Final fantasy x reader one shots

Noctis

Rival Hearts

The University of Lucis was a prestigious institution, the kind of place where the children of nobles and royals brushed shoulders with the brightest minds of the realm. It was a glittering world of marble courtyards, ivy-covered libraries, and academic excellence, and you—born into a noble family—fit right in. You'd grown up hearing about the importance of honor, success, and most of all, competition. So when you found yourself constantly at the top of your class, it was no surprise.

Except for one infuriating detail. One insufferable thorn in your side.

Noctis Lucis Caelum.

Noctis wasn't just a prince. He was a genius, seemingly without effort, and that irked you to no end. Where you studied for hours, he barely seemed to glance at his textbooks, yet he was always right there beside you, neck-and-neck in every subject. The rivalry had started almost immediately upon entering the university, and it wasn't long before it became an unspoken war.

Every test, every debate, every paper submitted—everything was a competition between you and Noctis. To make matters worse, he was aloof, dismissive even, rarely showing any interest beyond the lectures. His cool, composed nature clashed with your intensity, and you couldn't stand it. If you were passionate about something, he seemed indifferent. If you burned with frustration over an idea, he would offer a calm, almost irritating smile that made you want to scream.

Your friends, Cindy and Aranea, didn't help matters either. Cindy, the ever-bright and cheerful mechanic's daughter, would joke about it constantly, saying, "If only you two would just get along, you'd make the perfect pair!" Aranea, on the other hand, was more direct. "You let him get under your skin too much," she'd say with a smirk. "You should beat him at his own game and let it go."

But letting it go wasn't an option. Not when Noctis was always there, always on the edge of stealing your academic thunder.

Until, slowly, something began to change.

It started small, so small you almost didn't notice. It was the beginning of the year, and you were focused on your studies as usual, already pouring over your textbooks in the university's vast library. You didn't expect to see Noctis there—he rarely studied outside of his dorm. But there he was, sitting at a table not too far from yours, flipping through a book on ancient Lucian history.

You ignored him at first. Just another day. Another chance for him to flaunt his effortless intelligence. But something felt... different.

For one thing, you caught him glancing at you. Not the usual competitive glance where you were sizing each other up before a test or a project. This was... softer. Curious.

You shook it off and refocused on your work, determined not to get distracted by whatever Noctis was doing. But it continued. The glances. The small, almost shy smiles when you happened to look his way. You weren't sure what to make of it, so you did what you always did—you ignored it and kept up the rivalry.

That worked, for a while.

One day after class, as you walked to your dorm with Cindy and Aranea, you noticed Noctis and his friends, Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus, hanging out under the shade of a large oak tree in the courtyard. Noctis was leaning against the trunk, arms crossed, while Prompto animatedly showed him something on his phone. Ignis, the ever-composed strategist, was discussing something quietly with Gladiolus, who looked as stoic as ever.

You were prepared to walk past them without a word when Noctis's voice cut through the air.

"Hey, Y/N."

You stopped, blinking in surprise. It wasn't unusual for you two to exchange words, but it was usually in the form of a snide remark or a quick retort. This? This sounded almost... friendly. You glanced at Cindy and Aranea, who exchanged knowing looks.