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“Noct, that guy won’t leave me alone,” Prompto whisper-shouts to Noctis, huddling close to his elbow and trying not to look too unnerved. “Can you, like, do something? As the prince?”
Noctis looks up and follows the line of Prompto’s gaze, but his expression doesn’t change as he takes a sip out of the plastic solo cup in his hand. This is the first time they’ve gone to any of the school parties even though Noctis always gets an invitation, and Prompto is sure it’s going to be the last. It’s not that Prompto isn’t having a good time it’s just that, well, neither of them is having a good time.
“What do you want me to do?” Noctis asks, but he scowls as the kid in question winks at Prompto. Winks. Like a cheesy romance novel or something. “I mean, it’s not actually a crime to hit on you or anything.”
Prompto whines and dances in spot for a second, tugging on Noctis’ sleeve. “C’mon, man, do something. He tried to grab my ass.”
Noctis’ scowl deepens. A lot. He drinks the rest of whatever’s in his solo cup. By the time he’s finished, the guy Prompto’s been trying to avoid has wandered up to them, grinning down at Prompto like he’s hot or something. (He really, really isn’t.)
“Hey, Your Highness,” the kid says. Prompto thinks his name might be Steve? “You don’t mind if I borrow Prompto for a minute, do you?”
Prompto can’t help but flinch closer to Noctis, but he freezes when he feels an arm snake around his shoulders.
"Yeah, I think Prompto minds,” Noctis says, tugging Prompto in closer to him. Prompto has to be imagining the kiss pressed to his temple. Has to be. “And we were just going to get another round, weren’t we?”
Prompto nods enthusiastically because he doesn’t trust himself not to say something stupid, but the second he’s sure maybe-Steve is out of earshot he says, “Dude.”
“What?” Noctis asks, giving Prompto such a soft smile that Prompto immediately forgives him. “I’m helping.”
“…Thanks.”
@-`---
The ladies in Lestallum are strong and beautiful and easy to admire, but sometimes they just can’t take no for an answer. Prompto can usually handle it. Granted, he often trips himself up in his haste to escape, but at least he normally can escape. This time he’s cornered and can’t do anything but wish for a minor disaster to distract the woman still flirting with him.
The ‘disaster’ that appears is Gladio, who shoulders his way passed the woman and casually wraps his huge arm around Prompto’s waist. Like it’s something he does every day, as easy as breathing.
“Hey,” Gladio says, his grin dangerous. “This one’s taken.”
“Um,” Prompto says. He has no idea what’s going on, but he’s pretty sure he should put in some sort of protest. Gladio doesn’t let him.
“You okay, babe?” he asks Prompto. His voice is soft. His expression is soft. It’s the most terrifying thing he’s ever done.
“Um,” Prompto says again. “Now I am?”
Gladio’s smile is even softer. He leans down and presses fleeting butterfly kisses across Prompto’s cheek and nose that tickle. Prompto squirms and barely hears the woman laugh and apologize and walk away. He should push Gladio away. He wants to push Gladio away. Instead his fingers scrabble for a grip on Gladio’s rock-hard forearm and he squeals like an idiot. In protest.
Gladio pulls away. “Well, that’s got rid of her for you,” he says, voice a little more gruff than usual. When he starts walking away, he brings Prompto with him just by leaving a hand on his back to guide him. “C’mon, we’re late for lunch.”
What. The fuck.
@-`---
He’d just wanted to play Justice Monsters V. That’s it. The game is stationed in like every outpost across Lucis and he never has a chance to play even though they stay in the caravans all the time, and now the one time he does of course he gets trapped in a conversation with someone who just won’t leave him alone no matter how little he talks.
He really wishes he’d just stayed with the guys as they talked to Sania. But she always wants to go on and on and on about what she needs from Noctis, and maybe Gladio and Ignis are interested but Prompto only has so much patience for frogs. Or gigantoads. Or griffins.
No, okay, the griffin thing was kind of cool. But now it’s frogs again and Prompto just doesn’t care.
“Oh hey, you just beat the high score!” Prompto’s admirer says. His enthusiasm doesn’t sound entirely real. “Wow, nobody’s beaten that in months.”
“Uh-huh,” Prompto says vaguely, focusing on the game. When he’s through with it nobody’s ever going to beat his score.
Except the stranger moves in closer to Prompto and puts a hand on his elbow, and Prompto jumps out of his skin and dies, like, instantly. “Damn!”
“Shit, I’m sorry,” the guy says. “Hey, let me buy you lunch to make up for it?”
Prompto stares at him. He doesn’t believe this. Did this jerk ruin his streak on purpose?
“I’m afraid Prompto already has a date,” Ignis’ voice says. Prompto can feel his jaw drop, but fortunately the guy doesn’t see it as he turns around. “I promised him a basket of fries weeks ago. Didn’t I?”
“Er, yeah!” Prompto squeaks. He slides over to Ignis and grins, hoping it’s not as wobbly as it feels. “Sorry, I was just. Waiting for him?”
Ignis only touches his hip for a second, but Prompto’s skin tingles after. His hole body tingles when Ignis gives him a smile that looks way too real and fond to actually be honest.
“Oh, sorry, man,” the stranger says, putting his hands up and shaking his head. “Didn’t know.”
“It’s quite alright,” Ignis replies, then turns his attention entirely to Prompto. “Shall we?”
Prompto nods and leads the way over to the counter. He’s just not going to question whatever that was. It’ll drive him crazy if he thinks too hard about the word ‘date’.
@-`---
Prompto doesn’t usually have any problem with the hunters. They’re good people and none of them seem to want to disappoint Dave, and honestly if he ever did have a problem with one of them he’s pretty sure he could wriggle his way out of it.
Except when there’s five of them surrounding him. And not a single one of them will take a hint, or an outright no, or have any concept of personal space. It’s not like they're hurting him, really. It’s just making him kind of uncomfortable.
“No, really, I’m sorry but I’m not interested?” Prompto says, wishing there was somewhere he could back away toward. He sees the guys walking nearby and waves a hand to catch their attention. Gladio’s the first one to look up, and he nudges Ignis, who says something to Noctis, who scowls and starts marching over. “And, um, I stay with my partners!”
“Oh, honey, I’m sure your partners won’t mind you leaving for one night,” one of the women says, stepping even closer and running a finger down Prompto’s chest. Prompto squeaks and jumps away, but doesn’t get very far before he’s practically tripping over someone else’s feet.
“No, I think they will!” Prompto says, wincing at how high his voice has gotten. “We’re really close. Like, really close.”
“He means we’re his boyfriends,” Gladio growls, pushing his way into the circle. The arm he throws over Prompto’s shoulder feels heavier than usual. “And he wants you to fucking back off.”
Ignis goes to Prompto’s other side and puts a hand on his back. Low on his back. He doesn’t say anything. Judging by the looks on everyone’s faces, he doesn’t need to.
“Hey, you okay?” Noctis asks. He walks right up to Prompto and wraps both of his arms around Prompto’s waist, leaning into him and frowning. Prompto doesn’t even know how to describe the sound that comes out of his own mouth. “They didn’t do anything to you, did they?”
“I-I’m fine,” Prompto says, which for some reason makes Noctis frown more. “I really, really am. I thought we were gonna relax after you talked to Dave?”
“The caravan’s ready for us,” Ignis says. “We were just waiting for you.”
The guys keep a tight circle around Prompto as they all walk off, Noctis holding tight to Prompto’s hand, and the hunters mutter among themselves. Prompto isn’t sure what they say. In fact, he doesn’t think he cares. After all, he has an entire night with his maybe-boyfriends to look forward to, and the hunters don't.