Title: Shattered hearts in the sand.
Pairing: ...still pre-ship Light/Serah (but we all know where it's going, so if that's not your thing stop reading)
Summary: Serah had been expecting more yelling, maybe a punch or two thrown at Snow, but not Lightning moving out of their home.
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy XIII or any of the characters mentioned and no profit is being made from this.
Warning: Contains incest and a lesbian relationship (though not yet).
A/N: there is one or two things mentioned that come from the series of web novella's called Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero: Promise written by Jun Eishima. A translation can be found at . if anyone is interested.
Part 4
"I need your help." Serah was desperate as she stood before Lebreau. "Please. Light's gone missing. Well not missing as such, because I think I know where she is. I need help to get there."
"Why can't Snow help you?" Lebreau had no intention of turning Serah down, she was just honestly curious.
Serah growled lowly at the mention of Snow. If she hadn't listened to him in the first place Claire would still be at home and they'd be enjoying dinner. In fact if she'd never listened to his sweet talking and started dating him, Serah was convinced her relationship with Claire wouldn't be in the poor state it was currently in.
"It's his fault she's missing in the first place." Serah spat out, not even bothering to hide her anger at the man.
Lebreau just nodded and called out to Maqui and Yuj who were playing cards at one of the back tables. "Okay, we'll help. I'm kind of just guessing here but if you're asking for help I'm assuming it's because where you need to go is too dangerous for you to go on your own. Three is better than one so the boys should come too." Serah just nodded and moved out of the way as Lebreau made her way from behind the bar.
Yuj started herding patrons out of the bar stating a family emergency while Maqui and Lebreau went out the back to get their gear. The whole process only took about ten minutes and Serah was astounded at their efficiency. Snow had always made out that NORA would be nothing without him and his motivational ability but as far as she could tell NORA had been fairly disorganised. It was apparent to her now that maybe Snow was more of a hindrance to NORA than an asset. Claire had always told her that Snow was a lazy, good for nothing leader and that's why his little group was never going to be a threat to the guardian corps. Serah had just thought that was Claire's dislike shining through but obviously it hadn't been.
The three members of NORA were soon standing with Serah outside of Lebreau's bar. It had started to get darker and Serah was anxious to get going. The sooner she found Claire, the sooner they could go home together.
"So where do you think she is?" Maqui asked as he placed a reassuring hand on Serah's arm.
Serah's voice was barely above a whisper, "The Pillar."
"Right, let's go." Yuj bounded down the road with determination. The others followed soon after.
"It was just Serah and I, after both our parents died." Lightning murmured as she gazed up at the pillar. "I wasn't always there though. Maybe that's why it's easy for her to move on. I wasn't there then so it makes sense that she doesn't need me to be there now."
Lightning tried to wipe at the tears falling down her face without anyone noticing, and then laughed hollowly at how absurd that was. There was no-one with her – Lightning tried to ignore the part of her that thought there never would be again- only the imagined presence of the two women stuck in the pillar.
"I'd wanted to go away, just Serah and me, for my birthday." Lightning sighed. "I really wish we had. We could have avoided all that nonsense that took place with that stupid Snow and the l'Cie crap. Who could possibly think it would be a good idea to tell me that on my twenty first birthday."
"Serah, why did you ask us instead of Snow?" Maqui was hoping Serah would open up to them about what had cause Lightning to run off and render Snow unsuitable for help.
Serah stared at him to determine how much she should say to Snow's friends. And despite them agreeing to help, that's what they were. They were Snow's friends, not hers, although she and Maqui had always gotten along rather well and Maqui had always seen her as more of an equal. Yuj and Maqui may have been best friends but Serah had noticed he wasn't that close to any of the other members, especially Snow. So really that just left Lebreau as a possible problem but she hadn't even hesitated to offer her help even after Serah had mentioned that she blamed Snow.
Hoping that she wasn't making a mistake, Serah decided to tell them. "Snow convinced me that we had to just tell Cl... Light that we were going to get married whether she was okay with it or not. He made some stupid comments in passing that made Light feel like she wasn't even wanted in her own home so she said she was leaving to find somewhere to move. She left, looking so upset." Serah had to stop as she fought back tears at the thought of Claire upset. No matter how many times that image passed through her mind of Claire walking out of their home it still affected her, almost more strongly than it had when it happened earlier that day.
Lebreau took the opportunity to speak while Serah composed herself. "I don't know if I should tell you this but from what I overheard Snow saying to Gadot a while ago, it was his intention to make Lightning feel that way. He claimed he knew exactly what to say to quote 'get Lightning to back off so I can finally have Serah to myself'. He may act stupid all the time, and he may actually be that dumb with some things, but I can assure you those comments that upset Light so much were not made in passing."
Serah didn't think she could get any angrier at Snow than she had been when she'd walked off on him. When Serah had though they were just things he'd said without thinking she'd simply thought him a bit callous, but to find out they had been deliberate digs at her precious Claire made Serah think he was just a cruel asshole. She was so angry with Snow, and the situation he had made that Serah was even uncharacteristically swearing, even if only in her mind.
"That... Well, it changes nothing because I ended things with Snow when he tried to stop me from going after Light. Don't feel bad about telling me Lebreau." Serah really didn't think Lebreau should feel guilty and despite how angry she was at everything, Serah still wanted to put the woman at ease. "Actually I had to tell him it was over twice. He followed me outside and tried to stop me again saying he was more important than Light. And that sums up everything on why I didn't ask Snow. He thought Light would be fine on her own."
"Well he has a point, I mean its Lightning!" Maqui exclaimed, awe evident as he said Light's name.
Serah laughed lightly. "On any other day I'd be right there with you. Light is amazing but she was so hurt when she left. Normally when she's upset she comes and talks to me and I look after her. But this time, it was me that caused it and I don't think she'll be dealing well with that, which has me worried."
The group walked on in silence after that until they were stopped by the umpteenth creature. Serah had stopped counting after twenty and they'd only been travelling for half an hour. It was fortunate that Maqui and Yuj had been in the bar when she'd asked Lebreau for help because this was the only way any of them knew to the pillar – thanks to excursions with Snow – and Lebreau had commented that encounters had increased now that the various creatures were used to the large settlements of people.
"This way might be quicker but I really don't know why Snow would take you this way on his own." Yuj muttered as he got into position. "We're having enough trouble with three of us. Snow putting a defenceless woman in danger this way. It's just unbelievable."
As Serah watched the three fighting against a Gorgonopsid – Claire had been teaching her just in case Serah ever needed to know- she had to agree with Yuj. It was just unbelievable that a man would put the woman he claimed to love in danger because he wanted to show off.
A/N: Oh wow, I'm so impressed with myself. I actually wrote, and posted two chapters in one day. Considering how unfocused I can be (think back to how long it was between posting chap 2 and chap 3) this is an achievement. I have half of the next chapter pretty much done, if I get enough reviews I'll post it tonight or tomorrow. Joke :P I'll post it anyway, but still review ppl!