First posted on AO3.
Some tags to be aware of before reading:
Manipulation, Sibling Incest, Rape/Non-con Elements, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse.
Noctis Lucis Caelum didn't know why he had agreed to this. What he was doing was so very wrong . His father would have been ashamed if he knew just what his son involving himself in.
But there was no choice. Noctis needed to do this. For himself and for his father. So he could take back what was theirs from the hands of their enemies.
That was the reason why Noctis currently lounging in a mansion 'owned' by him. But it was not truly his. It's real owner was one Somnus Lucis Caelum. A man that was seven years his senior but who just so happened to look so very similar to Noctis. Oddly, he even had the same last name as the man currently impersonating him.
Somnus may have been a distant relative but Noctis wasn't sure. He'd never even heard of him before. His father's company, Kings of Lucis was located in a different country from Somnus's Insomnia Lux. Maybe Regis had spoken to him at one point but Noctis wasn't sure on that either. And he couldn't just ask as his father was in no condition to speak.
Regis Lucis Caelum was unconscious and barely clinging to life in a hospital. Without the true CEO, Kings of Lucis had been taken over by their long time rivals.
The Aldercapt family and their company, The Empire, had designs on Kings Of Lucis since its inception. But never had they managed to get the Caelum family to sell it to them or take it from them by underhanded means. Not until now, that is.
Regis had been betrayed from the inside by one of his most trusted friends. Titus Drautos had been secretly under the employ of the Aldercapts. Noctis still couldn't believe it but it was true. Six months after being promoted to COO, Drautos had finally made his move. It must have been he who poisoned Noctis's father. And once the Regis had fallen deathly ill, Titus had taken charge. The man had then basically handed over the company's reins to the Aldercapts after just a week. There was news about a deal and partnerships but that was just a farce. The Aldercapts owned Drautos.
Noctis had known something was very wrong the day his father fell ill. He had received just a single text from his father's friend, Clarus. The simple message just said hide away. And so the young man had, only taking a few things with him. The young Caelum had been rather spooked by the message and though he had tried to message and call both Clarus and his father, no one answered him. It was from the evening news in a hotel room that Noctis had learned what became of his father.
The elder Caelum had been perfectly fine the day before he collapsed in his office. His son was not surprised when news revealed that the CEO had been poisoned. What had been surprising though was how fast Noctis had been pinned for attempting to murder his father and for the successful murder of Clarus.
It had hurt Noctis to learn Clarus was dead. That man had been an uncle in all but blood to him.
'Evidence' had then sprung up that Noctis had coveted his father's wealth and power. That he was willing to kill over it. The son was portrayed in the media as a lazy, selfish 'prince' who wanted everything handed to him. Text messages that he had never sent had been 'leaked' about how Noctis wished his father dead. How he couldn't wait until he had full control of the Caelum wealth. It was also 'revealed' that the poison used on Regis had been bought on Noctis's credit card months prior. 'Witnesses' stated that they saw him leaving the scene where Clarus was found. And even Noctis hiding now was just proof of his guilt.
Drautos confirmed these lies and added more fuel by telling the world even more false information about his friend's son. It was then Noctis knew he was in on whatever happened to his father.
None of what they said was true. Maybe the lazy and selfish parts, but Noctis would never harm his own father. Sure Noctis fought with him at times, especially when he was barely able to see his own son for weeks when swamped with work. But that didn't mean he wanted to hurt him. And Noctis never cared much for his wealth or wanted to be a CEO anyway. His father seemed to understand that and was allowing Noctis to pursue an education in other fields.
The young Caelum understood that his dad did his best to try and be there for him and run a company at the same time. He knew it was hard on him. Noctis too, tried his best to understand but sometimes his frustration with the situation got the better of him. The dark-haired man now wished it hadn't. He wished he could have one more conversation with his father. Noctis wanted to apologize. He wanted to tell his dad how much he loved him.
Noctis hoped that he would have a chance to. But it would not be now. Not when the world believed he was capable of an act inconceivable to his very being.
The young Caelum had been able to elude the authorities for a while. He lived off what little money he had been able to take with him as he fled. But he knew would not be able to evade his pursuers for long.
And Noctis hadn't. The Aldercapts had their own men looking for him too. He'd been cornered in a cheap hotel with no way to escape. The young man had been crying into his pillows when he'd decided he needed to get up and wash his tear-streaked face. He glanced out the window and saw a rather sleek and pricey looking van in the parking lot. He recognized the crest on the side of it as the Aldercapt company symbol. They never were subtle.
Alarmed, Noctis had been about to flee once more when he heard a knock at the door. He knew instantly that it had to be his pursuers. He had been trapped. There was no other way to leave. He was on the topmost floor of the building and jumping out the window would just end up with him hurting himself.
Terrified and resigning himself to his fate, Noctis slumped to the floor. The days of sleeplessness, crying and fear had caught up to him.
But then the young man had been saved.
"Just what do you think you are doing?" The voice of Noctis's savior held a slight edge of anger. Noctis was startled and looked at the door in surprise. "That is my room you three are attempting to break into."
"Your room?" Someone questioned.
"Yes, my room." The savior sounded offended. "Paid for with good money this morning. A Nox Vitalis, as you should be able to see in your records. Now I'd like an explanation for this."
There was a pause. Noctis was rather confused. But he took the opportunity he was given. Slowly and carefully, he inched himself into a closet so as not to make a sound. He then gently shut the door. It wasn't the best hiding spot but if they searched the room, they would find him regardless of where he was hidden. At least this way Noctis could hear what was going on.
"These men believe there is a wanted criminal in this building. One of my staff said they gave a young man fitting the criminal's description this very room."
"Well, whoever said such a thing requires their eyes to be checked. These are my accommodations and I am not pleased to see you allowing these... Thugs... Access to my belongings."
"If this is your room then you wouldn't mind opening it, would you?" The suspicion in the new, angry voice was evident.
"Of course not." The savior huffed. "And once I do, I expect an apology from all of you. And then I'd like you to take your leave immediately. This is disgraceful behavior to be shown to a patron of your establishment. I will be taking my complaint to the head of your corporation."
Noctis heard a beep and the door opened for the man seemingly helping him. He didn't risk looking out from his hiding place to see what was going on. He wondered how the man got a copy of his key card.
"There!" The savior proclaimed. "As I have now proven that this room is in fact mine, I feel an apology may be in order?"
Once the thugs had left to look elsewhere and the manager had apologized enough, Noctis heard the door click shut.
The man that helped him took a few more steps into the room and then spoke.
"Noctis Lucis Caelum. You may come out." The stranger said. "Do not be afraid. I've come to help."
The man that saved Noctis introduced himself as Ardyn Izunia. Noctis felt something was off about him immediately but he had limited options. So the young man listened to what help the stranger offered… And what he wanted in return.
Ardyn offer of help was to give Noctis a new identity and money. Enough that Noctis would not have to work for the rest of his life if he was careful with it.
And in return all Noctis would have to do was work for Ardyn for some time. Likely a year at most he stated. He wanted Noctis to impersonate his brother as they shared a striking resemblance. After that, he could take his payment and do whatever he wished.
Noctis had declined.
The young man didn't want money. He didn't want to disappear. He wanted his father to be safe. He wanted the Aldercapts to pay. Ardyn too must have thought what the media said about Noctis was true. The stranger thought money would be enough to sway him.
It was too much for Noctis right then.
The young Caelum had almost shouted at Ardyn. He'd broken into tears and said he hadn't done anything. That everything said about him was all lies. He swore he just wanted his father to be safe. If the poison didn't kill him, Noctis knew the Aldercapts would. They were probably hoping Regis would die on his own but they would grow impatient sooner or later.
Ardyn didn't seemed phased by Noctis's outburst. He'd then easily changed his offer.
If Noctis helped him, he would help Regis. He would be taken away and guarded by Ardyn's men as soon as possible. The stranger even said he would help take down the Aldercapts and allow Noctis and his father to retake their company from Drautos. The strange man swore it was in his power to do so.
Noctis had been desperate. And so he'd accepted this new offer.
Noctis was startled at how eerily similar he looked like to Somnus Lucis Caelum. The young man was shown several photos of the CEO of Insomnia Lux. Somnus had a cold look about him. He seemed rather unapproachable. Ardyn even showed Noctis some aging photographs of the two of them as children. They seemed close and rather happy in those photos. Somnus was smiling widely, looking so much more open then he did now.
Trying to look Somnus up in the internet, Noctis found very little information on him. Nothing came up on him other than when he began to make a name for himself through his company. And even that was sparse. Somnus did not do interviews and rarely spoke in public. His company, though successful, was barely advertised. They had a great reputation from their customers but it did not seem Somnus cared much for growing his company any further. He was a CEO rarely seen or heard from, even by his own employees. Many stated he was a hard worker and fair but they did not see much of him. There was no mention of a brother or anything about Somnus's past. No schools, no social media, no anything really.
Noctis also tried searching up Ardyn Izunia and then wished he hadn't. There was a lot there. The man was a criminal. Noctis felt his unease at his situation grow.
Somnus was supposed to be on vacation, according to what little information Noctis could find. But Ardyn admitted to Noctis that was not the truth and that Somnus would not be returning. Ardyn did not explain how he knew but Noctis had his suspicions. But despite that, the younger man was still going to go along with this. He didn't know what else to do.
Noctis would play the part of Somnus. He would slowly sign over everything to his 'brother'. Ardyn had already whisked Regis far away from the Aldercapt's grasp. That knowledge made it easier for Noctis to bear what he was doing.
In the living room of 'his' mansion, the dark-haired man looked over at the one place he was never allowed to enter. The door seemed to beckon him. It led to a wing of the mansion he had not stepped foot in. Ardyn spent most of his time there. He was very comfortable in his brother's home. The older man had even been redecorating the place like he owned it already.
Trying to ignore his curiosity, Noctis looked at the laptop and papers before him. He had some studying to do.