TW: angst, character death, panic attacks
A/n: I really didn't feel like writing two completely different chapters for the first and second ending, so they'll have the same build up for the most part but will split off in different directions pretty early on. Also, I'm modelling Prompto's anxiety attack off of what I've experienced in the past, just so ya know...
---------
Waiting for the sun to rise the next morning was utter torture for the blond. He couldn't help but beat himself up over the fact that one of his best friends had disappeared without him noticing.
Maybe if I hadn't been so busy trying to impress Cindy, then--
Prompto's thoughts were cut short when he was blinded by the sun creeping over the horizon. He hadn't slept at all that night, his mind not once shutting off. It was like it was trying to make the blond marksman feel guilty about the past few weeks. After all, he had been the one to beg with Noctis and the king to let (Y/n) join them on their journey.
As soon as the sun hit his eyes, Prompto was jumping to his feet, going to wake the others.
"Iggy, come on! Wake up!" he ordered, shaking the tactician by the shoulders. It didn't take too much to wake him -- he was a light sleeper -- but it still felt too slow to Prompto. He wanted -- no, needed -- to find (Y/n), and the quicker the better.
Ignis said nothing as he rose, then promptly went to wake Noctis while Prompto woke Gladio. After what felt like hours -- Ignis insisted that they all eat something before they left on their search -- the group of four trekked across the deserts of Leide. Their first stop -- the Bandersnatch behind Hammerhead.
***
Prompto was moving with a speed the others had never seen before, not even in training. It was heartbreaking, really: the blond had been so preoccupied with his own interests that he hadn't realized just how much (Y/n) meant to him until it was possibly too late. All of the boys had seen the way she looked at him, except for him. And their hearts felt for the young woman.
Noctis, while also being in love with someone, didn't have to worry about said person not feeling the same way. He and Luna had held feelings for one another way before this arranged marriage.
Gladio, well... He would recognize the look in (Y/n)'s eyes even if he was blind: it wasn't one of familial love, like what he shared with Iris, and the love the small girl held for Prompto went far beyond that of a caring friend. Fuck, Gladio had felt that same kind of love a few times before, back when he was a teenager.
And Ignis? He made it a point to keep an eye on all of his comrades, so it was rare that anything slipped past him. He had been the first to notice the longing in (Y/n)'s gaze when she would watch her best friend, and his suspicions had only been confirmed when she had put herself between Prompto and an MT instead of going to protect Noctis, who had been indisposed. But he could never hold it against her; she was Prompto's childhood friend, after all, and she hadn't made an oath to protect the prince with her life like the others had. And besides, he and Gladio had gone to protect Noctis in her stead.
And now, as they followed after Prompto, just barely keeping up with him in his frenzied state, all they felt was a sense of dread. As they crested the ridge, their eyes were met with a horrific scene.
The bandersnatch lay in the small water source in the crater, the water turned red with blood. It was unsure whether it was the creatures or (Y/n)'s, and that sent Prompto into a panic once more. The blond jumped into the crater, his legs carrying him across the desolate earth until he came to a stop at the monster's body. Eyes wide, he whipped his head around, searching for any sign of the girl. When he saw nothing, his mind went into overdrive.
Prompto's surroundings became brighter and it became harder to stand on his own. His limbs tingled with a feeling he hadn't felt in years -- and he hated it. He sank to the hard-packed ground, fingers curling inward unconsciously as the numb feeling spread throughout his body. His limbs felt like lead, and he wouldn't have been able to move if he tried. He tried to speak, but found that -- like with his limbs -- the muscle had turned to lead. Fuck, he couldn't even feel it against the inside of his cheek anymore. Unknown to him, his teeth had started to work on his cheek, and he only realized it when the coppery taste of blood landed on his numb tongue.
Prompto sat frozen as he gradually lost control over his body, and he couldn't help but think:
Is this what it's like to die? Being unable to move even a single finger? Being unable to speak even a single word?
"Prompto," Noct's voice pulled the blond from his musings, and he found that he could now move just a bit. Turning his head towards the prince, the blond couldn't help the whimper that escaped his lips.
"She- she's not--" His voice crackled and his tongue felt heavy once again. Noctis could only watch on helplessly as his first friend broke down in front of him. Prompto had always been so vibrant, so happy when they were in high school, so seeing him this disheartened was a new feeling for the prince -- and he didn't like it.
"I know, Prompto," Noct whispered, a hand coming to clasp his friend's shoulder. His fingers dug into the material of the blond's vest as a pained expression flitted across his face. What am I supposed to--
"Prompto, if she is not here, then that doesn't mean she isn't alive," Ignis interrupted, and the blond's head whipped up and blue eyes met green. "We must continue on with the search. She might need our help."
Unable to speak, Prompto only nodded, and Gladio helped him stand, pulling him up by the arm.
"You good, kid?" the shield inquired, his hand not once leaving the marksman's upper arm. Gladio would never admit it to the others, but he was afraid that the blond would fall again if he were to let go. Again, Prompto nodded. For a few seconds, his eyes were trained on the ground as his teeth pulled at his bottom lip.
"Alright, let's go."
***
If they had thought the Bandersnatch had been mutilated beyond recognition, then the behemoth was no more than shredded paper once (Y/n) had finished it off. Ribbons of flesh were strewn around the area and dangled from the building's ruins like streamers at a party. Blood splattered the walls and ground surrounding the dead beast, and the first thing Prompto was able to focus on was (Y/n)'s dagger sticking out of the behemoth's left eye. Unlike he and the others, she wasn't able to summon her weapons from the Armiger, so she always had various projectiles on her -- like that dagger.
Prompto stood in front of the beast's head before he even realized he had moved, a gloved hand coming to caress the intricate dagger. Even now, encased to the hilt in an eye, it gleamed in the early morning sun. It was as if it were mocking him, punishing him for taking his eyes off of her. Fingers touched the cool metal, and when Prompto drew his hand back, they were stained red.
Panic set in shortly after, to the point where he almost had another panic attack. It was only due to the efforts of Ignis and Gladio that he didn't collapse for a second time that morning, and instead he chose to survey the area.
"She-she's gotta be here!" he ground out, eyes wide and hands shaking. Blue orbs scanned the battlefield until they landed on a small path of red leading away from the behemoth. Without a second's hesitation, Prompto kicked off the ground, following after the trail until he came to a hidden corner of a destroyed building. Straining, his eyes barely picked up on the small body nestled snugly against the wall. He approached the prone figure, but as he drew closer he felt his heart leap into his throat.
"(Y/n)!"
(Y/n) sat huddled against the wall, the hand pressed to her right side stained red with blood. A pained smile was etched onto her face. He crouched next to the girl, his hand coming in contact with her cheek. He hissed and recoiled; her skin was ice cold. Just how long has she been out here?! Shaking his head, Prompto pulled (Y/n) into his lap, hands rubbing up and down her arms in a feeble attempt to warm her up.
His cry had drawn in the other three, and their breaths collectively stopped at the sight that met their eyes. (Y/n) was situated in Prompto's lap, the blond trying desperately to keep her alive, a look of pure pain decorating his face.
"Come on, come on, come on," he chanted, hands gripping her forearms when she didn't respond. The longer she was silent, the more Prompto's heart broke until finally it was completely shattered. His upper body came to wrap protectively around hers, breath hitching when he didn't feel hers on his cheek. The tears that had threatened to spill since last night finally fell, landing on her pale cheeks.
"I'm sorry, (Y/n). I'm so, so sorry...
"I love you, chickadee. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you..."