Disclaimer: Don't own FFXV

Chapter 1

Noctis looked out at the massive building from the back seat of the car. He was honestly terrified; he hadn't been to a public school since before the attack when he was nine. It had been decided that he would attend high school for his final year. He'd longed for this once, to be a normal teenager, but that dream was long gone.

Ignis got out of the driver's seat and moved around to help him. "Shall I come with you?"

"No, got to do this myself, right?" he offered a small smile and headed for the main doors, waving Ignis off.

He watched, torn between honouring Noctis' want of independence with the need to ensure his charge was well. He forced himself to get back in the car and drive away.

Noctis reached the door and moved to open it, struggling with the heavy weight and then a hand darted around him, grabbing it and pulling it open.

"There's a trick to them," a young voice offered. "The school's been promising for years to get them fixed."

Noctis turned to see a teen in the schools uniform with sunny blonde hair and blue eyes, the teen offering a smile. "Oh….thanks."

"No problem, I'm Prompto, you're new here, right?"

"Yeah," Noctis was surprised Prompto hadn't recognised. Prompto held the door for him as Noctis wheeled himself through and into the building.

"Office is just down the hall, first door on the right. If you need any help with anything, I'm in class 12C. Good luck." The blonde grinned and offered his hand and Noctis lifted a gloved hand to shake it.

"Thanks," he offered and the blonde waved, heading down the hall. Noctis wheeled himself down to the office to be greeted by the Principal himself.

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Prompto dropped into his seat, instantly noticing the modified desk that was now beside his own. Looked like the new kid was going to be in his class. New kid…Prince Noctis himself. He'd recognised him as soon as the Prince had turned from the door to look at him. It had been strange to see him again after so many years, he wondered if the Prince remembered him from school? Though why would he? They hadn't been in the same class, had never spoken… he shook those thoughts off and got his books out, absently tapping a pen against his desk as he waited for class to start. Just one more year and he'd be done with school and out on his own. He loved living in Insomnia but with no support from his parents he'd never be able to afford living there on his own. Even if he managed to get a scholarship for university, that didn't cover everything.

He shook those thoughts off, he still had time. He looked up at the front of the room as the teacher entered and behind her was the Prince. After a brief word he wheeled himself down the row and Prompto waved as he got close. Noctis blinked and offered a small smile as he manoeuvred his chair into position behind the desk. The class started and Prompto started taking notes, he may not particularly like geography, but it would be useful if he did end up leaving the city. A glance at the Prince showed him struggling to stay awake. "You okay?" he whispered, and the Prince started, blinking at him. "Alright?" he asked again and Noctis nodded, grimacing but refocusing on the lesson.

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Noctis grimaced even as he made sure the blanket over his legs was properly in place, breathing deeply. This was part of why he had been reluctant to attend school. The bell rang and he put his pen down, leaning back in his chair. He glanced over at Prompto to see the blonde stretching in his chair, glancing over to grin at him. He had barely met the other teen, but he was so bright, and he had seemed genuinely concerned when he had nearly nodded off earlier.

Prompto grabbed his things and stood. "Eating in the canteen?"

"Is there anywhere else?" Noctis asked, not looking forward to such a crowded room.

"Sure, there's picnic tables around campus," he glanced at the chair in consideration. "You should be able to manage some of them. I can show you?"

"Thanks," he pushed out from behind the desk, Prompto holding the door without even having to be asked. They headed outside and Prompto led him around to a table nestled under a tree.

"This one look good?" he asked and Noctis nodded, carefully wheeling over. He got his lunch out and put it on the table, on the side with no seats. "Well…I'll see you in class," a hand nervously ran through blonde hair and Noctis hesitated.

"You can stay…if you want?" he offered and Prompto blinked before smiling shyly and taking a seat, getting his own packed lunch out. "Have you been here for the whole of high school?" he asked after a while.

"Yeah, got in on scholarship. We ah….we were at the same primary school before you left," Prompto offered, surprising him.

"Oh," he looked down at his still warm soup. "I uh…I don't remember a lot from before, did we know each other?" he never liked admitting to his spotty memory. The doctors had said it was due to the trauma of the attack and seeing his guards and nanny killed in front of him.

"No, we weren't even in the same class," Prompto quickly answered.

That was a relief, he didn't like the idea of having suddenly vanished on a friend or something. He grimaced as pain lanced through his lower body, gripping the table.

"Are you okay?" Prompto asked in alarm. "Should I get a teacher?"

"No…no, I'm okay," Noctis quickly assured him, taking deep breaths. "I uh…get pain sometimes. Legs are practically useless most days, but I can still feel them."

"Oh. Have you got something for the pain?"

"Only if it's really bad, usually it passes pretty quickly," the last thing he needed was Prompto getting a teacher or worse, the school nurse. "You like photography?" He asked, spotting the camera and needing to change the subject, thankful that Prompto took the hint, launching into an explanation.

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Noctis undid his pants, pushing them down as far as he could, letting Iggy take them and his shoes off the rest of the way even as Noctis yanked his shirt off. He slipped out of his chair and into the water, sighing in relief as he closed his eyes, leaning against the edge.

"Alright?"

"Yeah, thanks Specs," he promised, opening his eyes to look at his friend and Adviser. "Care to join me?"

"I have work to do."

"Please Iggy?" He asked softly and Ignis sighed but took his glasses off, then his gloves, as he toed out of his shoes, quickly stripping down to enter the pool as well.

"Bad day?" he asked as he swam over to Noctis' side and he shrugged.

"Two episodes," he admitted quietly. "And…I think I made a friend?"

"Oh?" Ignis asked in surprise.

"You might have seen him, he opened the doors for me," Noct told him and Ignis frowned.

"A blonde boy?" he asked and Noctis nodded.

"Turns out we were in the same school but different classes before. We're in the same class now, my desk is beside his. His name is Prompto and he likes photography. He helped me around the school, woke me up when I started falling asleep in class. I didn't mean to."

"I know," Ignis assured him, gently ruffling his hair.

Noctis leant into him, head resting on his chest and Ignis wrapped his arms around him. "He never said a word about the chair or my being the Prince, just treated me like anyone else. He saw the second episode, during lunch, offered to get the nurse."

"What did you tell him?"

"That I can feel my legs even if they are mostly useless and that I get pain, that its nothing to worry about."

"A good explanation. I will have to perform a background check on him."

"I know. He's at the school on scholarship if that helps since I didn't get his last name," he mumbled and Ignis nodded, running his fingers through spiky hair.

"Tired?"

"Mmmm."

"Get some sleep," Ignis murmured.

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Ignis opened the file, scanning over the information. Prompto Argentum, seventeen years old, adopted at age seven by Marcus and Leanna Argentum. Place of birth – Niflheim. He looked at the picture in the file, his looks made the country of birth rather obvious. He had top grades in maths and most of the sciences, hence the scholarship. There was no listing of birth parents, no history at all before he came to Insomnia. How he came to the city was not in the file either and that was…concerning. It was quite possible that he had been smuggled in, it happened with refugees, especially war orphans. The King's policy was to allow them entry, it was not a child's fault if they were born in an enemy country, but the automatic entry ended age five. After that there was a more thorough vetting process, thought still not as strict as for adults. If his history was unknown, perhaps someone had been worried he'd be turned away and had taken pity on him. Either way, he would have to contact someone further up the chain of command and pass it on. He hoped nothing was found and the boy allowed to remain near Noctis, three days and his friend was happier than Ignis had seen him in many years.

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Noctis sat back in his chair, smiling slightly as Prompto pushed him up the hill. It was rare for him to let someone push him, but the hill was steep, easier to navigate with someone pushing than him rolling the wheels himself.

"We did it!" Prompto grinned as they reached the top. He manoeuvred the chair over to the table and Noctis locked the brakes, looking around curiously.

The hill was at the edge of the school grounds and provided a good view of the school and area around it. "Why doesn't anyone else use this?"

"Don't know," Prompto shrugged as he sprawled on the bench. "I've been coming up here for years."

Noctis nodded, digging his lunch out of the bag attached to his chair, frowning when Prompto didn't get his own out. "Where's your lunch?"

"Oh, I, uh, forgot to pack one," Prompto shrugged, picking at the table top.

He barely knew Prompto but even he could hear the lie. He almost wished he hadn't told Ignis not to tell him what was found in the background check unless it was vitally important. He knew Prompto was adopted thanks to a conversation on family the other day, he got the feeling his parents weren't around a lot too. "Here," he opened up the container and found a spare fork. "We can share."

"Oh, no, I couldn't, that's your lunch…I'll be fine," Prompto practically babbled.

"Prompto," Noctis called firmly and blue eyes slowly lifted to meet his. Huh…his eyes almost looked purple in the shadowed light from the tree. "Ignis always packs more than I can eat. I want to share with you. Come on, you haven't eaten till you've tried his cooking." He tipped the container towards Prompto who hesitated but then accepted the fork and took a little, Noctis grinning at his reaction to the food when he tasted it.

"Wow!

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Ignis watched the school, standing beside the car, as students streamed from the building. Finally a lanky blonde pushed the door open and held it while Noctis wheeled himself through, the two chatting about something he couldn't hear. Noctis looked relaxed, more animated than he was used to seeing and it had been that way since the first day of school. It made him wish Noctis could have attended years ago but he'd been too unstable to risk it. The general population did not know the secrets of the Royal family and it had to remain so, who knew how they would react.

He nodded as the blonde looked over, spotting him. Ignis hadn't actually met the teen yet and was still waiting to hear back about the lack of information on his childhood. Prompto nudged Noctis' shoulder, pointing out the car and the Prince shifted direction slightly to head towards him, Prompto slowing.

"Come on, come meet Specs." They were close enough for him to hear Noctis call out to the other teen who hesitated but then walked closer. "Ignis Scientia, this is Prompto Argentum. Prompto this is Specs."

"A pleasure," Ignis offered his hand and the teen hesitated before shaking it.

"Hi. I uh…should get going. Got work soon."

"Okay, I'll see you on Monday," Noctis offered and only his knowledge of the Prince allowed Ignis to hear the slight question in his tone.

"See ya Monday," the teen waved and headed off at a jog.

Ignis opened the door and Noctis pulled himself up on shaky legs, getting in while Ignis stored his chair. "A good day today?" he asked, seeing Noctis take his own weight for the most part.

"Yeah, no episodes either,' Noctis got settled in the car, stretching a bit.

Ignis drove back to the Citadel and Noctis got out of the car, obviously wanting to walk so Ignis stayed right at his side, leaving the chair for someone else to collect. There were handrails, subtly worked into the décor of the Citadel for him to use if needed. They had been added over the last few years to make things easier for the Prince. "Your suite or the pools?"

"Suite. Might as well get my homework done first."

Ignis nodded, happy to detect very little pain from his charge and friend as they made their way to the Royal wing. It took longer with Noctis walking but he would not rush him on a day when he felt able to handle the walk. He needed to keep up the strength in his legs and walking was a good way to do so. No one within the Citadel would ever let it be known that the Prince could walk.

They entered the wing only to see Regis in the hallway, Clarus at his side. Regis looked over and smiled, obviously very happy to see his son up and on his own feet. "Noctis."

"Hey Dad," Noctis smiled as his Dad approached, wrapping his arms around him, relaxing into the strong hold.

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"You look very well today," Regis gently ruffled his hair and Ignis moved away, taking his school bag into his rooms.

"I feel pretty good," Noctis assured him.

"I'm glad," Regis whispered. It hurt, to see his son so broken. They had tried everything over the years to heal him but there had been no improvement in a long time. he had good days and bad and Regis did worry for the day his son would become King. The few public appearances Noctis had made since the attack had been from the wheelchair, his legs always covered, hidden away. Most would think it was because he was self-conscious over wasted muscle, never coming close to guessing the truth. "You're enjoying school?" he asked, keeping an arm around his waist as they moved towards Noctis' rooms.

"Yeah, it's okay."

"Made any friends?" that had been his main worry when allowing Noctis to attend.

"I think so," Noctis smiled and Regis was very happy to see his son happy.

"That's wonderful," he kissed the top of his head. "Have dinner with me?"

"Of course," Noctis grinned as Regis stopped at the doorway. "I've got homework then I was going to the pools. Seven?"

"I'll let you know if it'll be later. Good luck with the homework." Regis watched him slowly walk into his rooms, proud of him. the attack had nearly broken Noctis but in the last few years he had been improving mentally and emotionally, taking an interest in life again and no longer treating the chair like a curse. If he could give his son back what the daemon had taken he would do it in a heartbeat, but not even he had that sort of power.

TBC…

Pairings haven't been chosen yet, if there will be any. Not sure yet.