Hey guys, sorry this is late! Trying to write two stories at once just isn't working out, unsurprisingly, and Negative has so much I want to write about right now...while I honestly am having a hard time summoning the inspiration for this story. Also, not to play favorites, Negative has soo many more people reading it - and you'd be surprised how motivating a huge reader-base can be! I won't abandon this story, but updates are going to be slow...sorry!

Disclaimer: I don't own FFXIII

As Hope and Snow came over, called by Serah for help – honestly, Serah should know by now that I have no artistic taste whatsoever – Lightning caught the disturbed expressions that graced both their faces. As Snow helped Serah, Lightning pulled Hope aside.

Hope sighed, knowing just from her expression what she wanted. "I told him about those two we saw earlier – Elpis and Jakuta. Snow being Snow, he wasn't much help – some crazy theory about how they were l'Cie who had just woken from crystal stasis – but I get the feeling we're missing something. Something important." He sighed, running his hand through his hair, making a tuft stand out from the rest awkwardly.

"I know what you mean," Lightning responded, crossing her arms and leaning on one foot. "And I don't like it. Those Cie'th weren't normal, and it's been years since they were last spotted. Something's not right."

"That's pretty much what Snow said," Hope sounded aggravated. "But -"

"Claire, Hope, I need your opinion on these two," Serah interrupted, beckoning them over impatiently.

Hope and Lightning shared a glance – somewhere between 'we should have run when we had the chance' and 'she's your sister' – but came over obediently.

"Which do you like better?" Serah asked, pointing at the two arrangements that were giving her so much trouble. The one on the left was simple, consisting of two roses, one a pale pink and the other pure white, and surrounded by sprigs of a leafy plant with tiny white flowers that Lightning didn't recognize. On the right was a more complex arrangement, with a variety of flowers – again in pale pink and white – though the colors on some made it clear that dye had been added to their water to achieve the desired hue of pink.

Hope pointed to the one on the left rather quickly, surprising Lightning, but Serah took it in stride. "Really? Perfect! See, I told you Snow," she scolded her fiancée, who had apparently chosen the complex right arrangement. Lightning rolled her eyes at their bickering, instead turning a curious eye on Hope.

"And what makes you so sure that the left one is better?" she asked, keeping her voice down to keep from attracting her sister's attention.

Hope flushed, avoiding her gaze. "W-well, it looks better," he said defensively, then grew a backbone and turned to her. "Besides, relationships don't have to be all flashy and complex. Size isn't that important."

Lightning raised one eyebrow, and Hope rolled his eyes. "Okay, well, it is, but not that important – right?" His last word was a quiet plea for reassurance, and Lightning took pity on him.

"Not always," she agreed, and wondered why he started blushing again.

"Well, now that that is settled…" Serah's voice called them back to the topic at hand. She called the florist over, pointing at their final choice and placing their order, giving them the address the flowers would need to be delivered to. "And make sure they're on time, please," she added, giving the florist a small smile and receiving a quick reassurance in turn.

"Perfect." Serah turned and left, the others following in her wake like a queen and her entourage.

"It's getting dark," Lightning commented, knowing it sounded stupid – but she had to report for work the next morning, and tonight was not going to be a party night.

"Hope, where are you staying?" Serah inquired, adding, "we have a free room if you need it."

"Thanks, but my stuff's already at Light's place," Hope replied. "Besides, I don't know if I could get any sleep in your house…" His senses were assaulted as Snow started laughing boisterously and Light punched his shoulder.

"Don't even remind me," the solder grated out. "Why do you think I moved out in the first place?"

"Well, why don't you two come over for dinner?" Serah pressed onwards, ignoring her fiancée and sister.

"Yeah, it'll be better than sis's cooking," Snow added, earning him a punch from said 'sis'.

"I'm not your sis," Lightning grumbled. "And I'm getting better – it's not that bad."

As the two began squabbling, Serah turned to Hope, still waiting for an answer.

"Sure, sounds fine to me," the teen replied, not wanting to know how like Light Serah could be when denied her wishes. "Though, I think Light has work tomorrow, so she might not want to go out tonight…"

Serah just smiled. "It's nice that you're looking out for her," she said simply, as they both watched the pair ahead of them. "She really missed you, you know? She just isn't the same when it's just the three of us."

Hope could feel a blush creeping up on him, but was saved from responding as Serah caught the attention of her sister. "Just come over for dinner, okay Claire? That way you don't have to stress about cooking for two and can relax."

Hope caught the flicker of mixed emotions that darted across Light's face before she replied. "If that's what Hope wants to do."

And she turned her icy gaze on him, though he felt warmed by it where others would freeze and run. He nodded, and she shrugged. "Sounds like you're cooking, then."

Serah just smiled at this. "Then let's get going – you do remember where we live, don't you Claire?" she teased her older sister, who retorted that of course she knew where they lived, considering how often she was invited over for dinner or lunch or breakfast or drinks or games or talking or…

Watching their conversation, Hope felt a part of him relax that hadn't in a long while. Sure, Palumpolum, where he lived with his dad, was home – but this was a kind of home, too, where he was surrounded by the people who had become as a second family to him, even if two of their members were missing, asleep in crystal far above Gran Pulse.

Momentarily, he wondered how they were doing – if they were asleep, if they dreamed, if those dreams were good…but he cut off that line of thought with a smile: this was Fang and Vanille he was thinking about. If they could hear how he was worrying about them, even after all these years, they'd laugh. He could hear their voices even now.

"Don't worry about us, Hope! We'll be fine!"

"Yeah, and keep an eye out for soldier girl for us, will you?"

For a moment, Hope felt disoriented; he felt the strongest urge to turn around, like Fang and Vanille were just behind him – but when he glanced over his shoulder, all he saw was the unfamiliar Bodhum cityscape as its citizens returned home for the night.

Hope you enjoyed chapter 3! I'll try to update again this weekend - keep an eye on your emails for the next update!

iheartsnow: Thanks for reviewing! Sorry this update was slower - Negative's been going so well, I had to focus on it and...well, yeah. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter!