Ignis, Prompto, and Gladio sat on a cushioned bench in their hotel lobby, waiting for Prince Noctis to join them. They were in Lestallum for the first time—just a pit stop on their agenda—and were planning to see the sights and enjoy some R&R before getting back on the road the following morning.
At last Noct appeared at the top of the winding staircase, dressed casually in a T-shirt, his jacket, and jeans. His boots resonated on the polished wooden steps as he descended at a leisurely pace.
"Ugh, finally!" Prompto was the first to leap to his feet. "Let's go get some eats!"
Noct reached his friends near the landing and was surprised to be greeted by angry looks. "Were you guys waiting long?" he wondered.
"Oh…only about forty-five minutes or so," Ignis answered with sarcastic indifference, following Prompto as the freckled boy bounded for the exit.
Noctis shrugged, scratching the back of his head. He hadn't bothered to comb his long, dark hair before coming downstairs and it was still tousled from where it had been pressed against his pillow for the last two hours.
"Get enough beauty sleep, Your Highness?" Gladio asked mockingly, rolling his eyes at the prince.
"Sorry, jeez!" Noct grimaced as Gladio gave him a hearty push toward the door. "Seems like you guys could have used a longer nap, yourselves," he muttered.
"Maybe we wouldn't be so hangry if you had gotten ready for dinner a little bit faster," Gladio growled back at him.
Noct ignored him this time and shoved the front door open. He and Gladio were instantly assaulted by the humid evening air as they met up with Prompto and Ignis. There was a large sculpture fountain in the plaza just outside of the hotel, but it was bone dry and coated in a layer of dust.
"Damn!" the prince remarked, "This place is hot!"
Gladio shrugged. "Just take your shirt off."
Noct shot him a glare, noticing that Gladio had left his own shirt unbuttoned and hanging wide open. "Like you?" he scoffed. "No. Way."
"What? Too embarrassed to show off your scrawny little body?" the brawnier man snorted.
"Hey—I've got muscles. You just…can't see them."
Gladio walked away from him, muttering under his breath, "If you say so…"
"It is rather sultry this evening," Ignis agreed, wiping away the steam that had misted his glasses upon exiting the air-conditioned hotel lobby with a handkerchief he promptly tucked back into the breast pocket of his perfectly-pressed dress shirt. "Well, shall we see if we can locate a pub? Or visit the city market, perhaps, to sample the local vendors' dishes?"
"Any food is good food," Prompto said quickly, his stomach rumbling in chorus.
Ignis appeared to be personally offended by the remark. "It most certainly is not! Have you learned nothing from my catering during our travels? 'Any food,' indeed!"
"I vote we find a pub," Gladio decided. "I could really throw back a cold one right about now."
Prompto grinned. "I'm with ya, big guy."
"There will be no underage drinking on this excursion," Ignis sternly corrected him.
As one, the two junior members of the group cried, "What?!"
"Prince Noctis," Ignis admonished the youth, "His Majesty entrusted me with your safekeeping. At the very least I intend to see that you obey the law. Gracious!"
Noct crossed his arms irritably. "Hey, I'm on my way to be married, you know."
"And you're welcome to drink champagne at the wedding ceremony," Ignis sighed, "but at this moment, you are my charge, and I won't have you overdoing it in a public place and causing a scene where the press may be watching."
Before Noctis could ready another retort, Gladio interrupted. "Less whining, more walking," he snapped, "before I starve to death."
The four men headed down the street to see what they could see. At the end of the block they heard an unexpected commotion. Looking up the street from the corner, the group spotted a large crowd swarming around covered stalls.
"It appears we've located the marketplace," Ignis said, his eyes lighting up. "Quite the bustle!"
"Looks like chaos," Gladio argued dismissively. "Let's find a bar." He kept walking.
Ignis stared at the entrance to the farmer's market for just a moment longer before conceding defeat. "I suppose I could rise a bit early and purchase fresh produce in the morning," he consoled himself.
They continued on their way. "This place gets pretty lively at night!" Prompto commented, looking back over his shoulder at all the people spilling out into the streets, talking and laughing.
"You can party when we get where we're goin'," Gladio scolded. "Just remember, tonight y'all are gettin' your asses to bed good and early, cause we're getting back on the road at daybreak."
Noct was getting angrier by the minute. He didn't like being treated like a little kid—especially not by Gladio. They were practically the same age, but the other man sure acted like he had seen and done it all. "Ugh, you're taking us the wrong way!" the prince complained. "This is just an alley. And it stinks." He wrinkled his nose at the stench clinging to the trash bags littering their path.
"Would you be quiet?" Gladio retorted. "Just hold your breath until we get up these steps. I see lights; there's gotta be something ahead."
Noct put his arm across his face and stalked up the stone steps after the others, his expression dark.
Prompto couldn't help letting a laugh slip. "Dude, you look like a vampire," he snickered. "Bleh! I vant to suck your blood!"
The prince lowered his arm. "Okay," he grumbled to himself, "maybe some of us are too immature to have a drink with dinner…"
Gladio had been right—of course, damn it. At the top of the alley steps they found themselves in a court surrounded by food kiosks, cafés, and restaurants, many with outdoor seating areas. And business was apparently booming. Musicians played homemade instruments on the corner, filling the air with samba music as street performers danced and twirled fire batons to the beat. The city was like a carnival, and it was inviting them in.
"Whoa!" Prompto gasped, whipping out his camera to take a few shots. Photography was his new favorite hobby. "Aw, man! That guy's selling balloon animals! I'm gonna get one."
"Don't fall for the tourist traps," Gladio warned. "Besides, that thing will just get in the way. Iggy won't let you ride up front with him if you've got one of them things obstructing his view while he's driving."
"Okay, okay…" Prompto sighed. "You're such a buzzkill."
A group of teenage girls walked by, chattering loudly. One of them bumped elbows with Noct as they passed, causing the prince to scowl. It had kinda hurt, and the girl that did it didn't even apologize, but he was quickly distracted by their conversation and forgot about the tingle in his funny bone.
"I can't believe we're seriously going to a party in the tunnel!" one of them squealed excitedly.
"It's not like there's going to be any traffic using the bridge, what with all the daemons roaming around at night."
"So what's to keep them from attacking the rave?"
"Duh! The lights, silly?"
"Oh, yeah!"
The conversation faded with the girls' laughter.
Noct was intrigued.
"Check that out over there," Gladio said, nodding his head toward a corner pub bearing a sign that proclaimed its name to be The Shady Frond. The pub had a menu stand advertising hot wings and cold beer in front of its doors, which were propped open and oozing delightful scents.
"Think they have fries?" Prompto wondered.
"I'm certain," Ignis replied with a nod.
"Woohoo! Let's go!"
Gladio was already on his way, and Prompto quickly chased after him.
"Coming, Noct?" Ignis called.
The prince had been preoccupied, thinking about the conversation he'd overheard. "Uh, what? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I'm coming."
The Shady Frond was filled with loud conversation and the sounds of sports on the large televisions scattered throughout the bar.
"I'll go find us a table," Ignis offered, weaving through the crowd.
"Find one next to the tube!" Gladio shouted after him. "I wanna watch the derby."
Prompto's eyes widened with excitement. "Chocobo racing! Yay!"
"I'm gonna have a look around," Noctis announced, eyeing a corner filled with arcade games…and teenagers.
Gladio slapped him in the chest with the back of his hand, just below the collar bone. Noctis winced. "Don't go disobeying Ignis, you hear me?" he warned. "No beer."
"Whatever!" Noct turned and stormed away furiously. He was tired of that guy acting like he was the only grown-up in the group.
There was a jukebox in the corner with the arcade machines, and young people were drawn to its flashing neon lights like fireflies. Noctis fit right in with his young face and the way he was dressed—which suited him just fine because he was bored out of his mind, fed up with his self-appointed babysitter, and craving some action.
Two girls and a guy that looked about his age were standing in front of the jukebox, dancing crazily to a song he'd heard on the radio a lot lately. He thought it was called "Real Emotion." They were holding colorful drinks with little decorative umbrellas sticking out of the glasses, and seemed like they were having too good a time to be interrupted.
Instead Noct found a couple guys standing at the back of a group circled around an arcade machine. While everyone else seemed entranced by the player, who was clearly kicking some serious Monster Hunter 5 ass, the pair of boys were holding an animated conversation of their own and laughing loudly.
"Hey," Noct greeted them.
They stopped laughing and turned to face him. "Heya," one of them greeted.
"What's the score?" Noctis asked, jerking his head toward the arcade game.
"Pssht." The shorter of the two boys, who was sporting a red T-shirt, gave a snort. "The real name of the game is 'Impress a Girl.' Mark's just hoping to show up at the party with an actual date."
Hello, opening! "Oh, yeah," Noct said smoothly, "I heard there's a rave tonight in the tunnel."
"You heard right." Both boys grinned.
"So what's the deal?" Noct asked.
The taller of the guys—wearing sunglasses even though they were indoors—shrugged. "Dress for dancing, bring some drinks to share. Oh—and don't tell your parents." He enumerated the last rule with a smirk that made it obvious he hoped he didn't really need to say it.
Noctis grinned. "Trust me, I won't. What time does the party start, anyway?"
"Midnight! Are you going to make it?"
The prince nodded without hesitation. "Wouldn't miss it."
When Noct caught up with the others, they had found a small table within viewing of three different television screens. All of them were tuned in to the chocobo derby.
"There you are!" Ignis said as Noctis approached their group, sounding relieved.
"I told you he was checking out the arcades!" Prompto grumbled. "Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me?"
"You lost that quick, huh?" Gladio taunted. He had a beer bottle in his hand, condensation streaming down its sides. At least there were plenty of ceiling fans in the packed pub, so Noct didn't envy his refreshment too much.
"Nah," the prince said, shrugging and claiming a seat of his own, "the line was too long so I just bailed."
"Right," Gladio sneered across the table, clearly in disbelief.
Noct bristled. But then Ignis said, "Erm, Noct—the server has already procured our order. I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of ordering you the house burger."
The prince backed down, his shoulders relaxing. "I hope you told them to hold the tomato. And the lettuce."
Ignis shook his head and heaved a sigh.
Noct echoed the sound. He couldn't even choose his own meals with these guys around. But at least Ignis patronized him because he gave a damn; Gladio was constantly trying to one-up him and put him down. Noctis consoled himself by thinking he probably did it because something didn't quite measure up to the size of his ego.
Prompto cheered as his favorite chocobo, a bright green fowl with enormous plumage, pulled into third place in the races.
"There's no way that bird's gonna win, Prompto," Gladio said, criticizing the younger boy's choice.
"You don't know that! Look at those little legs go! He's so cute…" There were stars in the young blond's eyes.
Gladio snorted. "And those pretty tail feathers are gonna help him drag his ass across the finish line last!"
"Who gives a shit about the details?" Noctis snapped. "If he likes the fucking green bird just because that's his favorite color, let him like the goddamn green bird!"
"Hey!" Gladio slammed his beer bottle down on the table. "You're supposed to be representing the royal family of Lucis. You'd better watch your mouth, you little shit!"
"Gentlemen, please!" Ignis put a hand on Noct's shoulder and waved another in front of Gladio's chest, though he didn't touch him. "Let's just enjoy a quiet meal and try not to argue, at least for an hour. Agreed?"
Noct wanted to say a lot more, but Gladio was staring him down, just waiting for him to do something childish, so he refused to. "Fine," he agreed instead. He pulled his cell phone out of his jacket pocket and loaded up his favorite game, King's Knight, and went about his business harvesting zell trees.
Gladio turned his attention back to the TV screen, jamming the mouth of the beer bottle between his lips.
Only once the two men had settled for ignoring each other did Ignis release his gentle hold on the prince's shoulder. Prompto took turns staring at each of them until he finally regained his interest in the derby, only to see his precious lime green chocobo slip to sixth place before finally finishing last.
The pub was packed so it was a while before their food came, but when it arrived, it was in huge portions and piping hot.
"Oh, goody-goody-goody!" Prompto sang, rubbing his hands together when he saw how large his side of fries was. "Yummy in my tummy!"
"Now this is what I call a steak!" Gladio grinned, eyeing his meal hungrily.
Noct watched Ignis remove the bun from his own burger then look around for a bottle of ketchup. "Oh! There it is… Gladio, would you mind passing me that ketchup bottle? It's at your elbow—no, on Prompto's side." The prince seized the golden opportunity to remove the bun from his own burger, pluck off the offending lettuce and tomato, and place them inside Ignis's burger.
But he wasn't very sneaky about it, and he hadn't quite finished by the time Ignis was aiming the open ketchup bottle at his sandwich. Noct didn't care; he just replaced the bun on his burger and lifted it to his mouth without another glance. And Ignis didn't say a word to him about it.
After dinner, the four men strolled out of the pub in far better spirits and much improved tempers. Prompto gushed about the races in spite of the green chocobo's disappointing loss while Ignis praised the local cuisine. Gladio trailed behind the others while he enjoyed a quiet cigarette and Noctis secretly made plans for escaping to go partying later that night.
Gladio checked the time on his phone. "It's only nine o'clock," he announced. "I think I'll just say goodnight here then hit up another bar."
"If you're certain…" Ignis seemed hesitant to split the group, but he knew it was really none of his business what Gladio did in his spare time—so long as he reported for duty in the morning.
"Yeah. I'll meet up with you guys tomorrow for our continental breakfast." Gladio tucked his phone into his back pocket again.
"All right, then," Ignis said agreeably. "We'll head back to the Leville and get to bed early."
"Hey!" Prompto argued, "I want to see the street performers. And I might still want a balloon!"
"You'll see plenty of performers—and better ones—at His Highness's wedding," Ignis soothed.
"How come Gladio gets to stay out?" Prompto pouted. "Maybe I wanna go to the bar, too!" He appealed to the prince's heavily-tattooed bodyguard. "Can I go with? Please?"
"Heh." Gladio tossed his cigarette butt to the ground. "Where I'm going, kids ain't allowed."
"Aw, come on! I'm not a kid, Gladio! Please? Pretty-please?"
Gladio shook his head. "You probably ain't ever seen a real—"
"Ah-ah! That's enough," Ignis quickly interrupted. "We'll go back to our hotel suite, and perhaps the prince would like to play a video game with you before bed. Yes, Noct?"
Noct could not even believe this conversation. "Fine," he agreed, throwing his arms up in the air. "Whatever." He started walking toward the hotel.
"Sweet! King's Knight!" Prompto skipped after him.
Ignis watched the boys for a moment, then bade Gladio goodnight. He didn't feel it necessary to warn him about staying out too late or drinking too much, but he thought he might soon ask him to tone down the condescension a bit, because it was clear it was having an effect on Noct. The last thing the prince needed to be was sour and spiteful on his wedding day.
He walked briskly until he caught up with Prompto and Noctis, noticing the way the freckled blond kept prattling excitedly and how the prince barely even paid him any mind. Just what was going through his brooding, royal head?
Back in their hotel room, Prompto could tell Noct wasn't really into King's Knight and let him off the hook after just fifteen minutes. Once they'd returned, Ignis had relented and said they didn't have to go right to sleep, so they turned on the TV to see if anything good was on. Prompto wanted to watch cartoons, but after just one segment of Adult Swim Noctis stole the remote and changed the channel to a nature documentary about the mating rituals of spiracorns.
"Urgh!" Prompto whined when Ignis said it was the prince's turn to choose a program. "But this is booooriiiing!"
"So? Go to sleep, then," Noctis told him.
Ignis cocked an eyebrow.
"I don't have a choice," Prompto muttered on his way to the bathroom to change and brush his teeth. "If I have to listen to this for five more minutes, I'll pass out!"
Ignis likewise thought the show an unusual choice for the prince. But Noct sat attentively in a chair positioned right in front of the television, hardly blinking, even after Prompto had climbed into bed and fallen asleep. Ignis was growing understandably suspicious, but he couldn't argue against letting the younger man expand his mind, even if the hour was growing late. Perhaps he was using the program as some sort of vengeance, but it wasn't as though he were out with Gladio, spending money on…less wholesome activities. So Ignis permitted this one indulgence. Eventually he, too, turned in for the night, leaving the prince to view the documentary by himself with the volume down low.
Noct sat in front of the TV for more than an hour before he was satisfied that Ignis was asleep. He left the television on as he rose from his lounge chair and quietly tip-toed over to his bed, carrying a pair of decorative pillows from the sofa with him. He turned down the blankets and stuffed the pillows between the sheets before covering them back up. It might not fool anyone looking closely, but he was satisfied that at a passing glance it would appear as though he were the one bundled up under the blankets.
With that, Prince Noctis pulled on baseball cap to help mask his identity and then quietly left the room, gently closing the door behind him. He had cash and a spare room key in his wallet, so he figured he was good to go. If he beat Gladio back to the room, great. If not, the other man would probably be too drunk to notice anything amiss.
It was only a few blocks' walk to the tunnel, and Noct figured it would be near enough to midnight by that point that he'd be just in time for the party. Along the way, he remembered that one of the kids he'd talked to at the pub arcade had told him the party was a B.Y.O.B. Fortunately there was an open convenience store along the way—one that sold mostly junky souvenirs to tourists, but that also carried cold drinks and cigarettes. He figured those would pay his cover charge to the rave.
Noct put on a mean face when he got up to the counter—thinking about Gladio helped do the trick—and hoped he looked the right age. He was 20, just a year shy of legal age to make the kinds of purchases he was about to attempt, but if he was asked to provide his ID he'd be in for it. Nobody would believe that Prince Noctis of Insomnia was trying to illegally buy contraband, all alone in a strange city with no guardians. And his dad would probably kill him if he got arrested.
Noct browsed around a little, partly to kill time. It was tempting to pick up a few snacks, but he decided against it; for one, Ignis wouldn't like him spoiling his appetite with cookies and chips, and secondly, he didn't have all that much spending money on hand. So finally he chose a beverage and carried a case up to the register, then pointed to the cigarettes behind the counter.
While the cashier grabbed a pack of Marlboros for him, the prince noticed a rack of photo albums. They were thin, meant to hold about twenty postcards or vacation photographs, but one of them was bright yellow and had a flock of colorful chocobos on the front cover. Noct warred with himself for a minute before adding it to the pile. Prompto had better love the thing, cause Noct had a feeling it was about to get him into trouble.
The middle-aged man waiting to ring up his purchases suddenly braced his hands on the counter and leaned forward with mistrust evident in his eyes. "You aren't looking to get yourself into trouble tonight, are you, son?" he asked warily.
Noct steeled his jaw and swallowed back the kind of retort his tongue was used to giving—the kind that would have been fine to use on Gladio, but not necessarily on a suspicious shopkeep. "Just heading back to my hotel room to relax," he replied, raising a hand to his hip casually.
"Mhm. And this?" The clerk held up the photo album.
Noctis shrugged and said, as coolly as he could manage, "It's for the kids."
The man sighed and frowned. "Right," was all he said, though, and rang everything up. "That'll be three-hundred and fifty gil."
Noctis paid the man, trying not to sigh out loud with relief. He accepted his receipt and dropped it into the bag. "Thanks."
"Don't do anything stupid," was the response he received.
Stupid? Noct thought, exiting out onto the street. Was it stupid for the Crown Prince of Lucis to sneak out of his hotel room without telling anyone and without an escort to go to a midnight rave out in the open, where daemons—or worse: the paparazzi—could attack?
Maybe so, but by the end of the week he'd be married, a pawn of the Empire. He figured he owed it to himself to live a little while he had the chance.
Noctis could hear the pounding rhythm of techno music echoing from the bridge from a block away. He could see the lights, too, though he wasn't quite so confident as the raving teens that neon pink, green, orange, and blue glow sticks would keep the daemons at bay. But maybe the strobes would do it, he reconsidered as he stepped through the tunnel entrance and into the party.
The music was earsplitting; if anyone was talking and laughing now, he couldn't hear them. The beat was pounding so hard it felt like it was thumping in his chest, and Noct found he couldn't help but walk to its pulse as if in some hypnotic trance. He'd never seen so many young people in one place at one time before. Locals and vacationers mixed to make up the throng, packing the tunnel wall-to-wall. The prince wove his way through the crowd, looking for some place to set his beer case down. Finally he found the apparent Central Station, where a DJ booth had been turned into a bar by surrounding mismatched tables. At least a couple people were trying to tend bar, more or less pouring whatever they found in bottles into plastic cups, hoping to earn some tips. Noct reached into his bag and removed the photo album, tucking it into his jacket. He set the beer case down next to some other drinks and turned the bag upside down so the three cigarette cartons he'd picked up dumped out, too. The DJ, sporting spiky blue hair and sunglasses, gave him a thumb's up. Noct waved, the wadded up the plastic bag, and tossed it into a dumpster before snatching a bottle of water off the table and making his way toward the edge of a dancing mass.
Noct bobbed his head to the music as he watched the dancers, considering approaching someone. At least if they turned him down he wouldn't be able to hear any harsh rejections, he thought.
That was when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
Noct turned, his eyes widening when he saw Ignis standing directly behind him. If the heavy bass hadn't been in total control of his pulse, his heart would have skipped a beat.
"Are you having a good time?" was the first thing out of Ignis's mouth.
The question caught Noct off guard. "What are you doing here?" the prince asked, less irritated than he would have thought to discover he'd been followed.
"Oh, the same as you, I expect," Ignis answered nonchalantly, adopting a casual stance.
Noct was skeptical. "Oh, yeah? Well, I came here to dance."
"So what are you waiting for?" Ignis challenged. Before Noct could shoot his mouth off, the older man said, "Come along, then," and grabbed hold of the prince's wrist.
"Wait—what?" Noct stammered as Ignis pulled him into the mob of dancers.
Ignis spun around to face the prince, looking as confident and composed in a rave full of teenagers as he did in the king's audience chamber at the Citadel back in Insomnia. "Dance with me, Noct!" he shouted to be heard over the music, already beginning to move.
"Are you serious?"
"Isn't this what you came here for?" Ignis reminded him, shimmying his shoulders as his hips got in on the action.
"Not…exactly." Noct was sure he was flushed from more than the tightly-packed body heat trapped inside the tunnel.
"Come on!" Ignis encouraged. "You'll look foolish if you're the only one standing there. Don't you want to blend in?" he taunted, tugging the bill of Noct's hat down over his eyes.
Noct squinted as his bangs covered his line of vision. He lifted the bill of his cap, only to see Ignis waving his arms in the air, his feet stomping to the beat as he moved closer.
He no longer had any choice; the rhythm was resounding throughout his body. And with everyone around him jumping and writhing—even Ignis getting down—his limbs started moving of their own accord.
"That's it!" Ignis cried, his body rocking to the beat.
Noct grinned as he watched Ignis move as freely while dancing as he did when slicing through their enemies on the field of combat. "Who knew you were fun?" he mused in wonder.
"You've yet to see what I'm capable of," Ignis responded with a sly look in his eyes. Suddenly he was unbuttoning his dress shirt, revealing a peek of the smooth chest beneath it. He slipped his glasses off his face and tucked them into the V at his neck, then rolled up his sleeves, revealing the glowing neon bracelets strapped around his wrists.
"No freaking way," Noctis laughed. "I do not even know you."
Ignis danced into him, bumping his chest so hard with his shoulder that Noctis dropped his water bottle and had to reach out and grab hold of him to keep from stumbling backwards into someone else. Ignis took hold of his hips, steadying him. The beat of the music had slowed and deepened. One of the taller man's legs was pressed between Noct's, and he was dancing close.
Noct looked up, holding onto Ignis's shoulders tightly as their eyes met—the prince's wide and curious, Ignis's fiery and bold.
"I know why you came here tonight," Ignis said, bending his head so he could speak directly into the prince's ear and be heard by him alone. "Why you really came here."
Noct's arms wound around Ignis's neck in an effort to keep himself upright, because the other man was leaning into him so hard he was forced to either hold on or fall over. His throat went dry and he lamented having lost his grip on his drink. There was no pretending he hadn't heard what Ignis had said, so the prince tried to make light of the situation. "You caught me," he confessed, "I'm just here to piss Gladio off."
The corner of Ignis's mouth turned up in a disbelieving smile. He shook his head, his dark emerald eyes burning into Noct's cloudy blue. "I know you, Noctis. I understand the heavy burdens you've felt weighing you down: the pressure from Gladio to train harder, to become stronger; the responsibility you feel toward others, particularly in regards to taking care of your friends; the royal demands His Majesty has hoisted upon your young shoulders…such as this wedding."
Noct's mouth was dry as a desert. Ignis was still dancing so close. Too close.
He knew too much. Noct had never told anyone—especially not Ignis—how he really felt about his political betrothal to the foreign princess. Now Ignis was reminding him why the discussion had never been necessary; they'd known each other for a long time, and some thoughts and feelings could be shared between them without ever speaking a word.
"You've been yearning for freedom," Ignis continued, "but that's being snatched away from you before you even have the chance experience it. You came here tonight because you're craving release, like a wild animal caught in a trap."
"You're the one who's acting like a wild animal," Noctis panted breathlessly. At first he wasn't sure Ignis had heard him; the music was so loud he couldn't hear himself.
But Ignis had. "Perhaps we're both seeking release," he said in Noct's ear again, his voice so deep and husky the boy shivered in spite of the warmth of the body pressed tightly to his. Then Ignis drew back, staring the prince down. "Well?" he prompted for a response. "Am I wrong?"
Noct stared right back up at him. How did Ignis know? How did he always know?
Slowly, the prince shook his head.
Ignis did not seem surprised by his silent admission. "Then, Highness," he said, leaning down until they were nose to nose, "allow me to set you free."
The prince gasped and held his breath. For some inexplicable reason, he suddenly thought Ignis might kiss him. But instead the taller man pulled out of his arms and stepped away. Noct let his breath out in a shaky sigh. Ignis smiled and caught hold of his hand, leading him towards the bar.
"…Are you going to let me drink?" the prince asked in surprise as he watched Ignis flag down the impromptu bartender.
"Let you?" Ignis scoffed. "Did I say you could attend a party in the first place?"
"No."
"Did I grant you permission to be out at all hours?"
"…No."
"Well, then, I suppose it's not up to me to decide whether or not you're going to have a drink," Ignis said with a shrug, "but I certainly am." To the kid tending bar he said, "One cosmopolitan, please."
The boy looked at him blankly.
Ignis sighed heavily and muttered, "I forgot we aren't in a proper club."
Noct gave him a look. "When have you ever been in a 'proper club'?"
"Never mind, Noct. Er, I'll have some of that," Ignis said instead, accepting a substitute drink. He leaned an elbow on the counter while the kid poured. "It'll be a bit strong, but a little won't hurt. One drink tonight and I can still drive in the morning."
"I'll have one, too," Noct called, aware of Ignis's eyes on him and feeling both self-conscious and grown-up. Ignis didn't berate him, though, and he felt almost as proud as he was nervous as they each accepted a plastic cup half-filled with a clear liquid. He sniffed his cup, trying to imagine what it was going to taste like.
Ignis raised his drink and touched the rim of his cup to Noct's. "Cheers!" He threw his head back and downed the fiery liquid in a single swallow. "No, no—don't sip," he gently corrected the prince. "Trust me, you don't want that taste lingering in your mouth. Just toss it back—there you go."
Noct choked as his throat burned.
"One more to wash it down with," Ignis decided, beckoning to one of the boys behind the bar again.
The prince's eyes were wide as Ignis accepted two more clear plastic cups and offered him one. He waved Ignis's hand away. "Nah, I'm good." He coughed.
"Noct!" Ignis seemed put out. "Are you a peasant or a prince? Have another shot."
"Are you serious?"
Ignis pushed the cup into his hand and looked at him sternly. "Would you accept if it were Gladio challenging you?" he asked.
Noctis frowned. He would. They both knew he would.
He took the cup from Ignis and this time drank without choking on it.
Ignis followed suit, then slammed his cup down on the counter. "One more for the road."
Noct licked his lips then wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. "Ignis, are you trying to get me drunk?"
"Whatever for?"
"I dunno…" Noct shrugged. "To teach me a lesson or something?"
"A man's first drink shouldn't be on his wedding day," Ignis said decisively. "You should know your limits. And your preferences." He gestured for the boy behind the bar again, this time pointing to various ingredients and instructing him in making a proper cocktail.
Noct grinned. He kind of liked it when Ignis was all take-charge and bossy. "You want to get back there?" he kidded.
"Not for what they're paying," Ignis muttered. He corrected the teenager on the other side of the counter another time or two, but finally they each had a plastic cup in hand. Ignis's drink was red and smelled strongly of cherries; Noct's was faintly yellow. Ignis draped an arm around his shoulders and steered him away from the crowded DJ booth and bar, leading him in no particular direction.
"What is it?" Noct asked, holding his drink up dubiously. "Looks like piss."
"It may taste like it, too," Ignis warned. "Whiskey sour. Or," he corrected, "a reasonable facsimile thereof." Noct started to raise the cup to his lips when Ignis added, "Don't chug that."
Noctis assumed that meant it was safe to sip this time and drank a mouthful slowly. It was pretty gross. But Ignis seemed to be enjoying his own cup, taking slow sips and nodding his head in appreciation, so he pretended to like it.
"Would you care to dance some more?" Ignis asked.
Noct shook his head. "Not really. I like this better." His face felt hot again as he realized all he was doing was strolling through the tunnel with Ignis's arm around his neck.
But then Ignis said, "So do I."
To be honest, Noct was pretty much finished with the party. He didn't know anyone here besides Ignis—which was a plus in his book, but it meant there wasn't really anything to do other than to dance or drink. This excursion had been more about rebellion and—as Ignis had guessed—freedom. He'd just wanted to make a decision on his own for a change and act on it.
But he wasn't ready yet to call it a night. He couldn't remember the last time he'd spent time alone with Ignis. When they were kids, Ignis had been his sole companion, but they'd drifted apart in high school. Ignis had been prepping for college, since he was two years older than the prince, and Noct was coming to realize how attractive his looks and royal title were to the opposite sex. They had just grown too busy to go star-gazing like they used to.
"What are you thinking about, Highness?"
Noct turned his head to look up at Ignis. The taller man was gazing at him with eyes that sparkled with mischief. "You," he answered, hoping to shock Ignis. Ignis's ash blond brows shot up with surprise and he couldn't hold back a laugh. "You used to be such a square. I can't believe you brought me to my first party."
"I didn't bring you here," Ignis reminded him.
"Yeah, I know…" Noct shrugged. "But we're here together now." He realized with dull surprise his tongue suddenly felt thick. Had he just slurred his words together?
They passed by a barrel being used for waste and tossed their empty cups away. Now that his hand was free, Noct wasn't sure what to do with it. Perhaps emboldened by the alcohol, he finally slipped his arm around Ignis's waist.
They were walking along the fringes of the party. It seemed the teenagers of Lestallum were unwilling to round the corner of the bridge and venture into the darkness beyond for fear of daemons. The music was still loud on the far side of the rave, but the flashing lights were dimmer and the crowd had thinned out. Ignis took advantage of the privacy to pull Noct around the side of a concrete column. He wrapped both arms around the prince's shoulders and leaned in close, breathing in his scent as he pressed him gently against the stone wall.
Noct's arms wound around Ignis's waist in a warm but unsure embrace. Had it been his imagination, or had Ignis kissed his head? What were they doing right now?
It felt like an eternity passed as they stood there. Noct's heartbeat alternated between racing anxiously and beating in a comfortable, steady rhythm. Ignis felt like home to Noct, but he'd never held him like this before. When he realized he could feel Ignis's heart beating against his own chest, he tried to slow his breaths to control his pulse. He didn't want to give anything away. But what was there to reveal, exactly?
Ignis hugged him a little tighter and began to sway. Noct felt dizzy. He laughed without meaning to. He just felt like he was on a rollercoaster at an amusement park. He was enjoying himself.
"What?" Ignis asked. Noct could hear the smile in his voice. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing," Noct said, laughing again. "I just don't know what we're doing right now."
"What do you want to do?"
"I—" Noct's heart went back to hammering. "I don't know."
"Don't you?" Ignis nuzzled the bill of his ball cap with an angular cheekbone, lifting it so he could look into Noct's eyes. "Tonight, you're free. You can do anything you wish."
"Is that true?" Noct stared up at Ignis. "Is that even possible?"
"There's no one here but us," Ignis said, silently promising to keep all Noct's secrets.
"Well… What about you?" Noctis pressed, his fingers digging into the taller man's back. "Are you free to do what you want?"
"No, Noct," Ignis said, his voice deep and breathy. "You are my prince; I am but your humble servant. I will do whatever you wish."
Noctis found his breaths growing labored. All at once he did know what he wanted to do, but he couldn't be sure it was what Ignis wanted. He only needed to determine whether or not that mattered.
The fingers gently stroking the back of his neck helped him decide. Ignis had never looked so attractive before, with his collar undone and his sleeves rolled up and his glasses resting against his chest. Noct angled his chin slightly as he tilted his head back, his lips pursed. He was nervous and a little afraid, but he would never in his life have another chance like this.
But he didn't dare. What he was feeling was something he knew was forbidden, maybe even unwelcome. The alcohol hadn't made him that brave. All he managed to do was softly whimper. "Ignis," he breathed, clutching the other more tightly.
He did not have to speak the words. Ignis knew what he wanted. He had always known him best. He had taken care of Noct all their lives, whether the prince had been picked on by the bigger kids at recess or sick with a cold, or hurt by someone's unkind words. And like all those times before, Ignis knew just how to soothe the pain he was feeling without his ever needing to ask or explain himself.
The older man leaned down to capture Noct's lips with his own in a kiss that relieved his fears and shattered his expectations. It was not a gentle kiss, but Ignis's lips were immeasurably soft under their passionate pressure.
Noct's eyes widened with shock as he watched his best friend kiss him. Ignis's eyes were closed and his brows were furrowed in an expression of concentration. He'd never seen him look so intense before. And the way he was holding him now was exciting, one arm cradling him and the other wrapped tightly around his waist.
He had never been kissed before. There was no one he had ever wanted to kiss. He hadn't even been sure he'd wanted to kiss Ignis until this moment, but he was certain now.
The pressure of Ignis's mouth against his slowly waxed and waned, like a boat rocking on the ocean. Noct felt dizzy and his knees grew weak. In the split second before he passed out, the prince realized he'd been holding his breath the whole time Ignis was kissing and caressing him. He fainted with an amused smile on his lips, then everything went dark before he even heard Ignis call his name.
It was dark, but the boat never stopped rocking. Noct became gradually aware he was on his back. He could feel a gentle weight above him. It slowly dawned on him that the weight was Ignis. They were the source of the motions that caused his dizziness, but what they were doing felt so good he didn't want to stop. The disorientation of it just made him feel carefree and light. The pleasured sound he made was partly a laugh, partly a moan.
Then he heard the sound of a door slamming and suddenly a bright light blinded him.
"What the hell are you doing?" someone demanded.
Noct's eyes flew open. His hand was down the front of his pants and Gladio was standing five feet away in the foyer of their hotel suite.
The prince scrambled into a sitting position from where he'd been reclining on the couch. Luckily there was a blanket covering his body so Gladio hadn't, he hoped, seen him in a completely compromising position. He felt sweat prickling along his forehead but thanks to Gladio his hard-on was quickly softening.
"What are you still doing awake?" Gladio wanted to know.
Noct wondered the same thing. He was lying on the couch by himself in front of the TV. And on the screen was a nature channel documentary about the rare and elusive rainbow frogs.
Had he fallen asleep watching this crap and never made it to the rave? Had he never danced with Ignis? Never had his first real drink? His first— Had everything been a dream?
"Get your ass to bed, kid," Gladio grumbled, peeling off his jacket. He reeked of booze and cigarette smoke and something worse.
He didn't need to tell Noct twice. The prince scrambled off the couch, nearly tripping as he kicked the blanket free of his legs. He didn't remember having that… His best guess was that he had fallen asleep watching the show about spiracorns and Ignis had left him on the couch to sleep, dutifully covering him up to keep him from getting chilled. That was the only explanation; the decorative pillows he could have sworn he'd hidden in his bed were still on the sofa where he'd imagined finding them earlier.
Noctis sighed and hauled himself into bed. So it had all just been a crazy dream… It figured. Of course, it hadn't been his idea to get engaged to a princess he'd met one time when he was just eight years old. But he'd gone along with the arrangement because he was the prince. It was what he was supposed to do.
But his dream had granted him a vision of what life might be like if he had a choice. It had shown him what he had been afraid to admit to himself he wanted. And now he had no idea how he was going to get Ignis out of his head.
The next morning, true to threat, Gladio had the guys roused by the crack of dawn. Noct and Prompto, the youngest but least morning-inclined of the group, stumbled all over each other trying to shower, brush their teeth, and pack up their belongings. They loaded up the car while Ignis made a quick trip to the market as he'd wanted, then had a rushed breakfast at a local diner before finally piling into the Regalia.
Before they got well and truly underway, Ignis pulled up to a pump at the Lestallum gas station to fill the tank. The sound of the driver's side door slamming after he climbed out made Noct's ears ring.
Noctis had never experienced a hangover before, and if last night had really been a dream then he couldn't be having one now, but he did have a splitting headache and the morning sunlight was making it a million times worse. He pulled the bill of his hat down low over his eyes and closed them, intending to catch a few Zs in the back seat. But before he could doze off next to Gladio, who was reading over the morning paper, Prompto leaned toward him from the front passenger seat and tapped his leg.
"What?" Noct grumbled.
"Can I see your CDs?" Prompto asked hopefully.
"Sure," Noct answered through gritted teeth.
Prompto could tell Noct was in a bad mood, but he couldn't reach the prince's backpack. "Do you mind handing them to me?" he asked timidly.
With a heavy sigh, Noct opened his eyes and leaned forward so he could pick up the backpack he had half-crammed under the driver's seat in front of him. He didn't bother digging around for the CDs, but shoved the entire bag at Prompto before flopping back into his seat, pulling the bill of his hat down low again.
"Thanks, buddy!"
Noctis cringed as he listened to the backpack being unzipped. It was like the sound of glass smashing in his ears. He groaned painfully and squeezed his head. "Prompto!" he snapped as the blond rummaged through his bag.
"What? Oh—hey! Where did you get this?!"
Noct didn't care what Prompto was looking at and he didn't care to answer, but he did find himself growing curious at the excitement in the younger boy's voice. Finally he took off his hat and leaned forward again to see what the fuss was all about. "What is it?" he asked, squinting his dark-rimmed eyes.
Prompto was holding a thin yellow photo album.
"Dude!" he wailed, heedless of Noct's migraine, "I can't believe you got one of these and didn't show them to me! You know how much I love chocobos."
Noct stared in confusion at the item in Prompto's hands. That was the photo album he'd bought for Prompto last night, when he made a beer run for the party. But hadn't he dreamed all that? He'd never left the couch.
"That's a dick move," Gladio commented, turning the page of the paper with a rustle that might just as well have been a hurricane.
Noctis winced. "Actually, I bought that for Prompto," he snapped back at the older man.
"Really?" Prompto was grinning at him with shining eyes. "Dude! You're the best!"
Ignis returned from paying for their gas and climbed into the car, reaching for his seatbelt.
"Ignis, look what Noct got for me!" Prompto chirped excitedly.
"Yes, I see that, Prompto. Oh, Noct?" Ignis turned around in his seat and handed Noctis a can of frozen juice and a small bottle of Excedrin.
"What's this for?"
"Your migraine."
Noct accepted the cold drink and the pills. "How did you—?" he started to ask, then caught Ignis's knowing look in the rearview mirror. He shut up and opened both the can and the bottle gratefully.
Ignis turned the key in the ignition to start up the Regalia, checked for traffic, and then pulled out of the gas station parking lot and got them on the highway.
It was then Noct noticed something peeking out from beneath the sleeve at his wrist as his hand took a steady hold of the steering wheel: a neon bracelet.