner of the shop. It was well lit by sun, being next to one of the shop windows, where the woman idly kept her gaze. Gently, Lightning lifted her gaze from the patrons outside and towards the door that chimed when Fang entered. Fang felt her face forming a smile, crooked and playful. People always said Fang had a captivating smile, but it was this woman's, the woman who planted her knuckles into her face, whose smile she was captivated by. It was soft and small, yet oh so genuine. The smallest change in woman's features that lifted her face and made her look like a completely different person.
Lightning rose to her feet, draping her maroon leather jacket over her chair before meeting Fang at the back of the line. Once within a clear sight, Lightning's eyes widened slightly at Fang's battle bruise. Again, Lightning started apologizing, at least three times in the first minute. Fang reiterated again and again that she was fine, that she could barely feel the thing. Even going as far as to say she hardly noticed it.
Lightning knew it was a lie, but it did help her feel better about the situation. The black and purple swell around the brunette's face clearly hurt, she could see Fang wince every so often if her eyes moved the wrong way, if they opened too wide, or if she brushed hair out of her face. Still, she gave the woman props. She was equal parts stubborn and strong to continue to say that it didn't bother her.
When the duo finally made it to the front of the line, they both realized neither had thought about what they wanted, and instead spent the entire wait debating over Fang's bruise. Fang leaned onto the counter and gestured for Lightning to order first. "Coffee." she ordered. "Black."
"I'll have the same, but with cream and sugar because I don't hate my taste-buds." The brunette challenged the other woman devilishly, to which she got an eye roll for a response. And if Fang's eyes weren't deceiving her, a crack of one of those soft smiles as well. By the time Lightning finished paying, the coffee was prepped and ready for the women to take back to the table Lightning had earlier nabbed for the two of them.
"So," Fang started, breaking the silence. "you got a hell of a left hook. Gotta say, I'm impressed."
Lightning's face twisted just slightly with confusion. Most wouldn't notice, the single crease between her eyes. But Fang saw it, and she couldn't stifle her smile. "You got one hell of an ice breaker."
"I try." Fang brought the coffee to her lips casually. " That's a lie; this comes naturally because I'm so charming." Fang waved her hand around for emphasis on the joke over her superior social skills to the other woman.
Lightning laughed sarcastically, hiding a faint smile behind her own coffee mug. "Smug, are we?"
"Hey, I'm not the one that shakes hands with another woman's face."
"Touche." Lightning faintly raised her glass in a cheers like manner towards the brunette.
For a while, the two bantered. Tossing light verbal jabs, testing the waters. Neither woman willing to admit defeat while also never wanting to push too far. Fang was pleasantly astonished time and time again with the light haired woman. Not only was she strong physically, but she was stone wall powerful emotionally. To top it all off, her wit was easily combatant with her own. They were so alike, yet so different, and as Fang pressed more and more for the other woman to open up, the more she found herself leaning into the table, soaking up every well placed word she was graced with.
Eventually, their coffee mugs were drained and the two women were simply enjoying the company of one another. Or at least, Fang had hoped so. Over their talk Lightning had relaxed, just slightly. Her shoulders, while still square and strong, had a sense of softness to them; her fingers no longer fidgeted with anything she could find or cross and uncross themselves every other minute; she now faced more directly towards her rather than slightly turned away with her eyes drifting awkwardly; and most importantly, Fang had counted a total of four genuine and small smiles that she hadn't tried to hide from her.
Lightning now sat with her legs crossed casually, her elbows rested on the small table and her fingers wrapped delicately around an empty mug. Her gaze shifted between the stain at the bottom of the mug, and Fang at intermittent intervals. Most of the time she gave her attention to Fang, but every so often she forced herself to look elsewhere. It was an overwhelming feeling, fighting her own urges to give someone her full attention. She hardly ever even did that for Serah, unless of course the younger woman was having some sort of crisis.
"So, it's just you and your sister then?" Fang inquired. Their conversation had taken a more personal turn by now, and Lightning -while hesitant- had opened up slightly over the course of their meeting. Lightning nodded in response. Unsure of how else to answer the question, not wanting to really go into detail about her past, but not wanting to ignore it either. "Me too." Lightning wasn't sure what she was expecting when Fang realized her only family was her younger sister, but it definitely wasn't a response like that. "Well, She's not my sister by blood, but she's all I got and she's family to me."
"That's admirable." Lightning was still unsure of how to respond. She had never quite met a woman like Fang before. She was so similar to herself, but with one high key difference: Fang radiated self confidence. She was so sure of herself, confident, and not afraid to put herself out there for the world to see. "She's a lucky girl." She added after a small silence, her thoughts and wonder over Fang starting to consume her.
"You don't know the half of it." Fang joked, stretching her arms over her head and leaning back into her chair so it balanced on its hind two legs. "But I'd be happy to show you." she added as her chair hit flatly against the floor again, her body leaning well into the table, closing the gap between the two women. Even with a bruise, blackened and swollen, Fang still had a captivating essence about her, Lightning had been borderline intoxicated almost all hour.
"Are you asking me out on a date?" Stunned, Lightning was thankful for her emotional control; able to hide her fury of emotions all demanding to present themselves and instead come off as her cold, calm self. Lightning raised her own confidence to combat the brunette. She leaned into the table slightly as well, their eyes locking in what felt like an endless contest.
"I thought we were already on one." Fang retorted shrewdly as she stood up from her chair.
"Touche." Standing up, Lightning grabbed her maroon leather jacket, followed Fang to the exit and with a defeated yet coltish smile Lightning punched Fang in the arm. Fang immediately rubbed her forearm as if she were in great pain to play along. "Looks like I'll have to take you out for Coffee again, Fang. I insist that I make this up to you."
Grinning widely, Fang managed a nod. "How 'bout dinner instead?"
It was strange, Fang still didn't consider herself one for heroics; but she could get used to it if it resulted in getting punched by Lightning.
I didn't sleep last night, and instead wrote a reality based FLight/Fangrai one shot. Dabbling with the idea of turning it into as Square enix puts it "Fantasy based on reality", but I also just really like this as a one shot. Anyway, hope it was a fun read!