A/N: I wrote this long ago, but I'm uploading it today for Promptis Fanweek! (Day 1: Ten Years Later). It's full of end-game SPOILERS, so be warned. I apologize for the lack of updates lately. Life got in the way, but I hope to be back on track soon. Thanks for everyone who stuck with me, and to any new readers that might see this through the fanweek. Happy reading, everyone!

"No..." Prompto's voice was weak as he entered the dark throne room. This time, it wasn't the bodies that hung from the ceiling that disturbed him; it was the sight of the body slumped in the King's throne, a blade shoved through his torso, pinning him in place. The mere sight made Prompto feel as if the same thing had been done to him, his stomach twisting in pain.

"No... Noooooct!" Prompto screamed, dashing up the steps, and hearing Gladio's feet pounding right behind him. Prompto was fast, but thankfully Gladio was faster, and caught Prompto's hand before it reached the King's cold, dead face.

"He's gone, Prompto! Get ahold of yourself!" Gladio yelled.

"Noooct! Noctis!" the youngest companion cried, reaching frantically for his beloved, only to be held back by strong, muscular arms. Noctis was just barely out of his reach, and Gladio wanted to keep it that way, knowing Prompto wouldn't be able to handle the tangible evidence that their prince was gone.

"Gladio, what's happening?" Ignis asked, somehow keeping his voice calm, and only loud enough to be heard between Prompto's desperate sobs. For once, Gladio was relieved Iggy couldn't see the sight before them. Darkness was better than seeing their dear companion and friend like this.

"It's Noct..." Gladio explained, voice hitching with an unexpected tremble. "He's passed."

The word—although Gladio had chosen it carefully—threw Prompto over the edge, and with a cry of anguish, he fell toward the ground. Gladio caught him before his knees could smack against the hard floor, and gently guided him to the granite below.

"Noct," Ignis murmured, placing a hand over his heart in salute, fighting to convince himself that they hadn't led the king to his death, that this fate had been unavoidable. But if the mournful cries of grief were anything to go by, it would be a long time before Prompto believed that himself.

"Hey, sweetie. Whoa, what's with that face? Everything hunky-dory?" came Cindy's drawl from the doorway of the living room. Prompto looked up, blinking away his thoughts and smiling at his wife, giving her a wave. She entered the room cheerfully and Prompto took her hand, tugging her so that she plunked herself down on his knee. The comfy, brown chair was just big enough for the two of them.

"Oh, I'm hunky, alright. Isn't that why you married me?" Prompto teased. Cindy wove her arms around his neck and shook her head, smirking, her blond curls swaying loosely. Time had truly changed her. She no longer wore her stained ball-cap, or her grease monkey clothing. Instead, she wore a pink hoodie and a pair of fitted jeans. She looked the part of a mother.

"You'd think after all these years, I'd learn to stop sayin' that. You poke fun at me every time," she groaned, rolling her eyes. Prompto stared up at her, his hand circling her back, gently.

"What can I say? Some things never change." There was a solemness to Prompto's voice despite his small smile, and Cindy frowned questioningly.

"You nervous about somethin'? You seem pretty deep in thought there," Cindy observed. Prompto's gaze fell away from hers, and he bit his bottom lip. The memory of finding Noctis in the throne room was still a little too painful and personal to share with even Cindy.

"I guess I am a little, because Ignis and Gladio are coming. I haven't seen them in years, and I don't want things to be weird between us," Prompto sighed. It wasn't like this hadn't been on his mind as well. In fact, their visit had probably brought on the memory.

"Those guys are your brothers. I'm sure everythin'll fall right into place once you see 'em," Cindy promised, giving his hair a nuzzle with her nose.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Prompto agreed.

"Mommy, Daddy! There's a strange car in the yard!" came little Isabelle, running into the living room with her skinny, blond braids flapping against her shoulders. Prompto and Cindy turned to look out the huge bay window to see a luxurious-looking black car in the driveway. Funny they hadn't even heard it drive in; the thing must have purred like a kitten. Of course, after spending so much time in the Regalia, it wasn't surprising that Gladio would choose a car almost exactly like it.

Memories of their journey together flashed through Prompto's mind like a movie set on fast-forward, and he gulped loudly.

"Remember what I said? Everythin'll be fine," Cindy promised, hopping up from Prompto's lap, and scooping Isabelle up into her arms.

"Let's go find your brother. Those are your uncles out there. You ready to meet 'em?" Cindy smiled to the little girl. The child hugged her mother's neck tightly as she was carried out of the room. Prompto sat in silence, taking a moment to himself to breathe, and watching as Gladio helped a still blind Ignis out of the car. He never did get his vision back, Prompto thought solemnly to himself. So much had changed since the day they set out from Insomnia; he just hoped the guys hadn't.

"Howdy, boys," Cindy greeted, making Gladio smile. It certainly reminded him of the good old days.

"Hey, Cindy." Gladio let go of Ignis' arm to pull her into a hug. Once the embrace ended, Cindy moved toward Ignis, pulling him into a gentle squeeze as well.

"Glad you could make it," she said softly, a sentimental tone to her voice.

"The feeling is mutual," Ignis gently assured her. "And who is this little one?" he asked, sensing a presence by his knee. Cindy was surprised by his ability to detect her, but quickly relaxed, feeling comforted by the fact that his lack of sight hadn't rendered him useless.

"This here is Isabelle. Our youngest," Cindy announced proudly, stroking the top of the girl's head, while Izzy hugged her mother's leg.

"And quite the young beauty she is," Gladio said, giving the girl a warm smile as he bent down to her eye level.

"Gimme five?" he asked, holding out a giant hand to her. She hesitated, giving Cindy a glance for permission, then giving Gladio's palm a tiny slap with her own.

"Good girl," Gladio chuckled, standing back up. Ignis leaned into his warmth slightly, and smiled.

"And where, might I ask, is your husband?" he inquired. As if on cue, Prompto appeared in the doorway behind Cindy, coaxing his slightly darker-haired son alongside him.

"There he is. The man of the hour," Gladio grinned, and felt a surge of emotion rush through his veins. He couldn't believe this man before him, with the chiselled jaw and goatee was little Prompto, the same Prompto that had obsessed over chocobos, and made puns about everything on earth just to try and make them smile... The same Prompto that had loved their dear Prince Noctis.

"Hey, guys. Lookin' good," Prompto greeted with forced enthusiasm, trying to push past his nervousness. Then he realized that maybe he shouldn't have used the word 'looked' in Ignis' presence. Was that a sore spot? Or offensive? Why couldn't he remember how to be around these guys? Why had he thought it was a good idea to invite them in the first place?

Luckily, Ignis sensed his discomfort, and was quick and effective with his words, as usual. "I'd expect no less. We're still spring chickens in the grand scheme of things. I would hope our attractive qualities haven't gone downhill just yet," he smirked, making Prompto let out an easy laugh.

"It's good to see you guys." Prompto's voice came out trembly and emotional now, and he moved forward into what quickly became a group hug between the three of them. It was something none of them realized they needed until they were in the midst of it, but it was comforting, despite the hole in their hearts, and the empty space in the circle left by their fourth, missing companion. They eventually pulled back, all of them misty-eyed and smiling bitter-sweet smiles.

"It's good to see you, too, kiddo," Gladio said, clearing his throat in an attempt to regain his gruff composure. Prompto glanced back at Cindy, earning an 'I told you so' sort of look before he turned back to his companions with a smile.

"Come on in, you guys," Prompto invited, offering to take Ignis' coat and hang it up; no surprise, but Gladio hadn't bothered with a coat on a warm day like today, opting for one of his sleeveless tanks instead.

They sat in the living room for a long while, catching up on what had happened over the past few years, and talking mostly about hunts they had taken on. Meanwhile, Cindy periodically brought drinks and snacks for the boys while they chatted. Prompto was thankful that making conversation was easier than anticipated. He thought they would have nothing to say, but years apart had provided them with lots, and in some ways, talking like this felt like they hadn't been apart at all.

It was half an hour or later when Prompto's little boy entered the living room, with Isabelle a few steps behind him. They entered timidly, with hands behind their backs, and their heads low and scared. Prompto gave them an encouraging wave, and they proceeded forward to where the three men were seated around the coffee table.

"What's up?" Prompto asked them, smiling as they swayed shyly beside his chair.

"Well..." the boy started, but Ignis leaned forward in his seat, listening closely to the foreign voice, his expression actually resembling the one he wore when he used to discover new recipes. Prompto supposed he'd probably discovered them all by now.

"I'm sorry. I don't believe we've been introduced," Ignis spoke up.

"Oh, my bad! Guys, this is my son. Oliver. Oliver Noctis Argentum," Prompto announced slowly, so he wouldn't stumble over the boy's middle name. He didn't know what his friends' reactions would be to naming his child after Noctis, but to his relief, warm smiles graced their faces.

"A fine name indeed. Pleasure to meet you, Oliver."

"Yeah, what Iggy said," Gladio agreed.

"Thanks," Oliver said, shifting awkwardly.

"Oh, what was it you wanted to ask me?" Prompto inquired, turning his attention back to his son's question.

"Izzy and I wanted to play catch, and Mom said Uncle Gladio could probably teach us to throw the ball really far," the boy explained.

"Even past the neighbour's yard," Isabelle added excitedly, then remembered she'd previously been shy of the strangers in her home, and lowered her head again.

"What? Past the neighbour's yard? I could teach you that! That's eas—" Prompto turned at the sound of a violent shush from the kitchen, seeing Cindy smirking at him with a finger held up to her lips. He shrunk a little in his seat, looking a lot like his younger self in that moment.

"Buuut, I guess Uncle Gladio could teach you better," he admitted, chuckling lightly.

Gladio stood up from his chair, heart warming at this new feeling of being Uncle Gladio. He liked that despite the years of distance, Cindy and Prompto had still raised their kids with stories of him and Iggy, and that they were still considered family. He knew Ignis appreciated it, too.

"You bet I can," Gladio announced, with a cocky strut across the room. "Your dad can teach you to be an ace at darts, but when it comes to tests of strength, I'm your guy."

"But don't forget to come to me when you've got questions with your schoolwork. I'm undoubtedly your best bet, there," Ignis added with a smile. Prompto laughed his old, familiar laugh.

"He's right, you know? Uncle Iggy'll teach you everything you need to know," he grinned at his children.

"C'mon, kids. I'll show you how to throw like a pro," Gladio happily gloated, leading the way outside, the excited children following fearlessly now.

"Now, this I gotta see," Cindy beamed, heading outside with them.

Prompto sighed contentedly as he watched them go, then he turned back to Ignis, who was taking a sip of his tea.

"It really is great to see you guys," Prompto said, voice soft. Ignis set his cup down, and his lips curved gently upwards, noting the tiny differences in Prompto's dialect since they'd last seen each other; he had seemed to pick up a bit more of Cindy's drawl while Cindy had lost some of her Hammerhead nuances. It was cute in a way that they had, to some degree, adopted each other's way of speaking.

"Yes, I must say it is a relief to hear your voice, Prompto. I'm glad you're doing well. You seem to have made quite a good life for yourself here," the older man said. Prompto fidgeted uncomfortably, and he wondered if Ignis had sensed it. He probably had; he seemed to be awfully good at it.

"I hope you don't mind... that we named Oliver after—"

"Noctis would have been honoured, I'm sure." Ignis waited for a response. He figured Prompto was nodding, momentarily forgetting he couldn't see the action.

Prompto's hands wove tightly together in his lap as he wondered whether or not he should continue to talk about Noct. He wanted to, but some part of him wondered if he even still could. He'd kept his thoughts and feelings about Noct suppressed for so long, he had no idea what would happen if he brought them up. Would it hurt? Would he cry?

"Prompto?" Ignis eventually had to ask.

"I'm sorry, Ignis. It must be weird knowing... that I have a family now," Prompto said, though they weren't exactly the words he wanted to use, since Noctis' name hadn't even made it into the sentence.

"You've no need to apologize. Noctis never would have wished for you to be alone." Of course, Ignis would pick up on his true intentions.

"Yeah. I know. Still..." Prompto said, slowly, hands twisting around each other uncomfortably. "I can't help but feel guilty. Every time I think of him, I feel guilty. And to be honest, that's a lot of the time."

Ignis leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, his hands lacing together loosely.

"Do you still dream about him?" Ignis asked, remembering Prompto's agonizing nights after Noct had passed.

"Yeah."

"Often?"

"Uh, y-yeah." Prompto lowered his head, heart pounding. He wasn't sure if he was nervous, ashamed, or just emotionally charged. He felt like a door in the back of his mind was creaking open, but whether the space behind it would be filled with light or darkness, he wasn't sure yet.

"You shouldn't bury your grief, Prompto. Sooner or later, it will come back to bite you. The longer you hide it, the more it will hurt when it does surface," Ignis explained, calmly, hoping his younger companion would really think about what he was saying. Prompto nodded again, still not considering Ignis' lack of sight.

"I guess I didn't know what else to do. You remember how I was back in that throne room. I was hysterical. The only way I knew how to get over Noct was to just... shut those feelings away." He let out a bitter chuckle after that.

"Guess you can see how badly that worked. I try not to think about him, and I just end up thinking about him more. I just never talk about it," Prompto continued to explain. "Naming Oliver after Noct... That was the first time I'd talked about Noct since that day. It was when I finally admitted that he was really gone, and that I needed to do something to honour him."

"And a respectable act, it was," Ignis promised him. "But I believe you still carry with you a stifling amount of guilt."

"I do," Prompto nodded, and he felt his throat tighten, but he didn't cry. He wasn't holding back; the tears simply weren't there. "I can't help but think that if he were still here, we would be together. That's why I wish I could just... just know that he's okay with the choices I made for myself. And I wish there was some way I could repay him for what he did for us."

"Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing for certain what future may have been in store for you and Noct, nor is there a way to know if he would have approved of your life with Cindy. But Noct was a noble man, and your dear friend, and I truly believe he would have been happy for you. As for repaying him, that shouldn't be too hard if you think about it, am I right?"

"Huh?" Prompto asked, eyes widening as he perked up his head. "It's not?"

"The sunrise," Ignis said simply, with a warm smile. Prompto felt enlightened by the idea, but Ignis was right; it had been right in front of his nose this whole time.

"Noct brought back the sunrise," Prompto agreed, softly. "Yeah, that's perfect." Ignis smiled, satisfied.

That evening, after Oliver and Isabelle had each successfully learned to throw their ball beyond the neighbour's lawn, and after indulging in a delicious meal that Cindy had prepared for them, Ignis and Gladio had left, and Prompto headed for the hill overlooking the town. He breathed in deeply as he reached the top, and gazed out at the orange sky and glowing yellow sun.

"Sorry, it's sunset, not sunrise, but you get the point, right, Noct?" A warm breeze gusted, and Prompto closed his eyes, convincing himself that his dear Noctis was listening. Prompto breathed in again, and sat down on the grassy hill, prepared to stay for a while. It had been a long time since he and Noct had had a conversation.

"First of all, I want to thank you. You literally brought the light back into the world, dude. That's amazing what you did for us."

Much like his conversation with Ignis and Gladio, his talk with Noctis was easier than he'd expected. He thought his one-sided speech would feel lonely, but it didn't. The breeze brushed against his arms, and tousled his hair in response to his jokes and stories, and it was comforting. Maybe Noct was controlling it somehow. It certainly felt like he was.

Prompto stayed on that hill until the sky turned from orange to light purple, the radiant sun almost out of sight now. He was disappointed that the evening had gone by so quickly, but speaking so openly like this filled him with a surprising amount of relief. All the guilt and sadness and pain that had been building up inside him for years, and waking him up from his sleep... It was rapidly being replaced by a sense of ease. There was just one thing left to say.

"Noct? As you probably know, I have a family now. With Cindy, actually, and our son and daughter. We named our boy after you. Oliver Noctis Argentum. You like it?" Prompto was amazed by how relaxed he was as he asked the question, but after what Ignis had said, and the way the gentle breeze had replied to his stories all night, he felt confident that everything would be fine. The wind gave another soft gust, warming Prompto's skin.

"I hoped you would. But just because I'm all grown up now... It doesn't mean I've forgotten about you, buddy. I... In fact, I—" Prompto couldn't believe that now was when his tongue decided to stumble over words. This should have been the easy part, but it had been so long since he'd said it. Was it wrong to say it when he had a family back home? No, it didn't feel wrong. And it was only him and Noct now, wasn't it?

"I love you, Noct. I always will. And I think maybe that's okay." This time, the breeze kicked in immediately, enveloping him in an embrace, the sensation so strong that when Prompto closed his eyes, he swore he could feel arms wrapped around him. He chuckled softly, heart and skin seeming to soak up warmth as he sat there.

"Noctis," he breathed, the wind ruffling his hair in an identical fashion to the way his best friend used to. There was a jolt in his heart, and in that moment he didn't believe, but actually knew that Noctis was here with him, his spirit surrounding and comforting him. He had to wonder why he hadn't thought to do this before. It was so easy, and so soothing.

To his disappointment, the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, and the sky was left in complete darkness, aside from a few dimly shining stars. With it, the wind died as well, but the warmth on Prompto's arms lingered, keeping him calm. Knowing their time together was over until the sun rose again, Prompto gave a sigh and stood up, brushing himself off as he looked out at the horizon where the massive star had disappeared.

"Don't worry, Noct. I'll visit again soon. I promise," he smiled, and with a great weight off his shoulders, he headed for home.