[Fanfic] To Learn Something New (ch 26)

Title: To Learn Something New

Author: Vianna Orchidia / Annasthacy Chashyme
Fandom: Final Fantasy XIII Series
Character: Lightning Farron, Hope Estheim
Rating: K+
Genre: General
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy XIII is property of Square Enix. I do not own the series and the characters, and I do not gain any profit from this fanfiction

Warning: I don't even know

sea /sea/ n the salt water that covers much of the Earth's surface (literary)

The sea is cold, is unforgiving. It swallows everything you throw into it, and throws up everything it wants to your beaches. It knows no boundary and yet it becomes a boundary for humans who want to go to the other side of the world, as it sends waves after waves of foreboding.

But the sea is ever-changing, too. Sometimes it is kind and warm. Sometimes it invites you to come and play inside its belly because it keeps way too many jeweleries inside. Sometimes it is not as cold as the blue mountain. Sometimes it's a deep jade.

And jade is Hope's eyes.

Lightning sees the sea every time she peers into his eyes for a second too long. A sea that sometimes runs amok, sometimes drifts idly. His eyes have a depth that sometimes entices her but sometimes sends her scurrying away too. Such a complicated being, Lightning decides one day. She chooses to keep Hope at an arm's length lest she catches herself staring into those eyes again.

That was the plan, anyway. But right now, she can't take her eyes away from his, mere centimeters away. She is nose to nose to Hope, with one of his big hands on her right cheek and the other on the small of her back, sending shivers up her spine. They are so close she can even count his speckles. She bets he can count her eyelashes.

And with slow movements, both of them decide to close their eyes at the same time, leaning closer and closer and—

Lightning lets the sea take her wherever it wants.