Well, I figured I had to get started on a little bit of Cid/Lightning! I'm always a little iffy, and Snow likes to cockblock, doesn't he? Let me know what you guys think! Characters are at Enix, the story is my own!
Lightning rested her chin on the palm of her hand in a weary fashion. Blue eyes that stared at the resting figure had long since glazed over, loosing sense of reality. Her eyelids drooped and her head bobbed. Quickly catching herself, the woman scooted further up in her seat and cleared her throat while she shook her head gently. More alert eyes gazed once more at the resting figure that lay stretched out underneath the crisp, white sheets. She couldn't help but think again that he must be dead. The medical staff had assured her numerous times that he was indeed alive, and if she stared closely enough at his chest, she could make out the faint rise and fall of breaths.
"Loight, ya' need rest."
The familiar accented voice pulled Lightning from her deep stare at the figure and toward the wild Pulsian. "I'm fine." Fang quirked her eyebrow, and Lightning braced herself for a lecture. Sure enough, here it came. "Damnit, Farron. Ya' need some stupid rest. You've been awake fer nearly fourty eight hours now. In that time, I had ta' wrestle ya' down jus' so you'd allow the nurses ta' fix yer own wounds, and you've only eaten twice. Both toimes only 'cause 'Nille guilted ya' with her mournful eyes until ya' gave in." Lightning shook her head. "I'm not leaving him, Fang." "Shit. Farron, don' make me drag ya out by yer hair. Yer about ta' collapse yerself, an' if ya don't get sleep, everyone in the whole damned city is gonna hate ya' fer how ornery ya' are." Lightning frowned and gave her a look. "I'm not leaving him." "The hell you aren't." For a few moments they had a stare down - both ready to do battle. Lightning would admit that she didn't have the energy to fight with the hard headed Fang. She sat back in the chair, confident that while she couldn't win the face off, Fang wasn't about to peel her off the seat and physically drag her down the hallways.
...On second thought, this was Fang they were talking about. She might. Fang was about to start arguing again when Lightning held up a weary hand. "Fang...what if it was Rygdea?" That took a bit of the starch out of her. Fang entered the room, pulled a chair closer, and collapsed into it. Lightning watched as Fang's intense gaze turned to the resting figure. "Ya' sayin' what ya' sound loike yer sayin'?" Lightning rubbed her cheeks roughly with her hands. "I don't know." She then met Fang's gaze. "Well ya'd best damn well figure it out if yer gonna talk loike that." Lightning sighed slightly and rested her chin back on her palm. "I know." "Do ya'?" The pinkette nodded solemnly. "I feel around him." She could just tell that Fang was giving her one of those 'I knew it' looks, but didn't feel like seeing it to make sure. "Feel?" Fang knew damn well what she meant, but the arrogant tone didn't exactly make her happy about it. Glaring over at the wild woman, she growled slightly. "Yes, damn it. Feel. I haven't since...Etro, since we saved Cocoon.", she snapped. Fang held up a hand in defense, though a wide grin showed behind it. "No need ta' bite me fer askin'." They lapsed into silence for a few seconds. Finally Fang spoke up again. "Even so, ya' need sleep, Loight. I'll keep watch on him and you go sleep fer two hours. I'll send 'Nille ta' wake ya up if something changes. Deal?" Lightning hesitated. She didn't want to leave Raines, but Fang spoke truth and she knew it. After a few moments of battling it in her mind, she nodded. "Alright. Two hours, no more." Fang nodded and waved a hand to dismiss her. "Yeah, yeah. Go get some sleep so ya' don't chew anymore heads off." Lightning rose from her chair. When she had reached the doorway, she stopped. "Fang?" "Yep?" "Thanks." "Don't mention it."
Lightning was woken from the room she had been given by a steady rapping on theh door. "Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiightning?" Lightning sat up violently in bed, her blurred vision snapping over to where the clock illuminated the time. It was seven hours later. "Damn it Fang." Snapping the blankets back, Lightning stumbled out of bed. "Come in, Vanille!", she called to the door when persistent knocking continued to happen. The bubbly red head came bouncing in a moment later and plopped on her bed. "Lightning! You look so much better!", she said cheerfully. Lightning just sent her a look while she pulled her clothing on. "So, so much better!" "Fang said she'd wake me up in two hours. It's been seven." The counterpart of Fang just shrugged and grinned at her. "We all thought you should sleep for longer!" The red head ignored the glare she sent in her direction. As Lightning was pulling on her shirt, Vanille spoke again. "But anyway, Cid woke up and Fang sent me after you. He's been asking for you." "How long has he been awake?" Lightning hurried to pull on her footwear while Vanille bounced lightly on the bed. "Oh I dunno, about an hour now I guess. Fang kept him in bed as long as she could, but he eventually got stubborn and started trying to walk around. He's still a little bit dizzy though."
By that time she was fully dressed. Vanille popped up with her hairbrush. When Lightning went to take it from her, she was expertly denied. Instead, Vanille happily went on chirping while she started to brush Lightning's wayward hair. It took all of her self control not to grab the brush away and shoo the younger girl out of her room. As she brushed, Vanille chatted nearly constantly, with Lightning inputting random "hmm" and "huh"s to get her to continue. Finally she was done, signaled by a chirped "All done!" Muttering her thanks, Lightning exited her room and started striding down the hallway, Vanille hot on her heels.
"Ya' set yer ass back down on the bed an' stay there Raines." Lightning hesitated when she reached the edge of the doorway. The pause in step caused Vanille to run directly into her and squeal a bit. "Light!", she squeaked in protest. Lightning ignored her for the moment, instead she stepped around the edge and looked at Raines and Fang standing toe to toe. While Raines just looked set in his decision, Fang looked ready to grab his neck and bodily slam him back down on the bed. From the pale features he had, Fang was probably correct. "Fang, I'm clearly feeling better." The snort that came from Fang was as unladylike as they came. "Clearly my ass. Yer about ready ta' flop over. Let go a' that bed frame an' we'll see how well ya' do." Lightning stepped in right as it looked like Raines was about to do just that. "Two hours, Fang?" They both looked sharply at her and her chirping companion. The wide grin and sparkling eyes told Lightning that Fang didn't regret her lie at all. "Figured you could use yer rest."
Lightning didn't say anything about that, just entered the room further and glanced at Raines as he straightened and steadied himself before letting go of the bed frame. It didn't pass her attention that he did so. "Found her, Fang! Still snoozing like you said. I think that we should-" "Come on, Missy. Let's go get somethin' ta' eat, huh? I'm starved." "-Go...oh! Alright Fang! Cao guys!", she said with a giggle while Fang pulled her from the room. Yet before she fully left, Lightning caught the wink sent in her direction. Could she be anymore obvious? As loud as things had been moments before, it was equally as quiet after their departure. Faint giggles could still be heard for a few seconds, before that too disappeared and they were left to the silence. "Miss Farron, please sit." A large hand swept to gesture toward the chair she had spent the majority of the last 60 hours. As she sat, she watched him sink down into the second chair, his features pale. She studied him for a few moments. "Thank you." "For?" His earnest gaze swung toward her. Lightning shifted uncomfortably. She wasn't used to this sort of conversation - especially not with this man. "For shielding me with yourself. You didn't have to." He smiled softly, still holding her gaze. "A lady deserves no less." Lightning found herself chuckling in amusement. "I don't know if lady quite...fits."
She wasn't used to men like that. Men that weren't like...well, Snow, to be perfectly honest. She had been around some interesting men as a soldier, and after her time as a soldier had been no less. "Fang tells me thanks are in order myself." It was Lightning's turn to give him an inquiring glance, yet she said nothing. Instead he forged ahead. "For resting at my side while I was otherwise occupied." Well hell, Fang could have left out that it had been the last forty eight hours. She shrugged. "You're welcome." She had forgotten what being self-conscious felt like. "I'm unaccustomed to people caring to such an extent." Lightning couldn't help but look at him for a few moments. Her mind raced to come up with something to say in reply. Thankfully she was spared that when a gentle knock sounded at the door. The pinkette turned to see her sister and brother in law standing at the door. Serah looked pleased with herself...Snow just had that same stupid grin on his face he always did. "Hope I'm not too late for the fal'cie smashing!", his booming voice filled the room. Lightning rose from her seat right before Serah maneuvered around the seats to give her a hug. "Light! I'm so glad you're okay." "Yeah, sis! Heard you had some pretty exciting times around here the past few days." She sighed at the 'sis' part, but couldn't quite bring herself to snap at him for that - there were other matters to attend to.
"Why did you bring Serah here? It's safer in New Bodhum.", she chided her brother in law. "I insisted. He tried talking me out of it." Snow lit up when Serah defended him, even pointing a finger in Serah's direction. "Yeah, I tried, sis, honestly I did." 'Not hard enough.', she thought to herself in a grumping moment. "Raines.", Snow said then, going forward to shake his hand. "Are you feeling better?", came Serah's concerned tone. "Much, thank you Mrs. Villiers." As much as Lightning enjoyed her sisters company - she couldn't exactly say the same for Snow at atll times - she felt like the room was a bit crowded. "Hate to break things up, but Hope wants us all down in one of his fancy science rooms. Guess he's gotta show up something about that fal'cie. You up for a walk, Raines?" "Certainly." Lightning eyed him when he said that, but he put the effort into standing up - and looked better than he had previously. "Alright! Let's get cracking then."
She still wondered what Serah saw in Snow sometimes...
