Ignis pulled into traffic.
The drive from the high school to the Citadel was an all too familiar route for him. Dropping off and retrieving Noctis daily was time consuming, and, with an already tight schedule, Ignis would be lying if he said he's never considered handing the task to another, but, for as tempting as it was at times, he would not falter in his duties to the Prince–no matter how trivial they seemed.
Of course, he had an ulterior motive this particular day. He could not, he felt, wait for the Prince to present his new friend, Prompto, at his own leisure. No doubt, Noctis would wait far too long for such introductions, and, by then, whatever damage this friendship could inflict would possibly already be done.
Ignis could feel the death glare Prince Noctis currently had directed at him from the backseat, but he was hardly concerned with the young man's ire. After all, Ignis earned that same wrath every time he attempted to get Noctis to eat his vegetables, or complete his homework, or study the latest political reports, or…
Honestly, as of late, Ignis felt that heated, angry stare almost every time he spoke with the teen. He'd become quite immune to it.
An uncomfortable silence filled the vehicle, and though Ignis was loath to turn the radio on, he also found the quiet unbearable. Alone, it would have been heaven, but with the two still figures in the back, he felt the weight of their uneasiness crushing him.
Letting out a tired sigh, he decided to address the issue at hand as directly as possible. Perhaps, that would hasten this situation along.
"I'm afraid I have a bit of a confession to make," Ignis began, guilt creeping over him as the Argentum boy gave a slight start at the suddenness of his voice. "As an Advisor to Prince Noctis, a part of my duty is to know everything I can about those who surround him."
Judging by the look of horror Noctis was giving him, Ignis assumed that the Prince guessed what was coming and was not entirely thrilled.
Prompto smiled and gave a slight nod. "That makes sense."
"I'm glad you agree, because, as it is my duty, I've researched you." Ignis paused, watching in the rearview mirror as the realization of what was said slowly dawned on the young man.
"Me?" Prompto's voice was a hoarse whisper. "But, t-there's not much…I-I mean, I'm not someone important, really." Brow furrowed, the boy swallowed hard before catching Ignis' gaze. "Did you find anything…you know…weird?"
Ignis arched a brow, curious as to what exactly had the young man concerned.
"Is there anything in particular you were thinking I might find odd?" Ignis asked, trying to convey a knowing tone, hoping he could bluff out some hidden secret.
Eye averted, shoulders hunched, the young man let out a low, shaky sigh.
Suddenly, Prompto was talking a mile a minute. "That uncooked bean I shoved up my nose…well, I was only three, and that's perfectly normal for a three year old to do something that stupid. I mean, I shouldn't have had a hard little bean like that! I know that's in my medical record. I had to go in to get it out, but I don't really remember it. My mom told me about it, and…" He slowed only long enough to draw in one deep breath. "…the coin I got stuck in my ear in when I was ten, well, I was trying to learn this magic trick, but it wasn't working , and I just thought…well, it had to disappear somewhere, right?"
Ignis held back his groan, sorry that he'd pushed the subject.
"Now…" Prompto continued, "…the marble I got stuck up my nose last year. I-I really don't have a good explanation for that. It just sorta happened. I think I was just driven insane by boredom, but it got me out of math class that day."
At this point Noctis was ruddy faced as undignified snorts of laughter escaped from him.
"Dude," the Prince finally managed, "just calm down. If Ignis invited you for dinner, you obviously passed whatever screening he puts people through. Stop freaking out."
Prompto clamped his mouth shut, his cheeks crimson, his expression one of pure misery. He was a truly pitiful sight. It was enough to actually make Ignis feel remorse for his badgering.
"Noctis…" Ignis began "…got his head stuck in one of the grand chairs in the great dining hall when he was eleven." He paused, offering a soft smile when he made eye contact with Prompto in the rearview mirror. "It happened during a royal banquet."
"Hey!" Noctis snapped. "Not cool."
"I had to remove Noctis and the chair while the dignitaries ate." Ignis added. "It was a most embarrassing scene. The armrest had to be cut off to free him."
Prompto let out a low laugh, and although Noctis grumbled for a while longer, Ignis didn't miss that candid look of appreciation the Prince flashed his way.
Evidently feeling at ease, the boys commenced conversing about video games and comics. Ignis listened, not wishing to intrude on the lively banter. They sounded so ordinary…so happy. He was a bit envious of them.
Perhaps Noctis had made a true friend. Prompto seemed genuine enough, and Ignis highly doubted the youth had any devious plots to abduct or murder their young Prince, but…
This Argentum boy hadn't grown up in the Citadel. He would be at a loss if invited to ceremonies, and his attire would, most likely, not suffice for such events. Without countless hours of training and a tailor, he would find it difficult to navigate royal functions without making a spectacle of himself.
Additionally, he was a nervous talker.
Ignis had barely applied pressure and the boy was regurgitating every worry that must have slunk into his head. Prompto wouldn't be able to keep secrets. He'd probably never kept one his entire life–especially not any that could have meant the difference between life or death.
Approached by the wrong people, Prompto could, unknowingly, give them vital information about the Prince's schedule or Citadel security. His penchant for photography would also be problematic. Unflattering photos of the royal family fetched a high price on the open market, and way too much information could be gleaned from a single shot taken from within the right areas of the Citadel.
No matter how pleasant he seemed, Prompto was a huge security risk.
Stirred from his thoughts, Ignis caught the loud laugh from the Prince in the backseat. It'd been too long since he'd heard such mirth from the youth. Holding his emotions neutral was proving to be too much of a task, and Ignis was surprised to find that he actually liked Prompto.
There was a muted happiness that warmed Ignis as he listened to the two. Noctis deserved to experience these elements of a normal life.
Yet, Ignis couldn't stave off his ever growing dread. He would have to play the villain eventually. He would be the one to deny outings and lecture the Prince on time management, and he would be the one left to point of how out of place Prompto would be trying to fit into certain aspects of their lives. Ignis would be the one to hound Noctis about security risks with his new friend and to second guess every activity they planned.
To serve his Prince and Kingdom, Ignis would have to put his duties before the young man's happiness.
At first, Prompto had been thrilled with the invitation. Not only was he going to hang out with Noct outside of school, he was getting a real, not-cup-o'-noodles dinner. The thought of eating a whole meal of Ignis' cooking already had his mouth watering.
And then he remembered exactly how far the Citadel was from his house. With his parents gone, he'd have to catch a bus home. What if he stayed late? He didn't know the bus routes for that area. Did he have any coin on him? Could he pay for a bus? Did buses go to the Citadel? He felt too foolish to ask. Maybe it was better to just decline the offer?
Then, Ignis, as if some magical mind reader, said he'd give him a ride home after.
Elation returning, Prompto almost couldn't contain himself, and that's when he realized he was going to get to ride in the luxury car–that beautiful, sleek, black wondrous vehicle.
It took everything in him not to let his mounting excitement turn him into a loud, squirming ball of energy. Sliding into the car beside Noctis, he couldn't believe how lucky he was. He felt so…so…
Instantly his euphoria died away as his gaze settled on his wristband. Eradicating his elation, a white hot panic engulfed him.
He couldn't do this. The Citadel? Oh Six, how had he not planned for this? How had he completely overlooked how complicated this would be? He'd always thought that approaching and befriending Noctis would be his biggest obstacle, but…What if his secret was exposed? Would they banish him? Execute him? Would Noctis hate him after he found out?
The tattoo on his wrist had, for so long, held a vague danger to it. When he was eight and had finally grown tired of constantly wearing the 'magical' wristband that, in his imagination, gave him super powers, his parents told him the truth of his birth. They'd never kept it from him that he was adopted, saying that they were lucky that they, unlike others, got to choose their child, but they hadn't told him everything about where he'd come from.
He was not from the Kingdom of Lucis. His parents held him close, their voices soft, loving, as they explained that he was from Niflheim, and the tattoo was a mark of that kingdom. They explained that in order to keep him safe, they'd crafted him the wristband, so that no one in Insomnia would see the mark of the dreaded Niflheim Kingdom on him.
Niflheim–even as young as he was, Prompto recognized the name of Lucis' enemy.
Enemy…
He had cried at that. He begged his parents to take it back, to make it untrue. He couldn't be from Niflheim. He didn't want to be the enemy.
All the while, they hugged him tight, whispering how much they loved him–how special he was, and how lucky they were to have him in their lives. Never, they told him, was he an enemy to them or anyone in Lucis. He was their sweet, little Prompto.
But, they stressed that his tattoo had to stay hidden–that it was easier for some people to hate than to see the truth that was before them. As he grew up, he'd seen that hate. He'd heard how people vehemently spoke of the dirty Nifs–of how the only good Nif was a dead Nif.
Fidgeting with his seatbelt, Prompto felt eyes on him, and he looked up, finding Noctis watching him with a rather concerned expression. Realizing that he'd let his jubilant mood slip rather abruptly, Prompto forced a smile back onto his face.
Noctis smiled back, but the concern still lingered in his gaze.
"You don't have to go… if you don't want." The Prince's voice was quiet, tinged with uncertainty.
"No, I want to. It's just…" Prompto paused, watching Ignis make his way around the car to the driver's door. "I just hope I don't make a fool of myself. I mean, the Citadel? What if I do something stupid? I don't know the etiquette." A raspy gasp escaped him as he realized that he might meet the King–the actually frickin' King of Lucis. He rubbed his wrist absentmindedly but stopped as soon as he realized what he was doing. "We're not going to meet your dad, are we? I don't think…I mean, it would be nice to meet him someday…but maybe…just…not…today." Heart pounding, a little voice in his head screamed at him to claw at the door, fling it open and run.
Then, Ignis was in the car, starting the engine.
"It's okay, Prompto." Noctis replied. "My father's schedule is beyond full for this week. He's barely had any time to see me. I doubt he'd have the time for an audience with us today, and I'm sure Ignis understands how overwhelming someone's first visit to the Citadel can be, and he will not do anything to make you uncomfortable."
Still wrestling down his panic, Prompto didn't yet trust his voice. In response, he flashed another, easier, smile at Noctis. The Prince returned the gesture as the car started moving.
At first, no one spoke. Noctis held a seething glare at Ignis, Ignis kept his eyes on the road, and Prompto sat, uncomfortably watching the scene, trying to decide what exactly was going on. Was Noctis mad at Ignis for inviting him to dinner? Did Noct now want him coming to the Citadel? Should he have declined the offer?
"I'm afraid I have a bit of a confession to make." Ignis' voice was sudden and sharp in the stillness, startling Prompto from his thoughts. "As an Advisor to Prince Noctis, a part of my duty is to know everything I can about those who surround him."
Catching Ignis' gaze in the rearview mirror, Prompto smiled. "That makes sense."
"I'm glad you agree," Ignis replied, "because, as it is my duty, I've researched you."
That ugly pull of panic swept over Prompto again.
"Me?" He answered, wondering if his words could even be heard over the insane pounding of his heart. "But, t-there's not much…I-I mean, I'm not someone important, really." He paused, composing himself before he got to the state of tears. "Did you find anything…you know…weird?" Prompto cringed a little after he'd asked the question. It had, after all, even to his own ears, sounded as suspicious as all heck.
Ignis was quick to ask, "Is there anything in particular you were thinking I might find odd?"
Oh Six! What did this man know? Was there anything in his medical records? Prompto didn't think so. His parents had been careful to hide his tattoo even from doctors. It hadn't been easy, but they had been diligent, and they had reassured him that, besides the mark on his wrist, there were few, if any medical tests that could prove he was from Niflheim.
Ignis couldn't know. There was no way he knew. He didn't know, right?
Doubt began to gnaw at Prompto. Hunched over, he stared down at his lap, wishing he could think of something to say. Knowing that his silence only made Ignis suspicions grow, the young man forced himself to answer.
The words cascaded out of him in a frenzy, his mind fuzzy and blank as he fumbled over each sentence. At first, he wasn't even sure what he'd launched himself into.
The bean up his nose? The coin in his ear? Oh sweet beyond, why did he tell them about the marble last year?
His face burning with embarrassment, he could hear Noctis' chortle of laughter and see the tinge of redness in Ignis' ears.
"Dude," Noct managed to wheeze out, "just calm down. If Ignis invited you for dinner, you obviously passed whatever screening he puts people through. Stop freaking out."
Prompto snapped his mouth shut, realizing what the Prince said was true. If Ignis had known he was from Niflheim, he would have never invited him to the Citadel.
Still, a part of Prompto wasn't sure. He wanted to trust that Ignis meant him no harm, but…
"Noctis…" Ignis began "…got his head stuck in one of the grand chairs in the great dining hall when he was eleven. It happened during a royal banquet."
"Hey!" Noctis snapped. "Not cool."
Prompto blinked, at first stunned by the story, but then comprehending it for what it was–a gesture of kindness, a way to ease his own embarrassment.
"I had to remove Noctis and the chair while the dignitaries ate." There was a warmth, a fond remembrance in Ignis' voice, even though his words conveyed a distaste for the event. "It was a most embarrassing scene. The armrest had to be cut off to free him."
Prompto stifled his laughter to a low chuckle. Noctis grumbled a bit, but the Prince seemed to take the reveal of his past blunder in good stride otherwise.
Tension fading, Noctis and Prompto chatted idly for a bit before launching into a serious discussion about the expansion of King's Knight.
Prompto had thought of trying to wrangle Ignis into the conversation, but he wasn't sure if he was a fan of the game. In fact, there wasn't a lot Prompto knew about Ignis. Noctis often complained about the Advisor nagging him to do his homework, or cooking too many vegetables with meals, or how he was always so zealously always perfectly on time.
It was an interesting dynamic the Prince and his Advisor had.
Noctis had lost his mother when he was very young. The Kingdom had plunged into mourning for months after her death. Prompto had vague memories of it.
With the burden of running a Kingdom on his shoulders, King Regis probably couldn't afford to take the time to raise a child, so, Prompto reasoned that was where Ignis came in.
It must have been nice to have someone who was always at your side, who was always looking out for you, making sure you ate right, that you did your homework. Noct was sure lucky.
The funny thing was that Ignis really wasn't that much older than them, and Prompto had to marvel at how well the guy had himself put together. It probably didn't hurt that he'd most certainly gotten one of the best educations in the Kingdom, but still he was impressive. After all, Prompto could barely manage to take care of himself, and this guy, only a few years older, was taking care of a Prince. Ignis was basically a caretaker for the future of Lucis.
Prompto wondered how difficult a burden that was to bear. It made him feel a twinge of pity for the guy. It made him want to do something to help.
Smiling to himself, Prompto set himself a new goal.
He was going to become friends with Ignis as well, because, darn it, the guy looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and, honestly, he just looked like he could use a friend.