Beta read by: SinikkavonWolperting, istoleyourcheesecake, and DragonRiderSayomi
Have a tumblr for any who has info that would be helpful to this stuff.
And sorry for the wait, the next one should be done quicker than this one should. But, I've been socializing a lot more than usual and was mostly home to sleep.
Bagpipes5K2: Yeah, I'm not sure exactly how they go about things, but know for serious infections that result in these things, they do make 100% certain they get all of the bad bits just so they don't risk anything. Not sure if it would really require that much though, I'm mostly just assuming. Info on this stuff is harder to come by than I thought it would be. lol Oh yeah, there will be a ton of emotional fallout, lots of blame and grief, and maybe even a bit of confusion, but it will get worked out at some point. Just hope I can portray all of that well enough when it comes to that.I think if it weren't for the fact that it's his job to keep things together, he'd have broken a bit more by now, and Gladio still has a few more of those moments to come. ;w; I had to have her give him something, she's just the type to do something like that. XD She did give Noct a moogle after all. He'll have someone to talk to and work things out with at least, which is better than sulking alone, and you better believe they'll be more on top of things like antibiotics now. ;D I can't even imagine what it would be like after something like this...especially for someone like him who always wants to move around. But...eventually.
websky: XD Well, trying my best to back this one with as much emotion as I possibly can. OwO And that one I've been using was a sketch I did before writing anything; I was just too lazy to draw different ones. lol
TheSleepingSloth: He's doing his little best. ;w; Of course, I'm tired of things just healing up thanks to potions. They're useful, but the sap the potential out of concepts real fast sometimes. There will be a few situations, and lots of emotions rolling high. Hoping to turn this into a bit of a roller coaster. XD And I wish I could be more like Ignis. I'm the exact opposite, never knowing what to do, or how to deal with certain scenarios. While he can just think of the solution on the spot. Gladio...poor guy. His head is in the right place, but he just needs a bit of work on his people skills. You flatter me. ^/^ I'll keep trying my best to improve as much as I can. What is your first language, if you don't mind me asking, because I honestly thought it was English. I mean, it sounds pretty natural to me.
He took a deep breath for about the fiftieth time within the last hour, and that wasn't even an exaggeration. Shakily, he released it slowly, followed closely by a small wince. His eyes refused to look away, both mortified and intrigued by the sight. A morbid interest, sure, but it was still there. It all felt so surreal, and deep down he supposed he refused to accept that this is his new reality. Prompto blinked heavily, leaving his eyes closed on the third one as he leaned his head back. A tight and pained groan leaked out in the process.
"Does it hurt?" Noctis asked, almost as soon as he heard the sound of discomfort. He turned his head to his right, but kept his vision shielded. There was no reply; it was a stupid question, and he didn't feel the need to answer that one. But, he did at least offer a hum to let the other know he was heard.
That sound swiftly morphed into another pained whine as he disregarded his own pride and used the chocobo plush as a means to tolerate it. He had to resort to biting down on his lip as well, to the point where he was afraid he'd draw blood. "If it's that bad, then jus-"
"I'm good," he interrupted, abruptly and curtly. "I-I can deal with it," his tone fluctuated, struggling to hold its firmness. Once the wave subsided, he peered through one glossy orb to see the concerned expression on his friend's face. Breathing in deeply through his nose, he did his best to give a reassuring smile, but the gesture was never returned.
"Prompto, now isn't the time to be stubborn," Gladio cut in, finally speaking after sitting silent for so long. "If it's hurting, then take the painkillers."
"I've already had some," he blurted out hastily, his voice small. And by some, he meant the small amount they wouldn't allow him to go without. He could feel the larger man's piercing embers stabbing right through him, but he was adamant on the subject. "I'm fine," he added, softer, "I promise." His grip on the stuffed animal loosened as the throbs went through their pattern and finally dulled into something more tolerable once more.
He ignored the silent scoff; he kind of had no choice from the nausea surfacing. What's worse was, he couldn't tell if it was from the little bit of narcotics he had, or if it was from the pain. Either way, it wasn't too intense, but still something he'd rather do without.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Ignis shift as he crossed his legs and leaned back in his seat. He had almost forgotten him and Ignis were still here from how quiet they were. Then again, for the last five or so hours, they hadn't move nearly an inch, so it was easy for their presence to slip the mind. He wasn't sure they had left once since they had gotten there, but he was out the majority of the time anyway.
Prompto could feel a bead of sweat trail down the side of his face, and he swiftly swiped it away. Why was still so damn hot in here!? Or, he thought so, but looking to the others, he saw that they appeared to be rather comfortable. Iris had even inherited her brothers jacket as she had it wrapped around herself. Yet, here he was sweating with his cover half off, fighting the urge to rip it off the rest of the way. His chest clenched at the remembrance of the exact reason he left the cover where it was. 'Out of sight, out of mind, right?' he thought to himself, his free hand grasping at the sheet.
Ignis caught the action, but chose not to comment on it. He did, however, vocalize his concerns on the blond's determination of refusal. "It's clearly causing a lot of problems for you," he said under his breath. "And, I know for a fact, it'd benefit you to take something. There's no use in being miserable when there's another option."
The gunner was silent for some time, mulling it over until another sharp flame ran through his thigh, and if that chocobo were a livin thing… "Alright," he bit out between clamped teeth. For a moment, he didn't think everyone heard him, so he spoke a little louder. "Fine, I'll -ake it," his words hitched and his body tensed. A few tears prickled at the corners of his eyes, but he never let them escape.
Well, the others got what they wanted, but they weren't sure how to react to the sudden change of heart. "I'll go get someone then," Iris offered, sparing not a single second in her hunt for a staff member.
Once this second wave dissipated, Prompto was left taking in shallow breaths through his nose, his jaw seemingly locked shut. Not to mention, he was positive it was even hotter in here now after that episode. His left hand inched down over his thigh in an attempt to alleviate some of the agony, stopping the moment it came into contact with the sensation of rough gauze. There was no willing his fingers to continue their travels once he felt that.
Swiftly, as if burned, he snatched his hand away, recieving a few odd glances from the others. If he hadn't already done this about two times before this, they would have been a little more alarmed by such a violent movement. He shuddered involuntarily, knowing he'd have to come to terms with it sooner rather than later. There was no way around it, and there was a small pang of anger at that realization. It was mostly directed at himself, although it was bouncing onto other things as well. Things he hated to consider being at fault, but they still found their way into his head.
His attention snapped up as someone entered, a soft expression on her face. She strolled in and silently made her way over to his right side where all the drips were. "So, you finally decided it actually hurts?" she asked light-heartedly. With the lack of a response, she quickly carried out what it was she came to do and upped the dosage by a small amount. "Alright, it's not a lot more, and if you want it upped again, or think that's too much, then let someone know and we'll take care of it." That being said, she made sure he didn't need anything else before departing.
It didn't even have a chance to enter his system effectively yet, and already he could feel the regret of this choice deep down. "This is gonna suck," he muttered, mostly to himself, but the others still heard it plainly.
"Only if you believe it is," Gladio grunted. "Don't think about it, and I'm sure it won't be as bad as you expect." Unexpectedly, there was no mocking in his words, and to say Prompto was a little taken aback by that would have to be an understatement. "Trust me, the mind can do some weird things."
The blond just nodded, trying his best to relax while he could, before another torturous session could assault him. Clearing his throat, he leaned his head back as the tempting tickles of sleep glanced over him from afar. He let out a short and quiet yawn, hoping the others didn't notice. Unbeknownst to him, he wasn't quite as slick as he liked to believe; he had four pairs of eyes giving him the same look. One that said, 'Stop fighting it already.'
"It's fine if you're tired ya'know," Noctis half shrugged. "It's getting late anyway, and they're not gonna let us stay this time. So, if you want to sleep, we can leave for the night." There wasn't an ounce of incredulousness in his tone, nothing but genuine concern and care. "We can come back first thing in the morning. Hell, might even get here before you wake up. Then, it'll be like we never left." He gave the gunner a sideways grin, a teasing one.
He nodded slowly, reluctantly agreeing to it. Though, he didn't want them to leave, but he couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty for making them stay here for so long. He knew they had to have felt exhausted by now, and he was also fairly certain they hadn't eaten since they'd gotten here. "Sounds good," he replied. "And, no need to rush, I'm… not going anywhere."
Noctis' form frosted over a nearly unnoticeable amount at the underlying meaning. "You're gonna be okay here?" he asked, basically disregarding any rules that had been put in place beforehand.
"I told you, I'm fine," Prompto repeated, practically speaking the phrase autonomously by now. "Go back and take care of whatever you need to; I'll see you tomorrow." The last part came off to the prince as more of a reminder to himself than a departing comment, but he brushed it off.
"Yeah, see you then. Take care, I'll be back as soon as I can." He gave a small wave and had to force himself to leave. The steps were slow and his body begged to turn back, but he eventually managed. Next was Gladio, who offered a small nod and a grunt.
Then Ignis. "Try not to give the staff too difficult of a time," he joked, wanting to at least try and leave things on a light note. Last was Iris, and like Gladio, she didn't speak. But, she was the only one that stepped close enough to give an awkward and half hug; even threw in a warm smile as she spun on the spot to follow after the others.
Prompto watched the door as it closed behind them, and kept his attention on it even after a minute went by; his earlier tiredness tossed aside in the creeping loneliness. A small part of him prayed they'd come back, despite it being against policy here. Taking a deep breath, he held it, knowing the moment he let it out, it'd be like opening the flood gates. It's not like they were leaving forever… so, why did it feel so deserting?
Upon returning to the hotel, the four of them felt far more discontented than they had before the day had started. Both Gladio and Ignis headed straight for bed, hoping that tonight they'd be a bit more fortunate; they definitely felt drained enough to knock out instantly, but that didn't mean anything. Noticing Noctis making his way towards the table instead, his adviser set him with a pointed look. "Noct, you should probably at least try and get some sleep," he suggested, but the hidden demand could be made out clearly.
"I will," he promised, making no move to change his direction. "I just need a moment, alright?" The brunet's expression softened at the tone and he gave a small nod.
"Very well," he replied, "just try not to stay up too late." The prince gave a quick wave of confirmation before sliding into one of the chairs, instantly sinking down into it. His dark gaze drifted onto Iris as she stayed put in the doorway. "You staying here for a bit?" his adviser asked after a couple seconds.
She jumped slightly, and he realized her stare had been empty for a moment there. "Oh," she blurted, "No, I think I'll head back to my room for tonight. I'm kinda tired." Turning on her heel, she halted to look back over her shoulder, "See you in the morning, and everything will be fine." There was no covering the sorrow in her eyes, no matter how much she attempted to mask it.
"I know," he lied, returning the facade. "Sleep well," he swiftly added to chase away the awkward silence that ensued. He held his stare on her until she was gone from sight, and despite the other two residents, there was this unnatural feeling of solitude. Sighing, he placed the side of his head against the table, the weight of the day finally crumbling down over his shoulders. And, his body ached with the sudden burden of those pieces.
The raven's eyes stung with dryness and the begged for some relief, but his mind berated them with the need to fight it. It wasn't long before the room went dark, the clicking signifying the others' surrender for the night. This provided a bit of a comfort for his complaining sight. After what felt like an eternity, he checked the time… almost eleven. Barely an hour went by, and it seemed like an eternity. There was no arguing that he was absolutely exhausted, but moving was just too much for him right now. So, he rolled with it, and folded his arms into a makeshift pillow.
He wasn't exactly sure when or how, but at some point, he had managed to succumb to his body's needs. It was all a blur, but it sure didn't take long once he stopped trying to combat his tiredness. As uncomfortable as the position was, it didn't once disrupt him; normally he would have woken up ten times over.
His form twitched and he jerked awake, the tone blaring from his phone ripping him from the world of dreams in a violent and commanding way. Quickly, he snatched it from the table and didn't bother seeing who it was before clicking to to life and pressing it to his ear. "H-llo?" he croaked, voice cracking and hoarse.
Keeping as silent as he dared, he nodded along as the caller spoke, his gestures slowing down as his blood ran cold and releasing his breath became something that was out of the question. "I-I'll be right there," he assured, swallowing thickly… painfully, the moment the other hung up. Noctis cast a swift glance towards the others, and in his mind, there was no time to wake them up, he'd just have to send them a message later.
In a rush, he got to his feet, effectively knocking the chair over in his haste and caused it to clatter noisily against the wooden floor. He heard, more than saw, one of the others sit up in alarm. Their silhouette stood out starkly against the the wall, lit brightly from the high moon.
"What's going on?" he made out the authoritative voice of Ignis, slightly rough and confused.
"I gotta go," the prince answered plainly, never looking over to meet the other's features. He couldn't risk wasting any time.
A new light illuminated the adviser's features. "It's three in the morning," he spoke with a hint of puzzlement. "Where could you possibly be going?" He felt as though he already knew the answer to that, but couldn't fathom the reason; no way he'd be allowed in at this time, and they all knew that. "We can't visit unti-"
"They called me," the raven cut in, finally looking over with a panicked spark in his gaze. "I don't know what's going on, but they want someone up there… now." It was a challenge, and it was easily spotted by the other, but he tried to keep the shuddering out of his tone. He didn't want to give away the fear that was coursing through him.
"Very well," he sighed, understanding the urgency. "Go on ahead, I'll fill Gladio in and I'll be there when I can," he said lowly, hushedly. All he got in return was a hum and the near slam of a door as his liege left in a hurry, never even picking the downed chair back up.
Swearing under his breath, Ignis threw his cover off and pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes. It wasn't much, but at least he got to sleep a little bit this time; it was better than nothing, he decided. Clearing his throat and making sure his voice had enough of its force back, he called out to the shield, instantly getting a disgruntled groan from the man. "Gladio," he spoke louder, this time getting a groggy 'What' from the guy.
"Noctis headed back to the hospital, and I'm about to go as well. Something's up, I'm not sure what, but it sounded severe enough for them to call," he laid it all out there, not giving the other a moment to reply or soak it in for that matter. "You should stay here," he suggested, seeing him starting to get up.
He furrowed his brows tightly. "Like hell, I'm staying here. You can't wake a man up and start with something like that and expect him to stay put," he scoffed, up and stretching before the brunet could protest.
"And what about Iris?" Ignis question, knowing she wouldn't appreciate being left out of this.
"Let her sleep," he answered simply. Seeing the look on the other's face, he gave a sly grin. "Yeah, she'll be pissed, but she'll get over it. No use in waking her up when we don't even know what's going on yet. As soon as we know, I'll came back. And don't worry, I'll take the fall for it," he shrugged, used to being the bad guy by now when it came to his sister. Especially here lately.
Humming his understanding, Ignis grabbed his glasses from the nightstand and slipped them on. "I'm ready whenever you are," he muttered, trying to stifle a yawn.
"As ready as I'm gonna get," the brute returned the tone as he scratched the back of his head. The both of them swiftly put on a change of clothes...after realizing the had slept in the same apparel they wore the day before. "I feel like I could sleep for a year," Gladio complained, stretching his arms over his head once he was fully clothed.
Nodding, the adviser lead the way, dreading reaching their destination. The moment they hit the street, everything just felt wrong on a whole new level; the roads were barren and all the nearby shops were void of life. The only sound they could hear were their own rushed footfalls and the insects that thrived during this time. It was eerie… eerie and desolate, and it left a bad taste in their mouths.
Noctis burst in, his manners and consideration dissolved the second he hung up that phone, and his pulse was on high alert by the time he stepped through that entrance. His shoes left echoes of his panic trailing behind him. He received a few annoyed glances and more than one look of disgust, not that he noticed. Even if he did, it's not as if he would have really cared. The raven didn't feel like waiting on an elevator and went straight for the stairs; it was only one floor up, so it wouldn't be that much of a time difference.
There was no slowing down, not until he finally stood outside his door, and from where he was, he could make out faint talking. One was rushed and frantic, the other calm and almost fearful. Holding his breath, he placed his hand on the door and slowly pushed it open, just enough to peer through. Both his heart and his stomach dropped at the sight.
"Prom?" he mouthed, afraid to go farther in, but the blond was obviously not himself. He sat there, back almost completely straight as he stared wild-eyed at the nurse in front of him. There was another as well, this one in the far corner, still as one could be.
Delaying no more, the raven stepped in. "What's going on?" he demanded, flinching when the weapon in Prompto's hand snapped in his direction out of alarm.
A flash of himself washed through those oceanic orbs, and his grip wavered as recognition set in. "Noct," he breathed out, the gun lowering enough to allow the cowering staff members to slip away. The prince stepped aside to allow them through, his chest clenching at the moisture that shined in the corners of their eyes; they were absolutely terrified.
Whipping his attention back to the gunner, Noctis eased his way over, one hand outstretched in a calming manner. Not that he expected to actually be shot, but you couldn't be too careful. "Prompto, hand it over," he said lowly, palm upwards as it was now just a few inches away.
Hand shaking roughly, the other glanced, horrified, at the weight in his hands. And, as if it burned just to be touching it, he dropped it into Noctis' awaiting grasp. "I-I didn't mean…" he trailed off, voice trembling in what could only be assumed to be uncertainty. Now that his hands were free of it, he gazed into them, barely able to focus on their shape from the amount of tremors that wracked them.
"I think I should hold onto this," he hid the gun from view, choosing to keep it on his person from now on, or at least until Prompto was more aware of his surroundings. The other nodded slowly, having no objections to that suggestion. "Now tell me, what happened?" He took a seat on the side of the bed, deciding to sit closer for comfort reasons.
His head swiftly changed its movement into shaking. "I dunno," he muttered, still shocked himself at what he did. It wasn't on purpose… a reflex. "I thought they were…" he didn't finish that though, hoping his friend could read between the lines. To his contentment, he didn't press him to continue, but instead dropped his gaze to the sheets.
"Yeah, I get it," he breathed out heavily. His eyes cut over to the drip, and he winced at the thought of maybe some of the medication he was on messing with him a bit. It was possible, but they were for his own good. "You good?" he asked, placing a warning look on the other; practically begging him to be honest.
The temptation of deception swirling in his head, the blond willed it away and flitted a few nervous looks over. "Mostly," he spoke, almost inaudibly. He then looked towards the door, searching for the two that were in there earlier, but they were nowhere to be seen now. Biting his lip, he uttered, "Can you, uh, let them know I didn't mean that?" His tone was decorated with his regret.
"I will when I see them," he promised, but didn't make a move, no way was he going anywhere right now. Prompto took in a deep and shuddering breath, holding it for a few seconds before slowly blowing it back out. Looking over, Noctis noticed his left hand hovering about a millimeter from his thigh, his fingers twitching.
"I can still feel it," he whispered, eyes looking straight to the wall, a blanket of emptiness obscuring them. Noctis was about to ask for clarification when the blond's face scrunched subtly. "It's like it's still there, and it burns," he said tightly, clearly hiding his suffering to the best of his ability.
Sucking in sharply, the raven scanned him over. "Do you need the pain meds to be upped?" he asked out of honest concern, seeing him in pain like this utterly crushed him from the inside.
"It doesn't matter," he answered flatly, hitting like a stake through the heart at the matter-of-fact way of speaking. "No matter what, it doesn't go away, it doesn't dull. It's just there," his voice raised a few notes, getting pinched off from his mouth tightening into a straight line.
Noctis didn't know what to say, what could be said? All he could do was sit there and listen. He ran a hand through his hair, noticing just how unkempt it was for the first time. The touch was swiftly yanked away and his head spun towards the door. "Sure took your time," he chuckled lightly, thankful for the fact that he was no longer alone with Prompto. It's not that he didn't want to be there for him, he just wasn't the best for this bedside manner thing; this was something better suited for Ignis.
Speaking of, as soon as the man was over the threshhold, his emeralds locked onto the weapon stuck in the back of the prince's pants. Looking from that to the other's face, he raised an eyebrow in question. "I'll explain later," Noctis spoke quickly, deciding this was neither the time nor place for such conversation.
Out of nowhere, a heavy inquiry, one none of them knew how to react to cycled through the small area, causing the hair on the backs of their necks stand on end. "Why are you guys still here?" he wondered aloud, sounding neither upset nor frustrated. "I mean, it's obvious, isn't it?" he nervously laughed out. "I'm officially a cripple, I can't go anywhere; this isn't like before. We all know it, we may as well just say it already. I'm out, aren't I?"
The rest were ghostly silent, all of them shifting uncomfortably at the subject being brought up. Of course they had all thought about it at one point or another, but it still didn't feel real to them; or they refused to accept the reality of it. "There's plenty of time to discuss this," Ignis spoke softly, "there's no need to rush-"
"Why not?" Prompto interrupted, volume rising with desperation. "I think it's as good a time as any; the sooner you guys realize how meaningless it is, the sooner you can stop wasting your time here and deal with the important issues." His breaths were coming in quickened and shallow pants, and his eyes were shining with a fresh layer of agony. "What's the point? To make me think it's going to make a difference?"
"That's not wha-"
"Are you sure?" he cut Ignis off again, his fingers tightly clutching the sheet by this point. "Because that's what it feels like… the way you guys look at me. Like you feel sorry for me." His chest was heaving as he continued to get worked up, and the amount of slickness on his face was worrisome. "I can't stand it." He wiped the back of his hand over his forehead, aware himself of how warm it felt.
This time, no one replied, a silent and mutual understanding to give the kid a moment to settle down enough. "Prom," the brunet went on once he was certain the waters had calmed, "you know as well as we do, that's not the case at all. Yes, things are difficult, and yes they will be different. But, in no way are you a burden to us."
"But, you still pity me," he pointed out, seeing as he never corrected that part of his short rant. "It's fine," he threw out, seeing the hesitation in Ignis' stare, "I understand."
He was tired; that little moment of his seemed to sap what little energy he had, and he no longer cared to continue the subject. Whimpering slightly from the resurgence of discomfort, he relaxed back against his pillow and he turned his head to glance at the discarded chocobo. It took Noctis a mere couple of seconds to take the hint and scooped it off the floor. "Here", he offered a tad anxiously as Prompto took it with a small nod of thanks. The whole idea of him relying on a stuffed animal still gave him a feeling of humiliation, but it did help tolerate things. Because of that, he was willing to drop his dignity.
"You want to try and get a bit more rest?" the adviser asked, heavily hinting towards it rather than offering the option. From the looks of things, none of them had gotten enough lately, but he was clearly in more dire need. They'd be fine for the time being. He noticed instantly the unsure flicker flash over his features. "We'll be right here," he added, a sound of undoubt gracing his tone.
It didn't take much convincing for him to buy it; then again, he probably could have slept either way. Though, having the presence of the others did help slumber come more easily. And, he was out within less than a minute. The four of them couldn't help but envy him just a tad for that.
"He's right, isn't he?" Noctis asked when his breathing evened out and his chest rose and fell with a steady rhythm. "We're only doing this because it makes us all feel better, but it's not what should be taking priority…" the words tasted foul on his tongue, bitter and rotten. "But, what are we going to do once he's allowed to leave? It's like he said, this is different."
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Ignis repeated, beginning to sound like a broken record. "We all need time to process what's happening, and talking about it now will only cause emotions to run rampant." He glanced from Gladio to Prompto, "More than they already have."
Noctis could feel his blood boiling, but he refused to let it get to him. Maybe Ignis was right. Or… or maybe he didn't want to think about it himself, didn't want to talk about it, and didn't want to accept it. In closer inspection of the brunet's face, and the tautness of it gave way to how accurate he was; he looked like he was barely holding it together, and here he was expecting him to have all the answers.
Gladio appeared to be much the same, his usually stoic face appearing as though it aged by a few years: bags under his eyes, a constant crease adorning his forehead. To put it simply, they both looked like shit.
"Guess we're spending the night here," the shield sighed, not sounding angry, but disappointed to say the least.
"You two can go back," the prince stated, leaving no room for debate. "Only one of us needs to stay, and it should be me. I'm the one that got him into this mess," he shrugged. "You two can go back and get some sleep, but on one condition." He peered over his shoulder towards Ignis, "When you come back, can you bring me something homemade… and a change of clothes?"
The adviser gave him a kind smirk and nodded, "Of course, Your Highness." He gave a bit of an exaggerated bow. "We'll be back when visiting hours are allowed."
"Oh," Noctis pulled his focus back over, "one more thing. Take this with you." His hand gripped the handle of the pistol as he slowly pulled it out and held it for one of the others to take. The brutes eyes widened a smidge at the sight of it as a million scenarios and questions bombarded him.
"Why do you have that?" he asked, shifting his weight. "Noct?" he called when he didn't get an immediate response.
The raven just shook his head, "Just keep it at the hotel. And, I'd suggest keeping your own weapons there as well, just to be on the safe side." Ignis seemed to understand and didn't push it any further; he'd be a hypocrite if he were to demand answers. So, he accepted the gun and tucked it away. "If anything happens, or if you need anything, don't hesitate to call," he instructed, going back into caring mode in the blink of an eye.
"Yeah, yeah, I will," he waved a dismissive hand. "Now, will ya go already, I'm tired and would at least like to get a couple hawers ih," he yawned to emphasize his point, the end of his sentence muffled with the sign.
Rolling his eyes uncharacteristically, the adviser waved Gladio along, turning his back on his liege. "Let's get going," he muttered. "We only have about four hours now," he needlessly reminded, deeply craving to lie back down right about now.
"Don't have to tell me twice," the other grunted. "And Noct, whatever you do, try to keep him from thinking about those things. At least for the time being. It's gonna be a while, and we don't need that kind of thinking this early on."
"I'll try," the raven assured, feeling like the advice wasn't necessary; it wasn't like he was going to try and talk about that stuff. "And, same goes to you, don't let Iris know about any of this if you can help it. It's better that she doesn't know about that… speech," he chose his words carefully. His shield returned the affirmation, and with all said that needed saying for now, Noctis was again left alone with his friend. Left there to sit in the momentary peace, knowing with all his heart that it wouldn't last for much longer.
