Chapter Text
The day started out relatively okay, Prompto managing to take a few photos of the various sights they were driving through and even succeeded in getting a shot of a wild Chocobo that appeared within the ravine. However, his luck was running out, and so were their funds.
‘It’s all the potions we’re buying,’ Ignis explained with a sigh, eyes on the road whilst Noct and Gladio were delving into their pockets and comparing the amount of restoratives they had left each.
‘Five,’ Noct murmured, whilst Gladio mumbled that he had around seven for himself. Prompto didn’t dare pipe up, knowing his own pockets weighed significantly less with two potions left, just the basics, not even Hi-Potions or Phoenix Downs. ‘What about you, Prom?’
‘Hmm?’ Prompto turned around in his seat, offering a forced smile to the pair in the back of the Regalia. ‘Oh, me? I’ve got a few.’
Gladio gave Noct a significant roll of his eyes, shaking his head at the blond’s response, before folding his arms against his chest. ‘Trust Prompto to have a limited supply. It’s all the lounging around he does during battle.’
‘Whatever, Big Guy, you won’t be saying that when I’m saving your ass later.’
‘Prom’s fine,’ Noct replied, offering his friend a grin. ‘Besides, he gets some good shots of the fight anyway.’
‘Indeed,’ Ignis replied, reaching Cape Caem and pulling over to the rocky road. ‘Although, I do wish you’d leave the camera in the car occasionally.’
Prompto gulped, nodding slightly as he gripped tighter to the camera in hand. ‘It’s great practice for motion shots though.’
‘I’m sure it is.’
He tuned out the rest of the conversation, his mind running amok with those common insecurities for him. Was he doing enough? Did the group think he wasn’t pulling his weight? Should he consider returning to his training?
That was all they said, just that he should leave the camera behind on occasion, that he had the tendency to need more restoratives than the rest of them, that his health was a little lower in comparison to his companions. However, Noct’s reassuring smile did nothing to comfort him. But he’d prove to them that he could do better, if not for himself then for Noct, who was capable of shielding him from harm with a simple smile in comparison to a wielded sword. Upon reaching Cape Caem, the group headed up the hill, huffing and complaining about the trek as they went.
‘I’m getting really tired of the greenery around here,’ Noctis sighed, plodding ahead of them all. Prompto watched from behind, the insecurities beginning to voice their most hated thoughts once more. In comparison to his friend, he was lanky, weak, a stumbling mess. He’d need to do better.
‘I think it’s exquisite,’ Ignis replied, shaking his head slightly. ‘There’s far more to look at here compared to the Crown City.’
‘Uh-huh,’ Prompto murmured in agreement, keeping himself a little further back compared to the others whilst concentrating a little more on where he was placing his feet, determined to stride with confidence. He didn’t dare bring up his camera with them, in which many shots featured landscapes from their travels, not after Ignis was complaining about how often he used it anyway.
‘I think you’re going to have to do this one without me,’ Gladio explained soon after reaching the lighthouse, Prompto shielding his heavy breath from the hillside stretch with sniffs and a hand hovering over his mouth. ‘I’ve got a few things to do around here.’
‘Really?’ He piped up in shock, unsure how he felt about Noct being without his shield. ‘Is it that important?’
‘Very,’ Gladio replied, gaze falling onto him. ‘Just try not to use our entire supply of potions, yeah?’
‘I know,’ Prompto replied, nodding slightly and teasingly rolling his eyes.
‘No, seriously, Prompto,’ Gladio continued, tapping him on the shoulder and causing the blond to stumble off balance slightly. ‘I need you to step up whilst I’m gone, okay?’
‘Yeah, I heard you the first time.’
‘Good, because we have a job to do.’
Prompto fell silent, crossing his arms against his chest and attempted a weak chuckle to laugh it off. Inside, he was kicking himself for even opening his mouth.
They ended up teaming up with Aranea Highwind, slaying daemon after daemon in the depths of the dungeons of the Vesperpool. Gladio was still nowhere to be seen but they managed to keep up with the countless enemies whilst on the hunt for mythril ore.
It was at that point where everything seemed to go wrong, where things took a turn for the worst, and Prompto was questioning every move he made with the group. He put it down to the party being out of whack, that maybe he was trying to impress the Commodore a little too much, but he knew he was fighting as much as he could. It was evident that he was no match for the Reapers, however. His handgun was doing nothing, his stamina diminishing, and the rest of his party were concentrating too hard to notice.
‘Watch where you’re stepping, Prompto!’ Ignis shouted, as he narrowly ducked under the reach of the spectacled man’s daggers, Noct phasing past them effortlessly.
Prompto stumbled out an apology, continuing to try and shoot the Reapers and Skeleton’s a little further back away from the fight. However, what he didn’t realise was there was another enemy spawning behind him. He squealed as he turned around, and with one fatal swipe, he was launched across the room. The Reapers red claw sliced through his uniform, causing him to cry out.
‘Prom, look where you’re going!’ Noct shouted at him, but he couldn’t bring himself to respond, the thumping of his heart in his mouth and his panting breath being all he could hear. It was at that point that the pain began, piercing through his form from his stomach as if he was sliced in half from side to side. The fight ended soon after, as Prompto staggered to stand, groaning to himself in agony. However, no one noticed, their backs to him as they already began hurrying around the corner of the corridor to seek out treasures. Prompto stumbled after them, eyes watery in pain as he held one hand to his stomach and the other clutching his gun. It was obvious that he couldn’t keep up, always trailing behind the trio. At one point, he leant against the ruin’s walls, his hand dropping to his pockets for at least one potion, before pulling away. Gladio would be sure to brand him as a failure if he used one now, and he couldn’t lose bodyguard points with the big guy, not after their conversation before he’d left. He’d be viewed as unfit to protect Noct, and he didn’t dare consider that possibility.
‘Hey, Prom?’ Noct piped up, turning around whilst walking backwards and pointing in the direction of the open spaced room ahead. ‘Reckon shit’s about to go down?’
‘Oh, bro,’ He masked the pain with a cough, forcing a teasing grin. ‘There’s definitely a few nasties in there.’
Noctis laughed, nodding slightly before heading through into the open area without a second thought, Ignis and Aranea following closely behind. Prompto cursed under his breath, hurrying after the trio and ignoring the burning pain that echoed through his form. He could worry about the consequences of his injury later. For now, he needed to fight, for Noctis’ sake.