Note: Serah bashing, LOADS OF SERAH BASHING. You have been warned. AU.

Library Excursions

He teetered on unsteady feet as he stumbled right into the low table he was trying to avoid. The large collection on books in his arms reached till the bridge of his nose, and he recoiled with a grunt as one of the thick hardcovers bumped into his round-rimmed glasses, causing it to go awry. He tried to squint past the tower of tomes in front of him. Finding it all too fruitless, he shuffled in a direction he thought was away from the toe-stubbing legs of the table. Alas, that attempt proved futile as well, when the protruding cushion of a plush wine-coloured armchair rudely caused his knees to buckle. He plopped ungracefully into its wooden embrace, while his own strangled yelp was drowned out by the commotion the ancient books made when they, unlike him, fell to the floor. He caught a glimpse of his situation in one of the tinted windows; but before he could allow his mind even a chance to comprehend the mess he created, a distinct piercing shriek slashed through the hurricane of thoughts in his head like the sting of lightning.

"Oooh! How clumsy of you, dear!" Following the direction of the voice, he dreaded to watch the horror unfold as a trademark pink blur was seen emerging from an aisle. He clenched his eyes shut, hands catching the armrest in a death grip. The old wood groaned along with him. The intrusive rustling of stiff frills knocking into chairs and shelves was hitting a crescendo, and it seemed to blow all his sanity away as he began reciting the one hundred testimonies to peace under his breath – starting with the confessions of a simple man.

I herd my lambs…I heal my lambs…I eat my lambs…

"Oh, I just knew you were here darling. Come, Serah-kins will make it all better!"

…Oh please redeem my soul, Karma…

"Hope?"

His eyes flew open. Immediately he was met with the revolting sight of the girl with the target-sized tutu, but he knew that that voice certainly did not belong to her. He gratefully turned his head away, glasses sliding off his nose, mist-coloured eyes straining to catch a glimpse of peach amongst the tall bookshelves.

"Hope? I heard something, are you okay?" The voice was feminine and heavily accented, but soft on his name and cautiously quiet. Nothing at all like-

"Oh, Hope! You poor poor thing, here let me help you!" The wails of a shrieking banshee seemed to tear his eardrums. Forcefully raised an octave or two, it was enough to motivate him to right his glasses and stand up resolutely. She was quick, immediately reaching for his arm with her claws but he was quicker. Cleanly sidestepping her as she stumbled, he nimbly and rather apologetically crossed through the mess of fallen books. He knew there were some of her favourites in there, that he had been meaning to read first before her arrival. It was two weeks since their last meeting and he found himself unexpectedly missing-

"Hope!" He turned to meet the concerned eyes of Vanille. "Your hair looks a mess, is everything alright?" He was sure he looked a sight, but there wasn't anything to stop the grateful smile on his face. He crossed to her.

"It was nothing. Ah, just a little…accident…"

She blinked at him. Now close enough to reach out and place a brushing hand against his forehead, she gently queried about his psychological wellbeing. Her hand was soft and warm. At one point, the smile on his face felt distinctly different and he wondered if he really was feeling alright. But then, she seemed to be smiling too, and he thought that surely losing his mind was completely and ordinarily normal.

"Hello."

She was early. And her hair was down.

A/N: Just a short, cute oneshot which I found so endearing. I never really liked Serah so pardon me if you do, however I'm only familiar with the first game so I wouldn't be privy to her usefulness (if any) in the second and third installments. Critical commentary is always welcome!