Brass and Lightning: Epilogue
The repetitive beeping of hospital machines filled the blank space in Jihl's mind, slowly calling her back to life or whatever it was that awaited her. Slowly her eyes crept open and the light burned for a moment. It was bright, it was daytime. Taking a few minutes to finally get seated back behind the controls of her body again, Jihl looked around the hospital room she was in. It was flashy, expensive, lacking in the cheap fluorescent lights and that god awful smell that hospitals had about them. Her room had a TV, a closet, a set of drawers and a balcony that overlooked the hospital grounds. Oddly enough, her kit had also been brought into her room as well. Her attempt to sit up sent pain tearing through her shoulder and brought her attention to the sling her arm was now in. She quickly pried herself free from the bed and rushed over, digging through the pockets of her bag. Her frantic search ended when she felt the photo she kept between her fingers. It was her and Vaal, when they snuck out from base and went to a bar Vaal insisted was actually called a 'pub' and had gotten drunk. Vaal asked her out as she finished her sixth pint of beer and had insisted they take a photo to commemorate the occasion. Whitman and White had been there too. Neither had minded about their presence because somehow Vaal had been able to talk her way out of having snuck off base. Jihl slowly walked back to the bed and sat down as she began to tear up. She brushed a finger over the face of the intoxicated blonde and sighed. She was gone. In reality and now even from Jihl's own selfish delusions. Jihl sat the picture aside and let the loneliness sink in. She should have died in the Ark too, she was supposed to but that at least was a problem she could solve. Not a single thought of doubt crossed her mind as she walked back over to her bag and opened up the hidden compartment in her bag to retrieve the revolver she'd got from Vaal all those years ago now. She waited, expecting a comment from Vaal, a joke or some stupid remark but the silence only dug her down deeper. "I'll be with you soon, I promise." Jihl whispered and she traced her fingers over the initials 'V.S.' inscribed in the frame of the revolver. She sat back down on the bed and smiled as she remembered the mess it had made of White. It would definitely work.
"Oi love, you in there!" Jihl froze up and forced her attention up at the door as it opened slowly. Vaal poked her head inside, chuckling as she forced her eyes back up to Jihl. "Hey." She said, unable to stop her smile from spilling across her face. Her boots echoed against the floor as she stepped closer. "Sorry I took so long, your parents wanted to run every damn test under the sun I bloody swear. Had to sneak my way out to see you. Really I think they were just trying to keep me away." Vaal chuckled and slowly approached, her eyes widening in caution as she spotted the firearm nestled in Jihl's hands.
Jihl forced herself to look at Vaal. "You're not real, please stop. I want it to end." Jihl begged and shuffled back across the bed. She watched Vaal hesitantly, the woman stopped and smiled reassuringly.
Vaal held her hands up as non-threatening as she could and slowly crept forward. "Love it is over. We won. The Cie'th are gone love." Vaal huffed. "Or do you mean us?" She said shyly, her voice going quiet.
"No, I love you so much Vaal, it's just..." Jihl said and shook her head. "...you're not real. I imagined you. I have imagined you this whole time since the time I lost you in the hospital."
"Love..." Vaal slowly got up on the bed and inched herself over to Jihl. "I'm so god damn sorry. I shouldn't have left you." She whispered and leant down closer, her hand brushing softly against Jihl's. "Now please, the gun." Vaal very slowly reached out. Jihl whimpered as Vaal took the gun from her and sat it as far away as she could. "That's a really dumb plan." Vaal whispered to Jihl and chuckled.
Jihl managed to smile uneasily as she sat up on the bed. "A dumb plan, that's coming from you?"
"Yes it is, Miss Sanchez.." Vaal grinned from ear to ear as she leant down and brushed Jihl's hair out of her face. "You're quite the mess you know. I was expecting you all prim and proper for me when I arrived." She laughed as she poked at a messy strand of hair.
"I've been unconscious Vaal, and for who knows how long." Jihl grumbled as the blonde wiggled on top of her. The feeling of Vaal's skin against hers, moving according to the other blonde's will oh so teasingly only made her heart flutter all the more.
"Four weeks, you've been unconscious for four long weeks love or so your parents told me. But I think we can post pone that talk for later can't we?" Jihl nodded and bit her lip as Vaal kissed her and pressed her back into the bed. The colonel moaned, her protests lost long before they had a chance to surface. Instead she wiggled and shifted, pulling her body against Vaal to deepen the kiss.
Jihl gently nudged her back when her lungs protested for air. "Please tell me you're real." Jihl begged, her hands clung tight onto Vaal as she waited for an answer.
"I am, love but if you don't believe me-" Vaal snickered as she kissed her again. "I am more than happy to prove it to you." Jihl fell silent, her chest stilled as Vaal slipped her hands down underneath her shirt. Her fingers fluttered over her skin, crossed her bellybutton and tugged the hem of her pants.
"Please." Jihl whimpered and stared at the blonde. "Don't stop."
"Of course not love but we should save this for when we're not in a hospital bedroom." Vaal said, all to happy to enjoy the look of disappointment on Jihl's face. "But kissing you." Vaal kissed Jihl again as if she would die if she didn't every few minutes. "We can do as much of that as you want."
"I still don't trust that woman." Amelia grumbled as she quickly moved through the hospital, it was a quiet Sunday with most everyone celebrating in the streets yet she still moved as fast as she could. She had the most unnerving feeling that crawled across her skin. Having finished up the last of shut-down procedures, she and Amberly had been finally freed from their tiresome work in the Ark. It didn't help that more than a few little birdies had remarked on the similarities between the Colonel of the GP responsible for their new found peace and her own features. Amberly snickered as she barely kept her pace with the woman storming along at full speed in high heels. "Ames slow down, I'm wearing boots and I'm struggling to keep up." Amberly chuckled and gave the blonde a playful nudge as they passed by a pair of hospital staff who eyed them cautiously. "It's not like she's going anywhere. Also Ames, Vaalashanka isn't that bad. Trust me you'll love her when you actually met her. She reminds me of you." Amberly reassured her wife. From the blonde's expression however, she had chosen to remain adamant about her initial judgement of the major.
"In what way?" Amelia asked curious to whether or not Amberly could actually back up her claim.
"She's stubborn." Amberly laughed and winced as Amelia punched her in the arm.
"She does not!" Amelia stopped outside of the room she was given for Jihl. "I am not stubborn." Her expression softened into a motherly frown "You saw her record Amberly, that woman reeks of trouble." She said and crossed her arms. "I don't want our daughter getting mixed up in any of that."
"Hehe baby you know, our daughter is in her mid twenties. I'm sure she's already gotten mixed up in all kinds off trouble. I mean she's a Colonel of a shadowy assassin squad, that might I add, just saved the world." Amberly laughed as Amelia's frown only deepened. "Hey maybe she's got tattoo's too, or piercings, maybe both." Amberly teased.
"Woman you are testing my patience." Amelia sighed and did her best to ignore the redheaded idiot beside her. "Can we just see our daughter, please?"
Amberly nodded as she brushed her lips against Amelia's. "Of course honey. Shall we?"
"Mhmm, lets." Amelia said enthusiastically. She reached out and pushed open the door. It lasted for about a good four seconds. "Don't say anything." She mumbled as she looked at the scene before her.
Amberly kissed her neck and chuckled, she just couldn't help herself. "Meow meow choco... Oww!"
Amelia scowled and puffed up her chest. "You deserved that, idiot. Now, Jihlian Yuderris-Pritchard! Wake up this instant!"
Jihl squirmed under the gaze of the older blonde woman who had resigned herself to the chair across from her. She was staring at her, looking her up and down with the eagle like green eyes hidden behind a pair of thin framed glasses. Her cold expression gave way and softened into a smile. "You've become quite a beautiful young woman Jihlian."
"Thank you... mother." She said the last part uneasily, the word was alien to her. Her eyes slowly met the older blonde who was doing her best to appear as non-threatening as she could. The boyish woman with fiery red hair and an aura that screamed military stood behind her. She snickered and waved when Jihl met her gaze
"Hey kiddo. Nice to meet you again." She said with her lips set into a smile. Leaning down, she nipped Amelia on the neck. "Baby, smile." Amberly chuckled.
"I am smiling." Amelia huffed and frowned as she looked back to Jihl. "The last time I saw you, you were knee high. Now look at you. I've missed so much." Amelia said remorsefully, her eyes scouring over Jihl for the thousandth time. "I'm so proud of you darling." Amelia's cheer dropped as she looked to the Major sitting beside her daughter. "Even if you've made some less then stellar decisions." She added in a sour tone and turned her disapproving gaze to Vaal, earning another chuckle from Amberly. "But it is thanks to Miss Sanchez that you are who you are so thank you."
"No problem there ma'am. Jihl has turned out to be a fine young woman in my opinion too." She said and glanced over to Jihl who was nervously reaching for her hand. Vaal took it and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Shame I wasn't around for the majority of it."
"But it was because of you I kept going. I didn't want your sacrifice to be in vain." Jihl said shakily and leant over to Vaal, finding comfort in her arms. "Thank you." She whispered softly before she pressed into a kiss. Warmth flooded her against her lips, soothing the pain that had lingered inside her for so long.
"Ahem." Amelia cleared her throat to remind her daughter of her current company. "Darling as much as I know you're old enough to have a relationship, please do not involve me. You're still my little girl and this woman is hardly my first, or any choice for that matter." Amelia said and dreaded the thought. "That aside darling, what is the plan for the rest of the day?"
Jihl sat for a moment as she pondered the possibility of leaving the hospital. "Well if I do get cleared to leave, I would probably have a shower, eat something with taste and sleep."
"You were just asleep." Vaal complained.
"Yes, but it wasn't with you." Jihl added, exhaling as Vaal went red in the face. She definitely was not the Vaal from her delusions, she was better. "I didn't mean it like that."
"Hehehe right, love. Well umm how about we get you looking half decent and go to Fang's place first? She invited us to dinner whenever you decided to wake up." With a mischievous grin, Vaal leant close and whispered. "Then we can ditch your parents and 'sleep'."
"That sounds wonderful Vaal." Jihl chirped happily. "Now let's see about getting me released shall we."
Amberly and Amelia bid their daughter goodbye for a short period of time, Amelia was quite insistent that Jihl call her tomorrow as soon as she could. Jihl must have promised it a hundred times over before Amelia was satisfied and left Jihl in Vaal's hands. She and Amberly had their own reacquainting to do. Jihl changed out of her scrubs into a pair of clothes she'd put in her bag on her trip to the last Ark. A whistle caught her ears as she pulled on a black T-shirt to go with her jeans.
"Looking good love." Vaal purred as she admired every curve of her girlfriend. "Scrubs are one thing but jeans are just damn. We better be careful I don't put you back in hospital."
"Thank you." Jihl huffed meekly and took a glance at herself in the mirror. She was rough, the scars from her triumphant battle still showing on her skin. With a chuckle she brushed a strand of hair out of her face and nodded. "Okay Vaal, I think I'm ready."
"Hehe love, you were made ready." Vaal laughed and picked up Jihl's bag, wanting to carry it for her. "Now we should get out there before the rest of the boys storm in here."
"The rest of the boys?" Jihl asked, her body already taking a step towards the door. "You mean-"
"Mhm. They are all waiting for you, Colonel and god damn there's a lot more than I remember."
The door opened and Jihl slowly walked out. The people sitting in the chairs outside of her room definitely made for an intimidating sight. She couldn't help but laugh as their eyes locked with her and they shot to their feet to salute her.
"Colonel, welcome back to the land of the living." Raines greeted her and looked to the others who nodded, sharing his thoughts. They all had their own host of wounds, bandages and scars marking their victory. None of which dampened the smiles on their faces. "We started getting worried we would be taking orders from Fang soon."
"Yes let's not go there while I'm still alive." Jihl laughed, the Pulsian was oddly absent. "Men and Women of the GP, the day I promised to you over all these years has finally come to pass. The false flag of Freedom has fallen and the ARK's are a threat no longer." Jihl winced at the pain that kept reassuring her of that fact. "I can't tell you what comes next, whether tomorrow we will be celebrated or forgotten. Whether tomorrow we will still exist, whether our organisation will exist, I have no idea however while it lasts however I bid you all enjoy the peace while we have it. You have more than earned it. Enjoy the future our fallen brothers and sisters have fought and died for. I could not be more proud to have stood at your side." Jihl staggered and reached for Vaal.
The blonde rushed to her side. "You okay love?"
"Yeah just, a little dizzy." She muttered and clung onto Vaal. "Sorry, looks like I'm going to have to cut it short. Oh and do tell Fang I might be a little late."
"Vaal, not so tight." Jihl winced and glared over to her shoulder, her girlfriend smiling innocently.
"Oops." She chuckled and kissed Jihl on the cheek. "Sorry love, buttons aren't my thing. Unbuttons however..." Vaal teased her fingers over Jihl's pants.
"Major Sanchez if you take these pants off, you will be the death of me."
"Drat, you uncovered my plan to usurp you as Colonel of the GP and here I was at least hoping to get down to your underpants before you did. Do you want it a little looser, your shirt? Or you could always borrow one of mine." Vaal asked softly. "Hey love?" She whispered, carefully bringing herself closer to Jihl.
"Mmm I am off duty aren't I?" Jihl asked.
Vaal nodded. "Uh huh, until you recover."
"Well then if you don't mind, darling, my arm is still sore."
Vaal rolled her eyes and lifted her fingers back up to the accursed buttons on Jihl's top. "Of course, love." She said and wasted no time in getting to work on changing Jihl's outfit to something remotely comfortable. "Do you always dress like a stiff?"
"A stiff?"
"You're the one wearing a suit to Fang's party. You know Fang isn't the suit type, neither am I."
"Well then it's a good thing for us I'm already used to them isn't it. I'll get to see you in a dress too."
Vaal stopped and stared at Jihl. "Love you don't mean..."
"Mhm. I've had you at my side this whole time, I don't see why I'd change that now." Jihl kissed her gently on the lips. "But first take me on an actual date okay?"
"Hey I did, remember when I snuck us off base." Vaal chuckled as Jihl rested against her shoulder.
"That was unpleasant and cold. I want somewhere nice and warm. A cafe or something might be nice for a change." Jihl said softly and nestled herself a little more into Vaal.
"As long as you leave your vest at home love." Vaal snickered at the nearly sleeping figure resting against her shoulder. "Do you still want to go to Fang's party love? If you're tired I'll call her to let her know and we can just sleep tonight. Maybe put on some cheesy ass movie and you can cuddle up with me love. We can see her tomorrow love when you wake up. Maybe lunch, at a cafe."
"No, I want to go now." Jihl shook her head and forced her eyes open. "I'm fine, it's just the painkillers are a little stronger than I thought they would-" Jihl was cut off by as she yawned.
"Mmm it's really cute love. You're so adorable when you're sleepy." Vaal snickered and leant into a kiss. Jihl whimpered and gripped onto Vaal's shoulders to stop herself from tumbling over backwards. "You know, sleep is what the doctor ordered." Vaal said and bit her lip when Jihl gave her a frown.
"We are going to that party Vaal, if only for a short while. I want to just relax and unwind, which you can help with later when we get back. You also have to meet Fang's girlfriend."
"Oh fairyfloss right?" Vaal asked, suddenly peaking up the mention of the woman.
"Lightning, yes. They're finally back together, I think. I'll explain on the way over. Now if you don't mind, can you drive?"
"Mhm, I sure can love." Vaal said with a grin.
Jihl sat down in a seat and vowed never to leave, or at least never sit in the passenger seat with Vaal driving again. Her hands shook as she raised a cigarette to her lips but truthfully the shaking was less from Vaal's driving and more to do with the fact that she was surrounded by people she didn't know. That sent shivers down her spine.
"Love?" Vaal called out softly to Jihl, pulling her back to reality. "You okay?" She asked and anchored Jihl under the warm gaze of her brown eyes.
"There's a lot of people here." Jihl chuckled nervously as she looked around. She stopped and smiled as she felt a hand reassuringly brush against hers.
"I'll keep you safe, I promise." Vaal said loudly so Jihl could hear her over the clamour of the room. Jihl had spotted a couple of her soldiers, Raines, Rosch, the one with glasses she couldn't remember the name of. Her eyes lit up in relief as she spotted Fang on approach.
"Ah so you actually did show at your own party?" Jihl remarked and watched Fang nod.
"You think I'd miss it? Plus someone has to keep the vultures away." Fang said and looked over her shoulder. "I told everyone to give you space but the new Primarch has been quite eager to make your acquaintance."
"New Primarch?" Jihl asked, still unaware of recent events.
"Uh huh, he hasn't been officially crowned or whatever it is they do here but he's got enough of the Primarch's guards with him to make a pretty good guess. Considering you ended the last Primarch and saved Cocoon, I reckon he's here in a gesture of good faith. Here." Fang grinned and offered Jihl an unopened beer. "Thought I'd save you the trek to the fridge."
"Thank you." Jihl said and sat it next to the couple of beers Vaal had already grabbed.
Fang pulled a seat over and sat down. "So how are you holding up?"
Jihl took a moment to respond. "I'm... Getting better. The painkillers help but I feel like I'm going to collapse at any second."
"That so? Gonna crash after the party?" Fang asked and fought back a laugh. It had been a while since she'd seen Jihl so at ease.
"Mhm, right into this one's arms." Jihl chuckled and leant against Vaal.
"You mean right beside me." Vaal added and gave everyone a smug grin. "You can't engage in any strenuous physical activities for a month. Ah it's gonna be fun seeing you all needy love." She teased and leant back in her seat.
Jihl puffed up her chest and pouted. "I won't share the bed with you." She huffed childishly.
"Love..." Vaal huffed and leant over. Her hands gently ran down the shoulders of Jihl's top. "I want to, believe me, if we could I would gladly borrow Fang's guest bedroom right now."
"Or my room, if it is still here?" Jihl looked over to Fang, the Pulsian blushed as she nodded. "You know, I am feeling a bit tired, and your driving was horrific."
"Lightning would love to have you over for breakfast, Serah too. They would kill you if you didn't show your face."
"Thank you, that sounds wonderful however there's still the matter of the Primarch.-"
"Don't worry about him, he can kiss ass some other time." Fang shrugged. "Now you need to go get some sleep before you pass out in my living room. Oh and don't be too loud alright?" Fang added with a tiny smirk tugging at her lips.
Jihl rolled her eyes as Fang stood up and looked around the room. "You haven't changed a bit Fang."
"Come on I definitely have. I follow speed limits now and I shop for two and I got pretty damn hot." Fang said proudly with a wink.
"Fang?" Lightning called out from somewhere in the house.
"Right I better go before the wife kills me." Fang grinned from ear to ear as she flashed the ring she wore proudly on her finger.
"Wait Fang you can't just-"
"And she's gone love. So I guess that makes Private Yun a part of the family then, I always wanted a sister. Even if she is annoying and intolerable at times. How can someone be so happy all the time?" Vaal laughed and took Jihl's hand in hers. "Now come on you adorable dork, let's get you upstairs so I can kiss you some more, love."
"I thought you said no strenuous activity?" Jihl said, purring at the thought of feeling Vaal's lips against hers again.
"Hey, I'll be gentle."
"Gentle? Vaal those are my legs and I quite like my legs." Jihl winced as Vaal in her not so sober state failed to navigate through the corridor, again, and banged Jihl into the wall, again. "Ouch, that was my shoulder." Jihl winced, feeling the pain a little through the drugs and alcohol.
"Sorry it's just you're hea... I'm drunker than I thought. Those Cocoonian beers right?" Vaal laughed under the look Jihl was giving her. Somehow managing to open the door without dropping Jihl. She softly laid Jihl down on the bed. "There we are." Vaal gave her a look over before quickly shutting the door and ensuring it was thoroughly locked. "Now where was I?" She asked teasingly as she pulled off her boots and joined Jihl on the bed.
"Ahem, I believe it was how heavy I was."
"Hehehe oh right. Well-" Vaal fingers quickly found the hem of Jihl's shirt and removed it with ease, leaving her in a sports bra. "You are heavier than I last remembered. Must be all this muscle." Vaal said and ran her fingers over Jihl's abs. Remarkably Jihl had managed to hide her musculature underneath her uniform quite well.
"Well of course. I didn't want to fail as the leader of my team so I ensured I was as developed in every aspect I could be." Jihl gulped, trembling as Vaal's fingers slowly inched up her stomach, the feeling was heavenly. "So I made sure I was... physically capable." She gulped and bit her lip. Silently, she wanted Vaal's touch to travel higher. Instead her fingers stopped and reversed, snaking down over her stomach and brushed against the belt she was wearing.
"I thought you said we had to be gentle?" Jihl asked with heavy breaths. A kiss pressed against her stomach quickly put an end to that.
"Oh, I will be." Vaal whispered and pulled the belt free. It joined the shirt on the floor.
Jihl's eyes stayed locked on Vaal as she wiggled Jihl out of her pants and tossed them aside. Running ran her fingers up the tights Jihl had on underneath, Vaal's grin widened as Jihl moaned quietly and let her head fall back into the blankets. "Feel good love?"
"Divine." Jihl moaned as Vaal's fingers drew closer and closer to where she wanted them to be.
"Are these tights expensive?" Vaal asked, her cheeky grin went unnoticed as she pressed her fingers into the fabric, they definitely felt expensive.
"Wait-" Jihl's heart felt like it was being ripped open with her tights. Her only consolation was the dumb smile on Vaal's face as she tore open the crotch, and then a little more, purely an accident.
"Oops." Vaal laughed and leant down against Jihl, making sure not to put too much pressure against her.
"Don't you oops me. That was on purpose, admit it."
"Well you know love, it might have been on my list of things to do."
"Oh and what else is on that list?" Jihl asked curious.
"I want to kiss you." Vaal purred.
"We did plenty of that in the hospital didn't we?" Jihl watched Vaal closely as she shook her head and slid back down to Jihl's waist. Her fingers gently pressing into the skin of Jihl's inner thighs as she lowered her mouth in little soft kisses that trailed down from her stomach to her privates. "Well I meant another kind of kissing. Something a little more intimate considering we can't do a whole lot of anything else."
"Oh?" Jihl asked and watch Vaal disappear between her legs.
"Ahem." Serah cleared her throat and looked across the table to the blonde nervously fidgeting. Her face was bright red despite the make up she'd put on to try and cover up the mess Vaal had left her. "It's good to finally see you again Jihl." Serah giggled and grinned at the woman who just smiled back as best as she could. Serah grumbled quietly to herself about not being able to smother her adoptive sister in hugs due to her shoulder injury. Although that gave her all the more hugs for Lightning whose side she hadn't left all night, or well nearly all night. Fang pulled Lightning into her room and locked the younger Farron out for the night. Although it wasn't all bad. She did end up talking to a redhead until the early hours of the morning. She giggled to herself and looked down at her phone. Really it had been impossible for her to take her attention away from it.
"Good morning love." Vaal said as she entered the room wearing one of Jihl's old college shirts and put her arms around Jihl's waist. "And good morning to you two lovebirds. You look like you had fun last night too."
"Oh yeah, it's been a while." Fang stretched her arms over her head and winked at Lightning.
"Fang it's only been a week." Lightning said and rolled her eyes. Her attention turned to Serah who was supposed to be helping her cook. "Ahem, Serah are you really going to talk to Snow all this time? I'm sure Snow can live without you for a minute."
"Oh! It's not snow." Serah said and glanced at her phone again, her smile widening a little more.
"Serah..." Lightning mustered her best big sister look and glared at Serah. "She's cute, that's all I'm saying."
"Hey, she doesn't happen to be a redhead does she?" Fang asked and looked down at her phone. "Who is bouncy and energetic like a hamster drank a hundred cups of coffee. Oh and a lightweight that gets drunk after two drinks?
Serah gave Fang a confused look. "Wait a minute-"
"You should invite her out to lunch tomorrow, or I could do it for you." Fang snickered to herself and typed away at her phone. "It's gonna be fun."
"Who is she?" Lightning asked and leant over to peek at Fang's phone but the Pulsian turned it off before she could. "Fang."
"Mmm it's Serah's little secret she can tell."
"Oh you mean her?" Jihl asked.
"Yeah, you know her?"
Jihl nodded. "I got information on all of you as part of being team leader. I looked through your folder Fang out of curiosity, it was interesting to read."
"Anything dirty?"
"No actually, it was rather boring. I expected a long list of dirt." Jihl chuckled. "But Vaal's background on the other hand is something I really wanna read."
"Oooh yes, Major?" Fang asked and looked to the woman who went wide-eyed as the conversation suddenly steered in her direction.
"Nope." Vaal said and hurried out of arms reach with the excuse of getting another cup of coffee. "Not unless you're all drunk enough to forget. I mean there's some things I'm not proud of."
"Like?" Lightning asked calmly.
"Shoplifting a sex store." Vaal blurted out and hid behind her cup. "What, I was sixteen and curious." She sighed and sat down next to Vaal. "That's all it is I swear, just dumb stuff I did as a kid."
"So what's the plan for today? The Primarch I assume?" Jihl asked and looked to the blonde on her good shoulder.
"Well I was thinking we could instead spend the day watching movies and just relaxing. Oh wait, take out, god yes right love? Also Fang and Lightning do have a very nice couch and you do have to rest up."
"Wait I thought you spent the night with me." Jihl said a little saddened that her girlfriend had left her in the night.
"Well I tried to it's just I woke up at five in the morning and as much as I enjoy laying in your arms love, habits are habits. I ended up going for a run around the city."
"And then you came back and crawled back into bed beside me? Cute."
"Hehe look at you love, using words like cute. Be careful or else people might start thinking you're not a total badass."
Jihl giggled and took the initiative as she leant in and pressed her lips to Vaal's. The kiss lasted long enough for her cheeks to turn red."Now that is a plan I can get behind, babe."
"Babe?" Vaal chuckled back at her.
"No good?" Jihl asked hesitantly. "Fang and Lightning have their nicknames for each other so I it would be, nice, if we had nicknames too. Plus you already call me love."
"Wait." Serah looked over to her older sister. "What's Fang's nickname." She asked curious and turned to her sister who was as tight lipped as ever. "Jihl?"
Jihl's lips curled into a smirk as she was met with a death glare from Lightning. "Oh no, this is a Farron thing."
"You are a Farron, no matter what you're last name is." Serah beamed a smile over to her other older sister. "Sooooo spill. Fang's nickname?"
"I can't say, I promised Claire I wouldn't." Jihl said and couldn't help but laugh. She had stumbled upo it in a rather heated moment in college.
"Hehe tell me later?"
"I can't, not even you."
"Fine then, no birthday sex for you."
"It was four weeks ago."
"Late birthday sex then. Now, if you're done with breakfast, love, how about we move over to the couch?"
"Alright then but can you carry me babe?" Jihl looked pleadingly to Vaal and grinned as the blonde let out a sigh.
"Well this is anti-climatic." Jihl grumbled from the safety of Vaal's arms, comfortably snuggled up against the blonde with a cup of cocoa in her hands as they watched movies with Lightning and Fang cuddling on the other couch. Vanille had gone out to meet a friend and moved quicker than Lightning had ever seen her little sister do so.
"What do you mean love?" Vaal asked and pried her attention away from the fifty story tall behemoth wreaking havoc on a black and white Pulse City.
"Well I mean we're just sitting here watching movies, it's like a dream come true after what we've been through. It's just, it feels wrong I mean, to do nothing."
Vaal shrugged and chuckled. "There's nothing wrong about it. The world owes you at least one day where you can feel like a normal woman."
"Honestly it's all kinda lame how we ended it isn't it." Fang butted in. "Our last mission was just a normal mission. Sneak through the city, be badass and kill some guys. I was hoping for something a little more epic. Explosions and giant monsters, that sort of stuff." Fang dropped the idea quickly under the increasing adorable little glare Lightning was forming. "Not that I'm complaining about how it worked out. This is just fine by me, Sunshine." Fang remarked and leant against Lightning.
"So Fang, Lightning I'm a tad curious. What did you two get up to before our last mission? You had a month off after all." Jihl asked.
Fang broke into a dumb grin as she cleared her throat. "Ahem well it goes something like this. Once upon a time..."
"Fang, I'm telling it." Lightning said without room for negotiation, already annoyed with how Fang was telling it.
"Huh, why?"
"You'll exaggerate things and you always say to much. There are things I want to keep between us." Lightning looked at Fang who relented and leant back so Lightning had the space to sit up. "So first off there was 'that' which we had to deal with so being herself Fang invited me out to coffee where she apologised. You are terrible at apologies by the way."
"Hehe I was just born to break hearts Sunshine."
"God you're a dumbass. So-"
"Hold on love." Vaal interrupted and couldn't help but grin. "Start from the start, like the start start? I wanna hear the whole thing."
"And you want dirt?" Fang snickered.
Vaal giggled. "Mmm well I wouldn't need to ask if I wanted dirt. I've still got super secret spy contacts."
"Which are not secret if you tell people." Jihl pointed out.
The blonde wiggled on top of Jihl and smirked. "Well you'll be good and keep it a secret, won't you, love?"
"Cheating." Jihl huffed and cursed herself for blushing.
"Ahem." Lightning cleared her throat and glared at them both. "That is my couch. I don't need to burn another one, thank you."
"Funny Lightning considering how many times I found you two procreating on my couch. I deserve to ruin a couch or two surely." Jihl looked at Lightning and the glare she was giving her. "Fine, fine." Jihl rolled her eyes and returned to just laying in Vaal's arms.
"Thank you, now let's see. Right, it was the first year of university. Jihl and I were friends, a run-away and an orphan. I let her stay with Serah and I. It was my first month at the Bodhum College, Unfortunately or so I thought at the time, all Guardian Corps recruits have to take a mandatory Pulsian Dialects class. I arrived a little late and was hurrying through the halls when this.. thing." A smirk tugged at Lightning's lips as she pointed at Fang. Fang just looked guilty as hell. "wasn't looking where she was going and ran straight into me. It begins from there."
A/N: And done. No more OC's I swear. Regarding the ending, there is going to be a Fang/Lightning story in this universe that goes into things in more detail plus it actually has Lightning!