Disclaimer: not mine
So, for those of you who voted in the poll for chosen brother's when Harry being 17 was an option, you may wish to vote again as I made some changes and posted the poll again.
Since I have a general, vague, outline for this story it may see swifter updates than others.
I almost time skipped till the boys meet but that's a big jump.
Chapter 5
Prompto grinned and called out the score, getting some pouts and shouts of dismay from the losing team. The sun was setting anyway so the group began to disperse back to their homes, waving at each other and Prompto waved as well, heading to the house that had become home over the last three years. While keeping score was fun he longed to be able to actually join in and play. It was too dangerous though and it would ruin the story that had been spread to explain his home schooling and how he sometimes didn't leave the house.
As far as anyone knew, he'd been sent to Insomnia for safety from the war, but also for his health. He had been a sickly child, one of the odd ones who did not respond to the healing magics of the Fey. Since his mother had family in Insomnia he had been sent to them, to have the chance of a better life.
It had been the best they could come up with, but it meant his social life, now that he had adapted enough to even consider one, sucked. It had taken a long time for him to stop jumping at everything, to accept that he wouldn't be reprimanded like back at the facility, kicked out or even killed. The attack on the Prince at the same time they had arrived in the city hadn't helped his nerves any. They were careful, having him 'sick' at various times of the month, so that the fact he was always ill at the full moon was overlooked.
His studies were fine, he'd caught up to his age group easily enough once he'd gotten the hang of writing and learnt to read the language as well. He'd been taught to speak Lucian at the facility, to ensure he would understand anything he overheard prisoners saying and so he could give directions if necessary…and something about that always tugged at his memory, like it was important, but he just didn't know why. Had a prisoner been involved in his escape? Why? How? Did it even matter?
Except…maybe…he'd had an actual friend? No, that was silly, any prisoner would be an adult, why would they want to be friends with him? With an MT? It was one thing he wanted, and he hated that he wanted something more. He already had so much than he ever could have dreamed of. He had parents who loved him, who had chosen him, he had an education, food, a roof over his head, a safe place to be a wolf…and he still wanted just one more thing. Maybe if he really did get to go to high school, maybe then? But who would want the sickly kid as a friend? He couldn't risk trying to make friends with vampire kids, the scent blockers were good but not infallible, but he was nervous about getting too close to human kids, he was so much stronger, he could accidentally hurt them. His control was good, and his Dad said he'd never hurt him when they played around, but Dad was an adult, stronger than a kid.
Prompto sighed and let himself into the empty house, he hated it when both of his parents were gone at the same time, the house felt so big and empty when it was just him. they didn't like leaving him alone either, but sometimes there was no other choice. For the first year, they had managed to arrange things so one of them was always home, using the excuse of his illness and new arrival but that couldn't last.
He made himself something to eat and then settled in to watch a movie until he was tired enough to sleep.
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Ignis checked on the pancakes before moving to the fridge and taking out the container within, pouring three mugs before putting them on to warm. He smiled at the sound of grumbling as Gladio worked to get their Prince up and dressed for school. The food was for Gladio and himself, Noctis could never stomach food before lunch, but he would still sit with them while they ate, sipping at blood.
It felt good, having such a normal pattern to their lives. He smirked slightly, pushing his glasses up, thoughts like those were why Noct always said he was old, despite the fact Ignis was only thirteen. He had been with Noctis since he was six and he wanted no other life. Sometimes life in the Citadel was difficult for him but he would put up with anything in order to stay by his Prince's side. Noctis had changed since the attack, and he missed the happy, smiling, child he had been, but he also loved the young man he was becoming, even if he sometimes drove him mad.
They'd only been introduced to Gladio after Noctis had returned from Tenebrae, although they had known of him and his future roll. Noctis had been in shock from the attack on himself and then the attempted attack by Niflheim forces on Tenebrae which had thankfully been repelled with few casualties. He had shied from the larger boy at first, held himself back, and Ignis had been wary of him too. Gladio had been brash and easy to anger and that had made it hard to let him close. At first, Ignis had thought Gladio was like many of the others, looking down on him for his human Mother, but eventually they had talked. Gladio didn't care that he was a mere half-breed, he'd just been as unsure of his place with them as they had been of accepting him. In the end, they had worked it out.
Ignis lived in the suite with Noctis to ensure his needs were met, but Gladio split his time between his family home and the Citadel suite. There was talk of Noctis being moved to a city apartment when he began high school and they were all looking forward to that. By then, both Gladio and himself would be old enough to drive and it would give them all a lot more freedom.
He smiled as Gladio emerged, Noctis trailing after him, eyes open to slits. "Good morning Noct," he greeted, and the younger boy yawned, waving a hand as he slumped at the table.
Gladio laughed as Ignis served their breakfast.
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Sara smiled as Prompto leapt down the stairs, blue eyes wide in surprise and joy as he rushed over, wrapping his arms around her tightly. She hugged him back, noticing that he'd gone through another growth spurt, he had to be close to five foot four now, almost as tall as her. It was sad, their baby was growing up so fast and they missed so much of it. He was al knees and elbows, gangly, but she could feel the muscle under his skin.
"You're home early!" he gushed, and she laughed, ruffling his hair and making him duck.
"Surprise, Happy Birthday." It hadn't been easy, but she had been determined to make it home in time for his fourteenth. Next year he would be starting high school and yet it still felt like only yesterday that David had brought him home, half-starved and rarely speaking. He'd changed so much from the frightened child and they were both so proud of how far he'd come. "Lots of homework?" she asked, and he shook his head. "Good, how about dinner out?"
"Really?" his eyes went wide and she nodded. "Okay! I need a shower." That made her laugh.
"I need one too, and to unpack, so take your time," she called after him, shaking her head as he leapt back up the stairs. She went upstairs to their room to unpack and get ready to go out.
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Prompto stripped off and jumped in the shower, forcing himself to take the necessary extra time to thoroughly wash with the specially made soap. He didn't know how his parents had gotten their hands on it but it was one of the things that let him go out around other people so he would be forever grateful they had. It was the same that the Glaive and Guard used when out of the city to conceal their scents from the enemy, thankfully it worked as well for a wolf as it did vampires and humans.
He also remembered to take his afternoon meds with a mouthful of water from the tap. The tablets tasted gross, but they worked so he kept taking them. He did wonder how the wolves back in Gralea dealt with being in a city all the time. One of the medications helped with supressing his scent further, while the other helped him with the more animalistic instincts, dulling them so he didn't go crazy with the need to run and hunt, especially close to the full moon. It wasn't enough to affect his ability to react if needed, but it helped him not see every vampire he passed as possible prey which was very good. He didn't have that issue with his Mom, her scent was too much a part of everything. She'd even taken him out passed Hammerhead a few times to hunt with him before they found the right medication. Sometimes, he hated that he had to do so much to keep safe, but he wouldn't trade his family for anything.
There were times he wanted to bite his parents, but not in a bad way. He wanted to mark them as pack. It was crazy though, while other vampires may not pick up the changes in their scents, any other wolves they ran into would. Besides that, he had no idea if that would infect his Dad or not, he didn't even know if he could infect someone. He was a lab made werewolf after all, who knew what the scientists had done to them.
There was one thing he was hoping for, the full moon was in three days, and he was hoping that she would come into the basement for it. He wanted her to see the wolf he was, to know that she loved and accepted him even in that form. He'd been nervous about changing around her, but he wasn't any more. He knew he wouldn't try to attack her. Any other vampire he wouldn't trust himself with, but he knew her scent better than anyone other than his Dad.
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Sara followed Prompto down into the basement, a room she very rarely entered. It was his space, his den, and she had never wanted to risk him feeling safe in there by letting her scent gather. Except Prompto had shyly asked her to come tonight, to be with him while he was the wolf. She'd only ever had David's description and what she'd learnt in school. Last year David had taken a photo of Prompto in wolf form, but they had deleted it immediately after to be safe. So, she had a general idea of what he would look like. As much as she didn't want to think of it that way, tonight would be a good test, to see if they should send off the scholarship paperwork.
They had to be 100% sure there would be no risk in allowing him to actually attend high school, lives depended on it. If Prompto was ever discovered, it would not just be his life on the line but theirs as well. That Prompto had lived in the city six years without incident may afford them some leniency, but she had no doubt they would be banished form the city at least. She trusted their son, but she knew he didn't always trust himself, which made tonight a huge and important step for him.
The room was comfortable, many plants to help it smell more outdoorsy. Comfortable rugs and pillows scattered around, leaving one section bare…she could smell old blood, despite how well it was cleaned every time. She watched Prompto fidget, pacing around a bit. "Prompto?" she called, and he looked over at her with eyes that were more gold than blue, head cocked to one side and she smiled with closed lips. "What do you need me to do?" she asked and then he was pressed against her, nose against her throat, but she just lifted a hand to run through soft hair and he relaxed. "I'm right here," she promised. He nudged her over to a pillow pile, so she sat, smelling David on them, making it obvious her husband usually sat there when he was home for the night.
Prompto continued to move restlessly, sweating slightly as his body burned with the approaching change. Finally, his eyes were fully golden, and he shoved his shorts off, Sarah looking up at his face to save them both any embarrassment, though Prompto had never really shown any sign of body shyness, other than keeping his wrist covered. She assumed that was where he'd been bitten and didn't like seeing the scar. She wondered if casual nudity was a thing among wolves especially at the full moon, but there was no one to ask. How much of his culture did he not know, did he miss out on, by living in Insomnia?
She heard him whimper in pain and she wanted to go to him, but she stayed where she was, forcing herself to watch. "It's alright, I'm right here, you'll be okay," she whispered, and he looked at her even as he fell to all fours on the floor, panting for air. Was this why so many wolves were aggressing, even slightly mad? To go through so much pain every month… she didn't think she could stand it, and Prompto had been going through it since he was so little.
He groaned, body shaking, and she heard bones breaking even as he looked up at her, eyes wide. Even with the different colour she could see the pleading in them, for what?
"I'm here kiddo, you aren't alone," she kept whispering comforting words as his body changed, smelling fresh blood as nails turned to lethal claws, his jaw cracking as his skull changed shape. Light golden-brown fur erupted form his skin, covering him, as a tail formed and then it was done. He slowly got up and stretched before shaking himself, sniffing the air and she studied him. He stood at just over two and a half feet at the shoulder and a good six and a half feet long. He was slender but powerfully built with a large, deeply descending rib cage, a sloping back, and a heavily muscled neck. If she didn't know better, she would say he was an adult, fully grown, but he wasn't even fifteen years old yet.
He took a step towards her and she remained still, not making direct eye contact so as not to challenge him, this was his territory after all. He growled but then it tapered off and he cocked his head to the side, sniffing some more.
"Prompto?" she whispered, slowly holding her hand out to him.
He stretched out his nose, sniffing, before taking another step, watching her. She remained still and calm as ever so slowly he came closer until his wet nose was touching her hand.
"That's it, you know me, I won't hurt you," she promised. She knew Prompto couldn't understand the words, but he could read her body language and tone. This was her son, no matter what form he was in, she wasn't scared of him. He moved closer and she let her hand run up his face and into the thicker fur of his neck before carefully stroking the fur and the scratching. He sat down on his haunches, pressing into her fingers, and she smiled. "You like that, don't you?"
After a while he got up and moved even closer, lying down with his head in her lap, licking her cheek as he did, and she laughed.
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Prompto blinked dazedly up at the ceiling, body aching, exhaustion weighing him down. He wasn't alone but he was safe in his den and he knew the scent…. Mom, she was in the room. He tried to roll over and groaned in pain.
"Prompto, sweetie?" she called, and he lethargically turned his head to see her kneeling nearby.
He opened his mouth to answer and coughed, mouth dry. He watched as she got up and he whined softly, but then she was back and pressing a water bottle to his lips. He swallowed thirstily and then let his head flop down again. "Mom," he whispered, and she smiled, reaching out to run her fingers through his hair.
"How do you feel?"
"Like a truck hit me," he mumbled.
"Think you can make it up to your room yet?" She asked and he shook his head. "Okay, do you need anything?" he reached out for her other hand clumsily and she took his hand, holding it. "I'm not going anywhere," she promised. She let go and then gently lifted him, slipping under his upper body so that she was holding him, and he curled into her, the coolness of her body not bothering him.
He looked down and tugged the blanket up to make sure he was covered; he'd had the talks as a kid about clothing and he always tried to remember that others weren't comfortable with being naked like he was. He kept the hand with his barcode under the blanket since he'd had to remove his wrist band to shift.
"I'm so sorry you have to go through that every month," she told him, still stroking his hair.
He wanted to tell her he'd been through a lot worse. He hadn't gotten 'sick' around the moon when he'd been at the facility and even for a while after escaping, but the change itself had been more painful. He'd also been losing the ability to remember anything that happened when he was the wolf. He thought it was a good trade off personally. He looked down at his hidden hand and then slowly pulled it out from the blanket, unable to help shaking as he lay it on top where she could see.
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Sara looked at the movement, seeing him pull the hand he wore the band on out from under the blanket, laying it where she could see. She looked down, expecting to see a save scar but the skin was smooth…. except for black lines. She reached down and gently took his hand, feeling the tremors in the limb, from the shift or fear? She could smell it, he was terrified, but why? She ran her fingers over the skin, expecting the smoothness of a tattoo but the lines were raised from the skin, the ink pitch black, lines perfectly straight. Above the barcode was writing, N-1P01387, under it, near his hand was a number, 05953234. Someone had branded her son like something from the produce aisle! She fought down her anger, not wanting him to think she was mad at him.
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He could smell she was angry, and he ducked his head, whining softly in distress. The wolf's instincts were still stronger than normal, and he was terrified of being rejected. Then she let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around him, rocking him, whispering gently, pressing a kiss to the top of his head and some of the fear faded.
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Sara rocked her son, hating herself for making him scared. "It's okay, I'm not mad at you. This isn't your fault Prompto," she kept whispering until the scent of fear faded. "I always thought you were hiding where you were bitten," she admitted after he'd been quiet for a while.
"Wasn't bitten," he admitted, not looking at her.
He'd been born a werewolf then; they had always known that was possible. But then what had happened to his parents? Had they been killed by whoever branded Prompto. His having never been purely human made sense with how in tune he was with his inner animal. "That doesn't change a thing," she promised. "We've always suspected you were born infected," maybe they should have spoken of this before.
But he shook his head and glanced up at her with sad, pleading eyes. "Made not born," he choked out and she frowned in confusion.
What? "Everyone is born sweetie, you're far too good at science to think otherwise," she tied for teasing with the last and he shook his head again.
She forced herself to stop and consider what he was trying to tell her. A barcode that wasn't a tattoo, insisting he'd been made and not born, that he'd been a wolf all his life, his accent as a child, how scared he'd been of people…it was all adding up into something she didn't want it to. It would explain why he was so large too. But…his eyes were gold not red; he wasn't a vicious, uncontrollable beast. "Prompto…are you trying to tell me…. you're an MT?" she whispered, and he whined high in his throat, shaking in her arms. "Oh sweetie, you aren't, you're nothing like them."
"Was before," he choked out, sounding like he had when he'd first come to live with them.
She went back to stroking his hair, mind racing as she tried to work everything out. "I think…your Dad should be here for this and that you're too stressed right now," she offered. "You need food and sleep," she stood up with him in her arms, where did all the extra bulk come from when he was the wolf? He clung to her and she carried him up to his bedroom, settling him under the covers, not forcing him to dress first. "Eggs and bacon?" He nodded lethargically, staring up at her with wide eyes. "I'll bring it up soon," he kissed his forehead and then went to the kitchen.
She got the food cooking and then got out her phone to call David, telling him he was needed at home as soon as possible.
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David pulled into the driveway and got out, looking around, nothing looked out of place. He hadn't liked how shocked Sara had sounded in her message and had rushed home as quickly as possible, thankful his boss knew of Prompto's 'shaky' health, he'd only ever had to cut a trip short twice before because of it and that had been in the early days of their having him in their family. What could have happened?
He opened the door to find Sara coming down the stairs, looking relieved to see him. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close before kissing her. "What's happened? Where's Prompto?"
"He's alright, he's upstairs. He…he needs to tell us something, about his past. He started telling me while recovering from the moon, but I can't make him do it twice."
David nodded, heart in his throat. Prompto had never told them about his life before them, they'd made assumptions based on observation, but he had never said anything. He took her hand and they headed upstairs to find Prompto curled up on his bed, playing with his wrist band and David felt his heart break at how defeated he looked, how scared. He walked across the room and sat on the bed beside his son, reaching out to run his hand through wild blonde hair, feeling Prompto press into his touch. "Hey kiddo," he greeted gently, and bright blue eyes focused on him, he still had that odd hint of purple in his eyes that David had never seen anywhere else. "Your Mom said you wanted to talk to us."
"Sorry," he muttered.
"For what?"
"You're home early," he looked away.
"You are more important," David promised.
Prompto pulled away, sitting up against the headboard and then he pulled off his wristband and held his hand out. David's eyes widened in shock as he took in the black lines etched into the skin. And then their son began to talk quietly, haltingly, about where he had really come from. When he was done, he sat with his knees to his chest, head buried in his arms, hiding.
David looked at Sara, seeing his own emotions mirrored in her, the horror and anger directed at the Empire. He turned to Prompto and tugged at him, the kid going limp, whining softly even as David wrapped his arms around him. "You are our son and we love you," he stated firmly. "Nothing will ever change that. You got out, you are nothing like them," he promised, feeling hot tears soaking into his shirt. Sara sat behind Prompto, adding her arms to the embrace as their son cried.
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Prompto looked at the envelope on the table and then at his parents.
"Go on, open it," Hs Dad urged.
Prompto slowly opened it, finding paperwork within. He read it quickly and froze, reading it again, slowly. "I…I got in, full scholarship," he choked out, looking up at them in shock. He'd done it, he was going to high school! He was excited, shocked, and scared. "I can really go to school next year?"
"You are going," His Mom promised and Prompto smiled.
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Noctis finished packing the last box, looking around his room. He wasn't sure how he felt about moving out of the Citadel. It was exciting to think he'd be living on his own, but it was also scary. Specs would have an apartment just across the hall so it wasn't like he would be totally alone, but they'd lived in the same suite since they were kids.
"Done?" Ignis asked and he nodded.
"Yeah, done."
"It will be fine Noct," Ignis smiled at him and Noctis nodded again.
Ignis was right, everything would be fine. He'd move into the apartment and get ready to start high school. He wasn't really looking forward to that, to being around so many people and still being alone.
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Prompto stared at himself in the mirror, he looked weird in the school uniform. He'd never worn a tie in his life! The uniform fit well thankfully but it was so much clothing! He'd have to get used it though, school started next week. He had everything he should need, he just had to survive his nerves. He just, really hoped he could fit in and maybe, finally, have a friend. He had more than he'd dared to dream of, he'd told his parents the truth and they hadn't shunned him or worse. They had listened and accepted what he'd been made to be, they knew he wasn't like them. Would anyone else be able to do that?
TBC….
