Work Text:
January 15 6:26 pm
6:26 pm Mom: Your father and I decided this will be the last time we’ll help cover your rent. You’re an adult with your own place now, Prompto, and we sold the house because we didn’t want to be financially tied down to Insomnia when we don’t live there anymore. You’ll need to fend for yourself from now on. Understand?
6:32 pm Me: Yeah
January 31 11:58 pm
Notifications
Bank of Insomnia: We noticed activity of 860 crowns from one of your accounts
Bank of Insomnia: We noticed activity of 35.29 crowns from one of your accounts
Bank of Insomnia: We noticed activity of 78.32 crowns from one of your accounts
Bank of Insomnia: We noticed activity of 89.70 crowns from one of your accounts
Bank of Insomnia: We noticed activity of 47.39 crowns from one of your accounts
Bank of Insomnia: Insufficient funds: Your payment of 29.63 crowns has been declined
Bank of Insomnia: We noticed a deposit of 32.16 crowns was made to your checking account
Bank of Insomnia: Alert! Your savings account balance is 0.00 crowns
Bank of Insomnia: We noticed activity of 29.63 crowns from one of your accounts
Bank of Insomnia: Alert! Your checking account balance is 2.53 crowns
February 1 12:03 am
It’s not that bad, he thinks. Like, in the grand scheme of things, this isn’t the worst it could be. He could be simultaneously homeless, jobless, and friendless on top of…whatever the fuck this is. But it’s fine. He can make it work. It’s not the literal end of the world. He can fix this.
February 4 6:52 am
This is doable! New jobs mean more income, and he’s mapped out every hour of his day for the next few weeks. Weekdays are generally the same: 2:30 am wake up, 3-6 am coffee shop, 6:15 am go on a run, 7-3pm grocery store, 4-8 pm crownsguard training, 9 pm bedtime. Weekends are just his morning coffee shop shifts and a 7 am - 7 pm shift at the nursing home. As long as he stays organized and on top of things (and doesn’t spend 1 crown outside of his budget), then things are fine. He can make this work. Nobody will even question that anything could ever be even slightly wrong. Which it isn’t.
February 7 9:06 pm
Shit. Noct.
So maybe his Monday and Thursday nights have an added 9 pm - 12 am shift at the pharmacy. The manager was friendly and hired him on the spot. At least he has the extra cash if Noct wants to hang out.
February 9 8:43 pm
He’s tired, but he doesn’t let himself think that his schedule is too busy. It’s a necessity. He has to work 11-15 hours a day so he can have a place to sleep next month. There really isn’t any other option. Everything will be so much worse if he ends up homeless.
February 14 2:34 am
He starts to think there’s something wrong when he can’t sleep. He used to just pass out in bed every night and startle awake to his blaring alarm two to six hours later. But now that’s not happening. Now he’s stuck lying there thinking about everything.
He couldn’t budget for his anxiety meds even with the government coupons. He knew he’d need to rely more on coping skills and thought he was doing well. ‘Stay busy.’ That’s what his high school therapist used to say, and Astrals is he busy. Work is…a lot. It’s not too much, though. He can do it. Well, he has to do it. There’s really no other alternative unless he wants to lose his apartment. Then he’d actually be homeless. Can’t have that. Someone might think there’s something wrong.
And there’s nothing wrong.
Except he can’t stop shaking on the shower floor.
February 18 11:57 pm
He’s ruminating again. The Marshall asked if he was okay at the end of training today. He’s pretty sure it was probably insubordination to lie, but he doesn’t regret it. He doesn’t know if he should. Everything is starting to blend together. Maybe that means he’s getting the hang of everything, even if he can’t sleep and the end of the month is getting closer and closer and he’s not sure if he’ll actually be able to cover rent and electricity and wifi and water and gas and food and and and-
February 19 ???
He feels like he’s nowhere. Just floating through nothing in the endless expanse of existence.
It’s quieter here. He can’t really think or anything. He just floats.
He’s not sure if he should question it.
-
It’s been a long time. He doesn’t think he minds, but he’s starting to wonder if he should. He can’t stay focused long enough to feel anxious about it.
-
Is this anything? Is he anywhere? He wants to wake up. Maybe he’s just been lucid dreaming this whole time. He can get up and get back to life and work and the bills and crownsguard training and noctis fuck he misses noct and just everything he needs to stay busy and everything will be fine.
He’s fine.
Maybe a little scared.
February 20 7:06 am
He doesn’t know why his 2:30 phone alarm didn’t go off. He doesn’t have time to question why he came to on the living room floor in his work clothes from the grocery store, not his crownsguard training uniform. He wasn’t even lying down, just sitting against the front door. He doesn’t remember getting home.
February 21 6:09 am
His manager at the coffee shop cut him slack for missing yesterday, probably because he’s been working there for three years and hasn’t ever missed a shift. He was 39 minutes late to the grocery store, though, and the manager didn’t even acknowledge him. When he finished his shift and clocked out, the guy said not to come back on Friday.
He dry heaved on the bathroom floor before dragging himself to Crownsguard training, where he was immediately sent home. The training officer said he called in sick yesterday, but he doesn’t remember doing that. Apparently, today he “looks pale” and was shaking so badly he spilled a 50 ml cup of water.
But now it’s Friday, February 21st. The time is 6:09 am.
He doesn’t know what to do until 4 pm.
He figures a run will give him time to think. He hasn’t had the energy for one in several days. After he stops at the store, he can make up for it.
???
There’s something warm on his forehead. He cracks an eye and is met with a load of pavement. Realizing he’s on the ground, he pushes himself up. He brings a hand up to his head, and his fingertips are red. He doesn’t understand.
His phone goes off.
-
Notifications
Alarm: 3:30 pm. Training soon!
Alarm: 2:30 am. Work soon!
Alarm: 6:30 am. Work soon!
Friday, February 21. 11:06 am Noct: hey gladio said you weren’t at training yesterday. are you okay?
Friday, February 21. 11:07 am Noct: well he said you got sent home early cause you looked sick
Friday, February 21. 11:07 am Noct: you’re okay though right? are we still on for tonight?
Friday, February 21. 11:43 am Noct: SHIT I FORGOT YOU GOT THAT NEW JOB AT THE GROCERY STORE. ill text you later.
Friday, February 21. 3:09 pm Noct: prommmmmmmm
Bank of Insomnia: We noticed a deposit of 57.60 crowns into your checking account
Bank of Insomnia: We noticed activity of 22.17 crowns from one of your accounts
Saturday, February 22. 7:06 am Noct: ignis scheduled an 8 am meeting on a SATURDAY. treasonous behavior
Saturday, February 22. 7:09 am Noct: you alright? gladio said you didn’t even show at all yesterday. i figured cause you didn’t reply you must have fallen asleep. i missed you though :/
Saturday, February 22. 7:16 am Clemony: bro Nurse Caines is working today WHERE ARE YOU
Saturday, February 22. 7:57 am Noct: call me?
Saturday, February 22. 7:59 am Clemony: dude you are so fired. She’s already written you up like twice. Unless you walk through the front doors right now with a note from the Astrals there’s no way administration will give you a pass.
Saturday, February 22. 10:26 am Noct: prom?
Phone: Missed call from Noct February 22: 11:06 am
Phone: Missed call from Unknown Number February 22: 11:59 am
Phone: Missed call from Noct February 22: 12:43 pm
Saturday, February 22. 4:22 pm Noct: im coming over
Phone: Missed call from Noct February 22: 4:49 pm
Phone: New voice message from Noct
Phone: Missed call from Noct February 22: 4:59 pm
Saturday, February 22. 5:49 pm Noct: prompto im serious. where are you? specs and i went in your apartment (sorry not sorry) and you weren’t there (obviously)
Saturday, February 22. 5:50 pm Noct: and there was barf on the floor
Saturday, February 22. 5:52 pm Noct: and we found like 10 different work uniforms and this creepy schedule on the fridge and like…no food.
Saturday, February 22. 6:03 pm Noct: please call me. we can talk about anything. doesn’t have to be whats going on with you right now. i just…
Saturday, February 22. 6:03 pm Noct: really need to hear your voice
Just now: Low Power Warning: 5%
You’re up to date!
-
The 57.60 crowns is his last daily pay from the grocery store. The 22.17 crowns withdrawal was at the convenience store, but he doesn’t remember buying anything. He doesn’t even remember going there.
Why does his phone say it’s 7 am on Sunday?
Where even is he?
New Message
7:02 am Noct: cor tracked your phone but it says you’re in the woods
7:02 am Noct: idk if you’re actually there or not but dont move. we’re coming to find you.
He looks around. He thinks this is the woods, but his eyes hurt from staring at the screen. Everything’s blurry, and whatever’s on his forehead is starting to drip into his eyes. He rubs it away, but his vision doesn’t clear. Is he even wearing his contacts?
New Message
7:03 am Noct: i know im gonna regret saying this but
7:03 am Noct: no. im not saying shit. im gonna find you and you’re gonna be okay.
He starts crying because fuck, he misses Noct .
His phone dies after that.
-
He spaces out for a while. He can’t really think about anything cause his head is pounding. It’s also really fucking cold.
He tucks his knees up to his chest. He’s still in the middle of the paved trail in the woods, but he doesn’t care. Noct said not to move, so he’s not gonna move more than this.
There’s a gnawing in his head that something here is very very wrong. He doesn’t really know what.
-
He doesn’t know how long he waits, but he looks up from his knees when he hears someone scream…something.
There’s a quick succession of blue flashes, and then Noct is right in front of his face. Noct’s gloved hands rest on Prompto’s cheeks, and Noct says words, but Prompto can’t process them. He slowly lifts his own hand up and places it on top of Noct’s.
He thinks he says, “You found me,” but his tongue is numb, so he’s pretty sure it came out wrong.
There’s more garbled noise, and then a blurry form of Ignis appears next to him. A warm weight falls on his shoulders, and a hand turns his head. He thinks it must be Ignis because he’s the only person he knows who wears glasses and is allowed to touch his face unprovoked. He doesn’t know if he’d have the energy to fight someone else off if it wasn’t Ignis. He’s really fucking tired.
“-om, please stay awake fuck please .”
He opens his eyes, and Noct is halfway to shaking him.
“-not. He’s hypothemeric. We should-”
“-sorry I- sorry. Yeah, let’s get him home.”
He forgot the day again, and the anxiety spikes that he doesn’t know if he even has a home to return to.
He tries to say something, but everything is just…too much. So he lets go.
-
“-think he’ll be upset waking up at the Citadel though?”
“I’d imagine he’ll be more confused than anything.”
Silence. Something moves through his hair.
“What was he even doing in the woods? Was he there this whole time?”
“He…couldn’t have been there before Thursday evening since he was seen at the Citadel. His manager at the coffee shop said he came into work Friday morning, but he looked rather dazed. He actually sounded concerned on the phone yesterday.”
“So…he was out there for two days?”
“It’s possible, but….”
Silence.
“You think he would have died out there, don’t you?”
“With lack of food and shelter it’s…likely.”
“Prom…why couldn’t you let me help?”
???
“Sleepwalking? That’s what they’re going with?”
“A combination of sleepwalking and some kind of dissociative fugue is what they are assuming, Noct.”
“Prompto doesn’t sleepwalk.”
Silence. Awkward rustling.
“Well, he never mentioned sleepwalking.”
More silence.
“I’m gonna kill him when he wakes up.”
???
“-in trouble?”
“No. You used the resources available to you to help your friend.”
“…but?”
“You probably shouldn’t have Cor track anyone’s phone ever again. His report on the matter was…entertaining.”
“…can I read it?”
“No.”
???
“-long do you think he was awake?”
“I think it’s less a single period and more so prolonged exhaustion.”
“And that would cause…the fugue thing?”
“Not exactly. I…wouldn’t say it was a fugue.”
“Why?”
Silence.
“Why, Ignis?”
“Well, has Prompto experienced a number of traumatic experiences?”
-
[More than he can count.]
-
???
“-you wake up I’m going to shower you with love and affection and video games.”
A laugh. “That’s gay, Noct.”
“Can it, Gladio."
???
“-if he was recovering well?”
“Sort of? He’s like physically fine outside of not waking up. It’s been like…20 hours since we found him.”
“He might be very tired, Your Highness.”
A beat. Then-
“And I’m aware that some princes like their sleep.”
“Hey!”
“Believe it or not, I was referring to His Majesty.”
“Holy shit. Prom, you have to wake up; Cor just told a joke.”
26
Noctis peaks over his shoulder. “It’s the 25th.”
“Oh. Sorry,” he replies.
“Have you always kept a diary like that?”
“It’s not really a diary. I just…like to keep track of things. Helps me remember stuff so I can mull it over later.”
“You remember shit from when you were asleep?”
“I…don’t know. I guess? I thought I was dreaming.”
“So you’ve acquired the skill sleep listen ing too, Prompto?”
“I believe-“ he sneezes, “that’s called kicking a horse when he’s down, Iggy.”
Noctis laughs, and Prompto smiles.