W is for Wish
By: PhoenixJustice
Disclaimer: Lightning Returns:Final Fantasy XIII is property of SquareEnix. I only own this story and make no profit from this.
Pairing: Snow/Lightning, mentions of Noel/Serah.
Setting: sometime post-Lightning Returns.
Summary: She could feel like a normal woman, feel like Claire, and not Lightning. And admit that she was-
Part Twenty-Three of the Alphabet Chronicles.
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"Why didn't you ever tell me?" He asks.
She shakes her head rapidly. "How could I?" She asks sardonically. "To tell the man whom my sister was to marry that I loved him. I am many things, Snow, but I am not cruel."
He grabs her shoulders, pulling her closer. "No." He says, softly. "You're not. You try to be. I've seen you try so many times. You pull deeper into your shell, into yourself and try not to let anyone see the real you. I've seen you, though. So many times. So many times and I would think-" He swallows. "That you are something special. And then I would hate myself for it."
"Because of Serah."
"Yes. But then-I always loved her, Lightning. I was never unfaithful and I did love her. I did. But..."
"Sometimes two people aren't meant to be together." She says, just as softly as he had spoken moments earlier. She had used to think that of her and Snow. She had never been able to help her feelings for him, but it had always left her struggling within herself, hating herself, hating herself for loving someone she should not. But then...things had changed.
When it became obvious, with delay after delay, that Serah and Snow would not marry, she felt her heart start to pick up and beat once more-and had hated herself that it did. They broke it off and it was all too clear that Serah was in love with Noel and he her. They married almost immediately.
Which left Snow on his own.
And she could want something for herself for the first time, without feeling bad about it. She could feel like a normal woman, feel like Claire, and not Lightning. And admit that she was-
"And some are." He says, finger under her chin, tipping it up to make her look up at him. "Will you be with me, Claire?"
Her eyes fill. Both at his question and that he would use her true name, that it could strike with such feeling from his lips.
"Yes."
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I hope you enjoyed this!
Let me know what you thought!
-PhoenixJustice