Okay guys, this is a fill for the Fangrai Forever prompt list. Many thanks to whoever thought of it, because I enjoyed writing it. Even if it wasn't supposed to be this long. And I made it up as I went along.
It is set after the events of FF XIII-2, but is slightly AU in the sense that it ignores the events of Lightning Returns, and assumes everyone's lives settled down on Gran Pulse. There are minor mentions of violence, and the entire story is themed around two women having romantic feelings for each other, so consider yourselves warned. I don't own Final Fantasy, but this story is covered in my blood, sweat and tears, so its probably best not to steal it.
Lightning Farron awoke with the sunrise, the warm light bathing her eyelids. From her early teens she had always slept with the curtains partially open, allowing the morning sun to stream into her room and wake her naturally. She tried an alarm clock before, but couldn't stand the loud, artificial wailing jerking her out of sleep. The early-morning effect was greater now that they lived on Gran Pulse, not because the sun was any brighter, but because the world was totally different. Gran Pulse was a primal place, much more attuned to nature than the rather cloistered world of Cocoon. The open window allowed a crisp, clean breeze to waft throughout the room, and Lightning could see green tree tops dancing against a backdrop of azure sky.
She gave a little sigh of contentment. It had been six months since she had been freed from Valhalla, and the world had returned to what passed for normal. New Bodhum was growing by the day, with the number of beach-side houses almost doubled from before her arrival. People had flocked down from Cocoon and it was starting to feel like a proper little town. Small shops and other buildings were popping up almost at a rate of knots, making the fledging community feel more grounded. NORA house was doing a roaring trade, with Lebreau's menu featuring a delicious combination of both classic Cocoocian dishes and traditional Pulsian fare. The school where Serah worked had several classes and she and the other teachers were doing a wonderful job combining conventional academics with useful life lessons handy for their new home. Jobs for hunters, fishers and builders were thriving, with everyone rather enjoying the opportunity to live a life more attuned to the natural world.
Still in its early stages of growth, the town changed shape almost by the day. It had taken less time than one might have imagined, adjusting to life on Gran Pulse. It was certainly stressful at first, having to hunt and make and create everything you needed instead of relying on a fal'Cie to provide it for you, but people are nothing if not resilient and in the three years since the Fall they had proved themselves worthy. Since news of Lightning, Fang and Vanille's arrival had spread, the stragglers from Cocoon and the rest of the displaced found themselves gravitating towards New Bodhum, wanting the perceived safety of living close to an ex l'Cie. Now that there was no propaganda from the government, and magic had somehow bled into the world, the fallacies regarding l'Cie had largely been put to rest (and Lightning was convinced there was a fallacy/fal'Cie joke in there somewhere if only the pieces could be put together). Initially the three of them were treated with a sort of awed reverence but it thankfully died off after they rolled their sleeves up and got stuck in.
Lightning stretched her limbs and gazed out of her bedroom window. Her house was located a little way back from the beach, more nestled in the outskirts of the woods than anything else. She had requested it so, not because of a dislike of beach-front living, but because she wanted to retain some privacy in her new life. Serah had extended an offer to stay with her almost before they had set foot in New Bodhum, as she was already putting up Fang and Vanille, but Lightning declined. It wasn't that she didn't want to live with her sister again, because some part of her did, but in her years of exile as Etro's champion she had gotten rather used to being by herself. This is not to say she was the social recluse everyone suspected she was. She was the first to admit that she could be reticent, but that was probably due to circumstance rather than anything else. She just wanted to be able to have her own space, where she could truly relax.
Lightning had always struggled with relaxation, ever since her parents had died and left her alone with Serah. She had to juggle school, work and caring for her sister, and consequently had very little time for herself. She wasn't bitter about that fact, she just didn't really have the opportunity to figure out what she did and didn't enjoy in terms of downtime.
She did know that she could easily get used to this new way of living. There was something very satisfying about living a life that wasn't constrained by the fal'Cie, where end results were the product of hard graft and labour, rather than mechanical machinations. Take her house for example. Lightning swept her eyes across her modest bedroom, taking in all the nuances that she still hadn't gotten used to after these past few months, andsome part of her hoped she never got used to it. When she announced that she wanted a modest house in the woods the town's main builder, a gentle giant of a man called Ricard had turned up with a book on building using traditional methods. Apparently it, and several other useful books, had been found when a small expedition went to Oerba to salvage useful materials. It gave simple, step-by-step instructions on how to construct a dwelling using predominately timber and elbow grease.
The citizens of New Bodhum had thrown themselves into a love-thy-neighbour mentality so quickly it was a little bit unreal to think that just a few years ago they were all living parallel, but distinctly separate, lives on Cocoon. Ricard and a group of volunteers, including Fang and Lightning, spent five months sawing and shaping wood, erecting walls and sanding floors. Vanille, Serah and some of the less physically minded residents handcrafted all the furniture and decorated the interior. The result was a wonderfully rustic log cabin that blended into the woodland without seeming too incongruous. It was small to be sure, but Lightning didn't need a lot of space; just a modest bedroom, a small bathroom and an open plan kitchen-dining room area. There was a wraparound porch with a couple of chairs, and at the end of a long day Lightning liked to sit outside and watch the sun go down.
Lightning threw the covers back and swung her legs over the side of her bed. She ran her fingers along the sturdy oak frame, remembering how it and the rest of the house had been built.
She rose up and padded next door into the bathroom, allowing her fingertips to trail across the wooden walls as she did so, appreciating the roughness of the timber against her fingertips. This house was truly remarkable, and the best part was that it was all built manually using centuries-old techniques. Fang and Vanille were doing the best they could, imparting all the information they could remember from their old lives, but to have it all written down was a real help.
Lightning took a quick shower before returning to her room to dress herself; a pair of loose fitting bottoms and a plain black t shirt. She then wandered through into the kitchen and switched the kettle on, fixing herself a strong cup of coffee before going outside to watch the world wake up.
It was still early, but already the temperature was quite warm, and the sun was starting to beat down. She didn't know if it was the lack of air pollution or just her imagination that made the sky feel much bluer than it ever did on Cocoon. If she looked to the left she could see several half-built structures, more houses, blended into the background. A small dirt track lead from them, past her house, and down to the right, back into New Bodhum proper. It wasn't any more than five minutes away, and because this track was the main route into the forest there were always people, hunters especially, coming and going.
"Oi, Light."
Lightning turned to face the direction of the call. Speaking of people coming and going, Fang was walking up the path with her lance slung over her right shoulder and a bag in her left hand. Lightning smiled and gave a half wave with her free hand.
"Morning Fang. Do you want some coffee?"
Fang shook her head in response, jamming her lance into the ground as soon as she made it to the porch, freeing up her hand. "Nah, I haven't got time. Supposed to be going into the forest, hunting down a Gorgonopsid that got spotted. I doubt it's here, especially alone, but it's better to be safe than sorry."
Lightning nodded. She had seen more than enough of the monsters in her time and definitely didn't want to wake up to find one in her house. She gestured at the bag Fang was still carrying, smirking slightly. "Are you going to beat them to death with your shopping?"
Fang raised a sardonic eyebrow in response. "No, cleverclogs. Actually these are for you." She passed the bag over, their fingertips brushing against each other.
"For me?" Lightning took the bag and looked in it. There were at least six books in there, bound in leather with obvious signs of wear and tear. They were clearly relics from an age long past, at least five centuries old, still in wonderful condition. She pulled the topmost one out, Steppe by Steppe: The Pulsian Guide to Hunting. She ran a hand reverently over the ancient cover. "This is incredible. Where did you find it?"
Fang shifted her feet. "Well, you seemed really keen on that house-building book Ricard found, and it did come in useful. So I figured the next time someone was going near Oerba they could pick some stuff up out of the old house for me."
Lightning looked at her in surprise. "These were your books? I can't take them…" she tried to hand the bag back, but Fang threw out a hand to stop her.
"No, I want you to have them. I've already read them, and I figure you'd find them useful. See how we used to do things, Gran Pulse style!" She grabbed her lance and made a mock-heroic gesture with it.
Lightning couldn't help but laugh at the other woman's antics. She knew Fang was trying to cover up her thoughtfulness with humour, and she let her off the hook for it. "Well, these will be handy. Now I have something to put on that bookshelf Serah made for me."
Fang grinned, looking relieved that her present had been well received. "Glad you like them. Look, I'd better go find this 'sid before it causes trouble." She paused before adding, "I really think you'd like that hunting one. It'll come in handy soon."
"Sure. We'll catch up later?"
Fang nodded in acquiescence before setting off down the path again. She had barely taken half a dozen steps before she heard Lightning call out behind her.
"The books were very thoughtful Fang, thank you."
She waved her spear in response, not breaking her stride, glad that embarrassment didn't show up very well on tan skin.
Lightning watched Fang until she was out of sight before draining her now-cool cup of coffee and heading back inside. She was touched the huntress had gone out of her way to acquire these books for her, and more than that, was willing to hand over one of the few remnants of her life before crystallisation. She took the books out of the bag, seven in total, and ran her eyes over the titles. In addition to the book on hunting there were a couple of books on local flora and fauna, one book on creating herbal poultices and compresses, and the remaining three seemed to be historical works, giving information on the changing face of Gran Pulse.
As Lightning took each of the books into her hands and placed them on the shelves she could see how dog-eared and tattered some of the pages were. It was obvious that these books had been dearly loved, and Lightning hoped that she could find them as valuable as Fang had. Remembering the brunette's advice on the hunting book, Lightning made sure she picked that one up and took it into her bedroom, placing it on her bedside table. Her eyes panned over to the clock and she cursed softly, realising that she was going to be late if she didn't get a move on.
Since the relocation to Gran Pulse, the Guardian Corps didn't have a very large role to play, what with basic needs for food and shelter taking precedent. It maintained a skeleton staff, but many chose to retrain as hunters or craftsmen. Lightning was still technically on the payroll, but having been out of the loop for a few years she was spending her days helping her new neighbours construct houses. It was physical work, and kept her in good shape.
Lightning hurried back into the living room, grabbing an apple with one hand and putting her shoes on with the other. She hustled out of the front door and headed towards the construction site to start her day.
Spending eight to ten hours a day on physically demanding work has a way of quickly taking its toll on you, and Lightning found that she didn't have a lot of spare time. The weather was warm and dry, and Ricard was keen on making the structures as watertight as possible before it turned wet. Lightning spent a lot of time shimmying up and down ladders, hammering roofs down and nailing walls together. She had never considered construction as a trade, but there was something about it that was very satisfying. That didn't mean she didn't fancy giving hunting a go. She hadn't forgotten about the books Fang had given her, but she just hadn't gotten around to reading them. Ensuring everyone had a place to live was the top priority; career prospects could come after that.
The sun had just started to dip behind the treeline, and Lightning dropped her hammer into the box in front of her, stretching her tired muscles and hearing the cracks as her bones realigned. It was finally Friday and Lightning was looking forward to downing tools for the weekend and heading to Lebreau's for a drink.
As she tidied her work area and ran a hand through her pink hair to shake the sawdust out of it she could hear Ricard talking to someone round the front of the house. A few moments later she walked outside, and he caught her eye and waved her over.
"Hey Farron, Fang just stopped by. Said 'the girls' were meeting at the bar for drinks in a while if you were interested."
Lightning smiled at him. Ricard was a good man, kind and honest. He was tall with broad shoulders, and would be quite intimidating if he didn't have the temperament of a kitten. He and his wife Lila were both in their early forties and lived overlooking the beach. They were both willing to go out of their way to help anyone in trouble, and their easy, approachable manner made them much loved.
"Thanks Ricard. I think I'm about done for the day anyway."
He gave her a smile and clapped one of his massive hands onto her shoulders, almost knocking her off-balance. "You've done more than enough for one person today, Farron. You're a damn fine worker, but make sure you take a break once in a while. Don't want you to burn out."
Lightning gave him a smile of her own. "I'm okay Ricard. Besides, it's the weekend now, there's plenty of time to recharge my batteries."
Ricard gave her a gentle shove towards to the path. "I'm glad to hear it. Now git. Fang won't wait forever."
Lightning could have sworn she saw the ghost of a wink cross Ricard's face, but she put it down to a trick of the light. "Alright, alright, I'm going, I'm going." She gave him a goodbye wave, and set off towards her house, keen on freshening up before hitting the bar.
It only took a couple of minutes to walk the several hundred metres to her house, and she was up the three porch steps with her hand on the door before she noticed the package on the floor. It was getting too dark outside to see it properly so she went inside, flicking the lights on as she went and dropped it onto the kitchen table.
It was a bundle of brown and grey-ish fur, with small dark blue patches running through it. Lightning unfurled it and held it up to discover that it was a Gorgonopsid pelt. All the spines had been meticulously removed, and the underside had been thoroughly cleaned. There were no stab marks or bullet holes, indicating that whoever had killed it had done so with the minimum amount of fuss.
Lightning cast a professional eye over it. She had killed these creatures by the dozen the first time she was on Gran Pulse, and they didn't go down easily. By the size of it, the pelt belonged to an adult, probably a male. The fur was lustrous and without any blemishes or patches, suggesting that it had been a healthy beast. It was probably no mean feat, first taking it down without damaging the pelt then getting it cleaned. Lightning just didn't know why someone would leave it on her doorstep. Was it even meant for her?
During her journey as a l'Cie she was well used to tripping over items that seemed randomly placed. Everywhere they went it was almost impossible to move without walking into weapon components, accessories, and potions. Hell, she came across more than one upgrade for her gunblade, and those things weren't cheap. Even the monsters they defeated seemed to be paying out gil. She didn't complain about it at the time – no one was short on charms or bracelets, and whatever they didn't use they could sell – but it was strange that hundreds of thousands of gils-worth of equipment was just lying around.
It was odd that it was by her front door though. Someone had presumably left it there for her, but there wasn't a note or anything to indicate who it was from.
Lightning draped the pelt over the large chair next to the fireplace. Didn't Fang mention something about a Gorgonopsid earlier in the week? It was within the realms of possibility that this was the creature the huntress had killed.
She shrugged. It was a wonderful looking skin, and matched the frontier-style of her house very well. She would have to ask Fang about it at the bar later. Lightning gave the pelt one last pat then headed into the bathroom for a quick shower and change.
The sun was just nestled above the horizon, a burnt orange mark against a rapidly darkening sky. Lightning had washed and changed into a short light-brown skirt and a white well-fitting blouse. She had taken her sandals off as she walked across the beach, enjoying the feeling of the sand between her toes. The lights of NORA house gave off a comforting glow, and she could hear laughter as she approached. Slipping her footwear back on as she crossed the threshold, Lebreau caught her eye and had poured her a gin and tonic before Lightning made it to the bar.
"Here ya go Lightning, ice and a slice, just how you like it," said the barmaid with a friendly smile.
"Thanks. Put it on my tab?" replied Lightning, taking a sip and closing her eyes briefly in contentment.
"Sure thing. Serah and the others are out back."
"Great, thanks Lebreau." Lightning bid farewell and wove her way through the bar patrons to the back of the building. Not generally for public use, this was a slightly more private setting than the main bar, predominately used by the ex-l'Cie and the members of NORA. There were a couple of sofas that had seen better days, and two big armchairs, all centred round a massive fireplace that was lit and provided the room with warmth and comfort.
Serah and Vanille were curled up on one of the sofas, talking and giggling quietly, whilst Fang was stretched out in the chair nearest the fire. Lightning rapped on the doorframe before walking in.
"Knock knock."
All three pairs of eyes turned around to face her. Serah leapt up and ran across the room, throwing herself into her sister's arms before Lightning had taken two steps.
"Claire! You're here. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!"
Lightning carefully hugged the younger girl with her free arm, trying to keep her drink from spilling with the other. "Easy Serah. It hasn't even been a week."
Serah released her sister and pouted slightly. "I know, but I miss you when you're not around. I haven't gotten used to you not living in the house anymore."
Lightning ruffled Serah's hair gently and gave her the smile she reserved solely for her sister before collapsing into the chair opposite Fang and breathing a sigh of satisfaction.
Fang looked over at her. "Tough week?"
The pinkette took a large mouthful of her drink before responding. "Not tough, just hard. Once these houses are up things should settle down."
Fang nodded and as Serah returned to her seat next to Vanille, talk turned to the past week and the atmosphere became relaxed as the four women caught up. Lightning was content to let a lot of the conversation flow over her, and just enjoyed letting the alcohol relax her tired body and mind. It wasn't until Vanille was talking about how she had created the bear skin she used to hold her binding rod that Lightning remembered about her mysterious gift.
"Hey Fang?"
The huntress turned away from the conversation she was having with Serah and raised a quizzical eyebrow.
"Did you leave a pelt on my front step today?"
For a split second Fang froze, a behemoth-in-the-bow-sights expression on her face. She had hoped Lightning wouldn't bring it up tonight, especially when Vanille was listening.
Vanille, for her part, gasped and swung around to face Fang, her hands clasped together in front of her chest. "Fang! Did you really?!"
Serah looked confused and turned from her sister, to Vanille, to Fang, trying to figure out what they were talking about. Lightning remained still, a little bit baffled at the two Pulsian's reactions. Vanille had her eyes fixed on Fang, eagerly awaiting a response and Fang hadn't moved since Lightning had asked the question.
Seeing as this wasn't getting anyone anywhere, Serah tried to chivvy them along. "So…a pelt?" she prompted.
Lightning shook herself out of her paralysis. "Yes, I noticed it this evening when I went home to get changed. It was neatly folded up by the door, so I didn't think someone left it there accidentally."
"I don't know sis. I can't count the number of items I came across on my journey." She thrust out her right arm and jangled the bracelets she was wearing. "Don't these look good? This blue one improves my magic and the black one makes me stronger!" She flashed her sister a cheeky smile and a V-for-victory sign.
Lightning rolled her eyes at her sister's antics. "Not strong enough to help me tile my roof though, eh?" Serah pouted. "Anyway, I'm sure it was left deliberately. Was it you, Fang?"
Fang seemed to shake herself out of her stupor and glanced over. "Uh, well…yes." She shot Vanille a look, and the bubbly redhead seemed to understand because she didn't say anything. Instead she stood up, dragging Serah with her.
"Well, we're tired, me and Serah are going to bed. Night you guys!" Serah just had time to throw her sister a perplexed look before she was dragged out of the room, and Lightning and Fang were left by themselves.
Lightning had watched the hasty exit and kept her eyes on the door for a few more moments, trying to let her brain catch up. She turned back towards Fang, who was now paying great attention to the fire. She had the impression that this pelt business seemed to be a bigger deal than it first appeared. Vanille seemed to be thrilled but Fang seemed to be uncharacteristically…quiet? Nervous? She wasn't quite sure. Maybe it would be a good idea to change the subject.
"So the new houses are coming on well. We've made good progress this week with the weather being so fine. I've barely had time to sit down it's been so hectic." She gave a little chuckle. "It's like being a l'Cie again but with fewer things trying to kill me"
This wrought a smile from Fang, and she settled back in her chair, looking slightly more comfortable. "But you're enjoying it, yeah?"
"Yes. It's definitely rewarding work. I still think I'd like to get out hunting though once the houses are up." That reminded her about the books. "I must read that hunting book first, though"
Fang perked up when she heard that. "You haven't read it yet?"
Lightning shook her head. "I haven't had the time to even start it."
The brunette seemed to relax slightly after hearing that. She knew the timing between giving the book and giving the pelt was a little quick, so it wasn't surprising that Lightning didn't know the significance of the gift yet. Still, she had seemed receptive to it. Fang gave herself a small grin. What she was doing was a gamble, but if it worked the reward would be worth it. Vanille seemed to be on board, and she was bound to be selling Serah on the idea right now. With those two on her side, there was no way she was going to let the greatest quarry of her life escape her.
Lightning watched the play of emotions across Fang's face as she sipped the rest of her drink. There was definitely something going on here that she was missing, but she was too warm and too tipsy to worry about what it was. She had a brand new Gorgonopsid pelt to dress her house with, and two days off.