AN: Riku: Today we return once more to our boys! What will happen today? Let's find out!
Noctis learned very quickly that time was hard to track with no windows or schedule to really follow. He held Prompto for most of the day, to enjoy the feeling and stay warm as best as they could.
Still, he had to force himself to stand and try to stretch when the pain in his back and knee were becoming too much. He managed to keep the groan pretty soft as he pried himself off the floor.
"Your back still sore?" Prompto asked as he eyed Noctis carefully.
"Yeah, not sure how to make it better, but moving helps some."
"I guess a back massage doesn't help?"
"Not really, it just, the touch hurts too much to enjoy the experience."
Prompto sighed, slumping his shoulders. "Aw, that sucks. Sorry man."
Noctis gave a little shrug at that. "Sorry for crowding you with my pacing. Let me know if I'm annoying you."
"No you're good! Stretch all you need! Don't want you being all sore and stuff."
"And how are you feeling? Do you need to stretch any?" Noctis asked while looking over at Prompto carefully.
"I mean standing up wouldn't be such a bad thing... this cell has room after all."
Much to their relief the cells did in fact have a toilet and sink in the far corner, but that was it. It made bathroom breaks very awkward, but they knew it was far better than the option of no toilet at all.
"Just a bit, yes." At some point in his stretch, Noctis ran into Prompto and grabbed him to keep him on his feet, pulling him in close. "Maybe not that much room." He laughed.
Prompto smiled, laughing in return. "Maybe." After his laughter died down, he was staring right into Noctis's eyes.
Noctis felt his heart flutter as he stared back into Prompto's eyes. His fingers dug a bit into his shirt to savor the moment, and he could feel the words building on his lips, ready to spill.
Before he could, the cell door swung open and several of Drusus's men came in, pulling the two apart from one another.
"H-Hey! What gives!" Prompto shouted.
For a moment Noctis started to fight the grab before he remembered the bargain and gave up.
"The reward was for the day. You've used up your time, now you go back home, princey." One of the men said as they shoved Noctis into the cell, though didn't throw him in.
When both cell doors slammed shut, and food was left at the edges of the cells, the men went off laughing loudly to one another. Prompto stared wide eyed before falling to his knees. "B-But... but..."
Noctis gave a loud sigh and punched his thigh in frustration. "It's just going to be like this all the time, isn't it? Just waiting for the other shoe to drop?" He hissed.
"How long do they think they can do this?" Prompto asked, all the confidence and calm in his voice broke in a single instance.
"I don't know. Until their demands are met, or until they're too frustrated and do something drastic?" Noctis mused. "We should eat though. And we know that we can have that again soon. I'll keep on my best behavior, promise."
"Yeah... please. I don't know how much longer I can keep spending nights here alone." Prompto shuddered.
"You got it." Noctis replied, keeping the rest of his promise in his heart.
"Were... you going to say something? Before they interrupted," Prompto asked.
Noctis froze for a moment, trying to think of what to say. "Oh, yeah, I think so, but I forgot what it was."
"Oh, okay." Prompto sighed, looking a little saddened by the answer.
"Hey, you alright?" Noctis asked as he shifted closer to the edge of the cell.
Prompto clumped up some of his dress shirt in his fist. He frowned, shaking his head. "I don't know... I guess I expected... nevermind."
"No, I'm not letting you get in your head. You can tell me anything."
"I don't think I even know what I expected. I was already too lost in my head..."
Noctis nodded a little at that. "Well, like you tell me, if you ever want to talk, I'm here, okay?"
"Hmm, I know," Prompto hummed softly. "Thanks."
"Of course. I guess after... dinner? I don't know what time it is. We should try to sleep?"
"Probably, I do feel tired at least," Prompto said as he gathered up the food that was left for him.
Noctis felt a strange sort of melancholy settle over them as they ate in their separate cells. Being alone only reminded him how cold and awful it was. The dread and stress that had gone so easily when he had his best friend right there were already creeping back. He almost swore he could hear the mocking laughter of their captures.
Prompto seemed to curl up against the wall of the cell. He ate his food quietly, looking a little less lively than he had before.
After the food remains were taken away, Noctis curled up on the floor again to try and sleep, eventually finding a restless sleep.
Which was broken by the blare of an alarm he had never heard of before and distant shouting. Noctis quickly sat up to figure out what was happening and be ready to take advantage of what might be going on.
"What's happening?!" Prompto shouted frantically.
"I don't know! Maybe they found us." Noctis called back.
They heard footsteps come close, and Noctis felt a small thrum of hope that quickly died as he saw the usual men who had been dealing with them.
And they were carrying bags and restraints.
Prompto scampered back up against the wall. He couldn't hide the fear that was filling his eyes and face.
"Time to relocate. Make this easy, and no one gets hurt. Also, put these on." The man said as he threw a lump of clothing at Noctis. "Now!"
Noctis felt his hands shaking some as he quickly did as he was told. There went the tracker in his shirt.
Prompto was still trembling, barely moving from his spot against the wall. One of the men walked over and yanked him to his feet.
"Hey! I said change into these clothes! Get moving or I'll do it for you!"
Prompto squirmed away from the man and did as he was told. He sniffled and held back his tears and he did so.
"Can- can I at least be close when you put the bag on his head?" Noctis asked carefully. "It might help keep him calm."
The men looked at one another before smirking. "Why not."
"Should be fun to see the results," another laughed.
"Get moving though! We don't have all night!"
Noctis hurried over to Prompto once he was changed and put a hand on his arm. "Remember I'm right here. Not going anywhere." He said softly before looking at the men in preparation of being bagged and restrained again.
Prompto latched on to him, trying to bury his face into Noctis's neck. "Don't let go."
"As long as I'm able, promise." He said, holding onto him tightly.
Even if their hands were pulled apart to be tied behind their backs, they still stood right next to each other. They remained close all the way until the bags were placed over their heads. That was when the men started to shove them out of the cell.
"Alright keep moving!"
Noctis hated the stumbling feeling of being shoved around in the dark, but he could feel Prompto on his back, so they were at least together. The walk felt forever and snaked until the blast of fresh air was surprising.
"Quick, in the van, now!" Someone shouted and forced him into the van, and soon he was laying on another strange van floor curled up with Prompto.
"Where do you think they're taking us?" Prompto whispered.
"I don't know. I didn't know they had more than one base." Noctis whispered back.
As the van started, they could hear the sound of explosions behind them.
"Shit..." Prompto muttered, cuddling up closer to Noctis, his entire body shaking.
"Got that right." Noctis shifted enough to try and support Prompto as best he could while restrained.
The drive continued, with the muffled muttering from the men in the driver's seat. It was too hard to hear what they were saying over the sounds from the engine.
Eventually the van slowed down and the sounds from up front were a bit clearer. It was still muffled, but clearly they were talking to someone outside the van.
Noctis sat up to try and hear what was happening, but the words were too distant. He didn't understand what was happening till he felt a shiver of magic go through him.
"Prompto, we just left the wall." He said softly.
"Wh-What?" Prompto gasped. "Like... we're outside Insomnia? But I thought you said everything was on lockdown."
"It should be! But I know what the wall feels like."
"Fuck," Prompto whimpered. "Why... where could they be taking us?"
"I don't know. Another base outside of the city? To make it hard for them to find us?"
Prompto started to sob, his breath deep and ragged. "I-I always wanted to travel outside I-Insomnia. But n-not like this."
"We'll go back to see the rest of Lucis when we get out of this."
"You mean like a vacation?"
"Yeah. I think we deserve one after this." Noctis said softly.
"I'd like that... would be nice... if we make it out..."
"We'll make it out of here. I have to believe that."
Prompto started sobbing again. "I r-really hope so."
With a bump in the road, Prompto crumpled up closer to Noctis. Wherever they were headed, it was no longer on a smoothly paved road.
Noctis curled up around Prompto to try and calm him. He didn't have any idea where they were headed at this point as the car ride continued to stretch on and on.
Eventually the van came to a stop again and the door to the back of the van opened.
"Grab 'em and get them walking," Drusus instructed. "We still have a ways to go."
The words made Noctis's eyes go wide even under his bag. He felt someone take his arm and start guiding him over the rough terrain once they were pulled out of the van. The heat was a surprise to him, after the cold floors. Plus, he knew he was limping bad despite trying to keep a normal gait.
"Um... How far are we going?" Prompto asked meekly.
"About an hour's walk. Sooner we move, the sooner you can relax." The man guiding Prompto replied.
"A-An hour?" Prompto squeaked. "You can't be serious!"
"Why?" One man laughed, giving Prompto a shove. "You too wimpy to handle it?"
"B-But Noct and I will suffocate in these bags. It's too hot!"
"That's a problem you'll have to manage, isn't it?" Another man laughed. "Better start walking and try to make it work."
"But if we suffocate we will die before we even make it there!" Prompto shouted frantically. His breathing was already rapidly increasing. "I can't... can't breathe."
"Prom!" Noctis called out, looking over his shoulder even if he couldn't see him. "Think about the wind and the sun you can feel. Think about how you know you are outside. Remember to breathe." He said to try and give him reasons to focus on the wide open space they were really in, even if they couldn't see.
"I can't!" Prompto screamed. "I can't do it!"
Noctis heard Prompto drop to the ground beside him. The men around him started to mutter and growl with annoyance.
"Hey! Get up!"
Noctis wondered how much Prompto would hate revealing this secret, but he knew pain would only follow if something didn't change. "It's the bag. Take the bag off, and he'll get better." He told the men holding onto him.
"We don't have to listen to you!" One sneered.
"We just want the chocobo to actually listen!" Another shouted before Prompto screamed in pain. Even without seeing anything, Noctis had to assume the man must have kicked or hurt Prompto in some other similar manner.
Something in Noctis burned at the sound of Prompto's pain. "Drusus." He said in the same calm, commanding voice he's used to hearing from his father, not him. "We had a deal."
There was a pause before Drusus cleared his throat. "He's right. We promised we wouldn't hurt his little chocobo as long as he's cooperative. And he has been oh so good lately. Let the chocobo have some breathing space, our esteemed prince and well. Can't take a risk of either of them suffocating."
Noctis waited to see what would happen, and he just held back the gasp when his face was revealed to the bright sunlight. He only had a moment to look around for Prompto before he was forced to start walking at a faster pace than before.
Soon he heard small pained sounds, and he saw Prompto being pushed lightly to walk alongside him again. His face was red once more from crying, but the tears had stopped. Prompto tilted his head slightly, trying his best to smile at Noctis. He had attempted it, but the fear in his eyes was far greater. Noctis was able to give a bigger, if still shaky smile back to Prompto. He hoped the fear would fade soon, but he wasn't sure at this point.
They continued walking through the dry and barren land, barely a word spoken to anyone. Drusus would occasionally look back and smile coldly at the boys, but other than that, there wasn't much else that was said.
The long walk was a welcome change from being trapped in their cells for so much time. Noctis did his best to keep up with the pace and not think too hard on the look Drusus gave them. He just had to keep faith that they had been found once, and surely that meant they could be found again.
AN: GG: And this is where we looked at each other and went, "I know we had a plan, but what if we made the plan worse?"