Disclaimer: I do not own FF7 or FF13.
She picked up the small rock, juggled it in her hand slightly before carelessly tossing it off to the side. The clean-up was surprisingly efficient. The grounds have already be cleared and cleaned, and all that was left to do was one quick sweep before reconstruction can start. "Y'know, if you pick something up and throw it somewhere else, that's not really considered 'cleaning up.' Defeats the purpose." Tifa's voice spoke to her from behind.
Yet despite her words, the fighter didn't pick up the rock and ignored it. "Do you miss them already?"
It hadn't been a day since Serah and the others had returned to Novus Chrysalia, but Lightning couldn't help but feel slightly lost living in an entirely separate realm even though she could visit them with a snap of her fingers. "I'm fine."
"You always do that." Tifa giggled quietly, "Even now."
"Do what?"
"Keep people an arm's length away." The fighter hummed as she grabbed a seat on the steps leading up to the destroyed monument in the center of the city square. "You're such an easy read though."
Craning her head up, Lightning lifted her hand to shield her eyes as she looked up at the sun, "I guess..."
"Huh, I didn't expect you to agree with me so easily."
"You're an easy read too." Lightning breathed in the fresh air and relaxed her shoulders, "Hope didn't say anything... rude did he? He's not like that. It's just-"
"I know." Tifa said, "Jealousy does strange things to people. It brings out their worst sometimes... A side that we didn't even know we had and it can surprise ourselves just as much as the people around us."
"Yeah..."
"But I want to know. Why did you choose me?" Tifa asked, genuinely interested in Lightning's answer, "Is it only because of the thirteenth fragment?"
"Partly." Lightning answered honestly, "Probably half of the reason why."
"The other half?" Tifa prodded, yet remained secretly pleased that she held such an importance in Light's life.
"I don't know. Because I was selfish or something like that?" Lightning chuckled, shaking her head at herself, "I can come up a thousand excuses but... I guess I just wanted to be with you."
"For eternity." Tifa sighed, turning a teasing smirk at Lightning, "You're going to be stuck with me for a long time."
"Do you regret it?" It was Lightning's turn to ask, and maybe this would be the closest she would ever come to voice her insecurities.
"As of now? No." Tifa bluntly said, "I won't regret my decision next year, nor the year after that. Maybe I'll doubt myself on the day it finally sinks in that I won't grow old. I'll be stuck in time while Cloud and Aerith go ahead of me, when they're all crinkly while I'll still look like I'm twenty-three. Or maybe I'll doubt myself on the day they die. I will doubt myself, I know I will, but I won't ever regret it." Tifa released a content sigh and nodded happily to herself, "You'll be with me though. We're in this together right? And... if I do regret this, then I won't be able to look Hope in the eye anymore."
"What did he say to you?"
"He made me promise that I would have your back, and that I would never hurt you." Tifa confessed and looked to see Lightning's petulant frown, "I don't regret accepting the Heart of Chaos so put it out of your mind and never think about it again. Don't doubt me. You're not allowed to."
"Alright, I won't then." Lightning conceded, smirking slightly at the smug grin Tifa had, "Besides, both of our lives are now in your hands."
"Oh?" Tifa perked, "So that gives me veto power?"
"No."
Rolling her eyes, Tifa levied herself onto her feet again before sauntering towards Lightning, "We both know that's a 'yes' though, don't we?" She nearly purred, effectively making Lightning freeze up wordlessly. Slipping her arm into Lightning's, she purposefully slowly feathered her fingers down her skin towards her hand before lacing their fingers together, "I don't see you as Light, but she's a part of you isn't she? You're cute too." She could almost see it; the lightest blush dusting Lightning's cheeks. Her mouth dropped open to say something, but nothing more than a strangled stammer escaped before she darted her eyes away from Tifa's confident and affectionate gaze. It wasn't everyday that she could leave Lightning baffled and speechless. Quickly leaning in, Tifa placed a peck on the woman's cheek, "Let's start here," and Tifa vaguely wondered how far she wanted to take this. She was having too much fun. Although she wanted to take their relationship slowly now, she also wanted Lightning to know that she had no intentions on leaving things just in 'friendly' terms between them. Swiftly moving to standing in front of the pinkette, Tifa leant in close until their bodies were a hair's width away before she brushed her finger over Lightning's lips, "Then here." Slowly, she trailed down, brushing her finger down Lightning's neck and her body to play with the buckle of her belt, "Then..." Tifa tugged and much to her delight, Lightning's face flushed bright red.
"B-Break's over." Lightning stammered, clearing her throat rapidly before she broke entirely away from Tifa. She hastily moved to pick up the rock she had tossed early and marched straight back towards the AVALANCHE base with Tifa tailing her closely with a Cheshire grin.
"Lightning?"
"...what?"
Suddenly lurching forward, Tifa drew her hand up Lightning's arm and gently squeezed her shoulder, "How about I start calling you Claire from now on?"
Lightning's stare hardened slightly, but Tifa persevered. She wouldn't force Lightning into it if she didn't want to, but for some reason she just felt it would be suitable. After a moment of thought, Lightning nodded, "If that's what you want."
"Are you sure?"
"Truthfully, I don't really care anymore."
"Then Claire it is." Tifa hummed as the two continued on their way with Tifa latched onto Lightning like an extra limb, "What are you going to do from now on?"
"What am I going to do huh? Well... I guess I can go to the Guardian Corps."
"I thought you said you had no place with them anymore."
"That was then. I have to adapt to the situation at hand. Just because I'm immortal doesn't mean it's an easy life. If I go back, I have a name, a title, a house, and income. I'm the MIA agent that came back. Simple."
"So... you're going back to Academia then? I'm sure Raines would like that..." Tifa mumbled numbly, "Why don't you transfer here? You can work with AVALANCHE again! I mean, if you're going to Academia just for that, then why not go back to Novus Chrysalia and get pampered?"
"I go wherever my heart is."
Tifa laughed warmly, "Y'know, that's so lame."
"Not when I mean it literally." Lightning deadpanned, "Got to keep my eye on you and make sure you don't do anything stupid."
"Hey!" Punching Lightning's arm, Tifa pouted and stalked ahead of the pinkette with mock offense.
"And," Lightning continued from behind, "Cloud says I owe him a bike." Picking up her pace to match Tifa's, Lightning peered down at her from the corner of her eyes, "But I meant it as well, in that lame way."
Suppressing a blush at Lightning's casual admittance, Tifa raised a challenging eyebrow, "That also just means that you'd go ahead to do whatever the heck you want."
"Maybe."
Lightning's sass was too much. Conceding defeat, Tifa laced their hands together again and rested her head on the other's shoulder, "We should have a party after. Serah and the others can come back or we can go to Novus Chrysalia. Aerith keeps telling me stories about Yusnaan. I really want to see it for myself one day."
"If that's what you want." Lightning repeated, making Tifa laugh because she had an inkling that that's going to be Lightning's answers to most of her demands from now on.
"Thanks... Claire."
Fini
Yes, this is a brief conclusion chapter but I figured I should end it with the most important aspect! Lightning/Tifa!
Animam Lucem is done! Effectively bringing an end to Fictus Memoriae as well.
First of all, I'd like to thank all of the readers for picking up this story. It's been a great pleasure to write and hopefully, it's been a pleasure to read. Another big thanks for those who have favorited or followed my stories. Your support kept me going.
And those who have taken their time to review! Thank you so much! It's great to hear from readers and I find myself grinning whenever I see a new comment.
Nearly 400,000 words later, I bid thee farewell! Until next time. ;D
