Enjoy a peaceful Noctis and Luna facing just a little politics in between showering each other in love.
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Us. No need for more letters to describe love
Noctis's last real day off had been two months ago and it was starting to show. Ignis did his best to alleviate his work, but they were both loaded with tasks from the most trivial paperwork or phone call to three hours meeting with the new council or the weekly audiences with civilians. All his free time was spent with his wife, lady Lunafreya, last Oracle and queen of Lucis and Tenebrae.
There had been some difficulties at first in arranging their time between Tenebrea, the new capital of Nifhleim, and the continent of Lucis. Luna had no family left to rule in her stead and the pair wanted Eos to be a haven from top to bottom. Rebuilding cities and refurbishing the Festenala manor was a constant effort and sadly, after agreeing they would eventually stay half a year in Tenebrae and the rest of it in Lucis, Noctis and Luna had been forced to accept they couldn't stay more than a few months until Lestallum was safer. Noctis couldn't fight like he used to and though his armiger was fully unlocked, the nerve damage sustained in his battle against Ardyn had never entirely healed.
Eos was in a dire state and while the sun was back and the daemons had left, building back upon the damage already done and with the little people they had was difficult. Ignis had warned Noctis about spreading his people too thin, but the many people who had been forced out of their home and taken as refugees in Lestallum wanted to start again in their country.
Fixing Lestallum from being over-populated and its walls and protections repaired in a rush after every daemon break-in had taken the first six month of Noctis's rule. In the chaos that had ensued his return and him winning over Ardyn, Noctis had been struggling to find a balance. He was compelled to work until he dropped to compensate for the ten years he spent sleeping inside of the crystal, gathering his strength and power.
He'd thought dying was his only destiny once he'd defeated Ardyn, since that was what Bahamut, his ancestors and the crystal had all insisted upon. But he survived the toll of his armiger and Luna was allowed back into the world after cleaning Ardyn from the scourge, the accursed one taking her place in the after-life. The despair Noctis had felt upon waking in his throne room, bleeding but alive and knowing he wouldn't see his princess for a few more years had been short-lived. His Luna had been found in the gardens and while their first meeting had been brief due to fading consciousness on both parts, the pair had cried from joy when they could finally reach out to each other, their hands touching instead of one of them fading away.
Their wedding had been sober and intimate, Noctis and Luna agreeing to have a bigger ceremony for the citizens once things had settled more. The last thing the King wanted was to dilapidate resources they needed to start again in Insomnia and Galdyn Quay. Adapting to the fact he was a 30 year old man and she was still 24 had taken them some time, as they slowly adjusted to being together in person and not just writing to each other. Almost two years after their wedding, it was impossible for any citizen to doubt how in love their King and Queen were. Luna preferred to stay discreet, but she needed every little touch, holding his hand and leaning closer to him when they sat side by side, even agreeing to snuggle with him under his cape when a ceremony lasted too long. The last case was only to please Noctis, since she could withstand the cold much better than him.
That morning, Noctis had woken up first and allowed himself to take the time to look at his sleeping wife. The way her hair was tangled on her shoulder, the gentle rise of her chest, how light and soft the fabric of her gown was and how she inched a little more on his side of the bed when he leaned his head on one arm and roll to the side. He outlined the shell of her ear, brushing aside locks of platinum blond hair, running his fingertips along the side of her face lovingly.
He had little moments when he doubted his life was real. How could she be back in his life, how many nights would he feel the need to look for her in the bed, to check her pulse or just brush her nose to have an excuse to confirm she was breathing. He'd promised to get over it and he wanted to, because it made her sad to see even the slightest remnants of his sadness and guilt about her passing.
"How early is it?" she asked him sleepily.
"Too early to be as beautiful as you. Sleep more, my Queen."
"When you compliment me like that, the last thing I want to do is sleep," she smiled, her eyes batting open in a deliberately slow manner.
Noctis took it as his cue, pulling her in a warm embrace and nuzzling her neck, his beard tickling her while his lips threatened to make her shiver. Her hands drew circles in his back and down his sides, Luna whining slightly for a real kiss, which had him chuckling as he obliged her.
He could never get enough of her and only parted from her to stop his alarm clock.
"I'd love more lazy mornings with you, Noct, but we both have a long day ahead of us."
"I think we should cut it shorter. When was the last time we enjoyed breakfast in bed?"
"I… I remember it faintly."
"I'm a bad husband," he sighed, closing his eyes as she massaged his scalp to fully relish her attention. "You think your letters to the first secretary can wait a little more?"
"It's a video chat actually, and she expects me at 8h45. I can't be late."
He pouted, and Luna shook her head.
"How about you free yourself for an early dinner?" she offered. "Then we can enjoy a walk in the gardens and retire for an early night."
"Can I have a preview of what you have in mind for this early night?"
When she tried glancing at the clock on his nightstand, he rolled her on back, stealing her lips for a long kiss and Luna gave up on good sense for a few more minutes in his arms. She liked to tease him about how unreasonable he made her and this morning was no exception.
Around 7h30, the King's phone buzzed, and he grumbled something about Ignis always being on his back.
"The world would be in shambles if it wasn't for him."
"You always know what to say, huh? It seems I must leave the confine of your arms, dearest."
Luna pretended misery and threw one hand on her forehead.
"How can I survive in your absence my King?"
"You must, for my world would in shambles without you in it," he kissed her head and then her forehead and Luna pulled him into one last kiss before to gently push him out of bed. "See you at lunch?"
"I'm having lunch with Iris and her sister-in-law today."
"Oh, that's right."
Iris was getting married and Noctis almost found it weirder than Gladiolus did. That particular lunch was ladies only and he accepted the idea he wouldn't see Luna before dinner. Another buzz of his phone made him worry Ignis might burst into the room given a few more minutes and he hurried out of bed as he realized it was 7h45. He needed to be in full Kingly gear in a matter of minutes now. Luna offered to help him, but they both knew he'd be late if they did, the pair acting like a newlywed couple even after all these months. Being together was still so fresh and unreal.
Noctis showed up to his office at 8, having sent a dozen texts to Ignis and a few to Prompto too only as a revenge.
If I can't sleep, at least, Prompto can't either.
"Childish," Ignis commented as he walked in.
He was sitting at Noctis's desk, setting order to his papers, recognizing them from the various seal embossed in a corner.
"Referring to me?" Noctis asked, fighting against a smile.
"Who else? This meeting with the hunters' representatives is in 20 minutes and I can't stress how important it is that you revise…"
Noctis tried to pick the corresponding paper and spotted a blank spot in his agenda that had him looking twice.
"Iggy, there's something weird with my schedule next week."
"Surely that can wait, Noct," his advisor observed, pushing his visor glasses a bit higher on his nose.
"You gave me three days off. I can't take three days off right now, there's…"
Ignis's eyes widened, which made him wince, because his star-shaped scar had remained quite sensitive to such movement, the pain due to the magic involved in the wound.
"Don't tell me you really forgot about it, Noct. It's your second anniversary with lady Lunafreya."
Noctis gave a second look at the date and paled as he realized he'd forgotten.
"You didn't order my gift in advance, did you?"
"That would be inconsiderate and disgraceful. But I have noted down a list of ideas we went over last year when you were in a deep state of panic."
Noctis blushed a little, remembering the mess of nerves he'd been. If Luna hadn't been so humble he would have smothered her in gifts already, but she preferred his presence and the simplest things.
"Three days… Is three days enough for a trip somewhere?"
Ignis frowned at that.
"Three days was the best I could do at the moment, but if you're thinking about having your honeymoon, I'd say we need to extend your time off."
"Giving her a honeymoon shouldn't even count as a gift, should it? I can't believe we've postponed it for so long."
"Noctis, I understand your disarray, but we need to focus on today and that meeting, which is in… I don't want to know anymore," Ignis sighed. "Here. In two hours, you can panic as much as you want about being a fool."
"Wow. Thank you so much Iggy."
"You're most welcome."
…
"How could I forget?!"
Ignis patted Noctis on the shoulders after the man had dropped himself in his office chair, his nerves officially shot after the extended meeting with the hunters asking him for more social advantages when he'd just managed to balance the kingdom's economy. At some point during the ten years of darkness, gils had lost its value, people turning to trading off goods and services, or shards of meteor. Reinstating a monetary system had been a nightmare and maintaining it wasn't any easier.
"We've been trying to tilt back on its axis a dying world. It will be a tedious and slow process. Forgetting things here and there is quite understandable."
"But this is my Luna we're talking about."
"I nearly forgot Aranea's birthday a few months ago," Ignis confessed. "Doesn't help how little of a fuss she makes about it."
"Oh really? How did you remember it in the end?"
"Aurora jumped on my back one night, asking me what we were doing for her mother's birthday."
Noctis smiled widely, picturing it quite well. His advisor had become a father at some point during the eternal night and his 7-year-old daughter was simply adorable. She had far too much energy to sit still and had turned every of her few dresses into rags with her hunts around the streets and camps. And her memory was unbelievable. Gladiolus really had to watch his mouth when around her.
"She's still crazy about dates, huh?" The King asked.
Ignis tried not to beam with pride, but he lost all modesty when it came to his family and Aurora's tendency to recite dates she'd learned for random events to every stranger she met was very endearing.
"I swear, if I can find time, I'll make an historian out of her."
"Doubt Aranea would like that."
"Let's try to stay on track," Ignis reminded him. "Do you need an extended vacation or not?"
Noctis ran his hands through his hair as he wondered which gift would be best. On their first anniversary, he'd taken Luna to a retreat close to Galdyn Quay, away from prying eyes, offering her one week of being two normal people head over heels for each other. He didn't want to repeat himself, but he wanted his gift to be meaningful all the same.
"Maybe two more days?" he suggested, sounding quite unsure.
"Do I need to remind you you're the King, Noct? If you want time off…"
"I don't want you running double shifts to cover for me, I know you only trust Talcott with our paperwork and someone would have to take over for Luna too."
"I can deal with this, stop worrying and let me help you planning before our next meeting."
"Damn, is it the engineers again?"
"The Tenebrae committee this time," Ignis corrected.
Noctis perked up at the notion.
"Are the repairs finally done? Because that could actually work. Letting Luna enjoy her home restored to its former glory!"
"Which you have no merit for."
"I'm financing it."
Ignis raised one brow at him.
"Okay, fine, our people is financing it. But it's the same for Lestallum and Meldacio and Galdyn… Where are we with those places? Is there something I need to sign?"
"You sound about ready to collapse in a panic, Noct, you don't need a honeymoon, I think you need actual vacations. And maybe sleeping pills."
He put one hand on his forehead as he faked to take his temperature and Noctis shrugged him off.
"No way! 5 days off and a car, that's all I need."
"You don't want food?"
"Well, I thought that was always implied," Noctis teased him back, sitting a bit straighter in his chair.
"Might be complicated to keep things under wraps when I tell Lady Lunafreya she's getting five days off."
"I have faith in your discretion Iggy."
Ignis slapped the foot Noctis was merely starting to put on his desk with the back of his hand.
"Quite the honor, your Highness, I shall see to it then. If you'll excuse me."
Noctis puffed his cheeks in mocked offense and made it a point to excuse him loudly when he walked out of his office, surely to check in with Talcott and Monica to re-organize Luna's schedule.
"Okay, I need a destination, a nice surprise and flowers," he told to himself, trying to find the list Ignis had mentioned earlier.
…
Noctis couldn't make it back to his quarters before 9 that night, since he was trying to make up for his upcoming break. Ignis had commented on how much of a workaholic he'd turned into since marrying Lunafreya, but it was only so that his queen and friends wouldn't be taking the work he was supposed to be doing. He had been given a second chance at life and didn't want to waste it idly when he could fix so many things his father had left broken.
In fact, it was a quarter past nine when Luna stepped into his office, carrying a small package under one arm. She'd been kind and patient in her texts back to him, as she always was and Noctis couldn't help feeling ashamed at the idea he was neglecting her.
"Hey, wanted to make sure my husband was only dating paperwork when he's not around our royal suite."
Her teasing was clear but Noctis still winced.
"I'm sorry I didn't stop earlier. I ordered Ignis out at 7, since Aranea would boil me alive otherwise."
"Wonder what I shall do with you then," Luna raised one eyebrow suggestively at him and Noctis couldn't help the smirk that came. It had taken months for his queen to become so bold, but the fact she was this comfortable around him, feeling comfortable for maybe the first time in her entire life, was a relief when he thought about all the times he'd failed her.
"Need suggestions?"
"Not yet," Luna declared, pushing his paperwork to lay a basket of food on his desk. "I thought you'd forget to eat and what sort of wife would I be if I let my King go hungry?"
"You're too good for me, Luna. Now I feel even worse about not calling it a night faster…"
"We made a promise about not living in the past, did we not?"
Upon finally being reunited, Noctis and Luna had experienced many weeks of regrets regarding their situation. There were a thousand reasons to feel bad, about what had happened in Altissia, about the fact he wasn't in Insomnia when she'd been here for the attack. She'd apologized for not protecting his father better, for not delivering the ring to him sooner, for leaving him on his own after that brief smile they'd exchanged… After falling asleep with a sore throat and red eyes for one too many nights, Noctis decided they needed to move on to their actual time together.
"Well, are you planning on enjoying this snack with me, beautiful Queen?"
Luna agreed after a little more prodding, giggling at the abundance of compliments he used to convince her. She was a light eater and rarely snacked, since she'd grown with the idea it was unfitting of a princess. Noctis was glad his more easy-going vision of royalty was slowly rubbing off on her. His wife sat on a corner of his desk, insisting she was fine like this and needed to stretch her legs after a long day of meetings and deskwork. They talked about their respective day and mostly about Iris's upcoming wedding, or what a disaster Gladio's wedding had been.
"Is this all fruit and cheese?" Noctis asked while rummaging through the basket.
"Are you going to complain about healthy snacks? I'm trying to look after you."
"You should do that from closer," he teased her, phasing through his chair so he could be standing next to her in a blur of light.
She yelped in surprise, her hands falling on his chest as he held her shoulder with one hand and her waist with the other, effectively steadying her.
"Don't warp after me like that," Luna chided him, fighting against her blushing smile.
"You know I can't wait to have you in my arms when you're around. It feels like empty space until I can hold you again."
She tugged on his collar, Noctis following her silent demand, his lips locking with hers for a short but heated kiss that left them both wanting.
"Where did this come from?"
"I hope you realize how much I love you, even when I'm making you wait because of work."
"I love you very much my dear Noct, and I know how important this work is. We both have still so much to do. Saving the world was only the first step after all."
He kissed her once more, lingering longer this time, only parting with her as he felt her hands shifting, her palms giving him the slightest push.
"I must admit I'd rather continue this in our apartments," she told him with a smile that seemed frail. "And I haven't taken Pryna and Umbra on their walk yet this evening, so maybe you could join me? Spend sometime outside while there's still light."
Her hand tensed against his arm, Luna worrying her lower lip for the shortest instant.
"Sure. Is… everything okay?"
"Yeah, I just… My test results came in today."
Noctis stared into her eyes in alarm, his thoughts going in too many directions at once. Their second chance at life hadn't come without a price. Luna was weaker than she used to be, a result of the magic toll the covenants, the Lucii ring and the fact she recovered a corporeal form had taken from her. Noctis had discovered with time and various tests his own… limitations. He still struggled to put it into words and decided to focus on her.
"You didn't say anything this morning," he observed, his face falling a bit.
"You always worry too much when I remind you of these things, and must I remind you, I am a healer! I can sense myself. I assure you, I'm perfectly healthy. I'll be slow if you race me in the garden, but…"
She was paling a little as she halted midway, still debating with herself if she should tell him what she'd learned.
"Luna…"
"I know it's a sore spot for us both. Sometimes I fear it's the reason why you feel the need to keep at work for so long."
He held her hands in his, realizing he knew just what she was going to tell him.
"As you know, my cycle wasn't stable until now and it was hard to tell why, but it's pretty certain that… having a child will be nothing short of a miracle for us."
"That's on me, Luna, we've known for months now…"
Noctis hadn't been in any hurry to conceive a child since he wanted to enjoy time with his Queen to him alone after how long it took for them to be reunited, but they both wanted kids eventually. So they seldomly used protection. Both royals were under close medical surveillance considering they both should have been dead if it wasn't for a divine intervention. Only one child to call their own would have been enough, sadly, the last Caelum was barely fertile. The few treatments they'd tried had made him sick and he was still making his peace with this loss, blaming the crystal in the back of his mind.
"It's not only you. I had always blamed my stressful life for my weird cycle, but now there's no excuse for it outside of my body being… wrong. I don't know if I didn't put myself back together right, but I'm… barren."
"Luna," he croaked, devastated by the tears gathering in her eyes and the words she'd choose. "There's nothing wrong with your body."
"But you give me so much and I can't even…!"
"Hey, my odds of getting you pregnant were already pretty low thanks to whatever magic warped my insides. Being able to live a full life with you is more than enough."
He remembered asking her if it could be enough for her, but his voice couldn't repeat those words, not when she managed to blurt out his name, lips trembling and her hands reaching up to cup his face. She barely felt the tickle of his beard against her palms, all she could feel was the dozen apologies she wanted to whisper.
"I'm not saying I want more…" Luna desperately tried to keep her voice steady through her words, Noctis pulling her into his arms, brushing her hair and resisting his need to hide his face against the crook of her neck.
"I know. My sweet Luna, you'd never dare want more."
"And then you make me dream we could have everything, and…"
"I'm sorry," he sighed against her hair, her shivers mixing into his.
"I don't want you to be," Luna pleaded with him.
"Well, I am. I am and so are you and what kind of fools does that make us?! It's neither of our fault."
She knew, objectively, rationally and she felt bad for driving him into a wall by bringing this up now, but… hearing the news alone and keeping it to herself as she waited for him to get home had been worse than she'd imagined. All this time, even though she'd insisted he lived in the present, Noctis had blamed himself alone. How he wanted to protect her even in this situation. She remembered the words he'd told her once.
"You blame yourself so easily, I'm glad the problem's with me."
It had been a very clumsy way of seeing a positive side to his state and now Luna was taking that away, but she hoped the fact they could share the blame would make it easier. It was too early to speak about treatments or adoption, right now, they both needed to let the news sink in, to accept the fact starting a family might never be for them.
"I can barely be the Oracle anymore and there won't be…"
"It's okay Luna, the world doesn't need an Oracle, the scourge is gone," he reminded her, kissing her forehead before adding. "I will always need you."
"And me you, Noct."
She dried her tears, even though she knew they would come back eventually. Mourning such a dream would take time and that was exactly what Noctis had given her when he'd won his fight. He was feigning calm for her sake and because he knew the feint would shift to truth as soon as she calmed down. He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, offering her a fragile smile.
"Do you feel a bit better?"
"A bit. I needed to tell you."
Noctis nodded, biting on his upper lip.
"Do you want to get out of this office as much as I do?"
"Yes…" Luna started, shuffling closer to him so she could slip off the desk and to her feet. "Although… The walk can wait. I need to be in your arms right now," she confessed.
"Oh, you are not getting out of my embrace before both of our hearts calm down. We promised, no regrets!" he reminded her.
"You'll have a few if you don't take me back to our apartments in the next few minutes."
She gasped when he lifted her in his arms, bridal style.
"Hold on tight, then!"
"Noct!"
It was a distraction and they both knew it, but what mattered was if it worked.
…
The walk to their bedchambers had been a blur, and rightfully so since Noctis literally phased through hallways and stairs, taking the smallest detours to avoid stumbling onto a servant and giving them a heart attack.
He rarely used his powers outside of combat situations and training now and his training had been reduced to take into account the state of his body. His bad leg had gotten worse, the brace needed to help him stand when his knee started acting up. Luna's light couldn't fix large wounds anymore and her magic barely worked on him, as though their powers nullified each other's. He sat her on the bed as he kicked off his shoes and socks, Luna helping him in removing the metal brace. She fumbled a little more than she'd wished for, but Noctis always had a word to make her laugh about it.
"Not quite as complicated as those corsets you used to wear."
"Feels silly to think I needed the added help to support my back…"
"We're both in ruins, aren't we…?" He dejectedly whispered.
"Well, you're a sexy ruin if I ever saw one. What are you hiding under there?"
Noctis held back on a whine when her hands drift down his ribs and further down, applying the briefest pressure on him, pulling away almost as quickly as they'd reached out.
"Don't get shy on me now, Luna."
He brought her hands up to his lips, kissing the inside of her palms and her wrists in that slow way that always made her blush.
"I'm not shy and you're too sweet. I shouldn't feel like this, but somehow… I feel inadequate?"
She wanted to act like nothing was changed, because she had been damaged from the first time he'd seen her in this new life they had. She had been damaged every time. Noctis knew full well how that felt, paling slightly. He squeezed her hands in his, shaking his head at her.
"You're perfect as you are. And if I don't make you feel that way every day, Ramuh has better come down and strike me where I stand."
That had a frail giggle out of her and she squeezed his hands back, blinking a single tear away.
"Don't tempt that old man," Luna warned him. "He has an awful sense of humor."
"Come here."
The first dozen kisses were tender and slow, until she complained about already feeling too fragile.
"I know you won't break that easily. My hands are just here to hold you together so I can hold," Noctis whispered between kisses.
"You can use my hands for that," she offered, flushing as he parted from her, his eyes clearly getting drunk on her.
"I don't like the idea of using you for anything, my sylleblossom."
"Noct…"
Their clothes were discarded, half in a rush, half a slow dance when either of their fears threatened to swallow them whole. She begged for his arms around her, his touch and Noctis found the patience to drive her right to the edge, over and over, using his fingers, tongue and lips in the ways that would make even her shy voice shift to outright moans instead of whispers.
"Don't make me wait, or the next time I'm…"
"Threats? My darling Oracle wouldn't…"
"Please, cut it out," she panted, her eyes hazy as they held on to him, "I need you, Noct."
"I'm never getting tired of those words," he breathed out, a smirk tugging on the corner of his lips.
Her hands were more than impatient on him now, guiding him to her and there was no way he could resist. Like he wanted to. He loved the feel of her skin, her warmth, the way her hips shifted with his, the little sounds letting him know how close…
He wanted to blow her mind tonight, to remind her of how good they were together. There couldn't be anything wrong with them when they made each other feel so complete, so right and whatever mourning they had to do regarding their future was nothing if their time in Eos was spent together.
"Oh gods…"
Luna was shivering with him, her arms limp by her sides as he hid his face against her chest through the last waves of bliss, trying to engrave into his mind every little movement, and the way she sighed in contentment. Her voice was barely working.
"I want to hold you too, but I feel so weak…" she confessed.
He kissed her shoulder, drawing a new path of shivers up her collarbone and neck.
"It's okay, Luna. I didn't mean to push you that…"
"I needed this, Noct. I simply wished I was more…"
He kissed her apologies silent, gently turning her to her side as he lied next to her, his bad leg begging for a reprieve.
"I don't need more than the woman in my arms now."
Her smile made his heart flutter and he sighed in approval as she shuffled closer, snuggling up to him.
"I'm a spoiled wife. I hope I don't ever turn difficult."
"Hard to see that happening," he laughed with her, stroking her hair and relishing the feel of her breathing against his neck.
"Give me time," Luna teased him. "I'm certain I can drive you crazy."
"As long as it's not with you running ahead of me on some perilous trip."
"You should know I don't like using the same trick twice."
Her fingers tickled his side and he could have argued that she did that far too often, but he was simply glad to have her in his arms. Maybe after spending 10 full years with her he could consider taking her for granted, but he never wanted to.
…
Noctis hadn't expected the shock on her face when he told Luna they were going off on a trip on the morning of their last day of work before their small vacation.
"When were you going to tell me? I know the recent events made you restless and it's selfish of me to say this, but… I had plans for tomorrow, Noct, I don't want to cancel them if it's possible."
He frowned. Ignis had said he'd taken care of clearing up her schedule through Monica, but apparently, that hadn't been done.
"I meant it as a surprise," the King struggled to keep his countenance, wondering if he'd handled things poorly.
Just a few days ago, a few hundreds of people had resurfaced from an underground city of bunkers hidden under Gralea, begging for help. It was a nightmare to find the resources to sustain them and the infrastructures to house them in, the bunkers broken down by a surge of daemons.
Iris had gathered her soldiers, Cor following suit despite his aching joints and Gladiolus would move out soon, Noctis feeling bad that the honeymoon he so badly wanted to give Luna would serve as a prelude to his own travel to Gralea, so he could face the daemons and supervise the rescue effort himself.
"Well, if your surprise involves travelling on the suspicious day off Ignis gave us both before we'd even heard of Nifhleimers' plight… I believe I should still be warned beforehand. Not that I'm in any place to point fingers, since my plans for tomorrow were about us spending the day together."
Noctis could have slapped himself. She hadn't forgotten their anniversary and of course she'd planned something for it. Luna had spoiled him last year, with a day alone with her in Galdyn Quay, and all the teasing the refined Queen of Tenebrae was capable of when wearing a very tiny bikini. His mind went in too many directions at once as he wondered what she might have in store for him, but Luna was speaking again, taking hold of his hands to get his full attention.
"So give me one day for your surprise and then we can go off on that trip you prepared. I made sure with Ignis the delay wouldn't be a problem with everything happening…"
"It will be fine," he reassured her. "We make quite the pair, huh, keeping secrets and nearly cancelling each other's plans without meaning to?"
"Guess we deserve each other," she smiled, letting out a small gasp when he bent down to steal her lips for a brief but loving kiss.
"I want to keep you in bed all day," he sighed, reluctantly parting from her mouth.
"You'll see me at the audiences this afternoon and can try to keep your attention on the speeches instead of what we could be doing behind closed doors," Luna taunted him before taking a step back just as his hands were wondering on her few exposed curves. "I need to get prepared, I have orphanages to visit and a museum to inaugurate."
"By the gods, Luna, you always sound busier than me."
"I'm just going to wave and look pretty," she joked, both of them knowing full well she would have a nice word for every kid she met and might go as far as hugging every last one of them in turns.
As for the museum, it was a memorial to the Oracle line and the origins of the Scourge, a bold choice for the royals, but a necessity to keep Eos's history known unlike what had been done in the past, the population left wondering what was happening with their ruler.
"I should be there with you for that museum," Noctis sighed.
"We talked about this before. I'll be fine on my own."
Most of Noctis's day would be spent with dignitaries from Gralea and Altissia as they'd work out the finer details of what to do with the former citizens of Niflheim.
"I'm grateful, Luna," Noctis whispered, his queen whipping around with a frown on her face, half dressed and looking just a tad too pale. "I mean, I couldn't imagine someone as supportive as you by my side to face all this."
"You're doing a really good job at taking everything in strides."
"All thanks to you, dear."
He helped her pulling her dress the rest of the way up and with the many buttons and lacing involved, planting a single kiss on her exposed neck, his heart warming at her resulting giggle.
Every stolen moment was so perfect, he felt ready to turn in the worst thief this world had seen.
"Noctis, I need to leave this room in ten minutes."
"I think I should have left half an hour ago, but Ignis hasn't called me ye…"
His phone buzzed and they both chuckled, the Oracle actually protesting as his arms pulled away from her with the cutest whine. Noctis couldn't help running his fingers along her neck and into her hair, kiss the crown of her head.
"My queen needs me?" he asked her.
It felt like running away from their duties, but Luna played along, careful of not leaning into him in order not to mess her dress with wrinkles.
"Well, helping me prepare is an important task, I'm sure Ignis would understand."
"I'll order him to if he doesn't."
"Noct!" she chided him half-heartedly, before biting on her lower lip as she considered the clock on her nightstand. "Can you get me my circlet?"
Her legs felt numb this early in the morning and Noctis was happy to oblige her, insisting to crown her head himself. He knew the maids would wag their fingers at them for refusing to let them help the queen prepare, but it was worth it for spending more time alone with her.
"I take it the museum is first on your list?"
"And I'll have three wardrobe changes before the end of the day."
"My wife is such a rock star," he said, earning himself a playful slap on the shoulder.
"Get your butt to work, husband."
"Lunafreya!"
"Pretty please, before I really make myself late."
Their day went by in a flash, and while looking darker by the time they met in the audience room, Noctis taking a seat on his throne while Luna sat by his side, their hands itching to reach over the armrest and toward their other half. They were both exhausted, Noctis nearly falling asleep in his plate of behemoth tenderloin and Luna actually asking for his help once in their chambers, fighting against the many pins holding her hairstyle together to no avail.
"You know, this is how you get headaches," he cautioned.
"And this is how I have your head turning when I pass by your office."
"My head always turns for you."
Slipping in comfortable clothes for the night, they shared a few kisses and tucked each other in, sleep taking over before they could even exchange a word on her plans for the following day.
…
"Good morning Noct!"
He groaned at the push on his shoulder, moaning at the pressure on his body before realizing something warm and soft was leaning… straddling?
"Up, up, up!" she insisted.
"Luna, we have the… day off," he grumbled throughout one heavy yawn.
Her lips brushed against his chin, her nails grazing him through his shirt and he wished for no barrier between their skin. Why did she smell so good? He was certain she'd skipped her shower last night, convinced by him to forego washing so they could sleep off their remaining worries.
"And apparently, I have little time for your surprise, so I need you up and awake. It's already ten."
"What?!"
Sleeping in was rare for the King and he snapped his eyes open, discovering her smiling face hovering just out of reach unless he lifted himself on one elbow and…
She pulled away with a wider smile, sparkles in her eyes.
"You, sir, are going to shower first and brush your teeth."
"Luna," he whined childishly.
"You'd rather sleep instead of spending time with me?" she shot back, mocking dejection.
Noctis was fully awake now and struggled to sit up in their bed, fighting against the sheets that were awkwardly rolled around his legs from tossing and turning in his sleep. Whenever he didn't feel her body next to his, his slumber would turn chaotic. He tried to get a good look at her, but Luna was gathering clothes from drawers and threw a few of them at him, effectively covering his eyes.
"Get clean and meet me in the gardens," she asked him.
"Where do you find all this energy?" he mused, remembering how frail she'd felt in his arms last night.
"I intend to surprise you all day today," she shot back. "Glad it's working."
She was already moving to exit the room and Noctis wanted to call her back, so they could lie back in bed and mess around instead of hurrying outside, but her smile was too bright, and he accepted to play her game. It had taken such a long time for Luna to even be this outgoing with him. As he got up and took in the fact the clothes she wanted him to wear were all casual, -was this the shirt he had on his back when he set out to meet with her in Altissia?- Noctis remembered the first surprise she'd given him.
… 36 months ago…
Noctis's body was sitting on his throne, hunched over, blood spilling over his father's sword. His soul was far, far gone, pierced by wings of metal, wings of blades that tore on the very fabric of his mind.
It's over, it's finally over, the scourge is gone, I'm done.
We won, guys.
And like Ardyn faded and he started fading himself, until there was no light left, not a thought. Than his spirit unfurled back in his body and Regis's Glaive clattered against the floor and the pain…
He shrieked as his friends desperately tried to stop the bleeding. Gladio was yelling something and Prompto was shaking and Ignis pushed more elixirs into their hands, snapping them to order.
I thought I'd be done.
Noctis wanted to open his eyes, but the aches from every of his cells bursting and shifting over themselves, the gaping wound in his chest begging to take him away, the fresh scars from burning himself channeling the spirits of the Lucii. His skin was grey and red, his eyes were dark, dark black holes and his heart was spilling, barely held together by light.
Light?
"We're losing him!"
Not yet, Regis told Noctis, his voice soft, the wounded King's scream breaking into a desperate rasp for air.
His eyes were still closed for most of it, he could only guess what his friends were doing, what they were looking like but he saw something beneath her eyelids. A light so strong and pure. It mended his skin and while Gladiolus swore under his breath, Prompto nearly clapped his hands.
"It's a miracle! Noct, Noct, are you okay? Can you hear us?"
Noctis didn't want to look at them, in fear parting his eyelids would make the light go away. It felt like her. Like that time in Altissia when his broken back and sore limbs had been rejuvenated. It was stronger, bringing him back from further and he jumped to his feet, fighting against the three pairs of arms trying to hold him down.
"Easy there, Noct, your stomach just stopped hanging out of your body a minute ago."
"I feel fine," he lied.
The pain was strong, pulsating through every inch of him, but there was a tug on his heart and a hope so foolish he wanted to rush down the stairs and wherever the mysterious tug would pull him.
He needed help on the first three steps, but then there was a ripple of power in the air and his friends felt it. Noctis started running, forgetting he could warpstrike forward if he wanted to. His ring was gone. His eyes were blue. His heart felt like that of a newborn, beating madly in his chest.
She was lying on the ground, the only flower in the gardens, her dress still torn, her skin blue at her fingertips and lips, bruises on her face and her hair wet. Like time had stopped for her back in Altissia. She was shivering, teeth chattering and weakly turned her head at the sound of running footsteps. Noctis skidded on the uneven ground, eyes wide, wild, his throat hoarse with questions and the name he wanted to whisper in fear she'd fade back.
Luna wondered why the burning by her side was receding, why she could feel cold and why her lungs were clenching so painfully. She found herself exposed and too small, too frail for his eyes, but her heart swelled.
He touched her shoulders, her hair and she moaned at the very sensation of human contact.
"You're alive," they said in unison, marveling at the fact.
"How?" he asked.
"Why?" she managed, tears gathering in her eyes.
He wanted to tell her he didn't care but he had almost no strength left in him, it had taken him everything just to run up to the place where her light called him.
"Luna. My Luna."
"I'm here. I'm really here."
She couldn't believe it.
Noctis rested his forehead against hers, trying to gather her in his arms, but she was shivering too much and his hands handed up splayed on one of her hips and the side of her face.
"Stay with me this time. I'll pay any price, just stay with me," he pleaded.
"I'll stay. Hold me. You're so warm, Noct."
They didn't hear Noctis's friends rushing outside, but they did hear their shocked exclamations. Noctis tried to look at them, to tell them how surprised and glad he was, that he didn't meant to hurt their feelings, that he truly thought he'd died, but fatigue took over and the last thing he remembered from that day was Luna's nose digging in his chest, pushing right where his dark shirt had been torn, her cold skin warming up against his. He had his first good shiver in a long while. And that living dream never ended.
…
Luna waited for him in the gardens, sitting on a blanket with Pryna and Umbra, the latter half asleep under the sun. She wore his favorite sundress and no shoes, a preference she had whenever she walked in the garden. Noctis couldn't remember how many times he'd insisted on carrying her back to her chambers in his arms and how many panicked squeals she'd made when he pretended he'd drop her on a bush of flowers or next to a pond. They really were worse than teenagers when together, but at least, the servants pretended they didn't see it and his friends were nice enough to keep the teasing to a minimum.
Their love for each other and happiness were infectious to say the least.
"Are we having a picnic?" Noctis deduced from the basket lying not far from her.
"As simple as it might sound, we are. I prepared all the food myself this time," she explained, her pride showing for just an instant. "It's really hard to find something special to do for you, seeing as you receive way too many extravagant gifts from all over the world."
"You always know just what to do," he comforted her. He tried not to salivate as she pulled out the first plate, "when did you get wild barramundi? I haven't fished in forever!"
"I wanted to book you a fishing trip, but Ignis insisted it could wait. I swear, next year, we should prepare our anniversary together, I feel like your advisor had more say in it than I did."
Her playful tone assured Noctis there was no harm done and he laughed with her, apologizing anyway. They enjoyed their food, Noctis loving the casual feel of this brunch. Eating inside the Citadel was rarely a small thing and it was hard for them to find time to sneak into the kitchen to actually whip up a meal. He would still treat her to breakfast in bed whenever he could, but it was rare and ended too often with egg yolks on the sheets.
By the time he'd finished cleaning up his third plate, Luna felt impatient again, since she rarely had the chance to give anyone gifts in her life and every occasion she had to spoil Noctis made her both overjoyed and frantic with last-minute doubts.
"You're practically floating in the air, Luna, calm down, I'm all yours for the day."
"And I fully intend to make good use of my privilege," she told him, effectively making him blush with the sultry look that came with her declaration. "But first, close your mouth, you'll swallow a fly…"
"Luna, don't make fun of me. That was a surprise attack."
"Serves you right for making me flustered," she shot back, her own blush showing.
"I did that?" he asked, sitting on his heels to lean closer to her, Luna wondering if she'd ever get tired of their silly flirting.
She didn't want to, ever.
"You always do. And as much as I love it, I'd rather you sit still for just a little while," she warned him. "We've had two years together already as husband and wife and I don't think you realize how blessed I feel. It went by so fast and I cherish every one of the new memories we've been making along the way. And instead of a notebook, I found a way to keep a trace of these memories, for the days where you can't believe this is really our life."
Noctis stayed silent, his eyes trained on her, holding his breath as her words sank in. It was true most days, neither of them could believe they were living this chance. To be together, simply together and… He felt a weight on his hands and looked down to a package wrapped in white gift paper.
"You know I don't need anything…" he started, tearing the paper off to discover what looked like… an album?
The cover was graced with their first initials laced together, perfect reverse of each other, N. L. and L. N.
"It's a bit cheesy, but…"
Noctis started shaking his head out of pure habit, flipping his gift open and pausing as he discovered a letter for him on the first page.
Like a moon without a night sky, I know I wouldn't have anywhere to go if it wasn't for you. You complete me, you hold me up, you love me, and I can never love you enough. Dear Noct, I know I should have started with this, but I went with the flow, I hope you don't mind, gods, you never mind, you wonderful man… Dear Noct, I have kept all the most important memories in my heart and I know we'll make many more. Consider this our new notebook. We can say out loud the words we used to write, but a picture is worth a thousand words. Hard to say how many pictures it might take to convey every last word in my heart when I think of you.
He looked up at her, realizing he'd stopped breathing as he'd read, swallowing hard.
"That's…"
"Look at the pictures, Noct," she asked him with a smile.
He turned the pages, surprised to realize there was a small message next to every photograph. The first one was of them lying on the same hospital bed, with Umbra and Pryna scrambling the wires at the foot of the bed.
When we started anew.
And then a picture from their first date, and a few shots he remembered taking with his own phone.
You make me feel so alive when we laugh together.
The one she'd chose for their wedding showed them exchanging their vows. Noctis remembered how nervous he'd been and how terribly hard it had been to hide it.
To think you even worried about me saying yes.
His breath caught in his throat and he turned the pages, feeling Luna's hand on his wrist as she read a few of the lines she'd written out loud.
"When we dance, I don't touch the ground. You make my heart fly."
"Now that's beyond cheesy," he tried to tease her, surprised his voice came out so emotional.
"Well, that's how you make me feel," she said, feeling embarrassed at how simple it sounded.
Noctis found a picture where they were kissing each other, a picture she'd snapped with her own phone, smiling against his lips and looking so content, he wanted to reenact it now.
"I've left a lot of free space for the years to come," Luna told him.
"I doubt one album will be enough," he said. "This is really nice, Luna. More than nice."
"You're tearing up," she observed, her voice shivering a bit.
They hadn't believed they would be allowed anything like this.
"I still can't believe it most days," he admitted, shaking his head as he realized how confusing he sounded. "I know you're here, I know it, I can look at all the proofs it's been real and it's still… so hard to believe… I love you so much Luna."
"I love you too."
Noctis couldn't tell why he was so moved, if it was the fact she'd made this gift so personal or the fact she was talking about nothing but their future. No mention to duty, no fear for her health, just joy at the future they could look up forward. He carefully placed the album on the blanket and turned to her, her hands cupping his face instantly and next thing he knew, he was kissing her forehead, her brows, the corner of her eye, the tip of her nose, the roundness of her cheek.
His beard tickled her, and she laughed, before managing a muffled yelp as he laid her down as gently as he could in his sudden rush for her arms.
"Noct, we're out in…"
"I want to kiss my wife."
She didn't object further, her fingers weaving through his hair, her first moan music to his ears and when they parted for air, her smile was almost too bright.
"You know you sounds really possessive sometimes."
"Sorry."
"I didn't say you had to apologize. It's not like you're locking me inside the Citadel or something."
"Glad it never had to come to that."
Their afternoon went by too quickly, as time always was when everything felt perfect. But instead of worrying about the next minute or wondering where time had gone, they enjoyed every moment, laughing when it started raining and they had to rush inside with a hastily packed together picnic or when they struggled out of their wet clothes to share a warm shower.
By the end of the day, Luna had to bully Noctis into getting dressed to get actual food for dinner and not pretend they could call in room service.
"Made you hungry, huh?" he asked cockily.
"Don't hog all the efforts to you, oh chosen King."
"Hungry and snappy, okay."
"It was a joke! Although you could do with less of an ego."
"I'd kneel for you any day, Luna. At least, if you're on the menu."
This time, her slap was stronger, but not as strong as the way she flushed up to her ears.
…
On the following morning, Noctis groggily kicked himself out of bed at 2 to get preparations under way and tried to gently shake Luna awake around 3.
"Noct?"
"You can sleep on the airship, love, but it's time for my gift and we need to get going if we want to have four full days out there."
She'd packed her things already, even though she had no idea where they were going outside of a slight suspicion.
"How are you awake?" she asked.
"I love you very very much, you know, otherwise, I'd be sleeping."
She smiled, still quite asleep and Noctis offered to dress her, a proposition she was happy to take. She tried to help him, but she was too tired to even sit up on her own and Noctis felt bad to take away hours of sleep from her just because he wanted more time with her in Tenebrae. He didn't complain and decided to dress her simply, with a skirt and a nice alter top, wrapping her in a shawl. He'd added a few jackets and coats to her travel bags and the servants had already packed the ship with their things. He carried his wife in his arms all the way to the docks, grunting a bit when he could finally put her down in her seat. She was still lighter than he'd wished her to be, but holding her for over half an hour without pause was nearing his limits.
"We didn't say goodbye to anyone," she observed as he buckled her seatbelt, her eyes as heavy as before.
"Aranea is the one piloting this ship and Ignis is in the next row with their daughter," Noctis told her.
The rest of their friends were out on missions, so Luna admitted leaving in the middle of the night like this wasn't so bad.
"Are we evading the press or something? Why all the secrecy?"
"Well, I'm taking you out on our honeymoon," he whispered. "I don't want paparazzies all over us."
Luna nodded absent-mindedly, gasping when her brain finally processed what he'd just said.
"Our honeymoon?!"
"I had you wait long enough to have one and we were able to get a couple of days off, so I thought… I've been quite presumptuous lately, haven't I?"
He scratched the back of his head, realizing that taking this decision on his own wasn't very fair to her.
"Well, if I'm disappointed, we can call this a vacation and try again another time, don't you think?"
Noctis blinked at her, taken aback by how quickly she talked about being disappointed and Luna instantly laughed at the worried look in his eyes.
"I don't expect disappointment, Noct. But next year, we're planning our anniversary together, alright?"
He kissed her hand, agreeing wholeheartedly. That would give him no reason to nearly forget it again.
She had a dozen questions for him, but sleep took over throughout the flight and it was eight in the morning when Aurora woke them up, excitedly jumping around the aisle of the ship with a comatose Ignis trailing behind her.
"We're here, we're here!"
Luna being quite the morning person, she jumped off her seat and joined Aurora in her excitement, while Noctis groaned, the back of his neck numb and his head aching dangerously.
"Next time, we'll leave earlier," Ignis told him. "I'm not sure how I'll make it through the day looking after that little firework."
Aranea was obviously going to spend her morning sleeping after driving all night, the former commodore refusing to let the autopilot on and risk a problem in case of a flying daemon. Or an actual bird.
"At least you can throw her over your shoulder if she goes too crazy. I can't exactly do that with Luna. I mean… I can, but not for very long."
Ignis coughed to hide his very brief chuckle and chided his friend for good measure, "moron."
"What was that about?" Luna asked.
"Nothing," both men said at once.
Aurora clapped her hands.
"Mama would say they're plotting something. Are you, daddy?"
"All my planning was about getting us here, sweetie."
"Can I see the floating islands?"
"Floating…"
Luna perked up as she understood where Noctis had taken her and she looked even more excited than before at the idea of seeing her home. She threw herself at him, hugging him as she smiled even more than before.
"Why didn't you tell me, Noct?"
"I wanted it to be a surprise," he smiled back, his heart swelling as he felt her tug impatiently on his arm so he'd hurry after Ignis's family toward the exit.
Luna loved any place in the world where he was, she'd told him so many times, but her home country was a special case and he could understand. Even when Tenebrae had been nothing but burned villages, the wild and fantastic landscape held a magic all of its own. Now the villages were back up, the city at the foot of the manor was blooming and Luna let out a gasp at the sight of the Fenestala manor itself.
"Noctis. What did you do?"
"I… I mostly gathered money and let Ignis work his magic," he confessed, squeezing her waist as he felt her hug tightening a bit.
Her home had been restored to its former glory and Luna was happy to see Tenebrae free of imperial occupation. She knew the most likely scenario for the people in Gralea was to welcome them in her province, give them shelter where less people lived and the cities were already mostly repaired. A very selfish part of her didn't want anyone from the empire setting foot in Tenebrae after what their soldiers had done, but she knew better. Aranea was here and she had nothing against her, she knew how much help she'd given to Tenebraen people when the nights had stretched over the days.
"You seem lost in thoughts, Luna. I'd rather we plan our stay together now that we're here. I know this is last minute and not how we should do things…"
"I like it," she cut him off. "Planning sounds good. Can we talk somewhere private for it?"
Noctis smiled at her, gathering some details weren't suited for young ears and he waved at the Scientia-Highwind family as he walked down to the sylleblossoms garden with Luna, taking out his phone to show her the various activities he'd spotted in the last few days whenever he could take a break. They sat on a bench, Luna shifting close to him to whisper against his ear, "First we need to make a list of the places where we're going to have sex."
As amorous and bold as his queen had gotten over the months, Noctis was shocked to hear her say something like that while they sat outside, not even hidden behind walls and so early in the morning. He couldn't help a stammer in his voice as she pinched his thigh playfully.
"What?!"
"Flustered first thing in the morning. I win!"
"When did we agreed on a competition about this?"
"I made a bet with Aranea the other day," she said as though it was explanation enough.
Noctis decided his revenge should be exacted through a kiss and didn't let go off her until they were both panting heavily, their clothes messy and their hair even worse.
"Noct…" she breathed out, her hand gripping to his shirt.
"I don't think we need a list, Luna. Not for sex," he added with a chuckle, brushing her lower lip with his thumb.
She blushed a little more and ran one hand through her hair, crossing her arms over her chest as she tried to regain her countenance.
"That was.. a silly suggestion wasn't it?"
"Well, not that much. But I can't really take you all the way out here to keep you in bed behind closed doors for four days straight."
"I'm a frail flower, I need sun to survive," she playfully said, Noctis stroking her hair and fighting against the urge to kiss her again.
"Sun you shall have then. Can you stop being so adorable and help me plan before I lose any decency and kiss you again?"
Luna batted her eyes at him and Noctis snorted.
"I'd like to go skating if we still have the installation for it. Fishing is mandatory. And you'll prepare my breakfasts."
"Okay."
"I'm kidding about the breakfast thing. But I'd like to snuggle with you a lot. And maybe we could have a midnight bath in the garden's pond."
Noctis frowned at that.
"I'm going to freeze myself to death in there."
"I'll keep you warm. Wuss."
"My word! Language, young lady. You should respect your elders!"
"I have more devotion for you than any astral, so I think I respect you plenty," she teased him some more.
He retorted by tickling her sides and they only calmed down after she begged him for mercy, her ribs particularly sensitive to tickling.
"What do I get to enjoy outside of fishing?"
"My company? And seafood! We need to do a seafood marathon."
"That sounds amazing," he sighed, licking his lips at the very thought of it. "But that first part wasn't quite elaborate. In which forms will I benefit from your company?"
She raised one brow at him, as though to ask "are you serious?" before to get to her feet.
"Well, that entirely depends on how charming you prove to be."
He followed suit, offering her his arm, which she accepted after a very brief and very faked hesitation.
"Where shall we begin?"
"How about shopping?"
His chest deflated at that and he gave her a cautious look, knowing he was stepping on dangerous grounds, "but you didn't say shopping."
"You need something to cover your ears."
It seemed she wouldn't leave him a choice.
…
Their first day went by without a hitch, Luna growing quiet when they took the time to visit the manor, which was treated more like a museum than a former home. Noctis wasn't sure what she wanted to be done with it and after some thinking, his wife admitted she couldn't decide. She thought it should be a refuge, or a foster home for the war orphans that still abounded.
"You don't have to make a decision right now."
"I know, but I'm certain my mother would have loved that."
She didn't mention her brother. She could never talk about him and Noctis didn't blame her. It felt quite unfair that they were gifted a second chance, unlike those who had supported them. She did shed a few tears as they passed in one particular hallway that used to house his favorite rooms. She doubted it was a coincidence that the room itself was turned into a collection of display cases showing the various fleurets and swords owned by their family over the centuries.
"I am to be the last Oracle this world will see, Noct. So this manor shouldn't go to waste as some relic of the past. It could be a school, a hospital, or… well, a school sound better, but…"
"Give yourself time, Luna," he suggested, squeezing her arm in support.
It was hard to say which saddened her most, the loss of her family, the nostalgia of walking in this home that wasn't a home anymore or the fact she truly was the last Oracle. She didn't wish that burden on anyone. But in a world where magic was slowly dying down, her heart wished for a glimpse of light remaining, just in case people got lost.
She pinched her cheeks upon walking out, shaking her head as she tried to put on a smile. Noctis held her close, even though people were waving at them, knowledge of the king and queen's visit having already run all over town. The pair waved back, glad for the polite distance and how the people scattered without needing to be asked after just a little while. Noctis didn't like the constant attention and scrutiny they were under. He seriously missed the time when he could walk into a store, barely be recognized as the prince and just grab a coffee to play mindlessly on his phone afterwards. He still visited a few stores all on his own, using his phasing to sneak away from his bodyguards and out in the city, but that was rare, and he wished he could take Luna out more often without having to sneak around.
"How about fishing?" she offered.
"Isn't that too contemplative when you already feel down?"
"I think we both need some quiet," she told him.
He knew a few fishing spots in Tenebrae by now and always carried his fishing arsenal with him thanks to his royal powers, so Noctis agreed after one more encouraging smile and the gentle squeeze of her hand on his bicep.
They settled down, Luna's thigh pressed against his, her bare feet dangling above the water and her head leaning on his shoulder after only a few minutes. Noctis felt most of his accumulated tension from sleeping in the chair during their night flight vanishing as he let his mind drift through the cold air, focusing on the line and his patience. Fishing was just as relaxing as it had always been for him and it had been a while since his last fishing afternoon. The afternoon stretched into the evening, Luna enjoying small talk with him and insisting she didn't feel the cold, while Noctis was ready to swear his bones were aching with arthritic pain by the time the moon showed in the sky.
His back and bad leg were quite sensitive, and he wondered what sort of performance he would manage in such a state, unless he could have a really warm bath before heading to bed.
"I always forget to keep you moving," Luna apologized as his joints cracked and popped in protest when he finally got to his feet.
"I'm just 33, not that much of a fossil," he reminded her, even though his braced-bound leg felt numb and he needed to lean into Luna to stay up until sensation came back. "Damn this aching thing."
Luna tried to summon her light for him, but it barely reduced the aching and Noctis sighed, lifting her hands to his lips so she would stop exerting herself over his case.
"I'll be fine, Luna. Just slow and not quite steady. How do you feel about being on top tonight?"
She blushed, smiling at him.
"Don't you think getting a full night of sleep would do you more good?"
"No. Way," he declared, punctuating both words with a peck on her face, before kissing her ear, making her laugh in his tightening embrace as his beard tickled her.
When his lips shifted to the spot which always made her weak in the knees, she covered her mouth in the hopes it would muffle her approving moan.
"You want to be spoiled tonight, don't you? If you still have energy to hold my eyes by then, I might take you up on that offer. But don't think your leg will be any stronger in the morning when I'm through with you."
He chuckled at that, whispering her name against her skin, still in awe of the butterflies she created inside just with her playful smile and those sparkles in her eyes. He hadn't expected Luna to be so content with him, he had never expected himself to grow this bold and confident around her. But she was perfect for him and he liked to think he was just right for her.
"First things first, I need to feed my enchanting wife. Which fish would you like?"
"I've heard more romantic questions."
"From who?" Noctis asked her, looking scandalized.
A roll of her eyes and she took the first step forward, Noctis needing to warp after her and nearly sending her to the ground when he leaned on her shoulder once more, making her scream in surprise which made them both wince.
"Whoa, warn me a little!" she whispered, one hand resting on top of her heart.
"Sorry, Luna. You make this cripple feel like a little kid."
Her heart warmed at the notion and he knew he was half forgiven from the brief hug she graced him with.
"There's not a lot of restaurants around here where we can bring our own fish, but I think we might have something arranged."
Their night went by quietly for once, Noctis finding himself more exhausted than he'd wanted by the time they got to their hotel room. Luna was happy to be the one helping him stay up for once, but her own strength was wavering.
They settled for a very warm and lazy bath, even if it was a struggle to get them both inside the tub without drowning the room… They very much enjoyed the candlelight and the chance to snuggle with only bubbles getting in their way. When the water threatened to get too cold, Noctis tried heating it up using some of his fire magic, which backfired as the nearest candles melted right into the bath, Luna jumping out of his arms in her rush to get away from the water mixed with melted wax. Noctis followed her suit, the pair laughing together once they got a hold of each other, both shivering as they were dripping wet.
"We should have started the radiator," Luna sighed through her teeth clicking together despite her best effort.
"I guess we'll just have to warm you up the old-fashioned way now," Noctis retorted, lifting her in his arms and holding her tight.
Towels were seldomly involved and Luna wanted to chide him for dampening the whole bed, but she loved the feel of his hands on her far too much to complain.
"How's your leg?"
"Still achy, but it's better. Let's…" he was cut off by Luna's hands on him, his eyes losing focus for an instant. "Give me a little warning?" he almost begged.
"After the way you assaulted me in the bathroom?!"
"You have been teasing me all day. With the list, and the looks and that kiss in your bedroom…"
She smirked at him, her hands moving to his back and running along his spine, Noctis effectively holding her closer, careful of not laying his entire weight on her while their chests brushed, the skin to skin contact causing shivers for the both of them.
"You know, that was one of my teenage fantasies," she confessed. "My foreign prince showing up in my room, dashing and still somehow shy."
"Just a kiss," Noctis couldn't help asking her, "really?"
"I was a very pure girl before marrying you," Luna defended herself.
"You're still the purest woman I know."
"Noct, you're very sweet and while my heart can handle it… my feet are freezing."
"And I thought you handled the cold better than I do!"
He could barely hide his worry underneath the teasing, but Luna insisted she only wanted more blankets and caresses. They made love in their own little nest, hair still damp, their moans quiet and her breathing almost too soft in between the short gasps that came. There was no control, no dominance, no fight, the gestures all familiar, the warmth of their intimacy wrapped around them like a protective bubble.
When any movement became obsolete, Noctis lying next to her, a contented sigh escaping his lips, Luna found herself smiling, a giddy feeling in her heart. Her quick exhale had him looking at her with concern.
"What is it?"
"I feel a little more complete every time," she told him, blushing a little bit.
"Me too," Noctis confessed. "Two years, Luna, and you've made me happier than I ever was. I don't know how to thank you for this."
"Then don't. Just stay happy."
"I think staying here is enough for that."
"Here?" she repeated.
"In your arms. In your heart." He kissed her forehead, breathing in the scent of her hair.
"It's the same for me. I love you. Very, very much."
"And I adore you, Luna. Bigger than the crystal."
She laughed, remembering how he'd said so as a child, on his very first visit to Tenebrae.
"Bigger than the moon," she said, as had been her answer back then.
"Careful now, you'll make my heart burst."
They laughed together, fingers intertwined, consciousness drifting, but their smiles staying put. She didn't know how to tell him how much it meant to have this time with him. She didn't have to. Words weren't needed. They'd wrote enough of them during 12 years apart to bridge over the distance, they'd prayed enough for the gods to grant them a second chance at life, in a life they could actually share. What more could be said, when they could live every day knowing it wouldn't be the last and still cherish it more than the one before? Noctis held on to her in his sleep and Luna held him back. As they were always meant to be.
The End
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This story was amazing to write. All the cheese! And the feels. And to have a chance at just writing them exceedingly happy even though I had to throw some light angst into the mix here and there lol. I hope you enjoyed! 😊
