Poking fun at the memorable occasion was a natural habit every approaching year. All the chocolates adorning most local markets and stores, bouquets of an assortment of different flowers carried in glass vases. Couples were roaming about in their own little worlds, giggling amongst themselves without being conscious of their interactions in public. It was annoying to watch. Maybe because no one ever had the guts to propose himself as your valentine, even for one day. One single day wouldn't murder anyone, could it?
The illuminated baton stick was twirled between nimble fingers, gesturing for the luxurious car to pull forward. Being a registered member of the Kingsglaive sure had its perks. The brethren of elite guards, specifically handpicked by the father of the Chosen One. Well, that's what the fairy tales conveyed by young children. For you, it sounded like the complete opposite of what most expected it to be like. Another black car revved its engine, the aroma of burning metal tingling your senses. Natural scent of aiding as wall duty.
"Not much to look at, is there?" A cocky voice inquired, your eyes rolling in annoyance.
"I'm great, Nyx. I swear to the Six I am." Such a white lie.
"And yet you still insisted on joining. Believed that you could enhance the fun experience?" Nyx said, sauntering beside your figure. His hands were folded behind his back, resuming the natural proud stance as a glaive.
"What? You prefer walking around the premises alone without a friend?" You retorted, whacking him on the shoulder with the baton.
With his combat reflexes, Nyx stepped backwards dodging it. "Guess training does pay off once in awhile."
"You just realized that now?" You questioned incredulously, shaking your head in disbelief. The expectations and reasons behind this glaive was far beyond your personal aspect of reality.
It was as if time flew by, the sun beginning to settle halfway behind the horizon casting a pinkish orange highlight across the white clouds in the distance. The sight of the bridge connecting Insomnia to the Duscae region, alongside the breathtaking landscape almost held a credible reasoning for the position as wall duty. Of course, another reason emerged as a familiar luxurious car pulled up, brake lights brightening in red as its wheels paused in movement.
"Good evening to you." Ignis' accent rolled naturally off his tongue, one of his silver gloved hands positioned on the leather driver wheel.
"Mr. Scientia." You spoke with an amused smile, sauntering on beside the Regalia before bending forward to meet his eye level through the open window.
"Noctis and Prompto, needless to say, have been requiring your attention these last hours of Valentine's Day." The bespectacled man reminded, pushing the bridge of his glasses with his middle finger.
Your tongue clicked against the roof of your tongue in utter amusement. Even in the morning, the sound effect of a notification rang every five minutes underneath the leather cardigan of your Kingsglaive garments. A bombardment of text messages and calls spawned in digital text boxes on the screen. A few glaives snickered amongst themselves, earning a harsh threat from your foul mouth.
"The prince and his colleague need more training underneath the virtue of patience." You spoke with a wicked glint of mockery.
Ignis shook his head. "I couldn't agree more. Ah, I almost forgot," His vacant hand roamed the backseat, his slender fingers curling around the requested item to send. "A Valentine gift for his princess."
You grinned inward, plucking the red delicate rose from his possession into your dirt ridden, fingerless gloves. "Send my gratitude to Noctis."
"Prompto also wanted me to lend you this." Your expression illuminated in happiness, receiving the miniature pink teddy bear. Out of all adorableness, it was a custom created present. The plush held a red heart between its paws, a white scripted message sowed into the center.
Happy Valentine's Day
Prompto Argentum
He must have received a little hand from Noctis, you thought, cradling the kind present to your chest.
"I'll report to him that you appreciate the kind gesture." Ignis said, examining your gratified reaction.
"Y-Yeah," You rubbed behind your neck out of frivolity, "Go on ahead." With a quick snap of your wrist, authorization to allow the car to pass was accepted. The bar arched upward, the Regalia' engine purring to life as its wheels accelerated in speed. Ignis waved in your direction as he revved passed, you smiling back at him. The scent of burnt gasoline wafted into your nostrils.
"A rose and teddy bear from Prince Charming. How fortunate of you." Nyx started, striding casually around your silent figure, still idling with the small presents between your fingers.
"Earning yourself the spotlight in addition too. Must be nice having admiration shower you." He finished, chuckling to himself at your flushed composure. Your cheeks were glowing in the lightest shade of crimson, teeth nibbling on the taut flesh of your lower lip in distraction.
"They're always like this." You defended, tucking the rose carefully into the hidden pocket of your garb, not wanting the red petals to flutter off the budding.
"Always? So everyday they send flowers and a small friend." Nyx gestured towards the cute plushy squeezed in your hand.
"Buzz off hero. I meant yearly they overdo things a little during Valentine's Day." You replaced your original phrase beforehand, running the pad of your thumb across the head of the plush teddy bear.
"I believed the prince of Lucis was an aloof and socially awkward guy, but this," He shook his head in disbelief, rolling his tongue over his bottom lip before retreating back into his mouth, "This changes everything I have seen in my whole life."
"Overdramatic much?"
"It's more like constructive criticism. Noctis sure has developed into a man over the years." Nyx stated with a shrug, sauntering back into his original post position.
"Who's the lucky guy this time around?"
You hummed, a more discreet way of asking to repeat the question.
"Noctis or Prompto?" Nyx repeated, rolling his eyes at how oblivious you were acting.
"That's my decision. We'll see in time." You responded, balancing out your choices.
Noctis
It was instinct, walking to his quarters like a madman with a crazed heart. Your fingers met the solid coating of timber on the door, tapping your shoe on the ground at a relentless pace waiting for him welcome you into his room. Subconsciously, you sucked in all the oxygen you could in record time, meeting his dark sapphire eyes through the crack of the doorway. A pleasant grin curved on his lips, beckoning with a crooked finger to come in. Noctis wandered over towards his desk side, his expensive laptop opened from previously typing the next assignment of his given by the officials. It read, Local Analytics on Niflheim Attacks.
"Damn," You cursed in a breathless voice, "Been working at it again?"
"Yeah. That could be the easiest way to explain it." The prince agreed, rubbing his temples with his thumb and forefinger. He slumped backwards into his swivel chair, resuming his fingers on the task of typing on the computer's keyboard.
"I received your Valentine's Day gift." You told him.
He hummed in response, "Ignis informed me that you 'preciated it."
"You really didn't have to do anything. A box of chocolates would have been fine too." You responded, sitting onto his bed, disheveled blankets tossed over the comforters and pillows stacked against the metal headboard.
"I wanted to do something special," The flick of a capped pen sounded, Noctis' backside still turned to you, "Again."
"Come on. You could earn any girl in Eos if you craved for it. Why waste your Gil on me?" You questioned, diverting your distraught gaze towards the ceiling.
The rolling reaction of the chair reached your ears, immediately lowering your gaze back to the prince. Little flecks of red glowed around his pupil, appearing in the blue coloring around it. "I wanted to show how I felt about you. It doesn't hurt to spend a little of my extra time on you." Noctis explained, swooping his warm hand underneath your own, pulling it into his lap. He lounged in his chair, tracing random patterns on the palm of your open hand.
"Don't bother on that. You have better issues to fret over." You responded, watching his fingers perform languid motions across your skin in their own unique waltz.
The intense, stern expression he wore sent shivers through your system.
"Better things? Nothing is more important than you are to me. Screw all the essential tasks and duties I am ordered to fulfill as prince. On this day, you are the only person that matters." He retorted, drawing your hand laying limp in his lap to his smooth lips, peppering the skin with hasty and enthusiastic kisses. Each time he withdrew, a soft sound of his moist lips popping from your appendage sounded through the solitary room.
"I love you f-n, and I hope you could love me back the same way." Noctis continued, his eyelids fluttering closed over his enticing, mysterious eyes.
His thick eyelashes complimented his cheeks blooming in crimson, embarrassment screaming in his features. Noctis never took the romantic holiday as serious as you presumed. It began years ago, in your high school day where hundreds of the young teenage girls ravaged him with confessions. Just in his freshmen year, twenty confessions happened during the time span of two hours. Even his locker was packed with love notes, flowers, and the traditional heart shaped box of chocolates. Prompto frequently pouted and complained during the period in between classes, exclaiming how lucky the prince was for being recognized by every girl within radius.
You still remembered Noctis shrugging his shoulders in response before piling the remaining presents into a garbage bag, but not for the same reason you expected. The school janitor was generous enough to lend the occupied prince with a large bag to carry the presents. Poor guy. Not a minute was spared during Noctis' schedule, girls approaching him around every corner. You couldn't blame them. You would've performed the same reenactment of confessing your profound love, but never inherited the courage to.
It was mind baffling, seeing the exact same guy slumped forward in his chair confessing his love. The same guy that managed to keep the majority of girls off his spine with a simple answer, but heartbreaking word of a no. Your fingers lingered in his black softened fringes, the center of your palm pressured against his flawless skinned cheek. Noctis was awaiting an answer and was stubborn enough to maintain this position till you'd reply.
"Okay." You straightened your posture, digging your top row of teeth into your bottom lip watching his expression. It changed from the peaceful facade he wore from awaiting an answer to one of utter shock. Noctis' cerulean eyes were revealed even more than usual, dark eyebrows hiking upward.
"W-What do you mean by that?" He stammered, mouth gaping open like a fish restrained from being submerged underwater.
You smiled at the prince, "I love you back. It's not because I am under the command of the king ordering me to love you nor the Kingsglaive commodore. I love you for you, Noctis." You emphasized every word, curling your fingers within his messy black mane.
He leaned against your slender digits entangling themselves in his black tresses chuckling quietly, "Pardon me, but can you repeat that again?" He requested.
"All of it?" You inquired with an exasperated face.
He paused in between breaths, "Every. Single. Word."
"I'll give you credit for confessing though." Noctis continued with a low sultry voice, rising from his swivel chair. The prince hunched forward, caging you between his arms as you leaned backwards onto your elbows. Your breathing quickened, the scent of his humid, chocolate scented breath tingling your senses and vexing your thoughts. Damnit, why did Ignis have to bake sweet chocolates today, you mentally cursed to adviser. Noctis was the official taste tester of Ignis' best sweets on this day, or any holiday whether it would be Christmas to Thanksgiving.
Your sentence increased in speed out of panic, "G-Great. I'm glad we nurture a mutual understanding for one another."
"Who said that we did?" Noctis uttered with a cute tilt of his head. He was acting like an innocent child, for Shiva's sake.
"So, we don't have an understanding?" You asked him, avoiding his gaze.
"Nope." Noctis answered with a pop of the 'p'.
"You have no idea who you're messing with." You warned, leaning closer until you were nose to nose. The face the Lucian prince wore was priceless, his blush reaching the tip of his sensitive ears.
You purred, hooking your fingers around the collar of his skull motif t-shirt, "You better not be regretting your passive decision. Not now since we're this far into the situation."
His Adam's apple bobbed beneath the skin of his throat, "I um, is it hot in here or is it just me?"
You grinned wickedly, scooting yourself forward higher till your lips touched the tip of his nose. Your lips found his nose, kissing it sweetly. "Just kidding." Your nimble fingers found your dagger sheathed in its leather casing hooked around your leg, chucking the weapon with trained precision through his open windowsill. Thank the Six that the window was open or the king and the commander of the Kingsglaive, Drautos would unleash Ifrit's fire on you for the damages inside Noctis' quarters during your visit.
Noctis groaned in annoyance, watching your form disappear right underneath his nose into burning blue flakes. The ear piercing zap of the warp strike rang throughout his eardrums. The ravenette sprinted over to his window, eyes wandering about around the area before landing on your taunting figure.
"C'mon, you're not gonna earn a kiss that easily on Valentine's Day. You've gotta work for it." You hollered from your position, standing aloft on a balcony upon the lower levels.
Noctis smirked, "Challenge accepted." He brought forth his hand, summoning a lance before hurling it through the air.
Valentine's Day never could have been so fun and competitive without the prince.
Prompto
The small plush felt soft to the touch, the color complimenting the cute heart clutched between its short arms. The sharpshooter definitely hit the bullseye mark on the target for adorableness in all his basic yet memory gifts. Your fingers pinched the heart, grinning like an absolute fool in the wide open space of the sparring room. Weapons were propped in shelves within glass cabinets, polished and sharpened to the maximum for training uses. The one weapon that never winded up in those casings were machinery and guns. Not even an old styled revolver laid within beside the lances and swords. Intriguing, you thought with a mild tilt of your head.
"If you keep tilting your head that much it'll cause a neck fracture."
Your eyes rolled in their sockets, spinning on your heel, "Since when were you the careful one between us?"
"Me? Not careful? That's a major offense in my book. You just earned yourself a chocolate piece penalty." The blonde accused, bounding towards you in a practically sprinting pace.
"Oh no! Less chocolate means death!" You exclaimed dramatically, articulating through your hands of a dagger stabbing you straight through the heart.
"That's what you get for being awkward when standing." Prompto forewarned, crossing his toned arms over his charcoal vest and shirt consisting of white abstract patterns.
"At least I'll be the healthy one today." You teased him, nudging his vulnerable stomach with a forefinger.
He swatted your discreet appendage with a laugh, "Happy Valentine's Day by the way! Did you get my gift or did Iggy fail his responsibility?"
"Ignis would never fail in anything if his life depended on it." You joked, revealing the rosey teddy bear plush to his keen sight.
"O-M-G, I forgot how adorable she created it."
Your curiosity spiked, "She?"
"Oh right," Prompto began with a nervous laugh, rubbing behind his neck. "Princess Lunafreya lent a helpful hand in since she's a master in arts and crafts. Must've earned those sowing skills from making dresses or creating random shenanigans for Noct."
"I knew it wasn't possible that you created such a fine present in such a short time." You responded, grinning at the blonde.
"What makes you so confident that it was under timed circumstances?"
"I overheard you screeching to Noct through the palace walls. You do know they aren't the thickest barriers in the capital city?" You explained, raising an expectant eyebrow at him.
He laughed, "Oops. My bad. Let's hope the Majesty didn't overhear our conversation."
"I'm sure he did. Maybe the whole palace perhaps heard you fretting over purchasing hundreds of chocolates for everyone wandering about in the palace."
Prompto shrugged his shoulders with a bright smile that could match the sun's brightness, "At least they know I care about them."
"For once, I agree with you on that subject." You compromised, grinning at the blonde.
Prompto always seemed to be over obsessed with the matter of donating presents to everyone, even throughout the school year he fussed over looking handsome and flawless for all the so-called ladies awaiting him. Then, the unfortunate slap of reality would crush his ego and hope for finding the girl of his dreams. The girl of his dreams, the one who'd die in laughter at his dumb corny jokes. Her smile would cause butterflies to perform somersaults in his stomach under five seconds flat.
Full of infatuation, he'd evade everyone lugging their heavy backpacks down the hallway into all the classrooms just to lend a single piece of chocolate to every student. Clusters of girls would giggle at his enthusiastic and jaunty nature as he greeted each individual a good morning or happy valentine's day. You, Prompto, and Noctis would spend the rest of the day wandering around the campus retelling hilarious stories that happened over the hours of the day. Who predicted that the blonde would still be intertwined with yours and the prince's life till adulthood?
"You know f-n, it's been a long while since I've felt so excited about something." Prompto described, running a hand through his unruly blonde locks.
"Me too. Love is wafting in the air." You agreed, nodding your head in acknowledgement.
"Yup, and I've been thinking over these past few hours about us." He continued onward, fiddling the tips of his thumbs together in distraction. The slightest tint of red on his cheeks emphasized his numerous amount of freckles peppering his pale skin.
"Us?" You gestured towards the both of you with a hand.
"Y-Yeah." He nodded profusely, lowering his head. "WhatamItoyou?" Your ears barely comprehended what he squealed, noticing his blush spreading to his ears.
"Another round of that sentence, but go slower." You requested him with a bemused smile.
"Why is this so hard!" Prompto complained, flailing his arms about in wild circles.
You spoke in reassurance, "You're making it harder on yourself if you keep hesitating."
Prompto's chest puffed outward as he sucked in a deep breath before professing his question again. "What am I to you? Do you have a thing for me?"
Your cheeks darkened in crimson, smudging your cheeks in its tainted color. "Y-Yeah. I like you more than a friend." His heart leapt for a joy at your words.
"Y-You do? You really mean it?" The gunslinger questioned further, his eyes widening causing his vibrant cerulean hues to become more prominent.
"Yes you doofus. I love Prompto Argentum." You confessed, stepping forward to wrap your arms around his neck in a quick attempt for a hug. The blonde accepted it with open arms, literally.
Your feet were swept off the ground as he twirled the both of you in place, an irreplaceable smile indented on his chapped lips. "I can't believe this is actually happening. The girl of my dreams confessed to me!" He hollered, squeezing your figure closer to his chest.
"You better believe it. Just, slow down a bit." You responded, your vision blurring a little from the confusion of being dizzy.
Prompto groaned a quiet complaint of never wanting to release his fated lover before complying.
"I love you my sweet baby chocobo~" Prompto sang in happiness, pressing his lips to your forehead.
"Love you more." You responded reluctantly, wrapping your arms around his torso.
Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!