A/N: Another piece I wrote for Hoperai Week 2015. Short one, but I still like it. It's kinda sweet. Not my favorite and it could've been better, but anyway. Hope you like it.

The Incoming Reunion

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

When the wooden house appeared at last on the horizon, surrounded by trees, Hope shifted uneasily in his bus seat. Lightning rested a hand on his arm, trying to calm him down:

"Easy", she told him quietly, though they were the only ones left on the bus. "Everything will be alright, you'll see."

"Don't worry about me", Hope muttered, looking at the house with obvious apprehension. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not", she replied rolling her eyes; Hope lied terribly and pretended even worse. "Look at you, you're almost shaking."

Hope shook his head, but he had to admit Lightning got him. It was impossible to hide the faint paleness –paler than usual for him– of his face, his white knuckles of his hands closed in fists and his continuous and unconscious movements that he did since he was a kid whenever he felt uncomfortable or uneasy, or both.

"Alright, yes, I'm nervous", he grudgingly admitted, wincing briefly when the bus stopped in front of the house. "I'm not ready yet for this, Light. How could we let them get us into this?"

"Hope, please, it's not that bad. You've already been in two meetings and nothing's happened and you haven't hurt anyone. They're our friends, remember?"

He sighed almost inaudibly. Lightning was right, but it was still so hard for him to do those things. It was true he'd been at Snow and Serah's wedding and Fang and Vanille's bonding ceremony, but this was different.

It had been Serah and Snow's idea, as usual. Despite all the gang having met both times previously mentioned, they insisted on spending a few days together in a proper way, now that everyone lived their lives on their own and they didn't see each other as often. They chose a discreet but cozy hostel in the Pyrien mountains, south of Galya and north of Hisperia, and invited all their friends to go there; the idea was to relax and have fun together, remembering old times in the other world.

They'd done so with the best of intentions and Hope knew it, but he couldn't help but thinking it wasn't a good idea for him. He was still fighting his depression and wasn't up for much, and that was without counting he felt out of place among his friends since he was reborn; Lightning insisted he wasn't to blame for Bhunivelze using him against them, but Hope couldn't take from his mind the idea that, at any time, God might try to hurt them again through him.

Lightning, though it couldn't be said she was the paradigm of sociability, believed it'd do Hope well to spend those days with the gang, and for that reason she managed to convince him to go. That, and Serah hadn't left her alone until her older sister finally gave up.

Hope had made an effort to accept, the worst moment until then being when they boarded the bus; he didn't feel comfortable at all among crowds since his rebirth in the new world, partly because he got used in the other one that people would immediately recognize him if he went out. But Lightning already knew all that and she also knew that usually the young man calmed down if she was by his side.

However, his friends were a much more personal topic. And that's why Hope took it loads more seriously. He feared that at any time they called him out on his actions as Bhunivelze's vessel, or on his failure as a leader, or… anything, really. He'd been keeping his distance from them for months. Something about he was afraid he'd get called out on too.

In short, Hope was a nervous wreck plagued by insecurities each time he met with his old friends. Lightning counted on it, but she also hoped the young man could gradually overcome it with the whole gang's help.

But she didn't want Hope to have a bad time for the simple fact of spending time with them to the point he wouldn't want to get off the bus, which seemed to be the case. They were supposed to go to a place where they could relax, not for his anxiety to skyrocket.

"Hope", the young woman told him, holding his hand; he looked at her, a spark of hesitation in his eyes, "you have nothing to fear. They're our friends, and they love you. They only want to have a great time all together."

"Light, I–", Hope began, but she interrupted him by gently placing a finger to his lips:

"No excuses. You're gonna get off the bus, meet up with everyone and going to enjoy these days in peace", Lightning warmly smiled. "And I'll be with you all the time. You know that."

He said nothing for a few seconds, looking uncertain, but he finally nodded with a sigh. He took Lightning's hand whose finger was sealing his lips on his and placed a soft kiss on it; the gesture caught the young woman a bit by surprise, and she slightly blushed.

"Fine", Hope murmured, his lips resting against her fingers. "But please, stay close to me. I feel calmer when you're with me."

"I know", Lightning gave him a soft smile. "Don't you worry. We'll be together, don't you remember? It was you who promised me."

Hope smiled back, a bit flustered.

"And you don't have any idea of how glad I am you haven't forgotten."

Lightning's smile widened. That promise, that Hope had made to her when he rescued her from the very own Chaos of her heart, was a line that both reminded each other quite often, so it was a bit silly that Lightning asked Hope if he remembered and he answered he was glad that she hadn't forgotten. However, after a thousand years of separation and everything that happened in the twilight of the other world, it was inevitable that somehow they needed to reaffirm that promise to each other. Thus, their troubled hearts could be at ease.

"Let's go", Lightning told Hope, getting up from her seat and tugging at his sleeve for him to do the same; he was a little reluctant, but he eventually budged. "They're all waiting for us. And I'm sure they'll be happy to see you."

Hope wasn't as sure as her, but he chose to keep his doubts to himself. After all, Lightning already knew them, and it was no use having doubts if he never faced them. That way, his stricken soul would never find peace.

Yet most of those doubts faded once they both got off the bus and having just taken a few steps to the hostel, all their old friends came out from it to warmly greet them: the recently bound Vanille –who apparently was the one that told the others of Lightning and Hope's arrival– and Fang; Sazh and his son Dajh and Chocolina, who took her human form after rebirth; Noel and Yeul, the ones who lived the farthest; and of course, Serah and Snow, who were the reason they all were there.

None of them had anything to blame Hope for nor did they keep any distance from him. No trace of mistrust among them.

And even though the young man was well aware his fears wouldn't disappear overnight, he thought for the first time that, after all, perhaps he could spend a few days in tranquility with his friends in that place so far away from the rest of the world.

As long as Lightning was by his side. In part, Hope thought when Snow gave them both a bear hug, because she was the only one who could keep Serah's husband at bay…