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Prompto works and goes to school now so Noct often finds himself rearranging his schedule in order to spend time with him. A councilman had commented something about it last week but Noct had just rolled his eyes and pushed forward with the health care bill he was trying to get passed.
Indifferent to the council he may be, but his people he cares about.
Gladio does him some favours, rearranging his training to line up with Prom’s classes even before Noct’s given him his well thought out speech about how his mental well-being was just as important as his physical health. He lets Noctis give him the speech though, embarrassed but determined and when he’s done Gladio just nods and tells him, “Already done.”
Prompto had done both today, two super early classes followed by an afternoon shift at the tea shop. They’d enjoyed spending time there before Prompto had gotten his job, Prompto liked the food and Noct liked how obviously sweet a lot of the teas are, but once Prompto got his job the allure all but died for him. He occasionally still brings Noct his favourite tea - or a new seasons special - and Noct’s barely noticed the sacrifice of an old haunt.
Prompto’s late though, almost fifteen minutes by now, and Noct’s more than happy to wait as long as he needs to in order to see him but it’s unusual enough that he shoves his phone back in his pocket and rises from the bench he was waiting on to duck inside and check if he’s been caught up in a rush of customers.
Instead what he finds is Prompto not far from the door, back to it with two of his colleagues eagerly before him, standing too close for his comfort and potentially Prompto’s too if the way he’s leaning back and scratching at his neck is anything to go on.
“…they’re the cutest though, you’re so lucky,” one of them gushes.
“Y-yeah,” Prompto stammers.
“I bet you guys have the sweetest story about how you met,” the other one says, reaching out and actually grabbing Prompto’s forearm.
“Not really,” Prompto says, “Just a normal, everyday meeting. Completely boring.”
Who are they talking about? Noct wonders. Him maybe? Though he wouldn’t consider their meeting boring. Not either of them, and the second one ranks up there in the best days of his life so far.
Prompto looks cute in his uniform, he can’t help but notice, though Noct thinks he looks cute in anything, his crush so hopeless and longstanding at the point Noct doesn’t remember not having it.
One of the girls pouts, like she’s never been more disappointed.
“But how did you get him?” she asks, “Someone that amazing .”
Prompto’s shoulder’s draw up, physically uncomfortable and he scratches the back of his neck again.
“I didn’t get him -”
“You know what we mean,” the one holding his arm snaps, “What’s so special about you?”
“I know, right?” Prompto says, his laugh forced and awkward. Noct would be upset about it - he is, but less so than he normally would - but he’s too preoccupied with the idea that Prompto’s met someone. That he has someone.
Prompto’s not mentioned meeting anyone at college. But would he? They’d never talked about crushes or anything in high school, Noct because he couldn’t talk about his crush to his crush and Prompto, perhaps, because he’s always waited for Noctis to open up avenues of conversation. He’s the more naturally open one of them, but also nervous and uncertain of if his words will be willingly listened to.
Noct would have listened, he would have hated it, but he would have listened. Would have wished Prompto happy and content, if he’d been given the chance.
It would hurt him, this hurts him. But Noct isn’t sure if it's the fact Prompto’s met someone or the fact he’s kept it secret that hurts more.
“Completely out of my league,” Prompto’s saying, “I uh - don’t know why they give me the time of day.”
Noct snaps his focus back to them. What now? Prompto’s partner makes them feel what way? Noctis hates it. He hates it so much he plans to leave, go back outside and get fresh air so he doesn’t have to listen to it anymore, maybe even escape completely, bail on their plans for pizza and pinball to get a little distance. Tamper down his anger that’s not at Prompto but around him somehow, so it doesn’t accidentally bubble over and hit the person Noct least wants to hurt in the world.
Noct steps back without looking, smacking into the chest of someone trying to slide through the door beside him.
“Excuse me,” they say loudly, glaring down at him.
Noct mumbles an apology but his opportunity to slip away without notice is lost. Prompto spins around and heaves a massive sigh. Relieved, Noct thinks, or at least hopes.
“Sorry I’m late dude,” Prompto says, “Let's get going.”
“Bye Prompto,” one of the girls calls, “By Prompto’s friend.”
She lifts a hand to wave but Prompto’s at his side, hand on his arm and dragging him from the shop before he has time to decide if he even wants to answer or not.
“Sorry,” Prompto says again when they’re clear, “Late and I don’t even have a tea to show for it.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Noct tells him. Prompto offers a slightly wry smile and Noct feels some of his confused anger slide away at the sight of it.
Eagerly Prompto says, “I’ll pay for the pizza.”
“No you won’t,” Noct says, rolling his eyes, “But we can split it.”
They turn to walk in the direction of their favourite place without discussing it, simple decisions like this beyond the necessity of words for the two of them now.
“How was the Citadel today?” Prompto asks after a dozen silent steps.
“Fine,” Noct replies, knowing that he should say more. Complain about something or another, important or otherwise, like he normally would so that the conversation flows naturally but he can’t seem to make words take shape in his mind.
What’s so special about you ?
I know, right?
“Oh, that’s uh, good.”
Prompto’s always been there for him for this stuff, has always let him vent and complain with an open ear and a steady shoulder. Encouraging Noct to fight when he understands enough of Noct’s words to know to do so and being an almost silent sounding board when that’s what Noct needs. It’s what he’s trying to do now, Noct knows and even knows that he has need of it today - his day was not actually fine by any standard that matters, but still his brain won’t offer him words to give his friend and allow Prompto to form a safe harbour for all Noctis’ thoughts.
“Are you okay?” Prompto asks after a more awkward than normal silence passes. Prompto knocks their shoulders together and it’s such a familiar gesture, so unexpectedly received that Noct stumbles slightly, earning himself a laugh. Noct straightens up and nudges him back with his elbow, smiling just a little despite himself.
“You know you can talk to me,” Prompto says quietly, “About anything.”
“Yeah,” Noct breathes, “I do.” He wishes Prompto felt the same in return.
“I’m just tired,” Noct offers a reasonable and half truthful explanation for his reticence.
“You need pizza,” Prompto states, rushing forward a few steps to get ahead and then turning around so he’s walking backwards facing him. “And a milkshake,” Prompto adds, hitting his fist into his palm, “Chocolate.”
“You’ll walk into someone,” Noct tells him, “You’ll get hurt.”
Prompto scoffs, “Like you’d let that happen.”
Prompto’s right of course, Noctis would never let Prompto get hurt if he has the power to stop it.
Noct’s saved from having to talk too much about anything real for a while after they settle, going through the same playful argument they always have about what type of pizza to get. As always they settle on a half and half, vegetarian on Prompto’s side - mushrooms swapped for hot peppers because they’re the one thing Noct refuses to risk touching his toppings - and an admittedly horrendous conglomerate of every meat the parlour has on Noct’s half. Inevitably Prompto will eat a piece of Noct’s and painstakingly pick the tomatoes and the peppers off a slice from his own half for Noct to eat in return.
Prompto orders Noct’s milkshake for him.
The normalcy helps, reminds Noctis that Prompto is his friend - best friend, before anything else he might want - no matter what he is or isn’t telling him. But he knows everything isn’t normal, can tell by the way Prompto keeps asking questions rather than letting the silence settle, not wanting to risk an awkward silence between them.
He knows he’s not done his best job of acting okay when, after the bill is paid, Prompto says, “Rain check on the pinball?”
Noctis frowns and Prompto barrels on, “Dude, go home and sleep, okay? I don’t want you wearing yourself out and getting sick or something.”
“Tomorrow?” Noct offers, not sure if he’ll actually be ready to put on a brave face by then or not, but knows he’ll at least feel more able to try after a good night's sleep.
They walk back together as far as is reasonable and Prompto doesn’t chatter as incessantly as he had before, just walks close enough so their shoulders touch more often than not. They part at an intersection, Noct’s apartment building just over the crossing and a couple minutes walk up the road. Prompto’s got a much longer walk ahead and they part with a fist bump and mutual promises to text me about tomorrow . Prompto’s still in eyesight when he drops his pretence of walking and picks up a light jog instead.
Noct shakes his head and smiles. He really will always be the same Prompto.
Ignis has been by while he was out, dropped off just a couple reports on his dining room table but with a note on them that just says no rush in Ignis’ familiar handwriting.
Noct probably wouldn’t have looked through them before morning anyway, not unless the note had said urgent in all capital letters, but he takes the words as permission to fall face first down onto his couch with a frustrated groan.
He doesn’t know what he should do. Doesn’t know what he can do.
- - -
It turns out that a night alone, going around and around in his own thoughts is not the best thing Noctis could have done for himself. It seems hopeless .
Prompto has met someone, either at work or school, and eventually that relationship will draw him away from Noctis as they take up more and more of his time. Noctis doesn’t want to demand Prompto’s attention, he never would, and he wants Prompto to be happy obviously - he just half wishes that all he needed to be happy is Noctis. This isn’t reasonable and Noct knows it, Prompto makes him happier than anything else and integral as he is to Noct’s wellbeing he is not solely responsible for it.
He’s worked up and frustrated by three in the morning and by the time Ignis is knocking on his door to let him know breakfast will be ready in twenty minutes he’s barely slept at all.
Ignis knocks a second time and his persistence causes Noctis to begrudgingly climb from his bed, shuffling into the living space with a blanket tucked around his shoulders.
Ignis rolls his eyes but when Noct settles at the dining table without dropping his blanket he simply approaches with a cup of perfectly doctored coffee and presses the back of his hand to Noct’s forehead.
“M’fine,” Noctis says, “Just tired.”
“Late night with Prompto?” Ignis asks, casually.
“No,” Noct says, “I was home by like eight o’clock.”
Ignis frowns down at him but Noctis avoids his gaze.
“Is everything alright?” Ignis asks.
Noctis shrugs.
“I can’t help you if -”
“You can’t help me if you do know,” Noct says, tone just shy of snapping .
Ignis doesn’t flinch, he simply walks away into the kitchen and returns a few minutes later with the eggs and toast he’d prepared for him. There’s green flecks in the eggs but they taste good - buttery and soft - when Noct eats them so it can’t be spinach and Noct doesn’t bother to summon the energy to complain about it. It’s not worth it.
Ignis doesn’t have a plate of his own but he sits down at the table with him anyway, slowly nursing a cup of coffee. Noct feels bad about being short with him, Ignis only means well, only wants to help.
“I think Prompto has a boyfriend or something,” Noct mumbles, shoving an extra large bite of toast into his mouth so he doesn’t blurt out any more.
“Ah,” Ignis says simply, “I’m sorry, that must have been difficult to discover.”
Noct shrugs, though his general demeanour and the fact he bothered to bring it up undermines his wish to appear nonchalant about it.
“When did he tell you?” Ignis asks, “I’m surprised, it must be new . He’s usually so open about things.”
“He didn’t,” Noct says.
Ignis frowns and sits forward, “Did you see him with someone?”
“Overheard him telling those girls at work about it,” Noct says. He stabs a little triangle of toast with his fork and brings it to his mouth, nibbling at the crisp edge.
“But you’re certain that’s what he was telling them?”
Noct glances at Ignis and assesses the frown on his face, the almost grim set line of his mouth and feels…worse, actually, than he did before.
“What else could it be?”
Noct abandons his last bit of toast and stands to scrape the remnants into the trash, stacking his plate neatly in the dishwasher before Ignis can say anything. Ignis joins him in the kitchen, filling up his coffee and offering Noctis more too. He refuses, already oddly jittery but knowing he’ll probably need the boost later.
“It just seems odd,” Ignis says, “That he’s not even mentioned someone else in any capacity.”
Noct turns on his way out of the kitchen and faces his adviser again. He adjusts his blanket cape so it's more secure about him, trying to remember if he actually has anything planned for the day.
“Well he probably just met them or something. Or maybe he’s been keeping them a secret.”
“Prompto wouldn’t keep a secret from you,” Ignis says gently.
“Maybe he would,” Noct says, “If they’re bad or something. Or maybe he hates me all of a sudden how would I know. Maybe they won’t let him tell anyone.”
Noctis doesn’t usually verbalise like this, but now that he’s started he finds every irrational and petty thought that had kept him away last night tumbling out in an eager rush.
“He doesn’t know any better right. He’s so trusting they’re probably taking advantage of him or something, using him for whatever . This is just like him, he’s so trusting and open and it’s not safe Iggy we need to know what’s going on.”
Noct sees Ignis’ eyes widen but thinks nothing of it, assumes it's just this usual show of open verboseness and doesn’t bother to check himself. Letting the least generous thoughts he has - awful lies he’s told himself to help check his own feelings - fall out into the world. .
“Gods Iggy Prompto’s so dumb sometimes, like he doesn’t think he just does stuff and it’s not -”
“Good morning Prompto,” Ignis cuts across him, voice unusually strained, “What do you have there?”
Noct whirls around, blanket cape fluttering to the ground. Prompto stood in the doorway to his apartment, clutching a wide, shallow box in his hands. His face is curiously blank, though pink across his cheeks .
For a long time he doesn’t speak and Noctis flounders for something to say, to put to rights the massive blunder he just made. He wonders how long Prompto’s been there, tries to think about exactly what he said and if it's completely obvious what he was talking about.
Gods Noct’s the one that’s dumb. Prompto’s wonderful . Noct’s just jealous and frustrated and he’s never been good at expressing himself.
“Prom,” Noct manages, face barely a whisper.
Prompto’s face works, the barest tremble of his mouth.
“Prompto,” Ignis tries and that seems to snap him out of Prompto thoughts, glancing up at Ignis and lightly squeezing the box in his hands, “You’re here early.”
Prompto takes a few uneasy steps forward, front door still open behind him as thrusts the box in Noct’s direction.
“I went to that bakery you like, got you some muffins to help you feel better after yesterday.”
Noct’s stomach clenches and he glances down at the treats through the clear plastic window on top.
“Prom,” he says again, floundering for how to -
“I hope eating one doesn’t make you catch dumb,” Prompto snaps.
Noct looks up in time to see Prompto’s face, pinched with uncharacteristic anger before he’s turning round and striding for the door. Noct’s frozen, so utterly lost at what to do.
The door slams, the noise shocking Noct from his stupor.
“Prom,” he yells. Quickly he drops the box of muffins onto the coffee table and takes off for the door in his pyjamas, socked feet slipping on the wooden floors.
“Noctis,” Iggy calls as he wrenches it open and sprints out of it.
Prompto’s nowhere in sight, probably running himself but Noct makes for the stairs, taking them in dangerously large strides and hoping and praying he catches up with him. He can just say sorry, say he didn’t mean it, maybe tell him why he said it. Maybe he’ll have to make himself vulnerable, set his heart bare for his friend’s inspection to stop him from leaving for good but it’ll be worth it. Any amount of hurt will be worth it to never be the reason Prompto makes that face again, to never see him so hurt and angry ever again.
“Prompto,” he yells again, rushing into the lobby. It’s empty and the security guard looks up from behind his desk, understandably surprised to see the prince of Lucis standing before him in his sleepwear.
Noct throws himself out the door and onto the street. The paving slabs are cold through his socks and Noct hops onto his tiptoes, looking both directions to try and glimpse a familiar blond hair. Prompto’s fast and Noct’s only going to be able to catch up if he’s willing to risk causing a scene to warp after him.
A risk he is completely willing to take.
Noctis has never been more willing to risk causing a scene in his entire life.
But he can’t see Prompto and he has no way of knowing which way to go. He’s lost for a moment, looking every which way, like Prompto might come back, might suddenly appear around a corner and come back. Maybe he’s angry enough to come yell at him and that’s fine, if he’s yelling he’s here and Noctis needs that more than anything.
Prompto doesn’t appear around a corner and come back. The only thing that appears is the security guard, stepping into the doorway, visibly hesitant, to ask if he’s alright.
Noct mumbles something vaguely in the affirmative and turns back inside to start the slow trudge back upstairs. He could use the elevator but he doesn’t deserve it, deserves the ache and effort of climbing the staircase.
Ignis is hovering when he gets back, dropping his phone quickly onto the kitchen counter when Noct comes through the door. He’d moved the muffins more centrally onto the coffee table and folded Noct’s blanket, set it carefully on the arm of the couch.
“You didn’t manage to catch up with him?” Ignis guesses.
Noct shakes his head, miserable and hopeless. He reaches for his blanket, shaking it loose once more and draping it over himself again, up over his head too as he flops belly down onto his couch like last night.
“Noct,” Ignis sighs but he doesn’t make him come out from his blanket haven. He continues to not make him come out for what feels like a long time, Noct’s own thoughts nothing but a loop of Prompto’s face and his own horrible voice saying Prompto’s so dumb over and over again that makes time limp slowly forward.
At one point he hears Ignis step close but through the blanket all he can make out is something being set down on the coffee table and then, just briefly, Ignis’ hand on his back through the blanket, a comforting pat or touch.
Noct’s on high alert so when the door opens he scrambles upright, twisting to see because it might be Prompto, Prompto might have come back -
It’s Gladio, looking casual, without a care in the world and Noct lets out a frustrated sigh and flops back down, pulling the blanket over his head to return to his hiding place.
There has to be a proactive way to deal with this but Noct cannot think of it what it might be.
“What’s up with Charmless?” Gladio asks.
Ignis takes a long second to answer, “He and Prompto had a disagreement .”
“They argue about which Justice Monster character has the greenest eyes or something?” Gladio snorts.
“Prompto heard Noct says some - some rather unkind things about him.”
Noct hears Gladio’s heavy boots approach the couch which is annoying because he’s probably tracking mud everywhere and if he’s coming closer then that probably means -
Gladio lifts the blanket clean off of him and it’s not actually cold but he shivers anyway. It’s cosy under there. Safe. Hidden from the real world.
He could almost pretend he hadn’t made Prompto hate him.
Noct grimaces at the thought.
“Sit up and tell me what happened,” Gladio says directly. Noct can always count on Gladio to get straight to the point.
“I got worked up,” Noct says, forcing himself upright but folding his legs underneath him. Gladio drops the blanket back down over his lap and settles beside him.
“I got worked up,” Noct repeats, “And I said stupid shit I didn’t mean and now he hates me.”
“What got you that worked up?” Gladio asks. Noct pointedly looks away so he doesn’t have to answer. Gladio turns to Ignis with his eyebrows raised.
The adviser sighs and tells him, “Noctis seems to believe Prompto has a boyfriend.”
Gladio snorts.
“Yeah, that’s bullshit. No way that’s true,” Gladio says flatly.
“How would you know?” Noct demands, looking at him again.
“I run with him like three times a week, and whenever I ask him he says no,” Gladio says.
Noctis frowns because that doesn’t add up with what he heard but Gladio’s not in the habit of lying when he has literally any other option.
“Normally he gets all squirmy and awkward, so I tease him about you and he blushes so hard his face puts the sun to shame.”
Ignis laughs a little but Noctis can’t work it out.
Tease Prompto about him ? When asking about his love life? That doesn’t make any sense. Why would Gladio do that?
“I don’t understand,” Noct admits.
Ignis sighs again.
Gladio stares at him for a full ten seconds before looking at Ignis again.
“Is he for real?” Gladio asks.
“Unfortunately I believe so,” Ignis says, sounding as tired and Noct feels.
“Okay,” Gladio says, getting back to his feet, “Get up, get showered. We’re going out. It’s doing literally no one any good keeping this bottled up, I’ve had enough.”
“What?”
“Grand gesture time. I’m sick of the pining and the only way to fix whatever this -” Gladio waves his hand over Noct’s form, “- is to finally sort this out. We go out, you buy Prompto something pretty, you go tell him how you feel and this will all be water under the bridge in the pine forest where you both lived for five years.”
“I can’t - that’s not -”
Gladio raises his eyebrows.
“Do you have a better solution?”
Noct crosses his arms over his chest. It doesn’t matter that an hour ago he was ready and willing to do part of what Gladio was suggesting, but that was in the heat of the moment. Now, under the scrutiny of his oldest friends, it seems like a preposterous idea to tell Prompto how he feels .
“Prompto has someone,” Noctis says, “And I don’t even -”
“If you try to tell me you don’t have a crush on him Iggy will need to arrest me for regicide, I swear to the gods.”
Noct snaps his mouth shut and chews on his lip. He knew that Ignis knew, because Ignis knows everything and Noct hasn’t really been able to keep anything from him for years. The idea that Gladio knows however, that Noct’s feelings were so transparent that Gladio had perceived them, makes him feel oddly vulnerable.
“And Prompto doesn’t have someone,” Gladio says.
“But I heard him -”
“You heard wrong,” Gladio says, “Now go shower, you need it.”
Noctis scowls at him but realistically, that’s a fair comment, so he heaves himself off the couch to get ready for the day. Maybe Noct doesn’t need to confess and ruin things but Gladio’s probably right and he’ll feel better turning up to Prompto’s house with something tangible to offer him in apology.
Noct’s feelings are real and solid to him but Noct’s not sure they’ll be something Prompto will be able to hold and appreciate the same way he might a gift .
-
Noct eats one of the muffins Prompto picked up for him on the way down to the car - Prompto had selected everyone’s favourites but his own, because of course he had. Double chocolate for Noctis, cherry and almond for Gladio and blueberry for Ignis. It’s delicious as it always is, but not quite as wonderful as it would be if Prompto were with him, picking at the crispy bits that bake onto the wrapper because that’s his favourite part.
Gladio drives them to a florist first and carries the massive bouquet of sunflowers that Noct picks out. It feels cliché, obvious, but Noct feels better about that than the dozen red roses the florist had tried to convince him into when Gladio had boldly told her why Noct was buying them.
Gladio had just wanted an excuse to flirt, Noct’s pretty sure.
Noctis had left him to it, spending way too long pouring over the little cards available for him to add a message to - in the end he’s chosen the a simple one with yellow hearts and floundered for a moment before simply scribbling love, noct inside it and putting it away before he could over think it any more.
“These are shaped like chocobo chicks,” Gladio says, showing him the package of chocolates.
Noct wrinkles his nose.
“What’s that face for,? He loves chocobos,” Gladio says but he sets them back down, recognising a lost cause when he sees one.
“He doesn’t really like chocolate,” Noct mumbles, “He eats it, sure. But he prefers savoury snacks mostly.”
“Huh, okay,” Gladio says, “Right, let's get a cute basket or something and go to the grocery store I guess.”
-
“You’re kidding,” Gladio says as Noct pulls a second bottle of hot sauce from the grocery bag and arranges it in the basket next to the first one. This one is green.
“It’s his favourite brand,” Noct says, “But he doesn’t buy it because it's expensive.”
“Right,” Gladio says, clearly not understanding. It had taken Noct a while to get there too. Both of them had been raised fortunate enough that if they wanted something they could, almost without fail, have it. The idea that someone might not buy a specific brand of something because it was three crowns more expensive was unfathomable to him at first.
But then Noct experienced Prompto who often only had limited tokens at the arcade and balked if Noct tried to overspend on his behalf.
The bags of chips Prompto prefers crinkle as he adjusts the contents, shifting a jar of pickled peppers to one side to make space for the generic brand ketchup Prompto bizarrely likes above all others.
“Your boyfriend is weird,” Gladio says bluntly, “Word of advice, don’t let him eat any of that before you kiss him.”
“He’s not weird,” Noct argues, having to start organising all over again to fit in the box of toaster pastries. Gladio laughs softly, just perceptible and Noct goes bright red in a second flat when he realises his mistake.
“And he’s not my boyfriend.”
Though Noct would put up with an odd tasting kiss to be so fortunate enough to be given a kiss at all .
No matter what Gladio tells him he still half expects Noctis to go into Prompto’s little house in a few minutes, have his hopes dashed but, with luck, his apology and his gesture accepted. He’s going to admit it though, that he’s jealous, Gladio’s right about one thing, it's doing neither of them any good keeping that bottled up inside him. Too big a chance for Noct’s frustration to bubble over again into unkind thoughts and speeches that hurt the person he cares most about.
Noct might have to meet this person one day, if he weasels back into Prompto’s good graces. He’ll need it in check by then, at least.
“Not yet anyway,” Gladio teases, “Can I drive the rest of the way now?”
They’re parked a dozen houses down from Prompto’s not wanting to park right outside while Noctis arranges his little hamper of things, on the off chance Prompto looks out his window and spots them.
Noct glances at his arrangement - Ignis would have done a better job - and sighs.
“It’ll have to do,” Noct says.
It takes seconds to finish the drive, the engine coming to life takes just as long as moving the remaining distance and Gladio swings the car right into the empty driveway spot and cuts it again.
“I’ll wait here,” he says, opening the glove compartment and pulling out a slightly battered paperback, “Take as long as you need.”
“Right,” Noct says, “Here goes nothing I guess.”
“Boy’s got real heart-eyes for you,” Gladio says distractedly, already drawn in by his novel, “You really have nothing to worry about.”
Noct’s almost a hundred percent sure that’s not true but, regardless, he needs to do his best to salvage his friendship, all other wishes withstanding.
Noct gets out of the car then carefully gets both the bouquet and the little basket in his arms. It's only a few steps to the front door from where Gladio’s parked but when he gets to it he freezes . Not just because he’ll have to readjust everything to knock but also because he’s suddenly paralysed by fear that this is all going to blow up in his face.
The door opens and Prompto appears, face angry again and talking before Noctis can even process the sight of him.
“You know you should probably call before - oh .”
Prompto takes in the items in his arms and his expression goes from angry to puzzled. Pink blooms prettily across his cheeks, highlighting the wash of freckles across his face and Noct tamps down the desire to take that face in his hands and kiss him.
“I came to say I’m sorry,” Noct says quickly, holding his things out towards Prompto.
Prompto hesitates but eventually steps forward to pluck the bouquet from his hands.
“Okay,” Prompto says. He cradles the flowers so carefully and looks at them so softly that Noct draws the basket back towards himself, not wanting to make him take too much in his arms at once.
“You can come inside,” Prompto mumbles.
“Thank you,” Noct says earnestly.
As soon as he’s shut the door Noct steps out of his shoes - presumptuous about being allowed to stay a while but he has to act hopeful even if what he’s mostly feeling is dread. Noct pops the basket on Prompto’s dining table and his friend looks at it curiously enough but seems preoccupied with running his finger over the petals on his sunflowers.
“I don’t think you’re stupid,” Noctis blurts, “I don’t, I didn’t mean it and I’m sorry you had to hear me say it.”
Prompto swallows audibly, mouth set in a miserable frown.
“You’re not wrong,” Prompto says, “I am dumb. Stupid, like you said.”
“I was wrong,” Noct urges, “I was lying, caught up in something else and taking it out on the thought of you. You're actually one of the smartest people I know.”
Prompto frowns again. Noctis hates it.
“Did I do something wrong?” Prompto asks, “I - you can always just tell me -”
“No,” Noct says, “No you never - it was just that -” Noct takes a deep breath “- I was jealous.”
“Of me?” Prompto asks, sounding positively aghast at the thought.
Noct shakes his head, “Of your, um - your Boyfriend?”
Prompto looks him fully in the face for the first time.
“My what ?”
“I heard you talking about them to the girls at work. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but I - well I did, so I’m sorry about that too. And for whatever I did that made you feel you couldn’t tell me about them. Though I guess you were justified with how I reacted but -”
“Shut up,” Prompto interrupts.
Noct snaps his mouth tight with such force his teeth clack together.
“Talking to the girls at work? Yesterday ?”
Noctis nods, a jerky bob of his head. Prompto had told him to shut up but he needs to comment on one of the things Prompto had said yesterday that had been bothering him so much.
“You were wrong about them being out of your league,” Noct says, “That’s impossible. You’re out of everyone’s league. You’re your own league.”
Prompto blinks again, three times in rapid succession then finally puts the sunflowers down on his kitchen counter so he can cover his face with his hands.
“What’s wrong?” Noct asks when he realises the skin peeking through between Prompto’s fingers is scarlet . Without thinking he steps forwards, placing his hands on Prompto’s arms.
“I was talking about you,” Prompto mumbles.
“Me?”
Prompto nods and slowly uncovers his face and peeks up at him from beneath thick, pale lashes.
“They all have a crush on you, but they thought you were my boyfriend and I didn’t correct them because, well -”
Noctis' mind whirs to life, attempting to add pieces of a puzzle even though he’s not sure he has all the pieces yet. Prompto was saying those things about him ? He thinks Noct is out of his league, too good for him. Prompto thinks he’s nothing special compared to Noct.
“ Well ?” Noct says, shaking him just a little, desperate for the final piece.
“I was jealous,” Prompto admits.
“Jealous?” Noctis repeats. He’s been given a new piece but it just doesn’t fit no matter which way he turns it and presses it against the others.
“That you might - that you could date one of them.”
It’s Noct’s turn to blink, feeling quite literally dazed.
“Why would I do that?”
Prompto shrugs, “I dunno, why wouldn’t you do that?”
Noct’s mouth feels dry so he licks across his bottom lip. Prompto watches the movement with what Noct’s brain tells him is marked interest .
“Because I’d rather date you,” he says.
Prompto inhales deeply and pulls back, taking a large stride backwards and covering his face with his hands again.
“Fuck,” he says, “Fuck, fuck.”
“Prom,” Noct says, worried again, even though there’s something in his brain telling him it's okay, that it’s fine now, that his fear was unfounded. Prompto’s not going anywhere, he’s not given his affection to someone else.
“You were right,” Prompto says, “I am dumb. We’re both so incredibly dumb, Noct.”
“What are you talking about? Of course you’re not -”
Prompto takes a huge step forward again, throwing his arms around Noct’s shoulders to pull him closer than he’s ever been before. He gets one good look at Prompto’s slightly glassy lavender-blue eyes,, before Prompto’s lips are pressing against his and his own eyes are fluttering shut.
Oh, Noct thinks, wrapping his arms around Prompto’s waist as he kisses him back, tilting his head for a deeper kiss, they really are dumb.
Prompto tangles his fingers into Noct’s hair and Noct runs his hand along the dip of Prompto’s spine that he’s admired for so long . Prompto’s mouth is soft and tentative, ever so slightly tacky from recently applied lip balm.
With a soft gasp Prompto pulls back, resting his forehead against Noct’s.
“So uh, just to clarify,” Noct says, fingers twisting into the cotton of Prompto’s tank top, “You don’t have a boyfriend?”
“No Noct,” Prompto says and Noct watches those beautiful eyes roll up close, “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
Noct bites his lip and thinks fuck it .
“Do you want one?”
Prompto pulls away, fully laughing and clutching his belly. He gives Noct a playful shove but, importantly, doesn’t say no. Prompto wipes a tear from the corner of his eyes and between giggles asks, “What’s in my basket?”
“Just some of your favourite things,” Noct says, shrugging like it's no big deal but somehow nervous despite the fact he can still taste Prompto’s chopstick.
Noct grabs the present and brings it closer to Prompto, setting it alongside the flowers on the kitchen counter.
“Noct, this isn’t just some of my favourite things it’s all of them,” Prompto says in wonder. He reaches for one of the containers of hot sauce and carefully extracts it from the other items.
“This is expensive,” Prompto chides gently.
“You’re worth it,” Noct says and bolstered by the tender, bashful look Prompto gives him he dares to lean in and kiss his cheek. Prompto blushes a little deeper and leans into his side.
“Hey, how’d you get here?” Prompto asks.
“Gladio drove me. Why?”
“Think he’d give me a ride to the home-ware store? Think you wanna come with me?”
“Sure,” Noct says and he pulls back to start making his way over to the door. He holds out his hand and Prompto slips his own into it seemingly without thinking. Noct
Noct feels like he probably has more grovelling to do but he’s not going to bat away this act of forgiveness. Not when it comes so beautifully packaged with this wonderful turn of events. He doesn’t even care that Gladio’s going to tease the hell out of him when they step out of the house hand in hand.
“How come?” Noct asks.
“Oh, this amazing guy just bought me flowers and I need to get a vase to keep them in.”