Remembering Noel (A FFXIII Fan Fiction)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

        Noel woke up at 9:44. When he opened his eyes, the very first thing he saw was an ornate chandelier. It had tiny crystals on it in patterns that twisted around the base in a pattern with things having to do with Cocoon. He felt like maybe he should have chosen a different room. He didn't know very much about Cocoon. Besides the fact that its fall caused the dwindling supply of, well, people in his time. He got up, disgusted, and wandered around the house for a while.

        He eventually came across a bathroom and went inside. He looked in the mirror. He still looked horrible. His eyes were red and swollen, and the rest of his face was flushed. There were broken blood vessels in both his eyes, making him look even worse. He turned on the faucet in the sink, which was one of those faucets that the water comes out the back and then flowed to the front. Cupping his hands under the flow of water, he splashed it in his face and grabbed the towel next to him. Wiping off his face, he saw that it hadn't made him look any less vulnerable. He still hated it. He had been raised to protect himself and others. To his people, life was everything, and vulnerability soon developed to sickness or death. He scowled, throwing the towel on the counter and storming away. He sulked about, trying to find the stairs. but couldn't find the stairs. 

        After about 5 minutes, he finally found the stairs with the edolith banister. When he came downstairs, he followed the delicious scent of something that he'd never smelt before to the kitchen. There, Hope sat at the table next to a large plate of thin pieces of red meat, reading a book. He gestured to the plate.

        "Want some bacon?" He said before looking up at Noel. He noticeably cringed. "Wow you look great this morning." He joked. Noel didn't smile.

        "What is bacon?" He asked instead, gesturing to the plate. Hope gasped.

        "You've NEVER had bacon?? It's only the most amazing thing you'll ever taste!" He said. "It's pig." He added when Noel pointedly raised his eyebrow. So, Noel, being hungry as he was, sat down and grabbed a slice, taking a bite off. It was like fireworks in his mouth as he chewed the bite, the flavor spreading around his mouth. He audibly moaned. Hope raised his eyebrows.

        "So you like it?" He said sarcastically, but he looked tense. Noel shook his head, replying, 

        "I love it." He could feel Hope relax. "What're you so stressed about?" 

        "Well I have to tell you something I tell all male guests who visit my house." He looked at the table, his hands clenching and un clenching in his lap. Noel waited patiently.

        "I'm gay." He blurted out after all too long of a silence. Noel's expression didn't change a bit.

        "And?" He asked, confused. 

        "Well most guys don't want to stay here after I tell them that." He said shyly. Noel shook his head. 

        "As long as you don't like me or anything, I'm fine with it. You're not in love with me, are you?" He queried. 

        "No! I-I like someone else." Hope replied nervously. "It's--" 

        "You don't have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable." Noel interrupted, sensing the tension in his voice. Hope visibly relaxed.

        The rest of the breakfast was spent in comfortable silence as they cleared the plate of bacon. Noel sat and examined Hope, having a suspicion as to who he was referring to earlier.

~~~~~ 

Dear Izzabel,

         Serah's getting better, but she still doesn't remember anything. She can't tell me where to find you.

Love, Vanille

~~~~~

        Yuj had visited Serah earlier that day. She wasn't as bad as Midna had been. Midna had lost 10 years of her memory. Serah only 5. There was an actual chance that she would recover her memory. Of course, there had been a chance that Midna would regain her memory, but look what became of that.

        Midna had lost her memories 5 years ago, and the doctor said there was a tiny shred of hope left that she may recover, but Yuj knew it would probably never happen. That's what he tried to convince himself anyway. He couldn't hold on to that shred without being disappointed. Or could he? 

        He didn't even know if she'd survived the fall of Cocoon.

----

A/N: so, sorry it's short. Whatever, it was amazing. Ages are approximate. Haha did you like Noel's first experience with bacon? Anyway, VOTE&COMMENT...or something.

EDIT: Looking back on this, I'm kind of dissapointed with my writing. That's okay, I was in 8th grade. I'M IN HIGH SCHOOL NOW. AND I EDITED SOME OF IT.

EDIT: I'm hearing some confusion about how I made Hope gay...I explain it here in this comment/answer.

WHY IS HOPE GAY?! I mean, doesn't he like Lightning? When playing Final Fantasy 13, it seems like they get extremely close enough to the point that they would date...

Alright alright no okay (I just got this comment??) Okay 2 things:

1. Lightning's relationship with Hope was motherly. I think that Hope was like Serah to Lightning. Because she couldn't take of Serah, she took care of Hope. Also, Hope was 14 and Lightning was 21...so although 7 years isn't that different, it is when you're younger.

Besides, I thought Hope and Vanille's relationship was more prominent, and in my book she has Izzabel.

And I'm not just making him gay because he has no girls to be with, I legitimately ship Hope and Maqui. Nowhere in the games does it say his sexual or romantic orientation. (Besides I can ship whoever I want.)

2. Lightning isn't in the book at all?? So...how could they be together anyway?

I have written some Hoperai fanfiction shorts in the past but they just seemed stiff to me and I definitely like Hope being gay/bi. I also like Lightning and Fang together as well as Noel and Hope.