By the Stars (Noctis x OC)

A short rest

The rain had stopped not too long ago as they had made their way towards the Prairie Outpost, but now it was getting dark. Parking the car at the side of the road, they decided to make camp nearby for the night. With everyone working in silence the campsite was ready in less than an hour.

Once the sun had set and darkness had fallen over the land, Aidin walked up to the edge of the campsite and sat down. Looking out into the darkness, with a few daemons roaming around, she thought back to just a few days ago. Their last day in Insomnia, the last words her father said before they left. '...stay near your friends, take care of his Highness...', tears starting to fall as she remembered the look on his face.

The smile that did not reach his eyes, the sadness in them. Now she understood. It had been his last goodbye. "Why..", she whispered as she tried to wipe the tears from her face. Why did he not tell her? Why did he have to leave her too? Why did he just send her off like that? Unable to stop the tears she looked up into the sky. What where they supposed to do now?

Knees pulled towards his chest, face buried in his arms on top of them, Noctis sat inside the dark tent. The only sound that could be heard was his uneven breathing as the tears had started to stream down his face. His facade finally broke. He wanted to be back home, back in Insomnia, back inside his room in the Citadel that always felt like a prison to him. He wanted to talk to his father, argue with him and then act like nothing happened once dinner came.

He shouldn't have acted like that when they left a few days ago. He should have hugged him and said a proper goodbye. He should have shown his father that he cared even if he always acted like he didn't. But it was too late now. The Prince desperately tried to wipe the tears from his face. He needed to be strong right now, if not for himself then for his friends, "But why is it so hard..".

"Hey..", a voice said quietly followed by a hand on her shoulder. Wiping the remaining tears off her face Ai didn't need to look who it was, "Hey Prom..". The blonde sat down next to her, starring up into the sky, "Uhm..you ok?", he asked clumsily. It actually brought a little smile to her face. "As ok as I can be at the moment I guess.", she said looking at him.

"You know, if you wanna talk...", Prompto started before the ravenette interrupted him, "I'll be fine Prom...". He looked at her, tears slowly falling down her face, not knowing what to say. Instead he reached inside his jacket and pulled out a picture he handed to her, then he got up, "I know it's not much, but thought you should have it..". Tears started to blur her vision as soon as Aidin looked at it.

When Ignis called them for dinner they all quietly sat down around the campfire. Gladio had turned the radio on his phone on. Nobody really said anything as they listened to the news in hopes of catching anything new. Ai and Noct pushed their food around on their plates, not really eating. Ignis of course noticed, but he didn't say anything.

"We also received word today that the wedding of Prince Noctis and Lady Lunafreya has been canceled due to recent events. Instead there will be a period of mourning in their honor.", everyone looked up at Noct immediately. The ravenette just shrugged his shoulders, "Figures, the dead don't need to get married.", surprising them. Aidin on the other hand wasn't as indifferent, "You realize that we have no idea if Luna is alive or not, right? So I don't see how you can be so casual about it.".

"I have my ways of knowing if she's alive or not. And right now I know she's fine, so don't worry.", the Prince said confidently. "Do you? Care to share your secret with the rest of us, your Highness?", the other ravenette inquired, seething with anger. The other three looked at each other, Prompto was about to say something before Ignis shook his head no. Better not get involved in this one.