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Noctis sat at the back of class, writing down his teacher’s notes on the diverse cultures of Eos. Or, at least, he tried to. Two boys sitting in front of him took huge pleasure in leaning back on their chairs, pretending to yawn, and knocking his work off the table.
“Poor, poor Prince Noctis,” one of them, a thin, spotty boy with permanently greasy hair sneered as he slid Noctis’ belongings off the table once again. His name was Ian, and until recently, Noctis had been totally unaware of his existence. “Must be so hard to cope without your servants around to do everything for you.”
The other boy, Theo, snorted. “Yeah, what a hard life his poor Royal Highness must have.”
Noctis wanted to answer back. He wanted to lash out. Instead, he’d endured their teasing in silence for the past two weeks. All of this was because of one incident in the cafeteria two weeks ago. Noctis had accidentally walked into Ian and sent him crashing to the ground in front of everyone. What made it so much worse was when his lunch had gone all over him, his drink splashing across his crotch. Laughter rang out from the crowd. Noctis had apologised profusely, feeling awful about what he’d done, and held out his hand to help Ian to his feet.
Ian slapped his hand away. “Forget it. I don’t need help from you.” He’d stormed out to the laughter of the entire school, his friend Theo following close behind.
“You’ll pay for that,” Theo hissed.
Two weeks later, Noctis was all out of sympathy. Instead, the frustration burned uselessly inside him. He couldn’t retaliate. Not here. Not now. Not ever. But he wanted to. He wanted to crush them. Anything to stop their constant insults. Their petty tactics. Their sneering laughter. He couldn’t believe how two other kids could make him feel so miserable. But he couldn’t do anything, so he pictured vengeance in his head; them versus him in the Citadel’s training halls. They wouldn’t last one round against him.
They wouldn’t last five seconds.
Which was exactly why you should ignore them, a voice in his head said. The voice sounded a lot like Ignis. You are better than they. You need not waste your time on them. Okay, that was definitely something Ignis would say. Noctis smiled at his own internal Ignis impression.
A pencil smacked against Noctis’ head. His eyes flicked up and Theo, always somehow appearing so smart and dignified despite his behaviour, smirked back at him. “What?” he asked innocently. “I didn’t do anything.”
Ignore them, and eventually they will tire of trying.
Yeah, wouldn’t that be nice? Noctis thought at his internal Ignis.
Internal Ignis had nothing else to say.
The bell rang, signalling the end of class and the start of lunch. Noctis packed up his stuff, mentally noting down his teacher’s reminder that their essay was due next week. Maybe he could write an essay on the ancient Solheim society. Something about it fascinated him.
“Lunch, at last,” Ian said. “Oh, but I hope His Royal Highness brought his own food today. I doubt the school can provide for someone so spoiled.”
Theo snorted. “Only a Prince could be so picky when there are people literally starving in this city.”
Noctis tried to leave the classroom, but Ian and Theo blocked his path.
“Better hope there aren’t any vegetables on offer today,” Ian said.
“Or fruit,” Theo added.
“Or nuts,” Ian said.
Noctis flinched.
“Oh, looks like I hit a sore spot,” Ian said, nudging Theo with his elbow. “Poor little Prince Noctis doesn’t like nuts in his food?” He stepped up, pushing Noctis back. “There are people in your kingdom who would chop off their own limbs for a handful of nuts.”
Noctis didn’t answer. He knew perfectly well about the food shortages. What Ian and Theo wouldn’t know was the work Noctis did to support local charities to support the poorest city folk. And they didn’t need to know. Noctis kept things like that to himself. Even Prompto didn’t know.
Ian sneered at him. “What use are you? You do nothing for ordinary people, and just expect us to bow and scrape before you.” He shoved Noctis back against his desk. “Pathetic.”
Noctis pushed past him and left the room. At least the only classes he had with those two were cultural studies and history. It made avoiding them for most of his week a lot easier.
Students filled the corridor, their voices filling the air. Noctis kept his face carefully blank as he walked. He didn’t show the sorrow he felt that two people kept going out of their way to make him miserable. He crushed the anger he felt at himself for being stupid enough to crash into Ian two weeks ago and setting this whole mess off. He ignored the frustration of not being able to fight back. Properly fight back, the way Gladio taught him to.
Royal protocol sucked. But he didn’t want to upset his dad or tempt the Council into ordering him to attend private school. Or, worse, locking him down in the Citadel with tutors. No way. He would just have to follow his Internal Ignis Advice and deal with it until Ian and Theo grew bored and left him alone.
He heard footsteps behind him. Then came the fake whispers.
Theo and Ian were following him.
Noctis reached the canteen. The scent of freshly cooked food made his stomach gurgle. He was ravenous; a side-effect of adolescence, Ignis (and Internal Ignis) kept telling him. He grabbed a tray, moving to the line. Ian shoved past him. Noctis stared at him.
“Oops, sorry,” Ian said. “Good thing your tray’s empty, huh?”
“Some people have all the luck,” Theo said from behind.
Noctis ignored them, biting back every clever retort before he could say them aloud. Putting his tray on the bar, he selected his lunch, mentally reviewing what vegetables he’d have to pick out of the curry. He glanced at the desserts, but too many had fruit and nuts. Better safe than sorry.
Ian reached for a slice of peanut butter cheesecake. “Mmm, looks delicious.”
“Sure does,” Theo piped up from behind.
“You know something, Your Highness?” Ian asked. An undercurrent of malice lingered in every word. “We were all told about you once. About how precious you are about foods. About how we had to treat you differently because there are some things you just don’t like.”
“Allergic,” Noctis said before he could stop himself. A faint buzzing thrummed through his body. His muscles stiffened, like he might have to run for his life. He released a breath and forced himself to relax. “I have allergies.”
“Yeah, right,” Theo said.
“Yeah, I have ‘allergies’ too,” Ian said. “That’s what I tell people when I don’t wanna eat something I don’t like.” His eyes flickered over Noctis’ shoulder.
A hand slammed down on Noctis’ shoulder and turned him around. “You’re nothing special, you know that? You’re just another loser. The only difference is King Regis is your dad. But I bet he’d do anything to not have such a pathetic son.”
Noctis didn’t need to listen to this. Maybe he couldn’t fight back, but he didn’t have to put up with these two. Grabbing his tray, he turned back to face the main part of the canteen. He caught sight of Prompto, waving from their usual table. He moved to pay for his food, but Ian blocked his path. Noctis caught sight of his tray. Looked like he’d already made a start on his dessert. A chunk of the cheesecake was gone.
Ian smirked at him. “Enjoy your lunch, Your Highness.”
Noctis paid for his lunch and went to Prompto.
“Hey,” Prompto said.
Noctis nodded. “Hey.”
“You okay? What were those two doing?”
“Being dicks, as usual,” Noctis said.
“Ian still not forgiven you for the tray incident?”
“Nope.”
“Typical. A guy like that can dish it out, but he can’t take it.”
“I wasn’t trying to bully him. It was an accident.”
“Oh, dude, I know that. You’re no bully. But Ian’s one of those guys who loves to make others miserable. Looks like he can’t take it when he’s the one being laughed at.”
Noctis stuck his fork into his curry and stirred it. “I dunno what I’m gonna do.”
“Set Gladio on ‘em,” Prompto said.
Noctis snorted. “Yeah, right.”
“Not that I’m saying you couldn’t take them out yourself, because you totally could,” Prompto added.
“I know,” Noctis said. “Except then my dad would definitely pull me out of school and lock me up in the Citadel with tutors for the rest of my life.”
“Ah, yes, in the dungeon,” Prompto said, nodding knowingly.
Laughing, Noctis scooped up a forkful of curry. “They’ll get bored eventually.”
Prompto pointed his curry-laden fork at Noctis. “That’s Ignis talking.”
“I know.”
“I’d rather you let Gladio deal with it.”
Noctis grinned. “Me too.”
They ate their lunch. Noctis picked out the veg and dumped it on Prompto’s plate. Halfway through the curry, Noctis frowned.
“What’s wrong?” Prompto asked, skewering a curried carrot. “Did you accidentally eat an actual vegetable? If you do eat veggies, does Ignis give you a prize? Does he have a sticker chart for you? You seem like a sticker chart kinda guy.”
Noctis shook his head. “Tastes different.” He winced. “Texture’s strange, too. Lumpy.” His stomach flipped at the thought of what he’d just eaten.
“You are the pickiest eater I have ever met.” Prompto helped himself to some of Noctis’ curry. He chewed. “Huh.”
“What?”
Prompto swallowed. “Tastes different to mine.”
“It does?”
“Yeah,” Prompto said. “I don’t know. Can’t put my finger on what’s different about it.”
Noctis pushed the plate away. Nausea stirred in his gut.
“Shouldn’t you just let Ignis make you lunch every day?” Prompto asked.
“He says I need to broaden my palette,” Noctis said. He picked up his drink, unscrewing the lid. His throat felt too dry and his body too hot, the curry not sitting well inside him at all. “Besides, whenever he does make lunch, he sneaks vegetables in where he thinks I can’t see them.”
“Uh oh, never try and trick Noct’s Veggie Sensors!” Prompto said.
“I can’t help it,” Noctis said. He coughed and rubbed his chest. He drank some of the water in his bottle, but it didn’t soothe his itchy throat. He loosened his tie, hoping it would help. “They all taste awful.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. And I know you’ve got allergies too and oh.” Horror flashed through Prompto’s wide eyes. “Oh, shit. Shit, shit, shit, Noct! That’s what it was! In the curry! It’s nutty! I tasted nuts.”
Noctis’ heart pounded in his chest as realisation sunk in. “Shit,” he wheezed.
He tried to draw a breath, but it became increasingly hard. He knew he needed to stay calm, but it was hard. He could feel his throat swelling. Not only was he finding it harder to breathe, he also knew he was going to be sick. His stomach was ready to be rid of the curry. Heat rushed up his spine. Saliva filled his mouth. He leaned over the edge of the table and vomited noisily. Students around him groaned and pulled away, but he didn’t care.
He couldn’t breathe properly. Spots danced across his vision. If he passed out, he’d be in real trouble. He dragged whatever air he could manage into his lungs.
Prompto was at his side. “What do I do?”
Noctis grabbed his school bag. It took two rattling breaths for him to get the air needed to speak. “Epi-pen.”
People were staring now. Staff came running towards them. Prompto dug the epi-pen out of Noctis’ bag.
“Okay, now what?”
Noctis struggled to focus. His head felt full of clouds, his throat and chest so tight he couldn’t force enough air into his lungs. He couldn’t keep himself upright. He fell against the table. The sound of his own strangled breathing filled his head.
“Noct, what do I do?”
Noctis mimed jamming the epi-pen into his leg with his fist.
“Stab you with it?” Prompto asked.
Noctis nodded. “Hold it there,” he gasped.
“The needle? In your leg?”
Noctis nodded.
Prompto twisted the safety cap cover off. “Sorry, sorry, sorry.” He jammed it into Noctis’ leg.
The sharp pain barely registered. A few seconds later, the medicine kicked in. The tightness and swelling in Noctis’ throat eased. He could breathe again. He grabbed Prompto’s shoulder. “Thanks,” he said, voice rasping.
Prompto nodded. “You’re welcome.”
Noctis reached for the epi-pen Prompto still pressed to his leg. “You can stop now.”
“Oh – okay.”
Mr Wright from the PE department appeared, panicked students surrounding him. “What’s happening?” he asked, his grey eyes taking in the situation.
“He had an allergic reaction,” Prompto said.
“Prompto, run to the nurse and have her call for an ambulance immediately,” Mr Wright said.
“Yes, sir.” Prompto ran off.
Mr Wright told the other students to back off, his bark of a voice sending them scattering. He helped Noctis to sit up. “Do you feel better?”
Noctis nodded. He could breathe easier now, but he knew he wouldn’t escape a trip to hospital. The epi-pen wasn’t a cure, it was a stopgap until the doctors could treat him. He hadn’t had an allergic reaction since early childhood; Ignis was exceedingly careful about avoiding all allergens, and the Citadel staff were equally cautious. The school had never been a problem either – Noctis knew to check the ingredients of cafeteria food in advance.
So why…?
Noctis looked across the cafeteria and saw Ian and Theo staring at him. They didn’t look smug or proud.
They looked terrified.
Good, said the self-righteous part of Noctis.
When they saw him staring, both of them made a quick exit from the cafeteria. Noctis wished he had the energy to stop them, but right now he was enjoying breathing too much.
Prompto returned with Nurse Stevenson. She was a middle-aged woman with a kindly face and a no-nonsense attitude. “We should go to my office,” she said. “Can you walk?”
Noctis nodded.
“Alright,” Mr Wright said. “Let’s take this slow.”
“Okay,” Noctis said. He wasn’t exactly in a hurry. His body still felt panicked and unsteady. The epi-pen may have taken the edge off, but the reaction wasn’t finished with him yet.
“I’m coming.” Prompto grabbed their school bags and followed. Noctis shot him a grateful look. He knew Ignis would meet them at the hospital, but there was no way he was going alone.
By the time they reached the nurse’s office, the allergic reaction was reasserting itself. Struggling to breathe, Noctis had to endure a second stab from another epi-pen, the spare one Nurse Stevenson always held onto for him. Once again, his symptoms rescinded. Hopefully this time they’d stay gone long enough for him to make it to the hospital.
“You okay?” Prompto asked.
“Been better,” Noctis grudgingly admitted.
“Do you have any idea how you came into contact with your allergen?” Nurse Stevenson asked.
Noctis nodded and explained what had happened. He really wanted to lie down, but he knew from experience that sitting up would help him to breathe.
Nurse Stevenson’s expression turned thunderous. She turned to Prompto. “Would you be so kind as to inform Principal Sakaguchi I need to speak with him immediately regarding your friend? Tell him he’ll have to call me as we’ll be on our way to the hospital soon.”
“Okay, but don’t leave without me.” Prompto dashed off again.
“Your friend really can’t come,” the nurse said.
“Yeah, he can,” Noctis said.
Nurse Stevenson relented. “Alright. But only if he gets back here in time. You can’t delay getting to the hospital.”
Mr Wright returned, the paramedics in his wake. Nurse Stevenson quickly filled them in on what had happened.
“We’ll have to call the police,” she said.
“I’m on it,” Mr Wright said.
“I’m sorry this has happened, Your Highness,” Nurse Stevenson said. She worked with the paramedics to monitor his vitals while they loaded him onto a stretcher and wheeled him to the ambulance. “I assure you, the students involved will be dealt with.”
Noctis had no doubt of that. He also knew there was no way Ian and Theo truly understood the trouble they’d landed themselves in. Whether they’d meant it or not, they had just made an attempt on the life of the Crown Prince of Lucis. And for that, there were very severe consequences.
It didn’t make Noctis happy to know that two guys, even if they were bullies, may have just ruined their lives over something so stupid.
“Hey. Wake up.”
Noctis stirred. He opened his eyes and saw Prompto’s worried face staring down at him. “Prompto? You okay?”
“Me? I’m fine. How about you?”
Noctis yawned. “What time is it?”
“Uh, maybe three PM? You’ve been asleep for a couple of hours.”
“It’s the medicine,” Noctis said. He yawned again, jaw popping.
“Oh. Anyway, Ignis is here. He’s just checking in with the doctor, making sure he’s got everything you need.”
Noctis nodded. He was still in hospital, albeit in a private room away from prying eyes. Prompto and Nurse Stevenson had accompanied him to the hospital, staying with him while he was treated. Noctis must’ve drifted off at some point during the whole thing. He moved to sit up, a tug in his arm slowing his movement. He looked and saw the IV delivering the medication to properly treat his allergic reaction.
“How are you feeling?” Prompto asked.
“Good,” Noctis said honestly. “Better. Thanks to you.”
Prompto nodded. “Anytime. Although I’d really love it if I didn’t have to stab you with a needle again.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Noctis asked.
Prompto’s smile was a little shaky. “Bit freaked out, I guess.”
“Guess you’d better stay at my place tonight.”
“What? No, I’d get in the way and –”
“And if Ignis hears I let you go off alone after everything that’s happened, he’ll lecture me about improper conduct towards good friends or something.” He reached out with his non-pincushioned arm and bumped his fist against Prompto’s shoulder. “You’re coming.”
“Okay,” Prompto said. “And hey, it’s Friday, which means we can stay up late.”
“You can,” Noctis said, yawning. “Not sure I’m gonna make it.”
“Oh, right. I guess anaphylaxis really takes it out of you.”
“Yeah.” A thought occurred to Noctis suddenly. “Where’s Gladio?”
“Oh-ho-ho, yeah, Gladio. Let’s just say Ian and Theo are gonna live to regret tempting the wrath of the future king’s Shield.”
Noctis stared at Prompto. “He got involved?”
“He had to. They’ve disappeared. Guess they figured almost murdering you wasn’t such a good idea and now they don’t wanna deal with the consequences.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. They’ve both really messed up their lives.”
Ignis entered before Noctis could reply. “How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Better, thanks,” Noctis said. “I’m never taking breathing for granted again.”
“Good. I thanked the school nurse for her help, but I’m sure you’ll be thanking her when you return to school on Monday.”
“I will,” Noctis said. “Prompto’s staying over. For the whole weekend.”
“Only if you both agree to do your homework.”
“We will,” they chorused.
“Very well. Noct, your father sends his best wishes. He also wants you to know that this matter will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Attempted murder charges?” Noctis asked.
“Yes. Gladio is supporting the police efforts. I believe he intends to knock some sense into them, should he find them before the proper authorities can.”
“He’s gonna get arrested,” Noctis groaned.
“Let’s hope not,” Ignis said.
“All this because you accidentally knocked the guy’s tray into him,” Prompto said. “Unbelievable.”
“Attempted murder seems too extreme,” Noctis said. “It was just bullying that went wrong.”
“Are you serious?” Prompto said. “They nearly killed you!”
“Prompto’s right,” Ignis said. “This is not the kind of incident we can simply ignore. It’s far too serious.” Ignis stood at Noctis’ bedside. “You really ought to speak up in these situations. You don’t have to put up with being bullied.”
Noctis looked away. “I was handling it.”
“I had no idea it was this bad,” Prompto said. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” Noctis said. “And it wasn’t that bad.”
Ignis cleared his throat. “Clearly it was far more serious than you thought. Should anything like this happen again, please ensure you inform your teachers.”
“Yeah.” Noctis leaned back against his pillows. “I had no idea they’d take it this far.”
“I highly suspect they didn’t intend the outcome either,” Ignis said. “However, what’s done is done. They must now pay the consequences.”
“The consequences getting arrested and sent to prison? Or being caught by Gladio, punched, and then arrested and sent to prison?” Prompto asked.
“The former, one hopes,” Ignis said. “Although should the latter occur, it simply couldn’t be helped.”
Noctis found he was done thinking about it all. “Can we go?” he asked.
“Yes,” Ignis said. “I’ve spoken with the doctor and know what to look out for. Your father will have a doctor sent to your apartment to check you over tomorrow morning. We’ll leave as soon as the IV is finished.”
“Good.”
“We’ll have to leave via the rear doors however,” Ignis said. “Unfortunately, the school wasn’t able to keep this quiet and the press have gathered. A statement will be released regarding your recovery shortly.”
“Wow, that must be so weird,” Prompto said. “Having reporters snooping around because you’re in hospital. How do you deal with that?”
“I ignore them,” Noctis said. “And Dad has a bunch of PR people who deal with it.”
“Still, it’s an unwelcome intrusion,” Ignis said. “At least they’ve been corralled outside.”
“Whatever.” Noctis closed his eyes. “Wake me up when it’s time to go.”
A few hours’ later, Noctis was at home and settled on the couch, watching anime with Prompto. Ignis sat at the table, his phone pressed to his ear. Noctis tried to follow the conversation, but Ignis kept his answers so short, it was impossible to tell who he was talking to or what they were discussing.
The apartment door opened. Moments later, Gladio strolled in. He looked at Noctis. “You alright?”
“Yeah, fine. Did you catch them?”
“And did you punch them?” Prompto added.
Gladio laughed. “Caught. Yes. Punch. No. I draw the line at beating the shit out of snivelling cowards.”
“They were actually snivelling?” Prompto asked.
Gladio loomed over him, cracking his knuckles.
“Yeah, okay, I believe you!”
Noctis smiled at his friends’ antics. “What’ll happen to them now?”
“The idiots that landed you in the hospital?” Gladio asked. “When they’re done pissing their pants and begging for mercy, they’ll probably spend some time in juvenile detention.”
“Oh,” Noctis said.
“What, you wanted more?” Gladio asked.
“No. I don’t… I dunno what I wanted.” Noctis ran a hand through his hair. “Wish it had never happened.”
“It’s what they deserve,” Prompto said. “People can’t screw around like that. You could’ve died. They can’t get away with that.”
“They’ll seriously go to prison?” Noctis asked Gladio.
“That’s up to the courts.” Gladio sat on the couch at Noctis’ side. “You can’t get involved in this. You’re the victim.”
Noctis made a face. He hated that word. Hated it.
“And it’s not just because of your position, either,” Gladio said. “If they’d used anyone’s allergies against them that way, they’d be arrested. It’s a crime to willingly and knowingly harm someone else.”
“I know,” Noctis said.
“You’re not angry at all?” Gladio asked.
“Of course I am,” Noctis said. “I’m angry. But…”
“There shouldn’t be a but, Noct! Those two hurt you. I listened to their confessions. They planned it together, had one distract you while the other tampered with your lunch. That’s intent. That’s planning. This wasn’t some innocent prank gone wrong. This was an attack. They just had no idea how effective it would be,” Gladio said.
“This is all because I knocked the guy’s tray into him and he couldn’t handle it,” Noctis said. “To go from that to this is extreme.”
“And they’ll both pay for it,” Gladio said. “Focus on that. They don’t deserve sympathy.”
“They deserve a second chance,” Noctis said.
“After the courts decide what their punishment will be,” Gladio said.
Noctis slumped in his seat. None of it made him happy. Earlier, he thought he would’ve done anything to stop Ian and Theo. Now that anything had happened, he didn’t feel like he could bask in the glory of defeating his enemies. The whole thing left him hollowed out and exhausted. He could’ve stopped all of this if he’d just…
A hand cuffed the back of his head. “Ow!”
“I can hear you thinking,” Gladio said.
Prompto snorted.
Noctis glared at him. “Traitor.”
“What? He’s totally got you.”
“Don’t blame yourself for this,” Gladio said. “You didn’t do this. They did.”
Huffing, Noctis curled up and stared at the TV, willing his tired mind to focus on the animated characters rather than the disaster that had been his day.
Ignis came over. “That was the school,” he said. “They extend their deepest sympathies and hope that you will feel better soon. I’ve spoken with them regarding their health and safety policies, and Principal Sakaguchi has agreed to remove certain allergens from the menu. This won’t happen again. He’s also agreed to run an awareness campaign surrounding allergies as there are several students who have such issues and the school is keen to avoid a repeat of today’s incident.” He looked to Prompto. “And they wanted to pass on how impressed they are at how you dealt with the situation.”
“Me?” Prompto asked. He blushed bright red. “I didn’t do anything.”
“You did,” Noctis said. “You stabbed me with my epi-pen. You saved me.”
“Indeed,” Ignis said. “Apparently, you have inspired them to also offer first aid training to all students. They were so impressed with your quick reaction, they feel every student should be inspired by you to do the same if they ever find themselves in similar scenarios.”
“But I only knew what to do ‘cause Noct told me!” Prompto said.
“Take the credit you deserve,” Noctis said.
Prompto somehow flushed redder.
“Thanks,” Noctis said.
“Any time,” Prompto said. “And next time you’re being bullied, tell me.” He punched the air. “I’ll stop them!”
“Not like that you won’t,” Gladio said. “Remind me to teach you how to throw a punch.”
Prompto grinned. “Okay!”
Ignis moved into the kitchen and made tea. He returned a few moments later, carrying the teapot and teacups on a tray. “You don’t have to deal with these matters alone,” he said.
“I know,” Noctis said. “I just didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.”
All three of his friends burst into laughter.
Noctis rolled his eyes. “I get it, alright?”
“Not make a big deal,” Gladio said, shaking his head. “You’re an idiot. You nearly got yourself killed because you didn’t want to make a big deal out of two idiots bullying you.”
“Exactly. Two idiots.”
“Epic fail,” Prompto said.
“Shut up,” Noctis grumped. “I’ve had a bad day.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Gladio said. “Suck it up.”
“I guess it could’ve been worse,” Noctis said.
“Yes, you could have died,” Ignis said.
Noctis laughed. The sound of it surprised him.
“Laughing in the face of death?” Ignis asked, handing over teacups.
“Yeah, I guess I am.” Noctis chuckled. “I survived an idiotic assassination attempt.” He held his mug out high. “Here’s to epi-pens and Prompto.”
The others knocked their cups against his. “Cheers!”
Grinning, Noctis sipped his tea. Somehow, anaphylactic shock and bullying were easier to cope with when he had three great friends to help him out.