Beta read by: SinikkavonWolperting, Prompto_Cam and DragonRiderSayomi
And here we go, things really start to go downhill now. :D I'm not planning on this story being too incredibly long, so hope people are still enjoying, but I think Imma try to wrap this up with the next few chapters. ;w;
Bagpipes5K2: Oh yeah they are. And don't you worry, I have plans for the phone thing. And I have a few ideas for where this will go, I'm kinda going my own direction with this, making up my own path and all that. So, I'm hoping it works out in the end. XD Oh yes, I imagine it would be absolutely terrifying. No idea what's going on or where you're going. ;w; And glad you like the small gestures, because there will be quite a few of those to come. ^-^
Prompto didn't know what happened, one second everything was fine. Everything was normal and how they should be, and the next… It all went out the window, both literally and figuratively. He tried his best to hang on to the adviser's hand, holding on for dear life, but something - something hard and sharp - struck his upper arm, causing him to flinch and lose his grasp. His breath caught and his hand searched hopelessly for the security of the other's hold once more, but the distance between the two of them was constantly being fed.
'Iggy!' he screamed in his head, the idea of returning to the brunet becoming no more than that: an idea. Glancing around, the panicked looks on the other patron's faces seared themselves into his memory, tears streaking down their faces as they, too, flailed their limbs for anything they could grab onto.
This couldn't be happening. How did things go so utterly wrong? Why couldn't they just catch a break for once? His gaze locked onto the adviser, and he never let his eyes wander for fear of losing him. However, things continued to jumble up before him; the constant twisting and turning of the scene threw him off as he was thrust to the side once more. He quickly lost himself in the fray, unable to tell which way was up anymore.
His world came to a sudden halt, and that, more than the previous sensation of falling, threw him into the realm of disorientation. For a moment, he hesitated, picking up on every vibration and tremor as things settled. He moved his left arm as shards of glass grated against metal and dug into his flesh.
He had no idea when it happened, but his eyes were closed, and he struggled to crack them open. The first thing that assaulted his vision was the crimson decorating the wreckage. People everywhere, thrown from their seats and scattered into piles. Upon further inspection, it became obvious that the car was on its side, and the reason there was so much glass was because he was now resting on one of the shattered windows.
Swallowing thickly, the blond pushed himself up on shaky arms, a sting resonating from the right. He drew in a sharp breath and glanced over. Gritting his teeth, his eyes widened at the amount of red that streamed down from the gash, a sizable chunk protruded from the wound. Trembling fingers hovered over the object, another agonized inhale as they brushed over it and jarred it.
Instantly, he withdrew his touch, his hand shaking near uncontrollably as his breaths came in quick inhales. He choked back a cry of discomfort and shook his head to prevent himself from giving in to the pain. There were more important things, like finding Ignis… His stomach dropped like a sack of rocks as he swiveled his attention in either direction, a new fear taking him over. The brunet was nowhere to be seen, and he couldn't tell if he had been cast elsewhere, or if his panic was playing a part in it.
He had to get up, he had to find him, he had to… to make sure he was alright. Slowly, and carefully, he managed to get to his feet, and after getting his bearings, he straightened his posture. Just a few steps, and the crunch of shattered glass traveled up his legs, causing him to flinch with each one. Soon, he resorted to shuffling along until he made it a few feet. Holding his breath, he took another quick glance around, and he held it until his search was finally rewarded. The air was gradually let out, shakily as his mouth fell agape and he stumbled forward.
'No, no, no,' he repeated over and over again in his head, his limbs growing numb and heavy from the dread that coursed through him. He no longer paid heed to the mess under his steps, sending shards behind him as he quickened his pace. 'Please,' he begged to whoever would listen as he came to a halt next to a still form. The glasses were gone from their normal resting place, making known the damage that had dwelled beneath them.
'Iggy,' he mouthed, dropping to his knees, not caring about the debris that occupied the space. For a few seconds, his hands hovered over the man, unsure of what to do. He was almost afraid to touch him, what if he was hurt?
But, as far as he could tell, there were no visible injuries. There was a small trace of blood on the side of his head, other than that, he appeared fine. Gathering the courage, he reached out and placed a gentle hand on the man's chest, and the steady rise and fall that lied underneath put his soul at ease. He was alive. Prompto let out a trembling and bitter chuckle, his eyes prickling at the corners in relief. His head dropped down, most of his energy fleeing the moment the fear had been chased away.
Quickly, his attention darted back up when the pattern under his touch changed, picking up pace. Oceanic orbs flitted to the man's soft, elegant features that scrunched in an unpleasant manner. Without thinking, he placed both hands on either side and held it in place, giving a small tap with one of them until a small vibration ran through them from an unheard groan. Eventually, his lips parted and formed a word; he couldn't quite make it out, but it appeared to be his name, he could only guess.
One of Ignis' hands reached up and cupped over his own, the familiar gesture caused his heart the thrum once more. He only dared to take one hand away, not knowing how conscious the man was and not wanting to cause any alarm. He fished out his phone. The sinking feeling returned to him when he laid eyes on the cracks that marred the screen. The blond was almost afraid to try, but he had to. Clicking the home button, he let out a sigh as it lit up. 'Thank the Six,' he uttered internally.
'Are you alright?" he asked, device gripped tightly in his hand. It was subtle, but he was completely positive the adviser gave him a nod, followed by a couple of coughs. That was good, that was the response he needed to see. 'Are you hurt?' he asked, mostly for his sake and to be thorough. Again, the brunet denied that anything was amiss. Sighing, Prompto loosened his hold on his phone and dropped his head down until his forehead was resting on the other's chest. Just like that moment that couldn't have been more than ten minutes ago, there was that calming and gentle motion roaming through his hair.
It was something familiar, familiar and soothing, but it did little to appease the mess they were currently in. Slowly, he pulled himself away from the comfort and took another glance around. There was so much destruction, so much suffering all around. 'Can you stand?' he typed out. To his relief, the adviser nodded and started the work his way up, albeit a little clumsily. Prompto was there for him though, all the way until he was standing unwavering, but, he never released his hold on the younger man's hand.
The blond glanced up at the other, and for once he was thankful he couldn't see, this was a sight he wished himself could be burned from his mind. There was so much ruin in such a small area; it was utterly rattling. His throat threatened to close up on itself as the images filed themselves away in his memory, promising to stay there for quite some time.
Prompto then looked down to his own arm again, and his middle churned at the crimson that continued to stream down. And, with the adrenaline running thin, the sharp pangs were making themselves known with no holding back. Deep down, he knew he couldn't leave it stuck in there like that, with his luck, he'd probably fall or bump it and end up doing further damage to it.
Although, there would be time for that later, he still had to make sure the others were alright. Not a second after they crossed his mind, his phone buzzed in his pocket, and his bad arm stung as he retrieved it. 'Noctis' he read, instantly opening the message.
'Are you two ok?' he asked. 'The train was attacked, a part of it was broken off.' So, they were alright then, they were safe? He desperately hoped that's what it meant.
He thought about his response for a moment. 'Yeah, we're ok… mostly,' he settled on and hit send. They were all alive, that's all that mattered, that's all he really cared about. As long as the other three were still there, then everything would be fine.
'We need to get out of here,' he typed out for Ignis, who dipped his head in understanding. Giving a reassuring squeeze to the slender fingers in his hand, Prompto began to lead the way, wanting to get as far from this sight as possible. Of course, there was this solid and dense ball of guilt at leaving all those others there, but there was also nothing he could do for them, nothing either of them could do for them. And, with Ignis unable to see, that place was nothing but a safety hazard for him.
The best they could do for them was to get somewhere safe and try and contact help for them, that is, if one of them hadn't already done that. Then again, he was sure someone from the train was already aware of the accident and doing just that. Perhaps he was worrying for nothing. He grit his teeth and walked with a set of purpose in his step; he was doing nothing wrong. One glance at the other, and he knew this was the right thing.
Ignis, on the other hand, could hear the cries going on behind him, the calls for help and screams of agony. Each and every voice stuck out and echoed in his head. He had to chew on his lip to keep himself composed, and he was thankful that the man next to him didn't have to fall subject to such things. The sounds would mostly likely haunt him for quite some time. He could only imagine what it must look like back there… All the images that played out only managed to make him feel sick to his stomach.
As they walked, the much smaller hand held in his own was beginning to slack just the smallest bit, but it was enough to be noticeable. And, now that he really paid attention, there was this off hitching in the other's breath with every other step he took. It sounded almost pained in a sense, and he almost stopped in his tracks.
Eventually, he couldn't keep his worry to himself any longer, something had to be addressed. It was around the second time that the blond let an involuntary grunt escape that he felt the need to stop them. Curious about the sudden halt, Prompto typed out a quick, 'Everything alright?' This time, however, the brunet shook his head, his brow knit in either frustration or concern. It was difficult to discern the two.
Ignis more or less snatched the phone from the other's hand - as soon as he could locate it - and held it out, urging him to switch it to speech to text. Once that was taken care of, he finally let out what was on his mind. 'Prompto, are you injured?' he asked, face turned right at him, and although he couldn't see, his gaze was boring straight through him, beckoning him to not keep anything from him.
He heard it, that pause in his breath, before he took the phone back, his fingers brushed over his own and the tremble within them was unmistakable. The man wasn't sure why, but there was a torrent of chilled disappointment that coursed through his veins at the answer. 'I'm fine,' that damn robotic voice relayed, even in that false tone it sounded like a flatout lie.
Ignis held out his hand, silently asking for the device back. When the weight was placed in his outstretched hand, he wasted no time. 'Then, you won't mind if I check you over.' And, there it was, that small and alarmed gasp that was never meant to be heard.
'Later,' the blond replied, the hand in his slicking over as he was pushed to the edge. 'Right now, we need to keep going.' He wasn't happy about it, but he was also aware that that was the best he'd get, and it was his only option at the moment. Without another word about it, the adviser simply cocked his head in the direction they were heading, giving Prompto the go ahead to lead on. The sooner the gunner felt safe, the sooner he could check him out and see just how 'fine' he was. Ignis' mind never stopped playing scenarios though, and that frost that ran through him never thawed. His own breathing had quickened to compensate for how fast his heart was thrumming.
His grasp wrapped around the smaller more securely, his own guilt pestering him for how much he was hindering their speed. If only he could move faster without fear of falling or getting tripped up. But, Prompto made certain to go at a pace that would be easy for him to follow. As much as he appreciated it, there was no denying that he despised it at the same time. He wasn't supposed to be a burden to others, that was never something he could have ever anticipated. But, here he was, causing others to make up for the hole he dug them in.
He kept this up, the self-blame, the constant pondering, up until the other finally slowed down to a stop. His exhales were now coming out quite a bit quicker than before, and he placed a single hand on his shoulder, indicating him to stay where he was. There was a shuffle as the blond moved a few feet away, then the breathing ceased, as if he were holding it in. Then came that pained gasp and hiss followed immediately by more pants. Something was dropped to the ground, whatever it was, it couldn't have been that large. His brows lowered and shook his head the slightest amount.
Ignis was snapped out of his thoughts as the hand slipped back into his grip, and his heart dropped at the new slickness there, different than the feeling of sweat. It was thicker. He moved one finger to run over it, and before he could investigate further, he was being tugged along again. Stubborn as always…
Prompto lead the adviser along; he was sure they were a good enough distance away by now, but you could never be too sure. The only problem was, the wound on his arm was still bleeding freely, the streams of red ran all the way down to his hand to drip off his fingertips. At first, it didn't look like a heavy amount, but his body was begging to differ. Even now, his limbs were being weighed down by unseen balls of iron, and his eyes were beginning to obscure the landscape in front of him.
'Come on,' he screamed internally at himself, blinking rapidly in a futile attempt to make it stop. The gunner looked up to the waning light, the sky now a dull hue as it transitioned slowly to night. Now was not the time! His next step faltered and he accidently pulled on Ignis' hand a bit harder than he intended. Giving a firm squeeze of apology, he took a moment to collect himself. Despite standing as still as he were, his head continued to pull in all the fog within a ten mile radius. In a desperate attempt to stay upright, he pulled his hand out of the brunet's and moved it to clasp onto his shoulder instead.
"Prompto?" Ignis instinctively called aloud, his concern crashing back into him full force. The moment that hand landed on his shoulder, he was instantly turning to face the younger man, gripping his upper arms as he listened to the blond's unbelievably fast exhales. Slowly, Prompto started to lean more into him, a wetness making contact once he was fully against him. There was one more bit back whimper before his weight was being almost fully supported by Ignis.
As carefully as he could, he lowered Prompto down, helping him to settle down before he could fall and hurt himself, more so than he already was. Once he was down, his breathing evened out again, but it was still faster than he would have cared for. Swearing under his breath, the strategist fumbled his fingers around until he located the other's neck and pressed them against it. His own hand was shaking terribly, making this harder than it should have been.
Finally, after ages had passed, that erratic pulse fluttered under his fingertips. Swearing under his breath, his other hand began its search for the cause of the problem, running over his face, then over his chest. Over one arm, and then down the oth- Ignis drew in a sharp breath. "Dammit, Prompto," he uttered, hand drawing back slightly. He didn't touch it for long, but it was enough to understand the size of the gaping wound. The bleeding had to be stopped, before anything, he had to apply some sort of pressure. He left one hand on the injury while the other went back to retrieve the bandanna off the other. It wasn't ideal, but it was the best they had, so it would have to do.
His hands almost worked on their own. His instincts taking over for him when his mind was too frazzled to process things clearly. His entire body numbed over as his hands struggled to tie a simple knot. It took multiple tries, his teeth now painfully clamped in his frustration until he finally managed to get it tied tight enough. That would have to do for now, but they still had to get out of here.
Ignis lowered himself to sit sit on the ground, the back of his glove swiped over his forehead, the grime of his labor smearing across it. 'Come on, wake up,' he begged, not caring that only a few minutes had gone by, it was still far too long for his liking. He placed one soiled hand on the side of the blond's face and gave a small pat, slowly getting rougher with it. After the fourth of fifth tap, he gave up and dropped his hand in irritation.
He had no idea where they were, no idea where Prompto had been leading them. Hell, he didn't know what time it was or how long he was out for when they first wrecked. They were nothing more than sitting ducks until he woke up, or until the others found him. This helpless shroud he now wore was beginning to wear thin. But, there was no more time to think about things, not when a shiver ran down his spine with the familiar cry of a daemon. No, it couldn't have been night already, had that much time really elapsed since all this happened? Ignis swallowed thickly as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.