Get Jiggy With It
Part 4 - It's Time
"Are you certain?" Ignis asked Noct again, almost as if he was afraid that Noct would change his answer.
"Yep." Noct offered, his own nerves rising slightly. "It's time." He added, smiling at Ignis. "Thanks, Iggy." He added before stepping through the doors.
The ballroom had only recently been renovated, it had been deemed safe only a few weeks ago, but was already filled with people in fancy clothing. People were mingling, some dancing, but everybody seemed to be having fun.
Unlike almost every formal event Noctis had ever been to before, he was actually happy and excited to attend this one, even if it was in his honour. Almost every face was familiar to him, people that he'd met along his travels, those that he had helped, and those that had helped him. Iris and Talcott were dancing together, Vyv and Dino were chatting by the bar. Even Sania had managed to make her way to Insomnia.
For the first time, he was at a formal event in the citadel ballroom, surrounded by people he actually liked.
It had been one year to the day since his return, and Ignis had insisted that it would be good for moral to celebrate the return of the dawn as a national holiday. So now, every year, there would be a party in the citadel, complete with fireworks. Unlike every other formal event he'd ever been to, status didn't dictate whether or not you could come. All you needed was an invite, and Noct wouldn't have it any other way.
He dutifully did his rounds, greeting as many as he could as he engaged in small talk for the first hour. Thankfully, most of the people in that room knew that he wasn't much of a talker, and it was a lot more comfortable than any party Noct had ever been to.
Eventually though, he had had enough and needed a break. He made his way to the balcony, closing the door behind him. There, standing in the exact place that he had confessed a year ago, stood Prompto.
"Hey," He greeted his partner as Noct stepped closer.
"Hey yourself." Noct replied, allowing himself to grin. Prompto seemed to always make him feel happier, lighter, just by being there.
He reached out, taking one of Prompto's hands in his own as he stepped closer. He lifted the hand he held to his face, placing a soft kiss on the black glove.
"Oh man," Prompto giggled a little, looking slightly nervous. "That's cheesy dude." He muttered, grinning.
"Oh. Then you're really going to hate what comes next." Noctis smiled lightly at Prompto's suspicious confusion. It wasn't unlike Noct to play some sort of prank on Prompto to make him blush (as payback for all the times Prompto brought up certain subjects just to get Noct to turn red). Prompto was probably expecting some sort of prank.
"Come with me." Noct said quietly, still holding Prompto's hand in the way he was trained to lead a noble lady. He guided Prompto towards the doors, pulling him into the room.
"You gonna ask me to dance?" Prompto asked, "'Cause you know how that will turn out..." Prompto was a terrible ballroom dancer, and no matter how hard both Noctis and Ignis tried to teach him, he never seemed to pick it up.
"No." Noct said, still smiling at Prompto and leading him towards the centre of the room. "This is..." He paused, taking a breath and licking his lips in a sudden bout of nervousness. They reached the middle of the dance floor and Noct turned to face Prompto. "You said..." He cleared his throat, "To ask again in a year..." He stepped close to Prompto, as if to guide him in a dance. His hand was still gripping Prompto's, and his other arm came up to lightly rest on the blond's hip.
He leaned his forehead in, touching Prompto's so that he could speak without being overheard. "I know, it's not quite been a year. But... I want to ask you again."
"What?" Prompto seemed to be confused for a moment, his mouth moving as he formed his thinking face. Noct let him think, let him come to the memory on his own and was rewarded with a deep flush on Prompto's face when he did. "Oh." The word left Prompto's mouth in a small gush of air. "Okay." He said, taking a breath and lifting his head slightly so that he could nod at Noctis. "Okay. Ask."
Noct could see the nervousness in his partner, could feel the slight tremble in his hands. He hoped beyond hope that he was doing the right thing, and that Prompto really meant it when he said to ask. He wasn't too worried about Prompto being nervous, he was nervous himself. This was a big thing, after all, even if he was pretty sure that he knew what the answer would be.
After a moment, he gave a small nod and swallowed before letting go of Prompto's hip. His hand reached into his pocket and he slowly lowered himself down, his left knee resting on the newly polished marble floor.
Distantly, he heard a gasp beside him as one of the guests noticed what was happening. The music went quiet and Noctis opened his mouth, a speech already prepared.
A speech that disappeared from his mind the moment he tried to say it. After a second, he let out a soft chuckle. "Damn." He muttered to himself, "I don't know why I'm so nervous." Prompto gave a small laugh, and gently squeezed the hand that was holding his.
The speech wasn't coming back to him, so Noct decided to do something that he usually wasn't very good at. Lifting his eyes, he looked at his partner, his love, and spoke from the heart.
"Prompto." He started. Well. That was easy enough. "There has never been another person in my life who makes me feel like you do." That sounded good. Keep going. Right. "Nobody else can make me smile like you do, make me laugh like you do. Nobody else has ever managed to capture my heart like you."
Above him, Prompto licked his lips, eyes watering as he listened.
"You are beautiful, inside and out. Your smile lights up my world and your arms heal my pain. With you by my side, I know that there is nothing that I can't accomplish. With you by my side, I will never know loneliness, I will never know despair. Because if you are by my side, I will know only love, joy and companionship, even when the road gets hard."
Prompto was practically crying now, and Noct knew that he wasn't far away. He took a breath and continued, not quite sure where these words were coming from, but knowing that they were true. "But without you by my side, I am incomplete. You make me a better king, a better person, and I want nothing more in this world than to be able to call myself yours."
A deep breath as he lifted the ring box, letting go of Prompto's hand only so that he could lift the lid. "Prompto Argentum." He said, aware of the awe in his own voice. "Will you be, forever at my side, as my husband and equal?" His voice was quiet now, having lost the confidence he'd gained while speaking about Prompto. Now, it was real. The question was asked, it was out there, and waiting for Prompto's answer.
He was aware that the room was quiet now, and that everybody was watching them. He hoped that he hadn't done the wrong thing, by doing this publicly. He'd known that Prompto loved the idea of public displays of affection (that had been one of the hardest things to get used to after getting together), he only hoped that this wasn't too far.
"Noctis." Prompto was speaking quietly, "I already made that vow." He said, speaking only to Noct, "To be ever at your side. I meant it then, and I mean it now. I have always loved you, and I will always love you." He gave a shaky smile, offering Noct his left hand. "As your beloved, and as your husband to be." After a beat, "That was a 'yes', by the way." he muttered.
Noct laughed, removing Prompto's glove so that he could place the ring on his bare finger. As soon as the ring was in place, he stood and pulled Prompto into a deep kiss, pouring all the emotions, the love, that he couldn't say into it. Around him, he could hear the room erupt into cheers and applause as everybody they knew celebrated with them.
"I love you." Noct said against Prompto's mouth, unable to stop grinning.
– – – – – – –
"I am never going to get used to that." Prompto muttered as he threw himself down on the couch in Noct's office. The king was sitting behind the desk, glaring at the ever growing pile of papers in front of him.
"Hmm?" He questioned, flipping a page before dropping it back on the desk with a sigh. He turned his attention fully to his beloved.
"People keep calling me 'Highness' and actually meaning it. Y'know, not just teasing..." Prompto leaned back on the couch, getting himself more comfortable.
"Well..." Noct said, smirking lightly, "Technically you are a prince now." He pointed out. "And when we're married, you'll be a king."
Prompto's eyes widened and he leaned forward to stare at Noct. "Shit." He muttered, "How did I not realise that?" He asked, suddenly looking nervous. "When were you planning on abdicating again?" He asked, almost rhetorically.
"Not for at least another five years." Noct chuckled and stood, stretching his aching back before moving to join Prompto on the couch. "And if we make people wait that long for the wedding, I'm sure there'll be riots." He wrapped an arm around Prompto's shoulders and pulled him close. "So I'm afraid you'll just have to put up with being royalty for a while."
Prompto chuckled, "Who'd've thought it." He muttered, relaxing against Noct. "But seriously dude, you're not gonna make me like... make choices for the kingdom or anything, are you?"
"Sure I am." Noct smirked again, tone only slightly teasing, "You did agree to be my equal, after all."
Prompto groaned softly and buried his head in Noct's neck. "But I don't know the first thing about being a king." He muttered and Noct snorted.
"You think I do?" He asked, "I was supposed to die. Dad thought that would be my destiny. He didn't exactly raise me to rule." He adjusted their positions again so that Prompto was on his lap, held close to his chest. "Which is why, we have Iggy." He told Prompto. "That man is a blessing, I swear."
Prompto chuckled and nodded his agreement. "You're totally going to put him in charge when you step down, aren't you."
Noct laughed, "Planning on it." He admitted, "But only if he wants the job. Whole point of this is choice."
Prompto nodded, closing his eyes and relaxing further. "I love you, Noct." He said quietly.
"I love you, your highness." Noct teased in return.