A Feast for Kings

By: Strange and Intoxicating -rsa-

Author Notes: I couldn't stop myself, I am so sorry. Please enjoy this, though!

Warnings: Sex, language, threats of violence.

Course 1: Royal Banquet Canapé

"Prompto, chill out. Really, he's just my dad. He's not that intimidating."

"Dude, he's the king. The King! And I'm just a peasant."

"We call you peasants 'Commoners' now. It keeps the peace."

Prompto understood what Noctis was trying to do, he really did, but nothing short of a miracle was going to make Prompto calm down. It felt like he had swallowed an entire box of razorblades.

"Oh, for godsake, Prom, c'mere."

Noctis pulled him forward by the tie and quickly pulled out the knot and, with steadier hands than his own, retied it into a Half-Windsor at the base of his throat. For good measure he pulled the tie down and Noctis laid a kiss against his Adam's Apple. "For good luck," he said.

"So I need luck?" Oh, boy. this really wasn't going to end well. He could already see his life flashing before his eyes.

"Oh, shut up. You know what I mean." The prince looked up, brushing his hand through his hair, the black wisps cradling his cheek. "Either way, Iggy's gunna be here soon. We're gunna meet Gladio at the Citadel."

The thought of Ignis and Gladio sent a comforting warmth to Prompto's stomach, but in all honesty he couldn't tell if it was really just indigestion from panic of not.

Prompto looked around the apartment that he and the other three men shared-more of house than an apartment. There were four bedroom suites, a massive kitchen, a gym, and even a pool. A freaking pool. Of course, four bedrooms was hardly necessary...

Ignis had taken over one to make a small laboratory for his Elemancy projects while another was given to Prompto for his darkroom. Noctis and Gladio had put their heads together to make the last bedroom into a study and video game room. They thought about keeping it a bedroom-just in case anyone went snooping, and technically both Ignis and Gladio still had their own apartments in Insomnia, but in the end decided to just throw a cot in the corner.

And the real bedroom, well.

The bed could sleep four people very, very comfortably.

And that was the room they were in now, with Noctis pulling at his own black tie, running his hands through his hair. Of course, Prompto had seen Noctis in his serious mood, with his black suit and tie, but... This was kinda different.

Prompto pulled at the black tie around his neck and fussed with the cuffs feeling the heavy weight of the Crown-made fabric. Noctis ordered it special for him, said that it was enhanced to ward off simple attacks and magic.

Now, thinking back on it... Noctis probably knew that Prompto would have to one day meet his father, and totally expected things to blow up completely.

Maybe the king would even try to stab him...

"You're doing it again," Noctis warned, and Prompto had to scratch at his head, guilty.

"Doing what, heheh."

"That. The getting nervous thing. Chill out and remember that my dad just wants to meet you. It's really nothing special. I mean, he even wants Iggy and Gladio to come along, so it can't be that important. I think... he just wants to make sure that I have friends."

Prompto swallowed sharply. "Do you think he knows about... about us?"

Noctis snorted. "Prom, my dad has an army of Kingsglaive that have been trained in subterfuge, magic, and weaponry for years. You think you would be breathing if he knew you, Iggy and Gladio pinned me down and fucked my brains out until I blacked out last night?" Noctis snorted. "I would have woken up with your heads on pikes."

Prompto knew that Noctis was joking, he really did, but that didn't help his stomach.

"Oh, c'mon, let's go. You look fine, my father doesn't know I'm fucking you, and he is probably just doing this to be nice."

Well... if this was what the King thought was nice... well...

The blond nodded his head and pulled at his sleeve one last time before following Noctis out toward the front door, making sure that his shoelaces were appropriately tied and that he looked as presentable as possible.

"Stop preening," Noctis joked as he ran a hand over Prompto's hair. "You look good in black... you should wear it more often."

Prompto smiled.

It didn't matter how many times Ignis and Noctis told him that really, this was nothing to be concerned about, that the king was still a man and that this entire thing was just an informal get-together between son and father, Prompto still felt nervous. Even with Ignis's hand on his in the front seat, Noctis curled up in the back of the car, lost in thought, it didn't cure his worry.

Gladio waiting in the front of the Citadel, hair pulled back in a professional ponytail at the nape of his neck with the tie around his throat covering up some of Prompto's over-enthusiasm, didn't even make the blond smile. Frankly, the feeling of impending doom was getting worse.

"Hey, kid, you look sharp."

Prompto tried to smile, but he was sure it looked more like a pained grimace.

"Ignore him, he's been panicking all damn day." Noctis climbed out of the side of the car and elbowed the door closed behind him. "I swear, you would think he was meeting the-"

"King?" Prompto supplied.

Noctis rolled his eyes. "I was gunna say the executioner."

"Which is your father. You know. The King."

Noctis shrugged.

"Prompto is nervous, Noct. Be a little more considerate to his feelings; he did not grow up with invitations to galas like we have." Ignis reached out and pressed his hands against Prompto's shoulders for the briefest of moments. "Do not fuss with your cuffs, it makes you look more nervous."

Prompto hadn't even realized he was doing it and stopped immediately, resisting the urge to scratch the back of his head. He imagined that would be just as bad as playing with his buttons.

"Sorry to break up the love fest for the chocobo, but the King said six on the dot, and it's kind of my job to be on time. So, if you would," Gladio made a sweeping gesture with his arms, giving a mock half bow to his lovers, "let's get this party moved on inside."

Gladio put his hand against the soft slope of his back that at any other time would have had Prompto melting into a puddle of goo, but right now just made him stand more stock-straight, hoping that King Regis couldn't smell fear. He knew that Noctis had the eerie capability, like a damn shark out of water. The last thing he needed was to give it away.

If the building was imposing, that had nothing on the creak of the massive doors as they opened for the group.

"We'll probably be in his quarters on the 15th floor," Noctis said as he looked around, making a gesture to the back of the large, open chamber.

Prompto found it hard to breathe as he looked over the beauty of the foyer, the chandelier glittering in the center of the room, the lush red rug under his feet, the marble diamond pattern delicately wrought against the walls and reaching into the heavens. It was so beautiful, and Noctis... this was Noctis's home.

This was Gladio and Ignis's home, too...

And now Prompto was more nervous, because, well, how was he supposed to fit into this?

"Don't look like that, Prom." It was Noctis. The man reached out his hand to Prompto's shoulder, pressing his thumb down in soothing circles. His hands felt warm and firm, so very Noct. "It's just me and the guys. You got this, okay?"

It felt good to have Noctis pause in that moment, but still...

Sweet shit on a stick.

Prompto knew that Noctis was the prince, saw the Kingsglaive and the advisors and the money-having lived with Noctis since they graduated high school, he was a little bit accustomed to it. But this was still a goddamn castle.

"Y-yeah. Got this. We're good, we're good." He bit back an uncomfortably high laugh, and wished they were back home curled under the blankets.

"If nothing else the food should be good. And Iggy can just rest and get to enjoy it himself."

"I enjoy cooking, but nothing I cook can compare with the Royal chefs. Their palette is that of dreams."

"Oh-hey, guys, it's Gwendaline. She looks... panicked."

Prompto looked up towards Gladio, who had his chin pointed out toward a woman in a long dress, hair pulled back in a stern silver bun at the top of her head, as she rushed toward the group.

"Oh, Prince Noctis, esteemed guests. Our Majesty has requested dinner be served in the Banquet hall. Please, please hurry."

Prompto realized the look that went between Ignis, Noctis, and Gladio, and audibly gulped.

"Um, does this change things?"

Noctis's nose twitched. "Nah, Prom. It's good. It's all good."

Gladio and Ignis said nothing.

Shit.

The chair at his back was hard, like a stone instead of a velvet cushion. Prompto was pretty damn sure it was supposed to be that way, too.

The King sat at the top of the table, a fair 10 feet between him and Noctis, who was at the other end. It was a lot of space, and Prompto wondered if this was how they ate their dinner every day, so far away from one another that conversation no doubt had to be half-shouted.

Ignis and Gladio were on the other side of the table, a fair distance away from one another, and now Prompto was really beginning to panic, because why were there so many spoons and forks and what was that thing- a clamp?

He was way over his head, and the King seemed to be more than well aware of how Prompto was feeling.

From the little frown pulled against his lips, he seemed very much aware.

"So, you must be the esteemed Prompto. My son has spoken of you fondly."

"Um, ye-yes, Your Majesty. Noctis has said a lot about you... Um, Your Majesty."

King Regis blinked at him, and then looked to Noctis. "I see. I hope good things?"

Prompto spluttered. "Yes! Yes, of course, Your Majesty. Very good things!"

"Then you're lying."

Prompto gulped and Noctis made some kind of noise, once that Prompto had never heard before. Prompto looked up to Ignis and Gladio, both of which were way too interested in staring at their glasses.

Traitors.

"No, no! Not lying! He told me about your-uh, Your Majesty's... lessons?" He threw a glance to Noctis, whose mouth was puckered so tightly it looked like he was about a second away from having a brain aneurysm. "Yeah! The magic lessons..."

Prompto only hoped that the King did not ask him to repeat exactly what Noctis would say after those lessons. Usually it was a string of words that would have made Prompto blush had he not become well-accustomed to it.

"I... I see."

Thankfully, the King moved his line of sight, and questioning, to Noctis.

"And your classes?"

"They're fine, dad. Prom and I are talking Advanced Lucian history together. You should probably let the historians access to the Citadel Library. They're teaching so much shit it's hard to keep track of."

"Language, Noctis." But this sent another round of questions toward Prompto. "So, Prompto. My son says you study...?"

"Um. Mechanical Engineering... Your Majesty."

Ignis spoke up, thankfully saving Prompto from melting into the floor. "Your Majesty, Prompto is quite the accomplished engineer, the best in his class according to his instructors. He has even gained the prestigious Sophiar Award-"

"Good old Hammerproof Thickskull...The man was one of my companions during the Old War. Quick with a hammer, not much brain up his head." King Regis let his eyes dart from Prompto back to Noctis, then back to Prompto. "Do you have a brain in yours?"

Prompto gulped. "Yes sir! I mean, um, yes Your Majesty. I have a brain in my head."

"Gladiolus tells me that you and Noctis enjoy drinking, is that true?"

Oh, god. It was once, and it wasn't like they weren't with Ignis and Gladio, and it was just supposed to be a bit of fun.

"Do you enjoy alcohol, Prompto?"

"Um, not really, sir. Um. Your Majesty."

"Dad, he's sweating bullets, leave him alone before he passes out on the table."

"Ignis, does he enjoy alcohol?"

Prompto looked up to Ignis, who seemed to have found God in his wine glass. That must have been his third-no, fourth, glass. "No, Your Majesty. I do not believe so. No more than myself."

"Ignis, your glass is empty. Would you care for more wine-yes, thank you. And yes, Gladiolus. Dear boy. How is your sister?"

Prompto resisted the urge to reach up and yank at his tie.

"She's fine, Your Majesty. Looking forward to the upcoming New Years festival at the Citadel. I think she's trying to outdo herself with the dress-thing weighs half what she does."

"Oh, good. She is such a sweet girl, very beautiful. Don't you agree, Noctis?"

"Uh. Yeah. Iris is cool."

"I was thinking that perhaps you should accompany Iris to the New Years festival. Iris is now... seventeen? It is a sound age to begin looking into courtship."

Someone knocked something over-ah, Gladio's water glass was on the ground. Oops.

Was it getting hot in the room or was it just Prompto?

"Gladiolus, are you well?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I'm sorry to interrupt, but Iris is a little... young to be dating. She hasn't even graduated from High School yet." Prompto spared a look at Gladio, who was somehow managing to hide his panic. Yet, from the water glass one of the harried waiters quickly picked up, there was a chink in his armor.

Of course everyone at the table knew that one day in the distant, distant future there would be some requirements about legacy and heirs. But not right now, and definitely not with Iris.

"Oh, Clarius and I have spoken about it, though of course Noctis is not required to go forward with it. Ignis, does Noctis have any other fair young woman interested in him?"

Ignis looked like he wanted to climb into that wine glass, now.

"No, Your Majesty. Noctis is quite busy with his studies-"

"How about you ask me about my love life, dad? Stop torturing everyone here." Prompto was just happy that this game of verbal tennis seemed to be leaving him out of it.

Prompto reached over and picked up his glass of water and took a sip-

"Fine then. Prompto, are you sleeping with my son?"

Prompto couldn't help but spit out his water, watching in slow motion as it rushed out of his mouth and nose, spraying across the table in an elegant arc.

"Or is it you, Gladiolus?"

Gladio dropped another glass.

"Ignis? Perhaps you are the one who is spending his nights with the Crown Prince?"

Ignis picked up his white wine glass and tipped the entirety of his new glass down his throat, then grabbed for his glass of red wine.

"Noctis?"

Noctis had his face planted between his hands.

Prompto couldn't look up at the King, but he did hear the king snap his fingers. The dirty plate where he had spit his water was replaced with a plate of colorful pastries, the bright orange of fish and the blackness of the caviar leaving spots in Prompto's vision.

Or maybe it was the lack of oxygen.

When Prompto looked up at the King, he watched him pick up a bread between his fingers, inspect it from side to side, before pushing it into his mouth in its entirety.

After a moment of chewing, the King looked at Prompto. "Well?"

Prompto stared down at his plate.

"Are you not hungry, Prompto?"

He was fucked.

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