Chapter 18

The rest of the week passed quickly, and Noctis was looking forward to the miracle of a Saturday off. There were no appointments, and he was caught up on paperwork. Throughout the week, Dolosus had helped him go over some documents, and had volunteered to mail them out for him, insisting that Noctis deserved some time off. And so, the busy king had been free to sleep in.

He woke up at the sound of the dresser drawer closing, and he lifted an eyelid to spy Prompto, shirtless and pulling on his leather glaive trousers. The sight was worth the hassle of opening a second eye, and he gave his companion a sleepy smile.

"I'm sorry. I was trying not to wake you," Prompto said, brows twisting in sympathy.

"'S'okay. C'mere, will ya?"

"Guess I've got a few minutes before I have to be on duty," Prompto obliged with a grin.

He made his way to the bed, sitting back against the headboard, and pulling the covers up to his waist, more than willing to enjoy a few extra minutes under their warmth. Noctis lifted his tired head just long enough to plop it onto Prompto's lap, and his eyes drifted shut again. Prompto laughed softly.

"Wish you didn't have to go," Noct murmured, sucking in a deep breath, hoping it might wake him a little.

He wanted the drowsiness to fade enough so that he would remember this conversation later. Every moment with Prompto was too precious to take for granted, just like every precious trait and feature. Lying there, he could smell Prompto's peachy shampoo, could feel each tiny movement of his hands as they massaged his scalp, his fingertips still slightly shriveled from his recent shower.

"Trust me, I wish that, too. You know, technically, you are the boss. You could give me the day off."

"Can't be seen showing favouritism, can I?" Noct slurred, smirking.

"Alright, fine. The fact that I'm your favourite will remain our little secret for now then," Prompto teased, fingers continuing to lightly scratch at Noctis' scalp and thread through his hair. The motion was pretty familiar to Noctis, as Prompto used to remedy quite a few of his headaches with the skilled touches of his fingers, but it had been a while since those days. Through the soothing motions, Noctis gave a sleepy moan.

"Feels good."

"Ah, what I wouldn't give to hear you say that under different circumstances," Prompto replied, in a sing-song voice.

"Prompto..." Noct mumbled, sounding half-irritated, half-sorry.

"I know, I know. I'll drop it." For now, he thought. Sooner or later, Noctis would have to crack, right? Despite the talk they'd had on his birthday, he wasn't about to give up all hope of a romantic rendezvous.

"So, since you're going to be more involved with my work now, are there any issues you'd like to bring up?" Noctis asked, changing the subject effortlessly; Prompto swore he had been practicing in his mind.

"C'mon, Noct, we don't have to talk about work on your day off."

Finally, Noctis' eyes drifted open, and he turned his head to gaze up at Prompto. Prompto wore a look of concern, like he honestly felt the topic might ruin Noctis' day, but Noct merely gave him a relaxed smile.

"This isn't just about work. It's about you, and I want to know."

"Uh, okay, but I'm still not totally sure what to say. It's your kingdom."

"Well, yeah, but... I'm still hoping that someday it'll be our kingdom," Noct said, expression timid. When Prompto's gaze flickered around uncertainly, he spoke on. "Anyway, back in Altissia, you said I could ask you for advice any time I wanted. So, I'm asking now. I need your help, Prompto. You're still my main link to those years when I wasn't around."

"Y-yeah," Prompto nodded. "Okay. Well..." It was a strange feeling, a king asking for his opinion. Even if this was the boy he'd grown up with and dated for years, it was still surreal to know how much Noct needed him, and to know that he could be such an asset to something as huge as restoring the world.

"There is one thing I've been thinking about," he started, and Noctis perked up a little, his smile returning as he peered up at him with curious eyes. "Meteorshards used to be used all the time in Lestallum. They helped us get power all across the grid, and keep the lights on when everything was threatening to go dark. People used to dig for them, hunt for them, trade for them. There was an abundance of them in the end, but nowadays, they're pretty much useless."

"Uh-huh?" Noct encouraged.

"So, I was thinking, why not make them into something useful? They're pretty solid material, so I was even wondering if they could be used for building supplies."

"Really?"

"Yeah, they're pretty sturdy. If we could melt them down, they would make a pretty strong metal," Prompto nodded. "I guess if meteorshards were seen as having value again, people would probably start charging for them, so I don't know if we could buy a lot right away to use in the kingdom, with our money situation and all. But there's also the option of setting up a trading post. There used to be a lot of those around in those days, too. People could trade things of equal value."

Noctis reached a hand up to Prompto's face, thumb brushing fondly over his goatee.

"Prompto, do you know what this would mean? If there was a way to turn those meteorshards into building supplies..."

"Then that would save you a lot of money, yeah. People would have their own supplies for rebuilding, and they wouldn't have to go through you to get them."

Noctis sat himself up, eyes meeting Prompto's before he leaned in to kiss him, hand lingering on his face. The kiss was a silent gesture of thanks, and Prompto could feel both the excitement and relief in Noctis' body; he always seemed to relax at the prospect of solving another of the kingdom's problems. Prompto eased a hand against the curve of Noctis' back, eliciting another soft moan from the king as he tried to coax him closer, but Noct was smarter than to fall for his enticing acts.

He pulled back with a smile, as nonchalant as ever.

"So, you're solving Eos' problems already, huh? I knew you'd come in handy some day," he teased. Prompto rolled his eyes, and gave an exaggerated groan as he tossed the covers off of himself. He got up from the bed and grabbed his kingsglaive shirt and coat that were draped over the back of the armchair.

"And on that note, I'm off to work," he smirked, pulling his shirt on over his head. He shoved his arms through the sleeves of his coat, and made sure his collar was propped up properly before he headed for the door.

"Hey, Prom? Your input really is vital. So, thanks," Noctis smiled, eyes sincere and glowing with pride.

"Yeah," Prompto smiled tenderly back. "Just glad I can help, buddy. Try and get some more sleep, okay? It's not often you get a day to rest."

"I'll do that," Noct nodded, rolling in against Prompto's pillow and tugging it in against his body, hugging it, nose buried in its soft pillowcase. "But just so you know, I sleep better with you as my pillow."

Prompto snorted a laugh.

"I know. Your pillow will be back as soon as his work is over," he grinned. Noctis appeared satisfied with that answer, and Prompto continued to smile as he headed out the door.

Of course, the victory of Noct's Saturday off was short-lived. It wasn't even noon when a text came in from Gladio, asking on Monica's behalf if they could hold a council meeting. And so, he'd dragged himself out of bed, got someone to cover Prompto's post, and quickly got showered and dressed before making his way to the meeting room.

"Alright. Let's get to it. What's this about?" the tired king asked, folding his hands on the table and glancing around at his council.

"Your Majesty, this is about the financial situation. It seems someone has been extremely generous in their donations to Insomnia," Monica spoke up, eyeing Noctis with a smile that was cautious; it was evident from the deep lines of her forehead that she didn't want to get her hopes up. Noctis leaned forward slightly, brows furrowing.

"What do you mean?"

"The donation bucket in the middle of the city? Well, there was a stifling amount in it this morning."

"Okay, how much are we talking?" Noct inquired, not allowing himself to get his hopes up. Any amount would be helpful. Even if he didn't put it into restorations, he could always set it aside for things like staffing expenses—or for Prompto.

Monica glanced at Cor, who she figured might have a better estimate. Cor pondered a moment before responding.

"Enough to restore the remaining damages to the city, and then some."

Noctis released a puff of air, and sat back in his chair, stunned. His first instinct was to be happy, but part of him wondered how this could be real. Who would be so generous? How many people even had that kind of money these days? Apparently, he wasn't alone in his concerns.

"Something about this doesn't sit right with me," Gladio grumbled. "Did anyone check—?"

"It's not counterfeit, Gladdy. We checked," Iris assured her brother.

"Any idea who it came from, then?"

"I'm afraid we don't know, Gladiolus. Without any security cameras in the area, and because it was merely placed in the donation bucket, there's no way to track the donor," Monica shook her head.

"What about fingerprinting?" came Gladio's next question, as quickly as if it were pure reflex. Noctis put a thumb to his chin in slight amusement. At least Gladio was taking his job as the king's protector as seriously as he always had.

"We could try that," Cor hummed in thought, then turned to Noctis for further direction. "What would you have us do, Your Majesty?"

"Maybe fingerprinting isn't a bad idea. I don't want to use the money until I'm sure this is for real. The last thing we need is for Lucis to fall victim to another trick," Noctis said.

"I agree. Make sure that's not blood money we're using," Dolosus added. "We should put the safety of king and country before all else."

"Of course," Iris agreed. "Wouldn't it be great if we could use it, though? There's so much that could be done to fix up the rest of the city."

"Yeah," Noct mused, lips twisted to the side in thought. "I guess that should be our first priority, though I'd love to send a little help in Galahd's direction, if possible. They're still in a pretty rough situation."

"If I might, Your Majesty, have you considered lending any aid to Tenebrae? That was the home of your former fiancée, and perhaps those still grieving her passing would take comfort in your assistance. It would show that you still support Lady Lunafreya's people, even though the Oracle herself is gone," Dolosus spoke up, watching the pained twinge of Noctis' eyebrows.

"I recognize that that would make a lot of sense," Noct acknowledged. "And I want to be on good terms with Tenebrae, of course, but I'm not sure now is the right time to reach out. I was planning to focus first on regions that are a little closer to home. And Tenebrae is in a pretty stable state right now, despite everything that's happened. They managed to keep an active government, despite the absence of the Nox Fleuret family, and seem to be quite self-sufficient."

"Right, of course, Your Majesty," Dolosus responded with a polite nod, an apologetic look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I know it's your birthplace..." Noct sympathized.

"It's alright, Your Majesty. At a later time, perhaps."

"So, back to this donation. What should the first order of business be, Your Majesty?" Cor spoke up.

"Well, I guess if you would, Cor, take it for fingerprinting? Where is the money now, anyway?" Noctis asked.

"Eh, w-wait. Should we really say that out loud here?" Prompto cut in, and all eyes travelled towards him. Noctis frowned as he tried to analyze the frantic look in Prompto's eyes. Was there someone here Prompto didn't trust? Or was he simply being cautious?

"Y-you know. The walls have ears," he said in an eerie voice, cupping his hands around his mouth to create an echo. Noct knew he was trying to make a smooth recovery, but just in case there was something to his concerns, he gave him a small nod, trusting him wholeheartedly.

"Monica, you and I will discuss that matter further in private after dinner, if that's alright with you," Noctis announced, directing his attention back to the older woman. Monica responded with a bow of her head.

"Of course, Your Majesty."

"Unless anyone has anything else to add, this meeting is adjourned."

As the council quietly shuffled out of the room, Dolosus waited patiently for his leige, and Prompto's eyes flickered towards Noctis. He wished they could have a moment alone, but he supposed now wasn't the time—not with the new advisor standing right there. Noctis met his gaze, and noticed the longing look in Prompto's eyes, like he was biting back the urge to say something. Instead, Prompto pushed forth a feeble smile, and followed the others to the exit.

Noctis had every intention of asking Prompto about his cautiousness during the meeting, but after he'd spent the next little while discussing the donation in more detail with Monica, it slipped his mind. Before the week was out, the results of the fingerprinting tests came back. After speaking with Cor about it, Noctis happily made his way to his chambers to report back to Prompto.

It was evening, and Prompto had the night off from guard duties. The room was quiet and peaceful as Noctis entered, the room lit only by the warm glow of the bedside lamp and the city lights that sparkled against the dark sky, visible through the small crack in the curtains.

Prompto looked up from the book he was reading when Noctis plopped a small velvet pouch onto his chest. He was lying on his back on their bed, book held just inches above his face. He looked to the pouch first, then to Noctis who was lying down beside him and propping himself up on his elbow.

"What is this?" Prompto asked.

"The donation money. Cor gave the all-clear. The donor must've been wearing gloves because there were no fingerprints. Ah, who knew so much gil could fit into one little pouch," Noctis mused, playfully.

"And why do I have it?" Prompto set his book down on the nightstand and picked up the little brown bag, eyeing it suspiciously. When Noctis didn't answer, Prompto slowly turned his head back towards him, and shook his head.

"No. Noct, you better not be thinking what I think you're thinking, because if you're thinking that—" Prompto babbled, and Noctis chuckled.

"How did you even manage to say that without getting tongue-tied?"

"I'm serious, Noct. Why did you give this to me?"

Noctis paused and took a breath, letting it out slowly and calmly before he replied.

"Look, I know I said we'd wait until all of Lucis' affairs were in order, but I don't want to wait—"

"Noct—"

"Just listen to me," Noctis pleaded, and his eyes travelled toward the bedspread until he gathered his courage, then they met Prompto's gaze in a long, meaningful stare. "I honestly don't know how much time you and I are going to have together. If we have the means to go on this trip, then I want to go now while you're strong, and healthy, and..."

"Noct..." Prompto set the pouch aside and rolled over to face his partner, his fingers reaching out to graze soft, pink lips. It halted Noctis from speaking, at least for a moment.

Noctis reached for Prompto's hand, and grasped it, kissing the backs of his fingers before bringing their hands down to rest in the space between them. His other hand settled on Prompto's waist, thumb brushing gently over the wrinkles in his loose-fitting shirt.

"Cor said there's enough to finish repairing the city and then some. So, let's set aside some money for restorations, and some for us. Please," Noctis whispered, eyes locked with Prompto's. When Prompto still seemed to be resisting his charm, Noct moved his head in closer, and brushed their noses together.

"Prompto?"

"I didn't want you to put me before your kingdom. I told you that," Prompto said, a crease appearing between his brows, expression so sad.

"So, we get restorations underway before we leave. Please, I just don't want to waste any time. I don't want it to suddenly become too late for us."

Prompto was still hesitant to give an answer, so Noctis leaned in closer, searching Prompto's eyes for permission before he closed his own and kissed him. Prompto kissed back stiffly—not like he wasn't enjoying it, but just holding back enough to let Noctis know he wasn't too pleased with him at the moment. Noctis pulled back first, and sought answers within his gaze.

"Noct, it's not as simple as you seem to think. Even if you take a vacation, your staff doesn't. You still have to pay them the whole time you're gone. Plus you have to consider the cost of our transportation and accommodations."

"Yeah, but... I want to make this work. Dustin's already agreed to help me figure out how to finance all of this—taking care of staff, restorations, and us. So, please..." Noct begged, gaze so soft, so full of yearning emotion. His eyes displayed a will to make Prompto's remaining time on this earth as full and rewarding as it could be.

When Prompto still appeared hesitant, Noctis leaned in again, capturing his lips for a second time. He kissed him like he was precious, like he mattered more than anything.

"Please, let me do this for you," he whispered, thumb ghosting over Prompto's cheek as they parted. Noctis could tell by the way his lids drifted open that he had enjoyed the kiss more than he had let on, but even when his eyes locked with Noctis', there was still a sterness in them, a sort of hesitance.

"I have a couple of conditions," Prompto spoke up.

"I'm listening."

"We spend the next couple of weeks coming up with a solid plan for restorations. We put all our efforts into making Lucis the best it can be. I mean, I want us to map out all the ideas we can, and start putting them into action," Prompto said.

"Okay, we'll do that," Noctis agreed.

"Secondly, I want this trip to be fun, okay? Not sad. That means you can't feel sorry for me the whole time."

"Only some of the time?" Noct quizzed, the corner of his mouth lifting. Prompto frowned and sat up, pulling his hands free of Noctis' and looking truly unsettled.

"Noct, I'm serious."

"Okay, fine. What else?" Noctis followed his lead and sat up, giving up the joke. If he was going to win Prompto over this time, it wasn't going to be through humour. It would be by proving he was as serious about sticking to these conditions as Prompto was.

"I want you to let me pay for half the trip."

"What? No," Noctis scrunched up his nose.

"Then I'm not going," Prompto argued, shaking his head and focusing his gaze on the gap in the curtains straight ahead.

"Come on. If a king can't pay for his Crownsguard to accompany him—"

"Okay, first of all, this trip is for me, okay?" Prompto cut in desperately, spinning his head back to stare at Noctis. "You wouldn't even be going if it wasn't for me. And secondly, I'm not just one of your Crownsguard. Noct, I'm your partner. That means we're in this together. All of this. This life," Prompto explained, voice softening more as he spoke.

Noctis remained quiet, his eyes and expression timid as he watched his companion—his downcast gaze, the way his expression begged for Noctis to listen to him, the way his hands fell languidly onto his lap.

"I know money's been an issue lately, and even with this donation, there probably still isn't enough to make all the changes our world needs. So, I want to help. I want the majority of that money to go back to the people of Lucis. They're the ones I fought for all that time while you were gone. They need it more than I do, so please... Let me help you with the expenses."

"Prompto..." Noctis murmured, interlocking their fingers, and taking in his words and confidence with admiration and pride. He wondered how long he had been holding Prompto back, whether he had been unintentionally silencing the strong man he saw before him now. Prompto could speak up for himself—maybe not in elementary or middle school, and maybe just barely in high school, but he was more than capable now.

"All the meals and transportation tickets and accommodations... They're going to add up. So, please?" Prompto tried again, brows now twisted in uncertainty instead of frustration.

Noctis debated asking whether Prompto was sure it was within his budget to do so, but he thought better of it. If he was offering it, he had to trust he could handle it; he had to trust that Prompto could take care of him, too.

"Okay," Noctis nodded, and Prompto's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really?"

"Yeah. You're right. About everything you just said." Prompto allowed himself to smile, tentatively at first, then warmly, and Noctis reached for the back of his neck. "And thank you, for always putting the people first, and for letting me lean on you, too."

"It's what I want, Noct. I promise," Prompto continued to smile. The king mirrored that smile, caressing the back of Prompto's neck in thanks.

"Did you hear the king's leaving the Citadel for a few weeks? Taking Prompto with him, he is." Fae peered out of the corner of her eye at the group of glaives at the lunch table adjacent to hers. A burly man with short curly hair gestured emphatically as he spoke.

"Last time he left town, the camp got attacked. Hope we're not going to be targeted again."

"It's doubtful, Toland. The Citadel's about the most secure place in the kingdom, even without the Wall to protect us. I mean, we've been doing a damn good job defending it."

"Yeah, but if the king's anything like his father, then he wouldn't necessarily give us warning even if he knew an attack was coming. You know what happened with the treaty signing."

"True. The 'good' King Noctis could know there's a threat, and that's why he's leaving town. He's takin' his boyfriend and gettin' out of dodge."

Fae felt her fingers curl tighter around the spoon in her hand, but told herself to remain quiet. These glaives were a bit older than her; standing up to them might get her into more trouble than it was worth. She dipped her spoon into her bowl, gathering up some green curry soup and continuing to eat.

"You hearing this?" her friend Jenica asked, meeting her eyes across the table. She gave a disgusted nod toward the disrespectful glaives, and Fae nodded, trying her best to keep her expression still.

"Yeah, but I wish I wasn't," she said, lips pursing.

If these guys had been daemons, she would have been the first in line to kick their asses, but ever since the last argument she'd had with her sister all those years ago, she'd strayed away from picking fights. After all, sometimes the chance to apologize was gone too soon, gone forever. Even so, there was always a breaking point when she would be unable to listen to people badmouthing the ones she cared about. She just hoped these guys would shut up before she reached that point.

"It sucks, though. Prompto's always been a good guy. Even picked up a lot of the slack around here when some of the other glaives abandoned, but I'm afraid the more time he spends with the king, the less he's going to care about us," one of the men went on.

"Why do ya say that?"

"It's only a matter of time until they tie the knot. Once that happens, I doubt Prompto's going to remain a glaive. Then he won't have a clue what's going on with us because he'll be too preoccupied running a kingdom with the high and mighty Noctis."

"Hey," Fae spoke up, shooting the men a glare. "We all took an oath of allegiance to the king when we became glaives. I don't think it's right for you to be talking about him like he doesn't give a damn about us. Because he does."

"Hate to break it to you, kid, but he's the same as every other Lucian ruler: selfish. That's why he sent us out on those hunts. So he would look good. He made everyone think he was making the world safer. And you know who got hurt because of it? Us. We got attacked by the people trying to assassinate the king."

"Assassinate?" Fae frowned.

"W-well, that's what I'd assume they're planning to do, anyway. I doubt they'd go to all the trouble of trying to get close to him if they were just going to rough him up a bit," the burly man named Toland shrugged. "Anyway, doesn't matter what their plan is. They hurt us as a way to hurt the king."

"So what? Yeah, it was a bad scene, for sure, but the king made a formal apology to all of us," Fae reminded them.

"And you think that makes it all okay?" an irritated glaive asked.

"No, but it's the best he can do. It's not like he can reverse what happened," Fae argued, lifting her bad arm, no longer in a sling but still covered in the white cast.

A few of the glaives exchanged embarrassed glances, as they realized this girl did know what she was talking about. She had been there when the cloaked men had attacked, she had been hurt, and still, she had deemed the king worthy of her forgiveness. Jenica lowered her gaze to her soup bowl, grinning triumphantly at her friend's ability to tell these guys off.

"And besides, protecting the king is what we all signed up for, right? If you weren't willing to risk getting hurt, maybe you shouldn't have joined the kingsglaive," Fae scowled.

"What did you say?" one of the glaives demanded, bolting up from the table, but one of his friends grabbed his arm, stopping him before the debate could get physical.

"You heard her," Jenica glared. Both girls turned their attention back to their meal, hoping the conversation would diffuse after that, but of course, some people never knew when to quit.

"I still say he's a selfish prick. Probably why he fired his last advisor. But I guess I'd side with whatever advisor was gonna allow me to get laid, too."

Fae slammed her good hand down on the table and got to her feet. She stormed over to the crass group, where the men exchanged amused smiles and barely concealed laughter.

"If you say one more disrespectful thing about King Noctis or Prompto, I'm going to let the Marshal know of your insubordination. You do know that Prompto talked to the king, right? He told him that aborting the hunts was probably the best move for everyone, and the king agreed and followed through. They're both willing to listen to the glaives, but they can't help if they don't know what the problems are. It's our responsibility to tell them when something's wrong," Fae sternly announced.

"Exactly," Jenica added. "Now, can we all stay calm and give the king another chance? Things will be better, especially now that Prompto is guiding him. They're both willing to hear our perspective, okay?"

Fae thought fondly on her choice of words. Things will be better; that was exactly what the king had scrawled on her cast that day in the garden.

The burly man's phone whirred loudly, and he glanced at it before picking it up and standing.

"It's your lucky day, Princess. Saved by the bell," he sneered, before heading out of the cafeteria to answer his phone.

Fae's ferocious gaze lingered on him until he left, and she glanced at the men remaining at the table. They looked to be cowering a little now; she supposed that would have to count as a victory. With a sigh, she left them and peace and sat back down at her own table to finish her lunch, though she didn't have much of an appetite left.

"You okay?" Jenica asked, eyeing the girl who seemed to be trembling slightly from the adrenaline.

"Yeah, fine. I just hope at least some part of what I said gets through to them."

Toland made sure he was alone in the hallway before he took out his phone again. He swiped through the small icons until he arrived at the one he wanted. After clicking, he found himself staring at a snippet of text, new since the last time he'd done his reading.

The king has taken the bait. If you see him, DO NOT attack him, nor those accompanying him. Doing so will ruin our chance of ensuring everyone's due compensation.

He closed the application as quickly as he had opened it, and concealed the device in his pocket again. He glanced around the hall, double-checking his surroundings before he casually headed outside for his guard duty.

As promised, Noctis spent the next two weeks going over restoration plans with Prompto. They made a deal with a local construction company to commence a few projects, which included repairing the last of the damaged roadways in Lucis, and even beginning the restoration of Galdin Quay. They decided they had the means to send another provision truck to Galahd, and loaded it with a decent supply of food, water, and lumber.

Prompto's outlook on the trip improved after that, as he became more and more confident that they were doing what any leaders should—putting their people before themselves. With those few restoration tasks underway, Prompto was able to relax and enjoy the idea of some time away with Noctis. Finally the departure day came, and Noct was as eager as Prompto was to hit the open road.

"So, this cheque needs to be delivered to the construction company as soon as possible," Noctis instructed, patting the yellow envelope that was on his desk. "And if you could make notes on anything that happens while I'm away, that would be helpful. I'll need a full report when I get back."

"Your Majesty, just relax and enjoy, alright? Things are under control here," Dolosus gently assured him, and Noctis let himself smile. He brushed a hand through his hair, sighing.

"I guess I am worrying a little too much, huh? We did go over all of this a few days ago."

"We did, and I promise you, everything will be fine. Just be sure to take care of yourselves out there."

"Yeah. I'm hoping we'll avoid danger. We've both got our weapons with us—concealed by my magics, of course, but at the ready."

"That's good to hear, Your Majesty." Dolosus reached down to grab Noctis' suitcase from behind the desk, and offered it to him with a smile, knowing the king would start worrying about more unfinished tasks around the Citadel if he didn't push him out the door.

"Take care, Your Majesty. Don't worry about a thing."

"Alright. I'll see you when I get back. Call me if you need anything," Noctis smiled, accepting the suitcase and giving his advisor a nod before slipping out of the study.

To his surprise, Prompto was right there waiting at the door with a grin. Noctis closed the door behind him, brows furrowing in curiosity as Prompto linked their elbows together and tugged him along.

"And what exactly are you up to, Mr. Argentum?" Noct quizzed, smirking.

"I'm going to be playing chauffeur today. Let me escort you to your car, Your Majesty." Prompto's voice was light and melodic as he led the king down the hall toward the lobby, making Noctis smile.

"Such fine service. Not to mention, the chauffeur is pretty cute, too," Noct purred.

"Is he?" Prompto grinned, raising his eyebrows playfully. Noctis merely snorted a laugh as they made it to the lobby.

Prompto collected his own suitcase from its position by the entrance before pushing open the large main doors. Once they had made it to the bottom of the steps outside, Prompto hurried to open Noctis' door for him, finally unlacing their arms.

"You even pulled the car around front. You're sure on top of things today," Noctis marvelled.

"Aren't I always?" Prompto took his suitcase from him and smiled, making sure all of the king's limbs were safely tucked inside the vehicle before closing the door.

Prompto got in the driver's side once he'd stowed their suitcases in the trunk, then he pulled his phone out of his pocket and clicked through a few things before turning to Noctis.

"Before we go, I need to show you this."

Noctis blinked at the brightness of the screen that was all but pushed into his face, and as his eyes focused enough to decipher what he was seeing, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. On the screen was a photo of Galdin, taken in front of the railing overlooking the water. Several construction workers stood smiling at the camera, while lumber, bricks, and mortar were visible on the boardwalk in the distance.

"They're all set to start, huh?" Noctis beamed.

"Yeah! When Dolosus and I went to check on them yesterday, they showed us the blueprints for the final product. Resort's gonna be bigger and better than ever, I think! People are gonna be so happy," Prompto grinned, pulling his phone back to flip to the next photo, which was quite similar to the first.

"That's amazing. Thanks for driving out there yesterday."

"It was no problem. Everyone's so grateful for the money we gave them. Uh, I mean, that you gave them—"

"It is 'we.' If you want it to be," Noctis quickly interjected.

His shy but curious eyes met Prompto's, and Prompto's mouth formed a perfect 'o' shape before twitching into a proud and tender smile. When Noctis realized he probably shouldn't push Prompto for an answer if he wasn't ready, he reached over to tap on the steering wheel.

"Ready for the open road?"

"Yeah. Got your clothes? Clean underwear? Fishing rod and tackle box?" Prompto asked.

"Check, check, check, and check. Loaded the fishing stuff in the back last night," Noct replied.

"Okay," Prompto grinned, sticking the key into the ignition. "Then let's do it." The car roared to life, and he glanced once more at Noct to confirm they hadn't forgotten anything else. To his surprise, Noct was wearing a serene smile, eyes pointed toward the floor.

"What is it?" Prompto questioned.

"I'm just... really happy to be going on this trip with you. I hope it's everything you want it to be." He thought about the items on Prompto's list—the ones that they had planned to cross off and the ones that he predicted they could squeeze in along the way. He hoped it would be enough, enough to make Prompto feel like he'd accomplished something, enough to make him feel like they were living every moment to the fullest.

Prompto reached for his hand and caressed it gently, coaxing Noctis to meet his eyes.

"I'm sure it will be," he smiled, giving Noctis a wink. "As long as you're with me."

A/N: Hey, readers! We are now heading into a few of my favourite chapters of this story, so I hope you will enjoy what is to come! Thank you to everyone who has been supporting this story with comments, kudos, etc. Without you, I would not have the same drive to keep myself on such a strict editing schedule. You are helping me see this story to its completion, so thank you! :)