test; post-LR
Throughout her newfound career as a journalist, Lightning had interviewed many important figures. She'd exchanged words with celebrities, with political figures that had been known even during the Crystal Age, and everyone in between. Honestly, she enjoyed her work. There was something very satisfying about asking the right questions to get to the bottom of a situation.
But now, in just a matter of minutes, she was about to conduct the most nerve-wracking interview of her career.
An interview with Hope Estheim.
There was no reason to be nervous, she kept telling herself. She never got nervous before these. It was simply something she had to do.
But then again, she hadn't had such an extensive past with any of her other interviewees. None of them had been her partner, or known her from the other world.
…None of them had saved her soul.
Some things you just do, she reminded herself. Who cared if she had no idea if Hope remembered her or not? What was it to her if he didn't have any memories of their time together? It didn't matter. This was her job. She was simply here to interview Hope Estheim, the lead and frontrunner of a nearby research facility that had gained nationwide notoriety.
Lightning let out a long, quiet breath in an attempt to steady herself. At least the room itself was calming - she always conducted these in her office, which wasn't very typical-looking. It was a bright, open, airy room with comfortable white couches. Many people called it 'classy', but she wasn't so sure about that. It was what she liked, that was all.
A sudden knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts and she looked up with wide eyes.
This was it. He was here.
She shot up from her seat, taking a second to smooth out her outfit before calmly answering the door, ignoring the thudding of her heart. "Mr. Estheim?" she asked, just in case.
Immediately, his face broke out into a smile at the sight of her. He looked…relieved, almost. "It really is you," he said, somewhat in awe.
"You remember me?"
"Of course." Almost like he couldn't help himself, Hope lifted his arms, wrapping them around her shoulders in a familiar embrace. When did he get so tall? "I could never forget you, Light. I…I was hoping I'd see you again."
She wasn't sure what astonished her more, the words or the hug, which she slowly returned. "I wanted to see you, too," she admitted in a quiet voice, reluctant to admit just how much.
Before he could respond, there was a loud, obnoxious throat-clearing from what Lightning assumed was one of her colleagues. Immediately, she realized the incredibly unprofessional position she was in and abruptly drew away from Hope, who looked confused, like he'd forgotten where he was.
"Well," Lightning murmured, trying to find her business sense. This was work! Her job! Seeing Hope again was certainly not going to test her professionalism. "Have a seat. We'll get this underway."
"Okay." He looked around, his expression now one of awe and amusement. "Wow, Light. Y'know, I never would've pictured you doing anything like this." He smiled, looking straight at her. "But it suits you."
"…Thanks," she replied, since that seemed to be a good enough answer. Anything more eloquent had flown out of her mind when he'd smiled at her. Pull yourself together!
Though she usually stayed at her desk while conducting interviews, when Hope settled himself on one of the white couches, she sat herself right next to him. It seemed natural, somehow, to be so close.
"I can't believe how tall you are," she said, echoing her earlier thoughts as she looked up at his face.
He chuckled in response. "I am in the right body now, you know." As he said this, his knee fell closer to hers as he shifted in his seat. The moment they touched, it was like some kind of spark had ignited and she jumped in surprise, clearing her throat.
"Right. Well." She need to focus. "I usually record my interviews. Is that all right with you?"
"Of course."
Lightning was glad to have a distraction as she she went about setting up her equipment. Luckily, she already had a list of required questions, so there was definitely no chance of deriving from the material and making a fool of herself. It was like everything he'd said so far was simply out to test her sanity.
Thankfully, Hope seemed to understand her need for professionalism. As they started the interview, he kept any personal anecdotes to himself and focused completely on his answer to her, every one of them concise and detailed.
Meanwhile, she was fascinated by his enthusiasm. She almost wished that they were filming this, because the light in his eyes was unmistakeable. Anyone would have been enraptured by hearing him, and that was purely a professional opinion. Had he always been so charismatic?
Hope spoke happily of his work, of wanting to make the lives of everyday citizens even better. Research was the key, he claimed, and they all needed to come up with ways to put their findings to the best use for everyone involved.
"I'm sure everyone is eagerly waiting to see what you have in store," Lightning said. It was a typical response for anyone in her field, but right now, she honestly meant it. They exchanged little smiles before she went to the next question on her list. "What exactly pushed you so hard to rise through the ranks and become such a sought-after figure in your field?"
It may have been her imagination, but she could've sworn Hope blushed at the question. Maybe it was from all the praise. "Some of it stemmed from the desire to see us progress. I've always liked looking to the future," he replied. "But mostly it was because…"
His gaze then moved directly to her. His eyes bore deeply into hers, and for a moment, she was startled by the intensity of his stare. Had he ever looked at her like that? Or so closely? It was so strangely nerve-wracking that she had to make herself focus on the faint scattering of freckles across his nose. Had he always had those?
"…It was mostly because of you, Light."
Instantly, she met his eyes again. "What?"
"I thought that if I could do something worthwhile, it would lead me to you." He smiled. "And I was right."
Lightning stared in absolute astonishment. Her first thought was realizing that they were still being recorded, so she hurriedly grabbed the mic. "Cut," she murmured before turning it off. She had a feeling that what was about to ensue wasn't meant for the public's ears.
"Hope…"
"I knew I couldn't just sit around and wait for you," he continued, more emotion in his voice now that they were truly in private. "And I wasn't sure if you wanted to be found, to be honest."
He was testing her. He had to be.
"Why would you think that?" she asked, still surprised. "Hope, you and I are partners." The words felt so comforting and familiar, even though they didn't mean anything in this life…yet. "You're the reason I'm here in this world at all. You…you saved me." Too late, she realized that her emotions were getting the best of her and tried to squash them down, but it was impossible. "You said a long time ago that you wanted to be strong enough to protect me, and you did. I will never forget that. How could you think for a second that I wouldn't want you to find me?"
The look on his face was something she would never forget. He seemed to go from nostalgic to shocked to - dare she think it - affectionate in the span of seconds.
Before she could stop him, he reached out and grasp her hand. She was startled at how perfectly it fit against her own, but the important thing was that she could feel it. He was here. She was here. They both were, as true as their real selves would ever be.
He was still staring at her, and she couldn't help but try and break the intensity a little. "Do I pass?"
Luckily, he laughed a little, but it did nothing to dispel any of the pleasant tension. "Yes. You do." He covered her hand with his other one, like he was trying to protect it. Protect her.
"I still want to protect you," he said, echoing her thoughts. "It's all I've ever wanted, no matter what world we're on. And now I know I'm strong enough. Lightning…" He squeezed her hand with both of his. "Will you let me? Can I stay by your side and protect you?"
This world wasn't filled with monsters, magic, or gods. There was nothing here that Hope need to save her from that she couldn't do herself. It was as though his question was a test of her heart - did she want him by her side? Could she trust him to look after her?
Of course, she knew the answer to all of that.
"Yes," she replied, and the moment she said the word, relief washed over her. Having Hope by her side forever was something she hadn't even known she'd wanted until he'd asked. She'd been so concerned with simply seeing him again that it hadn't even occurred to her that his devotion would have transcended time and space - or that he'd remember at all.
His grip on her hand tightened. "Yes?"
"On one condition."
"Anything."
Ignoring the way that simple word made her stomach flutter, Lightning grabbed the mic with her free hand and smirked at him. "We need to finish this interview first."
Hope's expression relaxed and he laughed quietly, removing one of his hands, but still leaving the one with hers. Their fingers linked together impulsively, almost desperately, and she knew he wouldn't let go during the rest of the interview - if at all, ever.
"I have however long you need."
Lightning knew that the interview would only go on for another hour or so. But beyond that…they'd already proven that they had forever.