He was her sensei again. Had made her practise on every possible occassion. Whenever she had stubbed a toe or gathered even the tiniest of bruises, whenever he had a headache, or got himself a graze at work, he would always safe it up for her to practise.
Lightning didn't really know what to make of it.
'You will heal yourself when you get severely injured, will you?' she had made him promise on several of occassions, making him emit a chuckle and give a ridiculed shake of his head.
'Why waste a perfect training opportunity?' he would say, making her stalk away angryly.
Statements like this usually made her loose her patience, sometimes making her throw things at him even, which in turn tended to result in even more handy training opportunities.
Still, all those efforts, all the saved up wounds, all the desperate attempts, they seemed to be in vain entirely. Several weeks, no months, had passed since their very first practise session and Lightning still hadn't managed to heal even a single tiny bruise.
The truth was she had started to give up on it. Had come to hate the continuous torture, the way he made her try again and again relentlessly, the way he hurt himself to make her practise, cringed everytime he drew a blade.
It was frustrating, devastating really. To try and try again, to watch her lover injured while she stood there uselessly, without any clue what she was doing really, or what she was doing wrong.
It was sickening really, was enough to make her want to stop and try entirely.
Still. While weeks of practice hadn't changed a thing about her non existent healing skills, unfortunately time had not been so lenient on her body.
Her belly was growing bigger and bigger, had changed from what had looked like a tiny little puppy fat into what could better be described as a small balloon. And it didn't even seem to want to stop there.
She had already ditched her pants for dresses, had begun wearing some of her mum's old underwear but even those had gotten too small soon and the fabric of her fancy colored dresses was stretching over her belly uncomfortably. She would have to get herself some now clothes soon, she was aware.
But it wasn't soemthing she looked forward to. Something she had been avaoiding at all costs.
What would such clothes be good for? She could only wear them a few days before she outgrew them anyway.
Well... It wasn't really of importance now, was it, Lightning reminded herself grudgingly.
There were more important things at hand right now.
'Okay... Focus on the bond again.' Sephiroth instructed calmly.
'Find the connection, feel it.'
They were standing in the backyard facing each other, Lightning's hands clutched above a cut in his forearm, blood flowing freely from the wound down to his hand and onto the lush green grass on the ground.
He'd cut a little bit too deep, he was aware, still, he considered it good incentive for her healing attempts.
'I'm trying.' the pink haired woman was muttering bewteen grit teeth, the sickly warm wet of his blood on her hands making her feel sidetracked, lightheaded.
She was always trying. Had always done so, had always given her best, concentrated her hardest, had always put in her best intentions.
Still... None of it had ever made a difference.
'Concentrate on the bond, nothing else.' the man in front her said, voice as calm and gentle as ever, not betraying a single hint towards the fact that he was wounded, as if he weren't in fact bleeding onto the ground, ruining the back lawn.
'Let your cells reach out for mine.'
Trying to focus on their bond again, ignoring the fact that the man she loved was bleeding dry in front of her, Lightning found herself incapable.
'Fuck.. I cannot do it.' she cried out frustratedly.
The feeling of the fresh hot blood gushing out against her palms, the sight of the small red puddle that had accumulated at their feet, suddenly it turned her belly, made her head spin indefinitely.
'Please heal it, just heal it!' she yelled at him hysterically, stepping away from him and clutching her bloodsmeared hands to her suddenly pale face, she stood there breathing heavily, staring at him with watery blue eyes.
It made the silver haired first class oblige immediately.
'I'm sorry.' he said somewhat surprised as he stepped forward to wrap her in his arms, wound now healed completely.
It was weird to see her like that. Freaking over a tiny bit of blood. It was something the Lightning of the past would not have broken a sweat over, would not have given a second thought.
The present version infront of him shivering uncontrollably, he gently made to rub her back, drew soothing patterns on her shoulders, upper arms, and hands.
'Please don't do that ever again.' the pink haired woman said when finally she had gathered her senses enough to look into his eyes.
'Lightning... I need you to get this.' Sephiroth retorted somewhat pleadingly.
It was true. He really needed her to learn, to see, to understand.
He might not be there for her, for them indefinitely. And that time may come much sooner than they thought.
He had to make sure she could protect herself, their children.
Had to make sure he wouldn't leave them defenseless, vulnerable to the world around.
'Not like that.. Please not like that.' Claire Farron pleaded.
'I cannot bear it anymore. I cannot bear to see you bleed!'
That revelation of her's making him feel bad, but moved at the same time, it only made him hold her closer.
'It's okay. I won't do it again.' he promised, eventhough he didn't want to.
Lightning only loved him, only wanted to watch out for him. She didn't want him to get hurt, didn't want him to get hurt for her, couldn't bear to see him bleed.
How was he supposed to tell her 'no'?
The following weeks were not easy for Claire Farron, were quite a challenge for her to be honest.
Her belly growing bigger and bigger with every passing day, manouvring around became harder and harder and increasingly more exhausting too.
The excess weight from her babies was beginning to put some strain on her back too and she had to use the toilet much more often.
She had quit going to work of course, had increasingly spent her days at home, sometimes with Serah who visited in the afternoons when she came back from work. But most of the time she just stuck to herself.
It wasn't exactly easy for her staying at home alone doing nothing all day while all the others where busy at work, patrolling the streets and protecting their village. And the fact that Sephiroht was out on missions too, roaming the woods and the beaches and whatnot, that was more aweful still.
The silver haired first class had resumed work the monday after their wedding and Lightning wasn´t pleased. Not at all. There was the fact that he was leaving her by herself of course. But what was nagging her much more was the fact that he insisted on venturing out on missions alone. That he refused to take anyone with him. Sneaked out on his own more rather and that despite everything they had encountered in those forests once.
No, Lightning didn´t like it at all. Didn´t understand. She was worried. Was scared in fact sometimes. Scared for his wellbeing. Scared he´d encounter another of those giant beasts all by himself. But Sephiroth was Sephiroth. And Sephiroth simply didn´t abandon duty for a pregnant girlfriend. Or so it seemed.
Still, she had argued. Sephiroth had made her promise not to go near the woods or to do anything mission related really. And Lightning had argued of course. But to no avail.
He was right of course. Had every right to keep her from it, really. The beasts in the forest were dangerous. And so where the missions. She´d been incredibly lucky once. She couldn´t risk it another time. Just one kick to her belly and... Well... She was now responsible for those lives. Not only for herself. And that responsibilty required her to stay away from battle. Lightning understood. Of course she did. But still. She didn´t like it. Not one bit. Sitting at home all day and listening to Serah listing pregnancy tips and stuff. It was aweful. Was terrible, really. Worse than her thrid class soldier basic training almost.
'You need some more comfortable clothes sis. You really do.' Serah said as she steered her sister down the mall.
Claire Crescent only rolled her eyes.
It was one of the rare occassions that she left the house these days. Still. It had turned out much less fun than she had had anticipated. With Drill Seargeant Serah back to duty nothing was much fun.
'That dress of yours has long surpassed it's limits.' her little sister pointed out.
'She is right.' Cloud Strife offered from right behind her.
'A few more days and you will bust the seams.'
The spiky blonde and Yuj were trailing along behind them hand in hand, watching the displays in the shop windows and keeping their eyes open for new shoes.
Turning behind to throw the gay couple behind herself an angry stare she found Yuj shrugging his shoulders, nonchalantly.
Well maybe Serah really had a point...
The flowery linen of her dress was stretching tight over her belly and the fabric had become thin and dull, worn, from almost daily use.
Maybe getting something new wasn't such a bad idea after all.
Also she could do with some new bras. Again.
The realisation arriving at just the right time, it was without complain that she let her sister pull her into the nearest clothes shop.
It was a big store with lots of aisles, offereing something for everyone and every occasion imaginable.
From underware to hunting clothes, to business clothes, to everyday wear and of course prom dresses and dress pants in all kinds of differed sizes and patterns and in a multitude of colours too, the shop really offered every item of clothing a person could possibly think of. Well with the exception of Genesis Rhapsodos maybe.
Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of displays all around, Claire Cresecent let her sister lead the way and stear her into the aisle for maternity clothing.
Things were tremendously less flashy here. The patterns less revealing, the colors more sophisticated. A fact the pink haired mum to be was rather thankful for.
'A few good pairs of wide loose maternity dresses will do.' Serah announced eagerly as she browsed the pieces on display.
'How about these? They will do wonders for you, believe me sis.' she insisted, pulling out something that Lightning thought could fit Angeal.
It came very suddenly. An unexpected flash of movement in her belly making her double over in shock and grab her abdomen protectively.
Serah, Cloud and Yuj, they were all gathered around her in no time at all, fussing over her as though she was a three year old with a bleeding shin.
'Is everything alright?' Serah inquired instantly, looking very concerned.
'Yes...' Lightning replied hesitantly. 'I... I just think I felt them kick.'
It made the younger woman's face light up with joy, made her emit a tiny little giggle.
'Oooooooh so cute!' she cooed.
Claire Crescent only rolled her eyes. Somehow she didn't find it cute at all. Bothersome, more likely.
'It felt rather umcomfortable.' she admitted, throwing her sister an acusing glance.
'Wait till they start pressing on your bladder for real.' Serah provided eagerly.
The thought made Lightning grimace.
'Gross!' Cloud and Yuj chimed in unision.
Well. Lightning couldn't blame them. She had already found out the hard way that a pregnancy was not exactly a walk in the park but this... This was beginning to surpass even her worst of nightmares. And she hadn't even considered the act of giving labour yet.
Cloud and Yuj were right... It was all very 'gross' indeed.
In the end the shopping spree proved successful. They had settled for some of the comfy maternity dresses for Lightning in the end, all of them cut in a way that would leave a lot of space tolerance for the next few weeks and some new bras and panties that fit her ever increasing circumference. And some sweet small baby jumpers too, Serah had insisted on.
The younger of the Farron sisters had indulged into her shopping cravings too, as had Cloud and Yuj, who had treated themselves to matching hawai shirts and more and it was with bulging shopping bags therefore (the guys had gentlemanly offered to carrie Lightning's) that they all made their journey home.