Title: Festival of Etro
Author: Warangel88
Pairing: Stella/Noctis
Warnings: Slightly AU, possible OOCness
Author Notes: A fic that was somewhat inspired by a conversation I had on the Stella/Noctis forum and the desire to do a kimono fic. Thanks Lammy for betaing
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy Versus XIII
He wonders if it was either a matter of luck or misfortune that he had stumbled across the town of Furibundus during the Festival of Etro.
It was a week long holiday that was commonly celebrated towards the end of October. He can vaguely recall that his father had hosted grand balls along with the festival for the public. All to honor the death goddess, Etro.
His sapphire blue eyes silently glanced at the various people walking down the aisles. All of them were chatting joyously while dressed in kimonos of all sorts of colors with designs that ran across the silken surfaces.
Some of the people were eating some sort of food from the nearby booths. Some of them were cradling various prizes in their arms that had been won by either a significant other or family member. The rest were playing games of various kinds.
He knows that Titus would probably either buy some sort of candy or try to pick up young, single woman. At least, he hopes they are single. He really didn't want to cause trouble while they were in this town. Marcus was really the only one who stayed faithfully by his side. He would talk brightly alongside him and make the occasional comment about how pretty a certain girl was. While Shad was probably still at the inn either deciding to retire early or thinking over their journey in some way.
His lips curled into a slight smile as he recognized a female talking cheerfully to the owner of one of the booths a few feet away. She was dressed in a simple, white floral silk kimono with patterns of turquoise, lavender, mint green and even a few shades of pink. Her bright golden locks were held together with a floral, jeweled comb while the rest cascaded down her shoulders.
Stella Nox Fleuret.
The princess of Tenebrae. Who was, in a lot of ways, similar to himself. They both could see the light and some would consider them both chosen ones of Etro. But, she was the enemy.
Even if it was more by circumstance that their countries were warring than by choice really. He can tell that much when their swords had crossed paths.
He knows that Stella wasn't the type of person to involve civilians in their battle and he supposes he really shouldn't be surprised to see her here. They did pretty much have the same destination in mind for locating the cystal.
"Stella," he calls softly, as soon as his dark sapphire blue eyes meet her violet blue ones. He can see the slight surprise in them and perhaps a bit of sadness but no anger nor hatred.
But he can never detect any hatred or anger in the first place, even when they were fighting. There was just sadness, like she didn't even want to fight him.
He knows that he feels the same that she does when he fights against her. A large part of him is attracted to her. He knows that they could at least have been friends if circumstances had been different.
"Hello Noctis," she responds, her glossy pink lips curl into a light smile.
"Well, I guess I should leave you so you can have some fun, Noct," Marcus says, though he can hear a bit of a matchmaker's tone in his friend's voice. "Just don't do anything I would."
Noctis rolls his eyes at the comment and feels a blush at the implications that Marcus has made. It's not like he really plans on doing whatever Marcus may do with his lady friends.
Especially with a person that he values as a friend.
"So how have you been?" he questions lightly, as he moves to walk with the blonde princess. They make their way down the aisles and look at the stuff displayed.
"I'm doing all right," she replies, before guiltily admitting to him, "I kind of forgot that this week was the week we celebrate Etro."
"I suppose traveling does that to a person," he replies, although he can't deny the fact that he also had kind of forgotten.
"So how have you been, Noctis?" she questions, as she watches some children, no older than ten years old, try to catch gold fish.
"I'm doing good," he replies, causing Stella to nod and he finds himself saying, "It is kind of nice to take a break every once in awhile though."
"Hey Mister. How about you try and win your girlfriend something," a man at one of the booths calls to him. He cocks his head slightly at the man and instantly recognizes the game. Its some sort of shooter game that Titus would have excelled at. He notices the large and small stuffed animals. A mixture of teddy bears, moogles, moombas, chocobos and even a small black cat figure dubbed as Cait Sith.
Although he couldn't help the blush that crossed his face, though he notices that Stella's cheeks are also a light pink, he finds himself moving towards the booth. He feels Stella come up behind him to see how well he does.
"25 gil," says the man and Noctis instantly hands him the small amount of money. He's given the game rifle and he notices the man move to the side while indicating the targets he was to shoot. The targets were all sorts of creatures.
He notices the targets are all moving towards the side, then moving back and forward. It's probably to make things more of a challenge to those not used to shooting.
He was silently grateful for the fact that Titus taught him a few things about shooting in the past, even though he's never participated in something like this before.
He carefully aims the rifle by lining it up with one of the targets before pulling the trigger. The small, purple, wooden Behemoth figure falls.
He fires a few more times, hitting another Behemoth, a Grendel, a Cactuar, a Cerberus, Abadon and a Balisk. He never misses a target.
"Here you go, Miss," says the vendor, handing her a slightly large, white teddy bear with a blue ribbon wrapped around its neck.
"Thank you, Noctis," Stella says, holding the bear close to her a moment before they make their way through the busy festival.
"You're welcome," he replies a bit shyly as he watches Stella hold the bear close to her. He can still see the blush glowing on her cheeks.
"So did Titus teach you how to shoot?" Stella questioned, with a slightly cocked head to study his profile.
"Hmm yeah he did," he admits softly. He can remember hearing his blonde friend telling him that he should probably learn how to use a rifle. "A few years ago, when we were fifteen."
She smiles, but makes no comment about it. "So I take it you're here until the festival is over?"
He nods lightly. "It would be hard to get out of town before then."
She nods. It had been her own plan to stay until the festival was over as well. Even if it did give Noctis and his friends the advantage of finding the crystal before she did. Although she supposes it was because she was taught to believe that the festival of Etro was a time of celebration. It was a holiday. She couldn't deny the fact that Etro was her patron goddess, whether it was because she had saved her from the brink of death or not.
"I take it you're staying until the festival is over as well," Noctis comments after a moment. He's glancing at the many stands they are walking by.
She nods. "Etro is my patron goddess. I was taught that I should honor and respect her during this week even more than usual."
"Because Etro breathed new life into you when you were on the verge of death," Noctis utters to himself.
"And you," Stella replies, remembering that they were the same in the respect that they were both cursed that they could see the light. Both of them were different from other people.
"I guess we are two of a kind," Noctis remarks lightly, causing her lips to form a bright smile. They both knew that they weren't the only ones that can see the light. There were probably others out there, even if it was a small number.
He had already faced one of them. A man disguising himself as a priest of Etro with light blonde hair that was almost white. He could sense the evil that dwelled in his heart and the sinister plans that he had.
"It's odd," Stella says, pulling at the pink cotton candy she had bought moments before and popped the small piece in her mouth. "Even though I know that there are probably a few people like us out there. I feel connected to you in ways that I can't really explain."
Noctis smiles, considering that he felt the same way as her. Maybe it was just the moment but he felt himself moving to grab her arm, causing Stella to shift her body towards his. There's a look of confusion on her face as he dips his head and gently presses his lips against hers.
The kiss is soft and chaste and he can faintly taste the cotton candy that Stella had been snacking on for the past couple of minutes.
In the back of his mind, he can vaguely hear Etro softly utter in his mind. Your fates are intertwined together my children. You are meant to be together.
The End.
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