"I'm just saying it was unusual." Gladio says turning his head to look out the car window.
"A person smiling at dinner with family is unusual?" Ignis wonders, hands gripping tightly on the wheel, driving them both to Noct apartment to drop him of at school.
"No," Gladio says instantly, twisting his head to look at the advisor, "not when you put it like that but I've known you for years Iggy and have never seen you smile before. It was creepy, especially as you stare at the princess." Gladio adds.
"I'm sorry I was creepy." Ignis apologizes monotonically. Gladio cringes, that didn't come out right.
"Look Iggy, I don't mean to say it was bad but how would you feel if you saw princess out of nowhere start grinning for seemingly no reason?" Gladio asks, eyes on the side of the advisors face.
"I'd be happy for him." Ignis answers keeping his eyes on the road, not even peeking at the shield.
"But it would be weird to see right?" Gladio asks.
"I... see your point. But wouldn't Noct showing an expression be a good thing?" Ignis admits, Gladio grins.
"I'm not saying you smiling is bad and shouldn't happen but warn someone first. It's like seeing a solar eclipse. It doesn't happen often." Gladio says, trying to lighten the mood.
"I see, if I'm ever in a good mood I'll be sure to warn you, lest I smile in front of you and you're caught off guard." Ignis says parking in front of the building.
"You didn't have to say it like that but thanks." Gladio gives him a look hand opening the car door.
"Ack!" They hear along with a loud slam noise.
"Gladiolus!" Ignis shouts as Gladio scrambles to get out the car. The advisor, rapid in his movements, turns the car off, exits the car and rushing around to the person Gladio hit.
"Sorry about that, I wasn't paying attention." Gladio say leaning on his knees, one hand out to help. Gladio blinks, frozen in place. The blonde woman not saying anything she keeping her head down, looking at her knees. When she sees she's fine she stands up. Dusting herself off. She looks up to Gladio, a second of surprise before she smiles. Then she looks down at the shields extended hand. She grabs it, awkwardly giving him a hand shake, smiling at him.
"Prompto?" Ignis voices, shocked at the sight of the blonde. Gladio looks past the blonde to Ignis who stands behind her.
"You know her?" Gladio asks. Seeing the heavily muscled man looking at something behind her the blonde turns her head. She beams at Ignis, who step closer, joining them on the side walk.
"What are you doing here?" He asks. Her smile almost permanently blaster on her face at this point. She shows him her index finger, telling him one moment. Gladio standing straight, moving to stand by Ignis. Prompto takes her phone from around her bare bicep where it is strapped. Both men take in her appearance, her hair is tied up in ponytail, she is wearing a sleeveless and loose fitting sports shirt, with matching shorts and running shoes. She obviously was just working out. Kind of expected for the marshal's daughter.
"Papa and I live here. I was on my morning jog before school." the robot voice answers. Gladio blinks because what the hell? Ignis nods.
"Would you like a ride? Since you're here." Ignis offers.
"Are you sure that isn't to much? You gave me a ride yesterday and I wouldn't want to impose." Prompto makes an expression to match what the stiff robot voice said.
"Not as much trouble as it is to wake Noct up for school. Once you're done meet us here." Ignis tells her.
"Thank you." she smiles then turns and runs towards the apartment they are going into.
"She lives in the same apartment building as princess?" Gladio asks stunned. Ignis nods, walking forward.
"It would seem so." Ignis says, Gladio behind him. When they walk into the lobby they spot the blonde opening a mailbox. They walk to the elevator, eyes on the blonde as she takes the mail out, closing and locking the small door. With her eyes down she walk forward.
"Hey blondie..." Gladio starts, smiling and waving at her but stops as she ignore him and continues forward, going up the stairs. "Rude." he frowns.
"If you haven't noticed she's deaf." Ignis says as the elevator dings, the door opening. Gladio and Ignis walk in.
"Oh. I thought she was mad at me for slamming the door open at her, and she has a speech problem or something." Gladio says. Ignis pressing the button for the fifthteenth floor where the princes apartment is. "So how do you know her?" Gladio asks turning to Ignis as the door closes. The advisor didn't answer before.
"She's the daughter of someone I know. I was asked yesterday by them to pick her up and drop her off." Ignis answers calmly. Gladio narrows his eye.
"How vague of you. Why is it a secret?" Gladio says, Ignis never keeps secret. Ignis doesn't have secrets.
"Yes." Ignis answers. Like Gladio know, Ignis doesn't have secrets. Even the fact that he has secrets is not a secret. But the fact Ignis has a secret in the first place is what's shocking.
"What? She's a secret or her family is?" Gladio asks, eyes wide open.
"Yes." Ignis answers.
"Well, which is it?" Gladio wonders raising one eyebrow.
"I can not say." Ignis says keeping his eyes forward.
"Are you being blackmailed?" He asks, eyes widen in shock.
"No. I was asked to keep it a secret and I've decided to keep it." Ignis says all posh.
"How kind of you." Gladio says sarcastically, to which Ignis rolls his eyes. "What's the big deal?" Gladio leans against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.
"If you knew you'd know what the "bid deal" is." Ignis says. The shield frowns.
The ride up is silent as Gladio tries to guess what the big secret is. Is it her? Or her family? It had to be her because he knows almost every high ranking aristocrat in Lucis. He's never meet a family with a deaf blonde girl. So is she like the illegitimate child of some noble? If so he can see why that's a secret, though not big. It is scandalous but most news networks and journalists don't care if it's not the royal family.
The only ones who gossip about the aristocracy is the aristocracy. They always gossip about themselves and other families but the normal citizens don't really care about them. It's a different world.
So where does the blonde come in?