Chapter Text
“Whoa, where’d you get that?” Prompto leaned in close, pointer finger hovering over the discolored and misshapen lines across Noctis’ back.
“Uh…” Noctis stalled, his hand preoccupied with fastening his belt as they changed in the school’s locker room. “You don’t know?”
Prompto shook his head, pulling his own shirt over his head and haphazardly knotting his tie.
Noctis could see a fervent fire building behind those curious, violet eyes and restlessness gnawing at his friend’s lips. Noctis sighed, surrendering an explanation after all. “Remember in grade school when we were like eight? I disappeared for a bit after we had first met.”
“Uh, kind of, I guess.” Prompto’s voice got low as he lied. Of course he remembered. He couldn’t have forgotten how he had made a fool of himself falling in front of the young Prince and how desperately he wanted to redeem himself the next day. Though, Noct never showed up to school again and Prompto burdened himself with horrible thoughts, questioning why someone like the Crown Prince would want to hang out with a kid that looked like him. He thought about it every day until they reunited again just last year starting high school.
“I never went back to school because I got into an accident.” Noctis winced, preparing himself for the follow up questions.
Prompto’s hands dropped from his tie, giving all of Noct his attention. “Whoa, are you serious?”
“Yeah, daemon attack. This- this snake… thing . I didn’t understand it back then and I kind of don’t remember a lot of it anymore. People died that day and I was, uh, I was in a coma.” He had thought he’d forgotten it, but the memories came back to him in vague scenes. Running, bleeding, dying . Noctis braced himself against his locker.
Prompto placed a hand on Noctis’ shoulder, easing him back to the present. “That’s why you never showed up to school again. Dude, I had no idea.”
Noct inhaled deeply, fiddling with his shirt bunched up in his hands. “I mean, I got better, obviously. And then got shipped off to Tenebrae where the Fleuret family helped me. You know, Luna and her family?”
“Yeah, Lady Lunafreya,” Prompto repeated, following along intently. Sadness and guilt started to bubble up inside him for not knowing any of this.
“They helped me out a lot. I still couldn’t walk really when my dad came to visit and, uh, there was another attack.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah, it was… bad. I’m sure you heard of the Occupation of Tenebrae? I haven’t spoken to Luna since then. Not face to face or anything anyways.”
“Just the book, yeah?”
“Yep,” Noctis slipped into his shirt, buttoning it up quickly.
“I can’t believe you were there for that. Is that why…” Prompto looked to Noctis’ weaker leg.
“The limp? Maybe,” Noctis paused, truly considering it before he resigned. “Probably.”
Heavy footsteps echoed into the locker room, interrupting their privacy. The two boys who rolled their eyes knowing who those pointed steps belonged to.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Prince Cock tis and his royal mutt.”
“What do you want Anguis?” Prompto spat at the other boy not too much taller than either himself nor the Prince. His sleeves were rolled up, Prompto observed, as if he was already expecting a fight.
He was sure that Noctis could take this guy on knowing Noctis had been training in combat for years. And Prompto saw his trainer a few times too: one of the biggest guys he’d ever seen and only three years older than them. But knowing that didn’t stop Prompto from getting between Anguis and Noctis. Like hell he’d let anything happen to him.
Noctis only gathered his things quickly, shoving his tie into his bag, and pulling his coat on while he gestured for Prompto to ignore the other student.
“Man, you and the whole royal family have no guts,” Anguis laughed. “Are you hiding in this corner of the locker rooms because you can’t change in front of everyone else like a real man or do you really think you’re that special, Your Highness.” He hissed every word with venom.
“Shows how much you know. Noct is the strongest guy in the world! He even survived a daemon snake attack and has the scars to prove it!” Prompto gave Anguis the meanest glare he could muster.
“Prom!” Noct exclaimed. There was hurt in his voice that made Prompto snap his mouth shut.
“Oh yeah? Daemon snake, huh? Let me see then,” Anguis bulldozed through Prompto, towards Noct, shoving the Prince back against the locker door with a raucous clang. He stared into Noctis’ eyes just an inch from his face, his eyes dripping with hatred and pleasure all at the same time.
“Piss off!” Noctis yelled, motioning to shove him back, phasing through him with what looked like a sizzle of blue stardust gusting through Anguis. Noctis didn’t hesitate storming out of the room, grabbing Prompto by the arm, and practically dragging him along.
“You’re lucky you have the crystal’s magic,” Anguis cried after them, shaking out from his initial surprise.
“You’re lucky he hasn’t used it on you!” Prompto called back, stumbling behind Noctis.
“Prompto!” Noctis reprimanded again through grit teeth.
They moved fast, Noctis’s momentum and his grip on Prompto’s arm unyielding until they made it to the main streets of the city.
Prompto dared to speak first when it became unbearable. “Noct, you’re hurting me.”
“Shit,” Noctis let go immediately, shocked at himself for how hard he was gripping. “I didn’t mean to-” He rubbed color back into his knuckles. “Prom, I-”
“Nah, dude. It’s fine. It’s just- you okay?” Prompto tested, resisting the urge to rub his own arm.
Noctis huffed, rage still pumping through his heart. He ran his hands through his hair and started pulling at the roots. Prompto gripped Noctis’ wrists and placed them gently at his sides before Noctis could spiral into something Prompto couldn’t save him from.
“Yeah. Are- are you?” Noctis’ voice was just above a whisper, letting his friend tend to him.
Prompto zipped up Noctis’ jacket, ignoring the Prince’s rolling eyes, before taking the beanie sticking from his bag and pulling it tightly over Noctis’ head. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”
Noctis scoffed. “Thanks, Ignis .” He smiled.
“Hey, when he’s not here, someone’s gotta make sure you don’t freeze.” Prompto returned the smile. “Oh! Hey! You warped! I remember you said you were struggling with it.”
Noctis continued walking, feeling normal again. “I can only go short distances or for a short time. I hit stasis pretty fast and it still makes me nauseated too.”
“I mean, you’re still learning.”
“I guess. My dad learned it when he was a lot younger, though.”
“Aw, c’mon. Don’t think like that. Your dad- I mean His Majesty is His Majesty. You’re you.”
Noctis hummed doubtfully.
They walked through the streets decorated for the season honoring the Glacian and Fulgurian. Snowflakes, small snow fairies, and other ice motifs symbolized Shiva, while cane-shaped candies and white, billowing beards symbolized Ramuh. It was a time for the Winter festival, celebrating the two Astrals’ friendship, and motivating friends, families, and loved ones to give thoughtful gifts to each other.
The two went on looking at the colorful light fixtures decorating houses and shops, having bought hot chocolates from the nearby cafe to warm their hands as well as their insides. The sun was getting low and the lights had just turned on, illuminating their world in a soft glow. And with the setting sun came the chill of the evening. Noctis tugged on his beanie as the cold hit his ears, subconsciously prompting Prompto to pull his own jacket tighter. It was time for them to head home.
Their after school detours were only allowed if Prompto agreed to walk Noctis to his apartment complex before sundown. It was an agreement that didn’t require any negotiation, as Prompto would have done so anyways. Noctis had somehow managed to convince his Royal family and Crownsguard to allow him to live on his own at 16 and as the sole heir to the crown, so he also miraculously convinced them that the Prince was never truly alone if he always had Prompto. Prompto didn’t mind it either, and there was a convenient bus stop a short distance away that would lead him straight home anyways.
Having reached the lobby of the complex, Noctis stopped to pull something out of his bag. “Hey, Prom. It’s a little early, but-”
“You didn’t,” Prompto sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Noooct!”
“Prooooom!” Noctis mimicked between a laugh, holding out a small box. “It’s not a big deal.”
Feigning reluctance, though completely excited, Prompto reached for the box. “Can I open it now?”
“If you want.”
Prompto clawed at the poorly affixed wrapping paper Noct surely attempted to wrap himself to unveil the new InSomSung phone that had come out just last month. “Oh em gee. Are you serious, Noct? How much was this?”
Noctis shrugged. “You don’t want me to answer that.”
“I can’t believe it!” Prompto already started to pull it out of the packaging, playing with the buttons to turn it on.
“You wanted one right? And I figured we could play Kings Knight together since it didn’t run on your phone.”
“Dude!” Prompto pounced, wrapping Noctis into a hug. “I love it!” And he truly did, not because of the price tag or the practicality, but because Noct essentially gifted Prompto more things to do together.
Noctis shoved himself away from Prompto’s crushing hug. “It’s nothing. Don’t think about getting me anything,” he warned.