Kinda short woopises :c

Chapter 6

How the hell did he know? Hope thought furiously as he shrugged his Academy shirt over his head. His hands shook with anxiety as he turned his head to get at the white sterile bandages that wrapped around his back.

Caius did keep his word about harming Hope if he ventured any further with his relationship with Noel. But not in a way Hope expected.

If you so badly want him, then you must show it. The word rippled through Hope's mind like a raging fire.

With the burning tip of the enchanted sword Caius carved Noel's name into Hope's back. The voice lock spell Caius allowed him to burn the name into his flesh without a sound, for hours Hope was cringing in pain, unable to call for help. A few healing spells later and Hope was able to numb the pain for a short period of time, allowing him to disinfect the bleeding wound and seal it shut using an emergency med-bot at the corner of his office.

Still, Hope didn't want to avoid Noel. Of all the things in the world, Hope decided to be purely stubborn on his relationship. Hope loved it, their relationship, Noel...everything. Hope enjoyed waking up everyday, his work was done quicker than he ever had before. Noel was like a gift from the gods and Hope wouldn't let that waste away. And so Hope continued.

A night after the incident, Caius came back again. Hope wasn't ready for the next pain Caius inflicted. This time burning a ragged, permanent scar down his right leg, causing the limp. The nights were filled with his taunts, whispers, hallucinations, caused by the trauma and spells Caius inflicted upon him. Hope hadn't had a good nights sleep in ages, that caused his ticks and jittery motions. The pills couldn't take away any of it, much to Hope's dismay.

Worse, it took away Noel.

They may not have had a real, solid relationship, considering it was formed by Noel's daring little move, but they did have a connection. Hope wasn't a man for emotion nor connection, not since his friends saved Cocoon, leaving him to his own doings. He worked hard, to make them proud. That's all that mattered to him. Until Noel came by. Now he wanted nothing more than to take a vacation and spend hours with Noel, not sleepless nights nor showers.

"Why is it so wrong for me to share myself?" Hope muttered and taped himself up, using a med-bot to tighten the stitches that came loose and disinfect any germs that may have collected in the ruined flesh.

"What's wrong, Noel?" Serah saw the look on her partner's face. She knew at once something was wrong.

"Nothing." Noel said, sharpening his sword next to her bedside, "How's the rib?"

"Noel." The Farron sister narrowed her blue eyed gaze at him, "What's wrong?"

"Noth-ing." He flicked her nose affectionately, trying to get her away from his secrets. She remained unfazed, crossing her arms over her wounded chest and narrowing her gaze even more.

They lapsed into silence as Noel looked down to her avoid her eyes, taking the stone against his blade once more.

Bop.

Noel looked up in reflex, grabbing whatever Serah just threw at him. But it vanished from his grip before he could close his fingers around it. He felt a puff of pink dust fall on his fingers. Mog was next to Serah, who was still glaring down at him. Even Mog joined in with the Farron, crossing his arms as much as he could and narrowing his small black eyes.

"Don't play this game, Farron." Noel warned.

She threw Mog again, Noel dodged it but didn't count on Mog vanishing in front of him and hitting him at the back of his head with his little clock wand. Noel snapped out to catch Mog but the little moggle got away before he could catch him. If Noel walked away, Mog would only continue this game until he came back and told Serah anything.

Dear goddess, she takes after her sister. Noel thought as he gave a sigh, setting his weapons across his back.

"Alright, alright," Noel put his hands up in defeat, "I may have gotten into a bit of a fight with Hope."

"And why is that?" She asked.

"Like a...fight you would with Snow." Noel tried to elaborate, he didn't exactly feel comfortable with saying it straight out.

"Oh! Oh...oh..." Serah's eyes grew a little wide with surprise, "I didn't know you two were..."

"Yeah, me neither." He rolled his eyes, blowing a little length of hair from his face.

"Well, what did you fight about?" She asked, softening her tone.

"We...er..." Noel couldn't say Caius was just popping in one Hope every night, threatening to kill him with goddess knows what type of torture, "A little disagreement. It's a long story, I'd rather not."

"That's fine," Serah smiled, "You two should just talk, you know?"

"Yeah I gue-"

There was a pitched scream that broke through the quiet night in the medical wing. Noel's eyes got wide, familiar with the voice. Serah was stunned at the sound, nodding for her time traveling friend to go. Noel shot out of the door, bolting down the corridor to the sound of the screams. He just barely missed the security officers who would have told him to stay back, their footsteps barely keeping up with his as he shot down the corridors. His trained ears picking up source without a problem.

Noel tripped in his haze of terror. Noel never tripped. Never faltered. Never wavered. Not a trained hunter like him. But the sound of Hope's pained voice caught him so off guard. Made his life time of training escape his mind and body.

"CAIUS!" Noel screamed as he got up, "Hope agreed! He agreed!"

Another tortured screech.

"You promised not to hurt him!" Noel's throat was raw as he stopped in front of a bathroom door. One where the screams were coming from.

Noel beat the door with his fists, the lock jammed so no one could get in from the outside. He screamed for Hope, stabbing at the door with his blades. All useless.

At some point, between Noel's desperate cries and the security guards finally catching up to the scene the door opened.

Noel dropped his blades and rushed into the room, not caring at the door shut behind him. Noel didn't even bother to think this was a trap. He didn't care.

"I'm so sorry, Hope." The Hunter's voice cracked as he dropped to the ground, it was too dark to see where Hope was.

"And I too." Caius said lowly.