It was dark in the dungeon where Prompto was being kept, no windows to let in light or air to clear away the staleness of death that clung to the walls. Rats scurried through the walls, scratching with their claws and somewhere water dripped in a puddle, the sounds deafening in the eerie silence, mingling with the shallow sound of Prompto's breath. He had woken only a few moments before to find himself in this place, trying to gain his bearings. Heavy chains held him spread in an X against the wall. He made a few experimental tugs against them, feeling his skin tear at the wrists.
Somewhere in the darkness Prompto could hear a voice, talking to someone. He strained at first to hear the words but as the voice got closer his heart leapt, he knew that voice, loved that voice beyond words. "Noct.." he said quietly, throat dry and hoarse. He repeated the name again only this time louder. "Noctis!" So much was wrapped up in that voice, so much hope and overwhelming emotion and love. His heart pounded in his chest, waiting for Nocts embrace to banish the fear that had taken control of his mind.
A few more paces and Prompto could see the familiar boots standing before him. "Noct you came! I thought… but you're here, so you really do love me! Noct I….."
Noctis said nothing as he slid the bars open, aprotching Prompto, looking him up and down. A low mocking chuckle formed in his throat, growing into laughter. "Love you? Who could ever love you? A former fat boy from Tenebrae who doesn't even love himself." With this Noctis lifted the blonde shirt, tracing the thin pail scars that betrayed his youth across his torso. He hit Prompto hard in the gut making him gasp for air. "No I think not, I am a Prince after all, though you were fun in a pinch."
"It's a lie! You're not him, you're not Noct. He wouldn't say those things," Prompto hissed. Noctis lowers his hand, palming Prompto through his pants, feeling his body respond to the touch. "Stop it! Get your hands off me!"
Noctis laughed, face twisting into a smile as he summoned a small blade, touching it to Prompto's temple. He kissed Prompto full on the mouth as the blade cut. "Oh but I'm only just starting to enjoy this. We're gonna have a lot of fun you and I, I'm gonna make this a night you'll never forget."
Blood flowed red and hot down Promotos eye, blurring his vision. This couldn't be happening. It wasn't real. This was just a trick, he had told hold onto hope, this wasn't Noctis. The taste of his kiss still on his lips, the familiar sensation he got every time… "You're kidding right? This isn't really, none of this is…"
Promotes breath hitched as fiery pain struck his body in the form of a metal blade slowly inserted into his abdomen, he felt it stop between his ribs, felt the blade twist and with draw. Noctis stabbed the blade into the wood beside Prompto's head, catching his neck, releasing yet another stream of blood. "Does that feel real Prom- Pom?" He roughly opened Prompto's mouth, holding him by the hair with his free hand as he wiped the bloodied knife off into his open mouth, cutting his lip as the blade drew. "Does that not taste real enough to you? God do you even know how hard it is to tolerate you? You never shut up! You're always in the way. You don't fit in with us. You'll never be good enough." Noct shoved Prompto's head against the wood and withdrew.
Prompto, forcing all the rebellion he could into one action, spat the blood back at Noctis feet, Noct replied with a hard back hand to his head, knocking Prompto into blissful oblivion. "Let that be a lesson to you to not tell lies. Until later.." his voice trailed off as Prompto slipped into the blissful realm of unconsciousness.
Prompto was floating, his body free of pain, his mind soothed. He could stay here forever, letting the peace wash over him. But he could hear voices and he knew it wouldn't last for much longer, fighting to stay but the harder he fought the more reality crept in. Bit by bit his screaming body was calling him back.
As his senses returned he saw Ignis, who very carefully was washing the blood from his wounds. "Specks?" He asked shakily.
"Ah Prompto, you're awake," Ignis replied. "You've been asleep almost a day."
"Where's Noct? He was here, he was saying all these things… he did all this," Prompto stuttered, the pain still fresh.
"Yes he would have wouldn't he, after all you did fail him rather spectacularly. He blames you for Lady Lunafreya's death, has you only arrived a moment sooner. Then again had you been there I might still have my eyes now wouldn't I. Pitty I suppose. Now be a good boy and try not to bleed on my shoes," Ignis hummed summoning his dagger, rubbing a finger along it to ensure it wasn't his practice blade.
"No Iggy not you to. What are you going to do to me?" Prompto asked, agony already lacing his voice in anticipation.
Ignis lifted Prompto's shirt, dragging the blade along his torso as he spoke, cutting thin lines of crimson in the pale flesh. "Whatever his highness commands as is my job, as was yours before you failed." With the last word Ignis let the blade cut deep staining the ground in red.
"Please Iggy, I didn't mean to. There was nothing I could do. I'm sorry Iggy, please," Prompto pleaded biting back tears, feeling the blade slice into him again and he had to bite his lip to keep from crying out.
Ignis repeated the strokes again and again, like a painter, his dagger a brush that could paint only in blood until the thin chest looked like a patchwork quilt. Tears ran down Prompto's face as his head began still droop, his mind foggy from the blood loss. Make it stop, he pleaded silently, make it stop, he couldn't take any more of this. Promoto felt as though his body were encased in ice, the loss of blood making every inch of him shiver and shake, spasming with each new wave of pain.
Ignis stepped back a moment, examining his work before letting the black fabric fall back over the cuts before removing his glasses and cleaning the spatter from the lenses.
"I..Ignis… Ig..," he couldn't form the words, his stupid voice, his sore hoarse voice would work. Damn it he thought, cursing himself again and again.
"Prompto, Iggy isn't here, it's just me," Gladio said making Prompto look round in confusion but Ignis was nowhere to be found.
"Gladdy?" Prompto asked hesitantly.
"Ya Blondie, it's me," Gladio replies, voice supersly warm and steady. "They sure did rough you up huhh."
"I'm dying Gladdy, I think…. I think I'm dying," Prompto whimpered, his body shaking with every rattling breath, his voice higher then he had anticipated.
Gladio places a hand to Prompto's pulse. "Not dead yet.." he said, pressing harder until his full hand wrapped around the thin neck.
"Gladdy please, that's enough, you're hurting me," Prompto squeaked, his airway closing as a Gladio brought his other hand to his throat, pressing until the only sounds Promoto could make were his own stifled chokes. His vision was blurring as every other sense heightened, he could hear his blood rush, smell the leather and liquor that wafted off Gladio, and feel his head as it began to droop in those massive hands. Just as he thought for sure this was it, the hands with drew and air rushed back into Prompto's lungs, he coughed to let in more air, willing his body to control the pain, to stay strong.
"Pathetic. You can't even defend yourself, how could you ever hope to protect the king? A snivelling weakling like you. When will you understand, you're all alone here, no one is coming. No one cares about you," Gladio said, voice rough with aggression. "And this.." with that Gladio grabbed hold of his right wrist, reaching down the leather cuff to reveal his barcode. "And this…. the mark of a traitor. You'll never be one of us." Gladio jerked his hand, snapping Prompto's wrist as easily as he would a twig.
Prompto heard the snap as pure agony flossed his veins, curdling his scream in his throat as he fought to regain control of the pain. He felt a hand clap over his mouth as yet another scream erupted from him, tears flowing freely now, he was weak, stupid and weak.
"Go ahead and cry weakling. You make me sick. Pride of the kingsguard you are, you wimp!" Gladio hissed, hitting Prompto in the ribs with his fist. He both felt and heard the bones break under the force.
Prompto tasted vile in his mouth, mingled with blood, spitting it into the crimson puddles on the stone floor. He forced his head up, unable to hold the weight. "You're right." He whispered. Gladio leaned in closer to hear his words. "I know they aren't coming… Ardyn…"
Gladios form changed into Ardyn, red hair falling like a curtain on Prompto's face. "Pity, you ruined the game. Oh well. It may not have been them physically but I assure you this is how they truly feel and you know it in your heart. You're better off without them. Now sleep, let your mind fall away. After all, tomorrow is a brand new day and we are going to have lots more fun."
Prompto's chin hit his chest as the world around him faded. He no longer had any energy left, he didn't care. What did it matter if he died now? No one would miss him. He gave into the blackness, letting the pain carry him away to the oblivion once more, praying this time it would keep him forever. There was noise around him but he couldn't be bothered to care. Muttered voices surrounded him, he couldn't make them out. He wished they would stop and let him rest. He was a patchwork of pain, his wounds combining until he could no longer tell them apart. He was falling, suddenly falling, his body aching in anticipation of the impact that never came. Instead soft arms held him, lowering him gently to the floor. He opened his eyes slowly, taking a cautious look around and then fear, icy, chilling, fear as his eyes fell on Noctis who knelt before him, Gladio and Ignis who still remained in the doorway….He had to get away, like hell they were gonna touch him again. Gathering all his strength Prompto dragged himself away, until he felt cold stone against his back, tucking his knees into his chest.
"Stay back! Stay away! Don't touch me.. please don't touch me. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please. I'm sorry," Prompto whimpered, tears flowing once more from blue eyes. Noctis and Gladio made a step towards him. "Please don't. Stay back!"
"Prom it's me, no one's gonna hurt you again," Noctis said, shuffling closer, reaching out his hand. Prompto shriveled, collapsing to his side in a ball still pleading, eyes darting from one man to the next. Noct squeezed his eyes together as if this alone might vanquish the scene before him. He looked around only now seeing the pools of blood and the white lines on Prompto's shirt stained red. "What have they done to you Prom?" He tried again to move closer.
"St….stop! I can't take any more. Kill me. Just kill me already. Please," Prompto pleaded, "I'm s..sorry. I'm so sorry." He balled up as tight as he could waiting for the pain to strike again as Noctis moved towards him this time not stopping. He flinched as he felt arms around him, but this time didn't shake them off. "Let me die. I'm fake, a fake. A failure. I'm not real, I'm just a puppet. Just kill me already."
"There's nothing to be sorry for Prom, you're safe now," Noctis assured him, running a hand through his damp hair to soothe him. "Do you really think all that? That we would risk our lives to save a puppet? To save someone we don't care about? Prom you are my world. I couldn't stand to not have you by my side. I'm gonna make him pay for what he did to you."
Prompto relaxed a little and sat up, letting Noct pull him in, holding him to his chest. When he looked back up Ignis and Gladio were beside him to, concern riddling their faces. His strength was drained, the adrenaline wearing from his broken body.
"Noct, we need to go, he's lost a lot of blood. Truly and stay awake Prompto, we're going to get you out of here," Ignis said, it was already to late, his unconscious body hanging limp in Nocts arms. Ignis looked Prompto over seeing the blood stained shirt he decided to take a moment to check the wounds. He gingerly pealed the wet fabric from the wounds and turned away in horrified disgust. "He's lost so much blood. I doubt even a potion will heal these wounds fully. It's a sounder he's still… Gladio could you…"
"I got him," Gladio replied, anticipating the question. "I think his arms broke. I'm gonna kill that Ardyn. Do you think… will he be okay?"
"I physically yes, it's the emotional scars that will take the longest," Ignis replied.
The campfire blazed brighter than ever that night, it's crackling defending in the silence as Gladio and Ignis sat not saying a word. Behind them Noctis sat in the tent beside Promoto. He hadn't left the blondes side, holding his hand as gingerly as though a single breath would shatter the already broken boy. No one could speak, the air hanging heavy with the questions they were all too afraid to ask.
Promoto lay shirtless in his sleeping bag, his torso bandaged, wrist splinted and likewise tended to. He shook in his sleep and Noct pulled the cover higher, caring for him with diligent focus, as if that alone would erase what had transpired. The words Prompto had said still haunted him, what had been done to make him beg for death?
"Noct, come eat, rest a while, we can watch over him," Ignis suggested, appearing in the opening.
"Thanks Iggy but I'll stay. It's my fault he got hurt," Noctis replied.
"You can't blame yourself it wasn't your fault. We are all to blame, we all dropped the ball this time," Ignis said. "Perhaps if I was my old self I could have healed him fully, he will carry those scars for life. Maybe if…."
"Now who's blaming themselves?" Noctis asked chuckling lightly. "He was so afraid when we got there Igg, what do you think… what did…"
"I don't know Noct, best not to ask him," Ignis replied. "If you won't eat, I'll leave you be for now but you should rest.
"Thanks Iggy," Noctis replied. He brushed the hair from Prompto's sleeping face, letting his hand linger on his cheek a moment before kissing him gently on the lips. "Come back to me Prom. Please, our story's just beginning. What's the use in being king if I can't even save the ones I love."
"You love me?" Promoto asked softly, opening his eyes to see bright blue staring back. "I thought… did you worry… when I was gone?"
"Of course I did, what kind of question is that?" Noctis asked. He turned his head to call the others into the tent, overjoyed at his lovers improvement. Yet sadness and uncertainty still clouded his young face.
"Of course," he said. "That's why you came…. Like I believed you would."
"Prompto…," Noct began but Prompto stopped him, sighing deeply. He flinched a little as the other two men entered but quickly relaxed.
"That's why I told myself I couldn't die, not until I could see you and hear you tell me that I'm not a fake…. that I'm the real me," Prompto continued, a tear escaping his eye as he looked away.
Noctis bent down, collecting Prompto in his arms, holding him to his chest. "I'm sorry," he said.
"Don't be, everything is alright now," Promoto replied. "You guys are the only friebds I've ever really known."
"Like it or not you're one of us now Blondie," Gladio said, clasping a hand on Promptos shoulder, regretting the forces as the smaller man winced.
"Unless you'd rather not be," Ignis added.
Prompto smiled returning Nocts hug and Gladio stood, ruffling his hair as he did so. "Come on Ig, something tells me he's in good hands with out us."
As he looked back he say Prompto already falling back asleep in Nocts arms as he rested his head on his lovers chest. How good it felt to have Nocts arms around him again, and at last Prompto felt safe, he felt home.