Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ No More Lies ❯ No More Lies ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Continuation of the scene where Vanille bonds with Hecatoncheir. A look at later that evening when the reasoning behind Vanille's lies is explained and a few confessions are made. Fem-slash with Fang and Vanille. Rated M for a reason.

No More Lies

By

Angel Della Notte

Author Notes: As the description says this is an expanded scene where Fang learns that Vanille is lying to her. There are spoilers for the first game and maybe XIII-2, I haven't played Lightning Returns yet so you are safe there. Waiting for the PC release since I can't afford a PS4 or X-Box. There also are some spoilers for the web novella Episode Zero: Promise. The Scottspot on Youtube did a audiobook version of the novella if you want to check it out. Gives some more background detail on the characters. Anyway enough rambling back to the story, it has adult scenes between two women so if you aren't into that sort of thing you've been warned. Anyway I don't own any of the characters in this story those belong to Square Enix.

They both were tired having just fought Vanille's Eidolon but Fang couldn't help but think of everything that had happen and how Vanille had lied to them, had lied to her. “I knew something was off.” Fang said with a sigh walking away from Vanille not wanting to look at her. She knew that something hadn't been right with the story Vanille had told.

Her mind was so foggy and jumbled. She couldn't remember anything related to their Focus. Her childhood and time in Oerba was clear as day but their Focus she had nothing, just a blank page. She was able to remember the flowers that Vanille found moments before Hecatoncheir had appeared, had been the younger girl's favorite. She remembered that every spring when they began to bloom Vanille would drag her out into the fields to make wreaths with them. Fang hated making the wreaths, to her it was tedious and pointless but it made Vanille smile. She would do anything back then to make Vanille smile. After their families had been killed in the War of Transgression, Vanille always seemed to be so sad the moments of happiness so few and far between that Fang endured making the wreaths just to see Vanille smile.

She looked down at her necklace another thing that at first she had endured to make Vanille happy, but learned to love. The necklace had been a gift from Vanille, Fang never had liked jewelry but Vanille had made it herself. Vanille was so proud of the necklace and said it was perfect for Fang. Now she never took it off. In fact her ears were pierced only because Vanille had made a pair of “fang” earrings for her out of the teeth of a Gorgonopsid, forgetting that Fang was one of the few girls in the village that didn't have pierced ears. The younger girl had pestered her to the point that Fang agreed to get them pierced just to quiet the girl up. Over the years at Vanille's urging she added another necklace, a series of bracelets and an armband to her collection of jewelry.

“You've been shying away from our Focus ever since we woke up on Cocoon.” Fang said her thoughts turning back to the matter at hand and of Vanille's deception.

“I..” Vanille said folding her hands before her not knowing what to say. It had started when they first woken up in the Vestige with Fang's memory fragmented. Vanille had started lying, pretending that her memory was broken as well instead of facing the truth of their Focus. From there the lies kept growing, it became hard to tell the truth from the lies.

“I couldn't figure it out, but then it all made sense, after hearing that story from Raines. You already knew.” Fang said with her back still to Vanille. She could feel the anger welling inside of her. There was one thing on Gran Pulse and Cocoon that she hated more then anything and that was being lied to. Vanille the one person she trusted more then anyone had been lying to her. Without really realizing it she brought her hand up slamming her fist into her palm. “You knew Ragnarok was the name of destruction.”

“It wasn't fair.” Vanille pleaded, memories of the past running through her mind. How several hundred years ago she had been afraid. So afraid that she couldn't complete their Focus, forcing Fang to take the burden completely on her. “You had to do all the horrible stuff and I didn't have to do anything.” Ever sense waking up in the Vestige she had wondered how it was possible. She hadn't completed their Focus. She should have become a Cie'th, not fallen into Crystal Slumber with Fang who had at least attempted to complete their Focus. But Fang hadn't completed the Focus either. She became Ragnarok and attacked Cocoon but she didn't destroy it like their Focus commanded. Something had stopped her.

Had the goddess had taken pity on the people of Cocoon? Was that why Fang hadn't been able to destroy Cocoon and only able to scar it? Or was it because Vanille hadn't taken the form of Ragnarok with Fang? Still they were turned to crystal as if they had succeeded. Had Etro taken pity on the two L'Cie as well? There were so many questions running through Vanille's mind. She wanted to talk to Fang about it so many times but to do so would admit to Fang that she had failed so many years ago. Then lied about that failure out of shame at first, then to take the guilt away from the only family she had left.

Fang quickly turned around to Vanille cutting her off, “That is no reason to lie to me! You think that's what I want?” Fang growled raising her hand in the air forming a fist again without really noticing. “You of all people!” Over the years she and Vanille had become the family they lost in the war. They knew everything about each other. Vanille knew how she felt about being lied to. Fang was baffled as to why Vanille would lie to her and about something so important.

Vanille dropped her head, hanging it low unable to look at Fang as tears welled in her eyes, tears she refused to let fall. She was ashamed that she had lied to Fang. When it started she hadn't really been thinking. She hadn't thought before she spoke and then it was too late she couldn't take it back. One lie became another and so on it kept going. She closed her eyes bracing herself for Fang's blow knowing in her heart that she deserved that and more. Several moments went by with knowing what would happen, Vanille on edge wondering when the blow would come. But nothing came.

Fang looked at Vanille seeing her there ready to accept whatever Fang felt was just. She noticed that Vanille had lightly began to tremble remembering how when they had been younger how Vanille would behave when she was frightened. Quite a few nights she had found herself in Vanille's bed holding her while she was in the grip of a nightmare, quietly whispering that she would be okay as Vanille quivered in her sleep. Though she couldn't remember the details of their Focus she knew that Vanille hadn't gone through with it because she had been afraid. Afraid of becoming a monster, afraid of hurting people. Vanille had always been such a kind and gentle soul. The thought of becoming Ragnarok must have terrified her.

As she stood there waiting for Fang to strike her the seconds seemed to draw on forever. She knew what must be coming and accepted it. Her trembling stopped and she just waited for Fang to unleash her anger. Instead she felt a light tap on her head looking up at the taller woman seeing a pained smile on her face. “Poor kid, you've had it rough.” Fang softly said looking at Vanille. Though Fang was only a couple years older then Vanille she had always seen herself as Vanille's protector, a kid that needed someone to look out for them, but seeing Vanille standing there ready to accept whatever Fang decided made her realize Vanille had grown up so much. That Vanille wasn't that little girl in the orphanage anymore.

“Fang...” Vanille whispered at a loss for words. Fang should be furious at her for betraying her trust and lying to her. Yet here she was having compassion for her.

Fang took a step closer to Vanille startling her as she gripped her by the shoulders looking deep into her eyes, “Listen, you're not alone anymore.” Fang said.

Vanille began to sniffle the tears she had been holding back starting to fall, unable to control them anymore. Fang was here showing her mercy that she didn't deserve. “I'm so sorry.” Vanille said wanting to tell Fang she was sorry for not having the strength to complete their Focus, sorry for lying, sorry for everything but the words wouldn't come. She didn't know how to express everything that she was feeling right now.

She watched for an instant seeing Vanille cry knowing that Vanille regretted lying to her and so much more. Vanille knew Fang better then anyone that had ever lived on Gran Pulse or Cocoon and Fang knew Vanille just the same. She knew when Vanille's tears were genuine. She pulled the smaller woman towards her, embracing her in a hug. “Keep that up and you'll have me crying soon. We have a new family now. We stick together, you hear me?” She said cradling her head as her hand gently stroked her hair and she rested her cheek on the top of Vanille's head.

“Yes, I promise.” Vanille said leaning into Fang's chest holding tight to her. She had been afraid that her lies had cost her the only family she had left. She had been wrong, she hadn't lost Fang and Fang was right they had a new family. She knew that Lighting, Sazh, Snow and Hope were now a part of their family.

Fang held Vanille for quite some time comforting her as she found comfort in their embrace. She finally pulled away a smile still on her face while she stared into Vanille's bright green eyes. So much unlike her own green eyes. Vanille's were bright like an emerald and her own more pale like jade. Both beautiful yet so different. “Come on we should catch up with the others. They probably are wondering where we are.”

“Yeah, wouldn't want our family to worry.” Vanille giggled her tears all cried out. She grabbed Fang's hand a smile coming to her face as she pulled her down the pathway. Fang chucked amazed at how Vanille could so quickly shift from one emotion to the next.

They caught up with the others just within the mouth of the cave. Sazh was leaning against a rock with his Chocobo chick fluttering around his head as always diving in and out of his hair as he tried to get the chick to calm down. Though it seemed the little bird found some kind of amusement in annoying Sazh. Hope was near the wall brushing the dirt off some kind of sign with Pulsian writing on it, seeming so focused on it that he didn't notice anything else.

Lightning and Snow stood near each other arguing. Neither of them noticed when Fang and Vanille walked up. “Give them a little while longer. Can you imagine what it is like knowing everything that you knew is gone? That it's been like that for hundreds of years while it has only been moments for you? We are a couple of days away from Oerba give them time to let it set in.” Snow said.

“A little while longer?” Lightning said with a scoff crossing her arms over her chest and looking away from Snow staring at nothing while lost for a moment in her thoughts. “You have been paying attention since we got here, haven't you? Seen those monsters out there? What they are capable of?”

“I know how dangerous this place is but I've also seen Fang fight.” Snow said waving his hands in the air then scratching the back of his head smirking. “Trust me I've been on the receiving end of her ability. She packs quite a punch. This place is where she grew up. If anyone can handle themselves down here on Pulse it is Fang.”

“Gran Pulse.” Fang corrected as she and Vanille walked over to the arguing pair. Vanille let out a little laugh looking at Snow and Lightning. They were so different and when their journey had began Snow and Lightning couldn't stand each other. But over the time anyone could see that their shared goal of saving Serah had brought them together. Though neither would admit it Vanille had a feeling they were starting to even like each other.

“Where have you two been?” Lightning said turning to them as she uncrossed her arms placing her hands on her hips.

“Worried about us Light?” Fang chuckled leaning against the wall and stretching her arms above her head. “Touching.”

“More like I didn't want to have to drag your butts out of some kind of trouble.” Lightning said. “Care to share what held you up?”

“Hero's right we can hold our own out there.” Fang said sitting down on a rock and crossing her legs as Vanille jumped up sitting next to her. Lightning looked over to the pair glaring at them. “We stopped to have a little heart to heart. Then played a bit with Vanille's Eidolon.”

“Excuse me?” Lightning asked still glaring at them, her eyes shifting from Fang to Vanille. The way she was sitting Vanille's skirt was covering her brand so Lightning couldn't tell if it had grown. “Did you say Eidolon?”

“Yep, Hecatoncheir.” Vanille said nodding as her hand fell to her brand touching it through her skirt still feeling the warmth that spread across the brand when Hecatoncheir was summoned.

“Her Eidolon helped us find some truths that have been hidden for a while now.” Fang said looking over to Vanille hurt in her eyes though her face didn't show it. Vanille thought she was the only one that saw the hurt in Fang's eyes. The others only saw the concern that Fang had for her friend.

“What kind of truths?” Sazh said finally getting the chocobo chick to calm down and land in his hair. Even though he asked the question he knew the answer remembering what Vanille had told him in the brig of the Palamecia. He knew that Vanille had known about her and Fang's Focus but had hid the fact. He hadn't said anything to the others figuring that it wasn't his place. Still he felt there was more to her story than she had told him. Vanille was full of secrets and knew well how to hide them. He had wondered how long she would be able to keep her secrets before everything would fall apart. Judging by the look Fang gave the younger Pulsian that time had come.

“I lied about not remembering our focus and what happened during the War of Transgression. I remembered everything.” Vanille said looking down as she pressed her finger tips together like she did when she prayed. “I didn't become Ragnarok.” She said looking up her fingers still linked together as she finally spoke the truth, praying to the goddess that there was some chance of forgiveness for what Fang had done and what she had failed to do.

“If you didn't become Ragnarok then...” Hope said looking away from the wall and stopping his question as he realized the answer. He realized that if Vanille hadn't of been the one to become Ragnarok then it was Fang. He couldn't imagine what had to be going through. To have done something like that and have no memory of it. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

“I did it. I became Ragnarok. I scarred Cocoon, and I left Gran Pulse in this mess. It was me.” Fang said hurt in her voice. At the time she figured that she did it because it was their Focus, what she had to do to protect Vanille from becoming a Cie'th and to protect Gran Pulse from the floating nest of vipers in the sky. Now she wondered if anything she had believed about Cocoon was true. The fal'Cie had been using both sides of the War playing with them like they were nothing more then puppets. She had scared Cocoon and in the process had hurt so many people. And what for? The twisted plans of the fal'Cie pulling their strings?

“Fang.” Vanille said resting her hand on top of Fang's hand. This was the pain she had been trying to save Fang from when she had lied taking the blame of Ragnarok upon herself. She could tell from Fang that the guilt was tearing her apart. It hurt her when she felt Fang pull her hand away and rub the back of her neck then rest her hand on her arm covering her brunt out brand. Never before had Fang retracted from her touch.

“What I said in the Paddra Ruins still stands.” Lightning said breaking the silence between everyone. “It's over those souls can rest now. We can't change the past. We can only keep moving forward.”

“Right.” Snow said looking around the cave to everyone. “It's almost nightfall we should find somewhere to set up camp.”

“The question is are we better sleeping here in the cave or back in that clearing?” Sazh said looking at the cave not really seeing any alcoves they could set up in. Honestly he rather sleep outside where they had the grass to cushion them a bit. He wasn't looking forward to sleeping on the hard rock floors of the cave.

“I'd say better in the cave.” Fang said glad for a change of subject. She still wasn't sure how she felt about Vanille's deception. It hurt knowing that Vanille did that but on the other hand she could somewhat understand why she did it. “Less chance of a flying nasty snatching us up in the night.”

“I would have to agree but I rather not be out in the open corridor like this.” Lightning said noticing the tension between the two Pulsian women, “While waiting for you two we scouted around a bit. The cave seems to go on for a while.”

“So do we stop here or press on?” Snow asked looking over to Hope who had started fidgeting with the sign on the wall again. It was buried not only in dirt but looked like a minor rock slide had happened leaving rubble behind. “Hope, stop playing with that before you bring the whole cave down on us.”

Hope turned and glared at the older man. He didn't hate Snow like he had before but still didn't like being chided by him. “There is something behind here. If only I could read this.” Hope said tapping his finger on the writing. The symbols on the wall looked familiar to him but he couldn't make out the words. It was almost like the writing on Cocoon only with more detail to it.

Fang stepping closer to him leaning over his shoulder and wiping a bit more dirt off the wall. She chuckled to herself then patted Hope on the back. “Good work kid.” Fang said.

“Hmm?” Vanille said also leaning in and reading the sign. “Oh yay!”

“One of you two like to translate for the rest of us?” Lightning said tapping her foot irritated at the two Pulsians and their lack of explanation. She looked at the sign herself and wondered how anyone could read that. It looked like nothing more then scribbles to her.

Fang smiled forgetting that she and Vanille were the only ones that could read the writing on Gran Pulse. Really it wasn't that much different then the writing on Cocoon. She had to admit it had taken them a little while to realize the subtle differences, the two writing systems weren't all that different from each other. It followed with Pulsian legend that the people of Cocoon were once people of Gran Pulse that had been lured away by the fal'Cie Lindzei. “It says Crew Quarters. I would guess there is a door behind this rubble and a safe place to sleep.” Fang said.

It took them a little over an hour to clear away the door, removing the rubble and another half an hour to sweep the inside rooms. There were four rooms in total, a main living area that had about a dozen beds, a small kitchen, bathroom, a small room that held a single bed and a desk. There had been several Hoplite and a Pulsework Centurion in the Crew Quarters, that the group had quickly disposed of.

“These beds look like they have seen better days but we can sleep on them.” Snow said tapping one of the beds seeing that though it was aged it was still usable.

“Sure beats sleeping on the ground.” Sazh said thinking about how since this started he had spent more nights sleeping on the ground then he had in his entire life. He wasn't sure how much his old back could take.

“If we lock the door from the inside we should be safe from anything wandering the halls.” Snow said leaning back in the bed and propping his head up on his hands. “Even still I think we should all stay in the main room just to be safe.” Lightning, Hope and Sazh all nodded while Fang stood near the entrance to the small room with the office.

“We'll sleep in here.” Fang said shooting Vanille a glance then walking into the room. Vanille stood there looking between Fang and the others before following the taller woman but stopping in the doorway. She knew that her and Fang would have to talk about what happened eventually but didn't want to. Still she knew she couldn't avoid it.

“I thought we all were sleeping in here.” Hope asked sitting down on one of the beds.

“Fang's a tough girl she can take care of them.” Sazh said with a worried look on his face. The two Pulsians had a lot to talk about and would want the privacy. He traveled with Vanille for a while knowing that she cared a great deal for Fang but didn't know the extent of their relationship. He wondered if they even did.

“But...” Hope said as he saw Vanille look back at the others then into the room a nervous look on her face. He thought that the look on Vanille's face had been just like the ones on Kai and Elida's faces when they had been sent to the principal's office after the incident at the Sunleth Waterscape on a field trip. He figured the look on his own face had been similar. He watched as Fang placed her hand on small of Vanille's back ushering her inside just before she shut the door.

Lightning walked over to Hope resting her hand on his shoulder, “They need sometime to talk about what happened. And Sazh is right they can take care of themselves.” Lightning said looking at the closed door. Like Sazh in their travels she had gotten to know Fang and she was sure that Fang was in love with Vanille but she didn't think Fang had ever told Vanille how she felt. She was also sure Vanille felt the same as Fang. With time running short on their Focus she hoped that they could be honest with their feelings.

The two of them stood in the room, Fang by the door not moving or saying anything as she crossed her arms and looked down a thoughtful yet hurt look on her face. Vanille looked at her but then away not wanting to be confronted about her lies. She looked to the desk seeing a stack of papers on it looking to be blueprints. Her eyes then moved to the bed taking note that it was the only one. That wasn't an issue when they were children her dreams were often plagued by nightmares and Fang spent many a night sleeping in her bed holding her. So much that when several new girls moved into the orphanage and the matron had asked for any volunteers to share their bed, Fang gave hers up and slept with Vanille. When they had moved out of the orphanage and into the village dormitories they still shared a bed by then it had just become natural. Neither slept well when the other wasn't there. She figured this room had once belonged to the foreman of the mines while the workers would stay in the main room.

She took her pack off setting it on the floor, pulling out her bedroll and laying it across the bed. She worked quietly to smooth it down trying to distract herself from the awkward silence in the room. She wanted Fang to be angry at her, to yell and scream at her. The silence that she gave instead was unbearable. “Vanille,” Fang said causing Vanille to freeze in her movements. “We need to talk.”

“I know.” Vanille said not turning to Fang and not moving her hands frozen on the bedroll. Fang wasn't going to let this go. She would want an explanation but Vanille wasn't sure she could give it. She knew why she had lied but didn't know it she would be able to tell Fang why.

“Sit down.” Fang said not as a request or a command she just said it. Vanille took a deep breath then turned around sitting on the bed and looking at the floor. “I need to know why.”

She closed her eyes taking another breath. “When I woke up I remembered everything. You were still asleep and I was just so happy that you were there with me. Then I remembered what happened. How you did everything and I nothing. I was ashamed. I pretended that I couldn't remember anything. I didn't want to face the truth. I couldn't.”

“So you lied.” Fang said her voice void of any emotion. She knew all those years ago that Vanille wasn't meant to be a L'Cie but there was nothing she could do about it. Vanille had been branded and she couldn't change that. All she could do was look out for her and try to protect her. Fang had never been afraid of dying. She had been afraid of loosing Vanille. She wondered how she had felt when she turned into Ragnarok without Vanille but the memories were gone. Fang figured she had be willing to do it if it meant saving Vanille.

“Yes.” Vanille said the tone of Fang's voice far worse than if she was angry. She wished that Fang would lose her temper instead of this eerie calm. Vanille had always been able to handle Fang's anger. Not that it was directed at her often, still an angry Fang was something she understood. This calm and quiet Fang when she should be furious was so foreign to Vanille.

“Why did you say you became Ragnarok?” Fang asked, lying about her memory was one thing Fang could understand that. She couldn't figure out why Vanille would say she had become Ragnarok. It wasn't like Vanille to seek glory so what was it? “When it was me.”

Vanille looked up at Fang then back down at the ground before her. “As everyone slowly figured out what our first Focus was I saw how hurt you were. I couldn't bare that. I failed to help you back then. I couldn't do anything then but now I could take your pain away.” Vanille said feeling tears form in her eyes.

“Why?” Fang asked using every ounce of willpower she had not to rush across the room and take Vanille in her arms. She hated seeing Vanille cry. When she was still young and didn't understand the ways of the world she swore to herself she would never make Vanille cry. It was an oath that at the time she had no idea that she wouldn't be able to keep.

“To protect you.” Vanille said sniffing and doing the best to stifle her tears. She hated that she was crying now here before Fang. All she wanted was to be strong like Fang but she couldn't. This was just another time she had failed.

“Why?” Fang said clinching her hands and feeling her nails dig into her palms. It wasn't enough to draw blood but enough to hurt. She wanted the pain to distract her from her desire to comfort Vanille. She couldn't, not just yet, not until she knew everything.

“I care about you Fang. I always have.” Vanille said looking at Fang's hands and mistaking the action as anger. She wondered if Fang would do what she didn't do in the clearing. She wondered if Fang would unleash her anger on her now. Part of her wished Fang would because at least then Vanille would know where Fang stood. “I couldn't do anything back then but I was determined not to fail you this time.”

“Why?” Fang said holding her hands tight still even though it did nothing to dissuade her from what her heart desired.

“Because I love you!” Vanille nearly shouted standing up.

“Ha, There it is.” Fang said with a laugh tossing her hands in the air then dropping her hands to her sides. “You know sometimes it is so hard to get the truth from you. It's drove me nuts ever since we were kids.”

“Fang.” Vanille said taken back at what she had just told Fang, she couldn't believe the words she had just said. Not that it was the first time she ever said the words to Fang but it was the first time she had ever said it with the meaning of how she felt about Fang. They were family to each other but this wasn't a familial love that she felt for Fang.

“I want you to promise me something.” Fang said after a brief pause taken back as Vanille's statement sunk it, as she realized what Vanille had just said. She mentally told herself, that it wasn't how she thought Vanille meant it. That she was just imagining things. They had told each other I love you before. How was this any different from then?

“Anything.” Vanille said her eyes pleading to Fang. She wanted to do anything it took to get Fang to stop looking at her with that look of complete betrayal and disappointment in her eyes.

“Don't, not yet. Not until I tell you what I want you to promise.” Fang said. “It is important. Promise me that you will never lie to me again.”

“Fang, I swear.” Vanille said resisting the urge to reach out to Fang and take her hands in hers.

“I need you to mean it Vanille.” Fang said, “I want to be with you. I do but I can't. Not unless I can trust you. That means no more lying and no hiding things from me. If you can't do that then when whole Focus is over we go our separate ways.”

“By Etro, I mean it Fang. I swear it on the goddess herself.” Vanille pleaded. “I will swear it on anything you want me to Fang. I need you in my life. I would have never been able to make it without you there to help me. I rather become a Cie'th then live without you.”

Fang sighed then smiled reaching out and pulling Vanille to her, wrapping her arms around the smaller girl in a hug. She felt Vanille cling to her and felt the wetness of Vanille's tears on her chest. She smiled still and then let a few of her own tears fall. She clung to Vanille not wanting to let her go and realizing that this was the first time she had cried since her family was murdered by Cocoon L'Cie.

Vanille hung onto her for sometime glad that she hadn't lost Fang, glad that she hadn't ruined what they had. But what was it that they had? She cared for Fang, loved her even but how did Fang feel for her? Did she love her like a sister or was there more? She pulled away from Fang watching as the older woman quickly brushed her eyes. She swore she saw a glint of a tear but it was so fast she wasn't sure. Fang never cried. “I need tell you something. Or I will already be breaking our promise.”

“I'm listening.” Fang said wondering to herself why she had brushed her tears away wondering why she hadn't wanted Vanille to see them.

“I love you.” Vanille confessed feeling her heart skip a beat as she waited for Fangs response.

“That's hardly a secret. We've told each other that more times then I can count.” Fang said reaching out and brushing Vanille's bangs out of her face.

“Yes, but I've never said it the way I feel it.” Vanille said her hands tightening on Fang's forearms. “Fang, I'm... I'm... in... damn it, Etro why can't I just say it! Why does it have to be so hard!” She pulled away from Fang turning her back as new tears fell in her eyes but these were tears of anger and frustration. She was angry at herself that she couldn't do it. That she couldn't tell Fang how she felt.

Fang stood there watching Vanille's back, seeing how she shook with her tears of frustration. “Vanille.” She said reaching out and turning Vanille back to her as her hand caressed Vanille's cheek. “It's alright, I know.” She leaned the rest of the way in pressing her lips to Vanille's and pulling them closer together. The kiss started out innocent, the longer it lasted the more intense it became. Fang pulled Vanille so tight to her that she thought any closer and they would become one. Her tongue slipped between her lips and pleaded with Vanille's lips until the kiss deepened.

When they finally pulled away realizing that they needed to breath Vanille stood there in shock her hand lightly touching her lips. What had just happened? Did Fang really just kiss her? For a brief moment she thought she was still in crystal stasis and this was just a dream.

“While we are being honest with each other. I've wanted to do that for several hundred years.” Fang chuckled then noticed that Vanille hadn't said or moved since the kiss. She just stood there with her fingers pressed to her lips. Fang had thought Vanille had been trying to confess her love but unable to form the words but now she thought she may have been wrong. “Vanille, say something. Anything. Please tell me I read that right and you feel the same way I do. Or tell me I was wrong and you never want to speak of this again. Please just say something.”

Still dazed from the kiss Vanille didn't move looking at Fang while at the same time looking at nothing. She didn't move until she felt Fang take the hand that was touching her lips in her own and gently squeeze it. Shaking herself from her stupor she finally looked at Fang seeing the desperation in Fang's eyes. “I want... I want you to kiss me again.”

“I could do that but I think you should kiss me this time.” Fang sighed with relief glad that Vanille wasn't still in shock of being kiss and wasn't rejecting her advances. The younger girl nodded then leaned into Fang standing on her toes as she pressed a kiss to Fang. The older woman traced her hands down Vanille's stomach then down her thighs until she bent down hooking her hands under them and picking her up. Without any urging Vanille draped her arms around Fangs neck holding on as she walked backwards until her legs hit the edge of the bed and she sat down. Vanille shifted finding a more comfortable position straddling Fang's lap neither breaking the kiss.

“Vanille. I love you so much.” Fang said breaking the kiss and moving it to Vanille's neck. She sighed into the kiss tilting her head back trying to give Fang more room but her choker was in the way. “You wear too much damn jewelry though.” Fang laughed bringing her hands up taking the choker off and dropping it on a nightstand.

“Think of it as the winter solstice and you are unwrapping a gift.” Vanille said knowing how that had always been Fang's favorite holiday. In the orphanage each child was only ever given one gift and it was usually something they need like school supplies or clothes. When they moved out of the orphanage they never had enough money to shower each other with gifts at the solstice but always tried to make it special sometimes saving all year for the perfect gift. The last solstice they had spent together before becoming L'Cie, Vanille had gotten Fang a new spear and Fang had taken a piece of the pelt of a bear from Vanille's first hunt and gotten an over-skirt made that she now always wore.

“Mmm, I think I am gonna enjoy this particular gift.” Fang said tracing her hand down Vanille's arm and removing several bracelets. She moved to the other arm doing the same placing them on the nightstand. She smirked hearing the sounds Vanille made with each kiss she pressed to her skin. Slowly she removed each piece of jewelry until all Vanille wore was her shirt, skirt and over-skirt. Fang unbuckled the belt to the over-skirt dropping it onto Vanille's pack then hooked her fingers on the hem of Vanille's shirt pulling it over her head and setting it with the over-skirt.

Vanille blushed knowing she was half naked in Fang's lap not entirely sure why she was embarrassed they had seen each other naked having lived together for so long. This was different, she had dreamed of this yet it was hard to believe that it was actually happening. She gasped as she felt Fang lift her up and laid her on the bed kissing her once on the lips then her neck then her chest. “Fang, I've never.” Vanille said as she gasped again at the sensations.

Fang paused looking up into Vanille's eyes seeing the uncertainty there. “Really?” Fang said knowing that Vanille hadn't been a child when they started their Focus and had a few boyfriends in the past. She was surprised that Vanille hadn't taken it all the way. Herself, she had been with several of the village boys and a couple of the girls. “I thought you and Oerba Jin Saber were pretty close.” Fang said remembering that she had never really like the young man that always seemed to be around Vanille showering her with gifts and affection.

“No, he only hung around me to get close to you but I think he was afraid of you and you were with Oerba Xao Tamsin.” Vanille said closing her eyes and thinking of Fang's on and off again former girlfriend. The two of them always seemed to be fighting then breaking up only to get back together a while later. She had thought that Fang was too good for Tamsin and got so mad at Fang whenever they made up.

“Wow, I never realized that.” Fang said thinking about how the young man always acted around her, she never really had noticed it having not being interested in him, “Don't feel so bad for whooping his butt every time we sparred. Him using you and all.”

Vanille laughed, “You know you broke his arm that last time.”

“I didn't mean to.” Fang said chuckling remembering how he refused to back down even though the match had clearly been lost. Fang had tried several times to stop it but he kept going. They had been sparring with staffs and Saber had missed a block forcing Fang to accidentally strike him across the arm.

“Sure you didn't.” Vanille said leaning up and kissing Fang gently on the lips. “That's in the past I want to think about here and now.”

“Yeah,” Fang said returning the kiss while she stroked her hand through Vanille's hair freeing it from her pigtails. “I promise I will be gentle and if you want to stop just say so okay?” Vanille nodded as Fang claimed her lips again while her hands caressed Vanille's breasts. Her lips soon followed her hands licking down until she pulled one of her nipples into her mouth lightly sucking on it coaxing a moan from Vanille's mouth. The red head arched her back pressing her breast further into Fang's mouth as she threaded her hands into Fang's hair.

“Oh, Etro!” Vanille exclaimed panting when Fang moved to the other breast doing the same to it. After several minutes Fang licked down her stomach skipping over her skirt to her legs. She pushed Vanille's skirt up so she could see her brand. The fight with Hecatoncheir had caused her brand to grow the eye hadn't opened and it still had a few more arrows to go. Fang traced her fingers over the brand then pressed a kiss to it. “Fang, don't not there.”

“Vanille...” Fang said pulling back and staring at the brand. She thought of her own brand and how if was stuck yet Vanille's wasn't. It was still progressing. She wished that it was the other way around and that Vanille's brand was the one that was frozen. Why wasn't her brand like Vanille's brand? Did it have something to do with why she couldn't remember anything? What had stopped it? Had it been the goddess Etro? “We're gonna figure this out. I'm not letting you turn Cie'th.” Fang said moving back up to kiss Vanille on the lips.

“I don't care. As long and I am with you.” Vanille said rolling them over until she rested her head on Fang's chest tracing her fingers along Fang's brunt out brand. They were quiet for sometime just cuddling with each other, “Promise me when the time comes that it will be you.”

“No.” Fang said hugging Vanille tight and closing her eyes. She wasn't going to let Vanille turn Cie'th. “I won't let that happen. It's my fault you are like this. I never should have let you come to the temple with me. I knew what I was going to do. You shouldn't have been there.” She thought of the day they were branded. She had decided to become a L'Cie not to serve fal'Cie Anima but challenge him and force him into action to help her people from the vipers of Cocoon. She had known she either would have been made a L'Cie or died that day. Most likely the latter, yet Vanille insisted on coming along. When the priests were about to put her to death for her blasphemous sins against fal'Cie Anima, Vanille had intervened and volunteered to atone for Fang's sins getting herself bound to Fang's seemingly impossible Focus.

“I came with you because I couldn't talk you out of becoming a L'Cie. I figured if I couldn't stop you then I would come with you. I wanted to be there Fang because it meant being with you. I planed to be branded just after you.” Vanille said pressing a kiss to her shoulder when she felt Fang tense. “I didn't tell you why because you wouldn't have let me come.”

Fang let out a quiet laugh, “You're damn right about that. And now here we are.”

“Here we are, but we are together.” Vanille said her voice turning sober as she closed her eyes unable to look at Fang, “Please Fang, I need it to be you. I need you to be the one to end it if I become a Cie'th.” Vanille buried her face into Fang's chest and clinching her fist into her sari.

“Alright.” Fang said still holding Vanille to her while she stroked her hair. “But I'm not going to let it come to that.”

“I believe you.” Vanille said sitting up on the bed looking down at Fang brushing her fingers along Fang's cheek, down her neck to her chest until she reached her belt and unbuckled. She began un-tucking the sari, pulling each layer away until it pooled around Fang leaving the older woman wearing only her black undershorts and top. Fang reach up and cupped Vanille's cheeks as she urged her to straddle her lap again. She sat up kissing Vanille deeply then flipped them over so she was on top of Vanille.

She kissed her way to the hem of her skirt then untied the strings on it before she pulled it off taking her undergarments with it. Fang dropped the clothing with the rest of Vanille's clothing as she looked down at her completely nude form. “You are so beautiful. I love you so much.” She kissed her on the lips softly then kissed her thigh this time on the inside working her way towards Vanille's center. The younger jumped at first when Fang pressed a kiss to her sex becoming stiff for a moment. Fang reached up taking Vanille's hands squeezing them tight licking softly at Vanille, smiling when she felt her relax.

“Oh, Fang.” Vanille whimpered as Fang continued. Their hands were clasped tightly together while Fang proceeded in her ministrations to Vanille's sex. She smirked again feeling Vanille's hands were so tightly holding hers, she looked up seeing that Vanille was biting her lip trying not to moan loudly.

“The door is thick enough. They can't hear us.” Fang said pulling away a moment and pressing a kiss to Vanille's stomach before she leaned back down pressing her tongue into Vanille. This was all it took to bring Vanille over the edge she let out long moan her nails digging into Fang's hands. The older woman slipped her hands free and crawled up her body pressing a kiss to Vanille's lips.

“I love you.” Vanille said catching her breath and returning the kiss then rested her head on Fang's shoulder. She had a smile on her face finding it hard to believe that they were really here like this. She had loved Fang for so long but never believed that Fang felt the same way about her. She always felt that Fang saw her a little sister. Years ago whenever she saw Fang with a past boyfriend or girlfriend she used to get so jealous but she never believed she could be with Fang. Yet here she was laying in Fang's arms hundreds of years away from the life they lived.

When they woke up on Cocoon everything was so alien to them she couldn't wait to get back home to Gran Pulse. Yet now they were here and nothing was familiar. In a few days they would be in Oerba but she didn't think that it would be the home she knew. She supposed it didn't matter, her home was where Fang was. Wherever she ended up it didn't matter Fang was her home. Vanille sat up and shook her head. “Hey you okay?” Fang asked.

“Yeah, just wanted to show you how much I love you.” Vanille said leaning down and kissing Fang on the lips her hands grabbing the hem of her shirt. She urged Fang to sit up enough to take the article of clothing tossing it with her own clothes. When Fang laid back down she kissed at her neck her hands timidly caressing her breasts.

“Just relax and do what feels natural.” Fang said brushing her fingers along Vanille's back. She smiled when she felt Vanille nod kissing lower to press a kiss to her breast before she licked circles around the nipple, “Ah, Vanille just like that.” She tilted her had back closing her eyes a low moan escaping her lips as Vanille switched to the other breast.

After several minutes Vanille's hands traveled down rubbing Fang through her shorts, her mouth still working on her breasts. She stopped massaging Fang for a moment then pulled back making Fang whimper at the lost sensations. It was short lived as Vanille quickly removed her shorts her hand returning to it's work when she pressed herself to Fang kissing her and rocking into Fang. Then she slipped a finger into Fang making the older woman moan into her mouth. Fang grabbed Vanille's shoulders clutching to her panting between kisses, jerking when Vanille added two more fingers bringing Fang to a climax. Fang broke their kiss throwing her head back and letting out a loud moan, her whole body shaking.

When she had come down Vanille was still laying on top of her feathering kisses on her cheek, “Fang, I love you.”

“I love you too.” Fang said pressing a kiss to her cheek feeling her eyes growing heavy. She reached over to her own pack not far from Vanille's and pulled out her own bed roll draping it over the couple. She looked at Vanille seeing that the younger girl had already drifted off to sleep. “Goodnight Vanille.” She whispered then closed her eyes.

The next morning Hope sat on the edge of one of the beds finishing off the rest of his breakfast. Snow was rolling his bed roll up while Sazh had his guns apart on a small table cleaning them. While Lightning was still in the bathroom. Hope stood up from the bed walking over to the kitchen and set a plate in the sink rising it though he wasn't entirely sure why the plate had been here in the crew quarters and he wasn't planning on taking it with him. He figured it was just nice to have a moment of normalcy. His mother was always getting on him about leaving dishes in the sink he thought she would be so proud to see him cleaning it without being told to. He had changed so much since she die he wondered if she would even recognize him.

He started walking over to the foreman's office knocking on the door. “Hey Fang, Vanille time to get up.” He said knocking on the door. When he didn't get an answer he reached for the door knob but didn't get a chance to open it as Sazh leaped across the room stopping him.

“Hey how about you let Light go check on them?” Sazh said nervously. Last night Hope had fallen asleep before the others, thankfully so he hadn't heard any of the noises coming through the door. Snow looked over to Sazh not really sure why he had jumped across the room to stop the boy. He had also fallen asleep pretty quick last night.

Lightning took that moment to walk out of the bathroom with a towel drying her hair. She had been amazed that the plumbing here in the mines still worked and had just got done enjoying a nice shower even if the water had been a little cold. The droids that were in the mines must have been programed to maintain the mines as well as guard them. She watched as Sazh stood next to the door of the foreman's office stopping Hope from entering the room.

“Hey, Light why don't you go check on Fang and Vanille see if they are up yet? You know encase they are changing or something?” Sazh said stumbling to find the right words. He knew Lightning had heard the pair of Pulsians as the night before she had taken first watch even though they were safe behind a locked door.

Lightning laughed at Sazh's choice of words, she was sure Fang and Vanille might be in some sort of stage of undress but didn't think they were changing. “Sure. Hope why don't you get them some plates for breakfast made up. I want to leave as soon as possible.” Lightning said shooting Sazh a glance of thankful that he had stopped the teenage boy from entering the room. She had been planning on waking them up after her shower anyway.

“Sure.” Hope said looking over to Sazh wondering why he was acting so strange and what Lightning found funny.

She watched him head back into the kitchen then looked at the door. She didn't want to have to explain Fang and Vanille's relationship to the boy. Sure he was old enough to know about things like sex so it wasn't the sex talk she would have to have with him more of the sex between two women talk. She supposed things on Gran Pulse were quite different then on Cocoon. The Sanctum preached that homosexuality was a sin and forbidden. Now that Lightning thought about it she figured the Sanctum had done that to ensure that the population grew. Their goal was to kill millions of people to draw the attention of the Maker.

She wasn't sure how faithful Hope was and if he would understand people didn't choose who they loved. It had been something Lightning had struggled with through her teens. None of the boys in her classes ever interested her. Some of the girls that had been another story. It wasn't until Claire Farron became Lightning Farron that she had the courage to follow her heart. Still the few relationships she had were always secret. She was afraid of what would happen if the truth of her desires come out. If the Sanctum ever found out she would lose her position in the army and most likely be sent away. The few stories she had heard about people being caught no one knew where they went. Only that they were taken away by PSICOM and never seen from again. So no one knew about her not even Serah knew about it.

Lightning knocked on the door once again not getting an answer before opening it and stepping inside. She shut the door behind her and looked over to the bed. Fang lay with her back to the door and Vanille pressed closely to her chest. Both of them completely nude their clothes draped across their packs. A sheet just barely covered them from the waist down and she could see that their legs were intertwined. Yes, it was a very good thing Sazh had stopped Hope from walking into the room.

A smile came to Lightning's face as she walked towards the bed. It seems that Fang and Vanille were able to work through Vanille's deception and had finally admitted how they felt about each other. She had already figured that they had judging by the muffled moans she had heard through the door last night. Lightning stopped at the edge of the bed and leaned down shaking Fang by the shoulder, “Fang.”

“Mmmm Vanille.” Fang said cuddling into Vanille a little more and kissing her neck. She didn't open her eyes instead she buried her face into Vanille. “Not quite yet.”

“Hey sunshine time to wake up.” Lightning said a little louder mimicking Fang's accent as she shook her again. She used the nickname that Fang usually did when she woke the others up. Both Fang and Vanille were usually the first ones in the group to wake up. Lightning had never really been a morning person while it seemed the two Pulsian women were. They were usually the first ones up and both far to chipper then anyone had a right to be at the time in the morning. Etro, what Lightning would have done for a cup of coffee instead of Fang's teasing to wake her up.

Lightning shook Fang again this time getting the Pulsian woman to open her eyes. Fang sat up in bed quickly realizing the state of undress she was in when she lost the warmth of Vanille's body against hers. She grabbed the sheet and pulled it over her making sure that Vanille was properly covered. She looked over to Lightning her face turning to shock to see that someone had seem them like this. “Lightning I can explain.” Fang said her mind racing, she hadn't meant to have to be waken up by anyone. She hoped that they would have woken up as usual before everyone else and gotten dress without anyone knowing what they had done the night before.

After waking up on Cocoon her and Vanille had been exploring around Bodhum and holding hands as they walked, something they had always done back in Oerba. She remembered getting odd looks from some of the people and originally had figured it was because of their clothing but the people of Cocoon had such strange clothing and their own didn't stand out that much. It wasn't until she overheard an older woman comment that two women walking down the streets holding hands was unnatural and disgusting. Fang hadn't really understood why people on Gran Pulse held hands all the time it wasn't that odd. When she had been Lindblum looking for Vanille she had asked Rygdea about it. He explained to her the Sanctum's stance on the matter then gone into a long tangent about how the Sanctum shouldn't have that much control over the people's lives.

“There's nothing to explain.” Lightning said with a smile on her face as she walked to the exit of the room. “Get dress we leave an half an hour. If you want breakfast yo better get a move on it.”

“Hey Light, thanks.” Fang said nodding to the other woman as she left the room and closed the door. They truly had found a new family that accepted them.

She leaned over Vanille watching her sleep for a moment seeing a content smile on her face. Then she leaned down pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. “Vanille, love it's time to get up.” Fang said seeing those beautiful green eyes open.

“This wasn't a dream?” Vanille said looking up at Fang who shook her head then leaned down for another kiss.

“If it is I never want to wake up.” Fang said still kissing Vanille her hands wandering lower brushing the inside of Vanille's thigh surprising her and forcing a high pitched moan from her lips.

“Half an hour, and I mean it.” They heard Lightning shout through the door.

Fang started laughing getting a strange look from Vanille who had slept through her conversation with Lightning. “We got enough time to have breakfast or a little fun which do you want?” Fang asked.

“I'm not hungry.” Vanille said claiming Fang's lips and pressing her down to the bed.