The very last thing Ignis expected to see when he walked into Noct's living room was Prompto alone and crying.
He almost turned around, tempted to leave quietly before Prompto saw him, but he thought better of it.
While Ignis was the type who preferred to shed tears in private, he realized Prompto must have come here hoping for company.
He arrived at Prompto's side, sitting next to him and placing a gentle hand on his back.
"Prompto, what's wrong?"
Prompto looked at him and seemed dazed for a moment before his eyes went wide, and he stood up abruptly, trying to wipe away the tears and act like nothing had happened.
"Sorry, Iggy!" he squeaked. "I'm just gonna head out now."
"I'd rather you stay and talk, or at the very least let me drive you home."
"Nah, Iggy. I'm good, like really good."
"I can very well see that's not the case. Please stay. I'll be your shoulder to cry on," he coaxed with a soft smile. Prompto looked at him briefly and nodded before taking a seat.
There was a long silence before Ignis broke it. "So what happened?"
"I'd, er...it's nothing."
Ignis could see he wouldn't get the truth just yet. "Perhaps I could interest you in a cup of tea? Noctis doesn't do too well at keeping his shelves stocked, but I'll see what I can manage," Ignis offered, starting to stand up.
"No, uhhh… Aw man, Iggy," he sighed, nervously scratching the back of his neck.
Ignis sat back down and waited. His patience could always outlast Noctis, and he figured he could outlast Prompto just as well.
"I'm crying because of someone I have a crush on, and it's actually kind of you," Prompto said in such a rush it took Ignis a moment to spread out the words into something coherent. He still didn't think he could've heard properly.
"Can you repeat that?"
"I gotta go!" Prompto announced, attempting to stand up again before Ignis put out a hand to stop him. He slumped back onto the couch.
"You have a crush on me, Prompto?"
"Yeah, kinda that."
"And why was that making you cry?" he asked quietly, trying to remain calm even as the unexpected news made his thoughts race and his stomach flutter. Ignis could usually pick up on these things - he was trained from years of experience to notice the most subtle variations in Noctis's mood, yet somehow he'd missed that Noctis's best friend had a crush on him.
"I thought that would be obvious, dude. Cause I know you'd never date me."
"And why not?" Ignis asked, using the same tactic he did on Noctis, whittling towards the truth with his questions even as he was inwardly desperate to hear the answer.
"Cause you're super hot and put together, and I'm kinda a mess if ya hadn't noticed," he said with a nervous laugh.
"Prompto...I must confess this was unexpected…"
"Yeah, figured you'd say something like that," Prompto sighed.
"It wouldn't be proper for me to date Noctis's best friend considering I'm his advisor."
"Yeah, I know. It's...I know."
For an experienced tactician, Ignis had very little clue how to play this.
"But anyway, I know it's stupid," Prompto continued. "And I won't mention it again. Promise. Things can just go back to how they were."
Ignis shocked himself by putting a hand on Prompto's knee, and Prompto looked at him with those arrestingly vulnerable eyes. He was handsome. Hadn't Ignis thought that from the first day they'd met? The urges he was having were a surprise to him, a man who always saw himself as so practical and well-possessed, who always did the right thing. Prompto was undoubtedly the wrong thing, but it was impossible to see him like this and not do anything about it, even if the thing Ignis wanted to do was possibly the least practical and well-possessed thing imaginable.
"Prompto, I must confess that I'm not entirely sure of my own feelings on the subject, but I would like to kiss you, just this once, if you don't mind?"
Prompto took a long time to process the question, and Ignis began to doubt himself. He should go back on this foolish suggestion and put them both back on course. He fully intended to do so until Prompto smiled at him.
Before he knew it, Ignis was leaning in and planting a gentle kiss on Prompto's lips. He meant to end it then, but Prompto kissed him again, and it took him by pleasant surprise how much he enjoyed it.
It had been a while since anyone had kissed Ignis, and as far as he knew, no one had ever had a crush on him before. Not that he'd ever wanted that. He'd never had time for a relationship, but something about this kiss was both intriguing and comforting. He had to concede that Prompto was a good kisser. Who would've guessed it from the boy who struggled not to trip over his own feet?
There was also a sweet tenderness to the way he had placed a hand on Ignis's chest, a hand which Ignis now clasped, kissing it instinctively before placing it in both his own.
Prompto was staring at him, face flushed, wearing a dizzied grin, looking quite beautiful.
"I think it's best we don't say anything to Noctis about this just yet," Ignis warned.
Prompto nodded, his lack of composure almost comical.
"Shall I take you home now before Noct returns?" Ignis asked.
"Could we make out in the car?"
Ignis laughed. One kiss and Prompto had become positively bold, and yet Ignis was surprised to find he didn't mind one bit. "Well, you'll have to take me up on the offer to find out, won't you?"
The smile on Prompto's face was precious, one Ignis had to admit he'd like to see more often.