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The buzzing of his phone in his pocket was easily ignored as Noct focused all of his attention on the videogame in front of him. What was a little harder to ignore was the look Prompto kept giving him from his seat beside him on the sofa.
“Uh… Noct? Buddy? Aren’t you gonna get that?” the blond asked as he let his eyes flick to the phone still buzzing away inside Nocts jacket pocket.
With a little grumble, Noct paused his game, reaching into his pocket and instantly hitting the ignore button before tossing it carelessly onto the coffee table. “It’s nothing important,” he muttered before hitting resume on the game once more. “Gladio’s going to be going out into the field for some intensive training tomorrow and he’s gonna be gone for a few days. So he thinks I need to have extra training thrown in as well to make up for the time he’s gone.”
“And that’s… bad?” Prompto hazarded a guess.
“It’s just annoying, ” Noct grumbled, smashing the buttons of his controller just a little harder than was necessary. “Just because he’s going out for a few days doesn’t mean I should have to work extra hard too!”
“I… I mean I guess, but… you’ve seemed to have been enjoying training lately?” Prompto said after a moment with a shrug, Noct bristling a little at the remark. “I mean… you literally blew me off last week because you said you had to get to training with Gladio. And… not to be rude, but like… you never liked training. Like… ever! ”
“Drop it, Prom,” Noct growled, still mashing away at his controller as he listened to his best friend slowly starting to put a few pieces together.
“So…,” Prompto continued, completely ignoring Nocts request. “Why would you all of a sudden enjoy training when you haven’t before?”
“Lets just play the game, Prom.”
“Were you learning something cool? I mean… you literally warp and what’s cooler than that?! So it can’t be something you’re learning.”
“Prompto. Seriously, stop.”
“And it can’t be that exciting to be in the training hall. I’ve seen it… I’ve been in it… it’s not exciting. Is it something in the training ha--,” Prompto paused in his words and Noct refused to look over, trying to quell the heat in his ears from manifesting… but it was too late.
“Oh…,”
“Prom…,”
“My….,”
“Prompto. I swear to the astra--...”
“GODS! You’re crushing on Gladio!” the gunner crowed.
Noct instantly dropped the controller, moving closer to his best friend and covering his mouth with his hand.
“Oh my gods, Prompto! Keep it down!” he hissed, his entire face feeling like it was on fire as he watched the glee still forming in Prompto’s eyes. Slowly he lowered his hand and instantly regretted it as he was greeted with a smug grin.
“So… how long you been crushin’ on Gladdy daddy?” Prompto asked, waggling his eyebrows and making Noct wish the floor would swallow him whole.
“What?! Don’t call him that!”
“Oh? What about beefcake? Shield of Hearts? Oh! What about Gladioluscious?” he asked, soon getting a throw pillow to the face as Noct whipped one at his head.
“What is wrong with you?! If I tell you will you stop coming up with those awful names?!” he asked, watching as Prompto removed the pillow from his face, that same smile still in place. However, he kept quiet, giving Noct a little look and waiting for him to continue.
Groaning quietly, Noct brought his hands up to cover his face, trying to gather his thoughts. “I’ve… been… I don’t know,” he began lamely. “Lately I just… it’s like… my heart feels all weird when we’re together and he’s not that annoying when he says we have to train…even if I haven’t gone in the last couple of days.”
“Not to mention he’s got a body I’d give my left arm for, right?” Prompto offered, though his expression was softer as he spoke to Noct. The Prince felt his face flush up more, but he couldn’t help smiling.
“Well… you’re not wrong,” he said with a little chuckle, getting a nudge from his best friend.
“Okay. So you’re crushing on Gladio, but… I mean… if you are why are you avoiding him now?” Prompto asked.
Nocts smile faltered now and he looked at the screen, watching his character getting pummeled to death by a few stray zombies. “I don’t know. I guess… I don’t want things to get awkward? I don’t want him to know? He’s never shown interest? Take your pick,” he said quietly.
Feeling the sofa shift next to him, Noct soon felt an arm around his shoulder and a light squeeze as Prompto brought him into a little side hug. “Listen to me, dude. I’m like… the king of awkward and I don’t think you liking him would change anything. If you don’t want to tell him you totally don’t have to, but… I feel like by not talking to him… you’re kinda already making things a little awkward?”
Glancing over, Noct caught the sight of Prompto’s expression. It was open and honest, not a trace of the teasing from before and he couldn’t help smiling a bit. “When did you get so good about this sort of thing?”
Prompto couldn’t suppress a little snort and puffed his chest out. “I’ve always been this brilliant when it comes to relationships. Haven’t you seen how I’m slowly whittling down Ignis’s defenses? One day he’ll realize he likes me.”
This definitely got a laugh out of Noct who lightly elbowed his friend in the ribs, making him wince and draw his arm back from around his shoulders. “Oh yeah, Casanova. It’s working like a charm. Remind me… was it last week you complimented him by saying he made his apron look ’classy and sassy”? Or was that when you tried to help him in the kitchen and spilled curry on your pants?”
Prompto went absolutely scarlet and covered his face with his hands. “Duuuuude! You promised never to talk about that again! Besides you’re wrong! Last week was when I tried to hand him his gloves and accidentally bu-...,”
The words died on his lips as the sound of the front door opening and closing a bit harder than normal echoed down the hall.
Noct and Prompto both jumped at the sound and soon heavy footfalls could be heard coming their way.
Both glanced over the back of the sofa and saw Gladio descending upon them like an angry bird of prey.
“Uh… hey, Gladio. What’s up?” Noct asked as casually as he could with an angry Amicitia staring him down.
“Where have you been?” Gladio growled, towering over the pair and folding his arms over his chest.
Noct felt something in his chest flutter. Fantastic… even an angry Gladio gave him butterflies now.
“Uh… here?” he answered, aiming for slightly joking, but by the look Gladio was giving him he knew he had well and truly missed the mark.
“I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for the better part of a week and today you didn’t respond back at all,” Gladio fumed, narrowing his eyes. “You realize that it’s my job to make sure you’re alright, right? You could’ve sent me a text saying where you were at least.”
Noct bristled slightly at that and turned a bit more to give Gladio his full attention. “Well you seemed to find me pretty easily just now. Guess I didn’t have to worry about texting, huh?”
Gladio’s jaw clenched and Noct could literally hear his internal self berating him for being an idiot. Sadly he seemed unable to keep more words from spewing forth.
“You coulda texted Prompto? Or Ignis? They know where I’m at half the time anyway. I don’t see why you’re getting so upset about this?”
“It’s not my job to go chasing you all over hell’s half acre! And I’m getting upset because you’re not talkin’ to me!” Gladio pointed out, throwing his hands in the air. “Did I do something to upset you? If it’s about the extra practice it’s for your own good! We’re heading out soon and I figured it wouldn’t hurt to make sure you’re on the up and up before I’m gone.”
“The up and up? I’m already aware of what’s going on and extra training isn’t going change that. You make it sound like you’re never coming back. Would it kill you to let me just enjoy myself from time to time?” Noct asked, his temper starting to spark.
Gladio growled in frustration and shook his head. “Well would it kill you to listen to me for once in your life?”
Now Noct was standing, his own temper flaring as he leveled his own glare back to Gladio. “I think you’re forgetting who is supposed to take orders from who here! I’m the Prince, you’re the Shield. If I don’t want to go to your extra training sessions, I don’t have to. I’m fine without you trying to heap extra work on me just because you’re going on an extended camping trip into the woods for a few days!”
Warning bells were already ringing in his head that he’d said enough stupid things and yet… and yet… his mouth seemed incapable of stopping itself.
“Why don’t you just leave me alone! I don’t need your worry, I don’t need your extra training sessions and I don’t need you! ”
The room suddenly felt too quiet and cold in the aftermath of his words. Looking back over to Gladio he could see the man standing there, his eyes wide with surprise and… hurt.
Oh gods.
Oh gods what had he done?
“Glad… Gladio… I-I didn’t…,” he began, his throat feeling dry as he tried to figure out how to fix this. How to stop Gladio from looking like he’d just betrayed him in the worst way. But before he could continue the hurt was replaced with something detached and indifferent. Gladio’s hand came up quieting Nocts attempt to speak.
“I understand, your Highness,” Gladio said quietly as he used his title. Gladio never truly used his title unless teasing him. But this wasn’t teasing. It wasn’t even said in his usual voice, the one filled with playful banter that made Noct roll his eyes yet smile like an idiot when it was used. This voice was cold, indifferent. No warmth left in it for him.
“No. Gladio you really, really don’t,” Noct tried again.
“I’ll leave you to your evening, your Highness,” he said in that same awful tone devoid of anything Noct had come to associate with Gladio.
Noct tried again… opening and closing his mouth like a gaping fish and hoping something, anything would come out that would make up for his remarks. But before long he was watching Gladio salute him in leave, arm crossed over his chest and fist clenched over his heart. A gesture from all those who served to signify they gave their heart and all to the King and his kin.
And with a few words, Noctis had managed to close that heart off to him completely.
“Gladio,” he said quietly, but the man either didn’t hear him or pretended not to, turning on his heel and leaving the apartment without another word.
As he exited, shutting the door behind him, the room seemed even colder.
“What… what just happened?” Noct whispered, still trying to figure out how he had messed up so badly.
Prompto glanced from the doorway, back to Noct, his face looking even paler. “I really don’t think you need me to tell you...,” Prompto said quietly. He looked back toward the door that Gladio had just left through and bit his lip. “But… you really hurt him, Noct. You gotta make this right… like… yesterday.”
Noct ran a hand through his hair, knowing that Prompto was right. “I… I don’t think he’ll want to talk to me at the moment. Gods, why did I have to open my big mouth?!” he growled out, flopping back down onto the sofa and holding his head in his hands as he replayed the whole fiasco over and over in his head.
“Hey… listen,” Prompto said quietly as he set a hand on his friends back. “Gladio is an understanding dude. He’s put up with you for this long, right?”
That got a little huff from Noct, but as he looked over at Prompto he could see the blond offering him a little smile. “This is just a bump and a misunderstanding. If you apologize… and I mean like… properly apologize and tell him why you’re being such a… chocobutt… I think he’ll understand. I really do.”
Noct took in his friends expression and after a moment, offered a little smile. “Thanks, Prom. I’ll.. I’ll send him a text later. I’m positive he won’t want to talk to me at the moment. But… he doesn’t leave until late tomorrow night. I’ll get a hold of him before then.”
“Good. But I gotta get going before I miss the last bus back to my house. Promise me you’re going to text him for reals? You’re not going to chicken out?” Prompto asked as he stood, grabbing his bag and looking at Noct with a quirked eyebrow.
Noct nodded solemnly. “I swear. I’m gonna make this right,” he promised.
Before long Prompto was gone and Noct was left to his own devices, milling around his apartment and glancing at his phone every few minutes waiting to find just the right moment to text. Or maybe he should call? To be fair, this had all started because he couldn’t even be bothered to send a stupid text because he couldn’t get his feelings sorted.
A few hours had already passed when he finally couldn’t handle it anymore.
Picking up his phone he typed out a quick text.
8:45 p.m Noctis: Hey
Sent.
Setting his phone back on the table, Noct bit his lip, waiting for the familiar ping of a returned message. It was a nice opening to a conversation right? Surely anyone… anyone would respond back, right?
Twelve minutes later and it looked like the message hadn’t even been looked at.
Picking his phone back up, Noct berated himself. Of course Gladio wouldn’t have responded to ‘ Hey ’! How stupid was that?! He needed to do better!
8:58 p.m. Noctis: Listen… Gladio… I was hoping I could talk to you about what happened earlier? I said a few things that… I really shouldn’t have. Can we talk?
After sending the next message he felt the tension rebuilding in his chest. Surely that would get a response? Gladio couldn’t hold a grudge against him that harshly could he? To be fair… he had been an absolute dick to him. Hell, Noct wouldn’t have wanted to talk to him either, but… Gladio was better than him, wasn’t he?
This time twenty minutes went by and not wanting to seem antsy, Noct tried to ignore that no message was forthcoming. That the messages were still going unread.
Maybe Gladio was busy? Though… there had never been a time in his life he could remember Gladio not responding to his text in a timely manner. He was almost like Ignis in that respect.
He could wait.
He could be patient.
He would give Gladio time.
-----------------------------------
Forty minutes later…
Fifteen texts and four unanswered phone calls later…
Noct was starting to get angry again as he lay listlessly on the sofa, staring at his phone and hoping to see his messages finally be read. Sadly no such luck was forthcoming.
What! Couldn’t Gladio be bothered to answer him?! What was all that Highness stuff earlier then? Gladio couldn’t possibly be so petty as to give him the cold shoulder! What if Noct really needed him? What if he was in trouble!
The front door opened and Noct all but sprang up into a seated position from his spot on the sofa, eyes wide as he glanced toward the front door over the back of the couch.
“Gladio?!” he called, only to be met with an equally surprised looking Ignis. The adviser had an arm full of grocery bags and was just starting to step out of his shoes when he caught sight of his Prince.
“Everything alright, Highness?” he asked, making Noct feel sick at the use of the title.
“I’ve told you before, Specs. Just call me Noct. Please,” he said quietly and now Ignis looked even more surprised.
Gods, how much of a spoiled brat had he become that Ignis was startled by him using his manners? He really needed to re-evaluate himself.
“Sorry, Iggy. I… I thought you might be Gladio,” he said honestly, watching as Ignis finished removing his shoes and made his way into the kitchen. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of him this evening, but he’s not answering my texts or phone calls.”
“Well.. that’s hardly surprising. He’s left for his field training mission, remember?” Ignis said carefully, watching Noct with a slightly worried expression.
Nocts eyes widened at that and spluttered for a moment before popping up from the sofa and following Ignis into the small kitchen. “What?! No… he… they were supposed to head out tomorrow evening?” Noct said matter-of-factly. He knew he’d read the paperwork explaining what was going to be happening these next few days.
“No. Didn’t Gladio tell you? I thought he was going to explain this to you during your training sessions? They generally post one leave date and alter the real leave date to keep those heading out safe from any pre-planned attacks,” Ignis explained as he started to empty the grocery bags onto the counter.
Noct felt something like a cold stone settle into the pit of his stomach. Is… is that why Gladio had wanted him to come to those training sessions? So that he could explain this more thoroughly to him? It definitely would’ve been a lot safer than trying to send a message over text or phone call where it could be tapped or intercepted. But… wait…
“I… I didn’t think this was like a… mission mission. I thought this was just… training?” he said quietly, realizing just how much of a prick he’d been.
“What better training than real world experience? They’re heading out with a few other Crownsguard and Marshal Leonis to check on some disturbances in Southern Cleigne near the border of Tenebrea. Possibly another big push from Niflheim. They are being sent out to secure outposts and make sure they can’t advance too far.”
Noct thought back to what Gladio had been saying earlier. About keeping him on the up and up. He’d thought that sounded silly for weapons training, but it was because he had wanted Noct to know what was going on for an honest to gods mission he was being sent out for!
And Noct… he’d called it an ‘ extended camping trip ’. He’d literally told Gladio that he knew what was going on and it wouldn’t make a difference.
He’d told him that Gladio needed to know his place.
He’d told him that he didn’t need him.
He… had truly fucked up.
“..-oct? Noctis? Noctis are you alright?”
The prince blinked rapidly, coming back to the moment and looking up to find Ignis watching him with worry.
“I… I didn’t… I was ignoring Gladio,” Noct said quietly, his throat dry. “I thought he just wanted me to do extra weapons training? I didn’t… I didn’t realize he was trying to…,”
“Do his job? Keep you updated and safe? Make sure you knew what was happening so you wouldn’t worry?” Ignis rattled off, his expression growing a bit more stern as he finally put the pieces together. “I was wondering why he seemed off before they set out. What happened?”
Noctis felt shame burn in his face as Ignis said that and looked at him like a child who had misbehaved. But gods… he’d been so much worse.
“I didn’t understand what he was trying to do. I thought… he was just trying to get me to train more and… and lately I have been… I don’t know. Being around Gladio has been… guh!” he ran a hand over his face and shook his head. “Look… I messed up! I am apparently shit at trying to express myself and do the exact opposite and now Gladio is pissed at me and doesn’t know that I don’t mean what I said and that I really meant the exact opposite and… gods Specs, what do I do?!”
Ignis’ expression was still stern, but he sighed and turned back to his task. “Sadly, there’s nothing to do for now. While out in the field communication will be almost non-existent. They are due back in a weeks time. During which I hope you figure out a way to fix all of whatever happened. It won’t do for you to beat yourself up over it, but… you should know that Gladio only ever has the best of intentions at heart for you. Take that as you will.”
Noct stood there for a moment, letting the words sink in feeling the stone in his gut doubling in size. He wouldn’t be able to let Gladio know what he really thought. Be able to get this mess cleared up before he went out. But as soon as the Shield was back in the safety of Lucis, Noct was going to make things right! Astrals he hoped he came back safe.
His thoughts were interrupted by the clearing of Ignis’s throat. Glancing up at the taller man he saw the stern expression had shifted into something a little kinder.
“Now… help me put this away, won’t you? And try not to worry about our dear Gladio. He’s been trained by the Shield of Lucis and The Immortal for most of his life. He’ll be alright.”
Noct nodded at that. Hoping that his Adviser was right.
----------------------------------
It was a few days into the mission and no communication had been forthcoming. There was supposed to have been at least a few transmissions coming in to let them know what was happening, but seeing as no news came from either side they could all only assume everything was still fine.
The last anyone had heard was that the vehicles that were taking them had made their way through Duscae, but it seemed once they’d crossed over into Cleigne was when communication had failed.
Throughout there was still reassurances.
Cor the Immortal was with them as was Gladiolus Amicitia. Surely nothing could happen when two such skilled fighters were counted among those who had been sent out?
All through this madness Noct could feel the tension growing and growing in his chest. Even though Ignis had told him things would be alright, he could still see the tightness in the man’s shoulders as well. Everyone felt on edge not knowing what was happening. They were supposed to be due back in a couple of days and Noct swore that as soon as he knew Gladio was back he was going to clear up everything.
It was the fifth day of their leave. Only two days to go until they were back and as Noct lay in bed he still felt just as uneasy as he had that evening a few days prior.
How could he have said something so heartless?
Why couldn’t he have just listened?
Why did he have to be so afraid that he lashed out?
Tossing an arm over his eyes he tried not to dwell on those thoughts that kept taunting him. Instead he began focusing on something else. Something productive. Like… how was he supposed to make this all better? Would a simple apology work? Gladio wasn’t the type who ever needed a grand gesture, but maybe that’s what he could do? Maybe buy him some sort of welcome home present or… take him some Cup Noodles as a peace offering. Then explain that he had been completely out of line and the real reason he had been avoiding him was because he… actually really didn’t want to avoid him, but he wasn’t good at this and went about it the wrong way!
Contemplating all of this and with his arm blocking out whatever moonlight was coming into his room, Noct missed the light on his phone blinking to signal a new message.
Then another…
and another…
However, it was absolutely hard to miss the sound of his front door slamming open and the sound of hurried footsteps making their way toward his room.
Noct was out of bed and beginning to pull his sword from his armiger when Ignis came rushing through the bedroom door. The man looked absolutely disheveled. His hair was a mess and he was missing his glasses. His jacket had been hastily thrown on hastily over his sleep clothes and he seemed to be clutching his phone like a lifeline.
“Noctis we have to go,” Ignis said quickly, flicking the light on and shoving his phone in his pocket as he moved to grab Nocts jacket off the back of his desk chair.
“What? Woah, Ignis, what’s going on?” he asked, trying to wrap his mind around what could’ve possibly rattled his Adviser so thoroughly for him to come barging into his room like this.
“We just received word on the mission from Cleigne,” he said quickly, tossing the coat at Noctis and not waiting for him to put it on before grabbing his arm. “There have been casualties. An airship is due in, in twenty minutes.”
Noctis felt like the world was suddenly being tilted and his breathing felt labored as he hoped against hope this all didn’t mean what he thought it did.
“Ignis?” he whispered, the Adviser pausing long enough in hauling Noctis toward the front door to turn around. Green eyes normally so collected and calm now showed nothing but fear and worry.
“Gladio is among them.”
---------------------------------
They had to have broken every single traffic law to get to the hospital where Gladio and his party were due in. The only words that had come in had been that there were casualties, but no one had been clear on the meaning.
A casualty could be anything from an injury in the field… to death in battle. All they had were the number coming in and that unmerciful word hanging over them all. Surely they wouldn’t be rushing dead men to a hospital? But what if it was a combination? Even that thought did little to ease the worry of those now waiting for the airships arrival and an answer to their questions.
Upon arriving to the hospital, Ignis had made sure to park near a side entrance to make sure that the Prince’s arrival was still kept secret even as the security on the building was already increased for those incoming soldiers. It appeared that they had arrived almost on time with the airship as they ducked into the building and found themselves next to the emergency entrance.
“We have to get to the waiting rooms. Your Father and Clarus are already inside and waiting thanks to…,” but Ignis’s words were cut off as the doors to the emergency entrance opened and shouting could be heard outside.
Noct only just managed to grab onto Ignis’s arm and pull him back before two men pushing a gurney came racing by… the occupant of which was covered in a white sheet already staining through with blood.
Noct felt frozen to the spot as the entrance doors stayed open as cart after cart came rushing through. Each person covered with a white sheet, the only difference being where the blood had managed to stain through.
This couldn’t be right. No… this… couldn’t be happening. There had to be survivors. Gladio wouldn’t just go down like that! Gladio was too tough! He was made of steel and resolve and could take down any man foolish enough to get in his way! There had to be another doorway through which they were bringing back people from this mission! Gladio would definitely be making his way through, probably roughed up around the edges, but otherwise fine! There was no way he….
“Out of the way! Move it!” a man shouted as he and a woman from the onboard medical team came rushing in.
The world slowed as the cart they pushed rolled past. All voices muffled to Nocts ears as his eyes caught sight of an arm hanging over the side of the gurney. An arm with eagle feathers tattooed into the skin… covered in dirt and blood.
Nocts heart absolutely shattered in his chest.
“No…,” he breathed before he watched the gurney disappearing around a corner down the hall. “No! NO!” Without a second though he tore off after them, ignoring the calls from Ignis behind him. He had to make sure! This couldn’t be happening! He refused to believe this was honest to gods happening!
Gladio wasn’t supposed to get hurt!
Gladio wasn’t supposed to die!
He was supposed to live so that Noctis could make things right!
He had to make things right!
But before he could make his way around the corner he felt a pull on the back of his coat and was stopped in his tracks and tugged back.
“Noctis! Noct you need to listen to m-...,” Ignis tried to say as Noct pushed and shoved to try and free himself.
“No! Ignis! Didn’t you see?! Didn’t you see him! That was Gladio! H-He… we have to follow him! He… he can’t be gone! He can’t be be-because…,” the fight was slowly leaving him as he felt tears beginning to burn his eyes, his hands that had been fighting to get free now grasping onto the Advisers coat. “... because I-I haven’t had a chance to… to make things right! He c-can’t be gone!”
Noct soon found himself pulled into the Adviser’s arms, instantly hiding his face against Ignis’s chest as a broken sob escaped him.
“Noct. Noctis you need to listen to me,” Ignis urged quietly even as his voice trembled. He kept his arms tight around the younger man as he tried to convey his thoughts. “Something here isn’t right. Why would they be rushing the dead into the building? I don’t think what we saw is what it seems. I need you to hang onto that hope. We need to get to the waiting room and hopefully… six above hopefully… we will get our answer there. Can you do that for me?”
Noct felt another sob wrack his body even as he listened, his heart unsure if it could hope… fearing what would happen to it should Ignis be wrong. But… still hope blossomed as Ignis’s words played over in his head mixing with those thoughts that had grown there earlier.
They wouldn’t rush dead men to a hospital.
They wouldn’t race those lost in battle into emergency.
Taking a deep breath Noct nodded and stood back from Ignis, glancing up to find his friend fighting back just as much emotion as Noct had already lost against.
“Good,” Ignis croaked, squeezing his arms before leading the way back down the hall and toward what they hoped would be answers. Whether it was good or bad… only time would tell.
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Undercover.
That’s what they had witnessed.
To keep the identities of those hurt in Cleigne from getting out to the public just yet they had advised the airship crew to cover the wounded before entering the building. They needed to keep this all as undercover as possible and local news outlets were already making their way to the hospital to be the first ones to get the story out. The last thing they’d wanted was for the families of those wounded to get out before they could be reached by the Crown.
After learning of this Noct didn’t know whether to laugh at the double meaning of the word or cry that Gladio was still with them.
His body had made the choice for him as he’d found himself unable to keep the tears from flowing in both relief and worry. Ignis not fairing much better even if he did try to hide it.
While it was definitely a relief to know that he was alive, it was still horrible to hear what had transpired and what the young Shield still had to face.
According to reports that were still coming in, there had been an attack just as the group was preparing to leave from their mission. MT’s had struck in the middle of the night forcing the small party to take up arms and leave the haven they had sought refuge in while they stayed near the Tenebrean border. Matters hadn’t been helped when the commotion managed to alert a few daemons in the area including an Iron Giant.
Apparently during the onslaught that followed Cor and Gladio had broken off to try and manage the Giant while the rest worked to take down the MT’s. It was while his attention was focused on the daemon that the MT’s had managed to land a few lucky shots, sending two bullets through Gladio’s shoulder and leaving him vulnerable to a hit from the Giants sword.
Of course Gladio wouldn’t have been taken down by either on their own, but combined? No normal person could’ve survived.
After seeing Gladio fall it seemed that Cor had… for lack of a better phrase… gone absolutely ballistic on whatever enemies remained.
It was at this point in the intel that Clarus, looking far more tired and aged then Noct had ever seen him, actually managed to laugh. Saying that there was no way Cor would ever take anything happening to godson sitting down. The Marshal was currently being treated for his own injuries, but they were assured he was going to be fine with a few stitches and bed rest.
Obviously this meant that as soon as Cor had been stitched up he made his way to the waiting room against the nurses orders.
It was a few hours later that they were finally given news of Gladio’s condition. The bullets had made a clean entry and exit through his shoulder, missing any vitals though the blood loss had been what worried them the most. Then there had been the hit from the daemons blade. He’d been lucky enough, if you could call it that, to be hit with the broadside of it, meaning no gashes. The knock, however, had left him with three broken ribs. Thankfully… a full recovery was also expected of him.
To say that the people in the waiting room were emotional at the news was an understatement and it wasn’t much longer before they were asking when they could see them.
Clarus and Regis were admitted first, though they had all been told that with the amount of elixirs coursing through Gladio’s system he may be out for some time.
After them, it was Ignis and Nocts turn and the Prince couldn’t ever remember wanting to both do and not do something so much in his life. Who wanted to see someone that they cared about in a hospital bed? However, the reminder of what could’ve been still clung heavy to his heart and he knew he needed to see Gladio if only to ease that fear of what could have been.
Ignis led the way, opening the door to the room stepping inside as Noct followed behind. As soon as his eyes found Gladio he felt his heart breaking all over again.
Gladio looked so much smaller in that bed, hooked up to machines that would monitor his every breath and every heartbeat. He didn’t look like the Gladio they knew. The one that stood strong and proud. Who was just as likely to tease as he was to offer and encouraging word. No… this Gladio looked frail and vulnerable and now… all Noct wanted to do was stay by his side and protect him. Ensure that another bad thing never happened to this man who meant so much more to him than he even knew.
“Noct?” Ignis whispered, bringing the Prince out of reverie as he looked back to see that Ignis had already made his way back to the door, his phone once more in hand. “I’m afraid I can’t stay. There’s already a frenzy happening outside and I’m needed to help stem the flow of information. If Gladio wakes… please tell him that if he ever does anything like this again I will absolutely beat the hell out of him.” However, even as he spoke, Noct could see the relief in Ignis’s eyes at having made sure that Gladio really was alright.
Noct offered a small smile and nodded. “You got it, Specs,” he said gently, getting a small smile from the adviser in return before the door was shut, leaving him alone with Gladio.
Turning back toward the man he made his way to one of the chairs set up next to the bed, taking a seat and letting his eyes take in Gladio. Due to the bruising on his ribs and the wound to his shoulder, they had foregone a hospital gown, the thought of Gladio enjoying being shirtless even in this moment making Noct smile even as he fought back another wave of emotion bubbling up in his chest.
Reaching forward he took Gladio’s hand, feeling the roughened skin of his palm and realizing just how much work and dedication the man put in to protecting him. Protecting all of them.
“Oh, Gladio..,” he whispered into the quiet room, his hand carefully squeezing that of his Shields. “I… I don’t know if you can hear me. I… I promise that I will say this when you're awake too, but… gods I need to tell you now before anything else can happen.” Taking a deep, shaky breath, he closed his eyes, trying to focus on what he wanted… what he needed to say.
“Gladio… I am… so… so sorry. What I said to you is… it’s inexcusable. And gods if it wasn’t the farthest thing from the truth. I was… a jerk. I was a massive jerk and all because I didn’t know how to deal with how I… how I feel about you.” Noct swallowed thickly as he spoke, his hand holding Gladio’s just a little tighter. “I don’t know if you can call it love… but I know that every time I’m around you my heart feels like it’s going to beat out of my chest. My stomach does flips and… gods I sound so mushy but it’s true! You make me laugh like no one else can and you make me feel safe and happy in a way I didn’t know I could. I can literally hear you telling me that you should make me feel safe because you’re my Shield, but… you are far more than that to me. So much more.”
Six, did he wish Gladio was awake. Awake so that he could finally tell him what he should’ve told him sooner.
“Please… wake up? Wake up so I can tell you how much you mean to me. Wake up so I can make sure you know that you are more than I deserve and everything that I want. Please… for me? Please, wake up.”
Noct could feel the tears escaping him once more as guilt, worry, relief and hope all mixed within his heart that had already been through enough ups and downs to last a lifetime.
Then he felt it.
A small twitch, followed by rough fingers weakly giving his hand a little squeeze.
“A-any… anything for you… your Highness. ”
Nocts eyes instantly opened, his gaze flickering up to the head of the bed where two tired, amber eyes met his own blue ones.
“Gl…. Gladio?” he croaked, watching a little flicker of a smile tease at the corner of the man’s lips.
“Please… please tell me I didn’t… imagine that?” Gladio whispered as Noct felt warmth instantly flood his cheeks. “Be-Because… if that’s what it… it takes to get an apology… and a love confession out of you… I don’t think I can do it again.”
Noct honestly couldn’t keep a surprised and watery chuckle from escaping him as he heard that, feeling relief absolutely rush over him to hear that teasing tone coming from Gladio. “Don’t you dare make me laugh when I’m trying to be serious!” he chided with no heat, making Gladio chuckle and wince slightly at the movement.
“Yes, Highness.”
“And stop calling me that!”
“Yes, Highness. ”
Noct smiled all the more and shook his head, watching as Gladio smiled all the more, his hand holding his just a little bit stronger now.
“Ignis wanted me to tell you that if you ever do anything like this again he will beat the hell out of you,” he warned, making Gladio snort and wince once more and close his eyes.
“Well… can’t have that, can I? He punches hard, ” he joked slightly.
Noct definitely couldn’t help chuckling at that and shook his head. “You’re ridiculous,” he murmured fondly, watching as Gladio’s gaze fell onto him once more.
“But… you love me regardless, right?” Gladio murmured softly, soothing a thumb over Nocts fingers as the Prince felt his cheeks blush once more.
“I… I said I didn’t know if I’d call it that,” he admitted, watching as a smile spread over Gladio’s face.
“I would,” the Shield murmured softly, his tone leaving Noct without any doubts as to whether his feelings were reciprocated.
“Then… I guess I would too.”
“Don’t sound so sure of yourself,” Gladio teased and Noct gave his fingers a little squeeze in retaliation.
“Ugh! Why do I put up with you again?”
The same teasing smile appeared over Gladio’s lips as he gave Nocts fingers a small squeeze in return. “Because… you love me. Didn’t we just figure that out?” he murmured, though even as he spoke Noct watched as his eyes began to droop once more, his hand becoming slack around his fingers as exhaustion started to overcome him.
“Get some rest, Gladio. I’ll be here when you wake up. I’m not going anywhere,” he murmured softly, watching as the man slowly nodded back off, his hand still lightly holding Nocts and making the Prince’s heart race wildly in his chest.
The man was absolutely right. There was no doubt in this world. He absolutely loved him.
And when he woke, Noct promised to make sure he knew without a shadow of a doubt.
No more misunderstandings.
No more waiting.
Not anymore.