Sorry for the long wait I didn't really know how to continue the story. I'm just hoping I still have story followers left who are still interested.
This chapter is less serious than the first and set one year after the events of the first chapter. Hope you enjoy it.
Lightning was hunting.
She crouched low in the long grass watching, listening, waiting patiently for any clues on the position of target. She wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand it was hot and the chase had been usually exhausting. They'd played this game before and she thought she knew her target well but today their behaviour had been so unpredictable.
A sudden flash of red through the trees and Lightning sprang forward into the wood. But it was suddenly empty. She looked around her but couldn't see them anywhere. Then she heard a crack above her and looking up into the tress she realised her mistake too late. They fell from the tree above straight on top of her chest forcing her onto her back. Lightning wheezed as she hit the ground with the weight still on top of her.
"I win Auntie Lightning. I win hide and hunt!" A voice cheered sitting on top of her defeated opponent. Lightning kept her eyes closed. "Auntie Lightning?" The voice said warily and tried opening her Aunt's eyelids with her fingers.
"This behemoth still has fight left!" Lightning said quickly. She suddenly opened her eyes to make Lucy squeak in surprise and pounced tickling her niece until they were both breathless with laughter. Lightning smiled happily at her pink-haired niece's infectious giggle. She had really missed her little soldier while she'd been away and as soon as she'd got back and rested she'd come straight to Serah's house just to be with her.
"That's cheating," Lucy complained with a pout once she'd finished laughing.
"Oh really? And who has been teaching you to climb trees?" Lightning questioned the young lady still sitting on her stomach. She laid back with her hands behind her head and looked up into the branches of the tall trees at the bottom of the Viller's garden.
"Auntie Fang." Lucy gasped and covered her mouth. "That was s'posed to be a secret."
"Fang taught you?" Lightning asked intrigued by anything to do with the brunette Pulsian.
"Yep Auntie Fang came for a really long sleepover and she taught me. She said young Pulsians should know how to climb trees," Lucy said pointing up into the branches.
Lightning frowned trying to decipher the child's rambling. "Fang came to stay with you? For how long did she stay with you? Where was Vanille?"
"Vanille stayed at home because she was sad. Fang was sad too but she said she wanted me to cheer her up. I'm hungry Auntie Lightning," Lucy said suddenly changing the subject.
"You've just eaten," Lightning said distractedly. So that's what Serah had wanted to talk about before Lucy pulled me outside to play. Something had happened to Fang and Vanille while I'd been away.
"But it wasn't sweets I didn't eat sweets."
"And you're not going to…"
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" A familiar voice interrupted. "Lightning Farron defeated once again by a Pulsian." Lightning's head shot up and her heart immediately started fluttering. Stupid heart.
"Auntie Fang!" Lucy squealed. She scrambled away from Lightning and giggling ran into Fang's outstretched arms.
Lightning couldn't believe she was jealous of a five year old. Seeing the huntress again after months away - her dark hair, little nose, pointed chin and warm smile – she realised that she loved Fang just as much as when she had left for her mission. More so if she was being honest with herself. It just goes to show absence really does make the heart grow fonder. How depressing, Lightning concluded.
"Hello squirt," Fang greeted, scooping up her niece with one arm and poking her nose.
"My name's not squirt," Lucy complained rubbing her nose, "it's Storm."
"Oh really?" Fang hummed pretending to think. "And here was me thinking it was Lucy Fang Vanille Villers."
"Hello Fang," Lightning smiled standing up with a smile. "Someone's been teaching my five year old niece how to climb trees."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Fang said airily feigning ignorance. The two warriors grinned as they clasped each other's forearms in the old warrior greeting. Lightning blushed shyly but didn't stop the huntress as Fang suddenly pulled her forward to hug her with her free arm. "I've missed you," Fang whispered in her ear and Lightning felt like she was melting.
"Oh Fang you're here," Serah interrupted rushing out of the house as quickly as any heavily pregnant woman can in their condition. Lightning sprang guilty away from the huntress. "Where have you been hiding?" she asked Lightning.
"In the tall long grass Snow never cuts," Lightning grumbled, annoyed her 'friendly' hug with Fang had been disturbed.
"Daddy keeps it long because he says that it's my jungle."
"Well Daddy has a lot of excuses for being lazy," Lightning muttered.
Serah chose to ignore her sister insulting Snow for the millionth time. "I didn't have a chance to tell you that I've asked Fang to babysit today. Snow and I've been invited to my work's garden party and we didn't know you'd be back today."
"We're going to the beach," Lucy and Fang cheered merrily.
"Oh," Lightning said sadly. That meant another day spent alone.
"You should come along Light," Fang proposed.
"Yeah I want Auntie Light to come with us."
"Are you sure you wouldn't mind?" Lighting asked Fang shyly.
"Are you kidding? I haven't seen you in months. I'd love to spend the day with you."
"Well…I'd have to go home and get my swimwear," Lightning said thoughtfully.
"No you won't," Serah decided and began pulling her sister into the house. "We'll be back in five," she shouted over her shoulder at the huntress. "I have the perfect outfit," she told Lightning excitedly.
Lightning sighed as she was being dragged up the stairs. She hated playing dress-up.
xxXOXxx
"Fang and Vanille have split up." Lightning said slowly.
"Yes that what I said Fang and Vanille have split up." Serah repeated pulling some more clothes out of the bottom of her bedroom wardrobe. She passed them to Lightning. "I'm sure that bikini is in here somewhere." Serah wiped the sweat from her forehead and glared at the pile of clothes. It was too hot to be doing this, it was too hot to be doing anything in her condition - being pregnant during a heatwave was hell.
lf she had been in a better presence of mind Lightning would have lectured Serah on proper utilisation of her wardrobe (starting with rule one: hang your clothes on hangers) but her mind was still reeling from news of her best friends break up and she couldn't really think of anything else. She'd always assumed the two women would be together forever and when she left for her mission three months ago they seemed fine, just as in love as always. She had so many questions, 'what caused the break up? Who broke up with whom? What did that mean for me? Is this my chance? She was ashamed to be thinking about herself at a time like this but being in love with one of her best friends who was also her best friend's partner was always a source of great shame for the solider. It felt selfish, greedy and wrong. Her dirty little secret.
"It must be difficult for them," she acknowledged outloud her face studiously devoid of emotion. Lightning grunted as her sister added more clothes to the top of the already huge pile she was holding. And after struggling for a few seconds to hold onto them all she dropped the clothes onto the bed and absent-mindedly began to fold them (tidying was always soothing).
"It was initially," Serah muffled voice responded from inside the wardrobe. "Fang came to stay with us for a couple of weeks when it happened but they seem to be okay now. She's moved back in with Vanille...in the spare room of course." Serah grabbed some red material and tugged it out from under the bundle. "Hey, I forgot I had this," she squeaked excitedly holding the creased red dress up to herself with a grin. She admired herself in her full length mirror for a few seconds before rolling it up and throwing in back into the wardrobe. Serah suddenly had a thought. She put her hands on her hips and faced her sister questioningly, "What is it with lesbians and living with their exes anyway?"
Lightning stopped folding a pair of Serah's jeans and frowned at her sister's expectant expression. "Why are you looking at me like that? How the hell would I know?"
Serah rolled her eyes and turned back to her search for the illusive bikini. "Whatever you say sis," Serah sighed sadly.
"Serah." Lightning warned. She knew exactly what was about to happen and she really was not in the mood for another of Serah's attempts at a heart to heart.
"I wish you'd talk to me more."
"Serah," Lightning groaned covering her face with the jeans she'd been folding. She did talk to her sister, almost every day, how much more talking can they do!
"No I mean about the important stuff…," Serah explained knowing exactly what Lightning was thinking just from the way she spoke her name. "…about you and your life. Why won't you ever talk about you? I talk about me all the time."
"Serah..." the solider sighed tiredly rubbing her temples. All this talking was giving her a headache. Why does everyone feel a need to talk about feelings? Can't people just let her be?
"I know you're a private person but I'm your sister Lightning and you should trust me with your feelings, because bottling up your emotions isn't good for you," Serah lectured climbing into the wardrobe.
"Serah," Lightning warned again. She may have become more communicative in the last six years but there were some topics that were not up for discussion. She'd accepted that her love for Fang would always be unrequited and she didn't need anyone's commiseration or pity making her feel any worse. That's why she hadn't talked about it and that's why she would never talk about it even to her sister.
"Being in love is such a wonderful and powerful experience," Serah gushed dreamily. Lightning rolled her eyes. "And it's not as if I don't know you're in love with Fang," she added nonchalantly.
"SERAH!"
"A-ha," Serah cried victoriously pulling out the bikini. "See it hasn't even been worn," she said pulling off a sale sticker and passing the bikini to the astonished solider. "What? Don't look at me like that. I grew up with you remember and you may not talk about your feelings but you're not heartless."
"Serah... I'm.." Lightning said hesitantly watching her own fingers play with one of the bikini straps as she tried to think of how to respond.
"And please don't start telling me you're not in love with her because you don't have to say anything. I can read you like a book and I'm fluent in Lightning - the silent language." She grinned at Lightning's bashful expression. "Plus when you think no one is looking you look at her with this pitiful doe-eyed expression. And you're constantly checking out her ass," Serah giggled.
"I do not look at her with a doe-eyed expression" Lightning huffed wondering when she had been stupid enough to be caught during one of her illicit gazes.
"But you look at her ass?" Serah gasped in mock surprise. She slowly walked around the other side of the bed. "Wow Lightning I was only joking. I had no idea you were such a perv," Serah smiled and Lightning's shocked expression quickly changed as she recognised Serah's playful grin. The soldier's eyes narrowed dangerously with a playful glint. "Is it still classed as misogynistic if you're both woman?" Serah laughed jumping out of the way as Lightning leapt across the bed towards her tormentor.
Lightning grinned crouching on the bed. She was about to deal out some sisterly justice. She was going to tickle Serah until she couldn't breath. No, she was going to give her an extreme head noggie. Oo, oo no, she was going to give her a wedgie so high she'd be choking on her own pants. Lightning tensed ready to pounce and-
"Ah!" Serah held up her finger to halt Lightning's attack. "You can't kill me I'm pregnant," Serah sang while moving her hips and pointing at her belly. "You can't kill me I'm pregnant. I'm carrying your niece or nephew. You can't kill me I'm pregnant."
Lightning hated Serah's taunting pregnant dance. She groaned into the mattress in defeat. "You can't use that excuse forever," Lightning warned with a small smile. "And I do not look at Fangs ass," she added seriously.
"Yeah yeah, you're so tough and I'm so scared," Serah said sarcastically. "Just stop your dawdling and put on that bikini solider girl."
"Yes sir," Lightning saluted and stood upright. And just like that her sibling had covertly outted Lightning – her secret love and her sexuality – and in the most painless way possible. Serah was smug as she sat down on the bed, mission accomplished.
Lightning held up the bikini with a raised eyebrow. "Where's the rest of it is?"
"Just pleeeaaase try it on big sis." For meeeee," Serah pleaded.
To an outsider Lightning was the authority figure in the sisters relationship, she set the rules and she made all the decisions. But probably only Snow knew how treacherous Serah could be when she wanted things her own way and turned those large sad puppy dog eyes towards you. Lightning couldn't recall when her little sister learned to manipulate her big sisters aspiration for her happiness (Lightning had her suspicions it was prenatal) but she certainly used in to her advantage. Serah's big sister grumbled a few times before begrudgingly starting to remove her clothes.
"I don't understand why I can't wear my swimsuit," Lightning moaned even as she began to remove her t-shirt and jean shorts.
"Because a bikini top and board shorts are not going to attract the attentions of a certain long-legged, brunette Pulsian."
"Serrraah," Lightning blushed throwing her t-shirt at her giggling sister. Lightning donned the bikini and looked at herself in the mirror. Not too skinny, nicely toned, not bad, she conceded. Her happy face dropped in the mirror and she sighed. "It just can't happen between the two of us. I accepted that a long time ago."
"I just want you to be happy," Serah said quietly and Lightning looked away from the mirror to see Serah looking serious as she nervously playing with the sales sticker still in her hand.
"I am happy."
"Content then."
"I appreciate your encouragement Serah but there are too many reasons why Fang and I shouldn't…"
"Claire Farron!"
Lightning jumped in surprise at her sister's sudden angry outburst. I'm in trouble. I'm always in trouble when she says my my real name. She was right.
"I have put up with your arrogance, stubbornness and uncompromising nature for over ten years. To the point where it nearly ruined my relationship with Snow and had me permanently crystalised." Serah yelled now on her feet and beet red. Lightning cowered as Serah lunged forward until she was nose to nose with the solider. Her voice suddenly became low and threatening in a manner that seemed more terrifying than the shouting. "But I will not put up with your obstinacy towards your own happiness. I-will-not-have-it-Claire-Farron," she demanded stamping her foot with each word. "Now I want you to wear that hoochie mamma bikini..."
"Hoochie mamma?"
"...get out there," Serah continued dramatically pointing to the bedroom door," and grab some Pulsian hottie."
Lightning was eager not to do anything to incur any more of her sister's wrath and quickly began to redress over the bikini. When Serah was angry she was worse than her drill sergeant during training. "but...but...Vanille..." she reasoned sheepishly to her little sister. Vanille was Fang's soul mate it was difficult to admit but it was true and Lightning didn't want to do anything that might prevent her friends from getting back together.
"For Etro's sake Lightning," Serah growled throwing her hands up in exasperation. "It's over between them. It's been over for three months, and Vanille...well she's fine, Vanille is fine," Serah finished quietly with a slight flush to her cheeks.
"Why are you blushing?" Lightning questioned suspiciously pausing with her shorts half way up her legs to scrutinise her sister's features.
"I'm not blushing," Serah responded folding her arms and matching her big sisters stare, "I'm heavily pregnant, its 35 degrees in here and I'm hot."
"Oh yeah right." Pregnancy sure did explain a lot of Serah's erratic behaviour she thought. She took the t-shirt Serah passed to her and started pulling it over her head.
"Now go get her perv," Serah ordered.
With her shirt half way over her head and her arms trapped in the air Lightning squeaked helplessly as Serah gave her an encouraging slap on the backside and pushed her straight out the bedroom door.
"SERAH!" Lightning yelled from under her shirt as she stumbled out of the room and straight into the person standing outside.
"Eerrrrrr...," Lightning froze in horror as Fang hesitantly explained. "I was just coming to see if you were ready to go."
Lightning pulled her t-shirt down with as much dignity as anyone could muster (when one wants to die of embarrassment) and strode down the stairs followed by a confused Fang and a laughing Serah.
"Auntie Lightnin'," Lucy squealed as the solider reached the bottom of the stairs. Over excited at the prospect of a trip to the beach with her aunties she had dressed in her beach gear (shorts, t-shirt and hat) and was at the door in two minutes flat, ready and waiting for the slow grownups.
"Ready to go," Lightning said crouching down to speak to her nodding niece. "Sunscreen?"
"Check," Lucy chimed.
"Towel, swimwear, bucket and spade?" Lightning frowned with a smile.
"Check, checky, check."
"Then we're off!" Lightning stood up and opened the door.
"Have a great time," Serah said in an overly sweet tone. Lightning frowned as Serah hugged Fang who looked at little surprised by the action especially as Serah just waved them off without a similar hug for her sister. Lightning kept her suspicious glare on her mischievous sister as she held the door open for Fang and Lucy.
"What?" Serah mouthed innocently with a huge smug grin on her face.
Lightning rolled her eyes at her sister's amused expression and without a second glance walked out the door with their bags of beach provisions. Her irritation at her sister's provoking behaviour was quickly forgotten as the she followed Fang and Lucy down the path to her car. They looked so adorable holding hands as they skipped excitedly down the path in front of her. She decided that in spite for everything that Serah had said (or demanded) she was going to push her relationship with Fang, she was just going to enjoy today. Spending an entire day with my two favourite ladies. What could be better? She thought and indulged in a rare happy smile.
As they reached the car Fang bent over to talk to Lucy and Lightning noticed something on the back of Fang's black shorts. "Fang there's something on your shorts," Lightning informed the Pulsian.
Standing Fang peered over her shoulder at her backside and pulled off the white sales sticker. "How'd that got there," she wondered as she pocketed the sticker and put Lucy into the cars child seat in the back.
Lightning put the bags in the boot and got into the car just as Fang climbed into the passenger seat. A quick look around to check she had everything (child, Fang, herself) she gave Fang her shoulder bag, started the car and pulled out of the driveway just as her phone began to bleep alerting her to a text message.
"Can you read that for me? It might be work" she asked Fang.
Fang pulled out Lightning's mobile from her bag, "It's from Serah." Lightning sighed she hoped she hadn't forgotten anything.
"Perv," Fang said.
"What?" Lightning squawked in astonishment and her distraction caused the car to swerve slightly.
"It just says perv," Fang read aloud. "What's that supposed to mean," Fang frowned puzzled by Serah's idea of a joke.
Lightning's knuckles turned white as her grip tightened on the steering wheel. As soon as Serah had her baby she was really going to kill her sister.
The wardrobe bit was inspired by my sisters. They were always dressing me up for night's out and their wardrobes were crammed full of clothes, the majority of which were just left at its bottom unworn.
Just two chapters left hopefully they won't take a year to write like this one.
Hope you liked it and thanks for reading.
