Chapter Text
Things had been piling up lately.
Work, Citadel, Training… and physical therapy.
Noctis’s political responsibilities were growing every day with the increasing unrest between Insomnia and Niflheim; and his training with Gladio was getting more intense as he graduated from a Crownsguard skill status into Kingsglaive, or it would have had all this not amounted to his old childhood wounds from the attack so long ago starting to aggravate him.
He’d had a few good years towards the end of high school and a while after, but now his hip and leg would lock and ache sorely at seemingly random times. So now he also attended physical therapy twice a week. However, lately, his father was thinking of adding an extra day.
Noctis had hoped when he graduated it would mean he’d have more free time, but instead everything just got so much more – and not in a good way.
At least when he was in school he had Prompto. But his best friend had a similar schedule – work, college classes, and more recently, Crownsguard training. It meant he only saw Prompto every other weekend, down from every day at school and every weekend.
Noctis’s chest got all fluttery when Prompto mentioned Crownsguard his training. The Prince’s best friend was doing it all for him. Noctis had been expecting them to gradually drift apart after high school, and the thought had terrified him – but when Ignis and Gladio had confirmed Prompto was entering the Crownsguard, all so he could stay in their retinue – near Noct – it was suddenly worth the sacrifice of their conflicting schedules.
“So… how many more weeks you got of this?” Flutter, flutter.
“I’m halfway through basic training.” Prompto said, taking a bite of sushi Noctis had prepared for the two of them.
That was one small respite: their Wednseday lunches together. Prompto had a gap in his college schedule that left him free for over an hour. Just enough time to pop into Noctis’s work and have lunch with him. Every Wednesday, at Prompto’s request.
Flutter, flutter.
“Ugh. I’m gonna die of impatience by summer.” Noctis said, dunking a roll into some soy sauce.
“If you do, then I won’t have to go to training and my weekends will be free again!” Prompto snickered.
“Oh, cool, we found a loophole.”
Lunch done, Prompto grabbed his bag to head back in time for his late afternoon classes.
“I’ll see you next Wednesday, ‘kay? Have fun at movie night without me.” Prompto said with good humor.
“Hey, it’s Iggy’s choice this week, you’re not missing anything.” Noctis replied, and Prompto gave a warm squeeze at his shoulder as he left.
* * *
It was his last Citadel meeting for the week. Noctis had no idea how his father did this 24/7, the prince was about ready to jump on the table and launch himself out the window. If his damn leg wasn’t starting to lock up with every passing second.
“Niflheim propaganda fliers were found being distributed across Altissia, which is intended to be a neutral state, and thus should not be –,” A council member droned on about the country’s political situation.
The last time he heard from Lady Lunafreya, she had mentioned something about Altissia. But even after, what had it been by now? Over ten? years of their purely written correspondence, he couldn’t always make out Luna’s (albeit very graceful) cursive handwriting. It was like tiny, complex calligraphy.
“Ugh,” He winced unintentionally as he felt his foot go numb and a tremble snake up his leg, locking his knee and hip. The old daemon-inflicted scar across his hip throbbed.
“Noct, are you quite all right?” Ignis subtly leaned over.
“Fine, Iggy, just – impatient for the weekend to start,” Noctis said through gritted teeth.
Ignis peered down and noticed Noctis pawing at his bad leg. Ignis sighed under his breath – Noctis was not supposed to be putting on a “brave face” like this if he ever hoped of getting better. Ignis signaled to a Crownsguard lining the room and inconspicuously whispered a message for the King.
“Some sources are saying the only thing stopping a war is the Oracle’s relationship with the Prince –,” said a young-looking council member with thin round glasses.
“Sources, pah!” snapped a much-older council member with stringy white hair. “You’ve just been reading tabloids and periodicals, these are not admissible –,”
Ah, the arguing was beginning.
“No, no, I disagree, they are a decent look at how the public is viewing –,” interjected a third member.
Soon the table was alight with chatter, and Noctis finally noticed the clenching of his jaw.
King Regis, meanwhile, stayed silent at the end of the table and rubbed at his temple. Ignis’s message was finally whispered to him by a Crownsguard. Regis looked intently at Ignis and gave a firm nod. Ignis nodded back and stood.
“Let’s go, Noct,” he said and helped Noctis to his feet with a gentle hand at his elbow.
Noctis didn’t argue.
* * *
“Noct, you aren’t supposed to be pushing yourself. This only hinders your physical therapy and your training with Gladio, who’s feeling guilty enough as it is.” Ignis said from the floor of the Prince’s apartment.
He hovered over Noctis who was dressed down in a plain tee and some gym shorts and lying flat on a yoga mat while Ignis massaged his sore leg. Ignis wasn’t a physical therapist, but he was skilled (and licensed) enough to offer some relief during the week, between his formal physical therapy.
“I just don’t realize it’s like that until it locks up.” Noctis said, head turned away from his Advisor and watching the sunset out the window, “That’s not Gladio’s fault.”
Gladio was a good trainer. Noctis was just growing out of his bratty teenager phase which sometimes involved faking pain or illness to get out of training for a day or two (so he could hang out with Prompto, of course). So Gladio being skeptical that day when Noctis said his leg was weirdly sore was a perfectly fair judgment.
“Whoa, Noct, wait, stop!” Gladio had said when he noticed Noctis’s form was genuinely off in a way that can’t be faked – or at least a way that wasn’t Noctis’s usual faking. But Noct was already half-way through his warp-strike and he came out of it, and fell hard in the grass.
Ironically, Noctis was now more insistent on them continuing their training (with appropriate safety measures taken) whenever Gladio started getting on his case about taking it easy.
Ignis thought it sounded like denial. Whatever for, he couldn’t tell.
They were interrupted by a muffled bark and a gentle paw at the patio door. It was Pryna. How the dog got up to the twelfth floor of Noctis’s balcony he never questioned.
“Ah, we have a guest.” Ignis said and let Pryna in, who trotted up to Noctis – still on the yoga mat – and plopped the leather notebook on his chest.
And Noctis’s leg was aflame again.
“Ughhhh,” he groaned, moving the notebook and rubbing his hands brusquely at his face.
“Noct? Is your leg really bothering you that much?” Ignis returned, and felt along the prince’s leg from knee to hip. Ignis could feel the tensing muscles and the nearly-imperceptible-by-touch spasms that coursed through his vastus lateralis.
“I think your father is right,” Ignis stood up again and retrieved a bottle of prescription painkillers from his bag, “We should increase your physical therapy to three times a week.”
“Ugghh, great, just what I need, more shit to do.” Noctis groaned again, rolling on his side in a bid to relieve pressure on his hip joint.
“Yes, but this ‘shit’ is actually for your health,” Ignis got a glass of water from the kitchen. “I’m also thinking we should cut down your work hours – I know your father wants you to have a good work ethic, but I don’t think at the expense of your leg is worth it when you don’t actually need a job.”
“NOT Wednesdays!” Noctis rasped, taking the large pill dry with the water as a chaser.
“Oh, I ever wonder why you’d be so insistent to work on Wednesdays.” Ignis said sarcastically. He didn’t feel it helpful to tell Noctis he didn’t need to be working for Prompto to want to see him for lunch.
* * *
Finally, it was a Prompto weekend. Noctis had the increased physical therapy sessions, which only accounted in place of two work shifts, so he had remained just as busy but for different reasons, and was aching for a break.
“Hey, buddy! I stopped by the shop on my way here for some snackage for the weekend,” Prompto said as he entered the apartment and handed Noctis a backpack full of junk food. Ignis was going to be cooking, sure, but snacks were snacks!
“Awesome, we’ll need ‘em for the lineup I got,” Noctis grinned. He pulled out a big bag of chips and tossed the rest on the couch next to all their movie and game rentals.
“Oh, sick! This one just came out this week, we gotta play this one first,” Prompto said, checking out the selection.
Noctis’s face started hurting, he realized, from smiling – something he did not frequently do during the week.
“Yeah, but also pick a movie because it’s your turn this week.”
“Damn, it’s almost like it’s my turn every week I’m actually here – are Iggy and Gladio okay with that?”
“’Course, dude, I just skip some of my weeks.” Noct said casually as he popped open the chips and poured them into a big bowl.
Prompto paused and stared at the prince for a moment, a gesture Noctis didn’t notice at first. “What, that doesn’t seem fair to you – c’mon, what’s your pick tonight?”
“It’s totally fair, you should get to watch you want to when you’re here. I can watch whatever I want when I’m alone. Besides, you have better taste than I do.” Noctis set the bowl on the coffee table and joined Prompto on the couch.
“You think I have better taste than you?”
Noctis suddenly felt a little short of breath, as if what he’d been saying had bypassed his brain completely. Prompto stared at him with his big violet eyes Noctis had to frequently stop himself from getting lost in.
“Y-yeah…,” He started, still breathless, only for heavy creak of the front door to snap both the boys’ attention to the hallway.
“Noct? We’re here,” said Ignis, who beat Gladio to the living room and set his bags on the kitchen island.
“I see some extra shoes here, blondie joining us tonight?” Gladio called, following shortly behind.
“Sure am, big guy.” Prompto said with a bright smile, and Noctis felt his face flush.
“Aw right, you’re skipping bootcamp this week so we gotta make up for lost practice.” Gladio approached the couch and pulled Prompto in for an affectionate noogie.
“What?! Nooooo, it’s my weekend off! Ahhh!” Prompto giggled and squirmed in Gladio’s massive arms.
“Nope, Crownsguard duty is 24/7 in this party, you gotta be prepared.” Gladio grinned, giving a small pinch at Prompto’s cheek and making Prompto laugh.
“Prepared for an attack within our own ranks?” Noctis said, pinching back at Gladio’s arm.
“Yeah, Gladio, this is totally treason or something!” Prompto squeaked as Gladio finally released him with a gruff laugh.
“You never know when a certain shrimpy blond might just snap when his hair gets mussed,” The Shield winked.
“Oh, damn, you’re right, there might be causalities from that,” Prompto said with a wink back and turned to Noctis, grabbing the prince into his own noogie.
“What, dude, it wasn’t even me!” Noctis laughed, holding onto Prompto’s (soft…) arms and kicking his legs. He felt Gladio’s strong fist at his head, aiding in Prompto’s noogie, “Holy shit, double treason!”
The three boys continued in this manner, giggling between playful jabs and pinches.
“Boys, please don’t roughhouse like that – you’re not teenagers anymore, have a little decorum.” Ignis finally piped up from the kitchen when he noticed (because of course he’d notice) Noctis was just begging for his leg to lock up. There was a line between activity for the sake of wellness and simply aggravating the situation.
* * *
Dinner finished, Noctis popped in Prompto’s movie choice – a superhero flick the two of them had seen in theaters but Prompto was dying to see again in the comfort of home. (Noctis, meanwhile, left mildly speechless by Prompto referring to his best friend’s apartment as “home.”)
The four of them filled the couch. Gladio was in one corner; Ignis next to him, legs crossed, with a bowl of popcorn between them.
Prompto sat on the floor on a pillow, snack bowl on the coffee table. Noctis was on the remaining end of the couch, and couldn’t help but notice how close his leg was to Prompto’s head.
“Y’know I read a theory that his wife was a bad guy in this universe and helped cause his death,” Prompto said to the room.
“Whoa, what?” Noctis said, staring at the silhouette of Prompto’s head against the brightness of the TV screen just below him.
“Oh. I believe that has some merit. Why is she going to be speaking at this dinner of the man that she would have known had killed her husband otherwise?” Ignis said.
“Right?!” Prompto said.
Noctis tapped at Prompto’s shoulder who did not miss a beat and handed him some of the candy from the snack bowl.
He got half the handful into it when there was a rattling at the balcony door. Ignis paused the TV and went to open the door.
“Who is it this time?” Prompto said, getting up to sit on the edge of the couch during their impromptu intermission.
“Chibi.” Noct said flatly, finishing his candy.
“Oh, hey, Chibi!” Prompto said as the small cream-colored dog came trotting over to the couch. Her face lit up upon seeing Prompto; her tongue lolled out happily and her tail wagged excitedly.
Prompto went over and started petting her. “Hey, girl, good to see ya!”
Noctis watched Prompto and Pryna for a moment. Pryna definitely liked Prompto more than him, and he didn’t blame her one bit. Who couldn’t like Prompto? He was so nice, and thoughtful, and totally selfless, and he cared so much. On top of it all he was cute as –
“Noct? Where’s your notebook for Lady Luna?” Ignis said from by the balcony door.
“Oh, right,” The prince groaned and heaved himself off the couch. He shuffled to the kitchen table and found the small journal at its corner, out of the way of Prompto’s weekend homework. It took weeks for Noct to convince Prompto he was not bored when his friend had to take time out of their weekends to focus on college stuff (as opposed to when they were both in school and simply worked on homework together). The apartment obviously had more than enough space for him to concentrate on it. And their weekends shouldn’t be cut short because of it. Because just having his best friend around was enjoyable. Prompto made everything enjoyable. Prompto –
“Wufff!” Pryna yipped happily as Prompto ruffled at her fuzzy chest.
Noctis smiled and flipped through the notebook to check he had responded… enough. Luna was also anxious surrounding the current politics between their countries, but she had an optimism that Noctis tried to match. Which was ironic, considering her Oracle prophecies tended to be rather pessimistic. He skimmed her comments.
“The growing tensions between our countries…,”
Skim, skim…
“… unfortunate we are separated…,”
Skim, skim…
“However I believe our futures are –,”
Noctis closed the notebook. He was certain whatever he wrote was enough, Luna never had any complaints on the matter anyways. (Of course she wouldn’t, Luna was very nice and understanding, but… there was certainly a limit to “understanding.”)
Noct found Pyrna on her back, wiggling with enjoyment at Prompto’s belly rubs.
“Yeah, you’re such a good girl!” Prompto cooed.
“Yup, real good.” Noct said and knelt down to hook the notebook to her collar. The little dog immediately went back into Job Mode and rolled to her feet. Noctis gave her a pet on the head as he stood (a gesture that was received quite tepidly in comparison to the joyous wiggles just moments before)… and a pet to Prompto’s head as he passed.
“Haha, hey, what was that for?!”
“’Cause you’re good too.” Noctis smirked and retook his place on the couch, feeling a slight twinge in his hip, probably from having stooped to reach Pryna.
“Heh, well I’ll take that over a noogie… easier on my hair,” Prompto chuckled shyly and joined him back at the foot of the couch.
Royal canine messenger sent off, Ignis unpaused the movie and the four watched in enjoyable silence.
Prompto’s head remained close to Noctis’s knee. It was just where Prompto had happened to settle down on a floor pillow, he told himself, and focused on the movie. It was a great movie, even on home video instead of on the big screen of theaters. Like he’d already known, his best friend had great taste.
The movie was winding up to its big climax, and Noctis didn’t notice Prompto had leaned back into the couch… and over. Until the blond’s head came to rest comfortably against the soft cotton lounge pants around Noct’s knee. Noctis all but stopped breathing, and didn’t dare move a muscle.
Except…
… he really should’ve waited for Pryna to stand on her own. Or have Ignis give her the damn notebook.
Noct’s leg was locking up again. The tingling was starting, but like hell he was going to move his leg. Now, of all times, to be betrayed by his own body.
He did his best to ignore it, focusing only on the movie and his best friend so comfortably situated at his knee.
But by the time the credits started, his leg had won.
“Augghh,” Noctis winced, his leg flinching. Prompto pulled away in shock.
“Noct? You okay, buddy?” Prompto turned, face full of concern.
Gladio and Ignis also turned their attention to him.
“Yeah, fine, it’s just… my leg,” Noctis leaned heavily on the couch’s arm as he stood up and carefully straightened his aching leg that was numb and throbbing from hip to toe.
“I knew I should’ve given Pryna the notebook instead.” Ignis was by his side in a flash, nodding to Gladio, who went to fetch the painkillers from the bathroom.
“Dude, why didn’t you tell me, I could’ve moved my head!” Prompto said, gingerly giving him a comforting squeeze to his arm. That lasted all of a second; as if Prompto feared hurting him. (As if the most gentle person in all of Eos could ever hurt him, Noct thought.)
“It’s fine, dude, you didn’t do anything, it was from kneeling at Pryna.” Noctis rubbed at his leg as Ignis inspected at his knee.
“Y-yeah, but I… um… Lemme get you some water,” Prompto got a glass from the kitchen just as Gladio returned with the painkiller.
“Noct, I’ve told you a hundred times and I know Iggy a hundred more, don’t wait until it’s unbearable to speak up about this,” Gladio chided.
“Yeah, yeah,” Noctis mumbled, taking the pill from Gladio and the water from Prompto, whose eyes were still wide with worry.
Great, awesome, now Prompto would never lean on him at all ever again.
* * *
Weeks passed and Noctis’s problems only grew. Problems, being… mostly just adulthood. Granted, his very niche experience of it, being a prince. And his leg wasn’t helping, at all.
His physical therapist grilled him every appointment on keeping up with his stretches, to the point Ignis was taking it as a personal insult to himself. The mere suggestion he’d fail to properly attend to something as critical as the Crown Prince’s health!
But it was frustrating.
“Noct, I think it’s best we cancel our workouts for the time being. You’re in no shape to train at a rookie level, let alone at a Glaive.” Gladio said one day.
“Gladio, I’m fine, I can still walk! I’m still going to work!” Noctis snapped back. He had the fleeting thought of the ironic juxtaposition of his younger self faking (poorly) at some ailment or another to get out of training compared to himself now, insisting he was totally fine and capable.
“Glaive training takes a little more than walking, princess, and if you push yourself you’ll end up not even able to do that.” Gladio held firm, ignoring Noct’s attitude.
Noctis sighed, and folded. Subconsciously he knew he was fighting a losing battle in all this.
Gladio’s training canceled and the physical therapist’s patience on edge, Ignis finally took his concerns directly to King Regis.
“What does the royal physician say?” Regis said, settling in his desk chair in his personal office.
“Well, an x-ray showed no damage to his bone structure – just the scars of the original wound – so currently we’re believing it’s nerve damage, Your Majesty.”
“Any guesses as to why it’s only now giving him an issue?”
“His age, possibly; some disabilities from early childhood injuries are known to only start causing issues in early adulthood.”
“Hmm.” Regis muttered. He could feel the prickling of a headache at the back of his head. Not caused by this conversation or the problem with his son, no. It was the situation with Niflheim. They were growing impatient at their current stalemate. The Council of Insomnia was growing impatient for a resolution.
Unfortunately, there had only been one resolution posed so far that both parties (save for Regis) were seemingly amiable to. But it was still completely uncertain, and other avenues were being explored.
“Ignis, my boy, not to divert from this matter entirely… How is Noctis’s social life?”
“Oh.” Ignis said. Despite the two of them being alone, they still felt the need to tread this topic discretely, “His social circle remains the three of us. Myself, Gladio, and… Prompto.”
“Yes, Prompto. Such a nice young man. Still keeping up with his Crownsguard training, yes?”
“Yes, Sir. Cor has told me he has made impressive progress.”
Regis was wracking his brain now to focus on how to help his son here and now. Thoughts of what the future may entail, if his suspicions were correct… No, no, best to think of the here and now.
“How is Noctis coping with his pain?”
“Bluntly, he is not. He all but insists he’s fine, and only remotely buckles when his current pain is undeniable. And I believe this anxiety and denial is only aggravating the issue.”
The King sighed.
“He is quite the stubborn one, isn’t he?” He said pleasantly. “Thank you, Ignis, for bringing me up to speed. I will be focusing my full attention on this matter until I decide how to handle it. Of course, I will consult with you for approval first.”
“You’re welcome, and thank you, Your Majesty.” Ignis said, still so formal after all these years.
* * *
A week later, Regis invited Noctis to dinner at the Citadel, provided he was feeling well enough for it, as he had something important to discuss.
Noctis was concerned about what needed discussing, but Ignis picked up on his hesitancy and assured him it was nothing bad.
… But did Ignis really know what Noct’s standard for “bad” was?
Unfortunately that thought only occurred to him after he was already sitting at the long dining table on the Nth floor of the Citadel, with his father seated across from him.
“Thank you, Noct, for having dinner with me. I’ve rarely seen you these days and I’m so sorry I’ve been so preoccupied.” Regis said when the servants had cleared out and only himself and his son remained.
“Dad it’s… totally okay, you’ve been busy my whole life. I don’t take it personally. And… I could make more an effort to see you, myself.” Noctis said a bit sheepishly, starting to pick at his food with his fork.
“Don’t trouble yourself, you’re a young man – a young prince – with quite a lot on his plate right now.”
“Yeah, Chef really outdid himself with the portions this evening.” Noctis smirked.
Regis smirked back, “Well, I’m glad your humor remains intact despite your stressors.”
They ate and made light small talk, but there was clearly a nervous air around the young prince.
“All right, son, I know you’re probably eager for me to tell you specifically why I asked you here. And I must apologize again for having an ulterior motive – it’s truly good to see you.”
“Yeah, dad, it’s good to see you too.” Noct said, his nerves on the cusp of getting the better of him all the same.
Regis smiled softly.
“Well, onto the matter at hand. I’m quite concerned about your health. Ignis tells me your physical therapist hasn’t seen any improvements, your work schedule is down to only one day a week, and Gladio has informed me he has canceled your training appointments indefinitely. Tell me, son, how is your leg?” The King’s brow furrowed with worry.
But his son just shrugged, “It’s – it’s fine – it’s whatever…,”
“I’m just concerned. All I have been told is to quite the contrary. Including your stubborn denial of it, my boy.”
“It’s… it’s fine!” Noctis dug his heels in, “I – I have my stretches, I’m still walking when it’s not hur – I dunno. It’s not that bad.”
“Noctis…,” Regis said gently.
Noctis set down his fork and leaned back. He was two hours into a six hour dose of his pain medication, “Yeah…,” He sighed, budging slightly but not entirely admitting defeat.
“Okay. I have a proposal for you,” Regis said, setting down his own fork, “The summer is coming up and I feel… it’s perhaps best if you spent the season away from Insomnia. Recuperating someplace safe and easier to monitor your health.”
“What, like a hospital?”
“No, no, more like… a house, in the country.”
Noctis gave a quizzical look.
“There are small towns, beyond the city, towards the mountains but still within the Wall’s limits. The royal family has a property in one of them, it’s someplace Clarus and I frequented when we required respite in our younger days. It is a lovely place, and the town it is in is mostly farmers and craftspeople, many of whom supply the Citadel with produce and furnishings. You would be relieved of all your Citadel responsibilities, and you would be taking a medical leave of absence from work.”
“Okay…,” Noctis was uncertain.
“Ignis and Gladio would be accompanying you, and several Kingsglaive would be stationed within the town but not residing in the same residence as your retinue. Your Advisor and Shield I feel are all one needs, but the council only approve of this plan if they had stationed Kingsglaive.”
Noctis was having slight trouble processing everything. But… he’d be a damn liar if getting away from the city, from the Citadel, for the summer didn’t sound really nice. It’d be like a vacation… almost. Still, he wasn’t entirely sure how to respond.
“Could I bring Prompto?” ended up being his immediate question.
Regis blinked, then smiled softly, “Yes, of course you could invite Prompto.”
“I won’t go unless Prompto comes with me.” Noctis blurted out firmly, even to his own surprise.
But it was true. It was one thing for Prompto to miss every other movie night with their group, but to leave him for a whole summer, alone in the city, with no one, while his friends all but relaxed at some convalescent-vacation home? And doing it while he’s in Crownsguard training, something he’s only doing so he can stay at Noct’s – at all of his friends’ – side? It’d be the most heartless thing imaginable.
There was no two ways about it, there was no way in Eos or the universe Noctis would go along with this suggestion without his best friend.
Of course, Regis merely nodded, “If that’s your only stipulation to ensure you will finally be taking your health seriously and concede to spend some time away focusing on improving it, that’s wonderful. You invite the boy, and anything he needs to ensure he can accompany you I will take care of personally.”
Noctis found he couldn’t control his grin, nor the fact the majority of what he retained from the conversation amounted to “spend the whole summer with Prompto.”
* * *
Noctis was impatient all through the weekend. He texted Prompto as usual but only let slip he had something very important to tell him during their Wednesday lunch. Asking Prompto to drop everything in his life for the whole summer (or else spend it totally alone) was a big ask, and best done in person.
He told himself he wouldn’t take it personally if Prompto didn’t want to join him. But the thought did make him nervous all the same.
Prompto showed up right on time as usual, and the two boys slid into what had become their regular booth with their lunches, prepared personally by Noctis.
Their conversation started as a post-weekend catchup of things they hadn’t otherwise been texting each other.
“Okay, okay, you ever seen an aerosol can explode?” Prompto said, dunking a piece of tempura shrimp into some ponzu sauce.
“Holy Six, what the hell are they teaching you at bootcamp these days?”
“That one guy that’s been getting our whole squad in trouble since like day one – y’know the one – on Saturday night he stole another cadet’s can of shaving cream and stabbed it with a pen knife and it EXPLODED!”
Noctis was already laughing.
“He got shaving cream all over himself and, like, six bunks, and gave himself a huuuuge black eye – and like three other guys got a bruised arm and a bruised leg. Because the thing just ricocheted like a pinball, it was awesome. Oh! And I was one of the one’s that got bruised, haha.” Prompto laughed with him, rolling up his sleeve slight to show a purple splotch on his upper arm. “So, finally, that guy’s been officially kicked from the Crownsguard. Cor let the rest of us off with a verbal ‘warning’ because he totally knew it was just that one guy.”
“Oh, good, at the tail end of your basic.”
“I know, right?! He should’ve been kicked ages ago but Cor didn’t have the authority, there wasn’t enough evidence or some shit – ehh, but whatever, he’s gone now at least… so how as your weekend?”
“Thankfully did not end with me being on the receiving end of an aerosol can assault, haha. Your arm okay? That looks nasty.”
“Yeah, it’s fine, I bruise easily so it looks worse than it is.” Prompto shrugged.
Noctis nodded, but suddenly felt a lump in his throat that made him fall silent. The two boys ate quietly for a moment.
“Okay, Noct, I gotta be blunt – what was this important thing you had to tell me about?” Prompto finally broke the silence, biting his lower lip nervously.
“I’m glad you asked, I’ve been dying to tell you but I wanted to do it in person,” Noct’s mouth suddenly went dry. He told himself to calm the hell down, asking his friend about their summer plans should not be this hard.
“Yeah?” Prompto’s violet eyes looked filled with nervous apprehension. For how bubbly he was, he always seemed to be expecting bad or difficult news.
Noctis sighed. “So… y’know my leg has um… well, I’ve been having some trouble with it. Annnd my dad’s caught wind of it, and he wants to send me away for the summer. All summer. To this house in the country. It’s still within the wall’s limits, but it’s outside the city.”
“Oh… Oh. Is your leg really been that bad, that he wants to send you away for the whole summer?”
Noctis had not been sharing the extent of his health problems with Prompto. For some reason he always felt this need to maintain a strong, capable appearance around him. Not to mention, he hadn’t exactly, entirely admitted it was really that bad. But getting a free pass out of all of his responsibilities for the whole summer wasn’t one he was going to turn down.
“Uhh… well my dad seems to think so enough to send me away for it. And, um, Ignis and Gladio would be going with me.” Noctis’s chest felt tight.
“Oh…,” Prompto said with great concern, “I – I mean, I’m just worried your leg is really that bad! But, y’know, with you and Iggy and Gladio gone all summer, I’ll really miss –,”
“Dude, I want you to come with me – er, us.” Noctis interjected quickly.
“What?”
“For the whole summer. Or, I mean, half the summer. I mean, however long you want, really. You don’t have to come at all, but it’d really suck without you. And with Gladio and Ignis with me, it – it’s not fair, leaving you here.”
Prompto seemed to perk up slightly. “Oh! Oh, cool! That… that’s really cool. I’ll have some school projects I gotta work on but I won’t have to go to any classes, and um – uhhh.” He stopped short.
“What’s wrong?” Fuck, this was what Noctis was afraid of.
“Nothing, just – well, okay not… really nothing, but I dunno when you plan on leaving, but after basic training I’ll be advancing… and also I have, like, work… and I can’t really lose my job, because of the house, and I dunno if I have enough savings to cover –,”
“My dad’ll take care of it.” The Prince again said quickly.
“What?! Noct, no, I could not ask the King of Lucis to –,” Prompto started firmly.
“You’re not asking him, I am. I told my dad I wanted you with me and he told me if you accepted the invite he’d do whatever it took to make sure you’d go.”
“Noct! Noct –,” Prompto nearly choked on nothing, “– that’s – no, dude, that’s just too – that’s way too big a thing, it’s too generous, I could never repay you, or – or your d-dad –,”
“You could repay me by joining me,” Noctis said softly, “Would that make it better, if you thought of it that way?”
Prompto stared at him, eyes wide, brow furrowed.
“I – I just really want –,” Noctis felt like he was on a precarious edge, “I couldn’t spend the whole summer without my best friend, could I? Even if you’re just there for a little while.”
Prompto’s cheeks flushed and a grin formed slowly until it was so wide he turned slightly away from embarrassment.
“I, um, I dunno if I could do that either.” He said quietly, then cleared his throat “Um, I mean… okay. I’ll go. If you really want me to. For as long as you want me to.”
“Really?” Noctis started, feeling himself dipping over that edge and pulling back, “I mean, again, you absolutely don’t have to go if you don’t want to, dude.”
“Well, I joined the Crownsguard for ya, right? Not gonna lie, a summer in the country sounds waaay nicer instead, heheh.” Prompto chuckled.
“Yeah… and, um, also again, you can stay as long as you like. For just a week or… the whole summer.”
“Would you want me to stay for the whole summer?”
“I mean… yeah.” Noctis felt his face go hot all the way up to his ears and hoped it wasn’t noticeable. But it probably was.
“Then for the whole summer it is.” Prompto grinned broadly again, cheeks growing rosy, and Noctis felt a piece of him suddenly relax. As if a knot of tension over his whole body was released.
END OF CHAPTER I