"Hey," came Noctis' soft voice. He gave a quiet knock on the door to Prompto's motel room, despite the fact that the door was already open a crack. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Prompto nodded, giving Noct a smile before looking back down at the camera in his hands. He was sitting comfortably on the bed, one leg swinging casually off the side while the other was bent underneath him. It felt so good to see him like that, a gentle smile on his lips, and the dirt spots that had been on him from Ardyn's place wiped clean.

Ardyn's place... Noctis shivered at the thought. He didn't know if he would ever be able to forget the image of Prompto strapped up in there, suspended with his arms and legs bound, and his head hung so low that at first, Noctis hadn't even been positive he was still alive. Unfortunately, he didn't think even all the time in the world could erase that memory. That very image was the reason he'd had knots in his stomach all day, even now that Prompto was here before him, looking like his usual self, except for the remaining few cuts and bruises.

"I'm glad Ardyn didn't hurt the camera. Would have been a shame to lose all these pictures," Prompto smiled, with another glance up at Noctis. Noct took a seat on the bed beside him, watching him so intently as he clicked through the images on the device.

"Yeah. Glad everything seems to be intact," the prince agreed, voice slightly breathy with nerves. Prompto seemed too preoccupied with his pictures to notice. Noctis needed to get his attention. Barely taking the time to think it through, Noctis reached out and placed a hand on Prompto's leg, which effectively made his friend look up and meet his gaze.

"Prompto? Are you okay? I mean, did Ardyn... hurt you?" Noctis asked, slowly, carefully, taking the time to inhale deeply between his sentences. His brows were turned upward, his gleaming eyes and the thin line of his mouth so serious. His lips were pressed together so tightly, Prompto could see the skin turning white around them.

Prompto shook his head with a smile.

"I'm fine, bro. Promise." His voice was light and playful, but that didn't put Noctis' worries to rest. It only made him fear that Prompto was hiding something, that perhaps he didn't want to talk about the experience at all. He had seemed fine when they had gotten back—Gladio had assisted Ignis in making Meat-and-Beet Bouillon, one of Prompto's favourite dishes—but once he'd eaten an unusually small supper, he'd retreated to his room. Naturally, Noctis had feared the worst.

"Okay, but..." Noctis paused, his gaze downcast now as he gently squeezed Prompto's knee.

"Oh, Noct! Remember this one?" Prompto grinned, face lighting up with excitement, tilting the camera so his friend could see. It was a picture of the two of them on chocobos for the first time, with Gladio and Ignis each standing at the birds' sides, holding the reins down by their beaks so they wouldn't bolt when the camera flashed.

"Yeah, I do," Noctis nodded, forcing a smile, but wishing Prompto would concentrate on what he was saying.

"Prompt... You would tell me if he hurt you, wouldn't you?" The prince had to be sure of that. After all that had happened, after everyone he had lost, he had to know that Prompto was okay, and would continue to be okay. When Prompto met his gaze now, he could see just how deeply Noctis' concern ran, and he put his camera aside on the bed, giving his friend his utmost attention.

"Y-yeah, I would," Prompto nodded, fidgeting uncomfortably. He didn't like thinking about what Ardyn could have done to him, nor did he want to think about what poor Noctis had concocted in his head about the events there. Yes, the experience had been awful, but at the same time, it could have been so much worse.

"But honestly, Noct, I was mostly just the bait. Ardyn wanted you to show up."

"And the bruises?" Light blue eyes peered at the injuries dotted over pale skin—a cut along Prompto's temple, a purple streak across his freckled nose. Each mark seemed to sear a hole in Noctis' heart, telling him that he had caused this.

"I got most of them when I fell off the train," Prompto said, regretting it a little when he saw his friend's face twinge with pain; of course, Noctis blamed himself. He quickly continued on. "A-and I put up a bit of a fight when they tried to restrain me."

"They?" the prince questioned.

"Ardyn. Along with the MTs," Prompto explained. Another sore spot for Noctis, and it was visible; his body tensed, his face tightened. He couldn't imagine what that must have been like, for Prompto to be faced with the magitek knights, and know his origin had been the same as theirs.

Noctis breathed deeply, and let it out in a heavy, painful-sounding sigh.

"But other than that, you're okay?" His voice was still cautious and hoarse, but Prompto eased his mind with his genuine smile. The boy reciprocated Noctis' actions and placed a hand on his friend's leg, giving it a light squeeze.

"I promise, buddy. I'm okay."

"Good. I'm... glad we had this talk," Noctis sighed in relief. He and Prompto exchanged smiles before he gave his speckled jeans a pat and stood up. Prompto watched him as he strolled toward the giant window of the motel room, then turned his attention back to his camera. He flipped through a few more of his beautiful digital masterpieces before he felt soft arms loop around his neck, and a warm chest press against his back.

"Noct?" he asked, but Noctis shushed him gently, wanting to simply bask in the serenity of the moment. Prompto closed his eyes, as did his prince, and lowered his head to give Noct room to rest his chin on his shoulder. Noctis accepted the invitation, and when he did, Prompto could have sworn he felt tears against his hair and skin.

The embrace didn't last long, but Prompto wished it had. Being this close to Noctis filled him with a feeling of safety that he hadn't felt in far too long—maybe even ever. Funny how he hadn't even realized what he needed. When Noctis pulled away, his friend turned to face him.

"What was that for?" Prompto asked. He knew the answer, but he wanted to know how Noctis would choose to phrase it.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, okay?" Noctis said, one corner of his mouth lifting into a forced smile. His fist lightly punched his best friend's shoulder. Prompto smirked slightly. He shouldn't have expected an overly sentimental response; this was just so typically Noct, but he welcomed it. It made everything feel normal, like nothing had happened, nothing had changed.

"I'll see what I can do," Prompto teased, letting his brows rise and fall in a quick motion. Noctis punched him again, a little harder this time, and they let out a chuckle.

"But, seriously, Noct," Prompto added, catching Noctis' hand in his own before it could fall from his shoulder. The prince's fingers uncurled, fitting almost delicately in the palm of Prompto's hand. Eyes met again, this time tenderly, but also with a certain amount of curiosity about their abnormally gentle actions in this moment.

"Thanks for caring about me," Prompto said, honestly.

"No sweat," was Noct's simple reply, though something dug at him to say something more.

He'd never been good at displaying his emotions, and that probably wouldn't improve any time soon, but if there was anything he'd learned in these past few months, it was that time didn't stop for anyone, and death wouldn't hesitate to whisk someone away if it was tempted to do so. There were a lot of things Noctis wished he'd had time to say—to Luna, and especially to his father. He knew he had to learn to push past his reservations, and speak the words he had trouble saying. And spending time with the people he loved... Well, that was at least a start.

"Hey, are you okay to be alone right now? I mean, if you want, I could stay. We don't have to stay in separate rooms if—"

"Yeah," Prompto cut in quickly, before Noctis could finish, then he lowered his head bashfully. "I mean, if you don't mind... You could stay," he said, much more slowly now, trying not to sound so desperate. Originally, he had thought he needed time to himself to recover from what had happened at Ardyn's, to think things through and reassure himself that things would be okay. But being in Noctis' soothing presence, hearing his words of concern and soaking up his touch, made him realize that he didn't—that he shouldn't—have to work through this alone.

"Sure," Noctis smiled, voice casual and back to normal now as his hand fell from Prompto's. "Just let me tell the other guys. Then are you up for a round of King's Knight?"

"Oooh-ya, I'm game," Prompto grinned. "But if you think you're gonna win, you better plan to play more than just one round," he taunted. Noctis raised a brow, smirking.

"Is that a challenge, then? You're on! Good thing I'm going to find Ignis and Gladio. You'll have a few minutes to warm up. You're gonna need it," Noct teased, waving a finger at his friend before leaving the room that was now filled with Prompto's laughter. Noctis' heart warmed at the sound, and as he headed down the hall to find his friends, he promised himself he would do whatever it took to make the best of this bad situation, and leave nothing—absolutely nothing—unsaid.