"Life: a question,
death: its reply—
a tender good-bye.
Stay 'till our present
slips into the past—
it is all that I ask." –Lang Leav
20160 – 336
Regis came into Noctis' office one night.
"Noctis, what's gotten into you?"
"Dad, whatever it is, I don't want to talk about it. I don't have time."
"You don't want to talk about it?" His father's tone was high. "What time? Are you perhaps waiting for the time of someone's death to come before you finally say something?"
Regis was referring to Prompto, but Noctis didn't know that. It was Prompto's request to keep their conversations to each other, never shared with Noctis. His son thought he was talking about his death and Noctis stopped writing, nearly slammed the pen down from his hand, then looked up. "Why are you talking like that, dad? I'm doing this for you. I'm doing this so you can grow old like every other citizen's dad can. Go out and relax, get Cor. I don't know. I just don't have time for this kind of conversation right now."
He slammed the divorce papers in front of Noctis' desk. "You think I'm not going to find out about this? Noctis, I am your father. Not your boss. I want to know what's going on in your life."
Noctis didn't say anything. Then, there it was, the words that disappointed Regis.
"Look, dad. Things happen. I just don't love him the same. Do you remember Luna from Tenebrae? When I got into an accident when I was a kid, she took care of me. She told me everything. She can give me a family; you can be a grandfather. There can be another heir—"
"Perhaps it's the exhaustion talking for you," Regis took a step back, tightening his grip on his cane. "But I'm not going to make decisions for that either. If you love Lunafreya, then proceed. Just don't leave Prompto hanging."
"I'm not leaving him hanging." Noctis gritted his teeth. "He's probably with someone else by now."
"No…" Regis started to walk out of the office. "That's what you'd like to believe."
0:00:01
Noctis stood outside the house that he once shared with Prompto for a short period of time. He remembered the promises that he had held and the ones he had forgotten, the hopes and dreams that they had together, but at that moment, he brushed it off because past things like that meant nothing to him now. They were things he hadn't thought of in the countless months he'd busied himself with work and Lunafreya.
After gathering up his courage, he lifted up his hand and knocked on the door confidently. He had expected the door to open and to be greeted by Prompto, but it took longer than he had thought and the person who had opened the door wasn't his soon-to-be ex-husband, but Cindy. Prompto's friend. Cid's granddaughter.
"Uh, hello."
The voluptuous woman dressed in a red tank top over a yellow cardigan and light blue shorts had opened the door and smiled up at him. "Hey, there." After a small pause, she blinked after looking at him for a couple of seconds. "I'm guessing you're Noctis."
Nodding in confirmation, Noctis said, "Yes."
"Ain't you one fine looking man… It's no wonder…" She muttered to herself then shook it off, stepping aside and said, "Well, come on in."
When Noctis stepped inside, she closed the door behind him. "I'm Cindy, by the way."
"Yeah, I remember you. You're Cid's granddaughter." Noctis said, holding out his hand. "Nice to finally meet you."
"Aw, thanks sweetpea!" Cindy replied with a short laugh and shook his hand. "Prompto should be down any minute." Then with a softer, but sadder look, she said. "He's been expecting you."
It hurt Noctis a bit to hear the words, but he was here for a reason. He had filed for divorce and he was sure that Prompto received the notice a week prior. Of course Prompto was expecting him. If anything, standing at the balcony made him slightly nervous as to how Prompto was going to react. He imagined Prompto yelling and screaming at him, shedding his tears with eyes that sought for blood, begging to give their marriage a chance.
But this image didn't hold up. When he looked up at the staircase where Prompto was making his way down, Noctis caught the smile that once used to make his heart stop—and it still did.
Noctis stood at the entrance of the house, heart-stricken and heart beat skipped by Prompto. Snapping himself out of it, Noctis approached him slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey."
Walking towards his husband, Prompto opened his arms. Without even waiting for Noctis to make the first move, Prompto gave him a hug, before pulling back at an appropriate time. "Hi, charming."
Noctis' face paled. He didn't want to be called "charming" anymore. It brought back things that would pull him off course from his purpose. "…Don't call me that anymore, Prom."
With his mouth slightly agape, Prompto nodded understandingly. "My bad," he said with a chuckle. "I forgot that we're divorcing. Of course." Patting Noctis on the arm, Prompto turned on his heel and crooked his finger. "Let's move to the living room, yeah? Cinds, can you go make Noctis some coffee? I'll uh, have water."
"Um, I haven't… been drinking coffee." Noctis thinned his lips. "I'll take tea though."
Cindy nodded. "You want lemon, sweetcakes?" she asked Prompto.
"No. Just plain, please."
"Got it," Cindy said with a snap of her fingers and made her way to the kitchen.
Noctis watched as she left, wondering about Prompto's relationship with her. In his mind, Lunafreya's words echoed. Maybe Prompto found someone just like how he found Luna. They both found people who were convenient to be with. Convenient.
Once seated, Noctis studied Prompto's face. "You look a little tired, Prom. You been sleeping alright?"
It took a moment, but Prompto nodded with a grin. "Uhuh. I've just been working a little hard lately. That's all."
"Okay…" Noctis took a deep breath for a second before opening his suitcase. "As you know, I came with papers for you to sign."
"Mhm."
"It won't take long."
"I know."
"I'm trying to make this as painless as possible for you, Prompto."
Prompto laughed quietly. "It'll never be painless, Noct."
Noctis looked in Prompto's blue eyes. "I'm sorry…"
"But you're really not, aren't you?" Prompto's grin evolved into a sad smile. "It's fine. I'll be okay."
Unable to handle the heavy atmosphere, Noctis moved on by clearing his throat. He took the papers out and slid them across the coffee table over to Prompto, who sat across from him. As Noctis noticed earlier, Prompto moved a little slow, but he figured he was just afraid to face the reality that the papers would bring.
As Prompto lifted the papers and scanned over them, Noctis spoke. "You're, uh, basically acknowledging that we both want this and that you're willing to go to the court dates and meetings where we'll discuss how to split everything. But, Prom, this house… this house will stay with you. I promise you that."
"You promise me?"
"Yes."
"You promised me a lot of things at the altar too," Prompto told him softly, almost a whisper to himself. "But here we are." Not wanting his husband to dwell on the guilt, Prompto waved the subject off by a chuckle. "So where do I sign?"
"At the bottom of the page," Noctis pointed. He reached into his pocket. "Need a pen?"
"Yes, please."
As their fingers brushed against each other when Noctis handed the pen over, he felt Prompto's body temperature. "…Are you cold?"
"Nope. I'm fine."
"But your hands aren't usually cold. They're warm."
"Oh, I'm glad you remember."
A minute passed and Noctis watched as Prompto held the pen but never moved it. It was just like the time when Regis asked him to sign the photograph of his wedding with Noctis. Noctis' voice came up, "Prom—"
"Hey, Noctis," Prompto said brightly, looking at him with a smile that made Noctis feel like he was back in their college days. "Can I ask you for something? Just one request… before I sign these papers."
Knowing what he was putting Prompto through, Noctis nodded. "Anything."
Prompto held Noctis' gaze softly before asking, "Please stay with me for fourteen days."
"Prompto, you're asking for two weeks."
"Noctis, please."
"I can't."
"Why not, Noct?"
"Because of Lunafr- Luna."
Prompto held his breath. He knew about Lunafreya. He knew about the woman who would answer his calls for Noctis. Still, Prompto couldn't help but feel the pang of pain in his chest. "It's just two weeks…"
"It's two weeks too long." Noctis said plainly. "I have things to do."
"We've been married for almost seven years, Noct…" Prompto said with a sad smile. "Two weeks is all I'm asking for, charming."
Noctis clicked his tongue. "What do you expect to happen over fourteen days?"
The silence grew but there was a certain type of calm in the air. Prompto had looked away, but when he answered the question, he looked solemn and honest. The tired look in his eyes made him look innocently beautiful and calm, something that Noctis couldn't help but notice, the way Prompto once looked like during their younger days.
"I'm not expecting anything to happen…" Prompto said, lacing his fingers and tracing the ghost-ring on his ring finger. "For fourteen days, I just want you to pretend, Noct." He spoke with a voice that nearly broke. "I want you to love me the way you used to."
Noctis stiffened. "Prom—"
With a sad smile on his face, Prompto put up a weak hand. "Hold up, I said 'pretend'. Remember that, charming." He laughed lightly then stopped. "You don't have to be in love with me. I already know that your heart belongs to someone else. I just want you to pretend. I won't ask more from you. This will be… Consider this as the last promise you'll ever have to hold for me."
1391; 2311
It felt odd being in the house again. But what's even more odd, was sleeping in a different room other than the one he once shared with Prompto—or at least used to. As he laid down on his bed that first night, he thought about his situation. He felt like the Gods had decided to make him suffer right then and there. If Ifrit had decided to burn him at that very moment, he would have deserved it for doing what he was doing. It didn't sit well with him to know that after many months of barely any contact, he finally decided to contact Prompto only to break the news of wanting a divorce. But in the end, in his mind, what's happened was inevitable. They weren't functioning together anymore. Noctis moved one way. Prompto moved the other. Further apart.
He turned his head to the right and looked out the window. And as he took notice of the bright stars up in the sky, Noctis wondered what else living in the city had prevented him from ever seeing.