There were no such things as Genies on Eos, so when Prompto found the little lamp with his name on it he didn’t know what to make of it. It was weird that it had his name, sure, but he was getting used to weird.
He’d found it lying in a hallway on one of his walks and snapped a pic of it. A sunbeam coming in a nearby window hit the metal just so and made it almost seem to glitter. He checked the shot and then picked up the little thing. He examined it, confused and a bit unsettled. Yeah. Weird. He rubbed a thumb over the letters of his name. It seemed harmless enough though.
He shook his head and slipped it into the pocket of his new jacket. Maybe somebody had meant it for him and misplaced it in all the holiday chaos. He’d ask around. He scrolled back through the pictures on his camera. There were shots of random objects around the school, like the little lamp, of the scenery. There were lots he’d taken of the frost in the tree branches and the sun glinting off the snow. Even a few candid shots of people he’d met here. He took them mostly out of habit, and as a way to relax. He’d be lying if he said they weren’t also just a bit to show the guys whenever he finally managed to get back.
He chewed at his lip and kept scrolling, far enough back to find his pictures of Leide, of sabertusks and most importantly, of the guys. He paused, thumb hovering over the keypad, at a shot from camp. It was one taken from before the chaos of the last week or so he’d still been on Eos. In the forefront of the picture were Noct and Gladio. The bigger man was grinning, holding what Prompto was pretty sure was Noct’s phone high above his head with one hand, the other pulling on the prince’s collar. For his part, Noct looked miffed. He didn’t have the room to get off the ground, and was tugging at Gladio’s grip with one hand as the other pressed into Gladio’s cheek. Prompto had managed to just catch Ignis in the back, mid eye roll from his place at the camp stove.
He stared a bit too long, letting the Missing fill his chest and crush his lungs, his heart. Being apart from his friends- his flock- it hurt like being separated from his own limb. The phantom pain kept him awake some nights. The not knowing when he’d see them again. If he’d see them again. If they’d be the same, or if he would. How much time might have passed for either of them? It was a selfish thought, but sometimes he wished they were at least here with him, so he wouldn’t have to be alone. He knew he didn’t deserve such a selfish desire. His make believe human life was always going to end, it might as well be like this. They’d wonder what happened to him for a while, and then move on. It was honestly better this way. Still… he’d give anything to see them again.
“Prom?” He whirled at the familiar voice, eyes wide and hope a bloody wound in his chest. It couldn’t be. But standing just down the hall were three familiar figures. He didn’t have time to wonder before he found himself cocooned in dark feathers. Noct’s arms a sturdy pressure around his shoulders. He pressed himself into the hug, every part of him relaxing. Safe. He sighed out the first full breath he’d taken in what seemed like forever.
Eventually he managed to pull himself away. Not breaking contact, but enough to breathe. Gladio’s hand landed firm on his shoulder, and he could see Ignis hovering just behind Noct. There was something off about the three of them. They certainly felt real, but their forms didn’t look totally solid.
“You had us worried Blondie.” Gladio shifted, ruffling Prompto’s hair.
“The next time you decide to run off, do give us a word or warning, would you?” Ignis smiled over Noct’s shoulder, though Prompto had enough practice reading the advisor to catch the tension around his eyes and held in his wings. He was already worrying about where they were, how they’d gotten there, if Noct would be safe.
“Seriously dude, I thought you were dead.” Noct punched his shoulder weakly, wings fluttering unhappily.
Prompto dropped his head. “Sorry, really, I didn’t mean to.”
“Hey,” Gladio chided.
Ignis sighed. “We’re just glad you’re alright.”
Prompto smiled, a bit wobbly. “I missed you guys.”
“Yeah, I had no one to crush on King’s Knight.” Noct slung an arm around Prompto’s shoulders, his wings still hovering over them both, protective. “We should play a few rounds, but first, food. I’m starved.”
Prompto grinned and dug an elbow into Noct’s ribs. “Can’t believe that’s all I’m good for. C’mon, I’ll show you guys the cafeteria. This place is huge.”
“Not as big as the Citadel I’d bet.” Gladio called.
“I’d imagine not.” Ignis pushed his glasses up his nose, and they all pointedly didn’t mention the current state of the crown city. He cleared his throat. "There are a couple things I'd like to know about this place though, if you wouldn't mind Prompto."
He nodded. "'Course, Iggy." They didn’t mention a lot of things as they began the trek through the halls, but that was okay. Prompto was glad just to have the guys around again, even if something did feel a bit off about them. They looked and felt and sounded like his friends, and for now that was enough for him.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2024-10-19 05:20 am (UTC)He’d found it lying in a hallway on one of his walks and snapped a pic of it. A sunbeam coming in a nearby window hit the metal just so and made it almost seem to glitter. He checked the shot and then picked up the little thing. He examined it, confused and a bit unsettled. Yeah. Weird. He rubbed a thumb over the letters of his name. It seemed harmless enough though.
He shook his head and slipped it into the pocket of his new jacket. Maybe somebody had meant it for him and misplaced it in all the holiday chaos. He’d ask around. He scrolled back through the pictures on his camera. There were shots of random objects around the school, like the little lamp, of the scenery. There were lots he’d taken of the frost in the tree branches and the sun glinting off the snow. Even a few candid shots of people he’d met here. He took them mostly out of habit, and as a way to relax. He’d be lying if he said they weren’t also just a bit to show the guys whenever he finally managed to get back.
He chewed at his lip and kept scrolling, far enough back to find his pictures of Leide, of sabertusks and most importantly, of the guys. He paused, thumb hovering over the keypad, at a shot from camp. It was one taken from before the chaos of the last week or so he’d still been on Eos. In the forefront of the picture were Noct and Gladio. The bigger man was grinning, holding what Prompto was pretty sure was Noct’s phone high above his head with one hand, the other pulling on the prince’s collar. For his part, Noct looked miffed. He didn’t have the room to get off the ground, and was tugging at Gladio’s grip with one hand as the other pressed into Gladio’s cheek. Prompto had managed to just catch Ignis in the back, mid eye roll from his place at the camp stove.
He stared a bit too long, letting the Missing fill his chest and crush his lungs, his heart. Being apart from his friends- his flock- it hurt like being separated from his own limb. The phantom pain kept him awake some nights. The not knowing when he’d see them again. If he’d see them again. If they’d be the same, or if he would. How much time might have passed for either of them? It was a selfish thought, but sometimes he wished they were at least here with him, so he wouldn’t have to be alone. He knew he didn’t deserve such a selfish desire. His make believe human life was always going to end, it might as well be like this. They’d wonder what happened to him for a while, and then move on. It was honestly better this way. Still… he’d give anything to see them again.
“Prom?” He whirled at the familiar voice, eyes wide and hope a bloody wound in his chest. It couldn’t be. But standing just down the hall were three familiar figures. He didn’t have time to wonder before he found himself cocooned in dark feathers. Noct’s arms a sturdy pressure around his shoulders. He pressed himself into the hug, every part of him relaxing. Safe. He sighed out the first full breath he’d taken in what seemed like forever.
Eventually he managed to pull himself away. Not breaking contact, but enough to breathe. Gladio’s hand landed firm on his shoulder, and he could see Ignis hovering just behind Noct. There was something off about the three of them. They certainly felt real, but their forms didn’t look totally solid.
“You had us worried Blondie.” Gladio shifted, ruffling Prompto’s hair.
“The next time you decide to run off, do give us a word or warning, would you?” Ignis smiled over Noct’s shoulder, though Prompto had enough practice reading the advisor to catch the tension around his eyes and held in his wings. He was already worrying about where they were, how they’d gotten there, if Noct would be safe.
“Seriously dude, I thought you were dead.” Noct punched his shoulder weakly, wings fluttering unhappily.
Prompto dropped his head. “Sorry, really, I didn’t mean to.”
“Hey,” Gladio chided.
Ignis sighed. “We’re just glad you’re alright.”
Prompto smiled, a bit wobbly. “I missed you guys.”
“Yeah, I had no one to crush on King’s Knight.” Noct slung an arm around Prompto’s shoulders, his wings still hovering over them both, protective. “We should play a few rounds, but first, food. I’m starved.”
Prompto grinned and dug an elbow into Noct’s ribs. “Can’t believe that’s all I’m good for. C’mon, I’ll show you guys the cafeteria. This place is huge.”
“Not as big as the Citadel I’d bet.” Gladio called.
“I’d imagine not.” Ignis pushed his glasses up his nose, and they all pointedly didn’t mention the current state of the crown city. He cleared his throat. "There are a couple things I'd like to know about this place though, if you wouldn't mind Prompto."
He nodded. "'Course, Iggy." They didn’t mention a lot of things as they began the trek through the halls, but that was okay. Prompto was glad just to have the guys around again, even if something did feel a bit off about them. They looked and felt and sounded like his friends, and for now that was enough for him.