It's been two years. Two long years since we destroyed Barthandalus..two long years since Vanille and Fang saved the world from Ragnarok and crystallized. Two long years since they all went their separate ways to their separate lives.

Hope Esthiem a silverette sixteen year old young boy lived alone in the Paroleum Complexes. With his mother dead and his father taken away he had no choice but to try and live on by himself. Hope shut his book hanging his head over his study table in frustration.

"What's the matter Hope?" A girl with orange curly hair tied into two low ponytails wearing the school uniform colors, black bottoms with a green blazer. Hope looked dully into her eyes, she had a concerned look on her face.

"The usual..." He said sullenly. She gave him a knowing look and felt bad for Hope.

"Don't give me that look Vanille." He hated being pitied. He knew he was quite pitiful..just like that day two years ago.

* : 0 FLASHBACK TWO YEARS AGO : 0*

Barthandalus has been defeated.

"Finally this ends..." Lightning breathed out. The group was exhausted after fighting with all they had using magic and ultimate techniques they cheered mirthly. All the people who had crystallized [including Vanille and Fang] were unfrozen and returned to the people who missed them so much.

"We did it Snow!" Hope happily cheered. After all this it was finally over. Snow did his signature smirk.

"A hero never loses." Hope gave him an incredulous look of unbelief. He sighed.

"You have way to much energy." Hope turned to walk away but was unexpectedly hoisted up in the air and spun around in strong arms. Hope's heart sped up, his face warming..he felt safe and he thought Snow looked so beautiful with his cheery smile and his beard stub and blond hair on sun kissed skin.

"Man your really light Hope.." Snow hotly breathed into Hope's ear. He involuntarily shivered.

"Snooow!~~" A shrill voice cried out. Hope and Snow turned their heads to see Serah and Sazh's son walking towards them. Serah jumped into a startled Snow's arms in the process knocking Hope roughly out of the way.

"S-Serah!?"

"Oh Snow i missed you so much! Now we can get married and we'll be together forever!" Serah was happily tugging on Snow's arm leading him toward Lightning. Hope couldn't explain why his heart hurt so bad at that moment. Snow turned and caught Hope's eyes. It was hard to explain what the look meant. There was.. confusion, sorrow,apology..and longing.

*:3 BACK TO PRESENT : 3*

"Well..you know they haven't gotten married yet." Vanille said with hope lacing her voice. She smiled and placed her hands on her hips.

"That's it! No more mopeyness! We're gonna go see him today. It's been awhile since we've seen em all anyway." Hope paled. While sitting through the lecture of his class his mind was far from the lesson and more on the event that would happen after school.

*3 AFTER SCHOOL 3*

"Onward,onward,onward to Lightnings!~" Vanille happily sung sitting on the subway kicking her feet back and forth. Hope was staring at the blurry images of scenery passing by. He couldn't stop his thoughts from jumbling. So many things could happen with this meeting. Each one that came to mind had a horrible conclusion.

"Hope just tell him how you're feeling." Hope wanted to scream. She just didn't understand the situation. She was telling him to confess a love to his MALE companion, who by the way had a fiance' he was madly in love with and had set out on a rescue mission for. While he was some little kid who at one point tried to take his life. The chances were far from slim and he didn't want to risk anything. Besides if in some weird way there was a chance there's no possible way Snow went that way. Not saying Hope did completely he still looked at girls and thought they were cute but Snow was different.

"Hope..? We're here are you ok?" Vanille placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Hope exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Let's get this over with.."

"Now that's no way to go about this!"

"But it's the only way that will get me through this." Vanille didn't argue further. If Hope wanted to be a sour puss she'd let him be. Lightning's house was a simple looking house..ok simple was not the word it was HUGE like a Bachelor Pad! With an amazing view of the sun setting on the ocean. Vanille pushed a star struck Hope towards the door. Hope began to panic.

"Uh Vanille? Let's just come back another day."

"But..i already rung the door bell."

"YOU DID WHAT NOW!?" The door opened revealing a possibly just awakening Lightning.

"Who's- Vanille? Hope? Well..now this is an unexpected surprise. It's been two years i think..please come in." Lightning gestured for them to enter. Vanille happily dragged a still panicking Hope inside. If they thought the outside was fancy the inside spoke a whole new level of fancy! Everything seemed to glitter! The big screen TV with a game system hooked up to it, the marble spiraling staircase leading to the second tier. The humongus kitchen connected to an exquisite dining room.

"Wow.." Hope gasped out.

"I'm guessing you like it." Hope jumped. Not noticing that Vanille went to go explore leaving just him and Lightning.

"O-oh yea its just so pricey looking i didn't see you to be that type." Lightning chuckled warmly. She walked over to the couch patting the seat beside her for Hope to take.

"To be honest it wasn't all my idea. Serah was the main decorator." Hope sighed. Totally forgetting Serah and Snow for the moment. Vanille came bubbling into the living room.

"Oh Lightning your house is amazing!~~ Ohhh i wish Fang would do a bit more decorating like this but you know her so difficult!" Vanille sighed. She plopped on the couch as if she lived here. Hope chuckled. He really did love her random carefree attitude one of the reasons they completed each other as best friends. She was that sweet, fun side while Hope was the rational worrywart.

"Woah is this a party?" Hope chocked slightly on air. He turned slightly to see the man of all his problems. Snow stood stretching his stiff limbs having must have just woken up. [Man these people slept for a long time] He wore a black beater with gray sweat pants. His usual bandana wasn't on and Hope thought he looked so damn sexy right now! Hope pulled his knees to himself trying to hide his presence. Smart move Hope.

"Snow! I see you shaved the santa beard you were growing." Vanille said with a happy straight face. Snow raised a perfectly arched blond eyebrow at her.

"Still as straight forward as ever i see. Well of course i trimmed it up a bit. When you go on a long journey with no razor your beard tends to grow a bit...and Christmas was just to far away" he joked ruffling the top of Vanille's head. Snow stopped his torture of Vanille's hair when his eyes landed on the lump on the couch who's name happened to be Hope Esthiem and who just happened to really suck at hiding.

"Hope..?" Hope peeked through his fingers at Snow. Green clashed with Blue as they looked mesmerized into each other.

"Snow. Greet Hope and Vanille properly." Lightning glared not noticing the moment they were having while Vanille was having a hard time hiding her giddyness. She was quite the yaoi fan.

"MOE KAWAIIIIII!~" She squealed unable to contain her happiness. Everyone stared at her.

"Moe?" Snow questioned.

"Eh it's just something she got from her shoujo manga..I don't know what it means so don't ask." Hope shook his head failing to notice the warm smile Snow gave him.

"Sounds like she's been giving you a hard time in these two years."

"Tch don't even get me started."

"Hey! That's so mean Hope! Your half of my trouble.~" All four shared a nice laugh. It felt good to be reunited again. Though Hope felt kinda on edge. Where was Serah?

"She went to the mall with some friends." Hope let out a shrill girly yelp.

"Y-you read my mind!?" Snow blinked at him. Hope blinked back. Then Snow let out a bellowing laugh.

"You do know you said it aloud Hope!" Snow clutched his sides from laughing too much even Lightning was covering her laughter. Hope blushed beet red from embarrassment.

"Great just great now you're all laughing at me."

"No.. No Hope your just too adorable sometimes." Snow ruffled his hair sitting on the floor beside Hope. After getting over the butterflies in his tummy he wondered why Snow didn't just sit on the other vacant chair but it wasn't his house so he had no say where he sat. A comforting silence settled in. Hope taking the time to actually look around the house and store it to memory. He could see many pictures of Lightning and Serah and even some of Hope and the gang. What really bothered him was the lack of photos of Snow. Wasn't he and Serah engaged? He didn't want to pry so he kept quiet. He noticed the game station again.

"Well i guess that would explain the video games."

"Ne what do you mean Hope?" Vanille tilted her head head questioning. At this point everyone was looking at Hope.

"Huh- OH er well i just assumed Snow was the reason for owning a game station." Snow nervously chuckled pointing at Lightning. Hope gaped.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS!? THEY'RE YOURS LIGHTNING!?" She glared at Hope a dark aura surrounding her.

"Is that a PROBLEM?" Hope coward getting closer to Snow in the process.

"N-NO MA'AM!" Lightning sighed standing up to walk to the kitchen.

"Vanille would you like to help me with dinner?"

"Sure~" She happily walked into the kitchen.

"While the girls cook the guys can drink beer and be bums." Hope chuckled at Lightnings strange way of joking.

"Honey i want extra meat!" Snow smirked playfully waving her off as if some working servant.

"Watch it muscle brain." Lightning laughed before leaving Snow and Hope alone. They glanced at each other blushing slightly.

"Sooo.." They both started.

"How's Serah?"

"How's Vanille?" Their eyes popped open.

"WAIT WHAT!?"