Year 1AF – Growth
September
The day had been surprisingly productive for Lightning. She had completed rubbing out the finish on her latest coffee table. It would be the third one to grace the living room. There was something alluring about the variety of styles she could complete. Though, their ultimate appeal was how manageable they were opposed to larger furniture. She had been admiring today's asymmetrical masterpiece when Hope arrived home from school.
"Oh, you're here," the boy said nervously in the doorway.
"I do live here," she said, propping her feet on one of the older tables.
"Am I not allowed in? Perhaps we should have found another place to work," a teenage girl said somewhere behind Hope.
So that had been the reason for his awkwardness. He had brought a girl home. Lightning wasn't sure if she should feel excited or angry. Everyone had been wondering if he even bothered making friends. However, making friends and making out were entirely different situations.
"Whatever you're thinking, Light, just stop," he said, rolling his eyes. "Alyssa and I were assigned a group project."
He tossed his bag on the floor and sat down next to her. A girl slightly younger than him, though inches taller, entered the room. She had shoulder length blonde hair and looked gawky in the way girls in the midst of a growth spurt do.
"I'm sorry to intrude. My name is Alyssa Zaidelle. Hope and I were assigned a chemistry project; he claimed that his family wouldn't mind if we worked here."
Lightning stood and walked over to the girl. She couldn't tell if she was exceedingly sincere or merely trying to cover up for other intentions.
"Lightning Farron. Pleasure to meet you. Don't worry. Any friend of Hope's is welcome here," she said, sticking out a hand to shake.
Alyssa's face turned pink the instant their hands met. Well, if Hope had any ulterior motives with the girl, he didn't stand a chance now. Lightning glanced at him, curious if he was oblivious. Uninterested, the boy leafed through his textbook.
"The pleasure is all mine Ms. Farron," Alyssa said. "Hope talks about you incessantly. While I hadn't believed him at the time, he's correct. You are the most beautiful woman in existence."
"I never said that," he said, rushing over.
If Alyssa's face had been pink, his was so red it was on the verge of explosion. Lightning lifted an eyebrow as she appraised him.
"Pardon. He said, 'She's pretty for a soldier.' But it's common knowledge that young men rarely say what they mean in its entirety. I came to a conclusion based on the data he gave regarding you."
"Enough, we need to get started," he said directing the girl to the dining room table.
Lightning smiled to herself. "I better leave you two lovebirds to your 'project.' I'll be in my workshop if you need me."
The boy groaned replying, "As long as you don't make another table. Pretty soon they are going to outnumber the people in the house."
"What would you suggest then?"
"You are the only one sleeping on the floor. Make a damn bed."
"You plan on breaking yours?" The corner of her lip lifted in a wicked grin.
The boy stood on his toes and whispered into her ear.
"Trust me. You'll be the first to know."
She'd only meant to tease him. He'd looked so adorable when he'd blushed earlier. What she hadn't expected was for him to shove it back in her face. Something minor caught her attention in that instant. He was growing; he'd probably overtake her height within a year.
October
Alyssa was utterly absorbed in the textbook balanced on her lap. After three weeks, the blonde was an enigma to every family member. She would come over on the pretense of studying with Hope. Long after the boy had given up and was running errands, doing chores, or otherwise relaxing, the girl would remain on their couch.
Neither did her actions reflect an act of teenage seduction. She always insisted that she and the boy work in the communal rooms of the house. Even on days when she knew he wouldn't be home, there she'd be knocking on the door. On the sixth day that she visited, she had worn a fresh pixie cut. It was an exact replica of Lightning's current style. She claimed to have never seen a woman with such short hair, and was relieved that such practicality was open to her sex. By this point, Lightning couldn't tell if the girl had a crush or simply considered her a foreign species to study. Serah was beginning to make adjustments on groceries and hunting requests as Alyssa spent weekly dinners and all weekend meals with them.
"Kid," Lightning said, placing her cleaned gunblade on the table.
"Hmm?" Alyssa said not remotely taking her eyes off The Reproductive Cycle of Gigantuar and Other Asexual Creatures of Pulse.
"Kid." Lightning repeated louder, rising from her chair at the table and walking towards the girl.
"Yes, Ms. Farron?" Alyssa said, finally dog earring a page and looking up.
"Alyssa, everyone is on a camping trip. I am the only one here. You and I have already eaten dinner. I am exhausted." Lightning began to stroke her own forehead.
"Perhaps you should go to sleep," Alyssa replied nonchalantly.
"What I'm trying to say," Lightning spoke through her teeth, "is that I cannot do that until I walk you home."
"Oh, Ms. Farron. I am quite capable of doing that myself," Alyssa said cocking her head then smiling. "I would just prefer to finish this chapter first."
There was no getting through to her. Lightning could not understand how anyone had the patience for the girl. What on earth compelled Hope to be friends with her?
"You and I both know that one of the guys always accompanies you. No one will let me live if something happens to you on my watch," Lightning said crossing her arms.
"But Ms. Farron," Lightning noticed a slight blush blossom across the girl's face. "If you walk me home, there will be no one to account for your safety."
Alyssa was now thumbing the cover of her book and biting her lips. Lightning felt irritated that anyone would question her ability to defend herself. However, she could see genuine concern on the girl's face where there was usually an absence of anything. She strummed her fingers against her arm. Clearly the girl didn't want to leave, but asking her to stay would set a precedent. After staying once, she feared the girl would never leave again. This was the last thing her family needed. Her exhaustion finally got the better of her.
"Are you positive you won't let me walk you?" Lightning said in a last ditch effort.
"Positive," the girl mumbled.
"Fine. I'll change the sheets in Hope's room and you can stay in there."
She left down the hallways, mentally spent and unwilling to argue any longer.
"Sweet Mother of…"
Lightning awoke to a series of expletives and one blood-curling scream. She grabbed her gunblade and hurled herself through Hope's door. Before she could assess the situation, she tumbled to the ground as Snow and Serah tried to plow through her. Once the three came untangled, they looked up to the scene before them.
Alyssa was standing by the bed completely swaddled in her sheets, while Hope stood on the other side looking decidedly angry. Lightning rubbed her eyes trying to wake up fully before speaking. "Could one of you explain to me what the hell is going on?"
"This dipshit is in my bed." Hope pointed at Alyssa.
"Dipshit?!" Alyssa yelped before hopping in her cocoon towards the adults for safety.
Lightning caught Hope making an obscene gesture out of the corner of her eye.
"Hope!" She growled as strutted past Alyssa and towards the boy.
She had every intention of lecturing him until she reached him. Once near, she was able to bring other things into his focus. His drenched clothing clung to his body, his hair stuck haphazardly to his face. He was soaking wet, and now that she thought about it, her own clothes had wet blotches where she'd smacked into her siblings. When she stroked his dripping bangs away from his eyes, he shivered under her fingertips.
"I repeat, what the hell is going on here?"
"Our trip got rained out. As in, the tent and camp completely flooded. We all agreed to come home," Snow answered.
She turned to see Snow speaking behind her. All the while her hands never left Hope, tucking errant hairs, smoothing clothing.
"I was trying to change into my pajamas when that dipshit screamed at me. Scared the hell out of me," Hope said glaring menacingly at the Alyssa/blanket blob.
"You can't talk to your friends like that," Lightning said, tilting her head trying to catch his gaze. "Regardless of whether they surprised you or not. Come here."
She pulled him into a hug trying to calm him down. His head lobbed onto her shoulder. With their cheeks touching, she was finally positive of their temperature difference. His shivers had nothing to do with her presence and everything to do with a fever.
"I'm sorry about all of this. We're usually not this terrible with overnight guests," Serah said with a slightly panicked tone. "Actually you're our first."
Lightning, at this point, had completely tuned out of the conversation and was grabbing at the clothes Hope had placed on the dresser. Reaching blindly with one hand while keeping Hope close with the other was proving difficult.
"Sis, what are you even doing?" Snow said, left out of the mothering going on.
"Alyssa, get back to bed. I'm taking him with me," Lightning said.
Finally grasping Hope's clothes, she began half dancing half dragging him toward the door. Once they reached it, she practically shoved the boy out. By then he'd already latched his arms at her waist, so they stumbled into the hallway and careened into the opposing wall.
"Uhmm." Was all that Snow could manage as he lifted the two to their feet and followed Lightning into her room.
"What are you doing!" he shouted as Lightning peeled off the soaking boy's shirt.
Snow stopped her hands when they she began unbuttoning Hope's fly. She merely flicked her wrist and shoved Snow's palm against Hope's burning skin.
"How could you not notice? The kid's completely out of it because he's sick. I leave you with him for the weekend, and this is what you come back with?" As she spoke, Lightning dug her nails into Snow's knuckles.
"I can take care of myself," Hope said, teeth chattering and all his energy burnt out.
"Change him into these. I'm going to see if we have any medicine," Lightning said as she shoved the pile of clothes at Snow.
As she walked to the kitchen, she saw Serah delicately closing the door to Hope's room.
"Poor thing is terrified. I can't believe he acted that way," Serah said to her sister.
Lightning ignored her and began searching various drawers and cabinets. Honestly she was kind of relieved someone had said anything to Alyssa. It had begun to look like the girl was well on her way to being a permanent fixture of the house. Though, it did dishearten her to hear Hope speak to anyone in that manner. To put it mildly she felt conflicted.
Upon returning to the room with a possibly expired fever reducer, she found Hope snuggled into her dirty sheets.
"Sorry I haven't washed in a while."
Lightning wasn't sure why she felt self-conscious about it. Yet there she was, embarrassed. She handed him the pills. He sat up to swallow them, then promptly nestled back under the comforter and lifted a corner.
"Well this is nostalgic," she said, sliding under the blankets and curving against his body. She'd intended to sleep on the couch, but now she couldn't bear the thought of leaving him alone.
"I shouldn't have been an asshole," Hope muttered into the blankets.
"Understatement. You were King of the Assholes to the only friend of yours I've ever met."
"She's not my only friend," Hope said defensively.
"I said, the only one I've met," Lightning said while slinking her arms around him.
"Can I… Can I say something?" Hope searched her face in the darkness trying to discern something.
"Of course."
"Even if it will piss you off?"
"Let's agree that you get a free pass today," she said, bringing him in close and tucking his head into her chest.
"I was angry because," his breathing increased, "because I realized it wasn't you in the bed. I wanted it to be you."
Lightning ran her fingers up and down his back, praying he would fall asleep. She knew he was waiting for a response. Now was not the time to give him one. He surely was as aware of that as she was. Either way, neither of them said anything else before they dozed off.
"I think that based on recent events, I should probably acquire self-defense skills," Alyssa said as she stepped into the kitchen.
"I already told you I'm sorry. It was an accident, like hell I'd ever do anything to you," Hope interjected loudly from his bedroom.
"Be that as it may, it is still necessary as a woman for me to be able to defend myself. You were clear about that last evening Ms. Farron, but I was not of the mind to listen," Alyssa said, placing a hand on her hip trying to exude confidence.
Alyssa had spent breakfast listening to Snow, Serah and Hope's profuse apologies. The girl had then redirected the conversation to the fauna of Pulse in the areas the l'Cie had explored. Lightning had been utterly drained by the girl's curiosity and run away to wash dishes. Despite how frustrating the child was, she had a point. Safety outweighed irritation.
"Fine," Lightning said, placing a frying pan back in the cabinet. "Go get Snow."
If Lightning was going to suffer Alyssa the entire afternoon, then at least she could punish Snow in the process. The group of three walked out to the grass beside the house but in front of the workshop. They spent the afternoon practicing a variety of poses. First Snow would simulate attacking Lightning, and then she would force him off in slow motion. She would explicitly describe what action she made and why, while poor Snow was shoved this way and that. Once Alyssa would claim she'd understood, it was her turn.
Lightning could tell the girl was taken aback by how heavy Snow was, even while supporting his own weight. She gently reminded Alyssa that while most people weren't as large as Snow, some were. That was enough reason to at least try.
It was only when Lightning suggested a series of yells, that Serah ran outside terrified. What the woman found was her family, covered in grass stains, holding their hands to their diaphragms and shouting. Feeling a bit left out, she'd insisted on joining. Lightning soon learned that her sister wasn't taking the exercise seriously. Rather, she'd used it as an opportunity to overpower Snow and unleash a barrage of kisses.
"I guess practice is over," Lightning said, crossing her arms.
"I'm extremely grateful for this Ms. Farron," Alyssa said surprisingly shyly.
"Don't worry about it." Lightning uncrossed her arms and placed a hand on Alyssa's shoulder. "I only hope that you never need to use any of this."
Alyssa shrugged off Lightning's touch and lifted her hand to bite at her fingernails.
"I should probably head back," Alyssa paused, "to the shelter. They will definitely be concerned that I didn't return last night."
"Shelter?" Lightning said, her brows beginning to furrow.
It had never occurred to Lightning that the girl had been returning to a shelter every night. Though admittedly had the Farrons and Villiers not been around, the same fate would have befallen Hope. All minors that didn't have an adult to cohabit with were relegated to the shelters. They were something akin to warehouses, enormous rooms lined with endless rows of bunks. Lightning herself had been involved their construction. It had all come down to time. The crew had wanted to divide the rooms further, but the government hadn't supplied the time or equipment to do so.
"Yes, Ms. Farron. Did you not know? I had been visiting a friend in Bhodum during the Purge. In the time since, I haven't once found information in regards to my family."
Alyssa refused to make eye contact, clearly full of shame.
"Snow and Hope have been knowingly walking you back to the shelter every evening?" Lightning said, her muscles tensing.
"Of course, Ms. Farron. That is where I live." Alyssa's voice had become almost inaudible.
Lightning began clenching and releasing her fists, eventually bringing her hands together to crack her knuckles. Alyssa was the second brightest person she knew. Yet he was being stymied by curfews, rations, noise, and lack of privacy.
"Alyssa," she said, returning her hand to the girls shoulder, "I need you to listen to me."
The girl finally looked up from the ground.
"Our house is small, relatively loud, and we frustrate each other regularly. You know this. However," Lightning said, watching something shift in Alyssa's expression, "if you will have us, I would like for you to live here."
"What?" Alyssa squeaked, her usual calculated demeanor absent.
"I know it's sudden," Lightning said, trying to calm her.
"But what about everyone else? Won't they dislike it? Where would I even stay?"
Lightning thought for a moment. Since the plan had only popped in her mind minutes before, she hadn't quite perfected it yet.
"You will stay in my room. I will stay in the living room," Lightning paused as an idea struck her. "And then I will build an annex. It's something I've been mulling over for a while. There are only three bedrooms. Should Serah ever have children we'll need more space, oversight on my part during the initial build. We'll just bump up the schedule and the annex will be yours."
Lightning clapped her hands together. For once she felt like the genius of the household. Is this how Snow felt any time he had a heroic idea?
"Are you sure about this?" Alyssa said, not wanting to become over excited.
"Completely."
"Ahem, welcome to the family?" Serah interrupted.
Somehow amidst their discussion, Lightning and Alyssa had both forgotten that the Villiers were canoodling only yards away in the grass. Then Snow rushed over and lifted Alyssa in the air.
"The Estheim-Farron-Villiers-Zaidelle Residence. It's long, but damn it if I don't like the sound of it!" Snow shouted, spinning the girl around.
The window to Hope's room flung open and he stuck his sweaty head out.
"Someone care to explain what that doofus is yelling about?" Hope said pointing to the confusing scene before him.
Lightning cautiously approached the window. He rested his elbow on the sill and balanced his head on his hand.
"Hope, Alyssa is moving in with us," she said.
He huffed and reached out to run the backs of two fingers along her face.
"For as stubborn as you are, you can't say no to a stray. I'm surprised the house isn't overrun with cats instead of end tables."
"Did you insinuate I'm a cat lady?" she said, playfully touching the arm of his glasses making them dance on his nose.
"No." Hope let out a deep breath, "I just think that I'm the only one aware of something."
"And what would that be, Professor Estheim?"
"You assume that Serah is the caring one. But Light, you have the biggest heart of anyone I know."
The boy stood up, pecked her on the cheek, and shut the window. Lightning stood frozen in place. If any of the household had been looking, the action would only have been a familial gesture.
Lightning knew that it was more.
Snow and Alyssa left that evening to gather the rest of her meager belongings. As it was Sunday, none of the clerical offices were open. Once the weekend finished the family would submit the paperwork for her transfer. Lightning had tried to leave with them, but Snow and Alyssa had claimed there was no need. All she was actually picking up consisted of toiletries, a suitcase of clothing, and a handful of books. Her other possessions were in her backpack at the house.
Hope had downed more medicine and returned to sleep. It was the rare occasion where Serah and Lightning were alone. For this reason, she was surprised to see her sister remove a bottle from the back of a cabinet and take a swig. After swallowing, and slightly sputtering, the younger sister brought the bottle and two glasses to one of the many coffee tables. She poured a pathetic splash for Lightning and then filled her own to the brim.
"Aren't you going to drink?" Serah said, gulping down half her serving.
Lightning sipped at what was clearly moonshine.
"Where did you get this? I can feel my liver dying." She tried to not let on how deeply her throat burned.
"Sahz gave it Snow as a wedding gift before he left. It's been too strong to have more than a sip." Serah looked sorrowfully at her sister. "But today. Today I am in mourning." She topped her glass off and resumed her assault on the beverage.
"May I ask for whom?" Lightning raised her eyebrow toward her sister.
"Me. My youth, my sex life." Serah then proceeded to wail at the top of her lungs, "Screw scheduled sex!"
Lightning threw her hands over her sister's mouth. She silently prayed that Hope was still asleep. The last thing he needed to witness was a drunken Serah.
"Care to quietly elaborate?" she said, gingerly releasing her hold.
"Snow wants to adopt her."
"Hey. No one has even mentioned any details yet. I have a different job now. I'm sure they wouldn't give us nearly as hard of a time as they did with Hope." She bit her lip, still feeling bitter.
"Oh Lightning. But we have discussed it. Snow and I have been talking about it every night since he first walked her home two weeks ago." Serah sighed and flopped her head onto the armrest. She also spilled her drink in the process. "I was holding out. We already have one dependent. We've actually been trying to get pregnant. But we agreed that if we did adopt her, that we'd wait until she and Hope were adults. I'm only twenty and in a matter of days my husband and I will be the parents of two teenagers."
Serah smashed her face into the armrest and mumbled something incoherent. Lightning hesitantly touched her sister's back.
"Are you…ok with this?"
Lightning wasn't sure if she was being insensitive. However, she couldn't get a good read on her.
"Of course I'm ok with this." Serah rolled upright. "I just wanted another week. I'm ovulating and horny as hell. Lightning I'm so horny!" She shouted the last word. "Snow and I were going to discuss this whole thing as a family next week. That's why Snow insisted that we do something fun alone with Hope this weekend."
"You are aware you aren't his actual parents." Lightning glared at her sister and chugged the last of her alcohol.
"Stop being jealous, Sis."
Serah pinched Lightning's cheek, winked, and then hobbled her way to her bedroom. Finally in silence, Lightning cleaned up the booze and pulled out a notebook. She then began to map out the plans for an annex.
A note from the author: Their ages. How is Serah already twenty at the end of this chapter? I gave everyone birthdays so that I can bend them to my will. muhahaha!
Everyone starts the story at their ages from the game. (Except for Alyssa who was only given ages in XIII-2. But we do know that she's the same age as Hope. So she starts the story at 13.)
Hope-January
Light- June
Alyssa- October (therefore she is significantly younger than Hope, but they will still be the same age from Oct-Jan)
Serah- August
Snow- Do we care? It will never be mentioned. But he's also January.
