That did it. At first, he'd had his crying relatively under control. Started letting those emotions out in a slow pace. Yet as Prompto's words, the floodgates came crashing down. And, like most other times when that happened-
"Don't you dare-!" He yelled, back arching as he tugged away slightly, and his forehead slipped to the front of Prompto's shoulder. His grip shaking as words just fell out in a mix of anger and sorrow. "Don't you... dare say that..."
His entire body shook as fresh sobs wracked him to the core. "'s bad enough, I had to- to watch Luna die," he choked out, quieter, more pleading. "If you- you or the others die for me, I-"
He looked up to try and meet his gaze, "I- couldn't bear it, Prompto."
Too many have died for him, have sacrificed so much for him. If Gladio, Ignis, or Prompto took his place, he'd break. It was bad enough Ignis lost his eyes, that Prompto suffered so much already at Ardyn's hands, that Gladio thought he had to beat the Blademaster to prove himself as his Shield. And not just them, but his own father, Clarus, Luna, all those in Insomnia that day, and Jared... Even Ravus, in the end. They all gave so much. He can't- He couldn't ask this of anyone. Especially Prompto; the only friend he'd ever made himself and hadn't been bound by duty.
Noctis pulled Prompto back into him, hand cradling the back of his head as the other clutched the back of his shirt tightly. The tears fell freely, and while he wasn't about to give up...his heart ached at even the thought of losing Prompto again. All because of him.
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"Don't you dare-!" He yelled, back arching as he tugged away slightly, and his forehead slipped to the front of Prompto's shoulder. His grip shaking as words just fell out in a mix of anger and sorrow. "Don't you... dare say that..."
His entire body shook as fresh sobs wracked him to the core. "'s bad enough, I had to- to watch Luna die," he choked out, quieter, more pleading. "If you- you or the others die for me, I-"
He looked up to try and meet his gaze, "I- couldn't bear it, Prompto."
Too many have died for him, have sacrificed so much for him. If Gladio, Ignis, or Prompto took his place, he'd break. It was bad enough Ignis lost his eyes, that Prompto suffered so much already at Ardyn's hands, that Gladio thought he had to beat the Blademaster to prove himself as his Shield. And not just them, but his own father, Clarus, Luna, all those in Insomnia that day, and Jared... Even Ravus, in the end. They all gave so much. He can't- He couldn't ask this of anyone. Especially Prompto; the only friend he'd ever made himself and hadn't been bound by duty.
Noctis pulled Prompto back into him, hand cradling the back of his head as the other clutched the back of his shirt tightly. The tears fell freely, and while he wasn't about to give up...his heart ached at even the thought of losing Prompto again. All because of him.