The safe lights of Hammerhead had long since disappeared as Prompto settled himself on the hood of an abandoned car a few miles outside of the Longwythe rest stop. He was supposed to be meeting Cor back at the garage for a supply run, but Cindy had picked up on rumors that there were a couple of vehicles in the area that still contained parts that could be salvaged. With a few hours to spare, he didn't see a problem with at least checking it out.

Anything was better than sitting around the garage waiting.

He didn't find anything useful. Even the car Prompto was perched on now was nothing more than a bare frame of flaking paint and rusted metal that had probably been junk before the world started falling apart.

Cautiously, Prompto shined his flashlight down the road and jumped off the hood. Perhaps the tipster had been a bit further than he'd thought; it was easy to get disoriented out here in the miles of vast nothingness. Prompto could make out a few other vehicles on the roadside ahead that might be what he was looking for. When things began to take a turn for the worst, people had been quick to head towards Lestallum. Not everyone made it there. Most people abandoned their cars and joined up with the nearest refugee camp, awaiting an escort. Some faced a worse fate.

He tried not to dwell on that sentiment.

Lestallum was for refugees. Of course, they had a hunter hub, and apparently the Glaive had involved itself with the relief effort there, but Prompto mostly stuck to Hammerhead. There was no shortage of things that needed to be done around the outpost, what with reinforcing the gates, hunting for food and other supplies, and sending aid when a request from surrounding bands of refugees came in. Prompto liked to keep himself busy. Too much downtime meant too many chances to get super introspective.

Still, he had been surprised when Cor contacted him to help with a supply run in Longwythe. As far as Prompto knew, Cor was the head of operations in Lestallum and had numerous eager and willing participants at his disposal. Not that he was complaining: with Cid now in Lestallum and Cindy running constant maintenance on the few vehicles left operating in Lucis, Hammerhead had become a continuous back and forth of unfamiliar faces, leaving Prompto to mostly work alone.

It would be nice to be on a team again.

"Prompto."

Cor's voice broke the dreary silence as he stopped near the guardrail that Prompto had just jumped over. His face was fixed into a frown, which Prompto had come to accept as his default expression.

"We were supposed to meet in Hammerhead."

Prompto cringed. It was hard to keep track of time outside the garage. Cell service was spotty at best these days; the further anyone traveled from an outpost, the crappier the reception. There were times when Prompto left Hammerhead with the intention of just being gone for a couple of hours only to come back and find that people had started to presume him dead.

No one would bother looking for him, though. There was a known risk associated with leaving any decently lit outpost.

He turned back and offered Cor a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Cindy wanted someone to check something out and, well, I had time to kill before you showed up."

"You shouldn't be heading out alone." There was a small tinge of affection in Cor's words that let Prompto know he was more relieved to have found him here unharmed than he was angry that he wandered off.

However, Prompto would have liked to point out that being on his own hadn't been his first choice. That it had been Gladio and, later, Ignis who had other ideas once they got back to Lucis.

They had stuck together for a little while, but every moment of that time together had been strained. The harder they attempted to find information as to Noct's whereabouts, the worse things got. Each failed lead had only caused Gladio's temper to escalate; while Ignis did his best to hide his disappointment with the lack of results, there came a point where he knew he wasn't fooling anyone.

Eventually, Gentiana graced them with her presence, just appearing one evening in a manner that was not at all intrusive or creepy if you asked Prompto. In her own poetic way, she informed them all that the king would be returning, and they must be prepared to receive him when the promised moment arrived.

Boy, did Gladio have a few choice words about the timing of her news. Prompto has to admit that allowing them to run around for at least two months with no clue wasn't exactly the chillest thing she could have done, but he probably would have pointed that out in a way that wouldn't have the Astrals considering striking him down on the spot.

Gladio apparently wasn't bothered by those details, and Prompto wouldn't say it out loud, but he was grateful for his friend's words. Even if Ignis had spent most of the time attempting to subtly get him to hold his tongue.

That was when Gladio left, squaring his shoulders and heading off, muttering about needing to prepare better and that he'd catch them later. Neither of them bothered stopping him. They wouldn't have been able to even if they wanted. If past events were any indication, Gladio would fight his way through everything until he felt he was worthy enough to be called Noct's Shield again. If anything, Prompto pitied whoever got in his way.

The entire trip to Altissia had put a strain on Gladio and Noct's relationship. When they all reunited in Gralea, it appeared as though they had begun to reconcile their differences; then Noct disappeared, and Gladio became a Shield without a king to protect.

Not tangibly, anyway.

Prompto didn't have that problem. He had managed to air out every bit of dirty laundry crammed in his closet, and all three of them had rolled with it, which had been a huge burden lifted off of his shoulders. It didn't make losing Noct any easier, but at least he didn't have any regrets.

Ignis followed Gladio's lead a few weeks later after they arrived in Lestallum. He said it would be better for both of them if he learned to cope with his disability on his own for a while, insisting that he could not continue to hold Prompto back in his own preparations for Noct's return. Prompto wouldn't say he totally agreed. He would never have been able to view Ignis of all people as a burden, but he was impossible to argue with; Prompto knew if Ignis wished for solitude, then he should respect that.

So, Ignis set out for Galdin Quay, and Prompto set his sights closer to home in Hammerhead. There was a bit of sentiment that he would never admit to in choosing his base of operations: Hammerhead was where their journey officially began, and it was where they always returned when things got tough. He anticipated, given its close proximity to Insomnia, that it was where their journey would begin again whenever Noct came back.

And Prompto intended to be ready and waiting.

Heading out alone had been a struggle the first few months. Prompto wasn't used to fighting on his own, nor did he particularly enjoy it. He had his fair share of close calls in those days, often forgetting that he couldn't rely on people who were no longer there.

That was when the dual wielding began. It started as an accident—a quick, panicked moment where he summoned the gun from the Armiger that had been reserved for Noct's use when they were on the road. Not that Noct used it much, preferring to get up close and personal with his targets. Prompto assumed his friend wouldn't fault him for borrowing it while he was away.

Wielding Noct's gun along with his own made him feel like there was still a piece of his friend present on the battlefield. That was a sentiment he would share with no one, though. As far as everyone else was concerned, it was just a better battle tactic, and that was all.

Summoning weapons always came with a wave of relief, too. It was the one clue he had that Noct was still alive, which gave Prompto a reason to roll out of Hammerhead every morning. The rest of Eos might have staked the fate of the world on a prophecy, but Prompto had staked it on his best friend.

He just had to make sure Noct had a world to save when he came back.

That was why Prompto grinned, attempting to make light of Cor's chastising in spite of the renewed emptiness those thoughts sparked in him. "I've been alone in way more messed up situations than this."

Cor raised his eyebrows at him, obviously imagining what myriad of reckless and idiotic situations Prompto could have found himself in since their return. Prompto had a rather extensive list of good intentions that had gone borderline comically wrong, but that wasn't what he was talking about this time.

"I mean, come on. I was on my own in Niflheim, so I think I can handle five miles outside of Hammerhead in the dark," he said, walking backwards to face Cor while he spoke. His arms were spread wide, presenting himself as the picture of ease and confidence.

Cor hummed in acknowledgment. "Yes, Gladio might have mentioned they lost you outside of Tenebrae."

Prompto snorted. Leave it to Gladio to make it sound like they simply forgot him at the mall instead of him falling off a train and ending up in a creepy research facility. Still, Cor's comment piqued his interest more than it insulted his pride. "You, uh, talk to Gladio lately?"

"Came by Lestallum to check on Iris and continue his attempts to forbid her from joining the ranks of the hunters." Cor cut his gaze over to Prompto. "You know, we could always use another pair of hands out there."

Prompto pressed his lips together in a fine line. This wasn't the first time that someone had tried to get him to leave Hammerhead for the safety of Lestallum.

"Probably better that I stay away from Lestallum. I don't think people like me too much over there anyway."

"Why's that?"

Prompto shrugged. "Cid said people were calling us a couple of bums."

He tried not to feel too insulted by those words. Refugees had it tough; times were hard, and people were looking for someone to blame. The Chosen King's retainers were an easy target.

"Who said that?"

Prompto broke into a sheepish grin. "Got me. I assumed it was Cid himself."

Cor snorted, clearly not agreeing with that statement, but he didn't elaborate. With Prompto returning to Lestallum full-time off the table, he went back to his original point: "I have no doubt that you are capable, but even so, it's dangerous to head out alone no matter what the request or who is making it."

"Uh, you're out here alone," Prompto pointed out, stopping in his tracks as the thought came to him. "Wait. Why did you come looking for me anyway?"

Search parties weren't a thing anymore. If someone went missing, they were gone, and at best you hoped they would find their way back eventually. It wasn't a practice that Prompto found particularly savory, but it was one that he understood to be necessary. They couldn't risk losing more people just to find one. It was why Cor rarely sent anyone out on a solo mission.

A fact that now had Prompto regretting his little endeavor as he watched Cor's posture tense at the question.

"The current mission was to head to Longwythe. I was just relieved to find you along my way."

The shadowed buildings of Longwythe had come into view, and Cor hastened his pace toward the abandoned motel.

Prompto scuffed his feet against the ground, swallowing down his mounting guilt. Cor would have taken a truck from Lestallum to Hammerhead, and if Prompto had been where he was supposed to be, they would have then taken the same truck from Hammerhead to Longwythe. There was only one reason Cor would have come on foot rather than in the safety of a well-lit vehicle.

And that would be to cover broader ground to look for him.

Prompto knew looking for a missing hunter was so low on the list of priorities these days that it never happened. If you were foolish enough to take on a solo mission or just wander off on your own, you had to accept the consequences yourself. And Cor Leonis was always a huge stickler for rules.

Apparently, there were some exceptions regarding who Cor was willing to risk his neck to find.

"What are we looking for anyway?" Prompto knew the answer to that question. If Ignis were here, he'd accuse him of talking just to hear himself speak, a fact that Prompto hardly considered a bad thing. What was so wrong with filling the void of mind-numbing silence as they headed towards the looming shadows of the abandoned Longwythe outpost? Besides, he had to steer the subject away from Cor's impromptu search and rescue mission.

"The refugees that came from here were only able to leave with what they could carry, had to prioritize people over objects," Cor explained. "Still, things like blankets, pillows, and clothing are in dwindling supply the more refugees Lestallum takes on. We'll gather whatever we can find from the hotel."

"Sounds cool. We gonna carry the stuff back to Hammerhead, then?"

Cor carefully navigated around a twisted hunk of an imperial airship, seeming to ignore Prompto's question at first. "I left a car with Cindy back in Hammerhead before I left. She will bring it out here should we find adequate supplies."

So much for avoiding that subject.

Prompto's face scrunched into a frown as he decided to follow the advice of the Ignis-like voice in his head and hold his tongue the rest of the way to Longwythe.

He hadn't been here since they left for Altissia all those months ago, so Prompto couldn't be prepared for how the once colorful outpost looked like a scene from a horror movie. The windows on all the buildings had a brownish hue of gathered dust and grime; the few trees and bushes that dotted the roadside near the gas pumps were withered from the lack of sunlight.

"You think there's anything worth taking in the Crow's Nest?" Prompto asked, trying to peer through the dirty windows of the diner. "I mean, there's probably at least some salvageable food there."

He was sure that a meal at the Crow's Nest was loaded down with enough preservatives that it would keep for at least five or ten years.

"We can give it a look after we check the motel." Cor nodded across the street. "Looks like we'll have our hands full clearing a path in."

Prompto looked over towards where Cor was indicating and groaned in exasperation. Bombs. Why did it have to be bombs? They had to be the most obnoxious type of daemon in existence. He'd almost take a Red Giant over them. At least Red Giants didn't explode.

"I'll draw their attention further from the building if you can start taking them down as they move away," Cor ordered, unsheathing his own weapon.

"Maybe away from the gas pumps, then," Prompto muttered. There was no telling if there was even anything left in reserve here as most of it had been diverted to the inhabited outposts, but there was no sense in risking blowing up the entire area.

Cor apparently agreed. He led the bombs away from the former bastion of civilization while Prompto picked off the ones he could once they got a good enough distance out. Cor started taking the rest down himself when he made it away from the building. It didn't take the two of them long to make short work of the bombs.

In the distance, the sounds of an Iron Giant echoed across the hills.

Prompto made a face, closing the distance between himself and Cor. "Do you think we should check that out?"

Cor gazed out at the horizon and then shook his head. "No, that's not our concern at the moment. If it gets close to here, we might have to take it out, but for now, our priority is those supplies. There's no sense in looking for trouble."

It would be pertinent to point out that Prompto never went looking for trouble but that it usually found him anyway. Still, he wasn't going to argue with that answer. He'd rather not have to fight an Iron Giant tonight.

Cor pried open the door to the old motel, and Prompto carefully crept in after him. There was no guarantee that it would be safe inside, but after a moment of holding his breath in anticipation for something to jump out at them, Prompto realized that they were alone. For now.

As a group, they had stayed here once or twice. It usually took a considerable amount of whining from both himself and Noct to get Ignis to relent enough to spend money on a room, but Prompto always thought it was worth it. Camping was just fine, but nothing beat the feeling of soft beds.

The inside of the motel no longer looked as warm and inviting. It was dreary and dark, and every surface was coated with a thin layer of dust. Spiders skittered to the corners at the sound of their footsteps, causing Prompto to cringe in disgust.

If Cor was put out by the abysmal state of the accommodations, he didn't give any indication. Instead, he nodded towards the stairs as he directed Prompto, "Head up and check the rooms. Strip the beds of any blankets and pillows, and try to get them all in one place. I'll check the supply closets."

Prompto didn't argue, even though he was pretty sure Cor just gave himself the easier task. Not that stripping the beds and tossing everything into the hallway was all that difficult; Ignis would have had some annoyed words about his choice in places to gather everything, though.

You're blocking access to the hallway. Why didn't you simply pick one room to place them all in? Preferably the one closest to the stairs.

Ah. Classic Ignis. Gladio would have responded by just continuing to lob pillows, blankets, and the occasional mattress out there. Why would he be bothered? In the end, he could just gather all of it up in the massive tree trunks he called arms and move it for them.

And Noct? Well, Noct would assume the role of supervisor. He'd probably be perched on top of the blanket pile watching them all work.

Well, Specs, if you wanted them put in a certain place, you should have told us.

Prompto blinked, staring down the empty hallway as he tossed the last pillow on the pile. Their voices were still echoing in his mind as stood beside his work, feeling increasingly numb.

He somehow shook off the phantoms creeping into his mind and told himself he should probably head back downstairs and tell Cor that he was done. Carefully maneuvering himself over his blanket mountain, Prompto headed for the stairs but stopped short, noticing the door to the roof was ajar.

Nostalgia took precedence in his mind in spite of the obvious dangers of hanging out on the open rooftop, and at that moment, it felt like a haven.

The roof hadn't changed much since he met Noct up here what felt like ages ago. The motel sign still looked overly rusted, and it was still far too easy to sit with your legs dangling over the side of the building. The only thing that was different was the view. Prompto didn't think it was possible, but Longwythe looked even more barren than it did when he was up here last.

In spite of everything, though, Prompto found this place comforting. It was here that he first gained the reassurance he needed from Noct to find his place on their journey. He might not have known then just how much stranger his origins were than he'd originally thought, but through it all, Noct still believed in him.

That had always been enough to keep trying his hardest.

"Tell me, did you always have this habit of running off without telling anyone?" Cor asked, standing in the doorway with his arms folded over his chest. He didn't appear to be mad; if anything, Prompto would say he seemed amused.

Prompto grinned, kicking his feet against the side of the building. "Nah, it's a more recently acquired endearing quality of mine," he joked with a shake of his head.

Cor came and sat down beside him, looking out at the landscape. "Can hardly say that you were out here admiring the view."

There was a brief hum of acknowledgment from Prompto, who continued to stare forward. "I just came out here before with Noct, you know? When everything got started. Figured I'd come up here again and clear my head. What with everything that happened."

"I see."

There were a few beats of silence before Prompto felt the need to elaborate, "It just sucks. I mean, it feels like since day freaking one, we haven't been in control over anything. When I was in Niflheim, I could tell that Ardyn has been behind, like, literally everything that's happened to us."

He cringed at his own words as a recent realization surfaced in his mind. It was one Prompto had thought about often since they returned. The more he reflected on it, the more he could see Ardyn's manipulative involvement in little corners of their journey. The more he realized they had been played, the more annoyed he became.

It felt like they had lost before they even started.

Prompto took a deep breath. "When I was in Niflheim, I found out-" He paused, swallowing hard before continuing again. "I found out that someone stole me away from that facility and I guess dumped me off in Lucis. Looks like they weren't all that concerned about one missing kid." He shrugged. "But it got me thinking that...what if it was all part of Ardyn's plan too? I mean, he would have had the means and ability to take me out and blame it on a Lucian. What if by befriending Noct and going with him, I just played right into what he had been planning for?"

He could feel Cor stiffen next to him. The marshal didn't look at him; instead, he stared forward, eyes narrowing. This was the part Prompto had been afraid of: the part where Cor regretted giving Prompto what he considered the best opportunity of his life. The part where he said that maybe he shouldn't be here when Noct returns.

"He isn't the only one that could pull it off."

A pause.

A blink.

What?

That had not been the answer he was expecting.

"Uh..." Prompto hesitated, unsure of how to respond to that. Of all the ways he pictured this conversation going in his head, this had not come up. He knew he should have floated this theory by Ignis first. "I mean, who else would bother stealing a kid from what I'm pretty sure is a total hole even by Niflheim standards?"

Cor didn't answer. Instead, he just turned and stared at Prompto with a significant look.

Prompto returned his gaze, momentarily confused until his eyes widened at the implication. His mouth hung open wordlessly as his brain rushed to catch up on what it was processing.

"Are you serious?!"

"I was on a recon mission at the request of His Majesty. Admittedly, I did not expect to find a child there. I will say you cut my mission short."

"Yeah, okay, real broken up about that over here," Prompto responded quickly, sounding anything but. "Are you telling me you smuggled me into Lucis?"

"It's hardly considered smuggling when the king is aware of your actions."

Prompto swore he felt his brain stop functioning for a moment as that information reached his ears. "So, you're telling me Noct's dad knew about me the whole time?"

"He and Clarus wanted to start a dad's club, yes," Cor responded tersely.

"Wait. What?"

Cor looked away again, focusing intently on the horizon. "You were in my care for a while after your arrival in Lucis, until the time came that we located a family that could hide you properly."

"Really didn't set the bar high on that one, did you?"

Cor sighed and looked back at Prompto, and the sincere gleam of remorse in his eyes had Prompto choking back any other smart-ass comment he had at the ready.

"It was my sincerest hope that you would grow up safe. Given the circumstances and in order to keep Niflheim's eyes off of you, they were the only choice. Had the situation allowed for it, I would have allowed you to remain with me." Cor glanced away again. "The further the distance between you and the Citadel, the safer you would be."

There was a moment of silence as Prompto let it all sink in. A tiny ghost of a smile finally appeared on his face as he looked over at Cor. "I screwed that one up for you, huh?"

Any anger he felt towards the situation had melted. Would it have been cool to grow up being friends with Noct, Ignis, and Gladio from the start? Absolutely. But then, who was to say who he'd be today? He had still gotten there. On his own, with his own strengths.

No one had ever handed that to him, and no one could ever take it away from him.

Cor returned the smile with a small one of his own. "I will admit, it was rather surprising to be asked to investigate the prince's new friend only to have you turn up."

"So, wait, like all my papers and stuff?"

"I set up for you. Though Clarus did help with a few."

Prompto's grin widened, and he shifted a bit to face Cor better. "You gotta know I've got like a hundred questions."

With one last glance out towards Insomnia, Cor turned back to him. "Well, we've got time."