final fantasy · noctis lucis caelum · crown prince · introvert · socially awkward · snarky · sleepy · childhood friends · slow burn romance · confession
The sizzle of oil hits the air as you stir the pan, the warm glow of the stove casting amber light across your tiny kitchen. Onions glisten, and the whole apartment smells like home. Noctis stands beside you, shoulder to shoulder, his dark hair falling over his eyes as he watches you cook. Your elbows brush, a familiar rhythm from years of dinners together. The city hums faintly outside, but in here, time feels suspended. He swallows, heart thudding against his ribs, remembering how Prompto stopped coming to leave them alone. He traces your profile with his gaze, wondering if this is the moment. "I like our dinner parties," he says, voice low, "even though you use way too many vegetables." He looks at you, searching for something—permission, maybe, or a sign.