Once again, I don't own Final Fantasy 13 or anything associated with it blah blah blah, all mistakes are my own, blah blah blah. Hope you enjoy. :D
"We're dead, aren't we?" Fang asked. Her and Lightning had just entered the shadowy, cool path that lead to the Mah'habara Subterra, and couldn't believe their eyes. Right in front of them was Vanille, with her back turned, surrounded by three bodies of scorched Hoplites, which had presumably left the safety of the cave to attack her. Her posture was slouched, her breath coming out in short gasps signifying exhaustion, but she still held her binding rod in her shaking hands defiantly.
"You're dead. She doesn't hate me." Lightning answered, while Fang glared at her.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"Anytime." The two watched as Vanille walked on unstable legs towards the mouth of the actual cave, which was, with no exaggeration of the word, massive. Which most likely meant that it was inhabited by all kinds of nasty creatures. Which meant Vanille would most likely die if she went in there alone, if she didn't pass out from exhaustion first.
"You two really do have to talk, you know." Lightning said, while watching Vanille with concern as she disappeared from view around a corner.
"I know, I know. I just...don't know what to say. We've never fought before."
"That's no excuse. She's about to get herself killed." Fang sighed, and wrung her hands nervously, an action that was quite uncommon for her.
"Alright...alright. I'll talk to her. But I make no promises." Fang swiftly jogged off in the direction of Vanille, soon disappearing around the same corner. Lightning turned to the remains of the Hoplites, and let out a low whistle when she noticed that they were actually starting to disintegrate from the force behind Vanille's attacks. The fact that all three of them got taken down by a small girl of nineteen made them pretty weak, which gave Lightning a small sense of relief. It also made her think, that the fight wasn't Vanille's only reason for her exhaustion.
Fang walked up to Vanille, making sure to make her steps extra loud as to not scare her. The plan apparently didn't work, as the girl jumped ten feet in the air when Fang tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around to yell at her, but Fang wasn't listening. She only noticed the bags under Vanille's eyes, the slumped posture that made her look five times her age, and the tracks that went down her face signifying tears that hadn't quite dried.
"-er do that again! You nearly gave me a heart attack! Why are you here, anyways?" Vanille demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. Keeping her eyes on Vanille's face, Fang failed to notice the dim light coming from Vanille's brand.
"I came to stop you from going in there. What were you thinking, anyway? Are you trying to get yourself killed? Do you know what it would do to me if something happened to you?" Vanille immediately deflated, her arms hanging limp at her sides, as her eyes started to water.
"...I'm sorry, Fang I...really don't know what I was thinking." Fang's face softened upon noticing Vanille's teary eyes. She brought her hand up and brushed away a stray tear that managed to fall down.
"Hey, none of that. I just wanted to talk"
"About what?" Vanille asked, looking down at the ground.
"I think you know what." Vanille nodded, her face pained. She suddenly looked up, and launched herself at Fang, her arms latching around the taller woman's neck, causing her to stand on her tiptoes.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Vanille cried into Fang's shoulder, Fang's sari immediately becoming damp from her tears. Fang wrapped her arms around Vanille's waist wordlessly, allowing her the time to calm down. Vanille's sobs reduced to quiet sniffles, until she finally pulled away and wiped her eyes.
"...I'm sorry about that, too." Vanille said, pointing to the wet spot on Fang's sari. Fang shook her head, and bent down to gently grab Vanille's chin, bringing it up to look into her eyes.
"You never have to apologize, Vanille. Never." It was Vanille's turn to shake her head, her eyes filled with new-found determination.
"No! I have to for this, Fang! I can't believe what I said! I was just so angry and frustrated, but that's no excuse!" Vanille replied, stomping her foot. Fang smirked slightly at the gesture. Over five-hundred years old, and the girl still acted like a kid.
"It was just a minor misunderstandin'...but, if it means so much to you, I accept your apology." Fang grinned, feeling like a huge weight had just been picked off of her shoulders and hurled somewhere else. However, Vanille didn't feel the same way. She was angry that Fang could forgive her so quickly. She really felt guilty, like she deserved something else. Her brand flared up again, bright enough for Fang to notice. Fang's eyes widened at the sight, and she tried to come up with something to say to calm Vanille down. It was useless though, because if she knew anything, it was that you couldn't calm a L'cie down when they were on the verge of summoning their eidolons. Apparently, eidolons were very impatient.
Fang spotted a flash of white in the corner of her vision, and turned her head slightly. Oh thank you, sweet merciful Etro! Fang thought, upon noticing the flower bed that lay right to the back-left of Vanille.
"Those flowers, you remember them, right?" Fang asked quickly, a desperate undertone in her voice. Vanille turned, and her anger disappeared. The light of her brand, however, didn't dim a single bit. If anything, it got brighter.
"Yeah, of course I do! They grew all over Oerba! I used to pick them all the time!" Vanille squealed, running over to the flower bed and landing on her knees next to the flowers. she picked one, and took a deep breath, the pure scent of the flowers washing over her. She stood up, and planted the flower in her pocket. Fang let out a breath when she noticed that Vanille's brand had finally gone out. Dodged a bullet there.
Fang wrapped her arm around Vanille's shoulder, and smiled down at her.
"What do you say we head back now? If we're lucky, sunshine made it back in time to stop Snow from attemptin' to cook again." Vanille giggled and nodded tiredly in agreement. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around Fang's neck, and jumped up. Acting on instinct, Fang caught Vanille's legs before they landed on the ground.
"Y'know, Fang..." Vanille started, dreamily. Her eyes drooped, her exhaustion finally claiming her.
"I was thinking...before I came here...that wherever you are, is home. I don't care where we are anymore...knowing that you're welcome, no matter what has changed...that's what home's about..." Vanille mumbled, her words slightly slurred. Her breaths evened, and she fell into a deep sleep.
"Did I make it in time?" Lightning asked, upon arriving at the base-camp. She noticed, with relief, that Snow, Sazh and Hope managed to catch a good sized behemoth, and were beginning to skin it.
"For what?" Snow asked, nonchalantly, sawing away at a particularly tough piece of skin.
"To stop you from cooking." Lightning answered, smirking slightly.
"Hey! My cooking isn't that bad, right?...Right?" Hope looked away awkwardly, while Sazh looked at Snow in disbelief. Realizing he wasn't going to get any support, Snow's shoulders drooped and he resigned to skinning the beast, while Hope looked away, his face slightly green. A rustling of grass sounded slightly behind Lightning, causing her to turn around.
It was Fang, with Vanille in her arms, fast asleep with a peaceful look on her face. An ugly, jealous feeling flared up in Lightning's stomach. Calm down. She was exhausted. You didn't think Fang was just going to leave her on the ground, did you? ...Although, did she have to carry her bridal-style?
"You guys were gone for a while." Snow commented, idly. Fang set Vanille on a soft spot in the grass, with no reaction from the girl. She was completely passed out.
"Yeah. Had some...business to take care of. Need any help with that?" Fang asked, gesturing to the half-skinned behemoth.
"Nah, it's fine, I'll be done soon. Skinning a behemoth is no problem for me!" Snow replied, jabbing his thumb into his chest proudly. Lightning shook her head at the gesture.
Fang nodded, and sat herself beside Lightning on a fallen log. Lightning turned to look at her.
"I'm thinking we should head back out soon. After we eat." She said quietly, regarding the behemoth with distaste.
"I agree. We're making good time, though. Maybe we should just take some time to relax?" Fang suggested. Lightning shook her head.
"All we've done is relax for the past few days. That's a luxury we can't afford right now." She argued. Fang raised her hand to her forehead in a mock salute, her silly grin taking away the seriousness of the action.
"Yes, sergeant!" Lightning wanted to be annoyed. But the sight of that grin and those emerald green eyes shining at her, made it impossible. She settled for rolling her eyes.
After eating the behemoth that Fang had cooked, (Which Lightning would never admit, was the best thing she had ever tasted) Lightning found herself again, not able to get any sleep. She couldn't remember the last time that she had slept for more than two hours, the worry and anxiety of how much time they had left had started to really get to her. Their L'cie marks had already started opening into red eyes, some faster than others. Snow's was the worst, his mark fully open and the red eye could be completely seen. Lightning's was almost open all the way, and although she couldn't see it, she could always feel it there. Regardless of how fast it was happening, they were all going to become the same thing if they didn't move quickly. They were literally walking time bombs, just one wrong move and they would all explode.
Although it was Hope's turn to watch, not hers, Lightning couldn't bear to make him do it. The kid was exhausted, not just physically but emotionally, and she knew he needed rest. She wasn't tired anyway, so she figured, what the hell. if her sleeping pattern continued like this, she could end up taking everyone's shifts. It's not like they would care.
In fact, the only person who did seem to care was Fang, but Lightning assumed it was just her pride getting in the way. She couldn't sleep when there was something she could be doing, and if she didn't do her part or if she couldn't do something to help, then she would find a way to.
Lightning always liked that about her.
Maybe that's why I didn't just beat the crap out of her in Palumpolum, Lightning mused. Because I appreciated her selflessness?
No. That wasn't it at all, was it?
Out of everyone in the group, Fang was the only one who understood her plight. Hell, even Hope didn't understand, and they had spent the most time together. Of course, now Lightning knew why. They were much more similar than she thought, even if she adamantly refused the fact earlier in their journey. Snow had brought it up when she and Fang had first met, and she expressed her hatred for the Pulsian woman.
It's because you're too much alike. You're bound to get on each others nerves, I guess. I mean, I know it might not seem like it, but you're pretty much two sides of the same coin, ya know?
That's what he had said, and Lightning threatened to castrate him for it. She didn't want to believe that she was so similar to the person who annoyed her the most (Snow coming in a close second) but when she really thought about it, they were the same. Fang was looking to save her sister-figure, which Lightning could completely relate to. Fang was stubborn, opinionated, and a leader. So was Lightning. Fortunately, that is where the similarities ended and the obvious differences started. She's annoying, sarcastic, perverted, fun-loving, helpful, strong, beautiful...
Lightning frowned.
Beautiful?
Yes, Fang was beautiful. A Pulse monster could see that. But is that really the only reason she found Fang on her mind more than usual?
What about that jealous feeling you got when Fang and Vanille were close? A voice sounded in her head.
So what? I was just jealous because I never had that kind of close relationship with Serah.
What about when you caught her bathing? A normal person would have ran and given Fang her privacy before they got their asses kicked. But you stayed, didn't you? You watched her, you pervert.
And? I was just nervous because I didn't want her to hear me leaving and notice me.
You're Lightning Farron, you don't get nervous. You just didn't want her to catch you because you were spying on her.
I was not spying, I was just...waiting for her to finish so I could have my bath.
Sure, sure. Because having a bath is what you were thinking about when you saw her dripping wet from head to toe, right?
SHUT UP!
And what about when she offered to 'warm you up?' If anyone else said that to you, you would have handed them their asses on a platter.
I was just too tired to fight with her that night.
Stop lying to yourself. You like Fang.
Whatever. I'm talking to myself. Better check me into the nearest mental asylum, I think I've finally cracked.
"I don't think we have any of those around here, sunshine."
(1 hour ago)
Fang walked across the fresh, green plains of Gran Pulse aimlessly, breathing in the fresh air. She patted her stomach, which was full of her specially made behemoth steak (she knew Lightning had enjoyed it, even if she didn't want to admit it.) She sighed happily, perfectly content to just stand there and watch the wildlife go about their business, until she heard footsteps come up behind her.
Hmm...too quiet to be Snow. Not quite loud enough to be Sazh...hmm...Lightning, maybe? No...the steps are too loud to be her. Hope? Nah, couldn't be. Kid never talks to me. Think he's scared of me. Must be Vanille, but she's going awfully slow...like she's trying to scare me. Haha! I've got you now!
Fang waited until the steps were as close as they could get, until she spun around and grabbed her would-be attacker around the waist. A feminine shriek filled the air, followed by giggles. Fang placed Vanille on the ground, still giggling like a madman.
"How did you hear me?" Vanille asked after she got her giggles under control, her voice slightly whiny.
"It wasn't that long ago when I used to be a hunter! Give an old woman some credit." Vanille slapped her lightly on the arm.
"That makes me an old woman too, ya know!"
"Guess it does. Terribly sorry." Fang grinned.
"Whatever, I didn't come all the way out here to be called an old woman." Vanille crossed her arms, looking at Fang intently.
"...What did ya come all the out here for, if it wasn't for little old me?" Fang asked, slightly suspicious.
"I know your secret." Vanille answered, smiling devilishly.
Oh gods, she knows I ate the last of the fruit we had! I'm sorry! I didn't think Hope would get so angry and then stop talking to you! I was too hungry! I had a craving! Fang thought, panicked. She quickly schooled her features and answered as evenly as she could.
"Well, not exactly a secret if you found out, now is it?" Vanille looked pensive for a moment, before nodding in agreement.
"I suppose. But still, that doesn't make it any less...scandalous" Vanille looked back up at fang, her eyes twinkling.
"Well?" Vanille asked. "What do you have to say for yourself?" Fang stared at her for a moment, before her neutral expression cracked and turned desperate.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to eat the fruit, I swear! I didn't want to make Hope angry at you!" Vanille's mouth hung open.
She ate the fruit? Oh, we are so going to have a talk later. Hope was so mad! But, that's not what you're here for. Focus, Vanille!
"Fang...that's not what I'm here for." Fang blinked, before she sighed in relief.
"Oh, well in that case, it was Snow. Not me." Vanille rolled her eyes.
"Fang, be serious for a moment! I'm mad at you! Why didn't you tell me?"
What the hell is she goin' on about? Fang thought.
"Er...tell you what?"
"That you like Lightning!" Fang froze. How could Vanille possibly know that?
Well, she does know everything about you.
"-n't believe you didn't tell me-"
It couldn't have been that hard to figure out, I mean, you were practically drooling at her when she got soaked in that rain, the way her clothes clung to her body like a second skin...
"-I mean, I thought we were best friends!-"
I bet all of the others know. Hell, I bet the whole of Cocoon knows by now.
"-ou even listening to me?"
Oh gods. What if Lightning knows?
"Fang?"
That would be so embarrassin'! I bet she's seen me starin' at her like a piece of meat! (Or behemoth steak, mmm...)
"FANG!"
She's going to think I'm some sort of pervert. Probably already does. Hey! I can't be the pervert! She's the one who was watching me bathe! She's the pervert!
"OERBA YUN FANG!"
Fang shook her head to rid herself of her mini-breakdown, and looked down to see Vanille glaring up at her.
"You were thinking about her, weren't you? You completely ignored meee!" Fang ruffled Vanille's hair, the adorableness of the angry expression on Vanille's childish face too much for her.
"Aww, I'm sorry Vanille. I won't do it again, I promise." Vanille huffed.
"Don't waste your time apologizing to me, you behemoth-brain! Your woman is probably out there by herself, cold, and alone, and your just standing here?" Vanille turned Fang around by her shoulders and pushed her in the direction of the basecamp, the barely perceptible outline of a shadow in the trees coming into Fang's vision.
"Go! gogogogoggogo!" Fang stumbled out of Vanille's grasp.
"Okay, okay I'm goin'!" Fang started off towards the trees, before shouting over her shoulder at Vanille who stood in the same spot, grinning happily.
"And thanks for lettin' me off of the hook for the fruit!" Vanille's happy expression turned angry in record time.
"The fruit! I almost forgot! We are going to talk about that at some point Fang!"
Lightning whipped around, her cape flying around her in a flurry. And there she was. Fang. Of course.
Oh gods, what else did I say out loud?
Fang was a few yards away from her, perched on the very boulder Lightning was using on her last watch. How had I not heard her approach? She was looking down at Lightning with concern, not only because she was talking to herself, but because she was still awake when she didn't get any sleep the night before. Lightning felt a pang of annoyance go through her. Couldn't Fang ever just leave her alone?
"Hope's watch is over...though he didn't do much watchin', did he?" Fang asked, her voice laced with budding annoyance.
"He was exhausted. He wouldn't be much use watching if we was asleep, would he?" Lightning answered, tiredly.
"You're exhausted too, we're all exhausted, that's not going to change. That doesn't mean we can't do our share of the work." Fang replied, sliding off of the rock.
"You're not invincible. You need to get some sleep, you're doin' too much." A spark of anger flared up in Lightning. What was Fang to tell her what to do?
"Really, though. When was the last time you got a good night's sleep? For more than an hour, I mean." Fang asked, stepping closer to her. Lightning's mind flashed back to when she was thinking. She didn't remember. She slept well when they were at Hope's house, but that was on a bed, and they were tired from running from Psicom.
The thought of the soldiers caused a bad taste to appear in Lightning's mouth. She really hated them. Anger started to slowly course through her.
"I don't need you worrying about me, Fang. I can take care of myself."
"Oh you can, can ya? Well, you aren't doing a very good job! You can't keep worryin' about everyone, Light. If you do that, who's going to be left to worry about you?" Fang asked, stepping closer to Lightning, putting just a few meters between them.
"I'm fine Fang. Now leave me alone." Lightning growled out the last words, her anger and tiredness getting the best of her.
"No. You are goin' to go back to basecamp, find somewhere comfortable, and lie down. You are goin' to get a good nights sleep, and stop pushin' yourself, you selfless idiot!" Lightning felt something snap inside her at Fang daring to tell her what to do. She swiftly walked towards Fang, and, ignoring the voice inside her head that screamed at her to stop, she cocked back her fist and punched Fang in the jaw as hard as she could. Fang reeled back, and tripping over her own feet, she fell to the ground, holding her jaw which was now dislocated. Fang stared up at her in shock, before her eyes narrowed dangerously. Setting her jaw painfully back into place, Fang stood up and made a move to grab her lance, causing Lightning's eyes to widen slightly.
"Fine." Fang growled out, her face twisted in frustration. "If violence is the only thing that will get through to you, then so be it." And with that, Fang grabbed her lance, and twirled at above her head, before setting it in a defensive position. Lightning was seeing red. How dare Fang try and attack her?
Lightning grabbed her blazefire sabre and flicked it into it's sword position. The scraping noise of gears moving together filled the night, everything else deathly quiet. Growling, she charged at Fang, her anger fueling her attack. To anything else, her attack would have split them in two, but Fang wasn't called a sentinel for nothing. Lightning's attack bounced off of her lance like a child with a toy sword.
Lightning was literally shaking, she was so angry. Fang noticed, with a grim sort of satisfaction, that if Lightning kept using her anger as a strategy this fight would be over in seconds. Lightning wasn't thinking straight, this she knew.
Lightning charged back at Fang, feigning an attack. She instead flipped over Fang's head and landed on the bolder behind them, using her AMP technology to bound off of the rock at an almost impossible angle. She held her sword in front of her and used her momentum to swing around in a circle, launching towards Fang like some sort of lethal tornado. Fang was unable to block the attack, because it was literally coming at her from all angles. So, she rolled out of the way, causing Lightning to land on the ground, her attack failed.
The two exchanged a few more blows, Fang's coming in quick, sweeping arcs filled with immense power, and Lightning's coming in extremely fast succession, the woman never seeming to lose energy. Fang knew that she was no match for Lightning in terms of agility and speed, so she used to overpowering strength to her advantage, going into a more defensive position. Lightning scowled and flipped away from Fang, upon noticing her attacks wouldn't get through her impenetrable defense. She instead flicked the sword into it's gun form, and shot at Fang five times, all of which were blocked by Fang's lance.
"Time to end this!"
Lightning charged at Fang with her Army of One, her attacks coming at a vicious, almost inhuman speed. Fang was unable to block all of them, and she ended up getting cut several times, some of the wounds bleeding lightly, some heavier. Fang gritted her teeth through the rest of the attack, until finally Lightning flipped away and ended it.
I'm sorry, Lightnin'. But you need this.
Lightning recognized what Fang was doing almost immediately, their many times battling together giving her an insight on Fang's moves. Lightning saw her jump up to prepare her Highwind, an attack nearly impossible to escape. Lightning closed her eyes and waited for the blow with her sword raised, but it never came. Instead she was extremely surprised when Fang landed behind her instead. But when she realized it, it was far too late. Fang charged at her and tackled Lightning down on to the ground, holding her in an iron grip while she struggled to get free.
"Calm down."
The words were spoken in a soothing tone, Fang's face hovering inches above her own. Lightning ceased her struggling, and looked at Fang in horror as she came out of her rage-induced haze.
Her jaw was bruising in four places, from the bronze knuckles on Lightning's gloves. Her arms and legs were bleeding from Lightning's attack, the blood steadily dripping down onto the grass and onto Lightning's clothes.
Oh maker, no.
Lightning, it only destroys, doesn't it?
No. I'm not going to just let her bleed out all over the ground.
Lightning rolled out from under Fang and sat up, quickly bringing her hands up in front of her, palms up. Fang prepared to move away, thinking Lightning was about to attack again, but paused when Lightning's hands started to create a beautiful green aura.
She's...healin' me?
Lightning's eyes filled with determination, and she placed her hands just above Fang's wounds. the aura filled everything it touched with warmth, the green light weaving in and around Fang's body. Her body entered a completely relaxed state, the warmth of the spell seeming to melt all of the tension away. Lightning slowly removed her hands, Fang's wounds completely gone, the only signs of them being faint, pink lines that would disappear by morning.
Fang sat up and touched her jaw, expecting the skin there to be very tender.
It wasn't.
In fact, it was the complete opposite, it was warm and smooth, the night time chill not affecting it in the slightest. In fact, all of Fang's body felt warm.
Fang glanced at Lightning, and she froze. Lightning's eyes were wide and unseeing, her expression unchanging. She didn't seem to notice that Fang was even there anymore. She was obviously having some sort of internal battle.
"...Sunshine?" Fang asked, waving her hand in front of Lightning's face. Lightning turned her head to look at her, her eyes filled with pain.
"...Oh sunshine." Fang sighed, wrapping her arm against Lightning's chilled shoulders.
"Don't call me that." Lightning whispered forcefully. "Not after what I just did...I am..I am so sorry Fang..I don't..I don't even.." Lightning's eyebrows furrowed, her face firmly angled toward the ground.
"Hey..." Fang said, lifting Lightning's chin up to look her in the eye. The look on Lightning's face made her want to cry. She looked like a lost child.
"It's okay, I'm fine. I can take a little beatin' every once and a while." Fang smiled reassuringly, but Lightning shook her head.
"No. You don't deserve to be some sort of personal outlet for me. I just...I shot at you Fang. I could have killed you." Lightning whispered, her lip starting to tremble. Fang brushed Lightning's bangs out of her face.
"I'm still here, Light. Nothin' will ever make me leave, I promise. Not even any temper tantrums could drive me away." Fang grinned. Lightning nodded her head shakily. The two went quiet, emerald green burning fiercely into cerulean blue, and Fang felt herself moving forwards. Lightning sat shock-still, realizing that Fang was about to kiss her.
Fang is about to kiss me. Lightning thought, dazed.
Fang is about to kiss you, you idiot! Don't just sit there! The voice from before shouted.
Lightning's eyes fluttered shut, their lips a hair's width away, Lightning could feel the warmth of Fang's breath on her face until-
"Hey, you guys out here?" Lightning reeled back, her eyes wide.
Snow. Gods damn you. Damn you straight to hell.
Fang drew back, her eyes narrowed in anger. She could hear the loud thud of Snow's boots on the ground, looking for the two woman.
I was about to kiss her. I was about to kiss Lightnin'.
Lightning quickly got up, looking dazed, and swiftly walked away into the cover of the trees, while Fang still sat on the ground, silently fuming.
That was my one chance. She was finally starting to open up to me, and Snow ruined it. She's never going to come back, is she? He scared her away.
DAMMIT!
A:N/ WHY SNOW, WHYYY?
Next up, Mah'habara! ...Hopefully
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