If this looks familiar, it was previously posted to my AO3 account under the same name.

"So Prompto," Regis asked with a smile, stetting his fork aside, "What do you see in Noctis?"

Prompto froze with his mouth open, fork full of grilled fish halfway between the plate and his face.

So far the dinner had been uneventful, if not a little awkward. This wasn't just two boyfriends at dinner with one of their fathers, this was a commoner and the Crown Prince at dinner with the King. Noctis and Prompto had been feeling the tensions rise all evening, even if Regis seemed amiable. Uncharacteristic amiable. Which is what Noctis was afraid of.

Prompto composed himself, clearing his throat and setting his fork down with a clink that he hoped was not as loud as it felt. "Well Your Majesty I..." he glanced to his side at Noctis, who looked like he was doing all he could not to explode. "At first, I wanted to be his friend because he seemed lonely, kinda like me. He didn't have any real friends at school. Other kids thought he was a stuck up royal, but I saw past that. When I got to know him I learned that he has a sense of humor just like mine and we're both total nerds." Prompto laughed nervously. He paused and searched the Kings face for any sign of… well, anything. His eyes were attentive and his beard partially obscured a small smile. Did that mean he approved of what Prompto was saying? Was he waiting for Prompto to get comfortable before he unleashed his kingly wrath? Unable to do anything else, Prompto continued. "He's really quiet about it, mostly because he's kinda bad at expressing his feelings, but he's really compassionate. He doesn't use his title to get what he wants or act better than anyone else because he's a prince, and he cares more about the people of Lucis then he lets on."

Prompto could say so much more if words did not fail him. He could say that Noctis was the first person to show him with genuine friendship. He could say that Noct's smile gave his life purpose and meaning that he never thought possible. He could say that loving Noctis made him forget how insecure and self deprecating he was. But instead, he just looked at Noctis and smiled.

Noctis smiled back briefly, then the smile disappeared when he looked at his father. "Dad, I know you're probably disappointed that I hid this from you for so long, and I know you think I should 'saving myself for my future queen' or whatever. So cut the charade and tell us what you're thinking. Duty, the line of Lucis, all the stuff I already know. But just know I love him and it won't stop me."

"Noct, what are you doing?" Prompto whined. "This was going so well, what gives?!"

Regis sighed and pushed his plate aside. "I know it won't stop you, Son. That's why I won't say it."

Noctis froze. "Wait, what?"

"Noctis, do you know why I have raised you as I have? Allowed you to attend public school, given you a home outside the citadel, encouraged you to make your own relationships, excluded you from matters of state?"

Noctis thought for a moment, then shook his head. He had always wondered these things in the back of his mind, but never given them much thought.

"You are ordained by the Crystal," Regis said, ignoring the eye roll from Noctis at having this fact repeated for seemingly the thousandth time. "You are to be no ordinary king. Your destiny, your roll in the history of Eos, will be different than any other king before you. Therefore, your upbringing and education must be different as well. You must be one with the people you will serve. You must live and walk among them, understand their lives and their struggles so that when the time comes to -" Regis stopped suddenly and looked at Noctis with a somber expression. He sighed heavily and continued. "When the time comes to fulfill your calling, you will have the compassion, the dedication, and the determination to do whatever must be done."

Regis lowered his head and a solemn silence fell on the dining room.

"Prompto," Regis said.

"Yes Your Majesty?"

"You have made my son happier than I have ever seen him in these past few years. Words cannot express my gratitude to you for this. I have no doubt that you will stand by him, not out of duty, but out of love, in the future. I'll not forbid this relationship, but for both of your sake I recommend that you both be discreet."

"Yeah," Noctis agreed, "a gay prince probably isn't the best image of Lucis to show our enemies. I've got to admit though, I'm surprised. I thought you'd be pissed."

Regis raised his head again and smiled at Noctis. "About your sexuality? Nonsense. I would be quite the hypocrite then."

Noct's eyes went wide. "Wait, you're-"

"Pansexual," Regis interjected.

"Noct," Prompto leaned close to Noctis and whispered in his ear, "Didn't Gladio say his dad's openly bi?"

"He is." Regis said. "Of all the facets of my body that have begun to fail me in recent years, my hearing is not one of them." Then he raised an eyebrow and added, "Neither is my-"

"Okay, I think I'm full now!" Noctis interrupted. "How about you Prompto, ready to go?"

"Yep!" Prompto answered quickly a few octaves higher than normal.

"Why don't you give your partner a tour of the gardens, Noctis. I understand Prompto is a photographer. Perhaps he can capture some lovely photographs of the rare flowers our groundskeepers grow."

"Great idea. Sound good Prom?"

"Sounds great!" Prompto stood and bowed to the King. "Thank you for a wonderful dinner, Your Majesty. And thanks for… well, understanding."

"The pleasure was mine, my dear boy. Now go on and enjoy the rest of your evening."

Once Noctis and Prompto were alone, Prompt heaved an over exaggerated sigh. "Dude, I seriously though we were both in major trouble."

"So did I," Noctis admitted. "I'm still shocked my dad's cool with this."

"Yeah. So what do you think he meant by the whole ' whatever must be done' spiel?"

Noctis shrugged. I don't know. Guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

"We," Prompto corrected. "We'll cross that bridge. Cause I'll be right there with you."

Noctis smiled and took Prompto's hand in his. "I know."