Spoiler warning: Spoils the entire ending, so please note that if you haven't finished the game. Possible spoilers starting here.

AN: Hi guys! Firstly, welcome to the last part of my Tool trilogy. And if you haven't read the first two parts, DON'T PANIC. Life of a Tool is a part of my Tool series, but can be read separately as a stand-alone story. However, I do take some liberties here. Life assumes that the whole of Noctis' posse survived the day of the new sunrise, but Noctis himself still didn't. It focuses on Prompto's life approximately 11 months after the events of the game's ending. And it's not gonna be a joy ride, I promise you that.

A fair warning, the first half of this chapter is just plain porn (PromptoxCindy), lol. If you don't wanna read it for any reason, you can skip to the first dash indicating a scene change. The real drama begins there.

The song I have to go with this is "45" by Shinedown. I have marked where to start listening. And, thank you for reading all this wall of text. Now onto the story! I hope you enjoy.

The Tool series:

Heart of a Tool (part 1)

Heart of a Tool: End of Days (alternate ending)

Mind of a Tool (part 2)

Life of a Tool (part 3)

Beta read by Elillierose and Bagpipes5K2

Life of a Tool

Chapter 1

Sometimes Cindy wondered if she was doing the right thing. It wasn't as much the 'why' as it was the 'what' that came from it. Thinking about the familiar lopsided grin, the dimmed sky eyes that still reflected the starlight but had lost their own shine… Prompto. Oh, the sweet thing. Sometimes she wondered if what they had was the poison or the balm.

This wasn't one of those times, though.

Not when the blond made such beautiful sounds beneath her.

"Ahn… ah," she cherished the heat rising from the raspily gasping body as she rolled her hips against his with more intensity, more fervor. She could feel his movements inside, the tantalizing rubbing against her walls, sending waves of want up her spine. Expert hands teased his loins, the sensitive skin just below the hip as she let them dance, felt his shivers through his thighs, low sounds of pleasure leaving as the blond head was leaned back in bliss.

"A-aah…" Prompto's eyes cracked open to gaze up at the sight above him. Cindy's slender body arched in euphoria, her chin tilted towards the ceiling as ribbons of deep, moany sighs fell from those plump lips. Her breasts bounced rhythmically over the toned stomach as she drove herself onto him, her grinds greedy and consuming, owning him.

Cindy glanced down as a firm hand snaked itself around her waist, a spark of raw lust igniting in the olive eyes at the wordless promise. He had sat up; holding her possessively in place, Prompto showed her just how much he knew how to please her. Shifting his hips slightly to change the angle, his grip on her hip tightened as he began ramming her down on himself harder, her sighs becoming hitched as he pounded into her with aroused hunger. Trickster lips were teasing the hard nipple presented for him whereas his free hand slid up her curves to caress the other. All the while, he thrusted up into her tightness, building up a relentless rhythm that had the woman crying out as the tension in her stomach rose, teasing, maddening, enticing.

A sinister, self-satisfied chuckle was her only warning. Cindy let out a surprised little yelp as Prompto, in one powerful shove shifted her off him, pushed her into the mattress, and climbed on top of her. Grinning down mischievously, but eyes shining with affection, the man grabbed hold of her right wrist, pinning the arm above her head. Reading the lecherous twinkle in the gaze, the action left her shivering with excitement at the sudden change of pace, but her pulse just about skyrocketed when the gunner leaned in to murmur in her ear seductively, "My turn.",

She gasped audibly; the small words, for them, translated into, 'scream for me'. "Well now. By all means," she chuckled a bit breathlessly. Prompto returned the tone, the sheer proximity of it sending those vibrations running along her spine again as the fingers brushed her bud, first like a feather, then determinately, purposefully. She could feel the satisfied smirk against her neck when he felt her wetness, could imagine the look, and the thought only worked to arouse her more. Effectively pinning her down with his weight, Prompto listened for each wanton sound, each gasp, every moan as his fingers swirled, every sound going straight into his groin as the woman unraveled beneath him.

Her eyelids slid closed as her eyes rolled to the back of her head at the feel of the fingers wreaking havoc on her nerve ends. Merciless in his administrations, Prompto worked her relentlessly, single-minded and goal-driven as she felt the heat rising up her body. She had lost control of her mouth long ago; her moans were ecstatic and unfiltered, breathless as Prompto forced the sensations upon her, drowning her in bliss and driving her to the edge. His suave mouth nibbled just the right spot behind her ear gently, and the voice was mesmerized and husky, "Come for me, Cin. Enjoy it." And the lips were back, hot and sensual, and the pleasure was blinding her and oh god yes…!

Stellar ecstasy washed her mind white as she exploded. Her flushed body arched against his as waves and waves of pleasure assaulted her senses. Her throat quivered under the strain, unintelligent sounds of completion pouring out in strings. From the midst of it, Prompto made out his name, the sound of it making his cock twitch, a bead of pre-cum slipping out, and he had to will himself to come back from the path she had sent him down. Planting butterfly kisses onto the moisture-sheened temple, he whispered sweet nothings into her hair as he felt her relax. But already, as she came down from her private heaven, her breaths came out as excited and craving. He held back the chuckle that teased his own throat; he loved how she was never satisfied with just one. If anything, it left her hungry for more.

Panting lightly, Cindy cracked her crystalline eyes open. "Huh, golly… wow," she uttered, the spark in the orbs sending a spur down his legs.

"Oh, we're not done here, baby," was whispered into her ear, the words emphasized by a few deliberate brushes over her clit. Hyper-sensitive as she was, the mere caress was enough to make fire course through her veins again as she squirmed under the touch. Shivering with delight, she gave him her answer in a heated gaze.

"Darn right."

Grinning a little, he planted one more kiss into her hair before untangling his hands. On his knees between her legs, he ran long fingers down her chest, her belly, lingered teasingly around her need before tracing the thigh and raising upwards. Bringing one leg over his shoulder, he laid soft kisses along the knee before positioning himself. Despite just coming, Cindy purred deliciously at the feel of his manhood ghosting over her entrance – and pushing in.

Her moist warmth enclosed around him from all sides, inviting and ready. "Oh shit, Cin…" he hissed, the rest of it fading under an unintelligent grunt of pleasure as he felt her muscles hugging him more tightly. A soft chuckle snapped something inside him; gripping her hips, he thrust into her, the chuckle hitching. Never allowing her to recompose herself, a cunning look crossed over Prompto's face as he started to build up his pace. A torturous rhythm, not quite enough to be satisfying for either of them but he kept it up, smirking when she squirmed and bucked her hips in demand for more. Chuckling quietly at her impatience, he forced himself to go slow, so slow, just to draw out a frustrated moan as she was pulled under the sensations but not allowed the gratification. Then, without a warning, in one powerful motion, he drove himself all the way inside, eliciting a cry of pure fulfilment before he again returned to the drawn-out tempo of his hips, shivering a little at the tremors coursing through her.

"Ah-aah… Pr-omp-toh..." It was maddening. Cindy's breaths came in fervid pants as the friction teased her, never quite there, but never allowing her an escape from the tender torment, either. Her entire body again quivered with the delicious tingles of arousal; she could feel her own wetness, trailing down her cheeks. And the way the blond was moving inside her, intentionally avoiding hitting her most sacred, merely brushing it, so close and yet so far… she was losing her mind.

Her hips bucked; a writhing moan like a song was released as Prompto slammed into her again, with force, each push finding the spot that made her see stars. Cindy's body melted in his arms; she was gripping the bedsheets so hard her knuckles were white, and the sounds of her pleasure rained down like stardust. The heat was unbearable! All of it, it was getting… too much. His cock throbbed, the feeling was almost overwhelming, almost. Panting with the tension, his mouth dry and nether regions lit up afire, Prompto decided that enough was enough. Groaning, he hoisted the leg up a bit higher, treasured the way her free leg wrapped around him to pull him in deeper, and picked up a demanding pace, making sure to sweep her sweet spot on each powerful, deep thrust.

"Oh my… oh gods… a-aah! Ah!" Cindy bit down, her delirious cries becoming muffled hums under the onslaught of the carnal pleasure. Then, there was a gentle touch on her cheek, the hand tracing circles onto her cheek.

"Don't. Lemme… lemme hear you, Cin," he panted softly, the smile audible in the breathless voice. Her lip quivering a little, she unclenched her jaw, the pearlescent eyes shining up to their sky counterpart, and Prompto was rather confident his heart had just beaten double.

He felt like drowning into those wanton, lascivious eyes as Cindy's hazy gaze met his through half-closed lids.

"Fuck…" His eyes squeezed shut; the hand fell from her face to fist itself into the pillow next to her head; the burning inside him rose like lava as he pounded into her shuddering warmth, madly, deeply, desperately. "Oh, Cindy, I... a-ah!"

"Prom… Prompto, I'll… 'm gonna…" she hollered blissfully between thrilled pants. "S-so close… I'm gonna… gon-aa-aah!" Her head was thrown back in a ravished cry as she came, her shoulders burying into the pillows as the immense pleasure raced through her in endless waves.

Prompto grunted as her walls clenched around him, the sensation almost blinding him as the thrust into that enrapturing tightness like a madman, so close, so very close, desperate, maniacal…

Not far behind her, his passion erupted, and he buried himself into her trembling cavern for the final time; his breath caught as the orgasm hit him, ripping him of his senses, tearing through him with near violent intensity. It left him panting heavily as his muscles relaxed again, and he slumped on top of her, hands wrapping around the shivering form as he instinctively buried his face into her curls.

He heard Cindy's breaths evening, felt the subtle movement as she snuggled into his chest, and the unconscious urge to kiss her came over. Ignoring the soft hum of Cindy asking what was going on, Prompto brushed his lips over hers, tentatively, asking for permission, knowing that he shouldn't but wanting it anyway. And as she didn't flinch from it, something inside him leaped as he pressed down a bit more.

Cindy let out an apologetic little exhale as she turned from the kiss after a moment, a slender finger coming to rest on his lips as if to seal them. She smiled a sad smile, and Prompto could almost hear the sound of shattering as his heart broke a little at the look of remorseful refusal on her face.

"Let's just… be like this, okay?" she whispered, the finger staying where it was, silently signalling that it wasn't a negotiable matter. And Prompto knew this. They'd been over this. More than anything, however, more than anything, Prompto would have wanted to pretend otherwise. Would have wanted to unhear the truths he had heard months prior. Would have wanted to love her, if only she had allowed it. Instead, he allowed the finger to seal those hopes, those prayers away, and he nodded just once before averting his eyes into the mattress and coming down to rest next to her. Breathing in the scent of her, Prompto resigned himself to treasure the feel of her nudeness as the aftershocks surged up his loins in delicious tingles.

The last remains of climax faded slowly, like the joy had made its home in each muscle and refused to leave. But as their breaths had calmed down, the clammy sheen dried from their skins, all that was left were two people lying in a pile, enjoying the other's warmth for a moment longer. Until Cindy nudged his side, gesturing for him to move. He didn't, at first. Flashing her one of those sloppy grins, Prompto drew her just a bit closer as he wrapped himself around her. "Nnn, not yet," he almost sighed, like a purring cat.

Cindy rolled her eyes, but not in anger. "Prompto… I've gotta work."

"Work later." He smiled. "C'mon, it can wait, right?"

"Prompto." A degree of demand had found its way into her tone by now; she nudged him a bit more sternly, and with a reluctant sigh the blond man untangled himself and moved over. She gave him a soft smile as a thank you as she got up from the bed. But wait, there was something in it… something Prompto couldn't quite place. The smile… it had held nameless sorrow.

"Cin?" he asked, brows rising. "Is… everything OK?" She was shuffling for her clothes and didn't seem to hear him, so he tried again, "Cindy?"

This time, she turned to give him another smile, but this one was warped with the same gloom. Prompto's pulse quickened. Had he done something wrong? "'S all fine," she said, but the small hesitation in her voice hinted otherwise.

"Sure?"

"Yeah, this girl's all fine 'n' dandy." She meant it, this time, at least; Prompto let out a soft exhale of relief. Perhaps he had just read something wrong. A hedonistic grin rose back to his lips as he snuggled himself into the bedsheets.

"Don't go." He patted the place next to him, his eyes asking. Cindy's shorts were forgotten into mid-thigh as she looked at him, and for a hopeful moment it seemed like she was considering his offer. Then, with a small hop, she pulled the garment on the rest of the way and fastened the button before going for her missing bra.

"I can't."

"Why not?" It had been almost a whine. Desperate and childish; Prompto felt like smacking himself at how it had sounded. He knew better. He damn well should have.

"I don' think it's such a good idea." The sound he made was a stifled grunt more than any actual attempt of communication, but she could decipher it clear as day.

Cindy sighed deep as she turned to him; the bra had found its place again. "Prompto… we agreed 'no feelings'."

Prompto felt like he had been punched in the stomach. His blood ran cold at the implication. This… arrangement that they've had going on, they had agreed 'just sex'. It wouldn't mean anything. No commitments, no promises. No feelings involved.

He had thought he'd be ok with it.

He gulped, "Yeah, but-"

"I can't give ya what ya want, sugar," she deadpanned at him. Her arms had crossed. "Look. I know ya'd want this to be more." And after all these years, the gunner still felt the heat rising over his cheeks at the truth. He had told her how he felt in the past, many a time, but hearing it from her like this, it made him feel like that awkward teenager again; that innocent idiot who would resign himself to stand at the sidelines and watch his dream slip away. "But I just ain't tha' kinda girl," she shook her head a little. "I'm not lookin' for anythin' special, ya know." He knew that. Boy, did he know that. Prompto had never been able to fool himself. Deep inside, he knew he was wasting time trying. And nevertheless, despite all reason, Prompto couldn't help it. He couldn't help the fact that he still – and perhaps always would – loved Cindy.

"I know." Saying that aloud hurt him, like the last shards of his fragile purpose were being crushed with those words. Companionship or just a distraction, whatever it was that he had been looking for when they had first started this… it was crumbling around him. Prompto sensed where this was going, and he didn't like it.

"Do ya?" she asked, something akin to pity in her voice. The blue eyes flicked up. Cindy sighed tightly, shuffling on the spot a little. The olive gaze traced the trailer's flooring as a means of escape before she eventually spoke, the words Prompto had dreaded to hear, "Maybe it'd be better we called this off? I'm afraid 'ts only endin' up hurtin' ya." There was a hurt gasp. Struck speechless, Prompto could just stare at her, open-mouthed and horrified – desperate, pleading – as she raised her eyes to meet his gaze again, "I'm sorry but I ain't gettin' comfy havin' anythin' serious. And whatcha want is a love, right?"

'Don't.'

So far, he had managed to tell himself that at least it was better like this. At least like this, he could pretend that he still had someone…

'Don't do this.'

"An' I'm sorry but I just ain't lovin' ya."

His lip quivered a little. The blond felt dizzy, it was like a gale blowing through his head, unobstructed and ravaging. The silence was deafening.

"Wha-?" he started, but had to cough his voice out of his tightening throat. "What're you sayin'?"

Cindy averted her gaze to the ground. "'S just it… I don' want ya misunderstandin' an'thin'."

'Misunderstanding.' There had never been a misunderstanding, not really. Prompto had always known he was reaching for the moon up in the sky when he had let himself keep dreaming. But that dream, it had given him hope. 'No matter how false,' he thought with a stab.

"It-it's not like that," he tried, but it faded away; he didn't know what to say, what could he possibly? She looked expectant, though, and stayed quiet to give him room in case he wanted to say something more. "I'm not… expecting this to lead to anything, just…" He shrugged, the blue eyes lingering in the unoccupied space on the bed.

"An' that's enough for ya?" The doubting eyebrow raise was audible; Prompto met her eyes again, if a bit reluctantly, and what he read made his stomach flip a little. She had made a decision.

"Prompto… yar very sweet 'n' all, but I just don' want the same things, ya know. And I don' wanna keep ya from findin' them elsewhere." She held a pause, and he knew what was coming before the words were out. "I think it better we'd just be friends again."

A lump rose into his throat. Unable to speak, he could just nod quietly. His eyes, though, conveyed the silent disappointment, the hopelessness he felt, but what could he say? If she didn't want this anymore, that was it. He wasn't going to beg, no. He refused to sink that low. Sighing deeply through his nose, Prompto averted his eyes, the sight of her suddenly just that much on the other side of bearable. "Can I… still see you, though?" he spoke quietly, defeatedly, forcing down the lump that threatened to strangle him.

The sound of her voice made him face her again; he could hear the moisture that had gathered behind her eyes. "Of course, ya can." She smiled him a little crooked smile. "Just… I can't give ya happiness." 'But you do!' "I… should go." She threw her jacket over her shoulder and flicked her wrist once as a goodbye. Then, with one last clouded smile she got out of the trailer, and as the morning sunrays illuminated her curls, her figure, Prompto was sure that for a moment, Cindy looked like an angel. His saving grace. Walking out, leaving him into the darkness. As the door closed behind her quietly, it almost seemed like something was being sealed away from the world. When he could hear the footsteps descending the short flight of stairs before fading away, the blond allowed himself to slump back into the bedsheet, an arm thrown over the sting in his eyes. 'Good job messin' this up, too, you...' "Fuck…!"

(Song: Shinedown – 45)

The wind whipped against his face as he stepped out of the trailer. Shivering a little, Prompto tugged his collar up higher and pulled the zipper up. With a deep sigh, he crossed the distance to the truck parked a few yards from his temporary lodgings, and after he heard the dull 'clunk' of the lock, the man hopped onto the driver's seat.

The key in the ignition, his foot already on the pedal, Prompto's eyes were drawn to the familiar entrance of the garage, and he wondered what she was doing at the moment. 'Probably working,' he mouthed to himself. Would she come to see him off at least?

Did he want her to?

Shaking those thoughts off, Prompto set his jaw as he started up. He kept a close eye on the open garage door as he pulled out of the parking lot, in hopes of seeing the familiar figure. The blue gaze never strayed, not until the entrance was already disappearing from his vision, and that's when he saw a slender form, waving a hand high in the air at the distancing tail lights.

.

.

.

The hum of the truck drowned underneath it the hisses of shaky breaths; Prompto's teeth grit a little. He felt like someone was tying his insides into a neat knot. Tremors ran down his back in cold mockery of a caress. And it wasn't because of Cindy. That, a cruel coincidence maybe, but hadn't he gotten used to it by now?

Prompto couldn't name a time when this hollowness hadn't accompanied him at every waking moment.

It was like a cancer. Slowly seeping into every single cell of his body, it had left him a shadow. A living ghost peering out into the new light, but seeing only ashes and umbra.

Ten months, eleven days. Since the day of the sunrise.

Since he had lost Noctis for the second time.

A shuddering sob forced itself out through his teeth. His shoulders shook as the pain of the loss clenched his heart again. "Shit…" Not a day passed that he didn't think about it. The sight of the raven, stiffened fingers still clutching the throne's armrests, impaled into the marble by the sword of his father. Pale. Cold. Lifeless.

Gone.

For once, he had been envious to the adviser.

How did he expect Prompto to take that image with him?!

"Asshole…!" the blond hissed into the air. Every morning he was reminded of it. Every new sunrise marked another reminder of the wrong that had come to be. The ocean gaze idly traced the scarce yet spreading vegetation as the truck sped down the highway. The plants had spurred into full bloom within weeks, like the seeds had just waited for the chance to rise with the first light of the day again. The first crops had been harvested four months prior, and the second yield would ripen by the end of the month. The world was healing. The survivors had adopted new ways of living.

But Prompto was gazing back at the days when things made sense. When he could still smile and mean it. When Noctis was still alive.

"Noct…" 'Why did you leave me?'