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Chapter 14

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Prompto's eyelids were heavy. His whole body felt heavy as he blinked slowly, staring up at the sky moving slowly above him. It was cloudy this time, but besides the lack of the blinding sun, the entire scene felt familiar.

He was in the back seat of Ardyn's car again, only this time he felt more exhausted, in more pain. His head hurt. His body hurt, like when he had the flu. He looked down at himself with a frown. He was wrapped up in Ardyn's coat, but otherwise naked.

Closing his eyes again for a moment before breathing out a labored breath and forcing them back open, Prompto stared up at the clouds slowly passing above. He could barely remember what happened, how he was with Ardyn again now…

Verstael had drugged him with something… Something that made him so tired he couldn't really move - not even when the man untied his wrists. It was beyond cruel - that Verstael finally freed him but he still could do nothing as the man climbed on top of him, started kissing and groping all over him.

Tears stung at Prompto's eyes as he remembered it. Verstael had dragged him over toward the edge of the table, bent him over it, stood behind him… and forced his fingers into him. The man had grabbed his penis and rubbed - not painfully, but almost too gently... Trying to get his body to react without his permission while his fingers slipped in and out of his victim at increasingly awkward angles and increased speed. It had hurt a little, but mostly just felt extremely uncomfortable, embarrassing, horrifying… He was pretty sure he wasn't physically injured now, but emotionally, he was. Emotionally, he hurt so bad he didn't even know how to begin to handle it. He wanted to cry, to scream, to disappear entirely.

Prompto remembered being pretty much nothing but scared back with Verstael. Scared that he wasn't ever going to get to go home, would never see Noctis again. Scared Verstael was going to seriously injure him, that he'd be broken down there - in a place he couldn't get fixed without being traumatized all over again. Scared that his body was going to do things on its own, respond like it did when Prompto touched himself when he was alone, with no one else watching, when it felt good...

At some point Prompto had let his mind take him away somewhere else during the assault. He didn't know how long Verstael was even back there, because he succeeded for a moment in taking his mind away. He thought about other things and pretty much forgot where he was and what was happening. He wasn't sure why the man wanted to do what he did - why he'd derive any sort of pleasure out of forcing that on what was - from what Prompto understood - his own child. It felt like it lasted forever, as Prompto's mind wandered toward dreams to see the ocean, to ride on a boat, to ride on an airship, to see a real life cactuar - but not get too close.

As he laid there, forced to endure the assault, Prompto had tried to think of anything that made him less scared. He thought about Noctis, about the time Prompto was scared his dad was going to be mad at him for failing one of his classes and he stayed at the prince's house over-night. It was rare that he was allowed over. The king was so serious and didn't seem to welcome much fun... Usually Noct came over to Prompto's house instead. But not that night. Regis was nowhere to be seen anyway, and Prompto and Noctis spent the night playing video games, eating potato chips, and just joking around.

Noctis had known why Prompto was scared to go home. He was supportive without being suffocating. He didn't ask a bunch of uncomfortable questions. He'd just let Prompto stay there, kept him occupied, put his arm around him when Prompto fell asleep next to the prince in mid-conversation. Prompto had woken up the next morning leaning against his friend, with Noct's arm securely around his shoulders, holding him close while the prince softly snored as well.

That was when he'd felt the most safe, the most accepted. In his whole life.

All of the panic had been for nothing. His parents didn't even ever say anything to him about the failed class. Prompto wasn't even sure they realized their son failed... Even so, spending the night with Noct, feeling so safe and loved... It had meant a lot to him.

The memory of that night - a night he had been scared, but during which someone was finally there to protect and support him - kept his mind busy, kept him from having to focus on every second of Verstael's assault, his intruding fingers, his unwelcome stroking hand, his words... His taunting, sickening words...

Eventually, Ardyn had returned, and made Verstael stop. He took Prompto back with him, but Prompto's memories of the whole thing were in small bits and pieces. The two men had argued about it. Verstael said Ardyn was jealous, taking Prompto back for himself - implying Ardyn was going to hurt him too. Ardyn had sounded angry, but Prompto couldn't say what that anger was - care, jealousy… He didn't know the man well enough to be sure. Ardyn had brought up sexual assault over and over on their journey… He said something about Prompto belonging to him before he took the boy away. It stood to reason Verstael could be accurate in his accusations.

Prompto remembered feeling cold, scared, exhausted, then a little warmer as Ardyn put his coat over him, wrapping him up in it, grabbing him up in his arms. Prompto had felt a tiny moment of warm comfort then, like perhaps he truly was safe… but maybe he wasn't in fact… The moment was fleeting, and Prompto was scared all over again as Ardyn carried him away, to an uncertain fate. He remembered the man carrying him outside, putting him in his car, maybe saying something... Something about the interaction had Prompto feeling anxious still, but he wasn't sure what.

Prompto glanced up toward the front seat. He could see the back of Ardyn's head, his hair flowing lightly with the breeze. Ardyn probably didn't know he was awake, or he'd be pulling over… to make sure Prompto knew where he stood, to ensure he wasn't going to try to run… or maybe he was waiting for him to wake up so he could hurt him like Verstael did - or worse, like he was going to before Ardyn stopped him… Maybe Ardyn didn't want Prompto lying there limply, unable to move while he did it. Maybe he wanted a struggle...

Biting his lower lip as he breathed out a small breath, Prompto squeezed his eyes back shut. He didn't want to make the same mistake he had the first day, alerting the man that he was awake… He had to get away this time. He couldn't bear to go through any more of this hellish nightmare. Even if he had to run out into the desert, get lost, be killed by a monster, die of dehydration and starvation... he didn't care. It couldn't be worse than Ardyn. He'd rather die out there than be hurt how he feared Ardyn was going to hurt him.

Feeling himself shaking, both in fear and because he felt cold, even with the heavy coat wrapped securely around his body, Prompto shrunk down against the seat. Ardyn may have been playing the hero now, but the man was no hero... He left Prompto with Verstael, even knowing that the man was cruel. Ardyn knew what he would do… and he didn't care… He only came back because he was jealous - like Verstael said…

Ardyn had threatened Prompto with the same thing Verstael had started to do… He claimed he hadn't meant it, but he sure had no problem threatening it, putting his hand on Prompto's butt while his pants and underwear were down, touching him where he wasn't invited, making Prompto believe he was going to hurt him…

Why do all of that if there wasn't something seriously wrong in the man's mind? Why deliver him to his sick, twisted friend, only to change his mind and return hours later? Why get possessive and jealous and take him back?

Prompto swallowed nervously and shrunk down further into the seat. Ardyn was going to do the same thing. He took him back so he could have him all to himself. He got mad the previous night when Prompto wouldn't come up next to him, huddle under his coat with him… Prompto had probably been right to be fearful of that. Ardyn wasn't just trying to keep him warm… Maybe he was attempting to ease into a sexual interaction - to see if he could get Prompto to go for it willingly. Maybe that's why he was so mad when Prompto rejected the gesture so immediately.

Biting his lower lip again, blinking his eyes back open and staring at the sky as tears began streaming down his cheeks, Prompto couldn't help but to let out a tiny whimper. What was he going to do? How was he going to get away?

Prompto quickly brought his hands up toward his mouth, trying to keep himself quiet. He hadn't meant to make a noise… What if Ardyn heard him? He whimpered again when the movement of his arms caused the coat to fall slightly open and chill air rushed over his exposed skin.

Letting out a trembling sob, Prompto reached back down with a shaking hand, pulling the coat back closed, then glancing toward the rear-view mirror, making eye contact with Ardyn, who was staring right back.

Exhaling a shaking breath, Prompto immediately pulled himself up, scrambling toward the door as Ardyn slowed the car. He didn't even wait for the vehicle to be stopped before pulling up the lock and throwing the door open, immediately tripping and falling down onto his hands and knees as he stumbled out.

Whimpering shakily and ignoring the rocks scratching painfully at his knees and palms, Prompto scrambled back up to his feet, pulling the coat tight around himself as he began to run as fast as he could. His legs felt like jelly and his lungs felt like they couldn't hold enough air… He couldn't run fast like he normally would.

"Prompto!" Ardyn called after him. "Please don't run from me!"

Prompto shook his head as he heard the car door slam behind him, followed by quick footfalls as Ardyn began chasing after him. He tried to make his legs move faster. He tried to get his lungs to function properly, but he just couldn't. His legs felt heavy, uncoordinated. They shook as he ran. He was stumbling, nearly tripping with every few steps. He could barely breathe and his vision was dark at the edges, like the mere act of standing up alone was going to cause him to faint at any second.

"Get back here, Prompto!" Ardyn demanded. "I'm trying to help you! It won't do you any favors to get yourself lost out here, alone, sick, hurt… Come back to me, dear boy… Don't make this into a struggle."

"No…" Prompto whimpered, tripping forward, catching himself on his hands and knees with a pained whimper, then stumbling back up to his feet, pulling the coat back closed around his front as he continued running as fast as possible.

He couldn't get it out of his head what Verstael had said - that Ardyn was taking him away because he was jealous - because he wanted the same thing Verstael wanted. There was no way in hell Prompto was going to stop running now. He'd run until he passed out, until Ardyn caught him, until he reached a cliff or mountain he could jump off of… He wasn't willingly going back to the man. He couldn't. He'd rather die.

Prompto's breaths were loud, pounding in his ears, drowning out whatever Ardyn was yelling after him, but he was pretty sure he could still feel the vibrations of the man's feet as he drew closer. He was going to catch him. He was close. Prompto just couldn't run fast. Not today. Not after every disadvantage he'd been dealt.

"Get away from me!" The boy sobbed. "Please! Get away…"

"Stop running!" Ardyn ordered, his voice low, angry, almost growling. He had caught up with Prompto now, grabbing toward his arms, perhaps making a conscious effort not to tackle him to the ground this time, but still pulling him back rather firmly, causing the boy to stumble hard and collide with the man's chest.

"No!" Prompto screamed, turning himself around and tripping backward, hitting the ground with a pained gasp as his breath got knocked out of his lungs. "Get away! Please!" He sobbed, scrambling away, trying his best to keep the coat wrapped around himself as he went.

"Prompto, stop…" Ardyn ordered, looming over him as he followed along after Prompto's pathetic, weak, desperate backwards crawling.

"No…" Prompto continued crawling backward as the coat fell down off of one of his shoulders. He whimpered again, grabbing at it and pulling it back closed. "Please leave me alone!" He cried, shaking his head as Ardyn grabbed at his arms. "Get off of me!" He shouted, a renewed sense of panic seizing his heart as he thrashed out, kicking and hitting toward the man.

"Stop it." Ardyn growled, grabbing at his arms, wrestling him onto his back and pinning his wrists to the ground. "Stop hitting me." He demanded.

Prompto shook his head, sobbing breathlessly. He just wanted to go home, to be away from all of these horrible, violent, perverted men. It wasn't fair that every time he seemed to be rid of one of them, it was just so another one could claim him. He wanted away from them both. Forever.

"Take a breath, Prompto." Ardyn demanded, his voice low, frustrated. "Stop fighting me."

"No!" Prompto pulled uselessly at his arms as tears streamed down his face. "Please don't hurt me! Please!" He cried, still twisting his body, trying to kick out until Ardyn had pinned his legs down with his knees over the boy's thighs.

"Stop fighting. I won't hurt you. Just stop." Ardyn breathed.

Prompto looked down, his breaths only increasing as he realized the coat had fallen almost completely off of him. He was mostly exposed again… with Ardyn pinning him down, right on top of him… In a position where he could easily pull his own pants down and hurt him. It would take all of fifteen seconds for him… Prompto was already undressed, pinned down, inches from the man's body... right there… Completely ready for Ardyn to do whatever sick things he wanted.

"Get off of me!" Prompto screamed. A renewed sense of urgency in his actions. "Don't touch me! Get off!" He screamed, his voice loud, shaky, completely panicked as he pulled desperately at his arms, trying to kick out, to twist his body in such a way that he would throw Ardyn off of him.

"Shhh…" Ardyn hissed, letting go of one of Prompto's wrists and placing his hand over the boy's mouth. "You'll attract monsters out here… You know that? We're in the middle of nowhere. Nobody's going to hear you. Just monsters. That's the last thing we need."

Prompto stared up through unshed tears, reaching his now-free hand up toward Ardyn's, trying to pry it off of his face as he continued whimpering stifled, muffled pleas. He blinked a few times as he watched Ardyn's eyes, trying to read his face.

The man's gaze moved down toward Prompto's chest, then down lower, lingering for a moment, and he moved his hand off of Prompto's mouth, reaching down.

"No, don't! Please!" Prompto sobbed, grabbing desperately toward Ardyn's arm. "Don't touch me! Don't fucking touch me!" He demanded, trying again to thrash his body.

Prompto's breaths were quick, still frantic even as Ardyn pulled the coat back closed, didn't touch him where he'd feared. He simply pulled the coat back over him, covering him up. He hadn't seen the coat falling open as an opportunity. He could have easily done whatever he wanted - hurt Prompto any way he chose... But he didn't.

Did that mean he wouldn't do it later? That Prompto was safe with him? Of course not. He might still do it, in a time and place that better suited him... Maybe he didn't want to do it out here on the ground. Maybe he'd take him back to the car first, do it in the back seat... or rent a motel... Prompto was too weak to fight back, to save himself. He was still feeling the affects of the drug Verstael gave him... And Ardyn had some type of drug too - he could use it again if he wanted, if Prompto made things too difficult. If he wanted to rape Prompto... he would. Just because Ardyn wasn't viciously assaulting him right out here in the dirt didn't mean the man wasn't interested in it.

"Calm down." Ardyn breathed, adjusting the coat so that it covered just about everything below Prompto's chin.

Prompto's breaths were still quick, shaking with tears. He wasn't sure what to do - what he even could do. He was not in control here. Not even a little.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Prompto." Ardyn promised again.

Prompto shook his head, blinking his eyes closed as further tears dripped down his cheeks. "I don't believe you... I wanna go home..." He whimpered. "I j-just wanna go home..."

"I know." Ardyn's voice sounded almost sad, disappointed. Maybe he was angry with Prompto for fighting back just now, for running.

"Please don't hurt me…" Prompto whispered, his breaths slowly evening out more as his fear very slowly, yet cautiously dissolved. Just because Ardyn wasn't raping him right here out in the open, in broad daylight, didn't mean he wasn't going to later - that he wouldn't go ahead and do it in a few minutes or hurt Prompto in some other way. What appeared to be a harmless gesture, even a caring gesture, might not be what it seemed. Ardyn had already proven he was rough and violent, kind of a creep… The man was meticulous, manipulative... This could still all be an act, an attempt to get Prompto to trust him so he could easily hurt him later. Maybe he didn't want it to be rough and forceful. Maybe he wanted to trick Prompto into going along with it. Perhaps this was all some huge, cruel plan to lead toward that.

Ardyn wasn't his savior. He wasn't a hero. He wasn't safe. Prompto wasn't falling for this tiny moment that attempted to show otherwise.

"I won't. Prompto… You can't just run off and get yourself lost. I won't hurt you, okay?" Ardyn promised, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "That's done. I'm not going to be a bastard about this anymore... I chased you down this time so you wouldn't get yourself killed."

Prompto breathed in and out, shaky, tearful breaths as he remained pinned down against the ground, fully vulnerable to whatever Ardyn might want to do to him. If the man wanted to hurt him, in one way or another, now would be an easy opportunity. Prompto was worn down and exhausted from being drugged, hungry, thirsty, and terrified. He was already undressed, already pinned down…

Flinching away as Ardyn moved his hand up toward Prompto's face, the boy squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced, feeling the man's hand press down over his forehead.

"You've been feverish through the morning…" Ardyn noted. "How are you feeling now?"

Prompto blinked his eyes back open, staring up at his kidnapper as his lip trembled. He wanted to trust that Ardyn truly had come back to save him from Verstael - not because he was jealous, but because he didn't want Prompto to be hurt… But he just wasn't sure. Why would Ardyn have a change of heart so suddenly? After everything he'd put Prompto through? Why would he care what Verstael did if it was anything but jealousy? It wasn't like Verstael stole Prompto away. Ardyn handed him over willingly and just left. What did the man think was going to happen?

"It's going down, but I'm sure you're still feeling it…" Ardyn went on, frowning and pausing as he stared down at Prompto, finally letting go of his other wrist and leaning back. He exhaled, closed his eyes for a moment, and shook his head.

Prompto remained frozen as he stared back at the man, only now realizing that he'd just screwed up again… In his moment of sheer panic, he had forgotten all the warnings Ardyn had given, all the times he told Prompto trying to run away, screaming, causing a scene… that it would all end in him being hurt. Prompto had made a huge scene right now. He had kicked, screamed, ran... He was pretty sure he may have even punched Ardyn somewhere in the middle of it all. It was everything Ardyn warned him not to do.

Ardyn told him he would give him one free pass, to not run away again… and Prompto just disobeyed that order. He honestly hadn't meant to. He just got so fucking scared. He wasn't even thinking. He just ran, not feeling he had any other choice - but obviously he did. He could have just stayed in the car… It would have ended up the same way. He ran, got caught again… Now Ardyn was probably more frustrated, more likely to take out said frustration on Prompto… by hitting him, breaking his arm, choking him, sexually assaulting him… Any or all of the things he had threatened before.

He felt his lip trembling as fresh tears stung at his eyes. Did this one count? Ardyn already let him go with Verstael. Him coming back was an unexpected detour. Did he get a second chance? Was Ardyn taking him back a reset on that deal? Did Prompto get another free pass? One last chance to run, scream, fight back and be difficult? Or was Ardyn really going to hurt him this time?

"I was just scared..." Prompto breathed. "I ran away because I was scared... Verstael said-"

"It's okay." Ardyn interrupted. "I understand. I'm not angry with you."

"You're not?" Prompto whispered, shrinking down underneath the man.

Ardyn stared back, narrowing his eyes. "I'm fucking sorry…" He breathed, shaking his head as though entirely disappointed in himself. The man closed his eyes and shook his head again, looking up toward the sky before blinking them back open again, then looking back down at Prompto, shrugging. "This wasn't my plan… Not exactly… But my plan was cruel, and I'm sorry you got mixed into it. You didn't deserve all of this. You don't deserve it. You're a child. I'm so full of bitterness, resentment toward anyone and everyone... I took out a lot of rage on you that you didn't deserve. I orchestrated and manipulated things which I had no right to - which you didn't deserve - This shouldn't have happened."

"Wh-" Prompto exhaled, still trembling as he remained on the ground, lying on his back. He reached a hand up and out of the coat, further pulling the garment securely around his shoulders as he dragged himself up into a sitting position, shrinking away from Ardyn slightly.

Ardyn looked back toward the car and shook his head. Prompto glanced toward it as well, noticing it was a lot closer than he would have guessed. He must have really been tripping a lot and running slowly. He thought he'd made more progress than that...

"I didn't expect he'd do that." Ardyn narrowed his eyes, looking back toward Prompto again with a frown. "Please know this. I did not know he'd take his cruelty in that direction. I'd have never delivered you to him if I'd known. I didn't expect this."

Prompto swallowed, staring back with wide eyes. "I didn't either…" He whispered.

"I should have never left you with him... I gave him four hours... Four hours to do whatever he wanted..." Ardyn frowned. "Prompto, I'm so sorry I allowed him to hurt you. Four hours must have felt so long to you..."

Closing his eyes and breathing in and out a calming breath, Prompto shook his head. He almost felt like he wanted to spill out all of his fears and doubts, to vent to this man who was for all intents and purposes still a stranger, a violent, dangerous, scary stranger. He didn't want to keep all of this inside him. He wanted to blurt it all out, to cry, to beg Ardyn to hold him and tell him he was going to be okay, that it was all over and Verstael would never find him again. He needed to feel safe and secure.

He had been so scared. He felt so powerless, embarrassed... It was without a doubt the worst thing he'd ever experienced... To be kidnapped from his bedroom, dragged off by a man who drugged him, threatened him, scared the hell out of him, killed someone in front of him, told him it was his fault... Then handed over to someone even worse, who claimed some sort of ownership over him, who barely treated him like a human being, who made his worst fears reality... A cruel, perverted monster who drugged him with something that made him unable to move, but didn't allow him the luxury of being unconscious too... Who then groped all over him, taunted him while he did it... And it wasn't even quick. It had dragged out for so long, starting with the man undressing him for no real reason, performing medical tests, creepy unnecessary gestures disguised as medical tests... and then just leaving him there naked on the table to wonder what was coming next.

Prompto brought his fingers up toward his mouth as his lip began to tremble and tears started stinging at his eyes. He hadn't meant to start thinking about this again. It was over. He didn't have to be upset now... but he was upset. The memory wasn't just going to disappear. He wasn't going to simply forget all of this happened to him.

"Please know that wasn't in my plans. I can't claim that I didn't know he's immoral, that I didn't expect he'd inflict pain upon you, but I didn't think he'd hurt you in that way. I'll partake in and enable all sorts of cruelty, but not that. Never that." Ardyn frowned. "You're well within your rights to not accept it, but I need to offer you an apology here..."

His lower lip still trembling, Prompto looked away, staring at the ground as he felt his breaths picking up. He had to say something back. He had to calm himself down, shrug this off, not make it into a big thing. Ardyn wasn't his friend, wasn't his family... Prompto didn't need to talk to him about this. It was his fault Prompto had been put into this position in the first place. If Prompto wanted to talk about this later, he'd tell Noct... Not Ardyn. Not the man who caused all of this mess.

"It's not-" Prompto started, losing the rest of his sentence before it came out. What was it he was going to say? That it was okay? That he accepted the apology? That what happened wasn't a big deal and he didn't care that it had happened to him? None of that was true.

Rather than finishing the sentence, or backpedaling and saying something else instead, Prompto simply shook his head, drawing his hands up to cover his eyes and shrinking down as soft sobs started spilling out of his mouth.

"Prompto..." Ardyn's voice was low, uncharacteristically gentle as the boy felt the man's hand rest lightly on his arm.

Prompto shook his head again, but without even a second thought found himself crawling toward the man grabbing out at the front of Ardyn's shirt and choking out another breathless sob. He didn't care anymore that Ardyn was terrifying, that all of his was his fault. He just needed someone to let him cry, to hold onto him, to make him feel like he was safe in this moment. Maybe he was being naive, but in this moment, he truly did believe Ardyn was telling the truth when he said he was sorry, when he said he wasn't going to hurt him anymore.

"I'm sorry..." Ardyn breathed, wrapping his arm around Prompto's shoulders and resting his other hand on the back of the boy's head, holding him close as Prompto continued to sob.

"I was so scared..." Prompto whimpered. "I always wanted to know wh-who my r-real family was... b-but I wish I never met him... I ha- I hate him..."

"I know." Ardyn moved his hand lightly over Prompto's shoulder, gently petting against the back of his head with his other hand. "What he did was terrible... He had no right to do that to you, no matter what sort of ownership over you he's trying to claim. It doesn't matter how you came to be, who you're related to... He had no right to hurt you like that."

Prompto shook his head again, squeezing his eyes shut as tears continued rolling down his cheeks. He sniffed, trying to get his crying to calm down. Maybe confiding in Ardyn about this wasn't such a bad idea. The man seemed willing to provide comfort... and it wasn't like Ardyn didn't already see all of it. Prompto didn't need to feel any more embarrassed than he already did. Ardyn had walked in and saw Prompto fully naked, lying face-down with Verstael's hands on him... Prompto was drugged, sobbing... with a stranger sliding his fingers in and out of him, stroking his penis... Ardyn had seen everything. It was the most terrifying, humiliating moment of his whole life, and Ardyn had already seen it. What was there to even hide at this point? Who better to confide in than someone who'd already seen the worst of it?

"He cut my clothes off almost right away." Prompto whispered. "I was cold... He pulled my underwear down and j-just left me there for a while. I fell asleep..." He whimpered, balling his hand into a fist around the front of Ardyn's shirt as he used his other to securely grip the coat that was the only thing presently covering his dignity.

"He was being deliberately cruel." Ardyn noted.

"Yeah..." Prompto sniffed. "He asked creepy questions and made creepy comments... I knew something horrible was coming. I could tell... I was so scared the whole time."

"I'm sure..." Ardyn frowned. "You poor thing... You didn't deserve any of this - including what I did."

Prompto closed his eyes again, resting his head against Ardyn's chest and inhaling and exhaling a slow, shaky breath.

"I know you were scared. I know you're feeling betrayed, hurt... but you'll be okay now. You can survive this and move on. It isn't a reflection of you in any way. It doesn't need to define you." Ardyn reminded him. "This was a horrible moment, and it's over now. You're safe with me."

Prompto inhaled a shaky breath, blinking his eyes open and looking up toward Ardyn, who was staring out into the empty plains in front of them.

"I should have seen it coming." Ardyn spoke, his voice soft. "I should have been more careful with you. In fact, I should have never done any of this. I'm so bitter, so angry... So many years of life, unending, never getting what I deserve, never getting proper revenge or closure... It's turned me into a bigger monster than even I realized. I knew he'd hurt you. Not like that, but I did know he wasn't going to do anything nice. I didn't care. I hurt you too... It was amusing to me, but it shouldn't have been."

Blinking, Prompto looked back down, focusing on the front of Ardyn's shirt, then closing his eyes and leaning forward, letting his forehead rest against his kidnapper's chest. "I didn't want him to do it..." He whispered.

Ardyn spoke again after a long few seconds of silence. "Prompto, I know that... Don't blame yourself for this. There was nothing you could do. I put you into this position. Verstael took advantage in a way he had no right to. None of it is your fault..."

"I know." Prompto whispered. "J-just... I was scared... Th-that he'd think I liked it... That my body would react... I started kinda spacing out, trying to think about something else... anything else... and I wasn't all there anymore by the time you got there. I don't know if it looked like... if I... I'm not sure what it looked like when you walked in..."

Prompto squeezed his eyes shut and exhaled a shaky breath. He had been so frantic, so terrified... Before he started forcing his mind to go elsewhere, he had felt those tiny tingling feelings down below, similar to the feelings he felt whenever he touched himself for pleasure. Those little shadows of good feelings were even worse than the pain. He didn't know if maybe Ardyn could see it, if the little bits of pleasure mixed in with the pain and terror were visible... Maybe he'd think Prompto invited all of it, that part of him was enjoying it.

"It just felt-" Prompto cut himself off with a trembling lip as tears welled up in his eyes again. "It hurt and I was so scared, but some part of my body was maybe starting to get confused. I didn't want it, but maybe my body thought I did... If it looked like that..." He trailed off.

Prompto could feel Ardyn shaking his head as the boy continued leaning against him. "That doesn't matter. You told him not to touch you. He didn't listen. That, and you're not old enough to consent. Rape is rape."

Rape? Prompto inhaled a small, shaky breath as his eyes widened. It was rape, wasn't it... Even though Verstael hadn't used his penis, hadn't gotten to the worst part... It was still rape... Forcing his fingers into him, touching him where he wasn't invited... That still classified as rape.

"This isn't what I wanted to come of this arrangement." Ardyn continued, leaning back slightly and looking down into Prompto's eyes. "Please know that, Prompto. I can't claim I didn't know he was a twisted monster… but I didn't expect he'd take it in that direction. You're fifteen… You're a child…" The man frowned, staring at Prompto almost as though he was trying to read his mind. "As if my own actions weren't enough suffering for you... I delivered you right to him. Prompto, I'm sorry. For all of this."

Prompto swallowed and looked down, remaining where he was, sitting with his hand gripping the front of the coat Ardyn had wrapped him in, holding it securely closed as Ardyn backed off a bit, gave him some space even though he hadn't even asked for it, hadn't cowered away or acted frightened.

"No one deserves what he was doing to you..." Ardyn stared. "Had I known he was that level of depraved... Prompto, I didn't expect he'd take things in that direction. I'd never have left you with him. I'm sorry he hurt you."

"Well… Y-you didn't know…" Prompto whispered, unsure what else to say. Obviously he knew still that it was indeed Ardyn's fault Prompto ever ended up in Verstael's grasp in the first place. Ardyn shouldn't have kidnapped him and forced him to go. Ardyn was horrible. But the man next to him right now seemed to be expressing genuine remorse, genuine disgust in what his friend had done. For whatever reason, Ardyn came back and saved Prompto... and now he was actually apologizing. None of that undid everything else, but it had to count for something.

"I don't do good, generous, helpful things. I don't care about people. I don't protect the weak, avenge victims, do the 'right' thing… or feel guilt for that matter… Gods, I don't ever feel guilt… but I think in this case I do. Prompto, what I've enabled, what I led you into… It was terrible. He was absolutely, horrifyingly terrible to you. So much more terrible than you deserve. No one deserves what he was doing to you... Especially not an innocent child. I'm genuinely sorry." Ardyn repeated. "And that means a lot coming from me. I don't feel sorry often. You know that?"

Prompto swallowed. He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to tell Ardyn it was okay, that he accepted the apology… because he didn't. It wasn't okay. It was Ardyn's fault Prompto was here, that Verstael had been in the position to hurt him in the first place. Prompto would be happily at home right now if not for this man.

He could be with Noctis, playing video games, eating pizza or burgers or ice cream… But instead he was here, lying on the ground in the middle of a dusty dessert, having nothing to eat or drink in the past few days besides two cups of noodles and two bottles of water, all at once, all but forgotten by his growling stomach and parched throat by this point...

Prompto was naked except for some creepy man's coat wrapped around him, feeling sick from strange, unknown drugs that had been forced on him. Two different men he didn't know had hurt him, threatened him, scared him, drugged him… He'd been tied up, hooked to medical monitors for no reason, undressed… both men had put their hands on him in intimate places, where they were entirely unwelcome… Ardyn killed a man in front of him, told Prompto it was his fault, had him feeling like it was… No… He didn't accept any sort of apology from this man.

"I'm going to let you go." Ardyn spoke up.

Prompto swallowed, frowning and furrowing his brows. "You are?" He whispered, not sure if he believed it.

Ardyn nodded. "Not here… Not in the middle of nowhere, where you'll surely be killed by a monster... or daemon, assuming you lasted until nightfall… We'll get to a nearby town, get you some clothes… then you can make your own way back. I trust you can handle that."

Prompto quickly nodded. Whatever it took to get the guy to fucking leave. He could hitchhike across the entire continent if he had to. No stranger out on the road could be worse than the two he'd already encountered.

"Taelpar Rest Area is somewhat close. We should be able to make it there before dark. I'll pay for a motel room for the night so you can get dressed, have a shower, something to eat… Maybe sleep off the drugs Verstael gave you. You're clearly still exhausted…" Ardyn noted.

Blinking, Prompto stared at the man, wondering if it was really going to be this easy, if he was truly just going to let him go after all this.

"I'll ask that you not speak of me, or Verstael… To anyone." Ardyn instructed. "Tell anyone who asks, you ran away from home. Got lost, in over your head… Understand?"

Prompto nodded, pulling the coat tighter around his shoulders.

Ardyn stared back at him, narrowing his eyes and cocking his head to the side. "You're so young…" He said softly, dragging himself up to his feet, then reaching down, offering his hand down to Prompto.

Reluctantly, Prompto accepted the gesture, letting the man pull him up to his feet, but keeping his other hand securely in place around the coat.

"Let's head back then… Get this mess over and done with." Ardyn exhaled.

Prompto swallowed. "Y-you're… You're not-" He started, second-guessing his question before he even fully asked it.

"Hm?" Ardyn looked down toward him with a raised eyebrow and a frown.

"Just…" Prompto looked down at his feet. "You're not mad I tried to run again?" He whispered. "You won't hurt me for that?" He still stared at the ground, wondering if he should have just kept his mouth shut.

Ardyn shook his head. "I fully understand why you ran. I'm not interested in causing you unjust pain. Not anymore. Just let me help you as far as the motel. Then I'll go. You won't need to run."

Prompto nodded silently, exhaling a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He hoped this horrible detour truly was almost over.

xxxxxx