Terror
…
"So I didn't disappear after all, hi!"
This is a semi-sequel to Long Time, see it as a series of one-shots in no particular order.
The first chapter came from a whim basically, and is like Long Time very text heavy in the beginning, albeit shorter than Long Time.
It deals with the terror of in-laws.
Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Final Fantasy 13 or the Lightning Saga in any way, shape or form.
…
Every action had a consequence. Push something and it will fall over, possibly knocking over something else and creating a chain reaction. Hope Estheim knew that very well, he had based his whole career around that very concept. But more than a thousand years as a scientist and man of logic and reason could've never prepared him for his re-reunion with Serah Farron Villiers, now as her brother-in-law.
He and Lightning had slipped away from the Villiers' wedding shortly after their own little ceremony and had went on their own honeymoon. They had spent a little over a week together, getting to know each other again and making plans for the future. Those plans seem to be very far away now, Hope thought as he stared at his looming death.
Both he and Lightning had kept their cell phones turned off during their honeymoon since both of them knew their friends and family wouldn't stop at anything to reach them… Hope didn't think that was strange considering their sudden and scandalous elopement.
But they had to return to their lives at some point, and that meant facing their families and friends with the news. Hope could manage his mother and father, especially his father since the old man almost had walked in on them minutes before the ceremony. Hope was thankful that Bartholomew Estheim had chosen to respect his son's wishes and had left without alerting Nora. He did feel guilt over not inviting them, but Lightning had wanted to keep the ceremony to a minimum, and he would honour that wish. Hope was however certain that his parents would come to like their daughter-in-law, there was no doubt about that.
He wasn't worried about Lightning's parents either, despite not knowing them. He was sure they'd warm up to the idea at some point after he proved himself to them. Their friends were surprised, but he doubted anyone was really against the idea of him and Lightning marrying. It would just be something they'd have to get used to. He was sure even Snow would accept the idea at some point.
The one person who would take some effort to convince was none other than Lightning's little sister, Serah. The young woman had a glare which could match her sister's any day, a glare which she didn't even have the curtesy to give him.
Lightning had shown him her cell phone the day they returned home. She had a few hundred missed calls and unread messages, 169 of which came from Serah.
The two Estheims had decided to visit the Villiers directly instead of getting an earful on the phone. Hope regretted that decision now as he sat in the Villiers Livingroom. The newlywed couple had small but functional apartment in a small county town, close to where Serah was studying. It had one bedroom for the residents, a well-organized kitchen, a big Livingroom with a balcony, bathroom with all the necessities and finally a guestroom which Hope guessed would become the room of the first Villiers offspring if the couple decided to remain in the apartment when they decided to multiply their numbers.
Hope and Lightning were sitting next to each other on a small sofa, facing Serah and Snow opposite to them on a much larger sofa. Hope would've relished feeling Lightning's thighs pressed against his any other day, but right then and there: he wanted to be anywhere else.
Snow wore a worried expression, awkwardly scratching his head and looking between his in-laws and his wife.
Serah had a big frown on her face and had crossed her arms over her chest. Hope gulped as the young woman impatiently tapped a foot against the wooden floor, the soft sound seemed to echo against the walls in the deathly quiet room. She had refused to speak to either him or Lightning since they had arrived and had simply instructed them to sit down.
It had now gone more than an hour since the Estheims arrived… the suspense was killing Hope and he wasn't afraid to admit that he was terrified.
He glanced at his wife, who nonchalantly sipped her third cup of tea. It was almost empty again, and Hope could see that Snow looked at his sister-in-law apprehensively, almost like he looked forward to slip away back to the kitchen to get some more hot water and biscuits. You don't know how much I envy you, 'little bro', Hope thoughts.
The silence was broken when Lightning finished her cup of tea and cleared her throat. "How about we deal with this like adults instead of stubborn children.
Serah glared at her sister. "That's rich coming from the one who eloped from her own sister's wedding."
Hope held his breath as Lightning calmly placed the teacup on its plate. "It was our decision to do so." She nodded towards Hope. "We're both adults after all."
Serah slammed her hands into the sofa. Hope almost chuckled when Snow jumped in his seat. Almost.
"But you didn't invite us! Your family!" And that was the crux of the issue. Serah was angry she hadn't been invited to their wedding ceremony. "And to top that off: you invited Fang, Vanille and Alyssa! But not me, your sister!"
To some it would've sounded like she was vain, but Hope understood that it meant the world for Serah. The betrayal hurt.
"We needed witnesses", Lightning calmly explained. "Fang was my witness, Vanille was supposed to be Hope's, but she was…" Lightning sighed. "Too hung-over, so we asked Alyssa instead. It wasn't personal, Serah. It would've been unfair to invite you and not Nora. It would've been unfair to invite Nora instead of mom, and so on. We wanted a small and simple ceremony, something to be our moment."
That caused Snow to snicker. "Your moment? Like when the two of you had a make out session and couldn't get to a room quick enough? In front of everyone?" Snow smirked at Hope. "Really, Hope? Stealing the maid of honour on the dancefloor? And then running away the following morning? That's bad manners if I've ever seen 'em."
Hope almost blushed and he could see the faintest traces of red on Lightning's cheeks.
"And then you spent nine days in Venice of all places", Serah continued. "A successful model and one of the most accomplished businessmen in the world. The media loved that one, didn't it?"
Hope hadn't thought about it that way, but she did have a point. It was the kind of clichéd story the paparazzi loved, and someone had managed to take a number of photographs of him and Lightning during their honeymoon in Venice. There were pictures of them eating at restaurants, seeing the sights, traveling by boat in the canals and even when they were in a hurry to get back to their hotel suite. He was at least glad no one had managed to get into their room when they were… preoccupied. That would've been embarrassing.
"Like I said", Lightning began. "We're both adults who can make our own decisions. The media will stop making an issue of it as soon as they get someone else's private affairs to bother." She looked at Serah with a kind smile, the same smile Hope would traverse time and space to see. "Are you worried about me?"
"Of course I am!" Serah exclaimed. "This is just so unlike you; I was taken by surprise when I heard you had run away with Hope. I just can't figure out what'll happen now."
"Serah", Hope said. It was time for him to enter the conversation. "I promise I'll make your sister happy. That is all I ever wanted."
Serah chuckled at that. "Oh, I know you will. You waited for her for a millennium. I know you're dedicated to her alright."
The atmosphere had calmed down, at least a bit. Hope sighed in relief and leaned back in the sofa. "Is there any way we can make it up for you?"
Snow smirked at that. "Well, you kinda ruined our honeymoon. How about you put in some money for a second one?"
Lightning snorted at that. "And you talk about bad manners, Snow. We didn't ruin anything."
"But we did rock the boat a bit", Hope said. He thought Snow was a bit cheeky to ask for something like that, especially since his company had payed for the Villiers wedding and the first honeymoon. But he knew of a way to compromise.
"Sis", he said and smiled when Serah and Snow stared at him in surprise. "Bro. How about this instead? Name a country or city you want to visit. I'll provide you with a private jet, and a week in a company apartment. How does that sound."
Serah and Snow looked at each other for a split second before turning back to Hope. "That sounds pretty good, we accept", Snow said.
Hope silently cheered. Halfway there! The right bribe will get you far!
Serah looked at Hope apologetically. "You don't have to do that; Snow was just being Snow."
Lightning moved her lips to say something but Hope was quicker. "I know, but we did make you worry. It's no trouble, really, please accept it."
"You know you're too nice sometimes", Lightning muttered beside him.
Serah let out a sigh in defeat. "Fine. On the condition that the four of us spend our next vacation together."
"Sounds good", Hope said before he realized what he had just agreed on. Spending a vacation of my precious time with Light… together with Snow!
Lightning was shaking her head in bemused disappointment. "Oh boy, this'll be interesting."
Hope reacted without thinking and grabbed her hand, intervened their fingers while desperately trying to form a plan. He decided to return to the main topic, the one they had visited the Villiers' for in the first place. He held up their hands for Serah to see.
"Do we have your blessing?" Hope asked Serah.
Serah looked at their joined fingers, Hope's honest face and finally Lightning's humoured smile. She actually giggled a little. "I guess I have no choice." She looked Hope in the eyes. "Welcome to the family, Hope."
…
And it's done for now.
I hope you enjoyed it.
In loving memory of my brother Michael, may your name be redeemed in time.
