Whoa.
The door shut behind Luna. They'd spotted her from above when she came in with the other imperials but that was nothing like actually seeing her again. All those years they had written back and forth, keeping in touch as well as they could with Niflheim messing everything up, and all that time he had the same image of her in his head: a girl a little older than him—the prettiest girl he had ever laid eyes on—who always seemed to know everything.
Twelve years was a long time. He hadn't really thought about that, before now. When they'd talked about the treaty and their marriage, it had seemed like he'd never really been separated from Luna. They sent each other notes all the time. But holy hell, she had changed.
His brain stalled. He wasn't sure how long he stood there gawking at her. The same thought kept sticking in his head: she was going to marry him? Like, she was totally okay with that? Except she was way out of his league and what did it matter if he was technically a prince when she was actually a princess?
"Noctis." She smiled at him.
Noct cleared his throat. "Um. Luna. Hi."
Yup. Super suave. What had Ignis said? She'd expect to see a fine prince? Well, he'd blown that chance, already.
For some reason her smile didn't waver.
"It's so good to see you again," she said.
"Uh, yeah. You too."
Words. Right. He was supposed to say those, wasn't he? He'd never been very good at that. Mostly he just avoided talking to people until they somehow got whatever point he wasn't trying to make. Or until Reina explained the point he wasn't trying to make to whomever he wasn't trying to make it to.
But he was all on his own, now. Why'd they all leave? So they wouldn't see him look like a dumb ass in front of Luna? Great. Thanks, guys.
"You grew up taller than me," she said.
"Yeah, well, at least I beat someone." Besides Rei. Who didn't really count, given that everyone and their dog was taller than her. Even Iris was taller than her.
Luna smiled, taking one step forward. "You have nothing to worry about."
"N-no?"
Yeah. Right. Nothing. Just standing in this room with her wishing he had actually learned how to have a conversation with someone. It had always seemed so easy when they were little. They just talked. Naturally. He never had to try and it always felt comfortable.
Twelve years changed a lot of things.
"You have grown into a handsome prince." She took another step forward, still smiling.
"Oh yeah? I like to think I'm still growing into it."
Real smooth. Not like she was properly grown up and actually ready to step into her role and all that. Not like he was supposed to be marrying her.
Actually, maybe he wasn't anymore. No one had said.
She smiled at his remark, apparently not put off by the fact that he sure as hell was not ready to be a king even if she was ready to be his Oracle.
"King Regis told me you were not in Insomnia… yet no sooner had I been taken to the gust chambers than Master Amicitia came to bring me here."
"Oh. Yeah, I guess it's sort of a secret that we're here. He probably didn't want to tell you in front of everyone." It was anyone's guess why it was supposed to be a secret in the first place, but whatever.
"Well, I am pleased to learn it was merely pretense." She beamed. No one looked at him like that. "I'm so happy to see you again, Noctis."
"Yeah. Me too," he said.
It just would have been nice if he wasn't quite so awkward about it.
AN: I am now comfortably far ahead in the writing of Reckoning that I feel safe posting two chapters a week, here. If I remember. So, expect another chapter on Friday. If I remember. If I don't post it... uh... someone yell at me and then I'll post it.