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For the first time in his life, Noctis has a plan.
Well, it's not really a plan . It's more like an idea. ...So maybe it isn't quite like what Ignis is always nagging him to make. But he's working on it.
The idea is this: he really wants to kiss Prompto. It makes perfect sense, he thinks. Prompto is his best friend. Noctis sees him every day, but Prompto is never at the castle, so no one would find out (except Ignis. but Ignis somehow found out everything). Prompto likes him, maybe, so he'd be okay with it. Probably. So there's the only hitch. His friend is quick to touch him; he likes to throw an arm around Noctis' shoulders, bump arms, and walk closer than strictly necessary, but, then again, Prompto is kind of just an overly friendly guy.
Actually, another problem. Prompto is always flirting with girls. He's always talking about girls, and watching them out of the corner of his eye, because he's too shy to face them. So, maybe he doesn't like guys. But maybe he likes Noctis? There had to be some way to find out besides just blurting out the question, but if Noctis knows anything about being cool (and he does), it's that cool guys always act like they aren't bothered by embarrassing questions.
So that's how he ends up asking Prompto during lunch, with no hesitation, "Do you like guys?"
Prompto, of course, chokes on his juice box. Noctis takes a bite of the sandwich Ignis made for him last night, and waits for him to stop coughing.
"What," he finally asks, pounding his fist on his chest, "kind of question - is that!"
Noctis blinks slowly, considers. Then he swallows, and says, "I was just curious."
Prompto's cheeks are a pretty shade of red, he thinks. The steady, muted hum of everyone else eating their lunches masks what they're saying, but he still doesn't think he could get away with kissing Prompto right now. He wants to, though. The freckles on his nose stand out against the flush over his face, and it just makes Noctis think his lips look really pink. But he keeps eating, instead.
"Well, what about you?" Prompto says, hot and challenging, his ears red as his face, "Do you like guys?"
Noctis shrugs. "Sure, I guess." Tries to ignore the way the back of his neck begins to heat up. Prompto gapes.
"Seriously?" He lowers his voice, leaning in like people are actually bothering to listen to them, "Like... who?"
"I don't know," Noctis says, looking at his lunch, "I've liked a couple."
"Man," Prompto says, "that's really cool."
"Liking guys is cool?" Noctis finally looks at him again, one eyebrow raised. Prompto waves his hands, wildly.
"No! Not - I mean, yes, but - that's not what I meant! I just meant - it's really cool that you can just say it!" He puts his hands down, hard, and his cheeks are less a rose, and more a peony. Noctis shrugs, again, putting down the rest of his sandwich.
"I never had anyone tell me it was weird. Ignis always said it was fine."
"Ignis is cool, then." Prompto frowns, looking out the window, "Sometimes people are really weird about it."
"Then," Noctis says, insistent, "do you - ?"
"Yes," Prompto says, quickly. Noctis catches his eyes, and he continues, "but I've never had anyone to talk to about it. And I keep hearing people talk about how weird it is. I guess. Everyone keeps wondering when you're gonna get a girlfriend, or get married. It makes me think it's wrong to - want anything else."
" Do you want something else?"
"I mean - " Prompto turns red again, this time worse than before, and purses his lips, "I do. Like girls, too, and - I've thought about having a family, but - "
"But?"
"I don't know! What do you want?" Prompto huffs at him, accusingly, like he's trying to prove a point.
"To kiss you, I guess." Noctis says, before he can consider any other answer. He smacks his head, inside.
In front of him, Prompto is staring at Noctis like he's grown another head, his mouth slightly open. It takes a minute for him to finally turn to maroon, and snap it shut.
"You - me? Want - a - with? You. Me. That. I mean," a nervous laugh, "That's. Why me? You. I mean. Um. Ignis. And, that. Huge bodyguard guy? Gladio. You could. With them."
Noctis wrinkles his nose.
"I don't want my first kiss with them. That's... weird. They'd make it a big deal."
"Is this not a big deal?!" Prompto's voice is squeaky now, and people are starting to glance at them because of the volume. Noctis stands up.
"Let's go outside," he says, sounding more confident than he feels, "Lunch is almost over, anyway."
Prompto follows him, without a sound. It’s nice outside. Class will start again soon, but they keep walking. There’s a place in the courtyard that they tend to hide out when they’re napping between classes, hidden from most windows, and tucked into a quiet corner of the school’s campus, where no one really goes. Noctis plops down on the grass under some trees, behind some bushes, and Prompto follows suit. A silence. Finally, Prompto speaks up, looking at the blades of grass in front of him.
"Do you really want to - kiss - uh.”
No real point in pretending otherwise, now. "Yeah," Noctis says, "I do."
"Why?" Prompto looks at him, biting his lip, "I mean - I’m not like you. I’m just. A normal guy, and I - you know. I’m not really - uh."
"Because you’re a normal guy." Noctis says, dryly, "Because you’re you. I don’t know. What do you want me to say?"
"I don’t know," Prompto admits, "but I guess - as long as you’re okay with someone like me - "
"Not someone like you. Just you." It’s corny, but at least it’s true. Prompto snorts, trying to hide how his shoulders are rising to his ears.
"Okay, fine." He turns towards Noctis then, still cross-legged on the grass, "Then go ahead, your highness."
Noctis feels his brain fizzle a bit.
"Um - " he tries to untwist his tongue, and fails. His heart is beating about three times as fast as usual, but he tries not to let on, "Right now?"
"Isn’t that why you brought me outside?" Prompto is grinning now, the triumph in his voice obvious, "Are you nervous?"
"No!" Noctis shoots back, trying to glare while also keeping the heat off his face. His neck and ears are on fire, though. "Of course I’m not."
"Ooh," Prompto crows, "so the crown prince already knows how to do this? Wow! What a man!"
"Shut up," he growls, still struggling not to burn alive, and grabs Prompto’s shoulders, "it’s not like this isn’t your first, too, right?"
That shuts him up, but his eyes are still sparkling, and Noctis can tell he’s trying not to laugh. So, this isn’t exactly how he thought it would happen. But it feels like this is probably fitting for them. He takes a breath, and leans forward, hands heavy on Prompto’s shoulders, and his palms are starting to sweat, but it’s fine.
Their noses bump. That sets Prompto off, laughing. Finally, Noctis’ face catches fire, and he grits his teeth.
"Sorry," Prompto begins, "sorry, I just - "
Noctis kisses him, without bumping together, this time. It feels sorta strange, but not in a bad way. His lips are kinda chapped from all the chewing he does, but they’re still soft. A little thin, but it feels nice. Prompto makes a small noise in the back of his throat, and when Noctis pulls away, he lets go of all the air in his lungs.
"Wow." Prompto says, a little dazed.
Noctis laughs this time, and says, "Not too bad."
Prompto smacks his arm, but they both laugh. It feels easy. Natural, even. Noctis kisses him again, smiling, and Prompto doesn’t stop him.
The bell rang minutes ago, but they don’t go back. The afternoon is warm, and quiet, and everything around them is green and hazy. Like a dream. Noctis isn’t entirely certain how they ended up lying side by side on the grass, with Prompto using his arm as a pillow, but he looks like an angel when he smiles, so Noctis supposes it’s fine. Better to spend the afternoon kissing his best friend than anything else, he thinks.