A Royal Commission (14)
@fleetstreetfatality
Prompto’s bent over a client, a headband holding back his hair and the gun buzzing in his hand, glasses in place since he had a late start. The bell over the door chimes but he doesn’t bother to look up, just calling a quick welcome as he works the finer details of a wing.
He pauses, wiping away blood and excess ink, allowing his gaze to flick up enough to register unfamiliar boots and their position before he starts working again.
“You can take a seat or look around, someone will be out in a sec.”
The voice the answers makes him freeze, lifting the gun slowly, glad the guy’s he’s working on is too busy messing with his phone to notice his tension.
“Oh? I do hope it’s my other wayward child.”
He finds himself looking into a face he’s prayed to never see again.
“Ardyn.”
The word is barely a ghost on his lips and he sets his tool aside, shaking as he holds himself straight, wishing he was wearing something more substantial than a tank and board shorts, but the heat of the through the large windows...well he’s just going to have to have emotional armor today.
He goes for his best glare, hoping Charlie comes out soon, back up would be great.
“Can I help you sir?”
The man let’s a touch of a smirk curl his lips and dusts imaginary lint from his ridiculous sleeve, “I don’t know, how quickly can you gather your things little artist?”
“I-I’m working on someone else now, but you can make an appointment?” He tries to keep it up, the game of not knowing as he shifts from foot to foot trying to keep himself from losing it.
“You always were good at playing dumb. Well I suppose I will make myself clear, I’m here to bring you home dear. You’ve done admirably, I hear the Prince is eating out of your hand but I’m afraid there’s been a change of plans.”
The guy in the chair chimes in and Prompto feels a rush of gratitude as he does.
“Hey man, you can’t just kip in here and make him leave, he’s still workin’ on me.”
Ardyn just raises an eyebrow and Prompto swallows hard, seeing the gathering magic in the tips of his fingers. Suddenly he’s very aware of the fragility of the Lucian citizen behind him, unaware of how fast this man might end his life. Prompto can’t let that happen, not to a bona fide crown citizen, not when he’s worth so much less. He feels tears welling and forces them back, holding his wrist tightly as he turns to his client.
“Charlie can finish the work, I uh, I’m so sorry. I hafta go now...tell him sorry, on the house okay?”
The guy frowns harder, opens his mouth to protest but the bell over the door chimes and Prompto jerks as blue light engulfes him and a pair of arms appears circling his waist.
“Chancellor.”
Noctis’ voice is cold and Prompto is very glad he’s in the Prince’s good graces. Ardyn’s smile is brittle as he tips his stupid hat.
“Your Highness. I had heard a great deal of this artist, but alas, I believe I can find better quality than this...MT peddaler. However I do have some business with your friend, so if I might borrow him?”
Prompto shrinks into Noctis who presses a pistol into his hand without looking at him, giving him the protection he so desperately wants.
“He is under my protection Chancellor. Anything you need addressed to him can pass through me.”
Noctis doesn’t sound like the man Prompto’s come to know and it’s a glimpse of him as he might be, strong and regal. Prompto hates how it makes his blood pressure spoke, even now.
Ardyn tips his hat again and looks at Prompto, a glint of amusement in his eyes, “Your family misses you dear. Come home real soon,” He looks at Noctis, “before someone gets hurt.”
Prompto feels like the air in the room’s been sucked out as Noctis’ magic flares and Ardyn’s own responds but more than that, the burning he sometimes feels in his chest lights up and he places a hand on Noctis’ shoulder pulling the Prince back as he raises the gun passed to him.
His grip is steady, the memory of darkness that his blood knows even if he does not and his aim is true. Ardyn claps slowly, looking pleased as a strange red light highlights his face.
“And scene. Very good boys, very good. I’ll take my leave. Do tell your father hello, your highness”
The bell chimes and he’s gone, Prompto collapses into Noctis who cups his cheek as he shakes, trying for words that are mostly broken gasps.
“Prom? Prompto?!”
The red light’s still there, washing over Noctis’ cheeks.
“The fucks with his eyes?” Charlie’s voice, and Prompto turns, the red wash swinging with him to color Charlie and the client and his chest squeezes, but Noctis already knew, so there’s no real damage done.
Noctis gently guides him to the floor, holding him and taking the gun from him, letting it disappear into the blue light that helps steady Prompto’s erratic breathing. He’s here with Noct, with his friends, he’s safe. He calms down slowly and blinks at the weird itching that he assumes is his eyes changing back.
“Hey there.” He finally mutters into Noctis’ collar as the Prince rubs his back slowly.
“ ‘S up?” Noctis smiles a little and Prompto wants to melt into the tender look on his face because even after having proof of his past shoved into his face, Noctis still cares, he’s still touching him like he’s a person.
“Holy shit.” The client says, loudly and Prompto can’t help it, he starts to laugh until they’re all doing it.
Regis looks at Ignis with a raised eyebrow as he carefully stirs a cube of sugar into his tea. The King is trying, and failing, to not appear proud of his reckless son.
“I’m sorry, Ignis, one more time, who pointed a gun at a visiting dignitary?”
Ignis sighs, but Regis can read the same smug pride underneath.
“Prompto did. After Noctis gave it to him. After he warped his way across a good chunk of the city because ‘I just think he’s not safe’ after throwing himself out of the car while I was still going at least 20 miles an hour. I asked and the only thing I got from either of them was that Chancellor Izunia was being especially...as Noctis put it, ‘cringey’.”
Regis scowls and takes a slow sip, “Better write up an apology letter I suppose. Ignis, if you would please take a seat and share a cup of tea with me?”
Ignis sets his paperwork aside, loosens his tie a tiny bit and smiles, “Certainly.”
As soon as he’s comfortably seated Regis leans forward, “Now, how do we tell Prompto that he’s welcome to shoot that rat bastard next time?”
Ignis laughs and Regis grins broadly, because really, tea chats are off the record. Ignis shrugs then, “Perhaps he should be invited over for a family day?”
Regis gives up the premise of being any healthier than Noctis, dumping five more cubes into his tea and stirring even as he see’s Ignis twitch, “Yes. Yes that’s exactly what we need to do. It’s been a long time since the last one...Clarus was lamenting the fact yesterday.”
Family days are tradition among them, Regis, Noctis, the Amicitia’s and Ignis take off, usually to the crystal clear lake outside of the city where there’s a small lake house, and they “slum” it. Regis can see Prompto having a great deal of fun, and really, it’s high time he speak with the two boys about their relationship.
“How about this weekend?”
Ignis huffs, “Tomorrow? Regis, that’s going to cause uproar.”
“I know, isn’t it great?”
Ignis takes a sip of his own unsweetened tea, like father, like son, he supposes.
Noctis brings out the fluffiest blanket Prompto’s ever seen and spreads it with a practiced flourish over them both as he flops down beside the blonde.
“Press play?”
Prompto rolls his eyes, reaching for the remote and finding he’ll have to leave the fortress of pillows and the blanket to get it. Instead he falls back, waving two fingers at Noctis.
“You will get the remote” He intones, his best Obi-Wan impression on. Noctis goes blank faced and Prompto thinks for a moment he doesn’t get it, and then..
“I will get the remote.”
Noctis moves with exaggerated robotic jerks and lifts the remote making small “Sjjjjjjjjuuuush” sounds as he drops it into Prompto’s laughs and pretends to power down.
“Dweeb”
“Not the one who made the reference.”
….”fair”
Prompto hits play as Noctis cozies up beside him again, both of them are shirtless and Noctis’ fingers fall with ease to the roses that climb Prompto’s left side, fingers following by touch alone the path of elegant green as the previews start.
He goes to skip them but Noctis’ other hand stops him, “Hey, you good?”
Prompto takes a moment to think, clicking his stud against his teeth in thought, “Right now? Yeah. Kinda freaked that he might show up again…”
Noctis’ nose wrinkles a little, “Why were you going to go with him?”
Right. He explained what happened but…
“I couldn’t...there was Lucian in the shop and he tried to say something to Ardyn but, he’s a trash panda so it’s not like he wouldn’t hurt to guy for trying to interfere you know? I figured I couldn’t let one of your people get hurt for someone like me, so why not go quiet and figure it out later?”
Noctis snorts and stares at him, “Dumbass. You’re one of my people too.”
Prompto shrugs and they watch a few explosions, advertising some action flick or another, before Noctis’ speaks again.
“You should come train with us. Me and Gladio I mean, you held the gun like a natural and if you get training, I could give you access to my magic, you could have a weapon anytime.”
Prompto grins at that, “Really? That would be so cool!”
Noctis bumps shoulders with him, “Yeah, and the best part is, there’s a bonding thing we’d have to do, usually I just touch someone’s shoulder, but the more physical the stronger the bond…” Noctis wags his eyebrows and Prompto blushes a little, shoving at his shoulder.
“Strongest bond in Lucian history, here i come!”
Noctis laughs and kisses Prompto, the laughter pressing into his lips as they take a moment, breathing each other in, reaffirming that everything’s okay as Prompto lets himself relax, the soft slide of Noctis’ warm lips anchoring him.
The menu pops up and they part at the blare of sounds, curling closer as Prompto flicks the play button again.
“I call Julio!”
Noctis rolls his eyes, “Fine, I’ll do Miguel.”