Chapter Text
Prompto was desperate to finish his shift, tapping his fingers against the side of the cash register as he served yet another customer. Business was booming that evening, as it always was on Friday evenings after work as everyone was too lazy to cook that evening. Pizza was the best way of preparing for nights out drinking and dancing. That was what he assumed anyway, he wouldn’t be caught dead in a nightclub. Besides, he was almost certain no one else expected to catch him there either.
‘Argentum!’ He heard his manager call, gesturing to the clock above the restaurant’s door. ‘You’re done, now get out of here!’
‘Yes, sir!’ Prompto beamed, passing a receipt to the customer on the other side of the counter before heading back towards the staffroom, removing his apron as he went. He sighed in relief, grabbing his coat and school bag before clocking out and leaving through the back alley. He found his bike thankfully where he’d chained it up against a lamppost, immediately jumping on and kicking off down the street. He was admittedly exhausted, but adrenaline for his most anticipated evening playing King’s Knight was keeping him pumped. The game had recently been updated, and he had the installation going for the whole day whilst he was in school and work. Admittedly, he was terrified of the incoming electricity bill but that was a problem for another day. For now, all he wanted was his bed. And King’s Knight. Always King’s Knight.
Upon entering his home, he chained up his bike against the front fence, before heading up to his parent’s flat in the east side of the Crown City. Admittedly, it wasn’t the nicest neighbourhood, but with his current wage and savings, he might be able to move out by the time he’d graduate the following year. That was the plan anyway, and he was praying with everything he had that he’d be able to get his own place soon. It would save a lot of disappointment when he’d enter his home and find yet another handwritten note from his parents saying they were away for work again. At least then he’d never need to get his hopes up.
Dinner wasn’t anything special, sticking with soup and bread from the centre of the loaf to ensure it wasn’t completely off - he’d yet to go shopping - and then he was heading up to his computer. The update had been installed a few hours previous, meaning he was immediately able to login and be reunited with his avatar. CHOCOBOY17 was a huge comfort to him, eyes meeting with the blond character dressed in black armour, similar to the crownsguard who were posted in the centre of the city. He smiled, checking his online friends and finding another day without any requests. No matter, because today might be the day; the day he’d have someone to team up with. Clicking on the world icon, his avatar blinked into the existence of the fantasy world, whilst Prompto slipped on his headphones and microphone. He headed down the streets using his game controller, bottom lip slipping between his teeth in concentration as he moved away from the town and into the wilderness. He avoided a few missions, needing a team of four to rescue the princess and achieve the highest loot. But he was level 47 at the time and it was recommended that he was 59 before attempting it. So for now, he wandered around the wilderness and engaged in combat with lower level hunters as a form of grinding.
Upon reaching another battle, there was another character beside his own, adorning similar black crownsguard robes and brandishing a sword which you had to use gil to purchase in game. He’d never have bought something for the game with real gil, his subscription to the site was already around two hours wages a month.
‘Hey, anyone wanna join me for the Adamantoise hunt?’ He spotted it in the chat, causing him to huff, shaking his head.
‘No chance, that’s too high for me,’ He responded, the sound of his keyboard clicking surrounding the room.
‘C’mon, think of the loot!’
Prompto laughed, his smile brightening as he responded to the player, finding himself interacting with someone on the site for longer than he’d ever done previously. He wasn’t usually the best communicator, spending the majority of his time on his own unless absolutely necessary. Once, he had made a second free account just so he could complete the level 25 partner quest after getting sick of the mission repeatedly popping up in his log.
‘Absolutely not, I’ve just got this gun and I don’t want to lose it.’
‘Buzzkill.’
‘Fair.’
And that was that, that was all that was required before Prompto received an unfamiliar chime of his inbox. He opened it, and there glaring back at him was his first friend request.
NOCTAWAKE invited CHOCOBOY17 to become friends.
Prompto couldn’t click the ‘accept’ button fast enough, his cheeks blooming pink as he did so before immediately blinking to another location within the game, the nerves getting the better of him. Besides, it was probably simply someone who collected friends like you would levels, there would be no way that someone would interact with him. He could breathe, everything would be okay.
However, after a few seconds of blissful security, Prompto’s world came tumbling down around him at the sound of the inbox chime once more. Clicking on it cautiously, he held his breath, eyes widening.
NOCTAWAKE: ‘Hey, where’d you go?’
Shit. He took a moment to collect himself, before responding.
CHOCOBOY17: ‘Just had to go turn in a hunt, nothing special.’
There. He was safe. However, his blush continued to brighten as he spotted the person typing in the chat box.
NOCTAWAKE: ‘Fairs. Still chickening out of the Adamantoise?’
CHOCOBOY17: ‘Shamelessly so, I’m quite attached to my current weaponry.’
NOCTAWAKE: ‘C’mon, I’ll protect you.’
Prompto gulped, sitting back for a moment as he processed the person’s words. He wasn’t sure where NOCTAWAKE was going with this, but he found himself smiling.
CHOCOBOY17: ‘If we die, you’re buying me a new gun.’
NOCTAWAKE: ‘You’re on.’
NOCTAWAKE invited you to Longwythe Peak. Would you like to join them?
Prompto slowly pressed ‘yes’, his lower lip caught between his teeth. He knew it wouldn’t go well, he was extremely underleveled, but he was willing to take the risk to spend more time with his first friend.