Night Light {FFXV/OT4}

I See The Sea

Chapter Thirteen: I See The Sea

-

Things were going considerably well. The travelling group now had a large amount of Gil to get them through the next few weeks. Regis had left with his parting gift being two pouches full of Gil. Noctis had refused them at first, insisting that they'd be fine without, but the King had surreptitiously planted them in the tent. By the time the pouches had been discovered King Regis and his Shield had been long gone.

Noctis, Ignis, Gladio and Prompto had been travelling around for a few days now, visiting the outposts and small towns littering the lands outside Insomnia. They'd stick around for a couple of days, Noctis making a particular effort to socialise and get to know the citizens of what was to one day become his Kingdom. Then they'd move on to the next location.

Prompto was enjoying it, seeing the sights of the world for the first time. He was happy here, happier than he'd ever been before. He was with his friends, being protected and cared for and seeing new, wonderful things every day.

It was perfect, he decided, except for the cutting pain deep in his chest, growing by the  and day. He could ignore that though, just like he was ignoring how the stickiness of black daemon blood rose in his throat every once in a while. How he had to leave -under the premise of a 'pee break' - to go and throw his guts up out of sight of the group, only to force a smile and pretend like nothing had happened. He didn't want to worry Noctis, nor Ignis and Gladiolus. He wouldn't be a burden to them. He refused to be.

-

"Noctiiiis, are we nearly there yet?" The Prince looked down at Prompto as he heard his name leave the blonde's lips, a smile tugging at his lips at the smaller male's whining. "Not yet. If you went to sleep it'd go a lot quicker."

Prompto groaned at that, shifting to try and get comfortable. He was sat in the back of the car with Noctis, stretched out across the seats with his head resting in the Prince's lap. His boots were safely tucked away on the floor of the car. It had taken a full ten minutes to figure out how to unlace the damn things, but he'd refused to get the pristine seats of the Regalia dirty with his mud-caked boots. He was pretty sure Ignis would straight up murder him if he had.

"I don't know how you can sleep so easily." Prompto grumbled, turning his head slightly so his eyes were hidden from the sun in Noctis' shirt. " 'S not fair."

Despite how the words had been muffled by his shirt Noctis understood them well enough, running a hand through soft blonde locks to try and calm his friend down. "Come on, it's not too hard. You'll fall asleep eventually. Just try harder."

"Of course, your Majesty. As you wish" Noctis rolled his eyes at that, giving the blonde a jab to the ribs in retaliation. Prompto squeaked and didn't say anything else, Noctis relaxing in his seat once he heard soft snores coming from the sleeping blonde. Well, seemed like Prompto was finally out for the count then. Good.

Prompto had been subjected to a particularly long night; last night they'd had to stay at a regular campsite due to the lack of nearby havens. It would have been reckless to sleep without someone standing guard. Prompto had insisted that he could do it, and after only a little grumbling Gladio had agreed to let the blonde guard them. Both Prince and retainers had slept peacefully through the night, Prompto staying vigilant outside the tent the whole time, not falling asleep even once.

That morning Noctis had sworn that if Prompto didn't get some sleep during the drive to Galdin Quay then he'd put caterpillars in his food. The threat had been enough to make the gunner agree to getting at least a few hours sleep, which had lead to their current seating arrangement: Gladio was staring out the window at the front trying very hard not to get motion sick. Noctis was sitting in the back like usual, Prompto spread out across the empty seats, Ignis taking the wheel.