The Other Battlefield
Chapter 4
Fang stood open to all the harsh elements; snow, wind and Lightning, and yet her tough Yun skin refused to shiver. The blood in her veins kept her warm as her heart seemed to beat a million times a minute as she waited for Lightning to continue speaking.
"It's just that…"
Fang had waited patiently for a good half a minute for Lightning to muster up the courage to finish her sentence, but it was like the soldier had become crystallised again in order flee from the conversation. To distract herself from the situation, Lightning had rolled up the sleeves of her jumper, letting her arms go bare despite the weather. Eventually, Fang had grown sick of waiting and made for the door, yet it was just as her hand grasped the handle did Lightning finally speak.
"Serah… Serah doesn't know about us… me."
Fang could have fell to her knees in relief. This was perhaps the best news she could have hoped for because it wasn't a rejection, just denial on Lightning's part.
Just as I guessed.
In the past, it wasn't hard for Fang to be open about who she liked, whether it be a man or woman and she had felt interest in both before. Maybe it was a culture thing?
"That's alright, we can work on that." Fang said, turning back to face the woman. "First step is to not give a shit what people think."
Lightning swallowed. "Thank you."
The space between them disappeared as Fang brought Lightning in for a tight hug so that Lightning's head rested on her collarbone. She wouldn't be surprised if the woman could feel her heartbeat, after all it was beating like a drum. Thankfully, the older Farron wasn't a crier, therefore when the two parted to head back into the house, Fang left with a dry front.
The had barely stepped foot in the door when the crowd in the front room burst into a clamour.
"TEN! NINE! EIGHT!"
The room exploded with the bellowing of mostly Snow and Gadot, who swayed arm in arm, their free hands raised with a drink in hand. Serah seemed to be the only one to notice the two women's entrance, as she ran to her sister's side.
"Lightning, hurry you're gonna miss the countdown!"
Fang took a step back against the doorway, eyeing what must have been another Cocoon tradition. A few drinks had been spilt on the carpet, which the older Farron clearly hadn't noticed yet and Sazh sat upon a comfy armchair fast asleep with his mouth wide open. How the man slept through the noise was beyond her.
"TWO! ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"
The next incident to happen confused Fang to no end.
Fang could understand why Serah ran into Snow's arms and gave him a firm kiss on the lips, as did Dajh to his father, waking him up in the process, but no one else had a reason to kiss each other. Yuj and Lebreau gave one another a quick peck, as did Vanille and Maqui, then Vanille ran to Hope then to Yuj.
Mouth agape Fang watched as the entire room seemed to hug, kiss and return pleasantries.
"What the bloody hell is this? Why're they all kissing, is this some sort of ritual?" She asked, puzzled.
Lightning, who had found a distraction in playing with her sleeves again during the exchanges, laughed nervously. "Kind of."
Before anyone could regret it, Lightning pushed her hand upon Fang's chest, shoving her back into hallway whilst managing to close the door behind her. Their lips, tongues and hands met each other instantly, leaving Fang unable to comprehend the sudden spinning in the room.
The soldier had both hands clutching Fang's head firmly in place and her body pressed very nicely into the spaces around the huntress. Before Fang could get a feel for Lightning anymore, the solider looked back to study the closed door to ensure no one had seen.
"I dunno if I like you being so spontaneous." Fang said, licking her lips to get a better taste of the flavoured lip balm – cherry. "Could get us into trouble… you know I like being the troublemaker around here." She leaned forward for another taste, which Lightning allowed without thought.
Before either woman could respond, the door separating them from the other guests opened without warning, revealing Lebreau who stumbled with a drink in hand.
"Hel-lo what's this? Did I interrupt your little alone time?" Lebreau giggled.
There was a split-second where Fang could see the panic levels rise in the soldier's widened irises and, as if it was the only plan Lightning could think of, she stiffened her hand and slapped Fang across the cheek. It stung to say the least, but the pain in her cheek was nothing compared to the growing pain in the cavities of her chest.
"F-Fang!" Lightning half stuttered, half scolded.
It was if their small chat outside hadn't happened - Lightning was supposed to learn to stop caring. But this felt like a betrayal of sorts.
Lightning made a run for it upstairs, escaping Fang's grip as if her hands were hot iron. Every footstep echoed, although muted by the carpet and voices of everyone else, each step resounded in Fang's mind.
"Fang...?" Lebreau swallowed, unsure of what she had just walked in on, and who could blame her? Fang was just as uncertain herself at Lightning's sudden change of heart. The woman had lost her nerve. Sliding in defeat down the wall, Fang stared dejectedly at her feet, mouth slightly agape.
"Leave me please." Fang managed to say, and Lebreau turned away until Fang changed her mind. "Hang on a second! Come here."
The raven haired girl stumbled forward, leaning close as if she expected Fang to utter a secret. No, Fang's only true confidant was Vanille and she was likely to be slouched in the corner of the room in a drunken stupor, recovering from beforehand.
"You can leave your drink with me." Fang smirked wickedly, snatching the glass from Lebreau's hands without warning.
She'd liken her quick grab to that of a viper striking at its prey, but that reminded her too much of Cocoon... and of a certain old inhabitant. The barmaid huffed at Fang's anti-social action and instead slinked off back into the living room.
So what was next for her for tonight? Fang wondered. She had a thriving party in the next room, where she could continue to drink until she forgot about the last five minutes, or she could storm upstairs and confront the newly acquired bane of her life.
The condensation from the glass dripped onto her hand during her slow process of drinking its contents in the hallway. The melting ice was Fang's only indication of how much time had passed during the course of the night. It seemed that hardly anyone needed a toilet break from the party they were having, as she remained in the hallway alone for the most part. Anyone who did pass her paid her no heed, probably too drunk to see anything past a blur anyway.
She decided that joining the party would be the better plan.
"Here's to a new year." Fang slurred, raising her quarter-filled glass in the air despite the heaviness in her arms. "Happy fucking new year."
She remained in her room for at least forty-five minutes.
Lightning's blood was boiling in her veins from both the alcohol and her unease. Why was it she felt perfectly comfortable around Fang only when they were alone? She was such a coward for striking and leaving Fang as if this was all her fault. And now here she was leaning against the headboard of her bed with her legs folded under her chin thinking over and over what had happened downstairs.
She leaned her head back, eyes closed as if in deep slumber. It would appear to anyone looking in on her that all was peaceful, yet her reeling mind was anything but tranquil.
Must apologise to Fang... and get everyone out my house.
Lightning uncurled herself, stretching almost cat-like; her bones cracked under the strain as she deliberately delayed herself from going back downstairs. Fang didn't deserve to be treated the way she was so first thing was first, she'd apologise to Fang.
However, it became increasingly more obvious as she crept downstairs at how quiet it had become.
"Listen up ev'rybody I have an excitin' announcement to make!" Lightning's heart leapt into her throat.
The bellowing voice belonged to Fang, there was no mistake, but what was she up to? She carefully made her way downstairs, passing the doorway that would take her into main room and into the door straight ahead into the kitchen where the spectacle was held. Fang had clearly gotten drunk in her absence.
The huntress was standing on her dining table as if it was some sort of speaking podium – with her shoes still on no less. In her left hand was her umpteenth bottle of beer, whilst her right hand flung about wildly as she addressed her audience.
It didn't take her long to get herself hammered. I suppose this is my fault.
"Let me tell yous all somethin' I don't thinks you knew about our good friend Lightnin'."
Dread pooled in the pit of her stomach as Sazh and Gadot tried, and failed, to get Fang down. The table she was standing on was littered with food, drink and bowls of snacks, yet thankfully Fang was still able to avoid it all.
"Ah look here! It's the woman herself." Fang swayed slightly as if standing of the deck of a ship. She lifted one foot precariously near an untouched but open bottle of cider as she adjusted her stance.
"Fang." Lightning said, her voice curt.
Lightning forced her way closer to the table, stopping only once she had to crane her neck sharply upwards to meet Fang's stare. "Fang, please get down."
Her unfelt plead went unnoticed, which didn't surprise her much considering this was Fang she was asking. Yet one thing was for certain, she wouldn't let the woman stay up there for long.
"Y'see everyone, Lightnin' here likes w-"
Without a second of hesitation, Lightning made a swipe at Fang, grappling the hem of her sleeve in order to pull her down. Fang landed unsteadily on her feet, almost toppling forward from the force of the pull.
"Fang, let's go home!" Vanille begged from the side lines, but Fang silenced her with a shush.
"No Fang, Vanille's right you're causing a scene." Lightning said with a little more urgency.
Fang seemed all too aware of the scene she was creating. She was embarrassing herself but at least she was following her own rule: First step is to not give a shit what people think.
Again Lightning reminded herself that this was all her fault to begin with.
"I'm not leavin' until we've sorted this Lightnin'… you're not one for losin' your nerve." Fang huffed.
The room was still in complete silence, other than from the distant ticking of a clock and the sporadic breathing of the spectators. Lightning planned to keep the conversation at least mildly cryptic at best, as it was obvious that Fang had been only seconds away from 'outing' her in the most dramatic way possible in a room full of their family and friends.
Lightning frowned at the floor.
"Is this all because of earlier?" She asked, although the answer was obvious to her. It was all she could think of to say as she tried to fight back her anger and hold off raising her voice. It was all dying to escape her.
The Oerban began pacing in front of her, laughing darkly whilst lightly shaking her head.
"You bet it is!" Fang gestured at Lightning with the same hand that occupied the glass bottle.
"You said we'd work on it." Lightning growled through gritted teeth. "I was under the impression that it would be a slow, progressive type of thing."
Fang scoffed. "That was before you slapped me!"
"Enough!" It was Serah's turn to cut in, "everyone… thank you for coming but it's getting late."
Her heart-shaped face was stained with tears that kept flowing even as she directed everyone to go home, although it seemed many were reluctant to leave such an interesting scene. Serah remained rooted to the spot between the two bickering women as if she thought she could stop them if it all came down to violence. Not that it would; Fang had never relished any form of payback for the times the soldier had lashed out at her during their l'Cie days. Nor did Lightning want to hit her again at all.
"Snow could you see everyone out please?" Serah said; her tone noticeably gentler towards her fiancé.
The giant of a man also seemed torn between wanting to leave, alternating between staring at the hallway and the three women.
"Y-yeah sure thing, Serah." He nodded, ushering Bartholomew out first who was nearest to him.
"Tell Lightning and Serah that it was lovely of them to invite me and Hope." The older man managed to say, pushing Hope by the shoulders out of the door.
The NORA crew exited next, but not before Lebreau shouted: "Party at my bar in two days, you're all invited!"
"…Not the best time to be saying that 'Breau." Yuj whispered from behind her.
"Fang the invitation to leave was aimed at us too, let's go." Vanille ordered.
Lightning noticed that she looked just as upset as Serah although free of tears. Obviously deep down both of their sisters thought their fighting would affect the group's dynamics if Fang stayed, because they had already just ruined a perfectly happy celebration.
Fang shook herself out of her silent reverie first, thanking Serah wholeheartedly for having them over. She turned her attention back to Lightning, who expected little to no acknowledgement from the huntress, let alone physical contact.
Instead Fang brushed past Serah, her emerald eyes swimming with emotions good and bad, and placed a chaste kiss upon Lightning's left cheek in thanks. It was only when Lightning didn't respond with violence or harsh retort, did Fang feel bold enough to grasp the soldier's chin, causing her to look at the Oerban fully.
"Thanks for having me, Light." She whispered, placing a soft kiss upon her lips.
The moment was not was not be cherished, as Fang was practically dragged out of the house by Vanille, leaving both Farron sisters to stare at their backs as they let themselves out.
"Sis… I've got a lot of things I want to ask you, but I'll leave it for the morning." Serah declared before heading upstairs with Snow.
"I understand. Goodnight, Serah." Lightning murmured.
By now, there was nothing more to do but inspect the damages of her home. What seemed to be hundreds of bottles and cans were scattered on every surface the house could offer, as well as in places she hadn't necessarily bothered to clean before. It would be a tedious task in the morning to say the least. Inspecting the table where Fang had stood, she noticed one of the huntress's bracelets sitting forgotten alongside a tipped container of breadsticks. She rolled the piece of jewellery gently between her finger and thumb, watching with delight as light deflected from it from all different angles.
Despite it all, a small smirk formed upon Lightning's lips.
A/N: So it's been exactly a month since I posted the last chapter, and I'm sorry it's the shortest one I've offered so far. This chapter is far from perfect for me, but I'm setting myself a one month maximum deadline and I intend to stick to it! (Lately I've been entertaining myself reading some FFXII Balthier/Fran fanfics after I started replaying the game a while back. I do love those two!)
As always my friends, enjoy!