This chapter takes place shortly after the whole mess of Altissia. Prompto POV.

Prompto drew up to the railing, figuring it was as good a resting spot as any for a bit. He gazed over the edge, watching the faintly glistening water sway gently.

It would have been beautiful. The day was mostly overcast, the temperature pleasant. Their circumstances: anything but pleasant. Everything was just so...completely...shitty.

He turned to glance at his companions slowly approaching. They had brought Ignis out for a walk...to get him more familiar with his cane.

He could hardly even look at Ignis now because it made him physically ill—not the sight of him, by any means (the shaded glasses did a decent job of concealing most of his wounds)—but the fact that he was now...damaged...irreparably. Proud, capable Ignis. The group caretaker. The group glue.

The sight of his friend, now slightly hunched and shuffling slowly along with the cane...Ahh, it just...

Prompto felt a faint prickling behind his eyes. Don't do that, Prompto. Not now...He took in a shuddering breath and blinked the threat of tears away. He really didn't want Ignis picking up on any signs of distress.

Gotta keep the cheerful front up. Always gotta be the 'can't-be-beat' one. Right?

Another stinging prickle behind his eyes—the threat stronger this time. He coughed and stood up straighter, hoping to distract the threatening water-works.

Gladio and Ignis stepped up beside him, a heaviness in the air about them.

Gladio sighed, leaning against the railing. "Have either of you been in to see Noct yet today?" he asked after a moment.

Prompto cleared his throat, hoping his voice wouldn't betray him when he replied, but Ignis beat him to it. "I was in with him earlier..." he said.

"How's he doing?" Gladio asked tentatively.

"...As expected," Ignis replied. And after a moment: "...He asked about you, Prompto."

Prompto slowly looked over, surprised his heart was capable of sinking even lower than it already had.

"Have you not gone to see him yet?" Gladio asked, turning towards their younger companion.

"...No, not yet," Prompto replied, his tone heavy with guilt.

"He woke up yesterday morning—what are you waiting for, an invitation?"

"I dunno. Sort of." Prompto couldn't bring himself to shrug. His shoulders felt too weighed down.

"Prompto. You're his best friend," Gladio admonished. "He needs you right now."

Prompto exhaled. "What if he wants to be alone?"

"He's been alone."

"What if I say the wrong thing? I don't know what to say. Grief is so far out of my comfort zone. It's not even on the radar of my comfort zone...and...and this is Luna we're talking about...You guys know how crazy he was about her..." His head drooped as he took a step back from the railing, leaning forward heavily against it.

"Prompto, you're overthinking it," Gladio replied. "Just go sit with him for a little while, you don't even have to say anything."

Prompto folded his arms across the rail, dropping his chin to rest on them. He didn't reply, just continued to watch the glittering water. It seemed so blissfully unaware that everything was so wrong with the world now.

"Besides," Gladio continued when Prompto didn't respond, "You're a lot better with situations like this than you think."

Prompto wasn't sure where that vote of confidence had come from, but he appreciated it. Appreciated and doubted it.

"Go on," Gladio prompted. "I'll help Iggy back."

Prompto exhaled again. Straightening, he pulled out his phone.

Prompto: You awake?
Noct: Yeah

...
Prompto: You up for a visitor?

Noct: You don't need to ask

"I'll...I'll catch you guys later, then..." Prompto said, lifting a listless hand in parting.

Prompto quietly approached Noct's door. Pausing for a moment, he lifted a hesitant hand. Should he knock? That would require Noct to call out an invitation in. And what if he was too distraught to do any 'calling out' of the sort at the moment?

Gah, I am way overthinking this, he realized.

He settled for the knock/peek in. "Hey," he said, peering inside. He spotted Noct across the way, sitting cross-legged on the bed, flipping through pages.

"Hey," Noct said, glancing up at him. Something about his body language—the closing of the book, the sitting up straighter—lead Prompto to believe Noct was indeed pleased to see him. He let out a small relieved breath and stepped inside.

He slowly approached the bed, trying to indiscreetly take his friend's appearance in. Dark circles under his eyes, hair uncharacteristically unkempt—although freshly showered, it appeared. He looked so small and alone at the moment; there was such a heavy sadness about him. Prompto felt his heart threatening to sink past his belly button now. He couldn't take all this despondency. It was physically hurting him seeing his friends like this.

Noct scooted to the edge of the bed and Prompto sat beside him. They both stared at the floor for a moment.

"So...you really kinda scared us...refusing to wake up for that long."

"...I'm okay now."

"...Have you been able to sleep much? ...Since yesterday, I mean?" Prompto glanced briefly at his friend again. The dark circles, the red-tinged eyes, the drooped shoulders—he probably hadn't even needed to ask.

"...A little." Prompto knew that was code for "no."

Noct's breath hitched ever so slightly. It was clear he had been trying desperately to keep that from happening. But, finally having someone there with him...it just ignited an unexpected anguish again. His eyes pinched shut and he brought a hand up, digging a thumb and finger into his lids, forcing them to keep anything threatening to escape in.

"Hey," Prompto reached over, laying a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder. "...It's okay."

The slight compassionate human touch was enough to do Noct in. He drew in a shuddering breath and reached his other hand up to grasp Prompto's shirt, clinging to it for dear life.

"It's okay, buddy," Prompto said. He instinctively knew what Noct needed at that moment, and also knew he'd never initiate it for fear of being too intrusive. So Prompto took the initiating upon himself. He pulled Noct toward him, wrapping both arms tightly around his trembling frame.

Noct's grip tightened even further on Prompto's shirt, and he buried his face against his chest.

The sobs were mostly silent, but each shuddering breath against him threatened to tug one of Prompto's heart strings to its snapping point. Prompto squeezed his own eyes shut at the physical pain it caused and rested his cheek against Noct's shoulder, holding him fast.

They sat like that for a long time, Prompto patiently waiting for the shudders to reduce to quivers, until finally, Noct trusted himself to draw back.

"Uggghhh," Noct said, his voice steadying a bit as he rubbed at his eyes. "Sorry...I thought I was done with that..."

"Pretty sure the whole 'shoulder to cry on' thing is an actual and legit stipulation of the best friend agreement," Prompto replied, offering a small sympathetic half-grin.

Noct let out a much steadier breath, a hint of gratitude behind his exhale.

"You want to try napping for a bit? You could probably use the rest," Prompto offered.

It was a moment before Noct replied. "Yeah...maybe so," he paused again for a second. "Only...would you mind...staying for a little while?"

Prompto was a little surprised by that. Again, one of his heart strings was so dangerously close to being severed. Ahh, why had he been too scared to be there for his best friend until now? The loneliness had clearly been unbearable for him. He was kicking himself vehemently inside.

"Yeah, sure, no problem," he quickly replied. He wasn't sure how, but he instinctively knew that when Noct asked him to stay, he didn't mean in one of the chairs on the other side of the room. He needed him close. He climbed up on the bed and over Noct, propping the pillows against the headboard on the other side.

He pulled his phone out, not minding the freely-offered downtime at all while keeping his despondent friend company.

And it wasn't long before the exhausted prince was unwittingly drawn to Prompto's warmth nearby. He rolled to his side, nestling against him, the resulting comfort found there calming his unsteady breathing.

Prompto glanced down at him for a moment. He looked so young. So tired. So...lost, in a way. Ahhh, he'd had to sacrifice so much. His life had never really been his to live. And now it was in complete shambles. And Prompto hadn't thought it could get any worse after Insomnia...

Noct...Iggy...Luna...

Prompto leaned his head back against the headboard, staring intently at the ceiling. His breathing suddenly took on that familiar achey raggedness. Uggghh...At least Noct isn't awake to see it...he thought in resignation, as he finally allowed the tears to spill over, running in crooked patterns down his cheeks.

*sniff* Sweet Prompto.