Prompt: #13 Crystal

Summary: Only together can they accomplish what they must.

A/N: This is from the Adventum Aduro verse.

Crystallinus is Latin for "of Crystal".

Crystallinus

The Crystal Activation process was still a bit hazy to her. Despite having it explained to her in full technical and patient detail by Phil, most of what he said had gone right over her head. Not that it was his fault. It was a lot to say and process. She knows that had she been involved from the beginning, she would have gotten what he said right away. Only, she had not been there from the beginning and was therefore thoroughly confused. Not only was it a lot to say, simplifying it would not have done it justice. What she had gathered was that it was similar to when she accessed her power. Not much thought was required to do that. All it had always been was natural instinct as opposed some sort of premeditated training. It was just something she naturally knew instead of something she had to remind herself of. This, though, was not just her own instinct at work. She had to do this with Noctis. It was something of them both combined that would bring this forth. That was the complicated part that she had trouble grasping.

This Activation process was a tricky thing. She hopes that this easier camaraderie they had just established would make things less complicated. They had already activated a handful of Crystals but they had not been charged to their full potential. Though they were functioning, their life expectancies were not long. All the ones they had already activated were restricted to testing and not to actual use. Noctis and Phil suspected this was because of her still depleted power. From Phil's calculation, she was not even at a quarter of her full potential. She could agree with that. She could have also dealt better with this news if they had not looked at her with such pity. Noctis had looked guiltier, which she was not sure was any better. So, they had made no further attempts at activating more Crystals. It made her feel even more useless than she already felt. Cal had gone back to Tenebrae to represent her in her absence so she had no real company. Since she could not leave Noctis, it was not even an issue that she should stay in Nihilsomno or not. It was vital that she stay, she just had no idea how long that time would be. So she had, had to conduct her various meetings via video conference instead of physically attending. It was so different from actually being there and she could not help but feel disconnected. Faces watched on a screen did not replace her presence in the flesh. If it were not for Cal's trustworthiness, she does not think she could have kept it up for long. She had her duties, but she was not stubborn enough to think she could leave. Five years of suffering the effects of energy depletion would take away any initial bristles of wounded feminism. This was about her survival and the survival of everyone on their planet.

She had mostly been teasing when she had told him they should compromise, but he seemed eager to actually do it. Even though her first reaction had been to protest that it was not really necessary, she had stopped herself. Perhaps, it would make him feel better and it would help them establish a better relationship. A relationship that was more on equal footing at least in his mind. He made her seem like she was the martyr when she happened to think the opposite. She had not sacrificed anything. She had been a victim, yes, but she had not really done anything. It was he who had done everything. If anyone should feel inadequate, it should be her. To tell Noctis that, however, would be rather fruitless. He would never accept that, even when it was the truth. Amazing how the both of them felt inadequate when they compared themselves to the other.

The look on his face when she had suggested a different color for his wardrobe had been almost comical. She is sure she would have laughed if he had not looked so serious at that moment. If she were more like Cal, she would not have let the opportunity be passed up. It had been good to see that smart wit and charming smirk present instead of the guilt she had seen these last few months. Trust him not to take her skipping option seriously but take her color option with horror. The man was so unpredictable in his reactions sometimes. He was quickly becoming her solace too. Her only one. She was beginning to depend on him with more than just her life. The more time she spent with him, the more she found herself liking him. Liking him as a person, instead of being inexplicably drawn to him by a force stronger than her own. It made all the difference. She found she liked him very much and she looked forward to every and any moment she could spend with him. With each of these moments, good or bad, her was stealing her heart away from her.

"Would you be up for an outing?" he had asked her earlier.

"I would love it!" she all but shouted in her excitement.

"Even when I have not mentioned where?" he asked with that smirk and a sly challenge.

It was so good to see that smirk so often now. It had been accompanied with that dark look that was always present in his eyes. They had been amused but the intensity never diminished.

"I just want to be with you," she had answered honestly. No point in beating around the bush and being coy.

That definitely had not been the expected answer but the look within those eyes had changed to something that greatly pleased her. Her entire body had felt alive and tingling in the most delightful way. She would have swooned, but she knew that he would have tensed if she leaned in closer to him. He was still very conscious of keeping his distance. But what woman would not like to be looked at like that from a man like Noctis? How she longed for another moment just like that night he had thought to let her go. The restrained passion as his lips had brushed against hers and those words that were like music. She hopes that one day he would be that way with her again. Only this time, he would not be restrained.

He did not respond verbally to her admission but he did not have to. That look was answer enough for her and he was not simple enough not to realize that.

"Was there any place in particular you wished to go?" he asked after some time. She knew it had not been because he was stunned speechless. No, he recovered quicker than any man should and her statement was just as bold as his have been. He had just been too busy in his silent musings to say anything earlier.

"Not particularly," she responded with a pointed look. It was meant to repeat her previous admission. She just wanted to be with him. "Should I try to dress incognito?"

"It is not entirely necessary. Whatever you feel comfortable with," was the response.

She gave him a curious look then and tried to imagine him with a hat on to try and hide his trademark spikes.

"Incognito," she decided, because she wanted to see what he would wear.

The smile that had formed on his lips told her that he had been hoping for that answer.

"Incognito," he repeated by way of agreement. "Is an hour sufficient enough?"

"Yes."

"Then I shall meet you here then," he said, as inclined his head to her before turning to walk away.

She was all set in less than an hour. Taking another look at herself in the mirror, she thought she looked appropriate. With enough time to do a lot of idling around, she had, had many chances to check which were the latest fashions in Nihilsomno. As a public figure who occasionally needed a chance to be someone not herself, she was well versed with being fashionable without bringing too much attention to herself. It also worked in the off chance that she was recognized, they could not say that her outfit out of date either. She had opted for a pair of white slim pants with a long, fitted turquoise tunic and a scarf strategically wrapped around her hair. A pair of large, dark, oval sunglasses hid her eyes and she thought she did not look like a princess. She wanted to wear something bright and something different. It had been her intention to not wear white but she could not help it. White was just her color, but she did look a little different and certainly not herself. Her small face was half hidden by her sunglasses and the scarf covered the majority of her pony tailed blond hair.

It could not be helped. Try as she might, there was no way she was not going to consider this a date. What else could it be? He had not given her the impression that they would be escorted. They were also going to try and disguise themselves to be like the common folk. So it was not an outing for official government business. This meant that it was a date. It had to. It would be just herself and Noctis, alone. They had never truly been alone before and she finds that instead of being nervous about this, she is ecstatic. Not only was she going to be spending the day outside, she was going to be spending it with Noctis. It was such a happy prospect.

At the first sight of him, she had to pause as one thought passes through her mind. That it really was not fair to other men that he looked so appealing. He was not wearing black. Well, his baseball cap was black and it covered his usually spiky hair, but that was the only thing that was black. He wore a white collared shirt and jeans. A very simple outfit and it was also not fair that he did not have to put so much effort as she to look normal. Even if nobody recognized them, she knew all the women would notice him. He was such a striking figure. She knew she would have been one of them if she had ever passed him on the street. He was worth a second glance.

"Does this count as a compromise?" he asks, looking pointedly at the his lack of black.

"I think it will count a great deal," she responds, approaching him with a faint smile on her lips.

She notices too that he was also missing his gloves, which would have looked awkward anyway. It seemed almost cruel that he had not covered them. As irrational as that sounded, it was true. When covered, she was not as distracted by the temptation of touch because she would not have felt his skin if she touched his hand anyway. Now that they were uncovered, she knew that he would take greater pains not to reach out and touch her because of it. Still, the look within those eyes of his felt like a touch sometimes. When they glanced over her, she could almost feel them as a caress against her skin. The effect had shivers running through her body every time. She was doing more than fighting shivers now. The tension radiating off of him like waves told her that he was trying very hard not to reach out for her with his ungloved hands.

There is that quick pinch and the explosion of energy within her chest again. She does not think she will ever get used to the feeling. Every time felt like the first time. Her hand never failed to come up and clutch her chest in surprise whenever she felt it. It was from him. It was always from him. She could feel her strength renewed and rejuvenated as he continued to look at her. If he could do this without even touching her, why could they not activate the Crystals so easily? Something was obviously missing. It was not something as obvious as touch either. They had touched before and the effect was not always this powerful. Was it really her that was holding the process back? As she thinks this, she looks back up into his eyes and knows that he has guessed her thoughts.

"It is not your fault," he reassures.

"Neither is it yours," she responds.

She can tell that he suppresses a sigh before he seems to realize something.

"May I offer another compromise?" he asks taking a small step closer to her.

"Of course."

"It is not fair for you to be stuck here," he says. "You are a Queen and should therefore be with your people."

She opens her mouth to say something but he continues.

"Do you think it wise if we should travel back and forth each month?" he asks. "Which would mean that tomorrow we should be off to Tenebrae."

She is so touched by this suggestion that she can only whisper a response.

"You... you would do that?"

He looks determined as he looks into her eyes.

"I told you that I would do what you wanted, always," he reminds her. "That was not just something to say. It was my vow to you."

Within that moment, yet more of her heart was stolen from her and into the hands of the man staring so fixedly into her eyes.

"Thank you," is all she can breathe. She can feel the warmth of the tears building in her eyes and she smiles to convey her gratitude.

There is such warmth in the smile he gives her as his dark eyes seem to glow at her obvious happiness.

"Let today be a day, we free ourselves of our burdens," he says.

"Just you and I?" she asks hopefully.

She can see the understanding in his smile.

"I want to be where you are," he confesses easily and it means so much. He would go with her to Tenebrae, just as she would come here to Nihilsomno to be with him.

He does not take her hand, but she did not expect him to. Instead, they walk side by side out into the sun and onto the pavement outside the castle walls. She breathes out a sigh and know that it will be a perfect day. She was confident then, that no matter how long it took, they would accomplish what they needed to do. They only needed to be together.