Sage eyes widened by a mere fraction, as the huntress' hand suddenly stopped it's movement against Vanille's pale and slightly marred skin. Fang hung her head low, a couple of her dual-toned locks falling down and covering her eyes. Her arms soon fell limp against the side of the tub, as images of the night's events flashed through her mind.

Scared?

Of course she had been... More scared than she had ever felt before. Vanille was the last thing she had in life, and was her sole reason for living now. If that got taken away from her...

She might as well not be living at all.

A few tears ran down her cheeks, falling down into the tub and causing a few noticeable ripples in the water's surface. "..I was so scared, 'Nille... When I saw ya layin' there on ya side, all bloodied up and hurt I thought... I thought I was too late."

Fang lifted her head, and stared Vanille in the eyes, her own etched with the pain and fear she had been hit with earlier.

"Ya were so weak, an' those rake marks on ya body were so bad.. So very bad. I... I wasn't even sure I was gonna get ya home in time." The pulsian reached out a trembling hand back in the hot water, and gently rested it over the worst of the stitched up wounds. "It was still bleedin' when I got here, an' I know if I hadn't gotten ya fixed up as fast as I did... I woulda lost ya..."

She choked back more tears, and managed to clear her throat somewhat. There were so many other things she wanted to say, but one needed to be said. To be heard by the red haired girl in her care.

"I can't lose ya, Vanille... I jus' can't."

"Oh, Fang.." The girl whimpered, teary eyes meeting their counterparts, and seeing all of the pain she had placed there. It killed her to see Fang like this, knowing she was the cause.

I'm so sorry, Fang..

She really had hurt her bad. She had thrown hateful, angry words at her over something beyond her control, and then had scared them both out of their minds with nearly dying, all over some necklace.

Vanille squeezed the hand on her stomach fervidly as she took hold with shaking hands, her thoughts harassing her with every mistake she'd made that night.

The wounded preteen couldn't help it. Everything came out, the first of several tears making their way down her cheeks.

"I'm so so sorry... I-I never meant ta hurt you. I was just angry at the world an' you were the only one there for me ta strike at..." She cried, letting out a soft noise and wiping at her eyes desperately with her forearm, feeling guilty and full of grief. "An' I was so scared... When I was hurt. I-I was afraid I wouldn't ever see you again, Fang."

Images flooded her mind and she hopelessly tried to fight back even more tears. "I was scared that I would lose everything. That I'd never be able ta hear your laugh again, an' that I'd never sit down and have breakfast with ya'.. And that you'd have t'ride chocobos an' train by yourself an'-an' I didn't wanna go- cause Heaven just wouldn't be Heaven without you there..." Vanille dropped her gaze, shaking her head and sending a few tearful breaths to tight lungs, as what started as a light sniffle were turning into sobs, "An- all I wanted was ta be back home with you... Even when I was runnin'. All I could think about was wanting for you ta be there. For you ta stop me. For you ta wake me up out of some nightmare, but knowing you never would and... And the awful things I said..."

The red-head paused, grimacing tearfully. Raising her eyes to meet Fang's, Vanille took a shaking hand and grabbed hold of the older Pulsian, pulling her close and throwing an arm around her hastily, her voice softer and tear choked as she continued.

"F-Fang, I-I didn't mean what I said- Okay? I could never ever hate you... Y'know that, right? N-never... I-I love you too much... I-I jus'.. I dunno what I'd do without you. An' I know what I said wasn't right, an' that nothin' I say could justify forgiveness, but... I'm so sorry. For hurtin' you like that. F-for everythin'!"

"Vanille..." The huntress was almost at a loss for words, not having expected this little outburst from the girl, even after truthfully answering her question. Fang's hands reached up to cup both of Vanille's cheeks, and she leaned her head down to kiss all those tears away. ".. I love ya too, 'Nille.. So ya don't need ta apologize anymore, alrigh'? We both did a few things we regret, an' could equally share in the blame.."

The huntress pressed her forehead against her partner's, and the red head let out a soft sigh at the contact, nuzzling her nose into Fang's in return. It was a usual sign of affection between them, and it helped sooth each others nerves. They stayed like that for countless minutes in the silence, just enjoying the closeness between them. Until the older of the two moved a hand into the other's semi wet red locks, and caught it in a small clump of bloodied hair.

This little action made Fang pull back, and take a good look at the rest of Vanille's head. There was quite a few similar clumps scattered in her silky hair, and it had completely passed over her head to wash the girl's hair. "..Needa get those clumps taken care of.." She mumbled out loud, and pulled out of Vanille's reach to grab her favorite bottles of shampoo and conditioner. The younger pulsian leaned back into the side of the tub, as Fang knelt back down.

A bit of apple scented shampoo was rubbed between her palms, before Fang applied it into Vanille's hair, her fingers carefully kneading into her scalp, making the young girl close her eyes and hum a little tune in contentment. It was a simple tune really, one that her mother had taught her, and she in turn had taught Fang. The brunette smiled, adding in her own little hum, as one of her partially bubbled covered hands reached behind her and grabbed a small cup off to her side.

Vanille let out a small squeak when she felt warm water get poured on her head, which nearly ran into her eyes. It felt good though, and she could feel those dried clots of blood wash away. She seemed a bit disappointed when the fingers in her hair left though, even if her hair was completely cleaned and un-knotted now.

"..There, much betta." Fang thought out loud, and ran her fingertips through a strand. "Now that ya all nice an' clean, how 'bout we dry ya off, hm?" She asked while turning around and reaching for a towel, though a huge jolt of pain in her shoulder made her wince as her hand grasped the fluffy material.

It was a nice reminder of the damage done to her own body, which she hadn't even tended to, nor really planned on until she had made sure Vanille was fine.