"Friends have each other's back, right?"

II.

''What?'' an unsteady breath escaped you.

''I owe a lot to Noctis, so I have to do this. He let me go to school, make friends, have a family, actually have a decent meal for once! Me, some forign street rat his own mother abandoned,'' he chuckled dryly with a false smile.

''That's not true,'' you shouted indignantly as he insulted himself.

''It is and you know it! Noctis gave me a life worth living, now I can really show him how much he did for me. I may never be able to repay him, but as his friend, I can make sure he makes it through,'' the blond stated with hard, determined eyes.

You could feel his resolve radiating off him, and for a moment you thought he was brighter than the sun. Nothing would be able stop him, Prompto being Prompto would charge in with a cheeky grin and a loaded gun ready to take the world. It wouldn't matter what happened in the end, he would be sure to pull everyone out of even the darkest depths.

''[Name],'' your friend's voice called.

Instead of replying though, you curled up tighter; wrapping your arms around your knees as you hid your head. It was break time currently and you retreated to your favourite tree branch hidden from view on the edges of the field by lush leaves. The summer sun just managing go reach you.

You couldn't let Prompto find you, it wasn't fair on him. You wasn't the only one being bullied and you swore you wouldn't let him deal with more. You were a teenager now, this was normal in life. You knew from the start you'd be targets for it, but you were strong, you had lived in worse conditions.

This was nothing.

It would never be anything.

You promised yourself that, but...

But the tears wouldn't stop flowing.

''Found you,'' a familiar voice said playfully, but the sincere tone in it couldn't be mistaken.

Now you had to look at him, giving him the cold shoulder wouldn't be fair either. You gave a humourless laugh at the site before you. He leaned back nonchalantly on another branch of the tree a little higher up to the left. He was still the same after all these years but the extra centimetres he had were beginning to show themselves. But at this current moment, an ugly black and and blue bruise was forming on his left eye; sealing it shut.

''Looks like we match,'' you stated, pointing to your own eye.

''Maybe this should be our trademark?''

''Don't you need both eyes to shoot.''

''Yeah, guess it's not the best of ideas,'' the blond laughed as he relaxed.

You saw more bruises littering his arms and stomach as his school shirt rode up when he stretched.

''They really got you this time,'' you commented with a frown, thinking you may end up staying up all night with him due to the pain.

''It's charity. I gotta' come down a few levels so they don't feel left out due to my overwhelming beauty,'' the older teen fluttered his eyelashes while flicking his hair, mocking the girls who tended to bully you.

Even so, you couldn't help but laugh with him. Whatever happened, Prompto would be there to cheer you up and vise versa really. Despite his nature, even he could get angry and upset, that was were you came in. You'd let him rant and rave at you to his hearts content till he finally calmed down. Then it was off to the next idiotic plan the pair of you had.

But your moment of peace was soon interrupted as unwanted voices called out.

''Hey street rat, why don't you come out so we get you back to trash?'' a boys voice jeered; his friends laughing and girls shrill cackles piercing your ears.

''Come on out [Name], we're friends aren't we?'' they laughed; barely containing themselves by the sounds of it.

''So... we get this over with now; face to face. Or wait a bit and shoot to scare?'' he asked, a playful grin curling his lips.

''Face to face, we're not cowards.''

''Certainly not.''

''And I don't want to sit through one of Ignis' lectures about using weapons on normal people.''

''True, but we are outnumbered.''

''You want Leonis on our back too?''

''Ah, I forgot about him. Let's get this over with now,'' your best friend smiled nervously before jumping down.

You rolled your eyes playfully before following him and walking the short distance to join the blond at his side as your tormentors surrounded the pair of you.

''Come on guys, can't we all be friends?'' the taller teen smiled charmingly despite the bruise.

''Please, who'd want to friends with a foreigner? Get the hell out of our kingdom. And take her with you,'' another boy sneered.

You almost growled at his comment against your best friend but the blond gently squeezed your hand to calm you.

''Oh? But she was born here.''

''No one like a prostitute,'' a girl said off handedly, examining her nails.

''She isn't! Though I could easily point out who is,'' he actually growled, making it your turn to calm him.

''Then how else could you both come to a school for pure bloods. Commoners should no their place.''

''Then blue bloods like you should go back to their oblivious lives,'' you retorted.

''We can't because scum like you walk our halls.''

''Then how about we take care of that?'' the boy who originally shouted cracked his knuckles and settled into a fighting stance. His three friends  splitting and surrounding you as the three girls backed off and watched with amusement.

You both let go of each others hand, standing back to back as you eyed your opponents. A black haired boy to your left aimed a punch for Prompto, but you managed to catch it and retaliate by hitting him square in the jaw. The sound being the gong for the other three to start.

It was a blur from then on out, the adrenaline pumping through your veins as you took hits and delivered them back twice as hard. Prompto dragging you out the way whenever a nasty attack came along that you couldn't block; then using that momentum to strike back.

You were better fighters, it was as simple as that; but fighting 2 against 1 wasn't particularly fun. Luckily for you, Noctis, Ignis and Gladiolus came along to split the brawl up before it got too serious. They were the only other friends you had, and the only ones who looked out for you at school. It was certainly a good thing you were all in the same year.

Once they managed to get rid of your seven tormentors, they managed to haul your lazy arses back to the castle for treatment. There wasn't a day when you wasn't thankful that Noctis' dad; King Regis, took you in. Like Prompto told you all those years ago, he really was the only nice adult around. If making the pair of you some hot chocolate didn't say anything, you didn't know what did.

''Hey, you okay [Name]?'' Prompto asked after a healthy dose of pain killers.

You was up on the roof of the castle, enjoying the breeze with a big blanket. The blond joining you with his own as he sat with you.

''Thanks for earlier, for finding me again.''

''No need to, it's what we do isn't it? After all, friends have each other's back, right?''