~(Y/n)'s POV~

-Beast's Castle-

"You know, you didn't have to come with me," I said as I glanced up at Gladio. "What? You don't want me around?" He feigned a hurt expression and placed a hand over his chest. I decided to tease him a little. "Yes." I walk in front of him with my hands behind my back. A smirk was creeping upon my face. I heard Gladio stop in his tracks when I answered him.

"Wait... really?" He asked in a serious voice. I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing. I kept walking as I replied. "One hundred percent." I looked over my shoulder in curiosity. Gladio was in complete shock. Once I saw his face, I couldn't hold in my laughter anymore. "Gladio, I'm just messing with you. Don't take me so seriously."

When I turned to face him, I didn't realize he was right behind me. I went to take a step back, but Gladio had already grabbed my arm. He pulled me into his arms, causing me to crash right into his chest. I was able to hear his heartbeat. It was racing inside of his chest.

"You really believed me?" I asked. He sighs and nods. "I'll punish you later," he responds with a smirk. I began to blush at his words. I escape his hold and spun on my heels. "N-no dirty things!" I shout at Gladio without looking at him.

"Until we're alone. Got it," he responds cheekily. I was about to yell at him again, but I was silenced when I heard three familiar voices. "(Y/n)!" Before I could say a word, I was tackled to the ground. "We've missed you!" Donald yells happily. "Yeah!" Goofy adds. "It's been awhile," Sora said. I smiled and hugged the trio.

"It's nice to see you three again," I said. We broke the hug and stood up. I brushed the dirt off of me once I was back on my feet. "Who's that?" Goofy asked as he pointed to Gladio. "Oh, that's Gladio. He tagged along with me. We're... dating."

"What?!" All three shout in unison. I nod bashfully as Gladio stands next to me proudly. "Anyways, let's go see Belle and the prince. I haven't seen them in awhile," I said, quickly changing the subject. Sora, Donald, and Goofy nod in unison. We enter the castle and were greeted by Lumière and Cogsworth.

Gladio was just standing there, taking in their appearance. I filled him in on what happened to the residents of the castle. He listened to every word intently. A loud roar suddenly rang out throughout the castle, causing our nice conversation to come to an abrupt halt. "Oh no," Cogsworth mumbles and begins to shake. He and Lumière take off without a word. "Let's go find Belle," Sora said. We nodded and headed up the stairs that led to the East Wing.

Heartless appeared in the hallway leading to Belle's room. "Something's not right," I comment after we defeat the Heartless. Gladio stood next to me as I gazed out the window to the courtyard below. "Intuition?" He asked. I huffed out a small laugh and changed my gaze to him. "Not intuition. Ever since we've arrived, Heartless have been popping up everywhere. I thought this world was finally free from the Heartless."

"Yeah. Let's ask Belle," Sora said. We reach her door and I knock softly. "Go away!" She shouts. I flinched a little at her raised voice. I've never heard her yell before. "Um, Belle? It's (Y/n)," I said through the door. Rushed footsteps reached the other side of the door before I could say another word. The door opened and Belle smiled at me warmly. "(Y/n), it's good to see you!"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy smiled and leaned past me. "It's nice to see you all again," she said. I introduced her to Gladio and she warmly greeted him. When her smile suddenly fell, I felt something was wrong. "Belle, is everything alright?" She looks away sadly. I pushed the guys out of the door as they protested. "Don't worry. Go find the prince. I'll be here with Belle," I said cheerfully as I closed the door in their faces.

Their protests fell on deaf ears. I glanced at Belle and smiled. "Tell me everything," I said softly. She sits on her bed and doesn't skip a detail. Apparently, the Heartless are irritating the prince. Ever since they appeared, he's been on-edge and won't listen to what she has to say. Not even the servants can get ahold of him. I sat next to her in the bed and gently placed my hands on top of hers.

"We'll make sure to get rid of these monsters. Don't worry about a single thing." Belle smiled and thanked me profusely. "I should find him and at least talk to him in private. He should understand," she said as she got to her feet. Belle left the room with a smile painted on her face.

With her happy but relieved face in my mind, I left her room to find the others. "I'm so happy for her," I whisper as I close the door behind me. "And what's that?" I jumped at the sudden question. When I saw who it was, I sighed in relief. My heart was racing from the sudden scare. "Gladio, could you announce your presence before giving me a heart attack?"

He chuckled and pushed a stand of my (h/c) hair behind my ear. "It's more fun this way," he smirked playfully. I roll my eyes dramatically. "Of course it is..." I mumble with a groan. Since he was here, I decided to tell him what Belle said. "That would explain the loud roars coming from the West Wing," he said. "We should find Sora and the others to tell them the news," I stated. Gladio agrees and we leave the East Wing.

As we passed the Ballroom, I heard a scream. I jolt up and run into the room to see Belle being attacked by a Heartless. She heads out to the balcony in order to escape from the creature.

I jump in its way so it wouldn't reach her. My Keyblade materialized in my hands and I slashed at it. The Heartless was knocked away from me. It quickly recovered and bounced back with powerful attacks. I was knocked to the ground by Gladio as I saw a chain land where I was just standing. "Thanks," I said just above a whisper. "Anytime, shortcake." He pecked me on the cheek before heading back into battle.

'He is totally paying for that nickname later,' I thought. Gladio had taken down the Heartless, or so I thought. The chains around its body shattered to reveal its second form.

"Oh, great..." I groan under my breath. Gladio patted me on the back as I lazily stared at the Heartless. "We've got this," he confidently said. I nod and we both dodge an attack from the Heartless. Its claws were the deadliest thing about it. Besides that, the attacks were easy to dodge.

Gladio gave me an opportunity to jump on its back. I plunged my Keyblade into its back and the Heartless screeched in pain. I jumped off its back and landed next to Gladio. The Heartless' body vanished as soon as I jumped off of it.

The door to the Ballroom opens and the trio came charging in. Sora had his Keyblade in hand while Donald and Goofy had their weapons drawn as they ran in. "Where's the Heartless?" Sora asked. "Already taken care of," Gladio told the young boy. The three groaned as if they were itching to fight the Heartless.

I gasp as I remember Belle. I ran to the balcony and saw she wasn't hurt. "I'm so sorry! I should've went with you. We knew there was a powerful Heartless around, but I still let you leave by yourself." She shook her head with a smile. "Don't apologize,
(Y/n). You saved me."

We suddenly heard clapping and I turned around. A member of Organization XIII had snuck behind us. I grip my Keyblade and stood in front of Belle. "Very impressive, (Y/n). You're much stronger than you look. It will pose a threat to my agenda. Be wary, Keyblade wielder." He vanished into thin air once he went silent.

"Xaldin..." I murmur his name. "That man was with the Beast earlier," she said. I turn to face her with wide eyes. "Don't tell me he's influencing him?"

"I'm afraid so. He kept talking about me stealing the rose."

"And the prince bought that?"

She nods sadly. I place a hand under my chin in thought. "Let's go find the prince. He has to believe you and not Xaldin." Belle nods and we search the West Wing for the prince. I decided to let the others search the grounds for any other rogue Heartless.

We found the prince in the West Wing with Mrs. Potts and Chip. It seems she was scolding the prince about something. "Belle would never do that!" Chip shouts. Belle ran over and began talking to the prince. I stood back and let her tell him about Xaldin's influence. "Mademoiselle, what are you doing here?" I was joined by Lumière.

"Belle told me about the man in the hood. He's trying to waver the prince's trust in her."

"Yes, ever since he came to the castle, the master has been irritated. His temper has gone out of control."

I directed my attention back to the group not far from us. They are were smiling brightly. "Oh, I guess we missed a little of the conversation," I said to Lumière. He nods and hops over to them. Chip spots me and smiles even more. He comes over and I pick him up. "Guess what, (Y/n)!" I giggle with a smile at the tea cup. "What, Chip?"

"We're gonna have a ball!" He shouts happily. I was taken aback by the news. "Really?"

"Yes, my dear. The master has decided to deal with the man himself. In the meantime, we shall prepare some tea. Belle also said she wanted to see you in her room later," Mrs. Potts said as she took Chip back to the kitchen. Before I had realized, I was the only one left in the hallway. Everyone else must have left without me knowing. I decided to leave the West Wing and search for the others.

As I was walking through the courtyard, I felt an arm wrap around my waist. I yelped in shock as I heard a familiar deep chuckle. I relax as soon as I realize it was Gladio. "Scared ya?" He asked while laughing. "Yes! I thought you were Xaldin," I reply. He gave me a questioning look. While he still had his arm around my waist, I told him about Xaldin and Organization XIII.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance and let me go. "So, we aren't finished here." I shook my head. I snapped my fingers as I realized why I was searching for him. "The prince has decided to have a ball as an apology to Belle. If you find Sora and the others, tell them I'll be with Belle. The ball starts in an hour." Gladio crossed his arms with a smug look on his face. I took a step away from him.

"You're planning something..." I mumble. His smug look remains, confirming my suspicions. I tense up and laugh nervously. "You know what? I'll go see Belle now. Bye!" I leave Gladio in the courtyard and run to Belle's room. Once I knocked on the door, she opened it and welcomed me with a smile. When I entered the room, I saw two dresses were laying in the bed.

"These are beautiful! Which one are you going to wear?"

"Actually..." Belle giggles and whispers in my ear. "G-Gladio asked you?!" I shout in shock. She nods and gestures to the dress next to hers. "He decided to leave the dress to me. I thought this one would fit you." I was too surprised to even mutter a word. "Let's get changed so we don't keep everyone waiting," Belle said and handed me the beautiful dress.

I gazed at myself in the mirror. The dress was even more beautiful than I thought. "You look beautiful, (Y/n)," Belle compliments. I turn and see her in the yellow dress she picked. "If someone's beautiful, it's you, Belle."

"I hope it's not too much," she worries. I shook my head. "Of course not! The prince will love it!" She began to blush at my words. I giggle and we head to the Ballroom. On the way, we ran into Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "Wow, (Y/n)! You look amazing!" Sora yells with a smile. I thank him and turn to the other two. "Gawrsh, Sora's right!" Goofy cheers. Donald nods in agreement.

"I hope you will enjoy the ball," Belle said to the trio. They all smile and nod. Belle and I enter the Ballroom as soon as the trio enters. The prince was already there and escorted Belle to the dance floor. I stood on the side, looking for Gladio. Someone tapped my shoulder and I turned around. It was Gladio. He was wearing a tuxedo.

"Wow, you look amazing, Gladio," I said as I took in his appearance. He offered me his hand and I gladly took it. "You're more radiant than usual,
(Y/n). You should wear dresses more often." He guides me to the dance floor with a smile. He placed an arm around my waist and I placed a hand on his shoulder. Gladio tightened his grip on the hand he was already holding.

"Since when did you learn to dance?" I ask as we take the first step. "Iggy taught me," he replied. I giggle and imagine him dancing with Ignis. "Wait, did Noct also help?" Gladio nods with an embarrassed look on his face. I bit my lip, hoping to keep my laughter at bay. Gladio noticed and began teasing me. "You look beautiful with the dress on, but I bet you'll look even better with it off."

My cheeks began to burn in embarrassment. At least no one else heard what he said. "N-no teasing!" I shout in a shaky voice. Gladio chuckles and kisses me on my forehead. Our dance ended when the music stopped. The prince took Belle to the balcony while Gladio and I joined the servants.

After an hour, I decided to change back into my original attire in case Xaldin shows up. A few minutes pass and a loud roar comes from the West Wing. I storm out of Belle's room and head to the West Wing. The prince was pacing back and forth, anger apparent in his eyes. "What happened?" I ask him. "Xaldin took the rose!" He yells. I flinch at his loud voice. The prince noticed and apologized.

"I'll get the rose back. Make sure to keep an eye on Belle. Xaldin will do anything to turn your heart dark." The prince nods and I began searching the castle. While looking, I ran into Gladio. "I've been looking for you," he said. I panted and told him about the rose. Gladio joined me in the search for the flower.

The last place we haven't check is the courtyard. Sora, Donald, Goofy, and the prince were also there. "Any luck?" Sora asked. We shook our heads with crestfallen faces. "I found the rose!" We heard shouting from above. Belle held the rose in her hands to show us. The prince smiled up at her warmly. I decided to run back into the castle and head to her room.

When I reached her room, I spotted Xaldin behind her. "Xaldin!" I shout. He changes his attention from Belle to me. "Belle, take the rose and run!" I shout as I summon my Keyblade. She nods and dodges Xaldin as he tried to grab her. I casted an ice spell and pushed him out of the window. He recovered and landed on his feet in the courtyard. I act quickly and jump out the window.

I landed on my feet and began attacking Xaldin. His lances blocked all my moves except for my magic. I caught him off-guard and landed a hit on his arm. He aimed his lances at me. With a small wave of his hand, all the lances flew towards me. I blocked all of them and was able to hit him with normal attacks.

I was able to push Xaldin back all the way to the bridge. Gladio tried to help me, but Sora stopped him. I felt a strange energy flow through my body. I charged at Xaldin and deliver hundreds of hits within seconds. With one last strike, Xaldin fell to his knees. His lances all vanished as he began to pant. The energy I felt earlier had vanished.

"I knew you posed a threat but not such a severe one," he managed to say. "It seems Xemnas will have to rethink his plan with you as an obstacle." With that, he vanished into a portal. My Keyblade dispels and I sigh in relief. I leaned against the side of the bridge in exhaustion. A gentle hand laid on my back. When I felt the hand, I relaxed. Gladio stood next to me in silence.

I looked over my shoulder to see Belle being hugged by the prince. I smiled and turned back around. Another sigh escapes me as I rest my head in my hands. "Never thought you could do that before," he said with a light chuckle. I pursed my lips and gave him a small glare. "Oh, please. I can kick your butt any day. You just need to tell me the time of day and I'll be there."

He slung an arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer to him. "I'm just messing with you, (Y/n)." I snort from the laughter I was holding in. "Who said I was kidding?" Gladio ran a hand through my (h/c) hair and kissed me on the lips. "We're still here!" A duck yells at us. Gladio and I began to laugh at what Donald said.

"Y'know, once we get back to Hollow Bastion, Prompto is gonna want all the details," I state.

"I'll make sure to leave out the dirty parts," he whispers in my ear. I shove him lightly and join the others. The trio said their goodbyes and headed to another world. Belle and the prince went back into the castle to discuss matters with the servants. The only people left were me and Gladio. "So... ready to head out?" I ask the brute.

"Let's go. This place is too dark for me." I giggle and open a portal to Hollow Bastion. Before I stepped through, Gladio had pulled me back and sealed my lips with his soft ones. The kiss was long and passionate which was something I've been craving for awhile now. We pulled apart and smiled at each other. "That'll have to do until we're alone again," he said. My smile turns into a grin after a few seconds.

"Well then, I hope we get to be alone soon."