Chapter Text
Noctis is thirsty. Ravenous. Which wouldn’t be a problem on any other night except tonight. Tonight he’s squashed between his classmates on some school trip he was pretty sure he’d argued against for exactly this reason. But Ignis and his father had declared it safe, so here he was. Lying between a hundred warm bodies pulsating with life and nothing – no one – to drink from.
He slides out from the sleeping bag and sneaks towards the gymnasium doors. If he can get away from all the watchful eyes of his teachers and get a message to Ignis he might have a chance.
They stop him at the doors, of course. He mumbles something about a bathroom break and the sleepy-looking teacher scrutinises him for a moment before letting Noctis pass.
The hallways are dark and empty. They’d be eerie if Noctis wasn’t who he was. If he hadn’t grown up shrouded in darkness and horror. If he was like his classmate creeping along the wall shivering like it’s the middle of winter.
“Boo.” Noctis murmurs, because he can’t help himself sometimes. And because he needs to distract himself from the gnawing pit in his stomach.
The blond guy lets out a shriek that echoes and bounces down the hallway.
Noctis almost feels bad. He can hear shouts of alarm and running feet from the gymnasium.
When his classmate turns around Noctis does feel bad. It’s the pale, skinny kid he sometimes hangs out with when forced to pair up for something in class. Prompto. Which he’s kind of mad about, because he can’t just eat Prompto.
Probably.
“Sorry.” Noctis hangs his head just as the running feet catch up to them. His fangs are poking into his lip and he’d very much like them to behave.
“W-What’s going on?” The teacher gasps. She shines a flashlight at each of them in turn.
“N-Nothing!” Prompto squeaks out. “I scared myself.”
Noctis nods and risks a glance up at the teacher from behind his hair. “I didn’t do anything.”
The teacher gives them both a long look. “Hurry up on your bathroom trip and get back to the gym,” she mutters before turning around. “And no funny business!”
Noctis waits until he hears the door close behind her before he looks at Prompto again. He’s still shivering. And his racing heartbeat is echoing around Noctis’ head. Eat me, it seems to say. I’m delicious.
“Are you cold?” Noctis asks, tilting his head slightly. He is not going to eat the only classmate he doesn’t hate. Hopefully.
“What? No.” Prompto rubs vaguely at his bare arms. “It’s just so creepy at night. And you!” Prompto takes a step forward and pokes Noctis’ shoulder. “You didn’t have to scare me like that!”
“Sorry.” Noctis flashes a careful grin. “Couldn’t resist.” Which, Noctis reminds himself, is not an excuse when it comes to snacking on the civilians. Mostly because Gladiolus would bash his head in. Literally.
“Jerk.” Prompto mumbles, though Noctis doesn’t think he means it.
They walk towards the bathroom together. Prompto’s not shivering anymore, Noctis notices as he follows Prompto through the bathroom door.
He’d left his phone in his school bag. Which was by his sleeping bag. Which was still in the gymnasium. Noctis looks up at the ceiling and groans very dramatically on the inside. And maybe a little bit on the outside, because Prompto is giving him a weird look.
“I forgot my phone.” Noctis explains as though it makes perfect sense.
“Why do you need your phone in the middle of the night?” Prompto asks.
“Secret Crown Business.” Noctis says slyly. He winks for good measure. He’s not sure he knows how to wink.
Prompto stares at him for a moment before turning around and waving his hands in the air. “I don’t even wanna know.”
“Good!” Noctis calls after him as Prompto shuts a stall door. “Because I can’t tell you anyway!”
Noctis leaves the bathroom because he doesn’t want to hear his classmate-kinda-friend peeing. Even undead abominations of the night can feel awkward about hearing someone else pee. Because it’s awkward. He leans against the wall beside the bathroom and considers his options.
Option A: Eat Prompto.
Option B: Text Ignis from under the covers and hope he can solve this terrible problem before Noctis loses his mind.
Option C: Eat a teacher. Maybe Mr Clay, because he failed Noctis in math even though Noctis had totally done all the work he was supposed to do. He’d just forgotten it at home. For three weeks in a row. Mr Clay is a jerk.
The bathroom door opens as Noctis is seriously considering how he’d manage to drain Mr Clay of every drop of his jerk blood.
“Oh.” Prompto blinks at him. “You didn’t have to wait for me.”
“I need a favour.” Noctis says before he can change his mind.
“Um?” Prompto’s heart skips a beat. “What?”
Noctis takes a few steps away from the bathroom door and beckons Prompto towards the shadows.
Prompto, because he is very foolish, or very brave, comes towards him. “Noctis, what–”
“Shh.” Noctis holds a finger up to Prompto’s lips. “I’m very hungry.”
Prompto looks completely lost and confused. Like an adorable puppy. “I don’t have any snacks–”
“Prompto.” Noctis leans closer. Prompto’s heartbeat is drumming in his ears. More like a rabbit than a puppy. A very scared and cute rabbit. “You’re the snack.”
“W-What?”
Noctis lunges forward before Prompto can convince him with those adorable blue eyes to no, sexy vampire prince, please don’t eat me. His mouth closes over Prompto’s neck and he bites down before he loses his nerve.
Prompto sags against him with a quiet gasp. A gasp that reminds Noctis to hey-don’t-murder-me-thanks.
He swallows five delicious mouthfuls of sunshine-y blood before he reluctantly pulls away. Prompto is very tasty. Or he’s just very hungry.
“W-What?” Prompto repeats. His eyes have a glassy look that makes Noctis feel guilty.
“Um.” Noctis licks the blood off his lips. And leans forward and licks the blood off Prompto’s neck, too. The wounds are already healing. Because vampire magic is cool like that.
“I feel dizzy.” Prompto wobbles and Noctis steadies him with a hand.
“Alright. So.” Noctis swallows. He feels like he could run a marathon. Or stay up all night working on his history homework. He’s invincible. But apologising to someone for drinking their blood without permission is pretty tricky.
Noctis clears his throat and tries again. “Prompto?”
“Mmm?” Prompto blinks at him. Were Prompto’s eyelashes always that long and pretty? Or is it the blood making him giddy and ridiculous?
“I’m very sorry I snacked on you.” Noctis says. “Without permission. Because you’re pretty tasty and I’d definitely be down to consensually snack on you again if you wanted. Or not. That’s cool too.”
“Um.” Prompto wobbles again and rubs at his eyes. “This is a weird dream, right?”
“Definitely.” Noctis nods vigorously. “You’re dreaming about making out with me and it’s great.”
Prompto blinks a couple of times and the glassiness leaves his eyes. “Wait.” He squirms out of Noctis’ grasp. “You bit me!”
“I mean. Some people are into that.” Noctis points out. It’s definitely the blood making him ridiculous.
Prompto shakes his head slightly. “That’s not the point!”
Yeah, that’s totally fair. Noctis spreads his hands out in front of him. “I’m sorry?”
Prompto is staring at him. Noctis kind of likes Prompto staring at him. He wonders if he should flex a little. Gladiolus would totally flex a little. And then deny it later.
Noctis does not flex.
“Noctis.” Prompto says slowly. “What’s going on?”
Noctis sighs. Glances towards the faraway gymnasium door. “Short version or long version?”
“Short version now, long version later.” Prompto crosses his arms.
“Short version! I’m a vampire, don’t tell anyone, I got very hungry and I kinda snacked on you and I’m sorry I didn’t ask if I could.” Noctis beams very beamingly because he doesn’t want Prompto to hate him forever. Also he can’t erase memories. Because his dad won’t teach him and Noctis is going to use this night as a perfect reason as to why he should.
“That’s kind of a lot.” Prompto says slowly. He looks paler than before.
“Yup.” Noctis shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels.
“Am I going to turn into a vampire?” Prompto asks in a squeaky voice.
“Nope!” Noctis grins. “Although maybe Dad would give me permission–”
“No!” Prompto waves his hands frantically. “That’s fine. I like being, um. Alive.”
“Yeah, fair.” Noctis shrugs. “Also we should probably pretend to make out.” The door to the gymnasium closes softly.
“What?” Prompto’s voice cracks.
“Teacher’s coming!” Noctis steps forward and wraps his arms around Prompto. Prompto is very warm. Noctis likes it.
“Don’t bite me.” Prompto whispers as he gingerly puts his arms around Noctis’ waist.
“What about kissing?” Noctis whispers back.
Prompto’s heart skips a beat again and Noctis feels very smug. “Maybe a little.” Prompto’s voice is so quiet Noctis can barely hear it. And Noctis has super-vampire-hearing.
Noctis’ smug feeling evaporates. He hasn’t kissed anyone before. Will Prompto be able to tell? Has Prompto kissed anyone before? His mouth feels dry. He swallows. Licks his lips. He can hear the footsteps of the teacher getting closer and closer.
It’s now or never. Or later. Maybe. If he can figure out how to charm Prompto into some kind of date or something.
Noctis leans in and brushes his lips feather-soft over Prompto’s. They both need chapstick, really.
Prompto’s hands snake up and he grabs Noctis by the collar. And then Prompto kisses him. Like someone that has definitely kissed someone else before and Noctis is a little mad about that for a second before – oh. Kissing is great. He definitely wants to kiss Prompto a lot. All night, maybe. If Prompto's cool with that.
“What are you two – Oh!” The teacher lets out a strangled yelp.
Prompto releases Noctis’ collar and steps back.
Noctis feels dizzy.
“This is exactly the kind of funny business I told you two not to get up to.” The teacher has her hands on her hips. She looks very mad. But also kind of amused.
“Sorry, miss.” Prompto puts his hands in his pockets and gives the teacher a bashful look.
Noctis nods in agreement. “Sorry,” he repeats.
“I’m going to go back to the gym.” The teacher looks between them both. “And if you’re not back within ten minutes, I’ll come and drag you. By the ears.”
She turns and walks back to the gymnasium. Noctis blinks. Is he dreaming? Is this… permission to make out?
He turns back towards Prompto. “Did she just give us permission?”
“I mean, she gave us ten minutes.” Prompto looks at him.
“That’s like, nine whole minutes of making out and one minute of getting back to the gym.” Noctis says helpfully. Ignis would be proud. He’s using his brain.
“Not if you keep talking, though.” Prompto says and leans closer.
Noctis’ very clever brain tells him that he should lean in and kiss Prompto. All suave-like.
He leans in a bit too far and they bump noses, which is totally not suave and makes Noctis consider transforming into a bat and flying away. He can’t even do that. No one can do that.
Cor can probably do that, because Cor is a jerk.
Prompto doesn’t seem to mind the awkward nose-bump because he smiles at Noctis and kisses him again.
Maybe he doesn’t need to learn mind control powers from his Dad. Maybe he should learn them from Prompto instead, because Noctis is pretty sure he doesn’t have an entire thought for five whole minutes.
“How are you so good at that?” Noctis asks between kisses. He doesn’t need air. Vampires don’t need air.
(He totally needed air.)
“Practice.” Prompto says. He leans his forehead against Noctis’. “Sort of.”
Noctis feels an unreasonable amount of jealousy snaking through his entire body. He wants to find this person that Prompto has practised with and punch them. In the face. Like he’s Gladiolus. “Oh.” He says instead, because that’s more reasonable.
Prompto smiles shyly at him.
Noctis’ heart skips a beat.
Noctis’ heart isn’t even supposed to be beating.
“Hey, Prompto?” Noctis asks, because Prompto isn’t kissing him anymore which means his mouth can make mistakes the rest of him has to deal with later.
“Mm?” Prompto brushes some hair out of Noctis’ eyes.
Noctis forgets what he was going to say. Noctis forgets his own name.
He blinks a couple of times. Prompto is waiting for him to say something.
“Can we go on a date sometime?” Noctis asks and he’s very impressed he managed to say so many words together with Prompto looking at him like somehow Noctis is the tasty snack.
“That’d be nice.” Prompto ducks his head and kisses Noctis’ neck. Like soft summer rain against Noctis’ skin.
Then Prompto bites him, which is pretty painful and yeah, definitely fair.
“Ow.” Noctis mutters weakly.
“Oops.” Prompto lifts his head and doesn’t look sorry at all.
“Has it been ten minutes? I think it’s been ten minutes.” Noctis edges towards the gymnasium. “You should give me your number.”
Prompto tells Noctis his number and Noctis immediately forgets it because all he can think about is how much he wants to make out with Prompto again.
“I’ll give you my number.” Noctis repeats the numbers Ignis had made him memorise.
Prompto repeats them carefully.
Noctis isn’t sure if they’re right. He hopes they’re right. “Also seriously. Text me any time. Like in the middle of the night. I don’t sleep much.”
“Because of that thing I don’t know and all.” Prompto says.
“Yes.” Noctis reaches over and holds Prompto’s hand.
They’re almost at the gymnasium and as soon as Prompto’s fingers feel comfortable around his own they have to let go. Which is a shame, because Noctis likes how Prompto's fingers are warm and soft against his own.
At least the door is shut.
“Hey, Prompto.” Noctis leans over and whispers into Prompto’s ear.
“What?” Prompto whispers back.
“Boo.” Noctis tries to sound menacing.
Prompto giggles. Noctis doesn’t think he was very menacing. He'll have to work on it later.
“Goodnight, Noctis.” Prompto leans over and kisses Noctis’ cheek.
“Goodnight.” Noctis blinks as Prompto opens the gymnasium door and squeezes back inside.
It is a good night, Noctis decides as he creeps back to his sleeping bag. Even if he is still pretty hungry.
He can hear his phone buzz softly in his bag. Noctis tries to be sneaky and cool but he’s pretty sure even his Dad can hear the zipper as he opens his bag and tries to find his phone.
Boo, the message from an unknown sender says.
Prompto? Noctis types, because you can never know with these things. It could be spam. It could be Altissian spam.
Yeah. When are you free on the weekend?
Noctis grins like an idiot. Which hopefully no one can see. Because it’s the middle of the night. And they should all be asleep.
Whenever you are?
It’s a date for an unspecified time and place, then.
Was Prompto always this great? Has Noctis been blind to Prompto’s greatness this entire time? He’s been missing out. He's kind of upset that he's been missing out. That's like, months of making out.
Can’t wait. Noctis squints in the darkness and manages to attach a smiley face to his message.
“No phones.” A teacher’s voice hisses in the darkness.
Noctis puts his phone away with a dramatic huff. But he can hear it buzz one last time and the suspense might actually kill him.
Okay it won’t, but Noctis is impatient and wants to know what Prompto said. So he waits until the teacher isn’t looking and sneaks his phone back out.
Also no more unauthorised snacking.
Only authorised snacking?
Exactly.
Yeah that’s pretty reasonable and also I’m sorry about that.
Take me somewhere nice and I’ll forget about it.
Noctis glances around for any teachers. He’s safe.
He opens a new message to Ignis.
Help me I need a weekend reservation for the nicest place in the city.
Ignis ignores Noctis’ plea for help because it’s almost one in the morning and he’s probably reading paperwork like a giant nerd who is neglecting his duty to the Crown.
He replies to Prompto instead.
I’ll do my best.
“I said no phones.” The teacher from before hisses in a whisper. “I’ll confiscate it.”
“No don’t.” Noctis whimpers. He puts his phone away. He is a good student who absolutely cannot have his phone confiscated because he’ll die if he can’t log in to spend his Oracle Quest stamina in the morning.
Die like, metaphorically, of course.