Chapter Text
Prompto didn't mean to eavesdrop. It just happened.
"I hardly understand how that’s relevant.”
His voice was muffled by the bathroom door but that was definitely Ignis. From the lack of an answer and the little hums and ‘yes’s from him, Prompto could tell he was on the phone. Consciously, he told himself to shut it out and pay more attention to removing his contacts without poking himself in the eye. Subconsciously, he clued in whenever Ignis spoke.
“Yes alright, I remember, I only wish everyone else would forget.” He sounded…soft. Light and pleased in a way that was rare for him. His laugh was the same too, so unlike the usual business appropriate chuckle that Prompto stopped pretending not to pay attention.
“I’ll see you soon I– yes,” Another laugh, soft and sheepish(??? ). “Of course, I love you too.”
What.
Love?!
Prompto poked himself in the eye, flinched and cursed as he tried to blink away the pain.
“Is everything alright?” Yep, that was Ignis and his slippers coming his way.
“Yep! Sorry! Just–stubborn contact!” Prompto cursed again, rubbing his hands over his face as if that would stop the pain and Ignis’ voice repeating ‘I love you too’ in his head. He shook his head (physically and mentally), and continued on as Ignis spoke.
“Ah, Prompto. Apologies, I didn't realize you were here.”
“Yeah, well,” Glasses on, no more being weird about it, stop thinking about Ignis’ private conversation. “Noct invited me over then immediately passed out, like an asshole.”
He opened the door, easily spotting Ignis standing a respectable distance away. He had a hand fanned over his mouth but it was easy to spot the smile in his eyes and the way his shoulders jumped with silent laughter. Prompto remembered Ignis' soft laugh from before, and wondered what he could do to get Ignis to do that with him.
“Yes, well, he did have a tiring day,” Ignis started to roll up his sleeves, meaning his smile was free now. Prompto couldn’t help but smile back, heart beating that little bit faster in the way it always did whenever he was alone with Ignis. “Which is why I’m here, would you like to help with dinner?”
“Yes!” Too enthusiastic, and he didn’t want to wake Noctis before he got more alone time with Ignis. Quieter he continued, “Yeah! What are we thinking?”
They got to it, Ignis giving him the very important task of chopping and processing the veggies so that Noctis wouldn’t know they were in the meal (which was a graduation from stirring and making sure the soup didn’t burn!). Prompto was doing his best to make sure Ignis knew he was up to the task, but that didn’t stop him from sneaking looks at him at every opportunity. Ignis was in his element when he was cooking. Every movement of his was confident and graceful. His guard was down enough that there was this permanent tiny smile on his lips, and every so often he would hum for a second or two before he would remember Prompto was there and look away a little sheepishly. He was so cool and handsome and cute.
Who was he telling he loved?
“Hey Igs?”
Ignis hummed to show he was listening, but Prompto had already decided against it. It wasn’t his business, right? Ignis would tell him if there was something someone, right?
He was quiet for too long, Ignis was looking at him. Prompto shook his head, pulling on a smile that was easy when it was Ignis. “Nah, sorry. I answered the question before I asked it.”
Ignis smiled back, and it felt like the sun beaming through the windows was brighter when he said with a slight tease in his tone, “The carrots could use a bit more mincing.”
“You got it, boss.” They were close enough that Prompto gave him a little hip bump, which was readily returned. He rode off that high for the hours that Ignis could stay before he had to go home. Though even then, he was smiley and pleased with himself, enough so that Noctis (still only half awake, why did he invite him over?) asked if something had happened.
(“No, nothing really~” Prompto had sing-songed, which only made Noctis roll his eyes and not follow up.)
Now that Noctis was awake, they finally actually got to playing the video games that Prompto was invited over for in the first place. Noctis was his favourite person to play video games with, and even with his low energy level it was a blast, but every so often Ignis' soft voice repeating ‘I love you, too’ popped into his head unprompted. He knew it wasn’t his business, but that didn’t stop him from being curious.
“Hey Noct?” He asked in the brief lull in their gaming when Noctis made the excuse of needing to top off his soda to cover up his need to walk around a bit so he wouldn’t pass out. “Is Ignis the kind of guy who tells his friends he loves them?”
Noctis didn’t answer, but he didn’t have to. He turned to look at him, slowly and owlishly, eyes wide and wild as if Prompto had suddenly become a threat and he was trying to kick start his brain to think of a way out.
Yeah that was answer enough, next question. “Do you know if Ignis is dating anyone?”
Noctis' eye twitched, his gaze flickering to the balcony as if wondering if it would be socially acceptable to jump out of it. Or at least that was what Prompto assumed, based on the single bead of sweat that dripped down his forehead.
Okay, clearly, Prompto needed to go straight to the big guns.
“Ha! No, Iggy’s embarrassingly single.” Gladio admitted, pausing only to finish up his glass. “Shit that’s good, you got any more?”
Prompto had invited Gladio over to his apartment under the guise of some one on one drinking and bonding. Which, well, it was, but there was also a ‘get Gladio drunk enough that he’ll answer my questions about Ignis’ item on the agenda. It wasn’t hard, turns out after proving that he wasn’t hanging around Noctis to exploit him for his own personal gain, then spending years genuinely caring about him as a person, and then being there as a friend through his highs and lows, made Gladio trust him.
The fool.
Gleefully, Prompto poured him another glass of the special cocktail that he had made up specifically to fit Gladio’s taste (and size, it took a lot for the guy to feel it). It was a little hard to tell thanks to Gladio’s darker complexion but he was pretty sure there was a drunk flush on his face. Prompto considered it more than safe to go for the hard hitting questions, “Soooo, Ignis tells you when he’s dating someone?”
Gladio snorted (must be in the ‘everything is funny’ stage of drunkenness). “No not really, but he never has to. I have a good eye when it comes to those things.” Okay, that was true. Gladio was able to tell pretty much the moment Prompto was in a relationship and then the moment that he was single again with startling accuracy (all those romance novels?). “You’ll know it too. It’s pretty obvious when Ignis is into someone.”
“Oh?” Wait, this was better than what Prompto was expecting! Gladio’s glass was half full, so he topped it off and shoved it back into his hands. “What do you mean?”
Gladio was giggling now. Which was cute or whatever but come on! He wanted the details! “He makes up situations to hang out with whoever he’s crushing on more.” Uh huh. “He goes out of his way to take care of them without trying to seem overbearing.” Uh huh. “He lets them into his personal bubble a lot more, that’s a big one.” Uh huh. “And he waits for them to make the first move because he’s too in his head about doing something wrong and ruining the relationship between the princess and his clueless best friend.” Uh hu–
Oh.
Prompto groaned, covering his suddenly red face with his hands as Gladio laughed at him. Was he really that obvious about it? He really thought he was being as subtle! As if reading his thoughts, Gladio replied,
“You’re not subtle at all and you didn’t have to get me drunk to ask this. Would’ve told you the same shit sober.”
“Whatttttt,” Prompto slowly took his hands away from his face, and tried not to look sheepish as he met Gladio’s smug gaze. “I wouldn’t–this–this is bro time! I didn’t have any other motives at all, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Uh huh,” Gladio sounded wholly unconvinced but didn’t seem upset by it at all. If anything, he was amused, which helped to quell some of the guilt in Prompto’s gut. Kind of. He watched Gladio as he reached over and grabbed his mostly empty glass that Prompto had been nursing for the last hour, and topped it off for him. “Then I’ll only say one more thing about it. I’m tired of seeing you two make goo goo eyes at each other and not do anything about it.” He put the glass in Prompto’s hand and went to get his own. “Make a move, soon. Trust me when I say you got nothing to lose.”
“Yeah?” It was easy to trust the nervous hope that brought Prompto. He had thought that Ignis liked him too but he was never sure if that was true or if he was projecting. Hearing it from Gladio’s mouth was reassuring, considering he was one of Ignis’ best friends.
Once his drink was in hand, Gladio reached over and ruffled his hair. Prompto whined, but didn’t do anything else (he probably deserved it for trying to trick him in the first place). “We really need to work on that self confidence of yours,” Was his answer. Prompto pouted, which just made Gladio laugh. “Yeah, I’m sure, now enough about Iggy. You invited me over to drink and you’re three drinks behind. Catch up.”
Gladio held out his glass and Prompto readily clinked it in the silent promise that he would. It wasn’t until he had finished his first glass that he realized Gladio meant for him to have three more of the special cocktail he made. The cocktail made specifically to get Gladio drunk. Gladio, who had a much much higher alcohol tolerance then he did.
Oh fuck.