Authors Note: Once again, I'm back with yet another oneshot. Nothing too complicated: just a simple story with some angst and humour all rolled in one.

Just to clarify: this small little oneshot takes place two years after XIII (one years before XIII-2), after Lightning had disappeared. Also, expect edits on this story in the future. I didn't really look over this story after writing; I really wanted to put this up! Bad habit, I know…

Summary: Serah, who is missing Lightning and Snow more than ever, gets invited for a drink of coffee by a certain silver-haired teen.

I'll Be There For You

Serah Farron gazed at the bright blue sky that stood in place before her. Her strawberry pink hair flown into her face, tickling her cheeks only the slightest. The sky was beautiful as it usually was during Gran Pulse's afternoons. Though Pulse's environment in general did not fascinate Serah as much compared to her old home back on Cocoon, it would still enthrall the young pink-haired woman to take a few minutes to enjoy life's original beauty.

Serah didn't have to turn around to acknowledge the young children playing and having a grand time behind her on the beach- she could hear their laughter and enjoyment. From the reflection that was given from the seawater before her, she could see couples strolling down the sands of New Bodhum's beach. Yes, everyone was having a grand and blissful time that afternoon at the New Bodhum beach.

So why wasn't Serah?

Serah sighed as she closed her eyes. Claire…will you every return? Y-You have to! I miss you! We all miss you! Sazh, Dajh, Lebreau, Maqui, Godot, everyone! We're all waiting! And Snow-

She cringed at the simple thought of her fiancée. The blond, hardheaded man left to go and find Lightning more than a year ago. He didn't even give her any warning-he just left. Snow…Claire…we were supposed to live happily together after I had just awakened from crystal stasis! But no…I guess it wasn't meant to be. Not now-

"Serah?"

Serah let out a small squeak at the mature male voice behind her. She quickly snapped her head around. "Hope?"

Hope Esthiem, now at the age of 16, stared down at Serah. He was much taller than he was two years ago at the age of 14, and if Serah had to guess, he would have the height of around 5'7. He was wearing his ordinary high school uniform that day: a white dress shirt, blue tie, and grey pants.

He knelt down to Serah. "How are you? You haven't returned any of my calls or anything. Are you okay?"

Serah sighed and turned away. "I'm fine, Hope. Really."

After Lightning's abrupt absence, the two had gotten very close together. Hope missed Lightning just as much as Serah did, and they often comforted each other. They formed a very close brother/sister relationship over the past two years.

Hope bit his lip. "You…you're thinking about Light and Snow, right?"

…Dang, is it that obvious? Serah groaned. After a while, she slowly nodded.

Hope sighed and sat next to her. He took her hand gently. "It's okay. I miss them too. Especially Light. She might not have told you this, but when we were l'Cie, she took me under her wing. She was my mentor and, at the time, the closest person to me."

Serah nodded. He had told her this before, but still let him continue.

"At first, she was really cold and distant towards me. But after we started working together, I started to open up to her. She was the first person who actually gave me a chance at anything. Light taught me to fight, and to, above all, find hope in myself. Even after the death of my mom, we managed to get through everything.

"In fact, I'm working my way up to a position in life where I can actually help her and Snow. I've decided that I have to make it up to them, and it's the least I could do."

Serah tried to manage the smallest smile, but couldn't. "I-It seems like everyone's doing what they can, aren't they? Snow is out there, not even knowing what he's doing or where he's going, trying to find Claire. And look at me-I'm sitting out here doing nothing…"

"It's not like I'm doing anything…"

"But you are, Hope! You're in high school and in a couple months you'll be in university! Like you said yourself- you'll be working you're way up to someone who can help. Already, you're working towards the future and how you'll help Claire. It's just…" Serah sighed and tears began to stream down her cheeks. "I…I just feel…useless, that's all…"

A long silence fell after that. Then Hope stood up and held out his hand down to her. Smiling warmly he said, "C'mon, Serah. Let me take you out somewhere. How about some coffee? You like coffee, right?"

Serah looked at him. Wiping the dry tears on her face, she finally managed a small grin and took his hand.

"Here is your coffee."

"Thank you very much!" Both Hope and Serah said simultaneously. They stared strangely at each other for a moment and laughed a bit. The waiter nodded and dismissed himself shortly afterwards.

Hope had no cream and all and only poured in half of the sugar packet that was given to him into his cup.

Serah, on the other hand, helped herself to the cream given to her. She poured in enough that it caught Hope's attention. Noticing Hope staring, Serah raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Hope smiled and shook his head. "It's nothing. I just kind of knew that you were the kind of person that was big on the cream." He chuckled to himself lightly, not knowing at how weird those words sounded together.

It was Serah's turn to stare at him oddly, mouth half opened. Did he just say what I think he…? Despite how dirty it sounds, she still couldn't suppress a giggle.

Hope frowned, not knowing why Serah was laughing. After he finally realized what he said, his cheeks burned red in embarrassment. "O-OH MY GOD! I DIDN'T MEAN IT THAT WAY! I-I-I-I just meant that you seemed like the person that liked cream in your COFFEE! Not…" Hope couldn't finish the sentence. He was groaning too much at the thought. What happens between Snow and Serah in the bedroom is…UGH…!

"Hope Esthiem…" Serah tilted her head a bit to the left as she ripped opened her sugar packet. "Are you…calling me fat?"

If Hope was embarrassed before, it was nothing compared to her now. His whole face was now heating up. "W-What…! NO! NONONNONONONOO! That's not what I meant! I-I-"

"Hope, I think you better settle down," Serah giggled.
"H-Huh? Why…?" Hope began, but he stopped noticing that every single person in the coffee shop was staring at him strangely. A few old women in the corner shook their heads in disgust while a few teenage girls began to giggle. Groaning, Hope slumped his head on the table.

Serah laughed. Ah…same old Hope! No matter what fancy school he goes to or high his grades are, he'll still be that same kid we all know and love.

She reached across the table and held his hand lightly. "Hope, it's okay. I'm not mad; I was just joking around. You know how I am."

Hope raised his head from the table, smiling lightly.

"Just…watch how you phrase things. Especially around girls," Serah said.

After a moment of silence, Serah beamed mischievously. "Hey…speaking of girls…"

Hope groaned and slumped his head back onto the table.

Serah giggled furiously. She forgot how fun it was to torture Hope like this. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Hope lifted his head once more, still embarrassed with a hint of blush in his face, but smiling a bit. "Uh…well…kind of?" Hope sighed. She was going to get it out of him anyways. "Yeah…yeah I do…"

"Ooh!" Serah clapped her hands like a schoolgirl as she hunched over the table. "Tell me about her! Is she cute? What's her name? Do you like her? How long have you two been dating? Have you…" Serah gasped and put a hand over her mouth. "Have you kissed her yet? C'mon, Hope! Details! Details, details, details!"

Hope made a face and laughed. "Uh…well…yes she's cute, and her name's Kate. Yes, I like her I guess? We've been dating for about a month. And I…" Hope trailed off, his cheeks burning red. "I don't really wanna go farther than that, if that's okay."

"Aww…" Serah pouted. "Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

A small chuckle.

"…No."

"Pretty please? For me?"

"Look, I'll tell you another day. At the moment, it's kind of…complicated between us," Hope said.

Serah pouted. "Geez, Hope. You're no fun at all."

They both laughed. After a while, the two fell silent. They simply smiled at each other as they quietly sipped their coffee. As soon as Hope asked the waiter for the bill, Serah said, "Do you…honestly believe that Claire and Snow will ever return…?"

Hope looked up at her, staring deep in her blue eyes. Sure, she wasn't crying or looking depressed, but she didn't look all that happy either.

"Of course they will," Hope said.

Serah sighed and looked away, her eyes beginning to water a little.

Hope pursed his lips. "Look, one day, everyone will be living happily. Sure, life might be tough now, but it'll all turn out okay. I promise."

Smiling warmly, Serah returned her gaze to Hope. "We should really do this more often."

"We really should," Hope grinned. "How about this: we go out for coffee once every weekend. I usually finish my homework and projects pretty quickly, after all."

Beaming, Serah raised her pinky finger to Hope's face.

Hope, who could suppress the small chuckle, gladly locked his finger with hers.