deep in thought; uhhh au of the game verse

When time was frozen in afterthought, Hope had discovered one thing - that it was far too easy to find yourself concentrating on one thing, rather than putting the pieces together and moving along to see the whole picture.

It was especially devastating when that one thing was a person who hadn't taken a breath in centuries…and yet was still as alive as he was.

Chaos had spread to every reach of the world. It was particularly thick in the formerly Unseen Realm…now seen, ironically, thanks to a thick blanket of darkness. It hung in the sky - especially over the temple - like some sort of impenetrable force.

However, amidst it all, there was one shining beacon of, well, light, which had certainly made Hope's numerous treks up there very much worth the effort.

At least…they were to him. Sometimes, as he gazed at Lightning's crystallized form, he had to wonder if he was hoping for the wrong thing. Perhaps he needed to pray for the end; pray for doom and a quick death instead of any kind of salvation Lightning could bring them.

But at the same time, when he stared at her, her crystal so pristine and bright in the darkness, he found it a bit difficult to believe the end was near at all.

Always, he wondered when she would awaken, if ever. The fal'cie were gone. The goddess was dead. Anyone who could have possibly saved her from this fate was gone.

Though honestly, Hope wasn't so sure she would even want to wake up. Crystal was everlasting and impenetrable. Even if Chaos took over and the end of everything came, her statue would last an eternity and beyond. She would be the testimony to humanity's existence.

If he was completely honest and selfish, however…if the end was near, he didn't want to go through it without her. There were too many things left unsaid between them; things he'd been itching to say for ages but never did - even now, when she was frozen, in case she could hear him.

"What are you dreaming about, Light?" he murmured, the first words he'd spoken out loud since coming up here. If he knew her at all, his first guess would have been that she was dreaming of her sister, and his heart twisted a little at the thought of recalling Serah's lifeless body in Noel's arms. Until he'd discovered the crystal here, Serah had been his only connection to Lightning.

She had to have known about her sister's fate. Perhaps that was why she chose to remain a crystal.

And yet…

"She wasn't the only one waiting for you," he said quietly. Not that he could have ever imagined being able to compete with that sisterly bond, but even so…

…There was a different kind of love he could offer Lightning.

Impulsively, Hope got to his feet. In all of his visits, he'd always remained a respectful distance away from her crystal form, like he was paying respects to a deity, but now he walked right up to her. Up close, he could see the rather somber expression on her face, obvious even with her eyes closed.

She'd known, then. And perhaps she hadn't believed there was anyone waited after Serah.

"But I always have been." This close, it didn't feel like he was talking to himself. She was so real, even despite the crystal. He could see every eyelash brushing her cheeks, the folds of her skin where her fingers were curled around her sword…and her lips, forever set in agony, her lower lip sticking out slightly as though trying to keep herself from crying.

Of course, now he could be the one to help her through the tears.

Hope reached out and cupped the smooth crystal of her face with one hand, noting with some surprise that it wasn't stone-cold. Maybe that was the work of her very soul.

And perhaps it was that thought that convinced him to lean down and press his lips against her crystallized ones in a longing kiss.

It was a ridiculous thought and an even more ridiculous notion, but he'd just wanted one moment. Just one, before everything ended. At least now, if nothing else, he could have no regrets.

When he pulled away, for a second, he thought it really was the end. A blinding flash of light filled the room and everything beyond - he shielded his eyes with a cry, but could just make out the glare even penetrating through the blanket of Chaos.

Eventually, it faded into something more bearable. Hope squinted though the brightness, confusion furrowing his brow as something glittering filled the air. He vaguely recognized it from his many trips to Oerba in the past.

Crystal dust.

Before he could fully form a thought to support to that, the light dimmed considerably, but he found as he dropped his arm, that it had not gone completely.

The real Light of this world was staring at him, shock and astonishment in her eyes. She didn't say a word, but she didn't need to, because he understood.

The saving light of this world could not exist without hope.