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?

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[berriedmemories]

Noctis whines even more dramatically when Prompto insistently presses his lips to that fresh new fur and, half-dressed as he is, it's easy to see the way gooseflesh prickles along his skin at the sensation. Once Prompto finally relents, though, he relaxes beneath the blond with a heavy sigh.

"Predicament? Only for you." Muttered under his breath as Noctis reaches his free hand out to find the blankets, intending to drag them back over the both of them. "If you wanna get dressed and go outside and be cold that's on you." It's not that cold yet but Noct will play up whatever he can if it means keeping his boyfriend curled up with him for a little longer.

Though, it does make him realize something. "Y'know... before long those spikes are going to start shredding your clothes." He chews on his lip a little, twisting beneath Prompto enough to meet those pretty cornflower eyes. "Iggy might be able to figure something out but-"

Noctis' gaze gets more serious for a moment, fingers curled tightly around Prompto's fingers. He knows how body shy Prompto is, he even understands a little bit of why. Maybe even some part of him suspects that his own careless words might have contributed to that. "He'd probably need to see what he's working with."

At least Prompto's less skittish about people seeing his back. Maybe he can just tug the back of his shirt up and then Ignis wouldn't need to see any of the parts that worry Prom so much.

[heliographic]

"Fiiiiiiine, sheesh!"

Prompto lets out an extra-dramatic sigh, just for Noct, and finally concedes. He snuggles underneath the blanket with his boyfriend, happy to just bask in their shared warmth and closeness. It makes him wonder just how extra-cuddly Noct will be should all that fur keep coming in as it is...Well, as long as Prompto doesn't get too spiky. Cuddling might become a problem at the rate he is going, which is an awful thought.

Even more awful is the reality of the spikes already coming in, which Noct brings up. Not only do they itch and ache, but they'll probably only get larger, until he cannot wear clothes at all. Not normally, anyway. Prompto does not want to be seen like that, and absolutely refuses to go topless. He can't, really- and Noct of course knows that and is right there and ready to hold his hand talking through it. He really doesn't deserve such a wonderful boyfriend, he thinks.

Then Ignis specifically is brought into the picture, and the entire conversation, for Prompto, shifts. He knew this talk would happen eventually, but not exactly when. He takes a long, slow breath, and gathers his courage and the words from Gladio about making the best possible outcome happen. He has to try, and stop worrying about the what-ifs.

"So, that isn't going to be too much of a problem, Noct. Not with Ignis. Or with Gladdy. I've been trying to think of how to explain this to you, but...They- we- uh," he panics a little, and has to steady out, giving Noctis' hand a squeeze. "I'm dating both of them. Have been for a while. When you were taken away, I fought out alone in the dark for, heck, three years? We all drifted apart, doing our own part to try and keep the world running without the sun around. Insane, long story short, somehow we all got tossed into a computer sim of some kind, and lived there for a year. I know it probably sounds like a crappy scifi flick but...it's how we re connected. Even with Iggy being from another time. Heck, Gladdy is a year ahead of me too. But from what he says, we weren't really talking a lot back in Eos four years in of you being gone either. It's only because of the weird computer world."

The expression on Prompto's face twists into one of guilt. Despite his stifling loneliness and battered heart, he still feels like he let Noct down by admitting his feelings to Gladio and Ignis. Betrayed him in some way. "I never thought I'd see you again. Or that when I did, everything would change so suddenly. That you wouldn't remember as much as me, too. I got scared of telling you about this, thought wow, we all will be together again and then it will never, ever be like it was. I'm...I'm sorry, Noct. I just didn't want to hurt you. But waiting to say this would hurt more. I wanna be a part of making sure this is the best possible outcome. That we can all be happy. Even if it's weird at first."

Prompto has no doubts that Gladio and Ignis have their own feelings for Noct- but that is something he needs to feel out first, and mostly allow the others to discuss on their own. Maybe nudge it in the right direction, if he can.

[berriedmemories]

Honestly, Noct begins to smile at first, glad to see his friend has come to trust Ignis and Gladio both enough to talk himself out of some of his anxieties. But the spike in Prompto's nerves is almost palpable as he begins to stammer a little.

I'm dating both of them. It's such a wild incongruous thought that Noctis almost laughs. It just seems so absurd. Not because Prompto isn't amazing but because the idea of Prompto ever getting the nerve to ask someone out is bizarre. Especially someone he thinks is so much cooler and badass like Ignis or Gladio. But that his soft sweet boyfriend could ever be the type to be a cheater? Not a chance in hell.

The more he goes on the more clear that becomes. He'd been alone for so long, he'd thought Noct wasn't coming back. Prompto's issues might be very different than Noct's own but he could definitely see how that would break him, send him spiralling into depression, maybe some kind of manic self-destruction. Noct can't really blame him for reaching out for others in that situation. Is glad he allowed himself that, really.

But there's still.... that isn't what happened. It was some weird computer sim thing? That is even more confusing. There's so much that doesn't make sense and that he needs to address here but there's a part of him that just wants to curl up and sulk, to stew in the stinging ache in his chest and the roiling jealousy beneath it.

Noctis relaxes, slumps back onto his stomach, reaches out to snatch one of those down pillows and bury his face in it for a long moment. Some of that sting is soothed by the fact that it wasn't immediate. It took years and something upending their existence. It wasn't like Prompto just jumped Gladio the moment Noct was out of the picture. (Could he really blame him if he had though?)

Just because he can't process all of this and look his boyfr -can he even really still say that?- Prompto in the eye doesn't mean he wants him to leave. Noctis knows the blond well enough to know that he will take this as some form of rejection the longer and more quiet he is so he threads their fingers together, squeezes his hand and keeps Propmto's arm around him. Gradually, though he lets out a long breath and finally speaks, words muffled in the pillow.

"You can't lie for shit so I'm.... assuming they both know?"

[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."