Staying in tonight?

Prompto flipped his phone over and buried his face in his pillow.

His phone went off several more times; Noctis could be persistent when he wanted. And on tonight of all nights? That could only mean one thing.

He knew.

Noctis had caught Prompto behind the arcade with the girl who worked the prize counter and again with the guy who emptied the cash boxes at the end of the day.

The first time he was cleaning up, helping Hanna readjust her polo. He always sent her off with a kiss on the cheek; it seemed polite.

"So…you and Hanna, huh?" Noctis asked not long after he'd gone back inside.

"She's not my girlfriend!" His cheeks flushed when he realized how defensive he sounded.

"She's just…a girl I like," he lied.

More like she was girl who liked him enough to let him suck her blood every week or two but Noctis didn't need to know that.

He was willing to let it go though, even if Prompto couldn't quite place the expression that had lingered on his friend's face.

The second time he had to spend extra time sucking Clay's neck, sealing the bite wounds. Clay was really into whole being bitten thing and it was always much messier than Prompto preferred. But when the guy was letting him suck his blood...he had to roll with it.

"Your friend's gonna be looking for you."

The same friend Prompto wished he was doing this with instead but he forced that thought down.

"He can wait a minute."

"You sure about that?"

Before Prompto asked what gave him away, Clay was already halfway to the employee entrance. And when Prompto turned around, there was Noctis.

"So this is why we don't go out 'til sunset now," he said, not letting the silence build.

"I..." Even if Prompto had a decent lie lined up, his delivery was gonna be terrible. So he gave up.

"…yeah, this is why."

Keeping the whole Niflheim thing under wraps was one thing but this? This was worse. This is what would finally get him thrown in prison or tortured for information he didn't have or—

"I won't tell." Noctis' words stopped his spiral in its tracks.

"B-But you're—"

"Don't remind me," he sighed. "Just tell me what it's like."

"It's…"

He was a pretty sad vampire, honestly. He didn't have super strength, he couldn't fly, he still needed contacts. The jury was out on eternal life but considering he'd grown an inch since he was turned, he didn't have high hopes. Now he just burned even easier in the sun which was fine in school and they were indoors half the day anyway but now it was just a pain in the ass. And he had to find blood to drink at least once a week. Apparently he was bitten by some shitty Empire-made vampire daemon so who actually knew…

Noctis simply nodded when he finished babbling.

"If you ever need anything, just ask."

It was one in the morning, the moon was blood red, and Prompto was thirsty. How the Empire managed to fuck with the moon was beyond him but it sucked.

He didn't need blood, not when he'd fed twice today, he just wanted it. Really bad. Ten times more than usual. According to the publicly available research on the subject, there was nothing he could do.

But then Noctis' words from a year ago came to him.

Just ask.

If there was ever a time to ask his best friend for a vampire-related favor, it was now.

No. He could make it through the night on his own, he really cou—

Knock, knock, knock.

Prompto sat up with a start. Only one person just showed up at his door like this. Ignis always called ahead and he didn't know Gladio well enough for him to even come over this late and he didn't have any other close friends which left…

Noctis.

Noctis was outside and Prompto had nowhere to run.

His phone buzzed and this time, he looked at the screen.

I'm coming in whether you like it or not

The message ended with a crown emoji. So that was a royal decree. Great. The front door opened—why had he given Noctis a key?—and Prompto forced himself out of bed.

His movements were sluggish—they always were after he fed—as he tried to get over to his bedroom door and barricade it. He tripped over an old camera strap and almost banged his head on the corner of his desk.

Noctis' footsteps were closer now, almost to the door. He couldn't let Noctis see him like this.

Knock. Knock.

Too late, he thought.

Noctis knelt next to him the moment the door was out of the way, one hand resting on his shoulder.

"…I did some research when I found out what you were. Why didn't you ask for help?"

"L-Leave," he pushed Noctis away. He gripped the desk chair and pulled himself up to his feet. Sure, crawling back to his bed would have been easier but then it'd have been harder to sell the "I'm okay" lie. Noctis didn't appear to be buying it but he had to try.

"I'll be fine, just…go home."

Concern was etched on Noctis' face and Prompto hated it. He could take care of himself, even if he had some…added difficulties.

"If you need blood..."

"No!" He didn't mean to yell but why wouldn't Noctis just listen?

"Look, I know you're not exactly like the vampire daemons but the moon is still bothering you, isn't it?"

"Maybe it is. Just…"

"I'm offering, Prompto. And it's safer."

There was no hesitation in Noctis' words and it made Prompto want to scream. He wasn't wrong either. Prompto didn't want to spend the rest of the night like this. He didn't think he'd lose it and go skulking the streets for fresh blood but there was no way to be sure. And Noctis had come here on his own; he was ready and willing.

"You should go," is what he ended up saying, though this had been his weakest protest yet.

"Not gonna happen. How do you wanna do this?" Noctis asked.

Great, Prompto thought, he even knows when I've given up completely. Great.

"On the bed," he said finally. "And you might wanna lose the shirt."

He did, and Prompto averted his gaze, not looking up when Noctis joined him.

"Is the neck okay?" Prompto asked. "It's just…I'm kinda used to that."

"It's fine."

Prompto took a deep breath before turning around.

There was the prince of Lucis stretched out on his bed in a paper thin singlet and sweatpants that were almost tights. Noctis was hiding something though. He looked too at ease considering what was about to happen to him.

Might as well go all out, Prompto thought. Shake up the prince for once instead of being dragged along for the ride.

He considered straddling Noctis but instead decided to stretch out on top of him. They were mostly clothed but the contact was almost too intimate. He touched Hanna and Clay, sure, but not like this. Not with any feeling aside from gratitude.

He stared down at Noctis.

"…are you sure?" Prompto asked. "Last chance."

Noctis nodded.

He pressed a kiss to Noctis' neck before running his tongue over the jugular vein. It wouldn't numb the area much but it was better than nothing.

Don't chicken out now, Prompto scolded himself. But the hesitation was still there, even as the tips of his fangs were poised over Noctis' neck, even as the part of him that was absolutely parched screamed at him to just bite him already.

"Do it, Prompto."

He wants this, Prompto realized. Figuring out why, however, could wait until after he finished drinking.

He relished the way his fangs slid in. He left them there for a moment, listening as Noctis' breaths started to pick up.

That was what Prompto liked—the fear, though he'd never admit it. The way it rolled off people in waves, even when they asked for it. Noctis had offered himself up on a silver platter but he was still afraid.

He pulled out gently, not wanting to open the wounds any more than he had to. Noctis let out a shaky breath and if Prompto hadn't been so focused, he'd have laughed. Who knew this was what it took to break that mask?

He fastened his lips around the puncture wounds before the blood started to flow freely.

It was better than he thought it'd be. One of the few things he'd fantasized about that ever lived up to the hype. Surpassed the hype.

He'd dreamed of sinking his fangs into Noctis' neck many, many times. Every time he fed since becoming a vampire, actually. He just never thought it'd happen, and certainly not like this. Not with Noctis clinging to him, fingers digging into his shoulders, their legs tangled together, and the most undignified whimpers falling from his lips.

The whimpers were what Prompto liked the most, followed by the way Noctis trembled against him. Was it fear? Or…? But he could dwell on that later.

Prompto stopped drinking for a moment and brought his lips up to Noctis' ear.

"You good?" He always checked in about halfway through. Didn't want anyone dying on him.

"I-It's fine. Keep going."

So he did, all the while trying to ignore Noctis' wandering hands.

They weren't close enough. They couldn't get close enough, not with all these damn clothes on but Prompto wouldn't push that line even if he didn't mind getting his ass grabbed. Not when tonight might be the only night.

And it had to end anyway. Any longer and Noctis would feel terrible in the morning and somehow Ignis would figure out it was Prompto's fault.

He spent more time than he really needed to making sure the bite was closed and kissed Noctis' neck more times than he would have with anyone else. Noctis had gone limp underneath him and was trying to catch his breath.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Y-Yeah. Just...can I stay? Please?"

Prompto stifled a laugh.

"You didn't think I'd drink your blood and then kick you out, did you?"

"Don't exactly know the protocol for this kind of thing."

Neither did Prompto, now that he thought about it. But he was pretty sure biting the one guy you like liked while he writhed underneath you on your bed was not proper vampire protocol.

Quite some time passed before they both truly settled down. They didn't talk and in the silence, the guilt started to bubble up in Prompto's gut.

He shouldn't have done this. Any of it.

"That wasn't just a bite," Noctis said finally. He wasn't asking; he knew.

Prompto was tired. Exhausted, really. Too tired to keep up the charade.

"No, Noctis, it wasn't. I like you. I have for a while."

He went to turn away but felt Noctis' hand on his arm.

"Wait."

"Look, I'd leave if standing was a thing I could do right now but it's not. Let's just go to sleep? And then tomorrow we can-"

"Prompto.

"-pretend this never happened and-"

"Prompto."

"-I'll find someone else to-"

"Prompto."

He opened his eyes and there was Noctis. He was too close. And kept getting closer. Then their lips were touching and Prompto's mind went blank. It didn't last long but it was…enough.

"Wha-" he started to ask but Noctis just kissed him again.

"Later, Prompto."

A minute later, Noctis was asleep.

Prompto looked at the clock. It was only one thirty. Still hours to go until sunrise but now? Now he he'd make it for sure.

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