This is still just cute fluff and I just...love it? Thanks @fleetstreetfatality for fueling this fire :) (ALSO this is 74 pages long now.Yikes)
The first morning session with Cor is not what he expects. Brutal physical exhaustion, maybe some aggression working out or something.
Instead Prompto finds himself sitting very still beside the marshall, watching the river that feeds the lake as it runs past them, uncaring. Cor doesn’t speak, just breathes slowly, eyes half lidded as he stares into the clear water. Prompto glances at him every few minutes and tries to match his breathing, maybe it’s some centering thing?
Half an hour passes and finally Cor moves, turning his body toward Prompto some more.
“You’ve got patience. Good. Noctis is a trying little shit on the best days. Now, enough staring at the damn water, on your feet.”
Prompto blinks and nods, hurrying to stand, almost immediately he starts bouncing his weight from foot to foot. Cor looks at him blankly and he stops, cringing a bit.
“It’s good to be quick, on your toes. When you shoot though, especially when you shoot to kill, you have to find your grounding, even if you only a have a second. I’d like to see how your aim is first, know what I’m in for, then we’ll work on that.”
With another jerky nod Prompto follows Cor a little further down the small dirt bath, noting absently some of the wildflowers he wants to take pictures of later, imagining how they’d look in ink on Noctis’ hips. He’s pulled back into their purpose though as the Marshall stops and gestures to a target.
He looks at the other man, just to affirm the intention but Cor gives away little. He sighs and raises the gun, hands fitting startlingly well and tries to hold it steady. It’s a bit shaky and Prompto forces himself to take slow breaths, drawing from somewhere deep as he sights and fires. He lets off four shots and then stops.
It’s only when Cor and himself approach the target he realizes it’s shaped loosely like a person. The shots are a perfect line, starting just under the ribs and ending with a final shot between the eyes and Prompto shudders, a clammy and uncomfortable feeling bubbling in his chest.
Cor doesn’t give him any kind of look though, just nods.
“Good. It’s a start. Now then….”
Several hours later Prompto curls in bed again, his body curved around Noctis’ as he runs his fingers through the Prince’s hair. He’s a little sore but nothing like he expected to be after working with Cor. It was a lot of information, a lot of correcting tiny details, and a lot of just...talking.
Noctis stirs, pushing into Prompto hands and humming. It draws a smile from the blonde and he leans in to kiss Noctis’ cheek, breathing him in, morning breath making his nose wrinkle a little. Cor’s right, he thinks as he looks at the sleeping Prince, there’s nothing that could turn him from Noctis’ side. Not his own past, not Noctis’ actions, not the Astrals themselves.
At the moment though, his main concern is waking Noctis.
“C’mon Noct, it’s late. The others want to do something, they keep talking about racing boats? I’m lost, I need you to guide me here dude! I’ve never even touched a boat!”
He gently shakes Noctis, becoming a little more playful as the Prince grumbles at him until his flicking his fingertip against his nose. It must be irritating because Noctis finally gives up and rolls away with a moan before sitting up.
His grey eyes blink sleepily and he glares at Prompto.
“You don’t have to, they’re not racing actual boats.”
“Oh..uh, what?”
“Man...let me put on clothes and shit.”
Prompto knows that tone, it’s Nocts “I’m too fucking tired, give me five” voice and he’s more than happy to let his lover wake up more before pushing it.
He sits patiently, smiling a little while Noctis rolls out of bed, almost literally. His feet thunk against the floor and there’s a moment where Prompto’s not sure that the rest of Noctis’ body isn’t going to follow them down. He manages though and makes small, somehow endearing, noises, grabbing clothing with his eyes half closed and tugging it on.
Prompto only laughs a little when he comes out of it with his shirt on backwards and has to fight it to turn around.
“You alright there buddy?”
Noctis just glares at him, but there’s no real heat to it as his hands are already seeking Prompto’s body. He pulls the blonde to stand and hugs him tight, tucking his face into Prompto’s neck and humming softly. Prompto smiles, small and warm, and hugs him back.
“Morning.” Noctis sounds marginally more awake now and Prompto rubs his cheek into the Prince’s messy hair with a soft sound.
“Morning...so...boats?”
Noctis let’s him go, stepping back and shrugging as he combs fingers through his hair, patting it flat. Prompto gets distracted for a moment because it doesn’t seem like Noct’s going to do much to it today and it’s sort of...intimate in it’s own way, seeing him relaxed this way. It gives Prompto another moment of perspective as he realizes that despite the usual level of casual that Noctis keeps out here, along with the others, he can let go of even more of the formalities that come from being royal.
“Yeah...it started when Iggy and I were little and it’s kinda...tradition now. We build little boats out of leaves and grass and stuff and float them down the river, whoever’s goes the furthest in the River God while were here and gets to make decrees about dinner and what games we play. It’s..silly.”
Prompto’s grinning already though, because it’s exactly the kind of fun he’s never had. He shakes his head, “I hope you’re ready to eat salad for dinner then, because I’m outclassed in everything else, but I can build stuff like nobodies business.”
Noctis just smirks, “Is that a challenge?”
“You scared bro?”
“No, but you certainly should be. Clarus is the reigning champion.”
Ignis’ amused tone about makes Prompto jump out of his skin and he turns to find the the man leaning in the open doorway to the room, arms crossed over a light tan button down. It’s almost...safari-esque, especially paired with the khaki shorts and the leather first aid pouch strapped to his thigh, but it’s so crisp it can only be Ignis’ version of outdoor wear.
“I dunno Iggy, he’s threatening vegetables. You two might have to team up to take him down.”
Ignis laughs and Prompto’s chest warms as Noctis takes his hand and pulls him after the advisor.
In the end Prompto’s little boat, large maple leaves and a few carefully selected twigs does very well but Noctis’ crosses the line of sunlight slanting over the water they declared a finish line a little ahead, Clarus’ boat caught on a stray bunch of leaves in the water and Iris blowing hard to free her own little craft. Regis, Gladio, and Ignis’ little ships are all just swirls of debris after a rather unfortunate collision with one another.
Prompto laughs as Noctis father grabs his hands and flings them up, shouting out his victory while the other’s mock being unable to look at his glory. It’s all just...silly.
Regis gives a heartfelt eulogy for the “wee nature sailors” lost in the tragedy and Prompto finds himself wiping exaggerated fake tears away as Cor nods along solemnly. It’s all made much more ridiculous by the fact that Regis is dressed in a fisherman's vest, his wide brimmed hat clutched to his chest. Gladio slings an arm around Prompto and Noctis when they begin the walk back, forcing his body between them.
“So lovebirds, fancy a few rounds of cards?”
Prompto blinks at him and Noctis scoffs, “You’re just trying to win your dignity back.”
“Bad form son.” Clarus comments, to their right and Gladio unashamedly shrugs back at his father.
“Yeah, well I thought sticking those of us not cooking at a table might be a good way to learn a little more about blondie here.” He jerks his head at Prompto, who swallows and is sudden very warm.
He forgets so easily, too easily in fact, that though he’s been made welcome, they still have questions, things they want to know. It’s almost more daunting now, because he knows they’ll ask him about normal things, movies he likes, if he prefers milk or dark chocolate, a hundred tiny things that he’s never had to share before.
Clarus answers that with a hum, “I’d like to know a bit more about some of those tattoos, that’s true. Alright, River God, what say you?”
Noctis stops, bringing the whole troop of them to a halt and thinks on it, his eyes meeting Prompto’s as he pretends to weigh his options. Prompto’s grateful when he realizes that Noctis really is taking in how nervous he is. He gives him a tiny nod and Noctis raises his chin, his tone imperial.
“I will favor you with this request. One full round of rummy for the night then!”
“Yes!” Iris claps and Prompto looks at her, “I always win Rummy!”
He laughs and Noctis shoves Gladio out of the way, taking his hand and giving it a light squeeze that Prompto returns. He finds himself looking forward to Iris wiping the floor with them, because for once, it’s more about the company.
