FFXV Writing

Prompto dropped his eyes, staring at his cup uncomfortably. “I know. I get fired.”

“At least.” Ignis hissed, huffing. “You didn’t just make contact--you bonded--even you, Prompto, know that a bond with an Angel is not to be taken lightly!”

Prompto looked at his cup, taking Ignis’ words silently. Humiliation ate at him as Ignis ranted, treating him as though he were nothing more than an ignorant child.

Gladio opened his mouth to reel Ignis back, only to earn a harsh glare. “Don’t, Gladio. He needs to know what he’s done--he could fall for this--”

Prompto felt something snap. “You think I don’t know what I’ve done?” Prompto snapped, glaring right back at Ignis.

All three of them were taken aback at Prompto’s narrowed eyes and flushed cheeks, his hands tightly gripping his cup. “You think I don’t know what could happen? You think I didn’t try to follow the rules--I tried. I really did. But the second I saw them--the second I looked at them--” Prompto’s voice faltered. “I fell. I couldn’t help it--” His voice cracked, giving in from the weight of its emotion. “They just… feel right.”

They were silent as they watched Prompto speak, his head bent and cradled by one hand. 

Ignis’ fury faltered as he realized just how deep it went. It wasn’t very often that Angels had a bond like this--a bond so strong and instinctive and raw. But rules were rules. Especially for Guardians.

“Prom, we get it. That shit’s strong.” Noctis mumbled, speaking for the first time at the table. It crushed him to think about what was going to happen.

“But rules are rules.” Gladio said, voice rough. There was nothing but sympathy in his gaze.

. “... it doesn’t matter what we think, regardless.” Ignis added, fatigue weighing him down. “It’s been discussed for weeks.” He said, drained. “I tried to reduce your punishment, but--”

Prompto’s head snapped up. He knew he would have a punishment, he knew it. But to actually be given it was something else entirely. “What’s my punishment?” He asked, voice quiet and brow furrowed, looking broken.

Ignis sighed, removing his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Iggy,” Prompto said slowly, sounding horrified. There weren’t very many things that made Ignis break down. “What’s my punishment?”

“You’ll be stripped of your powers and erased.” Ignis stated, sounding cold and disconnected. It was the only way he could say it.

Horror fell across Prompto’s face. To be stripped of one’s powers was bad enough--but to be erased? Pulled out of existence? “Just--just for breaking a few rules--”

“It wasn’t just a few rules, Prompto,” Ignis stated, “They were the most important rules--breaking these is seen as treason.”

Prompto’s heart fell in on itself. His insides twisted and turned, a cold sweat breaking out across his skin as tears welled up in his eyes. It was his worst nightmare--and it wasn’t losing his powers he was concerned about. His thoughts ran to you, thinking about your soft smile and the spark in your eyes that you got whenever you talked about your favorite hobbies. He recalled your flushed cheeks and the touch of your lips against his. 

If he was erased, that would all be gone. The way he felt about you, the moments you shared, each quiet word and lingering glance--all gone. 

“Is--isn’t there something you can do?” Prompto asked, desperation clinging to every word. “You’re a lawmaker, Iggy, there’s gotta be something--”

Ignis cut him off, holding his hand up as he shook his head, unable to look Prompto in the eye. “I’ve tried, Prompto. All I could do was give you an extra day here. To… tie things off, I suppose. You won’t have your powers, but--it was all I could manage.”

Water pooled in Prompto’s eyes. His throat was closing up, a sob working its way up his chest. He had a day--24 hours, to say goodbye to both you and his friends. And then he would be gone.

“This rule--is so stupid.” Prompto choked, his head falling into his hands.

Noctis nodded, sniffing slightly. He didn’t want his best friend to be gone. “Yeah, it fucking is.” He mumbled, holding a hand tightly over his mouth, looking out the window with a tight glare.

Ignis was tense, his shoulders unmoving and his jaw clenched. Gladio looked impassive beyond the anger in his eyes, anger that wasn’t aimed at Prompto. 

The four of them were silent, trying to keep themselves together for just a few moments longer, not wanting to part and say their good-byes. There was no guarantee that any of them would see Prompto before he was gone. In fact, it was likely that they wouldn’t.

So, when the four of them stood up to leave, they were painfully slow and hesitant. Ignis was the first to go, sniffing slightly and giving Prompto a tight nod, trying to keep his own tears from falling. He kept himself from looking back as he left.

Gladio was next, clearing his throat and tightly clasping Prompto’s shoulder. He roughly chuckled, his watery smile breaking slightly. “You know, you’ve probably broken some kind of record,” Gladio said, his smile falling after a moment. “I’ll miss you, Prompto.” He squeezed Prom’s shoulder, giving him one last wave as he turned to follow Ignis.

Noctis was last. “Fuck, Prom--”

“I know, Noct.”

They shared a pained look, Noctis throwing his arms around his best friend for a moment. “Shit, what am I gonna do without you, man?” He asked as he pulled away, sniffing.

Prompto managed to choke out a smile, “I dunno, double check to see if there aren’t any dodo birds left afterwards. Although I hear the last carrier pigeon might still be around.”

Noctis choked out a laugh, trying not to let any tears fall. “Yeah, I might check that out.” He managed to say. 

Prompto nodded, the two of them pausing for another moment before Prompto gave Noctis one last hug. “Alright, get out of here, Noct,” Prompto tried to say, his smile watery and broken.

Noctis sniffed, nodding. “Yeah.” He turned, not looking back as he exited the cafe, disappearing as the sun blinded Prompto for a moment.

------

Prompto’s powers were all but gone as he waited for you outside of an ice cream shop. It hurt to wait, to think about leaving you suddenly, disappearing from your life just as fast as he arrived. 

“Prom, hey!” 

Your voice was like a breath of fresh air, and the tension left him immediately. He looked at you, a smile appearing on his face for the first time since his friends left him in that coffee shop. Still, to look at you reminded him of what was going to happen. He felt his stomach flip. “Hey!” 

You approached him, your cheeks flushing slightly as you recalled the kiss from the day before. Prompto didn’t hesitate as he took one of your hands, standing closer than he did normally. There was a moment where he looked tired, dark circles under his eyes and a weight upon his shoulders.

“Do you want to take a walk?” Prompto asked, smiling as though nothing was wrong. Of course, you agreed.

For an hour the two of you walked around the park, sometimes goofing around and nudging each other playfully, sometimes sharing tiny little pecks or letting your hands linger on each other. Mostly, you two just talked. About nothing, about something, and about everything all at once. 

That was how Prompto felt to be with you. As if you two were in your own little bubble of nothing and everything all at once, nothing and everything merging to create something. Something that made him happier than he had ever felt before in his afterlife.

Finally, the two of you were sitting on a bench by the park’s small pond, watching ducks aggressively push each other away and snap at bits of fish in the water. The sun was behind you, coating the sky in soft oranges and yellows as it set. You two were quiet.

“Do you remember how you said I was like an angel?” Prompto asked suddenly, staring at the water.

You glanced at him, confused. “Yeah, why?”

“Well,” He knew he would get into even more trouble for continuing. But at this point, he had nothing to lose. “What if I was?” He asked, risking a glance at you.

Your face screwed up into confusion, looking at him oddly. “Was what? An angel?”

“Mmhm.” He nodded, leaning back against the bench.

You laughed, “I’d call you a liar.” You told him, rolling your eyes.

Prompto looked both startled and offended. “Wha--hey! You don’t think I could be an Angel?” 

“Never said that,” You smiled, glancing at him. “I’d call you a liar because you said that you weren’t an angel. So if you suddenly told me that you were an angel, you’d be lying somewhere.”

Prompto chuckled, smiling slightly. “You got me there, guess I am a liar.”

You returned the smile, leaning against him. “Guess so.” You hummed, resting your head on his shoulder. As the two of you rested in silence, you caught sight of a feather drifting by you, as whiter and clearer than a brand new piece of paper. It almost seemed to sparkle in the sunlight as it drifted away.

You realized something. Prompto never told you that he was an angel. Yet he said that he was a liar. Something in the corner of your eye, near your feet, caught your attention. You looked down, gasping slightly. Right there, framing your shadows, was the shadow of a pair of wings.

Your head snapped up as you looked to Prompto with big eyes. “Prom?”

He smiled softly. “Told you I was a liar.”

“You’re--”

“Yeah,” He looked so sad as he gazed at you. “Not for much longer, though.” He watched your interlocked hands softly, gently playing with them as he spoke.

“What do you mean?” Your voice was quiet, brow furrowed. Your heartbeat was loud in your ears, worry clouding your mind.

“Well, I broke some rules. Guardian angels have rules, you know? Not supposed to show ourselves to our assignment--the human we’re guarding. Not supposed to interact with them or directly influence their lives. Only indirectly, is what we’re told. Like, moving a rock out of your way so you won’t trip into oncoming traffic. Making the subway a few seconds late so you’ll just miss a falling piece of rubble from construction.”

You listened quietly, the sincerity in his voice pulling you in.

“And about a billion other rules, but those don’t matter as much because I broke big, bad, Rule Number One on my first day.” He looked at you, smiling softly. “I broke it the second I fell in front of you. And because of that, I lost my powers. They’re going to erase me.”

“Erase you?”

“Yeah. You know, from existence.” He tried to play it off with a nonchalant shrug.

Horror fell across your face as you stared at him, eyes big. “What? You die?”

“Something like that.” Prompto said, his voice falling as he leaned forward, trying not to look at you. “Found out yesterday… It sucks.”

“And--that’s all because of me?” Your voice cracked, tears pooling in your eyes as your heart ached. Prompto was going to die--because of you? It hurt. You felt your chest tightening as you looked at him, tears in your eyes and your heartbeat echoing in your ears.

Suddenly, Prompto’s hands were tugging you closer to him as he shook his head, resting his forehead against yours. “No, never--it’s not because of anything you did, and I don’t regret anything.” He said, voice quiet and low as he gazed at you, his blue eyes full of sincerity. 

“Angels don’t remember anything from their previous lives.” Prompto said, his breath warm against your face. You were drawn into his eyes, listening despite the tears starting to roll down your cheeks. “We don’t know who we were or what we did--how we died or what kind of lives we led. But, these past months with you? Just being your friend, even, having fun and going out and talking--” He paused, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment as it became too much. “I like to think that’s what life is like. That’s what it’s like to be human--to be alive. You helped me live--after a millennium of dreaming.” His voice cracked, and you realized he was crying, too.

Prompto pressed his lips against yours in one last kiss. It was tender and soft, trying to convey a million unsaid words. It was over too soon. Prompto pulled away, the action hurting him just as much as it hurt you.

“Prom…?” 

He was standing up, giving you a slightly pained smile. “I’m really glad I got to meet you, ya know? But--it’s time for me to go.” He was already turning, heading towards the sidewalk. It was rush hour. 

“Prompto--wait--” You stood up, following. 

He reached the sidewalk, disappearing among the crowd. You threw yourself in it, following the familiar mop of blonde hair that you saw peaking up among the crowd. You almost caught up to him, practically running as you pushed your way past people, ignoring their dirty looks.

Your hand was only a centimeter away from him when he slipped, too close to the edge of the sidewalk to land anywhere but the road. A car was coming. You didn’t realize what you were doing until you were on the road yourself, pushing Prompto back onto the sidewalk with more strength than you knew you had.

The last thing you saw was the horror on his beautiful face. And the last thing you heard was the blaring sound of a car horn.

------

“It’s not very often we do this.” You heard someone say.

Your eyes snapped open. You were in an office. It was blindingly bright, but the figure before you demanded your attention. He was stern, green eyes were trained on you behind a pair of glasses.

“... Do what?” You asked, your voice sounding strange to your ears.

“Make exceptions--especially in regards to broken rules.”

Broken rules. A memory flashed in your brain--you recalled a mop of blonde hair and a pair of bright, cornflower blue eyes.

The man cleared his throat, folding his hands in front of him. Your eyes briefly ghosted over the sign in front of his gloved hands.

Ignis Scientia: Senior Counsel Member of Legislation and Justice.

Your eyes flickered back up to him. You felt like you were forgetting something. Those blue eyes flickered in your mind once again.

“However,” the man sighed, “Someone pulled a few strings. Consider yourself lucky--people don’t get second chances very often,” He said. He stood up, and you followed on instinct as he stepped around his desk.

When you turned around, you saw the very large mahogany doors behind you. Ignis led you to them, pausing just before them. “Like I said, it’s not very often people get second chances. However, I think you deserve this one.” A small smile danced across his lips as he gestured to the door. “Do give Prompto my regards.”

Prompto.

You didn’t have time to think about the name before the doors opened, and this time you were in a hallway. Another man stood there, much taller than the first, with broad shoulders and a smouldering pair of amber eyes. He greeted you with a grin, clapping your shoulder with strength that sent you stumbling slightly.

“Glad things worked out,” The man said, voice deep as he led you down the hall. There were doors on either side of you, and big glass windows that seemed to look out into nothing but a bright light. You heard voices from behind each door, but something told you not to listen. They weren’t your doors. “You know, we were all secretly rooting for you guys,” The man said, grinning. “The rules are definitely a little too harsh, and I’m glad things didn’t play out by them. There’s definitely some work that’s gotta be done--Iggy’s got his work cut out for him,” the man chuckled, slowing as you two approached the end of the hall, where a smaller door was waiting.

There was something strange about it; no voices were heard behind it, but you knew this was your door.

“Hey,” 

You looked at the man, still vaguely confused but ready to move forward. The smile had fallen from his face, but there was a grateful look in his eyes.

“There’s not a lot of people who would do what you did, so thank you. You saved his life. Tell him I said hey, will ya?”

You nodded, although you weren’t quite sure who “he” was. The man seemed satisfied, giving you a friendly nod and a pat on your back. The door in front of you opened.

“Thanks, Gladio, I’ll take it from here.” A lazy voice drawled. The hall behind you faded, and there was yet another man in front of you. He waved you forward, “C’mon, Prom’s waiting. Dude’s probably crazy nervous.” He led you forward, into a white abyss. Your footsteps echoed behind you. You didn’t seem to be going anywhere, and yet everything was different. Your steps felt more solid as you followed the young man, and everything became clearer. Your thoughts felt real, your existence seemed to solidify.

“Noctis!” A familiar voice called. You saw a blurred figure come into focus.

“Hey!” Noctis grinned, approaching the figure easily. You stared at the blurry blob, blinking rapidly.

The figure in front of you cleared. You recognized the blonde hair, cornflower blue eyes, and the dotted freckles on his face. A large smile broke out across your face as you rushed forward, your memories finally clear and tangible. “Prom!”

He laughed, arms wrapped around you in a warm embrace. You felt him burying his face in your neck, his smile pressed against your skin.

“You’re alive--” You started as he pulled back.

He cut you off, “No, you’re alive--I can’t believe you would risk yourself--”

“I can’t believe they would risk themselves, either.” Noctis chimed in, grinning as he watched you two.

Prompto’s head swiveled towards Noctis and his shit eating grin. “You--Noct, I don’t get it--I was supposed to be erased--”

Noct grinned, crossing his arms and shrugging. “Yeah. But I called in a favor with the big guy.”

Prompto’s brow furrowed, “Wha--but I thought you used that back with the dodo bird court case--?”

Noctis raised his eyebrows, “Acquitted, remember?”

You watched the exchange curiously. “Dodo bird case…?”

Prom glanced at you, “Yeah, the last dodo bird died because Noctis--”

Noctis cut him off, “Acquitted.” He stressed. “Anyways, doesn’t matter. You both get second chances--you’re welcome. I’m sure Ignis told you that this kind of thing doesn’t happen a lot, so… enjoy, I guess.”

You paused, confused. “When you say second chance--”

“At life,” Noctis answered, “Not angel-life, but--life-life.” He smiled at Prompto, his gaze softening as he looked at you both. “You guys deserve it. Bonds like that don’t happen often.”

Prompto nodded, smiling at Noctis. “Thanks, Noct. I won’t forget it.”

Noct grinned, “You better not. And hey, just know that you have a place back at HQ after all’s said and done.” He glanced at you, “You, too. Saving an angel’s life? Surprisingly effective at proving yourself worthy.” He grinned.

Somewhere behind you, a bell chimed. Noctis gave you two one last grin, “That’s my cue. I’ll see you guys later.” In the blink of an eye, Noctis was gone.

You looked at Prompto with big eyes, the two of you left before one last door. He looked surprised, too, before a tiny smile bloomed across his face. His hand slid into yours, “Ready?”

You returned the smile. “Ready.”

Together, the two of you walked through the door, finding yourselves in the bright sunlight of a park. Prompto glanced at you, watching you look at the scenery in a new light, your smile small and hopeful. His heart soared in his chest, his grin growing as he realized that there were no more rules, no more regulations, no more reservations. Laughing, he enveloped you in his arms, holding you tight against his chest and never wanting to let go.

You found yourself laughing, too, pulling away slightly and looking at him with a bright smile. You were both lost in each other’s gaze, holding onto this feeling of bright, untethered potential and affection. 

Prompto leaned down, his nose brushing yours. He paused for a moment, taking in the moment--its bright surroundings, the expression on your face, the feeling of his heart light in his chest. This time, when your lips met, there was no desperation or sadness behind it. Only joy and affection.

Your smiles were both big as you two pulled away, cheeks bright. Prompto took your hand again. “Wanna go get some ice cream?” He asked, smiling. You couldn’t answer with anything but a bright grin.

“Nice job, Prom--only took a millennium,” Noctis had snorted when Prompto held up his official Guardian License in the cafeteria.

“Oh, shut it, Noct, at least I didn’t accidentally kill the last dodo bird,” Prom replied with red cheeks, recalling the rather lengthy court investigation that Noctis had to go through when the last one died on his watch.

“Actually, if I recall correctly,” A posh voice called from beside their table called, “I believe Noctis was acquitted.” Ignis hummed, leisurely sitting across from the two Guardians. Ignis knew the case very well--he had actually served as Noctis’ attorney.

There was a snort as Gladio joined them, “Acquitted, my ass,” Gladio muttered, “We know the truth,” He cast a dark look at Noctis, “Made my day hell trying to explain that shit to our superiors.”  

Noctis waved Gladio off. “It was fine, it’s not like the last bird could do anything on its own anyways--”

Ignis interjected before Gladio could go off on the consequences of Noct’s actions. “Now, before that turns into something rather ugly, Prompto, I have something for you--” He held out a pristine envelope, passing it over their trays with ease.

Prompto’s jaw dropped as he gingerly took the envelope with shaking hands. “Oh my go-”

“Careful, don’t want the big man upstairs hearing that.” Noct piped up.

“R-right, but, Ignis--is this…?”

Ignis gave a swift nod, “Thought I should hand deliver this one,” He said, dipping his spoon into his dark matter pudding.

Prompto’s eyes were big as he took in the envelope. It was a clean and white as freshly washed linen, each corner crisp and sharp, and its golden seal still in place. He took a deep breath, one hand slowly breaking the shimmering wax.

“Six, Prom, just open it, you’ll have plenty more in the future.” Noctis said, rolling his eyes with a smirk. Admittedly, the first assignment did always feel special.

Prompto gently tugged the paper from the envelope, pulling out the pristine paper with a shaking hand. His eyes were big as he read the very first words:

“Prompto Argentum, we are pleased to inform you of your first assignment--” He very nearly squealed. He did it. He was a Guardian. His face felt like it was going to split in half from the giant grin on it.

“Careful, Prom, you smile any wider and you might not have any face left,” Noctis smirked, ducking to avoid Prompto’s hand smacking him in the arm. 

“Shut it--I’m excited, okay?”

They all chuckled, Gladio leaning forward on his elbows and glancing at the paper. “So, who’s the lucky assignment?”

Prom glanced back at the paper, eyeing the file before him. “Uhm. Dunno. Some person named…” 

---------

Prompto was on the hunt for his assignment. It was his job to make sure they survived for a few months; he wasn’t sure why, most Guardians didn’t know what for, but all the higher ups say is that it isn’t their time yet. 

Of course, it went a little deeper than that, and there were rules to go alongside it. Most of it was just simple rules like, “Don’t fly under the influence” and “Avoid places meant for hell, such as New Jersey.” There was, however, the biggest rule of them all: don’t ever make contact with your assignment.

All meddling had to be indirect. Why? Another one of those no-explanation policies, but most assumed that it would create a bias or lead the assignment on to have an idea of… up there. And that couldn’t happen. Goodness, could you imagine if a human knew about the afterlife? Terrible, risky business. Still, it wasn’t anything Prompto would worry about. If there was one thing he couldn’t mess up, it was the Big Rule. 

Prompto flew around, hovering here and there as he tried to find his assignment. He glanced down at the file in his hand, staring at the assignment’s schedule once again, desperately trying to find where they would be. He started to panic--they were late.

What if he was too late? What if something happened and he didn’t save his assignment--on the first day--

He took a breath, catching sight of a familiar face. He glanced back down at his file, his assignment’s picture gazing back up at him. Just a normal human face. He looked back to the person in question. They were turning, their face coming into focus and then--

Prompto gasped. They were beautiful. Something in him dropped, his heart thudding in his chest. Then, he realized he was falling, straight from the sky with his gaze still locked onto his assignment. 

Then, they--you, looked up, catching sight of a young man falling from a tree, directly in front of you. He hit the ground with a pained grunt, his eyes still trained on you despite the pain of his expression.

“Holy fuck--are you okay?” You asked, your eyes big as you knelt down next to his. “Shit, that was a big fall, does anything hurt?”

Prompto was mesmerized. Your eyes were so clear, so soft and inviting. Whoever said that eyes are the windows to the soul--they were right. He couldn’t help but gaze at you like an idiot, your voice was music to him as he tried to commit every single bit of your face to memory.

“Shit, can you hear me?” You asked as the young man did nothing but stare at you.

Prompto managed to shake himself out of it. He jolted up, ignoring the pain, it would be gone in a moment. He nodded rapidly, “Y-yeah! I-I can hear you, sorry--that caught me by surprise, ya know?” His words were just as fast as his nods, his nerves shot to hell and his face turning bright red. “Not used to, uh, falling.” He hadn’t fallen since his first week as an angel.

You still looked so concerned, your brow furrowed as you looked at him, trying to find any hint of pain. “Are you okay, though? That was a big fall,” You mumbled, looking up at the tree. Funnily enough, none of the branches above you two looked anywhere near big enough to hold someone--

“Ye-ah--” His voice cracked nervously, and your eyes flickered back to him. He cleared his throat, trying to play it cool. “Yeah, I’m--I’m good.”

You nodded, uncertain. “Okay, uh, then--I’ll just, get going.” You replied, clearing your throat. “Glad you’re okay--” You went to walk around him, only to misstep. You ankle twisted, and you gasped as you felt yourself falling towards the road, the sound of a car horn blaring right behind you before--

A pair of arms wrapped themselves around you, pulling you back against a warm chest. Something lifted you into the air, and for a moment, you were weightless. A bright white feather passed you in the air, floating down. There was a millisecond of nothing but peace, the arms around you safe and comforting. You felt as though nothing could hurt you.

And then. You realized that you almost died. You were back on the ground, your near death experience replaying in your head. Gasping, you whipped around to look at your savior, the blonde man remarkably close to you, his previously nervous, blushing face was now serious. For a moment, you swore you saw a shadow behind him--a pair of wings. And then, it was gone.

“You--fuck, you saved my life.” You gaped, staring at him with wide eyes.

He snapped out of whatever daze he was in, looking as though he barely believed it himself. “I--I guess I did.” He managed a breathy laugh, scratching the back of his head. 

Prompto managed to look at you despite the sheepish look on his face, and the second your eyes met, he found himself lost once again. There was a moment, a solid moment where the two of you were gazing into one another’s eyes, seemingly frozen in one small eternity shared between no one but you two.

And then, Prompto realized something.

You saw him. You met him. You had contact with him--your guardian angel. Suddenly, sweat began to bead his forehead, the moment broken. His heart was beating quickly, whether from your shared moment or his panic, he didn’t know. He had broken the biggest rule there was--he fucked up.

“Oh, fuck me--”

Your head snapped up, a bewildered look on your face as he realized he said that outloud. Prompto’s face burned as you stared, startled. “Shit--sorry--I’m--uh--” He tried to think of something, anything to get him out of the situation. “Late for work!” He blurted, face bright red and heart beating out of his chest. He didn’t wait for a reply before he turned on his heel, literally running away from you.

Meanwhile, as Prompto ran away, you stared at his retreating back with a confused look on your face. Part of you felt deflated; he had saved your life, you felt as though you owed him something. Yet, another part of you was relieved. You decided to chalk the whole situation up to a weird morning and forget about it. 

----

“So, Prompto, how was your first afternoon on the job?” Ignis asked, sitting across from Prompto at a small human cafe. Prompto wasn’t supposed to stray too far from his assignment.

Prompto tried to answer quick enough, but he was silent for just a millisecond too long before he blurted out a quick, “Fine!”

Ignis glanced at Prompto, eyes narrowing as his coffee paused for just a brief second on his lips. Something had happened. “... Good. Although your silence is rather odd, I thought you’d have gone on for at least half an hour on the matter.” He noted, his green eyes slightly suspicious. 

Prompto managed a shrug, hoping his nervous sweat wasn’t noticeable. Ignis was his friend, and admittedly, Prompto wanted to tell him what happened. But at the same time, Ignis was also one of the higher ups, one of those angels involved with the rules--with The Office. If Ignis knew what had happened, he was required to report it, that much Prompto knew.

So, Prom kept his mouth shut. He only shrugged, “Honestly, it was kind of boring.” Prompto lied, feigning disinterest. “Thought it would be a little more interesting, to be honest.”

Ignis’ suspicion rose, though he kept it to himself. “Well, it is only the first day.” 

“Ha, yeah. I’m sure something will happen eventually.”

Ignis hummed, keeping an eye on Prompto as he sipped his coffee. “Yes, well, just make sure to abide by the rules.” 

Prompto stiffened for just a moment, barely noticeable to the human eye. But Ignis wasn’t human. He caught the movement with interest. Still, he said nothing. “Of course, Iggy, you know me!”

“Exactly why I worry.” Ignis replied, chuckling. 

-----

Prompto knew he couldn’t avoid finding you again. Despite broken rules, you were still his assignment, and he couldn’t very well let something happen to you. However, guarding you and keeping you unaware of the situation definitely became much more difficult.

He realized that not a day later, when he waited inside a coffee shop that you were due at in a few minutes. He kept himself towards the edge of the shop, a generic coffee in front of him and a laptop beside himself. He pretended to be busy, yet keeping an eye out for you.

You entered the shop not a minute later, looking tired and worn down as you approached the line with a slight sigh. You stood there for a moment, adjusting your backpack with a huff, seemingly unaware of his presence. Your gaze began to wander, and normally, that wouldn’t be a problem.

However, Prompto had broken Rule #1. He was familiar to you; it would be harder to stay unnoticed. This was proven not a moment later when your eyes landed on him. His eyes met yours, and once again, he felt something stir in his heart. It began to beat just a touch faster. 

He quickly looked away, hoping for the sake of his job that you dismissed it. Still, part of him--a very small part--desperately hoped that you hadn’t, that you had felt the same buzz of excitement, the same lingering tug that he felt. He tried to dismiss that thought as well, trying to crush that tugging curiosity before it could grow.

An entire millennium was spent getting him this job, he couldn’t lose it now, and he knew that whatever feeling bubbled up in his chest was definitely breaking some kind of rule. He took a breath, managing to push the hopeful tugging deep down, and risked a glance up, trying to get back to his job.

His efforts to squash his feelings immediately crumbed. You were standing in front of him, holding a beverage and a pastry. “Hey.” 

Prompto’s resolve was reduced to ash as he felt his face heating up, his stomach flipping. He smiled, against his will, as he returned the greeting. “Oh--hi!”

You stood there for a moment, looking awkward and embarrassed as a red tint bloomed on your cheeks. It made his smile grow and his chest tighten, wondering if all humans looked that cute when they blushed.

“S-so, uhm, you don’t have to accept this or anything--but I uh, grabbed this pastry for you. As a thank you. For saving my life.” You managed to say, your own nerves threatening to give you a heart attack.

Prompto froze. He felt warmth bloom in his chest as a tiny smile appeared on his face at your kindness. He had friends, yeah, but angels upstairs weren’t in the habit of giving each other things. 

“L-Like I said, you don’t have to accept but--”

“I accept.” Prompto interrupting, his cheeks glowing bright red. 

You froze, both relieved and stunned that he accepted your thanks. Smiling slightly, you placed the pastry down in front of him, “Uh, great, thanks--it’s, it’s just a cheese danish--I don’t know if you like those or anything but, I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t like them and--” You were rambling, your nerves growing more every second.

Prompto cut you off, “Thanks--really.” He smiled, much calmer this time. 

You nodded, managing a smile and starting to turn around.

Prompto felt himself panic for a moment. He didn’t want you to leave. He knew it was a bad idea, he knew it was against the rules, yet he couldn’t help but say something else. “Uh, wait a sec--”

You turned around, surprise flitting across your face.

“Do you wanna join me?” Prompto managed to ask, gesturing to the chair across from him. “It’s--it’s pretty crowded and there aren’t many seats left, so…” He scratched the back of his neck, trying to ignore his growing blush.

A smile bloomed across your face, and it was your turn to thank him. “Sure, thanks.” You took a seat, trying to calm your beating heart. There was something about this guy, and you didn’t know what, but something was calling out to you--tugging on your heart and urging you to be near him. As you placed your bag on the ground, you managed to tell him your name, trying to hide your blush behind your drink as you took a sip.

Prompto paused. He had thought your name many times, having read it over and over again as he tried to prepare for his first assignment, but to hear it aloud? It was something else entirely. He tried to keep himself from smiling like a damn fool. Your name was perfect to him.

“Nice name,” He managed to say, trying not to think about how much he loved it. How much he loved the way you said it. “I’m Prompto,” He smiled, breaking the danish in half as best he could and offering you the bigger half. He knew it was for him, but even so, he couldn’t bring himself to not give you something as well.

Together, the two of you munched on your halves of the danish, sipping on your drinks and occasionally making small talk. It was awkward; there was a strange, buzzing tension in the air that neither of you mentioned. Even so, there was an undeniable connection between the two of you, and neither one of you could keep yourselves from stealing glances at one another.

Sometimes, eye contact was made, and you would both look away with warm cheeks and thumping hearts.

Prompto ran into you a lot. At first, he tried to stay unnoticed, he really did. But he couldn’t. Every time he saw you, his heart started to thump louder and his chest would grow warm. His cheeks flushed a bright red and he could feel his heart hammering away in his chest. His eyes would light up, whether he knew it or not, and he swore his smile would grow just a millimeter more.

And everytime, you would see him, too, a smile blooming across your face and your own eyes twinkling slightly. 

He couldn’t not talk to you then. It was physically impossible--his chest would grow so tight if he tried to feign obliviousness that he couldn’t breathe. So he gave in, everytime.

You two would talk for a long time, Prompto hanging onto every syllable you uttered and his face aching from the foolish smile stretched across his face. You would reply to every sentence with interest, genuinely loving both his thoughts and the sound of his voice--it was so pleasant and warm that even in the coldest temperatures you were comfortable.

Eventually, Prompto started to approach you if he saw you. And then, you two started agreeing to meet up. You could call each other friends. It was bad. He knew it was.

Shit, you weren’t even supposed to know he existed--and you were starting to notice things. Namely how every ounce of misfortune was avoided when he was near. How he was the one who pushed you out of the way when an air conditioning unit fell from a window. How he nudged you just inches away from ankle-tripping cracks and puddles, hesitating at just the right moments to narrowly avoid cars and oblivious, bustling people who would have plowed right through you.

Finally, one day, you said something. “Prom, I swear, you’re like my lucky charm.”

He bristled immediately, not that you noticed. “O-oh, yeah? What makes you say that?” He stammered, trying to keep his panic from showing. 

You shrugged, glancing at him with a smile. “I dunno, when you’re around, it seems like nothing bad happens. I swear, you’ve saved my life at least seven times by now.”

47, actually. Not that he said anything. He chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. “Aw, I wouldn’t… say that.” He tried to brush it off, his eyes 

You laughed, nudging him. “Come on--you’re like magic. Crazy intuition or something, right?” You said, grinning. “You’re like my personal guardian angel,” You added, your cheeks immediately heating up. Admittedly, the idea piqued your interest.

Prompto felt his heart skip a beat. He tried to laugh it off, “Yeah, I guess my intuition is pretty spot on, huh? But an angel? C’mon. Angels don’t exist.” 

You smiled at him, “I dunno, you’re pretty angelic to me, Prompto.”

He immediately began to panic. “What? No, I’m not!” He rushed, urgency in his voice as fear flitted across his face. If you knew--oh god, if you found out--he didn’t have to finish that thought as you let out a bark of laughter. Relief coarsed through him.

“Oh my goodness, the look on your face--” You beamed, looking at him with bright cheeks and a big smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend,” You chuckled, pushing a bit of hair out of your face. You paused, the two of you stopping on the sidewalk, right next to a pastry shop.

Prompto watched as a serious thought seemed to cross your face. You looked at him, “In all seriousness, thank you--if you really did save my life that many times… You definitely at least kept me out of trouble.” You smiled, your gaze glancing away for a moment. “Just… thanks. You’re a really great friend, Prompto.” As you said this, your heart dropped slightly. You didn’t want to just be friends. But--

“Is that all we are?” Prompto asked suddenly. It was a bold moment, a ballsy moment. He liked you, he knew he liked you. He also knew that he was breaking at least another five rules by liking you--especially by saying it. But at this point, with how many rules were already broken, he didn’t mind breaking another one if i meant being with you.

His heart was hammering against his ribcage as he spoke again. “Is that all you want to be--friends?”

Your eyes met his, surprised. His face was bright red, each freckle popping and his blue eyes the most serious you had seen them. He was waiting for an answer. You barely heard yourself as you breathed out, “No.”

He seemed to gain some confidence, stepping forward, one hand gently nudging yours. Something buzzed in the air, tension weighing down on you as you moved your hand, fingers gently interlocking with his. A tiny smile fell across his face, and you knew there was a matching one on yours. Your nose brushed against his. When did you two get so close? 

Your lips touched. His were soft, plump against yours. You returned the pressure, lips parting. He tasted like the strawberry ice cream you two had split.

The tension lifted as you two pulled apart, blushes on both your faces, hands still interlocked. 

“Wow,” Prompto breathed, looking starstruck.

Your own eyes were wide as you managed a light chuckle. “Yeah, wow.”

There was a light note as your phone received a message. You glanced down, eyes widening. “Oh--shit--fuck,” You looked up at Prompto, feeling rather shitty for having to do this. “Shit, I’m late--” You stuffed your phone back in your pocket, looking up at him with a shy smile. “Thanks for today, Prom, I--I really enjoyed it.” Your cheeks were warm. “I’ll see you later?”

He nodded, a dumb little smile across his face. “Yeah, of course!”

You nodded, turning to go. A few feet away, you couldn’t help but look back, meeting his gaze with a silly little grin and almost tripping over your feet in the process. You tried to ignore his shaking shoulders as he chuckled, grinning away at you.

Prompto watched you leave, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He couldn’t stop smiling, the feeling of your lips against his lingering and leaving him with a buzzing excitement. He turned around, ready to go on his merry way--

“Hey, Prompto. How’s the assignment going?” Noctis said, leaning against the shop window with his arms crossed.