Chapter 1
"It is over, I am so sorry Hope. It was fun for the time being but now it's time to get back to a normal life." Snow said as he turned around and walked away from a grief-stricken silver-haired boy with green eyes filled with tears. Hope, Snow, Lightning, Sazh, Fang, and Vanille have just completed their journey to save Cocoon. The end result-Fang and Vanille sacrificed themselves to save Cocoon. Lightning and Snow were able to reunite with Serah and Sazh was able to reunite with his son. Even Hope reunited with his father. However, during their journey, Hope and Snow had started to develop feelings for each other. Hope admired Snow's bravery and determination to protect everyone and everything that was close to him. Snow admired Hope for still pushing on and handling anything that was thrown at him. Hope had just turned 14 not even a month ago and he had to learn to grow up fast. It started in Palapolum when Hope attempted to get revenge on Snow for his mother's death. In that moment, Hope realized his feelings for Snow and couldn't carry out his plan. Snow also noticed his feelings for Hope and his desire to have Hope quickly grew. After that, the two would steal glances at one another trying to stay unnoticed by each other. Snow knew he shouldn't be thinking lewd thoughts about a young teenager at the age of 21. However, he couldn't help the way he felt and Hope had to grow up fast to survive. Then, the final night that the crew rested in Hope's place in Palapolum was when it all began. Hope had went into Snow's room to talk during the night. At least, that was what he told himself. But really, he was very glad that night when he was writhing and moaning beneath Snow who was driving him crazy with his rough thrusts and love bites. Ever since that night, Hope and Snow's moments together would normally begin with Hope acting shy trying to start up conversation and in with Snow on top of him making endless love to him.
Hope should have known that once they saved Cocoon and got Serah back, he was going to be nonexistent to Snow. Still, he held out hope that Snow and he would actually stay together. 2 days after the fall, Snow told Hope that it was over. He needed to be there for Serah and the fun times was over. Hope felt like crawling up in a corner and die. Instead, he just went along his day burying his despair deep inside him. The thing he had learned easily in his l'cie days. Snow was the first person to have him, the first one he ever said those three little words to, and the first one to break his pure heart. A month has passed and the two haven't seen each other since. Hope, his father, Bartholew, Sazh, and his son Dajh all lived in the same roof. It was cheaper and Dajh and Hope kept each other company while their fathers worked. It was harder to work and provide, but it was manageable. Hope still kept contact with Lightning, who had her own place. 2 months had passed when Hope and Dajh went to Lightning's place to visit her. "So, Hope. How are you holding up?" Lightning asked. With no use for her guardian corps uniform, she wore regular clothes such as sweatpants and t-shirts. Her hair was always in a bun now and her smile was forever plastered on her face. "Good, very good. Dajh and I are basically brothers now and my relationship with my father is actually getting better." Hope explained. "Yeah, Hope is so good at math!" Dajh said with a laugh as he played with his little Chocolina. Lightning just laughed while Hope shook his head. "Oh, Hope." Lightning said as she took out an envelope from her pocket and handed it to Hope. "Snow asked me to give this to you." Hope took the envelope and opened it. The envelope contained pictures of Serah and Snow together and in fanyc letters a card read: You have been cordially invited to attend the wedding of Serah and Snow on September 4th, 2011. Hope to see you there! Hope quickly put the message back in the envelope and faked a smile on his face. Lightning returned the smile. "You know, at first it was completely out of the question to give them by blessing but I say Snow has really proven himself, don't you?" Lightning asked. Hope simply smiled nodded. The rest of the time was spend with the three watching TV. Hope tried to bury the hurt but it seemed to come up stronger. It wasn't until he was back at home allowed in his room that he allowed his knees to give up from under him and for the hot tears to run down his face. He tried to stop them, he tried to get up but it hurt too much. All the strength seemed to have left his body while he remained on his knees silently crying to himself. Hope heard his bedroom door open and he tried to quickly to get a hold of himself but to no avail. "Hope?" Bartholew said as he ran towards his son crying on the floor. "What's wrong?" He helped his son off the ground and onto the bed. The rim of Hope's eyes had turned dark red and his cheeks were puffed. Bartholew could tell that Hope had been crying for a long time. Hope, unable to speak from the never-ending tears, just reached in his pocket and took out the envelope with shaking hands. Bartholew gently took the letter and read it. "Hope, why-" Bartholew was about to ask his son why would Snow's wedding make him upset, but Hope quickly straightened up long enough to tell his father everything that Snow and he had been through. Bartholew just listened, he didn't cringe nor look disgusted, and he just listened to his son talk for hours about his first love.
Snow had just got off from a long day at work. He dropped his briefcase in his room and loosened his tie. He dropped himself on the bed and laid down on his back. He had finally given Serah the ok for their marriage. It seemed like he had made the right choice to stay with Serah. He wanted to keep his promise to Serah, but his mind kept wandering back to a young silver-haired boy with beautiful, porcelain skin, and beautiful green eyes. He had been angry with himself ever since the day he broke poor Hope's heart. He really did live the boy and there wasn't a day that went by where he didn't think of his young ex-lover. Serah wasn't home right now, she was still at her teaching job. Snow was grateful because for a while he has felt suffocated by Serah. Yeah, he did still love her very much but that love had changed when she went into crystal stasis. Still, he wanted to keep his promise to her but he was questioning his own happiness. He hasn't seen Hope since that day and he felt like a big jerk for sending him that wedding invite. He only did it because Serah wanted him to invite all the former l'cie. It was easier to just not to associate with Hope, it would bring back old feelings and memories, and something he didn't want nor need if he wanted to continue left with Serah. There was a knock on the front door and Hope got up slowly to open it. He knew it wasn't Serah because she has a key, so who could it be? As soon as Snow opened the door, he was met with a punch to the face, punch to the stomach, and a kick to the groin. Snow fell down to the floor in agony. He slowly looked up through his blurry vision and saw Bartholew standing there looking furious. Snow felt blood drip from his noise and his top lip was aching painfully. "You, bastard! How could you!?" Bartholew yelled as he kneeled down to Snow's level and grabbed him by his collar. He was breathing hard and his teeth were clinched tightly. "You are so lucky my son loves you so much otherwise I would kill you!" He yelled through his anger. "I understand if you had to stay with Serah, but did you really have to brag about it by sending him that wedding invite! That was really a slap to the face!" Bartholew then punched Snow again this time giving him a nice shiner on his right eye. "Why, what possessed you to torture a boy's innocence like that. He really fell for you hard, Snow and you just took his love like it was nothing and threw it away! You will pay dearly for this!" Bartholew was about to beat the nearly unconscious Snow again but someone grabbed his fist. Bartholew looked up to see Sazh holding onto him. "Bartholew, please calm down. I understand the situation but this is not the way to handle it." Sazh said. "Sazh, how did you know I was here?" He asked. "Hope sent me to come and get you. He had an inkling you was here. Actually, I knew something was up between these two but I didn't think it was this serious." Sazh said as he shook his head. "Bartholew, please stop for Hope's sake. He is absolutely worried for Snow's life." Sazh said. Bartholew reluctantly let go of Snow who was trying his best to stay conscious. Sazh helped Snow to sit on a nearby couch. He collapsed on his back and Sazh got him a cold cloth so he could clean himself up. "If you understand the situation, why are helping him?" Bartholew asked the anger never leaving her voice. "I believe Snow really does care for Hope. However, due to the circumstances, Snow found it easier to stay with Serah." Sazh explained. "Also, I know that if you kill Snow, Hope would never forgive you." He added. Bartholew grumbled but closed the door and just stood by a nearby wall and turned away. He would cease all action for now for his son's sake but that was the sole reason. He took all his strength and then some to leave Snow alone. Sazh cleaned help to clean Snow's wounds. He wrapped his nose that was broken and put an ice pack over his right eye. He then sighed as he turned to leave. "My work here is done. Now, the rest is up to you." He turned to the two with a smile as he turned to leave.
Once Snow got cleaned up, he finally found his voice. "I know I deserved it. I knew it was coming eventually." Snow said as he sat himself up. His right eye had turned black, his nose was broken, and his ribs were on fire. Still, he was fine and he would gladly take more if it meant for Hope to feel better. Bartholew just stayed silent and glared at Snow. "Mr. Estheim, I know I am a jerk and I know what I did was wrong. However, I have to be honest. I regret breaking his heart and choosing Serah. However, I do not regret what he and I had. I do not regret our relationship and I still love your son until this day." Snow said as he smiled through his aching face. Bartholew looked at him with flames of fury burning in his eyes. "You still want my son? You think I am going to allow that!?" He yelled at Snow. He charged at him and raised up his fist, but didn't hit him. He just turned away in disgust. "You hurt him deeply. You toyed with a little boy and broke his spirit. You should have seen the way he broke down when he got that invite. He couldn't even talk straight. He even went into detail about ya'll sex life! How special you made him feel and just left him! And every day that goes by he doesn't see you it is like a stab in his heart all over again!" Bartholew ranted at Snow who just stayed silent and listened. "There is nothing I can say to make what happened right again. However, I will accept any punishment you throw at me." Snow said his voice barely above a whisper. Bartholew scoffed as he walked towards the door. "As much as I want to beat you to a pulp, it is not my decision to decide your punishment. That is Hope's job." Bartholew grumbled as he opened the door only to find a short, pink-haired female standing in the doorway with tears welling in her eyes. He gently walked past her and went on his way.
Serah walked in the house and slowly closed the door behind her. Snow only had to study his fiancé for a while to notice that she had hear nearly everything. Serah put her briefcase down and took off her white, sleeveless jacket. She took off her stockings and her shoes. She only had on her white shirt and pink skirt. She then sat down next to Snow who just looked away. "Snow," Serah's voice broke a little but the tears welling in her eyes were wiped away before they could fall. "All this time, you have been in love with Hope." She said with a chuckle. "I guess a part of me always knew." She said as she stood up. She walked over to the wall that had a photo of all them together the first day Cocoon fell. Lightning was in the middle, with Sazh and Dajh on the right of her. On the left side of Lightning was Hope, Snow, and Serah. Serah was next to Lightning, followed by Snow and then Hope. Lightning has her arm around Serah while Snow had one arm wrapped around Snow. Hope had his head leaning on Snow's chest while smiling towards the camera that his father was holding. Serah smiled as she touched the photo and sighed. "When I came out of crystal, I knew something had changed between us. You didn't smile at me like you used to and not once have you tried to touch me since our new life started. You even didn't seem excited about the marriage." Serah then turned to Snow with a sad smile. "I am not even mad not hurt, Snow. I was practically dead to you and I am not going to make you feel bad for continuing your life without me." She explained. "I am a big girl and I have been hurt before. I also accepted a long time ago that I had become dead to you the moment I turned to crystal." She walked over to Snow and placed a quick kiss on his rough cheek. She pulled him close to her. Snow wrapped her arms around him. "I have to make this right." He whispered as a tear rolled down his face. Serah wiped the tear and smiled. "And you will. I know you will. You are a very good person and you know what's right." She said. Snow's tear continued to fall as he nodded his head. "I have been such an idiot." His voice broke as the tears continued to fall. "It is ok, you did it for my sake. But now, you have to make yourself happy." Serah patted him on the back and went into the back to their room. Snow heard her rustling in the bedroom and he knew she was leaving. Serah came back out with a pink hat, pink jacket and two bags packed. "I am going to stay with my sister for now. Take care, Snow." Serah said as she took of her engagement necklace and placed in Snow's hand. With that, she was gone. He took of his necklace as well and went outside. He went towards a nearby pond and kneeled down. He looked up to the evening sky and closed his eyes. He inhaled and exhaled real slowly. He thought about what transpired and how he was going to make everything right. For right now, he would let Hope decide. If he had to be alone for the rest of his life, he would gladly accept that punishment. He placed the 2 necklaces in the pond and watched as they sink down into the deep water.
When Serah reached her sister's place, Sazh opened the door and welcomed her in. She saw Lightning who embraced her and led her into the kitchen. Serah smiled at Sazh and thanked him for his help. "It was nothing. When I left your place, I was one my way over here anyway. I knew I had to get to Lightning before you did." He said with a smile. Serah was grateful that Sazh was the peacemaker. He had stopped Bartholew from killing Snow and had explained the situation to Lightning. Lightning was surprised and was in disbelief. However, she understood it from Hope's point of view and wouldn't kill Snow for Hope's sake. "Serah, are you really ok? You know you don't have to put up a front with me." Her sister told her as she studied her eyes. Serah just smiled and said "Lightning, I knew something was up. I actually feel relieved that he was honest with me and with himself." Serah explained as she got up and stretched. "My sister is so resilient." Lightning said to Sazh who just chuckled. Suddenly, Dajh came out of the shadows and gave Serah a big hug. Sazh then gave Serah 800 Gil and told her to take Dajh out to dinner so they can catch up. Serah happily took the Gil and headed out the door, chatting with Dajh. "Well, Serah seems to be doing well, but I know Hope isn't." Lightning said with a frown as she sighed. "Yeah, when I called Bartholew a while ago, he said that when he got home, Hope had isolated himself in the attic and was listening to sad, opera songs. When he told Hope what had happened and that he will leave the rest up to him, Hope just shook his head and said he was just going to move on and leave Snow alone." Sazh explained as he shook his head. "But, he will never be happy like that." Lightning said and Sazh nodded. "I was wondering why those two just stopped talking suddenly. But, avoiding the problem isn't going to make it go away. As long as Serah is happy, I am happy. But Hope needs to be happy also and even that idiot deserves to be happy." Lightning said with a sigh. Sazh grinned and started chuckling to himself. Lightning smirked at him. "I know that look." Lightning said as she looked at him. "What is your plan?" Sazh neared her and was whispering in her ear. Lightning nodded her head as confirmation that she liked his plan.