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X*X(3 Years After Prompto’s Second Heat)X*XAs the sun rose along the horizon of Insomnia, signaling the start of a brand new week day, the inhabitants of the Crown City began to rise from their beds, stepping out from their homes into the city to begin their days. Adults began to either head to work or moved to wake their children for the first day of school after the summer holiday, since, after such a long time simply lazing about and enjoying their freedom, many were still held firmly in the grasp of that summer laziness.And this particular concept counted for the three royal siblings of Lucis Caelum, as well.Or…two out of three, anyway.“Ace, come on, time to get up!” Roxas called through his brother’s door, knocking on it. “Mom says we need to get ready for school!” Without waiting for a response, he hurried over to his sister’s room, and knocked on her door, too. “Regina! Mom says it’s time to get ready for school!”From inside the room, there was a small grumble, but that was it. He didn’t pick up anything suggesting the occupant of the room was getting up. The short blonde pouted, before knocking louder.“Reginaaaaaa! You gotta get up, or we’re gonna be late!” he yelled. The only response he got to that was a muffled thud against the door. Determined to get his sister up, Roxas growled before saying, “Do I need to get Mom to help me?” As expected, though, there was no response. Roxas sighed heavily, before leaving to get some help. After all, if he went into Regina’s room without permission, he’d probably get maimed by the lone occupant of her room.When he got to his destination, he knocked on the door. “Mom? Regina won’t get up,” he called through the wooden surface.“All right, I’ll be right out, Rox,” Prompto’s voice answered. The older shifter had been up for the past hour with the twins, taking care of them. Yes, he’d had twins after his last heat, and they were precious, just like their older siblings. Zack and Naminé were two and a half years old by now, and their older siblings adored them.Prompto soon emerged from his and Noctis’s bedroom, smiling in amusement. “I’ll get her up, so don’t worry. Focus on getting Ace up, okay?” he told his oldest son.“Kay, Mom!” Roxas smiled, before running back to Ace’s room. Prompto chuckled softly, before he looked back into his room.“Noct, I’ll meet you in the dining hall. Gonna get our oldest up,” he told his mate.Noctis allowed a small chuckle at those words, even as Zack came running over and asking him excitedly what he was doing at the desk. “Alright. Don’t forget to dodge when she starts punching.”“Will do. I’ll keep my distance,” the smaller shifter smirked. He then left for Regina’s room, and knocked on the door before saying, “Regina, I’m coming in.” And without waiting for a reply, he went in, closing the door behind him before shifting into a wolf. ‘Regina, Roxas tried to get you up nicely, so…’ he warned, before barking loudly from by the door.At the bark, Regina yowled, her arm instinctively flailing in Prompto’s direction as she bolted up. As soon as the girl realized what was happening, though, she groaned. “Ma, what the hell?!” she groaned. Prompto shifted back to human form, giving her a stern look.“Roxas tried to wake you up, but you wouldn’t get up. And I didn’t want to get punched,” the blonde told her firmly. “Now come on, you need to get dressed and ready for school. Otherwise you’ll be late and possibly miss breakfast.”“Ma, it’s 6 in the morning… why so early?” the girl whined.“Because it’s your first day back, and Ignis is making you all a good breakfast. I’d rather you not miss out on it and starve until lunch,” Prompto replied, before they heard a yelp and laughing. “And there’s Roxas getting Ace up.”Regina groaned in annoyance as she flopped back onto the bed, grumbling several expletives under her breath. Before Prompto could try to get her up, she kicked away the blankets and rolled out of bed, still grumbling.“Watch your language, Regina, especially around your little brother and sister,” her mother warned, before leaving her room. “I’ll see you in the dining hall!” He then went over to check on Ace and Roxas. “Boys, are you okay?”“We’re fine! Ace is mad at me cuz I pounced on him, but he’s up!” Roxas laughed. Ace, in turn, grumbled as he tossed the pillow at Roxas, hitting the other blonde in the back of the head. The shorter blonde yipped, startled, but Prompto stopped him from pouncing on his brother again with a hand on his shoulder.“Go down to the dining hall and get your breakfast before it gets cold, okay? I’ll make sure Ace gets ready. Regina should be down soon,” he told him.“Okay, Mom!” Roxas grinned, before heading down to the dining hall, where he found Noctis with his little brother and sister. “Morning, Dad! Morning, Zack, Naminé!”“Roxy!!” Naminé cheered, holding out her arms to her big brother, clearly wanting to be picked up.“Morning, Roxas,” the King said with a warm smile. Roxas grinned as he picked his little sister up, tapping her nose lightly as a small tease.“You gonna miss me today, Naminé?” the short blonde asked.“Where you go?” Naminé asked, pouting almost unhappily. Zack, meanwhile, was trying to reach for his food, but Noctis lightly slapped his hand away.“Regina, Ace and I gotta go back to school, Naminé,” Roxas told her. “But we’ll be back later, I promise.” Then Prompto arrived in the dining room, Regina and Ace in tow. Prompto smiled warmly at the sight of Roxas with Naminé, before going over and sitting by Noctis at the table.“All right, let’s all get some breakfast, everyone,” he called.As Naminé was set back in her seat (with a bit of complaining), the three eldest took their seats in silence, though Regina did stretch her arms above her head, resisting the urge to yawn.Noctis regarded the Crown Princess for a moment, before he chuckled. “Still no skirts, Regina?”“No way!” Regina hissed vehemently.“It’s fine. She’s still in uniform, which is what matters,” Prompto shrugged with a reassuring smile to their oldest daughter.“Are you gonna wear a skirt to school, Naminé?” Roxas asked the little girl, smirking briefly at Regina.“…? But Sissy’s not wearing a skirt, right?” the small girl asked. Regina, though, was glaring at her younger brother angrily, before she gave a huff and turned back to breakfast.“I know, but you’ll get to choose,” Prompto told Naminé, lightly flicking Roxas in the head and earning a whine in response. “Behave, Roxas.”“Sorry, Mom…” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head and lightly ruffling the blonde spikes. He cast his blue gaze to Regina in apology, adding, “Sorry, Regina…”Regina merely snorted quietly, not really looking up at the apology.“Regina, at least acknowledge that he apologized,” Prompto sighed, right before Ignis arrived with breakfast. “Thanks, Ignis.”“Of course,” the sandy blonde smiled slightly, passing out the plates of eggs, bacon, and toast. The girl merely hummed a bit as she wordlessly started on her breakfast.Noctis sighed a bit, shaking his head, but he said nothing as he, too, started his breakfast. As he did, though, he absently watched his three eldest children.Regina was the eldest and shared the same midnight black hair with him. In fact, as she became older, she insisted on styling her hair in the exact same way as her father had when he was younger. This meant keeping it short and using a minimal amount of gel to keep her hair smooth and slightly arched up. Added to that was the fact that her eyes were the exact same color and shape as her father’s, so there was little to no doubt about her being the King’s daughter. Especially since she refused to wear dresses or skirts of any kind.Since her father’s coronation, she had been given the title of Crown Princess, which, in her opinion, didn’t make thing easier for her. If anything, it only made things harder for her.Roxas pouted a little at the lack of response, before sighing as he tucked into his own breakfast. Being the middle child out of the triplets as well as the shortest made him an easy target for his siblings to tease him frequently. He usually took it in stride, until things started to go a bit far, which would then require Prompto or Noctis to intervene. The blonde had his mother’s energy level, that much no one would doubt, and his blue eyes were a shade darker than Prompto’s, too. His blonde spiky hair swept up to his right along the front of his face, almost in an opposite fashion compared to Prompto’s, whose bangs fell to partially cover his right eye. Fortunately, his hair style was natural and required no gel to keep its shape. And even with Regina being Crown Princess, Roxas still had his occasional sibling rivalry moments with his sister.Ace merely hummed as he started on his own breakfast. As the youngest child, there was a lot less pressure resting on his shoulders than his siblings, however, he was probably the only one of the triplets who was a clear representation of both their parents. His hair was just as smooth as his father's, while the color was that of his mother. The same could be said about his eyes, as they had the same shape as Noctis’s, though they had the same color as Prompto’s. While Ace was known to have plenty of Prompto's energy, he was much more interested in being on his own reading and/or studying. He also wasn't too interested in training with his siblings, though he did often watch Regina and Roxas as they either trained with each other or practiced with Gladio.“So, Regina, Roxas, Ace, are you all excited to see your friends again after the summer break?” Prompto asked, curious. The triplets had been mainly around the Citadel for a majority of the summer break, helping out with their little siblings and various other things, as well as camping with their family here and there.“Yup!” Roxas grinned, eager to see his best friend and crush, Axel Flynn. The redhead was amazing, in his eyes, and even though he lived alone, with no family, he had never even set foot in the Citadel, since he didn’t seem to want to. But despite this, Roxas always had fun with Axel, no matter what.Regina hummed around a mouthful of food, before she said after swallowing, “I'm pretty sure Libby’s going pop-quiz me the moment I get back to school, so not sure if I really wanna see her right away…”Libri Doctrina was a year older than the triplets and one of the few people that Regina considered a “friend”, even if she sometimes referred to the other girl more as a teacher than a friend. They had an odd love-hate relationship when it came to hanging out, though she, like Axel, had yet to set foot in the Citadel.Ace chuckled at those words. “Yeah… Queen’s probably going to do the same…so I’m hoping she’ll be distracted enough with King to ignore me.”Ace, unlike his siblings, had made fast friends with the majority of his home room class, and the class often treated each other as siblings. The youngest prince even considered his class to be his “family away from home”, even though they only ever hung out in and around school.“Well, I’m sure you guys will all have an awesome first day back,” Prompto chuckled. Even though he’d never gone to school himself, surprisingly, he knew quite a bit, thanks to Luna and Ravus insisting on teaching him a lot when he was young and still living with them. But seeing the piles of homework the triplets would sometimes come home with made him internally cringe.Noctis chuckled at the words, all too familiar with the concept of school, as he’d spent several years in a public school in the same way his children were now. Unfortunately, since he was an only child, he didn’t have a lot of people to talk to during his time in school.After they all finished their breakfasts, Prompto looked at the time. “Looks like you three need to get moving, or else you’re gonna be late,” he told them.“Sounds good,” Roxas nodded, getting up from his chair before hurrying off to get his messenger bag. Regina groaned at her brother’s enthusiasm, but she didn’t say anything about it as she got up as well and followed after him. Ace remained seated for a moment longer to finish his drink before he moved to follow his siblings.Once the three siblings got their bags together, Prompto and Noctis walked them to the entrance, Prompto holding Zack and Noctis holding Naminé so they could see off their older siblings as well.“Have fun without getting in trouble, guys,” Prompto smiled, hugging each of them one at a time.“Will do, Mom,” Ace promised with a nod, while Regina merely hummed.“You take care of Zack and Naminé, and we’ll be good!” Roxas grinned cheekily, making his mother laugh.“We’ll be fine, now get going,” the taller blonde smirked as Zack whined.“Roxy! Regi! Ace!” he pouted.“They’ll be home before you know it, Zack,” Prompto soothed.“Dun gooooo!!” Naminé wailed, and Noctis gently shushed her, rubbing her head as he tried to keep her from reaching for the triplets.“It’s okay, sweetheart,” he murmured.Regina sighed softly as she walked over. “Okay, okay, c’mere,” she mumbled, moving over and pressing a kiss to first Naminé’s forehead, and then Zack’s. “You need to stay here and watch over Mama and Papa, kay?”“Okay…” Zack pouted. Prompto smiled softly at his oldest daughter.“They’ll be good,” he told her. “Right, Zack?”The small boy blinked up at his mother, before nodding. “Yup!”“…uh-huh!” Naminé chirped.Regina smiled as she reached out and ruffled both of their hair. “Right. We’ll be back later, promise,” she said with a smile, before she moved to join her brothers.“See you guys later this afternoon,” Prompto said, waving as they left. Noctis nodded his head quietly, as he tried to keep Naminé secured in his arms as she waved both arms in a wave. X*X*X*X*X*X*XIt took the three kids only ten minutes to get to school, having shifted into falcons to fly over. Once they reached school, they shifted back to human form, just outside of the school grounds. Despite the inhabitants having accepted shifters into their city, the siblings didn’t like to show off their shifting abilities. They were already on the radar more than usual, and the last thing they needed was people figuring out how they went about when they shifted so that they didn’t have ANY time left for themselves. Which was why they always walked the last block.“…Regina,” Ace suddenly said. “Your tie is crooked.”“Ugh… oh come on, Ace…” the eldest sibling mumbled, but Ace was already moving over to fix it for her.“You’re the Crown Princess, Regina, so you gotta keep up appearances,” Roxas pointed out.This earned him a dry look, even as Ace tugged her jacket into place while he was at it. “There we go.”“Thanks… I guess…” she mumbled softly. Roxas then spotted Axel waiting by the gates, and he grinned.“I’ll see you guys at lunch! Later!” he said eagerly, before running off to meet his best friend. “Heya Axel!”“Roxas! Long time no see!” the redhead grinned as the blonde ran up to him.“How was your trip to see your cousin in Hollow Bastion?” Roxas asked as they fell into step with each other to class.“It was awesome, but I missed seeing my favorite blondie,” Axel smirked, making said blonde roll his eyes, despite his faint blush.“I’m your only best friend that’s blonde, dumbass,” he muttered, but his tone was good-natured. “What all did you do?”“Went daemon-hunting, got some new weapons, and a few games I couldn’t find anywhere else,” the taller male replied casually, but he was clearly excited to show Roxas. “Plus, I brought back some awesome fireworks. We can’t use them until the new year, though.”“Awww, Axel!” Roxas pouted, yelping when his friend ruffled his spikes and swatting the offending hands away. “Anyway, lemme see your schedule.”“Can do,” Axel chuckled, handing the shorter male his class schedule for the semester. Roxas scanned it quickly, and then grinned.“We have the same classes this semester!” he exclaimed.“Yup. Don’t know how they managed that one, though,” the redhead shrugged. “But I’ll take it.”“I wonder if Dad had anything to do with it…” Roxas murmured, genuinely curious.“You think your dad might’ve arranged our schedules?” Axel questioned, quirking a brow.“I wouldn’t be surprised if he did something to that effect. He knows we’re best friends,” the blonde smiled. Axel laughed, and they soon arrived at their first class, where they took their seats in the back, side by side. X*X(Ace)X*XAce sighed as he watched their brother hurry off. “New year, same routine,” he murmured.“Isn't it always?” Regina murmured, looking around. “…I think I see Nine and Cinque over there,” she pointed out, nudging her brother’s shoulder.The blonde hummed before he looked over. “…Ah, right.” He nodded to his sister quietly, who returned the nod, even as Ace walked over to them.“Cinque, Nine,” he called out as he approached, making the pair look up.When he realized who had just approached them, the blonde male grinned. “Yo, Ace!” he laughed, slapping the shorter blonde along the shoulders, making the prince stumble forward a bit. “What you been up to, dude?”“Ah, I’ve been mostly busy with assisting my parents with the twins,” Ace said simply.“Ooohh! How’re they doing? I bet they must be soooo adorable!” Cinque chirped as she almost bounced on her feet. “You have to bring them by sometime!”“I wish I could… but my parents believe it’s better to not expose them to too much stress outside of the Citadel,” Ace said with a small frown.“Aww…”“Anyway! What’s your schedule like, dude?” Nine asked, shaking the blonde with his arm around the prince’s shoulders. Ace hummed as he pulled out his schedule, at which point Nine immediately snagged it to read it. “Sweet! Looks like we got several classes together! Plus home room.”Ace smirked, suspecting his father from messing with his schedule somehow.“Yaay! Let’s get going!” Cinque cheered, and Nine laughed as the three of them began to head for their own class. X*X(Regina)X*XAfter watching Ace walk off to his own friends, Regina tried to not sigh openly as she placed her hands in her pockets as she began to walk off as well. And, sure enough, no sooner had she started walking alone, or she began to catch the other students talking behind her back. It was one of the reasons why she didn’t like going to school as much, but she had promised her dad she wouldn’t ditch just because of people talking behind her back.“Look, look! It’s the Princess!” someone whispered, far too loudly, as she walked.“Oh my gosh she’s so handsome! Do you want to go talk to her?”“Are you silly? No way is she going to speak to plebs like us!”It was getting very hard to ignore them and not scream at them to stop talking about her when she could CLEARLY hear them doing so, though… And this usually went on for the whole day. Actually, she almost wanted to run into Libby before class.Just as she thought that, there was a sudden tap along her shoulder as someone suddenly came up from behind her. “Good morning, Your Highness~” came the cheery voice that belonged to the girl she was now looking at.“Huh…?”The girl smiled, as she splayed her hand along her collarbone and said, “My name’s Dominatio. I’ll be in your care~”Regina spent several moments in something akin to shock as she looked the white-haired girl up and down, taking in the fancy braided hairdo and the light touch of makeup that only complimented her appearance in what Regina had always called an overly girly uniform. Somehow, though, this girl made it look good.For a long time, Regina looked her up and down, confused…until her gaze fell on the pale amber eyes and a small smirk played along her lips. “Don’t I know you already?” she questioned, which made the other student—Dominatio, was it?—flinch, before breaking out into nervous giggles while scratching her cheek.But Regina merely chuckled as she lightly slapped the other student across the shoulder and fell into step. “Just Regina’s fine,” she assured.“Ah, but—”“It’s fine.”When it was clear she wouldn't accept ‘no’ for an answer, silence befell them momentarily, only to be broken by a giggle.“Okay, if you’re sure I won’t be thrown into a dungeon…”“No one gets thrown in a dungeon for that, dummy.”“Hey, that’s mean!” the whitehead whined with a pout, actually making Regina laugh.Maybe this year wouldn’t be so bad… X*X(Lunch)X*XRoxas walked with Axel to the cafeteria, the pair making their way to find their group of friends, consisting of Regina, Ace, and their respective friends, their lunches in hand. When they found them, the two friends blinked in surprise when they saw an unfamiliar girl with Regina. They looked at each other, confused about the girl’s almost overly feminine appearance and how Regina was hanging out with someone like that, before they both shrugged it off and joined the others.“Hey guys!” Roxas greeted with a grin as he sat by his sister, Axel sitting on his other side. Gesturing to the new girl with the raven, he asked, “Who’s this, Regina?”Regina hummed with her mouth full of rice, but the girl beat her to it while she chewed. She giggled as she turned to the blonde. “My name is Dominatio. Pleased to meet you, Your Highness.” At that, Regina blinked, before she abruptly elbowed her side. “Eep!”After swallowing, Regina said, “You dummy! Don’t be so formal; he’s just my little brother.”The girl pouted at Regina before she suddenly poked the princess in her side, making her jump with a small hiss.“Hey!”Ace chuckled a bit at the interaction, especially when the two started shoving and poking each other whilst giggling/laughing. Roxas chuckled as well, already liking this girl’s defiant nature with his sister. Not just anyone could be like that with Regina and walk away to tell the tale.“Well, nice to meet you, Dominatio,” the short blonde smiled kindly over the giggling. “I take it you’ve been introduced to everyone here but Axel?”“Yeah, basically,” Regina said after catching the whitehead in a headlock—which she got out of with another poke to the side.“…if the both of you can cease your child’s play and focus on your lunches first before they’re all over the schoolyard,” came the voice of Libri Doctrina (called “Libby” by most), from next to Dominatio.“Yeah, yeah,” Regina mumbled with a wave of her hand.“Ease up, Libby, and let ‘em have their fun,” Axel smirked. “No harm, no foul.” Looking over at Dominatio, he added, “Name’s Axel. Got it memorized?”Dominatio giggled and nodded her head. “Nice to meet you, sir,” she said politely.“Hey, no need for the formalities. Just Axel’s fine,” the redhead corrected with a chuckle.“Yeah, we’re all friends here. We can be casual with each other,” Roxas agreed.“But—” Dominatio began, only to get another couple of pokes from Regina, making her yelp before retaliating quickly.And Libby only sighed, while Ace’s friends laughed openly at the behavior (aside from King and Queen, which wasn’t that strange).“You guys are ridiculous, but whatever makes you both happy,” Roxas chuckled, glancing briefly at Axel as he ate from his lunch.While Dominatio giggled, Regina actually happened to catch the glance from her little brother to the redhead. After a moment, though, she rolled her eyes and jabbed her elbow in the other direction, towards her brother. And as he yelped and looked over, she leaned over and mumbled in his ear so that no one could hear, “Need I take a picture? They last longer.”The short blonde immediately blushed and glared at her, nearly growling irritably. However, he refrained from making the noise, before looking down and focusing on his own lunch. Regina merely chuckled as she went back to her own lunch, which, obviously, had been provided by Ignis to all three of the siblings.Roxas was quiet as he ate, thinking about his feelings for his best friend. Regina obviously was taking notice, based off of her comment, which didn’t help his nerves. But ever since he was thirteen, the blonde knew he loved Axel. They’d been friends since they’d met back in third grade, and Roxas had steadily grown to fall for the taller boy. He was scared to say anything, considering what he is, even though he had a nagging feeling Axel might just feel the same. After all, the redhead had seen him shift before, and they hung out as often as possible. Sighing internally, Roxas debated for probably the hundredth time about if he should even tell Axel the truth.Regina threw her little brother a small glance, before she turned to Libby as she addressed the princess, almost groaning when the bespectacled brunette insisted on quizzing her to ensure she’d been keeping up with her studies over the holidays. During which Ace was busy discussing their classes with his own friends.“You okay, Rox?” Axel asked the shorter blonde suddenly, making him perk up, blinking as he was snapped out of his thoughts.“Oh, uh, yeah! I’m fine,” Roxas smiled, lying easily. “So, I remember you mentioned getting new weapons while in Hollow Bastion. What’d you get?”“I got a new set of chakrams, but I’ll show you next time you come over,” the redhead grinned.“Right, can’t bring them to school,” the blonde laughed. As the two spoke, Ace just so happened to look over, and when he saw the look on his brother’s face, he snorted softly before he went back to his own lunch.“Speaking of which, we need to have another gaming marathon soon,” Axel said suddenly. “When do you think you’ll be able to come over?”“Not sure. Maybe this weekend, depending on the homework load,” Roxas pointed out, making the redhead grumble.“It better not be huge. It’s the first damn week back,” he sighed.“Then perhaps you should focus on getting things finished before going home,” was Libby’s advice as she adjusted her glasses.“You do realize that some teachers assign it at the end of class, right?” Roxas replied, quirking a brow.“And you do realize that Libby stays at school after to finish homework in the library, right?” Regina asked in turn with a chuckle.“Yeah, yeah. Not all of us are overachievers,” Axel snorted, waving a hand dismissively after swallowing a mouthful of food.“I merely find it more productive to work at school, Axel,” Libby pointed out.“Yeah, she does, Axe,” came a loud, boisterous voice as someone rapped their fist on the redhead’s skull. “You shoulda known her long enough to know that one!”Regina blinked in surprise, before she smiled. “Hey Terry.”“Yo, Regi!” the muscular redheaded girl quipped with a grin. Roxas smiled in greeting (since his mouth was full) at Regina’s other friend, who was four years older than all of them.“Damn, you got some strength to that fist of yours!” Axel hissed, rubbing his head a bit where Terry had knocked him.“I try,” she laughed as she walked over. “Skedaddle over there, Roxy,” she quipped as she lightly kicked the prince to his knee. The shorter blonde huffed, but scooted over anyway.“Do you have to call me that? Only Regina, Ace, and Axel can get away with it,” he pouted.“Hasn’t stopped me yet,” Terry laughed as she abruptly plopped down between Roxas and Regina. It was as she was stretching out her limbs (three of which cracked audibly) that she noticed Dominatio. “Hm? Oh heyo.”Dominatio, in turn, blinked, but Regina merely laughed. “Domi, this is Terry. Terry, Domi.”“Yo,” the redhead said with a cheeky wave, and Dominatio blinked once before she giggled and returned the greeting with her own.“What took you so long to get over here, Terry?” Roxas asked, before taking a bite of his rice.Terry blinked, before she raised her right leg up high. “This thing,” she said simply, “was being a pain.”“Sorry, sometimes I forget, since you do so well with it sometimes…” Roxas mumbled apologetically.Dominatio was obviously a bit out of the loop here, but Libby hummed softly. “How is your leg, then?”“Better…though… GAH!!" the redhead growled as she reached for her pants and began to tug it up. “Fuckin’ itch up my knee!!” she complained, right before she abruptly clicked loose her prosthetic leg so she could properly scratch the area where it was connected to her knee.This, naturally, made Dominatio jump a bit in alarm, but she didn’t say anything else about it. Noticing the jump, Axel and Roxas both couldn’t help but laugh.“Sorry, Domi, we’re just used to it,” Axel chuckled. Domi looked a bit surprised at that, even as Terry realigned her leg, tugging the pants leg back down.“Should you even be running on it if it keeps itching?” Trey, one of Ace’s friends, called out.“Oy, would you toss out a shirt you like just coz it itches every so often?”“Uh…no?”“Then I dun see why my situation’s any different.”“That doesn’t even make sense.”“Bite me!”Roxas and Axel broke out into laughter over the bickering, unable to resist. Ace merely chuckled as the bickering continued on, which eventually ended with Trey having to lick his wounded pride and Terry gloating over her victory. And eventually, lunch ended, and the group had to part for their respective classes. X*X*X*X*X*X*XAfter school, Roxas walked out with Axel, the blonde always making sure to walk with the redhead to his place before flying back to the Citadel. He wouldn’t necessarily call it walking Axel home, he just enjoyed spending time with the taller boy.“Thank the Six we don’t have a ton of homework tonight…” Roxas commented as they walked.“Yeah, definitely,” Axel agreed, chuckling. “Let’s hope it holds out through the weekend, too, so you can come over.”“Hell yeah!” the blonde grinned. “I’m sure Mom and Dad won’t mind either way, as long as I do my homework, but I’ll make sure to ask when I get home.”“Definitely,” Axel nodded. They then arrived at the redhead’s townhome, where Roxas split off after waving to the taller boy.“See you tomorrow, Ax!” he called. He then shifted into a falcon before flying back home, landing at the entrance right before his siblings. “Hey guys,” he greeted them.“Hey,” Ace greeted, while Regina hummed quietly in greeting, hands in her pockets as she walked.“So, I saw you didn’t maim anyone today. How’d you manage that one, Regina?” Roxas asked with a laugh. He knew how much some of the other students pissed her off.“Hm?” Regina blinked, before she said, “Ah… well, Domi was a nice distraction.”“Yeah, we noticed,” Ace chuckled.“Well, she’s nice. Maybe a bit too formal, but she’s nice,” the shorter blonde smiled as they walked inside.At those words, Regina stopped in her tracks, though. “Wait, what did you say??”“She’s nice…?” Roxas repeated, confused.“…Rox,” Regina started, looking at her little brother like he was being stupid, “Domi’s a dude.”“…Do... wha…?”“Oh, shit! Are you serious?!” the shorter blonde yelped, shocked. “But he looks so feminine!”“Yeah, so?” was Regina’s response, followed by a small shrug.“But…why was he wearing the girl’s uniform?” Ace asked, still somewhat in shock.“And the makeup?!” Roxas added, flailing his arms.“So? It looks good on him, doesn’t it?”“Well yeah but that’s what’s worrisome!!” Ace proclaimed. Prompto then came over to them, an amused look on his face as Zack and Naminé followed, giggling as they ran to their older siblings to greet them.“And what’s with all the yelling?” their mother asked.“Ah…Mom…it’s…um…that is…” Ace tried to explain as Zack bumped into his legs and Naminé jumped into Regina’s waiting arms.“Ah, they’re just upset I made an actual male friend today,” Regina said as if nothing was off about the whole previous conversation.“But he wears the girl’s uniform and makeup, and he looks super feminine!!” Roxas exclaimed, flailing his arms again. “How is that normal for any guy?!”“Just be happy she’s got another friend, this time a guy,” Prompto chuckled. “Besides, if she made friends with him, I highly doubt he’s bad.”“He’s not,” Regina confirmed. “Actually, Ma, you already know him. Remember the boy from Lestallum?”“Oh, that you saved from bullies, right?” Prompto guessed, remembering. “Yeah, that was a long time ago, though. You’re sure it’s him?”Regina brought up one arm and tapped the side of her eye. “I recognize his eyes. I dun think there’s many people out there with white hair and yellow eyes.”“Well, I’m glad you’re friends with him now,” Prompto smiled. “Now come on, let’s get you three to see your father. I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you home.” Roxas looked at Ace, still a bit alarmed, to say the least, about the news about Domi, but he wasn’t going to push it, especially if their mother was fine with it.Ace barely managed a small shrug of his own (mostly because he was now holding Zack as well), though his expression was still as shocked as it had been when Regina had told them the news.And while Zack didn’t seem interested in the news as much, Naminé certainly was.“…?? Sissy have boyfriend?”“Whuh…?” Regina blinked, before she laughed. “No, Nami. Not a boyfriend. Just a friend who is a boy.”“So boyfriend!” Naminé exclaimed happily, almost making Regina snort on a barely restrained laugh. Roxas, however, burst into laughter, unable to help himself. He couldn’t really see it, his older sister with Domi, but it did make for a funny thought.“Maybe someday,” Prompto commented to himself under his breath with a smirk, too quiet for the others to hear.“Huh…? Did you say something, Mom?” Ace asked curiously.“It’s nothing, sweetie,” his mother assured him, lightly ruffling his hair as they got close to Noctis’s study. As they approached, Regina and Ace put the twins back on their feet, just as Prompto opened the door. And this was enough for the two kids to go barreling through the door and toward their father.“Daddy! Daddy!!”Noctis hummed as he turned around in his seat, before he smiled as he spun his chair around and reached for the twins as they came into range. “Hello, little ones.”“Daddy! Roxy, Regi, ‘n’ Ace are home!” Zack grinned.“Oh really?” Noctis chuckled as he stood up.“Ooh ooh Daddy! Sissy has boyfriend!!” Naminé cheered,“…she what now?” the King asked, while Regina groaned from the doorway.“Not like that,” she grumbled. “Just…you know…a friend who’s a boy.”“Boyfriend!” came the instant chirp from Naminé in response.“You might as well run with it, Regina. She’s not gonna stop anytime soon,” Roxas smirked.“I don’t want her to get used to the idea, though…” Regina groaned.“It’s her logic at her age, but she’ll realize the difference later on as she gets older, so don’t worry,” Prompto assured her with a chuckle.“Hope so…” Regina mumbled.Noctis chuckled as he easily lifted the twins up in his arms. “Alright, shall we go?”“Yup!” Roxas grinned. As the family headed to the dining hall together, the short blonde fell into step with his mother.“You want to spend the weekend at Axel’s place, don’t you?” Prompto guessed before his son could ask.“How’d you guess?”“I know you, and besides, he’s your best friend,” was the chuckled reply.“Then…can I?”“As long as your father is okay with it, too.”“Thanks, Mom!” Roxas smiled brightly, before going to Noctis. “Hey, Dad?”“You may,” Noctis chuckled out before he’d even asked.“Geez! How do you guys always know?!” the short blonde whined, but he was still smiling regardless.“Maybe you’re just easy to read,” Regina chuckled. “Oh hey, Ma? Can I bring my camera to school tomorrow?”“Sure, sweetie,” Prompto chuckled. “What do you need it for?”“You’ll see~” Regina said with a small half-grin as they walked into the dining hall, where Ignis was just getting the table ready for them.“I never like that look, cuz it usually means something bad,” Roxas muttered.The Crown Princess stuck her tongue out at her little brother, chuckling, before she turned ahead. “Hey Iggy!”“Hello, Regina,” Ignis greeted. “You’re in an unusually good mood today.”“Hmm…guess I am,” she said with a chuckle.Ace snorted softly, but he didn’t offer anything in response. Roxas rolled his eyes a little, but took his seat with his family. And as Prompto sat down, he noticed Ignis was right, that Regina was in a really good mood, considering it was the first day of school.If Regina noticed the look, then she didn’t show it, as she instead waited silently for their dinner to be brought out. However, she was definitely humming (very quietly) under her breath, her right fingers twitching in time to the humming.“So, what is it that has you in such a good mood on your first day back to school, Regina?” Prompto finally asked, right before their dinners were brought out.“Hm?” Regina hummed, glancing at her mother briefly, before she shrugged and wordlessly started on her dinner. Prompto sighed, shaking his head a little, before beginning to eat his own dinner. He should have known she wouldn’t exactly give him an answer.As they ate, Prompto noticed Roxas picking out his veggies and leaving them to the side on his plate. He chuckled internally; like father, like son. And as he looked at Ace, he idly wondered if the boy would ever tell him about his crush on his own.As Ace ate the vegetables without complaint, he didn’t show any signs of having anything on his mind, which was something he definitely got from his father. Prompto honestly wished Ace would talk to him about it, but he knew he couldn’t approach his son on it; Ace would have to come to him on his own.Eventually, they finished their dinners, and Prompto got up, preparing to take the twins to bed and tuck them in with Noctis. However, just as they got up, Noctis’s phone went off. “Oh for…” the King growled. “Ace, can you take over?”“Sure, Dad,” Ace said with a nod as he came over and took over Zack from the King.“Thanks, sweetie,” Prompto smiled at his son as he held Naminé. “Okay, Nami, Zack, time for bed.”“Dun wannaaaaaa!” Naminé whined.“I know, I know. But Ace is gonna help me tuck you both in, okay?” the taller blonde said. Zack pouted, even through his wide yawn. Ace chuckled as he followed after Prompto, still holding onto Zack. Once they got both of the twins tucked in, and Prompto had made sure they would stay in bed, he and Ace stepped out, the taller shifter closing the door silently behind them. “Let’s get you to bed, too, okay Ace?”“Mom, I can go myself, really…” Ace said softly.“Yes, but do you remember what I always tell you three?” Prompto replied.Ace groaned softly. “‘You’ll always be my babies’. Yeah, yeah, I know…”“Damn straight. But I’ll let you go on your own, as long as I get a hug goodnight,” his mother chuckled.The shorter shifter regarded his mother, before he sighed. “Sure,” he said, moving over and giving his mother a hug. Prompto hugged him firmly, kissing the top of his head briefly.“I love you, Ace,” he murmured.“Love you too, Mom,” Ace said in turn. The older shifter smiled, before letting him go.“All right, go get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning, okay? And make sure to get up on your own before Roxas wakes you again,” he told him.“Fiiiine,” Ace groaned, before he headed off to his own room.“Goodnight, Ace,” Prompto called after him, before heading across the hall to his and Noctis’s bedroom. Once he was inside and had closed the door, he sighed heavily.Noctis looked up from where he was sitting. “What’s wrong, Prom?”“I just wish Ace would open up to me about his crush… I know he told you, but he wasn’t exactly willing when he did, based off of what you told me,” Prompto sighed. “And this was a good opportunity, since we were alone once the twins were tucked in.” Noctis sighed as he patted the bed next to him. And the smaller shifter joined him, sitting by his mate while looking almost dejected.The King moved over and pulled Prompto against him. “Ace just doesn’t want to bother us with his troubles,” he murmured softly. “Just give him time, okay?”“Kay… I just don’t want him to feel he like he can’t tell us…” the blonde mumbled, leaning into the hold.“Don’t worry… I’m sure if he really needs help, he’ll come to us,” Noctis assured, kissing the blonde to his temple.“Right,” Prompto nodded, smiling slightly at the affection. “We’d better get some sleep ourselves, or we won’t be able to keep up with the twins tomorrow.”“Heh, yeah,” Noctis chuckled. Regretfully parting from Noctis’s warmth, Prompto changed into his usual sleeveless shirt and pajama pants. Once in bed, the couple kissed each other goodnight, and soon fell asleep after that.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(Friday, After School)X*XRoxas grinned as he and Axel walked outside, on their way to the redhead’s townhouse, the school day having ended for the weekend and not a hint of homework assigned this time, shockingly enough. The teachers had apparently decided to be merciful on the first week back, which was a huge relief to the two friends.“Thank the Six we have no homework,” he sighed.“It means we have more time to hang out and play videogames,” Axel pointed out with a laugh.“Definitely!” Roxas nodded eagerly. It was normal for him to go straight to Axel’s place when he was allowed to go over for the weekend, so he wasn’t worried about not seeing Regina and Ace before he left. He would see them on Sunday, anyway. And his clothes and stuff were in his backpack, while his school stuff was in his messenger bag.“So, did you want to go hunting first and catch something for dinner? Or did you want to order in tonight?” the taller boy asked.“Let’s order in. I’ll buy, and besides, it’s the first time in a couple of months I get to stay over,” the blonde pointed out.“Oh, no. You’re not buying. You’re my guest, so I’ll buy,” Axel smirked.“But I said I’d buy first!” Roxas protested.“No way, Roxy. I’m buying dinner tonight, and that’s final.”“…Fine, jerk…”“Yeah, but you’re best friends with this jerk,” was the chuckled reply, as Axel ruffled Roxas’s blonde spikes playfully, drawing an indignant yelp and swatting from the shorter boy. They soon arrived at Axel’s townhouse, and they got comfortable as soon as they were inside, kicking off their shoes and leaving their bags by the door. “Home, sweet home.”“Still smells like old pizza in here,” Roxas laughed.“Really? I thought I got it all after I got back from my trip,” the redhead blinked.“Okay, that’s gross. Why would you leave anything that would spoil in your kitchen before leaving on a two-month trip?” the blonde groaned.“I wasn’t thinking! Besides, I forgot about the pizza!” Axel exclaimed, flailing his arms a bit before flopping backwards onto the couch. Smirking, Roxas shifted into a fennec fox, and then pounced onto Axel’s stomach before jumping off over the back of the couch.‘Tag, you’re it!’ he laughed.“Rox, you know I can’t catch you when you shift!” the taller boy whined.‘Too bad, Axel!’“Roooox!”‘Not gonna let you win!’ the blonde fox grinned, wagging his tail from where he was waiting, perched on an end table.“Then you don’t get a single sea-salt ice cream bar!” Axel threatened as he pointed at the blonde, making the shifter’s blue eyes widen in horror before narrowing dangerously.‘You wouldn’t dare deny me that,’ he hissed.“Watch me.”‘Dammit, Ax!’ Roxas whined, before shifting back, pouting. “You know how to exploit my weakness!”“And I’m not afraid to do it, either,” the redhead chuckled.“Apparently not.”“Aww, don’t be mad, Roxy! Just know I got them cuz I care.”“Suuuure you do.”“I do, I just don’t like when you cheat by shifting,” Axel shrugged with a grin. The blonde rolled his eyes, but smiled regardless. “Now come on, let’s play some videogames.”“Oh, all right,” Roxas relented, before going over and plopping onto the couch with his best friend. They played games for the rest of the evening, only stopping to order and eat some pizza.As they ate, they watched a movie on TV, but the blonde wasn’t exactly paying attention to the movie. He was more focused on the warm body next to him, and how good it felt to be alone with him. At the same time, he was also stressed out being alone with him. After all, he loved his best friend, but he was terrified to tell him because he wasn’t sure if Axel loves him back or not. Regina would probably tell him to go for it (after teasing the hell out of him first), while Ace would probably advise him to be subtler.“You okay, Rox?” Axel asked suddenly, his emerald green eyes suddenly focused on Roxas. The shorter boy blinked, startled from his thoughts, before smiling tiredly at the redhead.“Yeah, just a bit tired,” he lied easily. “The twins and school wore me out this week, ya know?”“Yeah, I hear ya. Kairi, Reno’s kid, is around Zack and Naminé’s age, and she’s a handful herself. I don’t know how you guys can handle two,” the taller boy chuckled.“Aw, Zack and Naminé are good kids. They’re just high-energy sometimes,” Roxas laughed, before yawning.“Let’s get some sleep, Rox,” Axel smirked, seeing how tired his friend appeared to be. The blonde nodded, before heaving himself off the couch and trudging after Axel to his bedroom. They normally shared Axel’s bed on nights like this, and even though Roxas knew he wouldn’t sleep well with Axel’s warm self and scent so close, he wouldn’t worry the redhead by sleeping on the couch. Once they were all settled in, Axel murmured, “Goodnight, Roxy.”“G’night, Ax,” Roxas whispered, snuggling further into the pillow and silently inhaling his crush’s signature spicy scent to try and help lull him to sleep. X*X(At The Citadel…)X*XPrompto sighed, looking outside from his and Noctis’s bedroom window. He was worried for Roxas, since he had noticed over the past few years how close his son had become with the redhead. He knew Roxas was either falling for Axel, or he already had. And as a mother, the blonde couldn’t help but worry that his son’s heart might get broken. After all, in his situation with Noctis sixteen years ago, it was different, since Prompto had saved Noctis’s life when they were both eight years old, and Prompto had been watching over the raven since. Noctis had had more reason to fall for Prompto back then, despite him being a shifter and his mate a human at the time.In this case, though… Axel already knows Roxas is a shifter, and although shifters are more commonly accepted by now, there were still no signs of shifter and human relationships. And Prompto was worried Axel wouldn’t ever return Roxas’s feelings, and only see their relationship as a friendship.“Prom…” the King murmured as he walked over, wrapping his arms around the blonde’s waist. “What’s wrong?”“…I’m worried for Roxas…” Prompto admitted, lightly leaning into his mate’s embrace. “I just know he’s either falling or already in love with Axel, and I’m scared Axel might not feel the same, and that Roxas might get hurt in the process…”“Prom…” Noctis sighed as he leaned over and kissed Prompto to his temple. “It’ll be fine… it’ll work out fine.”“But… I don’t want to see our son get hurt…” the blonde whimpered.“Prom, have faith, okay? I’m sure things will be fine.”“Okay…” Prompto sighed. “I just can’t help it, you know? I’m his mother, and I never want to see him or any of our children hurt.”“I know…” Noctis murmured, running a hand through his mate’s hair. “But you have to let them lead their own life sometime. They’re growing up fast…”“Definitely, but sometimes it’s almost too fast,” the smaller shifter agreed softly, before giving a chuckle. “I’m glad we the twins to depend on us completely still, but I can’t help but look forward to my next heat.”“Really, now?” Noctis chuckled softly, shaking his head. “You’re impossible…”“I know, but you love me for it,” Prompto snickered. “Not only that, but we have a long future ahead of us, considering we’re shifters.”“Well aware, Prom… well aware,” his mate chuckled.“That was a hint, smartass,” the blonde snorted.“Oh was it?” Noctis purred, before he turned Prompto’s head and locked their mouths together firmly. Prompto purred into the kiss, allowing Noctis to lead him to their bed, his previous worries flying out the proverbial window when the raven palmed him through his sleep pants. X*X(Regina)X*XMeanwhile, Regina was laying on her bed, silently going through the pictures on her camera as she held it above her head. Like her mother, she’d gotten a taste for photography, though her skills were nowhere near Prompto’s. The pictures she was going through now were ones she’d taken over the last week. Though, it hadn’t been until she was there at the end of the week and going through them that she realized she’d taken a ridiculous amount of pictures of Domi over the week.To be fair, there were plenty of them that were group shots, but Domi was in the majority of those, too. And he was in the center of many others, too.If someone bothered to ask about it, she’d say it was just a good photo moment, but she wasn’t so sure now. Still, she was definitely gonna deny it all if they DID bring it up.“Ku~po~”At that sounds, Regina blinked in surprise, before she smiled and rolled over, reaching for her phone and unlocking it. 
Domi: Reginaaaaaaa~ I can’t sleep, love!
 Regina snorted at the text, rolling over onto her stomach so she could text back. 
Me: How’s that MY fault? Go count Moogles!

Domi: Already did, love... I counted 476 before giving up a few min ago.

Me: ……

Me: Dummy.

Domi: D: Why you so meeeeaaaan?
 Regina chortled as she dropped her head onto the mattress, shaking her head and laughing, before she went back to typing. 
Me: How old are you? 10?

Domi: You’re as old as you feel, love. ;)

Me: Just go to sleep already! XD

Domi: But I caaaaan’t!
 The Crown Princess chuckled softly as she pulled out her pillow, getting herself comfy to keep typing. 
Me: So what do you want me to do ‘bout it?

Domi: Well, was wondering if you’d wanna play some King’s Knight, love~

Me: King’s Knight? That’s only gonna keep you up longer!

Domi: Maybe~ but it’ll make me sleepy, too~
 That made the princess smile absently, before she sighed in fake annoyance, as if Domi could hear her through the chat. 
Me: Fiiiiiine… but you owe me lunch tomorrow!

Domi: Deal, love~ It’s a date!
 Another soft chuckle escaped Regina, and she purposefully ignored the way her heart hammered in her chest as she went to boot up King’s Knight. She had a feeling she was going to be up for at least four more hours. X*X(Ace)X*XAce quietly stepped out from his adjoining bathroom and got into bed after tugging on his pajama pants. As he laid there, he merely stared up at the ceiling in silence, thinking back on the week.There hadn’t been an awful lot going on, with the exception being that they’d had two new students joining their home room. Ace hadn’t really been that interested in them, even though Cinque had jumped on the chance of making new friends. Hell, Ace had already forgotten their names (shows how much he really cared), since he’d spent most of the class watching Quon from behind his half-shut eyes.Quon had transferred to their school halfway through their first year, and at first, Ace hadn’t been sure what to think of him. Queen and Nine had spoken of running into him in the library several times, and while Nine’s impression of him was less than favorable, Queen seemed very impressed with him (which had made King more than a little jealous, even though he never showed it).After that, Ace and Quon had ended up becoming partners during a project, which had been a rather rocky start of what Ace wasn’t even sure was a friendship. Quon always seemed more interested in his books than anything else, which included conversing with the young prince. He wasn’t sure if it was because he was the youngest, or simply because Quon didn’t care… he’d never had the guts to ask.He groaned as he rolled onto his side. “What am I doing?” he mumbled softly, shutting his eyes. “Sis would be beating me over the head if she knew… who am kidding? She probably knows already…” he snorted, before he rolled onto his stomach, burying his face into his pillow. ‘Dammit… just get some sleep! Think on it later…’Sadly, sleep would be eluding him for several hours more, still. X*X(Roxas)X*XRoxas woke the next morning to the sun shining through the curtains on his face, but he grumbled, pressing his face further into the pillow to hopefully block out the sunlight and get some more sleep. However, when he pressed his face into his pillow, he realized the soft surface was moving. Immediately, he stiffened, before jolting back, biting back a yelp, when he realized that he had been using Axel’s stomach as a pillow. His blue eyes were wide with alarm, and he nearly screamed at the thought that he could have been caught.The blonde scrambled out of the queen-size bed, hurrying to the bathroom to get dressed, desperately fighting the blush on his face. He wasn’t prepared to tell Axel how he really feels about him, no way in hell. Once he was dressed for the day, he splashed some cold water on his face from the bathroom sink, trying to calm himself down.“Dammit, Roxas, you can do this. Just be normal with your best friend,” he hissed to himself, glaring at his reflection. He then opened the door, prepared to go about their day together…until he saw Axel was up, and shirtless, getting dressed for the day himself. He already had his jeans on, and was getting ready to pull on a shirt, by the look of it, and the blonde felt his mouth go dry.‘Oh, come on! Are you fucking kidding me?!’ he wailed in his mind. He very nearly whimpered, but forced his legs to move him over to the redhead, a smile in place. “Mornin’, Ax.”“Hm? Oh, morning, Rox,” Axel smiled. “Ready to go get some breakfast?”“Sure. Or would you rather I make pancakes this time?” Roxas offered.“Well, hell, if you’re offering to cook, Roxy, then I’m honored,” the redhead laughed.“Hey, Ignis taught me how to make pancakes when I was twelve,” the shorter boy huffed, padding to the kitchen.“I know, but you know that I’m just teasing,” Axel chuckled as he followed, leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen, not that there was a door to close there. “I got groceries on Sunday, so I should have everything you need.”“Awesome. Just hang tight in the living room, Ax, and I’ll bring ‘em out to you when they’re done,” Roxas smiled, pulling out the ingredients, a bowl, a frying pan, and cooking utensils. Soon enough, he was bringing out two plates full of pancakes for himself and Axel, each pancake with butter and syrup on them. Sure, it wasn’t his mother’s special syrup that Roxas couldn’t find anywhere in any store, but it was still good.“Aww, you spoil me, Roxy,” Axel teased when he got his plate.“Hey, I don’t mind cooking,” Roxas shrugged, plopping onto the couch with the redhead.“Good, because I could get used to these pancakes,” the taller boy smirked around a mouthful of pancakes.“I’ll take that as a compliment, instead of you using me for my cooking,” the blonde snorted before taking a bite of his own pancakes.“I would never!” Axel gasped dramatically, feigning hurt and making Roxas laugh.“Suuuuure you wouldn’t,” he laughed. The redhead laughed as well, and soon the pair fell into companionable silence as they ate the rest of their breakfast.“So, you ready to hunt for our dinner for tonight? I’ll get to show you my new chakrams while we’re out,” Axel asked eagerly when they were done, a glint of excitement in his emerald eyes.“Hell yeah,” Roxas smirked. “Besides, Mom showed me some new forms I can shift into, which will make hunting easier. You got an idea on what we can go for?”“I was thinking a Garula for some sirloins tonight,” the taller boy suggested.“Sounds good to me. I love steak,” the blonde grinned.“Then let’s get going,” Axel chuckled. And with that, the pair cleaned up from breakfast before Axel went to his room to retrieve his chakrams. When he returned, Roxas let out a low, impressed whistle at the sight of the spiked weapons.“Damn, Axel, those are awesome! Did you buy them yourself?”“No, actually. Reno bought them for me as a belated birthday gift,” Axel answered with a laugh.“But your birthday was in April!” Roxas snorted in amusement.“He couldn’t exactly mail these suckers to me,” the redhead pointed out with a smirk.“Right, good point,” the blonde laughed. “Now come on, let’s go hunting!” With that said, he shifted into a wolf, padding outside when his friend opened the door. Once the townhouse was locked up, Axel and Roxas headed out, the blonde’s nose close to the ground as he sniffed out a trail for a Garula.“No offense, Rox, but this is one of the many reasons I love having you as my best friend. You can definitely track a scent,” Axel chuckled, making the shifter snort.‘Well, if I was just human, what would you do then?’ he asked.“I’d have to rely on the tipsters in the market, but that’s a hassle sometimes,” the redhead replied. “But you and I both know there’s a million other reasons why we’re best friends.”‘I know,’ Roxas murmured, feeling a sad pang in his heart at the thought of them just being friends…and nothing more. Suddenly, he caught a Garula’s scent, and he perked up. ‘Found one!’“Awesome. Lead the way, Rox,” Axel murmured. The shifter nodded, and led the way, still tracking the scent closely. They soon found the massive Garula, and Roxas crouched down, preparing to pounce as he shifted into a coeurl. With a snarl, he lunged, latching onto the Garula’s meaty flank and digging in his claws and fangs. As the Garula began to struggle, trying to throw him off, one of Axel’s chakrams was flung and embedded into the side of the Garula’s neck, drawing a pained bellow from it.‘Come on, Axel! Get its throat!’ Roxas yelled, slashing his claws deep into the Garula’s flesh. The taller boy did just that, hurling his other chakram and tearing open the Garula’s jugular. With a gargled groan/bellow, the Garula collapsed with a heavy thud, and Roxas let go, stepping back before shifting back to human form, panting. “Nice…job, Axel!” he praised, despite the blood on him.“Not too shabby with these babies, huh?” Axel grinned, tugging his chakrams out of the Garula’s body. “Well, let’s get what we need from this thing and leave the rest for the sabertusks.”“Sounds good,” Roxas smiled, pulling out his knife set from Axel’s pack. The two teens then carved a few different tender, tasty cuts of meat from the Garula’s carcass, before heading back.“I’m thinking we should have some for lunch, since we got a lot of meat from that Garula,” Axel suggested, making Roxas grin.“Well, hell, I won’t pass that up! Meat is always delicious, no matter what,” the blonde said matter-of-factly.“Damn straight,” the redhead agreed with a laugh. “Spoken like a true carnivore.”“Well, considering I prefer shifting into carnivores…” Roxas smirked, drawing a laugh from Axel.“Very true,” he agreed. Once they got back to the townhouse, Axel headed in first, going to the grill out on the back patio to cook their lunch while Roxas grimaced at the blood on himself.“I’m…gonna go change. I stink, and I’d rather not hang out on your couch while covered in blood,” he said, wrinkling his nose a little before heading to the bathroom to change into some lounge clothes.“No sweat, Rox. If you need to, use a washcloth and scrub the shit off,” Axel called from the kitchen, where he was seasoning the meat. Roxas then cleaned himself off once in the bathroom, before dressing in some lounge clothes, consisting of black and white checkered pajama pants and a black t-shirt with a pair of keys covered in flames on it. It was his favorite t-shirt, and he always wore it to Axel’s when he was staying the weekend. Once he was changed, he stepped out, following his nose to find the redhead outside at the grill, cooking their lunches.“Is it almost ready?” he asked eagerly, his mouth watering at the aroma.“Yup, they just finished,” Axel smirked, pulling the steaks off the grill. They were smaller steaks, not as big and thick as the sirloins, but they still looked and smelled delicious. Roxas grabbed the two plates that were set off to side for them, and handed Axel his plate as they headed inside. Once they were settled on the couch with their lunches and a movie playing on the TV, Roxas was quick to cut off a piece of steak and eat it, very nearly moaning at the taste.“Damn, Ax! You’ve outdone yourself!” the blonde got out around his mouthful of steak.“Good to know you like my cooking as much as I like yours, Roxy,” Axel laughed as he ate his own steak.“Axel, you’re a master with fire, you know that?” Roxas smiled in amusement.“I’d like to think so,” the redhead chuckled. And that was how they stayed, just eating and watching movies, occasionally switching to playing videogames here and there for the rest of the day. It was something that made Roxas happy, and he wished the good times would never end. X*X(Sunday)X*XFinally, it was Sunday, which meant Roxas needed to head home. He was packing up his things to get ready to head home, and was contemplating on if he should tell Axel how he feels or not. He was sorely tempted to, but he was scared, terrified, even. What if the redhead doesn’t feel the same? Sighing quietly, he decided not to just yet. Maybe next time he spends the weekend over, then.“All set to go, Rox?” Axel asked, appearing in the doorway.“Yup, just finished,” Roxas smiled, straightening up with his backpack on his back and his messenger bag slung on his shoulder. Axel walked him to the door, where the blonde smiled at his best friend as he stepped outside. “See you tomorrow, Ax!”“See you tomorrow at school, Roxy,” the taller boy grinned lazily, before Roxas shifted into a falcon and took flight, heading home. When he got back, he headed inside, making his way to find his family. He soon found his father, and smiled at him.“Hey Dad,” he greeted.The King hummed as he looked up, before he smiled as he saw Roxas. “Hey, Roxas,” he said in greeting. “Just got back, I take it?”“Yeah,” the blonde nodded, biting his lip a bit timidly. He wanted to talk to either one of his parents about his feelings for Axel, but he knew that as King, his father might be busy.“…Hmm? Is something wrong, Rox?” Noctis asked when he noticed the look on his face.“I don’t know… I just… I need some advice, Dad…” the young shifter mumbled.Noctis regarded his son for a moment, before he sighed. “Come with me,” he said, gesturing for the blonde to walk with him. Roxas nodded, falling into step with his father, his heart practically racing in his chest at the thought of what he was about to do. As they reached the King’s office, Noctis gestured for him to take a seat. The blonde did as told, feeling nervous, despite the fact that he knew what he was doing was right.After taking his own seat behind the desk, setting aside the papers he’d been holding, before he turned to his middle child. “If I may ask… does this have to do with Axel, by any chance?”Roxas blinked, surprised, before nodding shyly.Noctis hummed softly, a small thoughtful frown on his face. “Right…so, what do you need to know?”“Well… Have you ever been scared to tell Mom anything?” the young shifter asked softly.“I have,” Noctis admitted. “When we first met, relations between humans and shifters were rocky…so it certainly put a damper on many conversations.”“Right…” Roxas nodded. “…I’ll be honest, Dad… I’m scared to tell Axel how I really feel about him…”The King hummed softly, thinking for a moment more. “Understandable…you two are really close, hm?”“Yeah, since third grade… I just don’t wanna lose him if he doesn’t feel the same…” the blonde whimpered, tears starting to form in his eyes.“…” Noctis didn’t respond right away, as he reached for his phone and sent a quick text to Prompto to meet him in his office. “Roxas, I know things like this are terrifying, but perhaps the more terrifying thing would be never saying anything and being forever left unknowing if your feelings are reciprocated.” There was a knock on the door shortly after Noctis spoke, before Prompto came in, his expression immediately becoming worried when he saw Roxas’s face as his son looked up.“Rox? What’s going on, sweetie?” he asked, concerned. Roxas, however, couldn’t speak, trying to keep himself from breaking down, so the taller blonde looked to his mate for an answer.Rather than speaking, Noctis merely mouthed a single word. “Axel.”Prompto frowned sadly, going over to his middle child and wrapping his arms around him in a comforting hug. Roxas was quick to hug back, whimpering on every shaky exhale as he tried not to cry.“I don’t wanna lose him, Mom…!” he choked out.“Sweetie, it’s only going to get worse if you don’t tell him, trust me. I know from personal experience,” his mother murmured, remembering when he had kept his feelings for Noctis bottled in, his jealousy eventually bursting out and making him confess. If he could have done things differently, he would have rather told Noctis on his own terms, rather than flee the way he did. “If you and Axel are really that close, I don’t see why he wouldn’t feel the same.”Noctis watched it for a moment more, before he stood up and walked over, resting a hand on Roxas’s back quietly. At the added support from his father, Roxas broke down crying into Prompto’s chest.“I…I’ve wanted…to tell him…for so long…!” he sobbed, his entire body shaking from the force of his sobs.“Sshhh…” Prompto shushed him gently, hugging Roxas closer. “I know, Roxas, but you need to tell him before this tears you apart.” The smaller blonde whimpered and cried, simply needing his parents’ comfort at the moment. Noctis remained silent as he continued to rub his son’s back, his other hand on his mate’s shoulder as the young shifter cried. Eventually, Roxas cried himself out, his sobs steadily quieting down to sniffles and hiccups, before even those ceased.“…Thank you…” he whispered, his voice hoarse.“Anytime, Roxas, anytime. We’ll always be here for you, no matter what happens, okay?” his mother promised, kissing the young shifter’s forehead.“Okay…” Roxas nodded slowly.“Come on. Let’s get you to your room so you can rest. I’ll be by later with some sea-salt ice cream, and we can talk more then if you want,” Prompto said, beginning to help the shorter blonde to his room.“…Dad?” the young shifter said suddenly.“Yes, Roxas?” the King asked kindly.“Thank you…”Noctis smiled warmly. “Anytime, Roxas. Now go. I’ll ask Ignis to make you some lava cakes, alright?”“Kay,” Roxas smiled slightly, despite his sudden tiredness. And with that, Prompto helped their oldest son to his room, where he kindly tucked the young blonde in after getting him set up in his most comfortable pajamas.“We’ll talk more later if you want, and I’ll bring up some sea-salt ice cream when you do, okay?” Prompto murmured, kissing his son’s forehead softly.“Thanks, Mom. I’d like that,” the smaller blonde said quietly, smiling a little as he hugged his mother before lying down in his bed.“Sounds good. I’ll come in when you wake up, just text me when you do.”“Okay, Mom.”“Try and get some sleep, Rox. I’ll see you when you get up.”“Kay…” Roxas mumbled, yawning. Prompto smiled softly, before getting up from Roxas’s bed and silently leaving, closing the door behind him without a sound. He then returned to Noctis’s office, knocking briefly before entering.“Hey,” he greeted, his worry evident on his face.Noctis looked up tiredly. “Hey…” was the returned greeting.“Thanks for calling me up earlier… Are you okay?” the smaller shifter asked, concerned.“…Yeah,” Noctis said with a small sigh. “How’s he doing now?”“Resting right now. He wants to talk over some sea-salt ice cream later,” Prompto told him with a slight smile, but the smile quickly faded. “It hurts to see him so torn up over this…”“Prom,” Noctis called out, gesturing for the blonde to come over. Once he had, the King tugged his mate to sit down in his lap. The blonde looked up at the raven, startled by the tug, but he soon settled against Noctis. No words were exchanged as Noctis ran his fingers through the blonde’s hair gently. Prompto purred at the gesture, relaxing further.“Sorry… Just that protectiveness of being a mother…” he mumbled.“…it’s fine…” Noctis murmured softly. Just then, though, he frowned. “…speaking of…”“What is it?”“Our oldest snuck out.”“…” Prompto stared at him, before sliding out of his mate’s lap. “I’m going to go find her.”Noctis didn’t bother to stop Prompto, knowing that there was nothing he could do to put his mate’s mind at ease. The blonde opened the window, before shifting into a falcon and taking flight to go find their oldest daughter. He shifted into a dog once he was in the city, before sniffing to find Regina’s scent. It didn’t take him long to find her scent, and he was quick to follow it, tracking her scent to an arcade. He growled irritably when he realized she was inside, before shifting into human form and going inside. As soon as he spotted her, he stormed over.“Regina!” he yelled.Regina yowled at the yell, as she whirled around, as did many other people there. “Ah snap…!” she hissed.As she said that, Domi (wearing a pale blue dress) looked over from where he’d been about to put a coin into and blinked. “Huh…? Who’s that, love?” he asked curiously.“My Ma…” Regina mumbled softly.“Regina, what the hell were you thinking, sneaking out like that?! You know better than that!” Prompto demanded when he got close, hands on his hips.The girl groaned as she rubbed her temples. “Ma, it’s not like I left Insomnia. I just needed a break for a bit.”“Don’t argue with me, Regina,” her mother growled. “You’re always supposed to tell your father or me if you’re going out, regardless of where you’re going! You know what happened back then!”“Well nothing happened now, did it?!” Regina snarled.“And if something had? There’s a reason we have rules in place for you all! What if something had happened, and we had no way of knowing?!” Prompto countered, glaring as he resisted the urge to snarl as well.Before Regina could say anything else, though, Domi suddenly came over and put a hand to the girl’s shoulder. The noiret blinked as her friend stepped up. “Um…excuse me, Sire…?” the boy said slowly, cautiously. Prompto blinked, before looking at Domi. He was still irritated, but would see what her friend had to say.“I apologize for butting in, but… I was the one who asked Regina to come out here,” Domi said, and Regina’s eyes widened in slight surprise. “If anyone is at fault, it would be me. So…please don’t be upset with Regina,” he said, before he bowed from his waist politely.“Domi…”Prompto frowned deeply, still upset, before the name clicked. “You must be Dominatio, right? I remember when Regina saved you from those bullies years ago,” he said. “I appreciate your honesty, and for being such a good friend, but Regina really shouldn’t have gone out without telling anyone. I’m sorry, but she is going to be grounded.”Regina frowned a little, but she said nothing else about the fact that she was being grounded. She did have one question left, though. “…can I at least watch Domi trash the high score here?”At those words, Domi blushed. “R-Regina…!”“What? You know you will.”“…Fine. But only because Domi’s a good kid. If it was anyone else, then no,” Prompto relented.Regina smiled before she tugged Domi back to the shooter game they’d been standing next to. After a little bit of discussion, Domi moved over and slipped in two coins into the coin slots.“Hm? What are you doing?” the blonde inquired, quirking a brow.“Getting ready?” Domi said with his head tilted, before he took hold of both of the light guns. He didn’t let Prompto reply to it, though, as he raised the guns and pulled the triggers at the same time to start the game for both pistols. Prompto watched, genuinely curious now, as Domi started the game.Regina, meanwhile, had pulled out her camera and switched it to recording as she moved into a good position and Domi adjusted his hold on the guns briefly. And then, as the first enemies appeared, the boy snapped his fingers against the triggers of both guns rapidly. Yet despite the rapid clicking of his fingers, not a single shot missed any of the targets, dispatching every single enemy with perfect headshots without letting any of them get a hit in on him.Prompto’s eyes widened, shocked by how perfect of a gunner Domi was. He was probably better than then blonde himself, and he’d taken to his own gun like a natural.If Domi was aware of the stare, he certainly didn’t show it, his attention focused entirely on the screen ahead of him, only moving his hands when he absolutely needed to. In between one of the stages and the next boss fight, Domi briefly licked his lips as they quirked up into a cold smirk, and it didn’t disappear in the least as he (basically) wrecked the boss…and the one after that…and the one after that.And only twenty minutes later, Domi pulled the trigger on both pistols, killing the Final Boss with those final two shots.“Whoohoo!” the whitehead cheered as the display flashed the words “NEW HIGH SCORE” across its entire screen.“Niiiice!” Regina laughed. Prompto smiled in amusement at the pair’s excitement, before he sighed.“Nice shooting, Domi. Keep your skills sharp, and you’ll be going places,” he praised, before looking at his oldest sternly. “As for you, young lady, you’re coming home with me.”Regina groaned briefly, before she sighed. “Fine…” she mumbled, before turning to Domi. “Sorry, Dom…”However, Domi merely smiled. “It’s alright, love. I’ll see you at school, kay?”Regina nodded her head, and she looked about to say something—only to yelp as she was suddenly hugged by the boy. However, when she realized what had happened, she chuckled and hugged him back. Prompto smiled briefly at the sight, knowing that Domi was definitely special. Not just anyone could bring out Regina’s true self, and sometimes even Prompto had trouble doing so, as did Noctis.“Sorry, Domi, but we need to go…” the blonde apologized.Domi sighed softly as he pulled away. “Okay,” he said with a small nod.Regina didn’t say anything else as she silently followed after Prompto as he headed out, though she did turn and wave to Domi once more before stepping outside again.“Let’s go, Regina,” her mother said, shifting into a falcon before taking flight. Once Regina had caught up to him, he told her, ‘Your father’s not happy with you, I’m warning you now.’‘…’ Regina didn’t say anything in response. She just kept flying after Prompto.‘I’m not grounding you because I’m mad. I’m grounding you because you need to realize the importance of the rules your father and I have in place. We worry about you, and we don’t want anything to happen to you. It’s the same for your brothers,’ the blonde sighed. The noiret didn’t reply. Hell, she didn’t even look at her mother. ‘Regina, just talk to me, please?’‘…’Prompto groaned. ‘Look, I know you’re mad at me. Just say it.’‘…does it change anything?’ Regina mumbled quietly.‘I’d prefer you at least talk to me, instead of the silence. I’ve been helping your brother with his own problems, so I don’t want to be the reason my oldest daughter’s angry,’ her mother murmured. ‘…Can I tell you something, though?’‘…what?’‘Domi’s a good kid. He’s good for you, and brings out a side of you your father and I are lucky to get. I approve of him,’ Prompto told her.‘…?’ At that, Regina actually looked at him again. ‘For what…?’‘You’ll see eventually,’ the blonde chuckled softly, before starting his descent towards the Citadel. ‘I think you’ve been chewed out enough, though. Go to your room once we’re home, and I’ll make sure your father’s aware. You’re grounded for a week.’‘…right…’ Regina sighed as she shifted back. Without looking back, she then headed inside and toward her room. As she did, she passed by Ace on her way, accidentally bumping into him and making her brother look at her oddly as she went.“Hey, Ace,” Prompto called in greeting once he had shifted back as well, on his way to Noctis’s study.“…? Mom, what’s wrong with Regina?” the blonde asked.“She’s grounded because she snuck out, and she’s not happy about it,” his mother sighed. “I’m sure she’ll be fine with some time.”Ace blinked curiously, before he frowned. “Wha…? Why’d she do that?”“She was hanging out with Dominatio. He’s a good kid, that much is for sure, but she can’t be sneaking out,” Prompto said.The blonde nodded his head in understanding. “Okay.”“Did you need something, though, sweetie?” the taller blonde asked curiously.Those words almost made Ace jump for some reason. “Huh…? Um…” he stammered as he bit his lip. “N…no, not really…” he mumbled finally.“Hm?” Prompto frowned, concerned. Ace was never jumpy, so this was new. “Ace, is something wrong?”“N-no…nothing’s wrong…” Ace murmured, keeping his gaze down. “I um…I was just going to my room…”“…Ace, you can talk to me, you know…” his mother sighed.“I-I know…but…but nothing’s wrong…”The taller shifter put his hands on his hips. “If nothing’s wrong, then why are you being so jumpy?”“…! I-I’m not!”“Ace…” Prompto growled warningly, narrowing his eyes slightly.“N-nothing’s wrong! I’m fine!” the blonde exclaimed, before he spun around and ran off, shifting into a cat halfway and dashing off as fast as his legs could carry him.His mother sighed, before shifting into a wolf and bolting after him, catching up in no time and blocking him.‘Tell me what’s going on, Ace,’ Prompto growled.‘Nothing!’ Ace exclaimed, trying to get past his mother into his room. Grumbling, the older shifter scooped Ace up, grabbing him by his scruff, and effectively keeping him in place.‘There might not be something wrong, but something’s on your mind. Tell me,’ he said firmly.‘Eep!’ Ace yelped, dangling from his mother’s maw. ‘Nothing! I’m fine!!’‘You’re not fine, or you wouldn’t be so desperate to get to your room. So I’m not letting you go until you tell me,’ Prompto replied coolly, sitting on his haunches.‘Mooooom!’ Ace whined. But Prompto didn’t reply, refusing to give in. He wasn’t the greatest at the waiting game, but he’d play it if necessary. And in this case, it was. The younger shifter whined unhappily, pouting. ‘It’s nothing, I swear!’‘…’Whining again, Ace stopped struggling finally. ‘…I wanted to get a present for someone…’ he squeaked out.‘There. That wasn’t so hard, now was it?’ Prompto smiled, but he still held onto Ace’s scruff. ‘You could have asked, sweetie. I’m more than willing to help.’Ace whined a bit. ‘I wanted to do it myself…’‘I understand. Were you going to go out, then?’ his mother asked, setting him back down on the floor.‘No… I was gonna look it up first.’‘Well, let me know if I can help at all, okay?’ Prompto offered, before nuzzling his son’s cheek. ‘I’ll be with the twins if you need me.’‘Kay, Mom,’ Ace said with a small nod.Prompto smiled at Ace once more, before going to Noctis’s study to let him know about Regina. Fortunately, it seemed the twins were still napping, as he also wanted to check on Roxas before tending to Zack and Naminé.As the blonde entered the room again, Noctis looked up from his work quietly. “And?”The blonde shifted back before replying. “She knows she’s in trouble, and that you’re not happy. She’s also aware that she’s grounded for a week. I chewed her out enough, so behave when you see her.”Noctis nodded his head with a small hum. “Right.”Prompto chuckled as he went over to his mate. “I met that boy Regina’s friends with, Dominatio. He’s very sweet, and he’s quite a skilled gunner. I watched him basically dominate a shooting game at the arcade. Very selfless, too. He tried to take the blame for Regina sneaking out.”“Hm?” Noctis hummed as he looked up. “Did he? Huh…interesting…” he murmured.“I think so, too. He’s a good kid, though. He brings out a side of Regina we don’t see often enough,” the smaller shifter remarked, smiling softly.“Hmm…” Noctis hummed, tapping his pen against the desk. “…Well then…” he murmured. “Perhaps we should consider inviting him over sometime, then. What do you think?”“Definitely,” Prompto agreed. “I think Ace is starting to try and earn the affections of his crush at school,” he added suddenly.“Oh?”“Yep. I noticed he was being very jumpy when I got back after bringing Regina home, so I basically held him by his scruff until he told me,” the blonde explained.That made the King laugh. “Yeah, that sounds like Ace, alright…”“You’d have thought I was trying to eat him, though, with the way he was trying to get away…” Prompto grumbled.Noctis chuckled softly. “The poor boy just doesn’t want to be a bother, Prom.”“And when I’m obviously trying to help, he still turns it down…” the smaller shifter sighed. He then kissed the raven on the cheek before straightening up. “Well, I’m gonna go check on Roxas. Would you mind taking care of Zack and Naminé here in an hour? I might be a while…”“Alright. I should be almost finished here,” Noctis said with a small nod.“Sounds good. I’ll text Ignis about the lava cake,” Prompto smirked, laughing when he saw how the King had apparently forgotten.“Right, thanks.”“Anytime, Noct,” the blonde murmured, before leaving for Roxas’s room. He made sure to fix them each a bowl of sea-salt ice cream before taking it up to his oldest son’s bedroom, knocking on the door and listening.“…I’m up, Mom,” Roxas called from inside. “Come in.”His mother opened the door, closing it behind him gently, and then handing him his bowl, which had a lot more ice cream in it than Prompto’s did.“Are you sure you have enough, Mom?” the younger shifter asked.“Yeah. Besides, this is more about you, not me,” Prompto assured him. “And Ignis will be up soon with the lava cakes.”“Thanks, Mom…” Roxas smiled slightly, setting his bowl to the side so he could hug his mother. Prompto returned the hug happily, and the pair remained in the boy’s room, talking until dinner.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(Friday)X*XIt was Friday again, and Roxas was to spend the weekend with Axel as per usual. They had minimal homework, thankfully, so the school year was starting out nicely with the amount of school work they were getting. However, the blonde was anxious, feeling like his stomach was twisting itself into complex knots as he walked alongside Axel to the redhead’s townhouse. Prompto had managed to convince him to finally muster up the courage to say something to his best friend of eight years, and told him he would have to do it while spending the weekend with Axel. That way they would be able to be alone for it, and if things didn’t go well, Roxas could always come home whenever he wanted to. But while his mother appeared quite confident that Axel felt the same, it was far from the truth.Prompto was terrified that there was a chance Axel doesn’t feel the same about Roxas. He doesn’t want to see his little boy get his heart broken, but he knew from personal experience that keeping it held in would only make the situation even more painful and heart-wrenching. The older blonde had seen the triplets off that morning with a smile and hugs for them each, with a comforting purr for Roxas, but he was honestly scared. However, he needed to trust in his mate that everything would be fine and work out in the end…just like it did with them. Even if it meant seeing his oldest son get hurt in the process.Roxas was quiet during the entire walk to Axel’s townhouse, which worried the redhead. He didn’t understand why his best friend was being so quiet, and hoped he hadn’t done something to upset him. Seeing the blonde’s downcast expression made Axel’s heart skip a beat, and he felt bad. Wanting to help, the taller boy decided that he would talk to Roxas when they got to his place, and see if he could help at all.When they got to the townhouse, Axel felt a drop of rain on his head, and scowled at the darkening sky as thunder rumbled ominously overhead.“Damn, it’s gonna pour, by the look of things…” he grumbled, unlocking the door and stepping inside, Roxas close behind him. And as soon as they had kicked off their shoes and left their bags by the door, Axel decided it was now or never. “Rox?”“Hm?” the shorter boy hummed, looking up at him curiously.“What’s going on? You’re never that quiet on our walk here,” Axel asked, frowning in concern.“Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind…” Roxas apologized softly, looking away.“Like what? I’m here to listen, Rox, and help if I can,” the redhead told him, noticing how the blonde tensed up slightly, as though he was trying to keep himself from running away. Roxas took a deep breath, exhaling shakily before finally speaking.“Axel…we need to talk,” he murmured, finally meeting the taller boy’s emerald gaze. Now definitely worried, Axel nodded, and followed the shifter to the couch, sitting down on the other end of the couch so they were facing each other. It was quiet in the room, the only sound being the pattering of rain against the window as it started to fall outside.“What’s wrong, Rox? Did I do something…?” the redhead questioned, furrowing his brows in concern.“What? No! Hell no, Ax, it’s definitely not your fault,” Roxas assured him. “It’s just… Dammit, why is this so hard?!” he growled, grabbing his hair in frustration. His mother had made this sound so easy, but it was way harder than he could have ever imagined.“Take your time, Rox, we’re in no rush,” Axel tried to soothe, but the blonde’s gaze was distressed as he refocused on Axel again, the sudden flash of lightning outside only enhancing the look.“I know! But it’s killing me not telling you and not knowing!” he yelled, his whole body locking up again.“Telling me what?”“That I love you!”And there it was, out in the open. Roxas’s blue eyes were wide, panicked, as he waited for the stunned redhead to respond. But as the seconds ticked on and Axel still didn’t say anything after a full minute, a tiny whimper escaped the shifter before he shifted into a wolf and dove through the nearby window, shattering through the glass and running off into the forest with a heartbroken cry.“ROXAS!!” Axel shouted, scrambling off the couch and watching as the blonde disappeared among the trees. “Fuck!” he swore, seeing how the sun was starting to set. The redhead quickly grabbed his chakrams from his room, before taking off in the by now pouring rain after Roxas.He felt horrible for not saying anything, but he had been shocked by Roxas’s confession that he loved Axel, which is exactly how the taller boy feels about the blonde. He had been in love with Roxas since they were twelve, but didn’t want to ruin their friendship and lose his only true friend in the process. Besides, what with the shifter being a prince, he could technically have anyone he wanted. Axel had never considered that Roxas would be in love with him. Now he needed to catch up to Roxas somehow and tell him he does love him, before the prince got back to the Citadel.Roxas, meanwhile, was running almost blindly through the forest, trying to get home. The tears were blurring his vision, making it difficult to see, especially with the rapidly setting sun. He skidded to a stop at the thought. ‘Wait…the sun’s setting?!’ he thought to himself in horror. That meant the daemons would be out any minute, so he needed to either get home ASAP, or return to the city for safety. But the latter option would mean risking running into Axel…‘DAMMIT!!’ he snarled, before resuming his run to the Citadel. Suddenly, he was slammed into a large rock with a pained howl by something, and he looked up, dazed, to see an Iron Giant towering over him. ‘NO!!’ he panicked, knowing he didn’t stand a chance against an Iron Giant. Sure, maybe if he had his swords, but without hands he couldn’t wield them, and unless he shifted into something bigger, he was so screwed. And he had been so close, too!He struggled to stand so he could shift into a dragon and fight back, but collapsed with a yelp when a jolt of pain shot through his left hind leg. It was then that the blonde realized in horror he had either broken or sprained his leg in the impact with the rock, and that he wouldn’t be able to shift until he was out of harm’s way. The Iron Giant roared at him, before preparing to swing its massive sword down onto the young shifter, and Roxas flinched, squeezing his eyes shut tightly in preparation for the fatal blow. Right before it could make impact, though…“ROXAS!!” a very familiar voice shouted, before a loud clang echoed in the area over the pouring rain. Roxas opened his eyes to see Axel, of all people, holding back the Iron Giant with his chakrams, a fierce glare on his face, emerald eyes blazing with rage towards the daemon.‘A…Axel?’ the blonde breathed, shocked.“FUCK…OFF!!” Axel snarled viciously, before pushing hard and knocking the Iron Giant off balance. As it started to fall back, the redhead hurled both of his chakrams at it with an enraged snarl, the weapons slashing through and killing the daemon as it bellowed in agony. Once it was gone, he turned to Roxas, clearly worried about him.Roxas was quiet and tense, definitely scared of being hurt further. He whined in pain, though, as Axel carefully picked him up, the redhead murmuring a soft apology before hurrying off to the Citadel, where he could get the shifter help. While it certainly didn’t take him as long as it normally would to reach the Citadel, the moment he came into range, the guards blocked the way.“Halt! What’s your business here?!”“That’s not important right now! I need in!” Axel yelled at them, growling irritably.“What makes you think we’d just let anyone waltz in here, you little brat?!” the other guard demanded with a snarl.But before Axel could retaliate, a familiar voice called out from behind. “Wait… Axel?”The redhead blinked, before turning to see Ace standing a short distance away behind him. “Ace, I need in! Can you help me out here?” Axel questioned urgently, shifting his hold on Roxas slightly so the blonde was properly supported, feeling a pang of guilt at his pained whimper.“What are you—wait, Rox?!” the blonde choked out. “What happened?!”“It’s a long story, okay?! Sorry, but I need in!”Ace frowned briefly, obviously, before he sighed and walked up to the guards. “He’s a friend, let us through. Now,” he said with a small snarl. The guards very briefly hesitated, before standing aside and letting the pair through.“Thanks, Ace, I owe you big time,” the redhead told Ace hurriedly, before hurrying inside. “Where’s the infirmary, Rox?” he asked when they got through the entrance.‘What did you do to him?!’ a furious yet familiar voice demanded before Roxas could answer, and Axel was forced to carefully set the young shifter down as a large, blonde coeurl stalked over to him, bristling with rage as the beast’s furry face got close to his own. The taller boy quickly realized it was Prompto, Roxas’s mother. Even though he’d met the older shifter before, he’d never seen him while shifted.‘Axel didn’t do anything to me, Mom! He saved me!’ Roxas yelled. The words made Prompto pause, before he looked at his son in confusion.‘…Why did he have to save you?’‘Because I ran off when I told him, but an Iron Giant attacked me, and he saved me before the damn thing could kill me!’ the younger blonde whimpered. At this, the older shifter tensed, before relaxing somewhat as he backed down a bit. He fixed Axel with an intense gaze, his next words serious.‘Axel. Do you truly care about Roxas? Do you feel the same about him as he feels about you?’ Prompto questioned firmly.“I do. I’ve loved him with all my heart since we were twelve, but I never even thought he would feel that way about me because he could have had anyone he wanted since he’s a prince,” Axel confessed, looking at Prompto calmly, despite the fact that his inner self was freaking the fuck out in his head. “But he’s special to me. I care deeply about Roxas, and I never said anything because I was terrified to ruin our friendship and quite possibly lose him. Now that I know he loves me, too, though, I want to be with him even more.”Prompto was quiet for a few minutes, while Roxas stared at the redhead, his jaw slack and blue eyes wide with shock. Axel waited anxiously for someone to say something, anything, when Prompto finally spoke.‘…Good. Don’t hurt him, Axel, because I won’t hesitate in the slightest to make you pay dearly,’ the older shifter said coolly, before he shifted back to human form and went over to Roxas. “Come on, Roxas. You need to shift back so Iris can treat you at the infirmary.”‘C…can Axel come, please?’ the younger shifter asked timidly.“I wasn’t going to kick him out, y’know. He can be with you any time. I won’t turn him away,” Prompto chuckled. “Now shift.” Roxas nodded, before shifting back, wincing at the pain in his leg. “There we go. Can you walk?”“Not really…”“I’ll carry him,” Axel offered, before gently and carefully scooping up the shorter boy in his arms. Roxas blushed crimson, but was secretly enjoying the warmth from his boyfriend’s arms surrounding him. That word, boyfriend, in reference to Axel, was enough to warm his heart. “You okay, Roxy?”The blonde in his arms blinked owlishly at him, before settling in the redhead’s hold. “I am now,” he murmured, smiling softly.“Good,” the taller boy smiled as he followed Prompto to the infirmary. When they got there, Prompto called out for Iris.“Hey, Iris? I need you to check Roxas’s leg,” he said. The brunette emerged from the back, blinking in surprise at the sight of Axel, before looking at Prompto.“What happened?” she asked.“He…was attacked by an Iron Giant,” the older shifter sighed.“How are you still alive, Rox?” Iris gasped.“Axel saved me…” Roxas mumbled.“Oh, so this is Axel! I’ve heard so many good things about you from Roxas!” the brunette smiled brightly. “Well, let’s take a look at that leg. Go ahead and set him on the bed here.” Axel gently placed Roxas on one of the hospital beds, and she lifted the young shifter’s pant leg. She gave a low whistle when the large, dark bruise on his thigh was revealed. “It’s just bruised, it seems. Some pain medication should help with that. I’ll be right back.” Once she left, Prompto looked at the young couple with a smile.“Be good to him, Axel, and take care of him. I need to go see your father, Rox, but I’ll drop by your room later to bring up dinner for both of you,” he told them. As he left, he added, looking over his shoulder with a smile, “I approve,” before leaving the infirmary. The words made both boys blink owlishly, and they looked at each other, stunned. Roxas broke the silence first.“Mom really does like you,” he laughed. At the redhead’s confused look, he elaborated. “I always talk about how amazing and nice you are, and the one time I asked Mom if he liked you after you met him once, he said he did.”“Really?”“I wouldn’t make that up, ya know.”“Good point,” Axel chuckled. “Now to find out if the King approves of me.”“I’m sure he does. Especially since Mom does,” Roxas assured him with a smile. Shortly after, Iris returned, a couple of pills in hand.“All right, Roxas, take these, and get some rest. This medicine will make you sleepy so you can heal a bit faster while you’re sleeping,” she told him. The blonde took the pills, swallowing them down with some water without complaint. “There we go. Axel, do you mind taking him to his room? It’s just down the hall to your left. Roxas can guide you.”“Can do,” the redhead nodded, gently picking Roxas up and leaving with him to the young shifter’s bedroom. When they got inside, Roxas became a bit nervous, since Axel had obviously never seen his room before. There was nothing to worry about, though, as the taller boy let out a low whistle, impressed. “Damn, Roxy. This is nicer than Reno’s place, and he’s one of the guards in Hollow Bastion.”“One of the benefits of being a prince, I guess,” the blonde shrugged.“You’re so humble,” Axel snorted, making the shorter boy laugh as he was placed on his bed. “Mind scooting over?” Roxas did as requested, giving his boyfriend enough room to be on the bed with him. And once he was comfortable, Axel pulled the blonde close, startling him. Roxas looked up at the redhead curiously. “Is this okay?”“…Yeah,” the shifter murmured, settling against Axel. He closed his eyes, beginning to drift off, but opened them again when he felt a light pressure on his temple. Looking up at the taller boy, the pair stared at each other for a few seconds, before Axel closed the gap between them and kissed Roxas lovingly. The blonde kissed back slowly, timidly, as he’d never kissed anyone like this before. But the redhead didn’t seem to mind, as he kept the pace slow, simply kissing Roxas without deepening it. They eventually parted, Axel smiling softly at his boyfriend.“…I’ve wanted to do that for a long time, Roxy,” he whispered. “Now get some sleep. You’re gonna need it so you’ll be healed by Monday.”“Kay…” the shorter boy mumbled tiredly, a quiet purr rumbling softly in his chest as he fell asleep, held close by the only person he’d ever loved. X*X(Meanwhile…)X*XPrompto made his way to Noctis’s study, where his mate was, as usual, working on those stupid documents that Ignis always had a stack of somewhere to provide the King with as busywork. He knocked on the door when he got there, not bothering to wait for an answer before opening the door and going inside, closing it behind him.“Hey,” he greeted.Noctis looked up from his work, and the moment he saw the blonde, he frowned and straightened up. “…What happened?”“It’s okay now, Noct. Everything’s fine now,” Prompto assured him, smiling in relief.“…What happened?” Noctis repeated with a darker frown.“Roxas confessed to Axel, but ran off, and was attacked by an Iron Giant. Axel saved him, but Rox got hurt before Axel could get there. Axel carried Roxas here, and I confirmed that Axel does return Roxas’s feelings. I also had Iris check his leg out, and it’s just bruised, nothing too serious,” the smaller shifter told his mate calmly. “Like I said, everything’s fine now.”“…I see,” Noctis murmured. Prompto sighed, before going over to the raven and seating himself on Noctis’s lap.“Roxas is going to be fine. In fact, I think he’s better now than he has been for a while,” he said soothingly.Noctis looked at the blonde for a moment, before he sighed and wrapped his arm around his mate. “Right…” Prompto smiled softly, before kissing Noctis tenderly.“Don’t worry so much now. You told me that before, now it’s my turn,” the smaller shifter whispered against his lips.“I know,” Noctis sighed. “Though I’d rather it not come at the expense of my children’s health.”“Same here, but it worked out in the end for both of them. I would have rather you hadn’t been hurt when I confessed to you, either, but we can’t change that, either,” Prompto pointed out.“Yeah…” Noctis mumbled softly, as he set aside some documents so he could hold onto Prompto better. The blonde smiled, then, kissing the raven again.“I’m just happy seeing him happy with Axel,” he murmured. He then happened to look at the documents Noctis had moved. “What were you working on?”Noctis hummed softly as he turned to the papers, before he sighed. “You remember how we ended up together? What caused you to admit you wanted us to be more than just friends?”“My jealousy over those stupid flirtatious bitches who only wanted you for the title, not for you,” Prompto huffed, before he paused. “Wait… Noct, no, don’t start this now, it’s too soon!”“Easy, Prom,” Noctis murmured. “I’m not going to force any of our kids to go through that. However, it’s customary for the Royal Family to hold a ball at the heirs’ 17th birthday. You should remember that from when you were following me around.”“…I do, but I didn’t know what it was for,” the smaller shifter admitted. “So…if that’s the case, then what, it’ll just be an extravagant 17th birthday for them?”“Basically…” Noctis admitted. “As much as I don’t want them to be forced into a relation of any kind, this is something the people will be expecting to happen.” At this point, he paused to sigh. “Much as I don’t wish to do this, it is tradition.”“I don’t think it’ll be an issue if they don’t need to seek out a suitor during the ball. Regina will have a fit about a dress, but we’ll see how Roxas and Ace take the news,” Prompto said, relieved.“Yeah… Roxas and Ace will probably be fine…but Regina’s not going to like it one bit…” Noctis mumbled.“I just hope she doesn’t hide away when we have to get her into a dress,” the smaller shifter sighed.“Or rip it up…either or,” Noctis mumbled, before he looked Prompto in the eye. “You want to make an attempt in letting her know or…?”“Oooooh no. She’s still pissed at me for grounding her on Sunday for a week. You get to deliver that news, big boy,” Prompto said firmly, narrowing his eyes.Noctis sighed heavily. “I was afraid of that…” he mumbled, rubbing his temples.“At least wait until she’s no longer grounded. That way she might take the news a little better,” the blonde murmured.“I honestly doubt it…” X*X*X*X*X*X*XSomewhere on the other side of the Citadel, a certain Crown Princess sneezed loudly and suddenly, which made her blink in question, before she sighed and rolled over onto her back. Ever since getting back from school, she’d been up in her room, being bored out of her mind. Ace was out doing stuff, and she knew Roxas would be out with Axel…so that left her to her own devices, and King’s Knight became old real fast if it was all you had for a week.“Nrgh… Dammit…” she grumbled as she stood up and walked over to her cupboard. ‘…where the hell did I leave my sketchpads…?’ she thought to herself. However, it took only a moment for her to remember, making her groan. ‘Sixdammit, Rox! Why’d you have to borrow the thing right when I need it?!’After a moment of thinking it over, though, she snorted and headed out, figuring she could just go and grab it from his room. She was just getting back her own things, so she figured it wasn’t that big a deal.However, as she approached the door, her nose twitched and she blinked, as a familiar scent filled her nose. The problem was, that scent shouldn’t BE there…Frowning, she moved over and, slowly, pushed open the door, peeking inside. It took her a few moments to realize what she was looking at, but the moment it registered, she smirked evilly. And then, she shifted into a cat, padding into the room, before she hopped onto the nightstand, before hopping onto the headboard of the bed. Regina stayed there for a moment, before she reached out and patted one paw against Axel’s cheek.The redhead jolted awake with a yelp, the noise startling Roxas awake, too, before he whimpered in pain as his own jolt made the bruise on his leg ache. The blonde looked around, before he saw the black cat, quickly realizing it was his sister.“Regina!” he yelled, making Axel look at her, too, surprised.Regina allowed a cheeky smirk as she leaped over the pair, shifting back into human form just as she came down on the end of the bed. “Sooo…did I miss something here?” she asked cheekily. “I thought the idea was you boys would be heading out, eh?”“Shut up. I got attacked by a fucking Iron Giant and Axel saved my ass…” Roxas snapped.At that, Regina’s expression sobered up, as she regarded them for a few moments in silence, before she spoke up. “Aaaand that would imply you were out past sundown…the hell were you doing out there?”“It’s my fault,” Axel answered before Roxas could. “I took too long to respond when he told me he loves me, and he took off.”“I was hurt, and wanted to come home…” the blonde added quietly.“…” Regina watched Axel with a solemn, unreadable look, before she turned back to her brother. “…was it his fault?”“Regina, I don’t like putting the blame on Axel, dammit! He saved my life, and he feels the same, okay? Mom know he’s here, too!” Roxas growled.“…that’s not what I’m asking,” Regina said solemnly.“I’m not answering, cuz knowing you, you’re gonna punch him.”“…”“Regina, it’s my fault, so get it over with,” Axel said firmly, making his boyfriend gawk at him.“Axel, I don’t care that it’s your fault! You don’t need to get punched!” he protested. Before Roxas could stop her, though, Regina was up on her feet, walked two feet forward, and then her fist slammed into Axel’s jaw, hard. “Regina, stop!” the blonde yelled, as Axel groaned, rubbing his jaw to try and ease the pain. Damn, that girl could punch!Regina merely rubbed her fist briefly, before she snorted. “Just be glad that’s ALL I’m doing…” she mumbled.“Mom already almost attacked him when he got here! You didn’t need to punch him!” Roxas snapped, glaring at her with frustrated tears forming in his eyes. Axel noticed this first, and gently shushed the shorter boy, holding him closer.“Roxy, it’s okay. I had it coming,” he assured him. The blonde sniffled, but accepted the comfort anyway.“Oy, Axel,” Regina said suddenly. The redhead looked at her, curious. “You better take care of him properly,” the princess warned. “Got it?”“I will,” he promised, making Roxas give a small smile.“Good,” Regina mumbled, before she turned to Rox. “By the by, Rox, where’d you stash my sketchpads?”“…I shouldn’t even tell you, but they’re on my desk,” he muttered.“Unless you want me mess up your room looking for ‘m…” she said simply, before she walked over and snagged up her pads. “You leave anything in here?”“No, I couldn’t work up the motivation to even start anything,” he replied softly. Axel kissed the top of his head, and Roxas began to purr softly, content.“Oy, save the mushy stuff ‘til I’m out, will ya?” Regina chuckled, before she headed off for the door. “You guys gonna be coming downstairs for dinner or you staying here bein’ lazy bums?”“Shut up! Mom said he’s gonna bring us dinner later,” Roxas pouted, blushing.“Uh-huh,” the princess chuckled. “You boys just play nice, ya hear?” she quipped, before she headed out with a laugh.“…Ass…” the blonde grumbled, still pouting.“She’s just looking out for you, and being your sister means she’s gonna tease you,” Axel pointed out with a chuckle.“Still, she didn’t need to punch you…” Roxas sighed. “Are you okay?”“I’ll be fine, Roxy,” the redhead assured him. “It’ll bruise, but at least my jaw’s not broken.” The shorter boy whined unhappily, but settled against Axel again, resting his ear over his boyfriend’s heart, soon lulled to sleep by the soothing sound of his heartbeat. Not long after Roxas fell asleep, there was a soft knock on the door, before Prompto came in with their dinners.“How is he?” the blonde asked quietly, before noticing the forming bruise on the redhead’s jaw. “What happened?”“Regina,” Axel said simply. Prompto sighed heavily in exasperation.“That girl…” he muttered. “I’m sorry, Axel. I’ll get some ice for your jaw in a bit.”“He just fell back asleep, though, in answer to your earlier question,” the teen smiled slightly.“Good. He’ll need it, if he wants to be healed enough by Monday,” the older shifter murmured. “Well, I’ve got dinner for you each, so go ahead and eat when you’d like.”“Thank you, sir,” Axel told him gratefully.“Just call me Prompto, Axel,” was the amused reply. “If you guys need me, just holler.” And with that, he left, closing the door silently behind himself.“You’re lucky, Rox, to have your family…” the redhead said quietly, gently petting his boyfriend’s hair. “They’re so supportive…” X*X(Meanwhile…)X*XOnce Prompto had left Roxas’s room, he went to see Noctis in his study and bring him his dinner. The raven was working late again, even on a Friday. Oh well, at least he wouldn’t starve. He knocked on the door, letting himself in without waiting.“Hey Noct, I brought your dinner,” he said as he entered.Noctis hummed as he looked up. “Ah… thanks, Prom.”“Of course,” the blonde smiled. He then sighed. “Regina punched Axel.”“She did?” the King asked curiously, before he frowned. “Why?”“I would guess she found out what happened, and punched him to defend Roxas, being a protective big sister,” Prompto shrugged. “I can’t say anything, since I nearly attacked him when he got here, but she really shouldn’t have punched the boy…”Noctis allowed a chuckle as he set aside the documents he’d been working on. “That’s what happens when you worry about someone…”“True,” the smaller shifter agreed with a laugh. “Now eat up. I’d rather you not have a cold dinner or go hungry.”“Right,” Noctis mumbled as he quietly started on his dinner. Prompto smiled softly, before beginning to eat his own dinner, which he’d brought as well. He wasn’t going to just watch his mate eat, or let him eat alone, after all.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(Wednesday, The Following Week)X*XIt had been five days since Roxas and Axel had gotten together, and three days since Regina’s punishment had ended. The triplets had gotten a text from their mother earlier that afternoon that their father had something important to tell them, and needed to come home right after school. Of course, Roxas had asked if Axel could come over, too, and Prompto had replied with a yes and a smiling Chocobo emoji.So that was why, after school, it saw the four heading to the Citadel, Axel on Roxas’s back as he flew along in dragon form. Thanks to Prompto, he could shift into one easily, which helped him to carry the redhead. They soon arrived, Roxas crouching to let Axel off of his back, and the taller boy slid off with ease, before the blonde shifted back.“That was awesome, Rox!” Axel grinned. “You’ve never done that with me.”“You better get used to it, cuz I know you’ll be coming over more often,” Roxas smiled, before looking at the Citadel. “Well, let’s all go see what Dad needs to talk to us about.” And with that said, the triplets and Axel headed inside, making their way to Noctis’s study, which, surprisingly, was open for once while the King was inside. “Hey Dad.”Noctis looked up from his work and allowed a smile when he saw the kids. “Hey kids,” he said as he stood up and walked over. “So, how was your day?”Regina shrugged her shoulders. “Eh…was okay, I guess…”“It was good,” Roxas replied, smiling at Axel.Ace hummed quietly with a nod. “It certainly wasn’t horrible.”Noctis actually allowed a laugh at those words. “Well, that’s better than it being completely terrible.”“Suppose that’s true.” Regina mumbled.“So, what did you need to tell us, Dad?” Roxas asked, curious.Noctis took a moment to gather his thoughts and look at his children. He was pretty sure that two out of three wouldn’t take the news too bad, but he was worried about his oldest child’s response. After a short moment of thought, he began.“While it’s still a good few months away, come January, you kids will be turning 17,” he said solemnly.“…Well, yeah, not like we’re going backwards in age, right?” Regina mumbled.“And besides, we’ll stop aging four years after that, like Mom did,” Roxas added.“Is there a point to this, Dad?” Ace asked with a small frown.When Noctis didn’t reply immediately, it was enough for the kids to realize that there was something more to this meeting. “The point, as you say, Ace, is that it is tradition for the Royal Family to hold a ball on the 17th birthday of the current heir.”“…What kind of ball?” Roxas frowned.The King briefly glanced at Regina, who was frowning silently, and he had a feeling she already knew where this was going. “Traditionally, it was meant for the heirs to meet potential suitors,” he said finally. However, before the kids could react to that, Noctis raised one hand to stop them. “Now, I have no intention of forcing either of you into this. However, the ball is still tradition and the people will be expecting this to happen.”“…so…it’s just going to be a big fancy birthday party, then?” Ace asked slowly.“Basically, yes.”“Then I don’t have an issue with it, as long as I’m with Axel,” Roxas shrugged, relaxing when said teen lightly squeezed his hand.Noctis allowed a chuckle at the blonde’s words, before he nodded. “That won’t be a problem,” Noctis assured.“…Are we allowed to invite our other friends, too?” Ace asked after a moment of thought.This made Noctis chuckle. “I don’t see why not. The ball was initially meant to be open to the public, so they are free to come if they wish to.”Roxas smiled at his boyfriend, but then looked at Regina when he noticed how quiet she was being.“Regina…? You okay…?” he asked worriedly.“…” The Crown Princess didn’t say anything in response; she merely stood there with her hands in her pockets. However, her posture showed that she was not pleased.Noctis regarded his daughter for a moment more, before he sighed. “Regina…”“…if you think I’m going to agree to that, you’re horribly mistaken,” she snarled. Axel looked at Roxas curiously, wondering what the problem was.“She hates wearing dresses with the passion of a million burning suns,” the shorter boy explained quietly.“Regina,” Noctis began, but the princess didn’t let him finish whatever he was planning to say.“I don’t care if it’s like ‘tradition’ or…whatever,” she snarled. “I am not wearing a fucking dress!!”“Watch your language, young lady,” Noctis snarled out, but this clearly meant very little to the girl, even though at any other time she would’ve flinched at her father’s tone.“Uh-oh…” Ace mumbled, before he turned to Roxas. “Um…maybe we should head out…before…yanno…”Roxas nodded quickly. “I couldn’t agree more,” he said quietly, before he grabbed Axel’s arm to lead him out with Ace. The three teens fled to the safety of Roxas’s bedroom, where they just barely got out of earshot in time.“This won’t end well, will it?” Axel guessed as he held Roxas in his lap on the shorter blonde’s bed.“Nope. Regina’s probably going to be grounded again if Mom has to get involved, and even longer than a week if she wakes the twins…” Roxas sighed, before looking at Ace. “Do you think we should get Zack and Naminé in here before they get a rude awakening?”“Yeah, that would be smart…” Ace agreed as he got up. “Want me to get ‘m?”“Let’s go together. That way I can get one and you get the other,” his brother replied, before looking at Axel with a smile. “You finally get to meet the twins now.”“Nice, I’ve been looking forward to this,” the redhead chuckled as they left to get the twins. When they got to their room, Zack was waking up with a whine, looking around in confusion, before he saw his brothers.“Roxy! Ace!” he cheered. When he saw Axel, however, he blinked. “Who that?”“Zack, this is my boyfriend, Axel,” Roxas told him with a pleased smile as he picked up his little brother.“Ohh, okay!” the little raven chirped.Naminé mewled sleepily as Ace lifted her up. Obviously, the little girl was still a little tired. She looked around curiously at the others, before she frowned sleepily. “…Sissy?”“Ah… Regina’s talking with Papa, sweetie,” Ace said with a small smile.“Oh…okie.”“Nami! Roxy has his boyfriend here!” Zack said excitedly, making Roxas laugh at his excitement.The small princess finally managed to keep her eyes open, and then looked over to Axel curiously. “…? Hewwo?”“Hi, Naminé,” the redhead greeted kindly, smiling at her.“Nami, this is Axel. He’s very nice, and he’s special to me, okay?” Roxas told her.The girl tilted her head curiously, before she giggled. “Kay!” she chirped, before looking around. “Can we go play now?”“Sure. Wanna go out to the garden and play?” Roxas offered.“Yeah! We wanna play with you as a wolfy, Roxy! You, too, Ace!” Zack grinned.“Hahah. Sure thing,” Ace said with a chuckle.“Yaaay!” Naminé cheered. The twins giggled and chattered as the group headed down to the garden, but on their way down, they saw Prompto.“Hi boys,” the blonde greeted. “Taking the twins to go play?”“Yeah, but Regina’s ‘talking’ with Dad,” Roxas said, emphasizing ‘talking’. Prompto’s eyes widened, and he groaned.“I knew I would get dragged into this… Six forbid…” he grumbled. “Well, go have fun, and I’ll go see your father.” With that, he hurried off to Noctis’s study.“Now it’s gonna get ugly…” Roxas mumbled, and Axel nodded.“…Sissy in troubles?” Naminé asked, obviously worried about her big sister.“No, no, Nami,” Ace assured. “Sissy’s just got some big things she needs to talk about with Papa and Mama.”“Sissy’s tough, but nice! She’ll be okay!” Zack nodded.“…Yeah!” Naminé agreed.However, the twins completely missed the look the two princes cast each other before they continued on toward the garden to play with the twins.Once they arrived at the garden, Axel let out a low, impressed whistle. “This is a beautiful garden, guys. Chocobos would have a blast in here,” he commented.“Actually, they do,” Roxas chuckled, making the redhead look at him in surprise. “Dad surprised us all with some Chocobos when we were kids, and Mom acted like a kid himself, he was so excited. He adores them.”“Choco’s the best one!” Zack piped up with a grin.“Yeah! He best Hot ‘n’ Cold player!” Nami cheered as the kids were set down on their feet.“Can’t argue with that one,” Ace chuckled.“Roxy? Wolfy now?” Zack asked eagerly, tugging on his brother’s shirt.“Sure, Zack,” his oldest brother chuckled, before lowering himself as he shifted into a wolf, grinning at the little raven. ‘Better?’ he asked as Zack scrambled onto his back while he was crouched down.“Yup yup!”Ace laughed as Naminé tugged on his pants with a pout, before he crouched down to shift as well. And the small girl cheered as she then clambered onto his back, arms wrapped around his neck happily with a cheery giggle.Axel chuckled at the sight. Seeing how good both princes were with their little brother and sister made him feel warm inside, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Roxas would want a kid with him someday.As if noticing how the redhead’s thoughts were straying, Roxas looked at him curiously and asked, ‘You okay, Ax?’“I’m fine, Roxy. Now, I want to see these Chocobos you guys were talking about,” he smirked.Ace chuckled. ‘Well how about we head over to see them then?’ he offered.“Yay!! Chocobo! Chocobo!” Naminé cheered. Zack cheered along with her, making the older boys laugh, before the two blondes headed for the Chocobo pen.As they rounded the corner, there was no mistaking the smell of Chocobos. The pens were at least as big as the garden they’d just exited, with a group of Chocobos of various colors walking around, pecking at the ground in search of some snacks, while others were just walking or running around. The nests at the very back were, currently, mostly unoccupied, except for a few of the lazier ones who appeared to be taking a break.Notably, amongst the different colors, there was only one Black Chocobo.“Whose is the Black Chocobo?” Axel asked softly.‘That’s Dia, Regina’s Chocobo,’ Roxas answered, looking at him, his tail slowly wagging as Zack adjusted his grip on his neck fur. ‘Mine’s the silver one, and his name’s Night.’‘The teal Chocobo next to him is mine.’ Ace said with a chuckle (since Naminé was adjusting her hold on him and lightly tickling him). ‘His name’s Chichiri.’“Chocooooo!!” Naminé called out then, which made one of the other Chocobos, a bright golden sheen to its feathers, look up with a curious “Kweh?” before it moved over to the edge of the pen.‘That’s Mom’s Chocobo, by the way,’ Roxas added, getting closer to the pen so Zack could pet Choco. He then chuckled, ‘Choco tends to keep everyone in line, like Mom does.’Choco tilted his head curiously upon spotting Axel, not seeming to care as Naminé and Zack petted him.‘This is Axel, Choco. He’s good,’ Roxas assured the yellow bird. Axel reached out, letting Choco smell him first. Choco chirped briefly, curling his head around once, before he moved forward and bumped his head against Axel’s chest. The redhead jumped a little, a bit startled by the bump, before petting Choco with a chuckle.“Nice to meet you, too, Choco,” he laughed softly.‘See? Choco’s good. He was the first one to befriend Mom, actually. The others were nervous because Mom’s a shifter, but Choco approached Mom first, and knew he was good, so the others warmed up to him soon after,’ Roxas explained. ‘Chichiri, Dia, and Night chose Ace, Regina, and me on their own, too. And when Zack and Naminé are old enough to ride, they’ll get their own Chocobos, too.’Choco chirped as he enjoyed the patting. From the back of the pen, Dia regarded them in silence, but didn’t bother to come closer.“Dee! Come say hi!” Naminé chirped. Of course, the Black Chocobo didn’t bother to come over.‘Dia only likes Regina, and doesn’t trust anyone else. She’ll tolerate us since we’re Regina’s family, but that’s it,’ Roxas told his boyfriend.“Really?” the taller boy blinked.“Deeeee!” Zack tried calling, whining, and then pouting when Dia didn’t even blink.‘Zack, let her be,’ Ace said. ‘You know she doesn’t like other people.’“Awwww…” Naminé whined. Axel chuckled, lightly ruffling her hair.“It’s okay, Nami. Maybe your Chocobo will be a Black Chocobo, like Dia,” he told her.“Mine, too?” Zack asked hopefully.“Maybe,” Axel smiled.‘There aren’t many Black Chocobos left, but there’s a chance,’ Roxas agreed, before Night seemed to realize they were there. ‘Heya Night! Come on over and meet Axel.’ The silver Chocobo chirped curiously before approaching in Axel’s direction.“Night!” Zack squealed, wrapping his arms around Night’s beak eagerly. Night didn’t even flinch, instead lifting the little raven a few inches off of Roxas’s back before letting him back down.‘Good boy, Night,’ Roxas praised, his tail wagging happily, before looking at his boyfriend expectantly. ‘Go ahead and pet him. He’s the nicest one next to Choco.’“Hi, Night,” Axel greeted, reaching out and petting the silver bird’s neck, making Night chirp happily.‘Chichiri,’ Ace called out, making the teal Chocobo look over. ‘Come over for a moment.’“Kweh,” the Chocobo chirped, before walking over. Naminé cheered as she reached up to the bird. Chichiri, in response, lowered his head and let the princess cuddle with his head as she giggled happily.‘They’re great, aren’t they?’ Roxas asked Axel, looking up at him as the redhead and Zack petted Night.“Definitely. Never ridden one, but I’d love to,” he admitted.‘Hmm…’ the blonde hummed, before perking up. ‘Then let’s see if one will choose you! What do you think, Ace?’‘Well, he’s going to be coming around a lot from now on, I’m guessing…so why not?’ his brother chuckled.‘Sweet!’ Roxas laughed. ‘Hey, Zack? Do you mind climbing off for a bit? I need to shift back.’“Awwww… Okay…” Zack pouted. “Ace? Can I be with you?”‘Sure, Zack,’ the younger prince said as he walked over.“Yay!” the little raven cheered, sliding off Roxas’s back before going over to climb onto Ace. Roxas then shifted back to his human form, patting Night’s neck before looking at his boyfriend.“Come on, let’s get you set up with a Chocobo,” he smiled, before vaulting over the pen to get in. Axel was quick to follow, trailing after Roxas to the middle of the group of Chocobos. “Stay here, and you’ll know when one’s chosen you.”“Wait, Rox, are you leaving me here?” Axel frowned, confused.“You’ll be fine! Don’t worry, they don’t bite unless you deny them food,” the blonde laughed as he went to stand off to the side. Sure enough, once he was away, the Chocobos all went back to their previous behavior, except for one. The one Chocobo that didn’t was a fiery red, and he seemed interested in the redhead. This Chocobo approached Axel, giving a curious, “Kweh?”“Don’t do anything, let him do his thing,” Roxas called softly, so as not to startle the red Chocobo. Axel hummed, acknowledging the shorter boy’s words, and let the red bird investigate him. Occasionally, the Chocobo gave a quiet, “Kweh,” as he circled the redhead, before suddenly, Axel felt a soft nudge to his back, surprising him.“And it looks like Flare chose you,” Roxas chuckled. “Ironic, considering his name and your pyromaniac tendencies.”“Hey, I like fire. Nothing wrong with that,” Axel snickered, as Flare chirped cheerfully. Ace laughed softly as he watched, while Naminé giggled as she was busy petting and cuddling with Chichiri still.“Yeah, just wait until you burn your townhouse down,” Roxas snorted.“That’s what fire extinguishers are for, Roxy.”“Until you can’t get to it due to the flames.”“Hey!”“You know I’m right.”“Aw, whatever. I’ll be a pyro for life,” Axel grinned. “Thanks for helping me get chosen by Flare, Roxy.”“Of course, Ax,” Roxas smiled, going over and kissing the redhead chastely.“Ewwww!” Zack giggled. Naminé blinked in question, not getting what her twin was going on about, obviously, while Ace merely chuckled softly. “No kissing! That’s icky!”“You don’t complain when Mama and Papa give you a kiss,” Roxas replied with an amused smile.“Or Sissy!” Naminé pointed out. Zack pouted, knowing they were right.“It’s okay, Zack,” Roxas chuckled. “Kisses are fine.”Naminé giggled, as she patted Chichiri’s beak. “…is Sissy okay?” she suddenly asked.“Hm? Of course, Nami,” Roxas told her as he and Axel climbed back out of the pen. “Why?”“Cuz she’s talking to Papa so long…”Ace frowned, before he glanced to Roxas quietly.“I’m sure she’s fine,” Axel said, placing his hand on the little blonde’s back. “Regina’s probably taking her time.”Naminé pouted a little, but she nodded quietly.‘…you think she’ll be okay, Rox?’ Ace asked, making sure only his brother could hear. Roxas shrugged, wordlessly saying he wasn’t sure.“Roxy, can we go riding on Choco?” Naminé asked suddenly.“Hm? Oh, sorry, Nami, but not until you’re old enough to shift, remember? Mama and Papa’s rule,” he reminded her. “Besides, don’t you guys like riding on Ace’s and my backs?”“Yeah, but we wanna ride Choco!” Zack whined.‘Sorry, lil ones; not until you’re older,’ Ace chuckled.“Booooo…”“Aw, don’t worry. You guys have another year to go, right?” Axel asked.“Yep, once they’re four. And they’re three now,” Roxas nodded. “Though Regina, Ace and I somehow started learning to shift at three. But we’ll see.”Naminé continued to pout, before she perked up suddenly as she turned around. “…! Sissy!!” she called out, waving her hands to the girl.“Sissy, over here!” Zack called as well. Roxas could literally feel the rage she had coming off of her in waves, and he paled. He refused to let his little brother and sister take any of Regina’s anger, so he looked at Ace pointedly.“Hey, Ace? Mind taking the twins inside for a bit?” he asked. Even if it meant dealing with Regina on his own, he’d rather that than the twins seeing her like that.‘Yyyyyeah…okay,’ Ace got out as he watched the girl approach. Before the twins could question it, though, Ace took off, making the twins hold on tight with yelps of surprise.Regina didn’t even look up as she silently stomped over, her hands buried in her pockets and her gaze aimed at her feet.“Regina…”The girl didn’t even speak as she silently leaped over the fence, putting her fingers to her lips and whistling sharply. This made Dia look up, before she walked over to the Crown Princess.“Regina, don’t leave! You’re gonna be in even deeper shit than you already are!” Roxas warned, vaulting over the fence into the pen as well. But the princess didn’t even look up, leaping on Dia’s back. And then, with a shout that was clearly one stemming from the rage boiling in her, she kicked the Chocobo’s chest, and the Black Chocobo took off running.“Shit…!” Roxas hissed. “Axel, go tell Ace, and have him tell Mom and Dad! I’m going after Regina!”“Okay,” the redhead nodded, before running off to find Ace. Roxas quickly climbed onto Night’s back, before urging his Chocobo after his sister.“We gotta get Regina and Dia, Night!” he told his Chocobo.“Kweh!” Night chirped loudly, before taking off at a swift pace after the runaway pair.‘Dammit, Regina, stop running away from your problems…!’ the blonde thought in frustration as they left. X*X*X*X*X*X*X“Ace!” Axel yelled as he ran inside from the garden. “Ace, we got a problem!”As Ace was getting the twins to get off his back again, trying to not tell them what was happening, the blonde caught Axel running over from the corner of his eyes. “Huh? Axel, what’s wrong?”“Regina took off on Dia, and Rox went after her on Night! He told me to get you and tell your parents!” the redhead told him urgently.“Oh for…!” Ace groaned, rubbing his temples. “You mind watching the twins for a moment? I’ll be right back,” he said, before he took off to find his parents. Axel nodded, before guiding the twins off to the dining hall, hoping Ignis could help him keep them occupied with a snack or something.Ace needed only a few moments to find his parents, who were still in Noctis’s study. “Mom! Dad!!” he called out, making the pair look up in alarm.“What’s wrong?!” Prompto demanded, seeing the panic on the youngest triplet’s face.“Regina took off on Dia! Rox went after her on Night, but…!”“Shit…!” Noctis snarled furiously.“Fucking hell!” Prompto spat. “That girl is acting out because she’s not getting her damn way, and enough is enough! I’m going after them. Noct, I’ll need help.”Noctis nodded his head, before turning to their youngest child. “Watch after Zack and Naminé, understood?”“Yes sir.”Prompto swiftly opened the bay window, before shifting into a griffon and launching himself out into the air, spreading his wings and taking flight to find Regina and Roxas. Noctis followed after swiftly, shifting into a dragon rather than a griffon, following after his mate.The blonde flew along just above the trees surrounding the Citadel, knowing that the two oldest triplets couldn’t have gotten too far, even by Chocobo. His piercing gaze scanned through the trees and foliage, seeking them out.‘Roxas?’ he tried calling out. ‘Rox, can you tell us where you are?’ He waited for a bit, before hearing a loud “KWEH!!” from a short distance east from himself and Noctis. ‘There!’ he gasped, before curving in the air and flying in the direction he had heard Night, Noctis close behind him. X*X*X*X*X*X*X“Regina! You gotta stop this shit!” Roxas yelled as Night slowly but surely started to catch up to Dia. Regina snarled softly under her breath, before suddenly forcing Dia to change directions, putting more distance between her and her brother once again. “Dammit…!” The blonde quickly nudged Night’s sides with his heels, spurring him into action. The silver Chocobo swiftly began to launch himself into leaping off the trees’ trunks, giving the pair a speed boost.Roxas knew their parents were coming towards them, and he wanted to at least give his sister a chance to not be in the deepest grave she could dig herself, but she certainly wasn’t making it easy.“Regina!! You can’t run away from everything when it doesn’t go your way! You’re just hurting your family!!” he shouted. The princess snorted icily, before she kicked Dia into a dash, rushing forward—right before she suddenly leapt from Dia’s back, shifted into a wolf, and disappeared through the undergrowth. Roxas snarled in frustration, before copying her, only shifting into a coeurl instead. A coeurl was naturally a faster form, and would catch up much easier to Regina.‘Mom! Dad! She shifted into a wolf and ran into the underbrush! I’m going after her as a coeurl!’ he called to his parents, who were flying above the trees.‘Fucking hell!’ Prompto snarled, before taking off in Regina’s direction. He could spy her in glimpses through the foliage, and was becoming steadily more and more pissed off. ‘REGINA!!’Noctis snarled as he hurried after Prompto, before he moved off to the side, keeping an eye on the girl below, as she continued rushing about…right before they lost sight of her entirely. ‘Dammit! Regina!!’ Noctis snarled out.‘I got her!’ Roxas yelled, having seen how she disappeared. He shifted into a weasel, and began to rapidly dig at the hole she was in.As Roxas began digging, Noctis and Prompto landed a little behind him. ‘What did she do?’ Noctis demanded.‘She shifted into a mouse and went in here,’ their son panted, digging furiously. Snarling, Noctis approached, watching as their son continued digging. Prompto growled, before shifting into a mouse as well.‘Rox, let me through. I’m going in after her,’ he said firmly, and Roxas nodded, stepping aside to let his mother through. Prompto headed inside, keeping his senses sharp so he could find Regina. ‘Regina, come out, please…?’‘…go ‘way…’ came the distant voice of his daughter.‘Not a chance. You can’t keep running away forever, Regina…’ her mother murmured, picking up his pace a bit. The further he got, the bigger the small hovel became, until, oddly enough, he came to what appeared to be an old nest of a small rodent. And at the far end of the nest, Regina (still in her mouse form) was curled in a ball, huddling away silently.‘Regina…sweetie… I’m not giving up on you…’ Prompto told her, his voice soft yet unyielding as he approached her.‘……’Prompto sighed heavily, going right up to her and curling around her, even wrapping his tail around her. He knew he had to get her to open up somehow, and he knew just how to do that, so he changed tactics. ‘Regina, do you want to know something special?’ he asked.For a long moment, the girl didn’t bother to respond, before she hissed out icily: ‘…what?’Her mother didn’t even flinch at the tone, smiling softly as he next spoke. ‘When I was pregnant with you and your brothers, I was terrified when I discovered I was having three children. I didn’t think I would be able to handle having three children, only two. And that was what I was expecting. But…when I felt all three of you kicking and moving inside of me, I knew I needed to raise you all as a good mom. I also wanted to. I don’t feel obligated to take care of any of you, but I have the desire to be an amazing mom and always love and care about my children. And I think I’ve done a pretty good job so far. I’ve had the support of your father the entire way, and he’s helped love and care for you all as much as any parent could. But now…I feel like I’m failing… I’m not failing myself, but I feel like I’m failing you. And that’s one of the worst feelings as a parent…’ The blonde sighed, before finishing. ‘So, in the end, what I’m saying is…I’m sorry.’Regina didn’t respond to those words at all. At least, not verbally. Instead, she lifted her head a little bit, watching her mother in silence, before she hid her face back in her small paws, curling up even further in herself.However, that one glance had let Prompto notice the tears in his daughter’s eyes. Prompto felt tears forming in his own eyes, and he wrapped himself a bit more firmly around her, nuzzling the top of her head gently while wrapping his tail around her own.‘I love you, Regina,’ he whispered.‘…love you, too, Ma…’ the younger shifter whimpered softly.‘You take all the time you need, okay? I’m not going anywhere,’ her mother murmured. He then reached out to Noctis and Roxas, only letting them hear his next words. ‘I’ve got her. When we do come out, don’t even get the least bit mad at her, understood?’‘…Okay, Mom,’ Roxas nodded.‘Right,’ the King said solemnly.Regina, meanwhile, whimpered as she snuggled up closer to her mother, not saying anything; she just huddled closer for comfort. However, after a few moments of this…‘…I dun wanna wear a dress, Ma…’‘I know, sweetie. I won’t force you, because I’d rather you not fight every step of the way. It’s hard on everyone involved, including yourself, to always fight. Trust me, I know. So, at least consider it. If you decide to be a bit more willing, I’ll let you go change after thirty minutes. So not even an hour, okay?’ Prompto offered.‘…kay…’ she said softly.‘Thank you. I’ve already dealt with your father and brother, so…will you come home now?’‘…’ The raven slowly nodded her head, not saying anything else. Prompto smiled softly, nuzzling her again.‘Whenever you’re ready. I’ll wait as long as it takes,’ he murmured. It took almost 20 minutes before Regina finally decided to get up to head out, following after her mother in complete silence. When they reached the exit and emerged from the hovel, Prompto shifted back to human form and gave his mate a pointed look, wordlessly telling him to apologize and make things right.Noctis didn’t respond to the look as he, too, shifted into human form as Regina got out, shifting back as well, though she kept her gaze aimed at the ground. The King sighed softly, walking over without a word spoken, before he pulled the princess into a hug, and though the girl tensed briefly, she let herself be hugged, reaching up quietly to hold his jacket.Roxas shifted back as well, before hugging his sister, too, not caring that she was being hugged by Noctis. “You worried Zack and Naminé, ya know…” he mumbled, and Prompto sighed. He should have known Roxas would say something, but at least he wasn’t mad.Regina flinched a bit at the words, but she didn’t say anything, as she let herself be hugged.After what felt like hours, Noctis finally murmured, “C’mon…let’s head back, alright?”“…kay…”With that, the family returned home to the Citadel, just making it back before sundown, and rejoined Ace, Axel, Zack, and Naminé, comforting the twins and reassuring them that everything was okay now. The family ended up retiring to bed early, Prompto and Ace staying up to feed the twins, before all of them went to bed, exhausted from the stress of the day.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(1 Week Before Christmas)X*XTime had been flying by since Regina had run off and then come home after Prompto had convinced her to, and the next thing the family knew, it was a week until Christmas. Roxas had persuaded his parents to let Axel spend the week-long break with them since he had no family to spend it with, so the redhead would be coming to the Citadel for the holiday break.Also, much to Regina’s chagrin, posters had been put up and flyers passed out for the ball the following month, which worried her brothers.“Regina, you’ll be just fine,” Roxas tried to assure her as they headed to the gates after landing from flying to school.“…why do I doubt that?” Regina grumbled softly.“Relax, Sis,” Ace murmured. “Just bear with it a little longer and then it’ll be Christmas and we won’t have to see them for a week.”“…fine…”“Maybe Domi will help you keep your head. He’s good at that,” Roxas chuckled, perking up when he saw Axel waiting at the gates as usual. “Hey Ax!”“Heya Rox!” the redhead greeted as the triplets joined him. “You guys excited for the Christmas break?”“Definitely! I’m glad you get to spend the break with us this time, instead of me dropping by after Christmas to visit,” the shorter blonde smiled.Regina didn’t bother to say anything, keeping her hands in her pockets. Ace regarded his sister for a moment, before he looked around, trying to spot Domi anywhere.“Oh! Hey, Domi! Over here!” Roxas called out suddenly, spotting the whitehead appearing to be searching.Domi blinked at the call, before he smiled and hurried over. “Morning~” he chirped.“Hey, Domi,” Ace said with a smile.Domi giggled, before he noticed Regina’s mood. “…? What’s wrong, love?”“…lot of bullshit…” she mumbled. Roxas sighed, hoping Domi would be able to cheer her up. Or at least keep her mind off of things for the time being.“So, Domi, you got any plans for the holiday break?” he asked, genuinely curious as the group started to head inside, the blonde holding Axel’s hand contently. They were still a bit early, so they had some time to hang out in the cafeteria before class.“Hmm? Oh, I didn’t have anything planned, really,” Domi admitted with a shrug. “My family never really does anything with Christmas.”“…Really? Nothing at all?” Regina asked with a small frown“Not really.”Ace frowned a little, before an idea came to him and he looked to Roxas with a small smirk. His brother nodded minutely, smirking as well, before pulling out his phone and shooting a text to Prompto and Noctis in a group text. 
Me: Hey Mom, Dad, can Domi spend the Christmas break with us? Ace and I wanna surprise Regina.

Mom: I don’t see a problem with it. I think that’s a great idea! :)

Dad: Agreed. Feel free to invite him.

Me: Thanks! I’ll let him know!
 Roxas then nodded again to Ace, letting him know they were clear to go ahead with inviting Domi. Upon that, Ace nodded back, but he didn’t bring it up yet, since Domi was in the middle of trying to cheer up their sister. Which, to be fair, he was doing a far better job at than they’d been. Axel had caught sight of the conversation on Roxas’s phone, and he smiled at his boyfriend as the shorter boy tucked his phone back into his pocket.“Nice job, Roxy,” he whispered, too quiet for Regina to hear. Roxas merely grinned, excited for when they would get to reveal their surprise. Granted, it was only three more days of waiting, but he was still eager. Now to somehow get Domi without Regina around, and extend the offer.Thankfully, they got the chance as they were heading inside, since Regina excused herself to go the bathroom quickly before classes started. Which left the boys alone for the moment.“…Hey, Domi?” Ace said calmly, making the whitehead blink as he looked over.“Hm? Something wrong?”“Nah, we actually wanted to offer if you’d like to spend the Christmas break with us at the Citadel,” Roxas smiled. “We wanna cheer Regina up, what with the ball next month, so we figured we’d surprise her by seeing if you want to spend the break with us. Mom and Dad have already approved it, too.”Domi blinked, twice, before he pointed at himself. “Wait, me…? S-stay at the Citadel…f-for a week?” he very nearly squeaked.“Ssshhh, we don’t want Regina to know yet,” the shorter blonde shushed warningly. “But definitely. You guys are best friends, after all.”“I’m spending the break with them at the Citadel, too,” Axel added. “If that helps to make your decision.”“Um…uh…” Domi fidgeted with his fingers for a few moments, biting the corner of his lip. “C…could I get some time to think that over…please?”“Sure. Just let us know before the week ends, okay?”“Yeah, you can text either of us if you want when you make your decision,” Roxas nodded, giving Domi his number. “No pressure, but you gotta tell us before Friday. So, you got two days.”“Um…y-yeah okay,” Domi got out, just before Regina came back out, mumbling something under her breath.When she noticed Domi’s fidgeting, though, she frowned and then turned to her brothers. “What did you do?”“Nothing! We’re innocent!” Roxas said quickly with a cheeky grin, before looking at his phone. “Oh, would you look at the time! Ax, we’d better get moving to class!” And with that said, he dashed off to his class, Axel close behind, laughing.Regina frowned deeper as Ace also excused himself to head to class, though he managed to keep his amusement from showing. Once they were gone, she turned to Domi. “What happened?”“Oh uh… Nothing, it’s okay. Just…you know, TMI and all.”“Ah, right…” Regina mumbled, before she sighed in annoyance. “Anyway, let’s go to class, shall we?”At that, Domi finally giggled. “Sure thing, love~” X*X(Ace)X*XAs the day continued chugging along, Ace was silently reading one of his books during home room. They were left to do some free studying before lunch, and everyone was spending it in their own way. Of course, Nine, Cinque and Eight weren’t doing any studying whatsoever and were just messing around (Nine, mostly), while King and Queen were talking quietly in the back. They weren’t talking about studying, obviously, but at least they were keeping the conversation to themselves. Nine’s voice was practically filling the entire room, which wasn’t anything new, anyway.“Ace.”The prince almost jumped a hole in the air at the sudden call, but he managed to keep himself composed as he looked up to his purple-haired classmate. “Yes? Is something wrong, Quon?” he asked, trying to ignore how his heart was hammering in his throat.“Not wrong, per se,” the taller teen admitted calmly. “However, I am somewhat curious about this,” he said, placing a familiar poster on Ace’s desk.“Ah, about the ball?”“Correct,” Quon said with a small nod. “I’ve done some research on this ‘ball’, and from what I could find, this was meant for the royal heirs to find a fitting suitor.” He waited for a moment, before he asked, “Am I wrong?”“No, you’re not wrong,” Ace admitted. “In normal situations, that would be the case, yes, but our father doesn’t wish for us to be forced into a relationship in that fashion.”“I see…yet your father is still going through with it…”“Yes, but it’s more like a more elaborate birthday party in our case,” Ace explained.Quon hummed in agreement, nodding briefly. “Hmm…is that even permitted according to tradition?”“I’m not sure…” Ace admitted. “But Father is King, so I’m fairly sure he’s permitted to twist tradition a little bit, as long as it doesn’t deviate too much from the norm.”“Interesting…” Quon said with a hum. Ace was fairly certain that would’ve been the end of it normally, but then Quon continued. “Actually, I’ve been wondering…the Citadel has a library of its own, correct?”Ace wasn't sure what that was about, but after a moment of considering the possibilities, his heart skipped a beat. “Yes, we do…why do you ask?”“Well, I’ve been looking for a number of books to broaden my horizons, but I’ve not had any luck in locating them.” He paused here, as if to consider his words, which Ace wasn’t sure why he had to. “I’ve heard that these books are present in the Citadel’s library. Would there be a possibility for you to look these up?”The young prince was about to answer that, sure, he could probably get them out if he managed to convince his parents to lend them to Quon, but the words that came out instead were far different. “Actually, why don’t you stop by the Citadel? That way you can look for them yourself, and perhaps you’ll even find something else you’re interested in.”Ace was impressed that his own expression didn’t match Quon’s startled one. It took Quon almost five minutes before he was able to utter, “Are you certain that would be acceptable?”“Fairly sure it’s more acceptable than taking out ancient tomes from the Citadel’s library to ensure they won’t fall apart from use,” Ace said almost immediately, and he was shocked at his own words as much as Quon was. He wasn’t sure where these ideas were suddenly coming from…but he wasn’t about to complain if it got Quon to come by the Citadel.“…Well, if you’re certain…I’d definitely appreciate it,” Quon said finally, and Ace resisted the urge to whoop out loud.Instead, he nodded. “I’ll need to ask Father for permission, first. Do you want me to text you later?”“Yes, if you wouldn’t mind. Ah, but I have some things to arrange this week. Would next week be fine?”“During the holidays? I don’t see why not.”“Perfect. Thank you, Ace.”“No problem,” Ace said calmly, even as Quon walked away. The moment he was gone though, Ace released a labored breath and swiftly covered his mouth. ‘Holy SHIT!! I…I actually did it…!’The rest of the class was spent trying to calm himself down before he went to meet his siblings for lunch. X*X*X*X*X*X*XAt lunch, Roxas sat next to Axel at their group’s table, since it was too cold and wet to eat outside, thanks to the falling snow. It was finally snowing in Insomnia, thankfully, and many of the students were excited. The triplets, however, weren’t too keen on flying home in the cold.“This bites. Why couldn’t the snow have hit after we got home?” he complained.“Yeah…not cool…” Ace mumbled.Regina sighed softly. “So…what? We ask Iggy to pick us up?”“Guess so,” Roxas grumbled, pulling out his phone and sending a quick text to Ignis, asking him if he could pick them up in the Regalia after school. He got a reply within 30 seconds, the Advisor saying he would. “Well, there’s our commute situation resolved. Iggy’s gonna pick us up after school.”“Sounds good,” Ace said with a nod…before he blinked. “Ah, right…”When his siblings looked at him, he pulled out his phone and quickly typed a text to their mother. 
Me: Mom, a friend from class asked to come by over the holidays to study. Is that okay?

Mom: Of course, sweetie! Just make sure to let your father know. :)

Me: Thanks, mom.
 After saying that, he switched contacts quickly. 
Me: Dad, a friend wants to come by over the holidays to study. I asked mom, and he said it’s okay. Can he?
 It took a moment before Noctis responded, signaling he’d probably been working on something. 
Dad: I don’t see why not. To be fair, you’re the only one whose friends haven’t been invited yet.

Me: Thanks, dad.

Dad: No problem. See you tonight.
 With that done, Ace put his phone away. Roxas looked at him curiously.“What was that all about?” he inquired.“Ah. Just asking Mom and Dad if Quon could come over during the holidays,” Ace said.Regina arched an eyebrow at her brother for a moment, curious…before she smirked lazily. “Quon? Isn’t that the bookworm who’s read the whole encyclopedia twice?”“Three times.”“Same difference.”“Hey, the more people around home, the better, I think. It makes things a bit livelier,” Roxas shrugged.“And I won’t be the only guest then, either,” Axel added.“Actually, he’s just coming by maybe one or two days,” Ace pointed out. “He’s got some things to do, still.”“More reading, I’ll bet…” Regina chuckled, making Domi giggle.“Regina, be nice. I’m sure he’ll be fine. No worse than Libby when she’s on you about your studying,” Roxas snickered, drawing a snort of laughter from his boyfriend.“Speaking of Libby…” Domi started, looking to Regina. “Isn’t she coming?”“Think she’s in the library for…something or another,” Regina said with a shrug.“Told you,” Roxas smirked.“What about Terry? Where’s she at?” Axel asked, before quickly ducking his head as though anticipating a whack to the head again.“Probably running laps around the school again,” Domi said with a giggle and Regina laughed.“Yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised.”“Geez, even in this weather. That girl is a bit too dedicated to running,” Axel sighed.“And she’s got a peg-leg, too,” Regina chuckled.“Good point,” the redhead nodded.“I’d be freezing my ass off out there. I don’t know how she does it,” Roxas snorted.“I’m fairly certain her response would be that running keeps her warm,” Domi pointed out.“True,” the blonde conceded with a laugh. Ace merely hummed as he took a sip from his drink.“So you planning on saying something when he comes over before the ball?” Regina asked casually, which, instantly, made Ace choke on his soda.“Gah fuuu!! Regina!!” he cried out over Regina’s laughter, while Domi giggled. Roxas and Axel couldn’t resist joining in with the raven’s laughter, the shorter blonde nearly falling out of his seat from laughing so hard.Ace pouted at the others’ laughter, before Regina settled and threw an arm around her brother's shoulders. “Hey, don’t worry, Ace,” she assured. “We got your back, alright? If you need help, just let us know, kay?”“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ace coughed out, though there was no denying the slight redness along his cheeks.“Ace, it’s fine. I was scared I was being too obvious with Axel, and that he’d notice, but he didn’t. Regina did, though,” Roxas admitted, looking at his sister pointedly.“Of course I did, idiot,” Regina quipped with a chuckle as she poked the middle triplet in his side around Domi. Said boy yelped at the poke, before he poked her in return.“Be nice! It worked out in the end, anyway. Why do you always have to tease us, anyway?” he pouted. “You should just be supportive!”“I never said I’m not, did I?” the princess pointed out. “But it’s so much fun to see you boys fidget.”“More like squirm,” Roxas muttered, still pouting until Axel kissed his temple with a chuckle.“It’s just how older siblings are,” he assured his boyfriend. “Reno was that way with me when I visited over the summer, too.”Suddenly, someone grabbed Axel by the back of his hair and made him tilt his head back. “Yo, Axe, mind not being mushy in public with royalty, dude?”“Terry! It’s fine!” Roxas protested with a laugh, swatting her hand away. Axel rubbed the back of his head, ruffling the spikes a bit as he tried to relieve the soreness from the grab.Terry chuckled as she moved over and snagged up Regina’s bottled water, downing the whole thing in only a few long gulps. “Whew!”“Had a nice run?” Regina chuckled.“Yep!”“When do you not have a nice run?” Axel pointed out with a chuckle.“When my leg starts acting up, smartass!” the older redhead laughed.“Better than being a dumbass.”Regina rolled her eyes, but she didn’t say anything about the conversation as she turned back to her lunch. Roxas chuckled at the exchange, enjoying himself. Looking at Ace and Regina briefly, he truly hoped the good times would never end. X*X*X*X*X*X*XAfter school, Roxas parted from Axel, blushing slightly when the redhead kissed him chastely before heading home. The blonde then went over to the Regalia with his siblings, where Ignis and, surprisingly, Iris, were waiting.“Oh, hey Iris,” he greeted. “What are you doing here?”“I’m here to help with your guys’ attires! We’re going to get you three fitted for your attires for the ball,” she answered. Roxas immediately glanced at Regina, nervous.Regina tensed sharply at the words, clenching her fist tightly, but she bit her lip to keep herself from saying anything. Domi, however, noticed the look, and he frowned in worry. After a moment of thought, though, he blinked and smiled.“Excuse me, would it be okay if I went with?” he asked. “I’m studying fashion, so I could use the experience~”“I don’t see an issue with it. But someone won’t be able to ride in the Regalia, is all. There’s only room for three more,” Iris replied.“I’ll take the cold. It’ll be worth it for Domi to come with,” Roxas shrugged. Sure, the cold wasn’t pleasant, but he’d rather be cold than deal with a pissed off Regina with clothes-shopping.“…No one’s staying outside,” Regina said firmly, as she stepped up to the Regalia, tugging Domi after her.“Huh???” Domi blinked as Regina opened the door and ushered him inside. The moment he got in, Regina moved after him—before shifting into cat form and hopping into his lap, making the whitehead yelp in surprise.“Well that works,” Roxas shrugged, climbing in to sit next to Domi. Domi pouted a little, but he didn’t say anything as Regina got comfy and Ace climbed in to sit next to Roxas. The shorter blonde chuckled at the pout, before saying, “Hey, don’t be upset. Consider yourself lucky cuz Regina doesn’t do that with anyone, like, ever.”That made Domi blink in surprise before looking to Regina…who had already fallen asleep in his lap (or at least appeared to have). So instead, he allowed a small smile and carefully started petting her while she slept.Ace chuckled softly as he settled back against the seat, before he said, “I think we’re ready to go.”“Very well then,” Ignis nodded, before pulling away.“So, how was school, guys?” Iris asked, looking back at the teens as the sandy blonde drove to a high-end clothing store, where they would have their clothes tailored for them.“It was good,” Roxas answered.“Pretty much, yeah…” Ace agreed.Regina, of course, didn’t respond from where she lay, napping and purring in Domi’s lap while the whitehead lightly scratched under her chin.“Good to hear. But we’ll try and make this quick, for everyone’s sakes,” the brunette smiled, glancing at Regina.“Yeah, definitely smart…” Ace agreed. Roxas nodded, grateful for that. Soon enough, they pulled up to the tailor shop, Ignis parking smoothly in a parking spot close to the entrance.“We’re here,” he announced, shutting off the engine. Domi nodded, before he gently prodded Regina to make her get up. This made the princess grumble slightly, but she got up regardless as her brothers got out first, with Domi following after.“Have a good nap, Regina?” Roxas asked with a chuckle once she’d shifted back.“Shut up…” she mumbled, before she yawned.“I’ll take that as a yes,” the shorter blonde smirked, before Ignis and Iris began to herd them all inside.“So, Roxas, Ace, do you know what colors you’d want for your tuxedos?” Iris asked.“…shouldn’t we stick with black?” Ace questioned with a small frown. “That’s our family’s colors, right?”“Yes, that’s right, but Noctis is allowing a bit of color for you guys, if you want,” the brunette replied.“…Well, I wouldn’t mind a bit of ocean blue somewhere…” Roxas admitted.“…Red, then,” Ace said with a nod.Regina, however, snorted with her arms folded. “Pass…” she grumbled. Iris mentally sighed at Regina’s attitude, but nodded at the boys’ color requests.“Okay, no worries,” she smiled.“Well then, Roxas, Ace, you’ll be with me,” Ignis said.“And you’ll be with me, Regina, Domi,” Iris added.Ace nodded as he and Roxas went with Ignis. Regina didn’t even bother to say anything in response. Domi frowned sadly at his friend’s obvious displeasure, before he stepped up behind her and put his hands to her neck.“Gyah! Domi!!”“Easy, love; being all stiff isn’t going to help anyone,” he said simply. Iris smiled at the exchange, glad that the raven had such a good best friend. Maybe Prompto was right and they would end up together with time.“Take your time, guys. I’m going to start looking,” she giggled, heading towards the women’s section.Regina groaned, which was a combination of her annoyance and Domi pressing his thumbs down along her shoulders. “I am not looking forward to this at all…”Domi sighed with a shake of his head. “Relax, love…it’ll work out just fine, you’ll see.”“Somehow I doubt that…” she mumbled, before they followed Iris (Regina doing so begrudgingly). Iris was already looking through the dresses when they joined her, trying to find a few for the raven to try on that would be flatter her body.“Remember, Regina, Prompto said it’s only for thirty minutes at the ball,” she reminded Regina without looking at her. The blonde had told her about the deal they’d made.“…whatever…” the princess grumbled. Iris sighed, but then pulled out a dress that she felt would really look good on Regina.“Here we go. Let’s have you try on this one, okay?”If looks could kill, Regina would have vaporized the dress in Iris’s hands. As it was, though, she merely mumbled something under her breath as she merely glared at the black piece of fabric as if it had caused her some sort of disservice.The dress would easily reach her ankles, the fabric seemingly wrapping around her legs without it being in the way (though Regina surely had something to say about it), and the chest had a light v-neck, though not as deeply that it would be considered racy, the sleeves left the shoulders and elbows bare and ended in a pair rings that were likely meant to fit around her fingers. She was obviously not impressed by the dress.“At least try it on,” Iris urged. “We’ll try out two dresses for now, and see which one looks better. That’s it. I won’t push it.”“…do I have to?” the princess fairly snarled out.Domi sighed softly at the words, shaking his head. “Regina, love,” he started. “I know you don’t like it, but the sooner you do this the sooner it’s done with…kay?”Regina gave the whitehead a small, pointed glare, which didn’t affect the crossdresser in the slightest (for which he had to be commended). Eventually, though, Regina groaned heavily.“Fiiiiiine…”Iris handed the Crown Princess the dress, and led her to the changing room, letting her go inside on her own and shutting the door. “We’ll be outside the changing rooms, okay?” she told her, ignoring the growl she got in response. She went back out, and smiled gratefully at Domi.“Thanks for that, Domi. You’re a good kid,” she told him kindly.Domi blinked, before he managed a small, sheepish smile as he lightly scratched at his cheek. “Ah well…you know…I try…” he offered lamely.“You’re so humble, but that’s good. You remind me of Prompto, in a way,” the brunette giggled. “He was shy for the longest time, especially during his and Noctis’s wedding and its preparations.”“Um…”However, before Domi could any anything else, the door to the changing room was very nearly thrown off its hinges as Regina stepped out, and she did NOT look happy at all. While the dress fit her well enough, with a few exceptions, including the skirt dragging over her feet or the sleeves hanging along her arms since the rings were left hanging over her hands. And while it certainly didn’t look bad despite that (in fact it actually looked somewhat good), the princess clearly didn’t agree to that notion.“You look really good, Regina!” Iris told her truthfully. “It’ll need to be tailored to fit properly, but it looks good otherwise.”The princess, of course, refused to respond to the obvious praise, and given how her fists were clenched and her teeth bit at the corner of her lip, it was obvious that she was struggling to keep her voice in check. Domi, meanwhile, watched his friend sympathetically, before he hurried over to assist.“Let me see for a minute, Regina,” he said kindly as he lifted her hand. She didn’t say anything as he began to fiddle with the ring on the sleeve, murmuring something or another under his breath…all while his free fingers slowly and soothingly ran along the back of her hand. And, slowly, the princess’s hands unclenched until the fingers merely curled into a half-formed fist.Iris remained quiet, letting Domi do his thing to calm Regina down, waiting patiently.“…How in Ifrit’s name do these even—…oh, magnets, duh,” Domi sighed as he clicked the ring loose and then carefully slipped it along the girl’s middle finger. “…that okay?”“…” Regina didn't say anything; she merely cocked an eyebrow at him.“No. Okay, I get it,” Domi sighed. “No rings then?”“Hell no.”“Okay…” After unclasping the ring and letting it hang on her hand again, Domi turned to the dresses and hummed in thought, one finger pressed to his bottom lip.“What are you thinking, Domi?” Iris inquired after a few minutes, curious as to what was running through his mind. The whitehead didn’t respond immediately to the question. Instead, he walked over to the rows and rows of dresses, looking through them, humming softly to himself. Iris watched him, wondering just what he was looking for.As she waited patiently for Domi to say something, the brunette thought about Regina’s reaction to the rings on the dress. She hoped the raven would be okay with a wedding ring when she does eventually get married, as she wouldn’t be able to stay single or unmarried forever. Especially with Domi in her life. It was obvious even to Iris that Regina and Domi had a special bond, even though they were only best friends right now. No one had ever been able to calm the Crown Princess down so well, not even her parents or brothers. And even though she’s friends with Libby and Terry, they didn’t have nearly as close of a connection with her like Domi did.“…ah.” Upon that call, Iris’s attention was brought back to Domi as he reached out behind the rack he had been looking at and tugged out one from the rack on the opposite end. “…Dun think this is pure black, but…” he said as he carefully held it up.It was actually a very simple dress; its skirt was simple and flowing like silk, a midnight bluish black color, a silken blue sash encircling the waist, with the top half of the dress being decorated in elaborate pitch-black decorations that continued along the see-through sleeves, which ended around the middle of the forearm.“It’s gorgeous,” Iris smiled softly, awed by the beauty of the dress. She knew that, as long as Regina wore it even a bit willingly, then Noctis nor Prompto would mind the color. Besides, it was dark enough to be almost black.Naturally, Regina didn’t say anything as Domi walked over and lightly pressed it against the shoulders, looking her over as he held the dress there. After a few moments of quiet, Domi lifted his gaze and tilted his head.“…”Shockingly, the princess sighed heavily, before reaching up and taking the dress in her hands, after which she silently walked back to the changing room.“Good job, Domi!” Iris whispered excitedly once she was in the changing room, giving him a thumbs up. “Even though it’s not quite black, even if she’s a bit willing, then I know it’ll be fine.”“I’m not entirely sure it’s willing, but…” Domi admitted with a small shrug.“I know, but if she becomes a little willing, then it’s okay.” X*X(Roxas & Ace)X*XWhile Regina suffered (in her mind) with the dresses, Roxas and Ace were getting their measurements taken by Ignis for their tuxedos. Roxas was going first, since he was secretly a bit excited at the idea of wearing a tuxedo around Axel now that they were together. He wouldn’t admit that out loud, though. Especially with Regina despising what the ball entailed with a scorching passion, aka wearing a dress.“Do you think Regina’s okay?” he asked Ace as Ignis got close to finishing his measurements on the shorter blonde.“I’m not sure…” Ace admitted. “I’m hoping Domi will keep her from blowing the place up…”“I’m fairly certain she won’t go that drastic,” Ignis commented, standing up. “Your turn now, Ace.” Roxas stepped away, leaning against the nearby wall as he watched he brother get measured.“I dunno… We all know she hates skirts, let alone dresses, and being forced into trying any on? I wouldn’t be surprised if she did try to destroy this place,” he sighed.Ace sighed a bit as he raised his arms to let Ignis work. “I hope not…and I hope even more that people don’t come to the ball with the old tradition in mind…”“I hear ya. After all, I’m already with Axel, I know about your situation, and Regina…would probably maim and/or kill someone with a look if they even tried,” Roxas nodded, looking at his brother pointedly, wordlessly referring to Quon. Ace spluttered a bit, but he didn’t say anything as he, instead, looked away pointedly. “It’s okay, Ace,” the shorter blonde soothed with a kind smile.“I won’t inquire, but please don’t keep secrets from your parents,” Ignis said suddenly, and Roxas chuckled.“We’re not keeping anything secret that’ll hurt anyone, Iggy,” he assured their father’s Advisor as he straightened up.“Good to know,” the sandy blonde smirked. “Now to find you each a suitable tuxedo that can have your requested colors added to them in a subtle fashion that won’t be painful to look at.” The boys nodded as they followed after Ignis toward the racks of tuxedos.“…I’m not sure I see any real difference between them,” Ace admitted.“I can assure you they do have their differences,” Ignis chuckled. “Most of them are subtle, but they are there.”“Well, whatever you think will look best on us, Iggy,” Roxas shrugged. After about twenty minutes of searching, the King’s Advisor got them each set up with their own tuxedos, and both boys were surprisingly pleased with how they looked, despite the tuxedos not being tailored to fit them perfectly just yet. Once they were set to go, with the tailoring being set up and a deposit placed for the outfits, Roxas and Ace followed Ignis over to the women’s section to meet up with Iris, Regina, and Domi. They joined them just in time to see the Crown Princess emerge from the dressing room in a beautiful midnight blue dress, and Roxas’s eyes widened at the sight of his sister.“Wow, Regina, you look really good!” he smiled, his tone sincere. Ace nodded in awe, too, not sure if there was anything he could add to the words. Regina didn’t bother to respond as she reached up to adjust the upper half of the dress.This triggered Domi and he moved over to help her, humming thought as he looked over the dress as he rested on her form. It thankfully didn’t seem to need a whole lot of adjustments (should she decide to go for the dress). That is, of course, except for the torso, since it somewhat hung off her shoulders.“True. You look quite elegant, Regina,” Ignis agreed with a nod.“That’s an understatement! You look even more beautiful than you did in the first one,” Iris smiled brightly. Regina frowned at the others, even as Domi tugged up on the back of the dress to get it into its proper position.Before anyone could speak again, a voice called from a little behind them. “Pardon my intrusion, sires, is everything to your liking?” an employee asked of them.Those words made Regina tense sharply, and, immediately, every muscle in her body drew taut.‘Ah crap…!’ Domi thought in annoyance with a barely suppressed groan. ‘This isn’t going to end well…’“No, we’re fine, but thank you,” Iris told the employee firmly, with a polite smile on her face. Roxas looked at Ace a bit nervously as she spoke, praying to the Six the employee wouldn’t be too pushy.“Are you certain?” the employee asked, clearly not catching the greatly souring mood. “If you wish, I could offer some assistance to find what you need…”In response, Regina shut her eyes, her hands clenching to the point where they audibly cracked.“Regina, love, easy…” Domi whispered softly, moving to gently rub the girl’s shoulders.“We’re absolutely certain,” Ignis frowned at the employee when he heard the cracking. “In fact, we were getting prepared to leave soon, as our business here is nearly complete.”“Ah, but surely there’s something that could—”“Excuse me, dear,” a cold voice that no one immediately recognized suddenly said. And when they looked over, their attention went to Domi as the boy stepped up, his heels clicking sharply against the floor with one hand placed on his hip. “Can you not read the mood, hm?” he said as he put himself right in the man’s face, forcing the employee to stumble back (though Domi followed close behind). “We. Are. Done. Here,” he said simply, before he raised his hand and prodded a sharp nail against his chest. “Do you truly intend to speak back to your Crown Princess and assume that you know what she wishes to do? Do you not even realize that such thinking could potentially get you thrown into the Citadel’s dungeon…or worse, hm?”Roxas glanced at Ace, his blue eyes wide with shock, but he was incredibly impressed with how the whitehead was handling the situation. Domi was protecting Regina, which normally would piss the raven off like nobody’s business, but this time, she was letting it happen. The short blonde reasoned it had to be because Regina knew Domi’s way was better than her way, which would result in a most likely bloody mess.Ace weakly shrugged his shoulders in response to his brother’s silent words, before he turned back to the scene as the employee stammered and stuttered in the face of a pissed off Dominatio.“Get it? Got it? Good,” Domi said with a dismissive snort, at which point he abruptly snapped out his finger and flicked the man’s forehead, making him cry out and stumble even further back. “In that case, we’ll be taking our leave, now,” he said with an almost cheery giggle, even though his eyes were still flashing dangerously at the man, before he turned on his heel and walked back toward his friend’s side.“…Regina, go and get changed back into your normal attire,” Ignis told her firmly. “Once you have, we’ll leave.”Regina took a few deep breaths, before she solemnly nodded her head, turning to the changing room, and it was clear to the others that her mood was nowhere near calmed down yet. Domi followed her until he reached the doorway to the room, at which point he turned to throw a pointed glare at the employee, his lips pursed together in a tight line, as if he was daring the man to say anything else. Once Regina was safely in the changing room, Iris glared at the employee.“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave us be. Now,” she growled. Roxas gave a low warning growl as well, making the employee practically bolt from the area.“…pardon my language; but fuck that asshole,” Ace snarled softly.“I won’t stop you there,” Ignis sighed, and it wasn’t even ten seconds after he spoke that Regina emerged from the changing room again, back in her school uniform. “Let’s take our leave, and get back to the Citadel.”Regina nodded stiffly, and Domi gently patted the noiret’s back, leading her out toward the entrance. Roxas looked at Ace, and he followed after. Iris knew now wasn’t a good time to bother with getting the dress tailored, but she would handle it another time. Fortunately, she wouldn’t have any trouble with knowing the measurements, because she had done so recently in preparation for this. So, the brunette looked at Ignis worriedly, but trailed after the teens once Ace had left, Ignis close behind her.When they arrived at the Regalia, Domi was still lightly rubbing Regina’s shoulders with a small sigh. As Ignis approached, Dominatio looked up and asked, “I apologize, Mr. Scientia, can we perhaps make a small pit stop on the way to my house?”“Of course, Dominatio,” the sandy blonde smiled lightly, climbing into the driver’s seat while Iris got into the front passenger seat.“Take your time, okay guys?” Roxas murmured, climbing into the middle seat while Ace sat on his right behind Iris, leaving the seat behind Ignis for Domi and Regina.Whereas Domi hadn’t known what to expect before, now he quietly sat down and got himself comfy before Regina moved over and once again shifted into a cat, curling up into his lap almost immediately. The whitehead didn’t say anything about that as he tugged the door closed, allowing Ignis to drive off. As they did, Domi directed the bespectacled man along the road, while one hand focused on petting Regina.Roxas occasionally looked at his sister in Domi’s lap, feeling incredibly grateful to the boy for coming with them. However, he was still worried about Regina, hoping she would be okay after Domi was dropped off at his home.“…Ah, it’s right over here!” Domi pointed out suddenly, gesturing to the side of the street. Ignis quickly yet smoothly began to slow down, pulling over for a smooth stop and putting the Regalia in park.Domi smiled a bit as he turned to Regina in his lap. “Regina, love? You mind letting me up?”Regina gave a small grumble, but she didn’t say anything as she quietly hopped off his lap. Domi smiled as he moved over and climbed out of the Regalia. After he shut the door, he looked through the window and said, “I’ll be right back,” before he hurried over to a shop.Regina watched him go briefly, before she shifted back to human form again, settling in the seat silently. Roxas hesitated when she sat in the seat, wanting to reach out to his sister, but not wanting to upset her further. So, he settled for keeping to himself, waiting for Domi’s return.Ace bit his lip in worry, fiddling at the edge of his uniform jacket. He was just as worried about his big sister as Roxas, but he was just as worried that he would end up saying the wrong thing.“Here we go~” Domi’s voice suddenly came as he leaned through the window, holding three large cups of some sort of chocolate milkshake…which were overflowing with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.Regina blinked in surprise as she was handed one of the cups, before she quietly took the milkshake.“Wait, those are for us?” Roxas asked, passing the next cup to Ace when it was handed to him and taking the last one. “Thanks a ton, Domi. That was really nice of you!”“No worries~” Domi said with a giggle as he leaned on the door. “I can walk home from here. You just enjoy your milkshakes, kay?”“Are you sure? Will you be okay heading home from here by yourself?” Iris frowned, concerned.“I’m okay~ It’s just around the corner here, so I can walk the rest of the way,” Domi assured with a smile.But before he could leave…“…Domi…”“Hm? Yes, love?”Regina didn’t look up from slightly stirring the thick straw along the milkshake as she said quietly, “…thanks…”The whitehead regarded the girl for a moment, before he smiled warmly. “Anytime, love~” he said, before he stepped back so that Ignis could drive off. “I’ll see you tomorrow at school~” he chirped with a bright smile.“See you tomorrow, Domi, and thanks again,” Roxas smiled.“See ya, Dom,” Ace said with a small wave. And with that, Ignis pulled away, heading back to the Citadel to take the triplets home.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(Thursday Night)X*XIt was Thursday night, and the next day was the last day of school before the holiday break. Roxas was in his room, texting Axel before he went to bed for the night, going over what they could do during the redhead’s stay for the break. The blonde was extremely excited for his boyfriend to stay with him at the Citadel this time, since in prior years, Roxas would go over and visit with Axel for the day both on Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas, with either Noctis or Prompto coming over to pick him up when it was time to go home. So, the shifter was incredibly happy to be able to have his boyfriend over for the holiday break this time. 
Me: So, do you have everything packed for when you come over with us tomorrow?

Ax: I got everything, Roxy~ Besides, even if I forget anything, we can always pick it up later.

Me: Well, we wanna prevent that from happening so I’m not flying you back and forth.

Ax: But I love riding you, Roxy! XD
 Roxas blushed at the words on his phone’s screen, knowing that the text definitely had a heavily intended double meaning. 
Me: You are such a perv…

Ax: But you love me for it! :P

Me: I do love you, but please don’t say that kind of stuff in around others!

Ax: Like I would. I’d rather keep my balls intact, thank you! O_O;

Me: XD I would like to think so!

Ax: Besides, the better to please you with later~

Me: AXEL!! >_<

Ax: XD
 The blonde rolled his eyes, blushing darkly now. His boyfriend was so ridiculous, but he loved him anyway. Suddenly, his phone chirped, signaling he’d gotten another text from someone. He opened the text, not recognizing the number, but he immediately recognized the texting style. 
Unknown: Hey, Roxy~ Still awake? :D

Me: Hey Domi! I recognize that texting style anywhere, lol. And yeah, just texting Axel. What’s up?

Domi: Just wanted to make sure of something; should I pack a towel for the week or am I free to use some over there??

Me: XD We have more than enough towels to spare, unless you’re really picky. So I take it you’re staying for the break, huh?

Domi: I’d have thought that was obvious~

Domi: Anyway, after what happened yesterday, I figure Regina’s gonna need the distraction. Agreed?

Me: Just making sure, haha! But yeah, I agree. She needs you, cuz family just isn’t cutting it anymore…

Domi: I’d like to think she still appreciates her family, Roxy.

Me: Nah, I know she does, but what I mean is that we’re not enough for her support-wise these days. You help her the most, and it’s obvious to all of us.
 There was no immediate response to those words. Domi likely hadn’t been expecting him to say that, as it took him five more minutes to reply. 
Domi: It’s not that bad…is it?

Me: Unfortunately, it is. Ever since Dad broke the news to her about the ball and having to wear a dress, things just haven’t quite been the same… Did she tell you she ran off after fighting with Mom and Dad about the dress thing?

Domi: OoO

Domi: No she didn’t…

Me: Yeah… Mom, Dad, and I had to chase after her, and Mom somehow convinced her to come home, but after that, I noticed she’s been a lot more resentful and bitter around us… I really want things to be back to normal, and my hope is that she’ll be okay once this ball is done and over with.

Domi: Awww… ;;_;; I hope so too… Family shouldn’t be fighting \>o</

Me: Definitely not! But don’t tell her I told you ‘bout that, please? She’ll maim me if she finds out… O_O;

Domi: Tell who what now? ;p

Me: Thanks, Domi. Well, I better get some sleep, or I’ll drop dead by lunch tomorrow. XD See you tomorrow!

Domi: Night~night~ :)
 Roxas chuckled to himself, before going back to his chat with Axel, who had sent him three texts while the blonde was texting Domi. 
Ax: Roxy?

Ax: Roxy, where’d you go?

Ax: DON’T ABANDON ME, ROXY!! ;-;

Me: Sorry Ax, Domi was texting me saying he’s staying for the break. I wasn’t abandoning you, I promise! Besides, I’m actually about to go to sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow?

Ax: ^-^ I knew you wouldn’t leave me, Roxy! XD Well, I’m glad he’s staying, too. After what you told me had happened at the tailor’s yesterday, I’m sure Regina’s gonna be really happy.

Me: I know she will. But like I just told Domi, I need to get some shuteye, or I’m gonna drop by lunch tomorrow. I’ll see you tomorrow morning, okay? I love you. Goodnight.

Ax: Love you, too, Roxy~ See you tomorrow! Goodnight~
 Rox smiled softly at the simple text, warmth filling his heart as he read it. He was so glad to have Axel in his life… Setting his phone on his nightstand, he curled up under his blanket, and soon fell asleep, eager for the break. X*X*X*X*X*X*XThe next morning, Roxas spotted Domi chatting with Axel near the school gates when Regina, Ace, and he got close, and noticed Domi had his bag for the break with him. He quickly covered Regina’s eyes firmly, not wanting her to notice just yet.“Gah!! What the hell Rox?!” Regina cried out in surprise.“No peeking! I won’t let you trip or anything, I promise, just let me guide you, okay?” the middle triplet laughed, looking at Ace so his younger brother could help.“Seriously, what the hell are you—”“It’s fine, Sis. C’mon!” Ace said as he moved to guide Regina as well. The two blondes guided Regina to Axel and Domi, Roxas grinning excitedly when the pair noticed them approaching. Axel chuckled in amusement at the sight, but didn’t say anything.“All right, here we go, Regina!” Roxas smiled brightly, uncovering her eyes so she could see Domi with his bag.“Nargh…!” Regina cried as the light assaulted her eyes again, making her reach up briefly to rub at her eyes to get rid of the spots along her vision.“You okay, love?” Domi asked worriedly, adjusting his extra bag carefully.“Fine…” she grumbled in slight annoyance. However, before she had the chance to say anything else, she seemed to realize what Domi was carrying. “…? What are you carrying around?”“Hm? Oh, well, it would be smart to pack all the essentials if one’s to spend a week at a friend's house, right?” Domi asked, rather than just outright state what he was holding.“…Wait…what…?”“Surprise!” Roxas laughed. “Ace and I invited Domi to stay the break with us all at the Citadel, with Mom and Dad’s permission. They’re happy to have Domi over!”Regina regarded her brothers for several long moments, before she looked back to Domi, who was giggling at the princess’s confusion. “Yep~ Surprised me, too, but hey. It’s all good, right?”After a moment more of just blinking, Regina snorted and allowed a small smirk. “Yeah… yeah, we’re good.”“Cool~”Roxas smiled happily at his sister, knowing she was really happy. Sure, she wouldn’t show it like Ace or he would, but that’s just how she was.“Well anyway!” Domi chirped. “Shall we get to class? Sooner we get this day started the sooner it's over~”Regina chuckled as she nodded. “Right, let’s go.”Ace breathed out in relief, before he shared a relieved smile with his brother. Roxas returned the smile, definitely pleased with their handiwork. He then took Axel’s hand in his own, before the group headed inside and out of the cold.“You did really good, Roxy,” Axel praised quietly as he and Roxas followed Regina, Domi, and Ace into the school.“Thanks, I’d like to think so,” the blonde chuckled. X*X(Lunch)X*XOnce it was lunch time, Roxas and Axel headed over to their usual table in the back of the cafeteria, where Roxas quickly noticed his siblings weren’t there yet, oddly enough. Neither were Domi or Libby. Terry was, though, and the blonde approached the older girl with Axel.“Hey Terry!” he called in greeting as they got close. “Where are Ace, Regina, Domi, and Libby?”Terry looked up from where she was just biting down on a sandwich, reclined back in her chair. After swallowing, the redhead said, “Libby and Regi went to pick up some books Libs wants Reg’ to read up on during the holidays,” she started, before pausing to take a sip from her drink. “Dunno where Ace’s at, but I saw ‘m walking with that weird pretty boy or whatever…aaaaand I got no clue where Dom’s at.”“Huh… Well, I think I’ll go look for Domi, then,” Roxas murmured. “Mind coming with, Ax?”“Not at all,” his boyfriend smiled, and the couple left to seek out Domi. As the blonde and redhead walked through the hallways, Roxas soon perked up when he heard a commotion from one of the classrooms.“You hear that, Ax?” he asked, frowning.“No, what?” Axel questioned.“Sounds like…a bunch of girls bickering or something…” the shorter boy muttered, remembering his hearing was better as a shifter, before heading to the source of the noise. When he peeked through the glass in the door to the classroom, his jaw dropped, before he very nearly snarled at what he was seeing and hearing. X*X(Dominatio)X*XDominatio watched the group of girls that were, basically, blocking his path and keeping him up against the wall. Not physically, but their presence was not making it easy to simply get away from them without crossing into their personal bubbles. He wasn’t even sure how long they’d been keeping him there, but he did know it was way too long, and he was pretty sure Regina would start to worry if he didn’t get out of there soon.It wasn’t until the sudden silence filtered his ears that he realized he was expected to respond to…whatever it was these girls had been going on about. He really didn’t much care about whatever he’d done to deserve such a backlash.“Right, great, fantastic,” Dominatio said with a hefty sigh as he adjusted his bag along his shoulders. “Anyway, if we’re done here, I need to go—”“You’re not going anywhere!” one of the girls suddenly said as he was shoved back up against the wall (he’d be impressed if he wasn’t bruised along his back later).‘Great…just lovely…’“You listen, and you listen well, you lil bitch,” the ‘leader’ of their little pack said icily, slamming her hand against the wall next to his head. “We’re giving you a choice here; either you stop sucking up to the princess, or you're going to have a very bad time for the remainder of the school year. Get it?!”“…” Domi just looked at her dryly for a few moments. And then he said simply, “I don’t think I’m under any obligation to listen to your empty threats.” Before the indignant hissing and growling could turn into anything else, he added, “I’ll keep staying by her side for as long as she’ll have me there. Deal with it, sister~”Suddenly, a familiar voice to the whitehead sounded, growling threateningly.“You’d better listen, unless you want to deal with me and Regina,” Roxas spat, entering the classroom with Axel close behind him.The sudden appearance of the blonde prince had the girls yowling and leaping away. Domi, in turn, blinked curiously at the pair’s appearance, before he sighed.“Really now, Roxy; I appreciate the gesture, but there’s no reason for you to get yourselves involved,” he said calmly.The moment he’d uttered those words, the sound of skin striking skin rang out through the room.“How dare you, bitch?!” one of the girls nearly screeched. “Learn to show some respect!”Roxas snarled viciously, about ready to shift. “Fucking bitch!! Maybe you should learn to respect someone important to the Crown Princess!!”However, before Roxas could shift, someone suddenly grabbed hold of his shoulder. Roxas looked back immediately, and saw it was Regina herself.And from the look on the princess’s face, it was perfectly clear that she was furious. If the glare on her face wasn’t enough to give that indication, the sharp violet glow in her eyes only made it more prominent.And the second the girls noticed her, they all froze. “Back. Off,” she snarled furiously.The girls immediately did as commanded, and Regina stalked forward without another word. She didn’t say anything else as she grabbed Domi by his hand, and then proceeded to pull him out of the room, stumbling after with a yelp. Roxas nodded once, not nearly satisfied with the end result, as he would have preferred them having been maimed by his sister, but it would have to do. He then stalked out of the room, Axel close behind him.“You okay, Domi?” he asked once they rejoined Regina and Domi.Domi nodded as he was still being pulled along by Regina. “I’m fine, Roxas,” he said, briefly touching the cheek that had just gotten slapped. “She didn’t hit me that hard.”“What about your back, though? We saw how you were shoved against the wall…” Axel frowned.“It’s fine, don’t worry,” the whitehead said with a smile—right before he bumped into Regina with a yelp. “…Regina?”Roxas and Axel stopped as well, seeing how Regina had stopped in her tracks.“…how long has this been going on?”“This is the first I saw of it, Regina,” Roxas answered.“…I’m not asking you, Roxas.”“Sorry…”For a few long moments, no one spoke, or moved, but Regina finally spoke up again. “Domi…”The boy sighed softly as he shook his head. “Love, it’s fine, rea—”“How long has this been going on?”“……” Domi remained silent for a long time, before he sighed heavily. “Dunno. A while? Didn’t really pay attention, to be honest.”Roxas sighed heavily, already knowing Regina was upset with the answer. He didn’t realize Domi had been getting bullied by those low-life bitches until now, and the poor guy didn’t deserve it whatsoever.“…”“Really, it’s fine, love,” Domi tried to reassure his friend, adjusting his hand so that he could hold her hand in turn.“…” Regina didn’t answer for a long moment, still not looking over to him. However, when she finally spoke, it was almost accusatory. “…what about last week?”“…!!”“…what? Did you really think I wouldn’t notice the concealer?”Both Roxas’s and Axel’s eyes widened at the information, and they exchanged nervous looks. Hopefully Regina would forgive Domi, because the last thing any of them wanted and/or needed was for Regina to be mad at Domi.Domi didn’t say anything in response, and it didn't seem like Regina was expecting an answer anyway, given that she merely sighed briefly, before she began to walk again. And Domi merely walked along in silence, keeping his head down solemnly.Roxas looked at Axel worriedly, hoping this wouldn’t ruin the holiday break for them all, before they followed after the pair.By the time they came to the cafeteria, the tension was almost thick enough to be physically smothering. And Terry, who had been keeping their spots for them, noticed right away. Frowning, she asked, “Oy, what’d I miss?”“…Domi was being bullied by some stupid hags, and this wasn’t the first time…” Roxas mumbled, glancing at Regina. Terry actually stared in surprise, before she frowned darkly, resisting the urge to growl, from the look of it. Regina still refused to say anything and, instead, merely sat herself down in her usual seat, pulling Domi down with her.Roxas and Axel sat down in their own usual seats, exchanging anxious looks occasionally. For several long moments, no one spoke, before Libby suddenly appeared, dropping down a small stack of books on the table before taking her seat.“Hey, Libby,” the couple greeted softly.Libby hummed solemnly, adjusting her glasses as she nodded her head. Before she could say anything (if she’d even been about to say something), Regina said, “So?”“The teachers have been informed,” Libby said solemnly. “They’ve also been made aware that failure to adhere to the warning will have grave consequences.”“…Good,” Regina said simply.“How’d you know, Libby?” Roxas asked, frowning in confusion. He hadn’t seen Regina pull her phone out once since she’d shown up.Libby merely regarded Roxas with a look that was very reminiscent of Ignis. “…You’re not exactly ‘quiet’ when you’re angry, Roxas,” she said simply.“Sorry, but when I’m gonna defend a friend, especially my sister’s best friend, everyone and everything is fair game,” the blonde shrugged. Libby merely hummed as she uncapped her bottle of ice tea, taking a quiet sip. As she lowered it, though, Terry reached over and snagged the bottle, taking a large gulp of her own.“…You could just ask, Terry,” Libby mumbled.“That ain’t no fun,” was the only response. Axel snorted, amused by the answer, but soon fell quiet again. Regina didn’t say anything as she wordlessly started on her lunch, apparently content to leave it at that particular point. Domi bit his lip briefly, before he sighed softly as he, too, pulled out his bento. Roxas wasn’t sure what was going to happen now, to be honest. He wouldn’t blame Domi if he wanted to stay home for the break now, but he hoped everything would be resolved soon.As Domi wordlessly started on his lunch, Regina quietly watched him from the corner of her eyes. “…Oy, Domi.”“Ha—” The moment Domi looked over with the exclamation on his lips, Regina had stuffed a bite of rice, veggies and meat in the whitehead’s mouth. “Mrph??” The boy blinked, twice, before he began to chew.Both Roxas and Axel blinked, surprised, but began to tuck into their own bento lunches. Roxas guessed it meant that Regina had forgiven Domi without saying it, but only a bit of time would tell.Domi finally swallowed and said, “Did Mr. Scientia bug you about your veggies again?”“Oy, just because I’m eating them doesn’t mean I damn well like ‘m…” Regina mumbled. “And that’s more than I can say for other people,” she added, looking pointedly at Roxas’s bento, with the veggies purposefully shoved aside.“Hey!” her brother pouted, making Axel laugh. “Dad doesn’t eat his, either!”“And if Dad kisses Ma on the mouth does that mean you have to do it, too?” Regina pointed out.“…I wasn’t saying that…” Roxas grumbled.“Maybe not, Roxy, but that IS basically the argument you’re giving,” Domi giggled out, and Regina chuckled softly. Roxas merely pouted, not having a good retort for that one.“It’s okay, Rox. I know it’s a texture thing for you,” Axel soothed. Regina merely snorted, but she was still smirking as she went back to her own food—occasionally passing Domi a bite here and there. By now, it was obvious to the couple that Regina had forgiven Domi, just without saying so, much to their immense relief. X*X(After School)X*XFinally, school was over for the semester, and everyone was free for the holiday break. Roxas smiled eagerly at Axel as the couple got outside, where they were to wait for Ace, Regina, and Domi to meet up with them before they headed to the Citadel.“I so happy you’re spending the break with me, Ax,” the blonde told his boyfriend.“Gee, I couldn’t tell,” the taller boy teased. “But seriously, I’m glad to be with you for the break, too, Roxy.”“Good,” Roxas murmured, blushing a bit when the redhead kissed his cheek.“Oy, Rox, save the mushy stuff, will ya?” Regina chuckled as she and Domi came over, Ace following shortly after.“You can’t say that every time! Besides, you can’t stay single forever, either,” the shorter boy replied, sticking his tongue out teasingly as Axel laughed.“Careful or a bird may snag your tongue,” the princess mumbled softly, making Ace snort on a laugh.“Yeah, sure, and risk death by shifter? Right,” Roxas retorted, beginning to lead the way to their usual leaving and landing spot. Regina merely chuckled as she walked after, with Domi and Ace following close behind. Once they got to the clearing, Roxas shifted into a dragon, crouching down to let Axel climb onto his back. And once the redhead was settled on his back, leaning against his neck, Roxas spread his wings and took flight, not waiting for his siblings.“Shouldn’t we have waited for them?” Axel asked, confused.‘They’ll catch up, no sweat,’ the shifter shrugged.And sure enough, shortly after saying that, Ace caught up, also shifted into a dragon. ‘Really? Impatient much, Rox?’‘Can’t blame me, I just wanna get the hell home! We’re free from school for a week!’ Roxas laughed.No sooner had he finished saying so, or a dark figure shot past him. ‘Too bad you’re still not fast enough,’ Regina laughed, as she flew ahead, with Domi holding fast to the black dragon’s neck, obviously unused to being so high up…or on the back of a dragon.‘HEY!!’ Roxas yelled, before growling as he darted forward. ‘Axel, lean against my neck. I’ll have less wind resistance that way.’ The redhead complied, chuckling, before Roxas streaked past Regina and Domi, cackling.Regina snorted softly, a feral grin on her face as she watched Roxas get further and further ahead. And then, as he began to slow down marginally, she clapped her wings sharply and shot right after, before passing him with ease.‘YOU SUCK, DAMMIT!!’ her brother shouted, before an idea came to him. He then shifted into a different form of dragon, this one lacking wings but still able to fly with magic. His body was now long and slender, and the horns on his head were sleek, streaking back along his head and curving slightly. He had even gained a slender line of thick blue fur from the top of his forehead to almost the base of his tail, and he had one whisker on each side of his nose, which streaked along his body. His slim legs were tucked along his sides, and he was covered in fine golden fur all over his body, except for his belly and chest, which was covered in golden scales. And finally, he had a blue almost flared fin on the end of his tail, which was furry as well.Grinning wickedly, he shot forward like a bolt of lightning, shooting past Regina and Domi with ease and keeping the speed going as he made a beeline for the Citadel. Regina merely snorted in amusement and Domi actually giggled, while Ace merely followed after at his own pace.“That was awesome, Rox!” Axel laughed as said blonde began his descent, a pleased grin curving on his furry muzzle.‘I try,’ Roxas smiled, landing daintily in the large front of the Citadel. ‘Sorry if I scared you by shifting while you were on my back, by the way…’“Nah, you’re fine, Roxy,” the redhead assured him, before climbing off of Roxas’s back and letting the blonde shift back. Once he had, Regina and Ace landed a short distance away from them.“We’d best go check in with Mom and let him know we’re home,” Roxas said, starting to head inside, Axel close behind him with his bag for the week.‘What’s your hurry?’ Regina chuckled out as Domi carefully slipped off her back, nearly stumbling to his knees if she hadn’t caught him. ‘You’d think the world was ending or something.’“Can’t help that I’m excited, Regina,” was the laughed-out reply. “And I can’t be blamed for it, either!”“Uh-huh, sure…” Regina said after shifting back once she was sure Domi would stay on his feet. Ace didn’t bother joining the conversation as he followed after. Roxas rolled his eyes, ignoring the remark. He led Axel to his room first so his boyfriend could leave his bag there, and then they left to seek out Prompto in the dining hall, since it was getting close to dinner already.“Hey Mom!” he called in greeting, making the older shifter look up from setting the table.“Hey Rox,” Prompto smiled. “Hey Axel.”“Hi Prompto,” the redhead greeted politely.“Where are Zack and Naminé?” Roxas asked, noticing the twins were nowhere to be seen.“Oh, they’re with your father. Ignis gave him a break for once, so he’s spending it with the twins,” his mother replied, before looking around. “And where are the others?”“Regina’s getting Domi set up in his room,” Ace said as he walked over. “She said she’s not in a rush like someone seems to be.”“I already said I’m excited…” Roxas grumbled as Prompto chuckled.“It’s fine,” his mother assured him. “I’ve gotten that excited before where I rushed.”“At least I’m not alone there,” the shorter blonde smiled.“Of course not. Now, you three go check in with Noct, and dinner should be ready soon, so come back down when you’re done,” Prompto said.“Sure thing, Mom,” Roxas grinned, heading off to Noctis’s study, his boyfriend and Ace close behind.When they arrived at the study, it was easy to catch the cheerful cries of the twins, joined by the gentle chuckles of the King. Ace chuckled. “Well, the twins are about as excited as you are.”“Of course they are. They always are,” Roxas agreed, smiling as he knocked on the door.“Door’s open, Rox,” Noctis said calmly. The shorter blonde opened the door, and was quickly greeted by his little brother and sister.“Roxy!” Zack giggled as his oldest brother caught him. Naminé laughed as she was picked up by Ace, since Roxas had his hands full with Zack.Noctis chuckled as he stood up straight. “Hello, boys,” he said with a smile.“Hey, Dad,” Ace said with a nod as Naminé snuggled against his chest happily.“Hello, sir,” Axel greeted the King politely, not wanting to disrespect the raven in the least.Noctis merely chuckled softly, before he asked calmly, “So, how was school?”“Well, we found out Domi’s been getting bullied by some stupid girls at school today, and this wasn’t the first time, but Regina and Libby handled it,” Roxas sighed, refraining from swearing about the dumb bitches since Zack and Naminé were present.“Roxas found them ganging up on him in an empty classroom,” Axel added, sighing.Ace stared at his brother in surprise, while the King frowned darkly at the news, clenching his hands briefly. “…Is he alright?”“I think so… He brushed it off as nothing, but he was slapped and shoved against a wall pretty hard… I won’t be surprised if he has a bruise on his back later, to be completely honest…” Roxas answered, clenching his own fists. Axel, however, placed a calming hand on his boyfriend’s shoulder, making him relax.“…I see…”Of course, Naminé and Zack didn’t understand the sudden change in mood. “Ace? What wrong??” Naminé asked, tugging on his jacket.“Ah, nothing big, Nami,” Ace assured. “Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head over.”“It’s okay, Zack,” Roxas soothed his little brother when he heard the inquisitive whine he made.“Oyoy. What’s all the hubub about?” came a familiar voice from the door, and when they looked over, they spotted Regina standing in the doorway, wearing some casual jeans and shirt.And behind her stood Domi, regarding the whole scene quietly as he finished braiding his hair…which was actually very long now that it wasn’t actually being held up. He, too, was wearing some casual clothes; consisting of a long, pale blue skirt with a poofy (but comfortable looking) blue sweater.“Nothing, it’s fine,” Roxas replied casually, adjusting his grip on Zack.“Uh-huh…” Regina said dryly, as Domi reached around his head to pin up his hair again.Naminé blinked at Domi, peeking over Ace’s shoulder at the crossdresser curiously. Zack did the same, watching Domi with interest. He was definitely confused by Domi’s appearance, that much was obvious.Noctis chuckled softly at the twins’ obvious confusion, before he turned to Domi. “So you’re Dominatio, hm?”Domi almost jumped out of his socks, and he bit at his lips as he fumbled with the edge of his sweater. “U-um… Y-yes, Sir—I-I mean, You Highness—um… th-thank you for having me,” he stammered with a swift bow.Regina rolled her eyes as she pulled him back upright, even as Noctis chuckled. “Seriously, dummy, it’s fine!”“A-ah…! B-but…”“It’s true, Domi,” the King said kindly. “You don’t have to walk on eggshells around me. That would defeat the purpose of you staying over.”“O-oh…w-well…if you say so…” Domi got out.“It’s like with us, Domi. You can be casual with us,” Roxas agreed with a chuckle.“Yes, and that goes for you, too, Axel,” the King said with a smile. “Feel free to call me Noctis. …actually, just ‘Noct’, is fine.”“Ah…but…”“Nuh-uh,” Regina quipped, catching her friend in a headlock, making him yelp. “Don’t even try arguing. Just deal with it!”Axel blinked, pleasantly surprised, before smiling. “Thank you, Noct.”“Now you know he approves,” Roxas laughed, leaning up and kissing the redhead chastely.“Eeww!” Zack squealed, giggling.“We talked about this before, Zack!” Roxas laughed, but the little raven giggled anyway.Naminé giggled as well, before her attention went back to Regina and Domi as the latter managed to get the former to release him again. Upon noticing he was being looked at, though, Domi looked at Naminé. And then, after a moment of looking at each other, Domi smiled and waved.“!!” And Naminé immediately ducked her head down to hide against Ace’s shoulder. Roxas couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped him as Zack looked at his twin curiously.“Nami? You kay?” he asked worriedly.“It’s okay, Nami, Domi’s really nice, like Axel,” Roxas soothed.Naminé didn’t look up again until Ace lightly patted her head, and even then she only just peeked over her big brother’s shoulder. Domi giggled at the girl’s curious gaze.“Hello, little lady,” he said warmly. “My name is Domi. Nice to meet you~”Naminé fidgeted a little bit in her brother’s arms, before she murmured a squeaky, “Hewwo…”Zack, on the other hand, seemed more open to meeting Domi, since Roxas had said he was nice like Axel. “Hi!” he chirped eagerly. Domi giggled cheerily as he waved to Zack as well.And Regina chuckled at the twins’ reactions. Despite Nami’s obvious hesitance, she had a feeling she knew what that was for. She wasn’t about to bring it up, yet, and instead decided to change the subject. “Anyway! Shall we get downstairs? Pretty sure Ma’s wondering where we’re at…”“Good point,” Roxas nodded. “Besides, I’m starving.” And with that, the group headed down to the dining hall, where Prompto was waiting.“Took you all long enough,” he teased with a laugh.“Hey! We were getting comfy!” Regina pointed out, and Domi giggled as he tucked some loose strands behind his ear.“All right, fine. You’re off the hook this time,” her mother chuckled. “Now let’s get seated for dinner before Ignis has a fit over you all eating cold meals.”“Ignis has fits?” Roxas snorted, setting Zack down so he could go sit in his chair. While Ace seemed to share his sibling’s amusement as he set Naminé down on her chair, Domi tilted his head curiously, but he didn’t question it as Regina gestured for him to come sit next to her.“I’ve never heard of the King’s Advisor losing his composure,” Axel laughed as he sat next to Roxas. Ace smirked as he sat down, before he noticed that Naminé was still looking over to Domi, though she was trying to not make it seem apparent. Roxas noticed as well, and knew she was curious about how Domi looked and dressed. Hell, Roxas couldn’t blame her. For crying out loud, he’d honestly thought Domi was a girl when he first met him! He blamed the convincing look on the clothes, Domi’s almost feminine figure, the makeup, and the way he talked.“Naminé,” Noctis said, making the girl jump. “It’s not nice to stare.”“Sowwy…” the small girl apologized.Domi blinked briefly, before he smiled. “Ah, no, it’s alright, sir. I don’t mind.”As he finished saying that, Regina looked at him dryly. “Oy, Domi.”“Hm? What is it, love?”“……”“……oh. Oops~”“It takes some getting used to, huh Domi?” Axel chuckled.“More than a little!” the whitehead giggled. Just then, Ignis came out from the kitchen with some of the kitchen staff, and they began to place everyone’s plates in front of them.“Thanks, Ignis,” Prompto told the sandy blonde.“Of course,” Ignis nodded, and once everyone had gotten their food, he went back into the kitchen.“Sometimes I wonder if he just lives in there,” Axel mused with a grin, making Roxas snort on a laugh.Ace chuckled softly, while Regina smirked quietly. Noctis was the one to respond, though, despite the fact that he seemed just as amused as his children, “Sometimes he makes us all wonder…”“I still wonder how he knew I was here for over a month before we came clean to Regis,” Prompto chuckled. “I’d been so good at hiding out for twelve years before that, but he somehow figured it out.”“Iggy’s like Libby; he knows EVERYTHING!” Regina pointed out, which made the kids laugh in response, though Naminé and Zack were looking around curiously.“…Iggy know more than Mama and Papa?” Naminé asked innocently.Noctis chuckled. “Sometimes it certainly feels like it, sweetie.”Roxas and Axel soon sobered up after the comments, before they began to eat, the redhead nearly groaning at the taste.“Okay, even the best pizza ever ever doesn’t compare to this,” he said, making his boyfriend snicker.“Wait until you get to try his pizza, then,” Roxas pointed out. “We always have Iggy’s pizza on Christmas Eve.”“Seriously?! Awesome!” the taller boy grinned, making Prompto laugh.“You have the same reaction I did when I first tried Ignis’s cooking,” the older shifter chuckled.Noctis chuckled softly. “And you didn’t believe me when I said my cooking was nowhere near that of Ignis…”“Hey, I’d been used to strictly hunting and foraging for twelve years, so I couldn’t be blamed for that,” his mate huffed. “And you seem to be forgetting that part of why I stayed was because I wanted your cooking.” The King merely chuckled as he went back to his dinner. Prompto rolled his bright blue eyes, but resumed eating as well, a faint smile of amusement curving his lips.Roxas smiled at the exchange, considering himself lucky to have Prompto and Noctis as his parents. Hell, he was grateful to have his parents to begin with. Axel had been living on his own since he was twelve, since his parents had just up and left Insomnia while he was gone in Hollow Bastion visiting Reno for a week during that spring break. Fortunately, they had left him his townhouse and enough money for rent, food, necessities, and other stuff through high school, so they weren’t complete assholes, but the taller boy had been abandoned. Roxas had helped him to get through that rough period, coming over often and staying over as much as he could to be his best friend’s support. And in the end, it helped, as they were now a couple.Axel looked up from his dinner when he felt Roxas’s gaze on him, giving the shorter boy a curious look. But Roxas merely shook his head, wordlessly assuring the redhead it was nothing. Prompto noticed how his oldest son’s thoughts were straying as he watched Axel, and knew that, no matter what, they would always need each other. Nothing would be able to change that. X*X*X*X*X*X*XAfter dinner, Roxas was in his bathroom, brushing his teeth before bed. Axel had already done so, and was waiting for him in the blonde’s bed, which had the prince’s heart skipping a beat at the sudden realization that they would be sharing his bed for over a week. But the skip was of excitement, not anxiety. He was glad to be able to sleep in the taller boy’s warm embrace, since he always slept so much better like that.The blonde spat the toothpaste from his mouth, before rinsing his mouth out and pulling on his favorite t-shirt with the flaming keys and his black flannel pajama pants over his boxer briefs. He then padded out of the bathroom and over to his bed, seeing Axel sitting in his bed, leaning his back against the headboard.“Hey,” Roxas smiled, sliding into his bed with Axel.“Hey, Roxy,” the redhead murmured, pulling his boyfriend close.“Ready for bed?” the shorter boy asked, reaching over to shut off the light.“Yeah,” Axel nodded, and Roxas flicked the light off. He then settled in Axel’s hold once it was dark, purring softly. “…Roxy?”“Hm?”“What were you thinking about earlier at dinner?”“Oh… I was just thinking about how I’m glad to have my parents, and that I feel bad yours aren’t around anymore, but that it resulted in us getting as close as we did,” the blonde admitted.“Don’t feel bad, Rox. My parents didn’t want me around, but didn’t want to deal with sending me money, hence why they left it for me. I’m glad to be rid of them,” Axel assured him. “Besides, your parents are way cooler, even if they weren’t royalty.” Roxas chuckled at the last comment.“Good to know,” he smiled. “Let’s get some sleep, okay?”“Sounds good. Goodnight, Roxy. Love you,” the redhead murmured, kissing Roxas’s neck softly.“Goodnight, Ax. Love you, too,” the blonde whispered, suppressing a shiver from the kiss to his neck. Soon after, the couple fell asleep together.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

When Roxas woke the next morning, it was to gentle knocking on his door, making him groan tiredly.“Come on, boys, time to get up!” his mother’s voice called through the wood. “If you don’t get up soon, you’ll miss out on Ignis’s cinnamon rolls!” That caught the prince’s attention, and he perked up.“Mom, please tell me you’re serious!”“I wouldn’t tease you like that,” Prompto huffed. “Now get up and get dressed, and I’ll see you boys in the dining hall after I get your sister up.”“We’ll be right down!” Roxas yelped, scrambling out of Axel’s grip around his waist. “Ax, come on, get up! Iggy made cinnamon rolls!” The redhead groaned, but opened his emerald eyes anyway.“They’re worth getting out of a warm bed for?” he asked in disbelief.“Trust me, you DO NOT want to miss out on them,” the blonde insisted, hurrying to get dressed.Meanwhile, Prompto headed to Regina’s room to get his oldest daughter up. When he got to her room, he knocked on the door. “Regina, sweetie, time to get up. Ignis made cinnamon rolls.”However, there was no response from beyond the door.“…Regina?” Prompto called again, this time opening the door. And as he looked inside, the first thing he noticed was the empty, unmade bed. “Shit…!” the shifter cursed, before taking off down the hallway, heading for the first place he could think of where Regina might be: the garden. “Regina!” he yelled when he got there.As Prompto ran, though, he soon caught a familiar sound…or two, to be fair. Though they usually weren’t heard in tandem; the Chocobos’ cheery chirps, and his daughter’s laughter.“Hm?” Prompto hummed, curious now, before he shifted into a finch and flew towards the source of the sounds, wondering just what Regina was doing.As Prompto got closer, it took him only a few moments to spot his daughter. And, when he looked closely, Domi, as well. The two teens were laughing/giggling as they were going around the garden on Chocobo—Regina on Dia, and Domi on a Light Blue Chocobo that Prompto recognized as Divum.And as the Chocobos started pecking at the ground as they walked, he realized the pair was playing Chocobo Hot ‘n’ Cold. It was nice to see them having so much fun together, and he hated that he would have to stop their fun to get them for breakfast, but he knew Regina would kill if she missed out on Ignis’s cinnamon rolls. So, the blonde fluttered down to the ground, shifting back before calling out to the pair.“Hey, you two,” he smiled.Regina hummed curiously at the call, before she turned Dia toward the blonde. “Ah, morning.”“Good morning, sir~” Domi called out with a giggle.“Just call me Prompto, Domi,” the older shifter chuckled. “Anyhoo, I came to find you for breakfast, Regina, and you weren’t there. Just be glad I found you, because Ignis made cinnamon rolls this morning.”The princess’s eyes widened in surprise, before she smiled. “Really?!”“You sound like Rox. I wouldn’t lie about that!” her mother pouted.“Sweet!” Regina cheered as she hopped off of Dia.“Are they really that good?” Domi asked as he followed her example, patting the Chocobo’s neck gently.“Only one way to find out, right?”“Let’s go, then. Roxas, Axel, and Ace are probably getting pissed because they’re still waiting on us,” Prompto sighed.“Yeah, yeah,” Regina quipped, hurrying over with Domi following close behind. Prompto was quick to follow, soon falling into step with Noctis as he joined them.“I knew the smell of cinnamon would get you up,” he teased with a smirk. Noctis merely rolled his eyes, though he didn’t deny the words.“Morning!” Domi chirped, making the King blink as he realized Regina and Domi walking along…with Regina looking far more awake than he currently felt.“Hm? Since when have you been up, princess?”Regina hummed, before she thought for a moment. “I dunno…few hours?”“They were playing Chocobo Hot ‘n’ Cold in the garden when I found them,” Prompto explained.“Huh…” Noctis hummed softly, before they walked into the dining hall.“It’s about time!!” Roxas wailed, flailing his arms comically, making Axel laugh. “I’m dying here!”“Quit your whining, Rox,” Regina grumbled with a small smirk as they walked over.“You love Iggy’s cinnamon rolls just as much as I do, Regina, so don’t start!” the blonde pouted.“I’m not the one whining, now, am I?”A raspberry was what she got in response. Domi merely giggled at the response, as they all went to take their seats. Once everyone was seated, Ignis came out with two large platters of cinnamon rolls, and dished out two cinnamon rolls onto each plate. The rolls were big enough that one would fill anyone up, but they were just too good to pass up a second. Roxas was practically drooling as he waited for Ignis to leave before eating.“Holy crap that’s so good…!” he nearly moaned after taking a bite.Ace chuckled softly as he picked up the first cinnamon roll. “Seriously,” he mumbled, before he bit down on the treat.Domi hummed curiously, before he reached out and took a bite of the cinnamon roll. “…!!” He gave a small, muffled cry, as his heel began to tap rapidly along the floor. “Mmmm~ Sooo good!” he nearly mewled through a half-full mouth.Regina merely laughed at the response. Axel groaned at the taste of his own cinnamon roll, loving how it practically melted in his mouth with just the right chew.“You weren’t kidding, Roxy!” he grinned at the blonde, who laughed.“I told you!” Roxas snickered. Prompto chuckled, amused by the kids’ reactions. He was glad he had asked Ignis to make them. Noctis allowed a small chuckle of his own as he watched the children enjoy the treats, even as he silently bit down on his own.“Well, remember, Ignis makes his scones on Christmas, so be ready for that,” Prompto reminded the triplets, and Roxas grinned.“Awesome!” he crowed.“Scones?” Axel repeated, a bit puzzled.“Iggy fries up some homemade dough balls that are stretched out so they puff in the oil, and you get to top them with syrup, butter, powdered sugar, jam, honey, or whatever you want,” the shorter blonde explained, and the taller boy’s eyes widened.“That sounds freaking fantastic,” he said eagerly, keeping from swearing since Zack and Naminé were enjoying their own cinnamon rolls. Naminé was humming happily as she ate, and Regina smiled as she quietly ate her cinnamon roll.“So, what should we do today, Rox?” Axel asked after finishing his first cinnamon roll.“Hm… Oh, I know! We can take Night and Flare out for a ride!” Roxas suggested. “Trust me, it’s fun in the winter.”“Sounds good, just be careful to not get near any steep declines,” Prompto warned.“We won’t, Mom!”Ace chuckled softly, shaking his head, though he didn’t speak since he had his mouth full, still. Regina, however, smirked as she swallowed. “So is that a date or is that an open event?” she questioned with a chuckle.Roxas growled irritably, but Prompto spoke up before his son could retort. “Regina, leave him be. Let them have fun with their Chocobos without being interrupted, okay?” he said firmly.Regina rolled her eyes, but she merely shrugged her shoulders. Domi, however, seemed to be thinking on something as he lightly nibbled on his second cinnamon roll.Noticing this, Prompto asked, “You okay, Domi?”"Hm? Ah, yes, I'm fine, thank you," Domi said with a pleasant smile.Regina, though, seemed unconvinced of this, even though she didn’t say anything. And her mother seemed to silently agree, as he frowned worriedly.Ace quietly finished his breakfast, before he asked, “Well, since they’re going to be busy frolicking around, where does that leave us?”“That’s up to you. You’re on holiday break, so have some fun,” Prompto pointed out with a smile.“Play with Nami and me!” Zack chirped suddenly, grinning brightly.Ace hummed, before looking to Regina and Domi. “What do you think?”Regina laughed softly. “I don’t see why not. Dom?”The whitehead blinked, but he did smile in response. “Sounds fun~”“Yay!” Zack cheered, making Prompto laugh.“Well, have fun then. I’m glad you’ll be able to spend time together,” he smiled.“Pretty sure we will,” Regina said as she stood up. “Shall we go?”“Kay!” Naminé cheered as she hopped off her seat toward her big sister’s side. Zack whooped as he slid off his own seat, before joining Ace, Regina, and Domi.“Let’s go to the garden, Ax,” Roxas smiled, and the redhead nodded before getting up from his seat, a hand on his full stomach.“Jeez, those suckers are filling, but I couldn’t stop eating them!” he groaned with a laugh.“I hear ya. Addictive, right?” Roxas chuckled as they left.“Definitely!” X*X(Roxas and Axel)X*XRoxas and Axel made their way to the garden, having already grabbed their hoodies to keep them warm while they went Chocobo riding, and from there, to the Chocobo pen.“Night!” Roxas called, and the silver Chocobo perked up at the call.“Kweh~” Night chirped as he came over. Surprisingly, Flare wasn’t too far behind, going over to Axel while Night approached Roxas.“You ready to go for a ride, guys?” the blonde asked, petting Night’s neck.“Kweh!”“Awesome,” Axel chuckled.“All right, now, normally I’d go bareback, but let’s get these two saddled up, that way we’re a bit more comfortable in the cold,” Roxas told his boyfriend, who nodded.“Sounds like a plan,” the redhead smiled. They soon saddled up their Chocobos, Roxas having to help Axel with showing him how to saddle Flare, but once both Chocobos were geared up, the couple mounted the two birds and headed out, Roxas and Night taking the lead.“I wanna show you a special spot, Ax,” Roxas told the taller boy as their Chocobos trotted through the trees, heading to a destination unknown to Axel.“Where’s that, Roxy?” Axel asked, curious.“Well, it wouldn’t be that special if I told you, now would it?” the shorter boy chuckled, looking back at Axel with a teasing glint to his sapphire eyes. Axel chuckled as well, but allowed Roxas to lead him to this special place of his. “Besides, we’ll need to hurry if we want to make it there in time.” And with that said, Roxas lightly dug in heels into Night’s sides, spurring the silver bird into a run.“Kweh!” Flare chirped excitedly, before running after the pair, making Axel yelp. It took about an hour, but they eventually reached a large clearing in the forest, where a tall boulder stood in the center. It wasn’t an ordinary boulder, though.The light from the sun and the sunlight reflecting off the untouched snow to make the multitude of colored gems embedded in the boulder shimmer, shine, and even throw rainbows from some of them. And since it was around noon by now, the sun acted almost like a spotlight on the scene, making every gem sparkle and throw off their colored reflections.“Whoa…” Axel uttered, awed by the sight as he dismounted Flare. “How’d you find this place, Roxy?”“I actually discovered it during a low point in my life once, to be honest,” Roxas replied softly, making Axel look at him curiously. “I was depressed back during the summer while you were gone because I missed you, and was convinced that you might have found someone while in Hollow Bastion… I went running because I needed to clear my head and distract myself, and I didn’t stop running until I came across this place. It…actually brought me some hope, and I felt better just watching it until the sun started to set.”“Roxas…” the redhead murmured, frowning sadly. He then went over to Roxas, who had also dismounted Night by now, and pulled him into a warm embrace. “You’re the only one for me, Rox. I love you, and I would never, ever leave you.” The blonde smiled softly up at his boyfriend, happy tears in his eyes.“I know that now,” he whispered, leaning into Axel’s hold. They remained like that for a while, until Roxas began to shiver lightly.“We’d better head back, before you catch a cold, Roxy,” the taller boy chuckled.“Yeah,” the shifter nodded, regretfully pulling away from Axel’s warmth and mounting Night again. “Let’s go home.” With that, the couple rode their Chocobos back to the Citadel, feeling like their relationship was more solid now, and they could never be broken apart. X*X(Meanwhile…)X*XNaminé and Zack cheered as they ran into Regina’s room, scrambling over onto her bed, giggling as they got comfy on the Crown Princess’s bed. Regina, meanwhile, chuckled as she stepped inside, hands in her pockets, before she took note that Domi wasn’t following after. “Oy, Dom, c’mon, will ya?”Domi, however, seemed to be more than a little worried about crossing the threshold into the girl’s room, and while she could understand why, there was really no need for it at this point. So, after letting out a sigh, she stepped back and grabbed the whitehead by his collar.“Get in here!” she laughed, making the boy yelp as he stumbled in. And she didn’t let him hesitate any further as she shut the door behind him. “Seriously, no need to be so nervous,” the noiret chuckled as she headed for the bed, where Naminé and Zack were still at.“Ah…!” Domi quickly hurried after her as she plopped down on her bed. Zack looked at his big sister with a grin, before looking to Domi.“Sit with us, Domi!” he giggled.“Oh uh…sure thing,” Domi said with a small smile as he settled down on the bed as well.Naminé watched Domi for a moment, before she quickly scampered around her sister to hide behind her, watching Domi from around her. This made Regina blink curiously, before she chuckled. “Oy, Nami, c’mon now. Domi’s not so bad, alright?”“Domi’s nice! Like Axel! Roxy said so!” Zack added, smiling brightly.“…” Naminé didn’t say anything in response, though she did huddle a little more behind Regina.The noiret sighed a little, before she chuckled. “C’mon, Nami, just coz Domi’s cuter than your big sis is no reason for you to be shy now.”Those words actually had Domi’s face turn bright red. “R-Reginaaaa!”“What? It’s true.”Zack blinked, confused now.“C’mere,” Regina grumbled, reaching around herself and pulling Naminé out from behind her. This, of course, made the girl yelp as she wriggled in the older girl’s arms, before she was plopped down on Regina's lap. “There. Let’s try this over again, shall we?” Regina chuckled. “Nami, this is Domi. Domi, this is my little sister, Naminé.”Domi blinked, twice, before he giggled. “Nice to meet you, Nami. Can I call you Nami?”Naminé wriggled a bit in place, biting her lip, before she nodded shyly. “Uh-huhs…”Zack watched curiously, his head tilted a little, showing his confusion.Regina noticed, so she reached over and tugged Zack closer. “And what’s your problem, eh?”“Why we pretending to meet again?” he asked, puzzled.“Because your sister’s never actually said ‘nice to meet you’, now did she?”“No…”“That’s why.”Domi giggled a little at the boy’s confusion, reaching out and ruffling the small prince’s hair. This drew a surprised squeal from Zack, and he giggled before pulling away from Regina and plopping himself in Domi’s lap.This made Domi jump in surprise, before he giggled. “Comfy there?”“Yep!”Regina laughed at the ease with which Zack interacted with Domi. However, just then, Naminé tugged on her shirt, looking up to Regina with a look she recognized. So she bent down to let the smaller girl whisper into her ear.“Domi…is Sissy boyfriend??”This made the noiret blink, before she laughed warmly. “Mm…yeah, pretty much.”“Oooooh…!”Domi blinked as he tilted his head, but he didn’t ask. Zack, however, despite not getting it either, simply settle in Domi’s lap, content.“Anyway!” Regina said with a chuckle. “I think Ace should be coming back with the games, soon… Which one do you two wanna play first?”“Mouse Trap!” Zack chirped excitedly.“Yeah! Can we, can we?” Naminé cheered happily and Regina laughed.“Sure. Why not?”And just then, Ace stepped into the room with a stack of games. “Here we go,” the blonde said with a smile as he shut the door behind him. “Do we know what we’re doing first?”“Mouse Trap!!” the twins chorused happily.“Hahah. Sounds good,” Ace said as he moved over to the bed, setting the boxes down on the floor. “So, who’s helping me find it?”“I can, I can!” Zack chirped, scrambling off of Domi’s lap and off Regina’s bed.Regina laughed as she moved over, setting Naminé down to go help her brothers look for the box. And Domi allowed a small giggle as he moved over as well.“They’re absolutely adorable~” he pointed out.“Yeah? Well, they’re probably gonna be a pain and a half when they finally grow up.”“Aren’t all little kids at one point?”“Fair enough.”Zack was grinning brightly as he looked for the desired game with Naminé, and he soon recognized the cover for the right box. “Found it!”“Nice,” Ace chuckled, as he moved the other boxes aside. “Let’s get it set up, then, shall we?”“Yaaaay!” Naminé cheered. X*X(Later…)X*XWhen Roxas and Axel returned and had put Night and Flare away, they went inside to find Regina, Domi, Ace, and the twins. Roxas soon discovered they were in the Crown Princess’s bedroom, having a lot of fun, based off of the laughing and giggling coming from behind the door. Knocking, he called out, “Hey guys, can we join ya?”The small group looked up curiously at the call. Regina chuckled as she rolled the die in her hand. “Sure. Grab a seat anywhere,” she quipped.“Roxy!!” Naminé cheered from where she was sitting between Regina and Domi, who gave a small huff when the girl waved hyperly.“Nami, sweetie, please sit still for a minute, kay?” he murmured as he worked on the little girl’s hair.“Getting your hair done by Domi, huh Nami?” Roxas smiled when he and Axel sat down on the floor with the two.“Uh-huh!” the girl chirped happily, resisting the urge to nod her head as Domi worked.“It’s looking good so far,” Axel told her warmly.Naminé giggled, as Domi adjusted her hair to go over the top of her head so he could make a few small braids. Regina chuckled as she sat up straighter. “Okay, so how ‘bout we switch to Clue so we can all play, kay?”“Sounds good,” Ace said.“I don’t mind,” Roxas agreed, blinking in surprise as Axel pulled him into his lap, but he then smiled contently.His siblings didn’t say anything of it as Regina and Ace worked on setting up the board, while Domi finished with Naminé. The small girl giggled as her hair was curled around the nape of her neck in a combination of curls and braids.“That looks great, Nami! Tell Domi thank you, okay?” Roxas told the little blonde.“Thank you, Domi!” the girl said obediently.“You’re welcome~” the boy giggled.“Alright…so who’s who?” Regina asked.“I’ll be Hyacinthum,” Roxas said.“Viridi,” Axel added.“I wanna be Nigrum!” Zack chirped.“I wanna be Alba!!” Naminé cheered.Regina smiled. “Okay, I’ll go for Flavo,” she said with a chuckle.“Hmm…I’ll take Rosea, then~” Domi said with a smile.Ace snorted and said, “Rubrum for me.”Once everyone had their characters, they moved them onto the starting positions on opposing sides of the board. Done with that, Regina took the three situation cards, pulled out one from each and put them to the side, before splitting up the remainder to the players.“Alright then, youngest player goes first…so go ahead, Nami,” Regina said as she passed the dice to the small girl.“Yay!” Naminé cheered as she shook the dice. After rolling them, she looked around the board, before moving her character along the map. As she did, Roxas looked through his cards, keeping them hidden in his lap so Axel couldn’t even see. He then saw he had Nigrum, but he didn’t have Rubrum.Regina and Ace were also looking through their cards, clearly pondering already on who the culprit was in their scenario. After Naminé took her steps toward the nearest room (the kitchen) she passed the dice to Domi. The whitehead giggled, shaking the dice once, before he let them fall. And then he hummed as he moved his character along the board.And like that, everyone took their turns, moving toward the rooms where they believed the culprit could’ve worked from.Of them all, though, Axel was the first to reach a room; the library.“I believe it was Alba with the glasscutter in the library,” the redhead declared.“Ah-ah-ah,” Ace said almost immediately, procuring a single card, displaying Alba. “Alba’s innocent. She was in the kitchen when the culprit struck.”“Then that’s cleared up,” Roxas chuckled. X*X(Prompto)X*XPrompto was walking through the hallway, on his way to check on his children, Domi, and Axel. As he made his way to Regina’s room, where he could faintly hear them laughing together, he smiled to himself. He was considering having Axel come to live with them, seeing as the redhead was living alone still, and had no family in Insomnia. Honestly, it was just easier that way, in his opinion. Besides, he knew Roxas would be overjoyed to have his boyfriend living with them. It would be something to talk to Noctis about first, though, of course.He soon arrived at Regina’s bedroom, knocking lightly on the doorframe to get the kids’ attention.“Having fun?” he asked, smiling a bit wider when he saw Roxas in Axel’s lap.Regina hummed as she looked over, before she chuckled. “Yeah, we’re good.”“Mama! Mama! Lookie!!” Naminé cheered, pointing to her hair. “Domi do my hairs!”“Very nice!” her mother smiled warmly. “Did you thank Domi already? You did an amazing job with her hair, Domi. I couldn’t do it nearly that well.”Domi blinked, before he giggled, actually blushing, while Naminé giggled as she settled in the whitehead’s lap better.“Well, I’m glad you’re all having fun,” Prompto told them. “I’ll come get you guys once dinner’s ready, okay?”“Okay. Thanks, Mom!” Roxas grinned, before the older shifter left, making his way to Noctis’s study. He knocked before entering, not waiting for a reply as usual.“Hey,” he greeted as he closed the door behind himself.“Hey,” Noctis said softly, though he didn’t look up from his work immediately. The blonde rolled his eyes, somewhat annoyed by his mate’s workaholic tendencies.“I just went and checked on the kids, and they’re having fun,” he informed the raven as he went over to him, bracing himself against the desk with his hands.“Mhmm…good to know,” Noctis murmured. The dull response had the smaller shifter nearly growling, but he refrained, instead deciding to bring up his thought from earlier.“I actually have a question for you,” he said.“…mm?”“What would you think of having Axel move in to live with us?” Prompto asked.“…if he wants…”This time, Prompto snorted. “You’re being a workaholic again. Can you stop for just a bit?”“…”The blonde growled, before moving to the other side of the desk, grabbing Noctis’s wrists, and pinning them to the desk chair. “Noct…”At that, Noctis actually jumped, looking up to Prompto. “Huh?”“You’re getting too engrossed in your damn work again. Take a break, okay?” Prompto said firmly, leaning down and kissing his mate. Noctis tried to speak around the kiss briefly, before he gave a small groan, pulling one hand free so he could rest it on the back of Prompto’s neck. The smaller shifter purred at the response, pleased that the raven wasn’t trying to get back to his work anymore.After a few moments of this, though, Noctis sighed through his nose and pulled away. “Sorry…”“Sorry for ignoring me for your work?” Prompto said, quirking a brow and snorting.Noctis sighed heavily. “I had a good reason this time…”“And that reason would be…?”Instead of explaining verbally, Noctis picked up a few papers and passed them to Prompto.The blonde scanned through them, and then snarled when the words registered. “They’re NOT going to court her, ball or no ball,” he spat.“I know. I don’t intend to grant those requests…however, I am required to respond to those requests properly,” Noctis said with a small sigh.“Ugh… Don’t these idiots understand that we’re not exactly following tradition here?” Prompto growled. “It’s a ball for their 17th birthday, nothing more! We’ve made that obvious in the announcements!”“Yes, but they clearly don’t care…”“Obviously,” the smaller shifter grumbled, folding his arms irritably. “Fucking bastards…”Noctis sighed as he took hold of Prompto’s hand, squeezing softly. “Don’t worry… we’ll make sure they won’t get away with this.”Prompto nearly pulled away, just a bit too angered by the news, but he sighed instead, letting Noctis hold his hand. “I say write out a generic, proper response and make copies, then sign them all.”“Prom…”“Well, it would save time, and besides, I wouldn’t deem these fuckwads worthy of individual responses,” the blonde snorted. Noctis sighed, before he tugged on Prompto’s hand softly. Prompto let himself be tugged closer, sighing angrily. Noctis said nothing else as he pulled Prompto into his lap. The smaller male quickly relaxed in the raven’s lap, leaning into Noctis’s hold. “I won’t apologize for what I said…” he muttered.“Sssh…” Noctis murmured softly, rubbing the blonde’s back. Prompto relaxed further at the soothing touch, nuzzling the King’s chest as he was held.“She’ll be fine…don’t worry… We’ll make sure of it.”“I know, but we can’t tell her… She’ll be fucking pissed, and I won’t blame her,” the smaller shifter mumbled.“I know… I know…” the King murmured softly. Prompto then sighed, before looking up at his mate, wanting to change the subject.“Back to my earlier question, though. What would you think of Axel moving in to live with us?” he asked. “He’s got no family here in Insomnia, and he really shouldn’t be alone at that townhouse…”“…I see…and that’s the only reason?”“Of course not. I’d like him to live here so he can be with Roxas all the time. I’m sure Roxas would be ecstatic, too,” the blonde replied.Noctis chuckled. “I’m sure he would be…” he agreed. “And I don’t mind, given that Axel wants to.”“Then I’ll talk to him about it,” Prompto smiled. “I’m glad things are starting to look up…except for that.” At the last word, he glared at the formal requests.“I’ll figure it out, don’t worry,” Noctis promised.“I know you will. I trust you. And as long as they don’t show up, then we’re fine,” the smaller shifter said, settling himself further into Noctis’s lap. Noctis smiled silently, kissing the blonde to his forehead.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(Morning Of Christmas Eve)X*XThe morning of Christmas Eve, Axel woke up to Prompto lightly shaking his shoulder.“Hm…?” he hummed, blinking his bleary emerald eyes open. “Mm… Morning, Prompto. What’s up?”“I wanted to talk to you in private,” the blonde whispered, glancing at Roxas, who was curled up against Axel’s side. The redhead frowned worriedly, before carefully sliding out of bed and following Prompto to the hallway, still in his flannel pajama pants and sleep shirt.“Is everything okay?” Axel asked when they were out of Roxas’s hearing range.“Yeah, everything’s fine,” Prompto assured him. “I spoke to Noct, and he approved this, but I wanted to ask you… How would you like to move in with us and live here in the Citadel?” Immediately, the lanky boy’s eyes widened in complete shock, and his jaw dropped.“Are you sure?” he questioned softly, not wanting to wake Roxas.“Of course. Both Noct and I know you’re dedicated to being with Roxas, and we want to see you boys both happy. And you living here to be with Roxas all the time would also mean you wouldn’t be stuck alone at your townhouse anymore,” the shifter smiled.“Then…I’d love to,” Axel grinned. “Thank you so much!”“Anytime, Axel. Just don’t tell Roxas yet, okay? We can tell him tomorrow during the gift-opening,” Prompto chuckled.“Yes, sir,” the redhead nodded eagerly.“Now, go ahead and get Roxas up, and then get some breakfast in the dining hall,” the blonde told him, before heading off to wake up Regina and Ace. Axel smiled to himself, before going back into Roxas’s room and seeing his boyfriend was still sleeping. He sat on the bed, gently stroking the shorter boy’s hair, before leaning down and kissing him.“Good morning, Roxy,” he murmured against the shifter’s lips. Roxas began to purr at the kiss, and soon began to kiss back, humming happily.“Morning, Ax,” he whispered, smiling when they pulled back, before stretching. His stomach then growled, and he blushed, embarrassed. “I guess we should get some breakfast…” he mumbled.“Definitely a good idea,” Axel chuckled. “Let’s get dressed first, though.”“Agreed,” Roxas nodded, and he got out of bed, the pair getting changed before heading down to the dining hall, where Ace, Regina, Domi, and Noctis were waiting. “I take it Mom’s getting the twins?”“Hmhmm,” Regina hummed, leaning back a little in her seat.Ace didn’t even look up as he was busy typing something on his phone.“Morning, Dad,” Roxas smiled as he and Axel took their seats.“Who ya texting, Ace?” Axel asked, smirking.“Quon,” Ace said simply, not looking up from what he was doing.Regina chuckled at that, but she didn’t say anything, and Noctis allowed a small smile at the boy’s behavior.“Is he coming over today, then?” Roxas inquired. He wasn’t about to tease his brother over his crush, as Regina would probably do enough of that herself.“Yeah,” was Ace’s only response.“Well, I hope you guys have fun in the library,” Roxas chuckled, but he was glad Ace would finally get some time alone with Quon.“I honestly don’t see how the library can be fun at all,” Axel snorted.Ace looked up dryly at Axel. “Some of us know how to use our imagination,” he said simply.“I have an awesome imagination! I just don’t like the silence in the library. It’s weird…” Axel huffed.“I know, sometimes it’s like, almost deafening. Besides, the librarian here is always shushing us, even if we’re being quiet anyway,” Roxas grumbled, wrinkling his nose in distaste. Ace merely rolled his eyes at the words, since the younger blonde never had any issues with that, at all. Regina looked to Roxas and merely shrugged her shoulders, before she turned back to Domi, who was busy with drawing something on a sketchpad.“Whatcha drawing, Domi?” Roxas asked, genuinely curious, right before Prompto walked into the dining hall with the twins following.Domi hummed as he briefly looked up, before he giggled and closed the pad. “Wouldn’t you like to know~?”“Don’t bother, Rox; you’ll get to see it when it’s good and ready and not before,” Regina pointed out with a chuckle.“Awww…” the blonde pouted, yelping when Axel ruffled his spiky hair.“Patience, Roxy,” he chuckled as the twins ran over excitedly. As Ace put his phone back as well, Naminé rubbed at her eyes, yawning sleepily. Regina chuckled softly, but she said nothing else.“Roxy!! Tomorrow’s Christmas!” Zack squealed eagerly as he ran up to his oldest brother.“Really? I almost forgot!” Roxas gasped dramatically. “Thanks for reminding me, Zack!” He then ruffled the little raven’s spikes with a chuckle, making Zack giggle.“And since it’s Christmas Eve, that means no late nights for any of you,” Prompto chuckled.“Woohoo,” Regina said dryly as she twirled her finger in the air.Ace merely chuckled, but he didn’t say anything, since he knew that Regina didn’t appreciate being woken up at “ungodly” hours, even on Christmas.“I won’t wake you guys early this time, but I can’t promise Zack and Naminé won’t,” Prompto laughed. “They’ll be more excited than any of you.”Regina looked at their mother quietly, but she didn’t bother to speak up. Noctis, in the meantime, laughed softly. “Okay, Zack, Nami, take your seats, okay? Iggy’s almost got breakfast ready.”“Okay!” Zack chirped, climbing into his seat as Ignis came out with their breakfasts. Prompto took his usual seat by Noctis as the sandy blonde set his plate there, and everyone thanked the Advisor for their food before he returned to the kitchen. Breakfast this morning consisted of eggs, bacon, toast, and hash browns.As they ate, Regina and Domi were talking about one thing or another, keeping the conversation quiet enough that it was difficult for anyone to pick up on it. Noctis noticed this, but he didn’t bother to bring it up, though he did glance over to Prompto from the corner of his eyes. His mate, however, gave a minute shrug, not knowing what the conversation could be about. Instead of remaining quiet about it like Noctis, though…“Is there something you two want to share? Or does it need to be a conversation for behind closed doors?” he asked.Regina and Domi looked up with a hum, regarding Prompto momentarily, before they looked back to each other. They didn’t say anything for a while, before Regina shrugged. “Nothing much, really,” she said simply.Her mother eyed her fishily, but let it drop. “All right…” he sighed. Regina gave a small smirk before she went back to her conversation with Domi. As they did, Ace regarded them for a moment, before he shrugged and went back to his own breakfast.Roxas and Axel ate their own breakfasts in a content quiet, merely enjoying each other’s presence. Soon, though, Axel spoke up.“So, what do you guys normally do on Christmas Eve? My folks would just drink, from what I remember,” he said.“Hmmm…we could go look around the different decorations people put up,” Regina said with a shrug.“Yeah, we try to when it’s not too cold, huh?” Roxas nodded thoughtfully after swallowing a bite of hash browns. “Wanna do that, Ax?”“Sure, sounds good,” the redhead smiled.“Can we come??” Zack asked curiously, his blue eyes wide.“Pweeeeaaase?” Naminé added.Regina hummed, before she looked to Prompto. “Can they, Ma?”“I don’t see why not. Just make sure to stay together and bundle up,” Prompto shrugged with a smile, looking at Noctis. “Any protests?”Noctis chuckled with a shake of his head. “None from me. But I expect you to keep them safe.”“Of course,” Regina said with a nod and Ace hummed an affirmative.“We’ll keep them close,” Roxas agreed.“Yay!” Zack cheered gleefully, drawing laughs from Roxas and Axel both.Naminé cheered and clapped her hands happily, making Domi giggle. “Sounds like we have a plan, then.”“Awesome,” Axel chuckled, before they all resumed eating. As the redhead ate, however, he appeared deep in thought, and Roxas looked at his boyfriend, a bit concerned, but decided to wait until after breakfast to ask him what he was thinking about.Finally, everyone was done eating, and Prompto left with the twins to get them bathed and dressed before they were to go out later. Noctis had to go finish some paperwork before he would be free for Christmas, Regina and Domi left to the Crown Princess’s room to kill some time, and Ace went off to the library to wait until Quon came over. Which left Roxas and Axel to themselves.“Ax? You okay?” the blonde asked as they headed to his room.“Yeah, I’m fine, Roxy! Why do you ask?” the redhead inquired with a smile.“You just looked deep in thought during breakfast, and I just wasn’t sure…” the shifter murmured, but looked up at the taller boy when he sighed.“Well, I was thinking about calling Reno today, or even tomorrow, just to wish him Merry Christmas, and maybe even talk to Kairi,” Axel admitted.“Why wouldn’t you?” Roxas questioned, curious.“I just don’t know if Reno would be able to talk, is all, I guess… He was busy, even when I visited over the summer, too…” the redhead sighed.“I say call him. The worst he can do is say he can’t talk right now, and then call you later,” the shorter boy insisted, smiling at his boyfriend.“…Okay, I’ll give him a call, then,” Axel conceded. “Mind if I Facetime him?”“Not at all. And I don’t mind being in the shot, either,” Roxas laughed as they got to his room.“Sweet,” Axel smirked, pulling out his phone as the couple flopped onto Roxas’s bed. He then pulled up Reno’s contact information, and tapped on the Facetime option. The pair waited for Reno to answer, Roxas a bit eager to talk to Reno after so long. He hadn’t seen Reno since he and Axel were eight, after all.“Hey, Ax!” Reno’s face was grinning when he answered after a few rings, and there was a little girl with maroon hair smiling excitedly with him.“Heya Reno! Hi Kairi!” Axel greeted.“Axel!” the little girl, obviously Kairi, cheered. “I miss you!”“I know, Kai, I know, but I had to come home! Besides, I missed my Roxy, and we’re together now,” Axel chuckled.“Wait, what?!” Reno yelped, before laughing. “I knew you were head over heels for the blondie, but you guys are seriously a couple now?!”“Yes, Reno, we are,” Roxas laughed, before kissing his boyfriend’s cheek.“Nice, guys! I’m happy for you,” Reno told them, but Kairi looked confused.“I thought you were already boyfriends?” she said, and Reno chuckled.“Nah, not at the time, squirt. They were only friends when Axel was visiting,” her dad explained.“Ooohhh. Okay!” the little girl smiled brightly, before giving Axel an adorably stern look. “Be good to Roxy, Axel!”“He’s been amazing to me, Kairi, don’t worry,” Roxas assured her with a smile. “It’s nice to meet you, though. I’d love to see you in person sometime.”“This is probably the best you’ll get for a while, unless you come out here,” Reno sighed. “I’m just making enough money for us to stay comfortable, and whatever’s leftover isn’t much. I’m saving it for a trip to come out there, but it’s going slow.”“Then we’ll have to come out to see you guys sometime,” the blonde replied, before an idea came to him. “Hey Kairi, have you ever seen a shifter before?”“Shifter? What’s that?” she asked, blinking curiously.“Well, a shifter is someone who can transform, or shift, into different animals,” the prince explained. “And I’m a shifter.” Kairi gasped, before squealing excitedly.“Show me, show me!” she giggled.“Okay, but I can’t talk while I’m an animal, so remember that,” Roxas warned, before shifting into a cat. The maroon-haired girl’s eyes immediately widened in shock, before she grinned brightly.“Sooooo cuuuuuute!” she squealed. “Can you turn into a puppy?” Roxas nodded, before shifting into a Shiba Inu. “Oh my gosh!!”“Pretty cool, huh Kai?” Axel laughed as the blonde shifted back.“You’re so lucky to have Roxy, Axel!” Kairi smiled brightly.“Too true, Kairi,” Reno agreed.“Well, I originally was calling because I want to tell you guys Merry Christmas a bit early, since I’m staying at the Citadel with Rox and his family for the break, so I don’t think I’d have time to tomorrow, so…Merry Christmas, guys,” Axel told his cousin.“Merry Christmas, Ax, even though it’s a day early,” the older redhead smirked. “You guys enjoy your break, and have fun together, okay? We’ll talk again soon.”“Absolutely,” Roxas agreed. “Have an awesome Christmas, Kairi!”“I will! See you, Axel! See you, Roxy!” Kairi smiled happily, before the Facetime call was ended. Axel was smiling contently as he pocketed his phone again, and Roxas kissed his cheek again.“Happy?” he asked softly.“Hell yeah,” Axel chuckled.“Good. Kairi’s a cute kid. How old is she?”“She’s eight now, and she’s a definite social butterfly. She’s made good friends with two boys at her school, Sora and Riku, but I have a feeling they’ll end up a couple themselves after they hit puberty,” the redhead snickered.“Why do you think that?” Roxas asked, quirking a brow.“They’ve been best friends since they were in diapers, apparently, according to their parents. Leon, Sora’s dad, is friends with Reno, as is Firion, Riku’s dad,” the taller boy explained, before smirking. “I won’t be the least bit surprised when Kairi tells me she has two gay best friends that are dating each other.”“As long as they’re happy together when that time comes, that’s what matters,” the prince chuckled.“True.”As they lay there, Roxas soon cuddled into Axel’s side, purring contently, even when Axel kissed him lazily. And they remained like that, simply kissing and cuddling, for a few hours, until they dozed off together for a small nap. X*X(Later…)X*X“Okay, I think we’re good to go…” Regina murmured as she adjusted the twins’ jackets and scarves. “Hmm…but what are we missing…?” she wondered softly.“Roxy and Axey!” Naminé cheered, making the teens laugh.“True, they seem to be strangely absent,” Domi giggled out.“Can’t have that, can we? Can you two go fetch them?” Regina asked with a smirk.“Kay, Sissy!!”“We’ll go find them!” Zack added, before he and Naminé ran down the hallway to Roxas’s bedroom. When they got there, Zack knocked on the door, like their mother always told them to do with the bedrooms. “Roxy! Axel!” he called, and there was a tired groan from inside.“Huh…?” Roxas’s voice uttered.“Roxy!! Sissy says we gotta gooooo!!” Naminé called out, bouncing on her feet.“Mmm… Okay, we’ll be out in a sec,” the blonde told them.“Hurry, hurry!” Zack giggled. Sure enough, not long after, the couple opened the door, wearing their hoodies.“All right, you two. Let’s go find Regina and Domi and go look at decorations, okay?” Roxas smiled, and Axel chuckled.Naminé giggled as she grabbed Roxas’s hand. “Let’s go, let’s go!!”“We’re going, Nami,” Axel told her, chuckling as the four headed off to the Citadel’s entrance. They soon found Regina and Domi waiting for them, and Roxas waved.“Hey guys!” he called.Regina chuckled, while Domi waved in return. “Morning, sleepyheads~” he chirped.“I won’t deny that,” Roxas shrugged with a laugh. “So, we gonna shift and fly out to town?” he asked his sister.“Unless you want to head out by car, but then we’ll have to ask Iggy to drive us,” Regina said with a shrug.“Nu! Wanna flyyyyy!” Naminé whined before Roxas could answer.“Then there’s our answer,” the blonde laughed.“Yay!!” Zack cheered.“Domi, you’ll have to hold on to Naminé, and Axel, you’ll hold on to Zack. I’d rather not have them fall,” Roxas said.“Definitely not,” Axel agreed, shuddering. “That’s fine, I’ll hold on to Zack.”“I get to ride with Roxy and Axel!” Zack grinned.Naminé cheered happily, even as Domi picked up the small girl, giggling warmly. And Regina merely smiled, before the expression fell as she looked past Roxas. However, before he could ask, she smirked as she said, “Yo, Ace.”“Hm? Ah, hey,” the youngest triplet said as he walked down the stairs.“You coming with us?” Roxas asked as Axel plucked Zack off the floor.Ace quirked an eyebrow, before he snorted and shook his head. “No. I’m just coming to pick up Quon from the gates…before he gets lost.”“Good idea, there,” Regina laughed.“…? How he get lost? Not that hard…” Naminé pointed out cutely.“It’s okay, Nami. Sometimes people can’t get in,” Roxas chuckled.Naminé obviously didn’t get it, but Regina merely chuckled as she walked ahead. “C’mon then. Let’s go, shall we?”“Right,” Roxas and Axel nodded, following her and Domi outside. Once outside, Roxas shifted into a griffon, crouching down slightly to let Axel climb on with Zack right in front of him against the blonde’s feathered neck.Regina watched her brother for a moment, before snorting and then shifting into a hippogriff, briefly shaking her head, before crouching down enough to let Domi climb on with Naminé.‘Oy, Ace, no funny business, get it?’ the girl chuckled, and the blonde spluttered before he frowned.“Very funny, sis…”‘Do you have to tease us at every turn, Regina…?’ Roxas sighed.‘Yes~’ Regina chuckled, before she looked to Domi. ‘Ready?’Dominatio nodded as he got himself comfortable, holding onto Naminé properly. “Let’s go, dear~”Chuckling once more, Regina dashed forward, before she took to the air. Shaking his head in disbelief, Roxas launched himself skyward with a strong kick off the ground, spreading his wings and flying off after Regina, just following her this time. After all, he didn’t want to scare Zack by racing in the sky like that. X*X(Ace)X*XAce sighed as he watched his siblings leave, before a familiar voice called out his name. Looking over, he noticed Quon being led over by a guard. “Hey, Quon,” he said with a nod.“Did your siblings just leave?” Quon asked.“Yeah, they’re taking the twins out to go sightseeing around Insomnia.”“I see…” Quon murmured.“Anyway, shall we go?” Ace asked, gesturing for the Citadel.“Ah, sure.” Quon nodded, and he proceeded to follow after the blonde prince.It took them only a short distance to reach the library. “Here we are,” Ace said to his guest as they stepped up to the door to the library, and he pushed it open with practiced ease. Since he was used to the size of the library already, he didn’t say anything as they entered. Which was probably good, given it was a library.As he looked back, though, he caught the look of sheer wonder on Quon’s face as he listlessly followed after the blonde prince. Ace waited for a few moments to give Quon time to absorb the sight. But when he still didn’t say anything after almost five minutes, he smiled.“Close your mouth, Quon,” he said (quietly, so as to not cause a disturbance in the library), “you’re catching flies.”Quon jumped in surprise at the words, before he snapped his jaw shut. For a brief moment, Quon just stood there looking at Ace, before he (softly) cleared his throat. “I…I apologize. I was not…expecting this many books in the library.”“Really? Then how many were you expecting?” Ace asked, a small smirk playing on his lips while making sure to keep his voice down.“Ah…well…” For moment, Quon almost seemed lost for words. before he gave a small exhalation. “Not…this many…?”Ace had to cover his mouth to keep himself from bursting out laughing at the words. He wasn’t used to Quon being this lost for words, and it was certainly refreshing. It probably wouldn’t be a smart idea to bring that up, though, given where they were currently.“Anyway,” he said instead, “shall we go look for that book you were looking for?”“Hm? …Oh, right, let’s,” Quon said solemnly, but the pause almost had Ace frowning openly. Had the sight of the library surprised him so much that he’d completely forgotten his reason for coming here initially?‘Well, good thing I’m here to assist, then…’“Okay; let’s go,” Ace said, gesturing for Quon to follow after, and the taller teen followed after silently. X*X(Regina & Roxas)X*XWhen the two shifters landed just outside of town, Roxas crouched a bit to let Axel climb off his back and take Zack off as well, before he shifted back.Once Domi and Naminé had gotten off her back, Regina shifted back and stretched her arms above her head. “Okay! Let’s head off, shall we?”“Sounds good,” Roxas nodded, before looking at the twins. “Stay with us and hold my hand, okay, Zack? Nami, hold Regina’s hand, okay?”“Okay Roxy!” Zack smiled brightly, taking his big brother’s hand as they started walking. Naminé giggled as she took Regina’s hand in one hand, then held out the other to Domi. Who, naturally, accepted with a cheery giggle as they began to walk. Noticing this, Zack blinked, but reached out for Axel’s hand with his free hand, and the redhead chuckled softly as he took the little raven’s hand.“Better?” he asked.“Uh-huh!” Zack nodded happily.Regina merely chuckled softly, but she said nothing else as they finally stepped out into the streets. And when they did, Naminé stared in awe. “Wooooow!”“Pretty cool, huh?” Roxas asked with a warm smile, laughing softly when he saw how Zack’s jaw had dropped in surprise.“So pretty!!” Naminé cheered, trying to run ahead, but Regina kept her from running off too far.“Hey, now; stay close, Nami.”“Aww…”“We can’t have you guys getting lost, remember?” Roxas reminded her. “Mama and Papa would be really worried.”“Kay…” Naminé murmured, pouting, but she didn’t try to run off again.Domi merely giggled, reaching down to gently pat the girl’s head, making her yip before she smiled up to Domi happily. It made Roxas happy to know she wasn’t nervous of Domi anymore, since she had been so shy before.As they walked, a number of people saw them walking, and while most were confused about who they were, there were others who quickly got out of the way respectfully. Of course, Naminé and Zack didn’t notice this behavior, but the older two royals did, though they did their best not to show it.Regina tried her best to not openly frown, mostly because of the twins’ presence. And although Roxas wasn’t as affected by it as Regina was, he was slowly becoming annoyed. Axel noticed his boyfriend’s steadily growing annoyance, and he smiled reassuringly at the blonde, making him relax.As they walked, Regina kept a good grip on Naminé’s hand. The small girl was giggling happily as she followed after, bouncing on her feet. “Shiny housies!” she chirped with a bright smile.“So pwetty!” Zack agreed with a grin as he followed Roxas and Axel.Domi giggled at the twins’ reactions, walking in (slow) step with Regina to allow the kids to set their pace. Which, by the way, was still faster than would be acceptable. However, when the crowds began to grow thicker, Regina frowned.“Okay, you know what?” she exclaimed just before she bent down. Naminé gave a surprise squeak when she was suddenly lifted up under her armpits, right before the Crown Princess put her up on her shoulders. “There,” Regina quipped as she rose to her feet properly. “Now don’t go doing crazy stuff up there, Nami.”Naminé blinked, before she giggled and wrapped her tiny arms around her sister’s head.“Me next! Me next!” Zack whined, bouncing on his heels, and Roxas laughed.“I won’t be tall enough, so…Axel?” the blonde said, looking to the redhead, who chuckled.“I gotcha,” he smirked, before picking Zack up and putting the little raven on his shoulders. “Try not to pull my hair, a’ight?”“Okay!” the little boy giggled.“Sissy look!!” Naminé cheered, pointing. “Spi’corns!”Regina blinked as she looked over. “…no, Nami, those are reindeer.”“Ray-deer…??”“Yep. Those carry Santa’s sleigh so that good kids can get their presents on time.”“You guys saw them last year, too, but you were too young to remember,” Roxas told the twins. Though Naminé looked a little confused at that, she squealed when Domi reached up and tickled her, making her giggle before playfully slapping his fingers away. Zack giggled, too, happy his twin sister liked Domi now, compared to before.“Happy?” Roxas asked his little brother, and Zack nodded quickly.Like that, the group of six moved through the brightly decorated streets, with the twins occasionally pointing out things that caught their eye. Regina chuckled softly as she held onto Naminé’s ankles, the girl’s hands secured in her hair as she lightly bounced on her shoulders with every step, while she occasionally messed around with Domi at seemingly random intervals.Just seeing how good Domi was with Naminé made Roxas happy. He felt the whitehead was good with children in general, and he wondered if, should Regina and Domi end up together (which was highly probable considering how close they are), they would ever have children themselves. Even Regina doted on Zack and Naminé equally, and truly, genuinely cared about her two youngest siblings.Just then, Naminé’s nose twitched and she blinked, before looking around. “Wha that, Sissy?” she asked as she pointed to the side.Regina hummed as she looked over. “…Huh, not sure…”As Domi looked over, curious, he blinked. “Ah, I think those are churros, aren’t they?”“‘Churros’?” Roxas repeated, confused.“Oh, they had those in Hollow Bastion, too!” Axel grinned. “They’re basically fried sticks of dough coated in cinnamon sugar. And they’re delicious!”“They certainly smell amazing!” the blonde agreed, nodding.“Yummy!” Zack squealed, bouncing on Axel’s shoulders excitedly. “Can we get one, Roxy, please???”“I don’t see why not,” the short blonde shrugged.“Yaaay!!” Naminé chirped, and Regina yelped as the girl tugged on her hair in her excitement, but she merely laughed as they began to walk to the stand.“Sooo…” Domi began. “Do we take them with powdered sugar…or chocolate sauce?”“Why not both? We can get a cup of chocolate sauce on the side and get them covered in powdered sugar with the cinnamon sugar,” Axel suggested. “I can cover the cost if needed.”“Ax, no. Regina and I can pay,” Roxas insisted.“But—” Domi began, but Regina bumped his shoulder with her fist.“Nuh-uh. Our treat, so shush. Rox, you mind? I got my hands full,” Regina said with a chuckle.“Not at all,” her brother chuckled, pulling out his wallet when they got close. He placed their order, paid, and soon came back to the others with one churro for each of them, along with two medium-sized cups of chocolate sauce. “Here we go, guys.”“Thanks, Roxy!” Zack chirped as he was handed his.“Careful, Zack, they feel pretty hot. Don’t burn your mouth, okay?” the blonde warned.“Kay!”“Careful up there, a’ight, Nami?” Regina said as the small girl reached for hers.“Kay, Sissy!” Nami chirped as she carefully took hold of the churro.“I only got two cups of chocolate sauce cuz I figured we could share,” Roxas explained, holding out a sauce cup to Zack so he could dip his. “Dip it in the chocolate, okay Zack?”“Kay, Roxy!” the little raven nodded, dipping his churro into the sauce cup, and then biting off the chocolate-covered end. “Mmm!! Super yummy!!” he got out around his mouthful of churro.“Here you go, guys,” Roxas smiled, handing the others their churros and giving Domi a chocolate sauce cup for him to share with Regina and Naminé.After she’d dipped her own churro into the sauce, Naminé blew on the treat, before she took a bite of her own. And as the taste dawned on the girl, she squealed happily, kicking her legs out and almost making Regina lose her grip on the girl. “Nom nom~!” she chirped merrily, and Regina chuckled softly.Domi giggled as he nibbled on his own churro, holding out the cup in his free hand, still.“Thanks, Roxy,” Axel smiled as he dipped his churro in the chocolate sauce, still keeping his grip on Zack with one hand.“No sweat! These are delicious, like you said,” Roxas grinned after swallowing a bite of churro.“Definitely,” Regina chuckled. “Gonna have to ask Iggy to make ‘m sometime.”“Yay!” Naminé cheered happily, making Domi laugh softly.“I bet he’ll still try and put his own spin on them, though,” Roxas laughed.“I’ll bet,” Regina chuckled. “Shall we keep going?” she asked after a moment.“Let’s… Carefully, though, so we don’t spill anything,” Domi said with a giggle.“Yeah,” Axel nodded, and the group continued on. As they walked, Zack and Naminé pointing out random decorations occasionally, the redhead hoped that Roxas would like his gift he had gotten for him for Christmas. It was something special that would mean something to them both, and he had even enlisted Regina’s help with it. He definitely owed the Crown Princess big time, but she had waved it off with a laugh, just wanting Axel to make her younger brother happy. X*X(Ace & Quon)X*XIf there was one thing that Ace enjoyed doing that he rarely had the chance to do with his siblings, it was reading and/or studying in the library in relative silence. Sadly, neither of his siblings were big fans of this, which often left him sitting alone in the library. And while he certainly didn’t mind; it did get lonely from time to time.So he was glad that, for once, he wasn’t alone in his hobby, even if there were no words exchanged between them. But that was fine; it was enough for Ace to just have someone there with him. The fact that the person with him was the person he had a secret crush on only made it that much more enjoyable to the blonde.“…Ace?”The prince looked up at the quiet call, humming softly to let Quon know he was listening. He noticed that Quon had closed the book he’d been reading, which meant he was probably ready to look for a new book. While they hadn’t found the book he’d been looking for, there had been so many other books that Quon was interested in that he didn't even mind that.“Finished already?” he asked softly, quickly putting his bookmark between the pages of his book. “Want to go look for something else?”“…Ah, yeah,” Quon said, but Ace frowned briefly. There seemed to be something on the purple-haired teen’s mind, and he couldn’t help but wonder.Still, it probably wasn’t any of his business, so it was probably better for it to be forgotten. Unless Quon wanted him to know, that is. But, honestly, he doubted he would.“Okay, let’s go,” he said as he stood up. Quon followed close behind as they headed into the back of the library. It took them no time whatsoever to get where they had to be, and while Quon put his book away, Ace began to look for another book for his classmate.Just then, he noticed a book on a shelf just above his head. ‘Huh…that one looks interesting,’ he thought, reaching up cautiously. Annoyingly, though, the book was just out of reach. ‘Dammit…! C'mon!!’He reached a little higher, standing up on his tiptoes and just barely managed to grab hold of the book. Satisfied with that, he looked over and said, “Quon.” As the other looked over quietly, just as he pulled on the book. “This one is—”“Look out!!” Quon suddenly shouted, and before Ace had any time to response, the other slammed into him and threw him backwards. Ace was about to demand what had happened, but the loud crashing thuds of books falling from above and hitting the floor on the spot where he’d been standing mere moments ago. As soon as he realized that, he actually stared in shock, before he breathed in relief…that is, until he realized that Quon had him pressed quite firmly against the wall.‘Oh…shit…!’As silence descended upon the room again, Quon finally seemed to realize the position they were in, as his eyes widened in alarm…and yet he didn’t actually move away. Weirder still, was that…was he…was he blushing?Quon tried to speak, as his mouth moved as if to form words, but nothing came out. Ace was fairly sure his own face was just as, if not more, red as Quon’s, but if the other noticed, he certainly didn’t mention it. Then again, he seemed to be too busy with…whatever was on his mind.“Um…I…ah…” Quon stammered, which, in itself, was something he wasn’t used to hearing from the other. He tried several times more, licking his lips briefly, which in turn, drew Ace’s attention to said lips. And he, in response, actually found himself doing the same.Ace wasn’t even sure who moved first, but by the time he was aware anyone had, their mouths were already connected and his hands had moved to grab hold of the taller teen’s shirt.‘Fuck…am I dreaming…?’ he wondered absently, even as a groan escaped him when Quon’s arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him up closer. ‘If…if I am…I don’t want to wake up…’ X*X(Regina & Roxas)X*XWhen Roxas landed right after Regina, he crouched down so Axel could climb off with Zack in his arms before shifting back. The little raven had fallen asleep right before they left, his excitement clearing having worn him out.“Well, I think they’re gonna let you sleep in tomorrow, Regina,” he smirked as his sister shifted back, seeing how Naminé was also fast asleep in Domi’s arms.“Thank Shiva,” Regina chuckled out softly, with Domi giggling softly.“You don’t get enough sleep?” Axel snorted quietly, a smirk playing on his lips.“I do NOT appreciate being woken at 5 in Six-forsaken the morning, alright?!” Regina hissed, making sure to keep her voice down for the twins. “Bad enough Ma has to wake me at 6…”Domi merely smiled knowingly, wisely keeping himself out of the conversation.“You’re as bad as Dad is, based off of what Mom says,” Roxas snickered, drawing an amused snort from Axel.“So? What’s wrong with napping?” Regina argued back, as they headed off to the library.“Nothing, nothing at all,” Roxas grinned, before pausing. “Maybe we should put these two to bed first, though, before we wake them back up.” He gestured to the twins as he spoke.“Might be smart, yeah…” Regina murmured.With that, the teens headed to the twins’ bedroom, where Roxas gently tucked in Zack once Axel had placed him in his bed. Domi had a slightly harder time, as Naminé had a tight grip on his shirt. He needed Regina’s help in getting the sleeping toddler to let him go so that the pair of them could tuck her in as well. Where Nami immediately proceeded to cuddle with her Chocobo plushie.“Cute,” Axel chuckled softly, as Roxas smiled, and then the teens left the bedroom before resuming their walk to the library.“Here’s hoping Ace’s still alive and didn’t keel over from boredom,” Regina chuckled out as they approached the door.“With Quon there? Yeah, right,” Roxas snorted, a smirk on his face. Regina merely shrugged as she pushed open the door to the library and peeked inside. When she didn’t spot her youngest brother immediately, she stepped inside with a curious hum. “I wonder where he’s at…?” Roxas murmured curiously as he and Axel stepped inside as well.“Maybe looking for a different book?” Domi offered as he followed them inside. Regina, however, moved over to the table where her brother and Quon had clearly been reading before.“They’re both missing…” Axel realized, and Roxas frowned, wondering where they could have gone.“…”Domi bit his lip at Regina’s silence, before asking, “Do we have to call someone…?”However, just then, Regina picked up one of the books and sniffed along the cover with her eyes shut. Roxas knew what she was doing, but didn’t say anything, simply letting her catch Quon’s scent. After a few, long moments, Regina set the book down and began to walk along slowly, taking deep whiffs of the air. Roxas trailed after, Axel close behind, the blonde occasionally sniffing at the air, too.Suddenly, though, Regina stopped walking.“…? Regina…?” Domi asked slowly.“Do you smell that?” Roxas asked her. “I can’t place it…”“…” Regina suddenly smirked, as she brought up one hand. “‘Oops’,” she said dryly, before she slammed her fist onto the nearest bookshelf—which caused a number of books on the other side to tumble from the shelf.And that in turn caused two startled yowls from beyond the bookshelf.“Huh??”“Ace?” Axel frowned, recognizing one of the voices, and Roxas chuckled, having an idea of what the pair had been doing. As the group of four walked around the corner, both Ace and Quon were crouched at the end of the aisle, gathering a bunch of books that appeared to have fallen down at some point. Whenever that had been wasn’t sure, though.“Are you guys okay?” Domi asked worriedly.“Y-yeah,” Ace coughed out. “Yeah, we’re fine…”“What were you two up to?” Roxas smirked.“Nothing,” Ace almost squeaked, though he somehow managed to make it sound semi-normal.“…Uuuuh-huuuuh…” Regina said with a small smirk of her own.“I’ll believe that…never,” Roxas snickered.Rather than say anything else about it, Ace cleared his throat, even as Quon began methodically putting the books away. “A-anyway, was there something you needed?”“We were just checking on you guys since we got back not too long ago. Zack and Naminé were exhausted, so we put them to bed,” Roxas replied as Axel nodded.“Ah, okay,” Ace said solemnly, as he moved some of the books onto the shelves.“…oy, Ace,” Regina called out.“Yes?”“…Those books are upside-down.”“Agh!”“Distracted much?” Axel teased.“Sh-shut up!” Ace hissed, much to the others’ amusement. Roxas chuckled, before giving a small yawn.“No wonder Zack and Naminé were tired,” he murmured, looking at his phone for the time. “It’s already nine.”“Already? Esh…” Regina mumbled.“Ah…guess we should head to bed, huh?” Domi said thoughtfully.“Ah, yes…I suppose I should be off, then…” Quon said with a small hum.Regina regarded the teen for a moment, before she smirked. “At this hour? Might be better to spend the night, if you ask me…”“Good point. Besides, everyone’ll have turned in early since it’s Christmas Eve,” Roxas agreed with a sly grin.“Um…I couldn't possibly—”“Sure you can! Dom, you mind going with me? Rox, how ‘bout you show Quon somewhere he can stay?” Regina said, but she left before her brother could answer, dragging Domi with her. Roxas rolled his eyes, but smiled at Quon anyway.“Come on, I’ll show you to a guest room near Ace’s room,” he said, and started to head out, Axel close behind. Ace sighed heavily, shaking his head when Quon looked at him, before he followed after his older brother. The taller teen gave a soft sigh, before he followed after in silence. The four soon arrived at a guest room near Ace’s room, and Roxas smiled at his brother and Quon.“Here we go. Make yourself at home,” he told him. “Axel and I are gonna go get some sleep, so goodnight.” And with that, the couple headed off to Roxas’s room.Ace sighed as he watched his brother go. After a moment of silence, he looked to Quon and shrugged. “Sorry about that…”“Ah, it’s alright,” Quon said with a small wave of his hand. After a few moments, though, he reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. “…so…um…”Ace allowed a small chuckle. “Actually…” he said, almost calmly, “I was thinking we could spend some more time studying for later. Sound good?”Quon blinked, twice, before he allowed a small chuckle. “Hmm…if you’re sure that’s fine, then sure.” Ace merely chuckled as well as he followed Quon into the guest room.Meanwhile, with Roxas and Axel, the couple was getting settled into bed together.“Do you think they’ll end up making out during the night?” Axel smirked as he held Roxas close.“Like they probably were in the library before Regina scared the shit out of them? Wouldn’t surprise me,” the blonde snickered. “But I guess we’ll have to wait and find out. So for now, let’s get some sleep.” He then cuddled closer, yawning. “Goodnight, Ax. Love you…”“Love you, too, Roxy. Goodnight,” the redhead chuckled softly, kissing his boyfriend’s temple before they fell asleep. X*X(Regina)X*XRegina laughed as she let herself drop down on her bed. “Well, that took forever!!” she almost cackled.Domi allowed a giggle as he moved over and plopped down on the girl’s bed beside her. “I guess you were expecting that to happen, hm?”“Well he was being pretty obvious,” Regina chuckled as she scooted back. When Domi continued to sit there, Regina suddenly shot up and dragged him down beside her, making him yelp. “There!”“Re-Regina!”“…What?”“We-well…um…”The princess chuckled as she reached out and bopped her friend to his nose, making him squeak. “Just go to sleep,” she quipped.“…ah…um…k-kay…” the whitehead stammered, even as Regina shut her eyes quietly. Domi regarded her for a few moments, before he sighed softly and settled there. ‘…I wonder if…’Whatever he was thinking of, though, it was soon lost as he shut his eyes to sleep as well.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(Christmas Morning)X*XWhen Roxas and Axel woke the next morning, it was to Zack’s and Naminé’s excited voices calling through the door.“Roxy! Axel! It’s Christmas!!” they squealed, right before the door opened and they ran over to the bed, climbing on top of their brother and Axel, giggling excitedly. Prompto watched from the doorway, an amused grin on his face.“We’re up!” Roxas yelped, before laughing. “We’re coming, you two goobers!”“Good work, Zack, Nami,” Prompto chuckled, ruffling the twins’ hair when they rejoined him. “Now, let’s go get Sissy and Domi up, okay?”“Okay!” they chirped, and followed their mother off to Regina’s room. Once they were gone, Roxas sighed, but he had an amused smile on his face.“We’d best get going, Ax. Otherwise they’ll come back with a vengeance,” he warned.“Too early…” the redhead groaned. “…What time is it, anyway?”“It’s eight in the morning, so it’s not too early,” the blonde chuckled after glancing at the clock. He then slid over Axel to climb out of bed, smiling back at his boyfriend. “Come on, Ax!”“Okay, but only because you’re cute when you’re excited,” the taller teen relented with a smirk, before climbing out of bed as well. They soon headed off to the lounge in their pajamas, as was customary on Christmas for the family in the Citadel, and Roxas’s and Axel’s eyes both shot wide open at the sight of the number of gifts under the huge Christmas tree. “Is this how it usually is…?” Axel asked softly.“No, there’s not normally this much,” the blonde murmured.“Well, it’s because we have guests this time,” Prompto’s voice chuckled as he joined them. “Surprised?”“Definitely,” the shorter blonde nodded. Just then, there was a familiar squeal, and when they looked back, it was just in time to see the twins running into the room, followed shortly by a very sleepy-looking Crown Princess, who yawned loudly as she walked over, closely followed by Domi. Ace and Quon were close behind, and, of them all, Quon seemed the most awake.“Oh? And who’s this?” Prompto asked Ace, looking at Quon.“Ah, this is Quon,” Ace said as he gestured to his classmate. “It…got a little late yesterday, so Regina suggested he stay the night…”“Yeah, I did…” Regina mumbled, yawning again. “So?”Quon actually smirked softly in amusement at the girl's words, before he turned to Prompto and bowed politely. “Good morning, Your Majesty. I apologize for any troubles my presence may have caused.”“Please, it’s no trouble. And call me Prompto. There’s no need to be so formal with me,” Prompto smiled, waving a hand dismissively. He then looked at Regina. “Where’s your father at?”“I think…Cor had something to discuss with him…?” Regina offered, running a hand through her hair before she shrugged with another yawn.Domi giggled at that, but he kept silent for the moment…though anyone looking at him would notice he seemed almost distracted.“Looks like we’ll have to wait on him, then. Sorry, guys,” the older shifter sighed apologetically.“It’s fine. I’d rather we all be together for gift opening, anyway,” Roxas shrugged, tucking himself into Axel’s side and making the redhead chuckle.“Awww…” Naminé whined with a pout.Ace chuckled softly. “It won’t take long, Nami. Just be patient, okay?”“Kay…”Zack whined, but didn’t say anything to argue it. Roxas then noticed how Domi was being, and he frowned a little in concern. “You okay, Domi?” he asked.“Hm? Oh, yeah, I’m fine,” Domi said with a warm smile.Regina looked at her friend quietly, a small frown on her face. However, before she could bring it up, Noctis entered the room. “Good morning,” he said as he approached them.“Morning, Dad!” Roxas greeted, before he looked at both of his parents. “Merry Christmas!”“Merry Christmas, everyone,” Prompto chuckled. “All right, now let’s get your guys’ stockings before these two collapse from excitement.” He pointed at the twins as he spoke.“Might be smart, yeah,” Regina chuckled as she walked over.“Yaaaaay!!” Naminé cheered.“Whoop!” Zack crowed, before he and Naminé ran to the fireplace to get their stockings. Unfortunately, they still weren’t tall enough to reach them on their own, so Roxas and Axel got the twins their stockings for them.“Here ya go, Nami,” Roxas smiled, handing her the stuffed stocking.“Thank you, Roxy!” the small girl cheered, as she plopped down and began to dig in her stocking.“You’re welcome,” her brother chuckled, grabbing his own stocking.“And here you go, Zack,” Axel said, passing Zack his.“Thank you, Axel!” the little raven chirped, sitting by his sister and pawing through his stocking eagerly.“Looks like you have one, Axel, and so do you, Domi,” Prompto told the redhead and whitehead with a smirk, gaining their attention.“Really?” Axel blinked, and he looked. Sure enough, here was a stocking for him hanging from the mantle, as well as one with Domi’s name on it. Domi blinked, pointing to himself, but Regina merely chuckled as she grabbed the stocking and passed it to the whitehead. Confused, Domi took it and looked inside. And inside all the stockings were a large amount and variety of candies, small trinkets, a mini bottle of apple cider, and even a few holiday crackers.“Awesome!” Roxas grinned, excited by the amount of candy. He also was eager to pop open a cracker with his boyfriend, seeing as they were always fun to have around.“Nice,” Regina said with a chuckle as she tapped Domi with her cracker. Though the boy blinked, when he realized what she meant, he smiled and helped her to pop the cracker. Prompto chuckled at the sight, and watched as Roxas and Axel popped one of theirs together.Ace chuckled softly at his siblings dealt with the crackers, before he tried to open his own. Sadly, it wasn’t as easy as he had expected it to be. Quon allowed a small smile at the boy’s frustration.“Need some help?” he offered.“…may be smart,” Ace murmured, as he passed Quon one side. The other teen merely chuckled as he helped Ace to crack it open.Prompto smiled at the sight, realizing this was the boy that Ace had a crush on. ‘Good choice. He’s a good guy, Ace,’ he thought. “All right, we’re going from youngest to oldest for passing out gifts, one at a time,” he announced. “So it’ll be Nami first, followed by Zack, Ace, Roxas, and Regina, and finally, Domi and Axel.”“Sounds good,” Roxas nodded, before laughing at Axel’s shocked look. “You didn’t really think we’d leave you two out of getting gifts, did ya?”“A-ah…but—” Domi began, before he yelped as Regina poked him.“Nuh-uh, no complaining. Let’s get to unpacking!”“Yay!” Naminé cheered as she scampered to the stack of gifts.“Hang on Nami,” Prompto said quickly. “Remember, Daddy has to pass them out.” He looked at Noctis with an amused grin at this. Noctis chuckled, as he walked over. It took him only a few moments to pick up one of Naminé’s gifts and pass it to the youngest of the royal siblings.“T’ankie, Papa!” Naminé chirped as she went to unwrap her present. When she finished tearing off the wrapping paper, the gift turned out to be a set of crayons and a sketchbook. And as expected, Naminé cheered happily. “So many colors!”Regina chuckled. “Well that was easy…”“All right, Zack’s next,” Prompto smiled, ruffling the little raven’s hair and making him squeak.“Yay!” he cheered as his gift was placed in his lap. He tore apart the wrapping paper to reveal a stuffed wolf plushie, and he squealed happily. “So soft!” he grinned as he cuddled it.“All right, Ace, you’re up,” his mother chuckled. Ace nodded as he walked up to Noctis, accepting the present. He was a lot calmer with opening his present, and he wasn’t the least bit surprised when he pulled out the book hidden by the wrapping. He chuckled softly, nodding his thanks quietly.“Roxas, it’s your turn,” Prompto smiled, and the shorter blonde thanked Noctis when he was handed his gift. He then unwrapped it to reveal a pair of keychains, both small swords shaped like keys, with one being black and the other silvery white.“Thank you!” he grinned.“You’re welcome, Rox,” his mother chuckled.“Right then…you’re up, princess,” Noctis said with a chuckle.“Yeah, yeah,” Regina chuckled as she walked over and took the package from him. As the wrapping fell away, Regina let out a whistle as she held up the box inside, examining the camera displayed on front. “Awesooome,” she laughed with a grin. “Thanks, Father.”“You’re welcome, princess.”“Okay, now for Axel,” Prompto said, and once the redhead was handed his gift, he unwrapped it to reveal a set of high quality lighters.“Whoa…” Axel breathed, awed. “Thanks so much!”“You’re welcome,” Roxas grinned. “Just don’t use them in stupid places.”“I know, I know, Roxy,” his boyfriend laughed.“Okay, Domi, you’re next!” Regina quipped.“Oh! Uh…r-right…” After swallowing what was blocking his throat, Domi moved to collect his present from the King, he stepped back to unwrap it. As the wrapping fell away, he almost gaped openly at the gorgeous hairpins resting in the small box. “W-wow…these are so pretty!”“Glad you like them,” Prompto chuckled. “I got some help from the kids’ Aunt Luna in picking those out.”Regina chuckled softly, but she said nothing as Domi got them out of the package and then began to redo his hair with his new pins. Once he was done, he turned to the others and asked cheerily, “How do I look?”“Pwetty!” Naminé chirped immediately.“Very nice,” Prompto smiled, while Roxas and Axel grinned. “Now for Nami again.”“Yay!!” Naminé cheered as she hurried to her father again to get the next present. Once she opened it, it turned out to be an easel her size so she could draw and paint easier. “Yay! So cool!!” the girl chirped happily.“And now Zack,” the older shifter smiled. Zack quickly unwrapped his gift, revealing a wooden toy sword. “So the deal with this, Zack, is that you can’t use it on anyone, okay? It’s just for playing with.”“Okay, Momma!” the little raven chirped with a nod.“Good,” his mother nodded. “Ace is next.”Ace nodded as he accepted the next present from his father, which was markedly smaller than the first. When he unwrapped it, it turned out to be a pack of cards. “Very nice. Thanks, Dad.”“Rox, you’re up,” the taller blonde said, and Roxas smiled thankfully as he was given his next gift. He unwrapped it to reveal a platinum necklace with a pendant hanging from it that was exactly like the one on his favorite jacket.“This is awesome! Thanks!” he grinned excitedly, clipping it in place on his neck.Regina chuckled, shaking her head softly, before she stepped up to her father to retrieve her second gift. It was heavier than the first, and she couldn’t really tell what was in it. Humming softly, the Crown Princess quietly began to tug at the paper.And as soon as she pulled one section of paper away, she froze and, for a bit, just stared.“Surprise~” Prompto chuckled.“Sissy…?” Naminé asked worriedly.Regina didn’t say anything. Instead, she reached into the package and pulled out what, at first glance, looked a bit like a gun of some sort. But then she snapped it out to the side, which caused a blade to unfold from its compartment.“Wow…” Ace said in slight awe. Roxas, on the other hand, was staring at it, a bit slack-jawed.“This is your big gift, Regina,” Prompto told her. “Be careful with it.”For a long time, Regina didn’t speak, but then she finally clicked the blade shut again. Noctis chuckled as she put the gunblade down and walked up to him. He didn’t say anything and instead caught her in a hug, gently ruffling her hair. Once he let her go, she turned on her heel and briskly walked over to Prompto.Her mother smiled warmly as he hugged her as well, kissing the top of her head. “Merry Christmas, sweetie,” he murmured.“Thank you,” she murmured before she finally pulled back from the hug.“You’re welcome, Regina,” Prompto chuckled. Once she’d sat back down with Domi, he nodded to Noctis to continue. Axel quietly thanked the King when he got his next gift, and he noticed the tag on it.“Aww, Roxy, you didn’t need to get me anything!” he protested.“Of course I did, Ax! It’s Christmas, for crying out loud,” his boyfriend laughed. “Now open it!”Axel hesitated, but unwrapped the small box anyway, and then opened the box itself. His emerald eyes widened in shock when he saw the platinum chain necklace inside, with a sapphire lock pendant and an emerald key pendant dangling from the chain.“I know it sounds cheesy, but…you’ve got the key to my heart,” Roxas murmured, blushing. The taller teen immediately hugged the shorter boy close, grinning.“It’s amazing. I love you so much, Roxy,” he mumbled into the blonde spikes. Prompto smiled softly at the sight, before he decided to speak up.“Great job, Rox.”“Thanks, Mom,” Roxas smiled brightly.“Okay, Domi’s next,” the older shifter said.Domi almost jumped in surprise, before he gulped and nodded. “Right…” he murmured, walking over to accept the gift.Regina bit the corner of her lip as she put her hands in her pockets, watching as Domi tore away the wrapping paper. And when he had, he gasped in surprise when he realized it was a box full of various makeup supplies. After a few moments of staring, he turned to face Regina.The princess shrugged her shoulders. “What? Didn’t think I noticed you looking at those every time?”“…” Domi regarded her for a moment, before he giggled and put down the bag. Then he swiftly walked up to Regina and caught the princess in a hug, which made her yelp in surprise, before she chuckled and hugged him back.“Thanks, love~ You’re the best!”“You’re welcome,” the shifter chuckled.“Now it’s Nami’s last gift,” Prompto smiled.“Yay!” Nami cheered, toddling over to her father again. Once she unwrapped her last gift, it turned out to be a large painting kit. “Wah!! So cool!!”“Zack, your turn. Last one, okay?” the taller blonde said, and Zack nodded as Noctis handed him his last gift. He unwrapped it to reveal a pair of high quality leather gloves. They were a little big, but they would give him some growing room for as he got bigger.“Thank you!” the little raven chirped.“You’re welcome, sweetie,” his mother chuckled. “Next is Ace.”Ace nodded as he moved over to collect his next present. Unlike the last one, this one was a bit bigger, but it was soft and felt light. After a little bit of fiddling with the tape, he blinked, before he smiled and pulled out the deep red cape. “Nice… Thanks, Dad.”“All right, Rox, last ones. One is from us, and the other from Axel,” Prompto said, and Noctis handed the shorter blonde two gifts, one being large than the other. Roxas blinked, surprised, before opening the one from his parents first. His jaw dropped when he saw the pair of key-shaped blades, one being black with purple lacing through it, and the other being silvery white with a star-shaped blade piece at the end.“Whoa…!” he gasped, lifting the blades in his hands. “You guys saw my sketches?”“Yup. And Regina snagged them for us, but she made sure to put them back,” Prompto laughed.“Thanks, Mom and Dad!” Roxas grinned. He then turned to Axel’s gift, unwrapping it before opening the small box to reveal a gorgeous silver locket with a yin-and-yang symbol on it, one half made of sapphire, and the other half made of emerald. And on the inside was a perfect picture of Axel and Roxas.“I got Regina to help me with the picture,” Axel told him softly, before chuckling. “I owe her one for it.”“It’s beautiful, Ax,” Roxas smiled warmly, giving his boyfriend a chaste kiss. Prompto smiled as well, before looking at Noctis.“Regina’s last gift,” he said.Noctis nodded back, picking up what had to be the smallest present thus far. Despite the size, though, Regina didn’t seem the least bit bothered as she took the present and began to delicately unwrap it. As she did, however, she noticed that Domi was fiddling with the hem of his shirt, shuffling his feet a bit against the carpet.Humming softly, she finally managed to get it open, and then tipped it into her palm. And when she saw what it was, she let out a breath of awe, fingering the spire-like pendant, her thumb slipping along the circular gem held between the silvery ‘cage’.“Um, I know it’s…not much, but…I think it fits you best,” Domi got out, sounding more than a little unsure.Regina laughed softly, before she turned and walked over to Domi, abruptly catching him in a hug. And though he yelped briefly in surprise, he was still quick to return it with a smile. “Thanks, Dom,” she said sincerely, before she moved back so she could put the pendant around her neck.“Okay, this last gift isn’t exactly physical, but…” Prompto said, trailing off. “Roxas, Axel, this one is more for both of you. Axel already knows, but he’s going to live here now.” The shorter blonde’s jaw dropped and his sapphire eyes widened in shock.“Y…you mean that?” he whispered, and when his mother nodded, he scrambled to his feet before hurrying over and hugging Noctis first since he was closest. “Thank you…!”Noctis chuckled as he hugged the blonde back. “You’re welcome, Rox…but it was your mother’s idea, so he deserves most of the credit,” he said, nudging the boy to the other shifter.Roxas grinned as he hurried over to Prompto, hugging him gratefully. “Thank you so much, Mom,” he murmured, and Prompto smiled softly.“You’re welcome, Rox,” he chuckled. “I figured Axel deserves to stay here since he’s otherwise alone in that townhouse, and you two are so good together.”“Still, thank you…”“Anytime, Rox, anytime.”Once Roxas had pulled away from the hug and had seated himself back with Axel, the redhead pulling his boyfriend into his lap, Prompto nodded in satisfaction.“Okay, one last gift for Domi,” he said. “And this one’s something I want you to be careful with, okay?”“Uh…okay?” Domi murmured as he moved to collect his present from the King. It was definitely heavy; heavier than the others, which worried him. After removing the wrapping, he gasped as he lifted up a pair of very fancy looking guns.“They’re training guns, meant for practicing with. I know you’re an amazing gunner, so I thought these would help,” Prompto explained.“Ah…thank you,” Domi said, smiling warmly as he held the guns up to examine them properly, humming a little in thought.“You’re welcome, Domi,” Prompto chuckled, before straightening up, clapping his hands together. “Now, is everyone ready for Ignis’s scones?”Regina laughed. “Are we ever!”Ace chuckled as he added, “That’s like asking if the sky is blue, Mom.”“Yaaaaay!!” Naminé cheered.“Whoohoo! Iggy’s scones are awesome!” Roxas grinned, while Zack whooped.“Scones? Aren’t those something you can just buy at a pastry shop or café?” Axel frowned, confused.“These aren’t those kind of scones, Ax,” the shorter teen told him. “The ones Iggy makes are fried dough balls that he stretches out, and they puff up a bit when they fry, and we can top them with butter, syrup, jam, honey, or powdered sugar. Or even a combination of any of those. And they’re delicious!”Quon tilted his head curiously. “Surely, they can’t be that different from normal scones, right?”Ace looked at him as if he were crazy. “Oh, you have NO idea, Quon,” he said with a small chuckle.“You’re certainly welcome to stay and find out, Quon,” Prompto offered to him with a smile.“Ah…well, if you insist…”“We do,” the triplets said as one with matching grins on their faces.“Aaaand that’s the creepy part of you guys being triplets,” Axel snorted, making Roxas laugh.“Well, let’s go, or else Ignis is gonna get mad that his hard work will get cold,” Prompto said, before ushering the twins out of the den to the dining hall. Roxas was quick to get up with Axel, and the couple followed after without waiting. Regina laughed as she tugged Domi along, while Ace merely chuckled as he followed them, with Quon right behind him. When they got to the dining hall, Ignis was already bringing out a platter of scones, steam rising from them, they were that fresh.“Go sit down, you two,” Prompto instructed Zack and Naminé, and the twins were quick to comply, taking their seats eagerly. Roxas sat in his usual seat beside Prompto’s, with Axel sitting on his other side. Regina chuckled as she pulled Domi over to sit next to her as she took the seat next to her father at the head of the table. Ace merely smiled as he settled next to Domi, with Quon taking the seat next to him.Once Noctis had finally sat down as well, Ignis began to dish out two scones to each person at the table to start. There was plenty of toppings for everyone to use, and all within reach so no one was passing them around. Roxas was quick to spread butter on his, drizzle some syrup on top, and top them off with powdered sugar. Prompto did the same, just at a somewhat slower pace, while Axel wondered what he should put on his.“Just experiment with it, Ax!” his boyfriend laughed. “There’s no right or wrong way to do this.”“Oh, all right,” the redhead conceded, before spreading butter and jam on his, followed with a drizzle of honey and topped with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. He took a bite once he’d finished, and very nearly moaned at the taste. “Oh my Six, that’s so good!”“Told ya,” Roxas snickered.Domi tilted his head curiously, before he put some honey on his own. To him, that seemed more than enough. As soon as he put it in his mouth, though, he almost squealed around the treat. Once he’d managed to finish, he finally managed to speak. “Oh. Em. GEE! So good!”Regina laughed at the words as she ate her own in silence, though she was definitely enjoying hers as much as anyone.Quon regarded Domi and Axel curiously as he finished putting some jam on his own scone. To him, it just looked like the two of them were overexaggerating.Which was a thought that flew right out the proverbial window when he took his first bite. And Ace merely laughed as he watched Quon trying to keep himself composed no matter how much he likely wanted to join Axel and Domi in their exclamations.“Good, huh?” Prompto chuckled, noticing how Quon was trying to keep his composure.Quon briefly cleared his throat, managing a small nod. “Ah, yes…not…what I was expecting. In a good way…”“You can relax, Quon. You’re like Ignis in a way. No need to be formal around us,” the blonde smiled warmly, and Roxas nodded his fervent agreement. Meanwhile, Axel was munching on his scones, a content look in his eyes. There was no reply, but it didn’t bother Prompto, and he merely returned to his breakfast. X*X*X*X*X*X*XAfter breakfast, Prompto and Noctis got the twins ready to play out in the snow-covered garden, as they had begged to do so when they saw all the snow outside. Of course, a King’s duties never ended, even on Christmas, so the parents asked if Roxas, Axel, Regina, and Domi could watch and play with them while they took care of things around the Citadel, which all four teens readily agreed to. Ace, meanwhile, was to escort Quon home, and then return home to help out with the twins.As Axel suited up in a hoodie, boots, gloves, and a scarf (which needed to be hunted down in the taller teen’s bag), Roxas merely shifted into a winter fox, his fur a lighter shade of blonde than his hair, which was different.“Why is your fur lighter?” the redhead asked, curious.‘Because I’m in a winter fox form. They’re normally all white, so I just end up a lighter shade of blonde because of it,’ the shifter shrugged. ‘Regina and Domi are probably waiting for us with the twins, so we’d better get going.’“Right,” Axel nodded, before following Roxas down to the entrance to the gardens, where, sure enough, the others were waiting.‘Sorry, guys. We were trying to find Axel’s scarf,’ the shorter shifter apologized.“Roxy, can you shift into a wolf? I wanna ride your back in the snow!” Zack pleaded, giving his brother his best puppy dog eyes.‘Yeah, I can do that, Zack,’ Roxas chuckled, before shifting into a wolf and scooping his little brother up with his muzzle to help him onto his back. Regina chuckled, hands in her pockets, with Domi standing a bit to the side, giggling softly. When Naminé tugged on Regina’s pants, though, the Crown Princess smiled and moved down to shift into a wolf as well, letting the girl clamber up on her back.“We good to go?” Axel asked, and Roxas nodded.“Let’s go!” Zack cheered.‘Then hold on tight, Zack!’ the blonde advised, and as soon as the little raven was clinging to his neck, he leapt forward, bounding out into the snow with a playful bark, making Zack giggle happily. Regina snorted before she bounded after her brother, with Naminé squealing happily. Roxas barked excitedly as he ran around, before skidding to a stop in front of Regina, spraying snow at her and making Zack and Naminé break out into peals of laughter when her face got covered in snow. Even Axel couldn’t help but laugh.Regina growled softly after she had gotten the snow out of her eyes. ‘Seriously, Rox?’ she grumbled—before she smacked a good chunk of snow at her brother.‘Aww, come on, Regina! Have some fun and lighten up!’ the blonde laughed, lightly shaking off the snow from his face. Regina merely snorted, before she bolted off again, much to Naminé’s excitement. Roxas gave a toothy grin to Axel and Domi, before bounding after her, spraying snow with each landing in the snow. Zack found this hilarious, as he laughed and giggled madly.Domi giggled as he watched the siblings run off, just having fun…but there was something in his expression that seemed off. Axel noticed this, and he looked at Domi, concerned.“You okay, Domi? You look like there’s something on your mind,” he said.Domi hummed curiously, blinking at Axel, before he offered a small smile. “Oh I’m fine. Don’t worry so much~”“Hey, you’re a friend, and I worry about my friends,” Axel smirked, before frowning. “Seriously, though. What’s up?”“Nothing. Really, everything’s fine,” Domi insisted, waving it off almost casually.“Domi… Remember the last time you hid something from us? It didn’t exactly go well once it was found out,” the redhead reminded him. “I just want to try and help.”“…” Domi didn’t say anything in response to that. Instead, he looked over to where Regina was shoving Roxas down into the snow, sending both him and Zack rolling.“It’s about Regina, isn’t it?”“…!”“You can talk to me, Domi. I can keep a secret if that’s what it is,” the taller teen assured him quietly with a small smile.“…it’s nothing…really…” Domi murmured, but his words sounded more and more unsure by the minute.“Domi…”“…promise you won’t tell her…?”“I promise.”“…I’m not sure I can keep being friends this way with her…”“What do you mean?” Axel frowned, worried.“…it’s just…hard…yanno…?” Domi offered lamely, shrugging one shoulder as he rubbed his arm. Axel was quiet for a couple minutes, watching the whitehead, before he smiled.“You’ve gained feelings for her, haven’t you?” he guessed.“…” Domi didn’t offer anything in response, but it was clear that Axel had hit the nail on the head.“I know how you feel, Domi, I really do,” the taller teen assured him. “I was in the same boat as you with Roxas before we ended up together. It hurt to be around him sometimes, because I was unsure if he felt the same. But I really believe she feels the same. Otherwise she wouldn’t be so close to you. Based off of what Rox has told me, you’re the closest person to her outside of her family.”“…but…”“No buts, Domi,” Axel chuckled. Domi didn’t say anything, but it was obvious that the word still rested on his tongue. Seeing his indecisiveness, the redhead’s expression softened. “She deserves to know. Take your time, that way you’re ready, but don’t wait too long.”“…”Before Domi had the chance to say anything, a familiar voice called out, ‘What are you two doing over there!?’“We’re just chatting about how goofy you two are!” Axel cackled, before swiftly making a snowball and chucking it at Regina.Regina just barely managed to dodge. ‘Ooooh, you asked for it! Nami, mind getting off?’Naminé blinked, before she nodded and climbed off. And as soon as she was, Regina shifted back and snagged up a ball of snow, lobbing it toward Axel. The redhead yelped, and then darted to the side, narrowly avoiding being hit.“Back me up here, Roxy!” he yelled, and Roxas barked, before kicking up snow at his sister with enthusiastic yips, making Zack laugh.“You little…!” Regina snarled—right before a snowball hit Roxas on the nose.“Woops~” Domi giggled.“All right, that does it! This means WAR!!” Axel declared, cackling, before hurling several snowballs at Regina and Domi as Roxas kicked up snow at them with his paws. Zack slid off his brother’s back as this happened, laughing uncontrollably.Domi nearly squealed as he barely dodged the first snowball, which left the way open for Regina to hit Axel from behind. And the twins meanwhile giggled and laughed as the teens went to ‘war’. Axel squawked when he got hit, but before he could retaliate, Regina was dumped on by snow.“Ack!! Why you!!”And they continued like this, having fun until they became too cold, before returning inside, where they enjoyed hot chocolate and sugar cookies around the fireplace to warm up.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(End Of Christmas Break, Returning To School)X*XIt was the morning of the first day back to school, and none of the triplets nor Axel or Domi were looking forward to it. However, just because they didn’t want it, didn’t mean it wouldn’t happen. And Prompto was going to ensure they weren’t late.Prompto went to Ace’s room first, knocking on the door so he could wake the youngest triplet.“Good morning, Ace! Time to get up!” he called through the door.Ace groaned a little from behind the door. “…mmm… ‘s too early…”“Sorry, hun, but it’s back to school today. You need to get up,” his mother said.“Nrgh…darn it…”“Are you gonna get up, or do I need to come in?” the older shifter asked.“I’m up, I’m up…just…gimme a minute…” the shorter blonde called out, followed by the rustling of sheets as he got out of bed.“Thank you, Ace,” Prompto smiled. “I’ll see you in the dining hall.” Without waiting for a reply, he left for Roxas and Axel’s room. Towards the end of the break, the pair had gone to Axel’s old townhouse and brought back all his stuff he wanted or needed, that way he would be set to live at the Citadel. When the blonde reached their room, he knocked on the door, calling, “Morning, boys! Time to get up! Pancakes for breakfast since it’s your first day back.”Roxas’s voice answered first in a groan. “Okay, we’re up, Mom…”“Thank you, sweetie,” his mother nodded, before heading off to Regina’s room. He mentally prepared himself to have to shift in order to wake her, though. Knocking on the door, he called through it, “Regina, good morning! Time for school, princess!” However, there was no response from the room. Prompto frowned slightly, before opening the door and seeing she wasn’t in her room. He knew she would be sleeping, but where? Then it hit him, and he left down the hallway to Domi’s room. When he reached it, he knocked on the door.“Good morning, Domi! Time to get up,” he called. “Is Regina in there with you?”“…mmm? Wha…?” Domi sounded incredibly sleepy from the other side.“It’s morning, hun. Time for school. Is Regina in there, too?” Prompto replied.“Mmm…yeah, she’s here…” the whitehead said sleepily.“Okay. Princess, you need to get up, too!” the blonde said louder. The only sound he got in response to that, initially, was a small groan. However, before he could say anything else, Domi murmured something that made the princess growl softly.“…nrgh…fiiiiiine…” Regina grumbled out.“Thank you, sweetie. I didn’t want to wake you up with a bark again, that’s all. Thank you, Domi,” Prompto chuckled. “I’ll see you two in the dining hall. It’s pancakes for breakfast, by the way.”“Okay,/Yeah, yeah…” came the simultaneous response from both teens. Prompto laughed lightly, but then left for the dining hall, where Ace, Roxas, Axel, and Noctis were already seated and eating.“Good morning, everyone,” the older shifter greeted.“Morning, Mom,” Roxas smiled after swallowing a bite of pancakes.“Good morning, Prompto,” Axel chimed in.“Hey,” Ace said in greeting in between bites. Noctis merely nodded to his mate, since he currently had his mouth full. The taller blonde took his seat by Noctis, before beginning to eat as well. Zack and Naminé were eating their own breakfasts, simply enjoying their pancakes.“Ready for your first day back after break?” he asked the teens.“Don’t really want to go back, since school stinks in general, but I know we have to,” Roxas sighed, making Axel chuckle.“Not much we can do about that, huh?” Ace said with a small smirk, before he turned to Prompto. “Is Regina already up, too?”“Yeah, she was sleeping in Domi’s room, and I’m pretty sure he convinced her to get up without arguing with me,” Prompto answered.Noctis actually chuckled at that. “Well, that’s a rarity… Don’t get that very often.”“Yeah. He’s good for her,” his mate remarked.Just then, Domi and Regina walked into the dining hall, both dressed in their uniforms. Regina was still looking mildly sleepy, but that was pretty common at this point. Domi was a bit more awake, but only by so much.That didn’t stop him from giving a cheery, “Morning~” though.“Morning, you two,” Prompto greeted with a warm smile. “Come eat up before your food gets cold.” Regina grumbled something under her breath, but she obediently moved over to take her seat, Domi taking the one next to her without a word of complaint. “What time did you actually get to sleep, Regina?” Prompto asked in a sigh.“Uhh…” The princess paused briefly, squinting as she tried to think. “I dunno… Couldn’t sleep…” she admitted, rubbing at the back of her head.Domi sighed softly at the princess’s words. “Well, it was 2:15 when you walked through the door, love.”“…was it?”“You got less than four hours of sleep?” her mother frowned. “No wonder you’re exhausted.”“And grumpy,” Roxas mumbled around a mouthful of pancake, making Axel snicker.“Shuddap…” Regina grumbled in response to her brother’s comment, though she didn’t look up as she dug into her breakfast.Noctis frowned at the girl’s behavior, worry clearly gnawing at the back of his mind, before he spoke. “In that case…Ignis, can you take Regina, and Domi to school in the Regalia?”Regina, of course, jumped in alarm. “But Father—”“No buts, young lady,” the King said immediately, a firm scowl in place. “I am not about to take any chances by letting you go to school in your current state. Are we clear?”“…Yes, sir…” Regina said softly.“It’s only because we don’t want anything to happen to you if you fly to school, Regina,” Prompto soothed gently. “Especially with Domi on your back.”Regina didn’t say anything in response. Domi frowned sadly, before he reached out and placed a hand on her wrist, rubbing the skin gently with his finger. The princess merely hummed softly, nodding once, before the whitehead let her get back to breakfast.Noctis hummed softly, before looking to Ignis.“I’ll ensure they arrive in a timely manner,” the Advisor assured Noctis.“Thank you,” Noctis said with a nod. Once everyone had finished eating, Prompto, Noctis, and the twins saw Ace, Roxas, and Axel off, the brothers shifting into griffons this time for warmth against the winter chill before taking off for school once Axel was on Roxas’s back.‘Do you think Regina will be okay, Ace?’ Roxas asked his brother worriedly as they took off, only letting him hear.‘I dunno… She seemed really distracted, didn’t she? I’ve never seen her like that…’ Ace admitted.‘I’m really worried about her now…’ Roxas murmured, his sides heaving a bit as he sighed.“You okay, Roxy?” Axel asked, feeling the shifter’s sides move as he sighed.‘Just worried about Regina… She’s not acting like herself…’ his boyfriend confessed.“I’m sure it’s because she’s running on less than four hours of sleep. She’ll be fine,” the redhead soothed.‘Here’s hoping…’ Ace mumbled, even as they began the steady descent when they came into range. Once they landed and the two blondes had shifted back, they headed to the gates, where Ignis had just pulled up in the Regalia, putting the sleek car in park before letting Regina and Domi out.“Hey Regina,” Roxas greeted with a smile. “Hey Domi.”“Hey there~” Domi chirped with a wave, whereas Regina merely pushed her bangs out of her eyes quietly, humming a bit in greeting.“See you later, Iggy!” Roxas called as the sandy blonde pulled away, heading back to the Citadel. “Well, we’d better get to class…” At this, he sighed.“Let’s just hope today flies by,” Axel agreed, before they headed to class. X*X*X*X*X*X*XUnfortunately, the day didn’t fly by. At least not for the Crown Princess. Worst part was that half her classes were spent with several dozen of her ‘fangirls’ who, despite her earlier outburst over them picking on Domi, didn’t seem to have given up on winning her affections. Even though she wasn’t making any effort to even acknowledge their attempts.And sadly, this particular class was one she didn’t even share with Domi, so she couldn’t even distract herself. She could only hope the teacher would show up soon, since he was late (again), so she didn’t have to bother with these girls any longer.“…did you get many presents, Princess Regina?” some random harpy asked, not seeming to care that the noiret was leaning her head on one hand while staring ahead of her at the whiteboard. “I bet you got at least 20, right?”“Are you silly? She’s had 50 at minimum! Right, Your Majesty?” asked harpy numero duo.Really, she couldn’t be bothered to remember their names if they were just going to harass her on a daily basis. Especially not when she was feeling less than stellar.“Excuse me, ladies,” a familiar voice suddenly said, which was enough to actually draw her from her musing. As she looked over, she quickly spotted the teen who had addressed the girls, his blue hair styled in its normal (though somewhat weird) style with two locks styled into horns (or something…whoever came up with that, anyway?). “I do believe Her Highness is not in the mood to discuss these matters in class. Perhaps these matters are better discussed outside of class, hm?”For several moments, the girls actually stammered, as they tried to come up with some sort of excuse. Which was about when their teacher meandered inside, giving some sort of weak excuse that had half the class calling him a liar. This, thankfully, made the harpies disperse to move to their own seats.Regina resisted the urge to sigh heavily, and she, instead, turned to the blue-haired teen. “Thank you, Seymour…” she said softly.“My pleasure, Your Highness,” Seymour said with a small smile that she wasn’t entirely sure she liked. There was something not right about it. However, before he was about to walk back to his own seat, he seemed to remember something. “Ah, right… If I may be so blunt, Your Highness, could I request a moment of your time after class?”“…hm?” Regina frowned softly. “What for?”“I promise you, I intend to explain it all to you after class. That is, if you have the time, of course.”Regina hesitated for a moment. But, thinking about it, she did owe him one for getting those harpies to leave her be. “…well…guess I could make some time free…”“Thank you, Your Highness,” Seymour said with that same smile again, before he headed to his seat.Regina hummed, before she turned her attention back to class. ‘I just hope I’m not gonna regret this…’ X*X(Lunch)X*XEven once lunch rolled around, Roxas couldn’t help but still worry about Regina. Axel had sort of soothed him before, when he chalked it up to her being tired, but he couldn’t help but feel like something was definitely off with her, more than just exhaustion. Despite this, he needed to keep up his usual self with his sister, or else she would probably be even angrier with him.“Relax, Roxy,” Axel soothed as they walked to the cafeteria. “She’ll be fine.”“I know, but she’s my sister. I can’t help but worry…” Roxas sighed.“Maybe once she gets some sleep later, she’ll be better off,” the redhead shrugged.“Yeah, I hope so…” the shorter teen mumbled as they entered the large room to find their friends. When they reached their usual table, Roxas was surprised to find Regina wasn’t there.“Hey guys,” he greeted. “Where’s Regina?”“Ah…ain’t seen her yet,” Terry said casually.Libby hummed as she adjusted her glasses. “I believe she had something to do…she instructed us to go ahead.”Of everyone there, only Domi didn’t look up from his lunch, seemingly lost in thought.“I’m gonna go find her…” Roxas said, frowning a little. “Axel, you mind staying here?”“That’s fine, Rox. I’ll be waiting,” Axel nodded. The blonde pecked his boyfriend on the cheek, and then left to seek out Regina. At first, he wasn’t finding her, but then he heard voices in an empty classroom.“…a reason why this had to be discussed in a classroom?” his sister’s voice asked calmly.“Does it bother you, Your Highness?” asked a voice that Roxas didn’t recognize. “I merely thought you would prefer some privacy…especially away from your ever-growing fanbase.”“Ugh…don’t remind me…”Frowning, Roxas peeked through the classroom window, and saw an unfamiliar student talking with Regina. The blue-haired teen didn’t exactly leave a good vibe with the blonde, though. Roxas watched warily, not liking this guy already.The guy was at least a head taller than Regina (probably around Axel’s height, actually), and while he held himself very politely, it didn’t come across as entirely genuine. And it didn’t get any better when he smiled. “Still, thank you for taking the time to meet me here, Your Highness.”“Seymour, can we just get to the point? Pretty sure my brothers are about to come looking for me if I take much longer…” Regina said, rubbing at her temples. As Roxas looked at his sister, though, he realized she was trembling just slightly. This really worried the short blonde, and he frowned in concern, but remained where he was, watching and listening.“…As you wish,” the other teen—Seymour, was it? -- said, still smiling. “I won’t take up much more of your time… in fact, you needn’t even give me an answer now if you wish…”“…what are you…?” Regina started, but Seymour’s eyes briefly darted to something over her head—specifically the window Roxas was peeking through—before he stepped closer and, without second thought, leaned in and whispered something in the Crown Princess’s ear. Roxas growled lowly at the sight, wanting to know just what this asshole was telling Regina.But while Roxas couldn’t see his sister’s reaction from her face (since she was facing away from him), he definitely caught the flinch in her shoulders when Seymour stepped back.“As I said; I don’t need your answer now…but I would ask you to think about it,” Seymour said solemnly, before he walked around Regina without a word, heading for the doorway. Roxas quickly moved aside from the door, but he wasn’t about to leave or hide, as he was too worried about his sister to keep this to himself. Instead, he waited to the side for Seymour to come out first before going to his sister, no matter how badly he wanted to demand answers from (and probably pummel) this asshole.And as the door opened, Seymour merely glanced at the younger royal silently. He seemed completely immune to the blonde’s obvious hostility, and merely bowed politely…before he turned and walked away.As soon as he was gone, Roxas heard a small thud, and looked into the classroom to see Regina on her knees inside.“Regina!” he gasped, and hurried to his sister’s side. “What did he say?”“……” His sister didn’t answer with words, even though her mouth was clearly trying to form them. In the end, she only managed to shake her head slowly.“Regina…” Roxas murmured, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I’m here…”“…”“Come on. Let’s get you to the others, okay?” the blonde suggested, starting to help her up. Regina didn’t fight him as he tugged her up. She remained silent as Roxas began to guide her out of the classroom and toward the cafeteria. When they rejoined their friends, he gently helped her to sit next to Domi, before sitting between her and Axel, not wanting to leave her be. Axel remained quiet, deciding to ask about what happened later if nothing was said.“Oy, Regi?” Terry asked worriedly, a dark frown on her face. “You alright?”“…”“…Regi, love?” Domi said softly as he gently placed a hand on her shoulder.Libby frowned a bit at the lack of response, before she picked up her bottle of iced tea. After uncapping it, she passed it to Regina silently.The princess blinked, twice, before she nodded once as she reached over and took hold of the bottle and then, without saying a word, began to down the whole thing. Roxas resisted the urge to whine out of worry, relaxing a little when Axel took his hand in his comfortingly.Finally, when she’d downed the whole thing, she set it down and let out a heavy breath, her gaze aimed down at the table.“…Regi?” Terry called out again. Roxas gave his sister a serious, questioning look.“Do you want me to tell them?” he asked softly.“…” All he got was a nod.“I found her in an empty classroom with some guy named Seymour,” her brother began. “He had a question for her, something she doesn’t have to answer right away, but I couldn’t hear what it was. Whatever he asked, though, it’s shaken Regina up really bad. And I think he whispered it to her because he knew I was outside the classroom, cuz he looked at door’s window, where I was watching from.”Libby blinked, once, before she frowned. “Seymour… I believe I’ve met him before… Blue hair done in two ‘horns’?”“Yeah. I got a really bad vibe from him,” Roxas nodded.“Hm…” Libby frowned, tapping her fingers along her chin.Terry scowled darkly. “Who’s this guy, anyway?” she asked.“I believe he’s one of Regina’s classmates…they share Lucian Class together…correct?”“…” Regina merely nodded.“Regina, just what did he say to you?” Roxas asked, his voice gentle but firm. “Even if you don’t tell us, Mom and Dad will find out.”“…” Regina didn’t respond to those words for a long time. But finally, she murmured something under her breath that could barely be understood, even to Roxas.“What? I couldn’t understand…”“Regina, you need to speak up for us to understand,” Libby said firmly.Regina didn’t say anything else in response for a long time. However, before anyone could urge her to speak again…“…he…asked me to marry him…”“…he WHAT?!” Terry nearly shouted. Roxas snarled dangerously, his sapphire eyes narrowing into a deadly glare.“I KNEW I should have trashed him!” he spat. Even Axel was frowning darkly, his free hand clenched into a fist at his side.Regina didn’t say anything in response, even as Terry growled. “Could probably hunt ‘im down if ya want, Roxy…”Domi frowned softly, a strange look to his face, even as he rubbed Regina’s shoulder softly.“I think I will. Wanna come with, Terry?” the blonde offered, getting to his feet.“Sounds like a plan,” the redhead said with a snarl as she got to her feet as well.“Come on, Ax. Some backup will help,” Roxas said, and his boyfriend nodded with a growl, getting out of his seat, and the three started to leave.“…Stop.”“Wha? But…Regina, he shouldn’t have asked you that!” her brother argued, looking back at her in confusion.“…and you’re gonna beat someone up…for asking a question?” Regina said simply in response.“Still…it shook you up that bad…” Roxas mumbled, hesitantly sitting back down, Axel doing the same.Terry growled, before she dropped down. “Fine…but I dun like it…”“…thank you....”“…You know Mom and Dad are going to find out and be pissed like we are, don’t you?” the blonde pointed out. Regina didn’t say anything in response, but she did nod her head minutely. “I’ll help as best as I can to keep them calm when they do, okay?”“Same here,” Axel chimed in with a smile.“And I’ll make sure Ace knows, too, so he can help as well,” Roxas added. “Do you think you can make it through the rest of your classes? Or do you want to go home?”“…I’ll be fine…” Regina murmured. “I…don’t have any further classes with him…”“Good,” Terry snarled, while Libby hummed softly.“As long as you’re sure,” the blonde murmured. “Now, you should probably eat some lunch, or else you’re gonna be starving by dinner.”“…right,” Regina murmured. Roxas smiled softly at her, before beginning to eat his lunch, while Axel resumed eating his. X*X*X*X*X*X*XAfter school was over, Roxas was quick to inform Ace of what had transpired as soon as he could while Regina was driven home in the Regalia. He added to his younger brother that they needed to support their big sister when their parents were informed.‘I don’t get it…’ Ace mumbled as they flew back. ‘What makes him think he has a chance, anyway?’‘I don’t know, but he’s not going to end up with her. Besides, knowing Mom and Dad, they won’t even let him NEAR the Citadel, let alone into the ball,’ Roxas growled.“I don’t blame them. From what you said, Rox, he sounds like a low-life, and that’s putting it lightly,” Axel agreed.‘But everyone’s already got their invitations, right? Can they really stop him from coming in?’ Ace asked.‘Dad’s King, remember? He can ensure this Seymour prick isn’t allowed in, even with an invite,’ Roxas pointed out, and Axel hummed his agreement.‘I guess…’Once they’d landed upon arriving home, Ignis was just pulling up in the Regalia. Axel slid off Roxas’s back, and the two blondes quickly shifted back before the three boys joined Regina.“How are you holding up, Regina?” Roxas asked softly.“…fine…” Regina mumbled softly, tucking her hair behind her ear.Ace didn’t say anything, though he did frown worriedly at his sister’s behavior. The four headed inside, where Prompto was waiting to greet them with the twins, and of all people, the kids’ Aunt Luna. As soon as Prompto noticed Regina’s demeanor, though, he frowned, before asking Ignis to take the twins to get a small snack.“What happened,” he said, his tone leaving no room for any excuses. Luna even frowned worriedly at Regina’s odd behavior, before a strange look appeared on her face, but then it was gone.“…just…stuff…” Regina murmured softly, not looking up at Prompto.“Regina. What. Happened.”“…”“Fine. Roxas, Ace, what happened?”“…Some guy named Seymour proposed to Regina at school, telling her she doesn’t need to answer right away,” Roxas said quietly. He wasn’t about to lie to their mother, nor for Regina to hide this from their parents at all.“Excuse me?” Prompto frowned darkly.“I’ll…go get Noctis. And Prompto, I need to speak to you when you’re done,” Luna murmured, before leaving for Noctis’s study without waiting for a reply. Prompto growled lowly once she was gone.“Why didn’t you want to tell me this, Regina?”“…” Regina quietly shrugged her shoulder, rubbing her arm. “I guess…cuz I just…didn’t think it was as important… ‘s just a dumb question…”“Regina, that’s a heavy, life-changing question. That’s not something just anyone should be asking you,” her mother sighed heavily. “He had no right to ask that of you, and it was highly inappropriate.”The princess didn’t respond to those words, her gaze kept down, still. Seeing how she was being, Prompto sighed, before reaching to her chin and tilting her face up to look at him.“Sweetie, I’m not mad at you, I’m more worried than anything now. You don’t need that, and whoever this Seymour is, he’s not coming to the ball, I can assure you of that. Your father and I can make sure of it,” he promised.“…but that’s—” Regina started to say.“What?”“…that’s…it’s not…” Regina tried to say, before she groaned and shut her eyes, shaking her head loosely as she held her head. “I don’t…I mean…” Ace blinked, frowning in worry, before he looked to Roxas.“Do you want him there, Regina?” Roxas asked in disbelief, catching the look.“…I…it’s just…I…” the princess murmured. Just then, Luna returned, Noctis in tow.Noctis took one look at the scene and, immediately, he frowned. “…What happened?” he asked firmly.“Regina got proposed to by a guy named Seymour during lunch today,” Roxas answered.As soon as the middle prince said that, Noctis’s expression darkened dangerously, as he looked to Regina, who was still holding her head. “Regina?”“…it’s…it’s not…” she murmured softly.“Not to interrupt, but Prompto, Noctis? I need to talk to you. Now,” Luna said calmly. Even though the situation was tense, Regina obviously needed space, and with good reason. One that she needed to discuss with the parents immediately.“…All right. Roxas, Ace, Axel, please take Regina to her room. She needs rest, it looks like,” Prompto murmured, watching his eldest daughter worriedly.“Okay, Mom,” Roxas nodded, before putting a hand on Regina’s shoulder. “Come on, Sis.”Regina didn’t even object as her brothers and Axel guided her out of the hall and in the direction of her room. Once they were gone, Noctis turned to Luna worriedly. “Is something wrong, Luna?”“I think I know what’s going on with Regina. She’s going to go into heat soon, based off of her behavior,” the older shifter told the couple.“Wait, what?” Prompto frowned, confused. “But I didn’t experience a heat until I was 20. Why would she be having one at 16, almost 17?”“Because she’s a female shifter,” Luna reminded him. “Females have a regular heat every year starting at 17 years old, until they become pregnant and give birth. And once they have a child or children, they won’t have a heat again for another 8 years. She’s more than likely feeling the beginning sensations of a heat, without actually having one.”After a moment of digesting this news, Noctis frowned in worry. “So what does that mean for her now?” he asked after a moment.“Unless she has someone that she would be willing to mate with, then she needs to stay home, where it’s safe for her, in case her heat hits her while at school. Granted, humans can’t detect the heat scent, but it will affect her heavily when it does hit,” Luna said firmly. “She’ll obviously have to be at the ball, of course, but it can’t be for long. Six forbid if her heat strikes while in that ballroom.”“We need to make sure she knows, then, or else she’ll be upset she can’t see her friends…” Prompto murmured. “Especially Domi.”“That boy she’s so close to you’ve told me about, right?” Luna guessed, humming when Prompto nodded. “He may be the only one who can see her outside of family during this time, then.”Noctis sighed heavily. “Six… Domi will probably have to informed of this matter ahead of time, too…”“That would be wise, yes. It wouldn’t be fair to leave him out of the loop,” Luna agreed.“We should go let her know now,” Prompto said. “The sooner she knows what’s going on, the better.”“Right…” Noctis agreed, as the three shifters headed off. When they reached Regina’s room, Prompto knocked on the door.“Regina, sweetie? Can we come in? It’s your father, Aunt Luna, and me,” he called. “We really need to talk to you about something important.”“…mmrrrh… ‘s open…” came the mumbled reply. The trio walked into her room, closing the door behind them, and Prompto sat down on her bed by her back, since she was on her side, facing away from them. Luna sat at the foot of her bed herself.“Heya sweetie,” he murmured, gently petting her hair. “Can you sit up for us?”“…mmmhh…dun wanna…” the princess whined softly.Noctis frowned sadly, resisting the urge to sigh. “Can you at least turn around, princess?”“…mm…” After a bit more, she finally rolled over onto her other side.“Regina, how long have you been feeling like this?” Luna asked, looking at the younger shifter in concern.“…a while…” Regina said tiredly, groaning as she instinctively snuggled her face into her pillow. This made her father frown sadly as he walked over and gently ran his hand through her hair.“Then I was right…” Luna sighed. “Regina, I’m afraid you’re experiencing the first signs of heat. You’re not in heat yet, but you will be soon enough.”“…I wha…??” the princess asked slowly as she raised her head a bit to look at her aunt.“Do you remember when your father and I asked you, Roxas, and Ace about more siblings a few years back?” Prompto questioned instead.“…uh-huh…”“Well, it was because I was going to have my own heat soon. Basically, your body’s preparing to reproduce,” her mother told her gently.“…!!”Regina actually froze at those words, staring at her mother in shock, before she looked to her father. Noctis only nodded his head once to show that what Prompto had just said was true, still running his head through the girl’s hair.“Female shifters are a bit different from males in that they experience their first heat at 17 years old, regardless of having a mate or not, and continue to have one annually until they become pregnant and have a child or children. Once they give birth, they don’t have one for another 8 years,” Luna explained.Regina looked at her aunt quietly, her expression unreadable. However, when she started to tremble, Noctis frowned as he moved over and sat down on the bed as well, tugging her against his side. Almost immediately, she gave a little whine and began to tremble against her father’s side.Prompto remained quiet as he scooted closer, placing a gentle hand on her back, feeling horrible for his eldest child. He never wanted her to experience a heat like this, nor so soon in her life. She deserved to be happy with someone special when she had her first heat.Regina whimpered softly, before she spoke softly. “I dun wanna have a baby yet…”“I know, princess… I know…no one’s making you…” Noctis assured her gently.“The only way to avoid it, then, is by, unfortunately, suffering through it for a week when it DOES hit,” Luna murmured, her gaze empathetic. “I went through many heats before I had Beat and Rhyme with Zidane, Regina. It’s not easy, but I know you can do this.”Regina could only whimper softly. She was obviously not anxious for her heat to hit, as she curled around her father’s leg.Noctis sighed softly, before he turned to Luna. “Luna, could I bother you to tell the boys about this? She needs us both here, I’m afraid…”“Of course, I don’t mind at all,” the older shifter smiled. “I’ll be available if you need me.” She then left the room, heading for Roxas and Axel’s room first. She knocked on the door, and once her nephew’s voice had called out for her to enter, she opened the door to find the young couple and Ace inside, lounging on the bed.“Oh, hi Aunt Luna,” Roxas smiled slightly. “Is everything okay?”“Sort of,” Luna admitted, sighing. “Your parents asked that I tell you boys what’s going on, since Regina needs them right now.”“Is she okay?” Ace asked worriedly.“She will be, as long as she can get through her first heat without incident,” Luna murmured, and Roxas gasped.“Her first heat?” Axel frowned, confused.“Shifters go through heat when their bodies are ready to have a kid,” his boyfriend told him, and the redhead’s jaw dropped.“Wait, Regina’s having her first heat now?!” he yelped.“Not quite. She won’t until she’s 17, at least, but she’s feeling the first symptoms, hence her exhaustion,” Luna explained.Ace didn’t say anything for a moment, before he frowned. “So what does that mean? Can she actually go to school like that?”“No. For her safety, she’ll have to stay home until her heat ends, and she’s recovered from the effects,” the blondes’ aunt said. “She can’t even have visitors, except for Domi, since he’s the closest friend she has, and he seems very special to her.”“Does that mean she might choose Domi as her mate, then?” Roxas inquired.“She may, or she may refuse to mate, which is fine, too. She’ll just experience another heat in a year from then if she doesn’t mate,” Luna told them.“…can she just say no then?” Ace asked. “I thought heats meant you have to have a mate…”“Not quite. Female shifters have a heat annually, regardless of a mate, starting at 17 years old, unless they mate and give birth to a child or children,” Luna corrected. “If they do give birth, then it’ll be 8 years until they have another heat again. Males, on the other hand, have their first heat at the earliest being 18, when they’ve found a potential mate.” Roxas whimpered a bit worriedly at this.“Does that mean I’ll have a heat when I turn 18, then?” he asked timidly.“Most likely, unless you and Axel are no longer together by then, which I don’t see happening,” his aunt replied. “But as long as you stay separated from Axel for the week of your heat, with no affection from him whatsoever, you’ll be fine.”“…but is he going to be able to?” Ace asked in concern. “Isn’t a heat…like, overbearing as if you need to be with your mate?”“It’s very difficult, yes, but not impossible. It takes a lot of self-control, but you can stay separated from your mate or potential mate during your heat,” Luna assured them.“Ah…” Ace uttered, before he bit his lip. “…so what happens at the ball?”“That…I’m not sure. She’ll have to attend, but fortunately, we’ll all be there to help her if needed if it hits,” Luna sighed.“Definitely…” the youngest prince murmured.“Do you guys want to see Beat, Rhyme, and Uncle Zidane? I’m sure they’re playing with the twins right now,” Luna offered.“Sure! It’s been so long!” Roxas grinned, perking up.“Way too long,” Ace agreed with a chuckle as he stood up.“Are they your cousins that you’ve mentioned before, Rox?” Axel asked, curious, as he followed the shifters from the room.“Yeah, they’re Aunt Luna and Uncle Zidane’s kids. They’re about our age, actually,” the shorter blonde smiled.“I’m pretty sure you’ll get along just fine with Beat,” Ace chuckled.“And Rhyme, too. She’s easy-going, anyway,” Roxas added as they reached the dining hall, where Beat, Rhyme, and Zidane were indeed playing with the twins.“Hey, you three,” Luna called with a smile as she saw her family.Zidane—a blonde man with a long ponytail—looked up curiously at the call, holding onto Zack’s legs while the boy was hanging upside-down along his back, crowing with laughter, before he smirked. “Heyo, Lu,” he said casually.“Yo, Ma!” said the muscular blonde teenage boy who was currently being used by Naminé as a jungle gym. He was about Axel’s height with short-cut blonde hair, though most of it was covered by a skull-styled beanie.The girl sitting to the side giggled as she waved in greeting. She was shorter than the boy, but she was definitely his sister, given the similarities between them.“Hi everyone!” Roxas greeted with a grin, laughing at the sight of Naminé climbing all over Beat. Zidane easily tugged on Zack’s legs and pulled him back over his head, before flipping the boy right side up again and setting him down on the ground.Naminé blinked up from where she was clambered over Beat’s head, before she giggled. “Roxy!! Lookie how tall!” she chirped, making the blonde below her laugh loudly.“You’re so silly, Nami!” Roxas laughed, Axel joining in.Ace chuckled softly, even as Beat moved Naminé off of his head and onto his shoulder. At this point, the tall blonde seemed to notice Axel. “Hm? Oy. Who’s the punk, yo?”“Beat, chill,” Roxas snorted. “This is my boyfriend, Axel. Axel, this is my cousin, Beat.”Beat hummed a bit, watching Axel a bit suspiciously, though he didn’t say anything else. His sister, though, giggled politely.“Nice to meet you, Axel,” she said with her hands behind her back. “I’m Rhyme.”“Nice to meet you, too, Rhyme,” the redhead smiled.“Keeping the twins busy, I see,” Luna giggled as she went over to Zidane.“Eh. Why not?” Zidane chuckled, before he turned to Axel. After giving the redhead a brief, two-fingered salute, he said simply, “Yo.”“Hey,” Axel greeted casually.“That’s obviously Uncle Zidane,” Roxas chuckled. “Uncle Zidane, this is my boyfriend, Axel.”“Yeah, I caught that,” the older shifter said with a chuckle, before he frowned. “Sidenote…where’s your sis at?”Ace flinched at the question. “Ah…well…” after briefly looking down to the twins, who were now looking at them curiously, he cleared his throat and said, “She was a bit tired…she didn’t get a lot of sleep last night, so…”“I’ll talk to you all about it later,” Luna added casually, but her tone was serious. Zidane frowned slightly, but he did not ask any further and merely nodded.“Sissy gonna nap-nap?” Naminé asked cutely.“Yeah, Nami. Sissy’s napping right now,” Roxas answered. “Mom and Dad are helping her to sleep.”“Oh…kay.”“Did you two get a snack already?” Roxas asked, and Zack nodded.“Iggy gave us ants on a log!” he chirped.“Was nommy!” Naminé chimed in happily. Beat and Rhyme nodded at the twins’ words, and Zidane allowed a small smirk. Roxas chuckled at the words, and then they all continued to play with the twins until dinner.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

That night, Roxas was approached by Prompto after dinner, and the taller blonde asked his eldest son to text Domi to tell him what was going on, and that he would need to come to the Citadel. So, once Roxas and Axel had retired to their room for the night, Roxas sent a text to Domi. 
Me: Hey Domi, are you still up?
 Surprisingly, it took a lot longer than it normally would’ve for Domi to respond. And when he did respond, it wasn’t in the usual way, either. 
Domi: yeah i’m up

Me: Well, before I start, are you okay? And don’t lie to me.

Domi: sorry

Domi: some stuff going on here

Domi: how’s regina?

Me: She…well, that’s kinda why I’m texting you. She’s going into the early signs of heat, and you’re the only one she’ll want around outside of family, since you’re so close to her.

Domi: “heat”?

Me: Shifters go through heat when their bodies ae getting ready to reproduce. Apparently, females have their first heat starting at 17 years old, which is why Regina’s been the way she’s been lately.

Domi: oh

Me: Yeah… She’s miserable right now, and she’s gonna have to stay home until her heat is over after it hits, so Mom and Dad wanted to see if you would be willing to be there for her, at least until her heat starts.
 Shockingly, it took almost five minutes before Domi responded to that. 
Domi: i dunno

Domi: might not be a good idea

Me: Why not? You’re so close to her… And I know she’ll need you. In more ways than one.

Domi: sorry

Domi: like said; stuff going on here

Domi: wanna be there

Domi: but not sure if i should be there

Me: Domi… What’s going on with you? You’ve been so off lately.

Domi: just stuff happening

Domi: don’t worry

Domi: just need some time

Me: Will you at least consider the offer, though? For Regina’s sake? I understand if you say no, but I just don’t want to see her or you hurting. No one’s allowed to visit her right now except family and you.
 After almost a minute, Domi finally responded. 
Domi: yeah kay

Domi: i’ll think bout it

Me: Thank you… We’ll see you tomorrow at school, okay? Try and get some sleep.

Domi: kay
 That was all he said before his status shifted to offline. Roxas frowned, worried, when that happened. He sighed heavily, and flopped back against the pillows, cuddling against Axel, who had been reading the conversation over his shoulder.“There’s definitely something wrong,” Axel murmured, holding the blonde close.“Yeah. He’s never like that,” Roxas agreed. “Hopefully this blows over soon enough…”“Definitely,” the redhead nodded, before closing his eyes. “Goodnight, Roxy… Love you…”“Goodnight, Ax… Love you, too,” Roxas whispered, closing his eyes and well, and soon, the couple fell asleep. X*X*X*X*X*X*XThe next day, Ace, Roxas, and Axel were at school, for once without Regina. At lunch, they finally saw Domi, Libby, and Terry, and the two girls were concerned about Regina’s lack of presence at school.Of the two Libby was the first to ask about it once the traditional greetings had been exchanged. “Is Regina alright?”“She ain’t still hung over ‘bout that jackass, is she?” Terry fairly growled out.“No, she’s actually starting to experience the first signs of heat, according to our Aunt Luna,” Roxas sighed. “It’s not supposed to hit until she’s 17 at least, but it’s starting to affect her already… Mom, Dad, and Aunt Luna felt it was safest for her to stay home until it’s actually over.”This clearly worried the two girls even more. “She gonna be alright? I mean, with the ball thing and all…” Terry mumbled.“She’s gonna have to attend, but fortunately, we’ll all be there to help in case something happens,” Roxas replied, lowering his gaze. “I’m just glad Aunt Luna knew what was going on… It explains why she’s been so tired lately.”“More so than usual, anyway…” Terry chuckled softly, which earned her a shove to her side from Libby.“Only family’s allowed around for now, though,” Roxas added hesitantly, not wanting to get chewed out by Terry for not being allowed to see her friend.“That’s understandable…” Libby murmured—right as a phone went off to her side.“Oh for…!” Domi groaned out as he pulled out his phone, before he stood up and, after briefly excusing himself, headed out of the cafeteria. Frowning, Axel got up, and followed after the whitehead in concern, while Roxas decided to let his boyfriend handle it.Once in the hallway, Domi’s phone had already stopped ringing, making him have to call them back, but it was obvious he wasn’t too eager about it. He sighed heavily as he put the phone to his ear and leaned back against the wall, his other arm around his waist. And barely a minute later he had to remove the phone when a shout of “Where were you?!” was bellowed from the other side.Domi sighed as he brought the phone back. “School. You know I can’t just answer whenever, right?”Axel frowned from around the corner, listening in. It sounded like this could be Domi’s parents on the phone, based off the voice, but he wasn’t quite sure.After a little bit of listening to the other side, Domi shut his eyes with a deep breath, before he said, “I already said I’m not going. …No, I’m not going to Altissia and I’m not switching schools. So please just get off my case about it.”The information made Axel pause. Why would anyone think Domi was changing schools, or even move to Altissia?“…Look, I really don’t care,” Domi said, and his voice actually got slightly deeper as he almost snarled into the phone. “And obviously you don’t either, since you didn’t give a shit when I decided to head for Insomnia to study here in the first place.”Axel blinked in surprise at the shift in Domi’s voice. Did he not live with his parents, then?Domi started tapping his heel along the floor then, as he reached up and rubbed at the bridge of his nose, eyes shut in annoyance. “…You know what?” he said suddenly as he pulled his hand away. “I’m done. I don’t need this shit. I’m not gonna waste my lunch break talking about this crap.”And then he unceremoniously pulled his phone away from his ear and hung up. Once he had, he sighed heavily and dropped his head back against the wall. “…fuck…” he mumbled softly.Axel frowned softly in concern, before deciding to make his presence known. “Domi?” he called out.The whitehead almost jumped out of his heels with a yelp as he whirled around. As soon as he noticed Axel, he breathed out in relief with a hand to his chest. “Six! Are you trying to give me a heart attack, Ax?”“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you…” the redhead apologized. “I was worried, so I followed you.”Domi almost seemed to flinch, before he sighed softly. “Really now, Ax; I’m fine. Just some silly things happening at home, is all.”“Didn’t sound silly with you cussing and hanging up with whoever it was,” the taller teen replied. “Domi, you can’t just brush everything off as nothing. We’re your friends, and we’re here to help you. It’s not being a good friend if you don’t rely on us to help you when things get shitty.”“…” Domi didn’t reply to that, his hand curling firmly around his phone, before he tucked it in his pocket. “It’s nothing to worry about. Just a small disagreement with my parents. It happens,” he said with a small shrug.“It’s not nothing or something small when you’re being accused of moving to Altissia and changing schools, Domi,” Axel sighed, becoming frustrated. “Just let us help you, Domi.”Domi didn’t say anything. He merely sighed as he silently began to walk back to the cafeteria. Axel stopped him, though, by grabbing his wrist. “Domi, I’m trying to be a good friend. What’s it gonna take for you to listen?”Domi flinched at the redhead’s grip on his wrist. However, before Axel could question him about it, Domi pulled his hand free. “It’s fine already…” he mumbled.“I didn’t grip you that hard, Domi. What happened to your wrist?” the redhead asked firmly, spying the bruising on his wrist.“…I just had an argument with my sister. Again, it’s fine…”“It’s not fine if you’re being hurt in the process, Domi,” Axel told him, resisting the urge to snap at the whitehead. “Please just talk to me. And if not me, at least someone.”“…I’ll think about it…” Domi murmured, before he headed back silently. Axel sighed heavily, before following. He wanted nothing more than to help Domi, but the guy was making it incredibly difficult to do just that. How can you help someone who clearly needs it, but won’t ask for it?When they returned to the others, Terry looked up at the pair casually. “Everything alright?”“Yeah, no worries,” Domi quipped, smiling. “Just some things getting tricky back home.”Axel bit the inside of his cheek, resisting the urge to snap at Domi, and Roxas noticed, giving his boyfriend a curious look. Instead of replying, though, Axel shook his head minutely, wordlessly saying he would tell the blonde later.Libby hummed softly, adjusting her glasses, before she got Domi involved in a small study session, and the whitehead didn’t seem to mind in the least, humming softly at regular intervals. X*X*X*X*X*X*XAfter school, Axel sighed as he, Roxas, and Ace were walking to the clearing where they were to leave from.“So, Axel, what happened when you followed Domi earlier?” Roxas asked, concerned.“I listened in on his phone conversation, and he was arguing with his parents, it sounded like. They accused him of planning on moving to Altissia and changing schools, which he said he wasn’t, and eventually, he hung up on them. What’s really worrying me the most, though, is that he’s bruised on his wrist,” the redhead told the brothers. “He said it was just an argument with his sister, but that’s not just a simple argument.”Ace frowned a little bit at those words, thinking. “Wait… They ‘accused’ him of moving to Altissia?” he murmured. “Are you sure that’s it?”“They accused him of planning on it,” Axel corrected.“Why would they think that, though?” Roxas frowned.“…are you sure it wasn’t the other way around?” When Axel looked at him, Ace clarified: “Maybe Domi doesn’t want to move or change schools…maybe they do.”“He said he wasn’t planning on it, so I didn’t think he was,” the taller teen replied. “But that makes sense.”Ace nodded briefly, as he held his hand to his chin. “Question is, why, though…”“Oh, Rox, did Domi say he was coming with?” Axel asked suddenly, and his boyfriend sighed.“No, he didn’t give a straight answer…” the blonde mumbled.“I wonder if this situation with his family is why?” the redhead wondered quietly.“Well, if he’s under pressure like that, it probably is…” Ace murmured…right before Roxas’s phone beeped to tell him he had a message.“Hm?” Roxas hummed curiously, before unlocking his phone to see who it was. He saw it was Domi, and he blinked, surprised. 
Domi: Hey, Roxy. You boys mind waiting for a min? Need to get something for Regina.

Me: Not at all. We’ll be in the clearing nearby the gates.

Domi: Okay. This shouldn’t be long~

Me: Sounds good. We’ll be waiting!
 Roxas chuckled, before locking his phone again. “Looks like Domi’s coming over with us,” he told Ace and Axel.“Good to know. I bet Regina will be happy,” Axel smiled.“No doubt,” Ace said with a nod. It took a few minutes for Domi to finish getting whatever he had to get. And when he did, he basically speed-walked over to the boys, carrying his bag along his shoulder.“Heya Domi!” Roxas called as he approached, waving.Domi waved in return as he caught up breathing heavily for a little from all the running he’d done. “Sorry I’m late! Had to finish one last thing,” he said as he adjusted his bag.Ace chuckled softly, before he blinked when Domi tucked some hair behind his ear. “What’d you do to your fingers?”“Hm?” Domi blinked, before glancing to his fingers, which were wrapped up in band-aids. “Oh, these? Word of advice,” he started sagely, “NEVER stitch in a rush without the use of a thimble!”“Ouch…point taken…”“Well, you ready to go, then?” Roxas asked with a smile, before shifting into a griffon and crouching down so Axel could climb on.“Ready enough~” Domi giggled as Ace shifted as well and crouched to let the whitehead on his back. Once Domi and Axel were each on the shifters’ backs, the brothers launched themselves skyward, heading for the Citadel. Eventually, they arrived, landing neatly before letting their passengers off and shifting back.“I hope Regina’s holding up okay…” Roxas murmured as they headed inside.“Can’t be that bad…can it?” Domi asked, though he sounded genuinely worried.“…Remember how she was Monday?” Ace asked calmly.“Yes…?”“She got worse.”“…how even…?”“That’s the effect her upcoming heat has been having on her,” Roxas sighed.Domi worried at his lip when he heard that. Ace frowned sadly before he said, “C’mon; let’s go find her, shall we?”“I’ll bet she’s in her room, sleeping,” Axel sighed as they headed to the Crown Princess’s room.“Wouldn’t surprise me. She’s probably exhausted still,” Roxas agreed.“No kidding…” Ace murmured as the approached the door. When they did, he looked over to his brother. “You wanna knock, or should I?”“Go for it,” Roxas nodded.Ace nodded and stepped forward. Then he raised his hand and knocked politely. “Regina? Are you up, sis?” he asked first, and the two shifters strained their ears to even hear something through the room's door. When there was no response, Ace tried knocking again. “Sis, there’s someone here to see you…”“Is she even there…?” Axel wondered softly.“I can hear her breathing in there, so…” Ace whispered back, before he knocked a third time. “Sis… we’re coming in, alright?”When there was still no response, Ace nodded to the others and reached for the doorknob. Roxas tensed the tiniest bit as the door was opened, hoping their older sister was okay. Axel noticed this, and took the blonde’s hand in his, squeezing comfortingly, and soothing Roxas’s frayed nerves somewhat. Slowly, the door creaked open, and Ace peeked in through the crack cautiously. And when Rox moved over to peek over his shoulder, it took them only a moment to spot their sister; fast asleep in her bed and completely unaware of the world around her.“Poor Regina… She’s drained…” Roxas mumbled sadly.Ace sighed as he pushed the door further open and began to move over slowly to the bed. Then, cautiously, he reached out and pushed at her shoulder. “Regina?”“……”“Regina, you’ve got a visitor,” Roxas tried, carefully sitting at the end of her bed.“……”Ace frowned softly and looked to Roxas in worry.“I’m gonna go get Aunt Luna,” the shorter blonde said, now very concerned by their sister’s lack of response.“Actually…” Domi said suddenly. “Ace, may I…?”“Huh…? …oh, yeah, sure,” Ace said as he moved away and let Domi take his place.Once he was, Domi poked at the girl’s shoulder with one finger (or more specifically his nail). Again, Regina didn’t move an inch. Domi, however, scooted a little closer and then pressed two fingers along her shoulder.Ace blinked in question, sharing a look with his brother. But Roxas merely shrugged, not sure what Domi was up to, either. Axel was especially confused, watching the whitehead curiously.Domi waited for a moment, keeping his fingers where they were, before he, almost casually, ‘walked’ his fingers along the princess's arm, eventually reaching her side, where he prodded her softly. This made Regina instinctively twitch in response, but she didn’t wake again. Sighing softly, Domi briefly shook his head, before he pulled away and cracked his knuckles briefly. At this, Roxas paled a little, wondering what the hell Domi was about to do.But before he or Ace could ask, Domi’s fingers descended on the girl's sides, light enough to be felt but not firmly enough to be ticklish. And in response, Regina groaned as her body twitched and tremble, eyelids quivering as she turned her head away. Axel resisted the urge to laugh (considering the situation), biting his lip. Noticing this, Roxas rolled his eyes at his boyfriend, but continued to watch Regina.Domi merely smirked cheekily as he kept up the motions, before steadily moving up along her sides, then up her arms. Then, he pulled one hand back and reached out with his left hand. “Boop,” he said as he tapped Regina’s left cheek, and then the right with another “Boop.”However, as he was about to reach her nose, Regina’s hand shot up and grabbed hold of his hand, and she opened one eye. “…hand ‘f mah nose…” she mumbled sleepily.“…” Domi watched her quietly for a few long moments, before he twitched his finger and tapped her nose with another; “Boop.”“…jerk…”“Thank the Six…” Roxas sighed quietly, relieved that Regina was (somewhat) awake.Ace chuckled softly. “You feeling okay, Sis?” he asked.“…define ‘kay’…” Regina mumbled as she finally let go of Domi’s hand.“That bad, huh?” Roxas guessed, before shaking his head. “Never mind, stupid question.”“Think you can sit up?” Ace asked, clearly as worried as his brother.“…do I have to?” Regina whined softly.Domi sighed softly, as he reached into his bag and pulled out a package. And then he (quite unceremoniously) dropped it on the princess’s head.“Bwah!”And Domi merely giggled as Regina moved to take it off of her face.“Now you kinda have to sit up to open it properly,” Roxas chuckled, smiling lightly at her, and Axel snorted on a laugh. Regina grumbled in annoyance, before she raised one arm lazily. Domi giggled as he reached over and helped to tug the princess up until she was sitting properly. After being propped up against the headrest, Regina reached up and rubbed at her eyes, groaning heavily.“Still sleepy?” Ace chuckled.“Shuddap…”“We only tease because we love you, Regina,” Roxas snickered, leaning lightly against Axel as he moved to stand close to the shorter blonde.Regina grumbled something under her breath, before she squinted down at the package that Domi had dropped on her head. “…the hell’s this for?”Domi giggled at those words. “What? You forget already, love?”“…!” At those teasing words, Regina seemed to remember something, before she began to unwrap it. Roxas gave a curious noise, wondering what the occasion was, but didn’t dare ask just yet.As Regina finally got through all the wrapping, her eyes actually widened in surprise…before she smiled as she lifted up a piece of cloth that, to the royal princes, actually looked a little familiar. And all the more as Regina unfolded it and revealed it to be a black and gray suit jacket.Ace gasped as he finally recognized the pattern. “Wait…is that Dad's old raiment?!”“Regina, why would you take Dad’s old raiment?!” Roxas yelped in a panic. If Noctis found out, Regina would be in deep shit.Regina regarded her brothers for a moment with a dry look. “I didn’t,” she said, flipping it around to them. “Look again.”As they did, they realized a few things were off. The gray lines along the fabric were too far apart, and darker than they should be, whereas the inside was a few shades lighter. Added to that, there were three silver cuffs along the wrists rather than the usual one golden cuff. From a distance, sure, it looked identical, but upon close inspection, it was definitely different.“Wait, what’s this for?” Axel frowned, confused.“That’s what I was wondering,” Roxas agreed.“Well, wasn’t the plan for Regina to wear a dress for half an hour at the ball?” Domi asked casually, but the smile on his face was incredibly cheeky. “If that’s the case, then pray tell what was the plan for later, hm?”At those words, Ace actually stared. “Wait…did you actually MAKE that from scratch?!”Domi smirked and held up his hands, showing off his bandaged fingers. “I got the wounds to prove it, don’t I?”“Good point,” Roxas chuckled. “It looks really good, though!”“Yeah, I’m impressed,” Axel nodded.Domi merely smiled, before he turned to Regina. “Now, love, I know you’re a bit tired, but do you think you can stay awake long enough to try it on so I can see if we need to make adjustments?”Regina hummed a bit, as if in thought, before she shrugged. “Sure, I guess…” she said, before she scooted over to the edge of the bed, letting Domi tug her up to her feet.“Need us to step out?” Roxas asked.“I’m just gonna go in the bathroom, Rox,” Regina grumbled, before she yawned widely.“Doesn’t mean we need to stay explicitly,” Ace pointed out, chuckling. “Though I am pretty curious what it looks like.”“Same here,” Axel added as Roxas nodded.“So stay where you are,” was Regina's response, as she picked up the package and the jacket, before she headed for the adjoining bathroom, bare feet padding lightly against the floor as she went.Once she was in the bathroom and the door was locked, Ace looked over to Domi. “Okay; I’m impressed. Not even Mom can get her up that easily.”Domi blinked, twice, before he shrugged. “It wasn’t that big a deal…”“Well, she usually ends up punching anyone who tries to wake her. When Mom was pregnant with the twins, he had to shift into a wolf and bark to wake her, and he’s resorted to it ever since then since it’s the easiest way to wake her and avoid being punched,” Roxas explained, and Axel laughed.“I can only imagine how she reacts to that each day,” he snickered.“About as well as you think…” Ace chuckled.Domi watched them in surprise, but before he could say anything, Regina stepped back into the room. Roxas and Axel looked over, and Roxas’s eyes widened in pleasant surprise at the sight.The raiment fit the princess almost perfectly already, with the exception of it being a little long at the legs. And from a distance, she almost looked like their father when he was younger.“So…how do I look?” Regina asked.“…You look almost eerily like Dad from Mom’s pictures of him when he was younger,” Roxas told her, his eyes still wide.“Y-yeah… I know everyone said you looked similar…but this is almost creepy…” Ace agreed.“…that good or bad?”Domi hummed. “I don’t really see the problem with it, to be honest…” he admitted.“I’m…not sure if it’s good or bad, but it does look good on you,” Roxas confessed.“For sure,” Ace said with a nod.When no one else seemed prepared to give any further comment, Domi got up and walked over after grabbing something from his bag. As he stepped up, he hummed as he started to adjust the raiment, tugging and smoothing his hand along the material.“‘s not too tight anywhere?”“Nope.”“Hmhmm…good.”“You did really good, Domi,” Axel praised.“Hmm…” Domi merely hummed a bit, before he ducked down and began to tug up the too long pants legs, which was when it became clear he’d grabbed a pincushion from his bag. And after tugging a few pins loose, he began to pin up the fabric so that it would be the proper length.Then there was a knock on the door, followed by Prompto’s voice.“Regina, sweetie? You doing okay?” he called. “I know your brothers, Axel, and Domi are in there.”“I’m fine,” Regina said simply as she lifted her arm to let Domi check the sleeves.“Good,” the older shifter said, before opening the door. He then saw what Domi was doing, before his eyes widened in shock when he saw just what Regina was wearing. He opened his mouth to say something, before pausing, narrowing his eyes a little, and then tilting his head curiously. “Domi, did you make that?” he asked, seeing how the whitehead had the pincushion in his hand.“Hmhmm…” Domi hummed without looking up, two pins stuck between his lips as he adjusted the cloth, before taking them out to pin it into position.“That’s so close to Noct’s…! How’d you manage to do that?” the taller blonde asked, genuinely curious. “It’s really good!”“Lotta practice,” Domi said as he moved to behind Regina to work on her collar.“Well, I really like it,” Prompto smiled. “What’s this for?”“…for the ball,” Regina said as she was forced to duck her head so that Domi could work. “After…yanno…half an hour.”“It looks really good on you, sweetie,” her mother nodded in approval. “Good idea.”Regina managed to get out a small smile, before she groaned as she fought another yawn, considering Domi was still working on her collar.Ace chuckled softly, before he hummed in thought. Then he walked over to their mother and whispered something to him. Prompto’s eyes widened in shock at the whispered words, and looked at Ace.“Really now?” he questioned quietly. The younger shifter nodded firmly. Prompto’s expression became thoughtful at that, before he nodded minutely to himself. This would be something he would have to share with Noctis. “Good to know,” he whispered to Ace.Ace nodded, before he turned to look back to Regina and Domi, just as the whitehead stepped back with a nod.“Okay; think I’ve got everything I need to fix, still…” he said. “Mind getting out of this so I can work on it?”“Sure,” Regina said with a nod, yawning as she headed back for the bathroom. Prompto then looked to Domi.“Thanks for coming over, Domi. I know you needed to have her try on the outfit, but even so, I know she truly enjoys having you here,” he told Domi with a warm smile.Domi blinked a few times, before he smiled a little, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ah… well… that is… um…”“It’s true, Domi,” Roxas chimed in. “No one can wake her up without getting punched normally, and you did it without getting a fist to the face.”“It’s…it’s not THAT hard, really…” Domi tried to play it down.“She’s done the punch-upon-awakening thing since she was eight years old, and I don’t know why, so that’s no small feat,” Prompto chuckled. Before the conversation could continue, Regina walked back into the room, carrying the suit in her arms, yawning as she went. “Looks like you need some more sleep,” the taller blonde told her with a soft smile.Regina merely hummed as she rubbed at her eyes sleepily.Ace smiled as he turned to Roxas. “Maybe we should leave then…let you have some rest.”“Yeah,” Roxas agreed. “Want us to come by later?”“…sure…”“Domi, would you mind staying with Regina to keep her company?” Prompto asked the whitehead suddenly.“Huh?! U-uh… Y-yeah. Yeah, sure, no problem,” Domi said with a smile, almost dropping the suit as it was passed to him again.“Thank you, Domi,” the older shifter smiled kindly. “We’ll be by later with some dinner, if you’d like to stay for some.”“Ah…yes, thank you. I’d appreciate it,” Domi said with a warm smile, even as Regina dropped herself back on her bed.“Good,” Prompto nodded, before looking at Regina. “Sleep well, sweetie.” However, as expected, there was no response from the girl; just her quiet, even breathing.“Let’s go, you three,” Prompto murmured, heading out of Regina’s room, Roxas, Axel, and Ace close behind.“Right. See you later, Domi,” Ace said with a nod to the whitehead.“Of course~” Domi giggled, as he moved over to plop down on the bed, so he could work a little better. Once the group of four had left Regina’s room, Prompto began to head off to Noctis’s study.“I’m gonna go tell your father about Domi waking Regina, but you boys go ahead and find Beat and Rhyme in the garden,” he said. “They were playing with the twins in the snow there when I last checked.”“Will do,” Roxas nodded to his mother. “See you at dinner, Mom!” And with a smile and a wave, the older shifter left.“Think Beat will warm up to me soon?” Axel wondered aloud as they headed to the garden.Ace chuckled softly. “I think he’s already done that pretty well,” he said with a smirk.“What? But he looked suspicious of me yesterday,” the redhead frowned in confusion.“That’s just Beat; he’s suspicious of EVERYONE he meets for the first time.”“Ah, okay,” Axel nodded as they reached the garden entrance.“Now to find them,” Roxas chuckled, shifting into a fox before diving into the snow. ‘Knowing Beat, he’s gonna try and mess with us if he heard us coming. But he’s terrible at hiding.’ A snicker followed the remark. Ace snorted softly, before he shifted into a fox and followed after his brother. Axel merely chuckled, but followed after the shifters anyway.As they continued further into the garden, they finally spotted Beat and Rhyme with the twins, working on what appeared to be a giant snowman. Roxas then burrowed through the snow, heading for them, before popping up right in front of Beat. ‘Heya Beat!’ he grinned.“BWAAAAAAAH!” Beat nearly screamed as he backpedaled, before realizing what had happened. “Dude!! What the he—”“Beat!” Rhyme interrupted, and the taller blonde immediately snapped his mouth shut so fast he bit his tongue. Which, naturally, had him yowling and covering his mouth to muffle his curses.Naminé blinked, before she giggled merrily at their cousin’s antics. Roxas couldn’t resist shifting back to bust out into a full-on laughing fit, Zack also giggling as he watched. Axel burst into laughter as well, highly amused by Beat’s reactions.Ace was laughing just as hard as he popped out of the snow. “Careful, Beat; last I checked you do still need your tongue.”“Ah shuddap, yo!!” Beat growled out.“I couldn’t resist, Beat!” Roxas gasped out amidst his laughter. Beat growled in annoyance, before he huffed and folded his arms across his chest crossly.“Beeeeeaaat!” Naminé suddenly called out from where she was trying to push a snowball about twice her size. “I can’t move iiiit…”“A’ight, a’ight… I got it, yo,” the blonde said casually, before he (effortlessly) pushed the snowball along with only one hand.“Thank you, Beat!” Zack chirped.“How long have you guys been out here?” Roxas asked Rhyme.“Oh a while,” Rhyme said with a giggle. “Nami and Zack wanted to make a snowman army. Not sure there’s enough snow out here for that, though…”“Probably not with how big you guys are making this one,” Axel chuckled.“Thanks for watching them, by the way. It helps Mom out a lot, I’m sure,” Roxas smiled.“No problem. It’s fun,” Rhyme said with a giggle, before she seemed to remember something. “…oh right. Did you hear that Uncle Kuja should be coming back soon?”“Really? That’s awesome! Josh is coming, too, right?” Roxas grinned.Rhyme giggled. “I’m pretty sure he is.”Ace chuckled softly, before he frowned. “How old is Joshua by now, actually? Twelve?”“He should actually be going on 13, soon,” Rhyme pointed out. “Also, Uncle Kuja said he had a surprise to show us.”“I wonder what his surprise is,” Roxas murmured thoughtfully.“I’m sure it’s nothing bad,” Axel chuckled.“I doubt it…but it’s not gonna be the usual, that’s for sure…” Ace murmured.“I guess we’ll find out when he gets back from Altissia,” Roxas shrugged.“Yup,” Ace agreed with a nod. X*X*X*X*X*X*XAfter almost an hour more of working on the “army”, Ignis sent them all a text that it was time for dinner. And though the twins were a bit said that they couldn’t finish their work, they were the first to hurry off for the dining hall, with the teens following close behind.As they passed through the hall, though, they came across Zidane and a taller man, who, judging by his attire, worked at the castle. When he heard them approach, he looked over calmly, purple-blue eyes surrounded by dark red eyeshadow and his long silvery hair hanging down his back, with the exception of a single feather-like strand that came from by his left temple.“Hm? Who is that?” Axel frowned curiously, confused by the man’s appearance.The man regarded Axel in silence for a few moments more, before he allowed a smirk. “I do believe it is common courtesy to give your own name before asking another’s, dear,” he said with a small chuckle. Axel gave an uncharacteristic blush out of embarrassment, but Roxas laughed.“Uncle Kuja!” Roxas grinned. “We didn’t know you’d be back this soon! I thought you’d be back later, based off what Rhyme said.”The man—Kuja—chuckled softly. “Ah, we’ve been able to make good time coming back,” he said calmly.“Good to see you, though! Where’re Josh and Aunt Aranea?” the blonde inquired, smiling.“Ah, Aranea went ahead to unpack her bags. And I believe Joshua has gone ahead to the dining room already…” Kuja said, but as he finished saying that, a mysterious smirk passed over his face.Ace frowned a little in worry, before he nodded and turned to the others. “Well, let’s not keep everyone waiting, then, shall we?”“Right,” Roxas nodded, and they headed off.“So that’s Kuja, huh?” Axel said as they made their way to the dining hall.“Yep! He’s Uncle Zidane’s brother,” Roxas nodded.“Though you can hardly tell with how little they look alike,” Rhyme giggled.“True,” Ace said with a nod.“Yeah, they look nothing alike,” Axel agreed. “So, what’s your cousin Josh like?”“He’s…well, it might be better to just introduce you and let you make your own deduction on that,” Ace said with a small smirk.Rhyme giggled. “Yeah, it’s hard to properly explain how Joshua is,” she added.“Man, now you’ve got me worried,” Axel whined, and Roxas laughed.“Don’t worry so much, Ax. Joshua’s a bit different, but he means well,” the shorter teen assured him as they reached the dining hall.It took only a moment for Axel to spot Joshua, as he seemed to be in some sort of discussion with Noctis and Prompto. However, as they entered, he looked over with a curious hum. He had the same silvery hair as Kuja, though his was cut short and curled around his chin, and while his eyes were the same shape, his were just a few shades darker. He gave off an easy air with his white-blue button-up shirt and light purple jeans.Once he seemed to realize who had come in, he allowed a small smile/smirk and waved one hand, the other stuck in his back pocket. “Evening, boys,” he quipped cheekily.“Heya Josh,” Roxas greeted with a smile. “You’ve really grown since we last saw you. How’ve you been?”“Ah, busy enough,” the silverette said, twirling a lock of hair around his finger, before he looked to Axel casually. “So…do I get an introduction of your boyfriend, dear?” he asked calmly, drawing muffled chuckles from half of the royals present.Roxas rolled his eyes in response. “Yes, you do, Josh,” he sighed. “This is Axel. Axel, this is Josh.”“Nice to meet you, Josh,” Axel smirked, holding out a hand to shake Joshua’s.Joshua chuckled as he accepted the hand shook it firmly. “Pleasure,” he said calmly.As he put his hand back in his back pocket, though, Noctis allowed a small chuckle. “Actually, Joshua, don’t you have an introduction of your own to get to?”Joshua hummed curiously as he looked to Noctis, before he let out a small “Ah”. “Woops~ I suppose you have a point, there,” he said with a smile, before he glanced down at his feet. “Endrance, are you going to keep hiding back there?”When the teens followed the silverette’s gaze, they realized that, standing behind his legs, was a little child, about the twins’ age, huddled there and peeking out with one dark red eye that was partially hidden by silvery blue hair.“…”“Well, who’s this little guy?” Roxas asked, crouching down to the child’s level. Immediately, the boy yipped and ducked back behind Joshua.“Really now, En?” the taller silverette sighed out.“Hey, I’m not gonna do anything bad or mean,” the blonde murmured to him gently. “You’re just really shy, huh?”Of course, the boy didn’t reply to that, and instead only huddled closer to Joshua. Naminé blinked curiously, before she toddled over and peeked around Joshua’s leg. “Hewwo!” she chirped, which had the boy crying out and then scampering around and away again. “Hey!”“Doesn’t he wanna be fwiends?” Zack pouted.“He’s just a shy little guy, you two,” Roxas told the twins, and Zack nodded.“We’re nice!” he said with a bright smile to the little boy.The small boy bit his lip, ducking his head into Joshua's pants. Joshua gave a heavy sigh at that, before he reached down and tugged the little boy out from his hiding spot, making him yip. “Easy, En,” Joshua murmured, keeping his hands on the boy’s shoulders to keep him where he was. “Go on, say hello, En.”The boy bit his lip worriedly, still trying to move away. When it was clear he wasn’t going to get loose, he whimpered. “…he-hewwo…” he squeaked out softly, fiddling with the edge of his shirt.“Hi,” Zack said with a kind smile. “What’s your name?”The boy whimpered softly as he ducked his head down, though he seemed to relax when Joshua rubbed his tiny shoulders. Finally, though, he managed to squeak out, “E-E-Endrance…”“Huh…skittish tyke, ain’t he?” Beat mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.“I’m sure he’ll grow out of it as he gets older,” Roxas shrugged. “Some kids are outgoing, while others are really shy.”“You were definitely a bit shy when we met, though,” Axel smirked.“Yeah, I’ll admit I was, but I grew out of it,” his boyfriend agreed, blushing faintly out of embarrassment.“You ‘were’? I think you still are at times,” Ace pointed out with a smirk.Naminé and Zack weren’t paying attention to their big brothers at this point; their focus was entirely on Endrance. “Nice to mee’chu!” Naminé chirped happily. “I’m Naminé!”“And I’m Zack!” Zack grinned.Endrance bit his lip, shaking like a leaf, and if not for Joshua holding him where he was, he probably would’ve bolted again. Naminé looked at Endrance for a moment more, before she asked, “Ne! You wanna go play after dinners?”“Yeah! We can play in the snow!” Zack added.“U-um…u-uh…”Joshua allowed a small chuckle at the words, before he said, “Well, En? Do you wanna go out and play later?”The small boy blinked up at Joshua, still shaking, before he managed a tiny nod.“Yippeee!” Naminé cheered.“Yay!” Zack grinned.“All right, everyone, how about we all sit down and eat? Otherwise Ignis is gonna be mad if we let his food go cold,” Prompto suggested with a chuckle.“Right,” Roxas nodded, before taking his usual seat along with Axel.Ace merely chuckled as he helped the twins in their seats, while Joshua helped Endrance in his, before taking a seat across from the youngest prince. Once everyone was seated, though, Joshua looked up at the royals, his expression serious. “So I heard Regina was feeling less than stellar…will she be alright?” he asked sincerely.“I’m sure she’ll be okay once her heat has passed, but having family here, especially during the ball, will really help,” Prompto replied, before taking a bite.“And with Domi coming over to visit, that should also help,” Roxas added.“I’ll say…” Ace murmured before he took a bite of his own.“Hm? ‘Domi’?” Joshua echoed curiously.“He’s Regina’s best friend, and a really nice guy. He almost reminds me of you and Uncle Kuja, in more ways than one,” Roxas chuckled.“Hm?”Ace chuckled. “Well, let’s just say he doesn’t like sticking to the stereotypical dress code.”Upon realizing that they were talking about Domi, Naminé perked up. “Domi’s nice! Also perdy!”“Yeah! And he’s fun, too!” Zack added.“We did have a lot of fun on Christmas Eve in town as a group,” Axel agreed with a laugh. Joshua quirked an eyebrow, but he decided not to question it any further as he went back to his dinner. X*X*X*X*X*X*XAfter dinner, Prompto got a couple of plates of food, courtesy of Ignis, and brought them up to Regina’s room. He managed to balance the two plates on one arm, and then knocked on the door.“Regina? Domi? I brought you two some dinner,” he called. However, there was no actual response coming from inside. Curious, the blonde carefully opened the door, and looked inside. It took Prompto only a moment to realize what had happened. As he looked over to the bed, he saw that Domi was napping on his side, with Regina curled around his back, her arms wrapped around the whitehead’s waist in her own sleep. A soft smile curved the older shifter’s lips as he watched them for a few moments, before he went inside, set the plates on the small table in Regina’s room, and then left, closing the door silently behind him. ‘Yeah, they’re perfect together,’ he thought to himself as he left for his and Noctis’s room.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(Friday)X*XFinally, it was Friday, just over a week before the ball. The ball itself was the following Saturday, that way everyone who attended would have Sunday to recover before they had to return to work or school. However, Roxas was a bit nervous about going back home that day, since Prompto had made an announcement at dinner the night prior that Regina, Roxas, and Ace needed to have dance lessons for the ball. Roxas would obviously be practicing with Axel, Regina would practice with Domi, and Ace would more than likely invite Quon for practice with him.What made the short blonde nervous was that he didn’t want to mess up while dancing, and he felt a bit self-conscious about having to dance with so many people watching. Ace was right in saying he’s still kinda shy, but who seriously enjoys being the center of attention at all times? Especially at such an important event…“You okay, Roxy?” Axel asked as they headed to lunch.“Just nervous about dance practice…” the shifter mumbled.“Don’t worry so much,” the redhead soothed. “You’ll be just fine.”“I guess we’ll see this afternoon…” Roxas sighed as they reached their table. As they got there, Libby greeted them with a nod, before she went back to her book. Terry wasn’t around, meaning she was probably out running. Ace was sitting at the table with a book opened as he was eating.“Heya Ace,” Roxas greeted as he and Axel sat down. “Have you invited Quon for the lessons today already?”“Mhmm,” Ace hummed, since he still had his mouth full.“Where’s Domi?” Axel inquired.Ace swallowed quickly and shook his head. “Haven’t seen him yet. Libby?”The brunette hummed a negative while shaking her own head.“I hope everything’s okay,” Roxas murmured, beginning to eat.“Terry was already looking for him,” Libby said calmly.“That’s good…” Ace murmured.“Okay, cool,” Axel nodded after swallowing a bite of his lunch.Then, as if summoned, Terry came walking over…alone, though. Libby cocked an eyebrow curiously, but before she could ask, Terry reached the table and snagged her bottle of ice tea and said, “He’s not here.”“…pardon?”“No one’s seen ‘m. Not even the teachers’ve seen ‘m.”“Wait, what?” Roxas frowned. “Then we need to find him.”Terry looked up after she had downed half the bottle. “Sure you can afford that? Regi’s already missin’ classes, so you sure you got the leisure for it?”Ace sighed. “Well, then what do you want us to do?”“Text ‘m, maybe?”“I’ll do it,” Roxas said, pulling out his phone. 
Me: Heya Domi, where are you? Is everything okay?
 However, even after almost two minutes, there was no response, even though the status said that Domi was online.“That’s odd…” the short blonde frowned, confused. “Why isn’t he answering?”“Maybe his phone’s on silent,” Axel suggested.“Then how do we get ahold of him?” Roxas asked.Ace frowned in worry. “…I hate to bring up the option, but perhaps we should ask Ignis for help.”“Might be a good idea…” Roxas conceded. “Mind asking him, Ace?”“Yeah, sure.” After saying that, Ace pulled out his phone and began texting. 
Me: Hey Ignis, can I ask a favor? Domi hasn’t been to school today and we can’t reach him. Could you see if you can find him somewhere near his house or something?

Ignis: That is worrisome. I can indeed check on him. I shall let you know what I find out.

Me: Thanks, Iggy. We owe you one.
 After tucking his phone away, Ace turned to the others. “He’ll look for him.”“Thank goodness,” Roxas sighed. “Hopefully Domi’s okay…”“Here’s hoping…” Terry mumbled. X*X(Ignis)X*XAfter getting the text from Ace, Ignis headed out into town, only letting Noctis know of his task so he wouldn’t be considered missing. He parked the Regalia on a curb near the residential area, and then proceeded to seek out Domi near his home. When Iggy arrived at Domi’s address, which was really your average, run-of-the-mill apartment complex, he didn’t see anything remotely out of place. As he passed by a nearby park, though, the Advisor almost immediately spotted a few strands of white hairs that had caught onto a nearby bush.“Hmm…” Ignis hummed curiously, before heading into the park to try and find the missing whitehead. Even with that initial lead, though, there was no real sign of Domi being anywhere in the park. That is, until Ignis walked across the path moving past the lake in the park’s center which was when he spotted the boy on the far side of the lake, only barely visible from where he was sitting under a tree. Frowning in concern, Ignis made his way over to Domi, not calling out to him until he was close enough.“Domi?” he said, worry in his voice.Domi yelped and nearly jumped at the call, before he managed to calm a bit and turned his head to peek at Ignis from under his hair, which, shockingly, was not actually pinned up or styled. “M…Mr. Scientia…?”“Domi, are you quite all right? Roxas and Ace were trying to figure out what happened to you,” the Advisor murmured, crouching down to the teen’s level.“I…I’m o…” the whitehead started, but the words died in his throat as he groaned slightly and put a hand to the side of his face, turning away from Ignis as he tugged his knees up against him. “Ugh…who am I kidding…?” he mumbled softly under his breath.That was when Ignis spotted some fresh bruises on his wrists, and he frowned. “Domi, what happened to your wrists?”Domi flinched as he tucked his hands away, as if it would make Ignis un-see them. “I…I don’t…wanna talk about it…”“I understand,” the sandy blonde murmured. “How about you come with me? I’ll give you some pain medicine at the Citadel and get those bruises treated.” Domi didn’t say anything immediately, but after a little bit, he slowly nodded his head.“All right. Come with me to the Regalia, and I’ll take you to the Citadel. Whoever hurt you won’t be able to get to you there,” Ignis told Domi gently. Domi merely nodded as he gently pressed his hands to the tree and pushed himself up gradually. However, as he placed weight on his left foot, he hissed sharply.“Let me help you,” Ignis told the teen, carefully scooping him up so he wouldn’t be stooped over to just support Domi to the Regalia.“Eep!” Domi yelped in surprise. He seemed about ready to protest, but in the end he thought better of it and just let Ignis help him.“Sorry to startle you, but I figured this was the best way to get you to the Regalia without hurting you further,” the Advisor apologized as he got closer to the aforementioned vehicle.“……”Domi didn’t say anything, keeping his gaze down as they finally reached the car. Carefully, Ignis unlocked the Regalia and gently set Domi in the passenger seat, before going to sit in the driver’s seat after closing the door for the teen. He didn’t buckle the whitehead in for him because he didn’t want him to feel babied, though. Once they were both buckled in, the Advisor looked at Domi.“Let me know if you want to talk, okay? We can pull over at any time,” he told him kindly.“…” Domi didn’t look over to Ignis, but he did nod his head quietly. And with that, Ignis started the ignition, and pulled away from the curb, taking a longer route back to the Citadel.If Domi was aware of this, then he certainly didn’t mention any of it. He merely sat there, staring out of the window quietly. However, just as they passed a nearby shop, Domi’s eyes widened and he suddenly ducked down in his seat, as if he was trying to hide.“Domi?” the sandy blonde said worriedly. Domi didn’t answer; he just stayed down, keeping his breathing down as he did. Looking at the shop they were passing, Ignis noticed a girl who appeared quite masculine, based upon her muscular stature, but the thing about her that stood out the most was her white hair. She was definitely too young to be his mother, so… “Domi…is that your sister?” he asked.“…” The only response Ignis got was a small nod.“…She was the one who hurt you, isn’t she?” he guessed. Though Domi didn’t say anything, the way he flinched was a dead giveaway. Ignis frowned darkly at the information, but continued to drive regardless. “Why would she hurt you, Domi? I need to know. I won’t tell anyone if you don’t want me to.”“…” Domi didn’t answer immediately, though he remained down in his seat. “…mum wants me to go to Altissia…” he mumbled softly.“Really now? Why is that?” Ignis inquired gently.“…she…wants me to…be normal…”“That’s a ridiculous desire,” Ignis snorted immediately. “There’s no such thing as normal in this world, Domi, and you can certainly communicate that to your mother.”“…tried…didn’t work…” Domi mumbled.“Well, regardless, you’re welcome to stay at the Citadel as long as you’d like. And I know for a fact that Noctis and Prompto will be more than accommodating,” the Advisor smiled reassuringly at the teen.“…thank you…”“Of course, Domi,” Ignis nodded as he pulled up to the Citadel. Once he had parked in the garage where the Regalia resided, he got out and helped Domi inside and to the infirmary, where Iris was, as usual, restocking the cabinets with medical supplies. “Hello, Iris.”“Oh, hey Iggy!” the brunette smiled, but frowned in concern when she saw Domi’s wrists and how Ignis was supporting him. “What happened?”“It’s not my place to say, but can we get these bruises treated, and some medicine for him? And I believe his ankle is sprained, so something for that, too, if possible,” the sandy blonde replied.“Of course! C'mon, let get you patched up, alright Domi?” Iris asked as Ignis helped the teen onto the bed.“…” Domi nodded his head softly, still not speaking up too much yet.“I’ve heard a lot of good things about you from Regina, Roxas, and Ace. You’re a good kid,” the brunette told him kindly as she got some pain medicine out of a cabinet. “Here you go. Take these, and they’ll help with the pain in about an hour. They’re pretty strong, so I only give these to someone once a day as needed.”“…thank you…” Domi murmured softly.“You’re welcome, Domi,” Iris giggled as she moved around, getting some wrapping. She then went back over to the whitehead, and warned him, “This is gonna hurt, but I’m just wrapping up your ankle so it’ll heal properly. Then we’ll get some ice on it, okay?”“…kay…” the whitehead said with a small nod. Iris nodded, and then gently positioned Domi’s ankle so she could wrap it. Once it was properly positioned, she began to wrap it up, and then used a safety pin to keep it in place once it was on just right.“There we go. Now to ice it, and that’ll help get the swelling down,” she told him. “And while we ice your ankle, I’ll take a look at your wrists.”Domi merely nodded his head, appearing almost lost in thought. Iris then began to carefully slide Domi’s sleeves up, and revealed the multitude of bruises on his arms, too, making her gasp softly, but she didn’t ask, instead beginning to apply some healing balm to the bruises. Domi hissed at the touch, his fingers twitching, but he quickly bit his lip to keep anything else in.As Iris kept moving up Domi’s arms, however, she spotted something strangely familiar when she reached his shoulder. It almost resembled Noctis’s bite mark that Prompto had given him when the blonde had changed the King into a shifter, but it seemed a bit different.“Domi… Did you get bit by someone or something?” she asked, a bit worried now.“…huh?” Domi blinked, before he looked over to where Iris had been looking at. He squinted for a moment in thought as he regarded it. “I don’t…” he started slowly, before he blinked. “Oh…I think Regi might’ve bit me in her sleep last time I was here…” Iris frowned, before looking at Ignis.“I’ll go and get Prompto,” he nodded, before leaving. He returned not too long after, Prompto in tow.“What’s going on, Iris?” the blonde asked, concerned, especially when he saw how Domi was bruised. When his gaze reached the bite mark on Domi’s shoulder, however, his eyes widened. “Where did you get that mark, Domi?”“Uh…not sure, sir,” Domi admitted as he absently reached up to cover the mark with his hand. “I…I think Regina may’ve bit me when she was sleeping last time… I can’t say for sure…”“Oh…” Prompto uttered, before he looked at the floor, deep in thought. He knew this changed things drastically for them all, and he hoped Regina wouldn’t be too upset, but he knew it wasn’t wise to tell her now, not when she was already upset about her upcoming heat.“What does this mean, Prompto?” Iris asked worriedly.“…This means Regina may have already subconsciously chosen a potential mate…in Domi,” the shifter murmured.“…!! U-uh…um…wha…?” Domi barely managed to get out in a squeak.“You see, Domi, when shifters have a potential mate, they mark them with a bite. I did the same with Noct when we got together, but I didn’t mark him again until he was ready to become a shifter as well,” Prompto explained gently. “By biting you like that in her sleep, Regina may have subconsciously chosen you as her mate. Which, honestly, doesn’t surprise me too much, the more I think about it, considering how close you two are.”“…a-ah…but…” Domi started, his hand tightening around the mark. “…that…I…”“Domi, it’s okay,” Prompto soothed, moving to sit beside the teen. He gently uncurled Domi’s hand from his arm, and took the whitehead’s hand in his own as he gazed calmly at him. “Regina obviously cares deeply for you, otherwise she wouldn’t have stayed friends with you like this. Libby and Terry have never come here for a holiday, and rarely ever come over as it is. Regina always preferred to hang out with them at school and away from home. Not only that, but she doesn’t make friends easily. You two definitely have a deep bond that goes further than friendship, I believe.”“…but…I’m…I mean…” Domi got, biting his lip worriedly.“What are you thinking?” the blonde inquired kindly. “I’m here to listen.”“…I’m not…” Domi began, looking away quietly. “I…”Prompto didn’t say anything, though, instead waiting patiently.“…I…I’m sorry…but I…I’m not…I-I don’t deserve…I…”“Domi, stop,” Prompto murmured firmly, taking the boy’s other hand in his as well. “You deserve to be happy. Ignis told me some of what had happened, and you don’t deserve that sort of life. You’re a good person, far too good for any sort of mistreatment. Every one of us here, plus your friends, would tell you that you deserve happiness. And in this case, it’s clear that happiness entails Regina being a very important part of your life.”“…but…”“Don’t deny yourself happiness,” the shifter smiled gently. “You deserve it, okay?”“…” Domi bit his lip, before he slowly nodded his head.“That’s better,” Prompto murmured, giving Domi a light hug. “Try not to worry so much, okay? And for now, we won’t tell Regina about her marking you. I don’t want her to become upset with herself, because she probably doesn’t fully realize her feelings for you yet. But they’ll develop soon enough.”However, no sooner had Prompto said that, or the door was pushed open. “…Ma?”“Hm?” Prompto perked up, quickly but gently pulling Domi’s sleeve down, covering the mark once more. “Oh, hey sweetie. Are you feeling okay?”“…decent,” Regina mumbled, rubbing at her eyes with one hand, which was when it became clear she was holding a cookie in her other hand. She’d probably left her room to get herself something to nibble on. “I was just… …Domi?”“Oh, hey, love,” Domi said almost immediately, smiling as he waved, any hints of anxiety wiped away entirely.“…shouldn’t you be at school…?”“Oh well, funny thing there…something came up so I had to opt out.”“It’s nothing too major, sweetie,” Prompto added with a smile. “Did you sleep okay? Or do you need some more sleep?”Regina blinked slowly, and though she still looked a bit tired, she seemed more awake than she had been in the last few days. “…No, I just…needed some nibbles,” she mumbled as she held up the cookie she’d gotten, biting off a small piece for extra emphasis.“Okay. Did you want to hang out with Domi for a bit?” Prompto offered, lightly squeezing the whitehead’s hand in a reassuring gesture from behind himself so Regina couldn’t see. Regina briefly nibbled on her cookie, before she nodded her head softly. Domi noticed the weariness in the girl’s nod and frowned softly, but he didn't say anything about it. …yet.“Good,” her mother smiled. “You guys can hang out in your room, and I’ll bring some food up in a bit, okay?”“I’ll make you both some cinnamon rolls, our secret,” Ignis chuckled. At those words, both teens stared at Ignis in surprise, before they shared an excited grin and chuckled/giggled.“Thanks, Ignis,” Prompto smiled at the Advisor, before helping Domi off the bed and escorting the pair of teens back to Regina’s room. “You two have fun, and I’ll be by with those cinnamon rolls soon.”“Thanks, Ma,” Regina said with a small smile, while Domi nodded with a small giggle.“Anytime, sweetie,” Prompto smiled back, before closing the door and heading off to Noctis’s study. He knocked on the door, and walked in without waiting for the call to enter, as usual. “Hey,” he greeted.Noctis looked up with a hum, before he frowned. “…what happened?” he asked firmly.“Always straight to the point,” the blonde sighed. “It seems Regina marked Domi in her sleep last time he was over.”Noctis’s eyes widened in alarm at that news, before he frowned in worry. “…does she realize what she’s done?”“No, she hasn’t even seen the mark yet. Domi knows what it means now, though, and we agreed to not tell Regina so as not to upset her further, especially with her upcoming heat,” Prompto admitted. “More than likely, when her heat hits, if Domi’s nearby, we’ll have to let things go as they will. Otherwise we’ll risk something bad happening…”That, clearly, only increased his worry. “…something bad like what?”“That…I’m not sure of, to be completely honest…” Prompto confessed. “But she may become aggressive if we try and separate them during that time, or very distressed, but knowing Regina, it’s likely she’ll get hostile with anyone, even us.”“Hoo boy…” Noctis mumbled. “…So where does that leave us? And them?”“I think Domi’s almost fully accepted it, but we’ll just have to see where this goes. As for Regina, she’ll know once her heat hits, I’m sure. She’ll recognize her mark on him,” the smaller male murmured. “As for where that leaves everyone, I’m happy with them being together, and I already approve of it. Domi’s a good kid, and they’re good for each other.”“Won’t deny that…” Noctis murmured, crossing his arms over his chest. “And it may actually stop the almost constant requests I keep getting for her…” Upon catching the surprised look on Prompto’s face, he said, “No, they didn’t stop, and yes, I keep refusing them.”“Good, but I would be pretty pissed if you accepted any,” Prompto snorted, before going over to his mate and leaning into his side. “Despite knowing that everything will be okay, I can’t help but worry about her… She’s still our baby girl, no matter what…”“I know…” Noctis sighed as he placed an arm around the blonde’s waist. “But little kids grow up…we just have to trust her to do the right thing.”“Right…” the smaller male mumbled, relaxing in Noctis’s hold. X*X(Roxas & Ace)X*XAs the group was about to go back to class from lunch, Ace’s phone went off when he got a text alert. Ace hummed as he pulled out his phone and quickly skimmed the text. Once he had, though, he sighed in relief. “Iggy found him.”“Thank the Six…” Roxas sighed in relief as well. “I wonder where he was?”“No telling until we get back after school, probably,” Axel shrugged, but he was worried, too.“Then I hope the rest of the day flies by,” Roxas grumbled.“Well what’re we standing around here for, then?!” Terry asked as she pushed the boys forward. “Let’s get to moseying along a’ight?!”Libby merely hummed, adjusting her glasses as she trailed after. X*X(After School)X*XOnce school had ended for the day, Ace, Roxas, and Axel waited by the gates for Quon to come and join them so the four of them could head back to the Citadel for the dance lessons. Roxas wondered how Domi was doing as they waited, and hoped he was okay.“I’m sure he’s fine,” Ace pointed out just then. “Iggy seemed pretty sure he was.”“Right, sorry… I’m just worried about him for Regina’s sake, y’know?” the shorter blonde sighed.Ace smiled a little bit, before he turned back to the building as Quon walked over. “Apologies for the delay…the teacher held me up.”“It’s fine,” Ace assured before he looked to his brother. “Shall we go?”“Yup,” Roxas nodded, leading the others to the clearing, where he shifted into a griffon and let Axel climb on. ‘Ready, Ace?’Ace snorted as he shifted into a griffon as well, allowing Quon to climb on. ‘Yep.’‘Then we’re off!’ Roxas laughed, before launching himself into the air, taking flight with Axel holding onto his neck. With a small chuckle, Ace shook his head, before taking off after his older brother. As they flew, Roxas asked, ‘So, Quon, how’s it feel to fly like this, huh?’Quon hummed curiously, turning to look at Roxas, before he nodded briefly. “It’s certainly different…a bit cold with the weather, naturally.”‘That’s a given,’ Ace chuckled.“And that’s why I bundle up,” Axel laughed.‘Even though you’re practically a walking furnace,’ the shifter beneath him snorted in amusement.“Probably cuz I’m a fire-lover,” the redhead smirked.‘Or just a pyro,’ Roxas retorted with a snicker.“Hey!”Ace chuckled, and Quon gave a small smirk, but neither of the two said anything of the pair’s ‘bickering’.Soon enough, the brothers began their descent as they got close to the Citadel, both landing neatly at the entrance. Once Axel and Quon had climbed off Roxas’s and Ace’s backs respectively, they headed inside, where Ignis greeted them.“He’s with Regina,” the sandy blonde told them before Roxas could ask where Domi was.This made the brothers let out a small sigh of relief. “That’s good…and I guess not too surprising, either,” Ace admitted.“How is he?” Axel inquired.“He was a bit bruised, due to an issue with his family, but Iris has taken care of the worst of them,” Ignis answered reassuringly.“Who hurt him, though?” Roxas frowned.“…It was his sister.”Ace frowned in worry. “Why would she do that?”Ignis shook his head briefly. “It’s not my place to say, sadly.”“But that’s not right!” Roxas protested. “Come on, Iggy! What’s going on?”“I promised Domi I wouldn’t say anything without his permission,” the Advisor murmured, sighing. “I’m sorry…”“Rox,” Ace said before the other prince could demand Ignis to tell them. “If Ignis promised Domi, leave it. I mean, you wouldn’t want us to pester you about everything Axel tells you, would you?”“Yeah, but I want to help,” Roxas argued quietly.“Perhaps we should go to see them, then,” Quon offered. “We cannot be much help standing around here, correct?”“Before we go, does Regina even know about him being hurt?” Axel asked. “After all, if we ask Domi about his bruises without Regina knowing they exist, she’s gonna be pissed.”“No, she doesn’t. And she’s not to know, either,” Ignis answered, his tone firm.“Right…” Roxas sighed, nodding quietly.“…C’mon. Let’s go find them, alright?” Ace offered.“Right…” Roxas mumbled, before falling into step with Axel as they followed after Ace and Quon, heading for Regina’s room to start.“I know you’re worried, Roxy, but we can’t push him. It’ll only make things worse, okay?” Axel soothed his boyfriend softly as they walked.“I know, but it’s just wrong, that he was hurt by his sister…” Roxas muttered. Something wasn’t quite adding up with the situation, but the blonde couldn’t quite figure out what the missing part or parts were.They soon reached Regina’s room, where Ace went to the door and knocked on it.“‘s open!” Regina called out, and the boys were quite surprised to hear she wasn’t just awake, but very much so from the sound of it.As Ace opened the door, though, they realized why; Regina and Domi were in the middle of a game on the Crown Princess’s TV, controllers gripped in hand and their attention focused entirely on the screen as they played.“Someone’s feeling better,” Roxas smiled with a laugh when he saw them.“Hardy har,” was Regina's off-hand response, before she cursed as her character took a hit.“Easy, love,” Domi mumbled softly under his breath. “Gotta keep our focus here.”“Yeah yeah…” she grumbled, biting the side of her lip as she hunched over a little more.Ace chuckled as he looked to the others, before he asked, “Mind if we watch, Sis?”“…‘s long as you keep quiet,” Regina grumbled softly.Axel chuckled at that, but didn’t say anything otherwise. Roxas, however, watched for a minute before asking, “What game are you playing, anyway?”“Ragnarok,” Domi mumbled. “Trying to get through the mission to get Regi’s Guillotine Cross class up.”“Nice,” Roxas grinned, before settling in Axel’s lap once the redhead was seated on the floor. The smaller teen leaned against his boyfriend’s chest, smiling contently when Axel wrapped his arms around him lovingly.Regina snorted as she ducked aside from the enemies to get behind them, grumbling softly under her breath, while Domi ducked around, shooting from a distance with his Gunslinger class to distract them.Ace chuckled as he sat on one of the chairs in the room, whereas Quon remained standing, watching curiously as the two players worked together almost flawlessly.As they watched, Axel soon switched his emerald gaze to Domi, and started to notice the bruises on his wrists as he played, despite the long-sleeved shirt the whitehead was wearing. He just couldn’t understand why his sister would hurt him like that.Domi didn’t seem to notice the look, as he and Regina were too focused on the game. With all the enemies, it took them almost ten more minutes to reach the final area. Surprisingly, the boss took them far less time than the trip through it.And finally, they beat it.“Hell yeah!” Regina cheered with a laugh, while Domi giggled merrily. “Finally!! Guillotine Cross class up!”Ace laughed. “Nice.”“Good work, guys,” Roxas smiled.Regina allowed a lazy grin as she stretched out her arms, while Domi pushed himself up to his feet, dusting off his skirt. Ace watched the whitehead for a moment, clearly a bit worried, before he looked to Roxas in question.And the shorter blonde merely looked to Ace, wanting him to ask because Ace would have better control over his emotions.Nodding quietly, Ace turned to Domi as he helped Regina up to her feet. “Hey, Domi,” he started. Once the whitehead looked over with a small hum, the youngest prince brought up what everyone wanted to know. “How come you didn’t come to school today?”Domi's hand twitched briefly, before he sighed. “Funny thing; had some things going on at home, so I had to opt out for the day,” he said as he pushed some of his hair behind his ear.“…” Regina didn’t say anything, but given how she was looking over from the corner of her eyes, it was clear that she’d already figured there was more to this than that Domi was telling them.“Then what are those bruises on your wrists?” Axel asked suddenly.“…!!” Domi visibly tensed in response to the question. “U-um…”Quon hummed as he regarded the whitehead. “He does pose a legitimately valid question, Dominatio. What happened while you were otherwise occupied outside of school, hm?”“…I…ah…”“We’re just worried, Domi, that’s all it is. What’s going on?” Roxas questioned.“Nothing…!” Domi choked out, quickly reaching for his wrist to cover it, as if it could erase any trace of his injuries. “I’m…I’m fine…it’s nothing serious…”“…Somehow, I don’t buy that…” Ace murmured.“We’re here to help, Domi,” Axel frowned. “But only if you’ll let us. You can’t always go it alone.”“…”“Hey, guys…” Regina said suddenly, making the other boys look at her. “You mind stepping outside…just for a bit?”“What? But—”“…Yeah, sure, Sis,” Ace said, interrupting Quon’s complaint.“We’ll be out in the hallway if you need us,” Roxas nodded.As the boys left the room, silence befell the room for a long time. Regina didn’t speak immediately, but she did glance over to Domi. The white-haired boy wasn’t looking at her, but she could tell he was shaking, still clutching his wrist as if he could somehow will the bruises away. She’d noticed them, of course, even though she hadn’t mentioned it before. In all honesty, she’d been hoping Domi would bring it up without her asking, but that obviously wasn’t going to happen.“Dom.”The single word made Domi jump in surprise, before he turned to face her. “Yes, love?” he asked, trying to sound like his usual self… but it just wasn’t working as well as it usually did.“We’re friends… aren’t we?” she asked finally.“H-huh? W-well… I… I thought we were… right? I mean… it didn’t… uh…”“Then why aren’t you trusting me with what’s on your mind?”“…!”Regina sighed, before she stepped up and suddenly pulled the boy into a hug, startling him and making him yelp. “Dummy…” she mumbled softly. “How am I supposed to be a good friend if you’re not telling me how to help you?”Domi bit his lip, and she could feel him shaking, before he dropped his face in her shoulder and he reached out to hug her back firmly. Smiling a bit to herself, Regina merely rubbed his back, not saying anything for the moment, and just letting Domi cling to her for a while. As she did, though, she couldn’t help but notice something…‘Did he…always smell this good…?’ she wondered, but she threw the thought away quickly. She didn’t need it right now.Just then, Domi whispered something, so quietly that she almost didn’t catch it…but when she did, her eyes narrowed dangerously and she had to fight to suppress a snarl. X*X*X*X*X*X*X“I hope Domi tells her the truth,” Roxas mumbled as they waited in the hallway.“To be fair…he’s more likely to tell her than us,” Ace said. “We’ll just have to trust Sis to get him to spill.”“Good point,” Axel nodded, holding Roxas close. Quon merely hummed as they waited. Which, took a good ten minutes before Regina and Domi walked out of the room, with Regina actually properly dressed for what had to be the first time in several days.“Hey Regina,” Roxas greeted. “Are you going somewhere? I thought Mom and Dad said you couldn’t leave until…y’know.”Regina snorted and watched him dryly. “What? You want me to practice in my jammies?” she asked, which had Domi giggling.Hell, even Ace and Quon chuckled. “She has a point, Rox,” the younger prince said.“How was I supposed to know you were gonna go practice?” Roxas whined. “I thought you were gonna slip out without permission…”This made the princess chuckle before she lightly bopped her brother on the head. “Eh. Maybe later.”“Regina!” Ace said firmly.“Esh! I’m joking, alright?!”“Please don’t joke about that kinda stuff,” Roxas grumbled, rubbing his head.“Otherwise Prompto and Noctis will send out a search party,” Axel added.“I agree…you should be more careful what you speak of,” Quon added.Regina merely rolled her eyes. “Alright, alright… esh…”“It’s all to keep you safe, Regina,” Roxas pointed out, smiling lightly.“Yeah, yeah…” Regina grumbled. “So are we going or what?”Ace laughed softly at his sister’s annoyance. “Okay, okay. Let’s go.”“Gonna practice with your new gunblade, Regina?” Axel asked curiously as they headed to the training grounds.“At least until we’re required to hit the dance floor… ugh…”This made Domi giggle. “C’mon, dear… It’s not that bad.”“So you say…”“You’ll be fine, Sis,” Roxas assured her. “Mom promised you wouldn’t be in a dress long, and he keeps his word, you know that.”“I’d prefer no dress at all…” was the annoyed response.“We know, Regina, but this’ll probably be the only time you have to wear one,” the shorter blonde pointed out.“Better be…” she mumbled as they stepped into the training rooms. Unsurprisingly, Gladio was there, and when he heard the footsteps of the group approaching, he looked up, and was clearly surprised to see Regina up.“Heya squirts,” he greeted. “And what are you doing here?” The question was clearly aimed at Regina, who snorted in response.“What? Am I not allowed to train now?” she asked.“Not what I said,” the brunette snorted. “Just surprised you’re not looking more ragged, considering the past few days.”“Yeah, yeah, rub it in why don’t ya?” she grumbled, much to Domi’s amusement. “Anyway, can we use this place for a bit?”“Just don’t push yourself too hard, or else your parents will have my throat,” Gladio told her firmly, clapping a hand on her shoulder before leaving.“Well, that went better than I thought,” Roxas commented. “Wanna spar with me, Regina? I could use some practice, too.”“Sure thing,” Regina chuckled as they stepped further into the room. Once they were, the princess snapped her arm to the side, materializing her gunblade in hand. Roxas went to the other side, summoning his Keyblades to his own hands.As the two royal siblings got into position, the others moved to sit on the benches off to the side to spectate. And Regina lifted up her sword, holding it level with her shoulder as she looked her brother down.Roxas shifted into a fighting stance as well, before lunging forward, slashing out with Oblivion, as he’d come to call the darker Keyblade. Regina, however, dodged to the side almost easily, snapping her own sword sideways for the blonde’s shoulder. The blonde swiftly blocked it with Oathkeeper, the lighter Keyblade, and then forced the gunblade back before lashing out with Oblivion again.The princess leaped back from the swing, before she rushed in and snapped out her blade swiftly and fiercely. The prince, however, caught and trapped her gunblade in between the steel bars of Oathkeeper, keeping it in place with Oblivion.“Big mistake,” Regina whispered, before she snapped up her leg and hit Oblivion to its handle. The force of the kick had it flying up and out of her brother’s hand, clearing the way for her to spin on her heel in a way that was almost graceful as she arched the blade down and then up, aiming BlazeFire at his chest.“That’s what you think,” Roxas growled, snapping Oathkeeper into BlazeFire’s path and knocking the blade out of the way swiftly, re-summoning Oblivion to his other hand and launching himself at her, blades aimed right at her.Hissing softly under her breath, Regina swiftly moved back and away, catching Oblivion first and then Oathkeeper after knocking the black Keyblade away from her. Once she had knocked that one away as well, she snapped her sword up, folding up the blade as her finger found the trigger. Roxas was quick to notice this, and he swiftly took a defensive stance. He knew they were blanks, but they would still hurt, so it would be best to block for now. And it was a good thing he had; as the shots Regina fired then bounced off of his weapons with a tinging sound.As soon as she was out of ammo, however, the blonde spun his Keyblades briefly, before lunging forward again, slashing at her powerfully. Hissing briefly, Regina spun aside, swiftly countering with her own weapon. “…huh…she seems to be doing better, isn’t she?” Domi murmured curiously.“Yeah…thankfully,” Ace said in response.“Let’s just hope it keeps up through the ball,” Axel added.Quon nodded his agreement as he watched the two siblings duke it out, dancing around each other with the kind of the grace that came from years of practice. For several long minutes, there didn’t appear to be anyone with a clear advantage, as it kept switching back and forth between the two of them.That is, until Regina darted aside and put her foot down wrong, resulting in her tipping over with a startled cry. Roxas paused briefly, but then backed up, watching his sister worriedly.“You okay, Sis?” he asked.Regina hissed as she pushed herself up to her feet slowly. “Ugh… y-yeah…” she groaned out, holding a hand to her head.Ace bit his lip, before he stood up and hurried over to his sister, with Quon right behind. Domi was also quick to follow, though slower than Ace and Quon because of his ankle (which was still a bit swollen).“You wanna take a break for now?” the shorter blonde inquired as he dismissed his blades and walked over to her.For a moment, Regina seemed ready to object, but, in the end, she thought better of it and nodded. “Yeah…yeah, might be smart…”“Let’s get you back to your room for now, okay?” Roxas suggested, frowning worriedly.“…sure…” Regina murmured, as Domi came over and took her arm, beginning to lead her back the way they’d come.As they went, though, Ace looked over to Roxas with a small, worried look. His brother nodded slightly, wordlessly saying he felt the same. Axel linked his fingers with those of the shorter blonde, somewhat soothing him, but he was still worried for his sister.Once they got back to Regina’s room, Domi helped the girl onto her bed, where she flopped down onto her pillow with a groan, holding a hand to her head, still.“You going to be okay, Sis?” Ace asked after a moment.“…yeah…I’m…I’m okay…”“Take it easy for a bit, okay?” Roxas murmured.Just then, there was a knock on the door, followed by Prompto’s voice.“Hey guys, everything okay in here?” he asked, before seeing his eldest daughter’s state. “What happened?”“I’m fine, Ma…” Regina murmured as Domi sat down next to her. “I just…tripped during training…my bad…”“What were you training for in the first place, Regina?” Prompto frowned. “You need to be resting and taking it easy, believe me.”“But I’m bored,” the princess groaned as she sat up. “I’m sick of staying in my room…”Domi frowned sympathetically, reaching out and gently patting the princess’s back.“I know, hun, but it’s all for the best, I promise,” her mother sighed. “You can’t be pushing yourself like that or you’ll drain yourself more than usual.”“Dang it…” Regina grumbled, pouting in annoyance.Ace frowned in compassion, before he moved to their mother and whispered something in his ear. This made Prompto blink, and then he realized, based upon Ace’s whispered words, that it had to be Domi’s presence keeping the effects of her heat at bay.“Well, try and rest for now, okay sweetie? Domi, you’re free to stay as long as you’d like, by the way,” he said kindly. “Come on, let’s leave these two, okay?” he added, looking at his sons, Axel, and Quon.“Right, Mom,” Roxas nodded. He and Axel were quick to follow the older shifter out.Ace nodded to his sister, wordlessly telling her to take it easy, before he followed after with Quon. Once the door had shut, Regina sighed as she leaned back against the headboard.“…now what?” she grumbled.Domi sighed softly, before he allowed a small smile. “Well…how ‘bout we do a few dungeon runs in King’s Knight, love?”“…eh. Sure, why not?” “Will she be okay, Mom?” Ace asked as they walked.“I’m sure she will be…as long as Domi stays close to her,” Prompto sighed. “I just have a bad feeling that things will get tricky during the ball…”“What do you mean?” Axel frowned.“…Don’t you boys dare mention this to anyone, do you understand?” the taller blonde asked firmly. When there no words of protest, he said softly, “You know how shifters mark their mates once they’re mated, right?”“Yeah, like how you marked Dad,” Roxas nodded.“Well, the thing is…Regina has already marked Domi.”“…!” Ace gasped in surprise, his eyes widening to match, before he shook his head. “So… wait…does that mean…when the heat hits her…she’ll…?”“She may pursue Domi, or resist, but I can’t say for certain. I will tell you that if anyone tries to keep him from her when it does hit, however, it won’t end well,” Prompto replied. “So when her heat hits, do not, under any circumstances, get between Regina and Domi.”“That…makes it sound like she’d attempt serious harm to someone getting in her way,” Quon said worriedly.“That’s exactly it, Quon.”“O-oh… I see…”“’…Isn’t there something we can do to help her?” Ace asked carefully.“No, except make sure Domi stays with her as much as possible. He seems to be able to keep her symptoms at bay for now,” Prompto told them.“We understand. We’ll do whatever we can to help. Right guys?” Roxas said, looking at the others.“Of course,” Ace said, and Quon nodded softly.“Naturally.”“Anything to help smooth things along,” Axel agreed.“Well, now that that’s settled, let’s talk about dance practice, shall we?” Prompto smiled, laughing at his sons’ startled expressions. “Or did you think Regina’s mood would end up cancelling the lessons?”“Well…um…s-since she’d have to dance too… I guess that’s what we thought, yeah…” Ace admitted with a small cough.“Well, sorry to say, that doesn’t change a thing. Now come on, let’s get you boys to the ballroom,” the older shifter chuckled, making Roxas groan quietly.“Don’t worry, Roxy, we’ll be fine,” Axel assured him.“We’ll see about that…” the shorter blonde sighed as they all headed to the ballroom.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Careful, Roxas, or you’ll be stepping on Axel’s feet,” Ignis instructed as the blonde and redhead went through the steps.“Sorry, Ignis… Sorry Ax…” Roxas apologized, adjusting his feet as they moved. Ace and Quon weren’t exactly better off, though.“Be mindful of each other, Ace, Quon,” the sandy blonde called to the pair.“A-ah… Sorry…” Ace mumbled as he took a step back. “This is much harder than it looks…”“You got that right,” Axel mumbled, making Prompto chuckle.“Well, fortunately, Noct let me stand on his toes to guide me during our wedding, since I had never danced before that day,” he smiled.“Fairly sure that would have been painful…” Quon murmured softly.“Is Dad still working, Mom?” Ace asked as he and Quon did another spin and almost tripped up again.“Yes, unfortunately, but as you know, a king’s work is never done,” Prompto pointed out. Ace merely sighed as he took Quon’s hand and they began to move again.“Watch your feet, Ace, Quon,” Ignis corrected, before looking at Roxas and Axel. “Be mindful of your positioning.”“Right…” the blonde and redhead both groaned.Once both of them had corrected themselves, a familiar voice suddenly called out from the doorway. “Oh…are we late?”“It’s fine, Domi,” Prompto smiled. “I figured Regina could rest while the others got started.”“Started with painful feet, anyway,” Roxas grumbled.Regina chuckled at the words as she and Domi walked into the room. “That bad, eh?”“When Ignis is drilling us more than instructing, yeah,” Axel snorted.Ace groaned as he took yet another wrong step, though thankfully not on Quon’s feet again. “Dammit…!” he hissed.“Easy, Ace…”This only made the princess chuckle while Domi giggled. “Sooo…are we still free to join in?”“Sure,” Prompto nodded, gesturing to the pair to join the others. Regina nodded as she and Domi moved onto the floor as well. Once they were in position, Regina turned to her friend and cocked an eyebrow. And Domi merely giggled as he curtsied, to which Regina snorted, before she bowed. And then they stepped up to each other and got into position.Ignis soon had them going, falling somewhat into step with the others, in a sense. Surprisingly, Regina did (marginally) better than her brothers did, but that seemed to be mostly because Domi was quick to adjust his steps to match hers. Which was pretty remarkable with his ankle.“Good work, Domi, Regina,” Ignis praised. “You’re doing well already.”“Thanks, Iggy,” Regina said simply, even as she spun Domi around. As they danced, Prompto took notice that the young raven was leading Domi, rather than the other way around. That could lead to a problem at the ball…“Regina, let Domi lead you for a bit, kay?” the older shifter called.“Huh…?” Regina blinked, before she frowned. “…why?”“Because a lady is led by her partner during dances,” Ignis answered instead. “You won’t be able to lead during the ball.”This made Regina groan in annoyance. “Dammit…”“Sorry, sweetie…” her mother apologized. “If it was only Domi, then that would work. But as it is, you have to follow.”“Ugh…” was the immediate response. Domi frowned sympathetically, gently squeezing the princess’s hand. “…fiiiiine…”“Maybe you can lead with Domi on your free time,” Roxas suggested, narrowly avoiding stepping on Axel’s foot again. “Sorry, Ax!”“It’s fine, Rox,” the redhead chuckled.“Like that’s gonna help…” the princess grumbled as she and Domi shifted positions just a bit. Ace frowned softly, before he sighed as he turned back to his own practice, barely missing Quon’s left foot.“Who knows? Maybe you’ll find leading with Domi fun,” Prompto smiled.“Regardless, you’re all getting better, and more practice will help,” Ignis added. Regina merely snorted as Domi took over the lead quietly. Roxas watched them for a moment, somehow managing not to misstep at all, before sighing softly.“You okay, Roxy?” Axel asked quietly.“I’m just worried about Regina,” the blonde whispered before Axel spun him.“She’ll be fine. She’s tough, you know that,” his boyfriend assured him in a soft voice.“I know, but I can’t help but worry…” Roxas mumbled.“Just have some faith, all right?” the redhead soothed.“Okay,” the shorter teen nodded softly.Ace seemed to be just as, if not more, worried than his brother about the Crown Princess, as if he kept looking back on occasion. Quon didn’t seem to bothered that the prince was more focused on his sister rather than the practice. Though he did nudge him to his side, making the blonde jump slightly.“Ah…sorry…”“Quite alright…” Quon whispered back, glancing over to Regina. “…she’s still leading, isn’t she?”“Looks like…” the youngest prince murmured. “Even if it doesn’t look like it initially…she definitely is controlling the flow of the dance.”Ignis seemed to have noticed, too, and he pointed this out. “Regina, you’re still leading.” Which resulted in Regina groaning in annoyance.“Just keep it in mind, princess,” Prompto soothed.“Whatever…” Regina grumbled, as Domi squeezed her hand lightly. Prompto sighed quietly, before perking up when he heard three sets of footsteps approaching. And of those, two sets were smaller than the other, which told him exactly who it was. And his suspicions were confirmed as Zack and Naminé burst ahead of Noctis into the room, hurrying over to their mother with a cheer.“Hey, guys!” the blonde greeted with a laugh, holding them close in a hug. “Did you have a good nap?”“Yep!” Zack chirped happily at the same time that Naminé said, “Uh-huh!”Noctis chuckled softly as he walked over, glancing briefly at the triplets with their partners. “Well, they’re doing better than you did…”“Considering they’re getting actual lessons instead of letting their partners guide them, I’d like to think so,” Prompto replied, rolling his eyes a little. “But you didn’t go wrong with leading me.”Noctis merely chuckled softly, as the twins looked at their older siblings curiously. “Mama, what they doing?”“It’s called dancing,” Prompto told them. “They’re learning how to dance for the ball coming up.”“Ooooh!” Naminé said with wide, curious eyes.“Can we go dancing, too, Mama?” Zack asked eagerly.“I don’t see why not. What do you think, Noct?” Prompto smiled, looking at his mate.“Well… you’ll have to ask Iggy. He’s the teacher, after all,” the King said with a smile.Naminé smiled merrily before she scampered over to Ignis. “Iggyyyyyy!!”“Iggy!! Can we dance, too?? Can we can we???” Zack asked excitedly as he joined his sister.“Of course,” Ignis chuckled, before setting them up for something simple.As the twins giggled merrily and began to dance around, though theirs was far less complex than their siblings’, Regina smiled as she watched them spin around happily. “Well…they’re having fun…” she murmured softly.“Hihi~ looks like,” Domi giggled.“I’d like to think they would be,” Prompto chuckled, smiling as he watched his youngest children follow Ignis’s instructions.Ace laughed softly as he and Quon danced around Naminé and Zack. “Definitely…”“I’m glad they do, though. Wait until they’re our age and they have their own birthday ball,” Roxas laughed lightly.“That’ll be something, for sure…” Ace laughed, as Regina smiled while she and Domi spun around each other.“Pretty sure they’ll have fun…” she mumbled.“True,” Prompto nodded, tucking himself into Noctis’s side.Noctis chuckled as he placed his arm around the blonde’s shoulders. Like that they staid, just watching their children move around the dancefloor. After a while, though, he murmured softly, “…Surprised to see Regina up and about willingly.”“Probably feeling better after being around Domi for a while,” Prompto whispered.“Hmhmm…” After a moment of pause, he murmured, “Does she know?”“About the mark? No. But she can’t know yet. It’ll just scare her.”“…Right…but we can’t hide this forever…”“I know… She’ll probably find out when her heat hits completely, as long as Domi’s around.”“…may want to inform Domi and mention that she’s not ready for…you know…”“Having children… Yeah, I’ll try and take him aside when I can to talk to him.”“Good…” Noctis murmured, as his attention shifted to his oldest daughter. “…I see she refuses to follow, hm?”“Ignis and I tried correcting her earlier, but she’s as stubborn as you are,” Prompto smirked.“I am not surprised,” the King chuckled. Watching as Naminé and Zack did their own little dance with Ignis instructing them, Prompto smiled softly.“…Is it bad that I’m already looking forward to my next heat?” he asked the raven.“…You’re impossible,” Noctis mumbled with a smirk.“Oh come on,” the blonde snorted. “You know you’d want another. And besides, you like having me big with your children.” Noctis rolled his eyes at the accusation, but he didn’t bother denying it. X*X*X*X*X*X*XLater on, after dinner, Prompto and Noctis went to tuck the twins in, while the teens went to the entrance to see Ace and Quon off, since Ace had to take Quon home to avoid the daemons.“See you at school, then, Quon?” Roxas asked.“Naturally,” Quon said with a nod. Ace chuckled softly, but he said nothing else about it. Regina, meanwhile, yawned a little bit, even though she followed after to see Quon off.“We’ll see you then,” Axel smirked faintly, wrapping an arm around Roxas’s shoulders.“Be careful out there, Ace,” the shorter blonde told his brother.“I will, don’t worry,” Ace said with a nod. “I’ll be back before you know it.”“Just watch out you don’t get shot down,” Regina pointed out.“I know, I know,” the blonde said with a chuckle, before he shifted into a gryphon to get Quon home. Once the pair had left, Roxas yawned as well.“Okay, time for bed…” he mumbled.“Definitely…” Domi said with a small groan, stretching his arms behind him.“Right…let’s go up…” Regina grumbled. Roxas and Axel headed to their room once the four went upstairs, and once the blonde and redhead got to their room, the shorter teen groaned, sagging a little.“That sore, Roxy?” Axel chuckled.“Yeah… How come you’re not as sore?” Roxas pouted.“Because Reno tried teaching me to dance years ago. Didn’t go well, obviously, but I’m a bit more adjusted to it than you are,” the taller teen smirked.“…Not fair…” the blonde grumbled, before going to his bathroom to change. Once he emerged in his pajama pants and a t-shirt, he saw his boyfriend already in bed, in his own pajama pants and t-shirt.“Come on, Roxy. Let’s get some shuteye,” Axel smiled, and Roxas was quick to join him, smiling contently as he curled up against the redhead’s side in bed.“Goodnight, Ax,” he murmured, kissing him softly.“Goodnight, Rox,” the taller teen whispered, before he reached over and turned the light off, allowing them to sleep.Regina, meanwhile, yawned as she dropped herself on her bed, grumbling a little to herself. Domi giggled as he came over after changing in the bathroom. The princess had demanded he spend the night in her room for the night, and he was in no position to disobey her. Once she was under the blankets, Domi settled next to her, but he didn't lay down just yet.“Tired, love?”“…mmm…”Giggling, Domi reached out and lightly patted the girl’s head, even as she rolled around and settled against his side.‘Domi,’ Prompto’s voice sounded in the whitehead’s mind suddenly.“…!!” Jumping in surprise, Domi looked around swiftly.“Mmmm…” Regina whined, moving closer to the whitehead.“Ah…” Domi hesitated, before he sighed and ran a hand through his hair.‘Don’t worry, Domi. It’s just me. Only you can hear me right now,’ Prompto’s voice soothed, as a small yellow gecko climbed down along the wall above the bed.Blinking, Domi regarded the gecko, before he relaxed. “Ah…is…is something wrong, sir?”‘No need to call me sir. And nothing’s wrong, per se…’ Prompto replied. ‘I just needed to talk to you about something in regards to Regina’s upcoming heat. When it does hit, since she’s marked you already, she more than likely going to seek you out. And when that happens, don’t let her mate with you. She’s already told Noct and me she doesn’t want to have a baby yet, and mating during heat guarantees a shifter’s pregnancy. We won’t stop her when her heat hits in seeking you out because she’ll try to hurt anyone who does in her distress. I wanted to let you know, to prepare you for when it happens.’When Prompto said that, Domi actually tensed, as his eyes widened in alarm. “…a-ah…I… ah…wh…why would…I-I mean…”Prompto then seemed to realize Domi had been trying to keep up a pretense that he was a girl, not a guy, making him blink in surprise.‘Sorry, Domi… I didn’t mean to catch you off guard like that…’ he apologized. ‘I know the truth, but I won’t say anything, if that helps?’Domi bit his lip worriedly, and he swallowed heavily, before he slowly nodded his head. “Pl-please… I…I don’t…I don’t want…”‘I can keep a secret, Domi, don’t worry,’ the shifter assured him. ‘Just keep what I said in mind, because she’ll know the truth when her heat heats.’“A-ah…r-right…” Domi choked out, and he almost tensed as Regina snorted sleepily, throwing an arm around his waist to pull him closer to her.‘It’ll be okay, I promise, Domi. She’ll be very protective of you, especially since she’s marked you, even though she doesn’t know that bit yet,’ Prompto informed him. ‘We can talk more another time, but for now, try to get some sleep, okay?’For a few moments, Domi seemed ready to object, but in the end, he nodded quietly. “O-okay…”‘Did you want to talk more, Domi…?’ the blonde asked, concerned. ‘I know this is a lot to take in, especially considering the circumstances, so I’m here to listen if you want.’“…” Domi considered the words for a long, long time…but finally shook his head quietly.‘…Well, if you change your mind, I’ll be down the hall in Noct and my room, okay?’ Prompto murmured sympathetically, before crawling away, shifting into a mouse and squeezing under the door to leave.“…thank you…”‘Anytime, Domi. We’re all here for you, I promise.’Domi nodded softly, before he scooted down, letting Regina hug him close, before he shut his eyes and settled against her, too. When Prompto returned to his and Noctis’s room in human form, he sighed once the door was shut.“How did it go?” Noctis asked softly as the blonde came over.“It went as well as can be expected, but it seems like Domi was trying to keep up a pretense that he’s a girl,” the smaller male told his mate as he joined him in bed.At that, Noctis actually stared for a moment. “Wait…he didn’t actually know that we knew he wasn’t…? Six…how did he not know?”“I’m not sure… But even though we all know, I told him I wouldn’t tell, just to make him feel better… I just hope he’s not upset when he finds out we already all know,” Prompto sighed.“Here’s hoping…” Noctis murmured with a sigh of his own. “C’mon… Let’s get some sleep. We’re gonna need it.”“Right...” the blonde nodded, snuggling up to the raven. “Goodnight, Noct. Love you…”“Love you, too, Prom…” Noctis murmured, kissing the blonde’s forehead before they slowly fell asleep. X*X*X*X*X*X*XWhile Roxas, Axel and Ace had to head to school come Monday, Domi actually had to stay at the Citadel. Well, not “had to”. More like he was “requested” to stay at the Citadel by Prompto…for Regina’s sake.With Domi at the Citadel, Regina seemed to be getting some of her pep back. Not all of it, but certainly enough that she wasn’t confined to her room all day long. For which she was glad, even if she still spent a lot of her time napping. As long as Domi was around, though, she honestly didn’t mind.Yawning a little lazily, Domi stretched his arms over his head as he sat up in bed, before he looked down to Regina, who was still asleep. Which was no big surprise, and he chuckled softly.As he climbed out of bed, he figured he could probably get a shower before she woke up. So he headed to the adjoining bathroom to do just that. As he stepped into the room after closing the door behind him, he actually caught his own reflection in the mirror and he winced. His face was completely void of makeup, and while his face was still fairly feminine, his jawline was getting way too bony. He’d have to do something about that…Shaking his head quickly, he hurried into the shower and made a note to fix his makeup before he headed out. He didn’t want his friend to see him like this…she deserved better than that. X*X*X*X*X*X*XWith his shower dealt with and his makeup applied, Domi walked back into the room, just as Regina was sitting up and rubbing at her eyes. “Morning, love~”“Mmm… Morning…” she mumbled, yawning.Giggling at the greeting, Domi offered, “Want me to get us some breakfast while you wash up?”“…yeah, sure.”Once she was in the bathroom, Domi moved to get dressed in an easy skirt and poofy sweater (which would easily hide his flat chest), stepping in some easy shoes before heading out to find Ignis. However, as he turned the corner, he almost ran smack into a different servant. “Oh shoot! Sorry, was in a bit of a hurry…” he apologized quickly.The man blinked dark purple eyes curiously, as he tilted his head, silver hair falling along his shoulder. After a moment, though, he smiled a bit. “No worries… Dominatio, was it?”This immediately put Domi on guard. “Um…yes, do I know you?”“Haha. No, dear. Not yet anyway,” the man chuckled. “My name is Kuja. I suppose you could say I’m…like the royal siblings’ uncle.”“…‘Like’?”“Hihi. We’re not actually related, but we’re as close as we can be.”“Oh. Okay…”Kuja chuckled softly at the boy’s obvious worry. “Don’t worry so much; either way you look at it, I still work here, so I’ve no reason to work against you.”Domi considered that, before he smiled cheekily. “I don’t believe that’s a valid reason for that, hm?”“Touché, dear. Touché,” Kuja chuckled. “So I’m assuming you’re going to get some food for Regina, hm?”“Ah! Yes… I should probably hurry…”“Oh, before you go…” Kuja called out as Domi was about to hurry off. “Can I ask you to assist me with something?”“Uh… with what?”“Hihi~ It’s a surprise, dearie.”“…Not sure I like the sound of that…”“Oh trust me; you’ll enjoy helping me with this.” X*X(Evening of the Ball)X*XFinally, it was the evening of the ball. Everyone was being prepped in their rooms, including Roxas and Axel in theirs, Ignis making sure to take care with the two teens’ tuxedos, before he would tend to Ace. Iris was getting Regina ready, while Quon took care of his own attire in another room.As Prompto and Noctis got ready in their own room, the blonde looked at his mate as the King dried off his face. “You look at least ten years younger, like when we got together,” the smaller shifter commented.“Gee, thanks,” Noctis chuckled as he ran his fingers along his now smooth cheeks. “Gotta admit… it does feel odd after so long…”“Well, you look hot. Makes me wish for my heat, almost.”“…I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again; you’re impossible.”Prompto chuckled, before sobering. “Do you really think Regina’s going to go through with wearing her dress...?” he asked suddenly, hoping she would.“I’m not sure…” Noctis murmured. “I know she gave her word, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she managed to find a way to get out of it this late in the game…”“True, she’s always been crafty, but she takes after you in that aspect,” Prompto replied, smirking at the King.“That’s exactly how I know she’ll do something like that…” the King said with a small sigh. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.“Come in, Iris,” Prompto called, recognizing the scent.“You always know!” she pouted when she opened the door. “But anyway, the dress is missing, guys!”“Aaaand there’s her trick,” Noctis sighed out.“Dammit,” Prompto hissed. “Do you have any idea where it is, Iris?”“Probably destroyed, knowing Regina,” Iris grumbled.The King sighed softly, rubbing his temples. “…Nothing to do about it… Domi’s finished the raiment he made for her, right?”“I think so,” Prompto nodded. “Guess she’ll be wearing that, then. She got out of it after all.”Nodding, Noctis turned to Iris. “Ask Regina about her raiment. She should know where that is at least…”“Will do,” Iris said, before leaving.“Crafty as always,” Prompto remarked once she was gone. “Well, let’s at least head on down and see everyone.”“Right, let’s go,” the raven said as he led his mate out of the room. When they arrived at the ballroom, the guests had yet to be allowed in, but the twins were there with Gladio, giggling happily as they were lifted by the Shield.“Having fun, Gladio?” Prompto chuckled.“Keeping them from running off, more like,” the brunette snorted. “Good thing they can’t shift yet.”“Another six months and they’ll be able to,” the blonde pointed out.“Mama! Papa! Lookie my dwess!” Naminé cheered, lightly kicking her feet and playing with the black and white skirt of her dress.“Very nice, dear,” Noctis said warmly.“You look very pretty, Naminé,” her mother smiled, kissing her cheek. “And Zack, don’t you look handsome!”“Tank you, Mama!” Zack smiled brightly, giggling as Gladio lifted them a little.Just then, Naminé blinked as she looked over to where their parents just came from. And then she smiled. “Roxy! Ace!”“Roxy! Ace!” Zack echoed with a grin, as their brother walked in.“Well, don’t you two look dashing,” Prompto smiled warmly, as Roxas adjusted his collar a little.“Thanks, Mom,” he murmured, blushing faintly.“Where’s Axel?” his mother asked.“Ignis is bringing him,” Roxas replied.Ace chuckled as he adjusted his red tie for a moment. “Quon should be here in a bit, too. I assume Regina is postponing for as long as possible?”“Actually…” Prompto sighed, looking at Noctis.Noctis sighed heavily. However, rather than answer, he glanced over to behind the princes. And when they looked over, they realized why, as Regina walked down the steps, dressed in the raiment that Domi had made her, which now fit her like a glove. She even wore similar dress shoes that their father was wearing under it.Roxas’s jaw dropped, and he looked at his parents with wide eyes, before looking back to Regina, then at Ace.Ace was just as surprised, looking back at Roxas, before he turned to Regina as she approached. “Sis…? I thought you…”“Iris couldn’t find it,” she said simply.“Regina…” Prompto frowned.“I dunno where it went alright!? Iris never told me where she kept it!” Regina grumbled.“…You promised, though.”“I know, alright!? But I swear I had nothing to do with this!”Naminé blinked in confusion, looking over to her twin in question. Zack looked equally confused, before looking at their older siblings to watch and listen.“Regina, if I find out you had something to do with this, I’m going to be very disappointed,” Prompto sighed.“But I didn’t!”Ace regarded his sister for a moment, before he turned to Prompto. “Mom… I think she’s telling the truth,” he said. “I don’t think she’d go that far to break her promise…”The taller blonde looked at Ace, before sighing heavily. “All right… But it’ll have to turn up at some point or another. A dress just doesn’t randomly disappear.”“That it doesn’t…” Noctis murmured. “Anyway…let’s get ready. The guests should be arriving soon.”“Right,” his mate nodded, before picking up Zack and Naminé to bring them to the thrones with the rest of the family. Roxas seemed a bit puzzled about the whole situation, though. Prompto was right; a dress just doesn’t randomly disappear like that. Ace, though, seemed to have a suspicion, even as Regina followed after silently.As they reached the thrones, Noctis took his seat at the biggest throne, while Prompto took his own on the King’s left, Naminé and Zack in his lap. Regina took a deep breath, before she let it out slowly as she took the seat that was designated for her on Noctis’s right side. Roxas and Ace then took their own seats on Prompto’s side.Once everyone was settled in, Noctis nodded to Gladio, to let him know that the public was now free to enter. Once the Shield had nodded back and gone to inform the Kingsglaive, Regina briefly bit her lip, her hands clenching on the armrests.Noctis, of course, noticed and frowned, before he reached over and placed a hand on hers. “It’s okay, princess…” he murmured. “Just hold out for a little while, okay?”“…right…”“It’ll be okay, Regina,” Roxas added with a smile.Regina nodded softly, somehow managing to relax even as the guests gradually began to file into the room. The first group of guests consisted mostly of some of the citizens who had been able to obtain invitations for the ball, since it was not something just anyone could attend. It would still take a little bit before the guests who were slightly higher in rank would come in, which allowed the royals to relax for a little while longer.“…there’s a lot more people here than I was expecting…” Ace murmured softly to his brother.“Yeah, definitely…” Roxas nodded in agreement.Regina bit her lip briefly, clenching her fists, before she slowly relaxed, taking deep breaths that she tried to mask by leaning back in her seat. Meanwhile, Naminé and Zack were watching all the people come in curiously, though the youngest princess was a little more cautious as she huddled up against their mother.“Mama, who are they?” Zack asked, noticing his twin’s reaction“They’re guests for the ball, sweetie,” Prompto soothed.“So many peoples…” Naminé said softly.“I know, sweetie, but it’s okay,” her mother assured her, kissing her forehead. Naminé giggled as she cuddled up closer.Ace hummed softly as he looked around the crowd…before he smirked and lightly nudged Roxas to his side. And when he looked over, Ace nodded to the side. The shorter blonde resisted the urge to wave at his boyfriend when he looked the direction Ace had indicated, seeing the redhead standing with Quon off to the side with Ignis. Ignis had certainly done well to get Axel dressed nicely, but it seemed even the sandy blonde was unable to tame the lanky teen’s spiky red locks.As the ballroom slowly filled up, with the Crownsguard standing at attention around the room, Noctis hummed softly, before he turned to Prompto (minutely). “I think that’s everyone…” he whispered softly.“Good,” Prompto murmured. “I hope that Seymour punk isn’t here, though.”“Hard to say…” Noctis murmured. “Shall we start?”“Yeah, let’s get things moving,” the blonde nodded.Nodding softly, Noctis turned back to the crowd, as Gladio struck his broadsword against the stone by the throne, loud enough that it could be heard by everyone. And then, gradually, the murmur of conversation died down to focus on the King.“Everyone, thank you for coming to this event,” Noctis said firmly, as Naminé and Zack watched their father curiously.As Noctis began to speak, Regina shut her eyes slowly, taking deep breaths to try and calm herself down. She wasn’t sure what was happening, but she felt horrible. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and her blood was practically aflame through her veins. It didn’t hurt, but it was definitely not a pleasant feeling…Noticing how Regina was trying to calm herself, Roxas frowned worriedly to Ace, nodding towards her.“Something’s wrong,” he whispered almost silently.Ace hummed as he frowned, looking over, before he cursed softly. “I think her heat is starting to kick in…”“Dang it…” the shorter blonde hissed, before looking to their mother. “Mom, I think Regina’s heat is starting…”“Wait, what?” Prompto frowned, before looking at his eldest child worriedly. “Shoot, I think you’re right.” He then looked to his mate as soon as he finished speaking, gaining his attention. Spotting the blonde’s glance, Noctis hummed and looked over from the corner of his eyes. “Regina’s heat,” was all the blonde whispered.Noctis’s hand clenched sharply around his armrest, and he looked over to their daughter. Said princess was breathing a little heavier than was normal for her, even though she was trying very hard to keep it even.“Oh for…” he growled softly.“Do we know where Domi is?” Roxas asked quietly.“I think he was getting ready last time I saw him…” Ace whispered back. “Maybe he’s already out there with Axel and Quon, too…”“We need to find him, and quickly,” Prompto said. “Or else this won’t end well.”Noctis nodded, briefly waving his hand to gesture Gladio over. The Shield approached, looking at the raven in silent question.“Find Domi. And find him quick…for Regina’s sake,” Noctis murmured, glancing over to his daughter as the girl reached up to run a hand through her hair.“Understood,” the brunette nodded, before leaving to find Domi.Turning to the princes then, Noctis said, “Take your sister away from here…go to Axel and Quon if you must…just get her away from here.”“Alright…” Ace nodded.“Right, Dad,” Roxas agreed, before both teens went to their older sister. “Come on, Regina. Let’s get you to your room. You don’t look too good…”Regina nodded shakily as she let her brothers help her up before she followed them. Somehow, she managed to walk on her own, without making it seem like she was having difficulty with her balance. As they got her closer to Axel and Quon, who were by one of the side doors, though…“Hey,” a familiar voice called as a pale hand fell lightly on Regina’s shoulder, making the girl jump in surprise before she turned her head. “Are you alright, love?”She was about to respond…but she cut off whatever she’d been about to say to blink, twice. “…Domi?”“Yes, love?”“…are you wearing my dress?”At that question, the whitehead giggled cheekily, as he spun around on his heel, the familiar black and blue material fluttering about his feet. “Well, to be fair, love; I believe I wear it a little better, hm?”“What are you wearing her dress for, Domi?” Roxas frowned, before shaking his head. “Never mind, not important right now. We need to get Regina to her room. Come with us, Domi.”Domi nodded his head softly as he took wrapped a hand around the girl’s arm. Regina took a heavy breath as she shuddered briefly, holding a hand to her head. However, before they could leave…“I’m…I’m okay, guys…”“No, you’re not, Regina. You look like you’re about to pass out,” Axel chimed in, seeing how she appeared to be almost weakened.“Just…just give me a few…just few seconds…alright?” the princess groaned as she took several deep breaths.Domi frowned worriedly before he stepped up and rubbed her back soothingly. And, thankfully, that seemed to help as she was finally able to even out her breathing again.“Dad said to take you to your room, Sis. That’s what we’re doing,” Roxas insisted.“…no he didn’t.”“Right, but we do need to get you out of here.”“I’ll be fine…” Regina sighed softly, as Domi reached down and linked their hands together. “I just…need a bit, alright?”“Regina, please, just let us get you out of here,” the shorter blonde insisted. However, before Regina could respond, she gave a gasp as something suddenly hit her in the back of her leg. As she looked back, she just barely caught the sight of a small silverette tumbling to the floor with a small cry.“…huh…?”“Hey, it’s Endrance,” Axel said. “What’s he doing here by himself? Normally he’s stuck to Joshua’s side.”Looking back to Axel for a moment, Regina then turned to the boy and crouched down after letting go of Domi’s hand. “Hey…” she murmured, making the boy look up, tensing. “You okay?”“A-ah... u-um…”“Where’s Josh at?” Roxas asked kindly after sharing a glance with Ace.“I-I-I dunnooo…!” Endrance wailed softly, sniffling as he tried not to openly cry.Ace sighed as he looked around the ballroom. “…He can’t be far…” he mumbled.“Hey…” Regina said, reaching out and using the edge of her jacket to wipe the tears away. “It’s okay… c’mon, dry those tears, kay?” she murmured, smiling softly. “Shall we go look for your brother?”“…u-uh-huh…”Domi smiled as Regina helped Endrance to his feet, before she lifted him up into her arms. Roxas then smiled at the small silverette, as Axel held his boyfriend close while they began to seek out Joshua.As they walked, Domi tenderly patted Endrance’s head, who sniffled softly. However, the small boy was watching the whitehead with a slight hint of curiosity, though he rested his head against Regina’s shoulder.Ace smiled softly, before he caught a familiar scent off to the side. “…Ah, there they are,” the youngest prince said as he nodded in the general direction.“Good job, Ace,” Roxas praised, before waving to their cousin and calling out to him as they got closer. “Hey, Josh!”At the call, Joshua spun around, blinking, before his expression turned to relief when he spotted Endrance in Regina’s hold. “There you are, En!” he breathed as he came over and gently took over his little brother from the Crown Princess. “Didn’t we tell you to stay close?”“Sowwy…” Endrance whimpered softly, sniffling.“At least everything turned out okay,” Axel pointed out, as Roxas lightly ruffled Endrance’s hair.“He’s a good kid, like Zack and Naminé,” he told Joshua.Joshua sighed softly as he rubbed the small boy’s back, even as Kuja walked over solemnly. “Yes…though he needs work on his social skills, I’m afraid…” the older Shifter said with a small sigh. After a moment, though, he turned to the royals…and then smirked upon seeing Domi. “Nice dress, dear~”And Domi giggled at the compliment. “Thank you, sir~”“Wait, did you guys plan this?!” Roxas yelped.“Mmmaaaayyybeeee~” Kuja chuckled casually, while Joshua gave a small smirk of his own.“…you are both sneaky daemons, you know that?” Regina grumbled, though she had a small smile playing on her face.Quon sighed softly. “However, I do believe you do not actually mind that, do you?”“Nope.”“You guys are impossible,” Axel chuckled,“And that takes a lot of practice, dear~” Kuja chuckled.Just then, though, a familiar sound echoed through the room that the royals and their dates had heard a lot over the past week; a valse.“…huh…already…?” Regina murmured.“Guess so,” Roxas shrugged.Ace hummed softly, even as he watched some of the couples start to wander onto the dance floor. “…well…since we’re here, anyway…you guys feel up for a few spins?”“Sure,” Axel nodded, taking Roxas’s hand in his own, making the shorter teen smile softly.Kuja chuckled as Quon took Ace’s hand as well, before he turned to Regina. “Do watch yourself, dearie,” he said seriously to the girl. “Don’t push yourself.”“I know…” Regina murmured with a nod. Domi smiled softly, gently squeezing her hand.“We’ll keep tabs on her, Uncle Kuja,” Roxas promised.“Good… I’m not in the mood to be chewed out by the King today…” the older Shifter said casually.Joshua smiled as he ruffled his little brother’s hair. “Have fun, dears~”Regina nodded her head in thanks, as the royals moved out onto the dance floor. Once out there, they began to dance with their respective partners. Ace sighed softly as he placed his hand on Quon’s shoulder. After a brief moment of preparing himself, he nodded and allowed the other to lead him across the floor.Roxas and Axel copied the others, Axel taking the lead with the short blonde. Regina watched her brothers for a brief moment, before she snorted softly and turned to her own partner, who smiled back at her before accepting her hand, placing his free hand on her shoulder. And then after Regina placed her other hand on his hip, they began to move, with Regina leading every step of the way.‘Dammit, Regina…’ Roxas thought worriedly as he watched his sister lead, despite being told not to more than a few times. Not that the princess seemed to care; as was obvious when she spun Domi around before pulling him back in again. X*X(Meanwhile…)X*XNoctis breathed out softly after their next meeting with the dignitaries, which gave him and Prompto a few moments to relax. “This is a lot more work than I thought…” he murmured.“Yeah, really…” the blonde agreed, before looking out onto the dance floor to see the triplets dancing with their partners. “Wait a sec… I thought they were getting Regina out?”When Noctis spotted this as well, he very nearly cursed. “Ugh… I swear…they’re just making this more and more difficult…”Naminé blinked as she looked over. She didn’t spot them immediately, but when she did, she smiled. “Ooh! Domi has a pwetty dwess!”“Wait, what?” Prompto blinked, before he openly gawked at the sight of Domi wearing Regina’s dress. He then groaned, “Now I know what happened to Regina’s dress…”“Wait are you… …clever girl…” Noctis sighed, rubbing his temple.“Mama! Can we go dance, too?” Naminé asked then, tugging on Prompto’s jacket.“Sure, sweetie,” Prompto chuckled. “Let me just have Auntie Iris take you both out there, okay?”“Yay!” Zack cheered.“You called?” Iris smiled as she came over.“Yeah. Mind helping these two out onto the dance floor?” the blonde asked.“Not at all,” the brunette giggled.“And look out for Domi. You’ll see what I mean…” the shifter told her, and she blinked before nodding as she helped Zack and Naminé out onto the dance floor. “I don’t think Regina had anything to do with it, like Ace said, to be honest, Noct.”“…I know…” Noctis murmured, though he did smile softly. “Though…you have to admit, he does wear it well.”“Yeah, he does, but still… This won’t last long, if Regina’s heat really has hit,” Prompto pointed out.“True…” the King admitted, before Ignis came up and informed them that the next dignitary was coming. “Right…back to ‘work’…”“Ugh…” Prompto groaned, but put up a pleasant front as the dignitary approached. X*X*X*X*X*X*XWhile the older shifters dealt with that, Iris led the twins out onto the dance floor, and as she got them going, she looked for Domi and Regina, soon spotting the pair…and what Domi was wearing.“Are you serious, Domi?!” she hissed, too quietly for Zack and Naminé to hear her.While she was nowhere near close enough for Domi to hear, the whitehead actually spotted her over Regina’s shoulder…and he merely gave a small cheeky smile.“…?” Regina tilted her head briefly, before looking back as well, spotting Iris shortly after. Iris looked pretty upset, to be honest, and it was more in a disappointed manner than anything.“…” Regina didn’t say anything, though, even as Naminé and Zack came running over.“Sissy!” Nami chirped merrily.“Sissy, we’re gonna dance, too!” Zack cheered.Regina blinked curiously, before she smiled and crouched down briefly. “Good for you. Just watch out that you don’t bump into anyone, okay?”“Okiday!”“Okay, Sissy!” Zack nodded, as he and Naminé ran back to Iris.Regina chuckled softly as she stood up again. Domi giggled a little, smiling. “They’re certainly excited, aren’t they?”“Definitely…” Regina murmured with a smile of her own, before she turned back to him. “Shall we?”“Hihi~ Sure thing~”As they resumed dancing, Roxas continued to watch his sister worriedly, glancing over to her while still managing to focus on dancing with Axel.“I’m worried about her…” he murmured to the redhead.“We’ll get her out before anything bad happens, Roxy, okay?” the taller teen soothed.“I know, but I hope nothing drastic happens…” the blonde mumbled.Roxas wasn’t the only one worried about Regina, though; Ace was watching their sister while continuing to dance with Quon. At the same time, he occasionally looked around, frowning when he spotted the people that seemed to be watching them dance. Or, more specifically, their sister.“…this may be bad…”“Hm?” Quon hummed softly. “What’s wrong?”“…there’s people eyeing Regina…” Ace murmured. “I hope this won’t go the way I think it will…”Prompto then noticed the way people were focusing their gazes on Regina. Or rather, there were young men who were, and that made him want to snarl. As it was, he looked to his mate, hoping they could put a stop to it before things went too far. Thankfully, Noctis had noticed as well and he frowned darkly, as he clenched his fist along the armrest.Ignis noticed what was going on, too, and he approached the couple. “You’re free to socialize now, Noct, Prompto.”“…Right. Thanks, Ignis.”“Anytime.”“Now to hopefully stop this before it gets too far,” Prompto muttered.“Let’s go, then,” Noctis said as he stood up solemnly. The blonde nodded, standing as well, and followed Noctis out onto the dance floor. As they walked over, though, Regina suddenly stopped and groaned, holding a hand to her head.“You okay, love?” Domi asked worriedly.“Yeah…just…just need something to nibble on…” Regina murmured. As her parents approached, though, Prompto noticed her behavior.“Regina,” he called, making the princess look up curiously. As she did, though, Prompto noticed her pupils were dilated.“…Ma?”“Sweetie, we asked Roxas and Ace to take you out of here for a good reason,” he told her, frowning worriedly. “You can’t be here right now.”“But I feel fine…” Regina argued. “I’m just…just need something to munch on…”Noctis sighed at their daughter’s stubbornness. This was NOT the time for her to be this way. “Princess, I know you don’t want to be confined to your room any longer, but staying here is bad for your health right now…”“But…”“Regina, you look like you’re about to pass out, and we know it’s not because you’re hungry,” Roxas chimed in as he and Axel approached.“Roxas is right,” his boyfriend nodded.The princess looked like she wanted to pout, but she held back as Ace and Quon walked over. “Sis, c’mon… Quit being stubborn for once, alright?”“If I may, Regina, your family is merely looking out for you,” Quon added. “It would be best if you take a short rest, then come back when you feel more rested.”“…well…I…guess…” Regina murmured. Domi frowned softly, before he smiled and took the girl's hand.“It’s okay… Let’s grab a quick snack and then head up, kay?”“Thank you, Domi,” Prompto told the whitehead gratefully.Domi smiled with a small nod, before he looked to Regina. Said princess hesitated for a moment more, before she sighed and nodded. “Kay…”“Good,” Noctis murmured, smiling as he lightly patted the girl’s shoulder. “Take it easy, alright?”“Yes, Father…”“I’ll come check on you later, sweetie,” Prompto told her kindly. As Regina and Domi made their way to the snack table, Domi finally seemed to notice the other guests that were watching them go. Or, more specifically, the male guests. Frowning softly, Domi casually pressed closer to Regina, while making it seem to the princess like it wasn’t anything special. And it seemed to work, as Regina didn’t even look up at him.When they reached the table, Domi hummed softly. “Sooo… What do you want to have, love?”“I dunno…” Regina admitted with a small frown. “What do we have?”“Mm…well…” Domi murmured, as he looked around the table. “…Ah, here we go~” he said with a smile as he picked up a small cake. “This should be enough, hm?”“…Ah. I guess so…” Regina murmured as she took the small treat and began to nibble on it. Smiling as the princess began to eat slowly, Domi picked up another cake for himself to nibble on. He wasn’t actually hungry, but he supposed a small snack couldn’t hurt.“Dom!?”The sudden exclamation almost had Domi dropping his cake, because he recognized that voice. Regina had also looked up when she caught the shout (which wasn’t that hard, anyway), with her cake still in her mouth, as Domi finally dared to glance over to the older woman who, with her white hair, looked very similar to him. The only difference was that she had shorter hair and darker eyes.“U-uh… h-hey, Lyra,” he managed to get out (barely).Regina looked at Domi for a brief moment, taking in the tense shoulders and subtle tremble of his fingers, and then she frowned, chomping down on her snack swiftly to hide her growl. If what Domi had told her last week was accurate, then that meant that this woman…“Are you serious?!” the woman—Lyra, was it?—demanded with a look of disgust on her face. “This is where you’ve been hiding!? And…what in Ifrit’s name are you wearing?!”“I… I um… I’m j-just…” Domi stammered out, subconsciously curling his fingers in the dress’s fabric.“Are you serious!? Do you want to leave a bad impression?!” the woman demanded as she stomped forward. “We’re going home right now so you can—”However, the moment Lyra reached out for Domi’s arm, her wrist was grabbed so firmly that she instinctively cried out in pain. Domi, in turn, stared in shock as Regina glared the much older woman down, her fingers clenching tightly around the woman’s wrist to the point where her nails were digging into the skin.“What the hell?! Who do you think you are?!” the woman demanded furiously. “This is none of your business!! Unhand me!!”“What’s going on here?” Prompto frowned darkly as he approached upon hearing the shouts. He saw the woman glaring at Regina and Domi, and how she appeared to be similar in appearance to Domi, and he quickly made the connection that this was his sister, which made him want to snarl as well.Regina didn’t even bother to reply to the question, keeping her attention on the woman in front of her, as she continued to struggle to get her hand loose. “What’s going on,” the woman snarled, “is that this girl’s poking her nose in things it doesn’t belong! This has nothing to do with—”“This has everything to do with me,” Regina snarled dangerously—as her eyes began to glow violet as she twisted her hand a fraction, making the woman cry out in pain. “You don’t seem to realize just who you’re talking to here…”Domi bit his lip briefly, looking like he wanted to stop his friend, but, in the end, he thought better of it.“She’s right, you know,” Prompto growled lowly. “This girl is actually Regina Lucis Caelum, and I’m her mother. Domi here is her best friend, and clearly, you’ve screwed up and hurt Domi. The evidence of which I’ve seen.”The reaction that got them was pretty much expected; Lyra froze in alarm as the color drained from her face. Regina’s eyes narrowed dangerously at the woman, the glow of her eyes now bordering on red, and when she spoke, it was close to a snarl.“If I catch you anywhere near my friend ever again…you’ll live to regret it.”Without another word, she snapped her arm sideways and threw the woman across the floor with a scream of surprise. Domi gasped, startled, and, for a moment, he looked like he was hesitating to go to his sister’s side—but Regina didn’t give him the chance as she grabbed him by his hand and dragged him off. Which, naturally, had him stumbling after with a small yelp before he managed to straighten up to follow properly.“And her heat’s officially hit…” Prompto sighed, before glaring warningly at Lyra. “You’re gonna want to leave before my sons find out about you being here, or they’ll give you a lesson in pain.”Lyra stammered for words for a brief moment, trembling, before she scrambled to her feet and scurried off.“Mom, what happened?” Ace asked as he walked over with Quon. “Who was that…?”“Domi’s sister,” his mother muttered. “Don’t tell Roxas she was here, or he’ll hunt her down, knowing him. Regina and I took care of her.”Ace frowned darkly as he watched the woman go, before he nodded. Quon sighed softly, shaking his head, before he asked, “What of Regina? Is she okay?”“I’m sure she will be, but I’m fairly certain the stress and anger set her heat into full swing,” the older shifter sighed. “She took Domi with her to her room.”“Hoo boy…” Ace murmured. “…We’re not gonna see her again for the rest of the night, are we?”“More like we won’t see her for a few days,” Prompto admitted. “That’s how heats are. I’ll check on her in the morning with some food, but I’ll be honest, I don’t want to stress her out too much by checking on her frequently. I’ve already warned Domi of this, so he’s aware.”“Right…” Ace murmured.“Perhaps we should inform your brother…” Quon said.“…Yeah, might be smart…” Ace agreed. “Should probably try to think of a way to keep the twins away from Regina’s room, too…”“Good point,” Prompto nodded. “I’ll have to tell the twins she’s sick and will get them sick if they try to see her. Mind telling Rox?”“Will do, Mom,” the shorter blonde said with a nod, before he and Quon moved over to where Roxas and Axel were at. “Roxas…”“What happened to Regina?” Roxas asked, noticing his sister wasn’t in the ballroom anymore.“Her heat just hit,” Quon said. “So she’s made herself—and Dominatio—scarce.”“Damn…” the short blonde sighed. “I take it Mom already knows?” he asked, looking at Ace while Axel rubbed his shoulder soothingly.“Yeah…” Ace confirmed with a nod. “But listen… We need to make sure the twins do NOT go to see her… Mom’s gonna tell them she’s sick and will likely get them sick, too, if they go see her… But you know how they are…”“True…” Axel nodded. “We’ll all have to keep on our toes.”“Agreed…”

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X*X(Regina & Domi)X*XThe moment Regina shut the door to her room behind herself and Domi was the moment where she realized just what she was doing. Which was just a few seconds before her heat became unbearable and she collapsed to her knees.“Regina!” Domi exclaimed as he dropped to his knees to support her. “Are you…?”A shake of the head was all Regina was able to do, as her entire body trembled, feeling like it was on fire. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage harder than ever before, making her gasp for every breath she took.“…c’mon, love…” Domi said just then, gently wrapping his hands around her arms. “Let’s get you to bed, kay?”Regina didn’t object as Domi helped her back to her feet so that they could get her to her bed. Which, to be honest, would probably be best, in her current condition. Still, it took a few moments to get her there, with how her legs refused to work properly for her. But Domi was persistent, and he finally got her sitting on the edge of her bed, holding a hand to her chest in a weak attempt to deal with her madly beating heart. Because the way it was going now was not healthy, she knew…“…Just hold on, okay?” Domi murmured as he lightly patted her knee. “I’ll get you something to nibble on, kay?”However, before he could leave, Regina’s hand instinctively reached out and grabbed his wrist, stopping him from leaving. “…don’t…”“…pardon?”“…don’t…go…” Regina gasped out softly. “…don’t… leave me here…”She almost smacked herself in the face at how clingy she sounded… but Domi didn’t seem to care, as he moved back and crouched down in front of her, placing his hand on her knee. “I’m not going anywhere, love…” he said sincerely, gently squeezing her shoulder. “I’m right here… it’s going to be okay…”Regina nodded gratefully, breathing a little easier. But just that wasn’t enough… her body was screaming at her what it wanted, telling her to take it no matter what…!But… she couldn’t do that…“Do…mi…”It was all she could manage to get out, but it was clearly enough, as Domi reached up and placed a hand to her cheek, shushing her softly. “It’s okay… I’m here… I’m right here for you, love…”She was used to hearing that word so often from him… but now, that word made her heart flutter against her ribcage. She didn’t want to admit that she knew why it did that, but her body was heavily against that, as she put her hand on his. A small whimper escaped her, as another tremor wracked through her body.“Dom… I…”Smiling softly when he seemed to realize what she meant to say, he moved up, still on his knees, and pressed a small kiss to her lips. This made the princess tense in surprise, but that lasted for barely a minute as she whined, moving her free hand to the back of his head and pulling him further in before he could pull back.Domi moaned into the kiss, a bit surprised at the suddenness, obviously, but he let her take control of the kiss. And then, as she pulled him up, she let herself fall back on her bed, with Domi holding himself up above her, his hands moving to cradle her head gently.When they broke away for air, it was only for a brief moment, before they moved right back in again, with Regina taking control almost immediately by licking along his lips, asking for permission. And Domi grant it almost immediately, a small moan escaping him as her tongue lapped at his own, urging his to come out and play.Regina groaned a bit as she pulled back to get some air, looking up at Domi through her eyelashes, and she could feel her eyes glowing. Added to that, her entire body felt like it was on fire now… and it was becoming unbearable…!“Do…Dom…”“Sssh…” Domi shushed softly, moving her bangs out of her eyes. “It’s okay… I’m here…” he murmured, pressing a kiss against her temple, making her whine.“…it’s so hot…” she breathed out. “I can’t…”Domi frowned sympathetically, but he still smiled warmly, kissing her on the tip of her nose. “Don’t worry… I’m here… just let me help you, m’kay?”A soft whine escaped her throat, because the thought of giving up control was a prospect that absolutely terrified her. And Domi seemed to catch onto that, as he shushed her and kissed her softly.“It’s okay… trust me… I promise I’ll take care of you…” It was obvious that Regina hesitated to do just that, so Domi shushed her gently. “Please… trust me, kay?”“…” A soft whine escaped her, but she slowly nodded her head.Smiling warmly, Domi gently kissed her again, running one hand through her short hair, while he let his other hand move along her arm, all the way to her hand and squeezing softly, to reassure the princess that everything would be fine.After a few long moments of this, Domi slowly pushed up, rubbing his thumb across Regina’s cheek, even as he reached for her tie and tugged on it lightly to undo it. He did give her enough time to object if she felt it was going too far.She did no such thing, though; she merely let her hand rest on Domi’s arm, letting him take charge just this once. This made the whitehead smile softly, as he finally pulled off her tie and tossed it aside, pressing another soft kiss to her lips as he began to tug off her jacket slowly. Once the buttons were all undone, he pulled away from the kiss and began to press soft kisses along her throat, pushing the jacket off and over her shoulders.Grunting in slight annoyance, Regina tried to get out of her jacket, while at the same time trying to get out of her undershirt, which wasn’t working. Domi, the jerk, laughed at her difficulty, even as he moved to help her, tugging the shirt over her head.With both the jacket and shirt ditched, Regina had been hoping that the heat would go away. But if anything, it just seemed to be getting worse. Six, even her underwear was feeling way too constrictive…!Thankfully, Domi seemed to notice this, as he pressed a kiss to her neck and moved his hands underneath her back. It took her only a moment to realize what he was doing and she groaned softly as she wrapped her arms around his back, whimpering softly as his fingers skittered along her bare back.“Sshh… don’t worry… I’ve got you…” Domi assured her, as he clicked loose her bra, as he pressed warm kisses along her throat and collarbone, making the princess moan heavily.“D…Doom…!” she moaned, much to the whitehead’s amusement.“I know, love… I know…” he murmured, tugging the black material away and tossing it aside as well after kissing her briefly. When he pulled away again, Regina gave a small whine, which was answered by a peck to her cheek by Domi. “Just relax… I got you, love…”Regina whined softly as Domi pressed open-mouthed kissed along her collar, while reaching for her hand, interlinking their hands together, telling her without words that he was there for her. Moaning heavily at the wet heat of Domi’s mouth pressing down against her sternum, her hand clenching around Domi’s, trembling softy.That quickly shifted into a cry as Domi closed his mouth around her left breast, causing her to arch her back up instinctively as her hand clenched in his hair. “A-ah…! D-Domi…!”The whitehead couldn’t respond verbally, since he had his mouth full, but he did hum softly, letting her know he’d heard her. As he gently licked and sucked along the princess’ breast, his only free hand slipped down and began to steadily work on her pants, undoing both the button and the zipper. When he had those dealt with, though, he briefly lifted his gaze, trying to gauge the noiret’s feelings about this. Not that there was much to worry about, as she wailed softly and lifted her hips off of the bed to help him.Smiling tenderly, Domi pulled the last articles of cloth away, and pulled back entirely. This, of course, had Regina whining pathetically, but Domi shushed her and kissed her once again.“Don’t worry… I got you…” he assured once again, before he moved back and settled on his knees by the bed.Regina blinked softly in the confusion that she blamed on her heat as Domi pushed her knees to the side… before she gave a sharp cry of the whitehead’s name.And Domi merely chuckled as he felt her knees tense sharply, attempting to push back in, but he held on firmly but gently. Taking a small breath, he then leaned in again and dragged his tongue across her leaking core, drawing another cry from the girl, though she was now trying to muffle the sound by biting down on her fist. And that was fine… for now anyway…He was pretty sure Regina wouldn’t be able to hold out for long, as is, so Domi figured he should probably finish up. That way they could rest up for a while, after…With that in mind, he pressed closer and closed pressed his mouth against the soaked skin, and then pushed his tongue forward. This, expectedly, had Regina screaming out, as she tried to say something, but it just came out as a garbled cry, much to Domi’s amusement.And he wasn’t far off with his earlier assumption as Regina’s entire body tensed sharply with a choked cry, and he groaned as her hot fluids filled his mouth. As Regina’s muscles relaxed and she went limp against the bed, he swallowed twice, before he pulled away again.After wiping the remainder away from his mouth, he smiled fondly as he watched Regina try to get her breath back, before he moved over and helped her onto the bed proper, tucking her in gently, while he staid on top of the covers. When she realized this, she blinked slowly and looked up at him lazily.Before she could say anything, though, Domi shushed her and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Don’t worry… just rest… you’re probably going to need it…”“…mm… kay…” she murmured softly, shutting her eyes again to rest her head against him. And Domi merely smiled warmly as he wrapped his arms around he back and held her close as they slowly began to fall asleep. X*X(Axel & Roxas)X*XOnce the ball was over, and both Axel and Roxas had returned to their room for the night, they got changed into their pajamas, and soon settled into bed together.“I hope Regina will be okay…” Roxas sighed as he curled up against his boyfriend.“She’ll be fine, Roxy. She’s strong,” Axel soothed, kissing him softly. “Happy Birthday, by the way~”“Thanks, Axel,” the blonde smiled warmly, kissing him back.“I want to spoil you now, if you’ll let me,” the redhead murmured, running a hand along the shifter’s back, pausing just above his ass.“Wait, you mean…?”“Not all the way,” Axel assured him with a kiss. “I just wanna make you feel good, Rox.”“I trust you,” Roxas whispered, melting into the kiss. He kissed back eagerly, wrapping his arms around the taller teen’s neck, holding himself close. After a few minutes of this, Axel ran his tongue along the seam of Roxas’s lips, and the shorter teen parted his lips willingly, allowing the redhead entry. They both moaned as they tasted each other, but when the shifter began to purr, his boyfriend groaned at the sound.Roxas could feel himself heating up and hardening in response to the sounds they were making, and he shivered lightly. Upon feeling the blonde shiver, Axel chuckled, smoothing his hand up and down along his boyfriend’s back, before finally cupping his hand around Roxas’s ass. This drew a surprised noise from the smaller teen, before he moaned appreciatively when the redhead began to massage his ass. As Roxas began to get hard, however, he whimpered quietly, wordlessly pleading for relief.“I’ll make you feel good, Rox, don’t worry,” Axel purred into his ear, nipping lightly at the lobe. He then trailed his fingers along the blonde’s hip, and reached for the edge of his pajama pants, gently tugging them down along with his boxers. The shifter’s breath hitched as the cloth dragged against his hardened cock, and Axel chuckled, before curling his fingers around Roxas’s cock, making him gasp then moan.“Ax…!” Roxas whimpered, his hips jolting into the touch.“I love you, Roxy,” the redhead murmured, kissing him and turning him onto his back before moving down his body and kissing his thigh softly…right before taking Roxas’s cock into his mouth with a groan.“A-ah…!!” the blonde cried out, squeezing his eyes shut tight from the intense pleasure of that wet heat surrounding his cock. Axel began to bob his head, taking in more and more of his boyfriend’s cock as he went, before sucking as he curled his tongue along the shifter’s flesh. Roxas gave a loud cry, burying his fingers into the spiky red locks, before he came into Axel’s mouth with a scream of the taller teen’s name.Axel swallowed all of the shorter teen’s cum willingly, before moving back up to lie down next to Roxas with a smug grin. “You sound hot when you cum, Roxy,” he chuckled, making his boyfriend blush darkly.“Hush…” he mumbled tiredly, snuggling close. He then felt the redhead’s erection as he pressed up against him, and he looked at Axel in concern. “What about you…?”“I’ll be fine, Rox,” Axel assured him. “Let’s just get some sleep, okay?”“All right…” Roxas conceded, kissing him softly. “Goodnight, Ax… I love you…”“Goodnight, Rox,” the taller teen smiled. “Love you, too.” And with that, the young couple fell asleep shortly after turning off the light. X*X(Prompto & Noctis)X*XAs Prompto and Noctis got ready for bed themselves, the blonde sighed. “Do you really think they’ll be okay?” he asked the raven softly.“I’m sure they’ll be fine…” Noctis murmured, rubbing the blonde’s back. “We just have to trust Domi to do the right thing…”“I know, but I just hope Regina can handle it… Heat’s suck, and I know she’s not one to take something like that for too long…”“I know…” Noctis murmured, pressing a kiss to the blonde’s temple. “But there’s nothing we can do now… All we can do is wait.”“True…” Prompto mumbled. “I’ll check on them in the morning with some breakfast, at least.”“Good idea…” the King said with a nod. “Now c’mon… Let’s get some rest, shall we?”“Yeah,” the smaller shifter nodded, curling against his mate in bed. “Goodnight, Noct. I love you…”“Love you too, Prom…” Noctis murmured, kissing the blonde soundly before he settled as well. X*X*X*X*X*X*XThe next morning, Prompto went to Regina’s room, two plates on a tray in his hands. He really hoped they hadn’t actually had sex, for Regina’s sake, or else she’d hate everyone and thing, including herself, for allowing it to happen. When he got there, he knocked on the door, and listened closely. However, there was no response from inside. So, instead of knocking again, Prompto merely opened the door quietly, before looking inside to check on them, while setting the tray on the end table by the door.As he did, it didn’t take him long to spot both Regina and Domi; with the princess sleeping contently under the covers and Domi on top…still fully dressed, while Regina’s raiment lay scattered on the floor.‘At least they didn’t actually have sex…’ Prompto thought in relief, before closing the door quietly.Just as he closed the door, Ace happened to be walking down the hall. Upon seeing Prompto, he paused. “Hey… How are they?” he asked slowly.“Well, they seem okay, but I’ll check again after breakfast,” his mother replied. “Have you eaten yet, Ace?”“Not yet… I was going to.”“Let’s go together, then. Your father’s just getting the twins.”“Sure. Quon’s just getting dressed, so he’ll be joining us shortly,” Ace said with a smile.“You two have really gotten close, huh?” Prompto smiled as they headed to the dining hall.“Well… I suppose… We just have a lot in common,” the boy admitted with a small shrug.“Could you see yourself in a relationship with him?” his mother asked.“I…maybe. I’m not sure, but I think I’d like that,” Ace admitted, rubbing his shoulder briefly. “I approve if you really like him that way, sweetie. Quon’s a good guy, and I want to see you happy with someone who will treat you right,” the taller blonde smiled.“…Thank you, Mom…” Ace murmured.“Anytime, Ace,” Prompto chuckled. “Just make sure to let me know how things go between you two, okay? I’m here whenever you want to talk.”“Sure,” Ace said with a smile, as they reached the dining hall.“Thank you,” his mother replied, lightly ruffling his hair, before taking his seat as Noctis came in with the twins. “Well, good morning, you two,” he said, noticing how both Zack and Naminé still looked tired. “Seems a nap will be in order later, huh?”“Uh-huh…” Zack yawned.“Are Sissy and Roxy also tired?” Naminé asked when she noticed her others siblings weren’t there, yet.“Ah… well, Sissy is actually not feeling too good, Nami,” Ace lied smoothly.“Remember what I told you both last night? Sissy’s sick, and you’ll get sick if you try and see her, so no sneaking off to visit her, okay?” Prompto told them.“Morning, everyone…” Roxas yawned widely as he and Axel came into the dining hall.When he spotted them, Noctis hummed curiously, noticing something ‘off’ about the middle triplet. However, it didn’t take him long to figure out what it was, but he merely smiled softly to himself rather than bring it up.“Morning,” Ace said with a nod.“Morning, boys,” Prompto smiled, noticing what Noctis had, but he wasn’t going to say anything. He would probably have to take Roxas aside later and speak to him, though. “Take your seats, all right? Ignis should be out soon with breakfast.”Once they were seated, Quon finally came down as well. And once he’d greeted everyone and had taken his seat next to Ace, Ignis finally came out with their breakfast.“Thanks, Ignis,” Prompto told the sandy blonde once their breakfasts were served. The Advisor merely nodded kindly before returning to the kitchen. As they ate, Ace and Quon quickly fell into a light, easy conversation, which, to many, wouldn’t seem too strange. That is, unless you knew Ace well enough to know he was never much for socializing as he was now.His mother noticed this easily, and smiled softly at the scene. He knew that Quon had really brought the youngest triplet out of his shell, and he would be forever grateful to him for it. Noctis noticed as well, of course, and he smiled softly as he ate, before he glanced over to Roxas and Axel.Roxas was smiling to himself as he ate as well, managing to hold Axel’s hand under the table as the both enjoyed their breakfasts. Suddenly, he jumped a little, blushing, before settling down when his boyfriend chuckled. Prompto smiled slightly at his mate, knowing these two would be mates themselves with time. Noctis snorted softly, but he said nothing of it as he smiled as well.Once breakfast was done, Prompto stood up. “Mind keeping the twins busy, boys? I’m gonna go check on Regina,” he asked.“No problem, Mom,” Roxas nodded, while Ace hummed with a small nod of his own.Before he could leave, though, Noctis grabbed him by his hand. “Be careful, Prom…” he whispered softly.“I will, I promise,” the blonde murmured, kissing the raven briefly before leaving. When he reached Regina’s room, he knocked on the door quietly, hoping not to startle her. There was no immediate response from inside. But after a moment, there was a soft groan followed by Regina hissing out something under her breath. “Regina…? Are you okay in there?” Prompto called.“…a-ah…y-yeah… I’m…I’m fine, Ma…” Regina croaked, though her voice was very strained.Immediately, Prompto realized what was going on: Domi was pleasuring her. “I’ll…just check on you later, sweetie,” he called through the door, his own cheeks burning a bit.“O…okay…” Regina choked out—right before she gasped and she let out a choked cry, mostly muffled because she’d likely covered her own mouth. Prompto then left, a little hastily for her sake, before heading to Noctis’s study. Once inside, he leaned against the door, his cheeks still tinted pink.When Noctis looked up from the papers he was reading, it took him only a few moments to figure out why that was. “Bad timing, huh?”“Yeah, pretty much,” the blonde muttered.Noctis chuckled softly at that. “Yeah, that’s probably going to happen a lot…” he murmured.“As long as I don’t actually walk in on them, I guess that’s okay,” Prompto shrugged, before going over to the King’s desk. “What are you working on now?”“Ah, I’m just reading through a few things for later,” Noctis said as he set down the papers again. “…Ah, right, Kuja said he’d been able to convince one of the shifters’ representatives to come to Insomnia for a potential treaty.”“Really now? That’d be awesome, if humans and shifters could live peacefully, instead of it being kinda forced like now,” the smaller shifter smiled. “Who is it? I kinda remember some of their names from when I was a kid.”“Let me see…” the King murmured as he pulled out a sheet of paper. “…his name was…Kurasa. That name familiar?”“Actually, yeah,” Prompto admitted. “I’ll need to see him again to be sure, but if it’s the same guy, then we have a good chance. If I remember right, his way of thinking influenced Luna and Ravus in how they raised me.”“Alright…that’s good, I suppose,” Noctis chuckled. “He should be arriving later today.”“Perfect,” the blonde nodded. “Should I tell the boys and the twins?”“Might be smart, yes.”“Sounds good,” Prompto smiled. “I’ll go let them know of our guest. I’ll be back soon.” He kissed Noctis briefly before leaving, making his way to the garden, where he had a good feeling the group was at. Sure enough, he heard the twins laughing as excited barks echoed in the garden, and as he rounded a corner, he spotted the two blonde teens in wolf form, bounding about in the snow with Zack on Roxas’s back and Naminé on Ace’s, while Axel and Quon watched and talked on the sidelines.“Hey guys,” Prompto called out, making them all look over. “Just wanted to let you know we’re expecting a guest. He’s a representative for shifters, and we’re going to talk about a potential peace treaty between humans and shifters.”‘That’s awesome!’ Roxas grinned, wagging his tail.‘Really? That’s cool,’ Ace added with a smile.Of course, the twins didn’t understand any of that. “Huh…? Wha’s going on?” Naminé asked.“We have someone very important coming over later today, sweetie,” her mother explained. “So you and Zack need to be on your best behavior, okay?”“Okay, Mama!” Zack chirped with a smile.“Okie!” his sister said with a big smile of her own.“Make sure to keep an eye on them, okay Rox, Ace?” Prompto said, and the older of the brothers nodded.‘Will do, Mom!’ he grinned. ‘We’re all having fun out here, anyway.’‘Of course we are,’ Ace chuckled—right before he smacked some snow in Roxas’s face.‘Hey!’ Roxas yelped, before pouncing at his brother, knocking him into the snow. Naminé and Zack just laughed merrily, despite the small girl nearly falling. Ace laughed as well as the two brothers ‘fought’ in the snow, with Quon and Axel chuckling and laughing respectively.“Make sure to come inside and warm up soon, okay?” Prompto chuckled. “I hear we’ll be getting more snow tonight.”“We’ll make sure of it,” Axel assured him.“At least before we have the chance to catch cold,” Quon added.“Thank you, boys,” the older shifter smiled. “I’ll be inside if you need me.”‘See you, Mom!’ Roxas called, narrowly avoiding more snow to the face.Zack slid off his big brother’s back once he sat down, before asking, “Roxy, can we go fwying? Pwetty pwease?”‘Sorry, Zack, but it’s too cold. We’ll get tired too fast if we try,’ Roxas told him.“Awww…”“Booo…” Nami whined softly, pouting, making Ace chuckle.‘Once the weather warms up, we’ll go flying around the garden, okay?’“Yay!”“You know they’re gonna make sure you don’t forget that now, right?” Axel chuckled.‘Hey, they have fun, and so do we, so we won’t forget. Right, Ace?’ Roxas smiled at the other blonde.‘And besides… By that time, we may have to do some extra flying anyway,’ Ace pointed out with a small smirk.‘Good point,’ Roxas nodded. ‘They’ll be able to shift once they turn four in six more months.’“Yaaaay!!” Naminé cheered. Quon chuckled softly…before he frowned as he glanced over to the side.“What is it?” Axel asked quietly while the siblings continued to chat.“…Look to the right…over in the bush…”The redhead looked to where the other teen had indicated, and saw a small red fox in the bush, hiding among the roots.“Hey, Rox?” he called, gaining his boyfriend’s attention.‘What’s up, Ax?’ the blonde asked, his ears flicking briefly.“Can you smell something?” he asked, and the wolf frowned, a bit confused, sniffing the air, before he perked up.‘Someone’s here…’ he growled, before sniffing again. ‘Wait a sec… It’s another shifter!’Ace blinked, taking a sniff of his own, before he frowned. ‘Who’s there?!’“Easy, guys. Mind letting me handle it?” Axel asked.‘You sure?’ Roxas questioned, and the lanky teen nodded. ‘Okay, just be careful…’“I’ll be okay, Roxy,” the redhead assured him, before slowly making his way over to the bush where the fox was at. “You heard all that, huh?” he asked the fox.The fox hopped back a bit from Axel, watching the redhead silently with a pair of dark blue eyes. While he didn’t actually respond to the words, it was clear by the frown that he did understand it.“You’re not gonna be hurt by anyone here, ya know. I won’t let them chase you,” Axel promised, and Roxas pouted.‘I wasn’t gonna chase him off or anything…’ he grumbled. As expected, there was no response. However, just then, there was an almost chipper whistling from somewhere above the redhead and fox. Roxas looked up, sniffing, when he spotted the nightingale in the tree above the fox and his boyfriend. ‘Another one…?’ he frowned.At this point, though, Ace’s eyes widened. ‘Wait… Rox, do you think they might be…?’“Kurasa! It really is you!” Prompto’s voice called suddenly, and he was smiling happily as he walked over. “It’s been way too long, man!”The nightingale tittered with a whistle, almost like a laugh, before it hopped out from the tree and dropped down—shifting halfway through to land easily on his feet. Standing there was a tall man with long, red hair secured in nine ponytails, of which one hung across his forehead. His ice-blue eyes were alight with amusement as he turned to Prompto.“Yo, Prom. You certainly got yourself a nifty new pad, ain’t ya?” he said casually.Ace blinked, before he turned to Roxas. His brother merely shrugged, not sure what was going on either.“Yeah, well, that’s what happens when your mate is royalty,” Prompto shrugged. “Who’s the little one in the bush? He yours?”“Not in the way you’re suggesting, but yeah, he’s part of the pack,” the taller redhead chuckled, before he turned to the bush. “You gonna get out, kiddo?”The fox didn’t respond immediately, before nodding and scampering out, running over to Kurasa's side, and shifting when he almost by the man’s side.Unlike Kurasa, this Shifter was about 15, maybe 16 years old, with orange-red hair that slightly spiked up, while his eyes were a dark blue color.“Well, he certainly looks like you,” Prompto chuckled. “You guys related?”“Yep,” Kurasa chuckled, as he patted the shorter boy’s shoulder. “This here’s Neku. This little rascal’s from father’s last litter.”“…I’m not little,” the boy grumbled softly, reaching up to lightly turn his bangs between his fingers.“He’s only a bit younger than the triplets, though, so definitely not little,” Prompto smiled. “Let me introduce you to most of mine.” Looking at Roxas and Ace, he said, “Come on over, guys. I want to introduce you to a good friend of mine.” Once the two blondes had walked over with the twins following closely, he said, “Roxas, Ace, this is Kurasa. He’s our guest, and the shifter who helped influence how your Aunt Luna and Uncle Ravus raised me.” Looking back to the redhead, he added, “Kurasa, this is Roxas, Ace, Zack, and Naminé. My eldest, Regina…is actually not able to be here right now.”“Yeah, I kinda figured…” Kurasa mumbled softly. “Should be about that time, huh?”Naminé blinked curiously, sharing a look with her twin. Ace noticed, and he almost cursed, even as he shifted while taking the small girl in his arms.“Nice to meet you, sir,” he said with a polite nod as Quon and Axel came over as well. Roxas shifted as well, scooping Zack up into his own arms, before smiling politely at Kurasa.“Nice to meet you,” he smiled.“Well, I’m sure Noct is expecting you, so maybe Neku can get a tour with Roxas, Ace, and the others while I take you to him?” Prompto offered.“Hm. Sounds like a plan,” Kurasa said with a nod. He then turned to Neku and lightly bopped him to the nose. “I expect you to behave, ya hear?”“Yeah, yeah…” Neku grumbled, running a hand through his hair.“He’ll be in good hands,” Prompto chuckled, before looking at the teens. “You all behave as well, kay?”“We’ll be fine, Mom!” Roxas whined.“Don’t worry too much, Prompto. Everything’ll be fine,” Axel smirked.Quon nodded with a hum. “I’m sure we’ll be able to manage one extra guest,” he said calmly.“…” Neku watched them quietly, before he snorted softly.“All right. See you all later,” Prompto nodded, before leading Kurasa off to see Noctis.“So, Neku, what do you usually do for fun?” Roxas asked once the two older shifters had left.“…” Neku regarded the blonde for a brief moment, before he shrugged his shoulders, putting his hands in his pockets.“Aw, come on, there must be something!” the shorter teen insisted.“Maybe we could go on that tour first, Rox,” Axel offered.“Let’s do that,” Ace agreed with a small nod, as Naminé watched him curiously, head tilted. Zack seemed just as curious, but remained quiet.“Maybe we could take him by the music room first. I’ll betcha Josh is there,” Roxas suggested.“And I’ll bet En’s there with him,” Ace said with a smile as they headed off.“Wouldn’t surprise me in the least,” Axel agreed with a laugh. As expected, Neku had nothing to say, as he instead followed after silently. Still, it didn’t take them long to reach the music room, where, as expected, Joshua was already behind the piano with Endrance, as he was clearly teaching the smaller boy to play.“Heya Josh,” Roxas called in greeting, setting Zack down to walk on his own and possibly even try to play with Endrance. Ace was quick to follow the example after Naminé tugged on his shirt.Meanwhile, Joshua hummed a little as he looked up, before he gave a small chuckle. “Morning, boys~ What brings you here, hm?”“We’re giving Neku here a tour of the Citadel while Mom is busy talking with Kurasa and Dad,” Roxas explained.“Oh?” the silverette murmured as he glanced over at the redhead. After a moment, he smirked cheekily. “Thought I smelled someone familiar…”“Shut up…” the redhead growled softly.Axel looked back and forth between them, confused. “You guys know each other?” he frowned.“Oh, we’ve met before, yes,” Joshua chuckled, even as Endrance slipped down from the seat as the twins scampered over to him.“I guess that makes introductions pointless, then,” Roxas smiled. “Hi Endrance,” he greeted the small boy, waving to him.“U-um…hi…” the small boy squeaked out, while Joshua chuckled softly.Neku, meanwhile, snorted softly, stuffing his hands further into his pockets. Joshua noticed, and he pouted a bit. “Aww, c’mon, dear, why the glum face?”“Will you stop calling me that?!” was the immediate snarled response. This, in turn, had Ace and Quon blinking in surprise.“Whoa, what the heck is the problem?” Roxas frowned.“Ooh, nothing, Roxy,” Joshua chuckled cheekily, while Neku snorted and crossed his arms across his chest.“Seems like it to me,” Axel replied, frowning slightly.“Well, it’s not,” was the simple reply.Ace frowned softly, before he sighed and shook his head. “Anyway… We have a tour to finish… Would you care to join us, Joshua?”“Hmm…sure, why not?” the silverette chuckled. Neku, in response, snorted and mumbled something inaudible under his breath.“Just don’t taunt the poor guy, would ya? You know Regina hates it, too,” Roxas said.Joshua sighed in mock exasperation. “Fine, if I must, dear…”“I’ll insist upon it,” the blonde replied, and then they continued on their tour, ending up back in the garden when they finished. Roxas and Axel ended up splitting off afterwards while Ace, Joshua, and Quon entertained the twins and Endrance with Neku. As they headed to their room to get a little quiet time, however, they ran into Domi, of all people, and shockingly enough, he was without makeup for once.“Oh, hey Domi,” Axel greeted with a smile.“Is everything okay?” Roxas asked him.“Oh, hey,” Domi said with a quick nod as he tucked his hair behind his ear, while adjusting the heavy black robe he was wearing. “Yeah, everything’s good. Just have to go get some nibbles for Regina.”“She holding up okay?” the blonde inquired worriedly.“Yeah, she’s okay…” Domi assured. “But she’s probably gonna be cranky if I don’t get back soon, so excuse me…” he said, before he hurried off to the kitchen area.“Should we check on her ourselves…?” Axel asked once he was gone.“I will. I don’t want you to get hurt if she gets mad,” Roxas told him. “Go on ahead to our room, and then I’ll be there once I check on her.”“Sounds good. Be careful, Rox,” the redhead nodded, and the shifter smiled.“I’ll be fine, don’t worry,” he assured him, kissing his boyfriend briefly before heading to his sister’s room. When he got there, he knocked on the door softly, calling out, “Regina…? You doing okay…?”“……”However, there was no response from the princess.“Regina?” Roxas called through a door, a bit louder this time. He didn’t want to go in her room if he could help it, but he was getting close to feeling like it was necessary.“……”“Regina, I’m gonna come in if you don’t answer me,” the blonde warned.“……”“All right, I’m coming in, Sis,” the short teen said, before opening the door, immediately catching the heated smell coming from her. He spotted her in her robe on the bed, fast asleep, which eased his worries somewhat, but he really hoped she would be okay. Just then…“……mmmrrrgh…!”“Regina?” Roxas uttered, jumping a bit at the sudden groan. The princess didn’t respond verbally, as she curled up a little, clawing at the bed covers as she trembled. The blonde frowned worriedly, knowing the heat was affecting her again now that she was awake. He could smell the arousal coming from her, and even though it smelled different compared to his and Axel’s from last night, he could still recognize the scent. ‘Domi…hurry, please…’ the prince thought urgently.Just then, the girl blinked, twice, as she pushed up to her arms, before she looked over to Roxas with her eyes glowing violet.“……”“…Regina…?”“……”The princess didn’t answer, but she did look around her room.“Domi went to get some food for you both,” her brother assured her. “He’s coming back, I promise.”“…aahh…” Regina got out as she got up to her knees. Just then, Roxas picked up the sound of Domi hurrying back down the hall.‘Thank the Six…’ Roxas thought in relief, waiting for the whitehead to appear. It took a little bit for Domi to arrive, since he had to balance the food and drinks he’d gotten on the tray. Still, he ran as fast as he could without spilling anything. When he arrived, he blinked upon seeing Roxas in the doorway. “I was just checking on her,” he shrugged.Domi regarded him for a moment, before he shook it off, and hurried into the room past Roxas. And the moment Regina saw him, her expression became one of relief as she scooted to the edge of the bed, as her scent grew almost overpowering. “Do…mi…”Roxas blinked, surprised, before frowning softly, worried about his sister. He’d never seen her behave like this, but he knew the heat was behind it.Domi, however, merely hurried to the princess' side after setting aside the food he’d picked up and wrapped his arms around her securely, shushing her softly. “Easy, love… I’m here… I’m right here…”Regina whined softly in response, as she reached up and wrapped her arms around his waist tightly.“I’ll leave you guys be,” the blonde murmured, before closing the door and heading to his and Axel’s room again. When he returned to his boyfriend, the redhead looked up from his phone.“How is she?” he asked.“She’s definitely dependent upon Domi right now, that much is obvious,” Roxas replied, sighing. “I feel bad, but like you said, she’s tough.”“That she is,” Axel smiled, holding the shifter close and kissing the top of his head.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It was a long, strenuous week for the royals, in which they saw very little of the Crown Princess, or even Domi. Domi only ever came out at times to fetch something to munch on, but other than that, they were not seen for the majority of the week. Meanwhile, Kurasa was busy discussing things with Noctis and Prompto, while Neku was getting acquainted with the other royal children…and getting more than a little hissy when it came to Joshua.Those two definitely had some bad blood going (well…Neku, anyway…) that didn’t appear to be so easily forgotten.Thankfully, the week was coming to a close, meaning it was around the time that Regina’s heat would be ending.The morning Regina’s heat was to end, Prompto woke up before his mate, as usual, before gently waking the raven so Noctis could check on their eldest daughter.“Noct, do you mind checking on Regina this morning? Her heat should be ending,” he said.“Mmm… Yeah, sure…” Noctis groaned, reaching up to rub at his eyes. “…what time is it?”“It’s almost nine in the morning,” the blonde replied after checking his phone.“Ugh… Right, right…” Noctis sighed, as he got out of bed slowly.“Do you think she and Domi are okay still?” Prompto asked.“Pretty sure they are,” Noctis murmured as he got dressed. “Why? You don’t trust Domi to keep her safe?”“No, it’s not that!” the smaller shifter exclaimed immediately. “I guess I’m just being a worrywart…”Noctis chuckled as he moved over and kissed his mate quietly. “Relax, I know… You worry way too much about our little girl…”“I worry about all of our kids… But Regina’s the one causing me the most worry right now…” Prompto mumbled, leaning against the King quietly, who merely smiled and ran a hand through his hair.“Don’t worry… I’m sure she’ll be fine.”“Easier said than done…” the blonde sighed. “I’ll get the twins while you check on her and Domi, then.” Noctis nodded softly, ruffling his mate’s hair briefly before he stood up and headed out. Once he reached the Crown Princess’s room, he first pressed his ear to the door, just to check if she was already awake. He doubted it, but hey. And sure enough, there was no sound coming from within.After a moment more of waiting, Noctis knocked on the door, twice. Normally, that wouldn’t wake her, but, thankfully, Domi was there, now, and he was a much lighter sleeper than the princess.“Mrrhh…hm?”“Good morning, Domi,” Noctis called out. “May I come in?”“Oh…! Uh…just a moment, sir!”That made Noctis chuckle, since he had a feeling why he’d said that. “Alright.”It took a few minutes, but, finally, he caught the sound of Domi padding over to the door, before he opened it, wearing one of Regina's warm robes. “Um, g-good morning,” the boy squeaked out.This made Noctis chuckle fondly at the worry on the boy’s face. “Easy, Domi. It’s fine,” he said with a small nod. “Is Regina awake?”“Ah, no…not yet,” Domi admitted, looking back to the bed. And one glance at the bed showed the princess still fast asleep.“I see… Would you mind waking her for me?”“Oh uh…sure. One moment…”Domi quickly padded back to the bed, and proceeded to lightly poke the princess in all the ‘right’ places, which actually got her to blink awake on her own.“…mm?”“Regina, love… Your father’s here.”“…huh…? …oh.” Grunting a little, Regina moved up and rubbed at her eyes as Noctis smiled and stepped into the room.“Morning, princess,” he said warmly.“Mm…morning…”Noctis smiled briefly, before he turned serious. “So…how do you feel?”“…better, I guess…still sleepy…”That answer had Noctis laughing. “Yeah, I can attest to that being a usual thing. But do you think you can stay awake long enough for breakfast?”“Eh. If I must…”Noctis snorted in laughter. “I’m pretty sure everyone would want to see you up and about again. Especially the twins…they’ve been really worried about you.”“Oh shoot…!” Regina hissed. “Yeah…alright, we’ll be right down.”“Thank you, princess,” Noctis said with a smile, gently ruffling her hair as she got up before he left. As Noctis made his way downstairs to the dining hall, he ran into Prompto on his way from said room.“How is she?” he asked.“She’s fine, if a bit sleepy, but when is she not?” Noctis chuckled softly.“Sissy okay?” Naminé asked quickly.“Yeah, Sissy okay.”“Yay!” Zack grinned.“You two will see Sissy at breakfast, though, so just wait a little longer, okay?” Prompto told them, making the twins pout.“C’mon, let’s head downstairs and you two can tell Roxy and Ace the good news, kay?” Noctis offered with a smile.“Yay! Le’s go le’s go!”“We’re going, we’re going,” their mother laughed, and the four headed to the dining room. When they arrived, Roxas, Axel, and Ace were already there, seated as they talked. They all looked up when the group came in, and Roxas was the first to ask.“How is she?”“Sissy okay!!” Naminé cheered merrily, much to their parents’ amusement.“Good to hear,” Axel smiled.“I take it she and Domi will be down soon?” Roxas guessed.“Once Regina can wake up properly, I believe,” Noctis said with a smirk, making the other teens chuckle.“Yep. That sounds like her, alright…” Ace murmured.“Definitely,” Roxas agreed.“So, are we doing a belated birthday for them because of Regina being sick?” Axel asked, keeping in mind the twins’ presence.“I don’t see why not. What do you think, Noct?” Prompto asked.“I don’t see why not,” was the King’s calm response.“Sweet,” the redhead grinned, leaning over and kissing Roxas’s cheek. “Now to get you a good gift.”“Ax, it’s fine,” Roxas assured him. “I don’t need anything… And I have you, so I’m okay…”Just as Prompto and Noctis were about to help the twins in their high seat, there was the sound of familiar footsteps coming down the hall to the dining hall. Naminé instantly smiled and broke free from Prompto to run for the entrance. Zack did the same with Noctis, dashing after Naminé to greet Regina and Domi.“Sissy!” he cried out happily.Regina laughed as she spotted them, before she bent down and caught them both in a hug. “Hey there, ya lil rascals. How are you today?”“We okay!” Nami chirped.“Feelin’ better, Sissy?” Zack asked.“Yep. Sorry I worried you two,” the princess said with a smile as she ruffled their hair, making them both giggle.Domi smiled as well, as Regina stood up again. “Alright; shall we go have breakfast?” he asked warmly.“Yep!” Zack chirped happily. Regina chuckled as she picked up Naminé and Domi picked up Zack. As they walked to the table, Noctis smiled softly, moving to take his own seat quietly. Once everyone was seated, Ignis brought breakfast out, and Prompto thanked him for it, as usual. Ignis merely nodded with a small smile, before returning to the kitchens.As they ate, they all fell into easy conversation, in which Regina would occasionally banter with her brothers or with Domi. Looking at the scene now, it was as if the previous week had never happened. And it made Prompto immensely relieved, since he had been so worried for his eldest. It was a huge weight off of his shoulders now.Noctis smiled as their daughter ate and chatted with her siblings, who seemed to have finally been able to put their earlier worries to rest now that they saw her acting as she always did. He was glad that things had gone back to as they were before.When they finished breakfast, Axel smirked briefly at Roxas before asking, “So, can we go out to town to go gift hunting?”“…wait what?” Regina mumbled, frowning, and even Domi blinked in surprise.Ace, in turn, laughed. “Sis, you remember what the ball was actually for, right?”“Well, yeah, it was for—… oh, right…”“Couldn’t exactly celebrate while you in stuck in bed,” Roxas pointed out with a laugh.“Hardy har,” Regina mumbled softly.“It’s fine, Regina. Go out and have some fun today, okay guys?” Prompto smiled.“…Sure, sounds good,” she said with a chuckle. “Tired of being cooped up anyway…”“Can we go too?” Naminé suddenly asked.“We wanna go, too!” Zack added.“All right, just behave for your siblings, okay?” Prompto told them. “And make sure to help pick out some good gifts for them, too.”“Okay!” Zack grinned.“Okies!”Domi giggled softly. “Well…this should be interesting…”“I’ll bet…” Regina chuckled.“Axel, Domi, I’ll entrust you two with some gil for spending on gifts, okay?” Prompto told the redhead and whitehead.“We got this,” Axel nodded.“No problem,” Domi agreed, smiling.“Well, you all had best get going, then, if you’re gonna go into town,” the older shifter pointed out. “Have fun, and come back before sunset, okay?”“We will, Mom,” Roxas assured him.“Yeah, yeah, we get it. C’mon, you guys,” Regina said as she stood up.“Sounds good,” Roxas nodded as he and Axel stood as well. Naminé cheered as she and Zack hopped off their chairs, hurrying after the triplets as they headed for the Citadel’s entrance. As they gathered outside, Roxas shifted into a griffon, allowing Axel to climb on with Zack. Once Regina had shifted as well, Domi picked up Naminé and got onto her back, as Ace shifted as well.‘Shall we go?’ he asked.‘Let’s,’ was Regina’s response right before she took off.“Yay!” Zack cheered happily as Roxas launched himself skyward after his siblings.‘So, did you have an idea of where you wanted to start, Ax?’ Roxas asked.“I’d like to browse first, see what catches my eye or yours,” his boyfriend chuckled. Regina didn’t join in the conversation as they flew out to town. Once they were in range, they descended onto a nearby field. After they had landed and the shifters had shifted back to human form, Roxas seemed to think of something.“Hey Ace, should we maybe see if Quon wants to join us?” he asked.“I guess we could,” Ace said with a small shrug as he reached into his pocket for his phone.Regina merely groaned as she stretched her arms over her head. “Whoo-boy!”“Still gotta adjust to getting out, huh?” Axel guessed.“Ah shuddap!” Regina grumbled, making Domi giggle. Axel merely smirked in response, while Roxas sighed.“You know she could maim you if she wanted to, Ax,” he warned.“But she won’t cuz it would upset you,” the redhead pointed out.“Dun tempt me or I might just anyway…” the princess grumbled as she started to walk. Domi smiled a bit as he hurried after, once he’d set Naminé down. And, of course, the girl hurried after Regina to grab her sister’s hand happily.“Please don’t, Regina,” Roxas pleaded as he and Axel followed after, Zack holding his oldest brother’s hand.Ace merely chuckled at the familiar banter as he texted Quon quickly. It took only a few moments for him to get a reply. “Ah. He’s studying right now…but he’ll come over once he’s done.”“That’s fine,” Roxas smiled. “Besides, maybe he’ll find you something.”“Sure, Rox, sure…” Ace chuckled as they walked past the numerous stores.“Well, you guys have gotten really close,” Axel pointed out. Regina chuckled softly, but she said nothing as they walked. Though she and Domi did swing Naminé along the sidewalk whenever she stayed behind, which made the little girl giggle happily. As they all walked, Roxas started idly wondering if Regina had discovered her mark on Domi during her heat at all. It wasn’t his place to say anything, of course, but he hoped it wouldn’t create a problem between them at all.As they walked around, looking at the various shops, Domi was humming softly, which Naminé was starting to copy gradually with a merry smile. And Regina merely chuckled softly as they walked. Even Zack joined in on the humming, making Roxas chuckle as well.“Being a copycat?” he asked the small raven.“Yep yep!” Zack grinned.Smiling a bit, Ace looked around…before he paused. “…Hey, guys, look,” he said, gesturing to one of the shops to the side. Which happened to be a board game store.“Oooh, interesting…” Regina murmured.“Let’s check it out,” Roxas smiled, leading the way inside.“Yay!” Naminé cheered as they hurried over, pulling the older royals after in their excitement.“Easy, dearie,” Domi giggled.“No pulling, remember, Nami?” Roxas reminded her. “Or else you might trip.”“Awww…” the small princess pouted, which made her sister laugh softly as she pushed open the door.“Stay close, Nami. You too, Zack.”“Okay, Sissy!” the small raven chirped with a nod, sticking close to Roxas and Axel as they all browsed.As soon as they stepped into the shop they were hit with the smell of old books and wood. While to most others it wouldn’t be so bad, to the shifters it was very noticeable. “Wow… Bigger than I thought it was…” Ace murmured.“Definitely,” Axel agreed.“Kind of an illusion, huh?” Roxas commented.“Hmhmm… Okay; let’s explore!” the Crown Princess said with a smile, and the twins cheered as they followed further along into the shop.“Stay close, Zack!” Roxas reminded his little brother as the small boy followed after Regina and Naminé after leaving the blonde’s side.“Okay, Roxy!”As the group moved along the shelves, with the twins oohing and aahing at almost every turn, Domi glanced along the shelves quietly, as if searching. Roxas and Axel noticed this, and the blonde was tempted to ask Domi if he had an idea of what to get Regina, but he knew Regina would bust him if he did.“Sissy! Lookie!” Nami suddenly cheered, pointing to a box. “Dice!”“Huh? …Oh yeah. Those are definitely different,” Regina murmured, picking up a twenty-sided die.“Geez, how many sides are needed for dice?” Axel snorted when he saw it.“…a hundred?” Domi said as he lifted up said die.“Weird, though,” Roxas mumbled. “I honestly don’t see the point. I’m used to six-sided.”“Actually, they’re used for specific board games,” Ace said calmly. “They’re not that weird, really…except for this one,” he said, picking up a pyramid shaped die.“Okay, that one’s even more oddball,” Roxas commented when he saw it as Axel nodded his agreement.“What game that for??” Naminé asked curiously.“That’s a little too advance for you, Nami.”“Awwwww…”“Can we pway when we shift?” Zack asked eagerly.“Hmm…sure.”“Yaaaay!”“Tank you, Ace!”“Alright; let’s keep exploring, shall we?” Regina offered with a smile.“Kay, Sissy!”“Like they’re in a candy shop,” Axel smirked, making Roxas snicker.“And we’re not even shopping for them,” Regina chuckled.“We probably could, though, considering their birthday is coming up,” Roxas pointed out.“Let’s just keep in mind what they want, kay?” Ace chuckled.Regina nodded. “Sounds good.”“Easy enough,” Axel agreed, as Roxas linked their fingers together.“Ooh! Sissy!! Lookie!” Naminé suddenly called, as she held up a figure of some kind.“Hm? What’s that, Nami?”“Whatcha got there?” Roxas asked with a smile as Zack joined her.“Look! ‘s Tobi!!” Nami chirped.“…Tobi? From King’s Knight?” Regina frowned.“Looks like,” Roxas nodded after looking at the figure.“Huh… I wonder if the Rayjack, Berusa and Koliva are here, too…” Ace murmured.“I think it’s worth looking for ‘em,” Axel grinned.“Well, why not?” Domi giggled. “Let’s go look~”“Let’s,” Roxas smiled, and the royals plus Axel and Domi began their search. X*X*X*X*X*X*X“We definitely got lucky, huh?” Roxas asked as their group headed back out to the field they’d landed in earlier, Quon already having headed home after the shopping trip had ended.“Yeah…though very sneaky of you guys to not let us see what you were getting,” Regina grumbled.“Well, it’d spoil the surprise if you got to see them, now wouldn’t it?” Axel smirked.“You’re all jerks…” Regina grumbled.“You know you still love us, though,” Roxas pointed out with a laugh. Regina rolled her eyes as they walked along, Naminé giggling as she cradled one of the bags close to her. “Well, we’d better hurry back before Mom worries too much.”“Sounds like a plan~” Domi giggled.Just before they reached the field, though…“Oh? Well, fancy meeting you here, Highness…”Regina almost, almost, flinched at that voice, but she held back as she turned to the source of it. “…Seymour.”Roxas nearly snarled at the name, but Axel’s hand on his shoulder kept him from doing so, as he gently pushed Naminé and Zack to stand behind himself. Naminé blinked curiously, not knowing what was going on, same as Zack. Ace, however, frowned darkly, as their schoolmate walked over.“Oh? Is something wrong?”“…No,” Regina said solemnly. Roxas watched him warily, almost trembling as he tried not to lunge at Seymour. Domi, meanwhile, bit his lip, clenching his fist as he tried not to openly frown. Regina, however, seemed to be the calmest of the entire group.“Ah, am I interrupting?” Seymour asked slowly, a small smile on his face.“…” Regina didn’t answer immediately. However, after a moment, she looked back. “Guys, can I have a moment?”“Wha…?!”“Regina, are you serious?!” Roxas hissed, frowning heavily.“Roxas. Trust me, okay?”“…Fine, but I don’t like it…” the blonde grumbled, flashing another glare at Seymour. Regina merely nodded, and turned back to Seymour. She didn’t actually say anything and, instead, only pointed a little to the side. Still, Seymour seemed to get the point as he chuckled, and then followed as the Crown Princess stepped away from the group.“She’ll be okay this time, Roxy…” Axel murmured soothingly, kissing his boyfriend’s temple.“Still…” the shorter teen mumbled. Domi, meanwhile, was watching it in silence, his eyes narrowed dangerously, fists clenched by his side.“Domi, she’ll be okay,” Axel said suddenly, noticing the whitehead’s dark silence.“…”“…Roxy?” Naminé called, tugging on the taller blonde’s hand.“Yeah?” her brother asked, looking down.“Sissy okay?” Zack questioned worriedly, looking back and forth between Roxas and Ace.“…Don’t worry; she’s fine,” Ace assured them, smiling warmly. “She just needs to talk to our schoolmate for a moment.”“…he not a friend?” Naminé asked.“No, he’s not,” Roxas told them.“What is he?” Zack frowned worriedly.“…just…a schoolmate. That’s it,” Ace murmured.“Okay…” Zack nodded, not questioning him. X*X(Regina)X*XRegina stopped just far enough from her siblings that she was sure they wouldn’t be able to hear her talking with their advanced hearing. Which was still a good distance away, but still in visual range. She wasn’t expecting this to take long, but even so, she wanted her siblings to not worry too much about what she was about to do.“Your brothers seem quite upset, don’t they, Your Highness?” Seymour asked, still smiling that mysterious smile of his.“…Hm.” Regina didn’t bother responding to that beyond the single hum. She had other things to worry about now. “…I’ve taken some time to consider your proposal,” she said instead.“Oh?” the blue-haired teen said, tilting his head curiously. “And…?”“…I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline.”“…Oh?”Regina wasn’t sure what to think of his response, since it was the exact same as his earlier inquiry. Still, she wasn’t about to think too long about it. She had to finish quickly. “While I appreciate it, I cannot accept it at this point in time… or ever.” After a moment, she added: “I would also suggest you to not approach me again at school. While I would not mind it overly much, I cannot assure my brothers will appreciate it as much.”With that, she merely nodded her head quietly and began to walk back.“Are you sure you should, hm?”She paused quietly. “…I am.”“…Very well.”Regina quietly looked back once more…and then she solemnly walked back. As soon as she got back, Roxas looked up in silent question.However, the princess merely hummed as she shrugged once. “Shall we get going before Mom has our hide? We have a curfew to keep to.”“…Yeah, let’s go,” the shorter blonde nodded quietly, before they continued to the field, shifting and then flying home.As they went, though, Naminé, curious as ever, tugged on Regina’s feathers. “Sissy?”‘Yes, Nami?’“Was he a bad man?”‘No, Nami. He just asked me something I had to give an answer to in private, that’s all.’“…bad question?”‘Nah.’If Roxas had heard his sister, he would have snorted, knowing damn well Seymour had bad intentions by proposing to Regina like that. As it was, though, he continued to fly, hoping Regina was okay.When they finally landed by the Citadel, the sun was already dipping below the surface. Once they’d shifted back, Regina stretched. “Alright! Back on time! Nice!”Ace hummed softly. “Yep. Let’s go inside, shall we?”“Yeah,” Axel nodded, wrapping a comforting arm around Roxas’s shoulders. The poor blonde was still upset about earlier, and he couldn’t get rid of the hurt that Regina didn’t want help.As they walked, Naminé held onto Regina’s hand, toddling ahead and tugging her big sister along with a merry giggle. However, Domi trailed behind a little, and while his expression gave nothing away, he was clearly not amused. Roxas was along the same thought process, but at least Axel was calming him somewhat. When they got inside, Prompto greeted them.“Hey guys,” he smiled. “Just in time.” He then blinked upon noticing the tension. “…What happened?”“Nothing,” Regina said simply…right as Naminé cried, “We ran into a bad man!”“Gah! Nami!!”“Bad man?” Prompto frowned.“…Seymour,” Roxas growled.“And what did he want, Regina?” Prompto asked, his tone not leaving any room for her to make excuses.“Want nothing. I just told him ‘no’,” Regina said simply. “That’s it.”“Well, whatever happened, it’s clearly upset more than just your brothers,” Prompto told her, glancing at Domi and letting her see. “I trust you’ll take care of it.” He then ushered Zack and Naminé off in the direction of the garden.“We’ll leave you be,” Axel said, leading Roxas off to their own room.“…” Regina didn’t say anything for a moment, before she sighed heavily, running a hand through her hair. After a moment, though, she looked to Domi. “…Oy,” she said simply.“Hm?” the whitehead hummed softly—right before he yelped as Regina grabbed his cheeks and pulled.“Quit being so gloomy!” she said firmly. “C’mon! You know I wouldn’t bother with the jerk, right?”“But—”“Nuh-uh!” the princess said, clapping her hands on his cheeks. “No buts! I’m not bothering with that guy, get it?” And before he could say anything, she added, “Also, you’re free to smack him if he gets close again.”At that, Domi blinked, twice, before he giggled. “Okay, love~ if you’re sure…”“I’m sure.”“Okay~” X*X(Roxas & Axel)X*XOnce the door shut to their room, Roxas growled in frustration before flopping onto their bed with a grumble.“Roxas, it’s fine. She handled it on her own, and everything will be just fine,” Axel soothed, sitting by the shifter and smoothing his hand along his boyfriend’s back.“…She shouldn’t have spoken to him alone, though… Especially after what happened at school that day…” Roxas muttered irritably. “Even Domi’s upset about it…”“But she’s handling that, too, so try not to let this eat at you,” the redhead murmured.“Easier said than done… It just makes me mad that she wasn’t more careful…” the blonde mumbled. He soon pushed himself up and off the bed. “I’m gonna go talk to her…”“All right,” the taller teen nodded in understanding. “Just try and keep calm, okay?”“Again, easier said than done…” Roxas muttered, before heading out to see his sister. It took Roxas only a few moments to find Regina, as she was down in the lounge with Domi. They were both on the couch with Regina’s head on Domi’s lap as they played some King’s Knight on their phones. “Regina?” the blonde called out softly.“Hm?” the princess hummed as she looked over.“Can we talk? Alone?” he asked.“…Gimme one moment to finish this dungeon, kay?”“…Fine…”Thankfully, that only took a few minutes, and Regina climbed back up from the couch again. “Alright…be right back, Dom.”The whitehead nodded with a small giggle. “Sure, love~”Once they were out in the hall, far enough away that Domi wouldn’t hear them, Roxas sighed heavily. “…Why did you want to talk to that bastard by yourself?”“Easy, Rox…” Regina murmured. “I didn’t want the twins to see that, alright? Besides… ‘s not like he could’ve done anything while still in your sight, right?”“But when he made that damned offer in the first place, I was watching outside the door, and he still affected you…!” the blonde snapped. “I felt helpless!”“Rox, I’m fine, alright… Also, my heat was starting to take effect, remember?”“I know, but still… I hate that I couldn’t do anything…” At that, his voice cracked and he lowered his gaze to the floor. Regina sighed softly, before she reached out and ruffled his hair. However, the shorter teen averted his gaze, merely remaining quiet.“Rox. Look at me.”Roxas hesitantly did asked requested, and Regina could see the forming tears in his eyes. This made the princess pause briefly, before she smiled and stepped forward, pulling her little brother in a hug. The blonde stiffened for a split second, before hugging her back with a quiet whimper.“Easy, Rox…” the princess shushed as she patted his back. “It’s okay… I appreciate you worrying about me… Me and Ace do the same sometimes…but that’s what we do, right? Family sticks together.”“I know…” Roxas mumbled, sniffling. “You know how I am, though… I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I’ve always been that way… So when I know something’s wrong in my family… I worry…probably too much…”“I know…and that’s why we love you,” Regina chuckled as she hugged him a little tighter. Roxas hugged her back gratefully, glad they had talked.“Just…in the future, please let either me or Ace go with you, okay? I know you’re not helpless, but I don’t want anything to happen…” he pleaded softly.“Fiiiine,” the princess chuckled out. “Just expect me to demand the same from you, ya hear?”“I know, I know,” Roxas smiled slightly, hugging her a little tighter before letting go. “Thanks, Regina.”“No prob,” she chuckled, ruffling his hair again. “Now get going. Pretty sure Ax is wondering what you’ve been doing.”“He knows I went to talk to you and I was pretty upset,” Roxas laughed lightly. “But you get back to Domi yourself, before he wonders the same.”“He probably would…” Regina chuckled softly, nodding as she headed back.“I’ll catch you guys at dinner, then,” Roxas smiled, heading back to his room. When he got back, Axel perked up, looking at him.“I take it your guys’ talk went well, huh?” he guessed, seeing his boyfriend’s slight smile.“Yeah, we’re good now,” the blonde nodded, climbing into bed and curling against the redhead’s side.“Good to know,” Axel murmured, holding the shifter close and kissing his temple.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(The Following Weekend)X*XThe next week breezed by, and soon enough, the triplets’ belated birthday celebration with their friends and family had arrived. Roxas was looking forward to finding out what Axel had sneakily gotten him last weekend, but he’d been good, not trying to find out. When he woke up that morning, he was gently woken by a kiss to his temple, making him smile.“Good morning, Rox,” Axel murmured, kissing his lips before hugging him. “Ready to celebrate your birthday with Ace and Regina?”“Definitely,” the blonde smiled happily, before sliding out of bed to get dressed. Once both boys were fully dressed, they headed down to the dining room. Prompto was already there with the twins, while Noctis was nowhere to be seen. “Morning, Mom,” Roxas greeted with a smile as he and Axel took their seats. “Morning, Zack, Nami.”“Good morning, boys,” Prompto smiled.“Mornin’, Roxy! ‘Appy birsday!” Zack grinned.“Morning! ‘Appy birsdays!!” Naminé cheered.“Thanks, Nami, Zack,” Roxas chuckled, before looking to Prompto. “Where’s Dad?”“He’s getting our guests for Regina,” the taller blonde answered. “Don’t tell her, okay?”“Okay,” both Roxas and Axel nodded.And speak of the devil, Regina and Domi came down the stairs, with Regina yawning. “Morning…”“Sissy!!” Naminé cheered, hurrying over and hugging her big sister. “‘Appy birsdays!”“Hahah. Thanks, Nami,” Regina chuckled.“‘Appy birsday, Sissy!” Zack giggled as well, joining his twin.“Good morning, you two,” Prompto smiled. “Just need to wait for Ace and Noct.”Ace took only a little while to join them, stretching his arms over his head. “Morning,” he said calmly.“Good morning,” Prompto greeted.“‘Appy birsday!” Zack grinned as he got back into his seat.“‘Appy birsday!” Nami echoed as Regina got her into her own seat.“…is Father going to be long?” Regina asked after a moment.“He shouldn’t be much longer,” her mother assured her. “Once he gets here, breakfast will be ready.”“Oka—”“HEYO!” called a familiar voice that was followed by a familiar arm around the princess’s shoulder. “Wha’s for breakfast then, eh?”“What the—!? Terry!!” Regina exclaimed in surprise.“Heya Terry!” Axel laughed.“So you’re the guests Dad was getting,” Roxas chuckled, noticing Libby walk in with Noctis.Libby hummed softly as she pushed up her glasses. “Good morning,” she said in greeting.“Seriously?” Regina chuckled, shaking her head softly.“Hey, why not, eh?” Terry laughed, shaking the younger girl by the shoulders. Naminé, meanwhile, watched the new arrivals curiously, blinking wide eyes at them. Zack wasn’t as curious, but he did smile brightly at them.“You guys haven’t met the twins yet, have you?” Roxas guessed, seeing his little brother’s and sister’s reactions.“Hmm… Nope, can’t say we have,” Terry said with a grin.Regina chuckled softly as she removed Terry’s arm. "Well, in that case…” she said, gesturing for the twins. “This little girl here is Naminé. And this bright boy is Zack. Say hi, you two.”“…Hewwo!” Naminé said after a beat.“Hi!” Zack chirped cheerfully.“Well hey there, ya little rascals,” Terry chuckled, ruffling their hair, much to their amusement. “Name’s Ternio. Just call me Terry, kay?”“Okay!”“And Libby?” Axel said, looking at the girl.The bespectacled girl regarded him solemnly, before she snorted softly. “Libri. Pleasure.”“…Libby?” Nami said curiously with her head tilted.Noctis chuckled softly. “Alright, kids; to your seats. Let’s get breakfast, shall we?”Once everyone was seated, Ignis brought breakfast out, and it was the royals’ favorite: scones.“Really?! We only get scones on Christmas, though!” Roxas yelped.“Well, considering everything that’s happened over the past few weeks, we felt you deserve them,” Prompto laughed.“Niiiiice!” Regina laughed grabbing the first one and taking a huge bite. Domi, after giggling, took his own bite only after putting some honey on his. And when he did, he nearly moaned like he had the first time he'd had them.Terry cocked an eyebrow at the reaction, before she picked up her own and took a bite. She almost immediately choked as the taste hit her. “Wam! Da’s guhd!” she said through a mouthful, earning her a kick to her good leg. “Gah!”“Watch your language,” Regina growled.“A’ight, a’ight!”Libby hummed as she regarded her scone from every angle, before taking a bite of her own. When she did, she hummed softly in thought.“What do you think, Libby?” Prompto asked.“…Interesting…” Libby murmured, lightly tapping her finger along the treat.“Oooooh I know that look,” Terry chuckled, just as Libby pulled out a small book and started writing something down.“Trying to figure out the recipe won’t help much, Libby,” Prompto laughed. “Ignis has made these for years, and he’ll never share his recipe.”“Hmhmm,” Libby hummed around a bite of scone. Regina, Terry and Domi, though, chuckled as though they knew something Prompto didn’t. Which they likely did. It suddenly clicked for the older shifter, though, and he smiled.“I’m sure we’d all be willing to help taste test your version,” he smiled.“If you wish,” Libby said simply.“I’d like to see how they turn out,” Roxas said suddenly after swallowing a bite of his syrup-covered scone.“Same here,” Axel added. Terry laughed at that, but she said nothing else before finishing off her first scone—and immediately moving on to the next. Naminé, though, was a little more curious.“Libby cook too?”“…I do.”“Can we twy some?” Zack asked eagerly.“Sure.”“Yay!”Prompto smiled at the twins’ excitement as he worked on his own portion of scones, even as Ignis brought out another two platters full of scones.“More people means more food,” he said simply.“Thanks, Ignis!” Roxas grinned. Ace chuckled as he bit down on his own scone, just taking in the pleasant air around them.“Sweet!” Terry quipped as she grabbed another scone. Roxas and Axel soon grabbed two more as well, spreading some butter, pouring a drizzle of syrup, and sprinkling a bit of powdered sugar on theirs.As they ate, Prompto got up from his seat after checking his phone, and told the group, “I’ll be right back.” He then left the dining room, typing a text up on his phone. Shortly after he tucked his phone away, Roxas felt his own phone buzz in his pocket, and he checked it. 
Mom: They’re here~! ;)

Me: Really?! Sweet! I’ll listen for you guys to come back, then!

Mom: Sounds good~
 The blonde quickly tucked his phone away, and was smiling faintly to himself as he resumed eating. Axel noticed the smile, and he asked, “What’s that look for?”“It’s nothing,” the shorter teen assured him.Not even five minutes later, there were quick footsteps running into the dining room, followed by an excited little girl’s voice crying out, “AXEL!!”“Kairi?!” the redhead yelped, before turning in his seat and catching the small girl in a hug. “What are you doing here?”“Daddy and I got invited by Roxy and his mom!” she grinned, which made the teen blink.“Reno’s here, too?”“Yep!”“Heya, Ax,” Reno’s voice grinned as he walked in with Prompto, the latter of which was smiling cheekily.“Surprise~” Roxas smiled, kissing his boyfriend’s cheek.“You knew?!”“Yeah, Mom and I planned this about a month ago, to get Reno and Kairi out here for a couple of weeks,” Roxas chuckled.“…Thank you,” the redhead murmured happily. Regina and Terry laughed at the exchange, and Domi giggled, while Libby merely smiled softly. Naminé, meanwhile, watched the new arrival curiously, but with an excited smile of her own.Zack watched Kairi curiously, too, before asking, “Mama, who dat?”“That’s Kairi. She’s Axel’s niece,” Prompto told the twins.“Hey Kai, wanna meet Roxy’s little brother and sister?” Axel asked the small girl.“Yeah!” Kairi grinned, hopping down from Axel’s lap. She then went around the table to the twins, smiling brightly. “Hi! I’m Kairi!”“Hewwo! I’m Zack!” Zack chirped happily in greeting.“Hi! I’s Naminé!” Naminé said with a happy smile.“Can you guys shift like Roxy?” the maroon-haired girl asked.“Uh-uh. But Mama said we can when we turn four!” Zack replied.“They’ll be four in six months, Kai,” Axel told her. “So not too much longer.”“Oooohh. Okay!” Kairi nodded.“Which is soons!” Naminé added excitedly.“Cool!” Kairi grinned.“I’ll bet you guys haven’t eaten since before the flight in,” Prompto said. “Go ahead and help yourselves to some scones. There’s plenty for everyone.”“Thanks, Prompto,” Reno smiled. “Kai, come over and get some breakfast, a’ight?”“Okay Daddy!” Kairi chirped, rejoining her dad. Once they were seated, both of them looked at the scones, a bit puzzled.“So, what should I know about these?” Reno asked.“Just top them with jam, honey, or butter and syrup,” Axel chuckled. “Rox and I like ours with butter, syrup, and powdered sugar.”“Yummy!” Kairi grinned, before getting a scone and trying it the way Axel had said. As soon as the bite was in her mouth, she squealed. “So yummy!!”Nami giggled. “Iggy makes the best scones!”Libby hummed quietly, taking a sip from her drink.“Dang, these are good,” Reno agreed after swallowing his mouthful. “We’ll have to visit more often, huh Kai?”“Yeah!”“I’m sure that can be arranged,” Prompto chuckled, looking at Noctis. Naminé cheered happily at the thought of having more friends come over, which made Regina chuckle softly.“Let’s go to the garden after breakfast, that way Kai can see it,” Axel said suddenly.“Good idea!” Roxas nodded.“Yeah! Play time! Play time!” the kids cheered, much to everyone’s amusement. Sure enough, once breakfast was over, the teens headed out to the garden with the kids, and once out there, Roxas shifted into a wolf.‘Go ahead and put Kairi on my back, Axel,’ he told his boyfriend. With a grin, Axel complied, putting Kairi on the blonde’s back. ‘Hang on tight, Kairi, okay? I don’t want you to fall.’“Okay, Roxy!” she nodded, holding onto the shifter’s fur around his neck, right before Roxas bounded into the garden with an excited bark. Zack pouted at that, used to being on Roxas’s back himself.Ace laughed softly as he poked Zack to his side. “Hey, Rox isn’t the only one who can do that,” he said, just before he shifted into a wolf.Naminé giggled as she moved over to Regina, who had already shifted into a wolf for the girl.“Ooh cool. Don’t see you doing that much,” Terry chuckled, while Libby merely hummed.“Not like she shifts around you guys often, though,” Axel pointed out as Zack climbed onto Ace’s back. Regina merely chuckled as the three wolves led the way to the garden. When the others caught up to Roxas and Kairi, they found the blonde jumping in and out of snow mounds, making Kairi laugh merrily as the snow sprayed whenever he popped out of the snow.“Well, they’re having fun,” Terry chuckled.“What can I say? He’s great with Zack and Nami, so why wouldn’t he be great with Kai?” Axel pointed out.Domi giggled. “That he is~”As the humans watched the shifters go and play, Axel couldn’t help but wonder how Roxas would feel about starting a family later on in life. Obviously it was still too early in their lives, but he had a feeling the blonde would be open to it.“And jus’ what are YOU grinnin’ ‘bout, eh?” Terry quipped as she threw an arm around Axel’s shoulder with a grin.“Nothing you should be worried about,” the lanky teen replied with a smirk.“Uh-huh, suuuure,” the other redhead chuckled. “That why your face is almost splittin’ open?”“Whatever you say, Terry.”Snorting, the redhead pulled away and suddenly scooped up a handful of snow—which she then easily lobbed at Regina. Which made the princess yelp in surprise as it hit her on the nose, before she growled with a small grin. ‘Oh that’s it…!’ she snarled, as Naminé slid off with a giggle. And as Regina shifted back, she immediately lobbed a snowball of her own at the redhead.Which was easily dodged with a guffaw.‘Gonna have to be quicker than that, Regina!’ Roxas laughed as he popped out of the snow again, making Kairi laugh. And just as he did, he got a snowball to the nose.“Whoopsie~” Domi giggled.‘Hey!’ the blonde huffed, before bounding out of the snow, shaking his fur out and spraying Domi in the process.“Eep!”That, however, earned him a snowball to his tail. “Careful where you shake,” Libby said simply as she adjusted her glasses.‘Oh really? Why, you wanna be sprayed with snow next?’ Roxas smirked.Libby merely regarded him quietly, before she said, “Heads up,” right before a wave of snow hit him right in the snout.‘Gotcha, Rox,’ Ace chuckled.‘Gah!’ Roxas yipped, before growling, and then pouncing on Ace, pushing him into a pile of snow…right before leaping at Libby and pushing her into another snow mound. ‘Hah!’Libby nearly squealed from the cold, right before Regina suddenly threw a snowball at Axel.“Hey! What’d I do?!” the redhead yelped, before scooping up a bigger snowball and hurling it at the raven, nailing her in the face.“Bwah!” Regina yelped, before she grinned and armed another snowball. “Do I need a reason?” she cackled before she threw it. And at the same time, Domi threw one at Roxas.‘Oh, no you don’t!’ the blonde smirked, smacking snow at Domi with his tail in response.Domi yipped as he jumped aside, barely avoiding it—right before a smaller snowball hit his leg. “Eh?”Nami was giggling merrily. “Gotchu!”And then two more smaller snowballs hit him, followed by Zack and Kairi giggling.“Oh really?” Domi giggled, scooping up some more snow. “Let’s go, then~” X*X*X*X*X*X*XFinally, the snowball fight came to an end when Terry got involved, and she basically dominated them all, except for the kids. They all headed to the lounge to warm up and dry off, peeling off their coats and other winter gear and hanging them up on the coat rack before settling around the fireplace.“That was fun!” Kairi grinned as she settled down by Roxas and Axel on the couch. “There’s rarely snow in Hollow Bastion…”“Really now? Well, you and Reno will definitely have to visit more often,” Roxas smiled, ruffling her hair and making her squeal.“Yay!” the maroon-haired girl cheered, making Axel chuckle.“Yay!” Naminé cheered, just as Libby and Regina came back in, each carrying a tray with cups of hot chocolate.“Thanks, guys,” Roxas smiled, taking a cup for himself.“Careful, Kai. It’s hot, so blow on it a bit to cool it down first, kay?” Axel warned as he gave her a cup before taking one for himself.“Okay, Axel!” Kairi nodded, blowing the steam off for a bit before sipping. “Mmm, yummy!”Terry hummed contently as she took a swig from her own drink without waiting for it to cool. “Whoo! Nice one, Lib!”“Hm. You’re welcome,” Libby said calmly.“You have an insane tolerance for heat, you know that?” Roxas snorted. “You’re almost as bad as Axel with that.”Terry merely laughed as she pulled up her bad leg and stretched it over her head. When she did, however, Zack blinked, appearing confused.“Whatcha doin’?” he asked curiously.“Stretchin’ my bad leg,” she said.“Bad leg??” Naminé asked curiously. Rather than answer that, Terry dropped her leg and pulled up her pant leg. Immediately, Zack gasped, and Kairi looked over, too, before her eyes widened.“What happened…?” she questioned.“Bad encounter outta Insomnia,” Terry said simply as she scratched at the part where her leg connected to her prosthetic. “It don’t bother me anymore.”“Oh…” Zack uttered.“Hard to tell, huh?” Roxas chuckled, ruffling the small raven’s hair and making him yip.“Yeah!” he nodded.Naminé tilted her head curiously, blinking as Terry dropped her pants leg again. “So!” the redhead exclaimed then. “We moving on to the next part of this party?”“Definitely,” Axel chuckled, setting down his hot chocolate on the coffee table.“Pwesent time?” Naminé asked cheerily.“Sure is,” Roxas smiled.“Yay!” the girl cheered, making the others laugh.“Well… I believe we should be going to collect some presents then, hm?” Domi said with a giggle.“Right,” Axel nodded, getting to his feet. “Be right back.”Naminé and Zack were quick to follow after, probably to help. Regina chuckled softly as she watched them go. Kairi, however, curled up against Roxas, smiling as she sipped at her hot chocolate.“Soooo, Regi…” Terry suddenly started with a small grin. “How’d Dom do, eh?”That, obviously, had Regina choking on her hot chocolate. “What the—TERRY!!”Roxas immediately turned red in the face, and he muttered into his cup, “I really don’t need to hear about anything like that in regards to my sister, Terry…”“Was…that really necessary?” Ace coughed, just as embarrassed as his brother.“Well, yeah, duh!”“You’re impossible!” Regina groaned.“Huh?” Kairi uttered, frowning in confusion.“Don’t worry about it, Kairi, Terry’s just being weird,” Roxas assured her.“Hey!” Terry exclaimed. Libby merely snorted.“Keep in mind she’s eight, Terry,” Roxas pointed out, as he ruffled her hair lightly to distract her. Terry snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. However, she wasn’t able to say anything else about it as the others returned.“We’re back,” Axel smiled, sitting by Roxas and taking a quick drink from his hot chocolate. “Ready for your gift, Rox?”“As long as it’s something special, I’m sure it’ll be perfect,” the blonde chuckled, accepting the small package from his boyfriend. “Guess I’m going first, then.”“Of course,” the redhead smirked. Roxas unwrapped his gift, and when he opened the small box, he gasped softly at the sight of the simple platinum bracelet inside, embedded with blue diamonds and emeralds, and the clasp had an infinity symbol on it, making him smile softly.“It’s beautiful, Axel…” he breathed.“Well, instead of a promise ring, I figured a bracelet would be a better fit,” Axel explained.“I love it,” the blonde smiled lovingly, and he soon had it on his wrist without the checkered wristband. “Thank you.”“It’s so pretty, Axel!” Kairi grinned brightly.“So shiny!” Zack agreed. While Naminé didn't say anything, she was watching it with a wide, awed expression.Regina merely chuckled, shaking her head. However, before she could say anything, she yelped as Terry tossed something at her. “Oh for! Don’t do that!” she chastised as the redhead laughed. Roxas merely chuckled with Axel as they watched.Regina grumbled softly as she tore off the present. As soon as she had, though, she blinked curiously, before she laughed. “Somehow I’m not surprised,” she said with a smirk as she lifted up the smartwatch.“Neither am I,” Axel snorted, while Roxas rolled his eyes.After setting the watch away, Libby solemnly passed Regina her present. The princess regarded it for a moment, before she chuckled and tugged the wrapping away. And, when she pulled out a thick book, no one was really surprised. “Heh…”“Oooh! Books!” Naminé cheered.“Big one!” Zack chirped.“Too big…!” Kairi exclaimed.Ace chuckled lightly as Regina put the book off to the side as well. Which was exactly when something touched down on his shoulder, making him jump in surprise before he looked back. “Ah?! Quon?!”“Good day,” the other teen said with a small smile as he lifted the present he had tapped Ace on the shoulder with away briefly, before passing it to the blonde.“Nice to see you made it,” Roxas smiled.Quon merely nodded as he moved over and took a seat as Ace began to unwrap his own present. And when he opened it, he blinked, before he chuckled. “Nice,” he said, as he lifted the box and flipped to the back, reading for a moment.“Card game for ya, Ace?” Axel questioned.“Dungeons and Dragons, actually,” Ace corrected. “We could probably all play…if we get enough dice.”“Well, we know where to go for those,” Roxas chuckled.“…? We get to get the funny dice?”“If we need to.”“Yay!” Naminé cheered. Her brother chuckled, reaching over and ruffling her hair a bit before settling back against Axel. Regina chuckled as Ace finally set the box aside. And just then, there was a tap along her arm, making her hum and look over. And she wasn’t all that surprised when she spotted Domi holding out a small present to her. Roxas and Axel watched with interest, wondering what Domi got for her.After taking the small present, Regina turned it around several times, before she ran her fingers along the colorful wrapping paper. It felt like a small box…but one side was suspiciously rounded.Also, since she was so focused on studying the present, she didn’t notice the look of sheer apprehension on Domi’s face as he bit his lip. Roxas noticed the shape of the box, and he had an idea of what it could be. The princess didn’t seem to notice anything as she began to tug on the wrapping. The group watched curiously, wondering what Domi got for her.Suddenly, though, Regina froze as a part of the wrapping fell away. “……”“What is it?” Zack inquired.“Sissy?” Naminé called out.“What’d you get?” Kairi questioned.“……”“Oy, Regi?” Terry asked worriedly when Regina finally tore off the wrapping entirely, leaving behind a simple, dark velvet box of some kind.For a long time, Regina just watched it, before she slowly pulled open the lid—and then she pushed it shut again swiftly.“……”“What is it, Sis?” Roxas asked.“……” Rather than respond, Regina lowered her head, taking a few deep breaths, before she abruptly stood up, yanking Domi up after her with a yelp. “We’ll be right back…” she grumbled, before she dragged him out of the room with her.When they got out to the hallway, they both missed seeing a small blonde mouse under the end table outside the door. It was obviously Prompto, since the other two blonde shifters were in the lounge room, and the older shifter was quick to (quietly) follow, wondering what was going on. Regina continued to drag Domi down the halls until she finally stopped in an abandoned hall. She didn’t address Domi immediately, though.“…u-um…Regina…love?”Prompto watched from around the corner, curious.“…are you serious?” Regina suddenly asked.“H-huh??” Domi started, before Regina whirled around to him and held up the small box.“This! Are you…are you actually serious?!”Prompto looked at the small box curiously, unsure of what it was, or what was inside.“I-I just…”“Yes or no question, Dom; are you or are you not?!” Regina repeated, her fingers clenching around the box.“…a-ah…!” Domi bit his lip sharply, as he reached for his arm instinctively. “…y…yes…”Prompto frowned, uncertain of if he should intervene. For a long time, Regina didn’t say anything, though she did grit her teeth firmly. Finally, though, she exhaled sharply, and she shoved the box against Domi’s chest. This made the boy flinch, before he seemed to visibly deflate, as he quietly reached up for the box…however, when he tried to take it back, Regina refused to let it go.‘I wonder what’s going on…?’ Prompto thought in concern, almost tempted to intervene.“…if you’re gonna go through with this…” Regina said slowly, “…do it properly…”Those words made Domi stare in surprise, his fingers curling around the box. But then a small smile spread over his face and he giggled softly. “Fair enough…” he said, shifting to hold the box in one hand while wrapping the other around Regina’s. Prompto remained where he was, now relaxing somewhat.And just then, Domi brought up Regina’s hand, pressing her knuckles against his lips. “If you don’t mind, I’ll pass on getting to my knees to not mess up my skirt, though, kay?”“Fine by me,” Regina said with a small chuckle.Smiling warmly, Domi lightly lowered her hand and spoke softly. “Regina…will you marry me?”The older shifter’s jaw dropped at the words, stunned.“…dummy…” Regina murmured softly, but she was smiling softly. “Course I will.”Immediately, Prompto shifted back, and, with a grin, went over to his daughter and Domi. “Congrats, you two!”Naturally, this made them both jump before whirling around to him. “Gah! Ma!!” Regina exclaimed.“Sweetie, you have no idea how happy I am for you two!” Prompto grinned, pulling both her and Domi into a hug. “If there was anyone I’d want to see you happy with and that I’d be happy to have in the family, it’d be Domi. He’s perfect for you.”“…!” Domi tensed briefly, but when Regina lightly poked his shoulder, he relaxed somewhat.“Thanks, Ma…”“Of course, Regina,” her mother murmured, kissing the top of her head. “And Domi? Don’t worry about people knowing the truth. I’m sure everyone knows by now, and I never said a thing. You’re still a perfect fit for Regina regardless.”“A-ah um…th-thank you, sir,” the boy almost squeaked out, making Regina chuckle softly.“Also, you know you both have to tell Noct, right?”“I know, Ma, I know…” Regina said with a chuckle. “…Can you tell the others we’ll be back in a bit, then?”“W-wait…now?” Domi stammered out.“Better get it over with quick, I guess…”“Of course I can,” Prompto smiled. “Just let me be there when you tell him, okay? I’m sure he’ll be just as happy as I am. And you get to tell the others, too. I’m not saying a thing.”“Alright,” Regina said with a nod, and Domi took a small breath, before he, too, nodded.“I’ll catch up to you, but go ahead to his office. He shouldn’t be too busy,” the blonde told them, before heading back to the lounge. “Hey guys,” he called as he walked in.“Is everything okay, Mom?” Roxas asked, concerned.“Oh, everything’s just fine,” the older shifter assured them. “I’ll let them explain when they get back, but I’ve got to go see your father. I’ll be back with them, okay?”“O…kay…?” Ace got out.“Mama, is Sissy okays?” Naminé asked with a small pout.“Sissy looked mad…” Zack added, pouting as well.“She’s better than okay, so don’t worry,” Prompto soothed with a smile, before waving over his shoulder as he left. “I’ll be back when we’re done.” Once he was gone, Roxas looked at the others, a speculative expression on his face.“You don’t think Domi could have…?” he trailed off, appearing stunned.“That…did appear to be a…so…maybe…?” Ace said with a slow shrug.“Hm…there’s a pretty good chance of it, yes,” Libby said as she adjusted her glasses.“Huh? What what now?” Terry asked with a frown.“Don’t worry about it, Terry. We’ll find out for sure when they come back,” Axel chuckled as Roxas snuggled close, humming happily. Terry frowned a little in question, and Quon hummed thoughtfully, but he stayed out of the conversation, for now. X*X*X*X*X*X*XAs Prompto reached the door to Noctis’s study, Regina and Domi were already there, talking quietly. But before Prompto could call out, Domi slipped something around Regina’s left ring finger.“Hey guys. So, just curious, what was that in the box?” the blonde asked, genuinely curious. Regina blinked, twice, before she smiled and held up her hand for the older shifter to see. And when he looked, he immediately spotted the shining silver ring embedded with a dark onyx, surrounded by pale yellow topazes. “That’s gorgeous, guys…!” Prompto breathed, awed. “I was just confused because your father never actually proposed to me or gave me a ring until we got married. Our relationship was already set in stone when we became mates, and that was before Regis even knew I was here.”The princess tilted her head a little, as Domi tucked his hair behind his ear. “Okay…” Regina murmured finally. “Anyway…um, shall we go?”“Sure thing,” her mother smiled, before knocking on the door. “Keep it hidden for now,” he whispered to his eldest.She nodded, and put her hands in her pockets, as Noctis called out, “It’s open.”“Heya Noct,” Prompto smiled as he opened the door, having Regina and Domi follow him inside. “Do you have a bit of time?”Noctis looked up from his work briefly, but when he noticed Regina and Domi, he blinked. He didn’t say anything of it right now, though, as he instead set his papers aside. “I can make some time… What’s wrong?”“Nothing, actually,” the blonde assured him. “Regina and Domi just have something to tell you.”“Oh?” Noctis murmured, before he glanced to his oldest daughter and her friend. “Do I need to be worried, princess?”“Mm…maybe a little bit…” Regina said with a small shrug, while Domi wrung his fingers nervously.“I don’t think so,” Prompto chuckled. “Now, go on, tell your father.”Regina nodded her head as she turned to her father. “Well…Domi asked me something important…”“…‘something important’?” Noctis repeated curiously, a small thoughtful frown on his face.“Hmhmm…” the princess hummed, before she looked to Domi and lightly nudged his side, making him jump a bit.“A-ah…well, I uh…” he started, before he cleared his throat a bit. “I…I proposed…”“…!!” As expected, Noctis stared in surprise, before he turned to Regina. Said princess pulled out her hand from her pocket and held it up for her father to see the ring on her hand. For a moment, Noctis seemed unable to speak…but then he smiled as he got up from his seat. “Well…this is a pleasant surprise,” he said, stepping up and pulling his daughter into a hug. “I’m happy for you, princess…for both of you.”Regina smiled as she hugged her father back. “Thank you, Father.”“Told you it wasn’t anything to be worried about,” Prompto smiled.Noctis chuckled as he ruffled his daughter’s hair, making the princess giggle, before he turned to Domi. Said boy tensed briefly, before Noctis patted him on the shoulder. “I expect you to take good care of her, understood?”The boy blinked a few times, before he smiled. “No worries, sir~”“You know he will,” Prompto chuckled. “Now, you two need to tell the others. Naminé and Zack were pretty worried about the way you two left, ya know.”“Yeah, I figured… We’ll go tell them,” Regina assured.“Perfect,” Prompto nodded, hugging the pair once more. “We’ll all talk later about planning and such, but for now, go ahead and enjoy your belated birthday.”Regina nodded, smiling, before she and Domi headed out. When the door fell shut behind them, Noctis sighed softly. “When did our little girl grow up without us, huh?”“I don’t know, but that should be my line,” the blonde chuckled, leaning into his mate’s side.Noctis chuckled as he wrapped an arm around the blonde’s shoulders. “Hey, I worry about our children, too, yanno?”“I know you do,” Prompto soothed. “I’ve just been the bigger worry-wart.”That made the King chuckle. “Not going to deny that…” he murmured. X*X*X*X*X*X*XBy the time Regina and Domi returned to the lounge, they just caught the tail end of the others’ conversation.“…Sissy gone long time…” Naminé whined. “She gonna be kays?”“It’s okay, Nami…” Ace assured. “Mom said she’d be back soon. So just be patient for a little bit, kay?”“Aww…” Zack pouted, before yipping suddenly.“Don’t worry about it. She’s okay,” Roxas chuckled. Regina smiled a little before she glanced to Domi. The boy smiled back at her, before they walked into the room.“Heyo,” she called out, drawing everyone’s attention.“SISSY!!” Naminé cried, scrambling up and running to her big sister.“Everything okay now?” Roxas asked as Zack ran over, too.“Yeah, I’m fine,” Regina said with a small chuckle as she dropped down to hug the twins. “Better than fine, actually…”“Hm?” Terry hummed curiously.“Mind telling us what happened?” Axel inquired.“Oh, nothing serious, Ax~” Domi said with a cheeky giggle.Libby, however, did not seem convinced of that. However, rather than say anything on that, she said, “By the by, Regina, I must say that is a very nice-looking ring.”“Heh. Thanks, Libby,” Regina said with a chuckle.“Rings??” Naminé blinked.“RING?!” Roxas yelped, before grinning widely. “I knew it!! You proposed!!”Domi, in response, giggled. “And what if I did?”“Duuuude are you serious?!” Terry asked before she laughed. “Damn! Nice one!”“Terry!” Roxas growled warningly, catching the swear.“Congrats, guys,” Axel smiled.Naminé, meanwhile, looked around in confusion, before she whined. “I dun get it…” Zack looked equally confused, and he was clearly pouting.“You know how Mom and Dad are together?” Roxas asked them.“Yeah! They love each other!” Zack chirped with a smile.“Well, Regina and Domi are going to be just like that soon, too,” he told them.“Really?!” Naminé asked, her face lighting up in excitement, making Ace laugh softly.“Congratulations, Sis, Domi,” he said with a nod, as Quon bowed his head respectfully.“Things are gonna get exciting around here,” Roxas chuckled, as Zack hugged Regina’s and Domi’s legs. “So, I take it Mom and Dad took the news really well, huh?”“Yeah, they did,” Regina confirmed with a nod.“Good to know,” Axel nodded. “Then again, Domi’s a great guy for ya. I’d be shocked if they didn’t approve.”Domi tensed briefly, but he said nothing about the comment, as Regina chuckled. “Anyway…how ‘bout we get back to this party, eh?”“Sounds like a plan,” Roxas agreed, as Kairi looked back at the blonde.“Will Regina and Domi be a mommy and daddy, too, then?” she questioned, making Axel laugh.“Not yet, Kai,” he told her.Regina snorted softly, while Domi giggled. “Not for a while, no,” the princess agreed.With all the presents dealt with, the group decided—by demand of the twins—to open up Ace’s D&D pack and do some light roleplaying that wasn’t too heavy for the little ones. It wasn’t perfect, since none of them had ever played before and they were missing way too many dice to play a proper game, but no one seemed to care. This kept up until it was almost time for dinner, at which point Libby excused herself to assist Ignis in the kitchen.“Okay!” Regina exclaimed once the brunette had left. “Hedge your bets! Who thinks they’re gonna be having a cookoff over dinner?”Terry immediately burst out laughing at that. “I’ll take that bet and raise it by 20!”“Knowing Libby and Ignis, this will be the entertainment for the night,” Roxas snickered.“I’ll bet,” Ace chuckled.“Iggy make the best food!” Zack chirped with a grin.“So Iggy gonna win!” Naminé added. Regina, Domi and Terry, however, laughed at the twins’ excitement.“Oh don’t be so sure, you two… You’ve never actually had Libby’s cooking before.”“That comparable to Ignis’s cooking, eh?” Axel guessed.“Oh yeah,” Regina said as Domi giggled while Terry laughed and said, “Yep.”“Heh, we’ll take your word for it, then,” Ace said.“Guess we’ll find out for sure when dinner’s ready,” Roxas chuckled. Shortly after he spoke, Reno poked his head in.“Yo, guys, dinner’s ready,” he grinned. “Hungry?”“Definitely,” Axel smirked, helping Kairi down from the sofa.“Alright! Moment of truth,” Terry laughed as Regina picked up Naminé and Ace got Zack. “Let’s mosey!”“Sounds good,” Roxas agreed, as he, Axel, and Kairi headed out with the others to the dining room.As they walked into the dining room, as expected, Noctis and Prompto were already there. When the kids came in, the couple looked up. “Hm? Is Libby not coming?” Noctis asked.“Ah, Lib’s helping Iggy,” Regina said with a smirk.“Hoo boy…” Prompto chuckled, knowing that would be interesting. Regina merely chuckled as she took her seat after helping Naminé in her own. And once Ace had helped Zack, and taken his own seat next to Quon, Ignis and Libby came in with dinner for the others, followed by a few servants. “So, did you two fight over any of the recipes?” Prompto asked with an amused smile as they were served.“Very amusing,” Libby murmured as she adjusted her glasses. “But no, we haven’t.”“However, I allowed Libri to make dessert,” Ignis informed them.“Ooooh, this’s gonna be interestin’,” Terry chuckled.“I think so,” Roxas agreed, before they began to eat. Regina chuckled as she took her own bite, humming a bit at the taste. She said nothing else of it, though she did chuckle when Domi gave a definitely pleased hum around his own mouthful.Meanwhile, Noctis hummed thoughtfully as he ate. He could definitely taste Ignis’s normal cooking, but there was also a hint of something else in there that he assumed to be because of Libby’s influence. Not that that was a bad thing, but it was certainly different.Prompto was along the same thinking, but considering he mainly grew up without seasoned food in the first place, he wasn’t about to complain. Roxas and Axel shared a brief look, definitely noticing a difference, but in a good way.“…Taste different!” Naminé chirped.“Uh-huh!” Zack chimed in.“And is that bad?” Ace asked.“Nuh-uh!” was Naminé’s response.“No!” Zack agreed, making Reno laugh.“It tastes amazing regardless, huh Kairi?” he asked, and the maroon-haired girl nodded happily. Terry chuckled a little, even as she grabbed her drink and downed half of it in one gulp. “Seriously, though. I could never hope to cook this good for Kai. She’s gonna be disappointed when we go back,” Reno continued.“Well, you’re free to visit whenever you want,” Regina offered.“About that…” Prompto started, glancing at Noctis.“Perhaps a better idea would be sticking around a little longer,” the King said with a chuckle. “Perhaps even for the same amount of time as Axel is staying here.”“Wait, really?!” Kairi gasped with a grin. “We get to live here?! Can we, Daddy?!”“Sounds like it,” Reno chuckled, ruffling her hair. “Looks like you guys are stuck with us, then.”“Well, this place just turned lively,” Terry laughed.“Nothing wrong with family being close, though,” Roxas pointed out with a smile.“And we have the space, so why not? And it means another friend for the twins,” Prompto added.“Kai get to stays?” Naminé asked with a bright smile.“Yep.”“Yaaaay!!” both the twins cheered.“I’m glad you guys get to stay. I missed you both a lot,” Axel smiled.“Same here, Ax. It’ll be good to live here,” Reno agreed. Noctis chuckled, casting a glance at his mate from the corner of his eyes. And Prompto merely smiled faintly at the look as he resumed eating. Soon enough, everyone finished eating their dinners, and it was time for Libby’s dessert.Soon enough Libby brought out a few trays that carried a number of delicious looking cakes, with there being plenty for everyone to go around. However, there was a very familiar smell coming from them…“Hang on…” Roxas mumbled, sniffing one of the cakes curiously once he had one. “These smell…like Ignis’s scones!”“Perhaps a little,” Libby admitted with a small chuckle, making her friends laugh.“Sneaky, Lib, very sneaky,” Terry chuckled.“Still smells good,” Roxas shrugged as Axel bit into one.“And they taste great!” the redhead grinned.Regina chuckled as she bit down on her own and Domi mewled around his own. “So gooood!”“I’ll give it a taste, then,” Ignis smiled faintly, picking up one of the cakes. He took a bite, and then smiled. Once he’d swallowed the bite, he looked at Libby. “Very well done.”Libby chuckled calmly, pushing up her glasses at the nose. “Thank you.”“Told you she’s good!” Regina laughed.“I never doubted her for a moment. Just don’t think you’ll be able to recreate all of my recipes,” Ignis smirked.“Oh?” Libby said with a small smirk. “Is that a challenge, sir?”“Perhaps.”“Hoo boy…” Regina, Domi and Terry said as one, chuckling a little to themselves.“But we have plenty of time, so no rush,” Prompto pointed out with a chuckle. “Besides, we can’t exactly afford to engorge ourselves on your cooking.”Libby merely hummed, but it was clear that she was definitely up to the challenge that Ignis had just provided, which didn’t seem that surprising to her friends. Eventually, the entire group finished eating their cakes, and they got up from their seats to go to bed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(Monday)X*X“Well, back to school, ugh…” Roxas grumbled as he ate his breakfast the following Monday after they had celebrated their birthday.“Well, we need to go back at some point, Roxy,” Axel pointed out.Regina yawned a little behind her hand, rubbing at her eyes briefly. “Ugh… Not looking forward to this at all…” she grumbled.“Aww…it won’t be that bad, love,” Domi giggled. Ace merely hummed quietly as he ate.“We’ll see. School’s boring and lame, to me,” Roxas muttered.“Yes, but school’s still important, to all of you,” Noctis pointed out.“Right, right…”“We know, Dad… Doesn’t mean it can’t be lame and boring, too, though,” Roxas grinned cheekily, making his boyfriend laugh.“He’s got a point there, Noct,” Prompto chuckled.“Says the one who never went,” Noctis countered with a smirk.“Might as well have when I was watching over you.”Regina snorted absently at the small ‘squabble’, as she downed her drink. “I’m done,” she said as she stood up.“Right behind ya,” Axel chimed in as he stood as well, Roxas copying him.Domi finished the rest of his drink, and Ace popped the last part of toast in his mouth as he stood up. “Okay~ let’s go~” the whitehead chirped.“Regina, are you wearing your ring?” Prompto asked suddenly before she could leave.“Hm? Yeah, why?”“Just making sure. Take care not to lose it, all right?” her mother smiled.“I won’t, Ma,” Regina assured, smiling a bit, before she hurried after her siblings. When she caught up, they were waiting for her, Roxas and Ace having already shifted into griffons and Axel sitting on Roxas’s back.‘Everything okay, Sis?’ Roxas asked.“Yeah, don’t worry,” Regina said as she shifted as well. Once Domi had climbed onto her back, she extended her wings briefly, before she took to the air ahead of them. As they flew, Roxas felt Axel adjust his position slightly on his back, and the blonde felt a small patch of warmth from the motion, making him frown curiously.‘Wonder what that’s all about…’ he thought to himself in confusion as they landed.Ace didn’t seem to notice any of this as they flew, and it took them only a few minutes to reach the field where they usually landed. Once they had, the royals shifted back again.“…yanno what?” Regina suddenly said. “I’m actually glad to be out here…”“Well, considering you were cooped up at home for a while there, I’m not surprised,” Roxas pointed out, smiling lightly as Axel held his hand, despite the strange warmth from the contact.Regina hummed a little as they walked along, adjusting her backpack along her shoulder as she went. “I suppose…” she mumbled.“Don’t worry, Sis, it’ll be fine, you’ll see.”“Sure, Ace, sure…”When they got close to the school, Libby, Terry, and Quon were waiting for them by the gates.“Hey guys!” Roxas called in greeting.“Good morning,” Quon said with a nod, while Terry waved.Libby, however, frowned. “Are you alright, Roxas? You look a little flushed.”“Huh?” the blonde uttered, confused, putting a hand to his cheek, and realizing he was a bit warm. Axel looked at him, concerned, and saw the flushed look on his boyfriend’s face.“You were fine this morning… You okay, Roxy?” he asked worriedly.“I feel fine,” the shorter teen assured him. “Maybe a little warm, but otherwise, I feel fine.”“…!!” Regina tensed in alarm at the words and turned to Roxas. ‘Wait… Oh hell… This could be bad…’“Sure you’re okay, Roxy?” Domi asked. “Maybe you should take it easy…”“I’ll be fine, guys, I promise,” Roxas insisted. “I’ll just rest when we get home.”“Just be careful, though, okay?” Axel murmured.“I will, Ax, I promise.”“…” Regina frowned, but she didn’t say anything just yet, as they headed toward the school building.“Oy, Roxy, dun try to bite off more than ya can chew, ya hear?” Terry said with a small frown.“I won’t, guys! I’ll be just fine,” Roxas pouted, knowing he was fine. They soon parted for their own classes, Roxas and Axel heading to theirs. As the blonde sat in his seat during first period, he tried to focus on his notes, but his thoughts kept on focusing on Axel, despite his best efforts.Suddenly, he felt a paper being passed to him under his desk, and he looked to see Axel setting a note on his leg under the desk. Making sure the teacher wasn’t looking, he opened the note and read it to himself.‘Are you sure you’re okay, Roxy? I don’t want to see you get sick or something…’Roxas sighed, before writing out a reply.‘I’m okay, Ax. Maybe a little tired, but I’ll rest when we get home after school. I’ll even check with Mom, see what he says. :)’After he slid back the note, he noticed Axel nod, and he smiled reassuringly at the redhead.‘Hopefully everything is okay…’ he thought to himself, now starting to worry a little bit. X*X(Regina)X*XAs she waited for their teacher to come in, Regna hummed softly as she tapped her fingers along her desk. It was a slow start to the day, but the little that had happened worried her a bit. If Roxas was going through what she thought he was going through, then that meant…Sighing softly, she pulled out her phone and quickly typed out a message. 
Me:  Ma, we might have a problem.

Mom: What’s that?

Me: I think Rox’s going into heat, soon.

Mom: What?! Why do you think that?

Me: When we got to school he was flushed, and he said he was ‘just feeling hot’… I remember feeling the same way when…yanno…

Mom: Dammit… I had a feeling his would hit eventually because of his and Axel’s relationship… Try and keep this to yourself for now, but watch out for him until you all get home. I’ll talk to him when you guys get back. If he starts to get too flushed, let me know before classes are over, and I’ll send Ignis out to pick him and Axel up.

Me: Will do, Ma.

Mom: Thanks, princess.

Me: No prob. See you later.

Mom: See you then.
 After that conversation, she sighed softly and put her phone in her pocket again, resigning herself to having to sit through school again. As much as she liked to be outside again, that didn’t mean school was fun to be at. For multiple reasons.“Ah, Your Highness~”‘Aaaaand there’s reason number 1…’ Regina thought with a barely concealed groan, as she shut her eyes and leaned her head on her hand.“Are you alright? We haven’t seen you at all these past two weeks…”“Did anything happen? Have you… found someone at the ball?”Regina frowned a little without opening her eyes. What were they talking about? …It took her only a moment to remember, though, that the ball was initially meant for her and her brothers to meet with suitors.…Which made her remember what had happened afterward.“…hm…”It was all she saw fit to tell them, though she was smirking a little bit into her hand. She then proceeded to drone the harpies out until the teacher came in. She was still impressed they didn’t realize she was doing that.If she hadn’t had her eyes shut, though, she would’ve noticed how the girls were looking at her left hand, and a look of shock appeared on their faces, before a dark look replaced it. X*X*X*X*X*X*XBy the time lunch hit, Roxas felt about ready to drop, he was that tired. He normally wouldn’t be so tired by now, so this was definitely strange for him.“Maybe we should have Ignis pick you up early, Rox…” Axel murmured as they took their seats at their usual table.“No, I’ll wait until we get home…” the blonde insisted tiredly.As Regina walked over with Domi close behind, she immediately spotted how tired her brother was and frowned in worry. As she came over, she said, “Hey, Rox…you should go home, probably…”Roxas pouted at the words, before sighing heavily. “I guess… Mind calling Ignis for me, Sis…?”“No worries,” she said, pulling out her phone and calling Ignis.“Regina? Is everything okay?” Ignis asked.“I wish… Ignis, can you come pick up Rox…and Axel too, actually…Rox ain’t feeling too good…”“I understand. Prompto informed me of the situation. I’ll be there soon.”“Right, thanks, Iggy,” Regina said as she hung up. “He’ll be here soon. Ax, mind going with him?”“Not at all,” the redhead nodded, holding Roxas’s hand worriedly as the poor blonde looked on the verge of passing out.“Want me to grab you something, Roxy? Some water or something?” Domi asked worriedly.“N…no…” Roxas mumbled, practically curling up in Axel’s lap. “Just…tired…”“…Get him some ice, Dom…” Regina said. “Looks like he might need that, at least…”“Right…” Domi murmured, hurrying off to get said ice. Once he was gone, Roxas tried to settle more in his boyfriend’s lap, whimpering softly. It wasn’t long before Domi returned that Regina got a text from Ignis, saying he was outside in the Regalia, and Prompto was with him.“They’re here,” Regina said, as Domi secured the bag of ice around the blonde’s head with one of his headbands that he carried with him for PE. “Ax, you mind carrying him?”“Of course,” the lanky teen murmured, scooping Roxas into his arms and causing the short shifter to whine quietly. “Easy, Rox. We’re taking you home.” When they got out to the front of the school, Prompto was waiting outside the Regalia, Ignis in the driver’s seat.“Looks like your suspicions were right, Regina,” the older shifter sighed sympathetically when he saw Roxas.“I was afraid of that…” Regina murmured.“I already told your father what the situation is, and he’s already informed the school,” Prompto told them all. “Let’s get you home, Roxas.”“Wh…what’s going on, Mom…?” the smaller blonde whimpered.“I’ll explain in the Regalia, so let’s get you two going home,” Prompto assured him. “I’ll see you at home, Regina, Domi. And Regina, let Ace know what’s going on, too, please?”“Of course, Ma,” Regina said with a nod, before she went to Roxas. “Hey, Rox, just take it easy, kay?”“O…okay…” Roxas mumbled, curling further into Axel’s hold, even as the redhead climbed into the Regalia, Prompto getting in on the other side. Once Ignis pulled away, Prompto looked at his oldest son seriously.“Roxas, what I’m about to tell you is something you need to think about and take very serious, okay?” his mother told him firmly. Roxas managed to focus on Prompto, before the taller blonde continued. “You’re starting to experience your first heat.” Immediately, the short teen’s sapphire eyes widened in shock, before fearful tears began to form in his eyes.“B…but… I don’t know if I’m ready, Mom…!” he whimpered pitifully.“Sweetie, I know, trust me, I do…” Prompto soothed, smoothing Roxas’s bangs back with one hand. “I was in the same place you were during my first heat, too. I was scared, and I was terrified your father wouldn’t want me when I told him what was happening. But he did, and I have you, your brothers, and sisters now as a result. I’m not going to push you into mating if you’re not ready, but a male shifter’s heat is more intense than a female’s, I’ll tell you that much.”“Is there anything that can be done to alleviate the symptoms, Prompto?” Axel asked worriedly.“No, sadly. Only mating helps until his heat ends after a week.”“Damn…”Roxas fell silent at that point, silent tears flowing down his cheeks, even as he hid his face against Axel’s chest.X*X(Regina)X*XBack at the cafeteria, Regina and Domi moved over to where the others were now waiting. When they spotted the pair, they nodded and exchanged greetings.“Hey, Regi,” Terry said with a wave. “Where’s your lil bro at?”“Heading home,” Regina said as she and Domi took their seats.Libby frowned softly. “So he really wasn’t feeling well, I take it?”“That’s putting it mildly…” Regina murmured."What happened, Sis?" Ace asked worriedly.“…H-E-A-T, is what.”Ace’s eyes immediately widened in surprise. “Wha…!? Already?! But…wasn’t that supposed to come way later?!”“Normally…but…looks like Rox hit it early…”“Damn…”Quon hummed softly, frowning. “Does that mean Roxas will be staying home for the week this time?”“He might…depending how bad it gets and how long it lasts…” X*X(Roxas & Axel)X*XBack at the Citadel, Roxas was in his room with Axel, whimpering sadly as he remained curled in the lanky teen’s lap.“I don’t know if I’m ready for this, Axel…” he whispered, shuddering as he felt a light wave of arousal.“Roxy, I know you. You’ll be okay, and I’ll be with you every step of the way, I promise,” the redhead swore. “Do you trust me?”“I…I trust you…” the smaller teen murmured.“Then I’ll get you through your heat, and we’ll get through this together,” Axel smiled softly, kissing his boyfriend’s forehead. Roxas felt the heat coursing through his body become hotter from the contact, and he whined with need before kissing Axel. The redhead was receptive, but he soon pulled away. “Do you want to talk to Prompto about what to expect first…?”“N-no… I c-can later… I need you, Ax…!” Roxas panted, before kissing his boyfriend again, this time desperation clearly behind it. Axel kissed him back lovingly, holding the shifter close to him.The couple kissed each other hotly, and tentatively, Roxas slipped his tongue out, trying to deepen the kiss. Of course, Axel didn’t deny him, and willingly deepened the kiss, making Roxas moan appreciatively. The blonde then whimpered with need, his body heating up further, it seemed, to the point where he felt like he was on fire.“Too…hot…!” he breathed when they parted for air.“I can fix that, Rox,” Axel purred, gently setting the shifter on the bed, and then tugging his shirt off, providing Roxas with a brief amount of relief before he whined again, trying to squirm out of his pants and underwear in one go. “Easy, Roxy, I got you.” The taller teen then pulled off said articles of clothing, leaving Roxas bare before him.“Axel…!” the shifter pleaded, tugging on the shirt his mate-to-be wore, wordlessly begging for him to get undressed, too. Axel chuckled softly, before pulling back and removing his own clothes, leaving him bare as well. Roxas gave a pleased purr at the sight, before pulling Axel into another heated, open-mouthed kiss. When they pressed close together, the redhead could already feel how the shorter teen was becoming hard, and he was becoming just as hard just as quick.Roxas whined with need when he felt Axel’s hardening cock against him, but he didn’t act on it, instead shuddering heavily and gasping sharply when he felt the new sensation of slick leaking from his ass. Axel tried to pull back to ask what was wrong, but the blonde kept an iron grip around his boyfriend’s neck, hiding his face against the pale chest.“Roxas, are you okay?” the redhead asked worriedly. Roxas didn’t answer verbally, but he eventually took one of Axel’s hands and guided it down to in between his thighs. The lanky teen nearly jolted when he felt the slippery substance coming from the shifter, before he kissed Roxas reassuringly.“It’s fine, Rox,” he soothed, gently pressing one finger against the blonde’s entrance. “Trust me, okay?”“I…trust you…” Roxas whispered in a strained voice. Axel smiled reassuringly at the shifter before inserting his finger, drawing a startled noise from him, before he relaxed, not feeling any pain, thanks to the slick he was producing. As the redhead moved his finger around, though, Roxas soon moaned, wordlessly begging for more.And Axel gave it to him, adding a second finger and scissoring the shorter teen’s entrance widely after a bit. Roxas shivered and panted, feeling the heat coursing through him like wildfire, so after another minute of stretching, his mate-to-be added a third finger. And as the lanky teen continued to prep the blonde, he soon brushed against that bundle of nerves deep inside the shifter, causing him to cry out and arch his back off the bed.“Feels good, Roxy?” Axel questioned softly.“Y-yeah,” Roxas stammered, feeling like he was thrumming from his heat. “Please, Ax…! Hurry…!”“Going, Rox,” the redhead chuckled, before withdrawing his fingers and pressing against his boyfriend’s entrance. “Ready for me?”“I’ve been ready, dammit…!” the shifter snapped, hooking his legs around Axel’s hips and forcing the redhead completely inside of himself, all the way to the base. Both teens nearly cried out from the intense pleasure, Roxas from the filling sensation of his lover’s cock inside of him, and Axel from how hot and tight the smaller teen was around himself. As the blonde struggled to adjust to the sudden sensations, Axel held him close, planting butterfly kisses all along his cheeks, nose, forehead, chin, and lips.“You okay, Rox…?” the lanky teen asked worriedly as he watched his lover.“Y…yeah…” Roxas whispered, before adding softly, “Move…”“Okay. I love you, Rox, so much,” Axel murmured, before beginning to move against the smaller male, thrusting into him slow and deep. Immediately, Roxas shuddered heavily, already thoroughly enjoying the amazing feelings Axel was providing him.The redhead grasped at his lover’s hand as he continued to move, holding it firmly and kissing Roxas hotly. Axel felt amazing inside of him, to Roxas. The blonde moaned loudly and appreciatively as he was thrust into, unable to even consider or think about keeping quiet.In the very back, dark depths of his mind, the shifter knew this would result in pregnancy, but the vast majority of his mind honestly could have cared less. All his mind, body, and soul wanted was Axel, preferably inside of him to help him through his heat. And he was getting it all, as the redhead began to steadily pick up the pace, moving faster and thrusting into the blonde hard and deep.Suddenly, the head of Axel’s cock struck Roxas’s prostate, drawing a choked, startled yet pleasured cry from the shifter, and he arched up against his lover. His lust-darkened eyes went animalistic for a split second before reverting back, and he clenched briefly around Axel.“Shit…!” Axel cursed, nearly breaking his rhythm from the sudden increase in tightness around his cock before resuming. He began to almost pound into Roxas at this point, before the blonde growled loudly.“Harder, Ax…!” he nearly snarled, but the desperation in his voice broke through the fierce tone.“With pleasure,” the redhead grinned wickedly, and then withdrew almost completely, before slamming in hard and deep, barely noticing how Roxas had his teeth placed against the lanky teen’s collarbone. He didn’t care, though, as this would further cement their relationship if Roxas marked him.Finally, Axel began to pump his lover in time with his thrusts, and the pressure against his collarbone increased. As they got closer to their releases, Roxas began to cry out in pure pleasure.“I…I’m gonna cum, Ax…!” he whimpered.“We’ll cum…together…then,” Axel panted out, and then slammed into the blonde, drawing a muffled, ecstasy-filled scream from him as he came, his cum spattering onto their stomachs and his teeth piercing through the pale skin at Axel’s collarbone. Axel wasn’t far behind, his white-hot seed filling the shifter as the lanky teen himself groaned erotically, holding Roxas close to himself.As the two teens gasped for breath, Roxas quietly lapped at his mark on Axel’s collarbone, licking away the blood until it stopped bleeding. Once it had, he settled better against his lover, purring softly.“…You okay, Rox?” the redhead asked quietly, kissing the top of the blonde’s head softly.“…For now…” Roxas murmured after a little thought. He knew his heat would demand more from his mate later, based upon what his mom had told him on the way home, but for now, he needed sleep.“We’ll sleep for now, then,” Axel smiled softly, holding the smaller teen close. The pair soon settled in each other’s hold, drifting off into sleep not long after. X*X(Noctis & Prompto)X*XOnce Prompto had ensured Roxas and Axel were in their room with the door locked, he made straight for Noctis’s study. Not even bothering to knock, he walked in, shutting the door behind him with a soft click.Noctis appeared to have already been expecting him as he looked up slowly. “…how bad is it?”“It’s hitting quick…” Prompto replied softly. “I honestly won’t be too surprised if they end up mating. They’ve been together for a while now, after all…”“They have been, yeah…” Noctis sighed. “…does Roxas know what will happen if they…?”“Yes. I explained everything to him and Axel on the way home, and he does know,” the blonde murmured.“Good…” the King sighed softly.“I’m just worried if he’s going to be able to handle being pregnant if he can’t get through his heat without mating,” Prompto admitted. “I know it was hard for me…”Noctis watched his mate quietly, before he held out a hand to him. Prompto went to the raven, taking his hand and then sitting in the King’s lap. “I just can’t believe his is hitting so soon after Regina’s, and she barely made it through her own, thanks to Domi…”“…I’m almost expecting Ace to get his own soon, too…” Noctis murmured softly, rubbing the blonde’s back.“Yeah, whenever he and Quon become serious,” the blonde sighed. “I just hope he can pull through, too…”Noctis sighed a little, moving his hand slowly along the blonde’s back. “…So what do we tell the twins? That Regina got Rox sick?”“We’ll have to,” Prompto nodded. “We can’t have either of them walking in on Roxas and Axel, ESPECIALLY if they’re mating. Roxas would freak out.”“Right…”“I had Regina tell the others, so they know by now. Now it’s just a matter of waiting it out until his heat ends…”Noctis nodded his head softly, sitting back in his seat. And Prompto merely rested against him quietly. X*X*X*X*X*X*XWhen the day finally came to an end, Regina, Ace and Domi barely wasted any time in getting back to the field so they could go home. While there were definitely some people who tried to stop them, Regina quickly waved them off, stating they had official business to concern themselves with at the Citadel. Which, thankfully, was enough to ward most of them off.“I swear, that’s the ONE thing I didn’t miss…” Regina growled softly.“It’ll be okay, Sis,” Ace murmured as they reached the field. “Anyway, let’s go home.”“Let’s,” Regina murmured before she and Ace shifted. And then, once Domi had climbed on her back, the pair took off for the Citadel again. When they arrived, Prompto was waiting for them outside, worry evident on his face.The two siblings noticed, of course, as they shifted back, but Domi was just a little bit faster. “Is he okay?”“His heat’s hit fast, probably because of the time he and Axel have been together,” the blonde told them. “They both know what will happen if they mate, but I won’t be surprised if they still mate, they’re just that closely bonded already.”“Crap…” Regina murmured. “…he gonna be okay?”“As long as he has Axel, yes. But the twins just think he caught your ‘sickness’, Regina. They know to stay away from his room. Just let things play out for now, and we’ll all support them, no matter what happens.”“Of course…” the princess said with a nod, while Ace sighed, running a hand through his hair.“It’s gonna be a long week, huh?”“Unfortunately,” Prompto confirmed. “I haven’t told Kuja or anyone else yet, so please, if you bring it up to them when you see them, be discreet. Especially if it’s Joshua, since Endrance will more than likely be with him.”“Will do, Ma,” Regina assured.“I’m fairly sure Mr. Kuja doesn’t need us to be specific…” Domi pointed out.“You have a point there…” Ace murmured.“Right…” Prompto nodded. “Also, Regina, thank you for letting me know. If you hadn’t caught on when you did, things would be a lot worse right now…”“I was afraid of that… I’m glad Libby asked him first or he wouldn’t have even said anything…”“Well, it’s not like he knew what to look for,” her mother pointed out. “I know I didn’t.”“Either way…shall we head in?”“Yeah.” X*X*X*X*X*X*XLater in the night, Regina and Domi were heading to Roxas’s room, each of them carrying a plate of food. Domi seemed a bit insecure, but Regina kept her calm this time.“…You sure this is okay, love?”“Pretty sure it should be…” she murmured. As they stopped in front of the door, she lifted one hand and knocked, twice.There was nothing for a few seconds, before a sharp gasp sounded from inside the room…followed shortly by a low, canine snarl.“Rox?!” Axel’s voice yelped, before he began to try and calm the blonde down. “Easy, Roxy, it’s okay, sshh…”The snarling eventually calmed down to quiet growling, before Roxas’s voice whimpered pitifully when he shifted back.Though Domi frowned worriedly, Regina snorted softly. “Not here to take him away, Rox,” she called out. “But one of you better come over here and pick up dinner before it gets cold. You know Iggy hates to waste food.”“I’ll be right back, Roxy. I’m just getting our food, okay?” Axel murmured, before going to the door after pulling some pajama pants on. “Thanks, Regina, Domi,” he told the pair gratefully as he took the plates.Regina nodded, while Domi bit his lip. “…Be careful, kay?” he said after a while.“He better be…if he knows what’s good for him…” Regina mumbled softly.Axel nodded in response to Domi’s words, wordlessly reassuring the pair he would, before disappearing back into his and Roxas’s room. The blonde was quick to practically latch onto the redhead with a whimper, inhaling his soothing scent deeply.“It’s okay, Rox,” Axel whispered, setting the plates down and holding his lover close. “I was just getting our food.” Roxas didn’t seem to care, as he snuggled further into the taller teen’s hold. X*X*X*X*X*X*X“Will they be okay?”“Pretty sure… I turned out fine, didn’t I?” Regina asked with a shrug.“Well…yeah…but your brother may not…be as ‘protected’…” Domi pointed out.“…True…” Regina murmured. “…Anyway, since we have some time to spare… Wanna go spar a bit?”“Hm? Oh, yeah, sure.” X*X(Roxas & Axel)X*XRoxas whimpered pitifully as he curled up in Axel’s lap, still nude from earlier. That was honestly the last thing on his mind, though, as he nuzzled the redhead’s chest in a pleading manner. His heat was flaring up again, and he needed Axel. However, he whined miserably when his stomach growled, demanding food.“It’s all right, Roxas,” Axel soothed, feeling the growling from the blonde’s stomach against him. “We need to eat, or else it won’t be good for either of us, okay?”“…Okay…” the shifter mumbled, hesitantly pulling back. With a soft smile, Axel gave him his dinner, and Roxas began to eat, feeling his growling stomach begin to settle down with each bite. When he finally finished, Axel had already set his plate aside, and the blonde stared at his mate pleadingly, biting his lip as he tried not to whimper again.“Now we can, Roxy,” the taller teen murmured, pulling Roxas against himself into a passionate kiss. The shorter teen responded immediately, kissing back hotly as he wrapped trembling arms around Axel’s neck. The redhead deepened the kiss soon after, feeling himself hardening in response to Roxas’s own hardness and desperation. The blonde then tugged at his lover’s pajama pants, wanting them off, and Axel chuckled.“Going, Roxy,” he soothed, and he pulled back briefly to remove the offending article. Fortunately, he hadn’t put his underwear back on earlier, so he was once again bare to the shifter. Roxas didn’t waste any time, his sapphire eyes darkening a few shades when he saw Axel’s hardened flesh, but he almost seemed to hesitate when he started to reach out for it.“C…can I…?” he started to ask in a whisper, but Axel chuckled.“Only if I can taste you, Roxy,” the redhead smirked, making Roxas’s blush darken, but the blonde nodded softly anyway. He wanted to make his mate feel good as thanks for getting him through his heat. It had to be a shifter instinct, honestly.Axel remained where he was, allowing Roxas to take his time, not that the blonde needed much. He reached out and ran the pads of his fingers along the heated flesh of his mate’s cock, making the taller teen inhale sharply. The shorter teen looked up worriedly, hoping he hadn’t already screwed up.“Keep going,” Axel breathed, smiling shakily at him. Roxas nodded quietly, before continuing, soon wrapping his fingers around the redhead’s cock, somehow managing to start moving his hand in a good rhythm for his lover, drawing a moan from the lanky teen. This went on for a few minutes, before Axel called in a quivering voice, “I’m g-gonna cum if you d-don’t stop, Rox…”“S-sorry…!” the shifter squeaked, withdrawing his hand.“It’s okay, Roxy. I just don’t want to cum too soon,” Axel soothed, kissing Roxas briefly. He then gently pushed the blonde onto his back against the pillows and began to kiss down along the smaller teen’s body, stopping after he reached his thighs.“…Why’d you stop…?” Roxas asked in a whine.“I’m not done, Rox, don’t worry,” the redhead smirked, pushing up his lover’s legs and bending them at the knees as he parted the blonde’s ass cheeks. Immediately, Roxas felt slick leaking from him again, and he whimpered with need, making Axel chuckle…right before he dragged his tongue along Roxas’s entrance.The response was immediate; Roxas cried out, his eyes clenching shut in ecstasy, and his hands clawed at the sheets before gripping them tightly. “A-Axel…!” he gasped out, but the redhead merely chuckled softly against his lover’s sensitive skin, continuing to lap up slick from Roxas’s entrance. He then slipped his tongue past the ring of muscle, making the blonde nearly shriek with pleasure, and he threw his head back against the pillows, moaning loudly.Axel continued this for another couple of minutes, before pulling back, licking his lips. “You taste amazing, Rox,” he purred. Roxas, although panting, still managed to pout, before his heat flared again, demanding to be filled with Axel’s cum.“Ax…fuck me…please…” the shifter begged breathlessly, and the redhead nodded, kissing Roxas softly.“Okay,” he murmured, lining himself up with the blonde’s entrance, before sliding in. Roxas gasped quietly at the sudden entry, but he was soon purring contently, wrapping his arms around Axel’s neck to keep him close.The taller teen soon began to thrust into his lover, kissing the shifter lovingly and tenderly, even as his pace steadily increased. Roxas moaned and mewled into Axel’s mouth as he was thrust into, thoroughly enjoying the sensations his mate was providing him. As the redhead’s thrusts deepened and his cock began to brush against the blonde’s prostate, the shorter teen broke away from the kiss, crying out in pleasure, even as one of Axel’s hands began to pump him in time with his thrusts.Finally, Roxas came, his cum coating Axel’s hand and their stomachs as he screamed the redhead’s name, his entire body clenching tightly around his mate’s cock. Axel wasn’t far behind, groaning out Roxas’s name as his white-hot seed filled the blonde beneath him. The redhead pulled out after a minute of catching his breath, before pulling Roxas close to himself so he was spooning him, making the blonde purr contently as he cuddled close.“I love you, Roxas, so much,” Axel murmured, softly kissing the back of the shifter’s neck.“Love you, too, Axel…” Roxas mumbled tiredly, yawning widely. The redhead chuckled softly at the sleepy reply, before kissing the lightly tanned neck again.“Sleep, Roxy. I’ll be here when you wake up,” Axel whispered. There was a quiet hum, before the shifter’s breathing evened out, signaling he was fast asleep.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(1 ½ Weeks Later)X*XFinally, a week and a half had passed, and Roxas’s heat had ended. It was strange that it took a week and a half compared to Prompto’s own taking a week, but Prompto and Noctis had chalked it up to it being because of the couple’s close bond and how long they’d been together beforehand. Fortunately, the family had managed to keep the twins and Kairi away from the area near Roxas and Axel’s room, so the kids had no clue what had happened, something that Reno was glad to know for his daughter’s sake.The morning Roxas’s heat was finally over, it was a Friday, mercifully, so he would have a while still to recover. Not that that would matter, considering what had happened. He wouldn’t be allowed to go to school now that he was pregnant for sure. And it was something that Prompto didn’t doubt in the least, since his oldest son’s heat had lasted so long and Axel hadn’t left the room once, not even to get food. They had solely depended on Prompto bringing food and water by ever since the incident with Regina and Domi, where Roxas had panicked.When Prompto woke up that Friday morning, he bit his lip worriedly as he laid in bed, hoping Roxas would be okay. He just knew that Roxas would be pregnant by now, and he was worried for his son’s reaction when the news hit him.“Prompto…” Noctis said softly, placing his arm around the blonde’s shoulders.“Hm?” the smaller shifter hummed quietly, curling into the hold.“It’s alright… Don’t worry.”“He’s too young, though, Noct… I’m worried about him…”“Ssssh…” Noctis shushed, pressing a kiss to his temple. “He’ll be fine…”“I can’t help but worry, though…” Prompto mumbled.“I know, I know…”“I’d better go check on them,” the blonde murmured, kissing Noctis softly before sitting up and getting out of bed.“Want me to go with you?” the King offered.“Probably a good idea,” the smaller shifter agreed as he got dressed. “Who knows how he’s going to be when we get there…”Noctis nodded as he stood up and headed for the closet to get dressed. Once both parents were dressed, they headed to Roxas and Axel’s room, but as they got close, they could catch the sound of soft crying, along with Axel’s voice trying to calm Roxas down.“Dammit…” Prompto hissed, hurrying to the door. He knocked on the wooden surface a couple of times, calling out, “Roxas…? It’s Mom and Dad. Can we come in…?”“Probably a good idea,” Axel answered, and Prompto opened the door. Roxas was, surprisingly, fully dressed, and didn’t reek of sex, but he was curled up in Axel’s lap, crying quietly and clinging to the redhead like a lifeline.“Roxas…” Prompto said softly, sympathizing with his son. He’d been scared when he got pregnant, too, so he understood. The poor boy didn’t react, though, even as his mother sat on the bed with him and Axel. Noctis sighed as he followed after. When he reached them, he placed a hand on his son’s head softly. Roxas whimpered at the touch, before he choked out a sob.“I…I’m scared…!” he wailed, curling up further against Axel.“I know, sweetie, I know,” Prompto murmured, placing a soothing hand on the boy’s back and rubbing gently. “I’ve been in the same place before, back when I got pregnant with you, Regina, and Ace. I was scared, and I didn’t think I could handle it. But I did it, and now I have you all, and thanks to your father’s help and support, I think we did well. No matter what, you have your whole family behind you, and we’ll be with you every step of the way. Especially Axel.”“…” The shorter blonde whimpered miserably, trembling as he fought back more tears, even as Axel kissed the top of his head.“Roxas… It’s okay,” Noctis murmured softly, as he rubbed the boy’s back. “We’re all here for you. We’ll get through this together, okay?”“…I know… I just don’t know…if I can be a…good parent…” Roxas whispered, and Prompto frowned slightly.“Roxas, you’re amazing with Zack and Naminé, and even Kairi,” he told him kindly. “You’ll be a great parent, that I can assure you of.” Roxas peeked at his parents with bloodshot eyes, sniffling.“…You really mean that…?” he asked quietly.“Of course we do… And we’ll be there every step of the way to help. As will Regina and Ace,” Noctis assured with a warm smile. Roxas almost appeared to look like he did as a small child: lost, scared, and uncertain. After several minutes, he gave a tiny, watery smile.“I…I think I can do this,” he whispered.“There we go,” Noctis said with a warm smile, rubbing his son’s head. Prompto smiled kindly, before pulling his eldest son into a warm hug.“We’ll all support you both, no matter what,” he murmured.“Thank you…” Roxas mumbled, hugging his mother back. Axel smiled fondly at the sight, chuckling softly when his lover went back to him.“Now come on, let’s all go get some breakfast, okay?” Prompto suggested. “I’m sure everyone will be relieved to see you both.”“Yeah,” Roxas nodded, and he and Axel got up from the bed before the group headed down to the dining hall. When they arrived, everyone looked up from their own conversations, pleasantly surprised to see them. And of course, the twins were the first to react.“ROXY!!” Naminé cried as she slid off her seat and scrambled to her big brother. Zack was right behind her, nearly smacking into the blonde’s leg before hugging him firmly.“You kay, Roxy?” he asked worriedly, looking up at Roxas with big puppy dog eyes.“I’m okay now, guys,” he smiled, bending down and pulling them into a hug.“Nu sick anymores?” the girl asked with a worried pout.“Nope,” he chuckled.“Good!” Zack chirped happily.“Yay!”Regina quietly sipped her drink as she watched the exchange, choosing to keep whatever was on her mind to herself for now. Ace, meanwhile, turned around in his chair.“Gonna be okay, Roxas?” he asked.“Yeah. Mom and Dad helped, and…I know you guys will, too,” his older brother murmured, blushing faintly as Axel wrapped an arm around his shoulders when he straightened up.Domi hummed softly, resting his arms on the table for a moment. “Sooo…does that mean you get to skip school entirely?” he asked teasingly.“Unfortunately, that will be a ‘no’. At least not for a few weeks,” Noctis pointed out.“Maybe we should consider it, Noct…” Prompto said. “Especially when the morning sickness hits.”“Maybe…but that won’t be for a while, right?” Noctis pointed out. “We’ll have to look into finding a proper tutor, then.”“If I remember right, it’ll probably hit in about two to three weeks,” Prompto answered. “But a tutor might be a better route than him flying to school.”“I think I can ask Quon to tutor him… If you’re okay with that, Rox?” Ace offered.“Yeah, that’s fine,” Roxas nodded. “I’d honestly prefer someone who knows the situation, anyway…”“I figured… I’m sure he’ll keep this to himself,” Ace said with a nod.“Alright; let’s all take our seats now, shall we?” Noctis chuckled.“Definitely,” Prompto smiled, and they went to their seats. Ignis brought out breakfast soon after, and everyone began to eat. As Roxas ate, he hoped everything would turn out well. His expression was even pensive.“…Sissy!” Naminé suddenly called out, frowning.“…Right, right,” Regina said with a small sigh, turning to Roxas. “Sorry for getting you sick.”“It’s all good,” the blonde chuckled. “Accidents happen, Nami.”Naminé smiled happily, while Regina smirked softly, before going back to her breakfast. Roxas chuckled at his little sister’s response as he went back to his breakfast. As he ate, he knew he would have to talk with his mom about what to expect, and honestly, it made him just a bit nervous, to say the least. More like really nervous, but he was trying to be strong. Regina noticed, and she frowned, but she didn’t say anything just yet. She’d save that until later…After breakfast, Roxas stood, stretching and yawning a bit, still kind of tired. Probably a nap would be in order later…“Rox.”“Hm?”“Can we talk?” Regina asked.“Oh, uh, sure,” the blonde nodded, before looking to Axel. “I’ll catch up with you in our room.”“Sounds good. I’ll see you soon, Roxy,” Axel smiled, kissing Roxas’s temple before leaving. Regina watched him go for a moment, before she took Roxas’s hand and tugged him out to the hall quietly. When they stopped, the shorter teen looked at his sister in silent inquiry.Regina sighed softly before she turned to her brother. “You doing okay?”“…I wasn’t when my heat ended this morning, but…Mom and Dad helped,” Roxas admitted. “Still kinda nervous, of course, but who wouldn’t be?”“…” The princess regarded her brother for a few more moments, before she asked, “…You sure about this?”“Kinda late for that now, isn’t it?” he replied. “Can’t exactly go back. It’s too late. Besides, it’s not like I can get an abortion. Guys don’t normally get pregnant in the first place, and we’re not completely human, anyway.”Regina sighed softly as she stepped up and pulled the boy into a hug. “Alright… Just know we’re here for ya, kay?”Although a bit startled, Roxas blinked, before he hugged her back with a small smile. “I know you guys are. I wouldn’t doubt it.”The Crown Princess smiled as she patted his back before stepping back. “Right…so don’t hesitate to ask for anything if you need it, kay?”“Will do,” the blonde nodded with a smile, before starting to head back to his room. “I’ll catch you later, okay?”“Yeah, later.”As Roxas made his way back to his room, he nearly smacked into Ace while turning a corner, making him yelp a little. “Sorry, Ace!” he apologized.“Ah, ‘s okay,” Ace said with a nod, pressing send on his phone. “I just got a text from Quon. He said he’d be happy to help.”“Awesome, thanks for that,” the shorter blonde told his brother gratefully. “‘Sides, I’m sure he knows more than some of the teachers do.” At that, the two brothers laughed.“Yeah, I’m pretty sure he does,” Ace chuckled, before his expression sobered. “…sure you’re okay with this, Rox?”“Mom and Dad helped me to come to terms with it, but I can’t really go back on this or change it, now can I?” Roxas pointed out.“Maybe you should’ve considered that first…” Ace murmured softly, before he sighed. “Anyway, we’ll all be here to support you. No matter what.”“Ace, it’s not like I asked for my heat to hit… And you have no idea how hard it was to even try to resist…” Roxas muttered, frowning at the floor.“I’m not saying that, Rox…” Ace said as he stepped up and placed a hand on his shoulder. “None of us could’ve predicted this…but even so, we’re here for you, okay?”“I know you guys are,” the shorter blonde nodded softly. “Thanks.”“Anytime, Rox,” Ace said kindly before he stepped back. “Now you better hurry before Axel starts to worry.”“Right,” Roxas smiled lightly. “I’ll see you later, then.”“Later, Rox.”Roxas soon got back to his room, where Axel was waiting for him.“Everything okay, Roxy?” he asked.“Yeah. Regina and Ace wanted make sure I’m okay,” the blonde told him, joining him on their bed and curling into the redhead’s side. “Still nervous, I’ll be honest, but I know we’ll pull through this together.”“Damn straight,” Axel chuckled, kissing the shifter’s temple. X*X(Regina & Domi)X*XRegina sighed a little as she settled back on the couch. “You okay, love?” Domi asked.“Yeah… I’m fine…” the princess mumbled softly, rubbing her temples. “Just… thinking how to make things a bit better for Roxas…”Domi frowned sadly, before he sighed and leaned back as well along the couch, leaning up against the raven’s shoulder. She didn’t mind; if anything, she only leaned against him as well. For several long moments, they remained like that, before Regina hummed.“…maybe…” she murmured. “…back when we were younger… there was one thing we used to do…”“Oh?” Domi enquired.When she told him what she meant, Domi hummed as well… and then he allowed a giggle.“Well… why not?”“…Gonna need some help, though…”“Well… I’m fairly sure we can ask the twins to help~” Domi pointed out. “And maybe Kairi, too~”“True… and pretty sure Ace would be down with it…”“Well then~ Shall we get to planning?”“Heh. Let’s.” X*X(Roxas & Axel)X*XAs they rested on their bed, Roxas purring softly, Axel asked, “How many do you think you’ll have? I know from what you’ve told me, shifters have more than one…”“Aunt Luna’s said that shifters can have four at the most at one time, but who knows? Maybe we’ll just have two or three. Or maybe we’ll actually have four,” Roxas replied. “We won’t know until I can get an ultrasound later on in my pregnancy.”“Mm…” the taller teen hummed. “Would you want boys, girls, or both?”“Honestly, I’d prefer boys,” the blonde admitted. “It’d be easier to talk to them later on when it comes to that time.”“I gotcha,” Axel nodded. Just then, there was a series of quick knocks on the door. Roxas perked up, and he smiled slightly when he caught the scents of who was at the door. Getting up, he went over to the door, and opened it.“Hey guys,” he greeted when he saw the twins and Kairi outside his and Axel’s room.“Hi Roxy!” Kairi smiled brightly.“Roxy! Sissy asked us to get yous!”“Oh? What’s up?” Roxas asked.“The sky!” Kairi giggled.“You’re just like your dad,” Axel laughed as he joined them. “All right, let’s go.”Naminé giggled, before she grabbed Roxas’s hand and began to drag him after. Axel trailed after as Zack grabbed Roxas’s other hand, Kairi walking alongside her uncle while they led the teens off to where Regina wanted them. After a bit of walking, they finally arrived at the door to a guest room, where Ace was waiting by the closed door. “There you are.”“Hey. What’s going on?” Roxas asked.“Oh, you’ll see,” Ace said with a chuckle, before he knocked on the door.“Five seconds!” Domi called out from inside.“We’ll count it out, then!” Axel laughed, looking at the twins.“One!” Zack giggled.“Two!” Nami called out.“Three!” Kairi grinned.“Four,” Roxas smiled.“And five,” Axel chuckled. “Time’s up, Domi!”And just then, Domi opened the door. “Yep~ And we’re done~” the boy chirped with a smile, stepping aside. Ace chuckled, gesturing for Roxas and Axel to enter first. The blonde and redhead did just that, and when Roxas saw what his siblings, Domi, and Kairi had done, he gasped in pleasant surprise, before smiling happily.The chairs from the room had been moved around the room, and even the desk had been readjusted, with blankets pulled across them, with the pillows placed under them like one giant nest. It looked like the group had pulled out several more chairs from the other rooms, as well as blankets and pillows, to create one massive “pillow fort”.“You guys made a blanket fort like when we were kids!” the blonde exclaimed with a grin.“Yep,” Regina said with a grin. “But we took the liberty to expand a bit since we’re bigger than we used to be.”“It’s perfect!” Roxas told them happily, and Axel chuckled as he wrapped an arm around his lover’s shoulders.“I remember you telling me about when you guys used to make these. Never made one myself, but this is awesome,” he smirked.“Good to know,” Regina chuckled.“We helped toos!” Naminé cheered happily.“Yeah!” Zack nodded with a grin.“Thank you, all of you,” Roxas told the group gratefully. Ace smiled lightly, while Regina chuckled and Domi giggled.“Well? Why are you still standing there?” the whitehead asked suddenly. “Get in~”“Sounds good,” the short blonde nodded eagerly, before shifting into a fennec fox and bounding inside with an excited yip. This drew a squeal from Kairi, before she followed after, Axel crawling in with them.Regina and Ace laughed at their brother’s excitement, before they shifted into foxes as well and moving inside, with Domi, Kairi, and the twins close behind, giggling happily as they got comfortable.‘This is awesome! You guys grabbed the best blankets and pillows!’ Roxas grinned as he curled up in a super-comfy-looking spot.‘Of course we did,’ Regina laughed, curling up against Domi among the pillows.‘Well, this is amazing,’ Roxas insisted, purring as Axel scratched gently behind his large ears.‘Glad you like it,’ Ace said with a chuckle as he settled down by the twins. Just then, though, Regina yawned widely.“Tired already, huh?” Axel smirked.‘Whatever,’ Regina snorted before she hopped over to lay down by Domi. Roxas laughed lightly, purring louder when Kairi joined in on scratching behind his ears.“You look so cute, Roxy!” she giggled.“Ace and Sissy are cutes, too!” Naminé called out, pouting, as Ace chuckled softly.“But Roxy’s the smallest and has bigger ears right now, so he’s cutest!” Kairi argued, as Zack giggled.‘Shush already…’ Regina suddenly said, curling up a little closer to Domi, who giggled softly, before he settled down as well.‘Someone’s grumpy, huh?’ Roxas snorted, cuddling against Axel. No response came; the princess was either ignoring them, or fast asleep already. ‘I think we’ll follow suit,’ the smaller blonde murmured, purring contently. Axel hummed his agreement, holding Kairi against his other side as the two redheads began to doze off. Ace laughed softly as the twins cuddled close, so he shifted briefly into a wolf, so that they had more space to lay against him. Domi merely hummed softly as he laid down, shutting his eyes softly with Regina curled against his chest.Not long after they’d all fallen asleep, Prompto and Reno found them, and he smiled softly at the sight.“Mind getting Noct for me? I think he’d enjoy this,” Prompto asked quietly, and Reno nodded with a soft chuckle. When he returned with the raven, the blonde waved them over.Noctis hummed softly as he walked over. As he looked inside, though, he smiled. “Well now…”“They haven’t made a blanket fort since they were kids,” Prompto murmured. “They must have wanted to cheer Roxas up.”“Seems like they succeeded, though,” Reno commented.“Definitely…” Noctis agreed, smiling warmly.“You think he’ll be okay, though?” Reno wondered, glancing at the two shifters.This made the King hum softly in thought, before he smiled. “I’m fairly sure he’ll be fine… He just needs some time to get used to the idea.”“Knowing how he’s been with the twins and Kairi, though, he’ll adapt pretty quick,” Prompto added. “He’ll be great, especially with Axel’s help and support.”“Yeah, Axel’s honestly wanted a family at some point, but now he gets it a bit sooner than he anticipated,” Reno murmured.“Ain’t gonna be easy, though,” said a familiar voice from behind them, making them look over.“Ah, Kurasa…” Noctis said in greeting.“Yo.”“Oh, we know,” Prompto murmured, glancing at his mate.Kurasa snorted a little with a smile, before he said, “Hey, we’re gonna be heading back soon. Gotta get the word back to the pack, after all.”“Understandable,” Noctis said. “Just know you’re always welcome should you be in the area.”“Absolutely,” Prompto nodded in agreement. “We’ll hopefully see you soon.” Kurasa nodded briefly, waving as he turned and walked away. Once he was gone, the blonde murmured, “Let’s let these guys sleep. We’ll get them later.”“Let’s,” Noctis agreed, as he quietly shut the door. As they walked away, Prompto linked his fingers with Noctis’s, humming contently. Noctis chuckled, squeezing his mate’s hand. “Happy?”“As long as everything turns out well, then yes,” the smaller shifter smiled.“I’m sure it will,” Noctis assured him.“I know.”Noctis smiled as they walked down the halls, still squeezing the blonde’s hand on occasion.

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X*X(2 Weeks Later)X*X“Ugh, I hate school at this point…” Roxas grumbled as he got dressed that morning. Fortunately, this was his last day in school before Quon would tutor him, so he wouldn’t have to deal with it anymore after today.“I know, Roxy, but this is it. After today, you’re done there,” Axel assured him, kissing the top of his head once they were both dressed.“I just hope nothing happens… I’m still afraid I’m gonna get sick at school, though. Remember, Mom said the morning sickness would start in about two to three weeks,” the blonde reminded him.“We’ll just hope for the best,” the redhead soothed. “Try not to worry so much, Roxas.”“No promises…” the pregnant male grumbled, before grabbing his bag as they headed down to the dining room. Prompto was already there with the twins, Reno and Kairi already seated and waiting, too.“Good morning, you two,” Prompto greeted with a smile.“Mornin’, Roxy!” Zack called once he was seated.“Hi Roxy!” Kairi chimed in.“Morning!” Naminé echoed, smiling brightly. Once the couple was seated, Roxas looked around.“Where’s everyone else at?” he asked.“Probably still waking up, except for your father. He had to get an early start to his work, sadly,” Prompto shrugged.Just then, Ace walked in, with Domi and Regina following close behind. The princess yawned a bit, stretching her arms, before she said, “Morning.”“Morning, everyone,” Prompto smiled. He then looked to Roxas. “How’s your stomach feeling?”“I feel fine right now, but I’ll let you know if anything changes,” Roxas replied.“Please do,” his mother nodded. “Ace, Regina, Axel, Domi, please keep an eye out for him.”“Of course,” Axel smiled.“Will do,” Ace said with a nod.“No problem~” Domi added, as Regina merely hummed.“Thanks,” Prompto told them gratefully. “All right, take your seats. Ignis should be out soon with breakfast.” The other royals nodded as they moved over to take their seats. Shortly after sitting down, Ignis brought out their breakfasts. And once they were eating, he went back to the kitchens.While they ate, Roxas hoped nothing would go wrong on his last day, because he had a feeling that it would ruin everything if something did. Regina didn’t seem to be too worried, and Domi hummed a little to himself. Ace, meanwhile, seemed to be lost in thought about one thing or another.When they were all done with their breakfasts, Roxas stood, stretching a little. “All right, let’s get this day over with,” he sighed.“Yep,” Regina said as they headed out. “We’ll be back tonight!” she called out.“Bye Sissy! Roxy! Ace!”“See yous!” Zack chirped.“Be careful, and we’ll see you all after school!” Prompto called.“See you, Mom!” Roxas called back, and then they went outside. Once outside, they shifted, Axel climbing onto Roxas’s back.“Gonna be okay, Rox?” Regina asked before she shifted as well, Domi climbing on her back.‘Yeah, just gotta get through today,’ he assured her. ‘After today, things will go better.’‘Just let us know whenever you’re feeling less than stellar, okay?’ Ace asked, flapping his wings briefly before they took off as one.‘Will do,’ the pregnant shifter nodded as they flew. Thankfully, they reached their usual field without any difficulty, and as they landed, they breathed out a little before shifting back.“Whew… We’re here.”“Yeah,” Roxas nodded, smiling at Axel as the redhead wrapped an arm around his shoulders. They then began to head to the school building. They were a little earlier than normal, shockingly, so they encountered more than a few other students on the way. Not that that bothered them…though there were definitely some people watching them (or more specifically, Regina) as they passed.“What are they staring at?” Roxas grumbled, noticing the stares.“Just ignore ‘m, Rox…” Regina mumbled.“Easier said than done…” the shorter teen muttered, only relaxing a little when Axel squeezed his hand gently.Domi frowned sadly and patted the blonde’s shoulder. “It’s okay,” he said. “I’m sure it’s nothing bad.”“We’ll see,” Roxas sighed.As they reached the school building, it was clear that there was something going on. There was a definite buzz of conversation around them that only seemed to get louder as they moved along.“…something’s up…” Ace murmured.“…just ignore it…” Regina repeated. Instead, Roxas growled irritably, gritting his teeth together.“…Sis…” Ace murmured softly. Regina didn’t say anything, though, as she silently continued to walk along. Finally, they reached Terry, Libri, and Quon, and Roxas did his best to keep from snapping.Quon looked over, a small frown on his face. Of the group, Terry was the first to speak. “Oy, Regi…we might have a problem…”“…what?”“Someone seems to have spread rumors about…yanno,” Terry mumbled, bringing up her hand and tapping her ring finger.“…ugh…”“You’re shitting me. They’re freaking the fuck out over her damn ring and the engagement?!” Roxas nearly snarled.“Easy, Rox,” Regina said simply. “It’s fine. Not like they can do anything about it…”“Still annoying as fuck, though…” Roxas growled.“Sure you’ll be alright, love?” Domi asked worriedly.“Yeah, don’t worry…” Regina assured. “I’ll sort this out.”“Fucking people can’t stop with rumors, though, huh? How old are these people, five?” Roxas snorted, leaning against Axel lightly when the redhead rubbed at his shoulder. The princess sighed as she reached out and poked Roxas to his forehead. This made the blonde blink, before he quirked a brow at his sister.“You just focus on getting through the day, alright? I’ll deal with the rumor going around.”“Fine… Just don’t expect me to be happy about this, though…”“I know…but you need to watch yourself more than you need to watch me,” Regina pointed out, before she glanced down pointedly to his stomach. Roxas’s temper seemed to simmer down at that, and he sighed heavily.“Sorry…” he mumbled.“Don’t worry,” Regina said with a small smile. “It’s fine.”“Just give ‘em hell for me if they become too much, k?” the pregnant shifter smirked. “They need to be put in their place.”“Of course,” the princess said with a chuckle, just as the bell rang.“Right then…” Libby murmured. “Let’s go.”“Sounds good,” Axel nodded, leading Roxas to their first class.As they entered and split off to go to their corresponding classes, Regina adjusted her bag with a small sigh. She hadn’t been expecting this to come up so soon, but she figured it was probably better to deal with it sooner rather than later.“Your Highness!”At that voice, she groaned, almost tempted to stop, but she decided better of it and kept walking. She completely ignored the calls from the girls, even as she walked into her class and moved to her seat. Even as she pulled out her books, she didn’t even look up at the harpies crowding around her seat.“Highness! Is it true?!” one of them demanded. “Is the rumor of your engagement true?! It isn’t, is it?!”“Please…! It’s not true, right?”Regina didn’t respond as she sat down, flipping open her book. As they continued to chatter, though, she finally sighed, figuring it wasn’t going to change anything, anyway.“…It’s true,” she said simply then, silencing each of them. After a few moments of silence, though, she looked up with a dark glare. “What of it?”“B-but…!”Regina snorted simply as she looked back to her book. “I’m not in the mood for this. Buzz off.”Silence followed that, before the harpies finally dispersed.‘About time…’ X*X*X*X*X*X*XBy lunch, Roxas was more than ready to go home. He’d already nearly gotten harassed by Seifer about leaving early a few weeks back, but Axel had stopped him in his tracks before it escalated.“So sick of the bullshit… I’m not going to miss any of it,” he muttered as they took their seats at their usual table.“I know, Roxy. Seifer won’t bug you anymore after that, thankfully,” Axel soothed, kissing his temple. As Axel settled in his own seat, he spotted Regina walking over silently, hands in her pockets as she did.“Hey Regina,” Axel called in greeting. “Where’s Domi?”“Bathroom,” she said as she sat down with a small sigh.“That bad with the fan-bitches, huh?” Roxas guessed.“Hmm… They actually stuck back after I said the rumor’s true,” Regina said simply as she pulled out her bento.“Damn straight,” the blonde nodded, satisfied, as he pulled out his own bento and began to eat. Regina merely hummed as she took a swig from her drink, quietly watching the other students as they seemed to be looking at her from a distance. She merely snorted at that as she went back to her lunch. Sensing the stares, Roxas growled, before taking a bite of rice. “They never learn…”“Easy, Rox…” Regina murmured.“Still, they’re being stupid about it,” the pregnant shifter grumbled. The princess merely hummed as she chewed, glancing over as she spotted Libby walking over.“Heya Libs,” Axel greeted, as Roxas nodded, since his mouth was full.Libby merely hummed with a nod, as she took her seat as well. Once she had settled, she turned to Roxas. “How are you feeling?”“Other than being irritated by the unnecessary spectators, I’m fine,” he replied after swallowing, raising his voice to emphasize ‘unnecessary spectators’, and making many of the students look away in embarrassment.Regina chuckled softly, shaking her head. “That works.”“Hey, staring is rude,” the blonde shrugged, and Axel snorted on a laugh.“He’s got a point,” he agreed. This made the princess chuckle softly, while Libby hummed as she began to eat. Shortly after, Terry came over, wiping the sweat from her forehead.“Good run as usual, Terry?” Roxas guessed.“Yep,” Terry quipped as she snagged Libby’s ice tea and gulping down half of the bottle in one go. Roxas chuckled, more at ease now that the other students weren’t staring anymore.As Terry flopped down on her seat, though, Regina paused with a bite halfway to her mouth. “…”“Regina?” Roxas said, frowning at the pause.“…”Terry watched her for a moment, before she shrugged and looked over. “Oy…by the way, where’s Dom at?”“He’s been a while, unless something’s wrong…” Axel commented, frowning as well, and making Roxas tense slightly.“……” Regina frowned darkly as she moved to stand up.“Oyoy,” Terry called out, pushing the girl back down. “You stay. I’ll go look for ‘m. Ax, mind helpin’ out?”“Not at all,” Axel nodded, before kissing the top of Roxas’s head. “I’ll be back, Roxy.”“Whatever happens, give ‘em hell,” he growled.“Don’t worry, I will.”Terry hummed as she stood up and headed off ahead of Axel. The lanky teen was quick to follow, hoping Domi was okay.As they walked out of the hall, Terry grumbled softly. “Seriously… What the hell’s he doin’?”“I don’t think it’s his fault, whatever’s going on,” Axel pointed out. “Besides, this isn’t like him.”“Yeah, yeah,” Terry mumbled, before she suddenly stopped.“What is it?”Before Terry could answer, though…“…if you’re done preaching, I’ll be on my way,” Domi’s voice said simply. “I’m honestly not in the mood to talk to you.”“Hm?” Axel hummed, frowning darkly.“Oh?” said a far too familiar voice just then. “Are you sure it’s wise not to do so?”“I’m fairly sure, yes,” Domi said simply.“Wait a sec…” Axel muttered, glaring dangerously in the direction of the source of the other voice. “That sounds like that Seymour bastard…”Terry growled dangerously, her fists clenched by her sides.“Perhaps you should consider it… After all, these rumors couldn’t possibly do her any favors…”“Maybe not…but we’ll get through this without your ‘help’.”“He’s trying to deter Domi from the engagement…!” Axel realized, glowering in Seymour’s direction.“Ooh no he does NOT!” Terry snarled, looking to Axel.“I think it’s time to intervene,” he nodded.Terry nodded as they walked over, catching the door, Domi half-turned to Seymour, clearly in the process of saying something. “Oy, Domi!” she called out, making the whitehead jump before whirling around.“Terry…?”“Mind telling us why you’re interfering in Regina’s affairs, Seymour?” Axel growled. “From what I remember, Regina asked you not to.”Seymour didn’t respond immediately, before he smirked slowly. “Oh? Was I doing something wrong, then?” he asked simply.Terry glared dangerously as she cracked her knuckles.“Considering you were trying to deter Domi here, I’d certainly say so. And you know damn well what you’re playing at, so don’t treat us like dumbasses,” the lanky teen snorted, narrowing his eyes threateningly.The other teen regarded Axel and Terry in silence, before he chuckled. “I was merely giving some casual advice,” he said simply. “Take that how you will.”With that said, he merely turned and walked away.“Casual advice my ass,” Axel muttered, flipping the bastard off behind his back before turning to Domi. “I highly doubt he was telling us the truth. What exactly was he saying, Domi?”Domi snorted softly. “Ah, he was offering to assist in ‘dispelling’ the rumor,” he said with a snort. “Yeah, right…”“Pfff… Like that’s gonna work…” Terry grumbled.“Yeah, he’s full of shit,” Axel agreed, rolling his eyes.“Anyway! Let’s get back…” Terry said. “Better not tell Regi… Much as I wanna punch his face in, won’t do to start a fight…”Domi actually giggled at that. “You’re just saying that because Regina would punch you.”“I think that’s a good enough reason to not get in a fight.”“True, I just hope Rox doesn’t catch on,” Axel murmured.“Right… That’s the last thing he needs right now,” Domi agreed as they began to walk back to the cafeteria.“I know, but he’s become more in-tune with things since his heat, so I may have to tell him later, when we get home,” Axel sighed.“Just save it until you’re alone, alright?” Domi murmured as they were about to turn the last corner. “Don’t want him freaking out in school…”“If he’s anything like Regi when angry tha’s a given…” Terry mumbled.“He would probably hunt him down,” Axel replied simply. “But yeah, I’ll wait.”Domi nodded, just as they stepped into the cafeteria and moved over to where the others were at. “Hey there! Sorry I’m late! Long line,” was the boy’s response.Regina looked up with a piece of meat between his teeth, before she hummed and nodded briefly. Roxas frowned slightly, uncertain, before nodding as Axel sat back down next to him. He seemed a bit suspicious still, despite how he relaxed against the redhead. Terry groaned as she plopped down on her seat and finally dug out her own lunch so she could finish it before the bell rang.“Your leg hurting you, Terry?” Roxas asked suddenly.“Mrph?” Terry got out with her mouthful, before she swallowed quickly. “No, why?”“Because you only sound like that when either your leg hurts or you’re annoyed,” Libby pointed out.“…” That made the redhead blink, twice, before she frowned. “How d’ya know that?”“I know you longer than today, Terry.”Axel chuckled at that. “She’s got ya there, Terry.”“Oyoy…” Terry grumbled.“Nothing wrong with being familiar with your friends,” Roxas chuckled. Terry merely snorted as she took another bite of her sandwich. “Where are Ace and Quon?” Roxas asked before returning to his bento.“Where do you think?” Regina asked with a chuckle.“Making out in the library?” the pregnant shifter suggested, snickering.“I would not be surprised,” Terry chuckled.“I’m glad Ace has someone, though, even if it’s not official,” Roxas commented. “He deserves to have someone who understands him.”“Yeah, since he thinks a bit differently than the rest of us,” Axel agreed.“Hmhmm,” the girls and Domi hummed as they focused on their food again. X*X*X*X*X*X*XFinally, the school day ended, and Roxas was immensely relieved. “The day couldn’t have gone by any quicker, huh?” he sighed as they headed to the field.“Well, time flies when you’re having fun, so it crawls when you’re not,” Axel chuckled, ruffling the blonde’s hair lightly.“Six… So annoying…” Regina groaned, stretching her arms, much to Domi’s amusement.“I’m ready to flop into bed, that’s for sure,” Roxas admitted, yawning slightly.“You gonna be okay to fly home, Roxy?” Axel frowned.“Yeah, I can fly us home. No worries.”“Don’t strain yourself, Roxas,” Ace said firmly. “Let us know if it’s too much for you, okay?”“I know, I know…” the shorter blonde grumbled. “I’ll pipe up if I need to stop.”Ace nodded as they reached the field. Regina groaned as she rolled her shoulders, before shifting into a griffon again, letting Domi climb up on her back. Roxas shifted into a griffon as well, and once Axel had climbed onto his back, they took off to the skies and headed home.It didn’t take long for them to get home, and once they had landed and shifted back, they headed inside to get their bags back to their rooms and get ready for dinner. Roxas flopped forward onto his and Axel’s bed when they got to their room, and he groaned.“Dammit, I’m tired…” he muttered.“You gonna be okay, Roxy?” Axel asked, concerned.“Yeah, just need to rest…” the blonde mumbled.“Then rest. I’ll be here when you wake up, okay?”“Kay…” X*X*X*X*X*X*XOnly an hour later, there was a knock on the door that the pair recognized as Regina’s. “Oy, guys. Dinner’s served. Get up!”“We’re up…” Roxas groaned, yawning widely as he sat up, rubbing his blonde spikes a little to wake himself up more. “We’ll be down soon, Regina.”“Alright. Don’t take too long! Iggy made Green Curry Soup!”“Really?!” the pregnant shifter yelped, before nearly falling out of bed in his haste to get up.“Damn, that sounds good,” Axel chuckled as he got up, too.“Well get your lazy bums downstairs, then!” Regina laughed, before they heard her walking away.“Geez, I love Ignis’s Green Curry Soup!” Roxas told his mate eagerly as he hurried to the door.“Well, now I get to try it,” Axel laughed lightly, and then they headed to the dining room. “That does smell good!”Regina chuckled from where she sat, while Domi smiled as he took a sip from his drink. Ace, meanwhile, allowed a smirk as he watched them. “Well, take your seats, then.”“Going,” the pair said, taking their seats. Once they were sitting down and Ignis had served them, Roxas grinned as he inhaled the spicy scent of the Green Curry Soup.“It’s been way too long since we had this,” he murmured, taking a bite.“Definitely,” Regina agreed as she picked up her spoon. “Hey, Iggy? Is Father still working?”“Yes, he’s been rather busy today, unfortunately,” Ignis nodded.“Oh…” Regina murmured.“I’m sure he’ll be done soon,” Prompto assured her. “Try not to worry too much.”“Yeah, kay,” the princess murmured as she returned to her food. As they ate, Prompto soon perked up when he heard Noctis’s footsteps approaching. And sure enough, soon after Noctis came into the room, running a hand through his hair with a small grumble.As soon as Naminé noticed, though, she smiled brightly. “Papa!”“Huh?” Noctis blinked briefly, before he smiled warmly. “Hey there.”“Hi Papa!” Zack chirped happily, waving from his place at the table. Noctis chuckled as he moved over, briefly ruffling Zack’s hair and patting Naminé on her head, before he took his own seat.“Work that bad today, Dad?” Roxas guessed after swallowing a mouthful of soup.“Yeah, unfortunately,” Noctis sighed softly as Ignis brought over his own dinner. “Thanks, Ignis.”“Well, at least it makes the time fly,” Prompto pointed out with an amused chuckle.“I suppose,” Noctis murmured, starting on his own dinner. When they all finished eating, Roxas yawned widely.“Tired, Roxas?” Prompto smiled sympathetically.“Yeah…”“Then go on and get to bed, okay? You’re gonna need the sleep,” the taller blonde said.“Kay…” Roxas mumbled, stretching a little once he was standing. Axel got up as well, guiding his lover back to their room after they bid the others goodnight. Once they were gone, Prompto looked at Regina and Ace.“Was he this tired today at school, too?” he asked.“No. Just a bit annoyed with class, that’s all,” Regina said.“What was going on?”“Eh. Same old, same old,” the princess said with a shrug.Noctis chuckled. “Yeah, sometimes it’s just a real pain…”“I can see that,” Prompto shrugged. “Well, I’ll check on him in the morning. Hopefully he’ll be okay…”“I’m sure he’ll be fine as long as Axel’s there for him,” Ace said with a small nod.“Definitely,” Domi agreed.“True,” Prompto nodded. “I just can’t help but worry…”“You always worry, Prom,” Noctis chuckled softly, making the other kids laugh softly as well.“I have every reason to, and besides, I’ll always worry about all of you, no matter how old you get,” the blonde replied.“We know,” Regina and Ace said at the same time with a smile as they stood up.“See you tomorrow, Mom, Dad,” Ace said with a nod, while Regina merely nodded her head and Domi bowed politely.“Goodnight, you three. We’ll see you tomorrow,” Prompto smiled, picking up Zack, who had started dozing off.“Don’t make it too late,” Noctis added as he picked up Naminé.“We won’t, Father,” Regina assured as they started for their room.“Domi’ll make sure she doesn’t sleep in too late,” Prompto chuckled.“Maaaa!” Regina groaned, while Domi giggled, poking the princess, who, after yelping, proceeded to poke him back.“Take it to your room, you two,” Prompto smirked, before heading off to take Zack to bed while Noctis carried Naminé.Noctis chuckled as Regina grumbled while they headed up to their room. “Kids…” he murmured softly with a shake of his head.“Can’t help but love them, though,” his mate pointed out.“True… Now let’s get these little ones to bed, hm?”“Yeah,” Prompto smiled as they got to the twins’ room. Soon, the twins were tucked in, fast asleep, and the couple headed back to their own room. Once they were changed into their pajamas and in bed, the blonde curled up against the raven with a content hum. “Goodnight, Noct… Love you…”“Hmm… love you, too, Prom…” Noctis murmured, placing a soft kiss to the blonde’s temple. The smaller male hummed contently, before falling asleep in Noctis’s hold.

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X*X(1 Week Later)X*XIt was roughly a week after Roxas had stopped going to school and Quon had started tutoring him, and the poor blonde was now starting to experience the morning sickness. In fact, he was currently lying in bed, Axel holding him close to himself that Saturday morning, but he was desperately trying to keep his stomach calm by not moving except to breathe.Suddenly, his stomach lurched, and he bolted from Axel’s hold to his bathroom, where he barely made it to the toilet in time, emptying his stomach’s contents. When the roaring in his ears died down as he finished, he became aware of Axel crouching beside him, rubbing his back soothingly.“I hate this…” Roxas croaked as he leaned against the redhead after spitting out some bile from his mouth.“I know, Roxy, I know…” his mate murmured. “Prompto said it only lasts a week, though, remember?”“Yeah, thank the Six…” the pregnant shifter mumbled.“…Do you want anything?”“I just wanna go back to bed…” Roxas sighed, closing his eyes.“All right. Can you walk?” Axel asked.“I think so…” Axel helped the shorter teen to his feet, and then they made their way back to bed, where Roxas curled up close against his mate, yawning widely. “Love you, Ax…”“Love you, too, Roxy,” the lanky teen murmured, kissing his lover’s forehead softly before they fell back asleep. However, before they could fall under completely, there was a knock on the door.“Hm…?” Roxas hummed groggily, before he caught his dad’s scent from the other side of the door. “Hey Dad…”“Hey, Rox,” Noctis called out through the door. “You feel good enough to come down for breakfast or do you want me to send it up?”“Mom’ll worry if I don’t come down…” the blonde sighed heavily, before sitting up in Axel’s hold. “We’ll be down for breakfast…”“Alright. Don’t push yourself, okay?”“Kay…”Once Noctis had left, Roxas sighed. “I just wanna sleep…” he whined.“I know, Roxy, but you need to eat,” Axel soothed, kissing his temple. “Come on, I’ll bet Ignis made something really good for Saturday.”“I’ll bet,” the pregnant shifter smiled slightly. Once the couple was dressed and got down to the dining room, they saw Prompto and Noctis seating the twins in their own seats. “Morning.”“Hi Roxy!” Naminé chirped happily as Noctis nodded in greeting.“Mornin’, Roxy!” Zack grinned.“Good morning, you two,” Prompto smiled, before he noticed how pale Roxas looked. “The morning sickness, huh?”“Yeah…” Roxas sighed. “It sucks…”“I know, sweetie, but it only lasts for a week in shifters,” his mother reminded him. “You’re a tough cookie, and I know you’ll be okay.”“I’m taking care of him,” Axel smiled.“And I’m grateful to you for that, Axel,” Prompto told him kindly.“…? Roxy sick agains?” Naminé asked worriedly.“Not quite, Nami, don’t worry,” Roxas assured her as Zack smiled.“Roxy tough! He okay!” he told Naminé. Just as Zack said that, Regina and Domi walked into the room, followed closely by Ace and Quon.“Morning,” the blonde prince said with a nod.“Morning,” Prompto greeted with a smile. “Come and sit down, guys. Ignis made eggs benedict this morning.”“Really? He hasn’t made that in forever,” Roxas blinked, pleasantly surprised. “I love that stuff!”“That’s why he made it. He figured you’d feel better by making that for breakfast,” Prompto chuckled.“Ooh nice,” Regina chuckled as the four teens took their seats as well.“Never had it, actually,” Axel admitted as Ignis brought out their breakfasts.“It’s really good!” Roxas told him. “And Ignis makes the hollandaise sauce on it from scratch, too.”“Just like everything else he cooks,” Prompto added with a chuckle.Domi took the first bite and hummed pleasantly. “Hmm~ So good~”“Definitely,” Axel agreed after taking a bite. “Never even had a poached egg, either. I only know what they look like from watching those competitive cooking shows we watch, Rox.”Regina merely hummed as she began to eat as well. Ace, meanwhile, was having a quiet conversation with Quon as they ate. As everyone enjoyed their food, Prompto looked to Noctis with a thoughtful look.“Hey Noct, what should we do for the twins’ birthday?” he asked. “After all, they’ll be able to shift this year.”“Hmmm… Good one,” the King murmured thoughtfully.“We wanna learn to shift!” Zack grinned excitedly.“Hahah. You will, don’t worry, Zack. But aside from that, what do you two want to do?”“Um…”“I dunno…” the small raven admitted.“Hmm… Well, we’ll think of something, then,” Noctis murmured.“Absolutely,” Prompto nodded.“At least you two have Kairi as a friend now, huh? And maybe Joshua and Endrance will be here for it, too,” Roxas commented.“Yeah!” Zack chirped happily.“Yay! …Ooh ooh! Can we make a huuuuuge blanket fort, Papa?” Naminé suddenly asked, making their family laugh.“Hahah. We’ll see, sweetheart.”“I bet we could,” Axel shrugged. “Maybe out in the garden?”“Yeah! It’d be like camping!” Roxas nodded.Regina laughed softly. “Don’t see why not. Should be safe enough, too.”“Especially since we’ll be out in the garden, not the forest. I love that idea,” Prompto smiled.“Yay!” Naminé cheered happily.“Best birthday ever!” Zack grinned.“Don’t say that until it’s here, Zack,” Regina said with a chuckle.Domi giggled as he said, “Something may come up at any time~”“Ah, let him be excited,” Roxas said. “It just makes him happy.”Regina merely chuckled as the twins giggled and tittered about what they were going to do on their birthday. Once they all finished their breakfasts, Roxas stiffened as he felt a cold sweat hit when his stomach threatened to empty itself. Noticing how the pregnant shifter froze, Prompto’s eyes widened.“Noct, Regina, take the twins to the garden. Ace, go to the infirmary and get some anti-nausea medication, now,” he ordered, moving over to Roxas after grabbing a trash bin. Upon hearing the orders, Axel began to gently rub the shorter teen’s back soothingly, hoping that would help keep him from getting sick.Noctis frowned a little, but nodded as Regina and Domi picked up the twins and led the way to the garden, with Noctis following close behind. Ace, meanwhile, leaped up and ran for the infirmary.“Roxas, it’s okay… Just breathe, okay? If it becomes too much, let it out, or it’s going to be even worse,” Prompto soothed, before looking to Quon. “Quon, could you please get a cool washcloth for Roxas? I’m afraid he might get sick…”“Ah, will do,” Quon said with a nod, hurrying off as well.“…Stomach hurts…” Roxas whimpered, biting his lip to try and keep himself from throwing up as he began to tremble.“I know, sweetie, trust me, I’ve been there,” Prompto murmured. “Like I said, let it out if it becomes any worse, or else it’ll hurt more.”“Roxy, you can do it, I know you can,” Axel chimed in, kissing the top of Roxas’s head. “I’m here, okay?” After several minutes, the shorter blonde slowly stopped trembling, and he exhaled shakily.“…I…I think I’m okay now…” he breathed.“Well, the anti-nausea medicine I’m having Ace grab will help,” Prompto smiled slightly. “We’ll wait until he gets back to take you to your room to rest, though.”“Kay…”Shortly after, Ace came running back, and Quon wasn’t far behind with the washcloth.“Thank you, boys,” Prompto told them, before pouring the anti-nausea medicine into a small dosing cup. “Here you go, Roxas. Not the best taste, but it’s medicine that’ll help with the morning sickness.”Roxas eyed it for a second, but then sighed and drank the medicine, grimacing at the taste. “Yuck…”“There we go. We’ll get this on your forehead, and that’ll help with the clamminess of your skin,” his mother smiled, putting the washcloth on top of Roxas’s head. “Axel, mind carrying him to your guys’ room? I’ll go with.”“Sure,” the redhead nodded, carefully scooping his lover up in his arms. They then headed to the couple’s bedroom, where Axel got the pregnant shifter tucked in before climbing in with him.“Rest up, Rox. Text or call if you need anything, okay?” Prompto told him, and Roxas nodded tiredly before his mother closed the door as he left. Once outside the room, he looked to Quon and Ace, who had waited patiently for him to come out.“Is he okay?” Ace asked softly.“He will be, thanks to the medicine. I know it helped when I was pregnant,” Prompto answered. “And it’s safe for the babies, too. Thank you for getting it, Ace.”“Anytime, Mom.”“Well, let’s go explain what happened to your father, Regina, and Domi,” the taller blonde said, starting to head to the garden. “I’m sure they’re worried.”“Right,” the younger blonde said with a nod as they headed out to the garden. When they got there, Regina and Domi were playing with the twins, Regina in the form of a fox, while Noctis watched.“Hey guys,” Prompto called as they got close. “Sorry about earlier. Roxas is resting now.”Noctis nodded. “I figured, don’t worry,” he said as the twins played with Regina and Domi.“He was about to get sick, actually,” Prompto murmured when he got to his mate’s side. “Thankfully, Axel managed to calm him down enough that he didn’t, and I had Ace get that anti-nausea medicine you had Kuja give me during my first pregnancy. It should definitely help.”“Good,” Noctis nodded, watching the kids play as Ace and Quon joined them.“…I’m glad Axel’s here, or else things would be a lot different,” the blonde said softly, leaning lightly against the raven. “He’s good for Roxas.”“That he is…” Noctis agreed. “Also, I need to make a call… Mind watching them for a bit?”“Not at all,” Prompto nodded, kissing Noctis briefly before the King left.As he stepped back into the hall, Noctis pulled out his phone and dialed a number he hadn’t actually called in a while. As he put the phone to his ear, he leaned back against the wall with his free hand in his pocket.“Hello?”“Good morning, ‘Grandpa’,” the King chuckled with a smirk on his face.“Noctis, my boy!” the former King exclaimed, happiness evident in his voice. “How have you been?”“Oh I’ve been fine. The Kingdom’s still standing…so I’m doing SOMETHING right,” the raven joked with a small laugh.“I’m sure you’re doing better than that,” Regis snorted with a chuckle. “How is everyone?”“Oh they’re fine. The twins are excited about their upcoming birthday, naturally.”“I’m sure they are. They’ve gotten big, I bet. I haven’t seen them for a couple of months.”“Which is why I called… I want to surprise them by having you over. What do you think of that?”“I would love to! Besides, it would be a good chance to see the triplets again, too.”“Yeah. And you’ll also get to meet their mates, then…”“Oh? Regina and Ace found someone each, then, hm? And I’m assuming Roxas and Axel are together, too?”“Yeah, Regina’s recently found someone, and Ace has finally had the guts to confess,” Noctis said with a chuckle. “…oh, yeah, that reminds me…”“What’s wrong?”“You’re going to be promoted to ‘Great-grandpa’ soon enough.”“Really now? And who is it going to be through?”“This probably won’t surprise you, but it’s Roxas.”“He had his heat already?”“Yeah… surprised us all, cuz it was WAY too early…” Noctis admitted. “…Though, Regina also had hers, to be honest.”“She’s not pregnant as well, though, correct?” Regis asked.“No. She didn’t feel ready, yet… So her mate, Domi, made sure to not get her pregnant.”“Well, that’s good, then. Is Roxas okay?”“Yeah, he’s okay. He’s suffering from morning sickness currently, but Axel’s taking care of him well.”“Good to know,” Regis said. “How far along is he by now?”“Three weeks.”“Already… Well, I’m certainly looking forward to seeing everyone, and hopefully things will go well with Roxas’s pregnancy.”“I’m sure it will…” Noctis chuckled. “Want me to have Ignis pick you up when it’s time? Or will you ask Cor?”“I can ask Cor. I know he won’t mind,” Regis replied with a smile in his voice.“Alright. We’ll see you at the twins’ birthday, then.”“Sounds good. I’ll see you then. Take care, Noctis.”“You too, Dad.”“I will, don’t worry.” And with that, Regis hung up. Noctis chuckled as he hung up and headed back out to the garden. Prompto looked up when he heard his mate approaching and smiled.“Everything okay?”“Yeah. Just had to arrange one of the twins’ presents.”“You’re not going to tell me what it is, are you?”“Nope.”“Sneaky.”Noctis merely chuckled softly. And despite his brief pout, Prompto lightly leaned against Noctis with a soft hum. Noctis chuckled softly, placing his arm around his shoulders. And that was how they remained, watching their children and their mates play while Roxas and Axel rested. X*X(2 Weeks Later)X*XIt was a good two weeks later, on a Friday, when Regina and Domi came into Roxas’s ‘homeschooling’ class upon getting home.“Hey, Rox, Quon,” she said casually, making them both look up.“Oh, hey Regina, Domi,” the blonde greeted. “What’s up?”“Oh not much,” Regina said as she plopped down on a chair. “You boys almost done?”“I think so. Quon?” Roxas asked.“Almost,” Quon confirmed. “Once you solve this last equation.”“Kay,” the pregnant shifter nodded, before looking at the equation and then doing the math and getting his answer. “Here ya go.”The other teen needed only a moment to look it over. “Hm… Good,” he said simply.“Cool. Thanks, Quon,” Roxas said kindly, before looking at his sister and her mate. “So, did you have something planned?”“We did, actually. C’mon,” Domi said as he tugged Roxas back to his feet.“We’ll catch you later, Quon,” Regina said as she stood as well.“Of course.”“Where’s Axel, by the way?” Roxas asked as the pair led him out of the room.“Should be here soon,” the princess said casually. Sure enough, Axel rounded the corner, and Roxas’s face lit up when he saw his mate.“Heya Roxy,” the redhead smiled when he got close. “Did you have a good tutoring session with Quon?”“Yeah. It’s honestly much easier than being in school,” the blonde admitted as he tucked himself into Axel’s side.Regina chuckled as Domi giggled. “Alright, alright, we ready to get going?” Regina asked casually.“Where are we going?” Axel asked. “You never even told me.”“Well, you can’t keep going without buying all the necessary supplies, hm?” Domi quipped with a giggle as he and Regina walked ahead.“Supplies? You mean…baby supplies?” Roxas guessed, startled.“What else would we mean?” Domi giggled.“But…we don’t even know how many I’m going to have yet, or what they’ll be…” the shorter teen frowned.“So? There’s still plenty of things we can get that aren’t gender specific,” Regina pointed.“And besides,” Domi added, giggling, “there’s NEVER such a thing as ‘too much toys’, ne?”“OR plushies,” Regina added with a smirk of her own.“You two are going to spoil them whenever we’re not around, aren’t you?” Axel snorted.“Problem?” Regina asked with a smirk.“Only if they end up spoiled. Then I’ll blame you,” Roxas replied.“Hey, you don’t see us being spoiled even with Grandfather spoiling us, right?” Regina countered with a smirk.“Yeah, yeah,” Roxas said, rolling his eyes. “I wonder how Grandpa’s doing, anyway…”“I’m sure he’s fine,” Regina assured.“Still, it’d be nice to see him, don’t you think?” Roxas shrugged.“Definitely…” Regina agreed as they stepped through the door to the outside world. Once outside, Roxas shifted into a griffon, allowing Axel to climb onto his back.‘Don’t worry, I’ll be okay,’ he soothed his mate.“All right, but let us know if you need to rest, kay?” the redhead murmured.‘I will, I promise,’ the pregnant shifter smiled.Regina watched him for a moment before she shifted as well, letting Domi get on her back. ‘Ready?’‘Yep,’ the blonde nodded.‘Alright; let’s go,’ Regina said with a nod, before she took off ahead of her brother. Roxas launched himself skyward after her, and smiled slightly as the wind blew through his feathers while he flew. He hadn’t shifted in a couple of weeks now, but this was nice to be able to fly again like this.“You enjoying yourself, Roxy?” Axel chuckled, gently stroking his lover’s side.‘Absolutely,’ Roxas smiled wider, feeling nice and relaxed.Regina laughed softly as she flew ahead of her brother, just a little bit, as Domi stretched a bit on her back. ‘You seriously didn’t shift at all, Rox?’‘I was trying not to because of the babies…’ Roxas admitted.‘Ma said it wasn’t bad for them, though.’‘I know, I’m just being weird, I guess…’“Well, looking after the young ones is important, too,” Domi pointed out as he settled along Regina’s back.“Definitely,” Axel agreed, also settling along Roxas’s back.Regina chuckled briefly before she began to make her descent. ‘Here we go.’Once they landed, Axel slid off Roxas’s back before the blonde shifted back, leaning against Axel a little tiredly.“Really? Already, Rox?” Regina teased.“Shut up. You’re not carrying at least two growing lives in you,” her brother pouted.The princess merely chuckled softly. “Anyway, shall we go?”“Yeah,” Roxas nodded, linking his fingers with Axel’s as they followed after Regina and Domi. Subconsciously, he rested his other hand on his lightly swollen stomach, as he was already starting to show. Barely, but still. As they walked, Regina didn’t seem to be the slightest bit worried about this, while Domi hummed a little by her side. Suddenly…“Roxas?! Axel!!” a familiar voice to the blonde and redhead called out, before they looked to see the source: their old friends from middle school, Demyx and Zexion, heading over to them.“Dem! Zex! What are you guys doing here?” Axel asked in surprise, though he was grinning nonetheless.“We moved back from Hollow Bastion, since we finished school early!” Demyx grinned.Regina tilted her head curiously, while Domi blinked curiously. “Oh? Friends of yours, Roxy?” he asked.“Yeah,” Roxas nodded with a smile. “This is Demyx and Zexion. We were all good friends in middle school, but they moved to Hollow Bastion with their families back before freshman year started.”“And who’s this? I’ve never seen this girl before,” Demyx said, looking at Domi. While Domi himself didn’t respond immediately, Regina tried to hold back her laugh, and failed miserably.Zexion blinked in silent question, before he decided to speak up. “Are we missing something…?”“Domi’s a dude, guys!” Axel laughed, while Roxas snorted on his own laughter.“Wait, what?!” Demyx yelped, making the couple laugh harder.Domi giggled cheekily as he curtsied briefly. “Hihi~ Surprise~” he quipped.Regina finally managed to stop laughing, though she did still chuckle softly. “Hahah… hoo boy…”“Damn, dude! You had me fooled!” Demyx groaned. He then noticed how Axel was holding Roxas against his side. “So, you two are finally together, huh?”“Yup. Have been since August last year,” Axel chuckled. “And…” He trailed off, looking at Roxas.“We’re expecting,” Roxas told them, albeit a bit shyly.“Really? That’s awesome! We’re happy for you guys! Right, Zexy?” Demyx grinned, wrapping his own arm around the blunette.Zexion briefly regarded Demyx before he ducked out of the half-hug. “Not now.”“But Zexy!!” the sandy blonde whined, pouting.“Will you quit calling me that?” the shorter boy groaned.Regina chuckled at that. “Not much for public displays of affection, eh?”“Nope.”“Would you rather I call you Sexy Zexy?” Demyx smirked, making Axel and Roxas snort on their own chuckles.“Oh that’s IT!” Zexion snarled as he rolled up his sleeves and glared at Demyx.“Run, run away!” Demyx wailed, suddenly bolting away down the path.“GET BACK HERE!!” Zexion roared as he ran after, much to the amusement of the other couples.“Well… That was a thing that just happened!”“I wonder if he’ll catch Dem…” Roxas murmured thoughtfully. “After all, Demyx used to be on the swim team.”“Hihi~ We’ll just have to ask about it, then~” Domi pointed out.“Yeah, if we see them later. Knowing Zex, he’ll tickle the living shit out of Dem when he catches him. And yes, when, not if,” Axel chuckled.“Heh… Anyway! Let’s get going, shall we? Shops won’t stay open forever,” Regina said.“Right,” Roxas nodded, and they resumed their trek.It didn’t take them long to reach a baby store, though it was combined with a toy store for the slightly older toddlers. “Here we are…” Regina said with a nod. Roxas and Axel trailed after, and once inside, the blonde looked around, unsure. He had no idea where to start, to be honest.“Hey, Roxy~” Domi called out suddenly, gesturing the blonde over. Blinking curiously, Roxas made his way over to Domi.As Roxas approached, Domi held up what appeared to be a couple of pale colored bibs. “It says you can order these with names… What do you think?”“That sounds like a good idea…once we find out how many and what they’ll be, then we can come up with names,” Roxas replied, smiling slightly.“Okay~” Domi said with a smile as he picked up a nearby form—a number of them, actually. “Just in case we mess up,” he explained.“Good thinking,” the pregnant shifter nodded, before he saw something along the edge of his vision. “Hm?” He then made his way over to it, where the plushies were, and he smiled softly at the sight of a small silver dragon plushie and a bright red kitsune plushie with three tails.“Find something, Roxy?” Axel asked as he came over, and then he spotted the silver dragon plushie. “Hey, that looks like…”“Like Night, my first silver dragon plush? Yeah,” Roxas smiled, picking it up. “Definitely gonna get this and the kitsune for them, plus a couple more, just in case.”“Sounds good,” the redhead murmured, kissing the top of the blonde’s head. Regina chuckled softly as she watched her brother, as she walked around the shop as well. Roxas then held onto the plushies as they continued to wander the shop, looking around at the different supplies.“I’m getting a bit overwhelmed, to be honest, Regina…” Roxas mumbled after almost 15 minutes in the shop.“Hm?” the princess hummed as she looked over.“Just…there’s so much, and it’s a lot to think about…” the blonde admitted.“…I guess,” Regina murmured, before Domi walked up to her, whispering something in her ear. “Hm?”“What is it?” Axel asked.“Be right back,” Regina said as she followed after Domi. After a few moments, the two of them returned, with a small stack of what looked like cloth. “Check these out,” the princess said.“What are they?” Roxas inquired, picking one up and looking at it. “Oh! They’re those hooded blankets like what Mom used for us and the twins!”“How ‘bout we get some of these and call it a day, eh?” she offered. “Can never have enough of these.”“True,” Axel nodded.“And we’ll get these plushies, too,” Roxas said, looking down at the dragon and kitsune plushies he held.“Alright,” Regina said with a nod. However, before they headed over to the counter, she whispered, “And if anyone asks…they’re for the twins, kay? It’s no one’s business right now. Agreed?”“Understood,” Roxas and Axel nodded. Nodding, Regina led the way to the counter, with the others close behind her. Fortunately, the cashier didn’t question them at all, not even giving them any weird looks or anything as she cashed them out. And soon enough, they were leaving.“That went well,” Roxas murmured as they started to head back to the field.“Definitely,” Regina agreed. As they went, however, they heard Demyx’s voice laughing and begging for mercy from Zexion.“Sounds like Zexion caught Demyx,” Axel chuckled. “Let’s go check on them.”“Good idea,” Roxas nodded with an amused smile.“Heh…sure,” Regina said with a chuckle as they moved in the direction of the sound. When they found the pair, Zexion was, indeed, tickling the ever-loving shit out of Demyx, who was red in the face, unable to stop laughing.“Hey guys,” Roxas called, gaining Zexion’s attention.“Hm? Oh hey,” Zexion said simply without stopping what he was doing.“ZE-HE-HE-HEX!!!” Demyx pleaded, gasping for air at the merciless tickling.“Having fun?” Axel chuckled.“Meh,” was Zexion’s response.Domi giggled a bit, before Regina snorted and said, “Might wanna let up before the poor guy chokes cuz he can’t breathe.”Zexion sighed dramatically in response. “Fiiine, if I must…” he said before he backed up.Demyx gasped for air when he did, and once he managed to catch his breath enough, he panted out, “Was that…really…necessary…?!”“…Yes.”“You gotta admit, you had that coming, Dem,” Axel chuckled.“No I didn’t!” Demyx pouted.“Don’t fool yourself, Demyx,” Roxas snorted with a laugh.Regina snorted softly, arms crossed over her chest. “You’re certainly not fooling us.”“So, you guys are heading back home, then?” Demyx guessed, changing the subject.“Yeah, we’re heading back. You guys should visit sometime,” Roxas smiled.“Would we be allowed in?” the sandy blonde asked.“We’ll make sure you are,” Axel chuckled.“Shouldn’t take too much trouble, so yeah, why not?” the princess said with a shrug.“…Thank you,” Zexion said politely.“Anytime, guys,” Roxas replied. “Mind giving us your phone numbers? That way we can keep in touch.”“Sure!” Demyx grinned, pulling out a scrap of paper and writing down his and Zexion’s numbers on them. “Here ya go!” He then handed Roxas the scrap.“Cool. Well, we’d better head home. See you guys!” Axel grinned, before waving as the group headed further off into the field. Regina chuckled…before she turned contemplative. Domi was the first to notice.“Something wrong, love?”“…How would you guys feel about taking a detour?”“Where to?” Roxas frowned.“You’ll see.”“O…kay…?” Roxas uttered, before shrugging and shifting into a griffon once they were out far enough in the field. Axel then climbed on, holding onto the bags from the shop. Regina nodded as she shifted as well. And once Domi was seated, she took to the air and took off. Roxas followed after, soaring along with Regina. It took them a little bit, but as they flew, Roxas realized that the surrounding area was actually a familiar one.‘Wait, we’re going to visit Grandpa?’ the pregnant shifter yelped.‘Problem?’ Regina chuckled.‘No, just surprised,’ the blonde replied.Regina chuckled softly at that, before she glanced up as Domi patted her neck. ‘Yeah?’“So we’re…going to meet the past King, right?” he asked, sounding a bit worried.‘Hey, don’t worry; he’s cool. I’m sure he’ll like you.’“Ah but…”“I’ve met him before, Domi. Regina’s right; Regis is a really good guy,” Axel smiled.“W-well…o-okay…” Domi got out slowly. Just then, Regina dipped forward and began her descent. Roxas did the same, gliding after Regina.As they landed easily, and Domi and Axel had gotten off, Regina and Roxas shifted back. “Alright…shall we go?”“Yeah,” Roxas nodded, linking his fingers with Axel’s as they followed after Regina. Domi seemed to hesitate, still, but Regina grabbed his hand and tugged him along, down the empty streets and toward the large mansion that rested at the end of it, beyond a set of wrought, iron gates.While it wasn’t uncommon for a King or Queen to reign until their death, there were instances where the crown was passed before their time was due. After the abdication, the former ruler was permitted free, unfettered access to the Citadel, but most would remain at the estate that many called the ‘Demesne’. It was a place meant to offer the last monarch a place of reprieve from all the royal affairs that had once been their whole life.And as they approached, Regina smiled and waved. “Cor! Hey!!”“Heya Cor!” Roxas called as well, waving with a wide smile.Cor hummed upon the calls, looking over from where he was doing the rounds. When he spotted the two royals and their mates, he chuckled. “Hello, Regina, Roxas,” he said with a nod. “Now I recognize Axel, but who’s your new friend, hm?”“Ah, this is Domi,” Regina said by way of introduction. “Dom, this is Cor Leonis. He works for Grandfather.’“Oh! …Um…n-nice to meet you, sir,” the whitehead said with a bow.“Heh…no need to be so formal, kid.”“How have you been, Cor?” Roxas asked.“Well enough, thank you. Yourselves?”“Well enough…well, some of us…” Regina murmured, looking over to Roxas.“…I had my heat…” Roxas admitted, and Axel held him closer to himself.“Oh? I see,” Cor hummed, nodding. “So I assume you’re here to see Sir Regis, hm?”“Yep. Is he busy?”“For you? Never,” the Immortal chuckled. “Go on in.”“Thanks, Cor.”“Thanks,” Roxas smiled, before the group of teens headed into the estate to find Regis. That didn’t take long at all, as they went into the lounge, where Regis was reading a book by the fireplace. “Hi Grandpa!” Roxas greeted happily, and the former King looked up, surprise evident on his face.“Roxas, Regina! What do I owe the pleasure of this visit, hm?” he chuckled as he set his book down and hugged his grandkids.“Oh, we were in the neighborhood so we decided to visit,” Regina said with a smile.“And just what were you doing? I know the Citadel’s a little ways away,” Regis pointed out.“Shopping for Rox. Go ahead,” Regina said, prodding him to the side. “You tell him.” The poke drew a surprised yip from the blonde, before he pouted.“I was going to…” he grumbled, before looking at Regis. “I had my heat…”“Really now?” the older man murmured. “How far along are you, then?”“5 weeks now…”“Well, I know you’re in good care with Axel, and you have the best support you could possibly get,” Regis smiled, ruffling his grandson’s hair lightly. “Just remember to take care of yourself, all right?”“I will, Grandpa,” Roxas smiled.Regina chuckled as she ruffled her brother’s hair, before she looked over to Domi, who had staid a bit behind. “Hey, you!” she laughed, moving over and dragging the boy over, making him yip.“And who’s this?” Regis asked curiously. Regina didn’t say anything in response; she just lightly elbowed Domi in the side.“U-um…! I-I’m Domi, sir. N-nice to meet you,” the boy squeaked as he bowed quickly.“No need to be so formal, Domi. Just call me Regis,” the former King chuckled.“U-um…”Regina merely laughed as she poked him, making him yip before the boy immediately countered. Which made the princess laugh as she ‘attacked’ him back. Roxas and Axel chuckled as they watched, the blonde leaning against the redhead’s side. And Regis merely smiled in amusement, before he looked outside and saw the sun was beginning to set.“Sorry to have to cut your visit short, but the sun’s beginning to set. I’d rather you not get attacked by daemons, or have your parents worry about you all,” he said, and Roxas nodded.“Aww…okay,” Regina sighed. “Hey, promise you’ll visit again soon, Grandfather.”“I will, don’t worry,” Regis smiled. Regina smiled as she waved, walking ahead of her brother, with Domi hurrying after. Roxas and Axel trailed after, and then, once outside and in the field, the siblings shifted and then flew back home with their mates. It took them only a few minutes to get back to the Citadel. Once they had landed and shifted back, they headed inside.“You gonna be okay with the bags, Axel?” Regina asked.“Yeah, I’ll be just fine,” the redhead grinned, easily holding the bags in one hand while holding Roxas’s hand with the other.“Alright. We’ll see you at dinner then. A’ight?”“Sounds good,” Roxas nodded, and then the couples split off to their respective rooms. Before they could get far, though, they were intercepted on the way to their room.“Roxyyyyyyy!!” Naminé called as she and Zack came barreling down the hall towards them. Axel was quick to catch them, dropping the shopping bags so he could.“Easy, squirts,” he chuckled.“Wha’s wrong??” Zack asked worriedly, looking to his big brother.“Nothing’s wrong, Zack, you just need to be careful for a while, okay?” Roxas smiled.“Huh? Whys?” Naminé asked immediately.“Well…because I have babies growing in my stomach,” the pregnant shifter told them.“Really?!” Zack gasped, looking at Roxas’s stomach. “I can’t tell!”“That’s because they’re still really small,” Axel explained. “Over the next five months, though, they’ll get bigger, and then come out when they’re ready.”Naminé watched in awe, before she scooted closer. And then she patted her brother’s tummy. “Are they sleepings?”“Kinda,” Roxas laughed lightly. “But they won’t wake up until they’re big enough and ready.”“Aww…”“I know, but you’ll be older cousins to them, so you just gotta be patient, okay?” Axel told them.“Okays…” Zack pouted.“Okay!”“But because they’re growing in my stomach, that’s why you guys gotta be careful, or else you could accidentally hurt them,” Roxas told the twins.“Ohhhh!”“Oh! Okays!” Naminé said with a warm smile.“Thank you,” their brother smiled with a soft laugh. “Now, go find Regina and Domi, okay? I’ll bet they’d love to play with you.”“Kay, Roxy! You be carefuls!”“I will, and you two behave, kay?” Roxas teased, and Zack giggled.“We will!”“Pwomise!!” Naminé said with a smile.“Come on, Nami!” Zack grinned, grabbing his twin’s hand and dragging her off to find Regina and Domi. Naminé giggled as she hurried after.“Well, at least they won’t call me out when I’m obviously showing…” Roxas murmured as he and Axel resumed their trek to their room after Axel had picked up the shopping bags.“They needed to find out sooner or later,” his mate pointed out.“True…”“All for the better,” Ace said calmly as he walked over, carrying a few hefty books in his arms.“I know. What’s with all the books, though, Ace?” the shorter blonde asked.“Ah, just some extra studies I plan on getting into.”“Really? That much stuff? How are you gonna have any free time?” Axel frowned.“I’ll be fine,” Ace said calmly.“Even helping me with the babies?” Roxas teased. “After all, we don’t know how many I’m gonna be having yet. I’ll need help from everyone.”“Heh… I’m sure you’ll be fine,” the younger prince said with a chuckle. “Though, if you DO need help, we’ll be here.”“I know you guys will be,” the pregnant shifter smiled. “It means more than you know.”“Don’t worry about it,” his brother said kindly. “You should get some rest before dinner. You look like you need it.”“I feel like it, too,” Roxas chuckled, before he and Axel began to resume their trek to their room. “See you at dinner, Ace.”“See you.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(3 Weeks Later)X*XBy now, Roxas was two months along, and his morning sickness had passed completely two weeks prior. He was showing more obviously by now, but since he wasn’t as big as Prompto had been during his first pregnancy, the older shifter suspected his son would be having twins. It wouldn’t be too long until Roxas would be far along enough to have an ultrasound to find out for sure, but for now, he and Axel would have to wait.Right now, though, Prompto and Noctis needed to talk with Regina and Domi about their wedding, to plan ahead for it. Prompto decided he would breach the subject at dinner that night.“So, Regina, Domi, have you guys thought about when you want to have your wedding?” the taller blonde asked after swallowing a mouthful of food.Regina paused with a bite halfway to her mouth, blinking, before she frowned. “…not sure, actually…”Noctis chuckled at their daughter’s reply. “Well, we have time… It’s not like you’re in a rush like your mother and I were.”“True,” Prompto nodded, noticing how Axel’s expression became thoughtful. He had a feeling the redhead was thinking about how to propose to Roxas.“Anyway, we can start by going over a few basic things, and you can decide when to make it official at a later time. Sound good?” Noctis asked.“Yeah, good enough,” Regina agreed with a nod.“What say you, Domi?” Prompto asked.Domi hummed briefly, before he nodded. “Yeah. I’d say it’s good.”“Perfect,” the older shifter smiled. “We can talk more about it tomorrow, then.”“Sure,” Regina said. But before she could take another bite, though… “But if you expect me to wear—”Noctis laughed at the words and shook his head. “Don’t worry, princess, we don’t.”“…Good.”“We know better than that,” Prompto chuckled. Regina merely hummed as she went back to her food. After dinner was over, Axel looked to Roxas.“I need to talk to Domi for a sec. I’ll catch up to you in our room, okay?” he murmured, kissing the blonde’s cheek.“Sure. I’ll see you there,” Roxas smiled before heading off to their room. Once he was gone, the redhead approached Domi.“Heya Domi,” he greeted.“Hm?” Domi hummed as he looked over. “What’s wrong?”“Nothing’s wrong, I just wanted to ask you something…” Axel told him. “Mind if we talk in private?” Domi hummed briefly, before he looked to Regina. The princess, in turn, shrugged, and then headed off ahead of him.“Looks like it’s fine,” Domi said casually as he turned back to Axel.“Cool,” the taller teen smiled slightly, before he led the whitehead off to an empty room. Once the door was shut behind him, he told Domi, “I want to propose to Roxas, but I want it to be special. Can you help me to get him a ring?”“Oh?” Domi uttered, before he giggled. “Well…I can give you the number of a friend who can help with that~”“Who would that be?” Axel asked.“His name’s ‘Odin’. He owns a little shop on the edge of Insomnia…but he also does house calls~”“I assume it’s a jewelry shop?”“That it is~”“Nice. Yeah, if you could give me his number, that’s be awesome.”“Sure thing~” Domi giggled. “Mind passing me your phone?”“Not at all,” Axel nodded, handing Domi his phone after unlocking it.Domi hummed softly as he tapped in the numbers quickly, before he giggled and passed it back. “Here you go~ Just tell ‘im I sent you, kay?”“Sounds good. Thanks, Domi,” the redhead smiled.“No problem~” the whitehead chuckled as he turned to follow after Regina. Once he was gone, Axel decided to call this Odin. He selected the call option on the contact, and then put his phone to his ear.It took only a few rings for the other side to pick up. “Heyo. Valhalla’s Gemstones.”“Hello, may I speak to Odin?” Axel greeted.“Speaking.”“I wanted to speak to you about getting a custom ring done. My friend Domi told me you do them?”“…Dominus? Huh… I see… Think he mentioned he might be sending a friend over last time…”“He already had a feeling, then,” Axel chuckled. “Anyway, it’s for my boyfriend. I want it to be special, and propose.”“Right, right…” Odin murmured. “So…you got time to stop by or need me to do so? Honestly, might be easier if you passed by to see my wares…”“I can stop by tomorrow after my classes are over,” Axel offered.“Good. I got some holes in the schedule tomorrow… …Oh, and try to get the ring size while you’re at it.”“Actually, I already know it from another ring he’s worn recently,” the redhead chuckled.“Good. Not everyone does when they stop by. …Ah, I’m also gonna need a picture when you come by.”“A picture of him? No sweat. I got plenty on my phone.”“Good. …ah shoot, got another client incoming. Gotta go. Dom can give you the address later.”“No problem. See you tomorrow.”“See ya.” And then the connection was cut. After the call ended, Axel then shot a text to Domi. 
Me: Well, I’m meeting with him tomorrow after school. Mind sending me the address so Ignis knows where to go?

Domi: No prob~
 A few moments later, Domi sent him the address, well out of the way of school, but still within the city’s borders. 
Me: Sweet, thanks.
 He then texted Ignis about getting a ride to Odin’s shop. 
Me: Hey Ignis, mind giving me a ride tomorrow to a jewelry shop? I’m going to see about getting a ring for Roxas.

Ignis: Of course. And I’ll keep it a secret, too. ;)

Me: Thanks, Ignis. I’ll give you the address tomorrow when you pick me after school.

Ignis: You’re welcome.
 After that was taken care of, Axel headed to his and Roxas’s room, where the blonde was already in bed in just a baggy t-shirt and his boxers.“Comfy?” the redhead teased as he changed into his pajama pants and took off his shirt.“Until you’re in bed with me, not completely,” the smaller teen huffed a little, making Axel chuckle.“I’m coming,” he smiled, and soon joined the pregnant shifter in bed. “Get some sleep, Roxy. I love you.”“Love you, too, Axel,” Roxas murmured, snuggling close as he fell asleep. X*X*X*X*X*X*XThe following day, after school, Ignis pulled up at the entrance to the school in the Regalia, where Axel was patiently waiting for him.“Ready to go?” he asked.“Yeah. Here’s the address,” Axel told him, handing him a piece of paper with the address written on it after he’d climbed into the Regalia. “Thanks again, Ignis.”“Anytime. After all, I know he deserves something special,” the sandy blonde smiled faintly as he pulled away from the school, heading to Odin’s shop.“He truly does…” Axel agreed.It took almost half an hour for them to arrive, and when they did, it didn’t take long to spot the shop, despite its small size compared to the others. The windows were clearly made of bulletproof glass, likely to protect the jewelry behind it. The door was shut tight, but given how the lights were on, that signaled the shop was definitely open.When Ignis pulled over and parked, he asked, “Would you like me to come with?”“Nah, I got this,” Axel smiled. “I’ll be back.” He then climbed out, and went up to the door, knocking on it. After waiting a few moments, there was a loud buzzing from the door. Realizing it was open now, Axel opened the door, and went inside.After the door fell shut behind him, Axel looked around. There were several cases set up, holding various types of jewelry, from pendants to bracelets to rings and earrings, with more different colors than he could count. As he moved over to one of the cases and reached out for it, a familiar voice called out, “No touching. They’re still rigged.”Upon looking over, he caught sight of a man, a few years older than him, though still younger than Reno, with dark, honey-colored hair that was swept to one side, showing off the right ear, which was pierced along the entire lobe and shell with both studs, rings and dangling gemstones.“So…whatcha here for?” he asked casually.“I’m Axel. Spoke to you yesterday about a ring for my boyfriend? Domi referred me,” Axel replied.“Ah,” the man—Odin—said casually, clicking his tongue briefly. “You’re here earlier than I expected,” he admitted.“Well, Ignis is a good driver, but he can be quick,” the redhead chuckled.“Uh-huh,” Odin mumbled. “Anyway, let’s get over here,” he said, gesturing toward a table in the back, clearly meant to converse with customers. Axel followed him over and took a seat.Once they were both seated, Odin hummed and leaned his head on his head casually. “So… any ideas what you wanna get?”“It’s gotta be something unique, and that’ll make him feel special. I want to propose to him with it, after all,” Axel told him.“…” Odin didn’t say anything initially. However, after a moment, he held out his hand. “Picture?”“Here ya go,” Axel said, handing him his phone after pulling up a good picture of Roxas. Odin hummed as he regarded the picture, tapping his fingers along the table. And the redhead merely waited patiently.“…birth month?”“January.”“Garnets, then… hmm…”“We got together on August 13th last year, to be honest, if that helps.”“Mmm… Interesting…” Odin murmured, tapping his fingers along the table. Suddenly, he put the phone down and stood up. “Be right back,” he said as he headed into the back. Axel blinked, a little surprised, but waited for Odin to come back.Thankfully, it didn’t take him long, as he came back with a few small satchels that clinked lightly as he walked. Axel didn’t have the chance to ask about it as Odin took his seat and began to dig through them one by one…pulling out several different gemstones from each. Axel waited patiently for Odin to finish, but as he continued to pull out gemstones, one caught his eye: a gorgeous blue diamond.Once Odin appeared satisfied, he began to split the gems up, placing the diamond Axel had spotted to one side with a number of other smaller gems, with a number of other groups as well. One was a dark red gem with a pale white line, accompanied by a deep green, diamond like gem, and a bright, polished white gem. A third group consisted of an olive colored rectangular gem and a number of smaller orange gems.The lanky teen watched curiously, wondering what Odin was doing.“Right…so, I’ve narrowed it down to these options,” Odin said gesturing for the groups. “You got these diamonds here,” he said, pointing to the first group. “Traditional…but a bit boring if you’re going for ‘unique’.”“I gotcha…” Axel nodded.“These are sardonyx,” he said, pointing to the red gem of the second group, “spinel,” pointing to the green diamond-like gem, “and moonstone,” while pointing at the pale white stone. “They’re all birthstones of August from various time periods and cultures.”“That’s actually really cool,” the redhead admitted.“Last one, same story, but there are peridot and carnelian,” the jeweler said calmly, gesturing to the olive gem first, and then the orange one.“I like the sardonyx, spinel, and moonstone for the ring,” Axel told him. “Those are perfect.”“Alright,” Odin said with a nod. After he had tucked the other gems back, he asked, “So with that out of the way… Got any ideas for placement?”“I was thinking something like this…” the lanky teen told him, pulling up a picture of a ring he’d seen online. “Just with the moonstone in the middle, and the spinel and the sardonyx on the sides.”“Hm… I see…” Odin hummed softly. “I can probably get that fitted easily enough…”“That’d be awesome,” Axel told him. “I’m sure he’ll love it.”“Gonna take me some time, though… At least a week, if I got nothing else coming up later.”“It’s no trouble. I got time, as long as it’s ready in less than four months,” the redhead replied.“Pff… I’m NOT gonna need that long to finish something that easy,” Odin snorted.“I don’t doubt it. I trust you,” Axel chuckled. “…By the way, how do you know Domi?”“Dom? Hm…we’ve been…acquainted since a few years ago,” Odin said with a shrug. “Gave the guy a lift ages ago when he was hitching a ride for Insomnia.”“Wait, he came here on his own?” Axel frowned.Odin shrugged. “Hey, lotta people do it. I know I did.”“No, I’m just surprised. I never thought he’d left like that,” Axel admitted.Again, Odin shrugged his shoulders as he grabbed a separate satchel and placed the three different gems in it. “Anyway, you said you had his ring size already?”“Yeah, it’s size 9,” the redhead answered.“Alright,” Odin murmured as he quickly scribbled down a few notes on his phone. “Sardonyx, moonstone and spinel…” he mumbled, mostly to himself as he continued moving his stylus across his phone. Axel waited for him to finish, hoping he wouldn’t have to worry too much about getting the money.“Right… Total price comes down to 40,000 Gil…normally.”“Oh geez… Okay, I think I can get that,” the redhead told him. It would be well worth it for Roxas.“I did say ‘normally’,” Odin pointed out. “I still owe Dom one…and the twerp asked me to get you a discount.”“Wait, really?” Axel blinked, surprised.“Yeah, yeah. Just don’t go yapping about this or I’ll make zero profit,” Odin sighed as he waved his hand. “So I’ll just keep it to 20 grand. Sound good?”“Definitely. Thanks a ton, Odin,” Axel grinned.“Don’t mention it,” Odin said with a snort. X*X*X*X*X*X*XFinally, when Ignis and Axel arrived back at the Citadel, Roxas was waiting outside with Prompto for them. He looked anxious and worried, making Axel cringe internally since he hadn’t told Roxas what he was up to, or even made an excuse for not coming straight home.“Heya Roxy,” he greeted as he closed the door to the Regalia.“Where were you? I was really worried!” the pregnant shifter whimpered as he hugged Axel firmly.“I just had something I needed to take care of, and I needed Ignis’s help for it,” the redhead soothed. “No trouble or danger involved.”“But the daemons could have come out if you’d taken any longer…!”“Don’t dwell on what could have happened, Rox, okay? I’m okay, and I’m home now,” Axel murmured, kissing the top of the blonde’s head. “Let’s get inside, okay?”“Okay…” the smaller teen nodded. As they headed inside, Prompto nodded to Axel in what seemed to be approval, making the lanky teen realize that the older shifter knew what he’d been up to.As the pair walked inside, they happened to pass by Domi and Regina as they came back from training (obvious from how they were dressed in their training gear). Domi noticed them first and smiled as he waved in greeting.“Hey guys,” Axel called, and Roxas waved. “Training hard, huh?”“Yep,” Regina said simply.“Cool,” the redhead replied, and then Prompto smiled.“Well, since Ignis just got back with you, Axel, dinner’s going to be a little late tonight. Domi, Regina, go ahead and go get cleaned up, and Roxas, Axel, go rest up. Your father or I will come and get you when it’s ready,” he told the group.“Sure thing,” Regina said, as Domi nodded, before the pair headed off.“Thanks, Mom,” Roxas smiled tiredly, before he and Axel headed to their own room. Once they were out of sight, Prompto made his way to Noctis’s study, heading inside.“Hey,” he greeted.“Hey,” Noctis said, not looking up from his work.“I think Axel’s considering proposing to Roxas,” the blonde said as he went to his mate’s side.That certainly got Noctis’s attention, and he looked up to his mate curiously. “Oh? Well that took him long enough…”“Hey, better late than never. Besides, I think it was thanks to Domi proposing to Regina that spurred him into it,” Prompto shrugged.“Heh…probably…”“…Do you think Roxas will want to change Axel soon?”“…Not sure.”“What would you think if he does?”“…” Noctis was silent as he tapped his pen to the table. “…I know it’s bound to happen…but, I think it’s important that they’re both ready for it.”“Maybe we should talk to him about it?”“…would be wise.”“Then we can talk to him about it tomorrow,” Prompto nodded.“Right.” X*X*X*X*X*X*XThe following night, after dinner, Prompto looked to his oldest son. “Roxas, can we talk for a bit? Nothing bad, I promise,” he told him.“Oh, uh, sure, Mom,” Roxas nodded, before kissing Axel briefly as he stood. “I’ll meet you in our room.”“Sounds good,” Axel smiled, before heading to the couple’s shared room. Once the dining room had cleared out, and it was just Roxas, Prompto, and Noctis remaining, Prompto gestured for the pregnant shifter to come with him and Noctis.“We’ll talk in your father and my room, okay?” he suggested.“Okay,” Roxas said, before following his parents to their room. Once there and they were all seated on the bed, he asked, “So…what’s up?”“Well, we wanted to ask you about something important,” Prompto started.Noctis nodded briefly. “Roxas, you know that shifters are, technically, immortal, right?”“Yeah, of course. We stop aging when we turn 21,” Roxas nodded.“That’s right. However…Axel’s human,” his mother reminded him.“Which means that, eventually, he’ll grow old…while you won’t,” Noctis added.“But…I can change that, right?” the teen frowned.“Yes, you can. You can make Axel a shifter, too,” Prompto confirmed.“Unfortunately it can be…less than a pleasant experience…” the King said. “Once the change starts, he’ll be going through hell for at least a few days.”“…It’s that painful?” Roxas asked in a small voice.“Afraid so… I was bedridden for, what? Two, three days?” Noctis asked, looking to Prompto.“Yeah, two days,” Prompto nodded.Nodding, Noctis said with a sigh, “Yeah…it was NOT pleasant…I can tell you that…”“I don’t want to hurt Axel, though…” Roxas whimpered, lowering his gaze to his lap.“Sweetie, I know, but it’s something you two need to discuss. Or else the time will come where it’ll be too late, and you’ll lose him…” Prompto murmured, tugging the pregnant shifter into a hug.Noctis stepped up and gently rubbed the smaller boy’s shoulder. “I know it’s hard, Rox… You still have time; just talk with him. Tell him that the option is there, at least.”“…I will…” the shorter blonde whispered.“Everything will be okay, though, Roxas. A shifter’s venom to change humans isn’t meant to be lethal, only to change. He won’t die from it. It just hurts a lot, which I know is an understatement,” Prompto murmured, holding his son close.“And if he wants to know anything, tell him I’ll be available to ask about it,” his father said kindly.“O…okay…” Roxas mumbled, grateful for his parents’ support.“Remember, we’ll always be here for you, Roxas,” Prompto smiled, kissing his cheek, while Noctis patted his shoulder.“Go on. Pretty sure Axel’s starting to worry.”“Yeah,” Roxas nodded, before getting up from his parents’ bed. “I’ll see you in the morning, Mom, Dad.”“Of course. Goodnight, sweetie,” Prompto smiled.“Goodnight, Rox,” Noctis added with a smile of his own as the boy headed out. When Roxas got back to his and Axel’s room, the redhead looked up from where he was sitting on their bed, simply playing King’s Knight on his phone.“Hey,” he greeted. “Everything okay?”“Sorta…” Roxas admitted as he moved to get changed. Once he was in a t-shirt and boxers, he curled up with his mate, and then murmured, “Mom and Dad wanted to talk to me about possibly changing you into a shifter…”“How come?” the taller teen asked, frowning slightly in confusion as he held the blonde close.“…Because they don’t want me to lose you since you’re human…and will continue to age…while I stop aging at 21…” the pregnant shifter mumbled. Axel’s emerald eyes widened at that, and he gently squeezed Roxas in a light hug.“Roxy, I’m open to the option, if it means staying with you forever,” he told his lover firmly.“But…Dad said it’s extremely painful… And I don’t want to hurt you…” Roxas whimpered worriedly.“Roxas, it’s completely worth it to me. I would do anything to stay with you and our children forever,” the redhead insisted. The shorter teen gazed up at his mate, before hugging him tightly.“…Then I’ll do it,” he whispered.“We can do it tomorrow night, okay? I want you to rest for now, and worrying about me while I’m being changed won’t help that,” Axel pointed out, and Roxas nodded, before settling against Axel with a yawn and a purr.“Goodnight, Axel… I love you…” the pregnant shifter murmured, closing his eyes.“Goodnight, Rox. Love you, too,” the taller teen smiled softly, holding Roxas close as they fell asleep. X*X(Regina & Domi)X*XMeanwhile, on the other side of the hall, Regina and Domi were settled on the floor in front of the Crown Princess’ bed, playing a game on the girl’s TV. They’d been at it for almost an hour already, and they were currently clearing out the dungeon.Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, followed by Prompto poking his head in. “Guys, time to stop for the night and get some shuteye. Get to bed, okay?”“Ugh…already? But we were doing so well!” Regina whined.“Sorry, princess, but I know you’ll feel like the living dead tomorrow if you don’t get to bed now,” her mother pointed out.“Uuuugh… fiiiiine!” Regina groaned, while Domi giggled a bit.“Thank you, Regina,” Prompto chuckled. “I’ll see you both in the morning. Goodnight.” And with that, he left, closing the door behind him.Regina sighed as she shook her head. “Ugh… fine… let’s get back to Payon and get the reward, shall we?”“Sure thing, love~”It took them only a few minutes to get to the city of Payon, get the reward, before saving the game and shutting off. Regina sighed as she stood up. “Mind if I take first dibs on the shower?”“Not at all. Go ahead~”“Thanks.”Once in the bathroom, carrying her sleepwear with her as she went. After shutting the door, she sighed softly and tugged off her shirt. As she did, though, she happened to look in the mirror, and spotted something on her neck.Humming, she turned her head a bit, moving her fingers along it. It took her a moment to realize it was the mark that Domi had put on her during her heat. She snorted softly, having completely forgotten about the mark already.She was about to shake the whole thing off… which was when she remembered something else.‘…oh… right… shifters stop aging eventually…’For a moment, she stood there, biting her lip, before she sighed and started getting washed up. She did, though, make a mental note that she needed to talk to Domi.Once she was done and came out from the bathroom, she noticed Domi was already on the bed, doing something on his phone. On top of that, he was already wearing his nightgown.“Bathroom’s free, if you wanna,” she said.“Ah, right. Thanks, love,” Domi said, as he got up and headed for the bathroom.Domi took only a few minutes, though, which wasn’t so strange, since she knew the whitehead preferred showering in the morning.As Regina scooted over on the bed, Domi plopped down next to her, stretching briefly.“…So, what’s wrong, love?”“Hm…?”“You look like there’s something on your mind… wanna talk about it?”Regina said nothing immediately, before she sighed softly. “Seriously… how do you keep doing that?”“Hihi~ I just know you well enough, love~”That made the princess chuckle. “I guess so…” she admitted softly.After a few moments of them giggling, Domi asked: “So?”“Ugh… fine… ya prolly don’t know this… but… shifters stop aging once they turn 21.”“Wait… they do?”“Yep.”“…Oh. Is that why your parents don’t seem to have aged?”“Yep again.”“Aah. Okay. But why is—…oh. I think I see the problem…”Regina sighed. “Yeah… so… I’d probably outlive you… cuz you’re just gonna keep aging, while I won’t.”“…but, wait… wasn’t your father…?”“Yeah, he was… so it’s possible… for you to become a shifter, too… I think…”“You ‘think’, love?”“Never really asked…”“Ah. …guess we need to, hm?”“Probably should.”“Hmhmm…”After a moment more, Domi sighed. “Well, anyway… shall we get some rest for now? Then we can ask your parents in the morning.”“Right. Let’s do that.” X*X*X*X*X*X*XWhen morning arrived, Prompto went to check on Roxas and Axel. Knocking on the door, he called out, “Good morning, boys. Time to get up.” There wasn’t an immediate response, but within a minute, Roxas’s voice called back sleepily.“We’re up, Mom…” he yawned.“Thank you, sweetie. I’m going to go and wake up Regina and Domi. I’ll see you both at breakfast,” the older shifter smiled.“Kay…”Prompto nodded to himself, and then headed off to Regina’s room, knocking on the door when he got there. “Good morning Regina, Domi,” he called through the wood.There was no immediate reply, which wasn’t so strange. After a moment, though, Domi called out, “Alright…we’ll be down in a bit.”“Thank you, Domi,” Prompto smiled, and then headed off to wake up Ace. Upon arriving, he knocked on the door. “Good morning, Ace. Time to get up.”“Yeah, okay. Be down in a bit, Mom,” Ace called out, sounding actually awake already. Although surprised by this, Prompto nodded.“All right, see you at breakfast,” he said.“Kay.”When Prompto came downstairs, Noctis was just helping the twins into their own seats. Upon seeing Prompto, Naminé smiled. “Morning Mama!”“Mornin’ Mama!” Zack echoed, and Prompto chuckled.“Good morning, you two,” he smiled, kissing the top of their heads before he took his own seat. Shortly after he sat down, Roxas and Axel walked in, the blonde still appearing tired. The older shifter didn’t dare question it, though, as he knew from personal experience that pregnancy was draining.“Morning…” Roxas yawned, sitting at his spot with Axel next to him.“Good morning, sweetie,” Prompto smiled sympathetically, as Axel gently rubbed the shorter blonde’s back.Ace was next to come down, his nose buried in a book as he blindly walked to his seat. Noctis chuckled softly at the sight. “Morning, Ace.”“Morning,” the blonde said as he took his seat.“Are Regina and Domi on their way, too?” Prompto asked.“Should be,” Ace said. Sure enough, a little after, Regina and Domi walked into the room, both of them dressed in their uniforms like Ace. And, of course, Regina stretched and yawned as she walked over.“Morning, princess, Domi,” Noctis chuckled.“Morning~” Domi chirped, while Regina grunted softly.“You stayed up a little later after I told you to go to bed, huh?” Prompto guessed knowingly.“We had to escape the dungeon, Ma!” Regina pointed out.“Well, plan a little ahead next time, silly,” her mother sighed.“Yeah, yeah…” the princess grumbled as they took their seats. However, before Ignis came in, she blinked and seemed to remember something. “Oh uh… Father?”“Hm? Yes, princess?”“Before we go to school, can I…can I ask you something…in private?”Noctis looks at her curiously, before he nodded. “Of course. Should I be worried?”“Ah, no…not really…”Prompto looked at her curiously, wondering what it was about. Regina didn’t say anything else as their breakfast was brought in, but it was clear there was something on her mind. Though Domi lightly nudged her every now and then. Prompto frowned slightly in confusion, hoping everything was all right.Like that, they spent their breakfast quietly, with Ace seeming a bit engrossed in his book, still, while Regina clearly had something on her mind. Roxas was still tired as he ate, with Axel looking at him occasionally in slight concern.While the parents looked on quietly, the twins were not the type to sit back and just let it go. “Roxy? Is the baby doing sometings?” Naminé asked worriedly. Zack looked worried, too, until Roxas smiled slightly.“No, they’re okay. I’m just tired, that’s all,” he assured them.“…you go to bed late? Mama says that’s no good!” his little sister pointed out.“Sissy does that, too! Look how tired she gets!” Zack added, making the pregnant shifter laugh.“Nah, the babies are just draining my energy, so I get tired faster,” Roxas chuckled, as Axel snickered from Zack’s remark.“Oyoy…” Regina mumbled, while Domi giggled.“They have a point, love~”“Not funny…”Zack giggled as well, looking rather pleased with himself. Ace merely smirked a little, but he said nothing of the matter as he finished his own breakfast. Once they were finished, Axel got up with Roxas, and he kissed the top of the blonde’s head softly.“I’ll see you later today, okay?” he smiled.“Okay… Please don’t stay out again today…” the smaller teen pleaded quietly.“I won’t, I promise,” the redhead soothed. “Just focus on your studies here until I get back.”“I will,” Roxas murmured, kissing his mate briefly before letting him go.Ace closed his book and got up, ruffling the twins’ hair before he turned to Regina. “Want us to wait?”“Yeah, sure. Shouldn’t take too long,” Regina assured.“We’ll be outside,” Axel nodded, and he followed Ace out while Roxas went to the study room to wait for Quon.Once they had gone, Noctis turned to Prompto. “Mind keeping an eye on the twins for the moment?”“Of course,” Prompto nodded.After nodding thankfully, Noctis gestured for his oldest to follow him into the adjoining room, which she did without a word. And once there, he turned to her solemnly.“Everything alright, princess?”“Yeah, sure…just…I…um…”Noctis frowned in worry at seeing his daughter struggling for words, but he waited patiently. After all, she didn’t like to be forced to find her words; she’d find it on her own eventually.“…Father…how do…how do humans become shifters?”Noctis blinked, once, then twice, before he had to bite back a snort and mutter ‘Déjà vu’. He took a moment to consider it, before he said, “Well…technically, not ALL humans can become shifters…just those who have mated with one.”“Like you and Ma?”“Exactly,” Noctis said with a nod. “However…the process is far from pleasant,” he warned, and Regina flinched. “If you wanted Domi to become a shifter, his whole body would have to, technically, restructure itself. It’s definitely not a pleasant thing to go through…”“…But then why…?”“Because it’s worth it,” Noctis interrupted with a smile as he stepped up to his daughter and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I chose to go through with this, knowing damn well what I was getting into…because I couldn’t bear the thought of ever having to leave your mother…or any of you, behind.” Squeezing her shoulder, he added, “And I’m sure Domi would feel the same way…but don’t rush it, kay? Make sure you give him the time to get ready for it.”“…but…but what if he doesn’t want…?”“Princess…have some faith in him, okay? You’ve seen what he’s willing to do already…so trust him to do the right thing. Alright?”“…a-alright.”“Good.” Stepping forward that last step, he pulled the girl into a hug, which was quickly returned. “It’ll be okay, princess… You’ll see.”“…yeah. Yeah, okay… Thanks, Father,” Regina said gratefully.“Anytime, princess…now go on; you have school, still.”“Darnit…” she grumbled, but she chuckled anyway as she hurried off to the others. Chuckling as well, Noctis headed back to where Prompto was waiting with the twins.“Everything okay?” the smaller shifter asked as he watched the twins play.“I just had a déjà vu moment,” Noctis chuckled.“Lemme guess: Regina wanted to know about the changing process, too, huh?” Prompto guessed with his own chuckle.“Yeah. And she’s just as worried for Domi as Roxas was for Axel.”“Well, I can’t say I blame them for being worried,” he blonde admitted. “You had me worried out of my mind during your change, especially since I didn’t know what exactly you were going through…”“Yeah, but the situation with our races was different then…” Noctis said as he placed an arm around Prompto’s shoulders. “Things are different now. They’re better.”“True,” Prompto nodded, smiling warmly up at Noctis. “And I couldn’t ask for anything better right now.”Noctis smiled as he pressed a kiss to the blonde’s temple. “That makes two of us…”“Good,” the smaller shifter murmured, before he called to the twins. “Zack, Naminé, come on, time for your own lessons, okay?”“Ooh! We get to go to school soons?” Naminé asked excitedly.“Yep, so you gotta get your things, okay?” their mother chuckled, and Zack nodded eagerly.“Okays!” he chirped.“Le’s go!” Nami cheered, before she and Zack hurried off.“Way too excited for school,” Prompto laughed lightly. “Wait until they’re in middle school.”“Oh yeah,” Noctis laughed softly in turn. “Should be about the time where they’ll be like not wanting to go anymore.”“Just like the triplets,” the blonde agreed, before sighing softly. “Well, I better make sure they have everything. I’ll catch up with you later, Noct.”“Right,” Noctis said with a nod, as he headed off to get his own work done. While Noctis went to do his royal duties, Prompto made his way to the twins’ room, where he found them finishing packing their school bags.“Almost ready?” he asked.“Yepyep!” Zack chirped, zipping his backpack closed.“Uh-huh!” Naminé chorused.“Good,” their mother smiled. “Then we’ll go meet with Ignis, okay?”“Kay, Momma!” Zack smiled brightly.“Okiday!”Once both of them had finished, Prompto walked them out to Ignis and the Regalia, and the sandy blonde looked up at their approach.“All set?” he asked.“Yeah, they’re set,” Prompto smiled. “I’ll ride with today.”“Momma gonna come with?!” Zack gasped.“Really?!” Naminé exclaimed in awe.“I want to see you two off to school, since I’m home so much,” Prompto explained. “Now, let’s get into the Regalia, or else you’ll be late.”“Okays!” Zack nodded, before climbing into the backseat of the Regalia and buckling his seat belt.“Yay! Le’s go le’s go!” the youngest princess cheered.After the twins were situated and buckled in, Prompto got into the back seat as well, buckling his own seat belt and smiling at the twins once Ignis had gotten into the driver’s seat and started the ignition after he was settled.“Ready?” the Advisor asked.“Yeah, let’s go,” Prompto nodded. And with that, Ignis drove off to the twins’ preschool. As he drove, he watched and listened to how the shifter interacted with the twins, and he couldn’t help but give a faint smile of his own. The blonde was a natural with children, and not just his own. When Joshua had first met Prompto, the silverette had quickly developed a bright friendship with his “uncle”. So in all honesty, Ignis wouldn’t be surprised in the least if he and Noctis provided many heirs to the line of Lucis in the future.Finally, they arrived, and Prompto kissed the twins on their foreheads before they slid out of the back seat and ran into the school.“…They grow up way too fast…” the blonde sighed quietly as Ignis drove back to the Citadel.“You have a knack for children, Prompto. Soon enough, it will be another nine years, and Noctis and you will be parents to newborns again,” Ignis assured him.“You think so? I’m worried about if Noct wouldn’t want any more…” the blonde admitted.“I highly doubt that. He knows it would be too difficult to deny you, anyway,” Ignis smirked, making Prompto blush crimson.“Ignis!” he whined, but the sandy blonde merely chuckled. X*X(After School)X*X“Nrgh…! I definitely did NOT miss school…at all…” Regina groaned as they walked out of the school building.“I don’t think any of us will miss school, except maybe Ace,” Axel chuckled.“Very funny,” Ace snorted softly.“You know it’s true,” the redhead smirked. Ace merely rolled his eyes.“By the way, Axel…” Domi said suddenly as they walked to the field, smirking. “When did Odin say he’d finish?”“In roughly a week or so,” Axel replied. “And you know, I don’t care if you guys know. Only that Rox doesn’t find out. Thanks for the discount, by the way.”“Hihi~ You're welcome~”“Hoo boy…” Regina chuckled. “So…you got a plan on when and where to do it?”“Not exactly, no… But I know I want to do it before his due date.”“Hmhmm…” Regina hummed softly. “Obviously…”“Hm…wasn’t there that amusement park you guys wanted to go to last time?” Ace asked suddenly.“Yeah, wh—OH!!” the lanky teen exclaimed, realizing what Ace was suggesting. But then he frowned. “But he wouldn’t be able to go out when he’s already showing, right?”“He shouldn’t be showing THAT much by that point…” Ace pointed out.“Plus, it WAS more family oriented,” Regina added. “So there’s less of a hassle with rides he’d not be allowed to go on.”“True,” Axel hummed thoughtfully. “All right, I’ll do that, then. But Regina? I’d like for you to take pictures, if you could.”“Well! Gonna have to get myself some extra rolls, then,” the princess joked with a small smirk, making the others laugh lightly.“Hey, whatever it takes,” the redhead smirked back. “Besides, I’m sure he’d love the pictures, too.”“Knowing him, he would,” Regina agreed as they reached the field. “C’mon; let’s get going.”“Yeah,” Axel nodded, waiting patiently for Ace to shift. He’d taken to riding on Ace since Roxas’s lessons with Quon started, but he still preferred his Roxas. After all, he felt a little awkward on Ace’s back, nothing against Ace, of course. Once the royals had shifted and Domi and Axel had gotten on, the pair took off for the Citadel again.When they arrived, Roxas was waiting with Quon for them, surprisingly. He smiled happily when he saw his mate, and waited until the redhead had climbed off of Ace’s back before going over and tucking himself into his side.“Done early, huh Roxy?” Axel chuckled.“Actually, yeah. I got done with Quon’s stuff early today, so we decided to wait for you guys,” the blonde murmured.Quon chuckled softly at those words. “More like you rushed to finish so we could come down,” he said casually.“I got everything done right, though, so you can’t complain,” Roxas huffed. Ace merely chuckled as they walked over…right as the Regalia rolled into the parking lot. As soon as the car had been put into park, the door for the back seat opened, and Zack and Naminé came running out, giggling.“Hey, you two!” Axel grinned, catching Zack before he could collide with Roxas.“Sissy! We went to school, too!” Naminé cheered.“Good for you. How was it?”“Lotsa fun!” Zack crowed. “I met a quiet kid who didn’t look like he had friends, though…”“Did you make friends with him, then?” Roxas asked.“Yup!”“Good,” his oldest brother smiled.“You’ll have to bring him by sometime, then,” Ace said with a smile.“Yeah!” Zack nodded eagerly.“What about you, Nami? Did you make any new friends?” Axel asked.“I made a girlfriend!” Naminé cheered. “She has different eyes! She's really pretty!”“That so?” Regina chuckled. “Don’t see that every day… I’d love to meet her, too.”“Well, it’s good that you two made friends,” Roxas smiled.The twins giggled merrily at the praise. Regina smiled as she stood up. “Anyway; let’s go see what’s for dinner, shall we?”“Yeah,” Axel nodded, and Zack and Naminé ran on ahead into the Citadel as the teens followed.Regina chuckled as they followed. “Just wait until they get to high school…”“Yeah, really,” Roxas snorted softly in amusement.“I’m sure they’ll manage…” Ace said with a shrug. “We did, right?”“Barely…” Regina said with a snort.“Yeah, and we scraped by at times, too,” Roxas added.“Oh, quit being so melodramatic,” Domi said with a giggle.“You know school sucks, so don’t deny it, Domi,” Axel chuckled. Quon chuckled softly, but he didn’t add anything to the conversation as they stepped into the dining hall. Once they had taken their seats, Prompto and Noctis joined them, taking their own seats for dinner.“How was school, Zack, Nami?” Prompto asked.“We made fwends!” Zack chirped happily.“Can they come over for the weekends?” Naminé asked with a mock pout.“Haha. If they want to…” Noctis said with a smile.“I’ll talk to Cloud ‘bout it!” Zack grinned eagerly.“And I’ll ask Yunie!”Roxas chuckled, but he was a little worried at the idea of the twins’ new friends coming over. Only because he didn’t know how they would react to shifters.“Hey, Nami, Zack,” Regina said suddenly. “Do Cloud and Yunie know you’ll be able to shift, soon?”“Uh… I didn’t say… Should I have?” Naminé asked worriedly.“I told Cloud, but he wasn’t very impwessed…” Zack pouted.“It would definitely be good for Yunie to know before coming…or she might be scared,” Regina pointed out.“…why??” Naminé asked curiously.“Because they’re human, and humans can’t shift, remember, sweetie?” Prompto reminded her. “So imagine if you suddenly shifted in front of her after you’re able to. She wouldn’t expect it, and might get scared.”“Oh…”“Hey, if she’s really your friend, she won’t mind that you’re a shifter,” Roxas pointed out.“Yeah, I mean, look at the lot of us,” Regina said, gesturing for Domi, Axel and Quon.Naminé blinked, before she smiled. “Okay! I’ll tell her tomorrows!”“I’m sure she’ll be fine with it,” Prompto assured her. Noctis smiled, as Ignis brought out their dinner. The family then tucked in, enjoying their meals.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next morning, Roxas woke up before Axel, surprisingly, but he knew it was due to his worry over changing his mate. He snagged his phone off the nightstand, and then shot a text to Prompto. 
Me: Mom, are you up?
 It only took Prompto a minute to read the text, before he replied. 
Mom: Yeah, I was just getting up for the day. What’s wrong?

Me: I…I’m gonna change Axel… He’s willing, and I don’t want to lose him.

Mom: I’m glad, sweetie~ Do you want me with you after you bite him?

Me: Yeah… Yeah, I’d like that.

Mom: Anything for you, Roxas. I’ll wait outside your room tonight and come in once you’ve bit him, okay?

Me: Sounds good. Thanks, Mom.

Mom: Of course, Roxas. I’ll see you boys at breakfast, okay?

Me: Okay. See you soon.
 Once he’d locked his phone again, Roxas kissed Axel’s neck, nuzzling him softly. “Axel, we gotta get up for breakfast,” he told him.“Mm… Do I have to get up?” the redhead groaned.“Unfortunately,” the blonde sighed.“All right, let’s get moving,” the taller teen mumbled. When they had finished getting dressed and had arrived downstairs for breakfast, Prompto was down there as well, getting the twins into their seats.“Good morning, boys,” Prompto smiled at the sight of the couple.“Mornin’, Roxy! Mornin’, Axel!” Zack grinned.“Mornings!” Naminé cheered happily.Noctis chuckled, nodding. “Hey. Slept well?”“Yeah, actually,” Roxas nodded, taking his seat with Axel. The King smiled warmly, before he looked up as the other teens came down, with Regina yawning widely (as usual).“Oy… Morning,” she said calmly.“Morning,” Roxas nodded in unison with Axel.“Mornin’, Sissy!” Zack chirped.“Sissy! Mornings!”Regina smiled as she ruffled her siblings’ hair, before she and the others took their seats.“Morning,” Ace said with a nod and smile of his own.“Sleep well, everyone?” Prompto asked.“Well enough…” Regina grumbled, making Domi giggle a bit, while Ace merely nodded his head.“Will you ever get enough sleep?” Roxas asked his older sister with an amused smile.“Shuddap…” his sister growled, much to everyone’s amusement.“Easy, Regina,” Prompto soothed, as Ignis brought out breakfast. A huff was the only response she gave before she, like the others, focused on breakfast. As they ate, Axel couldn’t help but wonder how he could ask Roxas out to the amusement park without the blonde getting suspicious.Thankfully, he didn’t have to wonder for long. “Hey, Ma,” Regina said suddenly. “Can we go to Chocobo Paradise next week?”“Oh, sure, princess. Roxas and Ace are going, too, right?” Prompto replied, figuring where this was going.“Duh. Unless they want to opt out,” Regina said, looking to her brothers briefly.Ace chuckled softly. “Not me. I’m in.”“I’d love to!” Roxas grinned, before it faded as he looked to his mother. “I can go, right?”“Of course, sweetie. You’re not too far along yet to where I’d be super worried,” Prompto smiled.“Sweet!” Regina laughed with a grin, before she glanced briefly to Axel (without Roxas noticing). Prompto noticed, though, and he smiled.“Axel, Domi, you’re going with, too, right? And Ace, would you like to invite Quon?” he asked.“Of course,” Axel smiled.“Yeah, sure,” Ace said with a nod.“Hihi~ Don’t see why not. This should be fun~”“All right, then you all have fun, and then maybe Zack and Naminé can invite Cloud and Yunie over,” Prompto suggested, making the twins’ expressions light up.“Really?!” Zack gasped.“Can we, Papa?!” Naminé asked excitedly.“If they want to, sure,” Noctis said with a smile.“I’ll ask Cloud today!” Zack grinned.“All right, just make sure you tell him next weekend, and same for you with Yunie, Nami, okay?” Prompto told them.“Okays!”“Kay, Mama!” Naminé chirped with a bright grin. Meanwhile, Regina threw Axel a small, knowing smirk when she was sure Roxas wasn’t looking. The redhead shook his head a little in disbelief, but he nodded minutely in wordless thanks. After giving a small nod back, the princess went back to her food. X*X*X*X*X*X*XLater on, after his siblings, mate, and Domi had left for school, Roxas was sitting in his lessons with Quon, having a hard time focusing. He was worrying about when he was to change Axel that night, and his thoughts kept panicking about whether something would go wrong, or if he would do it wrong. Before he could worry any further though, Quon abruptly smacked him on the forehead with a rolled-up stack of papers.Immediately, Roxas let out a startled yip, before pouting at Quon. “What the hell, man?” he whined.“You’re here to learn, not dream,” the other teen pointed out.“I wasn’t dreaming, Quon…” the blonde grumbled. “I was worrying…”“About?”“When I change Axel into a shifter tonight…”This actually seemed to catch the teen’s attention. “That’s a thing that can happen, then?”“Yeah. Dad used to be human, but Mom changed him before we were born. As long as a shifter and human are mates, the shifter can make the human into a shifter, too.”“Hmm…interesting…”“I’m just afraid that something might go wrong when I change Axel…”Quon considered that for a full minute, before he sighed. “All your worrying isn’t going to help now. I suggest you set it aside for now.”“No promises, but I’ll try,” Roxas sighed.Quon merely hummed as he flipped a page. “Right… Let’s continue…” X*X(Zack & Naminé)X*XMeanwhile, with Zack and Naminé, they were having fun at preschool. At lunch, though, Zack decided to ask Cloud about coming over to the Citadel.“Hey, Cloud?” he said with a smile.“…mm?” the small blonde hummed as he looked up.“Wanna come over next weekend? Mama said you could!” the little raven offered, grinning.“…? …for what?” the boy asked slowly, frowning a bit.“To play! We have fun in the garden, and it has a lot of really pretty flowers!” Zack laughed.“…” Cloud regarded him for a moment, before he huffed softly. “…not interested.”Thinking quick, Zack suggested, “What about sword fights? Gladdy can show us, too!”“…” Cloud, in response, frowned a little.“Please???” Zack pleaded with puppy dog eyes.That made Cloud groan in slight annoyance. But eventually, he said, “Fine…”“Yay! Thank you, Cloud!” the small raven grinned happily.“…whatever…”“We’ll have lotsa fun! Especially if Mama wants to play with us!” Zack giggled.“…uh-huh…”“Well, Mama can already shift! So I bet he’d shift to play with us!”“…hm…”Zack pouted briefly, before looking over at his twin, hoping her friend, Yunie, would be more open to coming over.“Hey, Yunie?” Naminé said suddenly, making the small brunette look up.“Wha’s wrong, Nami?” she asked.“Nothing’s wrong,” Naminé assured. “But do you wanna come over for the weekends? Zack’s getting Cloud to come, too!”Yunie blinked curiously, tilting her head, before she asked, “Is that okay?”“Uh-huh! Mama said it was okay!”“Oooh! Okay! Sure!”“Yay!” the girl cheered, which, for her brother on the other table, was answer enough. “…Oh! Right! Mama said I had to say I’s a shifter!”“…? Shifter?” Yunie questioned.“Means I can shift into animals! …well…on my next birthdays, anyways…”“Really?! Tha’s so neat!”“I know, right!?”Zack laughed at the exchange, happy for his twin, before turning back to Cloud.“Oh! Wha’s your favorite food, Cloud? I bet Iggy could make it!” he asked.“…” Cloud merely shrugged his shoulders.“Don’t you have a favorite food?”“…no.”“Then we’ll have to fix that!” Zack grinned.“…hm…”“Dun worry, Cloud! We’ll have lotsa fun!”“…if you say so…”“I do say so!” X*X*X*X*X*X*XBy the time school and his lessons were over, Roxas was more than eager to see Axel. Zack and Naminé returned home first with Ignis, and they were more excited than usual.“Roxy!” they shouted as they ran over to him, and he gently caught them in a hug, as they remembered about the babies.“Have fun today, you two?” he asked with a smile.“Yeah! Cloud’s comin’ over next weekend!” Zack grinned.“And Yunie, too!” Naminé added with a big smile of her own.“That’s great! I can’t wait to meet them,” Roxas chuckled, before perking up when he heard his siblings landing in the clearing with Axel and Domi. “Let’s go say hi to the others, okay?”“Kay!”When they got close to the group, Roxas immediately knew something was wrong. He saw the tension in Axel’s shoulders, and he frowned.“What happened?” he questioned.“Seifer,” Axel said shortly, and Roxas tensed, before looking at the twins.“How about you two go inside and find Mom? I’ll bet he’s looking for you,” he said, and they nodded, before going inside.“What did he do?” the blonde demanded.“He… Somehow, he found out why you’re no longer at school, and he basically spread it like wildfire with Rai and Fuu’s help,” Axel spat.“What…?” Roxas whimpered. “But…how did he…?”“Doesn’t matter…” Regina snarled softly. “It’s more important to get this stuff sorted out properly… And we’ll see to that tomorrow.”Roxas couldn’t help but whimper, still upset, even as Axel wrapped his arms around his shoulders comfortingly.“Regina’s right, Roxy. We’ll get this sorted out, okay?” he soothed, and Roxas nodded softly against his mate’s chest.“Don’t worry, Roxas,” Ace assured. “We’ll take care of this before it gets too much out of hand.”“Okay…” the pregnant shifter whispered.“…Come on, Rox. Let’s get you inside, okay?” Axel murmured, beginning to guide him to the Citadel’s entrance. The shorter teen allowed himself to be guided inside, where Noctis was waiting, surprisingly.Noctis took in the expressions on their faces and immediately frowned in worry. “…What happened?” he asked firmly.“The school knows about my pregnancy, Dad…” Roxas choked out, trembling in Axel’s hold.As expected, Noctis looked surprised, before it became angered. “How?”“Dunno exactly how…but one of the kids at school seems to have found out and has been spreading the word…” Regina growled. Roxas flinched briefly at the words, tucking himself further against Axel.Snarling softly, Noctis reached up and rubbed at his temples. “…Dammit… Regina, Ace?”“We got it, don’t worry,” Regina said, as Ace nodded.“Good. True as it is, we don’t need this spread out just yet.”“…Thank you…” Roxas mumbled, sniffling. Regina reached out and patted her brother’s back, while Ace reached over and squeezed his shoulder, silently reassuring him that everything would be fine.“…Do you think Ignis would be okay if we ate in our room tonight, Noct?” Axel asked, looking down at his lover worriedly.“Hmm… I’ll let him know… I’m sure he’ll agree once he knows what’s up.”“…Thank you, Dad…” Roxas whispered.“Don’t worry… Leave this to your siblings. Now go.”“Okay…” the pregnant shifter nodded softly, allowing Axel to lead him to their room. Once they got there and the door was shut behind them, Roxas curled up on their bed, not bothering to change.“Roxas…” Axel murmured, sitting on the bed with him. “It’ll be okay, I promise. Regina and Ace will take care of it, don’t worry.”“…Easier said than done, Axel…” the blonde muttered.“…Want me to distract you, then?”Roxas blinked, before turning to look at his mate. “You mean that?”“Of course, Roxy. I love you, no matter what.”The smaller teen gazed at Axel for a few seconds, before he reached out for the redhead. The lanky teen pulled Roxas into a kiss, before murmuring against his lips, “One last time while I’m human.”“I know, but I want you…” Roxas breathed when they parted for air.“And I’ll always be here for you,” Axel promised, kissing him again and deepening it. As they kissed, the pregnant shifter felt himself beginning to harden, and he whined into the kiss, wanting more. Axel chuckled against his lips, before gently tugging off Roxas’s shirt, and making the blonde gasp and moan when those slender fingers brushed against his swollen stomach.“You okay…?” Axel asked softly.“S-sensitive…” Roxas mumbled, blushing darkly. At the stuttered-out word, Axel grinned wolfishly, before running his fingers along the bare skin of the blonde’s stomach, drawing a loud moan from the smaller teen. Axel kept this up for a little while, before gently pushing Roxas onto his back on their bed. He then pulled away to remove his own clothes, and then pulled off the pregnant shifter’s pants and boxers.“Axel…!” Roxas whined pitifully, feeling slick leak from his ass as he watched his mate.“I’m going, Roxy,” Axel purred, leaning forward and kissing him lovingly as he slid into the blonde. Roxas gasped softly, before giving a pleasured cry, shuddering heavily in delight as he was filled.“Move, Axel…” he whispered, and the redhead nodded, beginning to thrust deeply into his lover. The blonde moaned from the pleasurable sensations, clenching up with a loud cry when Axel struck his prostate. The lanky teen hissed softly as Roxas clenched up around him, before reaching down and pumping the shorter teen in time with his thrusts.“A-ah…!” Roxas wailed, before he tried to warn Axel. “A-Axel…! I…I’m g-gonna—AH!!” He couldn’t even finish the warning before he came, his cum spattering against his and Axel’s stomachs as he clenched fully around the redhead, before going limp beneath him.“Ah, fuck…!” Axel groaned, burying himself deep within his lover as he came, releasing his white-hot seed inside Roxas. He nearly collapsed on top of the blonde, but had enough clarity in him to not do so, instead flopping onto his side next to Roxas, pulling out in the process.As they both tried to catch their breath, Roxas shivered lightly at the cool air from the room on his bare skin. Axel started to pull the blanket over them, but then Roxas stopped him.“D…don’t… I’m gonna…gonna change you…remember…?” he panted out. Axel nodded, before carefully sitting up.“Lemme get…some pants on, then…” he said, still a little breathless. Once he’d slid out of bed, he pulled on a pair of boxer briefs and pajama pants, before grabbing a washcloth for Roxas to clean himself off with. He wiped the blonde’s cum off his own stomach, and then helped clean his lover up, before helping him get dressed into some pajama pants and a t-shirt.“There we go…” he murmured, lying back down with the pregnant shifter. “I’m ready when you are, Roxy.”“O-okay…” Roxas nodded softly, before placing his lips at the junction where Axel’s neck and collarbone met. “I love you, Axel,” he whispered, before he bit down, his fangs piercing through the pale skin with ease.Axel inhaled sharply, before he fell silent as his body spasmed sharply, his back arching off the bed from the sudden, intense pain overtaking his entire body. It seemed to reach every nerve ending in his body, even the marrow of his bones, and he knew he would be screaming from the agony if the pain hadn’t taken hold of his vocal cords, too.Roxas pulled away with a whimper, before snuggling close as tears formed in his eyes. He really hoped he hadn’t screwed up, or else he wouldn’t be able to live with himself. There was a soft knock on the door, before Prompto came into the room without waiting for an answer. The older shifter took one look at Axel, and knew the changing process had been started.“Sweetie, it’s okay, you did it right,” he soothed, sitting on the bed at Axel’s feet after setting the tray he’d brought in on the desk. “He’ll be fine, just tired when it’s done. It’ll take a couple of days, but once he’s changed, he’ll be a shifter, and you won’t lose him.”“…I feel horrible that he’s in so much pain, though, Mom…” Roxas breathed, glancing at his mother.“Roxas, I’ve been there with your father, before you were born, and I know how you feel, I promise,” Prompto murmured, reaching over and stroking his son’s spiky, blonde hair. “But this will ensure you’ll never lose him, and he obviously wants the same, or he wouldn’t have had you change him.”“…” The pregnant shifter nodded quietly, knowing the taller blonde was right.“How about we get you some dinner? I brought up your dinner for you, since you need to eat,” Prompto offered.“…I’m not hungry…”“Trust me, Axel will be upset if you don’t take proper care of yourself, Roxas. Your father didn’t like it when he found out I wasn’t eating during his change,” the older shifter told him. “Now come on, it’s one of your favorite meals.”Roxas, although he really didn’t want to, carefully sat up, and watched as his mother set a plate of Peppery Daggerquil Rice on the bed for him. “Thank you, Mom…” he murmured after taking a bite, not realizing how hungry he’d been.“Anytime, sweetie. Anytime,” Prompto smiled, leaning over and kissing his cheek. “Do you want me to stay in here for the night…?”“…If you don’t mind…” the shorter blonde mumbled after a minute. “I don’t want to be alone…”“I don’t mind at all. I just need to text your father to let him know, okay?” the taller blonde replied, pulling out his phone. 
Me: Hey Noct, I’m gonna stay with Roxas for the night. He doesn’t want to be alone right now, and I don’t blame him.

Noct: Alright. Take care of them both.

Me: You know I will. Sleep good, and I love you~

Noct: Love you too.
 Tucking his phone away, Prompto then looked to see Roxas was almost done with his dinner. “There we go,” he smiled. “Your father knows now. Do you think you can finish your food?”“I think so…” Roxas mumbled, before taking a few more bites, actually finishing off the food.“Good job,” Prompto praised kindly. “Go ahead and sleep, sweetie. I’ll be at the end of the bed here, okay?” He then shifted into a cat, curling up at the end of the bed.“Okay,” the pregnant shifter nodded softly. “Thank you again, Mom…”‘Anytime, Roxas. I’ll always be there when you need me, okay?’ the older shifter smiled, purring quietly.“I know, but still…” Roxas then yawned slightly, his eyelids drooping.‘Get some sleep, and I’ll be here when you wake up,’ his mother promised.“Kay… Goodnight, Mom…”‘Goodnight, Roxas.’And with that, mother and son fell asleep, Roxas curled against Axel and inhaling his warm scent to help lull him to sleep. X*X*X*X*X*X*XWhen morning finally came, Noctis slowly and cautiously pushed open the door to Roxas’s room, looking inside. The two blondes were asleep, while Axel was merely breathing a little harshly, but Prompto perked up at the faint sound of the door.‘Hey,’ he greeted, yawning widely.“Hey,” Noctis said as he walked over softly.‘It’s going well so far. I don’t want to leave Roxas, though…’ Prompto told his mate, his ears lowering worriedly.“I know…” Noctis murmured, scratching Prompto behind his ear. “You just keep an eye on him, okay?”‘Will do. Mind letting the school know Axel won’t be attending any further classes? I’d rather him not attack that bastard at school after he’s able to shift.’“Will do,” the King said with a nod, as he walked over to his son. Gently, he rubbed the smaller blonde’s head, before he turned to leave after nodding to Prompto. After the raven had left, Prompto curled back up, soon falling back asleep. He wasn’t going to make Roxas wake up right now, not when he needed the sleep during this time. X*X*X*X*X*X*XAs Noctis stepped into the dining room after getting the twins, he was a little surprised to see Regina and Domi up already, talking quietly with Ace and Quon. Upon spotting the King, they sat back briefly.“Hey, Dad,” Ace said, a small frown on his face, while Regina hummed, but her expression was equally dark.“Ah, good morning,” Noctis said, realizing that they had probably been unable to get much sleep and had spent a good part of the night planning, anyway.“Sissy? You sick?” Zack asked innocently as Noctis helped him into his seat.“Hm? No, why?” Regina asked with a quirked eyebrow.“Cuz you’re up early,” Naminé pointed out, much to the others teens’ bemusement.“Hey, I can get up on time… I just don’t want to.”“Oh…” Zack nodded.“Alright, you two; let’s get you to your seats for breakfast, shall we?” Noctis chuckled out.“Okies!” Naminé chirped.“Okay, Papa!” Zack smiled brightly.Once Noctis had helped them in their seats, Naminé looked around worriedly. “Are Roxy and Axey not coming?”“Ah, no, sweetie, Axel has a tummy ache,” Noctis said with a soft smile. “He ate something at school that didn’t like him.”“Awww…”“He gonna be okay?” Zack asked.“He’ll be fine,” Noctis assured. “Axel’s tough. A tummy ache won’t get him down.”“Good!” the small raven chirped. Regina and Ace looked at each other quietly, but they said nothing else of it as Ignis came to bring their breakfast. X*X*X*X*X*X*XOnce Regina, Ace, and Domi had gotten to school, the whole student body was buzzing, it seemed, with the news of Roxas’s pregnancy. And of course, at the center, was Seifer, and it seemed he was boasting about his knowledge of the news.Domi regarded the buzz for a few moments, before he sighed and looked to Regina. “Want me to get their attention?” he asked calmly.“…No, we got this, Dom. Thanks,” Regina said simply, as she solemnly walked ahead, with the others following close behind. As they got close, Seifer noticed them, and smirked.“Well, well. If it ain’t the knocked-up freak’s siblings and entourage,” he laughed cruelly.“…” Regina chose not to respond to that. Ace, however, did.“You certainly have guts, Almasy,” the blonde said simply. “Calling Roxas a ‘freak’ in the face of the Crown Princess.”“Who the hell cares? Not like she can do anything here,” the bastard pointed out. He then noticed Axel wasn’t there. “And his coward of a boyfriend ain’t here either, huh? What’d he do, run for the hills?”“…Let me tell you something, Almasy,” Regina said simply as she stepped up to him, her eyes glowing faintly as she did. “Normally, I wouldn’t even bother…however, our Father’s given us the all clear to clean up this mess you’ve made.”Seifer seemed to pause at that, before he snorted. “Yeah, right. And ruin all of those plans to brings humans and shifters to peace?”“You seem to misunderstand… This has nothing to do with the potential peace treaty; this has everything to do with you sullying the name of the Line of Lucis.” At that, her eyes burned slightly brighter. “Do you really believe you’ll be able to get away with spreading such rumors?”“They ain’t even rumors, Crown Princess,” Seifer sneered. “It’s all true, and you know it.”“And you know this, how?” Regina asked simply, a small smirk playing on her face. “Did you see some sort of test result? Have you seen any proof of this, hm?”“Actually, I did. Some guy with blue hair showed me a pic of him in a baby shop, and he’s showing,” Seifer smirked wickedly, and the crowd watching and listening murmured in shock.Though Regina's frown fell momentarily, Seifer’s gloating didn’t last long as Ace sighed. “See? I told you people would get the wrong idea if you brought him with you after all his snacking,” he said, making Regina turn to him briefly.Finally, though, she nodded. “I suppose you did.”Seifer snarled, before snapping, “Then what about when he left early that day and didn’t come back for over a week, huh? And now he’s gone again! You guys never missed a day for being sick.”“Unfortunately, sickness does happen, Almasy,” Ace pointed out casually. “Much as Father does not want us to miss school, when illness strikes and strikes hard, there’s little that can be done.”“Then why the hell has he been gone for a month and a half now, huh? No one stays sick that long.”Before either Ace or Regina could say anything, though…“And who’re YOU to decide that?” came a familiar voice as a heavy hand came down and clamped down on Seifer’s shoulder. “There’s a lotta things that can cause one to miss school, after all.”Seifer glared behind himself at Terry, before pulling her hand off. “Hands off, Iocus.” He then returned his attention to Regina and Ace. “We don’t need more shifters in Insomnia, anyway. It was bad enough to have one. You’re all dangerous, anyway.”As expected, that did not go over well, and both Regina and Ace looked like they were ready to rip him to shreds—that is, until Domi stepped up suddenly and snapped up his hand. And in the next instant, his gun materialized in his hand with the pressed right under Seifer’s chin.“Yes, and you know what?” he cooed with a truly sickening smile on his face. “So are humans~ But whereas one MIGHT survive getting mauled by a shifter…if, say, I was to pull this trigger… Well…I don’t think you’d be walking away from this encounter, now would you?”“…” Seifer glared furiously at Domi, but it was clear he knew he was beat in this moment, based upon the obvious fear in his eyes despite his glare.“And now that I have your devoted attention, let me tell you something; we were not at that store for dear Roxy~” Domi said simply, with his gaze flicking briefly toward Regina. Said princess blinked at the words, uncertain, but then it dawned on her and her eyes widened minutely…before she chuckled.“Oy, Dom, you gonna give EVERYTHING away?” she chuckled out.“Only what I need to get the point across, love~”Seifer sneered at the group, before turning and leaving without another word. Domi giggled as he dismissed his weapon before he turned to regard the other students. They stared at the whitehead, shocked/stunned, before they quickly made their way to their respective classes.“…that could’ve gone better…” Ace murmured.“Yeah…” Regina grumbled. “…but at least we know HOW this happened…”“Unfortunately…” Ace agreed.Terry snarled softly. “Need me to work on this, Regi?”“…Starting to consider it…” X*X*X*X*X*X*XFinally, when Regina, Ace, and Domi had arrived back home, Prompto greeted them this time at the entrance to the Citadel.“Your father took over with Roxas for a bit,” he explained. “So, how did it go?”“…Could’ve gone better…” Regina snarled softly.“Definitely…” Ace agreed.“What happened?” their mother frowned darkly.“The guy who’s been spreading the ‘rumor’…apparently got his hands on a picture of us going shopping for Rox…” Regina mumbled.“Dammit…” Prompto hissed. “Now I’m worried about you all going out next weekend…”“But we can’t just cancel…” Ace mumbled. “Not with the twins going along…”“I know, but I’m worried about Roxas…” the taller blonde sighed. “Unless we can think of something else, we can’t chance it. He’s already showing by this point.”“…Dammit…” Regina murmured.Domi sighed. “We’ll think of something, I’m sure.”“Sorry, guys… Maybe another time. But for now, I’ll tell the twins that the park is closed that weekend to fix things,” Prompto said. “Do you know who might have gotten the picture in the first place?”“Yeah, unfortunately…” Regina snarled. “Seymour.”“Wait, isn’t he that prick who proposed to you before your heat, Regina?” Prompto questioned, frowning dangerously.“Yes.”Immediately, the older shifter snarled furiously, the sound deep and deadly. “I don’t care what your father says, that fucker deserves to pay,” he spat.“Mom, that’s only going to make things worse,” Ace pointed out. “We need to find a way around this without drawing too much attention…”“Ace, I know that, but he’s done damage to this family already, and he’s making things worse for us,” the taller blonde replied. “The fact that he maliciously stressed Roxas out during his pregnancy is horrible.”“Yeah, but…”“I’m sure there’s something we can do…” Regina murmured thoughtfully.“Well, if you can figure out a non-violent way to make that bastard pay or suffer for what he’s done, let me know,” Prompto told them. “In the meantime, Roxas is not to know that Seymour is behind this for now.”“Right,” the two siblings agreed with a nod.As the teens headed off, however, Domi suddenly stopped and blinked, before he smirked and tapped on Regina’s shoulder. “Say, love… I know we can’t really do anything about this situation…but perhaps we can get some help.”“Some help…? From where?” Regina asked, frowning.“Yeah, who’s going to be able to help with this?” Ace added.However, Domi only giggled. “Oh you’ll see~ C’mon!” he chirped, as he hurried ahead, with the two siblings hurrying after.As they moved through the halls, though, Regina frowned as she began to recognize where they were going. “Wait…we’re going to see Uncle Kuja?”“Why would—…oooooh. I think I get it,” Ace said, a small smirk on his face.Regina blinked, before her eyes widened, and then she smirked. “Oooh, I see.”Domi merely giggled as they reached the room in question. After a moment, he finally knocked on the door.“It’s open,” Kuja called out simply. As the trio stepped into the room, the older shifter looked up from where he was reading. “Oh? Well, this is a surprise. What can I do for you kids, hm?”“Uncle Kuja… we need a favor,” Regina admitted seriously.Realizing that the princess was dead serious, and that her brother was equally as serious, Kuja’s expression darkened and he shut his book, not even bothering to bookmark it. “What happened?”“They’ve figured out Roxas is pregnant at school,” Ace said solemnly, which, expectedly, made Kuja frown darkly. “We know who’s responsible, but we need to find a way to get back at him…without causing any damage.”“We can’t afford to make a stink of this at this point… not with tensions between humans and shifters still being high…” Regina added.“…I see your point…” Kuja murmured, rapping his fingers along the arm of his chair. “…We’ll need to get some extra help for this, though.”“Whatever it takes…” Domi said solemnly. “Preferably without Roxas figuring this out…” X*X(Roxas)X*XAs Roxas laid in bed against Axel, lightly dozing after his father had left a few minutes prior, there was a small knock on the bedroom door, making him perk up, still a little tired.“Come in,” he called. The door was then opened to reveal Kairi and Reno, the young girl holding a small basket in her hands with a black and white checkered cloth over it. “Hey guys,” he smiled tiredly.“Heya kiddo,” Reno greeted.“Hi Roxy!” Kairi smiled brightly. “Iggy helped me make cookies for you to cheer you up!”“Really now? That’s very sweet of you, Kairi,” the blonde told her with a small grin as he carefully pushed himself into sitting up.“I made your favorite: snickerdoodle!” the maroon-haired girl giggled. “Axel told me they’re your favorite back when we would talk before you two became boyfriends.”“Well, thank you very much, Kairi. I could use some snickerdoodles,” Roxas chuckled as he patted the spot next to him on the bed. She hopped onto the bed with him, and then uncovered the basket to reveal it was lined with another black and white checkered cloth with at least two dozen snickerdoodle cookies inside the basket. The pregnant shifter inhaled their delicious scent, and he knew they were still warm.“They smell amazing, Kairi,” he praised. “Mind if I have one now?”“Of course! They’re all for you, Roxy!” Kairi grinned. Chuckling, Roxas took one and bit into it, humming happily at the warm taste of the cinnamon sugar in the cookie.“And they taste even better than they smell,” he told her, lightly ruffling her hair.“Thank you, Roxy!” the maroon-haired girl smiled happily.“You’re welcome, Kai,” Roxas chuckled. As he ate his cookie, Kairi looked at Axel, frowning worriedly.“…Is Axel okay, Roxy?” she asked. The blonde paused, before swallowing his mouthful so he could answer.“He will be. Right now, he’s not, but he will be,” he answered.“What happened?” Reno questioned.“He…he wanted me to make him a shifter, that way we can stay together and I won’t lose him,” Roxas explained. “And for that, I had to bite him again. Mom says it’s a two-day process, and Dad admitted it’s extremely painful, but Axel still doesn’t want to leave me and our kids alone…”“Good that he doesn’t. I’d kick some sense into him if he was hesitant about it,” Reno snorted. “I’m sorry that he’s hurting right now, though…”“I didn’t want to hurt him, but it’s the only way to make him a shifter…” Roxas sighed. Reno then ruffled his hair, making him yip, startled.“Don’t worry about it, squirt. I’m sure he’d go through it many more times just to stay with you,” the redhead assured him. “That much I know.”“Thanks, Reno,” Roxas smiled lightly.“So, Axel’s gonna be able to shift into animals, too?” Kairi asked eagerly.“Yeah, once the change finishes tomorrow. But he’ll be really tired when it’s done, so it probably won’t be for another two days from tonight,” Roxas told her.“Aww…”“Don’t worry, Kai. You’ll be able to play with Ax as much as you want when he’s okay again,” Reno chuckled, lightly ruffling her hair and making her squeal.“Daddy!” she protested, making Reno laugh lightly.“How are you doing though, Roxas? With your pregnancy, I mean,” he asked suddenly.“I’ve been good,” the blonde replied with a small smile. “I had some morning sickness last month, but it’s passed by now. Mom told me this morning that they’ll probably start kicking by next month or so.”“Nice. You had an ultrasound yet?”“No, but I wanna wait until Axel’s okay,” the pregnant shifter admitted. “I want for us to find out together how many we’re having.”“How many do you think you’ll have?” Reno asked, genuinely curious.“Well, shifters can have as many as four at a time, two at minimum, so it’s hard to say right now…”“Well, hopefully you guys won’t have too many in this first pregnancy.”“I hope not, either. Otherwise we’ll literally have our hands full,” Roxas chuckled.“What would you want, gender-wise? All boys, all girls, or a mix?” Reno inquired.“Honestly, I think boys would be a bit easier, considering Axel and I are both guys…” the blonde admitted.“But I want a little girl cousin!” Kairi whined, making Roxas laugh.“I can’t help it if we don’t have a girl, Kai, sorry,” he chuckled. “You still have Naminé if I don’t have a girl, though.”“You’re right!” she smiled brightly.“Hey, Kairi, you wanna watch some TV with me? I want someone with me,” Roxas said.“Okay!” the young girl smiled happily, and Roxas snagged the TV remote off the nightstand before turning on the TV to a cooking competition show.“These are always fun to watch,” he told her.“I’ll leave you to it, but I’ll be by later, okay?” Reno said.“Sure thing. Thanks, Reno,” the blonde murmured as Kairi snuggled against his side.“Anytime, Rox.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(The Following Night)X*XRoxas was lying next to Axel, Prompto in the room with them, the older shifter waiting for Axel to start to come out of his unconscious state. The redhead’s change was nearly complete, and Prompto knew he would have to leave once Axel began to stir.“He hasn’t moved once except for breathing this whole time, Mom… Are you sure he’ll be okay?” Roxas asked worriedly.“That’s how your father was during his change, so yes,” his mother replied with a smile. The smile faded, however, when Axel groaned painfully. “I’d better leave, or else he may freak out if anyone but his mate is here with him. I’ll check on you boys in the morning, okay?”“Okay. Thank you again for staying, Mom,” Roxas told him.“Of course, sweetie. Text or call me if you need anything,” the older shifter murmured, and then he left, closing the door softly behind him. Once he was gone, Axel’s eyelids began to flutter as he gave a growl, and Roxas gently shushed him.“Easy, Ax…” he whispered. “It’s just me, okay?”“R…Rox…as…?” Axel groaned, slowly opening his eyes, his emerald gaze soon focusing on his mate.“Yeah, it’s me,” Roxas soothed with a smile. “Tired still, huh?”“Y…yeah…”“We’ll sleep, then,” the blonde murmured, snuggling close. “I love you, Axel…”“L…love you, too…” Axel mumbled, and the pair soon fell asleep together. X*X*X*X*X*X*XWhen morning arrived, Prompto made his way to Roxas and Axel’s room to check on them like he’d said he would. He cracked open the door, and was pleased to see Axel curled around Roxas, both boys still fast asleep. After watching them for a minute more, he decided to let the couple sleep. He would swing by with some breakfast later.He then got the twins up and headed down to the dining room with them, where Noctis, Regina, Ace, and Domi were waiting.Regina looked up casually, before she hummed as she lifted her hand in an absent wave. “Morning.”As Ace nodded, Domi giggled and waved. “Good morning~”“Morning, everyone,” Prompto smiled, helping the twins into their seats. “Roxas and Axel are gonna sleep in this time. They need it.”“Right,” Ace said with a nod, while Regina hummed softly.“Understandable,” Noctis said with a nod.“Also, Axel won’t be going to school anymore. He’ll have his lessons with Quon, as long as Quon’s okay with that,” Prompto said.“Should be okay… I’ll ask him later today,” Ace said calmly.“Thank you, Ace,” his mother smiled.“…Axey gonna be okay?” Naminé asked. “Tummy still hurting?”“Yeah, just a bit, sweetie, but he’ll be fine,” her mother assured her with a smile.“Oh…”Regina merely hummed as she sat back, waiting for breakfast to be served. Once Ignis brought breakfast out, Prompto then looked at the twins.“Oh, right, Nami, Zack? I found out yesterday that the park is closed for some work next weekend,” he told them, making Zack whine.“Awww!!” he pouted.“Nooooo!” Naminé cried, pouting as well. “Tha’s not fair!”“I know, guys, but it can’t be helped,” Prompto sighed. “Maybe another time, okay?”“Okay…” Zack muttered, disappointment evident in his voice.“Kay…” his sister said, drooping unhappily. Regina frowned at this and threw a look at Ace. The blonde hummed softly and nodded soundlessly. Prompto caught the looks, but didn’t say anything in regards to it. The kids also didn’t bother to say anything about the matter. Instead, they merely focused on their breakfast for the time being. They still had school to worry about, after all.After Regina, Ace, and Domi had left for school, and Ignis had left with the twins for preschool, Prompto went to Noctis in his office, hopefully to address this issue regarding Seymour.“Hey,” he greeted as he closed the door behind himself.Noctis looked up and frowned as he saw the look. “Still worried?” he asked softly.“More like still pissed,” Prompto grumbled. “Regina and Ace told me who’s responsible for the news being spread. It’s that fucker who proposed to Regina before her heat, Seymour.”“Oh are you kidding…” Noctis snarled softly.“I wish I was,” the blonde muttered.The King snarled angrily, curling his hands into fists. “Dammit…!” he hissed.“He can’t get away with this, Noct… It’s not right,” Prompto growled.“I know…but we can’t just go out and do something about it…royalty or not…”“Then what can we do?”“…I don’t know…”“Ugh…” the smaller shifter groaned, sighing heavily.‘You know…not everything requires royal interference, dears~’“Kuja?” Prompto frowned slightly. “Mind showing yourself and explaining?”After a soft chuckle, a small silver mouse in the corner of the room skittered forward before shifting into the older shifter, looking quite pleased with himself. “There’s no need to concern the King with the actions of children…much as one wishes to~” he said, smirking. “After all; children can be cruel enough on their own.”“Yeah, apparently so, but then what can be done about Seymour?” the blonde asked, confused.“You needn’t concern yourself with that; it’s already being dealt with~”Noctis blinked in slight surprise, before he frowned. “What did you do?”“Oh I’ve done nothing, Sire… I cannot say the same for Joshua, however~”Prompto blinked, surprised by this information, before he smirked. “Well, then please thank Joshua for us.”“Will do, dear~” Kuja chuckled, before he bowed briefly and headed out. “Good day, then~”Noctis chuckled softly at that, before he turned to Prompto. “So…let’s wait and see what’ll happen, hm?”“Yeah, let’s,” Prompto nodded, satisfied. Noctis hummed as he picked up some papers and began to work quietly. As Prompto looked over his shoulder, though, he realized that his mate was working on the basis for the peace treaty between Insomnia and the shifter community. “Looks good so far,” the smaller shifter commented as he read what there was so far.“I’d like to think so,” Noctis murmured.“Well, I’m hopeful for this. Maybe now we’ll see some good change,” Prompto smiled.“Here’s hoping…” X*X*X*X*X*X*XWhen Roxas woke up later, it was to gentle fingers running through his hair, making him look up. He was quickly greeted by the sight of his mate smiling softly as he was held close.“Hey,” Axel murmured, leaning in and kissing the blonde’s forehead softly.“Hey,” Roxas echoed, smiling. “How are you feeling?”“Still a little tired, but it’s almost noon, and I’m getting hungry,” the redhead replied with a chuckle.“Let’s go see Mom and Dad, then, and then we’ll get some lunch,” the pregnant shifter suggested.“Sounds good,” Axel chuckled.“Let’s show off that you can shift now, too,” Roxas grinned slightly as he sat up, a hand on his stomach before he shifted into a cat and jumped onto the floor.“How do I shift, anyway?”‘Just picture what you want to shift into in your mind,’ was the simple answer. Axel shrugged, before picturing a cat in his mind, and when he opened his eyes and looked down at himself, he yowled in surprise when he saw he was, indeed, a cat. ‘Nice work!’ Roxas praised, purring.‘This is definitely weird,’ the redhead admitted, before hopping onto the floor as well.‘You’ll get used to it soon enough,’ his mate laughed lightly. ‘Now come on!’ With that said, Roxas went to the door, jumping up and hooking his paw in the handle and pulling it down as he pulled back, opening the door. He then scampered out into the hallway, Axel following as the pair laughed and meowed together. Roxas led the way to Noctis’s study, where he pawed at the door, meowing loudly. Soon enough, Prompto answered, and he chuckled at the sight.“Well hello, boys,” he greeted. “Feeling better, Axel?”‘Yeah, definitely,’ Axel nodded.“What do you think of shifting so far?” the older shifter asked.‘Different,’ the redhead answered, making Prompto chuckle.“I’m sure. Come on in, boys, and show Noctis,” he said, opening the door a bit wider and letting the pair inside.As the teens scampered in, Noctis looked over curiously, before chuckling when he realized who he was looking at. “Hello, boys.”‘Hi Dad!’ Roxas mewed, as Axel chuckled at his mate’s excitement.Smiling, Noctis then turned to Axel. “So…gotten used to it, yet?”‘Somewhat, but not completely,’ the redhead admitted, smiling lightly. ‘I know it’ll take some time.’“Heh… Just wait until you need to learn to fly…” Noctis chuckled, throwing a bit of a dry look at Prompto.“Don’t look at me like that! It worked, didn’t it?” Prompto huffed.“Uh-huh…”Prompto stuck his tongue out childishly at his mate, making Roxas and Axel laugh.Noctis rolled his eyes, before he turned to the two cats. “So…what were your plans for now?”‘Well, we were gonna get some lunch, and then maybe I could teach Axel to fly before we go out for a bit?’ Roxas said.“I don’t see any problems with that,” Prompto smiled. “Noct?”“That’s fine. Just be mindful of predators, understood?”‘Will do, Dad!’ Roxas promised.“Here, lemme come with you so Ignis can fix you boys some lunch,” Prompto chuckled, before going over and kissing Noctis’s cheek. “I’ll come by later, okay?”The King nodded. “Alright. I’ll see if I can get this finished.”“No worries if you don’t by the time I come back,” his mate smiled. “All right, you two, let’s go and get you some lunch.” The younger couple nodded, and then followed Prompto out of Noctis’s office to the dining room, where Ignis appeared to be working on something. “Heya Ignis,” the older shifter called in greeting, gaining the sandy blonde’s attention.“Hello, Prompto,” he greeted, and then he noticed the two cats. “Hello, Roxas, Axel.”‘Hi Ignis!’ Roxas smiled brightly.“Mind fixing these two some lunch? After all, they missed breakfast,” Prompto asked politely.“Of course. I’ll get started,” Ignis nodded.“Thanks, Ignis,” the taller blonde told him gratefully. “Have fun when you two go out, okay? I’ll see you later.”‘Okay. Thanks, Mom!’ Roxas said, and then Prompto left back to Noctis’s office as Ignis went to the kitchen to make the young couple some lunch.‘So…how do I shift back?’ Axel asked, making Roxas laugh lightly.‘Just picture yourself in your mind,’ the blonde shrugged, before shifting back himself. Axel shrugged slightly, before shifting back after a few seconds. “Oh, how come your dad was complaining about when Prompto taught him to fly?”“You’ll see soon enough,” Roxas smirked, making the redhead sigh.“I’m not gonna like it, am I?”“We’ll see~” X*X*X*X*X*X*XThey’d noticed as soon they came to school that something was up, but neither Regina, Domi, Ace or Quon could place what it was that was different. However, they did have an inkling of what was going on, though they made sure to not bring it up, lest they were right and ruined everything.Thankfully, they didn’t have to ask around, since they had their own sources to figure that out. So, by the time lunch rolled around, as they went outside to have lunch, Libby was already there.“Hey, Libby,” Regina said as they came over, plopping down next to her. “What’s the news?”The brunette hummed as she took a sip from her ice tea. “It seems a rumor has been going around that Seymour has been stalking you,” she said calmly. Once the others were seated, she asked: “I’m hoping you did not have anything to do with this…”“Who, me? Why would I spread rumors like that?” Regina asked with a snort. “Plus, when would I have the time to do that?”“…Hm. I suppose you have a point.”Quon hummed curiously, but he didn’t bring it up just yet. He’d do that when they got back to the Citadel.‘You guys are sneaky shits,’ Axel’s voice suddenly chuckled in their heads.‘And for that, we’re thankful,’ Roxas’s added with a laugh.The sudden voices caused Regina and Ace to jump, before they turned up to the tree they were under. “The hell? When did you two get here?” Regina laughed as she spotted the two birds in the tree.‘We’ve been waiting for you slowpokes since Libby got here!’ Roxas snickered.‘You guys take forever to get out here,’ Axel added with a laugh.Ace chuckled a little, before he turned to Axel specifically. “So…how’d the flying lessons go?” he asked with a smirk.‘Better than I thought. I took to it like a fish to water,’ Axel snorted.While Domi and Libby didn't seem to think too much of that, Regina chuckled. “What? No comment about the first drop?”‘Shut it,’ Axel grumbled.‘He did surprisingly well for his first flight, Regina,’ Roxas defended him.“Uh-huh, sure,” Regina chuckled as she settled back.Libby watched her friend for a moment, before snorting. “So you did have some influence on this…”“Not personally…” the princess chuckled.‘I can believe that,’ Roxas nodded from his perch. ‘Regina’s not one to spread rumors, Libby, you know that.’ Libby merely hummed a bit.“So who did?” Quon asked…at which point there was a cheery tittering from above Roxas and Axel. Roxas immediately recognized the scent as he looked up.‘Josh? Oooohhh, now I see,’ Roxas snickered.The silver bird gave a tittering chuckle as he descended onto the lower branch. ‘Hihi~ Helps to be able to blend in, dear~’‘That it does,’ Axel chuckled, nodding his agreement.Domi giggled. “So, no problems?”‘Nope~’‘Thanks for shutting this down, Joshua,’ Roxas told his cousin gratefully.‘Thank your siblings. It was their idea.’“Actually, that was Dom’s,” Regina pointed out.‘Thanks to all of you, then,’ the blonde smiled. ‘Might as well cover my bases.’‘It means a lot,’ Axel added.“Don’t worry,” Ace said with a smile. “That’s what family’s for.”‘Then I’m lucky that I’ve got an amazing family,’ Roxas quipped with a grin.Regina smiled as she sat back, before she moved to rest her head on Domi’s shoulder. Roxas watched his sister for a few moments, before asking her so only she heard him, ‘So, is Domi next?’“Hmm…” was all the princess said to that.‘Whenever you and he are ready, Sis. You know Mom and Dad already approve, and so do the rest of us,’ the pregnant shifter murmured.“Hmhmm…”From the sound of it, the princess was on the verge of falling asleep. Which wasn’t anything new, really.…And then the warning bell rang.‘Sounds like you guys need to get going…’ Axel warned.“Ugh…dammit…” Regina groaned, much to everyone’s amusement.“C’mon, Sis, let’s go.”‘We’ll see you guys at home, okay?’ Roxas said, and then took flight with Axel and Joshua to head back to the Citadel.“Yeah, yeah…” Regina sighed as the group got up and headed back to class. X*X*X*X*X*X*XOnce everyone was home from school, including the twins, Axel was able to show the twins and Kairi his new shifting capabilities. And all three children were thrilled, to say the least.“So cool!!” Zack squealed as Axel padded over to his niece in the form of a wolf.“So cool, Axey!” Naminé agreed, giggling excitedly.“I’m glad you’re better, Axel!” Kairi smiled happily, hugging Axel’s muzzle.‘I’m glad, too, Kai,’ Axel murmured, rumbling contently. Roxas smiled at the sight, a hand resting on his stomach.“Hey kiddos, let’s get inside, a’ight?” Reno chuckled. “Otherwise Ignis won’t be happy if your dinners get cold.”“Are Sissy and Ace gonna be home soon, too?” the small girl asked, tilting her head.“They should be here anytime…” Roxas murmured, before he caught sight of them landing in the clearing. “There they are.”Naminé smiled as the group of four walked over. “Sissy! Ace! Axey can shift nows!”“Really? Wow, cool,” Regina chuckled, as Ace smiled.“That’s nice, Nami.”“I can’t wait until we can shift!” Zack crowed, grinning brightly.“Well, you guys have to wait until July for that,” Roxas chuckled.“Awww…”“Don’t worry, it’ll be July before you know it,” Ace pointed out.‘He’s right, ya know,’ Axel chuckled.“Yay!” Zack cheered.“Yippee!” Naminé cheered as they headed towards the dining hall. Once there, Prompto was waiting there, but Noctis hadn’t arrived yet.“Hey guys,” Prompto greeted with a smile. “Have a good day?”“Good enough,” Regina said with a chuckle.“Good,” the older shifter smiled. “Well, your father should be down soon enough, he’s just finishing up some of his work. But for now, let’s take our seats for dinner.”“Sounds good,” Ace agreed with a nod, as the kids moved over to their seats. Once everyone was seated, Ignis came out with dinner, and everyone began to eat. As they ate, Kairi looked at Roxas.“Roxy, when are the babies gonna be born?” she asked.“Not until probably mid-August,” the blonde replied after a brief moment of thought. “A shifter’s pregnancy lasts for six months.”“So after your birthdays,” Regina said to the twins as she lifted up a forkful of food. “Guess that’s two parties in a row, then, eh?”“Yay!” Naminé cheered.“Whoop!” Zack crowed, while Kairi smiled brightly.“I can’t wait to meet them!” the maroon-haired girl giggled.“Neither can I, but they need more time to grow,” Roxas chuckled. Regina chuckled, and Domi allowed a smile of his own as they ate. However, it was clear that there was something on the boy’s mind. Ace noticed, but he didn’t bring it up; it wasn’t his place to do so.Just then, though, Noctis walked into the room, stretching his arms with a groan.“Hey Dad,” Roxas smiled when Noctis walked in.“That bad of a work day, huh?” Prompto smiled sympathetically.“Isn’t it always?” Noctis said with a small chuckle, as he took his seat as well.  “But, I should have some spare time tomorrow,” he added as Ignis brought in his own dinner.“Sweet,” Axel chuckled. “Always nice to have spare time.”“Definitely,” Regina agreed.“Though I bet you’d use your spare time to nap, huh Sis?” Roxas teased with a laugh.“Oy,” the princess grumbled, much to everyone’s amusement.“I only tease cuz I love you, Regina, you know that,” the shorter blonde chuckled. Regina merely huffed, but she said nothing else as she went back to her dinner.“So, Roxas, would you like to have an ultrasound done soon?” Prompto asked. “That way you can find out how many you’re having.”“I’d like that,” Roxas smiled softly, before laughing lightly. “Besides, we can’t keep it a mystery forever.”“Especially if we need to start decorating, soon,” Domi added with a giggle.“True,” Axel agreed.Noctis chuckled as they quietly ate their dinner. However, as they were about to finish, he suddenly said, “Oh, right… I actually made a call earlier…”“About what?” Roxas frowned, confused.“Well, I managed to arrange for Chocobo Paradise to open on the weekend…but only for a select audience.”Regina blinked, twice, before she smirked. “And by ‘select’, ya mean the lot of us, right?” she asked, which was answered with only a chuckle by the King.“Really?! That’s awesome!” Roxas gasped, grinning.Naminé blinked briefly, before her expression brightened. “So…so we can go to the park!?”“That you can, sweetheart,” Noctis confirmed.“YAY!!”“Woohoo!” Zack cheered, grinning happily.Ace smiled warmly, before he turned to Kairi. “Hey, Kairi, why don’t you come as well?”The young girl blinked, before looking at Reno eagerly. “Can I, Daddy?!”“Of course, Kai. I trust Axel to watch ya,” Reno chuckled.“Yippee!” the maroon-haired girl cried happily.“Nice~” Domi giggled. “Guess we’ll have a busy weekend ahead of us, hm?”“Definitely,” Axel chuckled. Noctis smiled as he turned to Prompto, cocking an eyebrow at him.“Good work, Noct,” the blonde smirked.“I try,” the King said with a small shrug.“And you succeed extremely well,” Prompto laughed lightly. Noctis smiled as he watched the teens as they all got up, chatting about what they were going to do when the weekend came around.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(That Weekend)X*XFinally, it was the weekend, and the teens and kids were getting ready to head out to Chocobo Paradise to have some fun for their group. Roxas was flying with Zack and Cloud, Axel had Naminé, Yuna, and Kairi, Regina had Domi, and Ace had Quon.‘Everyone ready?’ Roxas asked as he stretched out his wings in griffon form.‘All good here,’ Axel nodded.‘Right then; let’s fly!’ Regina laughed, before she took off.‘Right behind you!’ Roxas grinned, before taking flight after his sister.“Awesome!” Zack crowed as the pregnant shifter took to the skies. “Isn’t this fun, Cloud?”“…ah…” was all Cloud said as he watched the city far below them.“Wheeeeeee!!” Yuna and Naminé cheered happily, laughing/giggling like crazy.Ace laughed. ‘Well they’re having fun.’‘Definitely,’ Axel chuckled.‘It’s nice to get out like this, though,’ Roxas smiled.‘Yep!’ Regina laughed as she turned in the direction of the park. ‘Should be there in only a few!’Domi giggled as they flew along. “Someone’s excited~”‘Bite me!’Roxas and Axel laughed at the snap, knowing it was all in jest. Besides, none of them could be blamed for their excitement.True to Regina’s words, they arrived at the park in only 15 minutes, at which point they touched down at the entrance. ‘Aaaaaaand we’re here~’ Regina called.“Yaaaay!” the twins, Yuna and Kairi cheered as they slipped off the royals’ backs. Roxas allowed Cloud off as well before shifting back, along with the others.“All right, guys, ready to have some fun?” he asked, a hand on his stomach.“Yeah!!”Ace laughed softly as the kids were bouncing on their feet in their excitement. “Alright, alright, but you have to stay close by. This place is still pretty big and we don’t want to lose any of you, understood?”“Yes Ace!” Naminé chirped.“We’ll be good!” Zack nodded eagerly.Regina chuckled. “Okay, then, let’s get going. Dad said that the guards will have been expecting us already.”“Sounds good,” Axel smirked lightly. As he and Roxas went along with the group, he lightly fingered the small box in the pocket of his pants. He planned on proposing to Roxas later at a good time, and was a little nervous to do so, but he was looking forward to it all the same. Regina caught the look, of course, and she briefly smirked, before she reached into the bag she had brought, tugging out her camera and fiddling with it a bit as they walked.“Brought your camera to take pics of everyone, huh?” Roxas commented as they approached the entrance.“Course I did. Say cheeseburger,” the Crown Princess said with a snort as she snapped a shot of her brother to make a point. And Roxas merely stuck his tongue out playfully in response as the picture was taken.Domi giggled as Naminé took his hand, tugging him along. “Oh! Yunie! Domi’s pretty, right?”“Uh-huh! Really really purdy!” the dual-eyed girl quipped with a smile, making Domi laugh.“Why thank you, sweetie.”Zack laughed at the exchange, before looking to Cloud. “Wasn’t flying fun, Cloud?”“…I guess…” the small blonde mumbled.“Aw, lighten up, Cloud. You’ll have fun here,” Roxas smiled, lightly ruffling the boy’s hair.Once they reached the gate, one of the guards stepped up. He looked like he was about to say something, but then he seemed to realize who he was dealing with. “Ah. Good day, Your Highness,” he said with a bow to the Crown Princess (since she was leading the group). “We have been expecting you. And we hope you enjoy your stay in our park.”“Thank you, I’m sure that won’t be a problem,” Regina said politely, before she nodded to the others. “Let’s get started on the day, shall we?”“Right,” Roxas nodded, linking his fingers with Axel’s as they went inside. Zack grinned at Cloud, and Kairi smiled brightly as she stuck close to her uncle’s side. Once in the park, the group looked around in awe. Though primarily the little ones.“Wooooow!! So pretty!!” Naminé gushed.“It’s so big!!” Kairi gasped, looking around.Smiling, Domi looked around. “Oh! How about we start with that one?” he asked, pointing to the nearest attraction, which consisted of a number of large, spinning teacups, set on a spinning surface with a Chocobo and Moogle statue in the center.“I…think I’ll pass for now. Maybe once my stomach’s empty without forcing it,” Roxas said. “But I’ll watch you guys, okay?”“I’ll watch with ya, Roxy,” Axel murmured.“It’s okay, Rox,” Ace said, as he followed after the kids as they hurried to the ride. However, Regina waited for a moment, looking at Axel in silent question. The redhead shook his head minutely, though, silently telling her not yet. Nodding back just as minutely, Regina hurried to catch up to the others.As the group started up on the ride, Axel asked, “You doing okay, Rox?”“Yeah,” the blonde smiled lightly. “Honestly looking forward to the ultrasound, you know?”“I hear ya. I’m excited,” the taller shifter smiled back. As the pair stepped up to the railing, the others had just gotten in the teacups. Regina and Domi were in a cup with Naminé, Kairi and Yuna, while Ace and Quon were in a cup with Zack and Cloud. When Nami spotted Roxas and Axel, she smiled and waved happily.“Hi Nami,” Roxas called with a smile. The girl giggled, just as a horn played overhead, which was the signal for the ride to start. And as the plate began to turn, Naminé and Yuna squealed happily. “Glad I didn’t get on this one first…” the pregnant shifter murmured as he watched.“I know, Roxy. You’ll be able to go on others, though,” Axel pointed out. Just then, the girls squealed happily as Regina and Domi suddenly grabbed the circular ‘wheel’ in the center, turning the cup around, making them all laugh.And Roxas laughed softly at their reactions, leaning against Axel lightly as his mate held him close. X*X*X*X*X*X*XWhen the group finally got off the ride, the youngest kids were giggling as they stumbled along. “Diiiizzy!” Naminé chirped with a giggle.“Yeah, really!” Kairi agreed, stumbling into Axel.“Looks like you guys had fun, though,” Roxas chuckled.“Uh-huh!” Yuna chirped, even as Regina was snapping some shots from the little ones stumbling and giggling. Really, the only one who seemed to be able to walk without stumbling was Cloud. Roxas was tempted to ask, but didn’t bother.“So, where to now?” Axel asked, even as Zack steadied himself on Roxas’s leg.“Well, let’s explore and see what’s interesting,” Ace offered.“Sounds good,” the pregnant shifter nodded.As they walked along the park, they suddenly came to one ride in particular. “‘Moogle Flight’?” Regina murmured curiously as they stopped outside the building. “Wasn’t that the one that they said was ALWAYS crowded no matter the time of day?”“I think so… that was the one with the minimum lines of an hour,” Ace confirmed.“Well, it’s obviously all for us now. Why not take advantage?” Roxas shrugged.“Hihi~ Would be a crime not to~” Domi giggled as they walked inside.As they walked by the signs, they saw that they could go in groups of maximum four teens/adults, or two teens/adults and three kids, with the kids in the middle. “Hmm… so we have to decide how to split up…” Quon said with a hum.“I think our earlier setup worked wonders,” Regina pointed out.“Okay, so, who’s with who?” Axel asked.“Well, you and I could ride with Nami, Yuna, and Kairi to start,” Roxas suggested.“Sounds good. That okay with you girls?” Regina asked.“Is good!” Naminé said, with Yuna nodding happily.“Alright. How ‘bout you two?” Ace asked, looking to Zack and Cloud.“Can we ride with you and Quon, Ace?” the small raven asked.“Sure. You're okay with that, Cloud?” Ace asked.“…sure…”Regina chuckled, as they reached the beginning of the ride, where they spotted a treadmill, over which a number of hanging from a railing as they moved along their path. The ride attendant smiled when she spotted them and bowed politely. “Good morning. Please, this way,” she said as she gestured for them to follow.“Huh… Interesting mechanic,” Regina mumbled as she and Domi got on the first seat, which was shaped like a white Chocobo.“Well, I’m sure it’ll be nice,” Roxas shrugged as he climbed into his own seat, which was a light blue Chocobo, with the girls filing in between himself and Axel. “After all, it wouldn’t be so popular if it wasn’t.”“I’m sure there’s something…” Ace said as he got on the next one, a pale yellow one, with Quon helping Zack and Cloud into the seats before climbing in after.“Guess we’ll find out,” Axel said.As they went down the path, their Chocobo seats suddenly turned shop that they were facing sideways rather than straight ahead, much to the little ones’ amusement even as they went into a dark tunnel.“Not very impressive thus far…” Quon said…right before they turned a corner into the first segment of the ride.“Wooow!!” Kairi gasped in awe, watching with wide eyes as they entered the first segment. It was like some sort of mountainous range, with numerous castles of various sizes in the distance, silhouetted by the starry sky.“…Okay, THAT is impressive,” Ace admitted, chuckling.“It’s beautiful…” Roxas murmured, his eyes wide, reflecting the starry sky.“Definitely…” Regina chuckled as she snapped more than a few shots.“Preeeettyyyyyy!” Yuna cooed, even as they went through the next tunnel. As they went, there was an odd, mystical song in the background…right before they were back in the open.“O…M…G! So pretty!” Domi nearly squealed along with the three girls behind him as they were suddenly in a lush forest with Moogle animatronics scattered around, fluttering about and seeming to play or dance around the forest.“Domi’s right!” Kairi grinned, leaning against Roxas’s side so she had an excuse to be closer to her other uncle and so she could see better. “So pretty, right Nami?”“Uh-huh!!” Naminé chirped, before her eyes widened. “Look!! Chocochicks!!” she cheered.“Really?!” Zack gasped, before he grinned excitedly when he saw them. “They’re so cute!”Regina laughed softly as she continued snapping pictures as they moved along.“Oooh! Singing Moogles!” Yuna called as she pointed up, just as they were passing under a branch.“Wow…!” Kairi breathed, snuggling against Roxas, making the blonde laugh lightly as he held her close.Ace laughed as they went into the next area, which was filled with both Moogles and Chocobos. And as they went around the area, he smiled. “Hey look; a Chocobo king.”And sure enough; there sat a big, fat Chocobo on some sort of throne, wearing a crown and waving its wing at the group as they passed. This drew a bunch of giggles from the kids, while Roxas laughed lightly at the sight.The next few rooms had similar surroundings, but, finally, they were somewhere new; in space.“Uwaaaaaaa! So pretty!!” Naminé cried with a big smile as they beheld the miniature planets, with castles on top that were just as, if not bigger, than the planets they were on.“I’m with Nami on that one,” Axel chuckled. The little ones were cheering and giggling happily, even as they went into the next tunnel…and then it was over.“Awwwww…”“Well, it was definitely worth it,” Roxas said as they got out once their Chocobo-cars stopped. “I can definitely see why people would wait for hours in line for it.”“Can we go again?” Yuna asked with a pout.“Later, Yunie; we have all day,” Regina pointed out. “Let’s check out the other rides, first.”“Okay!” Zack chirped. “Oooh! What about that one?” he gasped suddenly, pointing to a setup for bumper cars.“Hahah, sounds good,” Ace said with a chuckle.“Heh… Okay, so who takes who?” the Crown Princess asked.“I’ll have to sit this one out, which is fine,” Roxas shrugged.“Then I’ll stay with ya, Rox,” Axel smiled.“…I’ll wait with Roxy and Axel!” Kairi said suddenly, making the couple look at her in surprise.“You sure, Kai?” Axel asked.“Yep!” the small redhead nodded.“Then that leaves you guys to figure out who goes with who,” Roxas said.“Fine by me.” After shrugging, Regina turned to the girls. “Hm… Nami, you wanna come with me?”“Kay Sissy!”Giggling, Domi turned to Yuna and held out his hand. The little girl giggled as she took his hand with a nod.“That just leaves you two,” Ace said to Zack and Cloud.“I’ll ride with you, Ace!” Zack grinned.“Okay.”Quon chuckled, turning to Cloud. “Guess we’re on our own, hm?”“…guess so…” Cloud mumbled softly.“Alright, we’ll be back, you three!” Regina called as they headed for the ride.“See you when you’re done beating each other in the cars!” Roxas laughed. As they all got into their cars, the pregnant shifter looked down at Kairi. “So, how come you wanted to stay with us, Kairi?”“I like to spend time with you and Axel!” she smiled happily. “Even if it means sitting out on rides.”“That’s very sweet of you, Kairi,” Axel chuckled, ruffing her hair lightly. “You’re gonna be an awesome cousin.”“Thank you, Axel!” she giggled. Just then, there came a horn as the ride started, and the four carts began zipping across the ‘course’, occasionally smashing into each other with laughs. As they smashed into each other, Roxas winced on occasion, now immensely relieved that he had sat this one out. X*X*X*X*X*X*XWhen the ride was over, the group stepped out and rejoined Roxas, Axel, and Kairi.“Have fun?” the pregnant shifter asked with a chuckle.“Yep yep!” Naminé chirped happily.“Anyway, how ‘bout we look for something we can ALL go on?” Regina asked.“Fair enough,” Roxas smiled, before he winced as he felt his stomach demand food. “But maybe we should get a snack first…”“It has been a couple of hours since we got here,” Axel pointed out.“Yeah, and I’m sure Rox’s tummy’s about to eat him from the inside~” Domi teased with a giggle.“Hahah. Let’s go get some food, shall we?” Regina said with a smirk.“More like the babies are going to eat me from the inside,” Roxas snorted with a small laugh.“All the more reason to get some snacks,” Axel chuckled, kissing his mate’s cheek as they headed off to find a snack area. Which took them about five minutes. After a few moments of deciding what they wanted to eat, they moved to wait until their order was ready.“Yanno… It doesn’t even feel like an hour…” Regina mumbled.“Time flies when you’re having fun,” Roxas pointed out.“That stinks!” Zack pouted.“I know, but we’ll make the most of today,” the pregnant shifter assured him.“Definitely,” Domi quipped, casting a quick glance at Axel. Catching the glance, Axel nodded slightly while Roxas was distracted by Kairi. Then their order was ready, and the redhead brought over his and Roxas’s while Kairi helped to get the snacks for herself, Naminé, and Yuna. Zack grabbed his snack from Ace when it was offered, before bringing it over to share with Cloud.“Dang, haven’t had a funnel cake in far too long,” Roxas smiled, humming pleasantly at the warm, sugary aroma. He then tore off a piece, and began to munch on it with Axel.“If Ma saw us here, he’d prolly be really angry,” Regina chuckled as she bit down into her own.“I don’t think so. I’d think he’d want to join in,” Roxas smiled. “He knows we’re here, and I’m sure he’s happy we’re enjoying ourselves.”“I think Regina is talking about us stuffing our faces with sweets,” Ace chuckled.“I think he’d be more jealous than anything, then,” Roxas snorted with a laugh. The kids giggled at those words, except for Cloud as he nibbled on his piece of funnel cake. As they finished off their funnel cakes, Axel looked around, before he spotted something they could all do: ride on carriages pulled along by Chocobos.“Maybe we can ride those next, that way no one throws up,” he suggested, pointing to the Chocobo-drawn carriages.“Oooh~ Sounds like a plan~ Let’s go!” Domi quipped. After heading over, they quickly talked about who was going with who. In the end, Roxas and Axel were in the carriage, with Cloud and Zack on the Chocobos to ‘drive’ them around.“Ready, you two?” Roxas called, smiling.“Ready, Roxy!” Zack grinned, before the Chocobos began to move. Cloud merely hummed as the Chocobos rocked back and forth.Regina chuckled as she and Domi helped Naminé and Yuna on the Chocobos, before they took the carriage. “We’ll see you later, kay?” she asked of her brother and Quon.“Sounds good,” Ace said with a nod, just as their carriage left and the next one came over for them. “You want to ride the Chocobo, Kairi?”“Sure! Thank you, Ace!” Kairi smiled brightly, allowing Ace to help her up onto the Chocobo’s back.Ace smiled as he moved over to get in the carriage. And as Quon took his own seat, he said, “Well then, lead the way, little lady.”“Okay! Let’s go!” Kairi chirped, gently nudging the Chocobo’s sides, and then the large bird began to move.As the groups went along, Roxas was smiling contently as he watched Zack and Cloud interact. It was almost strange, how the small blonde boy seemed to enjoy Zack’s presence in a quiet way, but it made the pregnant shifter happy to see his little brother enjoying himself with his friend.Meanwhile, Axel was wondering when and where he could propose to Roxas. He knew the Ferris Wheel was out, since Regina wouldn’t be able to get good pictures of them, but then, as they rounded a curve near a large open water area, he realized this was one of those water fountain areas that lit up at nighttime to music, based upon the spouts beneath the water’s surface. This would be the perfect spot!“You okay, Ax?” Roxas asked suddenly, making his mate blink.“Oh, I’m right as rain, Roxy. Just thinking,” he smiled.“About anything in particular?” the blonde questioned.“The babies,” Axel replied. “Thinking about different things about them.”“I understand,” Roxas murmured, resting a hand on his stomach. This caught Zack’s attention, and he looked back at his big brother.“Are the babies kicking yet, Roxy?” he asked eagerly.“Not yet, Zack. It’ll be about a month or so until then,” the blonde chuckled, making the small raven pout.“Aww…” he whined.“But they’ll start kicking when they’re ready,” Axel assured him. “Don’t worry, you’ll get to feel them.”“Yay!”“…? Babies…?” Cloud asked as he looked back, for once seemingly actually curious about something.“Oh, well, all shifters can have babies, and I’m going to be having some,” Roxas explained. “We’re not sure how many yet, though.”Cloud blinked and tilted his head. “…tha’s normal…?”“For shifters it is,” Axel nodded.“…oh.”Roxas chuckled at the quiet response, before settling against Axel. With the conversation over, Cloud once again turned back ahead. And Zack began to look around with wide eyes, awed by his surroundings. Just then, as the carriage passed by a mound, there was a cheery chorus of “Kupo!” as a group of Moogles popped out briefly from behind it, before disappearing back down again. This drew a cheery giggle from Zack, making Roxas and Axel chuckle at the boy’s reaction. X*X*X*X*X*X*XFinally, they all finished their trek around the course, and they were back on the move through the park. “Well that was relaxing,” Domi quipped with a smile.“Sure was,” Roxas agreed. “So, where should we go next?”After a moment of thought, Ace said, “I think there was a water course around here somewhere. Wanna check it out?”“Sure,” Axel nodded, and the group began to head over to the water course.Thankfully, it wasn’t a long walk, and when they arrived, Quon blinked as he watched the circular “boats” going along the water. “Huh…spinning boats?”“Oh? Well…that’s new…” Ace murmured.“I’m not gonna complain, though,” Roxas shrugged. “After all, it looks fun.”“Definitely. Let’s get on,” Regina said, as they all headed for the entrance. The group then climbed into the boat, which managed to fit them all. Roxas was seated between Axel and Kairi, which made the pregnant shifter happy.As everyone settled in their seats, Regina looked backward over the edge. “…I get the feeling we’ll be getting wet at some point.”“It’s just water. It’ll dry,” Axel pointed out.“True…”But just as Regina said that, their boat went over the edge and they slid down the slope and into the water. They all cried out a bit at the small splash of water, before they laughed as the boat spun around along the water’s flow.“Wow~ This is gonna make us dizzy again, huh?” Domi asked, making Naminé giggle.“Still fun!” Zack giggled.Domi giggled as they spun around. “I agree…eep!” he yelped as the boat dipped on his end, sending another splash of water into the boat. The sudden yelp drew a laugh from Roxas, even as the boat dipped again, splashing himself and Kairi. The smaller redhead squealed at the splash, drawing laughter from Axel, too.“Uh-oh! Don’t look now but we got Chocobo spouts!” Ace called out, and as they looked, they saw a pair of Chocobo statues off to the side, that were just finishing with “spitting out” a spray of water.“Oh this is gonna get some of us wet for sure!” Regina laughed as the boat approached. And Roxas merely chuckled, even when the boat spun and twisted until Regina and Ace were the ones to be soaked.And just then, the Chocobos squirted again, and the two siblings cried out before laughing as they were sprayed. After which the boat tipped so that Zack and Cloud got splashed.“Ah…!”Zack squealed as he was splashed, before laughing merrily.As they continued on, Quon suddenly gasped. “Uh-oh…”When everyone looked ahead, they realized what the “uh-oh” was for; they were heading straight for a small waterfall off to the side of the track. And as the boat twisted, Axel was right in the middle of it.“Aw geez…” Axel groaned, before they reached it, and his back got wet. “Gah!”The yelp made Roxas laugh again, unable to help himself. As they went down a slightly faster current, getting splashed on more than one occasion, they all laughed loudly even as they were trying to not get any more wet than they already were. Roxas was definitely enjoying this, despite getting wet, if his grin was anything to go by.“Wah! Double waterfalls!” Naminé squealed, pointing ahead, toward a passage that put them right in the path of two waterfalls off to the side of it.“Oh shoot!” Domi yipped, right before they were in and everyone squealed/cried out as the water splashed them thoroughly.“Aaaaand we’re officially soaked,” Axel chuckled when they came out.“Hahah! But hey, it was fun!” Regina laughed with a small grin.“That it was,” Roxas agreed.“Heh…alright. Let’s walk around and dry off as we’re going on rides,” Ace said with a smile.“Sounds good,” Axel nodded in agreement. X*X*X*X*X*X*XLater on, the group was completely dry, as the numerous rides they had ridden on had dried them off. They had also gotten snacks throughout the day, satisfying their stomachs, too. By now, however, it was evening, and Axel knew it was time to propose to Roxas by the water. That was their last stop as it was, since it was best to watch it at evening or nighttime. Somehow, the redhead had managed to tell Kairi to give himself and Roxas a bit of space when they went to watch the water fountain show, and she understood.“This is going to be so pretty!” Kairi gushed as they made their way over to the water.“Yeah! Le’s go le’s go!!” Naminé chirped as she scampered over with Yuna, with Domi walking after them. Regina, however, stuck behind and was fiddling with her camera, humming softly to herself. When they reached the water, it was just in time to watch the show. Within five minutes, it was starting, and while the kids were gasping in awe as they watched the water and lights, Axel was holding Roxas close to him.“Happy, Rox?” the redhead asked softly.“Very,” Roxas murmured.“Well, it’s about to get better,” his mate smirked, before gently pulling away. He then fished out the small box from his pocket, got down on one knee, and said as he opened the box, revealing the ring to the blonde, “Roxas, will you marry me?”“…!” Roxas’s jaw dropped at the sight of the ring, before his eyes filled up with happy tears, and he nodded softly. “Yes…!” he whispered.*Click*Regina smirked as her camera finished the last of the series of pictures she’d set it to take, looking them over briefly. “Well those worked out fine,” she said with a soft chuckle.“Thanks, Regina,” Axel told her gratefully, making Roxas smile.“Thank you…” the blonde murmured, even as Axel put the ring on his left ring finger. “It’s beautiful, Axel…”“I’m glad you love it,” the redhead smiled, getting back up.Chuckling softly, Regina walked over. “Okay, so how ‘bout we finish this up before we head out? I can ask Iggy to come pick us up…”“Will there be enough room for everyone in the Regalia?” Axel frowned slightly.“If Gladio comes over with his own car, too, sure.”“Fair enough,” the redhead conceded. “May as well, then. I don’t think anyone’s gonna be up for flying right now…”Regina nodded and pulled out her phone to call Ignis. And the Advisor answered within 2 rings.“Hello, Regina. I assume you’ve all had your fill of Chocobo Paradise for the day?” he guessed.“Yeah, we’re almost done. Just waiting for the water show to finish,” Regina said. “And I’m sure the little ones are gonna be tired, too. So, I wanted to ask if you could pick us up…though maybe Gladio should come over with his car, too…for all of us.”“That shouldn’t be any trouble,” the sandy blonde chuckled. “We’ll be there soon.”“Alright. We’ll be at the entrance as soon as the show’s over.”“Okay. We’ll see you there.”“See ya,” she said in response before hanging up. “They’ll be coming over soon.”“Good,” Roxas murmured, resting a hand on his stomach as he looked back out over the water as the show’s conclusion was starting. As expected, the little ones were cheering happily and shouting for more, even though they were clearly getting tired.“All right, you guys, time to go. Ignis and Gladio will be here soon to pick us up,” Axel called.“Awww…” Naminé and Yuna whined.“Okay, you two, enough,” Regina said as she walked over and picked up Naminé, while Domi picked up Yuna. “We gotta go home or Mama and Papa are gonna worry.”“Okay…” her sister whined, even though she didn’t like it.Ace smiled as he walked over and picked up Zack, with Quon picking up Cloud. “C’mon, let’s go.”“Can we come back sometime, Axel?” Kairi asked as they headed to the entrance.“I’m sure we can,” her uncle assured her. “It may not be for a bit, though.”“Okay…”When they got outside, Ignis and Gladio were there in the Regalia and Gladio’s own SUV, and Roxas and Axel got into the Regalia with Kairi, while the others piled into Gladio’s SUV.“Ready to go?” Ignis asked.“I think so,” Axel chuckled, holding Roxas close to himself as the blonde started to doze off. Meanwhile, as Gladio began to drive off, all four of the kids were fast asleep before they hit the first curve, breathing quietly as they went.“Well…” Regina mumbled, adjusting her hold on Naminé. “That was a successful day…”“Hmhmm…” Domi hummed, rubbing Yuna’s head a little. “And these little ones sure had fun.”“Sure did…” Ace said with a smile.“Regina, Domi, you guys are pretty good with the kids, huh?” Gladio smirked as he drove after Ignis.“…Well, yeah, I guess…” Regina mumbled softly. The brunette chuckled, but didn’t bother to say anything more on it, as he continued on to the Citadel.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The following morning, Roxas woke up cuddled into Axel’s side as best as he could with his swollen stomach. He was surprised Prompto hadn’t woken them yet, but he had a feeling it was because the older shifter knew just how tired everyone was. As the blonde uncurled a bit, he saw the ring on his finger, and it made him smile warmly at the memory of Axel’s proposal.“Morning, Roxy,” Axel’s voice murmured then, before there was the soft pressure of the redhead’s lips on his forehead. “Sleep well?”“Yeah,” Roxas smiled, looking up at his mate.“Thinking about last night?”“Mmhmm.”“Happy?”“Definitely.”“Good,” Axel purred, kissing the pregnant shifter softly.“We should tell Mom and Dad this morning,” Roxas said when they parted, before he chuckled. “Mom’s gonna be ecstatic.”“I’ll bet,” the taller shifter smirked. “Knowing him.”“True.”“Well, let’s get moving, that way we can tell him and your dad.”“Kay.”With that said, they got up and dressed for the day, before starting to head down to the dining hall. When they arrived, Prompto was already there, along with Noctis, Regina, and Domi.“Wow, you’re up before us for once?” Roxas teased his sister.“Very funny,” Regina grumbled, much to everyone’s amusement.“I only tease cuz I love ya, Sis,” the blonde smiled. Regina rolled her eyes, but she said nothing else of the matter.Noctis chucked as he looked to Roxas and Axel. “You boys sleep well?”“Yeah, we did,” Axel nodded.“Actually, we have something to tell you,” Roxas said.“What’s up, sweetie?” Prompto inquired.“Axel proposed,” the pregnant shifter smiled, holding out his hand and showing his parents the engagement ring.“Oh my Six…!” Prompto gasped, smiling excitedly.Noctis laughed softly at the news. “Well, that took you a while,” he pointed out, smirking at Axel.“Better late than never, Dad,” Roxas replied.“I suppose so,” Noctis admitted with a shrug.“Tell me you got pictures, Regina,” Prompto said, looking at his eldest.“Course I do,” Regina chuckled, pulling out her camera and moving through the pictures, before passing it to Prompto. Prompto looked through the pictures with a warm smile, before he passed it back to Regina.“You did amazing, Regina. And Axel, so did you,” the older shifter praised.Domi giggled as the two of them took their seats. “Well…suppose we all have to do some planning later, hm?”“That we do,” Axel agreed. Noctis chuckled, just as a familiar padding of feet came from the hallway, before Naminé, Yuna and Zack came running in, laughing, with Ace, Quon and Cloud following after.“Good morning, you all,” Prompto greeted. “Sleep well, Yuna and Cloud?”“Uh-huh!” Yuna chirped. “Comfy beds!”“…” And Cloud, of course, didn’t say anything.“Well, good. You’re welcome anytime, after all,” Prompto smiled.“Really?! Yay!!” Yuna chirped happily.“Of course,” Prompto chuckled. “Any friends of our kids are welcome to come over anytime.”“Thank you, Mama!” Zack grinned.“Tankies!” Naminé said as Ace and Quon helped the little ones into their seats.“You’re welcome,” Prompto smiled.“Hey, Mom?” Roxas said suddenly.“Hm?”“Do you think I could have an ultrasound soon?”“Sure. Just ask Iris, and I’m sure she’d be happy to set it up for you,” Prompto told him.“Thanks,” the pregnant shifter smiled.“Ooooh~ Can we come along?” Domi asked just then, smiling.“If you really want to, sure,” Roxas shrugged.“I wouldn’t mind. How ‘bout you, love?”“Huh…? …uh…yeah, sure,” Regina murmured softly.“You okay, Regina?” Roxas asked, noticing how quiet she was being.“I’m fine,” Regina assured. “Just thinking about some stuff. That’s all.”“All right…”“I’ll text Iris and let her know you want an ultrasound,” Prompto smiled, pulling out his phone. While he did that, Ignis brought out breakfast for everyone. As the family began to eat, Noctis watched his eldest from under his bangs. She was talking with Domi as if everything was fine, but it was easy to say that she had something on her mind. Something big.Once everyone was finished, Iris came into the dining room then, and Roxas perked up at her entrance.“Hey Roxas. I’ve got everything ready,” she announced. “Ready to see them?”“Yeah,” the blonde nodded, before getting up with Axel.“Domi, Regina, you coming?” the redhead asked.“Coming, coming~” Domi giggled as he got up, Regina following after him. When they got to the infirmary, Iris gestured to one of the beds, having Roxas lie down on it.“I’ll be right back right the ultrasound machine, okay?” she smiled.“Sounds good. Thanks, Iris,” Roxas nodded. As they waited, he looked at his sister. “What were you thinking about earlier, Regina?”“Hm? …Oh, just stuff,” Regina offered with a shrug.“What kind of stuff?”“…” In response to that, the princess merely shrugged her shoulders.“Regina…”But she didn’t offer any other explanation. Domi watched the girl worriedly, but before they could ask again, Iris came back. Roxas frowned at his sister, but soon focused on Iris.“Just so you know, the gel I’m gonna use is kinda cold,” Iris warned him, before she lifted his shirt and squeezed the ultrasound gel onto his stomach, drawing a yelp from the pregnant shifter.“Iris!” he whined, squeezing Axel’s hand instinctively.“I warned you!” she shrugged, making him pout.“It’s okay, Roxy. Just focus on what’s to come, okay?” Axel soothed.“Kay…”“All right, here we go,” Iris smiled, before pressing the ultrasound machine’s wand to Roxas’s stomach after turning on the machine. Soon enough, they heard the whooshing sound of Roxas’s heartbeat from the machine. “Okay, here we go…” Iris murmured after a few minutes of searching. “There’s one…and two!”“So, twins?” Roxas asked, blinking in slight surprise.“Yep! Looks like twins,” the brunette smiled. “Still too early to determine their genders, but in another month or so I should be able to.”“Thanks, Iris,” the pregnant shifter said gratefully.“How do they look?” Axel asked.“Perfectly healthy, if Prompto’s ultrasounds are anything to base it upon,” Iris replied.“Good,” the redhead nodded.Domi giggled with a smile. “Well, looks like we now know for how many you need to make a nursery, right?”“Yeah, you’re right,” Roxas laughed lightly. “Though we still need to know how to decorate it.”“True. But we can at least make a start, hm?”“Fair enough,” Axel chuckled.“Go ahead and clean yourself up, Roxas. I’m gonna put this guy away,” Iris smiled. “Congratulations, guys.”“Thanks again, Iris,” Axel told her.Domi smiled as he watched Roxas clean off his stomach…until he noticed Regina being absolutely silent. “…? Regina, love?”“……”“…? Regina, what’s wrong?” Roxas asked when he heard Domi, looking up at her worriedly.“…nothing…”“It’s clearly not nothing, Regina. We’re family, aren’t we…? You know I’m here to support you…”“…it’s nothing…” Regina reiterated.“Regina…” the blonde growled, becoming frustrated and hurt.“…It’s nothing… It’s fine…” Regina mumbled…right before she turned and just left.“H-hey, Regina!” Domi called out in alarm, hurrying after her after throwing Roxas an apologetic look. After they were gone, though, Roxas lowered his gaze to his lap miserably.“I don’t get it… Why won’t she talk to me…?” the blonde whimpered, tears forming in his eyes. “I feel like she doesn’t care…”“I don’t know, Rox… I’ll see what I can do, but let’s get you to our room first, okay?” Axel murmured soothingly, before carrying Roxas to their bedroom. The pregnant shifter sniffled as he started to fall asleep, and soon enough, he was asleep. Once he was, Axel left the bedroom to find Regina. He began to trace her scent, following it to where she was. It took only a little bit for him to narrow down her scent to the garden. Or, more specifically, to the Chocobo pen.“Regina!” Axel called when he got close. At the call, Regina hummed as she looked over from where she was quietly petting Dia, with Domi petting his own Chocobo. “What the hell’s with you? Roxas thinks you don’t care because you won’t talk to him!” he snapped as he approached.“……” Regina didn’t answer the question, looking off to the side quietly, biting her lip a bit.“Get over whatever the hell your problem is, and talk to your brother, for fuck’s sake!” the redhead growled.“…there is no…problem…” she murmured, but there was a slight hitch in her voice.“That’s bullshit and you damn well know it,” Axel spat, not noticing the hitch.“……”Domi sighed softly as he walked over. “Axel, calm down,” he said firmly.“Why should I? Roxas thinks she doesn’t care! He doesn’t need this right now!”“And you getting angry is helping how?” Domi pointed out.“Still, she needs to talk to him,” the redhead insisted.“Maybe so, but forcing her to do so before she’s ready is not going to help any more.”“Well, she better get over her problem soon, cuz he cried himself to sleep. I’m gonna get back to him, so she better think hard on what this is doing to others, not just herself,” Axel hissed, before stalking off.Domi watched Axel go for a moment, before he sighed and walked over to Regina. “…you okay, love?”“…fine…” she mumbled, breathing a little heavier than normal. “…I’m…fine…”Sighing softly, Domi walked over and wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind. He didn’t say anything, but he did rest his forehead against the back of her head. Like that, they stayed for a long time, before Regina gave a small, indistinguishable sound, and she turned around to hug Domi back, burying her face in his shoulder.And Domi merely stood there and shushed her quietly. X*X(Axel & Roxas)X*XWhen Axel returned to his and Roxas’s bedroom, the blonde perked up at the sound of his mate’s return. He carefully sat up in bed, looking at Axel worriedly.“What happened?” he asked quietly.“She didn’t tell me a damn thing,” the redhead huffed. “She clammed up.”Roxas sighed heavily at the news, but he gave Axel a faint smile as the taller shifter sat with him on their bed, holding the pregnant shifter close. “She’ll come around, I know, but it still hurts…”As they settled, though, Roxas’s phone suddenly buzzed. And when he pulled it out, the caller ID said “Domi”.“…?” Roxas then swiped to answer it, before saying, “Domi?”However, Domi didn’t actually address Roxas. Instead, he said, “Yanno…I’m here if you wanna talk, love?”“…dun wanna…” Regina’s voice mumbled softly.In response, Domi sighed. “C’mon, love… Talk to me… I can’t help like this…you know that, right?”“…I know… I know…”Roxas’s eyes widened, before he put the call on speaker, whispering to Axel, “Domi’s letting us listen in.” Axel’s emerald eyes widened as well at the information, before he nodded in understanding.“…we could also go up if you want?”“…no…”“Okay.”Silence followed for a long time. Finally though, Regina sighed.“…I just… I dunno what’s wrong…” she admitted finally. Roxas frowned at that, wondering what she meant.“Really…? Not even an inkling?” Domi asked softly.“No…well…maybe, but…it’s…it’s just…”“…just?”“…stupid…I guess…”“Try me, love…”Silence followed for a long time, broken only by the sound of Dia chirping in the background. But then…“…just…I guess I’m just…I dunno…ugh! Six this is stupid…”“Take your time, love… I’m not going anywhere…”Axel frowned curiously himself at this point.“…I’m not…angry…not even upset…but…I just…this doesn’t feel right…”“Does it? How does it feel, then?”“…I dunno…I’m like…just…I’m happy for Rox…I am…but I…I just…”She fell silent then, groaning in annoyance as she found herself unable to say whatever it was that was on her mind. Roxas bit his lip guiltily, feeling bad that his pregnancy was making her feel however she was feeling.“…yanno, love?”“…what?”“I think....maybe, just maybe… you might be jealous.”“…I’m sorry what?!”This caused both Roxas and Axel to jolt in shock as well, considering Regina had been so against having a child when her heat had been approaching.“I know, doesn’t make sense…but, I think, it’s the only thing that makes sense, really. I mean, isn’t a female shifter’s heat a sign that…you know, she’s ready for kids?”“Well…y-yeah, but…I…I’m not…”“I know, love…but…even if you don’t feel ready, yet…your gut might need some time to catch up to that notion.”“…my ‘gut’…uh-huh. Sure you don’t mean my ovaries, jerk?”“Why I’d never!” Domi exclaimed with a small giggle, and Regina actually chuckled as well.“Well, that explains why she was being so weird about the ultrasound and the twins…” Roxas sighed quietly.After another moment of silence, Regina sighed. “…Well… Fuck… I’m so messed up…”“Hey now… It’s not that bad, love. And I’m sure Roxy would understand.”“Ah hell no! I don’t need him walking on eggshells around me just because of this.”“Okay okay…but you do need to have a word with him, yanno?”“Yeah, yeah… I know…”“We’ll have to play dumb for now, then,” Axel muttered, not entirely liking the idea, but knowing it was best.“Agreed,” Roxas whispered.“Wanna go now?”“…ugh…yeah, may’s well get this over with…”And then the connection was abruptly cut off.“Well, sounds like they’ll be coming up here,” the blonde murmured. “It may be best if it’s just her and me. I’m guessing you got pretty mad at her earlier, huh?”“Yeah, well, she made you cry, and she shouldn’t have, as your sister,” Axel grumbled. Roxas smiled, before kissing his mate’s cheek.“Don’t worry about it so much. The hormones don’t help, anyway,” he chuckled. “Now, I hate to kick you out, but…”“I know, gotta make myself scarce. I’ll go get us a snack and play with Kairi for a bit.”“Kay. Love you.”“Love you, too, Roxy,” Axel smiled, kissing Roxas on the cheek before leaving.Not even that long after Axel had left, there was a familiar knock on the door. “Hey, Rox…? You up?”Deciding to play the guilt card to try and get Regina to tell him the truth herself, Roxas put on his best miserable look, before calling back, “Yeah…”Regina didn’t speak up immediately, before she took a deep breath and asked, “Can I come in for a minute…?”“…Guess so…”Once she was given the okay, Regina moved inside, closing the door behind her quietly. “…Hey…”“Hey…”After a moment of just awkwardly standing at the door, Regina took another breath and let it out slowly. “Hey um…so… I just…I just wanted to apologize for…yanno…storming out like that earlier…”“…Why did you leave…?”“I…well, I just…h-had some stuff on my mind…” his sister mumbled, sighing heavily. “I…needed to clear my head for a bit… Sorry…”“What kind of stuff…?” Roxas asked, looking up from his lap.“Um… W-well… That is…” the princess mumbled, fiddling with the cuff of her shirt.“You know you can talk to me, Regina…” the blonde murmured, sounding hurt at the idea of her not telling him. “You know I won’t be upset… After all, we’re siblings…”“I know, I know…” the raven mumbled. “…just…”“Just…?”“Just…I…um... I-it just…feels like it’s going so fast…I guess I’m just…just feeling a bit… unsure, I guess…”“Oh…” Roxas mumbled, lowering his gaze to his lap again. He couldn’t help but feel disappointed and hurt that she couldn’t bring herself to tell him. Regina bit her lip a bit, as she rubbed at her arm, clearly feeling awkward as all hell standing where she was, unsure how to continue now.“…Regina…?” Roxas uttered after a few minutes.“…Yeah?”“…Are you… Are you jealous…?” the pregnant shifter asked hesitantly in a quiet, apprehensive voice, as though he was afraid to ask.“Grk!! Wh-why wo-would I be jealous?!” Regina choked out, but it was clear on the girl’s face was more than enough of an answer. Based on that, Roxas relaxed, before he smiled slightly, and then patted the space next to him on the bed. For a few moments, the Crown Princess seemed to hesitate, but in the end, she walked over quietly.“You know it’s okay to feel that way, right? I’m not mad,” the blonde told her once she was sitting by him.“…” Regina didn’t say anything initially, but then she mumbled something under her breath.“Huh?”“…nothing…”“…Hey, Regina?” Roxas murmured. “Don’t forget what Aunt Luna said. You’ll have your heat again a year from your first one since you didn’t get pregnant the first time.”At that, Regina blinked, looking up curiously, before realization hit and she nodded. “…yeah… Guess so…”“Don’t worry so much, okay? You’re my sister, and that means we support each other. Same with Ace,” the pregnant shifter smiled slightly, leaning against her shoulder.Regina looked over to her brother for a moment, before she chuckled and lightly dropped her head against his. “Yeah, I know… thanks, Rox…and…sorry… I mean it.”“Thank you,” Roxas murmured, unable to resist curling closer.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(Monday)X*XBy the time Monday came around, Ace was walking the last distance to school, carrying one extra bag along his shoulder, humming softly to himself as he walked onto the schoolgrounds. Of course, people noticed him being alone almost immediately, and many of them immediately fell silent in surprise and question, watching him go as he continued walking without a word said, or even looking up.“Yo Ace!!” a familiar voice called, making the blonde hum and look over.“Oh hey Nine,” he said as the other teen came over. “Sup?”“Dude, I should be asking you! Where’s Regi at?”“Back at the Citadel. She’s got some things to do there.”“What kind of stuff??”“Oh you’ll see,” Ace offered with a smirk as he headed over to the bulletin board outside of the school. When Ace reached the bulletin board, he was soon approached by unwelcome company.“So, all alone, are we?” Seifer’s voice sneered as he leaned against the board.“Hm?” Ace hummed as looked over dryly. “…what do you want, Almasy?”“Just seeing what Runt 3 is up to,” the bully smirked.“…” Ace wordlessly pulled out a scroll from his extra bag and smacked Seifer to his forehead. “He’s trying to put up posters, but someone’s blocking the way,” he stated firmly.“Whatever,” Seifer snorted, stepping aside a bit. “How come Princess ain’t here, anyway, huh?” Ace watched Seifer for a moment more, before he snorted and turned to the bulletin board as he grabbed four pins. After pinning the top of the poster to the board, he wordlessly unrolled it before pinning the bottom as well.Nine blinked, twice, before squinting at the poster. And then his eyes widened in surprise. “DUDE!! Are you serious!?”“Yep,” Ace said simply with a chuckle, stepping back from the announcement of his siblings’ weddings.“Duuuuude!! That is actually pretty cool! Congrats, man!”“Thanks.”“WHAT?!” Seifer very nearly yelped, gawking. “You’ve GOT to be shitting me!!”“Nope,” Ace said with a small smirk. Then he turned to Seifer and waved cheekily. “Later, Almasy~” he quipped, before he walked off, with Nine close behind, as all the other kids hurried over to see just what the prince had posted. Growling irritably, Seifer stalked away from the board himself, still in disbelief. X*X*X*X*X*X*XLater on, after school was over, Ace was heading off to the field to shift and fly home. On his way there, though…“Oh, hey, Ace!” came a somewhat familiar voice.“Hm?” Blinking, Ace looked over. “Oh, hey guys,” he said when he saw who it was.“How’s everything been?” Demyx asked kindly as he and Zexion joined the prince.“Ah, going good, really,” Ace said as he adjusted his bag. “Yourselves?”“We’ve been well enough,” Zexion said calmly. “…though, where’s your siblings?”“…Ah, they’re busy at the Citadel, planning.”“Planning for what?” Demyx inquired. Rather than respond, Ace reached into his extra bag and pulled out a spare poster, handing it over to the pair. “Oh my Six! Really?!”“Yep,” Ace said with a chuckle.“Huh… Well, congratulations, then,” Zexion said with a nod.“Thanks. …Oh right, do either Axel or Rox have your number? I’m willing to bet they’d want to invite you later.”“They should still have our numbers,” Demyx nodded.“Alright. Then expect to get a call from them one of these days,” Ace said.“Right. Thanks, Ace,” Zexion said with a nod of his own.“Thanks a ton!” Demyx grinned.Ace nodded briefly. “Anyway, I need to head back. I’ll see you later then.”“Sounds good. See you, Ace!”After nodding once more, the prince turned on his heel and shifted into a falcon, heading back to the Citadel. He was expected back to help, after all. X*X*X*X*X*X*XMeanwhile, at the Citadel, Roxas and Axel were working on wedding planning, just like Regina and Domi were. They were contemplating having the wedding after the twins were born, that way there wouldn’t be too much difficulty with Roxas’s attire.“You know it would be fine to have the wedding during your pregnancy, Rox,” Prompto assured his oldest son. “After all, I did.”“Yeah, but you were only a month along, Mom…” Roxas pointed out. “You were probably barely showing then.”“Fair enough,” the older shifter conceded.“Not like we don’t have time to figure it out,” Regina said calmly as she looked through one of the books with wedding dresses with Domi.Just then, Ace walked into the room. “Evening,” he called out.“Hey Ace,” Prompto greeted with a smile. “How’d the posting go?”At that, Ace smirked. “Freaked out Almasy,” he said cheekily, making his siblings laugh.“Hahaha! Serves him right!” Regina laughed.“Nice!” Roxas laughed as well, as did Axel.“I take it Almasy is that Seifer punk who’s been trying to start trouble?” Prompto guessed.“Yeah,” Ace said as he took a seat at the table. “So…how’s it going here?”“Good enough,” Regina said casually.“Same here,” Roxas shrugged.“So, Roxas, do you know what you’ll be wearing?” Prompto asked suddenly. “Considering I wore a dress, it wouldn’t hurt to consider one.”“Really?” the pregnant shifter asked, uncertain.“Of course! I think you’d be just fine,” his mother smiled.“I’ll think about it, then,” Roxas smiled.“Well I’m definitely not…” Regina grumbled, as Domi put a large circle over a section of one dress. “I’ll leave that to Dom.”“So stubborn,” Prompto chuckled. “Don’t worry, princess. I won’t insist upon it this time.”“Good.”“Besides, your wedding will be your day. It wouldn’t do to have you miserable in a dress on your big day,” her mother pointed out. “And same for you, Roxas.”“Thanks, Mom,” Roxas smiled. Regina smiled a bit, but didn’t say anything else as she watched Domi flick through the folder and circling anything he deemed ‘good enough’.“So, Domi, if I choose to wear a dress, would you be willing to help me find one? Or should I ask Uncle Kuja?” Roxas asked the whitehead suddenly.Domi looked up with a hum, spinning the marker he was holding between his fingers. “…is making it from scratch an option?” he asked calmly.“If you’re willing.”“I am.”“Then go ahead,” Roxas smiled.“Good~” Domi giggled, before he went back to what he was doing—though not before tossing another magazine like the one he’d been going through to Roxas. The pregnant shifter blinked, before beginning to look through it and circling some designs he liked, just as Domi had been. Like that, they spent the next 30 minutes just working quietly until the twins came home from school, finally.“Mama!” Naminé shouted happily as she scurried into the room with Zack right behind her.“Hey, you two!” Prompto greeted with a laugh as he caught them in his arms. “Did you have fun at school today?”“Yeah!” Zack chirped with a grin.“Uh-huh!” Naminé nodded, before she noticed what Roxas was doing. “Ooooh! Perdy dwesses!”“Why you lookin’ at dwesses, Roxy?” Zack asked, confused.“So Domi can help make me one,” Roxas explained with a smile.“Ohh!”“…are you gonna wear a dwess, Roxy?” Naminé asked in awe.“Yeah, for Axel and my wedding,” her brother replied.“…?? Wha’s a weddings?’Ace laughed at their little sister’s question. “A wedding is when two people get married, Nami. Like Papa and Mama.”That was clearly news to Naminé as her eyes widened comically. “You’s getting mawwied too, Roxy?!”“Sure am,” Roxas chuckled, as Axel kissed his cheek.“Tha’s so cools!”“Yeah!” Zack chirped with a grin. Regina chuckled as Domi circled another dress in his own magazine.“So, would you like Nami and Kairi as the flower girls, Regina? Roxas?” Prompto asked. “Ad Zack can be the ring bearer.”“That’d be great,” Axel smiled.“I don’t see why not,” Regina said with a nod and a smile of her own.“Yay!” Zack cheered, in tune with his sister going, “Yippee!!”Domi giggled at the excitement, as he finished his magazine and flipped it shut. Roxas copied him shortly after, sighing as he rested a hand on his stomach while leaning against Axel’s shoulder.“The twins causing some stomach upset, Rox?” Prompto asked sympathetically.“Nah, just tired,” the shorter blonde assured his mother.“You should probably take a break then,” Ace offered. “We can call you down for dinner later.”“Sounds good. We’ll see you guys later at dinner, then,” Roxas nodded, as Axel helped him to their room. After they were gone, Prompto frowned in slight concern.“I wasn’t even that tired during my first pregnancy…” he murmured. “I hope he’s okay…”“Weren’t you a few years older, Ma?” Regina asked.“Yeah, I was 20 when I got pregnant the first time,” Prompto confirmed.“Maybe that’s why?”“Maybe…” X*X(3 Weeks Later)X*XBy now, Roxas was three months along in his pregnancy, and it was getting to be around the time for his second ultrasound. He was eager to find out the genders of the twins, that way he and Axel could decorate the nursery appropriately. And they could come up with names, too. First, however…“Heya Domi,” Roxas greeted as he walked into the room where Domi worked on his clothing designs. He had told Axel to play with Kairi so his mate wouldn’t see the dress, despite its early stages.“Hmhmm,” Domi hummed, a bunch of pins in between his lips as he worked on the shoulder straps of the dresses.“How’s it coming along?” the pregnant shifter inquired.Domi didn’t respond immediately (since he had a mouthful of pins), and instead focused on what he was doing first, before he removed the pins. “Hmm…going good. Fairly sure I’ll have the first finished on time.”“As in your dress, right?”“Since you’re going to be going later, yes.”“Fair point,” Roxas nodded. He paused, and then asked, “Did you wanna come with to find out the twins’ genders?”Domi looked over, humming. “…Sure. Gimme a bit, okay?”“Sounds good,” the blonde smiled.After quickly finishing up with the chest area, Domi grabbed a sheet and tossed it over the still incomplete dresses. “Okay~ Let’s go!”“Let’s,” Roxas chuckled. Before they left, however, he asked, “Do ya think Regina would want to be there, too?”“Possibly… We’ll have to check how her fitting’s going with your father, though.”“Good point. Maybe Dad’ll want to come with, too. And I know Mom will.”“Hihi~ I’m sure they would~”“I’ll text Mom, then, and check with Dad while we’re checking with Regina,” Roxas smiled, pulling out his phone.“Sounds good,” Domi chirped as they headed out. Roxas soon got a reply from Prompto, and he smiled.“Mom’s gonna meet us at the infirmary,” he told Domi.“Alright. Guess we just need to get Regina and your father, hm?”“Yep,” Roxas nodded, and they soon arrived at said room where the father and daughter were. “Hey Dad, hey Regina.” Noctis looked up with a small hum as Regina tried to get her hair to work with her.“Ah, hey, there. What brings you two here?”“I was going to get my next ultrasound done and I wanted to see if you guys wanted to come, too?” Roxas said.Chuckling, the King nodded. “I don’t see why not. How about it, princess?”Said Crown Princess blinked, before she nodded with a smile. “Sure. Why not?”“Thanks,” the blonde smiled, and then they headed off to the infirmary, where Axel and Prompto were waiting.“Hey,” Axel murmured when his mate arrived. “You ready?”“Definitely,” Roxas nodded, as Iris walked in with the ultrasound machine.“Hi Roxas. Eager to find out what you’re having?” she asked.“Sure am,” the pregnant shifter smiled.“All right, good,” the brunette giggled, before pulling up his shirt once he was settled on the bed. “Remember, the gel’s cold…”“I know,” Roxas sighed, before hissing when she squeezed on a good amount. Once she pressed the wand to his stomach, she moved it around until she smiled excitedly.“Here we go, guys. You’re having twin boys~!” she announced.“Congratulations, sweetie,” Prompto smiled brightly, hugging Roxas gently.“Well now…” Noctis chuckled, “things are bound to get rowdy, then.”Domi giggled in response. “Perhaps~”“Happy, Rox?” Axel asked, noticing the happy tears in his eyes. All the pregnant shifter could do was nod softly.Regina smiled a bit, hands in her pockets. “Looks like you guys can start decorating now, huh?”“Of course,” Axel chuckled. “And we’ll need help, I’m thinking.”“I’ll bet…” Noctis chuckled.“We’re more than willing to help,” Prompto added.“Well, we’d love to…but we have our own planning to do, I’m afraid,” Domi said with a small pout.“We’ve got time, so you guys can still help out after your planning,” Axel pointed out.“True, true…” Regina hummed.“And we’ll help out with yours as much as we can,” Roxas chimed in.“Thanks, Rox,” the princess said with a smile.“Anytime,” her brother assured her.“Anyway!” Domi quipped as he clapped his hands. “I need to get back to work!  I’ll see you later~” he said with a cheery wave as he headed out again.“See you, Domi,” Prompto called at the whitehead left. “So, how’re things coming along on your end, Regina?”“Good, I guess…” the princess mumbled, running a hand through her hair absently.This made Noctis chuckle. “Her hair’s being growing faster… She might need to get it trimmed before next week,” he said casually.“Ah, I understand,” Prompto smiled.Placing a hand on their daughter’s shoulder, Noctis said, “Right, we should probably get back to preparing, too. Shall we?”“Yeah, prolly should,” Regina agreed.“All right, we’ll see you two later, then,” Prompto nodded. Noctis nodded and led their daughter out of the room so they could get back to what they had been doing.“You two gonna be okay?” Prompto asked, placing a hand on Roxas’s shoulder.“Yeah. We’ll be fine, Mom,” Roxas smiled in reassurance.“All right. Well, I’m gonna go, but take care of yourself, okay, sweetie?” the older shifter said.“Will do,” Axel chuckled. X*X*X*X*X*X*X“Well, it’s a good thing you heard them coming ahead of time, princess,” Noctis said as he shut the door behind them, locking it.“Yeah… Close one…” Regina sighed softly.Chuckling, Noctis walked over to the back of the room, grabbing the articles of clothing he’d left there. “In any case, let’s get you suited up, shall we?”The Crown Princess smiled as she nodded, coming over and letting her father help her wear the slightly too big clothes on her. Once she was dressed in that, she spun around and smiled. "How do I look?”Noctis smiled. “Kind of like me the first time I wore those things. Heh.” Stepping up, he kissed her forehead. “But that’s not bad. You look good.”“Thanks, Dad.”“Anytime, princess.” X*X*X*X*X*X*XAs afternoon rolled in, Ace finally came back home from school, carrying a few magazines in his arm as he walked in, flipping through them with a hum. As he stepped through the door, he flipped it shut and headed up the stairs. It took him only a few moments to reach the room he was going for, knocking. “Hey, Rox, Axel, you guys in?”“Yeah, we’re in here,” Roxas’s voice called back. “Come on in, Ace.”As Ace stepped in, he nodded in greeting before shutting the door behind him. “Hey. You guys holding up alright?”“Yep. Found out we’re having boys earlier,” Roxas smiled as he rested a hand on his stomach.“Really? Cool,” Ace chuckled, moving over to take the seat at Roxas’s desk. “Whew…”“You okay?” the pregnant shifter asked his brother as he cuddled closer into Axel’s hold.“Yeah, I’m fine,” Ace admitted. “Just be glad you guys don’t have to go to school; everyone is flipping out now that Regina’s wedding is almost here.”“I can see that,” Axel chuckled. “Lemme guess: they’re demanding the details, huh?”“ALL the details,” Ace groaned in confirmation.“Who’s been the worst about demanding them?” Roxas asked in amusement.“Who else? Regina’s fanbase…”“Oh Six…” the shorter blonde groaned as well. “What do you tell them?”“Nothing,” Ace said calmly. “I just ignore them until they either go away or until King gets fed up and send them on their way. I know Sis wouldn’t want them knowing those things, so I don’t intend to give it to them.”“Fair enough,” Axel conceded.“So, what’re those for?” Roxas asked, finally noticing the magazines in Ace’s hold.“Hm? …Ah.” Sitting up properly, Ace said, “Well, I was actually planning to go out tomorrow to find some gifts for Regina and Domi’s wedding. Yanno, you’re usually supposed to give at least something when you go, so…”“True…” Roxas agreed.“Mind if I go with?” Axel offered. “Maybe you and I can pick something out from the three of us.”“I wouldn’t mind,” Roxas shrugged.“Sounds good,” Ace said. “I could also invite Terry and Libby to come with. I’m sure they’d want to give her something, too.”“What about Josh? I bet he’d like to tag along,” Roxas suggested.“If he has time,” Ace said with a shrug. “I mean, he’s looking after En most of the time, so he’d have to leave him with Kuja for a bit.”“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Axel assured him. “Besides, I highly doubt we’ll be out too long.”“I suppose,” Ace admitted with a chuckle. “Anyway, I’ve already looked through these, so I’ll leave these with you for now, alright?” he said as he passed the magazines over.“Sounds good,” Roxas nodded, accepting the magazines. “Thanks for this, Ace.”“You’re welcome,” the younger blonde said as he stood up. “I’m going to check if Joshua wants to come with tomorrow and I’ll see you both at dinner, okay?”“Cool. See you then,” Axel said as Roxas started to look through the magazines. Ace smiled, waving briefly before he left the room to do just as he said he would. X*X*X*X*X*X*XIt didn’t take Ace long to find Joshua; he was on the piano with En, as he tended to be in his spare time, teaching the little boy about how to play. Rather than speak up, though, Ace took a seat to the side and waited until he was noticed instead. After all, he didn’t want to freak out the small boy.Thankfully, it didn’t take long for Joshua to notice him. “Oh? Hello, Ace,” he said with a chuckle, making En look over.“Hey Joshua,” Ace said in turn, smiling. “How are you two?”“I’m good. En, too, right?”“U-uh…uh-huh…” the little boy uttered, nodding a bit.Smiling, Ace sat up a little straighter. “Anyway, Josh, I was wondering… Me and Axel are heading out tomorrow to look for a gift for Regina and Domi…you know, for the wedding.”“Ah, right, of course,” Joshua murmured thoughtfully. “It’s customary for a gift to be given at a wedding…”“Right. Anyway, do you want to come with? I’m pretty sure you’d have some ideas on gifts…that DON’T involve embarrassing either of them.”“Well you’re no fun,” Joshua chuckled with a smirk. “But fine. I suppose I can make some time.”“…?” En was blinking, looking back and forth between the two of them, but he didn’t dare speak up.“Alright… I’ll let you know where we’re heading tomorrow when we know the exact place, okay?”“Sounds good~ See you tomorrow.”“Yeah, see you,” Ace said, getting up and waving briefly, before he headed out.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(The Next Day, After School)X*XAxel and Joshua were waiting for Ace to come home with Terry and Libby so they could all head out to the mall and shop for Regina and Domi’s wedding gifts. The redhead was leaning against a tree, before he perked up when he spotted Ace flying over with Terry and Libby on his back while the blonde was in griffon form.“Hey guys!” he called as Ace got close, gaining Joshua’s attention.As Ace touched down, Terry hopped off, stretching out her limbs. “Heyo,” she said. Joshua merely chuckled as she quickly stretched.“How was everything today?” Axel asked the three as Libby dismounted, too.“Decent,” Libby said calmly, adjusting her glasses. “Though many seem to be getting very riled up about the upcoming wedding.”“I’m assuming by ‘many’, you mainly mean Regina’s fanbase?” Axel guessed.“Who else?”Joshua hummed curiously. “So…it seems Regina’s very popular, hm?”“She has been for as long as I can remember in school,” taller shifter shrugged.Ace chuckled as Libby briefly got off so he could drop off his school bag. “Yeah. Anyway, shall we go?”“Yeah,” Axel nodded, before shifting into a griffon as well. ‘Climb on, Terry.’“Alrighty!” Terry laughed, before getting on, as Libby got back on Ace after he’d shifted back, while Joshua shifted into a hawk.‘Let’s go!’ Axel laughed, before launching himself skyward, and then heading in the direction of the mall. Ace and Joshua were quick to follow.‘So… Do we have any idea what we’re looking for?’‘Well, Roxas and I thought of doing matching lockets for them,’ Axel replied.‘Oooh, nice. That would be perfect,’ Ace said.‘How about you guys? Any ideas from any of you?’‘I’ve got nothing as of yet…but I’m sure I’ll find something there,’ Ace admitted.Terry snorted with a small smirk. “Hahah! Well, I got an idea already, but I'm not saying anything!”Libby merely hummed as she adjusted her glasses, blinking a bit from the cold winds. “We’ll first have to see if what we need is there,” she pointed out.This made Joshua giggle a bit. ‘Oh? Hard to come by, hm?’“Eh. Something like that.”‘Why not share what your idea is, huh?’ Axel asked.“Nope! It’s gotta be a surprise!” Terry laughed.‘Buzzkill,’ the redheaded shifter chuckled.Terry merely grinned, while Ace laughed. ‘Let’s face it, Axel; girls have their own choice of gifts. We probably wouldn’t get it, anyway.’‘Fair enough,’ Axel conceded.X*X*X*X*X*X*XFinally, the small group reached the mall, and after landing and shifting back, they headed off to the entrance.“So, where do we start?” Axel asked. “Do we want to split off into groups? Or stay together?”“How ‘bout we stay together for a little bit and then, after, we can split off into groups?” Ace offered.“Hihi~ Sounds like a plan,” their cousin giggled.“Sounds good,” Axel agreed. As they walked along, looking around, more than a few people looked up when they realized Ace was among them, but they quickly backed off when they noticed his entourage. Suddenly…“Oh, hey! Axel! Ace!” came a familiar voice, making the aforementioned redhead look over in pleasant surprise.“Heya, Dem, Zexion!” Axel greeted as the sandy blonde and the blunette came over. “How have you guys been?”“We’ve been good, man! Congratulations, by the way,” Demyx grinned. “Ace told us a few weeks ago when we ran into him after his classes.”“Thanks,” Axel smiled. “So, what are you two doing here?”“Oh, we were actually looking for a wedding gift for your sister,” Zexion admitted.Ace blinked a little, before he chuckled. “Wow, guess today’s just a good day to go looking for gifts, huh?”“What?” Demyx uttered, confused.“We’re here for the same reason,” Axel explained.“Huh… Well, then perhaps we can walk around together for a while, huh?” Zexion offered with a chuckle of his own.“Fine by me,” Axel smiled slightly. “So, you guys wanna know what Rox and I are having?”“Of course!” Demyx grinned.“Twin boys.”“Nice. Congratulations,” Zexion said.“I’m so happy for you guys!” Demyx practically squealed, making the redheaded shifter laugh. “How long until they’re born?”“3 more months, so we’re waiting on our wedding until after they’re here,” Axel said.“Makes sense,” Zexion nodded.As they passed by one of the shops, Terry suddenly grabbed Ace by the shoulder. “One moment,” she said, before she disappeared into the shop. Axel quirked a brow, but shrugged it off.“Guess we’ll wait.”Libby merely hummed, as she adjusted her glasses. It took almost 10 minutes before Terry came back out, humming cheerily and carrying a bag from the shop over her shoulder. “Got the item, then?”“Yep!”“I’m guessing if I ask, you won’t answer, huh?” Axel snorted.“Nope~” Terry chuckled.“Figured,” the other redhead chuckled as well. Demyx looked between them, confused, before he finally asked.“What are you talking about?”“Hahah, Terry and Libby are Regina’s friends, and, well, girls like to have their secrets,” Ace pointed out.“Damn straight!” Terry laughed, while Libby adjusted her glasses.“Maaaan, I hate secrets,” Demyx pouted.Zexion hummed. “Well, seems you’ll have to learn to deal with it.”Axel chuckled as Demyx grumbled under his breath. “So, what have you two thought of for a wedding gift so far?”“Not really,” Zexion admitted. “We were just walking around and trying to find something.”“Fair enough,” Axel conceded. “Rox and I were thinking of a pair of lockets for them.”“Oh, that’d be so cool!” Demyx grinned.“Definitely,” Zexion agreed as they walked along.Ace hummed as he glanced over. “…Speaking of lockets,” he said, pointing to the side, or more specifically to a jewelry shop. “Think they’d have some good ones over there?”“Worth looking to find out,” Axel said, nodding in agreement as he started to head over. The others followed after calmly. As they came into the room, they were almost blinded by the lights being reflected off of the jewelry in the cases, even through the glass cases.“…I’m starting to think this is a pretty expensive store…” Ace murmured.“I don’t think I can afford this here, to be honest…” Axel admitted.“Let’s look around, anyway…” Ace offered.“Kay.”As he looked around, Axel soon spotted a pair of similar lockets, one more delicate and feminine, and other a little less so. Not quite masculine, but not too feminine, either. Both were platinum, it seemed, and while the feminine one had a bright white pearl in embedded on the front, the other had a black pearl.“Damn… Those would be perfect…” Axel murmured.“…Want me to pitch in?” Ace asked. “I’m sure Rox would want to get them, too.”“You sure?” Axel asked. “What about you?”“Don’t worry; I’ll find something.”“All right. Thanks a ton, Ace,” the redhead told the prince gratefully.“No problem,” Ace said with a smile.Axel then went over to the saleswoman, and said, “Excuse me, but I’d like to buy the two lockets in the case there,” he told her.“Okay, sweetie. I’ll get them for ya in a jiffy. They’re 20,000 gil for the pair,” she smiled.“That’s fine. They’re going to be a wedding gifts, anyway,” Axel replied.“Oh? And might I ask for who?” the saleswoman inquired kindly.“Crown Princess Regina Lucis Caelum and her fiancé.”“Well, then I’m giving you a discount for the royal family!” she grinned. “I’ll dock it down to 12,000 gil, just for this occasion.”“Thank you, we appreciate it,” Ace said with a polite smile and nod.“Yeah, thank you very much,” Axel added as the saleswoman went over and pulled out the lockets from the case.“Of course! Anything for the royal family,” she smiled. “And besides, between you and me, I’ve always been a supporter of the shifters. I was so upset during that riot all those years ago, and no one around here seems to understand that.”At that reminder, Ace tensed. “…Yeah, I remember Mom mentioning that…” he murmured.Joshua hummed a bit. “Wasn’t that the day that you three…?” he started.“…Yeah.”“Oh, I’m so sorry, dearies!” the woman apologized profusely. “I never meant any harm. Here, for your troubles, I’ll dock it down another 1,000 gil. So it’s only 11,000.”“You mean that?” Axel blinked, startled.“Of course! I shouldn’t have let my mouth run in front of the young prince so carelessly,” she said.“A-ah, n-no. It’s fine, you don’t need—”“I insist,” she smiled warmly. “I consider you and your siblings a blessing to Insomnia, regardless of what anyone else says.”“…” Ace hesitated for a moment, but when Joshua bumped him in his side, he sighed. “Right… Thank you, Miss.”“Anything for the royal family,” she smiled kindly.“It’s very kind of you,” Axel told her.“Well, like I send, I shouldn’t have run my mouth about such a sensitive subject so carelessly,” she shrugged. “And besides, I own this shop. I make all of this jewelry myself, with some help from the local miners who bring me stones to polish and refurbish.”“Hmm…impressive,” Libby hummed, pushing her glasses up a bit.“Why thank you, darlin’,” the owner giggled. “Now, let’s get you all going, because I’m guessing you’re all still shopping, correct?”“Yeah, we are,” Demyx nodded.“Well, in that case, here you go, sweeties,” the woman said. “That’s 11,000 gil.”“Here’s 10,000…” Axel said, pulling out what he’d brought from his wallet.“And here’s the rest,” Ace said casually, handing over to the remainder.“Thank you kindly, dears,” she smiled. “You have a good day now, and wish that sister of yours and her fiancé well for me!”“Sounds like a plan,” Terry laughed, while Libby hummed briefly.“Yes, thank you once again, Miss Cindy,” the brunette said calmly.“Anytime! And pass along to Prompto that I’d like to see him soon, would ya?” she added, catching Ace’s attention.“…Wait…what? You…know Mom…?”“Of course! I met him when you and your siblings were too young to remember much, but he and I hit things off right away, like we’d been friends for years,” Cindy laughed. “I was merely asked to help with the polishing treatment for His Majesty’s royal adornments, and Prompto happened to be there that day, caring for you all.”“…really?”Joshua hummed, before he chuckled. “Well, if that’s the case, perhaps you’d like to come to dear Regina’s wedding, hm?”“I’d certainly love to,” the blonde woman grinned. “Thank you for the offer. I’ll absolutely be there!”“We’ll look forward to seeing you there,” Axel chuckled.“Sounds like a plan! Well, I’d better get to work on something special, then, so ya’ll better get moving,” she laughed.“Thank you. We’ll be sure to let Mom know you’ll be coming,” Ace said with a smile.“You do that, darlin’. I’ll see you all soon,” Cindy smiled, before heading to the back of the shop after she’d handed the wrapped lockets to Axel.“…Well! That was somethin’!” Terry laughed.“Definitely,” Zexion murmured.“Didn’t expect that,” Axel chuckled. “Makes sense as to why she’s so supportive of shifters, though.”“Hmhmm,” Joshua hummed with his hands in his back pockets.“Well, now to figure out what we should get, huh Zexion?” Demyx said.“Yeah. Let’s look around a little more.”“Don’t forget you need to find something, too, Ace,” Axel reminded the prince. “Thanks again, by the way.”“Don’t mention it,” Ace said with a smile and a nod. “I’ll just get it back from Rox, anyway.”“Fair point,” the redhead chuckled. After a few moments of walking around, they went into a small antique shop, which they entered, just to see if they could find something. Demyx and Zexion looked over some of the items there, but nothing really seemed to catch their attention. Ace, however, hummed curiously as he walked over to one of the counters, picking up a small, dark object.“See something, Ace?” Axel asked.“Yeah,” Ace said, turning a very old, but intricate black pocket watch between his fingers.“That’s actually pretty cool,” the redhead murmured as he looked at it, too.Ace nodded with a chuckle. “Yeah, I remember Sis saying she’d like a pocket watch some day…even though she could just look at her phone.”“Hey, it adds some class,” Axel chuckled.“Definitely,” Ace said, as he headed over to the cashier. Axel and the others waited patiently for Ace to take care of buying the pocket watch. However, before he could get there, he blinked as he noticed something else. After a moment of thought, he smiled as he picked up the other item and moved to the cashier, checking out the two items calmly.Noticing that Ace had grabbed something else, though, Axel asked when the prince returned, “What else did you find?”Ace smirked as he pulled out the item he’d bought, showing a very classy hair comb decorated with various flowers and gemstones.“Ah, perfect for Domi,” the redhead chuckled.“Definitely,” Ace said with a chuckle.“Well, now it’s just you and me, Zex,” Demyx grinned, before the expression fell. “What should we get them…?”“Not sure…” Zexion murmured, turning to Ace. “Is there anything they would want or something they really like?”“Hmm… Well, Regina’s always liked Ragnarok,” Ace said. “It’s kinda old, though… So would be hard to find something about it.”“Huh… Maybe we can find something with an online search?” Demyx suggested to the blunette.“Maybe…” Zexion murmured, as he pulled out his phone and quickly did an internet search. His boyfriend waited impatiently, bouncing in place as he tried to keep quiet.“…Ah, got something. …oh wow…” Zexion said with a small choke.Demyx then winced at the choke. “…The price is that bad, huh?” he guessed. After a moment of just looking it over, he turned the phone to Demyx. “Yeesh! Yeah, that’s bad…!”“Hm? How bad?” Ace asked as he walked over to look at the screen.“Bad…” Zexion said as he let Ace see.“…” Ace took the phone for a moment and quietly scrolled through a bit.“…Whatcha thinkin’, Ace?” Axel asked as he watched the blonde.Rather than respond, Ace tapped a little on the phone, before tossing it back. “There. That one should be good.”“Um…did you even look at the price?” Zexion asked.“I did. …and?”“They’re so expensive!” Demyx yelped.“…If you’re paying for it, yes.”“Wait, wha…?”“…are you serious? Won’t you get in trouble?”“Wouldn’t say so.”“Think about it, guys: it’s for Regina. He won’t get in trouble,” Axel chuckled.“Well…thank you very much, Ace!” Demyx said gratefully.“No problem.” Ace said with a smile.“All right, I think that’s almost all of us. Josh, you’re the only one left,” Axel said.“Hihi~ So it seems,” Joshua giggled.“Any idea on what you’ll get them?” Demyx asked.“Hmmm… I may have an idea, yes,” Joshua murmured. “We’re going to have to move on a little more, though.”“Whatcha thinking of getting ‘em, Josh?” Axel inquired. As they walked, Joshua merely hummed, looking around as they walked.“Hmm…”Instead of repeating himself, though, Axel merely waited.“Ah, there it is~” Joshua said finally, veering off to the left suddenly into a small shop.“I wonder what he’s getting?” Demyx wondered aloud, watching.“Not a clue. Guess we’ll see when he comes out,” Axel shrugged. Five minutes later, Joshua came out again, humming casually with a pleased smile on his face. “Whatcha got there, Josh?”“Hihi~ It’s a surprise~”“Why am I not surprised?” the redhead snorted. “All right, I think we’re good, then. Ready to head back?”“Probably a good idea. Zexion and I need to head back to our place, anyway. We’ll catch you guys later!” Demyx smiled.“Sure. …Oh, right, let me actually give you guys my number,” Ace said suddenly. “Just in case something goes wrong with the shipping.”“Right, good thinking,” Demyx nodded, handing the blonde his phone. “Thanks again, Ace!”“Don’t worry,” Ace said, as he typed in his number before passing it back. “Just let me know if anything happens, alright?”“We sure will! See you guys later!” Demyx smiled brightly, before heading off with Zexion in tow.Ace chuckled, before he looked to the others, “Well, let’s head on home, shall we?”“Sounds like a plan,” Axel nodded. “We’ll need to drop Terry and Libby off at their houses once we get back, unless Ignis is gonna drive them home.”“Ah actually, my place ain’t too far from here, and we were heading over there anyway,” Terry said casually. “We can get there on foot.”“You sure? I’m sure Ignis wouldn’t mind…”“Don’t worry,” Libby said with a small nod. “It’s really just a few minutes-walk away. We’ll be just fine.”“All right, we’ll catch you guys later, then,” Axel said.“Later!” Terry laughed, waving as she and Libby walked off in the direction of Terry’s house.“…is it just me…or are they…” Ace asked when the two girls were out of sight.“I don’t know, but I’m not about to ask,” Axel sighed. “I don’t want to be poked fun at if we’re wrong.”“Smart move~” Joshua giggled. “Shall we go?”“Yeah, let’s,” Ace said with a nod. The redhead nodded as well, before they went outside and off to a more obscured area to shift so they could fly back. Once they all had, they took off back for the Citadel. Upon their return, they were shocked to see Endrance with Roxas, the young boy shyly talking to the blonde, it seemed.As they landed and had shifted back, Joshua chuckled as they walked over. “Evening~” he chirped, making them look over. Endrance, immediately, smiled and scurried over to his big brother, who crouched down and caught him in a hug when he came into range.“Well, that was a nice surprise,” Axel chuckled. “How’d you manage that one, Rox?”“I started talking to him about the twins while he was waiting for Josh,” Roxas smiled.“Haha, yeah, that sounds like it works,” Ace laughed softly, as Joshua stood up with the boy in his arms.“Feel a bit better with me, En?” Roxas asked with a smile as he went over to him and Joshua.“…u-um…”“Hihi~ May take a bit more, dear.”“He was doing pretty good until you guys got home,” the pregnant shifter shrugged, not bothered by the response.Ace smiled as he adjusted his bag. “Anyway, how ‘bout we get inside, eh? I’m guessing dinner’s about ready.”“Yeah, probably,” Roxas agreed, as Axel linked their fingers together while they walked back inside. “So, you guys get lucky at the mall?”“Yeah. I think we got the perfect presents for them both,” Ace confirmed.“Awesome,” the pregnant shifter smiled. “I take it Terry and Libby did, too, huh?”“Yeah, they already headed home, though.”“Ah, okay. Well, as long as everyone’s set,” Roxas said.“Hmhmm.”As they arrived at the dining room, Regina and Domi were already there, talking quietly to each other. As she noticed the others, though, Regina looked up and waved. “Yo.”“Hey,” Roxas greeted as he and Axel took their seats. “How’d planning go today?”“It went alright,” Regina said casually.“Hihi~ Well, we can’t complain, that’s for sure,” Domi added.“Hey, it’s progress, I’m sure,” Axel chuckled.Just then, Prompto and Noctis entered the room, with the twins scurrying in after them. “Ah, looks like everyone’s here already.”“Hey Mom, hey Dad,” Roxas greeted, hugging the twins briefly before they made their rounds of greeting everyone before sitting in their own chairs.“Heya sweetie,” Prompto smiled.“Sissy! When you marries?” Nami asked suddenly, making Regina chuckle.“It’ll be shortly after yours and Zack’s birthday, Nami, don’t worry,” Prompto answered with a soft laugh.“Really?!” Zack gasped. “Cool!”“Yaaay!”Domi giggled. “Don’t worry; we have enough time to get you suited up~”That made Regina look over curiously, before she chuckled. “Oh? Going to get the little ones some new duds, huh?”“Well, why not?”“They’ll need them, especially if Zack’s gonna be the ring bearer and Nami and Kairi the flower girls,” Prompto agreed with a chuckle.“Definitely,” Noctis agreed, just as Ignis brought in dinner.“I get to be a flower girl, too?” Kairi asked, smiling brightly.“Of course, Kai. We wouldn’t leave you out of it,” Axel told her with a smile.“Thank you!” the small redhead chirped before beginning to eat her dinner.“Well that’s good…otherwise the dresses I made are going to go to waste~” Domi giggled, even as he started on his own food.“We’d rather not see your hard work go to waste, Domi,” Roxas laughed lightly.“Domi made dresses?” Naminé asked in awe as she realized what the conversation was about.“Sure did, hon~”“Yay~!!”“What about me? I dun wanna wear a dress…” Zack pouted.“Oh, don’t worry, Zack~ I made something else for you and En~”As the kids and the teens chatted about the wedding and whatnot, Prompto smiled warmly at Noctis, glad that things were falling into place for the future.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(2 Months Later)X*XFinally, it was the twins’ birthday, and Roxas was almost due to give birth to his twin boys. They’d become incredibly active in his womb over the past two months, and had been kicking daily, especially when any of the shifters in the family went to feel them move. The poor blonde was getting exhausted from it, but that morning, he was fully determined to push his exhaustion aside for his little brother and sister.When there was a sudden thump on his and Axel’s bedroom door, followed by giggling, Roxas knew the twins were there to get him and the redhead, more than likely shifted for the first time.“Roxy! Axel! Come see Zack and Nami!” Kairi’s voice giggled. Roxas yawned widely before answering, somehow managing to sound wide awake.“We’re coming, Kai!” he chuckled. He kissed Axel on the lips to wake him, making the taller male hum before his bright emerald eyes opened, a little murky from sleep.“Kai and the twins, huh?” he guessed.“Yep. Let’s get moving,” the blonde smiled warmly, before grimacing a little as the boys kicked within him, Axel even feeling them, too.“All right, let’s all get some breakfast,” Axel chuckled, kissing the prince and rubbing his swollen stomach briefly before getting out of bed to change.“Definitely,” Roxas agreed, tugging off his long sleep shirt (since he didn’t want to sleep in any sort of pajama pants while this far along in his pregnancy), and then slipping on a pair of loose pants and an equally loose shirt. Once Roxas had managed to get his shoes on, Axel already being dressed by then, they opened the door to see a black wolf pup and blonde leopard kit play-wrestling in the hallway while Kairi stood nearby, watching and giggling.“Hey guys,” Axel called, getting the twins’ attention.“Happy Birthday, you two,” Roxas smiled happily, as Zack hopped up and ran over with an excited yip, with Naminé close behind with a merry yowl.‘T’ank you, Roxy!’ Zack chirped via telepathy as the mated couple rubbed behind their ears.‘Tankies!’ Naminé echoed, her tail happily swishing behind her.“Have you guys gotten Mom and Dad yet?” Roxas asked as he began to lead their little group to the dining hall.‘Mama said to get you and Axey up last so you’d feel better for todays!’ Zack told his older brother.Surprised, Roxas didn’t say anything right away, but then he smiled. “Thank you for that, guys,” he told them sincerely, resting a hand on his swollen stomach. “These two have been keeping sleep away from me these days.”‘Aww… Don’t they wanna sleep?’ Naminé asked with a kitty-pout.“They don’t sleep at the same time Rox does, Nami,” Axel explained. “They sleep for very small naps, but they’ll sleep better after they’re born.”‘Really?’ Zack blinked as his ears twitched in surprise.“Yep. Most of what they’ll do during the first few months after they’re born is eat and sleep. As they get older, they’ll be more interested in playing and stuff,” Roxas told them.‘Neato~’“Morning, boys,” a familiar voice called out, drawing the teens’ attention to Noctis and Prompto as they walked over.“Morning, Mom and Dad,” Roxas smiled, and Prompto hugged his son gently.“How are you feeling this morning, sweetie?” he asked.“I’m fine, Mom. The boys are hungry, is all,” the shorter blonde assured him.“Well, remember that you can take a breather at any point if you need it today, okay?” Prompto reminded him.“I know, and I’ll do just that as I need to,” Roxas promised as Prompto stepped back.“I’ll make sure of it, Prompto,” Axel swore, wrapping an arm around his mate’s shoulders.“Please do,” Prompto nodded as Zack and Naminé ran ahead to the dining room with Kairi.Chuckling softly as the twins disappeared from view, Noctis said, “Well, someone’s excited for their birthday breakfast.”“Of course they are. Scones are everyone’s favorite any time of year here,” Prompto smirked.“True,” Axel agreed as the four headed to the dining hall as well. When they got there, they saw Regina and Ace instructing the twins on how to shift back so they could eat at the table.“Thanks, Regina, Ace,” Prompto said once the two children had gotten it. “Hadn’t gotten that far before they raced off to show you guys.”“No problem,” Regina said with a nod, as Ace hummed quietly.“In any case, Nami, Zack… I know you’re excited for breakfast…but would you two like to have one of your presents early?” Noctis suddenly asked with a warm smile. The twins both blinked at their dad with wide eyes, before grinning eagerly. Even Prompto looked at the King in surprise, as he had no idea what Noctis was talking about.“Yeah!!” Zack crowed as Roxas and Axel sat at the table, laughing lightly.“Can we can we?!” Naminé cheered, bouncing on her feet.“Of course,” Noctis said, ignoring the confused looks he got from everyone else. “Wait right here,” he said, before walking toward the door to the dining hall.The twins, obviously, watched his every move, confused but eager for their ‘present’, as their dad opened up the door and then stepped aside.And of course, everyone gained shocked/excited expressions when they saw Regis, of all people, enter the dining hall.“Grandpa Regis!” Zack cheered, running over with Naminé to hug him, with his sister shouting, “Grampy Reggie!”“Happy Birthday, you two,” Regis chuckled as he hugged them both. “I understand you’re able to shift now, hm?”“Yeah, yeah!” Zack chirped.“Uh-huh! Mama taught us!” Nami added.“Good to hear,” Regis smiled. “Well, I know your mother will have lots of things to teach you to shift into, but how about we all enjoy some breakfast for now?”“Okies!” Zack smiled brightly, and he and Naminé led their grandpa to the table, where he sat with them.“Hi Grandpa Regis,” Roxas greeted once everyone was seated, his tone coming across as almost shy, considering his size now with his pregnancy.“Hello Roxas,” Regis replied kindly. “How have you been feeling lately?”“I’m good, just tired…” Roxas admitted, barely managing to stifle a yawn.“Be sure to take care of yourself, especially with your own on the way,” Regis advised, making the shorter blonde blush a little. “How long until they’re born?”“About a week or two,” Axel told him. “We’re having twin boys.” This made the former King smile wider, and he nodded.“Well, I truly wish you both well with them,” he said.“Thank you, Grandpa,” Roxas murmured gratefully.“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Regina chuckled. “And at least you’ll fit again,” she added, making Domi giggle in response. Roxas pouted at the words, not liking the jab at his pregnancy weight.“Easy, Roxy,” Domi assured. “I think she means that you can now try on your new attire to see if it fits.”“Yeah, once these two come out,” Roxas replied, rubbing his stomach a little as he felt the boys move.“How have you been, Regina, Ace?” Regis asked with a smile after a moment.“We’ve been good,” Regina said with a smile, to which Ace nodded. “Busy as always, but hey.”“I can imagine,” Regis chuckled. “Despite being free from school at last, I’m sure you’re all busy with your own things. After all, it never seems to end.”“You got that right,” Axel agreed with a small laugh.Regina shared a look with Domi, seeming to consider things, before smiling. “Well…there’s one other reason… Hey, Nami, Zack?” When the twins looked over, she asked, “Do you two want to tell Grampa what we're doing in a month?”“Yeah! Yeah!” Zack grinned, looking at Naminé.“Can we really?!” Naminé asked with a wide smile.“Sure, sweetie,” Domi said with a giggle.Naminé and Zack exchanged a look of pure excitement before they turned to Regis. “Sissy’s getting married!”This made the former King’s expression light up, before he looked at his eldest grandchild and her fiancé. “Well, congratulations are certainly in order, then,” he chuckled. “When is your wedding, Regina and Domi?”“It’s been planned for next month,” Regina said with a smile, before she looked to Roxas. “About a week before another big event.”“Yeah, Axel and I are getting married about a week after Regina and Domi are,” Roxas smiled as Axel kissed his temple.“Well, you know I’ll be back for both, that much I’ll guarantee,” Regis promised. “Congratulations to you both, too, then.”“Now that just leaves Ace and Quon,” Roxas smirked.“He-hey!” Ace coughed, cheeks lightly tinted, making his siblings laugh.“We all know you two are close, Ace,” Prompto pointed out once the two eldest children sobered up. “No need to keep it a secret.” Ace merely pouted, but he didn’t deny it, either.“So, have you two made friends while at school yourselves, Zack, Naminé?” Regis asked.“Yeah! Cloud’s my friend!” Zack smiled brightly as Ignis brought out everyone’s breakfast: scones.Naminé cheered as she took one of her scones. However, before taking the first bite, she said, “Uh-huh! And Yunie’s my friend!”“They’re good kids,” Prompto added. “Cloud’s quiet, but nice. And Yuna is a complete sweetheart.”“Sounds like they’ll be over often, then,” Regis chuckled.“Yep, in fact…” Prompto murmured, looking at his phone. “Ah, perfect. I’ll be right back.” He then got up, heading out of the dining room.“Wonder what’s up?” Axel frowned a little.“I have an idea,” Roxas smiled, snagging a couple of scones and beginning to eat. It didn’t take long for Prompto to return with Gladio, and a couple of extra people.“Namiiiii!!” came a familiar shout, startling the girl, before she smiled widely and looked over.“YUNIE!!” she cheered, as Noctis moved over and helped the little girl out of her seat so she could go hug her friend.“Cloud?!” Zack gasped hopefully, looking to see said small blonde boy as Noctis helped him out of the chair as well. “Cloud!!”The boy didn’t say anything, of course, as Zack came dashing over. Before he could get hugged, though, the blonde shoved a box into Zack’s chest. Blinking in initial surprise, Zack caught the box in his hands before it could drop, and then tugged Cloud with him by the hand to the table.“T’ank you, Cloud! Now you gotta try Iggy’s scones!” he grinned eagerly.“Glad you two could come,” Prompto smiled, helping the two boys into their chairs.After the girls were done hugging, they came scampering back over, where Noctis helped them up in the chairs. “Tank you for inviting us!” Yuna chirped.“Anytime,” Prompto laughed lightly. “Now help yourselves to some scones. There’s more than enough for everyone.”"Yunie! Try with honey!" Nami urged.“Okay!” Following her friend’s advice, Yuna dipped her scone in the honey, and then took a small bite. “So yummy!!”“I know!” Zack grinned, before looking to Cloud. “Try one with honey, too, Cloud!” Cloud looked over to Zack for a moment, but he did so anyway, after which he took a small bite from the scone.“What do you think? Good, huh?” Roxas asked.“…‘s good…” the boy mumbled.“Told ya!” Zack giggled, before beginning to eat his own two scones he’d grabbed and drizzled syrup and sprinkled powdered sugar on. Kairi smiled brightly as the sight, eating her own scones from her spot next to Axel.“Glad we’re here now,” Reno chuckled after swallowing a bite of his scone. “Hollow Bastion is dangerous as it is, what with the high crime rates, so I’m thankful we’re able to stay here.”“Agreed. Definitely happy to have you guys here in safety,” Prompto nodded.“It’s that bad?” Roxas frowned worriedly.“Fortunately, when I would visit, things were a bit calmer, Roxy,” Axel assured him. “But that’s behind us now, anyway.”“Wow… Must’ve been rough…” Regina murmured.“It was, but now we’re here, so things are good now,” Reno shrugged. “Water off a duck’s back.”“True,” Prompto laughed lightly. Once they had all finished eating, Roxas leaned back in his seat with a pleased sigh, resting his hands on his swollen abdomen, his twin boys actually making minimal movement for the time being, seeming content.“Better?” Axel guessed with a small, amused smile.“Definitely,” the pregnant shifter nodded.“Hopefully that should help get you through for a bit,” Prompto smiled at his eldest son.“Yeah, at least until lunch,” Roxas chuckled.Noctis chuckled softly. “Alright, now that everyone’s done eating, shall we move this to the garden for the party?”“Yay!” Naminé cheered.“Le’s go!” Zack crowed, and after he was assisted out of his chair by Regina, he shifted into a wolf pup again, yipping excitedly while the Crown Princess helped Cloud next.Nami nearly squealed as Domi helped her down, almost immediately shifting into a leopard-kitty, darting around her chair as the boy moved to Yuna.“Wow! You’re so pretty Nami!”‘Hihihi!’Cloud just watched quietly, not seeming impressed.“Let’s all go to the garden, guys,” Prompto chuckled, shifting into a coeurl himself as he led the way to the garden. Zack was hot on his mother’s heels, but he made sure to keep Cloud close, sometimes herding him back closer to the group when he would start to fall behind.“You ready, Kai?” Axel asked after Reno helped her out of her chair, before shifting into a wolf. His niece giggled excitedly as she climbed onto his back before he started to leave the dining hall, going at a slower pace for his mate while Reno walked a small distance ahead of the three.“Hahah… Well, they’re excited,” Noctis said with a smile, staying behind to help his father up. “You going to be alright, Dad?”“Oh, I’ll be just fine. Just need to take it easy sometimes,” Regis assured his son. “Try not to worry too much about me. Just focus on the twins for today, all right?”“Heh. Will do,” Noctis said with a nod, as they followed after the others. When the father and son reached the garden, they soon spotted the human kids playing with the shifters in their animal forms, and despite Cloud’s almost…emotionless nature, even he seemed to be having fun as Zack practically danced around his friend, still in wolf pup form.“At least he’s seeming to lighten up a bit,” Regis chuckled, watching Cloud with Zack.“Thankfully, yes,” Noctis said with a smile as they joined the adults. As they reached them, Roxas looked up at his dad and grandpa, smiling at them briefly before returning his attention to his mate playing with Kairi and his siblings. He would join in with the playing if he wasn’t so far in his pregnancy, but he knew if he tried, he’d only do more harm than good.After what felt like several hours (even though it’d only been half an hour), Noctis put his fingers between his lips and whistled sharply to get everyone’s attention. That worked, as everyone, even the kids, looked up quickly to focus on Noctis.“Alright, I don’t want to break up the fun, but I think it’s about time we open some presents, what say?” the King asked with a chuckle.“YAY!!” Zack cheered as he shifted back, bouncing in place with his excitement.“Hooray!” Naminé cried, as the group scurried over. Roxas laughed lightly as Prompto joined Noctis to lead the way to the lounge room, where the presents were set up. When they arrived, Zack and Naminé both gasped in awe at the two small piles of presents, one for each of them. After all, the two can’t afford to become spoiled. It just wouldn’t help them later in life.“Wow…!” Zack breathed.“Now then, you know the rules,” Noctis said as he walked over. “One present at a time, understood?”“Yes Papa!” Naminé chirped.“Yep-yep!” Zack echoed, and the twins then scurried over to look for similar-sized or shaped gifts to open at the same time. After a minute, they seemed to find one each, and then plopped down together to open them. Roxas watched fondly from the sofa with Axel and Prompto on either side, Kairi sitting in front of him on the floor.Naminé was the first to open her present, and she squealed in delight. “Wah! So cute!” she chirped.Regina smirked as she recognized the packaging as the one Domi had gotten her. “Oh? What’d you get, Nami?”The small girl turned the box around, showing a case FULL of decorative hair beads.“Ooooh! Very nice.”“So cool!!” Zack cheered as he unwrapped his present, revealing a colorful wooden toy shield from Reno and Kairi.“Made that myself, squirt,” Reno chuckled, reaching over and ruffling Zack’s hair. “And Kai painted it for ya.”“Thank yous!” he grinned.Naminé took a moment to look through her stack, before grabbing one of them and unwrapping it. As soon as she finished, she squealed and hopped on her feet, hugging a gorgeous Chocobo plushie close to her. “So soft!”“Same here!” Zack chirped as he squeezed his Moogle plush with knight’s armor he’d unwrapped to himself, humming happily.After a moment of snuggling with their plushies, the twins moved back to their stack of presents, going for their friends’ presents. Once Naminé had unwrapped it, she smiled happily. “Awww! Thanks Yunie!” she chirped, holding a very fancy coloring book.“You’re welcome!” Yuna called with a smile of her own.Zack was quick to unwrap his from Cloud, and he grinned brightly upon revealing a big blue wolf plush, making him squeal and hug it. “Thanks Cloud!” he told his friend gratefully.“…welcome…” the blonde boy mumbled. Keeping the plush close to his side, Zack then looked at the presents, not sure which one to pick next.“Here, guys,” Axel chuckled, picking out one from each of the piles and handing them the gifts. “These are from Roxas and me.”“Thank you, Roxy! Thank you Axey!” Zack chirped, before unwrapping the gift. His small jaw dropped, however, when he saw the dark-colored winter cloak that was a little big for him right now. “Wow…!”“That’s to keep you warm out in the snow next winter,” Roxas explained. “It’s too big for you right now, but you’ll grow into it by this coming winter.”As Naminé unwrapped her own present, she stared in awe when she saw the beautiful, fluffy, cream-colored dress. “Pretty!”“That’s the same for you, Nami,” Roxas told her. “It’ll be for winter, so it’s too big for you right now. You’ll grow into it, though.”“T’anks, Roxy!” she chirped happily.“Anytime, Nami,” her oldest brother chuckled as Axel ruffled her hair playfully. Eventually, the two children managed to get through all of their presents, and they cheered a merry thanks to everyone, making them all laugh lightly.“Ready for cake, then, Zack, Nami?” Prompto asked.“Yeah, yeah!!” Zack exclaimed eagerly.“Cake cake!” Naminé cheered, clapping her hands excitedly.“All right, then we’ll go and let Iggy know, okay?” Prompto chuckled, and he and Noctis left to get Ignis and the cake. After they left, Axel looked to Roxas.“You holding up okay, Rox?” he asked.“Yeah. A bit tired, I’ll admit, but I’m okay,” the pregnant shifter murmured. As everyone got comfortable, though, no one noticed Regina and Domi giving each other cheeky looks from where they sat. It didn’t take long for the parents to return…but without Ignis.“He said he needs a couple more minutes, but he’ll be here soon,” Prompto told them.“Okay Mama!” Zack chirped.“Weird… Usually he has everyone set up already…” Ace murmured, frowning.“Maybe’s a big big cake?” Naminé asked curiously.“Well, since there’s so many of us, that wouldn’t surprise me,” Roxas conceded.“Guess we’ll see…” Axel shrugged. After what felt like ages for the twins, but was actually closer to five minutes, Ignis finally came over…but he wasn’t alone.“Mornin’, people!” Terry called out as she (easily) balanced the tray with the cake on one hand.“Yo, Terry, Libby!” Regina laughed. “Glad you could join us!”Libby allowed a small smile as she adjusted her glasses. “Yes, well, thank you for inviting us.”“Well, definitely a pleasant surprise,” Prompto chuckled after the initial surprise wore off. “Glad you could come.”“Libby! Did you and Iggy make the cake?” Naminé asked in awe, staring with wide eyes at the cake Terry was holding up.“That we did, Naminé.”“YAY!!!”“Looks super yummy!” Zack grinned.“Well, let’s see if it tastes as yummy as it looks, huh?” Regina laughed.“Yeah!” Zack nodded eagerly, before grabbing his twin’s hand to help her up. “C’mon, Nami!”“Yeah!” the girl cheered as she ran over with her brother while Terry set the cake on a special table that Ignis had brought out for them. As Libby began to light the candles and Reno dimmed the lights in the room, everyone else began to sing happy birthday to the twins. And when they finished, everyone waited for the pair to blow out their candles before clapping and cheering lightly for them.“Alrighty! Need some help cutting, Libby?” Regina offered as she walked over.“If you wouldn’t mind…”“Nope, I wouldn’t,” the Crown Princess laughed as she took one of the knives. “Okay, Nami, Zack, mind backing up a bit so we can get you your slices?”“Kay Sissy!” the pair chirped as they sat back, watching in excitement as their big sister and Libby cut the cakes into slices for them.“Aaaand here we go!” Regina chuckled, passing them both their plates.“T’ank you, Sissy!” Zack smiled brightly as he moved back to sit down with his piece of cake. Once the birthday kids had their cake, Regina and Libby began passing out cake to everyone else, with Domi also pitching in to help distribute. Once Roxas had a slice, he took and bite, and hummed happily at the taste.“You guys outdid yourselves on this one, Libby, Ignis,” he told them.“Thank you,” Libby said with a nod as she adjusted her glasses.“Of course,” Ignis chuckled softly.Noctis chuckled as they all enjoyed their cake. “Definitely a pleasant surprise. Perhaps you two should cook together more often,” he pointed out.“As long as Libri is open to coming over more often, then,” Ignis smirked.“I see no reason to refuse if the King himself wishes me to assist,” said girl said with a smirk of her own.“Hoo boy,” Terry chuckled, before biting down on her piece of cake.“Nothing wrong with coming over more often,” Prompto shrugged with a small smile. “Besides, I know Regina enjoys when you two are here.” He directed the last part at Terry and Libby.“Wouldn’t argue with that,” Regina chuckled out, while Domi giggled. As the birthday party carried on, everyone eventually retired to their rooms as the evening rolled in, with Terry and Libby spending the night in one of the guest rooms, and Yuna and Cloud sleeping in Naminé and Zack’s room. Regis, though, humbly took a guest room for himself for the night, insisting that he would be fine.By the time Roxas and Axel were in bed for the night, the pregnant shifter was curled against his mate as best as he could, considering his stomach, simply enjoying the closeness and feeling the twins moving inside of him.“…You ready for them to be here soon?” Axel asked softly as he rested his own hand on the blonde’s rounded belly.“As ready as I’ll ever be, all things considered,” Roxas murmured. “But we have everyone here to help, too.”“True,” the redhead nodded, before yawning. “We’d best get some shuteye… Goodnight, Roxas,” he whispered, turning off the light. “I love you.”“Goodnight, Axel,” Roxas smiled tiredly. “Love you, too.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(2 Weeks Later)X*XIt was any day by now that Roxas was due to give birth, and he was tired of being pregnant by this point. Everyone had been helping him to the best of their abilities, and even though the blonde was grateful, he was a bit tired of feeling almost smothered. But regardless, he was eager to meet his little boys.“Heya Rox,” Axel greeted as he entered the nursery, where Roxas was. The blonde had been just doing another check to make sure everything was ready for the twins on the way, and he looked up when Axel called to him.“Hey,” he smiled lightly, before grimacing as the twins kicked, and rather hard at that.“Kicking harder, huh?” the redhead guessed as he approached his lover.“Yeah, dammit…” Roxas grumbled. “Any time now would be nice…”“I know, but you remember what Iris said,” the lanky teen reminded him. “Whenever they’re ready, they’ll come out.”“I know…” the pregnant shifter muttered, before gasping loudly as a sharp pain shot through his abdomen, nearly bringing him to his knees.“Roxas!” Axel gasped, catching his mate and supporting him. “The twins?”“I…I think it’s t-time…!” the smaller shifter stuttered out, and Axel cursed briefly before scooping Roxas up in his arms and hurrying off to the infirmary. Mercifully, Iris was there, stocking supplies, until she heard the rushed footsteps.“Iris, he’s in labor!” Axel told her urgently.“Right, set him on the bed there,” she ordered, and the lanky shifter did as he was told, setting Roxas down on the bed and holding the blonde’s hand firmly. As Iris tugged off Roxas’s pants (no underwear since he couldn’t fit in them until his pregnancy was over), she looked up briefly when hurried footsteps rushed to the infirmary before Prompto practically burst in.“Roxas!” he cried, before his worried gaze became sympathetic when his son gave a pained scream as a contraction coursed through him. Quickly, he sent a text to Noctis, letting him know of the situation, and to let the others know before joining him in the infirmary. Once he’d received a confirmation, he joined Roxas on the other side of the bed, taking his other hand in his.“It hurts, Mom…!” the poor boy whined pitifully, right before another contraction hit, making him wail as his water broke.“I know, sweetie, but the pain will stop once the boys are born,” Prompto soothed as Axel wiped his mate’s forehead of sweat with a cool washcloth. “I promise…”“We’re getting there, Roxas,” Iris told him. “They want out.”As soon as Iris said that, Noctis practically came flying into the room, cursing lightly under his breath before joining his mate by Roxas’s side. “Easy, Rox… It’s going to be okay…” he said as he ran a hand through the boy’s hair. His son whimpered loudly in response, before choking on a cry as yet another contraction rolled through him.“How close is he to pushing, Iris?” Prompto asked, looking to the brunette.“Lemme check…” Iris replied, pulling on a glove and checking. “…Feels like we’re ready. They definitely want out.”“I want them out!” Roxas wailed, even as Axel squeezed his hand in reassurance. “It hurts…!!”“Sssh, Roxas… Deep breath, come on…” Noctis soothed, rubbing his forehead. Shakily, Roxas did as he was told, whimpering in pain.“Okay, Roxas, it’s time to start pushing,” Iris told him firmly. “You can do this. Push when I say, and stop when I tell you, or it might hurt the boys, understand?”“O-okay…” the teen stammered.“You can do this, Rox,” Axel encouraged, kissing his temple.“Ready? Push!”Roxas pushed as best as he could, given the pain, crying out in agony. He thought he could actually feel his first son as he was being pushed out, but it may have been his imagination.“Stop!” Iris ordered. “Good job, Roxas, you’re doing great. At this rate, it won’t take long for either of them.”“You’re doing amazing, sweetie,” Prompto smiled sympathetically at his eldest son, petting his hair gently.“Steady your breathing…” Noctis added. “In…out… Good, just like that.”“Ready, Roxas? Push!” Iris commanded, and Roxas pushed, hard, giving a low scream from the intense pain…before the sound hitched sharply as the pain spiked between his legs. “There we go! Stop, Roxas, I can pull him out from here.” Shortly after the words were uttered, Roxas could feel Iris gently taking his first son out of him, followed by the newborn’s loud wails as he cleared his little lungs. Prompto the left Roxas’s side to help with his grandson.“You did good, Rox,” the older shifter praised. “He’s beautiful and healthy.”Smiling, Noctis added, “Halfway there, Rox… You’re almost there.”“Ready to get his brother out?” Iris asked as Roxas huffed out breaths between clenched teeth. The blonde nodded, letting out a strained whine before Iris gave him the order to start pushing. He pushed with everything he had, and the process repeated itself a few times before he soon passed the second boy’s shoulders. “Okay, Roxas, that’s enough. I can pull him out from here,” Iris told him, and Roxas flopped back against Axel, breathing heavily as the pain slowly but steadily went away.“Great job, Roxy, you did amazing,” the redhead murmured, kissing the blonde’s temple.Noctis smiled warmly at the sight, staying back with Prompto for the time being and placing an arm around his mate’s shoulders.“And this little guy is perfectly healthy, too,” Iris informed the couple, even over the second boy’s wails. “Ready to meet them?”“Y…yeah,” Roxas got out, looking at Noctis gratefully as the raven helped him into sitting back up again.“This one’s the first born,” Prompto murmured, gently placing the whimpering eldest boy in his mother’s arms, and making Roxas look like he was about to cry from how beautiful he was.“And here’s his younger brother,” Iris said softly, passing him over to Axel as the redhead sat with Roxas on the bed. As the new mother looked between his two boys, he smiled tiredly, amazed by how beautiful they were.The older boy was quite unique in that his fuzzy hair wasn’t just blonde or red, it was both. But when he opened his eyes, Roxas gasped softly.“Ax… Look at his eyes…!” he whispered. Axel’s acidic green eyes widened at the sight of their first-born’s eye colors. The right eye was sapphire blue, like his mother’s, while the right was emerald green like his father’s.“That’s amazing…” Axel breathed, awed…until the youngest whined in his dad’s hold, making the new parents look at him.“Seems someone’s jealous,” Prompto chuckled, recognizing the whine.This made the King laugh. “Well, better not keep him waiting much longer, then.”However, as Roxas turned his attention to his younger son with a tired, amused smile, Prompto blinked in pleasant surprise while studying his youngest grandson.“Roxas… He looks exactly like you did as a newborn,” the older shifter commented.Noctis hummed curiously, one hand to his chin in thought. “He does… Peculiar.”“Guess we’ll see as he develops…” Roxas murmured.“What are you two gonna name them?” Iris asked.“Roxel for the older boy,” Axel said immediately. When his mate looked at him curiously, he explained with a small shrug, “I figured it was a good name for our first son, since it’s our names combined.”“Well, our jealous little one can be named Ventus,” Roxas chuckled softly, kissing both Roxel’s and Ventus’s foreheads before yawning widely.Chuckling, Noctis turned to Prompto. “I think it’s about time we got these boys up to the nursery, hm?”“Right,” Prompto nodded, gently taking Roxel from Roxas. “Rest up, Rox. You deserve it.”“I’ll make sure he does,” Axel smiled, handing Ventus to Noctis.“Thank you, Axel,” Prompto said gratefully. Axel soon settled on the hospital bed with Roxas, letting the short blonde curl close.“Rest up, Roxy. I love you,” Axel whispered, kissing his mate’s cheek briefly as he leaned back.“Love you, too, Ax…” Roxas mumbled in exhaustion, soon falling asleep in his mate’s hold.As Noctis and Prompto left the infirmary, Regina, Domi and Ace looked up from where they were waiting along the far wall. Upon noticing the King and his mate carrying the two infants, they all stared for a moment, before they all smiled.“O…M…Gee! They’re so cute!” Domi nearly squealed, much to Regina’s amusement.Ace chuckled softly. “Not gonna lie on that one.”“Well, Regina, Roxas, and Ace were all cute like this, too,” Prompto laughed softly. “We’ll do proper introductions after Rox rests, though. He’s exhausted.”“Sounds good,” Regina said with a nod. “Want us to watch over them in case they start crying?”“That may be smart. Roxas might not be able to hear them otherwise,” Noctis said with a hum.“Thank you, guys,” Prompto smiled gratefully. “We’ll get them set up, at least.”Nodding, the three teens followed after the King and his mate, toward the nursery. After placing the little ones in their cribs, Noctis asked, “Want us to get some chairs?”“Oh, nah, we’re fine,” Regina assured.“Are you sure?” Prompto asked.“Sure we’re sure,” Ace assured.“All right,” the older blonde nodded. “Well, let us know if anything comes up.” X*X*X*X*X*X*XWhen Roxas woke up later, he nearly jolted up, startled, when he remembered the twins having been born, and he looked around in a panic, wondering why he couldn’t hear them. Suddenly, he heard a gurgling squeal, and he was quick to practically leap out of bed, not questioning how he suddenly had pants back on after earlier, and taking off in wolf form to the nursery. When he arrived, he saw the door was open a crack, and he sniffed the air quietly, calming when he detected his sibling’s and Domi’s scents in the nursery along with the boys’.Shifting back, he almost went inside, but Axel’s presence behind him made him pause. He looked back, and once the redhead nodded, they went in together.“Having fun with them, guys?” he asked, spotting how Domi seemed to be playing with Roxel and Ventus in the same crib.Domi giggled as he lightly wiggled his fingers above Roxel’s head, which had the little boy trying to swipe at it with his little hand.“Yeah, and they’re behaving just fine,” Regina chuckled.“Apparently,” Axel smirked.“Well, at least we can introduce them to their aunt and uncles, huh?” Roxas said, a teasing light in his eyes.“Sounds like a plan…unless you want us to call this one ‘Roxas 2’,” Ace said, gesturing for Ventus.“Yeah, Mom said he looks just like I did as a newborn,” Roxas snorted. “But this is Roxel,” he said, scooping his feisty son out of the crib.“And Roxas’s doppelgänger is Ventus,” Axel added with a chuckle, plucking the small boy up as well.Domi giggled as the boys gurgled a bit. “Well, they’re both adorable~”“That they are,” Roxas murmured in agreement, kissing Roxel’s forehead and making the little one coo happily.His siblings smiled at the sight, before Regina pulled out her camera and brought it up. “Hey Rox, look over here, will ya?”“Hm?” the blonde uttered, before smiling lightly at his sister’s camera.“Aw, come on, get us all in the shot, Regina!” Axel laughed, wrapping his free arm around his mate’s shoulder and smiling at the camera as well.Regina merely laughed as she snapped the shot. “Yeah, yeah. Got plenty of space for multiple shots, Ax,” she joked. “But if you wanna get photogenic, be my guest~”“May as well,” the redhead replied with a smirk. Domi and Ace laughed at those words, while Regina smirked back and waved her hand to get the redhead in position. As Regina snapped some pictures, Ventus and Roxel stared at her, more than a little confused.“Hm… Oy, Dom?” Regina called out suddenly.“Hihi~ I got it~” he giggled, before moving to stand behind her. When the two infants noticed him, he smiled and waved at the kids, giggling. Roxel blinked, before giggling, which Ventus did as well, making their parents laugh, too. Smirking, Regina immediately snapped a few more shots, while Domi continued to make faces at the kids to keep them giggling and laughing.“Well, I think they’ll enjoy their Uncle Domi very much,” Roxas laughed.“That much is obvious,” Ace laughed, all while Regina turned her camera around to take several portrait shots.“These two are gonna end up spoiled rotten at this rate,” Axel smirked.“Oh, I’m sure they’ll be fine,” Regina assured him with a smirk of her own.“Says the one with no kids,” Roxas snorted.“Yet,” Axel added with a chuckle.“Har har,” Regina said sarcastically, much to everyone’s amusement.“Ah, come on, Sis. I know you’d melt for these two giving you puppy eyes,” Roxas teased. Regina gave them a dry look, but she didn’t bother trying to deny it.Ace smiled a little, before he asked, “Actually, shouldn't they be getting hungry by now? They’ve been awake for a while now…” As if on cue, both boys whined as their stomachs growled in unison.“And there we go,” their mother chuckled. “Ace? Mind asking Iggy about some formula?” Axel asked.“Beat you to it,” Prompto’s voice chuckled as he walked in with two bottles of formula. “I figured they’d be hungry by now.”“Thanks, Mom,” Ace said with a smile as Regina looked through her pictures for a moment.“You know this stuff well,” Roxas murmured as he accepted the offered bottle of formula.“Well, I should, considering I’ve had five infants to practice with,” his mother chuckled while handing Axel the other bottle. “Besides, it becomes easier with practice.”Domi giggled, while Regina kept taking shot after shot, occasionally moving to the side to get a better angle.“Besides, this is good practice for you two in the future, Regina, Ace,” Prompto smirked.“H-hey!” Ace choked out, while Regina frowned at him.“There’s no rush, but it’ll be nice to see,” Prompto laughed, making Roxas and Axel laugh with him, and even the twins giggled. Domi smiled a bit, but he didn’t say anything in response. X*X*X*X*X*X*XAfter the twins had been fed and burped, they both began to get sleepy again, the two small boys yawning widely in unison.“Right on time,” Prompto chuckled as Roxel gurgled tiredly in his mother’s arms.“They stayed awake for a while, huh?” Roxas smiled softly.“I’m surprised by that, honestly,” Axel admitted as Ventus snuggled closer to his father’s chest. “I thought they’d be asleep sooner…”“Well, I’m sure they were enjoying being with their family,” Prompto pointed out. “But let’s get them back to sleep. They’ll be ready for more later.”“Right…” the new mother murmured, gently placing Roxel in his crib, follow by Axel setting Ventus in with him.“Figured they’d sleep better in the same crib,” the redhead explained at his mate’s curious look.“That, and they’ll start crying otherwise,” Regina added.“They don’t seem to like being apart,” Ace agreed with a nod.“Hey, we were the same as kids,” Roxas pointed out.“Even as newborns, too,” Prompto smiled fondly, ruffling the shorter boy’s hair playfully.The triplets laughed lightly at that, before Regina realized something. “Hey, maybe we should get Nami and Zack.”“Yeah, but won’t the boys wake up?” Roxas asked worriedly.“They might, but then they’ll fall back asleep soon enough,” Prompto shrugged.“Or we warn them to stay quiet,” Ace offered.“Good point,” Axel agreed.“Well, fortunately, Noct is playing with them, since Ignis was kind enough to give him some time to spend with his family, considering everything,” Prompto said. “I’ll text him and let him know.” He then quickly sent a text to Noct, asking him to bring Zack and Naminé up to the nursery, but to have them keep quiet.Regina, meanwhile, hummed a little as she worked on her camera, before she went over to Prompto. “Hey, Ma?” she said, before handing him the camera.“Hm?” Prompto hummed, before accepting her camera. As he looked through the pictures, he smiled softly at each and every one. “These are amazing, Regina,” he praised.“Thanks. Gonna have to check to get ‘m framed at some point…”“Absolutely,” her mother agreed. “I’m sure something can be arranged, so don’t worry too much on it for now, kay?”“Yeah,” the princess said, just as Noctis came in, lightly herding Naminé and Zack in, both of them with their hands over their eyes, oddly enough.“Papaaaaa! Can we look now?” Naminé whined.“Almost…” Noctis chuckled.“Aww…!” Zack pouted. At the pair’s complaining, though, Roxel and Ventus both whined, quickly regaining their parents’ attention.“Gotta keep your voices down, Zack, Nami,” Prompto said firmly in warning.“But…!” Naminé started, just before Regina came over and picked her up, making her yelp, while Ace came and picked up Zack. The small raven yipped, startled as well…until their older siblings held them so they could see the ‘surprise’ in the crib. Zack’s small jaw dropped open, stunned, as he watched the two newborns sleeping in their crib. Naminé nearly squealed, though she quickly held her hands to her mouth to muffle it.“Quiet, Nami, Zack,” Regina whispered. “They’re sleeping.”Despite the warning, Ventus whimpered a little, almost as though he was about to wake up, until Roxel seemed to cuddle closer to his twin, instantly calming him. At that, Naminé got a small squeak out, as she began to wave her hands and kick her feet rapidly in her sister’s grasp, clearly soundlessly awing over the two babies.“They’re so cute…!” Zack whispered excitedly.“Wanna know their names?” Roxas asked, making the pair nod eagerly. “This is Roxel, and that’s Ventus,” he told them, pointing to each boy as he said their names.“D’aaaaaaawwww!” Naminé breathed out, her voice barely a whisper, much to their siblings’ amusement.“Pretty cute, huh Nami?” Roxas guessed as Axel wrapped his arm around his mate’s shoulders. The little girl just nodded her head rapidly. “Zack? Think these two will be good playmates for you two later on?” Zack grinned at that, giving his brother his answer.Regina smiled, adjusting her hold on the little girl, before she set her back down again. “Right,” she said as Ace put down Zack. “Now, these little ones need their rest… So for now, let’s leave them to nap, okay?”“Kay, Sissy,” Zack nodded, keeping his voice down so the infants could sleep.Smiling, Noctis said, “Alright…let’s all get something to munch on, shall we?”“Right,” Roxas murmured, looking at the boys fondly one last time before Axel led him out to head to the dining hall. When they got there, Kairi was already there with Reno, munching happily on some familiar cookies as she lightly kicked her feet. When she and her dad heard the group come in, she grinned before hurrying out of her seat and over to Roxas and Axel.“Roxy! Axel! Can I see the babies yet?” she asked eagerly.“They’re sleeping right now, Kai, but once they’re awake, I promise you can meet them,” Axel promised her, ruffling her hair lightly.“Okay!” she chirped with a giggle.“Hey Kai, wanna show them what you and Ignis made?” Reno reminded her.“Oh! Iggy and I made snickerdoodles again!” she grinned. “I wanted to since it’s a special time!”“That’s so sweet of you, Kairi,” Roxas smiled, bending down and hugging her.Regina smiled as they all took their seats. However, as Nami looked over, she blinked. “Sissy? Where’s Domi?”“Hm? Ah, he’s going to get some work done.”“Oh, for his dress, right?” Roxas guessed. “I didn’t even notice him slip away, to be honest…”“Yeah. He veered off shortly before we got here,” Regina said with a small shrug.“Ah, gotcha,” Axel nodded.“With all the work he’s putting into it, I’m sure it’ll look amazing,” Prompto commented.“Well then, maybe you should go check up on yours, Rox,” Ace pointed out.“Yeah, but first I want to have some of Kairi’s cookies,” the new mother replied with a smile at the small, maroon-haired girl. “Then I’ll go see Domi.”“It’s okay, Roxy! Take some with you! I know you wanna see the dress!” Kairi assured him.“You sure, Kairi?”“Yep!”“All right,” the blonde chuckled, taking four of the snickerdoodles and wrapping them in a napkin before heading off to see Domi. As Roxas approached the room where Domi had been working tirelessly on the dresses, he could hear the distinct whirring of the sewing machine he knew was set up in there.Roxas moved to open the door as the sound stopped, when…“OW!! GODDAMMIT!!” came a loud shout—of a voice that Roxas didn’t recognize. “Son of a…!” the voice hissed, slightly muffled.“Hm?” the blonde hummed quietly in confusion. “Domi…?” he called out, concerned.Silence followed for a moment. After a moment, he heard a slight cough before Domi called back, “Yeah?”“Can I come in?” the blonde asked. The other teen didn’t respond right away. Finally, though…“Um… G-gimme a moment, okay?”“Domi…” Roxas frowned, smelling the blood he guessed was coming from Domi’s finger. “Did you poke yourself?”“Y-yeah… I’m fine, though. Just…gimme a bit.”“Domi, just let me see, okay?” Roxas said as he came into the room anyway, which actually had Domi letting out a cry of alarm—right before a roll of cloth suddenly hit Roxas in the face.“What the HELL, dude?! Shut the door!!”“It’s nothing I haven’t seen, Domi!” Roxas protested, shutting the door behind himself.Despite the words, though, Domi had practically sprinted across the room to pick up what Roxas thought was one of Regina’s old robes. “Doesn’t mean you can just BARGE in!” he complained as he pulled it on over the long shirt and (what Roxas believed to be) pale blue panties.“Dude, considering I just gave birth to two boys, it’ll be nothing new,” the blonde snorted. “Now, lemme see.”“I’m fine,” Domi grumbled as he reached up and pinned his hair up briefly. However, as he did, Roxas spotted the ribbon wrapped securely around the whitehead’s left index finger, which was steadily turning red.“No, you’re not,” the smaller male snorted, going over to him. “Now sit down and lemme see.”Domi sighed heavily. “I’m fi—”“Stop arguing,” Roxas growled, interrupting the whitehead. “Your finger’s turning red and darkening by the second.”“It’s not that bad!”“Domi!” Roxas snapped with a snarl, shoving the other boy into a chair. “Stop it! Enough playing things off! Regina would have your hide and mine if I didn’t help, anyway. Not only that, but I’m trying to help as your friend and soon-to-be brother-in-law.”“Gah! Dammit! Rox, it’s not tha—”In response, the blonde cut him off with a vicious, furious snarl. “Stop. Arguing. With. Me!” That, finally, got Domi to stop arguing, though he clearly didn’t like it. “You need to stop arguing and realize that we’re trying to help you, not hurt you,” Roxas muttered as he grabbed the first aid kit from a nearby drawer. One in every room, at Iris’s insistence, of course.Domi didn’t say anything else, but he let Roxas unwrap the ribbon to see the injury. When he did, he saw that there was a very long wound on his finger from tip to the first knuckle. The blonde then opened the first aid kit, and began to gently clean the wound. The other boy winced a little bit at the cotton swab, though he bit his lip quickly to keep from making a sound. Which made Roxas notice something else; Domi wasn’t wearing any makeup.“So…when did you decide to stop wearing your makeup?” the shifter asked, his tone anything but malicious as he gently wrapped up the whitehead’s finger with gauze and bandage wrap. If anything, he came across understanding. “Because I’ve never seen or heard you be your real self. And yes, I heard you when you cut yourself.”“…” Domi didn’t respond immediately, not looking at Roxas. “…I know I look horrible, alright?” he mumbled suddenly. “…just had to see what to use with the dress…”“Please, Domi. I never said you look horrible. In fact…you look really nice without it,” Roxas assured him, smiling kindly. Domi didn’t reply, but judging from the clenched fist, he likely didn’t agree with Roxas.“Domi…” the blonde murmured, finishing the wrap on the whitehead’s finger. “Trust me, I used to be pretty insecure myself, even though I’m prince. When Regina, Ace, and I were kids, I honestly hated when we were stared at by the other kids because of what we are, and our parents. It took Axel befriending me to accept who and what I am, and honestly, I think Regina might help, but I want to give you a chance here to talk to me first. So, I’m here.”“……” As expected, Domi didn’t say anything. He didn’t even look at Roxas, keeping his gaze aimed at the floor. However, he once Roxas let go of his hand, he immediately reached up for his hair and began braiding it behind his head. Even so, Roxas waited patiently. And, finally…“…I’m not ‘nice’ looking…”This surprised Roxas, and he blinked, before saying, “So? Even if you aren’t, what’s the deal?”“…” Domi pulled his hair over his shoulder, and wordlessly began to unbraid and re-braid it again, before he finally spoke again. “It’s a huge deal…” he said solemnly. “I can’t just… I…”“Domi…” the blonde sighed. “We all know you’re a guy. Regina told Ace and me the day we met you at school. So, honestly, I personally think you’re perfectly fine the way you are.”THAT clearly startled the other teen, as he visibly flinched and almost ducked in on himself. “…S-she knew…?”“Yeah. She said you looked really nice, and Ace and I were shocked that she just took it all in stride,” Roxas shrugged, though Domi groaned as he covered his face with both hands and dropped his head into his knees, obviously embarrassed (clearly visible as his ears were turning red). “Don’t worry about it, dude. We’ve never been bothered ourselves since then. She was right, anyway; you pulled off the look in the girl’s uniform well.” After a moment, Domi peeked out through his fingers. But even then, Roxas waited for his friend to reply, rather than speak up again.“Siiiiix… this’s so embarrassing…!” Domi whined in a squeaky voice.“Take it as a compliment, Domi,” the shifter chuckled. And Domi could only manage a pitiful whine/wail. “Come on, Dom. Talk to me.”“No!” the other boy squeaked.“It’s fine, Domi,” the blonde told him with all the patience in the world.“No it’s not!”“Domi, take a deep breath. You gotta calm down or you’re gonna get all sorts of worked up.”The poor boy certainly tried, but it sounded more like desperate gasping. At that point, Roxas gently shushed him, moving over and rubbing the whitehead’s back soothingly. Finally, though, the white-haired boy was able to calm himself down enough to breathe slowly and steadily.“There we go,” the shifter praised kindly. “A little better?”“……” Instead of saying anything, Domi slowly nodded.“Good,” Roxas smiled warmly. “Whenever you wanna talk.”Domi breathed out slowly, clasping his hands together in front of him. After the longest time, he finally whispered, “…please don’t tell Regina…kay?”“What do you mean?”“…just…don’t…”“Domi, since you guys are getting married soon, she needs to know… You can’t keep secrets from her,” the blonde pointed out.“I know…” Domi hissed. “…I know…”“Why don’t you want to tell her?” Roxas asked calmly. “…Are you afraid she won’t want to be with you if you tell her?”“I just…I can’t make things harder for her…”“How would you make things harder for her?”“I…I mess EVERYTHING up…I always do…”“Dude, you do NOT,” Roxas said firmly. “In fact, I’ve never seen her this happy or at ease with anyone before, and I’m her brother.”“But I’m—”“Nope, no buts,” the blonde interrupted. “You make her happy, end of story.”Domi regarded Roxas for a moment, before he groaned as he dropped his forehead against his hands. Even so, Roxas placed a comforting hand on his friend’s shoulder. After a few moments, Domi exhaled sharply and suddenly shot up to his feet and abruptly walked off toward the desk where he had set up all his makeup supplies. Roxas watched him, frowning worriedly, before shifting into a small fox and climbing up Domi’s back to settle on his head with a small chirp.:…is that necessary?” Domi asked as he moved through his makeup.‘Yep! Might as well get you to cheer up, smile, or something good~’ Roxas smirked, resting his tail along Domi’s neck and hence tickling him.“Eek!” he yelped in alarm, before tilting his head back to glare at Roxas. “Get off. I can’t work like this.”‘Come on, Domi! Lighten up!’ the shifter laughed, hopping off and chirping at him. Domi merely sighed as he grabbed some foundation and began working silently, eyes focused entirely on the small mirror he had set up while applying it. Roxas then strolled along the desk out of boredom, before he spotted a small card half stuck out from a bag. ‘What’s this…?’ he wondered to himself, grabbing it in his teeth and pulling it out.As he tugged it out slowly, he realized what it was; a student ID card. And when he took another good look at it, he realized it had to be Domi’s…despite how the picture on the card looked almost nothing like him.His hair was still as long as it always had been, but it was secured behind his neck, and even his bangs were pulled back. Add to that the fact that he wasn’t wearing any makeup whatsoever, making him look much more like the boy he was clearly so determined not to be. Not to mention the expression on his face seemed almost…lost.But what got his attention next, was the name on the card:“Dominium Percarus”This made Roxas’s jaw drop, and he looked at Domi with heavy concern.‘Domi? Do you mind talking about what made you start wearing makeup and stuff in the first place?’Startled, Domi snapped around in alarm—before his eyes widened as he spotted the ID card, which he quickly swiped up. “No!” he said firmly, swiftly disposing of the card in the trash.‘Domi, you can’t keep secrets like that forever,’ the blonde huffed. ‘It’s not healthy for you OR Regina.’“I don’t need this right now,” Domi sighed out, as he looked through a number of pencils to use.‘And I don’t want my sister to get hurt if whatever you’re hiding comes out in a bad way, Domi,’ Roxas hissed, bristling angrily.“I’m not hiding anything.”‘Yes, you are!’Sighing again, Domi pressed the pencil to his forehead. “…if I tell you, you’ll have to keep this to yourself…”‘I will, so you can tell me in confidence, Domi.’After a few long moments of silence, the whitehead quietly rubbed at his temple, before he moved for the bag that Roxas had pulled the ID from. Then, he reached further inside and pulled out a piece of paper.Roxas moved to look at the paper, then realized it was a photo.Specifically, it was a picture of a family. Specifically, one older woman, probably mid-thirties, and four younger girls, between the ages of 10 and 6…and one younger boy, of roughly 3-4. And all four of the kids had the same white colored hair.‘Is that…your birth family…?’ Roxas guessed, staring at the picture.“…yeah…” Domi sighed softly. “Dad left before I was born…so…it was just us…five women…and me…”‘Tell me more. I wanna know more about your past.’“…” Domi didn’t answer right away, clearly thinking. Finally, though, he said, “…it’s hard…being…different…from everyone else in your family…and…when they tried to make me fit in…”‘…What did they do to you?’“…Let’s just say…I was a living doll for a while…”‘…Now I really wish Regina and Mom had maimed your sister at the ball, AT MINIMUM,’ Roxas growled angrily.“…she actually didn’t join the others much…”‘Still…’“besides…” Domi allowed a small chuckle. “It…wasn’t that bad…”‘Wha…?’“Honestly…they had much better stuff than me…” Shrugging, he said, “They could just reuse each other’s clothes… I was the only one who’d need…new stuff…that we couldn’t get.”‘Still… Why are they so mean and nasty to you? I don’t understand that…’As Domi debated between two colors of lipstick, he said, “Age 4, it’s fun. Age 10, still fun but also a bit creepy.  Age 16-17…guess that’s just where they thought it had to stop.”‘Hmm…’ Roxas hummed softly. ‘But you didn’t answer me. Why are they so mean to you?’Domi sighed as he settled on one color. “Because I’m not ‘normal’…”‘So? Nothing wrong with being different. Besides, there’s no such thing as normal,’ the shifter shrugged.Domi hummed a little as he worked on applying his lipstick. Once he finished, he smacked his lips, he said, “I know…”‘Guess they need convincing, then,’ Roxas muttered irritably.Domi didn’t say anything else as he finished what he was doing, before clapping his hands. “Anyway!” he declared as he stood up. “I do believe you came here for something specific, right?”‘Geez, Domi, don’t drop things like that,’ the blonde groaned. ‘I know I’m here for the dress, but still. You need to talk to me more about this. I think you’ll feel better about it, anyway.’Domi waved it off as he walked. “Yanno, hon, there’s a thing called ‘multitasking’. You should give it a shot sometime~”‘Dude, I know. Especially now that I have kids,’ Roxas snorted before shifting back. Domi merely giggled as he walked over to one of the mannequins that was still covered, and removed the hefty cover to show off the dress underneath. The blonde gasped before his gaze softened, and he nearly teared up at the sight of the dress.It was a fairly simple dress; pure white with a mermaid skirt going all the way to the floor, with two pale silver lines along the hemline, while the torso had a straight neckline, ending just short of the collarbone, where a pattern of silvery leaves had been sewn along the fabric, with the shoulder straps shaped like scallops, leaving his entire neck bare. Added to it, though, were the thin chains that came from the straps, leading to a pair of bracelets, of which one rested just past his elbow and the second ending at the wrists, with a pair of roses placed along the outside of both, and a silver sash with white leaves was tied around the waist, a small decorative piece of rope resting on the hip.“…It’s…perfect, Domi…!” Roxas breathed out in awe.“Glad to hear~” Domi giggled as he stepped up to the dress. “Sooo…ready to try it on?”“Absolutely,” the shifter nodded eagerly. “Fortunately, shifters don’t gain weight unless pregnant. So I’m back to my old size~”Domi smiled as he opened the back and gently moved the dress off of the mannequin. “Okay, come over here.”“Right,” Roxas nodded, joining Domi.Once there, Domi bent down to the bottom of the dress, lifting it up slowly. “Gonna have to get out of those clothes, though,” he pointed out. “Need as little resistance as possible.”“Got it,” the blonde murmured, before stepping back and tugging off his shirt, toeing off his shoes, and then slipping out of his pants, leaving him in just his boxer briefs.Once Domi was standing again, he turned to Roxas and lifted the dress higher. “Right; need you to go in through the bottom. To make sure it falls right on your hips.”“Gotcha,” Roxas said, before moving under the bottom of the dress and letting Domi gently move it onto him. That took a little bit of maneuvering, as it was slightly too big, though the length of the skirt was fine. After getting the straps in place, Domi moved to attach the bracelets to Roxas’s arms. When he was done with that, the whitehead grabbed a couple of clips he had ready and moved the fabric into position, before moving the blonde over to the mirror.When Roxas looked at his reflection, he very nearly started crying again. Even though he’d never imagined himself ever wearing a dress in his life, he had to admit that Domi had outdone himself, allowing the blonde to look amazing, yet somehow keeping that faint air of masculinity about him. Overall, Roxas knew Axel would love it, especially since the blonde himself did.“…You’ve absolutely outdone yourself, Domi,” the shifter praised with a genuine smile.Domi smiled as he moved to collect his tools. “I try~” he said, as he started pinning up the fabric. Roxas did his best to remain still for the whitehead, even as he wondered to himself how to resume their conversation from before.However, before he could say anything…“…Yanno… Your sister said I looked pretty… way back when.”“Hm? Oh, yeah. Took Ace and me totally by surprise, but she was right,” the shifter replied, remaining still.“No, I mean…like a decade ago. In Lestallum.”“Oh, right, I forgot about that…” Roxas murmured. “Definitely different for her, considering she’d never even touch a skirt even if her life depended on it.” At that, he let out a small chuckle. “What did you think when she said that?”“…Honestly?” Domi murmured as he pushed up the skirt a bit and tucked it under the sash. “I felt…happy. First time in my life…and someone said I was…pretty.” He snorted a bit. “Dumb…I know…but…”“It’s not dumb at all. Axel was the first person outside of the Citadel to tell me it was cool that I’m a shifter, so I’m sure you can imagine my reaction to that,” the blonde told him with a short laugh. “After all, I told you about my insecurities as a kid before.”Domi giggled a bit as he stood up and tugged the back a little firmer. “Let me know when breathing becomes an issue.”“No worries yet,” Roxas assured him.As he moved the straps a little better along the shoulders, Domi continued his earlier train of thought. “I guess…Regina saying that stuff…made me wanna continue with this…”The shifter said nothing, merely letting Domi talk.“Plus, what else was I going to do with that dress she left me?”“Wait, that dress? I vaguely remember that thing, and I wondered what happened to it…” Roxas blinked in surprise. “Now I know, I guess.”Domi giggled as he finished the section he was working on before walking off to the side.“Where are you going?” the blonde asked, watching the whitehead dig through a small pile.Without a word, though, Domi turned back around—holding a familiar, slightly poofy blue dress, but it had gotten several add-ons since last Roxas had seen it, including a red gem secured on a turquoise bow.“That’s the dress?” Roxas guessed, surprised. “It looks really nice with the add-ons.”“Hmhmm~ Figured it could use a little bling~” he giggled, before he set it to the side. “Anyway~ Let’s finish up so I can add the finishing touches, hm?”“Right, thanks, Domi,” Roxas smiled, glad his soon-to-be brother-in-law had actually managed to open up to him about his past, even though he hadn’t planned to.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

X*X(2 Weeks Later)X*XFinally, it was approaching Regina and Domi’s wedding date in two days’ time, and despite the somewhat frenzy that was occurring with the remaining preparations, everyone still made sure to dote on the newest members of the family, Roxel and Ventus. The two boys were absolutely adorable, and their parents made sure to never miss a moment with them if they could help it. After all, who would want to miss any moment with them? They were certainly precious.At the moment, however, Roxas and Axel were feeding the twins in the nursery, with Kairi watching happily. It was obvious she wanted to play with them, but she knew they were still too young and little to actually run around and play.“How long until they can play, Uncle Axel?” she asked, her expression genuinely curious.“They can sort of play now, once they’ve been burped after they eat now, but until they learn to walk and run, it’ll be small playtimes,” the redhead smiled.“They have to be made to burp?” she blinked, surprised.“Yep. Babies can’t do it on their own, and if they’re not made to burp, they get a really upset tummy,” Roxas explained.“Oooohhh…” Kairi nodded in understanding. Finally, Roxel finished his bottle, and his mother got a burp cloth over his shoulder before placing the older twin against his shoulder and patting his back gently but firmly until the dual-eyed boy burped.“There we go,” the blonde chuckled, even as Axel began to do the same for Ventus. The younger boy soon burped as well, making his father smile.“And that’s that,” Axel laughed lightly. There was then a knock on the nursery door, making all five look over, and Kairi went over to open it.“Hi Prompto!” she greeted as the older shifter came in.“Heya Kairi,” Prompto smiled back at her. “I came to let you know Reno was looking for you. He needs you to try on your flower girl dress for Domi, and make sure the fit is just right.”“Okay! See you, everyone!” she chirped, before skipping off to the sewing and designing room, as it had come to be called. Once the door was closed again, the taller blonde went over to his son, soon son-in-law, and grandsons.“How are they?” he asked.“They’re doing great,” Roxas smiled. “Just finished feeding and burping them.”“I’m glad they’re managing to sleep almost through the night so soon,” Prompto commented. “Definitely better about it than you and your siblings, and even Zack and Naminé.”“Really?” Roxas blinked, surprised by the information.“Absolutely. Zack and Naminé were better than you three, but yeah. Regina was the absolute worst about sleeping the night through unless your father put her to bed, Ace was fine with whoever rocked him to sleep, and you tried to hold onto me every night no matter what I did,” his mother laughed a little.“I hope these two don’t gain preferences over us…” Axel sighed. “I just remember my parents not caring a lick about me after Reno left.”“Well, fortunately, you two ae very loving parents with adoring family to help care for them,” Prompto pointed out with an empathetic smile.Noticing the look, Roxas asked, “Mom, what about Aunt Luna and Uncle Zidane, though? Aren’t they actually your parents?”“No, Luna and Ravus took me in and raised me as if I was theirs, even though they’re siblings, and Zidane came into the picture later,” his mother shrugged. “They found me abandoned as an infant probably a few hours after I’d been born, from what they’d told me.”“That’s awful…!” the shorter blonde gasped, making Roxel whine and pout, as though worried about his mother.“Don’t worry about it, Rox,” Prompto assured him, rubbing his eldest grandson’s cheek with his finger to calm him. “I turned out fine, and now I have a big family to call my own.”“And we’re lucky to have you, otherwise Roxas wouldn’t be here, and we wouldn’t have these two,” Axel agreed.“True…” Roxas murmured, smiling fondly at Roxel and Ventus.“Well, I’m gonna go check on your father and Regina, but have fun with them, guys,” Prompto smiled, heading out.“See ya, Mom,” Roxas called softly as the boys started to gain sleepy looks. Prompto smiled back before closing the door and making his way to see Noctis and Regina. When he arrived at the room, he knocked, and waited for the call to enter.“It’s open, Prom,” Noctis called out. As Prompto came in, his mate was tugging a black jacket along their daughter’s shoulders, who merely stood there and let her father do so.“Looking good, princess,” Prompto smiled at his daughter.“Thanks, Ma,” Regina said as Noctis got behind her to fix the tail end of the jacket.“How are you feeling? Nervous at all?”“…mmmaybe a little bit…”“Well, you shouldn’t be, but at the same time, I understand,” the blonde told her with a sympathetic smile. “I was scared to death when it was your father and my wedding day, but I just focused on him, and that made things much better and easier.”Regina nodded her head slowly—only to yelp as Noctis ruffled her hair. “Don’t worry, princess. You’ll be just fine.”“…Thanks, Dad, Ma.”“Besides, I’m sure Domi will keep your focus. He always does,” her mother chuckled.That actually got Regina to chuckle a bit, smiling warmly. “Yeah, guess so…”“Still sure about letting your entire school year in on the wedding, though?” Noctis asked as he smoothed out her hair a little experimentally.“Yep. Can’t wait to see Almasy’s face when we’re walking down that aisle!”“If he even comes,” Prompto snorted. “Punk…”Noctis laughed softly. “Only one way to find out…”“True,” his mate sighed. “He shouldn’t, if he knows what’s good for him after the crap he spread about Roxas.”“Ma, it’ll be fine. You’ll see,” Regina pointed out, before she smirked. “And I’m sure Rox would wanna see that, too.”“True, but still… I’m just worried because it’ll prove that little runt right… Especially when people see the boys…”Noctis frowned at that as he turned to Prompto. “About that… Maybe it’s better that the boys aren’t actually present at the wedding. The high amount of people and noise may just be more than they can handle at their age.”“Good point… Hopefully Rox and Axel will be okay with going to check on them here and there…” the blonde sighed.“I’m sure Kuja and Aranea wouldn't mind watching them,” Noctis offered. “If necessary, they can then fetch either Roxas or Axel, or both, when needed.”“Makes sense… Maybe Josh and Endrance could even help them,” Regina offered.“Hmm…that would work. I’m sure En would like to be there.”“Good idea. I’ll check with them all, and let Roxas and Axel know if they say yes.” Regina nodded, while Noctis hummed his approval as he helped Regina out of the jacket to prepare some other things for the wedding. With that settled, Prompto left to find Kuja and Aranea. As the door closed behind him, though…“Well, now that your mom’s off,” Noctis said with a chuckle as he pulled out a suitcase that he’d hidden behind the mirror. “Let’s see if it fits properly, shall we?”Regina merely smiled in excitement and nodded. X*X*X*X*X*X*XThe blonde was soon able to find his friends and their kids at the Chocobo pen, and he came over, calling, “Hey guys.”Kuja looked up with a hum from the book he’d been reading, before he smiled. “Ah, good day, Prompto.”Aranea smiled as well, her smile a combination of kind and cheeky. “Hey there. Taking a break from the planning, hm?”“Yeah, and to ask a favor,” Prompto snorted with a smile. “Would you guys mind watching over the boys during the wedding? You could get Roxas and/or Axel if needed, but Josh and En can help, too, if they want.”“Oh? Well, I suppose it makes sense…” Kuja hummed. “The little ones surely wouldn’t enjoy all the noise…”“For sure,” Aranea hummed in agreement. “I’m sure we can spare the time to watch the boys for you.”“Thanks,” Prompto told them gratefully. “I’ll let Rox and Axel know in a bit. Besides, it means a lot to be at the wedding for Roxas and for me.”“Understandable,” Kuja agreed with a nod. “…Oh, by the by, Kurasa said he’d be coming for the wedding as well.”“Ah, cool,” the blonde chuckled. “It’ll be good to see him again.”“It’ll certainly be interesting, yes,” the older shifter agreed.“How are you guys holding up, Josh, En?” Prompto asked suddenly.Endrance, of course, jumped at the call, and quickly scampered behind Joshua, while his brother chuckled softly. “Oh, we’re doing fine, thank you, sir~”“Hey, we’ve been through this before, Josh!” Prompto groaned. “No need to call me sir.”“Hihi~ If you say so~” the teen said with a cheeky smirk.“Save the formalities for those NOT in the family, though. After all, we’re all family,” the blonde pointed out.“Alrighty~” Joshua giggled.“Well, I’d best update Rox and Axel, but I’ll catch you guys later, kay?” Prompto smiled as he started to leave.“Of course~” Kuja chuckled, waving his hand as he went. Smiling lightly to himself, Prompto made his way back to the nursery, but as he started to pass by the dressing room, he could hear Zack, Naminé, and Kairi giggling happily with Domi. Remembering they were all trying on their attires for the wedding, the blonde knocked on the door, waiting for Domi to let him in before entering.“One moment!” Domi called out, and Prompto could hear him coming over even as the kids continued giggling. When he opened the door, Domi blinked in surprise, before smiling. “Oh hello, sir~”“No need to call me sir, Domi, we’ve been through this before,” Prompto sighed. “Besides, by the end of the week, I’ll be your Mother-in-law.”“I suppose you have a point,” Domi hummed, before he smiled. “I assume you’re here to see the progress, ne?”“Of course. I was passing by to talk to Roxas and Axel when I heard the kids giggling over their outfits,” Prompto chuckled. Domi giggled at that, before he stepped aside, letting Prompto enter. “Hey guys,” he called as he entered with a wide grin at the sight of his youngest children and Kairi in their wedding attires.“Mama! Lookie how purdy!” Naminé cheered as she spun around, her light blue flower dress flowing about her knees.“Very pretty, Nami,” her mother smiled warmly as Zack hurried over.“Mama, it’s so cool!” Zack chirped as he showed off his deep blue ring-bearer suit.“Oooh, very nice, Zack,” Prompto chuckled. “You’re looking very good, all of you.”“Even me?” Kairi asked with a bright smile, her dress exactly like Naminé’s, other than the size, of course.“Of course, Kairi!” Prompto laughed. “You look beautiful.”“Thank you!” the maroon-haired girl said happily.“Well, we’re almost done. Just making absolutely sure they fit perfectly,” Domi said with a smile of his own.“Still, they look amazing, Domi,” Prompto praised.“Good to hear~ Now, girls,” he said, turning to Nami and Kai. “They’re not too tight, are they?”“Nuh-uh!”“Nope!” Kairi added.“My outfit feels comfy, Domi!” Zack chirped.“Good!” Domi said, patting them each on the head in turn. “In that case, let’s put them away so they can stay nice until the wedding, kay?”“Okay!” Kairi nodded, as Zack went off to the side to go change back into his normal clothes. “Wait, what about your dress, Domi?”“Oh, good point. I think we’d like to see yours, Domi,” Prompto smiled.Domi blinked curiously, before he giggled. “Oh alright. Just this once~” he said, before he walked over to one of the mannequins in the back. When the older shifter saw it, he gasped in pleasant surprise.“Domi… That’s beautiful! Please tell me you haven’t shown Regina,” he said as Kairi and Naminé gushed over it.“Of course not! That’s bad luck,” Domi pointed out.Unlike Roxas’s dress, which had very short sleeves, Domi’s dress had long sleeves that fanned out by the elbows, decorated with pale silver flower designs. A silvery sash dotted with diamonds rested around the waist, and it had a hemline of a similar color that ran all along the shoulders, dotted with five pearls of various sizes, while the center of the chest was a pale purple with silver ivy patterns. The last notable feature was that the bottom of the skirt had a gradient from deep purple to the white of the rest of the skirt, dotted with pale white gemstones.“Uwaaaaaaa! So purdyyyyyy!!” Naminé said in excitement.“Very VERY pretty!!” Kairi agreed enthusiastically. Zack, who was in the middle of changing, had paused in doing so when he saw the dress, his small jaw having gone slack in shock.“The girls are right,” Prompto murmured. “And as far as me asking if you’d shown Regina, I was making sure. I didn’t know of that custom until a few days before Noct and my wedding, when Iris got mad at me for trying to tell Noct about it.”Domi giggled. “Good thing I already knew, hm?” he asked, as Naminé came over and moved her hands along the skirt.“So soft!” she cooed.“True,” the older blonde agreed. “Nami, careful not to get it dirty, okay? After all, it’s a very special dress.”“Eep!” the little girl yipped as she hopped back.“It’s okay, sweetie, just gotta be careful,” her mother soothed, before bending down and hugging her briefly. “Besides, you and Zack still need a bath tomorrow night before the wedding the next day, too.”“Awww, I dun like baths, Mama!” Zack pouted as he joined them after finishing getting changed again.“I know, Zack, but no one wants to smell stinky on a special day,” Prompto pointed out.“Yeah! You can’t be dirty!” Naminé pointed out.“Kay…” her twin groaned. “I’ll do it for Sissy and Domi, then!”“That’s my little man,” their mother smiled, hugging the small raven briefly before looking to Kairi. “Kairi? Would you like to help Iris with getting the flowers set up for the wedding?”“Oooh, yeah!” Kairi grinned.“I think she’s down in the garden, working on it. Need Reno or me to help you find it?”“I’m okay! I remember how to find it!” she said determinedly, before leaving to the garden after changing into her casual dress she’d been wearing before.After helping Naminé out of her dress and into her casuals, Domi stood up straight. “Alright. Be sure to prepare for tomorrow, kay?”“Kay, Domi!”“How about you two go find Ace to play with for a bit, okay? I’m sure he’s around somewhere,” Prompto told the twins, and Zack nodded eagerly.“We’ll find him, Mama!” he grinned.“Kay, Mama!” Naminé chirped, before she and Zack hurried off.“I’ve gotta go see Roxas and Axel, but I’ll see you later, okay Domi?” the blonde said, smiling warmly at the whitehead before heading out to the nursery again. X*X(Regina & Domi’s Wedding Day)X*XFinally, the day of the Crown Princess’s wedding was upon them. Unlike Noctis’s wedding, which had been mostly a private, minimalistic affair, due to Prompto’s heritage, Regina’s wedding was set to be a much larger event. This was partially due to the fact that most of Regina’s schoolmates were invited as well, which in effect, also invited their parents as well. And that was excluding the royal servants that were also attending, both for security and, of course, beholding their future Queen’s marriage unfold.Due to the high amount of people coming to see the wedding, it was determined that it would be held in the National Park, which was big enough for all invitees to walk around without stepping on each other’s feet, AND still give the royals enough space. Even though the wedding was held in such an open space, though, the Crownsguard and Kingsglaive made absolutely sure that no one could come in with any objects that could potentially serve as weapons.And as the sun rose, the royal family woke for the final preparations. X*X*X*X*X*X*XAs Roxas and Axel were fixing their tuxedos that Domi had arranged for the wedding this time, their boys watching with giggles, Roxas sighed before saying, “I’m kinda hoping Seifer doesn’t show his face, but at the same time, I’d like to see the look on it.”“I think you’ll enjoy seeing his face if he comes, Rox,” Axel chuckled, making Roxel and Ventus giggle again. “See? Even the boys agree.”As the boys giggled once more, there was a familiar knock at the door.“Come on in, Uncle Kuja,” Roxas called, recognizing the scent through the door.Once given the okay, Kuja opened the door and walked in casually, Aranea close behind. “Morning, boys.”“Morning,” Axel greeted.“Thanks again for watching them, guys,” Roxas said gratefully as he finished the last adjustment to his clothes.“You’re welcome, kiddo,” Aranea chuckled. “You boys just have fun, a’ight?”“We will, and it means a lot that you guys are doing this,” Roxas smiled, before heading out with Axel. “We’ll make sure to snap pictures for you. Can’t guarantee they’ll be as great as Regina’s, but they should do.”“Oh, I’m sure your mother will be working hard on those, too,” Kuja chuckled as he lifted up Roxel, while Aranea lifted up Ventus.“I’ll bet,” Roxas chuckled. “Be good, boys! We’ll see you later!” And then the couple left, knowing their sons were in excellent care.As they walked down the hall, they soon met up with Ace, who was already wearing his own tux, with his customary red scarf still wrapped around his neck. “Hey, guys,” he said per greeting.“Heya Ace,” his brother smiled. “Ready to head out?”“I’m ready to see Seifer’s piss-ass mug when he sees everything,” Axel smirked.Ace laughed at that. “Yeah. Let’s go. Quon will meet us at the park.”“Sounds good,” the other blonde nodded. X*X*X*X*X*X*XOnce they arrived at National Park (courtesy of Ignis), the three boys almost stared in awe at all the decorations set up as they got out of the Regalia. The Kingsglaive were stationed at the entrance, and more than a few dozen civilians were already there, clearly to try and catch a glimpse of the royal family.“Well…here we go,” Ace murmured, as they walked toward the entrance, completely ignoring all the shouts and squeals from the people being held back by the soldiers.“Geez, you’d think they got enough of us already…” Roxas grumbled quietly to his brother as they walked.“Not every day one of us walks down the aisle, though…” Ace said with a shrug.“Still…”“Just ignore it for now… Let’s just find Mom, kay?”“Got it,” Roxas nodded, as Axel rubbed his shoulder quietly.Once in the park itself, the shouts quieted down, though then they were in a whole different world of shouting as servants were going around, calling out orders and finishing the final preparations for the wedding itself. It took them a few moments, before they finally spotted Prompto at the awning where Regina and Domi were supposed to take their vows.“Mom!” Ace called out as they walked over.“Hm? Hey, boys!” their mother called, grinning. “Looking sharp, all of you~” he chuckled as they got close.“Thanks, Mom,” Roxas smiled.“Looks like Dad and Regina aren’t here, yet…” Ace commented. “Are they still sleeping?”“That can’t be right, since your sister was up all night…” the older shifter murmured. “Probably the nerves…”“Esh… Well, I know Domi’s gonna be here later…with the twins and Kairi, I’m assuming.”“Actually, Gladio’s bringing the kids and Reno in his truck, since Ignis is doubling back to get Domi for us,” Prompto corrected. “Regardless, I hope your father and sister show up soon…”Suddenly, Prompto’s phone went off. Noct: We’ll be there in 15.Noct: Tell Niche and Valanx they can start letting people with invites in. Prompto sighed in relief, before replying. Me: Will do. See you two shortly~ “Noct and Regina should be here in 15 minutes,” the taller blonde told the three waiting before him. “I need to go talk to Niche and Valanx, but go ahead and look around, just make sure to find me in about 15.”“All right, thanks, Mom,” Roxas nodded, before Prompto headed off to find Niche and Valanx.Ace hummed a bit in thought, glancing around. The servants were gradually finishing up with the decorations and were beginning to set up all the snacks and drinks for people to take.“Looks like everything’s just about set up… Wanna grab a quick snack before the guests show up?” he asked.“Sure,” Axel shrugged, linking Roxas’s fingers with his as they followed after Ace.Naturally, as they walked past people, multiple servants and Crownsguard greeted them politely, which wasn’t anything new, really. As they reached one of the tables, Ace called out to the maid working on setting things up. “Hey Vanille, can we bother you real quick to get something to munch on?”The redhead hummed curiously at the call, confused, before she caught on and smiled. “Oh yeah, sure, Sire!” she said with a smile as she ducked down, grabbing a plate she had clearly set aside with some cakes and what looked like cookies. “Here ya go~”“Great, thanks,” Ace said gratefully as he grabbed a cake and two cookies.“Thanks, Vanille,” Roxas smiled as he took the same for himself, and some for Axel, too.After bidding the girl good day, they continued walking while munching on their makeshift breakfast, watching as, gradually, people started milling into the park.“Well…looks like things are starting up now…” the middle prince said casually.“Looks like…” Axel agreed.“Hey, what about your classmates, Ace? Aren’t they somewhere?” Roxas asked.“Yeah, they should be,” his brother confirmed. “Not sure where they are, but I’m sure they’ll be here soon.”“Got it…” Roxas murmured, looking around.“Dem and Zex should be here, too,” Axel added.“Right, I remember you inviting them.”“And speak Ifrit’s name,” Ace said suddenly just before…“Hey, Roxas, Axel!” Demyx’s voice called out with a grin, as he trotted over with Zexion.“Hey guys,” Roxas smiled. “Glad you could make it.”“Same here! Thanks again for the invite,” the sandy blonde grinned, before he blinked. “Did you have the twins by now?” he asked, surprised.“Yeah, two boys,” Axel chuckled. “We’ve got pictures, too. Wanna see?”“Of course! I bet they’re adorable, huh Zex?” Demyx laughed.“Most babies are, I would assume,” Zexion pointed out.“Well, these two are pretty unique,” Roxas smiled, showing them the pictures of Roxel and Ventus.“Oh. EM. GEE!!” Demyx squealed. “They’re so freaking cute!!”“Huh… Interesting…” Zexion murmured, one hand to his chin.“I know, right?” Roxas chuckled.“Roxel’s the one the looks like both of us, and Ventus is Roxas’s mini-me,” Axel said.“They’re precious, that’s for sure!” Demyx gushed.Ace smiled softly, before he noticed someone from the corner of his eyes. “Ah, and there’s the others,” he said.“YOOOO, ACE!!” Nine shouted, waving as he and the prince’s classmates come over.“Hey everyone,” Ace said in greeting. “Glad to see you could make it.”“Yes, well thank you for inviting us,” Queen said as she reached up and adjusted her glasses. “Your sister isn’t here yet?”"Should be here, soon," the prince assured.“In fact, we need to find Mom probably soon, then, too…” Roxas said.“Definitely,” Ace agreed, before looking to the others. “You guys can go get some snacks or drinks if you want,” he said, gesturing for the tables. “We’ll be back in a minute.”“Thank you, Ace,” King said with a nod.“We’ll definitely have to do introductions later,” Roxas told his brother as they left to find Prompto.Ace laughed softly. “I suppose so,” he admitted as they walked along the path.It didn’t take them long to find Prompto, as he was standing by the entrance, looking out beyond the gates for his mate and eldest.“Hey Mom!” Roxas called as they approached. “Any sign of them yet?”“Nothing yet, I’m afraid…” the older shifter admitted.“Should you call Noct?” Axel asked.“Maybe I should,” Prompto agreed, pulling out his phone. However, just as he made to press the call button, he spotted something from the corner of his eyes down the street. “Hm?” the older shifter hummed, looking over curiously.The first thing he noticed was the black car driving along the road past the park, with several equally dark motorcycles surrounding it. As it got into range, Prompto’s phone suddenly went off. As he looked down, he noticed there was a message from Regina. Regina: We’re heading for the parking lot. We’ll see you there. “Okay then…” Prompto murmured, before looking at the three with him. “They’ll meet us at the parking lot, apparently.”“Then let’s get moving,” Roxas nodded, and they headed off to said area.Thankfully, it was only a short walk to the lot, where they were just in time to see the motorcycles driving in, still surrounding what they now recognized to be an Audi R8…but it was clearly a custom model, with the silver decals drawn along it as well as the silver hubcaps.Once it had parked, the driver’s side opened and, with an almost regal though casual air, Noctis stepped out, in his full Kingly Raiment, shutting the door with a muted thud.“Noct, I never saw you drive this one,” Prompto called as they approached. “I only saw it in the garage after Regis gifted it to you when the kids were still too little to go out much.”“Oh, I’ve used it a few times before,” Noctis chuckled as he moved around to the other side. “Just not a lot.”“It’s so cool…!” Roxas commented in awe.“But…why this one and not the Regalia?” Ace asked.“Oh, the Regalia is your grandfather’s car. The Star of Lucis, though, is mine,” the King said, just before he reached out and opened the passenger seat.“Still, it looks awesome,” Axel grinned, just as Regina climbed out from the car and stepped into the others’ view.Prompto gasped, stunned by the outfit, as it was completely different from what he’d been expecting.The Crown Princess allowed a small smirk at the reaction, as she lightly tucked the only lock of hair back still resting on her face behind her left ear. The remainder of her bangs had been pinned to the side, bringing attention to the fact she actually had black eyeliner accentuating her eyes, with a hint of dark blue eyeshadow along the eyelids, and some light glitter on her lips. She also, clearly, had some foundation added to her face, but it was hard to tell from a distance.What really caused the reaction, though, was the outfit she was wearing. Unlike what Prompto had expected of her—a slightly more detailed version of Noctis’s old raiment—she was wearing a silk, black raiment that was more like the Kingly raiment her dad was currently wearing, including the cape secured around her neck. The differences, though, was that the cape’s collar was arched up to surround her neck, it was a lot longer, reaching just past her hips, with three silver chains securing it around her neck and chest, barely hiding the silken jacket and shirt. The jacket ended in a long tailcoat reaching her shins and was decorated with silvery brooches and chains, and the shoes she was wearing had an added heel, giving her a few extra inches, as well as silver a lining along the sole and nose.“Well, princess, I definitely didn’t expect this, but I’m a bit disappointed in you both for not feeing you could share with me, of all people,” Prompto sighed when he recovered from his shock, before going to his eldest child and hugging her carefully while giving his mate a stern look. “Regardless, you look amazing.”Noctis laughed as he put his arm around the princess’s shoulders. “Where’s the fun in that?” he asked cheekily with a smirk.“Not the point, Noct. I’m her mother, and I deserved to be in the loop on something so important!” Prompto huffed irritably. “I don’t care about the fun in something like that. You’re both lucky it’s a special day or you’d be getting more of an earful from me. But I’ll just wait until tomorrow, then.”“Wow, Sis… I wasn’t expecting you to come over here wearing makeup of all things,” Ace pointed out.“Ah, Uncle Kuja convinced me to get it done,” Regina admitted.“He knew, too?!” Prompto demanded, growling a little. He had to admit, it hurt to be the mother of the bride and not know.“Oh, Kuja only found out as we were heading out,” Noctis assured. “He just offered to get rid of some telltale signs~”“Daaaaad,” Regina groaned softly.“You are both SO lucky I’m not gonna get that pissed off today,” Prompto grumbled, honestly hurt.“I noticed the bags under your eyes these past few days, Sis. No hiding that without Uncle Kuja’s help, to be honest,” Roxas shrugged.“Gee, thanks,” Regina grumbled, but she was smirking a little.“In any case,” Noctis said, lightly clapping the Crown Princess on her shoulder. “Why don’t you and your brothers go around for a while? We still have some time before the main event.”“Right…”“We’ll see you later, Mom, Dad,” Roxas smiled, before noticing the faint scowl on Prompto’s face and catching the underlying anger in the taller blonde’s demeanor. At that, he hurriedly ushered his mate and siblings away, knowing the older shifter was about to lose his temper or go blow off some steam. As soon as they were gone…“You, Noctis Lucis Caelum, are not taking my feelings seriously enough,” Prompto growled, narrowing his eyes at his mate. “I’m genuinely hurt that you and Regina kept her wedding attires a secret from me! It’s not like this is her birthday, this is her wedding!!”Though he was a bit startled at the words, the King quickly turned serious. “Prom, calm down…”“Don’t tell me to calm down…!” Prompto hissed, tears forming in his eyes. “You’re playing this off like it’s nothing, and it’s not nothing to me!”“Prompto…” Before Prompto could say anything else, Noctis quickly moved in and kissed him briefly. “I’m sorry…but Regina wanted to surprise everyone. She almost didn’t tell me either if I didn’t force her to. I’m sorry, but she made me promise to not show you.”“You better let her know that I should have been kept in the loop, then…” Prompto muttered bitterly, pulling away. “I need to go blow off some steam…” Before Noctis could stop him, the blonde shifted into a falcon, before darting off into the distance, heading for the forest. The unspoken message he gave was clear, though: Don’t follow.Noctis sighed softly, shaking his head, as he headed after the other kids. ‘Knew that was coming…’ X*X*X*X*X*X*X“Yo, Dem, Zex!” Axel called out as he and the triplets approached.“Hm? Oh, hey guys!” Demyx grinned back, before his jaw dropped as he saw Regina’s clothes. “HOLY SHIT!!”Regina quirked a brow at the shout, before she asked, “What?”“I believe he’s a bit surprised at your apparel,” Zexion said, putting a finger to Demyx’s jaw and clicking it shut.“Ya think?!” Demyx pouted. “That’s the fanciest set of clothes I’ve ever seen!”“Wait a sec, Dad’s coming,” Roxas frowned, looking back as he heard the familiar steps of the King approaching. “And I think something’s wrong.”“Hoo boy…” Ace murmured, as Noctis stepped up.“Regina, your mom’s not pleased with your wish to keep this secret,” he said, tapping Regina’s shoulder.Sighing softly, the princess murmured, “Dammit… How bad is it?”“Well… We’ll probably have to plant a few extra trees, later.”“…dang…”“Huh?” Demyx frowned in confusion.“Mom’s blowing off steam from his anger by breaking trees own and probably shattering a few boulders…” Roxas sighed. “I could tell he was upset when he found out, but I can’t say I blame him…”Sighing softly, Regina briefly pulled out her phone and typed up a single message, sending it quickly before stuffing it back in her pocket.“Sis, you need to apologize in person… We all know he’s not gonna get it until he’s done ‘venting’…” her brother murmured."I know... and I will, promise."Noctis sighed softly, before he reached up and squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll try to cool him down enough to at least read it before coming over. But I expect you to be ready when he comes back.”“Of course.”“Just…be careful, Dad… You know how he gets, of all people…” Roxas pleaded softly.“Oh do I ever,” Noctis mumbled, nodding, before he left the kids again.“…Here’s hoping he manages,” Ace murmured.“…Yeah…” Regina said softly.“I’m sure Dad’ll be okay, I just hope Mom is able to calm down enough before the twins and Kairi get here…” Roxas pointed out. X*X(Prompto)X*XAll that could be heard when Noctis got closer to where his mate was ‘blowing off steam’ was the crunching of wood and rocks shattering, along with enraged snarls and occasional growls.After landing and shifting back, Noctis sighed briefly, before heading over to where his mate was ‘busy’. “Prompto,” he called out.Immediately, the golden dragon whipped around from where he had his back to Noctis, smoke trailing from his nostrils, before he hissed dangerously. ‘I made it clear not to follow me, Noctis,’ he spat angrily.“…” Noctis didn’t bother to say anything; he just stood at the edge of the new clearing, waiting with an impassive look on his face. However, instead of keeping his focus on the raven, Prompto turned away again, smashing a large rock into pebbles with his tail.“…Regina sent you a message.”‘…If it’s just an apology, she should have come in person,’ the blonde growled. ‘I have never gotten this mad about anything with her before. This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and I was kept in the fucking dark, Noctis!! You have no idea how bad this hurts me as a mother!!’ He finished the shout with a crunching of wood as he smashed another tree.“…” Again, Noctis didn’t say anything; merely watched as his mate continued venting. Finally, though… “You know she’s expected to stay there for the celebration.”‘And you and I both know I care nothing about expectations.’ The tree was then ripped out by its roots. ‘Considering my upbringing and whatnot.’“…At least humor her and read her message, alright?”The golden dragon snarled viciously back at Noctis, before stilling briefly as Prompto shifted back after a few minutes. Heeding his mate’s request, the blonde pulled his phone out, his eyes scanning through her message, before he sighed heavily, tilting his head back.“Six…!! I don’t care about her trying to look pretty without prompting!” he groaned, tears starting to flow freely. “She’s beautiful as it is… I don’t care about that, I just wanted to see her wedding outfit as it was BEFORE today… I thought I knew what I would be seeing, but still…”“…” Noctis walked up to his mate, wrapping his arms around the blonde’s shoulders and holding him against him. “…She was just trying to surprise you. She wasn’t trying to make you angry…”“I know, but we both know I hate secrets!” Prompto whimpered. “You always manage to get the kids to open up to you, whether they want to or not, like Ace about his crush before my last heat! It’s not fair…!”The King gently shushed him and placed a hand on his forehead after wiping some of his tears away. “I know…and I warned her that you wouldn’t like it, but know that she did this precisely because she loves you. She wanted you to be proud of her…more so than you already are.”“There was no need for that, though…” the blonde whined, somehow managing to stop crying after a bit. “…I need to talk to her. Alone.”“She’s aware…and she’s probably waiting for you, already…”“Good,” Prompto nodded, stepping back before shifting into a griffon and getting a head start back to the venue. Noctis allowed a small smile, before shifting as well and following his mate back to the venue. X*X*X*X*X*X*XWhile Regina was introduced to Ace’s classmates by said blonde, Roxas and Axel walked along, checking things out, but still remaining within view of the Crown Princess and Ace. As they slowly made their way through, however…“Well, if it isn’t the missing runt and his boyfriend, showing their faces, huh?” Seifer’s voice sneered as the bully himself came over.“Back off, Seifer,” Axel growled in warning, gently guiding Roxas behind himself.“Or what? You’re gonna kick me out? You don’t have that authority here. It ain’t your wedding.”As the conversation progressed, none of them seemed to realize that there was a monkey settled in a tree above the small group, watching curiously with his tail moving slowly behind it.“There’s guards all over, Seifer,” Roxas pointed out. “Are you seriously going to make a scene here?”“Like they’d ruin Princess’s big day to fight me,” the bastard snorted.“Almasy,” came a sudden voice from behind him, causing him to spin around. Regina stared him down silently for a moment before stating plainly, “You seem to forget it is their job to see to our safety. And if that were to mean kicking out one unruly guest, they will not hesitate, I assure you.”“W-what’s with the different getup, huh, you r-royal brat?” Seifer stuttered out (somehow).“…” Regina looked up briefly to the skies, before turning back to Seifer and putting one hand on her hip. “Has the sun already gotten to your head this early? You ARE aware this is wedding, correct? Specifically mine, hm?”“Sh-shut up!” Seifer snapped. “I didn’t f-forget!! How could I when it’s been posted everywhere at the school and in town?!”“…Then why did you even ask?” Regina asked calmly as Ace joined them. Seifer couldn’t seem to bring himself to say anything at that point, instead growling in frustration.‘I wonder what’s up with Seifer…? Normally he’s never a stutterer, and he doesn’t get taken off guard so easily…’ Roxas thought in confusion.However, the moment that thought finished, there was a loud squeal just before the monkey suddenly leaped and landed on Seifer’s head. This drew a shocked yowl from Seifer, as he tried to get the monkey off.“Uncle Zidane!” Roxas exclaimed in surprise when he saw the monkey, knowing that was said shifter’s favorite animal form.The shifter threw Roxas a grin, before he linked his tail along Seifer’s arm and spun himself off of the teen, shifting halfway through his backflip to land on the ground again. “Yanno, kiddo,” he said simply as he turned to Seifer, “nobody likes a jackass. Ladies in particular. You might want to learn to change your attitude.”Regina quirked an eyebrow at the man’s words, before she frowned. “…what do you mean, Uncle Zidane?”“Oh I’m sure he knows, and that’s what matters,” the blonde laughed. Even Roxas and Axel were confused by the older shifter’s words, but Seifer clearly knew.“Shut it!” he snapped.Zidane actually cackled in response at the outburst before he said with a grin, “Fine, fine… but keep that in mind for next time, alright? Gonna save ya a lot of grief in the long run,” before turning to his niece and clapping her on the shoulder. “Anyway, Regi, you’re looking good. Guessing Kuj helped with the makeup, eh?”Regina laughed a bit. “That obvious?”“Considering they’re brothers, duh,” Roxas snorted with a laugh.“In any case!” Zidane declared, patting her on the shoulder one more time before finishing. “I’m sure you’ve got a lot of people here to see so I’ll leave you be. I’ll see you kids later,” he said as he walked off with a wave.“See you,” Roxas smiled, before noticing Seifer was trying to slink away. “Hey!”“Leave ‘m,” Regina said suddenly.“Sis?” Ace asked, worried.“If he knows what's good for him, he’ll lay low…” she said simply.“True…” Roxas nodded.“If he doesn’t want to get maimed, anyway,” Prompto said suddenly from behind Regina.“Gah!” Regina yelped, jumping away in surprise.“Mind if we talk alone?” the older shifter asked his eldest.“…” Regina regarded him for a moment, before she sighed. “Yeah, alright.” Turning to her brothers and Axel, she said, “Be right back, okay?”“Alright, Sis.”Roxas nodded in understanding as Axel held him close. Once Prompto led Regina off to a more private area, he sighed with his back to her, clenching his fists briefly before saying quietly, “You didn’t need to do anything special to try and make me prouder of you, Regina. I’m already as proud of you as I can possibly be.”Regina didn’t respond immediately, as she reached up, rubbing her arm a bit. “…I know… I just… I guess I just… I dunno…” she got out. “…I just wanted to surprise you… I’m sorry…”“I know, princess, but for something this huge, I don’t exactly like secrets. I’m expecting to see Roxas’s dress here soon after today, but Domi’s case is different. I would have liked to contribute somehow with yours…”“…but you did.”“Huh?” Prompto uttered, turning around to face her.Regina didn’t say anything, and, instead, she held up her hands and put her fingers along the bottom chain linking her cape together…which was when Prompto realized that THAT chain was different. Specifically, the actual chain was different from the other two, and there were two rings that dangled from it, clinking together lightly.“He… Your father used that set…?” the blonde breathed out, starting to feel hurt again.Regina shook her head. “I…I found someone to…make this…” she said, gesturing to her outfit, “around these. These are the origin of the suit entirely.”“Princess…” Prompto whispered, awed, his prior hurt melting away. “Why didn’t you tell me…? I would have loved to help…”“Because…I-I just…wanted to surprise you…” she repeated sheepishly, turning her foot in against the pebbled pathway.“Just… Dammit…!” Prompto hissed, before pulling into a firm hug. “No more of that, okay? I’m not mad at you, I was just hurt. I know there won’t be a next time, but just consider me helping or something, please…? I love you so much…”Regina whined a little, as she hugged her mother back. “K-kay… I’m sorry… I love you, Ma.”After a little longer of this, Prompto let her go. “Now, let’s go meet with the others. After all, my little princess is growing up~”Regina smiled back at him, and nodded her head, following after Prompto again. When they returned, Prompto looked around, wondering where the kids were. Before he could start to worry, there was a sharp, familiar whistle, drawing Prompto’s attention toward Noctis, where the King was standing by Gladio’s truck.“Hey!” Prompto grinned, trotting over, the others not far behind when they noticed, too.As they approached, a familiar call shouted out: “Mamaaa!!” as Nami and Zack came over, immediately hugging their mother.“Hey guys! You look great!” the blonde praised, hugging them close. “Where’s Domi?”“He took a ride with Ignis in the Regalia,” Gladio reminded him.“Ah, right,” Prompto nodded.“Axel, Roxy! Lookie!” Kairi giggled, showing off her dress.“Very nice, Kai,” Axel chuckled, as Roxas hugged her lightly.Naminé giggled, before she noticed Regina and stared. Chuckling, the princess asked: “What?”“Hair!” Naminé exclaimed in all her child-like awe while pointing at her big sister’s hair, making her laugh.“Sissy looks awesome!!” Zack grinned excitedly.“Haha, thanks, Zack. You kids are looking amazing as well,” she said as she crouched down and hugged them both, which they returned happily. Noctis smiled a little at the sight, before he glanced over to Prompto. The blonde shook his head slightly, wordlessly assuring Noctis everything was fine now.Smiling in relief, Noctis nodded his head once, as Regina stood up again, addressing her siblings and Kairi. “So, I see Domi’s made you all matching suits, hm?”“Yuh-huh!” Naminé cheered, bouncing on her feet. “His dress is more purdy, thoughs!”“I’ll bet it is, knowing his skills,” Prompto chuckled.“Yeah! Domi’s super talented!” Kairi nodded.Ace smiled at the words. “In any case, shall we get you some food before the ceremony starts?”“Yeah!” Zack chirped in agreement. Smiling, Regina held out her hands for the twins to take, who did so immediately and hurried after their big sister as she began to walk. Roxas and Axel followed after with Kairi, smiles on their faces as Prompto hung back with Noctis.“…They’re growing up way too fast…” he sighed, looking at his mate sadly.“Kids grow up, Prom,” Noctis pointed out, placing an arm around his shoulders.“I know, but it feels like it’s going too fast…” the smaller shifter mumbled.“I know… I know…” Noctis assured, smiling. “We’re not going to lose them, though… I promise.”“Still… It feels like yesterday still that I was caring for three newborns…” Prompto whispered.Still smiling, Noctis briefly pressed a kiss to his mate’s temple. “Well… C’mon, cuz I believe our princess wanted us both to lead her to the awning.”“Right…” Prompto murmured, before they headed off after their children.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Once they had joined their children again, they were soon joined by not only Regis and Cor. After a brief conversation between the royals, the King finally gave the order to the Kingsglaive to get everyone into position. It took them only 15 minutes to get everyone situated around the awning.Obviously, Regis was situated off to the side on a specially designated throne, with Cor standing to the side of him with his arms behind his back. Regina, meanwhile, was standing by the awning with Noctis and Prompto standing by her side, while Roxas and Ace stood on the opposite side. Axel had to do with one of the front rows, since he wasn’t officially part of the royal family, yet.As Roxas looked out over the crowd, he spotted some of Regina’s ‘fangirls’, and nearly scowled, but refrained from doing so, trying to keep up appearances. This was one of the times he wished that shifters could use telepathy while in human form, too. As it was, he hoped seeing the person they clearly adored so much getting married to someone not in their little ‘fan club’ would make them disband.Ace noticed his brother’s look and glanced over from the corner of his eyes. Once he noticed the same thing, he frowned subtly, but didn’t address it as he instead looked over the rest of the venue. And it didn’t take him long to spot Seifer further in the back.‘Gah… Hope Seifer doesn’t even CONSIDER pulling a stupid move like objecting…’ Roxas thought with a near-silent growl when he spotted Seifer as well.Regina, thankfully, didn’t seem to be noticing her brothers’ mood, as she was, instead, kind of wringing her fingers in her cape’s material, unseen by the crowds, thankfully.“Easy, princess,” Prompto soothed quietly, smiling at her calmly. “You’ll be just fine.”“Right…right…” she murmured softly, much to her parents’ amusement, even as Noctis reached over and lightly placed a hand on her shoulder for support. Noticing his sister’s anxiety, Roxas smiled encouragingly at her, and Ace smiled as well, which, thankfully, seemed to help as she breathed out a little.Which was exactly when a familiar car rolled up to into the park.‘There he is,’ Prompto thought in anticipation as they all focused their gazes on the Regalia, watching as Ignis got out, went around to the passenger side, and opened the door to allow Domi out.There was a brief murmur among the crowd as Ignis stepped aside, as Domi slowly, cautiously, set down one foot, seeming to hesitate momentarily, before he stepped out, accepting Ignis' hand to help him out properly without losing his balance. And, as soon as he was standing there, there was a serious buzz of both shock and/or awe from the crowds. However, Regina didn’t even hear/notice any of it as she barely contained a gasp of awe of her own.Domi's hair was secured into two long braids that had pale purple ribbons secured in them that rested on his shoulders, which his bangs smoothed to the side with a number of hairclips adorned with pearls. Unlike Regina, his makeup was both more elaborate and far more obvious; pale blue eyeshadow, dark eyeliner, light pink foundation along his cheekbones, with pale red lipstick that was only a few shades away from pink. His dress fell on his lithe frame perfectly, giving everyone who didn’t know him the definite impression that he was actually a girl.‘Whoa…!’ Roxas thought with wide eyes, trying to keep from openly gawking at his soon-to-be brother-in-law. As he waited in his place, though, Naminé and Kairi came over like they’d practiced, beginning to scatter flower petals as they walked ahead of Domi at a short distance ahead and with a good pace for the whitehead.Despite the earlier (almost) sign of hesitation when exiting the Regalia, Domi didn’t so much as look up at anyone as he wordlessly walked along the pathway laid out for him, ignoring the murmuring of the crowd even as he walked right past both Seifer and Regina’s fanbase, of which the latter was glaring and grumbling something under their breaths. This made Prompto nearly snarl when he noticed, but one glance at his mate had him sighing almost silently.And once Domi started down after the girls, Zack followed after at a small distance, holding the cushion that had the rings on it. Once Nami and Kairi had reached the front, both of them scampered over to Ace, who briefly crouched down and lightly patted them on the head with a soft congratulation, before they all turned back around to watch as Domi took the last few steps forward. Which was exactly the point that Regina snapped out of her stupor and she was able to crack a smile, stepping up and reaching out a hand to Domi, who, without question and only a small smile in response, took her hand and let her tug him up those last few steps. Once Zack got up the steps after Domi, he stood nearby, waiting for the cue to bring the rings over.At this point, Roxas watched happily, somehow managing to ignore the mix of irritated, angry, and near-livid glares from the fan bases in the crowd. Prompto, if he had looked happy when Domi had proposed, now looked flat-out on the brink of happy-tears, the immense happiness he felt for his eldest daughter flooding him.Noctis smiled softly as he placed an arm around his mate’s shoulders, completely ignoring the few glances sent their way in response. Thankfully, Regina and Domi didn’t seem at all aware of any of that, as the Crown Princess linked her hand with Domi’s as the priest finally spoke.“Thank you all for being here today. We have gathered here to unite Her Royal Highness Regina Lucis Caelum and Dominatio Percarus in marriage.” Domi’s hand tightened its grip on Regina’s slightly, but Regina merely returned the gesture, smiling in slight assurance to the boy. Thankfully, his anxiety wasn’t very obvious to those around them, as all attention was on the priest. “Their decision to marry has not been entered into lightly, and today is the day that this connection will be established and solidified before the eyes of the Six.”As Prompto watched and listened, he seemed to feel his heart clenching a little with emotion. He knew Domi would take good care of their princess, but he also knew that he would always be there for his little girl, no matter what. He wasn’t losing her to someone special, no. He was merely gaining another person of support for her in the family.Noctis was smiling softly as he gently rubbed Prompto’s shoulder. The speech was much more elaborate than the one used during his own wedding, but it definitely fit the type of ceremony much better.  He’d once been sure that, when the time came for Regina to marry, he’d be either extremely skeptical of whoever she had chosen, or he’d have to force her to go look for someone to at least consider it. The current situation, though, was a much better option, and he was glad she’d been able to find someone without his (or Prompto’s) interference, as had happened to him so many years ago.Meanwhile, as Roxas listened to the priest’s words, he almost felt giddy. This was merely a sort of…preview, he guessed, to his and Axel’s own wedding. Granted, it would be different, since he would be the royal wearing a dress, unlike his dad and sister had done, but regardless, he was eager. This felt like a look into what he would have happen in a few weeks’ time.Ace smiled softly as he wrapped an arm around Naminé’s small shoulders, who was watching in absolute awe with wide eyes as she leaned into her big brother’s half-hug. He was sure that the little girl was excited for Domi to join their family, much like he and Roxas were. Absently, though, he wondered if this would be how he would be organizing his own wedding (eventually), as he glanced over toward Quon briefly, who was sitting with the rest of his classmates, seemingly lost in thought as well.Kairi watched with just as wide of eyes as Naminé did, awed by the beauty of everything as she leaned against Roxas, the blonde’s warm arm wrapping around her shoulders like Ace with Naminé. Now, granted, she didn’t exactly understand every word of the priest’s speech, but she knew that everything he was saying was important.From his own seat at the front with his former classmates, Demyx, and Zexion, Axel felt content. He looked forward to the day he and Roxas were to get married, and he looked forward to their life together with their twin boys. After all, when he’d first seen Roxas when they were kids, he knew he’d wanted to be friends with the young prince, and eventually, when he realized his own feelings, he wanted them to be more than that. And now he had him as his mate. Not only that, but he had his brother and niece back in his life, too, thanks to his soon-to-be extended family.“The core essence of this commitment is the acceptance of each other in entirety, as lover, companion, and friend.” Domi tried to not let his anxiety show, though he could feel his hand shaking minutely, even if Regina’s hand was mostly mitigating it with her own. “A good and balanced relationship is one in which neither person is overpowered nor absorbed by the other, one in which neither person is possessive of the other, one in which both give their love freely and without jealousy.” That comment almost made Regina snort. She was pretty sure there’d be more than a few moments of jealousy later on in life, but hell, that was all part of the deal, she knew. “Marriage, ideally, is a sharing of responsibilities, hopes, and dreams. It takes a special effort to grow together, survive hard times, and be loving and unselfish.”Seifer glowered from his spot at the back, rolling his eyes heavily at the priest’s words. He could care less about the damned speech; he just wanted the old bat to hurry up so he could object when the timing was right.Which came barely a moment later as the priest stated, “Should there be anyone here present who believe this marriage should not come to pass, speak now or forever hold your peace.”Smirking wickedly, Seifer opened his mouth to object—only for a hand to come out from behind him and cover his mouth, dragging him back down into his chair. Seifer jolted in alarm, before struggling against the hand keeping him down.“I would strongly advise against it,” came a cold voice in his ear. “You wouldn’t want to incur the royalty’s wrath now…would you?”At the words, the bully gave an infuriated growl, muffled by the hand, before stilling and going quiet.There was some distinct murmuring from the crowd, including from Regina’s fanbase, all of which appeared to be just as ready as Seifer to leap up. However, just as one of them put her hands on the armrests of her seat, two hands hand clasped down on her shoulders from both sides and forced her back down into her seat.“…don’t even bother…” came a solemn voice from her left.“Yeah! Stay put and behave! Lest you anger the hosts!” hissed a quiet female voice.The girl tried to speak, but one look back at the two redheads behind her and she immediately clamped her mouth shut and sat back in her seat.Roxas noticed this, and when he glanced over to see the pair that had silenced the fan member, he didn’t recognize the girl, but he remembered Neku from his last visit, and he gave the pair a tiny nod in thanks. He then noticed Kurasa keeping Seifer in his seat further back, and he nodded minutely to the older shifter in wordless thanks as well, Prompto already having done the same.When no one “chose” to speak up, the priest continued. “Very well; we shall now progress to the vows—”“Ah, about that,” Regina said, suddenly, turning to the priest, much to the surprise of those present. “I was wondering…would it be alright if we deviate from the usual?”‘I wonder what she’s doing…?’ Prompto thought, but Roxas was smiling, realizing she and Domi must have made their own vows.Though the priest was clearly a bit surprised, he eventually smiled as he nodded. “Of course, Your Highness.”“Thank you,” Regina said with a smile, before she turned back to Domi after taking a deep breath in preparation. Finally, she looked up and began. “Dominatio, I have never been good at words, and I will not pretend to be so now, so forgive me for keeping this short and simple,” she said, and the words actually had her family smiling fondly, knowing all too well that she was right in that. “I am not perfect, nor do I aim to be, and I would not dare ask you to be ‘perfect’ for me. As long as you will stand by me as no one more and no one less but yourself, as I promise to stand by you in turn, I will ask for nothing else in my life. So, let me ask you this; will you stand by me?”Domi was, for a moment, clearly lost for words before his expression became one that was a mixture of joy and adoration. “Awww, love, you’re gonna make blush~” he teased with a small giggle, smiling warmly. “However…yes, love, I will stand by you, for as long as you’ll have me.”Prompto almost, almost started to tear up, but he took a deep breath, trying to ground himself as he briefly squeezed Noctis’s hand. Roxas, though, gave a quiet chuckle, knowing his sister would give a set of custom vows like that. That’s just how she was.Nami was giggling happily, nearly bouncing on her feet, as she reached over and held her big brother’s hand, who squeezed back with a smile of his own. Kairi was a little calmer, smiling brightly at Roxas, who smiled back kindly.“Well, can’t really say nothing in response to that, now can I?” Domi giggled briefly, before he, too, took a deep breath. “To be truly fair, love, I could probably go on for a little longer, but for the sake of our guests, I’ll keep it brief. Honestly, I never would have imagined us coming to this point, however, I have no regrets. If I can stay by your side for the remainder of my life, then I’ll be content until the day I breathe my last. I merely ask of you that you'll stand by me, as I stand by you.”Regina allowed a warm smile, her hand tightening slightly on Domi’s, through which he could feel her racing heart. “You need not even ask; I have every intention of staying by your side as you stay by mine.”Seifer stiffened, but remained silent, merely grinding his teeth furiously as Kurasa moved away from him.The priest smiled at the exchange, before he called, “Would the ringbearer please step forward?”Zack then stepped forward, proudly holding his cushion with the rings resting upon it, and presented it to his older sister and Domi.Regina smiled at her little brother as she crouched down to him, gently ruffling his hair as she took one of the rings from the cushion. Once she had gotten to her feet again, she took Domi’s left hand and, without another word, slipped the silver and gold ring on his ring finger.The boy spent a few moments just smiling at the ring as it settled snugly on his finger, before he, too, crouched down, taking the remaining ring after rubbing Zack’s cheek. He stood up easily, and repeated the action with Regina’s left hand with the similar ring, aside from the dark onyx gem lodged in the center of hers.Regina smiled in turn as she watched the ring for a moment more…before she reached up for the bottom chain of her cape and clicked it loose. Without a word, she then moved one of the rings to a second chain. Domi wasn't even able to ask what she was doing before she stepped forward and secured the chain around the whitehead’s neck.Prompto then gave a quiet gasp, before the tears finally began to fall silently, the blonde smiling happily, which was mirrored on Noctis’s face as he pulled his mate closer against him, as the priest once more began to speak.“By the power invested in me by the Six, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your new spouse.”Snorting a bit at the words, Regina allowed a small smirk, before she, almost immediately, curled her hand around Domi’s neck and pulled him in, making the boy yip before he giggled shortly before their lips connected, at which point the crowd clapped and cheered…with the few obvious exceptions.Roxas broke into a grin and couldn’t resist clapping for his sister, whereas Prompto had to resist the urge to run over and hug them both tightly, knowing he had stay where he was. Even so, he joined in on the clapping, smiling widely as the tears continued to fall.
Once the pair pulled away, they shared a knowing little smirk, before Domi, without ever looking, threw his bouquet right over his head -- straight toward its intended target on the front row.
Axel then jolted as he realized the bouquet was coming right at him, before barely managing to catch it without it actually hitting him in the face. When he looked at Roxas, the blonde was laughing with a highly amused look on his face…before the redhead laughed as well.Both Domi and Regina shared a laugh alongside them, just as Naminé came scurrying over before Ace could stop her. “Sissy! Domi! Congwatulates!” she cried as she hugged her sister’s leg.Zack ran over as well, chirping, “So happy!!” as he hugged her other leg.Regina laughed as she and Domi crouched down. “Thank you, Nami, Zack,” she said as she kissed them both to their foreheads.“Congrats, Regina, Domi,” Roxas smiled as he walked a bit closer, making sure to let the crowd still see.“Thanks, Rox,” she said, smiling back.Ace allowed a smile before he said, “Well, I think the last thing left to do is walk down the aisle together.”“I suppose you’re right,” the Crown Princess laughed lightly, holding out her arm for Domi to take.Who, of course, placed his hand along her arm, before walking along with her down the aisle, passed the crowd of people.As the newly-wed couple passed Seifer in his row, Regina spotted the absolutely defeated look on his face, even though he wasn’t watching them. Startled, Regina almost paused in her steps, but she quickly shook it off and ignored it (for now). She made a mental note to figure out what that was about, though… X*X(The Reception)X*XAfter Regina and Domi had left from walking down the aisle so they could get mentally ready for the reception, Roxas rejoined with Axel, Kairi right alongside him.“You did awesome, Kai!” the small girl’s uncle praised, bending down to hug her briefly.“Thanks, Uncle Axel!” the maroon-haired girl giggled. “Aerith helped with getting Nami and me the flowers!”“Oh, Reno’s new girlfriend, huh?” Axel chuckled. “She’s the local florist,” he added to Roxas.“Oh yeah, I remember meeting her a few times when Dad’s had to get some help with the garden. He’s offered to move her into the Citadel multiple times, but she’s always politely declined, since she likes her place.”“Well, maybe that’ll change with some time…” the redhead smirked, glancing over at his brother with Aerith.“Guess time will tell,” Roxas nodded with a small smile. “C’mon, let’s get to the reception area.” Once they got there, they met up with their family at the large table meant for them. Roxas took a seat next to Prompto, looking at him with some concern when he saw a tiny dirt smudge on his cheek from his raging earlier.“What’s wrong, Rox?” the older shifter asked, confused.“First off, you’ve got a bit of dirt on your cheek,” his son said, swiping it off with a napkin. “Second… Are you okay after earlier?”“I’m fine now, Rox, don’t worry so much,” his mother assured him with a warm smile. “We talked it out earlier. And thanks for getting the smudge.”“Anytime, Mom,” the shorter blonde smiled, before the music began to start up, signaling Regina and Domi’s entrance to the reception.There was definite buzz of excitement as the newlyweds walked onto the makeshift dancefloor. After smiling and waving briefly at the people applauding, they wordlessly got into position, with Regina holding one hand on Domi’s hip, while Domi’s rested on her shoulder. And then, as the music picked up, the pair began to move as if they’d done so for years.“Just like they’d practiced, huh Noct?” Prompto asked his mate softly, leaning lightly against his shoulder from where they sat next to each other.Noctis hummed softly, a small smile still playing on his face as he watched Regina spin Domi around. “I think she’s just happy she can take the lead without being scolded.”“Considering the last time they danced, they weren’t really able to fully enjoy themselves, I don’t blame them,” Prompto murmured.“Definitely…” Noctis hummed, watching as more and more people began to move onto the dancefloor. Even Roxas and Axel got up and moved onto the dance floor. After some giggling, Zack tugged Naminé out there, as well, and the twins danced with everyone else (even if it was still a bit sloppy).Ace laughed softly as he watched everyone for a long time. However, when there was a tap on his shoulder, he nearly jumped out of his seat before whirling around. As soon as he spotted Quon, he smiled in greeting, and wordlessly got up as the other teen tipped his head toward the dancefloor, following after him.Prompto smiled happily as he continued to watch, even Reno going out with Aerith and Kairi, before looking to Noctis. “…Wanna join them?” he asked, an amused smile curving his lips.“Haha. Why not?” Noctis chuckled, getting up as well. His mate joined him, and they, too, began to dance once on the dance floor. For Prompto, it was almost like their wedding a little over 18 years ago. He sighed contently as he danced with the raven as he thought about it.“What’s on your mind?” Noctis asked softly.“Just…reminiscing, I guess, about our own wedding. It’s been 18 years, you know,” Prompto smiled softly. “It’s a fond memory to think about.”“Hmhmm… true, true…” the King murmured softly, lightly spinning his mate.“It just makes me realize how far we’ve come. As mates, parents, now grandparents…” the blonde said, leaning in and kissing his mate briefly.Chuckling softly, Noctis smiled. “Funny how fast time goes, hm?”“Yeah,” Prompto smiled. As they continued to dance, Roxas and Axel passed them, and the small blonde looked up at his mate as they danced.“How do you think the boys are doing?” he asked softly.“I’m sure they’re just fine, Roxy. Kuja and Aranea aren’t new to caring for newborns, after all,” Axel assured him.“Right…” Roxas nodded. “I just can’t help but worry about them, you know?”“I understand, Rox, but we’ll see them soon enough.”“Okay. Thanks, Axel,” the smaller shifter smiled.“Anytime,” the redhead chuckled, kissing him briefly, as they slipped past Regina and Domi.The princess glanced at her brother and Axel for a moment, before chuckling as she spun Domi out and away, before she tugged him right back in—and then abruptly dipped him. Startled, Domi blinked, twice, before he giggled.“Picked up some new tricks, love?”“Maybe~” she chuckled as she pulled him back up and proceeded back along their path.However, just as they moved past another couple, there was a brief gap between dancers…and she spotted an all too familiar face off in the distance.In a dark corner where normal humans would have difficulty spotting him, Seifer was sitting there, a heavy frown on his face as he sulked, not seeming to want to watch anyone.This time, Regina did actually stop in her tracks, much to Domi’s surprise. “Hm? What’s wrong, love?”“…look behind you…” she whispered.“Hm?” Frowning, Domi did just that. “…Wait… Is that Almasy?”“…it is…”Seifer seemed to feel their stares on him, and he looked up with a glare, before getting up and making his way toward the exit.“…” Regina frowned suspiciously, tapping her fingers a little along Domi's hip.“…You should go,” Domi offered, making her look at him in surprise. “If not, you’ll be worrying about it all day.”“Gee, thanks,” Regina mumbled. “You may as well get some munchies for us then.”“Hihi~ Will do, love~”Nodding, Regina moved away and silently headed off as Domi headed for the snacks table.Regina had to follow after Seifer, as the guy had almost made it to the exit. When she caught up to him, though, he glared at her half-heartedly, before growling out, “The hell do you want.”Startled, Regina didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she merely watched the other teen in silence for a few minutes, before she spoke solemnly. “You are aware that it is highly uncouth to leave a party that you were invited to without informing the host, correct?” she said as she put a hand on her hip.“Does it look like I care?” Seifer grumbled.“…Alright, that’s it!” she snarled, dropping her calm demeanor entirely. “What in Ifrit’s name is your problem, Seifer?! If I didn’t have the sense of smell that I do, I would’ve argued that you were someone else entirely!” Seifer, however, clammed up, not wanting to admit the harsh truth.“What? Coeurl get your tongue?” Regina growled. “Six, and here I thought you actually had some guts, at least…”“…” Seifer remained quiet, but oddly enough, a faint tint of pink dusted his cheeks at her words.And, of course, the princess noticed right away and it caught her completely off guard. She knew what was happening, but it was something she’d never seen on the blonde bully before. Not to mention, why would he even—…and then her uncle’s words filtered into her head.
Nobody likes a jackass. Ladies in particular.
‘…no fucking way…’“…Oy,” she said firmly, making him look up. “You’ve got something on your face. Right here,” she stated, tapping her own cheek. Seifer stiffened at the gesture, before quickly turning so his back was to her. “…Seriously?” she asked with a heavy, exasperated sigh, both hands now on her hips. “You seriously got nothing to say to me?”“…it’s too late, anyway…” he mumbled bitterly.“For what?” she asked, even though she was pretty sure she’d already figured it out by now.“You already know, so stop messing with me already!!” Seifer snapped, whipping around to glare at her in frustration.“…do I now?” she asked dryly, crossing her arms and tapping a finger along her arm. While she was in agreement that it was more than likely too late (if she was correct in her assumption), she was sure that if she didn’t make him say it, they would both regret it forever.And besides, there was still a chance that she was wro—“Oh, quit the bullshit!” Seifer fairly barked out, which would’ve made her jump if she hadn’t been expecting it. “You know damn well by that I-I—”When Seifer didn’t continue his rant, and instead stammered and spluttered, cheeks flaring up in red, Regina’s suspicion was just about confirmed entirely. However, rather than bring it up, she, instead, decided to play dumb for now.“You…what?”“I…”This time, Regina didn’t bother to say anything; she just waited silently, staring him down with an impassive expression. She wasn’t sure how long the silence went on for, but, finally, her silence had the desired effect as Seifer finally gave a roar of frustration.“Okay FINE!! I like you!! Like…like-like you!! Alright?! There!! Are you happy now?!?!”The Crown Princess was pretty sure her expression displayed her surprise, even though she’d been expecting those words to be said. They were still sudden, sure, but not nearly as sudden as they would’ve been if Zidane hadn’t stepped in earlier. ‘…well shit…’“…Oh.”It was all she said, and it left Seifer staring at her in surprise/shock, before anger took over. “‘Oh’!? That’s all you’ve got to say?! Just ‘oh’?!”Those words, though, immediately turned her surprised expression into one of anger. “Oh no, I can say plenty more. First off; you got a very crappy way of showing that. Secondly; when the heck were you ever going to say anything?”“Wh-what does that matter?! It’s—”“Too late? Yes. Yes, it is. But guess what; that’s not MY fault. Guess who’s fault it was, though…” After a moment of silence, she continued. “My uncle had a point; no girl likes a jackass. Even less so when you don’t just insult them, but also their siblings or friends. So, you only have yourself to blame for this.” Snorting, she added: “If you’d actually been halfway decent and had been respectful to me, my brothers, my friends, and my family, MAYBE we could’ve been friends. MAYBE there could’ve been something there. But no,” she said with a soft snarl, “YOU had to mess it up. YOU had to be all high and mighty and act like you’re sooooo much better than all of us. YOU had to be the one to look down on shifters.” Glaring at him, she growled softly, “This isn’t my fault. It’s not even Domi’s fault. This is all your own fault. It’s. YOUR. Fault. You alone bear blame for this.”Startled at the princess’s words, the blonde stared at her in shock. Then, he began to tremble. “A-ah… I…”Closing her eyes, Regina took a deep breath, before she exhaled sharply. “Whatever…” she said, unfolding her arms and turning away. “I hope you’ve at least learned a valuable lesson here, Seifer… Girls will never bother with you if you keep your attitude up as you have all these years. They won’t try to get closer if all you’re going to do is push them away.” Opening her eyes again, she said simply, “Goodbye, Seifer,” before walking away and back to the party. There wasn’t a single sound behind her as she walked away, not even when she was out of Seifer’s sight. When she returned, Roxas was first to approach her worriedly, frowning heavily in concern.“You okay, Regina?” he asked softly. “Domi mentioned you followed after Seifer…”“I’m fine, don’t worry,” she assured, smiling a bit. “Just had to have a small discussion with him.”“About…?”Regina shook her head quietly. “I’m in no position to talk about that,” she said solemnly. “It’s not my place to do so.”Roxas frowned at that, but knew he wouldn’t be able to get her to tell him, no matter what he did. “…Fine… As long as it won’t cause any trouble later, I guess…” he sighed.Shaking her head, his sister said, “It won’t. I’m pretty sure Seifer won’t bother us from here on out.”“All right…” the blonde murmured, before perking up as he looked back. “Seems everyone’s wondering where you’re at. Let’s get back out there, yeah?”“Right, right, let’s go,” she agreed, heading back toward the dance floor. When they got back, Prompto looked over in confusion, but at Roxas’s smile, he nodded slightly, knowing it wasn’t something to worry about. The small blonde split off to rejoin Axel, leaving Regina to seek out Domi.Thankfully, it took her only a moment to spot him by the snack table, talking to Neku and another redheaded—a girl this time. Regina remembered seeing her next to Neku in the crowd, but she had no idea who she was. Shaking her head briefly, she walked over. “Hey,” she said per greeting, making them all look up.“Hey, love~” Domi said with a slight giggle as she stepped up next to him. “How’d it go?” he asked.“Well enough,” she said, before turning to Neku and the girl.Neku, after watching her silently for a moment, nodded his head. “Your Highness,” he said in greeting.Regina snorted. “Easy, Neku, it’s fine,” she said, putting her arm around Domi’s waist, making the other teen jump a bit. “Just Regina is fine. Also, who’s your friend?”“My name’s Eri,” the girl smiled brightly. “I’m one of Neku’s cousins. We’ve got another one of our cousins and his friend around here, but I think they started playing with your little brother and sister. It’s nice to meet you in person, since Kurasa’s talked about your family and the treaty between humans and shifters since His Majesty proposed it.”“Aha. Well, it’s nice to meet you, Eri,” Regina said with a smile. Eri gave a small giggle, before looking over Regina’s outfit.“I love your outfit, by the way, Regina,” she said suddenly. “It’s so intricate and unique! Where’d you have it made?”“Hm? Ah,” Regina mumbled, fingering her cape a bit. “Well—Gah!” she yelped as something suddenly bumped into her legs.“Sissy!!” came a familiar call.“Oh hey, you two.”“Hi Sissy!” Zack grinned. “We made new friends!”“Eri!” a small brunette boy with spiky locks crowed as he ran over, hugging the girl’s leg, followed by a silverette boy who had to be a year or two older than the brunette.“Sora, you gotta be careful, okay?” Eri chided lightly. “After all, this isn’t the forest. Lots of people here, remember?”“Sorry, Eri…” Sora apologized, pouting, before the silverette ruffled his hair, drawing a squeal from Sora. “Rikuuuu!!”“We can shift when we go home, okay?” the silverette, clearly Riku, reminded him.“Okay!” Sora chirped.Laughing at the exchange, Regina leaned forward on her knees after pulling her arm away from Domi. "So, you boys are Sora and Riku, right?" she asked.“Yep!” Sora smiled brightly. “Riku’s my best friend!” Riku nodded with a small laugh at his friend’s excitement.“Well, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Regina, but you can say Regi, if you want.”“Nice to meet you, Regi!” Sora giggled, before looking at her curiously. “You can shift, too, right??” The innocent question made his friend snort on a laugh.“Hahah. Yes, I can. Not here, though,” she said, smiling. “Maybe we can all show off at a later time.”“Yay!” Naminé and Zack cheered in unison.“Maybe once the human guests leave, possibly?” Eri suggested.“Sounds good,” Regina agreed as she stood up straight again. Neku merely hummed softly in response to the conversation, hands in his pockets. Then Kairi came over with an excited giggle.“Regina, Prompto says it’s time for your dance with Noct!” she told the Crown Princess.“Ah, right, I’ll head over,” she said with a smile, before she turned to Domi. “I’ll be right back, alright?”“No worries, love~ You have fun~” the teen said with a giggle.Regina smiled as she nodded, before heading off.“Hi, Mister!” Sora greeted Domi after a moment. “Are you a shifter, too?”Startled, Domi looked over to Sora. “Ah…um, no. No, I’m not, sorry, hon.”“Oh, okay!” Sora smiled, completely unaffected by Domi’s reply. “Will you be one? Ku sometimes says humans can be turned into shifters!”“Sora, it’s fine,” Eri soothed. “What matters is that he accepts Regina for who she is, even if they’re different.”“What she means is don’t worry about it,” Riku explained when Sora looked confused. Domi wasn’t entirely sure how to answer that, as he bit his lip and pushed a few loose strands behind his ear.“Riku’s right. Don’t worry about answering, Domi,” Eri soothed, noticing his nervousness. “I do love your dress, though! I have to ask: who made it?”Blinking, Domi almost didn’t catch what she asked, before he giggled. “Oh, this thing?” he asked, fingering the shoulder. “I made this one myself~”“Oh my Six! Really?! It’s gorgeous!” she gushed. “You’re so talented!”“Here we go again…” Neku sighed softly as Domi giggled.“Thank you~ Took a lot of time, but it was worth it~”“Totally,” Roxas chimed in with a chuckle as he and Axel joined the small group while the twins, Sora, and Riku headed back to get snacks.“I could never even begin to sew or stitch or anything,” Axel sighed. “Tried to fix a tear in a shirt when I was 13, but I ended up poking my fingers more than the shirt.”“That’s how that happened?” Roxas laughed. “You told me it was from your neighbor’s small dog biting your fingers when you tried to pet it.”“I didn’t want to sound like an idiot!” the redhead groaned, making Eri giggle.“Sounds like someone needs lessons,” she teased.Domi laughed at that. “Well, I’d be more than happy to help~”“Same here!” Eri added. “I usually stitch up the clothes for everyone back home.”“I’ll leave the needle-work to you two,” Axel snorted. “I’m better with my chakrams and playing with fire.”“Yeah, just don’t light anything on fire at home,” Roxas pointed out. “Unless it’s fireworks, you damn pyro.”“And yet you love me for it,” Axel smirked, as the blonde rolled his eyes.“I do, and our kids are proof enough of it.”“Oh, you have kids?” Eri asked in pleasant surprise.“Yeah, I had my first heat not too long after Regina’s ended,” Roxas admitted, rubbing the back of his neck shyly.“I bet they’re precious,” Eri smiled happily.“We’ve got pictures. Wanna see?” Axel offered.“Absolutely!” When Roxas showed her some of the many pictures he had of the boys, she squealed. “They’re adorable!! Neku, come see!”“Seriously?” Neku sighed, but he came over anyway.“Aren’t they the cutest?” Eri smiled brightly after a couple seconds of him looking at the pictures.“…I guess…”“Come on, Neku, I know you’re not that keen about kids, but still,” Eri chided, before looking back to Roxas and Axel. “Well, no matter what, they’re absolutely precious. How old are they?”“Only two weeks,” Roxas smiled. “Roxel’s the boy with red and blonde hair, and Ventus is the blonde boy.”“So cute!” Eri gushed after looking at the picture currently pulled up once more. “Well, congrats, guys.”“Thank you, Eri,” the blonde told her kindly, making her blink in surprise. “My hearing is a bit better than my siblings’, so I heard you introducing yourself to Regina,” he chuckled.“Ah, okay,” she nodded, before looking back over to the reception group. “Looks like the dance is finishing.”“Yeah, people will probably start heading home soon,” Axel nodded. “Let’s make sure to see Dem and Zex off, yeah Rox?”“Of course,” Roxas agreed, and the pair headed back to the main area. Domi merely giggled as he waved them off, while Neku hummed (again), hands still in his pockets—before he had to duck under a swipe from Eri.