[ When she opens the door, it's immediately apparent that she's in rough shape, even aside from those bruises on her face. He can see it in her eyes, a great burden on her soul that never should have placed there. It makes his heart twist in his chest, any would-be joke or attempt at lighthearted amusement dying in his throat. ]
Hey. It's good to see you.
[ That is unquestionably true, and there's a heartfelt swell in his words.
He steps through the open door, but hesitates on the threshold. ]
A-are...are you sure I won't be intruding?
[ He doesn't want to impose, especially now of all times. But he can't quite abandon his desire to be here, either. She really seems like she could use some company. ]
Yeah. You too. [It's a half-hearted murmur, again very out of character for her. She steps back, holding the door open.] It's okay. I don't mind. Come on in, okay?
[She holds the door open for him, and then closes it when he's in. And locks it.] ...sorry, I'm not the best company right now.
[And she sounds like she's genuinely apologizing.]
[ That she locks the door after him doesn't go unnoticed, but he can hardly blame her. They're all on edge right now. Even if it wasn't him, someone had been abducted right out of his house, and Prompto hasn't slept well since. ]
Hey, it's okay. i didn't come here to throw a party, or whatever. [ His brow creases as he gives her a meaningful look. ] I came here to...to see how you're doing.
[ She has quite the catalog of injuries, and each one of them brings another fresh pang to Prompto's heart. He himself may not be a hardened warrior like Gladio, but he is at least someone who has seen this kind of thing before, has suffered through it. You, on the other hand...
Well, from her reaction, and what he knows of her life...he's willing to bet this is the first time she's ever been through something quite like this. ]
Hey...that's my line. [ In the gentlest form of chastising imaginable. Prompto can see right through her reassurances, because he's so often the one who pulls that kind of thing. But...not this time. ]
Do you...wanna talk about it?
[ He won't press her, but if she wants to, he's here. ]
[His question stirs up complicated warring feelings inside her heart, and You isn't very good at concealing those things; her conflict is writ plain and clear on her face. She chews her lip.
On the one hand, she wants to-- desperately so. She hasn't really talked with anyone about it, and the pressure inside sometimes makes her heart feel so full it could burst. But thinking about it...
[ He knows exactly what she's talking about, and it hurts, to understand what she's going through. Yet through his time back home and here, if Prompto has learned anything it's that the things that are most difficult to talk about are usually the ones that are the most important to talk about. ]
...Only if you wanna.
[ Both in response to talking about it, and making tea. ]
[There's a pause.] I'm gonna make some tea. [She says, softly, turning to the sink. Which, by the way, is filled with dishes. It's hard for her to get some room to put the kettle under the faucet. Hell, it's hard for her to hold it.
But she manages to fill it anyway, putting it on the stove and turning the heat on. She doesn't say anything else, and the silence hangs thick and heavy in the air.
She doesn't know what she wants to talk about. Or think about.]
[ He hesitates in the doorway, uncertain if he should help her, or if this is something he should let her do on her own. With Alisaie, it's become abundantly clear that when she's struggling, there are some things he shouldn't try to help her with. But not everyone deals with struggles the way she does, and You may want help, even if she doesn't ask for it.
But she finishes filling the kettle and setting it on the stove before he can act, so instead he leans against the door frame, his arms crossed, watchful and worried.
At last, he can bear the silence no longer, and decides to break it, much as he does so indecisively. Is this the right thing to do? ]
...Your first time going through something like this, huh?
[She just looks at the kettle, not quite turning around to face him. She doesn't want to look at him. She's so self-conscious about the bruising and everything, that...
...better to watch the kettle until it boils.
There's some time before she answers:] ...yeah.
Um, when I was growing up I'd get some scrapes and cuts and I broke my arm once from a fall, but... that was. S-something really different.
[ For all Prompto has weathered recently in his life, and for all he had struggled emotionally as a child, he had never been in danger growing up, either. It wasn't until he left the crown city that he really found himself in harm's way, and it had been...terrifying, and unexpected.
He wonders if You isn't going through something similar now as he did back then. ]
You know why I left home? It was because my best friend was getting hitched, and he asked me to be a part of his guard. Heh...thought it would be just a nice, fun road trip the beach with my buddies and then a cruise across the sea. Knew we might run into a few monsters here and there, but I...never knew what we were in for. Not really.
[ He pauses a moment to look up at her again, even if she doesn't meet his eyes. ]
...Everything fell apart back home after we left. Next thing I knew, we were fugitives being hunted by the Empire, and the world was turning dark around us. Some days, I-I...I was so scared I could barely put one foot in front of the other.
[It's not that she's not meeting his eyes; she's kind of only half-facing him, looking more at the stove and the kettletop than anywhere near him.
Though what he says does get her to turn and glance over her shoulder in his direction, even if not directly at him. It sounds... sort of similar to hers. Vaguely.] Really?
[ What else could they do? Even if it wasn't Noctis' destiny, they would have done it anyway, seeing the injustices wrought by the Empire that they had. Prompto doesn't really think of himself as some kind of renegade, an insurgent - he was just one guy who wanted to stick by his best friend and do the right thing for everyone. But even so, the choices he made during that time in his life were his most important. He could have left, could have abandoned the fight to lead a safer life. Gods know he didn't love spelunking in caves and fighting grotesque monsters. That's not why he did it. ]
There were a lot of times I wanted to give up. Times I...came really close to actually doing it. I know how to fight, but I'm not...I'm not a soldier, and there I was, right in the thick of it. I barely kept up, and I was in waaaaaaay over my head.
[ He shrugs casually, but there is definite weight to the slant of his shoulders. ]
But day by day, things just...got a little easier. I got a little stronger, I guess. I just had to let myself have enough time to learn all that, and figure out who I wanted to be in the world.
[ His eyes flicker to her for a moment as she takes the kettle off the heater before his gaze turns back to the floor, shaking his head slowly. ]
Nah. Not...not exactly, anyway. I wanted to be someone who could protect my friends. I...wanted to be the kind of person who would stand up and do something, even when...everything else seems lost.
[The sort of person who would stand up and do something.
That does sound nice.] I just don't think I could hurt someone. I mean, maybe. But I don't know.
[She hesitates.] Um, one of the kidnappers... got shot right next to me. I don't know him, and he was pretty terrible to me and the others, so it's not like he was a nice person. But I can't stop thinking about how he looked as he died.
I-- I don't think I can do that to people, you know? So maybe I'm useless.
[ Prompto shakes his head slowly, morosely, allowing himself to look more tired than she's probably ever seen him before. It's not often he leaves himself so emotionally...bare, laying out his hurts like this, but he has to make sure she knows that everything he says is sincere, and that he knows where she's coming from. He's been there. ]
It's not...easy to take a life. It never should be. [ Prompto had shot and killed his creator, a man who had done unspeakably horrific things, and even that nearly tore him apart. ] You, you're not weak because you don't want to hurt people. That makes you stronger than you even know. Because it means...you'll find another way to fix things. A better way. One that's all your own.
[It is a change. She's used to seeing him so cheerful and outgoing, that seeing him this different is unusual.
Then again, they're both different than normal like this.] ...I guess.
But what if there's not a different way? What if there are people who've been kidnapped and this time everyone's counting on me to rescue them, but I can't?
It's not like I can-- make dresses or sing at the kidnappers, or anything.
I dunno. That might surprise 'em enough to give you an opening.
[ Okay, that's a little bit of a joke. His tone is lighter, but still sincere, and his smile warms somewhat. When he speaks again, however, he's serious once more. ]
Not everyone has to be on the front lines, You. There are a lot of ways to fight back that don't mean putting a weapon in your hands. Sometimes that means inspiring other people to go on, like with a song. Giving them something to smile about when everything else is going wrong. Or...back when everyone was getting sick, did you ever ask anyone how grateful they were for all the hard work you were doing? Because believe me, they were.
[ A beat, before he adds: ]
If...if you want to learn to shoot, I...I can teach you. But you don't have to to make a difference.
Then...you can't do it. Sometimes, the good guys lose.
[ He's witnessed it firsthand, when Noct had disappeared into the Crystal, when darkness had come to reign over Eos. They were supposed to protect people, supposed to save the world, and while there was still a prophecy to come to pass, for the time being, it had felt so very much like a loss. ]
But...you won't be alone. We'll all have each other's backs, for as long as we can.
It makes her wince, a little... but it's true. They couldn't keep their school open, no matter how much they tried. Maybe that's a totally different level from this, but it's the same principle.] I guess you're right.
...but thanks for saying that, Prompto. [She manages a smile.
It's a tired smile, barely a smile, but it is a smile.] Oh-- the tea!
[She reaches out to grab the kettle with her bandaged hand, and then winces again.] Um, could you?
[ A smile is a smile, and even seeing her wear that small of one makes this difficult conversation worth it. He steps over towards her without a second of hesitation, taking the kettle in hand. ]
No sweat! [ He pours the tea into the cups, and actually manages to hit his mark, for the most part. Minimum spillage! ] And, You...anytime you need to talk to someone about this stuff, you know I'm always here to listen, right?
[ He won't ever pressure her into sharing anything she doesn't want to, but if she needs to talk...he's here. ]
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Hey. It's good to see you.
[ That is unquestionably true, and there's a heartfelt swell in his words.
He steps through the open door, but hesitates on the threshold. ]
A-are...are you sure I won't be intruding?
[ He doesn't want to impose, especially now of all times. But he can't quite abandon his desire to be here, either. She really seems like she could use some company. ]
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[She holds the door open for him, and then closes it when he's in. And locks it.] ...sorry, I'm not the best company right now.
[And she sounds like she's genuinely apologizing.]
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Hey, it's okay. i didn't come here to throw a party, or whatever. [ His brow creases as he gives her a meaningful look. ] I came here to...to see how you're doing.
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She manages a thin smile and a shrug at his question, like she's embarrassed.] Um, well, I've been better, to be honest...
...but I'm healing! It's fine, don't worry! [Even her attempts at cheering him up and reassuring him seem false.]
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Well, from her reaction, and what he knows of her life...he's willing to bet this is the first time she's ever been through something quite like this. ]
Hey...that's my line. [ In the gentlest form of chastising imaginable. Prompto can see right through her reassurances, because he's so often the one who pulls that kind of thing. But...not this time. ]
Do you...wanna talk about it?
[ He won't press her, but if she wants to, he's here. ]
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On the one hand, she wants to-- desperately so. She hasn't really talked with anyone about it, and the pressure inside sometimes makes her heart feel so full it could burst. But thinking about it...
She looks to the side.] I don't know.
Thinking about it, um, isn't very pleasant.
--I can go try to put some tea on or something.
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...Only if you wanna.
[ Both in response to talking about it, and making tea. ]
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But she manages to fill it anyway, putting it on the stove and turning the heat on. She doesn't say anything else, and the silence hangs thick and heavy in the air.
She doesn't know what she wants to talk about. Or think about.]
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But she finishes filling the kettle and setting it on the stove before he can act, so instead he leans against the door frame, his arms crossed, watchful and worried.
At last, he can bear the silence no longer, and decides to break it, much as he does so indecisively. Is this the right thing to do? ]
...Your first time going through something like this, huh?
I completely missed this I'm so sorry
...better to watch the kettle until it boils.
There's some time before she answers:] ...yeah.
Um, when I was growing up I'd get some scrapes and cuts and I broke my arm once from a fall, but... that was. S-something really different.
it's all good!!
[ For all Prompto has weathered recently in his life, and for all he had struggled emotionally as a child, he had never been in danger growing up, either. It wasn't until he left the crown city that he really found himself in harm's way, and it had been...terrifying, and unexpected.
He wonders if You isn't going through something similar now as he did back then. ]
You know why I left home? It was because my best friend was getting hitched, and he asked me to be a part of his guard. Heh...thought it would be just a nice, fun road trip the beach with my buddies and then a cruise across the sea. Knew we might run into a few monsters here and there, but I...never knew what we were in for. Not really.
[ He pauses a moment to look up at her again, even if she doesn't meet his eyes. ]
...Everything fell apart back home after we left. Next thing I knew, we were fugitives being hunted by the Empire, and the world was turning dark around us. Some days, I-I...I was so scared I could barely put one foot in front of the other.
[ He's going somewhere with this. ]
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Though what he says does get her to turn and glance over her shoulder in his direction, even if not directly at him. It sounds... sort of similar to hers. Vaguely.] Really?
What happened?
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[ What else could they do? Even if it wasn't Noctis' destiny, they would have done it anyway, seeing the injustices wrought by the Empire that they had. Prompto doesn't really think of himself as some kind of renegade, an insurgent - he was just one guy who wanted to stick by his best friend and do the right thing for everyone. But even so, the choices he made during that time in his life were his most important. He could have left, could have abandoned the fight to lead a safer life. Gods know he didn't love spelunking in caves and fighting grotesque monsters. That's not why he did it. ]
There were a lot of times I wanted to give up. Times I...came really close to actually doing it. I know how to fight, but I'm not...I'm not a soldier, and there I was, right in the thick of it. I barely kept up, and I was in waaaaaaay over my head.
[ He shrugs casually, but there is definite weight to the slant of his shoulders. ]
But day by day, things just...got a little easier. I got a little stronger, I guess. I just had to let myself have enough time to learn all that, and figure out who I wanted to be in the world.
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A few times, she thinks that maybe, what he's describing sounds like what she'd been going through. Wanting to give up. Feeling over her head.
The tea kettle whistles and she takes it off the heater.] That sounds like it was really hard.
...and also a little sad. [She says, quietly.] Did you want to fight? Is that who you wanted to be?
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Nah. Not...not exactly, anyway. I wanted to be someone who could protect my friends. I...wanted to be the kind of person who would stand up and do something, even when...everything else seems lost.
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That does sound nice.] I just don't think I could hurt someone. I mean, maybe. But I don't know.
[She hesitates.] Um, one of the kidnappers... got shot right next to me. I don't know him, and he was pretty terrible to me and the others, so it's not like he was a nice person. But I can't stop thinking about how he looked as he died.
I-- I don't think I can do that to people, you know? So maybe I'm useless.
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It's not...easy to take a life. It never should be. [ Prompto had shot and killed his creator, a man who had done unspeakably horrific things, and even that nearly tore him apart. ] You, you're not weak because you don't want to hurt people. That makes you stronger than you even know. Because it means...you'll find another way to fix things. A better way. One that's all your own.
[ And he believes she can. He really does. ]
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Then again, they're both different than normal like this.] ...I guess.
But what if there's not a different way? What if there are people who've been kidnapped and this time everyone's counting on me to rescue them, but I can't?
It's not like I can-- make dresses or sing at the kidnappers, or anything.
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[ Okay, that's a little bit of a joke. His tone is lighter, but still sincere, and his smile warms somewhat. When he speaks again, however, he's serious once more. ]
Not everyone has to be on the front lines, You. There are a lot of ways to fight back that don't mean putting a weapon in your hands. Sometimes that means inspiring other people to go on, like with a song. Giving them something to smile about when everything else is going wrong. Or...back when everyone was getting sick, did you ever ask anyone how grateful they were for all the hard work you were doing? Because believe me, they were.
[ A beat, before he adds: ]
If...if you want to learn to shoot, I...I can teach you. But you don't have to to make a difference.
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She just feels useless, even still.] But what if it comes down to just me one day, and I can't do it?
[She's quiet for a moment, and then she shakes her head.] But I don't want to learn how to shoot. I don't want to learn how to hurt people.
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[ He's witnessed it firsthand, when Noct had disappeared into the Crystal, when darkness had come to reign over Eos. They were supposed to protect people, supposed to save the world, and while there was still a prophecy to come to pass, for the time being, it had felt so very much like a loss. ]
But...you won't be alone. We'll all have each other's backs, for as long as we can.
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It makes her wince, a little... but it's true. They couldn't keep their school open, no matter how much they tried. Maybe that's a totally different level from this, but it's the same principle.] I guess you're right.
...but thanks for saying that, Prompto. [She manages a smile.
It's a tired smile, barely a smile, but it is a smile.] Oh-- the tea!
[She reaches out to grab the kettle with her bandaged hand, and then winces again.] Um, could you?
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No sweat! [ He pours the tea into the cups, and actually manages to hit his mark, for the most part. Minimum spillage! ] And, You...anytime you need to talk to someone about this stuff, you know I'm always here to listen, right?
[ He won't ever pressure her into sharing anything she doesn't want to, but if she needs to talk...he's here. ]
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