AN: GG: Let's see how well their progress has taken them. How will their first night apart treat them?

_

Noctis let out the heavy sigh as he flopped into his bed, alone for once, and immediately pulled out his phone to text Prompto.

Noctis: Please tell me your room is good. Specs has been terrible with studying tonight. Give me something good

An image of a chocobo filling the entire phone screen popped up.

Prompto: Hows that? Is a good old chocobuddy good?

Noctis: Great. What about you? Holding up in that weird mansion they've got?

Prompto: Doing the best I can
Like
Its not as big as the Citadel but its still BIG

Noctis: Dude, their manor is intense I get it
You belong there tho, are you having fun?
I heard there's a new member of the family, even if a bit separated from them

Prompto: You mean me?
OH
WAIT
YOU mean the little baby guy? Talcott?

Noctis: Nope, meant you
Tho Talcott is great
Did he like you? He should

Prompto: He is SO adorable!
I wanted to squish his little cheeks aaaaaaalll night!

Noctis: Did he like your chocobos?

Prompto: OF COURSE
Who wouldnt love my little fluffy buddies!?

Noctis: No one! He's got good taste
You're feeling okay? Safe? They aren't too much?

Prompto: I feel fine...
I guess...
I dont really know. Its not bad or anything just different...

Noctis: Do you feel safe?
If you don't, I'll come get you
I'll fight Igs

Prompto: No No! You dont have to do that!
I dont want you to get in truobel ro anything.
in trouble
But like I think I am fine... I just miss you

Noctis: I miss you too
It's too quiet here without you
Specs says I should sleep but like
What is sleep?

Prompto: I think its a conspiracy

Noctis: Lol you wish, this is just, overbearing parents at their best
At least we know they like you
That's priority #1

Prompto: Ya thats good at least
Wish I could have stayed with you though :(

Noctis: Same
Why do they insist on us sleeping alone?
Rather have you here all the time, so we don't need to practice

Prompto: Isnt there some way the could let us?

Noctis: I mean, technically?
But, I didn't think you'd want them

Prompto: Want? Want what?

Noctis: The weird Courtship thing we have
That would let us have nights alone after a certain stage
Otherwise, Specs and Gladio will be our chaperone for forever

Prompto: So it would really work?
Cause like I was thinking those earrings and stuff would be neat

Noctis: Ya? Dad's getting some made for us
I wanted to be prepared
Please be k with that, Igs is staring at me
Im bout to tell him to find a piercer

Prompto: Whoa! Youre already getting it set up!?
How soon?

Noctis: When do you feel up to it?

Prompto: Whenever youre ready
Love you and wanna be with you soon again 3

Noctis: I'm ready now
But I want you to enjoy yr new fam
Igs is trying so hard rn

Prompto: Dont let Iggy get youuuuuu

Noctis: Dude, so much studying!
My brain is freid, save me

Prompto: I wanna save you so badly T.T
If I had superpowers I would teleport to you rn

Noctis: Or should I come to you?
Sounds like a good place

Prompto: Can you even warp that far?

Noctis: I can try
And I've been working on multiple warps in a row

Prompto: But its still super far! That would take a loooooot of warping!

Noctis: Should we test it?
Im gonna test it
Put a window open for you

Prompto jumped to his feet, still clutching his phone in his hand.

Prompto: Dude if you are serious go for it!
I dont think I can sleep on my own for this first night even with my chocobos

Noctis: Get that window open
Not making you sleep alone

Noctis opened his own window and started to route a path toward the Amicitia manor. He threw his blade so he could start warping to his friend.

Prompto: Can do and done!
Ill be waiting

Noctis: fuck
Dumb posts
Warping is dumb on walls, too many windows
bout to to go your balcony, please be open

Noct did his last warp before collapsing into a pile. He forced himself to get up and try the door to slip into the room to enjoy some helpful hands.

There was a giggle from beneath Noctis. "Maybe give me a bit more warning before you come crashing on me."

"I did warn you! I texted and everything," Noctis laughed as he held him close. "At least I keep you entertained?"

"It was rather entertaining," Prompto said, trying to calm down his laughter. "But you're here now!"

"I am! Want to try sleeping now? And show me your room!"

"Oh yeah!" Prompto said as he pushed Noctis off him and jumped to his feet. "Come on and I'll show you!"

Noctis gave a little laugh at that and followed Prompto into the room. "Oh, this looks nice. You've got to decorate it though. Make it you."

"But what even is me? I barely got to decorate my room back... well at my first home. What should I add?"

"You need ways to show off your photographs. So, cork boards? And, some color."

"Hmm cord boards. That's a good idea. But how about we sleep on it?" Prompto asked as he pulled Noctis to the bed.

He easily followed Prompto to the bed and fell into it. He waited till the other was in there before pulling him in close.

"See?" Prompto whispered. "This isn't so bad. Wish they could understand that."

"It'd be easier if they would," Noctis whispered back. "We'll convince them."

Prompto smiled, burying his face into the crook of Noctis's neck. "Sounds like a plan."

"Sleep, I've got you." Noctis murmured as he pressed his cheek against the soft blond hair, eyes already dropping to sleep.

The two boys fell asleep faster than they expected, both of them wrapped up in each other's arms. When morning came and light streamed into the room, they still remained deep in their sleep.

Regis took a deep breath as he called Clarus, hoping to get some good news from him. As soon as the phone call was picked up, he ground out, "Please tell me my son is in your house."

"Regis? What?" Clarus said, trying to make sense of why Regis called out of the blue. "What are you talking about?"

"Noctis isn't in his room right now. Ignis confirmed he left him there last night, but now he's gone. Please tell me, my son is at your house."

Clarus sighed as he headed upstairs. "I'm sure if we know Noctis, he most likely must have snuck over here last night."

"That's what I'm hoping for. Otherwise I'm about to send the Crownsguard out in force."

"Regis relax," Clarus warned. "I'm not even over there and I know you've probably already made a mess of your office. No doubt you've driven Cor up a wall."

"I'll relax when I know where my son is. And Cor is fine."

Clarus carefully opened the bedroom door and peered inside. There he saw the two boys in the bed, buried under the covers and chocobo plushes. They looked extremely peaceful and barely even bothered with the light flooding into the bedroom.

"He's fine, Regis. He's right here, sleeping with Prompto."

Regis let out a loud gust of breath at the news. "Thank the Astrals. He is going to be so grounded when he wakes up."

"I don't know how well that's going to pan out. Restricting him from seeing Prompto or doing anything else may worry him more."

"You have a point there. But I can find other ways to punish him. I lost ten years of my life walking into that empty bedroom."

"And what ways would that be? Ways that do not include worrying your son more than he has worried you?"

"I'm thinking no video games for a while."

"That could be more reasonable then. Do you wish me to wake them, or let them rest?"

Regis sighed as he considered that. "Please convince me why I shouldn't come over there and wake them myself?"

"Because they're happy right now. If you could see their faces... it's going to still be a long road to get them to be well enough on their own. But for the time being they are happy together."

"Let them rest for now. They're going to have a bad day, might as well have them well rested for the series of lectures they'll be hearing."

"Understood. I'll let Gladio and Iris know to keep us updated once I get over to the Citadel."

"Thank you. I appreciate your assistance. Now I have to let Cor back into my office before he breaks open the door."

Clarus sighed. "You locked yourself in your office? Reggie..."

"I had to find Noctis," He replied. "Now I have."

Clarus shook his head. "I am going to be over there as quickly as I can. We are going to have a long talk about this when I get there, okay?"

"I look forward to it. I'll see you shortly," Regis replied before hanging up the phone.

Clarus made his way to Gladio's room. The door was already open and his son was doing his morning warm up exercises. "Gladio," Clarus said, clearing his throat.

Gladio looked up at his father's voice. "Yeah Dad?"

"I'm heading to work, but... it appears Noctis snuck into the manor overnight. I'll need you to keep an eye on him and Prompto."

"Of course. I can do that. I can't believe he snuck into the manor."

"I would not put it past our prince. It seems he would do just about anything for Prompto."

"Yes, it would. I'll bring them back to the Citadel when they wake up. How often do you need updates?"

"Just if anything major happens. Don't try and upset them by separating them. Seems that they need a bit more time with one another."

Gladio nodded at that. "Prompto was doing well last night. I suppose we pushed too hard."

"Well we wouldn't know if he was hiding his feelings. But we also have to factor in Noctis and how he felt too."

"Yes, that would be the part we didn't factor in completely. We'll plan better next time."

"Right. Well I am off to work today. No doubt Cor is already driven up a wall with Regis's antics."

Gladio smiled a little bit. "Good luck with work. I'll keep you updated."

With that Clarus left and Gladio resumed his exercises. It wasn't long before Iris came running into his room. "Gladdy! Gladdy! Prince Noctis is in the bedroom with Prompto!"

"Are they awake then?" Gladio asked while stopping his exercise to address his sister.

"I dunno. Should I wake them?"

"Nah, Dad said to let them sleep. He's dealing with His Majesty right now."

"Oooh, I get it," Iris said, trying to sound like she understood everything. "But that means we can play with Prince Noctis later?"

"Maybe for a little bit, but I think everyone is going to want Noctis to return to the Citadel pretty quickly after they wake up."

"Aww but I wanna play!" Iris pouted.

"And you'll be able to play soon, if it isn't today. Noctis got himself into a lot of trouble with his dad, so we have to make sure we don't get him into more trouble."

"Aww... that's not very good of him!"

"It isn't. That's why we're supposed to follow the rules. Otherwise, no play time."

"Why did he break the rules?" Iris asked as she sat on the floor.

"Because Noctis wanted to see Prom. They're not quite better yet."

Iris frowned. "Are they sick? No one tells me aaaaaanything."

Gladio waved his hand a little bit. "Not that kind of sick. They're more. . . readjusting to everything that happened to them a while ago. It's been hard on them."

"Cause of where they went? When they disappeared?" Iris asked innocently.

"Yeah, because of that. There were a lot of bad things that happened to them," Gladio hedged.

"Ooh. Well I hope they can get better. I wanna play with them more! Plus 'cause Prompto is our brother now!"

"They're working on it. Soon you'll get plenty of time to play with them." He reached out to ruffle her hair with a little smile.

"Yay! And Talcott can play too!"

"Yep, I bet he will enjoy that a lot."

Iris smiled. "I'm going to go help make breakfast! Be ready for good food soon!" Iris then sprinted out of the room, thumping down the stairs.

Gladio couldn't help but laugh and shook his head while finishing up his morning routine. Then, he went to poke his head into Prompto's room to see if they were awake or not.

Prompto had his head resting on Noctis's shoulder. Both of them had their arms wrapped around each other, embracing each other closely.

The sight had Gladio shake his head some before slipping out of the room. "I hope you don't end up sleeping all morning." He muttered as he walked down to the kitchen to see how Iris was doing with breakfast.

_

AN: Riku: There are still many bumps along the way for these two, yet their love is strong as ever. But up next... something rather fun :)