Contact

"Dismissed."

"Yes, Ms. Farron," the class chorused.

Ringing in her ears was the chatter of children and the scream of desks against the floor as Lightning observed her students clamoring for the hallway.

"Nora," she called.

The student in question froze in the midst of quietly gathering her things, before looking around. She was the last to leave, besides her teacher.

"Y-Yes, Ms. Farron?"

"Everything alright there?"

"I'm fine," Nora mumbled. "Sorry, I don't mean to be a bother."

Silently, Lightning cursed. Did she honestly come off so intimidating?

"That's not what I meant. Just…do you need any help?"

"Really, I'm fine," she tried smiling. "Well, s-see you tomorrow, Ms. Farron."

And at last, alone.

"Never seen her move that fast," Her voice was barely breath, fanning out to nobody as she made for the door.

"Oh," Lightning blinked, momentarily blinded by the sun's glare as she walked out onto the school steps.

Nora started, silver hair cascading over her back.

"M-Ms. Farron!" she stuttered. "You're still…h-here?"

"I had some last minute business in the teachers' lounge," Lightning explained slowly. "Nora, it's already nearly an hour after school ended. Why haven't you gone home?"

"M-my dad, he's picking me up, and, well…"

Lightning pursed her lips in an attempt to conceal her abrupt irritation.

"And he still hasn't arrived after an hour? What kind of a father just leaves his kid and-"

But she was taken aback as Nora interrupted her.

"No! It's not like that!" Quite suddenly, her stutter had vanished. "He's a great dad! It's not his fault he has so much work, it's the least I can do to be patient and…and…I don't want to hear that from someone who knows nothing about us, Ms. Farron!"

Nora gasped, however, and quickly turned the other way, though not before Lightning caught a glimpse of her eyes, which were suspiciously moist.

"I-I'm sorry," she sniffed. "I didn't mean to – to –"

"No, no," Lightning said quickly. "That was my bad for assuming."

Moments passed, with nothing but Nora's occasional half-stifled sob. Lightning's fingers groped the air, as if she wanted to do something with them but wasn't sure how.

She settled for placing – what she hoped was – a gentle hand on Nora's shoulder.

"Look, um…is it okay if I wait with you?"

"Wh-What?" Nora finally turned, her eyes glassy but bewildered.

"It wouldn't sit right with me if I just left you here to wait by yourself. So why don't I keep you…uh, company until your father gets here?"

"No, I couldn't possibly," Nora's eyes widened. "It would b-be a waste of your time."

"It wouldn't," the teacher insisted, trying a smile. "I want to."

Lightning wasn't much like her sister – bless her heart – but when Nora smiled tentatively in return, it was all she could do not to break down at how adorable the student was.

She swore her own heart skipped a beat.

When the father finally arrived, Lightning had half a mind to discreetly reprimand him – out of Nora's sight – for being so tardy, but she drew up short when she saw him wheezing his way up the steps, flushed with exertion.

"Nora! Nora, sweetie, I'm so sorry I'm late! Are you bored? Are you hungry? I swear, I'll make it up to you!"

"Dad!" Nora admonished. "I'm fine. Honestly, you ask the same things every time."

"Sorry, I'm just so worried –"

Fingers bunched against the fabric of his trousers as he hunched over in exhaustion, the man finally looked up.

"Oh. Um, and who you might you be?"

Lightning paused, not meaning to give him a once over but doing so anyway.

"Claire Farron. I'm Nora's teacher."

"M-Ms. Farron," Nora's lips stumbled. "Stayed after school to wait with me so I wouldn't be lonely."

Her words washed slowly over him, and Lightning raised a brow at the man's dawning comprehension.

She nearly slapped him when he jolted forward and passionately clasped her hands, but decided to keep some semblance of professionalism.

"Did…Did you really?" His lips parted with each word as if he were slowly savoring them. Eyes blinked as if he couldn't quite believe. Cheeks more flushed than they had been as he climbed the steps.

Understandably perturbed, Lightning recoiled the slightest bit.

"Oh!" as the other shoe dropped. "Oh, I'm so –"

He clumsily tore his grip away, nearly tripping on the asphalt in his haste.

"I'm so sorry," he mumbled bashfully (like father, like daughter; Lightning nearly quirked a grin). "I – I don't know what came over me. The…the idea that someone was so kind as to… as to…"

Again, he looked her in the eyes, but this time Lightning was just the slightest bit – the slightest bit, mind – struck by the startling green.

"Thank you, Ms. Farron. Nora means the world to me. I've always regretted being so busy, but knowing that she has someone like you looking out for her, I can rest a little easier. Just…really, truly, thank you."

Taken aback by so sincere a response, as she would be the first to admit that she'd become a little jaded over the years, Lightning had not a clue what to say.

"And of course," he groaned. "The first thing I forget would be my manners. S-Sorry. I'm Hope Estheim. Nora's father, but I'm pretty sure you've gathered that much."

He glanced at his watch.

"I think we've imposed on Ms. Farron enough, wouldn't you say, sweetie? Come on, we'll get ice cream on the way home."

He took Nora's hand, but not before bowing once to Lightning. Who happened to still be rather stunned into submission.

She settled for waving dimly at her student as they left, the sound of tires against gravel screeching in the distance.

Lightning threw her gaze from one side to the other, as if in expectation. Of what, she wasn't sure.

But she merely shrugged and went home.

Author's Note: This is my more substantial contribution to the FF13 fandom, something I've wanted to do for quite a while now. I also wanted a medium wherein I could just write freely and simply, as I have this habit of obsessively making sure I write something of my highest caliber, of perfect quality, not a speck out of place, not a word without purpose. Perhaps that's not bad, but as a consequence I find myself always struggling to get things out, oftentimes shelving things entirely for another time because I simply can't muster the inspiration to write at my best all the time.

So I've decided on this drabble series where I – hopefully – manage to just write on, without too much thought or preoccupation. Two birds, one stone, and all that. Unlike my other drabble series where I do in fact ponder very carefully what I want to write. I do have somewhere I want to go with this, but it's vague and I'll think about it when I get to it, haha. One last thing – and I'm sure everyone's sick of hearing me talk by now, but I swear this'll be a one time sort of author's note and every other will be short and sweet – this first chapter was meant to be two, but I decided not to split them in the end. Most others following will probably be around half the length.

Anyway. I suck epically.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Drop a review and tell me what you thought!