#yeah buddy!

Well, shit… Ignis must havetaken his clothing. He always had to be insistent on cleaning everything everymight, so Prompto was often subjected to the horror of the ‘Walk of Shame.’ Asthe boys had called it, the Walk of Shame was the tragic walk where, aftertheir bath in whatever body of water was available to them at the time andafter Ignis’s cleaning rampage, the one who wasn’t finished by the time Igniscame to collect laundry would have to walk back to the camp in nothing morethan a towel and a look of embarrassment on their face.

Well, except Gladiolus. He had no shame in walking back starknaked and nearly blinding everyone with his daggers for nipples and his swordof a-

Prompto shook his head of the thought, patting his reddeningcheeks out before he straightened up and stared at the towel hanging from thetree once again. At least Ignis showed mercy in actually leaving him a towelthis time. Sometimes Ignis would take their towels on purpose, he swears. ButPrompto was usually one of the first people to finish bathing, liking toimmediately throw his clothes back on because of his hidden and mysterioussecret the others (besides Noctis, whom he tells everything to) didn’t discoveryet…

That secret was that Prompto was short as hell. With liftsinside his shoes, he looked a little bit more intimidating at a bit of a tallerheight. At least, that’s what Cor said. It was his gift to Prompto for his highschool graduation, which made Prompto question whether or not the gift was athoughtful one or an insulting one. He valued them nevertheless though, for itwas a gift from his idol and mentor. But with Ignis taking his boots as well,he’d have to hurry to get dressed, so the others didn’t realize just how muchor a ‘tiny beansprout’ he actually was. Prompto let out a sigh, mentallypreparing himself to discard his pride as he wrapped himself up with the toweland began to hustle back to the camp.

Noctis and Ignis appeared to be out taking care of some huntingfor dinner, and it seemed like Gladiolus wasn’t around either as Promptoapproached the camp. Oh thank the Astrals. Prompto hunched over in reliefbefore he quickly scoured the camp for his boots. They had to be somewhere,right? Where Ignis hung up their dirty laundry? Prompto searched around beforehe let out a groan and slouched backwards. “Are you kidding me?!” Where arethey? Where are his boots?!

“What’d got your panties twisted?” Prompto jolted and stoodupright as he heard the low and groggy voice behind him. The tent rustled a bitas the sleepy behemoth emerged, a loud roar of a yawn escaping from him as hestretched his arms out. Without Prompto’s lifts, he didn’t realize just howtall Gladiolus was. Holy hell! Why did the Astrals think it was a good idea tomake anyone that tall? Gladiolus eyed Prompto out of the corner of his lazygaze before he arched an eyebrow. “You blushin’ or somethin’?”

“N-No!” Prompto mentally facepalmed after he realized just howflustered he sounded. He didn’t want to be teased about his height, so now hedefinitely wanted to find his boots. “Just looking for my shoes, dude. Have youseen them?”

“Uh, yeah. Iggy put them in the tent next to your bag.”Gladiolus was nearly toppled over by the blond as he barreled towards the tent.But before Prompto could dive towards safety, Gladiolus frowned and tuggedPrompto back as his arm shot out and hooked Prompto by his waist. “Whoa there!You know Iggy’s rules. No naked ass in the tent, remember? We pissed him offenough last time he caught us.”

“But my shoes-!” Prompto was silenced as Gladiolus gavePrompto’s backside a rough smack that provoked a whimper and moan mixed in one.“Hey!”

“No butts.” Gladiolus grinned at his own dumb joke before he setthe tense Prompto down in front of him. He looked down at him and opened hismouth for a moment. Well, he looked forward kind of. He didn’t realize that hehad to turn his head further downward to meet Prompto’s gaze. Maybe his depthperception was just off after his nap. “Iggy’s rules, Prompto. You can sit andrelax until your clothes dry. You know… You… Me… Alone-”

“But my shoes!”

Gladiolus felt his eyebrow twitch as Prompto seemed toimmediately deflect his pass at him. He groaned and crossed his arms over hischest. “What’s the big deal about your shoes? You’re allowed to relax and notwear them. They hiding something in them?” His eyes narrowed suspiciously atPrompto. “You hidin’ drugs or something? A weapon?” His suspicious gaze turnedinto a more mischievous smirk. “Is it a chick’s number? Cheating on me, huh?”

Prompto gawked and furiously shook his head. “What? No!”

“So then what’s the big deal about your shoes?”

“I wanna be taller okay?!” Prompto let out a few huffs asGladiolus looked down at Prompto with a surprised expression. “I… Cor gave melifts in my shoes so I can be as tall as Noct, and I wanna be taller, so youdon’t call me pint-sized like you call Iris!” He tugged on the front ofGladiolus’s shirt, his voice almost loud enough to echo around the forest. “Doyou know how embarrassing it is to be as tall as her? Aranea’s taller than me,for Astral’s sake! I just want to be taller, so you can’t call me short, and-”

“Whoa! Calm down.” Gladiolus grabbed Prompto’s shoulders andshook him a bit to calm the shorter man down. “It’s not like I didn’t know thatyou had lifts and shit, so chill.” He waited a little bit to see Prompto’sexpression calm and finally direct his gaze up at him. With how Prompto’s eyesglistened from the urge to cry, he looked like a puppy. Gladiolus found himselfstaring a bit too long, the silence settling in before Prompto tried to smackGladiolus away again, but the brute regained his thoughts and shook Promptoagain. “Listen to me, Prompto. All of us know that you have lifts in yourshoes, and who cares? I don’t think you’re pint-sized anyways. Even though youare…”

“What the hell, Gladio?! What kind of comforting is that?!”

“I don’t know!” He grunted a bit as Prompto fidgeted in hishold, a grunt coming from him as he felt Prompto hit his chest with his fists.He shook Prompto out once again as he eyed him with an expression that demandedhim to stop. “Look, you are short. You always have been. But you wanna knowwhat the best is?” Prompto quietly tilted his head as if curious to know.Always so cute, in Gladiolus opinion, so he had to take a moment to appreciatethe adorable expression before he leaned forward and wrapped his arms aroundPrompto. Fingers folded themselves over Prompto’s lower back arch; his headnuzzled into Prompto’s hair before his rested his chin directly on top ofPrompto’s head. Prompto blinked a few times with his head nestled intoGladiolus’s chest.

“…Wow, this is really gay, even for us.”

“Shut up,” Gladiolus scoffed as he smacked Prompto’s bottombefore he let out a chuckle. “Just making a point: you’re the perfect size forme. The perfect fit.” He smirked to himself as he felt Prompto’s cheek heat upagainst his chest as arms wrapped around Gladiolus. “See? Perfect fit for youtoo.”

“Y-Yeah, I guess.” Prompto couldn’t help but smile as well as herelaxed in Gladiolus’s hold. “I guess it’s perfect just like this.”

“Hm… Wouldn’t say it was perfect just like this.” Gladiolusgrinned a bit as he slid his hands down Prompto’s back and slowly over thetowel that covered Prompto’s backside, a husky grumble muffling itself into thephotographer’s hair. Prompto’s face flushed red before he squirmed inGladiolus’s hold, clinging to the towel as Gladiolus tried to remove it fromthe smaller blond’s form.

“H-Hey! Gladio…!”

“Mm… I can think of a few other positions that are more perfectthan this, you know.”

“And then, by all means, takethose positions with you elsewhere.”

The two froze as they heard footsteps approaching them alongwith the newly speaking voice. The strategist and the prince had returned, withIgnis with a far from pleased expression as the photographer’s exposed butt andNoctis in the back buried under the heavy and burdensome body of a cockatricein his arms. He looked at Gladiolus’s face and then Prompto’s before lookingback at Gladiolus’s eyebrow arch and the nudge he gave to Prompto, who wasstammering out of embarrassment. An expression that merely read 'do you mind?’Ignis let out a heavy sigh and adjusted his glasses. “Dinner shall be preparedin about an hour. Do not squander time and be late.”

“We’ll be sure to make use of every minute.” Gladiolus smirkeddown at Prompto before he scooped the blond up over his shoulder and began tocarry him off towards the forest. “Come on, pipsqueak. We’re gonna have ourmoment elsewhere.”

“Huh?! Wait a sec! Glads! I just bathed, dude!” Prompto kickedaround a bit, catching his falling towel with his foot as he reached towardsNoctis and Ignis in desperation. “Guys! Help!”

“Hm…?” Noctis tried to peer around the dead creature in hisarms, more focused on not dropping the bird than he was about the situation athand. So heavy…! Do not drop or Ignis will flip. “Why’s Prompto screaming thistime?”