It was later that same evening. Serah and Vanille had finished not only the lesson plans they needed for the coming week, but also the wirework on the Entrancing Tail. Vanille had spent a frustrating hour running a length of strong wire down the hollow spine to reinforce its strength, then added a small silver weight to the bottom to act as ballast. Then it was the relatively simple job of adding a hook to the top, complete with a delicate spiral effect. The iridescent colours of the Tail were obviously the main event, but if the details didn't do it justice, the effect would be spoiled.
Both of the girls agreed that if Lightning didn't love her new Entrancing Tail wind-charm, there was nothing that could impress her.
It was safely packaged up under Vanille's bed, and now she and Serah were relaxing in the backroom of the bar, toasting themselves after a job well done. They had been sitting and drinking for a couple of hours when they finally heard the front door open and footsteps head towards them. A tired-looking Lebreau entered first, dropping her rifle onto the nearest chair and collapsing unceremoniously onto the rug in front of the fireplace.
"Ugh," she moaned. "Serah, your damn sister is trying to kill me."
Lightning appeared a moment later, not looking as worse for wear. She carefully placed the heavy container of oil she was carrying onto the floor and sat down on the sofa next to Serah. "It wasn't that bad," she said to the groaning barmaid.
"Not that bad?" Lebreau asked incredulously. "I haven't walked at that pace in ever! My feet are absolutely killing me. And I'm all sticky from where that oil got all over me." She pouted.
Serah felt sorry for her and got off the sofa to offer her the glass of wine she was holding. Lebreau accepted it thankfully and sighed as the alcohol had an immediate calming effect on her.
"Not everyone is used to walking the way you do, Light," Serah admonished lightly. "You could've slowed down a bit."
Lightning rolled her eyes at the reprimand but muttered an apology anyway.
"That's better," Serah said. "So is this the famous oil, then?" she asked, changing the subject as she crossed the room to the oil container. "Vanille told me that you were asking about it before you rushed off. We assumed you were getting some. It doesn't look like much."
Even Lightning had to admit that it didn't look like it was worth the effort of getting it. It was colourless, odourless and apparently tasteless, although she hadn't tried it. It had a similar sort of viscosity to soup, so it was relatively easy to pour into the container. Even if she did get some of it on Lebreau.
"Turn off the lights," Vanille called over. "It won't be quite the same effort because of the light from the fire, but it will still look cool."
Serah shut the door to the main bar and then flicked the light switch off, stepping back to avoid blocking the view. Four pairs of eyes looked intently at the container. After several moments Lebreau opened her mouth to complain about the effort she put into getting something that was faulty, when a small white glow started from the centre of the oil. It grew in both size and intensity over half a minute, until the whole container was emitting a warm, comforting light.
"Wow," Serah breathed. "That is so cool."
"Isn't it?" Vanille said, not as enraptured as the others because she had seen it a thousand times before. "Each dorm room in our old orphanage had a small jar of this on the window sill. It would soak up sunlight during the day and give off light at night."
"I can't believe this is the first I'm hearing about this stuff," Lebreau said from the floor, all protests forgotten. "This is great."
"Well, you know where it comes from now if you want to get some more," Lightning said. Her outward appearance was her usual expression of calm, but she was secretly thrilled with the incredible effect of the Esoteric Oil.
Lebreau wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, not if I have to blitz my way there in one afternoon again. My stamina isn't what I thought it was." She lay back down, tilting her head to the side so she could still admire the Oil.
"Fang will love this, Lightning," Vanille said. "She won't have seen it since we were kids."
"I hope so."
Serah came and sat back down next to Lightning, playing gently with the ends of her sister's hair. "I'm so proud of you," she whispered, trying to avoid catching the attention of the others.
Lightning dragged her eyes away from the Oil to stare at her.
"For giving yourself a chance," Serah explained. "I know you think you don't know what you're doing, but once you and Fang talk you'll find it's the easiest thing in the world. In whatever capacity it turns out to be, you guys care about each other a lot and this will only make your relationship better."
Lightning flashed a weak smile at her and leaned gently into her touch. "When did you get so wise?" she asked.
Serah stroked the back of Lightning's head. "I had a good teacher."
There was a delicate cough from Vanille. "So when are you going to see Fang?" she asked. "You know she doesn't get back until Friday, right?"
Lightning nodded. "I know. I thought I could invite her over on Friday night for dinner, and talk to her then?" She looked at Serah for confirmation.
"Ugh, lame," Lebreau interrupted.
"Why is it lame?" Lightning asked, a little put out.
"She's been to your house a million times. She helped to build it and some weeks she probably spends more time there than you do. You need to do it somewhere different, somewhere with a bit of excitement, with pizazz," Lebreau said.
"Pizazz?" Vanille mumbled to herself. "What is pizazz?"
"Like where?" Lightning asked the barmaid.
Lebreau shrugged, a difficult feat when she was still in repose. "I dunno, Sulyya Springs?" She yawned. "It'd be nice in the evening, under the stars. No monsters around there."
"Ooh, that's a good idea," Vanille said. "It'd be really romantic."
Lightning almost baulked at the word 'romantic', even though that was what the endeavour was about. "Do you really think that'd be best?" she asked the room at large.
She received three firm nods in return.
"Alright then," Lightning said, a touch uncertainly. "I'll get it organised."
After a long week traipsing around the Yaschas Massif with four very green hunters, Fang was looking forward to getting home. She was practically counting the paces left as their band trudged down the path to New Bodhum. She didn't mind doing schooling anyone who wanted to know on the distinctions between edible and poisonous plants, and which monsters could be taken on. She was more than happy to teach the fundamentals of hunting and tracking to whomever wanted to learn them.
What she minded was having to do it when her schedule for the week was supposed to look very different.
Alright, it wasn't Scott's fault that he broke his leg. It was an accident that could happen to anyone, and no one wanted to be out of action for weeks, especially a hunter. It just meant that someone had to step up and do the training, and that someone had to be Fang. She much preferred to work solo, or with someone who was experienced. It made for a smoother hunt, and deadlier monsters could be taken down.
She liked these guys, really she did, but she couldn't see any of them taking down the Mushussu she and Lightning slew the other day.
Fang rolled her eyes to herself at the mention of the pinkette. It seemed like every other thought she was having this week related to Lightning. Must be that old adage about absence making the heart grow fonder. Previously Lightning had only crossed her mind every third thought.
They rounded a bend in the road and Fang could have cried when she saw smoke from the chimney of NORA house appear over the tree line. It was way too late for lunch, but hopefully Lebreau would have some leftovers she could eat. Then she could have a nice long bath and a lie down. There were murmurs of relief from the people behind her, who were less used to this level of strenuous activity and therefore more tired and achy than she was.
"Alright guys," she said. "Here we are, home at last."
There was a ragged cheer. Fang stopped and turned to face the group. "I know this has been a long old week for all of us. I get that you soft Cocoonians aren't used to roughing it in tents and drinking out of rivers and getting mud all in your smalls, but you didn't do half bad. Hunting is a dangerous game, and the fact we all made in back home in one piece is something. Good job." She nodded approvingly at them.
The trainee hunters took turns clapping each other on the back and shaking hands, pleased with their accomplishment.
"So, drop all your kit and supplies back at the hunting lodge when we get to town, then I don't want to see any of your faces again until Monday, ya hear?" Fang grinned at them as they passed her on the way down the path. They'd be decent enough hunters in time, but she was serious about not wanting to see any of them. She just wanted something to eat, something strong to drink, and a rest.
She followed them down into New Bodhum, but headed straight for NORA house. All her equipment belonged to her, so it was kept in her room, as opposed to the communal lodge. She put it neatly away in the trunk at the end of her bed before headed to the kitchen to find some food.
Lebreau was in there, rolling out pastry. She looked up when Fang entered and almost dropped her rolling pin in excitement.
"Fang, hey, you're back! How was your trip?"
She opened her mouth to reply, but Lebreau wasn't stopping.
"-Great. So listen, I know you've just gotten back, but Lightning wanted to meet you at Sulyya Springs. This evening." Lebreau looked at Fang expectantly.
The huntress blinked in confusion. Her mind hadn't caught up to the rapid change in topics, and she latched on to the last thing she had been thinking about. "Uh, I came in for something to eat?"
Lebreau waved a dismissive hand at her. "Yeah, yeah, I'll make you a sandwich. Now, why don't you go and get washed up and change into something clean."
Fang stared at her.
"Come on, show some hustle Fang," Lebreau scolded, flicking a tea-towel at her. "You haven't got that much time."
Vanille arrived at that moment, grabbing Fang by the wrist and dragging her down the corridor.
"Hey, let go! What on Pulse is going on here?" Fang said, struggling against the redhead's hold. "I've only been back for two minutes and you guys are freaking me out." They stopped in front of the bathroom and Fang wrenched her arm from Vanille's grip. "Seriously 'Nille, can't I get through the front door before I'm dragged into your latest caper?"
Vanille's bottom lip started trembling, and Fang sighed internally.
"Look, I didn't mean to snap," she muttered. "It's just been a long week, and I want to relax."
The redhead perked up almost immediately. "I know you do. That's why you need to get showered, so you can go and meet Lightning. She's waiting for you."
Fang looked at her suspiciously. "What's going on?"
"You won't know if you don't go," Vanille sing-songed, and pushed Fang into the bathroom. "Now hurry up."
After a long, hot shower Fang felt more like herself again. All the mud and sweat and dirt that had been ground into her skin for the past week had been washed away, and her hair was no longer dull and lank. There was something very soothing about being clean. She felt calmer than she did earlier, even if her heart-rate had picked up slightly at the knowledge that Lightning wanted to meet her.
As she towelled down, Fang wondered what her friend wanted that she couldn't tell her here. She secretly hoped that it was what she wanted to talk about, what she had been hinting at, but quashed those thoughts to avoid getting her hopes up.
She wrapped the towel around her body and headed back to her bedroom, where Vanille was sitting on her bed. A freshly-laundered sari as well as a small bag were next to her.
"Here, Lebreau brought you this," Vanille said, offering up a plate with a thick-cut sandwich on it. Fang accepted it gratefully and took three big bites before pointing at the clothes Vanille had laid out.
"Y'know I've been dressing myself fine for years now?" She said through a mouthful of bread.
"Yes, but this one is your smartest sari," Vanille replied.
"It looks like all the others."
"Just trust me," Vanille said. "Now, eat the rest of your sandwich. I've packed a small bag for you, and I've put the Entrancing Tail in there as well."
Fang perked up. "You've finished it?" she asked.
"Sure have," Vanille nodded. "It looks so good. Lightning will love it."
"Yeah, speaking of Lightning," Fang said, returning to the matter at hand. "When is someone going to clue me in as to what is going on? You and Lebreau are acting dead shady, and why has Lightning swanned off to Sulyya Springs by herself when she isn't supposed to finish work for another hour?" This whole thing reeked of suspicion, and Fang wasn't buying any of it, even if she was distracted by the news her Entrancing Tail wind-charm had been finished.
Vanille smiled, in a way that was both reassuring and secretive. "It's nothing bad, I promise," she said. "Please, Fang? An evening in the hot springs, after a long week of hunting? Under the night sky? With Lightning?" She wheedled.
Fang relented. "Fine," she muttered, trying to pretend that that didn't sound attractive. "I'll head out now. Not like I need to rest or sort out my equipment or anything."
Vanille ignored her griping. "Have a nice time."
Sulyya Springs was, as the name suggested, a series of small springs kept beautifully hot by geysers that ran underneath the earth. It seemed to be the only location of its kind and occupied a space of maybe fifty square metres. The area was surrounded on nearly every side by a rock face, except for a small gap with a worn track running through it, which helped create a sense of privacy. The only signs of life here were a flock of chocobos that seemed to have designated it their home.
Lightning waited at the end of the track, half keeping an eye out for Fang's approach, half staring at the spring she had commandeered for the night. She couldn't decide if it was too much, or not enough, or something else. A couple of chocobos had wandered over when she was setting up and had sniffed curiously at her before cooing softly at her. She took that as a good sign.
She puffed out a sigh as she leaned against the rock wall and checked her watch for the fifth time in as many minutes. Judging by her calculations, if Fang arrived in New Bodhum at the time she was supposed to, and Vanille managed to grab her and send her on her way soon after that, she should arrive any moment now.
The sun was starting to dip down in the sky, creating long shadows on the ground. It would be twilight for another hour or so, then the sun would truly disappear and the Springs would be bathed in moonlight. There was no light pollution, nor any tall buildings on Gran Pulse, so a wonderful star-scape could always been seen. It helped remove some of the inky darkness just a tiny bit.
There was the faint scraping of footsteps along a dust track, and Lightning sprung into a standing position, holding her breath just slightly. The steps grew louder for several moments, then a tall figure appeared round a bend in the wall.
"Fang," Lightning breathed.
The huntress gave her a tired smile as she approached, and threw an arm around her shoulder for a brief hug as soon as she was close enough.
"Hey, Light," Fang said as she pulled away, far too soon for either of their comfort. "Am I glad to see you after that week. What's with the hide-and-seek, though?"
Lightning took Fang's bag from her and led her into Sulyya Springs. "I thought it'd be a nice change of scenery. And I know you weren't supposed to camp out in the wilds for a week with a group of trainees, so I imagined that an evening here would be relaxing." She kept her voice calm whilst she was talking, but couldn't quite manage to make eye contact.
Fang was touched. "That's really nice," she said quietly. "Etro knows I don't mind running training courses when I have to, but I wanted to spend this week…" her voice trailed off when she saw where Lightning had stopped, "at…home…"
Lightning was standing nervously next to a hot spring, which was raised a couple of feet above the ground. It was one of the smallest springs in the area, perhaps six feet in diameter, but was plenty big enough for two people. A fire was crackling away next to it, and a pot of what smelled like stew was bubbling away on top. There was a blanket lain out, and even a log to lean against.
But what really caught Fang's eye were the little jars dotted around the rim of the hot spring, filled with liquid, and just starting to glow slightly in the dimming light. She faltered a step closer and reached a hand out, not quite believing what she was seeing.
"Is that…did you find some Esoteric Oil?" She asked.
Lightning nodded, not sure what to make of Fang's reaction. "Vanille mentioned it the other day, and I thought it would be a nice touch." When Fang didn't respond she added. "Do you like it?"
Fang reached out and gently picked up a jar. "Do I like it?" she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I haven't seen this stuff in years. We used to have it in the orphanage. I could see it from my bed, and I'd just watch it for ages until I drifted off to sleep. I'd recognise that glow anywhere." Her eyes misted over as she lost herself in memories for a moment.
Lightning didn't hear a 'yes' in that sentence and shifted uncomfortably, wondering whether her plan was going to backfire before it began. Fang must have picked up on her nervousness because she put the jar back down and slid one arm around Lightning's shoulder and the other around her waist, holding her tight.
"I love it," she croaked into pink hair. "Absolutely love it. Thank you." She hadn't realised just how much she needed this reminder of her old life until now.
Relief poured through Lightning, and she hugged Fang back.
They stayed in that pose for a long, comfortable minute, until Lightning gently extricated herself, anxious to continue. "Did you want to get into the spring?" she asked. "The water is lovely and hot. And there's stew if you're hungry."
The mention of food reminded Fang that she hadn't eaten anything other than a sandwich all day. "Actually, I'd love some stew if it's ready." Lightning nodded and busied herself with some bowls she was pulling out of her bag. "As for the springs," Fang continued. "I would, but I don't have swimming gear."
Lightning gave her the bag Vanille had packed, smiling. "Vanille has you covered. There's a towel in there as well."
Fang raised her eyebrow. "You guys thought of everything, huh?"
"Pretty much. Get changed whilst I serve dinner." Lightning turned her back, affording Fang some privacy. The huntress opened her bag to reveal a modest black two-piece bikini, and a large towel. She quickly shucked her clothes and changed, noting pleasantly that the air didn't have much bite to it. She slipped into the spring whilst Lightning was still serving, hissing at the wonderful sensation of hot water. She could feel the residual tension from her long week just melting away.
Lightning stood up and offered her a large bowl of stew, which she happily dug in to. There was a clinking sound, then the pinkette produced a bottle of what Fang recognised as Lebreau's potent moonshine.
Fang relaxed further into the water, watching as Lightning stood looking a little unsure of herself.
"You aren't gonna leave me to bathe by myself are you?" she called. "Come on in, the water's lovely."
Lightning looked at her for a long moment, before pulling her shirt up and over her head in one swift movement. Fang almost choked in surprise, getting water everywhere as she tried to avoid ogling her friend.
There was an amused laugh, and when Fang found the courage to peek over the top of the spring, she saw Lightning standing in a pale yellow bikini top. She looked entertained at Fang's reaction.
Fang feigned nonchalance as she took a large swig from the bottle and continued to eat her meal, studiously ignoring the fact that Lightning was removing her skirt to reveal matching yellow bikini bottoms. She remained with her head in her bowl until she felt Lightning slip in the water next to her.
"You can look now," Lightning said, still smirking.
Fang took that as an invitation. Most of Lightning's body was submerged in the water, but the tops of her breasts, cupped in tight material, were visible. A thin strip of material ran up and over Lightning's neck in a halter-top style. Fang had never necessarily found the clavicle a particular fascinating area of the body, but the delicate curve of Lightning's drew her eye. The tips of her asymmetric hair just skimmed the water, gently wafting when she moved her body.
Lightning could almost feel Fang's eyes grazing her body, and was surprised at how comfortable she was letting it happen. Now she knew where they both stood, the attention was flattering, not confusing.
Fang seemed to be aware that she was staring, and jerked her gaze back to her food, gulping down the last few mouthfuls and setting the bowl aside. She grabbed the neck of the bottle and reclined back into the water.
Lightning took her turn to stare as she picked at the rest of her bowl. Fang had her head flung backwards against the rock, eyes closed in repose. Her eye was drawn to the stylised Gorgonopsid tattoo on Fang's left arm, the black ink straining ever so slightly against the bulge of her muscles. As an ex-solider, and a current builder, Lightning had impressive musculature of her own, but there was something about Fang's body that elevated it into almost an art-form.
Still staring at the tattoo, Lightning spoke. "Do you know, I've had a lot of comments on the new look of my house?"
"The what?" Fang asked lazily.
"The new style of my house," Lightning explained. "The Gorgonopsid pelt and the Seapetal Scales. Serah and Lebreau seem to really like the effect. I do to."
Fang smiled at the sky. "I'm glad. I thought it'd be nice to add a couple of simple bits to the inside, having spent so long building the outside."
There was a shifting of water and Fang felt Lightning settle closer to her. "Yes," she said, in a tone that suggested a concept not entirely agreed with, "that type of reasoning makes sense."
Fang rolled her head to look at her. She was outwardly calm, but inwardly a bit worried about where the conversation was going. "What other type of reasoning is there?" she asked evenly.
Lightning pinched the alcohol from her, taking two large swigs. It burned horribly as it went down her throat, but she needed the extra little bit of courage. "The type of reasoning I found in the epilogue of the hunting book you gave me," she said, voice remaining steady.
"I see," Fang said simply. She didn't need Lightning to elaborate, nor did she feel the need to deny it or contradict her. It wasn't surprising that Lightning hadn't taken too long to decipher the information from the book. She was very bright, after all."So what do you think?"
Lightning was a little bemused at the calm, rational direction this was going in, she had to admit. She was half psyched up for tears and emotions and outbursts.
This was a much preferable way of talking about it though.
"I think we're having a conversation that is long overdue," she settled on saying.
Fang sat up straight and turned slightly to face her. Lightning did the same thing. Both waited for the other to start.
"Does it mean what I think it means?" Lightning asked eventually.
Fang fiddled with a loose piece of rock. "Yes," she said. "See, back in my day, if you were a hunter and you were interested in someone, you would go and slay a monster for them. It was a symbol of your strength and prowess, and your ability to keep a family fed and safe." She carefully avoided looking up when she said that. "Which is what I did with the Gorgonopsid. Then I spoke to Serah, who said that it was a bit too 'Pulsian' and that Cocoonian rituals were different. More emphasis on pretty things, right?"
Lightning inclined her head in response. Pretty things weren't really her cup of tea.
"So I came up with the idea of the Scales. It was a perfect balance between me going and killing something to make myself seem impressive, and you getting something beautiful. And they have a very functional shape as well," Fang explained. "I realise the book might have been a bit of a wildcard but I really wasn't expecting you to have read it so quickly." She gave a sheepish grin, before her expression turned solemn. "Look, Lightning. I like you a lot. I have ever since the day we met in Palumpolum and you slapped me. There was just something about you that I found fascinating. You have an amazing capacity for courage and strength and love. And you're very pretty," she tacked on.
Lightning tried to give her a sceptical look, but quite frankly her head was swimming. She already knew most of what Fang had said, otherwise they wouldn't be here, but to actually hear it out loud was something else.
"But I want you to know," Fang said seriously, "that nothing you say will change our friendship for me. The reason I was going round the houses instead of just telling you straight is because I know you. I know exactly how your mind works. I get that this is totally new territory for you, and I'm not going to pressure you into anything. I'm just putting it out there that I like you, and that's that. If you don't feel the same, I get it. And we can keep things the way they are. Our friendship is very important to me, and I won't compromise it for anything." She looked up to gauge Lightning's reaction.
Lightning was still reeling from the shock of hearing confirmation of Fang's affections. She thought she was prepared for this conversation, but now that it was happening all she could do was sit and stare.
Fang watched a motionless Lightning gape at her for thirty seconds before smiling sadly. "Hey, no worries," she said lightly. "We don't need to talk about it. I'm sorry for making things weird when you were trying to give me a relaxing evening." She stood up from the water, changing the subject to avoid making Lightning feel more awkward than she probably already was. "Although that reminds me, Vanille helped me make a souvenir from our trip to Taejin's Tower. I think you'll like this." She gracefully lifted one leg then the other over the side of the spring, shivering slightly as the cool air hit wet skin. She padded over to where her bag lay and started to root around.
Seeing Fang leave the spring, even if only temporarily, motivated Lightning into action. She sloshed over to the side and jumped out, splashed water everywhere. The sound startled Fang, who straightened up and turned around. Lightning marched forward until they were toe-to-toe.
They remained locked in a tableau, staring into each other's eyes, sharing the same breath. Lightning's pale blue eyes kept trailing down from Fang's green ones to her lips, and back again. Fang just stared into Lightning's eyes, trying to read her emotions.
"You know," the pinkette said slowly. "I was really confused when I learned about all this. And I don't like being confused."
Fang held her breath.
"So I started to analyse it. I won't bore you with the thought process, because it was quite jarring and not very logical at all, but basically my mind kept bringing itself back to you. The first time we met, the first time we fought together, the time you were turned into crystal and all the times in between." She lifted her chin ever so slightly. "Do you know what would happen then?"
Fang kept just enough presence of mind to be able to shake her head.
"My memories would change. There would suddenly be a new scene added." She leaned forward an extra inch. "Do you know what that scene was?"
Fang did. She thought she did. And she really hoped it wasn't just the alcohol talking. But she wanted to find out for sure. "No," she whispered gently.
This was it, Lightning thought. This was the moment. This was going to be the big, defining moment of her new life. This could make everything so much better. Her heart was threatening to beat out of her chest, and her palms were sweating.
"It was this," she murmured, and leaned forward.
Fang couldn't help but flutter her eyes closed. She kept them closed for a couple of heartbeats before she realised that nothing was happening. Cautiously she opened them again and found that Lightning had paused a mere breath away from her lips.
"Light?" she asked quietly. She daren't move away, but she cursed herself softly for moving too fast. She should have known this would be too much for the pinkette to handle. "Claire?" she tried again, barely making a sound.
That was the straw that broke Lightning's resolve. To hear her name, her real name, uttered so softly from a woman who was wonderful and cared so much about her, she couldn't help herself. She surged forward the last remaining millimetres and crushed her lips against Fang's.
Fang swayed from the unexpected force but quickly regained her balance, delicately placing her hands on Lightning's hips for support. She remained immobile in the kiss, wanting Lightning to feel comfortable enough to set the pace. After a moment Lightning started to move her lips, inexorably slowly, getting used to the motion. Fang was content to follow her lead, still marvelling that they were finally kissing, and that the sensation was incredible.
Lightning crept her arms up Fang's sides, mirroring the huntress's position on her own body. The feel of warm, wet, pliant skin against her fingers was incredible, and she couldn't believe they had never touched like this before.
The kiss lasted for forever and no time at all, until Lightning parted her lips slightly to gasp for air. Fang, a little drunk on pleasure, couldn't resist the urge to peek a little bit of her tongue into Lightning's mouth. The pinkette squealed and withdrew, flushing furiously, although she did remain standing in their loose embrace.
Fang chuckled and kissed her on the forehead in apology. She was still a bit incredulous that this was actually happening.
Lightning licked her lips unconsciously, trying to memorise the taste of Fang. Fang found herself drawn by the sight, and couldn't help but swoop in for one more quick kiss.
"Wow," she muttered, eyes a little glazed over. "Were all of your fantasies like this?"
"Not all of them," Lightning replied, surprising even herself with a candid answer. By the self-conscious shuffling of her feet though, Fang knew better than to probe further. Instead she steered the conversation to safer grounds.
"So did you want to see what your souvenir looks like?" she asked.
Lightning nodded, and Fang reluctantly removed her hands from her hips in order to bend down and pick up the large bundle she had taken out of her bag earlier. She gave it to Lightning who slowly unfolded the blanket it was wrapped in. On a whim, Fang slid behind her and wrapped her arms loosely around her waist.
"Is this alright?" she whispered in Lightning's ear.
"Yes." Lightning was grateful for the warmth of the huntress behind her, even if the tactile sensation was giving her butterflies. She pulled her gift out of the blanket and held it up. "Oh Etro," she breathed. "This is incredible. Wasn't this on the Mushussu?" she asked.
"That's right. It's an Entrancing Tail," Fang explained. "It's a bit dark to see it now, but the colours are incredible when the light hits it. I got Vanille to attach a hook to it. I thought it would look great on the porch," she suggested.
"Fang, this is too much. I can't keep accepting gifts like these," Lightning said, turning in the huntress's arms to rest her head against Fang's collarbone. Now that she had started to get used to the idea of touching Fang, Lightning was finding it very difficult to stop.
"You can accept it," Fang said, thrilled at the affection Lightning was showing. "I insist," she pressed a kiss to the top of her hair. "I made it for you," she whispered into Lightning's ear.
Lightning shivered at the feeling, and her stomach twisted with tendrils of heat. "Fine," she said, not at all hesitant to keep such a wonderful gift. "But if we're giving out presents, I have one for you too." She pulled away from Fang and went to her bag, rummaging until she found a scroll.
Fang accepted it and gently unfurled it, wondering what it was. Upon inspection it was a list of locations and a list of monsters. "This is the same as my Cie'th Stone journal," she realised, frowning at why she had two copies of the same information.
"That's right," Lightning said. "Except this copy isn't for you."
"It's not?"
"No." Lightning paused before she next spoke, hoping she had done the right thing. "This is for Scott and the other hunters."
There was silence as Fang took this information on board, not yet understanding.
"I saw how upset you were when we went to Taejin's Tower, and how frustrated you were that you couldn't do more to help all those people who had been turned into Cie'th," Lightning explained. "And I know you feel responsible for it, and you want to fix it by yourself, and I understand that, I really do, but it just isn't plausible."
Fang looked away, knowing that what Lightning was saying was true.
"So I talked to Scott, and he agreed that we could use the Cie'th Stones as a sort of hunter proficiency test. This list will be posted in the hunting lodge. The weaker creatures can be taken on individually and the stronger ones can be done in teams. It will give the hunters something concrete to work towards, and help the Cie'th," Lightning said. "I think it'll help the people from Cocoon to understand more about what the situation was like on Gran Pulse during the War of Transgression, and what it really meant to be a l'Cie. So what do you think?"
Fang couldn't stop the grin from spreading across her face. "I think it's fantastic."
"Really?"
"Really." Fang bounded forward and hugged her.
"Good." Relief washed over Lightning's face. "I wanted to do something meaningful for you," she said, blushing.
Fang kissed her. "This whole night has been meaningful," she said seriously. "Perfect location, good food, even jars of Esoteric Oil, would you believe!" She pulled Lightning closer to her, moulding their curves together. "And a wonderful kiss from a wonderful woman," she said, unable to keep the smile from her voice.
Lightning tilted her head and pressed another kiss to Fang's jawline.
"Oh, another one," Fang joked. "Must be my lucky night."
Lightning chuckled before tightening her grip on Fang. Her hands were trembling and her knees felt weak as she tried to muster up the courage to utter her next sentence. She was very aware that she hadn't said it, and the anticipation was building for her. "I want you to know that I like you too," she whispered almost inaudibly into Fang's shoulder.
Fang could have sworn her heart was going to melt in that moment. She squeezed Lightning as hard as she could, trying to convey all the emotions she felt. When they loosened their hold, Lightning spoke again.
"I don't know how good at this I'm going to be," she confessed. "It's new territory."
"I know," Fang said. "It's okay. I like everything about you already. You don't need to do anything to impress me."
"What about this?" Lightning asked, leaning forward, suddenly bold now all her secrets were in the open. She pressed her lips to Fang's and they kissed again, deeply this time.
When they broke apart, Fang's head was reeling. "Well," she sputtered, "that was certainly impressive."
Lightning gave a wide smile, and pulled her over to where the blanket lay by the fire. "Well, that's about all the impressive I know. You'll have to show me if you know anything else."
Fang was tempted, oh so tempted, by the offer, but she knew it was far too soon. Instead she sat down and tugged Lightning into her lap. "I'll remember that for next time," she crooned. "How about we enjoy the rest of this night under the stars?" she asked.
"Sounds perfect."
So, that's all she wrote! I hope the ending lived up to everyone's expectations, and that you enjoyed it as much as I did. Thank you so much to all those who read my little story, and especially those who reviewed! See you next time :)