A/N: Sorry for the short chapter! But with everything else that's coming, I didn't feel like there was a better place to put a break in. I also apologize for the longer times between updates; this gallbladder issue has really put me back. I'm barely eating, if anything at all most days, and waiting to get in to see a specialist so that, hopefully, he can take it out and I can feel better again! I hope you all enjoy this chapter :) I'll be incorporating a good bit of the FFXV Prologue: Parting Ways in the next bit. So stay tuned!
Chapter 21:
"Prompto, come here," Cor motioned him forward, interrupting his target practice, and it caught the bubbly blonde by surprise. He wiped his brow, sweat dripping from his temples. Another long, hard training session, the last weekday before the weekend was due to start. But he and his friends wouldn't be up to their normal hijinks on Saturday; they would be preparing Noctis for his journey to Altissia. Cleaning out his apartment (which, the four of them agreed, would be a four man job) and packing their things. And then Sunday, they were off on their journey.
Curiously, he followed behind the Marshal, Ignis, Gladio, and Noct. The other three were silent as they made their way into the Citadel, and didn't offer Prompto any explanation just where they were going. The Glaives and Crownsguard in the training yard just watched as they went, whispering amongst themselves, and he wondered what it was he'd done to mess things up this time. And the last day of training, too.
He was shocked when they came to a small, corner office overlooking the training grounds. Cor had a seat at the desk beside the window, which he assumed meant this was the office of the Immortal himself. Without a word, he gestured before him towards four sets of Crownsguard fatigues - well, three sets of Crownsguard fatigues, and one set of fatigues for the Crown Prince whom they would be protecting - all in black, the royal color of Insomnia, laid out before them.
"What!?" Prompto hollered, beside himself, face lighting up. He thought his cheekbones might burst through his skin he was grinning so hard as he ran forward to the box labeled "Prompto Argentum." He pulled the leather vest from the box, eyeballing the leopard print pants underneath. "These. Are. AWESOME!"
"Yes, these will do rather nicely," Ignis agreed beside him, touching his fingers to the fatigues in his own box. Gladio wasn't saying a word; he was fingering the leather jacket of his own Crownsguard uniform.
"You even nailed my style," Prompto raised his eyebrows to Cor, who rolled his eyes in response.
"That was my doing, actually," Noctis's voice sounded from somewhere far off. He was learning against the wall of the office, arms crossed, knee bent, looking bored as usual. "I may have told Cor what would fit you guys the best."
"Thank you, Highness," Ignis nodded sincerely.
"Not too shabby, Noct," Gladio grinned at him, punching him in the shoulder.
"Yeah, well," He shrugged off the punch. "Couldn't have my entourage looking like total bums."
"You honor us, my liege," Prompto taunted him, offering a scathing bow. Noctis scoffed, and the four of them laughed, really laughed, and even Cor was smiling, and it felt surreal, the fact that, after three intense months of training, they'd finally reached this day.
"Gentlemen," Cor stood from his desk, calling their attention back to reality. He, Specs, and Muscles stood at attention, Noctis watching from his perch against the wall. "I hereby pronounce you official members of the Crownsguard."
"Does this mean we're done with training!?" Prompto asked wildly. Gladio laughed, and Ignis shook his head in disgust at the fact that the youngest member of their team had just interrupted the Marshal during this momentous occasion. But the Marshal just smiled.
"Yes, Argentum, that's exactly what it means," He nodded. "But take heart. Know that going forward, wherever your journey may take you, you are not only protecting the Crown Prince, but you are representing the Crown itself. For Hearth and Home, always." He crossed a hand over his chest, and Ignis and Gladiolus did the same. A little flabbergasted, Prompto followed suit a few seconds behind, overwhelmed by it all.
Him. Prompto Argentum. A member of the Crownsguard.
Hugging his new fatigues to his chest, he followed behind his friends in a daze as they talked and joked about the next day, about the horror of cleaning Noct's apartment, and about never having to endure training with the Marshal again (which they didn't say quietly, so that Cor would hear, and hear he did, and laugh he did, also). But all he could think about was how he wish he had someone to show his uniform to; someone to be proud of him, for once, for achieving something for the first time in his life.
As much as she hated to admit it, Griseo was getting on her last nerve.
To be fair, it wasn't as much Griseo as it was Gentiana speaking through Griseo.
She had been pestering her all day about the arrangements for Lunafreya once she arrived in Insomnia for the peace treaty signing. None of the arrangements, or Inertia's answers, had changed, and while they'd been enough to satisfy Lady Luna, Gentiana was never satiated.
Crowe Altius, a calm and capable Glaive, would be meeting Luna outside the city to escort her in beyond its borders (seeing as she couldn't exactly fly in on one of the Empire's airships with the barrier erected by King Regis and the crystal). Her quarters were to be stationed nearby Inertia's, and she was to have a full guard while she was in Insomnia, at the head of which would be Nyx Ulric, who, from personal experience, Inertia trusted with her life.
Plus, Inertia would be there, too.
But Gentiana couldn't help inquire about the food that would be offered to her, and the climate, and the sanitation of the showers, and it was enough to make her pull her hair out.
"Griseo, I need some air," She scowled furiously, pushing away from her desk. The fox cocked his head at her in confusion, but silently agreed with sapphire, knowing eyes, and she counted her blessings when Gentiana's voice was silenced. She let herself out of the Citadel, nodding at the guards who tried to stop her and the attendants who tried to talk to her, but hurrying on her way. She made her way out front, down the stairs and onto the entranceway. No cars were here at present, though she was sure that would change upon the arrival of the peace treaty signing. The checkpoints 100 yards away were quiet, the guards within at ease, and dusk had just begun to set in. She hadn't realized how late in the day it had gotten until now; the sun was already beginning its descent behind the skyline. She breathed in slowly, the chill of the dusk refreshing in her claustrophobic lungs.
The cold is your friend. Don't ever be afraid of a little chill.
The words rattled in her head like the echoes in a canyon, and she shivered, silently praying for the ghosts to leave her alone this night. Ardyn's voice had a way of settling itself into her bones, and she was unsure if she would ever get them out.
"Hey, Inertia!"
The excited, raspy voice interrupted her thoughts, and she turned to see Prompto running towards her, waving like a kid. She tried to choke back the butterflies - a common thing now, whenever she saw him - and smiled at his approach. Ignis, Gladiolus, and Noctis followed closely behind, and the four looked happier than she'd seen them in a long time.
"Argentum," She smiled teasingly at him. "I see you've brought some tagalongs?"
"Who, these guys?" He laughed lightly, a little out of breath from running. "Yeah, I let 'em hang out with me sometimes."
"Yeah, right," Noctis laughed.
"More like he's the lost puppy," Gladio chided him, punching him in the shoulder.
"He followed us home one day and we haven't gotten rid of him since," Ignis explained wholeheartedly with a sly smile on his face. She grinned at Ignis, more butterflies eking their way up her throat. Damn her sensitive constitution - since when was she so easily rattled by a couple of young men? She'd learned her lesson a long time ago - no need to break her own rule now.
"Ha ha, very funny, guys," Prompto scoffed. Inertia smiled.
"What have you got there?" She looked towards the boxes in their arms, and Prompto's face immediately lit up again.
"Oh, oh!" He dropped it to the ground, lifting the lid and pulling something from within. Vaguely, a memory of a small bracelet box falling to the ground nipped at the back of her skull; she buried it like all the other painful memories she hid inside. "Check it out!" He snapped her back to reality, and held before her a beautiful leather vest, underneath which was a red flannel shirt. Leopard print pants still laid inside the box, as well as beautiful, red-soled boots.
"Wow, that's gorgeous," She stepped forward, taking the fabric in her fingers.
"My new, official Crownsguard uniform," He beamed with pride, and she could practically see him puff out his chest. She tried not to giggle, but it was endearing, seeing him so proud of his accomplishment.
"Yeah, we've all got 'em, birdbrain," Gladio rolled his eyes, tapping his own box.
"Well, congratulations on becoming official Crownsguard," She nodded towards all three of Noctis's retinue, then looked to the Crown Prince himself. "It seems you couldn't be any safer, Prince Noctis."
Noctis grinned at her, a lopsided, goofy thing, when he caught onto her sarcasm. The other three feigned insult, but appreciated her jest.
"You wound us, milady," Ignis clutched at his heart, adjusting the glasses on his nose, though she wished he didn't; his eyes were strikingly beautiful, and she could see them better without those spectacles in the way.
"Yeah!" Prompto agreed energetically, like the puppy they joked he was. "We're gonna protect the shit out of our Prince!" He grabbed Noct around the shoulder, grinning while the prince groaned.
"That's enough," He moaned, pushing him off.
"Kids, am I right?" Gladio raised an eyebrow at her, leaning into her a little more flirtatiously than she was comfortable with. Laughing, she leaned out, hugging her arms to her chest.
"What are you doing out here anyway?" Prompto asked, folding his fatigues back up and putting them gingerly back in his box. "Shouldn't you be inside doing ambassador-y stuff?"
"Yes, well," She sighed, looking out towards the setting sun. "Sometimes the ambassador-y stuff gets a little suffocating. And it's nice to enjoy the sunset without fear of daemons running amok."
"Is that not something you've got in Tenebrae?" Noctis wondered aloud. Clearly, he was worried for Luna, not the country; something she found endearing, instead of selfish.
"Lunafreya's a talented Oracle," Inertia nodded knowingly. "She keeps the daemons at bay within the city surrounding Fenestala Manor. But the rest of the country…" She trailed off, unsure of what words would even suffice. But none were needed. The four men understood, and didn't interrupt the silence with empty platitudes or meaningless words. They stood together like that, in comfortable quiet, watching as the sun kissed the sky goodnight in burning oranges and delicate pink hues.
"Not too long now before you set out on your journey, is it?" Inertia wondered aloud, breaking the silence.
"We depart Sunday morning," Ignis informed her. "And tomorrow will be spent trying to rectify the remains of Noct's apartment."
"Yeah, it's gonna take all four of us," Prompto agreed.
"Come on, guys, it's not that bad," Noctis disagreed with a scowl.
"Nah, it's not," Gladio shook his head. "We'll only need a front-loader to get all the crap off of your floor."
"Sounds terrifying," Inertia smirked. "I'll have to let my lady know how much of a slob her betrothed is."
"Inertia, come on," Noctis groaned. She laughed when he came up to her, hands on her shoulders in silent plea.
"Relax, Your Highness," She used the title in jest now, instead of in sincerity. She felt that close to him now; even if she'd never had a chance to be granted an audience with the King and quell that odd feeling she'd had all those days ago, she still felt comfortable around him. "Your secret is safe with me."
"It'll die with us, then," Ignis nodded. "And we best be off if we wish to have dinner at a reasonable hour."
"Yeah, yeah," Noctis rolled his eyes, releasing Inertia's shoulders, thanking her with his eyes. "Specs is right. Better hop to it."
"It was good seeing you, milady," Gladio reached for her hand, and brushed his lips to the back of her knuckles before she could object. It wasn't an unwelcome gesture, exactly; though she was intimidated by any good looking man treating her in such a way, especially one as large as him. Plus, it wasn't Gladio who made her heart race; and that racing heart was what worried her in the first place. Perhaps it was a good thing the four were about to leave Insomnia; she could get hold of herself again. Steel her nerves so no one, especially not good looking men, could break down her walls ever again.
"Would… would you wanna come join us for dinner, Inertia?" Prompto asked shyly, and it surprised her a little bit when he asked. He looked to his three friends for permission, and they all looked around at each other, a little uncertain of what to say.
"I could certainly make enough for one more," Ignis agreed.
"You could let your hair down a little," Gladio winked at her. She rolled her eyes at him, as did Noct.
"All blatant come-ons aside," Noctis looked to her knowingly, "You'd be welcome, Inertia."
"Well, thank you very much for the invitation," She smiled at them. "But there's still work to be done in preparation for the treaty signing. I best not waste a minute of it."
She wasn't sure why she said no.
She didn't really have that much more to do; efficiency was one of her skills. It was why Luna had picked her for the job.
She enjoyed their company, all four of them, even if she appreciated some of them in different ways from the others. Prompto, and Ignis too, made her heart race, and her pulse quicken, while Gladio, the most forward in his flirtations, felt like an old friend. And something about the Prince reminded her of the brother she never had.
And while she wanted to go, to see them outside of the Citadel, to spend a carefree evening with friends, something in her screamed not to.
Maybe this way, if she didn't let herself see them outside the confines of their royal duties, she wouldn't miss them as much when they left. Maybe this way, it wouldn't be so hard to say goodbye.
So she watched them go, the four of them, friends, no, brothers, and felt the green touch of envy tug at her belly as she watched them walk off, envy at the fact that she couldn't go with them, envy at the brotherhood between them, envy at the family they had become that she herself would never know.
But it was better this way.
Wasn't it?