Archive of Our Own ^beta

'Ignis please,' Noctis begged, cradling the brunette in his lap and holding him close.

Strictly speaking he didn't need to touch someone to heal them, but it always gave that little personal touch on the battlefield if he transferred the healing spell with a quick pat to the shoulder. It let his friends know that he cared about their wellbeing. But right now the touch was more for himself. Ignis had gone down hard after the wolf like creature had pounced on him, and sunk claws into his chest. Even now Noctis could feel his own clothes getting wet as the warm, sticky blood soaked into them. Ignis's blood. The damned idiot.

'Why did you…god, I'd have been fine,' Noctis said, furiously forcing back the tears.

Ignis's face was so damn pale and it scared him. It scared him that the blood just wouldn't stop, and it scared him that the wounds weren't healing fast enough. Noctis drew more power from the crystal, and the white glow around them intensified as he poured every last drop of magic into his friend to make him better. Finally Ignis's face twisted into a grimace, as the older man began waking up to a world of pain.

'Ignis?' Noctis asked.

Green eyes flashed open, then closed again. 'A-are you okay, highness?'

'Am I…?' Noctis couldn't believe what he was hearing. 'Am I okay? You just got body slammed by something that weighs as much as the car, and sliced by its claws. I think we need to fix your priorities.'

'Not at all,' Ignis said, wincing in pain as the wounds on his neck knitted together as the healing spell worked its magic. 'I had to push you down to get you out of the way. Were you harmed?'

'I may have broken a nail, but I'll get over it,' Noctis said sarcastically. 'Ignis, seriously, how are you doing? You lost a lot of blood. I can heal your wounds but I can't fix blood loss.'

Ignis struggled to sit up, and placed a shaky hand on Noctis's arm. 'I'll be fine, my prince. I assure you.'

'Just lay back down, we'll find somewhere to set up camp and you can rest for a bit,' Noctis said, frowning as Ignis attempted to stand. 'Ignis-'

'Perhaps I'll take a nap before making dinner. If that will help put your mind at ease?'

'Put my mind at ease? Ignis you could have died.'

Ignis smiled softly, and raised a gloved hand to cup Noctis's cheek. There was blood on his glove. 'My job is to ensure your safety.'

Noctis simply sat in shock as Gladiolus came over and helped Ignis to his feet.

-

A few days later they were exploring a deep cave, searching for a way to defeat the behemoth affectionately known as Dead Eye. The cave was dark and damp and smelled of mould as they wound their way deeper underground.

'Narrow bit coming up,' Noctis announced, as the unofficial leader of the group for this task. He turned sideways and slid between the rocks, his back brushing the other side of the throughway. He wasn't a claustrophobic person by nature, but the narrowings in the rocks were enough to make anyone uneasy. He slid through as quickly as he could, smiling as he heard the others grumbling.

'Hate it when it's such a tight squeeze,' Prompto complained.

'You shouldn't have had that second bowl of stew last night,' Gladiolus teased.

'Oh shut up, I have a fantastic figure,' Prompto shot back, finally making it through the other side. 'Tell him, Noct, my butt is gorgeous.'

'Your butt is amazing,' Noctis said with an eye roll. He was watching the opening, and on guard in case of attack. They'd been ambushed once when passing through a narrow path, and he didn't want the others to get hurt while they were too squashed in to fight.

'You guys alright?' Prompto called finally, after the other two still didn't appear. They were making a lot of noise, though.

'There may be an issue,' Ignis said, but he didn't sound concerned. More amused, if Noctis was a judge.

'Issue?' Noctis asked.

Ignis's head popped out through the opening. 'Gladiolus may be stuck.'

'I'm not stuck!' the older man shot back gruffly.

Prompto burst into laughter. 'Oh man, you were saying about me, Gladio?'

'I'm pure muscle, little man. Not my fault the pathway is made for scrawny kids.'

Noctis tried very hard not to smirk. 'Are you actually stuck, or can you go back?'

'I can go back I think.' There was a bit of scuffling, and a few muttered curses. 'Yeah, I'm out. But there's no way I'm getting my ass through there.'

'We've been down here for hours and haven't found anything anyway, we'll check out this cavern then if there's nothing useful we'll come back,' Noctis said.

Gladiolus grunted. 'Stay on your guard, those goblins are tricky buggers.'

'You got it, Wide Load,' Prompto teased.

'Oh when you get back through here I am so making you pay for that,' Gladiolus said.

Prompto was chuckling as he slung his gun over his shoulder and skipped to catch up Ignis and Noctis. 'Oi, wait up for the adorable blonde.'

'If I find one I'll do just that,' Noctis said.

'That hurts, man.' Prompto came up beside Noctis and nudged him with a shoulder. 'So, remind me again what we're looking for?'

'Not sure exactly. But I'll know it when I see it,' Noctis said. 'If my eyes go red then you know we've found it.'

'Watch your pretty eyes. Got it.' Prompto twirled around, peering through the darkness. The torches clipped to their shirts only threw light so far. More than once Prompto had been happily standing there minding his own business when the hideous face of a goblin sprang out of nowhere. In fact it had happened so many times he'd promised himself the next time he wouldn't shriek like a girl. He couldn't keep the promise. A goblin appeared from the shadows and he screamed, trying to aim his gun as he stumbled backward. 'Goblins!' he cried over the explosion of bullets.

'Prince,' Ignis said sharply, instinctively moving in front of Noctis and shielding the smaller man with his body. Without Gladiolus to help them fight it was his job alone to protect Noctis.

Noctis, however, wasn't amused. 'Ignis, you need to move or I can't fight.'

'We can dispatch them, your highness, stay behind me and you'll be safe.'

The sword materialised in his hand before he even realised it, and he gripped the hilt tightly. It infuriated him that Ignis wasn't even going to let him fight. He'd trained, Ignis knew that he was decent with most weapons and agile and acrobatic enough to dodge attacks. He even had the added boost of his magic to give his attacks a little extra kick. But every time he tried to start fighting Ignis was there, getting between him and the goblins and taking them on himself.

'Ignis I swear to god,' Noctis said, but he was cut off as a goblin threw something at his back. He stumbled forward a few steps and the sword in his hand dematerialised.

'Your highness!' Ignis called, rushing over to him and catching him as he sank to his knees. 'Noct, are you alright?'

'I…ugh…' Noctis groaned, suddenly feeling sluggish and weak. His head felt as if it were filled with cotton wool, and he felt sick to his stomach and feverish. 'P-poison…' Noctis stammered.

'I told you to stay out of harm's way,' Ignis muttered, awkwardly rifling through his pockets one-handed, while supporting the thinner man. 'Here, drink this.'

Noctis was lowered to the floor, and the little bottle was pressed to his lips. The liquid was foul tasting, but then antidotes weren't supposed to taste like fine wine. They were supposed to rid your body of the dangerous poison that coursed through your veins and sent your body into shock if left untreated. Slowly Noctis's body began to feel cooler, and his vision began to focus again. He saw Ignis's pale face smile in the ghostly white light of his torch. Too pale. Noctis frowned. 'Hey, you're…'

Ignis shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped the warm leather coat around Noctis's shoulders. 'Stay here, we'll finish this,' Ignis promised, and got slowly to his feet, stumbling slightly and steadying himself on a rock.

Noctis frowned and crawled a bit further. There was something wrong with Ignis. He tried to get to his feet but Prompto was there, crouching beside him.

'Hey buddy, take it easy. Poison is nasty business. Only a couple of 'em left, nothing Ignis can't handle.

'Poison…' Noctis said, still not feeling quite right.

'Yeah, you got poisoned,' Prompto said in a concerned voice, and pulled Noctis into his lap to let him rest while Ignis fought, tucking the jacket around Noctis's thin form. 'Just take it easy, let the antidote work its magic. Wish we had another one, you could probably do with a double dose if you're this woozy.'

'No, poison. Ignis,' Noctis said, frantically trying to see through the darkness. He could hear Ignis panting as the fever tore through his body. 'We need to help him.'

'What, Ignis is…? Oh man, he didn't say anything! I don't have any more antidotes, the damn goblins kept stealing them. Wait here, I'll go see if I can swipe one back.'

Noctis let himself be lowered the floor, then shakily got to his feet and followed Prompto, even if he wasn't supposed to. He managed to get to them in time to see Ignis throw a knife into a goblin's forehead, then collapse onto one knee. Noctis was there in a heartbeat, ducking under Ignis's arm and supporting the taller man.

'You gave me the antidote when you were sick too,' Noctis said.

'Of course,' Ignis said, his gaze unfocused behind his glasses. There was a thin sheen of sweat on his brow, and he was looking flushed from the fever.

'Why did you…why didn't you use it yourself?'

'There was only one left. Of course I gave it to you.'

'But…Ignis, poison can kill, you know. If Prom can't find one in time you'll…'

'And if I'd taken the antidote then we'd be fighting to save your life. I'm sorry, prince, but the choice was an obvious one.'

Noctis wanted to throttle the other man, but Ignis chose that moment to pass out so instead of venting his anger Noctis wound up panicking and catching Ignis in his arms. He laid the other man out on the cave floor, and undid the top buttons of his shirt as Ignis's breath came out in little shallow gasps. Swallowing back tears Noctis leaned over his friend, gently cupping his cheek with his hand.

'It's not an obvious choice, Ignis. You had as much right to the antidote as I did. More so, because you'd managed to keep one safe and all of mine got stolen. You should have…I should be the one…dammit, why do you keep doing this?'

'Because he cares about you,' Prompto said, jogging over and falling to his knees. 'Lucky for him I found a bottle that hadn't been broken on one of the goblins. I hate it when they steal my stuff, so I don't feel mean about picking their corpses clean. Sit him up, we'll get him to drink it and he'll be fine in no time. Then you can yell at him while he's awake.'

'Good. I have lots of yelling to do. So you better wake up, Ignis. We are going to have words about this.' He pulled the taller man up into his arms and held him close as Prompto poured the liquid into his mouth. Ignis coughed and spluttered, but after a few minutes of Noctis cradling him to his chest Ignis's emerald eyes began to flutter open. Seeing them shine and the relieved look in Ignis's eyes when he saw Noctis was alive and well, Noctis couldn't find it within himself to yell. Instead he held him close, and promised himself that he would never allow it to happen again. Ignis carried far too many scars because of him, it was distressing to see Ignis so willing to throw his life away time and time again. It had to stop. Noctis had to make his friend see how painful it was to see someone you cared about so willing to throw their life away.

-

If there was any positive side to an imperial army attack, it was that the aircarrier deploying the squadron could be heard a mile off, and during the night it was lit up like a Christmas tree. So the group was ready for the attack, but not the volume; there were double the number of troops packed into the carrier than usual, and suddenly the easy win they'd predicted descended into a chaotic battle.

'You're doing great,' Noctis said, clapping a hand on Prompto's shoulder as he healed the blonde.

'Not sure how long I can keep it up, they just keep coming,' Prompto said, sounding exhausted. He sprang to his feet once the particles of magic disappeared and he was feeling a bit stronger.

'We'll cut them down,' Noctis promised. Something grabbed his shoulder and pushed him down, just as a bullet passed by where he'd been.

'Careful, highness,' Ignis said, releasing his grip and hurtling a knife at the attacker.

'Careful yourself, you could have got hit by the bullet,' Noctis said.

'Better me than you; it's hard to wear a crown if your head has a bullet through it.'

Noctis felt his anger burning within. Ignis was so careless about the comment, as if he truly believed it. Noctis drew a sword from the ether and began hacking and slashing at the nearest drone, venting his frustration as he backflipped out of the way, then somersaulted and used his momentum to slash down with a huge sword hard enough to make the bones in his arms ache.

'Sweet!' Gladiolus complimented. 'Behind you, two more.'

'Thanks,' Noctis said. That was the kind of advice he needed in battle. Gladiolus trusted him to actually help in the fight, but Ignis just…well, he was doing it now. From the corner of his eye Noctis could see that his advisor had overheard Gladiolus's words and was probably panicking about Noctis having to take on two drones alone. Now was the time to show him that he was capable of fighting, and didn't need to have someone act as his human shield at the first hint of trouble. Noctis selected his sword carefully; a lightweight one that would allow him to warp strike the drone on the left, then he'd switch to a lance, dig it into the ground and flip around to kick the second drone and knock him to the ground, before finishing him off with the lance. Perfect. Noctis was preparing to do just that when he heard the bullets being fired. At the same time he saw Ignis was perilously close. There was no time to warp and show off how useful he could be; he'd screwed up. He'd taken too long. And now he could see the scene in his head as it had played out a dozen times; Ignis would push him aside and take the hit himself. Ignis would lay bleeding in his arms as he desperately tried to heal him, and pray that it wasn't the day their luck ran out.

'Highness!' Ignis called, reaching out ready to push Noctis out of the way.

It was as if time stood still; Noctis glanced at Ignis, and caught his emerald gaze. And suddenly he knew what he had to do. He couldn't let Ignis carry another scar because of him. So before Ignis got close enough to shove him aside, Noctis drew magic from the crystal. His eyes flashed red as he pulled the etheric force through his body, and shot a gentle spell of energy toward his friend. Ignis fell to the floor winded, but it was a lot better than the alternative. Noctis was relieved as he saw the shock on his friend's face, and he was still smiling as the bullets tore through his chest. It was a pain like no other; sharp, white hot, and terrifying. It felt as if there were so many, and they just kept coming in rapid succession. It was like being punched half a dozen times, and as the bullets hit him he fell back, and slammed into the ground. The pain turned to numbness and his body stared to tremble as shock set in. There were bullets in him, and he was bleeding badly. Really badly. His shirt was soaked through already, warm with thick blood. His breath came out in short gasps, it was hard to catch each breath, and his arms were curled upward to protect his battered chest, but they daren't touch the damage. It hurt too much. Far too much. Oh god it hurt.

'Shit,' someone cursed. Gruff voice, Gladio. 'Oh god, Noct.'

'I'm coming, buddy. Hold on.' That one was definitely Prompto, even if he sounded slightly strange.

Noctis just stared up at the dark sky, swallowing hard. There was fighting going on around him but it was like he was in a different world where nothing was quite real. He hadn't really been shot, had he? Had that actually happened? He coughed, and there was something warm on his lips that tasted like iron.

'I'm here, I'm here,' Prompto said, and suddenly the stars were blocked out and all Noctis could see was blonde hair and worried blue eyes. Prompto laughed, but there was no smile on his lips. 'Oh god, you're a mess. I don't even…how the hell do I fix this? Tell me what to do.'

Noctis tried to speak, but all he could manage was a rasping sound. It took him a few seconds to realise that Prompto wasn't talking to him, but rather someone out of his line of vision. Slowly he tried to move his head and he caught sight of Gladiolus finishing off the last of the drones, then…then Ignis. On his knees, staring at him. It was the strangest thing; it looked like Ignis - the tall figure had his clothes and his glasses - but Noctis had never seen that expression on his face. The look of utter terror and disbelief. Ignis was frozen on the spot in a state of shock, and Noctis almost felt smug. That was exactly how he felt every time he saw Ignis hurt, so now Ignis knew what it felt like. It was hard to gloat when your lungs were filling with blood, though, so instead Noctis whimpered and coughed again, realising that he'd sprayed blood on Prompto's cheek.

Prompto gasped, and began trembling. 'Ignis! Help me! For god's sake get over here now and help me please, he's gonna die!'

There were heavy footsteps, then a loud thud as Gladiolus landed on the ground next to him. A large hand gently supported his head. 'Heal him. Come on, you guys know I'm rubbish with magic why aren't you healing him?'

'I tried, but I can't get anything through him. There's no magic to use.' Prompto was close to tears, but he refused to let them fall. If Ignis wasn't going to do anything then he needed to stay strong. 'Have you got any potions left? I'm out…'

Gladiolus grimaced. 'I used up my last one this afternoon, I hadn't been planning on a fight this evening. Stupid, I can't believe I let myself be unprepared. Ignis, you got any potions?'

'Um…I don't…I don't know,' Ignis said, swallowing hard.

'What do you mean you don't know? Check,' Gladiolus growled.

That snapped Ignis out of his trance, and he patted his own pockets. '…The goblins stole mine.'

'Perfect. Goddamn perfect,' Gladiolus said, looking down at the bleeding prince. Noctis was staring up at the sky, but he was still shaking so he was definitely alive. There was so much blood, though, soaking through to the grass, and bubbling at Noctis's lips. Prompto appeared with a spare shirt in hand, having run to the car to check for potions. When Gladiolus pressed it to the bullet wounds to stem the bleeding Noctis groaned. 'Sorry your highness, but it's better than bleeding out, right?'

'How close is the nearest hospital?' Prompto asked.

'Not far,' Ignis said, in a distant voice. 'Seven or eight miles at the most.'

'Good,' Gladiolus said, sliding his arms under Noctis and lifting him into his arms. He hurried to the car with the prince cradled against his chest, and got into the back seat while holding Noctis tight to keep pressure on the wounds. Noctis moaned with every movement, and gave a weak cough once he was settled. Fresh red blood stained his lips.

Prompto hopped into the shotgun seat, and strapped himself in. Then they all waited while Ignis fumbled with the door, then the seatbelt, then the keys in the ignition.

'Take your time, it's not like Noct is dying or anything,' Gladiolus said. 'Seriously what is wrong with you tonight?'

'I'm trying,' Ignis said, his hands shaking as he put the car into gear.

'Try harder,' Gladiolus said, looking down at Noctis's pale face.

Ignis's version of trying harder was to stall the car. Prompto groaned. 'You want me to drive?'

'No, I can do this,' Ignis caught sight of Noctis in the rear view mirror, and a wave of nausea rose within him. The engine sprang back to life and he hit the accelerator. He had to do this. He had to get Noctis help, and he needed to stop panicking. Why was it that he could face down a fifteen foot behemoth with no fear, but when it was Noctis that was lying hurt and looking so damn frail and small he couldn't keep it together?

It was more like ten miles to the hospital, but the extra distance didn't matter as once Ignis had hit the main road he'd floored it. The Regalia screeched to a halt in front of the hospital and Gladiolus was out of the car before it had even stopped, rushing Noctis into the emergency department. Prompto was about to run after them when he realised Ignis wasn't following. When he turned back he saw the taller man still sat in the driver's seat with his hands gripping the wheel tightly.

Prompto frowned and opened the door. 'Uh, we're going inside now. You coming?'

Ignis suddenly looked up at him, as if he was seeing him for the first time. 'Sorry. Yes. Of course.'

With a frown Prompto stepped back, giving Ignis space to get out. 'You gonna lock the car?'

'Ah, sorry.' Ignis remotely locked the car, and slipped the key in his jacket pocket.

'Okay, what's wrong?' Prompto asked.

Ignis stood still for a long moment, staring up at the bright light of the emergency department against the dark skyline. He let the cold night air wash over him and closed his eyes briefly, relieving the moment when his world had stopped. 'Let's go and see how the prince is.'

Inside there was a bit of a stir, and doors were closing just as they entered. Gladiolus turned around and met them, folding his arms across his chest. He was covered in blood.

'They're gonna do surgery. Get the bullets out and patch him up,' Gladiolus said, swallowing hard. 'He'll be okay. He's gotta be okay. I told him he's not allowed to die, so…yeah.'

'Was he awake?' Prompto asked.

'Not really. His eyes were half open but he wasn't really focusing on anything. I just…how can someone so scrawny lose so much blood? Didn't think there was that much in him.'

Prompto leaned up close to Gladiolus's arm, relishing the contact. Gladiolus knew what he wanted really, though, and wrapped a huge arm around Prompto's narrow shoulder, holding his friend close to his side in a hug. 'They don't know how long its going to take. The doctor said we could go find somewhere to stay for the night, but I don't think I could sleep knowing he's lying on a table fighting for his life. I'm gonna stay right here. You guys can-'

Prompto snorted. 'Yeah, like we could sleep either. If he…if anything happens, I want to be here. And I want to know the second he's out of surgery so I can go see him. And then I can buy him get well gifts. He needs grapes and chocolates and flowers and a crossword book and a giant stuffed bear. That will help him get better.'

Gladiolus smiled sadly, and steered the blonde toward the row of uncomfortable waiting room chairs. He sat down and pulled Prompto close to his side. 'I'm sure the prince will love all that stuff when he's a bit better. And Ignis will be beside himself with all the fussing he'll get to do.'

Realising his name had been mentioned Ignis looked up, but he couldn't share their optimism. He just nodded and wandered off to read the notices pinned to the wall on the opposite end of the waiting room.

Hours passed. The clock ticked and Prompto fell asleep on Gladiolus's shoulder, with the larger man running fingers through his hair in an effort to calm both the blonde and himself. Ignis paced the room, read the magazines, read the notices on the wall again. Anything to try and distract himself. As the sun began to rise and the sky lightened through the large glass doors to the emergency department Prompto woke up.

'Any news?' he asked, stretching his arms above his head.

'We'd have woken you if there was,' Gladiolus promised, taking the opportunity to stretch his own muscles. He'd not wanted to move and disturb Prompto, so now his muscles ached from sitting in the same position for so long. 'Want breakfast?'

Breakfast consisted of what they could find in the vending machine. Chocolate bars and crisps, with cans of coke to wash it down. Gladiolus knew something was up when Ignis didn't even lecture them on a healthy meal. He really knew something was wrong when Ignis unwrapped a chocolate bar for himself.

'Ignis?' Gladiolus asked. 'Are you-'

The door to the hospital opened and a man in scrubs came in, interrupting Gladiolus. There were few people in the waiting room so he came right over to the group.

'You're the ones that brought in the gunshot victim?'

Gladiolus had been careful not to give names, and in the rush to get Noctis into surgery nobody had asked for details. 'How's he doing?'

'All the bullets have been removed, five in total, and the damage to his lungs has been repaired. We had to…well the damage was severe, and part of the right lung was too badly damaged and had to be removed. He's sleeping off the anaesthetic now and he'll be on a ventilator to help him breathe for a while, but we predict a full recovery, with only slight limitations to his exercise tolerance.'

Nobody spoke for a moment, and it seemed their usual voice of reason in these times was mute. Gladiolus cast another glance at Ignis and then cleared his throat. 'Can we see him?'

'Of course. This way.'

They followed the doctor through the hospital to a private room. As soon as the door slid open Prompto was by Noctis's bedside. The blonde kicked a foot around the leg of a chair and dragged it close, while stealing one of Noctis's hands to hold in his own.

'Well damn,' Gladiolus breathed, folding his arms across his chest.

He stood guard at the foot of the bed, taking in the sight of Noctis lying perfectly still. The prince's clothes were gone, instead there were thick white bandages wrapped around Noctis's torso. His arms were laying atop the covers, his skin almost as white as the sheets, and there was an IV needle in the crook of his elbow, secured with tape.

The two men looked up at the sound of the door closing. Ignis was gone.

'Where is he…?'

Gladiolus sighed and shook his head. Things were starting to add up in his mind, and the urge to throttle Ignis was fading. If the other man felt anything like he did then the guilt was eating him alive. Gladiolus knew that it was his duty as bodyguard to protect Noctis, but more than that he did it because Noctis was his friend. He loved the other man, and seeing him so hurt was difficult to take in. And if he felt like that, then he could only imagine how Ignis felt.

Taking a spare seat from the corner of the room Gladiolus sat the other side of the bed, and gently brushed hair away from Noctis's face, detangling dark strands from the mask covering half of his face. 'I think he needs to be alone for a bit.'

Prompto frowned. 'Well what about Noct? He just took a chestful of bullets to save Ignis, I think maybe he'd like him here for a bit.'

'Doesn't work like that. Ignis would have preferred to be the one lying in a hospital bed with half a lung cut out. It would hurt less.'

'…I will never understand you guys,' Prompto said. 'You think he likes you throwing yourself in harm's way for him? He hates seeing you hurt just as much as you hate seeing him hurt.'

'But he's the prince-'

Prompto shook his head. 'Now I think it's you guys that don't understand.'

Gladiolus frowned, and watched as Noctis's heavily bandaged chest rose and fell.

-

Noctis's ventilator and chest tube were removed later that afternoon, and by evening he was beginning to stir. Prompto and Gladiolus were still keeping watch over him, and were surrounded by more vending machine snacks.

'You're getting crumbs all over his sheets,' Gladiolus said with his mouth full.

Prompto raised his eyebrows. 'Scuse me? What about you? For someone born into nobility you have the table manners of a behemoth.'

'Nothin' wrong with my table manners, but we're not around a table so I didn’t think I needed to be formal. I've at least managed to keep the crown prince free from crumbs.'

'Well whoop-di-doo, no wonder you were made his bodyguard.'

Noctis groaned, and squeezed his eyes shut tightly. 'Do you two have to argue so loud?'

'Noct!' Prompto sat up sharply, tipping his bag of Doritos over the bed. 'Hey there, how are you doing?'

Noctis pondered the question for a moment, then raised the arm that wasn't attached to a needle up to rest across his forehead. 'My chest hurts like you wouldn't believe.'

'That'll be because you got shot. Half a dozen times,' Gladiolus said, smiling down warmly. 'You almost had me worried there, but I knew you'd pull through.'

Prompto snorted. 'You kidding me? He was freaking out like you wouldn't believe.'

Noctis smiled softly. 'Thanks. I sort of remember what happened. A bit, anyway. I remember you carrying me all the way to the car, and helping me. Thanks, Gladio. I owe you.'

'I'll add it to your tab,' Gladiolus said, squeezing the prince's hand gently. 'Just don't do it again, alright? What were you thinking?'

'I was thinking…' Noctis swallowed hard. The one thing he remembered with crystal clarity was seeing Ignis's face, pale in the light of his torch, as the man came running toward him ready to take the bullets for him. 'I think I need to talk to Ignis.' Noctis sat up slowly, then gasped in pain and sank back into his pillows.

'Whoa, don't you even think about sitting up yet,' Prompto said.

'You're still healing. You took some pretty decent damage, just let yourself sleep tonight and then we'll think about trying to sit you up tomorrow, alright? Take it slow, there's no sense in pushing yourself and making yourself worse.'

Noctis ignored them both and tried to sit up again, more cautiously this time. He took Gladiolus's arm and used it to get himself sat up, but by the time he had managed it his chest was on fire and he was struggling for breath.

Prompto hovered, his slim arm around Noctis's back to catch him if he fell. 'Noct…'

'I have to see him,' Noctis said, looking longingly at the door. Or perhaps with resigned determination. He wasn't quite sure how he was going to get that far. Or indeed how he was going to search for Ignis. But he'd figure out that problem when he came to it. First he needed the IV out, so he began pulling at the needle, wincing as it came free.

'Oh eww, don't do that,' Prompto said. 'You're gonna hurt yourself.'

'Worse than being shot?' Noctis asked as he carried on removing the needle. With one final gasp of pain it came free, and he let it fall to the blankets as he flexed his arm to get rid of the soreness. 'There, all done. Do you know where he is?'

'Are you seriously going to do this?' Gladiolus asked.

'Yes I am seriously going to do this,' Noctis said, groaning in pain as he tried moving again. 'Well I will if you help me get up.'

'Just for the record this is probably the worst idea you've ever had.' Gladiolus helped him up though, by gently sliding him to the edge of the bed and then supporting the smaller man as he got to his feet.

Noctis gasped in agony and grabbed hold of Gladiolus until the sharp pain dulled to a throb. It felt as if his chest was bruised inside and out. He was only wearing pyjama bottoms, so Prompto was quick to fetch him the shirt that went with it. Every movement shot pain through his chest, so Noctis moved slowly as Prompto helped him put it on. Once it was done he left it unbuttoned, his chest was covered in bandages anyway.

'You're gonna catch pneumonia,' Prompto fussed.

'I'll be fine,' Noctis said. 'You think he's still here somewhere?'

Gladiolus nodded. 'He's beating himself up. He'll have stuck around somewhere, and he's probably running through all the logical ways he could have saved you. Someone needs to go and knock some sense into him, but I still don't see why it has to be you, your highness. You should be on bed rest.'

'It needs to be me. Trust me.'

It took five minutes to make it to the door using Prompto as a crutch with one arm and clinging to Gladiolus's arm with the other. By the time he got to the corridor he was out of breath and feeling faint from the blood loss.

'This isn't working,' Gladiolus pointed out.

'Take him a sec,' Prompto said, waiting until Gladiolus had pulled Noctis close to his body before rushing off. He returned a few seconds later with a wheelchair and a grin. 'A make Noct transportable device.'

'Amazing, you really do have good ideas sometimes,' Gladiolus teased, as he gently helped Noctis into the chair.

'Oi, you don't have to sound so surprised,' Prompto said, taking the handles before Gladiolus could. 'I'll drive.'

'Oh god,' Noctis said.

The hospital wasn't huge, but Ignis proved to be elusive. They tried all of the waiting rooms, all of the wards and private rooms in case he had decided to take a nap in a spare room. They asked at the nurses' station if anyone fitting Ignis's description had passed by. They even asked at the little gift shop, but Ignis hadn't gone to buy his usual newspaper. The man had simply vanished.

Prompto sighed and leaned against the handles, Noctis's hair tickling his nose. 'Now what? Maybe he really has left?'

'He wouldn't…' Noctis said sadly. 'Let's check the car park and see if the Regalia is there.'

'Good plan,' Prompto pushed him toward the exit, grinning at a nurse who was looking at them as if she was trying to work out whether or not the patient should be out of bed. The automatic glass doors parted for them, and the evening air chilled them. The sun was starting to set and had set the sky aflame as the molten sun dipped into the horizon. The small car park held a handful of cars, and the black Regalia was sat exactly where they'd parked it.

'Well either he's wandered off on foot, or he's managed to turn himself invisible,' Prompto said, tapping his fingers against the handles of the wheelchair. 'Maybe we should-'

'Ah!' Noctis cried, twisting in his chair. 'Found him.'

The other two men followed his line of sight to a small courtyard area further around the side of the hospital. Ignis was turned away from them, leaning against the railings and looking out over the countryside landscape.

Prompto started pushing the chair toward him, but Noctis lifted a hand to place on his friend's. 'Can I talk to him alone for a minute?'

Gladiolus patted his shoulder gently. 'You sure?'

'Yeah,' Noctis said, watching the bespectacled man. 'I need to say some things I've waited way too long to say.'

'Good luck,' Gladiolus said softly, then guided Prompto back inside the hospital.

Taking a deep breath Noctis wheeled himself toward Ignis. The path was cracked and uneven, but he managed to get there in one piece. In fact he was so quiet that Ignis didn't even notice he was there. Awkwardly he coughed, and almost smiled when Ignis jumped a mile and spun around. The emotions that flashed over Ignis's face, however, cut short any idea of smiling Noctis may have had. Ignis was in pain, and he was looking at Noctis as though he really wished he wasn't there.

'Hey,' Noctis said.

Ignis nodded. Perhaps it was the pink hue of the sky, but Ignis's eyes looked a little red. And puffy. It was hard to tell with the glasses on.

'So. I woke up and you weren't there.'

'I'm sorry,' Ignis said. Two little words, but they conveyed so much. It wasn't just an apology for not being there when Noctis awoke.

'Are you going to actually look at me?' Noctis asked.

Ignis choked out a laugh, and turned back around so that he was staring out at the fields again. 'I'd rather not, your highness.'

Noctis frowned and wheeled himself forward another couple of feet. 'Why not?'

'Why not?' Ignis asked, his voice higher than usual. 'You were shot. You were bleeding and I couldn't help you. And now you're in a wheelchair and you had part of your lung removed and I let it happen.'

'Look at me,' Noctis said again.

Ignis swallowed. 'I'd rather-'

'I don't care what you'd rather do. I'm your prince and I'm ordering you to turn your ass around and look at me.' He hadn't wanted to do that. He hadn't. But he needed to talk to Ignis and dammit he wasn't going to say these things to the back of his friend's head.

Ever dutiful Ignis turned around. His face was neutral, and his eyes were steady as they stared right into Noctis's. But after a moment they fell, they looked down at the wheelchair. At the bandages around Noctis's narrow chest.

'It's not pretty, I bet,' Noctis said. 'There'll be scars.'

'There will,' Ignis said in his steady, emotionally detached voice. The wind ruffled his hair, and the golden light circled him like a halo. 'I tried to protect you. I tried to-'

'I know you did. Just like every other damn battle we've been in. You'd have pushed me aside and it would have been you in surgery having lead picked out of your body.'

'And that's how it's supposed to be,' Ignis said, his eyes narrowing as he took a step forward with his hands were balled into fists. 'I'm your protector. I'm supposed to protect you from things like…like this. You're not supposed to get hurt.'

'Why not?' Noctis asked, matching the raised tone with an angry outburst of his own. 'What makes me so special that you think you have to jump in front of bullets for me?'

'You're the crown prince! You're the future of Lucis. Without you an entire kingdom will be thrown into chaos. Do you not think that's worth protecting?'

'Not if the cost is your life. I'll have a couple of scars, but what about you? What about all the scars you've had from protecting me? What happens when one time you're not so lucky?'

'I'm not the heir to a kingdom. It doesn't matter what-'

'Don't you dare finish that sentence,' Noctis said, and perhaps it had been the low, dangerous tone of his voice that made Ignis snap his mouth shut. Noctis pushed himself to his feet shakily, standing to his full height. Pain flared in his chest but he ignored it. 'What did you feel when you saw me get shot?'

Pain flashed in Ignis's eyes. 'I don't think-'

'What did you feel?' Noctis asked again, harsher this time.

Ignis swallowed hard. 'I felt as if my world was ending. I saw you fall and I knew there was nothing I could do, so I felt helpless and scared. I was terrified of losing you.'

'Because I'm a prince?'

'…Because you're my friend.'

Noctis nodded, and felt a little knot of tension loosen within him. He was starting to make progress. 'Think of that emotion, and now try imagining how I felt all those times you put my life before your own. Every time I saw you rushing off to throw your life away. Friendship is a two way street, Ignis, imagine how I felt whenever you were bleeding in my arms. Do you have any idea how much that tore me up? If you'd have died in my arms I'd have…I don't know what I'd have done.'

'But you'd have been safe. It would have been worth it. You're the prince, I'm just a royal advisor. It makes far more sense-'

Noctis snapped. 'Screw that. It doesn't matter what makes sense. I don't want you to do it, I don't want you pushing me out of the way of attacks and using the last antidotes on me all the time.'

Ignis's hands balled into fists again. 'That's how it goes, your highness. It's what I do. I have dedicated my life to protecting you!'

'What about your life? Why isn’t your life just as important as mine?'

'Because-'

Noctis shook his head. 'If you say it's because I'm a prince one more time I swear to god I'll summon Ramuh right here, right now.'

The two stared at each other for a long time, both trembling with anger. Finally Ignis broke the silence. 'There are a lot of people that care about you, Noctis. An awful lot of people. And I'm one of them. I protect you because I want you to live. I want you to become king and lead the people of Lucis as the gracious king I know you'll be. I want you to survive long enough to love someone and to know happiness again.'

'And you don't think there are people who want things like that for you?' Noctis asked quietly.

'I don't think-'

'Ignis. Shut up.' Noctis stepped forward, and lifted his arms to tug at the taller man's shirt, bringing him down so that their foreheads were touching. 'I want to live. I want to be king. I want to get our crystal back and restore Lucis to what it once was. But I've already found love and happiness. With you and Gladio and Prom. And I have those same wishes for you. I want you to live. I want you to be the person I can turn to for advice when I'm king. I want you to love. I want you to…I want you to love me.'

'Your highness…'

'Noct,' Noctis whispered.

'Noct. You know I love you.'

'Then why do you never say it?' Noctis asked.

'I show it. By saving you over and over again.'

'That's not how I want this to work. I don't want to see you hurt over and over again. If you really love me then you'll try keeping yourself safe too. Not all wounds are physical, do you have any idea how stressed out I get every morning wondering what state you'll end up in by the night?'

'I just wanted-'

'I know. And thank you for wanting to protect me. But try and keep yourself safe too, yeah? And let me protect you sometimes. Remember that I love you and I want to keep you safe as much as you want to keep me safe. Remember today. Remember how much it hurt seeing me get hurt. And then think before you go rushing in next time. Chances are I can fix the situation myself, Gladio is a good teacher. I'm not completely useless.'

Ignis laughed softly. 'I know, Noct.'

'So no more throwing yourself in harm's way, okay? Promise me you'll think before you do anything stupid like that again?'

'I promise,' Ignis said, slipping his hands around Noctis's slim waist, and pulling the smaller man close.

'And promise you'll stop these stupid thoughts about me somehow being worth more than you? Because that's bullshit. You're worth just as much as I am.'

Now Ignis did smile as he leaned his cheek against Noctis's hair. 'I promise. Thank you, Noctis.'

'For what?'

'For actually believing what you're saying.'

'Of course I believe it. Because it's true.' Gently Noctis pulled back, and caught that beautiful emerald gaze. For a long moment they stared into each other's eyes, then they closed the gap between them and pressed their lips together in a brief, soft kiss.

When they drew apart both of them were smiling.

'Now, I do believe you should still be in bed. Coming out here was a rather poor idea.'

Noctis rolled his eyes. 'I wouldn't have had to if you hadn't been moping.'

'I wasn't moping. Now come on, back in the chair. Gently now, careful.'

Noctis smiled as Ignis fussed over him, getting him settled in the wheelchair and then even going so far as to strip off his leather jacket and wrap it around Noctis's shoulders. The jacket was warm, and smelled of the spicy clean scent of the bodywash Ignis used. It was comforting, and Noctis closed his eyes and inhaled deeply as he was pushed back to the hospital.

'Love you, Ignis,' he said softly.

The chair paused briefly, and a kiss was dropped on top of his head. 'I love you too, my prince.'