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Prompto didn't get it. Whenever he was around Cindy, he'd be a bumbling mess, but around you ... he almost felt normal. He didn't stumble over his words, he didn't make a fool of himself. But in a way, speaking with you was more nerve-wracking than speaking with Cindy. You were a hunter, after all, and you'd have no problem kicking his scrawny ass.
Maybe that's why he never told you. Maybe that's why he'll never get the chance to.
***
When he first met you, it was during their trip to Altissia, shortly after the fall of Insomnia. When they had met Cor at Keycatrich Trench, you had been there, standing at the Immortal's side. More than anything, the gunman was curious who you were -- you didn't look like a member of the Crownsguard, but you weren't just some random civilian, either, if the weapons strapped to your sides were anything to go by. It wasn't until the boys, Cor, and Monica took down the Imperial blockade that he learned you were a relative of the Immortal.
*
"Hey, um, not to be rude or anything, but who are you?" Prompto approached you cautiously. As he got closer, he noticed a small scar running across the bridge of your nose. It was faint; he hadn't noticed it when he first saw you because it was so faded. It must've been pretty old.
"(Y/n)," you responded, giving the blond a quick once over before going back to maintaining your short swords. "And you're not being rude, Prompto. It's natural to be curious about a stranger."
"How do you know my name?" his blue-violet eyes narrowed on you for a split second. Heaving a sigh, you placed your swords off to the side and directed your attention to him.
"Cor talks about you a lot, y'know," you answered. You took in his reaction -- his brows furrowing and his face scrunching in confusion -- before you continued. "He thinks of you like a son. He's proud of you."
Prouder than me, at least. That's what your expression said, and the gunslinger frowned -- not something he did too often. But he didn't get the chance to say anything as you grabbed your weapons and walked away.
Prompto swore he heard you sniff.
***
The next time he saw you was in Old Lestallum. You had joined Dave on his hunt for dog tags. At that time, you had gained more scars across your hands and one that split your lower lip. Considering it had only been a few weeks -- a month, at most -- since you had last seen one another, Prompto couldn't help but wonder what the older hunter was having you doing.
"Dave," you had called for the older man as soon as you had seen the Regalia pull into the small town. It wasn't all too long after that you were joining the four men in their search for some missing tags.
That day happened to be when Prompto realized something: he cared for you, deeply. In a more than platonic way.
That also happened to be the day that you were seriously injured while protecting Noctis.
