Hello guys! This is a one-shot I came up with after watching Brotherhood and of course, my own head after my excitement in anticipation for the game! Enjoy!
In the distant Kingdom of Lucis, a young and sleepy Noctis resided in his room. His father had promised to help him with his work after his grounding punishment had been uplifted. ( All thanks to a wandering Iris one day) He twiddled a pencil as he stared sullenly at a blank piece of loose leaf.
"Mm.." He groaned rather quietly, hardly able to keep his eyes open. Another night with no father, he guessed. He made a pouty expression with his eyebrows knit together, pushing the piece of paper away from his eyes' view. What to do, what to do...
Oh, he knew.
Rather than finish his work given by his tutor, little Noctis had a better idea. Perhaps he could fish through some books for some answers. Not exactly cheating...just some assistance. He needed some references to help him finish this darn writing assignment and that was that. Noctis pushed his chair in carefully before deciding to leave the tidy, spacious room in it's place. Sure, his bedtime was around 9:00, and he waited for his father for far too long, but who really was in the wrong here?
Though, Noctis continued to keep that sullen calm expression, with those emotionless eyes. Maybe, just maybe if he acted as if he didn't care, something would change. Maybe he would not feel so bothered by the neglect he felt. Maybe the pain of being alone sometimes would go away.
Shaking these carefully hidden thoughts from his head, Noctis continued on his toes to sneak around the palace. He made sure to skip every object, every noisy part of the floors, just to make sure he wouldn't be caught sneaking around.
And there it was.
Large, wooden, and rather intimidating, a large stack of books filled this area of the castle. Beaming with curiosity, Noctis grasped at one book titled, "The King." You see, Noctis had completely forgotten his initial task. Now, he just wanted answers. Maybe this could explain why he was ignored all of the time, or his requests always being pushed aside by King Regis. Somewhere in the back of his immature mind urged that part, that maybe all of those questions would be answered.
Noctis tugged to turn a lamp on, carefully studying the book and running his hand across the old parchment paper. He studied it with observant eyes. Not wanting to read from page one, Noctis impatiently flipped to page 36. Of course, the page of a new chapter, and finally some coherent words that Noctis could understand.
"Finally." He mumbled in his childlike voice.
Though, maybe there were some things in here he didn't need to know right now.
The King's primary duties focus on protecting his people.
Noctis snickered. Like he didn't know that.
The wall is to be formed by the King, thus protecting the kingdom he so cherishes. With this said, there will be sacrifices.
Sacrifices? Noctis scrunched his nose, reading more closely. Nothing was making sense in his mind; what sacrifices? The kingdom was protected, was that not a good thing?
The thing that must be sacrificed with great deliberateness is a hefty bargain for his people to be under great protection.
Noctis shook his head. How could there be such a big price to pay for doing what is right?
To keep the wall, the King must use his life force.
Noctis' heart sank.
The king will age rapidly, therefore-
Noctis slammed the book shut, holding it in his now shaky hands. His eyes were brimming with tears. He didn't want to hear it. Instead of reading the rest, he would rather retreat and remain blissfully unaware. Noctis fell to the ground, curling up on the floor and whimpering quietly due to the tears now streaming down his shiny blue orbs. He grabbed at his ears with both hands. Why did he have to know this now? His father was going to die-he never should have been so upset because of him, never ever should have been angry at being ignored. He couldn't stand it: he couldn't stand any of it-
"Noct?" -He had grown fond in this past week of calling Noctis by his nickname after developing quite a liking to the kid.
Gladio happened to get ready to head back to his room- thanks to serving the king, he had these privileges- Though, he heard a whimper and some sniffles. Setting his hoodie and bag now to the side, he realized it sounded like a child and called the only child of the royal family's name. "Noct."
Gladio was able to see quite well of Noctis once he turned his head. He walked over, grabbing Noctis' hands against his will and off his ears. Noctis tried to push back down, though Gladio's strength persevered. "Noct," he repeated once more, "c'mon, 'Prince', don't give me none of that."
"G-Gladio.." Noctis' small voice was full of tremors and shakiness. "d-dad's gonna die...h-e's..." His little body made tremors, hugging his knees with the book planted to the ground. "I-I...d-don't get...I..." Noctis hyperventilated and had a sniffle attack, tears dripping down to his chin with his nose running.
Gladio couldn't help but feel a pang of concern; he really couldn't take little kids crying. Maybe it was because of his own little sister, or maybe it was just the prince that he had grown to admire. However, he couldn't help his very soul aching from the clenching sight. "Noct, if you don't stop I'm gonna have to-"
"Please don't call my d-dad!" Noctis sputtered out, sniffling more.
"Alright, then you gotta pipe down. No harm in doing that, right?" Gladio mumbled quietly so there would be less of a chance of anyone in the giant place waking up. He made a zipping motion of his lips with his thumb and his index finger. He bent down on his knees.
"I really don't know what's going on in that head of yours sometimes, kiddo'." He didn't understand what Noctis was crying about, though he grabbed the book as he ruffled Noctis' hair. He had a real soft spot when it came to tears.
"Ah...this book is a real bummer, huh? Kids like you shouldn't be snooping around, ya' understand?" Gladio kept talking in a raspier tone due to being forced to be quiet.
Noctis was forced to oblige, though normally wouldn't have been pleased with being called a kid. "Mmm...Mmm-hmm..." He kept sniffling, Gladio actually having to grab some tissues to keep this kid from crying. He placed a tissue on Noctis' petite red nose.
"C'mon, Noct, don't make me clean up your snot." He made an excuse to stop the kid from crying, though really didn't care if he had to wipe his nose with a tissue- all he wanted was for Noctis to feel better. Noctis made a few muffled whimpering sounds from his nostrils being blocked off, tears making his cheeks all wet. He hyperventilated.
Gladio kept up a concerned expression. He decided to say in his normal volume, "King Regis?-" His eyes narrowed to Noctis with a soft smile, trying to stop Noctis' tears.
Noctis now held his breath so he wouldn't sniffle anymore, cheeks puffed out.
"Good boy," Gladio pulled the tissue away and threw it out in the garbage. Gladio got up now and crossed his arms. "get some sleep, will you? You know your bedtime kid-"
Noctis kept on a rather sad expression now, though it was not for pity.
"-don't give me that look."
Noctis stared at Gladio, a bit dazed as Gladio put the book back in the shelves carefully. He tried to get up, but was so tired to even walk from his small breakdown that he sat back down.
"Stop the hysterics. Get up." Gladio had almost forgotten for a moment how pure the heart of Noctis really was.
"I-I'm sorry...G-Gladio..." Noctis was still a little weak from all this new information whirling around in his head. Tears filled his eyes again. Gladio knew the drill when realization hit him.
In a matter of seconds, Gladio picked Noctis up at the sight of tears threatening to fall once again. "Let's get you to bed, buddy."
"B-But..."
"Shhh. 'Best to be quiet." Gladio's heart warmed at the pureness of Noctis, and his selflessness. At this moment, he realized how much he wanted to protect the prince- even if it wasn't his true job given by the king himself.
Gladio slung Noctis over his toned shoulder, Noctis and his skinny legs dangling as he was moved. Noctis made a few uncontrollable groans as he tried to cease his sniffling once and for all. "But my d-dad and.."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Gladio finally set Noctis down on his bed, walking over to put all of Noctis' schoolwork away, nice and tidy. He stared over at the bed to find Noctis laying down in the same spot the way Gladio had put him down. "am I gonna have to tuck you in, too? Noct..."
"No!" Noctis blabbered, sitting up rapidly and grabbing his bed sheets with a faint blush. Though, he got dizzy again from his now exhausted demeanor, black specks dancing in his vision.
Gladio chuckled at the kid's reaction- as expected from a growing boy that didn't want to be labeled a kid much anymore. Though, he walked over anyways, tucking Noctis in and fluffing his pillow as well. "You alright now?"
Noctis stared at Gladio with a tense expression on his face. From constantly being around the royal family, Gladio knew that expression.
"You can talk."
"Is my dad really..gonna die..."
Gladio sighed at the question coming out of the boy's lips- be blunt or not was the question. Gladio took a seat at the edge of the bed.
"Nothing is guaranteed, kid. Anyone could die at any point in time; not just your old man," Noctis seemed to be in tune with what Gladio was saying, listening intently as he sat up in bed. "all we got is each other in this mess; at least that's guaranteed." He decided not to lie, just to remind the boy that nothing in life was set in stone.
"The book said it, though..."
"Forget the book, Noct. "
"But the book is right! It said it!" Noctis' voice squeaked a little. He looked a little teary again.
Gladio could only sigh. It seemed the kid was set on the facts, damn straight. "Look..." Gladio spread his legs out a little to stay comfortable as he looked at Noctis. "Sure, you're dad is not going to live as long of a life as we all thought he would. But let's make this clear: don't let a stupid little book govern how you're gonna think from now on. Live in the present. Whatever happens? It ain't going to happen tomorrow. Let's look at it that way."
Noctis nodded in agreement. Though, tears still threatened to leak from his eyes.
Damn it... The thought rang through Gladio's head the minute he saw this shattered prince in tears. he's just a little traumatized from what he read about.
After a minute or so Noctis began to speak shakily. "I don't wanna be alone, Gladio."
Gladio chuckled a little at what Noctis said, or at least the way he said it. So immaturely; like a baby. "Yeah?"
"I mean it."
Gladio realized what Noctis meant. He didn't just mean in the near future; he meant now. "I'll stand by you; you got nothing to worry about, alright?"
"-Please stand by me." Noctis repeated Gladio in a sense like a broken record and said it very quickly. Gladio chuckled once more. Just like a child.
"Don't get all emotional on me now, Noct." Gladio leaned over so he could hug the shaking and near teary boy, rubbing his back softly. Noctis' eyes widened at the action, though quickly relaxed against the bigger man, like a teddy bear.
Noctis began to almost cry again, making exasperated, squeaky breaths into Gladio's chest. "Tomorrow, you better toughen up during practice for me, you hear?"
"Mm..."
"And when we're done, I'll make you practice using your sword some more until your beat.."
"M-Mm-hmm.." Noctis was crying from all that has happened today as Gladio spoke.
"and then? Defense practice. Remember, I'm not going easy on you just 'cause your the prince. That doesn't slide in my book."
"O-" Noctis hiccuped in between tears. "O-Okay..."
"...Then you'll really know what it's like to be in your old man's shoes," Gladio continued to speak, since Noctis had stopped responding. "fighting all day, all night, protecting Lucis. You gotta do that one day, you know that? And when the time comes, you bet your ass I'll be right there with you."
No response. "Noct?"
Looks like our little Noctis had finally fallen asleep. When Gladio realized what was going on, his intense glare had turned into a warm expression. He made a bit of a half smile. Though, he couldn't get the kid off of him, and with all this weight, he was now laying in bed with the sleepy boy on him like a leech. Giving up, he turned off the night light near the bed.
This was going to be a long night...
a long night in the the room of little Noctis Lucis Caelum, for that matter.
Haha! Did you guys get the reference now? 'Stand by Me...' Just a little idea I had from listening to the new OST, and of course, the title.
As some of you may notice, this is my first fanfiction on in about 4 years. I am once more new to all of this so...I gave it my best shot. O_O.
Thank you SO much for reading! It means so much to me that you could appreciate my thoughts and ideas typed up! Review if you would like!- they are greatly appreciated!
( PS: If any of my old followers are reading this, or if you think you may recognize me, I was once MyBabysittersAVampireaholic! Sound familiar? Well probably not to some...but it's good to know if any old friends are here. :) )