Chapter Text
A knock on the door pulled Prompto’s attention out of his sketchbook.
“Hey, sugar,” Cindy’s soft southern drawl drifted into the room moments before she did. “Thought you might like to know that your favorite client just walked in.” Prompto blushed as Cindy winked at him. “Should I tell him that there’s space in your books for him?”
Prompto snapped his sketchbook shut and jumped to his feet. “It’s alright! I can - Yeah. I can go out and see him myself.”
Cindy’s giggles followed him down the hallway as he hurried out to the front lobby. He slowed just before entering, trying to calm the spike in his heartbeat while scanning the waiting area. Seated near the front door was a raven-haired man dressed in a fine suit, fiddling with cufflinks nervously. Prompto's heart fluttered at the sight and his feet dragged against the concrete floor as he walked into the room. The other man's head snapped up at the sound of scuffing and a shy smile crossed his features.
“Ah, M-Mr. Caelum!” Prompto stutters out, blushing as he does, “It’s nice to see you.”
A flush tinges the other man’s cheeks and he shakes his head, “Just Noctis is fine.”
“R-right! ‘Just Noctis’ it is.” He flashed finger guns at his bad joke and laughed nervously.
“I hope it’s alright that I stopped by like this,” Noctis stood, smoothing out his jacket, “I had some free time and -”
“It’s fine! I always have time for you!” Prompto cut Noctis off a little too quickly and then awkwardly cleared his throat in the silence that followed. “I mean, I’m free now. No appointments until later. And I do really enjoy working with you. Anything special in mind today? Or just another flash piece? I have a few new designs in the works if you’d like to take a look?”
Noctis’s expression went from faintly surprised to vaguely amused as Prompto spoke and he smiled softly. “I’d love to see your new designs before I decide. But yeah, I was thinking just a quick flash again today.”
As they fell into familiar routine, Prompto felt the air ease between them into comfortable camaraderie. He showed Noctis his new flash sketches and delighted in his response to the fishing themed designs (that were totally not designed specifically for him).
Noctis picked out one of Prompto’s favourite fish flash and began removing his jacket and shirt so that they could find a place for it on his arm. Prompto found himself watching Noctis in a bit of a cloudy daze. He didn’t know how it was possible for someone to be so attractive. Even the way he unbuttoned his shirt was distracting! He was so focused on Noctis that the ringing of his cell phone startled him so badly, he dropped his phone to the floor.
“Oh, fuck! Shit! Sorry!” He scrambled to pick up his phone under Noct’s confused gaze. “Sorry, I… It’s my sister. I have to take this.” Prompto turned away from him and took two steps away, answering the call. “Hi, ‘Nea.”
“Took you long enough to answer. I was about to send out the search party.” Aranea’s sharp voice came through the phone, but Prompto could hear the teasing behind it and smiled.
“Sorry, I’m with a client so I can’t talk for long, but what’s up?”
“I won’t keep you long then. Just wanted to let you know that our dear family is wondering when you’ll confirm with them about the family reunion next month.”
Prompto groaned. “I forgot all about that. I think I’d rather gouge my eyes out. Can’t I just tell them I’m working?”
“It gets better. They’re expecting you to bring a plus one.”
Prompto choked slightly, sputtering out his reply. "What?! Why?”
He could hear the grimace in Aranea’s voice as she replied. “Apparently you’ll be the only one without one if you don’t. Honestly, I think it’s more to do with them trying to get to you, but I figured I’d give you the warning.”
“That’s-! They can’t really expect -! Ugh!” Prompto ran a hand over his face in irritation.
“Sorry, shortcake, but don’t shoot the messenger. I know they’re just trying to get under your skin. It’ll be worse if you don’t go though.”
He sighed, “You’re right.” He hated when she was right. “Send me the details again and I’ll work… something out.”
“Will do. Take it easy, kid.”
“Thanks, ’Nea.” She hung up before he could say anything else and Prompto took a few minutes to stare at the wall and sigh.
“Prompto? Everything alright?” Noctis’s voice was quiet but worried, and Prompto jumped at the sound of it.
“Ah, sorry, Noct.” He turned, flushing slightly in embarrassment and residual anger. “Let’s get started shall we?” He started to collect his things as Noctis sat back in the chair.
“Is… everything alright?” Noctis asked again, softly. “You sounded upset.”
Prompto paused, unsure if he should tell Noctis what’s going on. The sincerity in his eyes won him over and Prompto sat on his stool with a resigned sigh. “I have a family reunion coming up next month. Well, sort of. I’m adopted and it’s more of my sister’s family. But they… well they’re not overly fond of me and I kind of hate them. But they can make my life difficult and I don’t want to leave ‘Nea there alone…. Only they’re expecting me to bring a date and … Well, I’m single. And they’re probably doing this to humiliate me.”Prompto shook his head, “But you don’t have to worry about that. Sorry for taking up your time.”
Noctis was quiet for a moment and then asked, “What days are you going?”
Prompto blinked in surprise for a moment and then realized that Noctis probably just wanted to know when he wouldn’t be in. “Ah, the first week of next month. I’ll be in the mountains outside of Gralea.”
There’s another long pause and then Noctis speaks again in a very quiet voice. “I could go with you.”
Prompto stared at him in surprise while his brain tried to compute the words that Noctis blushed under the attention. “I mean, only if you want. I guess it’s weird because we barely know each other, but like, you shouldn’t have to go alone and -”
Prompto stopped Noctis’s rambling with a soft, “You’d really go with me?”
“Yeah, of course I would.”
“But why? I mean you’d be forcing yourself to deal with my shitty family and they’re gonna assume you’re my boyfriend and….” Prompto trails off, searching Noctis’s eyes for answers, hope beginning to bud in his chest.
“I want to. I want you to have some support. Besides, I kinda like to think that we’re friends.” Noctis laughed with a tinge of embarrassment.
Prompto was surprised for a moment but then grinned widely. “Of course we are! And I’d love it if you’d come with me.” The anger at his family fades and is replaced with warmth and excitement that he’ll be spending more time with Noctis.
*
Before long the date of their flight to Gralea arrived and the boys had made their way to the airport with varying levels of nervousness for the trip to come.
Prompto would not stop pacing.
They’d arrived at the gate early and for a while it seemed like everything was fine, but the closer they got to boarding, the more Prompto had begun to fidget. Now, he was pacing back and forth in front of their chairs.
“Prompto? You’re making me dizzy.”
Prompto stopped and looked at him apologetically. “Sorry. I just… I really hate flying.”
Something akin to shame and worry flooded through Noctis. How could he have not noticed? He scolded himself mentally and reached out to Prompto, taking his hand without a second thought and tugging him closer so that their knees knocked together. “It’s alright. I’ll be right with you the whole time. There’s nothing to worry about.”
A blush slowly crept across Prompto’s face as he looked down at their joined hands. “You, uh… you sure you want to hold my hand in public?”
Noctis tilted his head, “Why not, we’re boyfriends from here on out, right?”
“Well y-yeah, but you only have to worry about convincing my family. You don’t have to do this here.”
Noctis tightened his grip on Prompto’s hand. “I want to. Don’t ever second guess that I want to be by your side.”
Prompto went completely red, but before he could say anything in response, a voice on the intercom called them to the gate for boarding.
Prompto fell asleep at some point during the flight, and Noctis, who had long before fallen asleep against the window, woke to find the blond gently snoring on his shoulder. A spike of sharp affection lanced through his chest at the sight and he felt emotion bubbling up within him. Something about the vulnerability of Prompto’s sleeping face worked under Noctis’s skin and made him feel fiercely protective. He’d watched Prompto fret for weeks over this event, painstakingly working out every detail of their relationship so that his family couldn’t find a hole to wedge into. More than that, Noctis felt nothing but rage that these people could make Prompto so unsettled. He was far too kind hearted; far too good to be treated the way that it seemed these distant relatives did. Noctis took Prompto’s hand again and held it until they landed.
If anyone had asked Prompto later, he’d tell them it was the safest he’d ever felt on a flight.