"Wonder if that guy's gonna get fired now. For, like, molesting a member of the royal family," Prompto mused, kicking his legs distractedly.
"Don't say that," Noctis muttered, glancing back at the restaurant as if expecting to see the poor man being frogmarched away in handcuffs.
Prompto snickered, and sat back up, rubbing his bare arms. "So…Never been touched, eh?" he winked.
"…Dude, I wasn't asking you to make fun of me," the Prince frowned.
"I'm not! I'm not," Prompto relented, smiling peaceably. "But we never talk about stuff like that."
"Stuff like what?"
"Like…girl stuff."
Noctis groaned melodramatically. "Probably because I've had better things to do with my time."
"Like what? Sleep?" The blond teased.
"You are the worst. Seriously," Noctis sighed, hauling himself onto his feet and brushing himself down out of habit.
"Sorry. But, hey…if you still need a massage, I'm your man," Prompto assured him, standing up and giving himself a confident double thumbs-up.
"…You know how to give a massage?" Noctis asked curiously.
"Well...not exactly, but…how hard could it be?" Prompto shrugged.
The Prince considered this, and agreed. "Fair point. But if you screw up and hurt me, I'll get Gladio to beat you up."
"He'd have to catch me first!"
They both wandered amiably back down the shadowed jetty, pausing now and then for Noctis to enthusiastically point out different fish species in the bright, crystal-clear waters, and for Prompto to snap photos.
They were mid-banter when another voice, tinny and muffled, sounded out in the cool night air.
"~I've come up with a new recipe!~"
Noctis had had the recording set as Ignis' text alert for over a week, but it still caused both of them to collapse into giggles now, Noctis wiping his eyes of mirth as he searched for his mobile.
"Man, that never gets old," Prompto nodded sagely, as Noct read the fresh message.
"They're eating, told us to book the room," the Prince enlightened his friend. "Let's go. And keep clear of that massage guy."
"No problem. I'll protect you," the blond declared, before giving Noctis a sharp, playful smack on the backside.
Blushing and grinning, Noctis mumbled back, "That's what I'm worried about."
"I think Iggy will kill us for getting two rooms," Prompto fretted, glancing behind him and waving at the two men who were eating in a secluded corner. They both waved back cursorily, mouths full.
"We can afford it. And I sure as hell don't want them knowing you're giving me a massage," Noctis shrugged, taking the two sets of keys from the server. From their own bunch, he detached one for Prompto and pocketed one for himself.
"Nope, they'll think we're up to a whole lot worse," Prompto murmured, biting his lip.
"…Forget it. It'll be good to have more room and less snoring."
"I guess."
"Go and deliver these. I'm gonna go shower," Noctis instructed, pushing the second set of keys into the blond's hand and wandering off through the large door that led to the exclusive hotel rooms.
Prompto sheepishly approached Gladio and Ignis, dropping the keys onto the table.
"Uh…Noct got two rooms, so…we've all got more space for once," he offered.
"I see," Ignis observed drily. "Has he adequately scouted the location for escape routes and possible infiltration avenues?"
"He, uh, said he didn't think anyone could get in except maybe through the windows after coming by speedboat. And that's not very likely," Prompto recalled.
Gladio chuckled. "He's learning."
"Make sure you take all the necessary precautions," Ignis warned him.
Prompto started to panic, and flustered indignantly. "We're not having sex! We don't need…precautions!"
Ignis raised one fine eyebrow in honest surprise, and then smirked. "…I meant the door locks, windows latches…Those sorts of precautions."
"Oh, well…yeah," the blond sighed, deflating nervously and scuffing his feet.
"Go on, go protect your Prince. Sleep well," Gladio offered with a lewd wink.
Blushing hard enough to obliterate his fair freckles, Prompto nodded and ran off wordlessly, leaving Ignis to chuckle good-naturedly and berate the shield-bearer.
Prompto let himself into the lush hotel room, almost distracted enough by his own worrying to forget to admire the surroundings. He was wandering around, testing out lamps, feeling the bedcovers, and checking out the view, when Noct emerged in a fluffy white bathrobe from the en-suite, roughly drying his hair with a small towel, the soaked black mess soon spiking up into wild damp tufts.
"Hey."
"Hey," the blond replied, giving a feeble wave. "I thought…it'd be just one bed," he shrugged, gesturing at the two singles in the room.
"…You sound disappointed," Noct smirked, sitting on his own bed nearest the window and sighing luxuriantly.
"No, but…I dunno, just used to sharing by now," Prompto laughed sweetly.
"Make the most of it, it'll probably be four of us in a tent again tomorrow," Noct grinned.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to this," Prompto shrugged, kicking off his boots and going to open one of the large windows enough to get a salty draught of cool sea air, brightening his lungs and misting his face.
"Used to what?" The Prince asked, getting up long enough to turn off the bright main light, and turning on a single bedside lamp, sighing happily at the newfound gloom. Outisde, the cloud-free sky was a purplish black, spattered with myriads of fine white stars.
"Booking hotel rooms for a bunch of guys to share."
"Well, I guess real men aren't as insecure as you," Noctis laughed, retrieving his phone and charger and setting it up to replenish battery for the night.
"Says the virgin," Prompto laughed with a teasing grin, though he clapped his hand to his mouth. He felt like an idiot as soon as he saw Noct's face fall into a doleful amalgam of hurt and irritation.
"I didn't mean that, dude, I…I mean, I haven't done it either, you know? Just messing around and stuff but not the whole way, so technically…" he trailed off slightly pathetically. "I'm really sorry."
Noct took a deep, quiet breath, and nodded with finality. "Fine. But I don't want to talk about…that any more. Please."
"…Are we still buddies?" Prompto asked hopefully.
"Yeah. But you are walking a fine line today, Prom," Noct warned him tiredly.
"I know…I always mess up and say dumb stuff. I'm not trying to make you upset, seriously. You know I wouldn't do that."
"I know. Maybe, like…think before you speak. Just sometimes," Noct smiled wearily.
"Will do," the blond nodded devotedly.
"…So," Noct asked, stifling a yawn in the newly low-lit hotel room, the corners doused in thick shadows and the ornate bedside lamp barely a comforting glow in the gloom. "Do I get this massage or what?"
"What? Oh, yeah!" Prompto perked up. "Right, get ready for my magic hands," he drawled, winking. "Sit there and relax. And don't fall asleep!"
"No promises," Noctis chuckled, sitting on his bed cross-legged, facing the huge windows that gave a vista of the open sea and empty sky. The low light of the room meant that there were few reflections on the spotless glass to hamper the view.
The Prince heard Prompto crack his knuckles and get onto the bed behind him, arranging his legs slightly clumsily and making the mattress bounce. He pulled off his fluffy robe, letting it pool around his bare waist, ensuring it effectively covered his lap, where he was clad only in dark underwear.
"Bring it on."