Noctis sighed, rounding the black marble-laden corner that opened up to the final hallway separating him from the training room. He was in no hurry to get there since he was particularly not looking forward to training that day. He hadn't slept all that well the previous night (he never did when his sleep was riddled with dreams—which it seemed to be more often than not lately), he was stressing about exams the following week, and Prompto was coming to the palace later that day to study, and he was wishing he could just fast forward time until then. He could use some Prompto liveliness right about now. It would get his mind off things and lighten his mood. The palace could always use some Prompto liveliness, actually, he thought, taking in the usual dullness surrounding him.
He closed the remaining gap between himself and his dreaded destination and stepped foot into the bright openness of the training room. Ready to greet Gladiolus with an unenthusiastic, "Hey," he glanced around the empty room. That's weird, he thought. He's never late to training. The bigger man usually had a sweat worked up before Noctis even arrived.
"Gladi—?" His questioning call was cut short when a hand came out of nowhere from behind, grasping him tightly and sealing off his gasp of surprise.
The action had barely registered with him when he suddenly found himself flat on the ground, pinned by a heavy weight, and his arms pulled roughly behind him. By the time he realized it might be a good idea to start struggling, his wrists were already tightly secured by what felt like thick rope, followed by his ankles. He could hardly believe the speed of his attacker. What the hell was going on?!
He was about to ask the question out loud when he heard the harsh tear of duct tape and immediately felt his breath sealed away once again. The tape was wrapped over his mouth and around his head a couple times, and the intrusion of it made him suddenly fume. He attempted to turn and get a look at the attacker who would soon be either gravely injured or dead for daring to lay his hands on the prince in such a way, when a thick cloth was forced over his eyes and knotted behind his head. He was pressed onto his back as much as his bound arms would allow, and he lay there breathing sharply through his nose, a dangerous anger boiling beneath his exterior.
"Well," he heard a familiar voice say from above him, clearly admiring his handiwork. "That was scarily easy, Noct."
What the hell?! Gladio?! Noct attempted to say but only a series of angry muffled sounds escaped him. Hearing his friend's voice took the edge off the adrenaline that was coursing through him, but he was still flooded with angry confusion.
"I mean, I am four times your size and all, but at least put up a fight!" Gladio admonished.
Noctis flushed, and tried to keep any angry retorts contained. He didn't want to give Gladio the satisfaction of hearing his muffled protests. It was embarrassing. And he still didn't understand what the hell was going on. Why did Gladio attack him like that, and why the hell was he laying on the floor tied up and blindfolded? It was a little infuriating, to say the least. Especially being taken by surprise as he was. How was he supposed to counter an ambush like that?
"Noct, it could happen just like that, anytime, anywhere," Gladio said, from off to his left now.
What could?
"Being taken by surprise, whether attacked or kidnapped, is something you always have to be prepared against."
In the citadel though? Noctis thought doubtfully, his pride still throbbing at what he considered a very unfair exercise.
"Today's training is going to deal with escape tactics. Your attacker just got the drop on you, you're tied up, thrown into the trunk of a car—what do you do?"
Noctis squirmed against the ropes a little, rolling his eyes behind the blindfold. Was this really necessary?
Reading his trainee's subtle defiance, Gladio countered, "Yes, this is very necessary. I have to know if you're ever in a situation like this, and I'm not there to protect you," Noct could tell he hated even imagining that, let alone saying it, "I have to know you'll be able to deal with the situation on your own."
Noctis exhaled slowly out of his nose, willing the rest of his anger to seep away. But the ropes were biting, and he couldn't speak, and he was just so annoyed by the situation! He was not up to playing Gladio's stupid game at the moment. Especially when he was put in this position without giving his consent. He hated being tied up. He could only recall it a couple other times when he was little and playing Glaives with a few of the palace officials' children, but it made him feel claustrophobic and not in control, and it was horribly uncomfortable.
He lay still, breathing slowly for a minute or two, willing himself to not give Gladio the satisfaction of seeing him get worked up. Maybe I can just play it cool for now. Like I'm not even affected. Maybe I could even...Yeah, you know what? I think I could go to sleep like this. The corner of his mouth would have twitched into a small smirk, had it not been blocked by the tape. He could nap anytime, anywhere, and if it just so happened to spite his trainer, well, that was just a bonus. Besides, how could he not take advantage of napping over the usual physical exertion of training when the option was offered so freely to him?
Gladio kept watching the youth for the next couple of minutes as his shifting against the ropes slowly ceased and his breathing settled into a steady pattern, his chest rising and falling softly.
"Unbelievable," Gladio seethed, shaking his head and turning for the opposite end of the gym. Fine, he wants to wait until he's ready to take this seriously? Then that's exactly what we'll do. He dropped to the floor and started counting out push-ups. It's not like he's going anywhere, he thought smugly.
An hour or so passed, and Gladio had been through his usual routine twice now. He was beginning to wonder if the prince was ever going to wake up. Maybe the tape wasn't such a good idea...he thought, making his way over to the prince for the twentieth time to check on his breathing. Everything checked out fine. Back to the waiting game. It was always a waiting game with Noct, he sighed.
It was another twenty minutes or so later (God, that kid can sleep though, Gladio marveled) when the door unceremoniously opened and a familiar blond head peeked in.
"Noct?" His questioning voice filled the room with the promise of excitement and adventure and mischief and mayhem, and Gladio didn't understand how someone could be as full of life as Prompto was. He could be intoxicating to be around. Or he could give you a huge headache, it depended on the day. And how much trouble he and Noct ended up in.
"...the hell is this?" A frantic voice cut through the comforting darkness that enveloped Noctis. "Noct?!"
"Relax, Blondie, it's just part of training." That was Gladio. Noctis stirred, attempting to sit up. Hadn't he opened his eyes already? Why was it still dark, was it night time? And why wasn't his body responding to him? His mind swirled with confusion until the fuzzy hold of sleep let go, and the memories started trickling in.
Prompto? he asked, still trying to sit up, and was surprised when his voice didn't work properly either. Oh. Right. Duct tape. Gladio's infuriating training session. Was he seriously still tied up on the floor? Gladio hadn't released him yet?! What the hell? Would someone please take this infernal blind fold off me?!
"He's coming to! Why was he unconscious?" Prompto's voice was full of concern.
Gladio snorted. "Unconscious? Try napping."
"Huh?"
"He's mad at me for making him do an escape tactics drill," Gladio explained. "So, he tried to get out of it by his usual shtick—napping at the drop of a hat."
Noct didn't like how easily Gladio always saw through him. And even more, he didn't like how the two of them were talking about him like he wasn't there.
Prompt-oh-oh-oh! he attempted to wail. Get me out of this! All that escaped him was another streak of exasperated nonsense.
"What's with the duct tape?" Prompto had crouched down beside him.
"Mostly because I know how incessant his whining would be and I didn't feel like dealing with it," Gladio laughed, causing Noct to flush red again and writhe angrily against his bonds. "Don't be mad, Noct," he went on, apologetically, "it's only to mimic what real life circumstances you'd most likely be dealing with. Should anyone be stupid enough to attempt a kidnapping."
"I dunno, Gladio, seems a little cruel to me," Noct could hear the pity in Prompto's voice. He clearly didn't like seeing his best friend in this kind of predicament. Especially when it filled his mind with "What ifs." They wouldn't know how to handle it if something like this did happen to Noct, and they didn't like even thinking about it, either.
"Did you find him, Prompto?" Noct heard his bespectacled advisor's voice at the doorway and immediately turned his head in his direction, his hopes lifting. Ignis wouldn't stand to see him like this. He'd get him out of this embarrassment for sure.
"Ah, escape tactics," he went on, once he caught sight of the situation. "I do recall you mentioning this earlier," he said to Gladio. Noctis heard him enter the room.
Ignis! Finally! His stifled exclamations continued to go unheeded.
"How long has he been like this?" Ignis asked, getting nearer.
"I dunno, over an hour," Gladius explained. "He's still refusing to participate."
"Is he?" Ignis asked, unsurprised. Noct could tell he was directly next to him now. He was still miffed at how they were talking about him. He was right there, he could hear every word they were saying. He just couldn't reply which was beyond maddening now. He knew the torment was all part of the exercise though. Gladio was trying to incite a certain type of desperation in him, and try as he might, Noct couldn't help letting him succeed.
He felt Ignis' gentle but firm grip roll him to his stomach. That same touch found his bound wrists.
Ah, thank you, Ignis! I knew you wouldn't put up with this nonsense, Noctis thought, waiting for Ignis to untie him.
Satisfied with something, Ignis released his wrists and addressed Gladio once more, "If he isn't out within half an hour, consider cutting the exercise short," he advised. " But, his circulation appears adequate for the time being."
...What?
"I'd rather not linger for the remainder," he went on, "It's quite distressing seeing him like that."
Again, like he wasn't even there. He heard Ignis crossing the room back towards the door and frantically tried to get his attention, squirming as much as the ropes would allow.
"Disregard all of that, Noct," he heard Gladio explain through his struggling. "Your captors won't give a shit about your circulation."
You can't leave me like this, Ignis! You never put up with this type of misconduct from Gladio! Where are you going?!
Noctis' hopes rose once more when he heard the click of Ignis' dress shoes across the floor suddenly pause. No doubt due to his passionate outburst through the gag.
"Oh, and duct tape in his hair...?" Ignis tsked, and Noct could just picture the disappointed shake of his head he was no doubt aiming at Gladio. His footsteps retreated down the hall.
"I knew Iggy was going to kill you for that!" Prompto laughed.
"Yeah, yeah, I was in a hurry," Gladio countered, unconcernedly. "You should have seen how fast I had him down though. It was, not even kidding, probably about ten seconds flat. Boom."
Noctis groaned loudly, demanding they stop talking about him like he couldn't hear them!
Gladio couldn't help snickering ever so slightly. It was always so easy to get a rise out of the prince. And it never ceased to amuse him.
Noctis could tell Gladio was really finding this all to be one big crack up, and he had had enough. He wrenched furiously at his bonds, not even caring how pathetic he might look.
"Who'd even want to kidnap Noct anyway?" Prompto asked, seated next to his friend, watching him struggle while his thoughts were elsewhere. Noct could tell he didn't want to sound as worried as he actually was about the question.
"Could be anyone, really," Gladio answered, missing the point that the blond youth was seeking a comforting response, not an honest one. "An opportunistic criminal, where Noct happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Could be Tenebrae suddenly deciding they want some leverage in negotiations between us and the empire. Could be the empire seeking to control the Crystal through him." It was apparent Gladio had given the subject a lot of thought. It was, after all, his job to have given it a lot of thought.
"How would they do that?" Prompto asked tentatively.
"I dunno, wear him down through torture, maybe." Gladio responded bluntly, and Noctis didn't need to be able to see to know Prompto's face had just blanched white. "...Or even more effectively, torture his friends."
Noctis went stiff, his struggles immediately halted by Gladio's words. Both his friends noticed the sudden fear that overcame him. How could that possibility have never even entered his mind before...? He breath hitched in his throat and he suddenly felt a little nauseous.
"I think you're scaring the shit out of him," Prompto said slightly accusingly. "You're scaring me, too," he added.
"Good," Gladio was unapologetic. "It's my job to think like even the most ruthless enemy." He didn't say anymore on the matter, and instead, dropped it altogether. "Now come on, Noct. You're tied up, thrown in the trunk of a vehicle, you're all alone because your friends are being tortured, what do you do?!"
Noctis flinched at that scenario being mentioned again. He was aware that Gladio knew exactly how to tinker with and tweak his emotions; but even knowing that Gladio could play him right into his hands every time, he couldn't help getting fired up still. Perhaps that was why Gladio was so good at his job. No, that was absolutely why Gladio was so good at his job.
Noctis struggled anew. His friends would never, ever be hurt on his behalf, and the thought of it alone was enough to make him go ballistic. The ropes were cutting like mad now, and he might have even felt a warm wetness dripping down his right wrist. Blood? He wasn't surprised.
Gladio saw it, too. Shit, Ignis is going to kill me, he thought. "Your enthusiasm's great and everything, Noct, but you're never getting out of those ropes by simply trying to slip out. I know how to tie them." He was hoping Noct would calm down enough to prevent causing further damage to his wrists. "I was thinking more along the lines of your other abilities?" he hinted.
Noctis stopped struggling. Oh. Right. Phasing. God, I'm an idiot.
It wasn't as simple as he thought it might be, however. Dodging an attack was one thing—it almost came naturally now, but attempting to move his physical form and leave something currently attached to him behind—that was something else. It took a lot of concentration. He also had never given much thought to the fact he needed momentum to warp. Which he couldn't quite conjure up, bound as he was. He tried rocking slightly and then rolling to the right as much as he could, initiating a warp in the process. But he only ended up phasing about half a foot away and the ropes and everything went with him.
He sighed, frustrated. It took too much concentration, and he couldn't quite differentiate between the ropes binding him and the clothing he was wearing, and he was too terrified of accidentally phasing out of his clothes and turning a situation which he didn't think could possibly become more humiliating, into a story he would never live down.
Gladio noticed his frustration. "The phasing's not a bad idea, Noct," he said, encouragingly, pleased the prince was making a legitimate effort. "But imagine you were in the trunk of a moving vehicle, it might not be the safest option. I was thinking more along the lines of your other abilities," he hinted again.
Oh. Right. Weapons. Man, I am on a roll today, Noct thought sarcastically.
He summoned a dagger, feeling quite stupid for not having done that an hour ago. And while it was awkward and uncomfortable, and he couldn't see, he felt like he was able to position it well enough against the ropes binding him. He began working away at them. He could feel Gladio right next to him, watching closely and ready to interfere if it looked like he was about to pierce himself.
It took forever and Noct not only lost his grip on the knife at least a half dozen times, but he also nicked himself at least as many times as well, despite Gladio hoping to prevent it.
"Careful, Noct," Gladio scolded, after Noctis just punctured himself in the arm again pretty good.
Noctis scoffed at him through the tape. You try doing this blind-folded with zero mobility! It's not easy!
"You're almost there, Noct!" Prompto piped in, watching excitedly.
Noctis almost laughed at how Prompto could find anything exciting. Yet, here he'd been for the last half-hour, encouraging and truly caring about his friend getting through the lamest of all the training exercises he'd ever had to do. Although he was embarrassed Prompto had seen him like this, he was also glad for his company.
"Come on! You're really almost through it, Noct!" Prompto cheered, leaning in close, watching intently.
This time Noctis did let out a strangled laugh at Prompto's intensity and fumbled with the knife again. Letting a string of muffled accusatory sounds escape him, he had to re-summon the knife once more.
"Sorry, sorry," Prompto said, backing off a little ways as he realized he was giving Noct some slight stage fright. "Just keep doing your thing!"
Noctis kept sawing away for another few minutes and finally felt the most satisfying snap of rope breaking. He would have shouted in triumph, had his mouth not been obstructed.
Prompto and Gladio both gave a shout for him though, and clapped him on the back. He untangled his wrists, and the freedom felt incredible! He hardly even noticed the painful cramping of his arms as he pushed himself up to a seated position, he was so elated.
He threw off the blindfold and blinked at the searing light that assaulted his vision. Ah, it felt good to see! There was Prompto smiling proudly at him, and Gladio at his feet, freeing his ankles. He could see how pleased Gladio was as well and it filled him with gratification.
"Nice work, Noct," Gladio said, satisfied.
"Yeah, way to go, buddy!" Prompto was still slapping his back, bouncing around him while Noctis turned his attention to the tape still sealing off his voice.
It proved a difficult task getting it off, since Gladio had wrapped it all the way around his head. He couldn't find an ending to start unwrapping it, and he had no idea how he'd get it off his hair.
He was still struggling to find the end of the tape when Prompto knocked his hands away, unable to watch his futile attempts any longer. "Here," he offered, pushing his hands away again and searching for the tape's end himself. Noct was grateful as Prompto located the torn edge and began prying at it. He unwrapped it as much as he could but most of it was indeed snagged in Noct's hair quite thoroughly.
Hurry! Noct pleaded, as there was still another layer of tape over his mouth.
"I'm trying, but this is really going to be a mess," Prompto said regretfully.
Desperate to breathe normally and finally be able to speak again, Noct clawed at the tape over his mouth until he was able to stretch it far enough that he could at least pull it down to his chin.
He took his first unobstructed breath in hours and exhaled in relief. "Ahhhhh, finally," he exclaimed, so relieved to have the use of his voice again.
Prompto was still fiddling with his hair. "Yeah, this is a mess, Noct."
"Yeah, sorry about the hair, Highness," Gladio said, not sounding all that sorry, really.
"Sorry about just the hair?" Noctis asked, incredulous.
Gladio laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "And sorry about getting the drop on you and leaving you tied up on the floor and everything," he actually did sound apologetic this time. "It's all for your own good though, you know."
"Right," Noct agreed sarcastically, not being able to keep a slight hint of amusement from his voice. The anger had mostly faded a while ago.
A particular painful tug to his hair brought his attention back to his blond friend. "Ugh, Prompto, careful!"
"Sorry!" Prompto winced.
"Here," Noct said, getting impatient. He summoned the dagger he had used on the rope and was about to pass it back to Prompto to make way with his handiwork, when a gloved hand quickly grasped his wrist firmly.
"I think not," Ignis' stern voice cut in. Noctis hadn't even noticed him enter the room.
"Haha, nice try," Gladio laughed, but cut it short when Ignis eyed him disdainfully, knowing the hair/duct tape fiasco was his fault.
"You are not seriously about to let Prompto take a sharp object to your hair, Highness," Ignis asked, grabbing the knife away.
"Hey," Prompto replied indignantly. "I might be a gun guy but I still know my way around with a good knife." The guys humored him by keeping their dubious looks to themselves.
Noct laughed. "What I should have done," he said, "was summoned you a gun earlier so you could blow my brains out during that shitty training exercise." Prompto snorted, while Ignis frowned, assessing the hair situation. "Would that have counted as a pass, Gladio?"
"Oh right, you've got about two hours of pent up whining to let loose," Gladio said, smirking.
"Yeah, let's see what you think of this 'whining,'" Noct said, summoning a sword and readying to launch an attack on Gladio. He could really use a good sparring match after all that.
"Ah uh," Ignis exclaimed, quickly grabbing his arm, restraining him. "As much as I'm certiain Gladio deserves a decent walloping for the day's events, particularly for the state he's left your hair in," a note of ire present in his voice, "I must insist we adjourn to your quarters for now so I can address the situation properly." The prince's appearance was always a fairly high priority for his advisor.
"You're lucky, Gladio," Noctis said over his shoulder as Ignis dragged him towards the door, Prompto trailing close behind.
Gladio laughed, "You may have just saved my life. Thanks, Iggy."
"Won't be so lucky tomorrow!" Noct called from the doorway.
"I'm shaking!" Gladio called back.
"I'm serious!" Noctis yelled, a faint hint of laughter tinging his voice as it echoed down the hallway.
