New World • Prompto Argentum

chapter two

"Here ya go!" Lumina handed the gil to Noctis. "Nice and shiny." She smiled at them, placing her hands on her hips.

"Great! Now we can pay Cindy and get outta here!" Prompto exclaimed, slightly jumping from happiness. "Thought you liked Cindy?" Gladio asked, raising his scarred eyebrow.

"Uh, well... Uh..." The blonde's face fell, not knowing what to say in front of the two women.

"You better guess again." Noctis smirked, eyeing the oldest of the sisters, making Gladio silently laugh and Prompto turn red as a tomato.

"So, where are you guys headed?" Mae suddenly asked, trying to get the poor guy out of the awkward situation.

"First, Galdin Quay. We ought to take the first ship. What about you?" Ignis replied, eyeing the siblings.

"Well..." Lumina scratched her head. "We don't really have a leading. Now that you mention it, we don't even have a means of transportation any more." She explained, crossing her arms and sighing.

"Then why don't you come with us?!" Prompto was quick to suggest, earning everyone's stares. nobody protested though. "I mean, if you two want to... of course." He averted his gaze elsewhere, turning red for once again.

"Well, we could make it with the first ship... Whaddaya say, Mae?" She turned to her younger sister, who was smiling with joy.

"Of course! We could use the help." The two turned to the boys. "If you're all okay with us joining in, that is." Lumina eyed the Prince, probably the leader of the pack.

"Uh, we don't mind, I guess." That earned the sisters' and Prompto's smiles, as well as Gladio's teasing stare at the blonde. "Great! Then it's settled, partners." Lumina nodded happily, then eyed the sky. It was getting dark already.

"I suggest we find a place to spend the night, before it gets too dark." Specs suggested, earning everyone's approval.

And so, the six were off to the nearest camping place. It didn't take long for them to make camp, now that more people were there to help them. Mae of course was helping the Prince place around the chairs, while Lumina had already helped Gladio put up the tent and was now helping Specs with the food. Prompto, being the well known Prompto, was simply taking pictures.

Most of them were of a certain somebody though, and he did not intend to show those to his friends. They were for his eyes and only. Laughter and chit chatting could be heard from miles coming from the six, who spent half of their night around the campfire getting to know each other. They were partners now, maybe they could even be friends. Or more.

"It appears that we have a problem." Ignis suddenly pointed out as he, Lumina and Mae were gathering the plates with him.

"What bothers you, Iggy?" Gladio asked. "The tent barely fit us four. It cannot fit all six of us, for sure." And now reality hit everyone in the head.

"Well, we could make if work but two people would probably have to sleep outside with the sleeping bags." Noctis suggested an idea which got everyone thinking.

"I can sleep outside." Lumina and Prompto said at the same time, eyeing each other. The girl smiled and the blonde tried to manage a smile as well, under his blush.

"Mae, you get inside. I'll sleep outside." The older sister informed, now done with the cleaning. "You sure?" Mae asked and earned a nod and a pat on her head.

"Go now, night night." She softly hugged her sister and so did Mae. "Night night, Lum." She said before entering the tent.

Ignis returned to the cat to fetch the sleeping bags, returning in a matter of seconds. "Here you go, both of you make sure to not suffocate yourselves. It's really hot out here." He eyed the two before getting in the tent himself.

And now, it was only Prompto and Lumina outside. "Well, at least I get to enjoy the view a little longer." She playfully said, earning the chocobo's smile.

"Yeah... I-It is a nice view!" He stuttered, cursing himself internally. "Sure is, Prompto."

He softly gasped. He had heard his name escape her lips for the first time, and to him it was pure gold. He wanted to hear it again and again, and he was sure that he would never get bored of it.

"Who knew! It's not as uncomfortable as I thought it would be." She exclaimed, stretching herself as she tried to get comfortable.

"And with good company, it only gets better from here." She eyed the blonde who looked at her in sudden shock. He licked his lips, not being able to hide his wide smile before getting under the covers.

"I agree on both, but mostly on the second one." He added. 

"We better sleep now, huh? We got a big day ahead of us." She turned her gaze to the shiny moon. 

"A large journey may be more fitting." She sighed and closed her eyelids. 

"Good night, Lumina." She heard from beside her and she smiled.

"Good night, Prompto." And thus, they both slept.

And you bet that it would be a long journey.

From that day, the girls never left they boys' side. Surely not when they lost their ship, no. They remained with them, for a long time until they got lost in choosing their paths. But you can find more about this story in the next chapters.