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Sneaking outside the wall with Noctis was a bad idea. Camping outside said wall for a few hours at Gods knows what time was an even worse idea.
And yet the duo did both and didn't fully stop to think how this could be bad other than they'd be in shit if they stayed here too long.
It was dark out, everyone probably thought they were still inside the wall and fast asleep in their beds not lounging on a camping ground with the car nearby.
"This is the dumbest idea you've had." Prompto sighed. "If Iggy and Gladio find out we're dead."
"Relax, they won't. We're going back soon." Noctis took a sip of cola before offering Prompto the can moments later. "Not like we're far enough out for something to get us."
"...What if humans see us?"
"They won't. They're further away. Besides, they're mostly chill." Noctis looks up at the stars.
He can see way more of them out here than under the wall. It's nice.
"What if-" Noctis stops Prompto. The blonde's clearly on edge.
"Nothing's gonna get us. Animals don't come near these places and monster hunters aren't real." he takes the cola back from Prompto and has a drink.
"T-They're not?"
"No. Just urban legends."
Prompto feels himself relax for a second and sighs.
The duo fall into silence for a few moments before Noctis breaks it.
"Ghost stories. Yeah or no?"
Prompto shifts in his seat and stretches. His ears flick and he cuddles his fluffy tail out of nervous habit.
"Sure but not too scary."
The moth prince smiles.
"Promise it won't be."
* * *
Noctis tells a story about a slasher with a hook for a hand. A fisherman who lost his hand, replaced it with a rusty hook.
It's an awful cheesy story but Prompto finds himself hooked, no pun intended.
He leans forward waiting for Noctis to conclude the story.
"They say every thursday night, he comes back to the campsite to hunt for dumb couples who decide to trespass on sacred fishing grounds."
"...Sacred fishing grounds?" Prompto snorts. "There's no such thing."
"If you were an angler would you want some horny teens camping nearby and scaring the fish away?" Noctis pouts.
"Like the fish would hear that from the water." Prompto laughs. "Dude, that ending sucked."
"You tell one better then." Noctis huffs.
Prompto hesitates. He's not good at this sort of thing.
"...Fine. Just don't laugh too much."
"No promises." Noctis jokes with a smirk.
Prompto flips him off and smiles.
"Ass." he snorts.
* * *
Prompto decides using the torch on his phone under his chin will add to the spooky atmosphere.
He tells a story about a haunted game cartridge and a person who despite all the glitches and scary weird stuff happening they didn't put the game down.
"Why?"
"Why what?" Prompto replies.
"Why don't they come off the game? Clearly it's fucking them up." Noctis says.
"Morbid curiosity I guess." Prompto replies.
Prompto goes to continue but pauses when he hears a twig snap in the area. His ears twitch and he swallows.
"It's probably some animal." Noctis reassures.
"...Yeah probably." Prompto mutters before carrying on with his cheesy tale.
* * *
He's in the middle of talking about how the character was coming out of the game when a noise startles him.
It's a strange sound like something just landed on the rocky ground they're sitting on which causes Prompto to look around. It even gets a surprised look from Noctis.
"Prom." Noctis' voice causes the carbuncle to look over.
The prince points at something shiny sitting on the camping grounds. Prompto looks over and blinks.
"...Is that a smoke grenade?" he asks, before panic kicks in and he grabs it.
The carbuncle throws it as far as he can just as he hears Noctis yell.
"Fuck! Run!" the moth prince yells getting up faster than Prompto's ever seen him.
The carbuncle blinks in confusion, glancing behind him. There's a huge booming figure approaching with a crossbow and a blade.
Prompto's fight or flight mode kicks in and he scrambles to his feet. He bolts after Noctis and speaks up.
"Who the fuck is that?!" he cries.
"Don't think about it. Just run!" Noctis yells.
Prompto glances back to see if they're still being followed. Unfortunately they are.
The unknown man fires a crossbolt. Prompto's ears flick and he ducks just to narrowly avoid it.
Noctis pauses for a second and turns around, grabbing Prompto close.
"What the fuck are you doing?! Run! We'll die!" Prompto screams.
The moth prince swallows and takes to the air with the carbuncle. He flaps his wings and tries to locate his car from the sky as he flies.
Something hits him as he does and he chokes, lurching forward before they start to fall from the sky.
Prompto panics and summons a shield hoping it can lessen the damage they'll probably take. He glances at Noctis and realises he's got a bolt in his wing.
He winces and grips onto Noctis tighter. He looks down and pales. They're not up too high but he dislikes the thought of falling out of the sky.
Noctis tries his hardest to make them land safely but it seems difficult to do with an injured wing. Thankfully Prompto's shield takes most of the blow when they crash land.
He scrambles to his feet and grabs Noctis, helping the moth prince up.
A knife is launched at them and Prompto screams, summoning his barrier again. The knife jams into it and cracks it.
"N-Noct we gotta move!" Prompto stutters as the moth prince winces.
"I-I know." Noctis gets to his feet and Prompto grabs his hand. "Start running."
Prompto swallows and sprints with Noctis.
His brain's on autopilot as he runs. He's just trying to score some distance between them and the mystery man.
The duo dodge another knife and barely dodge a crossbow bolt moments later.
"He's armed to the teeth." Noctis hisses.
"I-I'm gonna try and lose him." Prompto gasps out.
"Wouldn't running to the car be easier?" Noctis says, glancing behind them.
"Not enough distance between us. He could drag us out." Prompto states. "Towns are too far away. Closest thing is the woods over there."
Noctis stares at him.
"D-Do you trust me?" the blonde asks.
Noctis winces and grips at his wing with his spare hand.
"C-Course." he grimaces.
"I promise I'll get us out of this." Prompto mutters,sprinting towards the woods.
* * *
Prompto's lungs were burning but he was terrified to stop in case the mystery man was still behind them.
Behind him, he heard Noctis cough and pant.
"I-I can hear him." Noctis gasps.
Prompto's ears twitch.
"M-Me too."
Noctis grimaces.
"I-I feel...W-Woozy."
Makes sense, he had a crossbow bolt in his wing.
"I promise...We can stop soon." Prompto pants. "N-Not yet though."
Noctis glances back.
"...I can...Put more distance between us." he winces.
You're injured bud." Prompto replies, squeezing his hand. "Don't use up your energy. You'll need it."
"I'll be ok." Noctis mutters.
The moth prince moves forward and stares ahead, he winces as he moves his arms up.
"B-Bud we should be running." Prompto stutters.
Noctis grimaces and drags his hands in different directions. Tearing open a portal in front of them.
He stumbles and Prompto grabs him quickly. He doesn't think as he runs into the portal with the injured prince.
* * *
The portal leads them back to the car. Noctis' powers are a mystery to Prompto. He knows about some, mostly the portals but everything else is a mystery.
He'd heard rumours that Noctis can create natural disasters or was it predict them? Maybe he can do both. He should ask at some point.
The topaz carbuncle panics and quickly opens the door for Noctis before rushing around to the other side and opening his own door.
"It's...Gonna rain." the prince mutters from the passenger seat.
"Noct...There's a killer after us. I think rain's the least of our worries." Prompto sounds hysterical. He knows he does. The situation's fully hit him.
"Thunderstorm then." he groans.
It hits Prompto what he's trying to do. He looks at Noctis and bites his own lip.
"...Don't change the weather. You're weak enough."
"T-Too late." the prince groans and tries to hold his injured wing as lightning strikes outside.
Prompto starts the car up, hands shaking as he does and throws the car in reverse the moment he sees the killer running out of the forest.
Prompto screams, Noctis meanwhile looks like he's dozing off. Not good.
Prompto gently slaps Noctis' good arm with one hand while keeping the other on the wheel.
"S-Stay with me N-Noct. You can sleep after we get that sorted o-ok?" He tries to sound calm but he knows he's failing.
Noctis hums and shivers a little, making Prompto put his other hand back on the steering wheel and grip it tight as he drives.
"I'll put the heat on when the engine warms up ok?"
Noctis nods.
"I-I thought they were fake."
"What?"
"Monster hunters." Noctis mutters.
Prompto almost crashes hearing that.
"That was a fucking monster hunter?!" he hisses.
Noctis nods.
"Who else is armed...To the teeth. They're basically serial killers."
Prompto swallows and glances at the rear view mirror.
"He's not….following us. We lost him." Noctis says which provides a bit of relief to Prompto.
The relief floods through him and he tears up the moment he sees Insomnia and the glorious citadel standing tall.
They're home. They're safe.
* * *
He watches as the citadel doctors patch up Noctis' wing. He swallows and pulls the blanket they gave him around himself more.
Noctis who's been given pain relief barely feels it. He glances at Prompto and then down at his hands.
"I'm sorry." the moth prince says. He looks Prompto in the eye as he says it. "I shouldn't have dragged you out of Insomnia."
"You didn't. I came with you. Willingly."
"...I'm a dumbass." the prince sighs.
"So am I."
"...Iggy's gonna kill us." Prompto mutters, nervously shifting in his seat.
"Bold to assume that wasn't him after us back there." Noctis jokes.
Prompto looks at him, eyes filling up.
"You could have died." his breath hitches and he swallows. He tries his hardest not to cry but fails.
Noctis gestures him over once his wing's patched up. He wraps his arms around Prompto the moment he sits on the bed and pulls him into a hug.
"I-I know," he mutters. "...I think...I'm in shock."
Prompto grips onto his shoulders.
"Next time we'll just camp in my apartment, ok?"
Prompto nods against him.
"I was so scared." he mutters.
"Me too." Noctis replies. "It's over now. I promise."