A/N: In the other half of this tale you, the reader, will find out the winner of who is Odin's BFF. All pairings from Part One remain the same. The lack of actual dialogue is intentional for the record.
Celes vs Seven Part Two
In the past, the holiday rush for Terra and Celes have been nothing less than a chore, despite their best efforts to make the holiday season a happy one for themselves. However, this year was turning out to be their best holiday season. Relocating to Bodhum-Oerba, Celes joining the Guardian Corps, the engaged couple adopting their dog Interceptor and living with the Yun-Farrons Fang and Lightning plus Seven and her wife while their home is being renovated and upgraded has turned things around fast for the Vector natives. As of right now, the day before Christmas, Celes was getting used to the feeling of the last one in the entire household to wake up for the day. Seven and Lightning woke up at the 'arse crack of dawn' (Sice's words) for their sisterly run, Sice was up a hour later to cook breakfast, Fang ten minutes later to help Sice... and Kurasame's crying waking up Terra two minutes after that. In a way, this was helpful so that Odin and Interceptor could have their breakfast ready for them by the time Lightning and Seven get back from their run with Interceptor. On most occasions, Celes got up before Terra. Why this has reversed, you ask? NO ONE in the house wanted Celes to do ANYTHING, saying she deserved to sleep.
What did Celes do to earn her rest, the next question? She played a huge role in Lightning FINALLY getting that promotion at the GC, which enabled the oldest Farron to work and lead from home when needed, recalling how Amodar was able to help out from home when he had to. It was Celes who ensured that a legal issue was in Fang's favour which the blonde was able to cite an ordinance that allowed the Oerban native to do her contracts on certain soil. Regarding Seven and Sice... let's just say that Celes' reputation as the Undefeatable General showed its face the day after Turkey Day while the trio started their holiday shopping with Terra, Rydia and Y'shtola. Upon finding out what happened Celes got fist bumps from everyone alongside extra cuddles with Odin and Interceptor. Even Leon paid for the remainder of the renovations and upgrades Celes and Terra's home are getting and he even added something special to the house when it would finally be finished. From this, it prompted the others who live in the Yun-Farron household to do something nice for Celes on Christmas Eve. Which one now sees why Celes was the last person to wake up today.
Celes did a better job of being a hero than Snow.
XXX
The smells of the foods being cooked by Sice and Fang were music to the noses and ears to those currently in the house. Needless to say, it didn't take long for the non-cooking occupants to have their mouths water at the mere sound of what's being cooked. It took Terra and then Celes (remember, Celes was the last person to wake up in that household) to get themselves ready for Christmas Eve breakfast. Timing wise, when it was all done it was when Seven, Lightning and Interceptor had just returned from their early morning run. On cue, breakfast for Odin the cat and Interceptor were ready for them to happily consume. In awe Odin and Interceptor ate their respective food (wet cat food for Odin, Interceptor his favourite wet dog food) as if they're brothers, as those two ate in peace each and every time they had any food in their bowls, wet or dry. Odin and Interceptor, outside the early morning runs with Lightning and Seven (Celes joined them a few times before Christmas Eve), was by Odin's side, more so than any human. As the day went on, everyone came to visit the families in the Yun-Farron household and at least exchanged gifts. This would be Leon and Minfilia's first as a couple and were they a nervous wreck when they showed up with a rental truck load of gifts! Lightning only shook her head at the scene she was shown as the pinkette knew that some of the contents had furniture and appliances for Celes and Terra's home.
When the Villiers family showed up, Lightning couldn't help but laugh her arse off at how Snow and Serah had a rental truck behind them too! If that fucking oaf and Leon were plotting the same thing, Etro help me... Lightning mused to herself in embarrassment, knowing that those two have a great heart despite lacking some brain (Snow more so than Leon). Serah saved face that the contents of their rental is for their mates (Serah preferred to use mates instead of friends), not just them. Seven couldn't stop smiling at the selflessness that Villiers were known for showing to people. As for the Estheims, Hope and Porom, they lacked the rental as their gifts were small in size and easy to carry. At least one person was smart enough to use their car and not rely on the rental... Fang and Lightning mused to themselves in unison upon seeing the gifts they had for the exchange. Hope brought to light that the gift for Celes and Terra would come after the new year due to a delay from the vendor which everyone is okay with. So THAT is why they came in their car... Terra happily mused to herself on the matter. Y'shtola and Lyse, Etro bless their souls, same in a semi they rented for the day with more gifts than anyone that showed up to the house thus far. Ysh and Lyse have most distance to travel... this makes perfect sense for them to rent the semi... Celes and Fang happily mused to themselves a short time later. The remaining pairs? They were smart enough to use the space in their cars. Rydia, Vanille and Maria all made sure of it.
Even if this saw Celes and Lightning literally on the floor laughing their arses off.
XXX
Christmas Day was a day for all residing in the Yun-Farron household - which Amodar, in a surprise twist of fate, fully paid for so that Lightning had no mortgage to pay for it as a birthday present years ago - was one to remember. Celes was still on the list to NOT DO A DAMN THING (on a white board in Sice's handwriting), as this day was for her even though the Vector native's birthday is in early March. Celes had done so much for them ever since she showed up, which her doing absolutely nothing for two days straight was a way for them to say 'thank you for your help'. Terra wasn't allowed to do much either. Odin and Interceptor ate their food in peace plus allowed the humans to eat their food in peace, which is a very rare sight to see. Presents were exchanged, causing laughter and smiles all throughout the house. There were happy tears shed by all at some point, but Odin and Interceptor had looks that caused the humans to smile. For a while Interceptor refused to leave Seven's side as the gifts she was given brought back varying memories from her time in Akademia in Orience with Sice. When the label on one of the gifts was addressed to 'Potty Mouth Sice' from Santa Y'shtola (giveaway clue was the Miq'ote drawing from Lyse), the smile on Interceptor's face was beyond priceless. Odin's purring echoed the sentiments.
As for the remaining gifts, Lightning being unable to say one coherent word was one for the record books. Celes, Fang, Terra and Seven ALL had to record this, because the oldest Farron sister got everything she wanted this year - and then some (one of them being the promotion). Celes and Amodar worked together to ensure that Lightning has her home office set up to where she can work from home when needed, knowing that Lightning is a mother to young Kurasame Yun-Farron. "We need to give Leon, Minfilia, Ysh and Lyse the credit for what they used to deliver their gifts to us... that damn oaf too..." Fang boasted with pride at the end of it all. The sheer size of some of the gifts warranted the rentals and semi they saw the day before, as the Yun-Farron household needed to upgrade quite a few of their appliances as they legally were out of code, and money was on the tight end for Lightning and Fang. Thanks to the timing, they had nothing to be afraid of anymore, and there was a note saying that Leon's coming over in a couple of days to ensure the new items were installed correctly and safely. Celes was beyond grateful for Leon being in their lives as this point, knowing that he knows more than what some people know about him at this point.
In the coming days, Leon was true to his word. He was at the Cole/Branford AND Yun-Farron houses to ensure that every last appliance was correctly and safely installed. Seven knew about this as Leon and Minfilia bought Terra and Celes the furniture for their home. The silver haired lass was the one who told them what type of furniture to get them, and even masterminded the surprise addition. "This is how much I have. Make sure Celes has NO idea about this, and please spoil her, Terra and Interceptor rotten..." Seven told Minfilia and Leon in a secret chat on the Saturday after Turkey Day, which only Sice had any amount of knowledge about. When it became the end of the year, it was the last day Terra and Celes was staying with Lightning and Fang, for word on the street was that the renovations and upgrades for the Cole/Branford house were finally finished, and on schedule too. It was a sad time to see Odin be without Interceptor, but the cat understood that they'll be next door neighbours who won't have much to fret over because they'll see each other in some capacity every day, even though not like before.
Who turned out to be the winner of being Odin's best friend?
Interceptor.
Odin's biggest weakness - moral of the story - was a cat friendly dog who was attached to the cat's hip. If you saw Odin, you saw Interceptor.
As for that secret upgrade? It was a part of the gate where Interceptor and Odin can pass by so that the pair can hang out whenever they want, which is all the time. You can say that Celes indirectly won this friendly rivalry between her and Seven but in the end of it all both lasses came out of the 'rivalry' as winners Seven wanted to do something nice to welcome Celes and Terra to the crew, with Celes and Terra adopting Interceptor paving the way to a very solid friendship that stood the test of time.
With Odin and Interceptors being besties.
FIN
A/N#2: Next story is back in the Paying it Forward universe when Celes makes a suggestion for the planning of Lightning and Fang's wedding day in Neo Oerba!
