I owe my readers an update. I hope you are all still interested in this story. It will start picking up now that college is through.

And as I plan it all out, I fear it may be bumped to M.

I'll be replying to your reviews later as it is rather late where I am, and I do enjoy sleep. But thank you for reading.

"Are you sure you don't mind, Hope? I don't want to cut into your schedule or anything."

Hope sighs, pressing his face into his knees and hitting the pause button for the sixth time. The woman stops mid-scream, her mouth half open and her eyes staring in different directions.

"I am so sure it hurts, Serah." Hope turns to her, smiling a bit when she blushes. "I said I would hang out with you and I'm going to do just that. Whenever I have free time, I'm afraid you'll have me at your doorstep. A new mouth to feed. A child that needs care, affection, and more than a little of a scary movie."

Serah laughs, leaning into the couch and wiggling her toes. "I know, I know. It's just-I never expected this. I didn't think you'd actually come."

Hope's eyes flash and he sits straighter, his shoulders stiff. "I'd never go back on a promise, Serah. Not one this important."

Serah blinks at him, her eyes wide. Her mouth forms a small smile and she sighs. "You can be such a gentleman. But if this starts cutting into your schoolwork."

"Because I love homework."

"Or your social life-"

"I have one of those?"

"Or anything else important-"

"Because I have so much going on in my life right now." He chuckles at her reddening cheeks, giving her a small jab in the arm. "You're worrying about nothing. Besides, I can't leave now, we just started the movie. And we need to think of how we're going to talk to Snow once he gets back."

Serah looks away, her pout falling into a frown. "Are you sure we have to do that? If you and I keep doing this, I'm sure I'll be fine. I don't want to make him feel guilty or anything like that."

"Too bad," Hope says, sniffing a bit and looking away. "That's what he gets for leaving you all alone like this. He should have picked up on it a lot sooner."

Serah's arms tighten around her legs. "Don't say things like that. He's working really hard for me! He's making sure I'm taken care of and can do things and live comfortably."

Hope narrows his eyes but does not look over to her. "So, does being alone like this seem really comfortable to you?" Serah's eyes widen at his words and she tries to bury her face in her knees. Hope stretches his legs to the floor, eyes cold. "Is this really what you wanted? To live alone in this big house with your husband away fighting monsters? Wondering if he's all right and if he's remembered you despite everything?"

This isn't how this was supposed to go! We were doing so well. Shut up, shut up!

But Hope's voice rises with each word, his chest flaring. Everything is pushing down on him, making it hard to breathe.

"You're hanging out with me to feel better, Serah! Not your husband, like you're supposed to. You're unhappy when he's gone all this time. He should have noticed too! On the last trip, or the one before that!"

"It hasn't always been this bad! It's been okay before!" Serah's voice shakes and her hands tremble. Hope stares at her, long and hard before finally whipping his head away. He props his elbows on his legs and rests his face in his hands. He blows out a sigh, shoulders falling.

"I'm sorry. I had not right to get so mad at you. At Snow. It's none of my business." Hope snatches the remote up from the floor and plays the movie, the woman's screams jostling Serah. "Just-just forget I said anything."

Serah stays silent and Hope leans back into the couch, his eyes flickering with the scenes. Serah continues to watch him, her heart racing and everything about her feeling small. As if she has shrunk several feet and now has to face Hope from her tiny corner of the couch.

Serah swallows and scoots over, edging closer and closer to Hope until they are mere inches apart. Hope blinks, glancing down at her as she looks up at him.

"I'm sorry too," she says, her chest swelling with the words. "I know you're looking out for me. Thank you."

Hope swallows; nods and looks away before his voice betrays him again. Serah smiles and edges out of the chair, snatching the remote and pausing the movie.

"Serah?" Hope asks, tilting his head.

"I've seen this one at least twice." She looks at him, her eyes warm. "And it's getting late."

Hope nods, eyes snapping to the floor. "Do you want me to le-"

"Wanna stay for dinner?"

Hope blinks at her, mouth dropping open as she smiles and punches the air. "I'll take your stunned silence as a yes! Just you wait, I'll be done in no time!" She's out of the room before Hope can speak, and he shakes his head at her bouncy steps.

"Are all girls this crazy?" He runs a hand through his hair before pushing himself off the couch, stretching into a walk before following Serah into the kitchen. He eyes his bag draped on the chair of the table set, thinking of all the science screaming his name.

Whoever thought it'd be a good idea to put Anatomy as a required course for this degree should be drawn, quartered, and force fed dad's pea soup.

No mercy for them.

"Stupid biology-human-sciency requirement," Hope grinds out, sitting in the chair.

Serah looks up from the stove and Hope watches in amazement at the dinner already being prepared. He jumps when she clears her throat, laughing a bit. "Sorry! It's just-you always cook so fast."

"You said something about a class though."

Hope shrugs, forcing as much blankness into his face as possible. Lightning-training, don't fail me now! "It's nothing really. It won't take me more than an hour."

If dreams were real!

"I don't believe you." She says it in such a plain way that Hope's mouth drops. His eyes widen, then narrow; he snaps his jaw shut just as quickly, but the damage has already been done. "I don't want you falling behind in school because you're hanging out with me, Hope. That's not fair to you."

"But I'm not falling behind." Hope sighs, glancing at his bag and pulling out the textbook. Serah looks as well, turning back to the pot and stirring the contents. Vegetables bubble and bob in the broth, but Serah's eyes travel to Hope as he leans over the textbook, a scowl on his face. He props his leg and stares harder, eyes narrowing into slits as he bores into the pages. Serah turns and stirs and watches him, until the smell of cooked vegetables is filling the air, and Hope has made no effort to turn the page.

Serah turns the burner off and heads for Hope, peeking at the book from behind him. "So, what are you studying?"

"Anatomy," Hope mumbles, holding back a sigh. He folds the corner of the textbook, pouting. "It's evil."

"If you want, I could-"

Hope's eyes widen and he shakes his head, snapping the book shut and smiling. "No way! Besides, dinner's done, and it's rude to read at the table." Serah glares at him, crossing her arms, but Hope just shoves the book back into his bag. "I'm sure I'll get the hang of it if I just keep studying. Really, don't get so worried about it." His words are filled with nervous chuckles and pauses, and he turns from her, eying the pot.

"That smells really good! I can make the bowls if you want." Hope stands from his chair before Serah can protest, and she rolls her eyes and flops into his chair. Hope casts a glance at her and his backpack before shuffling in the cabinets.

Serah's eyes zone in on Hope's bag as clattering bowls hit the counter. She slowly reaches inside the open maw of the bag and pulls out the textbook, gaze lingering on the skeleton on the front cover. She easily picks out Hope's bookmark and flips through the pages, even as Hope pours the soup into each of their bowls.

She lingers on a picture of the human skull. "Occipital, frontal-"

"Serah!" She jumps, the textbook landing on the floor with a loud thud. Serah presses a hand to her heart, glaring at Hope.

"Don't do that!" She shakes her head. Hope's shoulders bunch and he swears.

"What do you expect when you just-just go through my stuff like that. That's so not cool." Hopes' voice quiets and Serah's cheeks flush. She refuses to look at him, staring at a stain on the table instead.

Hope places the bowl in front of her before sitting opposite her, propping an elbow on the table and swirling the contents of the bowl.

Serah watches him from behind her bangs. Swallows. Hope's not looking at her now, still fuming at the invasion, but his face slowly relaxes and he just stares into the bowl. How many bones are supposed to be in the hand again? Hope shakes his head, running a hand through his hair. And what about the whole arm? How am I supposed to name them if I can't even remember how many are there?

"Hope?" He glances up at her, his own silver curtain of hair hiding his eyes. Serah pauses, biting her lip. "It-it's rude...to put your elbow on the table. And-and play with your food."

Hope's jaw falls and chest swells. "Well, it's rude to look through people's things too!"

Serah's eyes don't even flicker, and the fire in Hope's chest cools. He tilts his head, unsure of what to say. Am I missing something here?

"It's rude not to ask for help," Serah says, her voice slow. Hope's eyes widen and he swallows. "It's rude to think that just because I need help, that I can't help you."

Hope bites his lips, shoulders rising as he takes several deep breaths. He slowly moves his gaze to the bag sitting on the floor, then to Serah.

"I'm sorry I looked," Serah says, eyes softening. "It is yours. I shouldn't have. But, I want you to let me help you. After everything you've done for me, studying with you hardly compares."

Hope pushes his spoon along the bowl's ridge. "Hanging out with you isn't-isn't hard or anything. I'd be having trouble with this, even if I was at home. Don't...don't think being with you is a chore, or charity, or anything like that." Hope finally meets her eyes, and Serah gasps at the look. Narrowed green, determined and burning, and pointed right at her.

"It's not. And could never be."

Hope's cheeks redden and he looks back down before Serah can say a word. He starts shoveling the food into his mouth, sputtering at the heat hitting his throat but swallowing all the same. Serah watches him as she carefully brings the food to her mouth.

Eating is a silent affair, and when Serah stands and collects the bowls, Hope's eyes follow her.

"I guess," he says, heart skipping. "I guess, since we're not eating, and if-if you really don't mind, I could use some-some help-" Hope groans and shoves his face into his hand. "Can you help me study? I suck at this crap."

Serah giggles, shaking her head and pulling a chair close to Hope. Hope tenses at how close she is; their shoulders bump when she reaches for his bag, and her hair brushes his face when she sets the book on the table.

"Believe it or not, I'm actually pretty good with this type of thing," Serah says, smiling. "Before Snow and I were engaged, I was going to go to Eden!"

Hope's eyes bug. "No way! That place was crazy hard to get into."

Serah hums, kicking her feet under the table. "No lie. But then, everything happened all at once." Both her and Hope's eyes darkened, but Serah managed another smile. "Besides, it's hard to go to a university when your old home gets crystallized."

Hope nods, folding his arms. "You probably couldn't pick anything up. It's be all attached to the desk or something." He pauses, casting a sideways glance at her. "Why didn't-I mean, afterward, why didn't you-"

Hope watches Serah's entire body stiffen, and he backpedals. "Never mind. Besides, you need to help me study. Not reminisce."

Serah looks at him, nodding. "Thanks."

Hope tilts his head again, pretending he doesn't know why she's said it.

And notes to never bring it up again.

"What do you mean you haven't talked to her for the past few weeks?" Serah throws her arms in the air as they enter her house. Hope trails behind her, head bowed and bright red blush burning across his cheeks.

"Don't say it like that, it makes it sounds like I'm avoiding her."

"Of course it does! You are avoiding her," Serah shrieks. She throws her car keys onto the end table near the door, pulling Hope into the living room.

"I mean, what was so bad that you would-"

"I confessed to her, okay?" Serah jumps and Hope looks away, his entire body flushing. "I-I asked her over, we talked, and-and I told her I had a crush on her." Hope ran a hand through his hair, pressing his bangs down in an effort to hide his eyes. "I mean, I said how I was technically old enough, and that I always looked up to her, and how pretty she was and everything. And-and..."

Hope groans, pressing both hands to his face. "She just stared at me, okay? For like," Hope threw his arms down, eyes searching for a number, "Like-ten whole minutes or something. And then she gets up and leaves without another word! If that doesn't say rejection, I don't know what does."

Hope stops at the wide-eyed, jaw-slacked stare Serah gives him. He opens and closes his mouth, before moaning and tearing for the kitchen. "I can't believe I just told you all that. I-I-" Hope pauses at Serah's fridge and whips it open, taking out several slices of yellow cheese, a bottle of chocolate milk, strawberries, and chocolate syrup. "I'm drowning my sorrows in your dairy and fruit products. Please don't disturb me," Hope calls before throwing himself at the table and ripping open the strawberries.

Serah still stands dumbfounded at the doorway, although her hand stifles a giggle at Hope's outburst. That is so not what he needs right now...

Serah starts toward her kitchen, peeking around to see Hope stuffing several pieces of cheese in his mouth and gulping down the chocolate milk. I just bought those things, Hope! Serah sighs, making a mental list of things to get at the grocer tomorrow.

She slips into the kitchen, raising an eyebrow at Hope's bag as it slides down his arm. Hope doesn't even pause with his eating, only glancing at her as he pops a strawberry in his mouth.

"Hope...I know my sister can be difficult and hard to read." Serah blinks when Hope takes the chocolate syrup and just starts squeezing the bottle, letting the chocolate goo pool in his mouth before setting three strawberries in his mouth and snapping his jaw shut. "I know you know. You've been with her for years. She-she trained-"

Serah slaps a hand to her forehead and snatches the food from Hope, pushing it to her end of the table. "I can't talk to you when you eat like that."

"And I can't talk to you when I'm flashbacking to one of the most humiliating things I've ever done!" Hope reaches for the chocolate syrup, but Serah pulls it out of his reach.

"Hope," Serah says, narrowing her eyes.

"Give it back." He rolls his chin on the table, his eyes bulging and shining at her.

U-uh-that's so not going to work here! No puppy-eye tricks from you!

"Hope."

"Please?"

"Hope-"

"I just want to feel better..."

Serah lowers her head until she is eye level with him. Hope's eyes lock on hers and she nods.

"I know that Lightning can be a difficult person. But she didn't say she didn't-"

"As I said, when you walk out without saying anything," Hope starts, his voice a growl.

"Fine! So she rejected you. That doesn't mean you can't still be her friend." Serah straightens up, huffing. "I mean, come on, Hope! You are way more mature than that, and I know-"

"I'm not not talking to her because I don't-because I'm mad she said no." Hope's voice was small. Tiny. And Serah almost swears he shrinks as he says it.

"Then...why?" Serah tilts her head to the side, but Hope doesn't look up at her.

"I-I'm afraid she hates me," Hope whispers, and Serah almost doesn't catch it. "I mean, I messed everything up by saying that. I-I get that I'm not good enough. I was expecting that, but I thought...thought I should still at least try. But that was the worst thing that could have happened." Hope sits up from the table, but his chin stays bowed to his chest.

"I think I ruined it, by saying those things. I wish I hadn't. I'm so scared-I mean, she-she-" Hope's eyes scrunch up and he shakes his head, rubbing his chest. "I don't know. I can accept her not loving me, but I don't want her to hate me. I don't think I can take something like that."

Hope jumps when Serah's hands grab his, turning him around to face her. She kneels on the floor, her eyes soft and sad. "Is that really it?" She shakes her head, chuckling. "Hope, I don't know if you've noticed, but when my sister looks at you, she has the warmest look I've ever seen on her."

Hope swallows, looking to the side, but Serah yanks his hands. His eyes snap back to her.

"Don't. Don't look away. You need to hear this. And I need to know you hear it." Serah takes a deep breath. "You've made my sister happy in ways I don't think anyone else could ever have hoped for. Not even me. You're like...a son to her." Serah sees the brief disappointment flash in Hope's eyes, before his fingers relax in hers. "And I am so, so, grateful for what you've done. And I know, that even if she doesn't say it, she is too."

"Serah," Hope mumbles, gulping a bit.

"It is absolutely, cosmically, physically, psychologically, and every other -ly impossible for my sister to hate you." Serah wraps her arms around him, and she smiles at his soft, calm breaths. "Don't you ever forget that."

Hope and Serah sway for several minutes, Serah waiting for the words to really sink in. When Hope returns her embrace she chuckles and Hope laughs, and they feel the vibrations between their chests. She pulls away and sees his eyes are a little red and he's sniffling, but the grin on his face makes her shoulders relax.

"Better?" she asks, standing up.

"A lot." He bits his lip, glancing up at her. "But-but how should I..."

"Let me think about it for a while. I think I may need to talk to Lightning too. But for now." Serah reaches for his bag and pulls it off. Grabbing his hand again, she leads him to the bathroom.

"Wash your sticky little fingers, Estheim! I'll go clean up your mess."

She marches off, but she lingers on his other words. "I'm not good enough."

He said it so absolutely. Like it's a fact or something.

Meanwhile, Hope blinks as he glances at the white sink. Smiles.

Lets go of the pain in his chest.