Prompto and Noctis are sleeping soundly, curled around each other with their fingers laced together and lot of unresolved conversation waiting to be had, in the Prince’s bed. The Citadel is hyper aware of them just the same.
Ignis stands at attention, Gladiolus beside him, in the rear of the throne room as Regis argues with several of his advisors about the potential problems that may arise from the Lucian heir marrying a male.
It’s a half-hearted discussion at best, they’ve all known Noctis long enough to realize he’s likely to abdicate if they try to prevent him from this. He appears spoiled often, but he pays for things with money he earns, he cares about his people and does his best. In many ways, he’s just a normal teenager who spends an inordinate amount of time around big money. If they try to take the one person he’s actually asked to be allowed to spend time with, the one thing he’s asked of them for himself, he’ll turn away from his duty without much thought.
If they want him to save the world, like destiny says he’s going to, they have to let him save himself first and Prompto is the most likely person to help him along the way.
Ignis, personally, doesn’t care much about the reasoning. He cares that Noctis is in love and that Prompto is equally smitten and that they’re just a couple of kids who are doing things all backwards.
Gladio’s phone buzzes again and they slide closer together, looking at it without drawing attention to themselves.
The crownsguard and glaive are texting furiously about the new devlopement, but unlike the councilmen, they’re supportive and amused.
-How long until Prompto tries to get us to raise chocobos?
-I give it two weeks after the wedding.
-Okay, twenty crowns on that.
-You’re fuckin’ on Crowe!
-Oi, you lot better not be texting on duty! Also, kid’s awful shy about asking for things, I give it a solid year or Noctis gets them as a gift.
Gladio rolls his eyes and chimes in
-We’ll have ‘em before there’s a wedding, Noctis blurted out the proposal, they’ve gotta actually go through dating first.
-Please, with the way they’ve made eyes at each other for the last couple years? Wedding in no more than six months or I’ll eat Nyx’s cooking.
-Hey!
-Yeah fuck you man.
-Ladies and Gentlemen you have jobs to be doing. I suggest you do them. Also, official bets can be placed in my office.
-Yes sir!
The last text is repeated from various members of the staff and Ignis blinks in surprise, Cor get’s group texts...he wonders who else is seeing them.
A glance at the King confirms his suspicions as Regis subtly looks at his wrist where Ignis knows he wears a watch that shows him texts. He catches Ignis’ eyes and nods very slightly before continuing to listen to the men who have moved to arguing about when the wedding should take place.
In another part of the Citadel the Prince wakes. His eyes roam the planes of Prompto’s familiar but no less beloved features and he immediately groans, flopping over on his back.
Beloved. What is he, a character in a romance novel?
“Dude, whatever your damage is, can it wait until I’ve slept more?”
Noctis snorts as Prompto’s sleepy voice breaks the pseudo-silence. He squeezes Prompto’s fingers and releases his hand, yawning widely and stretching.
“Mmmm...”
Prompto knows the nuances of Noctis’ hums by now and he sighs, prodding the Prince.
“Look...we need to maybe talk about my parents, and the fact that you asked me to marry you, because as much as...I mean-I’m not saying no? but, as much as I would love that...dude.”
Noctis grunts his agreement and Prompto continues, “I’d like to just, kiss you and maybe grab some food together in a not best friends way first? Then I guess, we can talk about it?”
Noctis reaches an arm out and Prompto rolls his eyes, sliding under it and laying against Noctis. It’s not unfamiliar but it’s been a long time since they’ve slept like this and it’s got a new meaning now, but it’s still relaxing.
“Yeah. Kenny’s tomorrow?”
“Yeah....uh-kiss now?”
“Yeah”
Prompto licks his lips and scoots so he can press his lips to Noctis’. It’s gentle and nice, just the pressure of their lips and the slide of them as they move together to get comfortable. Noctis sighs a bit and Prompto hums in response, licking over Noctis’ lower lip.
The light touch is returned and they slowly taste each other, keeping things slow and languid. Warmth spreads through Prompto’s whole body as he carefully rolls his tongue over Noctis’ and he feels the slight upward curve of Noctis’ lips under his. They part with twin sighs and Noctis kisses Prompto’s forehead lightly, making them both turn a bit red.
“Sleep...need more.”
“Me too.”
Prompto’s out before Noctis and he counts it as a victory in it’s own way.
Ignis is usually careful about parking, usually he doesn’t slap the royal pass under the wipers and leave the meter maid to deal with the fact that he’s left the car partially in a fire lane. Usually he is also not on the receiving end of texts from Noctis that leave him questioning the immediate health and safety of the Prince. Or the Prince’s best friend.
Ignis thinks, as he rushes up the walk in a still very unruffled seeming way, that he needs to evaluate some things, because he knows if Noctis was the one he’d been texted about he probably still would’ve bothered to take time parking. Prompto though...Prompto had found the softest spot in his heart and made a home, slotting himself in somewhere between Ignis’ exasperated affection for Noctis and warm love for Gladiolus.
He doesn’t bother with knocking, simply lets himself into Prompto’s home and locates the blonde where Noctis has him laying on the couch. Noctis’ hands are fluttering over Prompto and there’s more worry than Ignis is used to seeing in the Prince’s face.
He takes a steadying breath and announces his presence, setting the bag of supplies on the floor near Prompto.
“Noctis. What’s happened?”
Prompto blinks at him slowly and curls in on himself more, the image of an injured fawn comes to mind as Ignis watches Prompto’s chin disappear under the blankets Noctis has piled on him.
Noctis splays a hand out, fingers wide. He doesn’t know how much he should explain, he knows some of the reasons but it’s Prompto’s choice what Ignis knows, so he goes with the basics.
“I’m not sure exactly, but when I go here he was half frozen in the bathroom. He was sitting on the floor half soaked and none of the heat in the house was on.”
Noctis see’s in the way Prompto is also listening to him that his friend probably is more out of touch than he thought.
Ignis nods firmly, “I’ll retrieve a towel to dry his hair. He needs body heat now, Noctis strip down and lay next to him, I will bring some hot tea.”
It’s a testament to Noctis’ concern that he starts dropping clothes, usually not the type to bare his body easily. Ignis has seen him in various states of dress plenty of times, but it’s still jarring to see the jagged scar that crosses his back.
He shakes himself and goes about getting the things they need. The warm clothes he’d brought as well as the preventative medicine can wait.
Noctis slides under the blanket and pulls Prompto against him, hissing a little at the contact. He wishes the circumstances were different, that they were curled together for better reasons.
Prompto shudders and noses him, muscles painfully tight but beginning to loosen as Noctis holds him.
“ ‘m wet?”
Noctis barely catches the mumbled question and frowns, nodding.
“Yeah, dude, how long were you in the bathroom?”
Prompto shrugs against him, “Dunno. I’m sorry. I t-tried...but I couldn’t stop thinking and I sorta..l-lost it.”
Noctis hums lowly, acknowledging, he smells Prompto’s hair and immediately cringes. It’s not water, Prompto is drenched in his own sweat as he shakes against Noctis, muscles finally loosening to allow him to shiver again. It’s a good thing but it still makes Noctis’ heart ache as Ignis returns and begins to carefully towel dry Prompto’s hair.
He decides to hold off on the tea until Prompto’s doing a bit better but he opens his bag and starts activating emergency heat packets, passing them to Noctis to place carefully between the blankets covering himself and the blonde.
It still takes a while for Prompto to get warm enough that he seems cognitive and Noctis watches his eyes droop in exhaustion. The Prince himself is a little too warm, but he knows Prompto needs him for more than just body heat.
“Noct-I’m sorry. I thought I was gonna be alright and I’m sor-”
Noctis shakes his head, hugging Prompto tighter, “It’s alright Prompto. Just rest, we can talk about it once you’re alright again.”
There’s another slight nod and Ignis moves to press the mouth of a water bottle to Prompto’s lips, leaning heavily into Noctis’ body to do so. Noctis doesn’t protest though, Prompto needs the fluids.
They give him time then, time to just relax until he’s nearly asleep against Noctis and their temperatures have evened out to something comfortable and safe. Prompto’s nose is pressed to Noctis’ collarbone and Noctis’ fingers are laced in his hair, rubbing it gently between the pads.
“Hey, Prom...where’re your parents?”
Usually they show up at least once, even if it’s just to grab something and it’s been hours now with nothing. Prompto’s shoulders tense immediately thought and Noctis pushes him so he can look in his eyes.
“Prompto?”
The blonde’s eyes are moist and he takes a shuddering breath in, “I don’t...Noct. They...last month they decided that they needed to be close to where they work but they didn’t want me to move with them and I...they’re gone.”
Prompto trails off and the room is silent for a long moment before Ignis’ incredulous voice sounds.
“Prompto, are you saying they’ve simply left you here?”
Prompto nods, hiding his face against Noctis again as a sob runs through him and Noctis feels like a rug has been ripped from under him. His best friend, the person he’s in love with, has been hurting and he didn’t see…
Prompto pushes out, “It’s alright, I’m dealing with it, mostly. Things were weird between us anyways but it’s been hard not to let…” He chokes on tears for a moment, “I just feel kinda numb about it but I keep over thinking everything else and I, I know that most people don’t really want me around and I get left behind a lot-”
Noctis inhales sharply, he knows where this is headed. “Prompto, it’s not because of you. They made their decisions because they’re workaholics, not because of you! I don’t know what’s going on with them but, I-fuck…”
He isn’t good at this, he can’t comfort with words and he doesn’t know how to give Prompto the things he needs, the reassurance that his parent’s hadn’t abandoned him because he’d done something wrong, that Prompto still has him, him and Ignis and Gladio. He wants to take the warm love and the comfort and understanding Prompto always gives him and pour it back into the blonde but he doesn’t know how.
Finally he just gives up on words entirely and presses a gentle kiss to Prompto’s cheek. The blonde’s breath stops entirely and Noctis immediately panics a bit, shuffling them around so he’s leaning over Prompto even as Ignis huffs behind him.
“Noct?”
He blushes, sometimes he forgets he hasn’t actually told Prompto how he feels yet. It’s the worst timing, but maybe it’ll help a little...he isn’t sure but he’s saved from the words threatening to suffocate him by Ignis just the same.
“If you’re feeling up to it Prompto, I believe you should eat something small. Then I believe that both Noctis and myself would feel much better if you came to stay at the citadel. I also feel you should know that I’ve informed Gladio and if you refuse he is threatening to come and carry you there. It will give you the time you and Noctis need to speak to one another,” Noctis catches the knowing tone in Ignis’ voice and blushes again, “and give you the resources to discuss what happens since you are not yet fully independent. You’re parents will be contacted about their negligence.”
Prompto’s cheeks are dusted a light red but he still tries to protest, “N-no, Iggy, it’s fine they just needed away, I get it!”
Ignis isn’t about to deal with that though and Noctis can see the response before it comes but he is still surprised by both the vehemence and the genuine concern in Ignis’ demeanor.
“It’s not fine Prompto, they cannot simply leave their child behind without any warning, let alone bothering to explain themselves to him. If they truly want you out of their lives they are fools and we will do our best to give you the family you deserve. Regis would not mind another son.”
Prompto is staring open mouthed and Noctis finds the sudden image of Prompto and his father becoming closer, of Prompto in a nice white suit, of royal rights so Prompto really would be a prince, but certainly not Noctis’ brother, fills his mind.
He’s getting ahead of himself though and he coughs a little, even as Ignis clears his throat and leaves to pack Prompto a bag.
“Wow...I’m dead aren’t I? I passed out and froze to death in the bathroom, because Ignis could not have just told me we could be brothers?”
Noctis snorts and blanches internally. Now or never, he guesses.
“You’re not dead, you’re just a bit dense. Ignis didn’t say you could be my brother, he said you could be another son to my father. A Prince.”
Prompto’s expression is confused but not unhopeful if still a little hazy.
“Well if he adopted me, then I’d totally be your brother and-wait, oh...shit a Prince!?”
Noctis huffed and rolled his eyes, “Yeah a Prince dude, but not my brother because it’d be really weird if I was married to my brother.”
Oh. Not exactly how Noctis meant to phrase the fact that he was in love with the blonde. Shit.
“I...oh. I mean-I-uh- It’d be weird if I was in love with my brother?”
It’s too late though, Prompto’s eyes are huge and his cheeks are twin flames as he gasps trying to come up with words.
“You love me? YOU...you want to marry me?”
It comes out half shout, half whisper and Noctis bites his lip and shrugs a bit, laying back down properly and hugging Prompto’s shocked for again.
“I mean, I did that all backwards...but yeah?”
Prompto stares into his eyes until he hears Ignis moving closer, “Alright. I mean, i’m gonna need a bit for any of this to be real to me, but if I’m not dreaming or dead...alright. I’ll marry you.”
Noctis grins and then, “Wait...I-no-we...can we do that? Can we skip being boyfriends?”
In the hallway Ignis shoots a text to Gladiolus
“Apparently they WEREN’T dating yet? I do think Noctis just proposed however.”
He figures that it won’t take much time before that bit of information circulates in important circles and he deftly retrieves Noctis’ and Prompto’s forgotten phones, a few clicks and the messages display: Notifications Off.
Noctis’ patience wore thin at the best of times and with ever passing hour he felt more likely to start tearing out his...well not his hair, but something.
Prompto’s text, or more lack thereof, had him worried. He had known the blonde for years and never once had Prompto ever deleted a message. He’d sent plenty that he immediately tried to take back, but he believed that once something was said it was better to talk about it or to explain why he didn’t mean it than get rid of it entirely.
The meetings and Ignis’ insistence that he finish his work for the day had kept him from leaving the citadel immediately after dressing that morning, but as he finished reading the last report assigned to him, he refused to hold back any longer.
His own text sat disconcertingly unanswered.
Prom, hey dude, sorry I was asleep, what did you need?
It had been sent hours ago and he knew that Prompto had to be awake by now. The lack of answer only made him more determined to go to the blonde.
Prompto’s house was quiet as ever, the lack of activity a sadly familiar sight. Noctis had reconciled with Prompto’s parent’s lack of interest in their child a while ago but it was still frustrating, especially days like this.
He didn’t bother knocking, just used his own key to let himself in. Prompto’s room was empty and there were no sounds coming from any of the living areas. Noctis’ heart jumped into his throat and he summoned his daggers. His best friend could protect himself but Noctis wasn’t taking any chances.
He had a hand placed, fingers splayed, on the cherry wood door of Prompto’s parents little used bedroom when he heard it. The faint sound of something moving. He turned and listened carefully, catching the sound again from the bathroom.
Noctis lifted a blade, curved back toward his arm and held to protect his vitals like Gladio had drilled into him, and carefully opened the door.
Prompto’s head jerked up from where he’d been slowly falling asleep curled on the cold tile floor. The blanket was tangled around him and his lips were slightly blue. His eyelids felt like weights and he registered Noctis standing in the doorway.
Immediately he tried to push himself up, tried to pull a smile out of the apathetic chill that had settled in his core. His lips were slow to respond and he could feel the way his face pulled was all...wrong.
Noctis saw it too, as his daggers vanished in a blue glow and the Prince nearly warped to Prompto’s side.
“What the fuck dude?”
Prompto shrugged and tugged the blanket, trying to pull it off of himself, but his fingers fumbled in their numbness. Noctis didn’t sound angry, just concerned and a hint scared, but Prompto’s mood twisted the words.
“I’m sorry. I’m fine, I just got too hot last night and shit...sorry. What’s up?”
He tried to force his uncooperative body to move, ignoring the way that his stomach clenches as he realizes he’s still just in his boxers and Noctis will be able to see him. See the worthless shape of him.
The pale lines that mark his stomach and thighs, the way that there’s a little protrusion of extra skin, and worst of all, Noctis will be able to see the way his boxers hug his thighs. They are a little too small now and Prompto wants to vomit when he finally makes it too his feet.
He worked so hard and he wasn’t there just yet, and now he was gaining weight again. His hands fumble again, still frigid as he tried for a smaller, more natural looking smile.
“Gods it’s freezing in here, I’m so dumb!”
Noctis isn’t having it though, not when he can see the shaky way that Prompto struggles, when he catches the misery in his friends eyes.
He doesn’t say anything though, just wraps an arm around Prompto’s waist and pulls him to the living room. There will be time, he will make goddamned time, for Prompto to recover from whatever drove him to that bathroom. Noctis tugs out his phone as Prompto tries to tell him he’s fine. It’s a testament to how not-fine he is that he uses few words and isn’t already distracted and babbling about something else.
Ignis, I need the week off. No arguments. Prompto’s hurting and he needs me. Tell Cor he can shove his training regime if he argues.
Prompto is frowning at him, “You don’t have to worry about me Noct.”
And I need you to get here too. I think he might be a bit hypothermic. Iggy...please.
Prompto doesn’t last much longer, he’s started shivering now and it hurts. He lays down on his couch as Noctis starts pulling blankets over him. Prompto wants to apologize again, he hates that he’s made his Prince worry, hates how useless he is. He can’t do anything right and surely Noctis isn’t talking to him because he’s angry.
The Angst Train has no breaks. I feel not great so i took it out on them. Whoops. Will add to this tomorrow, probably.
Hey Noct.
Too casual, his shaky finger taps the back button.
Hello-
No, no, no. Fuck.
Noct. Sorry, I know it’s late as fuck. I just, I...can I call you?
Too desperate, he shortens it.
Noct, if you’re still up call me dude.
Yeah, that’s good. The send button though. It’s a daunting square on the bright screen of his phone and he swallows around the feeling of his throat trying to strangle him.
Prompto’s been so good. He’s managed for a long time now, on his own, to keep it together. Noctis needs him for his laughter, for his jokes, and his normal-ness. He needs him for his ability to make things brighter.
Prompto won’t be doing that if he presses send. He’s tucked in on himself, sitting with a blanket that’s a bit too thin draped over himself in the corner of his bathroom. The light is on and he feels the grit of too little sleep under his eyelids.
It’s not the first time he’s been driven here by the tightness in his stomach or the way that he sometimes feels like screaming. He wishes it could be the last.
It’s pretty bad tonight, the overwhelming sense that he’s not worth much of anything to anyone, let alone himself. Pictures of his time with Noctis lay carefully stacked around him and he’s tried holding them, looking at them and remembering, but it’s not enough.
He doesn’t know if he’s going to throw up or if he’s just cold enough his muscles hurt, but he doesn’t have the energy to stand up and find out.
The send button is still staring him in the face and he bites his lip, ignoring the sting of his teeth on already abused flesh. His thumb twitches and he makes a decision.
The message sends. He stares down at it for a long time, shuddering slightly as the chill settles in a little stronger. Maybe...maybe it was stupid.
In the late morning Noctis picks up his phone and opens a message from Prompto. It’s an automated notice though, that simply reads
