A/N: There are at least two other stories I should be working on right now. Oops. Worry not, though, this isn't like a long commitment or anything, just a collection of fluffy stories that I'll write when I'm feeling all sappy and stuff. It goes without saying that updates will be a bit wonky on this one, so don't expect consistency. It's not really my strong suit anyway.
A few notes before you start though. 1: I'm aiming to give each chapter a different genre, so expect some humor, fluff, angst, and maybe even some hurt/comfort later on. 2: Some of the pairings might strike some as odd, but please hear me out. I have my reasons. 3: Like all my stories, this one will keep objectionable content low to nonexistent, so don't you fret your little buns about that. 4: Just for funsies, I'm not going to tell you what the pairing is for each chapter, so I hope you enjoy surprises! :)
That is all. Read on, amigos.
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There's A First Time for Everything…
Noctis had never had a first kiss.
He'd never really thought much about it before—he hadn't had the chance with the weight of the world and his friends' lives on his shoulders—and before that he hadn't pondered much on romance at all. Ever since he was twelve and his father had taken him to Tenebrae to be healed of the wound inflicted on him by the Marilith, Noctis had just assumed that he'd marry Luna, so he hadn't really payed much attention to other women. Additionally, unlike a number of boys his age, the young prince had never thought of girls as "gross"—he'd just been happy to have another kid to play with, honestly—and Luna had been so kind and endearing… Ever since they'd met, Noctis had expected with a child-like faith that the two of them would wed some day. He hadn't really dwelt very deeply on the matter when he was young either. The idea had sort of weaseled its way into his subconscious, leaving him with the impression that he'd always felt that way and that there was nothing strange about it. He wasn't even sure when the thought had fist come to him, it had always been as far as he was concerned, a constant force that had pulled him since the day he'd befriended the Oracle, but now… Sweet Shiva, now that the day was finally here, Noctis was beside himself with stress.
He'd never kissed anyone before, with the exception of his father back when Noctis was still young, but even then it had been merely a sign of familial affection, a peck on the cheek before he went to bed and that was all.
This was entirely different. Noctis wasn't even sure how this was supposed to work. Would he be expected to make the first move? Did Luna know that? What if his lips tasted funny and she didn't have the heart to tell him?
The King of Lucis fretted nervously over his thoughts as he stood stock-still while Ignis tried to help him into the outer coat of his finest royal attire.
"Anxious, Noct?" the retainer asked as he straightened the other man's collar to crisp perfection even without the use of his eyes.
The question startled Noctis out of his musings, and his gaze snapped to Ignis with a wild desperation, words tumbling out of his mouth before he had the chance to think on them, prompted by the advisor's opening line of inquiry.
"Iggy, have you ever kissed anyone?" he asked, his voice definitely not cracking as he spoke.
The other man physically jerked back at what Noctis could only assume was a highly unanticipated question, but after a moment he answered nonetheless, albeit slowly.
"I… must assume you're referring to a romantic interest and not a relative, yes?"
At Noctis' quiet affirmative, he continued.
"To be perfectly frank, no I have not. I'm afraid I would be hard-put to pursue a relationship while trying to responsibly adhere to my duties here at the Citadel."
Noctis groaned, his shoulders slumping.
"I was afraid you'd say that…" he mumbled dejectedly.
Ignis arched his sole remaining eyebrow curiously, his head tilting slightly to one side as he asked, "may I inquire the reason behind your sudden interest in my relationship status, Your Highness?"
Noctis felt his face burn at the question, and for once he was glad that Ignis couldn't see.
"Well… Y'know, I was sorta hoping that you could give me advice… on kissing," the king muttered with some embarrassment.
Ignis didn't appear mocking, however. The retainer's expression actually softened at the admission, and he replied gently, "you're concerned about the end of the wedding ceremony, I presume."
Noctis knew that his advisor didn't need to see his answering nod to know that he was correct.
Ignis chuckled softly before he continued, "I hardly think you'll need to worry about that, Majesty. I can't say I'm an expert on the subject, but I've heard from a rather reliable source that it will come naturally when the time comes."
Ignis hardly needed to elaborate on who his "reliable source" was—they both knew that only Gladio was shameless enough to spill all the details about his mouth-to-mouth encounters, a fact that his three friends had come to dread.
"That doesn't help!" Noctis found himself bursting out, his worry transforming itself into vocal volume, "there has to be some kind of strategy or-or something! Iggy, this'll be my first kiss. Ever. I don't know how to do this! What if I mess it up? What if we both try to go in at the same time and slam our heads together? What if I miss?"
Ignis quietly finished making the final adjustments to Noctis' outfit before he placed his hand on the king's shoulder and replied sternly, "Noct, listen to me—you don't need this senseless worry to burden what promises to be the happiest day of your life. You've endured much greater hardships in the past than a first kiss, and I've no doubt that you will overcome this obstacle successfully, just as you have always done. Perhaps that is hardly a consolation, but you must lay this anxiety to rest."
It wasn't a consolation. Noctis would have been more comforted if his retainer had at least offered him a guideline for how to kiss a girl, but maybe that would have been giving Ignis too much credit. The guy was smart, no doubt about it, but when it came to romantic advice… Yeah, no. He was basically useless.
His stomach still flip-flopping wildly, the king checked himself over in the mirror a final time, though he knew there was hardly a point to that—sucky wingman or not, Iggy could perfect the folds of a tux like no one's business. Noctis couldn't even find a stray crease on it. How the chamberlain did it without his sight was a mystery to the younger man.
Content with his attire, Noctis turned for the door, his shoes clicking lightly on the floor as he moved, but he paused as his fingers brushed the knob, another flock of stupid, fluttery butterflies taking flight in his gut.
He didn't even like butterflies.
He tried to stuff them back in the figurative net by taking a few deep breaths, but it was no use. He really shouldn't be this nervous—it was just Luna, for Astrals' sake! Except… wasn't that his whole problem? It was Luna. He didn't even pretend to deny at this point that he loved her, and if he was being honest, he really didn't want to mess this up for her. She deserved better than a flubbed kiss just because he was too inept and romantically constipated to know how to do it properly. He had to get this right for Luna…
And, okay, he didn't want to look like an idiot with half of Eos watching either, but was that really such a crime? It was royal wedding, so of course it had to be filmed live, which meant that if he messed up the ceremony, then every citizen of Lucis, Tenebrae, and Niflheim would know he was a nervous wreck who couldn't kiss to save his life.
Six, he wanted to die right now.
A heavy, defeated sigh interrupted his thoughts, and Noctis shook off his insecurities to look quizzically back at Ignis, who was standing a little less straighter than usual, pinching the bridge of his nose in a gesture that Noctis knew well. His retainer only brought out that expression if he was utterly exasperated with Noct's, Gladio's, or Prompto's frequent tomfoolery, or else he was about to say something extremely out of character that could potentially be used as blackmail material at a later date.
"Gladio…" Ignis started, then paused, his brow furrowing as he fiddled awkwardly with his glasses before trying again.
"Gladio once informed me—quite against my will—that if your partner is right-handed, they will likely tilt their head in that direction, so you may want to use that to your advantage."
He stopped again, but Noctis stayed silent, knowing by that pinched look on his friend's face that he wasn't finished yet.
He waited for a second or two before Ignis admitted, "he also advised that you should, ah, keep your mouth closed when you're attempting this sort of thing for the first time."
Huh? Mouth… oh. Oh. That… that was probably sound advice.
"I'll, uh, keep that in mind," Noctis said with an awkward nod of acknowledgment, "thanks, I guess."
Alright, so it wasn't quite the detailed instructions that the king felt like he needed, but he appreciated the gesture nonetheless. Ignis had definitely had to stand on his dignity to deliver that little tidbit of wisdom, so Noctis felt he had to give him credit for that at least.
Glad that his worries were being taken seriously, but feeling no less jittery despite the fact, Noctis could do nothing but breathe deeply and square his shoulders as he turned the knob and walked out the door, Ignis following close behind.
Cheers from seated guests greeted the king as he entered the throne room where the wedding was to take place, and Noctis found himself holding back a ridiculous grin despite the nervous flip-flops his insides were performing. The last time he could remember the throne room looking this cheery was back when he was eighteen and his father had thrown him a highly unexpected coming-of-age party, but even that event paled in comparison to the extravagance that lay before him now. In celebration of the royal wedding, the whole place was decked out in an array of decorations, blue and silver streamers fluttering from the high ceiling, black and gold banners depicting alternating patterns of the Insomnian and Tenebraen crests flapping from each column, and seemingly endless bouquets of sylleblossom and crystal filling every available corner—on the ends of the benches, hanging from the lights, standing erect around the throne, and climbing the railing on the stairs. Their sweet, light scent permeated the room, floating about the huge, open space without overpowering the senses.
Whoever had organized the décor had really outdone themselves, Noctis thought.
He climbed the stairs to the first landing, just below the throne, where the bridesmaids and groomsmen already stood waiting, ignoring the way Prompto wolf-whistled quietly and mockingly as he came to a stop beside him while Ignis took his place next to Gladio on the dais.
"Lookin' good there, buddy!" Prompto stage-whispered as Noctis surreptitiously smoothed invisible wrinkles out of his jacket.
"Remind me again why I made you my best man?" the king snapped back, but he stopped fiddling with his attire, forcing his hands to remain still even though he was sure they were shaking.
"Aw, don't be like that!" the blonde joked quietly, oblivious to Noctis' case of the nerves, "remember, I'm also your wedding photographer. I wouldn't get on my bad side if I were you."
The king opened his mouth to retort, but shut it again abruptly as the band that lined the stairs above him suddenly struck up the first chords of the song that marked the bride's entrance.
Noctis bit his lip nervously as the doors at the far end of the hall creaked open and he got his first look at Luna, and…
Astrals, if a hundred people hadn't currently been watching him, Noctis wasn't sure he would have been able to stop his mouth from dropping open.
Lunafreya entered on her brother's arm, her usually evenly-schooled expression replaced by a radiant smile as she walked slowly up the aisle, the train of her snow-white dress flowing out behind her past the doors. Her hair was arranged in a delicate, golden pile atop her head, with tiny white flowers peeking through her tresses here and there, and the veil that she wore pushed away from her face fell down her back nearly to the floor.
Noctis wasn't sure if it was the skylight or simply his own imagination, but she almost appeared to be glowing as she swept across the intervening space between them, and even the ever-stoic Ravus looked grudgingly pleased at the display of his sister's almost tangible happiness.
At the bottom of the stairs, the two Nox Fleurets split apart, the elder taking a seat in the front row while the younger ascended the steps, her eyes never once leaving Noctis.
The king felt his throat go dry as she finally came to a stop before him, the train of her gown cascading down the stairs like an ivory waterfall, her blue eyes alight. With a movement that felt so unbelievably natural—though he'd never before done it—Noctis took both of her hands in his, her small fingertips resting perfectly against his palms.
To his right, Nyx Ulric cleared his throat as he saw that everyone was in position. As Captain of the Kingsglaive, his authority was deemed suitable to marry the two royals, a role he seemed only too pleased to fill.
"Alright," he said, "let's get this thing rolling!"
Astrals. Only Nyx…
The Glaive cleared his throat again and announced loudly, "dearly beloved, we're gathered together here today in the eyes of the Six to witness the union of this man and this woman in matrimony…"
Noctis almost didn't hear the rest of the introduction, nor anything that followed. His whole attention was focused on Luna—the flush of happiness in her cheeks, the bright curve of her smile, that faint dust of freckles across her nose…
He nearly started when she began to speak, her voice soft and joyful, yet still projecting out to the crowds.
"I, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, take you, Noctis Lucis Caelum CXIV, to be my husband, to have and to hold form this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part."
Gods, this was really happening, wasn't it?
Noctis repeated the vow, his voice steady despite his dry throat and the tongue that seemed suddenly much too large for his mouth.
"I, Noctis Lucis Caelum CXIV, take you, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, to be my wife, to have and to hold form this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part."
When the last word was uttered, Nyx indicated that the rings be brought forward, and before he quite knew what was happening, Noctis found himself sliding a thin, delicate, silver band onto Luna's finger. She reciprocated, placing a plainer, thicker ring onto his hand, and then came the moment he'd been dreading.
Noctis' stomach rose to his throat as he heard the presiding Glaive proclaim at the last, "you may kiss the bride!" and he leaned in, his heart beating so loudly he was sure the entire hall full of people could hear it.
With hindsight, perhaps his first kiss wasn't perfect. Yet, though he wasn't sure if he closed his eyes at the right time, and though he bumped Luna's nose on the way down, and though he was pretty sure his mouth landed a bit off-center when their lips met, it seemed just right to him in the moment as his hand instinctively rose to cradle her face and her fingers intertwined with his, while her other hand buried itself lightly in his hair.
For what felt like hours—though in truth it was but a second—there was silence, then raucous applause exploded around them, and Noctis felt Luna smile against his mouth before they parted, both a bit pink in the face but smiling as if they hadn't a care in the world.
Together, they descended the steps with their bridesmaids and groomsmen behind them, laughing carelessly as the crowd showered them with confetti, rice, and flower petals, so that by the time they reached the door, their hair and shoulders were covered with bits of flamboyant color.
As they escaped from the fray of the throne room into the comparative quiet of the chamber beyond, Noctis leaned down to whisper in his wife's ear, "gods, I was so nervous. That was… actually my first kiss."
Luna looked back up at him, and the smile that graced her face could have melted every icecap in Niflheim as she whispered back, "mine too."
