Noctis

Hair plastered against his forehead and the sides of his face.  Water kept him warm and your bare body behind him warmer.  Bubbles filled the surface of the tub, the scent of lavender and vanilla filling the bathroom.  The setting sun lit the bathroom and created rainbows as it streamed through the windows.  His breathing had returned to normal and the tears had been washed away from his cheeks.  Instead of focusing on the reason that he had broken down he focused on the water you poured over his back.  Neither of you had spoken since getting into the tub, the silence a welcome embrace though not as welcoming as yours.  

You pressed your lips to the hardened skin that raced across his back in abstract patterns.  You felt Noctis tense beneath your touch.  He apologized.  "I'm still not use to people seeing those," he whispered.  "Kinda ugly aren't they?"  There was a hint of self-deprication in his voice and your face softened.  You let your lips drift along his back this time, delicate as a feather.

"They may be severe," you said.  You brought your chin up to rest on his shoulder, arms wrapping around his torso.  "But all they do is tell a story in a different language."  

Prompto

"Stop," you said.

You watched as blue eyes stared back at their reflection.  You watched as blue eyes traced along the imperfections of his body, picking out every possible flaw he could find.  His shirt was in his hand, the red fabric forgotten.  There were good days and there were bad days.  Today was one of the bad days.  They were infrequent and followed no pattern and when they happened it took a while to truly get him out of the darker parts of his mind.  The parts that screamed at him, hollered his inadequecies.  

“What?” A small smile curled the corners of his lips like it usually did whenever he looked at you.  He’d deny it to high heaven when the guys point it out but even as he was trying to shut them up a small, bashful smile would dance across his features.  

You shook your head, a smile coming to your face to mirror his own.  Stretching up you let your lips meet his in a soft kiss.  Noctis froze for a mere second before returning the kiss, moving his lips against yours in a way that left your knees going weak.  He brought his right hand over to your face, his fingers trailing down along your jaw until they paused on your chin, light as a butterfly.  The hand that had been locked with his moved to cup his face between your palms and you felt him relax against your touch even more.  Noctis’s own freed hand propped him up as he came to hover above you, the kiss deepening but in no way becoming any more lustful. 

You loved these kisses -- these moments -- you got to share with Noctis.  Not only did it help to remind you that as fantastical as this life may seem it was most certainly real, but you knew that it helped Noctis in more ways than either of you could truly know.  He’d lost more people than he could care to count (but he did).  He’d been forced to live in a head space where he had to come to terms with his own death, only to realize that such a fate was not set in stone.  He’d lived through the sacrifice of not only his friends but his family.  He’d had to live knowing that with each lesson he was preparing for his father’s demise.  He’d been tasked with rebuilding a fallen city.  

But you were here, regardless, to remind him that as bad as his life may seem at times there were still a great many pieces of good within it too.

You came running back around to the front entrance, a small wooden crate in your arms, strands of hair falling into your face.  Your forehead was beading with sweat from the rays of the hot Leide sun.  How much longer are you just gonna stand and watch? Noctis chided himself.  You were bound to spot him sooner or later and then he’d have to explain why he was staring at you like some creep.  Although he was your boyfriend so maybe it’d be a little less creepy…. Noctis shook his head.  

Noctis was just about to open the glass door to the restaurant when a body ran square into his chest sending the two of you flying backwards off the small porch.  Noctis laid there, a groan leaving him as he attempted to blink the stars from his vision.  You were much more lucky considering you had something of a body pillow to fall onto, though it didn’t help too much considering a bit bony in places and made of hard, subtle muscle everywhere else.  You blinked, wide eyed, trying to wrap your head around the fact that you were seeing the man that left two weeks ago to continue on his journey.  You weren’t expecting to see him again for…a very long time.  If you were fortunate enough.

“Noct?”

“Hey,” he huffed, regaining the breath that had been knocked from him.  "What’s up?“

”‘What’s up?’ What the hell do you mean, what are you doing here?“

"What, not happy to see me?” He chuckled.  

You rolled your eyes good naturedly.  "I’m always happy to see you, you dingbat, but aren’t you suppose to be on some all important Astrals given quest?“  

Noctis could feel the small smile that had tied his lips fall from his face.  He didn’t mean for it to vanish so easily, but your question reminded him that this was not a part of his true timeline.  You’d both remember this meeting, yes, but something seemed to be taken from the moment knowing that Noctis had already missed ten years of not only his life but of yours.  He hadn’t gotten to see you before racing off to the capital after waking up.  He did know that you were still alive though and that was something at least.  

"Hey…you good?” Your words pulled Noctis out of his reverie.  

“Yeah, fine.”  The tight smile he flashed you did nothing to settle your nerves of worry but you let it go.  "So what’s the special for today?“

"Chicken pot pie,” you replied.  "It’s why I was asking them for the carrots.“

Noctis nodded his head before pausing.  "Wait, you saw me over there earlier?”  

You laughed.  "Of course I did.  I always know when you’re around.“  The soft smile that accompanied your words made Noctis’s heart break before mending it right after.  "Don’t worry though, I’ve got something that I know you’ll like.”  Getting up from your place atop Noctis, you offered him your hand.  

Ignis

Ignis was silent after hearing your small confession, but not because he didn’t know what to say.  He was silent because there was too much to say.  Where Ignis’s eyes may have been the color of the sea foam that decorated the surface of the ocean, yours were the color of the the richest chocolate.  They were filled with the kindness and compassion that you expressed in your every day life.  They allowed him to relax just as a hot cup of coffee did.  In the presence of those eyes Ignis knew he was safe to not only be himself but to let his guard down.  Not only that but there were beautiful flecks of gold in your eyes as well.  And how fitting it was for you to have the most precious of metals in your eyes when you were the most precious thing to him. 

Yes, his eyes were the color of the Hydraean’s famed dress, but yours were something beyond luxurious that words simply could not describe.

Prompto

Prompto looked down at your peacefully sleeping face and brushed a strand of hair off your forehead.  How could you think that your eyes didn’t compare to his own?  Prompto’s eyes may have been the color of the dangling wisteria that hung in the Royal Greenhouse, but yours were the color of the sweetest caramel.  They were bright and beautiful and reminded him of the sand along the beach.  Your eyes were warm enough to be inviting to even the most guarded people but cool enough to warn against messing with those you love.  Your eyes, when in a lightless room, darkened to the strongest of rocks, reminding him that your shoulders were strong enough to bear the weight of his past.  They reminded him that he didn’t have to go through those difficult nights alone. 

Yes, Prompto’s eyes were the color of a beautiful flower, but yours held a gentle strength that allowed him to continue smiling as he always did.

Noctis

You’d said time and time again that Noctis had some of the most beautiful eyes you’d ever seen -- that you were jealous of the fact his eyes seemed to hold the entirety of the night sky within them.  Yours though...if only you could see the beauty of your own.  His eyes may have held the stars and their sky, but yours were so deeply brown they bordered on the color of ink.  The color that people wrote epics with, the color that started the universe, the color that meant a new start.  Your eyes had him nearly drowning whenever he looked at you and never before had he wished to be lost.  Your eyes may have been the sister of obsidian but nothing about them felt empty; they felt full of life and the promise thereof, they felt like the gentle caress of night that allowed Noctis to sleep peacefully.

Gladio

Gladio isn’t a stranger to the tales of Hanahaki disease.  Tales of it and accounts have been passed down through his family for generations.  While his family is well known for being the Shield of the king they did have a reputation of being well versed in things like this in the past.  That being said Gladio probably deals with it the best out of the guys.

At least that’s how it appears.

Here’s the thing with Gladio: he’s passionate about all things in his life, and when it comes to falling in love he’s absolutely gone when he admits it to himself.  In front of the other guys he’s very nonchalant about the whole ordeal, sure, but when he’s laying in his bedroom at night -- arm behind his head and eyes staring unseeing at the ceiling -- he feels numb in the worst way possible.  There’s too many emotions running through him at once for him to make any sense out of what he’s feeling.  If there’s one emotion that he keeps latching onto, however, it’s...this sense of loss.  

He can’t have you, he can’t be with you, at least not in the way he wants.  He’s fine with that though.  But for some reason the idea of severing his feelings for you causes his chest to tighten in a way that has nothing to do with the carnations that are slowly taking root in his lungs.  What’s the point of feeling -- of being given the gift of experiencing emotions -- if not only can you cut them out of your body, but they also end up suffocating you?

He doesn’t get the surgery though he tells the other guys that he does.  It’s not until Ignis arrives at Gladio’s home just after sun down to check on the Shield that Ignis realizes Gladio had lied about the surgery.  Ignis rushes into the bathroom where Gladio is leaned against the wall, small droplets of blood on the corner of his mouth and some smeared on his cheek.  On the floor and in the toilet are petals and fully bloomed carnations, the pale pink speckled with crimson.  

Noctis

I think out of everyone Noctis likely has the hardest time with all of this.  It’s not very often that Noctis falls in love; in order to do so he needs a very strong emotional connection with them first and foremost, no romantic intonations attached.  So when he does fall in love it’s very significant for him.  Not having the person he loves return his feelings is a very strong blow to his emotional well being.

He doesn’t lash out and considering he already struggles with expressing his emotions, nobody really notices that he’s suffering.  He doesn’t want to burden the others with his problems because he feels like it’s insignificant.  How could it be worth worrying his friends when the main subject of his feelings doesn’t deem his emotions worthy of acknowledging?  

It’s hard to hide the fact he’s coughing up Anemone petals when they’re on the road though.  At first everyone just accepts Noctis’s explanation of “I think I’m just getting a cold” because, well, they can’t see the petals that are appearing in Noctis’s hands with each cough.  

Prompto wakes up in the middle of the night to the sound of hacking and when he sits up, blearily rubbing at his eyes, he sees Noctis doubled over.  It’s dark but Prompto can just make out the shape of floating petals and small flowering buds drifting from Noctis’s mouth.  Noctis himself is holding his stomach and with each rasping cough Prompto can all but feel the pain Noctis must be feeling.  In all honesty it’s surprising the other two hadn’t woken up yet.

Prompto tries to ask what Noctis wants him to do but Noctis is so incapacitated by his coughing fit that Prompto finally just wakes up Ignis and within the next several minutes they’re on their way to the nearest city.  

Noctis wakes up not remembering much of what happened but somehow he feels simultaneously lighter and empty.

Ignis

The sweet pea petals would’ve been lovely if they had only been appearing for a different reason.  Ignis wasn’t known for being a romantic; he was a man of logic first and foremost.  That didn’t change the fact that he was still susceptible to such emotions.  Out of the guys I think that Ignis would deal with suffering from the disease with the most ease.  There’s no point in continuing to suffer if there’s something you can do about it.  Plus the sooner you move on the sooner better things could come, no?

Ignis makes the appointment for his surgery as he would make any other appointment.  He went to his doctor to describe his symptoms and through that was able to schedule his surgery rather quickly.  His symptoms hadn’t gotten to the point where they hindered his work, and he wanted to keep it that way.

The complications of hanahaki disease came into play during the actual surgery itself.  While Ignis may not have outwardly shown any severe symptoms, the flowers seemed to have taken root quite a while ago. It wasn’t completely unheard of for patients to have been suffering from the disease much longer than they had been coughing up flowers.  Usually this happened when the afflicted had been been in love with someone longer than they realized.  Whether due to denial or true ignorance to their feelings, well that differed.

To remove so many roots from within Ignis’s lungs...the likelihood of him surviving was just as positive as it was negative.  The doctors wanted to speak with his family -- parents preferably -- before they continued with the operation, but when they couldn’t contact Ignis’s parents they ended up calling in Noctis.  It wasn’t typical procedure, but as Ignis was ultimately a servant of the Crown, Noctis was the next best thing.  

Noctis doesn’t handle the news well and the same can be said of Gladio and Prompto.  They’re all conflicted over what decision to make.  On the one hand they could simply leave Ignis in his current state, but if that’s the case he’d end up dying prematurely anyway.  If they went through with the surgery, Ignis could either be granted his full life, or it could be cut short and he’d have even less time to live.  

Gladio

Gladio wiped the sweat from his forehead and the blood from a rather deep wound.  That bastard of a daemon didn’t go down nearly as easily as the tipsters had assured it would much to Gladio’s chagrin.  Briefly Gladio allowed himself to wish he had the other three with him to help in battle; they sure made it easier to take out these damn pests.  It had been years since all three of them had been together though what with Noctis in some ancient Crystal and Ignis and Prompto off on their own.  With a sigh Gladio hauled his sword up and let it rest on his shoulder as he began making his way back to the haven.  

Lucky enough to make it back before any other large daemons or monsters popped up, Gladio entered the small tavern with his usual swagger in his step.  His hair was still hanging in his face and he was still covered in grime but right now all he wanted as a good bottle of beer and some food.  Just as Gladio let himself all but collapse into a chair at the bar he saw movement out of the corner of his eye.  Letting his amber eyes slide over to his right he was greeted with a familiar hunter. 

“Glad to see you made it back in one piece,” _____ grinned, gesturing to the bartender to get him a bottle as well.  

“Yeah, well, it wasn’t easy work,” Gladio said before taking a bite out of his burger.  “I’ve got a bone to pick with the tipster that gave me that hunt.”

“Well that explains the unusual amount of blood.  Did you even clean that thing?”

With a shrug Gladio said, “I’ll get to it once I’ve eaten.”

“You’re a fucking moron, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told.”

“Shit looks like it’s gonna end up infected.  Tell ya what, come back to my room and I’ll clean it up for ya.  I’ll also throw in a beer if that’ll help.”

Gladio let his eyes run over _____.  It was no secret that most hunters were good looking to an extent; the constant physical activity kept them all in rather good shape.  This guy though was something else.  His hair framed his face in a way that somehow kept bringing Gladio’s attention back to _____’s eyes.  And those eyes…Gladio sometimes wondered if he could let himself drown in them, just for a few hours.  

Gladio could have sworn he felt the ghost of a smile drift across his lips.  “Well if you insist.”

Prompto

Prompto was seated by the fire, camera in hand, stomach full from the ever delicious meal that Ignis had served for dinner that night.  It was quiet, peaceful, among the four boy and their plus one.  A hunter that they had run into back in Galdin Quay a few months ago had run into them again while they were in Lestallum.  He had been sent out by Dave to look for a missing hunter and had asked for the four for some help.  

It was always a nice change of pace when there was someone new along for the ride – kept things from becoming too monotonous.  It also didn’t hurt that the hunter joining them was super attractive too.  Of course, because he was so good looking Prompto had some trouble speaking coherently and not rambling.  It was easier when the two of them were alone; Prompto would join _____ in his Jeep occasionally during the ride to where the hunter they were looking for had last been seen.  When it was just the two of them Prompto didn’t have to worry about the other three guys watching his every move or possibly embarrassing him.  Not that he didn’t dislike the guys of course!  It was just…easier to relax without them nearby.

“Damn you’re real good with a camera, dude.” Prompto jumped at the sudden voice and felt his freckles burn with a blush.  He hoped the light from the fire hid it well enough.  

“Oh, thanks,” Prompto said bashfully.  

“Any good ones of me in there?”  _____ bent over and Prompto felt his cheeks darken even more at the close proximity.  Keep it together Prom, the blonde scolded himself.  

“Uh, yeah, you wanna take a look?” Prompto asked, offering the camera to _____.  Slowly Prompto started flipping through the pictures he’d taken throughout the day.  There were handfuls of candid shots of the guys – in the care, in the field, around the fire.  Every now and then _____ would point out a photo that he liked and the compliments that followed had Prompto nearly glowing with pride.  

Finally Prompto got to the end of the reel, but the last picture had Prompto wanting to crawl into a hole.  It was a photo of _____ as he sat at the wheel of his Jeep.  There was an easy grin on his face and he looked so utterly relaxed as they drove along the dirt path towards the camping spot they were at now.  He looked…so utterly at peace as the light of the setting sun gilded his profile in gold. 

There was something in the way that the photo was composed, the care that shown through in the photograph, that had _____ blushing just the slightest bit.  “Hey, can you send me that one?”

“Uh, yeah, sure man.”

“Thanks.  Here, give me your phone.  I’ll give you my number.”

Noctis

Noctis was laying on top of one of the low, decorative walls that ran around the parking area in Lestallum.  The other three had gone off to buy a few things from some of the vendors and though they had insisted Noct join them the Prince was too exhausted from the hunt they’d just been on to do so.  So there he was, arm resting over his eyes and leg dangling over the side of the wall.  Noctis was drifting between some space between sleep and wakefulness when he heard a vaguely familiar voice ask,  “Are you ever not sleeping?” 

Moving his arm from over his eyes and immediately squinting against the sun Noctis was greeted with the face of a hunter.  It took a moment for Noctis to place him but in all honesty it wasn’t overly difficult.  There were few hunters that looked like this one, few hunters that had a crooked smile that made Noctis’s chest tighten and hair that made Noctis want to reach out and run his hands through it. 

“Only when Specs makes me,” Noctis said with a lazy smile.  “Why are you all the way out in Lestallum?”  Noctis swore that the laugh that came in response was something that he’d only hear in dreams.  How could a sound remind Noctis of every moment he’d spent playing with his father when he was younger and also feel as gentle as the sun’s rays on a spring morning?  

Noctis didn’t realize that he’d been staring until _____ said, “Hey, you good man?”

“Oh, yeah, fine.  Just tired.”“

“Of course you are,” _____ said with a roll of his eyes accompanied by that crooked grin of his.  “Well hopefully you’re not too tired to help me out with a hunt.”

“No of course not,” Noctis replied, moving to sit up.  

“Great,” _____ replied.  “You wanna get the other guys?”  Noctis looked back over his shoulder and watched as Prompto looked at the screen on his camera and showed Gladio a few of the shots from today.  Noctis’s eyes then drifted over to Ignis who was talking to one of the food vendors, undoubtedly asking about the recipe that he used.  With a small smile Noctis turned back to _____.

“Nah, I’ll let them know where we’re going on our way.”

Prompto

PROMPTO on the other hand is 110% the type of person that’ll drag you along throughout the city at night on random adventures when he’s drunk

like noct he doesn’t really drink all that much 

probably even less so than noct tbh, something about the alcohol does funny stuff to his stomach so he’s learned he’s better off only having a bottle or two ((or glass, sometimes he likes a fruity drink too))

there have been a few notable experiences you’ve had with a drunken prompto

the first one you honestly don’t remember much of all you do remember is that you had started the night just outside of the Crown City and somehow ended up on the beach of Galdin Quay with five chocobos sleeping around ya’ll

the thing that made it the most memorable was the fact that when prompto woke up he wasn’t surprised by the fact ya’ll were in Galdin Quay but by the fact there were three extra chocobos

not that he was complainin lmao 

another memory you remember quite fondly was when you two happened upon a hole in the wall bar and proceeded to take a tour around the city while tipsy

there’s several pics on prompto’s phone documenting that night and he claims that those are some of the best photos he’s ever taken even if literally all of the damn photos are blurry as hell

that’s the thing about prom tho he won’t take his camera around with him if he’s about to get drunk – too risky – so whenever ya’ll do go on your drunken adventures the photos are on his phone

the one time that prompto ended up super drunk well…that was the first time ya’ll went skinny dipping together

in the royal pool 

noctis to this day does not know about this

prompto plans to keep it this way

but that doesn’t stop him from goofily wigging his eyebrows whenever you’re around and noctis mentions it

anyway, sloppy make outs happened, some dick sucking may or may not have happened, ya’ll may or may not have lost some clothing when running from a guard that came patrolling thru the building

Ignis

ignis stopped by your place to pay you a long over due visit

work once again took up a large portion of his life sigh what a shame smh

he still had the spare key you’d given to him on his keychain so he figured he’d just let himself in

well this mans got another thing comin if he thinks that he’s just gonna find you doin something completely normal

nope your bored af ass is jumpin on the bed ((iggy is internally screaming bc bE CAREFUL PLS))

but not only are you jumpin on the bed

you’re also doin you best worst impression of ignis

“this soup is saltier than noct when i wake him up too early”

*pushes up imaginary glasses on nose*

“don’t test me, i make your food”

“sometimes my hair looks like a cockatoo”

“___ what are you doing?”

“IGNIS !!!” cue awkward cough “what are you doin here?”

he just raises an eyebrow in question

“i was bored?”

he just gonna shake his head with a smile before wrapping you in a hug

he’ll never let you live this down

Prompto

LISTEN YOU CAN’T DO THIS AN EXPECT PROM NOT TO VIDEO TAPE IT OKAY LIKE THIS SHIT WILL BE DOCUMENTED

but any way

prom will come home after doin whatever it is promptos do during the day

spreading love

making people happy

just being a cutie patootie 

he’ll come home wanting to tell you about his day like always except….instead of coming home to you watching tv or reading or whatever it is you do on a normal day

he comes home to you laying upside down on the couch so you legs are thrown over the back of the furniture and your head is hanging off the cushions

ya know as one does

anyway, you’ll have headphones on or something hence why you don’t here him enter the apartment

and you’re just…impersonating him….very badly

“i am prompto and i have chronic bedroom eyes”

*finger guns* “bang bang mothafucka the sunshine boy is here”

*pretending to flex* “the gun shows in town folks”

thank goodness prom has enough self control not to post that online as soon as he’s done filmin

Noctis

okay so like this whole thing happens bc you think noct isn’t home

in reality he’s actually just napping and you think that the bundle of covers is just fabric but really it’s noct buried under them

so you’re like idk goin around the house doin some minor cleanin

you can’t be that lazy can’t be living in a pig sty my d00d

anyway to keep yourself amused as you go about dusting things and whatnot you begin to impersonate noctis

“hey ramuh fry this chicken for me”

“as your king i demand no more work before twelve pm”

“I will have you beheaded for trying to feed me such poison [talkin about veggies]”

“i have more attitude in my pinky than people have in their entire bodies”

noct comes in at some point in the middle of this and just…leans against the door frame watchin you be a goof

the vaccum cleaner woke him up

you nearly jump outta your damn skin when you see him bc thIS BOY WAS NOT SUPPOSE TO BE HERE WHAT