Twilight of the Gods

Astarte's eyes widened and she stared at Mortal, seeming to turn pink in the cheeks. She spent a few moments in silence, still trying to read Mortal's expression.
"As a friend?" Astarte asked quietly, seeming to have realized something obvious but also seeming a little disappointed. "I am glad."

Mortal shook her head, put her hands on Astarte's shoulder, and pulled her into a kiss. After a while she broke it, and said, "As a friend, and so much more..."

Astarte continued to stare up at Mortal with bewilderment. Her pink cheeks had become scarlet and both her lips and knees were trembling. She blinked a few times, as though waking from a dream, before speaking.
"Why have you...? What about...?" She tried to settle on a single question, but her voice failed her and she stood in silence.

"I really like you, Astarte," Mortal said, "I want to be with you. Aroma and Sab do too, if you're willing to be with us."

"I like you," Astarte lifted a hand and wiped at her eyes as a few tears appeared.

Mortal smiled, hugged Astarte, then lifted her in the air, twirling her around a bit. "Oh," She put her back down, "Right, your back, I'm sorry. I'm just happy." She kissed Astarte again.

Astarte leaned into the kiss and wrapped her arms around Mortal, a few tears rolling down her cheeks. She would leave it to her to break the kiss.

Sab stepped onto the scene at this point, presumably with Aroma in tow, "So, I assume everything went well."

Mortal broke the kiss and looked over, smiling and nodding her head.

Astarte lowered her head and took a deep breath, looking vaguely guilty.

Sab now felt a bit awkward. "So, I think I understand how you feel about Mortal, but what about us?" Sab asked, "Mortal is with us. Are you?"

"I... yes," Astarte said after finding her voice again. "It was not only Mortal who has lead me to understand human feelings, and helped me to experience them myself. Th-... There is nothing I would like more, than for the three of you to accept me, and to be with all of you."
By the end of her speech, Astarte had gone from looking down at her feet to looking at Sab and Aroma with a hint of a smile.

<Your principles mean nothing to me. Now write the check.>
================================
*Aroma makes this a group hug.*

"Who the hell writes checks anymore?" Noct pulled out her phone, and logged onto her e-banking account, "Just tell me where to wire the money."

--

And so it is.

Astarte participated in a group hug.

Chesed<Ginjo Kugo. He left everything to me.>

E"Because of your FullBring, of course."

Chesed<Indirectly. It was the condition we agreed upon for my involvement. Only later did I discover that Yukio actually paid for everything. And you people failed to kill him, otherwise, I would have edited his will.>

Noct looked surprised, "Yukio is alive? Euryale, remind me to sever business ties with him. Something tells me he'd only screw me over if given the chance. Who else made it out of this alive?"

After hugging Mortal returns to the scene with the harem.

Chesed<In addition to myself, Jackie Tristan, Yukio Hans Vorarlberna, Moe Shishigawara, and Riruka Dokugamine are all of the surviving members of the original chapter of Xcution. I believe that Yukio is selling the Xcution bases that he contributed to, & approaching the others about employment in his company.>

Astarte lingered behind Sab, Aroma and Mortal, staring dreamily into the sky.

Sab turned and put an arm around Astarte, "Why are you staring at the ceiling?"

Noct shrugged, "So that means only Giriko, Ginjo, and Tsukishima were killed."

"Sorry? Oh," Astarte looked at Sab and smiled sheepishly. "I was just thinking."

*Chesed stands up.*

Chesed<I have his address. Let's just get this over with.>

E"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure. But...one thing, before we go."

*Euryale twirls Noctis around & pulls her into a bear hug, & an impassioned kiss. She then wipes moisture from her eyes.*

E"I don't remember what separated us, but Gods, I missed you so much."

Noct returns the hug and kiss. When it ends she wipes tears away as well, "I missed you too..."

*Chesed taps her foot impatiently.*

E"Alright, let's go. We'll celebrate later tonight."

"Shall we go?" Astarte asked, looking up at Mortal and putting her arm around Sab.

"I like the sound of that," Noct said with a smile.

Mortal looked at Sabstarte and nodded, "Yea, sure."