Author's Note:

Hi everyone! Thanks for all those who've taken a moment to read this, and especially to those who've followed and favourited it. I hope you guys continue to enjoy it. Special thanks to my reviewers! I love hearing what you guys thought.

Guest: Yeah... it's gonna be a little different than the official version... a little harder for them to fall into the easy friendship they made it out to be in the anime.

Astrid Midnight: Thanks very much! I hope you continue to enjoy it.

RRina: Prom is just being Prom... as he is in this little alternate universe in my head at least. He's not trying to be mean... just not sure what to make of Noctis, I think. They'll get there though.

Before I get started, I just wanted to give you all a heads up... I'm going on holidays overseas for a month, so I won't be updating for a while. I promise I'll continue to do when I return home however. Hope you all enjoy this and I'll see you all when I get back.

His determination that Prompto's opinion didn't matter was easy enough to believe in the space of his own apartment; Ignis' quiet support present for most of the evening until the other man had to leave. What wasn't quite so easy was keeping it in mind when he was back at school. Their encounter and the embarrassment he'd suffered because of it made him all the more aware of the other guy and it didn't help that he now seemed to be on Prompto's radar too. Every so often in their classes and even out in the halls he felt those bright blue eyes turn to look at him; whenever he caught this gaze he found himself confronted with the blonde's very clear curiosity.

Like the guy was trying to figure him out.

Fair, he supposed, but it didn't stop it from irritating, and now, standing in the hall awaiting his next class, the silent study of those pale eyes – only a few feet away now – was starting to annoy. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise as the silent study continued and he had to clench his hands into tight fists to prevent himself from lashing out with more anger when he finally snapped.

"Take a picture; it lasts longer," he growled, ignoring the surprised reactions of the students around them at the words and his tone, finding great pleasure in throwing the guy's words from their previous meeting back at him. Moments later he was stunned into silence as the flash of a camera momentarily blinded him. Had Prompto actually just...

Another bright flash – this one of white teeth in a wide smile – and Prompto disappeared through the door into their classroom, the other students standing with them filtering in after him, most shooting quick, curious looks at the stunned prince standing frozen in the hall as they passed.

"I'm not going to get a nasty visit from the Crownsguard, right?"

It was an hour or so later and Noctis had just sat down in the school's lunchroom when the voice interrupted his thoughts and he looked up in surprise as Prompto took the seat at the table opposite him.

"What? Why would they...?"

By way of an answer Prompto just held up his camera and shook it a bit, one blonde brow arching to his forehead and Noctis couldn't help but chuckle with a shake of his head. "Unlikely. Unless I tell them you got a compromising picture of me they're really not gonna care."

"Good to know."

Silence fell between them then and it was only when Prompto started to rise again to leave that Noctis decided to break it. "Sorry about the other day."

Surprise fluttered across Prompto's very expressive face; he had clearly not been expecting the apology. "Sorry about what?"

"That whole... invitation. It was weird."

"Ah... that." Prompto grinned down at him. "Yeah it was a little weird, but it's cool. No harm no foul and all that."

"Thanks." And thinking the conversation over and that Prompto would be heading off, Noctis opened the box Ignis had sent with him to school, dark blue eyes assessing the damage and grimacing a little at the sight of all the vegetables and salad the guy had included for him.

Seriously... when would Ignis learn to accept the fact that he just didn't eat...

"Holy shit!"

Glancing up in surprise at the expletive, Noctis realised that Prompto hadn't moved and was now staring down at his lunch; eyes wide.

"What?" he asked, glancing back at his lunch to see what it was that had startled the guy. Not seeing anything extraordinary about the offering, Noctis' eyes lifted again to the blonde.

Prompto continued to stare down into the box for a moment before shaking himself out of his stupor, his eyes lifting to meet Noctis' once again. "I... well... nothing I guess, just... I mean... that's what you get for lunch?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?" he glanced back down at his food.

A quiet chuckle made him look back up as Prompto took the seat opposite his own once again; the guy was shaking his head in amusement. "Most of us are on a meal plan with the school and the fare is..." and he shrugged with a faint smile. "Well let's just say a lot less appetising than that."

Noctis nodded silently a moment, considering his words and struggling a little with a slight feeling of guilt. "Yeah Ignis loves to cook – is insanely good at it too – and loves to try make me eat a little healthier, so..." and he waved his hand absently at the food.

Prompto's expression shifted to curious then, cocking his head to the side, his eyes flicking briefly down at his lunch again before back up at his face. "Ignis is one of your... servants?"

He shook his head. "Not really. Technically he's an advisor, but over the years he's sorta become more of a very bossy friend."

The blonde nodded as though he understood but his expression made it clear he found it a little confusing. Different lives, he suspected, wondering then what Prompto's looked like outside of school.

"And you're not usually a healthy eater generally, I take it?"

Noctis smiled at that, shaking his head. "Ignis tries to make me one, but he's not here."

A grin flashed across Prompto's face, his blue eyes sparkling a moment. Seconds later it dawned on him exactly what that meant. "Wait... you have a box of what looks like the most delicious food on the planet and you're not even going to eat it?"

Noctis looked surprised. "Well I'll eat some of it. Just not this... or probably this." And when Prompto looked at him like that was some kind of sacrilege, Noctis had to laugh. "You can have it if you like. I don't mind."

He looked tempted, those blue eyes flicking between Noctis' own and the box of food in front of him. Eventually however the guy just shook his head. "Nah it's cool dude. I've got my own to get through."

"Hey Prom!"

The voice interrupted their conversation and Prompto glanced over at the guy calling him from across the room at one of the other tables in the lunchroom. Acknowledging the other with a brief wave, Prompto turned back to Noctis even as he rose to his feet. "Gotta run. Enjoy your lunch..." A grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, he added, "What you do eat of it."

Noctis just nodded. "Yeah thanks."

And with a quick smile, Prompto crossed the room to rejoin his friends leaving Noctis on his own once more.

Though anyone else might have considered their conversation in the lunchroom as some kind of prelude to friendship, Noctis couldn't quite bring himself to start acknowledging the guy around the school. After all, the whole reason he'd come over in the first place had been to make sure he wasn't getting in trouble for the picture he'd taken. The rest...

... well he didn't know what to make of the rest of it. Just wrapping he supposed. The other guy trying to show that he was a good guy and not worth sending the Crownsguard after him. Trying to picture for a moment what that might have looked like, him trying to convince the Crownsguard to go after Prompto for such a harmless photo, Noctis found himself smiling in amusement.

"Something funny?"

Noctis looked up in surprise at the soft voice, an automatic smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Hey Iris. What're you doing here?"

Shooting him a brilliant grin, Iris bounced out of the car and over to his side where he waited by the school gate. "I was with Gladi at the Citadel when Iggy said he was going to pick you up. So I asked if I could come for the ride."

Considering that a moment, Noctis' smile widened a little. "So if you were at the Citadel, that means no training with Gladio this afternoon?"

"Bingo," she offered with another grin. "I knew you'd be happy to see me."

Noctis grinned, following after her obediently when she grasped his wrist and tugged him towards the car with a flounce in her step. "Come on! If we hurry back, Gladio might even let you come with if I beg him long enough."

Shaking his head as he climbed into the car after her, Noctis laughed. "You and I both know that there is no way this side of heaven or hell that he's gonna let me get in the way of Gladi/Iris time."

"One day, Noct. One day he'll give in." Overly optimistic on her part, but it was sweet nonetheless.

"We'll see."

"Hey dude. How's the day treating you?"

It was the next day, and Noctis looked up in surprise at the unexpected voice as Prompto took the seat opposite him again; was this gonna become some kind of habit on the blonde's part? "Hey Prompto. Not so bad. You?"

"Nightmare. Don't even ask."

And so he didn't, instead opening up the box Ignis has sent him with this morning and peering inside. Celery sticks? Really Ignis? Maybe the guy was simply getting sick of him and making some kind of point.

"Let me guess. You're not interested in any of that."

Considering the food, Noctis shrugged. "The pasta thing looks okay I guess."

"Those look like mushrooms though, Six save you."

Noctis frowned at him. "Mushrooms are okay..." And when Prompto flashed him a grin he realised the guy was merely teasing him. "So what brings you over to this side of the lunchroom?"

Prompto shrugged, his expression innocent. "I can't just say hi to a guy."

Noctis arched a brow. "You tell me."

Prompto thought about that for a second before shaking his head with a laugh. "Yeah okay, I have an ulterior motive." Of course he did, and when the guy reached over to pinch one of his celery sticks, crunching away on it as he considered his next words, Noctis just watched him in surprise. "So the cute brunette who came to pick you up the other day... she single?"

When Noctis recoiled a little at the question, Prompto waved his hands dismissively. "If you two are an item, no big deal, but the guys wanted to know, so..."

"... so they sent you over to check."

"I am the only one brave enough to talk to you, after all. We're practically friends already." He pouted a little at Noctis' amused snort, but his bright smile returned when Noctis spoke again.

"We're not an item," and when he saw the smile, he shook his head again. "But trust me, the guys really don't want to go there."

"If you believe that, you really do not see how cute that girl is."

Noctis chuckled. "Oh trust me, I know how cute she is. But I'm also aware of exactly who her brother is... and that he would totally kill for that girl."

Prompto frowned a little. "Protective older brother, huh? Yeah... I can see how that could be a problem." He thought about that for a while, glancing back at his group of friends as though considering the guy who'd asked the question. "I reckon he'd survive okay."

It was clear that Prompto had a particular friend in mind and Noctis chanced a glance across the lunchroom to see Prompto's friends watching them closely. Feeling his own protective side flair up, he quickly flicked through the photos on his phone to one of Gladio; pushing his phone across the table so Prompto could see. "The guy is my Shield in training. He would totally kick all your asses combined," he pointed out, adding a quick, "No offence."

Prompto took one look at the photo and whistled low. "Well shit. None taken. You're right. He would totally destroy us." He studied the picture a moment, curiosity flickering through them as he cocked his head thoughtfully to one side. "Who's the other guy?"

Noctis glanced over at the upside photo to see one of Prompto's long fingers pointing at Ignis. "Oh that's Ignis."

Nodding thoughtfully for a moment, eventually the guy sighed and handed the phone back. "So the guy can cook and looks like he should be on the cover of some men's fashion magazine. The ladies must love him."

"He does okay," he replied, and when Prompto nodded in acknowledgment, Noctis nudged him playfully across the table. "Though you seem to do just fine too."

Prompto flashed him another of those brilliant grins before rising to his feet. "Okay well... best give my friend the bad news," he explained, reaching over to snag another of the celery sticks from his lunch before offering a quick wave and disappearing back across the room.

"I don't like it. Feels like he's just using you."

Noctis rolled his eyes at the reaction from his Shield in training. "Of course you would think that. You're just upset he asked about Iris."

It was then that Ignis spoke up from across the small room. "I'm sorry, Noct, but I feel I have to agree with Gladio on this point. The only occasions on which that young man has ever approached you he's wanted something. I'd consider being cautious where Mr Argentum is concerned."

"Caution. Got it." Then he shook his head with a smile. "Seriously guys, don't worry so much. We're not friends. The guy is just... around."

"Seems to be 'around' more and more these days," Gladio pointed out.

Noctis nodded. "Yeah because as you say he's wanted something. Not a big deal."

Ignis considered that a moment, sharing a look with Gladio before finally surrendering with a nod. "Fine. Though still I urge caution. You don't know this boy. Or what he might be capable of."

"Yeah, yeah... vigilance. I know. I'm not a kid anymore."

"Yeah, kid, we know." And when Noctis glowered at his Shield in training Gladio just grinned back at him.