"You what?"
It was a late afternoon outside of Gladiolus Amicita's home, and training was just about over. Noctis tried to go as often as he could, even after moving out of the Kingdom and getting his own place.
Gladio listened to his friend choke up a little and take numerous broken breaths. Noctis was a little-off, in regards to his skills. It wasn't just a hard fight- Noctis was not putting his all in. Thus, Gladiolus decided to call it quits for a day. He was expecting maybe a leg injury, or maybe something happened to Noct with homework but not-
"You have a friend now?"
Ah, everything clicked. The missing days of training, the smiles out of nowhere, and the phone calls Gladio could never make since the Prince was too 'busy.' He knew for a fact before these few weeks or so that besides his academics, Noctis was never busy. If anything, he assumed maybe he was screwing around once he got out of his own personal prison with his father, but nothing along the lines of pure friendship.
"What can I say?...Guess someone realizes I'm not that bad about playing the Prince card all the time."
"So that's what's been on your mind lately, Noct,"
Gladio took a seat onto the blacktop with his legs crossed. Noctis, meanwhile, was already on the ground. He sat up from where he lie, sitting Indian style as well. "as great as that is, it ain't safe to be stuck in dreamland while I'm poking at you with an axe."
Noctis rubbed the back of his head. He grit his teeth a little as his eyes narrowed from Gladio's. "H-Hey, I just...I'm not daydreaming. He's just a friend, alright? Prompto."
"Oh, it's a he," Gladio teased a little. "sorry, Your Majesty. Thought the only friends you could make were from your fan-base."
"Give it a rest."
"I'm just teasing ya'."
Noctis stretched a little, getting up now. Gladio followed shortly after before giving him a harsh pat on the shoulder. "You tried today. Better come back tomorrow fresh, you hear me?"
"Yeah, yeah...'gotta head over now to the arcade now, though."
Gladio smirked a little, though was in beyond disbelief- without it showing on his face. He couldn't believe the kid was finally growing up and making friends.
It made him proud. From what he could tell, this guy really made Noct happy. That was something important in a friendship. He knew in a few days, Noctis would have processed this whole thing, and would be back to himself in battle. He was probably in just a state of shock from the rather exciting predicament.
"Don't be out too late. Iggy is really gonna kill ya' if he visits your apartment tomorrow morning and you're on your ass." -Tomorrow, Noct had school. He knew RPGS were fun, but he wished Noctis would give it a rest sometimes.
At least he had someone to play them with now.
However, Gladio would have to explain to the King why their training was stopped early. Whenever he saw Noctis, he already had to give him an update on how he was doing, so it was just one more errand.
Once Noctis got going to the arcade, Gladio headed back into the complex, making sure to change back into his clothes he wore on duty. Heading back to his job, he was to leave right before Iris would get home.
No problem, though: he'd see her later.
Grabbing his entrance card for palace admission, he ambled out the door and straight back to work.
...
"Gladio," King Regis greeted.
King Regis was aging, definitely. Not with a cane yet, he still wasn't the exact picture of health. The Wall was starting to take a huge toll, and while Gladio inwardly acknowledged that, he did not voice his opinions out loud.
"Your Majesty," Gladio bowed, at the end of one of the long hallways that led to a meeting room. Every once in a while, him and the King would meet like this. However, the conversation was always bearing along the lines of the heir to the throne.
"you have had training scheduled today for my son. How did it go?" A butler remained behind the King, though paid no heed to the conversation at hand. Right now, Gladio was the one permitted to speak.
Gladio sighed a little at the first question. He always got straight to the point- what did he expect? He made sure to quiet his sigh in front of royalty and instead kept his composure as he normally did.
"We didn't get much done today, Your Majesty."
An apprehensive expression adorned the older man's face. "And why is this," He knew that Gladio was doing his job; all he got out of that sentence was that something was wrong with Noctis. Gladiolus was the son of the King's best shield: he had no doubts about him- not to mention Noct's shield for many years now. "-Noct, is he alright?"
"He's fine: just a little out of it today," he knew that wouldn't be enough to calm the King's worries. If anything, Regis would start to get some ideas that maybe Noctis moving out wasn't a good idea, and then Gladio would have to get lip from him too. "made a friend, something like that." Okay, but the idea of talking to the King one-on-one still made Gladio's nerves escalate. This has been happening weekly since their last training session when Noctis moved out, but it was still one of the most terrifying things for a mere guard.
At those words, Gladio could see some sort of life come out of Regis' eyes. Noctis was always able to ignite a pleasant spark or glimmer in his father, and nevertheless picked up his mood.
"Goodness," Regis made a soft smile, dimples easily shown. "what pleasant news."
"His name's Prompto. Was just heading to the arcade to see him."
Regis couldn't help but laugh. "My apologies," he cleared his throat. He was so glad to hear of this news. Noct would go gaming on a school night. "perhaps a friend will do him good. However..."
Gladio fixed his composure again once he heard Regis beginning to continue- apparently on a more serious note.
"I would like for him to join me for dinner then tomorrow-with his friend."
Gladiolus choked back a laugh. "Dinner?" Gladio felt a pair of eyes glare at him- the butler's. He cleared his throat. "I-I mean: Dinner? Correct me if I'm wrong, Your Majesty, but Prompto is a friend."
"A friend is all he needs to be for I to intervene."
No wonder Noct left the nest while he still could. Gladio began to realize just how overprotective His Majesty could be.
Once their meet was over, Gladio decided to meet with Ignis and implore him of the rather comical news. Of course, he knew Noctis wouldn't be thrilled.
To be honest, Gladio didn't want to be the one to break it to him.
He could tell Regis was cooking up some kind of plan with this new friend- and whatever it was...
let's just say Gladio was worried if the friendship was going to last.
...
"D-Dude, look!"
The arcade screen splashed in several bright colors, the caption reading 'VICTORY.' Prompto blew his fake gun in his hand as if there was actual smoke coming out of it with a boasting attitude.
"You see that, Noct? I'm legendary."
"A legendary doofus, that's for sure." Noctis commented with a hand on his hip and a half smile.
Prompto continued to hold the fake gaming gun as he flailed his arms, not defeated just yet. "Come on, come on! I'm serious! Tell me, who gets a high score like that? I'll be on the leaderboards for months!"
"Not too shabby I guess," says Noct, grabbing the fake gun out of Prompto's hand- and against his will. "let me have a try."
"Is that a challenge coming from our Prince?"
And when Noctis would have responded, a voice came from behind and an-
"Quite a challenge indeed."
In response, Prompto shrieked, jumping behind Noctis instantaneously like a damsel in distress. "Ah! Creepy guy with glasses! Noct, Noct, bash him with the gun- it will hold up!"
Noctis, being flailed around by the waist like a rag doll from the shouting Prompto, grit his teeth. "Hey, stop, it's fine! It's-..."
Noctis finally got a good look at the man in front of him.
"..-Ignis."
" I am no stranger. Is this your friend, Noct?" Ignis fixed his specs and pushed his bangs back.
"...Yeah?" Noctis crossed his arms, Prompto brave enough now to move away. "How the hell did you know I was here?"
"I had a hunch." Ignis lied smoothly, just to keep Gladio out of the equation for his sake.
After his intros, he eyed Prompto with an observant stare. Even Prompto froze when he felt the eyes on him. He was too stiff, Prompto was thinking to himself. Why was he so serious?
"Ignis Scientia-" Ignis bowed to Prompto as a form of introductory. "I am an advisor to the Prince of Lucis."
"Hehe-wow, Noct, you got it made back home, huh? You being royalty and all?"
"Y-Yeah, well..." Noctis looked away with a bit of an embarrassed dust of red to his cheeks. He really didn't like to talk too much about his royal status so he could just be average friends with someone.
Prompto held his hand out to Ignis. "H-Hello! I'm Prompto! And-uh-I go to school with His Majesty and-"
"Come on," Noctis drawled out, sighing. "I told you, you don't have to call me that."
"Oh, r-right! Sorry, just a little nervous is all-"
"Right; I recall you being on the class list of Noct's. Prompto Argentum, correct?"
Prompto was dumbfounded.
"Anyways, I have a request from His Majesty."
"Why didn't I just guess," Noctis crossed his arms. Regis would take every chance he would get to find out how Noctis was doing. "what is it now?"
Ignoring the Prince's attitude and disregarding it as his hormonal teenage years, Ignis continued. "He has discovered news of 'Prompto', and would like to have dinner with you and him throughout the evening of tomorrow."
"Wha...?" Prompto chimed in. "Dinner with the King? With me?"
"What a load of crap," Noctis argued to Ignis, shaking his head. "this is embarrassing-why does he feel the need to-"
"He's worried...about you, Noct."
Noctis fell silent. He grit his teeth for a moment, but then relaxed. His shoulders lowered, and his face held less intensity. He took a deep breath.
"I-I mean...I guess...I'll go."
"Uh, dude?" Prompto waved a hand in Noct's face. "And me too! I wanna' meet your dad?!"
"Why, yes: the dinner would be of no use if your new friend didn't tag along."
Noctis' eyes met the floor, pursing his lips in thought. He put the gamer gun back into it's rightful holder, before immersing himself back into the conversation. He did it solemnly: he needed a chance to think.
"Dinner it is," he mumbled.
He was worried sick: his dad was going to ruin everything. All of the questions he would ask Prompto, the inquisitive-ness, the constant staring- if Prompto didn't leave the friendship after this encounter, he would be crazy.
Once Ignis left the scene, Noctis felt a whole other form of anxiety. Not the adrenaline excitement form of anxiety while playing Justice Monsters II- no, he felt sick.
"Hey: need to uh..." Prompto noticed Noctis looking down. "take a breather?"
Noctis nodded, walking away from the arcade games. "Think so." He walked to the bench which was right outside of the gaming hall. Prompto, rather reluctantly ( he wanted to earn a new high score), was close behind.
Plopping down, Noctis held his hands together in worry.
"Noct?"
"Yeah?"
"I can tell; you...don't seem happy about this, huh."
"Why would I be? I.." For the first time, Noctis would be venting to Prompto.
"-Just wanted things to be normal once I moved out."
Noctis moved his clammy hands to rub them against his clothed lap, feeling them a little sweaty. After the last fun few weeks with Prompto, he really didn't want to go back to the way things were before.
Prompto watched Noctis' actions, before chuckling. "Dude, chill-ax. What's the worst that could happen?"
"I-... don't know," Noctis put his hand in his lap before shaking his head.
Though, he didn't want to put all of his problems on Prompto, that's for sure. He still wanted tonight to be fun before they had to sit in a classroom for six hours again tomorrow.
"the hell is wrong with me? You're right,"
"this is nothing." He attempts to dismiss the situation at hand.
"Mm-hmm!" Prompto got up. "So, think you can beat my high score before it gets too dark out, grasshopper?"
Noctis, after taking a deep breath, laughed a little under his breath. "You bet I can," Noctis got up after Prompto.
"once we're through with this, you'll be hearing me say 'grasshopper'."
"Ouch! Burn," Prompto smirked.
"Or, at least that's what'll happen when you see my suh-preme shooting skills."
Prompto ran back into the arcade and was ready to fight with Noctis for the gun controller.
"Hey, wait up!"
"Why, you mad bro?"
"Damn you, Prompto!"
And no matter what would happen the next day, the night before was filled with fun.
Hope you guys liked it so far! :) Tell me what you think!