AN - Another day, another chapter- As always, cheers for reading and I hope you enjoy. PS- to answer the guest commenter from the previous chapter, the only reference I could find to Odin was the Mythos AU in the project, and no it's not an Avengers based universe- but the actual mythology of varied pantheons. And as for the second question, yes, Fang is totally wearing the Avatar's outfit and you can see a clearer render on tumblr that I uploaded the other day.
Night had almost fallen by the time Lightning reached the outskirts of the ghost town of Oerba. Out of respect, they had left it as it was as a memorial to the War of Transgressions and Revelations, mostly though because it didn't feel right to build over Fang and Vanille's home. The place was still as deserted as they had come across, though had been slightly cleared of much of the crystal dust that had suffocated the ground on their last visit.
The whole village was in darkness, with the exception of a lone dim light coming from the house the two Pulsian siblings lived in. Lightning smiled at herself for her instincts being on point as usual. She pulled up out the front of the stairs leading up to where she would find Fang. She ascended two at a time, feeling rushed to make sure her friend was ok.
She attempted to straighten her hair from the wind and not look as puffed as she knocked on the door. After a moment the rusted metal screeched open to reveal a suspicious looking Fang peering out from the crack. Upon seeing the soldier her eyes widened in surprise and she yanked the door the rest of the way. "Light! Didn't uh... Expect you... That is... Uh... What are you doing here?"
Lightning gave her friend a once over and bit her lip in worry and guilt. She hadn't been around as much as she wanted to when Fang woke up from crystal for the second time, and whatever was going on with her had taken its toll. She was thinner from when Lightning saw her last, with dark circles under her eyes and looking gaunt.
"Vanille called, said you hadn't been in contact and weren't returning her calls. Figured I'd swing by and make sure you hadn't been stepped on by an adamantoise or something."
Fang laughed, but it sounded distant and hollow. Her eyes darted everywhere and refused to make eye contact. "I just needed a bit of space, time. You know. Hunt and stuff."
"Doesn't look like you're catching much, when was the last time you ate?"
What little there was of Fang's jovial front vanished when her diminished frame was pointed out. She turned her back on the pinkette and sat on a nearby chair, pulling a blade off her belt and toying with the point.
"Sweet of you to come all this way out here to check on little old me, but you didn't need to, Sunshine. I'm fine." She said coldly, gripping the hilt of the blade a little tighter.
Lightning looked around at the old house Fang had been living in for the better part of a month after she awoke from crystal stasis. The door was barely back on its hinges, and their surroundings were essentially the same aged and dilapidated wreck from their journey through Oerba three years ago. If it weren't for the newly treated furs in what was left of one of the bedrooms, she would have thought Fang wasn't even residing here. Judging by her demeanour and the fact that she was currently armed, the pinkette was certain she was wandering into very dangerous territories. But she pursued regardless.
"You don't exactly look fine Fang. You took off without a word a nearly three weeks ago, not even Vanille has heard from you. Of course we're going to worry." Lightning chastised as she watched Fang fidget with a small blade she'd pulled from her belt. "You'd barely been out of crystal and... Then you were gone."
"Well if Vanille hadn't have called would you even have noticed? It's not like this house call of yours is a regular occurrence."
Lightning internally berated herself for once again allowing work to create distance between herself and someone she cared about. "I... Deserve that. With Serah leaving and everyone else getting on with their lives I just.. Threw myself into my work, which was at least predictable. Lonely, but predictable."
Fang caught the hint of sadness to the pinkette's voice and raised her head to look at her. The bright blue eyes staring at her were laced with concern and dare she say, hurt.
"I'm... I'm sorry Light," she finally relented, putting the knife down on the table with a sigh. "I didn't mean to make anyone worry it's just... So much has changed you know?"
Lightning sat down on the seat beside her and curled her fingers together as she tried not to fidget herself. "It's for the better, we've won. I understan-"
"No you don't!" Fang suddenly snapped, startling the pinkette. "You don't understand for a minute. I was born into war Lightning! Every waking breath was about survival, and fighting against the vipers in the sky." The brunette leapt up and began to pace to rid herself of the built up rage. "Every day we lost more, and I fought more. My parents, my family, my friends, the village elders... All dead. This place is nothing more than a monument to everything I've lost. Everything that was taken from me."
Lightning was shocked into silence. She stared at her Pulsian friend, as she shook with anger and grief.
"I thought I could do it you know? Have that great relaxing life on the Steppe, enjoy the peace. But how do you stop when you've been constantly moving ever since you could walk? How do you relax a muscle that has always been tensed for battle? How do you stop flinching at every sound, looking for escapes to every room, see everyone as a threat? If you understand so much Lightning then tell me, tell me ho-"
Her voice was cut off as pale arms flung around her neck and she was pulled in close. The pinkette wrapped her in a crushing hug, and refused to let go. "I'm sorry." She whispered into the tanned ear, "I'm so sorry Fang. I'm so sorry you've gone through this alone." Lightning felt her friend suddenly deflate and began sobbing into her neck. They both fell to their knees still holding each other as Fang let out her sorrow.
"You haven't lost everyone, Fang. You're not alone anymore."
Fang woke up to the gentle hushed sound of Lightning's voice.
"Yeah. I'm glad I found her, but you should have told me sooner... No. Not really. She will be ok, but not right now... I'd advise against it... Well, I'm not leaving her anytime soon so... Yes. I'll be in touch."
Fang glanced down at herself as she peeled the furs back. She didn't even remember falling asleep let alone how she got to her prepared bed. The sound of a throat clearing drew her attention to the doorway, as Lightning appeared with a bottle of water in hand.
"Welcome back." She said quietly and sat down on the makeshift bed. Fang was suddenly all too aware of her rake thin body and felt embarrassed. She worked hard to keep her strength and fitness up but over the last months of barely sleeping or eating, especially in the last few weeks, had left much of that work in disrepair.
"I'm sorry I... Don't remember falling asleep."
"It was less falling asleep and more falling unconscious after succumbing to exhaustion but, whatever works I guess." The pinkette shrugged as she made pointed glances between the bottle of water and Fang's hand. The brunette took the hint and swigged the bottle, relishing the fresh cold liquid pouring down her throat.
Lightning remained quiet as she thought about her friend. They had been through so much together, and despite how often they clashed they had seen somewhat of a kindred spirit in each other. From their stubborn refusal to surrender to their fierce protectiveness of their sisters. They matched each other in martial skill and complimented where they didn't. Lightning was faster, Fang was stronger. At least she was, the pinkette thought with a wince as she saw ribs underneath the Pulsian's sari.
"I'm worried about you Fang."
The brunette sat up but refused to make eye contact, staring just off to the side.
"I... don't think I can go back, Light. So many people just... Aggravates me at the moment. Makes me feel claustrophobic. Vanille's got her life, everyone has their lives and I... Just... Maybe it's easier to just stay out here away from everyone."
"Come home with me." Lightning suddenly blurted, surprising even herself with her outburst. Fang raised an eyebrow in her direction, a curious expression on her face. "That is to say... Uh, well my house is on the outskirts to.. Keep away from people as well so it's quieter. On a hill, with a good vantage point overlooking the rest of the village… You… wouldn't have to worry about it being loud or crowded or anything."
Fang watched the blush creeping up the pinkette's face until it matched her hair. "I'm not sure you want me as a roommate Sunshine.." she said quietly, looking out of the window at the lake beyond the village square.
"A guest then. Stay as long as you like, no obligations or expectations. Besides, it would be nice to have someone to come home to, uh that is... I would...it would mean a lot if I knew you were ok."
"Ok."
"That's it?"
Fang stood up and packed her few possessions and rolled up a few of the furs to take with her. She could always go hunting for more if the rest weren't here the next time she passed through.
"I could never say no to you Light." She shrugged. Lightning rolled her eyes at the Pulsian and headed for the door.
"Sure you can, you did it so frequently when we were travelling I'm convinced you did it on purpose to piss me off."
The pinkette found herself smiling at the memories of the two of them bickering while on the run, finding it had brought a sense of humility to herself to find someone so intent on dragging her out of her shell. They walked together to the courtyard and loaded up the hoverbike. Fang turned back to the metal ruins that were once her home, silent and hesitant. A pale hand grasped her shoulder gently and she turned to find herself looking into Lightning's soft gaze.
"This isn't goodbye Fang, we can come here whenever you like. If it gets too much back in New Bodhum we can both come back here. I won't leave you alone again." The brunette nodded and allowed herself to be led round to the bike.
She decided against side saddle riding for once and hitched up her sari to allow herself to sit properly, which brought her flush up against Lightning. The pinkette paused and allowed herself a moment to get used to the extra weight on the bike, taking a few seconds to marvel at the fact that Fang touching her didn't make her want to punch the woman in reflex like she did with just about anyone else who attempted physical contact. She tensed briefly when Fang slid her arms around her waist to hang on as the soldier kicked the bike into gear and it raised off the ground.
From higher up Oerba looked different. No longer the haunting monument to loss but rather a smaller piece of her past. And if Fang looked back to the pink hair whipping in the wind in front of her, she could see the smallest glimmer of a happier future.
"Fang? Fang wake up, we're home."
The brunette's eyes fluttered open, disorientated and out of sorts. She blushed when she realised she had managed to fall asleep on Lightning, with her face curled in between her shoulder blades. She slowly peeled herself off her friend's back, feeling mildly embarrassed. If Lightning was bothered by it, she didn't show it.
Fang quietly got off the bike and gathered her things from the storage compartment while Lightning made her way up the stairs to her front porch to unlock the door. She was already inside by the time Fang had sleepily reached the house, and the Pulsian stopped in her tracks when she saw that Lightning was standing in the middle of an empty lounge room.
"What's the go, Light? You get robbed?" she asked while looking around the sparse interior, confused.
"No, I... Shit. I forgot."
"You... Forgot your house is empty?"
Lightning stared hard at the ground, refusing to make eye contact. "Ok so maybe I didn't entirely think this through."
Fang thought back to their conversation in Oerba and frowned as the realization dawned. "Light... You've been... Home, right? Since Serah moved out?"
The pinkette's eye snapped up to meet Fang's before looking away. Busted, Fang thought to herself. "Light?"
"I just.. It was easier to deal with being alone if I wasn't reminded of it. So I've... Been working. Away. Not.. Here."
Lightning was kicking herself. She invited Fang back to an empty home. All the furniture belonged to Serah, who took it with her once Snow had finished building their home; but not before the elder Farron had assured her that all the furniture would be replaced. But coming home to a cold silent house was too much, especially when she hadn't lived alone before. So she had been staying at the guardian corps barracks or on assignment in the Steppe to distract herself from having to deal with it. In her need to run however, she had unwittingly distanced herself from someone else she cared about, who now stood alongside her in the barren lounge room.
Fang brought her out of her thoughts as she slid a tanned hand into hers. "Looks like I'm not the only one who hasn't adjusted well to life after the war."
Lightning looked down at their hands and raised her eyebrows, as Fang untangled her fingers and stretched in the expanse of the room. "Look at it this way Sunshine, we can start over here. Let's figure out how to get through this weird world together."
The pinkette smiled softly and nodded as she took her friend's belongings to the spare room. She opened the door to the realization that like the rest of house, it was empty and devoid of furniture.
"In retrospect, I really didn't think this through."
"You've at least got a bed, right?" Fang drawled with a raised eyebrow. Lightning rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue. Fang had a point though. The only room in her home that was furnished was her own, and even that was minimal.
"I guess we can share tonight, and head out and grab something tomorrow. The bed is big enough for two so it should be fine."
"For two you say? Prepared for a little company hmmm?" Fang jibed and bounced on the spot.
"I really didn't think this through." Lightning muttered to herself as she entered her room and made a beeline to her wardrobe to change out of her work clothes.
While the pinkette went into the bathroom to change, Fang took a moment to observe her surroundings. It was an impromptu view into a private life of someone she never thought she'd see a skerrick of anything beneath that icy exterior. If anything, it was exactly as she had anticipated from Lightning Farron; all pristine white and basic furnishings. With the exception of a lone crystal rose on her dresser, the last memento of her Eidolon Odin, everything else was blank and lifeless. Even her room would be relegated to a function instead of a space to call home; simply a place to sleep and change clothes and nothing more.
Lightning exited the bathroom with her work clothes in hand, now dressed far more casually in pyjama shorts and an oversized shirt that fell off one shoulder.
"We'll head to town tomorrow and pick up some furniture. That is, if you're up for it of course," the pinkette hastily added at the end. Fang nodded, feeling a little uneasy at the thought of going into town when she lacked the strength. "Or maybe I'll just order whatever and get it delivered to save us the trip."
Lightning dropped the subject and lead Fang back to the kitchen so she could fix the likely starving Pulsian something to eat.
"Serah used to do all the cooking when I was working to make sure I ate, so my skills aren't as up to her level, but I'm told I can make a mean behemoth steak when given the chance." Fang smiled and felt her mouth water a little at the thought of a decent meal. She had to admit she hadn't exactly been taking care of herself since her self-imposed exile.
She watched Lightning prepare the food, and took a moment to take in the level of calm the pinkette was exuding. It felt about as strange to see her in such a casual setting as it did to not be fighting every day. She excused herself to remove her sari and returned as Lightning was plating the meal dressed in a simple black tank top and her shorts she wore under her sari.
"We uh, will have to eat at the bench here Fang." Lightning sighed, frustrated at her lack of foresight. Fang furrowed her brow in thought, and then snapped her fingers.
"I got a better idea Sunshine." Fang vanished from the kitchen, and Lightning could hear her fumbling around at the back of the house. The Pulsian returned carrying her furs over her shoulder, pointing towards the back door off the kitchen. "There a deck out back as well or just the front porch?"
Lightning nodded and followed her outside. There was a fire pit at the base of the stairs which Fang set about lighting. She motioned to her friend to spread the furs out for somewhere to sit.
"Now this. This is more like it." Fang sighed contentedly, sprawling on the ground. The pinkette had to admit this felt more inviting than her empty home. The fire crackled beside them as they ate quietly together. Fang felt like this was the food of the Fal'Cie themselves, it had been that long since she'd allowed herself a decent meal.
"This is nice." Lightning said quietly, as she watched the fire, "Didn't realise how much I needed this... Simplicity. Despite everything going on, when we sat by the fire at the end of the day... I felt at peace. Well, as much as I could anyway."
"Come back here with that leg 'Nille! I had dibs on it! I hunted it!" Fang yelled at her adoptive sibling. The redhead skipped away with the gorgonopsid hind quarter as soon as Fang finished carving it. They chased each other all over the camp, with the other three men laughing at their antics. Lightning watched them with a sardonic gaze, rolling her eyes at them from the outskirts. She would rather keep an eye out for predators or the pursuing enemy, and not waste time messing around. There was no time to mess around, not with so much at stake.
She turned her back on the group and focused outward again, towards the Steppe beyond where they had set up camp. Night had fallen, and with her home in the far distance looking incredibly small, she felt uneasy by the sheer expanse before her. To think she spent her life within that tiny shell, sheltered and confined. She suddenly felt agoraphobic at the realisation. There was too much air around her, too much exposure here in the open, too much…
"If you look beyond Cocoon, Sunshine... You'll see everything else that's kept hidden from you. Don't focus on what you were trapped in, but instead what you have before you now that you're free."
Fang's husky accent drew her attention back with a gasp. How distracted had she been that the Pulsian was able to sneak up on her like that? She scowled at the brunette who shrugged and handed her a bit of cooked gorgonopsid on a scrap of cleaned metal that served as a plate.
"You haven't eaten yet. I figure if you don't do it now I'll have to go hunting later for seconds 'cos my Lovaa'jin over there would clean up the lot given the chance."
Lightning tilted her head at the foreign word. "Loh-vah..yin?" She sounded it out around her tongue as best she could as Fang chuckled.
"It means 'Little Songbird'. A term of endearment amongst my clan. What, you thought that we all just spoke like you?" The Pulsian asked incredulously with a hand on her hip. Lightning blushed and looked away, embarrassed at the assumption.
An elbow nudged into her ribs left her coughing on the exhale and Fang laughed. "Don't worry Light, I'm just messin' with ya. I can't read your language as well as I can speak it, but you know. Enough to get by I guess. I meant what I said earlier though. Stop looking at your prison and look at the sky. The real sky. The stars."
Lightning turned back to the Steppe, and looked up. Countless lights flickered in and out of her vision across the endless sky. "I… I've never seen stars. They're beautiful." She breathed in awe. She remained silent as Fang started pointing out patterns in the sky, telling her stories about them.
"That one over there is the Great Hunter, Paddra Yun Dranjen. He was the Patron of my clan and the first to hunt the great King Behemoth that kept our people hiding in caves. He took down the beast who was said to be so large his shadow blocked the sun. So with his death, it brought the light back to the valley, and they used his hide to clothe our ancestors and his bones built the first huts that would be our villages. That's him there, holding the head of the Behemoth. He taught our people how to hunt without disturbing the order and upsetting the God Pulse."
A streak of light shot across the sky where Fang was pointing and both of them followed it with their eyes. "Huh. Lucky to see a Wundaa'nyii. A 'fire star'- said to be a soul travelling to where it's needed. Depending on who you spoke to would either be a prosperous or ominous omen. Either way, they're agents of change. Kind of like we are huh?"
Lightning simply hummed in response, content to just sit and watch her first night sky.
"You know, when you see one, you're meant to make a wish and it's meant to come true," Fang said quietly, wringing her hands together. The pinkette spared her a brief glance before looking back in the direction of the horizon where the light had travelled.
"What did you wish for?" Fang asked. Lightning didn't respond, and continued her vigil in silence.
"To win."
Fang's head snapped up with a questioning look. "Come again?"
"That was what I wished for that night on the steppe. To beat our focus, so we could come home. Whatever home entailed for us, wherever we wound up."
Fang glanced back into the empty house. "Light… I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier, back in Oerba. You probably understand what I'm going through better than anyone." Lightning looked away from the fire to see it reflected in fierce green eyes. "You may not have been fighting a war from the moment you could run Sunshine, but with everything you've been through with your family, with Serah, you may as well have been."
Lightning shrugged and poked at what was left of her food on her plate. "It's ok. Sometimes I forget about where you and Vanille came from, and that you're more than half a millennium old…"
"Hey! I'll have you know I look damn good for my age missy." Fang retorted as she threw a vegetable at Lightning which was deftly avoided. The smile on her friend's face allowed a warmth to trickle through her skin, and it wasn't from the fire. "I... Thank you, Light. It means a lot that you travelled all that way to make sure I was ok."
The pinkette smiled and reached over to squeeze Fang's shoulder, and brushed her fingers down the tanned arm as she retracted her hand. The Pulsian watched her own skin prickle in response and suppressed a shiver.
They spent the rest of the meal casually chatting about the settlements that were popping up since Fang went into crystal sleep for the second time, how they'd banded together to ensure Oerba was left alone, what the others were up to until the fire burned low and Lightning let a yawn escape.
"Come on, let's pack up and head to bed. I'll take the floor in the spare room. These furs are comfy enough. I can be a bit of a handsy sleeper from all the years sharing a bed with Vanille so I won't subject you to that." Lightning frowned at the thought of Fang sleeping on the floor in an empty room, but by the same token wasn't entirely on board with being smothered in her sleep by Pulsian limbs. She helped Fang get set up in the room with a promise of getting something more substantial in the morning, and they bade each other goodnight.
"Hey, Light?" Fang called out before the pinkette retreated to her own room. She stuck her head back out into the hallway with a questioning look.
"I wished for a place to come home to as well."