Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The clamour of the crowd outside was raucous, and it reached Noctis' ears barely after the sun rose that morning. Groaning, he rolled over in his bed, slowly peeling an eye open to examine the bright red digits upon the alarm clock by his side.

6 AM.

With a long groan, he rolled back over and closed his eyes once more, burying his face in the thin linens of the hostel in which he had been staying. Unfortunately, no matter how much he meditated or attempted to lull himself back to sleep, the sounds of children's laughter and the community festivities remained in the forefront of his mind.

After half an hour, he sat upright at last, throwing his blankets off with bleary eyes and bitterness in his heart. I know it's supposed to be a few days a year, but do they have to start so damn early?

Sighing, he dragged a hand down his face and leaned back, examining the empty bed beside him. The sheets were ruffled, tossed aside carelessly. A few golden hairs, a camera case, and the crumpled futon were telltale signs of the other guest of the room. I guess he appeared last night, while I was sleeping, the king thought to himself, chuckling dryly. Of course Prompto would already be awake and kicking – by that point, he was likely lost among the throng of children chasing after golden feathers.

Guess I gotta go find him, and say hello. And with that, Noctis rocked onto his feet and headed to the washroom to get ready for the long, long day ahead.

By the time he had gotten dressed and ready to set out it was almost seven o'clock, and his growling stomach was not helping him any. Running downstairs, he grabbed a croissant from the free breakfast buffet offered by the owners, and headed out into the crowded streets.

Noctis had seen the beautiful city of Altissia in many states – filled with crowds, deserted on quiet nights, peaceful mornings with the locals strolling through, all the way to states of wreckage due to the Hydrean – but never had he seen the water city so full of life.

People filled the streets from end to end, all sporting various items of clothing carrying chocobo and moogle designs as they laughed and enjoyed delicious food from the market vendors nearby. Strung along the streets between the hanging boughs of blooming flowers, pennants were hung in multicoloured lines high above his head. Banners containing motifs of chocobos and moogles were hung everywhere, upon every single lamppost and every single door, making sure that no one was uninformed of the opulence which was blessing their city.

Makeshift pens had been set up along the sidewalks, where breeders displayed their most magnificent birds to the intrigued audiences, the chocobos puffing their breasts proudly as the crowds oohed and aahed over their shining plumage. The animals kwehed endlessly, their loving cries echoing into the crowd enthusiastically.

Figures in mascot costumes were surrounded by children on every corner, handing out balloons to their eager young friends. Not all the balloons rested in the hands of these children, however – as Noctis looked up into the sky, he saw hundreds of little balloons dotting the cloudless blue amidst the myriad of colourful confetti pieces which seemed to endlessly rain down upon him.

Even the water seemed to sparkle with an intensity he had never seen before, reflecting diamonds in every lap upon the docks, as if the sun above embodied the unadulterated joy the citizens felt. Of course they were excited – this was the Moogle Chocobo Carnival, a once-a-year event which always filled the city with an air of utter contentedness by the end of it.

No matter how many times he experienced it, he was always taken aback by just how marvelous the city was during this event.

And this time… we'll finally be together again.

"Excuse me, sir!" A voice cut through his thoughts, startling him from his amazed stupor. Spinning on his heel, he locked eyes with the speaker – a vendor, working the official Carnival Kiosk at the Port City Station where he stood. "Excuse me, sir, would you like to buy this year's Choco-Mog merchandise to brighten your carnival experience?"

And so it began, Noctis' least favourite part of the event: the insistence on wearing the carnival gear.

Every single year, he tried to escape being dressed in the lemon-yellow garbs and little moogle wings the ensembles always demanded, and every year, he found himself red-faced and uncomfortably sallow-looking in the garments the vendors managed to force upon him.

No, not this year. This year, I'm going to stand up to them. I'm going to stay strong. "No, it's okay," he declined, politely holding up a hand and bowing his head in a light apology. She opened her mouth to try and convince him otherwise, but Noctis already knew what she wanted. Quickly averting his eyes, he turned and faced away from the kiosk, ready to step into the throng of carnival-goers.

"Excuse me, mister, but do you not like the decorations?" a tiny voice asked.

The young man spun around, coming face to face with a little girl of no more than seven years old. Her pigtails bobbed as she stepped closer to Noctis, large hopeful brown eyes brimming with concern. In her hands was a bundle of helium-filled balloons bouncing in the air along with the hundreds of other similar ones held by the numerous children upon the street.

She pouted, grinding a toe into the cobblestone path sadly. "Do you not like chocobos?"

Seeing a little watery shine develop in those eyes, Noctis shook his head. "No, I love chocobos!" he insisted.

She wasn't convinced, looking up at him with her lower lip trembling. The sheer innocence in the image sank Noctis' stomach into a whole new world of guilt and regret. "Then… then do you not like moogles?"

Talk about being stuck between a chocobo and a hard place, he groaned internally, forcing himself to reach a hand into his pocket. Retrieving his wallet, he slapped the gil needed to purchase the offered carnival attire onto the counter. The woman working in the kiosk watched, bemused, as she placed a hat and t-shirt upon the countertop in exchange.

Putting on his kingliest smile, he unfolded the hat – a gruesome chocobo's visage on the front, whilst the back was the white and red depiction of a moogle – and slipped it onto his head before he replied, "No, I love moogles! I just wasn't sure if I had enough gil to get these… cool outfits…" He shook his head and put on his most cheerful voice before continuing, "but, I thought about it, and I think today's a special occasion!"

The girl immediately beamed back at him, missing teeth leaving gaps in her huge grin. Almost immediately, she pulled a balloon from her bundle – a little moogle one, the red ball upon its antenna slowly wagging in the wind – and placed it into Noctis' hand. "That's great, mister! Since you like moogles, you can have this one. See ya later!"

He waved and kept his smile plastered on for a few moments as she skipped away back to her parents, only allowing himself to shake his head in disbelief after she had disappeared from his sight.

"So… we do have a changing room in the back, if you'd like to slip into that," the clerk commented dryly, leaning her hand upon her propped up fist. "Wouldn't want to waste the chance to wear the t-shirt. It really suits the festivities."

"Ha, ha, ha," Noctis punctuated under his breath, turning on his heel back into the tiny lodge he had just exited a few moments before. "I'll just… change in my room, thank you very much."

"Suit yourself!" she called back good-naturedly, waving as he sulked his way back into his room.

Ten minutes later, and freshly dressed in the wonderful(-ly garish) attire for the carnival, he stepped back outside. It had taken him longer than anticipated to work up the courage to leave his bedroom. The lemon yellow was not particularly flattering to his already pale complexion, but after a few minutes he forced himself to leave.

It wasn't every day that he had opportunities to see everyone, after all. He couldn't waste it sulking.

So, he stepped out (ignoring his reflection in shop windows as religiously as he could) and entered the fray.

Chapter Text

-Prompto-

The sound of music caught Noctis' ear, and so the young man began to march forward through the never-ending crowds. Despite the barrage of noise, it was easy to pick up rhythmic blues being played as he jogged his way up the stairs at the end of the street. As he reached the little plateau which featured a three-man live band around the corner, however, a blur of golden hair collided with him, knocking him straight into the nearby fence.

"Hey, watch it!" he called, rubbing his side gingerly where he had made contact with the metal fence.

The voice which responded was surprisingly familiar. "Oh, dude, I am so sorry," the blond responded, slowly crawling his way to his feet, rubbing his cheek gingerly. The young man, clad in bright yellow chocobo gear just like Noctis, stood tall, stretched, massaged his jaw, and finally looked up at the dark-haired man. Blue eyes widened – almost impossibly wide – and before Noctis could say anything, the other man threw his arms around Noctis' neck, squealing in delight. "Noctis! Man, it's really you!"

The young king laughed, immediately registering the voice and pulling his arms up to pat the overjoyed blond on the back. "Hey, Prompto," he chided, rubbing the other's back affectionately, "what did we always tell you about running in town?"

"Never do it," Prompto responded guiltily, letting go of Noctis and running his hands through his hair in embarrassment. "I was hot on the chase! I guess I got too excited."

Noctis raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, waiting for the details of Prompto's latest crazy exploits. "And what chase would that be?" He paused, before an evil grin slowly grew. "Please don't tell me you're chasing some poor girls. That's not exactly how to win over the ladies, Prompto."

"Oh gee, thanks Noct," he groaned, pushing his friend playfully. Before his best friend could respond, the blond pulled out his camera from the bag slung over his shoulder. "I was actually trying to complete some of the photo contests! I'm almost done this one!"

That piqued Noctis' attention. "There are photo contests in this mess?"

Prompto grinned wildly, hooking his arm around Noctis' elbow and dragging him off. "Yup! All you gotta do is take pics of whatever the little kiosks everywhere are asking for! Right now I'm almost done finding all the Brothers Kupomazov!"

"The Brothers Kupomazov?" While the random name didn't sound the least bit out of place coming from Prompto's mouth, it did catch Noctis' attention. Sensing his friend's curiosity, Prompto excitedly explained exactly how he had managed to find the other various moogles hidden around the city. Completing all of them awarded Choco-Mog Medallions, which were little festival-only coins the booths were giving out for challenge completion. Prompto excitedly pulled a handful of medallions out of his pocket, the golden coins jingling in his palm as he pressed them into Noctis' hand.

"Wait, dude, why are you giving me these?"

Prompto held a finger to his lips and winked coquettishly, eliciting an exaggerated eye-roll from the other. "Don't be mad, bro – I'm just helping you out! After all, I'm going to get a ton of these coins, so I might as well share the wealth!"

Noctis grinned, stored the coins into his pocket, and gestured towards the vast, unexplored city before them. "Sounds like a plan, Prompto. I could do that. What are we hunting down next?"

The blond's bright eyes shined, and immediately the two boys were off running, skittering through the streets like mad men, their chortles and hollers and joyous, breathless laughter as beautiful as it had once been, long ago in the city which never slept.

xXx

"Noct, keep it distracted! I need this shot!" Prompto groaned as he lay on his back, head craned back and camera upside-down in his hands as he struggled to take the shot. A mystery picture hunt had led them to the balcony of a small ice cream parlour, the outdoor seating graced with the presence of one particular feline which had perched itself regally upon one of the low tables.

"Here, kitty kitty kitty," Noctis cooed, slowly approached the glossy white cat. The animal simply cocked its head and flicked an ear in his direction, but the quick dart of its eyes when Noctis moved his hands to adjust his hat proved that the dark-haired young man had the feline's attention.

"Ooh, hold it there, Noct!" the blond breathed, but before he could take a proper shot the cat gracefully bounded off the table and twined itself between Noctis' legs. "No, catch the cat, Noct!"

Before Noctis could comply, however, the cat simply rubbed its cheek upon the young man's leg, purred, and began to saunter away. Prompto reached a hand out towards the retreating feline, whimpering as the white blur eventually skittered down the stairs and out of sight.

Noctis could hear the pout in his voice before he could see it. "I needed the kitty with the table and the tower in the background, Noct," he whined. "Why did it run away?"

Noctis snorted, crossing his arms and leaning against the banister upon the balcony. They had been running around for a few hours, and the sweat shining upon his brow was proof of the sheer exertion he felt trying to keep up with the boundless energy of his friend. "Well maybe you shouldn't have walked up to it out of nowhere."

"But I needed to take the picture with-"

"Haven't you ever hear of the zoom feature?"

The blond paused, thought about what his friend just said, and let out something akin to a muffled scream as he let his arm flop onto his face.

Noctis chuckled, helping his friend get back to his feet before dusting off the blond's back and shoulders good-naturedly. "Good job, mister cameraman. Your skills are incredible."

"I hate my life, y'know that, Noct?"

The dark-haired man just laughed, patted his friend on the shoulder, and pointed to the ice cream parlour's sign. "But I know what might make it better," he sang, although his mind was only thinking, Please say yes to ice cream so I can sit down, I'm so tired, Prompto, c'mon…

The pain of the cat's rejection immediately faded away as Prompto took in the sign, grabbed Noct's hand, and ushered his friend into the parlour. "Ooh, ice cream! I could totally go for some right now!" As they walked up to the counter to examine the flavours, however, Noctis felt his arm be pulled back, and Prompto's nervous voice whispered, "Check out the cashier!"

Noctis shook his head, laughing at his friend's inability to stay focussed, and glanced at the girl behind the counter. She was decidedly pretty – large green eyes, a sleek ponytail underneath her uniform visor, a large smile and a slim figure. "And do you think you could, say, win over this cashier?"

Prompto puffed out his chest, flashing a smile at his friend. "Of course I can, Noct – who do you think I am?" And with that, he approached the cashier, nothing but bluster and confidence.

Unfortunately, he also missed Noctis' muttered jab, "I think you're the guy who still hasn't won over Cindy, but alright, bro." If he had heard it, it might have saved him the humiliation as the blond locked eyes with the pretty girl, and all the confidence in his body vanished into thin air. But as he stood there, frozen in place, the girl had already noticed them and awaited his order.

Nowhere to run, Prompto. Let's see how this goes, Noctis thought, waiting for the spectacle to take place before him.

After an eternity of catching his breath and regaining whatever courage he had left, Prompto leaned onto the counter, flashing a strained grin and taking a huge (incredibly awkward) breath before saying, "You know, ice cream would be the perfect treat for a day like this – I bet it's almost as sweet as you."

"Oh my, thank you," she responded flatly, raising an eyebrow at the sheer fear of rejection visible in the blond's eyes, and the trembling Noctis standing behind him, biting his own fist to hold in the laughter threatening to burst at his friend's attempt. "I'll, uh… I'll get you some." She paused, looked up at Noctis again, and met his gaze (teary from the laughter) with a wicked grin. "JUSTIN!"

A mountain of a man lumbered from the back room, pulling on a pair of giant disposable gloves that encased his large, meaty fingers a bit too tightly. "What is it, Alice?" he grunted, peering down at the petite woman through thick, crusty lashes surrounded by gaunt, hollowed eyes. "Ya need somethin'?"

"Oh, I have to use the bathroom. Mind looking after this lovely gentleman?" she asked sweetly, winking at Noctis as she fled to the backroom of the café.

The giant walked up to the counter, looking down at Prompto's shock-filled gaze with amusement. Raising a bushy brow, he smiled, revealing dark yellow teeth. "Would you like the chocobo-lemon sorbet, or the moogle ice cream? It's vanilla and cherry."

"L-l-l-lemon please," Prompto squeaked, eyes locked onto the mammoth before him.

The man's grin widened, and he scooped up the ice cream into a dainty serving bowl, surprisingly delicate for his grand form. As he handed it to a shaking Prompto, he growled loud enough for Noctis to hear, "Here ya go, sweetie."

The squeal of pure terror which escaped Prompto was the last straw for Noctis, and before he knew it he was outside upon the terrace, doubled over in laughter. The blond slapped money onto the counter and took off after his friend, hot on his heels, punching the breathless, shaking man in the shoulder. "What the hell was that, dude? Way to leave me in there with that… that…"

"Oh, sorry, sweetie, I didn't realize you needed saving with all of that suaveness you've got," Noctis practically wheezed back, struggling to upright himself by clutching the railings.

"You are literally the worst, Noct, you know that?"

Finally catching his breath, he snatched the ice cream out of his best friend's hand and took a small bite. "I know I'm the worst." Pausing to savour the taste, he added, "Mm, lemon. It's actually pretty good."

Prompto groaned. "Noct, that's gross, why would you eat what that creepy dude scooped?"

"Hey, it's sorbet. I'm not complaining."

After a little pause, Prompto stole the bowl back and took a hesitant bite. "Yeah," he admitted, sighing in relief, "I guess creepy guys can't ruin ice cream. That's good."

"Sorbet."

"Whatever. Classist." And with that, they were off to find more of the photo contest locations.

xXx

After their sorbet was finished, the pair found themselves back in the square they had first met earlier that morning, the melody of smooth jazz still filling the air. However, one thing this time was indeed different – standing in the center of the miniature plaza was a man who looked equal parts distressed and terrified, clutching at the wings sticking out from his chocobo-themed hat in desperation. "Oh, what am I gonna do, what am I gonna do?"

"Is there something wrong?" Noctis queried, watching the man paced worriedly.

"Let's go find out!" his friend cried, jogging towards the man as Noctis sighed wearily. We'll never get a break, will we? he wondered quietly, but inside, it warmed him, seeing how little his friend had changed despite the passage of time.

Approaching the man as if he were a scared animal, Prompto asked gently, "Hey dude, are you alright?"

With a desperate look in his eye, the man spun around and stared the two friends down. "Excuse me, sirs, but have you seen any chocobo chicks trotting around?"

They shared a confused look, till Noctis replied, "Can't say I have. Why?"

He turned to Noct, eyes practically brimming with tears. "Well, I brought my prized chicks to the carnival, but, y'know, they flew the coop." He sniffed, long and drawn out, the tiredness evident in his face. "So if you run into any of 'em, would you do me a favour and catch 'em for me?"

Prompto immediately tugged at Noctis' sleeve, utter concern showing upon his face as well. "We can't let those baby birds go it alone. Let's find them, Noct!"

Noctis laughed heartily, watching his best friend bounce around impatiently. "Alright, alright – we'll find them, okay?"

To the troubled chocobo breeder, the blond vowed, "Don't worry – we'll get those little fluffy babies back here, if it's the last thing we do!"

And with that, they were off to search for little yellow chocobos around the grand city.

It was nearly noon when they finally finished catching all of the chicks, and after sorely underestimating the brisk speed of the little chicks, they were utterly exhausted by the time they had returned the final chocobo to the breeder. The flustered man was absolutely thrilled, he awarded them copious Choco-Mog medallions, which was an added bonus – but Noctis was just happy that Prompto seemed so content, despite his weariness.

As they entered a nearby café, he murmured happily, "We've done good today, Noct. We've done good."

"You know what else has done 'good'? My feet. They deserve a long, long break," the dark-haired man groaned, bee-lining for the seats in the dining area.

Noctis almost made it, when a high-pitched, sweet-as-candy voice called out, "Excuse me, but would you like to test your moogle knowledge, kupo?"

Why do they always ask us? Noctis cringed internally, looking at Prompto. "Dude, just ignore them, I really want to take a break-"

"Is that a challenge?" Prompto asked, a competitive set to his brow already apparent. "Because I can prove to you – I know moogles. Moogles and chocobos, let me tell you."

The costumed moogle which had spoken clapped large, ill-fitting paws together. "That's wonderful, kupo! Does your friend know about them as well?"

The blond leaned back, rubbing his nose and chuckling. "Well, he's pretty smart, but I think I probably know more."

Noctis rolled his eyes, looking at his friend bleakly. "Yup, okay, you know more than me, but can we sit down now?"

"No, Noctis," Prompto insisted, a fiery expression lighting his gaze. "Now I want to know – which one of us truly knows the inner workings of the majestic kupos and kwehs? Who speaks better Mooglish? Which one of us loves moogles and chocobos more?"

Deadpan, Noctis replied, "And this has to be done right now?"

"Right now," the blond nodded firmly. "Don't you feel it, Noct? The time to battle is nigh!"

I feel nothing, Prompto. My legs and stomach and soul have been empty and numb for a while. "Okay," he conceded finally.

"Perfect, kupo! Let's take the quiz!"

"Yay!" Prompto cheered, fierce determination in his eyes.

"…yay," Noctis repeated sarcastically, and then, the quiz was on.

xXx

After obtaining some complementary snacks and Choco-Mog medallions for participation, Noctis had calmed down immensely, as the two young men leisurely strolled through the festival.

The certificates in Prompto's hand made the blond shine with pride. "Look at this, Noct! Perfect scores, the both of us! I guess we are true choco-mog lovers after all." He sighed dreamily, clutching the joke certificates to his chest.

"Wow," Noctis mumbled around a bite of his finger sandwich, "this is the highest mark you've ever gotten, huh Prompto? Too bad you didn't ace school like this."

"Geez, Noct, why are you like this," Prompto groaned, eliciting a chortle from the other man.

"I live to serve," he bowed in response, sweeping his arm in a deep flourish. Prompto groaned, but his smile showed that even he had found the comment amusing.

"Ooh, look Noct – a photo board!" the blond cried, pointed excitedly at the large wooden board set up in the landing. Upon it was the painted image of a cartoonish moogle riding upon a chocobo's back, the faces of both creatures cut out for eager tourists to take a commemorative carnival photo.

"How about a photo, sir?" the attendant beside the board called, noticing the blond's excitement.

Prompto clapped, "Let's go take a pic!"

Noctis shrugged, following his enthusiastic friend. "Why not?" He walked up to the board, where Prompto had already jogged ahead to speak to the attendant manning the photo station, instant camera in hand. He quickly handed over a few gil before grabbing Noctis' hand and pulling him behind the board and into the hole for the chocobo's face. Prompto sidled up beside him, sticking his head eagerly through the moogle's face.

"Perfect! Now smile for the camera. Say kweh!" the photographer called after a moment, getting into position. The two young men looked at each other through the cutouts, grinned, and turned back to face the camera.

"Kweh!" They both cried, smiling and laughing at the photographer. She laughed with them, clearly enjoying the sheer positivity the best friends were sharing with each other in that simple, simple moment.

After a second, she motioned for them to come out from behind the large wooden frame, and handed them a photo from her instant camera. "It'll develop in a few moments," she explained before motioning the next carnival-goers to the photo booth.

"Ooh, this is totally going in the scrapbook when it's done!" Prompto cheered. Noctis chuckled and nodded, and the two boys leaned close together to watch the image on the small picture slowly appear on the dark sheet.

When the picture finally did, Prompto slung an arm around Noctis' neck and leaned his head against his best friend's. "We look pretty snazzy, you've got to admit that," he laughed, but his voice was quieter than before.

Noctis smiled, and bumped his temple lightly against Prompto's in retaliation. "Yeah, we do look good."

The blond let go of the king, searching his eyes momentarily before whipping out his camera. "Hey, Noct, hold that out for me," he instructed, gesturing to the sweet photo.

As Noctis complied, Prompto took a picture of the photograph – Noctis and all – and smiled, before taking a step back. "Perfect." Pausing, he sighed in satisfaction as he examined the photo upon the digital display of his camera. He looked at Noctis, a sheepish grin on his face. "So dude, there's like, a million more photo contests to take part in, and I just gotta win them all!"

Noctis grinned – he knew that Prompto was not only letting him keep the photograph, but letting him go free and explore the rest of the carnival at an easier pace, as well. They had spent too long together to need words to understand each other's true intentions. "Good luck, Prompto."

"Yeah!" the blond grinned, a light sunburn and pure happiness making his freckles rosy and cheeks bright. "I'll see you tonight!" Waving frantically, he turned around and began jogging up the staircase behind him, ready to tackle the next photo challenge he found in his path.

After his back had disappeared from his vision, Noctis examined the photograph in his hand once more. "I missed you, buddy," he murmured, running a thumb across the wide, loving smile of the photographed blond.

It had been too long.

Chapter Text

-Ignis-

"Ignis, there you are!" The grey-haired young man jogged into the little boutique, smiling at the decidedly friendly-looking waiter manning the counter before approaching his friend. Ignis was just as prim and proper as usual – unlike Noctis, the intellectual man had managed to avoid being coerced into donning any of the ridiculous festival attire. Instead, he sat there demurely with his knees crossed, clean-pressed pinstripe button-up and smooth slacks looking effortlessly chic.

"Well, Noct, isn't it good to see you so lively," the man commented, prim voice out of place in the loud environment. At Noctis' confused expression, the bespectacled man gestured towards his outfit. "The clothing suits you – maybe you should change your daily attire to match this. Clearly moogles complement your complexion."

Noctis rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but smile fondly as he slid onto the high stool at the serving counter next to Ignis. "What can I say, Iggy?" he replied sarcastically, striking a pose. "Sharp erryday."

"Charming," Ignis responded dryly, a bemused grin on his face. "I'm assuming you'd like a meal?"

As always, the older man could cue the callings of Noctis' stomach perfectly, as a low growl shocked the dark-haired man. "Haha, yeah – Prompto had me running around all morning."

Ignis smiled, handing Noctis a Carnival menu. "Well, you're in luck – there are quite a few good morsels on here, as well as some desserts I'd like to try."

At the mention of dessert, Noctis perked up, excitement shining in his eyes. "I'm always ready, Iggy – let's go!" However, after a few moments of looking through the options, he mumbled with a small pout, "I kind of… just want to try these two."

Ignis leaned over, examining the items the younger was pointing too. He looked over the images provided slowly, evaluating their ingredients and presentation as he always did. "One golden chocobo tart, and one kupoberry cheesecake please," Ignis requested politely after coming to some sort of mental conclusion, handing the menus to the server.

"I'll have that ready for you right away," the man responded cheerfully before heading to the back of the restaurant.

Noctis watched Ignis with a distrusting eye. "What gives, Ignis?" he demanded cautiously. "It's not like you to agree so easily."

Ignis brushed his concerns away with a brisk wave of his hand. "Well, it is a special occasion, after all – and also, I'm curious about trying these myself. Depending on the ingredients, and if you enjoy it, I might be able to recreate them."

The younger smiled, and eventually the two dishes arrived with the treats arranged before them. The tart was golden yellow with a chocobo chocolate thin by the side as a decoration, whilst the cheesecake was a simple white square of smooth, creamy vanilla cheesecake topped with ulwaat berries from Tenebrae and the matching moogle designs.

The two young men each scooped up some dessert, clinked their forks with a grin on their faces, and took a bite.

The rush of flavours which exploded in their minds could only be met with one response: "That's it!

"I've come up with a new recipe!" "I've come up with a new recipehhh!" they bought cried out, Noctis dragging on the end of the 'recipe' to imitate the elder.

Ignis scoffed, pulling the plates towards himself in mock distrust. "Well, if you find my mannerisms so unimaginative, Noct, then I'm assuming you no longer wish to try this dish should I make it."

"No! No, of course not, I want to taste test!" he protested, desperately trying to cut another piece of the delectable treat around Ignis' bitter form. "C'mon, Ignis,"

Ignis sighed, but the smile on his face was returning, and eventually he returned the plates to Noctis so they could share the rest of the food. The elder watched the young king with a warm expression, a softness he didn't normally display evident in his eyes.

It took a few bites for Noctis to notice that the elder had stopped eating. "Is something wrong, Iggy?"

"No," the elder murmured, lifting up Noctis' hat and ruffling his dark hair, "I was just thinking."

"What about?" he asked, letting his fork hang out of his mouth.

Ignis clicked his tongue, pulling the fork out and setting it on the younger's plate. "Don't be a child," he muttered, smoothing out Noctis' hair and replacing the cap on his head before taking a bite of his own.

"Aw, Ignis, don't leave me hanging like that!" Noctis persisted.

Ignis raised an eyebrow, but the softness was still there. "It's been a long time since I've seen you enjoying food like this, Noct. It's nostalgic, that's all."

The words caught Noct off guard momentarily, but he shook it off and beamed at the elder. "I'm sure it'd be even better if you made it, Iggy."

xXx

After Noctis had filled his belly, Ignis lightly pushed him off his chair and onto his feet. "Time for a walk, Your Highness," he explained. "It wouldn't do to see you feeling bloated for this evening's festivities."

"You sound like an old man, Iggy," Noctis complained, dragging his feet alongside the brisk elder. Still, he complied, and the two went out exploring at a leisurely pace around the town.

Even though it had seemed almost impossible earlier, the town had somehow managed to become even more lively throughout the day, and everywhere they went, people packed the streets. The crowd did not suit either of them, however, so their comfortable walk quickly turned into a quest to find a quiet nook amidst the rambling city after they were jostled by children one too many times.

"At last, a park!" Ignis murmured, guiding Noctis to an empty clearing. The only one inhabiting the area was a young woman looking at a few boxes quizzically. The moment she noticed the two young men nearby, however, her face perked up with joy.

"Hello there! How are you enjoying the festival?" she asked brightly.

"It's not bad," Noctis grinned, ignoring her raised eyebrow at his unflattering carnival gear. "We're just-"

"That's great," the woman hurried on, cutting him off. "Listen, I really need some help, and you look like- well, at least one of you looks like you have a sense of style," she muttered under her breath, forcing a chuckle out of Ignis, "so would you mind helping me put up these decorations? My supervisor wants them up, like, yesterday but they forgot to do it, and they stuck me with the job. The thing is, I have other areas I have to decorate, so I can't spend all my time here…"

"Well, Noct?" Ignis asked. "How about we help this woman with the decorating?"

Noctis shrugged. "Why not?"

The woman clapped her hands in glee. "Thank you so much! Here are the instructions." She handed Ignis a piece of paper before skipping off to her other stations.

He skimmed the paper before snorting lightly, waving the paper towards the younger. "Noctis, how about you try this?"

"Um… sure?" The dark-haired man strolled over, reading the few lines printed on the page. However, a few moments later he looked up at Ignis, deadpan. "What the hell is this."

Ignis began to chuckle louder. "What do you mean?" he jibed innocently. "Can you not figure out a simple riddle?"

Noctis buried his face in his hands, ruing the day he decided that Ignis was a good person to hang out with. "Why is everything complicated with you?"

"I'm simply trying to ensure that the ruler of Lucis is able to navigate complicated truths," Ignis chimed, grinning mischievously. "Let's see if you can do it."

Noctis ripped the paper out of his hand and began examining it. "I'll show you," he muttered, scanning the lines over and over again to figure out what to do.

xXx

"Need help?"

"Go away, Iggy." The younger man was perched on the edge of a fountain, staring at the chocobo and moogle dolls sitting upon the boxes. "Unless if you're going to tell me the answer, go away."

"Alright," the elder responded, taking a seat in the shade with a newspaper he had picked up earlier. "Let me know if you get too overwhelmed."

The younger growled.

xXx

"How's the progress going?"

"I think I've got it!" Noctis cried, pointing at the three dolls positioned elegantly upon the boxes.

Ignis raised an eyebrow, scanning the paper again. "Hm… sure, that's acceptable."

"Really?" the younger perked up.

"Of course," he responded airily. "If you were utterly blind, that is."

"…too soon," Noctis pouted, removing the dolls and starting over.

xXx

At long last, the worker skipped back into their view, waving. "Hey, friends! How goes the decorating here?"

Ignis shrugged with a bemused grin. "It's certainly going."

The girl paused, looking at an exhausted Noctis and a cool, collected Ignis, understanding the situation. "Has he been trying to figure it out?"

"'Trying' being key."

Noctis rumbled, "Ignis, don't you-"

Ignis held up a hand. "Noctis- no. I'm not going to say anything."

"Why not?"

He paused, finally muttering, "If you cannot understand things as simple as this, I'd hardly burden your addled brain with more information."

The park attendant couldn't withhold her snicker at the jibe. Noctis felt his face flush a deep red, which he just knew probably looked terrible with the yellow shirt. "…Goddammit Ignis."

The elder patted him on the back. "You've worked hard, Your Highness. How about you run along, Noct? I'd hate to see you waste your carnival experience simply because you were too… bewildered to carry on."

"Whatever, Iggy," Noctis called, jogging away from his mentor. "I'll go hit up Gladio – at least he won't make fun of me!"

"He's in the arena, and I wouldn't be too sure of that!" Ignis called back cheerily. Noctis flashed a wide smile at his friend before running off to find the last of their party, not mad at all at the constant teasing he had endured the last few hours. That wit had been sorely missed.

Chapter Text

-Gladio-

Despite the endless flood of people, Noctis found a gondolier with little difficulty. The man smiled wide, allowing him to hop on board so he could be taken to the Arena Galvano Station, where Ignis had sent him to find Gladiolus. It didn't surprise him that his gruff friend would be lurking at the coliseum – after all, the usual monster fights and betting rings available there had always captivated the elder.

The young king stretched as he settled himself into the cozy interior of the gondola. As the cheery worker set off, the engine rumbling into life quietly, the small boat began to leave the dock and head over the water bridge. Noctis leaned back and looked down at the extravagantly decorated city below, a smile growing on his lips – it was such a beautiful sight.

Even though he was so far up, and the people on the lowest levels below were too tiny to recognize, he could still sense their pure, unadulterated joy. This. This is what I wanted to protect.

Just like the rest of the city, the arena was festive, full of limited-edition attractions for the carnival. A small part of him sighed, seeing that the usual cage-fighting battles weren't available for the day – if they were happening, at least he'd know for sure where to find his friend.

Thankfully, it only took a few minutes of wandering helplessly for him to find what he was looking for.

"Yo, Noct!" a deep voice called, shocking Noctis out of his stupor. Spinning around, the younger caught sight of his large friend, but he was in no way prepared for what Gladio was wearing. On top of his casual outfit of a dark sleeveless shirt and white jeans, the giant man had slipped his arms through the teeny straps to add chocobo wings to his back, and his slicked-back mullet had been covered by an ill-fitting carnival hat to match Noctis.

Noctis snorted at Gladio's attempt at wearing the merchandise which clearly could not fit him. "Well, someone's looking fine today."

Gladio slung an arm around his neck, trapping him in a playful headlock. "Trust me, Noct – the ladies love a man who can have fun."

"Mhm, whatever you say, Gladio," he laughed breathlessly, pushing his friend away from him. "What've you been up to all day?"

Gladio grinned, stretching his muscled arms above his head. "Oh, you know – a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Have you seen everyone else?"

Noctis smiled wide, nodding. "Yeah. They're all good. We should all be meeting later."

The elder nodded back, pumping his fist in the air. "Hell yeah! So, what d'you say to having a couple of matches while we're here?"

Rubbing his hands together, Noctis replied loftily, "Only if you can keep up, old man."

"Old man! Someone's been getting cheeky while I've been gone."

He shrugged, jogging towards the entrance of the arena. "What, you don't like it? Fine, let's see who'll win today then!"

His friend chuckled, jogging after him, and soon the two were on their way to find the first competition of the day, just like old times.

xXx

The inside of the arena had completely changed to suit the atmosphere of the carnival, with large pennants hanging from every orifice in the walls. The center field, normally reserved as an open space for the pit fights, was separated by temporary wooden fencing and cages which separated the different carnival games. Rows of curious onlookers watched the brave contestants through the large bars as they tackled the various special challenges for the day, excited and eager to see each person take a swing at the difficult competition.

"You ready to get rocked, Noct?" Gladio jabbed, doing a couple of squats where they stood to ready himself for the challenges ahead.

"More ready than you, that's for sure," Noctis snickered back. "Which one's first?"

Their attention was caught by the Tiromatto station, as the older gentleman manning the booth called out cheerily, "Welcome, welcome! Step right up and test your aim!"

"Meh, why not?" With that, the two young men strolled over to the attendant, ready to see what the first challenge was.

Noctis elbowed his friend. "Guess I'm gonna win this – good thing someone here hung out with Prompto growing up."

Gladio elbowed him back, pulling out a few coins to pay. "Yeah, like studying with Prompto is really going to give you the edge over the King's shield."

The worker noticed them, smirking. "Hey, wanna give it a go, kids?"

"Kids?" Gladio immediately bristled at the statement, stepping towards the man to tower over him. "Are you talking to us?"

"Easy there, big guy," Noctis warned, holding him back with an outstretched arm. "Imagine how pissed Specs would be if you did something dumb."

Gladio harrumphed his assent, but continued to stare daggers at the employee as he continued to speak. "Well then," the attendant continued, "come on in and show me what you can do!"

"With pleasure," Gladio growled, taking a seat at the machine first.

"Don't mess up!" Noctis called, but his friend was already focused for the competition, eyes alight. The younger grinned, watching Gladio fondly – he had missed competing like this.

xXx

"God," Gladio groaned, squatting on his haunches behind the entrance to the arena. "I'm so sore after that damn cactuar game."

Noctis huffed, lying on the ground beside him. "Whatever dude. You only won 'cause you're too jacked up."

Gladio smirked, giving the younger a thumbs-up. "I always told you, Noct – train your body, and you'll be ready for anything."

He rolled over in response, pouting. "Whatever. I still kicked your ass in the shooter."

"Arcade games don't count!"

"Don't be bitter that I won more medallions than you, Gladio!" Noctis responded cheekily, slowly getting up. Reaching down to pull his friend upright, he added, "Did you want to challenge me again? I'd gladly kick your ass again."

"Shut your mouth, punk," Gladio grumbled, running his fingers through his sweat-drenched hair. "Besides, I don't think either of us want to replay those games." They both glanced over to where the condescending worker stood, currently ruffling some teen's hair against their will, calling loudly, "Nice try, kid! C'mon back when you're ready to play again."

"God, he's such a dick. Seriously. Call me 'kid' one more time," Noctis muttered under his breath, but Gladio placed a large palm between his shoulder blades and began to push the younger out the door before he could pick another fight with the employee, leaving Noctis the only option – glare daggers at the man until he was out of sight.

As they stepped out of the building, the sky began to turn a light shade of pink. "Well, we've only got a few more hours of daylight left," Gladio commented, stretching towards the sky. "How 'bout we take on one more challenge before we meet everyone else?"

"Sure, what do you have in mind?"

He grinned, gesturing Noctis over to a waiting gondolier. "You'll see."

The pair boarded the boat and began the long trek through the winding waterways, watching the energetic people who still ran about wildly. They chattered lightly as they made their way through Altissia's endless stairs, until they found themselves back near the Port Station, where Noctis' hostel was and his morning adventure had begun.

"So, what are we doing here?" Noctis murmured, glancing around. "Is there a Cup Noodle stand nearby that I'm not aware of?"

"Oh shut up," Gladio replied, dragging the younger down the street until they reached the destination. "I bet you haven't done this today yet."

Noctis looked up at the large sign, emblazoned 'Chocobo Races' in the carnival font. "Are we seriously doing chocobo racing?"

"Hell yeah we are," Gladio affirmed. "But here's the catch."

"Oh?" Noctis crossed his arms expectantly.

Gladio leaned down, a sarcastic grin on his face. "Winner take all the Choco-Mog medallions."

"Wha- no way, dude! I earned so much this morning, I'm not giving those away!"

"Fine," Gladio shook his head sadly, "I guess a little king like yourself wouldn't have the confidence to bet me anyways – not after I kicked your ass on Wiz's racetrack back in Lucis."

"Oh, give me a break," Noctis cried, "I destroyed you, and all of the others, on that track, and you know it."

"Yeah. Only after like, the fourth time."

"Shut up!" That ugly blush was back.

Gladio laughed heartily, slinging his arm around Noctis' neck again. "So whaddya say, kid?"

Noctis growled, walking up to the employee at the counter. "I'm taking you down."

The elder grinned evilly. "Exactly what I wanted to hear."

xXx

"Listen Noct, I'm sorry, you can have my medallions," Gladio snickered, body shaking from holding in his laughter. "Seriously. You definitely… won that race, so you can have it."

A sopping wet Noctis glared at his friend, accepting the plentiful medallions with a glower. "Shut up. I'm cold."

Gladio let out a few chuckles, patting him on the back. "Well, at least you were graceful when the chocobo bucked you off into the water?"

"Don't remind me!" Noctis moaned, ringing out his hat. "Ugh. I wish they'd just kept the normal coliseum."

The elder grinned, ruffling his damp grey locks. "Whatever you say, Your Majesty," he replied mockingly. "So what now?"

Looking up at the sky, he said, "Well, light's almost out, so it's probably close to our reservation. Go meet the guys, don't wait up - I'm going to head back and change my clothes, okay?"

Gladio saluted the younger man playfully. "Will do. Put on something presentable for the rest of the evening, alright Noct?"

"Says you," he muttered under his breath, jogging away. He didn't turn back to watch Gladio – he'd see him again momentarily, anyways.

After cleaning up in the hostel (and avoiding the girl at the kiosk from that morning, that was embarrassing) Noctis put on his regular clothes and made his way to the prize counter down the street. There had been a running contest going throughout the day – although one could spend the medallions on various prizes, there was also a lottery ticket available to buy with them.

"Here's to hoping," Noctis murmured as he scratched his ticket numbers, tucking the card into his pocket for when they called out the winners later that evening.

The four prizes available were all suites in the Leville, much bigger than his room at the hostel – it would perfect for the gang to spend time in all together. It had been so, so long since they had spent time together, like they had on their journey – he couldn't wait.

Chapter Text

-Brotherhood-

Tall, elegant candles flickering upon each tabletop and barrel cast a beautifully romantic light upon the canal's water surrounding the restaurant. Noctis couldn't help but let out a little sigh of awe as he took in the gentle glow reflecting in the swaying water, accompanied perfectly by the sensual jazz music playing at the back of the bar.

"Hey Noct! Over here!" Prompto's voice rung out through the crowd, catching the young man's attention. Chuckling, he turned to find his three friends standing by the bar, the blond waving enthusiastically at him.

"So the whole gang's here," he laughed, settling himself against the countertop. "This isn't exactly how I was picturing it, but hey, I'll take it."

"And why's that, pal?" his best friend prompted, snapping a picture of the beautiful décor with one hand.

Noctis shrugged. "All these candles are pretty romantic, after all."

"And you get to share it with us," Gladio chuckled, fingers curled around the pint of beer Weskham slid before him.

"All three of us," Prompto added, elbowing the young king lightly.

"Yes," Ignis commented dryly, stirring his martini. "You, sir, are a lucky man."

Noctis snorted, looking above everyone's heads to view the simple, classy drinks menu hung from the ceiling. However, Weskham, all smooth grins and deep chuckles, raised an eyebrow as the young man browsed the alcohol selections. "Don't think about it," he warned, leading Noctis to raise his hands in a peace offering. "I don't care how long you've been visiting this festival; you look baby-faced right now so drinks are a no."

"Well," he grinned, pushing away from the counter, "shall we find our seats and get some food?"

Gladio clapped him on the shoulder, taking a haughty drink from his beer. "You know it, Your Majesty," he rumbled. "I'm starving."

"Can't wait to see what you're cooking!" Prompto cheerily called to the calm bartender, who simply nodded in response. "Mm, let's see if it can match Iggy's cooking."

"Weskham is a skilled chef," Ignis commented, dragging the blond away from the counter and towards the seating area. "We can leave it to him."

Gladio laughed loudly at that, the rugged man leaning in to whisper, "See how he didn't deny that Weskham's cooking might be better than his?" in Noctis' ear.

The younger grinned. "He's probably feeling a bit out of practice. Specs ain't used to that."

Gladio smiled toothily, and the pair followed Ignis and Prompto to where they had found seats, just at a table around the corner of the bar. To Noctis' surprise and great pleasure, a familiar blonde figure sat at one end of the long table, laughing heartily and patting the back of the snoring figure to her right. "Cindy!" Noctis called, waving to the mechanic.

"Howdy boys," she giggled, cheerfully waving back. A bright rosy glow emanated from her freckled cheeks, showing through her tan from long hours in the sun. The beer by her hand was the likely cause of her colouring, although her enthusiasm was just as familiar and lovely as ever.

However, she wasn't wearing her familiar yellow jacket and those shorts that Noctis always teased Prompto about – instead, she was wearing a warm, comfy carnival sweater and long leggings, perfect for keeping out the evening chill in the outdoor restaurant.

Noctis slid into the first seat at the end of the table, elbowing Prompto hard in the stomach to force his friend to move closer to Cindy. "Dude, just go for it," he whispered as the blond's reluctance threatened to show through.

"But dude," his friend whined under his breath, but he complied and shifted to sit across from Cindy anyways, a blush rising in his cheeks. His, however, was decidedly not from alcohol.

Their bespectacled friend smoothly slid in across from Noctis, placing his drink elegantly upon the table. "It's good to see you, Cindy. Is this your first time at the festival?"

"No sir," she cheerily commented. "We've been coming here for years - ask His Highness over there! But it sure is something seein' all y'all at once again."

"For the two of us, it's our first time," he responded, gesturing towards himself and Prompto. "Gladio has been here a few times, but it's the first time we've all seen each other."

"Aw, that's so sweet," she cooed, taking a sip of her drink. Prompto watched the beautiful young woman shyly, the tips of his ears burning bright red, but he made no move to speak.

Ignis sipped his martini as well, ignoring Prompto's awkwardness. "And how's Cid doing?" he asked, gesturing towards the elderly man sitting at the end of the table next to the girl.

As if responding to Ignis' words, Cid perked up momentarily. His eyes were foggy, speech slurred, a row of empty whiskey tumblers in front of him.

Cindy snickered, "He's been goin' at this for a while, y'know. Been real excited to see you boys again – but gee, if he didn't insist on going drink for drink with me before y'all came. It's what we do every year ever since I started coming out here, but Pawpaw will never learn that he just can't beat me!"

Cid blinked blearily at the crew, not recognizing their presence. "Y'all better," he yawned loudly, snuggling his weary cheek into his crossed arms on the table, "brace yerselves… fer…" And with that, the older man was out like a light, snores resounding.

Cindy laughed brightly, her voice echoing through the excited atmosphere of the restaurant. "And would you look at that, Pawpaw is out! I always knew he'd be faster to nap than a chocobo by a campfire!"

The group let out a hearty laugh, hearing Cindy's joyful laughter echo around them as the waiter brought them their menus. The food was delicious, punctuated by Cid's perfectly timed snores and Cindy's bubbling laughs, accompanied by the constant reddening of Prompto's ears and the rest of the gang snickering. It was a comfortable affair – one that felt long, long overdue, since their days past at Hammerhead, seated around plastic chairs in front of that familiar RV.

At long last, the radio placed upon Weskham's counter chirped for the final time, "And now, time to announce the winner of our last available prize! This lucky winner shall receive front row seats upon a lovely gondola for the fireworks festival later tonight, and accommodations at the Leville! And that would be the pricey side of the Leville, folks! Who shall our lucky winner be?"

Gladio began to beat his palms on the table in an excited drumroll, fellow patrons joining into the foray as well. The sound grew to a mighty crescendo, the chattering ceased, and all ears perked up to listen to the name of the winner announced.

"Our final winner is… Noct Gar!"

"The legendary fisherman strikes again!" Prompto hollered, cheering and whooping.

Gladio let out a victory cry, slapping Noctis on the back. "Congratulations, Your Majesty!" he cheered. "Hangin' out in the good room, like old times."

"Indeed," Ignis commented, raising a pleased eyebrow at the young king. "It reminds me of our bounty days, back when the Hunters supplied us our… ample rewards for our efforts."

Noctis shrugged, pretending to be cool and collected. "What can I say? Catching Master Tonberries was a nice gig."

"I can't believe you still remember that weird fake name you gave that fisherman, though," Gladio snickered through a drink of his beer.

Noctis shrugged. "Hey - you're speaking to Noct Gar, a fishing legend, I'll have you know." His fake calmness instantly evaporated, seeing Prompto standing up and high-fiving a tipsy Cindy joyfully. Leaning over, he whispered, "Dude. You touched her hand. Good job."

Instantly, Prompto blushed and buried his head in Noctis' shoulder. "Dude, don't say it like that!"

Ignis stood up, waving Weskham over. "Well, we've got to go with Noct here to pick up his prize," he explained, placing the appropriate Gil on the table. "Would you mind watching over Cid for us?"

Weskham nodded, picking up the empty glasses. "Of course I'll watch the old fool. He's a dear friend, after all."

Noctis and the gang paid their bills and, as a mess of giggles and some drunken stumbling from Cindy and Gladio, they piled onto the next gondola and headed off to Port Station kiosk to claim the prize.

xXx

"Please don't make me do this," Noctis shrieked, desperately trying to get back to the group. His eyes were wild with fear, hand reaching out, clawing at the air; unfortunately, he received no sympathy from the group. They had already picked up the prize coupon to get into the Leville, after all. Are they really going to throw me to the dogs now that I'm no longer useful? he screamed in his mind. He groaned, looking at his friends; Ignis merely watched, arms crossed and small smirk widening by the second, Cindy laughed uncontrollably into her hands, hiccupping every once in a while, Gladio doubled over in loud, brazen guffaws.

"Don't fight it, Noct!" Prompto cheered, decidedly more okay with the situation that his dark-haired friend. Instead of being dragged, he was cheerily going along with the chocobo mascot who was dragging him to sidewalk. "Just go with the flow!"

Noctis tugged weakly against the pull of the costumed man, spitting indignantly to get fluff out of his mouth when the moogle's pompom swung into his face. "Please," he begged, but his pleas were lost in the crowd of cheering onlookers.

"Are you ready to dance?" the host of the spontaneous dance battle cried into his microphone, pointing it at the rapidly growing crowd as they cheered back. "Let's have our two teams introduce themselves!"

The chocobo mascot grabbed the mic without hesitation. "I'm Choco!"

He's so into this… Noctis sobbed internally as Prompto yelled, "And I'm Prompto!"

"And we're gonna win! Kweh!" they called in unison, striking a pose and gaining support from the audience.

The moogle holding Noct stole the mic next. "I'm Mog!" He held the mic to Noctis, but the young king didn't see – his head was buried in his hands, utterly mortified.

"And I want to die," he whispered.

"No can do!" the host laughed.

Raising his head, he muttered, "And I'm Noct. Kupo."

"The kupos and the kwehs – who will win here, folks?" cried the host, hitting the play button upon the music list.

A part of Noctis' soul died that day. Why couldn't we just go see some monster fights in the coliseum like we used to?

xXx

Noctis pushed the little pin out of his face, walking briskly away from where the crowd still lingered. "I don't care, Prompto," he muttered grumpily.

The blond raced after him, slinging an arm around his shoulder. "Aw, is our little king sad?" he teased. "Were my sick moves too much for you?"

Noctis remembered how the Chocobo/Prompto duo had danced with a shudder. "And this is why girl's didn't dance with you at school festivals, you know. Way too extra."

"Hey!" Prompto huffed, crossing his arms indignantly. "I'm good at dancing!"

A bright voice joined in. "I agree with that one, Prompto! I wasn't expectin' you to be that good!" Cindy laughed. "I reckon yer better than me, any day!"

Instantly, Prompto's face flushed bright red. "Dude."

"What?" Noctis replied, still mortified from the humiliation.

"I forgot Cindy was watching," he whispered, horror seeping through his tone. "I thought it was just the normal gang."

The king rolled his eyes. "Are you sure you didn't drink, you moron?" He pushed Prompto's arm off his shoulder and gestured to where Cindy stood, talking to Ignis about the fireworks later that night. "Look. She clearly thought it was cute, or… something. Just go talk to her."

"Dude!" Prompto shrieked, "I can't do-"

"Hey Cindy," Noctis called, ignoring his friend's protests, "have you ever thought about upgrading anything other than cars? Like… cameras, maybe?"

The cheerful woman cocked her head, thinking. "No, I haven't put much thought into it," she admitted, "but I'd be happy to try!"

"Perfect." Noctis pushed his petrified friend towards the older woman. "Prompto here would love to talk camera mechanics."

"Well I'd be darn right silly if I didn't take him up on that!" she joked, turning her attention to Prompto, who was still paralyzed by the situation.

Noctis sidled up to Prompto, murmuring, "Meet us at the Leville in an hour, okay? You're welcome."

Before he could watch his friend's inevitable nervous breakdown, he joined Gladio and Ignis, the three of them walking away from the other two.

xXx

The Royal Suite at the Leville, the hotel's part of the prize package, was truly worth its normally insane price range; the understated tones of the matching upholstery and soft, high-quality furnishings just breathed pure elegance. There was enough room for all of them to stretch out comfortably on recliners and stylish sofas, ornate lamps on the walls emitting a gentle glow. The carpet under their feet was lush and soft, scented candles filling the air with the light fragrance of sandalwood and lavender.

"It has been a while since we came to this place," Gladio sighed, throwing off his jacket. "Not since the days we hunted here."

"Yeah," Noctis affirmed, tossing his shoes by the door and chuckling to himself, "back when we actually had money."

"People paid well for our hunting services," Ignis agreed, leaning down to pick up the discarded shoes and coats and hang them up respectfully on the provided hooks.

As they admired the room, the door burst open, an out-of-breath blond storming in. "Noct, I want you to know that as much as I love you, dude, I hate you."

He grunted noncommittally. "Are you really saying that to the person who let you talk to Cindy alone?"

Prompto plopped himself down onto the bed, lying back to yell at the canopy above. "Don't act like you did me a favour! She just kept asking about cars and cameras and building things! Guess what I don't know anything about? Cars and cameras and building things!"

Noctis ignored his rant, snatching his camera instead and flipping through recent photos. "Oh, but you do need to thank me," he snickered, showing the screen to Ignis and Gladio; on it was a selfie of Prompto and Cindy. Prompto was smiling brightly at the lens, with Cindy mischievously pecking him on the cheek, arms slung around Prompto's neck.

"A kiss on the cheek. Very nice," Gladio commented approvingly, laughing as Prompto turned beet red beyond the pink of his sunburn from the day's adventure.

"Dude, she said I was cute!" he squealed into his hands.

"Better late than never," Noctis sang.

"Now, now, Prompto, don't lose your mind – we've still got more evening festivities. And take off our shoes, you're ruining the carpet," Ignis chided, going into full caretaker mode.

"We've still got how long until the fireworks?" Gladio asked curiously.

Noctis pulled out the special viewing tickets that had come with the Royal Suite's room key for his contest prize. "About an hour. Why do you ask?"

"You know what that means!" He pulled out his phone, booting up the game. "Who here is ready to play King's Knight?"

Noctis rubbed his hands together evilly, perching upon the edge of the bed. "You know it. I'll cream you guys."

"Oh please – watch yourself, punk," Gladio jokingly threatened, taking over an armchair. "We all know I'm going to win this."

Ignis took a seat on an ottoman, gracefully crossing his legs, the epitome of poise. Pushing up his glasses dangerous, he murmured, "You say that, but you children know who's really going to win this."

The three of them stared each other down, competitive sparks flying, until an excited Prompto chimed in, "Me too! But like… does anyone have a charger?"

With a good-natured groan, the young men all stood up and began to search for the required item. After all, it wasn't really King's Knight until all four of them were playing. Luckily, the front desk had a few to spare, so soon the gang was back in the room, enjoying the soft furniture and the beautiful balcony view of their luxurious suite, a crackling fire by their side more than enough to remind them of days spent playing the same game in front of all the campfires, motels, and RVs they had called home during their journey.

It wasn't exactly the game one would expect a royal entourage to play, but the best things in life were never really what they expected, anyways.

Chapter Text

-Royals-

"By the way, Noct," Prompto asked casually, pocketing his phone, "have you looked at who the other winners of the contest were?"

He shook his head. "I never got the chance, with all that running around you weirdos made me suffer through."

"Someone's gotta keep you fit," Gladio snorted, standing up and stretching. Prompto and Ignis laughed along, and the three other men shared a warm look before continuing on with what they were doing.

Why are they looking at each other like that? Noctis briefly wondered, watching the three of them exchange an odd glance, but he kept pulling on his boots anyways, not prying into it.

They all turned off the game and put on their shoes. "Good luck with the front row seats!" Prompto slapped Noctis playfully on his bottom, before wrestling him into a one-armed hug around his neck. "Take pics for me! I wanna get as many shots as I can – I've never seen these before, but I've heard they're pretty sweet!"

"Don't burn yourself on the fireworks, Noct," Gladio laughed, poking Noctis' forehead affectionately.

Ignis scolded, "Put on a jacket, Noct! You're going to catch cold out there."

Noctis turned halfway to stare at Ignis, eyebrow raised until the stoic man tossed his jacket to him. He caught it and chuckled, slipping it on. "Alright, alright. Thanks mom."

Ignis stood and pushed his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose, a small smile quirking his lips. "Well, as I always say-"

"Mum's the word," all three of the other men chimed in unison as they made their way to the front door of their suite. Ignis harrumphed, but took it in stride, and before they knew it the four young men had parted ways in front of the docks which would take him to his front row seats.

Noctis turned to watch his three closest friends saunter off to find good viewing locations around the city to watch the fireworks. Before they had left, they had all clapped him on the shoulder and smiled so warmly – but it was unusual to see them acting in such an odd way. There was something hidden in their smiles, something secretive – as if they knew something he didn't.

However, he barely had any time to contemplate what was going on amongst the other three, as the gondolier who was in charge of his viewing boat came to collect his ticket and ushered him onto the boats. "Congratulations on winning the ticket, sir!" the man said cheerfully as Noctis settled himself into the gondola. "Please stay seated until the other ticket winner in this boat arrives, and then we'll set out to our spot!"

"Sure," Noctis replied, eyes too focused on the giant chocobo and moogle-covered floats they had set up off the main pier. The light display on the float was stunning in itself, even without the fireworks to complement it. "Thanks!"

From his position, he could see the entire way down the main streets lining the port. Each nook and cranny was packed to the brim with excited spectators, the audience simply humming with energy and anticipation. It was incredible, seeing them all so excited. He aimlessly let a hand drift over the side of the gondola to touch the cool water, feeling the kiss of the sea upon his fingertips. It sent a shiver up his spine; when had it become so chilly out?

Suddenly, another touch upon his skin caught his attention. However, this sensation was much… softer?

Turning his head, he almost let out a squeal of delight as a familiar white paw gently patted his hand. "Carbuncle?" he whispered, before loudly cheering, "Carbuncle! Where've you been today, buddy?"

He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and pulled it out. The message on the screen read, Noct! I missed you! Did you enjoy the carnival this year?

"Of course I did," he said, scooping up the fennec fox and hugging him tightly. "It was amazing! But it would've been better if you were there, Carbs, I'll be honest with you."

Your friends finally showed up together at the festival! I wanted you to have fun. Carbuncle pushed his cheek affectionately into Noctis' hands. But I wanted to have you to myself for a bit, so I waited until now!

The young king laughed, scratching his small friend at the base of his large ears. "I'm glad I got to see you, buddy. The carnival wasn't the same without you!"

Suddenly, the boat beneath him swayed, creaking slightly as another person entered the otherwise empty gondola. Noctis turned around, eyes trailing up the figure who approached the seat beside him.

The newcomer was dressed in some carnival wear, just as he was, albeit much more minimally; aside from donning the staple chocobo hat, the imposing man was dressed in comfortable slacks and a button down shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His dark, full beard was neatly trimmed, longer hair just a shade warmer than Noctis' and brushed out of his face. Crows feet seemed permanently engrained in the man's skin, but he still appeared youthful.

No limp. No cane in sight.

He settled into the seat beside Noctis, nonchalant. The gondolier smiled brightly and rowed the pair out, stopping in line with another prize winner gondola.

Noctis' hands shook as the phone vibrated again. I guess I still won't get you completely to myself, Carbuncle's message rang, but I like this visitor. He's the one who brought us together, after all!

Immediately, Noctis' eyes blurred with tears, and he opened his mouth to say something, anything to this man-

But the elder held up his hand. At that moment, a bell rang across the water, and the fireworks show began.

It suddenly dawned on him. This is why they were so weird before the show, he thought, thinking back to how unusually sentimental his friends had acted when they had parted ways. They knew.

Every year, this was one of Noctis' favourite parts of the festival – the Choco-Mog-o-Rama. The sky lit up, momentarily stealing his breath away, but no matter how many beautiful colours danced across the sky, his eyes kept darting to the side, eying the figure.

However, the man eventually placed a warm hand upon Noctis' head. "Watch the show," he murmured, deep voice nostalgic enough to nearly elicit a sob from the younger. Still, Noctis listened, hugging Carbuncle tight and watching the show. He even busied himself with snapping a few photographs to give Prompto later on, just in case. Focusing on the lights helped settle his nerves, and soon, with the hand on his head and the warmth of Carbuncle in his lap, he was able to enjoy the show thoroughly.

Unfortunately, the beautiful event had to end eventually, and end it with a bang, they did. Explosions of colour burst across the sky, the crowd oohing and awing in unison as each one topped the last.

Noctis leapt up, grabbing the edges of the gondola. "Talk about a finale!" he cried excitedly, watching the sky blaze in firework chocobos and moogles.

I had a lot of fun with you today, Noct. The message from Carbuncle was all too clear, even without reading – the little fox's eyes were glimmering, the edges of his small mouth perked up almost into a smile.

Noctis grinned, petting him affectionately. "Yeah, I did too buddy."

The phone vibrated again and Carbuncle spun around, fluffing up his tail and mewling. And I'm glad I got to see that smiling face again!

The young man laughed. "Yeah, lucky you."

The tiny creature placed two paws earnestly upon Noctis' knee, eyes full of hope. Promise me we'll get to play again soon?

"Yep." He nodded. He was always happy to spend time with his childhood companion.

One large ear twitched, and the fox turned his attention back to the show. It's beautiful! he commented. Mischievously, he added, Coming up!

"Hey! Hey, wait," Noctis chuckled, Carbuncle's tail in his nose as the little creature jumped onto his shoulder and nuzzled his cheek.

But Noct… Carbuncle almost purred against his cheek.

"What is it buddy?"

I have to go now. But it's okay! An excited chocobo emoji popped up. I'll see you again soon! And I know you won't be lonely – you have someone amazing with you right now! I know he'll take care of you.

Noctis picked up the tiny fennec fox and pressed their noses together, looking into Carbuncle's eyes and feeling the tip of his ruby horn poking Noctis' forehead. "I'll see you later, Carbuncle. Thanks."

He put down his old friend, closed his eyes, and when he reopened them… Carbuncle was gone.

Thanks, buddy.

"Alright, folks, it's time to head back. I hope you enjoyed the special winner's booth for the fireworks!" the gondolier called.

"It was awesome, thanks," Noctis responded.

Suddenly, a large hand came to rest on his shoulder where Carbuncle had been just a moment before. Noctis started. "Hey, don't surprise me like that!" he said reflexively.

A low, throaty laugh. "So that was your friend Carbuncle you told me about when you were a child," he said, brushing Noctis' bangs out of his eyes to look at his son.

"Yeah," Noctis breathed, the reality of the situation hitting him. He had been coming to the festival every year for years, but never had he run into this man. It had always been just himself, and Carbuncle, and occasionally a meetup with Cindy and Cid and Weskham. He's finally here.

"I'm surprised you kept that Carbuncle figurine with you, all this time," Regis commented wryly.

His ears burned, his laugh coming out in embarrassed stutters. "W-well, yeah. Carbuncle was with us every step of the way. He… he's saved me a lot."

His father smiled. "Was today just you two, or…"

Noctis' smile turned rueful. "Normally, yes – but today, the whole gang was here."

"Really?" Regis crossed his arms appreciatively. "Are they still around?"

"I'm not sure," Noctis admitted. "I think they stayed to watch the show. Why do you ask?"

Regis shrugged nonchalantly, but his eyes were full of warmth. It was odd, to Noctis, seeing his father look so young, so strong, so… safe. "Oh nothing. I just feel like… an apology is in order."

"There's nothing to apologize for!" Noctis rushed. "They all… they all listened to what you asked of them. They did well."

The elder stepped out of the boat when they reached the dock, holding out a hand to help Noctis out as well. "I know they did, son," said Regis. "But that wasn't what I wanted to apologize for."

"Oh?"

The old king chuckled heartily. "Well, I did essentially make them babysitters for our lovely Lucian heir…" he teased, straightening the hat out on Noctis' head. "I can't imagine how frustrating waking you up on a road trip must've been."

"Wow. Thanks for the support, Your Majesty," Noctis muttered sarcastically, but he turned his attention to the crowds right after. "But seriously though," his tone turned thoughtful, "they did listen. They stood by me. Till the end, and beyond."

Regis squeezed his shoulder. "I know, Noct – I watch over it all, you know. We made the right choice with them."

"Yeah." The combo shared a quiet, peaceful moment on the rapidly emptying street before he added, "I wonder where everyone went, though?"

Out of the corner of his vision, he watched the floods of people leaving area. He had barely taken notice of them before, but now that the fireworks were over and the lights around the port had been turned back on, he could see the faces of everyone who had been resting upon the docks for the show.

Everyone looked happy, contented… and ready to say goodbye.

There's Prompto – oh look, he found Cindy, and I guess they found Cid by the end of it. Oh, I guess Weskham brought him, since he's standing with Specs over there. Who the hell is Gladio wi- wait a second…

Noctis felt a rush of joy and gratitude bubble up, and in his heart, he whispered as many thanks as he could to the Astrals above. Standing next to Gladio was Clarus, still as regal and stern as ever, but now there was something soft in his eyes. He had never seen Clarus at the festival before – maybe this was the first time he had ever found it.

Thank you for letting Gladio meet his father again.

"So your day was spent with Clarus and Weskham?"

"We had lunch."

"And Cid?"

Regis chuckled, "He threw spaghetti at me for not going to see him earlier. It was like old times."

Noctis laughed in response, perfectly envisioning the old mechanic's blustering anger. This kind of small talk was just so comfortable – it made him want to cry like a child.

But then, a flash of platinum blonde caught his eye, standing a few hundred feet down the street. Noctis felt himself run a few steps without really meaning to, the action so involuntary and abrupt that it threw Regis off in confusion. Noctis didn't even hear the scolding, however; his eyes were transfixed upon two figures, standing side by side, watching him.

The taller one, the stoic man he remembered all too well, nodded in his direction. He placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, murmured something in her ear, and took off into the night. The woman, now left alone, looked back up at Noctis, a small smile playing upon her lips.

See you soon, she mouthed, spinning around and heading into the backstreets of Altissia, white dress shimmering in the evening.

"That's young Lunafreya," Regis said. "You know, her mother and I always wanted you two to be married."

Noctis let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding, tore his eyes away from where the beautiful figure had run off to, and followed his father as the pair began to stroll casually down the street. It was the simplest movement, but Noctis couldn't remember a time when he had ever been able to enjoy a quiet moment like this with his father. "I wasn't angry at you for it," he muttered, tucking his hands into his pockets. "You know how much I cared about Luna."

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more for her," Regis murmured.

Noctis flashed a smile at the elder. "She wasn't angry at you, either."

The pair paused at the end of the pier, looking out over the impressive cityscape that was the lower levels of Altissia, beyond the waterfalls surrounding the central city. The moon was out, wide and bright, illuminating the area.

Regis wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders, and after a moment's hesitation, Noctis turned his body to hug his father tightly. They were no longer the King and Heir of Lucis – they were father and son.

"I couldn't save the Regalia. I'm sorry," Noctis whispered, voice breaking.

"It's okay. I gave you that car to keep you safe – and it did."

A muffled sob escaped his throat, all the emotions, the betrayal, the heartbreak hitting him at once. Suddenly, it felt like everything he had ever regretted during his journey – all the errors, which had cost everyone so much, flashed in his mind. He felt like a small child, caught in the act, making things difficult for his father, just like he had when he was little.

He felt like a failure.

"I made so many mistakes," Noctis cried, clutching his father's shirt tightly. "I couldn't save Luna – she died in front of me, and I never even got to talk to her, even though she gave up everything for me. I ignored how Gladio must've been suffering, and Ignis lost his eyesight because of me. I pushed Prompto off a train, I was so terrible, I didn't do anything right-"

"My son," Regis interrupted, wiping tears off his cheeks as if he was a child missing his mother once more, "you did everything you needed to. You did what no one else could, you saved our people, you fulfilled the prophecy, you ended a war which I could never stop. Your friends knew that the journey came with risks – but when they saw you today, did they hate you for what they went through by your side?"

Noctis paused, shaking his head slowly, thinking of the familiar faces of his friends, his brothers. "It was just like old times, today."

"That's because they're proud to have remained by your side." With that, Noctis smiled despite his tear-streaked cheeks, and detached himself from his father. Returning his hands to his pockets, he stood beside the elder man in silence.

"I suppose you still haven't spent time with her today, have you?"

Noctis shook his head, sniffling. "She's… she's never found her way here before. I didn't even know she was here."

Regis cupped his cheek. "You should go say hello, before the end. Who knows when you'll get another chance like this?"

A small, burbling laugh escaped his throat. "I, uh… y'know, I never pictured that this would be how I'd react if I got to see you again."

The elder raised a brow. "Really now?"

He chuckled sheepishly. "I always thought I'd be more… confident? I dunno." He sighed, his voice turning somber again. "I always regretted saying goodbye the way I did. I'm sorry… Dad."

Regis paused. "Then… how about we do it again?"

Noctis turned for a moment to look at his father, confused. "What do you mean?"

Regis opened his arms again and embraced his child, holding him tightly.

"Do mind your manners around your charming bride-to-be, Noct?" he breathed into Noctis' ear, pressing a loving kiss on the side of his son's head. It was exact same thing he had said to Noctis, so long ago, before they had said their last goodbye.

Noctis paused in that position, face buried in his father's shoulder, a wave of nostalgia washing over him as the scent of safety and warmth and Dad filled his mind. This was his father's cologne, the one he had worn since Noctis was but a child. "I will," he whispered, no more snarky comments or witty retorts upon his tongue.

The words, unlike like the words shared the day they parted before Noctis' journey, were no longer guarded or masked. Regis' voice was brimming with affection, with sorrow, with such strong love that it broke his heart. This is how I wanted goodbye to look like.

Noctis quickly composed a message to his friends, sending all the photos he had taken to their group chat. I probably won't be coming back in time to see you all, guys. He paused. Dad says hi.

A chorus of thumb ups and Say hi to the other King for me's later, Noctis put his phone away and straightened up before his father.

Regis looked his son in the eyes, cupping his cheek. "Walk tall."

"Always." And with that, Noctis bowed lightly, crushed his father in one last long hug, and left the harbour. There was one more person he had to meet, before the end.

Chapter Text

-Dreams-

His feet felt like lead, exhaustion seeping throughout his body. Thankfully, the crowd was still so thick as soon as you left the dock that they practically kept him upright as he meandered his way through to the back alleys of Altissia. That last meeting had been an emotional one, one he had not been ready for.

The moonlight reflected off the water and lit his path as he weaved in and out of the open buildings, finding one of his favourite fishing spots from back when he visited the beautiful port city the first time. The people milling about were slowly dispersing the farther away he got from the main streets, now that the main attraction of the carnival had come to a conclusion. All around him, the hordes of people who had flooded the streets without rest throughout the day returned to their rooms for the night, lights blinking off one by one in the wide windows.

The quiet was soothing, after the busy day.

It took only fifteen minutes of strolling around the city to reach both his destination, and utter isolation. Everyone in this interior corridor of the town had disappeared long ago, since it was out of sight from the fireworks – he sat down under the walkway onto the gently floating dock, and smiled up at the almost gargantuan moon. The soft light shining from it lit his face as he swung his legs off the edge of the pier, letting them hang a few feet above the water.

A few pieces of confetti flew up past his face, lodging themselves in his hair in the brisk evening wind. He groaned, reaching up to free the little decorations, but with little success.

"Need a hand?" a soft voice chimed, startling him. He looked over his shoulder, watching the beautiful figure shining in the light as she approached the dock, fluidly sitting next to him.

"You came," he breathed, looking at Luna, wide-eyed. "You really came."

"Of course I did," she murmured, smiling softly. "Ravus saw you heading back here from our window, and let me slip away. He kept an eye out for when you were around."

Noctis chuckled, warmth blossoming in his chest. Her voice, so melodious, so soothing, was just as familiar as it had been when they were children.

It really was her.

"I guess I've got to thank him," he commented wryly, tilting his hair towards the blonde. "But first – help me out?"

She laughed, musical and lighthearted and everything he had always wanted to hear. "Of course, silly," and she began to deftly unwind his strands from the little paper confetti pieces which had gotten stuck. "How did you manage to do this to yourself?"

A blush spread over his cheeks. "Y'know, I – well, the wind did it," he ended lamely, embarrassed.

She giggled, all youthful energy and joy. "It's alright, don't be embarrassed," she said. "I quite like seeing you like this. It feels like you haven't changed a bit."

"Yeah," he murmured, looking at the water. "And yet, a lot has happened."

She laughed again. "Indeed. A lot has happened."

He ran his fingers through his hair, grinning ruefully. "Sorry you had to be engaged to this dork, though. The guys wouldn't let me hear the end of it throughout the trip."

She raised an eyebrow, curiosity peaked. "Really now? I'm sure they were only poking fun. After all," she tucked her knees against her chest, hugging her legs, "I'm sorry you had to be engaged to the stuffy old Oracle."

Noctis snorted. "Stuffy? Old? Hardly." He waved a hand nonchalantly in the air. "The gang kept saying that you would be wasted on me." Mimicking her pose, he drew his legs against his chest, wrapping his arms around his knees and laying his head against them to look at her, a soft expression in his gaze. "I always agreed with them, honestly."

Luna blushed. "I would've liked to meet them all," she whispered. "Because of what I did… they suffered too, didn't they?"

Flashes of pain, of loneliness, of frustration and regret and hatred, all appeared in Noctis' mind as he remembered the aftermath of Leviathan's wrath upon Altissia. Gladio fuming in a corner, raising his fist to both Noctis and Prompto – Prompto looking so lost and scared that Noctis wanted to break – Ignis bearing the darkness so silently, all alone, stronger than he could ever be…

But he had never directed that anger towards Luna. Not ever.

"I never blamed you," he murmured sincerely. "None of us did. You… you helped save them, and they're grateful." He chuckled, remembering all the times they had seen her wedding dress in the magazines, in the displays. "They just wanted to meet you, to welcome you into the family."

She beamed back at him. "That would've been wonderful, if only for a little while."

"Yeah," he whispered. Shaking his head, he let his feet back down over the edge of the dock and turned to face her. "Hey, Luna?"

"What is it?" she asked, concerned.

He smiled. "Although you couldn't meet them, would you like to hear about them? About the trip?"

She lit up, but immediately shrunk into herself. "Noct, I don't want to hear it if it'll be painful for you-"

"No," he replied, brushing her bangs out of her eyes tenderly. "It was a hard journey. But I laughed a lot, too."

After a moment, Luna met his gaze, smiling gently. "Okay. Let's see if you've gotten better at storytelling."

He laughed, "I wouldn't hold my breath." And with that, they began to trade tales of their years apart, after all this time.

xXx

The echoes of their laughter slowly died down over the glimmering water stretching calmly before them, as their stories came to a close. Noctis sighed contentedly, leaning back on his hands – this was all he had ever wanted.

However, he had one more thing to do, he realized as his hand brushed a pocket in his jacket. That pocket had been full for so long, the hard object inside never leaving his side since it came back into his possession. Even when he had been learning through the Revelation, at Bahamut's side, it had protected him, always within reach.

But it wasn't his alone.

"I have something for you."

This is it.

With an unsteady hand, he pulled a worn, leather-bound journal from his pocket, the red creased and faded and washed away in the moonlight. He ran his thumb fondly over the cover before handing it to Luna, who took it gingerly in her hands. Noctis avoided her inquisitive, tender gaze as she tried searching his face, until at last she looked at the book within her hands and allowed the pages to fall open naturally.

It opened upon the pressed sylleblossom, the blue petals shining effervescently in the beautiful wash of silver light upon them. She smiled, running a gentle finger along the dried stem. "You got it, after I left," she whispered. "I'm so happy."

"Turn the page," he mumbled gruffly, fisting the material of his pants with sweaty palms.

She giggled, the sound breaking slightly as her emotions took hold of her. "Okay," she said, and the page was turned and the line on the next page visible at last.

I miss you. Noctis' printing was barely legible – the hand which had once written it had quivered, the dried splotches of ink and runny letters a clear indication of the tears which had wracked his body when he wrote that line, long, long ago.

"Oh, Noct," she cried, tears finally spilling from her eyes. "It was hard, wasn't it?"

He smiled, straightened his back, and finally turned his torso to face her. "It was harder for you, Luna. I…" he paused, voice hitching as he blinked back his own tears.

She flipped the page. More writing, outlining their exploits that Noctis had just told her about - but these were tearstained, some pages bloody, every letter steeped in loneliness. At the very bottom of the page: We're alright. We're going to make it.

Another page, written in the heart of Gralea. Her eyes skimmed quickly over the lines of texted scrawled hastily upon the battered page. And at the very end, again: Wherever you are, I hope you're safe. I hope you're happy, Luna.

Noctis searched her eyes as she bit her lip. He silently mustered up his courage. I've wanted to say this for so, so long…

"Thank you, for being so strong back then. You are the reason I made it. Thank you." Gratitude shone in his eyes, watery and blurred by the tears which were now free flowing.

Luna beamed back through her own wave of tears, the journal clutched tight against her chest and her smile true and wide and the most beautiful thing in the world to Noctis, sitting there under the moonlight.

He reached a hesitant hand up to gently wipe the tears which cascaded down her cheek, and she nuzzled into his touch, closing her eyes and marvelling at his warmth. "We're both here, aren't we?" she murmured as he pulled his hand away at last.

"Yeah," he replied, chuckling as she reached up to him to return the favour and dry his own tears. "Although it took a long time for everyone to find one another, we're both here." He took her hand which brushed his tears, held her soft palm against his cheek, before lacing his fingers through hers. "And now, our souls – we know where to go. Next year, we'll be here too. And you can come meet everyone."

"And I'll join you the next year after that," she murmured, sliding closer to him.

"And the next," he echoed, wrapping his free arm around her shoulders and pulling her tight to him.

"And every year after that." She leaned her head down, resting it upon his broad shoulder. He smiled, letting his cheek rest upon her fair hair, still holding the moonlight in every strand.

"Mhm," he hummed, letting his breathing slow, his heart calm, basking in the serenity of the moment. "We've got all the time in the world."

And with that, the clock struck midnight, and the two figures let their eyes fall shut, the gentle lapping of the waves beneath their feet upon the dock synchronizing with their unified breaths, their chests rising and falling in a sweet symphony of nothingness as the world slipped away around them. As they breathed, water began to rise out of the sea, the walls of the beautiful city began to crumble, and all the shards of this ghost world began to disintegrate, shining iridescently like mosaicked glass in the light of the moon, the only constant in the world. Eventually, the dock under their very bodies began to fade, but they stayed where they were – Noctis, holding Luna, their fingers intertwined and heads nestled upon each other, floating in a field of glass shards so clear, so blue… it was like the sylleblossom fields of Tenebrae once more. The two floated, together, there in empty space while the dream faded.

In that one moment, they only had each other.

This simple happiness was all they had ever needed. And next year, if their transparent forms were granted the chance to meet with the spirits of their loved ones once again, they would find more happiness, they just knew it.

What a day to remember.