~ Ch. 10 ~

"I promise you you'll get famous one day. Just like your mother and father, you'll see!"

"I don't want to be like my parents! I'm not going to abandon my children just for some stupid film like they've done! I want to be famous just because I can!"

"I'll help you… I mean- get famous one day. You'll show your parents off if you do!"

"And how are you going to do that?"

"You'll see…"

It felt like that conversation was only yesterday, but in reality it had been 10 years ago…

~ X ~

"Noctis I'd like you to meet Claire; Claire- Noctis. Noctis, she'll be your secretary. Keeping you fresh in the movie industry takes a lot of my time you know, so I hired Ms. Farron for the minimal jobs. She's a pretty little thing, so try to be gentle… Well, I'll be going now. Got to settle a few unattended formalities... See if you can show her the ropes in the mean time- she's a fast learner so it shouldn't take too much time."

"Mr. Caelum, if I may, I want to be taken directly into my office so I can start my job."

"Well now don't be hasty, at the moment I've got nothing for you to do. Ignis already had my meetings and appearances booked and set up for today, plus your office isn't ready yet, unless you don't mind a back storage closet as an office…"

"Definitely sir, I can work on the storage closet sir. Mr. Kamenashi already gave me some papers to work on if you don't mind sir."

"No, I don't mind… Please follow me. By the way, Mr. Caelum is just fine; I'm not into honorifics myself so I won't be expecting that from you."

"Yes, sir- I mean, yes Mr. Caelum!"

That was a little more than half a year ago and Lightning only ever disobeyed that one task Noctis had first given her, and today, is still stubbornly calling him 'sir'.

~ X ~

Stella washed herself carefully on the bathtub. The scent of jasmine soap filling her clouded thoughts.

Ignis had left early.

She was alone for now, unless he'd sent Gladiolus over.

The first thing she'd made sure of this morning was to call Prompto. When she'd rung for him the twentieth time without much success she tried texting him.

Stella lifted her head from the bubbly surface of the water and checked her phone messages, still no reply and it had already been an hour ago since she'd first sent the first text message. In all honesty she hadn't gotten the slightest clue on bringing up the truth to Prompto- or how to. She'd been planning on it ever since but only really managed to push it back till now…now that Ignis had fucked me over that is. She began to wonder if she was already too late on saving her relationship with Prompto...

Stella dipped her head back in, shame from last night crawling into her stomach and churning something acidic and awful inside her. The guilt felt like a tightening snake going round and round her whole body, wrapping tighter and tighter around her delicate flesh.

She never meant for any of this; she had been used like a rag doll, and is still being used. 'I never mean for anything to happen, but why is it that I expect it to happen anyway?' It was a bullshit reason, but she clung to it nonetheless for fear of not clinging to any excuse at all would surely drive her to insanity.

He had been strategic and careful last night- a move not wasted. Yes, now she has perfectly comprehended the gut-wrenching sensation she's been experiencing- nothing could describe it better than feeling like a complete whore.

"I'm a fucking whore!" Stella angrily croaked, her voice losing consciousness from screaming all night. But of course admitting to her mistakes was only barely reaching the first step to redemption.

It had been decided on the contract- this had been part of it, and she knew since the beginning. Once she announces her pregnancy to the public everything will come together. Since day one, everything was planned step by step. Except for the part when Noctis had refused- that had not been planned at all and Ignis hadn't been very happy about that.

Stella's whole body started to shake, shattering sobs wracking her chest. It was only so much she could take.

'I'll atone for my mistakes somehow, but for now…' Stella scrubbed water to her swollen face, the unstoppable dam of tears flowing past her defenses.

"I'm sorry Noctis." Because he will be the very first one she'll be apologizing to. She'll make sure of that.

~ X ~

Noctis was surprised feeling such warmth and softness coming from his pillow. He dug his nose deeply on the pillow and took a whiff of a wonderful cherry blossom scent pervading his nostrils. Uttering a satisfying grunt, Noctis embraced his pillow tighter.

A little while later he heard a soft groan slightly trembling his pillow. 'Must still be dreaming…' He decided. Noctis eased back at his slumber.

"Noctis… Noctis…" he heard someone mumble.

His pillow moved and shifted in front of him, his hand voluntarily encircling the round cotton softness of the pillow.

'Wait a minute…'

Opening his eyes, Noctis suddenly had the briefest encounter with a heart attack, or to be put bluntly, he had seen Light sleeping besides him.

Surprisingly, he hadn't felt the need to jerk away; the poor guy only had a portion of his soul evaporate away, seeing Lightning sleeping so close and all…

He was facing her directly, their foreheads grazing each other briefly. Noctis's gaze unexpectedly lowered from Lightning's eyes to her lips…cute little cherry buds that are yet to blossom… His lips ached to taste it. Leaning in slightly will mean finally connecting their lips together…

Noctis started to part his mouth, desire flooding his mind. This mere act alone will mean jeopardizing their status quo; breaking yet another barrier between them. This would be it. He knew his desire was seeping through the better part of him. But at this rate, where Lightning was only a touch away, he knew he no longer had control on where this might lead them, just like no one had control anymore over stopping two freight trains from crashing and colliding on each other.

No brakes; unhindered…nothing.

Noctis delicately brushed a string of Lightning's pink hair from her lips, tucking it behind her ears. "I hope you'll forgive me Light…" Leaning in slowly, Noctis fit his lips perfectly against Light's lips, like a missing piece on a jigsaw puzzle.

It was warm, soft, and felt just right. Noctis couldn't have asked for anything more perfect.

~ X ~

Deep inside Lightning her heart fluttered. A passionate touch was slowly coaxing her out of her sleep. It was something she knew she wanted, but didn't know exactly what…

A muffled moan escaped her mouth. Now fully awake but not yet fully aware, Lightning gradually lifted her eyes and almost died of a near fatal heart attack. She squeezed her eyes shut almost immediately.

'Our- our lips… this couldn't have been by accident?' Lightning's heart was beating hard and fast… buh-bump, buh-bump, buh-bump…

Noctis sensed Light waking up and wrapped his arms closer to her waist, applying more pressure on the kiss.

'Oh kami-sama…' Lightning pleaded, growing anxious. 'Please let this be a dream; a sweet and wonderful dream...'

Breaking the kiss for air, Noctis and Lightning looked at each other intensely; breathing terse and rough. Lightning felt lost within Noctis's hard, steel blue eyes. She wanted to look away, but couldn't. In that brief moment, each had somehow given their approval. Through their eyes, they silently accepted each other's feelings.

~ end for now ~

A/N: I'm proud of myself. This so far is my fastest update since like forever! :D Well so far story progression is building up, and I'm afraid that I'm kind of teetering around the Rating T's borderline now, idk if by next chapter the rating will bump up to 'M'. Should I keep the rating to T or bump it up? Depends on you guys, so review your thoughts, and thanks for reading! :) :)

Song I was listening to while writing this chapter: "Romeo+Juliette" by SHINee