*sighs* feels good to finally get this chapter out, even if it's just a sort of prequel (hence the chapter name, lol) I'm just glad I was able to get past block I had there for a few days I couldn't get anything out, but I feel I've finally got the creativeness flowing again. This chapter is set just after the battle against Alexander, but the next chapter will be set directly post-fall and will sort of set up how this FanFic will be in terms of "what the population will do on Pulse?" so here goes…

Chapter One: Sort Of A Prequel

Hope stood up stretching, he turned to Snow and said, "I'm going for a walk".
Snow gave a sleepy nod of acknowledgement. Hope turned and left him and the others by the campfire as he strode into the cool night air. He walked for a while enjoying the calming fresh air until he came to the edge of the cliff near witch they were camped, the cliff overlooked the valley of the Archylte Steepe and in the distance he gazed upon his floating home of Cocoon. He looked down at his L'Cie brand on his arm and sighed. Was it wrong for him to be glad he had it, not for the fate that followed its appearance but because of what it had brought him. For most people the symbol meant being doomed as a L'Cie but to him he had been given the opportunity to meet Light and the rest of his friends and despite the situation they were in, he enjoyed traveling with them and being together, like a family. I hope that once this is all over we'll still be able to be together, and Dad and Serah and Dajh as well.

As he thought he sat down on the grass and looked out over the cliff, he continued to think for another few minutes before he felt a soft hand rest lightly on his shoulder, the contact hadn't hurt at all but as he had thought he was completely alone he thought it was a monster at first and jumped out of his skin, yelping in surprise, his heat racing. He turned to see that it was Lightning who was kneeling before him, looking at him with a now apologetic expression, "sorry", she said, "I didn't mean to startle you".
Hope managed to relax his body and forced a shaky sentence, "I-it's ok I j-just didn't realize th-that you were there".
Lightning smiled warmly causing his heart to continue to race but for a different reason. "I just came to see if you were alright", she said quietly.
"Yeah I'm fine, just thinking", he said. Lightning sat down next to him and they looked out at Cocoon together.
"What about"? She asked.
Hope took a deep breath before answering, "Just hoping that if we make it through this whole L'Cie business-"
"when we make it through", Lightning corrected him.
"Right", Hope chuckled, "When we make it through this, we can still be friends all of us, and my dad and your sister and Sazh's boy, and Snow's NORA gang".
"I'm sure we'll still be friends once this is over", Lightning said, "There's no reason not to be".
"Yeah, I just hope you and me don't end up drifting apart because you're too busy with work and don't have time or something", Hope replied.
"Hope, you know I'd make time for you", she said.
Hope looked up at her expecting to see a reaction in her but there was none, she had said it as if it was natural. Did it mean something? No, I shouldn't assume, I'm just grasping at straws. None-the-less he smiled and said, "Thanks Light".
She gave a quiet sigh and adjusted her position, she was now fairly close to him and he was surprised she couldn't hear his heart beating as a few strands of her hair brushed against him, causing him to pick up the sweet scent of her hair.
He was there for all of a minute before he made a spur-of-the-moment decision. He sat up and turned to face her, "Light, I-I need to tell you something", he said seriously.
Lightning looked at him almost curiously before seeing his serious expression and turning to face him as well, "what is it Hope"? She asked.
"I… w-well… I-I-it's difficult to say", he answered meekly, ducking his head.
"It's ok Hope, whatever it is you can tell me", she said comfortingly.
"W-well, I want to say thanks for your help with Alexander", he said.
"It's ok Hope, I was glad to help you beat him", Lightning said smiling, she could tell he wasn't done though.
"I-I mean how you helped me to fight, to convince me that I was strong enough", he said, being more clear, "you're the only one that could have done that".
"Hope, I'm sure Snow or Sazh would have said the same thing, we can all see your strength", she reassured him.
But Hope shook his head, "no, I-I mean I was on the verge of giving up for your sake a-and you managed to convince me that I was strong enough to fight through this", he said, "t-to convince me that I wouldn't be a burden".
Lightning blinked with a surprised expression, "for me"?
Hope gulped and continued, "I-I want to help protect you, a-and not just because you said you'd look out for me too", his heart was beating out of his chest and he felt like he was going to pass out, "L-L-Light I-I… I love you", he almost yelled the last three words, and it seemed to have that effect. Lightning's eyes widened and her mouth hung open, she seemed to want to say something but was unable to. "I-I know that you don't feel the same way, and you can't return my feelings but… I-I just couldn't hold it in any longer, and it's not a normal crush… I-I've had a crush before but this feels completely different", he sighed and hung his head once again, "I hope you won't hate me for putting this on you".
Lightning gained some semblance of control because she said, "I… I couldn't hate you Hope".
Hope looked up in surprise, then smiled saying, "thanks. I-I won't do anything to pressure you or make you uncomfortable, I just felt too much like I was lying to you, I didn't want to hide it anymore".
He quieted for a moment feeling completely emotionally spent, the rush from finally confessing his feelings wearing off now leaving him shaky and a little tired. "I uh… I'll just go to bed", he said quietly and stood beginning to walk off, though he turned back only to glance at Lightning, again feeling a little guilty for putting this on her. He sighed and continued walking, he made his way back to where the rest of their group was camped. When he got there he found the others asleep, he found a soft patch of grass near the dwindling fire and lay down. He was glad he had finally gotten up the courage to tell Lightning how he felt but now felt guilty about it. Lightning had said that she didn't hate him for it but still, he had now changed their friendship. Awkward moments were probably going to be unavoidable now. His stomach churned in discomfort, awkward moments would be difficult for him but he could tolerate them, but he didn't want to force them on her just because he couldn't hold in his feelings. How the hell did I rationalize telling her before, I'm such an idiot. He sighed and curled himself up on his side. Calm down, maybe I can just act like it never happened, just because I told her doesn't mean I need to act any different, maybe she'll just do the same, I mean it's not like she would be troubled by this, maybe she'll still think of me as a friend. He relaxed the muscles he hadn't realized he had been clenching and took a deep calming breath. Yeah just don't ever bring it up again and try to avoid abnormally close situations. With his mind calm (well, calmer anyway) for now he began to drift to sleep.

Lightning's POV

If Lightning's mind was a city she would declare it a natural disaster zone, because the cyclone of Hope's confession was wreaking havoc through her thoughts. She had to try and sort through the questions that were suddenly appearing. Does he really feel that way? If so why? Did I do something to confuse him? Would that make me a horrible person? Does he think I'm a horrible person? Has anyone else noticed?... Lightning griped her head in her hands, "enough", she growled and took a deep breath and held it for a moment before releasing, her muscles relaxed and she adjusted her position to sitting cross-legged on the grass. Right, she thought, Hope just said he loved me, she cringed slightly, just thinking that felt foreign and impossible. She knew Hope wasn't the sort of person to say these sorts of things without meaning them so that ruled out the possibility of this being some stupid joke (engineered by Snow), which meant that what he had said was true, or at least he believed it to be true. He had said it wasn't a normal crush and she trusted his judgment with this, he was good at knowing how he felt, for his age anyway. There was also a certain fire in his eyes when he said those three words, something she had only seen when he had said he was after Snow, granted he had given up his desire for revenge later but she had always thought what she had seen was the love for his mother, if that were true than that only further confirmed his feelings for her. She sighed, I guess there's no denying that point. But why when he said it, when he finally forced out those three words, when she caught a glimpse of the fire that gave him strength in his eyes, why when he said he loved her… had she liked it. She had liked hearing him say he loved her, and that he wanted to protect her. Did this make her a bad person? Was she taking advantage of him for her own personal pleasure? And why did it even make her feel good for Hope to tell her that he loved her, she should feel bad for him, even if she felt the same way a romantic relationship between them would be extremely difficult, there was no way of telling who would approve or disapprove of such a relationship. Granted she wasn't one to let other people's opinions stop her from getting what she wanted, she still wouldn't want Hope to be ridiculed for it, even if she felt the same way… Lightning's eyes snapped open, could she even consider that, was it possible… that the reason she liked hearing it… that the reason she liked him over everyone else in the group… that the reason she wanted to protect him… was because… could she… feel the same way…

Her body seemed to freeze, but it wasn't a tense freeze she just didn't seem to move or breath and she didn't feel the need to, as she pondered that strange and impossible, yet warm and appealing possibility… could she feel the same way about Hope? Her thoughts stayed on considering the possibility even after her body seemed to start moving again. it was strange, had she been asked yesterday if she liked Hope in that way she would have firmly denied it, maybe even give a warning hit if it had been Snow, but now for some reason it not only seemed plausible but even appealing to her. She sighed as she stood up, she must have been sitting there for at least an hour. She turned and headed back off to camp, she would have to sleep on this, maybe see if she felt any different in the morning. Either way one thing was for sure… Snow must not find out about this or she would never hear the end of it.

I hope you like this chapter that will kick this whole thing off, there will be a lot more Hope & Light moments once everything is set up so there will be lots of fluffiness later, I kind of have long term plans for this story but I'm open to any suggestions if there is anything someone would like to see happen just ask please review it might not seem like much but it helps motivate me to get these chapters out quicker.

I'm just going to put a disclaimer in my profile.