Chapter Text
Citadel officials gathered one after the other at the Caelum Via Hotel off the district for the celebration. His Highness, Prince Noctis, was turning 18 and His Majesty, King Regis, teased a big surprise for his son. The royal family always invited the Citadel dignitaries, Counselpeople and notable staff - a gesture of good-will and showboating. Noctis knew this yet he extended personal invitations to those who worked around him on a day-to-day basis including his chamberlain, the kitchen staff, and the garden caretakers.
No one outside the Citadel was able to attend, and they had booked out the entire hotel for a few days for attendees to stay with their plus ones. It was a celebration for Noctis as much as it was-- as his best friend, Prompto, joked-- a company party of sorts. But it wasn’t quite the vacation as it seemed. Not to Noctis anyway. He smiled and bowed his head slightly as he passed people in the halls, hating every minute of it. Playing the part of Prince was his job, though he much rather devour large pizzas at the arcade with his friends for his birthday.
Year after year, it was just like this, doing things for show and not actually doing what he wanted. Despite being unable to invite Prompto, they promised to celebrate on his actual birth date at the end of the month when he would actually turn 18, going to their favorite hole in the wall for brunch, playing at the arcades for hours, and finishing up with a marathon of bad action movies and more junk food at Noctis’ apartment.
Noctis smiled at some more passing Crownsguards on the way to the penthouse suite of the hotel with Gladiolus, his Shield, at his side after another tiring celebration banquet. Their stay had consisted of photo ops at the historical Insomnian Gardens as a sort of opening ceremony before utilizing each day of their stay to drive out and pay respects to the different Kings of Yore, whose stone imagery made up The Old Wall. Invitees were able to join, stay at the hotel, or plan something else on their own, but everyone came together each night for a celebration banquet.
King Regis prepared a different speech revolving around the King or Queen they visited that day, then Noctis added a little something of his own (with guidance from his advisor, Ignis). His Royal Majesty always concluded with, “May the Kings of Yore guide you in your life,” a saying that made Noctis more uncomfortable the older he got. Noctis thought by now the message would have been reduced to something meaningless, but he noticed, curiously, that Regis’ voice shook the more he said it. And, if Noctis wasn’t mistaken, the King sounded bitter. Noctis brushed off his discomfort, justifying that his dad was the emotional, dramatic type or maybe it had something to do with the assassination attempts on Noctis’ life when he was younger.
When Noctis and Gladiolus arrived at Noctis’ suite, Gladio quickly swept through the room as they entered.
“Do you really have to do that?” Noct threw himself on the bed with a groan, arms sprawled out trying to expand the entire width of the king sized bed.
His shield laughed through his nostrils. “I really have to do that.”
It wasn’t like Noctis wasn’t grateful. He just thought that if he himself was tired, Gladio must have felt the same. Gladio took his role seriously, but he was barely an adult himself.
“Looks good here, Your Highness,” Gladio wasn’t as quick as Noctis to drop formalities. “What will you have me do?”
Noctis hummed, still on his back. He would have loved to send Gladio to his own room so his shield could rest, but the final day of their stay always made him anxious. Everyone was in attendance then and he felt even more scrutinized. Plus, his dad had a surprise for him and Noctis knew it was something big, but would have to keep his composure for the cameras. But once the fireworks lit up the sky, that meant the festivities were over. He couldn’t wait for those fireworks.
“Take a nap with me,” Noctis said sleepily.
“You’re an idiot,” Gladio rolled his eyes, stepping out of ceremony, though still awaiting orders.
Noctis pointed at Gladio without moving the rest of his body that had gone limp with fatigue. “I’ll have you arrested for treason.”
He heard Gladio hiding a stifled laugh behind an angry huff. Smiling victoriously, Noctis patted the space next to him. There was plenty of room for the both of them. It was a bed fit for a king. “C’mon, big guy. I know you’re tired.”
Noct rolled away from the center to make room as Gladio over-dramatized a surrendering sigh and approached the bed. Noct found the quiet company comfortable.
“Man, blondie would have loved to take a nap with you on a bed this size,” Gladio said, taking off his boots and uniform jacket, then rolled onto his back with his hands behind his head.
“Right? Maybe… one day...” Noctis muttered, his mouth just as heavy from sleepiness before he faded into a soft purr of a snore.
“Astrals, Noct, you really are like a cat,” Gladio said through a yawn of his own. He moved an arm to ruffle Noctis’ head before falling asleep himself.