A.N: This is a one-shot FangxVanille Yuri fanfic, but it is somewhat subtle so if you would prefer to read it otherwise, that is completely your choice. I really like them as a couple, and I will probably be writing more stories relating to them, and hopefully it will be something that is longer than a one-shot. I also like the idea of FangxLightning, too, but that's a little trickier to write, so you'll have to bare with me on that one. Of course, reviews, criticisms and well as compliments, are always appreciated, so feel free to express any opinion you have.
I don't claim to be the owner of any of the characters or concepts included in this story, they all belong to Square Enix.
Enjoy!
Vanille dipped her toes curiously into the cool stream, as Fang watched, with her arms folded, behind her.
Although still quite some distance away from their village of Oerba, the rocky enclave reminded them of home. It was almost silent, aside from the gentle whisper of the flowing waterfall and the stagnant sway of the still and shallow pools of water, collecting slightly below the main stream.
Vanille flinched backwards, almost as soon as her toes had met the iced cold water.
"It's so cold!" Vanille screamed, as she jumped backwards. She pouted up at Fang, who was laughing under her breath. "I'm not jumping in there."
"Well, you've gotta bathe sometime, stinky." Fang retorted, playfully.
Vanille pouted and crinkled her nose. "Then why don't you jump in, too?" She asked.
Fang rolled her eyes, knowing she couldn't resist that cute look. She, reluctantly, unfolded her arms, set down her spear on a nearby rock, and then began untying her sari.
She looked down, nervously, into the swirling waters below her feet. Vanille was right; it even looked cold. Too stubborn to back down, she had already decided there was no room for doubt.
Pretending as though she was fearless of the freezing temperature about to greet her, after being so contentedly warm, she took a small step backwards and then dived in.
She felt the breath from within her lungs escape and flee away, as soon as her body came into contact with the ice-cold water's blanket. She panted furiously, trying to calm her breathing, but it was no use. Vanille was already laughing smugly.
"I told you it was cold." Vanille scoffed, almost unable to contain her laughter.
"Come on," Fang glared at the redhead, as she waded through the numbing waters, until she was stood directly below her.
At every passing day, Fang found herself increasingly amazed by Vanille's beauty. She had always found the redhead irresistibly cute, but ever since their reunion, her attraction towards the younger woman had intensified tenfold. She would willingly sacrifice anything to ensure her safety, without a single doubt in her mind.
It was simple; Fang could not exist without Vanille.
"It's really not that cold." Fang said, as she dived backwards and floated across the surface, making sure to wet her face and hair.
Vanille nodded, shook her head, and then shouted back "I'm still not getting in."
Fang grinned as she watched her friend sit down atop some of the rocks nearby. It allowed her the perfect opportunity to grab her and pull her in. Cautiously, she drifted back towards Vanille, and then, like a shark suddenly opening it's jaws wide enough to consume the innocent girl sat at the embankment, she snapped open her arms and pulled her in.
She flailed her limbs about at first, taken by surprise, but she had surrendered to Fang's strong grasp soon enough.
As Fang had done, Vanille fell breathless to the harsh and sudden change in temperature. The fact that the older woman was splashing water about across her face was not helping her to calm down her erratic breathing, either.
"Fang!" Vanille persisted, as she blocked her face from the onslaught of water coming her way.
Fang's giggling subsided momentarily, as she stopped to catch her breath. "Okay, I'm sorry." She added, "I'll stop now."
Vanille peaked through the slight gap in her hands to check. She sighed with relief, as her eyes met Fang's sincere gaze. She beamed happily and let down her guard, and, although gingerly at first, she allowed herself to be taken in by the refreshing feeling of the water and she allowed herself to drift closer to Fang's warmth.
"My clothes are soaked now, it's going to take forever for them to dry." Vanille sulked.
Fang laughed under her breath again, but only to be met with a disappointed glare. She shook her head, "Fine, I'll just go and kill a Uridimmu, skin it and make new clothes for you."
As Fang had spoken, Vanille had begun to remove a few of the garments attached to her hips. She glanced up to Fang with a puzzled expression across her face; Fang knew she needed her assistance, without her even needing to ask.
Fang felt down to where Vanille had been reaching and worked with the shorter girl to try and detach the bear pelt, but it was no use. It was tangled and there was no way to see how to untangle it.
Sighing, but willing to help her nevertheless, Fang dived underneath the water's surface.
*
Lightning ducked her head down and then continued up across the rocky embankment, hoping to find somewhere quiet to go for a swim. The ex-soldier was not used to spending so much time around people she cared for, because she had been so used to shutting herself off from them. Although she wasn't meant to stray from the base camp, by her own orders, she needed some time alone from everyone else.
She paused and listened carefully, as she heard what sounded like a struggle coming from the rocky enclave only a few strides away. She withdrew her Saber from its sheath and neared closer to the sounds.
If she returned to the base camp to warn the others, they would more than likely scold her for going against the orders she set, anyway. Besides, she had no idea if it was an actual threat, or just some stray chocobo hunting for some Gysahl Greens.
She set out onwards with her Saber pointed out directly in front of her, although it bore little real protection against any potential threats big enough to make such a commotion.
She cleared her throat, set her back up straight, and put her Saber back inside of its sheath; as she opened up the overgrown brush and jumped out into the enclave where Vanille was seemingly alone.
Her cheeks turned a bright tone of crimson, as she watched Fang submerge from the creak's water.
"Sorry." Lightning added, as she turned and headed back towards the direction she had come from.
Seeing Fang and Vanille together like that, in such a compromising situation, did not only embarrass her, but it made her feel jealous.
She shrugged off her embarassment and tried to think only of the impending threat of the l'cie, and her focus.
*
Fang and Vanille shared a familiar confused stare, as they watched Lightning scuttle off almost as immediately as she had arrived. Fang pulled up the bear's pelt and waved it in front of an appreciative Vanille's face.
"Must have been one weak bear, if you managed to kill it." Fang teased, playfully.
Vanille splashed the water in Fang's face, to get her back for the insult, both laughing away the day without a care in the world.