Healing Broken Hearts on Christmas
Pairing: Stella/Nocti
Warnings/Spoilers: Alternate Universe
Author Note: A companion piece to Reuniting Under Mistletoe, orginally it was only going to be that fic, but I got inspired to do thi piece.
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy Versus XIII
Summary: {Companion Piece to Reuniting Under Mistletoe} Five years ago he made the mistake of letting her go. It isn't until a Christmas party because of a mettlesome friend. He is able to heal both of their shattered heart.
You know she believes you hate her…
You know Stella is coming to Christmas Party…
If you're going to come I want you to apologize to her. The words you said to her five years wounded her deeply. I don't think she has ever fully recovered.
"Damn you Etro," he mummers lightly under his breath. It was bad enough he was feeling guilty for the past five year for many thing concerning his relationship with Stella Fleuret.
The way he treated her, the last words he said to her.
Saying something along the lines she could never replace his former wife in his heart, and there whole relationship was pretty much a sham from the start. Their relationship did start because of their meddlesome friends playing matchmaker.
He would even admit during the beginnings of their relationship. There was a large piece of her heart that still belonged to his former wife even after two years of her death.
He supposes the reason why he has a hard time letting go of his wife is because of their short lived marriage. Very short.
He married her at the age of twenty-one, and lost her during the winter. December 1st. He can see why Stella might believe he was treating her like a replacement for his deceased wife. Especially when his apartment is cluttered with things that either belongs or represents his deceased wife in some form of way.
Photographs.
He even wore his wedding ring while dating her.
Even after a year of being with Stella he didn't feel his apartment with photographs of her, of them. Nor did he take off his wedding ring. He presumes it was the latter that really cause the biggest rift in their relationship.
Words of love never crossed his lips, and he isn't entirely sure if he ever really complimented her at least verbally.
Rias was mad when he heard his version of the argument and for about five months there was a large strain on his relationship with him, but Rias has always had a hard time being mad at him. However, he always avoided the topic of Stella, and he can't deny the fact there is a part of him that is pleased that he didn't bring it up.
He knew he messed up big time during his relationship with her, but he was to prideful to make amends with Stella, but he has to admit during the past five years he did miss her greatly. The selfish part of him was even please to hear news she hasn't moved on, but the selfishness immediately evaporated when Etro told him the reasons why she hasn't move on.
Something having to do with their last argument, but Etro has always had the ability to make a person feel ten times guiltier than they already were. She was correct in one aspect; he is still in love with her. Perhaps he always has been, but he couldn't deny his lingering feelings for his dead wife either.
His dark sapphire blue eyes silently study the large mansion in front of him. Decorated appropriately for the festive season with Christmas lights decorating the exterior of house, with brightly lit reindeer and sleighs, but then again he should have expected as much from Etro. She has always overdone it with holidays and such.
He hesitantly makes his ways towards the door. Call it strange, but a part of him doesn't want to see Stella again. Perhaps out of fear she wouldn't forgive him, even though he can't deny the fact he probably doesn't deserve forgiveness.
"Noct you were able to make it," Etro's voice says as she opens the front door, long pale blonde locks done elegantly on the top of her head, and dress in expensive looking ruby red dress. A smile spreading across her lightly decorated face.
He nods, "Merry Christmas, Etro," he says softly as he walks into the warm house as Etro shuts the door behind him, saying a "Merry Christmas" of her own. As he takes black trench coat from him, and puts in it a closet.
He glances around the festive living room. Noticing most of the people were eating, talking, or doing both. He even notice Rias talking to a few people with his fiancé standing next to him, but it has always been a bit hard not to notice Rias. He has always been a bit on the loud side.
"Are you looking for a certain someone?" Etro questions with a knowing smile. "She is here you know, and I am sure she will be pleased to see you."
"Or get closure," he remarks.
"Perhaps," she remarks as they start to walk in the general direction of his former girlfriend, or at least the presume direction. "But the two of you need closure as well."
It honestly didn't take very long until he recognize a familiar blonde standing close to an entry way dress in a knee length white sleeveless dress with a thick red ribbon wrapped around her slim waist.
"There you are Stella," Etro says softly making his presence known to her, and causing her to glance in their general direction. For a minute a general look of surprise spreads across her, before covering up with a small fake smile. "You remember Noctis right?"
He honestly has to resist the urge roll his eyes. He sincerely doubts the two of them forgot about each other these past couple of years.
"Of course," she says. Her fake smile growing even wider and he is confident for sure he has wounded her deeply. "It's nice to see you again, Noctis."
His lips quirk into a small smile at least her voice sounds sincere. "Stella."
The sound of the doorbell broke the slightly uneasy silence that follows, and it wasn't until the doorbell rang and it wasn't until Etro left with the statement "That was the doorbell" and leaving, he manages to say something else.
"So how have you been?" he questions.
"I've been better," she remarks truthfully glancing at her champagne glass.
"I'm sorry for the things I've said to you a couple of years ago," he remarks.
"For what?" she questions slightly bitterly, "It was the truth wasn't it."
"Not entirely," he mummers softly.. "I was falling for you, and I did enjoy spending time with you."
Stella slightly scoffs, "Didn't seem like it."
He sighs realizing that this might be tougher than he originally thought, "It felt like I was betraying her even though I didn't start to date you a couple of years after her death."
He watches her drown the rest of her champagne with one gulp.
"I already knew that," she replies almost bitterly.
"I suppose you do," he replies, remembering their argument from five years ago. "I know whatever I say now may sound like a lie considering our last conversation with each other, but I was sincerely falling for you. I didn't realize how much you meant to me until you left."
"You know if she loves you she would have wanted you to move on," she says softly. "She would have wanted you to find happiness in your life again."
"Rias said that something similar those lines shortly after we broke up," he replies, chuckling softly at the similar words said. "Now that I think about it, I suppose he is right. She has always been a kind hearted type of person, always desiring the happiness of others."
"I'm not like her, Noctis. I'm not a saint or anything close to it," she replies setting her empty champagne glass down on a small Christmas decorated table near the entryway of the room. Noctis nods.
"How do you feel about me now," he says causing her cerulean blue eyes to widen at that remark. She wasn't expecting for Noctis to ask about her feelings for him.
"I think the better question is how you still feel about me," she returns.
"I love you, I know that now," he replies sincerely causing Stella to smile brightly at him. "I only wish I knew it sooner, and was able to tell you that."
"You know Mr. Caelum you're standing underneath a spring of mistletoe," she replies casting her eyes slightly upwards.
"What?" he questions, before casting his eyes upwards landing on the green mistletoe hanging above his form.
"Etro went overboard with the mistletoe," she says softly. "Several couples already had to kiss because they were caught underneath the mistletoe."
A small squeal escapes her lips as he wraps his arms around her form and brought his lips against hers in a soft chaste kiss. He never thought this would happen tonight, at the very least he thought she would forgive him, perhaps suggest taking things slow, but never this.
But he couldn't deny the fact he is sinceraly happy, for the first time in five years.
-the End