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Chapter 13
Noct watched as his Dad and cousin faced each other, practically sitting on the edge of his seat. Watching them made him feel really…inadequate. He knew he was improving but seeing them made him realise just how much further he had to go. He cheered Harry on, but wasn't surprised when Harry ended up pinned against the wall, a sword at his throat. Harry immediately dismissed his own blade, holding his hands up, his Dad backing off.
"That was great!" Noctis stood with a grin.
Harry had lasted longer than he had, his cousin panting even as he stretched. He offered him a potion but Harry shook his head. "I'm good."
"That was very good," his Dad praised "both of you. I'm very proud."
"Dad…" he grumbled, ducking his head to hide the redness of his face.
"Awe…he's blushing," Harry teased, wrapping an arm around his neck, pulling him in close to ruffle his hair.
"Oh get off!" He yanked away, glaring at Harry before grinning.
"Go get cleaned up boys, then dinner." His Dad nodded and picked up his cane, leaving them in the room, Noctis staring after him.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," he grinned at him. "Beat you to the showers." He took off, hearing Harry laugh.
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Prompto lay sprawled on Noctis' floor, flipping through a textbook, half studying. At the table Noct was working on something with Iggy, something official. He didn't have clearance but it wasn't like Noctis cared, besides, he was nowhere near it. If everyone had their way…he would eventually have the clearance to see it.
Harry and Noct had been sneaky about getting him to train with them but he'd eventually figured it out. Once Ignis had started talking etiquette with him in the kitchen, showing him knives and forks, that had been what had started clueing him in. He wasn't sure what to think of it. the idea of him in Noct's Retinue, a member of the Crownsguard, it seemed impossible to him. And yet someone had to have signed off on his access to the training room, even if he was with Noctis and Harry.
He was an enemy experiment, an incomplete MT, it had been shocking enough when he'd been allowed to attend the same school as Noct, to be his friend, but Retinue meant magic. The King would really allow him access to that?
There was a knock and then Harry walked in, looking down with a grin. "Comfy?"
"Yep," he grinned back.
"Homework?" Harry dropped down on the couch after nodding to Noct and Iggy.
"Studying ahead for exams."
"Want to go do something?"
"Like what?" he asked warily, and Harry laughed.
"No training, promise," he offered and Prompto hesitated, looking at the textbook and then over to the others.
"Go have fun," Noct told him.
"Okay," he agreed, taking Harry's offered hand when he stood, letting him pull him up. He grabbed his jacket, wallet, and shoes. "Bye."
"Be back for dinner!" Ignis called after them.
"So where are we going?" he asked as they got in the elevator.
"Little Galahd, got invited to a gathering, and yes I checked, you're welcome to come." Harry slung his arm over Prompto's shoulders and he found himself relaxing into his side. Harry felt…safe, the same way Noct had from the moment they met.
"You're sure?" he asked cautiously.
Little Galahd was not an area he'd been to before, some of the Glaive watched him every time he went to the Citadel and he knew it was because of his looks. He'd considered dying his hair many times over the years but had never actually done it.
"Positive. Nyx Ulric said it's fine, that you're welcome. Why? Have any of the Glaive said or done something?" Harry asked in concern.
Prompto shook his head, glancing away, unable to help himself.
"Prompto?"
"It's nothing."
"It obviously is something," Harry argued as they entered the garage.
Prompto blinked at the sight of a motorcycle. "Is that yours?" he asked in shock.
"Yeah, can't always drive a company car. Don't worry, I won't let you fall," Harry promised, holding out a helmet.
Prompto hesitated but then took it to put it on as Harry got on the bike, carefully getting on behind him. "Uh, where do I…"
"Around my waist, lean when I do, okay?"
"Yeah," he carefully wrapped his arms around him, unable to help squeezing when the engine started.
"Easy," Harry's voice came through his helmet. "Ready?"
"Yeah," he agreed. He held on tight as Harry began to drive, leaning with Harry as they turned onto the street. He'd never been on a motorcycle before and it was very different but he thought maybe he liked it. Being pressed against Harry's back had him blushing, hoping he could calm down before the ride ended.
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Nyx waved as he saw Harry enter the bar, a skinny blond kid plastered to his side, blue eyes wide…and wary. "Hey Harry, kid," he greeted.
"Nyx, this is Prompto. Prompto this is Nyx, don't believe half his war stories, the other half are true and crazy," Harry told the teen who offered a hesitant smile.
Nyx had heard the muttering from some of the Glaive but the blond was the Prince's best friend and he knew the kid now trained with Harry at least, he suspected the Prince and maybe the rest of his Retinue too. It was pretty easy to figure out who would be added as the final member which meant he would be a permanent fixture in the Citadel soon, so the quicker everyone got over it, the better. So what if his birth parents were Niff's, the kid had been raised in Insomnia. There was no reason to treat him like the enemy.
"Drink?"
"Nothing alcoholic since I have to have us both back to the apartment for dinner," Harry answered, brushing his braids back, and Nyx nodded, going to grab them both something to make sure it wasn't tampered with or anything. Harry got looks too sometimes, now that his Father was known, and Nyx wouldn't put it passed some to purposely get him drunk for kicks.
He watched as Crowe cornered the blond but soon had him talking hesitantly, getting him to relax a bit.
"Thanks for letting him come," Harry murmured at his side. "Other than the Prince and his Retinue, Prompto's very isolated. If he can at least get on cordial terms with some of the Glaive, or even non-Glaive it'd do him a world of good.
"Taken him under your wing?" Nyx teased, and Harry shrugged.
"He's a great guy, he just has confidence issues."
"How's his training?"
"He's an excellent shot, scarily accurate. I think video games should be added to the training schedule. Then again, they haven't helped the Prince."
They both chuckled at that.
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Prompto blushed as Crowe teased him but it was playful, not mean, and then some others joined them, Crowe making the introductions. He clutched the bottle of some kind of soda he'd never had before, he knew all the safety rules when it came to open drinks and he wasn't going to risk going back to Noct's tipsy. And he had no clue how he'd react to alcohol. He kept an awareness of where Harry was, knowing if there was trouble then he was his best ally.
He slowly relaxed as he was accepted or ignored but no one said anything bad or anything. He enjoyed listening to their stories, some were like Harry's, of Galahd while others were of training or battles.
"Rumour has it, you've been seen in the training rooms with the Prince and wonder boy over there," Crowe said a few hours later, and Prompto blushed slightly, he couldn't help it.
"They let me watch," he said and then bit back a grimace, that could be taken a lot of ways. He needed to be more careful what he said!
"Oh? Bet they're very…energetic," a Glaive leered, and Prompto stiffened.
"Back off," Crowe warned the obviously tipsy man.
"Oh come on, everyone knows how close the Prince and his 'friends' are."
"You've had enough Miles," Ulric warned, hand gripping the smaller males shoulder tightly.
An argument began in what Prompto assumed was their native tongue, Harry moving in between Prompto and Miles. The whole place fell silent as Nyx growled something and Prompto saw Harry's eyes go wide. The Glaive then approached, saying something, and Prompto froze when Harry motioned for him to remain where he was. He really wished he knew what Nyx was saying as the man pulled out a leather cord and then reached into a pouch on his hip. He swallowed as the Glaive reached around behind his head, feeling something settle in the hollow of his throat and then Nyx stepped back and Prompto glanced down to see the leather cord…with a bead threaded through it.
Harry then spoke up, head held high, grinning at Prompto who couldn't help smiling back at him, even though he was still completely lost and in a minute, there was a second bead around his neck. As the place remained silent, Harry took his hand and pulled him away, back out to his bike, and they were soon heading away from the bar or whatever the place was. They hadn't gone far before Harry parked and led him up a rather old building, unlocking a door and waving him inside.
Prompto walked in and froze, looking around, the place was tiny but…it was Harry's apartment? It had to be cause that was the photo of the three of them that Cor had snapped a few weeks ago.
"I know it's nothing fancy, but it's home for now," Harry said as he slumped on the bed, patting the mattress, and Prompto sat.
"Harry…" he fingered his new jewellery and Harry reached out to touch the beads.
"I'm sorry Prompto, no one thought someone would say stuff like that."
"He was saying worse in Galahdan, wasn't he?" he asked, and Harry nodded. "And Nyx?"
"Ripped him a new one and then basically adopted you," he shrugged, and Prompto stared at him with very wide eyes.
"What?"
"Congratulations, you are now part of the Ulric Clan, which is all of you, Nyx and Crowe; and the Peverell, which is also just you and me."
"But…you…he…" he stammered, feeling overwhelmed, and Harry squeezed his hand.
"The necklace is because your hair is too short to braid. But you have the right to grow out enough to braid if you want. You can learn the language and customs, you should really. If you don't then it could be seen as you thinking its beneath you or something. I'm sorry it got sprung on you like that, and we'll teach you everything you need to know, but…this does give you some extra protection. If anything ever happens, Galahd will speak for you, stand with you. The clans may argue amongst ourselves but we stand united against others," Harry explained gently.
"You…adopted me?"
"It's not like adopting a child, but a clan member."
"Noct is never gonna believe this," he groaned, and Harry laughed.
"Hey, now you're related to Cor," he smirked, and Prompto nodded dazedly…he'd always wanted that, but would Cor see it that way. "Are you okay with this Prompto? Nyx shouldn't have just done it without even asking but things were getting tense. The Ulric are one of the most respected Clans, pretty much as close as we get to Royalty."
"Not helping," he moaned, leaning forward to put his head in his hands, only to relax as he felt fingers moving through his hair.
"It'll be alright. Want me to privately kick Nyx's ass for you in a spar for springing it on you like that?"
"You did too," he pointed out.
"Well yeah, because it was a now or never kind of thing."
"Oh," he whispered.
The idea that Nyx and Harry would want to protect him enough to claim him as family…it was mind-blowing. He barely knew Nyx! And Harry…he bit back a groan…why could he never get a crush on someone he actually stood a chance with? He was Cor's cousin! A magical prodigy, likely destined to one day take Cor's place when Noct was King…he was just Prompto…a stolen Niff experiment.
"Hey, come on Prom, it's okay," Harry's voice broke through his thoughts and he realised his breathing was hitching. "You're okay, I've got you," he murmured, gently tugging Prompto in to lean against his chest, ear over his steady heart. "Breath with me."
He felt so stupid! He listened to Harry's heart, working to match his breathing, even as he curled one hand in his uniform shirt, clinging on, not that Harry complained. They just sat there for what felt like forever.
"Do you want me to call Ignis and tell him we aren't coming?" Harry eventually asked, and Prompto shook his head. "No one will be mad if you aren't up to it."
He shook his head again and then gentle fingers were carding through his hair, doing nothing to help the growing crush.
"Okay, we have to leave soon then. Go wash down with a cool cloth, I'll get you a glass of water," Harry told him.
Prompto forced himself to move, getting up and going into the tiny bathroom to wash his face. When he remerged Harry handed him a glass of water which he drank, unable to look him in the eye. Then a hand nudged his chin up and Harry grinned at him.
"Hey, don't worry about it. Should have seen me when I got called in to meet the King and company over my medical tests. Think Cor had a great laugh at my flailing in the bathroom to get my uniform on for the first time. There's nothing wrong with feeling overwhelmed from time to time, just don't be ashamed to ask for help, okay?" Harry stared at him, and Prompto managed to nod. "Okay, time to go."
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Harry watched as Noctis studied the beads Prompto now wore around his neck. When Nyx had started the ceremony, Harry had been ready to hit him. Prompto had looked so lost, even scared, and he didn't blame him, not like he'd been able to understand a word of it. Harry had jumped in as well, placing his protection on Prompto too because he cared about him. They were friends and he would do anything for a friend. Adopting him into his clan was nothing. Not like there'd been a clan until he had used magic to make the memories. He wondered how much worse the panic would have been if Prompto knew that Harry wasn't related to Cor but Regis and Noctis.
When Prompto went to help Ignis with something, Noctis moved to lean beside him on the wall. "So…does this make Prom my cousin?" he whispered.
"Sorta? By adoption, he's a member of the Peverell clan, not my kid or heir though."
"Good, that would be really awkward."
"Definitely," Harry grinned.
"Harry?" Noctis bumped their shoulders gently. "Thanks, for protecting him. Will you tell Nyx too?"
"Sure. Though we didn't do it for you."
"I know," Noct grinned and then went to bug Ignis about dessert.
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Noctis was really happy for Prompto, once the beads were explained. He did wonder if Prom would grow out enough hair for braids, even if he left the rest short. He thought it'd be a good look for him. The Argentum's were terrible parents but now Prompto was getting more and more family, one that chose him and wanted him. Though…yeah, he was pretty sure Prom was crushing on Harry. That could end badly, though he didn't believe his cousin would try to hurt Prompto or be mean about it. Who knew, maybe Harry would come to like him back and they could both be happy. Not like they didn't get along great now.
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Prompto held his head high at school, even when someone recognised the beads as Galahdan and the whispers started. He was happy and proud that Nyx and Harry wanted him as part of their clans after a few days to take it all in. Harry had even begun teaching him the language already and Nyx had invited him over for other lessons the coming weekend.
He was glad Noctis was fine with it, excited for him even, telling him to take whatever time he needed with his new family members. Prompto was thankful for that, he knew the culture was very complicated and he didn't want to do something wrong and shame them somehow.
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"Interesting jewellery Prompto's wearing," Cor commented as he faced off with his 'nephew'.
Harry just grinned. "If he grows some hair out he can wear them traditionally."
"Two Galahdan in the Crownsguard, whatever will we do?" Cor shot back, and Harry laughed.
"Has anyone told Prompto he's joining up?"
"Well, as you are now one of his Clan Heads, I shall leave that up to you," and then there was no more talking as their swords clashed.
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Harry lay in bed, one arm behind his head as he stared at the water stained ceiling. He wasn't blind, he'd seen the looks Prompto gave him sometimes, the way his face would redden slightly. Prompto was at least attracted to him and honestly, he liked him. If he was who he said he was then he'd like to see if it could work, but with all the secrets? It wouldn't be fair to either of them. Especially the secret of his actual age, no, if he dated someone he couldn't hide that or the fact his aging was rather wonky. Prompto had enough on his plate without dealing with his secrets.
Cor had mentioned leaving soon for another one of the Arms and Harry was relieved, he needed a break from the city. Noctis had other training to keep him occupied while they were gone, his group would be fine to work together even, Nyx could handle Prompto's clan training too as long as he didn't get deployed at the same time.
He was starting to consider, giving up at least one of his secrets to Regis. He just hated lying so much and the King was a good man. He was doing his best to get to know Harry, taking whatever time he could free up to talk to him, share a meal, even spar. He wasn't Dad or Uncle Somnus but he was family. He was nowhere near ready to admit he was Harry James Lucis Caelum but…maybe he could tell him about Earth?
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Ardyn wandered the facility, bored. He had sensed something, almost a year ago now. but nothing had changed and so he ignored it. still, every now and then he pondered, what could have caused Gilgamesh and his Brother to stir within a day of each other? They all had their roles to play in Bahamut's story and he knew they would never dare to try and deviate. Perhaps something had happened with young Noctis? He had heard the report of the boy being in a car accident, had Somnus acted from the Beyond to protect him?
Oh well, it didn't matter. Plans had begun to be made that would ensure the dear Prince never became King…at least not until it was time for the prophecy to play out.
TBC…
