*tips hat* g'day mates, I've been so focused on writing another day's prompt fill (since I haven't actually written anything new since October started and my pre-written stuff is slowly running out) that I almost forgot to post today's entry.
You cannot imagine how pissed I was when I googled Prompto's birthday for this fic (because I'm a fake fan and actually only know Iggy's birthday by heart, I'm sorry) and learnt that it was actually in October, just not on the day I needed! So let's pretend I'm not over two weeks early with this, yeah? Happy early birthday, Prompto!
Prompts:
No. 7: "I paced around for hours on empty; I jumped at the slightest of sounds."
Alleyway | Radio Silence | "Can you hear me?"
Warnings: Neglectful/absent parents (no physical or verbal abuse)
It's not like it's anything new that his parents don't call him.
He knows they're busy, and he knows they're doing their best to keep in touch, but sometimes, it's just not possible. It's what he's been telling himself for years, his mother's words slowly becoming his own as he repeats them to himself until they're ingrained in his brain.
Noct takes one look at the perpetually empty house and immediately forms an opinion, one Prompto knows doesn't paint his parents in the best light. Through conversation snippets and careless remarks, Prompto eventually pieces together that Ignis' parents are… well, they suck, to quote Noct directly, and he knows Noct must have a similar image of Prompto's own parents in his head.
Thing is, Prompto doesn't think that's fair to them. It's not like they treat him badly or leave him to starve or anything like that. They make sure to always transfer enough money into his bank account that he doesn't have to worry about bills or groceries. His mom hugs him when they get home from their weeks-long work trips, and his dad ruffles his hair and asks about his grades. They're thrilled he's made a friend, and one that came with two more bonus friends at that. They're good people, he just hasn't found a way to convey that to Noct yet.
…That said, he does wish they'd at least call him today. Or even just text him. Just... something to tell him they haven't forgotten.
October 25, the lockscreen on his phone reads as he checks it again just to make sure he hasn't accidentally put it into flight mode. He hasn't, of course, and the new message he has from Noct confirms it.
Noct [07:03]: happy birthday old man
Noct [07:03]: come over after school. specs asks what cake you like
Prompto smiles, disappointment over the lack of messages from his parents momentarily forgotten.
You [07:10]: dude ur older than me o((ω ))o
You [07:10]: nooo he doesn't have to make me a cake!
You [07:11]: i like apple pie tho
When he arrives at school, Noct punches him in the shoulder and tells him happy birthday again and then he unceremoniously shoves a little plush chocobo keychain at him.
"Dude!" Prompto gasps. It's bright yellow and it's got cute little black eyes and orange feetsies and fluffed up feathers on its head and he loves it. "Thank you!"
Noct avoids his eyes and rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "S' fine, no big deal."
The chocobo gets to sit on Prompto's desk all day and every time he looks at it, it makes him smile.
"What's up?" Noct asks him during lunch, mouth full as he speaks like he hasn't had to sit through hundreds of lectures on etiquette and good manners. "Why do you keep checking your phone?"
"Nothing," Prompto says entirely too quickly, and before Noct can call him out on it, he changes the subject to the test they're about to take this afternoon. He complains about having to take a test on his birthday, and Noct promises to outlaw birthday tests, and Prompto finally shoves his phone deep into his bag for the rest of lunch.
In Noct's kitchen, Ignis presents to him what must be the most gorgeous apple pie Prompto has seen in his life.
"Dude," Prompto says, and then for good measure, " Iggy! Thank you, if this is only half as good as it looks it'll still be the most delicious apple pie I've ever had!"
Ignis rewards him with a warm smile and leans in conspiratorially. "Would you like a slice? I wasn't going to bring it out until Gladio arrived, but I'll make an exception for you."
Prompto considers briefly - the offer is tempting, the pie smells divine, but then he firmly shakes his head. "Nope! I'm strong enough, I can resist!"
He sticks around and tries to help Ignis with the dishes since Noct's in the shower and Prompto has nothing better to do, but Ignis absolutely refuses to let him help. He doesn't say Prompto has to leave the kitchen though, so he hangs around and tries his best to stay out of the way.
When Ignis isn't looking, he sneaks glances at his phone, but his lockscreen remains disappointingly empty.
After the fourth or fifth time of checking, he looks up to find Ignis observing him with a slight frown like he's trying to figure something out.
"Expecting a message?"
"Nope!" Prompto chirps, flipping the phone face-down so he doesn't have to keep staring at it. "Just checking."
Something in Ignis' expression changes to… pity? No, not pity, it's sympathy, Prompto thinks. Iggy's parents suck, Noct's words echo through his mind, and Prompto almost opens his mouth to tell Ignis that it isn't like that, his parents don't suck, but then the door opens with a bang and before he knows it, he's being swept into a bear hug.
"Happy birthday, kid!" Gladio's voice booms into his ears and Prompto melts into the embrace because oh man, Gladio's hugs are the best.
The rest of the evening passes in a warm, happy blur. Ignis has outdone himself, having cooked all of Prompto's favourites, and the pie is every bit as good as it looked and smelled.
They gift him a bunch of amazing things - a gift card from that expensive sports shop Prompto's never even dared enter before, the collector's edition of a video game from his favourite series, and the new camera he's been saving up for the past few months, and then he cries in earnest.
Once he's gathered himself, he goes to put the game into Noct's console and they take turns playing, even Ignis, and they have more pie even though Prompto has eaten so much he can barely move, and it's almost midnight when he passes out against Gladio's shoulder, unable to keep his eyes open any longer.
His phone lies forgotten on the table, and no one is awake to notice when it lights up and buzzes quietly with a call that will eventually go to voicemail.
Half of my experience writing Whumptober stuff so far is just me taking prompts and writing them in a way that is not even close to what was probably the idea behind them - but that's the fun of it, isn't it? I can do whatever I want, and no one can stop me.
I hope you liked it, I know I do (I say this about a lot of fics in this series which is a really nice feeling, lol). I enjoy exploring the relationship of Prompto with his parents, they're kind of a blank slate in the sense that we don't get to see much of them in canon. We know Prompto is alone a lot, true, but all of the other stuff is up to interpretation so it was fun playing with that (and especially the way Prompto sees his own situation. Here, he's kind of in denial, he's not being outright abused to his parents aren't that bad, are they?).
Tomorrow, we'll have one that doesn't focus on a singular boy but all of them (kind of) so I hope you stick around!
Have a great rest of the weekend!
