#eveshka

“Ignis, what’s a ‘knock-knock’ joke?”

Ignis looked up from the book he’d been trying to read to see Noctis standing in the doorway.

“I’m sorry?”

Noctis huffed out a breath and entered the room proper, plopping himself down on the floor across from him.

“Someone at school today asked me to tell a ‘knock-knock’ joke but I don’t know what that is.”

“Did you ask them?”

Noctis scrunched up his nose.

“I’m asking you.”

Ignis considered the question for a moment, trying to decide how best to explain.

“It’s a type of joke where you pretend that you’re knocking at someone’s door. The person you’re telling the joke to asks you who’s there, and depending on how you answer, that determines the punchline.”

Ignis hadn’t thought Noctis’s nose could get any more scrunchy, but he’d been wrong.

“I don’t get it.”

“I’ll give you an example.”

“Okay.” Noctis sat up straight, giving Ignis his full attention.

Ignis adjusted his glasses, cleared his throat, and said, “Knock knock.”

“…Who’s there…?”

“Spell.”

Noctis waited in silence. When Ignis didn’t continue, he tilted his head at him, bewildered.

“Apologies. You’re supposed to repeat the word back to me with ‘who’ after it,” Ignis prompted.

“Oh.”

“I’ll begin again. Knock knock.”

“Who’s there?”

“Spell.”

“Spell who?”

“W-H-O.”

The pair sat in silence for several seconds, Noctis blinking at Ignis uncomprehendingly. Then he got it.

“…OH.”

“W-H-‘oh,’” Ignis corrected, “but yes.”

Noctis bounced up and down.

“Do another one!”

“Very well. Knock knock.”

“Who’s there?!” Noctis asked with a great deal more enthusiasm.

“Boo.”

“Boo who?!”

“No need to cry; it’s merely a joke.”

Noctis’s eyes widened, then he snickered into his hands. After he’d sufficiently recovered, Noctis said, “Okay… I wanna try one. Knock knock.”

“Who’s there?” Ignis replied indulgently.

There was a pause as Noctis struggled to come up with something, and then, “Who.”

“Who who?”

“Silly; you let an owl inside!”

Ignis smiled, which made Noctis smile, too.

“I’ve got another one – are you ready?” Noctis asked.

“Certainly.”

“Knock knock.”

“Who’s there?”

“Knock.”

“Knock who?”

“Knock-tis!”

Ignis gave a startled little laugh at that, and Noctis’s eyes went wide.

“Was that good?” he asked hopefully.