Author's Notes: Your support puts a smile on my face and heart. Thank you for taking part in this precious adventure!
Ignis stood near waters of crystalline dreams, waiting for the thunderstorm his little brother was due to bring. The morning was calm, graced by the heavens' infinite generosity, compelling him to continually thank the Six for blessing his family with peace. His prince's journey had only just begun, and the world would only grow heavier on Noctis' shoulders in the unfolding hours. There would never be enough time to brace for what was yet to come, but any amount of peace was sacred beyond words. Unfortunately, the call he received a few minutes ago echoed like a battering ram, hammering away at his insides. Altissia's merriment evaded him as he remained rooted near the waters, calm uniting with anxiety on a face of infinite gentleness. What storm brewed beneath the morning's tranquility?
He waited near Altissia's azure waters, their gentle hum missed as he remained on the look-out for his little brother. Breezes wielding the scents of the season sailed by him as the call replayed, drilling holes into the morning light. His brother was urgent, worried, burdened with heartache. What exactly had happened in the hours they were apart?
"Hey, Iggy, got a few minutes? Sorry, but I really need someone to talk to. Noct's busy and I can't talk to him anyway."
The advisor shook his head. He couldn't leave his brothers alone for more than five seconds. Apparently, someone had made the mistake of upsetting Prompto, and it was most likely Noctis, judging from Prompto's inability to tell him anything. It wasn't that Ignis frowned on the idea of having Prompto confide in him; he welcomed it, embraced it with a beaming spirit. Wished it would happen more often. But if Noctis pulled even one feather off the chocobo's head, there would be hell to pay. Especially since the photographer's spirit spent the last couple of weeks sagging.
Ignis grimaced. The prince had a knack for being annoying. If that knack made it anywhere near Prompto-
"Hey! Hey, Ignis!"
Gladio's partner-in-crime gasped, whisked out of his thoughts by a familiar, warm voice. In turning to the left he found Prompto, smiling, kissed by the morning's divine glow. Ignis was able to wrap himself around most mysteries but the photographer evaded him, the brilliance of Prompto's spirit striking him with such force, it always left him visibly stunned-that morning being no exception. The team chef mentally thanked the Six for sending such vibrant, invaluable luminescence into his path before Prompto bounded up to him. It was a genuinely happy photographer that greeted him, unlike the heartbroken Prompto that wandered around with a heavy spirit for a few weeks.
"Hi. Thanks for meetin' me. Sorry if I interrupted anything."
"I never agree to anything against my will," Ignis retaliated, scowling, all the while making a certain little bird feel like royalty. Ignis had a knack for putting his gunslinger on top of the world, even while looking as though he had been force fed lemons. He took a blushing Prompto by the hand, indignant yet gentle, forever loving and kind.
"Now. You requested a gondola ride, and it is a gondola ride you shall have."
Into the nearest boat Ignis led him, hand in hand. After accepting a cordial from their gondolier, advisor and photographer immersed themselves in conversation. Noctis' caretaker continued to marvel at how the morning's melody draped itself about Prompto, as though it were naturally attracted to him, while the chocobo began a set of questions.
"So, how's it going? Having fun?"
"You could say that," was Ignis' firm, calm response. The gunner chuckled with a set of twinkling eyes, spirit emitting the song of the sun. That response was fraudulent and he knew it. Ignis knew it as well as he did-the light of the sun in the advisor's eyes made that apparent. Prompto suddenly found himself at peace for what must've been the first time in eons, drifting upon Altissia's pure waters, wrapped in the morning's gentle arms and wondrously close to a precious friend. A soulmate. "There are quite a few games I'm sure you'll enjoy once the carnival begins," Ignis informed him, arms folded, nodding as though he oversaw an academic lesson.
"I had the honor of aiding preparations for several games."
"Yeah," Prompto chuckled. "You're probably really popular around here now."
"Wouldn't understand why," Ignis argued, completely oblivious to the light Prompto found not only familiar but precious, gentle and wonderful. "Anyway," Professor Scientia continued, as they continued gliding across calm waters.
"I'm certain you'll be filling many more albums with pictures of the carnival. Judging from the jubilance of Altissia's citizens, they're determined to make the celebration of cute, cuddly creatures into an unforgettable one. Should suit you rather well."
Prompto's cheeks reddened. Ignis, Noctis and Gladiolus made constant remarks on him being cute and cuddly, each one of them moving him, wrapping his spirit in the sweetest hugs. Meanwhile, Ignis pressed on as though he had just finished giving his friend a history lesson.
"Now. Would you mind explaining why you summoned me? I assume you didn't wish to simply share a gondola ride with me?"
"Yeah, sorry about that," the photographer chuckled nervously, bowing his head. "Kinda makes this feel like a date, huh? I love gondola rides and everything, but you're always super nice t' me and I dunno, guess I didn't think about how this would look."
…
"C'mon, Iggy, stop giving me that face. You look like you wanna throw me off the boat or something."
Ignis looked nothing short of murderous. "What would stop me? Oh, never mind, I don't care to hear any more of your apologies," he snarled, voice laden with poisonous frustration. It started off light, Ignis' allergy to Prompto's self-loathing, but present time saw it as something primal. Deep-rooted, boiling anger that Prompto could set off with just a few words.
"Just tell me why we're here. Let it be known that I will not hesitate to eject you from this craft if you even think of uttering any more nonsense."
Prompto responded to the gondolier's wide-eyed look with a smile that read 'yeah, Iggy's scary like that'. "Noct's in love with Gladio," the photographer murmured, bowing his head yet again, his voice tiny, shy. That sparked explosive interest; Ignis' eyes widened, alarmed by words he never would've expected to leave his friend's lips. "Yeah," Prompto went on, responding to the confusion on the advisor's face.
"Heard it all. Noct let him have it at the Chocobo Café."
"I'm sure he did," Ignis growled, rolling his eyes, mind reeling over recent events. What madness is this? The last time I checked, Noctis had his eyes set on this aggravating wretch at my side! Surely there's been some misunderstanding!
Prompto continued, strengthening his friend's urge to throw him out of the boat. "I dunno, made me really sad, I guess," he whimpered, head even lower. "But what's really getting me down is this. Iggy, I think-no, I know I'm in love with him."
Not at all amused by how the morning was unfolding, or by Prompto's tendency to execute himself, Ignis groaned: "Who, Gladio?"
"No, silly, Noct. I'm in love with him. I just don't know how to tell him…or if I should tell him at all. I kinda don't have the right to let him know, after all."
With Ignis ready to impale him on one of his blades, Prompto went on, speaking not only to his brother but to himself as well. His voice was sad, gentle, heavy with a thousand memories and broken by longing. "H-h-he means a lot to me," the gunner confessed, wringing his hands. "We've been friends for a really long time, and he's become really special to me. I just…I'm not…he's about to marry Lady Lunafreya, and even though they're not into each other, I dunno, I feel like I'd be ruining everything."
…
"You do know Noct's not feelin' her, right?"
"I most certainly do," Ignis sighed, as though it should've been obvious. "He hasn't expressed his feelings to me yet, but I've known-"
Oops. The advisor bit his bottom tongue, checking himself, not wanting his prince's secret to slip out.
"-about the absence of romantic intimacy between them for quite some time. However, he and Lady Lunafreya share a bond that will outlast time. I cannot say the same for our bond if you insist on poisoning my ears with more of your nonsense. This isn't about you intruding on Noct's responsibilities, oh no. This is about you being unforgivably ignorant of your qualities."
Prompto was as relentless as Titan. "But why would Noct want something like me? I mean, look at me, Iggy. I'm not exactly royal material here. I'm…well…I'm not…really anything. And stop looking at me like that. You're scaring me."
"Well, I'm sorry, but you've just about exhausted my patience," Ignis snarled, not at all apologetic, eyes burning holes through Prompto's skull. "Forgive me, little brother, but this must be said. Out of the three idiots I'm forced to spend my life with, you're the easiest to be around. I find your presence comforting, relaxing, cleansing. I'm sure His Highness feels the same. So to hear such profane remarks is to hear inexcusably disgusting garbage."
Noctis' former classmate opened his mouth to protest, but Ignis shot him a look that would've frightened Ramuh.
"I did not permit you to speak. You've said enough. I haven't known you long, but I've known you long enough to know that your ignorance can, in no way, be justified. How dare you have me interrupt a perfectly good cup of coffee to hear such lunacy? You are beautiful, little brother. Beautiful and warm and kind and delightfully creative. Any man or woman would be blessed by the Six to have you."
Prompto's face was unreadable for a moment, bowed, forcing Ignis into deafening silence. He then lifted it, a tiny, tearful smile gracing it.
"Iggy?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks for being my friend. Sorry about ruining your coffee."
…
The photographer frowned, looking very much like a child expecting treats, only to be told none were going to be given. "You're really not gonna get that look off your face?"
…
"Look, I feel better now, really. All thanks to you! But are you really okay with me, y'know, having feelings for the Crown Prince?"
"Are you assuming I'm all right with him having feelings for Gladiolus?"
"C'mon, Iggy, you're not happy for 'em?"
Ignis' voice turned sharp, icy, furious. "No, and as far as I'm concerned, this conversation is over!" And off the boat Prompto went, lifted and tossed in mere seconds, as though the photographer weighed little more than a feather. The gondolier watched it all unfold slack-jawed, not only amazed by how quickly Ignis tossed him off, but by how Ignis could even think of tossing off such a creature. Meanwhile, Prompto flailed in the glistening waters.
"Iggy! What didja do THAT for?!"
"What, did you take me lightly? Shame, Prompto. Your ignorance truly knows no bounds!"
"C'mon, pull me out! Help meeeee!"
"Chocobos can swim, now swim to shore," Noctis' caretaker purred, suddenly feeling as light as a ray of sunshine. The gondolier turned to him, frowning, torn between his remaining occupant and the helpless blonde photographer flailing in the morning waters.
"Should I-"
"No," Ignis replied sharply, shutting his eyes. "He's more than capable of swimming to safety. Leave him be."
"But he's-"
"Adorable, yes, I know. But not when he's wildly aggravating. Leave him alone, good chap. He'll be just fine. Now, if you don't mind, please point me in the direction of some good entertainment. I'm sure you're aware of some delightful attractions."
"Heeeeey! Don't leave me! Pleeeease, Ignis, save me! Don't leave me behind!"
After realizing Ignis had absolutely no intention of asking the gondolier to rescue him, after realizing how stupid it was to think Ignis wouldn't carry out his threat, Prompto swam to shore. And the moment he arrived, he surrendered to tears. Sobs popped out of his mouth like hiccups.
Ignis approved of him, a filthy commoner of no worth, loving the Crown Prince of Lucis. Ignis, the very man that would protect Noctis from the Six, approved of him. Him. Prompto. A stupid, worthless clown with a camera.
A father and his two children gathered Prompto out of shallow waters, worriedly murmuring to him, their voices nothing but blurs as he surrendered to tears.
