Noctis had been with his partner, Cloud for, perhaps not the longest time to be making bold decisions, but long enough to know he was 'the one'. The normally frowning prince had met what some may say 'his soul mate'. True, Noctis would have laughed in the faces of many, if they were to say that, before he met Cloud. Though the two didn't know everything about each other, it was enough. Noctis was sure that there could be  nothing that Cloud could say, that would have him run a mile. No, he loved Cloud, and that was the gods honest truth.Â
Noctis hadn't even introduced Cloud to his father yet, him and his father had discussed Cloud however, and he certainly now knew of him. His father more than approved, and despite how scared Noctis was about coming out, it now felt right. It was too big a thing before hand, when he wasn't so sure he had a solid partner. Noctis decided that his father needn't of known about his little secret until he was certain about someone. Heck, he'd known cloud about 2 days by the point he explained the blond's relationship with the heir, to his father. Was this true love?
For some time, Noctis had been thinking about a potential future for him and the blond florist Honestly he just wanted to devote every breathing second he had to the beautiful blue eyed male. In a circumstance like this. the prince would've requested to see Cloud's parents to give them a 'heads up' and ask for their permission. Though, with the lack of Cloud's parents actually being around, he couldn't exactly do that. Noctis was in two minds about Cloud's childhood situation. Cloud didn't seem fussed about ever seeing his parents again, but anything that upset Cloud, past or present, was now his problem to, and hell did he want to meet them and... say a word or two to the people who just upped and abandoned their children.Â
Cloud was at work when the prince began thinking in depth about a certain subject. Noctis didn't hesitate to have his butler arrange a chauffeur into the town of Lucis for the prince to visit the jewellers. His ride their was a somewhat nauseas one. It wasn't so much, buying a ring that had him at fright, or the fact he was getting cold feet. No, he wanted Cloud to be his forever, and to stand at that alter, saying those words with a soft tone, eyes never leaving Cloud's as he promised himself to the blond for the rest of his life, he knew that would be the happiest day - moment, of his life.Â
Releasing a breath of nervousness as he entered the jewellers, instantly greeted by a well tailored male, he began looking around the shop. The prince had to find just the right ring, it had to be perfect, something that reminded him of Cloud, but wasn't too shabby, and had class. Of course, if Cloud were to say yes, he'd be marrying into royalty, so a simple cheap one wouldn't do. Noctis noticed at this point he was the only customer, and all the staff were trying their hardest to find the perfect ring for the Prince to give to his partner. Not only was this a big deal money wise, but to be handing royalty a ring from their shop for potentially a royal engagement, well, you could only imagine the publicity they'd get from here on out. Noctis smiled a little to himself as he pictured a plaque by the glass which protected the rings, reading something along the lines of 'here Prince Noctis chose his ring as he..' His thoughts were quickly retracted as his eyes caught sight of a ring. One that was perfect beyond imagination. A silver banded ring with a few small blue diamonds around the middle. It was simple, had class, and the diamonds reminded him so much of Cloud's eyes, he just instantly knew it was the one. Smiling with glee and taking a guess at his ring size, he ordered it and chose a special dark blue box to match.Â
Walking out of the shop with his head held high, he now realized the simple part of his task was over. Now he needed to pop the question. Noctis spent the afternoon pacing back and forth in his room, waiting for his boyfriend to return as he planned out the proposal in his head. Everything was set, but worry and doubt trailed through his mind constantly. Sure, what they had was amazing, something special, but was Noctis good enough for Cloud? Royalty was just a title, and money was just an object, but true love? Noctis surely felt it for Cloud, but would such a perfect man really want to be tied to the prince for the rest of his life? That was the question he asked himself.Â
Noctis sent a text to Cloud, asking him to meet him at the castle entrance, rather than coming straight up to his room. Seven o'clock struck on his watch, swallowing thickly, breathing nervously, he made his way down to meet his boyfriend. Smoothing over his nerves with a bright smile and a sweet kiss to his partners lips, he laced his fingers with Cloud's and began walking around the castle and to the gardens. "Thought we could take a de-tour" he smiled as he neared the gardens, hoping Cloud didn't notice his gradually sweating palms. The entrance of the garden dawned upon them, and as they walked under an arch of a hedge, beyond them laid something different to the usual sight. At night, only tall street like lamps would be used to light they garden, but they were off. Instead, fairy lights rested along the rose bushes, where numerous fairy lights were resting, Cloud's favourite flowers 'just so happened' to be there too. Lighting a pathway, leading to somewhere, Noctis smiled half to himself as he gently held the blond's hand, no doubt he was confused just a little.
The soft gravel underneath the prince's shoes were scuffing just a little as the trail of fairy lights was clearly leading them somewhere. They reached the entrance of the maze, knowing this part of the garden was where they first kissed, where everything took off and Noctis realized something truly beautiful within the blond who'd, back then he'd only known an hour or so. As he came to a halt, turning to face the blond, he felt himself grow rapidly scared, nervous, sick. More so than he'd ever been his entire life. His eyes focused on Cloud's, and he instantly felt more at home, at peace, like he'd always been when he was just with the blond in his presence.Â
"Cloud... I know... I know we haven't been together for, an extreme length of time" he started, nervously, eyes shifting a little out of his shyness - a rare occurrence for the prince. "... And yet, I feel like, this was all planned out, this.. this was meant to be, us, I mean.." Was he rambling? He felt like it. He took a hold of Cloud's hands and pulled him a little closer, the winter evening making it harder to see Cloud perfectly, but thankfully he'd planned a head by having the tree branches that loomed above them, lit with blue fairy lights, specific for a reason as it brought out Cloud's eyes more bright than they were before - if that was possible. "I never believed in 'love at first sight' or 'a soul mate' and 'true love'.. But that was all before I met you.." His voice dropped to a soft, smooth, loud whisper. "You changed me, for the better, before you, I didn't see a point in waking to this world. You give me reason to live, to breath, and... I love you.. There aren't even words to describe how I feel" His voice raised a little as he tried to express his point, but soon dropped to that soft tone once more. "Point is, I don't just want to be your 'boyfriend'..." He looked Cloud in the eyes as he tried to figure out what emotions and thoughts could be playing through his mind at current.Â
The prince cleared his throat, all the other things he wanted to say cleared his mind other than those four words. Noctis didn't realize he'd be this scared about something like this. Looking down for a moment to the ground, he rested himself on one knee, his eyes quickly flashing up to the blond. One hand holding Cloud's, the other resting upon the same hand, pausing for a moment before he let go and reached in for a small box inside his jacket. Pursing the box open slowly, the prince fixated his eyes on Cloud as he phrased in his mind, exactly what he was going to say. He blinked once more before speaking again. "Cloud Strife, will you do me the honour of becoming my husband?"