I don't want you to remember me this way

Prompto/ Noctis

Prompt: Paranormal/ romance:

"Speak softly love," he whispers in your ear. But when you turn in surprise, there is nothing there but a bust of a handsome young man staring back at you. You continue walking down the dark corridor.

Somehow the aftereffects of Noctis ascent to the throne never reached his mind. He never thought in a million years that his best friend would in the end never return. If only he had time to prepare for the emptiness that the king of light brought to the morning after he died. Prompto maybe would have learned how to cope. Yet, here he was, lost in is own thoughts as the throne now lay empty. So, it forever will be.

In Promptos mind, the concept of death never reached his ear. He never thought of his own end, nor understood what losing someone meant. Promptos parents, he wonders if they care whether he died or lived. When the attack those many years ago first happened. Not a call was given, nor a question answered. "Are you alright? Mom, Dad?" yet no answer given. Though sometime perhaps a month later, he decided to check and found that they indeed had seen his messages, all of them. They just didn't care. He was dead to them and that was all.

This though, this was different. He loved Noct, He was the rest of his soul. A reminder of the human that prompto was. Wherever Noctis would go, prompto followed. Making sure that no matter what, prompto was there. "Ever at his side" but what do you do when the person you swore an oath to dies?

Prompto was never suicidal, despite his upbringing, prompto just pushed and managed on his own. He had to, because he always had a feeling that someone would be there who gave a damn even if subconsciously, he thought otherwise. A presence in the back of his mind that drove him to keep going no matter what.

'Noctis', He stood observing the throne, morning and night. He stood waiting. Hoping that by some miracle the man he loved would return. So, what happens if the one person you promised a lifetime with dies? Questions, with no answer. Fate for them was cruel and the more he spent watching and waiting for answers, the more he wished hell on the selfish cosmos that damned them to be separated.

So here, Prompto stays glued to the spot. No one could move him. Persuade him to rest, eat, or converse with the others. Yet no one Questioned his reasons. They just accepted them. Ever loyal to the king.

"Prompto"

At this, Prompto couldn't help the small smile he held. He was sad but somehow the studious advisor was a small balm to his woes. Reminding him of a deep bond between the three of them. They could never be noctis, but they were his brothers, sworn family, the only family he would ever consider. Yet even they couldn't move him in this moment. Yet, still against his own power, he turns slowly to meet the advisor.

Blind as he were, ignis still knew where exactly prompto was. We were like a tracking missile, accurately homing in on the whereabouts of others. Another harsh reminder of the pain the Astrals left behind.

Ignis wore his official regalia, a true reminder of the duties he was sworn into. While there was no kind, there was still a kingdom to protect. A place that needed a government and officials that needed to be appointed. Somehow this though angered him, it had only been three days since the king died, yet everyone seemed to move one with out him. Like his sacrifice didn't matter.

Again, Prompto had no energy left to voice his frustrations, and the fear of his own anger scared him. Maybe he was being selfish, maybe he was being unreasonable. But The man who died was Important, to everyone. The thought of no one at least sharing a thought about him was maddening.

"Prompto"

Again, the advisor speaks.

"I know it hurts, I know that you want him here, but you must not remain her glued to this space."

"Iggy, I can't" The words left him like the soul that left them and before he realized it, he was crying.

"Oh, dear" Iggy whispers with the softest of tones. Like someone comforting a scared animal. He approaches prompto with the same energy. As if prompto was fragile like glass.

"Come here, prompto" As ignis moves slowly, as if afraid that if he moved too quickly prompto would disappear. But Prompto would remain still. With the tears that streamed unknowingly down his face. It felt like he had been crying for days. His body was heavy and drained. If focus only remaining on the throne for just as long. He only moved to sleep at the base of the throne, fear crippled him that if he left his memories would too.

" Shh, please." Another first from ignis, begging. "Please, Prompto, you have to stop this. You cannot remain like this. You have people what care about you, and here you are wasting away. His memory will not fade from our thoughts. Ever will always be with us. You must believe that he will be here. Even if you cannot see him."

"Iggy" Came a choked response.

And the tidal wave of emotions came rushing in. Maybe it was exhaustion. Maybe it was the rawness of the situation. Prompto didn't know. He collapsed, there, at the seat of the throne. Crumpled into a mess of a ball. Grasping tightly to the arm of the chair in front of him. His face resting in the seat.

"Why?!" He explained "Everyone, why?!" He felt a large hand resting around his shoulders, but he shrugged them away. If the tried to remove him, He would fight. But they didn't instead, he felt a warmth there. Those hands started to surround him, with the heat of a chest engulfing him. Almost hiding him from the rest of the room. 'Gladdio'.

The man must have come in with Iggy. Maybe to try and pry him away from the throne where the kind died. Yet they understood, no one else seemed to. Many staff tried to demand he leave. He didn't belong there, they would claim. When some glaives came by to try and remove him, he pulled out his gun and told them to leave him be. In his grief of the fallen king, Promptos' usual sweet nature was nothing but a husk. He wanted to be left alone. Why couldn't they understand?

Eventually, Cor issued official orders for all the staff to leave Prompt be. They weren't to touch or remove him until he was ready to leave. That, however, was three days ago. It must have been out of concern for the gunman that Gladdio, and Ignis were here at all.

After the king had passed, they immediately oversaw his burial proceedings. He was buried near Galdin Quay on the hill side overlooking the crystalline waters below. His tomb was currently in the process of being built around his body. Prompto, knew that even in the wake of his death, Gladdio, and ignis both had duties as his majesties retinue. There were procedures and official announcements that needed to be done. Them being the next most important individuals of the government. Their status left little time to focus on emotional pain. So, while prompto screamed at them the first night when they carefully removed Noctis' body. He understood why they had to. So Prompto was left crying for them both.

Now, they were here for him. Gladio holding on to him. Ignis whispering to him. Eventually, the exhaustion and pain took over and Prompto feel in to a deep slumber. Somehow, he felt like hands were pulling him under. Softly, gently telling him to surrender to rest. After three days of little sleep and endless crying, the last thing he remembers was Gladdio lifting him gently. "I got you". In his arms, Prompto felt like a child again, cradled and protected from the world. He wished he could forever sleep in that embrace.

A dream of a man. Sadly, smiling greeted him in his sleep. His hair was slicked back and his face was clean shaven. Regal in nature. If Prompto hadn't known better, He would have mistaken the man for someone else. But no. He knows this man like he knew how to breath. His hands touched this man, this man he knew all too well. Prompto knows this body, like he knows his own. The smile and the eyes. His eyes, a deep ocean blue that made his heart flutter. This man, Noct.

Prompto was staring at Noc.

"Prompto"

And all prompto could do was stare. In the years leading up to the events at the citadel, Prompto and Noct grew inseparable. Everything they did they did for each other. They breathed each other's air. Understood each other like no one else. Prompto knew that Noct didn't want this. With out even mentioning it Prompto just knew that if there were other ways to prevent The Kings death, Noct would have taken them. If fact Prompto knew that he tried. Begged even.

Prompto remembers when Noctis came back the last time. The two of them could only hold on to each other and cry. Their last moments intimately together was spent holding each other and not wanting to let go. Only the harsh reminder of no sun light told them that no, Nocct needed to go, and that was the last time that Prompto go to kiss him.

The king steeled himself, appearing regal and powerful, yet his eyes that met Promptos told him everything. He didn't want to go, no more than prompto wanted to say goodbye. Every touch up to the steps of the citadel was hard and hard to depart from. They knew that they were saying goodbye. Neither were ready yet. It was as the doors of the throne room closed, as prompto reach out for him one last time. Cruelly those doors separated them before their fingers met.

As tears streamed endlessly, prompto fought. Anger, fear, pity, grief, determination. He knew he had to live on. How? When his air was taken from him. How do you breathe with no air?

And here, in his dreams, Noct was standing there. Waiting for him to focus. Pleading with prompto to focus.

"Prompto, I need you to stop crying for me." The words hurt, if when they didn't mean to. "Listen to me…"

So, prompto listens.

"I want to apologize, of all the people that I wanted to live for, you were the one I want the most. So, I'm going to be honest. I never go to say goodbye the way I wanted to. I never got to hold your hands the way I wanted to, cry for you the way I wanted to. Now that I'm gone, It's hard to bare that I've hurt you so." Tears now flow through those eyes like the rivers they mimic. " I have been watching you, You hadn't left the throne room in days, /you don't sleep, or eat. You stand ever loyal and my throne. But I see you crying out for me, and I know I left too much unsaid. I place a cruel burden on you. You will and always will be the most loyal and beautiful person to me. I can't help but miss us."

"Noct-"

"No, let me finish, please" prompto quiets.

"While I'm no longer capable of being there. There are other people who want to love you. Gladio and ignis. They truly love you and support you and frankly, you're scaring them. You need to live prompto. You need to find your light again and be the person I know you can be. I brought the light back, and now this world needs someone to keep that light going. A gentle soul, one that I can trust to rule with love and care."

And prompto's heart speeds up, because he feels a proposition occurring.

"I want you to be king in my place."

"Noct! What I can't-"Promptos eyes widen, He couldn't believe what he heard.

"I'm serious! There isn't anyone That I would trust more, than you! You know what It means to be a citizen. You know exactly what I would have done had I lived to rule instead. I trust you. Consider this a parting give from me to you." He says as a genuine smile blooms across his face.

"I can't be there to hold you anymore, but I am still there, and will give you one more thing before I let you go. There will be challenges, I have sent Gentiana to inform the others of your new position. You will be well protected moving forward, but I am giving you the power of EOS with this power, there will be no question that you were chosen."

"Noct." How was he a commoner. Able to fill such big shoes. This was not something that he had thought of, not in a million years. A king.

"Honestly? Had things been different, I would have still made you kind by marriage anyway, ha-ha. You mean that much to me. You are my everything." He wistfully sighs and starts to walk closer to prompto.

And suddenly they are twenty again, suddenly they were embracing again. It felt like he would never leave again. "I won't." Had he said that out loud? "I may not be there. Physically but, I will be there in your dreams, in your consciousness. I will guide you and protect you as best I can on the other side and wait for you when you come to rest by my side."

At this Noct starts to fade away.

"I leave the design of the tomb to you."

And with that Noct is gone.

Prompto, slowly opens his eyes. His lovers' words hanging on his tongue. "King"

'I'm now a king.'

"Prompto"

A woman's voice 'Gentiana'

His body felt heavy still, so Prompto just shifts his eyes, to the woman by his bed side.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty" She says "I will be you messenger for the years to come.

'Ah' He thought 'so the gods have blessed this'. He thought, not quite awake enough to understand his position. He hears a chuckle from the other side of the bed. Gladdio, was lounging on his side fondly staring in amusement.

"Welcome back, your majesty. That's quite the parting give, huh?"

Another chuckle from the corner of the room

"I dare, say Nothing would have prepared me for the current circumstances" Iggy states in further amusement.

"Listen guys, I know formalities are going to be a huge adjustment, but I would appreciate it if my future husbands didn't call me that."

That got them to shut up… but really, he wouldn't have them any other way. Why not start now?

A quiet moment, and suddenly the room lit up in laughter, even Gentiana spared herself laughter.

And somewhere, in the reaches of his mind, he hears the comforting laughter of Noctis as well.

What Prompto wouldn't give to hear that sound again