Chapter Text
Noctis trusted Prompto.
He really did.
He was sunshine and happiness and warmth (the opposite of himself, for sure.)
(Prompto smiled brightly, “Oh, Noct! I love you too… Very much.”
Noctis smiled, “You know I'm always happy to hear you say that, Prom.” he said, beckoning him over to his position.
Recognizing the signal to come closer, Prompto eagerly crawled over to his Noctis. “And I'm always happy to say it to you, Noct. Always.”
Noctis sighed fondly, “How do you do that? You're always so… You.”
Prompto raised an eyebrow, “What else could I possibly be?”
“The embodiment of sunshine,” Noctis teased, his heart beating just a little faster when he heard Prompto's soft laugh in response.
“Well, someone has to balance you out, Mr. Moon.”
Noctis rolled his eyes, while simultaneously poking Prompto in his side. Which, earned him another smile.
Prompto looked at him affectionately, “What would you do without me?”
Noctis felt cold suddenly. A world without Prompto in his life didn't seem like a life at all. So, if anything happened that made it so someone would take his sunshine away--
“Hopefully maim the one who took you away from me.”)
Noctis had to protect Prompto at any cost. He was so precious and he loved the other too much to ever survive something happening to take him away.
Noctis trusts Prompto (he does), but the world was a dangerous place and he had to look after him.
He had to.
Noctis breathed quietly through his nose, keeping absolutely silent. Prompto has always been alert, no matter the time of day and as much as he wanted to come out in the open and be with him…
He couldn't.
(Not yet.)
Prompto told him earlier that day when they arrived at his apartment after school that he was going to spend all night cramming for final exams.
Noctis wanted to help him study (not his favorite pastime, but even Prompto could make studying fun.)
But, Prompto refused him gently (always gently), saying that Noctis looked dead on his feet and that he needed to catch up on his rest.
(But, Noct wouldn't be so tired if Prompto would just sleep over or even better, move permanently into his apartment.)
(The late nights he spent following Prompto were not good for sleeping either.
After all, Prompto never liked sleeping alone in his house, so Noctis was forced to look after him at all hours.)
He watched hungrily as Prompto stretched his arms over his head, causing his shirt to rise up an inch, and revealing a sliver of tantalizing skin.
His beautiful blond lover lightly slapped his cheeks and stood up from his former position on the sidewalk.
Noctis had been following his sunshine for the better part of six hours after he decided to snap photographs of the sights of Insomnia’s nightlife.
(Noctis couldn't bare leaving Prom to walk home alone without supervision.
He trusted Prompto, but he didn't trust the ones roaming about, the braver men and women who ogled his love as he passed them by. They did not deserve to breathe the same air of his dear one.
It was unacceptable.)
A couple minutes ticked past as Noctis stealthily followed Prompto as he walked the route back to his home.
(It would be prudent to stay at his house to watch over the slumbering blond, but Prompto pleaded for Noctis to get some sleep before he left earlier that day and Noctis was duty bound to listen to him.
He could never willingly make him unhappy and Noctis not taking care of himself made him that. Therefore, he would try.
For Prompto.)
He watched as Prompto suddenly spun around, his eyes scanning the environment. Noctis sunk into the shadows, unwilling for Prompto to find him.
Having seen nothing amiss, he swung back around and continued his trek to his house, although much more stiffly than before.
Prompto was beautiful and gorgeous in every way. Some days, Noctis wondered what he had done to ever deserve such a divine being like Prompto Argentum.
(He still didn't know.)
That's why Noctis had to protect him. Everyone had an ulterior motive, so Noctis had to keep an eye out for him.
Prompto was always so off guard when it came to other people and Noctis loved that about him. He did.
(He loved everything about Prompto.)
But, sometimes such complacency can get you killed and Noctis refused to accept that risk.
He was late.
Prompto was late.
(Why was he late?)
(Fear wrapped its cold hand around his heart, suffocating--)
No. Prompto had to be fine.
He would just go look for him. That's all.
He will find him, just like he always finds him.
So, Noctis did.
…Well, it was more like Prompto found him instead. He had been running and bumped into him hard enough that he fell to the ground.
“Oof!"
“Prom, you alright?” he asked, concerned. He stuck out his hand and pulled Prompto up, keeping him in steady with the placement of his hands on the other's hips.
“Oh, uh, yeah,” Prompto said, his face pink with embarrassment. “Sorry about running you over like that.”
Noctis chuckled lightly at the apology, “Don't be silly, you barely moved me. You were the one who fell.” His hand moved to rest on Prompto's shoulder, “Why were you running anyway?”
He laughed. But, it was... off. Nervous and higher pitched than usual. Something was wrong.
“I was talking with Alex a little longer than I thought and I just noticed that I was late meeting you.”
“Who's Alex?” Noctis asked, his teeth grinding imperceptibly.
(Alex. He didn't know an Alex. If he didn't know an Alex than Prompto shouldn't know an Alex. So, why did he exist and why was he talking to his--)
“Just an acquaintance. He was able to land me a spot in the University's photography class. He just told me that the request went through and I thanked him is all. Sorry for losing track of time.” Prompto said, apologizing again.
Noctis spotted a man not too far from them, watching them curiously. “Alex.”
(He would remember that name.)
He could feel Prompto's gaze on his face. “Yeah, Alex.” he spoke softly, intimately as he gently tilted Noctis’ face to look at him. “Noct? You okay?”
He looked down at his love (his life, his gods given salvation.) “Of course I am. Why do you ask?”
(Alex.)
“No reason.” Prompto said.
Noctis hated this part. He hated the urges he had to give in to.
The ones that told him to do whatever it took to make sure that Prompto stayed with him and never strayed.
Because deep down in his heart, he knew that Prompto would never leave.
(Though it still felt good to make absolutely sure that he never saw an opportunity anyway.)
Alex never was seen again after meeting the Prince. In order to keep suspicions at bay, he found out where Alex lived and--
The Crownsguard would speak in only quiet whispers about that despicable, piece of trash that their Prince had tipped them off too.
That Alex guy looked so normal at first glance. A girlfriend who lived with him in his apartment, a dog named Lucy.
Perfectly normal.
How can a guy like that be into child pornography?
(“I can't believe it,” Prompto sobbed, hands curled into Noctis’ shirt. “He seemed like such a good person. I can't believe that he would actually…”
Noctis stroked his hair soothingly, “You couldn't have known, Prom. Sickos like that are good at blending in sometimes.”)
Anything to keep him safe. Even at the cost of others.
Always.
They were hanging out again in his apartment. A horror movie marathon with Prompto was always a nice way to end the weekend.
He felt Prompto bury his head into his chest.
Well, maybe only a nice way to end it for just Noctis. Prompto looked ready to bolt.
Noctis set a hand to rest gently onto the other's hair. “Scared?”
Prompto nodded meekly.
Noctis sighed quietly, smiling fondly (Never change, my love.)
“Come here.” he said, gesturing to his lap.
Prompto speedily slid onto Noctis’ lap without preamble. After he settled down comfortably, he began to run his hands up and down his sides, attempting to relax him.
In response, Prompto took the opportunity to pull Noctis down to his level, letting their lips meet.
His eyes slipped closed as he surrendered his body to Noctis’ ministrations. That was until wandering hands pinched his delectable bottom, leading to Prompto make a noise in indignation.
“Noct!”
He laughed, “Haha, what? It's a sin not to…”
(Indeed, my love… He felt something struggling up the surface again.
…No.
He will not force that side onto Prompto. Never.)
Prompto rolled his eyes and then stopped suddenly. Noctis frowned in confusion. He worried even more when Prompto flinched back for no obvious reason.
“Hey, what's wrong?”
Prompto smiled (But not really. Why, what happened for him to act like this?)
“Don't worry, it's nothing.” he said, then he pulled him down for another kiss.
And Noctis let him.
It was difficult being himself. Ever since he was a child he felt an inkling of… Something. It thrived in his darkest moments.
(Meeting Prompto and falling in love with him made suppressing it difficult.
Not that he blamed Prompto.
It wasn't his fault he was so perfect.)
But, nonetheless, it was there. Waiting, watching. Prompto simultaneously calmed it down and revived it back into it's oily, red self.
Noctis trusted Prompto.
He really did.
But, not with this (never with this.)
If he ever told him, he feared that he would never see Prompto again afterwards.
He trusted him (of course he did.)
But, there were just some things that no one needed to know about.
Prompto was no exception.