Chapter Text
"The dawn."
Noctis looked up in surprise, then narrowed his eyes in exaggerated displeasure. “Wow," he drawled. "Way to ruin the moment. Pretty sure I was supposed to say that.”
Ignis chuckled, and then Noctis, Prompto, Gladio, and Lunafreya were laughing, too, a brightness of spirit that filled the air as all welcomed the first morning light to grace the Star in years.
But even as the laughter lingered, Noctis's gaze drifted back to her, cradled in his arms. She turned to him then, and met his eyes. Even though she was already resting against him, he couldn't help but pull her closer still.
Her hair, usually tied in a neat braid, fell freely around her shoulders, twisted and messy from the long fight. The dress she wore, tattered and frayed at the edges, clung loosely at her form yet... even tired, ragged, and possibly still hurt, the gentle curve of her lips made her beautiful.
As the mixture of fear and panic that gripped him from earlier began to fade, he sighed, his thumb brushing her cheek. It wasn't as pale as it was before. He didn't know what Gentiana did, but he was thankful, deeply thankful.
A lump formed at his throat.
It had been too close.
He'd almost lost her.
Again.
Almost lost her, just when she was finally here.
Lunafreya tilted her head to his hand, smiling softly as if reassuring him even as her eyes gathered tears.
"Hey guys, look."
The approaching drone of dropship's engine grew louder overhead. Funny how, from his memories, it wasn't that long that the sound would have filled them with dread, the seemingly neverending fight. Now, it brought only relief.
Although the ship had obviously spotted them as it descended, Prompto still waved his hands frantically.
"Over here!"
And then a sound rivalled Prompto's shouts.
"Luna!"
They all turned to the voice, it was coming from the dropship that was rapidly approaching. Standing there at the side of the hatch that was opening was Sol, and just before it could land fully on the ground, she jumped, ignoring the cries of the people inside, namely her mother and sprinted to them.
To Luna.
Though he felt reluctant, it felt unreal, too soon to be apart from her, Noctis loosened his hold. Sol didn’t waste the chance, immediately pulling Luna into her arms. Lunafreya returned the embrace just as tightly, before offering assurances, comforting another as it came naturally to her, unbothered by the sobs dampening her shoulder.
"I'm glad you're fine." Sol sobbed, then abruptly pulled back, cupping Luna's face and turning it side to side. She grabbed her arms and squeezed them. "No more marks of the scourge... I guess being a devotee has its perks. You're really back."
Lunafreya laughed through the glistening tears on her face, "I promised, didn't I?"
"Yeah," Sol replied. A wide grin on her face. "You still owe me a good cup of tea.”
It was a relief to see them together. As an Oracle, captured by the empire from childhood, she was constantly monitored, it must've been hard for Luna to form a bond with someone else. Apart from Gentiana, who had been with her since he first met her, and now that even the Messenger was gone... it will be hard for Luna. Good thing that she had a friend now, someone that could comfort her.
It was good that they had friends beside them, true companions that would be there through thick and thin.
He stood and faced his friends. There were a lot of words he thought he'd say to them, but somehow, he couldn't find the exact words he wanted to say. It was too much and yet it wouldn't come. In the end, he muttered the only word he could manage. "Hey."
"What 'Hey'? you sure took your sweet time," Gladio said, pushing him on the shoulder.
"Noct, you're really back."Prompto while well-intentioned, unknowingly touched a part that was badly bruised.
"Ow, that hurt." All kinds of bruises littered his body so that act was definitely unwelcome.
Prompto only laughed, no signs of remorse at all. "Ah sorry, sorry."
"We're almost tired of waiting."
"Sorry for that," Noctis said, putting a hand on Ignis's shoulders. "We have a lot to catch up on."
"Yeah, ten years of it."
"Now this,” Prompto said as he raised both his arms to the brightening sky. “Is a good morning."
Keeping his body angled towards Lunafreya was, Noctis saw her raise a hand to wipe away the tears as she nodded at Sol's words. Their eyes met again, her cheeks flushing with happiness, and the sight made him believe that everything will be alright now.
They will all be alright.
He smiled, couldn't help but echo the words, "It is a good morning."
"Now that is a rare thing for you to say."
The guys chuckled as Noctis said, “Shut it.”