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Combat was like a second nature to Nyx. It was in his blood, pulsing through his veins, had been since the day he was born back in Galahd. He survived most battles with a mixture of skill, luck, and the ability to wing it when necessary. Today it had been a lot of the latter, his thoughts going back to the night prior as he laid in bed with Noctis and enjoying each other’s company when their first big argument came up.
Nyx wasn’t big on fighting and he believed in ‘never going to bed angry’, but this time it was hard for him to hold back when Noctis had offered to talk to his father and ask for Nyx to be excused of this mission.
“I want you to come back alive,” Noctis said stubbornly, looking at Nyx as if he was the one who didn’t make sense.
Of course Nyx understood Noctis’ concern, understood the fear Noctis must be feeling whenever it was time for him to fight another battle beyond the Wall. There was no way of communication between the two, no way for Nyx letting Noctis know he was safe and sound and would return to him until he was back in the Crown City. They had been through this situation four times and four times Noctis’ embrace, the way he clung to Nyx the second he was within reach, told Nyx a story of dread and horror. He wished it could be different, he wished he didn’t have to risk his life, but for Noctis he would. Nyx would fight to his last breath to protect his little Prince, to know he had a future.
“And I’ll be coming back alive. You have to trust me.” Nyx was pleading with Noctis, brushing his knuckles over his cheek. He was lacking the words to voice what was so daunting about the idea of staying behind, begging for him to drop the matter, but he also wished for them to enjoy the little time they had left before his departure.
“It’s not you I don’t have faith in. It’s whatever the Empire will send to fight us that scares me.”
Nyx didn’t let go of Noctis, holding him close to his chest despite the uncomfortable silence settling between them. Words were failing him and he still cursed himself for allowing them to part with so many words being left unspoken. It was only when he sat between Libertus and Pelna and Crowe kicking against his boot, Nyx realized another reason for him feeling uncomfortable about Noctis suggestion was the idea of leaving his comrades behind.
Now he knew what he wanted to say and how he could have expressed to Noctis why joining the battle was important to him. Protecting Noctis, standing with his friends against their common enemy, seeking revenge for being chased away from his home.
His frustration reached a new level as he warped from MT to MT, slaying unit after unit down one by one, only realizing he got separated from the rest of the group when he looked around and all he saw were twitching metal limbs and wrecked bodies scattered among trees. Sweat was getting in his eyes and he pushed his hood back to take a moment to collect himself, wiping the salty beads away with his glove covered hand. Despite the trees surrounding him, he still could hear the muffled sounds of a battle taking place not too far away, and he knew he needed to join the rest of his comrades soon.
This was not the right time or place contemplating what he could have done differently when Noctis was still in his arms, not when he wanted to prove to him he would be victorious, he would return unscathed.
No sooner did these thoughts cross his mind when they were drowned out by the sound of the hatch of an aircraft being opened and the distinct noise of MTs descending filled the air. The first troopers were already hitting the ground, blowing up dust as more and more were raining down on Nyx, circling him, outnumbering him.
With a grim smile, kukri in hand, Nyx pulled his hood back over his head. “Guess I’ve to work overtime,” he grumbled and immediately started his first attack. The sharp blade of his weapons cutting through limbs, blocking attacks, taking the MTs down one by one. Nyx had to be careful where he stepped, the ground littered with parts and crushed bodies while he tried to gain the upper hand. Not even a blast of Thundaga helped, the ones going down twitching and exploding were replaced shortly after by more. Nyx’s chances for anyone of the others finding him before he was overrun were slim, he knew they all had their own battles to fight.
Still, he had no regrets. Knowing the MTs he was taken down wouldn’t be able to harm Noctis, wouldn’t get the chance to come near him, would be worth it. He warped quickly between troopers, his kukris separating head after head from their bodies, trying to take as many with him as possible.
He tried focusing on the magic running through him, gathering it in his hand for another electric attack, when a trooper landed straight on top of him, knocking him off his feet. Sight getting black and then blurry, Nyx tried fending the MT off, kicking and hitting everything in his vicinity. He knew he should be scared, accepting his fate, but he was too stubborn to give up, determined to see Noctis again, telling him all the words that were lost to him the night before.
Blue light flashed around him and was accompanied by the sound of metal hitting metal before the MT on top of him went limp, trapping him for as long as it took Nyx to realize he was free and rolled the trooper off of him. Nyx allowed himself exactly one second to catch his breath, eyes immediately focusing on the Glaive now fighting through the mass of MTs.
Something was off, but more units were calling his attention. And this time, the sound of the aircraft flying off followed when the last MT hit the ground. They were still surrounded by at least fifty troopers, but the tables were turned with his savior by his side. A savior who switched weapons mid attack, pulling a katana out of thin air where a shield had been just moments before, the blue hue similar to the echo they left when warping. Nyx had questions, but right now was not the time to sit down to get answers.
At this moment, it was time to finish their attackers off. MT after MT went down, the other Glaive seamlessly warping from trooper to trooper, leaving a path of destruction in his wake. Nyx's attention was torn from his own fight for a second, completely in awe with what he saw, how effortless the fight seemed to be for the other Glaive.
It was his comrade who took the final unit down as he pushed a lance through its neck, coming down on top of it. There was no life left in the trooper, but the Glaive still twisted the weapon around for good measure; Nyx understood the sentiment just too well. He, too, had enough for the day. His body felt exhausted, stretched too thin, and he wanted to return to his warm bed preferabley with Noctis at this side.
Instead, he leaned against the trunk of one of the trees, eyes roaming over the piles of MTs on the ground surrounding them.
“Thanks for saving my ass,” Nyx croaked out between needy gasps of air. He felt as if the fight had lasted for days, while it was probably not even close to an hour. Hair plastered to his neck as he pulled his hood down, he gave his comrade a thankful smile. “Never saw someone fight like this. Drautos’ secret weapon?”
Only now that Nyx was winding down did he notice the other Glaive was just as out of breath as he had been, his chest heaving as he kept kicking metal to make sure they were all dealt with.
The chuckle Nyx heard seemed familiar, but he couldn’t quite place where he caught it before. Maybe he was mistaken, after all he knew from experience how the fabric could contort voices. By now he was impatient to see who was hiding underneath and he was ready to ask for his comrade to reveal himself, when the Glaive reached up and pushed the fabric back.
Nyx was rooted to the spot. Right in the middle of slaen MTs stood Noctis, dressed as a Kingsglaive from head to toe. Nothing gave away who he was underneath the hood, no indication he was royalty. Nyx wondered who gave him the garb, but it wasn’t the most pressing question to the situation. Yet all he could say was, “You?”
The little half-smile stretching over Noctis’ face was familiar to Nyx, and every other day he would have commented on how sexy it was. Today, all he felt when he looked at Noctis was anger. Anger that was drowning every bit of dread creeping into his chest at the realization who had been fighting with him.
Noctis was supposed to be in the Crown City, protected by the Wall. Instead he stood in the middle of this clearing amidst piles of scrap metal, his sweat drenched hair plastered to his flushed cheeks.
“I knew you’d be glad to see me.”
“Glad? Glad is not exactly the word I’d use in this particular moment,” Nyx pressed out as he pushed from the trunk, taking a step towards Noctis. His hands were clenched to fists; he could feel his nails digging into the leather of his gloves in an attempt to control his emotions. “What were you thinking? You could have died--”
“But I didn’t,” Noctis insisted, the flush from exhaustion turning into one of anger if his tone was anything to go by.
Nyx took another step forward. “Oh and you think that’s because of your experience?”
“I didn’t say--”
“You shouldn’t say anything right about now,” Nyx charged at Noctis, pushing him against a tree and holding him in place by his shoulders. His whole body was shaking, the sound of blood rushing in his ears. Noctis was alive, bright blue eyes staring into his stormy ones. Nyx could even feel Noctis’ breath against his sweat damp skin, feeling him moving under his grasp. Another proof to sooth his troubled mind that Noctis was alive; he was holding him in his hands, could feel the heat radiating from him. Still, it did nothing to appease him, the fear slowly replacing every inch of ire he experienced when he put eyes on Noctis’ face just moments ago.
“What were you thinking, little prince? What?” Nyx kept saying under his breath as he shook Noctis’ body, his own hands trembling. From his periphery he noticed movement, but it was too cautious to be another MT so he kept his focus on Noctis. “I could have lost you today? Do you have any idea--” Nyx’s voice broke as he shifted and framed Noctis’ face with his hands, his fingers entangled in black strands of hair.
“And I could have lost you,” Noctis breathed against his lips, their faces so close as Nyx leaned his forehead against Noctis’. “I spoke to my father. I told him I will no longer sit idle when I’ve something - someone - to lose.” Noctis’ hands found Nyx’s.
Subconsciously, Nyx heard footsteps coming closer, the sound of Kingsglaive boots so familiar to him. He knew who the onlookers were and he didn’t care. Not about the inappropriate position they were in, limbs entangled, it was hard to say which part belonged to whom. Or the way he crashed their lips together, a kiss so uncomfortable it was born out of desperation and pure fear. Fear of losing the one thing Nyx loved more than his own life. He could feel Noctis holding onto his hands as he pressed closer, nose squished against his cheek, only pulling back when the shuffling and discrete coughs grew louder.
“You might not wanna do this when Luche or one of the other fuckers is around.” Libertus’ voice was full of fondness and when Nyx looked over to his friend, seeing him and Pelna, he found him smiling amused at the pair.
“Let them see,” Noctis said as he eased Nyx’s hold on him, startling not only Libertus but also Nyx when he kept Nyx’s hand in his own as he turned to the other Glaives.
“What did you say?”
“My father knows, so let them know. Let them all know. I’ve nothing to hide.”
Nyx still wanted to be angry with Noctis, about him charging into this battle and risking his life without any reinforcement, without an idea what he would find. He wanted Noctis to promise him to never do something so stupid again, never risking his life for Nyx. Instead he looked at Noctis with nothing but love and adoration in his heart, leaning closer to nuzzle against Noctis’ temple. Hearing him speak so openly about what they have created over the course of weeks and months in the secrecy of their apartments in the dark where no one could see them filled him with pride and happiness.
“Guess there’s another hero on the rise,” Nyx breathed against Noctis’ skin, lips brushing against his cheek. Nyx could feel the smile more than he saw it, but it was all he needed in this moment.