11. Pale

She couldn't sleep. Even after a long day of collecting items for synthesis, hunting monsters, and traveling across the Archylte Steppe, Oerba Yun Fang was wide awake. Staring up at the floating Cocoon overhead, like a second full moon, she was laid out on her back and trying to fall asleep. Then again, with no cover, this simple camp thrown together after doing away with a small pack of Gorgonopsids didn't make the huntress the most at ease.

Fang slowly sat up, running her fingers back through her wild raven hair, the sash part of her sari slid off her shoulder. She took a look around. Vanille was curled up by the campfire, as were Hope and Snow. Sazh slept close by, but as jade green orbs scanned for the strawberry blonde soldier known as Lightning Farron, she found her to be away from the others, closer to the edge of their perch, sitting with her back towards the camp.

The tan Oerban blinked slowly once, before getting to her feet slowly, silently and stealthily stepping over to join her. Sliding down to sit next to her, Fang greeted the ex-sergeant with a quiet voice to not wake the others,"What'cha doin' here by yerself?" She saw how Lightning tensed up when she spoke, keeping those burning azure eyes staring straight ahead.

"Just keeping watch," Farron replied in that calm tone of hers, Fang could almost feel the chill of her attitude from where she was sitting, "You should go to sleep." That signature smirk played across Fang's lips as she looked at Lightning.

"Now why would I wanna do that when I could spend my time with a ray of happiness like you?" came the accented chuckle, as Fang leaned back on her hand, their arms almost touching they were sitting so close. Lightning wasn't one to 'scoot', or anything awkward like that, but she would have if she really felt like it. Farron paused, before simply sighing and shaking her head. Stay calm, Light… Fang frowned. What, no hitting?

"Maybe you have a death wish," Light finally murmured, a scowl tugging at the corners of her lips. Fang chuckled. Ah, there it was. Underneath it all, the soldier certainly had some wit to her. It had taken a little bit of time to crumble those walls that Lightning seemed to have up around everyone else, but Fang had this odd delusion that maybe Farron enjoyed bantering with her, and didn't mind the teasing all that much.

"Would you grant it?" the Oerban asked, and her own voice felt foreign for a moment, suddenly not as cheery and teasing as she had been before. She blinked her emerald eyes once as Lightning turned her head to look at Fang in question, one eyebrow raised. There flashed an emotion before those sapphire orbs that at first she couldn't place, she'd never seen it in the soldier's gaze before. Was it worry, for her? For Oerba Yun Fang?

"What do you mean?" Light replied in her own inquiry, that cold mask back in place. Fang's signature grin curved her lips suddenly, as she scrambled to play off the stupid question, shrugging her shoulders as she chuckled, "It's nothin', don't worry yer pretty little head about it Light!" She paused, however, Lightning "mm"ing slightly in disbelief, leaning slightly closer. This was an odd proximity for the two if they weren't fighting, at the very least. Were they fighting? Fang swallowed – she hoped not. Had what she'd said really bugged the icy ex-sergeant that much?

But, faces so close… Fang was mesmerized by how the light looked on Lightning's ivory skin, coming from the silver moon and floating Cocoon ahead. She was gorgeous on any other day, but with her pale skin set in to contrast to both sources of beautiful light, Ligtning Farron was positively breathtaking. She felt her heart jump ahead a few beats, and an overwhelming urge to pounce the soldier in front of her building within her limbs.

"Really, it's nothin'," Fang breathed quietly, in a whisper barely loud enough for Lightning to hear. The strawberry blonde would lean back any second now after realizing how close they were – did her eyes just flicker down? – and go back to keeping watch – was she getting closer? – and being all gorgeous and untouchable. Thunk. The low, dull feeling Fang felt as their foreheads touched, dark hair mingling with pink was enough to snap her senses back in place.

"Fang." Lightning's voice was serious, despite the blush flushing her pale cheeks that the Pulsian could see so clearly, so close together like this. Fang shivered once, feeling Farron's warm breath caressing her lips as the woman spoke her name, and though serious, she desired to hear more.

Much more.

She took in a deep breath, and reached up, placing her hands on Light's shoulders, quiet for a few quickened heartbeats. Then, in a rush of emotions and maybe a hint of sleep deprivation induced euphoria, Fang pressed her lips hard to Lightning's. She felt the soldier tense up, as if she hadn't been expecting this to happen, getting all "I'm the one invading your personal space now" and such. Farron was still for a few moments, unable to move, eyes widening at the mind-blowing contact. Fang's taste was hard to place, but it she had to pick one word, she'd say "fresh", or "wonderful" if you wanted to be vague.

The sound of hand hitting cheek made Vanille, some ten feet away or so, stir, rolling over and sighing softly in her sleep, back to the fire as the two women broke apart. Fang just grinned, watching Lightning turn the same shade as her hair as she stood up, holding her open hand a little bit as if the strike had stung her palm more than it had the bronze beauty. She marched back over to the fire, and jammed herself down by Sazh with a huff. She glared fiercely at the tribeswoman who remained seated, folding her arms across her chest before squeezing her eyes shut.

"… Guess I'm on guard duty then," Fang muttered to herself, the weak throb in her cheek already fading.

12. Tough

She was strong. She was powerful. She was a taunting, cocky tribeswoman. She was Oerba Yun Fang, and Lightning couldn't deny the flutter in her heart, the gratitude of appreciation flowing within her during that particular battle late in the afternoon, traversing through the Pass of Paddra to return to their base camp, being ambushed by those bloody little goblins. They came in a group of maybe eight or nine; she couldn't count through the rush of adrenaline of the fight. But when the pain struck her, she felt it all too much.

She didn't know if she tripped, or just fell down from taking such a punch head on, but one way or the other, Lightning was down, about three goblins coming to join the one that had clocked her off her feet. One fell from a few of Sazh's bullets peppering the back of its head, yet they still advanced. Lightning was dazed, trying to gather her bearings. Her grip on her gunblade tightened, and she blinked, just in time to watch, and listen, as Fang stepped over the fallen Commando.

"Your fight's with me!" the Oerban jeered, throwing the goblins a gesture, her jade glare intense. Provoked, the little beasts started to swing their punches at the Sentinel, trying to do more damage than they could hope for against Fang's powerful guard. She was a pillar, or better yet, a wall, tough and strong and not able to be knocked down. This gave Lightning enough time to get to her feet, and heal herself enough to not be so distracted by the pain coming from a fresh gash in her leg that must have accumulated itself when she fell. When the battle was finally over, Sazh gathering up the leftover items for synthesis later on, Lightning looked to Fang, her arms folded across her chest as she stood beside the Pulsian.

She was looking right back at her, sitting down on a rock with one leg crossed over the other, lightly kicking her foot rhythmically to an unheard beat, her bladed lance leaned lazily against her shoulder.

"Light, yer still bleedin' there," the accented voice pulled Lightning out of her daze, before looking down at her thigh, which certainly still was leaking crimson. She charged up a few cure spells, searching the Oerban's facial expression for something more than that wide grin that made her emerald eyes seem to sparkle with confidence. Lightning quietly sighed in relief as the dull pain vanished along with the gash, disappearing with the soft light of her spell. She froze however, noticing something she hadn't before – Fang's sari was stained on the shoulder.

"What's that?" she demanded in her commanding tone. Fang blinked, adjusting her lance a little bit in an attempt to obstruct Light's view. Farron merely pursed her lips, before jerking the blade weapon out of the way, and with hr other hand, yanking Fang's shoulder drape aside. The tank top strap had been sliced clean through to reveal the damage beneath, a wound that didn't look all too deep, but certainly bled.

"Easy there Sunshine!" Fang hissed out carefully, which caused Sazh to look up for a moment as he bent down to search one of the other fallen goblins.

Light grimaced at the sight of Fang's tanned skin dirtied with blood, the cut looking so out of place on her shoulder, usually the bronze flesh so flawless everywhere else (not that Lightning would look, of course…). It must have happened when she was defending the soldier from the numerous assaults. Farron's distasteful expression softened at this thought, and she felt a wave of guilt wash over her. Fang had noticed the remains of the cut on her leg almost right away, but it had taken Light some minutes or so for her gaze to catch the dark red stain.

"It's nothin', I'll let Vanille heal it when we all meet up at camp—"

"I'll do it," Lightning interjected, raising a hand that was already glowing a light, seafoam green. Fang's eyebrows lifted in surprise; normally Lightning wasn't so… generous with her magic. The soldier just felt like she had to make it up to her. Fang caught on quickly enough, and chuckled a bit, tipping her head to the side a bit as that smile returned.

"Sounds good t'me."

13. Risk [Related to #20]

"… Light, wait!"

This was all a risk. One big, stupid, crazy risk. Did she even want to look at her, after doing that? After, without even telling anyone, going on ahead and becoming Ragnarok without so much as a word of her plan to the others, especially not the sergeant? Then, waking up from her crystal stasis almost a year later, to find Oerba in the process of being rebuilt, she couldn't believe her eyes to catch that glimpse of the unmistakable Farron shade among the people working.

Would Lightning want to even look at her anymore? What if she had... found someone else, while she'd been in Crystal Sleep?

Her heart had nearly leaped out of her chest as the raven-haired huntress had started to push her way through the crowd of people, catching glimpses of others dressed in Guardian Corps. uniforms, as that division of the military had a station posted down here in Oerba somewhere, it seemed. Getting closer, she called out again,"Lightnin' Farron!"

The pinkette kept moving on ahead. Fang growled to herself, shoving someone aside. She watched Farron turn a corner, disappearing out of her sight, heading in the direction of the residential area. Fang broke away from the people, and ran to catch up. She nearly toppled the woman over from behind, her hand reaching out and latching on to her upper arm, spinning the woman around, and incidentally, the Pulsian stumbled, ending up slamming her back against one of the walls of the short alleyway, pressing herself fully to the soldier.

Fang, panting slightly for breath, straightened herself up and looked at her, met with the most shocked expression on Lightning Farron's face she'd ever seen, it was almost comical. Then, sort of what she'd expected, a slap across the face. Was this a reflex of Lightning's or something, Fang had to wonder as she stepped back, holding her cheek, but that stupid smile!

"Fang?" Lightning breathed, her hand trembling where it remained held in the air, her brow knitting in confusion, trying to swallow this information that had quite literally been thrusted upon her. She was back. "… Fang!" she gasped, the hand flying to cover her mouth as azure eyes grew large with more surprise, and the Oerban couldn't help it anymore, letting loose a laugh while managing,"It's me, Sunshine! Good ta see you too!" All stress, and anxiety about seeing her again had just vanished.

Seemed like things hadn't changed at all with Lightning. She was trying to fight back the expression on her face in to that mask, but Fang just shook her head, and took her hands in her own grasp, interlacing their fingers, palm pressed to palm. She just grinned – until Lightning yanked her hands out of Fang's hold, throwing her arms around her neck, her lips crashing against hers. Fang felt every emotion behind that kiss – all the hurt she'd caused, the sadness, the loneliness, yet also the happiness and the sheer delight at having her back.

When the two finally broke for oxygen, Fang might have imagined it, but she could have sworn Lightning whimpered to her before continuing the insistent lip-locking, "I missed you."

14. Name

"So. Claire, huh?"

Fang ducked out of the way as Lightning threw a fully charged Fire spell her way. Hope and Snow yelled as it nearly hit them instead. Vanille looked tentative, glancing at Sazh as if expecting the older man to do something before another fight broke out.

"Let's just keep moving, alright?" Lightning growled, obviously not wanting to talk about it.

"Or we could talk about it. How's that sound, Clai-"

She was cut off from her sentence as the soldier whipped around, fist aimed at Fang's jaw, her most favorite spot to punch it seemed.

15. Tall

"Not by much," Lightning reasoned, folding her arms across her chest, glaring at the tanned Pulsian, who merely chuckled, and reached to pat Lightning atop the head, which her hand was swiftly batted away.

"But just enough, yeah?" Fang laughed, bringing herself up to her full height, eyes locked on the soldier's icy blue eyes, about an inch or so taller.

16. Price

Lightning hadn't even chanced the thought that taking on Oprhan would have cost such a price, losing, in that moment of temporary Crystal Stasis, all hope she'd had of ever seeing Fang again. She was standing in a plain of completely white, the huntress standing in front of her. She touched Light's cheek gently, smiling a sorrowful little smile, apologetic as she gently kissed Light one more time, before pulling away and murmuring, "Wake up."

17. High

The soldier felt a jolt as hands jerked her body from behind, a laugh filling the air as Lightning bit back a yelp of fear and surprise, standing on the very edge of this high up tower that appeared to have no safe way down.

"Dammit Fang!" Lightning all but snarled, bringing her elbow back to strike the Sentinel in the abdomen, "How the Hell did you get us all the way up here?" She turned her head to look at the tribeswoman over her shoulder, glaring. Hope was having a much quieter reaction to the height of the tower, though he certainly looked a little green.

"I can see Oerba from here!" Vanille piped up, obviously filled with such glee that she didn't care they were as good as stuck up here. Sazh sighed, muttering something about being "too old for this".

"Aw, come on sis, it's not that bad," Snow insisted, stepping up to the edge of the tower's roof, looking down at the immense drop to a very barren and unpromising landing below. "Besides, what're you blaming Fang for?"

He immediately regretted speaking in the first place as it was his turn to receive a Lightning style death-glare. She held up a finger, and started to hiss through her teeth, "One; I'm not your sister, and I never will be, so stop calling me that! And two; how is it NOT Fang's fault? She's the one who suggested we cut through the Archeopolis, when those Nelapsi swooped in and tried having us for an afternoon snack-"

"Hey! I thought we could find some items for ya-"

"- before dropping us off up here!"

Lightning technically wasn't yelling, her voice not all that raised from the usually flat tone with only slight fluctuations to hint emotions. Now, those fluctuations were just enough to convey how filled with rage and annoyance the strawberry blonde was. Fang scratched the back of her head a bit. Why did she always get blamed for everything, and why was it always her that ended up putting Light in a bad mood?The latter was obvious...

18. Hello

Lightning squirmed slightly, burying her fingers in a wild mane of black hair as a certain Huntress sucked on one of the hardened peaks of her ample breasts. Laying back in the grass, their only cover a few bushes, Farron was struggling to keep her voice down as Fang grazed her teeth along her abdomen – before suddenly pausing.

"Why hello there. What's this?" came the voice of a confused sounding Pulsian. Lightning sighed, knowing that she was talking about the silver piercing in the soldier's navel. Fang lifted her head up to look at Lightning with an expression that was a mix of bewilderment and amusement, obviously shocked that the serious, indifferent Lightning Farron had a belly button ring. Sure it was kinky, but damn, it was one heck of a surprise.

It didn't stop Fang's hand, though, from sliding her first two fingers in and out of the strawberry blonde. Lightning took a deep breath, trying to calm herself enough to reply to the Oerban's question, sucking in air through her teeth.

"What do you think it is?" she said breathlessly, her chest ballooning with each gulp of air as Fang slid her tongue over the silver accessory, stimulating a cornucopia of sensitive nerves in all the best ways. The tanned huntress began to twist her hand a bit, her fingers thrusting continuously as she hummed in thought.

"An act of rebellion?" she chuckled, loving the way Farron whimpered ever so slightly, her teeth gently biting her gloved knuckle. It was also strange that the soldier would even have a piercing to begin with. Who would have guessed, in a million years. The cape was one thing - it could have just been part of her uniform. But this? She gently enveloped the bauble with her lips, lightly sucking on the piercing and flesh. Light bit down a little more, she was barely aware of her hips starting to move with Fang's deft, calloused fingers. The Pulsian beauty pulled back a little bit, smirking as she moved to kiss at the ex-sergeant's inner thighs, trailing feather touches along the toned limbs.

"Or maybe..." she spoke slowly, allowing her hot breath to tantalizing run over her lover's core, slowing her moving hand,"... you secretly have a kinky side?"

"Fa-ang..." Lightning groaned, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment at the perverted question. Allowing the warmth of her cheeks spread along her neck in embarrassment, when she opened her eyes she couldn't help but stare as Fang withdrew her fingers from between Farron's legs and licking the slick appendages clean slowly, seductively. The woman had a way of just making her feel so unlike her usual self, this time was no exception.

19. Own

Lightning stirred slightly, her body heavy with exhaustion. She could feel a soft warmth around her, and behind her eyelids saw no suggestion of light if she were to open them, aside from a dull silver glow, which her mind guessed was either the moon, or the floating Cocoon overhead in the Pulse sky. GRAN Pulse, she could hear Fang correcting her already. Wait - Fang? Farron struggled to pull herself out of the comforting lull, was she moving? Yes, she was, she could see that as soon as she half opened one eye carefully, still tired. She hadn't been getting much, if any sleep for the past five days or so. At first, it hadn't effected her that much, seeing as she had had Guardian Corps. training for that sort of thing.

Hm... Last she remembered, the party was stopping for a break near one of the many ponds in Gran Pulse. She was with Fang, Hope, and Snow at the time, while Vanille and Sazh were taking care of something back at camp. It was already dark when they'd stopped, against Lightning's wishes.

"We shouldn't stay in one place for too long. Not at night," she'd tried to reason with Fang, who'd, of course, been the one to suggest it.

"Come on Lightning, we're all tired. Just a few minutes wouldn't hurt, would it?" Snow said, standing beside the Oerban, clasping his gloved hands behind his head. Hope knew not to wander away from the others on Gran Pulse, so he stuck close enough to hear the conversation. Fang placed a hand on her hip, gesturing with her other, that annoyingly attractive accent drawling,"Just a little rest, nothin' ta get yer cape in a knot for, Sunshine. 'Sides, if yer afraid of the dark, I'll hold your hand."

Light grit her teeth, and kept her mouth shut, before turning away, folding her arms across her chest.

"Fine. Take five," she grumbled, walking towards the water of the pond, sitting down promptly beside a large rock. She must have been more tired than she thought. She'd been keeping her sapphire gaze on the reflection of the moon and Cocoon in the water, the ripples making her vision all the more bleary. Her eyelids felt heavy, and without realizing it, she'd closed her eyes, falling in to the much-deserved pleasantries of comfortable unconsciousness.

So... how did she end up swathed in splendid warmth, riding on the back of a Chocobo? Why, the answer could be none other than Oerba Yun Fang. The tribeswoman wasn't sitting side-saddle, like she normally would, her lance in its holster, a little bit twisted so the blades wouldn't harm their feathered transport. Her chin was close to Lightning's forehead, the pinkette's head resting on her shoulder. Farron had her hands in her lap, her posture slack, sitting sideways, nestled snugly against Fang.

"You awake there, Lightnin'?" Fang asked in a whisper, her voice soft and soothing, and even to Light's muddled senses, that accent illustrious to her ears. Fang had felt Lightning waking up, though hadn't been too sure. She couldn't help but smile as a quiet mumbling was Light's only response, nuzzling her face in to the crook of the Oerban's heated neck as if she was some kind of human furnace and the rest of the world was a barren ice box. Fang chuckled quietly, attempting to ignore the glare she felt scorching her back, Hope and Snow trudging along behind the pair. Hope was obviously the one doing the scowling at this point, in a sour mood because of the argument of who would take Lightning on the back of the Chocobo that Fang had obviously won.

Snow had had no intention of being there when his sister-to-be woke up. He had a feeling he wasn't the one on the top of her list of things to see first thing. There had also been no possible way for Hope to win in an argument with Fang, and when the Pulsian had stated she'd take "their sleepy Sunshine" on the Chocobo by the pond, there had been no hint of giving that up in her words. Big surprise, she'd gotten what she wanted. Not only that... but the view of Farron's sleeping face was one to be marveled at. It was if resting was the only time the strawberry blonde could relax.

And Fang wouldn't let anyone else have that. She'd been the only one to really notice her exhaustion. She'd seen her taking extra shifts of guard duty, watched her pushing her limits in their fights, and even when it seemed as if she might collapse any second, she put on a strong front and took up the role as leader once more. Etro, Fang adored this woman, whether she'd discovered that herself yet or not. She might as well claim ownership of Lightning officially sooner or later, because the soldier was hers, and nobody else's. Fang discretely pressed her lips to Farron's forehead for a few moments, silently wishing her sweet dreams.

20. New [related to #13]

The jagged pillar that held Cocoon on its tip had been the very start. Waking from their momentary Crystal stasis had been the second step to this new life - this life, this not-so-new mode de vie without l'Cie brands. Lightning lay on her back in the dark. It was summer time. Her hand clenched over her chest, where her brand had once been. Snow had called them "goofy tattoos" at one point. They were marks for the damned. The fal'Cie made only people who were doomed to either become a monster, or dream forever. At least... that was the myth.

Her other hand was gently stroking back the disheveled chestnut locks that fell across Oerba Yun Fang's forehead. She her head on Light's shoulder, on her back as well, eyes closed though not sleeping, a soft smile gracing her fair lips. The two were happy, simply put, underneath a single maroon bedsheet in their home in Oerba. Their home, not just Lightning's anymore.

"Hey, Light?" Fang's voice drifted to the sergeant's ears, to which she merely hummed in acknowledgment; she was listening,"I'm sorry. For everything. For not tellin' ya... 'bout Ragnarok an' all."

She felt Lightning inhale slowly, taking a deep breath, exhaling in a heavy sigh.

"Forget it, Fang," she replied evenly,"It's done with now... I'm just glad you're back."

The two former l'Cie felt a sense of calm wash over them. All was well in the world, this new world. They could start their lives anew, together.