Oh, the world is dark

[berriedmemories]

WHO: The XVs mostly
WHAT: figuring out timeline bullshit and living arrangements
WHERE: A set of cottages by the river
WHEN:end of 2024
WARNINGS: blanket CW for depression (Noctis), suicidal ideation (Ardyn, Cor, Ravus), and general PTSD from a bunch of men that've been through hell. See subject lines for specifics

SUMMARY: The gang's all here and then some! Now what? What do you mean you don't remember..... anything I expect you to? Bahamut did what now?

Comments

[heliographic]

And there it is. Prompto can feel his heart start to sink as Noct buries his face in the pillows, and the squeeze to his hand and the fact Noctis wants him to stay where he is speaks volumes and soothes so much of his anxiety. His expression becomes confused with his boyfriend(?)'s question, though, and he dials it back for a second. That was a whole lot he just said and with his emotions as they are, perhaps he didn't make a ton of sense.

"Know? We're...All dating one another," Prompto says, feeling shame at the thought of this coming off as some kind of betrayal. "As a group."

He gives Noct's hand a squeeze back, shifting in place as he finds his words again.

"It was three years of us being apart back in Eos for me, and four for Gladio. When you went away, the sun did too. It's a lot, I know. The world was dark and overrun by daemons. We all worked to keep people going and adapting, but separately. I guess just how we all coped." There's more to it on Gladio's end, but that isn't for Prompto to tell. "I think it was the end of year three when I woke up in the simulation. Last thing I remembered was...Going to sleep. The days all blended together with no sun around. I, um...Wasn't doing great by then. With you gone. With everyone gone."

"But...You know what?" Prompto can feel his heart guiding him where he feels he needs to be. "There's one thing that never changed during the time alone on Eos, or on the simulation, or now. How I always felt about you." Prompto murmurs, planting a kiss on Noct's shoulder. "In fact I realized just how deep it all ran being forced apart for so long. Wasn't a single night I didn't think of you, Noct. It was like a chunk of me was just gone. Finding you here, my world feels whole again. I still don't fully believe it. I-" his voice cracks a little. "I love you. More than I needed the sun in the sky, I needed you home. It's stupid and corny but I don't think there's words that really say enough about how much I- I love you."

[berriedmemories]

As a group he says and Noct can't help the little voice that immediately supplies without me. But he shakes his head, presses his face into the pillow a little harder and tries to rein in the darker thoughts that come with this revelation. He's not even sure what exactly he's jealous of.

What right does he have to be upset, anyway? He's supposed to be marrying someone else and yeah sure they talked about it, it wasn't really a choice for anyone involved but this....

Noctis finally pulls himself out of his pillow, twisting around in Prompto's arms to fully face the blond this time. How could he do any less when Prompto sounds so much like he's going to cry. One hand moves to cradle his boyfriend's cheek and he tries to give him a smile, sad though it is. "Hey... I love you too." Soft and reassuring, or at least as best as he can manage. "I- don't know what to say exactly. I dunno... feel guilty for leaving you for so long, whatever happened there."

It's not fair but it is what it is and... the important thing is that Prompto has the support and love he needs, everything he deserves. Even if it means Noct can't give it to him.

[heliographic]

"I-Noct, it was never your fault. So, please don't feel guilty. On any of our behalfs. I just knew one day, you'd come home. That was what I always held on to." Prompto leans into the hand Noctis puts on his cheek, trying not to squeeze his eyes shut and look away, guilt (which he knows, deep down is unfair to himself) roiling in his stomach.

What can he even say, either? He probably just broke his other half's heart. Prompto tries his best to keep his thoughts ahead. On what can possibly be, past this difficult patch. This is the hard part before things just might look up in ways none of them would have dreamt of before. This doesn't change how much he loves Noctis.

It doesn't make his heart ache any less to see Noct like this, however. To wonder if this was all a mistake. He leans forward, pressing his lips to Noctis' in a gentle, soulful kiss. Words don't need to be the only thing to tell feelings between them. They can't be, not at a time like this. So he stays there, lingering for a while, and looks almost a bit sad when he breaks it.

"I don't think I wanna go running right now. That ok?"

[berriedmemories]

"Been tryin' to get you to stay here all morning." Noct murmurs softly against Prompto's lips, tipping his head after those words to press another soft, lingering kiss to his lips. Once they part Noctis curls even closer, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend. He's quiet for a long time, turning things over in his head, trying to fit the pieces together.

"They.... They've been dating for awhile haven't they?" Now, looking at things with that idea in mind... it makes a lot of things click into place that had never felt out of place at the time but make more sense in hindsight. Especially given what Ignis had asked about when Noct mentioned them sharing a room.

Sharing a room...


"Do you... want to stay in the other room with them?" Y'know. Instead of here with him.

[heliographic]

The kisses send waves of comfort throughout Prompto. Helps everything to just settle a little more, despite his worries and fears.

"...Yeah. Since we were in highschool, at least. Kinda crazy neither of us figured it out. I think they were playin' with us after long enough." A pause, and Prompto's eyes go wide, his expression growing incredulous.

"Dude. Are you nuts?!" He draws Noct closer, into the tightest hug he can muster. He may as well cling on for dear life. He never ever wants to lose his boyfriend again. "I can't even think about letting you outta my sight right now, let alone sleeping in separate rooms. Iggy and Gladio are perfectly happy with one another. I'll say it til my voice goes out, Noct. I...I need you."

[berriedmemories]

Since high school. Damn how did they miss it for that long? Why didn't they tell him? Why... hide that from him? It stings, both that they would hide such a significant part of themselves from him but also just- one more little reminder that other people are allowed to keep things private. That don't have to consider that they need to tell certain key people about their business just in case there's an emergency, unable to ever really keep anything to themselves.

The closest thing he ever had to that was Lunafreya... and she's dead. Because of him.

Noct hugs Prompto back, squeezes him tight enough to be uncomfortable and buries his face in his boyfriend's chest. "Okay good. Cause I dunno if I could handle losing you too." Some Chosen One he is, can't even handle the idea of not having his boyfriend at his side every night. There's just so much he's lost in such a short time that he's pretty sure he'd just crawl into a hole and never get up if he lost Prompto too.

[heliographic]

Oh, how that makes Prompto's heart absolutely ache. He can feel Noct's sadness like it is his own, and squeezes right back, like his life depends on it. A hand wanders up to cradle the back of Noctis' head as he buries his face against his chest. Prompto knows. He knows how much it hurts to lose so much, and knows even more the agony of losing one's other half.

He couldn't really handle losing Noct at all, when he did.

"I'm not gonna leave you," murmured soft, yet sure. More sure than anything in Prompto's whole world. "I swear it to you, Noct. Long as I' m breathing, I'll be by your side."