Two Different((Noctis))

[Stella Nox Fleuret]

Stella stood alone on a bridge on a cold lonely night. She was wearing a thick coat over her usual dressy skirt and blouse though. She started walking down the bridge as she ran her hand across the railing. She tried to think on any thing else other than her family...Even though at times she was pretty confident and bubbly...Tonight was different....She was thinking about him again. Yes, Noctis...How could some one like him be her enemy? What was wrong with this world....? Two different sides fighting over some thing that was nearly impossible to find....

Even though she was devoted to belong to a family that was trying to steal some thing from another family, she had her disbelief's. She was scared that some thing would happen....And she would be forced to fight.....Which was some thing she really did not want to do....She thought that she could make her own mind up as she came of age....Wrong....Stella sighed to herself as she looked down over the railing...

What would it hurt? No one would miss her....She was just so depressed. What was it? Was it because of the Darkness taking over the worlds now? Or was it that the next she and Noctis meet would end up in a battle? She hoped not. Her eyes were a bit watery from crying earlier today as she found out the news about the Darkness....The only question about that situation that came to her mind was, would she be a bad guy...? Stella paused all thoughts as she heard foot steps approach....

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

The winter had come and blown over the landscape. White snow looked grey with the chill in the air hanging lightly around the ground. The worst of the cold had not arrived yet; it was all just a pretty, intimidating appearance.
Noctis looked out through his window by a soft candlelight, that lit his room, past the flecks of snowflake that cracked its surface. Into the distance of what remained of the forest, the only place untarnished by human life, and the shadow of the vast garden there, He could see no detail. It was just a mass of darkness, a symbol of freedom and an attractive setting that called out to him; it was normally there, his midnight rendezvous took place, the other times, the deserted and corrupted streets made company.

Turning from the view, he walked towards the poster edge of his bed where he'd slung his black coat over and grabbed it, scrunching the material in his hand.
He left the building of his home in the background, leaving it behind further and further as he walked down the imperial, stone staircase, throwing the coat on as he did so. Trough a garden, he roamed, stealing through the night until he rounded a bend and escaped through the gates, fusing out of there with magic.
Noctis expected the looks on the faces of the guards, he knew the security filmed everything but he had that sorted with a wave of his hand; they were all thrown back if they tried to stop him, the guns and shouts were useless. They should be used to it by now... and he glanced behind his shoulder with the distinct nonchalant expression he had, then the cameras turned away, filming a wall. His being was traceless as he disappeared, stopping where he wanted to go, until he approached the river that ran through the city and bordered his fortress.

There was a delicate bridge in front of him now, lamps that lined it flickering until a startling spark corrected them to shine dimly. There was a figure on the bridge, a thick coat reshaping the silhouette; he couldn't tell who it was and took some quiet steps onto the platform. The shuffling of a thin layer of snow beneath his boots made noise and he saw closely the striking, long blonde hair he had seen before. Memories of that moment rushed at him with images and Noctis squinted a little, clearing them and approaching this woman with a slight hesitance, clouded with surprise. The woman who was to be his enemy but also the woman who is possibly the only other being he knew, in control of the power of a Crystal like his. Stella Nox Fleuret... stood before him, lost in her own troubles.

What troubles could they be? Her family makes her objectives clear...
The idea made him frown, but he was reluctant to pursue disagreement this night even though he was well aware their stances on friendship had changed, ever since he found out who she was. The shining star, that could lead him to the loss of his everything. Why would she be here, like this...? Am I to be forewarned? "...Stella?" He breathed, the breath frosting for a second in the air from warmth; Noctis called her by an informal name, one she had told him to address her by, instead of a Lady... or the Princess that she was. It had made sense to him to tell her to stop calling him Lord Noctis, or Prince but she had insisted against 'just Noct...' and somehow he relented.

[Stella Nox Fleuret]

Alone in her thoughts. She did not even notice the sudden foot steps that were making against the snow. "Why are you thinking like this...?" Stella tried to ignore the foot steps....as she was in her own little mind. But it was near impossible to ignore them completely. Then she heard that voice..."...Stella?" Stella gasped...Was it really him? She turned around to make sure she was not imaging things. And there he was...Just as handsome as the day she met him...

"Noctis...." All stopped. Her emotions quit on her at that moment. She did not want him to know the state she was in. As he tried to hide it through a pretty little smile she would always give him when ever they met....Her eyes fixed directly on his...His on the other hand, were dark and mysterious...While hers were very open and light shade color of yellow....But her darkness inside the orbs disguised some of that color...

"What brings you out on a cold night?" She asked as she found herself starring at his face...How could she not avoid that face of his....There were even days she wished she could place her lips on his....But she knew his morals...And respected them....The truth was would she get out of her shyness and just flat out tell him the truth about her feelings? Knowing her thought from Noctis point of view that would never happen....

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

It was her...there was no mistaking that smile, and the way she gazed back at him. The movement replayed to him in the exact way he had first seen her at the function, upstairs in a gallery room. She turned to him and his eyes took it all in, in slow motion so that he could never forget her porcelain face.

"I'd ask you the same..." Noctis stared straight back at her, into her bright eyes that reminded him of cheerful sunflowers, for awhile, trying to maintain a mirror of the fixated look she was giving him. The seconds passed and he gave in, his eyes averted from hers to flicker at the distance, then back at her in general; unsure where he should be seeing.
Her confidence was noticeable and he could barely keep pace with it, acting more collected than he was again. Was it that she intimidated him or that unbeknownst to himself, appealed to him; he was unable to relate to both of those questions in his mind. Noctis just knew this was unexpected and that he was per usual not doing much in the conversation. Perhaps he had to try; something had arranged for this meeting to happen. There were things to talk about...

"The usual, breath of fresh air and taste of freedom..." His speech ended, concise and to the point but it didn't leave much for her to comment on and he flinched slightly in thought of what else there was he had missed. Then he remembered, she was here alone, lamentful and he could ask her why. "You were talking to yourself...?" This idea was only half developed, he hadn't thought about how he was going to ask her what she was doing, sadly and what came out was a mere statement, open to take them any where.

[Stella Nox Fleuret]

"I'd ask you the same..."

"The usual, breath of fresh air and taste of freedom..." Stella nodded...True to that. Everyone needed every now and then....

"You were talking to yourself...?" "I was? HmmmBeing cupped up in that mansion of yours you starting to hear voice Noctis?" So he did hear....But she was still trying to hide and avoid the subject. Besides why would her worst enemy be so worried about her? It was amazing that they could meet like this and not want to cut each other throats...By now she was sure Noctis knew who she was. And would not surprise her one bit...

Stella relaxed her gaze on him...As she noticed him trying to figure her out. It must hurt to not be able to find out her...She bet he didn't even know her favorite color. Which was purple. Stella looked down and walked back over to the bridges railing....

"I was a lone....And now I'm with you....You even know the dangers of this little meeting Noct if this were to get out? We are two different...It would not go well....I tried to see if there was a way that there was a possibility that we could be friends...But, I'm just fed up with the whole thing. I'm not the brightest girl in the world....But, I have to do what my family says goes...And if that means staying clear of you...Then....Well, good night Noctis...." She started to turn and walk away from him...She was worried. What if some one found them together like this....They were alone...No guards around.....Stella now was trying to leave....She was scared...That if this was seen, she would have no choice but to fight the only man she had feelings for....

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

So she was still teasing him on and off again. Of course he wasn't hearing voices in his head, at least not usually hers...but that wasn't the point. Noctis wasn't one to pry but it seemed that as she attempted to avoid the subject he had brought up, it intensified a curiousity in him. Under the pretense of being composed, he wanted to laugh about the truth in what she'd said but refused to allow himself; being cooped up in the mansion of his did give him problems, sanity issues...

"No..." Denying, he held onto a blank expression as she walked to trail the railing of the bridge; it was something typical of her to do, he thought. The scenery matched her well, he wasn't going to admit it but under moonlight she did shine unlike the other people he had seen in his lifetime. True to her name, Stella always kind of shocked him...and she was shocking him now, by turning away after a load of what he could make out to be rambles containing information they mutually understood without mention.

Noctis only believed it was a ramble, because she had never said so much and taken leave on him before. It seemed as though she was despaired...contrary to his beliefs of how she would be living. He instinctively took a few steps after her in a clumsy, uncertain manner then hesitated, a hand slightly reached out to stop her but never connecting with a grasp.
"Wait."
Sure they weren't meant to be seen, but it couldn't come down to that their whereabouts were being monitored right now? Even if he wasn't open to her, he felt the sorrows of abiding family rules, and the boredom with being fed up like she did; a part of him did pray for her to turn around instead of leaving him hanging, after he'd done such an awkward thing...calling her back.

"If this does get out, then it won't go too well...but that is an if?"
Hear me out, inside he was pleading to rectify what he'd done; even she would think it was unlike him to not just bid her good night and forget the whole ordeal. "I am supposed to stay away from you too...I know that..." but you were once a friend. "It is just the way fate is...I have not said how much of our differences are a problem..." He was always talking about problems, not that she was a problem, he didn't like it but...the light, the powers, were all a problem...
This time, he wasn't going to be so lost with conversation and formally acknowledged how she might feel though he let it be known to her that he was somewhat reluctant of parting just yet. "Though it is quite soon, I understand if you must go..."

[Stella Nox Fleuret]

"No..." "Wait." "If this does get out, then it won't go too well...but that is an if?" Stella stopped as she knew he had reached his arm out to stop her. But he was to late to grab a hold of her. "I am supposed to stay away from you too...I know that...but you were once a friend. It is just the way fate is...I have not said how much of our differences are a problem..." "Though it is quite soon, I understand if you must go..." Stella turned back around with hope in her eyes than he did not want her to leave just yet...

"Haha....I was not about to just leave you alone when you came to my aid as to comfort me...I know your intentions are honorable. Yes, were friends....But the way things are going....That friend ship is walking a fine line...wouldn't you agree?" She asked as she looked down...It started to snow finally...As they were both still out in the cold....The weather mattered not to Stella....When she was kid she loved snow and would play with it in her family's back yard....But she was not a kid any more...Did he know that she was overjoyed that he wanted her to remain by her side tonight? Maybe there was more to him than her faily made him out to be.....

"It's so beautiful...The snow...So light...And yet and you roll it into a ball it becomes hardened after a second...And that's how my life seems to be right now Noctis...Hard....Not light....I'm so confused....My family warned me about you when we were kids....To stay away from you....And now...." She trailed off....She did not want to be rambling....If he searched deeper in her voice he would notice how depressed it sounded.

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

She laughed a little and he felt a bit eased. Noctis had not come for her but he let it be that she said he was her aid to comfort her; he was just puzzled as to how he was of any comfort. Listening as another shower of snow fell, he looked up to the sky briefly, seeing the little white dots spiral down on them.
"A fine line you would rather, broken?"

Peering back at her, the snow falling silently around and curtaining him from her slightly, he asked the question that was a whole lot harder to answer than it sounded. It seemed that she would do better without even a fine thread of friendship between them; he presumed it was what caused trouble for her. He knew too little of her secrets to understand how much of a far cry this could be, or whether it would be hurtful he even suggested hinting within the question.
Nodding once, he acknowledge an agreement with her, before she changed the subject, admiring the snowfall. The snow is beautiful, a beautiful life...The hardened ball, melts at some point... he mused, thinking deeply about her comparison. His eyes widened as he grew more comfortable looking at her, with the blurring snow that wasn't actually as thick as he told himself it was in order to do so.

"And now?" Why had she stopped, refraining from one key point... Noctis guessed Stella was worried about their allegiances, troubled by the likes of him but he was beginning to see that it was more than that; she presented herself to him as though he was of great use to her, someone who's company she appreciated but at the same time, she was sceptical of how a friendship could work out. At this, his breath was held, the ideas relaying in his head as he felt his ego shrink with the unnamed gratitude that sneaked up on him; he didn't feel so alone when she dubbed him helpful.

"... there's nothing you can do about the past..." Potentially finishing her sentence, he noticed she was quite beside herself tonight; he had never seen this side of her, so anxious and uncertain of things. The consequences of them still having known each other as two different characters since childhood came up now, but he tried to make what rare occasion this was lighter hearted for her. "Confusion...it's within all of us..."
As she'd said, he was to comfort, honourably, not knowing precisely how he was doing that forked him out to many options such as talking. Noctis had not dared to physically stop her, violating his personal rules by touching her even for that was almost taboo but he suddenly realised how strict rules might drive the situation between them, downhill, amongst it's positive affects. "We were warned as kids but that led nowhere... would you miss the time we met again, not knowing eachother's identity...or rather, the reason they warned us of each other...?"

[Stella Nox Fleuret]

"A fine line you would rather, broken?" "And now?" "... there's nothing you can do about the past..." "Confusion...it's within all of us..." "We were warned as kids but that led nowhere... would you miss the time we met again, not knowing eachother's identity...or rather, the reason they warned us of each other...?"

Stella looked up and tried to avoid his eyes again. "I would miss the time we met again....More than any thing else. This world keeps us apart....Why can't we be together as friends...? I know I'm not the girl my father wanted me to be...." She looked away from him again and looked up at the sky...Watching the tiny bits of snow fall around them....Why did she have to pick romantic scenes....? Well, she did not know it was going to snow again tonight....It was not snowing all day....But Stella was truthful to her word that she just spoke to him.

"There are many things I wanna share with you....I know you feel some thing with me Noctis....You don't have to tell me either....Soon you will not have to worry about me having to fight you any more....You know how I hate that....That last night on that lonely street....I thought you were going to end it right there....But some thing stopped you didn't it?" Her eyes blinked as she turned around and looked into his finally! How could she not tell him the truth? That it would all soon end.......

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

When was it going to come to an end? Did she know? Was this why she was here...that couldn't be it. These times, she avoided eye contact, he was seeing for himself that, which he often did, until she finally met him with her gaze again. He was sort of used to this spell; all it was missing was an interlude but that didn't fit as they weren't in harmony were they?
"There are such things as secrets...we would not be the first in our predicament." Noctis kept his eyes on her as he walked a pace or two to stand at the railing, passing beside her to look out at the dead water freezing under the bridge. The river was black glass, clear and interrupted only by the circle of a moon mirrored on it unbroken from the stillness. No ripples, he glimpsed down, a bare inch of her reflected in this water and he turned away, both gloved hands dusting off snow on the railings as he held on to it.

"I was going to end it...Some thing came over me..." Something that stopped him from killing her...it was something he saw and felt...she hadn't fired at him with all she had...it wasn't a fair fight but was that all?
Noctis looked solemnly onwards as snow landed on his hair and brushed off his shoulders, reminiscing. He had no complications of parents, nothing of that sort now; his duties were simplified with an oath he had to swear upon their deaths... "You're right...but I don't regret that something stopped me." Making clear of things wasn't going to come easy, he hadn't really wanted to fight her; he was no peace lover but he avoided what could be avoided, her death was no different. "What makes you think that soon we may not need to fight anymore? If you disappoint your family, you will be an enemy to them if they choose..."

His grip on the railing tightened slightly in his own disappointment that things turned out this way but he didn't frown at her. "My Crystal...will always hold the power they seek. With or without you, they would find me. You need not trouble yourself over it like this..."

[Stella Nox Fleuret]

"There are such things as secrets...we would not be the first in our predicament." Damn it...Would he let it go? Or would he keep on until she just broke down and told him everything? She was trying to so hard to hold that one piece of information from him...."I was going to end it...Some thing came over me..." She was right on that...She could just feel it that night...The way he looked at her on that high way to her own little hell was all ceased when he stopped....She was for sure that was the night she was going to die....But her death did not come that soon....

"You're right...but I don't regret that something stopped me." "What makes you think that soon we may not need to fight anymore? If you disappoint your family, you will be an enemy to them if they choose..." It was nothing like that. So he was wrong after all....She sighed as she looked down at the river below them and saw her relefection in the hard ice.... "My Crystal...will always hold the power they seek. With or without you, they would find me. You need not trouble yourself over it like this..." With or with out her? What did that mean? That pondered her mind for a moment....But it came and went...."So you are saying that you would not miss me if some thing happened? Noctis....I'm not the one holding you imprison of the Crystals....Am I? I'm not.....I know I'm not....Noctis I have to ask you this though....Why are you so full of pride? Have you ever cried about the loss of a friend? I know I have....Some times you need to let your emotions out....And just let them go...Like the snow is falling now...." She returned her gaze away from him and looked out towards the horizon......

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

Noctis indicated she was a pawn to her family's discretion; up for anything they instructed her to do because she had been raised by them. With her around, they hoped it was easier to achieve their goals, her powers exalted their faith in having someone to wield such unearthly strength the crystals passed onto their chosen bodies.
Stella was one of them, fortunate and unfortunate like him. If they could convert him to their side, it would probably have benefitted them more than to prepare for war against him and send men to their deaths while he saw that as mundane from where he stood. "I know you're not...Stella, you are imprisoned by the Crystals too..."

Facing her fully, he let one hand slip off the railing as he pressed on with the topic, completely focused and yet dumbfounded with the difficulties he was having in answering and recon. Those eyes of his that hid feelings when they turned black now glimmered icily blue, a pastel hue as they stared at her, astonishment evident. "If it wasn't for pride, I would not tell you that you are a loss to me..." It was true...he had nothing to hide because she should know it wasn't superficial friendships that he held. If it was anything more, he would be swallowed up by the pride...as she said, he was ashamed of admitting that she was rather beautiful to him inside and out, and stubbornly didn't want to get carried away with such observations. "If this thin line is cut off..."
It almost sounded as though he wanted to argue about his pride, in pride; It made him open up unconsciously.
"And, you know as well as I do that there is no use to cry...Mostly it doesn't change anything, and the tears are nothing close to representing the pain over loss."

Loss...and more that came with it. His family...their deaths were irreversible; His oaths the same by the blood that flowed in his veins. In his opinion, chances were more accessible to her, in the case that their situation might be resolved without her family's need to conquer what he held onto. They were alive...and life mattered more than power... It would've been good to be like everyone else... this concept came to him along the same chain it was strung, the first time he met her again after years, growing up had separated them from first knowing each existed with a mystery destiny. Perhaps if the world was to end, they and her family would become allies and cease this unnecessary feud.
"My emotions...they can overwhelm..."

He looked down at the ground, shifting his feet as the sole of the boot marked a shallow print in the snow. How was he to approach her question about missing her...like this...it was all emotion's fault. "Something already happened...or is happening...I can help missing it...but Stella, you're not just something to be missed...that is partly why I didn't end it that night."
Sighing, Noctis tried forming a twisted answer as he did when all else failed, but settled for something indirectly straightforward; vague sentences would remind her of how complex he was. "Believe what you will..." His head tilted to the side, as he studied her face for a response, curious and afraid of how she might perceive him since he had not expressed how much he would miss her if she was gone and that was the jewel she might have wanted. Pride was his sin.

"...Are you letting your emotions out?" She had to know he was right she wasn't...unless he was wrong. It was said to tell her how hypocritical it would be if he splurged everything about his heart, the sentiments... first. The aftermath of releasing emotions many a time, screwed things up further but sometimes, it was meant to be that way, he accepted...then felt himself gradually retract from such acceptance. "No matter...what emotions do, it has not helped us follow through with a solution."

[Stella Nox Fleuret]

"I know you're not...Stella, you are imprisoned by the Crystals too..."She looked up at him then when he said that....Sad but true....She was....They were on two different sides, however they were the same.... "I...am." "If it wasn't for pride, I would not tell you that you are a loss to me..."Stella sighed as she heard that....And let a small small escape her lips.... "If this thin line is cut off..." "And, you know as well as I do that there is no use to cry...Mostly it doesn't change anything, and the tears are nothing close to representing the pain over loss." "My emotions...they can overwhelm..." "Something already happened...or is happening...I can help missing it...but Stella, you're not just something to be missed...that is partly why I didn't end it that night." "...Are you letting your emotions out?"

"Do you think I am?" It has been so long he had let his own out. She was used that by now....But it would not hurt her to ask him.... "No matter...what emotions do, it has not helped us follow through with a solution." "No...You're right about that. I just, don't want us to have to fight again....I'm tired of this...What does it bring us? My family...I love them. But if it got the point of my decisions....I would leave them....There is some thing holding me to them...I love them...You have no family...I think all my family wants is you to be on our side...But I could not tell you if that was true or not...You've given me a lot to think about....I'm not 16 any more.....I should be able to make my own decision right? There are so many things I want to tell you....But if I did, I'd have to die....Because if some thing happened, it would tear us both apart completely...My father would kill me....."

She sighed....Yes she was still keeping things from him....But still he was as well towards her....Stella never asked him where the Crystals were....Because she knew where hers were....And that was enough to have to worry about....Why were they so damned important....From her point of view the Crystals were basically leaders of her family now dead...And she was forced to protect the way they lived....If Noctis was to use that power against her, then she would truly die....He could not take that away from her...

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

"Just enough that you want me to see...?"
Before he'd come, she had been letting her emotions out, or at least more of it out than when he had intruded and now it seemed she was going to keep holding back until they separated again.
Noctis straightened up where he stood, as his hair swept across his cheeks that were numb from the cold, snow puffed like powder prevented from landing on his head in the movement. "You would leave them?"

Once more, she said something he could not believe, but was in his logic. "If they want me on their side, they should have sent for a negotiation...it was never their intention Stella, or you would not have been warned of me when you didn't know me..."
Frowning slightly, he broke off, his lips slightly parted as he intended to continue but he was blatantly studying her. They had much to sigh about...where did love play into her family and this crisis? Her father would kill her based on the morals her family kept, pride for what they jointly seeked; she would be like a traitor...but was that enough to kill one's own flesh and blood? His name was tarnished by their stories to her, why she accepted him even now that she knew who he was, was a bit baffling now that he considered what absurd things might have been said; their brainwashing hadn't worked?
"If something happened, you would have no time to choose what to do."

Noctis felt a heavy heart sink his spirits. If she were to honour a truce by dying, it would complicate things for him more; the anger of why one would be pushed to doing something like that by family, resulting to his benefit would drive him up the wall. Yet there would be nothing he could do, and the glory of death for a purpose wouldn't even be put to her name in her home. No martyrdom...as she would have betrayed her life. if anyone had to die heroically for his own, it had to be himself by his own sacrifice.
He couldn't understand why he felt so strictly biased about it, but he didn't want her to die by murder either. Besides that, his death was more likely to come one of these days, with all the enemies coming to his door; it would be a waste for her to die.
"How would he find out? We have played our parts well...though I should ask, did they give you a hard time for not ending it that night?"
Listening to her sigh, he focused onwards as if in a daydream, gradually past her face." I cannot kill you...they must have figured that out by now..."

[Stella Nox Fleuret]

"Just enough that you want me to see...?" "You would leave them?" "If they want me on their side, they should have sent for a negotiation...it was never their intention Stella, or you would not have been warned of me when you didn't know me...""Again you are right....I'm going to be honest with you..... But she stopped when he started to talk again.....
"If something happened, you would have no time to choose what to do." "How would he find out? We have played our parts well...though I should ask, did they give you a hard time for not ending it that night?"
"They did....And I think that was my breaking point...." She looked into his handsome eyes as she was showing emotion now...A sad expression came upon her soft face....That was always u beat and confident....But right now she felt the exact opposite......" I cannot kill you...they must have figured that out by now..."

"I think they have....Ever since I saw you as a man....I've had nothing but the upmost respect for you....I can't believe I'm about to tell you this Noctis....But it must be said...I have to get this out of the way if you understand how that is...I've got feelings for you....Strong ones....That is one reason I didn't finish fighting you that night....I couldn't handle it if I was responsible for your death....My life would cease if yours did regardless if you are my enemy....I just wanted to tell you this for a long time....But our meetings happen not so often....." Stella then looked down....There she said it....But would he feel the same? She remembered what he said about emotion....But it was hard for her than it was for him....He's used to hiding his than she was....She's cried more....And let things out....She hoped in her little heart he would understand that this was not what he was talking about....She was trying to hide this from him...But it seemed to have back fired.