Beta read by: SinikkavonWolperting, Prompto_Cam and istoleyourcheesecake
Annnnnnd, here it is, the romance that I have been promising. Reminded, it's nothing more than fluff and stuff, but I do hope it's is still enjoyable for what it is. ^-^
eyeore1994: Hnnnnnng, I did not intend for things to take this direction, but here we are. XD Thank you so much, and hope this chapter was worth the wait. -
xYukiNoYume: I was too when I first heard about it if I'm being honest. But, the more I saw of it, the more I liked it. XD And, I am flattered that you like this one anyway~ Saaaaaame, when his mom instincts take over, or whatever you wanna call it, he is literally the best. And it took a bit of time, but here it is, and hope it's still likable with the amount of sappiness in it. XD
Bagpipes5K2: Oh yessss, I can't even imagine what it would be like to struggle from either of those. Or any of the senses to he honest. You're so vulnerable and there isn't much you can do about that. It would be horrifying. And I've never cut or stabbed myself with anything, but from the way it looks, it does not sound pleasant in the slightest. They complete each other, they need each other, especially now. ^-^ Oh, and all the fluff is coming in the next chapter, all the cute and sappy goodness people have been waiting for. 3
istoleyourcheesecake: Wooooooot, and goooood, have a thing for eeriness, but I don't have to tell you that. lol And you can have all the fangasms you want, I give you all the permission. XD
Noctis couldn't breathe, and the fact that he had just finished fighting off a group of MTs had nothing to do with it. As the last form fell, sparks sprinkling from the gash in its neck, a sound - a grating and bone-chilling groan - pierced straight through the havoc. His attention snapped towards where he guessed it to originate from, and warm colors filled his vision. "Gladio…" he muttered, voice struggling to make it out of his throat. "Gladio!" he called again, sensing the vibrations of the brute running up to stand behind him. "Where the hell is the rest of the train?" he asked, words no more than a whisper.
The shield remained silent, his own chest growing hollow at the sight before them; it was as if the rest of it had just been blown off, severed from the rest. "Son of a bitch," he growled out once feeling returned to his body.
"We have to go back for them," the raven declared, ready to warp out at a moment's notice, but a strong grasp on his wrist nailed him to the spot. "What the hell are you doing?" he demanded, snatching his hand away. "Iggy and Prom were back there, we have to-"
"We have to make sure to keep these people safe," Gladio corrected him, his intense gaze unwavering as he held the younger man's attention. "I'm worried about them too, but we can't just charge after them and leave these people to fend for themselves."
It was clear Noctis wasn't thrilled about this choice, but as he glanced past the larger man, he released a heavy breath, his teeth sinking into his lower lip. "I know," he finally forced out after some time, but he kept his attention on the space behind him, straight out the back window where he should have been able to see into the next. With another scoff, he turned on his heel and turned away from the direction he longed to go, shoving past the shield, getting an irritated grunt out of him.
Gladio's focus locked onto the back of the other's head as he walked away, something about his step weighed heavily on his soul. He knew it wasn't the easiest choice, but they both knew it was the best one. "They'll be alright," he muttered, low enough for Noctis not to hear, and he was fully aware this was just him trying to convince himself. Taking a deep breath and holding it, he sauntered off after him, taking steps that were hesitant and light for his size.
Noctis strolled through, almost on autopilot and hardly sparing the other patrons so much as a glance. It's not that he didn't care about them, it was just… it was difficult to care when his mind was too preoccupied with his concern for the others. There were a few people cowering as far against the walls as possible, and a couple others that managed to cram themselves under the seats in fear. A plea here and there, a cry for help, but all of it landed on deaf ears as he made his way through.
"Noctis," Gladio reached out, his tone stern and heavy. "Hey!" he tried again, quickly losing his patience when he was clearly being ignored. This time, those intense blues acknowledged his presence. "Calm down, we don-"
"How can you tell me to calm down?!" he snapped back, effectively cutting the other short. The flash of frustration on the brute's face did nothing to phase him. "We don't know what the hell happened to them, one of them is blind and the other can't hear a damn thing! Don't tell me to be calm when… when we don't know…" he trailed off, fists clenched at his side as he no longer tried to keep it all contained.
For a moment, Gladio had no words, there was no arguing his points, not when they were spot on. He was worried, too, but at the same time, he trusted the two of them to handle themselves. Even with the way things looked, especially when it was the only choice they had. "How do you think they'd feel knowing you don't believe in them?" he asked instead, knowing full well what he was saying.
And, like he expected, Noctis' brows furrowed at that. "That's not what I'm saying," he swiftly defended.
"Really? Coulda fooled me," the other laughed bitterly, folding his arms over his chest. "Try having a little more faith in them, I'm sure when it comes down to it, they'll know how to handle themselves."
Pressing his lips together, he blew out heavily through his nose and dropped his gaze to look off somewhere in the distance. "Yeah," he whispered, saying nothing more before carrying on with his sulking. Not exactly what Gladio had wanted, but it was a start. If he were being honest, though, it wasn't like he believed a thing he spewed out himself.
"Yeah," the shield repeated, taking one last look behind himself before joining next to the raven, falling into a step next to him. His eyes flickered to the windows as they walked, the slight dimming of the sky tolling the alarm bells in his head. "Next stop we come across, we'll go back for them," he promised. "We just need to make sure these people make it there safely, then we can go back." He glanced back to Noctis who already had his phone out, tapping away at the screen.
"Did you hear me?"
But, he didn't reply, he was too distracted by his phone to pay him any mind. After a second, his phone buzzed in his hand and he let out a sigh of relief. "They're alright," he whispered, practically shoving the device in the brute's face to show him the message. "They're both okay."
"For now," Gladio accidentally muttered, not thinking before it escaped. Getting a furious and curious expression from the raven, he nodded towards one of the windows, just as the sky faded by another shade. "It's getting dark… fast," he needlessly clarified. "I give it another thirty minutes before the sun goes completely down."
Noctis stared through the glass, his pulse picking up as he lost his ability to breathe once again. He prayed this damn thing would hurry up and find a place to stop, he refused to allow them to be stuck out there through nightfall, not when they were in their current state. 'Please be alright,' he prayed in his head, finally willing himself to rip his attention away from the window.
The chill finally finished its course through the adviser's spine, but his blood continued to run cold as ice. They couldn't stay there, but at the same time, him moving on his own, without any sort of guidance, was nothing more than a hazard. "Come on, Prom," he hissed out between teeth, leaning over the blond as one hand snaked to cup his soft cheek. He gave it a few less than gentle taps, only getting a strained and pained groan out of him before he fell silent once again.
Another bone-shattering cry and he was moving without his conscious mind agreeing to it. There was no other choice anymore, sight be damned, he wouldn't allow them to stay there like sitting ducks. "I'm sorry," he muttered a quick apology as he slipped his hands under the gunner, this simple action already helping in throwing him slightly off balance. But, he took his time - as much as he dared - and waited until he had his footing to take that first uncertain step.
This was going to be a slow process, but it was better than nothing. "We're going to get out of here," he mumbled, doing what he could to fill the silence. He knew a reply would never come, but it did its job in calming him and providing the needed comfort he needed to get them through this. His fingers gripped slightly tighter around Prompto as he shuffled his feet along, sliding them a few inches at a time out of fear of tripping. If it were just him, it wouldn't have been as bad, but to fall while holding another…
But, as far as he could tell, this was getting them nowhere anytime soon. In fact, he was fairly certain that he'd only gotten them a few feet over the span of a couple minutes. He swallowed thickly, he'd have to move faster, regardless of how comfortable he was with that, he was running out of safe options.
Making up his mind, he straightened up a little bit more and took a couple of confident steps, only to have them cease immediately when something struck his face. It was one little pellet at first, landing on the bridge of his nose and sliding cooly down the side of his face and neck. Then another, and another. And, before he could piece things together, the chorus of sprinkling water filled his ears. The substance quickly dampening the both of them.
"Marvelous…" he uttered, ducking his head slightly to avoid the brunt of the downpour when it finally hit full force. The sheer noise it produced, it drowned out all other sounds. The cries of enemies, the ruffles of foliage, all gone, lost in the fray of precipitation. He couldn't make out a single thing over the rush of it all, and if something were to be following them…
The brunet shook his head to rid himself of the thought, he couldn't needlessly work himself up over things like that. In his arms, the blond shuddered lightly, a small tremor wracking his form and, above all the commotion, he could make out the slight chattering of his teeth. He naturally pulled him in closer, knowing that it wasn't going to do much in terms of warming him up, but every bit of body heat had to count for something.
With the new set of risks thrust upon him, he was forced to keep his pace slowed to what it originally was, his feet moving no more than a couple inches at a time. In no time, they were completely soaked, the biting chill now working its way to their cores as they remained within its clutches. A few more steps and the terrain shifted from the comfortable traction of grass and leaves to that of slick and solid stone. And, he froze for a moment, internally debating whether or not it was a good idea to keep pushing this way.
He didn't put much thought into the decision as the growl no more than a few feet behind him gave him the metaphorical shove he needed. Faster than he'd ever moved since he lost his sight, the adviser moved forward, his heart pounding against each and every rib. The adviser allowed every sense of presence escape him, and he let out an agonized gasp when one foot was placed rather awkwardly. That was all it took for him to lose his balance.
Everything happened so fast. His foot slipped, he was going down, and then the rough and slick surface greeted him. His breath was ripped from his lungs as his world spun around him; directions were thrown about and all concepts of which way was up were gone. A choked swear leaked out as things finally calmed down and he could work on getting his breath back. It was a slow process, but eventually inhales became less forced.
As he lied there, processing what happened or where he was, the downfall continued to pelt him, only making things even more disorienting. Ignis pushed a cough out of his throat, following it with a couple of groans as he clumsily felt around himself. His hands slid over the smooth surface, catching on a few edges as they glanced over.
"Where are you?" he bit out, his hands running over the stone in a near panic now. Still, they found no evidence of the blond, not so much as a scrap of fabric graced him with their presence. "Prompto!?" he called out, not caring that there was no chance of him getting a response. It just came out as a fearful instinct. Before he knew what he was doing, he was on his hands and knees, fumbling around aimlessly for something, anything that he could recognize as the gunner. But, there was nothing to go off of.
He hadn't even been aware of how quickly his breaths were coming in, but if the way his head was spinning had anything to do with it… His hands were positively shaking, and it was difficult to discern if it was from the cold or his frazzled demeanor, whatever it was, it was causing him to panic further. "Prompto?" he asked again, tone tight and no more than a whisper. He couldn't have been too far, he didn't fall that far, he couldn't have.
In a fit of frustration, he tore his gloves off and tossed them aside, convinced that they were obscuring his sense of touch. His movements were faster now, uncontrolled like a wild animal; hands slapped across the slippery slope in desperation. "No, no, no," he muttered under his breath, his search slowing down while dread began to drag his limbs to a slow stop. Soon after his attempts died down, the sound of his own panted breaths and the continuous beating of the droplets blared in his ears. That was it, he just needed to calm down. He inhaled deeply and held it, concentrating on the other sounds that creeped around in the background.
It was faint, but he was sure he heard something. It was another breath, one that was much slower and more rhythmic than his own. A stifled sob of relief tried to break through, but he shoved it back down, wanting to keep what dignity he had left relatively intact.
Though, there was something else, something that wasn't what he had wanted to hear. There was more breathing… more like sniffing. Deep and animalistic inhales as the soft, yet threatening patters drew closer. His body solidified, the tremor in his hands traveled up his arms and soon encompassed him entirely. Forcefully, his lungs expelled a trembling breath, the action of it sending a wave of anticipation through him. The sniffing also changed in intensity, clearly knowing exactly where he was.
It was strange, there was a moment, a thought that crossed through his mind, 'At least it isn't focused on Prompto.' Not that he was particularly thrilled to be the center of attention, but he was conscious, he at least had somewhat of a fighting chance.
His body acted on its own, following through the same movement it had practiced for years. In a flash, that comforting weight and feel of a hilt was curled in his hand. His fingers wrapped around it, the smooth surface helping in calming his nerves. "What are you waiting for?" he asked aloud, voice surprisingly steady and confident despite his internal doubts. As if the beast understood his words, its steps continued forth, picking up speed as it prowled closer. A snarl replaced its previous sniffs of interest.
Ignis could almost anticipate the minor vibrations of its paws against the rock. They were subtle, but it was close enough to become tangible. Then, it was there, a heated and starved gust tickled the back of his neck. Time ceased to flow, the rain and other sounds turned into a disorganized chorus of white noise as his fingers thrummed against the hilt of his blade. His next breath dragged out, practically scraping against his trachea. Just a little bit more. A soft and curious, yet blood-thirsty nudge against his head. Almost there. He could feel it now, the icy touch of its nose gliding over his ear, promising to sink greedy teeth into him at any second. Now. He flung his arm around, leaving not a second for the beast to counter the attack.
The man felt his blade connect, the drag of it slicing through thick hide and flesh traveled through his arm and shoulder. The cry of a wild animal in pain and the whimper as it staggered back, flinging its steadily flowing blood as it did so. He didn't give it the chance to retreat, didn't want it to have the option of coming after them again. The adviser stumbled to his feet, his wobbly steps momentarily the definition of self-assurance. Again, and a third time, he swung with his weapon, each time the sharpened edge connecting with his target.
By the fourth slash, his chest was throbbing painfully, every inhale raked against him from the inside. Letting his head drop forward, he threw his dagger to the side as the shatter of it dematerializing sounded out. The blood that now littered his face glided down as rainwater washed a good bit of it away, a few globs even grabbed the ends of his hair, clinging to them and weighing them down.
All he could do was hope it was dead. For now, there were more important things to worry about. It took a bit of concentration, but he was able to pick up on Prompto's breaths once again. Placing his hands back on the ground, he began to feel his way over, moving his hands carefully along the surface until his fingers brushed over a chilled hand.
"H-Hey," he stuttered, reduced once again to his nervous and fumbling self the moment he was within reach of the blond. His hand grasped the other's, his free one finding his chest. He left it there, letting it rest and take in the gentle rise and fall of it before slowly feeling its way up to the gunner's face. Ignis cupped his cheek and pulled the rest of his body a little bit closer, finding a sense of security in such a closeness. Slowly, he lowered his head, dropping it until his forehead was pressed against Prompto's. At this angle, the soft and evenly spaced breaths kissed the tip of his ear.
"Just wake up already," he mumbled, taking a deep breath as the blond's hair ruffled, filling his nostrils with the sweet scent of fresh fruit. Even with all the musk and grime, he could still pick out the crisp smell. "I-I'm going to get you out of here, I promise," he whispered, tilting his head just enough to press his mouth against his damp forehead, the taste of rich rainwater glancing over lips as he pulled away.
His heart was pounding, he didn't know why he just did that, but something in the back of his mind told him it was the right thing to do. There wasn't a voice in his head that said otherwise. It didn't take the appearance of the blond to cause his heart to flutter or the heat to rise to his features. Swearing at himself under his breath for getting so flustered at such a time, he once more guided his hands underneath the other, taking his time in pulling him close. Carefully, and with the caution one would use when lifting a child, he worked his way to his feet. His arms tensed with apprehension; they were safe for the time being, and if he took his time and didn't panic, he was hopeful that he'd at least find somewhere safe to hunker down until the storm and the night blew over. It was the only thing he could see as possible.
This time, he convinced himself that he had this, he couldn't doubt himself. Do that, and he knew nothing good would come of it. So long as he kept a level head, he'd be able to get the both of them through this. Throughout his slow travels, he would balance on one foot while he used the other to tap around, checking the ground and surrounding area before taking the actual step. And, this technique was doing wonders compared to the earlier one of just going for it.
He didn't know how far he got, but it was long enough for the rain to start to let up. It continued to pelt them, but it wasn't as deafening as it had been. His steps were becoming more confident, but the burden in his hold was beginning to wear him down by the minute. Just as he thought he wouldn't be able to keep up this pace for much longer, his right foot connected with something, something large and it gave a soft thud. With a few more taps, it became clear that it was wood, more specifically, a root. The adviser followed it, noticing the way it arched and lifted up, and his chest slackened.
To himself, he prayed to all of the Six that this is what he expected it to be. It wasn't the grandest of shelters, but it would shield them from the rain as well as hide them from whatever else was potentially prowling around out there. As he crouched down as much as possible, he used his knees to help hold Prompto to free up one of his hands. Quickly, he ran it over the roots, humming as he tried to visualize the confines. It would be a tight fit, but they could do it.
First thing though, he had to make sure it was safe, make sure nothing else had the same idea he had. With an uttered apology, he placed the gunner on the ground, eliciting a soft and miserable moan from him. Tightening his mouth in guilt, he crawled under, reaching into every corner and crevice he could find. So far, nothing, nothing other than the occasional creepy crawler or cluster of fungus. Other than that, nothing that posed an immediate threat.
"Alright," he whispered, emerging to retrieve his charge. With the gentleness of a caring mother, he hugged the blond close, pulling him to press against his chest as he backed his way back under, making sure they were both completely covered before he allowed himself a moment of relaxation. But, even so, he never let his guard get away from him.
"Not exactly a five star hotel, but I suppose it will do," he chuckled to himself, a barren space filling his soul at the lack of a response… not that he was expecting one, but it still hurt. "I hope you know, you're being incredibly selfish right now," he muttered, placing his chin on the top of those sodden locks. "Leaving me to haul the both of us through this mess, knowing very well that I can't see; making me sit here, talking to myself… so unreasonably self-centered." His grasp around the other's torso, his face angled down to nuzzle his nose deeper into his hair, ignoring the moisture upon it. "Nothing but a selfish fool."
He was unbelievably tired, he was convinced that his eyelids had been glued shut. There was no explainable reason for them to feel this ridiculously heavy. His own voice rasped against his throat, bringing forth a dry ache unlike any other. Prompto just wanted to go back to sleep, he craved the bliss of slumber, but a violent shudder ran through him, chills sprouting over him once it subsided. Why was it so damn cold? The blond only got his eyes partially open before new light penetrated, piercing his sensitive gaze.
His head was immediately turned away from it, but he didn't do so willingly, something else turned it. Confused, he squinted his gaze, finally getting things to focus. His focus was drawn to those familiar glasses the moment the image before him became a blurred portrait. 'Iggy?' he mouthed, watching as the lips in front of him moved silently. A light shake went through him, his arm stinging with the slight jolts. Screwing his eyes shut in pain, another slither of discomfort snaked from his mouth, the only way he knew he made a sound was the vibration that journeyed through his neck.
The next thing he knew, he was being pulled, pulled to the side as something wrapped around him. It didn't take long before he was able to put the pieces in place. Ignis was hugging him. Not just for the sake of keeping him warm or making him feel safe, but he was genuinely relishing in the fact that he was there with him. More quivering went through him as the adviser talked to him, his breath brushing through the hair on the back of his neck. Slowly, the brunet's face was next to his, resting on his shoulder.
Prompto let his eyes flutter open, and he leaned into it, reaching up with his left arm to brush his fingers into the adviser's clumped up locks, ignoring the sears from jarring his wound. Ignis was alright, through all this, whatever he had to deal with, he was alright.
They stayed like that for some time, merely craving the company of the other before they had to get serious once again. If it were up to them, though, they would have much prefered to stay how they were for a while longer. But, after a few minutes, Ignis pulled away, dragging out a dismayed sigh from the younger man as he went. Another second later, a phone was almost jammed in his face. Jumping slightly at the sudden appearance, Prompto read over the small message.
'How are you feeling?' The blond couldn't stop the smile that spread across his features, of course he'd ask that. A tremor went through him, and he knew he accidently let a small laugh leak out, it was a humorless one, but it was a laugh nonetheless.
He replied with a simple, 'I'll live.' The brunet's entire form tensed with that response, and the gunner was very aware of the fact that that was the wrong answer. To prove his point, he tentatively tugged himself out of the man's hold to turn and face him. For a moment, but only a short one, he hesitated, his gaze widening at the blood that decorated the strategist. What the hell had he gone through? Giving the man a quick once over, he didn't see any obvious injuries. And, nothing about his features read pain. He came to the quick conclusion that it wasn't his, and he desperately hoped that was the case.
That was a relief, so long as he was unscathed. With that in mind, he carried on with his task. Both slender hands glided on either side of the older man's face, the thumb on his right hand brushing over his accentuated cheekbone. Without warning, and rather strongly from such a small frame, Prompto piloted his face forward, his cool fingers serving as his guide. As he drew closer in, the caress of the blond's exhale teased his lips a second before they were glazed over with the savoring flavor of the gunner.
Slowly, tauntingly, he pulled back away, the adviser's lips tingling slightly after the teasing connection. Stunned, the only thing he could think to do was nod as Prompto's welcoming touch slid away; he almost leaned forward with it, not wanting it to be taken away so soon. Then, the question, 'What happened?' sounded out stiffly, and he couldn't figure out which part he was referring to. 'The blood,' the foreign voice clarified, one hand reconnecting to wipe away something from his features.
Right, he must have appeared to be a mess. Sighing, he held his palm out for the phone and relayed what happened one sentence at a time. About Prompto passing out on him, about the rain and the attack. All of it. The man next to him tensed up with each recollection, especially the part about him fending off danger and how he had miraculously stumbled upon a decent hiding place for the night.
Once the device was back in the gunners possession, he replied with a simple 'You did all that… alone.' Ignis just gave a single nod, head snapping in Prompto's direction as his hand was snatched up and held between his too cool ones. Even now, with his chest throbbing, he could feel the clamminess of the other's touch. No matter how much he swore or promised, it was clear to him that he still wasn't back at a hundred percent. Not that he would ever admit that.
'Let's get out of here,' he 'said' next, his clothing ruffling against the brunet as he pushed himself to his feet. He had to stand hunched over to avoid hitting his head. 'Slowly,' he warned as the other followed suit, making sure he didn't bump his head on the ceiling.
Carefully, they surfaced from their shelter, slowly straightening out as joints popped and creaked after staying so cramped for hours. Prompto had to take a little longer than the other as a spell of dizziness greeted him. Giving his head a moment to clear, he typed out, 'Let's get back to the others.'
"I'd like that," he replied aloud, his own thumb now tracing small circles on the back of his hand as they fell into a steady pace. Their footfalls disturbed the still soggy ground, awakening a fresh, yet musky, scent in their wake. If it weren't for the circumstances, he'd probably describe this as a rather serene and pleasant walk through the woods. But, there was that lingering exhaustion that came with the lack of a wink of sleep and the continuous labored reminder that Prompto wasn't exactly in pristine condition either.
He just hoped they'd be able to make it back, hoped that he hadn't brought them in the wrong direction, even farther from where they needed to be. Or, in the best case scenario, that the other two were going after them. He hated to admit it, but the others searching for them was most likely their best chance. It was blow to both of their egos, but it was the truth, one they couldn't deny.
For now, though, he had to have faith in Prompto. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that he was in capable hands with the guy. He may have been a jokester or a light-hearted person, but when push came to shove, he was truly responsible man to rely on.
Only one or two chapters left, depends on how far I get in the next one. C: