AN: So, I've started another new story before I've even finished anything else! ^^; I've finally gotten around to playing Final Fantasy XIII even though I've owned it for ages & I'm on stage 8 in Gran Pulse & I was inspired to write this as I was running about trying to level up so I could defeat Vanille's Eidolon. I haven't finished the game or played XIII-2, but I've seen pictures of older Hope. So please, no spoilers in the comments!

Hope is 24 & Lightning is 29, so the age gap is slightly smaller than the original.

The current rating is mostly for language, but it might possibly go up to M in the future for... other things.

Also, I don't know if this should be in Final Fantasy XIII or Final Fantasy XIII-2 because of Hope's age. It's an Alternate Universe, but still!

Enjoy & DFTBA

Agent Lightning looked up from a file as yet another rookie agent knocked on her door. She was tired of all these little schoolgirls disturbing her morning coffee and prep time. They all wanted to field train under her because she was the best, but she didn't have time for their tedious questions and childish mistakes when she had killers to take down. They should just go to Snow. Everyone knew she'd send the pups to him anyway. He loved training the fresh meat. There was another knock. With an irritated flick of her wrist, she closed the file.

"What the hell do you want, kid?" she snapped.

There was a moment's pause and then the door opened an inch.

"May I come in, Agent Lightning?" The male voice was soft and deep; it ghosted over Lightning's skin like warm silk and gave her gooseflesh.

"If you're here for training, go to Snow. I don't babysit."

"I don't intend to be babysat, ma'am."

The underlying steel in the boy's voice stopped Lightning from sending him away. Eventually the Captain would force her to take on an underling. Perhaps she should at least look at this guy's files or else get stuck with an absolute cockup who belonged behind a desk permanently.

"Hurry up and give me your file before I change my mind."

A thin man with pale, silvery hair and light blue-green eyes walked into the office wearing undecorated, formal military wear. Lightning sighed. He was a total pretty boy with nothing more than a sexy voice. She held out her hand for what she assumed would be a rather thin folder and was handed a two-inch binder.

"Not a problem child, are you?" She asked as she looked down at the contents of the binder. He was an early civilian graduate who went straight into the Military Academy, graduated top of his class at the age of seventeen, and then went into the field. At twenty he had entered Special Operations, where he had been for the last four years.

"No ma'am."

"Yes, I can see that now." She looked up at his unexceptional uniform. "Why don't you wear any of your decorations? You file says you've won several awards."

"If you'll pardon my rudeness, ma'am, but that's personal."

Lightning blinked and straightened her shoulders. "My answer's no."

"Because I won't tell you personal information that has nothing to do with my ability to do the job?"

"Snow can train you."

The boy's lips thinned. "I can't go to him, ma'am. You're the only one who can train me."

One of Lightning's thin eyebrows rose. "Why's that?"

"Because Agent Snow is an asshole, ma'am. If he spent less time fluffing his own ego and more time actually training his recruits there'd be more agents and fewer children running around the office."

Lightning couldn't help it she smiled. "Fine."

"You'll train me?"

"Yes, I'll train you…" She looked down at the name on the file: Lieutenant Hope Estheim. Her head snapped up. "Hope!?"

A slow, saucy smile spread across his face, making her insides twist. "Agent Lightning."

"Little Hope who used to live next door and follow me around, Hope Estheim?"

"Not so little anymore. I have to go tell the Captain that you've taken me on and move into my new post. Shall I report in first thing tomorrow morning?"

Lightning nodded numbly, and then he turned crisply and left. This could no way in hell be the little Hope who she hadn't seen in over ten years. The little Hope who had fallen asleep countless times in her bed after the death of his mother. The little Hope who she had drunkenly made out with the night before she left for the Military Academy.

Now he was her agent-in-training.

And she was incredibly attracted to him.

Lightning put her head in her hands and whispered, "Fuck."