Dinner Bet
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy XV or any of the mentioned characters. I only own the plot which is not much. So please leave me alone….
Author's Note: This is probably gonna be a short one. I have minimal cooking skills myself so I can relate to Noctis on so many levels for this one department. Noctis is also a teen in this story for context sake. This is for Day 2 of the Ignoct week challenge. Better late than never… although I don't think I have anymore ideas for the week. Please enjoy.
Theme: Noctis Cooks
"Highness, I don't mean to sound rude but what the hell are you doing in the kitchen?" Ignis found himself blurting out as he came into the royal kitchen to see the crown prince washing something in the kitchen sink. He had arrived to make dinner for Noctis as usual to only see things set up as if he was already preparing dinner. Noctis was too focused on this current task to answer. He was washing the rice like he remembered seeing Ignis do for years. Prompto told him that he couldn't cook his own dinner and even made a bet with Gladio to prove to the prince that he wouldn't be able to make a solid meal that wasn't cup noodles for dinner. They had bet one week of arcade games and two hours a night in the training hall with the glaives to make it interesting. Besides, it was a simple bet between them until Nyx Ulric heard them laughing about it.
"So what's the bet?" Nyx asked them curiously. They both turned to him and grinned. "Well I bet Noct a week at the arcade on my dime if he could cook a decent dinner meal for himself tonight. Gladio wagered to train with the glaives if he lost the bet otherwise Noct will be spending two hours a night with you guys," Prompto responded cheekily. Nyx smirked at them, "Raise your bet. I bet 200 gil he can do it." He pulled out 200 gil to prove he was serious. "What do you say to a friendly wager between all of the glaives and the crownsguard members?" They both smirked, knowing the crown prince would fail. Noctis was hopeless in the kitchen. "Ulric, you have yourself a deal," Gladio responded proudly. "Let's go get the pool started."
Which brings us back to Noctis… washing rice to cook with, the water slowly coming to a boil on a medium setting. He finished washing the rice, dumping it into the pot once the water was on boil. In the meantime, he had taken out the cutting board and had a couple of vegetables on the side. Picking up the knife he grabbed a carrot and began to chop it into thin slices, tossing the top in the garbage before turning to another carrot and repeating the process. He then placed them into a small bowl and washed them as well, emptying the water before washing the cutting board with soap and hot water. He had placed the cutting board on the counter before going to stove and grabbing a pot that was boiling. He turned off the burner and grabbed the handle, bringing it to the sink and grabbing a strainer, emptying out the contents, which from where Ignis was standing was some potatoes. Ignis smiled and watched as Noctis put the rice into the boiling water pot before turning his attention back to the potatoes.
Noctis was so enthralled by the task at hand that he ignored the fact that someone came in to speak to him. He knew that if he answered them then he would get distracted and forget the recipe that he had in his mind to make. He placed the potatoes into a bowl of ice water and washed the dishes that were already used and he had finished with. Placing the items into the dishwasher, he took the steak that was on the counter, seasoning it with some salt and pepper before turning back to the stove. He had a frying pan in the front that was on a medium heat waiting to be used. Adding some olive oil, he had applied the streak, browning each side for a minute at a time for each side before tossing in some butter, a piece of garlic and some tyme. As the butter melted, he basted the piece of meat before placing it in the oven and setting the timer for seven to ten minutes. He returned to the rice and stirred it a few times bringing the temperature down to medium and placing a lid on it.
He then went back to the potatoes and peeled them and chopped them more before getting another pan to saute the potatoes some more with the carrots and broccoli making sure to add a pinch of salt and pepper. He turned the rice more and returned to the vegetables he was working with in the pan before turning the temperature to warm and covering it with an lid. After the timer went off on his steak he took it out and placed it to rest before finishing up with the vegetables and rice. He plated it all before he turned around to see Ignis standing there watching him with a small smile and a raised eyebrow.
"Couldn't wait for me to make you something, Noct?" "Honestly, I am doing this more as a way to prove a point," was the answer Ignis received. He watched as the prince cut into the steak revealing the meat cooked to perfection. Ignis whistled at how well it looked. He walked over to the counter to inspect the meal, making sure everything was cooked before he took the fork and knife out of Noctis' hands and began to eat the meal before him. "Don't you know how to cook?" Ignis smirked at Noctis, placing the utensils down before smiling and walking away, grabbing the water bottle on the counter. He waved before leaving the kitchen and making his way to the glaive training grounds, smiling as he walked up to the group waiting to hear what he had to say.
"So?" Nyx asked quietly. "What's the diagnosis?" They all held their breaths as he took a deep breath, exhaled and answered, "You all owe Nyx 200 gil each. Prompto you owe Noct one week in the arcade on your dime oh and Gladio, you are spending the next week training with the glaives for two hours a night." He walked up to the board on the wall that had the pool odds listed, grabbing a marker and writing on the board. He then went back to the kitchen leaving the entire group dumbfounded and scrambling back to the kitchens. As they entered, Ignis had a glass of wine in his hands and was enjoying the dinner that Noctis prepared.
"What the hell is going on Iggy?" Gladio asked with a bit of curiosity seeping through. "What does it look like? I'm having dinner. Do you mind?" This only caused Prompto to step forward and take a bite, ignoring the glare of the raven haired prince and the smile of the chamberlain. "This is really good. Noct did you really make this?" This caused the prince to growl, ignoring him and going to clean up the mess he had made. "How rude Prompto! You all made a critical mistake on this wager. Shall I tell you what you all did wrong?" They all nodded wanting to know how they lost when everyone knew Noctis was awful in the kitchen. So how? How did he manage to win their bet, against all the odds against him?
"Easy," came Noctis' words as he finished washing. He was drying his hands as they watched him with eagle eyes. "Your mistake, was assuming I couldn't cook." They all laughed at his words. "Bullshit Noct, that's absolute bullshit," Gladio replied. "Oh?" was Noct's answer, causing the room to go quiet. Ignis let out a full bodied laugh, "He is telling the truth. He just pretends he doesn't know how to in order to piss me off. Not to mention, he is a better chef than me." They cleared the table, washed the dishes and left the kitchen full of a group of dumbfounded glaives. It wasn't until King Regis entered with Cor and Clarus twenty minutes later that it clicked to them what Ignis had said. Regis only let out a full bellied laugh, "You poor souls got played. He's the crown prince and with Ignis as his advisor and having helped raise him, he excels at everything he does. Hell, he can mop the floor with Cor and Clarus once a month. What is cooking to him? I don't envy Ignis…" He laughed more as he grabbed some ice cream and went to his chambers, the marshall laughing at them as well. Clarus only shook his head and followed suit but only after he looked at his son, "I expect to see you tomorrow at five for training." With that, he left, ignoring the gaping faces.
Noctis on the other hand was sitting in Ignis' apartment in the Citadel, waiting for the brunette to finish making him some cake. "Specs, do you think they will ever figure anything out on their own?" Ignis laughed as he brought Noctis a slice and a cup of hot chocolate, "Hm, if Prompto and Gladio haven't figured out that we have been dating for the past year, then I doubt they will figure out that you're a genius that is a slacker." Noctis smiled cheekily, "That's very true. Happy Anniversary love." Ignis smiled in return, "Happy Anniversary my king."