August (ahhh, I should've done a birthday post for our sleepy prince)

*cries because I have to return to school in the fall*

I couldn't sleep until I finished this stupid thing omfg

Noctis didn't sleep a wink last night because Lightning had kept him up and not in the way he had wished. He would have been completely fine if she'd spent all night under he covers with him keeping sleep away with seductive kisses and hot touches but instead she'd been up all night pacing. Back and forth. Back and forth.

Had she not completely exhausted herself from worrying about what was to come in the morning, he was afraid she would still be pacing back and forth. With dark circles under his eyes and a sag in his shoulders, Noctis' morning shower could not shake the sleepiness from his body. Lightning had already escaped somewhere by the time he was dressed and had it not been for the screaming of terror that suddenly rang in his ears, he doubted he would have found his wife.

He winced at the loud screech as it increased in volume, and eventually breaking into the bedroom. Noctis saw a flash of black and then his wife came bounding in through the door, a frown on lips. Her blue eyes met his as he felt hand clutch at his pant legs and suddenly Noctis was more acutely aware of the situation as he heard the pleading, "Daddy! Help me! Help me!"

He looked down at the sweet face of his son, a frightened look upon his featured as he half hid behind him. He could see Lightning cross her arms out of the corner of his eyes as he put a comforting hand on the unruly locks of his son. A grossly and almost identical copy of what he had looked like a small child save for the strikingly blue-green eyes that he'd gotten from his mother.

Noctis crossed his arms, "What is going on?" A slight irritation in his voice, though he tried not to be considering the situation seemed somewhat delicate.

Lightning answered the same time as their son had, "Nothing!"

"She's trying to kill me!" The smaller voice had said.

Noctis gave his wife a look.

Lightning narrowed her eyes, and he could feel his son duck his head behind his legs, putting Noctis in he middle of whatever the hell was happening. Noctis spoke again, patience being tested on two hours of sleep, "What makes you think your mom is trying to kill you, Alex?"

His son poked his head back out and his gaze landed on Lightning. Then quickly he flung his small hands to his father's arms, "She's mothering me!"

"Mothering is what mother's do, Alex," Noctis said.

Lightning interjected, "He means smother, which is a lie!" Her pink hair was stuck up awkwardly in places, evidence that she'd went immediately to find their son when she had woken up.

Alexander, proud as he was stubborn even for a boy of his age, turned on his heels to face his own mother with pursed lips and said, "I wanna go to school!" He stood with his hands crossed and his own dark hair a horribly untamable mess. Noctis rubbed his forehead, a headache already starting to form from all the unwarranted screaming this morning.

"Go brush your teeth, Alex, I'll help you get ready in a moment," Noctis instructed, and Alex's round face turned with a small frown on his lips. Noctis looked at Lightning and sighed. It was unbelievable that he had to deal with this mess on so little rest, "Light, let him go to his room."

Lightning scoffed, putting her hands up in defense as the little boy hurried past his mother. He stuck his tongue out at her and she went to chase him but he ran off, screaming again. Noctis massaged his temples before asking, "Care to explain?"

Lightning crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed, a forlorn expression on her face as she placed her hands on her thighs, "I don't think he should go..."

Noctis crossed his arms. They'd talked about this, more than once in fact. It had been decided before Alex had been born that he would attend the same schools as Noctis and that he would be given a chance to socialize and meet friends just like any other kid. It was important to both of them that he get a chance to be somewhat normal considering he was technically the Crown Prince of Lucis. Lightning had actually been very adamant in this fact; Noctis had figured she would have been thrilled their son was starting his very first day of school. He could not have been more wrong, apparently.

He squat down in front of her and held her hands in his, fingers tracing the pale flesh. "Hey, he's gonna be fine, Light, I promise. Look at me, I turned out relatively normal!"

The Queen was more stubborn than anyone likes to admit, and her frown stayed put. Lightning looked at him, a sadness in her eyes and Noctis couldn't bear the sight, "What if he gets hurt? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if—"

Noctis chuckled at how protective she was towards their son, a proper mama bear to her little cub. He brought her hand to his lips and placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles, "If he's anything like his mother, he'll be just fine."

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes and she was quick to wipe them away before they fell, completely wrecked at the thought of losing her son to the educational system for a handful of hours a day. "But, he's too sweet to fight anyone!" Noctis couldn't stop the dam from breaking and he chuckled at how silly she was acting. He went to the bed and sat down next to her as she sobbed. Noctis cradled her head to his chest and rubbed her back affectionately, trying to calm her down. "C'mon, Light, it'll be okay...shhh, it'll be okay." He smiled despite how many tears were staining his tie.

"He's my baby boy, I don't wanna lose him!" She sobbed and Noctis gently separated them to look her in the eyes. He kissed her cheeks, feeling the wetness that streaked them on his lips. She sniffled and it was so unlike her that he wanted to remember it forever. She wiped at her own face, hiccuping a little.

He smiled and kissed her forehead, mumbling, "This one's really getting to you, huh, Light?"

She tried to muster up a calm exterior as to not feel so fragile as she was acting, but ultimately failed as she thought about him leaving her again, "He's just growing up too fast. It feels like if I blink I'll miss out on him being my little Squirt." The nickname Prompto had bestowed on his godson fell so naturally it didn't even feel strange anymore to the royal couple. A sad smile crossed her lips, "Don't you remember when I found out?"

Noctis' features softened at the thought. He remembered it as clear as day. He'd been so excited to be a father, a nervous excitement that bubbled out as he sought out Ignis and the others. He was telling Prompto on the phone that night like a gossiping housewife despite Lightning wanted it to be kept a secret from any public eye. Of course, news of a royal baby spread like wildfire and she was getting a call from Serah the next morning about it. Noctis remembered when his son was born and how he had beamed with pride that one of the strongest women he had ever known was holding the most fragile and precious thing in their world. A little bit of them both all wrapped up in pink cheeks and a small tuff of black hair.

"You're going to make me cry, now, Light. C'mon, Alex is waiting for someone to help him."

Lightning stood, a little shaky from all the emotions running around her body. He held her hand and she said, "Serah said I cry too much because it's going to be a girl."

Noctis' heart stopped at the simple admission. A brief flash of a miniature Lightning running about the castle dashed through his mind and he fretted that. It had occurred to him that his heart would have to make more room for their next addition to the family and he was already sure he couldn't love anything as much as his son and his wife, but the thought of a second baby was making his head spin. They'd known for quite some time, it was no secret, in fact, but he was still coming to terms with the fact that he'd have to be prepared for another child.

He followed her, quiet in their short walk to their son's bedroom, and Noctis opened the door for Lightnjng. Alex had set out all of his clothing and squeaked at the sight of both his father and his mother. "I'm going to school, Mommy!" He used the bed as a barrier and Lightning crossed the room, less hostile than before. Noctis leaned against the doorframe, taking the backseat on the situation.

She sat on the edge of his bed, next to his t shirt. "I'm sorry for scaring you early, Squirt. I was...just sad."

Alex stood a little straighter and slowly approached his mother's lap. His eyes that almost perfectly matched her own, scanned her face and he frowned when he realized that his mother was upset. His small arms wrapped around her waist, careful of the small bump that extended beneath her shirt. He muffled into her blouse, "Don't be sad, Momma, please..."

Her hands felt to his hair and she loving stroked the silky strands that mirrored his father's own mess of a hairstyle. A smile graced her pink lips, and she said, "Should we get ready for school, then?"

He jerked his head back and toothy grin swiped across his features, "I already brushed my teeth and my hair, Momma!"

She chuckled, eyeing the untamable heap on his head, "Really now?"

He jumped down and went to grab his shirt and handed it to her. She held it out and realized it was from the "Uncle Prompto Selection" donning a very yellow chocobo wearing sunglasses, with the words Chicks dig me! across the bottom. She scoffed at gave her eager son a look, "Are you sure this is what you want to wear for the first day?"

"Uncle Prompto said it was a good one!"

"Did he now?" Lightning looked to her husband and Noctis held up his hands denying any accountability in the matter. "Remind me to never let that man buy clothing for our kids, again."

I named their kid after the FF summon/character. It also means "protector of mankind" (slapping the kid with a Latin name didn't feel right besides Lightning has a French origin name) and I figured that was pretty appropriate considering his parents would be these two. Ahhhh! I wanna write more Caelum family oneshots ;^; they are so precious it makes me cry.

honestly, this'll get update more than anything because it's so free so yeah!