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

[chocobosnap]

He was bewildered a bit, by Cor's reaction. "I'm fine. Really." He assured him. "And it's fine, yeah, everything is, I'm just...sorry, I didn't mean to drag you into this."

Mr. Argentum scoffed and moved close. "You should listen when I speak to you Prompto." He grabbed his good forearm and lifted it up. "I'll show you what's wrong with him." He tore off the sweatband that covered up the barcode, denoting him as property of...someone.

Prompto let out a distressed cry at that. "Don't-!"

[immortalmarshal]

Cor wants to tell him that it'll be okay soon; that he won't have to endure it for very much longer. He can even feel his phone buzzing, either from Monika calling him or Gladio texting him that he's on the way with the moving truck.

But all that fades when this asshole dared to touch Prom, when he dared to cause such severe stress to the lad by ripping off the cover to his greatest secret...

And it chills Cor to the heart to realize that it looks a lot like a laboratory barcode, the one used for experiments...

But that's only for a brief moment before Cor realized this scene for what it really is. "Get your hands off of him!" he snarls as he grabs Prompto's arm and sweatband away from his 'father'. He helps work the band back over that barcode, even as he keeps glaring at the other 'man'. "Don't you dare touch him ever again."

[chocobosnap]

His whole life, he'd been fighting to keep that barcode a secret. His parents constantly checked to make sure he had it hidden, to make sure that no one else knew and his father betrayed him, by showing it to the person who had the most sway over him.

Prompto could feel himself losing control. His vision seemed to tunnel and he didn't notice Cor covering it up again, he was just taking short, fast, ragged breaths.

Not now, not now.

He felt his throat constrict with panic, and crouched over, curling up a little bit.

"See? He's defective." His dad continued. "And he's mine, I'll do what I want with him."

[immortalmarshal]

Cor catches him, holding him close with one arm wrapped around Prompto's shoulders. "Deep breaths, Prompto," he soothes him. "Deep, slow breaths..."

And then Mr. Argentum says that nasty claim, and Cor glares murderously up at him. "If you dare say that about him one more damn time, I'm going to put your sorry ass in the hospital. And you just said that he's no son of yours. By that statement, you're no longer responsible for him or his path, as of today."

Cor is too upset to focus on the fact that someone is quietly picking the lock on the front door, instead of bothering to knock or ring the bell. Guess who's fully aware of how her boss works in these situations...

[chocobosnap]

"You can't have him. We get a very nice stipend to deal with him and I will not have you taking that away from us. His mother and I are very accustomed to how we are living."

Prompto did as he was told, or tried to at least, taking slow, deep breaths. He wasn't terribly surprised to hear things coming out of his dad's mouth.

"You don't want him. He's needy and whiny."

[immortalmarshal]

"That's all you're keeping him around for? Money?" Cor growls louder as he stands in front of the lad. "He's a kid. Kids are going to need things. Food, clothing, medicine...all the love and care that they should get from their parents. That's not them being needy; that's part of being a parent!"

He's too upset to realize yet that the front door is not only unlocked now, but cracked open and has a certain cell phone poking in, with the camera option set to record.

No, instead, Cor takes a few steps towards Mr. Argentum, fists clenched tightly at his side. "Someone like you have no right to be keeping any kid if that's how you view them. Especially a good kid like Prompto here."

[chocobosnap]

"Why else would we take in a Niff kid? What would we gain from it?"

Prompto, meanwhile, was stuck on what Cor was saying, in one fell swoop, validating all of his feelings and not even knowing it. He dragged his wristband across his eyes, sniffling a little bit.

"Stop your sniveling, Astrals. What kind of lies have you been telling these upstanding people? We put a roof over your head, and we feed you and clothe you and ensure you remain alive. You should be grateful. He should be grateful!"

[immortalmarshal]

The way his father spoke, it reminded Cor of all those old nobles when he was a teenager in the Guard. How he used to over hear the bad ones sneering down at their servants screwing up, claiming that 'you should be grateful that I haven't thrown you out over this' and what not. Cor did not stand for that kind of abuse then.

He does not stand for it now. Hence, another fist into the other man's face.

"You fucker!" He growls as he grabs his collar to punch him again. "You abused the poor lad!" Another Punch. "And for what? Just so you can live like some fuckin' noble and treat him like scum?! How can you treat any kid like that?!" And another punch, this one for the nose...

[chocobosnap]

He went down all too easy underneath Cor Leonis' fist, with a whimper about the blood now trickling from his nose. Each punch made him scream, a lot louder than Prompto ever did in the face of the Marshal. Prompto who had always stood bravely, even when he was afraid. Prompto who always did his best.

This man was nothing like Prompto.

However, Prompto didn't really want to watch this and he reached out to touch Cor's arm.

"Please..." He begged softly. "Don't fight. I'm sorry okay? I don't want people to fight over me, just..."

[immortalmarshal]

No, this man doesn't have the good heart and endurance that Prompto has. He's not even worthy of looking at Prompto, in Cor's fury-addled mindset. It felt almost satisfying to hear him scream under the blows--

And then Prompto begged for him to stop, and Cor did. He gasps for breath as he comes out of the rage, blinking over at the lad touching his arm. "Prom..."

"It's not your fault." Cor turns to face Monika, who has fully entered the house now. Judging from the shadows looming in the doorway, Prompto's friends aren't far behind her. "Abusers always wants the victims to take the blame," she calmly explains to the teenager as she walks up to them. "They frame things and manipulate their mindset into making the victims think that they're responsible for the abuse they're receiving. But it's not, because they're victims, not perpetrators."

[chocobosnap]

"I'm sorry." Prompto said immediately, shrinking behind Cor. He felt like he'd caused the entire mess, but that was the point.

"Fine, whatever, get out. Ungrateful brat." His dad spat at him.

Prompto chewed his bottom lip. "Thank you for stopping." He said to Cor quickly. "I..."

"Get you crap and get out."

[immortalmarshal]

Cor stands to his full height, wiping the blood off of his fist with a handkerchief. "Monica...you know what to do."

She nods and starts pulling out handcuffs. "Mr. Argentum, you are hereby charged with child neglect and abuse. You have the right to remain silent..."

Cor, meanwhile, blocks out the usual arrest speech as he turns to Prompto. "The others are here - I can hear them outside now," he points out, sounding a lot calmer than he feels right now. "Let's get you packed up and moved out of here."

"...pto?" A familiar young friend calls out thru the front door.

[chocobosnap]

He grimaced and nodded because everything was unpleasant. "Y-Yeah, okay. I've been gathering my things like you said so....it shouldn't be too bad."

Prompto led the way back into his room. "They didn't see right? My arm? I mean...I'm sorry. If you want to dump me at an orphanage somewhere I understand."

[immortalmarshal]

"No, they didn't," Cor reassures him as he walks alongside Prompto. "And don't apologize. Monica's right; none of this has ever been your fault."

Once they do reach the room, though, Cor pulls him into a brief hug. "I'm not dumping you anywhere, not even over that kind of secret. You're coming home with me, and you're going to get settled in and get some rest."

[chocobosnap]

He hesitated only for a moment and then Cor hugged him which made him look up in surprise. It was only brief, he didn't have time to return it.

"I...okay..." He said weakly, looking a bit thrown by the changes all at once.

"I don't have that much stuff."

[immortalmarshal]

Cor pats his shoulder comfortingly. "I know it's a bit much now, but I promise that things will get better from here."

He does glance around the room, seeing Prompto's point. "Well, then...it shouldn't take no more than one trip, then, if we can get everything on the truck. Let's get started by getting Gladio to help move what furniture you have..."

Clearly, though, there will be much shopping to do in the future. Not that it bothers Cor one bit to spend money on someone other than himself.

[chocobosnap]

"Okay."

Prompto agreed and let his friends come in to help. Ignis must have said something because Noct didn't comment on his split lip and they just moved his things without complaint. He didn't have a lot of clothes, and what he did have had chocobos on them, for the most part. He had a few stuffed animals, photographs everywhere that had to be collected and a very old computer he did his school work on, as well as his books. When the room was empty an hour later it was just surreal as the rest of the house.

Prompto looked around in awe and then nodded to Cor. "We can...we can go, I think."

[immortalmarshal]

Ignis simply told Noctis not to mention it because he was concerned about setting off Cor again. And Ignis acted around Cor like Noctis would act around Ignis the one time he actually got angry within Prompto's presence so far. As in, tip-toeing around the man and being as polite and brief as possible.

The stuffed animals and photos were packed away with care thanks to Cor and Noctis, though the latter was seriously eying the age of the computer with slight disappointment. The Marshal can already guess what one of Prompto's next birthday presents might be. Everything else that's not electronics or furniture was packed up in boxes and bags, and hauled onto the truck. Cor and Gladio personally handled what few pieces of furniture Prompto said was his by themselves.

Once the truck was loaded, it was time to discuss who would go into what vehicle. Monica already left a long while back with Mr. Argentum to process him at the Crownsguard station nearby. So it was a matter of discussing who will go with Cor and Prompto in the Marshal's car. Which ultimately dissolves into talking Noctis out of driving either vehicle.

It almost feels normal, this kind of discussion. Almost.

[chocobosnap]

The discussion was a little silly and everything and very normal, which was great and amazing after everything.

Prompto helped as best he could and he was trying not to be too quiet, but ultimately he was tired and emotionally strung out.

After some time, they were getting in the car, and he sat next to Noctis in the back of Cor's car.

"Sorry about this Noct." He murmured, leaning against him.

[immortalmarshal]

Normally, Cor would let Noctis ride in the front passenger seat whenever he had to pick up the prince. But for once, he took Noctis aside and quietly asked him to sit next to Prompto in the back. "He needs his friend," he empahsized, "More than ever."

Which is why Noctis is trying not to sulk about being in the back seat; it's easier to avoid that as soon as Prompto props his head onto his shoulder. Even as Cor starts the car up and fastens his seat belt, he can hear Noctis groaning about how this is not Prom's fault, and that Noct himself really should've realized this sooner.

Cor doesn't have to look at the rear-view mirror to know that this has been tearing up his prince inside. It's obvious in his voice as Noctis went on, "I'm sorry it took this long for me to realize what kind of shitty home life you had. I..." He pauses as Cor drives them towards his place. "I could've moved you into my place weeks ago if I knew..."

"It's still on the table," Cor points out. "We're just setting Prompto up at my place until he's healed up and ready for a better home."

"Your place is so bare, though," Noct complains. "You barely have a TV, and there's hardly any surround sound for it..."

[chocobosnap]

"Ahhhh that's okay Noct!" Prompto protested a little bit. "It's not like I need stuff like that." He hadn't exactly had them, they couldn't all live like the prince of Lucis.

He would much rather have a safe place to sleep for the night, then he could figure it out.

"I'm just sorry I'm trouble for everyone else." He murmured, hanging his head a little bit. He should've been better. He should've coped better. If he hadn't have gotten sick. If he hadn't let Cor see him. Why couldn't he just slack off like some other kid?

[immortalmarshal]

"Besides, he has schoolwork to catch up on," Cor points out. "You two can play whatever games you want to hook up to the TV later."

"Yes, Dad," Noct snarks back with an exaggerated eyeroll. But that snark quickly disappears as soon as Prompto makes that apology. "Prom, you're--augh... You're not trouble...!"

Cor keeps his breathing calm and even as he turns onto the street leading into the neighborhood that his place is located in. "Noctis is right. You're not trouble, or in it. You just need help - the kind of help that we can give. And...there's no shame in seeking help when it is needed."

[chocobosnap]

He didn't know if Cor was right that he deserved this kind of help or that he should be asking for it - he should've been able to handle himself. Figure things out. That's what he'd been taught and this meant he hadn't done that.

"Okay." Prompto answered, but he didn't know if he believed it was okay.

He glanced out the window, thinking about his homework and while he didn't like it, it just gave him something to do, and Cor was right he needed to do it. He wasn't sure what he was going to do in life after school, he didn't think he had many options, not when he was from Niflheim. His parents, teachers, others had expectations for him that he didn't like, but he didn't see a better path. He didn't want to disappoint Cor or Noctis however, so he would try and do his best.

[immortalmarshal]

It doesn't take much longer for them to reach Cor's place. The neighborhood is rather nice, but not fancy-wealthy. Plus, it's a short drive away from the Citadel, should they need to get to or from there in a hurry.

"This is it," Cor announces as he pulls into hia parking spot. The apartment building looks like one that could be used in any TV show about "middle-class" families. Gladio and Ignis are already there with the truck, ready to help Prompto move into his new home. "You two ready? Even with the elevator, it'll take a bit to get everything inside."

Of course, inside Cor's place is...different. Granted, there's decent space for both him and Prompto, and all the furniture look sturdy and comfy. The aesthetics, however is...basic. Nearly spartan. The only pictures are a few showing a teenage Cor among a few other men, most in their 20s except for one middle-aged blonde guy. One of the other men look eerily like Noctis, though...

[chocobosnap]

"Yeah, it's great Cor." Prompto wasn't worried about what amenities Cor had going on, he just helped move his things into the spare room, for what he had. It wasn't a ton either, but it was a lot less spartan than Cor's way of living, and photographs, he had a ton.

He looked at the pictures when they were done, he wasn't one to shirk work and he pointed. "Is that the king?"