heaven; au of the game-verse, if that makes sense
After all of their hardships, after all of the trials, after all of this time, Hope could hardly believe it, but it was true: Lightning was here. She'd come home to them out of a rift that'd appeared after Serah and Noel had gone through the last open gate.
And even better was that she was here with him.
The rising of the New Cocoon had given plenty of people a new home - if they'd had one previously. Obviously, Lightning hadn't lived anywhere but Valhalla for centuries, so somehow Hope had convinced her to live with him in his spacious condo Academia had provided.
Naturally, she'd refused at first. After all, her priority was to be with Serah, but after a little knowing smile from the younger Farron, she'd insisted that Lightning stay with him. After all, Serah needed to ask around and see if anyone had found Snow.
Hope had been a little embarrassed that Serah could see through him so easily, but it was hard to mind now. After a confession that had come out of nowhere - along with, to his utter shock, a reciprocation - he and Lightning had settled into a rather comfortable way of life. Sometimes he grew worried that she'd get up and leave, because Lightning was definitely not made for sitting still, but so far, she seemed content with remaining close to him.
It was perfect.
Hope watched her with a little smile one morning as she sat up in their bed, looking not quite awake. His eyes gaze over her slightly mussed hair, the graceful slope of her shoulders, how the oversized shirt she'd worn to bed was all rumpled and clung to her in all the right places…
She made a quiet, startled sound when Hope sat up and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, burying his face in the crook of her neck. His smile widened when she relaxed a moment later, obviously happy in his arms.
"Morning," she murmured. He inwardly sighed, thinking that he could never get tired of her voice - for so long, he was sure he'd forgotten it.
"Good morning," he replied, turning his head a bit to nuzzle the skin at her neck. "You're up early."
"Could say the same for you."
He chuckled quietly, still a little too tired to offer any words beyond that, but it didn't seem to matter. This lazy morning with Lightning - because she was here - being able to hold her close and have her fit against him so perfectly was more than he ever could have dreamed of.
It was, in a word, heaven.