AN- Hellooooo! You may have missed the recent post on Tumblr. Other fics are being worked on but they're slow going and fighting me, and I miss you mob a whole heap. So, I put it up to a vote to see what the people wanted in terms of other fics where I have a bit of a buffer to tide you over in the interim. APPARENTLY, y'all wanna see the sequel to Finding the Way Home. So, here you go, and if this is your first foray into my work go back and read the previous story or you're going to be SO confused.
"Stupid... Stubborn... Woman..." Fang gritted through her teeth, finding another hand hold in the cliff. It had been just over two months since that fateful revelation and her subsequent near murder from the panicking soldier. Thankfully, Lightning was more at peace with the concept of the pregnancy once the initial shock had worn off. It just left Fang in these sorts of predicaments, scaling a cliff in the middle of the night.
She carefully lifted herself up, glancing back at the ground far below. "I could be warm. Comfy. Asleep. But nooo." The moon thankfully provided enough light for her to see where she was going, and at the very least the temperature was cool but not biting. "Had to put a damn baby in her, didn't I?"
Muscles straining in protest, Fang hauled herself up the cliff face and managed to find a small ledge to pause and catch her breath. "Climbing this damn cliff, in the middle of the damn night... Stupid sexy Lightning and her gods be damned pout." Fang huffed, resting her head against the cliff face. "She's lucky I love her."
Her complaining over for the interim, Fang pulled herself up to the top of the craggy rock she had been climbing, and took a moment for herself to drink in the wide expanse of Gran Pulse. She could see New Bodhum far beyond and smiled at her own accomplishment. A warning trill from behind her drew her attention, and she spun while pulling her lance around with a flourish.
A monstrous wyvern emerged from a cave at the top of the mountain and flapped its wings angrily, its dual heads gnashing aggressively towards the huntress. It darted forward and whirled around, trying to strike Fang with its barbed tail. She flipped out of the way with a battle cry, throwing the lance and spearing it in its flank. The creature shrieked in agony, lashing out with its claws to try to eviscerate its prey.
"Sorry, big fella. It's nothing personal." Fang grunted, the wind from its powerful wings knocking her back against the ground. She brought the body of her lance up to wedge between the wyvern's jaws as it attempted to clamp down on her face. She struggled against it and managed to kick it back, hissing as a claw connected with her arm, drawing blood. Fang rolled her eyes and tutted at the beast with her tongue. "The things I do for love, honestly." She complained, before being thrown back into the cave wall from a vicious swing of the tail. Her lance flew from her hands and clattered to the ground away from her.
Fang grabbed the tail and held on, her heart rate picking up as it whipped the appendage out over the edge of the cliff. The ground far below, she growled and shifted her hand into the claws of Ragnarok, thankful she had spent all that time training herself how to alter her form easier and quickly. Thankful she didn't stop training after Cal'Mah. She speared the tail with the long talons for extra traction and braced herself as the beast pulled back with a roar.
Skidding to a halt on the stone, Fang snatched her lance back up and swung it around, cutting into one of the wyvern's wings. She expertly sliced through the membrane, severing it from its shoulder. It only seemed to make the creature more enraged, and its tail surged forward, trying to pierce the huntress. She rolled out of the way to avoid it, the barbs missing and tearing her sari instead. "Hey! Now you're just not playing fair." Fang growled, pulling a knife and leaping onto the wyvern, plunging it into the jugular of the beast. It gave a pained wail before slumping to the ground, Fang holding on for dear life until it stopped thrashing about.
"And I was just getting warmed up," Fang sighed, dropping to one knee to catch her breath. She gave the wyvern a once over with a solemn expression, clasping her index and pinky fingers together in the traditional Pulsian prayer. "Diren Ra'sal chet Hinyak kaiek, konnos." She whispered, closing the beast's eyes. A traditional post-hunt send-off for the spirit of the beast, as it were. Fang sighed and picked herself up, pulling the knife from the wyvern's jugular and getting to work dressing her kill.
Unwrapping rope from around her waist, she bundled up her prize while continuing to mutter complaints. This high up, she wasn't going to be able to take everything with her, and she hated waste from a kill. But, there was a woman at home waiting for her and she pulled the wrapped beast's wings over her shoulder and walked to the edge of the cliff.
"Who the fuck wants goddamn wyvern wings at three in the fucking morning anyway?" Fang asked the stars in the night sky, pulling out a grav unit and stepping from the ledge. Landing effortlessly far below, the huntress strolled to the velocycle parked at the base of the mountain and loaded her prize into the storage compartment. She got into the vehicle and kicked it over, quickly sending herself skyward. "Friggin' pregnancy cravings, honestly."
Speeding home, Fang parked in the driveway of their home and retrieved her bounty, swinging it back over her shoulder and wandering into the garage. She untied the wings and hung them up on a hook from the ceiling, quickly portioning them into manageable sizes and throwing all bar a small handful into their large chest freezer. Fang quietly entered the kitchen when she was done and wasted no time prepping a pan with salt and oil, heating it on the stove. She used an old recipe from her village to quickly fry up the segmented wing bone pieces, a treat she had gifted Lightning with on their first anniversary. While sceptical at first, the pinkette found she quickly loved them, a fact that came back to haunt Fang when her dearest partner desperately craved them after midnight.
Plating the food, she carried it into the bedroom with a smile, the expression fading from her face when she walked into the room. "Aaaaand of course you're asleep."
"Fang..?" A sleepy murmur came from the nest of pillows, blankets and furs as Lightning came to consciousness. "What's.. goin' on? What's.. doing?" She asked, her speech a little slurred from sleep.
"You said you were desperately craving those wyvern wing bones we had on our anniversary."
Lightning blinked the sleep away and sat up slowly. Spying the blood stains on the Pulsian's arm she stared at Fang in disbelief. "Fang I... I wasn't being serious."
"Yes you were. You threatened to go out and smash the crystal pillar that held up Cocoon if you didn't get your hands on some."
"I..." Lightning paused and slowly got out of bed and walked over to the huntress, taking her hands. "Wyverns only live on mountain tops... Do you mean to tell me that you scaled a mountain in the dead of night, fought and killed a wyvern, carved it up, brought it home and cooked it? For me?"
"Of course. Anything for you, Light."
Fang helped as she was pulled down into a passionate kiss, a cooling sensation washing over the wound on her arm as Lightning healed it with a cure. "Fang, I love y..." The pinkette trailed off as a sinking feeling in her stomach made her break out in a cold sweat. The wing bones smelt delicious but... The smell was also making her sick. She suddenly darted from Fang's arms and ran for the adjacent bathroom, dropping to her knees in front of the toilet.
Glancing down at the plate that was now clearly going untouched, Fang sighed and placed it on the dresser, walking quickly into the bathroom to hold her partner's hair back. Drawing gentle circles on Lightning's back with her fingertips in a vain attempt to soothe the pinkette's sickness, she sat down on the fluffy bath mat and leant back to rest her back on the bath. "Things we do for love, right gorgeous?" Fang whispered, feeling the exhaustion finally take hold and her eyes drift shut.
By the time Lightning had finished throwing up, she turned to find Fang fast asleep on the floor. Not able to find the energy to get up, Lightning dragged the two giant, soft bath towels down from the racks. She pulled them over the two of them, then curled up against her partner and fell asleep against the tub.
Lightning laid in the sun at the beach, keeping a watchful eye on the waves. It was a beautiful day with pristine weather, and she was content to lounge while Fang swam in the surf. The large blanket afforded her relative safety from the fine sand, but she still accepted that it was going to get into absolutely everything by the time they got home. She had spent the morning reading, but was now content to listen to the ocean and feel her growing belly.
The first time their little baby had kicked, Fang wasn't home. Lightning was napping on the couch when she first felt it, the motion startling her awake. She had rolled off the couch and immediately reached for her weapon on reflex, pointing it around the room looking for intruders while still half asleep. It wasn't until the second kick that she woke up fully, staring at her navel in surprise. Fang had come home shortly after to find Lightning standing in the middle of the lounge room, holding her weapon by her side while looking dazed.
Lightning chuckled to herself at the memory, reaching over to grab the nearby bottle of water she had wedged in the sand. Fang's initial confusion had melted into one of awe as she had grabbed the Pulsian's hand and pressed it against her belly. Gods, how she wished she could have bottled that moment.
Feeling along the slight swell of her abdomen, she smiled at the feelings of excitement they both shared. Long had the panic and unease been put to rest; they had made their amends and Fang was as loyal and doting as ever. Lightning knew it was only a matter of time before she would have to stop work for a while, already Amodar had been putting her on light duties, not wanting anything to befall her.
No patrols, no training, no sparring. A part of it had frustrated her. Lightning understood the reasoning behind it, but she hated being treated like glass. Fang had been forcing her to take more lazy time like this, to get her used to it while she had the choice to do so, not trying to rapidly adapt when she would be unable to work. If this was how she was being handled before she had even hit halfway, she dreaded to think how fussy everyone would be by the time she reached the finish line.
"You are far too gorgeous to be that scowly." Fang's sultry drawl came from beside her. Lightning glanced up to find the toned form of Fang standing on the sand, dripping wet from the surf. Before the pinkette could even utter a hello, Fang sunk down onto the blanket and cuddled her, nuzzling into her neck.
"Fang! You're soaking wet! And freezing!"
"Mmmm and you're dry and warm. A perfect combination for me."
Lightning attempted to bat her away, but Fang's grip was relentless. She gave up as the Pulsian began to kiss along her collarbone and down to her belly, kissing along the curves. "You are ridiculous." Lightning sighed, squirming at the way Fang's wet hair tickled her skin, the water droplets making small trails along her abdomen.
"And you're beautiful. How's our little bean doing today? Are you giving your mother hell or behaving yourself?" Fang cooed, pressing down on Lightning's stomach gently until she felt the corresponding push in response. "That's what I thought. How about you tell me about your day, little one?"
Lightning laughed as Fang pressed her ear against her stomach, humming in acknowledgement as the baby shuffled around inside her. "Oh! That's interesting. And then what happened?" Fang continued, invested in the game. "Aha... mmhmm... Oh. Well I would have called them that too."
"Teaching our child bad habits already I see." Lightning drawled, taking a sip of water and offering the bottle to her.
"Well, somebody's gotta. Then I can teach them the most adorable puppy eyes to give you so you can't stay mad at them."
Lightning hummed and urged Fang to move up, resigning herself to getting wet as she nestled in against the Pulsian's shoulder. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask.. What will we be... Called? As in, how will our child differentiate between us?"
"The hair is at least the first give away, love."
"That's not what I meant and you know it." Lightning chastised before falling silent for a moment. How to word... "Well usually there's like... A mother and a father. Mom and dad, you know? But this could get confusing, mom and mom.. I don't think I'm making any sense."
Fang frowned, thinking on the dilemma. It wasn't anything she was overly fussed about, but it did seem to be something that weighed on Lightning's mind. "Well, I mean I'd just be keeping it simple. The Pulsian word for mother is am'ma. Ma for the short hand variety. That way it's pretty obvious while still essentially being the same thing."
Lightning nodded and hummed with contentment, trailing her fingers along the slick skin. Fang smelt of salt and sand, and everything Gran Pulse. She kissed the salt from the brunette's neck and sighed happily. "Good. I want our child to know both worlds. Honour their heritage. And I want to honour yours as well. I want to utilise the time I'll have when I have to stop work to work more on this with you. The language, the customs, everything."
There was the smallest of sniffs from above her and when she glanced up she saw Fang wiping a tear from her face. She gave a look of concern and leant up to kiss her.
"Sorry. Sorry. I know I shouldn't get so emotional. It just means a lot that you make the effort."
"I love you, Fang. I'll always make the effort."
They spent some time indulging in affectionate kisses, soft touches. It was just nice to take the time with each other. After everything they had fought for, there were no more Fal'cie to fight, no more struggles, just them, their growing baby, and the gentle sound of waves on the shore. Lightning gave a happy murmur as she snuggled into Fang's cool body and lazed on the blanket. She could certainly get used to this.
"Here, let me."
"Fang. Please. I'm pregnant, not paralysed."
"I know but-"
"Fang. Please." Lightning huffed, pressing her fingers into her lower back. She was aching, and cranky, and royally tired of everyone treating her like she was fragile. It had been close to six months by this point, and their child grew every day. And with it grew all the… Added complications.
Fang sighed and sat down on the couch, watching as Lightning paced in the lounge room. "I don't mean to fuss it's… Just… This is a huge deal."
"I'm aware."
Rubbing her hands with her face, Fang groaned and leant back on the couch. "I know you're aware, you cranky shit. I'm not that oblivious. But by all rights, Light, this kid shouldn't exist. I don't know if we will get another shot at something like this, I… I want to do this right, and make sure both you both make it through in one piece."
Lightning had to concede the point, sighing loudly as she slowly sat down on the couch and leant into Fang's waiting, ever patient arms. She really did need to pump the brakes a bit when it comes to her ever-swinging temper. Fang had been endlessly tolerant of her shifting moods, the ridiculous food cravings, the constant complaints of sore this and sore that.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be… An ass. I just… I'm not used to slowing down."
Fang kissed the top of Lightning's head as she rubbed the back of the pinkette's neck. "I know, sweetheart. But think of it as an opportunity for you to not have to be so bloody on all the time. If I gotta knock you up to get you to take some time for yourself, I'll have to keep that in mind for later." She drawled, earning herself a light slap for her efforts.
"You're lucky I like what you're doing there with those skilled fingers, Yun. Or I'd be a lot madder at that comment. Maybe you should carry next time."
"And wreck all this? Please."
"Fang! You're meant to be making me feel better about this, not worse!"
The Pulsian laughed and bundled Lightning up in her arms. Pulling up the shirt and leaning down to kiss the pale belly, Fang ran her hands across the soft skin with a smile. "How's our little one doing?" She asked, delighted as there was an answering kick beneath her hand, as if responding to her voice. "Oh! Our kid's got some strength behind her I see."
"You're telling me." Lightning groaned, nestling back into the couch with a sigh. There was a smile on her face as she watched her partner, the look of awe on her face bringing her joy. In these peaceful moments like this, she could endure the pain, endure the discomfort. With no wars to fight, things were going well with establishing long haul trade routes with Cal'mah across the sea, so she could just focus on growing her happy family.
Fang glanced up and grinned, resting her head gently against Lightning's skin. "I've watched you in battle, kid's got your kick I think."
"Mmm. Our child certainly has your attitude though." Lightning retorted with a roll of her eyes, running her fingers through Fang's hair.
"Must be the Yun coming out, always gotta give them Cocoonian vipers grief after all."
"Very funny."
Lightning was content to recline on the couch while Fang started singing quietly to her stomach, feeling the baby settle with the sound of the Pulsian's voice. "Do we want to go find out what we're going to have? Boy or a girl?" She asked sleepily, her eyes starting to drift closed from the soft, husky tones.
"As long as you're not giving birth to a baby Ragnarok I don't really care."
The pinkette's eyes snapped open and she gave a look of displeasure at her partner at the very thought. "Fang, please."
"What?" Fang said with a shrug, sitting up to not disturb their child. "I think it's weird that you Cocoonians like to find out before the birth. As long as the baby is healthy, and you're healthy, that's all that matters to me."
"Good save." Lightning hummed, pondering on their growing child. "What about names? Thought about anything yet? Does your clan have any naming conventions I should be aware of?"
Fang beamed at the question, happy that Lightning was always open and mindful to factoring her culture into their lives. "Appreciate the question, Light but… I mean other than the clan name, the name is usually a gift. What about you? I presume like literally everything on Cocoon, there are rules."
Giving a soft laugh, Lightning swung around on the couch, resting her legs across Fang's lap. She murmured happily as the Pulsian automatically taking up the task of massaging the arches of her feet. "You are forbidden from stopping. Ever. And to answer your question, surprisingly no. Surname is the family name in much the same way as the clan name is for you, first name is whatever the parents choose. It depends on the family. Some will name their kids after their own parents or grandparents, others will just name whatever they like. Sometimes they end up with two, so a first and a middle name. Sometimes more if the parents are particularly pedantic."
"Sounds needlessly complicated." Fang replied with a shrug, pressing her thumbs into the pads of Lighting's feet and eliciting a groan of contentment from the pinkette. "So surname of Farron is a given, maybe Yun as a middle name as you say? That way it kinda works with both our cultures."
"Makes sense. Good idea. Leaves the first name though." Lightning pondered, staring up at the ceiling. "Any thoughts?"
"Well, what do you think?"
It was an auspicious, seemingly miraculous occasion, and Lightning certainly wanted to make sure she did things right. "Our child will be the first born with Pulsian blood in centuries. I think their name should reflect that."
Fang glanced up at Lighting, her eyes looking a little misty. "You… You mean it?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The pinkette nodded with a soft smile, reaching down and taking one of Fang's hands.
"I would… Like to see if we can find a fitting name from the Yun clan, someone that was strong and a beacon of hope for their people, just like you."
"Oh. I guess… I'll have to do a bit of digging then…" Fang answered with a blush, the colour barely visible on her tanned cheeks. Lightning smiled and reached for a book, content to read while Fang continued to rub her feet. Their quiet house wouldn't be quiet for much longer, and even though she had always been fond of her own company, she couldn't wait.