Day Nine of Noctis Month
So here we are, me being a good noodle and everyone else wondering if it counts if I am doing it right before the deadline.
I am here to tell you that no, it probably doesn’t but yes, I don’t care care if it actually counts.
So on with the show!
Read it here or on AO3, I don’t mind either!
Fandom: Final Fantasy 15 / Relationships: Prompto/Noctis - Prompto & Regis
Tags: Reunions, Regis, Cor, Prompto, Noctis, Ignis, Gladio, Dinner Parties, Prompto Figures Things Out, Regis is a Troll, Noctis is Jelly, Everyone is just: ‘What?’
Chapter Eight: In Meeting Again, There’s Clarity.
“Noct. I think I am done for.”
Prompto fiddled with his tie again, making it a bit looser and then tightening it up because Ignis was already giving him a look from across the room. Noct gave him a pat, his smile filled with pity.
“Trust me, the party hasn’t even started yet.”
Prompto groaned, trying to keep his voice low and not attract the attention that was already on him.
“How did I get stuck here anyways?”
It had been group effort really.
Noct had practically begged his friend to come help him not die at a dinner party, to which Prompto had laughed and refused.
After that, it was simply getting Ignis to buy him a suit and Gladio keeping them longer the normal for practice and a group effort to switch out his clothes for the party outfit and then leaving it to Prompto to decide whether he wanted to stay in the shower naked or just give in to his fate and wear the suit.
Noct nudged him a little, giving him his best smile.
“Thanks for coming anyways.”
Prompto frowned at him but it was an effort. The edges of his lips were already tilting up.
“Even though you and Ignis and Gladio basically kidnapped me?”
“You could have refused.”
“Yeah but I think not buddy. Don’t think I want to freeze in a shower.”
Noct laughed softly and Prompto smiled.
They sat in good company for a bit, Noct deflecting most of the people who came and tried to talk to them, Prompto blushing in the background at the attention he was getting.
They were doing a good job of avoiding the party when there was a commotion outside, Ignis and Gladio coming up to join the two boys.
Ignis got close, giving Prompto a look as he talked to Noct.
“It seems His Majesty has come to join in on the festivities.”
Noct nodded, feeling his stomach flutter for a second.
Prompto looked just about the same, his face nervous at the prospect of meeting the King.
He nudged him again, giving his friend a smile.
“Ready to meet my dad?”
-
Prompto was definitely not ready.
He heard Ignis, noting slightly that you called a king ‘Your Majesty’ and felt the small nudge that Noct gave him but also felt like he was either going to puke or faint.
Maybe both.
He watched the doors like everyone, the butterflies swarming in his stomach as they swung open.
He was going to meet the King, the man who could decide whether he lived or died with a single comment.
But more than that, he was meeting Noct’s dad, the man who could decide that Prompto wasn’t fit to be his son’s friend.
That thought alone made him more nervous than anything else.
But, as two servants came in and announced the arrival of the King, stepping aside to let them through, Prompto noticed a whole group of people come in.
First were some guards, dressed in an outfit of the Glaive with their hoods down. Prompto spotted Nyx among them, his face serious and focused.
Then came a few officials, some Prompto was familiar with and other not so much.
After that, a group of more people, mostly unfamiliar, came in and everyone began clapping, Ignis and Gladio doing the same.
Noct stood there, catching someone’s eye and raising a glass.
Prompto almost felt more nervous now.
He didn’t recognize the King.
Everyone had come in and the party resumed, though there was more buzz, everyone getting acquainted to the new arrivals.
Prompto tried to spot the King, looking for any telltale signs.
Like, maybe a real sign, pointing at a man and screaming King.
But the harder he looked, the more he got confused.
Nyx stepped up, distracting him for a moment as he gave a small bow to Noct.
“Your Highness, it has been a bit.”
Noct smiled and they talked, Prompto not really listening as he looked around more…
And caught Cor’s eye.
Prompto stopped dead, his focus now fully on the man across the room.
Cor was a military warrior, holding so many titles, Prompto wondered if half of them were made just for him.
He also held a face that was too familiar to Prompto, like a memory he was missing but still nagged at him.
But Cor simply nodded and turned his head slightly, Prompto following the action and looking at a man.
He gasped slightly, getting a look from Ignis but not bothering with it.
It was the man from the garden, the man who had called his pictures beautiful with tears in his eyes.
The man that Prompto hadn’t been able to find since that day.
The man that Prompto had wanted to show his pictures to more than anyone else, save Noct.
It was a shame Ignis had made him leave his camera in the car.
Prompto ducked away anyways and instantly made a bee-line for the man, his mind so focused that he didn’t noticed the looks he got from Ignis or Gladio.
Didn’t notice the way Noct followed him, a frown forming as he realized where he was heading.
Didn’t notice that everyone in the room was practically watching him walk up to the man.
Didn’t even notice Cor’s slight frown, his face holding one of absolute disbelief.
What he did notice was the moment the man met his gaze, his eyes blinking in surprise and then smoothing into a smile, just like Noct did whenever he saw him.
Prompto closed the distance behind him, his smile already bright and full.
The man nodded at him.
“If it isn’t the young photographer.”
Something warm swam in Prompto’s heart, at the words. He felt himself blush happily, and nodded back at the man.
“It’s been a while.”
The room instantly silenced, Cor smacking his face behind them.
The man blinked and then laughed, his voice loud and full of happy wonder. It reminded Prompto of Noct’s laugh. He instantly blushed, finally realizing how much attention was drawn on him. He glanced at Noct, seeing Gladio shocked with his mouth open, Ignis pinching his nose in exasperation and Noct and Nyx just looking at him dumbfounded.
Prompto turned back slowly to the man, feeling his cheeks heat even more as he tried to figure out what he was doing wrong.
“Uh… Everyone is just staring?”
The man seemed to be holding back laughter, the same way Noct did when he was trying not to embarrass Prompto.
“Well, I do believe we are attracting so much attention due to one reason.”
He raised an eyebrow, like Noct did when he wanted Prompto to guess, and Prompto gave him a worried smile.
“Did I do something wrong?”
The man smiled, almost identical to Noct when Prompto doubted himself.
It sent flutters up his stomach, seeing the similarity so clearly.
“No. It is simply because I am the King.”
-
Regis watched the boy, seeing the exact moment he figured it out.
It didn’t even come to him at first, the boy smiling confused for a second while the words processed in his mind.
Then it hit him, the boy’s smile widening just a bit as he stared at him with giant eyes and Regis was just glad for the fact that the boy wasn’t holding anything because he probably would have dropped it.
His face slowly morphed from shock to horror and Regis couldn’t help the smile that was breaking across his face.
The boy blinked, looking away before he faced him again.
“Please tell me you’re joking.”
Behind them, Cor let out a frustrated sigh.
“For the love of the Six!”
Regis simply chuckled, giving the boy a simple shake of his head.
The boy frowned, his face instantly paled as he slowly looked away. Regis could practically see the sweat drops falling from his face.
He grabbed the boy’s shoulder, steadying him and making him meet his gaze.
“No worries my boy. A mistake on both our parts. I am Regis. Noct’s father.”
The boy blinked for a second, like he was trying to figure out whether or not Regis was serious or about to kill him for such incompetence. But it seemed to disappear after a minute and he sighed, his body relaxing and his face letting a more natural smile.
“I’m Prompto, sir. Uh, Your Majesty? I’m Noct’s… friend.”
Regis laughed, letting Prompto go and giving him a slap on the back.
“Then Prompto, my dear boy, I think you just made my whole night.”
-
“What the actual hell Prom?”
Noct looked as Prompto groaned, taking off the clothes and switching them for sweatpants and a plain shirt. Noct was still dressed, as was Ignis and Gladio, who had come to get the full story.
Prompto looked away, folding the suit nicely before Ignis took it from his hands.
“Dude, I didn’t know he was the king ! I thought he was just another important person, like every other single person that is within breathing distance of you.”
Gladio smiled, his face just about to break out into laughter.
“Kid, haven’t you ever even been on the internet? The king isn’t exactly a hermit.”
Ignis nodded, his face showing the anxiety he must have felt.
“Indeed. It is a bit worrying that you can't make out you own king.”
Noct watched as Prompto blushed, seeing the sass he muttered.
He sighed, giving his friend a withering look.
“How did you even meet my dad without dying?”
Prompto gave him a confused look before it morphed into horror.
“I don’t even know man.”
Noct sighed again, feeling like he was trying to talk to a dog.
“And when did you meet him?”
Prompto sat down, running a hand through his hair nervously.
“Well, it was when I was waiting for Noct for something. I was taking pictures in the garden and I guess he was just… walking by? He stopped and we talked and he wanted to see my photos and I showed him and we ended up just talking and looking at them for hours until apparently Noct sent the whole place on high alert cause he couldn’t find me.”
Noct blushed, remembering that day.
To think, while he was worrying about losing the one friend he had managed to keep, this idiot was out messing around with his dad.
It made Noctis jealous for some reason, a thought that had him giving Prompto a glare.
Prompto saw it and instantly blanched.
“Why are you mad all of the sudden! I didn’t know it was your dad!”
Noct just huffed, going into his room to change and hearing Prompto whine to Ignis.
Later, when Prompto managed to crawl into Noct’s bed, whining and begging for forgiveness, they cuddled together, Noct making him face away from him while he held Prompto as the bigger spoon.
He was almost asleep when Prompto shifted slightly, his voice barely audible.
“Bro, are you still angry?”
Noct thought for a second.
He was and it made him embarrassed so Noct growled and simply squeezed him hard, making Prompto gasp out and twist to face him.
“Come on Noct.”
Noct just snuggled into his back, glaring at his shirt.
“I can’t believe you and my dad made friends with each other on the first try when I had to wait for years to get on barely good terms with both of you. ”
Prompto snorted, twisting all the way and lifting Noct’s face to give him a look.
“Noct, are you jealous? Of your dad?”
Noct glared at his friend, instantly letting him go and pushing him off the bed with a kick.
Prompto shrieked, probably waking up the neighbors as he thumped to the floor in a heap of covers.
Noct threw a pillow for good measure.
“NOCT!”
Noct huffed out a grunt and turned around, pulling the covers that hadn't fallen up over his head and leaving Prompto on the floor.
UPDATE:
I changed a few things with the chapters and everything on AO3 so if you want to look on there to get the immediate big picture, then go for it.
Otherwise, I will be (slowly) changing things on here. So there's that.
Thanks for reading! I enjoy talking to real people so go ahead and just... talk to me. I won’t kill you I promise.
Till Next Time