Eden in the Sky Chapter 2

A month passed quickly in the warm weather and sunshine of the capital, quicker than Lightning would have ever thought possible while back in Bodhum. Worst of all in the blur of days, she struggled to keep her guard up, Jihl even managing to catch her unaware a few times. The blonde had given Lightning all the time she could spare from her duties, which wasn't hard when she had convinced Lightning to take her up on the offer of privacy and warm baths that her apartment offered. Cursing herself for being so soft when it came to the blonde, Lightning sipped at her tea annoyed that Jihl had wormed her way back into her heart as easily as she had. So much for the legendary soldier of the guardian corp... Lightning scoffed as she peered out of the small rectangular window that gave her a view of the city and its mesmerising sea of coloured rooftops. Taking a sip of the tea in her hand, her body relaxed gently against the wall behind her. It had taken some getting used to, staying with Jihl that was. Lightning had come to admire more than the woman's strength and leadership during their last relationship but despite their close encounters the two had never shared a room before and thank god. Lightning thought to herself as she brought a hand to her back and pressed out the cramps from having camped out on the couch for a month. Jihl's couch had to be the most uncomfortable couch in existence.
Despite back pains and all, it had been admittedly enjoyable, working with friends and then hitting up Tifa's bar afterwards. Right... Lightning shoulders sagged at the thought of the cheerful bartender. That brought her to the next thing that was nagging her. It hadn't even taken Tifa a week to pull all the information out of her, by some manner of magic, or maybe Tifa was spiking her drinks but Lightning had at some point just opened herself up to her. Now the two women would look like old friends if you ever saw them. Serah, Bodhum and hell even her tussles with Jihl. Thankfully spilling her guts to Tifa, meant that Lightning no longer had to deal with Lebreau, Jihl's right-hand woman, trying to gut her whenever she had the chance. The bartender couldn't have her new favourite customer killed by her girlfriend after all.

Lightning's eyes lifted from the swirling beverage in her hands to Jihl who stepped through and stretched her arms over her head. "Morning." Jihl yawned.
"Good morning." Lightning said and stared at Jihl for a moment. Red roses forming on her cheeks and Jihl scoffed as turned to get herself a tea.
"Lightning, what is there something on my face?" Jihl asked as she came over, sitting beside Lightning on the window still.
"N-no I was just... looking." Lightning said and took in Jihl at a closer range. The blonde had her soft green eyes sitting behind a pair of thin-framed glasses. Her skin was pale despite the overwhelming presence of the sun that Lightning was still getting used to.
She said nothing this time, enjoying being spoilt by cerulean eyes. Jihl watched Lightning groan and rubbed her back.."I offered you the bed."
"With you still in it. Jihl I can't. It's just-" Lightning shook her head.
It's fine." Jihl cut in before Lightning started rambling, it was cute and she was still tired, slightly hungover from last night too. Who knows what dumb idea Jihl might act on. "Lightning I understand. Besides why do you think I let you sleep on the couch anyway? You'll come to me eventually. I mean all of this..." Jihl motioned to her body, barely covered by the loose tank top and boxer shorts she was wearing. Jihl laughed at the flustered look Lightning was giving the cup of tea nestled in her crotch. "Eyes up here Lightning."
"Jihl-" Lightning puffed up her cheeks and glared at the woman sitting across from her. "Why do you do this to me, and I mean all of this? The tea, the apartment, the clothes..."
Jihl sat her tea down and grabbed her cigarettes. Putting one in her mouth. "Lightning it's because out all of the shitty people I know, of all the shitty people that I've seen die, you're not one of them. You're the only one I can't stand losing." Jihl sat her cigarette down and leaned closer to Lightning. "Lightning I'm doing this because I love you." Jihl whispered softly, her heart skipped a beat with Lightning's lips were just inches from hers.
"Jihl I..." Lightning frowned. Jihl bit her lip and leaned back, taking up her cigarette again.
Jihl stood up and shook her head. "Sorry Lightning, I'm just getting ahead of myself like always huh." Jihl managed a laugh despite having her feelings crushed. Moving away from the window, she disappeared into her bedroom, coming out a moment later dressed in her uniform. "I got some things I need to take care of so make sure to eat something okay. There's bacon and eggs in the fridge." Jihl didn't even bother to wave goodbye to Lightning, she just hurried out the door.

Lightning slammed her cup down and turned to chase after Jihl, not caring for the hot tea that splashed over her legs. But it was too late, the door might as well have been a million miles away by the time she reached it. Lightning slumped down beside it and cursed herself for letting Jihl go. Ever since Lightning arrived in the capital, she was all Jihl seemed to care about. Even when Lebreau had insisted that Lightning was nothing more than a pain in the ass and that she should be left in an alley somewhere. Jihl had just smiled and shrugged it off, insisting that Lightning was twice the bad-ass that the rumours made her out to be and then invited to stay at her place. Yet despite all the woman's best efforts, whenever she tried to get close, to fix the whole between them, Lightning pushed her away. She didn't even want to push it away, it was like this fear snuck up and strangled her every time Jihl got close. Grabbing her jacket, Lightning groaned and stormed out the door.

Pushing through the doors of Tifa's bar, Lightning looked around and sighed at the lack of Jihl. She had hoped to catch her here and in a big ball of embarrassment tell her that she loved and her crap, that she just didn't know how to say it back. But instead, however, she just let her emotions drag her down as she dragged herself over to the bar. Lebreau looked up from swirling the ice in her drink and then to Tifa who stepped out from the back. "Babe, wanna take care of that?" Lebreau turned her head in Lightning's direction to the soldier who was currently burying her face in her arms.
"Hey Lightning." Tifa said with a cheer that nearly rose Lightning up from her gloom. Turning around, Tifa poured a cup of coffee and sat it down beside Lightning. "You know if you keep scaring off my customers I'll have to start charging you an entry fee." Tifa joked, her smile widening as Lightning rose her head at the smell of coffee.
"Sorry it's just Jihl and I'm the biggest idiot in the capital right now." Lightning groaned and looked to Tifa who was casually leaning against the bar as she listening. "Aren't I?"
"Well I mean if the legendary Lightning let every woman who had the hots for her in her pants willy-nilly she'd be famous for something else wouldn't she?" Tifa asked and sipped at her own coffee.
Lightning just shook her head, that legend was ridiculous. It had grown from slightly exaggerated to insanely blown out of proportion by the time her team had made it back to the gates. "I had help killing that behemoth and it wasn't just my knife either."
"Oh?" Tifa raised a brow, this was new.
"Yeah. There were twelve of us all armed with rifles and handguns. We put every bullet we had into the damn thing and I just was the one dumb enough to get close and finish it off." Lightning huffed and rolled her eyes. "I just wanted to be more like Jihl."
"Heh please don't." Tifa shuddered and glared at Lightning. "One drunken blonde who can't handle her alcohol puking in my bathroom every Saturday is enough for me."
"Got it." Lightning puffed up her chest and looked at Tifa. "So it's Jihl right, she's so caring and soft and stupid and she wants to get close but I dunno I get... scared when she does."
"Right." Tifa pushed herself off the bar and leant down to Lightning. "Did I ever tell you how I met Lebreau?"
Lightning shook her head and gave Tifa her attention.
"So I had just come to the capital, eager to start my new life as a bar owner, all I had to do was purchase the right permits and done." Tifa folder over onto the bar and groaned. "But I got lost and then ran into some thugs. I would have lost everything but Lebreau showed up and kicked their asses."
"Oh no, Tifa don't tell that story..." Lebreau frowned at her from the other side of the bar, small pink blossoms forming on her cheeks. "It's embarrassing as hell."
"It's not that bad 'Breau, plus it's to help Lightning."

"Fine I'm gonna go have a smoke then." Lebreau stood up and hurried outside where she couldn't hear Tifa.

"So she stared me down like she was gonna rob me and now I'm terrified, shaking in my boots but then she gives me the most awkward smile like you'd think she'd never smiled in her life and she asked me to lunch. Lebreau actually helped with all of this. I owe her everything, if it wasn't for her I couldn't have done any of this. So one day when we getting lunch she just straight up tells me how she loved me. I never felt more terrified than that moment when her lips held mine. The point Lightning is that it's fine to be afraid, you're stepping into something unknown and I'm guessing something new for you. Things will change Lightning but change isn't always bad, it can be sweet, caring and at times the worst feeling that keeps you up all night staring at the door hoping that she comes through it. But if it stays the same then I'd just be alone and broke and stuck in the capital right now."

Lightning nearly jumped out of her seat when the sky roared like a mighty behemoth, crackling with thunder and the promise of rain. Tifa laughed as Lightning gotup from her seat and headed to the door, poking out and grinning at the rain. Bodhum didn't have the benefit of weather, the city had neither the forces or the luxury to afford an open-air city with all the monsters flying around. The capital was different however. The last month in comparison to her time in her home city was paradise. Markets filled with fresh food from the abundance of farms and mills that encircled the city. Lush sprawling green harvests all year round that was patrolled by hundreds of guards every day, not to include the countless soldiers on top of the walls. Then there was all the greenery scattered around the city, it was good to finally know where all the water reserves were going. Putting her grumbling aside, Lightning closed her eyes and let herself drown in the pitter patter of rain on the cobbles in front of her.
"What? Never seen rain before?" Lebreau's asked, her cold eyes watched her from the other side of the door where she stood.
Lightning shook her head and only risked a sweeping glance over the officer before she turned back to the rain in front of her. "I haven't. Bodhum lives under a dome." Her eyes widened in surprise at the packet of cigarette's Lebreau was holding out to her. Rolling her eyes at the hesitation that Lightning showed.
"They're not poisoned, I promise." Lebreau scoffed and lit the cigarette between her lips to prove her point. "You want one?"
"Ah sure, thanks." Lightning said and took one, leaning in so Lebreau could light the cancer stick between her lips.
"Hey Lightning how do you do it? Be so tough while living with the captain?" Lebreau asked and raised a brow as Lightning nearly double over as she laughed.
Taking a cigarette in her hand, Lightning shot Lebreau a look of disbelief "You're asking me about being tough? I just try to handle it and stay as strong as I can. I got people to look out for back home. You're the ones going and taking cities overnight."
Lebreau let a laugh slip out before she turned away. "That makes us crazy not tough. What I meant to ask was how do you deal with the fear? I mean there's always been a way back. I could always someway get back to Tifa but now we're flying to another world and if shit hits the fan then there's no way back." Lebreau smiled. "Guess you're lucky that Jihl's coming too."
"Lucky, right." Lightning groaned. "She makes me feel like crap whenever I'm around her. I wish she wouldn't be so damn... so damn warm all the time you know? She knows that I can't return her feelings either and Lebreau, I can't deal with the fear at all."

Tifa broke the melancholy mood with her usual aura of cheer and tugging of cheeks, mainly Lebreau as she hadn't yet moved to hug Lightning yet. "Hey you two stop being so down, you're scaring away all my customers. 'Breau babe I made you a tea. Come inside when you're done being a gloomy little lesbian okay?"
"I'm hardly gloomy. A lesbian however..." Lebreau's cheeks went red as she kissed Tifa. "I won't be long."
Tifa grinned and nodded, not shy about showing her own blushes. "Any friend of 'Breau's is a friend of mine, unfortunately."
Lebreau sunk into her shoulders and glared at Tifa. "What? Tifa, since when were we friends?"
Tifa crossed her arms and counter with a cocky grin. "The moment I liked her. Oh and because while you were away 'Breau, I managed to pick up a certain bottle of spiced rum. I mean I went to the trouble of standing in line for six hours! Six hours just to get rum I can't charge my customers for. I even had to close my bar for the day, well what a shame."
"Right well then if that's the case, we're best friends aren't we Lightning?" Lebreau said nervously and eyed Lightning, practically begging her to say yes.
"Yeah, sure." Lightning nodded, doing her best to hide her own blushes.
"Oh by the way we're having dinner here tonight, do you want to join us?" Tifa gave Lightning her signature smile as Lightning fell back against the wall.
"Is that even a question?" Lightning asked, knowing that Tifa rarely asked.
Tifa shook her head. "Nope, people just prefer it when I ask. Oh and 'Breau I guess you should invite Jihl if Lightning's coming. I mean only if you really want to." Tifa shuddered and mumbled to herself. "Better get the cleaning stuff organised now then."

Lightning sat down at the bar and sipped at her lukewarm coffee. Looking up she watched Lebreau follow Tifa out back to the kitchen, leaving her all alone in the bar. The bar doors swung open and Lightning looked up to the blonde now standing in the door. The woman frowned as she wrung out her hair and cursed under her breath. Looking up, a smile tugged at her lips and she adjusted her glasses. Lightning smiled and waved, to her surprise Jihl let her wet hair fall down her back and strut over. "Jihl."
" Hey you. So what's this about you thinking I'm wonderfully caring and soft and stupid?" Jihl grinned cockily as she stripped out of her wet jacket.
"Uhh..." Lightning groaned as she sunk down to the bar. "She told you everything?"
Jihl nodded. "Mhmm. It's fine, actually I'm really happy. I was, afraid, after this morning..." Jihl trailed off as her heels clicked across the floor, her face dissolving into of worry. "I didn't think you'd want to see me."
Lightning shot up and stared at Jihl. "Jihl I'm sorry it's just I'm not good with feelings. I didn't... don't know how to react to it."
"Well I can show you if you want." Jihl's heart fluttered at the nod Lightning gave her. Stepping past personal boundaries, Jihl put her hands in Lightning's. With a happy grin tugging at her lips she leant closer. "Something like this is usually a good start." Jihl whispered and pressed against Lightning's lips. Lightning pushed her lips back against her and moaned softly. Jihl giggled, making their kiss all the more awkward as she moved Lightning's other hand down to her waist. "- and hold here."
Lightning responded with a groan as Jihl pulled her closer and leant her down over the bar, her wet blonde hair draping down over her sides. "Jihl..." Lightning bit her lip and looked to Jihl who stopped.
"Sorry I guess I-"
Lightning shook her head and cut her off. "No it's... " Lightning's face went bright red. "Tifa's looking." Lightning looked over to the bartender who was just glaring at them.

"Ahem! Jihl, Lightning!" Tifa looked at the women with plates of food in her hand, Lebreau emerging a moment later and whistled. Tifa turned her glare to Lebreau who whimpered and played coy. "Please don't encourage them 'Breau."
"They're just being cute, besides it's a little hot right?" Lebreau said and sat the food down.
Tifa puffed up her cheeks and whined. "Fine it is kinda hot but drinks go on there!" Lebreau just laughed and sat the food down.
Lebreau bit her lip and put her arms around Tifa's waist. "Right, you're just jealous that I'm not leaning you-"
Tifa grabbed Lebreau's hands and frowned. "I'm surrounded by idiots, horny idiots! You're getting yours later. Now can you stop this so we can eat?"
"Kinda of a shame but alright. I guess the food is going cold." Lebreau shook her head and grabbed a glass filled with ice. An evil smile shadowing her face as she stepped over to Jihl.

Jihl turned as she opened the door, stumbling back in surprise as she fell back into the couch. Lightning's hand gripped her jacket and pulled their lips together. Sitting up straight, she let Jihl catch her breath. Lightning looked at her current position on top of Jihl on the couch with blushes as bright pink as her hair, Lightning frowned despite trying to remain collected. "Sorry I... I don't know what's wrong with me." Lightning cursed and couldn't stop her hands from helping Jihl out of her jacket.
Jihl shook her head and chuckled. "Lightning's there's nothing wrong with you. You're just a sexually repressed twenty-six year old."
"I... right." Lightning hung her head, slightly ashamed that she'd clung to Jihl all the way back to her apartment.
"So I guess dinner was different huh? Who knew I'd be eating you right?" Jihl chuckled and soaked up the addition of a slight scowl on Lightning's face.
"Jihl..." Lightning scowled, preferring not to be reminded of the awkwardness that clouded over dinner after Lightning and Jihl's little moment.
Jihl laughed and took Lightning's hands, pulling her down and kissed her, this time with a bit more practice. "There's nothing to apologise for Lightning, I was the one who kissed you. Well except for choosing the couch, I mean that's just evil."
Lightning didn't fight back the laugh as she manoeuvred off the woman and led her towards the bedroom. "Well then, is that bed still available?"
"You know it comes with me in it?" Jihl cocked a brow at the change in Lightning's attitude, it was like back in the guardian corp, so full of bravery and courage all though there was now there was less grunts and glares and more kissing and Jihl definitely preferred kissing.
"I wouldn't want it any other way." Lightning answered and pinned the blonde to the bedroom door, her mouth pressing for more of the woman's intoxicating aroma as she searched for the door handle, meanwhile Jihl's hands were already at Lightning's belt, pulling the straps that kept her pants on.
"You really went from alley cat to horny kitty pretty quick." Jihl chuckled and helped Lightning with the door, stumbling back and tumbling into the bed.
Lightning frowned and clawed at her chest. "I can't help it, there are these urges that.."
"Pfft! Lightning, it's called being horny. But I can help with that." Jihl smiled and ran a finger down Lightning's shirt. "But first..."
CLICK!
Lightning eyed the handcuffs now keeping her locked up to the bed. "Jihl? Handcuffs really?"
Jihl nodded. "Well I wouldn't want to let you get away now would I? Tonight you're all mine." Jihl said dominantly and leant down, tracing her finger over her lips. "That's if you're okay with that of course." Jihl asked softly, breaking her character for a moment.
Lightning kissed her and smiled. "Then I guess you're all mine tonight too."
"Ooh I like that. Now the safe word is Sunshine." Jihl whispered and began unbuttoning Lightning's shirt.
"Safe word?" Lightning looked at Jihl dumbfounded.
"For heaven's sake woman have you never read porn?" Jihl stopped to glare at Lightning.
"Nope."

A/N: So... I wrote some dirty fluff, sorry not sorry. Oh and regarding that we're two chapters in and still no Fang well worry not she'll appear soonish I promise. Just gotta set up an awkward love triangle y'know.