"Hey Noct, can I join you?"
The enthusiastic, but clearly hesitant voice almost shocked the dark-haired man from his daze. It was all too familiar, so he didn't need to turn his head to see its owner before nodding. Yet, hearing him seem so timid wasn't the usual. It almost crept him out more than the impending situations, if he were to be honest.
"Yeah, Prompto. Of course."
Running his hands out along the rock he'd perched on over several hours ago now, the texture tingled against his fingertips. Both it and the expansive view of the stars had been doing wonders to help the crown prince clear his head. The sights and the feeling leveled him. They had been helping him float back down to earth after the out-of-body experience that had hit him with the news of his father's death.
While the group had already had their talk about it, tried to return the border, and even received their latest task from Cor, it seems the subject still hadn't quite settled. It was tense. Noctis did his best to restrain himself from lashing out after the initial shock, but it had been a difficult few days, to say the least. It felt like this camp, out in the middle of the plains with his friends, was the first breath of air he'd been able to take since.
Yet, he still hadn't faced them. He'd reacted, sure, but Noctis had been careful to bottle up the emotions before he'd really let loose to the group. They didn't need that now— but, it didn't mean that he couldn't use some emotionally honest conversation.
There were several beats of silence before Prompto casually and none-so-gracefully slid down to sit beside him, pant leg brushing where Noctis had outstretched his fingers.
Blinking, he looked down to see the contact, but didn't bother to move his hand. Something about human interaction finally seemed welcome after taking a bit of a break alone.
"Take all of the space you need. We'll be here for you when you need us, ya know. We're still always gonna have your back." Prompto lead in after several more moments of silence, an uncharacteristically calm grin on his face as he looked over Noctis' thoughtful expression.
"What's that, coming from you? You're gonna scare me," Noctis managed with a slight scoff in return, but it brought a return grin to his face nevertheless.
"I'm just being real with you! No one here would willingly leave your side, you're still our prince and we're still here for you, high or low." Prompts encouraged, more enthused but a tad insulted from the comment.
Chuckling, Noctis would nod, but only to be met with a shove. "Oof- hey! I thought you wanted to have a moment here, why are you pushing me?"
"You're not taking me seriously, I'm dying over there at camp without you! Inis is murmuring over a frying pan, Gladiolus downed at least three cups of ramen before dinner, they're both worried about you. I was losing my mind, trying to keep it cool back there! I know you need space, but we're all worried about what's to come, yeah?" He was honest, maybe a bit blunt, but straight-up with his emotions and Noctis relished that. It was a trait he both knew he had somewhere but wished he could better word.
"Look, I know you just needed some space, I only wanted to tell you I've got your back. You're not alone in this, and you never will be." Prompts was quick to add, as Noctis fought over the paper reply.
That surely made it easier. Letting a crooked grin cross his face, he turned to look over the blonde with a more lively expression. "Thanks to you all for sticking with me in this… I know it'll be a heavier burden than any of us expected, but there's no one else I'd rather share it with." He began, pausing but not finished—
"I don't care if it's heavier th—" Prompto interjected, but a swift finger from Noctis placed on the freckled one's lips stopped him.
Pausing there, Prompto's soft lips brushing against his finger, Noctis lost his train of thought for a moment before dropping his hand and picking his words back up.
"I know and believe you'll be there for me, no matter the obstacle, no matter the challenge, no matter how heavy it all gets. I can tell you'll all be standing tall alongside me, and I want you to know how much I cherish that." Noctis managed, slowly careful as he thought out his words.
Prompto's eyes lit up noticeably, that 1,000-watt smile claiming his freckled face as he leaned forwards happily. He'd come not to force Noctis back to camp, but to check on him— and it seemed he'd be just fine after all. He stood taller than all of them, caging all of his self like that… but seeing him let out some emotion, even just a bit of it like he just had, was a relief to Prompto. The man needed to vent, in some way.
"That's the best way I know how to put it," Noctis said with a slight laugh afterward, leaning his weight on the hand still pressed close to Prompto, the other rising to run back through his hair as he looked at the starred sky above Hammerhead.
"Wouldn't want to hear it any other way." Prompto assured him, hand rest on Noctis' as the two watch the night come on, the last colors leaving the sky in the hour or so before dawn.
"Hey. Noct?"
"Yeah?
"I want it to stay like this."
"That wouldn't be so bad."
"Hey-!"
Their laughter and playful shoves ended in only minor scrapes, but thankfully after Ignis came for them, they'd both get some much-needed rest.