HELLO, WELCOME BACK! I'm super excited to return to this AU I've been building for close to 5 years now. As I mentioned before, I am in college so I'm going to do my best to get a chapter out every 3 weeks, so hopefully, I can stick to that. I've also made some revisions to the plot line for what's to come and in the previous chapter.

I hated what I did with the original version of the last chapter, so as of this update, I've scraped the LunaxSoo romantic sub-plot cuz writing it was not happening no matter how I went at it. As a queer woman, I didn't feel that I could make that relationship feel authentic to myself, let alone anyone else, so unfortunately I'll be throwing that idea out. I don't know if Soo will have a romance in store for her but we shall see if any relationships develop with our male characters.

Now before you guys go off and read this, I just wanna give a shout out to the reader(s) who binge read all of HR&B and G&HP&HK in November and December. You're awesome and I love you.

Word Count: 875 words
Posted: 12.17.21

Interlude

Lovers (Mei & Jin) – Shigeru Umebayashi

Noctis – Dreamscape

Noctis longed for the could haves and should haves that fate denied him. So many missed opportunities.

Luna should have fled Tenebrae with him and his father all those years ago.

Soo-Min should have returned to Lucis when the Imperials arrived in Goryeo. She could have survived, made a new life for herself in Insomnia. They could have been together again.

It was just over a year since Goryeo was raised to the ground during what had come to be known as the Red Wedding. A whole year with no word from Soo to indicate if she lived or died on that day.

Prompto tried his best to understand, Gladio and Ignis sharing knowing looks when they thought he couldn't see them. One thing they all had in common was they treated him like a grieving widower.

Noctis couldn't say that he had ever had romantic feelings for Soo, he hadn't seen her in years, much like Luna. Maybe if Soo had grown up alongside him, he would have come to love her. Or maybe she would have found happiness with someone else. Not that it mattered now.

Soo was dead.

He saw her sometimes, in his dreams. Almost like memories, they would play as children and at times they would be all grown up, with Soo's face a hazy memory for him.

But in this dream, he found himself alone. The fields of sylleblossoms surround him, a mirror image of Tenebrae as he remembered it. Noctis sat among the blue flowers, the white abyss surrounding the field wrapping him in a blanket of calm.

For once, his dreams were quiet, no nightmares or painful memories plaguing him as he slept.

A shadow moving in the mist caught his attention, Noctis climbing to his feet cautiously. Despite the potential for a nightmare to begin, he continued to feel calm and content.

A figure began to materialize, a woman. Was it Angel?

As they drew closer together, her face came into focus.

Soo-Min.

Blue eyes met dark brown for a moment before Noctis ran across the field and pulled his childhood friend into a desperate embrace.

Their colours clashed as the wind tugged at pale silks and black cotton.

Noctis didn't want to ever let go, and judging by Soo's grip, neither did she.

"I never want this dream to end. I miss you so much, Soo…" the young prince whispered. His tears rolled down his cheeks before disappearing into the dark strands of Soo's hair.

He could almost feel her gasping breath against his chest and her cold nose on his collar bone. The raven-haired woman's tears dampened the front of his shirt.

"I'm so sorry, Noctis… I can't explain just how sorry I am. If I could change fate, I would." She promised, looking up at the heartbroken man in front of her.

"Me too…I wish you never left, that you came back before this all happened…then you wouldn't be - " Noctis started, only to find one of Soo's cold fingers pressing against his lips, haulting any more words.

"Please, no more tears. I will always be with you, in your heart. Your memories of our time together are what keeps my soul alive." The ravenette murmured, smiling sadly at her companion.

"I just want you back…" the prince whispered, his voice the only sound to be heard in their little dream world.

Soo raised a cold hand up to cup his cheek, tears falling freely as she gazed up at him lovingly.

"The Gods themselves would have to order me from your side if you do not do it yourself, Noctis. I am with you always…" she reminded him, the vow from their childhood ringing out in the silence as Soo smiled up at Noctis.

The wind picked up once again, blowing cerulean petals all around them. Bit by bit Soo began to disappear, pieces of her floating off like the petals that surrounded them.

"Soo! Wait!" Noctis cried out, his hands grasping at Soo only for him to find himself clutching handfuls of pale blue flower petals.

He gazed tearfully at his friend as she was slowly blown away.

"I'm sorry Noctis. I wish we had more time, more moments together. A future where we were side by side once more. But remember, I will always love and be with you…" Soo reminded him, hardly any of her body remaining at this point.

Tears continued to flow down Noctis' cheeks, his hands releasing petals into the air.

"I love you too." Noctis said quietly, the last of the petals that had once been Soo-Min blowing away in the wind.

Noctis – Awake

Noctis found himself curled up in his bed that morning, tear-soaked pillow under his head.

For all the 8 hours of sleep he got, the teenager felt beyond exhausted. His dream did not bring him the closure he desired.

He sat on his bed for some time, before the clock on his bedside declared that any further procrastination would make him late for school.

The young prince schooled his face into a mask of indifference, going through the motions of getting dressed and ready.

But on the inside, his heart had fractured into so many pieces with just one dream.

One again, it's great to be back and please leave a review/follow/favourite!