AN: GG: Oh, look, we get to earn some of tags. Sorry? Not sorry. We're in for a ride!
Riku: Just some minor things part way into the chapter. Some words are said and it isn't a fun time for our boys.
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"Alright!" a loud voice shouted, waking Noctis and Prompto from their sleep. Noctis had expected the man from yesterday, but instead there was someone else who walked into the room. "I realize we never properly welcome you two to your new home for the time being."
The loud voice made Noctis jerk awake and had to bite his lip to keep from making a noise at the pain in his back. He made himself sit up to pay attention to their captors.
"And we've also been terrible, not even introducing ourselves. I am Drusus. I'm sorry I was unable to meet with you yesterday, but I had some matters to prepare before coming back here." The man gestured to himself. "But, my men and I are here to make some deals with you while you stay with us."
"What kind of deals?" Noctis asked carefully.
Drusus smirked. "Wouldn't you rather be more comfortable? Or even better, be in the same cell as your little chocobo? I'm sure both of you would prefer that, yeah?"
"And what would you require for us to get that kind of reward?" Noctis asked, trying not to look at Prompto in hope.
"Just your utmost cooperation in our little plan here. You want your freedom, and we want our money and the monarchy gone. Shouldn't be too hard now, right?"
"And what will you be asking of us? I'm not cooperating with just anything."
Drusus gritted his teeth, marching closer to Noctis's cell. "As I said, just listen to what we have to say and don't argue. What we demand isn't any of your business, you are just the leverage, even if it is to tear down everything your family is all about."
At that moment Noctis found Prompto's eyes and felt his heart sink. He knew what he had to do to keep them both safe and find a way out. "Alright, we can do that. We'll cooperate for you." He said softly.
Grinning Drusus stepped back. "Perfect. I'm sure you'll want to agree anyways..." he turned and stared down at Prompto. "Especially when it concerns him."
He clenched his jaw at that comment to keep from rising from the bait. "Anything you would like us to do now?"
Drusus chuckled. "Just sit back, relax, and wait until we need you for our next video. Sounds simple enough for you? "
"Sure. I'm good at relaxing," Noctis replied with a little salute.
"I don't think I much appreciate your cocky attitude, prince," Drusus sneered. "Keep that up, and I will gladly wipe that smug ass little grin off your face."
The comment made Noctis back up a little bit. "I'll do my best to 'can the attitude' then."
"You better, cause if smacking it off your face doesn't work... well we will just need to use someone else to get through that thick skull of yours."
Noctis gave a small nod at that. "I'll do my best," He said softly.
"Well, if that's all taken care of, we'll bring you food soon enough. Until then boys," Drusus laughed as he headed out of the room, the other men in the group following behind him.
"Why do I feel like I just sold my soul?" Noctis asked as he collapsed a little bit.
"Dude! That guy is even scarier than the other guy we thought was the leader! I'd probably do the same thing," Prompto agreed.
That got a little smile from Noctis. "I'll do my best to behave, to keep us both safe. Since, I've been the problem child since we've gotten here."
"Why do you keep talking back to them? You know it's going to not do anything."
"I just, I have nothing else to do." Noctis looked around the room to try and spot the cameras but couldn't find them. "I'm just... it's what comes out of my mouth when I'm stressed. I just- I'll try to stop myself."
"So stress snarking?" Prompto asked, trying to crack a joke.
Noctis gave a snort at that. "Yeah, yeah, I guess you could say that. I'll do my best to keep my mouth shut. Then I can't piss them off anymore."
"Sounds like a plan. But now... well uh, you think they'd really let us stay in the same cell? If we... behave?"
"I don't know, but we can only hope to see what happens if we do? A few comforts would be a good first sign," Noctis confessed. "I know I've been the problem, so, I'll just- I'll keep my mouth shut."
"Well, you don't have to keep your mouth shut around me," Prompto said, offering a smile.
Noctis laughed at that a bit hysterically. "Yeah, yeah, I suppose you have the truth of that." Even if he knew they were always being watched somehow, even if he couldn't find the camera.
"I'll be honest... being here really sucks. I'm scared... but I'm glad I'm not alone. I know it sounds shitty, but like without you being here, I'd probably already have lost myself."
"Then I'll work on making sure to be here for you. I know if you weren't here then I would have-" Noctis stopped himself and duck his head.
"Hey... I understand," Prompto said as he scooted to the front of the cell. He reached his arm out as far as he could, even though he knew they were too far apart. "We're here for each other, right?"
Noctis finally shifted toward the front of the cell to return the reach toward Prompto. "Yes, we're here for each other. I'll do my best to keep my tongue still. I'll bite a hole through my lip before I purposefully get in more trouble for my mouth," He promised his best friend.
Even if their hands couldn't touch, they had reached as far as they could. Prompto started to smile a bit more. He looked much more relaxed than yesterday at least. "Just don't go hurting yourself, okay?"
"I'll do my best. I'll keep the stress snarking down to a minimum as much as I can."
"Promise?" Prompto asked. He held up his pinky. "Air pinky promise?"
"Air pinky promise. Our silliest of promises, but I'll do it." Noctis said, cracking a bit of a smile at the idea.
The men came in soon enough with their food for the morning, both boys pulled back their arms before anything else could happen. They had their food at least, even if it wasn't much. After that they were left alone again to eat.
Noctis was happy to devour the food and water in front of him due to having waited so long for it. Then, he settled on different places to try to help his back to keep it comfortable during the strange semi-quiet hour that he and Promto tried to keep filled with strained conversations about Justice Monsters, King's Knight, or school.
With the doors swinging open, the second in command man, who the boys still had not learned the name of, came with a few other goons. "Time again to be a star. It's been over 12 hours and we haven't heard a word from anyone at the Citadel."
"Okay, I'm here to be your star," Noctis said in the most neutral voice he could manage while keeping his body limp. "What do you want me to do?"
The men went in to grab Noctis from his cell, dragging him down the hallway to the room they were in the day before. "Oh you know the usual. Just smile for the camera, and do whatever else Drusus tells you to do."
He forced his muscles to be loose and ready to follow their orders. "Of course. I can do that," He said softly. He didn't resist being strapped into the chair as the camera double checked the settings for their recording.
Drusus was at the computer, looking over whatever was currently on the screen. Eventually, he turned around and walked towards Noctis. "Ah, it seems like you finally learned your place. Not an ounce of trouble today, correct?"
"No, no trouble today, sir," Noctis said softly.
"Good," Drusus replied. "That's what I like to hear. Keep this up and you may get that reward of sharing a cell. Wouldn't that be nice?" Drusus laughed as he came closer. "To be near your little pet again?"
Noctis took a deep breath as Drusus came close to him and was taunted with Prompto like that. He couldn't let it get too close to his skin, or make it look obvious. He wasn't sure how obvious he was as he replied in his best neutral voice, "I would be happy to be able to share a cell with him and help him manage his panic attacks," He said honestly.
"Ooh, I'm sure you'd like that, wouldn't you? Your little pet is really something to you, isn't he?"
"Yeah, it's obvious you've been grooming him to be your pet for years. How long have you been using him after the grooming?" another teased from a distance.
"Must have taken years to get him wrapped around your thumb like that."
Noctis had to take a deep breath to keep from lashing out at their words, and their belittling of his feelings. Still, he couldn't even think about Prompto now. He couldn't let this get to him. Looking at the men would only make him burn with anger so he had his eyes firmly pointed at his feet.
"Please leave him alone," He asked softly.
"Oh we will," Drusus said. "He is your little pet after all. We all saw the way you were dancing with him before our grand entrance. Didn't think the prince would dare dance with some measly commoner, so obviously there had to be more to it."
"You know! Maybe it was easy to get the blond all to himself. He seems pretty pathetic, so clearly he'll just do what his beloved prince says."
Noctis looked over at the other room for a moment before looking down again. "Please, just, leave him alone, Just, focus on me, please," He said softly, for the guards to hear.
"But we are," Drusus laughed. "We're focused on what's going on with the prince. Even if we hate the monarchy... we know that a gay prince only means trouble for the high and mighty family line."
"Then you should know the line should die with me anyways." Noctis said in an exhausted voice. "Let it just die." He said in such a tired tone that he wasn't trying to fight them then, but more trying to convince himself of something else.
The wide grin that Drusus gave showed the gaps he had in his teeth. It made his grin all the more unsettling. "We plan to make that happen. You can be sure of that. Doesn't mean we won't let the opportunities pass. The prince and his little peasant consort. Wouldn't the press love to hear about that."
"I imagine they would. It would be a great scoop for you," Noctis said softly and closed his eyes. "You really have done a lot of research about me."
"Well we needed to before we made our big move. But it still comes back to that boy you were with, the unexpected extra piece in our plan. Bet you feel pretty shitty dragging your little chocobo into this, aren't you?" Drusus cackled.
Noctis bit his lip to keep from saying something that would get them both in trouble. He hated how much the other understood his emotions.
"Aw, look at the sad little prince," Drusus mocked. "All distraught over one little commoner. But, what I want to know..." Drusus grabbed Noctis's face and tilted it up towards his. "Does your little chocobo even know how you feel?"
His breath caught in his chest. "No, he doesn't," He said with a cracked voice. Noctis hated that he felt his facade of calm shred even more.
With a grin, it seemed Drusus was enjoying this far too much. "Now that must be tortuous, wouldn't you say guys?"
All the men in the room laughed in agreement. "Our poor little prince can't be man enough to tell his precious friend how he feels."
"What a wimp."
"I wonder how many years he's been harboring these feelings! Must have been forever if he still hasn't done anything."
"He hordes the blond all to himself yet he can't even have the guts to admit his feelings. Now that is funny!"
Their laughter and mocking got a little sob to break from Noctis. Their words just seemed to crack away at his heart, stabbing deeply each time. There was nothing to hold it together anymore, the pieces all crumbling apart.
All of the years he held his feelings back were finally coming back to bite him. Every chance he wasted and ran away from, haunted him again all at one. He couldn't stop the tears flooding his eyes as his mind focused on the mocking surrounding him.
Drusus stepped back, giving a pleased smile. "Now look at that, we've made the poor prince cry! How utterly pathetic. Now you just stay like that, this will be a great selling point for your father."
The words hardly registered for Noctis while Drusus got the recording started.
"King Regis, I'm disappointed in you. Not a single word yet from you," He said as he just stood next to the slumped and crying Noctis hardly strapped to the chair.
"Look at your son, how hurt he is. Completely heartbroken," he yanked Noctis's hair back to raise his head to the camera.
Tears streaked down Noctis's face as his eyes did their best to keep from focusing on the camera or anyone in the room.
"Now don't you want to help ease his suffering? Mend his heart? You know how you can do that after all."
Drusus moved closer to the camera. "It's not that hard King Regis, you just need to agree to our terms. It's all for the safety of your son. Show him how much you love him." He paused for a second letting everything sink in. "This is Drusus Hilarus, and if you recognize that name, then you know how severe the situation is."
"Go on princey, tell your King how much you want him to hurry up and save you," Drusus replied, lifting up Noctis's head to stare back into the camera with a nearly gentle hand under his chin.
Noctis knew he needed to say the words to keep them safe, but as he tried to open his mouth to follow orders, another choked sob came out instead.
"Oh, the poor baby. Too distraught to get his words out." He shoved Noctis's head down, with Noctis barely resisting the force. "But I think that should get the point across."
Drusus stepped away from Noctis to signal for them to turn off the cameras. "Encrypt and send those to our special guest's father. Let's see how he likes this one."
"Right away," one man replied, going straight to work.
"And what about the prince?" Another asked, looking at the sobbing mass that was Noctis.
"I think he's been a good enough boy to earn him some reward. Take him back... and let him join the cell with his precious friend. I'm sure he'll be oh so happy with that."
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AN: Riku: Poor Noct. Will he ever be able to tell Prompto how he feels? Will they ever be free? Find out next time!