wow, chapter 10, and to think this merely started as a simple drabble, it was supposed to end at ch 1 X)

thanks for helping me get to this point readers and reviewers; you've all helped keeping this story going, you really have.

Truthfully, he really didn't know what to expect. He was meeting Lightning's family.

Just the thought alone made him gulp.

Serah was one thing, she was an interesting character, but very open and welcoming as well. What of Lightning's parents? What personality came from who? In most families, usually, men were always the soldiers. It was a high probability that Lightning's father was a soldier and Lightning followed his footsteps.

Soldiers were more likely to be strict and stoic; Lightning herself was a clear example.

Wives, he's also learned, were usually more talkative than their husbands, so its likely Serah got her charms from her mother, and Lightning was probably closer to her father.

That just made his situation all the more grim. What would her father think of him, pursuing probably his most precious daughter?

. . .pursuing?

That thought made him pause, blinking down at the gravel sand that had scattered along the sidewalk.

Was he really pursuing Lightning?

Did he want an intimate relationship like that? With her?

They understood each other, in a sense. Lightning picked up his moods easily, and he always noticed when she was lost in thought, or away in her own little world.

She always knew what to say to him after hearing him out; and he didn't press until he felt he really had too, he had learned the past few nights that he met her that Lightning was strongly independent, and took it wrongly if she was underachieved.

They respected each other for their opinions and feelings. He admired her strength, physically and mentally, she was impressed with his intelligence.

They enjoyed each others company and always looked forward to seeing the other it seemed.

"Why don't you just jump the boat?" Prompto's words rang in his head, reminding him of the possibilities. Noctis could only frown though, nausea bubbling in his stomach.

"...you're a pretty good swimmer."

"Maybe," he murmured, "maybe I should take that dive?"

That was a big step though, and it could go in two ways.

Ruins them both and he drowns.

It works out and he swims to shore no problem.

Till he took that step into the water, he had no way of knowing. He was merely stuck in a drifting boat, unsure whether to slip in, or wait for rescue. Shore was in sight, fairly clearly, but it also seemed so far away...

He breathed in, looking up at Lightning's house, a lit in the distance and alive with occupants. He curled his sweaty hands in, breathing in and feeling sure. Very nervous, but sure.

He'd jump the boat. He'd take that risk. He knew how to swim, and shore was right there, waiting for him.

He just needed to slip into the water.

"Oh! I see him!"

"Fang! Don't hover by the window, you'll scare the poor guy witless!"

"No I won't."

"Fang, get away from the window."

"Light, butt out, this is the first time you have a man in your life, I want to be the first to see him. And my my, for a blind girl, you've got good taste."

"...so he is good looking?" Lightning asked.

"He's on the hot side, for sure," Fang purred.

"He's taken Fang," Serah called out lightly.

"Yet!" Fang chimed, standing up and grinning as she watched the stranger slip closer to them.

Lightning hummed slightly, her lips twitched up as she listened to the banter. Everyone was here tonight. They all agreed that it would be best to have dinner here, meet her new mysterious man, then slip out into the night and enjoying the evening as they always have.

Serah and Snow were setting out the table, Vanille, Hope, and Sazh working in the kitchen on dinner. Her, Fang, and Dajh, playing trains with his chocobo chick, waited in the den for her unsuspecting guest.

"Tell me again how you met him," Fang urged.

"He just appeared randomly at a spot I always go to, and we've been hanging out there ever since," Lightning said.

"How adorable," Fang chimed.

"Hey Fang?"

"Hm?"

"What's his hair and eye color?" Lightning wondered.

"His hair is black, and I think for his eyes... I think they're red. That's quite a rare eye color you know."

Lightning closed her eyes, molding his features in her mind from the memory she made the one time she touched his face, putting red eyes where they should be, and dying the hair black where she had felt the soft mess on top of his head.

He was already looking for handsome in her mind's eye.

Lightning scowled lightly when she felt her cheeks heat up slightly. It was a little ridiculous, frustratingly so. In all her history, Lightning Farron never blushed. Claire Farron might have, time to time, through one of her parents own compliments.

And, she didn't blush that often around Noctis, though the few times she did bugged her by how naturally it came, and how often she didn't even notice it.

Originally, she didn't think much of Noctis romantically. He's merely another stranger in her life that she found herself connecting too. It got to a point that it seemed natural for both of them to be around one another, she wasn't sure if she called it romantically, as her friends did. Lightning didn't see how their relationship could be romantic.

Sometimes though, she heard the smile in his voice and the gentle fondness that lightly traced through his words when he spoke to her, leaving her warm and sure.

Lightning shook her head, listening intently as his feet drew closer to their door.

She didn't know what brought up these thoughts and feelings recently, perhaps it was Fang and Serah's own pestering; for now, she'll just say she's nervous. Nervous of how overwhelmed he might be with her family. Snow, Fang, and Vanille didn't understand personal space very well.

He was right outside their door and she could hear Fang jumping in excitement and impatience. Five seconds later, the door flew open and she could hear Fang almost taunting, "Welcome!"

Lightning allowed a small smirk on her features, already she could see his baffled expression as he stared at the wild woman that has some how become one of her closest friends.

Despite her earlier nerves, she had a feeling that this was going to be a good night in the end.