Title: Take Five
Fandom: Final Fantasy XIII-2
Subject: Hope Estheim, Noel Kreiss
Summary: Seeking normalcy in confined spaces. Because every protagonist needs a breather. NoeHopu drabble sets, both in romance and in friendship.
Additional Notes: Each set/chapter will contain five drabbles to agree with the idiom "take five." Unless otherwise stated, each drabble should be treated as a standalone piece. Ratings for each drabble will vary from K to T, and while you may find allusions to sexual situations in several drabbles, encounters of that nature will not be written explicitly.
i
Hope makes the mistake of taking Noel to one of his board meetings. Actually, it isn't much of a mistake at all, and things would otherwise have gone without complication had Hope's proposal not been brought up. Scientists begin to throw their arguments at each other, because putting their hopes in the levitation of a new Cocoon is without worth if the power source cannot be obtained in the current era.
That isn't the problem, though, because Hope has come to expect quarrels over outlandish proposals. Nor is the problem Noel's interference, really, because Hope's gotten used to Noel throwing himself into conflicts in order to stand up for him, even though half the time he doesn't really think it's necessary. Actually, the only problem is each man's diction. In particular, when Noel starts reprimanding the scientists for 'not putting hope in Hope's hopes for a hopeful future for Cocoon,' Hope can't stop himself from throwing a thesaurus at him.
Noel not knowing how to use a thesaurus, however, is a whole other problem in its own.
ii
The more Noel is acquainted with Hope, the more he struggles to come to terms with Serah's relationship to Snow. Because come on, Snow's a reckless bastard who throws himself into battle and tries to get himself killed because he thinks he's a hero and can do anything despite putting his engagement with Serah on hold and leaving her behind like the hero he is and Hope agrees and shares his dislike for Snow's way of doing things and why can't Serah see any of this?
Of course, neither man has the heart to sway Serah from her way of thinking, because both men know not to cross paths with Meanie Miss Farron. So Noel comes up with a plan to distract Serah with meaningless stuff so he and Hope can talk about just how much of an idiot Snow is without her hearing them.
(Hope doesn't agree with Noel's manipulation of Mog, but Noel bribes him with a few stolen kisses, and the argument is lost.)
iii
Hope notices Noel's hands are calloused and worn from hunting. He likes them, because they reflect the sacrifices Noel makes in order to see his objectives to their completion. But he also finds it ironic, because Noel is characteristically gentle and warm toward those important to him.
Hope's hands pale in comparison, and he points this out to Noel. Noel tells him he likes Hope's soft hands, because they reflect the purity in Hope's decisions and reasons for fighting. This concerns Hope, because he knows Noel's hands were once the same as his. He asks Noel if his hands will ever become like Noel's; he doesn't mean to say Noel is impure, yet at the same time he is playing off of Noel's explanation, because he fears one day self-interest will influence him in making incorrect choices.
Noel says no, Hope's hands will never callous, because Noel's battle-worn hands will always be there to protect his. Hope doesn't miss the underlying implication, so he places his hope in Noel, because a man's hope is his castle, and Noel is his.
iv
Alyssa takes Serah shopping, and the concept is lost with Noel.
Hope tries to explain it's a girl thing, but Noel counters Yeul was never one to take interest in 'shopping.' Hope then tries to explain that it's an Academia thing, but Noel is quick to ask Hope why he didn't tag along, and Hope finds himself admitting that he doesn't like to shop either.
"It's like this," Hope tries, after several more failed explanations. "Shopping is like hunting. You go out, find the monster that looks most impressive but won't cost you your life, and then take it home. Just, instead of hunting for monsters they're out hunting for clothes, and instead of trying to save their lives they're trying to not break their wallets."
Hope is relieved that Noel claims to understand the analogy, but perhaps it's too soon a call. When Noel reaches into Hope's back pocket for his wallet and experimentally tries ripping it in half, Hope begins to have second thoughts.
v
There's a certain quality in silence, and Noel knows this. His only protest is that silence is unsettling, because it reminds him of his days alone at the end of the world. Silence with Serah is infrequent, as she often projected her thoughts verbally. But Hope tends to keep his thoughts to himself, and Noel has come to respect that.
Well, almost. Noel is restless by nature, and it tends to show. Hope berates him more than he thinks he should have to, because they are sitting in the Quiet Study Area of the Academy's library. Childish horseplay has no place in the library, Hope says; Noel counters with the reminder that he's at least being silent about it, to which Hope replies with There's a time and place for everything and Save it for later.
(And Noel does save it for later, after they finally leave the library. No one can explain why the elevator mysteriously vanishes between the 290th and 291st floors, but Hope doesn't talk about that. So by Hope's bidding Noel tells an inquisitive Serah it's the reincarnation of Academia's Forbidden History, but in private Noel teasingly reminds Hope of his mischievousness and loudness, and indeed does 'horseplay' have its time and place.)