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Kamuel

Chapter Three

...

Prompto's wide eyes would look comical if his face wouldn't look so sickly pale. His mouth hangs open, seemingly speechless.

And now I start to feel bad that I surprised him like that. Maybe I should have announced my arrival beforehand. But being who I am, well, let's just say that my social skills are still somewhat underdeveloped and in a dire need to be polished.

I try to calm down my fast beating heart, this is not the time to be nervous. I don't even know why I feel on edge in the first place. This is so unlike me.

Now that I'm only two steps away from where Prompto stands, I can see how pale he really looks, the dark circles under his eyes enormous. My nonexistent social skills aside, I can't help but furrow my brows with worry as I ask him softly: "How are you feeling? Everything okay?"

As if waking up from a self-induced trance, his blue eyes blink a few times before getting all overwhelmed again and stuttering, "P-Prince Noctis, I-yeah, I mean, yes, I'm okay, but, w-whatareyoudoinghere?"

The crinkles on my forehead deepen even further. He's obviously not okay. Is it because I'm the Prince of Lucis that he seems to withhold the truth? I don't like it. I want him to be honest with me.

"Just call me Noctis," I insist firmly, then I add, "and I'm here because I bring you your homework."

"Oh, my homework..." He stares at my bag which I hold with both of my hands against my chest (the photobook inside is heavy), then his eyes drift back up to my eyes for a few long seconds, probably still trying to comprehend that it's really me standing in front of his home. "I-ehm, how rude of me, please, c-come in, Prince Noctis." Then he takes a quick look behind him, making an inviting gesture.

"Noctis." I say again, insisting one more time for him to call me only by my name.

For some reason his face gets all red now. "Ah, o-okay. Please come in, Noctis."

"Thank you."

Clutching the bag with my hands tightly, I follow him inside. This is the first time, in my what would be a complete sheltered life, where I'm invited into somebody else's private home. So this is a novel experience for me. And it's as exciting as it is frightening at the same time. "I'm sorry for intruding," I blurt out quickly. Honestly, I still feel bad for not announcing my visit.

In the bright litted corridor I first take off my shoes, placing them neatly next to each other on the floor, and when I'm about to take off my jacket, Prompto stands already behind me to help me out of it. "Ah, thanks," I say, feeling somewhat shaken, having been taken completely by surprise.

I watch in silence how he hangs my jacket on the hook of his wardrobe, treating the fabric as if it were the most precious thing he has ever held in his hands, and then he takes one step backwards, slightly tripping over his own shoes and falling backwards on the floor with a hard thud, his glasses going askew in the process.

"Ah, wait, I'll help you." I step forward to get his hands into a tight grip to help him upward, this time I'm prepared to pull him up with all of my strength. "Are you okay?" I ask once he's standing upright again.

He pulls the fabric of his shirt to cover up his belly and clears his throat awkwardly, avoiding my eyes. "Y-yes, thank you."

He's... well, adorable. I hide my smile behind my hand. This reminds me of the first time when we met, where he tripped over that pole in his haste to run up to me.

"Please, this way." He walks into his living room, showing me the way, then he holds a chair out for me to sit down at the table.

Prompto keeps surprising me this evening. 'His manners are impeccable.'-this is what Ignis would say now if he could see him.

Inclining my head in thanks, I place my bag on the table and then sit down.

"W-would you like something to drink? Water, tea?"

I glance him up and down. He doesn't look well at all. I understand the bad state of health he is in and I don't want to make his condition worse, but on the other hand he does look as if a cup of hot tea would do him some good.

"Yes, green tea please. Can I help you to prepare it?" Well, now that I did ask this question, I have to admit something first. I have absolutely no idea how to make proper tea. But... I'm willing to try if this means that Prompto has less work do to and it eases some of the obvious strain on his already weakened body.

Now that I think of it... why didn't he take any potions to get better? Didn't he consult a doctor?

"Goodness no, y-you are my guest! It would be incredibly rude to ask of you something like that." He stares at me like I've grown a second head on my shoulder.

"Oh, I see, sorry." I duck my head slightly, because I feel like he just reprimanded me for something that should have been obvious to me from the start. This became awkward quickly. I still have a lot to learn...

"Please wait until your tea is ready." He says in a firm voice, sounding proud, and then he turns around to walk into his kitchen, his legs slightly wobbling.

His tired looking face really worries me, his lips are very pale and this is always a bad sign. I want to ask what happened to him. But I don't know how. It's enough that I came into his home unannounced, I wouldn't want to trouble him with questions whose answers might not be any of my business.

And so I wait.

I take this opportunity to look around his living room. So Pryna was here. Everything looks so clean and tidy, almost too sterile, as if it's not lived in by a whole family. It's evening, he's quite ill and he's all alone at home. Maybe his parents are still at work...? Does he have siblings?

I didn't notice for how long I mused over his living circumstances, but when I snap back to reality, I notice that Prompto didn't come back yet.

"Prompto? You okay?" I call to make sure that he's indeed still in the kitchen.

There is no answer. And there is absolute silence in the house.

I can't help but start to feel slightly sick in my stomach with dread. So I slide down from my chair, listening to my instincts to go and look after him. I enter the kitchen area, asking once more, "Prompto? Is everything oka-" But then my eyes stumble over his body as he lies unconscious in the middle of the kitchen floor.

"Prompto! Oh my God, Prom!" With wide strides I rush towards him, crouching down to feel for his pulse.

Okay, don't panic! He's alive, but unconscious.

Think Noctis, think!

With trembling fingers I take out my smartphone and call for the chauffeur to help us, who thankfully is waiting in front of Prompto's home. My voice is shaking and I feel close to tears when I say on the phone, "Hello? Sius, it's me, Noctis. My friend is unconscious, please, I need your help!"

"Hold on! I'm on my way."

Okay, stay calm Noctis. Breathe. Help is on the way.

My hands are shaky when I place my smartphone back into my pocket. And then I place my shaking hands on each side of Prompto's pale face. "Prom, stay with me, do you hear me? Everything will be all right." I know that he can't hear me, but I need to say something to calm myself down.

Heaven, I start to shake like a leaf everywhere from the fear that this might be something serious. Never before had I been feeling this helpless. This clearly shows to me how young and inexperienced in life I still am and I don't like this one bit.

"Prom, wait a little, I'll be right back..." I say to him before running out the kitchen to open the door for Sius.

"What happened?" Sius rushes after me as I show him the way to where Prompto lies.

I'm rubbing my sweaty hands on my trousers, my voice is shaking and tears well up in my eyes. "I-I don't know. He seemed to be very ill, he wanted to make tea for us and then somehow he fell unconscious. Please Sius, please help him. I don't know what to do..." Right now I'm such an emotional mess that I just can't focus. I have a hard time breathing, and my worry and fear for Prom is rising to unfathomable dimensions.

"Stay calm, Noctis. I got this. You don't need to worry," Sius says soothingly, then places his medical practitioner's case next to Prom when he kneels down, and then I can only watch him as he takes care of my unconscious friend. All chauffeurs who are assigned to the royal family are professionally trained in combat and experienced in medical activities. Despite my shock, I try to memorize everything Sius does, just in case something like this might happen again so that I am able to help Prom next time. He takes different potions out of his bag and I carefully follow all his versed movemnts while he does administer each medicine on Prom.

"Noctis, take a towel and make it wet with cold water, then bring it to me."

"Y-yes." I jump up and search for a clean towel. When I found one, I rush to the sink to make it wet. Running back to Sius, I pass over the wet fabric, and again, I watch carefully how Sius cleans up Prom's face in soothing motions.

"Look if you can find a bucket somewhere," Sius looks around, warning me, "because your friend might vomit once he wakes up."

I'm looking frantically for something that might serve as a bucket and once I do, I place it next to Sius. Heaven, I feel like my own stomach might turn any second now, I'm THAT worried right now. "D-did you find out what's wrong with him? He was so pale before, and then his legs wobbled when he walked into the kitchen earlier, he seemed so tired."

Sius shakes his head in a confused manner. "The symptoms I saw so far are typical for food poisoning, but what makes this even more puzzling, he seems dehydrated and malnourished in addition to that, which makes no sense. That's why he fell unconscious. It's like he starved himself for a long time but simultaneously ate something which could have triggered this complex response from his body. He's lucky you are here this evening, else only Eos knows what could have happened to him if this would have gone on."

I grow all pale when I hear this. Eos! Prom starved himself?! Food poison? Dehydrated and malnourished? What in the world was he doing? Didn't his parents notice?!

"I've done what I could, the potions gave him back the nourishment his body needed to properly function again, and they also purified his system. He probably has to purge the rest either through vomiting and/or bowel movement. Either way, your friend is safe."

Thank Eos, I'm so happy to hear that... I feel as if it's now my turn to faint from relief.

Sius sends me a soothing smile, adding, "You have done well, Prince Noctis."

And now I can't stop a huge hiccup as I choke back another batch of fresh tears. My hands are balling into tight fists from growing frustration. "But don't you see? I couldn't do anything! If it weren't for you Prom could have died!"

He rises his free hand to ruffle my hair. "Noctis," he starts to say, but just when he wants to continue, a harsh caugh echoes through the room and alerting both of us to Prom waking up.

"Prom!"

Bending down towards my new friend, I caress the side of his pale face softly. "Prom, how do you feel?"

His eyes open slowly, looking in confusion first at Sius and then at me. "I-I don't feel well."

"Noctis, get him a glass of water. Quick." Sius continues to rub the wet towel over Prompto's pale face and neck while holding the bucket ready, completely focused on his task.

I'm doing as Sius requested, and when I arrive with the full glass in my hand Prom starts to dry-heave into the bucket. It's just stomach-acid that comes out, but this is what Sius meant with purging the poisoned remains out of his body. I wince with sympathy.

Poor Prom... I wish I could take his suffering away. I rush to his side and place the cool glass against his lips as soon as the dry-heavings stop.

"Sip slowly," Sius says to him.

As Prom starts to sip from the cold water, I rub his back with my free hand, trying in my own way to give him a little comfort. I try to show him that I'm there for him. I now know that he will get better soon, but the shock of this evenings events have rattled my nerves and I just can't stop to worry about him.

After a few, long minutes have passed, Sius does a last check-up on Prom. "Do you still feel sick? Are you in any pain?"

"No... I'm fine now. I feel better, thank you." Prom smile is infectious and I smile back when he shyly glances at me.

The relief that I feel right now is indescribable.

"Prince Noctis, I think it's best to leave your friend to rest for the night. As you know, a night full of rest will take care of everything else. There is nothing more we can do." Sius closes his bag and makes himself ready to leave.

"What? No! I want to stay."

Sius frowns. "But your duties-"

"Have all been already postponed and placed to next week," is my dry answer.

"But the King-"

I interrupt Sius again. "By all means, this is officially my time off now, and I got to decide what I want to do with it. And I say that I want to stay and take care of my friend. For the entire weekend." I say in a resolute sounding voice.

Sius' eyes narrow at me. "What about your protection?"

"You are here, aren't you? Deal with it." I say with finality, using one more time my power as the Prince of Lucis to get my way today. Might as well go all the way to hell. Consequences be damned. Prom needs me.

All of a sudden Prom's gasp echoes loudly in the silence of the room. "Friend? Noctis, did you just say that I-I'm your friend?" He stares at me as if he just saw a ghost, his blue eyes wide as saucers.

Prom's timing to point out the obvious is as adorable as ever.

"Yes, of course. We're friends."

My smile must be infectious as well, because I have never seen Prom smile that brightly as he does now.

...

To be continued :).