heavyhead | this is an open post and this image is the prompt

[Why would he ruin a perfectly good cup of tea like that?? Eichi gives Noct a look for it before reaching to pinch himself, and one eye closes at the pain. He really pinched himself harder than he needed to, there.]

Hmm, that's odd. [What the actual fuck is going on. Now that it's not a cool, pretty dream, there's actual worry, and his composure is at risk. He has to appear elegant and in control!! How can he do that like this? Noct is still holding his tea, but now Eichi reaches to pass his own cell phone over to him, as well.]

Do you have any better luck with this? [His very 2015 Japanese cell phone...] I wonder if I look around if I might find anything that can get me back? If I'm so lost for a short time, it might be a fun adventure, but if I'm gone for much longer than a few hours, I'll grow worried about everything I left behind. I've left enough work to Keito already.

[There's always the chance that Noctis is still unconscious and never got to pee, but he's being handed the wrong phone too and now he has no hands left to check. Great!! Just great.]

What kind of phone is this? [No wonder he has no signal?? It's not going to magically work just because Noctis is fiddling with it one-handed (will he drop it? stay tuned), so instead... ugh.]

Look, mystery-solving isn't really my thing, but if you need some help looking around...

It's the newest [Insert rip off iPhone name here.] that I purchased not too long ago.

[But more importantly, he moves back over to Noct and plucks that tea right out of his hand with a hopeful stare.] You're volunteering? How kind of you. Fufu, I'm so relieved that I feel as though I could die right here.

I'm not familiar with this place at all, but there must be some sign of how I got here.

[Is he fever walking around? Who knows, but he'll set his teacup gently on the ground and leave Noct with his phone as he turns back to inspect the grass.]

[Oh boy, here he goes... Noctis just sort of grunt-hums at him to acknowledge that, yes, he's accepted this quest. It takes him a moment of just witnessing Eichi wander away to look at grass before he sighs, shoving Eichi's phone in his pocket with one hand and the branches of this bush aside with the other, to climb his way through so he can... help.

Somehow. He's not going to stare at the grass until somebody promises him some nice rocks or something, but he will stand there with his hands on his hips and watch.]

So... we're just going to look at the ground a lot?

Edited (shoving the bus. i wondered, and there were bus) 2017-04-12 04:35 (UTC)

[Noctis' nice phone goes right in Eichi's pocket as well, as if he's forgotten. He's busy moving to peek behind other trees and glance at the ground. He doesn't actually put much effort into this at all. He's not the one who does things like this... Normally Wataru or Yuzuru will be there to help him out with it, instead.

Eventually, he glances over to Noct like he's wondering why he's not doing more.]

I appeared about here, didn't I? I was thinking that perhaps there might be some sort of clue, or something like that. You know, like a detective film, or a crime novel. [He's comparing this to a crime, yes.]

Honestly, it's just that I can't think of anything else to do, and keeping myself active like this eases my mind a bit.

You don't have to tell me that. [Now it's confirmed (more than it already was) that this is bullshit, and yet, this is what makes him actually stop standing around and crouch down to look at the area. Somehow. He's the one with a flashlight stuck to his body all the time, so he has that advantage among others over this guy peeking at trees.

Noctis spends about a third of his "investigating" time just watching Eichi and wondering what he thinks he's pretending to accomplish, but look, he's flicking a couple rocks around and stuff. Within minutes he's given up on this fake investigation, but he did agree to this...]

Okay, this is getting us nowhere. Why don't we start over? Where are you supposed to be?

[It really is getting them nowhere. Sigh. He was hoping it would calm his nerves, but he's even more worried now. He has precious little time with his life, what is he doing out here without any of the other idols? Frowning to himself, he stands up straight and brings a hand to his chin, curling loosely before he turns around to face Noct at the question.]

Yumenosaki Academy. [But that might be too direct, when he doesn't recognize this place at all. This much forest can't be near the Academy... There's just city and beach in the immediate area.] Or is that too detailed? Maybe I can say "Japan," if I'm as far away as I feel.

[okay cool, that's fake]

Where's that supposed to be? We're a day or two outside Lestallum, out here.

[Which is as unhelpful to Eichi as "Japan" was to Noctis, he figures, but what else is he supposed to say? He picks at a couple blades of grass, thinking.]

Are you sure? [yes that's good, keep that up]

Lestallum? Is that in Europe?

[How far is he... What is going on? He looks completely confused, for once unable to hide it as he drops his hand away from his chin.] The last time I checked, I can remember my own home. My uniform says it here, you know.

[He points out the Yumenosaki Academy emblem on his jacket. See!!!]

I don't know what Europe is or that thing on your jacket.

[But rest assured, he does stand up and adjust his flashlight so he can point it right at Eichi for a second there, so he can see the emblem. Just a second. Give him his phone back.]

There aren't any academies this far from the capital, anyway.

Even if I was thinking a lot of Alice in Wonderland, I didn't expect to actually be out of my world. If you're playing a trick on me, that's not very nice at all. I have a weak heart, you know? Be gentle. ♪

[He's playing along casually, but there are signs cracking through that he's actually nervous. What!! Is going on!! His smile is a little strained, for example, and he keeps moving to pace a few steps, stop, and then pace again. He still has Noctis' phone.]

[What does he do with this crazy boy who came out of the sky or whatever? Noctis isn't equipped for this. He can barely handle his actual friends having miniature breakdowns... argh.]

Look, it's— it'll be fine, alright? Calm down. [elegant, noct] There's... gotta be a way to figure this out.

Do I not seem calm already? Ah, that's a shame. If you can tell, then I'm slipping indeed. I should be more careful, if I want to keep up my appearance...

[He stops his pacing, at least, even if he goes on smiling like it might break at any point. He's!! So!! Calm!!] It may be something where we can't focus on the "why" or "how," but instead move along as if things are normal.

[Somebody please help Noctis. Crisis management is also not his thing... He frowns, brow furrowing at the idea of moving along as if things are normal. There's no way he can just bring this guy into the group, but maybe they can... give him a ride to Lestallum? Let him figure things out from there?

He sighs, crossing his arms and looking down for a moment. Why couldn't this have happened to Ignis, Ignis would know what to do!!]

That's your plan? [...] I guess we can give you a ride to town. Tomorrow. [he doesn't need group permission, he's the king,]

A town that I don't recognize? As much as I appreciate your effort, I don't see how that would be of much help at all.

[Says the guy with no ideas, but he can't help but point that out. Don't DITCH him?? His credit cards won't even work here!! And now, the night air is getting to him, and he crosses his arms after letting out a soft couple of coughs.]

That also doesn't give me much choice for what to do until morning. I was born with this weak body, you know? If you leave me out in the cold until the sun rises, I'll be one with the dirt and soil.

[Wow, rude. Noctis just gives him a look and sighs again, like come on, what is he supposed to do?? He was just trying to wander around in the middle of the night and he got roped into this mess.]

Seriously? [He asks, like it's an inconvenience. It's just because he's morally obligated to then do what he is about to do, which is already ruining his evening,] Fine, you can... share with me. Quietly.

Would you be so kind as to share with me? Thank you, Noct. Fufu, I'm not often told that I'm a loud person, but are you trying to say that I am?

[Rude, he's very quiet. In like, the softspoken sort of way, at least. It's true that he never shuts up.] How interesting. I promise that I won't take up much space at all, since I'm used to sleeping in hospital beds while attached to various machines.

Attached to machines? [If he stutters a little on that, don't worry, he's just uncomfortable trying to say anything useful to this sick boy who suffers constantly.] Um... okay.

Just come on. Might as well get this over with. [He'll lead the way back through... or maybe around these bushes, since Eichi will probably get caught in there and die if he tries to go through.

I guess for the purposes of not waking up the whole crew there's more than one tent this time, and Noctis will stoop down and duck into the right one without any further comment. Come on... welcome to Hotel Zzzz. There's almost room in here for two people who aren't skinny dudes.]

[Eichi coughs a couple of times but sticks close as he follows, finally ducking into the tent after him and finding a nice spot to sit down cross-legged. Taking up so much room like this... But finally, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out Noct's phone to offer it over.]

By the way, the friends you're traveling with won't attack me without warning if they find me in here, will they?

[Oh, finally his phone. Noctis looks at it like he actually forgot about this phone swap - he might have, after all the Ill Boy stuff - but he reaches into his own pocket for Eichi's phone to slide it over and accept his back. He does all of this lying down, of course, because he is already on the ground and ready to sleep.

So Eichi talking is already a Concern.] Probably not.

[.....well....] Just wake me up if you hear them coming and I'll explain. Don't worry about it. [good luck eichi]

[What!! He pockets his own phone, moving after that to finally lie down. He's already nudging himself a little closer to Noct, propped up on his arms to try and keep talking to him.]

Words like that don't inspire comfort at all, you know. That long pause between answers... Should I actually be worried? If I don't wake up in time...

[He's going to die in this tent, he thinks. He's not prepared.]

[What's happening, why isn't he asleep immediately?? Like a true professional, Noctis has already closed his eyes, opening one after another pause to confirm that, yes, Eichi is trying to make a real sleepover out of this. It's like he's Prompto, but without the #squad advantage...]

Set an alarm. Then you'll be up to wake me up. [is he making this point clear enough yet]

Have you noticed? The time on my phone is different from yours.

[Now he rolls to lie on his back, pulling his phone out to stare at it. Yes, his phone still thinks it's mid afternoon... What time does he set an alarm for? And then he coughs again. Can Noct sleep through all of this Ill and Talking.]

Mm, I'll do my best, so don't let me interrupt your sleep. I was amazed that you were awake while it was so dark outside to begin with. By the way, those noises in the distance... They were some sort of creatures, weren't they?

[He's not used to outdoor noises of any sort, let alone DEMON ONES]

Oh. [...he didn't notice..... never mind that. He shifts onto his side, resting his head on his arm so he can go to sleep. He's at least facing Eichi, and even with his eyes closed he's still listening, so it's a race to see how face Eichi can talk against Noctis' Need 4 Sleep. Just take his phone again to see the time, it's fine.

He is not going to talk about needing to pee. Instead, he sort of half-grunts again, to confirm those were probably just... deer. Just kidding,] You don't need to worry about it now, but you're lucky you showed up when you did.

Saying it like that is the perfect set up for a scary story, but your face and posture tells me you'd fall asleep before even beginning. [Or pointedly not begin at all, he knows. He's aware.]

It's unfortunate, but I'm not tired at all. I suppose I can do my best to rest beside you silently, as awkward as it is.

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the bush prompt was still great but now I'm like WHAT DO I DO NOW