"I forgot to call you on your birthday.
You swear you're the last thing on my mind.
There is nothing I could do to fix it,
All you ever asked me for was time." -Drake

20160 - 336

The only person Noctis wanted to talk to was him. Prompto was his number one priority.

"Why'd you stop, Noct?" Gladio halted the swing of his sword when Noctis raised his hand for a break during their practice. The materialized weapon on his hand disappeared as he walked up to the table where his phone was ringing.

"Noct! Wanna hit it up at the Crow's Nest?" It was Prompto.

"Yup. On my way." Then Noctis would speed out of the training room without another word.

"What the hell man!?" Gladio would scream in protest as the prince was gone in seconds.

Every time he would see Prompto, he would feel butterflies in his stomach. He wasn't perfect, but to Noctis, Prompto was everything he'd ever wanted in someone. If not a best friend. And as soon as it felt right, Noctis told Prompto how he truly felt, and things were bright and fun. Noctis felt so alive. When they tangled their fingers, and kissed, they were finally able to express their affection and do all the things they wanted to do as a couple.

It felt like a fairytale come true.

Because the person he finally wanted to be with, was finally his.

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Noctis couldn't remember if Prompto had always been so clumsy. The first time Prompto knocked over his glass of water, it seemed like an accident. But when he squinted his eyes over his eyeglasses, he tried to reach another glass twenty minutes later only to knock it down again. The feeling Noctis had that something was wrong had grown stronger, as now he could see the blonde laughing it off and apologizing.

When they settled on the living room floor, they were putting Prompto's game console together against the wall-mounted television so they could play video games, Noctis couldn't help but ask another question. "Are you really okay, Prom?"

Prompto raised a slightly interested brow as he blew the dust off his videogame collections.

"Yeah," he hummed. "I'm fine."

"I meant your health," Noctis clarified. "Are you sure it's just a cold?"

Placing the stacks of games on top the coffee table, he shrugged. "What else could it be? I'm tired all the time 'cause of it."

Noctis felt like there was something more to it, but he didn't pry. "I see you taking medication sometimes," he muttered curiously. "Are those for your cold too?"

Prompto paused before he plugged the console into the outlet. "Yeah… They're for my cold. I get headaches from it sometimes."

"How long have you had your cold?"

"Not too long ago," Prompto lied.

Thinning his lips, Noctis sighed, "Maybe you should go back to the city and get checked by the doctor again."

"Mmm, yeah. Maybe I should."

The atmosphere felt heavy, but as soon as the game flashed on the television screen, it lightened. They had no stakes. No striking deals. No one made a rule of taking off clothing for every round lost, but the laughter and more joke-like insults were all real and no pretend.

Noctis had promised himself that he wouldn't turn his cellphone on, but before he went to bed, he had to make sure that Ignis was doing okay temporarily taking over his position while he stayed back and fulfilled his terms under Prompto. There were missed calls and texts from Luna, but he chose to ignore them, scrolled to see his father call him and left him text message as well.

I'm fine dad, I'm with Prompto. Noctis reassured his dad through what he sent. Fourteen days, dad. That's all he asked for.

It didn't take long for his dad to reply to him. He doesn't have much left, take care of him.

He doesn't have much left? Noctis stared at his phone. He was aware that Prompto was fragile. But it was Prompto who had asked such condition and Noctis only accepted the ordeal because it was the last one. The last request that Prompto will ever ask for anything of him. The thought of not hearing from Prompto suddenly made his chest tight. It's probably just because he was spending his time here and not back in the city. Once this ordeal has finished, divorce papers will process, new relationships will form, time will keep going, and people will move on.

"Hey, Majesty?" Cindy knocked on Noctis' open door. "The bath's ready for you. Prompto already went to bed."

No goodnights? Noctis thought. He turned his phone off, chucked it into the drawer, and let out a helpless sigh. "Noctis is fine, Cindy."

"Okay, Noctis…" It was like she read his mind because she crossed her arms and answered quietly. "Sunshine's tired. Said he wanted to sleep early tonight so I let'im."

"Oh… Okay."

Cindy chewed on her lip and forced a smile as she spoke breathily. "Well, I'm gonna hit the hay, Noct. Hadda long day, yenno? So, goodnight. See ya'll tomorrow."

Noctis nodded and made a small wave. "...Goodnight."

Gladio stared at the paper in front of him. The paper shook on his hands. Eventually, he realized it had been his hands that were shaking. With a bite on his lip, Gladio clasped his hands together tightly to control himself as the paper crumpled into a ball. Trying to keep hot, stinging tears from falling from his eyes, he let out an unsteady breath. He was known as the strong one, therefore he had to be strong. He had promised himself that he was going to be the one that kept everyone grounded, no matter how many times he staggered.

Then again, it's not so easy being strong when the paper at hand was about the possible outcomes his sister would have had if she inhaled the black smoke during the incident at the Rock of Ravatogh. It happened months ago and their family doctor was beyond amazed that Iris could dodge something unexplainable and untreatable. But the scar on her left arm was permanent and he could have done something to avoid it. He could have been there, but he wasn't. He hated himself at that point.

"Gladdy, you shouldn't worry so much. It could've been worse." Iris tried to comfort him. It didn't help much.

Gladio placed the papers down on her bedside table. "Iris, I could've been there. I could've helped you. If I was there to—"

Iris shook her head. "Don't." She took a moment before replying. Her voice was hesitant and her face looked uneasy, but she continued talking anyway. "Look… Prompto was there to save me. If he wasn't there, I could have been seriously injured or like what the doctors said—I could have been dying. Have you talked to Prompto lately?"

"No… But Noct is with him right now," Gladio replied softly. "I was planning on visiting him once Noctis is gone. You know, to thank him for everything."

"Noctis is with him?" Iris clenched her blanket as she raised her tone. "Then… You need to see Prompto and tell Noctis everything!"

"Wait, Iris, keep your voice down." Gladio frowned. "Besides, what's the truth? What if Prompto has already told him whatever that truth is? Just call him."

"Noctis is there because Prompto asked him to, right? He's probably lying to him right now." Iris began to tear up. "How can you tell someone you're dying?! That there was a black smoke that came from mountain and anybody who inhaled it got sick, and that he was one of the unfortunate ones because he was trying to save other people!? Prompto gave me his handkerchief to mask the smoke and he took me, Jared, and Talcott to the storage area. This scar on my arm is nothing compared to what he got. I've been with him on some days he went to his doctor. I went with him and Cindy. You have no idea what he's going through. He's not doing so good, Gladdy. He doesn't look so good."

Gladio furrowed his brows. "Those who got sick from the Rock were caused by a miasma. You saying he's sick because of it?"

"The doctors don't know the cause, even the ones who died early. But I know he only has a few years left. Noctis doesn't know about it. Prompto's probably doing his best to keep it—"

"Iris…" Gladio's voice softened. "You… kept this from me this whole time?"

The two siblings shared a depressing silence for a moment.

Iris hesitated but spoke in an apologetic voice. "I promised… He wanted to keep things the way they are and… Cindy and I are trying our best but you guys need to know. You're his friends too and he still loves Noctis and it's wrong that he wants to marry Lady Lunafreya." Her voice cracked and by the time Gladio looked up, she bursted into tears. "It's not fair. I could've been the one who got sick. But he— he stayed out saving everybody else… It's not fair!"

What else could he say at this point? His sister was crying out to him and her voice was filled with so much guilt, the only thing he could do was pull Iris into his arms. As she leaned unto his chest, she cried and cried while he rubbed her back the way he used to when they were little kids. By the time she had fallen asleep, Gladio already had her in bed with the lights turned off. He watched his sister sleep soundlessly and sighed at the red circles under her eyes.

Brushing the hair that covered Iris eyes, Gladio whispered before leaving. "We'll find a way to help Prompto… Don't worry…"

The incident at Ravatogh happened for months. It must have been hard for Iris to keep such a secret but life helped her. Gladio was too occupied with his duties and Ignis was too focused on helping King Regis and tending to Noctis. There was no time for Prompto. There was no time to hang out and catch up on life. It wasn't only hard for her. It was hard for them too.

Gladio reached for his cellphone when he got into his room.

"...I'm doing this because the former king asked, Gladio. What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Prompto, damnit!"

"…What's happened to Prompto?"

"You don't know?"

"Know what?"

"…Shit, that's right. We're not supposed know."

"...Gladio?"

"So, the medical examiners found black crystals on the trail to the Rock of Ravatogh?"

"Yes... There were two cases in which their hearts were encapsulated with a black crystal. It was causing some abnormality in their system as the particles separated and flowed into their bloodstream, but it primarily affected their brain. They complained of forgetting things and having terrible headaches. I still have yet to look further into the reports. Seriously, Gladio, what's going on?"

"Can you do me a favor, Iggy?"

"What is it?"

"When you find out more about this, let me know. I need to know how I can help Prompto."

"Prompto, again? Gladio, I'm concerned. It seems Noctis had gone off to spend time with Prompto too."

"Yeah, well… I don't mean to put it bluntly, but it was probably Prompto's request since he's dying soon."

"Prompto was affected by the miasma after the eruption at Ravatogh?"

"Most likely. He saved Iris and wasn't able to evacuate with the rest of the citizens. That black crystal sounds like some evil magic voodoo shit. If Prompto's sick because of it, we gotta do something, Iggy."

"Hmm... Why don't we meet up tomorrow? King Regis asked me to talk to one of the medical examiners and head to Ravatogh. You can come with me."

"Shoot. Let's visit Noct and Prompto too."

"Alright. Sounds like a plan."

The phone line ends.