A/N: Sorry it took even longer than expected to get this chapter up! It's been a busy and stressful few weeks, but I finally managed to edit this chapter to my satisfaction. I definitely didn't want to post it before I had all (or at least MOST) of my ducks in a row for the next few chapters. As always, thank you so much for the love and support, and I hope you all enjoy the beginning of Section 2!


Section 2: Truth and Consequence

Noctis was falling... falling through a black abyss, descending for miles until he spiralled through some sort of vortex. His body jolted, eyes flying open, face twisting with disdain when he realized where he was. He was back in the crystal, with a world of blue surrounding him, ethereal strands of purple and pink floating across the endless backdrop.

"No, please," Noctis whispered into the nothingness, shoulders sagging as he stood there, head curling in against his neck as he tried to hide from this environment that had for so long been his prison. "I don't want to be back here. Not again."

"Do not worry," came a familiar voice, and Noctis looked up to see the sky part up ahead.

Gentiana stepped out from the rip in the sky, and Noctis watched, mesmerized as it mended itself back up behind her. She approached the king with graceful, unhurried steps, her black hair long and straight, her expression suggesting a strong sense of wisdom, even with her eyes hidden beneath dark eyelashes.

"You are only here to be reminded."

"Reminded. Of the 'unrest', right?" Noctis asked.

It wasn't the first time he'd been here with Gentiana, nor the first time she'd given him a message. In fact, he'd been here many times since he'd brought back the sunlight, and yet, Gentiana's Astral message was always vague—riddled with only hints of what Noctis was supposed to do now that he had survived his prophecised destiny.

"The threat must be addressed. You must not hesitate."

"I know. And I've been trying, but I don't know how to solve it," Noctis said, pleadingly, desperate for an escape. "Except..."

He halted, not sure if he should bring Prompto's name into the conversation or not; if he was wrong about Prompto being a key to his solution, he wasn't sure he wanted to hear it. He didn't want to know that his plan for creating peace could be viewed as inadequate in the eyes of the Astrals; he wanted to prove to them first that his resolve was sound.

"Then receive my message again, young king: The prophecy once told of a king that would give his life to bring the light back to the world. The king sacrificed himself, and proved himself worthy, and his life was spared because there were those in the beyond who willed it. The Gods, however, did not predict that by having the king survive, the people of Eos would turn to conflict once again. The king must now prevent war, or his second chance on earth will have been for naught."

"Yeah," Noctis breathed, letting the message settle in his brain again, hoping that more pieces of this puzzle would stick this time, and that he might figure out what he had to do before it was too late. " And that's why... why I still have access to my magics, even though the crystal and the Ring of the Lucii are gone, right? The Astrals, and the kings of old... They're still on my side?"

Gentiana put a finger to her lips and smiled softly, eyes remaining closed.

"They take the side of those who would bring peace, and that burden falls to you."

"Lucky me," Noct uttered.

"Once the last chance of war is averted, the magics will return to the earth, and the world will be at peace. Know, however, that you need not act alone. Gaining the trust of your people may take more than a single soul."

"More than a single soul," Noctis repeated.

"More than a single soul," Gentiana whispered, before she and Noctis were swept up in their blue surroundings as the walls came together in a whirlwind.


Noctis awoke with a jump, head rising up off the pillow, breathing hard. He was relieved to find himself in the comfort of his bedroom. His chest was pressed against Prompto's back, his arm locked around his waist, with Prompto's arm draped over his own. Letting out a sigh of relief, Noct moved his head to press a few kisses to the back of Prompto's shoulder before resting his chin there, forcing the last of the dream to fade from his mind for now. He was just glad to be here, outside of the crystal, safe, with Prompto.

His dear Prompto... He stared straight ahead at the stand-up mirror, and admired how good they looked together—black hair contrasting with blond, fair bare skin on even fairer. Six months had passed since they had first gotten back together, and for Noctis, it felt like everything had changed.

Besides the amelioration of his financial situation and news of the resistance dwindling, the biggest and best changes in Noct's life involved Prompto. His distant and solemn moods were slowly but steadily becoming a thing of the past, being replaced instead by the sunny disposition he'd had in his younger days. He was no longer prone to avoidance, no longer fearful of initiating contact or striking up a conversation. And Noct had to say, they both seemed to be adjusting exceptionally well to Prompto coming upstairs to share his bed at night.

It relieved Noctis beyond words to have him so close, to feel like he wasn't going to flee when he spoke to him or touched him. He felt like he could protect him when he was near him, despite still not knowing what he was so scared of, but just being able to hold him and whisper loving words to him was enough for now. Things were going so well, they almost felt normal again—the way they joked around with each other, the way Prompto's hand would slip into his own like it was second nature, the way their love made them feel so safe even in the midst of their busy lives.

There were still nights when Prompto would awake in the early hours of the morning with a nightmare, and Noct would talk him down from the terror, holding him close and calming him down. It had been happening less frequently, however, since he had patched things up with Noct, which at least eased Noct's worries to some degree. To be honest, Noctis' own dreams were starting to concern him more than Prompto's; his own dreams refused to leave him alone lately.

Noctis brought himself back to the current moment and watched Prompto's sleeping face—his softly parted lips that took in heavy breaths, the long lashes of his closed eyes concealing some of the dark circles and age lines underneath them. He took in the sight of his bare torso, the thick scars on his stomach peeking out just above the blankets, and felt proud to know he had kissed every inch of them.

To be honest, Noctis had come to love staring at his partner in the mirror like this, as it allowed him to admire Prompto from more than one angle at a time—kissing his back and shoulders while still being able to watch his expression. He lifted his head to press a kiss to Prompto's ear, and watched his reflection as it reacted with a scrunch of its nose.

"Good morning, handsome," Noct murmured, earning a groggy noise from the dozing kingsglaive. "You know, I'm really starting to enjoy being the first one up. It certainly has its perks," he went on, as he gave Prompto's earlobe another peck. The Prompto in the mirror gave a sleepy smile, but didn't stir much more than that until he forced himself to speak.

"Are you okay, buddy?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You were dreaming again. Weren't you?" Prompto asked, eyes finally drifting open, and catching Noctis' gaze in the mirror. He felt Noct's body tense against him, even though the king had hoped his unease would go unnoticed.

"How'd you know?" Noct asked, the corner of his mouth lifting up into a defeated little smile.

"I heard you," Prompto said, shrugging. Noctis didn't have time to question what exactly Prompto had heard when his phone dinged a moment later. Noct sighed and reached backwards for it, his arm wrapping around Prompto again as he checked the message.

"Who is it?" Prompto hoarsely asked, blinking.

"Ignis, of course. He and Gladio want to meet with me," Noct rolled his eyes, typing a quick response before practically tossing the phone back on the nightstand.

Prompto rolled over in his arms, laying on his back and turning his head to smile lazily at his king. He reached for Noctis' jaw, thumb grazing lovingly over his stubbly chin, but even as Noct tilted his head down to kiss Prompto's finger, Prompto caught a look of disquietude in his eyes.

"You wanna talk about it?" Prompto asked, carefully.

"About what?"

"Your dream."

"Oh, that? Nah," Noct chuckled, softly.

"Because you've been here for me plenty of nights when I— when I dreamt of Ardyn," Prompto said, forcing the words out, even though it was hard to keep himself from stuttering over them. "And it's really nice to have you here when it happens. Even if it is a little embarrassing sometimes," Prompto smiled, timidly, hoping the comment might make Noctis feel less awkward about opening up to him, but to his dismay, he took a different approach entirely.

"You shouldn't be embarrassed," Noctis assured him, brows slanting into a pained look. "You went through something that no one ever should. It was traumatic, and no one should ever judge you for still suffering from it, okay?"

He tried not to shiver at his own words, and reminded himself that despite his concern, his own dreams were probably nothing compared to those Prompto had—of how Prompto had been stuck in those restraints in the Keep, how Ardyn had tortured him and said things to him that should never have been said.

Prompto's smile had lessened slightly, but it deepened again after a moment of staring at Noct's worried face. Even if the conversation hadn't gone where he had hoped it would, he couldn't help but enjoy that feeling of endearment that had been caused by Noctis' kind words. He slid his fingers from under Noct's ear to the tip of his bearded chin, and guided him closer.

"You make everything better, don't you?" he whispered, smiling up at him with those eyes that mesmerized Noctis with their flecks of turquoise and purple.

"I certainly try," Noctis smirked, allowing himself to be pulled in against Prompto's lips.

He felt Prompto's hand searching for the small of his back, and Noct released a tiny noise of approval as Prompto found the scar from his old injury and rubbed tenderly. Noct rolled to hover atop Prompto, supporting himself on one elbow while his free hand reached to caress his stomach. Happily, he leaned in to kiss his neck, and Prompto tilted his head back to allow him access. He spurred him on by resting a hand between his shoulderblades, fingertips pressing into the skin as he clung to him.

Both groaned as the phone on the nightstand sounded again, ending the moment when it had barely begun. Noctis huffed as he reached for his phone again, and Prompto kept his hands exactly where they were so Noct wouldn't even consider moving, his fingers gently massaging his back.

"Ignis again. Must be urgent," the king lamented.

"Wonder what's up," Prompto solemnly pondered, and despite his efforts, he felt Noctis pulling away from his touch as he sat up. Noct reached for his shirt that had been tossed haphazardly toward the end of the bed the night before, and pulled it over his head, ending Prompto's opportunity to stare.

"Don't know, but I'd better go. I am trying to prove a point that I can love someone and rule my kingdom at the same time. Don't want anyone on the council to think I can't. You know, once they find out about us, we'll have the proof that I've been maintaining my relationship with you while still making time for my duties," Noctis said, face twisted up in apology as he leaned in to press one last kiss to Prompto's lips.

He scooted to the edge of the bed and grabbed his pants off of the floor, pulling them on before heading for the ensuite. The phone dinged again, but Noctis didn't bother to look at it this time.

"Geez, Ignis. Gimme time to clean up first," Noct sighed.

"Maybe it's about that report you neglected to write," Prompto said, a hint of teasing in his voice.

"Ugh, is that really important? I mean, everyone already knows what's been going on here anyway," Noct grumbled from the bathroom.

"Yeah, but you haven't written an updated report on the Citadel in months. It's important to keep track of the changes, you know?" Prompto reminded him.

It made sense, but Noct still hated those kinds of reports. They were all about details, and Noctis never liked taking the time to write them. Maybe the council would start accepting voice memos if he really begged them.

The past six months had brought about a lot of change, however, and Noctis couldn't deny that. Talcott had returned to Lestallum after exhausting any and all possibilities from his grandfather's journal in order to open the lock on the vault—different location coordinates, dates of important historical events, and any other numbers that they had thought might have been important to King Regis. All of their attempts had failed.

Gladio had even offered to take the door down with brute force, but Ignis had warned him he would die trying. The metal they had used to construct it was far beyond what they were capable of breaking. Even if they did have the power, the vault had been designed to bring the Citadel crashing down with it, if that wall were to be removed by force. The kings of old had constructed the place with that extra level of security in mind.

Despite all of that, the worries Noctis had felt about his financial situation diminished after discovering his father's will, and realizing he had been smarter than to store all of his money in one place. Some of it had been put into a local bank, and even though the one in Insomnia had been destroyed, another bank in the chain had been able to provide Noctis with a great sum of what his father had left for him. Another small portion had been hidden in one of the old king's tombs, and Cor had accompanied a handful of glaives on their mission to retrieve it. Both bundles of money had helped Noctis to continue paying his staff, and managed to keep himself afloat as he kept up with the day-to-day costs both inside and outside the Citadel.

Noctis was also content with what he'd done with the glaives, earning what they could from hunts all over Eos. Any gil they earned was turned in to the council upon the glaives' return to the Citadel, and the treasures they found were sold. He also created a small guild of glaives who were specifically assigned to be treasure hunters; they scoured the land for gems and trinkets, as well as vegetables and other produce that could be sold for profit.

In addition, he turned one of the city's fountains into a wishing well that welcomed any small donations, hoping that tourists—or even locals—might spare a little pocket change for the restoration of Insomnia. He put a donation box in the centre of town for the same purpose. For now, he put any upcoming restoration plans on hold, hoping that the remainder of his father's funds would be accessible by the time they were ready to start any new reconstruction projects.

Word of the resistance had died down for the most part. Although Iris had been able to match the Lucian symbol from the picture of the gunman in Galahd with the symbol Noctis and Prompto had seen in Altissia, she hadn't been able to trace it beyond that. Despite the fears that Galahd might retaliate after Noctis and Prompto had left without giving the town the aid it deserved, the threats had not continued since Noctis had returned to the safety of the Citadel. He hoped that the few months without travel had given people time to cool down, and that their anger and frustration with him might have faded completely by the time he was able to start offering financial help again.

"I really hope it's not about the report," Noct grimaced. "I've got a hand cramp just thinking about it. I miss the days when Ignis would write those things for me. Technically, he wasn't supposed to, but still..."

Prompto lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling. Any mention of Ignis still managed to put him a little on edge, even now. What would Ignis think of Prompto after the conversation they'd had all those months ago? What would he do if he knew Prompto had been blatantly going against what he had suggested was best for Noct?

"Here's an idea. Why don't you come with me?" Noct asked, poking his head out of the bathroom door with his toothbrush in hand, and a mouth full of toothpaste. Prompto's head shot in his direction, their gazes locking.

"To the meeting? Why?"

Noct ducked back inside the bathroom to spit out the toothpaste before appearing in the doorway again.

"Because you're on the council, and it's just going to be Ignis and Gladio there anyway. It would feel wrong if the three of us were there without you."

Prompto could understand that feeling. He had been so used to everything involving the four of them, that when Noct had disappeared into the crystal, the group had felt terribly unbalanced and empty. Heck, the universe itself had felt out of whack. The four of them had been through so much together, being without any one of them would have felt wrong.

"Besides, then I wouldn't have to miss you so much," Noct winked, playfully.

"I don't know, Noct. They might suspect something if I go with you," Prompto said, nervously biting his bottom lip. With them being so close lately, he wasn't sure either of them would be much good at hiding their relationship.

"And would that be such a bad thing? I mean, maybe we should just tell them. If you're ready," Noct added. He watched Prompto's uncertain expression as he lay there, and even as the seconds passed, it remained unchanging.

It was hard to want to be near each other so much of the time and maintain a low profile, and neither of them enjoyed sneaking around. They'd done that enough near the beginning of their relationship, and again when they were on the road with Ignis and Gladio and struggled to find time for themselves. Keeping their newly rebuilt relationship a secret came with frustrations, and sometimes it was easier to give in than to fight it—sneaking a kiss in the hallway here, allowing a brushing of fingertips there.

Noctis wondered if this might be one of those times where they should just give in, where they should rip off the bandage, tell their friends, and get it over with. Prompto had come to feel completely at home with him over the past several months, and Noctis had hoped that they were making headway, that they were on the right path to a future together. Maybe he was letting too much of his feelings of success ride on his relationship with Prompto, but even when he felt he wasn't making progress with the kingdom, he was at least making progress with the man who might one day become his consort, and that had to count for something.

"I dunno," Prompto breathed, his stomach churning uncomfortably. "Maybe we should test the waters first. See what kind of mood they're in."

"Fair enough," Noctis smirked, returning from the bathroom. He headed for his closet, and selected a semi-casual outfit for his meeting, carrying the clothes hanger back towards the bathroom and placing it on the hook on the back of the door.

"You mind if I shower first?" Noctis asked, though by the look of the still unmoving Prompto, it wasn't going to be a problem.

"Go ahead," Prompto nodded, and as Noctis disappeared behind the closing door with a smile, Prompto reached for the covers. Defeated, he pulled them over his head, wishing he could disappear beneath them. Something told him today wasn't a day he wanted to face.


It was hardly an hour later, and Prompto was dressed in his Kingsglaive outfit, following Noctis toward the meeting room like a lost puppy. Noctis halted before they pushed open the large doors, and turned to face Prompto behind him. He reached for his shoulders, his thumbs rubbing tenderly in a back-and-forth motion.

"You seem tense. Are you okay?" Noct asked, gently, eyes displaying worry.

"I'm fine," Prompto fibbed, his nerves from their earlier conversation never having settled.

"Hopefully this won't take too long, then we can grab a bite of breakfast, 'kay?"

"'Kay."

Noctis finally pushed the doors open and led the way inside, taking a seat in his usual spot at the head of the table. Gladio and Ignis were standing behind their respective chairs, and they waited until the king was situated before they sat themselves down. Prompto followed suit, taking a seat next to Noctis, across from Gladio and Ignis, and was thankful when he didn't earn any quizzical glances as to why he was here. Of course, it was just the four of them. This was perfectly normal, right?

"You wanted to see me?" Noct inquired.

"Yes. I have some news," Ignis announced, the pause that followed making Noctis believe he was hesitant to actually reveal said news.

"Yeah?" Noct prodded. His advisor cleared his throat.

"Accordo has organized a grand event—a ball of sorts—in your honour. Given the current state of the kingdom and your financial situation, this could be a good time to start thinking about choosing a bride, and this ball was created with the intent that you would be able to mingle with some potential mates," Ignis announced. Gladio shifted in his seat when he saw the look of discomfort on his king's face—not to mention Prompto's.

"Yeah," Noct said, somewhat haughtily. "Aranea already told us long ago. Was hoping it was just a rumour, though, especially since I doubt Accordo could make something like this official without getting the go-ahead from my council." His eyes narrowed slightly at Ignis, who—fortunately for him—couldn't see his disapproval.

"My apologies, but the council and I felt it would be in your best interest to attend. Not only could a union between Lucis and Accordo be a symbol of peace and potentially continue reducing the amount of threats we've been seeing from the resistance, but depending on the wealth of your future bride, it could also be of great benefit to you to be able to share both of your assets," Ignis explained.

Noctis could see Prompto's posture sagging, not that he could blame him for it. There was a sharp pain in the pit of his own stomach from the way Ignis had spoken about his future bride when he knew full well that Noctis had only ever been interested in seeking out a groom. It stung him to his core to know that he had specifically requested Ignis look into what kinds of marriage and marriage laws were allowed or could be altered, and he had done nothing but ignore that request.

Noctis knew why a bride was their first priority; it was what was written in history, what was expected, what was accepted. But he wanted to change that. He wanted to be that change that the world needed to see.

"And what if I don't want to partake? Seems like my time would be much better spent managing the things that need to get done here than scuttling off to Accordo. Besides, something like this never should have been put into action without my approval in the first place."

"Unfortunately, arrangements have already been made for you to attend. You are scheduled to depart early tomorrow morning," Ignis announced. Noctis frowned.

"Seriously?"

"My apologies, but your presence there is what the council deemed more an obligation than an option."

"Again, why wasn't I informed that the council was talking about this without me?" Noctis asked, his mildly fiery eyes darting between Ignis and Gladio.

"Some of the members felt… that your head wasn't quite in the game," Gladio explained, calmly. Noctis gaped at him, a tiny appalled noise escaping his throat.

"And no one's blaming you, Noct. It's just, you've been busy, you know, with the vault, and the glaives, and the money problems. The focus hasn't been on public image for a while now. Monica, Cor, and Dustin have been in this for a lot longer than we have, and they thought it'd be best if you at least met some of these potentials," Gladio explained.

"Secretary Claustra mentioned that her niece will be attending the event as well. She is regarded highly in Accordo, and it wouldn't be such a bad idea to form a friendly relation with someone of such reputable status," Ignis added.

"Why?" Noct tested, brows knitted.

"Earning back Accordo's trust since the Leviathan incident is something you wanted to do anyway, am I right? And as far as long-term goals are concerned, well, I don't know if anyone would be totally opposed to some sort of union happening."

"You mean marriage. You want me to marry some girl just because her aunt has some power and money," Noct scoffed. Ignis and Gladio remained silent, heads lowering in remorse as they prepared themselves for the discord.

"Need I remind you that my father married my mother, not only because it was convenient, but because they loved each other?" Noct said, a low fierceness in his voice. Prompto swallowed hard, and lowered his gaze as well, very much regretting that he'd tagged along as he felt his pulse begin to race.

"Iris says there is much talk among Eos' citizens who hope that a royal intermarriage might become the symbol of peace that they had been looking forward to all those years ago, when you were engaged to Lady Lunafreya," Ignis explained.

"But that was all a ruse," Prompto interjected, but his voice sounded much weaker than he would have liked. "Noct and Lady Lunafreya's wedding was just part of the empire's twisted plan."

"Nevertheless, it gave the public hope. It gave them something to focus on besides war. Now, it would give them something to focus on besides the grief of what was lost. The joined assets could allow you to continue rebuilding Eos, and could lessen the citizens' hatred towards the Crown." Ignis said.

"Hold on. Just stop," Noctis instructed. Prompto looked up to see Noct's closed eyes, and his hand held up in the air to halt the conversation. "You're just going to sell me down the river to some girl we don't even know?"

"Of course not. The choice will be yours, Your Majesty," Ignis promised him.

"But you're hoping I'll choose her," Noct retorted.

"We just want you to meet her and see what happens, okay? That's all we're asking right now," Gladio added.

"Well, it's not going to happen," Noctis asserted. Prompto could feel his heart thudding in his ears as the king reached for his hand atop the table. Noctis met his gaze, eyes locking and lingering in place. There was a look of uncertainty, of question, in Noctis' grey-blue eyes, and Prompto gulped as he was asked the question.

"Should we tell them?"

Prompto squeezed Noct's hand instinctively, and although he hadn't meant it as a signal of approval, Noctis took it as one.

"If I do ever marry, the union will be between Lucis and Niflheim, not Accordo," Noct announced, while Prompto sat there in a state of shock and guilt.

Noctis gave himself a moment to breathe, to recollect himself. He considered the possibility that he didn't need to be hostile with Ignis and Gladio right now. Maybe they were sending him on this trip simply because they didn't know what was going on behind closed doors.

"Listen, I guess this is as good a time as any to tell you guys that… Prompto and I are back together," he announced, with a small smile, tightening his grasp on Prompto's hand, and Prompto clutched back, despite the panic that was suddenly running through his veins. Like Noctis, he tried his best to calm himself.

This wedding Noct was talking about was hypothetical, something way off in the future if it ever even came to be. And having Ignis and Gladio know about them wasn't going to change anything, right? It didn't necessarily increase the risk of his secret getting out, did it?

"For real? Well, it's about damn time. Why didn't you say somethin' sooner?" Gladio asked, giving them a gentle grin.

"We wanted to keep it to ourselves for a while. Take things slow. Rekindle things," Noct explained.

"Guess I shoulda' figured it out. Neither of you has been quite so mopey lately," Gladio jested. Noctis responded with a flicker of a smirk, but silence fell immediately after. His gaze travelled to Ignis and lingered there. Ignis could feel the stare, despite his inability to see it.

"Ignis? You gonna say somethin' here?" Noct asked.

Prompto felt his hand becoming uncomfortably warm within Noct's. He felt like he might melt away to nothing, and maybe it would be a blessing in disguise. At least then he could disappear and leave this awkward situation behind.

"I'm not sure what you expect me to say. I cannot wholeheartedly agree that this is the best move for Lucis," he said, giving what seemed like an accusatory nod in Prompto's direction, which made Prompto shrink a little more in his seat.

"Lucis doesn't have to know at this time. I hope you'll respect our wishes and keep this to yourselves for now. I mean, we've had a lot to work through, but things are going well. Don't want other people interfering with our personal affairs until we're good and ready to deal with it," Noctis said, with another gentle glance at Prompto, hoping he would agree. Prompto nodded absently.

"Be that as it may, I still believe the council would be happy if you attended the ball this week," Ignis said.

"Yeah, for appearance's sake at least, just go and mingle. Meet this niece the secretary told us about. You don't have to sweep her off her feet or anything," Gladio added. Noctis sucked in an audible breath, and Prompto could feel him watching him like a hawk, Noct's gaze seeming to remain locked onto him forever.

"I, um... I don't know if now's the best time," Noct started, hesitantly.

When Prompto turned his head to meet his stare, there was guilt in the king's eyes—so much sorrow and pain. Noct didn't want to abandon him, didn't want to leave when Prompto was finally letting himself get close to him, but he was trapped between his love and his duty.

This trip was what the council thought was best, and maybe it was, as far as peace-keeping went. But what if going to Accordo broke Prompto's trust? Or made him feel threatened? Noctis didn't think he could handle it if things started falling apart again, not when life had finally gotten so good.

"It's okay, Noct," Prompto spoke up, seeming to catch on to his feelings. "It's not gonna do any harm to go meet some people. It'll be good for everyone if Lucis has a good relation with Accordo."

"But, we already have a pretty good—"

"It's okay, Noct. Really," Prompto insisted, eyes conveying a look of certainty, making Noctis back down. Still, the king continued to pensively stare at the table for a long while, earning mostly concerned expressions from his three friends.

"If it's absolutely necessary, I'll go," Noct eventually spoke up, words coming out slowly and pointedly. "But only on one condition. Prompto comes with me." Prompto swallowed hard, not missing the frown that appeared on Ignis' face. Gladio, at least, appeared indifferent.

"What's wrong with that? I'll need a protector with me, right?" Noct tested his retainer.

"Then perhaps your Shield would be the most appropriate choice," came Ignis' immediate response.

"It's fine, Iggy. Prompto's more than capable of handling things if they get dicey, which I doubt they will. If it's alright with you, Noct, I'd kind of like to stick around here anyway to monitor the glaives as they come and go from those hunts. Some of 'em have been coming home in rough shape, and I want to make sure all injuries get properly taken care of."

"Yeah, that's fine. Thanks for keeping a close eye on them. Keep doing what you're doing, Gladio," Noctis praised, with a gentle smile, before turning back to Ignis and meeting his blind eyes.

"So, what exactly am I to do in Accordo?"

"You'll be visiting a small town called Accalia, not far from Altissia. Make strong connections, first and foremost. We don't want any turmoil between the nations. Good first impressions are everything. And if you do meet this niece of Claustra's, remember, anything she can do to improve the people's view of you and your kingdom would be much appreciated," the advisor instructed.

"Right."

"And, Noct? Don't close any doors while you're there, alright?" Ignis asked, with a meaningful lilt to his voice that made Noctis uncomfortably aware of what he meant: don't write anyone off if there was any chance of an attraction, or more importantly, a union between them.

To his disappointment, Prompto had likely figured out what those words meant as well, for his head was hung low in shame. Noct gave his hand another squeeze as he got to his feet, coaxing him to follow his lead.

"Got it. We done?" he asked, impatiently. Ignis sighed heavily.

"Yes, Your Majesty. We're done."

"Come on, Prompto," Noct murmured, shifting his tone to a drastically gentler one to emphasize how important Prompto was to him, and hoping the contrast might remind Ignis of how rude he was being. He was grateful for the feel of Prompto's hand clutching his own as he led him out of the room, escaping before anyone could say anything else insensitive.

As the door to the meeting room closed behind them, Ignis removed his glasses from his scarred face and set them down on the table before gingerly massaging his temples. As much as Gladio wanted to reach out and offer some comfort, he couldn't. Something wasn't sitting well with him.

"I didn't realize we weren't on the same page about those two," he said, his gruff voice low and quiet. Ignis turned his head towards him.

"You know I do not wish to separate them, Gladio, but it would be far more beneficial to the kingdom if Noct were to still marry someone who could help get him out of this tough spot. It would solve many of the financial struggles, it would likely bring hope and peace, it would solve the issue of producing heirs. And I hate to say it, but a relationship between a king and a queen would be more accepted than a king and his male consort—a man of Niflheim, at that."

"On the one hand, I see what you're saying, and on the other, who gives a shit? People don't like it? They can suck it up," Gladio grunted, folding his arms across his chest.

"It's not that simple, Gladio. There are citizens out there who would wish to harm Noct, and this is simply giving them more ammunition, not to mention putting Prompto in danger as well," Ignis reminded him. Gladio fell silent, his bottom lip curling inward in sorrow as he considered his friend's words and the harsh truths behind them.

"I get that, too, but we don't know for sure how imminent that danger is, and when I think about the big picture… Dammit, Iggy, all I can think about is poor Prompto. If Noct makes life better for him, then why shouldn't he be allowed to be with him while he's still—" Gladio halted abruptly at the lump in his throat, knowing he wouldn't get any more words past it.

"I know, Gladio!" Ignis snapped, pre-emptively cutting him off before he could say the words that were too painful for either of them to hear. He quieted himself after that, trying to rein in his emotions. "I know."

There was a silence that threatened to swallow both of them, a silence that hung in the air, almost broken by sobs that fought hard to break free. Thankfully, Ignis found his voice before tears came.

"We have no idea what Prompto's future holds, nor what impact it will have on Noct. I wish I could speak to Noct about the consequences of Prompto's condition, but after what Prompto said about him not wanting to talk..."

"Yeah. Better just leave it alone. Noct isn't going to abandon him in a state like this, and being told that it's a bad idea to stay together isn't going to change that. They would just sneak around behind our backs."

"You're most likely right, Gladio. I simply worry. About Prompto's health, about how stress might worsen his condition were he to rule at Noct's side, and about how Noct will deal with his grief when matters inevitably take a turn for the worst. And then, of course, I have my concerns about the resistance, and the opinions of the citizens. How might the world view a marriage such as this?" Ignis solemnly mused.

"I'm sure His Majesty isn't going to do anything to risk losing the respect of the citizens. He cares about Lucis, that's for damn sure. And maybe a union between Lucis and Niflheim might not be so bad. A lot of people from Niflheim came to start a new life here in Lucis since Noct began his reign. That's gotta be a good sign, right?"

"Yes, I suppose you're right, Gladio. Noct knows the dangers as well as anyone," Ignis sighed, and folded his hands in front of his face, fingers lacing together. The situation was far from ideal, but perhaps for now, they had to work with it.

"I suppose we must simply play the waiting game, and see how things pan out."

"Well, at least I can agree with you on that one," Gladio sighed.


Hands remained linked from the time they'd left the meeting room right up until they'd made it back to Noctis' chambers, never having to part as the halls and elevators had been void of prying eyes during this early hour of the morning. Noctis closed the door quietly behind them, still not letting Prompto go since he looked like he was about to break, with his gaze on the floor and his head low.

"Don't let what Ignis said bother you, okay? He shouldn't have said any of that," Noct cooed, his free hand reaching for Prompto's as well, and swinging their arms gently. Prompto's gaze remained distant, his blinks long and slow.

"What if he's right?" he eventually asked, voice a ghost of what it had been earlier that morning.

"What? No. He's not," Noct frowned, grasp tightening slightly around Prompto's hands.

"Noct, every time an obstacle like this gets tossed at us, I'm hit with that feeling that I'm on a completely different level from you. We need to face it. Maybe I'm never going to be right for you," Prompto said, voice rising, but it wasn't so much a holler as it was a desolate cry.

"Hey, you don't get to decide that alone! I don't care what anyone else thinks. You and I… we are right. We have always been right," Noct tried to persuade him, but Prompto lowered his head, apparently unconvinced.

"Prompto, you have to understand that I would choose you a hundred times over. Even if the kingdom wasn't happy with my decision, or if every nation outside of Lucis turned its back on us. I know it's selfish, but I want you. And I'm proud of this love we have. I want to at least give the world the benefit of the doubt, and give them the chance to accept us," Noctis announced, his grey eyes slanted with so much emotion, reflecting the sorrow in Prompto's own eyes.

Noctis looked so much like his father in that moment, with that kingly air about him, expression laden with definite generosity. Prompto found it a little ironic how Noct had struggled to understand why his father had protected him above all else, had made him his first priority, putting him before his kingdom, and here was Noct doing the exact same thing for him. Would he come to regret that decision when he realized the similarity of the situation?

"You should pack your things, Noct. You have to be ready for tomorrow," Prompto finally said, pushing forth a feeble smile that did little to put the king at ease, especially as he pulled a hand free of Noct's and headed for the door. Noct refused to let his other hand go as he tread forward, caressing it gently.

"And you. You'll come with me, right?"

Prompto blinked again and managed a nod, giving him another forced smile that barely hid his pain.

"Yeah. I'll see you in the morning," he said, before pulling away, fingers slipping out of Noctis' reach.

"Wait, you're not staying?" Noctis appeared hurt now, his expression carrying hints of confusion as to why Prompto would choose to spend not only the entire day, but the coming night without him.

"I've got some stuff I need to do if I'm going to go with you. And we should probably both have a proper rest tonight," Prompto said, giving a small shrug and a smile before he headed for the exit. Noctis watched as the door clicked shut behind him, finding the thought of a night with the bed to himself rather uninviting.

With a defeated sigh, he collapsed on the edge of the bed, sitting there with a bundle of emotions swirling in his stomach; they made him feel disgusting. He just hoped he would be able to settle that feeling before morning, or there would be an awful mess to clean up on the train.