a pause, as prompto takes a mental stock of himself. he’s kinda lonely ( but that’s hardly ignis’ fault ; his research is important if they want to make absolutely sure noct doesn’t have to sacrifice himself to destroy the scourge ) since luna and gladio, too, are usually off doing their own important duties. he’s tired, after too many sleepless nights doing his part. but more than that, he misses noct. as close as he and the others have gotten, noct was his first. first friend, first love, first everything. noct being gone feels like a part of him is missing. feels like he’s working with his lungs at half capacity. he knows he won’t be able to fully breathe, to take his first deep breath in who knows how many years, until he sees noctis again. and he’s willing to wait. noct waited years, when they were kids, for prompto to come to him. now it’s time for prompto to wait until noct is ready to come back. for noct to COME HOME.
he knows that, out of any of the others, ignis will understand the most. can see the agony in his eyes when he thinks nobody else is looking. ( prompto is always looking. ) he trusts ignis implicitly, knows that, whatever the final outcome, as long as it’s ignis’ plan, everything will be okay. he already took care of ardyn, already rid eos of the most major player that was supposed to contribute to noct’s death. prompto knows that ignis won’t rest until every single hurdle, everything that could possibly harm noctis, can be leapt over with ease. so he glances up at ignis, at the man he’s grown to LOVE, and he smiles.
❝ better, now that you’re here. wanna get lunch ? i’m almost done with this. ❞
the days have been getting shorter, it will only be so long until the sun all but stops shining, he’s doing ALL HE CAN in his research. he feels so tired but he can’t allow himself to stop for to take that long awaited breath. ( his arm is ACHING, the pain BURNING through to his bone but he tells not. ) his gaze flickers slightly to what prompto’s doing and hums in thought. he might have to take him up on that offer. DESPITE how much time they spend together now he’s had to break off from the others for a couple of MONTHS, it pained him to be away for so long but... he’s not all too proud of what he was doing and would rather they remain in the dark. ( research in old ruins and temples can only get him so far, after all. )
in the end, though, he can tell how tired PROMPTO looks. it’s almost like looking in a mirror, and he can feel concern ebbing at his mind. ( he doubts his eyes were always so bloodshot. ) he places a hand on prompto’s shoulder, AN OFFER. --- a simple touch but one that held a weight from a time long passed, of the campfire and the stars and when too much became TOO MUCH. ( of the tears that flowed for the first time in years. )
