This chapter turned out a LOT longer then I originally anticipated. Many MANY thanks to Baby Capri 1990 for helping with some of the dialogue and flow of this chapter. Also to Lon3wolfee for begging me to continue writing.
There's even more drama in this chapter :D Hope you all enjoy.
The Simple Life
Chapter 7
"I hope you know she won't buy it." I sat on the edge of our bed, staring down at the screen of my phone. Serah's number was already highlighted, I had just yet to hit the call button.
"You're a trained ex-soldier sunshine. Don't they train you people how to lie?"
"Yes, but-"
"But nothing. Just pretend she's like any other person," Fang rolled onto her back, the blanket was barely covering her naked body.
I stared at the screen for a moment longer before standing up and hitting the call button. She'd never believe me. She never did. "Here goes nothing." I lifted the phone to my ear. It rang three times. Three long rings before she finally answered.
"Where in the world are you at? You were suppose to be here an hour ago!"
"Serah…" I sighed, I had practiced the words so many times in my head before calling her. Yet, now that I had her on the phone, the words vanished. "Fang's having a bad reaction to her medicine."
"…Oh." It tore me apart inside, hearing all of the hurt that her voice emitted.
I glanced over my shoulder to look at Fang. A smile was plastered on her face. I wanted to smack her for making me lie to Serah. "She was up most of the night vomiting."
She grunted softly in response. "You're hesitating. All you had to do was tell me you didn't wanna come so you could stay in bed with her all day long."
"Serah, it's not like that!" I attempted to put up a defense, but it didn't work. She didn't fall for it. "I'll come with you next time, I promise it."
"Yea yea, another empty promise. You promised me you'd come this time Claire!" She sniffled softly. "At least I'll have someone there who cares about me. Have fun with Fang."
Click.
I stared blankly at my phone. My little sister just hung up on me. "How'd she take it sunshine?"
"I can't believe you made me do that. I TOLD you she wouldn't buy it!" I threw the phone down on the bed, wrapped one of our robes around my body and left the room.
"Claire wait!" I ignored her, my feet carrying me faster. Eventually I ended up out on the balcony of our home. Over the railing I could see clouds forming in the sky. They were calling for a small storm that day. I brushed the hair out of my face and leaned on the banister, my eyes falling closed as I tilted my face toward the sky, "Do you know how beautiful you are when you do that?"
I spoke softly, not looking at her, "Don't try to change the topic and pretend like everything's okay."
"Claire…" She trailed off moments before wrapping her arms around my waist.
As much as I wanted to stay mad at her, I couldn't. After letting out a sigh I rested my hands on her arms and leaned back against her. "Fang…"
"Yea?"
"I don't know what I would have done if I lost you," I turned in her arms to look up at her.
"Look who's changing the subject now," She grinned. It was a grin I couldn't resist. The one that I could never resist. My heart melted every time I saw it. Even before we were together.
I shook my head and continued, "I don't want you to go back to work."
"What?"
"I know you're not deaf Fang…I can't stop thinking about what I'd be like if you weren't here anymore."
"Nothing's gonna to happen to me," She placed her fingers under my chin to tip it up, making me look into her eyes.
I pulled away from her. I folded my arms over my chest, "But something did happen to you Fang. He beat you unconscious."
"He caught me off guard sunshine. Look at me now. I'm fine," She smiled and tried to wrap her arms around me again. But I stepped away, my back becoming flesh with the railing. "Is this what was bothering you last night?" I nodded, "What am I suppose to do if I can't work at the bar?"
"I have more than enough money to take care of the both of us." Any expression fell from my face.
"It's not about the money love," She lowered herself to sit on one of the chairs on the balcony, her eyes still examining my face. "It's about the thrill I get when I beat someone up."
"What about when someone three times your size beats you to within an inch of your life?" I couldn't control my voice as it became louder.
"I can't be your little fucking trophy Lightning. I can't just stay around the house all day every day just cooking and cleaning and being your little house wife. I have to get out and do something with myself."
My hands slid into the pockets of the robe, they soon became fists, "I wasn't implying that you stay around here all day." I walked by her, making my way back into our room. I kept my back to her, knowing she would follow as I let the robe fall to the floor and began getting dressed.
"What were you implying then?" She leaned against the door frame.
"Nothing, just forget it."
"Then I can go back work next week. Right?"
"Please don't." I bit my lip. So hard it almost drew blood.
"Why?"
After sliding my bra on I spun to look at her. "I already told you why Fang!"
A scowl came to her face. "Are you going to hold that against me for the rest of my life? I got beat up once…one fucking time Lightning. I've been working there now for what, three years. Once in three years, I don't think that's half bad." I was silent. "Besides, getting hit once or twice is part of the job description."
"But I can't handle nursing your black eyes or bruised knuckles all the time. It hurts me."
"It hurts You?" She laughed bitterly. Yet again, I ignored her, continuing my search for clothing for the day. "How the hell ya think I feel when I get clocked in the jaw, or clock someone in the nose?"
"Take some kind of fighting class then? Teach some kind of self defense class? I don't know Fang, but if you wanna fight, keep it in a controlled environment."
I walked into the closet, pulling a light jacket from a hanger. "I love what I do though. You can't just ask me to give up something I love, just to please you." She followed me, "What about you? What about that soldier shit?"
"What about it?"
"You want to criticize something I do when my job is much safer than yours."
My blood started to boil. There was a different between her job and mine. Mine wasn't every day of my life. Hers was. Mine was only on an as-needed basis. Whenever I did get called into a job, I was never on the front lines of the assault and she knew that. "That's different."
"How is that different? We're both protecting people with our jobs."
"It's different because I get paid to protect the citizens of Cocoon, you get paid to protect the drunks."
"So I guess you fall into the 'drunks' category. As you were in there just about every night up until the incident."
I glared up at her. All I was seeing at that point, was red. My blood pressure had rose to the point I could no longer see straight. "I'm in there to see you Fang. Fine, if you want to stay at that damn bar I could really care less." I stared at her, straight in the eye. We shared the same expression. "I know the real reason you wanna go back."
"Oh you do huh?" Her arms folded over her chest.
"What about Lebreau? I've seen the way you and her flirt all the time."
"She's just a co-worker. What's she got to do with anything?"
"Deep down inside you want her, don't you?"
She threw her arms up, "I can't believe you! You're such a hypocrite sometimes. You tell me to quit my job because it's dangerous, yet your job is even MORE dangerous than mine is. THEN…" She stepped closer to me, her voice growing louder with each uttered word. "And then you accuse me of cheating on you. Do you know what they say about those who accuse their partners of cheating?" She didn't give me a chance to respond. "DO YOU?"
I didn't back down from her, she didn't scare me. She never scared me. "If you think for two seconds that I'm cheating on you…you've finally lost your mind. I've gone through it before Fang, or did you not listen to me when we had that conversation?"
"I listen to you. I listen to everything you tell me. Whether or not I believe you. Now that's another story."
My rage finally boiled over, I couldn't stop myself before I lifted my hand to slap her across the face. "I don't want to see you when I get back." I took my ring off and threw it down on the bedside table. I picked up my phone and walked out of our bedroom.
As if on cue, my phone started to ring. I flipped it open without even looking at the caller ID. "Hello?"
"Claire?" My body froze at the sound of her voice. The frenzied fires inside were instantly extinguished. She was crying.
"Serah…Serah what's wrong?" I reached for my keys as I made my way toward the door. Her only response was more tears. "Serah? Serah, baby, what's wrong? Did Snow do something?"
"No… Just…" She broke down in tears again. "Come over." She was finally able to spit out.
"I'm already on my way. I'll be there in ten minutes. I promise."
Dun. Dun. DUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNN! xD Oh I'm evil. I know...only a handful of people actually know what's going to happen and why Serah was crying and blah blah blah. I'll try to have the next chapter up A.S.A.P. So you guys won't be left in the dark for too long.
Don't forget to review!
