Summary: Lightning thinks she and Fang should just be friends, until she realizes that they do share something more. The stoic soldier attempts all sorts of methods to win her back, all while leading Pulse's army during the Second War.

A/N: Hi all! My first attempt at a multi-chapter fic instead of my usual oneshots. Light and Fang are amazing, each with their own strong and endearing characteristics and idiosyncrasies. Their personalities are such that any moment of them together is an excellent one. Though fairly new to the pair, I've noticed it is Fang who usually initiates the relationship. So an idea began toying in my mind, what if Lightning instead was the one who instigated things? Please let me know what you think!

A/N #2: Apologize, I had to delete the story and re-upload it since it kept saying that it was unable to locate the original story. Hopefully this time it works.

Dislaimer: Square Enix is the genius behind Final Fantasy XIII, I'm merely borrowing a fraction of it.

Say It Isn't So

Chapter 1

All the Small Things

The sun's rays caressed against the autumn leaves illuminating the radiant hues. Tree branches danced in the tender wind, flirting with neighboring branches, many whose leaves were beginning to be stripped from the wooden bark. In the distance, Chocobos were busy eating and foraging, preparing for the harsher weather that lay ahead.

"This here is a right time of year." Fang mused to Lightning. "Those brilliant colors are made for no other season."

They slowly climbed a gentle slope through some more foliage, leaves crunching as they went.

"Vanille and I would often walk these parts just beyond that stream," Fang pointed, from near the top of the hill they were on, at some distance short of the setting sun. "Other times I'd go for a walk by myself. I mean I love the kid to death." Lightning nodded, thinking of Serah. "But sometimes there were moments where you just wanted to…."

"…think your own thoughts." Lightning finished the sentence softly, and then continued, "It's not like you didn't know how to communicate them. It's that you didn't want to just yet."

Fang gave Lightning a small smile. "It's like you read my mind, Sunshine." She walked for a bit, slowed and finally stopped, something on her mind.

Lightning, who had gotten a little ahead, paused and turned back with a questioning look.

Fang redirected her gaze to the picturesque trees in the distance. It was now or never. She couldn't look at Lightning while she said what she wanted to say. She lost more courage when staring into the soldier's piercing blue eyes than the strong warrior would care to admit.

Fang began, "You actually know a lot of what I think and feel. Like we work the same way, ya know?"

"Yeah..." Lightning gave a questioning look as she stepped closer to Fang, unsure of where the conversation was going.

Fang continued, "Remember that day on the bridge in Palompolum?" Lightning nodded, it was during a time when she and Fang had just met, but what about it? "We talked about all sorts of things, you told me a little about Serah, me about Vanille…"

Lightning smiled at the memory, fondly remembering the ease at which the conversation flowed.

"Well, Light, ever since then, I've felt a sort of peace and happiness I've never felt with anyone else."

Lightning stopped smiling. Where was Fang going with this?

Fang finally turned to the soldier and stepped forward, noses barely touching, her eyes burning with intensity. Lightning would've stepped back if she wasn't so hypnotized.

"Light, with you things just seem so right. Your confidence as a soldier is so damn breathtakin'. Your devotion to your sister is so damn admirable. Your desire to teach Hope is so damn cute. I respect and trust you, more than anybody." Fang paused, as if struggling for words, which was so unlike the naturally confident warrior.

"Light, I'm in love with you."

Lightning, of course, had no coherent response to such a statement. They were talking about the color of autumn leaves, when did it turn to a conversation about feelings? And about love nonetheless!

"Um, well, thanks, Fang. I respect and trust you too." Lightning paused, then added. "That was a rather nice day in Palompolum."

Fang feared the awkwardness was only just beginning. "It was."

"Yes." Lightning's right hand twitched as it ran through her hair.

"Light."

"Hmm?"

"From this day onward, I would be really happy if we started our life together as more than friends. Ya know, like fightin' anythin' that comes our way as one team, eatin' every dinner of every night with each other, growin' old together…"

Growing old together! What about trying to survive until next month first? Why couldn't they do all that as friends?

"…sharin' a home and a bed together."

Now that got Lightning started, "Whoa, hey, Fang. We undoubtedly share a perfectly good friendship-"

"-which makes it very reasonable to make it somethin' more, right?" Fang argued logically, with a smile and raised eyebrows.

Lightning didn't see why they would possibly want to ruin a good thing that they had going. She tried to break it in her typical gentle fashion, "Or not."

Something in the air seemed to collapse. For the first time since the conversation began, the sparkle in Fang's eyes vanished. The happiness that was the foundation for her easy smile, her natural swagger, her gentle wildness disappeared, leaving a ghost of a Fang.

"So it's all been in my head then, Sunshine?"

"Not all of it, Fang" Lightning defended, deciding now was not the best time to bring up her dislike for the nickname.

"No, I think it has. I should've realized it was nothin' but a dream when you have givin' more hugs to Hope than you have to me."

"Fang…"

"Or how you've touched Snow more with your punches to him than you have touched me."

"Fang."

"I get it! You wanna be friends, let's just be friends!" There was desperation in Fang's voice, a struggle to maintain control.

"Fang-"

"It was a mistake on my part to think that there was somethin' more." Fang was turning around now, walking away. "Forgive me for ever mentionin' it," each word was filled with anger and pain, and then the warrior left the soldier alone.

Lightning followed Fang with her eyes until she disappeared into the trees. She whispered, "No Fang, please forgive me."

The last of the sun's rays vanished below the horizon, making Lightning's walk back a dark one.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

The populace of Gran Pulse had much to be thankful for. Two years ago, they had been saved from the possibility of a Cocoon landing on their planet. But six heroes, two of whom sacrificed themselves, had prevented that. Rebuilding had led to a flourish of activity and a booming economy. The goal of reestablishing what had been lost led to the two planets working in harmony.

Until recently.

Now that the initial foundations had been laid, politics- and those with fame and fortune, hungry for power- came into play. Cocoon had sacrificed much more, why shouldn't they have a share of Gran Pulse? Gran Pulse had provided the heroes, Cocoon would be nothing without them, technically they deserved all that was Cocoon. The separation between the two was quickly becoming more than interplanetary distance. The frequency in which the cultures and ideas clashed increased with the coming days.

Lightining awoke early with a pounding in her head. A dull ache sat in her chest and she recalled what had happened between her and Fang. Annoyed, she thought, this is what happens when people try to romanticize things. Friends, everyone should just be friends.

In the automatic habitual fashion that had developed over the years, Lightning began her morning routine, in a quick efficient manner. As she did so, her thoughts remained on Fang. She remembered how, about a year ago, Fang and Vanille had come out of crystal stasis. It was a small affair, and Fang and Vanille had wanted it that way. They received a cordial hero's welcome, but nothing compared to what Lighting felt they deserved.

Lightning smiled as she brushed, mouth full of toothpaste, recalling the fond memory. Fang had graciously received the recognition of the crowd and self-serving politicians in her usual fashion. And then she saw Lighting. It was the first time in a year. Fang walked over, and before they could even exchange smiles, she remarked, "My jaw hasn't hurt in over a year." Then she winked, with a smirk. Before Lightning could respond, Fang was swept away by a statesman who needed a picture with her-being associated with a hero never decreased votes.

That statesman was only one of many. But, no matter how many government officials attended, morale seemed to be boosted only momentarily. Indeed, Lightning wondered, as she rinsed her mouth, if Fang and Vanille's return had only added more fuel to the flames. Wiping her face with a towel, she thought about how Gran Pulse had claimed Fang and Vanille as their heroes, Cocoon had claimed the rest of the l'Cie. Throwing the towel down in disgust, Lightning distinctly remembered how Cocoon had ostracized them. Lightning then picked the towel back up, mildly admonishing herself for her lapse in self-control, and folded the towel neatly. The pain of society's rejection never goes away, but the towel still didn't deserve her anger.

Lightning had finished changing and was in the middle of breakfast when her cell-phone rang. She picked up the phone warily, head still pulsating with a dull ache, "This is Lieutenant Farron."

"Lieutenant Farron, Captain Amodar speaking. Have you heard the news?"

Lightning tried to remember if Amodar told her he was getting married, or buying a new house, or expecting a kid. "No, Captain. Shall I be sending my congratulations?"

"Only for yourself, Farron. How would you like to join the ranks of Captain?"

Lightning stood still, shocked momentarily into silence. "I was only just recently promoted to Lieutenant. I would be grateful, Captain…but what's the reason?"

"Ah, Farron, you're ever so modest. Isn't you being a good soldier enough reason?"

Lightning could tell Amodar meant it. He rarely had a bad remark to say about her, but there was edge to his voice, the kind often heard right before battle.

"Captain…"

Amodar laughed, "I should have known. Nothing gets past you, Farron."

There was a pause. Amodar continued, "All of the previous l'Cie will need to accompany you. Statesman Greidi felt it would be best in the eyes of the public."

"Captain?"

"Farron, Cocoon has attacked the city of Grandvia near Oerba. Tomorrow we go to War."

XXXXXXXX

I would like to say that the title is from Blink 182's "All the small things" but I think I got the lyrics wrong with "Say it isn't so" instead of "Say it Ain't so" but yeah, love Blink 182. Anyways, hope it wasn't too rushed in the beginning and that Lightning and Fang remained in character, but I felt that Lightning had to reject Fang early on in order for the story to work. I also hope the second half wasn't too wordy and boring. Please let me know what y'all think and how you're liking it so far!