Chapter Text
Chapter 10
After everything that had gone down with Prompto, he was in need of a much needed rest, which of course was why Noctis opened up his apartment again with open arms. Ignis cooked healthy meals for Prompto, and slowly the blonde began to regain his strength. Soon it became normal for Prompto to go home with Noctis, and the official talk of it all was somehow avoided a bit.
Prompto would just walk home with Noctis every day after school, avoiding even returning to the place he’d lived alone.
Still as Prompto began to recover, and share space with Noctis at his place, he couldn’t help but feel he was intruding, especially when he stayed back at the apartment when everyone went to the Citadel. To be honest Prompto still knew he was an outsider in all this.
“Welcome back,” Prompto said to Ignis has he came through the door to the apartment, the key dangling in his hands.
“Yes thank you,” Ignis said taking off his coat and closing the door behind him. Prompto frowned not noticing Noct in tow. “Noctis will be staying at the palace tonight,” Ignis confirmed noticing Prompto’s suspicion.
“Oh, okay—but why did you come back then?” Prompto asked, hugging his knees. “I mean you could’ve gone home.”
“Yes,” Ignis said as he went into the kitchen to make some ebony. “However I thought I should stop by first.”
Prompto gave a brief smile.
“Does your stomach still hurt?” Ignis asked, muddling around in the kitchen.
Prompto shook his head. “No, not really.” Prompto rubbed at the area, letting his legs drop.
Ignis stop reaching for the cupboard and fixed his glasses. “I’m glad; you really gave us all a scare.” Ignis went back to getting the kettle ready.
Prompto looked to the window, a slight rain beginning outside. He wasn’t sure what to say in these circumstances, despite feeling able to talk to Iggy normally now, it still was awkward when it was just the two of them. Somehow Prompto wasn’t sure what to do in these situations, or how to handle them properly.
“Thanks,” Prompto said. “I mean for everything that happened, you’ve really helped me over the last couple months—I mean you didn’t have to do anything for me, yet you all stepped up, thank you.” Prompto fiddled with his shirt pockets, feeling some empty candy wrappers inside. “I really, well I really appreciate it all.”
“But?” Ignis said, feeling it come on by the blonde’s tone of voice.
Prompto sighed. “But, I don’t know, should I really be staying here Ignis? After everything, I just feel maybe, I should’ve done something, or I don’t know, even now as you Noct, and Gladio go to the palace, I know I have no right to be in that social circle.” Prompto licked at his lips, unsure what else to say.
Ignis came from the kitchen and walked beside the couch, dropping a paper down in front of Prompto. “You’re nearing the end of your first year in high school,” Ignis said, going to take a seat next to Prompto. “So it’s only fair that you’d be thinking about your future.”
Prompto picked up the sheet, feeling an intense air growing in that second.
“But I?”
“Cor was the one who asked me to give it to you, and Noctis was the one who brought it up. I’m hoping you’ll consider it.”
Prompto felt his hands shake, the very paper feeling heavy in his hands. He knew in reality it was light but, seeing it, the words on the paper—it was a weight.
“Ignis, I couldn’t possibly, I mean isn’t it reserved for nobility, or I mean—I mean I’m not even from Lucis.” Prompto bit his lip, the paper crumbling a bit. “Do I have a right even?”
Ignis gave a sigh, but it wasn’t a sad sigh, it was one of what could be called hope.
“Being Prince Noctis’s friend, I think that is all one ever needs to be considered for the position, besides it would enable you to never leave the prince’s side if you so desired—to be honest it’d only be a real title in writing, I mean it does entail that you’ll swear to protect Noctis, and you will have to train a bit to get up to standard, but it will enable you a future.”
“A future with the crownsguard,” Prompto said, his voice rattled at using the word.
His father had been among the Kingsglaive once, a crownguard to. But maybe his title had only been in writing as well, as Prompto didn’t think his father ever once cared about protecting the King, no he was more about protecting Lucis as a whole. Prompto, what he wanted was to protect the future king, his majesty Prince Noctis. Prompto wanted to protect him and what he stood for.
“Alright,” Prompto said, reading over the document more thoroughly now. “Let me do it!”
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Prompto trained with Cor throughout the rest of high school, his goal being to join the crownsguard. After officially taking up the training Prompto moved back to his empty house, despite the protest from Noctis, Cor and Ignis. Still he needed to spend his final years of high school without relying on Noctis, but he also wasn’t above asking for help after all was said and done. He’d learnt from his mistakes.
Still him moving back home didn’t stop Noctis from coming over every second day, and him as well visiting Noctis’s house. Prompto started training with Gladiolous to, Gladio offering to go on runs with Prompto every Saturday. Ignis helped Prompto learn a whole array of cooking skills, and even came with Prompto to grocery shop every two weeks. Every time the advisor came over to, he’d open up the fridge and cupboards just to make sure there was food in Prompto’s house. He said something about it being his duty to make sure Prompto never came close to starving again.
Even after graduating high school Prompto still didn’t accept his title as Crownsguard, never receiving his uniform properly and instead focusing on training. But as soon as Niflheim showed up, Prompto knew there was no delaying it anymore, as the treaty was to be signed and Noctis was to wed Lady Lunafreya.
Prompto then officially took his uniform, after Noctis formally asked him to accompany him on his journey to Altissia.
Though the trio was never able to make it to Altissia and even something as awful as Insomnia falling happened, Prompto was happy because Noctis, Ignis and Gladio were by his side. Because of them, he’d forgotten what it was like to be lonely.
“Hey let’s stop here and get some burgers!” Prompto said gleefully from the Regalia.
“Are you sure you want that?” Ignis asked, as Prompto brought on a bit of a smile.
“Yeah I’m sure!” Prompto said. Gladio gave a smile looking up from his book, Noct was napping in the back, but Prompto knew he’d be happy to stop and eat as long as they took off the veggies from his meal.
Ignis pulled up at the closest Crow’s Nest, and the group went inside to sit down at a table. The group sat down and ordered, enjoying the day as it was. But for some reason something didn’t feel right to Prompto, in fact he wasn’t sure why he felt so off.
“Just going to go to the bathroom,” Prompto said, moving out of the booth and heading outside the diner to the lavatories located at the back. As Prompto was coming back though, someone was waiting for him right before the door inside.
“Dad. . .” Prompto couldn’t even finish his sentence; he was so surprised by the appearance of him.
“Hello, Prompto.” His voice was dry, but the cruelness of it was still there. Prompto saw that in his face, by the way he looked at Prompto even now. Like he wasn’t human.
Prompto felt his stomach drop. Here, and now? Why was he here, he knew he’d ran away from Insomnia after the whole incident, but the chances of running into him here seemed so unlikely, and the way he was looking at him.
Prompto put a hand at his side, ready to summon his guns at a moment’s notice.
“Well it looks like you won,” his father said, still leaning against the wall to the diner.
Prompto gave a confused expression, keeping himself prepared to fire if needed. “What do you mean?”
His father sighed. “Insomnia’s in ruins now thanks to Niflheim, your country won. The MT’s patrol from all over the place—don’t you get it, your country won.” His voice had grown angry and he looked hostile now.
Prompto gulped. His father seriously, after all the time they spent together thought he was loyal to that forsaken country. His father hadn’t even tried to get to know him, in fact it must have all just been a dream to his dad. He didn’t know a single fact about Prompto.
The blonde dropped his defense position. Prompto remembered the hurt his father inflicted on him, how Prompto just took it, but now he was different. Prompto knew he was stronger than his dad, he didn’t need to take the punishment, Prompto knew now he was his own person, not the MT Niflheim had planned him to be.
“No dad,” Prompto said, letting his hands drop, and looking his dad in the eyes. He wasn’t angry, or scared, he was looking at his father with pity, for thinking he was still the same guy he’d kicked around all those years.
“We lost, Noct’s father is dead, Ignis’s uncle, Gladio’s father, mom even. . .our home is gone, and lost.” Prompto made a fist, holding back the memories from reading that newspaper and finding out about everything.
His father looked a bit surprised, but Prompto didn’t care. He didn’t need the man who’d never once put an ounce of love into caring for him, or raising him.
Prompto walked by his father, he didn’t look back at him or wait for him to say something. He was going back to his friends inside.
Prompto had grown away from needing a father, in fact Prompto hadn’t at one time thought hard and long about his father for years. He’d already let him go.
Prompto entered the diner, Ignis and Gladio leaning back, pretending not to know anything. Prompto smiled, going to sit back in the booth.
“Where’s Noct?” Prompto asked picking at the fries left on his plate.
“Oh, he had something he needed to take care of,” Gladio said, a smirk on his face as he leaned back. Ignis gave a soft smile. Prompto ate at his fries, wondering what they meant.
“Sorry guys,” Noctis said running back inside. He was holding his hand, the surface around it a bit red. He slid back into the booth, grabbing at some of Prompto’s fries.
“Noct your hand?” Prompto said, pointing out the slight injury.
Noctis laughed. “Ha don’t worry about it,” he said waving his hand and giving a smile. Ignis passed Noctis a napkin which he used to wipe the blood off his knuckle.
“Let’s just say someone deserved to be punched, enough to break their nose.” Noct leaned back, leaving the napkin on his plate.
“You didn’t seriously break his nose, did you Noctis?” Ignis asked.
“I think you left him off to easy, if it were me he’d be ten feet under about now.” Gladio laughed, looking out the window and wondering if he’d spot the target.
Prompto gave a sigh. Maybe back then he wouldn’t have wanted this, but right now he was just thankful. He had best friends, friends he would never let go of.
“What am I going to do with you guys?” Prompto said with a laugh, hidden with that laugh were his own tear drops, tears of thankfulness.
The End