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Thump, thump, thump.
Noctis’ heart is beating so loud, it might as well be a marching band of its own. The thought that Luna, the one person he’s been dying to see for ten years, lies beyond the door is incredibly nerve-wracking. Ten years is simply so much time.
He tries to conjure up images of Luna with her current age—twenty-four. She is twenty-four years old, and suddenly Noctis is too aware that he’s only twenty. It’s like she’s in a whole different territory than him. Would Luna still talk to him like an old friend? Would she still sound like she does in every letter she writes; calm, patient, and loving? Could it be that the engagement would hang over them while they talk, reminding them of the inevitable?
Noctis swallows. One, two, three…
He opens the doors and sitting in the center of the room is Luna, looking so ethereal that now Noctis knows no camera could ever do her justice. She looks up when he enters, her smile kind and lovely, and all of Noctis’ worries immediately fade away.
“Luna,” he says, smiling as he enters. Seeing her breaking into a bigger smile is absolutely priceless. “I, uh… Hi. It’s been a while.”
It makes her laugh. Noctis has missed that sound so much.
“Noctis,” she replies, even when traces of laughter can still be found in her voice. “It has truly been a while. Please, have a seat. Let us have some tea.”
He takes a seat across her, amazed by how familiar yet so new this was. This wasn’t so different from their childhood years, yet at the same time, it felt like this was the first time they ever shared something. Did Luna also feel like this? Could it be that she was as worried as Noctis was, nervous about her every word, and trying to differentiate past from present?
One look at her fierce eyes tells Noctis that nope, she’s not.
“Was the trip to Altissia exhausting?” she begins pouring the tea in Noctis’ mug, proceeding to gently slide it to him. “I hear it was a long one.”
“Oh, yeah, but I was asleep most of it,” Noctis confesses sheepishly. “After a while, it got pretty tiring to stare at the sea.”
“You were always one for naps, weren’t you?” she says. Noctis can’t help but laugh a little. “Noctis… I only have ten minutes with you. That is all the Empire allowed me.”
“T-ten minutes?” says Noctis, alarmed. “But I have so much to say—”
“And we will have all the time in the world to discuss it,” her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes. The Empire must be putting quite the pressure on her… “I wish to address one thing right now, and it is the engagement.”
Probably not the time to be embarrassed, but Noctis still feels the blood rushing to his cheeks. “W-what about it?”
“No need to look so red,” Luna laughs. “Tell me, Noctis, are you comfortable with it?”
“The engagement?” he tilts his head slightly. Truthfully, every time someone brings it up, he’s embarrassed. He’s never given it much thought, though, which is a shame—Luna clearly has everything set for her, very much unlike Noctis. “I suppose it’s fine, since it’s with you.”
“Oh?”
“Well, yeah. We’re friends. I’m glad it’s someone I love and not any other person.”
Luna has such a pretty smile, Noctis wouldn’t mind spend the rest of his upcoming years staring at it.
“I am glad to hear that,” she continues. “Noctis… I want you to know, I do not wish for this marriage to be an unpleasant experience, nor do I wish for it to make you feel like we have to develop feelings. I only wish to laugh next to you and be a support whenever you need me. If I could put your worries at ease—if we could laugh at least once every day… Then I would be sure this was the best choice for both of us.”
His smile turns warm and soft. “Luna… thank you. You’ve got to admit you give me too much credit. I mean, I barely know how to rule a kingdom.”
“Ah… I had forgotten how adamant you were in not learning anything related to royalty,” she giggles, “I suppose we have some learning to do ahead of us.”
“We? I bet you already know. I could just be your trophy husband.”
“Trophy husband?”
“Ah—Prompto taught me that—never mind,” Noctis corrects quickly. “Whatever the case… I’m happy this is with you, and not anybody else. I missed you.”
All the feelings Luna’s eyes are holding are impossible to untangle. “I missed you, too. Drink up your tea, Noctis. It is not good to drink a tea that has gone cold.”
“Is that a real royalty rule?”
“It could be.”
“… So yes?”
Luna giggles. “Not telling.”
Noctis rolls his eyes, good-heartedly. “What a marriage we have ahead.”
And truth be told, as he drinks and laughs a little more, he could simply not wait to see what was in store for them.