A wild chapter has appeared! It's been sometime, but December has been one hectic month for me and I ended up not having much time to write. I've been trying to refresh myself and I direly need to finish a few FFXV fics since I have a new idea for yet another one – this machine can't ever stop- and in the meantime, this story isn't any closer to its end. Although things are moving on. Today we have bromance, friendship, planning, Lunoct smut and fluff and I can say this is the last chapter of this fic taking place in Altissia! Enjoy!

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Stranded

Chapter 19 – We're headed back home

The shackles clattered in turns with the consecutive hits of the stick. It was the same pattern every time. The King had no way to tell whether it was morning, midday or night. His cell was dark-stone walls, bathing him in cold and dampness that had sunk deeply into his bones. Blood kept dripping on the floor, despite the healing that had been done, forcibly so if someone were to ask Regis.

"Up, up, up," Ardyn called. "Which face would rouse you today, your highness? Amicitia? The young prince maybe? Or your destitute son?"

Regis groaned in answer, pulling on the chains that kept him up. They were attached to the middle of the ceiling, keeping him dangling in the air, his back nearly scrapping against the nearest wall, his hands aching and arms sore from staying up and above his head for too long. His knees were locked in place, his bad leg giving out every few hours and the chains keeping his arms made it impossible to properly breathe when he wasn't standing. Which meant he had to raise himself back up whenever his chest started constricting too much. The pain dormant in his bad leg was pulsing through his entire body with every heartbeat and he wasn't sure he could still move his toes at this point. He felt like a sack of bones, his muscles aching as he pulled himself up. His neck hurt, his head heavy no matter on which side he leaned. If only he could have rested against the wall, he would have welcomed the mold and trickles of water along his spine if that meant breathing and saving his bad leg for just a bit.

The counsellor's hand touched his bare chest, toying with the white hairs, pulling on the bits caked with dry blood, fingers pulsing with dark light. He drew more blood with a single nail, letting his magic run wild, fixing the internal bleeding but not closing the wound. He never closed any of the wounds he left on the King.

Regis grit his teeth, wondering how long he would remain here, revitalized and bullied by the man he'd mistakenly let into his home.

"How about your wife? I heard she was quite the tomboy."

"Leave me be," the King managed, his jaw so tense, his tendons looking ready to snap.

"I miss the questions and the insults, hundred and fourteenth."

"And I miss eating actual food. How long do you intend to keep me here?"

Ardyn smirked, patting him on the cheek a bit too roughly.

"As long as your face keeps me on the throne."

It had been a good week already, of being kept alive with dark magic and pain.

"I should sew a few chains in your flesh, maybe you'd realize what a good host I am to you."

With a twist of the hand, Ardyn moved the dagger he'd used to stab him. He'd removed it from Regis's side, but the wound remained gaping and the blade had been wrapped in darkness, kept afloat just a few feet away from the old King. It felt like the metal was still digging into him and Regis could barely handle the constant pressure. His own powers had been reduced to a shadow of themselves, he couldn't phase, couldn't muster even one piece of his armiger. All he could do was hurt and worry, hoping his jailor would eventually make a slip. And Ardyn's only slip so far had been to strike him in the throne room. The King was forced to watch him leave after every visit, wearing his crown, his beard, his face and his very skin, laughing to himself as he pretended to dive back into the role. To think Ravus had believed that man's lies and helped forsake Noct.

I've been a fool. Leading my dear boys to hate, the one thing I never wanted for them.

It was hard to say if that punishment was large enough for his sins. But if he could even have one minute out, Regis was ready to make amend. All he needed was a second chance. Being granted one seemed improbable at best. And while his blood pulsed and his pain grew, his hope dimmed a little more.

"Careful, Reggie. Only you can keep up the wall."

Ardyn held a small knife in his hands, the tip thinner than a sheet of paper. He could materialize anything he imagined, and Regis was left to watch as the sharp blade dug into his flesh.

WALL-MAKER was etched across his sternum in wide, irregular letters.

"So keep it up, highny, unless you want a worse title. Or do you need incentive? I'm certain I can…"

"If keeping the wall up is the only reason you let me live, I don't think you could find any better incentive."

"He can be smart after all," Ardyn mused. "I suggest passing on that treat if you ever consider having another kid. You did a poor job with the first two."

Regis bit his own tongue as rage filled him. His boys were brilliant. Ravus… Ravus just had to be misguided, hadn't he? His armiger flickered to life and the counsellor took it as his cue to leave. With the door closing behind him, the remnants of half-materialized weapons vanished into the void once more. And for the nth time in a week, Regis wished he could follow them.

…

Noctis pushed against the weights, his shoulder burning. He was starting the last stage of his training a bit earlier than expected and the pain threatened to make him faint from the first exercise.

"Don't go too fast. You know it's not about the weight as much as the gesture."

The familiar voice had him looking up from the machine, his right hand twitching against the weight.

"Iggy!"

"I hope I'm not distracting you. I was just wondering how the planning was going and your trainer told me I would find you here."

"Tired of Altissia or getting restless after your sex marathon?" the prince retorted with a smirk.

Ignis shrugged, pretending he hadn't heard the last part.

"I've been trying to get information from Lucis, but my network isn't working as it used to."

Noctis's face instantly fell, his thoughts turning back to his father, his brother and everything he had yet to learn about his family.

"The long distance is proving to be a problem?"

"I believe that a few of my informers have sensed the current disturbance in the crown city and are laying low. I can count on only one person to get us intel on the real King, and that's Libertus."

"That Glaive? Why not your…?"

"He's loyal to your father, not your brother and that's very important right now, Noct."

"Who's loyal to my brother at this point?"

Ignis grimaced, biting back on an apology for hitting a sore spot.

"That's one answer you don't want, and I don't have it anyway. I did mention Gladio broke his wrist?"

Noctis chuckled at that.

"He'd better left some part of him safe so I can bruise him up myself."

"I'll be sure to let him know when we depart."

The exiled prince bit his lower lip, understanding they needed to sit down with Luna and determine the soonest they could leave.

"It's about time I introduce you to my princess and fiancée."

"Who are you and what have you done to the Noct I used to know?" Ignis teased him.

"I'm just less gloomy," the prince shot back, smiling too.

Most of their lightheartedness was gone when both men found themselves standing in front of the door leading to the suite where Lunafreya, Cindy and Prompto were all staying.

"There's no reason to be nervous," Noctis assured his friend. "I know Luna will like you."

Ignis wasn't sure how he felt about dumping one royal family to serve another one. He wanted to offer his help to Noctis, to make up for not following him before, but he knew his position could raise controversy in the eyes of the Tenebrean princess. He loved a Nifelheimer and if Aranea couldn't be welcomed in the group, he would help Noctis from afar.

Luna was the only one waiting for them in the living room, with a full tea serving on the living room table, the Oracle all curled up in a warm blanket, reading a book. She jumped slightly at their entrance, her eyes widening in alarm as she realized just how disheveled and unprincesslike she had to be looking, but Noctis smiled so fondly at her, she forgot her worries and smiled back, welcoming them with a small wave. Ignis offered a small bow while Noctis walked up to his princess.

"I thought you were never cold?" he remarked with a raised brow.

"When I ache all over, I like to be a tad warmer," Luna shot back, pushing her shoulders outward to look as imposing as she could with her thin frame. But her eyes were still warm when they turned to Ignis. "I'm very glad to finally meet you, Mr. Scientia."

"Good gods, lady Lunafreya," the advisor greeted back. "I'd prefer if you called me Ignis. And it's my pleasure to be graced with the presence of the lady who stole my best friend's heart."

She blushed and was glad for Noctis helping her out of the blanket and between his arms, giving her a gentle peck on the lips, which helped cover up the reason for her blush. The couple settled back on the same couch, Luna accepting to sit in her fiancé's lap, lacing her fingers with his as she gestured for Ignis to sit across from them with her free hand. The fact Noctis was this comfortable to display affection for her had to mean how close of a friend Ignis was to him and how much he trusted the guy.

"Then, you must call me Luna, Ignis."

They exchanged a nod, unsure of what else could be said to break the ice. Which reminded Ignis of ice and the extent of what this Oracle could do.

"It's my understanding you have an arrangement with Noctis about those covenants. I saw what you did to the Nif fleet and it was… beyond impressive."

Luna shivered between Noctis's arms, paling despite the strong front she wanted to put on.

"All that damage was long overdue. I sadly don't have much to go on as to what you can do, outside of being a genius tactician and outstanding cook."

Ignis leaned back in his chair, shaking his head at Noctis.

"That's some high praise. I always saw myself more as a henchman to either of the Lucian princes."

The humor was clear in his voice, but Noctis barely smiled, knowing how much truth hid behind those words.

"You were more than that. But he won't let us praise him. Iggy'd rather lurk in dark, moldy libraries than be under the spotlight."

Luna chuckled, giving a playful slap to Noctis's good knee.

"You're making him uncomfortable, Noct."

Ignis instantly stopped scratching at his neck, only noticing the nervous gesture as the princess pointed it out. He was impressed by how heartwarming the little scene playing out before him was. The love between the pair of royals was so clear, he felt out of place, almost like a voyeur.

"I take it you two have been missing each other, even though you last met less than 3 days ago," he commented with a light smirk.

"I don't have your patience," Noctis sighed.

He punctuated his words with a nibble to Luna's ear, which seemed to be crossing the line even for her.

"Noct, please, if you can't behave, I'll sit on the other couch!"

Delaying the serious part of the talk could only go so far.

"So…" he started.

"How have you been feeling, lady Luna?" Ignis asked, offering a small wince as she wagged one finger at his use of the title.

"I'm still tired and achy, but I'm doing well. Well enough to travel. Our airship is fully ready for take of and I know the first secretary wants me out of her hair. What can we expect in Lucis."

"Very dry temperature and even drier people. The outposts have been struggling to stay afloat and there are more daemons roaming then they used to be, Lestallum has closed its doors to visitors that aren't hunters."

Luna felt the tension in Noctis's body and wished she could ease it somehow, instead focusing on Ignis.

"It's been a while since an Oracle walked those lands. I think the last one was my great-grandmother."

Ignis nodded, pushing his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose.

"Aranea and myself will take care of all the daemons we meet. It's not fair to ask of a single person to right everything that's wrong with our world."

The princess frowned, biting her tongue not to raise the fact Aranea Highwind was still technically her enemy. Noctis had already warned her not to risk that subject on her first meeting with Ignis. While extra reasonable, Ignis was so protective of his girlfriend, he could call off their alliance only to show where his loyalty lied. And it was true that the former dragoon had never directly hurt her or Noctis. Ignis proceeded with the planning, still noticing the emotional turmoil in Luna's face.

"I suggest landing near Cape Caem, I left the Regalia there so we could evade populated areas and keep a mode of transportation that would be comfortable."

Luna remembered the promise to ride chocobos and covered her stomach with one hand.

"Hopefully, I can do some driving and not dub you as our chauffeur," Noctis whispered, his right hand clenching around Luna's.

"You can take the wheel for the night drives. Lady Luna has been very quiet. I thought you would have more questions. Or even ask for proof of my good intentions."

She blinked, surprised, although it was true her army was renown for the rough selection process of new recruits.

"Noctis trusts you, Ignis. That's enough for me. Although I do have questions. How bad is the situation? What is being done to protect the civilians?"

The advisor heaved a sigh.

"It's everyone fending for themselves outside of Insomnia. Like it's always been." He glazed over Noctis's guilty expression, going on, "but while daemons are on the prowl, the blight outbreaks have diminished greatly over the years."

Luna couldn't hep the suspicion it meant the infection was a lot more virulent than it was in Tenebrae and Altissia.

"Are people disappearing?" she insisted.

Noctis squeezed her waist at that, unsure what she was on to, but Ignis nodded.

"Missing people notices everywhere, at an increasing rate for the past five years."

"How come I never heard of that?"

"What was the point if the politics remained in Insomnia?" Ignis observed, his resentment seeping through. "The empire took all our focus with their expanding war. The army cells still in Galhad and Lucis are doing their best to chip away at our troops. We can't deal with all the trouble at once, so I suggest you two focus on safely making it to Lucis as I gather more information on the capital."

"You can't ask us that after explaining how dire the situation is for my people!" Noctis protested.

"First, you should remember that you've almost singlehandedly stopped the empire's advance on both Tenebrae and Accordo. Asking you to deal with the leftovers would be quite ungrateful. Whatever you want to do, I'll be helping, but you need to remember one thing, Noctis. You don't owe Lucis anything."

"I trained all my life to look after them!" the exiled prince snapped.

Luna rubbed her ear to remind him how close they were, Noctis apologizing sheepishly and kissing her hair once. She leaned back into him, glad she could just bask in his warmth despite how serious this discussion was becoming.

"We're going to look out for us first, but our top priority is to free the King. If we need more Astrals on our side to do it, I'll reach out for Titan or Ramuh."

"Luna…!"

Noctis's hand reached for her lower-stomach, covering her fingers.

"I was already pregnant when we did the covenant with Leviathan and the baby has no after-effect from it."

"So you want some old dude to zap you two to death?!"

Ignis cleared his throat, effectively bringing their attention back to him.

"I think a subtler approach would be more advised to rescue the King. We lack information right now. I have a man working on that, but we will have to question Ravus and find a way into the crown city. And to find all the intel we can on Ardyn Izunia."

They agreed that it was the best way to go at things.

"I'm 16 weeks along now," Luna explained, "so it's pretty safe to travel for me."

Her belly was definitely starting to show, her curves all emphasized while her other symptoms hid under her gowns, her skin littered with rashes and zits despite all the cream she used. The soreness never fully leaving her and the days she spent in a complete haze would remain unnamed unless someone noticed how lost she was every now and then. Like when she'd stored her phone in the toaster, hastily retrieving it ten minutes later the other day.

Gods, was she glad Prompto hadn't seen that.

Speaking of the devil, the door opened, the gunman stepping in, a wet towel around his shoulders, empty water bottle unceremoniously dropped by the entrance as he kicked off his shoes.

"Phew, that was… Oh, hey! Didn't know we had company coming over," Prompto muttered as his pep from training receded.

Ignis rose to his feet, Noctis doing the same with a little more time, helping Luna off his lap.

"Prom, this is Ignis Scientia, my former advisor and one of my best friends. Iggy, this is Prompto Argentum, another of my best friends, and the guy who's been keeping me sane lately."

The introduction felt a bit forced, but Noctis was highly mindful of not selling out either of the guys. They were both his friends, there was nothing wrong with that, if anything, he was ready to call them both his best friends, but he had no idea how Ignis would react to Prompto's… "way" with words.

Both men exchanged wary glances, Ignis taking in the freckles, blond hair and clear sky-blue eyes. As a child, he'd walked in a cloning facility once and remembered well the dozens of younger kids, all wearing the same face with different levels of fear and/or anger. He offered his hand for a shake, Prompto taking it, tense and somehow curious. That tall, extra polished dude reminded me of someone, but he couldn't quite pin it down. Then he remembered.

"Hey, aren't you the dude that came to hand us some freaking coffee thingies?"

Ignis gaped at him for half a second, taken aback.

"Why yes, although it was iced coffee treats," he corrected the blond man.

"That was one of the sweetest things I've ever tasted in my life!" Prompto exclaimed, raising both fists above his head as the memory overwhelmed him. "Tell me you have some!"

"Not with me…"

"Darn it! Noctis said you were a kitchen god, and you don't even have a portable fridge on you? Color me disappointed," Prompto added with a mock accent.

If Ignis was annoyed, he didn't let it show.

"I can definitely secure some. And some non-caffeinated ones for the Oracle."

"That would be very nice," Luna smiled. "Prompto, do you have to tease everyone you meet?"

"You weren't there when he gave us those treats, m'lady. He sounded like a posh robot. We had a riot for weeks just trying to pinpoint his accent!"

Ignis rolled his eyes, meeting Noctis encouraging smile and accepting to let it pass for now. He was mostly surprised to see how outgoing and excited Prompto could be when he remembered the look on the faces of those poor clones. They were all so quiet and… hollow. To think between themselves, they used to act like actual kids. It made him hope humanity wasn't entirely lost just yet.

After introducing Cindy to Ignis -the poor girl had been keeping to herself even though she'd reached a truce with Prompto- they agreed to leave for Lucis in one week's time. Ignis would come back in a few days with Aranea, since they were a package deal.

"If it proves to be a problem," he started, his eyes focusing on Luna.

She shook her head, making sure Noctis was too busy talking with Prompto to listen in on them.

"It won't be," Luna promised. "At least, I don't want it to be. I have welcomed people from the empire in my troops before, and I'm not asking from her -or you for that matter- that you join my cause. What matters to me right now is Noctis and his family."

"I think we're going to get along just fine, lady Luna."

"Drop the lady already!" the pregnant woman retorted, giving him a light punch in the arm.

"Hey, no brutalizing him!" Noctis interfered.

"When I can be normal, I'd rather not be treated like a princess," Luna defended herself.

…

Noctis finalized the papers and made the final payment on his rehab in the following two days, intent on spending time with Luna in the quiet space of their hotel suite. He wanted to dote on her, but she insisted on spoiling him first.

"My prince should have the very best and I have been taking you for granted from the very start," she explained.

"It didn't feel that way, but I'm fine with being spoiled every now and then. While you can still walk around without problem," he teased her, his hands going to her poking stomach.

Luna had started wearing baggy clothes to try and hide it, but there was no denying the truth. She did slap him when he got too entranced by her breasts, even though her hormones were telling her to use the enhanced advantages to trap him to their bed for the rest of the week. That would come in due time, but she wanted to make sure he was rested and relaxed despite all the dark thoughts in his mind.

"While we still have space, how about sharing a warm bath?"

Noctis perked up at the idea. They usually shared showers and were always rushed while doing it, but for once they had time to enjoy each other.

"You want a back massage, don't you?"

"I'll give you one in return," Luna promised.

They had only one scented candle and only one playlist to help set the mood, but with dimmed lights and her hands on him, Noctis could forget his worry and focus on the woman of his dreams. She was demanding as always, in her own playful and bold way, but he loved that.

Luna insisted on getting him naked first, dragging it out so she could cover his chest with wet kisses and tease him through his pants.

"That bath will get cold," he reminded her with a throaty voice, running his fingers through her hair as her hands stroked him steadily.

"You can reheat it with your magic."

"Let me take your clothes off," he pleaded with her.

She blushed, unable to voice how unsure she felt with her changing body. She didn't like her skin and its new blemishes, and all the red patches sticking where she used to be too pale.

"You might prefer me like this."

"I love you in every state of clothing. Especially the absence of them."

"Naughty prince."

"Like you're one to talk," he shot back, cupping one breast as he gripped her ass with his right hand, the light trembling of his fingers sending ideas up her nerves.

"Noct…"

"If we're not going to make it to the bath," he panted out. "I must at least lay you on something soft."

They could have walked back to their room, but Luna was too impatient, throwing the towels to the floor instead and motioning for him to lie down.

"Think you're soft enough for me?"

"Not in every place, but if you can bear with his man…"

"I can't bear without you," Luna confided, holding his strong hands to herself, greedy need written all over her flushed face.

He pulled her blouse off her shoulders, unable to hold back a groan as she rode him without much more warning, her skirt pooling all over him, the elastic band having slid up her belly. He struggled with her clothes and with his own sanity, taking off layer by layer until she was bare for him, and then his eyes were even heavier than his hands on her.

"I'm not too heavy?"

"You're perfect. Gods, Luna, you…" he thrusted into her, meeting her motion and gasping as her flesh clenched all around him. "I need a back in working order if we're going to raise that kid together."

Her nails dug into him, her movement turning so slow, the friction was more pain than bliss.

"No ifs about it, Noct."

"That was a joke," he huffed, stroking shivers all the way from her wrist to her shoulder, his hands tracing her collarbone, the swell of both breasts, their undersides and the dips of ribs right before that beautiful stomach rounding up as life grew inside. He saw the blemishes and evaded the angrier rashes, kissing a spot on her hand, raising himself on his good arm so he could guide her mouth to his.

"I love you. All of you."

"That's my line," she pretended to be offended, but her smile and teary eyes told him another story.

"Maybe you should say your line instead of being all high and mighty," Noctis teased her.

Then he kissed her for so long, breathing might have become obsolete, and Luna tried finding her voice again but he shifted them around, his arms wrapping around her, his right hand tentatively brushing against her stomach. He felt so caring and careful, she feared she would always melt in his embrace. She could still wrap her legs around his waist to keep him close, she gasped at how he slowly twisted her as he tried a different angle, reaching deeper inside her, letting instincts take over. She couldn't muffle an outright scream and desperately held on to him.

"I…"

"Luna…"

"I lo…

The air in her lungs was so sparse by now, she couldn't muster full words, cupping his face until he'd lean his forehead against hers, their eyes falling in and out of focus with the build up tension reaching a peak.

It felt messy and almost too rough for the stage they'd reached, but her urgency had always been contagious and Noctis couldn't get enough of the ethereal feeling she gave him. A magic happened when he was between her arms, between her legs, like pain bursting into pure joy. Her flesh shuddered as ecstasy rolled off her, their breath and sweat mingling just a little more.

He was careful of not laying his waist on her, especially mindful of her mid-section and she mewled a sigh of content, a cute sound he hadn't registered before.

"That was… different than usual," Noctis observed.

"Uh huh."

She tried to shuffle around, and he realized how her bare neck was directly touching the bathroom's tiles.

"You're not cold, are you?"

"Just… quite sore. I hope that bath is still warm."

It didn't take long for the bath to be warm again, Noctis helping her sitting in the large tub and settling himself behind her despite how difficult the maneuver proved to be.

"We might stay stuck," she laughed, leaning into him as soon as he made space for her.

"I have seen worse scenarios in my life."

They allowed each other to just lie in this cocoon of warmth for a bit, Noctis soon insisting on washing her thoroughly, giving her nipple an appreciative pinch or running his fingers along her folds, too happy to have her at his mercy.

"That does not count as washing…!" she protested as she started panting once more.

"Easy, unless you want Prompto and Cindy to hear?"

"That should be a turn off, but… I think you made me completely reckless."

"I did that?!" he chuckled, ready to remind her just how reckless she already was when he'd met her. But Luna managed to bend her neck around and back far enough to search for his lips and he kissed her back, softly, gently, until the twisting around was too painful for the both of them.

"I promised you a massage, not back pain," he said, kissing her shoulder and guiding her head back forward.

"A back massage, not the all out pawing you've been doing."

"Complaining?"

"I… No, no, I wouldn't dream of it."

She sounded playful and Noctis couldn't help a few doubts lurking in the back of his mind. But the sigh of pleasure she let out when he touched her back and released a few knots comforted all the self-doubt that could remain.

She loved him, even when he was taking her voice away.

"Are we headed right to bed after this?" he asked her, massaging the tensed muscles of her shoulders.

"We can't, I had plans. I have a… gift for you."

He smiled, the surprise clear in his voice.

"A gift? It isn't even my birthday…"

"It doesn't have to be. It's not like you told me when your birthday was."

"August 30th."

He frowned as she gasped.

"I was born on the 4th of September. We're so close!"

"Wow. I can't believe I missed it by a few days."

He had arrived in Tenebrae by his own birthday, feeling beyond miserable and had met the princess on September 9. It made sense though, considering the fact a princess's birthday wasn't something that went by quietly, especially when she was the one governing her own kingdom.

"We can celebrate them both together this year. And don't believe today's gift will be the only one. I intend to spoil you as much as I can, my dear prince."

"I'll repay you a thousand times. With my own money, and my heart, and all the love this body can muster."

His hands threaten to light a new fire in her veins and Luna held them off, her smile so wide, her cheeks were bound to hurt soon.

"You haven't seen the gift yet!" she protested.

"I know I'll love it."

After struggling out of the bath and back to their room, Noctis helped her into a soft nightgown and slipped into some sweatpants, sitting on the bed with his eyes closed as instructed. The rustling and grunting he heard as she secured the package had him frowning.

"How heavy is that thing?" he mused.

"Nothing so heavy you would have to worry about me," she assured him, grunting a second time as she dropped a box on his lap.

It was heavier than everything he'd let her carry around in her state, but then again, Noctis had nearly panicked seeing her carrying a large pot of sauce the other day. He started opening his eyes, feeling her hands covering them almost instantly.

"Wait, I have a prelude gift."

"Okay."

He waited until she gave him the all-clear, bursting out laughing at the large box of condoms sitting on top of the real gift.

"Like we need them!"

"We're going to need them in a couple of months. I'm not aiming to repeat an unplanned pregnancy," she paused and took in the serious look Noctis was giving her, her shoulders lowering. "And that just took away most of the joke… Sorry."

"What? When I can tease Ignis by handing him a few of these as we set out on the trip?"

"Tell me you won't give any to Prompto at least."

"The poor guy is so frustrated, he has a right to them."

Luna had to admit, she pitied the gunman. He was trying to get over his impression of worthlessness, but the ordeal with Cindy had left him feeling awful.

"Enough about your friends, okay?"

She sat next to him on the bed, giving him an expectant look. Noctis undid the wrapping, wondering what could be hidden in a box that long and couldn't help a strangled gasp as the top of the casing came open and he saw the intricate details of it. It was a retractable sword, the blade shining with blue reflexions, its hilt made specifically for left-handed people. His breath caught in his throat, and Luna leaned her head against his shoulder, giving his right arm a squeeze.

"I know you'll master it in no time. And I wanted to be sure you knew that I trusted you, Noct. I don't want anyone other than you looking after my safety. Our safety."

"Oh Luna…"

He tried lifting it up, mindful of not breaking anything in the room as he deployed the full thing and marveled at how balanced it felt. It reminded him of the design for his engine blade. When he noticed the wing engraved on the handle, he couldn't help missing his home a little more. It also felt like a piece of his past had been restituted to him.

"When did you take the time to get it made? That's way too much, Lun, I…"

"Noctis, I love you," Luna cut him off. "Nothing can be too much. And I'm both a princess and the Oracle. So believe me, I can afford it," she paled despite her chuckle, reaching one hand up to brush her fingers against his cheek. His right hand rose, his fingers wrapping around her palm as she went on, "what I can't afford is seeing you beating yourself up with the idea you can't protect me. You keep me sane and safe. I'll be your rock in Lucis, but with our baby growing in my flesh and my hormones out of whack, I'll need you."

Noctis's smile was very soft as he turned around to face her, dropping the retracted sword back in its case.

"You got me. For better and for worse, I'm yours. And you can bet I'll fight for you. Both of you."

He kissed her nose, their laugh shared and fully lighthearted this time. There was so much to keep at bay, so many walls and armies to overcome. Daemons. Daemons waited for them in Lucis and they were taking their unborn child right at the devils door. Pretending neither of them was scared would be lying, but Noctis had been forced to run away once and wouldn't run now that the choice was his.

"Just when I think I'm finally on par with your level of sweetness," Luna cursed.

"What?"

"You one-up me at every turn."

"Well, that's all you. Encouraging me to be better than I am."

He kissed her again, the case sitting in his lap dangerously leaning to the side.

"Careful not to dro…"

It fell in a violent bang and they heard surprised cries from the rest of the suite, Cindy and Prompto both rushing to their door.

"Everything okay, guys?!"

"Yeah, we're fine, nothing's broken," Noctis assured, looking annoyed by the interruption.

Luna stifled a laugh, pressing her hand to her mouth.

"How can you be so eager when we just…?"

"When you look at me with those eyes, I can't help it," he defended himself.

She blinked at him innocently, her doe eyes on purpose now.

"You mean those eyes?"

"Or maybe the ones down here," he teased, his face dipping for her cleavage.

"Noct!"

Her outraged tone brought Cindy back to the door.

"What's going on this time? I swear I'll mind my own business as soon as I know that our Luna is fine."

Lunafreya decided to finish the night between friends, with movies and popcorn, Noctis holding her close while she sat in his lap but keeping his hands mostly to himself. Cindy and Prompto were sharing their own couch and tentatively growing closer while not really touching yet. The hours wore on, the princess and the gunman falling asleep through the second movie, the first snoring against Noctis's shoulder while the second had found a pillow on Cindy's lap.

"Well, that's not very fair. How am I supposed to carry him to his room?" the mechanic asked as Noctis lifted Luna in his arms.

"Slap him awake and drag him there?" the exiled prince suggested.

Cindy shook her head at him, staying behind, her hands stroking the blond curls all over Prompto's head.

"Guess I'll be sleeping here tonight."

She didn't sound quite saddened about it.

To be continued…

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In next chapter, our two separate teams will finally be on the same continent. We should see Ravus and co again, how Luna and Aranea accept to tolerate each other and everything else I'll be able to cover lol You know reviews keep me going 😉