November 29th

"Noct. I'm hungry." Prompto whined jumping on the bed the Prince was sleeping on.

"Go buy something then. There are plenty of places in Lestallum to eat." Noctis mumbled into his pillow.

"Iggy won't let me spend money on 'frivolous things' and said I could eat some rice balls."

"Then eat rice balls."

"But that's all we've had for days." Prompto stared down at his friend. "Are you going to get up? Dude. Its like noon."

"Nope. I'm calling for a rest day."

"Why today?" Prompto checked his phone. "Its not like it's a holiday. Why today?"

"Here." Noctis handed him what looked like a credit card. "Is this…?"

"Don't tell Ignis. Now go buy some food and let me sleep."

Prompto stared at the black and gold piece of plastic in his hands. "Y-yeah. Sleep tight man."

"Out of bed lazy ass." Gladio ripped the blanket off his sleeping charge.

"Gladdy…" Noctis looked at him with bleary eyes.

The Shield rolled his eyes. "It wasn't cute when you were little and it's not cute now. Get up. Its almost four o'clock. You've had your day off. Now lets go train."

"Its not a day off if I have to train on the same day." Noctis glared.

Gladio smirked. When Noctis was sleepy his glare looked like a kitten trying to be a lion. "Fine. Then consider it a fun activity that you are doing on your day off."

"Training isn't fun." Noctis growled burying himself under the blanket he had picked up off the floor.

"Your right. Training is fun." Gladio picked him up off the bed throwing him over his tattooed shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"That's not what I said. Gladio! Put me down!" Noctis squirmed.

"What? You want me to carry your spoiled ass all the way to the Regalia? Fine. Since its your day off."

Noctis wanted to fight his Shield, but the downside to lying in bed all day was how lethargic his limbs felt now. "Where's your shirt?" Noctis sighed looking around at the people strolling the small streets of Lestallum. "We're in public."

"What's the issue?"

"And where are you two heading?" Ignis's voice interrupted them.

Not that Noctis could see, considering he was still hanging over his Shield's shoulder.

"I'm just taking his royal highness for some much needed training."

"Hmm. Very well. Have you seen Prompto?"

"I think he was chasing a cat. Over by the Leville. Something about it being the perfect model for some shot?" Noctis informed him.

"Well then. I guess now would be a great chance to take a leisurely stroll through the market. I'm hoping they have a new shipment of spices. Work hard you two." Ignis said as a farewell before heading toward the market place.

"I didn't see Prompto chasing a cat." Gladio frowned.

"Because he's not. But he is possibly spending gil that Ignis wouldn't approve him spending on 'frivolous food'." The Prince replied as they reached the parking lot.

The large man chuckled as he dropped Noctis into the passenger seat of the Regalia.

"Are you driving?" Noctis stared wide-eyed at the Shield.

"Just because I don't doesn't mean I can't."

"Fair enough." Noctis settled into his seat already set to take another nap. "Wake me when we get wherever."

"There is no way you are still tired."

"You doubt my mad sleeping skills?"

"Its just not possible."

"Believe it." Noctis muttered pretending to fall asleep.

But seeing as how Gladio turned up the radio as loud as possible it was quite obvious he wouldn't be getting any sleep on this drive.

"Ugh. We've been walking for hours."

"I told you we were training."

"I thought you meant sparring."

"Did I say sparring?"

"Why do I need training on how to walk?"

"Considering you spent most the day in bed I assumed you forgot how."

Noctis was about to spit another retort when he saw that Gladio had stopped at a ledge. "Whoa…"

The sun was setting across the horizon and they could see for miles where they were. Landmarks were colored with a reddish hue. Herds of all sorts of animals were settling down for the evening. There were significantly less cars on the roads than normal. In the distance the night-lights of Lestallum could be seen. Stars were slowly blinking awake across the sky.

Gladio sat down in the dirt next to the ledge, with the Prince following in suit.

"This is amazing."

"Yeah I thought you might like it."

"Its not the worst thing we could have done today."

Gladio hummed in agreement.

"It feels like we've been on this journey forever." Noctis said suddenly.

Gladio glanced down at him. "Yeah? Well its only just beginning."

"I know. There is still a lot we have to do. That's why its good to appreciate these days where we can relax while we still can."

"Ignis wanted to teach you how to make a proper carrot stew."

Noctis made a gagging noise.

"I told him you already promised to get some training in today."

Noctis looked over at his Shield, his best friend. They'd been through a lot together. Their friendship may have been slightly forced due to their respective stations in life, but he couldn't have picked a better person to fight along side. "Thanks Gladio."

"Sure. I know you hate cooking. And carrots."

The Prince chuckled. "Yeah. But I mean for everything. I couldn't make this journey without any of you guys. But especially not without my Shield."

Gladio gave him a smirk. "Of course. We both know that at the first daemon you would have been done for without me."

"That's not true! I am plenty strong!"

"With that scrawny body? I don't think so."

"I've got muscle! You-"

"Just can't see it? Yeah yeah I know."

Noctis glared back at the scenery away from the idiot next to him. His harsh gaze softened as he looked out at the quickly darkening scenery. "You realize that you carried me all the way through town over your shoulder. People probably thought you were smuggling a dead body."

Gladio shrugged. "I got a few strange looks, but you're the one who didn't fight it."

Now it was Noctis turn to shrug. "What can I say? Its my day off."

"I'm going to work you twice as hard tomorrow."

"I would expect nothing less."

Once the sun had completely set Gladio stretched getting back to his feet. "Well we better get back. Who knows what Iggy's doing to poor Prompto without you to boss around."

"I guess we better go save them." Noctis agreed.

As they drove back in the Regalia Gladio saw the sudden droop of the Prince's head. A sure sign that he had actually fallen back to sleep.

"Enjoy it while you can Highness. There's still a long way to go."

Its the One Year Anniversary! I love this game and these guys so much! This was just a quick show of love to these four who have taken up so much of my time this last year.