A/N: Thanks to my latest reviewer, Blank, for leaving your feedback. :) I appreciate it really. :3 And to those of you who might be wondering why I actually input a character such as Alisha, it's because this fic is a gift to a friend who requested it. She's in this story too. I mentioned it before on my previous author's notes. :3 And this chapter might be a tad too long, but I hope that's okay. Please leave a review if you would be so kind. :3 Thank you for reading. :D
Chapter 25
It was hard to wrap your mind around the fact that everything life-changing had happened in the course of a few days. To her, it felt like so much longer. What started out as a supposedly innocent investigation and school project had led to a chaotic chain of events that left all of the people involved disgruntled, broken, and scarred in varying degrees of severity. She, in particular, had gone through a lot.
Yesterday had been a chaos of activity. Her father and the rest of the police had gone into a frenzy asking her and Alisha various questions after Noctis and his friends had dropped them off at the Police Department in the wee hours of the morning. The media had caught on with the news and they swarmed the Department like dogs eager for scraps of meat. She and Ali had refused to face the press, both of them quite unsure if they would be able to relay the same fabricated story—that they had told the police—to the mass media, and in turn, to the millions of people keeping track of the national news. Even then, Stella had wondered why they even chose to stick with the fabricated story that Noctis and his friends had come up with—the one where none of the four boy's names were involved. She had no idea why she had agreed in the first place. She should have told the authorities about them; should have exposed them outright for who they really were, but she couldn't bring herself to, and she only had the vaguest reasons as to why.
The last time she had spoken to Noctis was yesterday morning when they had dropped her and Ali off at the corner of the street close to the Police Department. She had anticipated a call or a text message from him, but none had arrived...
There was a knock on her door, which caused her to turn away from the window she had been staring out of, watching the snow as it fell to the earth in graceful flakes.
"It's open." She called out, turning to her desk to gather her belongings.
"Are you ready? It's time to leave." Her father spoke, poking his head in slightly through her door.
"I'm ready." She mumbled.
Her dad managed a weak smile at her; a smile that was filled with so much sadness. Today was the day of her mother's and brother's funeral. Yesterday, when she had asked her father about her mother's condition, he had turned away in silent grief. Before she was abducted, she could remember checking her mother's pulse and feeling relieved when she could feel it beating weakly beneath the skin. But that had been her mother's last moments. She had died from a drug overdose, her father had told her. The men who had captured her that night must have injected a lethal dose of the drug into her mother's system. She had broke down crying at the news, and Ali had been there, offering Stella her shoulder to cry on..
What made it worse was that she had been there. She had witnessed her mother's last moments in the world of the living. She should have called for help immediately that night, but she had been too absorbed with apprehending the criminal that had broken into her own home. That had only resulted in her abduction.
Her father held the door open for her as she left her room, descending the stairs carefully, her eyes slightly bleary from unshed tears at the thought of her mother and the guilt that weighed heavily upon her heart. She might as well be responsible for her mother's death, but she knew the blame wasn't on her. It was on the man who had taken her life.
Stella sighed once she reached the bottom landing of the stairs. She peeked into the open archway that led to the living room, taking silent note of the moving boxes scattered and stacked neatly within the room. She and her father had discussed a lot of things last night. One of the topics that had been breached was the one about moving. She had no qualms with the idea, and she could admit to needing a fresh start. A new place, a new home. It would probably help both her and her father recover from the loss that they had just suffered through. She needed a reprieve from the emotional and psychological strain that she had gone through as well, and moving to a new place wasn't a very bad idea. They had agreed to do it after her graduation, but her father was already making the necessary arrangements. She knew that he was shipping some of their other stuff across the country already.
"The car's waiting outside, Stella." Her father told her, breaking her out of her musings as he gestured for her to go through the open door.
She smiled and moved to do just that.
"Your boyfriend not coming?" Her father asked, his back turned to her as he locked the front door securely.
She bit her lip at that. Everything was too complicated right now. She wasn't even sure if Noctis was still her boyfriend after everything that's happened and after everything that he's done.
"He's busy." She answered instead, already making her way to the waiting vehicle idling on the sidewalk.
vVvVv
The cemetery was an oddly enchanting sight in the midday of Christmas eve. The snow had stopped falling a few hours ago, and the sun shone weakly between thick masses of clouds. Its rays shone on the monoliths rising out of the earth. Thin sheets of ice coated some of the headstones. They glowed wherever the sun's rays struck them. It was something of a winter wonderland, only gloomier in comparison to what a winter wonderland actually was.
Cousins and relatives had been invited to the funeral. There had been numerous people. Her brother's best friends had showed up and paid their respects. Her mother's closest friends and siblings had all but drowned in their tears of sorrow and anguish. It was a shameless display of grief. Her cousins had all flocked around her, offering their condolences with genuine tears upon their eyes. She had watched with sad eyes as the coffins were lowered into their final resting places. The snow flecked dirt was still fresh upon the new graves and there were bouquets of white flowers strewn all over them. She had been standing by their plots for long minutes now, doing nothing but stare at the names embossed on the epitaphs.
She inhaled a shaky breath, wrapping her arms around herself for some warmth that she did not really feel. She kept her eyes on the ground, staring at the flowers strewn over the graves. She didn't even flinch or act surprised when she saw another hand reach down and gently place a bouquet of white roses on each grave. She didn't even look up to acknowledge the mourner, too distraught herself. She knew who it was anyway.
"You never really knew them." She spoke through numb lips, staring at the new flowers that had been placed.
"True, but they matter to you." He left the statement dangling, but stood next to her nonetheless.
She knew he wasn't even looking at the graves; he was looking at her.
"What are you doing here?" She asked softly, finally lifting her head from its ornery slouch to stare up at the handsome face that she no longer quite recognized.
"I wanted to talk to you." Noctis replied in a voice that was just as quiet.
"My dad might look for me." Stella warned him.
"It won't take more than a few minutes, I swear." He reached up a hand and brushed his knuckles along her cheek. "Walk with me."
She had wanted this chance. She wasn't going to be all dramatic and tell him that she didn't want his explanations. She didn't exactly have a flare for drama. She knew he had come because he wanted to say his piece, and she wanted him to hear hers too—after he explained himself of course. He had tried to explain back at the cave in Duscae, but she had not been ready to hear whatever excuse he was going to try and make up. He had kissed her forehead in a silent apology instead. She knew that he knew that it wasn't enough. She deserved an explanation, and he knew it too.
They began walking away from the fresh gravestones, and she followed silently as he led her somewhere. He didn't brush too close to her or try to intertwine their fingers, so she figured he was serious about this. His keen intuition must be giving him warnings since he approached her. She heard him take a breath before he spoke.
"To be honest, I don't know where to start." Noctis said, avoiding her gaze as he stared ahead. "But I know you have questions, so I want you to ask me anything, and I'll give an honest answer."
She sighed. "I know you have your reasons for keeping your secrets." She started. "I don't blame you for that. Every human being is entitled to it, but Noctis... You knew Ali and I were in danger. Why didn't you try harder?"
She wasn't accusing him; just asking questions that were in dire need of answers.
"I did." He replied, immediately catching on to her implication. "We all did." We, meaning him and his friends. "But you and Ali refused to listen."
"You could have just told me outright if it was the only way to stop me." She said softly, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her coat.
"I wanted to." He muttered and stopped walking once they were underneath the lengthy boughs of a large leafless tree. "I was going to."
There was more to that statement.
"But?" She pressed for an answer.
"Your best friend beat me to it." He shrugged, kicking white puffs of snow off the ground in a general direction.
"Only because you were too late." She added.
"I know." He sighed, and she watched as he tried to compose his thoughts for a few short moments. "You didn't have to know." He started, the regret evident in his blue gaze. "I didn't want to tell you because I was being too selfish." He looked away, already feeling the guilt that clutched tightly at his chest. "What could you have done if you had found out? I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want to lose you. You would leave me if you knew."
He had said it so surely, so desperately that he only gave off the impression of naivety. She was sorry to even think it, but she found this display of desperation to be childish and completely immature. He had been right about it being selfish, because it was. But even as he said these things, she could not stop her own heart from going out to him. His statement had a deeper root. She would be an idiot to think that it was just about them. She had reason to think that his familial relationship was behind his robed resentment.
"That's a pathetic idea and you know it." She huffed, looking at him exasperatedly.
It was pathetic, and she was right. Noctis bit the inside of his cheek.
"You don't have to tell me. I know it's stupid." He acknowledged. "Yet more reason for you to call it off." He remarked bitterly, glaring at the thick roots of the dead tree that poked out through the fluffy snow.
"Do you want to call it off?" She asked carefully, watching the expressions on his suddenly stern face.
"No." He sighed. His gaze softened when he fixed them on her. "But I know you want to. Someone like you doesn't belong with someone like me."
She met his gaze with her own, trying to read the hidden thoughts lodged into his mind. "You think I deserve someone better?"
Noctis shook his head slowly. "I can't tell you what you deserve and what you don't. Only you would know the answer to something like that."
He was right, but there was another issue between them that was in need of tackling.
"You know I hate harmful compromises." Stella told him, fixing him with a stern gaze. She knew she didn't need to clarify her statement. He was smart enough to know what she was talking about.
"Do you even know what you're doing?" She asked him when he didn't say anything in response to her first remark.
She watched him carefully as he fixed his eyes on something else, deliberately wanting to avoid her inquiry.
She sighed deeply. "You can't even answer me."
That seemed to jerk him off of his current musings, because his head snapped around so he could look at her again.
"It's not like I have a choice." He growled underneath his breath, already hating himself for being so complicated and contradictory.
"Yes you do." Stella insisted in a gentle voice as she stepped closer to him and stared up at his handsome face. "You're just too wary of the consequences of whatever you choose. It's a risk you are not willing to take."
Noctis exhaled loudly before he boldly leaned his forehead against hers. The warmth of her presence even if they weren't really touching was so palpable. He knew she was leaving after graduation, and he knew she wouldn't want him to follow. He would miss this. His eyes closed out of their own accord, savoring her presence if this was going to be their last.
"If it means being with you, then I can take the risks." He whispered, and she closed her eyes briefly as a pleasant shudder tingled through her entire body when his hot breath fanned against her lips.
"I'm not talking about us. I'm talking about you." She brought her hands up and cupped his cheeks, brushing the cool skin beneath her fingers. "Noctis, do you even know who you really are?" She asked carefully.
The question had triggered him to open his eyes, and in those blue depths she could see the inner turmoil and distress that he was feeling. It explained all the self-deprecating words he had used on himself months ago. Yet again, her heart yearned and reached out for him, longing to chase all the negative images that he had about himself. He was lost, and that was plain as day to her now.
A heartbroken sob tore itself from her throat as she crushed his lips against hers. It only took a second for the shock to ebb away and he was returning the hard kiss. She felt his arms wrap securely around her and pull her closer. Her body was completely meshed against his as they both melted in this kiss. It was a desperate touch; a longing kiss; a silent apology; a secret wish for a hopeful tomorrow.
She knew she ought to be there for him; try and help to sort himself out from the mess he had gotten himself into, but she couldn't and she knew that he knew it too. It wasn't something anybody could help and fix. His contradictory identity could be sorted out by no one but himself. Slowly, she pulled away from the kiss, breathing hard. His nose brushed against hers as he fought to catch his own breath too.
"I love you, Noctis." She whispered against his lips. "But until you figure out the conflict being waged within you, there's nothing more I can do."
He nearly groaned when she pulled away from him, but he had no other choice than to let her. "Why won't you just be with me and help me sort myself out?" He asked in an attempt at a last resort question.
"Do you need me the way I need you?" She asked him, looking him in the eye squarely.
Strangely, he found himself unable to answer that. Instead, he just watched as she turned to walk away.
"My father is waiting for me." She told him over her shoulder before she took a step to walk.
He had the overwhelming urge to grab her hand and pull her close, but he pressed that need down.
"Stella, this is not goodbye." He told her instead.
She paused, and threw a kind smile at him over her shoulder. "Of course it isn't."
Noctis watched as she walked away from him; back the way they had come. She had been right... He really did not know himself anymore. She wasn't calling their relationship off because she didn't love him anymore—his kiss-swollen lips testified against that; she had called it off because she had discerned his own inability to identify himself.
Do you need me the way I need you?
Did he really need her because he loved her, or did he only need her because he wanted someone else to puzzle him out? Because he was too conflicted to try and even do it himself, he wanted someone else to work out the chinks and cogs of who he wanted to be. Yet again, she was right. Only he could figure himself out, and only he could make up his mind and truly decide who he wanted to be in the end.
He would get her back because even if life was incredibly unfair, he was stronger and he would fight dirty if he had to just to get her back.. It was a long road yet, but he would get there eventually.
His vibrating cellular phone shook him out of his thoughts and he absentmindedly reached for it tucked away in the recesses of his coat.
"Noct, we have new developments. You need to come here quick." Ignis sounded excited over the line, and that made him smirk.
"I'll be there. Just keep your pants on." He chuckled.
"I'm not stripping them down if that's what you're wondering..." Came the dry reply.
Noctis rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'm on my way now."
Of course, there were other matters to take care of first at the moment...
vVvVv
The Regalia approached the tall wrought iron gates crawling with ivy vines for gothic effects. The driver's side window rolled down to reveal Noctis' face as he waited for the scanner to recognize him and permit him entry. When the gates did swing open, Noctis wasn't really surprised to find that his own house was lavishly decorated for the holidays. His mother had the decorators on schedule, so even if his parents weren't home, the decorators always arrived to prep the entire manor up.
Twinkling Christmas lights were wrapped around the tree trunks and strewn over the blank snow encrusted bushes. The freezing fountain didn't escape the decor as well. As festive as the entire house was, the owner was feeling anything but.
Noctis slammed his car door closed as he got out of it, his earlier conversation with Stella still weighing heavily upon his mind. It occupied his thoughts even as he entered through the front doors, allowing them to close behind him with a loud bang. He huffed at the sight of the grand foyer. It looked a tad too happy; happy yet still incredibly lonely. It was three in the afternoon, and the servants would have vacated the premises by now. That could only mean that he was alone in his titanic house all over again. Sometimes, he even wondered how he could possibly stand it. He received a call from his father a few hours ago, informing him of his and his mother's return before New Year's eve—on the twenty-ninth day of December to be exact. Not like it really mattered.
Noctis' eyes roamed over the ten-foot tall fake evergreen tree situated in the middle of the receiving hall. He eyed it skeptically, taking silent note of the motif that it housed this year. Last year, the colors around the house during the holidays had been a fiery red and gold. Now, his mother had settled for blue and silver. His mom and her flare for interior designing. Various sizes of shiny and glittery blue baubles were strung on the tree's delicate branches. There were small silver bells scattered about at intervals too. Blue and white lights wrapped around the entire tree blinked merrily, and of course, there was the classic silver star sitting at the very peak. Typical as it was. The banisters were strung with the same twinkling lights as well, but with the added touch of streamers and boas of the same color motif.
Noctis bit his lip as he made his way to the grand staircase branching out from the right. If unfortunate circumstances hadn't occurred, this would have been his and Stella's first holiday celebration together. She would have been here right now. They would have been having Christmas dinner and she would tease him about how he could not cook. He would have taken her to his room and they would just spend the rest of the evening enjoying each other's company. That could have been his best holiday celebration yet, but crisis happens, and they were unavoidable.
His last conversation with her at the cemetery wasn't goodbye. It had not been a literal statement, and she had latched on to his meaning and agreed with a smile on her face. That left a spark of hope burning in his heart. At least she didn't close it off for good; other women would have. It was yet another reason why he loved her so much; loved her too much that it made him hesitant to tell her. He had been inwardly ecstatic when she told him she loved him, and his mind had cried out a response—a response which he had not voiced. He didn't tell her because he was worried that it wasn't the right kind of love to give to a woman as wonderful as her. The only love he had to offer was destructive.
Perhaps it had been a reasonable idea for them to sort things out on their individual lives for the mean time. It had been reasonable and he had agreed for the better, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Even now, he was far too antsy and he wanted to rush over to her place and just be with her. And he hated himself for that. What kind of man was he to force himself into a woman's life when she so clearly needed some space? He needed a breather too, but he didn't want it.
"Loki, why do I have to be so complicated?" He asked the dog once he was right in front of the door that led to his room. Loki just so happened to be there at the moment, lazing around.
The canine looked up at him with curious eyes and it tilted its head at him as if in question.
Noctis shook his head. "I shouldn't worry you when you've got enough on your plate."
He huffed and opened the door to his room so he could enter. Loki trotted in after him, happily swishing his fluffy tail as he followed his master. It had been a while since Noctis was home, so the dog must have been wondering where all the people who had occupied the manor had gone. Loki laid down on the foot of the bed just as Noctis flopped on it wordlessly, and closed his eyes. A nap wouldn't hurt...
vVvVv
Loki was barking... That was probably because his phone was ringing. Noctis grumbled unhappily as he reached for the blasted device lying idly next to him, buried in the bed sheets. How could he have forgotten to put the damned thing on silent mode so he could sleep? He didn't bother checking the caller ID before he pressed the answer button and slapped the phone to his ear.
"Nooocccttt!" The person on the other line screeched. The high pitch made him cringe.
"What?!" He snarled.
"Uh-oh. Am I interrupting something?" Prompto asked worriedly.
"Yes you are." Noctis seethed through gritted teeth.
"I don't normally do this, but I'll make an exception since it's important. Call me when you're done messing around in bed." Prompto snickered and was about to hang up, but not before Noctis' groggy mind had clicked on to his friend's assumption.
"What?! No!" Noctis sat straight up, throwing off the warm blanket wrapped around him in seconds. "I was sleeping." He explained, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Sleeping with who?" Prompto sounded puzzled and amused at the same time.
"Nobody. I was napping." Noctis replied bluntly, leaving no room for innuendos.
"You lazy ass." Prompto accused. "I'm freezing my butt outside your front door."
Noctis rolled his eyes, but moved to get up anyway. He didn't exactly want one of his friends to turn into big blocks of ice. Noctis descended the stairs, Loki close at his heels, the phone still held to his ear.
"You just got here?"
"Three minutes ago I guess..."
Noctis huffed and hung up as he unlatched the bolts that held one of the front doors closed. The door opened, allowing a drafty winter air to enter. Prompto stood on the threshold wearing the most ridiculous attire he had ever seen him don. Noctis did not know if that was meant as a joke or if his best friend was being serious. Prompto wasn't looking at him though; didn't even acknowledge him.
"Loki!" The blonde screeched, pushing past Noctis as he barreled straight for the dog who was barking happily at the sight of the familiar person on the other side of the door. "Did you miss me, buddy?" Prompto cooed, ruffling the dog's fur as he buried his face in the animal's glistening coat.
Loki responded with a happy bark before the dog dragged his wet tongue several times across Prompto's cheek.
"Ick..." Prompto grumbled, wiping the slobber off as he playfully poked Loki's cute black nose.
In the entire duration of Prompto's reunion with Loki, Noctis just stood there after he had closed the door, both exasperated and amused at the blonde's show of affection for his pet.
"Hello to you too." Noctis grumbled under his breath, folding his arms across his chest as he arched an eyebrow at Prompto when he had gotten the other man's attention.
Prompto got to his feet to, at last, acknowledge the other human's presence in the grand foyer. The blonde hefted a knapsack over his shoulder, and Noctis eyed it suspiciously when his friend began digging around for something.
"What are you wearing?" Noctis asked, eyeing the blonde's state of dress. A ridiculous red button-up shirt that was a few sizes too big with white fur trimmings at the hems, matching red pajama bottoms that was probably large in size, and a pair of shiny black eighteenth-century shoes. Honestly, what had Prompto been smoking before he got here? Oh, and how could he have neglected to take notice of the Santa hat placed askew on Prompto's blonde head?
The eye twitch that followed couldn't be helped.
"You trekked through town wearing that?" Noctis asked with wide eyes.
Prompto rolled his eyes, exclaiming loudly when his fingers wrapped around the very thing that he had been searching for since Noctis decided to gawk at him.
"Don't be ridiculous, Noct. I'm not that crazy. I brought my car." Prompto grinned before effectively sliding the reindeer antlers onto Noctis' dark head of black spikes. The latter was still too shocked to react or say anything, much less rip off the ridiculous contraption now resting on his own head.
"Merry Christmas, Noct!" The blonde grinned.
Prompto turned to Loki and knelt down to attach a collar lined with tiny bells around the canine's neck. After that, he also placed a small green elf hat on top of the dog's head, securing it with straps that linked just below the dog's muzzle.
"Prompto, what the f*** are you doing?" Noctis asked exasperatedly as he reached up to remove the ridiculous antlers from his own head. Loki seemed appreciative of the decorum now attached to him though.
It had to be at that moment when the door opened to reveal Ignis carrying a bag of groceries. Noctis groaned inwardly and caught the arched eyebrow that his bespectacled friend sent their way—particularly at Prompto who was digging for something notorious in his bag again.
"And what in the name of Etro have you two been doing?" Ignis asked, shifting the groceries so they wouldn't drop to the floor. He had arrived just in time to see Noctis removing the reindeer antlers from his head.
"Our cook's here!" Prompto cheered. "Hey Iggy!" He greeted and took advantage of the fact that the brunette's arms were currently busy. The blond cheerily placed a green elf hat on Ignis' head.
"What are you wearing?" Ignis asked, quite mortified at the sight of Prompto's get-up. It was a poor imitation of the man known to kids as Santa Claus.
Noctis smirked. He had asked the same thing using the exact same words just a few minutes ago.
"It's called being festive, you lot of sour apples." Prompto grumbled, rolling his eyes as he folded his arms across his chest. "So what'd you get, Iggs?" The blonde asked curiously, bounding over to the bag that the brunette carried.
Noctis shook his head. Prompto was more energetic than usual. That was saying something considering all the events that they had gone through for the past few days. Perhaps he was just trying to lighten the mood. That was what they all liked about him after all. He was the comedian in the group.
"Ingredients for the meal preparations later." Ignis replied simply, waving the energetic blonde off as he made his way for the kitchen.
"Fourth shelf on the fridge is empty!" Noctis called out after the man before turning to look at Loki. The poor thing was confusing himself with every movement that he made because the tiny silver bells would not stop tinkling. He sighed. "Prompto, get the bell off of my dog before you drive him nuts."
"But it's cute!" Prompto whined, pausing in the middle of digging out Christmas presents from the knapsack.
"Loki's on the verge of insanity!" Noctis argued and they both turned to see the dog scratching at the bottom of his neck rapidly, causing the small adornment to tinkle some more.
"Oh all right." Prompto relented, unstrapping the bell collar from around the animal's neck. Loki zipped off into the direction of the kitchen; probably going to beg Ignis to feed him.
The door opened again and Gladiolus entered the foyer. He opened his mouth to say something when Prompto's outfit caught his attention too.
"Prompto, what have you been smoking?" Gladio asked, his eye twitching at the sight of their friend in his holiday costume.
"Noct's cigarettes, now that you've mentioned it!" Prompto replied cheerfully. They all knew he was joking, and it triggered another eye roll from Noctis.
The blonde bounded over to the tallest man in their group and tried to get a ridiculous elf hat on him like what he had done with poor Ignis and Noctis, but Gladio held him off easily.
"Aw c'mon, you killjoy!" Prompto whined. "Just put the damn hat on. Santa needs elves." The blonde reasoned, as if that was what people cared about most in their daily lives.
Gladiolus growled lowly. "There are plenty in the Fociaugh Cavern. Go get them there." He flipped his hand nonchalantly at Prompto.
"Those are goblins, and they're gross!" Prompto shrieked. "Come on, Gladio. Noct's Rudolph, and Ignis is already an elf."
Noctis chuckled, leaving the two to argue. "I don't have a bulging red nose, Prompto."
Ignis, as predicted, was in the kitchen sorting ingredients out on the refrigerator.
"You okay, Specky?" Noctis asked jokingly upon entry to the kitchen.
"I'm fine." Ignis smirked. "Though I'm the one who should be asking if you're healing all right?" The brunette mused.
Noctis clucked his tongue as he made his way over to the fridge to grab a drink. "Never been better." He replied, though the burn on his lower back still ached for the most part, but he always tried to ignore it.
"Dinner tonight?" Prompto inquired, reappearing on the threshold to the kitchen, Gladio right behind him. "What are we thinking?"
"Meh... Something edible I guess." Noctis replied nonchalantly as he sat atop a bar stool, sipping on some canned root beer.
Prompto rolled his eyes, and went over to Ignis to see what kind of food was being stocked in the fridge. "Really? You guess?"
Noctis responded to that with a laugh as Gladio took the seat next to him, sipping on his own drink as well.
"Seriously though, what are we having?" Prompto asked curiously, folding his arms across his chest, the white fluff ball tip of the hat falling into his eyes.
Gladiolus shrugged. "Chef's choice."
Noctis watched as the banter continued after Prompto made another joking remark that had Gladiolus reacting out of whack than usual. His friends were closer to him than his own family—namely his parents. They had been around when he needed another human being, and they had helped each other through all the trouble they had gone through growing up. Ignis and Gladiolus, in particular, were the kind of older brothers he could ask for. Ignis was always quick to offer reasonable advice, and when Noctis had been younger, Gladio had been there to help fend the bullies off. Prompto, though Noctis would never admit it or say it out loud, was his partner in crime. His elementary and high school days had been full of mischief and mayhem when he had met the blonde.
Blood didn't make a family; close relationships did. These men were his brothers. The entire mess that they had gotten themselves into these past few months had to have been one of the toughest tests to their patience and teamwork. It had been a mess that was mainly his and Prompto's fault. The other two could have yelled at them and chastised them, but they didn't.
A huge part of himself was currently despairing over his relationship status with Stella, and though the hurt was tangibly present, he found it easier to forget with his friends around. Being around them brought a different sense of calm and a mellow mood that he was grateful for. He often thought he would spend the rest of his life with them if he had not met Stella. It would be amusing to live under one roof with these three.
In fact, this was a gathering that had been prompted in a hurry. Ignis was surprisingly free for the duration of the holidays. Gladiolus was on leave from his duties at the agency he worked for. Prompto didn't have any scheduled dates. And Noctis was having complicated relationship problems. After realizing that none of them had nothing better to do for Christmas eve, they had immediately agreed over the phone to meet up at his house and do some stuff that would hopefully kill their boredom. It was already a given that Ignis would be their cook, so they didn't have to worry about the food. It was really nothing special, so of course, all three of them had gaped at Prompto when he showed up in his version of the celebration's festive attire.
"Say, Noct." Prompto cut off his thoughts. "You don't have any mistletoe hanging around in the house, right?"
Noctis chuckled. How could he have forgotten about that? "Just check whenever you're standing on a spot."
Prompto frowned. "That doesn't sound very reassuring."
"I never meant for it too." Noctis replied, finishing his drink before chucking into a nearby bin.
The tin can clattered noisily inside and Loki, who had been lounging on the floor, snapped his head up to alert at the sound.
"Let's hit it." Noctis piped up, getting to his feet.
vVvVv
"No fair! You cheated!" Prompto accused the older man as he tackled him to the carpeted floor of the den.
The Santa hat perched on Prompto blonde head slid off and crumpled to the floor. He was the only one wearing a hat now. Ignis had taken his off back in the kitchen before the four of them left for the den to play some good video games just to kill the boredom.
"Rules are rules." Ignis declared. "It is my turn." The brunette grinned, snatching the controller from Prompto's grasp before sitting in front of the plasma screen TV to take his turn against Gladio.
"You just suck." Gladiolus retorted at Prompto, pushing the blonde off before grabbing him into a headlock.
"Get over it. It's just a game." Noctis rolled his eyes, shaking a bottle of soda in one hand.
"Easy for you to say! You're not the one who got cheated!" Prompto yelped, huffing once Gladiolus released him from the grapple.
"It's not even my turn yet." Noctis pointed out.
"So what's your point?" Prompto asked as they both trained their eyes to the screen where Ignis was battling it out with Gladio.
"I'm acting my age and you're not." Noctis shrugged before cringing when Gladiolus' character sustained a painful hit.
Prompto rolled his eyes as he crossed his legs on the floor. "Dang, why so quiet you two?" He asked the men behind the gaming controllers.
"Calculating." Gladio replied simply, pressing buttons.
"Concentrating." Ignis pointed out, his own eyes never leaving the screen.
"You're takin' this way too seriously." Prompto chuckled before hopping to his feet. "Left, Iggy!" He screeched, just when the battle was drawing to a close. He was trying to tell Ignis how to dodge the combo attacks Gladio was inflicting on his avatar. "No, my left!"
"Aw yeah!" Gladio cried, pumping a fist in the air in triumph when his avatar was declared the winner.
"What part of 'my left' don't you understand?" Prompto gaped, smacking the back of Ignis' shoulder.
The brunette just shrugged. He didn't really care if he won or lose. It was just a video game, after all. He promptly handed the controller over to Noctis as they switched places. Ignis claimed the couch and Noctis took his place on the floor.
"How much are you going to pay me if I kick Gladio's ass?" Noctis asked with a smirk as he moved the right stick around, trying to decide which character he was going to use.
"Fifty Gil good enough for you?" Ignis snickered, taking a sip from his own bottle of soda.
Noctis shrugged nonchalantly, finally choosing a character to control. "I guess. How much are you giving me, Prompto?"
"Twenty." Came the reply.
"And if I kick yours?" Gladiolus asked his opponent with an arched eyebrow and an evil twinkle in his eye.
"Then give me an order." Noctis shrugged. It probably wasn't a good idea, but it was just for fun, and there was no way he was going to lose, right?
Five minutes later...
"You were saying about getting paid?" Prompto snickered, hugging a fluffy cushion as Noctis planted his face on the carpet.
"So much for that fifty Gil." Ignis chuckled dryly.
"It's called 'getting owned,' Noct." Gladiolus remarked, patting Noctis' back as he laughed.
"I hate you guys." Noctis muttered, voice slightly muffled by the carpet he was burying himself in.
"We hate you too." Ignis replied, an amused smirk on each of the men's faces.
"Now get up and sing for us." Gladiolus snickered, waving the controller in the air when Noctis looked up immediately and glared.
"You have got to be joking." Noctis huffed. He hated singing. He wasn't much of a singer. He sucked at it, and he knew it. His friends just wanted a good laugh, and though he really did not mind that they would hear him yowling, it was still pretty embarrassing.
"C'mon, Noct." Prompto encouraged. "You should hold up your end of the bargain."
"Like you would have held up yours had it been me who won the match?" Noctis retorted, glaring at the television screen that still displayed the name of Gladiolus' character as the winner.
"Of course we would." Ignis nodded. "I would have made sure of it."
"Fine, I believe you." Noctis conceded.
"Take it away, Noct!" Gladiolus clapped.
"Ugh—" Noctis looked at each of them in turn before crossing his legs on the floor and taking an exaggerated deep breath. "Aren't you going to prepare the meal yet?" He asked Ignis innocently.
"Stop stalling." The brunette cocked an eyebrow.
"Mph." Noctis bit his lip. "Twinkle twinkle little star~"
vVvVv
There were no Christmas decorations adorning the house tonight. She wasn't even in the mood to celebrate the holiday. No one would be if they had just suffered through the death of a family member. It was hard to get in the spirit of the festivities when everything around you just seemed so gloomy and your own mind was busy trying to get over the recent changes in your life.
After the funeral, Stella and her father had gone home. The silence during the car ride had only been broken momentarily by a short conversation, and then it was back to being quiet. None of them were in the mood to talk anyway. When they had arrived home, Stella immediately made herself scarce by going straight to her room just to be alone and sort out her thoughts. And since she hated lying around and doing nothing, she immersed herself in their video documentation that had been momentarily forgotten about during her abduction.
She had reviewed the footage for hours now and after editing parts of the video, she had gone over it thrice just checking it for errors. When she finally had run out of things to do to it, she picked up her other college materials and studied them instead for the final exams that were going to take place after the holiday vacation.
It was nice to try and convince yourself that your world was normal and nothing terrible was happening, if only for a little while. Eventually though, she could not escape the void that reality has thrown her into. The excruciating memories rose to the forefront of her mind inevitably, and soon she found herself thinking too hardly on most of it.
She still could not believe that one of her captors had attempted to rape her. The word was an ugly one, but it was the only word she could think of that would accurately describe the violation done to her. Sexual harassment paled in comparison to it. So, yes, it had been an attempted rape. If it weren't for the self-defense skills that she had been forced to learn when she was a child and in her late teens, she would have been a fully traumatized person by now. The experience was disturbing, but she was thankful that it didn't plant itself on her brain so deeply that she could not easily escape it.
Danger never scared her before and she had already come to terms with the fact that she will be facing it everyday of her life because of her own father's occupation. She didn't blame him. She adored her father for it; for his courage to try and set things right. Getting nerve-wrecked was unavoidable at times, but fear really had no room in her thoughts, because she knew that she would always have to do what she needed to do.
Moreover, the latest conversation with Noctis weighed heavily upon her mind. Though they had both agreed that it was not goodbye, she knew there was another unspoken agreement between them. They both needed to cool off and regain some space so they could sort out themselves—him most of all. She had seen the conflict that had become plain in his beautiful blue eyes, and though she still loved him, she knew she had to give him time—whether he wanted that or not. He needed it, and she hoped he would see that—for his own good. She didn't approve of the fact that he was technically a criminal too. It was wrong, and she knew that he knew it. She had seen the self-loathing in his eyes numerous times before. And if she had not known before, she knew now.
His involvement in the Mafia had been the reason for it. If he hated it so much, then he should just quit and pull away. She didn't know why he was so wary of leaving the organization behind. She had wanted to ask, but thought better of it and decided that her other questions were reserved for another time. If nothing had gone wrong between them, she knew she would be spending Christmas eve with him. It was supposed to be their first holiday celebration together. They would just probably end up doing all the cliched stuff, but it didn't matter because she would spend it with him, and she would not mind at all. They would probably have had dinner, and then sleep-in late after doing whatever they wanted to do afterwards.
But alas, circumstances brought them here. In the back of her mind, she wondered what Alisha was doing. She knew for definite that her best friend had temporarily left the city to return home and celebrate the rest of her holiday vacation with her family. And though she needed some company right now, she could not bring herself to be so selfish and ask her best friend to stay with her when she knew how much the girl missed her own family. Stella only took to comforting herself with the thought that Ali would be back a day or two before classes would resume. They could add the finishing touches to their project then.
Frankly, it was quite hard to believe that one measly school project had been one of the reasons for her currently chaotic situation and the ruination of her love life, but she figured that was part of growing up. She would recover from this, and eventually, be herself again.
vVvVv
Torturing information out of suspects was always considered the best key in interrogation. It was simply the norm and almost everybody involved in interrogating inflicted as much pain so that the suspect would break. It was so widely used that it had become the universal standard operating procedure. Some people—namely criminals, secret agents, and other people involved with the authorities—had even developed their own resiliency to repel the torture that they would have to endure when they were under captivity. It was so widely practiced that people seemed to have forgotten the other methods that could be used for extracting answers from a suspect.
Noctis and his friends knew that. The man they had managed to capture and keep alive had been the type of person who was resilient to pain. He was a Mafia soldier working under Prompto's regime. The man did not deny his involvement in the mutiny, and after inflicting as much pain as possible to drive the man over the edge, he and his friends had given up the method when it was proving to be fruitless. The man was a well-trained Mafia soldier, and no amount of pain infliction would make him break.
Noctis still could not help but wince internally at the thought of them giving in to their last resort...
"The guy's not going to break." Prompto shook his head in dismay. "Training under my jurisdiction's pretty tough." The blonde declared proudly.
All three of them rolled their eyes at the pride evident in Prompto's voice. After dropping Alisha and Stella off at the Police Department, the four of them did not pause to rest or take a well-deserved breath. The danger had not been exterminated, and when their hostage had regained consciousness, four them had taken turns conducting the interrogation. But the man did not break under the stereotype methods.
"Every training in every jurisdiction is tough." Gladiolus pointed out, smirking.
"Way to go me." Prompto grinned.
"As much as I hate to resort to these types of matters, he really does not leave us a choice." Ignis pointed out, looking at each of them in turn as they sat on the fluffy couches.
Noctis cocked an eyebrow. "So you're suggesting..." He trailed off, already catching on to what Ignis was implying.
"We need a call girl." Ignis finished, nodding once in confirmation.
Gladio and Prompto chuckled.
"We're going to need an expensive one." The burly man pointed out, folding his arms across his chest as he laid back on the couch rest.
Prompto folded his arms across his chest, knowing full well what his friends met. If their hostage would not break under pain, then he would have to break under pleasure.
"But will it actually work?" Prompto asked a little skeptically.
"It will if we do things correctly." Noctis agreed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "If he won't talk because he's in too much pain, then we can be sure that he would blurt things out when he's being pleasured."
"So where do we get one? It's not like any of us has a clue. Picking them up is not our style. Have any connections?" Prompto rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Noctis exhaled through his nose. The blonde was right. None of them actually indulged in sleeping with strippers. None of them liked the idea of gaining sexually transmitted diseases from sleeping with women who had been with a whole lot of men. The thought alone was utterly revolting. Noctis himself was proud to admit that 'the deed' rarely crossed his mind; it only made itself known when he had made love to Stella. But that was a more personal matter. None of his friends knew, and he intended to keep it that way.
"I feel like a dirty old letch already." Noctis huffed. "My father knows a man who secretly owns an agency that hires women for the dirty deeds."
"Didn't know your old man was into that stuff." Prompto snorted.
"Have no idea if he is, and I don't really care." Noctis shrugged, already scanning through his list of contacts on his phone as he tried to find the man's name and contact number.
"You have his number?" Gladio asked with an arched eyebrow.
"The agency's number." Noctis corrected. "My father thinks it is a productive idea that I have his business comrades' contact info." He snorted before pressing the dial button after finding the right name and number.
The phone rang and rang on the other line, and Noctis waited when the receptionist picked up and said the usual script. Noctis put his phone on loud speaker so his friends could hear the conversation.
"Good morning, you have reached A-List's Girls, how may I help you?"
The three of them gave each other mirroring looks before Noctis spoke.
"May I speak with the company president?" Noctis began, tapping his fingers against the padded armrest on the sofa he was sitting on.
"I deeply apologize, sir, but Mister Adams does not conduct business one-on-one with regular clients." The receptionist sounded regretful, and Noctis smirked at the three other knowing looks sent his way.
Prompto was biting his lips as he struggled to keep a guffaw from ripping out. Gladiolus turned away and muffled the cough that escaped his throat. Ignis was barely suppressing an amused smile.
"But I wanted to make a request." Noctis insisted, making his voice sound a little whiny.
They could all practically picture the woman behind the desk sporting a confused scowl on her face.
"May I have your name, sir?" She asked.
"It's Noctis..."
His friends cocked curious eyebrows at him, and he gave them a look that said 'what?' before he shrugged.
"Noctis—?" She trailed off, indicating that she wanted his last name.
Noctis sighed exasperatedly. "Caelum."
"Noctis Caelum?" The woman on the other line sounded even more confused, and all of them rolled their eyes at the tone of her voice. "Forgive me for prying, but are you by any chance related to Mister Regis Caelum?"
Noctis sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "He's my father." He answered simply.
"So this is his—" She trailed off again.
"It's his son." Noctis finished for her yet again. Good gracious, this conversation was just getting more awkward. What was it with this woman and prying?
"Ah..." She made an enlightened sound. "I suppose Mister Adams would make time. Do you mind if I put you on hold for a few moments?"
"Not at all..."
There was silence as they all assumed the woman had left to inform her boss of the urgent call being made. Noctis sincerely wanted her to hurry up. It wasn't as if this was at the top of their agenda, and they didn't have all day. Time was luxury that they currently could not afford. In the first place, they would not be contacting the damnable agency if it wasn't an absolute necessity to the situation.
None of them said a word as they waited, though Prompto did snicker. Clearly, the woman's ignorance had been amusing.
"How may I help you? Bryce Adams speaking." A man's voice purred on the other line. It sent unpleasant shivers on their spines—on Noctis most of all, but he tried to ignore it.
Well, no use beating around a bush.
"Yeah, this is Noctis Caelum and I need a woman." Noctis felt his face reddening in his embarrassment. He had to be convincing, or this guy won't buy it.
His friends certainly thought it was a piece of entertainment, and he sent them death glares that were merely shrugged off. Prompto was making cheering gestures as he pumped his fist repeatedly in midair, his mouth forming silent words of a mock cheer. Gladiolus was smiling uncontrollably, and Ignis had an eyebrow arched at him.
"You're not a minor, are you?" Adams asked a little skeptically, but all of them could sense the amusement lying beneath his tone.
Noctis coughed into a fist. "I'm nineteen."
"Bed's getting too cold?" The man on the other line teased.
With how red he was becoming, Noctis was sure his face was already comparable to a tomato. His friends burst out into muffled coughs, trying to stifle the laughter that threatened to spew out. Prompto was having the most trouble. The blonde clutched at his sides, nearly doubling over as he kept a hand firmly on top of his mouth.
"Uh...yeah?" Noctis bit the inside of his cheek before he rubbed the back of his neck in slight frustration. "I'm new and I'm quite picky so that's why I asked to talk to you."
Noctis watched as Prompto's eyes got bigger. Gladiolus was really snickering now, and Ignis was writing something down on a piece of paper. When Noctis gave him an inquiring look, he handed the paper over to him when he had finished. Noctis glanced at the list. This was quite a specification, and he was sure Adams would have a hard time finding the woman they would need.
"My dear old friend Regis and his perks." Adams sighed. "Your specifications, Noctis?"
Noctis glanced at the list that Ignis had made, held in one hand. He cocked an eyebrow. Boy, did he feel like a dirty old letch now. "I want an eighteen-year old, fresh and new. Physically and mentally healthy. Preferably someone who knows what she's doing."
"We currently have new ones. Fresh employees primped and pruned just yesterday. Anything else?"
"I want someone reasonable and sensible. I want..." Noctis glanced at the specification that was written down and completely reworded it. "An intelligent submissive—the kind of girl that knows how and when to bend."
"I suppose we have one among the ten." Adams mused. "Quite the dominant animal in bed, aren't you?"
All the dirty talk was making him incredibly self conscious. Now all Noctis wanted to do was hang up and forget about the plan entirely. This was a direct invasion of his private life. He quietly wondered what Stella would think of him when she heard him speaking this way right now. How awkward would that be? Having his friends around while he did this was embarrassing enough. He knew that they would make sure he would never live this moment down. Prompto, in particular, would make up canny taunts and teases for him all week. Oh, the humiliation.
Noctis choked a little as he tried to ignore the snickers that were gradually growing louder. Ignis would tell the two to shut up eventually. "Mhmmm... I want a curvaceous blonde." He paused for effect. "You do have a blonde among the new ones, don't you?"
"Of course. What else?"
The man was writing a list. He was sure of that. "Busty chest, tiny waist. Has long smooth legs and deep seductive eyes." Noctis lowered his tone by an octave. "I want someone self-assured and who is good at seducing."
"I must say you have good taste." Adams complimented him in approval. "Need them tonight?"
Noctis shook his head even though the man could not see. "I need her by noon."
Noctis could swear that the man on the other line muttered something under his breath about hormonal teenagers and how randy they were, but instead of snapping at the poor fellow, Noctis decided to brush it off for the time being.
"I'll drop by the agency just before lunch to pick her up."
When Adams made a sound of agreement, Noctis promptly hung up and squeezed his eyes shut in frustration. That conversation had been humiliating. Almost instantly, his ears were filled with the cackles of his friends as they finally laughed until their hearts were content. Noctis opened his eyes to see that Prompto was half sprawled across the arm chair, laughing like a hyena as tears crawled out of his eyes. Gladiolus roared in boisterous laughter, slapping his thigh heartily. Ignis contented himself with chuckling in amusement; always the most controlled.
"I am never doing that again!" Noctis growled.
"Man, you sounded really convincing. Low voice and all." Prompto waggled his eyebrows at Noctis, teasingly snickering when the dark-haired man glared at the blonde.
"I'll stop. That was it..."
"Just before lunch?" Ignis interrupted, cocking an eyebrow at Noctis.
"Give them a couple of minutes to prepare and scour. We want the one that matches the specifications if we want our hostage to break. She has to be disarming and wild at the same time." Noctis explained, waving a hand at them flippantly.
"And how would you know?" Prompto teased, sitting properly now that he was in better control of himself.
"Maybe he's done it before." Gladiolus added, conspiratorially loudly whispering so Noctis could hear and would react.
"It's really none of your business." Noctis rolled his eyes.
"You're not denying anything either." Prompto argued smugly and noted the redness that crept back around Noctis' ears.
Noctis blinked a couple of times, trying to dispel the images that were rushing into his mind. That one night with Stella was certainly memorable, and he often thought of that, frustrated beyond measure and antsy when they would ever be together at that kind of level again.
"I'd rather not hear this conversation now." Ignis muttered dryly as Prompto and Gladio obeyed and shut up.
Etro, thank Ignis. Noctis swore he had owed the older man so many things already.
And as agreed over the phone, Noctis found himself driving to the agency a half hour before noon. They needed to have the woman so she could start interrogating their hostage. The sooner the better.
The french doors that led to the lobby of the housing building for the high-end call girls was lavish. It looked like some wealth sorority's dormitory or something close to that. He was just glad that it wasn't a rundown place. If it were, he would have every right to question if the women were free of STDs.
Composing himself for the demeanor that he needed, Noctis entered the lobby. It was, unexpectedly, filled with women, all looking at him longingly. He tried his best to ignore the pairs of eyes that followed his movements. It was not like he was ignorant of his own looks. Noctis knew that his face was quite popular with the opposite sex. And though his ego was mildly boosted, he refrained from making such a big show out of it. He didn't really care anymore; not when a girl already had his heart.
Noctis coolly approached the reception desk. He flashed a dazzling smile at the girl sitting behind the desk when he caught her eye. A slight blush crept up her cheeks, and he took that to his advantage. Just a little bit more of hiding, and he would be done with this.
"Is Mister Adams around?" He asked casually, leaning an elbow on the desk that partially hid her from view if she was sitting on her swiveling seat.
"I believe he's expecting you." She replied with a smile.
One of the doors that led to the main lobby opened with a flourish and a man came out of it, three blonde women trailing behind him with smug and arrogant looks on their faces. Almost immediately, Noctis could hear the mutters and the whispers rise in volume and circulate around the room as the women chatted amongst themselves. He caught snippets of snide comments here and there, but didn't really pay close attention. Something about how the new ones were always on demand.
"You are Noctis Lucis Caelum, I believe?" Adams asked, arching a well-plucked eyebrow.
"The one and only." He replied, forcing as much arrogance into his voice as he could muster.
"I have found three that fit your standards." Adams remarked, smirking as he gestured to the three voluptuous women behind him, staring at Noctis with something that could only be described as extreme want.
Noctis suppressed the urge to make a disgusted face as one of the women eyed him as if he were a piece of meat. Things should be the other way around, but he didn't bother trying to force a smoldering look into his own eyes.
"You should take your pick." Adams nodded at Noctis. "One of you ladies are in luck." The man's lips curled into a smile.
"Mm..." The woman who had eyed Noctis wantonly purred. "It's not everyday we get to have a customer as hot as this." She bit her lip, attempting for seductive, that didn't really work on Noctis. If anything, it was a total repellent.
From left to right, Adams gestured to each of the women. "Ashlee, Scarlett, or JC?"
JC had been the one making lusty assumptions. She was good, but too good. She would only end up totally whoring herself out to their hostage. He needed a right and decent combination. That left Ashlee and Scarlett. He gave each of them assessing stares. Ashlee looked a tad bit too timid. Scarlett stood with her chin up, very haughty. JC was already on his blacklist. Scarlett would have to do.
"That one." He pointed at Scarlett whose lips curled into a seductive smile at his choice.
"Off you go, Scarlett..." Adams shooed her away. The women all gave the blonde snide looks.
Noctis promptly led her out of the building, trusting her to follow just behind him.
"You just can't wait until evening, can you?" Scarlett cocked an eyebrow as she strapped herself into the passenger seat of Noctis' car—after she had gawked at it appreciatively of course.
"I'm not paying you to do your usual services." He replied, not even bothering to spare her glance as he stared the car engine. "I need your skills for something else."
"Then what for?" Scarlett asked, examining her manicured fingernails as she did so.
"You'll see..."
Scarlett had been a good choice though. She had done as they had instructed her and she was able to execute everything in order. In the end, their hostage did break and revealed the key person behind the mutiny. Scarlett had been paid along with the commission she was entitled to to keep her mouth shut and she had left their premises happily, with a wad of cash fattening the confines of her purse. The rest of them didn't give much thought about her, and nobody mentioned it after it had been done—except of course Prompto who had commented that she did look pretty hot. Ignis had informed him of the pretty developments after he had had his talk with Stella in the cemetery.
"Noct." A hand shook him out of his deep musings. "It's time."
Noctis sighed as he checked the watch hanging on the wall. Time for the cliched gift exchanging. They weren't really one for traditions, but Prompto had insisted they at least do it for once in their entire lives. And since you only live once, maybe the idea wasn't so bad. Not like he wouldn't have gotten his friends some gifts for the holidays.
Sighing in defeat, Noctis reached over and dragged his knapsack stuffed with the wrapped up presents from underneath the couch. Ignis smirked at him and he returned the gesture as he got to his feet and lazily placed the bag over his shoulder as they both headed downstairs. Prompto was waiting under the Christmas tree, intent on fulfilling his ridiculous role as Santa Claus.
"Do you think we'll be in for this every year from now on?" Noctis asked curiously.
"Let's hope not..."
A/N: Ridiculously long chapter. It's the lengthiest one I've ever written yet. xD Hope you don't mind. ;) And talk about a boys' sleepover. xD Can't help but add more in-game lines from Episode Duscae. Noctis calling Ignis 'Specky.' xD I cracked up laughing when I heard it; had tears in my eyes afterwards. Lol.