Noctis looked up to his father, seeing another from several days ago. Ever since his injury, his time outside of the protective walls of the Citadel was limited. With a guard at his side and a cane in hand, he could walk free while the run was still bright in the sky. He chose his first day of freedom to visit a park. It was by no means as lush or fragrant as those of Tenebrae, but he liked seeing more than the same people every waking moment. One pair caught his eye. At a bench connected to a table, there was a little boy and his father, no mother in sight. A boxed pizza rolled steam into the already warm spring air. In between laughter the boy placed his little lips on his father's temple, having to stand on his seat to do so, then declared "Pizza birthday is the best dad!"
Blinking, Noctis snapped back to reality of the dining hall, long table separating him and his father. His father smiled that soul warming, gentle smile reserved only for him and Luna. With resolve, he got from his seat. Regis expressed concern when he limped, using the table as support to walk as he made his way over. He wasn't as small as the other child, giving him enough height to plant a kiss right on his own father's temple. It wasn't pizza, nor was it his birthday, but his father truly was the best.
Watching Luna was one of Noctis' favorite pastimes. There was an otherworldly grace to the way she moved, spoke, and didn't flinch away from pain or the kinds of things that Noctis couldn't handle without tears. He smiled, remembering how he whimpered and squirmed away from the needle poised over his arm, and Luna held out her own, asking to be shot as well when she didn't even need it. She was a blessing, and Noctis knew it even when, at his young age, he didn't understand religion quite yet.
In his wheelchair, he watched her more as she sat with an embroidery hoop in her lap and stitch by stitch crafted an image. They were in her room, the red of his wheelchair standing out amongst the white and blue. Luna winced when accidently pricking her finger with the needle. It wasn't a serious wound, but the tip of her finger was beginning to swell already. It looked as though she was going to continue when no blood welled from the puncture, but Noctis grabbed her hand. Surprised, Luna watched as Noctis kissed the finger, feeling the slight increase in heat on his lips. When their eyes met, they both smiled.
Blah. Blah. Blah. Ignis knew he could talk. Despite being close in age, Noctes felt as though the other was at least forty years his elder. This time it was about social etiquette. King Regis presented himself in a manner that reminded the public that he held all of their lives in his hands, Noctis was expected to straighten up and do the same. In his apartment, Ignis sat across from him while Noctis lay on the other sofa. His eyes were beginning to droop. Ignis was really talking a lot. Though Noctis realized he'd never tried to interrupt him before. Would he keep talking?
Ignis took a moment, still talking, to remove his glasses and rub the bridge of his nose. In that moment, Noctis swung his legs off of the couch, stepped over the coffee table, and plopped next to Ignis. The other was surprised at the sudden movement and had no time to react when Noctis planted his lips firmly on his own. He didn't move them, just kept them there and pushed. Ignis' arms wobbled at the strain of being in such an awkward position and he nearly fell back when his charge removed himself, staring at him with crossed arms.
Noctis supposed then, that interrupting was easier than he thought.
He was irritated. It wasn't like the good kind of irritation like training when he strived to push forward. It was the kind were friend or no he wanted to throttle the other. Gladio was hitting up chicks, which wasn't hard given his physique and general looks. They practically swooned and melted when they entered any town. The small outpost wasn't full of people, but enough women were around for him to have his pick from skinny blondes to toned brunettes. Stupid Gladio with his stupid muscles and making him and Prompto feel like twigs to be stepped over. The feeling got physical when some woman bumped into him to get to an opening at Gladio's side.
Gladio made a sound of surprise when Noctis squeezed past all of the sweaty bodies of women to grab on to his arm and begin pulling him away. Though not before one of the women with the height advantage of heels snuck a peck to his cheek. Gladio's grin was short lived when Noctis huffed and pecked at his other cheek. It was a confusing mess of both of them going at his cheeks like a pair of angry chocobo, glaring at each other as they did so. In between the war, Gladio failed to come up with a response and resigned to have his head shifted from side to side. At least he got a kiss out of it.
They had run out of food. Prompto was the first to vocally panic. They had spent days in a godsforsaken labyrinth of a cave system and the only thing edible Noctis could think of at the moment were his own clothes. They hadn't meant to take so long, but there was supposed to be a Royal Tomb nearby. After finding one of those out of place vault doors, everyone agreed where there was one of those, there was a tomb. Prompto pulled out a single piece of hard candy and groaned. It wasn't food by any means, but between the four of them, it would serve him best. Until a surprise attack from an Arachne, leaving Noctis poisoned, cured, and still dizzy with the worst taste in his mouth with nothing to wash it out. He was sure that if he didn't get rid of it soon, he'd just get sick all over again.
Prompto's lips had been stained pink with remnants of the ever dissolving piece of candy and Noctis was going for it. The others looked on startled when Noctis spent a single second explaining his intent and eagerly fishing the candy out of Prompto's mouth with his tongue. He desperately licked at the remnants clinging to teeth when the other had bitten down, and all around his gums, finally sucking off the traces of cherry from his lower lip. Prompto had dropped as though his legs turned to dust and Noctis swallowed, relishing the taste and wiping his mouth of any excess saliva. When they got out of the cave, he was going to have Ignis bake him a cherry pie.
Cindy stared at Noctis' face, waiting for him to speak up. By far, this was one of the more difficult requests for Noctis to accept from Prompto. He was aware that Prompto was watching from somewhere farther away, using his camera to zoom in with clarity. Noctis blushed, and leaned forward before he could regret it, kissing Cindy on the lips and leaning back, immediately apologizing. Though he retained the memory of doing so as best as he could. Her lips were soft, like he'd kissed a mound of Ignis' gelatin. She tasted like dust, grease likely from her wiping her face with her sleeve, and remnants of chap stick.
He'd been expecting a hard slap or indignant yelling but Cindy just burst out laughing. Gently patting his shoulder she assured him she wasn't mad, but next time, just ask. Like a child, she ruffled his hair and went back to the shop, giggling to Cid along the way and thumbing in Noctis' direction. His face was hot, but he'd done as requested. Kissed Cindy in Prompto's stead and tell the other how it'd felt.
Iris had pouted when Noctis treated her like a child, but he couldn't bring himself to see her as a woman, not yet anyway. The way she'd smile and look as pleased as a chocobo with greens when he pet her head would force a grin onto his face every time. She was one of the most precious people in his life, and he hoped one day she would accept that his heart just couldn't go out to her so instantly. So when he found her by the water fountain outside the Leville, sulking in the heat, he knew that he had to talk to her.
Yet after he sat next to her, the words couldn't find his tongue and they sat in silence. Iris allowed herself to be pulled into a single armed hug and frowned when feeling Noctis' lips right above her eyebrow. She couldn't stay mad, and turned to hug him around his waist, resting her head on his chest.
Steyliff Grove was quiet save for Noctis' phone playing music as they shuffled through absolute pitch black. The only visual respite came from their flash lights and being redirected to a hall with glowing light that somehow kept going for centuries. Aranea had disapproved of Noctis' choice but it wasn't as though they were trying to remain quiet. The daemons that came after them rose from bubbling blackness regardless of where they were. Prompto had been rambling for some time and just as Aranea was about to silence him, the floor gave way. She was closest to Noctis and they grabbed hold of each other by reflex. The fall wasn't too far down, Aranea had jumped higher, though her landings were usually cleaner.
Aranea had landed on top of Noctis and their faces had smashed together. Teeth met skin and somewhere in the open mouth exchange their tongues twisted. Swearing, Aranea rolled off of the other and clamped a hand over her mouth, glad her helmet wasn't on at the time or else she could have sliced the other's face. Noctis was also groaning, having to feel the full force of it. Both of their mouths hurt from the most painful kiss either had experienced, and the blonde had the nerve to actually protest about it.
Ardyn was the weirdest person Noctis had ever met. Something about his tone made it appear that he was always being mocked, but he couldn't be absolutely sure because of that completely innocent smile. At the caravan, Ignis was on guard as the others relaxed their own tension around Ardyn. Though Noctis was sure Gladio would run him through if he made the wrong move. It was when he leaned down, and nearly brushed Prompto's chin with his fingers that Noctis moved to action.
Wine red hair swished when he turned from his exaggerated pacing to find Noctis in front of the sitting Prompto and meeting his eyes. His arms were outstretched at his side, protecting his friend. Smiling at the challenge, Ardyn leaned down and grinned teasingly. Noctis set his lips in a thin line and gripped the sides of the man's face. He wouldn't let him get close to Prompto like that, and if need be, he'd take the hit. Still holding the other's face, he closed his eyes and leaned into a long kiss. Ardyn, to his surprise, tensed and pulled back. Several seconds of silence passed and when the grin returned, it wasn't as smooth and natural as he'd done before. Taking his hat, he placed it over his head, hiding his face as he quickly walked into the convenience store.
Prompto thanked him, and the others scolded Noctis for putting himself in the line of fire. But it did get the Chancellor to falter, if even for a moment.