AN: First I am so, so sorry that it took me so long to get an update for this story. First I had writers block. Then I got Tales of Graces F (very fun game by the way), then I got a Nook for my b-day ( thousands of books instantly!), then more life troubles. Then I got an idea for an original story. I need to write the basic idea down so I wouldn't forget it. Then to top it off FF was being a pain and yeah...

Now review thanks :)

ben4kevin: I'm glad you liked the ending! I promise to try and do quicker updates.

madapocket: Someone(s) will look for Hope. As for who...

Roxprincess741: You will see a lot more of a blushing Noel in the next chapter ;)

simply anonymous: I will try to do longer chapters but (crosses fingers) there won't be such a long wait between chapters.

icekitsune13darkfire: No worries I actually like questions! As for why Hope can't heal himself. There is a deeper reason and it will be answered...eventually.

OMFGhehehe: I'm glad you liked the chapter and thank you for the wonderful comments!

.stitchesXx: I know poor Hope. And I haven't even started the real drama yet. Just wait until chapter 10 (evil laugh)!

ccsakura21: Maybe or it could have been...*cough*...*cough*...sorry cold.

NekoEiko: I'm a sucker of cuddling too! There is going to be a lot of it in this story :)

Well here's Chapter 8. I was originally going to make it longer but after such a long wait I wanted to give you something. Hope people are still reading this. Anyway please leave a review. I love reading them and hearing what you guys think.

Happy Mother's Day to all of the Moms, Aunties, Grandmas and all women and girls!

Chapter 8: Opening Up

The last thing Noel expected when he went out to get a book was for Hope to break down on him. Then again he really shouldn't have been surprised. He knew that something had been weighing on the other man since he had found him.

Noel managed to maneuver them into the living room so they could sit on the couch. It was a little difficult as Hope didn't seem to want to let go of him. Something that was odd for the other man. One of the things he learned about Hope was that he liked his personal space.

Hope continued to cry like his world was ending and Noel was at a loss. He had never really comforted anyone before. He thought this situation was beyond him. Then a distant memory began to surface; a very distant long forgotten memory.

He couldn't remember why but he came back into the house crying. His grandmother picked up, sat down with him, and sang him a lullaby. Noel couldn't remember the words but he did remember the melody. So he so pulled Hope closer until he was practically on top of him and hummed Hope his grandmother's song.

It seemed to work as Hope relaxed more against him and his sobs weren't as harsh. Over an hour later Hope's sobs had nearly stopped. Noel looked down to see that Hope had cried himself to sleep. He let out a sigh as he ran his fingers through Hope's silky hair. The feelings Hope was stirring up were confusing him.

Needing time to think and having things to do Noel carefully maneuvered Hope so he was lying on the couch instead of him. Hope made a small sound of protest so Noel covered him with the blanket he kept on the back of the couch hoping that it would help. It seemed to have worked as Hope once again settled down.

Noel then immediately headed outside and began to lay out the supplies he had gotten. He had bought the materials to make a second bed. He figured that now would be a good time to build it. After sharing a bed last night and Hope crying himself to sleep on him Noel figured that sharing a bed with him again wouldn't be a good idea. He honestly didn't think that his emotions could handle it.

Not that he didn't like sharing a bed with Hope but that was the problem. The other man was stirring up all of these feelings he never knew that he could feel and that was frightening. He didn't want to get attached to Hope. Noel knew that it was only a matter of time before the others came to collect Hope and he would leave.

That was another problem. Where were they? If Hope just disappeared on him nothing would stop him from finding the other man. When the others showed up if they didn't have a good reason for why it took them so long he would have to have a talk with them. Especially after everything Hope did to help them.

Noel had just finished building the frame of the bed when he heard the front door open. He turned around to see a sheepish and embarrassed looking Hope. The other man's hair was sleep tussled which made him look even cuter. Noel shook his head to get rid of that thought. He could not think of Hope that way. The other man was his friend. Not only that but he was very vulnerable right now so Noel would feel like he was taking advantage of him. Not that he was even thinking about starting a relationship with Hope it wasn't that he didn't want to…Noel let his head fall rather hard on the newly made bed. Why did life have to be so complicated?

"Are you alright?" Hope asked sounding worried.

"I'm fine," Noel said as he rubbed his now sore forehead. Hope nodded and looked down at the ground; his hair covering his face.

"I'm sorry about the way I acted I…"

"You have nothing to apologize for," Noel said cutting him off. The last thing he wanted to hear was Hope apologizing for being upset.

"I acted like an idiot," Hope said still not looking at him.

"Hope you didn't act like an idiot. You're upset. It's understandable," Noel told him as he got up.

"But you…"

"I've had five years to adjust. Believe me when I tell you that at first I was a wreck," Noel said once again cutting him off.

"You were only eighteen. I'm in my twenties. I'm an adult. I should be able to handle it," Hope countered. Noel sighed. For some reason Hope seemed determined to be hard on himself. There had to be something else bothering Hope besides his friends not showing up.

"Hope if there's something bothering you I'll listen," Noel told him worried. It wasn't good to keep everything all pent up like that.

"Do you think I'm weak?" Hope asked so quietly Noel wasn't even sure that he spoke.

"Of course not. Why would you think that?" Noel asked surprised by the question.

"I just…I don't know. I've been thinking," Hope said.

"About," Noel pressed. He was relieved that Hope was finally opening up to him. If he was ever going to get better he needed to talk about it.

"I know from the documents that I found and from what you and Serah said that Lightning gave everyone dreams. Asking for their help. But she never gave me a single one. And you treat me like I can't take care of myself. There has to be a reason for that. Either I can't be trusted or I'm weak."

"Hope you are far from weak. Anyone that can kill that and be un-phased by it," Noel said as he pointed at the dead behemoth and shuddered at the thought of that thing attacking Hope, "is far from weak. I for one don't think you're weak. The reason I treat you like an invalid is because you basically are one.

"When I found you, you were half-dead; from fighting hordes of monsters. Now you have a broken arm. Trust me when you are better you'll be helping out more," Noel told him even though he didn't want to. The last thing he wanted was for Hope to get hurt again. The need to protect the other man was growing stronger.

"As for Lightning. You were what…twelve or thirteen?" he asked

"Something like that," Hope told him.

"Then that's your answer. In her eyes you were a child. She probably wanted you to have a childhood and not have to worry about everything that was going on," Noel told him.

"How could I not. Serah said that she saw her after… and then everyone else disappeared on me. My mom died during the purge and my dad died before he reached Pulse. They were all that I had left and I didn't know what happened to them. Of course I would do everything within my power to help them," Hope said sounding tired. Not physically tired but just tired. Noel couldn't help but notice despite how young Hope looked he also looked extremely old. It was obvious to see that he had been through a lot.

Noel wasn't sure what to say to that. It would have made sense that Lightning didn't want to involve Hope because he was so young when it all happened. He was also sure that Lightning didn't know about Hope's father. When he really thought about he couldn't help but wonder how different everything would have been if Lightning did send Hope those dreams.

"Maybe that's why Lightning didn't," Noel said eventually. "Look at everything that you accomplished. You wouldn't have been able to do any of that if you had been looking for her."

"You really believe that?" Hope asked quietly.

"I do," Noel said with a nod. He actually believed that it was a mixture of the two but he wasn't about to tell Hope that.

"What are you working on anyway?" Hope asked. Noel could tell that his friend was trying to change the subject. There was now a light io his eyes that wasn't there before so he decided to let it slide.

"It's a bed! Can't you tell," Noel said with a big smile.

"A bed? What for?" Hope asked looking curious.

"You of course," Noel told him.

"Me?" Hope asked his eyes going wide.

"Yes you," Noel said with a roll of his eyes. "If you're going to be living here you can't sleep on the couch."

"I…thank you Noel," Hope said and for the first the other man smiled.

Noel's heart did flip-flops. After seeing that Noel knew that he was completely and utterly screwed. He was falling for Hope and falling hard. There was no way he could ignore his growing feelings any longer. He finally got Hope's smile. Now all Noel had to figure out was how to get Hope's heart.