Chapter X
Lightning was fuming by the time she got back from work.
Hope had gotten home early that day as a result of a cancelled lecture and had spent the hours until Lightning's arrival watching cooking shows on TV and contemplating what to make for dinner.
He was turning into a model housewife.
When his disgruntled lover almost burst through the door and into the kitchen without saying a word to him, he knew immediately that something was up.
When he peered through the doorway, he found her sitting at the table in the centre of the room, pouring herself a full glass of wine and sculling it down.
She winced when she felt the acidity of the liquid running down her throat.
"Bad day?" Hope asked sheepishly, placing a hand on her shoulder from behind.
"Ugh… You could say that… I swear, that idiot commandant should just…go jump of a bridge or some shit like that. I don't even care anymore" she groaned, burying her face in her hands.
Hope leant down to kiss the bottom of her neck.
She raised her head in response, turning her body to face him as best as she could.
"…Hope…" she muttered under her breath.
He embraced her tenderly.
"I love you" he whispered in her ear.
She sighed a little, all her anger seemingly fading away.
"Yeah…me too…"
He kissed her softly. "Claire…" he spoke.
She chuckled. "Since when did you call me that?"
"Hm… I just thought I'd try it out."