A/N: A surprise for you all. I just couldn't leave it alone, I cranked out a few last night, and finished my writing i had to do early for Tuesday, so I had time to finish up another five. I hope you enjoy them. Please share your thoughts. Tell me what you like, what you dont like. Enjoy~
26: Music. . . (an alternate outcome built off of Relationships XD)
(Song lyrics from Yesterday performed by Leona Lewis If you like listen to it as you read.)
Fang stood on the highest point of the Steppe the chill wind blowing through rich dark hair, gazing out over the vast land as she remembered that first fall she and Lightning had gone hunting. It was a time for them to draw closer with out prying eyes, something her soldier had seemed to need. She smiled as she watched in the far distance a Long gui slowly ambling across the Steppe as she remembered a time now past.
Lightning had been so up tight, a coiled spring ready to bounce out of control, whipping about with unguided energy. Lashing out without the proper anchor to hold her in place.
It had been a day liek this, over cast and cool just before a terrible hail storm... she raised her eyes to the sky and breathed the sharp taste of on coming winter.
"I have continued as I promised..." She said and for a moment sadness tugged at full lips, drawing them into a wan smile. Tormented green eyes slid closed as she imagined the press of her solder against her back, that blessed red cloak drawn about the both of their bodies by the arm of her unsure lover. She could almost smell the scent of clean warmth as the play of a smile on lips pressed to her ear.
I just can't believe your gone...
still waiting for morning to come..
When I see if the sun will rise
In the way that you're by my side.
A mourning huntress turned her face to the sky and waited to feel the press of the sun on her face, the clouds kept the day star firmly covered and whatever grace Fang hoped to find it was not given.
"I miss my Sunshine." She murmured giving a hurt angry look to the cloudy day.
In Oerba Serah was caught staring out the window of the Main house, hollow blue eyes cast in the direction of her sisters home... Vanille stopped in the door way of the hall and felt compelled to draw hands up to her mouth to stifle the pained cry that threatened to pour from her throat. It had been a month since that terrible night where life in Oerba was changed forever. Everything thing had been going so well, love had returned to her home, and life to her sister...
When we had so much in store...
She cautiously moved forward to her sister afraid to touch her, but Serah didn't seem to notice when her hand came to her shoulder. Vanille swallowed hard as distant blue eyes held that pained expression. The haunted look that said you were alone in the world.
Tell me what is it I'm reaching for
Van wrapped slender arms about her trembling sister-in-law turning her from the empty house. She held her with their foreheads touching as Serah bowed her head and shook it as silent tears began falling down her cheeks.
When we're through building memories
I'll hold yesterday in my heart, in my heart..
Vanille held her tight, trying to hold the pieces of her family together one broken heart at a time.
They can take tomorrow and the plans we made
The can take the music that we'll never play
All the broken dreams, take everything
Just take it away bu they can never have yesterday
"Do you remember the first day you came here?" She asked.
Fang sat atop the sky bluff her eyes gazing out at the wilds of Gran Pulse but she didn't see them. Her hand caressed a pink head, blue eyes turning up to her unsure, searching for the right emotion. She marveled at the willingness of her lover to go through this with her. To find a peace between them, to release her anger and embarrassment. Fang wanted to laugh and to cry. So damaged had her soldier been back then, so unsure. Her heart a mixture of emotion too painful to touch, but she hungered for more. Her bravery drove her forward though her fear of the unknown tore at her trying to steer her off course. They had sat on that very sky bluff watching the world of Gran Pulse with a shared awe.
They can take the future that we'll never know
They can take the places that we said we will go
All the broken dreams take everything
Just take it away but they can never have yesterday...
Fang felt that same way now, her heart aching for the love she had lost, and yet the love that remained. Shifting back she pushed a tattered red cloak back and pulled Blazefire from the sheath that had been refit to fit the circle of her own hips. She released the elegant blade with a flip of her thumb. The pneumatics whispered as it click locked into place. She sat it on her lap with trembling hands and ran finger tips across the polished carbon construct. Its name came from the edged flames the sword smith had meticulously carved into it. She had always thought it an amazing piece of art. An extension of the woman she had loved... still loved. It felt comforting to hold it now, bringing her closer to her lost soldier.
You always chose to stay
I should be thankful for everyday
Heaven knows what the future holds
Or least where the story goes
But I never believed until now
The sky had opened up on them as they gazed out over the land, and for a moment they were poised on the edge of forever as the world held its breath just before the storm. A moment when eternity yawned out in front of them. She had seen it in Lightnings eyes. The love she hungered to know, the love she ached to express... Fang felt humbled by that gaze and would have been pummeled oblivious by hail stones had Lightning not dragged her back down to their camp where they spent the rest of the day wrapped in the arms of one another.
Fang drew her eyes up to the darkening sky and asked Etro for a glimpse of that grace once more.
I know I'll see you again, I'm sure
No, ,it's not selfish to ask for more
One more night, one more day
One more smile on your face
But they can't take yesterday
Fang gasped as the sun broke through one powerful shaft of light that drew a stuttering breath through fluctuating lungs. She lunged forward near the edge of the precipice of the sky bluff. On her knees she fell and lifted her face into the beam of light. Lightning was there, her features beautiful and shining.
"What are you doing?" She asked in a whisper.
"Looking for you." Fang sobbed and a brush of lips pressed against her lids, ghostly fingers wiping away tears.
"I am always here with you." A caress came to her cheek and a kiss brushed across trembling lips.
"Do you believe?"
Fang's stuttered sob came then as she confessed. "I let you go." She said miserably.
"No, I am still here." the warmth grew stronger, and a hand that felt quite real touched her heart.
Blue eyes promised love forever, and Fang felt renewed in that look. When green eyes opened she saw the slowly closing aperture in the sky cover. For the first time since her beloved's death she was able to take a clean breath, all that horrible pain felt like it belonged to some one else.
They can take tomorrow and the plans we made
They can take the music that we'll never play
All the broken dreams, take everything
Just take it away but they can never have yesterday
Bowing her head Fang pressed it to the earth once again brought low with humility at the grace only Etro could share... and the hope that she would one day see the woman who redefined her life and taught her true love once again.
They can take the future that we'll never know
They can take the places that we said we will go
All the broken dreams take everything
Just take it away but they can never have yesterday
Fang spent the night curled up on that sky bluff, the red cloak that she had once thought preposterous, now wrapped about her. Her hand curled around the well kept leather grip of Blazefire where her wife's hand had been countless times before. Come the dawn she watched the sky with that same patient waiting. A final caress of sunlight sent her on her long trek home... to the ones that remained behind. The ones who were just as devastated as she was.
No, I can believe me
I can still find the strength in the moments we made
I'm lookin' back on yesterday...
Mounting Big Black she turned him towards home sure in what it was Lightning would have wanted her to do... She gave a saucy grin to the little golden bird who stood watching them and said.
"Race ya."
They can take tomorrow and the plans we made
They can take the music that we'll never play
All the broken dreams, take everything
Just take it away but they can never have yesterday
They can take the future that we'll never know
They can take the places that we said we will go
All the broken dreams take everything
Just take it away but the can never have yesterday
The ride home was something uplifting, as she raced not an unsaddled chocobo but a little gold that bore a pink haired soldier of Oerba... a woman who had dedicated her life to learning how to live, and in her last moments had begged a dark huntress not to give up the life that remained. She had poured every ounce of her love into those words, and extracted a promise that no matter what they would be together...
The triumphant cry of two chocobos making the Main yard of the community house drew every eye. What they saw was a huntress racing for the front door, a sword tucked into a red leather case that rested at the small of her back, and a red cloak drawn about her body. They wondered at what madness it was that had finally seized her, but there was true joy in her face as she made the house.
"We're home!" She said and every one with in turned towards her with raised brows.
"Where is she?" Fang asked seeing dried tears once again on her sisters features. Van shook her head.
"She is fading."
"Serah!" Fang called and tromped through the old orphanage as if she were a behemoth.
Snow was on his knees grim faced in the clinic. His pale wife looking small and broken.
"Get up!" She told him grabbing his arm. "Bring her!"
Snow willing for any miracle gathered his small love into his arms and followed the manic huntress.
Fang went outside and drew the stone that summoned her eidolon using Lightnings gun blade as she threw it into the air. The sky king came through the circular gates and roared his defiance.
"Bahamut! Open the sky!" The great beast circled above the Main house and all came to see what it was that the huntress was doing.
Snow looked to Serah worried how far she had slipped. "Please hold on." He asked.
"NOW!" Fang cried and a beam of powerful light lit up the sky as the father of dragons landed on the open yard and blasted his powerful beam into the heavens. It burned away the clouds and a miraculous warm rain fall began to fall upon Oerba. The sun that had been hidden poured into the opening giving Fang what she had requested. Reaching out a hand grabbing Snow by the arm she pulled him and his soul sick wife into the large sun beam.
It fell upon him and Serah, and the glory of Etro fell as grace from the heavens. The memories they had forgotten due to the pain with in them burned away like the sky cover had, and all the dreams they shared with the pink haired soldier was revealed just as the sunlight.
Fang ran back to the porch where Vanille was watching sure her sister had gone totally out of her mind. What good was sunshine?
She was gathered up in Fangs strong arms and swept up by the hope that burned in green eyes.
"Come 'ere!" She was physically hauled into the sunlight, and felt that terrible agony of gloom lift from her heart.
"Get ova here!" Fang told them all.
By the look of wonder that spread from a nearly lifeless Serah to a once skeptical Vanille they needed no more beckoning. Oerba shared that heavenly grace with all. No one was left to that heart wrenching sadness and heartache that Lightnings sudden departure had caused.
"See?" Fang asked her soul mate. "You are sunshine..." She raised her face to the sky and cried her elation.
All the broken dreams take everything
But the can never have yesterday...
27: Kids
Lightning sat out under the Jamba tree sharing stories with eager little ears. Her arms were moving animatedly. Iradell and Yun sat listening to their Aunt Light as she told one of her favorite Fang stories.
Fang stood at the door across the yard smiling at the scene. The twins were now four and they clearly adored their Aunt Light. Bright eyes were gleaming as little bodies leaned forward enraptured by the mesmerizing story she wove. In her lap Serah's daughter, little Claire sat with that same look of wonder in blue eyes, light pink hair falling rakishly across a little round face.
"Are we going?" Behind Fang, Serah and Vanille was helping with snacks. Vanille giggled, a girlish sound despite her 523 years.
Fang rolled her eyes, her smile growing as they stepped out into the yard towards the tall young Jamba fruit tree that was shading them all. Fang stepped carefully with her tray of drinks pausing when Vanille nudged her.
"You were totally ogling again." Van chuckled.
"You wait." Serah told her as she stepped up beside her tall sister in law. Fang gave her a look and they shared a smile.
"It' will be your turn one day." Serah said as they made their way over to the tree and the eager fan fare of little ones and a parched story teller.
Yun bounced up and plastered himself against Fangs leg getting a laugh from his sister who was not willing to miss out, she wrapped arms around her thick brother and Fang.
"Watch out." Fang warned, but the two of them fell back landing on poor Light and scaring Claire. A cry went up from her niece who squawked. "Here now. Settle down you two." Fang said as she knelt to place the platter of drinks behind Lightning out of harms way.
Claire broke into tears causing Fang to reach up and take Serahs platter of snacks so Serah could take her daughter from Lightning. "There now, You're alright." Serah cooed as she cuddled the startled little girl.
"You two need to tell Claire your sorry." Lightning said getting her god children to behave.
Yun huffed and pushed his sister.
"Hey now!" Fang said reaching up to peel the little man off of a shocked Iradell. "That's no way to treat a lady."
"Hers not a lady! Hers a sister!" He complained.
"All girls are ladies, and they need you to treat them gently." Fang corrected standing him in front of Serah who was cuddling little Claire. "Apologize ta Claire, and then apologize to Iradell for treating her poorly."
He gave an angry look to Fang his little lip poking out in what was soon to be a hurt pout rather than a defiant glare.
"Go on now." She urged giving him no ground.
He looked with unsure eyes from Aunty Fang to Claire. Reaching out he took her hand and pet it. "I sorry Claire."
Vanille secretly watched her sisters to see the looks one gave the other when they thought they weren't being watched. The love with in their eyes was warm and touchable. They shared that look with one another when they had a quiet moment to meet each others eyes.
"Now your sista." Fang said turning him to his tall lanky twin who was looking as unsure as he was for the extra attention this had created.
"I..." He started and his pout grew hard again. "It's her fault!" He protested.
"Now Yun." Fang said. "What she did was play, you pushed her. That was not nice at all."
He looked to Fang with that growing mixed expression. "I was playin too." He defended.
Lightning hid a smile as Fang corrected the beefy little boy.
"I don't think you were. Now tell her you are sorry an we can get back to havin' a good time."
Tight little lips pursed. "We can have cookies?"
Fang raised her chin. "Then ya can gave some cookies." She said reaffirming that he was not being left out of the goodies.
He sighed heavily and looked up to his taller sister. "I sorry sister." He said looking up to her for a brief time before his eyes flicked to Fang who gave him an approving nod.
"That was well done." She told him and pulled him closer by the band of his britches and made a show of adjusting the small leather belt he was so proud of because it looked like hers. Swatting him gently on the butt she told him.
"Sit down a min."
"Iradell."
The lanky child slunk forward a finger hooked into her mouth.
"It's your turn sweetheart. Do as Your Aunt advised."
Worried eyes flicked from Aunt Fang to Aunt Light and back again.
Lightning nodded encouragement.
Stepping forward Iradell reached out a hand and pet pink hair.
"I'm sorry Claire."
Fang reached out a long arm and wrapped it around the little girls abdomen and pulled her back into her lap
"Alright, good job." She looked at both of the twins.
"I am proud of you both. Now." She looked to Lightning sharing a smile. "Lets get back to the fun."
Lightning turned to pick up a glass of fruit juice and handed them out to each of them.
Fang and Vanille passed out cookies.
"Alright, who wants to tell the next story?" Lightning asked.
Fang watched as she seemed to peruse the small hands raised, and then looked to Vanille who had her hand up.
"Vanille, its your turn."
The twins looked at one another when neither of them got picked and then laughed wrapping small arms around one another.
The afternoon was spent sharing stories, playing games, and bonding with their growing family. Come the close of the day. Fang and Lightning stepped through the Waystone to take the twins home.
A chunky little boy held in strong dark arms, his lighter sister curled around her aunt Light. The couple were able to tuck them into bed and spend a moment gazing with fondness upon them before they bid their extended family a good night and returned home hand in hand.
"I love those kids." Fang said.
Lightning smiled quietly.
As they crossed through the waystone back into Oerba Fang turned to capture Lightnings other hand.
"Thank you for letting us be a part of their life."
Pink brows drew together in chagrin. "Don't you think you should thank their parents?"
Fang paused then shook her head. "Nah, not tonight." She laughed and so too did her wife.
"You could have said no to us watching over them."
Lightning thought about that and shook her head. "I could never have crushed you that way." She admitted.
Fang drew those small hands to her mouth and kissed them reverently. "Thank you for loving me."
"I always will." Lightning told her, squeezing warm calloused hands.
"Can we get them again tomorrow?" Fang asked hopeful.
Lightning laughed and pulled her lover towards their home."I thought tonight we might try for our own."
Fang's eyes grew large at the forwardness of that statement. "Try for our own children?" She asked her wife.
"We could try." Light said tugging on her wife as her warriors feet had stopped moving.
"Goddes Etro preserve me... I wanna try with you." Fang said her voice going deep and raspy with desire.
They say you look good in love, but that beauty is multiplied times infinity when its filled with such passionate desire. Three years she had been with Fang and still when she saw herself reflected in those amazing green eyes none of that desire they had shared had faded... in fact it had grown as they had. She saw how beautiful and desirous she was in Fangs eyes and it did things to her body.
Fang pulled her gently into her arms and she gazed into the dual blue eyes. A memento from a brush with death that nearly stole her lovers life and sight. She let the feelings she felt pour over her wife, and it was not until she felt Lightning tremble did she sweep her off her feet. Fangs hurried dash for their house drew a joyous sound from her wife's lips... the first of many this night.
28: Unexpected
Lightning felt a strangled breath be squeezed out of her, the crushing weight of the Lord of Darkness tentacle forcing a cry from her chest, a weak wheezing rasp as she tried to breathe past the force being exerted on her ribs. Her attention was broken as somewhere her mate was battling, the flashes of light brought on by the spiraling storm above was not enough to give her a point of direction.
The tentacle began tightening as it tried to crush her. Lightning panted desperate as she began sawing with Blazefire. The swords spine pressed hard against her breast, the feel of it a painful pressure that played counterpoint to the actual crushing. She would have cried out if she could.
Black spots began appearing in her vision and she knew that shortly she would be rendered unconscious if she didn't break free of his grasp. Blazefire sawed faster with minuscule motions to small almost to be noticed.
A fierce mind berated her, forcing her to focus despite the feeling of her bones being ground under the weight of the great Ochu's grasp. He tried to invade her mind as her sword slipped deeper into one of his main appendages. He showed her horrible lies befalling the people she loved... starting with her new wife and sister.
The arm fell uselessly flopping on the ground as she dropped at last to her feet. There was little time to recuperate as the Lord of Darkness sought her with more of those eager tentacles willing to crush her. She coughed and raised Blazefire to the fore, leaping back as her sword hit another sludge like tentacle. Lightning back flipped up and over a sweeping tentacle despite the ache in her body, landing in a defensive crouch and sliced when another sweeping arm came her way.
"Fang?!" She asked in the darkness, her last view of the woman had been a body check into a rock wall. The battle was not going well for them...
From the far side of the blackened grotto an unholy roar came. The sound of a creature she had never known. It screamed its defiance and rose up as a force to be reckoned with.
"Fang!" Lightning called unsure where her wife had disappeared to, but the moment she saw the creature of darkness and might she knew... here was her huntress. There was new pressure in her chest at the sights she saw between the flashes of light. The beast raging with fevered eyes, using powerful attacks, Fang was literally tearing ochu legs with her clawed hands.
"Ragnarok..." Lightning whispered having heard the story of Fang's transformation. It was the incomplete version of the great destroyer. But it was certainly effective enough to lay waste to this master creature. Tentacles began flying as if fireworks in Bodhum as the Destroyer laid waste to the once great King of Nightmares. His whispered lies, and dark revelations moot to the ultimate nightmare.
What ever damages they had accomplished together were nothing to the devastation Fang wrought in this new form. Incomplete or not, she was powerful, turning all her rage upon the beast for the time being.
Lightning continued batting tentacles and cutting them where she could. But Fang did the heavy lifting. It was her bladed lance that gave the final death blow, and still she tore at the creature that shuddered its last. Only when its dead body quit twitching did eyes blazing with dark fury turn towards her.
Lightning stood defensive as if she might strike but it hit her... this was her wife... the woman who she had pledged to honor and defend. Blazefire wavered before it was lowered.
The creature advanced on her... no Fang advanced on her. Some where in all that fury her wife was, and if Fang had anything to say about it... she was fighting.
Realizing she was not going to use Blazefire on her transformed partner she let it slip from her hand.
For a moment there was delight in dark eyes, a hand raised to rid Oerba of the stain of Cocoon's stink...
Lightning stood her ground sure blue eyes looking up into the Destroyers own, she raised her arms up in petition, a lover asking for a final embrace.
Shock writ its self on the Destroyers face and the arm that swung down to strike her nemesis was wrenched from her command. The huntress within her person wrest control and they fell to their knees.
"Light..." The strange deranged dual voice cried out.
Lightning moved forward towards the outstretched hand. Taking it despite the gore upon it.
"Fang, I am here." She said sensing the internal battle being waged because of her.
"NO!" The Destroyer cried out and knocked the weak little fleshling away.
Lightning fell back over the carcass of the dead Lord of Darkness, her aching body protesting, but the body check didn't hurt near as bad as it could have. With a grunt, she climbed off of the decimated carcass and crouched with grim determination.
The dual beast turned its head to the sky and roared its rage, one side angry at being contained, one side angry at the attack. Their hands came crashing down onto the rocky ground as they fought their battle within.
Lightning coiled legs tighter drawing her body into a small ball before launching herself at the torn Destroyer. Her arms sliding around their waist as she crashed into them.
A hand encircled her hips and waist and tried to pull her off. The words from their mouth was garbled as both tried to speak.
Fang caught the hand the slipped about Lightning hips and held it as the battle continued suspending the small woman in their grasp.
"FIGHT!" Lightning cried as a hand began again squeezing.
"FIGHT FANG!" FIGHT HER! I KNOW YOU CAN!" She clung to the dual nature of the creature, lending all her might to help Fang regain the control.
The three of them wrestled, Lightning throwing herself again and again into the danger zone, the desperate Destroyer hungry for control of this fleshly vessel kept throwing her away. The strength the mortal woman brought her vessel was startling. The dark Yun warrior fighting harder each time she cast the disgusting fleshling away. It irritated her that she couldn't even strike the insignificant speck due to the bond they shared, the best she could do was remove her from their tussle for dominance in the hopes she could gain control of this unwilling flesh.
Fang snarled as Lightning was once again wrest form her control. It enraged her and she fought harder. Lightning came back again, her body exhausted, her mind feeling numb, still she threw herself into the fray.
"WHY DO YOU FIGHT IT!" The destroyer asked of them.
"YOU ALL DIE EVENTUALLY! LET ME LAY YOU TO REST!" For a moment the Destroyer broke free of the grip of the Yun warrior, and caught the annoying but determined pink haired gnat by her throat and began squeezing. She would have liked to crush her weak throat before Fang could stop her but a second hand joined the first. Lightning hung suspended once more in their hands, her own trying to prevent herself from being hung, she coughed and wheezed as that hand squeezed, that was all it took for Fang to win the battle.
They collapsed to the ground Fang once more in human form, toot tired to raise herself and battered beyond human stamina.
Even through every part of her body hurt she still pushed herself up and reached for Fang wrappping heavy exhausted limbs around her beloved wife. "I'v got you." She rasped and coughed.
"I'v got you now." She whispered reassuringly. Fang lay limply in Lights arms letting her partner move her. The two of them were filthy beyond measure, covered in all sorts of gore and minor wounds, but Lightning had never seen anything so beautiful as her wife's battered features, something for a brief time she feared she would never see again.
29: Armor
Nervous as hell did not describe how Anell felt, it didn't even come close. Hands usually sure and steady were trembling, such was the effect the critical eye of the pink haired woman brought.
Fang stood back watching their resident seamstress doing her damnedest to complete the outfit. Already they had gone through six different reincarnations of the same idea. She found it amusing that Anell was so nervous, honestly Lightning had lightened up a helluva lot in the last year. Just being in her presence now caused Anell to tremble, a fact that gave Fang plenty of opportunity to be amused. "Ya know, ya don't have to wear that expression."
Blue eyes snapped to a sympathetic face, and rigid muscles softened.
"There, so much betta." Fang pushed off from a stool, swaggering forward with her huntress smile on. A flick of her tongue across sensual lips was all it took to make that big vein in Lightnings neck pulse harder. Fang loved it, she loved having that power over this woman, the feel of dual blue eyes on her person as she strut forward it was invigorating.
"You are not helping."
Fang chuckled at the grumpy note to her lovers words. "Ask Anell if I am."
"Oh you are." Anell said already a bit more cheerful. "She is." Anell made the mistake of looking up into blue eyes. Seeing only cold in them.
"Now, Sunshine. Scaring the help is really antiproductive."
Anell slipped away from the couple needing a moments breath to calm her nerves, lest she stab the soldier once more with the pins.
Fang looked at the black leather harness Lightning was wearing. Now was as good a time as any to test how sturdy it was. Long fingers slipping under straps and began tugging. Straps at each shoulder, a strap at the waist on either side, and her favorite… the crotch strap.
Lightning said nothing as Fang tested the mettle of the garment. But the final tug got her skin turning that lovely shade of red Fang found so adorable. Still her wife's expression was tight and crisp, a proper soldiers non committal expression.
"I know what they don't." Fang looked into one crisp sky blue eye and one gray blue and felt her stomach flip.
"Your expression is not always a reflection of your thoughts, or mood." Calloused hands gathered the tether to the final strap and began slowly pulling, tightening the strap that anchored the new armor onto her lovers body.
As it tightened, Fang watched muscles dance up and down her lovers neck, that big vein throbbing becomingly.
"Like now…" Her voice hit a low bass growl that caused that tell to jump again. Drawing a predatory smile from the tall Oerbian huntress.
"That dark expression in your eyes… it has nothing to do with wanting to pummel poor Anell. Or the straight face you hold like a shield… it isn't to hide displeasure though you would scare a new cadet easily with that look."
Lightning swallowed hard finding it impossible to break the eye contact her wife had initiated.
They spoke on a level above words, a private conversation carried on through facial ticks, and emotion.
You make this difficult…
I know…
Why?
Because I adore you.. because you make it easy...
Lightning broke first a soft blush to pale cheeks. Pink bangs fell over lowered eyes.
Fang cleared them and raised her lovers head. A final thought passed wordlessly.
I love you… With a soft chuckle Fang pressed a kiss to Lightnings brow.
"Be gentle with your expressions, not every one knows it is only a mask." The quick release on the strap sent the tether flipping back with a soft but noticeable "vip" sound, followed quickly by a sigh of relief from the pink haired soldier.
Anell who had been giving herself a pep talk had been too absorbed to notice this private exchange between the lovers, and returned with the final touch to the armor they had requested. It was a black helmet. It drew blue eyes down and a pink brow up.
30 Clear
"Well… I don't understand it."
The Yun couple sat in the clinic, Vanille was sitting directly in front of Lightning wearing a perplexed expression.
"As far as I can tell there is nothing wrong with your eye. Have you been putting the drops in?"
"Every night." Fang said feeling somewhat anxious for her wife. That was the third time she had answered for Lightning. Her partner turned an inquisitive look upon her, a pink brow rising in silent question. She could only give a weak expression back. Relief flooded through Fang as Lightnings expression softened and her smaller hand slipped into that of her wife. Fine fingers curled around her hand and squeezed.
"I think I need to prescribe some relaxers." Vanille said getting a sudden knee jerk reaction from Fang.
"What does she need those for?"
Vanille erupted into laughter and reached out a hand to pat Fang's twitching knee. "They are for you."
"I am grateful." Lightning said interrupting the sisters. Both sets of eyes looked to her and she gave a faint smile.
"I am grateful that you worry over me. Reminds me how much you love me."
A red brow twitched and lips fought to hide the smile, but Vanille was once again grateful Fang had found such a woman. They evened one another out in ways no one could have predicted creating two very different women shaped and molded by the love of the other.
"So…" Vanille said giving a side glance to Fang. "Lightning…"
She still held that side glance to her big sister.
Fang narrowed her eyes causing that smile on Lightnings face to grow.
"Would you say you have regained the sight you had before?" The sisters held each others gaze as Vanille posed the question to her sister-in-law.
"As far as I can determine, yes." Lightning answered.
Green eyes flicked to her.
"Really?"
Lightning nodded to the young healer. "Yes."
But her answer didn't seem to satisfy Vanille, so expressed by a deep breath and sudden expulsion.
"Does it matter?" Lightning asked.
"Well… I suppose at the moment no. But it might matter later."
Fang was quiet as they discussed the clarity of color to Lightnings eye. She was thinking about the cloudy eye. It was a memento of the night Lightning had nearly sacrificed her life to save Fang. Jaws tightened as the feelings of that night came crashing back to mind. Lightning had been laid out on the table, the drip of her blood spattering on the kitchen floor had felt like the hands of a celestial clock ticking down the seconds left in her wife's life. A clock that for a heart wrenching moment had stopped.
Fang swallowed the knot that had suddenly formed in her throat. It hurt… the memories hurt as much as the night it had happened.
They had been strolling along the beach from the Market access. Neither of them expecting trouble. It wasn't like they had been out on patrol playing around when they should have been focusing on their jobs. The Ghast had simply waited for them, its hulking body a shadow between wall and tree. Neither of them had known it was there before it attacked. The blow that came from its clenched fist would have ended Fang's life instantly, there was no doubts about that. It would have collapsed skull, snapped neck, and sent a percussive wave down her spine like a series of explosions blowing out each vertebra successively until her body crumpled lifeless and without hope of recovery… especially since neither of them had been carrying a potion.
Instead Lightning had shoved her out of the way of that downward strike and was only glanced by that rock like hand that had caught the right side of her wifes head. The damages done were still pretty destructive. Lightning went down instantly and the bone around her right eye was reduced to so much waste.
That feeling that something wasn't right snapped blue eyes from Van to Fang. The look on her warriors face was something that would have scared the dead… forget the living. Her green eyes haunted, white teeth grinding with a rage that filled the small room and caused the temperature to fall noticeably.
Lightning twisted pulling Fang's arm behind her, throwing the brooding woman off center.
"Wha!" With her heart beating in her throat she gazed up into those dual colored eyes, one clear as a cloudless sky, the other, a murky blue. A breath shuddered out of full lips as it registered in her mind that Lightning who still held her hand, had pulled her onto the bed behind her body, twisting until she was pinned under the smaller form of her wife's body.
"Hey." Lightning murmured.
A small hand came to Fang's cheek, and the need to swallow hard had muscles in Fang's neck jumping. Another breath between them.
"It isn't your fault." Lightning murmured. They were quiet as Vanille slipped out leaving them alone.
"I should have known."
"How could you?" Lightning watched the emotion pull dark brows low over troubled green eyes. "You saved me." To Lightning's amazement Fang turned her face away, the only part Lightning did not have total control over.
"Hey." Lightning released her lovers warm strong hand to capture her cheek and force Fang to meet her eyes.
"You saved me. It was your voice that told me to hold on. It was your pain that drew me back. You can't keep doing this to your self. You have to let it go."
Tearful green eyes gazed up into dual colored eyes… one soft gray the other clear blue.
"How?" Fang asked in a tormented voice.
"I will help you…" Lightning responded, dipping her head to capture perfect lips.
A soft whimper came from the still hurting huntress, but she didn't fight against the hope Lightning offered. Instead she found herself reaching forward through their shared bond to grasp at that bright ray of light breaking through the clouds of her heart. With her Sunshine… everything seemed plausible… even a patch of clear skies in a heart shadowed by clouds.