It had slipped out before he had been able to think, really.

"Did he always use a cane?"

As soon as a wrinkle appeared in Noctis' brow, Prompto wanted to kick himself. Why'd he have to go and remind Noctis of something that he was probably already painfully aware of?

Unless he hadn't known about the cane.

Prompto opened his mouth to speak again, but was silenced by Noctis' voice.

"I'll see you later."

"Noct?"

Noctis didn't respond, and instead began to stalk away.

Prompto huffed, causing the hair on his brow to lift slightly. "Great."

Prompto took the extra long way home. He pulled his camera out of his backpack and took a picture of the sky, and then of a tiny shock of green grass growing through cracks in the concrete. Usually, photography put him in a good mood, but he couldn't shake how awful he felt about Noctis. He hadn't done anything wrong, exactly, but still.

He took his keys out of his pocket and walked into the entryway.

"I'm – ugh."

Prompto was trying to break his habit of announcing his presence to an empty house day in and day out. So far, he wasn't having much success. He walked to his room, and tossed his bag on the floor. He knew he was supposed start studying for his next exam, but couldn't be bothered. Instead, he lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he shot up, a big grin on his face. He switched out his school uniform for black jeans and a crimson t-shirt, and rummaged around in his closet for a jacket. As soon as he was ready, he bounded out of the house, leaving his unopened books behind.

Prompto's bright idea was this: he would go to Noct's place with ice cream and bad jokes in tow to cheer him up. Prompto felt good about it right up until he walked through the doors of the private building where Noctis was living. He hesitated by the elevators.

What if Noctis wanted to be left alone?

Prompto sometimes felt desperately out of his depth when it came to his friendship with Noctis. He sometimes worried that he came on too strong, or that he didn't really know how to be a good friend.

Well, he reasoned, I'm here, so might as well go through with it!

The elevator doors slid open, and Prompto was surprised to see himself face to face with a very displeased Ignis.

"Prompto." Ignis always said Prompto's name in an exasperated tone, regardless of whether Prompto had done something to deserve it that day or not.

"Hey, Ignis!" Prompto chirped. "You're leaving already? I thought…"

"I've left his Highness to his studies," Ignis said in a clipped tone. "As should you."

"Aw, yeah?" Prompto shifted awkwardly, the grocery bag carrying the tubs of ice cream rustling loudly. "I just thought…well he seemed kinda upset after school."

"You have no reason to worry." Ignis paused, and then sighed. He fished a key out of his pocket and offered it to Prompto. "Here."

"I thought I had no reason to worry!" Prompto took the key and grinned at Ignis, who still looked unamused.

"I imagine you would have gone to the apartment regardless of my opinion on the matter," Ignis said. He began walking toward the door that led to the building's parking garage.

"That's not true!" Prompto called after him. He stepped into the elevator. "I do listen to you! Well, not all the time. Sometimes!"

"Sometimes," Prompto heard Ignis grumble. The elevator doors slid shut.

Wonder what his deal was. He seemed grumpier than usual.

Prompto was immediately struck with the thought that he might have triggered some kind of awful domino effect with his comment about the cane earlier in the day. He began to feel even worse.

At the door to Noctis' apartment, Prompto decided to knock first instead of using the key. He rapped at the door loudly and waited.

And waited.

"C'mon, Noct, I know you're in there!" Prompto called.

A few minutes passed, so Prompto pushed the key into the lock and opened the door. He immediately spotted Noctis curled up on the couch. As soon as Prompto shut the door, Noctis sat up.

"How the hell did you get in?" he demanded. His voice sounded like he'd been crying.

"I ran into Ignis downstairs," Prompto said gently, unsure of how to approach the situation. "He gave me a key."

Noctis stared at Prompto, as if challenging him to ask about the crumpled tissues on the coffee table, or about Noctis' tear-streaked face.

Prompto walked over to the freezer and began unloading the ice cream into it. "I brought you ice cream!"

"What for?" Noctis asked roughly.

"I dunno," Prompto said, closing the freezer door. "Can't a guy just bring his best friend some ice cream?"

His chipper tone appeared to calm Noctis down, because his shoulders relaxed. Prompto walked over to the couch, but not before running into a cushion that had found its way to the floor. He picked it up and tossed it at Noctis.

"Hey!" Noctis batted it aside. "Are you trying to take my eye out?"

"With a cushion?" Prompto laughed, taking a seat on the couch. He paused for a moment before continuing. "Noct…"

"I don't want to talk about it, Prompto."

"Alright."

Two tubs of ice cream and several episodes of Malboro-kun later, Prompto found himself still acutely aware of the fact that he still hadn't discovered why his best friend had been curled up on the couch in tears. He didn't want to push it, so he kept his mouth shut.

The TV cut to a commercial break, but not before announcing that the twenty-four hour marathon of the popular Malboro cartoon would soon enter its twelfth hour. Prompto hopped off the couch and stretched.

"Guess I'm gonna be here until tomorrow!" he said happily.

"You don't own a TV?" Noctis grumbled.

Prompto ignored him and spotted a plate of pastries on the table. "Hey! You didn't tell me that Ignis left baked goods behind!"

"You brought ice cream," Noctis said flatly.

"I'd take Ignis' desserts over ice cream any day," Prompto chirped, taking a big bite out of the flaky crust. "Don't tell him I said that," he mumbled, his mouth full. "Wouldn't want him getting a big –"

"My dad's dying."

Prompto stared at Noctis, his mouth still awkwardly full. He quickly swallowed the bite of pastry and cleared his throat. "Uh."

"Sorry." Noctis turned his face away.

"W-why are you apologizing?" Prompto sank onto the couch slowly. "I'm the one who should be –"

"Offering your condolences?" Noctis supplied bitterly. "Don't."

"Okay."

An uncomfortable silence settled between them.

"You didn't know about the cane, did you," Prompto said quietly.

"No. I don't see my dad much."

"I mean, how do you know he's dying for sure? Whatever's wrong with him…maybe he'll get better!" Prompto said hopefully.

"Keeping the wall up is killing him." Noctis' tone was emotionless.

"Oh."

"Everybody's always going on and on about me being king. I hate it. It's like they're all counting down the days until my dad kicks the bucket. After that happens, I have to keep the wall up, right?" Noctis' voice began to get louder. "I have to keep the wall up, which means everybody will just start counting down the days until I die, and…it's just some stupid bullshit cycle and I hate it. I hate it."

Prompto took a deep breath, his brow wrinkled in concern.

"I'm not ready for him to die," Noctis said, his voice breaking. "We don't…talk – but I'm not."

"I don't think it's something you can be ready for," Prompto said gently. His voice was uncharacteristically soft.

"Yeah." Noctis ran his hands over his face. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize!" Prompto said quickly. "I'm – I'm glad you told me! Best friends are supposed to tell each other things!"

Noctis smiled weakly. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Except…" Prompto sighed and rubbed his shoulder nervously. "I don't really know what I can say to make you feel better. Wish I were better at this."

"Bringing ice cream was good."

"And Ignis? His amazing snacks didn't do it for you?" Prompto teased.

Noctis frowned. "He's probably really pissed at me right now."

"Nah." Prompto leaned back onto the couch. "I'm sure he understands."

"I yelled at him."

Prompto's mouth fell open. "You yelled at Ignis? And you lived to tell the tale?! I don't believe it."

Noctis snorted.

"I'm sure he isn't mad," Prompto said again. "He understands. We…we all do. We're here for you, Noct. Even if you do yell sometimes."

"I've never yelled at you," Noctis said defensively.

"Yet."

"And I've never yelled at Gladio, either."

"That's because you value your life too much," Prompto yawned. He turned his eyes toward the large windows. The sky outside was dark, and all of Insomnia had come alive in the time he'd been at the apartment. "Guess I'd better get going."

"You can stay, if you want," Noctis said. "I've got extra blankets somewhere."

Prompto perked up immediately. "Really?!"

"Yeah." Noctis got up to search around for said blankets. "Hey, I really…appreciate you coming here, Prompto."

"Huh? Oh, no prob," Prompto said lightly. Internally, he let out a sigh of relief at having made the right decision. "Looks like I'll get to see the end of the marathon after all!"

The next morning, Ignis stood at the door to Noctis' apartment and sighed. They had left things on a sour note, and he wanted to make amends. The only problem was that he wasn't sure if broaching the subject again was a good idea or not.

Also, he wasn't sure how exactly to apologize.

He slid his spare key into the lock, and pushed the door open. He saw the Prince on one end of the couch, snoozing away. On the other end of the couch, a puff of blond hair was visible from underneath a fluffy blanket.

Ignis reasoned that it'd be better to postpone the apology, given what he was looking at. Besides, he'd have more time to think over it. He shut the door a bit loudly on purpose, which startled both of the couch's residents.

"Morning, Ignis!" The rest of Prompto's face popped out from underneath the blanket. It seemed that sleep didn't affect Prompto's voice at all – it was clear and happy even though he'd just been forced out of his slumber.

Ignis walked over to the couch. The TV was on, so he picked the remote control off the coffee table and switched it off.

"I'll make breakfast," Ignis said.

Prompto flung the blanket off himself excitedly. "Wha – really?! You're the best!"

Ignis busied himself in the kitchen, cracking eggs for an omelet. Over the sound of his whisking, he could have sworn he heard Prompto murmur: "See? Told ya he understands."

"I can't believe I'm being driven to school!" Prompto sighed, peering out of the windows of the shiny black car that was currently transporting them to school. "You really are the best, Ignis! First, the best breakfast I've ever had –" Ignis snorted at that. "No, really! And a ride to school?!"

Noctis remained silent.

"How did your studying go?" Ignis asked.

"Studying?" Prompto echoed.

"You have a final today. I assume you spent the night because you were up studying…?"

"Crap!" Prompto yelped. "I completely forgot about finals!"

"How does one 'forget about finals?'" Ignis asked dryly.

Prompto groaned. "I don't know! I just did!"

Ignis pulled up to the curb outside of the high school. Noctis hadn't said a word to him all morning.

"I wish you luck, then," Ignis said.

"Please do my exam for me, Iggy," Prompto begged. "I'm desperate!"

"Out you go," Ignis said, gesturing to the door. "And do not call me Iggy."

Noctis listened to his friends bicker until Prompto begrudgingly left the comfort of the royal car. Noctis followed him.

"Well, time to go fail!" Prompto half-sang, half-wailed. He began to walk up the steps to the main entrance.

Noctis began to follow him, but suddenly turned around. He wanted – needed – to apologize to Ignis, but the car was already gone.

Prompto turned to look at Noctis. "Hey."

"Hm?"

"It's gonna be okay, Noct."

"What is? The exam?"

"Well, the exam. And…everything else."

"Alright."

Prompto offered Noctis a wide, crooked smile. "So where are we on that whole 'eradicate exams forever' thing?"

"Prompto."

"What? It's a good idea!"

Later that night, Noctis sat at the table with Ignis, eating instant noodles after his own dinner had ended in disaster.

Prompto had been right – everything was okay. For now, anyway.