"Prompto Argentum? Will you marry me?"
Prompto's eyes were wide and watery, but as he continued to stand there, breathing shakily through his open mouth, Noct began to worry that those weren't tears of joy or excitement. He could feel his heart thumping against his rib-cage as he waited for any sort of response. Forever seemed to pass as he crouched there, his knee starting to ache against the concrete.
"I… I can't, Noct," Prompto said, weakly, pulling his hands free and pressing one to his mouth. "I can't. I'm sorry."
With that, he turned and pulled the balcony door open, hurrying back inside the bedroom, leaving Noct dumbstruck and heartbroken as he slowly got to his feet. The adrenaline that had been in his veins seemed to dwindle within seconds, leaving him feeble and drained. He stumbled sideways and leaned his arms against the railing, taking in a long, deep breath as he turned his head toward the sky. He wondered where he'd gone wrong.
Had he moved too fast? Had he not quelled Prompto's fears enough in the past? Was a promise to love him forever still not enough to make him feel worthy? Was it not enough to let him know he would always be the correct choice for the king of Lucis, the correct choice for his longtime friend and highschool sweetheart, the correct choice for his Noct?
Noctis silently asked his father for strength and guidance, breathing in the night air and hoping to feel his presence. He couldn't say for certain that he did, but after a few long minutes, he at least felt prepared enough to tackle the conversation ahead. It wasn't too late to fix this. He could still settle Prompto's nerves, could take away his fears, could prove his everlasting devotion to him. Proposing wasn't a mistake, Noctis told himself. Something that felt so right could never be a mistake.
He quietly pulled open the balcony door and closed it behind him, spotting Prompto through the open doorway of the bathroom. His hands were situated on either side of the sink as he stared down into it. Noctis tread carefully to the doorway and leaned against the frame, earning a sideways glance from a red-faced Prompto. His wet lashes indicated that he'd been fighting tears, and hadn't been entirely successful.
"Can we talk?" Noctis asked, softly, ignoring his nerves that told him he didn't actually want to, and focusing on the fact that he had to. He did want to get to the bottom of this, to know what exactly was holding Prompto back. Prompto nodded numbly, reaching for a towel and pressing his face into it, dabbing it dry.
"I'm sorry if I upset you. I just… I thought things had been great between us over the past several months."
"They were," Prompto assured him, meekly.
"I know, maybe I'm moving a little fast here, but I know my feelings for you aren't going to change, and I thought we were both on the same page about that, so I have to ask… Do you really not want to?" Noct asked, weakly.
Prompto finished with the towel, and set it down on the counter, meeting Noct's eyes. Even with his dried tears, he didn't look any less miserable.
"Let's go sit down, okay?" Prompto suggested, with a wave toward the bedroom. "This might take a while."
Noct nodded in agreement and they headed into the next room. They switched off the bathroom and main light, and closed the curtains on the way, just in case this talk exhausted them too much to complete even those simple tasks afterwards. Noctis turned on the lamp that was screwed into the wall beside the bed, filling the room with a soft yellow glow.
Prompto ditched the coat of his Kingsglaive uniform, letting it fall to the floor, and not bothering to care about the wrinkles it would probably have tomorrow. He pulled his knees up against his chest and leaned back against the headboard, waiting for Noct to speak again. Noctis perched himself on the edge of the bed just in front of him, reaching for his socked feet and rubbing gently.
"Do you not feel worthy?" Noctis tried, longing to meet Prompto's eyes. Prompto simply kept his gaze on Noct's thumb as it moved across the tops of his feet. "Or do you not feel what I feel? Or is this just not the future you want for yourself? I can understand if you don't want to be a king's consort for the rest of your life. I know that's a lot for me to ask of you."
"The rest of my life…" Prompto repeated vacantly, then gave a weak chuckle. "That's the problem, isn't it?" he said, mostly to himself, knowing Noctis wouldn't yet understand. Still, his words had sparked a new look of worry in Noct's eyes—Noct, who watched so very carefully as Prompto took in a breath.
"I really don't know how to tell you this," Prompto sighed. "I've been deceiving you, Noct. I've probably even been lying to you."
"Prompto… What the hell is going on?" Noct asked, quietly, his voice low and scared, his eyes holding no hostility, but simply fear.
Prompto put his hands over his face and rubbed it with a sharp intake of breath, trying to buy himself a bit more time. Unable to bear the frightened look in Noct's eyes, he gracefully swung his legs over the side of the bed and got to his feet. With his gaze on the floor, and his arms wrapped around himself for support, he began to pace.
"I guess it all started not long after you disappeared. That's… when the nightmares started," he explained, softly. Noct followed him with worried eyes as he walked back and forth along the side of the bed, his strides long and slow.
"After a while, when the dreams wouldn't stop, I got in touch with Iggy and Gladio, and asked them if they'd learned much about MTs during their Crownsguard training. They said they didn't, but… Ardyn had said a lot of things to me while I was in the Keep, and I didn't want to ignore them, just in case they were true. So, Ignis and some other researchers looked into it for me. They investigated the base where Aranea found me."
"Why? What did Ardyn say? What did the researchers find?"
"Well, that's the part I'm having trouble with," Prompto shivered, halting in his steps and giving Noct a sorrowful look that brought Noct to his feet.
"What happened?" he urged, reaching for Prompto's shoulders, and shaking them a little harder than he'd intended. The lamplight made the tears in Prompto's eyes shimmer clearly, creating coloured spectrums as they caught the light.
"Noct, I don't have that many years left," he breathed, giving a tiny shrug. He felt almost relieved, until he realized Noct was still clueless as to what he meant.
""What?" Noctis asked, but his voice was so feeble now. He wanted to step closer to Prompto, but he was frozen in place, watching as Prompto fell deathly silent, his face pale and scared.
"What do you mean, you don't have that many years left?"
Prompto lowered his gaze, one hand clutching instinctively at his opposite arm and rubbing timidly. Noct was able to move a foot forward, but the other leg remained so tense, he couldn't seem to get it off the floor.
"Prompto, are... are you sick?" he exhaled, voice so meek it was barely audible. Prompto shook his head, and turned his gaze toward the balcony, its curtains swaying slightly from the tiny draft created by the crack between the doors.
"Ignis and the others found some documents in the facility. Turns out MTs… don't have a very long lifespan. That includes me," Prompto said with a shudder, and Noctis' eyes widened in horrified shock. "I'm sorry," he added in a whisper, shaking his head in some sort of desperate apology.
"H-how long?" Noct choked out, his own face having lost its colour by now.
"Huh?"
"How long do you have?!" his voice rang out more fiercely. Prompto flinched at the tone, but found the confidence to keep his eyes locked with Noct's, wanting to give him his answer; he had dodged it for far too long.
"I'm not expected to live much past forty. Which gives me…"
"Nine years?" Noct closed his eyes tightly, the words making him sick as they rushed past his tongue. He was suddenly lightheaded, and reached for the edge of the bed for the support to keep himself upright.
"Maybe ten," Prompto shrugged, his voice low, and not nearly as hopeful as Noctis would have liked.
Noct opened his eyes again to take in the sight of Prompto—his beautiful, loving, irreplaceable Prompto—giving him the most desolate and apologetic look he had ever seen. His sad eyes peered up at him while his head hung low, the corners of his mouth twitching downward as if he were fighting tears.
"N-no. No, we'll fix this. There must be something we can do to stop this," Noctis said, confidently.
"There's no cure for something like this, Noct. It's all in the way I was made."
Noctis felt like someone had pulled his very heart from his chest, leaving nothing but an aching hole filled with pain and sorrow in its wake. He felt the rage and grief inside him rising and swirling like a tempest, and he searched for something or someone to blame. He felt himself hating the crystal that had stolen him from Prompto, that had separated them for ten precious years of their lives. He wanted to hate Prompto's barcode, wanted to hate his creators, hate Niflheim, but he stopped himself before he could go down that road. Without them, there would have been no Prompto at all. Besides, hate never fixed anything.
"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Noctis asked, chin trembling.
"There was no time, Noct. You came back, only to save the world right away, and I—"
"I mean after that! After I survived that! The past fourteen months, you couldn't find a spare minute to tell me?"
"I was going to tell you when we were in Altissia together, that night when Aranea showed up, but you said you didn't want to hear any more bad news, so I kept my mouth shut."
"This is what you've been hiding from me?! For that long?!" Noct cried out, a new wave of dizziness hitting him. Part of him just wanted to drop to his knees and weep.
"That's not the only time I tried, Noct, but we always got interrupted, or—"
"Stop it, Prompto! Are you…" Noctis' voice cut out, and he pressed his knuckles to his lips as he fought to regain his composure, refusing to let any tears fall until this discussion was over. "Are you really saying that you couldn't find any opportunity over the past year… this whole year… to tell me?"
"I really couldn't!" Prompto squeaked, almost pleadingly.
"Why not?!"
"Because…" he breathed. He lowered his head even further, letting out a few deep breaths before he could let himself speak again. When he did, his voice was back down to its usual register. "Because I realized there was no good time to break your heart, Noct."
The words themselves felt like they had torn Noctis' heart in two, and he turned his head toward the ceiling, blinking back tears that he knew would have fallen had he not done so. He tried to steady his breathing, but he felt like it was being controlled by some outside force, nowhere within his realm of direction. He brought his hands to his face, rubbing somewhat furiously as if that might help fight off his emotions.
"Who knows altogether?" he mumbled, eventually lowering his hands, his head slowly following.
"Ignis, of course. A couple of researchers from Lucis. Gladio and Fae know, too. And maybe a few others."
"You told Fae and you didn't tell me?" Noctis asked, weakly, his eyes saddening.
"She was at the hunters' camp with me when Ignis returned from the base. If I had known what he was going to tell me that day, I would have tried to protect her from it, too."
"Not that protecting people from the truth is turning out great for you now…" Noct muttered. The disdain in his voice cut through the solemnity of the moment, the bitter tone making Prompto frown.
"Why are you so threatened by her? Is it because I was able to make a friend besides you? Because I had to find myself a new family? You were gone for ten years, Noct! Gladio, Ignis, and all the glaives and hunters, they became my family! They were all I had! Did you want me to be alone?"
"No!" Noct cried, realizing his grief and guilt and regret were coming out in a myriad of emotions now, some of which were probably not the most rational. "No, of course I didn't," he whispered.
Of course, he never wanted Prompto of all people to feel alone. Once they had become friends, he had tried everything in his power to make sure Prompto never felt lonely again. He knew loneliness all too well himself. How could he possibly have expected Prompto to keep a secret this deep and dark from the people who had become his support system during his absence?
"Then you must understand how I feel," Prompto said, with a small shrug. "I lived in a world without you, and it sucked. The only thing that got me through was my makeshift family, and the belief that you would have wanted me to keep going. I wanted to make you proud of what I was doing—fighting to keep people safe. Fighting for Lucis."
"And I am proud," Noctis nodded, swallowing hard. "But, the fact that you hid this for so long, the fact that you told people besides me... it just makes me wonder. Am I... not trustworthy?" Noct asked, hoarsely, and Prompto's eyes slanted in sorrow.
"Why would you say that?" he whispered, his voice nowhere within reach.
"Because. You knew how messed up I was after Insomnia fell. My dad hid what he knew about the treaty signing. He didn't say a thing about it to me… He didn't confide in me about it being a trap, and you didn't confide in me about this."
Prompto sucked in a shaky breath and reached out for Noctis' hands, pulling them into his own and hoping the contact would make Noct feel connected to him, and really listen to what he had to say next.
"It's not because I didn't trust you, Noct. I think your dad and I just had the same way of thinking… that seeing you sad or hurt is about the worst thing in the world, and hiding was just easier than having to put you through this kind of pain."
Noctis nodded in response, gaze pointed toward the floor, but even as Prompto searched his eyes, he found that that gaze was unfocused, empty. After a second, they flickered back to life, like a revelation hit him.
"Is this why you were avoiding me all that time? You thought this distance would make me… not miss you as much?"
"Yeah. Like an idiot, I did," Prompto agreed, intending to force a chuckle, but discovering he didn't have the strength. Instead, he pressed on.
"Remember when you said you'd made your peace? When you thought you had to sacrifice yourself to bring back the light? Well, I've made my peace, too. With this. I mean, I had, at least. I was okay with being a good hunter, with helping out the world as best I could, and when my time came, I would at least die knowing I'd done all I could to help people. Once I realized you were back for good, I wanted you to focus on the friends and kingdom you have around you, and the family you could have in the future, so that you might be okay to live in a world without me," Prompto explained.
Noctis felt each remaining piece of his broken heart cracking like shards of glass, and falling into the abyssal hole in his chest. He clutched Prompto's hands tighter, pressing his lips hard together as his chin trembled with emotion.
"I will never be okay without you," Noct whimpered, blue eyes glossing over with tears. Prompto gave him a bittersweet smile.
Such a statement was endearing, but he hoped with all his heart it wasn't true. In time, he believed Noctis would find a way to live contentedly without him. Maybe it wouldn't be easy, and maybe some days would be beyond painful, but Noctis was strong. He would make it.
"I will admit, it was easier to be okay with all of this before you came back. Now... things are just so good again. I don't want to leave so much now that you're back," Prompto admitted, cocking his head to the side with a small, sad smile.
Noct lowered his head, unable to see that smile without feeling like he was dying. He focused on swallowing, on breathing, on the feel of Prompto's hands—anything to keep him from thinking too hard and breaking down completely.
"Once we got back together, I didn't want things to change, and I knew they might if I told you. I didn't want you to worry about me, because this really is an important time for you to be focusing on your duties," Prompto went on, and Noctis blinked again, his eyes staying closed for longer than normal, and when he opened them again, Prompto could see the damp, stickiness of his lashes.
"How could I not worry, even when you weren't telling me? I knew something was up. For the longest time, I thought you were dealing with post traumatic stress from whatever Ardyn did to you. I thought if I was patient, you would come around, and you did. But, I guess I was still in the dark about what was really going on," Noctis said, closing his eyes tightly again, as if in pain. Prompto brushed his thumbs over the backs of Noct's hands, his tearful eyes meeting his partner's.
"I think it is partly post traumatic stress, you know? I mean, I still have nightmares about everything that happened there. I've never been able to get those memories out of my head. Of being captured, tortured... But the worst was when he told me..." Prompto heard Noctis gulp, or perhaps it was a smothered sob. Still, he was so close to letting these dark truths out, he couldn't stop now. It was best for both of them if he finally got his story out in the open.
"When Ardyn was holding me captive, sometimes he used to grab my face in his hands, lean in real close, and tell me that I'd better hope my prince gets there in time, before my body gives out. At first, I thought he meant from the torture or starvation, but then he'd give me all these little hints that there was something wrong with me. Then one day he came right out and said that people who were created the way I was don't have a very good shot at a long life... That a clone like me probably wouldn't get to grow old."
Noctis watched him with wide, tearful eyes that trembled as Prompto spoke.
"Being there was the worst experience I've ever had, and that's all part of why it was so hard to tell you," he whimpered, and he watched the way Noctis stood staring at him, scared and quiet, his breathing soft and short like he was afraid he might startle Prompto with any sound or movement. He drank in every word, letting every painful fact Prompto had told him settle in his brain before his next question slipped out.
"But you told the others, didn't you?"
"Not that part. I... never told anyone that part," he whispered, before tears emerged full-force.
He slapped the back of his hand against his mouth, hoping to hold back his emotions, but it was no use. He had been holding this secret in for far too long, and being in the midst of this moment with Noct was the exact thing he had been dreading more than anything he could ever remember. The worst part wasn't the fact that he was dying; it was the fact that he was disappointing Noctis this way, and knowing that he'd lied to, and deceived, and broken the heart of the person he adored above all else.
Noctis figured out how to move again, suddenly needing to be as close to his loved one as possible. He closed the empty space between them in no time at all, catching Prompto as the man stumbled past him in a fit of emotion. He would have flopped back onto the bed if it weren't for Noct's quick action. Now, Prompto was leaned backwards with Noct bent forward over him, one of the king's hands resting in the arch of his back, and the other cradling the back of his neck before he could hit the mattress.
"Whoa, easy, you're okay," Noctis murmured softly, not completely sure where he'd found his voice, but grateful that he had.
Prompto wept softly against his chest, his hand clutching at the front of Noctis' suit. Noctis merely whispered gentle words to him, and slowly leaned back upright, bringing Prompto with him. He continued to hold him close, hands settling in place, and fingers stroking gently.
"You shouldn't take any of this as a slight against you, Noct," Prompto croaked, between shaking breaths. "It was just so hard to talk about, and… I don't know. I should have just told you."
Noctis shushed him, softly.
"It's gonna be okay. It's all gonna be okay," he promised, his voice breaking as the first of his tears broke free. Prompto thanked him for the generosity and soothing words by letting go of the front of his clothing, and wrapping his arms around his back instead, holding him close in return.
They stood there in a tearful state as the minutes passed. As soon as one of them got themselves under control, they would feel the other lose their composure, bodies trembling in each other's arms, and quiet sniffles filling the room. Eventually, Noctis pulled back, his red, wet eyes meeting his partner's.
"You want to sit?"
Prompto nodded a response, and they travelled toward the bed, hands remaining on backs until they were close enough to sit down. The two sat resting against the headboard, and leaned their heads to the side to rest together, hands intertwining atop their thighs. They stared at the bedspread, the wall ahead, anything but each other. The sounds of shaky breaths and suppressed sobs fought off what would have been a dreadfully eery silence.
As the emotions eventually died down, Prompto reached for the television remote on the nightstand and flicked it on, merely to keep the tension at a tolerable level. The orange glow of the screen worked to provide a small source of comfort in this otherwise grim atmosphere. Noctis held an arm around Prompto's back, his hand massaging his shoulder gently as they continued to rest with their heads together. He tried hard to focus on the tacky sitcom that Prompto had put on to distract them, but the sound of laughter at a time like this made Noct sick to his stomach.
So, he hadn't been wrong about the post traumatic stress, it seemed. He'd merely missed the depth of it. He'd been so suspicious after seeing the way Prompto had reacted to the night terrors that interrupted his sleep, the way he'd avoided him, the way he'd secretly been stocking up on the Ghaladian alcohol and begun drinking through the day. He'd noticed the change in Prompto's personality—his lack of energy and optimism, the way he'd stopped taking as many photos as he used to, as if the desire to do so wasn't as fervent. He knew they were all the right signs, but to think that all of this had been rooted way back in that time in Zegnautus Keep, and that Ardyn of all people had been the one to tell Prompto that his time was running out… It made him completely nauseated.
"What're you thinking about?" Prompto queried, turning his head enough to nuzzle his nose against Noct's stubbled jaw. Noct continued to stare numbly ahead. Their tears had dried against their cheeks now, but it hadn't made either of them feel much better.
"That this can't be happening?" Noct said, his voice having regained its usual volume, but his tone was so defeated. Prompto squeezed his hand, and turned his head back to lean against Noct's again, his eyes returning to the TV.
"Can I help? I mean, is there anything I can do to make this easier?" he asked, voice so delicate, careful not to break Noct any further.
For the first time all evening, Noctis felt himself chuckle ever so softly, for this was his Prompto—not the sad, scared, distant Prompto he'd been dealing with tonight and over the past several months, but the Prompto who had done everything he could for him over the years, all to make his life better.
"I should be asking you that question," Noctis hummed. With a sigh, he leaned over to press a kiss to Prompto's hair, earning him a small, innocent smile that made his tight insides uncurl just a little; it was a sight he was always happy to see, especially now, under these circumstances.
"Honestly, though, is it okay if I go downstairs for a bit? I just... need a few minutes to myself to absorb all of this, alright?" Noct asked, gently.
"Yeah, of course, Noct," Prompto said, smile weakening. Noctis gave him an apologetic look as he pulled away. He got up from the bed and headed for the doorway, kicking his feet into his dress shoes before exiting, leaving a nervous Prompto alone with his thoughts.
"Hey, Talcott," Noct greeted, finding the young man in front of the vault, his grandfather's trusty journal laying open in his hands as he continued trying combinations. The basement appeared to be empty apart from the two of them, with Ignis elsewhere and the guard on break. Noctis was thankful for his timing, as he'd been hoping for this moment of privacy.
"Good afternoon, Your Majesty," Talcott smiled. "How are you faring?"
"I'm great. Thanks," Noct smiled back, but it faded into an expression far more anxious as he came to stand before him. "So, did you find anything? About… what we discussed before?"
"Yes. I found that you are free to choose a mate. Just as you'd hoped, your power as king grants you such a decision," Talcott smiled.
"You serious? Wait, is there a catch? There must be a catch."
"Well, while each Lucian monarch is free to choose during their rule, in order for the marriage law for the Lucian royal line to be changed for all upcoming monarchs, the decision must have the approval of at least three Lucian kings, proof of which must be witnessed and agreed to by the Lucian council or government," Talcott explained.
" Okay, so I would need proof of two other kings—as well as myself—wanting to change this law for, say, any potential heirs. But as far as Prompto and I are concerned, we're free to marry right now, regardless?"
"That's correct, Your Majesty. Things are in your favour."
Noct beamed, his breath momentarily getting stuck in his lungs with the excitement and incredulity of the news. He let out a chuckle. "Ah, you have no idea what a relief that is."
"I'm glad you're pleased, Your Majesty."
"I am. And hey, I'm sorry if this was awkward for you to look into, I just… needed someone knowledgeable about this stuff. I couldn't ask Iris without it getting back to Gladio, you know? And I don't want my friends to know just yet. Besides, I knew you'd be supportive," Noct said, placing a hand on Talcott's shoulder in gratitude.
"I am, Your Majesty. I have a deep respect for both you and Prompto, and am honoured to help out in any way I can."
"In that case, would you like to help me pick out a ring?" Noct smiled, sheepishly.
"Maybe this isn't my place, Your Majesty, but do you think Prompto will be okay with your proposal, given his status?" Talcott asked, and Noctis frowned, inquisitively, not quite understanding.
"His status? You mean, because of his origins? I don't see why not," Noctis replied, not realizing the depth of the question.
"I just… wouldn't want him to say no. But like I said, this is probably none of my business. I'm sorry for saying anything," Talcott stammered, reddening slightly.
"Don't be. I appreciate the concern, but I think we've talked through everything that needs discussing. If I'm right about his feelings for me, I don't see any reason why he wouldn't say yes," Noctis smiled, softly, regarding the silver ring with proud eyes as he held it up above his head, watching it glisten in the store's bright lights. He hoped Prompto would like it.
Noctis wandered down the hallway until he reached the spiral staircase. Slowly he descended until he came to a landing, where a suit of armour stood across from a large glass window, which gave a view of the world outside, painted in black. He wandered to the window, resting both hands on the white railing before it. He gripped the railing tightly, until his clenched fingers started to shake. He lowered his head as the sting of tears returned, and with a muffled sound that he fought to hold back, he cried—for how oblivious he'd been, for how pushy and desperate he'd been acting. He cried for his beloved Prompto.
He'd imagined this night being one of the best of his life—proposing to Prompto in a beautiful city at night, having him say yes and leaping into each other's arms, talking about their future in the peaceful afterglow of their love. Could it be any more opposite? Prompto saying he couldn't marry him, fleeing from the scene, the only intimate contact being tearful hugs, and finding out that for Prompto, there was barely a future at all…
Digging his phone out of his pocket, Noctis dialed his advisor's number through blurry eyes, barely managing to see the screen clearly enough to make the call. It rang, and rang, and Noctis stared blankly out at the black sky, lips twitching downward until Ignis picked up.
"Noct? Is something wrong?"
"Is Gladio there, too?" Noct choked out, failing to disguise the fact that he was crying. Ignis paused on the other end, probably trying to figure out what he should do as he heard his king's broken voice.
"One moment, Noct," he said, and Noctis stifled a sob as he listened to the shuffling on the other end as Gladio got situated, and Ignis switched his settings to speakerphone.
"I'm here, too, Noct. What's up?" came Gladio's worried voice.
"It's Prompto. He told me… about what you found at the magitek facility." The pause on the other end was longer this time, and Noct reminded himself to breathe as he waited for his glaives' responses.
"What do you mean?" Ignis asked.
"He told me he had you do some research. You found documents saying that MTs… that people created the way he was..." Noct trailed off, as he failed to suppress another sob. He closed his eyes tightly, waiting and hoping for the men to calm him down.
"How much d'he tell you?" Gladio mumbled, voice low and hesitant. Noct could picture the looks Ignis and Gladio were giving each other in that moment—so stunned, so worried and scared.
"That he's going to die. That he's got nine, maybe ten years to live?"
"I'm afraid I don't understand," Ignis murmured after a moment. "Prompto said he informed you of this while you two were travelling together to Galahd and Altissia."
Noctis' eyes widened in surprise.
"What?! Then he lied!"
Silence filled the other end again, as the two shocked glaives tried to rationalize what had happened. Both hesitated, trying to figure out what they could possibly say next that wouldn't upset their desolate king further.
"I am so sorry, Noct. I double-checked with him, as I feared he was being dishonest at first, but I was confident after speaking with him in private that he truly had told you."
"Well, he didn't. Not a word," Noctis shook his head.
"Then I'm… terribly afraid I missed the mark on that one," Ignis said, regretfully, remembering how closely he had listened for any indication that Prompto had been lying to him that day. He'd liked to think that his senses were keener than this, but he supposed that missing Prompto's facial cues had led to his mis-assessment this time.
"Why? Why the hell would he do this?" Noct cried, hopelessly now, his voice adopting the half-sad, half-angry holler that used to take over when speaking of his father's death.
"He wasn't trying to hurt you, Noct. If he hid this from you, it was because he was trying to protect you," Gladio tried to console.
"Yes, Prompto cares very deeply for people. If he believed that this news would hurt you, then I'm sure it was difficult for him to even consider putting you through it," Ignis added, voice saddening with the last of his words.
"I know. He's been saying all the same things, but I just don't… I don't get it, and I… I can't breathe," Noctis whimpered, panicking as he tried to suck in air and couldn't. How could his Prompto deceive not only him, but his friends as well? Had ten years apart really made him forget that he could trust them—trust him—with anything?
"Easy, Noct," Gladio said, softly. "Take it easy. It's gonna be okay."
"Slow, steady breaths," Ignis instructed. Noctis closed his eyes and focused on filling and emptying his lungs at a regular pace. Once he'd succeeded in doing so a few times, he gathered the will and energy to speak again.
"Why didn't you guys ever mention it? How could this not come up in all the time since I've been back?" he pleaded, desperately.
"Prompto said that after he'd told you, you said you never wanted to speak of it, and that you didn't want either of us to mention it because it would only upset you," Ignis explained, and Noctis shook his head, not wanting to hear it.
"Then he lied about that, too," he said, solemnly, letting his head fall toward the floor. He closed his eyes again as he felt fresh tears forming. "Stupid bastard lied about everything."
"I realize this is a lot to take in, especially under such unfortunate circumstances as these," Ignis sympathized. "When I first found out, I couldn't help but think of you, Noct. Of how heartbroken you would have been to know what was happening to someone as dear to you as Prompto."
"It sucks big time, for all of us. But, don't forget, Noct, as hard as this is on you, it's probably ten times harder on him. He's the one who's had to deal with it all. From trying to live his life to the fullest, to protecting you from the truth, to figuring out how to tell you," Gladio reminded him. Noctis nodded, chin still trembling. He had to clear his throat to speak past the lump in it.
"Did you… did you check in on him regularly after you found out? Make sure he was okay?" Noctis blubbered out, despising the thought of Prompto finding out the truth of his own mortality, and not having anyone there to help him through it.
"Gladio and I both called and messaged him often, but he always assured us that he was fine, and that he wanted to continue hunting on his own. We were all content going our separate ways at the time, but we did what we could," Ignis promised.
"Why does he always do this? Why does he think he has to manage everything on his own? First his barcode, now this?" Noct sniffed.
He recognized that Prompto had always been poor at coping with dire circumstances such as these. When Noct had been engaged to Luna, Prompto had overcompensated with humour and enthusiasm, and had fawned over Cindy and Aranea, like they might somehow fill the hole in his heart once Noctis was no longer his. He had kept secrets about his past, had been more recently keeping secrets about the consequences of that past. Why couldn't he just be honest? Why couldn't he trust Noct when that was all Noct wanted?
Noctis was about to speak again, but movement out of the corner of his eye made him cut his sentence short.
"I'll talk to you guys, later, okay? Got company."
"Take care," Ignis murmured.
"Yeah, hang in there, Noct," Gladio added, before Noct clicked his phone off. He rapidly wiped his face with the back of his arm, and turned around, ready to hurry back upstairs before whoever was on the level below caught him in this state.
"Your Majesty? Is everything alright?"
Noctis recognized the voice as Lila's, and he stopped dead, not sure if it would be deemed acceptable to just ignore her like that, especially when she was so generously allowing them to stay in her estate. Resigning himself, he cleared his throat and slowly turned around to face her as she stood at the bottom of the staircase of the empty ballroom. He hoped the redness of his face and eyes had faded enough since his conversation with Prompto to go unnoticed, but judging by Lila's worried expression, he doubted that was the case. His talk with Gladio and Ignis had only renewed the evidence of tears.
The girl hurried up the steps, her dark gold hair bouncing aginst her back, due to her swift pace. She halted when she was close enough to hold a proper conversation, leaving a couple of stairs between her and her guest.
"What has happened, King Noctis?" she asked, her fearful eyes searching Noct's for an answer. Noctis lowered his head and closed his eyes, forcing the corners of his lips upward.
"Just a… personal matter," he said, only opening his eyes again once he felt confident that no more tears would fall. "Thank you so much for your hospitality, Lila, but I'm afraid my glaive and I must return to Lucis in the morning. And as much as I enjoyed getting to know you, I'm afraid any union between us is not in the cards," Noct said, apologetically, his eyes sincerely reflecting his sympathy. She gave him a small smile of amusement, and laced her hands behind her back, swaying slightly from side to side.
"No offence, Your Majesty, but I wasn't going to choose you as a mate, either. Finding a suitor was something my aunt was pressuring me to do. I'll play along with this meet and greet for now, but just know that it wasn't my choice. Once this whole silly affair is over, I'm going to tell her I'm not interested in pursuing any courtship," she explained, continuing to smirk. Noctis blinked in surprise at first, but after the words registered, he couldn't help but smile back.
"I know the feeling," Noctis agreed.
He and Ignis had had their fair share of head butting over the course of their lives, from arguing over stupid things like homework and too much junk food to addressing larger issues—like royal obligations, and certain expectations of Noctis that would impact the Crown and kingdom. Lately, he couldn't say he felt Ignis was on his side, especially when it came to his relationship with Prompto. Maybe it was time to take a page out of Lila's book, and speak up for himself when he knew in his heart that something was right.
Both jumped at the sound of something shattering, and they turned to look at the window at the bottom of the staircase, where Lila had been standing not a minute before. Shards of glass soared through the air as a giant, winged creature plowed through the broken window, tossing its head and giving out a high-pitched, deafening screech. A figure dressed in black from his hood to his boots rode on the creature's back, gripping its ebony feathers tightly, and holding a whip in his free hand. He snapped it loudly, and the bird landed on the ballroom floor, tossing its head back and letting out another loud squawk before setting its eyes on the two on the stairs.
"Here. Get behind me. Hurry," Noctis coaxed, reaching a hand out and intending to usher Lila behind his back, but she merely came to stand beside him, her fearful look transforming into a stern and powerful one as she grabbed the metal spear from the suit of armour.
"You can fight, too?" Noctis asked, with creased brows.
"Yeah, don't worry about me. Let's make sure everyone gets out safely," she said, with a glance at Noctis, who gave her a nod in return.
Noctis reached out to the side and summoned his blade as they charged forward toward the winged beast: the great Zu. The man on its back yanked on its feathers, coaxing it to back up and face the incoming warriors properly. On the floor below, they heard the distant cracking of another window, and the screams of what was probably both guards and housekeepers alike. Noctis tried to block out the sounds as he and Lila moved in to surround the giant bird, who shook its head wildly at them, baring its sharp, pointed teeth that looked like giant, thin needles.
Armoured footsteps clanged hurriedly against the ballroom floor as guards arrived on the scene, and helped surround the creature. They began poking at it with their own long spears as Noct warpstriked against its side. With the bird distracted, Lila took the opportunity to sneak around the outer circle of guards, and slip out of the ballroom, hoping to be of more assistance on the lower level.
The Zu flapped its giant wings, sending people flying backwards against walls and onto the floor, including Noctis. The king landed against the staircase, his back hitting hard against one of the steps, and knocking the air out of his lungs as he landed. He could feel the uncomfortable sharp pain in his throat from the impact, and the way the tight muscles in his back protested as he tried to push himself to sit up.
"Noct! I've got you, buddy!" came Prompto's voice from behind, and Noct felt hands slip under his arms, pulling him to his feet. He felt dizzy, his head flopping forward as he tried to get his bearings. As the world came back into focus, he remembered his frustration with the man who had come to his rescue, and he pulled his arms free to stand on his own, earning a concerned glance from Prompto.
"Let's finish this," Noct instructed, and Prompto nodded as his friend launched himself back into the fray.
Prompto thrust a hand out and felt the strands of purple and blue magic wrap around his wrist, pulling Noctis' power into his veins and making his weapon materialize within his grasp. He hurried down the steps after Noctis, shooting at the Zu, and summoning a second firearm when he felt the first one wasn't doing enough damage on its own. Warping to and fro, Noctis just barely caught sight of Prompto dual-wielding his guns, his footwork graceful as he danced backwards, shooting one bullet after another. Seeing such a strong, confident, breathtaking fighter… it just didn't make sense to think that he was dying.
As guards clambered back to their feet after being tossed aside a second time by powerful wings, Noctis jumped into the air, and shot his hands out to the side, summoning the Armiger. To his relief, the circle of weapons formed around him, and he launched himself forward at the Zu and its master, letting the weapons fly and jab and slice until he felt the powers waning. Prompto kept his eye on him, expecting him to call out for him at any second, but even as he landed back on the ground, he kept his mouth shut. Was he really going to waste this opportunity for a joint attack?
"Altogether now!" Prompto cheered, as he hurried to Noctis' side, and attacked the beast simultaneously. The guards joined in, and the bird let out one last piercing screech before its neck and head fell loudly and limply against the marble floor. The man on its back hoisted a leg over and slid down its side, making a dash for the ballroom's open double-doors.
"Noct, let's go after him!" Prompto shouted, but Noctis didn't wait for him. He warpstriked toward the villain, catching him by the back of his hood.
"Show yourself!" Noctis furiously screamed.
The man spun around to launch a fist at Noct, who threw his own hand up to block it, unintentionally leaving himself wide open as the man retrieved a dagger from his belt and shoved it into Noctis' abdomen. Noctis froze in place, the colour draining from his cheeks immediately as the man pushed the blade in a little deeper before yanking it out. Mercilessly, he pushed Noctis to the floor.
"Noct?! Noooct!" Prompto cried out, throwing his gun across the room and warping after it, landing just beside his friend, and dropping to his knees. He caught sight of the culprit's sandy brown hair, dark brows, and devious grin before he disappeared down the stairs.
"After him! Go!" Prompto yelled, glancing back at the guards, and pointing a finger at the door.
He quickly reached for Noctis, pulling his slumped form in against him as the armoured guards rushed past them, heart pounding. Noct's back rested against Prompto's chest, and Prompto's hands reached for the damp, bloodstained spot in his black clothing. Even with the support of Prompto's arms under his own, Noctis could hardly hold himself upright.
"Stay with me, Noct. You're okay. You're okay," Prompto promised, in hushed and hurried tones.
His hands pressed hard against the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Noct made a tiny, pained noise, but remained otherwise still and silent. He was in too much shock to absorb what was happening, and he felt his vision grow darker and darker around the edges until he slipped into total blackness, Prompto's cries of his name fading into the distance.
