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Cats love Noctis – and it’s the most adorable thing Prompto has ever witnessed.
Honestly, it comes as no surprise to anyone who has ever spent more than half an hour in Noct’s presence. With his long naps, quiet demeanour, and the way he practically radiates dignity and aloofness (at least until he opens his mouth), there’s never been a person more cat-like than the prince. It’s obvious they must sense a kindred spirit in him.
Still, it catches Prompto off guard every time he loses sight of Noct on the streets of Lestallum, only to turn around and find him a few steps behind, occupied with another stray rubbing all over his legs. He’s lost count of how many times they were stopped in their tracks like that – how many cats can one city hold, anyway? It’s like they appear out of thin air, skipping up to Noct on soft paws, demanding his attention and haughtily ignoring Prompto like the plebeian he is.
Noctis, for his part, returns their affections readily. It’s hard to miss how his eyes light up when he crouches by the trash bin to pet a skeletal-looking tabby that had nearly tripped him up a moment earlier.
“What is it? Are you hungry?” he asks quietly, fingers combing slowly through the tangled fur. The cat meows, time and again bumping its head into the gentle hand. Noctis doesn’t need long to take the hint.
“Here you go.” He slips a piece of grilled meat off his skewer and holds it out carefully, patiently. Seconds pass as the cat sniffles his fingers before finally deigning to accept the offering.
“At least he’s not picky like the one in Galdin,” Prompto chuckles. “Then again, hard to be picky if you live off whatever you find in the trash.”
“Yeah,” Noctis mutters, watching the tabby as it scarfs down the food. A moment later, a pair of round green eyes stares back at him pleadingly and Prompto can already tell that the prince is done for.
“All right, you can have the rest,” Noct sighs. The cat licks happily at his fingertips as he takes apart his skewer and dumps the meat on the ground at his feet.
That was a mistake – no, that was the best possible thing. As if on cue, the alleyway fills with cats, bolting up from the corners and peeking out between pipes on the wall. Little by little, they swarm around Noctis, surrounding him in a tight ring of swishing tails and wiggling ears. It’s a sight to behold – but Prompto can barely hold his camera still for how much he’s laughing.
“You are their king now, Noct,” he chokes out, doubled up as he takes a step back for a better angle.
“Tremble before my army.” Noctis spreads his arms out over the sea of cats. The scrawny tabby leaps onto his shoulder and pushes its head into his cheek until Noct gives up and reaches to scratch it under the chin. Its purring rivals the Regalia’s engine on a smooth road, trembling somewhere deep in Prompto’s chest. He watches the cat melt under the touch and quickly snaps a few more shots, just in time to capture the split-second when Noct’s mouth softens into a hint of a smile.
Cats love Noctis.
Honestly, how could he blame them?