Beta read by: SinikkavonWolperting, istoleyourcheesecake and Prompto_Cam
And shit is finally about to hit the fan. You didn't think I was gonna let it be peaceful for too long, did you? Here it is, as promised, the beginning of the real pain. :D
Yurosoku: Ohhhhh yes, and here it gets so much worse, and from here on, it's gonna be pretty rough. ;D
Bagpipes5K2: XD That would be nice if that were possible. That's a relief, as much as I'm not a fan of overly sappy things, it's so easy to accidentally fall into those sort of things. lol I do imagine communication would be hella tricky otherwise. That and it was the only solution I could come up with that would work for the two of them. Ohhhhh, I love stuff like that, the literal concept of two people completing one another. There is something about the need to trust in one another for survival that always gets me and it will forever be one of my favorite things ever. :D And I find the kiss thing surprising, I mean for something around that time. That's actually pretty dang awesome though. :O And not to worry, I have the next chapter done, but since I just uploaded a whole chapter story, Imma wait to upload it until tomorrow. XD
Nyvien: Eyyyyyy, it's been a while, but glad you're back. :D And yeah, I may have a bit of a problem here. To be honest, I've barely went a day without writing something, it's just too fun. ;w; Thank you so much though, I have a few ideas for this, so hope you enjoy. :D
"Noct!" he cried out, his outstretched hand blurring before him as it reached out for his friend, Noctis who was so far out of range by this point. And, he was still growing farther away with each passing second. As the rushing winds whipped his hair in his face, he realized it was him that was straying from the prince. He was falling. Prompto's heart banged against his chest when he turned around and saw how quickly the ground was approaching. He closed his eyes in anticipation, expecting the pain to come. However, the moment before he hit the ground, blinding light encompassed him, and a deafening sound reverberated through his bones painfully.
He didn't know what happened next, he never got to see what happened after that. Like the previous times, he was thrust back into wakefulness. The blond blinked heavily a few times as the last of his short-lived panic drained from him. His pulse was still through the roof, and he could feel just how hard he was breathing. But, there it was, that strong and secure grip on his hand, still clasped just as tightly as it was before he drifted off, the gentle thumb tracing small circles over the back of his hand.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Prompto looked up at the man, his face holding the same serenity as always, and that helped to put him at ease just a little bit more. Giving the area a bit more looking around, he slowly straightened up. As soon as he was leaning back against the seat, something was held out in front of him and his attention was on it in a second.
'Everything alright?' he read off the screen, the brightness of it causing him to squint to make out the words. Things were still a bit fuzzy to make out. After rubbing the remainder of sleep from his eyes, the gunner gently took the phone in his hands and typed back.
'Yeah, just a dream.' Ignis' features hardened slightly at that response. If the slickness of the other's palm was anything to go by, he was leaving something out. Not to mention, those slight mutters in his sleep and that rapid shift in his breathing until he jerked awake. He inhaled deeply himself and just nodded his head, letting him leave it at that if he so wished.
Straightening up a bit, the younger man craned his head in either direction, and felt a slight pang when he realized that Noctis hadn't returned yet. At least he spotted Gladio, as far away as he could get. Was it really that bad? Then again, he had no idea how long he was out, it didn't feel like long. Perhaps it was only a few minutes. He chewed on his lip for a moment and carefully slipped his hand out of Ignis'. He typed out a quick, 'Be right back,' and pushed himself to his feet to get a better view of the car. Still no sign of Noctis. Before going on his search, he looked back at the advisor once more to find him with his head bowed a slight amount. He'd be alright here alone for a few minutes.
Making up his mind, he held his breath for a moment before slowly releasing it and heading off towards the shield, his steps mere taps as he became over-conscious of how much noise he was making. To him, it felt as though he were stomping, when in reality it was little more than minor taps.
Prompto didn't make it far before Gladio gave him a quick glance, moving his hands from his lap to over his chest and folded. He then stubbornly turned his attention to the window, trying to play it off as if he didn't see the other coming over. There was a small hesitation at that, but he shook it out of his head and carried on, carefully slinking in to sit next to the brute. He gave them a moment before tentatively shifting his eyes over a few times until the man eventually gave him the light of day.
The shield shrugged in a silent attempt to ask what it was he wanted. Well, it seemed as though the awkwardness wasn't going away anytime soon. Finally figuring out the the guy was waiting on him, the blond's brow rose in awareness and he fished out his phone. It took him a few seconds to figure out how to word things, but he gradually had something typed out.
Reading back over it once, he nodded to himself and held it out for the other to take. 'I have no idea what's up, but I think you and Noct need to talk,' Gladio scanned over with a forced scoff. Nearly snatching the device, he typed out his response.
'Nothing to talk about, he ain't listening. Best to just let him go and sulk,' Prompto read, looking to the man to see the lack of humor etched into his features.
Getting frustrated by this point, the gunner snatched the phone back, trying to portray his displeasure with such a response. With his temper wavering, he tapped away without so much as reading over it this time. 'Yoi just have to try. I'm sire the tow of you can come to spme sort of agreement.' Reading over the text, Gladio's eye twitched subtly at all the typos, but he could decipher it well enough.
"Good luck getting him to do that," the shield muttered to himself, closing his eyes and leaning his head back. But, Prompto wasn't having any of it and proceeded to nudge the larger man with his elbow. Over and over until he eventually cracked open one annoyed eye. "Cut it out," he mumbled, groaning to himself and held his hand out for the phone to type it instead.
The gunner scowled at the reply, and took the offered device back with an exaggerated eyeroll. There was no getting through to the guy, and he made Noct out to be the stubborn one. He sank a little bit in defeat, but that only lasted for a short moment before he was right back on his feet in an instant. 'Wait here,' he ordered, his brows knit in a forced authoritative appearance. Gladio let a small noise escape once he realized what the other was planning, but just decided to let him go. He highly doubted what he had planned would bear his desired results.
The larger man exhaled heavily, shaking his head before returning to his previous position. Eyes lingering over the blurring landscape, he mostly paid attention to the reflection, gazing straight into those glaring fiery orbs. One over-sized hand found its way to his hairline and raked its way through. "Dammit," he uttered, stealing a glance over to the advisor who hadn't moved this entire time. He then released a stifled growl of frustration as he slammed a fist onto the seat next to him.
There was still so much they had to do, and it was not going to be a walk in the park either. If anything, this was just the beginning and they had barely managed to make it through that alive. So, how the hell… He was starting to wonder if this was a fate worse than death, to be stripped of senses and then tossed into a war. It was like tossing a newborn into the wilderness and asking it to survive.
It was a slow process, and one that could have been done a lot quicker if it weren't for his over-sensitive self-awareness slowing him down. But, each step was placed with caution and it felt like ages before he reached the end of their current car. And, still no sign of the prince. 'Noct, where are you?' he asked himself as he reached the door at one end. With that, it was on to the next, he'd go through the whole train if he had to. Not like the guy could have gone too far.
Carefully, he eased himself onto the other side and gently closed up behind himself. He took a quick glance around, and again, no sight of the raven. So, on he went, going from one car to the next until he finally came across one that was empty… except for one. Prompto felt his shoulders relax at the familiar presence, and no longer bothered keeping his steps small.
He only managed to take a single step before that intense gaze was locked on him, but it wasn't the gaze he was hoping for. There was recognition alright, but it was so negative and… hostile in a way. He saw the raven's lips move, but couldn't make out what he was saying. Whatever it was, it couldn't have been anything pleasant as he shot to his feet and wasted no time in sauntering towards him, mouth still moving in silent mutterings. Prompto took an instinctive step back, his hands raising a little bit in concern.
Then alarm bells went off, his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach as Noctis' once empty hand was filled with the hilt of a blade. The blond felt his eyes widen, his mind racing as it wondered what he was doing. Why was he so mad at him? 'Noct,' he mouthed, backing up until his back was against the door. By then, the man was charging, point aimed with ill intent. It took all he had just to dodge; he knew Noctis was quick, but it was so different when he was on this side of his wrath.
He wasn't done either, he slashed down again, causing the blond to roll away from the sharpened edge. 'Stop!' he screamed internally, shuffling back and kicking with his feet as his best friend lingered above him, chest heaving in clear rage. It didn't even look like Noct anymore, but there was no mistaking him. He was really trying to kill him. 'What did I do?' he wondered, eyes starting to prickle slightly as the looming figure was right above him now.
His fingernails scraped against the rough flooring as his hands clenched in anticipation, his skin chilling under a wave of panic. He wasn't sure what happened, but his natural need for survival must have kicked in since he barely processed what he was doing. All he could tell was that he somehow managed to slip by the prince, and the next, he was running. Going as quickly as his legs could carry him back through the cars, back through the crowds of people and curious stares he earned. More than once, he stumbled and tripped over his own feet, but he was able to keep himself from falling.
It felt as though he ran for ages, but it couldn't have been more than a couple of minutes before he was barging back into their own section. Only then did he stop to catch his breath, his throat burned with the gasps. His hands gripped one of the seats as a flood of fogginess enveloped him; faintness threatening to sweep him away. He wanted to refuse that that had just happened, but he just couldn't, and his fingers dug into the fabric at the realization.
The blond jumped as something touched his shoulder and he spun towards them, his hand striking out to rid himself of the contact. As he took in the appearance, his breath caught and his vision dimmed at the sharp features. It was Ignis… He hadn't known how much noise he had made. But, he didn't care anymore, his brain was still in overdrive at the events that just played out. So focused on the man's face, it took a moment longer to notice Gladio behind him. And, he probably wouldn't have noticed if he didn't hold his own phone before him.
'What happened? Where's Noct?' he read, and he took the phone to try his best to explain.
Prompto did his best to simplify it, but his hands were shaking, his thumbs clumsily trying to make sense of the keyboard. 'I don;t knopw. He just kinda lost it. I dpn't knowif that was really hoim or not. But he attacked me…' Even though it was the truth, it still stung to say that, to admit that the guy he considered his best friend really did try to kill him without hesitation.
Gladio's features twisted into unmistakable disgust at that. 'I'll talk to him,' he replied, repeating everything aloud to keep the brunet up to speed on the situation. "You two go back and sit back down, I'll take care of him."
Ignis gave him a curt nod, and wrapped one arm around Prompto to try and guide him away, but in the end the roles switched. With a shuddering gunner under his wing, the advisor let him lead the way. Once he was back in his spot, the small form shimmied in next to him, but this time he kept a bit of a distance between the two of them. Obviously he was still quite shaken.
The man patted around on the seat next to him, his fingers brushing over fabric in its search until it eventually brushed over the trembling form. Giving it a reassuring squeeze. With his free hand, he fished out his phone and asked, 'Did he hurt you? Tap me once for yes and twice for no.' Twice, the slender finger tapped and the man sighed in relief.
'Are you alright?' Again, two gentle touches. 'Do you want to talk about it?' For a moment there was nothing, then, more tense, two more taps. He found himself exhaling heavily through his nose, but didn't press further.
Carefully, the smaller hand slipped out from his, and he heard a few shuffles before he felt a light weight on his lap. Lowering his hand to investigate, his fingers ran through a few tufts of hair and he heard a small satisfied breath as the blond shifted over to his side. Slowly, the tension left him, the presence on him eventually relaxing.
Then, that robotic voice sounded out. 'Thanks,' it said monotonously. Ignis smiled to himself as he continued fiddling with the locks, pleased that he could at least provide a little bit of comfort. There wasn't much he could do anymore, but this was a start at least.
Ignis lost track of time, his movements falling into an automatic thing that he no longer had to think about. If it weren't for the occasional change in breathing or subtle shift, he would have assumed him to have fallen asleep again. As his index finger let another lock slip back through, his teeth chewed on the inside of his cheek. Gladio still wasn't back. Either something was going on, or they managed to work things out. And, at the rate things were going, he highly doubted it to be the latter.
He half wondered if he should seek them out, or call one of them. But, on the off chance they were discussing things, he hardly wanted to be the one to disrupt them. After internally debating which was the right choice, he finally decided to leave them be. If Noctis had lost it, he was fairly certain he couldn't do much harm to someone of that size and strength.
His hand accidently gripped a little bit too hard when the train jerked a small amount, and he swiftly pulled it away. Going in to give a minor touch of apology, there was another jostle, this one a bit more concerning. His heart clenched, and before he had a chance to think about it, there was a third, and this time he could hear the screaming of metal scraping.
That's when everything escalated, a few startled cries from other patrons, feared gasps and the alarmed jerk from Prompto. He barely noticed that his hand had been grabbed and was held in a death grip. He could feel and hear the thrumming of footsteps as people tried to flee to the next car, but everything was a disoriented mess of chaos to him. There was a tug on his hand as the other tried to pull him up, desperately pleading with each yank. What the hell was happening?
There was no time to think, Prompto wouldn't let him piece things together before he was practically dragging him out of his seat. He tripped over his own feet as he stumbled forward, and even though he was being lead, he feared running into others or accidently tripping over children. There was so much noise: continuous bangs and clatters against metal, the terror and panic in the voices that swirled around him. But, above all that, he could hear Prompto's pants of breath as he was barely able to keep himself collected.
In an instant, they were both thrown off their feet as their metal casing lurched to the side. Though he didn't feel it, there was no mistaking the shattering of glass and crumpling of metal. And that grating as steel grinded against steel. The sounds echoed in his ears and the grip on in his hand was lost, snatched away in a moment's notice.
Despite what he knew, he still called out for the gunner, but his own voice was lost among the fray. The single name never made it past his tongue, but he could feel it as it rubbed against the inside if his throat. He felt others collide into him, heard them as they fell and made contact with the walls.
Everything was deafeningly loud, and he feared his head would explode from the sheer amount of it all. He needed to find Prompto, and the others; that's right, the others still weren't there. He'd momentarily forgotten about them when his lifeline was taken away. But, he had to remember, Noctis could warp, and Gladio, well he was durable fellow; they'd be alright, this was nothing for them. But Prompto…
Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, everything stopped. Only the sounds of groans and cries, creaks and squeaks remained. He had no idea what just happened, it all came so suddenly, and it took him a while to realize that he was on his side. Ignis tried to move, but his limbs weren't cooperating, they felt utterly sapped of their strength. And as the adrenaline wore off, he could sense the sharp and consistent throb on the side of his head. He didn't even remember hitting anything, but it sure was making itself known now.
All the settling noises were slowly fading in and out, ringing trying the damndest to drown everything out. No matter how much he fought against it, it was winning. Whimpering against his will, he mumbled another pained plead. "Prompto," he whispered, his fingers twitching slightly, hoping to miraculously still feel the touch. But it was gone, and soon after, so was Ignis.
And yes, I have derailed the train. And, no, I do not feel guilty for it.