It's All in the Wrists
Chapter 2: Drowning in Moonlight
"Prompt…Prompt…" Prompto blinked blearily as he was slowly shook, trying to shift away from the offensive distraction from his sleep. "Come on man...wake up…" He knew that voice. He grumbled as he shoved the king away from him.
"G'way Noct," He somehow managed, covering his head in the blanket as he tried to once more slip into oblivion.
"Prompto…" The shaking didn't stop, and Prompto wished the King of Lucis bodily harm. "Hey...I know you're not exactly a morning person, but I need you for something."
"S'not morning…" Prompto protested, eyes still shut tight, actually whining when he was yanked hard, Noctis shifting to sit on his stomach. "Noct...what the fuck?" He finally gave in, uncovering his face slowly to look at the clock. "It's 3:00 in the morning!"
"Ssshhh!" Noctis hissed at his outburst. "Do you want to wake up Ignis and Gladio?" He asked him, covering his mouth with his hand.
Prompto bit ruefully at that hand, causing Noctis to pull away with a grunt. "I actually would, yeah? Maybe they could make you go back to bed?" He offered a solution. "I need my beauty rest."
"You're beautiful enough," Noctis assured him, and Prompto's surliness faded a little at that sweet tone that made him give in to literally anything. Noctis hadn't been able to keep his hands to himself after dinner, and around midnight he had finally convinced him to go to bed.
"I hate you right now," He managed, pulling Noctis down close. Maybe if he laid on him the spazz would actually go to sleep. Really, they called him the hyper one.
"Not right now babe...we can cuddle later. Come on...let's go on our date." Prompto glared at that. "What?"
"Did I mention the part where it's 3:00 in the morning?" Prompto asked his friend. "Oh and that their are daemons lurking around everywhere in the dark?"
His chest hitched then as Noctis leaned in, his beautiful pale face illuminated by the moonlight cascading in from the window. Prompto half whined as his lips were claimed in their first real kiss since Lestallum. His eyes had shut again as Noctis pulled back, their breath lingering and close.
"I'll protect you," He whispered, kissing him softly once more. "I wouldn't ever let anything happen to you."
Prompto rolled his eyes legs, wrapping around Noctis's waist as he flipped them over. "Dude...you have got to stop that. I am not Luna...you don't need to romance me." He said, shoving at Noctis's face at the pouty frown. "Okay...We will go on your stupid date."
"Our stupid date," Noctis corrected, seemingly perfectly comfortable lying underneath him. "Why are you so against me being nice to you, Prompto?"
"Because you decided two days ago that you wanted to sleep with me and have officially lost your mind. That's why." Prompto said right back.
"If you two jackasses do not get out of this room within the next 30 seconds then I will personally kick your asses!" Gladioulus growled, and a pillow came flying at Prompto's head as he ducked just in time. "Get the fuck out!"
"Ah Gladio! Don't be so grumpy!" Noctis cried, rolling Prompto off him to bounce over to his bodyguard's bed. "Prompto is the only one that's allowed to be cranky in the morning."
"It's not morning!' Gladio growled out, fighting with the king as they tossled in the bed. Prompto rolled his eyes as he grabbed for his jeans, pulling them over his skinny hips. "I'm going to murder you!"
"Gladio don't be that way!" Noctis cried out, laughing the whole time. Prompto held his breath as the person in the last bed stirred, because he knew there was only one person in this room that hated mornings almost as much as he did.
"Noct...hey Noct…" He tried before that body shot up and turned on the light, causing everyone to freeze.
"May I ask what you're doing awake at this hour?" Ignis asked, and Noctis gulped underneath Gladio's arm.
"Ig...I'm sorry...Prompto was being loud…"
"I was not!" Prompto shot with, but quieted as Ignis's piercing eyes landed on him. "We're very sorry Ignis...We're going to go stretch our legs, right Noct?" Noctis nodded enthusiastically as he wiggled away from Gladio.
The king's eyes became almost glazed as Prompto zipped up the vest over his bare stomach, not bothering to get fully dressed. Prompto looked away at the scrutiny, shifted to turn away as he headed out.
Prompto whistled as they got out of the room, turning to look at the Lucian. "You almost got us killed back there!"
"Gods I know...I have goosebumps from that haunting look." They both laughed, and he glanced at Noctis's light hearted face. This had always been easy between them, hadn't it? Noctis had accepted him into the best friend roll since the moment he had stopped hiding and finally introduced himself to Noct. "Oh no, what?"
"What?" Prompto asked right back, seeing Noctis frowning now.
"What's the matter? I can see those wheels in your head turning. You forget I made an unhealthy habit of watching you."
"As creepy as that is…" He started, even though he knew he wasn't one to judge. He had done very much the same thing. "Nothing is the matter. I was just thinking…" He heard the audible groan from Noctis. "We're best friends man...maybe we shouldn't mess that up."
Noctis tapped his foot as he crossed his arms, a stance he reserved when he was talking to someone that particularly annoyed him. Gladio referred to it as his haughty prince stance. He moved his hands, as if weighing two decisions in his head, mulling them back and forth before those piercing blue eyes looked up at him. Oh no…
Prompto didn't even have a chance to run as Noctis lunged at him, and damn the asshole for being so nimble on his stupid warping feet. "Gah!" He yelled as he was lifted like he was nothing and flung over Noctis's shoulder like he was a sack of potatoes. "Noctis Lucis Caelum!" He screeched as Noctis spanked him. "Put me down right now!"
"No." Was the simple reply as the king started walking out towards the beaches surrounding Galdin Quay where they had stopped for the night. He held onto the struggling blond's hips, squeezing his ass a little more than necessary as they dredged across the sand. "Oh keep it up blondie...all that squirming is just getting me hot and bothered."
"You would be into restraint, pervert!" Prompto shot back, trying to knee Noctis in the chin and ruin that perfect bratty face of his.
"Keep that talk up and I might have to go get my handcuffs," Noctis teased, laughing as he spanked him again...and that was just...well it wasn't pissing him off near as much as he would like. In fact...it was...oh no he would never admit it was sexy. That kind of thing is reserved for badly written fad novels.
"Oh shit…" He heard Noctis mutter, and before he could even ask 'what?' he saw a blue flash as Noctis warped away. Prompto yelled as he fell forward into the ground, smashing his nose and ending up with a mouthful of sand.
Prompto managed to pick himself up, spitting as he turned to where Noctis had disappeared to see him cutting his way through a pack of giant crabs. He seemed to be having the time of his life as he flipped through the air, and Prompto knew that he was. This is where his king came most alive, in battle. His blood sang with the call of battle. He reached towards his pants, pulling out his pistol as he pushed his way to his feet to help out. There was no need though. Noctis sent the last one flying onto his back with a flip, disappearing the weapon and turning to Prompto with a smug grin.
"Didn't I tell you I'd protect you?" He asked, rubbing his dark spikes.
"Didn't I tell you that I don't need you to?" Prompto asked right back.
"Did you?" Noctis asked curiously.
"I might have," Prompto replied, shrugging. "I at least thought it in my mind, which is basically the same thing, right?"
"Basically," Noctis agreed with him, before leaning down and ripping at the crab he had just slain.
The blond made a face as he came over to inspect just what in the hell the king was doing. "Yeesh…" He said in disgust as Noctis ripped the legs off, exposing the meaty underbelly.
"Hungry?" Prompto almost gagged as Noctis took a bite of the freshly dead catch...very freshly dead.
"You're disgusting…" He managed.
"What?" Noctis asked around a mouthful of premium crab meat. "Is poor little Prompto too good to eat my cooking? He needs to have Ignis cook all his meals for him like a pampered little pooch?" He teased, grinning around another mouthful. "Come on...It tastes salty like the ocean."
"Your face tastes salty like the ocean…" Prompto grumbled under his breath. Wait, what did that even mean? He sighed. "First of all...you didn't cook that. You know how I know that?" He asked the grinning king. "It isn't burnt. Second...You just barbarically ripped into a creature...maybe it put me off my appetite?"
Noctis rolled his eyes as he ripped out more meat, offering it to the blond. "Just try it you big baby. Even I'm not this picky."
"You're way pickier! You won't eat a carrot, but you will rip into something that you don't even know where it's…" He choked as meat was forced into his mouth, and he blushed at the dirty euphemisms that filled his head at that thought. He forced himself to chew the tender flesh, and Noctis was right, it did taste like the ocean.
They settled down to one of the strangest dinners Prompto had ever eaten. They picked at the crab meat as the ocean lapped against the sand, shining like diamonds underneath the stars. They ate in relative silence, never being the type to have to fill the silence with conversation. Though...that didn't mean he wasn't curious.
"Say we do date…"
"We're already dating," Noctis corrected with finality, and Prompto rolled his eyes.
"Say we do...what does that look like?" He asked. "What if we break up...or you realize you don't want me after you've had me?" He asked, heart stopping at the question that may have been his greatest fear.
"Don't be an idiot, Prompto," Noctis murmured with exasperation, cleaning his hands in the water. "That's not going to happen. Do you think I haven't asked myself all of those same questions? I have...I have replayed every scenario in my head a million times, and it never matters."
"What never matters?" Prompto asked, studying those closed off features.
"The risks," Noctis said, as if it were obvious. "It never matters, because I end up with you."
"In your daydreams," Prompto murmured, but his body was doing that thing again where it got all hot and tingly. He was almost positive Noctis didn't realize what the things he said did to him.
Noctis sighed. "Prompt...We will make it work, and if it doesn't you're my best friend. That will always be the case." He reached out, sliding his damp fingers through blond spikes. "Look at me Prompto." He did, despite how dangerous it was to look into those hauntingly blue depths. "You're my best friend. Gladio and Ignis came on this mission with me because they had to, and yes, they're my friends too, but you came because you wanted to." He smiled at him. "You're here completely unselfishly to help me do something that will tear you up inside, but it doesn't matter...because you'd do anything for me."
"Not because you're the King," Prompto urged, not wanting Noctis to think he was a sycophant.
"No," Noctis agreed softly. "Not because I'm the King...not even because I was the Prince. You've never looked at me like I was. That day we met and I pulled you up...you've looked at me like I was a person. No one ever does." He leaned in to kiss those blond spikes. "That's why it won't go wrong between us, don't you see?"
He rarely saw anything beyond his king. "I see." He whispered his reply, and he leaned in to kiss those chapped lips, initiating this one as he crawled forward, pushing Noctis back on the sand. The king caught himself with one elbow, welcoming Prompto onto his lap as his free hand slid down the blond's back. Prompto sighed into the kiss as he cupped Noct's face, angling his own to slide his tongue questioningly against those lips. He was only too happy to serve once Noctis gave his permission and slightly parted his mouth.
Noctis sat up, sliding both his hands up Prompto's back as their kiss deepened, drinking each other in as the waves crashed against the shore. Prompto's gloved hands slid into dark unruly hair, kissing with a passion he didn't even realize he could feel. Gods...who knew Noctis could kiss like this? This was different than the clumsy fumbling one that had shared on top of the power plant. This was all skill. He was shaking as he finally pulled away for breath, blond lashes fluttering as he looked down into those impossibly blue eyes.
Prompto bit his lip nervously. "Was this your plan? Take me out to this romantic beach...feed me delicacies, and seduce me?" He asked, punctuating his statement with another soft kiss.
Noctis pulled Prompto back, grinning up at him, letting the blond tilt his head back as his gloved fingers were still tangled in his hair. "It wasn't actually. I told you...I wanted to take your picture." Noctis reached up, pulling Prompto's bottom lip out from between his teeth. "If you don't stop doing that I won't be able to control myself."
Prompto laughed at that. "Do you listen to yourself at all when you say these cheesy lines?"
"I'm trying to be sexy for you, ass!" Noctis growled, pouting as he flipped them around in the sand.
"Well you're not sexy...you sound like the lead character of a romance novel. Like you're some guy in a see through shirt and tight leather pants about to swoop me away on a horse." Prompto was laughing so hard he couldn't breathe. "How do all those bimbos fall for this crap!?"
"They think I'm charming," Noctis interjected, face flushed with embarrassment.
"Prince Charming…" Prompto was actually cackling at this point. "Holy crap you could not be more cliched if you tried!" He coughed as for the second time that night he ended up with sand in his mouth. This time, however, it had come from Noctis shoving a handful in his face. He choked as he grabbed a handful himself, lobbing it at that stupid perfect face.
They ended up wrestling in the sand...but not like, sexy wrestling which he would have liked. No, at one point Prompto ended up with his head buried in the sand with his arm stretched behind his back. "Tap out you little brat or I'll make you eat your way out of this." He said. "Think about that….a big ole block of sand in your belly! You'd literally be shitting rocks."
Prompto found he couldn't argue this point, reaching behind with his one free hand and tapping at Noct's hip. He gasped as he was let up, gasping for air as he coughed up mouthfuls of wet sand, shaking like a dog to try to get it out of his hair. "You say the sexiest things Noct." He told him between choking coughs.
"Don't act like you didn't deserve that," Noctis grumbled as he fell back in the sand, panting and exhausted. "So mouthy...It's a wonder anyone puts up with you."
"I think you like putting up with me," Prompto assured him between pants. "Get up." He told the king, grabbing for him to help. "We have to wash the sand off...it'll get all over the bed sheets and then Ignis will throw a fit."
"That's what maids are for," Noctis grumbled, giving Prompto exactly zero help as he tried to pull him to his feet.
"And you called me the brat!" Prompto growled, giving up as he fell back on top of Noctis. "Honestly, you're ridiculous." But he didn't fight the transition, shifting to make himself more comfortable as he laid on Noct's chest. The king for his part seemed to be enthralled in the stars, eyes out of focus as he stared up. He did, however, wrap an arm around Prompto, fingers playing with blond spikes.
"Do you think that's where the Guardians came from?" He asked him softly, voice childlike with wonder. "Do you think they came down from the sky to help us fight the daemons?"
Prompto's hand slid up that warm chest as he thought about it. "No. I think the demons and guardians of the world all come from the same place...I think men ruined everything in this world. I think they created the monsters, and then created even bigger monsters to cover their mistake."
"That's very cynical of you," Noctis pointed out, kissing the top of his head. "You're usually so positive."
"It has nothing to do with positivity," the blond tried to explain. "It's more...knowing that there is darkness in almost everyone's heart."
"I don't think there's any darkness in your heart," Noctis argued.
"Maybe you just don't know everything about me?" Prompto suggested, and felt his wrist itching with the secret lying just underneath the band.
"I'd like to think I know you pretty well." Noctis murmured. "You think too much, always worried you're not good enough. You are, I assure you. You're perfect."
Prompto chuckled against Noct's chest. "And you're blind to my flaws," He said teasingly.
"Maybe." Noctis said after a pause. "Doesn't mean it's not true." Prompto didn't know when he had gotten so sleepy, but he found his eyes drifting shut.
"What was it you wanted to take a picture of?" Prompto found himself drowsily asking, enthralled with the smell of cologne on Noct's t-shirt.
"It doesn't matter. We can do it later...sleep Prompt." He sighed as another kiss was pressed on his head. He had never felt so content in his life than he did here, listening to both the waves and the beating of his king's heart, as if just that alone could convince him that he would always stay breathing. That this quest they were on to reclaim Insomnia...it wouldn't kill them all in the end.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Prompto was having a very good dream. A very...very good dream that involved a certain king of his dreams in between his legs licking...well...licking. Wait, licking? The blond grumbled as he shoved at the wet tongue slathering his face. "Noct get off!" He grumbled, shifting in the sand. He was met with laughter...but not the Lucian King's.
He opened up one bleary eye and realized who was laughing and why. The licking he had been experiencing was coming from Umber, and the laughing from Ignis. "Ig, what are you doing out here?" He was too tired to be embarrassed about just assuming that Noctis had been licking his face, and shifted to a sitting position to look over at Ignis, gladly accepting the godsend of the coffee he seemed to magically produce. "You're a lifesaver, really? I worship at your feet Ignis."
"You're too kind, Prompto." Ignis murmured and took a seat next to him on the beach. The beach that Prompto noticed was very devoid of the man he had fallen asleep on top of. "He's fishing," Ignis informed him, as if reading the desperate nature of his searching gaze. "Umbra arrived this morning with a message from Lady Lunafreya." Either he missed the way Prompto winced, or thankfully chose to ignore it. Ignis, ever the tactful guy.
Prompto shook his head, burying it in his knees. "Oh? So he's thinking of a reply?"
"You know how the King tends to overthink his replies back to his fiance." This time Prompto knew he saw him wince, because he backtracked. "I apologize Prompto, I realize that might not be what you want to hear."
"It's the truth though, isn't it?" Prompto asked right back, shifting his face to look at Ignis. "She's his fiance...they're going to get married." He sighed. "And I'm the idiot that is making googly eyes at him."
"I'm fairly certain he's also making googly eyes at you." Ignis reminded him. "This isn't one sided between the two of you. It's just…"
"Doomed to fail?" Prompto suggested. "Yeah...I know." He murmured moodily. "I'm a commoner...and a guy...and Lunafreya is beautiful and perfect for him." He motioned to Umbra. "And they've been in love and passing notes back and forth since they were children."
Prompto felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and smiled at his friend. "You mustn't give up quite so easily. Noctis wouldn't risk finally admitting his feelings to you only to ruin the friendship between you. I just think it's complicated."
"Meaning I'm going to be his dirty mistress?" Prompto grumbled. "Or what? What's the other alternative?"
"Lucis is going to be a new world when we get it back, right?" Ignis asked, rubbing those blond spikes in comfort. "Maybe it will have new rules."
Prompto smiled, leaning in and hugging Ignis before pulling away and standing up. He grunted as he stretched, his vest riding up his stomach. "I would not suggest sleeping on sand any time soon. It does awful things to your back."
"I'll keep that in mind for whenever I manage to have a romantic rendezvous to the beach." Ignis promised, motioning to the dock. "Maybe the king caught us breakfast?"
"Doubtful," Prompto laughed. "You know...he really kind of sucks at fishing." He said with a wink, causing Ignis to laugh again. "C'mon boy...let's go wish the moody king good morning." Umbra gave a bark in reply, and they took off to the pier.
"We need to get on the road after breakfast!" Ignis called after him, causing Prompto to wave behind his back.
"Yeah yeah...I'll get him and we'll go." He picked up the pace, finally nearing the pier. The fishing pole was sitting unnoticed in the water while Noctis sat on the edge with one foot dangling over the edge as he read through the book.
A painful stab of something filled his stomach that he was sure had nothing to do with the crab from a few hours ago. No, he was quite aware of this feeling. It happened a lot around Noctis. Everyone gravitated around the King. His aura was like no one he had ever met before. He was destiny made flesh. He was the king of kings, and he could have anyone. Why he had chosen to try to date him he had no idea. Noctis was too good for him.
What was he doing? Was he really deluding himself into thinking that they could actually do this? Three dates? Three dates and then what? Once he gave Noctis what he wanted then he would leave him like he did all of those girls...or guys...who could keep track with Noct? Maybe though, maybe it would be worth it. Maybe he could resign himself to just this little bit of time with him. There was always a time limit, right? Once Noctis found out what he was...who he was...well, that would be that, right? So in the meantime he should take all he could get from the person he adored.
"Writer's block?" He asked the king as he came up behind him, sinking down to wrap around that thin body, legs wrapping around his waist as he laid his chin on his shoulder. "Did she say she was excited to see you?" He asked, and was met with a sneer.
"What are you doing?" Noctis asked him, and Prompto assumed he meant the touching so he went to pull away. Noctis actually growled at him at that, grabbing both of his knees to keep him where he was. He leaned down, kissing Prompto's knee through the hole in his jeans. "I didn't mean that…like I would be mad at you finally initiating the touching." He rolled his eyes. "I meant pretending to give me advice on Luna. Why in the world would you be giving me advice?"
"I always have," Prompto said, not understanding. "I'm your best friend."
"You're my boyfriend," Noctis assured him. "You are my everything...and you don't need to pretend to give me relationship tips when I know it's driving you crazy." He leaned in to kiss him. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up...I just have no idea what to say back. I can't tell her in this book Prompt," He tried. "It has to be in person."
"Noct...relax." He said, and he wouldn't dare admit to himself just how much that last statement had meant to him. "We can cross their bridge when we come to it."
"People always just say that when they know something bad is in store for the future." Noctis grumbled with a frown.
Prompto laughed at that, because he had never heard a truer statement. "That's very much accurate, but it doesn't change the fact that we can't do anything about it now. So why don't you just write… 'I miss you, and I'll see you soon.'?" He suggested, burying his face in Noctis's neck, as if he could memorize that spicy scent and the sea.
"You're too good of a person, Prompto." Noctis murmured, writing down what he was told. "For the record, if the situations were reversed I wouldn't be near so nice." He assured him. "Remember the guy you were seeing in the 11th grade?"
A blond eyebrow raised. "Danny? The one with the big...brain." He said, coughing to cover up his near slip.
Noctis glared at him though, gripping his chin as those blue eyes turned to fire. "Yeah, that one." He said darkly. "I told him he had to leave Insomnia or I would have him arrested and thrown in jail."
"You did what!?" Prompto burst out with, and the nonchalant way Noctis shrugged made him want to hit him.
"I didn't like the way he looked at you...and I didn't want him touching you." The king murmured as if that were the most normal thing in the world and not completely batshit crazy.
"Oh yeah?" Prompto asked. "And what about all the men and women you have been picking up at all these stops?" He asked moodily.
"Those were practice," Noctis defended. "You want me to be able to please you, right? Now I know exactly how to touch you to make you…"
"You hypocrite!" Prompto growled, and he wanted to hit Noctis at the way he once more shrugged.
"Well I did tell you that you were being entirely too nice…." The dark haired king tried to reason.
Prompto could see no reason anymore though, not after that. He grabbed the front of Noctis's vest, pulling him close. "You stink your highness...maybe you should take a bath!" He yelled and threw Noctis as hard as he could into the ocean. He glared as he sputtered and emerged from the water. "Ignis said we need to go." He managed angrily, before stomping back to the camper. Stupid...selfish...hypocritical...jealous...fool of a king!
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