"Where's my sister?"

Snow almost jumped out of his skin.

Lightning hadn't said anything to him when he came into the room; having stepped a good four strides passed the table where she sat; so he could only assume that she intended to scare the shit out of him.

Mustering a tight smile for the older Farron, he didn't waste time in turning to the coffee pot.

"Uh, asleep. I usually get up before her and make -" Snow reached for the carafe and noticed it was mostly full. "...coffee." Peeking over his shoulder, he noticed that Lightning was already drinking a cup of it, staring a hole in him.

He could hear himself swallow as he turned back around and reached for his usual mug... which was not in it's usual spot in the front of the cupboard. Choosing to keep his gaze from her for a third time, he, in his mind's eye, recalled what Lightning looked like sitting where she was behind him at the kitchen table.

Rose hair, a little darker than Serah's, surprisingly pale skin, unapproachable, perpetual scowl pasted on her mouth, and in her hand he remembered a cup: a blue cup; dammit, his cup.

Unthinking, the turn to look at her automatic, he zeroed in on the item she was holding.

There was no way he was going to try and get it back from her. He'd rather pour scalding hot coffee in his cupped hands rather than being the subject of her ire so early in the morning.

"What?" She inquired flatly, still looking at him.

Smiling crookedly, he shook his head. Spinning around back to the counter, he snatched the pot up and splashed some coffee haphazardly from the carafe into one of Serah's many mugs. Sloshing over the brim, he bit his lip as the steaming liquid dribbled onto his fingers, still searing even after he hastily shook them dry.

"So. Did you, uh, sleep well?"

"No."

"Oh. Really? Uh, sorry about that."

He had meant to get into a little easy conversation over a cup of coffee instead of just running away like he wanted to.

How quickly he forgot that nothing came easy when the two of them were involved.

Choosing to keep his distance rather than sitting with her at the table, he turned around and leaned on the edge of the counter, huge windows at his back.

Serah had wanted the focal point of the house to be light, so that's how he planned it; windows and skylights wherever he could fit them. The surrounding wilderness was impossibly beautiful, and from where the house stood, every pane of glass showcased the vivid colours of the valley.

After the problems with the elder sister when they left Cocoon, Snow's top priority had been to make Serah happy. Whatever she wanted was brought to life; Snow pouring his heart and soul into the house. Historically, he'd never been very good at expressing much deep emotion, even though at times he was overwrought with it. Instead, he expressed things through his deeds, as he always had.

Their home, for example, was such an expression, and that Serah seemed to love it was all he had ever wanted.

"So, did you get the full tour?" Snow asked, breaking the silence.

"Mmhm."

"Good."

He shifted his weight as he thought of something else to say.

But, what did you say while in the company of the one person you were sure of that hated you?

"Hope's grown up."

She didn't reply. Just stared.

The mug was growing hot in his calloused hands, a side effect of not having his cup available. All of the other coffee cups were of thin porcelain; little better than teacups, allowing the heat of the coffee to seep out quickly. Serah liked her dishware lightweight.

Eyes drifting to the blue ceramic still in her hand, Snow had to finally set the blistering coffee cup down on the countertop behind him, while she took a smug sip.

She had to have known what she was doing when she looked into the cupboard to choose something to drink from...

Of course she saw him looking at her; at his cup; her hands curled around it, long, slender fingers through the handle against the coffee-warmed ceramic. She watched his gaze move from her face to her hands as he obviously struggled with her possession of the mug. Silently daring him to say something to her about the faux pas, he did not. She wasn't overly surprised; it wasn't good form to comment on such a trivial thing. On the other hand, she didn't expect Snow to have any idea about proper etiquette.

Good etiquette, along with many other mature things, seemed incompatible with Snow's general behaviour. Perhaps he'd learned something from Serah.

"Good morning, everyone!" Serah tweeted, her sunny greeting a welcome ray of light into the chilly atmosphere. Lightning found herself glad to see her little sister and opened her mouth to return the greeting, but Snow beat her to it.

"Morning, baby." He said affectionately as she toddled up to where he was standing in front of the coffee pot.

Lightning watched as he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her little sister's forehead.

His eyes were closed; his face serene; a little twitch of a smile upon his lips; huge hand woven into the roots of Serah's silky hair.

Suddenly uncomfortable, Lightning diverted her gaze past his head, unseeing through the huge window.

Ugh. Get a room.

Did they really have to do that in front of her?

Snow sure had grown bold in her absence. Afterall, they both were too afraid of her to ever do anything like that back on Cocoon.

And even though she was tempted to say something, nothing came.

Though she wasn't sure why.

She couldn't even move her eyes back to the scene of the infraction until the mundane sound of the cupboard opening and the bright tinkle of a cup being extracted drew them back.

They were seperated now; Serah having moved to the refrigerator, her tiny frame swallowed up by the huge silver appliance as she stood searching inside it.

"Are you hungry?"

Snow poured some dark coffee into a dainty mug – much like the one he had put down before Serah came into the room – and added a teaspoon of sugar. Then, poured cream into the cup from the mouth of a gaudy ceramic cow that was dwarfed in his mammoth mitt. He looked a bit silly using the thing, Lightning mused as he picked up a spoon and stirred, finally setting the cup down on the table on the opposite side from where she sat.

Then he flashed a smile at her before he retreated from the table, and Lightning found herself again uncomfortable in their presence.

"Thanks, Snow." Came Serah's disembodied voice.

"Anything for you, baby." Snow replied, his own voice warm and rich.

Was he mocking her? What nerve.

Tch.

"Light?"

"What?" She snapped.

"Uh..." Serah peeked out from behind the fridge door, sounding suddenly hesitant. "Do you want something to eat?"

"No." She said testily, suddenly annoyed with the whole situation.

Gripping the huge mug in her hand, she stood from the table and escaped the kitchen, finding herself tense on the other side of the swinging door.

She shouldn't be here. She just should have stayed home.

They obviously didn't need her, and she had no desire to see them play house.

How was she going to make it through an entire week of this lovey-dovey bullshit without murdering anyone?

Movement at the other end of the hall caught her attention.

Hope was walking quickly toward her, his smile welcoming and warm.

"Morning, Light!"

She felt a little of the tension drain from her, her herculean grip loosening on the well loved mug.

That's how.