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Chapter 10
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"There's a science lab under here?" Prompto frowned as Ardyn led the way into what looked like an old barn. An old barn with various boards missing from its structure… Light streamed in through long, rectangular gaps in the walls and parts of its roof were entirely gone. It didn't look stable.
"It's a hidden lab." Ardyn reminded him. "Underground. It's meant to be inconspicuous."
"You sure you're not luring me in here to murder me?" Prompto pouted, wrapping his arms around himself and shivering. It was just only getting light out and was still pretty cold from the previous night.
"I could have murdered you anywhere, anytime, my dear boy. No luring required. This way." Ardyn reached toward the handle of a door in the middle of the ground. It was barely even noticeable. If Prompto hadn't seen Ardyn open it, he might have never noticed it was there even if he spent all day in this barn.
They'd driven through the night and on for a bit after sunrise, had headed off the main road and down a dirt path, and now they were here... in the middle of nowhere. No other people were nearby. They hadn't passed a single car after taking the side road. If something bad happened and Prompto felt compelled to scream or run looking for help, it wasn't going to work out for him. Not that it had worked out when he asked for help when there was a person around to hear him.
Swallowing nervously as he followed Ardyn, Prompto felt his breaths growing a little quicker. He was starting to get really nervous. Ardyn's vague descriptions of the man they were going to meet hadn't exactly been reassuring. Prompto of course also still didn't fully trust Ardyn. For all he knew, Ardyn had never met any of Prompto's relatives and was going to lock him down here or feed him to some horrible monster or something. He didn't know…
Prompto followed Ardyn down a ladder, which led to a hallway with dim lights lining it near the ceiling. At the end of the hall there was a keypad, which Ardyn seemed to know the code to. He input six digits - quickly, so Prompto didn't catch what they were… a two and a four, something in the middle, and something something eight or nine? He knew he unfortunately wouldn't be able to replicate the code if he needed to.
"Anyone home?" Ardyn called out as he led the way into the next room.
Prompto frowned as he followed the man inside, feeling a strong urge to turn around and run right back out before the door closed behind them. The lab was so pristine considering it was under a dirty, dusty old barn. He wondered what kind of science things his father did… if this guy even was his father. Ardyn hadn't been clear on that.
"I've brought you someone!" Ardyn called out. "Someone you've been missing..."
"You're quite early…" A low voice grumbled.
Prompto found himself inching behind Ardyn as he heard footsteps approaching. Something about this felt extremely wrong. In fact, everything about it did. Prompto still knew absolutely nothing about this man... And the oddly clean lab under the ground was weird. Why did it have to be hidden? If there wasn't something bad happening in here, why hide it? And why was Verstael here and not like at a house or something. Why meet in a secret lab?
"Don't be rude, Prompto… Say hello to Daddy." Ardyn laughed, turning toward Prompto and grabbing his upper arms, pushing him in front of himself as an older man came into view. The guy almost seemed too old to possibly be Prompto's dad, but he did feel familiar, almost like they had to be related somehow… Just maybe not father and son.
"My goodness…" The stranger gasped, walking forward, holding his hands out and reaching toward Prompto's face. "You've grown… and you look… almost exactly as I'd expect. Yes… Almost exactly."
Prompto swallowed, glancing toward Ardyn. He didn't know for sure what to say. These people seemed to somehow know him, while he knew nothing about them in return.
"The boy's named Prompto." Ardyn informed his friend. "I know… not what you'd have chosen, I'm sure."
"I wouldn't have chosen anything." The man laughed.
Ardyn laughed as well. "I know. Prompto, this is Verstael. Your father… in a way…"
Prompto shook his head, frowning. He was about tired of the vague, confusing description of how this man was supposedly related to him. "What does that mean?" He glared."Is he my father or not? He either is or he isn't… Wh-why isn't there a clear yes or no answer?"
Ardyn let out a slight laugh. "Getting a little impatient, are we, dear boy?"
"Yes. I am." Prompto stared, crossing his arms over his chest and stepping slightly to the side to distance himself from both men. "You've dragged me here, against my will... Hardly told me anything about what's going on... Is this man my father or not? And if he's not, then who is he?"
"I am." Verstael nodded with a smirk. "For all intents and purposes I'm your father."
Prompto exhaled and closed his eyes, shaking his head. He wondered if he really was related to this guy at all. Both Ardyn and Verstael were weird, creepy, sinister. But if Prompto wasn't related to this man, why had Ardyn chosen to take him all the way here? It was a long trip just to take some random kid to this guy for some unclear reason…
"Leave us, Ardyn. I'll take him from here." Verstael smiled, reaching a hand out toward Prompto's shoulder.
Prompto let out a small breath, glancing toward Ardyn with a frown. He didn't exactly trust Ardyn. It wasn't like he wanted to stay with him… But he sure as hell didn't trust this guy either. At least Ardyn had a track record of not trying to kill him for the two days they'd spent together… Not significantly hurting him in that time, only threatening to rape him and not actually doing it… Thus far, the man hadn't significantly hurt him - only threatened to. He knew what to expect from Ardyn - kind of… He didn't know this man at all.
"I'd like to start with a few medical tests, to see how you've been doing out on your own…" Verstael started, pulling Prompto backward.
"What?" Prompto breathed, looking toward the man, then back toward Ardyn again. "No… Ardyn, don't leave…" He whimpered, pulling his arm out of Verstael's grip and rushing toward Ardyn.
"You two have bonded, hm?" Verstael laughed, grabbing Prompto again and pulling him back. "Please cooperate, son. So I don't have to take drastic measures." He warned.
Prompto shook his head. "No… I don't wanna be here…" He whispered. "Thanks for meeting with me, but-" He was cut off when he felt Verstael's hand clamp down over his mouth, pulling him back against his chest. Prompto whimpered a muffled plea, drawing his hands up toward the man's arm, trying to pry the hand off of his face. He didn't want this. Why the hell would his father - or whatever this guy was to him - need to do medical tests?
"Hand me that syringe, Ardyn." Verstael ordered. "Before you go, please."
Prompto tried to squirm under Verstael's grip, shaking his head as Ardyn walked over and picked up an un-labeled syringe, handing it over toward his friend.
"No…" Prompto breathed, shaking his head and trying to jerk his arm back as Verstael stabbed the needle into his shoulder. "Don't! What's in that?" He gasped.
"Shhh… You've got to calm down, Prompto. We've been over this." Ardyn frowned, putting his hand on Prompto's chest and rubbing gently as Prompto felt himself quickly growing tired. "Cooperate, Baby. You don't want to get hurt… Verstael has far less patience than I."
Prompto could feel himself growing limp. His breaths were growing slower. He felt like he was passing out as Ardyn helped the other man lift him onto a table. Prompto could barely move at this point, but Verstael strapped his wrists down to the table anyway.
"Please let me go…" Prompto whimpered. "Ardyn… Don't let him hurt me…" Prompto choked, looking toward the other man. "Don't leave me here. Please don't leave me with him. Please!"
"You understood this was the destination. I told you... You knew this was where we were going, and you chose to rush here rather than taking your time with me... You had your chance at my protection and you didn't want it." Ardyn stared. "Interesting that you want to cling to me now..." He narrowed his eyes.
Prompto felt his mouth fall open sightly as his brows furrowed. Was Ardyn mad at him for not accepting his offer to share his coat last night? Was this punishment for that? Feeling his lower lip tremble as tears welled up in his eyes, Prompto shook his head. "Please don't leave me here..." He whispered. "Take me back with you. I don't wanna stay here..." Ardyn was scary, but nowhere near as scary as this new guy. Ardyn never suggested doing medical tests... What did that even mean? "Please, Ardyn..." Prompto whispered.
"You'll be alright. You wanted your answers. This is where they are. Be good. Don't be a nuisance like you were with me. I'll… come check in later." Ardyn frowned, looking almost uncomfortable as he rubbed Prompto's shoulder.
Prompto shook his head slightly, feeling like he could barely do even that. He was so tired. His body felt so heavy… Yet he was still mostly awake. Was that what the drug did? Made him unable to move, but didn't give him the luxury of passing out too?
"It's medical tests, my dear. He's not going to beat you or anything. You mean a lot to him, so I'm sure no serious injury will befall you." Ardyn promised. "Just lie back and close your eyes. You'll be fine. I'll check in. Within a day or so. Alright?"
"No..." Prompto whimpered. "Please don't leave..."
"I promised you to Verstael. He's got more rights to you than I have. The journey was always to lead us here." Ardyn explained. "I know you're scared..."
Prompto sniffed back tears. He was scared. Very scared. "Please take me home..." He whispered.
"I can't." Ardyn frowned.
Verstael exhaled tiredly. "You don't owe him an explanation, Ardyn. We'll be fine. My gods... Have the two of you known each other longer than a mere few days? You certainly act like it. The boy is determined to cling to you like a child to his mother."
Ardyn frowned back at his friend, then looked toward Prompto, shaking his head as though disappointed in the situation he himself created. "Prompto, don't panic... You'll be alright... I'll check back in tomorrow. Is that okay?" Ardyn looked up toward Verstael.
"Sure." Verstael shrugged, rolling his eyes. "We'll stay occupied until then." He added, smirking back down at Prompto.
With that, Ardyn turned and walked out of the room, leaving Prompto lying on his back, strapped down with this terrifying stranger looming over him.
"You won't be needing this…" Verstael noted as he took scissors off a nearby table and began cutting up the length of one of Prompto's shirt sleeves.
Prompto choked out a shaking sob, shaking his head as best as his exhausted body allowed. "Please..." he whimpered.
"Is this a school uniform? You go to school in Insomnia?" Verstael asked, ignoring Prompto's begging.
Prompto's lip trembled. "Yes…" He answered, looking toward the doorway Ardyn had exited from. He couldn't believe this. Ardyn brought him this far, made sure he survived a daemon attack, bought him food and water... just to leave him here? A part of Prompto felt like he'd almost bonded with Ardyn. Not that he felt safe with the man, but he was almost like an uncle or father-figure for those two days. An extremely abusive one, but still a protector. Sure, Ardyn was the one who put him in danger in the first place, but he'd kept Prompto safe at the same time.
"I wouldn't have ever dreamed… I never considered you could grow to have your own life… An entire existence away from me…" Verstael mused, cutting up the side of the next sleeve, then cutting off each of the buttons up the front, pulling the shirt off of Prompto completely.
Letting out a shaky whimper, Prompto squeezed his eyes shut and shrunk down. "Please..." His voice shook as he blinked his eyes back open. "Don't hurt me. Please let me go..." He begged
"Ouch…" Verstael made an exaggerated face, ignoring Prompto's protests as he looked at Prompto's recently exposed skin. "You've certainly had a rough go of it, haven't you?" He pulled the gauze pad up away from the scratch marks across Prompto's upper chest. "Ardyn did a fair job cleaning it at least. Was it a coeurl?"
Prompto shook his head, shivering as his shirt and the wound's dressing were taken away. The air in the lab was so cold. Even colder maybe than outside. "Why are you doing this?" He whispered.
"You're mine. You belong to me." Verstael answered, loosening Prompto's tie next, sliding it off of his neck and throwing it down onto the floor where the scraps of his shirt had fallen. "I was tracking your health so thoroughly for the first months of your life… and then you were stolen from me. I'm making up for lost time… Deciding what you may be worth. We've got a lot to make up for… You may have to serve a different purpose than I originally intended."
"What are you talking about?" Prompto whispered, noticing his voice was heavier too. It was becoming harder to talk. "What… What'd y-you drug me with?" He stumbled over the words, closing his eyes tiredly as Verstael placed an IV in his hand and started hooking up various IV drips. "Please…" He whimpered. "What is all of this?"
Verstael laughed softly. "You're not hurt. Stop panicking. I'm taking blood samples, keeping you sedated, monitoring heart rate, oxygen… all of your vitals. That's all."
Prompto stuck his lip out in a pout, staring up at Verstael who ran his fingertips carefully over the boy's ribs.
"Ardyn really was rough with you, hm?" Verstael frowned, tracing various discolored bruises on Prompto's ribs and arms. "Did he hit you?" The man forced an insincere pout as he ran his fingers over the bruise on Prompto's ribs.
"Yeah... I made him mad..." Prompto whispered.
"Oh, you did?" Verstael raised his eyebrows. "How did you manage that? He's ordinarily so patient." He laughed. "How'd you make him upset with you?"
Prompto frowned and looked down. "It wasn't hard. I tried to run away after he killed someone, and I screamed and kicked out when he caught me."
Verstael let out a laugh, shaking his head. "You poor little thing."
Prompto stuck his lip out in a pout and closed his eyes. Obviously he hadn't expected any sympathy or anything... Just maybe not laughter either. It wasn't funny that Ardyn hit him so hard it felt like his ribs might be cracked. They still hurt. It wasn't funny. He blinked his eyes back open, staring up at his captor with a frown.
"He held you down here." The man noted next, lightly gripping around Prompto's wrists, then sliding his hands up the boy's arms, letting one rest on Prompto's neck. "He grabbed you here too." He noted.
Prompto tried to focus on remembering to breathe as he stared up with huge eyes. He was so frightened. Verstael was a stranger to him. He'd just met the man all of ten minutes ago. He had no idea what horrible things the guy might do to him.
"You're shaking, you poor little child." Verstael forced another mocking pout. "Oh, you're so scared, aren't you?"
Shrinking down and turning his head to the side, Prompto inhaled a small breath. He didn't want to verbally respond to the man's comments. Verstael seemed too amused by the fact that Prompto was terrified, trembling. He couldn't give the man the satisfaction of admitting it.
"Ardyn hurt you a lot." Verstael noted, running his fingertips lightly over Prompto's throat. "He squeezed your little neck, didn't he? Cut off your air... That really made you panic, didn't it?" He narrowed his eyes, starting to very slowly tighten his grip.
Prompto choked out a tiny, shaking breath. "Please let go." He whispered.
"Is that how you spoke to Ardyn? When he was choking you? Did you beg him? Did you cry?" Verstael smirked.
Prompto shook his head, not really knowing what else to say.
"Did he do anything else to you?" Verstael grinned. "You two had a long time alone together..." He noted.
Closing his eyes and whimpering softly, Prompto shook his head. "I just wanna go home... Please..."
"Did you and he do anything under your clothes? Under his? Does he have a little school boy kink I didn't know about? Is that why your clothes were so wrinkled and your tie was tied wrong?" Verstael guessed. "Surely Ardyn knows how to tie a tie... Did he let you do it yourself? Because he likes how you do it wrong? He thinks it's endearing, doesn't he? You being a little mess of a person?"
"No..." Prompto whimpered. "I've been wearing the same shirt since friday... I slept in it... Twice... a-and I don't know how to do the tie right." He admitted.
"Oh, you don't?" Verstael's eyebrows rose again.
Prompto shook his head. "Ardyn didn't do anything like that... He just hit me and choked me when I tried to run away."
"Somehow I can't see that being all he did, child. He had a lot of opportunities to do whatever he wanted. Surely he wanted to do something... I can't tell if he'd be the type to bend you over and penetrate you from behind or have you pleasure him with your mouth..." Verstael mused. "Do you know how to do that? Did you show Ardyn the time of his long, laborious life?"
Prompto shook his head again, feeling his breaths growing quicker as panic seized at his heart.
"Ardyn had all the chances in the world... Did you cry when he did it? Did you behave for him? I bet you didn't. That's why there are bruises up and down your arms, over your throat. You're a fighter. He had to hold you down. He had to choke you while he fucked you, to keep you still." Verstael guessed, running his hand back over Prompto's neck. "Choking someone while penetrating them is kind of a rush, you know. For both parties."
"No." Prompto whispered, shaking his head. "Please don't hurt me..." He whimpered, staring up through tears as the man leering down at him, recognizing if he hadn't already huge red flags, warning signs that the man was preoccupied with the very thing Prompto feared most. He wouldn't be talking about this if he weren't considering doing it.
"Maybe you'd do better using your hand?" Verstael noted, stepping so that his crotch was right next to Prompto's fingers.
Trying to pull his hand away, even with it tied down and his arm weighed down by the sedative, Prompto whimpered. "Don't..." He choked, loosely curling his hand into a trembling fist.
"Did you and Ardyn get into that then, or not?" Verstael asked.
"No." Prompto whispered. "He didn't."
"Seriously?" Verstael laughed. "How could he have possibly resisted? You and he, all alone in that car, camping together... You're so young and soft and delicate... So beautiful, tempting... He never touched you? Never pinned you down to the ground, wrestled down your little school trousers?"
Prompto squeezed his eyes closed again, shaking his head as tears slowly spilled down his cheeks. Ardyn hadn't ever hurt him sexually. He threatened to. He made Prompto pull his pants down and Prompto seriously thought he was going to, but he hadn't. It was all some twisted game to him. "He didn't do it." Prompto breathed, his voice tiny.
"He didn't so much as touch you? Make you touch him?" Verstael frowned.
Prompto quickly shook his head no. Of course, Ardyn had done part of that... The previous night, before the man had changed his mind about punishing Prompto for perceived misdeeds... Ardyn had touched him where he wasn't invited. For a painfully long minute or two Prompto had been forced to stand there and endure it, for fear that stepping away or fighting back would end in him being hurt much worse. Ardyn had forced Prompto to pull down his pants, to remain still while the man put his hand on him... Sure, he had only been trying to scare his captive - he hadn't intended on doing as much as he implied he would, but it was still inappropriate. Still scary and embarrassing.
Verstael nodded. "I hope you're truthful here, my boy. I really do."
Prompto tried to focus on breathing, but kept his eyes closed. It was very troubling that Verstael was so interested in whether or not Ardyn had sexually assaulted him. Why did he care? Why did he need so badly to know? Was he going to do it? Did he want to know he was the first and only one to have abused Prompto like that? He didn't want Ardyn to have gotten to him first?
"I'm not old enough..." Prompto blurted. "I'm only fifteen..." His voice shook. His breaths were so shallow, so frightened. "I'm- I'm still a child..." He whispered.
Verstael smiled silently, petting his hand carefully down from Prompto's neck, over his chest.
"Please..." Prompto whimpered, his voice shaking with tears that were so close to falling. "Please don't hurt me. I'm only fifteen." He repeated, shaking his head and inhaling trembling breaths as his tears started to fall. He wanted so badly to be home, to be with Noctis, to grab the prince up in a hug, to hold on tight and beg Noctis to hug him back and never let go.
"No need to panic." Verstael laughed, petting his hand lightly over Prompto's chest. "Shhh... Don't cry. Don't get upset, child. I'm well aware of just how young you are. I wouldn't ever dream of hurting you. You're my own kin, my perfect, precious child. I want you to be safe, protected. I cherish you, my boy. You can be sure of that."
Prompto hesitated sniffed back his remaining tears, feeling uncertain now. Had he somehow gotten the wrong idea? Was it like when Ardyn threatened him? Was Verstael just being deliberately creepy to keep Prompto in check? Just making sure Prompto knew to take him seriously? It wasn't like Prompto could even do anything to disobey the man. He was so heavily drugged that he couldn't even move. He couldn't scream for help - well, he could, but it would be pointless...
"I merely wanted to know what all Ardyn had forced on you so I could make sure you're not physically injured. He's a very depraved man." Verstael frowned. "I'm legitimately surprised you'd manage to escape his hands untouched. Are you sure he didn't? Perhaps while you were incapacitated? I assume he drugged you. That was his plan to smuggle you out of the city..."
Prompto felt his breath hitch in his throat as his eyes widened. Surely Ardyn didn't do anything to him while he was passed out... He really wouldn't have had to. Prompto wasn't strong enough to fight him off. If Ardyn wanted to do something like that, he could have any time. He wouldn't have needed for Prompto to be unconscious.
Prompto frowned as he tried to think back to the moment he first woke up in the back of Ardyn's car. His clothing was just as he'd left it. His pants and everything were how they should have been. He hadn't felt like anything bad had happened to him. He wasn't in any pain down there, didn't feel anything abnormal. Surely Ardyn wouldn't have done that... After all, like Verstael said, the man had plenty of opportunities to do whatever horrible things he wanted. Most of the threats were hollow - he hadn't ended up doing it. It seemed everything Ardyn did was to get some kind of reaction. If he was going to do something, it would have been when Prompto was awake to suffer through it...
"Anyway, we should get on with the examination. I've got a lot of data to collect on you." Verstael changed the subject. "So many years lost... We'll get it done though. I've got to make sure you're in good shape, my son. You look to be, besides the bruises and injuries, but that's Ardyn's fault - not yours."
Prompto gasped and shook his head when he felt the man's hands at his waist, unbuttoning his pants and starting to slide them down his thighs. "No! Please don't! Please! Please!" Prompto immediately started sobbing, pulling his hands into loose fists and trying to tug them out of the restraints. He was so exhausted he could barely even manage the fists though, much less freeing himself.
"My, my… You've become so sensitive, my son… It's a human body. We all have one. Nothing at all to be ashamed of..." Verstael laughed, tugging Prompto's pants all the way down, pulling them off completely. "We're family. This shouldn't be that big of a deal to you, my child. I knew you the day you took your first breath. You certainly weren't wearing pants then."
Prompto shook his head and cried out a frightened whimper. "Please don't…" He choked. "I w-was a baby then... I don't know you. You know me, but I don't know you..." He choked.
Verstael laughed, shaking his head and rolling his eyes as though Prompto was being ridiculous. "You look stunning, my dear, so don't feel embarrassed. I've seen it all before - more than you could possibly know… But you can keep your underwear for now. Okay? Will that shut you up?"
Prompto's lip trembled as he blinked back tears and sniffed. He was so cold, so scared. This man had no boundaries and didn't respect Prompto's. The situation was entirely terrifying, inappropriate, humiliating. He was almost completely undressed. He was drugged, strapped down... He couldn't move. He didn't even know where he was. If he escaped by some miracle, he'd still be lost. He'd never felt this overwhelmed and trapped in his whole life.
Closing his eyes and choking out a shaky sob, Prompto shrunk down. "I wanna go home…" He cried softly. "Please… I wa-wanna g-go home…"
"You are home. This is home now… I'm your home. Wherever I am, you'll come with me. We're family after all." Verstael put his hand on Prompto's chest, rubbing his thumb lightly over the boy's collar bone. "You're quite physically fit. You exercise, I presume?"
Prompto couldn't bring himself to answer. His body was so exhausted, including his voice. He also didn't want to play along with this. He didn't want to act like this was a routine doctor visit and answer the questions like it was normal. He just wanted to disappear, to not do this, to skip to the end of whatever this nightmare was. He hoped there was an end, that Verstael didn't intend on keeping him forever... that he'd let him go whenever he was done with this weird exam, or that he'd at least not leave him tied down and drugged, so Prompto could escape on his own.
Right now he was entirely powerless though, and that lack of control was the worst feeling imaginable. There was nothing at all he could do here. Just beg... and that wasn't working.
"It's been so long… You've taken good care of yourself. You're fit, but not too muscular. Still lean… Attractive… but maybe that's just me being a narcissist. I was quite the looker back in the day too." Verstael smirked.
Letting out a tired, shaky breath, Prompto pulled very weakly at one of his arms, making not even a little progress in freeing himself. He was all but completely immobilized at this point.
Prompto exhaled a small, shaky breath as he watched Verstael walk away toward a series of drawers and cabinets, going through them, taking out various supplies. He didn't understand why this was happening. Why did this man want to know these things about him? His blood, his heart rate, his vitals? Why did he care? What was he going to do with the information?
Inhaling a sharp breath and tensing as Verstael stuck some sort of heart or breathing monitors to his chest, some over his ribs, Prompto looked to the side toward a small screen that started to beep, indicating his heart rate, maybe his breaths too… He wasn't sure.
"You're doing beautifully, my boy." Verstael cooed, running his hand over the side of Prompto's face, down over his neck. "Slowed heart rate, but that's to be expected with the sedative. There are other potential side effects, but nothing lethal. You'll likely feel minor aches and pains as it wears off perhaps some nausea, a fever... but that won't be for a while yet. It'll be similar to the flu, but varies from person to person. Some people have no side effects at all."
Prompto squeezed his eyes back shut, focusing on his own slow, shallow breaths, trying to get himself to breathe in deeper. He felt like he was going to faint, and he wasn't sure if it was from the sedative or from his own pure fear.
He listened as Verstael moved around the lab. Prompto really didn't want to watch what he was doing. He didn't want to know. He just wanted to pass out, to not have to suffer anymore. What if this man did more than just routine procedures? What if he experimented on Prompto? Did surgeries? Removed organs? Tested weird, dangerous drugs on him? What if whatever he did left Prompto forever damaged? Blind, deaf, unable to walk or talk... What if it killed him?
Prompto felt his lip trembling as tears filled his eyes. He just wanted to go home. His life wasn't perfect in Insomnia, but he'd gladly take it over staying here. He just wanted to be home, to have Noctis and his camera… To walk around the city carelessly, to waste hours in the arcade, to go to school. He never felt all that important, all that loved or wanted... but he'd rather be ignored and unnoticed than be here.
"Thirteen years you've been gone." Verstael noted again. "It seems like just yesterday… Son, I was so angry when you were stolen from me. So, very angry… But I've got you back now. You're mine again. And I think perhaps you may have been worth the wait."
Opening his eyes and sticking his lip out in a pout, Prompto looked up at the man. Verstael was staring back at him like Prompto was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen, like for some reason having him back was like winning the lottery.
A sick feeling rose in Prompto's chest as he took note of the twisted, excited look in his captor's eyes. Verstael had been waiting for thirteen years to reclaim Prompto. This was something the man had thought about for a very, very long time. To Prompto is was new, confusing, scary... To Verstael it was a long time coming, much anticipated... The man got what he wanted after over a decade of waiting. Was he ever going to let Prompto go? Was this how the rest of Prompto's life was going to play out? Was he going to be forced to stay here forever?
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