Chapter summaries:

Chapter 1...Noct discovers he's the least "experienced" of the group; can't believe Prompto never pointed that fact out.

Chapter 2...Noct refuses to get up in the morning; suffers ticklish consequences.

Chapter 3...Prompto comforts a distraught and lonely Noct in Altissia.

Chapter 4...Prompto reads about Noct's engagement in the news; Ignis gets distracted and lets Noct drink too much.

Chapter 5...Noct and Prompto team up to prank Ignis while fishing. Ignis is not amused.

Chapter 6...Prompto braves a school dance alone, trying to get a feel for his identity without Noct. Wears a cute beanie.

This first chapter takes place during the boys' very first campout together. It was partly inspired by the brief snippet of Gladio and Prompto wrestling in the tent in the Duscae demo.

"Oh...wow, it's...not very big, is it?" Noct asked, peering inside their recently pitched dwelling.

"Let's see," Prompto said, squeezing past him and plunging inside. He sprawled across the center, flopping his limbs as he tossed and turned, getting an adequate feel for the space.

"I should have plenty of room for a good night's sleep," he determined. "And it still leaves a corner for you," he pointed, "a corner for Iggy," he said, pointing again, "...And let's face it, Gladio's just gonna have to sleep outside..."

Noct snorted as Prompto went on, "But I think we'd all sleep a little better knowing he's out there guarding the entrance, right? Especially since, you know, that would mean he's not in here, taking up ninety-five percent of the space..." he muttered, having lost the prince's attention mid-rant.

"What's that about sleeping outside?" Gladio's gruff voice questioned as he finished circling the tent, giving each of the stakes one last go-over.

"Oh, nothing!" Prompto replied, flipping to his back as he drew his arms up to rest on. "Noct was just saying he'd feel a lot safer if you spent the night outside. You know, guarding the entrance...since you're the shield and all...the very...large shield," he muttered. "Right, Nact?" he added, hoping for some back up.

Noct stopped rummaging outside for a moment. "Prompto," he couldn't help letting a hint of a laugh escape, despite trying not to humor his friend. "What is that? It's so stupid."

"No, it's nat, it's funny." Prompto had taken to an annoying habit of changing up his vowels in words lately. Mostly because he thought it was funny, but even more so because he knew it would eventually get a rise out of the others.

"What was that about sleeping outside, again?" Gladio asked, throwing the flaps open and stepping inside.

Prompto immediately flinched at his approach, instinctively drawing his arms down and legs up in defense. "Nothing, it was—Agh, Nact! Haaalp!"

Noct snickered as sounds of Gladio squashing the life out of his friend erupted from the tent. "Sorry, no can do, Pram," he said, emphasizing the 'Pram.' "I thought you'd have noticed by now the 'large shield' isn't actually made up solely of muscles. He also has fairly well-working ears."

"Well...he must...have...selective hearing then...otherwise he'd hear he's killing me—mmph!"

"Or he doesn't care," Noct offered, peering inside briefly. Prompto was indeed having the life squashed out of him, caught in a headlock and completely smothered as he was.

"Mm mahn meeve" Prompto said, tapping Gladio furiously.

"What's that? 'Tighter, please?' Sure thing, buddy." Gladio said, unrelenting.

Prompto let out a muffled curse and managed to partially unobstruct his face for a brief moment. "I can't breathe!" he exclaimed, gasping.

Gladio reluctantly let up after a moment, allowing the blond to squirm away from under him and scramble to his feet, still gasping for air.

"Geez, lose some weight, heffy," he said, rubbing his neck, "Gaaaash."

Gladio swatted at Prompto's leg as he hurriedly exited the tent, causing him to tumble through the entrance flaps and all but face plant in the dirt.

"If anyone had to sleep outside, it'd be you, you know," Gladio explained. "You're officially outranked, you come last in seniority rights, and you have zero physical clout."

Prompto scoffed indignantly, pushing himself to his feet once more. "Yeah, but I have the most pull with Noct. That's got to count for something, right? Right, Nact?"

"Prompto, that is so stupid," Noct replied, not glancing up from the supplies he was going through.

Gladio snorted. "You think you have the most pull with the prince? That's debatable. Who's been bossing him around for the last fifteen years?"

Prompto scoffed. "Yeah, but does he ever listen to you? All I have to do is ask nicely, and he comes through every time. Right, buddy?"

"I don't even know what you two are arguing about, but as far as I'm concerned, whoever feeds me wins. I'm dying."

"Yeah, where's Jeeves?" Prompto asked, brushing the dirt off his clothes.

"Weren't you two supposed to be helping him at the car?" Gladio asked, sorting through what had already been brought up.

"I dunno, were we?" Prompto replied, glancing down the hill.

"Prompto," a tall figure stated as it suddenly emerged at the opposite entrance to camp. Prompto jumped a fraction. "If I hear you refer to me as a butler one more time..."

"Ignis!" Noct lit up at his appearance, as he stood and stretched. "Dinner plans?"

"The sooner you all stop monkeying about and actually start helping, the sooner we can eat."

"Hey, who got the tent up?" Gladio asked resentfully.

Noct felt his phone buzz. He pulled it out to check.

Prompto: Never heard Jeeves sound hangrier than you before
Prompto: Also
Prompto: monkeying about? lol wut?

Noct: Group thread, bro
Prompto: huh? Oh
Prompto: shti
Prompto: *shit
Prompto: how did that nat autocorrect?

Prompto: sidenote- I had to erase 'not' like 8 times to finally get it to say 'nat'

Noct: Seriously dude?

Prompto: side sidenote- Iggy did say if he HEARD me call him a butler
Prompto: Technically he didn't hear anything
Prompto: since you know...
Prompto: texts are silent

Noctis: yeah, got it.
Noctis: you're probably still sleeping outside

Prompto: ack

Ignis: If you two are finished...

Noctis leaned back as far as his fold-up chair allowed, arching his back as he stretched to his limits. Ahh, it felt good to be full for once. And Ignis' camping cuisine was surprisingly close to his non-camping cuisine: delectable and filling.

"That was really good. Thanks, Ignis," he said, lowering his arms.

"Yeah, thanks, Iggy," Prompto agreed as he, too, leaned back, satisfied.

"I'm glad you appear to have eaten enough," Ignis replied, never very direct at accepting compliments on his cooking.

They sat in contented silence for a few, watching the endless sparks from the fire dance and weave through the air in an unpredictable flurry.

A while later Gladio spoke up, breaking the stillness. "So, Noct," he began, "...need any advice for the big night?"

"Hm?" Noct asked, glancing over, not bothering to lift his face from his fist.

"You know...the big night?" Gladio hinted again, a touch of amusement behind his voice. "I thought you might want a few pointers...seeing how, of the four of us...you're the only one who hasn't...you know..."

Noct's head lifted at that, his gaze immediately drawing towards Prompto once he caught on to what Gladio was saying.

He waited a beat for Prompto to refute the statement. But Prompto just remained where he was, staring at the fire, unmoving. The lighting was too dim, but Noct was certain had it been brighter, he would have noticed an immediate pink tinge to Prompto's ears.

"Wait, what?" Noctis said, suddenly sitting straight up, his gaze boring into his best friend. "You're—you're not a—a—," he stammered in disbelief.

"A virgin?" Gladio offered, the amusement more than evident now.

Noctis was sitting up so much now, he was almost falling out of his seat. He kept his disbelieving gaze trained on Prompto, waiting for an immediate confirmation or denial.

"Since when?" he exclaimed, taking Prompto's continued silence as an undoubtable confirmation.

Prompto shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know, dude..." he said, his voice riddled with guilt before shooting Gladio a peeved glance.

"Wha—" Noct said, still completely uncharacteristically lacking in composure. "Wha—" he couldn't find his words. "Why would you tell him and not me?!" he finally settled on asking, pointing accusingly at Gladio.

"I didn't tell him anything!" Prompto said, shifting uncomfortably again and still refusing to meet Noct's gaze. "I don't know where he's getting this from."

"When?" Noct demanded. "With who?" He knew Prompto had never had anything like a steady girlfriend.

"Wait, wait," Gladio interrupted gleefully, "Let me pinpoint the 'when,'" he said, thinking for a second. And then after a beat: "Summer after high school, right?"

Noctis looked from him to Prompto, still unable to believe what he was hearing. His best friend had kept something like that from him?

Once again, no reply from Prompto, just another uncomfortable squirm.

"Iggy, you're the more observant one," Gladio went on, "When did you notice the shift from boyhood to manhood?"

Noctis' gaze whipped to Ignis. He had known, too? What the hell!

Ignis didn't stir. He merely continued to gaze at the fire, his disinterest apparent. Finally sitting up straighter after a moment, he let out a small resigned sigh at the distasteful conversation. "Apart from your boisterous romp in the tent earlier, I haven't been privy to any other hints of sexual activity in the past," he said, unnecessarily sliding his glasses up at the statement.

All three turned to stare at him.

"Did...did Iggy just crack a sex joke?" Prompto asked, his embarrassment overtaken by disbelief for the moment.

"More like a gay sex joke. About you, dude." Noct couldn't help the sudden disbelieving laugh that escaped him.

"That was...a surprisingly good one, Iggy," Gladio snickered, too secure in his masculinity to get worked up over it.

"But it wasn't funny," Prompto broke in again, "I almost died earlier!"

"I'm just that good, aren't I?" Gladio smirked, and Noctis could have sworn he saw him wink.

"Alright," Prompto said, slapping his legs as he immediately stood. That was enough. "I'm gonna head to bed." He tried to make a quick and unassuming exit, but Noct immediately sprang forward, snagging his jacket and dragging him back.

"Oh, no, you don't," Noct exclaimed, as Prompto stumbled backwards in his grasp, tripping and nearly falling into his lap. Noct pushed him back to his chair. "Not until you fill your best friend in. Seriously—what the hell?"

Prompto gave Gladio another irritated glance. This was all his fault. He ran an exasperated hand through his hair. "It wasn't anything, Noct," he explained. "Just...that summer...there were a lot of graduation parties and stuff going on...and I usually never go to stuff like that without you, but you weren't allowed, and you were so busy with your prince duties, and I know you were struggling quite a bit with them at the time, and I didn't want you to feel like you were missing out or anything...and...apparently, chicks dig blonds." He shrugged, gathering his breath.

Noct just stared at him. "'...Chicks dig blonds?' That's all you have to say about it?"

Prompto merely shrugged again. "They weren't particularly special or anything."

"'They?'" Noct asked. "...As in, more than one?"

"Gah," Prompto said, immediately standing again. "I'm going to brush my teeth," he said, stalking away.

Noct stared after him, still at a loss.

"You think you know a guy, huh?" Gladio said, his smirk still plastered across his entire face. He had clearly enjoyed every second of that.

Noct flopped onto the floor of the tent, exhaustion quickly claiming him.

Prompto had gone to bed a while before the others, claiming an end position. His breathing light and regular, Noct tried not to disturb him as he stretched out next to him.

He mulled the earlier conversation over. He couldn't believe his best friend had seen some legitimate action in the past and had never even mentioned it to him. Wasn't that something dudes shared with each other? Noct wasn't exactly sure, now that he thought about it. He had zero experience of his own to speak of.

And now Gladio had planted a seed of apprehension regarding his upcoming wedding night. Completely unintentionally, of course, he thought, snorting to himself. That ass.

He rolled over, the heaviness behind his eyes refusing to be ignored any longer.

"Noct. Hey, buddy," Prompto's close whisper was accompanied by a slight shake.

Noct blinked in the darkness, stirring slightly while trying to make sense of where he was.

"Sorry, dude, but I've really got to pee." A dim light suddenly flooded the tent as Prompto woke his phone up.

Noct blinked again. He found himself pressed solidly against Prompto, face half-buried in his back and arm draped listlessly across his torso.

He withdrew as quickly as his groggy state allowed. "Sorry..." he immediately said, a slight rasp to his voice.

Prompto let out a whispered reassuring half-laugh. "It's okay, dude. I get it—no homo. Just glad I could keep you warm." He rolled onto his back and sat up. "We might need a blanket-statement 'no-homo' for the entire trip, actually," he said, eyeing Ignis and Gladio crammed together on the other side of the tent.

"Welp, I'm really about to pee my pants," he said, pushing himself to his feet and making his way outside.

Noct rubbed his eyes, grateful his friend had a talent of not making things weird.

He stretched and then sat up, looking for his shoes. He didn't like the idea of Prompto venturing outside alone.

After locating and pulling on his shoes and jacket, Noct quietly exited the tent. He grabbed a water bottle from the cooler and plopped down in one of the camp chairs, making sure he didn't hear any signs of trouble from whichever direction his friend had gone.

After a few seconds he heard light footsteps approaching.

"Hey, if you have to go to the bathroom at night, don't ever leave the haven, okay?" he said, keeping his voice low.

"Geez, you scared the crap out of me!" Prompto exclaimed, struggling to keep his voice to a whisper. "What are you doing out here?"

"Just getting some water," Noct explained, offering the bottle to the blond.

Prompto gratefully accepted it, joining his friend in one of the chairs.

They sat in silence for a few as Prompto downed the remaining water. Wiping his face, he finally asked, "Are...are you mad about earlier?"

Noct pulled his shoulders in against the faint chill. "No, are you?"

"Why would I be?"

"I dunno...that was kind of a dick move of Gladio."

Prompto snorted faintly, "Yeah, but honestly, is it surprising?" He paused for a long moment. "Sorry...for not...mentioning anything in the past," Prompto offered, unsure of how exactly to apologize, or if it was really even warranted.

Noct just remained quiet in response. He hadn't thought he had been particularly bothered by it...but maybe he actually was a little bit.

When Noct didn't reply, Prompto continued, "I just didn't want to make you feel bad. Like you were missing out on any stupid teenage rites of passage or anything. Because, really, they are all quite stupid. I mean, not necessarily sex, or whatever, sex is pretty fun, but the partying and getting wasted and...I dunno, that was never really our scene."

"How did you end up amongst it all then?"

"I dunno, I guess I was a little lonely at times during that summer...They really drilled you, didn't they? We knew there would be a freakout of some sort after you graduated—the whole 'ahhh, what comes next for the prince?' phase."

"Yeah," Noct said quietly, trying to keep the bitterness from his voice.

"Anyways, I guess by initially trying to spare your feelings, I may have actually been pulling the more bogus move by not telling you sooner. Sorry...Nact," he said, staring at the ground as a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth once more.

Noct looked at him, a slight shake to his head. "Seriously," he said, unable to stop the slight grin stealing across his face. "So. Stupid."

"Ah, come an, you know you love it."

Noctis stood, willing himself to withhold the laugh threatening to escape.

"I'm stealing your blanket," he said, heading back towards the tent.

Prompto was quick to follow, "No, you're nat, I need it. Where is yours, anyway?"

"I dunno, still packed somewhere. And I'm switching places with you," he said, ducking inside the entrance, determined not to wake up in such a compromising position again in the morning. Gladio would never let them hear the end of it.

Prompto stumbled after him, his whispered voice rising. "No, you're nat! Nact!"

"It's what you get for all that 'Nact' nonsense." Noct whispered, rolling into Prompto's blanket at the end.

"Naaaaact!"

A/N - Sooo, I kept debating with myself whether or not Prompto would have made it to age 20 with his virginity intact. And despite all his adorable awkwardness, I'm of the opinion he likely wouldn't have.

Also, I apologize for the offensive language. I just think that four straight dudes traveling together would not be overly concerned about being PC with each other.