Good evening! Work is kicking my ass this because two coworkers are on vacation and I'm doing the work of like three people even though I am only one people, BUT I've been looking forward to getting to post this all day because I really like it, and also y'all are feeding my ego SO MUCH, I'm so happy with the engagement this series is getting so far! Me looking at the hits like hehehehe number go UP :)

So yeah tysm if you're here reading this, I'm super thrilled and I hope you enjoy Noct's turn!

Prompts:

No. 4: "I see the danger, It's written there in your eyes."
Cattle Prod | Shock | "You in there?"

Warnings: None

The first time he summons Ramuh, it's barely on purpose.

They're in that Niflheim base, their plan to get the car back unnoticed in the dead of night utterly failed, and it's not looking good for any of them.

Gladio took a hit for him earlier and while he's still up and moving, he's holding himself stiffly. He's clearly injured - broken ribs, maybe.

Ignis is bleeding from a deep cut on his left arm that'll probably give him trouble for a few days to follow, even with potions.

And Prompto, although he's doing his best to keep his distance and put bullets into anything that gets too close to Noct or the others, one of the snipers nearly got him. It's hard to tell from the distance, but the shot seems to have grazed his leg judging from the way he's favouring it.

Noct himself isn't doing too great, either. He's got no significant injury, but he's all banged up and he's pretty sure his back is going to bother him for a while after this.

So he doesn't notice the raw power inside him growing at first, somehow foreign and familiar at the same time. It starts from his very core, bubbling outwards until it almost hurts, and before he's able to comprehend what's about to happen, the sky splits open.

Static fills the air, the deafening roar of thunder temporarily drowns out any and all battle noises, and a giant hand descends from the sky and plucks Noct straight off the ground.

He yells, surprised, and instinctively tries to wriggle out of the grasp to no avail.

Ramuh, he realises a bit belatedly, and he doesn't have time to think anything else before Ramuh slams his staff into the ground and lightning rains down onto the battlefield, absolutely frying the remaining MAs and Magitek sentries.

Noct watches, horrified as the ground becomes a sea of electricity - his friends are down there, please stop, don't hurt them-

And then the lightning stops at once, as quickly as it began.

Ramuh deposits him gently on the ground, a stark contrast to the mercilessness he just displayed, but Noct barely registers it as he stumbles to his knees onto the scorched ground and throws up, the sheer intensity of Ramuh's power and the overwhelming stench of burning machinery in the air too much to handle.

Ramuh's power is still there within him, but it has retreated to its former levels, slumbering deep down. After being filled with such raw power, the power of a god, its absence leaves Noct hollow and desperate, like he can never feel whole again.

It's terrifying and Noct can't stop shaking so violently his teeth are chattering.

Vaguely, he registers the sound of his name being called - three voices, they're alright, all of them - but he can't bring himself to lift his head, let alone get up.

He curls into himself, arms desperately wrapped around his middle as he tries to - what, warm himself up? Keep himself together? He can't even tell what he's feeling, what he needs, it's all too overwhelming, too much, he wants to peel off his skin if it gets rid of the sensation of static all over him, and he clasps his hands over his ears to try and silence the roaring thunder, but it resonates in his brain and it won't stop.

"Noct!" Someone calls, sounding as frightened as he feels, but already, his vision turns white and he feels himself tilting sideways as he passes out.

When he wakes up, it's in the back of a moving car. It's more than a little disorienting because he's lying stretched out on the backseat and it feels like he's moving sideways, and that's doing nothing for the lingering nausea.

He groans and blinks his eyes open, only to find Gladio peering down at him and belatedly, Noct realises that his head is pillowed on Gladio's lap.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," Gladio says, but it lacks its usual teasing edge. Instead, there's something else in his voice, but Noct is too tired to try and figure it out. He's even too tired for a proper response, opting for a vague noise instead.

He's still trembling a little, and the static still kind of clings to him - though he's not sure how much of it is real and how much is just phantom sensation - and his body still hungers for that immense power it briefly possessed, but he doesn't feel as much as if he's going to die any second anymore.

"Wanna sit up, drink something?" Gladio asks, nudging him when his eyes start to drift closed on their own. "Noct?"

"Mmm not yet," Noct manages to mumble out, and his time, Gladio lets him close his eyes again.

He's asleep almost immediately, but just before he drifts off again, he registers the weight of a big, warm hand settling on his head as gentle fingers start moving through his hair.

I feel like I'm repeating myself but thank you for reading!

Have a lovely day and see you tomorrow (it'll be Noct's turn again and then he can catch a break for a while and also you'll see the moment my resolution to keep the Whumptober stuff below 1k went out the window)!