Blessings of Eos
Chapter 20
Disclaimer: Don't own Final Fantasy.
Waking up on Sunday, Noctis found himself in the unusual position of watching Prompto sleep. Weaving his fingers into blond hair, Noctis found himself tracing lines between the freckles on his bare arm. It was strange, how easy they fell into exchanging kisses and more lingering touches. Thinking back, Noctis decided they had probably already been dating, even if neither one of them had realized it.
They had ended up in bed earlier than usual for a Saturday, finding their reactions to touching each other more interesting than the game.
It had only been with the slightest hesitation that Prompto stripped down to his boxers. His stretch marks from his earlier days were hardly visible, but they could still be felt. Even with the new dimension in their relationship, he found himself weirdly confident despite that.
Noct swallowed hard, mouth suddenly dry as Prompto sprawled out on his black sheets. Going down to his own boxers, Noct crawled in after him. On their sides, facing each other, Prompto felt himself flush as Noct's eyes took him in, so intense as to almost be felt. Prompto pulled Noct closer for a kiss, both moaning at the expanded skin contact. Drawing back when breathing become a demand, Prompto couldn't help laughing a little. "What's so funny?" Noct asked, running a hand down Prompto's side.
"Isn't it a little fast, to be taking me to bed after barely a week since first kiss? Totally not complaining-" Prompto gasped as Noct's hands encountered a sensitive spot just above the waist of his boxers on his side. "-as long as you keep doing that."
"Considering it seems like you're not holding back that last piece of yourself? I don't think so." Noct answered, leaning into the crook of his neck, breathing in deep before seeing if Prompto tasted as good as he smelled, still fingering at the newly uncovered sensitive spot.
Prompto dug his nails into Noct's shoulders. "Now that it's sunk in that you're sticking around, can you blame me? Been dreaming about this. Why do you think I was always blushing when I wound up as your pillow?"
Noct hummed in agreement, inciting a shudder in Prompto. Pulling back, Noct said, "So have I, if we're being honest. Just wasn't paying attention."
Digging fingers into Noct's hair, Prompto pulled him back down for a kiss. "Now who's the distracted one?"
Since it appeared that having his hair tugged was a thing for Noct, any and all meaningful conversation was discarded in favor of taking in each other's reactions.
Prompto was half on his side, half on his front. Noct couldn't help admiring the contrast of black leather with pale skin. There was a faint smile on his lips, a barely audible purr in reaction to the fingers in his hair. The purr turned into a hum as Prompto slowly awoke. Stretching, Prompto said, "Morning." Brushing his lips to Noct's in a kiss.
"Morning."
"What's got you awake before me?" Prompto asked, eyes open as he hunkered down underneath the quilt, sprawling on top of Noct.
"Dunno…y'know, I think we might've been dating already." Noct admitted, flushing a little as their groins came into contact.
While the previous night hadn't passed heavy kissing and touching, Noct was suddenly very, very aware that yes, he had hormones, and that Prompto was very, very hot.
"That wouldn't be surprising, given how many comments Mom's made to Dad about you being my boyfriend. Never called you that in front of me, but looking back, it probably started with the file burning." Prompto said, also flushing from the contact, but having more experience handing it.
"My eyes would be drawn to something, like your freckles or you licking your fingers, but it never hit me why." Noct confided, shifting enough so the contact wasn't as overwhelming.
Prompto smirked at the action, but said nothing.
After a few minutes of basking in the glow, Prompto finally asked, "Not to dampen the glow here, but what about Lady Lunafreya?"
"What about her?"
"I thought you were in love with her. I mean, everyone expects you two to get married." Prompto confessed, biting his lip.
Noct thought about it. "…I love her, and I love you, but…I haven't seen her in person since those few weeks when I was eight. I've only seen her on the news or talked to her through letters since then. So it's more like…loving an object? I wouldn't pass up the chance to spend time with her in person again, to see if it could be something more, but not if it meant giving you up."
"I've had a massive crush on her, since she wrote to me after Ti-Pryna returned to her." Prompto admitted, idly tracing his fingers up and down Noct's arm.
"I figured as much, given how much you blush whenever I bring up writing to her yourself." Noct snickered a little, both at the memory of Prompto's bright red face and the ticklish feeling from his fingers.
"In an ideal world, I could have both of you." Noctis said, the conversation falling into a lull.
"Blonds are supposed to have more fun." Prompto agreed. "So what, she'd be Queen Consort and I'd be…Royal Mistress? Boy Toy?"
"Nah, you'd be Prince Consort. It's happened before a couple time, the King having a Prince Consort and a Queen Consort. So it's not like it would be overly shocking, even if it hasn't happened in the last century or two. Naturally, this is all hypothetical, since traditionally the Oracles haven't married the Kings. There's been some second or third sons marrying an Oracle, or an Oracle's son marrying the Princess and becoming Prince Consort when she became Queen Regnant, but never an active Oracle to the Crystal-anointed King." Noct explained, having looked up the specific logistics previously and learning a lot about the marriage traditions.
"Cuz it would mess with the balance of power, right?" Prompto asked, having vaguely wondered about it himself. "What is the deal about being an Oracle's son? In my file it noted my genetic mother is three generations from an Oracle's son through a bastard line, but I don't get why that would be important."
"Oracle's sons generally have a lot of magical ability and strong Sight. Other than that, they're technically not great catches; they can't directly inherit the throne of Tenebrae unless their sister died childless, so they tend to either remain bachelors or marry into a noble family with only daughters and take that name. Doesn't mean the bachelor sons are monks, but bastard daughters can't be acknowledged or in line to be Oracle. And if the Oracle's son has a son, the line is said to end, even if they have a granddaughter. The power can't go farther out than aunt to niece, or grandmother to granddaughter in rare cases. Mom's family had an Oracle's son marry in like three hundred fifty years ago, so it's partly why she and Dad married; them being childhood friends was a bonus." Noct lectured, moving from playing with Prompto's hair to stroking his spine.
"Wonder if having the Sight past early childhood is linked to being an Oracle's son descendant; power accrues benefits, and who knows just how many unacknowledged or unknown descendants there are?" Prompto mused, arching into Noct's hand. "One of the books Mom had been reading out loud to me debated how fast it would take for the line of Kings or Oracle's sons to spread to the point of everyone in the region being a descendant."
"I think Gladio's like my closest living cousin." Noct said, mixing the strokes with scratches from his nails.
"Really?" Prompto asked, vaguely surprised.
"It's been a long time since any of my ancestors had siblings, and I think the last King's Sister married into his family three hundred years ago. Maintaining the Wall has impacted my line's fertility, even with the Crystal guaranteeing one child. So that's another mark against me marrying Luna; if we only get one shot at an heir, it would have to either be twins, which hasn't happened since the seventy-eighth King and his sister, for both our lines to continue, or her brother would have to marry. I doubt that a Princess could be both Queen Regnant and Oracle at the same time. Ravus hasn't expressed interest in anyone male or female, according to Luna." Noct's hands slowed, a sad look overtaking him. "I don't think Dad realizes I remember, but Mom died trying to bear my sibling. It was stillborn and three months early, and I don't remember whether it was a boy or a girl…"
Prompto hugged him close. "Mom raised hell to switch her specialty from cardiology to pediatric surgery, after my older sister died at six months old. The life expectancy hadn't been long, and they tried a few more times, even knowing the likelihood of reliving the tragedy, but the last miscarriage nearly killed her, and they couldn't try again. Dad had joked while a little drunk about praying to Eos, since it was the night before Prayer Day, and she did. They had just decided against adopting when I came to Insomnia. After I realized…everything, Mom told me about all of it." It was Prompto's turn to rub Noct's back.
"So what would Lady Lunafreya's reaction be to us dating?" He couldn't resist asking.
"As Lady Lunafreya, calm acceptance with vague proclamations of blessings. As Luna? I'm not sure." Noct said. "I've written like thesis papers to her about you, so she probably realized how I felt long before either one of us did."
It was then that Prompto's phone chirped a text alert. Reluctantly moving to grab it off the nightstand, Prompto swiped the lock screen to read the message.
It was a pair of cats, one golden one black, curled up with each other, tails forming a heart. Hearts floated up from the pair, and in the 'from' section, there was a cartoon version of Miss Aerith, flashing a peace sign and winking. It was entitled 'About Time! Congratulations!'
Noct stared at it with his mouth hanging open, while Prompto just groaned. "Did She seriously just-?" Grabbing his own phone, Noct saw he had received the same thing.
"Are you kidding me? She's been teasing me about this for ages. She left a picture of the two of us sleeping together in my bed, right before Ignis woke us after you burned the file, for me on my desk. I'm pretty sure She has an album of photos of us together, and I would not be surprised if She gave Mom a copy." Prompto informed him, tossing his phone to the empty side of Noct's queen-sized bed.
Noct tried to reconcile the image he had of Eos with this…'minx' and felt his brain short out. Recognizing the symptoms, Prompto pulled him down to him, claiming his mouth to recover his boyfriend? Lover? From the blue screen of death.
Eleanore just smirked as she took in both boys, red-faced at having been caught kissing in the vestibule area just inside the door where shoes were put on and removed. "Oh Michael~!" She called out. "You owe me a spa day!"
The boys blushed harder, impossible as it seems, as muttered curses proceeded Michael's arrival at the door. "Damnit boys you couldn't have kept the hormones in check two more weeks?" He mocked grumbled. "I was sure it would have been two more weeks before we caught you."
Prompto let out the half-scream, half-groan he had before in the face of parental embarrassment. Laughing, Eleanore said, "In all seriousness, we're happy for you, both of you." She hugged both of them.
"You should be aware, however, that if you break his heart, I will beat you to death with a shovel and then bury the body with it." Michael declared.
"You may have to get in line." Noct admitted, his ears still pink.
After a dinner of baked chicken breasts with mashed potatoes, gravy, and broccoli (which Noct was relived to pass off to Prompto without comment from either Eleanore or Michael), Noct somehow managed to get himself to the door, Prompto standing by for a good-bye kiss. "See you in the morning?" Noct asked, foreheads touching.
"Always." Prompto answered, practically floating in the warm and fuzzy feeling as Noct headed back to his apartment.
He flopped down on the sofa next to Eleanore, leaning into her lap for a head massage. Michael and Eleanore traded smiles, as they had all evening, recognizing the blush of new love. Newly acknowledged love, in this case. "I had a feeling, when I saw the bracelet on Friday. How are you doing?" She asked gently.
"It's like I'm floating in something warm and fuzzy. Tho' to be honest, what we're doing…it feels like the most natural thing in the world. Since telling him…it's that weird bravery I felt, my first days Outside. We've decided we've actually been dating, since the file was burnt."
"Nothing like a little arson to christen a relationship." Michael quipped, attention half on the solitaire game on his phone.
"I know things can't stay this good; real life's coming back tomorrow…" Prompto hummed. "I think, though…we'll be okay."
"You do realize we have a store of comments primed about you and your boyfriend." His dad couldn't help reminding him.
"Meh, let me get through this week of school before you start; think Iggy and Gladdy are supposed to do something to the football team." Was his lazy answer.
"We will." His mom promised, directing a warning look to her husband.
Getting the message, Michael returned his attention fully to his solitaire game, and Eleanore started reading her book out loud. "'The Amber Room is perhaps one of the greatest missing treasures of all time. A gift representing the treaty between Lucis and Accordo…'"
The microphones across the school were buzzing from the gossip. Prince Noctis walking to school hand-in-hand with his 'friend' Prompto Argentum? A black bracelet in place of the wrist band no one could recall Prompto ever not wearing? While a few girls (and boys) were disappointed with this confirmation of what everyone had suspected, most of the girls were busy squealing over the cuteness. The rest of the boys? They were scratching their heads over why the pair were so cute, save for the handful of flamboyant boys who were in the thick of the girls squealing with them.
Cor and Ignis shared frowns as they listened to the target trio. Cor had to become involved, if only because it was easier to keep him appraised then sidestepping just why Ignis had to listen in on the football team.
The target trio, instead of taking the bracelet as the sign of commitment the rest of the students (and teachers) were, seemed to think that this meant Prompto was 'open for business'. While Prompto had been a quiet presence in the classroom for most of his school days, easily overlooked, this trio were among the group that remembered when Prompto was far different from the way he was now. While they had confined themselves to discontented grumbling in the presence of the team, alone they were actively complaining…and planning.
"It would appear we will need to act sooner rather than later." Ignis said, texting Gladio that the timescale of the plan would be moved up.
"We'll have to be careful; the ringleader's grandfather is on the council, and one of the main rabble-raisers when it comes to bestowing the color." Cor commented. Being among the handful who knew Prompto was being trained in firearms by Crownsguard, he made a mental note to have his primary trainer Jeff Webb begin to work in self-defense techniques, especially for larger and multiple opponents.
To be honest, His Highness would have to learn about Argentum's training sooner rather than later at this rate. The bonding to his Shield and Advisor would also have to be moved up; tradition meant those two had to bond with their sworn King first, and this could not be changed even for lovers.
Opting against taking chances, Cor arranged for a car to pick the boys up, and informed Clarus's boy of it.
While vaguely surprised that a car came to pick them up, Noct hadn't said anything. Gladio's face had been set in a scowl since lunch, and he had a feeling it had something to do with the football team. Prompto was also suspicious, but he was too distracted by the idea of effectively being alone in a car with Noct.
Having seen the pair of lovebirds off, Gladio texted as such to Ignis and Cor. That done, he headed towards the target trio, sticking to the shadows. The trio was under a tree by the main gate, and appeared to be cursing their luck at not being able to ambush the lovebirds on the walk home. Delaying Noct's and Prompto's departure until the main body of students had left, and alerting the faculty and staff of Crown business regarding the three meant that there was no one in sight, although Gladio could tell that Ignis and Cor were creeping up on the trio.
Each of them had a member of the trio to knock out. The hardest part of waiting for the signal to move in was listening to them talk about Prompto. When the signal finally came, Gladio and Ignis may have knocked their assigned trio member out with more force than required. Cor frowned at the excessive force, but couldn't bring himself to scold them.
Despite having not personally met the boy His Highness was keen on, Cor had read his file, which beyond the initial data obtained when Argentum entered Insomnia also included observation reports after his adoption. Not by the parents, but by outside observers at the schools he had attended. He had also observed several sessions between Argentum and Jeff Webb at the range. Even with this limited contact, Cor could understand how people were drawn to him, and given how this relationship had His Majesty's approval, all Cor could or would do was serve the Crown to the best of his ability.
Ignis stood with his arms crossed in the bare interrogation room, frowning down at the likely ringleader. Despite not having as much time as he would have liked to have confirmed his hypothesis, Ignis was reasonably sure about it. The other two members were in different rooms, and would probably be scared straight, with the influence of the ringleader gone and Gladio in their faces. The academic suspension and removal from the football team would ensure the message stuck. In times past the families of those two had been sworn vassals to that of the ringleader's, and even in present times the ringleader's family still maintained enough clout to enforce that contract, despite all vassal contracts having been deemed null and void one hundred fifty years ago.
Ignis had had little contact with the Crownsguard's Master of the Range Jeffery Webb, and had been a little baffled at the man's request to take part. But with the ringleader coming around, his curiosity would have to remain unsated for the time being. "I'm afraid, Mr. Malfoy, that you have picked the wrong target." Ignis pushed his glasses up his nose, knowing full well the ominous glint the action would cause.
"The fatso squealed didn't he? This is an outrage. When my grandfather hears of this—"
"There will be nothing he can do." Master Webb cut him off. With Mr. Malfoy being slumped in a shorter than normal chair and Master Webb's height, he presented an imposing figure. "You see, that 'fatso' as you're calling him, well…his parents are Crownsguard. Which makes him Crownsguard."
Malfoy scowled. "A doctor who attempts to fix those who should've been drowned at birth and a glorified mechanic?"
"Did you really think the Crown Prince would attending a location that had not been wired to record every sound occurring within?" Ignis posed to him. "We've been aware of your intentions for some time now. While there had been the inclination to dismiss your talk as jealous ramblings…I'm afraid that inclination has died an abrupt death. Especially in light of the explosion. Given the ill-considered nature of your planning…"
Malfoy paled. "I had nothing to do with that!"
"So you say. The investigation is naturally classified, given the Crown Prince is a minor, so the nature of the evidence against you cannot be disclosed. But regardless, the council has no authority to demand the release of documents relating to the investigation." Ignis smirked.
"My grandfather—"
"Can do nothing." Master Webb stated again. "The council exists only to lighten the King's work load. This is an absolute monarchy, and that means that if His Highness desired you to be hung, drawn, and quartered on live television…there would be some outrage, of course. But with the revelation of suspicious transactions that indicate connection to certain elements of Niflheim's military…a message does have to be sent, that such actions would not be tolerated."
"And even if, by some chance, you escaped such a fate…" Ignis added ominously.
"Were you aware Crownsguard is exempt from the gun bans and concealed weapons charges? An assault on Prompto could well have had fatal results for yourself and accomplices. And your family would be powerless to protest or claim wrongful death." Master Webb continued.
Eyes nervously shifting between Ignis and Master Webb, taking in the anger present, Malfoy could only gulp, and a wet spot grew on his pants as Ignis pulled out a knife in his preferred make of kitchen wares.
"Wonder what they'll do?" Prompto pondered, sprawled out on Noct's sofa, with Noct sprawled on top of him. "Not sure I want to know, but I'm still curious regardless."
"One of my first lessons was that plausible deniability is a beautiful thing." Noct had Prompto's shirt half unbuttoned, and was exploring the line of his collarbone with his tongue while one hand played with a nipple.
"Nnggh…" Prompto groaned, fisting one hand in Noct's hair while the other worked under his shirt to rub his lower back. "Meh, there's more important things to wonder about."
"Hmm?" Noct hummed in question.
"How much can I make you blush?" While Prompto had a head start given his coloring, Noct wasn't that far behind.
The Amber Room was a real thing, looted by the Nazis in World War II from Russia. While there are those who believe it may be hiding in a secret Nazi cache somewhere, it was more than likely destroyed in one of two fires that ravaged the castle where it was being kept near the end of the war. A replica was opened in 2003, using pictures of the original. The greatest irony? It had been a gift from King Frederick William I of Prussia to Peter the Great, Czar of all the Russias.
My brain insists on being logical about things like the odds of Luna and Noct marrying. Not completely satisfied with the handling, but not sure of a better way of putting it. I got to the bit with Ignis, Jeff, and the ringleader and realized it would be better if he had a name. Thus the name Malfoy. Any Harry Potter inference is entirely intentional.