It's All in the Wrists

Chapter 12: Shiva

Traveling to Tenebrae had been...painful. Maybe he was the only one that noticed it, that could very much be the case. His nerves by this point were frayed wires under his skin electrocuting him at the slightest movement. ...The slightest hint that Noctis might just look at him. He just wanted him to look. Then he would know where he stood with the king. If Noctis just looked at him he could try to start to repair this mess. But he didn't. It was like he couldn't. Noctis seemed to be writing him out of his own history. It was so much worse than being screamed at.

Prompto's nails dug into the metal table as they ate, and he listened to the small talk around him. He was seated next to Noctis, but could only feel coldness coming from the former prince. They had been traveling for close to three days to get back to the area, and Prompto hadn't pushed the topic of sleeping areas. Now that they had the magitek ship, which Ignis had nicknamed the Valerius, things were much quicker going. It almost felt like they had some sort of a flying home. They even had bunking rooms that used to be filled with soldiers, and now were only filled with makeshift hammocks. Noctis had been sleeping in his room by himself. Prompto had been pretending to sleep in the one down the hall, and instead had had yet another sleepless night reminiscing about how he could have ever taken it for granted that for a short amount of time he had been lucky enough to fall asleep in Noctis' arms.

"You haven't touched your food," He heard a voice remark, and he was so into his own anxiety in his head that he didn't realize the statement had been directed at him. He glanced up then, meeting Gladio's dark concerned eyes. "You look like shit. What the hell is going on with you?"

Prompto felt Noct's eyes on him then, and it felt like it was burning. His breath hitched at the attention, spooning through his chicken and rice. "Airsick," He managed, because maybe that would explain his lack of appetite.

"Yeah yeah, suppose that could be it," Gladio mused. "Or it could be the fact that you're a skinny pale rale of yourself and if you don't finish that entire meal I'm going to shove it down your throat."

"Leave him alone," Noctis growled across the table, and Prompto flinched at just hearing his voice.

"Oh really?" Gladio asked. "Now you're concerned? Don't you think me and Iggy haven't noticed that you haven't exactly been.."

Noctis got up, slamming his hands on the table and Prompto saw lightning crackle amongst the silverware. "It isn't any of your business," He snapped at him, and Prompto held his breath through his king's temper as it was aimed at him and the food was shoved towards him. "Eat your fucking dinner. Don't want you hungry when we bury Luna." He bit out, and Prompto only exhaled when Noctis had left the small mess hall back towards the sleeping quarters.

Prompto reached mechanically for the food, shoveling it down and trying not to gag as his stomach rebuked. He pulled the spoon from his mouth, realizing Ignis and Gladio were staring. "He's just upset about Luna. You can tell he's getting crankier the closer we get. He's grieving." The truth was that he deserved all of this from Noctis and more. He was a murderer who had taken away one of his only friends. He had put him in this position with lies and deceit.

"Yeah, well there's grieving and then there's being an asshole," Gladio remarked. "I'll give you a guess on which one he's being right now." He watched him roll his eyes, glaring after where Noctis had disappeared to. "You two on the outs?"

Prompto snorted. "Your observation skills are legendary," He teased the bigger man, forcing more food down his throat.

"Don't be a smartass," Gladio rebuked, and reached out to ruffle his hair. "You remember how he would get when he would get in fights with his old man?"

Prompto smiled bitterly at those memories, nodding quietly. "He'd lash out. Remember you usually having to beat some sense into him,"

"I remember having to come over and clean the apartment three times a week," Ignis said with disdain. "I'll never know where he managed to get all that garbage from."

"That may have been my fault," Prompto pointed out, stress in his shoulders lessening as he shook his head. "I would get all panicky when he got in a mood, and order all his favorite foods from all over Insomnia," He confessed. "We didn't want it to go to waste so we would have binge sessions for days. A few days in he would finally tell me about the fight with King Regis. You know he's not good at expressing his feelings."

"Understatement," Gladio grumbled.

"He's good at expressing them to you," Ignis pointed out. "He always has been. We could stock up on junk food after we leave Tenebrae?" He suggested, and Prompto must really look awful if they were both trying this hard.

"Where are we going to go once we leave Tenebrae?" Prompto asked curiously, because it was one of the main things weighing on his mind. "Do we go after Ardyn?" That meant the tower...that meant Niflheim.

"Eventually," Ignis said, voice hesitant as he watched him. "But I don't think Noct is ready yet," A little more pointedly he added. "I don't think any of us are." Prompto shoveled another mouthful of the food, avoiding Ignis' one good eye. "I suppose until then we grow stronger. We can find more tombs. We can do more."

"Our strength failed us with Luna," Prompto said quietly, not able to hold the fork anymore as he pushed his food away. "We couldn't protect her or Altissia."

"Yeah," Gladio agreed. "We lost that day kid, but it doesn't mean we have to like it." He shoved the food closer to encourage him to keep eating. "Luna wasn't your fault. You are not responsible for the things Ardyn did."

Prompto's eyes filled with tears at that as he pushed up from the table. "But what if I am?" He asked them both, because he was. They just didn't know why. "I'm sorry...I just need to take a walk." Too bad it wasn't that big of a ship.

His legs moved of their own accord towards Noct's room, taking a deep breath before pushing through the door without knocking. Noctis was standing by his travel pack looking down. His shoulders were shaking in a silent sob as he held a black tie in his hand.

Prompto's heart hurt for his lover...his best friend. He was going through so much, and he had lost one outlet that he had to death, and the other to betrayal. He swallowed, steeling his nerves as he moved up behind him, sliding his hands up Noct's back and feeling him shudder.

"Prompt...I was thinking…" He cleared his throat of the sorrow. "I was thinking I wanted to look nice when we got to Shiva. I thought Luna would approve if I was finally wearing something other than a t-shirt." Prompto's heart broke for him as he became more bold, wrapping his arms around Noct's waist and pulling him close. The other didn't resist, leaning back into him as the shaking started. "I don't even know how to tie a tie...Someone has always been there to help me with it. She would have known how to tie it for me...If she was here...If…"

Noctis spun around then, and Prompto was there immediately with his arms around him, holding his king as the man sobbed into his chest. He squeezed him, kissing the top of his head as he never before realized how frail Noctis could look when he was hurting.

"I can help you with your tie," He finally spoke, inhaling Noct's almost citrus spice smell as his own anxieties began to lesson with just being touched by the one he loved.

"I promised...I promised to protect her," Noct's voice was so broken it was painful as the king pulled back to look up at him. His eyes were practically glowing blue with his tears. "But all I was thinking about was you. When he was by you on the docks I knew he wanted to take you away…"

"Not going anywhere," Prompto said yet again, and Noctis laid their heads together as he gripped blond spikes.

"You're not...I won't let them take you," He said softly, fingers gripping desperately in his hair. "I failed her," He repeated. "I failed her to save my enemy."

Prompto stiffened at that, hurt flashing across his own face as he tried to shift away from the death like grip Noctis had on him. "I'm not your enemy, Noctis."

Noctis held him tighter, and Prompto grit his teeth as he was lifted and dragged up onto the metal dresser. "Stay there. I'll get the rest of the outfit on so you can do the tie." Prompto exhaled at that very obvious avoidance, glancing towards Noctis' messy bed and seeing the half empty whiskey bottle resting upon his pillow like a slumbering lover. ...Well that explained a few things.

"Do you want some coffee to sober up?" He asked him as Noctis stripped out of his t-shirt, leaving on the same pants as he grabbed for a black button up shirt. Prompto swallowed as he made himself look down at the expanse of flesh revealed, knowing this definitely wasn't the time.

"Why in the world would I ever want to experience this sober?" Noctis asked him curiously, fumbling with the buttons for a few moments before he just moved back towards Prompto, spreading the blond's legs to press between them.

"Well…" Prompto tried to reason. "You may be fighting a Guardian. It would be nice if you didn't die."

Noctis snorted, and Prompto shivered at the delicate fingers that trailed along his jaw. "Why? You could just take over saving the world. Don't know why I'm even bothering."

Prompto pursed his lips as he watched Noctis' dark amusement across his tear stained face. "I'm not you. Your destiny is to lead Insomnia. Your destiny is to defeat Niflheim and bring peace back to the lands."

"Defeat Niflheim?" Noctis asked, and Prompto hissed as a dagger was ripped out of his pants, pressing against his pale neck. "I could always kill their heir?" He asked darkly, shifting the blade to draw a pearl of blood.

"Don't think it would do you much good," Prompto breathed shallowly, glaring at Noctis as he shifted in his seat. "You're going to get blood on your shirt."

"Is that what you're concerned with right now?" Noctis asked with thinly veiled amusement.

"Getting you through this day is one of the only things I can control, so yes, that's what I'm concerned with right now." Prompto gripped the back of Noct's head, kissing his temple. "You can focus on killing me later, alright? Let's focus on you putting on some different pants right now."

"Is this just a subtle way to get me out of my pants?" Noctis asked him, stumbling back with the dagger as he none too gracefully slipped them off. "You never really had to try in that regard...got me trained early."

Prompto rolled his eyes. "I'll remind you that I was the only virgin when we finally hooked up," He said, and it was like grabbing barbed wire every time he had to speak with Noct.

"Yeah, obviously Prompto." He told him, and there was too much cruelty in that tone to have been said as a dismissal.

"And what does that mean?" He asked, even though he knew he shouldn't have.

Noctis snorted, and grabbed for the bottle of whiskey, still pantsless and with his shirt half buttoned. "It means it was obvious you were a virgin."

Prompto felt his face flush, shame rising through his body as he jumped down from the dresser. "Think it's time you learned how to do your own tie."

Noctis gave a small laugh, sinking down onto his bed as he took another drag. "Go ahead...run away with your hurt feelings. Make the others feel like I'm mistreating you in some way instead of yet again protecting you!"

He glowered at that as the king fell backwards onto the bed, grabbing for the whiskey as he languidly spread his legs. "You don't mistreat me?" He asked him skeptically, getting closer. "What would you call the last couple of days?"

Noctis swallowed around the bottle, pulling it away as he thought about it. "Well...adjusting I suppose."

"Adjusting?" Prompto asked, leaning down to grab the dress pants as he came over to the bed.

"I hate you right now," He murmured honestly, and Prompto winced at the careless tone. "But I won't always. I'm going to marry you...and fuck you again I suppose."

"Not in that order?" Prompto asked with bitter amusement as he grabbed for Noct's skinny legs. His heart had clenched at that admission, not able to help himself as he ran a hand up the back of his calf.

Noctis hummed to himself, obviously considering the question as Prompto put his feet in each of the leg holes. "I don't know. Guess that depends. I thought it might help, you know...taking you. But then I thought...if I took you when I'm pissed like this, well, what then?"

Prompto slid the slacks halfway up Noct's legs, prompting him to lift up his hips as he got them up over the bony hipbones. He worked on buttoning up the pants as he couldn't let Noctis' statement lie. He leaned down, lips pressing to a now clothed knee as Noctis took another drink.

"What do you mean by that, Noct?" He asked quietly, voice frail and scared of what the answer could be. He couldn't not ask though. This was the first time Noctis was talking to him in days, even if he was shitfaced.

Noctis opened his legs, and Prompto crawled between them, shifting against his left side as he laid in the small bed. He pressed his body alongside Noctis' as he pretended for just one moment that they could go back to the way they were. ...When his king loved him.

"What would you think of me?" Noctis asked after awhile. "It would be angry...and wrong...and you would think it was because of what you are, but that's never been the case." He tried to explain, and Prompto shifted his head to lay against Noctis' heart so that he could feel how hard it was beating. "I'm not angry with you because of who you are. I'm angry because you didn't think you could tell me." Prompto pressed his mouth against that heart, holding Noct tighter as a hand began to cart through his hair. "If you had trusted me the way I trust you than that nightmare in Altissia wouldn't have happened, because we would have been prepared."

Prompto laid there for a few more moments, listening to what a broken heart sounded like when it was still beating. When he finally pulled up he distracted himself with redoing the buttons on Noct's shirt so he didn't have to look at the guilt in those eyes. "I never wanted anyone to find out. That volcano changed things...it wasn't ever a problem before."

"You said you had powers when you were younger," Noctis argued. "It would have came up eventually."

"It's not like I've never been trained to fight," Prompto bit out, fingers trembling as they worked on the buttons. "You wouldn't have understood."

"I would have tried," Noctis argued, swallowing audibly as he went to grab for the bottle. Prompto let him, feeling nothing but hollow as he grabbed for the tie. "You didn't give me the chance," He pointed out, before handing the bottle over to Prompto.

Prompto took it reluctantly, sloshing the contents around as he thought about the tragedy that was his stomach. He took a drink anyways, wincing at the burning taste. "You have a chance now," He finally said, because he needed his friend. He needed someone. He couldn't feel the amount of guilt he did over what happened and also feel this alone.

"I know," Noctis told him, sitting up and grabbing for the bottle again as he took a drink. His arm wrapped around Prompto as he looked around. "This isn't a normal magitek ship. Why would they have bedrooms?"

"This is Ravus' ship," Prompto explained slowly. "He wouldn't want to just be switched off like the other magitek. This was probably his bedroom."

Noctis set the bottle on the nightstand. "That's a sobering thought," He cupped the side of Prompto's head as he watched him, and he really had to wonder what Noct was looking for in his face. "So we took his life...and we took his home? Serves him right for working with Ardyn."

"That's a callous way of looking at things," Prompto pointed out, hating hearing Noctis this cynical. "Luna loved him. I never wanted to end his life."

"You turned him to cinders, Prompt, of course you wanted to end his life." Noctis reminded him, and the small bit of whiskey he had consumed began to curdle in his stomach as the images all came back. "When I close my eyes I see your sins burning behind them...Do you think…" He laid their foreheads together. "Do you think that's what it means to be soulmates?"

Prompto couldn't say anything to that, because the weight of Noctis' words held far too much pain and implications. He instead tilted his face, cupping Noct's own as he pressed their lips together. His own were trembling as they fumbled against the familiar mouth, tasting the smoky flavor of the whiskey on Noct's. He pressed closer, slotting their hips together as he kissed him desperately, clinging to his lover as he was manic with his need for him. For any touch from him. Noctis didn't kiss him back, but he did open his mouth slightly, and he took that opportunity to kiss more of that whiskey from his lips, tongue probing as if he could lick away the sin. ...As if he could make Noctis clean of it if he would only kiss him back.

He whined in frustration when he felt nothing from his king, pulling away as he saw Noct's eyes shut in almost reverence. Not only that, but he looked like he was in pain. The emotions were warring on his features. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that,"

"It's alright…" Noctis managed, eyes still shut. "I just need a little time, Prompt…" He looked like he was going to say more, but they could feel the magitek ship begin to land. "Well...I suppose we're here." He kissed the side of his head, pausing to inhale his scent and Prompto felt sorrow all over again.

"Noctis," He said, staring down at his lap as he thought about the well of anxiety bubbling up inside of him. "I need you," He voice was so forlorn it echoed sorrow in his own ears. He looked up, and his eyes were blurred with tears, feeling them fall down his cheeks. "You're all I've ever had...I was so lonely before you." He clung to him, hands fisted in that dark hair. "I was so alone, and I can't go back to that...I can't...I can't…" Their roles had reversed from earlier when Noctis had lost it, but Prompto couldn't be the strong one anymore. He was never strong compared to his king.

"Sshhh…" Noctis cooed to him, pulling him close as Prompto clung to him like he was a man drowning and grabbing for a life preserver. "Sshhh...You're exhausted." Noctis went to pull him away, but Prompto grabbed at him harde. He felt pathetic as he didn't want him to leave...couldn't let him leave him. When he buried her...what then? When he buried her would he bury them right along beside her?

Noctis managed to shift them even with Prompto's desperate struggling until they were lying side by side. Prompto clung to him, pressing himself as close as he could possibly get. He would be okay...He would be okay if Noctis just didn't leave him. He would be okay if he could just reverse time to before Altissia. He would be okay if he had never been born a Nif.

Prompto finally calmed down in those strong arms, Noctis' scent surrounding him as he clung to his love. "I've never been to Tenebrae, is it nice?"

Noctis didn't say anything for awhile, face buried in his hair. "It's beautiful," He finally supplied. "I haven't been here since I was a child. It afforded less than comforting memories to make me want to come back for a visit."

Prompto sighed against his chest, feeling the full weight of his exhaustion settle against him like a long lost lover. "I took her from you," He confessed softly, regret strong in his voice.

"Ardyn took her," Noctis corrected, though Prompto couldn't help but feel like he didn't really believe it. How could he? He had watched him put a bullet in her chest. "You need to sleep Prompt. I will get everything ready with Luna, alright? If you get too stressed out you might…" He cut himself off, clearly not wanting to even bring up his powers.

"I won't hurt you," Prompto assured him, clinging closer. "I would never,"

"Prompto," Noctis said, exasperation in his voice. "You already hurt me. You hurt me so much I want to die, but giving up isn't an option. Turning you over to Niflheim isn't an option. We both have to move passed this."

"Your kingly duty?" Prompto questioned with dark disdain.

"What else would you have me do?" Noctis asked him. "Honestly, I'm all ears at this point. What should we do about the fact that you're the goddamn prince of Nifelheim!?"

...Well...so much for sleep.

Prompto grunted as Noctis pushed out of the bed, letting his head slam down onto the uncomfortable cot as he turned to look at him. Noctis was moving stiffly through the room, digging through his pack until he found his suit jacket. He looked disheveled when he finally pulled it on, and it was clear he was still drunk. However, he supposed it would do for the part of the grieving fiance.

"Tenebrae is ran by the Empire, we have to do this quickly and quietly," Noctis explained, back to him as he straightened up in the mirror.

"You think summoning a guardian is going to be quiet?" Prompto asked wryly, curling into Noct's pillow.

"No, probably not. But we have to be quiet enough that we can get out of here before they figure out that we're here. I don't suppose you'd be willing to stay on the ship?" He asked quietly, and Prompto glared into his back. Noctis didn't even need to turn around to know his reaction. "I know...I know...stupid question. I just don't want them to know we have you."

"Ardyn knows who I am," He hesitated to bring this up. "Why do you think he hasn't told my father?"

He watched Noct's fists clench at his side, and held his breath as the other slowly turned to face him. "He doesn't want to tell the Emperor because he wants you all to himself. Think about it, Prompto, what is the easiest way for him to take control of Niflheim?" He questioned. "You could take it from that fool in a second. Niflheim is not like Insomnia. It responds to power. You are powerful, and once they got you back they would be begging at your heels for you to take over."

"I wouldn't let him rule beside me," Prompto denied, the weight of the situation bearing down on him.

"Do you really think he would give you a choice?" Noctis shook his head. "I don't think that's all though. I don't think Ardyn's end game is Niflheim. I think it's everything. That's why you were allowed to stay with me for so long before he started playing these games."

Prompto sat up at that, bile rising in his throat as he gripped at the blankets. "You mean to say, Ardyn wanted us together?"

"Do you mean that you honestly think that you were allowed to leave Niflheim with no trackers? With the way he's playing with us, how could you think that anything in our lives has been left to chance?"

Prompto stared down at his hands at those words, not even able to feel sickened by them. No, he had gone numb. He slipped out of the bed and passed Noctis as he leaned against the door. "If that's what you think, Noctis, then this world is truly lost, isn't it?" He asked, before hollowly heading out of the room to get ready to bury Luna.

,,,,,,,,

Noctis shifted the weight that was resting on his shoulder as him, Prompto, Ignis, and Gladio carried the coffin Luna was in down towards the lake in front of the palace. He hoped it was far enough away to not attract Imperial attention, but close enough that Shiva would hear their call and come to him. He had never done this without Luna before. He didn't know if he could. How was he supposed to complete this epic mission without her?

His eyes stung at the thought, but he was so tired of crying for his lost friend. He pictured how terrified Prompto looked when he turned the gun on her. He remembered the acceptance on her face the entire time as she gave him permission. Luna must have know this was going to happen long before they even arrived in Altissia.

He knew he had hurt Prompto. He knew he would keep hurting him, but he couldn't help it. What he had found out wasn't just a normal secret. It wasn't something he could just sweep under the rug. Prompto was the son of the Emperor of Niflheim. He was his sworn enemy, and yet it didn't feel that way. He still felt the same in his arms...he still smelled the same. Hell, he even kissed the same, somewhat sloppy and inexperienced. Prompto had a warmth of desperation in all of his kisses, as if at any moment it would be the last Noctis would give to him.

Prompto had never had any friends before him. Of course it made sense now. He wouldn't want to draw attention to himself. He would want to hide from Aldercapt. How many years had he been truly alone? He had crawled out of the shadows and into the sun just to befriend him. He had risked the Empire finding him because he thought Noctis was lonely. How could he possibly hate Prompto for the deceit, when he knew everything that truly went into that lie?

Selfless as he may be, Prompto was also dangerous. He had incinerated a city of people in the blink of an eye. Hell, he didn't even look that tired afterwards. He had done that as an afterthought...an instinctual animal like urge to protect himself. What could he do if he really meant to? What could Prompto do if he was really used as a weapon?

It hurt to think about. It hurt even worse with the weight of Luna forcing the truth down on him. Alexander had been near him most of his life. Alexander was half guardian and half human...He could rule Niflheim any time that he wanted. He chose not to in order to serve a foreign king. What happened when he decided his duties had been met? Ardyn had a silver tongue. What happened when Prompto finally began to listen to it?

They laid the coffin down on the beach, and Noctis looked down at the glass coffin they had laid her body in. She still looked beautiful. She looked perfect even though her chest wasn't shallowly rising up and down in her transparent tomb. She looked perfect even though he knew there was a bullet between her fourth and fifth rib bones, nestled in the spongy tissue of her collapsed lung. Prompto had done that...his fiance always could shoot perfect. He knew perfectly well even under the control of Ardyn he could have hit her in the heart, but he had tried to give her a chance. ...Not that it had done her any good. He wondered if it hurt. He wondered if she suffered with that bit of false placed mercy?

"You're very bold to bring her here," A sharp feminine voice cut through his reverence as he tried to memorize every detail of her beautiful face. He swallowed, recognizing the voice as he turned to face her.

"Gentiana," He greeted. "I was going to get in touch with you. I wanted you to know what happened in Altissia," He explained, sorrow in his tone as he saw the hurt reflect on her normally passive features as she stared down at Luna's cold pale face.

"Do you think I don't know about the travesties that occurred in Altissia?" She asked finally, walking closer to the coffin as her delicate fingers trailed over the glass. She looked up then, and Noctis stiffened as her eyes landed on Prompto almost accusingly, before turning back to him. "Alexander is one of us. He is the the royal prince who will help cast away the darkness by riding in on it on a great stead."

"One of you?" He heard Ignis ask to the left of him, but he could hardly hear him over the blood pounding in his ears at that revelation.

Gentiana tilt her head, as if considering the questions. "Us celestials learned long ago to mimic human skin. When we do not require your fear or worship, it is an easier form to take when we merely want to observe human activity. I chose to mimic human life and watch the Oracle grow to be a strong woman. I also watched the one who is said to be the king of kings. I watched a petulant lonely child grow into a strong man. I have also watched you over the past few days. I no longer think you are a strong man."

"I don't know what the hell is going on right now, but don't talk to him that way," Gladio gruffed, looking between the group. "So you're a guardian, I take it? Where were you when she was in trouble?"

"It is a celestial's job to observe mankind, and to only interfere if the situation is deemed worthy," She explained, sounding almost sad as she once more glanced down at Luna. "The guardian in your possession has no such qualms, and yet has already pledged his loyalty to someone else." She turned to Prompto, and Noctis felt the warmth in his hand as it began to glow. He was ready if she took a step forward to harm him.

"What do you mean to someone else?" Prompto asked, and Noctis saw how pale the marksman had become at the accusation.

"Alexander belongs to Ardyn, even if he does not wish it. There are chains binding him to the Ravager, and so those same chains bind you. Did you not wonder how he could control you?" She rose an eyebrow. "Did you think you were the first to be claimed by him? He has sullied plenty others, and yet, you're the first he sullied so completely that he bound you to mortal flesh."

"Wait…" Gladio managed, but Ignis put a hand on his forearm.

"We'll explain later. Prompto is on our side, that's all you need to know," He explained, quieting him with that steadying arm.

"Is he?" Gentiana asked. "Do you have a claim on him?"

"I have a claim on him," Noctis found himself biting out to her, eyes locked on Prompto as he looked ready to bolt. "How do I break Ardyn's control?"

"You don't," She said simply. "Ardyn broke the celestial inside of this boy. You have no claim on him. You only have claim on the flesh,"

"He's more than flesh!" Noctis bit out, feeling his sword appear in his palm as he shook with anger at the way she spoke of Prompto like he was some vessel. He was reminded of Alexander in his dreams, and he knew at once he was the guardian who slumbered deep inside his lover.

"I suppose he is. He is also royalty. He should go claim the throne that rightfully belongs to him," She said simply, and the only thing that prevented him from lunging at her was Prompto stepping in front of him.

"Noct, calm down...You know I'm not going to do that," He tried to stress, and Noctis had to wonder about what the blond saw on his face that he looked this scared.

"You should," Gentiana told them. "The quickest way to unite against Ardyn is to have both Lucis and Niflheim against him, but you won't, because you're weak. The both of you are weak for each other. That is why something like Altissia was allowed to happen."

"I thought it was more because Ardyn was a psychopath," Noctis bit out between clenched teeth as he watched her. "Why is it that all of you guardians have to pretend to be something you're not?" He didn't feel guilty as Prompto flinched. It had been aimed at him as well after all.

"There you go, showing how broken your mind is. You claim he is yours, and yet you deliberately hurt him. You drive the nail deeper and deeper into his broken soul. What happens when it splits entirely, King Noctis?" She asked him, and Noctis stared in wonder as tendrils of ice began to crawl across the glass coffin.

"You're Shiva," Ignis deduced, hand still holding and steadying Gladio from attack. "You've been with us the entire time?"

"I have observed the one I am meant to serve. I am not convinced he deserves it." She turned back to Noctis. "What have you done to deserve my subjugation?"

"I've never asked for subjugation," Noctis denied. "Not from any of you,"

Gentiana looked between his companions. "They are your servants, are they not?"

"They are my friends," Noctis denied with conviction. He had never considered any of them as servants or employees. They were the only people he had in this world.

Gentiana nodded. "You're telling the truth. I can read it in your soul, however, that one isn't your friend," She said, motioning to Prompto. "He is your lover. Is there not a difference in mortals?"

"Of course there's a difference," Noctis hissed. Prompto was his everything, regardless of what his real fucking name was.

"Then act like it," She scolded him like he was a child. "You are bedding not only a god, but also a future king. He is not beneath you, he is above you and yet chooses to serve you anyways," She lectured. "His fractured soul calls to its master, and still he stays. Perhaps you should consider that the next time you decide to rely on human vices to make your tongue into a sword that cuts far deeper than mortal wounds."

Noctis swallowed hard at that, the weight of the words settling on him as he felt Prompto's hands on him, trying to draw his attention. He couldn't focus on that though. All he could do was replay Gentiana's words over and over again. Bedding a god? Is that what Prompto really was? Had he just been lying to himself his entire life in thinking that despite their titles that they were equal? Did his soul really already belong to Ardyn? If that was the case...what did he need to do to get it back?

"LunaFreya knew of her impending death," Gentiana continued. "She saw it in the heavens long before you stepped foot in Altissia. I said good-bye to my mortal companion long ago. However, she had a last request, and I intend to honor it." Noctis forced himself to focus, drawing his red glazed eyes up to the guardian.

"What did Luna ask for?" He heard the tone of his hollow voice, sounding as iced over as Luna's casket.

"My help," Gentiana explained. "You are not ready to take on the Ravager, but you could be. The two of you together can be stronger than you ever would be apart. I am willing to bind myself to your glory, King Noctis. I am willing to become your servant and train your lover in his potential."

"What?" Prompto asked, voice breathless and confused. "You...you want to train me?"

"I wouldn't call it a want. I would call it a duty," Gentiana corrected. "I will make the four of you into skilled fighters. I will teach you to sever the ties you have to the creature that now controls you." She glanced back to the coffin, and Noctis saw her eyes soften. "I will do this because my lady asked it." She looked back, and the coldness was back on her features. "She asked for so little in her short life."

Prompto drew away from him, moving towards Gentiana, obviously confused. "Why would she ask for you to help me? She didn't even know me."

Gentiana stared at him for a moment, as if debating how much to say. "She was benevolent. It didn't matter that she did not know you. She knew you needed the help, and she knew that Noctis loved you. At the end of her life, there wasn't much else that mattered other than making her king happy."

Noctis felt his knees go weak, and the weapon disappeared from his hand as he wasn't strong enough to hold it. He knew it now. He wasn't strong enough to do this without her, and she knew that. She had set up the path to his success even in her death. She had given him hope...she had given them both a path that wasn't just going to lead to destruction. He broke then, and tears of sorrow once more poured from his eyes as he put one hand over his face. "Luna…" He gasped, voice broken as he realized how much he loved her. He realized how little he was when compared to her. He never deserved her.

"No more tears, King of Lucis," Gentiana instructed. "Now is the time to be strong. You will say your good-byes and move towards the palace. This shall be your new home until I deem you ready to go to the tower," She instructed. "This was LunaFreya's home. She will rest here amongst the celestials watching over her, and her body shall never decay. She is a symbol of all that is good and pure, and as long as she is here the night will never swallow us whole."

The body of Gentiana disappeared, only to be replaced by a beautiful frozen goddess. Noctis felt his mouth go dry at just the sight of her, dropping to his knees as he watched his three companions do the same. His eyes were wide and open as he looked up at her, willing to be her servant if she would only ask. She reached for the coffin and drew up the lid, revealing Luna's cold dead face once again. She leaned over the body, and Noctis watched those frozen lips touch Luna's. He watched as ice spread through her body, freezing her in her perfect form. He knew that ice would never melt. Luna would be here...she would be watching over them, always. Selfless and benevolent to the very end.

,..,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.