Prompto let out a few tears.
"....I just ask that you.....don't hate me"
"Why would I? Prompto....just trust me" Noct whispered.
"...ok"
Noct smiled softly and grabbed the sheets and put it on his bag.
"Lets go"
"To where?"
Noct stopped and turned to Prompto.
"My apartment" Noct whispered and gave Prompto a light kiss on Prompto's cheek.
"Noct" Prompto whispered back.
"Let's go" Noctis walked towards the door and opened it wider to let Prompto pass him first. Prompto turned around to look at Noctis whom closed the door behind him.
Noct walked down stairs and Prompto followed.
Prompto blushed. Did he just kiss my cheek?
It was dark but they were able to see a little. As they walked down, Prompto suddenly grabbed onto Noct's wrist and tugged him a little.
"Hey" Prompto whispered.
Noct turned and looked up at him. Prompto walked down one stair to be at Noct's eye level.
"Noct...I.......what did I just say?" Prompto asked confused.
"What do you mean?" Noct frowned.
".....did we just....did I just..........?" Prompto looked down at Noct's lips.
"....We'll talk when we get to my place" Noct held onto his hand and Noct led him through the halls.
But....did he just confess to me? ..... Wait.....there is so much to say.......did I just...confess too?.....I like him?...wait, I do?....I....can't.......it was just at the moment and I got carried away. I wasn't thinking straight. I don't like him that way. Do I? I can't. Can I?
Flashback
"Tell me you are not alone because you got me.....Prompto you have me....please let me in..not just as a friend.......but a lover" Noctis confessed.
"Noct.....please don't make this difficult for me"
"How am I making it difficult?" Noct asked.
"....because....I feel like I'm going to fall for you even more than I already am. That's why......I didn't want you to find out about the true me. My flaws and past"
"No one is perfect Prompt" Noct caressed Prompto's cheek.
End Flashback
No way, did I say that? How embarrassing. I didn't mean it like that. Really! I want us to be friends. I must be tired. I mean..falling deeper into him.....I meant....I was starting to value him like a friend I never had.....how could I have said it like that.
Prompto thought and then stopped walking in the middle of the hall. Noctis looked back at Prompto.
"What's wrong?"
Prompto was so confused. And he needed to have many things clarified and he knew Noctis needed that as well.
"Noct.......do...you like me?" Prompto asked.
"Yeah I do" Noctis said.
Noct walked closer to Prompto as Prompto's eyes widened.
".......and what did I say?" Prompto asked.
Noct stayed quiet and looked at Prompto deeply into his eyes confused.
Noct whispered, ".......you said-"
Prompto's eyes lowered and he turned around.
"....Noct...why me?"
"What do you mean?" Noct whispered back.
"....Why me? I'm no one. I'm just a simple guy, why are you bothering in even coming here?" Prompto touched his chest.
"Prompt I.....what's this you are asking all of a sudden?" Noct asked.
"...it's just..I think I said some stuff right now that I didn't mean in that way" Prompto whispered.
"Didn't mean? That way?" Noct frowned.
"....It was all in the moment Noct and I might have said some unnecessary things I didn't mean in that way"
Noct whispered, " .... Don't you feel the same way Prompt?......" Noct turned Prompto around.
".......lover?.........falling deeper into you?.....I don't know what to say to take it back" Prompto confessed.
Noct frowned a little in disbelief and confusion.
What? Didn't we just...have our moment up there? Did I misunderstand?
"..well...you..You want to know why? Why you?" Noct got closer.
Prompto took a few steps back, tears threatening to come out.
"because I-" Noct whispered but said no more.
Someone else besides them was walking in the halls.
Noct pushed Prompto in a corner where they could not be seen.
"He-" Prompto whispered and Noct shushed him.
"Shhh" Noct lifted his finger.
As footsteps neared, Noct pressed himself onto Prompto's body. Prompto could feel Noct's quiet breath next to his ear. The closer the steps got, the deeper Noct dug his face onto Prompto's neck.
Prompto grabbed hold onto Noct's shirt and hoped for the worst.
The sound of a phone rang and the person picked up.
"..hey honey..yeah....I'm just finishing up closing the doors to the school....sure...no way.....don't worry I'll be right there....yeah.....me too...haha....of course" the man, school ganitor, said and started walking away until he could not be heared anymore.
Noct and Prompto stayed still for a couple seconds until Prompto broke the silence, ".....he's gone" Prompto whispered.
Noct slowly let go of him and then looked at him straight in the eye.
"......Let's go"
Prompto carefully followed behind Noct and quietly entered an open classroom and closed it.
Prompto kept staring at Noct as he opened the window.
Everything is going so fast all of a sudden. Why is this happening? He was too close just now.
Flashback
"..hey honey..yeah....I'm just finishing up closing the doors" the ganitor talked in the phone.
Noct held onto Prompto's waist and hip. Prompto silently gulped.
"don't worry....I'll be right there...haha" the ganitor laughed through the phone.
Noct's hand on Prompto's waist and hip tightened and Noct dug his head deeper into Prompto's neck.
End Flashback
Noct turned to Prompto and gave out his hand.
"Come on..grab my hand"
Prompto did so and Noct led Prompto out the window and soon they were out in the open. Noct could have used his warping powers but with Prompto with him, it didn't seem like the right time.
They both climbed up the fence and landed on the floor at the other side.
Noct walked towards the front gate and saw Ignis waiting in the car.
So you didn't leave.
Noctis thought as he opened the back door of the car for Prompto.
"Go on" Noct signaled.
"Its alright Noct. I'm fine" Prompto insisted all of a sudden but Noct wasn't hearing that. Noct took Prompto's backpack, sports bag, everything Prompto had of his personal belongings and signaled Prompto in.
"Come on" Noct quietly said.
Prompto walked closer and slowly got into the back seat. Noct closed the door and went to the trunk to leave Prompto's stuff there.
While he did that, Prompto waited and then glanced at Ignis at the front driver seat.
"What a night, I'm I right?" Ignis broke the silence.
Prompto jumped a little, "yeah...I'm sorry for all the trouble"
"No need to apologize. It was merely Prince Noctis's orders"
"..Prince...Noctis.." Prompto looked down and whispered.
I suddenly forgot you were a Prince.
Noct soon got into the car and sat beside Prompto.
"Ignis, takes us back to the apartment" Noct sighed.
"Of course" Ignis said as he turned on the car.
Prompto just held onto his own hands the whole way.
...........
After 20 minutes, they arrived at Noct's apartment.
Noct got off and opened the door for Prompto.
"Come on....we're here" Noct offered his hand but Prompto didn't take it. Instead, he got out the car instead by himself.
Noct scratched his neck and looked at Ignis close the back trunk and hold Prompto's belongings.
"I'll carry them. Don't worry about it" Prompto grabbed his things from Ignis.
Noct gave Ignis an affirmative look to let Prompto carry his stuff.
"Alright then, here you go" Ignis said.
"Thanks" Prompto said.
Noct turned around and started walking up the stairs to the elevator.
........
8:30pm
Noct opened the apartment door and led Prompto in along with Ignis.
"Come on in. Feel yourself at home" Noct said as he placed his stuff on one of the couches.
Prompto looked around as he shyly walked in and placed his belongings on the couch where Noct placed his stuff.
The place is nice and big.
Prompto thought.
Ignis went to the kitchen and placed some groceries on the table.
"Prompto, would you like to have something to eat?" Ignis offered.
"No thanks...I'm fine..I'm not hungry"
"Prompto....sit" Noct whispered to Prompt and he followed. Prompto sat in the bigger couch next to the window.
Wow. The view is nice here.
"Noct, I'll be leaving you food for this weekend. I won't be able to come over and make dinner and such," Noct walked over to the kitchen where Ignis was.
"Why is that?" Noct said as he folded his arms and stood by the kitchen counter.
"I have some meetings at the palace this weekend." Ignis whispered.
"Will you take me to school Monday though?" Noct whispered.
"Yes I will"
"Thank the lucis gods it's Friday" Noct said and stretched. His eyes landed on Prompto again whom was looking out the window.
Prompto stared onto the night view of the city and thought.
"Don't stare at him too much" Ignis whispered as he prepared some snacks and meals for the next two days.
"What?" Noct gave a confused look.
"Its creepy and weird" Ignis whispered and fixed his glasses with his middle finger.
Noctis raise an eyebrow and then looked at Prompto.
"Well you know what's more weird?" he whispered.
Ignis looked at him.
Noct gave him a finger of 'come on follow me'
Ignis followed Noct to a hall where Prompto couldn't see them or hear them.
Prompto turned around and saw them leave the kitchen. He rested his head on the couch and looked out into the night.
I'm tired.
****
"What?You did what?" Ignis whispered.
Noct scratched his neck, "I couldn't take it anymore...and I confessed"
Ignis sighed.
"And what did he say?"
"Thats the weird part. He said to not make it difficult for him because its going to make him fall more into me than he....already was"
"...and whats the weird part?" Ignis asked in a whisper.
"....while we walked through the halls..he stopped and said some things that confused me" Noct's eyes looked down to Ignis shirt in thought.
"And what was that?"
"He asked me if I liked him....then he asked what he had said.....He said that .......what he had said up at the roof..he didn't mean it in that way.......Ignis..I thought...Prompto liked me in that way. He even said."
"Not really Noct. He merely said that he could fall for you even more than he already has."
"Isn't that the same thing" Noct put his hands in the air.
"Not really. He may have been interested in you as a friend"
"But......I even gave him a small kiss on the cheek and he didn't pull back" Noct looked down.
"You what?..you can't go so fast.....you must have startled him that he was shocked"
Noct looked up at Ignis.
"...Iggy...I have so many questions to ask him" Noct whispered and took a glance at Prompto before walking back into the hall again.
"Be careful what you ask" Ignis warned.
"Iggy...but I need to know"
"Noct .... Like I said. Make sure to earn his trust. You'll be walking into cold ice"
"But he said he does"
"Maybe he said he can trust you but its too soon that you can easily break it...the trust is still not strong enough"
"..you are right.....but I'm afraid to mess things up. I want to hug him and kiss him so bad"
"Don't do that. Instead of helping him you will be hurting him".
"...I guess you are right" Noct folded his arms.
"May the lucis gods forgive me. If King Regis finds out..." Ignis sighed.
"You haven't told my father about this?"
"No" Ignis whispered
"..thanks"
"Look Noct, I'm gonna go now.....and let me tell you this.....you tend to screw things up at times. You do things at impulse without thinking it through. So....don't screw this up as well if it means alot to you. Patience is what you need"
"But how can I? He is right there" Noct took a glance at Prompto who was falling asleep at his position.
"...You know what you are doing Noct. I'll see you Monday morning"
"Ignis" Noct insisted but Ignis left to the kitchen.
Noct followed Ignis and found that Ignis was putting away the food he prepared for the next two days.
"That was quick" Noct smoothly said.
Ignis just smirked and grabbed his stuff. He went up to Prompto and said, "I'll be off now"
Prompto opened his eyes and sat properly, "Don't you live here as well"
"No, just Noct, I just come and check how things are going every now and then"
Prompto nodded slowly.
"We will talk about what we can do for you next time I see you"
"No that's alright. I've been well off"
"Let's not lie to ourselves. This is a good opportunity for you that can help you get on your feet again. Don't feel ashamed to ask for help. Remember that"
Prompto looked down.
"See you Monday" Ignis turned around.
"But..where are you going?"
"Back to the palace"
"Pa..lace. "Prompto softly said.
Ignis nodded and left, locking the door behind him.
I had forgotten again that Noct was a Prince.
"Hey....uhm....You must be tired" Noct stood in front of Prompto.
Prompto looked up and stared at Noct shyly.
"I am a little tired" Prompto quietly said.
"Then I'll show you to your room"
"Wait...room?"
"...yeah, there are three rooms" Noct sat beside Prompto.
Prompto gulped.
"One is the master room and the others are guest rooms"
".....but you live alone" Prompto said.
"Not anymore"
Prompto's eyes widened and he looked away shyly, "I didn't say I was living here"
Noctis looked down.
Dammit. I shouldn't had said that.
"Well... I guess you never know if you'll need them"
Prompto looked up at Noct.
"..more rooms" Noct clarified.
Prompto nodded.
Noct scratched his head and stood up.
"Alright then, let me show you where you'll be sleeping".
Prompto nodded and followed Noct.
.....
"Here... if you need anything, the master room is at the end of the hall, that is where I will be sleeping"
"Ok" Prompto quietly said.
Noct gave him a warm smile and that send butterflies to Prompto's stomach.
What? What is this feeling?
"You'll find anything you need here and you have a restroom as well".
Noct scratched his neck, "very well then....I'll be heading to bed now" Noct began to walk to his room but Prompto stopped him.
"Uh Noct...hmm...thanks" Prompto shyly whispered.
"Its nothing..." Noct smiled.
Prompto looked at him turn around and head to his room.
He didn't say anything about what we talked about at school. He said that we should be friends...but not only that....lovers.
Prompto blushed and went into his room and closed it.
A bed? Clean sheets. A restroom. It looks all nice. Will I be able to sleep well at last?
Prompto turned off the lights and laid under the covers.
Its warm. I wonder what I will do when I see Noct tomorrow. It makes me nervous when I think about him or is it butterflies in my stomach? I don't even know. But its like I've known him forever even though Ive only met him this week and know little about him. Mom, dad......what advice would you guys give to me if you were here? Are these feelings of affection towards a friend? or more of a romantic affection towards.....a friend....? Are we still friends.......even after what he said up there? There is so many things I want clarified. Everything is suddenly so confusing. I don't know what to do or how to act. Please help me.
Prompto struggled as he thought and soon he fell asleep.
****
Noct closed the door behind him and sighed in relief.
Man, I was almost close to screwing it up. I felt like kissing him right there. I also couldn't help but almost ask him why was he up there. Well at least I know it wasn't his parents kicking him out...since they passed away few years back. But how did they die? He must be all alone. Poor Prompto. How I wish to know all the things that you have been and gone through. And then I could just hug you and protect you.
Noct bit his lip and hid under the covers thinking. He hugged the pillow close in desperation.
My heart hasn't felt this way ever. Its beating so fast.
Flashback
"Hmm..thanks" Prompto shyly whispered.
End Flashback
He was so cute. That face, I want to break him and then put it all back. I like him. Its like I've known him my whole life.
Noct squirmed next to the pillow as he couldn't keep all his feelings inside.
I feel like I'm drowning into these feelings that can't be put merely as pure friendship. God please help me be patient. Mother, what should I do? Its not a girl but a guy. I know my impulsives get the best of me, so please help me stay calm when I see him or else......I feel I might literally break him and I am afraid it would be hard to put the pieces back. Prevent me from doing something stupid that I might regret.
Noctis thought and soon he fell asleep.
1:15am
The house was dark and silence filled it as well. Noct laid sleeping in his room and so was Prompto in his own room until he woke up. Prompto's eyelids opened up and across from him was a clock on top of the drawer that read the time.
Prompto tried to go back to sleep but he couldn't. Half hour passed and he still couldn't. His body sat up and he quietly stood up as to not make any noise.
I can't go back to sleep. Maybe seeing the city view might relax me.
Prompto opened the door quietly and looked both ways.
Its quiet.
Prompto got out of his room and looked at Noct's room from afar.
Flashback
"if you need anything, the master room is at the end of the hall, that is where I will be sleeping"
End Flashback
No. I won't be waking him up for this.
Prompto turned around and headed towards the living room and sat on the big couch next to the big glass wall window.
The building amd street lights lit the city night and Prompto folded his arms and put them on top of the couch and laid his head above his arms. His right leg was folded on top of the couch as he stared at the view for a couple minutes until a voice startled him.
"Can't sleep?" Noct said.
Prompto jumped a little and then sighed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" Noct sat beside Prompto and turned his body to have a better look at him.
"Its ok" Prompto whispered.
Noct looked away.
"Haven't slept?"
"I did but...........I couldn't manage to go back to sleep after I woke up" Prompto quietly said as he looked at the city view.
"........"
"..how about you? You couldn't sleep?" Prompto looked at Noct.
"...I woke up feeling thirsty...I was going to get a glass of water"
"Hmm" Prompto nodded and looked back at the view.
"You like the view?" Noct observed.
"Yeah. It looks beautiful at night from here. But not so beautiful up close" Prompto smirked.
"Why is that?" Noct said.
"...well....you can bump into some annoying people in the streets at night"
Noct stared at Prompto curiously.
At night? What would you be doing in the streets at night?
"......I'm not one of those annoying people am I?" Noct questioned.
Prompto looked back at Noct and whispered a soft , "no, not at all"
Noct sighed in relief internally.
".....you can see the Citadel from here" Prompto observed curiously.
"Yeah..you can" Noct looked at the Citadel from afar.
"You know........I kept forgetting you were a prince...and I still do" Prompto looked at Noct.
"Forgetting?" Noct asked.
"Yeah...... I just felt too comfortable with you even though its been only a few days we've known each other"
"And how about now? Do you feel comfortable?" Noct asked with a soft, serious face.
Prompto looked at him with a frowning doubtful face.
"....I.....I do......but..."
"...but...?" Noct frowned in curiosity.
".......hmmm.......its just......Jeez Noct...I don't know what to say. Wait I do know what to say but...I don't know how to" Prompto said as he fidgeted with his fingers.
Noct blinked, "hmm.....where to start huh?"
Prompto looked at the view and nodded.
"Well....its not like we have the time tied up our necks. We have the whole time of the world to talk and know each other" Noct sighed and stretched.
"......." Prompto stayed quiet. You are right.
It stayed silent for a few minutes and Noct didn't know what to say to break the silence.
"....So....Noct......you said you talked to the queen every night.....you mean...pray to her?" Prompto looked down.
"Yeah" Noct sighed internally.
"...You know...I was never aware of the royal family...I knew there was one but I never paid attention" Prompto looked up again at the view.
"Really?" Noct smirked.
"Yeah"
"..."
"......In fact I didn't even know you existed"
"That hurts"
Prompto looked at Noct and softly laughed a little. Noct held his breath and tried to stay composed
God please help me stay calm.
Noct thought.
"......I don't know if you mind me asking.....but.....I never knew what happened to the queen. I just heared she had passed away five years ago. Noct.......how did your mom pass away?"
Mom? He said mom. That just makes my heart jump. Instead of keeping on calling her queen, he said mom. And somehow I feel a knot form in my throat. Its only been five years. I was merely 12. And it feels like it was just yesterday that it happened.
Noct looked down and tried to find the right words.
"The queen..........uhm......my mother.....my mom" he sighed.
Prompto looked at Noct.
"She died in a terrible car accident" Noct whispered.
"Accident?" Prompto's eyes went wide and tears threatened to fall.
"Yeah..........you know that one bridge that connects the center of Insomnia to the rest of Insomnia?"
"The one before Exit 15?"
"Yeah..that one"
What? Wait that's the same one...my....wait five years ago....it can't be the same day can it?
Prompto screamed inside his head.
"Yeah" Prompto listened carefully.
"Well a drunk driver apparently was able to get into and drive onto the opposite side of the bridge towards incoming traffic. My mom was coming back to the city that day along with my dad from a meeting they had in Tenebrae...."
Prompto listened carefully.
"........the drunk driver was coming straight towards a big cargo truck in front of them. And when the truck tried to evade it.......the truck flipped over and my parents car couldn't evade that.....they spinned half way......and tilted a couple times over before crashing into it" Noct looked towards Prompto's shirt as he remembered what happened, what his dad told him.
".....and my mom hit her head on the windowshield. The hit was so hard....she died instantly there.......and that is why my dad........thats why he wears that.." Noct gulped, "that gold brace on his right knee and uses a cane"
"I'm sorry"
"Don't be..it wasn't your fault....it was that drunk driver"
".....And what happened to the drunk driver?" Prompto inched closer to Noct.
"...apparently...he crashed into another car...after he evaded the truck and died instantly himself" Noct sadly looked at Prompto.
Prompto frowned and couldn't believe what he was saying. Not the fact of his mother's death but his own parents.
A tear fell down Prompto's cheek.
"Hey hey...Prompto its ok"
"No" Prompto gasped.
Noctis frowned in worry.
"Five years ago right?........."
"Yeah" Noct whispered.
"When did it happen?" Prompto asked and felt scared inside.
"The day it happened?"
"Yeah"
"It happened at noon...." Noct slowly said.
It happened at noon as well.
"...on the....." Noct began to say and Prompto feared that it would match the same date of his parent's death.
November 29
"November 29" Noct said.
It can't be. Prompto looked at Noct with wide opened eyes as a few tears dropped.
"Prompto? What's the matter?"
"It can't be....I thought... It was my fault.....I thought....because of me........so thats the reason why.......I didn't even get to apologize to them......." Prompto looked down and began to sob quietly.
"Prompt hey....whats the matter?" Noct inched closer and hesitated on whether hugging him.
Prompto held onto Noct's shirt and cried quietly. Noct then knew it was ok and Noct got closer and embraced him into his arms. Noct felt sad to see him like this that even he wanted to cry, but he stayed brave. If someone needed to be strong right now, it was him. Prompto was opening up to him and Noct could just stay quiet, listen and try to understand.
"......Noct......both my parents.....they died five years ago........
that same day.........
............
at noon.............
at that same bridge"
To be continued in the next episode. -> Episode 8
Episode 7 Word Count: 4263 words