Noctis Lucis Caelum (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kittycaterer) wrote2018-04-20 10:10 pm
kittycaterer) wrote2018-04-20 10:10 pm
Recolle AU/OU COMBO BREAKER PSL - Prompto, Ignis and Noctis
[ Often times, Noctis would wonder when he would become like the normal citizens of Recolle. When he would become blissfully numb and unaware of the oddities that often fell upon those who lived there. With the Retrospec app comes the strange awareness of everything, and when it's taken away? Nothing.
He watched Gladio go from being in disbelief to the world around him to being completely unphased. As if he didn't even notice anything. Often times, Noctis wishes the same would come of him. The second he opens his eyes to an unfamiliar apartment and equally unfamiliar bed, he realizes he's not even one step closer to that.
The alarm buzzing from the cellphone on a nearby nightstand is unfamiliar as it yanks Noctis from a dead slumber. His eyes open to the morning light spilling through the windows, and he rolls to his side to turn off the offending sound.
It's not his phone.
Noctis sits up quick to try and figure out how to turn it off. It's a smart phone, but not at all like the one he has. When it shuts off, he's met with a wallpaper. Himself and Prompto; not weird, but...
They're wearing uniforms in it. Prompto grinning his usual, stupid grin with his hair matted down, a green-striped tie loose around his neck in a blueish blazer. Noctis' hair is significantly shorter in this picture. Prompto and him never went to school together. He's only known him a couple years at best. It's then that a text message comes through, the name not unfamiliar but.
Definitely unexpected.
Dad:
Noctis, it is 12:30.
You were to be here for briefing at 10, as we discussed.
Son, I understand you are newly graduated, but please remember your duty.
You are two days from 20 years and no longer a child.
I've sent Ignis to retrieve you.
- Message sent Sunday, August 28th M.E. 755 12:30PM ]
What?
[ Noctis' eyes go wide, looking at the phone as if something has started to crawl through it. Not only is he being told he's 19 years old, but duty?
What?
He rips the blanket off of him and jumps out of bed. He's only in his boxers, but he doesn't think about that when he yanks the curtains open to see that this is not the city that he is familiar with. This obviously isn't his penthouse in Recolle, and this...
This looks like... ]
... This... Isn't right...
[ Oh god. Oh no. Oh no, this is Insomnia. ]
He watched Gladio go from being in disbelief to the world around him to being completely unphased. As if he didn't even notice anything. Often times, Noctis wishes the same would come of him. The second he opens his eyes to an unfamiliar apartment and equally unfamiliar bed, he realizes he's not even one step closer to that.
The alarm buzzing from the cellphone on a nearby nightstand is unfamiliar as it yanks Noctis from a dead slumber. His eyes open to the morning light spilling through the windows, and he rolls to his side to turn off the offending sound.
It's not his phone.
Noctis sits up quick to try and figure out how to turn it off. It's a smart phone, but not at all like the one he has. When it shuts off, he's met with a wallpaper. Himself and Prompto; not weird, but...
They're wearing uniforms in it. Prompto grinning his usual, stupid grin with his hair matted down, a green-striped tie loose around his neck in a blueish blazer. Noctis' hair is significantly shorter in this picture. Prompto and him never went to school together. He's only known him a couple years at best. It's then that a text message comes through, the name not unfamiliar but.
Definitely unexpected.
Dad:
Noctis, it is 12:30.
You were to be here for briefing at 10, as we discussed.
Son, I understand you are newly graduated, but please remember your duty.
You are two days from 20 years and no longer a child.
I've sent Ignis to retrieve you.
- Message sent Sunday, August 28th M.E. 755 12:30PM ]
What?
[ Noctis' eyes go wide, looking at the phone as if something has started to crawl through it. Not only is he being told he's 19 years old, but duty?
What?
He rips the blanket off of him and jumps out of bed. He's only in his boxers, but he doesn't think about that when he yanks the curtains open to see that this is not the city that he is familiar with. This obviously isn't his penthouse in Recolle, and this...
This looks like... ]
... This... Isn't right...
[ Oh god. Oh no. Oh no, this is Insomnia. ]
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[he smiles, nudging noctis lightly on his thigh]
As for what to do... hmm... Iggy? Don't think this is something you could go to your -- your? Dad? Is it your dad?
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[ He’s not sure if that’s a relief or not. Noctis boggles a bit at that, looking down at their knees touching. And he’s reminded yet again that this Prompto isn’t the one he’s been dating for several months. Noctis turns a touch red, hoping that the compliment can be blamed. He sighs as he rubs at the back of his neck, still surprised to find significantly less hair there. ]
He’s the same person. Just... Not. Not here. He thought I was sick when I saw him yesterday.
And Ignis...
He’s in the same boat as me, actually.
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[he frowns momentarily]
Could you ask Lady Lunafreya? [...] You -- do know who that is, right?
[pauses]
The Nifs are coming to the city to discuss a peace treaty. If we can't figure this out until then, you should at least learn to act like Noct, you know?
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[ That should answer the question. But he’s immediately diverted back to the reminder that royal duties are a thing. He hears Prompto, but the words “peace treaty” sound even more bizarre to him. Because anything he’s seen in his memories of Niflheim is anything but peaceful.
His eyes widen, scooting back. ]
Wait—
We’re discussing a peace treaty? That’s.
[ All Noctis can See is the magitek soldiers. Lifeless and cold. The dark snow and pervading darkness. Noctis winces and shakes his head. ]
Oh no.
No this is bad.
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That's some months away, really.
[he frowns at noctis's reaction]
We don't trust Nifs. King Regis isn't going to make some choice to doom us all or anything. We got this.
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I’m gonna be sick.
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You share a notebook with Lady Lunafreya. She's the Oracle, y'see. She confers with the Astrals and all that. Maybe she can get some answers over this whole situation?
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What is he supposed to do outside of that? Sure, there may be answers in this book, but Noctis doesn’t even know where to start with all this. With a sigh, his hands drop, and he leans back against Prompto’s hand. ]
Well. You were right.
Guess we are the same people. I denied it tooth and nail, and here we are.
[ He’s talking about the Prompto in his world. ]
Where’s this book? And Lady Lunafreya...
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This happened once. It can happen again, and you'll get thrown back. Maybe it's the Astrals having a laugh at you.
[it's not much comfort, but still...]
The book's gotta be at your place. As for Lady Lunafreya... you usually call her 'Luna' by the way-- she's in Tenebrae. Tenebrae's been part of the Empire for some years now, so she's basically a prisoner. You guys communicate through her magical dogs, though, so the Empire isn't aware of what's going on.
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But what makes him the most at awe here is that he isn’t sick. He hasn’t felt the usual exhaustion he feels. Sure, he’s tired, but for something completely different. And there’s so much on his mind right now, he can’t help but sigh and stand up. ]
I need a drink.
[ One thing he’s earned from his time in Recolle: bad boy tendencies. He reaches to put his hood over his hat. ]
Any idea where we can sneak any of that?
[ since hes apparently underage now. ]
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Seriously? I don't think we could!
[security being pretty tight and glaives always be watching]
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We’ll figure it out, come on.
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[prompto clambers up to his feet, hurrying after noctis]
Dude, I dunno what it was like for you where you come from, but here you're the prince.
[prompto puts a wary hand to wrap around noctis's arm, attempting to stop him so the other can look at him]
There's always a glaive nearby, and people easily recognize who you are. You can't just ... get a case of beer with a fake ID or whatever.
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He’s not too sure he wants to divulge that right now. Being told he’s a prince makes him sick to his stomach, because he’s got a habit of denying it tooth and nail.
Not only that, but Prompto is hanging on to him. A Prompto who is presumably straight. The contact is a bit startling for him, and so he meekly looks away with a huff. ]
Never thought I’d wanna trade off for a sick body again.
[ He sighs, rubbing at his face. ]
Fine, just... I need a minute where I’m not dealing with this.
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Right.
What's something that's familiar and normal to you? Back in where you came from.
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This is possibly his worst nightmare. He isn’t ready for this. He doesn’t want this, and here’s Prompto having no recollection of the relationship they have elsewhere. And it’s not like Noctis can just tell him; this was enough of a bomb to drop on the guy. Who’s been nothing but understanding and eager to help.
Prompto is right here and yet he still misses him entirely. It’s an odd sense of being for him. Noctis rubs at the back of his neck as his eyes glance back to the blonde, unsure of how he’ll sound but it’s not wrong. Ignis is going through the same motions here but he’s equally lost. There’s only so much he can do and yet here stands Prompto, calm as can be despite the news. ]
... Just you.
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[plus, he's not that familiar with noctis's royal family, so to speak.]
[the response to his question ends up catching him by surprise instead, emotion easily deflected by the small but sad smile that prompto offers noctis.]
Yeah? Flattered, dude.
[it's vulnerable; everything about this is vulnerable. noctis is usually the more reserved of the two, which is why prompto takes this as a chance to pull noctis into an embrace, closing the distance between them.]
I'll grab some clothes and we can have a long sleepover. Y'know my folks don't mind. Sounds like a plan?
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Well, this.
This unfamiliar sky he stands beneath, the unfamiliar buildings that scrape through the skies and find a blunt, but transparent wall above them. And apparently he’s responsible for all of it now. There’s hardly a face here that Noctis recognizes, yet they all recognize him. Everything about this whole situation is unstable, but far beyond what he’s prepared for.
Except for Prompto. They’ve both got essentially no one here and here he is, taking the reigns. Because even where he comes from, it’s usually him who has it somewhat together. At least by appearance.
He’s engulfed in Prompto’s embrace and it almost startles him. Knowing full well that they aren’t an item here, this sudden hug is far more than what he’d anticipated. Noctis stands like a deer in headlights for the slightest moment before blinking to his reality and lifting his arms in kind. Prompto suggests they have a sleepover and Noctis hugs a bit firmer because yeah, the last thing he wants is to be alone right now. ]
Yeah.
Sounds like a plan.
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Onwards to my place, then. We'll grab some non-alcoholic stuff to drink and stock up on gross snacks, then we'll chill and play videogames. [before noctis thinks that prompto is forgetting the important thing here, he adds] At least for tonight.
[he gestures vaguely towards the houses]
This way. I'll show you my crib.
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They’ll be fools for one night, give Noct a breather, and keep going tomorrow. He takes a step forward. ]
Right. Lead the way.
[ Even if the intention is to make Noctis not feel like he’s engulfed in disaster, it’s still blatantly foreign to him. Nothing here looks even remotely familiar, with Noctis only recalling bits and pieces of what Insomnia was. But he tries not to linger on the unfamiliarity. He follows Prompto to his home; a modest little house that honestly reminds him of ones he’d seen in Japan. There’s a walkway tailored for taking off shoes before entry, with the interior looking small but warm.
It seems empty, though. Noctis takes his shoes off, taking a step inside to look around. ]
It’s... Dim in here.
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Mom and dad work a lot. They leave early and aren't home much. It's easier for them to sleep at a B&B since work is on the other end of the city. [the logistics don't make much sense, but prompto's not about to burden this noctis with his family issues, considering he hasn't with the crown prince either] Saving up on the electricity bill.
[he grins and flicks on the light switch, doing a quick motion of jazz hands towards noctis as if to say 'let there be light!' before hurrying down the hall and taking a turn into his room.]
[the light only makes the place seem a lot lonelier. dusty surfaces and neat furniture, untouched for the most part, a rather impersonal look to the entire setting by a lack of anything that could hint a family lives here. no photographs, no dishes waiting to be washed, no blankets over the couch, no extra shoes on the entryway.]
[prompto calls out]
Y'can check out m'room if you like!
[because while he putters around getting clean clothes to put into a duffel bag, he doesn't want noctis getting too lost in the lack of details. prompto's room is a little more alive, at least, with photographs stuck to the walls, towers of books and magazines lining the floors because the shelves are too occupied with gadgets and camera parts and pieces. his bed is unmade, and there's a bag of potato chips on the one table, beside his laptop]
Phone charger...
[he's reaching under his bed, tongue stuck out]
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This just feels lonely. As Noctis makes his way down the hall he has to wonder what this Prompto’s home life is like. He can’t help but find familiarity in the sense that Prompto’s family history in Recolle is particularly lonely, given that his mother abandoned him at a young age.
But it’s not like he can ask that or bring it up. Noctis follows Prompto’s suggestion and follows to his bedroom, met with a much lighter view when he sees decorated walls and a lived-in bedroom.
The first thing he notices are cameras. Pictures. Tons of tech parts and gadget clutter that instantly reminds him of Prompto’s bedroom back home. Seems he’s found some semblance of familiarity here that he can cling to. Noctis walks over to the desk, where Prompto’s digital camera sits. The brand is different but it looks nearly the same.
He manages a smile, exhaling a weak chuckle. ]
So you’re a giant technophile and photographer here too, huh?
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[he reaches for the charger cable, sitting up on his knees as he rolls it around his hand to put inside the bag.]
[getting up, he looks around for running shoes and a couple of socks]
[but now that his attention isn't so much on the mental checklist to have everything he needs, he focuses instead on what noctis just said. putting away toothbrush and hair gel inside his bag, the sound of the zipper closing gives momentum to his words.]
...what am I like over where you're from?
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His gaze flits to Prompto for just a moment, then back down to the camera lens he’s picked up. ]
Haven’t seen much of a difference yet, honestly.
[ Well, you know, aside from the big, whopping “you’re in a gay relationship with me” part. ]
Your personality isn’t all that different. Upbringing might be a little different but uh... I can’t really find a huge difference.
[ He sets the lens down, looking over to Prompto again to point at his face. ]
You’re covered in piercings, though. Kinda weird seeing you without them, actually.
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[he turns to look himself over in the mirror]
I don't think I could get a piercing without passing out.
[then back at noctis]
How many?
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