More than ones and zeros (Prompto and Cor)

[chocobobutt]

They'd told him he was faulty.

Well, that's not strictly true, other people had been told he was faulty and that he wasn't suitable for combat (even though his shooting was excellent), but he'd been there at the time and that sort of counted - at least, it was the only way he was ever told anything, anyway.

They'd said he was to be decommissioned. He didn't know what decommissioned was, but he knew it was something a trooper didn't come back from. There were a lot of things a trooper didn't come back from, though, so at least he didn't know enough to be scared. Mostly, he was curious.

Maybe that was the problem. None of the others seemed to ever be curious. He was just supposed to follow orders, he wasn't supposed to know what why meant, let alone ask it.

It had been easier, before, being raised the same as all the others, given the same instructions. None of the others had talked, so he didn't either - but he did listen. He listened, and he learned - not much, just bits and pieces here and there, things that meant nothing to him and things that sounded interesting. Anything from state secrets to petty dramas between colleagues, and he didn't know one from the other truth be told, didn't know enough about the world to slot any of it into places that fit - he just liked to hear people talk. It made him feel less... lonely.

Another problem. He never realised he wasn't meant to feel anything at all.

Whatever decommissioning was or wasn't, he never had the chance to find out, though, because while he was being transported from one end of the facility to the other, the vehicle carrying him was hijacked. He didn't know it at the time - his armour had been deactivated, rendering him practically blind and barely able to move, and all he could hear was the sounds of a fight and then the vehicle was moving again - and it seemed like it was going much, much further than just the other end of the facility...

After a long journey and some disorienting moves, he becomes aware that someone is activating the release catches on his helmet, and he barely has chance to react before he's wincing at the sudden flood of painfully bright light (it's not overly bright, it just seems it after so long in darkness) - followed immediately by an uncomfortably loud clatter as whoever removed his helmet drops it.

"Holy shit." somebody in front of him breathes, as he's still trying to adjust to the light.

"Get... get Marshal Leonis. He should see this."

Comments

[immortalmarshal]

It's been one of the more interesting times in Cor's life, helping this former MT adjust to being an actual human being. It's close to raising a kid, except a 'kid' is practically a teenager with no starting concept of individuality. At least, at first. Clothes and basic food had been easy; it was just the usual reminders about what to wear when, or taking it slow while eating new things.

But Cor doesn't keep him inside most of the time, not after he got the full clearance that the lad's not an immediate threat to the public. He's still fine-tuning the cover story for why he suddenly has a teenager living with him, but 'finding him abandoned in the wilderness and without much memory' seems to be a good foundation so far - for his neighbors, at least. Taking him out on regular trips, or helping him catch up on certain bits of education and social etiquette... His ultimate goal is to get him acclimated into society, possibly preparing him to enter the Crownsguard as his apprentice, should Prompto proves himself that trustworthy.

Prompto... Cor had been quite insistent on giving him a proper name, and it seems to fit how fast he can be without all that armor. It was Regis who invented his surname, damn-and-bless his love of Old Lucian. "He's still young enough to potentially go to school," his King had pointed out, during one of their private meetings, "and he'll need some kind of surname." Cor can't argue with him on that point, but he's not sure if Prompto would do well in school socially just yet.

It also hadn't been easy for the older man to keep things informal, yet civil. Prompto is very adorable once he starts to smile more often, and his developing personality only makes it 'worse'. The fact that he came out of the shower named one day early on didn't help things, either. Six, the Astrals had blessed him with the kind of young body that gets the Marshal all hot and bothered...! It's been a trying time, and it's been getting harder of late, what with Prompto's personality really blossoming in small yet important ways.

That morning, he wasn't expecting him to walk into the kitchen shirtless. In fact, his focus was entirely on preparing breakfast for the both of them. He was going to introduce sausage to the lad, since eggs, fruit and juice has long since been accepted as part of the morning meal. Part of his mind has been wondering if he should start introducing him to doing house chores, give him some work around the house while Cor's busy at work. If he had heard Prompto asking about laundry first, he would've been all too happy to answer.

But instead, he glances over upon hearing those familiar footsteps. "Morning, Prompto--" And his voice immediately pauses as he gazes upon the shirtless blonde. Astrals, he can already feel his blood warming up quickly just from that look...! He immediately focuses back onto the frying pan. "Ahem...what bring you out here without a shirt? Are you that hungry?"

[chocobobutt]

"Good morning." He replies pleasantly, and it's probably weird that he gets a little thrill of joy to use those little social niceties, but it's all part of learning to be his own person and doing new things that he never would have done before, the shine of it hasn't worn off yet.

His expression is briefly quizzical as he watches the way Cor's gaze changes when he looks at him - there's something in that look that's different, something he doesn't understand but some part of him wants to. He's seen it before, once or twice, but he's never quite been so bold as to ask about it. Yet.

"I am hungry," he volunteers, because the smell of breakfast is making his stomach rumble, and he moves closer to peer over Cor's shoulder at the frying pan to see what he's cooking (he's still working on the concept of personal space) "but that's not why I don't have a shirt. I have run out of shirts and I wasn't sure what to do."

[immortalmarshal]

Ideally, Cor should still be insisting upon personal space. But that's been hard to do after seeing him naked that one day. At most, he has simply requested for him to give him just a little space out in public, so that people don't immediately think that the lad is his new 'boy toy' or 'lover'. (At least, not yet - that's what the tiny voice in the back of his head whispers...)

Instead, he lets Prompto look over his shoulder at what he's cooking, since the lad is clearly hungry. The mention of no more clean shirts is a welcome distraction from the half-naked young man standing next to him. "Sounds like it's time for some laundry. I've actually been wondering if you would like to learn how to do some house chores like laundry - both to help keep the place clean, and help keep you busy whenever I have to leave you here while I go to work."

[chocobobutt]

'Chores' are not something he's encountered before, at least, the word isn't, every job he ever had to do before was covered by the magical word 'orders'. Laundry he has heard of, but he doesn't know much about it. The most important word he picked up on, though, was help.

His ideas of the world are somewhat scrambled, understandably, but he knows that Cor has given him a lot without really asking anything in return, and he's vaguely aware that when they stole him from the facility they were expecting to get a lot more out of him than it seemed like they have. He also knows that he's supposed to be useful, and it doesn't really feel like he has been, so he jumps at the opportunity.

"Yes, I would like to learn this." He says with an eager smile "And this will also help with the shirts, yes?"

[immortalmarshal]

That was the initial hope, yes. His very existance alone has helped provide a lot of valuable data for the scientists and researchers. Not to mention, he's proven to be good company for the older man, regardless of his occasional grumbling.

"It would, yes, Cor agreed. "You'll be able to clean your clothes and get them ready to be reused. It's how we make sure clothing lasts until it's too worn down to be used any longer." That Prompto is so close to him, shirtless, is doing Things in his pants. Things that isn't showing much right now, he hopes. "Would you like to learn before or after breakfast?"

[chocobobutt]

"Like getting armour plates repaired." He offers - that, at least, is something he's familiar with, a piece being taken for repair. Usually there's spares to replace it immediately, but he's seen it happen when there hasn't been, and he can see that's the same as what's now happened with his shirts.

"After breakfast, please, I'm hungry now." He says - he's still a little shy about stating his preferences, still hesitates as though waiting to be told he's made the wrong choice, but he's getting better at actually saying it, at least.

"But... you are supposed to be dressed for meals, yes? What will I wear until the laundry is done?"

[immortalmarshal]

"It's along those lines, yes. And if your clothing has a tear but can otherwise still be used, you can see if someone can help fix it before or after it's run through the laundry machines."

Six bless his sense of propriety, at least for meals. "You can borrow one of my shirts. It might be a little big for you, but it will do until your clothes are all clean." He sets the sausage on the plates and turn off the stove, before turning around. "Let's head to my room; I'll give it to you there..."

[chocobobutt]

Prompto nods his understanding, adding the information to all the other things he's learned over the last few weeks.

"Thank you." He says with another nod, casting one last interested eye over the sausages before stepping away so they can go and fetch one of Cor's shirts.

He's glad he's going to learn some chores so he can help out, but he really wishes there was more he could do for Cor after everything...

[immortalmarshal]

Cor leads him down the hallway towards his bedroom. It is thankfully right across from Prompto's room, formerly the guest room. The older man's bedroom is a little less sparse on the decorating than the rest of his place, what with a few mementos and pictures on his dresser. Almost all of them feature a younger Cor with different members of a small group in mostly casual settings. His furniture appear to be sturdy and comfortable, especially the nice looking bed in the middle of the room...

Cor goes over to the dresser and opens a middle drawer. He starts to dig around in there to see which of his shirts might be good enough to lend. Most of them are dark colored, if not outright black, but there are a few with a bit more color, or even a design...

Though if Prompto wishes to check other parts of the room, the older man isn't going to notice that in the next few moments...

[chocobobutt]

Had it been even as recently as a week ago, Prompto likely would have stood patiently in the doorway and waited for Cor to find what he was looking for. At most, he would have stepped into the room, perhaps let his gaze stray, but not moved.

Now, though, curiosity is starting to get the better of him, and he follows Cor towards the dresser so he can take a closer look at the photos there, eyes shining with interest. He doesn't linger for too long, though, wanting to take in the rest of the room as well - it's one place in the house he's barely gone since arriving, and he's fascinated by everything he can see.