originallutece | (no subject)

[ His brain is just... Not functioning like it normally does. It's very easy for him to start feeling off or awkward. Especially when he has no idea what's going on when he's sober. Either way, it's partly brushed off when the car parks.

Noctis opens the door himself. His body slings sideways, him trying to get himself out. But there's a clear struggle when his legs turn into noodles, and he can't seem to get up. ]

When did--

[ He's still buckled in. ]

Oh, hell--

[Thank god he doesn't fall out, but Rosalind is fairly brisk as she turns the car off and comes around to the other side. Carefully, her hands firm but not cruel, she stabilizes him and helps him to his feet.]

Almost there, Noctis. Just up the elevator and down the hall-- you can do that, yes?

[ He inhales sharply as he gets on his feet, arm back around Rosalind's shoulder as he wobbles himself upright. At the very least, his mood has shifted upwards again. Because he finds the fact that he can't stand rather amusing. Noctis weakly chuckles as he finally gets himself up. ]

Jus' up the elevator 'n down the hall.

[ He repeats. Accent much thicker that time around. ]

Mhmm. Lessgo.

[There's that accent, and despite herself, Rosalind smiles, amused by it.

Into the elevator and down the hall: he's more than willing to go where she leads, and so it's surprisingly easy to get him up to the sixth floor and into her apartment. Once she gets the door open, she steers him towards her couch, then heads off.

First to the kitchen, to get him two bottles of water; next to the bathroom, to retrieve a wastebasket.]

Drink. You're going to have a nasty hangover tomorrow regardless, but water will mitigate some of it.

[ Off-balance as he is, Noctis follows along without much difficulty. There are a few moments that he nearly falls over, but he seems to grab a wall quick enough. Last thing he wants to do is take Rosalind down with him.

They arrive at her apartment, and at least muscle memory had him kicking off his sneakers while they make way to the couch. He plops down, an audible sort of grunt following as he immediately spreads out and lays down on it. The room is spinning ridiculously fast, and he's definitely starting to feel sick. But the air in here is nice and cool, which is refreshing. Plus, Rosalind's home always smells so pleasant.

He looks over when she approaches with the supplies, slowly sitting up again as he takes the bottle with no argument. ]

I... I remember now.

[ He struggles to open the bottle of water, but eventually succeeeds. ]

I drank... 12 drinks.

[ Leaning back, he slowly starts to put the bottle of water to his mouth. But he still talks. ]

Don' assme what though.

[ Yup. Some of that water sure spilled on him before he got it into his mouth. ]

Oh, good grief . . .

[She doesn't mind the spilled water; it's the twelve drinks that has her sighing. Even if it was all beer, that's a lot. But ah . . . given what he'd told her tonight, perhaps that's not so surprising.]

I want you to drink both of those bottles. Understand?

[. . .]

Tell me what happened at the party.

[ While Noctis may be drunk out of his mind, he is by no means disrespectful or smart with Rosalind. There's a time and place for that, and at least he knows that much in this state. So, of course, he nods. ]

Yessum.

[ He takes a second to drink some of his water. And he was clearly thirsty, because there's some silence while he downs most of it. With a sigh, he lets it rest in his hands. Teeter-tottering back and forth, he doesn't realize he's leaning on Rosalind shoulder to shoulder. ]

Nothin' happened. Jus' think it might've been a lot. I'unno.

Prompto wasn't there, 'n I was mostly around Dante.

[ He shrugs. Noctis is going to be jumping to a lot of subjects to avoid the main event. Stay tuned. ]

[She shifts a little, adjusting herself so he can lean on her more comfortably. Once he finishes that second bottle, she'll have him lie down, but for now, this is enough.

Though that not-explanation makes her wonder . . . alcohol makes you do a lot of stupid things, and it's never a good thing when you consume a lot at a party.]

And what did you and Dante get up to?

[ So, this isn't gonna help. ]

Truth or dare.

[And up go the eyebrows.]

Oh?

[Go on.]

[ Noctis wrinkles his nose again, turning his head and essentially burying his face in Rosalind's shoulder. He's that drunk. Drunk enough to hide like a damn child. ]

S'stupid.

I can't.

Yes you can.

[She reaches up, though, her hand snaking behind him so he's more gathered against her. Lightly, she pushes her fingers through his hair and thinks about all the awful little things he might mean.

It's not that she thinks Dante is a bad person, but this seems the perfect set-up for something hideous.]

Tell me.

[ Well, at least she won't have to worry long. Noctis sighs, Rosalind's soothing gestures at least doing enough to ground him a little. God, he really is a big baby when he drinks.

Still, he doesn't want to say it, because it means he'll have to talk about it. Again. Noctis takes a second to try and gather his words despite how wasted he is. But it's because of the alcohol that his mouth opens on it's own. Despite preparation. ]

He, i'unno...

Called me out, I guess. Er tried to. About Prompto.

[Ah. Well. That's not good, but it's better than she was thinking.]

Called you out in what way?

[ ughhhhhh, Ros why? ]

Mmfh...

How it's obvious we're into each other or something.

[WELL YOU ARE, she does not say but most certainly thinks.]

He thinks Prompto is, ah, into you?

[ Hiding his face MORE. ]

And... Vice versa.

Said if we don't stop... Dancin' around it, someone'll end up hurt.

[It's the fact that someone else has seen Prompto looking at Noctis in such a way that interests her, though. Dante could be entirely wrong, of course, but it's still an interesting fact.

He's really burrowing into her, isn't he? She shifts again, tipping her head back as she stares at the wall.]

It's a possibility, certainly, even if you both have the best of intentions.

[ That.. Makes Noctis fall silent. Saying anything further to that would be to admit that he has feelings for Prompto at all and--

Well, while that's a possibility in itself, it's not something he's willing to wager. Prompto is his best friend. And while there have been questionable things that have happened over time, it's all been under the guise of their closeness. It's just how best bros are, right? Noctis has absolutely no prior experience to pull from, and so he's both lost and terrified that he could ruin it.

He doesn't say anything quite yet, silent for what feels like hours until he finally pulls away and looks down to his water bottle. ]

He's straight.

[ Not a confession. Not denial either. ]

Ostensibly, so were you until recently.

[She regrets that the moment she says it. There's an overwhelming chance that he is straight, and it's cruel to lead Noctis on with the promise of maybe. But she's also heard the way Prompto speaks of Noctis; she's watched him time and again, witness to the way he looks when he gets a text from Noctis.

It's not proof. It's hardly anything. But it sticks at her, even so.

She sighs softly and pushes her fingers through his hair again.]

You've options. But I think it would be best to discuss them when you're sober.

[ Much as she might be right about that shred of hope, Noctis ignores it almost immediately. Or at least tries to. He has no business feeling that way about his best friend, and he has to wonder if maybe he's just falling for the pressure of it. It's not the first time someone has suggested that he and Prompto are a bit too close to be considered pals. Dante was just a bit more... Aggressive in his approach, is all.

Would it be a bad thing if he were to be into him? Maybe. Especially if it freaks Prompto out and sends him running. But that's not fair to Prompto either, considering what they've been through together and what Prompto has done for him.

God...

The guy fucking saved his life. There has to be a point where admiration and appreciation crosses some sort of line that he's not even toeing yet, right? And what happens to his own little facade he's been working on for years? That cool and calm demeanor that he was so sure he had down to a polish. It's not at all the case, but he'd felt it at least.

There are a lot of factors that work against him: the fiasco at the gym, the fiasco on this couch that he still hasn't vocalized to Rosalind and never will. Fishing on the lake, the piano at the mall...

Noctis' face starts to burn bright red and despite Rosalind's delicate gesture to his hair, he leans forward with his face in his hands. ]

I don't feel s'good.

I know.

[She watches him for a few seconds, then reaches forward, rubbing his back gently.]

Take a deep breath. Drink some more water if you can.

[And perhaps it would be best if they got off the subject entirely. He seems so miserable, and god knows there's no use in thinking about a subject like this when there's no way the discussion will be productive.]

[ Would it really be all that terrible if he had feelings for Prompto? Is what they've been doing that out of the ordinary for people?

God. No. Wait.

Yes, it would be terrible. Yes. Because Prompto isn't into guys and there's absolutely no way in hell that he has those kinds of feelings for Noctis. He's an attentive friend, it's just how he is. Prompto love his friends. He knows that much, and it would be stupid of him to even assume that those feelings run any further than devoted friendship.

Oh shit.

Oh. Shit.

Noctis isn't sure if this is just the alcohol or his inability to align wholly with socializing, but... No. Dante might be right. Everyone might be right.

If that's the case, then where does that leave him? There's no way things would go any further, there's no other guy out there that he's even remotely interested in. So what? He just powers through this? Remains content with what he has but there's still an underlying loneliness? Something similar to the loneliness he's felt growing up because he was almost completely raised out of a hospital?

Does Noctis harbor feelings for his best friend, or he is just that drunk?

There's no telling, but Noctis is definitely not moving and he's definitely really tense and sick. ]

I'm screwed.

I'm so screwed.

Noctis--

[She sits up as well, her hand still pressed flat against his back. Her voice had been soothing, but that's not working. Time for something a little firmer.]

Noctis. Look at me.

[ He responds to it. The firm tone is enough to pry the absolutely plastered Caelum to turn his head and look up at Rosalind. And he's absolutely lost. It's very much there on his face, because he doesn't want to admit he's got these kind of feelings but he's not sure of them either.

And so, this is a disaster. ]