It got lonely at times.
His apartment was small and bare, but it had all the necessities a growing man needed to live. A couch he often passed out on, a kitchen and a fridge stocked with prepackaged salads and eggs and milk, and a television smashed into the corner of the living quarters. Granted, it didn't always have a clear picture, but that was to be expected when you bought it at a yard sale.
Still, Prompto was happy with how he lived. He moved out from his parent's house a year ago, and got a job at a nearby pet store. Noct and him still had classes together at high school, but their last year had just barely begun. And half the time, Noct wasn't attending anyway. He was often too caught up in his princely duties to bother with sitting at a desk to chew on his pencil.
And with his growing steps into adulthood and more duty, Noctis had less time to go to the arcade with Prompto, hang out or play King's Knight. So when he wasn't at work or trudging through his tedious classes, Prompto was at home - terribly bored and admittedly lonely.
It's not that he didn't have other friends. Okay, that may have been a lie. He didn't realize just how secluded he was from others his age when Noct was gone, the two having grown so close they were hip to hip whenever they could be. So he spent a lot of time procrastinating his homework, running in the mornings, and lounging on his couch. His smile couldn't have been bigger when his phone rung out and a text from Noct came through. It was a simple, "hey, you busy?"
Prompto rolled onto his stomach and unlocked his screen, tapping a quick, but eager reply. Noct texted back two seconds later, asking him if he wanted to come over to his place and hang. He had the rest of the day off and, for once in his life, didn't feel like taking a nap.
Prompto snatched his schoolbag off the floor and was out his door while hastily tapping a, "be there in 5, buddy." It took half an hour to reach Noct's own apartment, but he figured he could whittle that down to twenty minutes.
Noct replied with a simple smiley face.
Prompto frowned and shoved his phone in his pocket. When school was out, the prince would be ushered back into the palace and stripped away of his independency. They would pack his things and haul everything back into his old room.
By then, Prompto had no idea when he'd get the rare chance to see his best friend. He'd make the most of today, at the very least, and broke out into a run when he reached the sidewalk. But with jeans and a pair of flat converse, it took him forty minutes to reach the steps of the red-bricked, fancy building that Noct called his temporary home. He blew out a heavy breath and swiped at his bangs, slipping through the iron wrought fence and to the cherry red doors. A quick press of Noct's apartment number on the keypad alerted the prince that he had arrived and the red light on top of the pad wordlessly turned green.
Noct was sitting on his couch, upside down and with his legs propped up on the arm rest. He was lightly dozing, eyes softly closed and hands intertwined above his chest. Prompto dropped his back and closed the door, grinning widely and pushing himself forward. With a running jump he hopped the back of the leather couch and fell on top of his friend, the prince crying out and slipping onto the floor with a laughing blonde rolling over the top of him.
"You think you're sleeping while I'm over?" Prompto chirped happily. "Think again, buddy!"
"Ugh," Noct rolled over, forcing Prompto from his shoulders and staring up at the ceiling. His lips, though twisted with a grimace, slowly fell away to a small smile. "Why do you have to be so over the top?"
"Because you love me just the way I am," Prompto hopped up and fell onto the couch with a content sigh. He kicked up his feet and propped them on Noct's chest. "Now, don't you want to offer your guest a drink?"
"You're ridiculous," Noct laughed and pushed him away, crawling onto the couch and rustling around like a sleepy animal struggling to get comfortable. "You eat lunch yet?"
"Naw, why? Get me something special?"
Noct shrugged. "Not sure. Ignis wanted to come over and cook me lunch. He's been all antsy about it lately."
Prompto nodded. He didn't know the advisor all that well. Him, or Gladiolus, for that matter. The two were often hanging around Noct when he still lived at the palace, and Prompto knew that Ignis often came by twice a week to clean up Noct's apartment when he had training with his Shield. If not for him, the whole place would probably be piled high with trash and dirty clothes.
The last few months though, Noct had been pushing the man away, upset that he was going to have to go back to the palace soon. He admitted that he wanted to fend for himself for a bit, if only to experience a civilian's life while he had the chance. Prompto had went out and helped his friend buy his own food and a few cookbooks - a futile attempt at breakfast and lunch, five-step recipes that nearly burned the kitchen down. But they had been getting better. Noct knew how to cook rice now without charring the grain.
"I thought you wanted to cook for yourself?" Prompto asked.
"Yeah, but Iggy's been bugging me a lot. He's kinda all about habit, you know? I think he likes doing it. So, why not? It's just one night, and besides… you and me can't exactly cook."
Prompto laughed. "Can't argue there. But, hey, at least we won't have to do dishes tonight!"
He may not have knew Iggy that well, but he knew he was never one to leave chores unattended. And chores that he could do himself, to the highest degree of efficiency, he made sure he did them alone. Others would just get in the way.
"Until then, how about I kick your butt at King's Knight?" Noct smirked and waved his phone in front of the other's face. Prompto drew out his own and smiled wickedly. The next few hours were the sounds of fingers tapping, groans of frustration and the occasional whoop of victory.
They had gotten so caught up in their game, neither noticed how the sun began to fade through the curtains. Prompto was pushing against Noct's shoulder and the prince was pushing back, each trying to distract the other with tongues peeking out the sides of their mouths and dire looks of concentration.
"No, no, no, no, no," Prompts eyes grew wide and he began to chant his panic, throwing his hands in the air and covering his face just as Noct rose both fists and smiled victoriously.
"Unfair, dude. Totally unfair," Prompto groaned.
Noct settled into the couch and shrugged happily. "What can I say? I'm a natural."
"Perhaps you'd be just as proficient at keeping your apartment clean, should you spend as much time doing laundry as you do on that phone."
Both boys popped their heads over the couch and glanced back in time to see Ignis shutting the close with the back of his heel. His arms were full of paper bags, brimming with leafy greens and a few glass bottles.
"Hey, Iggy," Noct waved, seemingly glaring at the sight of vegetables in his presence.
"Hey, Ignis!" Prompto smiled, a little uncomfortable with the other man. It's not that he was never nice. He was. But Ignis was always poised and professional and made Prompto feel childish and immature. "Need any help with that?"
"Ah, no," Ignis said softly, heading for the kitchenette. "Thank you for the offer. How have you been, Prompto?"
"Okay," he said a bit awkwardly. "Just trying to survive highschool, you know."
"It's your last year, is it not?"
"Yep! Just seven more months! Er, I guess that sounds a lot longer now that I say it aloud."
"Graduation will be here before you know it," Ignis told him, pulling out his groceries. "Now, Noct, where did you put that knife set I purchased recently?"
"I don't know," the prince was already playing on his phone. "I think it's near the microwave?"
"It's under the cabinets to the right of the oven," Prompto corrected.
Ignis disappeared behind the island counter and a small 'ah ha' followed. Everything lapsed into a tense silence after that, and Prompto and Noct resumed their game - this time without all the loud antics. The only sounds that echoed over their heads was the precise chopping of Iggy's knife and the occasional flicker of a stove top flame. An hour passed and the smell of dinner was tantalizing. Prompto's mouth watered and he forced himself to stop peeking over the couch.
Everytime he did, Ignis was staring down at his moving hands with stoic attentiveness. Once or twice, his eyes darted up and locked with Prompto's, forcing the high schooler to duck his head in embarrassment and remain hungry in peace. Still, his stomach felt like it was twisting in on itself.
He had a simple breakfast of egg whites and a side of kiwi. Nothing special, but it was all he had on hand. And on the very rare occasions he'd had Ignis' cooking, it made him wonder how he ever lived off his small salary and cheap food.
"Dinner is ready," Ignis finally called out.
Prompto sat up to go fix his plate, but Noct grabbed his shoulder and shoved him back down. Only a few seconds later, Ignis walking around the couch with two steaming plates in hand. He laid them out before each boy and placed napkins and utensils beside them.
"Wow, Ignis! It looks amazing!" Prompto jumped up excitedly, taking in the steamed mushrooms and asparagus. They surrounded a mound of oregano and lime rice that was topped with a breast of chicken. It smelt wonderful, but Prompto refrained from digging in like the prince.
"Are you going to eat too?"
"I ate before I arrived," Ignis assured him. "Please, have a bite."
He expected the advisor to move away, maybe take a seat on the nearby chair or go back into the kitchen, but Ignis just stood there and watched Noct for a few more seconds. Prompto noticed that he wore a slight frown as Noct pushed away his mushrooms.
Prompto bit his lip and picked up a fork, skewering a bundle of vegetables and taking a bite. He grinned, cheeks full and looked at Ignis, giving him a thumbs up. Ignis' little smile came back.
"I'm glad you enjoy it. If you need me, I'll be cleaning up. Noct, please don't forget to eat your entire plate."
"No promises," Noct mumbled around a mouthful of chicken.
"I'll make sure he eats everything," Prompto gave a mock salute and Ignis nodded, seemingly content with the answer, and trailed off to the kitchen. Dishes clinked together and sound of rushing water started.
"Dude, can we just stop trying to cook for ourselves? Like, Ignis is the best cook ever," Prompto leaned over and shoved another bite of rice into his mouth.
Noct snickered. "Just ask him yourself. Like, seriously, he'd be over the moon to cook for someone every night."
Prompto flushed with embarrassment, the mere thought of asking Iggy to be something of a personal butler making him feel like a creep. "Why don't you eat your veggies, huh? They don't taste anything like they do raw."
"Vegetables are disgusting no matter how you eat them," Noct stated firmly. "And my first order when I become king, is to ban them from Insomnia."
Prompto snorted around his fork. "You dork, they aren't that bad."
"Says the guy who willingly exercises."
"Hey! How's that an insult?"
The two bickered playfully for a while before Ignis told them not to play with their food, Noct having attempted to shove his asparagus into Prompto's mouth. They quickly righted themselves, Prompto wiping the away the oil on his cheek and Noct not so discreetly shoving his veggies onto Prom's plate. They both finished the rest of their meal, snickering and kicking each other.
"Here, I got them," Prompto stood up to take the empty plates to the sink. When he turned around, he nearly bumped into Ignis' chest, the man gently gripping his shoulders and righting him.
"No worries. I'll finish up the cleaning."
Before he could argue, the dishes were slipped from his grip and Ignis was once more rolling up his sleeves. Prompto hesitated before taking the short walk to stand beside him. "I can dry them, if you'd like."
Ignis smiled and shook his head, although he did hand over his newly washed plate. Prompto took it and began to dry. "You're very eager to help. I don't often get much in the way of assistance around here."
"Well, you know," Prompto said. "I live alone, so I kinda have to pick up the habit of keeping clean. I guess it just feels a little weird having you do everything."
"Alone? I thought you lived with your parents?"
"Moved out. They were gone a lot and I figured, hey, why not get my own place? I'm almost out of highschool, might as well figure out how to be an adult, right?"
"How very…" Ignis paused, a thoughtful look crossing his face as he handed over the last dish. "Adult of you."
Prompto laughed and quickly put away the plate, closing the cupboard and patting his hands along his jeans. "Yeah, but it was nice not cooking for once. Thanks for dinner. You're, like, the best cook I've ever known."
Ignis' smile turned smug, if only a little. "Practice makes perfect. And I still have much to learn."
"More than I'll ever know."
With the kitchen clean and the table cleared off, Ignis bid both of them farewell, asking Noct to be at the palace tomorrow morning for his training with Gladio. Prompto figured that he had to head home too. He had work bright and early, and if he stayed the night, he'd be dead on his feet come the sun.
"You sure man?" Noct had asked, looking up from his phone.
"You know we'll stay up watching movies and pigging out. Last time, I was late. Sorry, but hey! Next weekend I'm off!"
"Yeah, I'll make sure I have a clear schedule then." Noct promised.
Ignis paused by the door where he was slipping on his shoes. He looked over his shoulder and asked, "Prompto. If you're going home, come with me. It's late and I'd rather drive you than have you walking out on the street."
Prompto smiled sheepishly. "Ah, it's okay. Really, don't worry yourself over me."
"But I insist."
Prompto didn't know how to say no.
So he ended up in a sleek, black car while a slight drizzle began to hit the windshield and wash away the dust of the day. Prompto sat up awkwardly in the front passenger seat, Ignis quiet beside him, and crossed and uncrossed his legs. He stopped when he noticed the slight gaze of Ignis flickering over him.
"Sorry," he said. "I don't usually ride in cars. It's, uh, it's really nice."
"There's no need to be so tense," Ignis told him. "I'm not going to bite you. Noct told me I can be rather unapproachable at times. Though I assure you, I'm more than happy to chat."
"Noct said that?" Prompto stuttered. "I mean, it's not that I - well, I mean… You're like, super collected all the time and stuff. I guess I just feel silly when your around, like I'm acting stupid."
Ignis laughed, a light, breathy thing that lasted only a second. "Is that how you feel? I've never once thought of you as stupid. Believe it or not, I rather like that Noct and you are close. The prince has a tendency to shut people out. I was quite impressed you managed to break through those stubborn walls he's built up."
Prompto felt his ego inflate. "I just walked right up to him and introduced myself."
"He was always one for the more straightforward approach."
The two made idle chitchat as Ignis drove further downtown, the looming rise of shops falling away to stouter, more compact buildings. It didn't take long for Prompto to push against his seatbelt and point towards a corner apartment - two stories tall and sitting neatly next to a laundromat.
"There it is! You can just slow down and I'll hop out!"
"Nonsense," came the short reply.
Prompto furrowed his brows as Ignis pulled the car to the side of the curb and parked, cutting off the ignition with a sharp flick of his wrist. "Give me a moment," he said, opening his door and disappearing into the growing torrent of rain. The door slammed shut and Prompto unbuckled his seatbelt, leaning forward with a curious look and unable to make out the advisor through the downpour. He shrieked, scrambling to the side when his door popped open.
"Oh Ifrit, Ignis! You scared the living daylights outta me," Prompto huffed, forcing himself to relax.
"Apologies," Ignis held out a gloved hand and Prompto hesitantly took it. He was pulled out onto the sidewalk, the pitter patter of rain drumming against the black cloth of Ignis' umbrella.
"I didn't wish to see you get wet," Ignis explained, shutting the door behind him. "It grew a bit heavy on the drive here."
"Aw, you didn't have to go through the trouble," Prompto began.
He was cut off with a quick, 'It's no trouble,' from Iggy and smiled. How someone could be so thoughtful, he had no idea. But he supposed it came with being raised to advise someone like Noctis - a kid who seems to need guidance no matter the situation.
"Thanks, man. I appreciate it," He paused, feeling a little underwhelming. Ignis made him dinner and drove him home, so it only seemed polite to ask him inside for a coffee or a towel to dry his glasses off with. Sure, he was still a bit intimidating, but the guy seemed genuinely nice. "Hey, you wanna come inside for a spell? Maybe until the rain lightens up? It's probably dangerous to be driving on on the road, you know?"
Ignis pursed his lips, but he nodded nonetheless. "If it's no bother."
"Of course not!" Prompto grabbed his wrist and urged him forward, walking up the concrete steps to the unlocked door. It opened with a creak and the red rug of the long corridor stretched off to two stairwells and a diamond-barred elevator. Prompto ushered him to the side, waving off the elevator with a frown.
"Sorry, we have to take the stairs. The landlord really needs to get that thing fixed. I mean, it's just one flight of stairs, but some people have disabilities you know?"
"How long has it been in need of repairs?" Ignis questioned.
Prompto shrugged. "I've only lived here for three months. Hasn't been running since I moved in."
Both of them trudged up the stairwell, the cold draft of the building sweeping under their jackets and raising goosebumps. Prompto felt embarrassment tug at his chest, only now realizing just how run down and gross the place was. He kinda got use to the state it was in, but Ignis was from a castle - with servants and silver platters and fancy teas and amazing food. He self consciously dug into his pockets for his keys, trying to dissuade himself from apologizing for the apartment complex. At least he kept his room clean and livable.
The door popped open with a less than appealing squeal and Prompto fell into his quarters, spinning on a heel and throwing his arms out wide. "Ta-dah! It's not much, but it's mine."
"It's…" Ignis hesitated, and Prompto noticed how he struggled to come up with the right word. "It's very quaint."
Prompto grinned widely, unable to tease him the way he would Noctis and strolled towards the kitchen. He opened the cupboards, scanning through the few boxes of cereal and junk food for a small package of green tea he'd had for ages.
"Do you like tea, Ignis?"
"Yes. That sounds lovely."
There were three packets left, and they didn't have strings. Just white, threaded bags you dunked into hot water and let simmer. He put a pot on the stove, filling it with sink water before leaving it to heat up. Two ceramic mugs - one with a chocobo cartoon stenciled along its side - were set aside. Ignis and him sat at the small counter, Prompto leaning on one side and Ignis taking the single stool.
"How are you doing, living on your own?" Ignis asked. He kept drumming his fingers along his thigh and Prompto wondered if he was being a bad host. The other man seemed antsy. "Is school treating you well?"
"I keep busy," Prompto said. "I mostly just go to school and then work, but homework is easy and I don't get as many hours as I'd like. But what about you? It must be really cool to be living in the castle with royalty!"
"Yes, it does have its perks," Ignis paused in his musings, but he looked upset at the thought. "Though, I suppose it gets lonely."
"Lonely?"
Ignis locked eyes with him, a grim frown marring his face. "You do know I was born to be the King's advisor, yes?"
"Of course."
"Well, it's all I know. My life revolves around Noctis, and well…" Ignis trailed off, suddenly reeling back and clearing his throat. "I- my apologies. Here I am, venting my frustrations to a host. Forgive me."
"No! Hey, no, it's chill," Prompto assured him, backing up to take the pot off the stove top and fill their mugs. "Listen, I get it. Well, no, I don't get your feelings entirely, but I can understand where you're coming from. You were born to be by Noct's side, and lately, he's been trying to strike out on his own."
Ignis visibly relaxed and cupped his hands around the chocobo mug when it was pushed in front of him. "Yes. It's been rather… empty without him. I feel a bit useless." He laughed scathingly, cheeks heating up as if embarrassed.
Prompto frowned and leaned forward, trying to look as serious as he could. "You're not useless Ignis. You're an amazing cook, and your super duper considerate of others! Like, I hardly know you, but you're the one of the most kind people I've met! And it's not like Noct will be gone forever! He's coming back to the castle at the end of the school year."
"Perhaps it is a bit of an irrational feeling," Ignis mumbled.
"Not irrational," Prompto pushed. "It's not irrational at all."
Ignis smiled at him and took a small sip of his tea, steam fogging up his glasses. "Irrational or not, it feels strange seeing him grow up. I use to cook him every meal, sneak in vegetables every time and pick out his clothes in the morning. When we were younger, I taught him how to bathe. Sorry." He apologised, noticing Prompto's gagging face. "Perhaps that was too much information."
Prompto shoved his cheek against a palm. "Naw, I get it. You practically raised him. You're like, his mom in a way, I guess. I mean, not to be rude."
"No offense taken."
"You always took care of him. Habits are hard to break, and you seem like someone comfortable with routine."
"Thank you, Prompto. You're a very considerate person as well."
Prompto choked on his tea and discreetly tried to spit it back out. "Hah, first time I heard that. But thanks. Listen, I know we don't know eachother that well, but if you ever want to talk, just let me know. It's not like I'm all that busy. Me, you and Noct can hang out sometime! Or, if he's busy, I wouldn't mind you and me just hanging out! Maybe I can help take your mind off things."
Ignis set his tea aside, mug now empty. "I think I just may take you up on that offer."