This chapter pretty much wrote itself. I'd like to thank Fuzzi Fox for beta reading this and supporting me through this chapter. It was a pretty cathartic venting occasion for me, so you can expect Iris to be pretty harsh with Ravus down here. We get some sort of idea about what Ardyn is planning, Cindy is introduced to the story and I hope you'll laugh with the second half of this chapter. Enjoy your read!

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Stranded

Chapter 7 – Confiding and threats

"You risked my brother's life so you could get rid of Noctis?! All because you were insecure and still listening to that creep!"

How was he even supposed to answer anything that could clear his name when she put it like that?

Iris was still close to him, physically speaking, but suddenly, everywhere they touched was wrong and she pushed on his chest, struggling to part from him and hide herself at the same time.

"Give me a chance here…"

"A chance? I can't believe I let you see me like this. I… Get off me!"

He obeyed her instantly, shuffling backward, his shoulders too low, his breathing messy from the thoughts running around his head. He was losing her. The one person that gave a meaning to everything in his life, the one support he couldn't do without.

"I'm sorry, Iris, I swear I didn't mean for Gladio to…"

Iris was standing next to his bed now, one arm clutching around herself to hide her perky breasts. Goosebumps covered her pale flesh and there was a shaking in her frame, giving him the urge to wrap her in a hug. Was he losing that too?

"Shut it, Rave. Do you listen to yourself?! Wait, I forgot, you do nothing but that. You're the poor, misunderstood second-born, the crystal chosen."

He flinched from the venom in her words, his eyes looking away for an instant. Holding her glare was too much too ask, but he had to, he needed to get her to come around if…

"What will your father say?!"

His eyes widened with fear.

"You can't… Iris, he barely gives me the time of the day as it is…"

"You took away his favorite son! You broke his heart and your family all because you were too insecure to see you have an incredible life! And if your father shouldn't know of this, how was I supposed to react, huh? Noctis was my friend and I treated him like a criminal all because I believed you over him!"

Tears rolled down her face now, angry, disappointed tears and Ravus wasn't sure his own tears wouldn't fall. He'd ruined it. His family. His integrity. The little love he had from her.

"Iris, can you listen to me? I… My powers were getting all out of whack. I can barely use fire magic anymore and…"

"Do you still believe Noctis was stealing your magic? Don't you think that if he wasn't already, now he won't try if he can with what you did? When will you grow up?! You don't get your own brother exiled for something like that. You talk with your father, not the creep working as his counselor."

Her hands fell by her hips after her tirade, as though being half naked in front of him didn't bother her as much as her anger for him. Ravus could barely breathe by then, he wasn't sure how his legs were holding him up or when he had gotten to his feet. All he knew was that she stood just a few steps away from him and she'd never felt this far before.

"You're right, okay," he started, his voice shaking a bit as he went on, "you're entirely right, and you don't have to forgive me. I just… Is there any way I can fix this?"

The brunette stared at him, her eyes almost bulging from her face. He sounded pathetic even to himself, but he didn't saw anything else to say.

"Fix this?! Noctis could be dead by now!"

"He's not!" came his instant reply and they were both shocked by the conviction in his voice.

"What do you think he'll do to you if he learns of this? Forget it, Gladio will break every bone in your body before skinning you alive and Ignis will find a recipe for human toes and fingers like he used to threaten us as kids."

"What will you do?" Ravus asked, taking a tentative step towards her, only for her to take a step backward.

"I'll block your number and find friends I can trust, and you can forget ever seeing me naked. I feel so dirty now. You played me for a fool along with everyone else, you willingly put my brother in danger, you thought about nothing but yourself, like you always, always do… Why do I still feel sorry for you, Rave?"

A whimper wrecked through his throat. She pitied him now. Tears were still rolling down her cheeks, and she blinked them away furiously as he found his voice again.

"I don't think you're a fool, Iris," the crown prince whispered.

"Well, I'm glad you had enough respect for me to tell me the truth now. I just thought you'd talk with me when you were faced with this big of a problem…"

He grimaced at that. Iris used to be his confidante. This confession shed light on how much he was ready to confide in her -which wasn't enough- and he could admit her advice might have helped him make a different choice if he'd… But it was done. It was done and over and he wanted to salvage something, anything among the rubble.

"Iris…"

"Stop saying my name like that!" she cut him off.

She sounded distressed now and he shivered as goosebumps raised on his arms. He was doing this to her. He was hurting her, when he never meant…

"You always said people make mistakes. I know this was a monumental mistake I made, I know this can't… For Ramuh's sake, I can't stand the thought you hate me."

Iris crossed her arms in front of her chest, trying to contain the worst of her anger.

"I can't start hating you all of a sudden. I wish I could, but I can't, you're my best friend." She laughed at herself at that. "I need better friends, don't you think?"

Oh six, she was killing him. The tears finally got through the barrage of his pale lashes and Iris didn't stop.

"But don't think begging and kneeling down or teary pleading will get you anywhere. I know your true colors now."

That's not who I really am. That can't be who I really am.

He said something that came out incoherent and she heaved a dreadful, broken laugh.

"I think I need to get out of here. If I stay, I might just attack you and you're still next in line."

"I'd rather you'd punch me," he retorted.

"If I do, won't you try to hold me down? To talk sense into me with your hands and your arms? I won't take a chance."

She was backing away now, almost slipping on her blouse which was lying haphazardly on the floor. She didn't motion to pick it back up. She was livid and too far gone to think clearly. Ravus repeated her name, wondering if it might ever bring her back to him. The door to his room was shut with a bang as she stalked out and he sank to his knees, a wretched mess compared to the cautiously happy young man he'd been half an hour earlier.

Right out the door, Gladiolus had been alerted from the commotion by maid and cursed out loud at the sight of his sister walking out of the prince's room half naked and furious. He instantly removed his jacket and hurriedly wrapped it into her shoulders, forced to use his strength to actually halt her.

"Let me go!" she pleaded, more tears streaking down her face.

"Iris! What the hell did that bastard do to you?!"

"He didn't force me into anything, nothing really happened, I mean…"

Oh god, I'm trying to cover for him like I usually do…

"He's a dick and a jerk and I never want to see him again, but I need to see the King right now…"

"No, you need to get dressed and calm down!" Gladiolus insisted, his hands wrapped tightly around her shoulders.

That seemed to help her realize where she stood, and she clutched at the large jacket around her, her self-consciousness fully back. Her cheeks warmed, but she fought against her urge to hide between his arms.

"I'm going to break his face, and get fired for it, but I won't accept this."

"Well, he's owed a punch or two, but I don't want you worrying about me, Gladdy. He didn't hurt me."

He hurt you. And everyone else.

"Why are you crying?" Gladiolus pressed her.

She could have told him the truth right there, but deep inside, she was afraid of how her brother might handle this knowledge. She didn't want Ravus in the hospital. Bruised and sorry, sure, but not beaten to a pulp.

"Ravus lied to me about something. And I don't think I can accept it. I need to talk with the King."

"I'll escort you…"

"I know the way, brother. Just make sure Rave doesn't try and follow me, okay?"

"Iris…"

"Please, I'll explain it to you later, I need to talk with King Regis first. Trust me?"

"Okay. Just don't get us expelled from the citadel. You know how dad likes his job."

The clumsy attempt at humor made her smile and Gladiolus could picture his sister almost back to normal.

"Don't break any of his bones, okay?"

"Just a little," he promised her, pulling her in a brief hug. "And text me or dad as soon as you're out of the throne room."

"Okay, stop ordering me around already."

They parted with one last worried look from Gladio, Iris walking off with a determined expression on her face. She was going to tell Regis the truth about Noctis's exile and see if she couldn't right some wrongs before Ardyn could get any more control over the court.

…

Iris pretty much barged into the throne room, making her father jump up a step and Regis dropped his paperwork in his haste to check who was entering the room with such a lack of decorum.

"Iris!" Clarus exclaimed. "What's the meaning of…"

"I need an audience with the King, I'm sorry for intruding your Highness, but what I have to tell you cannot wait."

Regis blinked, taking note of the jacket she was wearing -clearly not hers- and the tear streaks on her face.

"Is everything alright?"

"No, your Highness, everything is not alright. I think you'd better sit down. And father, I'm not sure you want to hear this right now."

"All the more reason I stay here. Why are you wearing your brother's jacket? What happened with your hair? You look like you just…" Clarus stopped mid-sentence, realization hitting him. "Was today your date with the prince?"

Regis paled as he slowly drew the same conclusions as Clarus, seeing his friend growing red in the face.

"My son wouldn't…" the King started. "Tell me my son didn't try anything untoward, because if he has, the six help me…"

Iris blushed as she wondered how to explain her state of clothing was more due to her willingness to be untoward with his son than the opposite.

"No, your High…"

"Call me Regis, Iris, this is sounding ridiculous. Come up here. Clarus, my friend, I think you should respect your daughter's wish to speak of this alone. She's embarrassed enough as it is. Unless you tell me you don't trust me around her, like you don't trust my boy?"

"With all the respect you're due, old friend, your boy is a conceited prick… And he clearly made my daughter cry!"

"Daddy, please, Gladiolus is already defending my honor even if he doesn't have to! This is not about whatever has happened between Ravus and me."

Regis ran one hand over his face, wondering if he shouldn't prepare himself to give a serious scolding to the crown prince. They hadn't talked in a while. Clarus exchanged a few words with his daughter, awkwardly patting her shoulder as he tried to convey he wouldn't let her on her own if she needed help or advice. Iris was standing at the middle of the stair when her father closed the door behind him, clearly embarrassed to stand any higher in the throne room, but Regis gestured for her to join him on top. He gave her a few minutes to collect her thoughts and heaved a deep sighed as she wrung her fingers.

"No need to sugarcoat things for me, Iris," the King said. "I know my son can be rash."

"I fear this is not about Ravus being rash, your… Regis." Iris began, her voice switching from sure to hesitant.

Regis had banished Noctis for trying to kill his brother. What would he do to Ravus once he knew the truth of the matter? But how could she stand for this awful lie and how unfair the whole situation was?

"Do you remember how Noctis defended himself about that night, over a year ago? About seeing a daemon attacking Ravus instead of Gladiolus?"

The King's features instantly hardened and anger showed in his eyes.

"I do remember. Far too well."

Iris could tell she had to tread carefully now. Regis hated being remembered of that event and his eyes had a dangerous glint to them. For the first few months, he'd been weakened and extra sensitive to any mention to his elder son. But he'd grown bitter about the whole mess and the impression he'd never really knew Noctis like he thought he did.

"Noctis wasn't lying," Iris heard herself saying. "Ravus told me that he did something that day. So that illusions would fill the courtroom. My brother wasn't supposed to be there, Ravus simply wanted to rile Noctis up until an accident happened and he could make sure he wouldn't threaten him anymore."

"And how would he…?"

"Ardyn helped Ravus. He was part of the plan. The first goal was to get Noctis arrested, hospitalized, at least incapacitated until Ravus could confirm whether his older brother was stealing his powers from him."

How she'd sat through Ravus's confused explanations was beyond her. Pondering her words for him, she wondered if she shouldn't have been harsher. What decent guy tried to incapacitate his own brother instead of just asking someone he trusted about his magic first?!

Regis's hands were gripping the armrests of his throne so hard, his knuckles were whiter than snow.

"Do you realize the gravity of…?!"

"Your Highness, I beg you to believe me. Ravus was ashamed to tell me, but he felt too conflicted not to… Have you not wondered why Noctis would suddenly attack his own brother after all this time? They've fought in the past, but Noct was one of your top generals. He had friends, a house he didn't need to pay for, he could protect his people and help his aging father with his work. You know he loves you more than anything in the world."

"This…" Regis was so pale, Iris was afraid he'd pass out, but he got to his feet instead, a shaking running up his bad leg. "Tell me you have proof. Noctis cannot steal Ravus's powers, that's ludicrous."

"Tell that to Ravus. If you ask him, he'll confess, he feels guilty enough for it. I don't think he thought this through, you know how he is when he gets scared, he reacts out of the blue and…"

"Enough!" Regis snapped.

Iris flinched at his commanding tone, but the King quickly calmed down, a mix of despair and guilt taking over as his shoulders hunched down.

"Are you telling me… My Noctis was exiled for nothing?! This is the first I'm hearing of Ravus losing any of his powers, how could he…"

Ardyn, he thought. I should have known Ardyn was a bad influence on him. What kind of father lets his son believe he should talk of his problems with his counselor first instead of…?

"I'm really sorry, but it sounds like…"

Regis took a step forward, his hands reaching to her shoulders as though he was looking for support, which was understandable given the news he'd just learned. There was a strange sound echoing in the throne room, like wings clapping and a gust of wind made Iris blink. Regis felt the blade in his flesh before he could react. The brunette gasped as he leaned forward almost immediately afterwards, not expecting the scrapping of his beard against her neck. A metallic scent in the air alarmed her even more, but a voice tsked.

"You bad, bad girl. Forcing my hand like that."

Regis uttered a groan of pain and gently pushed Iris down the stairs. She managed not to stumble, although she nearly lost her footing, desperately looking up to the king. Blood bloomed on his side, Ardyn standing right behind him. Where had he come from?! For an instant, a blur of blue magic materialized, Regis's Glaive taking form in the air. But Ardyn let his magic out, freezing him in place, the sword falling back into the dimensional pocket the royal could use.

"What…?"

"Don't raise your voice, Iris Amicitia," the counselor said. "I had told Ravus love was a mistake, but that boy only listens when he likes what he hears. I wonder what he'd think if he saw his daddy now. Not so strong huh, your Highness?"

He pulled out the dagger he'd used to stab the king, leaving a dark blob of magic on his waist to act as a healing belt of some sort. Regis's face was white from the blood he'd already lost and the pain still wrecking through his insides.

"Stop this!" Iris begged.

"Don't worry, I can't have the King die. Although I can't have him knowing the truth either. The last thing I need is the raven prince back. Oh, and don't think about running off to warn your father!"

Iris frowned, her breathing too quick, her limbs heavy and light at the same time. She didn't dare to move, even though she wanted to rush up the stairs and pull Regis away from him. She knew the King would be hurt from this revelation, but she didn't think Ardyn could have been lurking in the shadows, waiting for something to stir his plans off the rails. What could he be after to attack the King like this?! Could she stop him in time? She didn't want Regis to die.

Ardyn cleansed the dagger on the dark sleeve of his coat, taking a step down the stair as Regis remained frozen in place, eyes wide, mouth gaping. He was still breathing, Iris couldn't believe she had to make sure, but he was still breathing. What sort of magic could Ardyn use?

Illusions… He made Gladio look like a freaking Naga.

With his third step, the counselor shifted his appearance. From his clothes to the color of his hair. Purple brown turned gray and white with hints of dark. His skin grew wrinkles. A cane appeared in his hand as his clothes changed to pure black. Royal garments.

"Oh no…"

"Oh yes," Ardyn smiled, wearing Regis's face, playing with his voice. "We can't have the King missing now, can we? I'll keep this one in check," he added, pointing to Regis, marking a pause as he looked at her with dark eyes, "if you abide by my rules, he'll be fine. Well, as fine as he can be knowing he forsake one son because the other one tricked him. Ha! Breaking families never gets old."

The real Regis closed his eyes shut and Iris felt more tears on her cheeks. What sort of sick game was this?! She'd always found him creepy, but this was way worse than anything she could have imagined…

"Why are you doing this?"

"You know too much already, little flower. You're more useful to me alive and keeping Ravus in line, but don't go believing I can't find a workaround if you get too difficult. I can stab a king in his throne room without starting any alarm."

Iris couldn't find her voice anymore. All she could do was stare at the two Regises standing by the throne, one seemingly held up by invisible threads, the other one staring at her with dark eyes and a lopsided smirk. His whole posture had nothing to do with the regal way Ravus's father usually held himself. He looked predatory and cunning.

"Now then, you're going to walk out of this room and tell your father you argued with Ravus. But you are now the boy's crownsguard and I ordered for you to put your feelings aside so you could accompany him on his travels. If you mention anything about Regis getting hurt or me being anyone else than Regis, your original King will die. And you'll be the one Ravus can blame for becoming an orphan."

"You can't…!"

"I'll keep an eye on you at all time," Regis/Ardyn cut her off, his voice sharper than his dagger. "When you'll be training with your oaf of a brother. When you'll cry yourself to sleep in a tent. If you breathe a word of this to anyone, one peep, I'll know and the King will be dead. It's not as though anyone can notice, with that gorgeous face of mine."

Iris's heart was filled with dread as she realized how much power Ardyn held. They'd been living with that monster hiding right under their nose all this time. And Ravus listened to him. Letting him poison his mind. Convince him that his brother was a danger and a threat when the real threat…

"Are you fine with your orders, Amicitia?"

"I…"

"I know Ravus roughened you up, but everything will be fine, won't it? I can trust you'll keep all your recent knowledge to yourself? A nod will do if you can't speak. I tend to have that effect on people."

Iris nodded weakly. She wanted to hide somewhere but it sounded as though as nowhere could be private for her anymore. How could she make sure whether the counselor was lying or not? How could she keep both Regis and Ravus safe, or let her father walk back into that room knowing what was truly waiting for him.

It took all her willpower to step down the stairs and turn her back on the fake King, and she was really quiet as she stepped out of the room and into the hallway where her father was waiting for her audience with their King to be over.

Clarus welcomed her with arms wide open, the stern expression of his face softening as he saw how shaken she was.

"Won't you tell me what's wrong?"

"Oh dad…" she started in between the new sobs claiming her voice. "Everything feels wrong. Ravus did something… Not to me, I swear, I love him and he really loves me, I just… Leaving Insomnia scares me."

"Leaving Insomnia? Did you ask Regis to let you accompany Ravus?! When you're in such a state after whatever happened between the two of you?"

"I need to be with him."

He needs someone who knows by his side.

…

"Noctis, Prompto, meet our pilot, Cindy Aurum."

Cindy had been around the manor already and Noctis remembered passing by her a few times, but Prompto hadn't seen her even once. The blond pilot was wearing a skin-tight suit, with silver pads on her shoulders and the front zipper pulled low enough to expose a good portion of her chest. Noctis couldn't help but wonder if it was a good thing he could tell the color of her bra whenever he saw her… It was purple today. Her short hair was unruly, a pair of aviator googles sitting on top of her head the only thing keeping her bangs from falling in her green eyes. Her white boots were a stark contrast to the black suit and grey suit, completed by a white tool-belt that hung snuggly to her hips. Prompto noticed the holster on her left thigh in a heartbeat.

"Glad to finally put a name on your face," Noctis declared, offering her a handshake.

"Glad to finally know your actual name, handsome," Cindy shot back.

Luna rolled her eyes at the exchange, while Prompto eagerly awaited his turn at a handshake.

"How much do you charge to pull that zipper any lower?"

Cindy raised one brow at him, her extended hand turning into a fist as she turned her attention to Luna.

"I'd heard he was direct…"

"As a pilot, I take it you're good with sticks, huh?" Prompto insisted, giving her a pointed look.

"Dude!" Noctis had to rile himself in not to hit him on the back of the head.

"I can take care of myself, Oracle knight, don't worry. So you're called Prompto? I hope you're not a minute man."

Prompto did blink at that, taken aback for the shortest time, but he concealed his blush into a comeback that made Cindy's shoulders drop a notch.

"Ouch! Well now, we have to run a test and verify that theory you have."

"Okay, wriggle your eyebrow at me one more time and I'm gluing your skinny butt to the rear of this ship!" she declared.

"Skinny?!"

"Is that all you've heard of what I just said?" Cindy mused, amusement fighting with annoyance.

"Argentum! Aurum!" Luna interfered, her voice commanding now. "We're supposed to take off today!"

"Yes, your Highness. I'll get right on to that," Cindy declared, giving one last warning look to the gunman before considering their whole group. "If you're willing to strap in for take off, we can leave immediately."

Noctis slapped Prompto's shoulder as they took their seat, unable to believe the nerves of the guy. The girls sat up front, Luna hoping she could alleviate the tense impression she felt from Cindy after the imperial runaway attempts at flirting.

"Those were the worst…" Noctis started.

"I know! But good or bad, that definitely caught her attention, right?"

"We're going to be stuck in that ship with her for the entire trip to Altissia and Lucis, man. I don't think you need to make her hate your guts to have her attention."

"Listen now, Cael," Prompto made a point to stretch out his false name. "You've been banging a freaking princess after playing the bodyguard/secret identity routine with her. That's all cute and nice, but we normal guys can't afford to be charming. Either she breaks my face or she takes her frustrations out on me."

"How's that…? Oh… Oh for the Six sake, don't give me that look!"

"So you don't deny the banging?"

"I don't see how I could refrain you from talking like a degenerate."

Prompto laughed at that, which earned him a suspicious glance from Luna. A few lights flickered on the command board as the whole airship shook on its hinges.

"I hope you gentlemen have tightened your seatbelts," Cindy called over her shoulder.

Noctis glared at Prompto as he was opening his mouth to let out a new obscene remark, but the ship set into motion before a sound could escape either of the men. It took five minutes of the cockpit shaking around them until they were stabilized. Cindy liked to fly fast and Luna clearly didn't mind it. It was the whole reason why the engineer could even make deliveries to Tenebrae despite Nifelheim's close watch.

"We'll be on autopilot in ten. I'll let you know when you can unstrap."

Noctis paled a bit as he reflected on what this travel meant for him. Going back to Lucis. Running the risk of seeing his friends and family again. There was a big chance they would stop by Insomnia, since Luna was dead set on letting him see his father and he suspected she wanted to right the situation with his brother too. Prompto sensed his change of mood and tried to keep his mind off in his own way.

"How long until your princess wants a piece of you again, huh?"

"If I poured soap down your ear, would it help get your mind out the gutter?"

"I can be serious, mate, but I don't like the face you're making. Did they call you the prince of brooding back home?"

"Well, maybe you should think more." Noctis observed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"That never ends well," the gunman declared with a self-derisive smile. "I'm a soldier. And a tribute for the gods now. That still freaks me out."

For once he was genuine and that took the exiled prince by surprise.

Noctis realized how little he'd reflected on the role Luna imposed on Argentum. It was one thing for him to take this sort of responsibility. After all, he'd been born to become a King. A leader. Someone who would bear burdens for his people without a second thought. Luna was giving him the chance to live up to his legacy, even though the crystal had deemed him unworthy. But Prompto had joined her little army of rebels in the hopes of getting a better life after being oppressed by the empire for his entire life. And the standing he got didn't matter to him if he was supposed to risk his life.

He wanted to feel safe once more. His constant humor was more than certainly a façade to face the world without crumbling to pieces. The guy had scars that even impressed Noctis.

"You know, I'm rumored to keep my men alive," Noctis remarked.

"Now that's reassuring. Hey, I'm not kidding around," Prompto quickly added as he saw the bodyguard looking up at the ceiling. "I'm just not used to having people looking out for me. Guess I'm not expandable anymore…"

He said it jokingly, but Noctis sensed the truth to his words. How he knew what being expandable felt.

"Of course, you're not!"

"And we're on course!" Cindy called out to them. "I'll stay here to check on the trajectory and make sure the sensors don't detect any interference, but we should be high enough to stir clear of detection by Nifelheim."

"Thank you, Cindy," Luna smiled, getting up from her seat. "I need to stretch out my legs a bit. Ca… I mean Noctis… This is still going to take some using to," she whispered, giving him an apologetic look.

"And it's my fault. What is it?"

"Walk with me?" she asked him.

Prompto crossed his arms behind his head, leaning back in his chair, raising one brow at Noctis to remind him of his previous question. He mouthed the words: "Someone's getting lucky."

"You really need another past time than pestering me, Prom."

"I know!"

The pair of royal left the two blonds, Prompto mentally counting two full minutes before to get off his seat and walk up to the command board where Cindy was still checking signals.

"You can look but you don't touch."

"I though your clothes implied…"

"I'm talking about my control board, smartass."

He laughed at her retort. She had a lot of bite and he found her a little more interesting every time he could hear more of her accent.

"Lucian?"

"Dad's Lucian, mother from Accordo actually. Are you a natural breed or engineered?"

He swallowed at the casual way she asked it. He hadn't thought his question was quite that intrusive for once. He tried to find his wits as he leaned to the side with one hand on the copilot's headrest.

"Do I get more interesting if I'm engineered?"

"Depends. Are you?"

"I'm a clone. Although I'd like to mention my design is altered, so I shouldn't look as ugly as the original when I get older."

Cindy turned away from her work, her green eyes focusing on him. Her gaze was intense, but she gave him a smile that made him feel grounded again. He released the breath he was holding without even realizing it.

"This is not a test, you know? You can be a clone, a noble or even a bird."

"A bird?" he repeated, his eyes shining with amusement.

"That hair was not engineered to look that way."

"Thank you for noticing. This bird hairstyle is my pride and joy."

Her smile turned into a laugh and something shifted inside him. He tried not to stare at her face, to watch how her legs curved and her shoulders shook, but he couldn't look away from her eyes. She was a bombshell, but she was also pretty in an effortless way. He noticed how she didn't wear make-up, how a spot on her neck had a blemish, there was a tiny mole just above her collarbone. The necklace she wore that he'd taken for a gear was a ship's wheel. And her laugh… He couldn't remember the last time he'd heard something laugh like that.

When her eyes opened again and fixated on him, he felt his cheeks heating up a bit. She didn't care if he was a clone.

This is bad, man, don't get any ideas, he chided himself.

"So, ummm… Aurum, huh? That means gold… You're gold and I'm silver."

"Means I'm always going to get first place while you come second."

"You can be on top of me every time, any time, gal," he declared, winking at her.

Her smile shifted to indignation and he had to duck a plastic mug as she bellowed.

"Keep dreaming, second place!"

They really were off to a good start.

…

Noctis knew that by a walk, Luna only meant to spend time with him. He wanted nothing else himself and was happy to lock himself in a small resting area with her. There was a couch lined to a wall and a few pieces of furniture hooked to the floor to prevent damage or injury in case of turbulences. Luna propped herself down on the couch, Noctis sitting next to her and motioning to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

"Just a minute, mister," the princess stopped him, a teasing smile on her face. "After all that crap I heard Prompto spouting, I need to hear something engaging."

"What, you want me to flirt?" Noctis deduced.

"Well, unless you tell me you only know his pick-up lines."

Noctis took a moment to picture a charming way to sweep her off her feet. He had gotten close to her so naturally and quickly, every time she playfully asked him for a little attention he didn't show back then, he felt bad. Although she couldn't except her bodyguard to show the kind of behavior Prompto had bombarded Cindy with. As a royal prince back in Insomnia, getting girls to look his way wasn't quite hard. Finding girls that were interesting in him as a simple guy and not a pack of blue blood with money was something else. He looked up to Luna, offering her a small smile.

"Hey. This is me picking you up. Is it working?"

She covered her mouth with one hand, shaking her head.

"No way. You have got to have something better than that!"

"No pressure, huh? One more try and then it's your turn," he negotiated.

"Deal."

"Okay… Take two," he introduced his new attempt, running one hand through his dark locks. "I think you'd look good in black. Wanna trade shirts?"

"Noctis!" Luna exclaimed, unable to hold back her laughter.

"I don't flirt, okay, I just lose my nerves and turn all shy…"

"We're already together, why are you still shy?!"

"Because I get the feeling we wouldn't be together if that one pick-up line was my only chance to get you to look at me twice," he confessed.

She shook her head once more, saddened by his self-doubt.

"I don't know if any line I could try would have gotten your attention in a normal setting. It's not like I'm any good at flirting."

"Oh come on, you must have had a ton of pretenders."

"If you mean the two guys the empire sent me so one could marry me, yes. But as for actually interesting people…"

Her face darkened as she reminisced and found herself drifting to memories she'd rather forget. She breathed in and out too slowly for comfort as she pulled herself away from her dark thoughts.

"It's my turn now, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Careful of not objectifying me," Noctis teased her.

It was all meant in good fun, but Luna actually froze, wondering how her demanding ways looked to him sometimes. Their relationship had started out as something purely physical and she'd acted as though she was entitled to his entire person quite often.

"I… You've got nice eyes…?"

"Was that a question?" It was his turn to laugh at her, despite how much she was blushing, or maybe because she was blushing so much.

A flustered Lunafreya looked adorable.

"I feel awful… It's like I don't even know…"

"Hey, don't worry about it," he reassured her. "You don't need to find something creative to get my attention, because you already have it. Come here," he asked, getting up.

Luna wasn't sure what he wanted but she shuffled closer to him, thinking he was leaning in to kiss her, and gasping as his arms pulled her off the couch, holding her bridal style.

"What are you doing?!"

She was so used to being in charge, she couldn't help but panicking a bit.

"Sweeping you off your feet. I won't drop you."

"I… I know that. What now?"

"Do you trust me, Luna?"

She had to bend her neck to look him in the eyes, but she offered him a smile in answer to his question. Her arms snake around his neck for support and she relaxed in his hold, knowing this would let him know that she did trust him.

"I feel like there's so many things I need to ask you," he whispered.

"And I you," Lunafreya confessed. "We've done everything in reverse, but I don't think it's too late…"

"Of course not."

She sighed as relief flooded her tensed nerves. Noctis turned around, making her laugh and lean closer to him. He sat down with her in his lap, keeping one arm around her frame.

"I want to take you on date in Altissia," the exiled prince told her. "To dance with you. Ride one of those stupid gondolas in the brochures."

"That sounds lovely. But what about those questions you wanted to ask?"

He wasn't sure where to begin. He wanted to know the silly and serious things he still ignored about her, but he was afraid of rushing her. Was there any line left? Her head was in the crook of his neck, her breath warm through his shirt, one of her hands splayed on his chest. She grabbed his hand in hers, their fingers intertwining almost instantly. A squeeze. Another sigh.

"I like being like this," she whispered.

"Me too."

He kissed her temple, holding her in a tighter embrace, relishing the way she shivered next to him.

"Do you know how to cook?" she asked him after some time spent in companionable silence.

"More or less," Noctis started, before to drop any pretense. "I get by, but one of my friends was such an amazing cook, I never really saw a point of getting better. How about you?"

"I'm no chef, but I make a mean meat pie. And there's one pastry I need you to try."

"Awww, you'd cook for me?"

She nodded vehemently, wondering why such a mundane thing made her feel lighter. She couldn't remember the last time she'd prepared a meal for someone, even less for someone she loved this much. The thought was enough to bring a giddy feeling to her heart. And the look of pure adoration in Noctis's eyes made her legs wobbly. It was good thing she wasn't standing.

"We're certainly going to need to cook for ourselves out there, so you'll have to take a risk on me."

"I'm super picky," he warned her. "And I can't really make it up to you by cooking, unless you can handle nothing but sandwiches and pancakes... I'm good at fishing and hunting, but that… makes me sound more like a caveman bringing the food for his woman to prepare."

She laughed it off.

"Will you hold me every night we'll spend out in the wild?"

"As though you need to ask. I won't let even one of your toes get cold," he promised.

She giggled at the solemn tone he took, pulling their entwined hands closer to her. She wasn't sure why, but she kissed one of his knuckles. Those hands had vowed to protect her and she couldn't remember a moment when she'd felt this safe.

"I will be quite lost in Lucis," she admitted.

"Well, I've run all over the country after being sent in exile. I'm pretty sure I can be your guide. I hope you're not against chocobo riding."

"Riding?" she repeated.

"Lucis is way bigger than Tenebrae," he teased her lovingly, even though he knew she was conscious of the difference in size to their country.

"Will you give me a few lessons? There hasn't been a chocobo in Tenebrae in quite some time…"

"I'd like that…"

To be continued…

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Well then, things are finally set for our pair of royal to visit Altissia. Next chapter should see the introduction of a new character, and the start of Ravus's pilgrimage. Which mean we'll finally get more Ignis in this fic! I'll try to keep the chocobros parts as sidelines, since Noct/Luna is the main pairing, but you know how I love them all.

As always, review motivate me greatly!