Chocolate and Vanilla

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII. Prompts are from 64damn_prompts on LiveJournal Community.

A/N: This one was a little hard for me, but I hope it came out well enough. Enjoy? Yes? No?

Prompt 05. Degrees

Summary: Just exactly to what extent had Fang fallen for Vanille?

…

"Fang, you're hurt!"

Tree branches and twigs cluttered to the ground when Vanille snatched Fang's left wrist and held it close to her scrutinizing eyes. She was carefully determining the damage. Fang wanted to lecture Vanille about surprising her, but held her tongue when she saw just how worried the girl was over her injury. Vanille was ever so gently gnawing on her bottom lip, a clear sign that Fang knew she was anxious over the burn on her hand. Lifting her hand, Vanille raised it to her face and cradled it against her cheek in a comforting manner, cautiously avoiding contact with the reddened area.

"Is your hand okay?"

She smiled and used her injured hand to caress Vanille's cheek, reassuring her. "Nothing I can't handle."

Vanille tightened her hold on Fang's hand and frowned.

"How did you get it?" She asked. "You're usually really careful with fires."

That's right; Fang normally was careful when she was around a fire, especially an open one surrounded by greenery. This time though, she was just thinking about Vanille. Just earlier, they had an encounter with a particularly nasty Wyvern and Vanille could have gotten badly hurt with its bite. With a quick blow by Fang, its head was knocked back and they had barely managed to tame it. After thinking of the prospect of Vanille getting hurt, or even losing her, it just got her to think about it. About how much she cared for her, how badly she didn't want her friend to turn Cie'th, how much she loved her… and how it all started.

"I got distracted," Fang began nonchalantly. "I chucked some wood while I was a bit too close and it flared up."

"I just wish you had told me sooner." Vanille whined as she released Fang's hand. "I'll go get some ointment and a bandage for it."

She watched her rise slowly from her crouched position and dust off any sediment on her skirt and pelt before running off. Fang leaned back on the ground, resting on her elbows and enjoying the breeze that rustled through the tall trees. It was silly, she didn't even need to run since their pack was in the same clearing as them, but perhaps Vanille just wanted to heal her as soon as possible. What was it, a second degree burn? Not that it really mattered since Vanille was the one that always treated her wounds perfectly. It was like she had a healing touch.

But then—Vanille was like a fire that had burned her too. She never thought about it before; never felt the need to. But now that she did, it was just like getting that burn on her hand. It just happened all in an instant without her knowing until it was too late. And boy, did she get burned.

She was burned—burned to the core by Vanille with her warmth and smiles. Everything about Vanille just got to her and sunk in. Like a first degree burn, when they weren't so close yet, and she could only ever reach Fang's barrier—her outer wall—and couldn't go through. With time, she obtained a second degree burn. She had most definitely left an impression on Fang and had made it past that cool shell others generally couldn't. By the time Fang got her third degree burn, Vanille was practically fishing with ease. Fang was hooked and being reeled in. She became so accustomed to her and they were part of one another's lives. And when Fang got that last fourth degree burn, she was consumed by those tender flames that never flickered or wavered with its warmth to her.

Vanille quietly sat down beside Fang, medicine in hand and bandages in the other. She set aside the supplies and used one hand to brush back the strands of stray hair on Fang's face.

"I found the ointment."

Fang hummed a small acknowledging noise, too absorbed in relishing the feel of Vanille's slim fingers running through her hair. Vanille giggled at Fang's laziness and reached for her injured hand once more, slowly rubbing on the salve over her burn. The contact stung, but the pain slowly ebbed away as Vanille massaged the area. The pain was gone by the time her hand was neatly bandaged.

She looked over to Fang and smiled that warm, kind smile Fang loved. It made her smile back. Vanille pushed aside the items she brought and lied down beside Fang. They were resting together, side by side, arms entangled, just enjoying the forest; the chirps and songs of the birds, the earthy smell of the trees and dirt, the way the fire majestically flared with the littlest sparks, each other's presence…

Fang wouldn't have wanted it any other way, now that she thought about it. Nothing really mattered. The only thing that was important was Vanille—she was her family now.

She could be burnt to a crisp for all she'd care.

…

A/N: I am so sorry this is late! As I said, I thought this prompt was hard (so's the next one, so don't be mad if that one's late too). I've had computer issues as well so those were some of the reasons for the delay. Until the next update, drop a review!