Author's Notes: Story in which Prompto/Ignis fluff happens. This idea came about while I was brainstorming scenes for another FFXV adventure I'm currently writing, sprouting off into its own seed and doing its own thing. A reader of mine expressed interest in the Prompto/Ignis ship, I started pecking at it, and boom. Now I can definitely see why it works so wondrously well. It's a bank of gold, especially when you're tormented by Prompto's backstory and Prompto-themed events towards XV's end.
Instead of having Prompto hopelessly in love with the prince, it's just as much of an adventure to ship him with Noctis' adorable caretaker. On the topic of shipping, reading Prompto/Ignis fics on archiveofourown sparked enormous inspiration for this as well. 'Feeling You Again' by Anthony_Draws gave me a massive burst of magic.
This was originally meant to be a one-shot, but too much potential for Ignis/Prompto cuteness changed that. But no fear-the other chapters have already been outlined.
Thank you very much for reading! I hope you enjoy.
"Yeah, he lives alone. No family or anything."
Noctis' words were ripples in the lake of time, quiet yet forceful enough to overtake Ramuh's footsteps. The prince told him about Prompto's living arrangements quite some time ago, while the kingdom still bathed in Summer gold, but they had never stopped echoing in the halls of his mind. They were like bullets buried beyond the flesh, buried even deeper with Winter's promise gracing their world. The thought of Prompto all alone in his apartment, while snow's gentle strokes gave Lucis a blissful glow, became harder to bear with every passing hour.
Spices rose into the afternoon calm in a dance so sensual, it would've bewitched the demon with the blackest heart. The elegant, ethereal show of rhythm was conducted by none other than Princess Scientia (as he was affectionately called by Gladiolus), working through a recipe as though he were a deity crafting a new world. He was alone for the birth of a new masterpiece; Noctis was supposed to be attending studies with his father, but was most likely terrorizing the kingdom by threatening to blow it up with his ignorance. Not something he put intense effort into; all he usually did was sleep through recitations of the teachings from Lucis' first rulers. There was either a lot of sleeping or eye rolling going on. Meanwhile, Gladiolus was being an extra pair of hands at Hammerhead. Ignis, Princess of Lucis (at least to a trio of chuckling, doting young men), was alone while he worked his way through a new creation.
His home was a quiet sanctuary, a golden representation of the clean, organized soldier he was, and most of the time empty. Keeping eyes on Noctis was a full-time job, something that occupied his calendar as much as meetings, battle conferences and other forms of education meant to mold his mind into the perfect weapon. The only glimmer of light, along with the snow-kissed light spilling in from the outside world, came from a tiny Christmas tree. One adorned with red and gold lights, sitting on top of his table. Definitely not something he'd pick out himself, but a treasure he found himself in awe of. If it hadn't been for a certain blonde, it wouldn't have been there at all. There it stood, bright and beautiful, surely taller than all of the trees in the kingdom.
Prompto. The very one that pushed him into taking the tree home. The tiny team paid a visit to a Chocobo farm a few days ago, with the Regalia's favorite driver having guns held to his head and neither of the other men able to deny a certain gunner his request. As the rest of the kingdom was bathed in holiday charm, the Chocobo farm offered a blend of Chocobo-themed fun and holiday charm-something a particularly deadly young man could not resist. So the guns were drawn. The 'guns', of course, were nothing more than Prompto's eyes, which Gladiolus pertinently referred to as the 'deadliest weapons in the kingdom'. Noctis himself fell victim to those eyes on a pretty regular basis, even eating vegetables with prodding from a particularly vicious, blood-thirsty monster.
Ignis remembered it well. The battlefield was one of Lucis' local cafes, a place not only filled with invigorating fragrances but euphoric chatter. The air was heavy, tense, nullifying all merriment from the outside world. Noctis was (believing himself to be) burning holes through his caretaker's skull. Ignis would've challenged Ifrit without a single weapon on him, so daring Noctis to not order any vegetables wasn't that difficult of a task. The prince was adamant, though, refusing to have anything to do with vegetables until-
"C'mon, Noct, gotta eat your greens once in a while. They're good for you!"
"Look at what they've done for ME!"
Prompto pushed him into ordering a small salad.
And it was on that day Ignis' long, hard battle came to an end. No longer was he doomed to watch the prince wither away on refusals to eat anything green. Prompto, as he did just by opening his eyes every morning, did the impossible. Made climbing to the stars look as simple as breathing.
So. Noctis was slowly introducing himself to vegetables, knowing he'd be haunted by Prompto's eyes if he regressed into his old ways. And Ignis had a Christmas tree. Those two facts alone were enough to drive the chef on, through a myriad of flavors and procedures. The tiny treasure on his table watched as he brought flavors of the Christmas season into a whirlwind of magic, all of them coming together on his stove.
What was he up to? Well, as long as he drew breath, Prompto wasn't going to spend the holiday season alone at any point in time. Sure, they were all invited to the palace Christmas festivities, and of course they'd all keep on doing their thing, roaming around the kingdom, taking odd jobs here and there, whenever they had a moment or two to spare. But a certain young gunner being alone in his apartment, without any bit of comfort during the holiday season, wasn't an image Ignis wanted to entertain. So what better way to give comfort than through food? Especially since Noctis' childhood friend adored anything Ignis brought to life. Breakfast, lunch or dinner-if he made it, Prompto was over it like feathers on a Chocobo.
But there was more to Ignis' mission that just making things. Especially since he could just boil water, and Prompto would marry it. The quest he had given himself was to invent something incomprehensibly dazzling, something no one in Eos could ever create, every week. Then he'd take the dish to Prompto's. And all dishes would be alive with the flavors of the season. Cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, pumpkin-he'd become well familiar with them in no time, teaching himself to create a kaleidoscope of wonders.
All for a friend.
Ah. The first dish was complete. Riveting scents came together in a divine symphony, all of them fervently singing with the season's grace. But Day One wasn't done yet-it still needed to be wrapped. Even the art of breathing required Ignis' best efforts, so creating a festive package for his friend was something he put his heart into. Quietly, of course, as still as stone and as methodical as a machine-just the usual, every day Ignis at work. But when the wrapping was complete, he was sure the tree, the only audience he had, put on a proud smile. So there was only one thing left to do, before delivering the work of art. And to complete that final task, he took out his phone. Dialed a certain number.
The voice on the other end, as usual, was warm. Cheerful. "Hey howdy hey, Princess! What's shakin'?"
"Good afternoon, Prompto. I trust you are well?"
"Of course. Couldn't be happier!"
Ignis winced, feeling as if Ifrit himself had dug his claws into him. For some reason, those words registered as a-what was it? Oh. A lie. Someone constantly immersed in a world of emptiness couldn't possibly be so full of sunshine, despite being warmer and brighter than the sun that gave life. The gunner's next four words proved it, frosted in warmth that went beyond Ignis' comfort level.
"Thanks for calling me! Water your tree today?"
"Yes, it's perfectly comfortable," the chef replied, giving the tiny lit tree a look, secretly daring it to tell Prompto otherwise. "Are you home?"
Confusion edged into that eternally jubilant voice. "Yeah. Why?"
"How long will you be there?"
"For a while, just hanging out. What's-"
A click cut off Prompto's inquiry, elevating his confusion most likely to the point of concern. Ignis knew how things worked among them-Prompto would call Gladiolus and ask what was going on, never wanting to bother Noctis for reasons Noctis would've blasted him into another dimension over, but Gladiolus would then call the prince and they'd all end up calling him, wondering why he had thrown Choco Pup into a black hole. That was, if they even got that far.
Ignis would be at Prompto's front door in no time, package number one in hand.