Stars in the Night Sky [NOCTIS X READER]

CHAPTER 1 - BEGINNINGS

Fair warning about the monster of a chapter you're about to read.

Enjoy!

EDIT: changed the name of a character. Shouldn't upset the reading experience at all for newcomers, but those of you re-reading or coming back from a hiatus might notice a character shift. Nothing about her changed at all, so rest easy <3

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You were nine years old when you found out just how cruel the world you had been born into was.

You'd spent much of your life sheltered in the leafy canopies of Galahd, getting into all sorts of trouble and spending most of your days fishing with your father in the river that connected the archipelago. It was rich in wildlife and you spent many days wandering outside of town to jump around in the canyon and learn to pick ticks off of your skin before they embedded themselves too deeply.

But one night, everything changed.

Blasts lit the night sky as you stumbled, fighting to keep up with your fleeing mother, who was desperately trying to cradle your younger brothers in her arms and take your hand at the same time. Your older sister ran ahead, spearheading the way for the family as your father brought up the rear, keeping approaching soldiers at bay.

The memories of that night were sparse and few in-between but you remembered tripping. You remembered scuffing your chin against the ground and twisting around to look behind you. You remembered the soldier who stared you down, more machine than man, red eyes like searchlights blaring into your soul and an axe robotically coming down on you. You remembered seeing your father, feeling warm blood splatter over your face.

You remembered hearing screaming.

After that, you were wrapped in a thin blanket and stumbling off of a boat from the Galahdan Archipelago and onto mainland Lucis. You were surrounded by other refugees, numb and unfeeling as your mother cradled your brothers in either arm, holding back tears that were creeping down her cheeks anyway.

"Daddy's gone," she managed to say, voice tight. "Jadin--Jadin, honey look at me, Daddy's gone, he's not coming back."

You heard one of your brothers cry, borderline screaming, and you didn't bother to chance a glance at which one of them did it.

After what happened to Galahd, refugees scattered to all four corners of Lucis. One of your classmates went with her family to Galdin Quay. Another went to Lestallum. But there was something about losing their home brutally that made the ideas of walls seem very appealing to your mother.

So you followed suit and made your way to Insomnia.

You hopped out of the back of a dirty van with not enough seatbelts or room to fit as many refugees as they had and you made sure to put on a brave face for your little brothers as they clung onto your mother's hands.

A man wearing a uniform greeted you all at a table. His coworker was pouring over a list, an annoyed twitch ticking at her eyebrow.

"Full name, please," the man drawled.

"Katherine [Last Name]," said your mom.

"And your children?"

"Jadin, Jadith," your mother pointed to the boys clinging to her in turn and then gestured to her two daughters, lingering behind her. "And [Name] and Charlotte."

"Apartment two, housing number D4," said the woman at the table. She fished out a set of keys and dropped them into your mom's hand.

"Thank you," she tried for a smile and picked up what little possessions you'd manage to bring with you as Galahd burned around you.