CLOMP-a-saurus
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- Posted: Mon, 27 May 2019 21:31:23 +0000
Luxury Starshine
Ignis frowned at the unmistakable sound of yelling coming from within the prince’s apartment. He’d heard it all the way from the stairwell, and while for a moment he had hoped it was a noisy neighbor, he knew better than to think anyone but the prince himself would be so rude in a building that was made up of mostly crownguard, anyway. Though what he could possibly be yelling about. . .
Ah, well. If Prompto was present – and unless he was mistaken, that was his voice he was also hearing – it was rather obvious, wasn’t it? He carefully balanced the groceries in his arms, the keyed in the code to enter, brow drawing together at the full force of the argument. Discarding his shoes in the entry, he stepped deeper, the sight of the boys entirely expected with the audio display he’d already been subjected to. There was Noctis, sulky and angry and ready to explode, and Prompto there across from him, shoulders slumped and with a stubbornness in his expression. Nothing constructive would come of this. He cleared his throat.
“I could use assistance, if you wouldn’t mind.” He directed his steps toward the kitchen, only pausing to specify. “Prompto.” For a few moments longer, a charged silence hung heavy behind him, but then the distinctive sound of hurried footsteps followed, and the blond was pulling bags from his arms, helping to put away what wouldn’t immediately be used under his efficient direction.
“Look, Ignis, I know what you’re – ”
“Could you please wash and cut these?” He placed the leiden peppers in front of the blond, smiling slightly at his startled expression. “Finely diced, please. We wouldn’t want his highness picking them all out.” Not that finely diced would stop him, but if he had to work for it, he wouldn’t even think to suspect what he blended into the rest of the food.
“S-Sure!”
Leaving him to it, Ignis set up the rice maker to cook, then turned his attention to the meat, a tender sirloin that would be absolute perfect for the dish he had in mind. They settled into an almost comfortable silence as they worked, but it couldn’t last. Though he’d cut off the blond earlier, he had lured him in here for precisely the conversation he was expecting.
“Noctis,” he started, paused as he carefully sliced a bit of connective tissue from the meat, “has never been especially skilled at connecting with people. Understand that you are the first real friend he’s made.”
“That’s not true!” the blond was quick to protest. “You and Gladio – ”
“ – were chosen for him,” Ignis provided, leveling a brief look at the blond. Seeing he had almost finished with the peppers, he handed him another small bag, this one containing two sweet onions. “I was six when I was sworn as his retainer.”
“Dude.”
“And the Amicitias are literally born to protect the royal line.” He cut the meat into strips, then down to more manageable pieces. “While we are all quite fond of each other, our friendship has and always will be intertwined with duty.” Setting the meat aside, he washed his hands and pulled a pan from the cabinet, dropping a wallop of butter and a splash of olive oil within before turning on the heat. A minute or two and it would be ready for the first ingredient, and then he’d turn his attention to blending the sauce. “You chose Noctis for himself. Not because he’s the prince, or use him for your own gain. To you he is Noctis first, and the prince after, is that not right?” As far as he could tell, though he himself hadn’t seen it at first, the blond’s inclusion in the prince’s life had a largely positive effect. As briefly as he’d known the blond, he was loathe to see that slip away.
“Well. . .yeah, but.” The blond fell silent, fidgeting in place for a moment, letting out a gusty sigh before he spoke again. “If I just let him throw money at my problems, isn’t that the same thing? Then I’m just taking advantage of him, too.”
Ignis frowned, lips pressing tightly together. That wasn’t the same thing at all.
“But you’d be alive.” He added the meat to the pan, giving it a stir before turning the heat down slightly. “Understand, more than anything, that’s what Noctis wants.” Shocking, that he would wish for his best friend to live, and when discovering said friend could not afford the medical care he needed, he wished to step in and help. Which was not at all the same thing as using the prince as the blond seemed to suggest. “Even if it costs him your friendship, I believe so long as you were alive, he’d consider it worth it. He will not back down on this.” He gave the meat another stir, then gathered up the vegetables the blond had cut. It was almost ready for them.
“If you cannot let him help you,” Ignis added, pausing with his hands full of finely (if somewhat unevenly) diced vegetables to level another frank look, “I suggest you find a way to compromise.” He dropped the peppers and onion in with the meat, giving it a thorough stir as he spoke over the sizzling. “Consider it, at least.”
Ignis almost thought he’d pushed too hard in the long silence that followed, but when he looked away from the stove, the blond was giving him an altogether peculiar look. Ignis merely cocked a brow, waiting, and after moment more, the blond gave a resolute nod.
“I can try to do that.” He didn’t sound so sure about it, but Ignis would take what he could get.
“Go on, then,” he made a little shooing motion with his stirring spoon, lips curving in a small smile. “You know His Highness is in full pout mode by now. Perhaps you can speak like rational beings now that you’ve both cooled off a little?”
The blond started to speak, then seemed to hesitate, shoulders curving downward in a physical manifestation of his retreat. After a moment, he gave another small nod, managing a quick “thanks Iggy!” before he bounced from the room. He did wonder what the blond had been about to say, but if he couldn’t say it, well. Perhaps it was best left unspoken, anyway.
It would have to do.
Ah, well. If Prompto was present – and unless he was mistaken, that was his voice he was also hearing – it was rather obvious, wasn’t it? He carefully balanced the groceries in his arms, the keyed in the code to enter, brow drawing together at the full force of the argument. Discarding his shoes in the entry, he stepped deeper, the sight of the boys entirely expected with the audio display he’d already been subjected to. There was Noctis, sulky and angry and ready to explode, and Prompto there across from him, shoulders slumped and with a stubbornness in his expression. Nothing constructive would come of this. He cleared his throat.
“I could use assistance, if you wouldn’t mind.” He directed his steps toward the kitchen, only pausing to specify. “Prompto.” For a few moments longer, a charged silence hung heavy behind him, but then the distinctive sound of hurried footsteps followed, and the blond was pulling bags from his arms, helping to put away what wouldn’t immediately be used under his efficient direction.
“Look, Ignis, I know what you’re – ”
“Could you please wash and cut these?” He placed the leiden peppers in front of the blond, smiling slightly at his startled expression. “Finely diced, please. We wouldn’t want his highness picking them all out.” Not that finely diced would stop him, but if he had to work for it, he wouldn’t even think to suspect what he blended into the rest of the food.
“S-Sure!”
Leaving him to it, Ignis set up the rice maker to cook, then turned his attention to the meat, a tender sirloin that would be absolute perfect for the dish he had in mind. They settled into an almost comfortable silence as they worked, but it couldn’t last. Though he’d cut off the blond earlier, he had lured him in here for precisely the conversation he was expecting.
“Noctis,” he started, paused as he carefully sliced a bit of connective tissue from the meat, “has never been especially skilled at connecting with people. Understand that you are the first real friend he’s made.”
“That’s not true!” the blond was quick to protest. “You and Gladio – ”
“ – were chosen for him,” Ignis provided, leveling a brief look at the blond. Seeing he had almost finished with the peppers, he handed him another small bag, this one containing two sweet onions. “I was six when I was sworn as his retainer.”
“Dude.”
“And the Amicitias are literally born to protect the royal line.” He cut the meat into strips, then down to more manageable pieces. “While we are all quite fond of each other, our friendship has and always will be intertwined with duty.” Setting the meat aside, he washed his hands and pulled a pan from the cabinet, dropping a wallop of butter and a splash of olive oil within before turning on the heat. A minute or two and it would be ready for the first ingredient, and then he’d turn his attention to blending the sauce. “You chose Noctis for himself. Not because he’s the prince, or use him for your own gain. To you he is Noctis first, and the prince after, is that not right?” As far as he could tell, though he himself hadn’t seen it at first, the blond’s inclusion in the prince’s life had a largely positive effect. As briefly as he’d known the blond, he was loathe to see that slip away.
“Well. . .yeah, but.” The blond fell silent, fidgeting in place for a moment, letting out a gusty sigh before he spoke again. “If I just let him throw money at my problems, isn’t that the same thing? Then I’m just taking advantage of him, too.”
Ignis frowned, lips pressing tightly together. That wasn’t the same thing at all.
“But you’d be alive.” He added the meat to the pan, giving it a stir before turning the heat down slightly. “Understand, more than anything, that’s what Noctis wants.” Shocking, that he would wish for his best friend to live, and when discovering said friend could not afford the medical care he needed, he wished to step in and help. Which was not at all the same thing as using the prince as the blond seemed to suggest. “Even if it costs him your friendship, I believe so long as you were alive, he’d consider it worth it. He will not back down on this.” He gave the meat another stir, then gathered up the vegetables the blond had cut. It was almost ready for them.
“If you cannot let him help you,” Ignis added, pausing with his hands full of finely (if somewhat unevenly) diced vegetables to level another frank look, “I suggest you find a way to compromise.” He dropped the peppers and onion in with the meat, giving it a thorough stir as he spoke over the sizzling. “Consider it, at least.”
Ignis almost thought he’d pushed too hard in the long silence that followed, but when he looked away from the stove, the blond was giving him an altogether peculiar look. Ignis merely cocked a brow, waiting, and after moment more, the blond gave a resolute nod.
“I can try to do that.” He didn’t sound so sure about it, but Ignis would take what he could get.
“Go on, then,” he made a little shooing motion with his stirring spoon, lips curving in a small smile. “You know His Highness is in full pout mode by now. Perhaps you can speak like rational beings now that you’ve both cooled off a little?”
The blond started to speak, then seemed to hesitate, shoulders curving downward in a physical manifestation of his retreat. After a moment, he gave another small nod, managing a quick “thanks Iggy!” before he bounced from the room. He did wonder what the blond had been about to say, but if he couldn’t say it, well. Perhaps it was best left unspoken, anyway.
It would have to do.