Chapter 25- Surely The Right Decision

"I can't believe you graduate in one month...everything went by so fast,"

"Yeah no kidding,"

Time flew by in a flash since that day. I had to say that for once, things were flowing smoothly for once. Fang and Cid ended up dating and they were perfectly happy with each other even though Fang would proceed with a flirtatious move on me every now and again, not that Cid or I really minded; it was mostly for kicks. Light and I got even closer, to the point were she came to campus on a regular basis and would stay for months on end. Really and truly, she'd might as well be my wife with the amount of time we spent together. We also got to go back to Bodhum to see the rest of the family. Snow and Serah decided to "adopt" Vanille and treated her like a daughter despite the fact that she was probably a hundred times older than the both of them combined. We even managed to get back in contact with Sazh and Dajh. Dajh was in high school and he seemed to be into law unlike Sazh who was a salesman. We agreed to have a reunion once I graduated from here but for now, my focus was on MCATS. I already took them and to be totally honest, I had no idea how I did on them. They weren't too difficult questions but it is the hardest exam I've ever taken before so anything can happen. I was however done with classes so I had a lot of free time on my hands.

"So I guess this is your last visit here huh?"
"Where are you going to go after here?"
"To live with you or near you,"
"You're always welcome in my home, you know that Hope,"
"Yeah...but I now that I think about it; I should get my own place,"
"You'd might as well; you'll be making so much money that you probably can't spend it all at once even if you tried,"

I chuckled and kissed her.

"Claire...how many years have we been together?"
"About 5 years now,"
"Would you...want to move in with me?"
"You know I'd love to...but there's Serah and Snow to worry about..."
"Snow can take care of her; he's been doing a pretty good job thus far don't you think?"

She sighed.

"I guess you're right,"
"You can go there as often as you need to...but then I suppose I can't force you,"
"I'll keep it in mind...focus on getting the house first,"
"I was actually designing one during my time at UOP,"
"You took architecture?"
"Yeah a few classes in it,"
"May I see?"

I pulled out a tube and took out the blueprint I drew.

"It's not professional but I think if I showed it to an architect, he or she could probably fine tune it,"
"Hope...you're incredible you know that?"
"Huh?"
"Your plans are nearly accurate right down to the square foot measurements,"
"How do you know?"
"I've seen plans before and these measurements seem realistic and feasible,"

I smiled and put the plans back into the tube.

"It's a start I guess,"
"And you want me to live in this house with you?"
"I would love that but it's entirely up to you; you can stay with Serah and Snow but you should know by now that you're welcome in my home at anytime you wish,"

Her arms wrapped around my neck.

"I'll think about it...ok?"
"Alright..."

She kissed me.

"These MCAT results are scaring the hell out of me,"
"A genius like you?"
"That exam decides whether my all years of work and school were for naught or not,"
"You'll be fine...I know you will,"

I smiled.

"You're the best you know that?"
"I could say the same for you,"
"Really now? How so?"
"Do I have to get into details?"
"Only if you want to make me feel better about these exams,"
"Well..."

I backed her against a wall. Even now, she still blushed whenever I got affectionate with her.

"You're smart,"
"Mhmm..."

I kissed her neck. She took an audible breath.

"You're handsome,"
"Yes..."

I continued my torture on her neck as my hands went to her waist.

"You're...the best boyfriend a woman could ask for,"
"Ahh...very nice,"

My torture decreased in speed to make every moment even more lingering and she started to moan softly.

"You're...really good at this..."
"Is this the part you enjoy most?"

She smiled and lifted my head to face her.

"No...but I definitely don't dislike it,"
"Really now?"

I got my answer when she pushed me onto the bed. She threw off the long sleeved white sweater she was wearing. She went to the mall a few days ago and I guess this must've been one of the things she bought. It was an ivory white two piece lingerie set. She also got her hair done; the scent of roses and the sheen that emitted from her pink tendrils amazed me. I don't know how she did but everytime I looked at her in this state, she always surpassed the previous look and I had to admit, there were times I really wondered if she was really only mine; any man who would get the chance to have a night with her would do so from just how irresistible she looked. Even now as she slowly made her way up to my face from a teasing crawl, I still found myself nervous over seeing her like this; I had only has sex with her once and that was to consummate our relationship. I had never once gone further than this since that day.

"That's...new,"
"I hoped you like it..."

"Hehe…puns again,"

"That's one hell of an understatement,"

She smirked and ran her finger up my bare chest. That feeling was driving me crazy. After all the years we've been together, she definitely learned everything there was to know about seduction as well as lovemaking...well, at least everything before it; the one time of making love to her didn't really give me that impressive of an expectation of what she could do simply because she tried to make it more emotional rather than to make it enjoyable; it was the first time for the both of us after all.

"I'm still glad..."
"Hmm? Glad for what?"
"For giving us that chance five years ago..."

She must've been referring to when Liona left us and when we began our relationship.

"You know I'm still sorry for everything right?"
"Yes...I know and I've already forgiven you; there's no need to feel guilty,"
"That still to this day amazes me,"
"What does?"
"Every other woman would've probably called me scum for all of the things that I did with other women in our relationship and thrown me away like a used twinkie wrapper,"

She laughed softly.

"I think you're way better than any twinkie,"

It was my turn to laugh.

"Glad you think so,"
"No...I know so,"

She reached my mouth and she leaned toward me to my surprise, she pulled the same move I did a few years back. She completely led me on.

"Ouch...that hurt,"
"Learned your lesson?"
"A long time ago, which is why I don't do that anymore,"
"Ok then this is the last time I'll do that,"
"You're evil sometimes..."

She laughed before she straddled me.

"Don't pretend you don't like it; you're a terrible liar,"
"Oh really now?"
"Yes you are Hope,"
"Are you trying to say that I couldn't get away with lying to you about anything?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying,"

I smirked.

"Next I suppose you're going to ask me questions,"
"Oh we're playing truth or dare now? Minus the dare of course,"
"I know you've wanted to do that since you pushed me onto the bed,"

She turned to face me and I sat up and faced her as well.

"Let's take turns asking questions we've always wanted to ask one another,"
"Ok...what's your favorite thing about me?"
"A better question to ask is what isn't a favorite thing about you; you're my Light and everything about you makes you my favorite,"
"Be specific?"
"Fine...I guess it's the sheer love you have for me...you forgave such horrible and stupid things I've done in the past and you're still with me even now,"
"Good answer..."

I smiled.

"My turn and my question is the same as yours,"
"Your selflessness; you risked everything to make everyone else around you happy and the mere fact that you're willing to do that means that you would be the best friend of everyone you'd come to know,"
"That was a mouthful,"
"My turn, who's the best kisser, me, Liona or Fang?"

I chuckled.

"Well...to be completely honest with you...Fang,"
"So I'm not better than her,"
"If you mean better by the feeling of pleasure then you take the cake no contest but if you literally better kisser, Fang wins,"
"Ok...at least you were honest,"

I smiled.

"Don't worry; at the rate you're going, you're going to surpass her,"

She scoffed in the "you're not off the hook" manner.

"What's the worst experience you've ever had with me?"
"To be honest, there isn't a bad experience that I can think of, only ones that aren't as good as others,"
"What's the least then?"
"Had to be the time when we went to that theme park last month, when you dumped the snowcone all over me,"
"But it was an accident!"
"I know and it's alright...but Maker...that was cold,"
"I'm sorry..."
"You warmed me back up anyways,"

I winked at her and she smiled still with a tinge of pink her cheeks. How could she still be so innocently nice even after all these years?

"Same question,"
"When you told me that Fang kisses better than me,"
"I'm sorry about that but you told me to be honest,"
"I know..."

She pouted.

"Had enough?"
"One more round,"

I thought for a moment.

"Would you ever have chosen someone else over me if you liked them?"

It was amazing that we said that in complete unison. Light took a breath.

"There's...no way I could choose another person over you,"
"I couldn't have said it better myself,"

A moment of silence came before she opened her mouth.

"Do you think…we can make this work?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't that what we're doing now?"
"Yes…but now that we know all of the right and wrong things, do you think we can make it work despite the past?"
"Of course we can…there's nothing we can't take on together,"
"Yeah…you're right,"

She shook her head as if she were snapping herself from her train of thought.

"So…are you glad we did this in the first place?"

I smiled and the mirrored gesture was followed by a passionate kiss.

"Damn right I am…"

This was surely the right decision and feeling her approval through her lips and her actions only made me believe it even more. This relationship was finally back on track…well, at least it seemed that way. At least I can call it a relationship now instead of a "mess"…