nysalogs | [ OPEN ] ❝ and i don't want to talk about the world ❞

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[ OPEN ] ❝ and i don't want to talk about the world ❞

Who: Prompto (

punshots) & YOU
What: October catchall, with open prompts for part 1 of the event!
When: Right the heck now!
Where: Around Olympia
Warning(s): sad boy...but none probably?!

I. MARKET DISTRICT.

[ He's there when the bomb goes off.

Not within range to be affected by it, but as a member of the royal guard, Prompto's very assignment is to patrol the market district. Facing down Victarion after he'd killed a man there the week previous had been harrowing enough, given him too much to think about, too many questions to ask about himself and what he was even doing in the guard in the first place. This latest attack is nothing short of a slap across the face.

Not that he lingers on how it makes him feel - he hardly dwells on it. As always, he's feelings are shuffled neatly aside, even when reaching out to his friends - his brothers - to make sure they're okay in the aftermath, only to find his messages rebounding. Noctis, Ingis, and Gladio - all three, in stasis once more.

He's not equipped to deal with this devastation right now, so he doesn't. He bottles it up, sets his jaw, and goes to work. This bomb went off on his watch, so...he has to find the people responsible, right? Of course he does. It's what...Noct would have done.

So he'll be doing the following:

A. Assisting with clean-up. The bomb has made a terrible mess of things, and these merchants in the market district are people he knows well by now. He knows their names, their families, their hopes and dreams, and something like this is nothing short of devastating for many of them. He can't replace what was infected, but he can at least help clear away what's no longer fit to sell.

He approaches with a hefty (just the adjective, not the brand, Hefty TM Reynolds Consumer Products, Inc.) trash bag that's already pretty swollen with infected goods, wearing gloves and a respirator provided by the Institute. For acting as a literal garbage man, he looks pretty chipper. ]

What's the word? [ He gestures to whatever goods they're sorting through. ] Think they'll pass biohazard infection?

[ Isn't this fun? He's having the time of his life. He's fine!

B. Investigating the area. The crime scene itself is the obvious place to start looking for clues to track down the persons responsible for the attack. Word spreads quickly through the guard that they're looking for individuals tattooed with an "M" on their wrists, so he'll address anyone still lingering nearby, looking over his shoulder and hiding his mouth with his hand - he's very...stealthy... ]

Hey...sorry to bug, but - did you happen to see anyone leaving this area around bomb o'clock today?

[ Yep. Still fine! ]

II. CHASING CRIMINALS.

[ Evidently, his investigating does turn up some promising leads, and Prompto is hot on the heels of one of those suspected associates, which he tipped off with his presence far too early and gave the woman a generous headstart. He's pursuing on foot, leaping between vehicles and over stalls - sometimes more gracefully than others - and if he weren't caught up in this, if this weren't so personal for him, he'd probably take a moment to appreciate the fact that he might kind of look like a badass right now.

But he doesn't allow himself that much, and he pursues the suspect to a tall, threadbare building that looks like it might collapse with a single gust of wind. The woman starts to scale it, and, okay, that looks pretty cool, too, but he's come this far. He's not about to lose her trail now.

So he grabs the closest person, frantic as he turns them to face him: ] How good are you at climbing?

[ And then adds, a moment later after glancing between the building and whoever he's grabbed: ] I'm super sorry about this!

III. TENDING THE ILL.

[ If you didn't know any better, you might think Prompto some sort of crazed, overly-enthusiastic delivery man the way he carts around the city on a bike with a basket filled with soup containers. Where did he get a bike? He probably let a kid hold his gun so he could borrow it for the day. It's not important.

Anyway, that's just what he's doing, zipping across Olympia and ferrying the ambrosia of all illnesses, chicken noodle soup, to his friends - and hell, even one-time acquaintances - in need. He'd been quick to contact just about everyone he knows as the news of the sickness spread, to make sure they were okay, and depending on their response, he tabulated them for future reference. That future reference is now, and he's ringing doorbells, dropping off soup, and by and large wearing a much more genuine smile than he has for days.

It's...hard not to, when he's helping people, even if they might not really need his help.

He can also be caught in between stops, catching a breather on lesser-traveled corners, pulling out his camera to flip back through his photos. He has to go back a considerable way before he reaches his pictures from Eos now, a fact which is so bittersweet it has his eyes glassy, but he grins reflexively at the smiling faces that greet him on the little screen.

With a quiet sigh, he murmurs: ] Hang in there, guys...

IV. WILDCARD.

[ Have something else in mind? Hit me up! I can also be reached on Plurk at retroscape for plotting! ]

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It's nice, to have those reminders of home. [Since she assumes that's what he was doing with his camera then if he was reminiscing and not taking pictures.

The question gets a wave of her hand and she laughs softly.] No, I am not sick. I don't know if I'm immune because of my physiology or if I'm just lucky, but so far I've been fine.

[She eyes him right back] ...And you? Have you been resting properly? [Look, even if Prompto won't give her a hard time doesn't mean she can't give him a hard time.]

...Yeah. Yeah, it really is.

[ Even for how bittersweet the images that greet him on the screen are right now, he's so, so, so very glad to have them. Her words are such a warm and gentle reminder of that that he has to turn his eyes downward for a moment to hide a prickle of tears at the corners of them.

He recovers quickly enough, though, wearing a worn smile as he glances up at her question. She has a knowing look in her eyes, and he can't really blame her, can he? ]

I mean...I'm still on my feet, aren't I? [ HOW REASSURING... ] Nah, I've been resting fine. Don't worry about me. There's a lot of sickies out there right now.

Prompto... [Her tone is disapproving, a frown on her face. 'Sill on his feet' doesn't mean that much in the grand scheme of things, and she'd much rather he be off them for a little while.]

If you don't get plenty of sleep, it'll make it easier for you to get sick. [A shake of her head and her expression softens however, a little smile coming to her] And of course I will worry. That's... what friends do, isn't it? [This is the first time she's really acknowledged them as friends out loud like this, she thinks]

[ He knows that tone well, and it's not the first time he's heard it directed at him these past few days. He gets it, and he doesn't want to make anyone worry about him unnecessarily. Or even necessarily. He just - doesn't want anyone to worry about him, at all.

When she names him a friend, though, he visibly brightens, like the sun peaking through storm clouds. Did she really mean that? She considers him...a friend?

Those words will never not sound like music to his ears. ]

Hah - yeah. Yeah, it is. [ He breathes out a sigh, but it's in warm relief. He hasn't felt much of that these last few days. ] Sorry. I...haven't exactly been myself this week.

[ To say the least. ]

[His acceptance an acknowledgement of Mipha's blatant use of the word 'friends' makes her visibly relax in relief; not that she had quite doubted it, but it's always a little harrowing to put yourself out there like that. She's glad the feeling is reciprocated.

She looks around a moment-- Things are fairly calm right now, so...] Would you like to talk about it? With my magic I can only heal physical wounds, but... Inherently there's healing to be found in a friend's supportive shoulder as well.

[It's cheesy af, but she's totally sincere about it.]

[ Ah...that's one hell of a question. Does he want to talk about it? There's no question that he has a lot to get off his chest, a lot to work out, a lot that he's bottled up in favor of doing what he can for everyone else. But the other side of that question is, does he want to burden her with his problems?

He doesn't, but...he's been trying to get better at this very thing. About being more honest, more open about his feelings. It's one thing to tell himself to do it when he's having a good day, but if he can't follow through on a day like this, then that's not really any better.

He takes a deep breath, and looks at her with a wan smile. ]

Are you sure about that? I mean...it's...not just me. Everyone's having a hard time right now. [ So he shouldn't really get any special treatment. He doesn't deserve to be comforted more than anyone else. If anything, he deserves it less, because he's not even sick. ]

Just because everyone else is having it rough, it doesn't make your problems lessor than their's. Your problems and your feelings are still just as important to consider and take care of.

[She holds her hand out to him and smiles warmly.] We can find somewhere to sit and talk-- about whatever you want.

[So it's his choice if he wants to say anything about what's bothering him or not. He could ramble about photography instead if he wanted, if it'd help him feel better]

[ He hears her words and the question of "are they?" echoes in his mind, but at least he's learned not to voice it. She's right - how he feels is important, too. It's important to him, and...and he likes to think - to hope - it's important to his friends as well.

His expression crinkles, tired but warm, as he reaches out to take her hand. ]

I'd...I'd like that. Thank you, Mipha.

[Mipha takes his hand and gives it a gentle squeeze of reassurance before leading him away. She's not entirely sure where she's leading the two of them, but it's a pleasantly quiet little walk-- For Mipha, anyway, since she has no way to presume what Prompto might be feeling. But she hopes maybe her own calm is transferring somehow. Or something.

There's a place to rest not too far from them anyhow and she takes Prompto to a bench there, taking a seat herself.]

So, I'll ask again... Are you alright?

[ He's silent as they walk, and he needs that moment, to not senselessly run his mouth, but to gather his thoughts instead. It's always terribly precipitous - this whole...talking about his feelings honestly thing. He's getting better at doing it, but there's still a nagging voice in the back of his head that makes him feel guilty for burdening someone else with his problems when there's already so much to worry about.

But Mipha had asked him, and as they sit on the bench, she's asking him again. He leans back, habitually resting the heel of one boot on the opposite knee, foot bouncing as he attempts to parse the words he needs to say. ]

I... [ Even now, it's hard to get himself to say the words. ] I've...had better days. Weeks. You know how they say "when it rains, it pours"?

[ He inhales quietly, glancing at her. ]

It's pouring.

[Mipha sits straight, hands folded in her lap as she watches him. Her expression is open and expectant, and while she's very glad Prompto is talking to her about it, she would've been just as accepting (resigned?) if he'd decided to lie.

She's glad he doesn't seem to be lying though.

His confession also tells her a couple things, namely...] This is something that goes beyond just the events of the bombing, isn't it. [It's not really a question.]

[ A tired huff that's not quite a laugh escapes him. If that's all that it was, he'd still be feeling overwhelmed, but no. ]

...Got it in one. [ His gaze drops away, leveled at the ground. ] It's my...buddies from home. They all went back on ice the very same day that the bomb hit. I mean - some luck, huh?

[ Even now, he tries to make light of it, tries to make it sound like it hasn't rattled him to his core to be so very alone. He still has Aranea, and thank the Six for her, but to lose Noctis, Ignis and Gladio all in one go...it's nothing short of devastating. ]

[Mipha hesitates a moment, then reaches out to lay a hand on Prompto's arm.] I'm sorry. I can say, 'at least you know they're safe,' but that hardly will make this any easier for you.

...You're still here though. That must count for something, and I'm truly glad for it.

[ He glances down at her hand on his arm with a weary smile. She's right - knowing that his friends were safe wasn't as much of a consolation as it should be. He's grateful they're in stasis rather than lost for good, of course, but...stasis isn't really living. It's a shadow of a life, and until they wake up...it's almost like they don't exist at all. ]

...You think so? [ He sounds tired, but hopeful, too. ] I guess...someone's got to carry on what we were all about.

[ And he's the only one who can do that now. ]

I couldn't think of a better person to do so. [Which is easy for her to say, of course, but hopefully he finds some comfort in it anyhow.]

It isn't much, but... I do know about being a representation. [She's the only zora awake right now, after all.] I know it's not the same thing, but do know you can come to me wth whatever troubles you have.

You're a good, sweet person, Prompto. You undoubtedly deserve all the friendship and support you can get.

[ He does find comfort in it - it's always so much easier to believe himself capable of anything when other people are around to remind him he's not a total loser. This whole...opening up thing never seems to turn out as badly as he fears it will. He's learning! ]

It can be pretty lonesome, huh? [ After all, it's only been a couple of days, and he's already been feeling it hardcore. What'll it be like in a few weeks? Months? ] Then...I guess we gotta stick together, huh?

[ He glances up at her, grinning more earnestly now. ]

Thank you, Mipha. I...I can't tell you how much I appreciate this. [ Spoilers: it's a lot. ] You know I'm here for you, too, right? Anytime you need to talk, I'm your guy.

Hm? [She's never quite prepared for her own offers to be thrown back at her like this and it takes her by surprise. There's an automatic desire to deny it, to insist she's the fine one here, that he doesn't need to waste his time with that, but...

Considering that's exactly what she'd been sitting here convincing him of, that it was worth it to confide in others and share the burdens, it would've been horribly hypocritical of her to refuse him.

So instead she smiles slowly, with the sort of resigned expression of one who's been caught and knows it.]

...Yes, of course. thank you, Prompto. Sometimes it's hard for me to realize too that I can't shoulder all the world's weight myself.

I'm truly lucky to have people like you in my life. Despite the circumstances that brought us together, I'm glad we were able to meet.

[ They're so alike in that, their tendency to try and shoulder their own burdens as well as everyone else's, and it's comforting to know, in a strange way, that she understands that struggle. It's hard for people like them to open up, but it's so necessary, too, so their hearts don't burst under the pressure of holding it all in.

If he can do for her even a fraction of what she's done for him...he'll be so glad. ]

It's a hard habit to break. [ A soft, kind chuckle. ] But...I feel the exact same way. For as big of a mess things are right now? I'm just glad I have a friend as amazing as you, Mipha.

[ He's always been so lucky in his friends, and just because those he held most dear from Eos were gone doesn't mean he can forget all those who have treated him so kindly since he first woke up on Thesa. ]

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[ OPEN ] ❝ and i don't want to talk about the world ❞

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MIPHA ;A;

DON'T "MIPHA" ME WHEN PROMPTO'S OVER HERE BEING ADORABLE

THEY CAN BE ADORABLE TOGETHER THEN

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