It's always hard for me to write the first chapter of any story but I usually do better by chapter two. I penned this one in a single night but I was also in higher spirits. Hopefully this one does well to bring on more of the comedy and is about the length of what can be expected for the next chapters. Enjoy!
Two's a Party, Three's a Crowd
"So, Prompto tells me you had a nasty run-in with some covert Nif supporters," Gladio whispered in the Glaives' locker room to Ignis, buttoning up his jacket. While the latter was usually saddled with taking care of Noctis, when not training others, Gladio donned his uniform and patrolled the streets the same as the rest of the Glaives. He and Ignis were alone, but Ignis still felt his voice echoed much too loudly.
"Quiet down I don't want the King to know about that," he warned, shifting his gaze around to ensure they had privacy. "And I told him I had it! Prompto doesn't know how to mind his own damn business."
"That ain't the way he told it," Gladio snorted, smiling wider when his friend went completely red. "He said the guy even managed to put a hand on Noct." His smile faded and he looked up with serious eyes. "This ain't a time for pride, Ig. That was seriously close. Just cause' Noctis can defend himself doesn't mean he should have to. That's our job. I of course don't need to tell you that." He reigned himself back in, seeing the look of pure shame replace the embarrassment on Ignis. "If you want, I don't mind looking after Sleeping Beauty," he said lightly. "Can't be that hard—"
"Can you cook?" Ignis sniped back.
"Uh…I mean…there's Cup Noodle—"
"Can you clean?"
"Hey, what's that gotta do with—"
"Do you like reading bedtime stories to grown men?"
"Wait, he still needs a story to go to sleep?!"
"If you can't do any of that," Ignis ignored the indignation, "Then no, you can't look after Noct. I had a slip-up while we were out. I assure you it won't happen again." He pushed his glasses up with a huff of contempt and made to leave, before turning back around, as Gladio was wholly expecting. Ignis was one of those types that always had to leave with the last word, plus ultra. "And tell Prompto that loose lips sink ships and he would do well not to tell my business to anyone else! Wait…does anyone else know?"
"…I mean, Galahad was close by but I doubt he heard anything," Gladio mumbled but he could see Ignis' nostrils flaring."
Finally taking his leave, the room shook with his final declaration: "I SWEAR I'm going to dye that boy's hair blue in his sleep!"
"Knowing Prom, he'd probably like that," Gladio shook his head. Finally dressed, he checked to ensure he had a full battery on both his phone and music player before heading out. Today, he had to guard the Wall, having been picked in the Glaive lottery for the most boring of their jobs. He tried to remind himself that "boring is best" but he couldn't help wishing for even a tiny event to happen. Like a Nif ship crashing into the barrier. That'd be fun.
~.~.~
From the Glaive locker room, Ignis made his way to the upper floors, where Noctis had said he was going to be. The prince wanted to transport more of his immense wardrobe to his apartment; even after four years, he was still constantly dragging things from here to there. Ignis was quietly waiting for King Regis to realize his plan for his son to develop independence was an utter failure and to call his son back to the Citadel.
Oh, how he longed for that day.
Instantly, he felt ashamed for these unkind thoughts. As though to try to run away from them, he slapped the button for the elevator rather harshly, willing it to descend faster with his eyes so that he could duck inside.
Just as it was reaching his floor though, there was a brush of air behind him and then Cor was standing at his side. Barely stifling a yelp, Ignis moved away, but Cor grabbed his arm to prevent his escape and to hinder any attack. Preoccupied with other thoughts, he'd forgotten about the legendary Dark Shadow, Cor Leonis. If he ever took a turn at acting, he'd be a shoe-in as Bruce Wayne.
"I've got an assignment for you," the older man said with no apology for nearly giving Ignis a heart attack. "The prince is going to Altissa to discuss opening a waterway trading route with Accordo and I need you and one other to protect him on the trip. Think you can handle that?"
"Naturally," Ignis assured, regaining himself by lightly removing his arm from the hold. "Who's the other person though?"
"Galahad. You don't mind that, do you? Of course you don't mind, he's one of us," Cor decided for him, giving a proud tilt of the head at the word "us".
Ignis had been partially trained by Galahad, so of course he didn't hate him. The idea of having to go on a roadtrip with him though was almost crossing the line. But one must not show weakness, especially in front of their superiors and to make up for earlier, he gave a slight bow to Cor. "This mission is as good as done."
"I sure hope so. When you've collected His Highness, meet him in the Citadel garage. He had an assignment that required using the prince's car and should be returning soon." Cor strode silently away and with as little as a blink, he was out of sight.
Turning away from their mysterious and certainly worthy leader, "Arthur," Ignis realized the elevator had gone back to the top, fifty floors away. Not caring if he wasn't alone, he gave a muffled scream into his hands.
~.~.~
Getting clothes had turned out to be Noctis' ruse for simply wanting to come home and hopefully see his father. As Regis was not expecting him though, his schedule had not been cleared and thus the two never even laid eyes on each other. Walking with him down the corridor to the garage, Ignis could see him trying to put on a brave face but even he knew how important it was to the prince to see his father before he left. Taking privilege as his oldest friend, he gave the young man a light rub on the back and was rewarded with a heavy but resigned sigh.
Entering the cavernous garage, Ignis held up the key fob and pressed the unlock button. To their right, the Regalia flashed and beeped its location, parked in a spot that had a sign with no words but only the picture of a crown. Very subtle but effective.
The two headed towards it, but just as Ignis was about to get in, he was nearly run over by another car swerving into a spot right next to the King's, bass rattling the windows. Ignis easily recognized the car and, yep, easily recognized the asshole driving it, too. Hopping out, the other man pulled a small suitcase from the passenger side of the car and sauntered over to the Regalia, giving a light pound to its backend. "Yo, pop the trunk, Eggsy! Let's get this show on the road!"
Astrals, please give me strength. Ignis did as requested and the man was hidden from view as he put his suitcase in with theirs. Once done, he slid into the passenger's seat as Noctis was content in the back. "Good day, Eggsy and Your Highness. We all set to see Altissa? Have either of you ever been there?"
"Noct and I both have," Ignis said as he reversed out the spot, not hiding just a smidgen of superiority.
Coming out of his gloom, Noctis added, "There's this pastry I really want to have while we're there. Ignis can't seem to get it right so I'm just going to return to the source."
Noctis said this with humor, but Ignis would never let him know how much that hurt.
"I need some music; you guys like music?" The other man asked, yet he reached out and switched on the radio anyways. Then, with his seatbelt off though they were driving, he turned around and opened the cooler in the middle console…and removed an Ebony.
Oh, no he didn't.
Ignis slammed to a halt, nearly throwing the man through the windshield and break-checking the person behind them. The other car sped off around him with many honks and curses but Ignis didn't care. He snatched the can of coffee back and finally let loose. "You can touch the radio. You can even continue to muck up my name. But I declare, I draw the line at taking my Ebony!" As though to prove his point, he ripped the top off and chugged the entire tall can, gave a very un-Iggy belch, and tossed the remains out the side of the open vehicle. His body gave an involuntary twitch as they drove forward again.
Noticing it, the other man asked, "Hey, you sure you're good to drive? You're already starting to tweak…"
"I'm fine! Just shut up and buckle up, Ga—Nyx," Ignis caught himself just in time.
Nyx Ulric, "Galahad" the Galadian, gave a shrug of cool nonchalance. "Alright, but just remember that I'm wielding direct powers from the King, not baby Simba back there. Should something happen, it's probably going to be me saving both your assess."
Ignis gripped the steering wheel tight. "Then let's be certain it doesn't come to that."
~.~.~
Gladio was in the midst of invading one of Prompto's fortresses in King's Knight: A New Empire, when he heard a car squeal to a stop at the gate. Leaving his virtual soldiers to do what they did best and imagining the cries of the blond from somewhere in the depths of Insomnia, he opened the guard booth to be surprised at the sight of the Regalia. However, he took one look at Ignis' clenched jaw, Nyx's blasé slouch, and Noct's…well, Noctis was of course asleep; but he took in all of this and decided not to ask what happened.
Ignis stiffly passed over the vehicle's papers and everyone's passports and Gladio quietly stamped them with approval. He handed them back and Ignis gave a tense nod before resuming his leadfoot on the gas.
He watched them as they sped away for a moment before going back to his phone. Closing the game, he pulled up his contacts and dialed. "Yo, Prom, you ain't gonna guess who just came through here."
"Fuck that, you raided me! Choke on your great sword and die!" Prompto hung up.
Pulling back up the game, he saw the "Congratulations on your defeat of Percival, Sir Lamorak!" banner at the top of the screen, praising him on his victory. Already his people were hard at work building a new castle in his name. With nothing else to do, he obliged the tiny people by watching their honorable progress as they tore away all that belonged to Prompto.
What was that bragging you were doing earlier, Prom? ;)
I also happen to really like Nyx and figured now was the perfect time to write him in. Once I found out his home country was named after one of the Knights, it was a done deal.
The next chapter might be out this weekend. I'm having more fun with this and I don't want to lose steam.