Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy XIII

Enjoy!

014. Loyal

Blue and shimmering, distorted and wide, the Cocoon that Snow saw through the crystal teardrop was nothing like the one he'd known his whole life. He hadn't even really known they lived on the inside of a planet before he saw it from here, not having exactly spent loads of time in school when he was younger. It was Serah who'd taught him more about the world, in all senses of its meaning. For someone so small, so unassuming, she could be so powerful. Sometimes even the smallest thing she'd say would send him reeling for days.

He'd fallen in love with her before he even knew what love was. He'd watched it happen in the movies, seen what it did to friends, but nothing compared to that feeling he had one day when, looking into her eyes so wide and beautiful and hopeful, he'd found himself existing in an entirely different state of being. She hadn't even been doing anything, just sipping on a drink, maybe, listening to Lebreau's latest date disaster, and Snow knew then, in that very moment, he wanted her doing nothing like that at his side, forever. It was that love, that driving, burning, eternal love that kept him going. Every step he took was for her. Every battle he fought was to save her. Every time he went forwards when every inch of his body screamed at him to stop, it was for her. It was all for her.

Serah had been the one to defend him to Lightning the first time they'd met. It'd been her who had defended his less than authodox path in life, not him. He hadn't even had to say anything before Serah was the one fighting his corner, standing up to the big sister who was both that and more to the woman he loved. And she'd been fierce. It'd been a wonder, standing there, watching this girl, this girl he'd only known six short months, defending him as though her life depended on it. Funny thing was, he knew he'd do the exact same if the roles were reversed.

But here he was, looking through her tear at his distorted home planet. It looked ugly, through the crystal. Snow must've been on the habit of doing this five or six times a day by now. He did it so often that Sazh had stopped commenting and Fang had given up the jokes. Looking through her tear, it just reminded him of how much more he had to fight, but exactly why he wouldn't give up. The love he still held for her burnt like a passionate, loyal flame in his chest. He wouldn't ever give up, and that flame would never be extinguished.

"How's Serah?"

He heard Lightning tramp through the grass before he saw her.

"Same as we left her." And he put the crystal down, the end digging sharply into his palm.

He wouldn't ever let her down. He wouldn't ever stop chasing the next solution. Just as he wouldn't ever stop loving her: that, he knew.

Please review if you've got the time and follow for more. Thanks!