A gift for H-thar, because she's leaving soon and I don't want her to. Why must you work? Why must you travel and work? But I love you and I'll miss you, so here is a story for you to enjoy, I hope. And anyone else who clicks on it, of course.

Set in-game, no pairings. Thank you and enjoy.

Under the thick, almost glowing leaves of the Gapra Whitewood, Lightning found it easy to forget the bloodbath that was set behind her and Hope. The lapse of memory would last for only seconds, but looking at the large and expansive leaves was somehow calming, despite the the soldiers that seemed to lurk behind every corner.

Yet she and Hope made another turn and more oncoming hostiles rushed at them. She shot and slashed and Hope threw fireballs at the men and women who charged at them. Every now and again she would feel the heat and hear the sizzle of one such fireball, but it always hit its target. Hope had saved her several times already, leaving smoldering bodies at her feet.

She blinked when she felt his hand on her elbow, but a soothing, cool wave of relief filled her arm, tingling down her muscles. She tilted her head and spotted a cut stretching across her arm, and she glanced down at one the dead soldiers. "He got you when you were getting the guy behind him," Hope explained, smiling at the healed skin. "I'll try to be faster next time though, don't worry."

She nodded her thanks, rolling her shoulders. "We've still got quite a bit of ground to cover, but it'll be getting dark soon. We'll go a little further ahead, then make camp for the night."

He grinned and nodded, sticking close to her. "Of course, Light." Lightning swallowed at how bright his green eyes were, resisting the urge to ruffle his silver hair. Hope looked down at the bodies before him, biting his lip.

Unease clenched Lightning's heart, but Hope spoke before she could ask what was wrong. "You think we should salvage some of their gear? I think we're starting to run low on food and things." Hope felt his pockets and bag, narrowing his eyes. "I'd feel better if they had some medical tape on them too, just in case."

He looked up at her expectantly and she nodded, trying to wipe her face clean of any emotion. Hope knelt down, waving some of the smoke away from the body, but Lightning grabbed his wrist. "I'll do this, Hope. Think of it as thanks for helping me back there."

"I'd always help you, Light." But he backed off, standing and walking a few feet away. He studied the leaves that loomed over them, humming to himself as Lightning began to search the bodies. While she pulled bits of food, ammo, and whatever medical supplies she came across, a chill set inside her chest and stomach. She glanced at Hope every now and again, mouth growing drier while she went over the day's events.

Together they had seen through every battle. Any bullet that whizzed by Hope's head had been met with a quick shot to the head, and the same was true for her if a solider got to close. Hope defended her with a vehemence that was commendable and more than a little frightening. This fourteen-year-old boy, desperate for someone to lean on after the tragedies and trauma of losing a mother and becoming l'Cie, relied on Lightning for that support.

And where am I leading him? she mused, glaring as she stood from the last body. To Eden on a suicide mission. To more violence. He's doing so well now, keeping up with me, fighting beside me.

He doesn't even flinch anymore.

The truth made her stomach bottom out and she closed her eyes at an oncoming wave of nausea. Hope paused and tilted his head, biting his lip when he saw Lightning close her eyes and sway.

"Are you all right?" She heard his hurried footsteps, but didn't open her eyes when he stopped in front of her. Her insides twisted into knots, clenching and throbbing at her realization. Hope grabbed her hand and sent more soothing spells into her body, but her relaxing muscles did nothing to stop her reeling thoughts.

"Maybe we should set up camp sooner?" There was a quiver in his voice and Lightning's eyes snapped open. She reached for his hand and squeezed it, shaking her head.

"No, I'm all right. Just needed a second."

Hope glanced down at the ground, back at her, then the ground again. His fingers twitched at her arm and he sent one more spell at her, a large and calming surge of energy seeping into her bones before he nodded and pulled away.

Lightning took point and began leading the trek, but her eyes watched Hope more than the road in front of her. She noted his tired and lined eyes and face, but whenever he caught her staring he smiled easily. He kept up with her brutal pace, and even glanced at her when she began even the walking out. While he was no longer at the top of his game due to hours of trudging and fighting, he showed no hints of slowing down.

As the next battle came and ended with a swift gunshot and fireball, the tightening of her stomach spread all the way down to her toes. Hope had fired without blinking, and as the man dropped dead, he asked, "Do you think here would be a good place to set up camp?"

Lightning's slow answer made his brow furrow. "Yes...yes, this will be fine." She swallowed, sighing while he trotted to the base of a nearby tree and started gathering leaves for makeshift beds. Lightning looked down at the corpses, her eyes darkening.

"Hope," Lightning said, voice tight. "Are you all right?"

Hope stopped, blinking when he met her eyes. He nodded, tilting his head again. "Um, yeah. Why?" Moving one of the bigger leaves into the longer bed, he rolled onto his own leafy mattress and stretched out his arms.

"Just don't want to overwork you."

Hope tensed and sat up so quickly that Lightning heard several bones crack. "No! No, don't worry. I can keep going, I promise. I won't get in the way." He shook his head, wringing his hands. "I promise I'll do better, if that's what this is about."

Lightning narrowed her eyes. "No, Hope, that's not what I meant. I'm worried about-about-" She waved her hands but her mind went blank. The words wouldn't come. Her heart pounded, jumping to her throat when Hope shrugged and laid back down. A headache began throbbing in her temple, and she closed her eyes as she walked to her bed.

"Let me know what it is when you think of it," Hope said when she sat. His back was to her, and she saw how stiff he was. "I'll fix it. I won't get in your way. Not again."

Lightning pinched the bridge of her nose. Ice formed on her ribs and she glared at the leaves above her. This time they could do nothing to erase her thoughts, so she watched the light above dim and cast them both into darkness. She listened to the night: chirping insects above and below her, and the faint rustling of leaves. A snapped twig made her eyes swivel around and a hand was always on the handle of her blade.

When Hope shifted beside her, she snapped her eyes shut. The air whooshed as Hope sat up, and Lightning cracked her eyes open when Hope stood and brushed the dirt off his clothes. Her heart skipped when he clutched his stomach and doubled over, body shuddering. Hope swayed slightly and started toward a couple of bushes, avoiding the bodies of the battle before as he fell to his knees.

Lightning opened her eyes further to get a better look of Hope, clenching her hands when she heard him retch before there was a soft sploosh. He coughed and gagged, the noises wet and loud in the silence of night. By the time he rose and came back, Lightning turned her eyes back to slits and took in his pale skin and shaking figure. Hope let himself fall back into the bed, curling around himself as he muttered, "I hate how it smells."

Something in Lightning's chest loosened, and her body relaxed in a way no healing spell could ever make her. Waiting until Hope's breathing evened out, she sat up and watched him sleep for a few moments. His face strained even as he slept and he'd broken into a sweat. She ran her fingers through his hair, ruffling the locks before staring into the forest and waiting for morning.

"Wait, so we're being sneaky now?"

Lightning nodded, smirking at Hope's wide eyes. "Yes, Hope, we're going to be sneaky today."

"It's not because of something I did, is it?" The waver in his voice made Lightning's body tighten, but she shook her head.

"No, Hope. I can assure you for the hundredth time, it is not something that you did." Lightning lowered her voice, shoulders sagging. "It's more like something I did." She ignored his squeak of surprise, grabbing him by the arm and turning him to face her. "So we're going skirt past these guys instead of just charging in. We don't want to tire ourselves out before we even get to Eden, now do we?"

Hope shook his head, face paling. "No! No, we want to be ready."

"Exactly what I was thinking." Lightning pointed within the forest, and Hope stared at the dense patches of trees. "Inside the brush is our best option. We'll be able to weave through the branches rather easily, and by cutting through, we should make it to our destination much sooner. We'll face more beasts this way, but we'll be able to avoid alerting the soldiers stationed around here."

Hope nodded through her explanation, eyes darting from tree to tree. He jumped when Lightning started for the forest, and he quickly pressed himself close to her.

"This is actually perfect for you," Lightning muttered when they started through the trees. Branches poked and scratched at her, and the leaves brushed at her ankles. "You'll be able to get through this no problem, but the soldiers are carrying too much, and their armor is too bulky. Even if we're spotted, you'll be able to get away."

"But I won't." Lightning paused at his words, glancing at his burning eyes. "I won't leave you."

She stared at him for several long minutes, and Hope squirmed under her gaze. He opened and closed his mouth, no sound escaping him, but Lightning took a deep breath.

"And I won't leave you."

Hope's jaw dropped but Lightning turned away before he could glance at her and her reddening cheeks. She shut her eyes when he sniffled, squashing the flood of warmth and guilt that filled her chest. Hope touched the back of her elbow and whispered to her, "Thank you, Light. For everything."

Another burst of warmth hit her and she looked away, biting her lip.

"For what?" she mumbled, pushing ahead, "I'm just telling it how it is."