Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I do,” Nyx said as Titus put a wedding band on him.

“I do,” Titus repeated back to him as Nyx did the same. 

The wedding bands glistened in the candlelight, the small but beautiful wedding everything that Nyx dreamed of. Their family and friends were there in the romantic setting, and watching Titus move down the aisle in a tight white suit nearly made him want to ravage him then and there. 

Yet they were married now, and that was the most important thing. They were finally married. After lifetimes of trying to reach each other, Nyx and Titus finally reached their biggest dream of a lifetime. It was everything and more. It felt like lifetimes of trying to find a way to completion, like he had finally accomplished his goal in all of his lives. If it was his higher calling - to love Titus - then Nyx would happily do so.

“Where to now?” Titus asked Nyx during the reception ceremony, the two of them sitting at their own private table as they celebrated their new marriage.

“Traditionally, the married couple goes on a honeymoon,” Nyx pointed out. “Where should we go?”

“I have an idea,” Titus remarked. He looked at Nyx as he took a drink of his champagne. Six, why was he so gorgeous? “How about Galahd?”

Nyx smiled brightly and kissed his husband. He had never been happier than this moment.

It took a couple months to arrange a decent trip to Galahd, mostly because of their work getting in the way. As a business owner and corporate lawyer, it was busy at all times of the year, but it was Titus who put his foot down and said they were going on a honeymoon and no one would stop them - not even themselves.

Galahd was gorgeous in the fall, the leaves turning a gorgeous array of oranges, reds, yellows, and browns. It felt like Nyx had stepped back into a fantasy world, and he looked at his husband and lover with a loving smile.

They were staying at a bed and breakfast instead of with Nyx’s family, preferring the time alone. While there wasn’t too much to do in terms of community tourism, there were amazing trails that would take them on hikes to show them the best part of the wilderness.

“Ready to go?” Nyx asked him as they packed for a picnic, the two of them dressed in hiking gear and excited for the time on the trail. Once they reached the summit, overlooking the wild waters and forests of Galahd, they would have a picnic and enjoy it together. It was exactly what they wanted for their honeymoon.

“I’m ready,” Titus replied with a smile. He held up his hand, showing Nyx his wedding band. “I have the most important piece of equipment here with me.”

Nyx actually giggled, a noise he rarely made unless he was around Titus. He felt like a fool in love. “Good. I don’t want to have any men or women hitting on you.”

“They’ll hit on you too, you know,” Titus pointed out. “But I’ll be on hand to chase them off.”

“No one will even get close.” Nyx kissed Titus giddily. “Let’s go. Before we end up in bed all day… again.”

They made their way out of the bed and breakfast and towards the trail, holding hands as they kept their picnic in a backpack on Nyx’s back. The entire time they walked throughout the trail, they took their time, enjoying the sights and taking photos of the two together. Of course they were acting like cheesy lovebirds on their honeymoon; they were so far in love that they couldn’t care about how they appeared to others.

“Do you think this was a wish of ours?” Titus asked him as they walked up the trail, the incline just enough to give them a bit of a workout. “In our past lives, I mean.”

“I think so,” Nyx considered aloud. “Well, I know it was for me. The happiness I felt when we got married just felt… It felt like my past lives were rejoicing because it finally happened.”

“I felt the same,” Titus commented, confirming Nyx’s suspicions. “We’ve been trying to get here for so long, and we’re finally there.”

“Do you… Do you think that it’s all over for us now that we’ve done it?” Nyx asked worriedly. “I don’t want this to end.”

“I don’t think it will,” Titus replied. He put his hand around Nyx’s waist and kissed his temple lovingly, the same supportive kiss he always did when his husband was worried about something. “I think we’re soulmates and we’re destined to fall in love in every lifetime.”

“Really?” Nyx looked at Titus with a bright smile, a joy erupting in his heart that he only felt around the love of his life. “If that’s the case then… I’ll happily marry you in the next life and the next.”
“And the next and the next,” Titus said with a chuckle. “I’ll love you in all lifetimes. Forever.”

“I can’t wait for it,” Nyx replied. They spent the rest of the hike postulating what their past lives were possibly like, some of the ideas ridiculous while others were eerily accurate. 

When they reached the summit it felt like no time had passed, even though it had already been several hours. That was how time felt when they were together. They loved each other so intrinsically that it was easy for them to lose sense of everything around them, focusing only on each other instead. How anyone would try to keep them apart was beyond them.

“This is gorgeous,” Titus said as he looked out at the mountainous area that opened up to the sea. There were streams, rivers, lakes, and waterfalls everywhere, decorating the land to look serenely ethereal. “Wow.”

“It’s almost as gorgeous as you,” Nyx replied, looking at Titus with a soft smile.

“What a flirt,” Titus teased. “Come on. Let’s set up.”

They set up for their picnic, laying out a blanket and setting up plates of food and champagne. It was perfect for a honeymoon hike celebration, and they enjoyed their meal in relative silence, mostly staring at each other in joy. It was difficult for them not to stare, especially since they were finally married, after all this time.

“This is probably one of the best dates we’ve been on,” Titus considered as he sipped the champagne. “The only issue is that I can’t just completely ravage you while we’re here.”

“Says who?” Nyx teased. “This is a quiet trail. You won’t see hikers coming this way since it’s one of the areas reserved for Galahdans only.”

Titus looked at him with an arched eyebrow, clearly contemplating what Nyx said. He beckoned his husband towards him with a finger, smiling at him deviously. Nyx couldn’t help but comply, and he moved closer to Titus, kissing him lightly on the lips.

“You’re such a devil,” Nyx said as Titus ran his hand over his body, palming his hand over Nyx’s shaft in his pants. It was hard immediately, and Nyx let out a soft moan. “I’m lucky you’re all mine.”

“I could say the same.” Titus eagerly tugged Nyx’s pants off, not wasting any time. To say that he was a voracious man was an understatement, leaving Nyx aching for his touch and quickly receiving what he wished for. 

Titus took Nyx’s shaft into his mouth, making the Galahdan gasp and moan, his hips bucking involuntarily as his husband ran his tongue along the sensitive side of his shaft. Laying back on his forearms behind him, he closed his eyes, moaning as Titus continued to suck on him, giving him everything he wanted and more.

“Titus,” Nyx gasped and writhed under his touch. “I need more… I need all of you.”

“So greedy,” Titus replied, although he was pulling away and taking off his jacket. “Luckily, I planned for this.”

Titus took out a condom and flashed it at Nyx. Smiling, Nyx leaned forward and kissed him deeply, his tongue aching and hungry. He didn’t care if anyone came around them and caught them; if anything it made the moment all the more enticing. Titus was his, and he didn’t mind who saw it.

“I did too,” Nyx said as Titus laid back on the blanket, taking his pants off. “I prepared this morning.”

Nyx showed Titus the plug he wore the entire trip, earning a hungry look from his husband. Straddling Titus, Nyx kissed him deeply, letting out a moan as he felt his husband pull the plug out then immediately put it back in, moving it in him again and again. He thrust his hips in tandem to Titus’ pulsing movements of the plug, and he ended up burying his face into his husband’s shoulder.

“So naughty,” Titus tutted, thrusting the plug into him in a way that made him gasp and arch his back, the plug hitting his prostate so deliciously. “You planned this, I see.”

“You’re my husband,” Nyx moaned, thrusting his hips against Titus’ shaft, their cocks rubbing against each other with a force that made them both moan. “I want to be prepared for anything you want to give me.”

“So greedy.” Titus chuckled and grabbed the plug, pulling it out of Nyx and leaving him noticeably empty. Carefully, the man put the condom on then lined himself with Nyx’s entrance. “Hard or soft?”

“Hard,” Nyx pleaded. “As hard as you want.”

“You might regret those words.” Titus slammed Nyx down, taking all of his shaft in one virulent thrust, sending the Galahdan on a dizzying spiral of pleasure. His back arched and he immediately moved on top of his husband, chasing the bliss as Titus thrust upward while he thrust down. “Fuck, Nyx. You’re still so tight.”

“Titus,” Nyx breathed, panting his pleasure at being so thoroughly overtaken by his husband. “More.”

Titus let out a growl and flipped them over, laying Nyx on his back on the blanket, his legs hooked over Titus’ shoulders. Leaning forward, he folded Nyx in half, hitting deeper than before, sending the Galahdan man gasping and nearly catching his voice in his throat from how deeply amazing it felt. 

“Titus,” Nyx nearly whimpered as he moaned, feeling his husband’s shaft against his prostate, hitting it so deeply that he was already close to climax. “Oh… Fuck…”

“You’re mine,” Titus growled, thrusting so hard and fast into Nyx that it sent them both drowning in pleasure. “Fuck, Nyx.”

Nyx climaxed as Titus thrust against his prostate once more, sending him into a world of ecstasy as his body was overcome with the pleasure that overtook him. It was so pleasurable, so amazing, that as Titus kept moving Nyx only moaned for more. Titus didn’t stop until he, too, climaxed, the eagerness from the two husbands too great to stop just because they were in a semi-public place.

“You think anyone heard us?” Titus asked after taking several deep breaths, both of them overwhelmed from the pleasure.

“If they did, I bet they thought it was a bear going rabid,” Nyx replied with a devious grin. Titus laughed as he pulled out of his husband, the two immediately cleaning up. “Man, I don’t think I can make it down the mountain.”

“Liar,” Titus accused. Nyx stuck out his tongue, which only resulted in Titus pulling him into a kiss. “I suppose we should make our way back before night falls.”

“Then we can continue this conversation in our room,” Nyx offered.

“My husband is insatiable,” Titus teased. They got up and made their way back down the trail together, walking hand in hand.

“You made me this way,” Nyx reminded him flirtatiously, noticing how Titus was very quick to put the plug back in him.

“Yes I did,” his husband replied proudly. “And I plan on keeping you this way, if I can help it.”

“Oh you can help it.” Nyx kissed Titus as they descended the trail, both of them eager to continue their honeymoon.

Chapter Text

“Darling,” Ardyn said as he wrapped his arms around Cor’s shoulders from behind, kissing him on the cheek. “I have another interview to go to. Would you come with me?”

“Why?” Cor asked, looking perplexed as he continued to type. “I just get in the way the entire time.”

“Exactly,” Ardyn retorted with a pout. “There’s no point in being interviewed by someone who is going to be mean to my boyfriend.”

“Alright,” Cor sighed. This wasn’t the first time that Ardyn asked this. It was usually an attempt to get the interviewers to speed up the time they spent on the actor and political artist - although they didn’t know that last part. “Let’s go.”

“Yes!” Ardyn cheered, pulling away so Cor could get up. “How’s your book coming along?”

“Good,” Cor replied honestly. “Until someone interrupted me to go to an interview.”

“Oh, darling, I’m such a devil.” Ardyn flashed a smile at Cor that just swayed his heart immediately. It was impossible for Cor to say no to his boyfriend. “Come on.”

There was a car waiting for them as they made their way out of the large flat. Once inside, both of them dressed for the cool fall in very different ways, Ardyn rested his head on Cor’s lap, letting him play with his hair absentmindedly.

“I’ve been dreaming again,” Ardyn mused as the car took off. “Of a past where I was… horrible.”

“That past is gone,” Cor reminded him, knowing that these were the tales that Ardyn fretted over. Nevertheless, Cor was compiling the stories into a book, a tale of people who remembered their past lives. Ardyn asked to remain anonymous for obvious reasons. “Remember what I said.”

“The past is the past, and now I am safe,” Ardyn repeated. “I am calm. I am not marred by the past and therefore not tethered by it. It’s hard to believe that when I remember…” His voice dropped to a whisper. “When I remember killing someone, it hurts to think that I could be capable of that.”

“You, as you are now, are not capable of such violence,” Cor reminded him. “You only wish to act and help people through your art. You are not the Ardyn Izunia of the past, my love. You are the Ardyn Izunia of now.”

“What is the difference?” Ardyn asked, languishing over the memories of the past once more. Cor didn’t like that Ardyn was one of the people to remember; he just wanted to have his boyfriend back.

“Because you and I are in love,” Cor pointed out. Ardyn sat up and looked at him. “I wouldn’t fall in love with a monster, now would I?”

Ardyn looked at him in contemplation then smiled. He took him into his arms and kissed him deeply, a graceful movement that only Ardyn Izunia could manage with Cor Leonis. They met one day, several years ago, and since then they were practically inseparable.

A famous actor, Ardyn had ventured into a bookstore where Cor happened to be wandering, looking for a book by none other than Cor. It was an act of fate, and Ardyn happened to talk to him nonchalantly, not recognizing him. Since Cor didn’t particularly know much about recent media, he also spoke to Ardyn with the same nonchalance. Because of that, they easily stole each other’s hearts.

Sure, Cor wasn’t a famous author, but he did well enough to do well on his own, occasionally teaching a course at the local university to supplement any income. Without knowing who Ardyn was, he was quite taken by how over the top Ardyn was, how he was the opposite of him. Yet when he saw an ad with Ardyn in it, he connected the dots and spoke to him about it honestly. The actor only found it endearing and wanted him all the more.

Now, Cor was used to his life with Ardyn. He began researching the phenomenon of reincarnation since Titus and Nyx had told him about how they remembered their past lives. They showed Cor the images they found of him at the Citadel, and since then he remembered his life as the Lord Marshal. When he told Ardyn, his boyfriend began to remember it as well. 

That was the more difficult part. Ardyn had lived for thousands of years before this, his mind and memory warped from the Scourge and being imprisoned by his brother. He remembered the agony, the torture, the desire to help and being forced to be the villain in the story by the Six Astrals. It was difficult for Ardyn to reconcile that, and he often anguished over whether or not he was considered a good person. Every time he thought that Ardyn would be on a downward spiral, Cor would remind him that he loved him, and that seemed to be enough to keep him grounded.

There was a lot of what Ardyn put into his political works. He was a famous artist, although the world didn’t know it. All around Eos, he would put his works in random places - on walls, on buildings, within coffee shops - and the world would rejoice. No one knew who he was, save Cor. And Cor had recently noticed that his works had shifted to paint the past, processing his former life that was so eternally long.

“Come on, love,” Ardyn said when they arrived. “You… You keep me tethered here, you know.”

“And you do the same for me,” Cor replied honestly. “You are my everything. I don’t want to lose you.”

Ardyn kissed Cor longingly, a secret kiss that promised more to come. “I promise you won’t lose me. I promise you that I’m okay.”

“Tell me when you’re not, okay?” Cor asked him. 

Ardyn had manic-depressive episodes, something that was tightly controlled with medication, and whenever things teetered on the edge when the medication didn’t help anymore, Cor was there to help him. They made changes accordingly, and Ardyn often worried about being too much for Cor - being too intense. Cor didn’t mind in the least. He was excited to see where the future took him with Ardyn, and if helping him with his bipolar disorder was a condition of being with him, then he would happily do it.

“I promise,” Ardyn replied. They got out of the car where there were cameras waiting for the actor, and he immediately grabbed Cor’s hand and kissed him on the cheek. It was something that Cor dealt with since he started dating Ardyn, but he didn’t mind. Ardyn was big on public displays of affection, while Cor was more reserved, but one thing they worked through was making sure that they were openly together in front of the media.

They made their way into the building, the two of them following Ardyn’s agent until they were at the center for the interview. It was for another movie coming out, and there would likely be a long series of interviews for the actors to do. With Ardyn as the romantic lead, it wasn’t possible for him to skip them, although he definitely tried sometimes.

“Here we go,” Cor said when they reached the room. “You ready to answer a million of the same questions?”

“Don’t remind me,” Ardyn scoffed with an eyeroll. “You can leave if you want.”

“I’ll stick around,” Cor promised. They made their way into the room where Ardyn was greeted by the interviewer, who was automatically blushing and enjoying herself. She noticed Cor and gave him a half-greeting, the same amount of attention that he typically got from people who weren’t particularly familiar with his relationship with Ardyn.

“So let’s get started,” she said as both her and Ardyn sat in facing chairs. “Let’s talk about your new movie.”

Ardyn delved into the rehearsed conversation he had about the movie. Cor didn’t particularly pay attention to what he was saying, having heard it all before as he learned the lines at home. There were always things that he couldn’t account for, questions that didn’t have a rehearsed response, but it was typically the personal matters that did it.

“Let’s talk about your love life,” the interviewer said, switching questions over. “You’re currently dating a failed author and-”

“Excuse me?!” Ardyn interjected hotly. The interviewer paused. “My boyfriend is anything but failed . Sure, he hasn’t reached the levels of fame that very few authors do, but he is a highly successful author and is even working on something so amazing that I personally cannot wait for it to be published. If I had to give up everything to live a humble life to be with Cor, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

There was a tense silence between them, and Cor couldn’t help but smile. This was something that Ardyn faced from time to time. He wasn’t as successful as Ardyn in the eyes of the media, so therefore he was considered a failure. Yet, the reality of it was much different. Cor was highly successful for an author, and he was quite content to live the quiet life that he had.

“So… any plans for marriage on the horizon?” the interviewer asked, moving onto the next question without any form of an apology.

“I should hope so,” Ardyn said with a devious twinkle in his eye. Cor applauded him for the ability to change from the angry man he was within to the charming actor he was supposed to be. His boyfriend looked at him with a wink. “I think it’s only a matter of time.”

Cor smiled at that, then indicated for Ardyn to pay attention to the interviewer. He complied, and Cor watched as the rest of the interview went off without a hitch. They ended up completing the round of interviews without further issue, and Cor kept thinking about his book.

The past came back to him time and time again, the thought of how he was the Lord Marshal in a past life, not just a humble author. He remembered being friends with the king, about his friendship with Titus, about the pain and agony he felt when Insomnia fell and Titus betrayed them all. He thought about how Ardyn was the one they all had to kill, and his heart ached overwhelmingly at the thought.

Ardyn was his everything in this life, and he hoped it to be the same in the next. It took thousands of years for Ardyn to find his rest, to be able to finally find the reprieve he needed to cleanse his soul and prepare for the next life. Cor didn’t want him to be plagued by what Bahamut forced on him, the sins of his past, or the potential to suffer in the future. They had a good life now, and Cor wanted to focus on that. It was enough. It had to be.

“How’d I do?” Ardyn asked once they were on their way home, taking the car to avoid the many fans waiting for an autograph or a photo. Of course, Ardyn was good to his fans and stopped for them on the way to the car, but it was important for him to be able to avoid the heavy crowds. They always caused him anxiety.

“Perfect,” Cor replied honestly. “You were a bit harsh about the whole boyfriend thing, though.”

“No one disrespects my boyfriend,” Ardyn said proudly. He smiled at Cor. “You have let us flourish when others would just make my life hell. How can I not honor you when someone disrespects you?”

Cor reached over and kissed him deeply, his tongue hungry and yearning. “I want you to be happy, Ardyn. You have suffered so much that you are still coping with the past. Please trust me to bring you to the present and the future. You deserve so much. You don’t deserve to continue to suffer from the past.”

“I trust you, Cor,” Ardyn promised him. “Take me where we need to go.”

Cor kissed his lover deeply once more, his heart yearning to give Ardyn his everything for all time.

Chapter Text

I’m sorry, Prompto. I have to do this. I don’t want to go, but I have to. You are the best of me, and it is because of your strength that I can do this at all. I love you. I’ll be waiting for you. I promise.

Noctis looked up at the ghostly image of his father, his hands on the sword. Sitting on the throne, he closed his eyes, preparing for his inevitable death. There was only one thought on his mind, and that was his lover, his comrade, his soulmate. Prompto. He promised that he would see him in his next life.

There was a flash of blue light.

Noctis sat up in bed, sweating and panting, looking around for a sign of danger. Prompto immediately awoke beside him, and he looked at his lover in concern. There was a pain in Noct’s chest, and he looked down at the birthmark that resembled a stab wound. This was where I died - the wound where I sacrificed myself to save the world.

“Is it the dream again?” Prompto asked him, looking at him in worry. The dreams that Prompto had of his past life were a different sort of torture, but tonight was a night for Noctis’ nightmares. 

“Yeah,” Noctis breathed. He looked at Prompto, the love of his life, the love of his past life. He pulled Prompto into a hug, holding onto him tightly. “I love you, Prom.”

“I love you too, Noct,” Prompto replied, his voice clearly marred by his concern. For someone who was ten years younger than Noctis, he certainly acted like he was older most of the time. That was likely a result of Prompto having to take care of himself for the most part, but now he was with Noctis, and Noctis was on a mission to spoil him.

“Maybe we should go to the Citadel,” Prompto offered. “And see it. I mean… You’ve avoided going since the dreams started, right?”

“Yeah,” Noctis said, his voice trembling. “Yeah, you’re right. I think it’s time we go.”

“Okay,” Prompto agreed. His voice was soft, quivering, full of the same grief and pain that Noctis felt. He held his boyfriend closer then, knowing that Prompto was going to have to face his own memories. 

“You won’t lose me,” Noctis promised. “Not again.”

They held onto each other and cried.

The next day they slept late, the two of them holding onto each other late into the night until they could finally sleep. Although Noctis had his graduate courses later in the evening, he knew that Prompto was right. They had to go to the Citadel so they could face what they lost.

Noctis was close to thirty when he met his twenty one year old boyfriend, the two of them going to school at the same time. Prompto was in his undergrad courses while Noctis was a graduate student, but they both immediately hit it off in such a way that it felt like they had been with each other for a lifetime already. At first Noctis was worried about dating a younger student, but then he found that Prompto was just as mature as he was, which either said a lot about Prompto or a lot about himself.

They got dressed together, Noctis dressed in a black turtleneck and black pants while Prompto opted for a more punk rock fall attire. Noctis loved that about him; he was so true to who he was as a person that it made the elder boyfriend a bit jealous. Prompto helped Noctis be his best self, and Noctis only hoped that he could do the same in return.

“So where did your family get the name Caelum from?” Prompto asked Noctis as they got on the train and made their way to the Citadel. “You’re not related to the One True King, are you?”

“I don’t know,” Noctis replied honestly. “I know my dad named me after him, but the name Caelum got picked up somewhere along the way. Maybe because it was easy to market.”

“Your dad is a titan of technology,” Prompto agreed. They earned a few looks as they stood on the train, and Noctis immediately grabbed Prompto’s hand possessively. Sure, he knew some of them were staring at him because his father was rich, but he also knew some were staring at Prompto because he was gorgeous.

“Do you know where you got your name from?” Noctis asked him, knowing he was touching on a sensitive topic.

“Well ‘Argentum’ is just the last name that the orphanages give Nif kids,” Prompto considered. Noctis squeezed his hand tightly. “I was told that I was given the name Prompto because I was always off running around.”

Noctis smiled and kissed his boyfriend on the forehead. “Sounds about right. Maybe it’s just fate’s way of naming us the same name all over again.”

“Well if it’s fate for me and you to be together, I’ll take it,” Prompto said with a smile. Noctis adored that smile more than anything, and he kissed his boyfriend once more. 

The train ride to the Citadel was relatively calm, the two of them talking about their pasts and trying to understand their dreams just a bit more. Noctis was finding that he was starting to remember during the day as well, the past coming to the present and clouding his mind. Prompto always grounded him in those moments, and while he suspected that Prompto had the same issue, there was never a word about it. 

“Let’s go,” Noctis said once the train stopped at their exit. They made their way to the Citadel, walking hand in hand, the two of them stopping at the entrance. There, in the front of the Citadel, was a statue dedicated to the One True King, a spitting image of Noctis, down to the last hair on his head. People looked at him oddly as they walked by as they recognized that he was the One True King.

“It’s you,” Prompto said, squeezing his hand so tight that his knuckles were not white. “You’re the One True King.”

“I don’t want to be,” Noctis breathed, terror gripping him tightly. “I just want to be your lover.”

“You are,” Prompto promised him. He offered Noctis a soothing smile. “You might have been that in your past, but your present is here and now.”

Noctis nodded, reminding himself that the past was so different from life now that he didn’t have to worry about being a sacrificial lamb. Suddenly, a memory came back to him. “Come on.”

Instead of taking the main entrance where people were lined up for the tours of the Citadel, he led Prompto to a side entrance that was hidden from view. Sneaking into the Citadel wasn’t exactly what Noctis planned, but right now he was following a memory that was pulling him forward.

“Where are we going?” Prompto asked in a whisper as they snuck through the side entrance and began going up a series of winding stairs. “Noct?”

“There’s… something,” Noctis said. “I just have a feeling to go this way.”

Prompto nodded and didn’t protest anymore. They followed the staircase, the beautiful portraits lining the halls all calling to Noctis, telling him that he was home. Home. Looking at Prompto, he knew that his home was with the blond, not in any palace or apartment. This place was just so eerily familiar that each turn seemed to take Noctis where he needed to go.

“This is weird,” Prompto said when they stopped in front of a door that was closed. “I know this place.”

“Me too,” Noctis said. He reached out and hesitated, knowing that if he opened the door then he was opening the window to the past. With a deep breath, he touched the doorknob and felt like he was transformed back into the past.

“Better wake the princess up,” Gladio said behind him.

“Oh hush,” Ignis tutted. “He had a long night.”

“Yeah, with his new boyfriend,” Gladio laughed.

“Noct?” Prompto asked, pulling Noctis out of the memory. He shuddered, a chill going down his spine.

“I just… This is all so real,” Noctis said. He opened the door and was greeted by everything he knew he would face. It was his room when he was a prince, and the moment he stepped inside, he felt like he was returning home after centuries away. “This is… scary.”

“This was your room,” Prompto said, as if remembering too. He pulled away from Noctis, looking over at the canopy bed where the prince used to rest, where Noctis used to rest. “This is where we had our first kiss.”

“King Regis… My father was supportive of the relationship,” Noctis remembered, his hand running over the ancient bedding, the feeling of it so familiar that it brought with it so many new memories that were somehow old at the same time. “Because he knew that it wouldn’t matter anyway… He wanted someone to mourn me when I was gone… Prompto?”

He looked at his boyfriend, who was letting out tears of grief and pain, his hand clutching his heart. “I mourned you for the rest of my life, Noct. I… I got sick young because I was… I was a clone, and I wasn’t really supposed to live a long life. But after you were gone, I mourned you for twenty years. I never got married. I just tried to live your dream of breaking down the walls. With… With Ignis and Gladio. When I got sick… I was happy. Cause that meant I could see you again.”

“Prom…” Noctis walked over to his boyfriend and took him into his arms, holding onto him tightly. “You were my dream, you know. You still are. I guess that’s why I was reborn ten years ahead of you. I was just too excited to hold you again.”

“We all brought peace to Eos,” Prompto remembered as he held onto Noctis tightly. “But none of that mattered without you. Ignis and Gladio said the same. The dawn wasn’t worth it without you, and we all vowed to see each other again one day.”

“And now we have each other,” Noctis realized. He held onto Prompto tightly as they cried, mourning what once was and celebrating what they had now. They found a way back to each other; they would always find a way back to each other. 

Something caught Prompto’s eye, and Noctis wasn’t sure if it was his memory or something else. His boyfriend pulled away from him and made his way over to a corner of the room, getting on the floor. Curiously, Noctis watched as Prompto removed part of the wooden floorboards, the old structure protesting loudly. They flinched, hoping they wouldn’t get caught, as Prompto took a small box out of the floor.

“I put this here,” Prompto whispered. “For you. When I was dying, I put it here so that when you were reborn, you could find it and remember us. So you could one day come back to us. And maybe I’d come back too.”

“Hey!” a voice said, interrupting them. They turned and saw a security guard there, glaring at them. His eyes went wide when he saw who they were, his skin pale as if he’d seen a ghost.

“Sorry, man,” Noctis said as Prompto hurriedly put the floorboard back and tucked the box in his bag. “We were just… revisiting.”

“You’re… You’re…” The security guard began, not believing what he was seeing.

“We just wanted to see the old place,” Prompto said nonchalantly as they made their way to the door. “You know, since this is where we first met.”

“You two are-” the guard began.

“Don’t tell.” Prompto held a finger to his lips and winked. “The world doesn’t need to know. We’re just visiting his old room.”

“Ghosts,” the guard said. “You’re ghosts!”

The guard ran off in terror, leaving Prompto and Noctis to stare at each other and burst out into laughter, their tears forgotten for now. “Come on,” Noctis offered. “Before the rest of the world hears about how we’re haunting the halls of the Citadel.”

“I mean, I dig it,” Prompto teased, following him nevertheless. 

They were quick to leave the Citadel, taking the train back to the apartment they shared. Sitting down on the train, they both breathed a sigh of relief for not getting arrested. Prompto took out the ancient box, holding it in his hands as he trembled.

“Do you want to…?” Prompto asked, looking at the box then at Noctis.

“Go ahead,” Noctis encouraged him.

Prompto nodded. He opened the box and revealed a stack of photos, a flood of memories accompanying them. Noctis took them out and looked at them, the photos of their former lives that the rest of the world would never know. There were photos of the One True King with his retinue, smiling and laughing, fishing, swimming, camping. They were photos of them kissing, of them being so obviously in love. There were photos of the change, of Ignis going blind, of Noctis coming back after ten years of darkness. There was a singular photo that was especially crumpled with stains of blood.

Noctis picked it up and looked at the photo of himself with Prompto, Ignis, and Gladio. They were all smiling, happy, he and Prompo in love while Ignis and Gladio clearly tried to hide their affection towards each other. Looking at it, he remembered standing in front of the throne room, preparing for the inevitable.

“I took this one with me,” Noctis whispered. “So I could hold onto you, even in the afterlife.”

Tears poured down their faces as they looked at the photos, the two of them remembering the loss. Staring at the photo, Noctis reached out and held Prompto’s hand tightly. More than his sacrifice, more than the pain of it all, Noctis remembered first and foremost the most important thing from the very start of his rebirth.

He remembered Prompto.