Just a Stranger
The car was silent. It wasn't the good kind of silence either but the type that had a person squirming in their seats and hoping for a way out quick. Prompto had been picked up as promised to be escorted to receive his Crownsguard uniform. He was already nervous that he'd been meeting the captain of the Crownsguard not to mention being allowed to go on this trip with Noctis. And the only reason he'd even made it this far was because of his ability to pass his self-defense training.
Aside from being Prince Noctis's friend, there was really no other reason for why he was allowed to go. Of course Ignis and Gladiolus had a reason to go. They'd been around the prince since he was a child both teaching and protecting him. Prompto, on the other hand, was just someone he ate lunch and played video games with. But being allowed to go nonetheless and even getting the go ahead from King Regis himself, even if he didn't say so in person, still made him feel like an honored guest. And, at least, it'd let him protect his best friend should the need arise. He'd learned how to fight pretty well at least.
"You're thinking awfully loud over there," Cor said suddenly from the driver's seat as he glanced over at Prompto.
Prompto blinked before he looked over at Cor smiling at him. "Sorry, I'm not usually this quiet. Just got to thinking a bit, that's all." He tried not to stare at Cor too long, biting his lips as he stared out the window. The problem he was having with Cor, with this legend he'd only ever read about in the past, was that he wasn't his usual type. He'd determined long ago that he had as much a fascination with men as he did with women, at least he'd learned that when he'd met Noctis. It was why he worked so hard to begin with, to become more attractive to the eye. Skinny, peppy, excitable, playful. Whatever it took to make him more likeable, he was all for it. Though even if he did have a thing for Noctis, he never intended to make a move towards it or to be anything more than the supportive friend he's been all these years. Not like it would have mattered if he had since Noctis was getting married to Lady Lunafreya soon.
The young blond glanced over at Cor again taking advantage of the other man's eyes on the road to really examine him. He was definitely attractive even with the little tuft of hair on his chin. His eyes were a beautiful light blue that he imagined wooed girls into passing out just from a glance. Sideburns made a trail down either side of his face as if leading down to the strong jawline. He was nice to look at. And that was just the parts Prompto could see. Though just from watching Cor turning the steering wheel, Prompto could easily see the muscles stretching against the sleeve of his shirt despite having such a lithe body. After all, the weapon he carried, the katana laying across the back seat, looked far lighter than any sword Gladiolus liked to carry around.
"You're staring," Cor said, the words almost getting lost in the wind blowing in from the open window before Prompto jerked his body back turning his eyes to the road ahead with a blush. Totally busted. God, he hoped he didn't have any drool running down his face.
"Sorry…just I've heard so much about you," Prompto said peering over at him again while trying to be discreet about it this time. "You're a total legend, you know?"
"I've heard," Cor said, his lips turning down in a frown as he turned down another street pausing to let a couple of pedestrians pass before continued to move. "So you are a friend of Prince Noctis?"
"Yeah." Prompto smiled resting an arm on the open window and peering outside distracting himself with the open view of the city. "Been friends for like forever now it feels like. Has me completely stoked that I get to go with him on such an important day."
"I see." The words ended there as Cor stopped talking continuing on with his duty of escorting. Prompto glanced over at him again wondering about the pull he kept feeling for the man. While he didn't mind the quiet type guys, he was usually more attracted to…younger men. Men more his age group and not up in age as he suspected Cor to be by the looks of his face. Though given his attractiveness, it was pretty hard to place just how much older Cor was. But he knew how old Cor was. It wasn't like it was a mystery what with Cor having his own fan page online. Girls went crazy over the dark, brooding types. And in this case, Prompto could agree with them on it.
"Is there something on my face for you to keep staring at me so much?" Cor asked turning his head giving Prompto something of a quick glare before his focus returned to the road.
"Ah, no no!" Prompto said quickly shaking his hands in front of his face back and forth to emphasize. "I-I'm just admiring the view!"
"…Admiring the view?"
"The outside view! You have a lot of interesting things going on outside your side of the car!" Prompto didn't think he bought the excuse until he saw a slight nod from the marshal as the older man tapped a finger against the wheel.
"There are a lot of interesting things about Insomnia," Cor said, though the way he spoke the words held a bit of contempt to them. Prompto tensed at the tone of voice before he frowned sitting up a bit more in the chair as he stared at the side of Cor's face, at the eye he saw that seemed to be brewing like a storm as he looked straight ahead.
"Something you need to talk about?" Prompto asked, volunteering an ear to the older man. He didn't know if he'd be of much help to him but if he could help the man to get past some kind of trouble, he'd do what he could.
The marshal tensed up slightly at the words, his lips tightening up as he gripped the steering wheel tighter before he suddenly relaxed, the car pulling in front of the Citadel as Cor parked, his eyes looking out the window at the large building before he turned his attention back to Prompto. "We're here," he said unlocking the door. "Grab your things. We're heading inside."
Prompto didn't get the chance to say anything in response as he saw Cor climbing out the car before he'd even muttered a word. He frowned refusing to give up as he climbed out grabbing his bags from the back and rushing after Cor who was already climbing the stairs. He knew once Cor made it inside, he wouldn't be able to speak his mind freely to the other man. He rushed up the steps two at a time making sure to move past Cor before he stopped in front of him, his lips down in a frown as he stared at him. Cor stopped two steps before Prompto looking up at him not giving away what he was feeling as he stared at the younger man.
The young blond almost lost his nerve, glancing away nervously before he tensed up looking straight at Cor again. "I know you don't really know me at all. That I'm just another person you're in charge of babysitting for a while." He saw one of Cor's eyebrows lift up slightly but he kept going doing his best not to lose his nerve. "But not knowing me means that there's no connection. It means you can unload some of the extra baggage on me and not feel bad about it." Cor's eyes narrowed in confusion making Prompto fumble to find the right words. "Look, I'm not a writer. I take pictures for a living. I'm just saying I want to help!"
Cor's eyes lifted up in surprise at the admission before his relaxed his shoulders, the frown starting to slip on his face as he stared up at Prompto cautiously. It was probably the most he'd really seen expressed on the guy's face but it made Cor seem much more human and not like the legends made him out to be. "Help? Why would you want to help me?" Prompto opened his mouth to respond but the doors opening up behind him made him clamp his mouth shut quickly as he saw Cor's guard going back up.
Prompto turned around seeing a couple of guards coming out giving them a slight wave in greeting and getting a bow in return before the two guards continued going down the steps. Cor walked past Prompto continuing up the steps as if the whole exchange from earlier hadn't even happened. It made Prompto stare at his back worriedly as he watched him while also trying not to admit to how cool Cor just looked right now. Sighing he shoved his hands into his pockets following him up the steps bumping into his back at the sudden stop and groaning out as he rubbed his nose looking up at him. Cor was looking at him over his shoulder, the feel of the eyes on him making him shiver with an unexplainable urge to want to be closer to this man. But the feeling passed by quickly when Cor turned away again walking inside the building with two simple words to him.
"We'll see." He wondered if it was just a quick way to end the conversation, but the genuine curious look that Cor gave him before he went inside made him think otherwise. Prompto smiled following after him and letting the Citadel doors close behind him before his mind for the trip of a lifetime. We'll see indeed.
End.