Wild Rose

Lightning and Firion stumbled upon the Sky Fortress Bahamut next – only to be greeted by yet another dead end as not a single person, friend or foe, seemed to be around.

Lightning was a little annoyed by the sight before her.

"Why is it that when we're actually chasing after something, this whole world seems to be completely devoid of life altogether? How is nobody here?" she grumbled.

Firion still exercised caution. Things weren't always what they seemed, especially in this realm. They'd already been caught off-guard twice. A third time wasn't too farfetched a thought.

"I wouldn't be too sure it was completely empty. Don't forget where we are, after all."

Lightning looked at him closely and nodded in understanding. He had a point. Sure, they could take on whatever came their way, but who was to say they knew the full potential of the enemy. Even though they were on their own personal quest, they couldn't allow themselves to forget the true reason they were here: what had started everything in the first place.

They looked around for a moment, taking close inspection of the vicinity.

Lightning sighed – a bit of a grumble emerging from her mouth as well.

"Like I really need this right now. When is it ever enough?"

"Light. Do you see anything?" Firion asked.

Lightning quickly turned her head in his direction at the sound of his voice.

"Huh?"

She quickly hid all traces of her frustration as she looked at him with a calm expression.

"Oh, um…no. No, it looks clear. I think we'll be alright. We can just keep moving through." she said.

Firion looked at her for a moment. Clearly, something about her had attracted his attention, but she couldn't imagine what.

"What?" she asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable by his stare.

He quickly jumped at the tone in her voice.

"Oh! Uh…it's nothing. I'm sorry. I just…"

He went silent for a moment as Lightning waited in anticipation for him to keep speaking – but, nothing came out, as she might have expected.

"Not this again." she mumbled under her breath.

She stared at the ground with her arms folded.

"What's his problem? He's driving me crazy with this stupid game of his." she thought.

She lifted her head to look at him again. She knew what she had said not long ago, but she couldn't take it. Someone had to crack…and it wasn't going to be her.

"You know…I don't get you sometimes, Firion."

He looked at her in confusion by her words.

"What are you…talking about?"

"It's obvious there's something going on with you. You may think you're hiding it, but honestly…you're failing miserably. I'm sick of trying to read you and practically telling you that I understand. I don't!"

Firion stepped back as those last few words came out. He should have known better than to believe things really were going to be okay after their last conversation – especially with Lightning. Still, he'd wanted so badly to believe it that he'd actually fooled himself into doing just that. Clearly, it was only making things worse the more he kept to himself. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell her – he did. He just didn't know how or what exactly. He just knew it wasn't something that could be rushed. And, if anyone knew anything about that…it would be Lightning – or so he'd thought.

Lightning relaxed a little and took a deep breath, trying to think of a way to approach this more rationally. She hadn't meant to go off on him like that. It was just reaching the point where her patience was running out. This was always going to be on her mind until it was in the open, no matter what she said, hoped, or thought on the matter. There was only one way to get this off her mind – and Firion wasn't budging in the least. What else could she do?

"Look. If you have something to tell me…just say it already so we can get it over with. I know there's something on your mind. How long do you think you can keep hiding it?"

He could hear the frustration in her voice very clearly. She certainly wasn't trying to hide it from him. However, despite her words, he wasn't going to say anything. Maybe she didn't understand, but he didn't either – and until he did, she'd just have to wait. He couldn't tell her a thing until he was certain and she'd just have to accept that and let it go until then.

He mustered up the courage to speak to her – hoping his choice of words would be enough for her for now. He had to find a way to get her off his back about things until he could provide her with a clear answer. If he said anything right now…it would leave them both even more in the dark.

"Lightning, I…"

"Is that ever going to be a complete sentence?" she asked, rhetorically, as she abruptly cut in.

Firion was quiet for a second as he cleared his throat and glanced at her, still looking at him intently waiting for a reply. The look on her face made him more hesitant. What he'd give for things between them to be as they were before all of this happened. Though they didn't say much to each other then, it sure as heck beat how things were now. A part of him wished Lightning had never found the rose in the first place, then…they wouldn't be in this position.

On the other hand…a part of him was glad she had. But, the reasoning behind that was what he struggled so hard to understand; the very thing she was inadvertently asking him to tell her. It was too conflicting for him and only left his stomach in knots and his mouth and mind at a loss for any real words.

He took a deep breath as he looked at her closely – the words finally forming in his mind as he forced them from his mouth.

"Please. Give me time to collect myself first. It's not as simple as you think." he said, calmly.

He couldn't even really believe he'd just said something like that. It had come out so boldly and straightforward that it even left him speechless for other words. Seeing Lightning's reaction – the expression on her face, one of which he never thought he'd see, made him actually feel a little better. That hadn't really been all that hard and now, he could tell things might be a little lighter on both of them as she smiled lightly.

"…Okay." she said, softly.

She started walking forward, moving past him as she looked ahead.

He was a little startled by her response. Was she angry? Or, truly accepting due to him having finally said something – even if it wasn't quite what she wanted? He knew what he wanted to believe, but it couldn't possibly have been that easy…could it?

"Really…?" he asked.

Lightning stopped walking and looked back at him.

"For now, anyway. It helps ease the burden, at least." she said.

She looked ahead again at the path before them.

"You'll tell me when you're ready."

Firion nodded as a smile formed on his face.

"Yes. I promise you that."

She smiled lightly back at him before facing forward again.

"I'll hold you to that. Just so you know."

She walked forward again and Firion smiled once more as he watched, following behind her seconds later as their search continued. For now, this point had promised an easier path to travel free of tension and burden, at least between the two of them. Anything that remained, he now felt would slowly lighten as well as they kept going. Still though…neither of them could say exactly what this quest of theirs would bring them next. Though they may finally, truly be gaining each other's trust…a lot more was about to be tested.