When all the boxes had been carried inside Hope's main hall, Serah began to undo the tape. He walked up to her and whispered, "Listen I can take care of that." She cocked her head curiously, "I can't help?" He smiled mischievously, "Well, I have something planned..." Serah nodded knowingly, "I see..." She got up immediately, "I just remembered I have somewhere to be. Sorry I have to go, see you later Light!" She hurried out the door before Light could reply.
"Umm... why did Serah leave?", Light asked, unwinding the tape from her precious array of weapons. Hope said nonchalantly, "Hrm? Oh, she remembered she had to go take Amelia to her rehearsal." "Oh. Rehearsal for what?", she asked. He blanked, "Uhnnn... for a school play yeah!" He chuckled nervously, knowing she wouldn't buy it. "Hope? She's too young for school.", Light said, staring pointedly at Hope. His laughing got louder, "Eheheheh...riiiight..."
"Hope? Is there something you aren't telling me? Cause you can't lie to save your life.", she said, still staring. He pointed out, trying to hide his fluster, "Yeah, but you can't either!" "Tch. So?", she replied, offhandedly, turning her spare, spare gun blade over and over in her hands. He made sure to keep an eye on her fiddling with the gun blade, "So... uhn... let's get unpacked then!" He hurriedly turned to pick up a box, exhaling at himself for his failure.
"What's wrong?", she asked, "You seem.. upset." He turned his head back, "Nothing's wrong. I'm fine. Speaking of which,", he completely turned to face her, "How about you? The Huggler not huggling too hard today?" "Eh. It was bad just before you showed up, but I managed to aim right, this time. 'Cept it sorta clogged the toilet, so I had to fix it.", Light replied offhandedly, moving onto yet another gun blade. Hope nodded, not wanting to think about what she did to his own bathroom, "I see... well, I'm glad you're feeling better today...", he paused and his tone changed to be a faux nonchalant, "Because I read that if you rest or exercise when you're feeling sick then the morning sickness will get better..."
"Huh, and throw up over everyone while doing said exercise? I wouldn't mind if it's Snow, but anyone else? And we have to have a talk with Amodar about my situation. By the way, I have to go to the doctor, and you're coming.", Light said, miraculously all in one breath. "Well, that's what I read so... and I called your doctor already and set up an appointment. But not today. As for Amodar, I did tell him you wouldn't be coming in for a little while, because you're sick.", Hope said, while unpacking a box.
"WHAT?", Light yelled, "I HAVEN'T MISSED WORK EVER! NO!" He exhaled, "Listen Light, he understands. Everyone gets sick sometime. And you have missed days, remember when Serah and Snow got married, when it was your birthday, when Serah had Cloud... you missed days then." "Yeah, but I went to work and got booted out. I suppose you didn't notice. And as for my birthday and the wedding, Serah went and told Amodar nicely about the upcoming events. So, naturally, I got kicked out.", she said, huffing. "Booted out? I thought you just missed a couple of missions.", he asked. "Nope. Amodar said I wasn't allowed inside on that day.", Light said, crossing her arms, "Being at home is boring. And plus, the Huggler needs the exercise."
He sighed at her childish action, "Light, he wouldn't let you in because you tried to get in to work every time anyway. As for the exercise, you can go jogging on the beach or something like you usually do." "But!", she said, attempting a protest, "Grrr... Damn you, Huggler. You know when to hug, don't you?", she yelled as she ran to the bathroom. He face-palmed as she left, "She really does need to learn to relax." "I heard that!", she yelled, in between pukes. He yelled back, "Well you do!" "SOLDIERS DON'T RE-", she said and puked again.
Hope walked into the bathroom doorway, "Light, I know you're a soldier but right now you're a mother and they need the rest. You need the rest." He sadly rubbed at her back, "I know you love being a soldier and it's your life, but for now, you have to think of the baby's safety first." "Huh. I think the Huggler likes it. He doesn't hug very much around gun blades.", she said, smirking. He sweat-dropped, "Well, I mean if it makes the Huggler happy then you can keep them around. But be very careful."
"Right, right. You realize who you're telling to be careful with sharp things, Mr. 'I Can't Hold Sharp Things Without Dropping Them on Myself or Other People.'", Light said, making an unintended reference to the List. He huffed, getting a little tired of her showering sarcasm, "Well at least be extra careful. And I'm not touching them until you train me, no." "Yeah. If you're going to improve them in your crazy little notebook of inventions, and seeing as you make your prototypes, you SHOULD learn not to drop them...", she said, shaking her head while attempting to suppress a smile. He let out yet another exasperated huff then said, "You feeling better now?" "Yeah. Much better. The Huggler's probably asleep.", she replied, picking up yet another weapon and removing the tape carefully.
Hope picked up a box and asked, "Where are you planning on keeping those anyway?" "In a closet. Or just in a box? I had a shelf in the apartment...", Light trailed off. He noticed and said, "You lived there for a long time huh? It's sad to leave your home behind." "I guess. Serah and I've lived there since Mom and Dad... you know.", she said, avoiding talk of her parents. He said, "Yeah, I moved here after my Dad died too. But you know, there's always going to be changes. I'm just glad this one is for the better." "Hey our little Huggler agrees. Wait... they're not huggling. They're just moving...", Light said, staring out the window.
"You do realize, we'll have to tell the idiot soon, right?" Hope nodded, "Yeah I know. I wonder if he'll kill me..." "Che. He'll assume we were drunk, the idiot. Then I'll kill him. Thank god for Serah, though. Otherwise, the idiot would be running free.", Lightning said, clenching her fist, "The Huggler agrees. They just hugged me really hard. And it hurts." He sighed, "Yeah..."
"What? Not up to conversation?", she asked, sitting down next to him. He took her hand, "Well... would you mind coming upstairs? Could you make it?" "Yeah. I'm not invalid! God.", she said and huffed in irritation, "I just have your three month old child growing in my reproductive organ. What difference does that make?"
He shot her a vexed look at first but lead her by the hand upstairs, "Well... I know this is hard and unexpected and everything, and I was thinking last night and well..." "And then?", she asked, unaware of the abundance of jokes behind her simple statement.
"I did this.", Hope said, opening a pair of large doors.
It was a completely blank room, devoid of anything but a large window with an amazing ocean view. "I took apart my work room.", Hope took Light by the hand inside. "And..?", Light asked, not really catching on to whatever stupendous plan our inventor had stipulated.
"I did it so we would have room for the baby.", he said with certainty, albeit it gently. He looked at the floor, nervously awaiting Light's response and
"We should put some stuff in here.", Light said, by way of an answer. "I don't think our Huggler will enjoy sleeping on the floor. Oww.", she put a hand on her stomach, "Does this crazy child have to keep huggling me?"
Hope smiled happily, squeezing Light's hand, "So, do you want to keep the Huggler too?" "Of course. I wouldn't let any other person have a little Hope-like kid running around, would I?", Light said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I really wished you wouldn't!", he embraced her in excitement. "Hope, I'm sorry, but I'm getting enough hugs already... Could you...?", she said, with a slightly guilty look on her face, motioning away from herself. "Oh! Right sorry!", he let go immediately, still beaming with ecstasy.
He played with her hand in his, "There's one more thing..."
Hope began, "Lightning, you're everything to me. I would do anything for you.", he looked her in the eye, "You taught me to be a strong person, and I always wanted to be that for the people I care about." He continued with an even tone, albeit his hand slightly shaking in hers, "You gave me support, care, laughs, and everything I could ever wish for." He swallowed hard, his Adam's Apple bobbing at first, "I want to be the partner you have by your side all the time,", he stopped for a second in thought, "I want to be with you through everything like you were for me,", he shied his eyes bashfully down and shifted his weight between both feet, "and I want to be there to catch you if you fall."
He paused, making sure he had her full attention and regaining full composure, "I love you Light." He affirmed with more determination in his voice, "More than anything. And I want to know...", he got down on one knee and took a box out of his pocket, "If you want me to be your permanent partner." He paused again then said with all the confidence and feeling he could, "Light, would you marry me?"
"Wait... what?", Light asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Sorry. I was looking at that.", she said and pointed toward THE HORN, which had positioned itself outside Hope's window... again. Light magically produced a gun blade from thin air, and aimed it at The Horn, repeatedly muttering, "Eliminate the enemy... eliminate the enemy..." She shot then turned back to a dazed Hope. "Could you say that again, Hope? I was trying to kill that annoying piece of scrap metal.", she said, smiling. It was dead. Score one for Lightning.
Hope's heart was pounding so hard, he could barely hear himself say, "Claire Farron, will you marry me?"
"We better get married before I get fat.", she said, pulling Hope into a hug, "Aww, look Huggler's joining in..."
"I'm happy they agree!", Hope exclaimed, almost strangling Light by how strong he was hugging her, her tip toes barely touching the floor, "Hey, hey, we don't want to kill me or the Huggler, right, Hope?" He nodded furiously as he lowered her, "Of course not!" He backed up and took her hand, "I made you this before I took the work room apart." Hope took the ring box out and slid the most beautiful rose gold ring with a rose shaped diamond onto Light's ring finger.
"It's great, Hope... This is great.", Light said, grabbing his hand as he was about to pull away after putting the ring on, "We really need to talk to everyone else, now. Preferably not Snow about this part, though. Or the other part for that matter..."
He nodded furiously again, "If you want to then we will." "Stop nodding so fast. It's making me nauseous.", she stroked her forehead. "Sorry! I was just really nervous...", he forced himself to calm again. "I couldn't sleep... I was so afraid you'd throw me out the window.", he chuckled.
"Throw you out the window... nah, that's where...", she said and turned toward the window, only to see the scrap metal menace that had been stalking them ever since this whole ordeal began. "It's... back?", she asked, shaking with repressed anger.
Hope pulled her into facing him, "Light, don't worry about that right now. It's not going to hurt us." He looked shyly at the ground, "So... do you... want to finish unpacking or go bother Serah?" "Go bother Serah. That'll be less tiring. And maybe I can beat someone up for a change.", she flicked her head up arrogantly. "What about Snow?", he was almost afraid to ask. "That's who I mentioned about beating up. The exercise would be good for the Huggler. And maybe he can go huggle Snow for us. Saves me a lot of trouble.", she stroked her belly.
"You know it's because they loves you right?", Hope began walking out of the room. "Yeah. But that doesn't change the fact that it hurts.", she said, smiling and followed. He took her hand again, "We'll tell them together. That way, if Snow tries to bother you or our child, we can really kick his ass. Because my doing it alone... still needs some work. I'm pretty sure it was number 9 on your list..."
"Or maybe 10...", Light said, squeezing his hand, "We have to get used to doing this stuff together, huh?" "As long as it's with you, I could do anything... or at least try to. But between the two of us, I'm sure we'll be fine.", he quickly pecked her cheek. "We have to be. Who else will beat up Snow?", Light said, joining in the fun, "Plus, if I go to the hospital one more time before I give birth, I am seriously going to be mad." "I'll make sure that doesn't happen.", he said as he closed the front door behind them. "You better. Or I'll be pissed... at you."