a/n:

EDIT: This is a revised version of Chapter two

Erg…looking back at what I presented makes me think "how the fuck could I even let this see the light of day?"

Chapter two: Doubts

~XIII~

Serah stood in the doorway that led to the kitchen, staring at Lightning with an exasperated look on her face. Lightning looked from her seat at the table, her face betraying nothing as she matched her sisters' steady gaze. Serah broke away first and briskly walked over to Lightning.

"Claire! Where's your decency?" Serah's near childlike aggression had managed to crack Lightning's stoic expression, pushing her near laughing, but she regained her composure and kept her face straight.

It didn't last long, as just watching her sister stand across from her, hands on her hips and a would-be-scowl-if-not-for-the-utter-cuteness on her face. Something that Serah never failed to do, even when downright pissed, was to puff out one cheek, which only gave the illusion of her deep in thought rather than utterly miffed.

Extending her arm, Lightning pressed a finger into the balloon-ified cheek and applied slight pressure, just enough so that the air slowly left. Now that was something even Lightning couldn't help but laugh at. It wasn't a true laugh, but it was enough to make Serah drop the 'I'm-pissed-at-you-Claire Farron' act and disperse the gloomy cloud from over her head.

"Come on, Claire…you have manners, use them. You don't just slap someone awake and then tell them to leave; it's just not in society's handbook." Serah explained with a mild look of disappointment on her face.

Lightning looked up into Serah's matching blue eyes, and upon seeing the unspoken pleas in them, she sighed, dropping a hand to the table. "Fine, I'll try and be nice to him…it's just…" Lightning glanced at the clock, which read 10:37 PM, before turning back towards her sister. "It's nothing, never mind. Night Serah."

Lightning pushed the chair back as she stood, pausing to tap her sister lightly on her shoulder, and trudged down the hallway towards their shared bedroom.

~(.)~

An hour later, Serah crept into the room and padded over the king sized bed in the middle of the room, where she could make out the faint outline of her sisters' sleeping form buried beneath the covers. Serah gave Lightning a regretful look, blue eyes closing in sadness as she listened to the steady breathing of her sister.

It pained Serah to see Lightning—no, Claire—so overlooking of her own well-being. Serah slipped beneath the covers, a good distance from Lightning, and stared up at the ceiling.

She missed the days when Claire could laugh freely and longed to see her real smile again. Serah longed for the day when Claire found real happiness. Serah turned towards Claire's back, which rose and fell steadily with each breath. Serah missed the feeling of hugging Claire, as all forms of contact were restricted to a simple brush of the arm or tap on the head. Wriggling her way across the bed, Serah stopped when she was only inches from her sister, and wrapped her arms around Claire's waist.

She suppressed a smile when she heard Claire mumble incoherently before pushing the covers from her upper body. Claire stilled again, a hand resting over Serah's as she slept on. Serah pressed her forehead against her sisters' back and fell into a peaceful sleep, happy to be near Claire again instead of Lightning.

~XIII~

Morning had come far too quickly for Serah's liking. She was the early riser, much to the surprise of many-always having assumed Lightning as the early riser-and slid from the bed, her bare feet tensing as they came into contact with the cold metal flooring. Serah turned to look at Lightning, who had shifted during the night-Serah being the victim of a particularly well-aimed slap-was sprawled on her back, one arm resting across her eyes, the other on the flat expanse of her stomach and her right leg exposed and bent at the knee while the left remained beneath the covers.

Serah found it amusing that Claire was the heavy sleeper, often finding it strange that it wasn't the other way around. She rose from the bed and padded across to her closet where she began to dress for the day's events. It was May 8th, which meant it was hers and Snows' year anniversary. But it also meant that Serah had to bid goodbye for the day to a resentful Lightning, and that was something Serah could openly admit to disliking about her relationship with Snow.

As much as she loved him, and although it seemed like there was a space bigger in her heart for him, she loved Claire much more. Snow was just another element of protection in her life, and naturally she held Claire accountable for her upbringing after their parents died. It hadn't been Snow who paid for her tuition, or taken care of her for six years on a military salary. No, it had been all Claire's doing and Serah worried constantly about what her sister would do once Snow married her. Serah would go off with Snow and leave Claire alone.

Serah finished tying the lace of her shoe and stood from her crouched position, thoughts still flowing from some strange part of her brain that always caused her distractions.

'Claire's never really been a total romantic…she's dated and stuff, but it was never anything serious. I feel bad…' Serah rambled in her head as she entered the small section of kitchen and wandered over to the pantry, pulling a bag of coffee beans from the top shelf and going back towards the coffee machine. 'I'm off to marry Snow soon and without a second thought towards Claire…I'm so selfish.'

Serah spooned the beans into the top part without paying much attention to what she was doing, and missed the opening, causing about two dozen or so beans to spill onto the floor. 'I'm so clumsy too…Snow's not much better…' Serah thought as she fell to her knees and began picking the black beans from the floor and dropping them into her hand. She stood and opened a cabinet door to reveal the trash bin, carefully depositing the spoiled beans into the plastic bag that lined the bin.

'At least I can cook, though…' Another thought popped into Serah's head as she pressed the 'Blend' button on the machine, undisturbed by the loud whirring of the beans being mashed. 'But what about cleaning? Claire's better at that stuff than I am…' The whirring stopped and Serah pressed the 'Pour' button, holding a mug under the spout which slowly filled as coffee spilled into it.

~(.)~

A sharp aroma crept down the hall and circled around Lightning's head, filling her nostrils with the bitter-sweet scent of fresh coffee, made Serah-style. The rose-haired woman stirred, pulling the covers to her body as she turned onto her side. She hated when Serah made coffee so early in the morning, as the smell served as her silent alarm clock and unwanted invite to the world.

Lightning buried her face in her pillow, trying to return to the deep abyss of sleep and resist the temptation that the fresh coffee served.

Lightning trudged through the living room and into the kitchen to find Serah gone, and a note propped up against her coffee. Frowning slightly, she picked up the note, reading it over with narrowed eyes.

'Claire,

I've gone out with Snow, he was earlier than I expected. I'm sorry I didn't get to say good morning to you. I'll see you later tonight, okay. So don't worry too much. I love you.

-Serah'

Lightning pocketed the note before seating herself and picking up the mug. She doubted that Snow would get up to much trouble, but still…it was Snow, and knowing him he would find a way to entangle himself, and Serah this time, in some form of trouble.