Good evening! This one's a little shorter than the previous few, both because I am very tired and because I felt it was alright this way and didn't need much more. Also, in case you missed it, since this website was down last night when I was trying to post, I posted yesterday's chapter a little while ago!

Today's unfortunate Poor Bastard Of The Day is Prompto!

Prompts:

No. 20: "People don't change people, time does."
Blanket | Found Family | "You will regret touching them."

Warnings: Ardyn being creepy, non-consensual touching (non-sexual!)

Noct doesn't really know what to make of this Ardyn guy. He seems harmless enough, but something about him just seems… off. The way he speaks and moves is unsettling in a way Noct can't put his finger on.

Ignis and Gladio don't trust the guy a single bit, that much is obvious. They've both got years and years of experience handling unpleasant politicians, though, so they're hiding it pretty well, at least at first glance.

Gladio is making light-hearted jokes and acts as if Ardyn isn't even there, but he always carefully places himself between Noct and their uninvited guest, and his eyes follow Ardyn's every movement.

Ignis, while he's all polite smiles and pleasant small-talk, refuses to sit down with them, claiming he needs to frequently get up to check on the food cooking inside the caravan anyway. Instead, he leans against the caravan and watches Ardyn like a hawk, and beneath his polite behaviour, there is a frigidness that would make Noct shiver if it were directed at him.

So far, Ardyn's done nothing to warrant any hostile reaction besides being a little weird, so Noct's overprotective friends are forced to sit back and watch.

It's more than a little awkward. Normally, when they've got some downtime and get to spend the night at a caravan or even a hotel where there is wifi, they're quick to whip out their phones and play some King's Knight, but it seems impolite to do so with Ardyn present.

Prompto tries to start conversations and include Ardyn in them several times, but most of it falls kind of flat and doesn't really go anywhere. Not that Ardyn makes it any easier for him, choosing to reply in cryptic remarks instead of speaking like a normal person.

Eventually, Ardyn starts carrying most of the conversation on his own, wandering back and forth around their table as he talks about some weird stuff Noct can't even be bothered to listen to - but he's had to sit through enough meetings that he knows when to smile and nod and make noises that sound like agreement.

"…isn't that right?" Ardyn purrs, and leans forward to caress Prompto's face.

Prompto's widened eyes flick towards Noct in a silent plea for help, but then Ardyn steps back and resumes his monologue as if nothing happened.

Noct opens his mouth to say something, but Prompto speaks at the same time, a high-pitched, too-loud agreement with whatever Ardyn is talking about. He tends to get talkative when he's nervous, and from the way he's babbling now, he's got to be pretty damn nervous.

Gladio stops him with a subtle nudge of his knee and smoothly takes over the conversation instead, and slowly, Prompto relaxes.

Allowing himself to zone out again, Noct lets Ardyn talk all he wants, and he's just about to suggest they go to bed when Ardyn goes to touch Prompto again.

This time, his fingers don't manage to make contact before his hand is seized in a tight grip and Ignis' voice cuts through the tense silence, icy like the Glacian herself.

"I would strongly advise against this if you want to keep all your fingers."

Ignis' voice is soft and dangerous, and it's a tone that usually gets people to back off really quickly when they realise Ignis is all business, but Ardyn just smiles lazily and pulls his hand back.

"A protective bunch, aren't you?" he says slowly. "Well, I do apologize. I've let myself get carried away. I hope you don't hold this against me,"

His eyes are trained on Prompto who looks like he wants to be anywhere but here, and Noct has had enough.

"The hell is your problem, man? Leave him alone."

Gladio stays silent, but he's holding himself like a coeurl ready to pounce. One wrong move and Ardyn gets decked in the face, Noct has seen it before.

Part of him almost wishes Ardyn will give Gladio a reason to do so.

But the guy does seem to possess some sense of self-preservation and simply excuses himself to bed instead.

They all watch him leave, and as soon as he's gone, Noct focuses on Prompto who's white as a sheet.

"Hey, man, you okay?" he asks, not bothering to hide his concern.

Prompto lets out a shaky breath. "Yeah. Yeah, he didn't. I mean, he didn't hurt me or anything. It's cool."

"It's very much not cool," Gladio grumbles. "Next time he pulls a stunt like that, I'll wipe that creepy smile right off his face."

"Think Iggy's gonna chop off his hand first," Noct mutters.

"Oh, I absolutely will," Ignis agrees with a dark look. He pushes himself away from the caravan and rests a comforting hand on Prompto's shoulder. "Are you sure you're alright, Prompto?"

Prompto nods and leans into the touch, already a little less pale than before. "Yeah, thanks, Iggy. Just, if I never have to be alone with him again, I wouldn't complain about that."

"You won't," Gladio promises, and Noct nods firmly in agreement. Like hell that creep's gonna touch Prompto again.

The exchange keeps playing on a loop in Noct's head. They failed him, gods, they failed Prompto so bad, most of all himself who is responsible for this whole mess in the first place.

"What did that bastard do to you?" Gladio demands, voice rough as he inspects Prompto for injuries. He's got many littering his body, but none are life-threatening and it's nothing that can't be fixed with a potion.

"Nothing. He just- Nothing," Prompto replies. He looks out of it, like he hasn't slept in days - and really, he probably hasn't.

"But-" Gladio presses, but Ignis nudges him to shut him up.

"Prompto needs to rest, we cannot press on like this."

Reluctantly, Gladio nods. "Iggy's right. Noct, did you see a dorm room somewhere close by?"

On autopilot, Noct stands. "Yeah. Out that door over there then to the left, I think."

Gladio gathers Prompto in his arms, and it's proof of how shitty Prompto is feeling that he isn't making a single joke about it. Instead, he just curls into himself and lets Gladio sweep him up like he weighs nothing.

Like a shadow, Ignis follows, dagger clutched in his hand. If Noct had to guess, he's probably imagining a million different ways to kill Ardyn right now, and Noct quite shares the sentiment.

In the dorm room, Gladio gently places Prompto on one of the tiny beds and helps him crush a potion in his hand.

Immediately, Prompto looks better, but he still needs rest, and desperately so.

Gladio tuck him in with so much care it almost feels too private to watch, and then Ignis settles himself on the bed next to Prompto, feeling around the mattress for his hand and holding onto it once he's found it.

Noct turns around and steps out of the dorm room. When he's sure the door has closed behind him, he looks up towards the ceiling and raises his voice.

"Ardyn! Mark my words - I will make you regret touching him. You will regret everything you've done to them. Consider this a promise!"

Then, he turns on his heel and returns to his friends. Ardyn is not worth any more of his time, right now, he has other priorities.

Prompto is already deep asleep, and Ignis, nestled against him, looks exhausted enough to nod off any moment as well.

Gladio's leaning against the wall next to the door, standing guard.

"Gladio, go lie down. Get some sleep. I'll take first watch," Noct says. He's never felt more awake, and he's going to take full advantage of it to protect those he loves.

"I'm fine," Gladio argues, but Noct's not having any of it.

"I said sleep. I need you, Gladio, and I need you in top shape. So you're going to lie down and you're going to sleep and I'll wake you in a few hours. Got it?"

Gladio still looks like he wants to argue, but then his shoulders drop in defeat and he nods. "Okay. Two hours, then you wake me."

"Sure," Noct says.

He does not wake Gladio after two hours.

So I had to go to Youtube to confirm this scene (from chapter 4 of the game, when Ardyn tags along with the boys for a little while and hangs out with them by the caravan) actually happened because I was like 90% sure it did but 10% of me still were like "but that's such a weird and creepy thing to put in the game, maybe it was just from a fic after all" but nope, Ardyn really goes to touch Prompto's face in that scene.
Like with a lot of things in this game, I'm really missing some kind of reaction from the boys there, so here you go, a reaction :)

Anyway I'm really into the idea of Noct being protective of all three of his friends, and I love when he gets out his Serious Voice and starts getting bossy like he does to Gladio at the end of this fic. Just, when his inner King comes out, yknow? God I love him, I love them all so much.

I'm not sure what to do for tomorrow yet, but Noct's been a little too comfortable those past few days so maybe I'll come for him next. Idk yet, consider it a surprise.

Have a lovely weekend!