Beta read by: SinikkavonWolperting, Prompto_Cam and istoleyourcheesecake
Ok, only one more chapter after this one, then this story will be over. ;w; But, of course, I have a lot more planned after this is over, so many ideas I wanna get to. XD
Guest: XD I would have too to be honest, there's no telling what sort of stuff could have happened in that short amount of time, especially knowing to fell on such a rough and harsh surface. ;w; Thank you so much, glad people liked that part, was pretty nervous about it.
Bagpipes5K2: I can't even imagine. - Saaaame, being a little soggy is ideal when compared to being burned. I'd probably be like Noct, and as much as I would trust them, I would not be able to think of anything but the worst for them. Ignis really does, when it comes to others, I swear he puts himself last on the list of priorities, and I freaking love that about him. XD Glad you liked it, it took a while to get to that part, but you know, had to build up a bit. lol
Screeching sounded out, the grating of metal on metal was like music to Noctis' ears as his stomach bottomed out with the harsh halt. He was practically vibrating with anticipation. Up until now, nothing else had happened, the train made it to its destination without further incident, and the fact that it had slightly annoyed the prince. Of course, he wasn't complaining that the patrons were safe, but it meant that he didn't need to stay with them. He could have gone after the others and it wouldn't have changed a damn thing.
Not a second after the doors were open, he was out, not caring how rude or uncivilized he may have appeared as he pushed his way passed frazzled citizens. He earned himself a few scoffs and protests, but they fell on deaf ears.
"Gladio, you coming?" he called back, not slowing his pace, running on the assumption that the shield was close behind. There was no more time to slow down or wait around, and there was not a chance he was going to put this off any longer. The sun was already rising higher in the sky, and they had already spent one night out there by themselves.
As he sauntered off in the opposite direction, heavier steps chased after him, evening out to match his own once they were close by. "You intend to walk the whole way there?" he asked, incredulously. When he didn't get an answer, he assumed it safe to say that he hit the nail on the head. "Noct, it took hours to get here by train…" he needlessly reminded, hoping he'd get the hint.
"Your point?" he asked, getting an eyeroll from the larger man.
A weighted sigh, and the prince could almost touch the frustration that was radiating from the man in waves. "My point is, it could take at least a day to get back there, and that's if we don't stop along the way." Why was this not clicking with him?
"If you have an issue with it, then you can feel free to stay here, no one is making you come along," he nearly snapped, teeth grit and body rigid. "I, on the other hand, I'm not doing anything until I know they're safe." He never slowed down, never even bothered to glance at the other. If it weren't for him suggesting they stay on the train then…
A hand landed on the raven's shoulder, urging him to spin on the spot and glare up into amber orbs. "Noct, I know you're worried-"
"Of course I am! I was the moment they were taken away! How many times are you going to tell me that you're worried too, or that they're alright? Words mean nothing right now until I can see it for myself!" he snapped, breaths heaving from his lungs and fists balled tightly at his sides. Small tremors ran up his arms, the need to hit something coursing through him.
The shield didn't know what to say, that outburst had ripped whatever he wanted to say out of his chest and stamped it out, leaving nothing but smoldering thoughts on the ground. His hand was smacked away, a slight sting sprouting from where it was struck, but it wasn't quite as painful as the stab to his heart. He watched the raven twirl back around, his hand still hovering in front of him while the other strolled off. His temper through the roof, Noctis sped up, balancing on the line between power-walking and jogging.
All he could do was blow out a held breath and catch up to the raven. He clearly couldn't talk sense into the guy, and he couldn't very well let him run off on his own without someone to watch his back. After all, he still had a job to do. He jogged up next to the raven, staying on his left flank to stay out of his field of vision for the time being.
For a while, they traveled in silence, their rhythmic steps the only indicator that the other was still there. And, the longer they walked, the more awkward and uncomfortable the space around them became. After a few more minutes, Gladio caught a muttered, yet fed-up, swear escape from the younger man. "What is it?" he questioned in a nonchalant sort of way.
"No damn signal!" he hissed out, holding his phone higher and giving it a violent shake. "I swear, this thing's a piece of junk, I haven't had service for the last half an hour." That last part was barely muttered, and it was almost missed.
"Of course you don't," Gladio scoffed, "we're in the middle of fucking nowhere, nothing but trees all around. What did you expect?"
Noctis ground his teeth harder together. "I expect you to care a little bit more," he replied, shoving the device back in his jacket pocket. It didn't stay in there for more than a few seconds before it was back in his hands, his fingers tapping furiously away once again. "Come on," he pleaded, his fingers tapping anxiously against the back, pace picking up unconsciously. Then, he stopped, unexpectedly. When that single bar erected, he didn't dare move an inch and lose it.
Gladio stopped behind him, staying silent this time. While he had the chance, the raven typed out his message, getting it written as fast as possibly out of fear of losing this miraculous moment. "Go already," he muttered, staring intently at the 'sending' indication. A heavy exhale of relief as it finally went through, his shoulders slacking just a bit. But, all he did was send a message, he still had to wait to get one back, and that was the part that set him right back on edge.
The waiting was the worst thing he thought he ever had to endure. Not as bad as having to see Prompto go down back in Altissia, but it was pretty damn close. It provided the same knot in his gut as that moment did anyway. He didn't know how long he stood there, how much time he sacrificed for this, but it was enough for Gladio to finally say something.
"We should really get moving," he suggested, folding his arms over his chest impatiently. "We'll probably be able to get signal again, but we can't stand around here forever." The raven showed no signs of moving, so he added a snide, "Wasn't it you who was in such a hurry earlier?"
"Just a couple more minutes," he replied, eyes never leaving his screen. "Just two more, that's all I ask." The brute sighed a weighted breath and placed a rough hand over the other's own and pushed the phone down.
This forced the prince to give him the light of day, but he wasn't exactly pleased with the action. "Noct, we need to go. Maybe I should hold onto this…" he muttered, slipping the phone from his hands before he had the opportunity to object. "Don't worry, if it goes off, I'll let you know, now let's go." He ignored the daggers that were glared at him and spun around to continue their search. He was sure he'd get over it, he was just emotional right now, causing his rational thought to warp and wither.
After a few steps, Gladio smiled to himself at the sound of rushed steps that chased after him. As they drew closer, he stuffed the phone in his pocket, far from the other's reach. No way he was getting his hands on that unless he wanted things to get a bit awkward. "Have it your way," Noctis huffed, "but, if we don't get an answer in the next hour, I want to try calling again." He had no arguments there, though, if they didn't get a response, then he wasn't sure what that would entail.
Prompto's fingers naturally curled around he adviser's when he felt the tug indicating a stumble. The moment he picked up on the odd movement, he was turning to face the man, ready to catch if need be. But, from the looks of it, his assistance wasn't necessary; Ignis had already straightened himself back up and was nodding for the younger man to continue. The pressure from him squeezing back was enough of a reassurance for him to comply with the unspoken request.
He had no idea how long it had been since they had begun traveling again, but it felt like it's been more than long enough. Luckily, he had caught sight of the tracks, and had been following them from a distance, yet there was still no sign of the train or a station. It was irrational, and he knew it wasn't true, but a part of him wondered if he had been going in circles this whole time, despite it not being possible. Multiple times, he glanced behind them, wondering if he'd see the wreckage there; but, of course, there was nothing but forest, nothing but trees and tracks as far as he could see.
Behind him, the brunet's brows knit together with every shift in the younger man's walk, every time he so much as hesitated, even if it was barely readable. Slowly, though, his pace picked back up, falling into that confident, albeit cautious, stride that it once was. Unfortunately, there was no change in the slight tremor that still traveled through the touch, and on his end, he couldn't discern if it were from exhaustion, anxiety, or fear. When all he could rely on was his sense of touch, telling the difference was quite difficult.
For a while, he said nothing, so long as the blond could keep up his current pace and wasn't showing any clear signs of struggle, then he would let him be. But, the moment he sensed anything was out of the ordinary, then he'd have to step in. As much as he appreciated the strong front the other was putting up, it wasn't worth whatever risk he was putting himself in. Just as he was starting to slip into his own thoughts, he was rather harshly forced to a stop, a hand on his chest effectively stopping him in place. A slight gasp was expelled from his lungs at the jolt of it.
Prompto's breathing became heavier, and he was pretty intent on making sure he didn't take a single step farther; if anything, he was urging the adviser to step back a bit, making sure to add a bit of pressure in his pushing. Then, a stiff, "Careful" warned him about his next steps as he was guided in a roundabout path. It was so quiet that he barely picked up on it, but it was definitely there. Soon, once they had walked for a little bit longer, the blond slowed to a stop, and Ignis could make out a small shuffle of movements. "There was a bit of an obstacle, but it's safe now," he assured before tugging the brunet along again.
The adviser wanted to reply, to ask what it was, but he couldn't very well just do that. Despite the system for communication they now had, he still required assistance in getting that to work. Without being able to read, switching settings on his, or anyone else's, phone was basically impossible. Plus, he didn't really want to cause them any further delays.
The two of them had already spent more time than either of them wanted to out here, so anything that would prevent them from any longer would be worth it. Soon enough, the rough and uneven terrain transitioned into something smoother and easier to walk upon without the threat of tripping or stumbling. If he had to guess, he'd assume they were walking right next to the tracks with the way the breeze was hitting him now, uninterrupted by the blockade of trees. That and he was fairly certain they were now walking on some sort of gravel or something similar at the very least.
"We have to be close by now," Prompto 'said' after some more time, and even in that voice, he didn't sound too sure about that. "I'm sure it will be just a couple more hours at the most," he added, hoping he was right about that. There was still no sign of anything, but these things couldn't go on forever.
For another hour, they followed the tracks, their speed never suffering from anymore unwarranted obstacles or vehicles. But, the same could be said for potential help, there was none of that. It was just their luck for this to have happened in such an uninhabited place, without so much as another building around. Already, the day was wearing thin, and most of their light had passed by, the beginnings of evening peeking over the horizon. Prompto grit his teeth, a swear itching to slip out at the sight of the descending sun. 'Can't spend another night out here,' he thought to himself, glancing back at the red stains that still adorned the other, a pang of guilt at the thought that Ignis had to face that horror alone.
His grip tightened a small amount, and unconsciously, his steps increased with those thoughts. They couldn't be stuck out here again. Slowly, their speed was dialed up one notch at a time until the were almost at a jog, his mind momentarily thrusting all consideration to the side. Although, surprisingly, Ignis was keeping up with him rather well, never so much as a falter. Or, if he did, he did a damn good job of hiding it.
They didn't manage to run for much longer before it was the strategist calling the shots all of a sudden, his feet planting in place and nearly causing the other to be yanked back. Confused, Prompto jerked his attention towards the man, his brows drawn together in bewilderment. "What is it?" he typed out, seeing the other tilt his head as if concentrating on something. Slowly, Ignis held up a hand for him to remain still and silent, the sound he was picking up on still quite some distance away.
He was sure he heard voices, but couldn't make out what they were saying or if they were even male or female. It was mainly the echo he was able to read. The man gave it another few seconds before he gave Prompto a nod, assuming he was still facing him. He jolted when a buzz resounded, catching the both of them off guard. Ignis waited a few seconds, giving the other enough time to check out the message and relay it back to him. "They're looking for us," the blond informed. "They're following the tracks, so as long as we stay on them, we should run into them."
A relieved sigh escaped from the adviser, the corner of his mouth tugging as it attempted a small smile. Those voices then, there was no mistaking it, it had to be them then; there were two of them after all. Next thing he knew, he was being pulled along again, and he began to think about it: had it been anyone else guiding him around like he were a lost child, he would have put a stop to it long ago. But, to be honest, he couldn't complain about the contact between the both of them. It was reassuring, promising.
Slowly, those voices got louder, more clear and more familiar; they were getting closer by the second, and soon enough he was certain it was them. They really did come back for them, despite the responsibilities that were breathing down Noctis' neck. Not that he expected anything less of the man, it was just like him to shove his royal duties to the side for the sake of one of them. And now, he found himself almost walking at a faster speed than the other with the hope of getting out of here now within grasp.
Then he started to remember, Prompto had no idea just how close they were now, all he knew was that they were searching for them, not that they were only a couple minutes away at most. Oh well, he wasn't going to tell him, he'd let it be even more of a surprise when he saw them. Within another minute or so, he knew they were in sight now with the way Prompto halted in place, his breath hitching for a fraction of a second before the exhale of relief.
With that, the tugging was back, only a bit more eager and excited now, and the elated sound of their names being called once more as footsteps rushed towards them. Before he even had the chance to get his bearings, he was being pulled in, by who, he had no idea. Everything was kind of disjointed for a few moments.
"What the hell happened?" was the first question asked, it sounded worried, and until then Ignis never thought about how they must have appeared.
"We can explain later," the adviser answered instantly, his mind only occupied with one and only one concern for the time being. "But first, do either of you have any potions on you?" his voice was urgent, but in his defence, he couldn't see just what shape the blond was in, and this was just going off of the fact that he had passed out just the night before. So, it if was severe enough to cause that, then it was in need of attention now.
Neither of them asked any questions, because unlike him, he was sure they could see clearly what the problem was. "Y-Yeah, I think I should," Noctis replied, his voice unnaturally soft and patient. Some shuffling came from his direction followed by a quiet 'aha'.
The raven wrapped his fingers securely around the vial, his eyes shifting concernedly to the red trail running along the gunner's arm. For the most part it appeared dry, but the material tied around the appendage had a soaked look to it. His teeth naturally sank into his bottom lip, his eyes wandering to the blond's face to take in the pallidness of it. "How bad is it?" he asked, direction the inquiry towards the adviser.
"I'm not too certain, but it's not ideal, I can tell you that much." He lowered his head, the memories of the previous night popping back up unwanted. "Last night, after a while of walking, he just collapsed. When I checked on him, I felt the blood. That's all I can tell you." A second later, he jumped slightly at the touch to the side of his head as his hair was shifted.
Carefully, Gladio inspected the griminess of the strands, a short breath releasing. "And you?" the shield asked as he gave the hair a small tug of acknowledgement.
"It's not my blood, if that's what you're asking." His own hand lifted to take a feel for himself, and he couldn't help but cringe at the mere stickiness of it. It had to be caked with the substance with the way they clung together in clumps.
The raven's chest tightened the more he looked at them, just from this, he was able to tell just how rough it had to have been for them. Which, of course, did little to appease his guilt in the matter. Taking a deep breath, he looked from the potion to Prompto's arm. Carefully, he peeled the bandanna off, eliciting a sharp hiss from him as well. He winced at the sight of it, it was deep, that much was for sure. But, fortunately, most of the bleeding had stopped. Mouthing a small and quick apology, Noctis popped the vial open and poured the liquid over the wound.
Though quiet, Prompto did let out a whimpers as the gash stung at the contact, but instantly the cooling effect took over. The green hue soon dispersed, leaving the area tingly if not a little numb. Of course, it was still raw and pulled awkwardly when moved, but it was closed. Nodding his appreciation, he took the cloth back and stuffed it in his pocket.
Without another thought, the gunner turned back to face Ignis, his face dropping slightly at the remembrance of that morning. That moment they had, that sudden and unexplainable event. His cheeks heated at the thought of what happened, and even now he couldn't understand what had come over him then. Why did he do that? At the time, he didn't think anything of it, but now that they were all back together, he wondered if it was just the heat of the moment, or the stress of the situation. He shook his head, his mind becoming cloudy with all the 'what ifs'.
The way Prompto was looking at the adviser didn't go unnoticed by the others, who both exchanged a questioning look. Gladio shrugged with the unasked curiosities written on Noctis' face, and vice versa.
"You two ready to head back?" the brute asked, taking one look at the sky and changed his question. "On second thought, I suppose you guys wouldn't mind camping for another night, would you?" There was a slight sting at having to ask that. It was clear that was the last thing they wanted, but they couldn't very well start heading back with how quickly they were losing light.
The brunet shook his head, albeit hesitantly. "It's quite alright. So long as it's not under a root, I'm fine with anything." There were so many questions they had, but now was not the time for those. Right before Gladio started leading the way, he caught the small movement out of the corner of his eye, the way the strategist seeked out the other's hand, and it wasn't in the same way he would before. He couldn't quite explain it, but it wasn't as though he was taking his hand because he needed to, but because he wanted to. Something definitely happened between the two of them while they were away, and he knew it would nag at him until he had answers.