"They did what?" Gladio asks, anger seeping into his tone of voice. He turn around to look at her. How is she not upset? Well, she got over it, she had more important things to think about.
"Yeah," She smiles at him which didn't ease his anger, "I was far along my first trimester when they back for their week of down time. I told them and they both got really angry, kick me out right there. Lucky for me the neighbor was watching and took me in. Helped me find a job and an apartment, even giving me some old furniture." Prompto tells them still smiling. Ignis gripped the steering wheel. How could they kick out their pregnant teenage daughter? Prompto is right, she is lucky her neighbor helped her out.
"If you need anything don't ever hesitate to call me." Ignis says sternly. Prompto smiles, her eyes glossing over with tears but they don't fall.
"Thanks Ignis." She says back.
She must have fallen asleep because when she open her eyes up again, they were parked and both Ignis and Gladio were staring at her. "Prompto, darling we are here." He says. Prompto rubs her eyes.
"That was fast." Prompto mutters out loud as she gathers her purse and opens the door. She walks to the from door, not noticing Gladio and Ignis following her in. When she gets into the elevator she watches as they both walk in with her. She pressing the button for her floor eyes on her two friends. "Aren't you both busy?" She wonders.
"I'm already off." Ignis says.
"Me too." Gladio smiles.
Prompto doesn't say much as they reach her floor. She couldn't say anything that would make both of them leave. And it's not like she can physically get them to leave. Plus what's the harm?
They walk her to her door, expecting her to open it but instead watch confused as she walks over to her neighbors door. Gladio and Ignis look at each other, like they had the answer as Prompto knocks on the door. They wait as Prompto smiles, going into the apartment. Not staying long as she walks back out with Astrum in her arms. The question of who takes care of Astrum when Prompto's at work is solved.
She opens the door, letting both men in before she walks in, she closes the door behind her. Ignis takes a look at the time. Even though they drove her it was still so late. Did Prompto, who they like to compare to a ball of energy, even have enough time for herself, to relax? He thought she had it together but seeing her fall asleep so fast in the car made him rethink it. Of course she wouldn't be fine taking care of a baby by herself with minimal to no help at all.
"You guys could relax, I'm going to get Astrum ready for bed." She says setting down the baby bag near the couch.
"Is it alright if I touch what's in the kitchen?" Ignis asks already going for the refrigerator.
"Sure. I'll be right back out." She says going down the small hallway to the bathroom that is right across from her room. They hear her going from one room to the other then the sound of the water starting. Ignis starts making her a fast meal, that was the plan but he had to think about what to make her as he look at what she has. It's not a lot. So he does what he can, as he look through her cupboards. With something in mind he starts, just in time as they hear the water turn off. After a while they hear her walking.
Prompto dries then dresses Astrum, feeding him, reading a baby book to help him go to sleep. When he finally falls asleep, content, she puts him in the crib then joining Gladio and Ignis, forgetting they were there until she smelled something cooking. She sits down at her small dining table, next to Gladio, Ignis pours her a glass of water which Prompto happily took and chugged. Not long after does she pass out again, asleep as she rest her head on the table, one arm under her cheek and the other stretched out almost reaching the other end of the table.
Gladio stared at her shocked, by how fast she fell asleep, of course it doesn't break Noct's record but still, that was the fastened he's ever seen her go to sleep. He gently picks her up and brings her to the couch, setting her down. He would put her in her bed but Ignis would want her to wake up to eat. He sits down on the hardwood floor, resting his elbow on the cushion she rest on, hand holding his head as he watch her sleep.
"She fell asleep again?" Ignis asks, having turned around to see Prompto getting carried away by Gladio.
"Guess so. She must be really tired." Gladio says turning to face Ignis in the kitchen.
"As I though, I don't feel comfortable leaving either of them alone. I can't let them be." He says turning to finish the meal.
"Do you not trust her?" Gladio asks, she would feel hurt if she heard him say that.
"You know it's not that. She's done an amazing job but she can't continue like this. What happens if something did happen? How long can she tire herself out before it catches up to her? And it will." Ignis says.
"I'm with you. After what happened today I'm a little more worried about the dangers of the streets. I know she can protect herself, if she had a gun but she doesn't, she's a normal civilian. With royalty in her arms." Gladio says.
"What happened today?" Ignis asks, he didn't see it.
"A mugger-"
"She was mugged?" Ignis cuts Gladio off turning to look at the muscular man.
"No, a mugger ran into Prompto and who ever he mugged chased after him. The mugger pushed her into the guy who threw her to the side. It's not a big deal, I know but still. She was tossed around like a rag doll, not doing anything. She had no idea what was happening in the moment." Gladio explains.
"I see, that does cause for some concern. What if Astrum was with her?" Ignis wonders not wanting to imagine the worse.
"Exactly, she needs to be protected. Both of them." Gladio says. Ignis nods, he wholeheartedly agrees. He won't say it out loud, and he hopes he's not the only one but he's feeling very protective of Astrum. He felt it when Prompto walked out of her neighbors with Astrum. He doesn't want anyone he doesn't know taking care of him. Some random person taking care of Astrum just won't do but he doesn't have much say in it.
"I thought more about if the council were to know. It would be bad, they might take Astrum away from her, or force her to go somewhere far. I think we need to protector, not just from the dangers of the city but from people finding out."
"What about Regis? Will telling him be that bad?"
"We don't know where he stands on a baby out of wedlock. He might be as bad as the council members. I don't recall anything thing like this happening to past kings." Ignis says.
"So I guess it's just us two." Gladio says looking at Prompto sleeping.
"Well, not quite. The marshal knows of her. She was there during the big Sumnus robbery. He knows about her but not about this. I have kindly asked he keep her a secret from others, especially his highness." Ignis says.
"You mean during the King Thieves, robbery. She was there."
"King Thieves?"
"That's what they are calling the group. So that's how you found Prompto in the first place."
"I was talking with the marshal when he gave me her witness statement."
"That explains a lot." Gladio did wonder how he found her after month of nothing.
When Ignis finishes he gets her meal ready then packs the rest of the spaghetti he made for her away as left overs for her to eat later. Gladio wakes her up. They watch as she eats, almost cramming the forkfuls in her mouth, hungrily, like she hasn't eaten in days. They are sure she has, she breastfeeds Astrum. Gladio is sure she didn't chew half the time she ate. Ignis watch her from the corner of her eye as he clean the dishes, he didn't want to add to her work load.
As Prompto takes a shower herself they help clean around her place, not that it was dirty but it was one less thing she had to do later. When she goes to bed, they lock up for her and turn the lights off. When she's asleep they finally leave, double checking that her door is locked and secure. Making sure she is safe, they are safe.
