Best Friends

Chapter 1 - The Date

Noctis Lucis Caelum was called "the Prince" at Insomnia High School because he had it all: the cool car, close friends, rich father, and a mansion that could probably fit a quarter of the population of Lucis.

Graced by good looks and enigmatic charm, he was always chased by girls and invited to join sports teams by guys. Others said he was a playboy using his charms to gain the affections of girls like Cindy or Iris (though, it seemed to be the other way around).

But to Luna, he was her best friend, and an old one at that. In fact, very few people at school knew that she and Noctis grew up together – or that they once lived in the same house.

She was ten when she and Ravus moved in with the Caelums, albeit under unusual circumstances. Noctis had no siblings and Ravus made it clear he was far too mature to spare his time fooling around with children, so that left her to be the "sister" figure for Noct.

She could never forget the mornings when an eight-year-old Noctis would unceremoniously kick open her bedroom door, jump on her comforter, and demand that she play with him outside, nor the dinners where he'd casually scoop up his vegetables when his dad wasn't looking and drop them on her plate. She would step on his toes whenever he did that, but he'd just smirk like the devil and carry on. Noctis was indeed the miscreant.

On the days when he wasn't misbehaving, he would be curled up beside her as they read the Cosmogony books outloud (they were a popular children's series about Lucian myths). He also liked to fish, eat Altissian Crab and Fish crackers that she'd purchase at the supermarket, and would help her water the syllablossems that grew in the backyard.

That was all nearly 8 years ago, yet whenever her thoughts lingered on Noctis, she still remembered that little boy who always followed her around. He was like her little brother, really.

But the notion of him being " little" and a "brother" changed the summer before her senior year of high school.

It all started with this text message he sent a few days ago:

Up for the movies this weekend?

Funny – she couldn't recall the last time they went to a theater. But maybe that was more of a reason to go.

After all, it was the middle of July and it was filled with nothing but pre-filling college applications and emailing her former teachers for recommendations – to the point where she felt she wasn't seeing enough of her friends.

And that's why she texted him back.

Sure. Pick me up Saturday at noonish?

Who knew what they were going to watch, but they'd negotiate one way or the other.

When the expected date arrived, she decided to wear a white crop top and a white mid-calf skirt featuring a lace design. It was a good mix of casual wear with a dash of something fancy, which was her choice of style even if she was just going to the movies. She looked herself over at the mirror in approval.

A knock came at the door and when she opened it, there stood Noctis in a black T-Shirt and dark blue jeans holding a jar of what appeared to be Ulwaat Berries.

"Before you ask – dad wanted me to give these to you and Ravus as a thank you for making pastries last time. Why he wants to give these to you now – I'm not sure. But here you go," he awkwardly handed them to her, and she laughed.

"Thanks, I guess this is a sign he wants me to make more. You know, I could just give the recipe to Ignis," she suggested.

"Please. Ignis won't even look at it. Says he wants to "come up with a new recipe" on his own." Noctis said the word "recipe" the way Ignis would.