A Prince's Friend is Hard Work

[chocobosnap]

 Prompto was nervous.

That was not the least bit unusual in itself, he had some terrible anxieties that made his life complicated and challenging all at once, all the time, but he'd had a handle on things, at least, he thought so. 

He received a letter and turned his world upside down.

All of that hard work had come to fruition and he was now a new friend to the prince, someone he got along with a lot better than he used to. He'd seen and met some of his retainers, some of the people around him. They all seemed nice, if wary, and huge. 

Prompto had never been tall, and he was slightly shorter than Noct who seemed short beside his bodyguard Gladio. He was kind of hoping he'd get bigger, but he doubted it. 

The longer he spent with Noctis, they'd begun asking him questions about his skills in self-defense, because there could be danger inadvertently. Ignis had been the one to deliver the message that he should learn, and asked him to report to the Citadel one Sunday morning to meet with Cor Leonis - The Marshal - who was going to test him, or teach him, or something. 

He was on time, had been escorted to the gym and, dressed in his gym clothes, he was waiting nervously, pressed against a wall to avoid any looks from any of the Glaives around. He couldn't have looked more out of place if he tried, with his black track pants and dark purple t-shirt with a frolicking cartoon chocobo on it. 

Comments

[immortalmarshal]

Cor nods his thanks to Prompto, and agreed to step outside to try and reach out to his parents. He sighs in mild frustration when the father seems to let it go to voicemail, so he left a message advising him that They Need To Talk.

His mother, however, seems to nearly make him more irritable. Nearly. "This is Cor Leonis, Mrs. Argentum. I need to talk to you regarding your son." Let the full weight of the famous name take effect; hopefully, she'll realize that this is serious from that alone.

[chocobosnap]

She paused for a moment and just sighed. "What did he do?"

Amelia was sure this meant Prompto had gotten himself in some kind of trouble, and that was not going to be tolerated.

"Whatever it is, we'll pay for it. And we'll punish him thoroughly, don't you worry about that."

[immortalmarshal]

Cor looks surprised for a few moments. This is his mother, and she's acting like he's some kind of street gang member. Prompto, Mr Sunshine and dedicated friend of the Crown Prince, getting into that kind of trouble?

"No, no, you misunderstand. He's not in that kind of trouble. He's in the hospital - he's sick. He contracted appendicitis, and needs to undergo surgery in order to remove his appendix. Because he's been training under me, I need to know if you'd be willing to give the official go-ahead for it."

Cor's proud that he's keeping his tone more concerned than angry, despite the growing fury lingering in his chest and the tightening grip on Prom's phone.

[chocobosnap]

The woman sighed heavily.

"Oh is that all? Fine that's fine. Tell them it's fine and they can fax me whatever. I'll get to it."

Amelia paused a moment. "Is there any more? Oh billing. Just have the bill sent to the house."

[immortalmarshal]

Cor's visibly twitching as any semblance of politeness flee him in this moment. "'Is that's all?' 'Is that's all?' Lady, your son runs the risk of dying under the surgery knife, and you're acting like it's just a mere damn annoyance? How the Six can you sleep at night if this is how you view your own gods-damn child?"

He's vaguely aware that people are staring at him. And at this point, he doesn't care one bit. His focus, his fury, is on this seemingly neglectful parent. "Aren't you even considering come back to the Crown City to check up on him?!"

[chocobosnap]

"Look, I'm in the middle of a big project here. I'm sure he'll be fine, or whatever. It's not really my department to come running back to Insomnia. Try his father maybe but we'll text him."

She hesitated a moment. " You have to understand he's just not really ours, we're doing our best but you know what Niffs are like. On top of all of that he's even clingy and needy like he's not one of them."

[immortalmarshal]

As soon as he hears that one worn, that 'slur', Cor freezes for a few moments. Niff. Prompto is of Niflheim descent. That explains the fair skin and blonde hair, the freckles...

The apparent neglectfulness of his adopted parents.

"...'Niff'? He's a Six-damn Lucian, you heartless bitch," he growls furiously. "It don't fuckin' matter where his bloodline came from; if he's been raised here, he's one of us. And he deserves a whole lot more than a pair of asshole guardians who can't be fuckin' bothered to make sure that he's not dying while they're away!"

Monika's walking up to him in this moment, and that makes him stop and take a breath. "As soon as you or your husband are back in town, we will discuss this further. In person. Goodbye." The fact that it's Prompto's phone, chocobo charm and all, is the only reason why he simply ends the call and not throw it at the nearest wall.

"...Prompto's about to go into surgery," he explained to her. "And I think some of our suspicious about his parents were just proven true."

[chocobosnap]

She gasped slightly. "You can't possibly believe that. They're rotten, to the core, you should know that. The king should, I mean-" She babbled slightly.

"You didn't have to listen to that grating voice, asking for things." She scoffed. "We could barely stand to look at him. He looks more and more Niff every day. You understand right? We can hardly be blamed."

Amelia paused and sounded relieved. "Yeah, sure, that's fine. Great! Uh, we'll text him later check up and whatever. Bye." She seemed completely immune to his anger.

[immortalmarshal]

It's a good thing that he's already ending the call. Otherwise, he would channel is old teenage self and unload onto her all the colorful language that he picked up from Cid and various Hunters across the years. As it is, though, Cor's face looks like a brewing storm cloud as he finally ends the call.

Monika waits until he calms down. "...sir, I presume that was Mrs. Argentum?"

"...yeah..." He takes a few deep breaths to gather some semblance of control. "...I'm going to check on how Prompto's doing, and then I'm going to contact his Highness and brief him on Prompto's status. In the meantime, I need you to start preparing casework for neglect charges."

And once he got that confirmation - along with any news updates regarding the prior investigations - Cor will then start making his way back towards where Prompto's being held, to see if he's still waiting in pre-surgery status.

[chocobosnap]

He was, in fact, still waiting, although it wouldn't be much longer and they had taken the time to medicate him to ease the pain. Pain he must have been suffering awhile, that he never complained about.

Prompto smiled at Cor sleepily, but did the man seem frustrated.

"Oh. You must've talked to mom or dad." He murmured, and frustration meant they weren't coming.

He'd hoped, for a moment.

No one ever said he wasn't foolish.

[immortalmarshal]

"Your mother," he simply quips as he hands the phone back to Prompto.

"She...she at least agreed for you to go into surgery." He takes another deep breath. "...she's not coming back for a while. But I did leave a voicemail with your father, just in case he will return to the Crown City soon."

[chocobosnap]

"Thanks for asking." Prompto said genuinely, but he didn't finish the thought. He curled up a little and pushed his phone back into the pocket of his sweater.

"They said I'll...be here a few days and I can go home."

He would be out of their hair, what was he even thinking coming here? Befriending Noct? Training? If his parents knew any of that they'd be angry.

[immortalmarshal]

Cor had the sudden urge to hug the poor blonde, and he's not sure why. Because he's dealt with racist parents? Because the kis looks like he needs one? He can't figure it out...

He does, however, pat Prompto on the shoulder. "We'll make sure there's someone around to help keep an eye on you once you're allowed to leave. In the meantime, relax. The folks here are among the best - evem if they can be mother hens at times," he adds as a tease as the doctor approaches them.

[chocobosnap]

"I'm okay." He smiled reassuringly at Cor. "I will be...just...'sokay, I'm used to it."

Prompto found himself beginning to doze, and that was the point, they had to take him and bring him to a sterile room.

Surgery took about two hours, before he was put back into the room, fast asleep. He was going to be just fine.

[immortalmarshal]

Cor waits until he's taken into surgery proper before he let himself sit down and breathe in relief. He knows that the kid will be okay, even before he gets the 'everything went well' verdict. If the staff could bring him back from being grievously wounded, they can handle something like this.

Once he feels calm enough, he starts making phone calls on his own cell. First to the king to apologize for missing the next meeting - and a brief summary of why did the trick. Regis' calming and sympathetic words helped ground Cor more than any meditation did.

Which was a good thing, because Cor then had to call the only other 'authority figure' in Prompto's life - the Crown Prince. Noctis' first reaction was to panic-worry, but Cor's reassurance helped calm him down. "He needs his friend to help support him thru the recovery, not just a mentor to fuss over him," Cor explained to him, and that seemed to help set Noct straight.

Once he got what he needed, Cor ended the phone call and spent the remaining time parked next to Prompto's bed, keeping vigil until either the lad wakes up, or Noctis and his retinue arrives.

[chocobosnap]

It took half an hour for his head to loll and his eyes to flicker and begin to open. He could hear Noctis' voice, in the hall.

He rubbed his eyes and raised his head a bit, looking around groggily.

Maybe they would let him go home before he got Noct worried.

[immortalmarshal]

Prompto will find Cor slipping back into the room to check on the young blonde. A rare smile graces his face upon seeing the younger man slowly waking up.

"Good, just in time. The others just got here a few minutes ago." After making sure the door's closed, he approaches the hospital bed. "How are you feeling?"

[chocobosnap]

"I'm okay." Prompto smiled back, he was groggy, his stomach hurt from the surgery, but he also didn't want to be a bother to anyone. He already caused enough trouble as it was, collapsing like that, being sick like that.

"You don't have to worry." For a young man with no poker face, this he could lie about.

[immortalmarshal]

"Not anymore, no." Cor sounds reassured, almost relieved as he gently pats the younger man's hand. It's almost as if Prompto's lie would work on him...

"Noctis agreed to let you stay at his place for the mandatory week of observation and bed rest. He and the others also agreed to help look after you until the doctor clears you for your return to training and school."

Or not.

[chocobosnap]

"Yeah, now that I had surgery, it's great." He smiled shyly. "I'll be totally fine." He knew that much at least.

"Oh, but I'm fine." He answered, blinking. "Really. I can look after myself."

[immortalmarshal]

Cor opens his mouth, and then shuts it as he thinks he recognizes the real problem here. Instead of a scowl, he just sighs and settles into a chair next to Prompto.

"Look...you're not imposing upon Noctis and the others. Friends - real friends - don't count that as imposing. Ever. He wants to help in any way possible. So does Ignis, and even Gladio a little. And besides...I personally know how badly it can be if you try and take care of yourself right after surgery. So, let them help you, just this once..."

[chocobosnap]

Cor wasn't wrong in his assessment, but it wasn't just that.

Prompto rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"I know. I mean...I guess, but they don't need this. I can handle it. Honest. I look after myself all the time." He waved his hand. "I don't want them to hate me too because I wanted too much."

He'd been hearing it for awhile, that he was too needy, he wanted too much, more than anyone could reasonably give him, or so his parents said. He had to keep his friends at a certain distance. Smile, be the guy they loved and that was it. He didn't want to burden them.

[immortalmarshal]

Cor's heard it from Prompto's mother too. And if she had been here in person, he might've actually punched her for it without an ounce of regret. The idea of someone treating their child like that still makes his blood go from cool to boiling within a few seconds.

But to hear it from Prompto, who seems to have been raised with that kind of thinking? It just makes something inside Cor just...break. Again. Because that kind of treatment is not correct, based on how Clarus and Regis raised their kids...and based on Cor's own childhood, even with poor working-class parents.

"...It's not." His voice is quiet at first, but it slowly grows as he continues. "What you want...it's what every child, every person wants from their loved ones. Unconditional love and support, a helping hand in hard times, event the occasional covering of expenses and caretaking during times of illness... That's not too much to ask for. That's normal. Whoever's been telling you that are a bunch of heartless assholes."

He takes a deep breath. "And there's no way Noctis would hate you for wanting him to help look after you while you're recovering. If he did, he wouldn't have bothered coming her in the first damn place, much less be anxiously waiting to see you." Cor can almost imagine Noctis pacing the floor in the waiting room, or sitting impatiently in the chair trying to focus on whatever mobile game he's currently obsessed with.

[chocobosnap]

He couldn't help it, he believed he was wrong. That might be true for other kids, but he wasn't like them. He didn't know what that marking on his wrist meant, but it meant he wasn't normal.

He shook his head. "I-I'm sure they tried to love me. At some point."

Prompto wasn't exactly sure when everything got turned upside down, but it did. It was his fault, he'd been told so.

"But there's something wrong with me." He said in a rush. "I don't really know what a-and I'm not normal!" He was tempted to prove it, but he didn't know what would happen.

"So that stuff is just...not for me. But it's okay! Really! I'm used to it." He was trying his best to convince Cor he was fine. "I know Noct likes me, likes hanging out with me but..."

[immortalmarshal]

Cor just finished talking to Noctis and company regarding what has happened with Prompto. He hasn't mentioned the true issue with Prom's parents yet, but he did confirm that they're going to be out of town for a long while. Hence, Cor needing to discuss certain arrangements with Prom's royal friend and said friend's friends.

Prompto isn't going to get very far before the door opens to reveal Cor stepping into the room to check on him. Seeing the blonde waking up brings a relieved smile to his face. "Good; I was starting to wonder when you would wake up."