"Great job, Iggy! Pretty soon you won't even need me anymore," Prompto said as he playfully slapped Ignis on the back.
"I suppose I did do most of the work this time."
Prompto snorted. "Don't get too big of a head; I'm getting stronger but still not strong enough to carry a big-headed Specs all the way back to camp."
Ignis let the corner of his lip turn up. It was nice to joke again. Ignis had noticed that Prompto's fighting style had become more aggressive as of late and he had wondered if he had upped his physical training. Each of them had found their own way of trying to compensate for Notics not being available in a fight. "We should probably head back." He paused before continuing. "I hear Gladio is returning for a visit this evening." He heard Prompto swallow hard.
"Oh yeah? I've been wondering how the big guy has been doing."
Ignis purposefully chose not to ask why Prompto hadn't just tried to contact Gladio by phone, because he hadn't tried either. Ignis felt Prompto's hand on his back gently turn him in the right direction, and then the pressure left. Ignis followed the sound of the Prompto's footsteps and voice back toward Hammerhead. Neither Ignis nor Prompto verbally identified this part as training, but Ignis found it vital that he be able to stay in a group without being physically guided all of the time.
"Do you know what brings him by?"
"I'm… not certain. Possibly Iris – she is the one who informed me of his arrival."
"Iris, huh?" Ignis didn't have to see the smirk to know it was there. "Ya know, you two seem to be spending more time together these days…"
"I'm not sure I know what you are trying to imply, Prompto," Ignis saw her as a friend and little sister, but decided he would feed Prompto's warped interpretation in an attempt to create a diversion from a truth he hadn't shared with anyone.
"Oh, nothing. Just making an observation." The smugness in Prompto's voice was almost palatable.
"What about Cindy?" It was a low blow, but Ingis was flustered after feeling attacked.
"Uh… what about Cindy?" At least the smugness was gone and replaced by the nervous tone Ignis was used to with Prompto, especially when discussing women. "She's fine… I think… I mean, I think she's doing okay."
Ignis did his best to hide his smirk. "Indeed." The silence that followed allowed Ignis to focus on using all his senses other than sight. First, he caught the smell. Then he heard multiple voices, but they were still far off. "We are getting close? And it is dinner, yes? So, evening?"
"Almost, Iggy. It's about three o'clock. But it is dark, of course." Ignis heard Prompto inhale deeply through his nose and then let out a satisfied sound. "It may be early, but I'm hungry."
"Smells like Iris is cooking this evening." He had given her some lessons, but she had a natural talent. She was one of the few people who created food that he actually enjoyed. "I suppose it is for Galdio."
"No offence, Iggy, but there is something different about her cooking," Prompto said as he slapped Ignis' shoulder.
Ignis took a moment to regain his bearings before continuing forward. "As long as it is just different, and not 'better'."
Prompto answered with a snort.
The sounds and smells became even stronger and the sound of his footsteps changed from dirt to gravel – they were near the parameter of Hammerhead. Ignis heard the UV lights humming as they continued toward the smell of food. Just when he was about to bid Prompto farewell to change before dinner, he heard her voice.
"What's she doing here?" Prompto muttered.
Ignis took a deep breath and reoriented himself. He hadn't been expecting herback yet. He wished he had his sight back, just for a few moments, to better gage the situation. He decided to continue on his original path. "Thank you, again, for the training, Prompto. I'll rejoin you shortly." He was certain Prompto was too preoccupied to hear him.
"So, you came with Gladio?" Ignis tried to keep a gentlemanly tone in his voice, but struggled. He took another sip on his coffee. All the others had gone to bed, to relax or continue to train, but he and Aranea remained sitting next to each other by the fire. Ignis had been able to keep the façade going all evening, but now his confusion and frustration was showing through; he would chastise himself later.
"No need to sound so jealous. We happened to run into each other and made a pretty good fighting team. Went on a few hunts. We were headed back toward Lestallum for some supplies and he mentioned stopping by here to see his sister. I took a guess you'd be here, and I was right."
It had been a while and Ignis hadn't had the warning he needed to prepare what to say. He had done some thinking while the group had been swapping stories and making small talk, but it wasn't enough time. His feelings for her continued to grow, but he had to admit to himself that he still found her somewhat intimidating. Before he could speak, he felt his coffee mug leave his hand and weight on his lap.
Prompto had to do a double-take. He had been on his way from the bathroom to the bed in the caravan when he saw it. Areana was straddling Specs, on a camping chair. "Shit," he muttered under his breath. He blinked several times, and even wiped his face, but the image remained. After a few moments, which felt more like minutes to the blonde, she got up and walked toward the garage, likely to join Cindy and Iris for the night. When he saw Specs stand, he realized he was gawking. As quickly as he could, he put his towel up to dry, pulled on a pair of underwear and jumped into bed.
He laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, ready to fain sleeping as soon as he heard the door open. Prompto couldn't believe what he had seen. He had been so sure about Ignis and Iris, but Ignis and Aranea? It didn't make much sense. When he started to dig through his memories pre-crystal, it had seemed like Ignis had been extra kind to Araena when she had fought alongside them. However, Ignis was usually kind, or at least appeared that way, to every ally. Post crystal, they had run into her on and off over the last few years but Prompto couldn't remember noticing anything out of the ordinary. Maybe he had misinterpreted the encounter he just witnessed? Although, he could think of no non-sexual reason for the Commodore to be straddling his friend with no one else around.
As soon as he heard the quiet creak of the door, he squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to take slow, deep breaths. Ignis may have been blind, but Prompto knew his other senses were stronger than they used to be. As he listened to Ignis prepare for bed, Prompto struggled with conflicted feelings. He was glad Iggy finally had something – someone – to distract him from the horrible state of the world around them, but he was also jealous. Not only had Prompto been attracted to Areana, and voiced that attraction on several occasions, but he had never had a woman reciprocate his feelings as easily as Aranea had appeared to with Ignis. He had focused all of his attention onto Cindy recently, but it seemed to be going nowhere. No wonder Iggy was so smug earlier tday, Prompto thought, he already has his girl.
Ignis mentally kicked himself repeatedly as he prepared for bed. He hadn't known what to do when the woman of his desire had climbed onto his lap. He had always considered himself a man of propriety and therefore hadn't been prepared for such a bold move, though he should have gotten used to expecting the unexpected when it came to Arenea. Due to feeling flustered, he hadn't responded in the best way.
"Did you miss me, Specs?" Aranea purred after climbing onto his lap. He felt her remove his glasses as she spoke, and it sounded as if she dropped them to the ground.
"I…" he gulped before continuing, "It is nice to see you back so soon, Ms. Highwind."
"See, there you go," she said, her voice back to its normal tone. "Always so formal, especially when you are nervous. You need to loosen up, Specs," she said as she ran her hand down the side of his left cheek. He had to stifle a shiver.
His frustration was building – he had nothing sensible to say and his body felt frozen in place. After a few moments of silence, he felt the weight leave his lap.
"Fine. Have it your way, Ignis," she bit.
"I dreamt of you almost every night." He heard her footfalls cease. It was coming out in a rush, without his control. "Those dreams are my only savior from the nightmares. In them, I still see you, Aranea."
He heard the retreating footfalls again, then silence.