Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one. Square Enix does.

Rated M for eventual lovie dovie-ness.

Sea green eyes were locked once again on the object of his affections; the golden glow from the camp fire giving her fair features an especially ethereal quality, softening her hardened expression. The object of his affections was also seven years his senior and seemingly very much more interested in polishing her gunblade than polishing his-

"Hey Kiddo! You look like you're thinking too hard about something. Lighten up!" The burly blonde roughly clapped the silver haired boy on the back nearly knocking the breath out of him. Hope knew that the look on his face told the older man exactly what he was thinking; you're an idiot.

Snow just chuckled at the annoyance in the young boy's otherwise bright eyes and the scowl on his full lips; choosing to throw an arm around his shoulders and ruffle his already mussed up argentate locks, as though he thought the action would somehow improve the younger's mood. What the blonde got instead was an annoyed growl and an elbow to the ribs, making cerulean eyes impossibly wide and a loud "Oof!" fall from his lips. A mischievous smirk graced the older man's handsome face as he roughly pushed the young boy backwards off of the log which they were sitting and on to his back with a frightened yelp. "Respect your elders, Kiddo."

"Why do you insist on picking on him, Snow?" Lightning cast a halfhearted glare in her comrade's direction, though the amusement of the encounter shown bright in her lavender blue eyes as she visibly struggled to keep the smile from gracing her full petal pink lips.

Snow chuckled and raised his hands as a sign of truce, looking down to the young boy still flat on his back. "You gonna hang out there all night?"

Hope sighed heavily in defeat and stared absently at the star filled sky above. "If I get up you're just going to push me again, so yeah, I think I'll hang out here." The blonde's deep baritone bellowed as he threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Suite yourself, Kid." Shaking his head Snow rose from his seat and wandered to where the party had set up their makeshift beds of leaves and pelts, letting out an exaggerated yawn.

Hope allowed himself to relax, all of his muscles going limp as he lay sprawled in the lush grass, his hair falling around his head like a halo and his legs hanging languidly over the log Fang had pulled over to the campsite earlier that day; the contrast of the cool ground and the warm air making him shiver.

"He's gone you know, you can get up now." He could hear the humor in her voice and he smiled at the sound; it seemed as though she only ever let down her stoic facade for him and it gave him a rush of pride at the thought. He had barely heard her move before she was standing over him, leaning over the log, pink tendrils cascading down as she smiled at him. "See anything interesting?"

"Yeah, actually." Lightning tilted her head before moving to sit on the log and gently letting herself fall back so that she was laying beside Hope; staring into the night sky. They were always like this when no one else was looking; her guard came down and his smile shown brighter, something they had reserved for the other's company. Azure eyes met aquamarine and Hope could feel his face heat up at how close they were, faces just a few inches apart, and quickly averted his gaze back to the sea of stars.

"It's so beautiful." Lightning's usually stern voice was soft and barely above a whisper as she gazed at the twinkling sea above their heads.

Hope again turned to look at her; her sharp features more delicate in her relaxed state. "Gorgeous." Azure eyes again locked with green before quickly snapping back to the night sky, a rosy pink dusting his boyish face. "Uh… you know… the stars. They're real pretty." The elder smiled at her comrade fondly and the two allowed a comfortable silence to envelope them; drifting off side by side with contented looks on their faces.

Daaaw, How cute are they!? This relationship definitely cannot be rushed. Tune in for the next installment, Kiddies! Lots of fluff to be had here.