Note: Crossposted on AO3
The first time Noctis had seen it, he thought it his eyes were deceiving him. There were rumours, myths, about the seals that stayed in the bay. That the could turn into humans when all eyes were off them and the sun was beginning to set. Noctis hadn't meant to stay around that long, but the day crept up on him and as he began to walk home, he saw it. The seals were shedding away their skin to reveal . . . a person? He couldn't tare his eyes away and yet felt unprecedented the need to run from what he saw.
They weren't rumours at all – those stories were real. Noctis has seen it with his own two eyes. After that day it became a habit, it hadn't meant to become that way, but it did. As the night fell, Noctis would lie in wait and watch the seals shed their skins to become human. Even from afar, he could tell of their beauty. These people were slender, pale skinned in the rising moon, letting off an aura of innocence. They were other worldly in a way that Noctis didn't quite understand – what he did understand was that he kept being drawn back night after night to observe.
It was a somewhat chilly night with clouds hanging in the sky threatening oncoming rain, it just meant he would miss watching the seals. Walking along the beach, Noctis noticed something washed up on the sand. It wasn't uncommon for things to wash up on the beach, it was just what happened, from afar it looked like a lump of seaweed, but something drew Noctis too it.
Sure enough, it wasn't seaweed.
Instead, the mass was a seal skin. Dropping to his knees on the sand, he reached out a shaking hand to touch it. For so long he had watched the seals from afar, never getting close enough to touch one. But there it was, its skin lying out in the open for anybody to see. The skin was soft, silky in a way and still slightly damp. The grey fur was speckled with darker spots that shined in the last rays of sunlight. Picking up the skin in both hands, Noctis cradled it gently as though it were made of glass.
Looking around, he made a quick decision, standing, he lifted the seal skin, folding it over his arm he began to head for his home without looking back just as the skies grew dark and angry and the rain began to fall.
The rain continued on into the night and Noctis sat by the window watching it, the seal skin in his lap as he continued to run his hands through it. In the light he could see the colours through it - a deep blue and grey - there was just something about it that made Noctis was to sit and be near it. The window he sat by had a direct view down onto the beach and in the rain and the dark he couldn't see the shore or the seals that might have taken shelter on it. Instead, all he could see were the sheets of rain and the fog that had rolled in.
Eventually, he set the seal skin aside, wanting to keep it undamaged he folded it carefully and placed inside a box in a cupboard, intending to one day maybe hang it as a silent memento or as a special keepsake. Shutting the skin away carefully, a knock sounded through his home, it was quiet, muffled by the rain and the wind, Noctis could easily have believed it was just the wind - had it not been repeated, the simple two tapped pattern.
He made his way to the front door, opening it ever so slightly just to assure himself that he was hearing things - instead, he was met with a person. They were drenched head to toe from the rain and visibly shaking.
"Can I help you?" He almost had to shout over the wind and the person only stared back with bright blue eyes.
"I . . ."
Making a split-second decision, Noctis pulled the stranger into his home.
"Stay there," Noctis gestured to the doorway before dashing off to get a towel for the person who watched him carefully, the same shocked, frozen expression they had worn. Even out of the cold they continued to shiver and, rubbing their hands up their arms as though that might help alleviate some of the chills from their body. "Here," he handed the stranger an old towel, it wasn't as soft as it might have been brand new, but it would do to try and dry the person off.
"Are you okay?" Noctis asked carefully, watching the person clutch the towel around them but not making any move to dry themselves off.
"No . . . I . . . I just needed to . . . Something brought me to you."
"What's your name?"
"P-Prompto."
Gently Noctis lead Prompto close to the fireplace, it was still warm despite being mostly out, Noctis sat his new companion down on the rug by the fireplace.
"What happened to you?"
He looked down towards the rug, studying it, eyebrows ever so slightly furrowed. He looked up at Noctis, there were tears shining in his eyes.
"I couldn't go home."
Prompto stayed. Noctis, rather, didn't have the heart to send him away - there was something innocent about him that Noctis wanted to protect. Prompto very much liked the upstairs window that looked out to the sea, watching the seals swim in the bay, lying on the beach in the sun.
"That's my family."
It was a quiet admittance that, at first, confused Noctis. When suddenly - almost violently - the realisation hit him. The seals in the bay, Prompto, he was one of them. One of the creatures who had transformed before his eyes, shed their skin and became human on the beach. One of those very beings that Noctis had stayed to watch so many time, captivated by their beauty and unusualness.
Deep inside his cupboard, inside a box lay a seal skin and Noctis had a sneaking suspicion who it belonged too. But he couldn't say, what would happen? Biting his lip ever so slightly, Noctis sat by Prompto's side by the window, looking him in the eye.
"You can stay here, until . . . until you can return to your family."
And he did.
Noctis's life adapted to a new normal with Prompto around. At first, it was awkward, Prompto was quiet and respectful, not really talking much to Noctis. Over time, however, something began to change and Prompto began to change. Their awkward silences were soon filled with conversation, they began to get to know each other.
Like the seals he had seen on the beach, it was hard for Noctis to take his eyes off Prompto, there was something radiant about him. His eyes sparkled, and he seemed to almost give off an angelic glow, his laugh was infectious and he just breathed a new life into Noctis. It wasn't to say his life was anything bad before, but with Prompto around . . . something was different.
The blonde especially loved the view of the sea from the window and frequently sat by the window, watching the sun rise and set, the skies turning pink and the seals in the bay. He could sit for hours, head gently resting against the glass, and Noctis could only imagine what was going through his mind.
"Do you miss your family?" Noctis asked one night as they watched the sunset and the skies turn a soft peach.
"Yeah . . . I know they'll be waiting for me when . . . " he trailed off, looking at Noctis, eyes wide.
"When you return."
Prompto swallowed, eyes sliding sideways, before shuffling closer to Noctis. He hesitated for a moment before resting his himself on Noctis, his head on Noctis's shoulder, nuzzling ever so slightly.
"When I return," Prompto whispered.
Noctis spent a lot of time debating about telling Prompto about the skin in his cupboard, but everytime he tried something stopped him. Prompto had came into his life and, deep down, Noctis found it very difficult to even consider letting that go. The blonde had became a becon of hope, a light in the darkness and he couldn't let that go.
it started with small things, little brushes of their hands, the bump of elbows together, sitting closer at night. Prompto gradually opened up, as did Noctis. Nights became more companionable than ever, they would sit by the fire together, Noctis holding Prompto, resting his chin on the blondes head listening to him talk about things he had done, or the ocean or anything he had seen.
However, as close as they got, something began to change. Like a cloud had settled over the small home and never went away - Prompto began to change. he became more withdrawn, spending more time by the window watching the ocean. The brightness in his eyes dulled, the radiance that had surrounded him before fell away until he was basically a shell of what Noctis had came to know.
"Is there anything I can do?" Noctis asked one night where Prompto all but refused to talk, sitting curled in the seat by the window, sad tears in his eyes. The blonde said nothing and instead curled closer in on himself. Taking one of Prompto's hands, tracing the small freckles on the back of it, Noctis sighed, his mind made up. "Do you want to go home?"
Blue eyes filled with tears looked up at him.
"Please."
Letting go of Prompto's hand for what might be the very last time, Noctis made his way to the cupboard and from the very back, retrieved the seal skin. Locked away, it remained as beautiful and soft as it ever had and Noctis carried it carefully, knowing what this meant for him and for Prompto.
"Prompto," Noctis said quietly and the blonde looked up, a breath suddenly catching in his coat and all the guild that Noctis had felt, settled heavily on his shoulder upon seeing the tears flowing freely down the blondes face. "I'm . . ."
He was cut off as Prompto threw himself into Noctis's arms, allowing the skin to drop to the floor, he buried his face into Noctis's shoulders and Noctis couldn't help but sigh, wrapping his arms around Prompto, holding him tightly for what might have been the very last time.
They walked silently down to the beach, Noctis carrying the seal skin under his arm as Prompto held his other hand tightly. The sun was beginning to set and a feeling of sadness settled deep in Noctis's chest. He spared a glance towards Prompto whose eyes were set on the ocean that was looming in front of him.
They eventually made it to the beach.
"Thank you," Prompto whispered into Noctis's ear as they exchanged one final hug.
The blonde, taking his skin from Noctis, turned to face the ocean and took a few steps towards it before pausing and turning back. There were tears in Noctis's eyes. Prompto took a deep breath and, making his way back, paused in front of Noctis, gently placing a hand on his face - Prompto smiled.
"I'll miss you," Noctis admitted, taking hold of Prompto's wrist, tears beginning to roll down his face.
"I know," Prompto swallowed before gently kissing Noctis. Their first and their last. "But I'll always be here."
This time, the blonde turned and walked towards the ocean without looking back. Even when Prompto was out of sight, somewhere in the oceans depths, Noctis stood staring out as the night fell over him, knowing that, even if they never met again, Prompto was out there happy.
And that was enough.
Thank you for reading
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