It had only been a day since the incident, and Luna was already growing accustomed to the role of a beleaguered assistant to Obaba. Not that she minded. No, that wasn't the case at all. Luna was more than willing to do what she was asked of. After all, most of it involved Amber's welfare.

Yesterday, the tomboy had been running a high fever that lasted all throughout the night. Luna worked around the clock, using her cure spells and forcing the patient to guzzle down several ounces of water for the sake of keeping her hydrated.

It eventually paid off, since Amber's temperature had stabilized by morning. Still, Luna couldn't be too careful. The soldier wasn't out of the woods quite yet. Her arm was still a cause for concern.

Obaba would say nothing of its progress, no matter how many times Luna begged. The young woman was beginning to wonder if the old healer was torturing her for her own personal amusement.

"Obaba, please? Can't you tell me anything at all? I always see you changing the wraps on her arm and applying some weird stuff to it…." The old woman must have grown tired of Luna's incessant pleads for answers by now. Barely a day had gone by and yet it must have felt like weeks. "I know you don't say it…but I'm getting on your nerves aren't I?" It felt stupid to ask. She bit her bottom lip, anticipating any kind of response from her elder.

The 'click-clacking' of plates and the sound of running water filled the air as Luna's question was, once again, met with nothing but silence. Obaba whistled a little tune as she washed the dishes, but that was it. Luna was being completely ignored.

"Dammit, I know you can hear me! Stop pretending like you can't!" It wasn't like her at all, to be lacking in common courtesy, particularly towards her elders. Luna realized this soon after the words flew out of , and suddenly she felt so much smaller. "I-I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. I'm just…very worried about my friend, that's all…"

"Friend eh?" It was the very first words Obaba had said to Luna since yesterday. The old woman had been such a firecracker when they first met, but once she was done barking out orders and Luna knew what to do without being told, she just hit the mute button, all her attention given to Amber. While Luna thanked her lucky stars for the old woman's dedication, she wished Obaba would update her. "You sure that's all she is to you girly?"

Luna's prayers had been answered. The elderly healer was talking again. It just happened to be a subject Luna wasn't completely comfortable with. "Of c-course…why would you think that I-"

"Because you're acting like the sky is falling down. She'll live, so quit worrying!"

Luna's cheeks flushed to the color of scarlet. She looked away, but Obaba had already seen the red glow.

"Tch, friend my …"

"No, really!" The young woman tried to think of an excuse, but the ones off the top of her head seemed idiotic. "I-I mean, we're just close. S-Sure it LOOKS…a bit…suspicious…" She trailed off. That certainly wasn't helping. If anything, she just dug a deeper hole for herself.

"Look kid, I'm not here to judge. Hell, if you weren't bugging me about her condition every two seconds, I'd say it's quite endearing."

Luna looked down at her feet, the healer's words causing her already reddened face to darken another shade. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her shyness close to overwhelming her.

"Heh, no sense in hiding it now right? Good for you girly. Told her yet?" Obaba pointed a finger at Amber's still form on the bed, wrapped in a blanket and sleeping soundly.

"I-I sort of did…" Luna wasn't sure how to feel, opening up to a woman she hardly even knew. But…she was doing so much for them. It was part of her job description of course. And yet…Luna felt that she could trust her. "We kind of k-kissed. I-I mean…I made the first move." It felt different to actually say it out loud. Luna's heart pounded rapidly in her chest as she recalled the events that took place that night.

Obaba pulled out a few herbs she had placed on the shelves, intending to grind them as she listened to Luna struggle with telling her story. "You've got it bad. And here I thought you still had something going on with the dimwit who tried to break into my house before…"

"Huh?" Luna's stomach churned. The urge to just crawl under a rock and remain there forever took hold. The subject of Krystal was some painful territory, and wasn't something she was willing to tackle with Obaba just yet. The mere thought of it made Luna horribly queasy. "I don't know what you're talking about…" She wanted to change the subject. Anything but this right now. And she hoped that Obaba was getting the hint.

The old woman was no idiot. She could see it…from the way Luna's tan complexion paled to how her hands quivered over her heart. She looked like the very definition of 'tense.' But Obaba didn't feel particularly kind or sympathetic, at least not enough that she was willing to let Luna go so easily. "I may be older than parchment, but my ears are still functioning child. Especially when you're right outside my house!"

"I-I'm so sorry!" Luna yelped out. It was a story she had no interest in revisiting so soon, especially under current circumstances. But if Luna thought hard about it, if she really put herself in Obaba's position, then she could see why the old woman was so insistent on having her tell her side of the story. Krystal and company didn't come off as friendly in the slightest, and Obaba actually heard Luna interacting with her on…awfully familiar terms. It did look kind of suspicious. And she supposed that the main reason why she even got inside the house without being questioned up until now was due to Amber's condition. "It's hard to talk about…my history with Krystal…it was a really long time ago."

"Well, I'm right here, and so are you." Obaba pulled up a chair and sat down, smirking as Luna continued to fidget in place, clearly uncomfortable. "Go on girl, let's hear it."

"Y-Yeah, sure…" Luna no longer seemed to have much choice in the matter.

"Hey…she doesn't have to…if she doesn't want to…"

"Amber!" Luna cried out. The tomboy's timing was simply amazing. She didn't know how she did it. And even more important than that was the fact that she was FINALLY awake. A wave of relief washed over Luna as she heard that husky voice once more. A completely irrational urge to throw herself on the soldier rose up. For obvious reasons, Luna forced the feeling down, and settled on giving her a loose hug instead….far more appropriate.

"Well, look who's finally decided to join the land of the living eh? Good for you child." Obaba stood up from her seat, walking over to Amber's bedside to get a better look at her patient. "Hmph, well, the color is coming back to your face, that's a welcome sign. But I don't want to see you jumping out of bed anytime soon." She stared at the old clock on the wall, her face scrunching up as she realized how late it was. "I'll let your girlfriend deal with you for a bit. I have some business to take care of around town. Luna!"

"Y-Yes?" Luna didn't like how jumpy she was that day. Everything seemed to startle her.

"Make sure to change the wrapping on Amber's arm later on. And don't forget to slather on those herbs I ground earlier before putting on the new wrap."

Luna nodded, her face still feeling a bit warm. "Y-Yes ma'am, I will."

"Good. I'll be heading out then. I'll be back later tonight."

__________

"So…girlfriend huh?" Amber decided to a bit. Being knocked out for so long compelled her to lighten the mood. She figured Luna must have still been a bit shell-shocked after witnessing….that scene with her and Krystal. "What have you been telling her Luna?"

"S-She just drew her own conclusions! I didn't say anything!" Amber was awake, and Luna couldn't be any happier about it. But it was the situation with Obaba all over again. The sheer awkwardness of it all just made Luna so exasperated. "Why do you care about what I said anyway?" Yeah, she needed to just play it off.

Amber smiled slightly. "Hey…could you guess how long I've been awake?"

"….."

Luna didn't like the direction in where this was going.

"I mean…you did tell her that you kissed me and all…" Amber looked like the cat that ate the canary. Luna wanted to smack that grin right off of her face. To think that she was so ecstatic to finally have her awake….

"How could you?!"

"You said it, not me…"

'That was a private conversation Amber!"

"I was unconscious, I woke up. You can't exactly blame me for this you know." Amber found it pretty funny how frazzled Luna was getting. While a part of her felt bad for the younger woman, the other half was getting a kick out of it.

"Oh, I hate you!"

"You sure about that?" It was just too easy.

"I…I…" Luna paused. She gazed into Amber's eyes. They suddenly looked so serious. The way she was teasing her, Luna understood, somewhere in the back of her mind, that Amber already knew the answer. She was just looking for clarification…even if she was making fun of her. But Luna was afraid. It was difficult to define what their relationship was…where their relationship was…where they stood. Luna knew what she wanted, but Amber…

"You jerk…how can you even ask me to tell you such a thing…" Luna's voice wavered as she spoke. "This isn't f-funny anymore."

Amber forced herself to sit up, beads of sweat rolling down her face as she supported her weight with one arm. She leaned back against the headboard of the bed, settling down once she got herself into a relatively comfortable position. "Don't be so sensitive Luna…"

"I'm not being sensitive! You're just being insensitive!" Luna wanted to tell Amber to lie back down, but she was supposed to be annoyed, not concerned…

Amber held back a laugh. Luna's face was a myriad of emotions, and she found it so delightful, despite said woman being so cross with her…or at least attempting to be.

"Stop smiling Amber! I can't see how my feelings are something to laugh about!"

"Luna…" Amber needed to stop the rant before it began…but it was too late.

"Listen tough girl! Just because I'm better at expressing myself doesn't mean that you get to-"

"But Luna-"

"No! Stop cutting me off! I'm not done here! This isn't easy for me you know! First Krystal, now you! I don't even know why I like girls in the first place. My life would've been much less complicated I bet….nowadays it's like some weird soap opera-"

"I was jealous."

"All because of…of…huh?" Luna, still red in the face and sweating a little more than before, halted her mini tirade. The expression upon Amber's visage hadn't changed much, but her eyes had anchored Luna's attention. There was a luminous glow in those chocolate orbs, but they remained as mellow as the sky at sunset. It was almost…accepting. Luna was left speechless.

"What did you say?"

Amber's cheeks dimpled slightly as the corners of turned up again. "I was jealous…of Krystal."

Luna lost her voice once more at the confirmation, but her heart radiated with so much joy. Maybe Amber…maybe she really did feel the same way.

"I didn't know what it was at first," Amber continued. "The two of us haven't gotten along for a really long time. Obviously, seeing each other again wasn't going to be some happy reunion. But…when I saw her reach for your hand…I just snapped. Nothing else mattered at the time…all I knew was that I didn't want her touching you…" Amber rubbed the back of her neck, her eyes downcast, lashes shielding them from view. The room was much too quiet, and with every second of silence Amber's confidence was being chipped away. She was just about to mutter out an apology, when her ears caught the sound of a faint giggle.

Luna was covering , failing to stifle her growing laughter. Two wet streaks stained her cheeks with tears, but they clearly weren't from sadness.

Amber wasn't sure whether or not she should have been insulted, though it did put her heart at ease to know that Luna wasn't depressed.

"Hey, come on, quit it would ya? As you can tell, I've got the social skills of a bear. It was hard enough admitting it to myself, let alone say it out loud."

Realizing Amber's discomfort, Luna used a towel to wipe away the remaining tears. And after getting over the giggles, she faced Amber, a huge grin practically eclipsing her whole face. "I'm sorry Amber. It's just…that was so cute. And you were so sincere, it really caught me off-guard! Like…you're really opening up to me. I wasn't trying to be mean. I'm just happy…" To Luna, it was a downright confession. Amber didn't have to say the particular word that Luna was looking for, but she could already tell.

"Hmph…" Amber sulked. This was the most honest with herself that she'd ever been for ages. She just couldn't understand why it was Luna of all people. Pushing aside the fact that they were opposites, they were also both…female. Amber twitched, thinking of all the issues that could arise from a non-heteronormative relationship. She never really thought about it too hard back then. Romance was the last thing that ever came to her mind. Somewhere deep down though, she had always been aware of her ual preferences….it was something she just figured wouldn't ever have to come up. A mercenary, a soldier, a woman of logic rather than a woman of heart…that's just how it was. She expected herself to die on a mission somewhere on foreign soil…to die and never experience what it means to fall in love.

And yet here she was…very much alive and now fully aware that her feelings towards her female companion were far from platonic. Amber hated the facts that had been laid out before her…but she had to accept it now. Krystal coming back into the picture was the final push that Amber needed. She sighed, feeling defeated. Ever since she'd gotten to know Luna, she hasn't been in her right mind. But maybe that's just how it was supposed to be from the start…

Luna approached Amber slowly, not wanting to startle her. "What are you thinking about? You've been super quiet…" She sat on the edge of the bed, the shift in weight finally getting Amber to look up.

"Lots of things…the show that my life has turned into….all that junk. But, hey….at least you're here. I could've gotten worse company." Amber chuckled as Luna swatted her leg. "What? Were you expecting something romantic?"

"You're horrible." Still, Luna couldn't keep the smile off of her face. "Does this mean…?"

Amber shrugged. "Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't." Luna took another swipe at her leg. "It's still hard to process! There's so many things to weigh here Luna!"

"What's there to think about? You basically confirmed that you have feelings for me! And it's clearly been mutual for a loooong time already Amber!" The soldier was pussyfooting around again, and it was riling Luna up. Amber really was quite an enigma at times. She'd be calculating and decisive one minute, then the next would have her flying into a situation by the seat of her pants. This was one moment where Luna wished she would've gone for the latter.

Not wanting to offend her any further, Amber tried to choose her next words as carefully as possible. "Well…what about Krystal? It seems like she still has a thing for you. And even though I don't want to jump to conclusions…it looks like you still have feelings for her as well…" It was hard for Amber to swallow, but she wasn't THAT thickheaded. The tension she felt between Luna and Krystal….she could've sliced through it with a knife.

This was EXACTLY the type of conversation Luna was hoping to avoid with Obaba. Her body tensed up, lips going dry and fingers shaking profusely. But…it was Amber, not Obaba. And she needed to know…regardless of how uncomfortable it made Luna feel.

__________

"She's changed…the Krystal in the present scares me. I-I don't know what she's gone through. But it doesn't e-excuse what…she did to you."

"Luna…"

"It's okay. I can finish this. I want you to hear it."

"….."

"We didn't really start out as friends, but I liked her…a lot. Me, Zone, Watts…the three of us had just barely begun planning our own liberation group. We talked about it all the time. But we seemed overly eager in comparison to the older resistance fighters. Battling Galbadian oppression for so long made so many of them cynical. And I don't hold that against them…but it hurt to know that they had so very little confidence in us at the time." A jaded smile slowly crept up Luna's face. There was a bitter taste in , but she continued. "Krystal…I saw her at the bar in Timber so many times, but we never really talked at first. She was always surrounded by the patrons, always listening to her drunken tales. Hehe…I eventually became one of her admirers. Then…one day, I guess I caught her eye, because she just started talking to me. And that's when we started to get to know each other on a personal level. She would talk to me about life in SM Garden…" Luna giggled at the thought of a particular memory. "Come to think of it…she always boasted about how she was one of only two gunblade specialists in the entire academy….and how the other one was just a salty loser with no friends."

Amber snorted. "That's typical of her. Why does she always have to be so damn-"

Blinking several times in surprise, Amber lifted a hand to her cheek, where not just a second ago Luna had kissed her. It was honestly like a hit and run, and Amber wasn't even sure it actually happened until she stole a glance at the younger woman. She was beet red in the face, fingers twirling a few strands of loose hair while her other hand played with the hem of her shirt. Amber didn't know how to respond, whether it was due to the shock or Luna's beauty…she couldn't decide. Such a simple action solidified everything for the mercenary.

She was a goner.

"Dummy…can I finish my story without you interrupting now?" Luna felt incredibly embarrassed…it was on the spur of the moment. But, seeing the look on Amber's face was just absolutely priceless. It was definitely worth it.

"Y-Yeah…go ahead." The sudden surge of emotions just made Amber feel weird. She looked away, but still paid attention.

"Well…Krystal was just so many things I wasn't. She was so confident in everything. Even when people put her down…she didn't care. She gave as good as she got. Sometimes even more…and when I told her about my plans, my dreams…she encouraged me to pursue it, and that I would always have an ally in her…no matter what. And…I fell in love. She was so sweet to me, and there were times when I just felt like I was walking on air, like I was seeing the world for the first time."

Amber clenched her fist, feeling a bit stupid for being jealous over a memory. The worst part of it all was that she could ACTUALLY remember a time when Krystal was like that. Well…not like she was with Luna, but she could still recall the days where they were able to talk to each other as human beings…and not as some obstacle with legs.

"Our time together didn't last…she had her duties and I had mine. We still exchanged letters now and again, but…I didn't realize…" Tears began to trickle down Luna's cheeks once more. "The Krystal Jung I once loved is gone. I want to believe my own lies…that maybe one day she'll be back to the way she was before. But…it's most likely just wishful thinking on my part."

The soldier was silent. She was angry about everything. She was angry for being so far away from home, angry for allowing Krystal to get the better of her. But most of all, she was angry at herself for unknowingly heaping more pressure upon a woman who was already hurting from day one. Amber had a ton of her own baggage, there was no denying that. But in regards to Luna…she was tactless from the start. They were both hurting in their own way…

"I shouldn't have belittled your feelings Luna," Amber said, her voice full of remorse. "We all have our crosses to bear, and I should've been more sensitive to that…I'm not Krystal, I'm not…as in sync with people as she is…"

Luna sniffled, her eyes puffing up. Upon realizing where Amber was going with her train of thought, she interrupted. "Amber, don't compare yourself to Krystal. You're two different people…." Luna scooted further up the bed, tears still dripping from her eyes. She mimicked Amber's current position, resting her head on the bed's headboard. Then, she took Amber's hand in her own, lacing their fingers together. She sighed in relief, as the soldier made no move to remove it. "…I wouldn't have it any other way."

"…Are you sure?" Amber wanted to tell Luna that she deserved better, but she knew she was just going to get scolded…

"I'm positive." The younger woman could see the clouds of doubt that were forming in the soldier's eyes. It was going to take a whole lot to convince her completely, but Luna didn't mind at all. At least now…they were getting somewhere.

They were both so caught up in their own worlds, that neither woman noticed the gathering storm outside. The sky began to darken, and large grey clouds blotted out the sun's rays. The fist few splatters of rain could be heard as they hit the roof of the small cottage.

Eventually, the rain intensified, drops coming down heavy like war drums. In a way, it perfectly suited the beating of Amber and Luna's hearts, and the inevitable hardships that would come their way. It was beautifully tragic…but it was a relationship that would be worth every bit of heartache that came their way.

Amber's hand was faster than her brain. She just mustered up her courage and pulled Luna close. Before they knew it, their lips were locked tight against each other. The kiss was soft, but there was an urgency to it, a silent plea from both to make sure that this was all real. It wasn't some cruel dream that they would wake up from…it was actually happening.

As they reluctantly pulled away, Luna, with her eyes still closed, rested her forehead against Amber's. Her lips were slightly parted, and her cheeks were flushed red with warmth. But, her face as a whole emitted such a blissful glow, and Amber once again found herself being stunned into silence.

"I…think that was our first real kiss," Luna spoke quietly. "It felt…official?"

Despite the weather outside, the two of them could hear each other, their close physical proximity attributing to that.

"Yeah," Amber smiled, her eyes filled with a kind of softness and passion that she hadn't had since her childhood. She felt alive again. "Heh…I didn't take it back this time…"

Luna giggled softly at the remark, remembering all too well the events that had transpired not too long ago. "Mmhmm…you shouldn't play with a lady's heart like that."

Amber's smile just grew even wider. The simplest things, like the tickle from Luna's breath, gave her inner peace. It was such a foreign feeling, but the soldier was able to fully embrace it. It felt wonderful. "I've learned from my mistakes…"

"Hehe…I know."

"Hey, Luna…?"

"Yeah?"

It wasn't as smooth as it was in her head. Again, words were not her strong point, but Amber sincerely hoped that they would still manage to convey her feelings towards Luna.

"I think…I might…love you a little bit."

Judging by the look that blossomed across Luna's face, Amber was sure that it did.

"Good…because I think I might love you a lot."

__________

NOTES: Son of an onion....this took me forever. But...I GOT INSPIRED. I'd like to thank Ed Sheeran's song 'Kiss Me,' since that's where I got the idea for the title...kept it on replay during the last leg of this chapter. And also, to my Youtube OTP, Shacam (even though they've broken up...) for the last two lines of spoken dialogue...*cries*