"There is one who you belong to, whose love—there is no song for.
And though you know it's wrongful, there is someone else you long for.
Your heart was once a vessel, it was filled up to the brim;
Until the day he left you, now everything sings of him.
Of the two who came to love you, to one your heart, you gave.
He is in all the stars above you—in the love who came and stayed." –L.L.
20160; 336
Ring. Ring.
"Hello?"
"Prompto! Emergency!"
"What!? Are you okay!?"
"Yeah! I have a bad case of the missing-Prompto disease. If I can't see you, I think I'm gonna die."
"Who the hell says that kind of stuff, Noct!? I thought something bad happened to you!"
Laughter echoed on the line. "So, are you free tonight?"
"No! Go away!"
"C'mon Prom, please?"
"…"
"Prompto…"
A helpless sigh escapes. "Fine, yes. I'm free. But, I was planning to go stargazing. There's supposed to be a falling star tonight…"
"Okay, yeah. Stargazing. Never done it before, but whatever. I'm gonna sneak out, I'm gonna go see you."
"What!? You're freaking crazy! I don't want to be held accountable for whatever happens to you!"
"What kind of best friend are you?"
"The best one. Noct! Class is starting next week, we'll see each other again."
"Next week is a week too long… I haven't seen you in two days. I'll do anything."
"…You're not even going to listen to me even if I told you to stay there, aren't you…"
"Nope."
"…You picking me up?"
"Yup. Let's grab something to eat too. Haven't eaten Crow's Nest in a while. Iggy's been on my ass."
"See what happens when you don't eat your vegetables?"
"Ugh, Prompto… Shit, I gotta go, my dad's coming. I'll see you later. Bye!"
"Wait—Noct, don't forget your—ah damnit." The line had already ended. "Don't forget your jacket…"
5760
They spent the next day fishing. Noctis hasn't used his powers to materialize the fishing gears that he stored in his magical space for so long. He surprised himself by catching fishes fairly well. Prompto brought a camera to take photos of him while he unwinded.
After an hour passed, Prompto dropped on the ground dramatically. "Can't you catch us something bigger?" He whined.
"Shut it, blondie. I'm just a little rusty."
"Rusty, huh?" Prompto raised his brow and stood next to Noctis. "Then ease off on the reeling. The fish line looks like it's gonna snap."
"How do you remember these things?" Noctis asked him, impressed.
"You used to fish for hours, Noct. I used to be there." Shrugging, Prompto took a photo of his reaction. "When was the last time you ever fished?"
"A long time." Noctis admitted and failed to mention it had been years since he had done it.
Hours had passed, Noctis had gotten the hang of fishing once again. Prompto cheered him on and smiled at him, complimenting and praising him for remember so well despite the years of lacking practice.
While Noctis fished, he took quick glances of Prompto who was happily going through the shots he had taken on his camera. Every so often, Prompto would whistle then yawn, but then he would look up at Noctis, who would quickly look away to avoid meeting his eyes, to smile and stretch before sitting down on the ground.
When Noctis took another turn to look at Prompto, he noticed the blonde grimace in pain.
"You okay?" Noctis asked.
"Yeah…" Prompto held onto the side of his stomach but chuckled. "Just craving for fish and you're taking your beautiful time."
Noctis rolled his eyes. "Careful there, Prom. Your royal highness will get salty."
"Gladio's not here to say that," Prompto pointed out with a tease. "But you're totally right. Keep going, your majesty."
Prompto would look upset because the filters on his camera didn't match the setting, but Noctis would nudge him with his shoulder and give him a smile. Then, they'd continue on with their hobbies—Prompto attempting several snaps—while Noctis threw his fishhook towards the sea after respooling the line. They'd talk stories and shared laughs some more. And Noctis thought he wouldn't have traded this day for anything else.
When the sun set, the stars shun their way out. Noctis, happy with a bucket full of fish he had caught, walked back with Prompto back home. Prompto sneezed on the way and started to rub his hands. The temperature suddenly dropped with the breeze that nearly swept him off his feet, but Noctis took his jacket off and put it over Prompto's shoulders.
Prompto jumped in surprise when he looked up to the unveiled fisherman.
"I'm not that cold." Noctis said slowly, looking away. "Wouldn't want your cold to get worse."
"Ah… Right… th-thanks…"
After dinner, Cindy insisted she washed the dishes and Prompto refused. He wanted to help. The woman bickered with him back and forth, and Noctis watched in pure interest, speechless as Prompto got called off by her. Cindy grabbed the emptied plates and told Noctis to get Prompto before she decides to throw a plate towards his way. Noctis stood up almost too fast as he gently grabbed the blonde towards the living room after the cleaned the dining table.
When the stars were fully out, swimming like fishes and the sky was their ocean, Prompto took a blanket outside and invited Noctis. Behind their house, a balcony was built and Prompto set the blanket down. Noctis helped him and they laid the fabric down together.
Lying on their backs, they lied in comfortable silence as they watched the stars above glow. Prompto still wore Noctis' jacket and he hasn't asked for it back. And when Noctis commented on how rare the stars were in the city, Prompto let the thought slip away and mentioned the pollution.
"They keep you from seeing these beautiful stars. It distracts you."
Noctis sighed and nodded. "It keeps me from seeing this every night. It's always just the city lights outside my window."
"Yeah…" Prompto agreed gently. "It does that."
"I should do something about it, huh?" Noctis raised his hand like he was reaching for the stars. "Promote a healthy ecological system. Plant more trees, yenno?"
Prompto chuckled. "Mhm sure, you go and do your king thing, Noct."
Another comfortable silence passed and Noctis turned to Prompto. He was looking up at the stars with so much life in his eyes. As the stars twinkled, so did his beautiful blue orbs. Noctis imaged him all alone, at the very same spot where he lied down, looking up at the sky without him. His stomach churned.
"Prompto?"
The blonde hummed as he turned with his eyebrow raised. "Yeah?"
"Whenever…" Noctis felt the back of his neck turn cold. He was getting nervous. How could he bring up something that was hisfault? Although, yes, given that Prompto had taken part of it, Noctis was the one that started first. And now that he's thinking about it, he felt like shit. Prompto looked happy right now, something Noctis hasn't felt in a while.
"…Noctis?"
"Sorry." Noctis cleared his throat. He shouldn't be feeling the way he was. "Whenever… I was too busy with work and I couldn't…" He gathered up the courage to say it, "come home… Did you do this? All by yourself?"
"Do what?" Prompto blinked. "Stargazing?"
Noctis meekly nodded.
If there was pain, Prompto was good at hiding it.
A gentle smile curled up from Prompto's lips and answered. "Yeah. I'd like to think that you and I were looking at the same sky full of stars. Even if you were far from me, I'd hope things are still the same, yenno? The stars stay the way they are, no matter what happens to us." Prompto repeated once more, "Just like..." then stopped. He wanted to say love, but instead he said, "…our memories."
Noctis' face softened. Gazing up in the sky with no single cloud to ruin the beautiful stars, he welcomed the cold then turned to give Prompto an embrace. They spent the next hour just watching the stars and talking about everything that happened that brought their relationship to the way they were. It was ironic how they laughed it off because even though it was easy to have let the words come out of their mouth, the doing was harder.
When Prompto's tension eased, their conversation ended in silence. Noctis felt the urge to hold his hand but he stopped himself. Even if this one thing, this one thing he's been trying to run away from, was something he's been missing. Every night. Every fucking minute.
"Hey, charming, look! It's a falling star!" The blonde suddenly exclaimed as he turned his body to the sky. As he lifted his hand and pointed, Noctis looked up to catch the sight of the luminous point, leaving a trail behind. "Ohemgee, quick! Close your eyes and make a wish!"
Just before Noctis opened his mouth to comment on Prompto's behavior, Prompto looked up and rolled his eyes. "Oh, for the love of—come on! You make like you haven't done it before. Just do it!"
Wanting to point out that they were not children anymore, Noctis stopped when he saw the hopeful look in Prompto's eyes. With a groan, Noctis followed Prompto and closed his eyes wearily. Lips unmoving as both their wishes formulated into their heads.
"Done." Noctis said several seconds later after he opened his eyes. "Happy now?"
Prompto grinned and gave a thumb up. "Mhm!"
"So, what'd you wish for?"
Prompto huffed, "If I tell you, it's not going to come true, remember?"
Noctis paused for a moment. "I'll… tell you mine if you tell me yours," he suggested.
"…And if I still don't wanna?"
"Then that's a shame… What if it had something to do with you?"
Prompto's ears instantly picked up and glanced at the taller male with the corner of his eye. His chin lifted a little and Noctis thought he would drawl but words that he didn't expect came out of the other's mouth.
"Then… that's definitely a shame. You just wasted your wish on something insignificant."
"Prompto…"
"Eh, nevermind. What's done is done, right?" Prompto laughed. "Really though, who would listen to something so silly?"
Biting his lower lip, Noctis gently grabbed one of Prompto's hands. "Did your wish have something to do with me?"
There was a panicked look on Prompto's face. Nodding a bit and sliding off from Noctis' embrace, he managed to answer with a small voice. "Yeah… But no worries, nothing cliché."
"…if I was a God, I'd make it come true."
"Yeah?" Prompto closed his eyes and chuckled. "I'm sure it will, Noct. You and Lady Lunafreya back at the Crown City… Any guy would go over the moon to marry her."
"Oh…" Noctis' smile dropped. "Prom, you asked for fourteen days. Let's let that go for now."
"I'm sorry, yeah. You're right."
If their minds weren't full of so much despair, they could have heard the echoes of their love bounce through the atmosphere, the wind that's been crying out to them even when they were both in different places at the same time.
But their hearts knew something they couldn't ever see—mostly on Noctis' part— the endless trace of love left behind after it's gone.
Please give him a happy ending, even if it's not with me.
On their way back to the house, Prompto yawned.
"You uh… sleeping with me again?" Noctis asked quietly.
Tightening the hold he had on the blanket, Prompto stopped walking. "I… Noct, the other night. Really… Thank you. It won't happen again. It was a mistake, I was just—"
"Wa-Wait, Prompto, ca-calm down." Noctis placed both of his hands on Prompto's shoulders. "I'm sorry for surprising you last night. You had a bad dream and I didn't know what else to do. I'm sorry."
"It sounds like sorry's all you've been saying lately, Noct."
"I'm sorry."
"Stop." Prompto laughed softly. "It's fine. Look, if it's not too much… If it's alright, then can I—"
"Yes." Noctis breathed, catching Prompto by surprise. "I mean—yeah you can."
The two looked at each other, the confusion and surprise plastered on their faces. Prompto blinked a couple of times and Noctis reddened furiously. The conversation was completely silly. The deal was silly. Everything was. The two snorted then bursted into laughter.
"This is ridiculous. Prom, just sleep with me." Noctis sighed and smiled. "I won't do anything."
Prompto returned the smile. "Yeah… Okay then. In our room?"
Noctis felt like he should've taken everything back, but he nodded and opened the door. "Yeah, our room."
Author's Note: I understand the story kind of sucks right now. It'll get better, I hope. Thank you jixue for your comments. I really looked forward to them. ^^ And to the others as well. Thank you.