Galdin Quay was too pretty to be real. After tromping through the burning hell that made up most of Leide, Noctis could confidently proclaim that he had no idea how Galdin Quay could be considered a part of Leide. With its white, sandy beaches, amazing (though too pricey according to Ignis) hotel, and the nice relaxed atmosphere created by those vacationing there, it felt like a little piece of heaven.
Then there was the fishing. Noctis loved fishing, he really did, all kinds of it too. He loved the little spots they would find along the road, the ditches, rivers, ponds, small out of the way places where he could either sit in peace, or have an epic, but totally safe (and wasn't that somehow the most reassuring thing ever) wrangle with a fish. It was always followed up by a delicious meal by Ignis, his friends proud of him and everyone relaxed.
Fishing at Galdin Quay held a special place in Noctis' heart. The place cast a spell on him, the sun shining over head, a calm blue ocean before him, and the smell of sea salt and spice lulling him into a space of absolute calm.
So it was with with great excitement that Noctis realized where Ignis was pulling up. He was out of the car in a second, Prompto right behind him. His friend, ever worried, called something after the two, but they weren't listening.
"You going fishing?" asked Prompto, walking alongside him.
"You bet," he replied, a grin on his face.
The last time he'd been fishing had been deep in Mamalam thicket, all of them exhausted, and the activity serving as a meal provider and not for enjoyment.
Prompto let out a whoop and launched himself over the raised platform to land in the sand. The blonde collapsed on his back and proceeded to make a sand angel. Noctis kept walking, smile widening as he passed his friend and approached the small dock where the best fishing was to be had.
He waved at the little tackle and bait shop owner, the man chuckled, waving back. Then he set off down the dock. There was a little skip in his step. Standing at the edge, he looked out. The sun was shining, there was a whole day ahead of him, and nothing could go wrong.
Noctis summoned his rod and cast. Time passed, he got a little fish, which he let go, before he set in with a battle with a large Nebula salmon. He passed it off to Ignis, who had set up base in the little camper nearby.
With that caught, he nearly turned in, looking over at Prompto and Gladio who were wading in the surf. He didn't feel like getting wet though, and he wanted to reel in just one more catch.
Within a few minutes, he felt a tug on the line. Carefully he began jigging the line. There was another sharp tug and then the line snapped. He stumbled backwards, almost losing his footing.
Noctis stared out at the water. Glancing about to see if anyone else had seen what had happened he saw that Prompto and Gladio were in all out war while Ignis was preparing the fish he'd caught earlier. Carefully he began to respool his pole, looking warily out at the water. Whatever it was it must be huge. The challenge excited him and when his pole was ready, he recast.
There was a tug and Noctis' dug his heels in. The tug turned into a constant pull, the force increasing. He felt himself being drug against the planks. Twisting his head, he called out for Gladio's help. There was a huge force and he went flying into the water.
His entire world was sent tumbling, the sudden change from air to water caused him to lose his sense of up and down, and where anything was. The only thing he knew was that he still had his rod clenched in his hand. He was yanked, being pulled farther underwater.
Noctis dispelled his rod and tried to kick toward the surface. Something moved through the water next to him, something huge. He kicked a bit more, boots weighing him down. He felt the movement of water and then something around his middle. Whatever it was it closed around him, the sudden pressure pushing what little air he had left from his lungs.
Water poured into his mouth and he choked. Eyes open, he looked around and saw, through blurred vision, a giant crab. It hadn't constricted its pincers enough to break anything, but the weight was making his lungs seize. He pushed ineffectually at the pincers, trying to get loose, to get air.
His vision faded, lungs convulsing in attempts to get oxygen into them. His hands stopped pushing and he entered unconsciousness.
Gladio heard Noctis call his name and was surprised at the urgency. Turning around the only thing he saw were the ripples from the splash. A grin split across his face, it looked like instead of Noctis reeling in the fish, the fish had reeled him in.
"What's up?" Prompto asked, peering over at the dock in interest. "Where's Noctis?"
"Give it a minute, I'm sure he'll pop up."
A second passed, and another. A minute had gone by and Noctis hadn't resurfaced. Gladio felt his amusement start to be replaced by worry. He headed over, initially walking across the dock but then jogging. Noctis hadn't come up.
Without a second thought, Gladio dived into the water.
Opening his eyes in saltwater always sucked, which was why he made it a habit to not do it. He saw Noctis, floating in the claw of a crab, eyes open and vacant, hair and hands floating in the water. It looked like he was a corpse. Gladio summoned his sword and swung, aiming at the smallest joint of the creature.
He grabbed the prince, narrowly avoiding the other crab claw which swung in their direction. Noctis released, Gladio wrapped an arm around his middle and began to kick towards air.
Breaking the surface of the water, Gladio took in a lungful of air, his lungs singing in relief. Immediately he started a side stroke to the shore. When his feet met sand, he kept going, slinging Noctis onto his back. Prompto came out to meet him looking worried.
When they got to the sand, Gladio threw Noctis onto the shore and collapsed to his knees next to him.
"He's not breathing Gladio," Prompto informed him, voice high and strained.
"I know," he huffed, exhaustion and worry the only things keeping him from snapping something else at Prompto.
He had trained for this. Grabbing the prince's wrist he felt for a pulse. He cussed. Placing his hands on Noctis' chest, he began pumping, fifteen compressions. He moved to Noctis' head, tilting his chin back and pinching his nose. Two breaths.
He repeated the process. There was nothing. He started again. Still nothing.
Gladio was getting light headed when Noctis' body finally responded, chest heaving. Gladio guided him to his side as he choked and vomited water. His body shuddered before falling still again, chest rising and falling in ragged breaths and eyes still shut.
"Get Ignis," commanded Gladio.
Prompto sprinted off. Gladio put a trembling hand against Noctis' chest, closing his eyes and panting for breath as he felt the rise and fall. He'd done his job, Noctis was alive, for now.
Ignis and Prompto arrived.
"Prompto told me what happened, we need to get him inside."
Just like that Ignis took control. Gladio appreciated it, tired and ready to just follow commands. Pulling Noctis into his arms, he carried him over to the camper. Ignis had him set the prince on the bed. Gladio stepped back and then out of the camper at Ignis' command while Prompto raced about helping.
Gladio sank into a chair and let himself breathe.
Leave it to Noctis to drown himself doing something totally benign. Prompto had always known his friend was a trouble magnet, but sometimes it just seemed absolutely ridiculous. Ignis taking control helped a lot, the man seemed prepared for every eventuality, even one which included Noctis almost drowning.
It scared Prompto, looking at his friend and seeing him laid out on the bed, shirt off and revealing a terrifying amount of bruising and then listening to the rattling breaths. Ignis said sickness of some sort was an absolute at this point, possibly pneumonia, while dry drowning could happen within the next forty eight hours. A hospital was advised since potions and phoenix downs, while useful for certain injuries, couldn't remove water from lungs.
Hospitals were out of the question. They were basically fugitives. So Prompto made due with following Ignis' orders and hoping for the best. However, at this point, all they could do was wait.
"We might need antibiotics, though I suppose a potion will be an adequate substitute as of now."
Prompto had no idea what Noctis needed, so he shrugged in agreement, staring down at his friend and wondering how the day could've taken such a bad turn.
There was a soft groan from the bed and Prompto turned his head to see a frown marring his friend's face. Blue eyes opened, tired and glazed with pain.
"Prom?" Noctis' voice was scratchy and hoarse.
"Right here man," he replied, smiling down at his friend.
"Crab."
He blinked, a little confused. Gladio hadn't exactly explained what had happened. All he knew was that one moment Noctis was standing on the deck and the next he was gone.
"You almost drowned, Gladio had to give you some TLC in the form of mouth to mouth," he tried joking.
The prince just looked exhausted, not even giving Prompto a small smile.
"You really scared me man," said Prompto with a nervous laugh.
"Sorry," whispered Noctis.
"Don't be."
Noctis was already asleep.
He didn't wake up again for a while, at least not coherent. A fever hit him a few hours later, chest crackling with infection. Prompto watched Noctis choke and gag on phlegm, coughs rattling through him and shaking his body.
The fever grew high and higher, so that Noctis was screaming, shaking from hallucinations. Ignis had Gladio hold him down, sending Prompto running for ice. He returned in time to witness Noctis convulsing. He was terrified.
"Six damnit, hold him down Gladio!" Ignis roared, seizing the bucket of ice from Prompto.
"I'm trying!" answered Gladio, teeth grit as Noctis bucked and writhed under his hands.
Noctis screamed, a harsh sound, grating the air and making Prompto shudder. He felt helpless, unable to do anything.
"Get him off the bed!" cried Ignis. "We need to get him cooled down!"
Gladio tried to bring Noctis down gently, but Noctis' flailing limbs made it impossible. Ignis put the ice in rag pouches, ordering Prompto to put it against vital areas such as under Noctis' armpits and on his pubic area.
"No! No! I won't let you!" Noctis screamed, a dagger materializing in his hand.
Ignis pounced, slamming his knee down and pinning Noctis' wrist before he could fling the dagger at Gladio.
"This isn't working!" said Ignis, looking helplessly at his extremely sick charge.
"He needs to cool down," said Gladio, desperately trying to keep both himself and Noctis from harm..
"The water," said Ignis after a moment of thought.
Gladio nodded his head and pulled Noctis back into his arms, pinning his limbs in place. Prompto followed, watching as Gladio took Noctis out of the camper and down the beach into the water. He waded out until he was chest deep. The ocean was still, and Noctis' thrashing disturbed it. He started to calm down, slowly, until he was absolutely motionless.
Gladio emerged from the cold water. Prompto ran over, Ignis right beside him. Noctis looked like a worn ragdoll, draped in Gladio's arms in exhaustion, his eyes were slits and rolled around, finally settling on Prompto.
"Hey man, you're going to be okay, alright?"
Noctis let out a little sigh, eyes slipping shut. He looked half dead. Gladio didn't look much better. All four made their way back to the camper.
The fever didn't break until several hours later.
"We should bring him to the doctor, right?" asked Prompto, watching his friend sleep.
Ignis, eyes circled with exhaustion and shoulders slumped rubbed at his face.
"Noctis would greatly benefit from a visit, but I'm afraid, with the way things are, we can't take that risk, not unless it is our last option."
Gladio was fast asleep in the other bed, the day having worn him out since he'd been the one handling Noctis throughout the trying process.
"Yeah," murmured Prompto, looking over to the prince.
"You should get some rest."
Ignis blinked, peering in surprise at Prompto.
"You look like you need it. Besides, I've got things covered here."
Ignis wearily nodded his head before standing, his body swaying slightly. He steadied himself by putting hand to the wall.
"I think that might be best," said Ignis, stumbling to the other bed where Gladio was.
Prompto nodded, eyes once again settling on Noctis.
It took another three days before Noctis was well enough for them to move on. Ignis suggested they head to Hammerhead and stay there for a while. The prince agreed, still tired and now a little moody from being cooped up and guarded so closely by his three friends.
Gladio insisted on carrying him out to the car and he protested the entire time. Gladio called Noctis a princess and it devolved from there. Prompto, after helping Ignis get all of their stuff into the Regalia, ended up in the back seat with Noctis.
The sun was shining and the sky was clear. Noctis was already nodding off within minutes of the car starting. Ignis kept glancing in the rear view mirror, watching the progress of Noctis from sitting up to being sprawled across Prompto in a deep sleep.
Prompto for his part just felt relieved, it had been a hard week, and sometimes he wondered if Noctis knew just how much his friends cared about him. Looking down at the prince, he ran his fingers through the black hair. Despite everything, he was just glad to see that Noctis was okay.