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I don’t want to be here.
Aranea stands tall at the door, inviting the boys inside. Noctis notices the party seems to be in full-swing already. He would rather be at home playing video games with Prompto, but he insisted on going out tonight with Gladio and Ignis. Naturally, Noctis tags along but feels the regret every minute.
“Make yourselves comfortable. You drink?” She points between Prompto and Noctis, who point at themselves just to make sure. Aranea nods. The boys look at each other and then back at her.
“Yup!” They both say in unison.
“You owe me a drink now.” Noctis teases. Prompto pouts in response, knowing he’s only just arrived at the party and is sacrificing his first drink.
Noctis and Prompto follow Aranea into the kitchen, watching intently as she starts pulling out her rather concerning collection of sprites, wines, and liquors. She moves, showing them the whole collection.
“Pick your poison.” Aranea holds her hand out to the rather limited alcohol selection.
“I-uh…” Noctis trails. Man, where to even start with this one?
“Sweet or bitter, pretty boy?” Aranea asks, looking at her fridge wondering what kind of drink she should make for them.
“...bitter?” Noctis questions back.
Aranea clicks her tongue, finding a good chaser and alcohol combination for him to try out. She sets it out on the table and asks the same for Prompto.
“Something in the middle maybe? Or low-calorie? Wait, do those even exist?” Prompto stumbled, feeling a little overwhelmed with having many options at his disposal.
“Good choices. Hang tight, I’ll make something on the lighter side since this is your first one, right?”
The two eager boys nod, leaning against the island counter, watching the magician at work. Noctis and Prompto were enjoying their conversation about what they hope their drinks would be like and what they think each other’s drunk personalities would be.
You know what, maybe this isn’t so bad. Better than attempting to try to hide alcohol in the dorms at least. Noctis thought to himself.
“Bottoms up!” Aranea slides one cup with rusty-orange liquid to Noctis and a yellow-ish liquid to Prompto. “Pretty boy’s got a classic whiskey and some soda. Sunshine, I gave you a vodka and orange juice combo. It’s a bit on the sweeter side and I didn’t remember the calorie count on these, sorry ‘bout that kiddo.”
“No worries at all! I’m excited, Noct, come on!”
“I’m starting the countdown this time. Three.”
“Two…”
“ONE-” they cheered in unison, until they felt cold hands grab both their shoulders.
“Oh no you don’t. Ignis will kill me if he sees I let you two chug it. Do me a favor and go slow, would ya?” Aranea turns back around and heads out to the living room where the rest of the guests are.
“She still scares me whenever she gets serious.” Prompto shyly chuckles.
“It’s like Ignis manifested into a girl.” Noctis clinks his cup with Prompto.
“Oh good, I’m gonna have that thought tonight thanks to you.”
They both nervously take a small sip together. Prompto winces from the burn of the alcohol and Noctis coughs from the bitterness of the whiskey.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this, Prom.” Noctis whines.
“At least it’s not some frat party jungle juice bullshit.” Prompto takes another sip, rather enjoying the taste of his.
“Oh yeah...that was sus.” Noctis remembers the first weekend of school where they tailed other students into various parties to see if it hyped up to how it was in the movies.
That was bullshit too.
“Let’s go and talk to some peeps. Who knows, you might make a friend.” Prompto leads the way as Noctis drags his feet behind him wondering when the alcohol was going to hit.
“Ugh, I’ve made enough friends, Prompto.”
He and Prompto whip their heads around at the sudden thud. Seems like another guest came in, Noctis wondered.
Sure enough it was. A tall blonde girl takes off her shoes and sets her bag down on the hanger fixing her disheveled hair. Seemed like she was late tonight.
He observes her movements as she gleefully greets Aranea, Gladio, and Ignis along with their other friends and Biggs and Wedge, of course.
Oh to be able to socialize with people. Noctis thought, taking another sip of his drink.
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Noctis doesn’t remember finishing his drink. Or when he started being more chatty with Gladio and Ignis. Or when he shamelessly asked Aranea for a selfie without wanting to curl up into a ball after. Or when he felt this relaxed after his father’s passing.
Noctis blinks and looks behind him as the door creaks open. He’s not sure if he felt red from the alcohol hitting him suddenly or if he was flustered from seeing that girl again. She’s dressed in more casual-looking clothes this time.
“...hello there?” The blonde girl waves her hand in front of Noctis.
“Uh, hi?” Noctis replied back.
Wait.
I-It’s the girl.
I’m not sober enough for this.
“Seem rather young. Could you be a friend of Aranea, perhaps?” the blonde leans against the wall next to him, far away from the crowd now that they’ve all gone and done their own thing.
“Specs and big guy.” Noctis bluntly answers. He turns his head away from the blonde, hoping she wouldn’t see how embarrassed he was.
Unfortunately, Lunafreya could see right through Noctis and figured they both needed a friend tonight.
“Ignis and Gladio you mean? I see. That explains it.” Lunafreya cringes hearing the awkwardness in her voice.
“Yup. Assholes, both of them. But they’re good friends. Wouldn't trade them for anything else.” Noctis proudly announces.
He whips his hand over his mouth and widens his eyes, registering what he just said to her. He looks around him, checking to see if anyone else heard that. Dammit, alcohol!
“Listen…”
“Lunafreya.”
“Lunafreya...you tell either of them that, I won’t live till tomorrow.”
Luna laughs, holding her hand over her stomach and keeping her drink straight. “Oh, I’m sorry for laughing. My lips are sealed.” Luna pulled an imaginary zip across her thin lips.
Noctis couldn’t help but laugh too, worried what consequences he would face if any of them heard. If it weren’t for them, he wouldn’t have come today. Or got into college. Or get through the rest of high school.
“What’s your name, if you don’t mind me asking?” Luna angles her body towards him, hoping to get a better look at his face behind his long bangs.
“Noctis, or Noct. Whatever is okay with me.” Noctis rubs the back of his head, hoping he’d look cool to redeem himself from earlier.
“Noctis it is then. Say, would you like to come to my room then? Promise I won’t do anything, it’s more comfortable in there.” Luna proposed.
“Anything that doesn’t involve a lot of people.” Noctis accepts.
Luna glances around her and motions him to follow her past the kitchen into her room at the end of the hall. She makes herself comfortable setting her drink down on the desk and leaning against the wall on her bed. Noctis closes the door behind him and places his empty glass on the desk next to hers. He takes a seat at the desk, leaning his legs against the bed frame.
“Mind if I ask about your accent?” Noctis shamefully asks.
“Oh, I was born and brought up in Tenebrae. Came to Insomnia for my studies.” Luna responds. “You’re from here?”
“Born and raised. This uni is close to home and I already had friends here..” Noctis leans back into the chair. “If Tenebrae had a lot of good colleges, why come here?”
“I could not be bothered by my overbearing brother.”
“...So much that you left Tenebrae all together?” Noctis rests his head in his hand, leaning on the desk for support.
Lunafreya laughs softly, hiding her face in her hands. “When you put it that way, Noctis, it sounds ridiculous.”
“It kinda is when you think about it. You left a whole county because of one nuisance.” Noctis is definitely drunk. He doesn’t care what comes out of his mouth at this point as long as he doesn’t make a fool out of himself.
“I feel so bad, Noctis. I’ve only known you for a mere twenty minutes and I have dragged you into my family drama.” Lunafreya apologizes.
Noctis waves his hand, knowing it’s not that important to him and it’s basically a roulette figuring out if he will remember this clearly in the morning.
“Luna, it’s fine. Really. Sounds like a lot.”
Luna slows her laughter, attempting to regain any composure she had left in her. Her eyes widen and she moves her face out of her hands.
“Noctis, did you call me Luna just now?”
“Oh uh, yeah I did. Is that okay?”
“Yes!” Luna exclaimed a little too loudly. “I mean, yes, that’s fine. I...quite like it, actually.”
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Noctis stares blankly into his cup, formerly filled with some strange whiskey, now filled with an indigo-blue liquid. It looks strangely a little too close to jungle juices.
“Oh that. It’s a fruit punch drink with some coconut rum. One of my favorites to make at home. At least, when Aranea isn’t here. She’s the one who handles our liquor.” Luna sets her matching drink down on the nightstand by her bed.
“Sounds nice. Why so blue?”
“You’re going to laugh.”
“No, I won’t. I promise.”
“Well, it was the closest Insomnian related drink I could get that reminded me of home. You see, I really enjoyed growing these Sylleblossom flowers at home. Had a garden full of them.”
“Oh, those really blue ones. Could grow them here...or ask the big guy, he’s more a gardening nut-”
“These flowers are only native to Tenebrae. I would rather not disturb the flora already here.”
“Oh,” Noctis mentally hit himself in the head. Dumbass. “What drink at home reminded you of this?”
“That! We also used coconut rum and some combination of fruits and a slight hint of herbs with sugar water. It was quite the concoction now I think about it. My brother at home used to make them very well.” Luna droops her eyes and glances down into her cup. She knows this mix is too artificial, too thin, not the right sweetness and tarte-ness of the fruits.
“Why settle for less? Ya got some ingredients you can find in ‘Somnia right?” Noctis purses his lips after having the first sip of the drink, taking a liking to the sweetness.
“Hmm, suppose so.” Luna says absentmindedly. She feels her mind slipping away, unsure if it was the fatigue from the drink or from reminiscing better times with her family.
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Noctis catches Luna on his way out, exchanging an idle conversation before Ignis kept scolding Noctis to get in the car.
Luna slips out the phone from inside her pocket, handing it over to Noctis. Noctis stared blankly at the screen, unsure if it was too early to be exchanging social media.
Yeah, he does it anyway.
He left having a feeling this would be an interesting semester.
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“Noct, who was the girl you were with last night?” Prompto looks up from his notes.
Noctis jerks his knee into the table. Noctis hisses at the pain, cursing himself that he hit his bad knee. Prompto winces, wondering if he should have asked a different question instead.
“Lunafreya. Aranea’s and Crowe’s roommate I think.”
“Doesn’t Crowe live in the Glaives house?”
“Then Aranea’s roommate.”
“Gotcha. Never seen her before. She’s cute.”
“Hmmm, yeah I guess.”
Prompto closes his notebook and sits with his legs crossed, raising his eyebrow. He leans forward, clasping his hands together.
“You look like you’re gonna interrogate me. Out with it, what do you wanna know?” Noctis huffs, knowing Prompto is going to have a field day with this.
“A little birdie told me she made you drinks and y’all talked in private.” Prompto hushes his voice, careful not to let others around him hear.
“Yeah...and?”
“Oh, did nothing happen?” Prompto inquires.
Noctis leans back in his chair and rubs his temples together. “No, nothing happened. We just talked, that’s all. It was just a one-time thing.”
Right on cue, Noctis’s phone lights up with a new Insomniagram notification. He picks up his phone waving Prompto off to mind his business and quickly types out a new message.
lunafreyanf: Noctis! Hello! You left your jacket here, thought you might want it back sometime soon? Let me know when I can come give it to you!
Noctgar: o shit, thx lunafreya! come to campus?
lunafreyanf: Just Luna is fine to use with me :)
Where would you like for me to meet you?
Noctgar: by ebony cafe in the library is good
lunafreyanf: Okay, I will be there in an hour then.
Noctgar: thank u
“Prom, I forgot my jacket at Luna’s place.”
“YOU DID HAVE TEA!” Prompto slams his notebook shut.
“It’s just a jacket. Anyways, she’ll be here in an hour.” Noctis leaves his phone to the side and opens his laptop again. Prompto is amazed at how Noctis is able to be this composed. Either way, Prompto knows his place. He opens his laptop and gets to work on the new assignment with Noctis.
It’s just a jacket, it’s just a jacket, it’s just a jacket, it’s just a jacket.
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“Thanks, Luna. Don’t know what I’d do without this one.” Noctis grips his jacket closer to him, taking it from Luna’s cold hands.
“Not a problem, really. I was cleaning and noticed a black jacket that clearly was not mine.”
Noctis blushes, not sure what to say back other than he’s embarrassed that a girl he just met already has to give him back his clothes. Wait, no, what. He wonders why he thinks of it like that.
“Um, I’ll be off now. If you would...like to continue our conversation from the other night sometime, let me know. I had fun.” Luna shyly waves back at Noctis as she takes off.
“Yeah. Let’s.” Noctis’s face turns so red that Prompto can’t let him live it down.
She’s just being nice.
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“Ah Lunafreya, quite the surprise seeing you today.” Ignis turns around in his seat, making room for the other two.
“Pleasure seeing you too, Ignis.” Luna shyly nods, setting her tote bag on the open chair next to Noctis.
Luna and Aranea agreed to meet up with the boys to do homework together. After all, it was Sunday, they all had things to get done.
Surely, it was a coincidence that Luna sat in that empty chair. Or perhaps, it was the boys’ doing after Noctis told them about how he spent the party with Luna.
Gladio cocks an eyebrow at Noctis as Lunafreya takes out her things. Poor Noctis tries hiding behind his overgrown bangs, hoping his face isn’t as red as how hot his face feels right about now.
He would rather pass away than let his friends pull something like this again.
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“Noctis, I assure you, I do not believe Luna paid that much attention to how obviously red your face was during our study session.” Ignis reassures Noctis as they walk together.
“As if that’s supposed to make me feel better, Specs.” Noctis groaned.
“I would hope so,” Ignis huffs out. He’s doing his best to try and hold in his laughter.
“Aw come on dude, you were a natural!” Prompto playfully punches Noctis’s shoulder.
“Yeah, naturally a dunce.” Gladio adds fuel to the fire.
“Okay! I’m gonna go inside. Goodnight.” Noctis slams the door on them. Prompto knocks on the door almost immediately. “Except you.”
Prompto smiles and waves Ignis and Gladio goodnight.
Noctis is thankful that Prompto didn’t bring up their group studying today. In fact, he’s not sure if he thinks it’s weird that Prompto didn’t pester him further and just left it alone for the night.
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lunafreyanf: Photo ▶
Here is Pryna! She’s been with me since I was a teenager <3
We took this in the Tenebrae gardens with the sylleblossoms.
She looks quite lovely here.
Noctgar: luna I will die 4 ur dog
she’s adorable
send more pics if you got
lunafreyanf: Of course, Noctis! Let me see pictures of Umbra!
Noctgar: ur wish is my command.
Photo ▶
there he is
old but still kicking
lunafreyanf: How precious :)
Noctgar: the sylleblossoms btw
they’re pretty
u have to send more pics of those 2
*too
lunafreyanf: Will do :)
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“What do you think of that Noctis kid?” Aranea looks up from the pot of boiling water.
“He’s alright, I suppose. Why do you ask?” Luna responds without missing a beat.
“Oh, nothing.” Aranea goes back to cooking, hissing when her hand touched the hot steam.
“It seems like you want to say more than that, but I won’t pester.” Luna puts her phone down, grabs the plates, and sets them beside the stove. “How is your hand?”
“Oh, y’know. You’ve been smiling at your phone lately since the party.”
Luna’s eyes grow wide at the sudden realization. She parts her lips unable to say anything. Shit.
“Suppose that’s right.” Luna softly whispers, aimlessly looking at her phone. She looks back at Aranea with a smug look on her face.
Aranea chuckles. “What, hun? I was right?”
Luna looks down unable to say anything. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He was nice and we made good conversation, that’s all.
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Why did I let them talk me into this?
I wanna go home.
Emotions suck.
Noctis sits alone with his pounding thoughts, anxiously waiting for Luna at the usual spot. It’s supposed to be another group study day as planned, but conveniently everyone else had “plans”.
Traitors.
The familiar click-clacks of Luna’s heels echoed through the cafe. She smiles brightly and waves to Noctis. Noctis waves back shyly, hunching over to hide behind his laptop again.
“Noctis, hello!” Luna leans over his laptop. “What were you working on?”
Trying not to stare at your...yeah you’re making this hard for me.
Noctis slowly blinks, leans back in his chair, and clears his throat. “I was uh… working on a video project. Wanna see?”
Luna nods her head. She moves her chair over to Noctis, trying to get a closer look at his computer screen. A familiar blue background catches her eye and her heart flutters a little bit.
“Noctis, is that…?”
“Sylleblossoms. Yeah. I… remember when we talked about it that first night? And then later again when you sent me Pryna pics. It was nice. So I found an image of it and made it my background.”
Luna feels as if the world is stopping. Oh how she wishes she could relive those words come out of Noctis again. And again. Until she was tired of hearing them. It’s awfully nice, isn’t it? To have someone who cares.
“Lovely picture, Noctis. How I wish you could see them in real life. This picture doesn’t do the grand field wonders.” Luna sighs, reminiscing about her memories of playing and gardening with her mother and brother in Tenebrae.
“Oh and the video project if you wanted to look at it.” Noctis leans away, pointing at the video editing program on the screen.
“I see, what’s it about?”
“Well, it was Prompto’s idea. He wanted to do a landscape video series for our project. I mean, it’s just a gen ed so I don’t care that much but I can’t say no to Prompto.”
Luna chuckles. He cares a lot about his friend.
“No one can say no to Prompto,” Luna laughs. She remembers the last time they did a group study that she was fond of the blonde’s bubbly spirit, even when he was just as stressed about his classes and adjusting to life as a college student.
Perhaps not more than being in the presence of the broody Noctis, who manages to make her smile when they chat.
Oh, am I in trouble.
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“Our stupid video project has her attention now.”
“Did you mean to say ‘thank you Prompto for making me do a project that the girl I like is interested in’?”
“You’re the worst.” Noctis threatens to hang up the phone as Prompto wails.
Noctis doesn’t spare much to say. His mind replays the day over and over, trying not to overthink it. Today was a friendly hangout.
“Hey Prom, let’s make the project good.” Noctis breaks the silence, propping up Prompto on the edge of his desk.
Prompto’s eyes glisten. “We’re gonna make it fantastic, dude.”
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lunafreyanf: Let’s get lunch sometime?
Noctgar: im not opposed to that
why all of a sudden?
lunafreyanf: I always see you whenever school is involved.
We are in that cafe anyways, it would be a shame not to eat there too.
Noctgar: i like the way you think
i’ll go
inviting others?
lunafreyanf: Can we meet, just two of us if that’s okay?
I’d love to talk to you about that project or yours.
Noctgar: ok then
2 of us it is
“Aranea, I think I’ve done too much to him!” Luna throws her head back in frustration.
Aranea glances over at Luna’s phone, skimming their messages. “Nah, the boy’s whipped now.”
Luna cocks her head. “What does that mean again?”
“Well you got his attention. Hook, line, and sinker.” Aranea leans against the counter, folding her arms. She clicks her tongue as she remembers something. “Luna, hun, ask for his number. Somatagram only gets you so far.”
“This is why you’re the PhD candidate, dear, thank you.” Luna types out another message.
lunafreyanf: Noctis, what’s your number? It might be easier for me to text you.
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“How did we go more than halfway through the semester without thinking to give our numbers?” Noctis laughs.
“Honestly! We’re both stupid!”
“Trust me, Gladio gave me a stern scolding for it too,” Noctis recalls a very annoyed Gladio baffled at how it never occurred sooner.
Noctis and Luna laugh senselessly, trying not to knock over their drinks. Noctis opens his laptop and shows the progress he’s made with Luna’s additional videos she sent him to put in the presentation. How the indigo serenity of the Tenebrae gardens complements the harsh shand dunes of Duscae.
Prompto’s definitely gonna like this, Noctis thinks to himself as the video nears its end. Surely this video together will get them artistic points.
“Ah, Luna. Remind me to pay you back sometime. Y’know, for the videos and stuff.” Noctis pulls the laptop away so that it faces him. He sends the new video to Prompto to look at later.
“Nonsense. Why should you have to pay me?” Luna whips her head around as she moves her chair back.
“Oh, I-uh. It’s fine then, if you say it’s okay.” Noctis mumbles. He already feels his face heat up and tries to hide it as soon as he can without Luna seeing.
Luna leans down and rummages in her bag for a few seconds, flustered at how much Noctis cares about his friends.
How cute.
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“Luna, hun, pretty boy’s a freshie. Is that really what you want?” Aranea leans against the doorway, folding her arms.
“It’s a bad idea, isn’t it?” Luna grumbles into her pillow.
“You’re almost done with your degree, he’s barely started his!” Aranea throws her arms in the air, having the feeling she was in for a reckoning.
“Ugh, I do not wish to say goodbye to him. Even if I am graduating next semester.”
“Luna...you didn’t tell him, did you?”
Luna stays silent and Aranea sighs. She’s known Luna for a few years now, it’s hard to see her say goodbye to someone she genuinely enjoyed spending time with.
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Winter break passes and it’s much too cold to be back in Insomnia.
To Noctis, it feels like a bliss to be away from home and back with his friends. To Luna, it’s preparing to be marketable, truly putting her career first.
Yet in the usual spot of the warm cafe, the blistering shift of Luna’s distant personality from her usual warm and gentle one sets off red flags that Noctis can’t quite point out. He knows something is off, yet not quite sure how to approach it.
But for Luna, he would do anything to keep her in his life.
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Noctis: everything ok?
Luna: I’m okay :)
Noctis: u sure?
Luna: Positive! Just preparing things is stressful, but I assure you I am okay.
“Hey, big guy, does this seem sus to you?” Noctis leans over the table, showing the phone of their text messages to Gladio. Gladio adjusts his glasses and scrolls through them all, noting how long (and cringey) their convos used to be and recently has boiled down to barely anything.
Gladio looks up and down between Noctis and his phone. “Princess, she’s a senior, of course she’s gonna be stressed. Don’t worry about it.”
“She’s a senior?” Noctis jaw drops.
How did I not know this in all that time? Dammit.
“Noctis, are you really that dense?” Ignis, dumbfounded, is trying to piece together how on Eos they became attached at the hip and failed to know something as important as this.
“I mean she mentioned she was on track to graduating, I figured she was a junior or something.”
Prompto eyes between Noctis, Ignis, and Gladio, feeling the awkward tension rise between the table. He cowers under his laptop screen, hoping to get back on track to his homework assignment.
“You’re a dimwit, you know that.” Gladio spews, flipping through the pages of his literature notebook to find the section he was working on.
“I’m quite amazed Luna didn’t feel the need to tell you. Suppose your feelings don’t change about her either way.” Ignis leans forward, clasping his hands under the table awaiting Noctis’s response.
Except, Noctis didn’t respond. He gently closes his laptop and packs away his notebook, presumably going back to his dorm.
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Who could be at the door this early in the day?
Aranea eyes him up and down. “And what brings you here today, pretty boy?”
“Is Luna here?”
“She stepped out a little while ago. Interview or something.”
“Oh...um, could you tell her I stopped by anyways. I’ll text her too, I wanted to talk to her. Okaybyeseeyou.” Noctis mumbled under his breath, whipping his body around and walking hastily across the street back towards campus.
Aranea H: you know Noctis came here?
Ignis S: I had a feeling.
Aranea H: what the heck was that about then?
Ignis S: Did Lunafreya really not tell Noctis she was a senior?
Aranea H: no and I already talked to her about that
Ignis S: Poor Noctis. He got too attached.
Aranea H: you’re telling me…
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Noctis: can we meet?
Luna: Of course! Getting coffee, I presume?
Noctis: yea sure
Luna: Usual spot? Tomorrow at 4?
Noctis: yup
Luna: Okay!
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“How did I not realize that you were graduating?” Noctis pouts, staring aimlessly into his tea.
Luna leans forward and holds her hand to Noctis’s cheek, brushing away his bangs. She softly smiles, hiding the pain in her eyes wishing it were different.
“I’m sorry Noctis. I thought you knew. Though I wish it were different.”
“So...I’m not dreaming things right?”
“Such as?”
“We do like… like each other?”
Neither of them can say anything.
“This is… quite unfortunate.” Luna rips that painful bandaid off, the lingering effects still sting.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen.” Noctis chuckles. “We were just supposed to be friends.” He pulls the hood over his head.
“Should we stop doing this?” Luna asks.
“Wha- no! We’re friends, right? We don’t have to change that.”
Noctis shudders at the sudden coldness of Luna’s hands.
“No, I mean...this.” Luna slips his hands away from hers. She retracts, fiddling with her fingers underneath the table.
Luna is the first to pick up her coffee and head out the door. She couldn’t bear to spare another word to Noctis, not after knowing they both want it.
“Dammit. I shouldn’t be acting like this.” Noctis threw the notebook into his backpack, hastily walking to the opposite exit, drawing the hood over his face, just enough to see the ground.
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“Y’know it’s okay to feel sad about it right?” Prompto hops up on Noctis’s bed and leans over the desk.
“It won’t get me anywhere. Just let it go already.” Noctis dismisses, aimlessly turning the pages in his notebook. Even Prompto knows it’s bothering him but he cannot do anything about it.
Prompto eyes Noctis as he turns on his laptop, hoping to finish that last bit of the homework.
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“Princess, you gotta be so desperate to come to me for love help.”
“Hush and listen. I’m dumb okay.”
“We are well aware, Noctis.” Ignis chimes in.
Noctis whines, feeling unappreciated by his friends who spared no mercy in putting him in his place. Well, he figures he needs them to ground him.
“You’re not gonna ask her out, are ya dude?” Prompto adds fuel to the fire.
“No! I’m not that dumb!” Noctis flails his arms.
“Says the one who just called himself dumb literally two seconds ago.” Gladio grunts, rummaging in his jacket for his phone.
“You’re not helping. I still like her, how do I get rid of it?!” Noctis, in defeat, rests his hand on the table, cowering between the arms beside him.
“In due time, Noctis.” Ignis hands over a tissue pack after hearing a soft sniffle from Noctis. Noctis shoos the tissues away, groaning in frustration.
This sucks, he keeps saying to himself. There was nothing that movies could have prepared me to feel like this.
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Aranea H: that’s a bad idea and you know it
Lunafreya NF: It is. I’m aware of our conversation, too. But it speaks to me.
Aranea H: as you wish
tbh whatever makes you happy in the end is all good with me
go get him
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“Oh, thank goodness you came.” Lunafreya exhales a sigh of relief seeing Noctis in their usual late night booth.
Noctis slides right into the booth sitting across from her. He notices she has not changed that much since the last time they saw each other. But then again, he couldn’t help feeling jittery, uncertain about what’s to come next.
“It sounded important.” Noctis finally said, taking off his hood.
“Right. We’re going to talk about it properly this time. I’ll be sure of it.” Luna confidently sets down her cup. She scans the area around her quickly before getting up.
Noctis freezes for a second, not even processing that she wanted him to stand up as well. Looks like she has a plan, Noctis notes. Might as well go with it in the meantime.
Lunafreya leads them both to a secluded, but well-lit area. Noctis is still confused why she brought them all the way out here and not just stay in the cafe where it was much warmer. Then again, if this means actually talking to her again and solidifying their friendship, that’s all that matters.
“Luna, this is a little much don’t you think?” Noctis nervously chuckled, pulling his hood down out of habit.
“I suppose. But we do need to talk, Noctis.” Luna’s gaze shifts.
Noctis leans against the wall, folding his arms while giving Luna his full attention. Luna leans against the lamppost, bowing her head lost in thought trying to figure out what to say next. The anticipation makes Noctis more anxious if anything.
“I sincerely apologize for any distress I may have put on you. That was not my intention.” Her voice simmered down from her bubbly self earlier.
“That’s fine, Luna. I thought we agreed we’d like… let it go.” Noctis gulps, nervous to keep continuing their conversation.
“Noctis, could I tell you something?”
Noctis straightens his back against the wall, rubbing his hands together to keep them warm. “Y-yeah what’s up?”
“I never said I would.” Luna looks up, barely keeping eye contact with Noctis.
“Luna, it-”
“I am going to sound stupid for a second, but bear with me…I didn’t think I’d have so much fun with you. I would like to keep going.”
Noctis’s heart skips a beat hearing that aloud. He’s not sure if he’s even alive or dreaming and tries to pinch himself.
“If you’ll allow me… I would like to.” Luna clutched onto the end of her ponytail.
Noctis stood in silence for a few moments, processing Luna’s words.
“Ah, it appears I’ve made a fool of m-”
Luna jolts at the sudden footsteps approaching her. Noctis fiddles with the loose strands of hair peeking out from his beanie. Luna’s cheeks flush and she feels as if her heart is going to pound out of her chest.
“Your hands look cold.” Noctis reaches out his free hand and hovers it over hers, silently asking for permission.
“Indeed they are.” Luna folds her free hand into his. She moves closer to Noctis, touching shoulders with him.
Noctis leans his head into Luna’s shoulder exhaling a heavy sigh. “What made you want to like me back?”
“I can’t help who I like. Even while we were friends, I kept thinking it was silly enough to want more out of it. Even if it means we can enjoy it for a short while.” Luna presses her face into Noctis’s shoulder.
“Speak for yourself, I fell for a senior who’s graduating next semester.” Noctis and Luna share a laugh together, grasping the reality of their relationship.
“You know, Noctis, you never properly asked me out.” Luna looks up at Noctis with puppy-dog eyes.
Noctis widens his eyes at the sudden realization. He chuckles nervously, slapping his free hand against his forehead.
“Okay, Luna. Let’s go out somewhere next weekend, just you and me.” Noctis gently pulls Luna and they begin to walk together, hoping to spare the rest of their conversations from the cold.
“You’ll pay?” Luna jokes.
“I’m broke, please go easy on me. We can get something better on the next one.” Noctis jokes back.
“Already planning on the next one, are we? My, my…” Luna’s last words linger in the air as they both eagerly keep their conversation going, aimlessly exploring the night streets enjoying whatever time they may have together.