Author's note: This is a themed story created for Final Fantasy XV Week on tumblr. Theme is "Stand with me".
Watchful Duty
"What a great breakfast!" Prompto exclaimed, patting his stomach. He had convinced Ignis to stop attacking the barbecue grill with cleaner long enough to venture a walk.
Ignis had been feeling especially stiff this morning, so he obliged and shortened his scrubbing regimen of steel to a less than pristine shine.
Gladiolus and Noctis had already ventured ahead of them to train. If Gladiolus threatened to dump ice cold water on Noctis, then the bodyguard wasn't fooling around because he would do it.
Ignis supposed that was a successful way to pull the prince out of his sleeping bag.
"So where to?" Prompto asked as they started strolling. They had a pretty large expanse of field to explore -perhaps even forage for hidden cooking reagents in some of the shrubbery- and no monsters in sight. Yet.
As Ignis began thinking of the possibilities, quiet, shrill squeaks met his ears. Normally, lumbering animal grunts or a bubbling creek were the typical sounds so far out from uninhabited areas.
He inquisitively glanced over at Prompto, who swung his neck left and right and moved away, having also heard the sound.
"That's strange," Prompto piped up. "Shouldn't it be enemy-free here?"
Ignis couldn't identify what made that familiar noise. All he spied was grass and rocks.
"Over here, Iggy!" came Prompto's call from his left.
Catching up to a crouched Prompto, Ignis saw the blond struggling to hold something in his arms.
The something was a pint-size Chicobo, terrified at being seized. It wouldn't stop jittering.
"Whoa, whoa, I'm not gonna do anything!" Prompto tried very hard not to crush the poor bird while attempting to soothingly pet it. The flailing wings weren't making Prompto's task easy.
Ignis scanned the area. No adult Chocobos were in sight. "Hmm, where did this rascal come from?"
Prompto finally got a hold of the bird. "I dunno, but I'm going to look for his owner. Maybe mama bird is nearby. You stay here so we've a better chance at finding her."
"We should go to the Chocobo Ranch and let them deal with him." Ignis thought this was a rare instance to enjoy shirking his responsibilities.
"But what if Mama is right here? She'll have no idea where her kid has disappeared to! Besides, the ranch is a lot farther than we wanted to go."
"Prompto!"
"I'll search for a couple minutes. Watch over the lil' guy, ok?" Prompto carefully handed over his delicate prize and left in the direction of a cluster of trees before Ignis could respond.
Ignis sighed and hesitantly eyed the small ball of fluff in his hands. When did he volunteer to become a caretaker? Other than riding Chocobos, Ignis had scant experience doing anything else with them.
The Chicobo began fluttering its tiny wings in panic, obviously wanting to be out of the grasp of another unfamiliar human.
To which Ignis automatically cupped his hands and began to coo, unable to think of what else to do to calm down the creature.
"Oh, oh, what is this I've gotten myself into?" Ignis muttered in a singsong manner between his awfully embarrassing noises he'd never done around his comrades.
Chicobo jumped twice, attempting to fly and escape much to Ignis's amusement. His guest stayed airborne for some seconds before grounding himself in Ignis's palms again.
Perhaps remaining passive was the key. Ignis stilled, hoping his plan wouldn't backfire.
The tense yellow bundle looked up curiously at his unmoving host, his chirps lessening in intensity, but still edgy.
Things seemed to be going well. In even tones, Ignis began ruminating, even if he was fairly certain the little dickens wouldn't understand what he said. "Did you lose your way? Your family shouldn't be too far, yes?"
Ignis's playmate shifted despondently. Cheep, cheep.
"It's all right. Don't fret. I'll be here until someone returns." Pity inspired Ignis to reach out a gloved finger to smooth over the fuzzy plumage of the chick's crown.
Cheep. Cheep, cheep, cheep! The egg-sized bird perked and raised a wing.
Ignis couldn't understand Chocobo language, so he continued to speak, as the Chicobo seemed to like it.
"What a handful this party has been. Gladiolus's training is naturally difficult, yet even I will admit to needing a break."
Figuring Prompto would take a long while, Ignis went to a weather-worn flat hunk of stone and made himself comfortable. He drew his knees together before urging the chick to sit on his thighs.
"Prompto drives me crazy with his dinner requests. Whoever heard of adding Warkshire sauce on a sirloin? That condiment complements best with fish."
The Chicobo tilted his head, then preened.
"Noctis. Sleeping every other time I look and refusing to eat some of my cuisine due to vegetables. The colors can be so beautiful and he insists on discarding those carrots and peppers."
Ignis hadn't intended to complain, but doing so sure felt cathartic. He let out a slow breath of satisfaction.
At the mention of tasty food, the Chicobo hopped in place. He waddled closer to Ignis's lap and Ignis found himself on the receiving end of a doe-eyed silent plea.
"I'm sorry. I don't have anything." Ignis assumed the excited hopping meant hunger.
Apparently not believing him, the tiny bird hooked his tiny clawed feet and trekked an ascent along his buttoned shirtfront.
"Good heavens, where are you going?" Ignis had to clutch his arms to his stomach to keep the bird from tumbling down below.
The Chicobo reached the apex of his closed shirt, merrily tweeting the whole way.
"Funny," Ignis grumbled and a sudden brush of soft feathers on his clavicle turned the grouse into a laugh. Chocobo feathers definitely felt pleasant and did they tickle!
Cheep! Cheep! The playful Chicobo wasn't letting up, flicking his wings to swoop up onto Ignis's shoulder.
"I'm telling the truth. Ooh…" Another heavenly brush of those divine feathers on his neck petered his protest.
Footsteps began approaching as Ignis was laughing at the downy teasing which never ended. Ignis raised his chin and Prompto grinned as he came towards Ignis.
"Well, well, what a quaint scene we have here." Prompto stopped in front of the seated man, placing his hands on his hips.
The Chicobo had somehow begun a game of hide-and-seek and as Ignis craned his head to find him, he asked, "Any good news?"
"Yup! Found one worried mom in there. Or maybe it's a dad." Prompto smiled dreamily at Ignis and Ignis raised a brow at the odd expression.
"Let's set off, shall we?" His plucky feathered friend took residence at the top of the Ignis tower in his slicked up thick hair.
"Oh, before we go-" With lightning speed, Prompto whipped out his camera to snap a photo.
Or five, as he knew Ignis couldn't chase after him with such delicate cargo in his possession. Ignis could only glare while Prompto could only guffaw.
"Hey, it's for Noct and Gladio who missed out!" Prompto yelled with much chortling and turned to run away.
Ignis shook his head and the Chicobo flew out to land on his open palm.
Ignis nodded at his singing companion. "All right, let's get you back where you belong."
-THE END-