Now we need some sad headcanons! What about Noctis with a s/o who has scars. Probably some on their chest, back and even on their face. They may feel really down when they hear from strangers that they look scary, ugly or unattractive

Righto! Mild trigger warning for negative thoughts. 

When they were a teenager, they were one of the very rare extremely unlucky people to be ‘favored’ by Ramuh.

In other words, they had been struck by lightning and survived. 

This left them with darkened lichtenberg scars across their skin, the darkest part being on their back where they had been struck. The scars went across their back, wrapped around their shoulders and over their chest, up their neck across half their face. They also branched down their arms and legs, with the faintest scars on their hands and feet.

They and Noctis had been friends at the time, and he had even visited them in the hospital while they recovered. 

The scars weren’t so bad as long as they didn’t look at themselves in a mirror. They’d be fine after a few weeks everyone said…

Only, they didn’t fade like they’re supposed to. 

So they avoid mirrors like the plague, and cover up as much skin as they can. (If they do happen to see a reflection of themselves, they feel something start burning inside them, making them want to claw their skin apart to REMOVE the burning.)

There’s nothing they can do about their face though. They tried make up once, but that required looking into a mirror and retouching everything far too often for them to feel comfortable. 

So they just avoid their own reflection and try to forget they’re there. 

But it’s hard when people only see their scars first, and not them. 

So they grown their hair out to try and hide their face, trying not to draw attention to themselves. 

They live like this for years, never truly dealing with the scars, and growing to hate themselves because of it. 

A deep depression would fall over them. They’d never considered themselves vain, but it would hurt them to know people would point and stare at them because of the pattern that was on their face. 

Some people find the scars beautiful on them. Others think they’re grotesque. But everyone feels the need to point them out.

Noctis is there the day they have a meltdown about it, and before they could say anything they might regret in front of a LOT of people, he drags them off to somewhere private.

They breakdown about how much they hate their appearance, and how the scars sometimes ache still, and how scared they are of storms, and that sometimes they really want to tear their scars off and who could love someone so disfigured? They’d be nothing but a novelty. A freak. They’d wish the lightning had just taken them. They didn’t want to be stared at anymore. 

He’d demand they shut up and just wrap his arms around them. He’s start listing all the reasons they shouldn’t hate themself, and that people did like them already.

Like him. This is when he’d confess but they’d take it the wrong way and see his confession as pity. (He has a HORRIBLE sense of timing.)

It would take some work but he’d eventually convince them that he liked them BEFORE their accident, and the scars didn’t change that. And they’d finally allow themselves a little bit of happiness when they agree to date him. 

It’d be hard at first, knowing the crown prince was dating them. Especially since the venom in peoples words hurt them. No matter how much Noctis reassured them that he loved them, they’d still hear the whispers of others. 

In person, Noctis would verbally tear anyone to shreds if they dared make a remark about their scars. But they don’t spend all their free time together, so there’s more than enough time for people to corner them and shatter their heart with venomous word.

It always takes Noctis a large amount of time to undue the damage those word create, but he’s steadfast in standing beside his S/O and comforting them.

Eventually, with Noctis loving them, they grow to tolerate their skin. Which isn’t much, but it’s an improvement. He helps them start gaining the confidence to live normally again. 

They start pulling their hair back, and may even cut it off and show their scars to the world unflinchingly.

Instead of hiding their skin, they grow to embrace it, wearing anything that bears their shoulders and back. They change drastically with Noctis helping them accept themself. 

“Look at me. Look at what I survived.” becomes words they live by.

Much to Noctis’ horror though, they decide to repay him by deciding to join the Kingsglaive. (It upsets him to know that if he or his father are ever in danger, they’re honer bound to protect them. )

At their general combat assessment, they’re forced to face their fear of lightning. Which has Noctis panicking. And they’re afraid. But they handle it very well.

…until they’re struck by it. 

It’s dead silence as they crouch on the ground after being hit. They’re hunched over, as lighting dances around them, skittering over their arms and around the floor around them. 

Imagine everyone’s surprise when they get up, unharmed, with an absolutely ruthless grin on their face. They didn’t even feel it. Because of what happened to them, lightning based attacks don’t work on them. 

They earn the nickname “Child of Ramuh” because of this. Or, as a joke, ‘Ramuh’s kid’. 

They grown into their own, and Noctis no longer needs to reassure them as much. But they’re both still devoted as ever to one another. 

And then Noctis is told that he’ll be marrying Luna, and neither object. It’s the best thing to do for the kingdom. They’re forced to break it off though they love each other.

They are not invited on the trip due to how much history is between them. 

They’re present for the events that befall Insomnia, and fight as hard as ever, wanting to ensure Noctis had a home to return to.

And when Insomnia falls, so do they.