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When Noctis was 6 and Ignis 7, they were allowed to attend a fall wedding in the gardens. The children were amazed at the pomp and circumstance (not that they knew what to call it) and thought the whole thing looked rather fun. To Noctis at least, it was just a big party with a few boring parts splashed in.
As Regis was walking the boys back to their chambers after the reception, Noctis asked why people got married.
The king smiled. “You marry someone that you love and that you want to spend the rest of your life with,” Regis said. “Someone you could never see yourself without.”
Noctis’s face screwed up in thought for a moment and then he smiled wide. Pulling his hand from his father’s, Noctis turned to Ignis who was just a few steps behind. “Then I want to marry Ignis!” Noctis proclaimed.
The older boy stopped, stunned, while Regis chuckled.
“Highness, I’m not sure that’s what His Majesty means,” Ignis said.
“Why not?” Noctis asked with all the innocence of a six year old. “I don’t ever want you to leave me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you! We’ll always be together, having adventures and lots of fun. That means we should get married!”
Ignis opened his mouth to try to say something, but nothing came. Regis took pity on the stunned boy and said, “Marriage is for when you are older, Noctis. There is a lot that goes into a marriage that is not for two little boys who are more interested in playing in the mud than signing contracts.”
“Oh.” Noctis frowned, thinking. With a tiny huff, he turned to grab his father’s hand again but before he did, he suddenly turned back to Ignis. “Then let’s get married when we’re older! Okay, Iggy?”
For a moment the other boy didn’t respond, but the big blue eyes that Noctis knew how to use so effectively soon had Ignis smiling and agreeing to the engagement.
Years later, when asked about how Noctis had popped the question, both only accepted this as the official asking. When they were older and Noctis was officially allowed to marry, all he did was ask Ignis if he was ready to make good on the promised marriage and of course Ignis said yes.