'So whats the plan for this afternoon?' Zack Fair asked for like the thousandth time since his arrival.
It make Claire Farron give a tiny groan.
She did like action. Did enjoy adventure. But she did appreciate the quiet too. Did appreciate some downtime. Both was literally impossible with the guys in the house.
It was saturday. The week had passed by in a blur of cozy dinners, jolly afternoons spent at the sandy shores or at the Nora clubhouse and of course more sparring. Fortunately outside the Farron's beachhouse this time.
'Well, we could go down to the city, show you guys around a bit.' Serah suggested readily. 'Maybe you could finally get yourself some clothes and stuff. You guys can hardly mean to live out of my fiancés closet forever.'
The five of them exchanging puzzled glances Lightning had a feeling that seemed to be exactly what they'd been planning.
Thinking about it the pink haired first class couldn't even imagine any of them buying clothes in a store. Especially Sephiroth and Genesis who both looked like they'd never worn anything that wasn't tailor made in their entire lives.
'And they'll need clothes for the wedding too. It's only in a few days.' the younger Farron added at an afterthought.
It made Lightning's thoughts come back to reality.
The wedding.
She had almost forgotten about the wedding...
'Sis and I have an appointment at the dressmaker today anyway, so it's not much of a detour.' Serah assured.
'We both?' Lightning echoed somewhat stupidly.
Surely she had to have heard incorrectly.
'Yes, of course.' Searh said in that newfound strong determined voice.
'You're going to be my bridesmaid. You cannot wear your soldier uniform.'
Claire Farron couldn't help but swallow. She hadn't really thought about that. About any of it really.
Somehow the arrival of the guys, of Sephiorth especially, had wiped Serah's wedding completely off her mind.
They took the truck down to the city square. Took a detour at the ice ceram parlor to get themselves some refreshments.
The bunch of them downing their banana splits whith newfound vigor, it were Zack and Lebreau who were standing distanced from the group over at the ice cream counter, the latter showing their first class comrade the 'special flavours of the season', while Cloud and Yuj had walked off to the docks, feeding remains of the little decorative crackers that had come with their servings to the gathered fish and seagulls. To Angeal Hewley's great regret.
Claire Farron could only shake her head.
It was so Zack to get himself flirting with the only girl available, so that wasn't really much of a surprise. But Lebreau... She would have expected more from Lebreau. Then again when Yuj, Maqui and Gadhot where your only options...
'But again, I didn't manage to bring it down!'
It was Snow's turn telling stories from his past and he had seize the opportunity with immesurable joy.
'So I went back home to build some traps and set them up all around the house. Then instead of scouting the surrounding woods all day I took Serah and we went to the theater.'
'You went to the theater?' Genesis Rhapsodos threw in, his eyes suddenly alert with interest.
'Well yes... There was the phantom of the opera.' Snow addeed somewhat taken aback at the redhead's sudden interst.
'The phantom of the opera? That sounds intriguing. What is it all about?!' Genesis asked eegerly, earning himself a collective groan.
'Well, gentlemen, I think that's our clue to leave.' Lightning said decisively as she took Serah's arm and pulled her up from her chair.
'We have an important appointment after all.'
'You do not know the phantom of the opera?' Snow asked somewhat taken aback as Lightning pulled her sister over to the ice cream counter to get hold of Lebreau.
'Well it's all about this guy...' Serah's fiané dove into what was promising to be a very long and detailed explanation, spiked with several song interludes samples that would make Genesis Rhapsodos's heart sing and the rest of his companions wish they had a dress fitting appointment too.
Walking away from the parlor and into the direction of the crowded streets, Lightning turned back to her friend's table one last time.
Her eyes coming to rest at her most favourite first class, the pink haired soldier couldn't help but laugh at the irritated expression all over his face.
'Well, there's no story not worth hearing.' Angeal Hewley muttered somewhat defeatedly.
Being so infinitely glad to have an excuse to leave the ice cream parlor and snows reenactment of what had to be her least favourite musical, Lightning let the other girls drag her into the small but cozy shop of the dressmaker.
The walls paneled with shelves and shelves bursting with the most exquisite and equally expensive fabrics available, Clair Farron found herself up on one of the fitting tables in the back room in what easily qualified as the most beautiful gown she'd ever worn. It was a lightweigth silky affair, with only tiny straps to hold it up on the shoulders and a pretty pale pink hew that went well with the tone of her softly curling pinkish hair.
Hugging her slender form perfectly, it fell down her body in a twirl of gentle waves, making her look more feminine then she ever had in her entire life.
It was nothing compared to Serah's wedding dress of course.
He little sister had chosen one of those ridiculously pompous things, strapless and with tons of volume at the bottom, plus a huge lace bow in the rear that held the longest train Clair had ever seen.
Well. It was Serah's choice now, was it. It was her wedding and Lightning wanted her to have everything the way she liked. Even if it meant wearing that pink silk dress.
Well. She had worn a tiny white bikini infront of all her soldier friends for days. Surely she would survive wearing that dress for a few hours.
The dressmaker stepping up to her to start and make a few adjustments, Lightning found her eyes drawn to Lebreau, perched on a waiting chair in the corner and watching them with big fat smiles.
'Aren't you getting anything fitted yourself?' Lightning asked her somewhat grumpily (she didn't really enjoy being groped by strangers and poked with needles).
'No, I actually have the perfect dress already.' the pretty brunette assured.
Then at an afterthought she added:
'Do you think Zack likes blue?'
It made the pink haired female roll her eyes.
Perched up atop the fitting table, being measured up with tape, unable to do anything useful really, Claire Farron couldn't help but wonder what kind of clothes her fellow first classes would be choosing. What kind of civil clothes General Sephiorth Cresecent would wear once he had a say in it.
Hopefully it wouldn't be anything as ridiculous as those crazy beach hats Genesis had bought them.
Then again, she herself was not really in a place to judge. She wasn't exactly very fashion-conscious either. She was still wearing the summer dresses of her teen years after all.
It was some excruciatingly slowly passing time later when they were almost finished, that suddenly there was a commotion on the front room of the shop and one by one the guys came filing into the backroom.
'NO! NO! NO!'
It was with a scream of terror that Serah jumped to the side, grabbing her completely perplexed sister by the shoulders and holding her infront her like a shield.
'GET OUT! GET OUT!'
Lebreau had gotten to her feet too and was now trying to usher out the group of surprised, but curious looking men while Serah was trying to make herself as small as possible, hiding behind her older sister. A feat that was doomed to failure from the beginning considering that volumous dress of her's.
'You heard her! GET OUT!' Lebreau bellowed over the excited babble that had broken out among the crowd as she began pushing them out and back towards the doorway with application of her full body strenght.
It was with a big wide grin on her face that Lightning took in the ridiculousness of the scene, the absurdity of it really.
Her sister trembling behind her back with terror, Lebreau's outraged yells and her fellow soldier's gazes, looking up at them so curiously.
It was all so funny. They were just wearing pretty dresses what kind of difference did that make? Not a big one certainly, or so she thought until she met the big green mako eyes of a certain first class general.
The man in question staring up at her as though he hadn't really ever seen her, Lightning found that he had managed to get himself some new clothes after all.
And they were pretty decent choices too.
She was in fact positively surprised, she had to admit, as giving him a critical once over she settled back on his mako eyes.
The silver haired first class dressed in a plain white short sleeved button down and some pretty decent pants, Lightning couldn't help but admit that he did look just as sexy in ordinary civil clothes as he looked in his fancy soldier uniform. Then on the other hand he was probably the kind of perseon who could donn a jute potatoe sack and still look ready to rock the vogue.
Yes. He definitely was of that sort.
Still, from the look he gave her, he did approve of her outfit too.
For a moment or two they simply stared at each other. Lightning in her pretty dress. He in his new button down, tiny smiles creeping onto both their faces.
Their pretty moment, it was broken by the seamstress who, having gotten rid of the others with Lebreau, came bustling back into the room.
'Uh-uh-uh, no do!' she bristled as she found the silver haired first class still inside.
'The groom cannot see the bride before the wedding!' she chided as she began to shoo the general out with her enourmous pair of tailor scissors.
'I'm not the groom.' he silver haired first class tried somewhat sheepishly, sticking his head back in to try and get another glimpse, before the woman with the scicors pushed him out for good.
His curious smile the last thing she saw of him before the seemstress had shoved him out of the doorframe, it made Lightning explode with giddy laughter.
With all the rest of them gone, Lebreau pulled out with them by Zack unlikely to return and the seemstress busy writing bills, it was Lightning's duty to help her little sister out of that ridiculously voluminous dress.
'He really likes you, you know. He really does.' Serah began one of her annyoing love talks once again.
It made her older sister emit a tortured groan.
Her head stuck in the volumes of the pettycoats, Lightning decided to let her struggle with it's folds a little longer.
'I still don't know what you're talking about.' she assured with a guilty little grin.
'You know exactly what I mean.' Serah said decisively once she emerged from the depths of her dress and rewarded her sister's boldness with an accusing glare.
It was her own problem now, how she was going to get rid of the rest of the dress for sure.
'You two work well together.' she added as finally she managed to get free and put the dress away to quickly grab her own old beach clothes.
It made Lightning already hot cheeks blush.
She quickly shook her head.
'He could have anybody, Serah. You're forgetting who he is.' she replied somewhat defeatedly.
'Yes, he probably could.' Serah gave in.
'But he has eyes only for you.' she reassured her knowingly.
It made Ligthning roll her eyes again.
'Oh please...'
'He does!' Serah insisted.
It made Claire Farrons cheeks turn a few shades darker still.
'You should see the way he's looking at you when he thinks noone is watching.' Her sister reasoned, putting on her stuff.
'You saw the way he stared at you right now when he saw you in that dress. He's head over heels for you, Claire.'
Lightning wondered.
Was he really watching her when he thought noone was looking? She had done that exact same thing herself for the past several years...
No. Preposterous. It was impossible. And yet...
'You should give him a chance you know?' her little sister insisted.
'I don't know, Serah.' Lightning said, neatly folding away her own pale pink silk dress.
'You dont know him. You don't know half the things that's happened...'
It was true. Her sister had no idea.
All the terrible things that had happened, all the horrible things he had actually done to her...
Well. It was not a valid argument for Serah, it seemed.
Having put on her shoes and combing through her ponytals, her annoying little sister only kept looking at her expectantly.
'You just don't know him. He isnt, he never...'
Somehow it was hard to find the words.
'If he wanted to he could have acted.' Lightning finally said.
'Done somthing. Said something.'
Serah Farron gave a mighty snort.
'You can't always be so cold to him. That's not how it works.' she told her older sister knowingly.
'You have to let him know you're interested, gotta give him some kind of encouragement or something.'
The former Shin-Ra operative not sure she'd heard correctly, Lightning just looked at her sister crazily.
Some kind of encouragement...
Well... She hadnt actually killed him yet.
After everything that had happened, that had to be encouragement enough for him.
'You could ask him to accompany you to the wedding as your +1, you know.' Serah suggested somewhat carefully.
'You two'd make a stunning pair.'
Lightnings eyes went huge.
'No way.'
'Oh not? The two of you'd look perfect together!'
'Please, as a wedding gift!' the wicked girl pouted.
'No forget it. I won't do it. I'm not doing it.' Claire Farron said decisively.
'Why not?' Serah asked sincerily.
Why not. It was a very valid question. The two of them were getting along reasonably well these days. And considering their history... It wasn't that absurd exactly. Was quite sensible, actually. Was the logical next step.
And it was completely out of the question too.
No, not in a million years was she going to ask General Sephiroth Crescent to be her +1 at Serah's wedding.
Part of her did like him. True. Well. 'Like' was probably the understatement of the millenium. But this part... Lightning couldn't help but admid that she was scared of it.
The way she felt around the silver haired first class lately... Considering all things, Lightning wasn't even sure of how much of it was herself and how much was jenova. She couldn't let her crazy alien cell donor alter ego take control over her private life. Or any part of her life really.
And then there were all those things that had happened. That had happened between the two of them.
It was true, the general did act differently around her since their night in Palumpolum, acted like a copletely different person, still. It wasn't as if they had only just met. As if they were two random people gettting to know each other over BBQ parties and afternoons spent on the beach. No. They had history. And it wasn't really a very pretty history either. On the contrary.
The truth was Claire Farron was still horrified by most of the things that had happened. Was terrified by all the things that had been done to her. Done to her because of him.
And there was something else too. Something else entirely, Lightning couldn't help but admit. The fear of being rejected.
Sure they'd been getting along reasonably well lately. They had spoken with each other like normal civil people, had bought groceries together, had been eating together. They had looked at each other in some silent understanding and they had smiled at each other. Quite some times actually. Still...
There was no guarantee that Serah was right. No guaratee that he really wanted her. He'd been teasing her before, had been making her false hopes. Hadn't he? He had.
How was she supposed to know that this was any different?
Somehow Lightning wasn't sure.
'Because I have dignity.' was all she offered as an answer.
Her little sister could only sneer.
The girls had paid for their dresses, packed together their stuff and exited to meet the others outside where they agreed to stow their things in Snow's truck to then head over to the dock promenade and inevitably the funfair.
All in all they had a rather bizarre evening.
Cloud and Genesis had made a game out of attacking some zombies in the house of horror, Angeal had bought himself the biggest cotton candy stick imaginable, and Zack had shot a plush animal for Lebreau at one of the shooting ranges.
It was there, watching from a little distance that Sephiroth had pondered getting one for Lightning too but then decided against it for the sake of his life and manhood, both things he could picture threatened in the plush animal shooting scenario.
Yes. She probably wouldn't have been all to delighted. Would be emberassed probably.
And that was nothing that he wanted. Especially not now that they were getting along so amicably.
They hadn't really spent much time together after he had seen her in that dress, hadn't really had the time to talk, hadn't had the chance for some private moments, not in the past few days.
And it wasn't until they stopped over at the big ferries wheel that he decided to push his luck.
Snow and Serah had decided to take a ride and so had Zack and Lebreau. It was acting on a whim that turning to look at his pink haired friend in question, the former soldier general offered her his hand.
It had been Lightning's turn to simply freeze and stare, big blue eyes looking up at him aghast.
And it had been her whicked little sister who had given her a well aimed push into the small of her back, making her step forward to accept his hand.
Yes. Sephiroth was definitely beginning to like her. The younger of the Farron sisters, she definitely had balls.
It was a few minutes later that they were squeezed inside their cart and the ride began.
The ground slowly falling away from them it was higher and higher that they rose, the Bodhum unimpressive city skyline falling away below their feet.
They rode in silence first. Unable to find anything to say. Or maybe just silently enjoying each others company? Somehow Claire Farron wasn't sure.
Having gotten into thei cart last, they could make out the silhuette of Zack and Lebreau two carts ahead, could see Serah and Snow's heads in the cart infront their's, leaning together and kissing passionately.
It made the situation kind of awkward.
They had reached the top of the wheel, the highest point along the ride when finally the general began to talk.
'I have a confession to make.' he said out of the blue.
It made Lightning's heart speed up involuntarily.
The silver haired first class staring off into the distance, Lightning felt him shift his weigth umcomfortably, heard him give a soft defeated sigh, before he turned to look into her eyes.
'I'm scared of hights. I only just realized.'
Ligthning stared at him in disbelieve.
'You're not.' She said decisively.
'It's true. I'm not.' he admitted looking at her appologetically.
'I just wanted you to feel better about being scared of jumping off that cliff.'
It was a hit below the belt line. Made something inside Ligthning snap.
The annoying first class smiling at her tentatively, the pink haired female leaned over, giving him a mighty shove.
It made the whole cart swing sideways dangerously.
'Fuck what are you doing? Are you trying to kill me again?' the silver haired first class asked somewhat accusingly, as slowly the cart settled down again.
Claire Farron couldn't help but notice the little alarmed shaking in his voice.
Maybe he was afraid of hights after all. Who would know?
'Oh please, who almost shot me with an arrow the day before?' she countered readily.
'I didn't almost shoot you. I shot past you. You were never in danger.' the silver haired first class made to assure her instantly.
'I felt the feathers brush my cheek.' Lightning informed her mate indignantly.
'I had it under control.' The silver haired first class said somewhat detachedly as he settled back to staring in the distance.
'You had it under control?! That was your first time at a bow!' Lightning contered, staring at him wide eyed then.
'That was the first time you actually hit the target!'
Giving one of his haugthy smirks the silver haired first class only shrugged his shoulders.
'You are unbearable, do you know that!?' she spat at him.
'Unbearably talented with a bow you mean.' the general prompted, one of these ridiculous half smiles of his rising on his face.
It was Lightning's turn to look away this time. A momentous act of selfcontrol, as her ego wanted nothing more than to just reach over an throttle him right there and then.
'If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already.' Lightning grumbled, picking up the conversation where they'd left it a few minutes ago.
It made first class general's smile turn into a smirk.
'I'd like to see you try.'
It wasn't just a way of mocking her. Lightning was aware. He probably really wanted to see her try. But never ever again in her entire life was she going to fall for that.
No. She owed herself that much.
It was very quickly that she shook her head.
No way was she going to give that bastard the satisfaction of beating her ever again, nor was she going to give him the opportunity.
'Okay, okay. You don't have to.' the silver haired first class backpedalled immediately.
'We'll just add one more thing then to the list of things you're scared of.' he added in a mocking tone.
Resisting the urge to strangle the man beside her with her bare hands, Claire Farron leaned back into her seat to take deep calming breaths instead.
Suddenly the stupid ride seemed to take forever.
It had been a long time since the silver haired first class had been teasing her like this.
Lightning couldn't help but think that he'd gone a little bit too far.
Looking over at her silver haired companion she saw the knuckles of both his hands resting on the carrt's small handrail had turned white with the effort of holding on.
Maybe he really was scared of hights after all.
Or maybe he was just readying himself for another of her attempts at throwing him out of the cart all together. Lightning couldn't tell.
Unable to ignore the way their arms and legs were touching as they sat their squeezed into that cart that was probably designed to have people make out and basically crawl on top of each other, Lightning couldn't help but wonder.
Could Serah probably be right?
Was this man now glued to her side really 'head over heels' for her?
Well. His current behaviour definietly didn't let it show.
Wasn't he suposed to be nice to her, make her compliments, and shoot her plush animals like Zack had done with Lebreau?
Would she have even wanted that?!
No. Probaly not.
Should she have done something to 'encourage' him? Was that what he had expected? Was that why he was being rude to her again?
Lightning didn't know.
Either way she was very glad to have her feet back on concrete as they stepped out an excruciatingly long time later, glad to finally be able to get some space between herself and the first class general.
Lightning knew somewhere in her heart that the argument in the cart had been nothing but mindless banter, but somehow the silverhaired man had hit a nerve.
She was still scared of jumping from that cliff. She really was. Soldier first class, wutai war and jenova cell transfusions to the side. When she stood atop that cliff from her youth, Claire Farron still felt like that helpless child again.
How was that even possible?!
It was after a little stop at the local kiosk and some hearty snacks later, (Snow even bought Serah a gingerbread heart) that finally somebody had the terrific idea to take a picture in the photo booth. All of them together.
Lightning had not gathered whose idiotic idea it had been (though it had probably been Genesis), all she knew was that most of the others had already gathered in there and that despite the tiny room being filled to bursting already, Serah wanted her to squeeze in there too.
'No I won't.' was Lightning's prompt protest.
It wasn't of much use.
'Oh just shut up.' was all that Serah offered before taking her sister by her shoulders she made to push her right into Cloud, before she entered too with Snow following in her lead.
The tiny booth now occupied by nine people, Lightning found herself squeezed in between her sister and Cloud Stife. Someone's knee was pressing into the side of her calf uncomfortably and someone's arm was squeezed between Cloud and her, the attached hand resting on her body awkwardly.
The air way too musty, it was somewhat hard to breathe.
Well it wasn't exactly the most pleasant of experiences.
'SAY CHOCOBO!' Serah chimed before she hit the trigger and they were all allowed to file out of the booth again one by one, their eyes temporarily blinded by the bright white flashlight.
Her sister handing out copies of the photograph to everyone who wanted one, Claire Farron suddenly couldn't wait for all of them to go home, for her to be able to retreat into the privacy of her bedroom, the soothing comfort of her blankets.
It was only a brutal rollercoast ride later with Zack Cloud and Snow that had her almost throwing up her french fries that she finally she got her wish.
'Well, if that wasn't a successful evening!' Serah piped up as the two of them climbed their way up to their bedroom.
'What happened in the cart between you?' She tried to find out eagerly.
'Did you two kiss?'
Claire Farron threw her sister a withering look.
'No. Nothing. We only watched the skyline.'
It was the bitter truth.
