DISCLAIMER: I do not own the FFXIII series or any of the characters.

Set after the events of Lightning Returns, when everyone is already at the new world. Wrote this for a friend of mine over at Tumblr and decided to post it here and on Arquive of Our Own (link in my profile).

This is fluffy despite the lover's quarrel so...

Happy reading!

"I hate you."

"So you've said. Countless times."

"'It'll be fun', you said. 'Just the two of us in a cozy little shack', you said. Instead, I'm freezing my ass off somewhere I don't even know where it is in the middle of a blizzard. The only part you got right was that this was indeed a shack!"

Wincing slightly as a pillow made contact with the side of his head, Hope chose to remain silent to ward off further complaints and because he knew that Noel was… partially right.

… Okay, absolutely right, Hope thought as a strong gust of cold wind shook their windows. He could feel Noel's glare intensifying and burning into the side of his face as the brunet reached to grab his pillow back and settled once more within his little blanket cocoon, situated in the farthest corner of the bed they were sitting on. "And you know what? That wasn't even the best part." Noel spat, fully intent on continuing his little rant.

Hope wondered if it was what kept him warm.

"The best part has got to be the fact that someone forgot to go get some wood into the shack so we could lit the fireplace before we locked everything up and the blizzard fully hit. I wonder who it was. Do you know who it was, by any chance? Hope?"

"Me…"

"Exactly!"

"Noel, I've said I was sorry." Hope sighed, face burning in embarrassment. He really did not think it through; he just wanted them both out of the storm and it fled his mind. "And I'm saying it again, but you must know that no matter how many times I say it, it won't change the fact that we're trapped here until the weather gets better. There's nothing we can do but wait now."

Enduring another scathing glare, Hope watched as Noel's face melted from anger into frustration until he just released a resigned huff. "Know what, fine. I guess it's best if we just sleep it off, anyway. It's late."

Hope simply showed his agreement with a nod and reached to blow out their candle, effectively cutting off the only light source of the room. "Can you spare a blanket at least, please?" Unable to see, the director got a face full of said item when it was thrown at him before he allowed himself a small slice of revenge as he kicked Noel in what he guessed was his knee.

It probably had done no more than tickle the brunet with all the cloth protecting him but it was the intent behind it that mattered and it helped his growing frustration… So it was worth it.

After that, it wasn't long before the two were lying side by side, back to back. As time passed, Hope knew that the howling of the wind would be bearable during the night - he had fallen asleep in worse conditions before, like being chased by PSICOM soldiers when he was fourteen - but it was clear that he would not be getting a wink of sleep with how cold as he was. Still, he remained silent despite his shivering, not wanting to bother Noel any further or risk waking the man up, in case he was already asleep.

Hope held back a small, disappointed sigh. It wasn't often that he did this; leaving the office, his research and all that came with it to just have time for himself. Just to have fun. Only this time, he felt he deserved it, if only a little. For hundred of years, he and his friends never stopped fighting for a better world and now, on a new and finally peaceful one after the chaos infection had been beaten back, if there was anything that he deserved was a little rest. He had just wanted some peace, quiet hot chocolate and gentle words whispered in front of the lit fireplace.

Instead, he was cold, Noel was mad at him and the weather seemed to be laughing at him.

Pulling the blanket closer, Hope just did his best to shut down his thoughts and control the shivers before he closed his eyes, hoping his exhaustion would claim him before morning came. Though, and before it could happen, he startled, suddenly feeling an added weight on top of his body. "What—?"

An arm pulled him back, remaining secure around his waist. "Just, c'mere."

"Noel, what…?" Hope was only mildly surprised by the gesture but either way he would not complain, as he turned and moved towards the heat source. Unsurprisingly, Noel was warm and comfortable against him as he buried his nose in his neck, wanting to get as much warmth as he could. "… I thought you were mad at me."

"… Not mad. Annoyed." There was a pause before Noel rested his cheek on top of Hope's head. The silver haired man tried his best to hide his knowing smile after that: the brunet could act tough all he wanted but he was incapable of being mad for long because of petty reasons. "Though, definitely not annoyed enough to let you freeze. If you were cold, you should have said so."

"I thought you may have fallen asleep already. I also didn't want to further aggravate your mood…"

"Twit…"

They fell silent after and only when the warmth and the lulling beat of Noel's heart were close to making Hope fall asleep, did Noel speak again. "I got to admit…" He murmured low by his ear. "This is not so bad, after all. It's cozy."

That got Hope to smile. It wasn't a waste, then. "I'm glad."

"You're still owing me that chocolate hot drink thing, tho."

It was with a tremendous effort that Hope did not crack right there and bruised Noel's ego again.

"Oh Noel…"