Cor Leonis

Based on the character, the Commander of the Crownsguard. Also includes a sneak peek into how Lightning could enter the FFXV scene.

AN: Lightis where Noctis has unrequited love. Lightning x Cor. It breaks my heart writing this. If you aren't comfortable with this idea, feel free to skip reading it :)

Noctis hadn't meant to see it.

He simply meant to walk around the gardens, a break away from the council meetings and his princely duties, as his father would call them. While the Citadel was a large and spacious place, the atmosphere inside the conference rooms was stifling, even at the presence of the windows that reached the ceiling.

He saw her take the elevator up to the gardens, most likely taking her break. Leaving early from a council meeting happened once in a blue moon and he had planned to surprise her as he followed suit. Perhaps a dinner for two, her favorite take-out pizza, some soda, and those cookies that she liked. A date. That sounded good to him. Lightning was a simple girl. Well, a woman now.

The Glaive grew and bloomed beautifully. She would always garner at least one attention of a male as she walked the halls of the Citadel. He remembered talking to a liaison officer, who kept getting distracted by the woman standing by the conference room door.

She was striking, just like her namesake. Beautiful in her own right. A natural.

So he wasn't surprised to see many pursue her. Who wouldn't? She was a strong and confident woman. Loyal and cherished her friends, no matter how few. She had the qualities of leader, sympathetic yet firm, merciful but she was no pushover. She had everything and more.

More often as of late, his thoughts filled of only her. Perhaps it was because the recent topics of the council meetings, while his father gave him a knowing look, were in regard to his future marriage and potential candidates. He paid attention to her presence more, to every action she made, to every word she spoke, and he realized too late that he was already in deep.

He shook his head and after absently following her the last few minutes he found himself hidden behind the large columns by the rooftop entrance. He watched her sit on the wooden bench facing the water fountain. A figure was already sitting there, another man, and Noctis felt his gut twist as he saw who.

Cor Leonis. Commander of the Crownsguard. A close confidant of his father, the King. His swordsmanship teacher when he was a child. A man who he looked up to as an older brother, a father figure almost. A man he admired.

He wanted to ask what the older man was doing here. But he knew the answer as he saw Lightning scoot closer to him.

He wasn't exactly sure what their relationship entailed. All he knew from Lightning was that she respected him, for Cor was the reason why she was in the Kingsglaive and how she found a home in Insomnia. A young, orphaned girl caught in the crossfire of an Imperial invasion in one of the towns beyond the wall. He didn't know all the details, but his father had said Cor took her in when he assisted in helping the refugees.

His mind returned to where they sat, their legs simply touching together. Cor had his arms wide, laid on the back of the bench. His posture uncharacteristically relaxed. Both of their postures were.

He saw their mouths move, the sound muted by the gushing of the fountain. A chilly, evening breeze went by and he watched Lightning clutch her coat.

With a move that had Noctis almost feeling sick, Cor slid his arm from the bench and around her shoulders. The young woman's cheeks were a tint of pink as he moved closer, brushing an awry strand of rose-colored hair away from her face and behind her ear with his other hand.

They moved so naturally and Noctis watched, entranced. Though he knew he was invading their privacy, he couldn't help but want to see what will unfold between the two people who were known to be private, stoic, and quiet. To see them out of their usual behavior, he didn't want to miss this as much as his instincts told him to run away before he gets hurt.

Then with the same hand that brushed her hair, he gripped her chin, his thumb pulling a bit to open her bottom lip. Lightning's eyes fluttered shut as she moved to him, or he moved to her, Noctis couldn't tell because before he knew it they both met for a kiss.

Gentle at first and never breaking apart for air. Lightning held onto the flaps of his jacket, while Cor remained the same with a hand on her chin and the other around her shoulders. Then their kiss grew bolder, a quick separation for air and their lips met once more. His arm slid down to her waist and pulled her flush to his body, his hand moved to her hair by the nape, and her arms now fully around his neck.

The kiss was now obscured by her arm and he could only see the flush on her cheeks and her closed eyes. So Noctis closed his, feeling defeated and a bit bitter. With nothing else left for him to see, he retreated from the rooftop. His chest hurt and felt heavy. He wasn't jealous, no. He was simply sad to see that someone had held Lightning's heart before him. And it hurt because she already held his.

AN: I'm like half sobbing and half evil-laughing. I'm sorry Noct. Lightning x Cor sounds pretty good to me. But don't worry, you and Light are always number one to me. This scene was inspired by the anime Citrus (episode 1) lol.